Held by You

by Cheyenne McCray

  When leftovers had been put away and dishes taken care of, they retreated to the living room. He offered her a choice between a bottle of Chardonnay and a six-pack of Blue Moon beer. When she told him she wasn’t crazy about beer, he poured a glass of wine for her and grabbed a bottle of beer for himself.

  They sat on the sofa, maybe six inches between them. She took a sip of her wine, and her hand shook a little as she set the glass on the coffee table. She felt suddenly nervous and didn’t know what to do.

  He set his beer bottle on the end table then reached for her and brought her close to him, just like the last time she was here and she’d cuddled with him on the couch. It felt so natural, so comfortable, as she snuggled into the curve of his arm and rested her head on his chest.

  For a long time they stayed that way. His body felt so good against hers as he held her and it chased away the horrible reality that she had been living in. No, she wouldn’t think about any of that for now.

  She tilted her head back and he looked down at her. He’d never looked better than he did at that moment. His brown eyes were warm and caring, his expression tender in a way that she hadn’t realized he was capable of.

  He lowered his face to hers in a slow movement that made her almost crazy for him. She found herself holding her breath in anticipation. When his lips met hers, she sighed out her breath and let him take control of the kiss.

  It was a slow but hungry kiss, like he was devouring her while savoring her taste. It was heady, her mind spinning with fire and longing and need.

  She shifted in his arms, and before she knew what she was doing, she was in his lap, straddling him. She felt the hard ridge of his erection through his jeans and she squirmed against him.

  He made a strangled sound and put his hands on her hips as if to stop her, but she grasped his hands in hers and placed them on her breasts. She tilted her head and arched her back, pressing her breasts close to him.

  With a growl he pushed up her shirt and jerked down her bra so that her breasts jutted out. His mouth latched onto one of her nipples and she gasped as his tongue swirled over the taut nub.

  “Yes,” she whispered as she rubbed herself against him, as if riding him. “I need you.” And she wanted to give her virginity to him, let him be the one who buried himself deep inside of her.

  He squeezed her breasts as he licked and sucked her nipples. But then he moved his hands from her breasts to her hips and stopped her from moving.

  “We can’t do this.” His voice was rough. “Not now.”

  She felt heat creep up her neck. “You don’t want me.”

  “God, it’s not that,” he said, tension radiating through his body. “I want you more than I want to breathe. But now’s not the right time. I’m not taking advantage of the vulnerable state you’re in.”

  “It’s not taking advantage of me if I want you.” She moved her mouth close to his. “And I want you now.”

  Chapter 15

  Hollie’s mind whirled as she kissed John, and he returned her kiss with equal intensity. His taste, his scent, the feel of their bodies pressed together made her feel alive. She felt wanted, needed, cared for, and safe with him. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t known him that long. She’d known him from afar and he was everything she hoped for and more.

  He caught her off guard when he took her by her waist and set her on the floor as he got to his feet. A dominant expression crossed his hard masculine features as he cradled her face in his hands and then he kissed her again.

  When he raised his head, he took her by her hand and led her down the hallway to the master bedroom and the bed she’d slept in alone last night. His bed. Her heart beat faster as her socked feet padded on the wood floor and onto the rug beside his bed.

  The entire time she’d been with him, she hadn’t thought about what he might think of her body and her more than generous curves. For a moment she kept hearing the cruel words of her stepbrothers telling her she was fat. As John tugged her shirt over her head, she felt color rise to her face and she made a move to cover herself when the shirt was off.

  He grasped her upper arms and pulled them away from her chest so that they were pinned by her sides. “Don’t hide yourself from me.” He moved his palms from her arms to her shoulders and back again. “Ever.”

  She nodded slowly as she realized he accepted her for who she was, flaws and all. “Okay,” she said.

  He gave her a heated smile as he reached behind her, unfastened her bra, and pushed the straps down her arms before dropping it to the floor. He cupped her heavy breasts in his hands, the soft flesh filling his palms as he lightly rubbed her nipples with his thumbs.

  Her eyelids grew heavy with desire and she felt an ache between her thighs. She gripped his forearms, needing him to anchor her and keep her on her feet.

  “I should have talked with you long before I did,” he murmured as he caressed her breasts and nipples. “I’ve watched you from afar.”

  “I’ve always wanted to talk to you.” She gave him a shy smile. “I’ve had a crush on you forever.”

  His mouth curved into a sexy grin. “A crush, huh?”

  She felt a little embarrassed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

  He caressed the side of her face. “I’m glad you did. Maybe that’s what it’s been for me too, whenever I’ve seen you. A crush.”

  “You’re just saying that.” She smiled and pressed her bare breasts against his clothed chest, feeling the cotton of his T-shirt against her nipples.

  “I don’t say anything I don’t mean.” His words were firm yet filled with a sensuality that sent a shiver through her.

  She slid her fingers into his hair and clenched the strands as she gave a soft moan. He caressed her back, moving his hands everywhere he possibly could before bringing them to the front of her jeans and unbuttoning them. Her belly flipped as he drew the zipper down, and then he was pushing her jeans over her hips and letting them drop to the floor. He knelt on one knee and tugged her black panties down, and she braced her hands on his shoulders as he removed each of her socks.

  When he was finished and she was completely naked, he rose slowly to stand in front of her and pushed her hair over her shoulder in a sweet caress. “From the first moment I saw you, I thought you were one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen.” His voice was low and husky and gave her a thrill that traveled straight to her core. After everything that had been thrown at her over the years about her looks, his words surprised her. Yet after what he’d said earlier, she believed him.

  How could this man who had seemed so unattainable actually feel this way about her? But then she’d only heard negative things about her body throughout her life after her father died. Maybe all those things her so-called family said to her, all those things they’d called her, weren’t true.

  No, they weren’t true. She had value and John appreciated her for who she was.

  He slid his fingers into her hair and brought her close to him so that her naked body was up against his clothed one. His jeans were rough against her belly and she could feel his erection through the tough cotton of his jeans.

  She caught her breath as he moved his hand down her belly to the curls before slipping his finger into her wetness. She gave a moan as he touched the sensitive nub and it sent wild sensations straight to her abdomen.

  His feet were bare but he still had his clothes on and she wanted him naked. Instead he surprised her by picking her up and carrying her to the bed. He moved the comforter with one hand and laid her on the soft sheets. Her heart beat faster as she looked into his warm brown eyes that held hers captive.

  He eased onto the bed, pressing her legs apart with his palms on her knees, then knelt between her thighs. He lowered himself so that his hands were to either side of her shoulders before moving his mouth to hers and kissing her long and slow.

  Without really thinking about it, she grasped his shoulders, digging her fingers into his T-shirt covered flesh. She was
so wound up—she had to have release from the tight, needy sensations in her belly that connected to her sex. His kisses, his touches, were driving her desire to new heights.

  He moved his mouth from hers, trailing his lips along her soft skin before reaching her breasts. She gasped as he teased her nipple, running his tongue in circles around the areola before sucking the taut nub. She clutched his shoulders even more tightly as he moved his mouth to her other nipple. He softly nipped at it and she gasped again before he slowly eased down her body until his broad shoulders pressed her thighs even wider.

  “John.” His name came out of her mouth in a hoarse whisper as he ran his tongue along the inside of one thigh before moving to the other without touching the part of her that needed it the most. She wanted to beg him but she bit her lip and held back the plea.

  He raised his head just enough for her to see him close his eyes and inhale. “Your scent is driving me out of my mind.” He opened his eyes and met her gaze before lowering his head and running his tongue along her folds.

  A strangled cry rose up in her throat. She clenched her hands in the sheets and raised her hips without thinking about it. Her body seemed to move of its own accord as he stroked her folds and licked her clit. He slid two fingers inside her and pumped them as if he was taking her, his cock thrusting in and out.

  Her mind spun as she felt her climax racing toward her. Her breaths came in short pants and she felt something coil low in her belly. It expanded and expanded, growing hotter and hotter throughout. She closed her eyes and could almost see the white-hot heat in her mind.

  She knew she was about to lose it when her legs started to vibrate. In the next moment, everything exploded like a supernova in her mind and body. She cried out with the force of her orgasm, her body jerking and her hips twisting.

  He made a low, hungry sound as he licked her a few more times. She shuddered before lying limp and relaxed on the bed. He rose up, moving over her again so that he was looking down at her, his eyes having gone from warm to fiery hot.

  This time he kissed her hard with pent-up passion and a fierceness that rivaled a wild animal. His jeans abraded her skin as he pressed his erection against her mound and moved as though taking her.

  He looked pained as he moved, his jaw tightening and a feral look in his eyes. He looked like he would take her hard and rough, and the thought made her squirm with a sense of need that only grew stronger and stronger with every moment that passed.

  His throat worked. “I should stop now.” It was almost as if he was telling himself. “It’s too soon.”

  “Please don’t wait.” She grasped his biceps, feeling the strength and tenseness in him. She didn’t care if she was begging anymore. “I need you now.”

  A rumble rose up from his chest and he eased off the bed. For a moment she thought he was stopping, but then he pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it onto her panties. A thrill went through her belly and she watched him unbutton his jeans before pushing them, along with his boxers, to the floor and stepping out of them.

  He was magnificent naked, his body firm and muscular and completely void of any trace of fat. His cock—damn, it was so thick, long and hard that she knew he would fill her to the top.

  Power radiated from him, not only from his body that echoed his profession, but in his desire. She knew without a doubt that he wanted to protect her from the fierceness reverberating through him, the instinct that would have him taking her as if he was an animal and she was his prey.

  For a moment she felt suddenly nervous. It was supposed to hurt the first time you had sex and he was so big… Her throat worked. She wasn’t going to be nervous. She refused to let anything ruin their time together.

  He stepped closer to the bed. She thought of what it would be like to touch him…to feel his erection, to experience the power that radiated from him.

  When he stood close to the bed, she turned onto her side, reached out and grasped his cock. He sucked in his breath as she moved her hand up and down the smooth, satiny length of him. She had never gone down on a man and she wondered what it would be like to have him in her mouth—what he might taste like, how it would feel.

  Before she could try it, he drew away from her, opened the nightstand drawer, and grabbed a foil packet. Her cheeks warmed. She’d been so wrapped up in the idea of having him inside her that she hadn’t thought about a condom.

  He opened the packet and slowly rolled the condom down his cock. His gaze was hot as he watched her and she found the experience of watching him erotic. In the next moment he was moving onto the bed and kneeling between her thighs.

  “I need to be deep inside you.” He hooked his arms under her knees and moved her legs over his shoulders, pressing his cock against her folds. Her belly flipped and she tensed, waiting for the moment of penetration, the first time a man would take her. “I’ve never needed someone so much in my life,” he said in a rough voice.

  His words surprised her so much that for a moment she forgot he was going to be inside her.

  He thrust hard inside her and she screamed. The pain tore through her and her eyes instantly watered and she bit her lip to keep from moaning.

  “Hollie?” Shock registered on his features. “You’re a virgin?”

  She nodded, unable to say anything, trying to catch her breath.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” He lowered her legs off of his shoulders and leaned down to kiss her tears away, first one then the other. “I would have taken it easier with you.”

  “It’s okay.” She smiled. “I like how you feel inside me.” And she did. Despite the burning she loved how he filled her up.

  He looked stunned and he wiped tears from her cheeks. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine.”

  “Damn, but I don’t want to hurt you more,” he said, his eyes dark with caring.

  “I told you, I’m fine.” She smiled. “I’m glad you’re my first.”

  He looked concerned but moved in and out at a much slower pace. At first it hurt but then it began to feel better and better. Beyond better. It felt so good now that her lips parted and she gasped for air as she felt an orgasm rushing toward her.

  “Are you all right?” He paused as he looked down at her with concern.

  “Don’t stop.” She wriggled beneath his big, hard body. “It feels so good. Please don’t stop.”

  He began moving in and out again, his thrusts becoming stronger as he watched her. She knew he was making sure she was all right.

  She slipped her hands around him and found herself digging her nails into his back. “That feels so good. So, so good.”

  Her words seemed to relax him, letting him know that she was all right, and he increased his pace. Soon she felt no pain, no burn at all. What she felt was a pleasure so pure that she felt high with it. She moved her hips in time with his thrusts as he drove in and out of her.

  A blinding light seared her mind, far more intense than her last orgasm. She screamed, the orgasm charging forward with a force that rocked her from head to toe. Her body shuddered as he continued to take her, throbbing with every stroke. She didn’t know if she could take much more.

  He shouted and arched his back, and she felt the force of his orgasm as his cock throbbed inside her. Her channel clenched him as she felt more spasms in her body, remnants of her incredible climax.

  A droplet of sweat landed on her breast as he lowered his head and she saw his damp hair and the perspiration coating his face. He kissed her gently before sliding out of her and easing onto his side.

  For a long moment he looked at her, stroking her hair from her face with his fingertips. His eyes held hers and she felt warm beneath his gaze.

  “I’m sorry I hurt you,” he said in a hoarse voice.

  She smiled at him. “It was only for a moment. I’m glad it was you.”

  A look that seemed almost possessive came over his face and he crushed her against him. His arms were steel bands th
at held her naked body tightly against his, like he might never let her go.

  Smiling, she snuggled against him. Even if it was temporary, she loved the feeling of being safe in his arms. She’d never felt safe like this and she welcomed it like she’d welcomed her now lover. She didn’t know if this was going to be the first and only time, or if he would take her again and again.

  She let out a little sigh. Whatever happened, she had tonight, and that was more than she could have asked for.

  He cuddled her close, letting her rest her head on his shoulder as he put his hand on her hip and pulled her to him. He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Thank you for trusting me.”

  “I will always trust you,” she said with a belief so firm she knew it couldn’t be shaken. “Always.”

  “You’re a special woman, Hollie.” He smiled at her as he ran his finger down her nose to the tip.

  “And you’re a special man.” She studied him and ran her finger along the line of his jaw and his eyes met hers for what seemed like forever. “Somehow I feel that I’ve known you forever. That I will always know you.” And love you, went through her mind, startling her. It was too soon for love for either of them.

  “I feel the same way.” He squeezed her close to him. “I won’t let anything happen to you, honey. I will always be here for you.”

  As he said the words she believed him, like she’d never believed anything before. Everything was going to be all right.

  Chapter 16

  When Hollie woke she blinked sleep from her eyes as she remembered where she was. She was in John’s bed and she was alone. She sat up and brought the comforter over her breasts when she realized she was naked. A warm flush traveled through her body as she thought about what had happened last night with John.

  It had been magic, sweeping her away with John to another place and time. It had been just the two of them in that special place where nothing bad ever happened. Only good.

  Reality knocked at her consciousness. She looked out the window but couldn’t tell how early it was because the sky was overcast. She glanced around the room and saw that the bedroom door was closed then spotted a clock on the nightstand to her right. It was just after ten. She never slept in like this as there were always chores to do and she was something of a morning person.