He had missed this. Missed her.
Every time she left Sanctuary Lake he thought it was the last time. He wasn't sure how many more times he could let her leave him behind. He tightened his other arm around her waist. The silky fabric of the lingerie teased him, making his hand slip over her curves.
"So beautiful," he murmured against her lips.
She arched into him, pressing her hips to his, and tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth.
He pressed his lips to her face, covering it with light, teasing kisses. Her breath caught. A little tremor coursed through her. He smiled against her skin. He loved that he knew her body so well.
He drew his open mouth along the column of her neck, from her ear to her collarbone. Her sweet taste danced over his tongue. She dug into his flesh with her fingers, drawing him closer.
She breathed his name so quietly he almost missed it.
The sweet sound of it charged through him. He wanted to take this slow. Savor her. But she was too much temptation to resist.
He reached for her breast, rubbing the silk against her nipple. She moaned into his mouth. She pushed her body into his caress, wordlessly begging for more. He could do that. He pulled the spaghetti strap of her sexy little nightie off her shoulder and the delicate fabric slipped down, revealing the soft mound to him.
"Touch me," she demanded.
His fingers were callused from work, too rough for the silky smoothness of her porcelain skin. They always had been. But she wanted this. Wanted him. And he would always give himself to her. Little groans and gasps shuddered from her lips as the coarse pad of his thumb circled her taut tip.
"Yes," she breathed into his kiss.
Her hands fumbled with his shirt, pulling it up. They broke apart only long enough for her to tug it over his head, then he pulled her tight again. Her nightie felt like sin against his skin, all soft and decadent. Her hardened nipples rubbed against his chest. He moaned into her mouth.
He walked her back toward the bed as she tugged at the little black lacy knot between her breasts that kept the lingerie in place. When the backs of her legs hit the bed, she yanked the fabric away. It glided to the mattress.
And now it was just his callused hands against her velvety perfection.
It was strange that after all these years he knew her body almost as well as he knew his own, but each exploratory stroke, shuddering gasp and hot kiss set his blood on fire like it was the first time. He wanted to explore every part of her. Know her all over again.
Their panting breaths mingled in the scant distance between them when he pulled back to look at her. Her beautiful blue eyes were bright with anticipation. He wanted to savour this moment.
When he tugged at his belt, she reached down between them to unfasten the button on his jeans. He withdrew a condom from his pocket and she took it from him. Her fingers slid under the denim, seeking him. When she brushed his length, he sucked in a breath. It'd been so long since he'd felt her touch. He was ready to explode with that one fleeting caress. As soon as he jerked the denim and his cotton boxers down his hips, he kicked the clothing away. Her hands closed around him. He hissed in barely controlled pleasure as she rolled the condom over his flesh.
His gaze skated down her body, tracing each contour and curve. She was so beautiful. Over the years her body had matured, and he noted every little change. The sight of them lit his need for her like nothing else. He wanted to be a part of her future, see what other transformations would blossom in her…
He drew his finger along the swell of her breast. He still remembered their first time, when her soft breasts scarcely filled his palm. Now the delicate flesh was more than he could hold in one hand. He slipped lower to the dip at her waist before her body widened to her round hips. How many times had he held these in his hands as he sank deep into her heat?
The sexy little panties he'd bought for her fit her perfectly. He licked his lips as he followed the silky material around, over her hip, until his hand was over her sex. The rough skin on his finger caught on the smooth material. He raised his gaze to hers again as he pushed his finger under the dainty underwear. Then he found her. She was hot and wet. The air grew heavy with the scent of her arousal. He stroked her… teased her… until erotic moans escaped her lips and her body trembled with need. Her hands tightened on his length. Her mouth dropped open as her breathing came faster.
Neither of them was going to last much longer.
He wrenched her panties down in one breath, and in the next he had her on the mattress under him. She grinned up at him and drew her legs around his hips, holding him snugly between her silken thighs.
"I've missed you," she whispered.
He braced himself on his elbows, bracketing her head with his hands. If only he could hold her like this forever. Despite the urgency piercing his body, he leaned down and kissed her softly, tenderly. He tried to pour his every wish and hope into that kiss.
When she trembled beneath him, he rose up to look into her eyes again. Tears glittered in her eyelashes, but she didn't look away. Then she reached down between their bodies and guided his cock to the core of her until he nudged the very door to heaven.
He watched her, unable to look away, as he flexed and joined his body with hers. She grabbed his hips, pulling him closer, deeper. She let out a gasp as she shivered beneath him. She was so beautiful when she gave herself to him. He'd given her that look of pure bliss. He'd never before experienced such a thrill at knowing he'd made her feel this way.
This was more than physical need. This was more than carnal lust. A fierce sense of belonging clutched at him.
Something tightened in his chest as he began to rock with her.
He loved her. And she was going to leave him all over again.
When the pure joy of an amazing orgasm exploded over Kayla, she held Aiden tight. She didn't want to let him go. If only they could stay this way forever.
He surrounded her. His arms were braced around her head, his hard chest was flat against her breasts, his hips were snug between her legs… and the rigid length of him was deep inside her. They had been lovers for years and never before had this sharp sense of intimacy sliced through her like it did right now.
Before this moment, she had been convinced that what they shared was a nice, easy, comfortable friendship that saw to one another's sexual needs from time to time, but with their bodies joined, those lies fell away. Until this moment, she hadn't allowed herself to acknowledge what he meant to her…
But there were no half-truths between them right now.
She loved him.
She always had.
When they stilled, he lifted himself up to peer into her eyes again. A sheen of sweat glistened on his face. With one of his deliciously rough fingers, he brushed her forehead. She shivered under the touch, as her body sought more from him. She would never get enough of him.
Then his touch danced lower, along her cheek.
God. She had been crying.
She never cried. And yet with this man, she lost control. He had slipped under whatever layers of self-protection she'd erected over the years and found that soft, vulnerable part of her. The part that needed to be held and protected.
And she never wanted him to leave.
Aiden brushed his mouth over hers gently, oh so gently, before rolling to the side. He removed the condom, putting it in a tissue on his night stand, then he turned back to her. He pulled her close, and she was struck again by how safe he made her feel. It'd been so long since she'd felt this way…
"I don't ever want to let you go," Aiden whispered against her hair.
He'd spoken so quietly, she wasn't sure if he meant for her to hear that or not. Her heart swelled in her chest and new tears formed in her eyes, which she blinked away before he saw these ones too.
She couldn't read into his words more than what he offered. She would soak up all of his warmth and strength, and that had to be enough. For today, at least, nothing needed to exis
t other than this man and the feelings she had for him.
Tomorrow's problems would come soon enough.
Chapter 10
Hours later, Kayla sleepily stretched and peered into the darkness. Everything was so black. It wasn't like the city at all. There was always light there. Always noise. The only faint sound here was the steady rhythm of Aiden's breathing.
His body was pressed against hers and his arm was draped possessively over her waist. Their legs were tangled in the sheets. She could be entwined with him forever and never wish to move. She smiled and nuzzled closer to him. His scent filled her with each inhale and a calming wave of peace swept over her. She could readily picture waking beside him every day.
This is what life was supposed to be about, right? Joy? Happiness?
For as many people as she knew who posted memes on social media about living life to its fullest, she didn't know many people who actually lived the life they wanted. But Aiden seemed to have it all figured out. His life wasn't ruled by a boss's schedule, long commutes in rush hour traffic, or murder trials—
No, she didn't want to think about that right now. Not yet. She still had time before she had to go back. She wiggled closer to him, willing back her previous contentment of just being in his arms.
A faint noise interrupted her thoughts. What was it? Had the cats knocked something over? Then there was a thump. Was it outside? Her heart skipped a beat as she strained to listen for more strange sounds in the night.
She drew back the covers and slipped out of Aiden's embrace. She pulled the blankets over him again, protecting him from the cool air in the bedroom. Then she tiptoed to the window and peered out. The sky was clear of clouds tonight, so the bright moon lit the white landscape.
A movement caught her eye. An animal? No… the figure was definitely walking on two legs.
She turned to go and wake Aiden. He would want to know if someone was skulking around his property. But before she reached the bed, her phone vibrated on the dresser and the screen lit up. Why would someone contact her at this hour? The message was only two words long so she didn't even have to unlock her phone to read it. It said: Found you.
She dropped it on the dresser and ran back to the window. Her gaze darted over the scene before her. Where had they gone? Shit, shit, shit. Was that really them or just a coincidence?
Aiden stirred in the bed, but he didn't wake. Indecision paralyzed her for a moment. Before she worried him, she had to know if it was true.
She tiptoed through the room. Fumbling down the darkened hallway, she found her way to the spare bedroom. She peered out that window in time to see a moving shadow slither out of view. Her legs felt like mush as she made her way to the next room… the one that Aiden hadn't shown her. She turned the doorknob and then stepped inside.
Even in the imperfect shadows of night, it was easy to see the miniature furniture. This was Cassy's room. Kayla didn't pause to think about it. She found her way to the window and sure enough, she saw the interloper climb into a nondescript sedan. Under the light of the moon she couldn't tell what color it was. Not definitively.
The snow around her car had been disturbed but nothing was touched on Aiden's truck.
The truth she'd been trying to avoid stabbed through her.
Somehow, some way, Ed's people had found her.
A familiar ache settled over her chest. She slumped against the wall as the car disappeared down the driveway. She willed her stomach to settle. Breathe in, breathe out. She rested her hand on her abdomen and felt the way it moved as she inhaled and exhaled. She needed to ground herself. She knew that. Since that fateful day, she'd read almost every damned article on the Internet about how to deal with a panic attack. She scanned the room for any distraction. All of the furniture was designed to feed a little girl's fantasy of castles and magical lands. Aiden had made his granddaughter a room where evil dragons could be thwarted and good always won.
Kayla’s fingers brushed against a stuffed toy on the windowsill and another truth washed over her.
She'd brought her troubles here. To Sanctuary Lake. To Aiden.
She'd invited danger to his doorstep. Literally.
And the demons chasing her could not be slain by a magic wand.
She closed her eyes until the sharp whirlwind of panic gradually subsided to a dull ache in her chest. When she was in control, she opened her eyes again. After casting one last glance toward the now empty driveway, Kayla forced herself to trudge across the bedroom. She carefully shut the door to Cassy's door. It made no more than a soft click.
An unlocked door wouldn't deter anyone from entering or defiling the little girl's private space if they wanted to, but by closing the door she felt like she was protecting it… just a little.
Now she needed to find a way to protect Aiden too.
Aiden smiled into the sunlight streaming into his window. This was the second day in a row that he'd slept past sunrise. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done that. Maybe the last time Kayla was here. He loved lingering in bed with her.
She was holding his hand. Tightly. Like she never wanted to let go of him. And he felt the same way. Maybe there was a way to make this work. He was tired of the empty nights and the mundanity of his days. He had his son and granddaughter, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing in his life.
Not something, someone.
Kayla.
He wanted her like this every morning. He wanted to fall asleep with her every night. He wanted to see her smile and watch her sketch her amazing ideas and…
With his free hand, he caressed her back. Her decadent curves were molded to his body and now that he knew she was awake, his body was reacting.
"Good morning." He dropped a light kiss to the top of her head.
She wiggled closer and pressed her face into his bare chest. Her cheeks were damp. Like she was crying. He hugged her.
"Hey," he whispered, "what's the matter?"
She shook her head, but when she didn't respond to his question a new rush of alarm shot through him. Any sexual interest he'd been experiencing died. He held her and waited for her to talk to him. It just about killed him.
Finally she lifted her head and looked at him. Tears glistened in her eyes.
Damn it.
But instead of saying anything, she brushed her lips against his. The kiss was soft, tentative almost. Hot tears dropped to his face.
Then he knew… She was leaving him. Again. This was her good-bye.
His arms tightened around her without any conscious thought of his own. He didn't want her to leave. She was safer here. She knew it. So why would she go?
Then their kisses grew more urgent and desperate, as if both of them were trying to sear this memory into their minds…
Their hands danced over each other in a familiar sensuous waltz. Stroking. Enticing the need that always blazed so brightly between them. When his body ached for her, he realized that his heart ached more. She moved over him and grabbed a condom from his night stand.
He swallowed.
This was happening too fast. He wasn't ready for her to leave yet. But their relationship was built on this rhythm of coming together and dancing away from one another. It was his fortune—or rather misfortune—to be the one who was continually being left behind. He had thought things were changing between them.
He'd been wrong.
Whatever excuses she made, he would accept them. He would never force her to stay… But she wasn't gone yet and he was determined to give her everything until the moment she pulled away again.
As soon as the condom was in place, she straddled him and positioned his length against her wet heat. She looked up and locked gazes with him as her body lowered over his. He reached for her hands and wove his fingers in hers, joining them in one more way. Any way that he could.
She inhaled sharply when he was settled deeply inside her.
She bit her lip and didn't move for a moment. Then her grasp tightene
d around his.
"I love you, Aiden."
She'd never said that before. Shock, mixed with a fiery joy, splintered over him. Before he could respond, she covered his mouth with hers, effectively silencing him. When she pulled back, he went to speak but she shook her head. Then she began to move and he hoped she could see and feel everything that she wouldn't let him say.
Chapter 11
Kayla's car started easily. Unfortunately. It hadn't even taken that long to dig out the snow that had drifted around it. It would have been better if the engine was frozen or the battery had died in the cold weather. But, of course, they hadn't. And now there was no reason for her to stay. No reason she could accept, anyway.
Aiden was leaning against the threshold of his front door with a grim look on his face. She knew he hadn't understood her sudden desire to leave. She stared at him, not quite able to drive away yet.
The car needed to warm up, didn't it?
She left the engine running and jumped out of the car. She ran over to him and threw her arms around him. He instantly pulled her close and his strength steadied her rioting emotions.
"I'm sorry I'm leaving like this," she whispered.
"So why are you?"
"I'm putting you in danger. The longer I stay here, the more likely they will find me…" she said. She'd said the same thing to him when they'd eaten their breakfast.
He shook his head. "How could they?"
Her chest tightened. She hadn't told him about the midnight visitor. But he needed some kind of explanation. "They texted me again…"
He peered into her eyes. "So?"
If she told him about the person hanging around here, then he might try to stop her… protect her. But he had a whole life here and people depended on him. Although the guys who were following her hadn't done anything life-threatening yet, they were friends of Ed's and that meant that she couldn't count on their continued control.
"It isn't safe for you anywhere else."
Hot Silver Nights: Silver Fox Romance Collection Page 66