Defenseless Hearts (A Tender Hearts Novel Book 2)

by Meagan Brandy

  “Yeah?”

  I grin. “Yeah.”

  “You okay over there? Heard from Kenra yet?”

  “Not yet, and I’m fine. Have fun. And text me if Payton gets to acting all drama queen on you.”

  “Oh God,” she groans.

  I laugh. “Night, Lolli.”

  “Night.”

  I end the video call and strip out of my clothes before dropping onto my bed.

  The second my back hits my mattress, I hear the lock rattling. I lift my head to hear better, and the sound of the front door opening and closing has me sitting up.

  My brows pull, but then I remember Kenra is the only one it could be; she has the keys on the car key ring.

  She’s not supposed to be here. The plan was for her to call me in the morning.

  My muscles constrict as I listen to her hushed movements.

  The keys are placed back in the bowl with a quiet clink, followed by a light thud, telling me she’s kicked her shoes off.

  I settle my breathing when her footsteps are all that’s to be heard, each step bringing her closer to me.

  Ever so slowly, she curves around the hallway and continues forward until she’s standing just inside my bedroom door. With her eyes on mine, she lifts the bag in her hand, and I look from it to her.

  It’s the sundress I bought her in San Francisco but never had the chance to give to her.

  “It was sitting by the table downstairs,” she whispers. “It’s for me, isn’t it?”

  I nod.

  She pulls the blue cotton dress from the bag and gently runs her fingers along the length of it, her eyes following her hand as she does. “Why’d you buy it?”

  “So, you could feel the sun on your skin again.”

  She inhales, sliding the dress along her cheek to feel the material. “My scars …”

  “Are a part of you.”

  She glances toward the window. The blinds are shut, only a small light in the corner of my room bringing light. “The sun is down.”

  I move to stand in front of her.

  She’s been crying. Her face is blotchy, eyes tired.

  She doesn’t look to me when I lift my hand and brush her hair over her shoulder, letting my fingers brush along her sleeve until I reach the hand that holds the dress.

  Her grip on the material is tight, so I don’t remove it but bring it up until it meets the center of her chest, and her lips start to tremble.

  “Go put it on, Kens,” I whisper.

  Her eyes close, her forehead pinching tight.

  Finally, she meets my gaze, her free hand coming up to run across my jawline, and she nods.

  With hesitant steps, she heads for the bathroom in the hall.

  Blowing out a deep breath, I drop back onto my bed and wait for her to return, but when she comes out, legs and arms bare, nothing but the knee-length, thin-strapped dress I bought for her on, she stops in the middle of the hallway and starts rubbing at her palms.

  My brows pull in, but when her fingers trail a few inches up her arm, my chest constricts.

  She hears me stand, and while her chin still faces down, her golden eyes lift to mine. With her attention on me, I move to twist the blinds open and then pull them all the way up, doing the same to the window on the joining wall. I move to sit at the edge of my bed, reaching over to turn off the lamp on the side table, and then look back to her.

  She stares a moment, and then slowly, her fingers separate, her head lifting.

  And then she steps toward me, not stopping until she’s directly in front of me, nothing but me and her and the moonlight.

  Staring up at her, I watch as her eyes roam across my face. She’s putting off a distant air, an emptiness that wasn’t there this morning. I don’t like it.

  I need her with me when she’s with me.

  All of her.

  I bring my hands up and run my fingertips across hers that hang at her sides, and her eyes drop to watch.

  I take my time as I slide them up, gliding past her palms until I reach her wrists.

  I expect her to tense, but she doesn’t.

  Gently closing my hands around her, I turn her arms over, so her scars are facing us both.

  When my gaze lifts to hers, she meets my eyes. I keep her there, pulling her stare with mine, so she’s watching when my mouth meets her demons. I run my lips across her grazed skin, softly pressing a kiss every few inches. When I get to a point where I need to stand to kiss further up, she pulls her arm away, and my eyes lift to hers.

  Her head shakes lightly, her fingers moving to press against my chest. Her hand fans out, and she nudges me slightly, so I follow her order and scoot back until my knees are bent over the edge of the mattress.

  She climbs up, her knees on each side of my thighs, her chest just below my chin as I stare up at her.

  Her hands move to my shoulders, but she pauses there, her forehead dropping to meet mine.

  My hands start at the bend of her knees and slowly make their way up the backs of her soft thighs. When I run the pads of my fingers along her skin, her chest inflates, those eyes dilating.

  So, I continue, my hands gliding up further, under her dress and over her bare ass, until I find her hips, just past the line of her panties.

  Her fingernails are digging into my shoulders now, her breath coming in sharper, shorter pants that match mine.

  Her knees slide out further, her nearly naked body coming down to meet my groin, nothing but our underwear between us.

  I’m hard as fuck, and she feels it, right against her. Her tongue pokes out to touch the tips of her teeth.

  Her nails relent, and she glides her hands up my neck until her fingers are in my hair, her thumbs cased around my ear. Then, she tilts her head and brings her mouth to mine.

  She licks across my lips, moaning softly as she sucks my bottom lip between hers for a moment, and my dick twitches against her, my grip at her hips tightening. Her hands come down to grab mine, and I think she’s about to move me, but instead, she slides my hands down, her eyes burning into mine when I squeeze her ass, as she’s asking.

  I can’t handle it anymore, and my lips crash against hers, one hand coming up to pull her closer, the other flexing against her skin as she starts to grind against me.

  I growl lightly and sneak my hand from her ass to the crease of her thigh that meets her bikini line.

  She gasps into my mouth and slightly tilts her body, leading my hand to her sweet spot.

  I push the backs of my fingers against her underwear, sliding them down and across the fabric as much as the space allows for, and a tremble runs through her.

  That’s when it hits me.

  She’s in a frenzy, eyes crazed in lust, breathing completely out of control, body dripping wet and ready. She needs to come now.

  I flip her over, moving her in one quick motion to the center of my bed, and she licks her lips, her legs widening for me as I settle between them.

  I slide my hands up her thighs, pushing her dress up with it until I’m staring down at her little purple panties. Her hands tighten into fists around my comforter as I stare, her wild breaths heard in the air.

  My eyes flick to hers, and her chin lifts, her head falling deeper into the pillow as she stares at me.

  And I’m not even touching her yet. But she knows it’s coming, knows what I want, and sighs out a, “Yes.”

  My mouth starts to water, my heart rate spiking as I lower myself onto my stomach, my elbows bent to hold me up.

  I trace her panty line, and she sucks in a sharp breath. I slip my finger between her panties and her skin until my knuckle is hooked around the fabric and slowly slide it down, unsticking the wet cloth from her begging pussy. My knuckle slides against her, flicking past her clit, and her hips buck slightly.

  My lips twitch in response, and then I move to slide them off her completely.

  I thought she’d be embarrassed, maybe try to cover herself, but she doesn’t. In fact, her hands move to gli
de across her stomach as she eyes me.

  I bend, my eyes on hers as I grow closer. I flick just the tip of my tongue against her, tasting her for the first time.

  I groan instantly, and a breath hisses past her lips.

  And then I’m gone on her, my tongue sliding against her, until I find her spot. The spot that makes her knees lift and her back bow, and I stay there. Sucking and pinching her clit until she’s pushing me away and pulling me closer at the same time, her knees clamping tight around my head as I force her cum from her body.

  She moans, deep and long and desperate, and fuck me if it isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.

  She gasps, trying to shift her body away, the feeling too strong, but I hold her there.

  I slow my pace, moving my hands to massage her thighs, slowly rolling my tongue over her clit that’s still locked between my lips. I keep her there, let her ride her orgasm from start to finish until, finally, her muscles start to relax, and her legs fall to her sides.

  Her breathing starts to slow, and a soft, satisfied sigh leaves her.

  I shift above her, gripping my dick to soothe the ache, and she reaches for me, her hand running along my shoulder as she pulls me closer. I move up on the bed to lie beside her, and she stares at me. Her thumb comes up to swipe across my bottom lip, and I tilt my head, so it scrapes against my bottom teeth. Her eyes find mine again, and she lifts her chin, her head staying against my pillow.

  I lower myself to meet her, kissing those lips while still tasting the other ones.

  She hums into my mouth, her body pulling closer to mine. Her leg hikes up over my hip, and I take it as an invitation to grind against her. Then, she pulls me on top of her.

  I bend my arms, my boxers soaking up her cum as I rock against her.

  Her hands come down and finger the hem of the dress, so I help her out. I push it over her ribs, bending to kiss just below her bra line, and pull it over her head.

  When she sneaks her hand up and under her bra cup to rub on her own nipple, I stop her with a firm hand.

  Her eyes flash to mine, drunk on desire.

  “When I have your body in front of me like this, I do the work. All of it. When I’m touching you”—I cup her little pussy, and she moans—“your hands are on me or anywhere else, except on yourself. I’m a greedy man, Kens.”

  Her eyes turn ten shades darker right in front of me. She falls flat on her back, her arms dropping beside her head, her legs widening across the bed—across my bed—and I’m quick to settle against her.

  The second I do, she can’t handle it, and her hands fly to my sides, making me chuckle against her mouth. Her warm palms slide against my ribs, up and down, until she wants more, and her fingertips slip into my boxers.

  She pauses there, her eyes catching mine.

  I float my lips across hers, my hand squeezing behind her to unclasp her bra. I dip my head to her neck as I free her breasts. “Touch me, baby,” I whisper against her skin, grinning when she shivers beneath me. “Anywhere you want. However you want.” I kiss her throat. “As long as you want.”

  “Mmm …” she hums, the vibration from the sound tingling my lips.

  She lifts her hips to rub herself against my dick, her hands sliding across my ass cheeks, and she squeezes. She presses me down onto her before pulling back and pushing my boxers past my waist. Those eyes close as she scratches my skin, dragging her nails down the flex of my hip bone until she meets my shaft. Her nipples harden as she grips me, and I groan, digging my fingers into her hair, as my muscles tighten. This time, it’s her who chuckles. It’s a husky, desire-driven sound that goes straight to my groin, and I flex in her hand.

  She squeezes, and I drop my head to her shoulder, fighting and losing to keep my breathing under control. Fuck, I’ve wanted this for years. Wanted her. Imagined it, fucking fantasized about it.

  Mmm … all the ways I want her. All the things I wanna do to her …

  My fingertips glide down her neck on the opposite side of where my head lies. I skim across her collarbone, feathering the side of her breast, and goose bumps rise against my fingers.

  She slowly pumps me when my hand cases around her tit. I gently squeeze her and then follow the same trail on her other side but with my lips, pulling her taut nipple in my mouth when I reach it.

  The second my teeth graze across her sensitive flesh, she guides me where she wants me, maneuvering so that my tip slides in before I even know it’s happening.

  “Fuck,” I groan.

  Her chest lifts to push into mine, and I slide in.

  A harsh breath leaves her as her body sucks me inside. Sharp nails find the center of my back, and her legs wrap with mine.

  I kiss her chest, neck, and then lips, pulling back to stare at her as I glide out and rock back in, a deep, smooth rhythm that forces our bodies to fight the hunger building. She gasps beneath me every time I’m all the way in, crying out her soft moans when I pull back. Her face is flushed and way past aroused. She’s completely consumed. Enthralled in me. Gripped by me.

  She licks her lips, lifting to flick her tongue against my neck, and our pace increases.

  I still rock into her, still grind when my pelvis meets hers, but in quicker movements that have her panting.

  “Mmm … so good,” she whispers.

  My body twitches, my right hand moving to grip her hip.

  “Kens?” I whisper into her chest, and she hums in response. “Am I all you feel right now?”

  “Yes,” she gasps.

  I tilt her head back, exposing her neck more. “Have you ever felt like this?”

  She tenses for half a second.

  “It’s okay, baby.” I kiss across her chest, hiking her knee up, sinking in further. “Tell me.”

  She whimpers, her thigh muscles locking around mine. “N-never.”

  When I growl, she grips my hair and yanks my head back, guiding my mouth to her as she gets closer, her pussy walls squeezing around my dick. I groan and increase my pace. I slide my arm behind her back for better leverage, and her body starts to quake.

  She moans long and loud, her walls throbbing, adding even more friction, and I push in as far as I can. Her grip tightens around me, and I come right with her.

  She turns her head, sliding her lips across mine, as she shivers, and my sweaty forehead meets hers.

  “Never,” she breathes into me, golden eyes clear and on mine.

  Never.

  It’s still dark when Kenra wakes me. I shift, pulling her little frame across me, and she gives me a small one-sided smile.

  “Can’t sleep?”

  She shakes her head. “Can we head back now, to California?”

  “You wanna go now?” My brows tug in, and I glance at the clock to see it’s just after three in the morning.

  She kisses my chest and nods. “Please.”

  I run my hands through her hair, moving to meet her halfway, and kiss her. “Whatever you want.”

  She gives a lazy smile, and together, we lift from the bed and slip back into our clothes.

  We never bothered unpacking, so all we have to do is basic hygiene control, grab our belongings, and we’re out the door.

  I stuff our bags behind the seat, and she climbs in through my door. I turn the engine over and switch my phone on vibrate, reaching past her to stuff it in the glove box. When I pull back, she catches my arm and leans over to kiss me.

  It’s slow but strong, and I shift to get a better angle.

  Kenra pulls back and surprises the hell outta me when she moves to climb over me, her body flush against mine, her back against the steering wheel.

  I glide my hands up her thighs, smirking when she moans.

  “This dress is awfully convenient,” I whisper as my hand slides between her legs, and she does the same, pulling me from my basketball shorts.

  “I can’t wait, Parker,” she whispers against my lips. “It’s a day’s drive. I need you now.”

  I don’t argue, just gl
ance around to make sure there’s no one up and watching. Then, I lift her hips and guide her onto me.

  This time, she sets the pace, her body rolling in ways I didn’t know were possible. Deep dips at the curve of her back allow me to sink deeper, and when her head falls back, mine drops against the headrest.

  I close my eyes and just feel.

  Warm and tight, her pussy sucks me dry until I’m jerking beneath her, and she’s pulsing around me.

  Her hands case around my face, and she leans forward, kissing me slowly before pulling back to stare into my eyes.

  “You have to know … Parker, I—”

  I catch her lips again as I tuck myself back into my shorts and gently pull her off me, placing her in the seat beside me. I kiss her again, and she sighs into my mouth.

  “You, Kenra Monroe, are amazing. Now, let’s get on the road and get back to our friends and family. What do you say?”

  Tears fill her eyes, and she nods, scooting as close to me as possible.

  I force myself not to ask her to look at me. If she does, I’ll be able to see what the tears are for.

  And I’m afraid to find out.

  Saliva fills my mouth, sweat beads breaking out across my forehead. I run to the bathroom, barely making it before the dry-heaving starts. My stomach cramps, my muscles tightening, as my body attempts to hollow out my already empty belly.

  Only it’s not empty.

  There’s a baby in there.

  My and Deaton’s baby.

  I flush the toilet and quickly brush my teeth before exiting as quietly as possible.

  “That’s the third time this morning.”

  I jump, my hand hitting my chest, as I spin to find Lolli leaning against the wall in her running gear.

  She holds out a water bottle, and I slowly take it. “Thanks.”

  Her lip twitches, and she nods toward the kitchen, so I follow behind her.

  She starts making coffee and then pauses to look back at me. “Is this gonna make you puke again? ’Cause, I mean, I could just … go get one …” She pouts to herself at the thought, and I find myself laughing lightly.

  “It’s okay. I was thinking of maybe sitting on the patio anyway. Maybe … you want to come out there with me for a while?” I ask, glancing away in case she says no.