“That’s unfortunate.”
“That he’s missing a testicle?”
“That he’s alive.”
She’d felt the same way for a while. Him being dead might have actually been easier on the kids and as much as she hated to say it, she probably would have been happier too. Eventually she realized it didn’t matter. Dead or alive, he was out of her life which was the only place she wanted him to be.
“What about the guys he snitched on? What happened to them?”
“Some went to prison too. Some got off. Some ended up dead.”
“Do they know where you are?” Thomas’ eyes were fixed across the room on nothing in particular.
“Maybe. I don’t think it matters. He tried to kill me. I testified against him. They know hurting me won’t bother him. Might even make him happy.”
“What about the kids?” His voice was tight. He was worried about her kids as much as he was worried about her. Her heart flip flopped in her chest. A man wanting her was one thing. A man who wanted her and her kids was a whole other beast.
That was her biggest fear about dating. She didn’t want someone who would just tolerate the fact that she had kids. Her kids needed a man in their life. She needed to find a man who would be there for them. Someone who wanted to be a dad.
Looking at the man in front of her and his reaction to what she was telling him, her heart swelled. Knowing he cared about Maddie and Charlie made her unbelievably happy.
Thomas, on the other hand, was clearly miserable right now.
All this was new information to him. It had been terrifying when it was new to her too, but a couple years down the road it was old news. Hopefully soon he would feel the same way. Until then, she needed to ease his mind.
“Apparently even drug cartels have boundaries. I guess all the intelligence the government gathered makes them pretty positive these people don’t hurt kids. Just in case, all three of us use my mom’s maiden name.”
He looked unimpressed by her reassurances. She gently rubbed her finger across the vertical lines that hadn’t left the area between his eyebrows since this conversation started.
“Don’t worry. You’ll make yourself crazy.”
His scowl softened the slightest bit. She trailed her fingers across his forehead in slow strokes. “We will go handle the Don situation. The kids and I will be safe and everything is going to be fine.” Moving to the sides of his face, she slid the pads of her fingers down his face, his beard soft under her hands. “You promised, remember?”
Before she could say another word, he flipped her under him capturing her mouth with his. The weight of his body covered hers, his warmth and scent surrounding her, protecting her from the worries she could easily fall victim to and fought against every day. Thomas kissed his way across her cheek, down her neck his lips leaving her skin tingling in their wake.
“Please be careful.” His voice was shaky, his breath ragged in her ear. Whether it was from fear or desire, she didn’t care, as long as he didn’t stop kissing her.
He pulled back, but kept his face so close to hers the tips of their noses almost touched. When she looked in his eyes it wasn’t fear or desire she saw. It was both. “I just found you.” He brushed his lips gently across hers, the soft hairs of his beard gently caressing her skin as he moved. “I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you.”
She smiled up at him. “Now you know how I felt.”
TWENTY-ONE
Her admission snapped what was left of the self-control he’d been clinging to. He’d never considered she had been thinking of him as long as he’d been thinking of her. He’d been trying to go slow, take his time, as much to savor it as to give her emotions and attachment time to catch up with his. Knowing she was right with him the whole time made slowing down all but impossible.
He crushed his lips against hers, invading her mouth with his tongue. He needed to show her how he felt, make her his. Bring her enough pleasure to begin taking away the pain she’d endured at the hand of another man.
Kissing and nipping his way down her neck the neckline of her sweater impeded his progress. Sliding his thumbs under the hem, he lifted his weight off her just enough to push the garment up between their bodies ready to feel her skin against his.
“Lift up your arms.”
She immediately complied and he ripped the shirt up over her head and tossed it over the back of the couch. Her hands came back down and grabbed at his shirt trying unsuccessfully to wrestle it off. He raised up just long enough to yank it off his body and chuck it on the floor.
He brought his mouth back to hers, nipping at her lips as he ran his hands up and down her newly exposed flesh. Her skin was smooth and satiny over muscles tight from running and hard work. He kissed over her chin and down her throat, stopping to run his tongue across the protrusion of her collar bone.
He nuzzled between her breasts letting the soft vanilla scent of her skin soothe his nerves, frayed from a long night worrying. He took a deep breath. He needed to slow down.
Right now he was letting his dick run the show and that wasn’t how he wanted his first time with her to be. If he wasn’t careful he would be inside her the second he had all her clothes off. While there was a time for that kind of sex, this wasn’t one of those times. This was the time she would remember forever and he wanted it to be a good memory, not a fast one.
“Let’s go up to your bed.”
Hopefully the walk to her room would give him time to regroup and get himself and his desire under control. He slowly stood, careful not to lean on her too heavily as he got up off of her. Standing beside the couch he held his hand out. Her gaze traveled up his body lingering on his bare chest before moving up to meet his. Slowly she raised her hand and slid it into his. Just the feel of her palm against his had him stifling a groan. He was going to be in big trouble.
He pulled her gently up from the couch and against him, her breasts straining against the confines of a black lace bra as she pressed against him. He cupped the swell of one with his palm as he ran his thumb across the soft flesh spilling out the top. With a tug of his finger, he freed the full mound from its constraints. He rolled the pale pink tip between his fingers, watching it tighten at his touch. He gently pinched before rolling it again.
Mina was clinging to him, her fingers digging into the muscles of his shoulders. Soft moans whispered between her lips, testing his control. He dipped his head, pulling the tightened bud deep into his mouth, gently nipping before releasing her.
She pulled away from him and took a few steps backward. Slowly, she unfastened her jeans and skimmed them over her hips, wiggling side to side as she shimmied them down. She bent over and drug them slowly down the length of her legs, leaving them to pool at her feet.
She stood up, her eyes locked on his. He struggled to keep his eyes on hers as long as he could, but curiosity quickly won and he let his eyes run down her body.
He knew no words that could adequately describe the way she looked standing before him clad only in a black lace bra, matching panties and a smile, not a trace of embarrassment on her face. She stepped out of her pants with one leg, then used the other to kick them across the room.
He was speechless. Knowing she had a great body hiding under her clothes was one thing, seeing it in front of him just waiting to be touched and licked was another. He wanted to reach for her, feel her tight body under his hands, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
She took a step back. Then another. She turned and finished the walk to the stairs, giving him the chance to enjoy the way the cut of her tiny panties let the curve of her bottom peek from beneath the edge of the delicate fabric.
As she gracefully made her way up the steps, she unfastened her bra, letting it slide over her shoulders and down her arms before letting drop to the stairs. She reached the landing and looked back over her shoulder. “Coming?”
He swallowed hard. He definitely would be, and the more of her body he saw, t
he sooner he knew it would happen. He was going to have to pull out everything he had in his bag of tricks to make sure she did first.
He headed for the stairs and slowly began climbing. The longer he took to get there, the more time his body had to calm back down. He hit the second to last step just in time to see her stop at an open doorway arms crossed, her hands cupping her bare breasts in an attempt at modesty, the nipple he had in his mouth no more than two minutes ago, peeking out at him from between her fingers. He licked his lips remembering the feel of it as it puckered under his tongue.
As she disappeared into the room, he picked up the pace. It didn’t matter how much time he took, he was screwed. He’d be lucky if he didn’t shoot off in his pants in the hall.
He’d never been with a woman like Mina before. Someone so responsive to his touch. Someone so clearly comfortable with herself. In his experience, women preferred to hide under the covers. With the light off. Not stand in front of him in next to nothing, all but inviting him to look at her body. Not that she didn’t have the right to be proud of what God and her mama gave her. They certainly did right by her.
He stopped just before reaching the doorway she’d disappeared through a few seconds ago and took one last deep breath, not sure he was prepared for what would meet him on the other side.
He took the last step and stood in the doorway to Mina’s room. The biggest bed he’d ever seen dominated the room. Eastwardly facing windows flanked each side of the four postered monster, letting the mid-morning light flood the room. Mina stood beside it, the top of the mattress reaching high on her hip.
“That’s big.”
Her eyes lowered seductively, pausing on his crotch. A sexy smile spread across her face. “I could probably say the same thing to you.”
He grinned back at her, nothing like a little praise to puff up a man’s chest. Keeping his eyes on her, he popped the button on his jeans. Sliding down the zipper, he hooked his thumbs in the waist and pushed everything down, boxers included. Mina wasn’t the only one proud of what they had.
He stepped his injured leg out, then used the other leg to lift the pile up so he could grab them. He sent out silent thanks to his physical therapist his leg was finally strong enough to support his weight. He tossed his pants to the bed making sure the contents of his back pocket would be within easy reach when the time came.
She stood silently, her eyes roaming his body, pausing briefly on the sixteen inch angry scar etched up the inside of his leg. A shadow of sadness moved through her eyes like the only cloud in a clear sky as it passed the sun. It disappeared as quickly as it came, replaced by a hunger he knew he could satisfy.
She dropped her arms to her sides, uncovering her breasts for him to appreciate. “Come here.” Her voice was smooth and soft.
He crossed the room in less than a second, grabbing her by the waist and setting her on the bed as his lips found hers. She spread her legs, hooking one around him and drawing him closer until his throbbing shaft rested against her belly. He wrapped his arms around her, tangling his hands in her hair as he assaulted her mouth with his.
He leaned against her, easing her down to the bed. As she laid back, he wrapped one arm around her waist forcing her back to arch making her breasts easily accessible for his hungry mouth. He held her like that, the top of her head resting gently on the mattress, breasts high in the air while he took his time tasting every bit of them.
Her moans filled the bedroom as she held his head against her, every move she made causing the soft skin of her stomach to rub against the sensitive head of his dick. The feel of her against him made his head spin and his balls ache. He moved his hips as he suckled at her nipples, making small thrusts against her. He felt his balls tighten against is body as the need to come began to override his brain.
He needed to stop what he was doing or he risked spilling all over those pretty black panties she was still wearing. He pulled his arm from around her, lowering her gently to the bed. Her hands grabbed for him as he stepped just out of reach, taking the lacy black panties with him.
She let out a frustrated whimper as she wrapped her legs around him, trying to pull him back to her. “Please Thomas.” Her voice was hoarse, barely a whisper.
He dropped to his knees beside the bed and slung her legs over his shoulders, wrapping his arms around her legs pinning them against his body and splaying his fingers across her stomach. He ran his tongue up and down her labia before gently sucking each one into his mouth, his teeth raking across the hot flesh as he released it. He lapped against her slit, hungrily drinking in her wetness.
He ran his tongue slowly up the crease, feeling her jerk under him as he found her clit. Using his thumbs he gently spread the swollen folds exposing the sensitive nub hiding beneath. He took her in his mouth, gently running his tongue over her most sensitive spot.
She began to moan and buck beneath him. He tightened his grip on her legs and used his hands to pin her firmly to the bed before he began a slow rhythmic attack, his only goal feeling her come against his mouth.
Within seconds her legs clamped around his neck and she began to quiver against him. “Stop. Please stop.”
He had no intention of stopping. He wanted her to scream as she came hard, because of him. He continued his assault on her, keeping one hand firmly on her belly as he leaned forward, giving the other room to slide a finger deep inside her.
“Oh God stop! Thomas please stop.” She rolled her head from side to side as she tried to wiggle away from him. “Please.” Her voice was desperate, pleading. “I want to come with you inside me.”
His body was strung tight with the need for release and her plea was more than he could handle. He crawled over her on the bed and drug her with him until they were in the center of the pillowy mattress, her legs locked around him.
He grabbed at his jeans, finding the protection he stashed in the back pocket. Using his teeth, he ripped open the packet. He sucked the rosy tip of one breast deeply into his mouth as he rolled the condom down his rigid length.
She arched her back, pushing deeper into his mouth as she grabbed at his shoulders trying to pull him closer. “Hurry.”
The instant he was finished, he plunged inside her, groaning against her breast. She gasped as he filled her, pushing her hips against him until he was completely sheathed within her. He held completely still, adjusting to the feel of her around him trying to focus on not coming immediately.
Just as he was beginning to think he could handle it, she began to clench the muscles of her already tight channel, pulsing against him. All thought left him replaced by the need to bury himself inside her over and over, each time moving faster, deeper and harder than the time before. She met him thrust for thrust her hands on his backside pulling him into her.
“Don’t stop.” She moaned against his neck. “Feels so good. Oh God. I’m… I’m…” He felt her body tense then spasm around him, her movements erratic as she came hard, sinking her teeth into his shoulder.
Her climax sent him over the edge to his own. With one last thrust, he erupted, the room around him spinning out of control. He clung to her as wave after wave of heat poured out of him. He collapsed, completely spent and completely satisfied nuzzling against her as he tried to catch his breath.
She trailed her fingertips up and down his back, her legs still wrapped tightly around his waist. He breathed deeply, loving the scent of their lovemaking clinging to her skin. He didn’t want to leave this moment, but certain things had to be handled. He reluctantly pulled away from her, careful to contain the mess he made.
“Bathrooms there.” She nodded to the door on the other side of the bed then reached up to tug down the duvet covering the bed, sliding underneath.
He walked in and flipped on the light not prepared for the beauty of the bathroom before him. Marble tile covered the floor and up the walls. A large jetted tub lined one wall with a glass walled shower in the corner adjacent to it. It was a stark contrast to the rest of t
he house which was nice, but nothing like this.
He headed for the door across from the shower, happy to see he guessed correctly. After wrapping it in toilet paper, he chucked it in the trash can and headed back to the bedroom eager to have her in his arms again.
Crossing the room, he slid under the covers, pulling her tightly against him. She was soft and warm, her body molding into his. She looked up at him, blinking slowly. “Can we take a nap?”
He chuckled and kissed her head inhaling the soft floral scent of her shampoo. “We can do anything you want angel.”
She snuggled into him, her breathing slow and steady against his chest. In less than five minutes she was asleep. He wanted to enjoy the feel of her next to him, tucked into bed, but after spending more time awake than asleep the night before and the post coital serotonin release, he felt himself drifting off. As he slipped into a deep peaceful sleep his last conscious thought was wondering how he would tell the woman in his arms he loved her.
**************************************
“Angel.”
“Mmmm.” Mina’s limbs felt heavy, her whole body completely relaxed. Warmth radiated into her back. Instinctively, she wiggled up against it, snuggling deeper into the heat.
“If you keep wiggling like that we aren’t going to get anything done today.”
She felt his hard length pressing against her backside, the memory of their recent lovemaking bringing her fully out of her slumber. Smiling, she wiggled her hips, letting her bottom move back and forth across him. She heard him suck in a breath and curse. His reaction only encouraged her to keep the movement up. Within seconds he was fumbling beside her, grabbing for his clothes. Maybe he really did have things he wanted to do today.
Disappointed, she sighed as she flipped the covers back ready to climb out of her warm cocoon and get dressed. She scooted across the bed, yelping in surprise as Thomas’ strong arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back against the warmth of his body. Releasing her, he hooked his hand under her knee, bending the leg up toward her side, the position allowing him to slide the length of his already hard shaft along her slit. He moved his hips slowly forth, rubbing back and forth.
Run (Never Waste A Second Chance Book 1) Page 17