“I don’t know how old it is or—” She pinched her lips together, before continuing. “—if it will fit.”
“Baby, I’ll make it fit.”
With his teeth, he tore open the package and moved to his knees. Sky watched as he rolled the sheath over his penis.
“Snug as a bug in a rug.” She chuckled.
“Funny. It’s not you wearing the rubber.” He eased down upon her. His fingertips brushed strands of her hair out of her eyes. “I love your hair. It’s a beautiful color.”
“You didn’t like it black?”
He started to slowly rock against her. “You are beautiful no matter the color of your hair.”
Happiness bubbled up inside her. “Really?”
“Really. Now shut up and kiss me.”
Hip to hip, chest to chest, he lay atop her, his mouth on hers. His kiss was gentle, seductive, building her back into a state of arousal. He traced her bottom lip and then nipped it playfully. She’d never been loved with such tenderness. With each sweet caress he made her feel cherished, beautiful.
“I want you,” he breathed next to her ear. She felt the tremor that washed through him.
“Then take me, Leo.”
He moved his hand between them, his fingers parting her, sliding through her moist slit before he circled the small bud. Watching her through narrowed eyes, he shoved a finger inside and pumped it in and out.
“God, baby, you’re wet.”
His finger wasn’t enough; it only teased for what was to come. She needed him inside her and she needed him now. “Leo, please.”
“I just want to make sure you’re ready for me.”
“I’m ready,” she growled and squirmed beneath him. Riding his hand, seeking to find that spot that would set her off.
He angled his hips. The broad head of his cock nudged at her hungry sex. Slow and easy, he began to fill her. She whimpered in anticipation. Each delicious inch stretched and spread her wider so that her body would accommodate him.
“Tight.” His voice was rough, hoarse. “So damn tight.”
As he pressed deeper, she writhed beneath him—wanting more. He leaned back, his eyes going to where their bodies slowly connected. His wild expression was filled with pure ecstasy.
Panting with the exertion it took to move cautiously, he watched several inches of his thick erection stretch her sweet pussy, slowly disappearing inside her. When he was seated completely, he stopped, then shuddered. Leo almost came the minute her warmth cradled him. She was tight, hot and wetter than he had expected. He had never felt anything so wonderful. She surrounded him, held him snug, wrapped around him like a tight fist. As he remained still, he felt her body pulse around him, squeezing and milking him before she bucked impatiently beneath him. When her nails scrapped across his back, his lips moved to her neck. He kissed her softly and then he began to move.
He started slow, pushing apart muscle and tissue over and over until he slid in and out easily. She was breathing hard. Hell, so was he. His arms shook as he held himself up so he could see her face. Did she know how beautiful she was?
His hips thrust, easing back and forth, trying to prolong the feel of her heat and the way their bodies fit together. He smoothed his palm across her abdomen, through the patch of curly hair, until he found her clit. As he pressed down on the swollen nub, she moaned his name. Her breathy voice was a turn on. A tingle at the base of his groin sparked.
Her breaths were short, quick pants. “Please. Faster. Harder,” she begged.
He plunged forward, slapped against her body, again and again. He took her hard. He took her fast, while his finger circled her clit. His hips flexed as he drew back, pulling out until only the head remained before surging inside her once more.
A soft roar began in his head and intensified with each plunge. His thighs grew tight. His testicles retracted into the shelter of his body. Black spots appeared before his eyes as his blood pressure soared. Judging by her throaty whimpers there was no control left for either of them.
With each deep lunge, she cried out. She was close. All he had to do was hold on a little longer. But it wasn’t to be. With a fiery rush, his seed raced down his cock. He felt the explosion clear to his toes and then she screamed, joining him.
Pleasure was a steady, vibrating force inside him. Her body convulsing around him, how she held on to him as if he were her anchor, helped to prolong the sweet, sweet sensation. Even after it was gone, the sated feeling remained. No one had ever turned his world upside down like she had.
As they lay in each other’s arms, she cuddled closer. “That was amazing.”
“You were amazing.” He kissed her forehead, thinking the moment felt surreal. Then he remembered her time in Whispering Cove would soon come to an end. Would he be able to let her go when the time came? Did he have a choice?
His fingertips skimmed down her back and she attempted to wiggle away from his touch. She was ticklish. He grinned like a schoolboy. “Would you like to go to the Christmas concert with me tomorrow night?”
She stroked his chest, smoothing over his sensitive nipples and making him flinch. She chuckled softly. “I didn’t know there was a concert. Who’s playing?” Her touch was magical, sliding over his skin like silk.
“Josh Bryan.” Damn. The woman had made him forget himself. “Don’t say anything. No one is supposed to know he’s coming to town.” The only reason he knew was because Josh’s agent had called about security.
“I’ve heard of him.” She fingered a nipple. He knew it was to test his sensitivity to her touch, because when he grabbed her hand she giggled again. The sound was music to his ears. “He sings ‘Wild Horses’ doesn’t he?”
“Yeah, I think that was his last number-one hit.”
She raised her head, trapping him in her gaze. “How on earth did you get a star like that to come to Whispering Cove?”
He brushed back her hair and kissed her forehead again because he couldn’t help himself. “We have our secrets. Actually, he’s close with Byron and he has ties to that little brunette waitress who served us at Hauk’s pub. Aimee.”
“So you’re up with all the gossip in this little town?”
“Not really, but when some of the people strike up a conversation, that conversation usually contains what’s going on in Whispering Cove. So do you want to go to the concert? We could have dinner at my house before? Then maybe I could talk you into spending the night.”
“Hmmm. I like the sound of that.” She yawned.
“Tired?”
“A little.”
“Can I use your bathroom to clean up?”
“Sure.”
He crawled out of bed, his feet padding across the cold floor. He stepped inside the bathroom and closed the door before he disposed of the condom and then freshened up. After taking care of business, he slipped back into bed only to find Tempest fast asleep. For a moment he wondered whether he should get dressed and leave. Nah. It was cold outside and he had a warm woman to snuggle up to. Leaving could wait until the morning.
Chapter Ten
Sky woke up with a stream of light glaring through the slightly parted curtains. Leo lay snuggled against her, his leg thrown over hers, trapping her beneath him. His morning erection pressed into her side. They were both bundled in the bedding, protection against the chill of a new day. She didn’t move so she wouldn’t wake him. Instead she watched him sleep, listened to his soft breathing. Inhaled the lingering scent of sex and the spicy scent that was uniquely Leo’s. She smiled. He had love-swept hair, delightfully mussed. She fought the urge to brush the strands out of his eyes.
When he moved, smoothing his hand across her belly to cup a breast, she knew he was no longer a sleep. With his eyes still closed, he croaked, “Morning.” His thumb rubbed across her nipple, making it pucker and causing little bumps to form on her areola.
She ran her fingertips through his silky hair. “Morning, sunshine.”
“What time is it?” he groa
ned.
“It’s eight thirty.”
His eyes sprung wide open. “Damn.” Throwing back the covers, he started to rise. “I’m late. I should have been at work at eight.” He leaned over the bed and gave her a quick kiss. “I’m sorry I have to go, but I still need to get home and change.”
Sky understood, but she didn’t like it. She wanted to spend more time with him. Get to know him better. What was she saying? In just over a week she would be leaving him and Whispering Cove behind. The thought needled her. She didn’t want to leave. She liked Whispering Cove. She liked Leo.
As he located his shoes and clothes and started to dress, she thought it was a shame to cover such an impressive body. Was she the only one in town who knew what was hidden beneath his uniform? Or did he have ex-girlfriends out there she would run into walking down the street? The last thought didn’t set well with her, but what could she say?
He hopped on one foot, trying to get a sock on.
“Wouldn’t it be easier if you sat on the edge of the bed to do that?” she asked.
A hoarse laugh pushed between his lips. “Yep.”
The mattress moaned as he took a seat and finished putting on his socks and boots. Then he rose, leaning over her once more to kiss her. This time he took his time, caressed her mouth with tenderness, and then much too soon their lips parted.
“Don’t forget the concert tonight. Bye.”
Before she could speak, he was already moving down the hallway. She heard the door open and close, leaving her alone. A yawn overtook her. Raising her arms above her head, she stretched and listened to her bones pop. “Oww.” Her body ached in places it hadn’t ached before. The man had loved her good and properly. She would have liked to lounge in bed all day, but she had things to do. When she threw back the covers, the chill of the morning and the cold floor beneath her feet made her nearly run to the bathroom. She hugged herself with one arm while she used her other hand to switch the water on. When it was warm enough, she stepped beneath the spray and sighed. This was exactly what she needed. But the contentment vanished when she recalled the last time she had checked the water level in the RV’s tank. She’d have to refill it soon.
After a shower, Sky quickly got dressed. She tied back her hair and began to put on her makeup, choosing to keep it simple instead of her normal thick eyeliner. Slipping her feet into a warm pair of socks and boots, she opened the door of the Black Angel to see a light sprinkling of snow falling. Even though the clouds were dark and gloomy, Sky felt bright and sunny inside.
Carefully, but quickly, she made her way to the back door of her shop and unlocked it, closing the cold out when she pulled the door shut. She was a little late opening, but since no one was waiting outside, she didn’t feel guilty. Instead, she fired up her ovens before she unlocked the door and went to work. First order of business was something special for Harold.
Picking up her blowpipe, she rolled it between her fingers, willing a creative idea to bloom, but nothing popped into her head. He was a special man and required something that showed her appreciation. He had done so much for her.
The doorbell rang and she said, “Good morning,” without even turning around. When she did, her heart skipped a beat.
A middle-aged man dressed in a gray, three-piece suit and an expensive overcoat stood just inside the door. “Good morning.”
“Father?”
After running home and taking a quick shower, Leo was over an hour and a half late for work. As he walked inside out of the cold, he smelled coffee brewing and was dying for a cup when Billy, from the forensic lab, approached.
“Here’s your results.” The young man wearing wire-rimmed glasses held out a slip of paper.
“Did you get anything?”
His mouth curled into a grin. “Oh yeah. Appears you’ve solved a five-year-old case.”
Leo didn’t like the sound of that. He took the paper and, without taking off his coat, he took a seat before his desk and started to read. Midway down the page, he stopped. “Holy shit.”
“Something wrong?” It wasn’t Billy who spoke, but Brody. Billy evidently had returned to the lab.
Leo didn’t say a word, he just handed the paper to the sheriff.
After taking a moment to read the report, Brody eased the paper down. “Holy shit is right.”
“I remember this case. Skylar Wellington disappeared five years ago. She went missing while on vacation in my hometown.” He also remembered a beautiful but sad young teenager whose father treated her more like a possession or commodity than a daughter. “Her father expected—no demanded—conformity. Walking, talking robots of society is what we were. Never allowed to act like children or make the mistakes normal children do. We were all forced to grow up too fast with outside pressures and demands. I got out.” Evidently she had tried. He released a heavy sigh. “I heard a couple months later that Charles Wellington had found his daughter. Shipped her off to a boarding school in Europe.”
“Well, the report does say this case is classified.” Brody scratched his head. “The New York Congressman probably didn’t want his constituents to know he couldn’t handle his daughter.”
“What are we going to do?” Leo asked.
“Call NYPD and report what we discovered.”
“But we can’t. Her father will discover her whereabouts. You don’t know this man. There’s a reason why Tempest, I mean Skylar, has keep her autonomy all these years. She’s twenty-one. An adult.”
“But we have a moral obligation to report our findings.”
Leo ran his fingers through his hair. He knew Brody was right, but the moment he informed Skylar, she would run, with or without her RV and equipment. Worse. She would hate him. Why hadn’t he minded his own business?
“Can you give me a day so that I can speak with her first? Give her time to make a choice to stay or run?”
“Is that what you want, Leo?”
Absolutely not, but still he replied, “This isn’t about me. It’s about her and her freedom.”
Brody placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Then take the time you need. Take a personal day. I’ll see if I can get Matheson to replace you.”
“Thanks.” Leo opened his desk drawer and placed the report inside before he stood. He didn’t want to face Skylar, but time was of the essence. Just the thought of never seeing her again made him ill. This wasn’t right. Dammit. He didn’t want to let her go.
Charles Wellington scrutinized Sky with a fine-tooth comb. “What on God’s green earth are you wearing?” Disgust rang in his voice.
She glanced down at the tight leather pants, white shirt and vest she wore. All of a sudden she was sixteen again, facing her father’s disapproval for trying to be like the other kids. The words “everyone else wears this” were on the tip of her tongue when she choked them back. Instead she stood there like a child and lowered her head.
“Never mind. Your things are waiting for you at home. Let’s go.” He spun around, expecting immediate obedience.
One step. Two steps. Then she jerked to a stop. What was wrong with her? For a brief moment she almost complied with his demand. He opened the door, the bell ringing.
“I’m not going home.”
Letting the door go, he slowly faced her. “You’re what?” His features were like a block of ice, unyielding, unforgiving.
Her insides shook like jelly, but she raised her chin, found the backbone she knew she had. “I know this is difficult for you to understand, but I have a life.”
“A life,” he growled. “You call traveling from town to town in a broken-down RV and panhandling a life.”
“Panhandling? Is that what you think of me? Glass blowing is a craftsmanship—an art. What I do, very few people can.”
“It’s menial work, Skylar. Not worthy of a Wellington. Think of how embarrassing this is for your mother and me. I simply will not have it.”
Sky felt her composure slip. Her chin trembled as she struggled with the tear
s filling her eyes, clouding her vision. “I’m sorry I’m an embarrassment to you.” She jerked her shoulders back. “But I’m not going home.”
“You will come home or I’ll put a stop to your inheritance. You will be left to manage on your own. You’ll be dead to me.”
This time she trembled from anger that slammed into with the full force of a battering ram. “What do you think I’ve been doing these past five years? I’ve not asked for a single penny, nor will I. And you’ve been dead to me for the past five years.” The words tumbled out of her mouth. She regretted them the moment she spoke, but they didn’t affect her father. In fact, his face reddened and it was his turn to tremble.
“That’s enough, Skylar Ann Wellington. You will not speak to me in that tone. Pack your things. We’re going home.”
A single tear slipped from the corner of one eye. “You’re not hearing me.” He never listened to her. “I’m not going home. Father, why can’t you see that I wasn’t happy?”
“What do you know of happiness? I had the perfect man lined up for you. Do you know what I had to do to cover the fact that you ran away? The lies I told? The money I spent? You ungrateful girl. I won’t allow you to take us down with you.”
His cruel words knocked the breath out of her. For a second all she could do was stare at him in disbelief. Finally, she spoke. “Then forget you found me. By the way, how did you find me?”
“The police ran your prints, alerting us to your whereabouts.”
Leo? It had to be. “When?”
“Last night.”
Something inside Sky died a thousand deaths. Leo had betrayed her. “Tell whomever you want that I’m dead. Just leave me alone.” She turned her back on him and walked to her workbench.
“I’ve heard enough of this. Really, Skylar there isn’t a decent place to stay in this rat-hole of a town.”
She spun around on the balls of her feet. “Don’t you say a derogatory word about Whispering Cove.” Her fingers curled into fists at her side. “These people are more respectful, more considerate, than anyone I’ve ever had acquaintances with, including your political cronies.”
Stockings (Whispering Cove) Page 11