BLINDED (Elkridge Series Book 1)

by Lyz Kelley

  He slid a thigh between hers to open her and allow her to reach him. “Then let’s not wait.”

  The words barely left his lips before he thrust forward and filled her. She arched to meet him, and he almost let go, but squeezed hard to hold on.

  His breath raced with hers, pushing harder and faster, both not wanting to cross the finish line first, but sprinting together to get to the end. With a couple of thrusts, both pushed past the peak, coming with a one-two finish, Mara just barely in the lead. He collapsed, his body and hers pressing deep into the mattress, both fighting for air.

  Neither moved. His forehead rested on her pillow. Her arms were still wrapped around his back.

  “That was a good warm up. Can we go again?” she murmured.

  “Mara. My little minx.” He rolled. “Absolutely. Like you said. We need to practice.” He used a tissue to dispose of the condom, then tucked her into his side, running a finger over her breasts, playing and circling her puckered nipple. “God, you’re perfect.” He reached over to play with the other breast. She pushed back and rolled her hips, and, damn, if he didn’t respond. He shifted to his knees and settled lower. His lips caressed and then moved between her thighs to create a distraction.

  “A slower speed this time.” He divided the soft folds of her skin to find her nub of pleasure. Closing his eyes, he duplicated the small circles Mara drew on the counter, circling in and out, round and round, until her breath thickened, her body vibrated and jerked.

  “Joey. There! Now!”

  “Not yet.” He slid his body next to hers, then rolled slightly back, pulling her across his chest, to allow his other hand access to her breasts and nipples and to hold her in place.

  “I need—” Her voice stopped on a whimper.

  You forever, he hoped. Bending his head down, he used his teeth and facial stubble to scrape her skin lightly. The thrill of her reaction surged through him.

  He concentrated on his fingers, drawing more and more intricate patterns, making her body respond. “Let go,” he whispered next to her ear, and got a moan in response. “You feel wonderful.” He pinched a nipple, rolling the skin between his fingers. “You like this?”

  “Oh. Oh!” She let the reactions burst out on a puff of breath. The muscles in her legs strained. He shifted his hand lower and felt her wetness.

  “Yes,” she shrieked. “Don’t stop.”

  She reached for him. Knowing what she wanted, he pushed her to his side, keeping her in front of him, one of her legs draped over his hip. He returned to making the tiny circles that made her purr. Rocking into her, he allowed her to climb and climb, moving ever higher. Her body responded to his touch, and, a few seconds later, jerked and clenched down around him. He kept the motion going to allow the spasms cascading across her to roll on until she crossed the apex and started the slow slide to the other side. Finally, she lay limp in his arms.

  After a few minutes, her breathing returned to normal, and she leaned her head back toward him. “But what about you?”

  “Don’t worry about me. Like I said, we’ve got all night.”

  He lifted her face to his and gave her a long, slow kiss, and damn if her body didn’t respond again, wanting more.

  He wanted more. He wanted to dive into her chest, capture her heart and keep loving her forever. He didn’t want to let her go, ever. He reached for another condom and slid it in place. “My turn.” He pulled her on top of him.

  “I like the sound of that.”

  She centered her hips, ever so slowly enfolded him into her. He moaned and reached for her waist. She had become his world. She rose onto her knees, and he felt her absence, but then there she was again.

  He was hers. Nothing else mattered anymore. Jobs. Making his parents proud. Nothing but proving he was good enough for her. No matter what. He wanted to protect her.

  She pushed down, as if wanting more. He wanted to give her everything, and when she lifted again, he thrust to meet her. She gasped his name in pleasure, and he couldn’t help but touch and caress and make her part of him. He wanted their bodies to connect in such a way that he couldn’t tell where she left off and he began.

  He wanted to fill her completely.

  He needed her.

  Forever.

  “Mara.” The fervor of emotion caught in his throat, preventing him from telling her he loved her.

  The raw look on her face made thinking and feeling while making love to her impossible. If he couldn’t express his eagerness, he prayed she got the idea how much he loved her with every touch and thrust.

  Just as an orgasm embraced her, he thrust harder so they could forge the peak of bliss together.

  His body floated in a serene state of euphoria. The tranquil giddiness created a yearning so complete, he refused to allow another second of time to pass. The word “love” formed to describe the feeling.

  But the word seemed too simple.

  Purely inadequate.

  Because sometimes love wasn’t enough. Life didn’t always come in neat little packages.

  He groaned, not wanting to let time slip by or think about what came next.

  Buddy’s movements pulled Mara out of a body-numbing slumber. The kind of sleep where every muscle and tendon had been in the same position for so long, blood circulation had slowed.

  The early morning light streaming through the window and the cozy warmth made her want to return to drowsy bliss. When she attempted to roll over, a light breath whispered across her face and made her pause. Legs and sheets were entangled to the point she couldn’t move. Arms held her plastered against a wall of muscle. Her mind slowly remembered. Thinking Joey was asleep, she searched for his wrist to slide out of his embrace.

  “Going somewhere?” The vibration of his voice rolled through her.

  His hand skimmed off her stomach, freeing her, but she didn’t want to be free. She wanted to be consumed.

  “Joey?” The whimpering need in her voice didn’t go unanswered.

  When his lips touched hers, her body melted with lust. His hand cupped the back of her neck, his thumb pressing against her jaw to get a better angle. His lips pressed deeper, his tongue caressing the edge of her lips, nudging her to let him in. On a sigh, she opened to him, letting him explore, circle in and out, out and in. When he pulled back, she followed, clinging to him.

  “I’m almost ready to fall off the bed.” She tightened her grip. “We need to adjust.”

  “Sorry. I’m not used to sleeping with anyone. I’m a sprawling bed hog.” He lifted and shifted their bodies to the middle of the mattress, pulling her on top. His hands played. Her hands remained paralyzed.

  She didn’t have the sexual knowledge or skills to match his. Every one of his touches and caresses treated her to a unique and stimulating experience. The insecurities pounded in.

  Let me just get through this without making an idiot of myself.

  He reached up and coaxed her face closer to his. When their lips touched, his hands stroked over her shoulder blades to her lower back, holding her in place. His kisses traveled from jaw to neck, then to her ear. Her body sighed with pleasure.

  “You’re amazing,” he whispered.

  That did it. Her bones melted into a puddle of sensations. Every nerve ending flashed an erotic signal from one point to the next, stimulating, creating heat and a glorious tension. His body reacted, and she allowed her weight to press in, letting a moan escape on the next kiss. His hands pulled her closer and closer. She finally found the courage to graze her fingers over his body, touching, feeling the contours, the thickness of his hair. She sank her teeth into his skin, tasting, absorbing.

  “God, woman,” he ground out on a slow, husky groan before diving in for another kiss.

  His hand brushed her nipple and squeezed the tip. Every additional touch reminded her just how naked and vulnerable she was. Then she touched his nipple, and suddenly the urge to suckle became too intense to resist. She moved her mouth over his puckered skin, her tongue
running around the edges. His chest arched to meet her caress.

  She’d missed the intimate touch of another human being, but she hadn’t known how amazing and powerful a connection with the right person could be. Even the couple of dates she’d accepted had felt off and left her feeling lonelier. There hadn’t been any feeling of excited potential. No passion. In fact, that was the problem. Dates with the other men felt like a cookie jar without the delicious contents.

  The moment Joey walked into the flower shop, the long-ago spark burst into a steady flame and opened the door to an element of knowing, of deep recognition.

  Using his shoulders as leverage, she pulled her body towards his mouth. She wanted to taste the sweetness of passion. Indulge in it.

  Just as her lips attached to his, a cold nose nudged her side. She wanted to ignore the dog, but then a strange sound—a human sound—accompanied another nudge. The noise must have registered with Joey as well, because he rolled her beneath him, shielding her, lifting only enough to look out the window.

  “Crap. It’s the tow truck.” He brushed a soft kiss on her forehead. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

  A flurry of activity next to the bed lasted for several seconds. Her body mourned the loss of heat and the touch of skin, but she also recognized the disruption had doused the sensual flame. She wouldn’t be able to get the fire back. Reality and fear had already sneaked in the back door.

  Buddy leaned against the bed, pushing harder into the mattress, trying to connect.

  “I know. You need to go out. Give me a minute, ’cause I have no idea where anything is.”

  Reaching toward the floor and feeling around, she connected with what felt like cotton and pulled it closer. She shoved her arms and legs into clothing, hoping the garments were the right way around, then made her way to the back door. Joey had explained the door was somewhere to the left of the potbelly stove, but with no heat to guide her, she made a series of educated guesses until she reached her destination.

  After Mara unlocked and opened the door, Buddy hesitated, sniffed the ground nearby, then trotted off to do his business. Standing still, she strained to hear the surrounding activity. Behind her, the front door opened.

  “Yeah, I know you’re short staffed and want me back,” Joey said in an even tone with an unusual heaviness. “I just got my ticket confirmation. I leave Sunday.”

  That’s tomorrow. Her breath snagged on an inhalation.

  At the thought of his imminent departure, a suffocating sorrow overwhelmed her and incinerated her contentment.

  “The internet signal here sucks. I’ll review the new information when I get home.” Joey sounded frustrated and was silent for several seconds before responding, “Yes, sir. Got it. I’ll be sure to stop by your office first thing. See you then.”

  Home. Elkridge wasn’t his home anymore. She needed to remember that.

  Joey mumbled something indecipherable under his breath and then rushed toward the bedroom. His footsteps paused, then came toward the back door.

  “You’re up.” Disappointment clearly outlined and bolded his words.

  She understood. He could quadruple his disappointment. The frustration and the emotions wouldn’t come anywhere close to equaling hers. “Buddy needed to go out.”

  “The tires should only take a minute to fix.” His way of saying, we can go back to bed and not be disturbed for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, with daylight came responsibilities and reminders. She needed to find a chiming watch.

  “I’m not sure of the time, but I need to open the shop at ten, and I most likely have arrangements to prepare for delivery. If I don’t, my phone’s going to start ringing, Tony is going to ask questions.”

  “Questions you don’t want to answer, like where you spent the night.”

  She didn’t like his admonishing tone. “It’s not like that.”

  “Then explain it to me, because I understand about the rumor mill in this town. My mother seems to take pride in being the perpetrator of gossip.”

  She didn’t want to care what other people thought, but darn it, she did. Soft footsteps approached and she prided herself for not flinching when he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. With a patience that stunned her, he didn’t push. Simply waited for her answer.

  “I heard you on the phone,” she admitted. “The trouble is I was reminded again that you’re leaving, and I’m staying. You know how cruel people can be.”

  His swift inhale told her she’d hit her mark. She didn’t like the cowardly punch, but she didn’t have anything else to throw at him.

  He moved even closer, close enough his heat made her skin respond. “You can do better than that. Tell me what this is about.”

  Her jaw went slack. Concocting a bald-faced lie would be so easy, but she couldn’t. Not to him. Not the guy who’d treated her with respect, providing a solid foundation to lean against.

  Honesty soothed her and calmed in her stomach. “What we did. When you touched me, you made me feel special. And I liked it.” His movements caused her hands to raise and connect with his chest. “No, please don’t. The moment’s gone. I thought I could do it. I thought I could have sex, but being together wouldn’t be just sex for me. I wish I could be different, indulge in the spontaneous, but that’s not me. I’ve never been that person.”

  “You shouldn’t want to be different.” A gentle hand skimmed down her cheek.

  Blood tromped through her veins, attacking her resistance. Her tongue slid over her lips. God help her, she wanted him. But all of him. She didn’t want just a sliver.

  His scent consumed her and drove the need to wrap her body around his. “Do you mind if I take a shower while we wait?” She needed to get his scent off, although washing would only help a little.

  He pulled his hand back but remained, invading her space. “Would you like some company?”

  Her high school crush had just bypassed lust and gone straight to overwhelming desire. She’d gotten in way, way, way too deep, and needed to dig out fast. Only she needed a backhoe to get her out of this one.

  A flutter of nerves flickered through her for an instant before she crushed the trembling need. Her chest muscles tightened, throwing up barriers to protect her heart. She wanted him so much. But once she had a real taste, not just a sample, she would want the long-term, and he couldn’t provide her the solidness she wanted.

  Be strong. “It’s tempting,” you’re tempting, “but like I said, I had better pass.”

  The metaphysical step back registered. The image of a door closing, then being locked and bolted, came to mind. She wanted to reach out and confess her fears, but her practical mind wouldn’t allow it.

  “While you shower, I’ll find us something for breakfast,” he said in a monotone making his mood impossible to read.

  “Great.” She managed a smile even though she wanted to cry.

  Making her way to the bedroom, she searched for the bathroom. Finding a doorway and a sink, she shut the door and felt her way to the toilet before collapsing. She let the memories of the previous night wash over her. The way his hands warmed her body. The way his whispered passion made her quiver. The way he made her savor the bliss of the moment. She would never be able to let him go now that their bodies had tangled together, touching, feeling, relishing. The intimacy would haunt her for the rest of her life.

  In the hospital, she’d made a commitment to herself to live without regrets.

  Loving Joey, fully and completely, yet not being able to hold him might just be the one regret she’d have to live with the rest of her life.

  Chapter Fourteen

  After dropping Mara off at Blooms, Joey visited the sheriff’s office to confirm the tire slashing evidence was recorded and the deputies were acting on the information.

  The discovered documents and articles remained hidden underneath Sam’s living room floorboards, the photographs of each item in an encrypted folder on his computer.

  Joey was certain whoeve
r slashed his tires also killed his brother, yet the deputies acted like he’d just handed them a piece of gum. Rage in his gut burned. He treaded the thin line of politics, especially when he asked to look at a recent theft file.

  “Please tell me you’re trying to find the person who slashed my tires.” He pushed the incident report file toward the middle of the small conference table, tapped on the file, then shook his head at Ernie. “This guy, the thief, he’s not the killer. The profile indicates it’s someone local. Do you know anyone needing a drug fix?”

  If Ernie had common sense stored between his two ears, he’d have concluded the theft seemed too predictable. Jewelry. Small electronics. An envelope of cash stashed in a desk drawer. All missing. The envelope of cash and selected pieces of jewelry gave him the clue.

  “Several. Heroin. Crack. Meth. You name it,” Ernie drawled out the information. “Kids get bored, try it and before they can blink they’re hooked.”

  “One of them is your thief. Funerals are easy pickings for lazy robbers. Drug abusers are definitely lazy and daring when they need a fix. I would look for someone who lives close by. On the same block or a family member.” Joey tapped the file. “Did you get the labs back on Sam’s case yet or send someone to take a mold of those tire tracks I found?”

  “I assigned Deputy Cuhna to take a look at what you found this morning. Sam’s lab work hasn’t been processed yet. We had to send the information to the state lab, and they’re pretty backed up.”

  Backed up, or are you stalling some more?

  “You said you downloaded my brother’s email history, but I never got the files or the coroners report. I’m leaving tomorrow. Would you mind checking to see if the information’s been loaded to the secured drive yet?”

  “I loaded the files, but you may not have permission for that folder. I’ll make sure you get access.” The deputy stood, walked the two steps toward the door, then stopped. Turning with a puzzled frown, he said, “Looking for something in particular?”

  He wished he could say. He’d read through the city memos again. But nothing made sense, and he didn’t want to accidentally set off alarms. Mara kept telling him he knew Elkridge. The truth was he’d been gone a long time, and a lot of things had changed.