by Joanna Blake
He poured them each a cup from the ancient percolator. It smelled so good. He carried it back over to her and set it down. She grabbed it and inhaled deeply. She'd never smelled anything so good in her life. She'd never tasted anything so good in her life. She looked up at him, realizing he'd saved her after all.
She'd never seen anything so good in her life.
He looked so clean and good and strong. His long wet hair falling to his shoulders in waves. His tight jeans hugging that insanely beautiful body. His dark eyes watching her watch him.
That's when it hit her.
She was in love with him.
Oh dear God, she was in love with The Viking.
She would have run out of the room if she'd had the strength. This was not good. Not good at all. How could she fall in love with someone who wanted nothing to do with her?
She was an idiot, that's how.
She felt tears sting her eyes and bent forward, focusing on her food. She ate in silence for a few minutes, wishing the floor would open a large hole and swallow her up.
"Foster care."
She glanced up at him sharply.
"What?"
"You asked how I learned to cook. When I was six years old I got moved out of the orphanage into foster care."
Her mouth almost dropped open. Jack was talking to her. Jack was talking about himself.
"Mrs. McNealy. She was my first foster mother. I never understood why they called it that though."
Her stupor vanished suddenly. She tried to imagine Jack as a boy but it was impossible. He was so strong and tough.
"She started training me on the first day. There were a couple other kids there. We each had a duty. The girl who'd done the cooking had just left for another foster home so Mrs. McNealy decided to teach me."
"She- made you cook for her?"
He nodded.
"For all of them. Well, whatever scraps she decided to feed her wards on any given day. She might have been a mean old drunk but she liked a clean house."
"Oh god, Jack... I didn't realize you were an orphan. How long were you with her?"
He shrugged.
"A couple of years. Until the next foster house. And the next one. In retrospect, Mrs. McNealy wasn't so bad."
She took a deep breath, realizing what he was saying.
They'd hurt him.
She wanted to kill them for that. She snuck a glance at him. He was looking out the window. She realized he was letting her in, telling her something no one knew.
"You got away though."
He nodded.
"When I was 14. I'd been tinkering with stuff for years. Garbage I'd find lying around. You have no idea how much junk poor people keep in their back yards. It's like they are afraid to throw anything away. I'd found an ancient broken down Indian bike and been slowly fixing it when Norm wasn't around to stop me. He was a real cold bastard. He killed a kid once. In front of me. Made me lie to the social worked and say it was an accident."
"What would he do if you didn't?"
He rolled his shoulder and turned slightly, letting his shirt slide off enough so she could see part of his back.
She gasped.
He was covered in a blanket of scars. Huge welts. Thick ugly lines that reminded her of something.
A belt buckle. She felt her insides twist into a knot.
"As soon as that bike turned over the first I left, and I never looked back. I couldn't help the other kids. I couldn't do anything but run."
She stared at the beautiful man sitting in front of her as he pulled his shirt back on. He went back to looking out the window.
"You helped me."
He grunted and stood.
"Are you finished eating? I want to show you something."
He walked out of the kitchen door without waiting for an answer. Janet stood up and followed him onto the deck.
The house sat above a small mountain lake. There weren't any other houses out here. They were alone.
It was beautiful.
She felt Jack's hands on her shoulders and stared up at him as he slowly turned her around to face him. He was staring at her lips. He was going to kiss her!
He leaned down and whispered into her ear.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
She nodded.
He put his arms around her and smiled sweetly.
"Good."
And then he chucked her into the lake.
**********
Jack watched as Janet came up sputtering. He was ready to jump in at a moments notice if she needed help of course but she looked fine.
Pissed off, but fine.
"What the hell ,Jack!"
He shrugged, liking the way the wet t-shirt clung to her curves. Hmmm… he'd have to get her out of that soon.
Very soon.
"Sorry. You smelled."
Her mouth opened and shut like a fish. He sure did get a kick out of shocking her. He grinned and started taking his clothes off. She shut her mouth abruptly and looked at him with a very different look on her face.
A very warm look.
He grinned and shimmied his jeans down over his hips, kicking off his boots with them. She was trying to look anywhere but at him. He glanced down and saw his cock was already rising.
And he hadn't even touched her.
He took a running leap into the water five feet from Janet. Just close enough to splash her.
He came up to catch her reaction but she was gone.
SPLASH
Water came flying at his head. She'd swum around him somehow and was pushing water at him with her forearms. Damn, she was really getting some good waves with that technique.
He was on her in an instant, grabbing her arms and holding them in the air while they both kicked their legs to stay afloat.
"Don't start something you can't finish."
She was laughing until she finally caught the look in his eyes. He stared down at this beautiful girl and watched as her eyes changed from laughter to desire. Just like his were doing.
For some mysterious reason she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. It probably wouldn't last. She was a rich girl after all. A good girl. Well, mostly. But he didn't care. If he could only have her for a little while, that would have to do.
He knew he'd want her forever.
He moaned and pulled her against him, crashing his lips into hers. He released her arms and held her head, angling it so he could kiss her deeper, harder. She made a sexy little sound of surrender as he plundered her mouth with everything he'd been holding back.
Then they started sinking.
She was laughing when she came up but he didn't smile. He couldn't. All he could do was feel and want. He propelled her backward through the water until her back was against the corner of the dock. He used one hand to hold her hips against his, pulling one leg up and around his waist.
"Unfff…"
He held them up with one hand on the edge of the dock and began again. He kissed her endlessly, nibbling her lips in between long bouts of deeply tonguing her sweet mouth. He finally lifted his head and pulled at her wet t-shirt.
"Take this off."
She shook her head.
"What if someone sees me?"
"I want to see you."
She ducked out from under his arms and swam toward the ladder.
"Come back here. Now."
He hardly recognized his own voice. He was practically growling at her. She shook her head and clambered up the ladder to the deck. He hoisted himself onto the dock and stood at the end, ten feet away from her.
Her eyes were wide as she stared between his legs at his cock. He was fully erect now and standing proud at nine thick inches. She didn't look scared though. She looked… intrigued. He raised an eyebrow at her as she backed away from him playfully.
"That's my t-shirt and I want it back."
She smiled suddenly and ran toward the house.
"Then come and get it!"
**********
>
Janet ran up the stairs and into the bedroom she'd woken up in. She heard him behind her, his wet feet slapping the stairs. Two at a time.
He was right behind her.
She climbed onto the bed and pulled the t-shirt off. As soon as he appeared in the doorway she chucked it at him. It hit him in the face. She stifled a giggle. Her aim was better than she thought.
He pulled it his face off and chucked it aside, staring at her naked body. Then he was on the bed. Then he was on top of her.
It happened so fast that she would have missed it if she blinked.
She moaned at the incredible feeling of his hot chest pressing into her breasts. He felt so strong and hard against her softness. Then he was kissing her again. But there was more than just passion in the kiss. He was kissing her like he cared. As if it meant something.
His hands found her breasts and he lowered her head to them.
"Oh God, Janet."
She gasped as arousal shot straight to her center, spreading out in every direction. He readjusted himself so he could rub his shaft against her apex. She moaned as he stimulated her there with his slowly rocking hips without inserting himself inside her. Clearly he was not in a hurry.
She whimpered as he pulled her nipple into his mouth, tugging sharply. Her hips were moving of their own volition. She wanted him to hurry up. She wanted him inside her now.
Right now.
He chuckled low in his throat and moved down her body. Her fingers were in his hair. Oh god- he was going to-
His lips pressed against her soft nether lips, kissing her softly. Then he pulled back and his tongue snaked out. Her whole body arched off the bed as he lapped up and down her slit, never pressing inside. He used one hand to hold her hips immobile and the other one moved above his mouth to find the sensitive nub. He started lightly circling his finger on her clit and she bucked against him.
"Jack!"
She felt him smiling as he continued his slow exploration of her body. Finally he picked up his pace as he worked her clit and slid his tongue inside her. They both moaned.
Then he started to fuck her with his tongue.
"Oh Jesus!"
She was beside herself. It was so intimate what he was doing. Never mind how he was doing it. He was licking her as if it was his mission in life to slowly drive her insane. It was working. She'd been shocked at first but now- now she was too desperate to be embarrassed.
She was close. He seemed to know it too. But he didn't let her go over the edge. He just kept her there, aching for him.
She was gasping for air as he lifted his head slightly to look at her. Her eyes were half open, watching as Jack devoured her sex. He lowered his head again. This time she felt his tongue on her clit as he slid one finger inside her.
"Hmmmm…"
He was really enjoying this, a voice said in the back of her head. She tried to move her hips, to pull him deeper, make him move faster, but he just laughed again and pulled her clit into his mouth, flicking his tongue against it rapidly.
"Oh!"
He was murmuring something but she couldn't understand him. He slid a second finger inside her and she moaned. She wanted- she wanted-
She screamed as the climax hit her. Her body shuddered violently as the biggest orgasm she'd had in her life tore through her body. He didn't stop the staccato motion of his tongue. He didn't stop sliding his fingers in and out of her. He didn't stop-
"Ahhh!"
She was shaking as he finally lifted his head. What he'd just done to her was like nothing she'd ever experienced in her life. She expected him to look smug but instead he looked desperate with need. He slid his body up against her until he reached her mouth. He kissed her softly, as she stared up at him. He looked like he was in pain.
"Janet… I want to…"
"Yes. Oh god, yes."
Relief flooded his features as she felt him position his shaft at her juncture. He felt hot and hard against her, like silk and steel. He braced himself above and stared into her eyes as he pushed forward.
**********
Jack grunted like an animal as her warm heat enveloped him. She was so tight… and wet… and she'd tasted so God Damn sweet in his mouth. The taste of her had inflamed him to the point that it physically hurt to not be inside her. But he had to make sure she was ready.
He had to make sure she wanted him as badly as he wanted her.
He held her gorgeous hip with one hand and started to make tiny thrusts. He knew he was larger than average. Never mind that he'd never been with a woman as small as Janet. He'd only been with the sleazy sweet butts who hung around the club. None of them had ever complained about his size. But none of them were as delicate as Janet. He didn't want to hurt her accidentally.
He closed his eyes, not wanting to think about that.
Not wanting to think about anything but the way she felt.
She was tight but her body was allowing him in a little deeper with every stroke. He was going slowly even though he wanted to unleash himself, to take her roughly until he poured himself into her.
Maybe later.
She was making tiny whimpering sounds beneath him, mewling like a little kitten. Unnff… God she felt good. Nothing in his worthless life had ever made him feel a tenth of this pleasure. Not even close.
She clenched down on him as he was pulling out and he lost control for a split second, driving in as deep as he could go.
"Yes, Jack! Yes!"
He stared down at her, unsure. But it was written all over her face. She wanted what he wanted. He moaned and started pumping his hips into her. His shaft was sliding in and out of her sweet hole with ease now. With every stroke her walls massaged and squeezed him.
It wouldn't be long now.
He increased his tempo as he felt her body start to convulse beneath him. Her cries grew louder, spurring him on. He worked his cock inside her like a machine, pistoning in and out, harder and faster by the second. Suddenly he stopped and pushed himself inside her as far as he could go.
His cock gave a mighty jump. He moaned as he felt his seed erupt from his head, filling her up. He thrust into her a few more times as her body pulled at him, sucking him deep again.
Then he collapsed.
Jesus.
If he'd known it could be like that, he would have taken her the first time he wanted to. That very first night at the club. He would have done anything to be insider her.
He hoped she would let him do it again.
He rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms, staring at the ceiling. She snuggled against his chest in a way that suggested there was no place else she'd rather be. He allowed himself the luxury of thinking- hoping- she might let him keep her.
She might stay.
A cool drop of water hit his chest. What the- He laid back again when he realized she was crying. She wasn't crying because of him was she? He never wanted to make her cry again.
"What am I going to do Jack? I can't go home."
He squeezed her. Not crying because of him then. Good.
"I know."
"They don't love me."
"They're idiots."
"How do you know?"
"I met them."
He raised an eyebrow at her and she nearly burst out laughing. He was almost offended by the look of shock her face at the discovery that he had a sense of humor after all. Instead he decided that it was time to make love to her again.
Before she changed her mind.
But slower this time.
Much slower.
**********
"I want to see you dance."
Janet was cuddled up in his lap on one of the deck chairs, watching the sun go down. He lifted her up and set her on her feet, facing him. Then he sat back down again.
Her eyes widened as he stared at her expectantly.
"Really dance."
She inhaled and exhaled shakily.
"I haven't danced in so long, Jack."
"So?"
He just waited. She felt so awkward in front of him suddenly. What if she wasn't any good at it anymore? What if he laughed at her. She peeked at him shyly. He lifted the corner of his mouth the teeniest bit. For Jack, that was a pretty big smile.
"Okay."
She took a deep breath and moved back on the deck. She'd perform the part of Giselle when she reappears as a spirit to save her lover. Of course, she couldn't do it full out without toe shoes, but she could mark it out. She'd have to be careful on the rough wood deck.
She tuned out everything around her and heard the music in her head. She rose gracefully as the spirt of Giselle into a full arabesque, one leg pointing high in the sky behind her. Then she fell into the dance, abbreviating the turns and leaps but doing most of the footwork. The dance was one of lost love and redemption. She felt all the emotions of the dance filling her up and spilling out as she spun in revoltade after revoltade, finally sinking to the ground as Giselle returned to her grave.
Janet lifted her head to see Jack watching her with tears in his eyes. He lifted his hands and clapped, slow and hard, until she ran into his arms. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her.
"You are so beautiful."
She snuggled deeper into his chest. She hadn't danced in so long. She'd been afraid to. But here and now, it had felt right somehow.
She felt wonderful. Everything in this moment was perfect. She'd never felt so safe and secure in her life. Until Jack's next words brought reality crashing back down on her.
"Let's go home."
She nodded sadly. If that's what he wanted, she would do it. She'd do anything for him at this point. The last thing she wanted was to leave this beautiful place… The place where she'd finally had Jack all to herself.
It wasn't just that she didn't want to go home.
She didn't have one.
10
Jack pulled up to Janet's parents house. Her bedroom window was boarded over. Good. He hoped everyone knew why. Then the neighbors would know what sick people were living there.
"I don't want to go in there."