by Deborah Camp
“Ummm, you just told me that you’d cheat on me if we weren’t together more often,” she reminded him with a smile.
“That’s right. So, we won’t allow that to happen, will we?” His hands closed on her upper arms and he turned her around to face the big, empty closet again. “It’s going to be fun helping you fill this up.” His lips grazed the top of her ear and his hot breath on her skin made her whole body quicken. “I want us to live together, Trudy. I want you to move in here with me.”
Chapter 5
Trudy knew she was staring at him with her mouth open, but it took her a few seconds for her brain to start working again and command her mouth to close and words to form.
“Wait. What?” That was all she could manage.
“I know you’re building your rep as a psychic and you’re anxious to take on more work, and I’m good with that,” he said, his hands moving up and down her arms, telegraphing his anxiety. “We’ll find ways to work in the same places. I don’t think we should be apart more than two nights in a row.”
She grabbed his tie and yanked it to make him stop talking. “I have a home in Tulsa. I have a family in Tulsa. I can’t just—.”
“I’m not asking you to give up anything, Trudy. I’m asking you to expand your world to include me.” He bent his knees until his eyes were level with hers. “You’ll leave some stuff here – clothes, make-up, girl things – and I’ll leave some stuff at your place. That way, we can come and go from either place. This will be our home and the house in Tulsa will also be our home.”
Her brain was stuck in first gear on a steep hill of information.
“Say something.” He framed her face in his hands. “It’s not a farfetched idea. I want you in my bed every night – or almost every night – and I want to wake up entwined with you. I want to shower with you and take long baths with you. And I want to know I can do that most of the time. The texting and video chats and phone calls don’t do it for me, Tru. They just make me crazy to be with you.”
Wonder unfroze her brain. That and the tender brushing of his thumbs across her cheeks and the sincerity in his eyes. “My head is spinning. Don’t you feel that we’re going at a breakneck pace here?”
“I guess, but that’s just the way it is for us. Did you like being apart for so long?”
“No, I hated it. That’s why I’m here without an invitation.”
“From this point on, no invitation is needed.”
“For someone who hasn’t had a committed relationship before, you’re pretty good at this. Has Dr. McLain been coaching you?”
“No.” He straightened and rested his hands on top of her shoulders. “This is my idea, but she’s supportive of it.”
“Well.” Trudy drew in a deep breath and tried to wrap her mind and heart around the idea of living full-time with the sexiest man on the planet – at least, on her planet. “You’d have to meet my parents, for sure.”
“Of course. I have no problem with that.”
“And you’ll have to really turn on the charm to win them over.”
He frowned. “Now you think they won’t like me? What changed?”
“They won’t be thrilled with the ‘living together’ announcement.”
“Because?”
“Because there isn’t a ring on it.” She held up her ringless left hand and wiggled her fingers.
“Are they . . . religious?”
She smiled at the wariness so apparent in that question. She knew he was thinking of his famous TV preacher father, which opened up a whole ugly can of worms for him. “No. They’re Southern Baptist, but the last time they were in church was when my sister got married. However, they do hold to some traditions and they don’t like to think of their daughters as being round-heeled and foolish.”
“And you’re neither,” he said, emphatically.
“That’s where your charm has to come in. I’ll leave it up to you to convince them that I’m the girl for you and that your intentions are honorable.”
He gifted her with his all-out, devastatingly gorgeous smile as he bent down and wrapped his arms just beneath her rump. He lifted her feet off the floor, startling a laugh from her. “You are the girl for me and my intentions are sinful and sexual.”
But not honorable? She wished she wasn’t hung up the depth of his feelings for her, but she was. He had said beautiful, touching things to her, but he hadn’t said he loved her or even that he was falling in love with her.
His lips brushed over hers in a soft caress. Still holding her aloft, he walked into the bedroom, his mouth osculating, stroking, and teasing hers. Trudy held onto his broad shoulders, laughing a little at the ravishing sounds he made deep in his throat. He set her on her feet again next to the bed and took a few steps back from her. His smoldering gaze swept over her and that off-center grin she loved so much claimed his kiss-glistened lips.
“I’ve fantasized so many times about having you stand right there,” he said, his voice dipping to a sexy growl. “Of course, you were always naked in those fantasies.”
The desire radiating from him emboldened her. “I can fix that,” she whispered, already unbuttoning the front of her dress and kicking off her shoes. A delicious shiver ran down her spine when his teasing grin disappeared and his visage was all sex and lust. Shimmying out of her dress and unclasping her bra, she stood before him, blushing with desire. Her fingers curled at the top of one thigh high.
“Wait a sec,” he said, his voice throbbing with raw desire. “Leave those on for a bit.” He shook his head slowly. “So beautiful.”
“I don’t understand why, but I always believe you when you say that to me,” she admitted, relishing the new sensations of feeling sexy, gorgeous, and hungered for. In his eyes, she was all these things and it was still hard to fathom. She closed the distance between them to shove his jacket off his shoulders. Tossing it onto the padded bench, she removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, her gaze flirting with his, watching the ardor in him burn hotter and hotter.
She wanted to own him . . . to watch him fall apart for her . . . because of her. Her fingers trembled slightly as she unbuckled his belt and opened his fly. She ran her hand across his erection, smiling at him when he jerked reflexively. He stepped back to kick off his shoes, step out of his trousers, and rip his socks off his feet. Knowing her man, Trudy pounced on him before he could take charge of the situation, as was always his modus operandi. He was an alpha male, through and through, but she wanted to show him how much she’d missed him, how often she’d dreamed of licking and kissing every magnificent part of him.
“Get on the bed, Wolfe,” she ordered, and she was surprised when he actually grinned and obeyed her. She slid over him, skin on skin, and heard him suck in a breath.
“Oh, how I’ve missed this,” she whispered, kissing across his collarbone, down the center of his chest, to his hardening member. She focused on one of her very favorite parts, fisting him, and laving him with her tongue. She circled the crown and sucked.
“Does this mean you’re moving in with me?” he asked, his voice strained.
She released him long enough to answer. “This means we’re moving in together. And that I love the taste of you. You always smell citrusy and clean and that’s how you taste – a little tart . . .there’s bite to you. And you feel like silk covered iron in my mouth.”
He commented on that by thrusting his hips and groaning. His hands landed on her head, one on top, one along the side to guide her. He just couldn’t help himself; he had to exercise some control over her. She directed her tongue to the underside where a thick vein throbbed, pumping blood and filling him out, making him longer, thicker. She nuzzled him and he spread his legs farther apart. Oh, so he liked that! Encouraged, she mouthed him.
“Chrrrrisst,” he groaned. “I’m dying here.”
He started hip-thrusting into her mouth and grabbing handfuls of her hair, holding her in place. Suddenly, he shifted out of her mouth and guided her onto her back.
He kissed and sucked his way from her navel up to her breasts. Trudy flung her head back to stare at the small lights twinkling in the ceiling above her. His mouth closed over her nipple and he flicked it with his tongue.
“You’re so tasty,” he murmured. “Your breasts are sheer perfection.” His fingertips circled her other nipple and then he dragged his mouth down her body. Slowly, appreciatively, he peeled the hosiery off one leg and then the other. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are, Tru?” he murmured, his lips sliding to the back of her knee to kiss the sensitive skin there. “How very special you are to me?” He gripped her knees, and opened her up to him. “How much I want to devour you?”
“Oh, oh no, no,” she said, the sounds more garbled groaning than actual words. Looking down at the dark head between her thighs, she felt her body begin to tighten deliciously. Levi’s gaze latched onto hers, his blue eyes sparkling with lust and enjoyment as his mouth busied itself against her wet folds. He sucked gently on her as he slipped his long middle finger inside her.
He was a master at this, she thought, her body humming and thrumming as he worked his finger in and out. Pausing, he stuck his finger into his mouth and sucked it clean, his eyes glimmering devilishly. He knew that made her wetter.
“Delicious,” he whispered, then inserted two fingers inside her. He pressed down, making her feel full. Her nipples tightened and her breasts felt heavy and achy. Keeping her on the edge of a climax, he sucked her, kissed her, licked her, all the while his fingers worked inside her, alternating between thrusting and retreating and stroking her G-spot. Tension coiled tighter and tighter and she squirmed under his relentless mouth and tongue. She felt his lips curve into a smile against her thigh before he ran his tongue from her knee to her hip.
“You’re close?” he murmured.
“Almost there,” she breathed.
“Okay, baby. Here we go. Let me watch.”
He pushed her knees farther apart and his fingers crooked inside her, rubbing harder against her G-spot. Her climax rushed at her like a furious beast, taking her over, clawing through her. She gave a little shriek, followed by panting moans as lights burst behind her eyelids and her body convulsed, grabbing his plunging fingers.
“Yes, yes,” he crooned. “Oh, yes! Let yourself go, Tru. So beautiful, baby.”
His whispered words of encouragement prolonged her climax. Just when she thought it had crested, it came back on her, shaking her, wiping her mind clean of everything except for the erotic pleasure/pain.
He moved up her body, his chest hair rubbing against her sensitive breasts, and he kissed her, letting her taste herself on his tongue and lips. Feverishly, he took her mouth with his and ground his erection between their bellies. “I can hardly believe you’re here and not another dream. This bed has been so lonely without you.”
Tears burned the corners of her eyes as his sweet, uncensored, unexpected declarations stirred her, humbled her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, squeezing him, fiercely loving him. He chuckled against the side of her neck before raising his head to look at her. His eyes darkened as he positioned himself against her opening.
She nodded, moving one hand down to cover his. His felt so hot, like there was a flame licking just beneath his skin. “I want you inside.”
“Say it.”
“I just did.”
“Tell me exactly what you want,” he dared her.
She started to say what was in her mind – make love to me. But she caught the naughty glint in his eyes and sighed, realizing he wanted her to talk dirty to him. She squeezed his hand and ran it up and down his long, thick cock.
“Did you ever say ‘fuck’ before you met me?”
“Levi,” she warned, giving his hand a shake. “Just do it.”
“Do what?” he asked, all innocent. “I think you said the exact same thing to me our first time. Just do it. So, just say it.”
Tired of his game, she decided to be brutally honest. “What I want – truthfully – is for you to make love to me. Not fuck me. Love me.”
The humor ebbed from his expression. “You cut right to the quick, don’t you, baby?” He stared into her eyes and a frisson of anguish darted across his face. Then, slowly, deliberately, he slid in all the way. Her muscles tightened around him and his eyelids floated down. He dipped his head and took one of her nipples into his warm mouth, his tongue curling around and around it, lengthening it, hardening it as he lengthened and hardened inside her.
She sucked in a breath, rocked by his words and his actions. She arched up into him, needing more, taking everything he had to give.
As he moved inside her, his mouth worshipping her breasts, his hands caressing her face, her neck, and combing through her hair, she matched his passion, kissing him and giving his shoulders little love bites.
His movements quickened and then he stilled. Rolling over onto his back, he took her with him, letting her straddle him.
“Take me, baby. Please.”
It took her a few seconds to get her bearings. She reached for his hands, lacing her fingers with his, and began moving up and down on him. He emitted a sexy growl, his eyes blazing as he watched her. He kissed her face, her chin, and sucked on her nipple. She moaned as the sensations he’d summoned arrowed straight to her core. Everything tightened inside her and then released in a long, shuddering orgasm.
“Levi!” His name was wrenched from her as the world spun crazily and she lost herself in him. The next thing she was aware of was him panting her name and his hips thrusting while his hands held her hips, locking her in place. His pace was frantic, frenzied, and she held on, riding it out with him.
Suddenly, he froze and his eyes fogged over. He bared his teeth, groaned, and spilled himself deep, deep inside her.
“Oh, my God, baby,” he rasped, moving again, in and out of her slowly, luxuriously, his seed making his movements silkier and more sensuous than ever before. She smoothed her hands along the rippling muscles of his chest and arms. He was dewy with perspiration from his exertion, his body sliding against hers, his member rubbing her, sparking another climax.
“Oooo, oooo,” she moaned as passion coiled tightly within her and he pushed deeply into her, milking one final shudder from her, one more inner embrace. She crumpled, falling onto her side as her climax played itself out.
How had she stayed away from him – away from this unparalleled feeling of being desired and venerated? He was the only man who’d ever made her feel those things. Sure, she’d had her flirtations and a few nights here and there of good sex, but nothing like this. She hadn’t even known she could feel these things until Levi Wolfe had swept into her life. Before him, she’d known nothing of endless passion and deep-seated devotion. Not one thing. Not until him.
She reclined on her back, staring up at the array of pin lights overhead as her breathing gradually returned to normal. Good lord, he made her want with an intensity that was painful! He courted her toward mindless climaxes that blew through her like a sirocco. She had worried that his desire had cooled for her and now she gloried in knowing that she still had a hold on him, that his heart and his body were still bequeathed to her.
Levi groaned. Shaking his head, he released a sound that was almost a howl. “Woman! You’re too much! Too sweet. Too sexy. Too you.” He ran a hand back and forth over his chest where the swirl of hair was wet and curling.
“Is that good or bad?” Trudy asked, turning onto her side and propping her head in her hand to look at him.
“So fucking good,” he said, closing his eyes and grinning. “I feel better than I have in weeks. In fact, I’m happy.” He let go of a short, robust laugh. “Yeah. I’m happy.”
“And that’s unusual?” Trudy asked, dubiously.
“Absolutely.” He opened his eyes, his brows knitting. “I’ve been satisfied and pleased, but I haven’t been happy in . . . God, I can’t even remember the last time before you.”
The confession unraveled her and she ran her
free hand over his chest and snuggled closer to him. “Levi, that’s terrible.”
“Is it?” He turned his head on the pillow to look at her. “Are you happy a lot?”
She nodded. “Sure. Of course, I’m happier with you.”
“Yeah?” Pleasure softened his features, making him look boyish.
“Yes.” She kissed his shoulder. “You make me feel so many things. Sexy, desired, wanted, appreciated, smart. So many things.”
His mouth touched hers, his lips lingering, sliding, slanting against hers. “Let’s take a shower and then eat dinner. I’m starving.”
“You worked up an appetite, huh?”
“Definitely. I need to replenish my strength after you’ve drained me.”
“Ha!” She gave a squeal as he jackknifed from bed and scooped her into his arms. As he carried her into the bathroom, she melted against him. Mine, she thought. Thank God, he’s still mine.
###
Someone had brought her luggage up and set it outside the front door. Levi deposited it in the bedroom just as Trudy was pulling on one of his t-shirts.
“Oh, good! My clothes!”
He stepped in between her and her luggage. He’d already dressed in black jeans and a black, pullover sweater. “Uh-uh. I like what you’re wearing better than anything you could have in these suitcases.”
Laughing, she pushed playfully against his shoulders, budging him not an inch. “Make yourself useful and find us something for dinner.”
“Promise you won’t put anything else on?”
“Just a pair of panties to replace the ones you ruined.”
“And you need to wear panties because . . ?”
“Go!” She shoved him.
He winked at her and chuckled naughtily as he sauntered out of the room.
Trudy flung the smaller piece of luggage onto the bed and rooted around in it to find a pair of lilac panties. Slipping them on, she smiled as she recalled Levi tearing the other pair off her. Her smile grew as she opened her big tote bag and reached inside gingerly, her fingers touching the crinkly wrapping that covered the big chocolate cupcake she’d purchased in the café she’d gone to with Gonzo. She set it on the bed and rummaged around in the bag again to find the single blue cake candle and paper plate the waitress had found for her. Since Levi didn’t celebrate his birthday, she could only assume that he also hadn’t enjoyed a birthday cake or made a birthday wish in many, many years. Maybe ever.