Unworthy Heart: The Donnellys, Book 1

by Dorothy F. Shaw

  “Oh my gosh! Kisses from both of you?” She smiled, her cheeks tingling. “You boys are gonna make me blush.”

  “You’re awfully pretty when you do.” Ryan put his son down. “Jacob thinks you’re pretty. Don’t you, little man?”

  “Daddy!” Jacob buried his face in Ryan’s thigh. “You’re emmarrissing me.”

  “Aw.” Maiya knelt down. “Don’t be embarrassed.” She kissed Jacob’s forehead and his color deepened to an adorable shade of pink. “Come on. I’ll race you to the house.”

  With a wide grin, Jacob gazed up at her and then took off running for the door. Maiya laughed and ran after him. When they got inside, Jacob hightailed it to the backyard.

  “I hope you like chili. It’s not regular chili though,” Ryan said.

  “What exactly does ‘not regular’ mean?” She grabbed three bowls from the cabinet.

  “I like when you do that.”

  “Huh?” She glanced at him. “Do what?”

  “That.” Crossing his arms, he jerked his chin in her direction.

  Maiya set the bowls on kitchen table at each place and then grabbed napkins from the holder. “What are you talking about?” Turning, she rested her ass against the table and let her gaze travel over his body.

  He still wore his work clothes. Gray dress pants hugged his solid thighs and pooled in the perfect length at each ankle. A pale-blue dress shirt stretched tight over his equally solid chest. The sleeves rolled up to mid-forearm gave her a nice view of his strong arms. His tie was missing and the top button of his shirt was open—providing the smallest glimpse of the golden tone of his chest. Maiya gripped the sides of the table. The sight of him made her go all wobbly kneed.

  “It’s sweet chili.” Opening the oven, Ryan pulled out a cookie sheet full of biscuits and set them on the stovetop.

  She shook her head, dragging her thoughts away from his body, and walked over to retrieve spoons from the silverware drawer. “I’m sure I’ll love the chili.” With those in hand, she grabbed three small plates for the biscuits. “So, what is it that you like me doing?”

  He snagged her by the waist and pulled her close. Maiya gripped the small plates and spoons to avoid dropping them. Ryan buried his face in her hair and pressed soft kisses behind her ear, then her jaw before traveling to her lips. “That you come in and start getting ready for dinner with me.” He kissed her again. “It feels good. Feels right to me.”

  “I didn’t realize setting the table was such a big deal.” She kissed his nose. “You’re a strange man.” She tried to pull away, but he held her still.

  “Not strange. Just appreciative is all.” He cupped her chin in his hand. “It means a lot to me, babe. So…thanks.” He kissed her again and then let her go.

  She hadn’t expected the praise. And she didn’t know how she felt about it. She hadn’t meant it as a huge gesture or anything—just doing the right thing and helping out where she could. As she arranged the small plates and spoons on the table Ryan’s cell phone rang. She glanced at him.

  “Ryan Donnelly.” He turned and faced the stove. “Yes. Are you kidding me? No. Christ, okay fine.”

  Figuring he might need some privacy, she made her way to the family room. She could still hear him, however.

  “Yes, I’ll stop by tomorrow on my lunch break. Around twelve thirty. Are they out of their damn minds?” There was a long pause and then he continued. “Okay, no problem. See you then.” Ryan let out a loud curse. “Baby, where’d you go?”

  She stepped back into the kitchen. “I was giving you some privacy.”

  “Yeah, thanks.” He ran his palm over his head, and then rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yes. No.” He shook his head. “I don’t know.” His brow furrowed and his beautiful mouth turned down into a frown.

  “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so upset.” She walked over to him and pulled him into an embrace. “You want to tell me about it?” She rubbed his back.

  “Fuck.” Sighing, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “It was my attorney. Tammy’s parents have filed for additional visitation.”

  “Oh.” She tried to keep the shock from her voice, but failed. Damn. She was never good at keeping her emotions from bleeding into her words. “I hadn’t realized they saw him now.”

  “They rarely see him. And it’s always here in town. Goddammit!” He shook his head. “We’ll talk more about it after Jacob goes to bed.”

  “All right.” She kissed his cheek and moved away. “Dinner almost ready?”

  “About five minutes or so.” He glanced at the stove and then back to her. “Let’s go see what the little man is up to. He’s too quiet.” Ryan grabbed her hand and led her to the back door.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Ryan managed to get through their dinner without losing it. But the movie with Jacob was a little harder to sit through without getting up and working off some of the damn nervous energy racking his system. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact these people were already challenging him on visitation. At least they weren’t seeking custody again.

  By the time he got Jacob settled into bed, restless nerves had taken over his body and he was crawling out of every inch of his skin. He took Maiya by the hand, pulled her into his bedroom and then shut the door.

  Overcome by the tension devouring his system, he turned and pressed her against the door, kissing her as though he was a drowning man, and she was his life raft. “I need you.” He gasped for a breath before capturing her mouth again. “I need you now.” Not giving her a chance to answer, he pulled up her skirt and hoisted her off her feet. “Wrap your legs around me.” He carried her away from the door to the other wall, and ran one hand up her thigh, finding skin. “Goddamn. Thigh highs? I fucking love these on you.”

  “I know.” Something sounding like a growl rose up from her throat and she grabbed his shirt and ripped it open, sending buttons flying in all directions. She licked a line from the top of his chest to his throat and then bit his neck.

  Ryan let out his own growl, and his need to be inside her went into overdrive, rumbling through him. He tugged her panties to the side, and somehow managed to get his pants undone. With his dick free, he stroked through her moist, hot slit with the tip. “Jesus, you’re wet.”

  Pushing his shirt over his shoulders, she gripped the flesh and dug her nails in. “I’m always wet for you.”

  “Fuck yes, you are.” Gripping her full ass in his palms, he positioned himself at her entrance and then slid into her heat in one thrust.

  Bliss.

  Heaven.

  God help him.

  Ryan pressed his forehead against hers and held still a moment, allowing her time to adjust, and giving himself time to breathe. Maiya pressed her lips to his with a whimper and rocked her hips.

  He took it as his cue to get his ass moving. He pulled his length out, leaving the head nestled inside her, and then slid back in again, pressing her harder against the wall. Mindless with the sensations of her channel gripping his cock, he needed to pound into her. Pound her through the wall if he had to. “Eager little slut, aren’t you?”

  She tilted her pelvis forward. “I’m your eager slut.”

  Ryan came undone. With relentless strokes he slammed into her. Aside from his torn shirt, they were both still clothed, but he needed to feel her skin beneath his hands and mouth. He grabbed at her top, and tore it open, revealing lace-covered breasts.

  Taut nipples stood at attention through the thin fabric. He kept a tight grip on her ass with one hand and gripped one full breast in the other. Tugging the fabric down, he ran his thumb over the hard tip.

  She bucked against him and dug her nails deeper into his shoulders. “Oh, fuck. Yes! Pinch it, please?” She rocked her hips forward, meeting his relentless thrusts.

&nbs
p; Ryan rolled the solid peak between thumb and forefinger and then pinched, as she’d so sweetly begged him to do. “I can’t stop thinking about how your pussy grips my prick. I need to fuck you every day, Maiya.” He dipped his head and sucked the entire areola into his mouth.

  She gasped and ran her fingers through his hair. The taste of her swept through him, overwhelming his senses. He loved how she tasted—how she felt. He couldn’t get enough of her—wanted all of her, and more.

  His. She was his.

  “I love how you feel inside me.” She raked her nails down his back and buried her face in his neck, running her tongue along his skin.

  The sounds of their lovemaking—his groans, her whimpers—resonated around them, driving his desire to make her mindless. He slowed his movements and with shorter thrusts, ground against her clit. “I want to hear you scream my name.”

  Her channel clenched in little spasms, and he knew she was on the verge of climax.

  “Whose pussy is this?” Thrust. “Whose?” Thrust.

  “I’m coming, Ryan. Oh. God.”

  He thrust harder. “Whose? Tell me!”

  “Yours!”

  Ryan clamped a hand over her mouth, quieting her, leaving her to breathe and moan through her nose. “That’s. Fucking. Right.” His voice was low and gravely. Each word said in time with the drive of his hips. “Come for me, my dirty slut. Come all over my dick.”

  Seizing in his arms, a low guttural cry emerged from Maiya’s chest, vibrating in the palm of his hand still clasped over her mouth. Her orgasm crested, her body trembling in his arms.

  “Jesus. Yes, yes!” Ryan pulled his hand from her mouth, gripped her ass tighter and threw his head back. Bucking against her, wild with lust, he gave in to what his body was aching for. The clenching of her tight channel around his throbbing prick sent Ryan flying right over the edge after her. Over and over he spurted inside her and spots formed behind his closed eyes.

  Ryan held her tight to his body, resting his head on her shoulder. Thank God for the wall supporting them, otherwise he’d have fallen with her to the ground. Ryan didn’t care. All he wanted was to stay buried deep inside her.

  Soft whimpers escaped her with each breath she took, and she trailed featherlike kisses over his shoulder and neck. Raising his head, he sought her lips, sucked her tongue and once again, basked in her taste. When he was finally able to pull them away from the wall, he carried her to the bed and laid her down. He tugged the blankets down beneath her, and then removed his shirt and undressed her. “I’m not done with you.”

  When they were both naked, he climbed back between her welcoming thighs. The heat of skin-on-skin contact seared him to the bone and Ryan sucked in a breath. She was so warm, so willing; a playground of delight he couldn’t wait to explore a thousand times over. When he’d left no part of her untouched by his hands or mouth, he fucked her again.

  This time, a little slower.

  Maiya lay with her head on Ryan’s chest, listening to the smooth, steady beat of his heart. He stroked his fingers up and down her spine as they basked in the post-coital bliss that came after incredible, mind-altering sex.

  The sex had been out of this world. Then again, when hadn’t it been that way with him? Fast and furious, biting and scratching, a complete tornado of sexual desire and release. Downright intense is what it was.

  What happened after he laid her on his bed was no less intense, but was…different.

  His movements had been slow, calculating. He’d made her mindless with each touch, kiss and stroke he delivered to her body. However his words, falling in whispered tones, had sent her to a place she’d never been before. “You just don’t understand. You don’t get it. Being apart from you isn’t an option anymore. I need you, baby. So badly.”

  He’d said these, and many other things to her, several times while he possessed her body. His words shocked her and all she could say in response was, “I’m right here, I’m right here with you.” Anything more wasn’t possible.

  This was so much more than sex. It was making love.

  Ryan had been making love to her body, her mind and her heart. The emotions his words and movements conjured within her were almost too much to bear, and she was powerless to stop any of it.

  She could no more hold back the tidal wave of his feelings than she could her own. And she drowned in all of them.

  “Do you need anything?”

  “No, I’m fine.” She traced the contours of his ribs and snuggled closer.

  Kissing the top of her head, he ran his fingers through her hair. “You feel so wonderful.”

  She raised her head to look at him. It was dark in the room, and she could barely make out the contours of his face. “You want to tell me about the call from the attorney?”

  “You sure you want to hear about all that mess?”

  She kissed his chest, and then laid her head back down. “Only if you want to tell me.”

  “They already have visitation.”

  “Okay, so then what more do they want?”

  “The deal right now is they get to see him two weeks a year, but they have to come here to do it. It has to be on my turf, not theirs.”

  “Let me guess, that’s not good enough for them anymore?”

  “Bingo.” He squeezed her closer. “Have I told you how smart you are?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. Just coming to the obvious conclusion.” Tracing his exposed nipple with her nail, she watched while it tightened to a peak.

  “Hey now, I say you’re smart, so you are. You’re beautiful too, and if you don’t stop toying with my nipple I’m going to flip you over and show you just how much I appreciate you.”

  She pinched his nipple. “Is that a threat?”

  “One I’ll follow through on later.” Ryan grabbed her hand. Raising her fingers to his lips, he kissed them.

  “In that case, I’ll consider it a promise.” She smiled. “It’s going to be fine, you know that, right?”

  He kissed the top of her head. “Yeah. Because there’s no other option.”

  She had no doubt he’d hit the visitation request head on, and win. Closing her eyes, Maiya let out a sigh and snuggled closer, his heart beating a steady drum beneath her ear while he played with her hair.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Maiya woke to the sound of the shower running. She rolled to her side and the usual soreness from spending the night with Ryan made its presence known.

  The water shut off and she sat up and smiled. A few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom with a blue towel wrapped around his waist. Beads of water clung to his chest and his hair stuck up in several directions, the obvious result of a run-in with the towel.

  “Morning, baby.” He stepped into his closet.

  Managing a glance around the room, she noted the sparse furnishings. There were two dressers. One, a tall chest of drawers, stood between the entry and bathroom door. The other, its mate, was wide and stout, sat across from the bed. “Morning.” She stretched and then flopped back on the pillows. “Do we have to go to work today?”

  Ryan crawled onto the bed and hovered over her. “You think we can both call in sick?” He nuzzled her neck.

  “Doubtful.” Yawning, she cupped the back of his wet head. “What time is it?”

  “Six thirty. Jacob’ll be up soon. I’m surprised he isn’t yet, actually.” Ryan got up and walked over to the tall dresser. He dropped the towel to the floor and pulled out a pair of boxer briefs and socks.

  Maiya clenched her teeth at the sight of his firm ass and thighs. “Fabulous view in this place.” Smiling, she drew the sheets and blankets aside and sat on the edge of the bed.

  “You like?” He wiggled a little before he bent to pull his underwear on.

  Standing, she gave her own little wiggle. “Very much.”

 
Ryan dropped his socks and his jaw.

  With hands planted on her hips, Maiya strode past him into the bathroom. She peeked her head back out. “When you’re dressed can you get my bag from downstairs?”

  “Damn. Um…what?”

  “My bag?” Shaking her head, she laughed. “Close your mouth, Ryan. They’re just tits.” She turned away and stepped into the shower. With her eyes closed and her hair full of soapy shampoo, Maiya heard the shower door slide open.

  “Yes, I will get your bag. And no, they are not ‘just tits’. They are your tits, and amazing ones at that.” He swatted her ass.

  She yelped. “Hey!” Cracking one eye open and risking the suds, she looked at him.

  The man wore a grin the size of Europe. “Never mind all your ink too. Hot stuff.”

  Bending her head back, she let the water wash over her hair, sending the bubbles down her body. He groaned. Got him. If he was going to stand there she may as well give him a show. “Close the door, you’re making me cold.”

  “I know, and your nipples are getting nice and hard. I want to bite them. Like, right now.”

  “There’ll be none of that, Mr. Donnelly. Your sweet little boy will be awake soon, and jeez, don’t you think you bit them enough last night?” She covered her sore areolas with her palms.

  He ran his fingertip down her arm. “A nipple a day keeps the doctor away.”

  “Clever. Now shoo. Let me finish.” She gave him a quick kiss and then slammed the shower door closed.

  “Cold. Real cold, Maiya.”

  “Yeah, yeah. That’s what I was just saying.” She couldn’t help herself and laughed. “Go get my bag, will you, please?”

  “Yes, dear.” Ryan exited the bathroom, laughing too.

  Good thing he left when he did. His lust-injected compliments and his light touches had riled her up enough to pull him in the shower with her.

  Maiya dried off with the two towels he’d left for her. Aw, how thoughtful. Most guys couldn’t remember women needed two towels after the shower. He’d also brought her bag like she’d asked and left it by the counter. When she poked her head out of the bathroom to thank him, he was nowhere in sight. Probably getting Jacob ready.