Tempting His Heart

by Dawn Sullivan

  “Nothing baby,” he said as he tugged her back into his arms. “You didn’t do anything. I just realized we didn’t use a condom. I can’t believe I was that careless.”

  Sloane’s heart filled with pain as she realized what Creed was afraid of. She had been so busy and had so much on her plate the past few weeks that for once she hadn’t thought of her past. She hadn’t been filled with heart ache and pain. But at least she could put Creed’s mind at rest. Even as that thought crossed her mind, Sloane realized this could also be the factor that cost her a relationship with Creed. It was better to tell him now though. So if he wanted out on his end, he could do it before he fell for her. For Sloane, it was too late. She was already head over heels in love with Creed Caldwell.

  Sitting up, Sloane swallowed hard as she bowed her head. She would tell Creed her story, but she couldn’t look at him while she did it. “What’s wrong, Sloane?” Creed asked as she shored up her courage.

  When he tried to pull her back to him, she held out an arm and shook her head. “Don’t, please,” she whispered softly. “I have to tell you something, but I can’t do it while you are holding me.”

  As Creed waited patiently, Sloane peeked at him through the hair that had fallen over her eyes. He was staring at her with compassion and what looked like love. Could Creed love her?

  Inhaling deeply, Sloane started, “I met Jake several years ago when some friends and I were out for a drink at a small bar. He was the one that everyone was watching, wanting to be with. The charismatic one of the group. Funny, sweet, caring. At least that’s how he came off at first. He stayed that way until we were married. A month later the beatings started.” Chancing a glance at Creed, she saw his expression had hardened, his hands were clenched in the comforter.

  Looking away, Sloane continued. “I know I should have left him, but I believed I married him for better or worse. I gradually lost all of my close friends, because I pushed them away. Jake was very jealous and controlling. If he even thought there was something in my life more important to me than he was, he would beat me. He said he was teaching me that nothing should ever be more important to a wife than her husband.”

  When she stopped, Creed reached over and took her hand in his. “I would never hurt you, Sloane. I would never expect you to live without your family and friends.”

  “I know,” she whispered softly. “I know you wouldn’t. But that’s where my fear of losing control of my life comes from. He took slowly from me, piece by piece, and I had to fight to get it back.”

  Sloane glanced up to see a look of understanding on Creed’s face. “Sloane,” he said as he cupped her check and forced her to look at him. “I don’t want to control your life. Right now, I just want to keep you safe. There’s someone out there that wants to hurt you. I refuse to let that happen. The things I ask from you, they are only to keep you safe, nothing more.”

  Her gaze falling to his chin, Sloane murmured, “I understand that now. That’s what Mom and I were talking about yesterday before I went into your house.” Raising her eyes to meet his once again, she whispered, “But that’s not everything you need to know, Creed.”

  His eyes narrowing, Creed said, “Then tell me, Sloane. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Her eyes filling with tears, Sloane let out a small whimper. As a tear escaped, she whispered, “A little over five years ago I found out I was pregnant.” When he stiffened, she tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her. Biting her lip, Sloane took a deep breath before she went on, “It was the one bright moment in my bleak existence at the time. Jake was ecstatic. The beatings stopped for a while. I started thinking maybe I had gotten the man Jake was before we were married back. In the back of my mind, I knew it wasn’t true. But it didn’t stop me from hoping it was.”

  Shivering from a sudden chill in the air, Sloane let Creed wrap the comforter around her, before she continued. This time when Creed pulled her to him and rested her head against his chest, she didn’t fight him. “When I was four months along, there was a dinner for Jake’s work I was required to attend. I thought everything went fine, but when we got home, Jake went crazy. He said I flirted with one of his coworkers all night and it wasn’t acceptable. I didn’t even know who he was talking about.” As her breath hitched on a sob, she whispered, “He beat me over and over again. I tried to protect the baby, but there was nothing I could do. He was out of control.” Creed’s arms tightened around her and he kissed her softly on the head while he gently rubbed her back. “I called an ambulance the minute Jake left the house. I knew it was against the rules, that he would want to punish me for it later, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to save my baby.” Sobbing uncontrollably now, Sloane finished, “I lost my son, Creed. I lost him and it was all my fault. If I had just left Jake when I found out I was pregnant, my baby would be here today.”

  “Bullshit,” Creed said as he cuddled her close. “Don’t you take the blame for what that son of a bitch did, Sloane. It’s his fault, not yours.” Tilting her head up to meet his, Creed rasped, “You are one of the sweetest people I know, Sloane. You would do anything for anyone and you expect nothing in return. He took advantage of your soft heart and your loyalty. He is a fucking bastard. And he is the reason your baby isn’t here today, not you, Sloane.”

  Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, “Creed, I can’t have any more children. He not only took my son from me, but he took any future children I would have had. They had to do a hysterectomy.” The pain swamped her as she admitted to Creed the one thing that she was afraid would take him from her.

  When Creed swore viciously, Sloane tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her. “What happened two years ago, Sloane?” he demanded. “You said the last time you saw him was two years ago. What did that piece of shit do to you? And why the hell was he out of prison already after everything he put you through?”

  “He got out early on good behavior,” Sloane told him. “I guess since there was no documentation with the police that he had ever hurt me before, it worked in his favor. I don’t know. My lawyer tried to fight it, but it didn’t matter.”

  “And two years ago?” Creed pressed.

  “When Jake went to prison, I packed up my things and moved in with my parents until I found a job. After a year, I moved out and got my own apartment. Jake found me there.” Wrapping an arm around Creed’s waist, Sloane allowed herself to sink into his warmth. He wasn’t pulling away from her, even after everything she’d revealed, and she needed the comfort of his arms to give her the courage to finish her story. “He showed up one day when I got off work, pushing his way past my front door and into my apartment.”

  When Sloane stopped, Creed encouraged her, “Tell me, Sloane. I want to know it all.”

  “Jake smacked me and threw me across the room,” Sloane said, anger filling her as she remembered that day. “He told me it was my fault things had turned out the way they did. If I was a good wife, he wouldn’t have spent time in prison. I was done, Creed. I wasn’t going to let him hurt me anymore. When he came at me again with his fist raised, I punched him in the face and kneed him in the balls. I was so angry. When he fell to the ground holding himself, I kicked him in the face and again in the side. Who knows what I would have done after that, but there was a knock on the door and the police were there. One of the neighbors had seen Jake force his way in and called the police. After that, I filed a restraining order, and never heard from him again.”

  “I am so damn proud of you, Sloane,” Creed whispered. “So proud.”

  “You are?” Sloane asked, looking up at him in stunned surprise. “How could you be proud of me after what I just told you?”

  “You had the courage to fight back. A lot of people, men and women both, wouldn’t have. Not only did you fight back, but you overcame the hell your life was and moved on to make it a better one.” When she stared at him in silence, unsure of what to say, he lightly cupped her face with his palm and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “You
are a fighter, Sloane. I love that about you.”

  “You really mean that, don’t you?” she whispered in awe.

  “Hell yes, I do,” Creed told her as he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. “I mean every word of it.” Deepening the kiss, Creed slipped his tongue into her mouth, tangling it with hers. Pulling back after a few moments, he whispered, “Sloane, I love you. I know it’s soon, but I want you to know how I feel. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before, and I plan on exploring it as much as possible.”

  “You love me?” She asked him in shocked surprise. Her lips quivering, she whispered, “You still want to be with me? Even though I can’t have children?”

  “What does having children have anything to do with how I feel about you?” Creed asked in confusion. “I love you for you. For the woman you are, Sloane. I love everything about you. Yes, it’s sad that you won’t ever be able to have any biological children, but you shouldn’t let something like that control your life. There’s always adoption if you want kids in the future.”

  Sloane noticed that Creed didn’t say anything about adopting kids with him, but she kept quiet. Just because he admitted to loving her, didn’t mean he was ready for the whole white house and picket fence thing. However, she suddenly realized she was. “I never thought about adoption,” she admitted.

  “I would love to adopt a child someday,” Creed told her. “I want to give someone a chance like Charles and Cara did me.”

  “What do you mean?” Sloane asked in bewilderment. “You’re adopted?”

  “Katy didn’t tell you?” Creed laughed softly. “We are all adopted, Sloane. None of us are biologically related. Our parents adopted us from an orphanage. I was the oldest one they took a chance on. Ten years old and angry as hell at the world.” Shaking his head, he grinned. “I certainly gave Charles and Cara a run for their money that first year.”

  “Katy never told me,” Sloane admitted as she struggled to comprehend what Creed was telling her. “I didn’t have a clue.”

  “We were all together in the same orphanage. We had our own little group.” Creed laughed again as he told the story. “Our parents actually came to see Katy, but when they came for her, we refused to let her go. We surrounded Katy and told them that they couldn’t have her. She was our baby sister and we were all sticking together. Next thing we knew, we were all going to our new home together.”

  “That is so wonderful!” Sloane exclaimed. “I would love to do something like that.” Looking down at her hand where it rested on his chest, she whispered, “So it really doesn’t bother you?”

  Tilting her head back, Creed softly claimed her lips with his. She moaned as he lightly traced her mouth with his tongue before sliding it past her lips. Pulling back, he whispered, “I love you, Sloane Murphy.”

  Sloane sniffled as tears slipped down her face. “I love you too, Creed,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”

  Creed’s hazel eyes brightened and he kissed her softly. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, Sloane. Let me in. I don’t want to control you. I just want to love you.”

  “Yes,” Sloane responded softly. “Yes.” Once again capturing her lips with his, Creed made love to her mouth as he stroked a hand lightly down her back. Kicking the covers off of them, Creed kissed his way down her body, stopping to pay special attention to her breasts. With light nips he moved down her stomach, and down further still. After finding her clit, he flicked his tongue out, stroking it and playing with it. Bringing a hand up, he slid two fingers inside of her.

  Crying out, Sloane slipped her hands into his hair and lifted her hips, arching up into his mouth. “Oh God,” she called out. “Oh Creed, that feels so good. Please, please.” Feeling the pleasure mount inside her, she pushed against his mouth again and again. “Oh Creed, I’m so close.”

  Creed increased the rhythm of his tongue against her clit as he moved his fingers faster inside her. It didn’t take long before Sloane’s fingers tightened in Creed’s hair and she came on his tongue. Her whole body was shaking with her release. She moaned softly as Creed moved quickly up her body and slipped inside her. “Oh, yes,” she whispered as he filled her once again. “Yes.”

  Creed grasped her hip and pushed deeper inside as he moved slowly inside her. “Oh, baby,” he groaned as he thrust slowly in and out. “You feel so good. So fucking good.”

  Sloane panted softly, raking Creed’s back with her nails as she felt the pleasure rising in her again. “Please Creed, faster,” she begged. “I need you to move faster.” Moving her hands down, she dug her nails into his ass, urging him to go faster.

  Groaning, Creed’s body shook as he fought for control. “No,” he said. “I want to show you how much I love you, Angel. I want to show you what you mean to me.”

  Sloane matched Creed thrust for thrust as she fought to reach her climax again. She had never known anything like this before. Had never felt the pleasure that now swamped her.

  Creed held himself above her, his arms shaking, sweat dripping down his temples. Sloane screamed as the pleasure overtook her body, slamming into her. “Creed, oh God, Creed,” she moaned as she came.

  “Oh fuck,” Creed rasped as he grabbed tightly to her hair, pulling her head back as he shoved into her one more time. Then he groaned loudly as he came inside her. After claiming her lips in a quick kiss, he pulled back breathing roughly. “I love you, Sloane.”

  Framing his face in the palms of her hands, Sloane whispered, “I love you too.” Creed pulled her into his arms, holding her close.

  After a moment, Creed got out of bed and went to turn on the hot tub. “What are you doing?” Sloane asked sleepily.

  “We are going to take a quick soak in the hot tub,” Creed responded as he dumped some bubbles in that he found on the counter beside the tub. “You are going to be sore tomorrow if we don’t.” After the tub was full, he came and gathered Sloane in his arms. Stepping over the side of the tub, he lowered himself down, settling Sloane in between his legs. As she leaned her head back against his shoulder, her nuzzled he neck, kissing it softly. Grabbing a wash cloth he had left on the side of the tub, he put some body wash on it and slowly started to wash Sloane’s body. He started at her shoulders, proceeded further down over her breasts, and then continued on to her stomach. He did each leg individually, then moving back up he once again washed her stomach and then below.

  “Oh, what you do to me, Creed,” Sloane whispered softly. “You make me feel things I’ve never felt before. My body has never responded like this with anyone else.”

  Once Creed cleaned every part of Sloane’s body, he quickly washed himself and then got out of the tub. After drying off, he helped Sloane out and dried her quickly. Sloane moved to the bed, climbing in and sliding under the soft covers. Creed followed, pulling her up against him. She was so exhausted that she was asleep within minutes.

  Chapter 17

  When Sloane woke up the next morning, she sighed when she realized she was wrapped in Creed’s arms. He was holding her. He loved her. He knew all of her secrets, everything about her past, and he still loved her. Still wanted to be with her.

  As a smile slid across her face, Sloane slowly turned to face him. Her smile widened as she realized that he wasn’t fully awake yet, even though parts of his body were.

  Grinning mischievously, Sloane slid down his body and gently cupped his balls in her hand before taking his hard cock into her mouth. As Creed moaned her name, Sloane enveloped more of him in her mouth, sliding as much of him in as she could, before sliding back up and encircling the tip with her tongue. “Fuck,” Creed groaned as he tangled his fingers in her hair.

  After sliding down the length of him again, she came back up, teasing the underside of his dick with her tongue. “Oh, shit, Sloane,” Creed rasped as he bucked against her mouth. Sloane gently tugged on his balls as she took him fully into her mouth again. Then Creed took over. Tightening his fingers in her hair, he shoved his dick further into he
r mouth. Relaxing her throat, she took everything she could. “Fuck,” Creed groaned as he pushed deeper. “Sloane, Jesus, Sloane.”

  Creed pulled out of her mouth and tried to move her up to him, but Sloane wasn’t having any of it. Ignoring him, she wrapped her lips around his dick again. “Sloane,” he growled. “I’m going to...” She scraped her teeth lightly up him, before she whispered, “That’s the idea, Creed.”

  Groaning loudly, he shoved his cock deep inside her mouth, again and again, guiding her with his hands fisted in her hair. His hips moved faster and faster. Sloane took everything he had to give. “Sloane,” he moaned, “shit, Sloane!” Creed moaned loudly as he came hard in her mouth.

  “You’re going to kill me, woman,” Creed breathed raggedly, his fingers slowly letting go of her hair as he pulled from her mouth.

  With a soft laugh, Sloane moved up and kissed him gently on the cheek. “Good morning. It’s 6:30. We’re supposed to meet everyone downstairs for breakfast at 7. We better get ready.”