by Maya Banks
cord of his neck to the curve of his shoulder.
He tasted like comfort. Safety. Smelled masculine and strong.
She put her hands on his shoulders and slipped her legs from the sofa to crouch over him. She kissed her way over his chest, savoring the taste, the feel. The light hairs in the center of his chest tickled her nose. She swept her tongue out to circle one flat nipple, teasing the nub.
She worked down, lowering herself to her knees as her mouth pressed to his navel. The tip of his cock brushed the underside of her chin, and she angled her head so that she rubbed her cheek down the length as she settled onto her heels.
She stared up at him as she placed her arms over his knees to lever herself. His hair hung to his shoulders, the strands wild and unkempt. Later she would wind her fingers through it while they made love. Her fingers itched to feel the silky waves.
Her gaze dropped to his cock. It jutted upward and leaned heavily against his belly. She slid her hand over the top of his thigh to his pelvis before she curled her fingers around the base.
His penis jerked as her hand closed around it. Warm and thick in her hand, yet soft as she stroked upward to the tip.
“Reggie, you don’t have to do this,” he rasped. “Let me make love to you. Like you asked. Please.”
She rose again on her knees and placed her other hand in the coarse hair surrounding his cock.
Ignoring his plea, she dipped her head until her mouth hovered precariously close to the blunt head. Then she licked him in one long stroke.
He arched off the couch, and he put his hands down to brace himself.
His warm, musky scent surrounded her as she closed her lips around his cock and eased him deeper. Her hand moved down as her mouth did, engulfing him.
Soft on her tongue, yet so hard, so strong. The plump vein on the underside called her to play, and she pressed her bottom lip to it, enjoying the subtle give as she moved upward again.
She reached lower, moving her fingers over his balls, cupping them in her hand as she sucked him deeper still. She closed her eyes and savored the closeness, the intimacy of her actions.
Silky fluid, just a drop, spilled onto her tongue, and she lapped at the small slit as she drew him nearly out of her mouth.
She looked up as she let the head rest on her tongue, and she saw his head tilted back, eyes closed, his expression one of almost pain. Yet there was a peace about him as well. As though he’d waited a lifetime for this moment. The one where she finally accepted him.
She too closed her eyes and lowered her mouth, taking him all the way, until his crisp hairs tickled her nose. She inhaled, drawing his scent deeper. It surrounded her, danced in the air, filled her.
His hands moved up her arms, gripped her shoulders then tangled in her hair. His fingers dug into her scalp, and he raised his hips, sliding deeper into her mouth, thrusting to meet her motions.
“God, Reggie,” he gasped.
She knew he was close, and she certainly wasn’t willing to finish things so soon. Not when she ached to take him inside her.
Her pussy tingled. Tiny little heated pulses thrummed through her groin. Her clit swelled and ached with the desire for his touch. His mouth. Oh God, his mouth.
No, not now. Now she wanted to take him. As he’d taken her a year ago.
She released his cock then stared up at him and licked her lips. His eyes glittered, edgy, so close to the breaking point. In that moment, he looked dangerous. Not at all like safe, comfortable Cam.
She stepped over his legs as she moved to straddle him. She bent her knees and slid them onto the couch. One hand curled over his shoulder to steady herself while the other reached down and grasped his cock.
She inched forward and up as she positioned him between her legs. He brushed over her clit, and she nearly came. Sharp darts shot from her pussy, radiating to every nerve ending in her body.
She moved him until he came to rest at her entrance. She was wet and ready, and rather than delay the moment, she lowered herself, sheathing him in a rush of hot, liquid fire.
They both gasped.
Cam gripped her hips with both hands, and she leaned forward to grasp his shoulders. She rose once, allowing him to slide almost free, and then she fell back down.
Her eyes flew open, and she cried out in shock.
Cam jerked beneath her, and he lifted her up, relieving some of the tension.
“Jesus, Reggie, stop. Don’t hurt yourself. God, I don’t want to hurt you.”
She leaned down to kiss him, taking his mouth in a savage, possessive manner. “You didn’t hurt me, Cam,” she said against his lips. “I want all of you. It’s just been a long time.”
“Take it slow, Reggie darling. We’ve got all the time in the world,” he murmured.
He slid his fingers underneath her ass and lifted, then allowed her to slide back down. Each thrust was an agonizing brush over highly sensitized flesh. Tiny little sparks ignited as her pussy sucked and clutched at his cock.
She moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. The bristle on his jaw scraped over her chest as he nuzzled at her breast. His tongue swept over her nipple, sending shock waves down her spine.
His teeth grazed the puckered point, and then he sucked it hard between his lips.
She cried out and wrapped her hands in his hair, clutching him closer to her breast.
He moved her faster now, with more urgency. His fingers dug into her ass as he lifted and lowered. She moved with him, establishing a rhythm.
Her orgasm built. Tension. Beautiful, exquisite tension grew, blossoming and radiating outward in a steady stream.
Each thrust drew her tighter, closer to the inevitable explosion.
The slap of her ass meeting his thighs filled the room. Wet, sucking sounds mixed in as his cock drove deeper, sliding and driving. Friction. Unbearable friction. It was good. So good.
She closed her eyes, shutting them tightly as her face drew inward in agony. She couldn’t bear it. She was going to come apart.
“Oh God, Cam, I can’t. I can’t!”
“Yes, you can, Reggie darling. I’ve got you, love. You’re so beautiful. I wish you could see yourself in my arms, your head thrown back, your eyes shut so tight. That I can give you that kind of pleasure . . .”
“Cam!”
He tightened. She tightened. She grabbed his shoulders, desperate for something to hold on to. Out of control. She was coming apart at the seams. She flew in a dozen different directions.
She opened her eyes, but the room blurred around her.
He arched spasmodically into her, his hips jerking as he thrust. And then he moved one hand, sliding just his thumb between them, into her soft, damp folds.
His other hand cupped her ass, and his thumb brushed ever so softly over her clit.
Her pelvis rammed into his hand, trapping his fingers between them.
Her cry split the night.
She simply unraveled. Exploded. Burst into flames and then floated free.
She collapsed forward, but he was there to catch her. He held her tight as his hips spasmed with his release. Soft words were murmured lovingly against her ear as he stroked her hair.
Their chests heaved. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him to her. She lowered her head to his shoulder and nuzzled closer to him.
His hand stroked up her arm and over her shoulder. He swept aside the curls at her neck and her face and tucked them behind her ear.
Then he rotated, taking her with him, and laid her gently onto the couch. He slid out of her body in a warm rush. He bent to kiss her, lingering for just a moment as he toyed with her lips with his tongue.
“I’ll be right back,” he said softly. “Let me get a towel.”
She lay there waiting, her body still rippling with the aftereffects of her orgasm. He returned in a moment, his hand encased in the towel as he wiped his cock. He pulled it away then put the other end between her legs to carefully clean her.
; He tossed aside the towel when he was finished, then sat down with his back to the arm of the couch and motioned for her. “Come here.”
As she crawled over him, he extended his legs down the sofa so that he could recline. He gathered her in his arms and positioned her head underneath his chin. When she was settled, he reached for the discarded blanket lying on the floor and pulled it over them both.
“That was incredible,” he whispered.
“Mmmm.”
He chuckled, and his chest vibrated against her cheek.
“Is that all you can say?”
“Mmm-hmmm.”
“How about you get some sleep now, Reggie darling. You’ve worn me out. Sleep here with me where I can hold you.”
His arms tightened around her, and she could feel him tremble ever so slightly, as if he was every bit as overwhelmed as she was.
He teased her response, but it was all she could muster. She didn’t have the ability to put into words all she felt, all she wanted to say. Her tongue tangled and swelled at the idea.
How could she possibly explain that she felt whole? Complete? Like she’d come home after being lost for so long? And so she said the only thing that seemed to matter.
“I missed you,” she whispered.
“I missed you too,” he murmured into her hair. “No more running, Reggie. I couldn’t bear it.”
A part of her heart loosened and unfurled at his quiet plea. It told her unquestionably that she had the power to hurt him, and that was something she couldn’t bear.
“No more running,” she agreed.
CHAPTER 20
Hutch woke to see Sawyer in bed a few feet away but no sign of Reggie. He rolled out immediately. Not that he hadn’t shared a bed with Sawyer before, but they’d been ten for Christ’s sake. Without Reggie there between them, it was just damn awkward.
Maybe they should implement a rule that Reggie had to stay where she was put.
His shoulders shook with laughter as he contemplated being kneed in the balls after delivering that particular dictate.
“What the hell are you finding so amusing this early in the morning?” Sawyer said in a sleepy, grumpy voice.
Morning person, Sawyer was not.
“I was contemplating the humor in laying down the law to Reggie about leaving us in bed together,” he said.
“No shit,” Sawyer grumbled as he rolled out of bed. “But at least I didn’t wake up with you draped across me or some shit like that.”
Hutch narrowed his eyes at Sawyer. “Very funny.”
“I thought it was,” he said as he reached down for his shirt. “Where the hell is Reggie anyway? Do we need to put a bell around the girl’s neck?”
Hutch snickered. “No, but I’ll tell her you think so.”
“Right after you tell her about your bright idea to give her the law as determined by Hutch Bishop?”
Hutch reached for his own clothes and pulled them on. “My guess is she’s wherever Cam is. I’m going to head down and start on breakfast.”
Sawyer grunted. “I’ll be down after a shit, shower and shave.”
“Thanks for sharing,” Hutch said dryly.
Hutch walked out of Reggie’s bedroom, crossed the hallway and peeked into Cam’s room. Anal bastard was already up and had his bed made. He’d been Birdie’s dream kid. Neat and orderly. Studious in school. He saved his rebellious streak for when he was out of range of Birdie’s eagle eye.
He and Sawyer hadn’t been as smart.
He backed out of Cam’s room and started down the stairs. He wasn’t sure how he’d landed the job as designated cook. Oh, wait. Yeah, he remembered. The others sucked at it. Not that he’d win any culinary awards, but at least he could manage a meal without burning it. Sawyer had damn near burned down their house in Houston when he’d left a pot of grease on the stove. After that, they’d banned his ass from the kitchen except to eat. Dipshit probably did it on purpose.
When he hit the bottom of the stairs, he glanced into the living room and froze. Then he blinked, sure he wasn’t seeing what he thought he was seeing.
Cam was flat on his back on the couch with Reggie’s naked body draped across his chest. The blanket was in a ball at her feet, and Cam’s hand was cupped over her smoothly rounded ass.
But she’d been naked last night when they’d gone to bed. Could be she’d just come down in one of her late night forays and ended up snuggled up with Cam.
His gaze drifted to Cam’s clothes lying on the floor, and he quickly disabused himself of that notion.
He was simultaneously bombarded by a whole host of emotions. One part of him wanted to jump and do a fist pump, but then what kind of a moron did that make him? The other part honestly wanted to go drag Reggie off of Cam, wrap her in that blanket and take her upstairs, where he’d lock her in his room for the better part of a week.
The second option sounded better and didn’t make him as big of a pussy as the first.
Hope bubbled up in his chest. Was she any closer to accepting them? Obviously Cam had succeeded in getting past her barricades. As relieved as he was, he was also jealous as hell that it hadn’t been him. That she hadn’t trusted him enough. That she’d chosen Cam over him.
Even as the dark thoughts crept over him, he pushed them aside. He wasn’t going to go there. He didn’t want to feel the bitterness that licked at him. The hard edge of resentment that had his fingers curled into fists at his side.
He walked into the kitchen and quietly took out the skillet for scrambled eggs.
A few minutes later, Sawyer walked in just as Hutch was pouring the eggs into the pan.
He didn’t offer a greeting or smart-ass remark. Instead he flopped down on a bar stool and propped his elbows on the counter. Hutch glanced sideways at him and saw him just about bristling with the need to say something. A vein was about to pop on his forehead, and he rubbed his hand over his freshly shaved head.
But he remained silent. Tension was heavy in the air. So thick it made Hutch uncomfortable.
Was Sawyer having the same thoughts he was? Was his mind traveling down that dark road? It didn’t bode well for the future of their arrangement if after the first time Reggie had sex with one of them, the other two wigged out.
With a resigned sigh, he picked up the skillet, carried it over to the trash and scraped the dark brown eggs into the can. So much for not burning shit. He dropped the pan into the sink and went to retrieve another from the cabinet.
He was cracking more eggs into a bowl when Cam sauntered in and sat down on the bar stool next to Sawyer.
Both Hutch and Sawyer stared at Cam. He was wearing the same clothes he’d been wearing the night before, his hair hadn’t been combed, and dark stubble dotted his jaw. He looked rode hard and hung up wet.
Cam didn’t usually walk out of his bedroom in the morning until he’d showered and shaved, dressed and made his bed. Right now he didn’t look like he gave a shit.
There was a contented light in his eyes. He looked . . . happy.
Sawyer looked over at Hutch and raised one eyebrow. Hutch shrugged and turned back to the stove, determined not to burn the eggs again.
Silence continued as he plated the eggs and pulled the biscuits out of the oven. He set the food on the bar then went to the cabinet to get plates.
“Good morning,” Reggie said brightly as she walked into the kitchen.
Hutch looked up to see her smiling at him. Her blue eyes shone with lightness he’d missed. The shadows were gone.
Her hair lay damply at her neck and around her ears, forming a