She slapped his shoulder and laughed again. “I’m just messing with you. There may be some in the garage. Want to go check?”
He shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”
He used the side door in the kitchen to get into the attached garage. It was well-kept and organized. He stood there for a moment, and imagined having a place like this one day. Several lengths of rope were hanging on hooks along the far wall, so he took one and headed back. Tara had finished cleaning up when he returned, rope in hand.
“See? This’ll do.”
“Great,” she said, and led the way out of the kitchen and back up the stairs.
He could barely wait to finish his classes so they could get past this hurdle, and move on to the life in Montana they had been planning for so long.
* * *
Jake surveyed the house. The lights were all turned off, except for the one light upstairs. He was sure it was her bedroom. It had become a full-time job watching where Kevin and Tara went. He needed to keep tabs on her and protect her, if needed. They came into view when he found a spot with a direct line of sight into the room. She was hiding her pain. He could see it.
He watched as they kissed for a second, but they stopped and left the room. There was no other vantage point to check through other windows, so he left and walked toward his car. He’d found the perfect spot. The vehicle was concealed by the tall pines lining one side of the house. Now that he knew where she was staying, he could return another day.
It was time to get his girl back.
Chapter 11
Tara glanced at the clock. They’d been in bed with the laptop, studying for four hours, and he seemed to be answering every question she threw at him. He would ace the test. She just knew it. “That covers it. You know the answers. You’ll fly through that exam. Do you feel good about it?”
He frowned, nodding. He didn’t appear as confident as she thought he should be.
“What’s going on? Do you have anything you want to go over again?”
“Just one thing,” he said, reaching for the rope. “I want to make sure I can describe this bowline knot if it comes up. Will you show me again?”
She took the rope. “Of course. Put out your hands,” she ordered.
He tilted his head. “Is it about to get kinky in here?”
She laughed, rolling her eyes. “You wish.”
He put his hands out and she wrapped the rope around them. “Remember the notes? The bowline knot is what they use to tie a rope around an animal’s body. Remember why?”
“Because it won’t slip and hurt them?”
“Yes. It doesn’t tighten after it’s tied, and it’s pretty easy to undo. Here. First, I’ll put a loop in the rope, right where I want to tie the knot. Like this. You point the loop toward the free end.”
“Right,” he agreed, his eyes lighting up as it came back to him. “And the working end can point backward.”
“Exactly. Next, you put the free end through the loop from the part pointing back. You go around that working part and bring it back through the loop to tighten it. Wait. Can’t you remember Professor Neuberg joking about the way people memorize this?”
“Um… no?” he answered.
“The rabbit jumps out of the hole, runs around to the front, and pops down behind the tree before jumping back in the hole.”
“When did he teach that?” he asked, almost unable to keep a straight face. “I think I would have remembered that lecture.”
“Maybe you skipped class, party boy.”
“Yeah, I guess I did have a little more than my fair share of keg nights, didn’t I?”
“Well, that was the past,” she answered. “So, you got it?”
He looked down at his hands and nodded. “Yep, I think I can do it.”
“Great.” She untied the rope and released him. “I’m really tired from the move and all the unpacking earlier. Let’s get some sleep.”
She stood up to take off her robe, and placed it in the armchair on her side of the bed. Kevin watched her every move, unable to look away from her stunning body. Sleep was the last thing on either of their minds.
She sat down on the bed and stretched out.
“Are you going to join me?”
He moved closer, pulling off his jeans to climb on top of her.
“I might,” he answered, “but first I want to practice that knot. On you.”
Her breathing hitched as he took her hands in his.
“Do you trust me?” he asked, kissing her wrists.
She could only nod her response as she felt her inner core heating up. He pulled away, leaving her suspended in desire. The rope slipped around her wrist and he tied it with precision. It wasn’t tight at all, just enough to make it impossible to pull away. He sat back and stared at her.
“Great job, Kevin. You can untie the rope, now.”
He shook his head and lifted her arms above her head.
“You trust me, right?”
“Sure I do. But wh-what are you going to do?” She shuddered with a mix of heated excitement and nervous anticipation.
He tied the loose end of the rope to a spot on the headboard and lowered himself on top of her. She moaned when his lips went to hers and he kissed her gently.
“Just relax,” he whispered, trailing kisses down to her stomach and back up, finally latching onto her breast.
“Oh God.” Her voice trembled at the touch of his lips brushing over her arms and back to her stomach.
The heightened sensations sent Tara to another world. Her body quivered with yearning as he slid his fingers down between her breasts, all the way to her throbbing clit.
“God, Kevin. Fuck me hard,” she begged. She desperately wanted to touch him, longed to feel him and run her fingers through his hair. She jerked her wrists, checking to see whether she could free herself, but he had tied it correctly.
“Kevin…” she whimpered, writhing beneath him as he lowered his mouth and blew a wisp of air on her sweet spot.
“How much do you want me?” he whispered, sending a warm dose of ecstasy to her clit.
“I want you so bad, Kevin,” she said, a little louder this time.
He licked on her clit and gently clenched her hard nub with his teeth. She moaned, arching her back and hanging on to the need he unleashed. Her legs stretched over his shoulder, clamping his head as he slid his tongue down her inflamed, needy slit. It was her complete undoing. She let out a scream of pure pleasure, and he darted his tongue inside. Every thrust of his tongue sent another jolt of passion through her body, from the strands of her hair all the way down to her toenails.
Her body seized beneath him, trembling with want as she came hard. Still, he didn’t stop ravishing her. She crashed down to the bed, tingling all over from her climax and his unrelenting tongue. Her breathing came in spurts, and as she begged again, he leisurely lifted off and spread her legs wide. Her arms ached from being immobilized, but every other part of her body buzzed in the scorching hot moment.
Kevin had clearly been enjoying his task. His raging erection pressed hard against her thigh.
“You’re so hot and sweet when you come, baby. God, if I don’t get inside you now I think I’m gonna explode.”
He clutched her inner thighs and spread her legs even farther out as he readied himself to get his cock where it belonged. She moaned her desperate ache for him, but he insistently held back, cupping her ass in his palms and holding her in place.
“Please…” she whispered.
“Please, what?” he asked.
She bit back a groan, writhing beneath him, begging for his mercy.
“Please…fuck me…” she whimpered. She had never begged for him like that, but she couldn’t take waiting much longer. His wide grin spoke volumes as he maneuvered to enter her. With one eager jolt, he slammed his hardness into her, all the way to her core.
“Oh God!” she cried, feeling her channel tighten around his shaft.
He groaned, bu
cking his hips heavily against her until they hit their orgasmic crescendos at the same time. His explosion was so strong and warm inside her and soon, he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily against her skin.
“That was so good, Kevin,” she said in a breathless whisper.
She had never felt so vulnerable and yet so in touch with her femininity. Unable to move, so enthralled and worn out from their love-making, she closed her eyes. She barely noticed when Kevin slid up her body and removed her wrists from the binding. Her arms collapsed to the bed.
“How did it feel?” he asked softly.
“I can’t explain it. I feel amazing and I’ve never felt so…so alive.”
“I love you so much.”
She would never tire of hearing those words. He lowered himself beside her and pulled her into his arms, and they slept.
* * *
Kevin anxiously awaited the test scores for his Midterm. Despite being told they would have the results within two weeks, he could barely wait. As the days passed, his confidence about whether he passed would wane. He couldn’t shake the nagging feeling his grade would suffer, somehow.
On Thanksgiving morning, he reluctantly sat at his bedroom computer desk and logged on to the school website. He held little hope the result would be there, but after looking at the grades, he sighed with relief. A near perfect score was beside his student number, staring him in the face. He stood up from the computer, whooping with delight. It was progress. He was halfway through the course and on the right track to make their dreams a reality. He couldn’t wait to tell Tara their efforts had made all the difference.
The doorbell rang as he turned the computer off. Tara was right on time. He ran down the stairs, eager to share the news with her. He opened the door and pulled her into an embrace, pressing his lips against hers. Stunned, she threw her arms around him. A gentle moan escaped her mouth, and she breathlessly pulled away from him. “Wow. That was a nice welcome.”
He was beaming. “I passed!”
She shrieked, throwing her arms around him and peppering him with kisses. “That is amazing, babe,” she said softly, against his lips. “I knew you could do it.” She pulled away, massaging the nape of his neck. The loving way she looked at him made his body react. His bulge hardened, and he yearned for her. He was ready to forget Thanksgiving dinner and drag her off to his bedroom.
“I couldn’t have done it without you.”
It was the truth. She was there for him, and that meant so much more than the stellar grade.
“Wait. Wasn’t you mom coming?” he asked.
A gleam shone in her eyes as she looked around the foyer. “I was right. She’s on a date with a guy she’s been seeing. She wanted me to go to his place with her, but she understood when I told her I wanted to be with you.”
“Wow. Well, are you happy?”
“Yes, of course. Let’s talk about it later. Where’re your parents?”
“Mom’s in the kitchen and Dad’s out back preparing for the game.”
“Game?” she asked.
“I told him we shouldn’t bother with it, but he wants to make this Thanksgiving as normal as any other.”
“What game?” she asked again.
“I forgot you aren’t familiar with the Crawford Family Thanksgiving Foot-Brawl.” He chuckled, motioning with his finger, directing her to follow him. “Come on back and you shall see.”
She followed him down the hallway and peered out the back door.
“Football?”
“No. Foot-Brawl. Like football but with a whole lot of throwing down. Every Thanksgiving, we would have a less than friendly game of football. It can be pretty vicious, so I hope you have good running shoes.”
He enjoyed seeing her squirm, and this new information didn’t disappoint.
“Um…I’m not playing,” she said. “You go ahead and have a fun game with your parents. I’m not up for throwing down with you.”
She started to turn around, but he stopped her.
“Wait. We need you. With Jake gone, if you back out, someone will have to play alone. You don’t want that someone to be me, do you?” He pouted, hoping it would change her mind.
She opened her mouth in objection, scrambling for words.
“I don’t play games. Come on, Kevin, you know I’m a total klutz when it comes to sports. I’d much rather watch.”
He continued to pout. She averted her eyes, but he didn’t let up.
“Kev, you’re killing me here.” She groaned. “Fine. I’ll play, but I’m going to be on your team and you can’t blame me if we lose horribly.”
“I swear I won’t blame you.”
“When will we have the honor of getting crushed in your family Foot-Brawl?” The sarcasm was thick in her voice.
He hid his smile. “After lunch,” he replied.
“Great, can’t wait,” she mumbled under her breath.
Kevin heard her, but pretended not to notice.
“The food should be ready soon. Let’s go see if Mom needs help.” He grabbed her hand and headed toward the kitchen.
Chapter 12
Tara ate quietly. She was enjoying herself just sitting and listening to the friendly banter between Kevin and his parents. It was true, they did seem to be getting along better than she had remembered.
“So, Tara…what are your plans for the future?” Kevin’s mother asked her.
She searched for the right answer, uncertain if she meant her life with Kevin, or her professional career. She chose to discuss her career. “Well, once I complete the master’s program, I’d like to find a job where I can work in wildlife preservation. Mainly with animal extinction.”
“That is an admirable profession,” his father commented. “Do you foresee incorporating family life into your career aspirations?”
“Dad,” Kevin scolded.
Tara glanced at Kevin. He appeared dumbfounded and embarrassed his father would ask such a direct question about their relationship. Tara thought it was cute that he didn’t want to put her on the spot.
“It’s okay, Kev. I don’t mind. I’d like a family one day. A husband…couple of kids…and maybe a golden retriever.”
Everyone laughed, lightening the mood. Kevin looked relieved as they all went back to their meal. A heart-felt happiness swept over Tara. She couldn’t imagine the day going any better than it was. Because of the holiday, she thought of her own mother. She wished she could have had a day like this with her, but knew it would take time for her mother to open up to her and be old herself again.
When Kevin’s mother started to clear the dishes, Tara excused herself.
“Where are you going?” he asked, stopping her.
“There’s something I need to do. I won’t be long.”
She left the kitchen and disappeared upstairs to Kevin’s room. She dialed her mom’s phone number and waited for her to answer. It continued to ring, until it finally went to her voicemail. She waited for her mom’s voice to cut off, and the beep to sound on the phone, then left her message. “Hi, Mom. I just wanted to call and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you’re enjoying your day. I hope we can get together soon and catch up on how your day went. I love you.” She disconnected the call, and sat on his bed for a moment. She missed how things were when her dad was still alive. It was simpler then.
She heard Kevin open the door.
“Tara?” He popped his head in.
“Yeah, I’m coming.”
“Are you sure everything’s all right?”
“Positive.” She moved past him and went to the kitchen, where his mom was washing the dishes. “Can I help you with something, Mrs. Crawford?”
“First of all, it’s Janine. Secondly, thanks for the offer, but you just relax and enjoy yourself,” she replied with an endearing smile.
Tara felt awkward at first, but Janine put her at ease. She mentioned how much she was looking forward to playing their family game. Tara put on her game face. She had a Foot-Brawl to
lose.
* * *
Jake crouched down at the edge of the backyard fence, looking at Tara and his mom through the kitchen window. From the smile on Tara’s face, he could tell she was having a good time. She was with Kevin, and his family didn’t even care Jake wasn’t there. He had watched them during supper, and missed being with them. Knocking on the door and showing his face was something he considered, but it would only make matters worse. Instead, he continued to watch them, gawking and wishing he was inside.
The only regret he had about everything that had happened over the course of several weeks was it ultimately kept him from his family. He looked back to the window, where Tara and his mom had disappeared from the kitchen. The sound of the back door opening was his signal to bolt. He couldn’t get caught. He slipped out behind the gate and peeped through an opening, watching them take their places in the back yard.
Sorrow and a sense of abandonment washed over him. He was supposed to be in the yard with his family, too. They would play football, a tradition they’d had since he was only five years old. Thanksgiving was one of his favorite holidays, because it meant his parents actually spent time with them. There were no out of town meetings or late nights at the office.
His family was moving on without him, and every part of him screamed that it wasn’t right. He glared at his brother.
Kevin needed to pay. He needed to lose everything he loved, just as Jake had.
* * *
Tara hovered next to Kevin. It was obvious to him that she was insecure about being there. Some proximity to him would ease her fears.
“Let’s play men versus women,” his mom suggested, seeming eager to get started.
That wouldn’t work. He’d made a promise to Tara that they would be on the same team. “Actually, let’s play old against young.”
“Hey…watch it,” his mom warned, throwing the football toward him and nearly hitting him.
Wicked Bad Boys Page 46