“Okay, sis.” I stood up and walked toward the door, but turned before I went in. “Halah?”
“Yeah?”
“I can tell you’re going through something, but I just want you to know that you can count on me. If you ever need anything….” I trailed off because I wasn’t sure how to put into words how much my little sister’s welfare meant to me. I wanted her to be happy, and if I could help in any way, I wanted her to let me.
“You’re a good big brother,” she said softly. “If I need anything, I’ll let you know.”
I nodded. There wasn’t much else to do. I couldn’t hold her down like I had when we were kids and force her to tell me by threatening to spit on her. We were adults. She had to deal with her own issues and I had to hope she’d let me in if there was something I could do to help. Being an adult really sucked sometimes. I gave her one last smile and then opened the door to head back into the house.
I found Ma and Kalli sitting at the kitchen table, a giant photo album open between them. Ma was pointing out pictures of me when I was younger, and I could visualize the picture by just her description.
“And this is when Riot won first place in his youth bowling tournament.” I groaned. I’d been nine years old, I was wearing tube socks, and I had braces. It was, quite nearly, the worst photo she could have showed her.
Kalli saw me walk in and her eyes turned to me. They were sparkling with amusement.
“You were a bowler?” She could hardly make it through the question without choking on laughter.
“I was nine. Bowling is cool when you’re nine.”
Smart as always, she didn’t say anything in response, just smiled wider and returned her gaze to the album.
“This is when he came in third for the county spelling bee.”
“I see you were still a fan of the tube socks during the spelling bee years.” The giddiness in Kalli’s voice was almost cute enough that I didn’t care she was making fun of me.
“Perhaps we should look at some photos of you when you were nine years old and see how fashion forward you were.”
Kalli didn’t raise her eyes from the photo album when she muttered, “My mom worked two jobs when I was nine and I let myself in the house after school with a key that hung around my neck. There are probably only a few pictures of me when I was nine.”
“Babe,” I said, mentally punching myself in the face for shoving my foot in my mouth.
“You must have been really brave to stay alone every day after school by yourself,” Ma said, coming to my rescue.
Kalli just shrugged. “I did get really good at cooking in the years between my dad leaving and my mom remarrying. I tried to make my mom dinner every night so she wouldn’t have to when she came home.”
“Well, I’m sure Riot could benefit from some cooking lessons. Getting him to cook anything when he was younger was like pulling teeth. I think he burned things on purpose so I’d stop asking.”
“No, Ma, I’m just that bad at it.” I was hoping my attempt at humor would make a smile appear on Kal’s face.
“I’d be happy to teach him a thing or two,” she finally said, her eyes meeting mine, a small, shy smile on her face. I wanted to walk to her, take her chin in my hand and apologize, then kiss her. But I knew she wouldn’t appreciate that with my mom right next to her. So I settled for mouthing, “Sorry,” at her, and let out a sigh of relief when she winked back at me.
An hour later we were back at the hotel. Kalli had been quiet on the ride there, and even though I wanted to know what was running through her mind, I settled for keeping my hand on her thigh and letting my thumb trail light circles there. I held her hand the entire way up to our room and she was still silent.
“Are you all right?” I finally asked as she walked to her side of the bed and flipped on her lamp. “You’ve been really quiet.”
A weak smile crossed her face as she shrugged off her jacket, laying it over the chair next to the bed. “Just thinking a lot.”
I sat down at the foot of the bed as she walked toward me. “Care to tell me what’s going on in there?” She stopped just in front of me and leaned down, pressing a small kiss against my lips. It was fast and sweet.
“I think I’m going to change into my pajamas real quick. I’ll be right back.” I watched as she rummaged through the small closet that held our bags, then disappeared into the bathroom with a bundle of clothes in her arms.
I let out a loud breath, scrubbing my hands up and down my face. I knew Kalli’s home life hadn’t been great growing up; she’d told me all about her dad leaving, on her birthday no less, and how her mom had to do the job of two parents. If I could have taken back my stupid comment, I would. I felt like a complete jackass for even bringing it up.
I stripped my clothes off and pulled on a pair of flannel lounge pants, then lay down on the bed, waiting for Kalli to come out. I listened as the water ran, imagining her brushing her teeth and doing all the other routine things women did to ready themselves for bed. A few minutes later the door opened.
All I could see was the outline of her body, her hair piled on top of her head, a large t-shirt hanging from one shoulder. She took a step into the bedroom and flipped off the bathroom light, allowing my eyes to adjust and see all of her. My chest tightened when I realized she was wearing one of my t-shirts, one shoulder peeking out of the neck as it draped over her body. My eyes traveled downward, taking her in.
The tightness in my chest eased a little, but the sight of her did all sorts of things to my body. My hands ached to touch her, my eyes roamed her body, wanting to see all of her, and my dick began to swell, filling with need. My eyes made their way down her body and my breath halted when they landed on her calves.
Fuck.
My girl was standing at the foot of the bed in my t-shirt and a pair of tube socks.
“Christ, Kalli,” I groaned. A flirty smile played on her lips and I watched, trying to remain calm and not simply devour her, as she climbed onto the bed and began to seductively crawl toward me.
“I brought the tube socks because I was worried my feet would get cold. But now I think they’re keeping you warmer than me.” Her hands and knees straddled my legs, and damn if my eyes didn’t peek down the neck of her shirt, taking in the sway of her naked breasts beneath the fabric.
When she sat up, she was straddling my hips, my erection fitting snugly between her legs. I knew she had to feel it, I was raging with need, but all she did was continue to smile. My hands automatically came to her bare thighs, squeezing them and pulling down, forcing her body to press against my dick more firmly.
“I wanted to talk to you,” I growled, my hands itching to roam, to feel all of her.
“No, you want to apologize, but it’s unnecessary. My childhood sucked a little. It’s not your problem or your fault. I shouldn’t have said what I did. I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad.” Her hands came to rest on my lower stomach, just above the waistband of my lounge pants. Her hands started slowly sliding up my abs and her eyes followed her fingertips. “All I want, for the rest of the night, is for us both to feel good.”
Her hands slid all the way up to my shoulders and she bent down to lean against me. Her breasts pressed against my chest and I wanted to rip the shirt from her body and feel her flesh against mine. My hands slid to the back of her thighs and then up to round over her perfect ass, pressing her against my cock with even more pressure. I slid my fingers under the edge of her panties, gripping her ass and feeling her there. She let out a soft gasp and my dick hardened even more.
She sat up, gripping the bottom of her shirt, and slowly pulled it over her head, the smile never leaving her face. My hands found her waist, but then slid up, watching as goose bumps formed along her skin, until my hands covered her perfect breasts. I palmed her, but it wasn’t enough, not even close. I knifed up, quickly wrapping one arm around her waist to keep her center right where I wanted it: against my cock. Then I scooted backward on the bed until I cam
e to rest against the headboard.
“I want nothing more than to sink into you right now,” I said, one hand coming to grip the back of her neck, pulling her face to just within a hair’s breadth of mine. “Every part of me is throbbing, aching to be inside of you, to feel you all around me. But I want you to know, it’s not the sex, Kal. I’m not just asking for sex. I’m asking to come home. You’re home to me. All of you. I want back in to the place where I belong, the place I want to be forever.” I pressed a kiss just above her left breast and felt her breath tremble with my touch. “I want back in here, baby.” I continued to lave kisses just where her heart was pounding through her skin.
“You’ve been there all along,” she whispered, her words laced with a combination of pleasure and pain. “Please,” she begged. “Make love to me.”
That was all the invitation I needed.
I brought my lips to her breast, sucking her nipple into my mouth, taking her deep. She mewled and I knew her nerves were just as frayed as mine. Like me, she was balancing between needing the buildup and release, and wanting the connection. It would be easy enough to bring her to orgasm so quickly her head would spin, but I wanted more than that, more than just coming for the sake of coming. I wanted to make love to her, reconnect with her, for hours. I wanted to make up for all the time we’d already spent apart.
I released her nipple, but cupped her breast, kneading and rolling her nipple between my fingers. My mouth found hers and our lips met, gaping wide, tongues searching for each other. My free hand slid low and pulled open the elastic at the top of her panties, sliding past it, feeling the heat of her as I crept closer.
When my fingers finally found her, I groaned at her wetness. There was something so carnally arousing knowing that her body was responding to mine, that the way I was touching her body was turning her on, soaking her.
I wasted no time. I wanted to feel her wrapped around me. I slowly pushed a finger inside her, easing my way in, loving the softness of her. She moaned and as I swallowed her noises, she pushed her hips forward, grinding down on my hand. That simple movement, her body asking for more, snapped something in me.
I moved quickly and rolled her underneath me, then used my hands to remove her panties, leaving the tube socks where they were, stretched over her long, slender legs. I stood at the edge of the bed, pushed my own pants to the floor, then gripped her ankles and tugged her toward me. Her eyes were wide as she watched me kneel before her, and I held her gaze as I lowered and brought my tongue to run over her center. One long lick and her eyes closed, back arched, and breath panted.
She tasted fucking amazing, just like I remembered. Just like I’d thought about every night since we’d been apart. I wanted to tell her how much I’d missed her, how much I loved every single fucking part of her, but I couldn’t stop.
Her fingers slid through my hair, gripping me there, holding me to her. The more she participated—grinding against me, holding my mouth right where she wanted it—the more enthusiastic I became. I sucked and licked, slowly moving my fingers in and out of her, coaxing a slow yet frantic climax from her.
With every exhale, she moaned, gradually increasing in volume, until finally she erupted. Her thighs clamped around my head, her heat gripped my fingers still inside her, and she tugged on my hair, all while crying out incoherently. It was so fucking beautiful, feeling her come, hearing her pleasure, knowing it came from me, that I gave it to her.
After a few moments she relaxed, went limp, panting. I moved over her, slowly crawling up her body, placing light kisses on her damp skin, loving every part of her, until I was back at her mouth. She leaned up and kissed me. It was a slow and lazy kiss, as though she were drunk from her orgasm. Her hands started at my shoulders, then slid down my arms, moving to my waist and coming up my back. Her legs parted, one wrapping around my waist, and she pulled her mouth from mine.
“I haven’t been with anyone. Not since you.” Her eyes were searching mine, looking for an answer. I knew what she wanted and God, I wanted it too.
“Do you trust me?”
“I trust you and I love you. I want to feel all of you.”
Her words were like slow-moving lava, burning and scorching through me. I’d never be the same after this.
Our eyes stayed trained on each other’s as her hand reached between us, wrapping around my cock and lining me up with her. I watched her face as I slowly pushed into her, and not even the memory of making love to her could have compared to what I saw before me.
Her mouth parted, her eyes drifted closed, and her head tilted back. Everything about her told me she was feeling everything I was. I pushed into her until I was buried to the hilt, until there was no more space between us, and I pressed my face in her neck.
“It’s so good, Riot,” she whispered.
“I know,” I whispered back. Her head started shaking against mine and I pulled away to look at her.
“No,” she said, her voice raspy and shallow. “It’s too good. You. Here with me. I don’t think I deserve it, but I’m never going to let it go again. You’re too good.” She let out a small cry but I silenced it with my mouth, my hands cradling her face. I pulled out just to push back in slowly, and her hands gripped me around my waist, her legs coming to wrap around my ass.
“You’re mine,” I said, my lips brushing against hers with my words. “What we have is perfect and it’s just as much yours as it is mine.”
I continued to thrust into her, watching as her sadness melted away, only to be replaced with pleasure again. When I was sure she was wrapped up in the way our bodies were responding to each other’s, I pushed up to my hands and started thrusting with more force. I couldn’t help the grin that came over my face when her eyes disappeared again. I knew she was feeling me in the best possible way.
I moved quicker, thrusting faster, watching as she slowly started to lose herself to sensation again. I gripped her hip, pulling her ass off the bed and driving into her at just the right angle to set her off again.
“Oh, my God,” she cried, and I couldn’t help the cocky grin that crossed my face. I stilled as I felt her pulse around me, watching as she came back down from her high. She opened her eyes and gave me a lazy grin as her hands wandered up my abs, wrapped around my neck, and pulled my face down to hers. As we kissed, her hands roamed over my slick skin and I knew she was feeling loose and pliant. Sated. “What do you want?” she asked me, her voice drowsy.
“I have everything I want. I just want you.”
She smiled wider, her eyes glistening with what I could only describe as satisfaction. “Okay, well, you have me. How do you want me?”
I stilled at her words, but I could still feel the wave of heat run through me. I’d spent nearly every night imagining what it would be like to have Kalli back in my bed, wrapped around me. I’d pictured her in every position imaginable. Some were memories and some were hopeful, yet painful, wishes.
I quickly pulled out of her, gripped her hips, and flipped her over. Like the fucking angel she was, she knew exactly where I was headed, and got up on all fours, her gorgeous ass angled up at me.
“Fuck, yes,” I growled. My hands came up to run over the round globes of her ass, and she fucking wiggled it at me. “Don’t tease me, Kal.”
She laughed, then said, “I’m not teasing. I’m offering.”
My fingers dug in to her skin as I tried to keep myself in check. Then, with more force than I intended, I pulled her hips toward me, watching as her arms sprawled out on the bed, and I dove into her. The depth available at that angle was maddening, I grunted as I slid all the way in, and loved hearing her lust-filled yelp. She was wet and tight and made for me.
“God fucking damn it, Kal. You’re so fucking perfect.” Her forehead was pressed against the mattress, her fingers gripping the sheets, knuckles turning white, and I was driving into her as though I wanted to die doing it. My heart was pounding, breaths shallow and not taking in nearly enough air, and all that was fine b
ecause I was either going to come so fucking hard I collapsed, or I was going to die doing the one thing I never thought I’d be able to do again. Either way, I was okay with it. I was always hopeful she’d find her way back to me, but it was never a guarantee, never a sure bet. As my cock moved inside her, as she stretched to accommodate all of me, I was just thankful to have my hands on her again.
I felt the slight tingling start at the base of my spine, the warmth creeping over me, and I knew I was close. I didn’t want to be finished, but I couldn’t stop it once it started. Instead, I reached around her and found her clit, rubbing it with my finger.
“Come with me,” I grunted.
“Oh, Jesus,” she cried. “I can’t, Riot. It’s too soon.”
“Fucking come with me,” I growled.
I worked her body from both angles and within a minute we were both spiraling into bliss. I collapsed after the last wave of my orgasm rolled through me, but managed to fall to her side, not wanting to crush her. When I slipped out of her, I felt the loss as if a piece of me was missing. She wasted no time flipping over and rolling into me, and we caught our breaths together, my arms wrapped around her, her tube-sock-clad legs wound between mine.
We were both sweaty hot messes, but I kept her close, wanting to feel her breaths slow and heart rate even out. I wanted to experience it all with her in my arms.
“That was intense,” she finally said, when her body was back to normal.
“That was… not how I intended our reunion to go,” I said with a small laugh I couldn’t contain.
Her head tilted back and her eyes found mine. “It was perfect.”
I pushed the hair, which had come out of her high knot, away from her face, her blue eyes sparkling at me as I said, “You were perfect.” She reached up and touched her palm to my cheek.
“I love you,” she whispered. All I could do in response was lean down and press my lips to hers. Words failed me. There were no words to describe the gift she’d given me, or how grateful I was to just have her in my arms. So I didn’t say anything. I just kissed her.
Never Tied Down (The Never Duet Book 2) Page 12