Touching Deuce [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lynnette Bernard

  * * * *

  John raced toward his home, pulling on the reins to bring Brutus to a halt as he made it to the front porch. He dismounted quickly and ran up the front steps, pulling his house keys from his pocket as he stood before the front door. Unlocking it quickly, he stepped inside, slamming the door and locking it behind him. He walked over to the security panel by the front door to key in the code to reset the alarm. Ever since Jamie had been abducted just months before, he was more cautious with his mate and would take no chances with her safety. Now that she was pregnant, he was even more obsessed with her safety—much to his beautiful mate’s frustration.

  He tugged off his boots with the help of the boot pull by the door then walked into their bedroom, stopping beside their bed to look down at the woman who had been shown to him in a vision at the age of fourteen. He had spent a lifetime waiting for her. Now that he’d found her, he was never letting her go.

  Pulling off his clothes, he folded back the covers and slid in beside his mate, loving that she immediately snuggled against him and locked her leg across his hip as she always did. She leaned into him, kissing his neck softly.

  “Are you awake, cara mia?” he whispered against the top of her head.

  Jamie pulled away from him, looking at him with sleepy eyes. “John? Is something wrong?”

  “No. Nothing is wrong. I just need you to look at my mating mark for me.”

  Jamie was immediately alert. She sat up as quickly as she could, holding her belly as she settled against the headboard. Reaching out, she pulled at John’s hair lightly, smiling as he immediately turned into her hand and kissed her palm.

  “Is there something wrong with your mating mark?”

  He reached over and turned on the bedside lamp then sat next to his wife with his back facing her. “Look, cara.”

  Jamie reached up and brushed aside the soft, black hair that fell below John’s shoulders and looked at the golden links that proved that their mating had been blessed by the Great Spirit. She reached up and traced the links, stopping when she saw the small, golden link that was now a part of the mark, hanging directly from the place where the two original gold links entwined.

  “John, you have a small, golden link within the mark,” she told him softly. “What does that mean?”

  He turned around and pulled her closer so that she was sitting on his lap, turning her head and lifting her luxurious, dark tresses away from her neck to hang across her right shoulder. Looking at her mark, he saw the small, golden link that had been added to the existing entwined links.

  “Deuce is right,” he whispered in awe. “I can see the small link and so can you.”

  He leaned forward and kissed the tiny link, closing his eyes as he thought about his child growing within his wife’s body. The Great Spirit had blessed their baby.

  “It seems that when mates find themselves lucky enough to be expecting a baby, a small, golden link appears within the original mating mark. Deuce thinks it means that the Great Spirit has blessed the baby.”

  Jamie’s big, brown eyes grew wide with wonder. “Wow,” she barely whispered. “That’s amazing.”

  John nodded, molding his hand around her belly, lovingly caressing his child. As if on cue, the baby kicked against his hand.

  “Did you feel that?” he whispered, looking down at her belly.

  “I did,” Jamie told him, laughing lightly. “I feel the baby moving all the time.”

  John looked up at her face, smiling. The joy he was feeling was two-fold. “Cara, I love feeling our baby moving. And I love knowing that our baby has been blessed by the Great Spirit.”

  Jamie could only smile. There were no words to express how happy she was with her husband. When he pulled her down to settle beside her and leaned forward to kiss her belly tenderly, she couldn’t speak. Instead, she carded her fingers through his long hair and showed him with her tender touch just how much he meant to her.

  As he traveled up her body, kissing every inch of skin that he passed, she let out a sigh of contentment. There was no better place to be than within her cowboy’s arms.

  Chapter 16

  Deuce walked into the kitchen, heading directly toward Gracie as she stood before the large table. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips lightly, smiling against her lips as he felt her warm breath as she sighed. He loved affecting her this way. He especially loved that she was so responsive and accepting of his touch and his needs.

  “How was your morning?” Gracie asked him, reaching up to touch his lips lightly with the index finger of her right hand.

  “Lonely,” he told her, kissing her finger.

  “Lonely?”

  He nodded and pulled her tighter against his body. “I missed you.”

  Gracie’s shy blush and soft smile filled him with happiness. It amazed him that she was so sweet and innocent when it came to their physical relationship, but she was strong and confident in everything else that she did. He liked the contrast. He liked her.

  “How are you feeling, baby? Did you soak in the tub?”

  Gracie shushed him and placed her hand quickly over his mouth. She looked around his massive body to make sure no one else had come into the kitchen.

  “Yes, I soaked in the tub,” she told him quickly. “Shush!”

  Deuce laughed behind her hand, kissing her palm lightly before licking at it. The instant dilating of her eyes and intake of her breath told him that his advances affected her. She pulled her hand away slowly and looked up at him with mischief sparkling in her eyes.

  “Be careful, cowboy,” she warned him. “Two can play at that game.”

  “Sounds good to me,” he told her softly, smiling down at her. “What’re you going to do, Mate?”

  Gracie smiled as she ran her hand down his chest, using her nails to score a path down his torso. His immediate moan of pleasure made her heart race. When she reached his belt, she turned her hand and cupped his groin, squeezing slightly before caressing the hard bulge that awaited her.

  “Think you can use this to make me feel good?” she whispered, using her thumb to trace the head of his cock as he stood immobile before her.

  The kitchen door opened, and John walked in. Jamie followed behind him with Robbie seated comfortably on her hip. Gracie tried to move away from Deuce, but his hand covered hers, pressing it against his raging cock one last time before he allowed her to step away. He didn’t allow her to move far, pulling her back against him so that her back rested against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and settled one hand on her belly, slipping his hand beneath her shirt so he could feel the silkiness of her skin, while the other held her hip to keep her firmly in place. He immediately felt the warmth of his child radiating from her womb and kissing his hand, and he had to close his eyes to center himself as happiness rushed through him.

  Gracie held herself stiff against him for all of one second before she relaxed and accepted his embrace. She covered his hand as it rested on her belly and felt such a complete sense of peace, it astounded her.

  “Good morning,” she greeted them.

  “Morning,” John answered, looking at Deuce and nodding. “I found that item you wanted me to look for, Deuce. It was right where you told me it would be.” He stepped toward his mate and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, covering her belly with his other hand and rubbing it lovingly.

  Deuce smiled and nodded. He knew he had been correct about the new marking. He was glad that Jamie had found her mate in John, and they were expecting a child. Her complete joy was obvious. His cousin had finally found the family that she deserved, and he couldn’t be happier for her.

  “Unca Deuce,” Robbie called to him, extending his arms to be taken.

  Deuce stepped away from Gracie to reach out and lift Robbie out of Jamie’s arms. “Good morning, buddy,” he greeted his nephew, kissing his cheek soundly and hugging him tightly.

  “Morning,” Robbie called out happily, giggling as Deuce cuddled him tight
ly against his chest.

  “After lunch you can ride with me and Uncle John,” he told his nephew as he brushed the black curls out of his eyes. “Do you want to help us with the ranch today, Robbie?”

  “Yes, Unca Deuce!” Robbie reached up and patted Deuce’s cheeks happily. “I can help.”

  “Yes, you can,” Deuce agreed. “How about if we eat first? Then we can check out your bedroom upstairs. Aunt Gracie and I made it up special for you.”

  “Will Mommy and Daddy be here soon?”

  “No, buddy, not for a while,” Deuce explained. “They’re at the hospital with your new baby sister. When they’re ready, they’ll come here and all of us will be together.”

  “Okay,” Robbie agreed, accepting Deuce’s explanation without hesitation. “Can I see my room now?”

  “You don’t want to have something to eat first?” Deuce asked him.

  “No. I want to see my room,” Robbie told him, shaking his head quickly.

  “Okay, buddy,” Deuce told him, turning toward the doorway. “Come on, Aunt Gracie. Let’s show Robbie his room.”

  Gracie smiled at the sight of Deuce holding Robbie. Her heart ached to see him hold the son that they would have together. She just hoped she wouldn’t condemn their child to a life of isolation like she had suffered through.

  “Would you mind taking out the food that Claire left for us while I go with Deuce and Robbie?” she asked Jamie and John.

  “No problem. We’ve got it covered,” John told her quickly. “Go on and experience the whirlwind that is Robbie.”

  Gracie smiled and turned to follow her mate. She couldn’t help but laugh as she saw Deuce run up the stairs with Robbie, making sure he bounced the child with each step, causing Robbie to squeal happily.

  He’s going to be an amazing father.

  The thought flashed through her mind, bringing with it equal doses of happiness, fear, and worry. She pushed all the negative thoughts aside, needing to concentrate only on the positive. She thought about Deuce and smiled. She thought about the way he touched her and cared for her. She was going to make sure that she did everything she could to show him how much she cared about him, too.

  She wanted to give him the happiness that he deserved. She was certain that his future should include children, and she wanted to be the one to give him that gift.

  * * * *

  Gracie wiped her hands on the dish towel, turning to survey the kitchen. Lunch had been delicious as always. Claire certainly knew how to cook.

  John and Jamie had left, taking Robbie with them. The little boy’s excitement at riding with John and Deuce was catchy. She loved her nephew so much, it was nearly overwhelming. She knew she would love her niece just as much.

  Luke’s phone call that morning to tell her that both Melanie and Mary Grace were doing just fine had really allowed Gracie to relax for the first time since Melanie had told them of her vision that something would go wrong when her little girl was born. Although Melanie had never been wrong in her life, Gracie was thankful that this time she had been. Maybe her pregnancy had flooded her system with too many hormones so that her visions were skewed.

  The kitchen door swung open, and Deuce walked in, coming over to her and taking her in his arms. She relaxed against him immediately. She loved the feel of being held against his chest. He was broad, and his chest muscles bulged with power. Everything about his embrace soothed her, and she felt safe and protected as he tightened his hold on her.

  “Thanks for lunch, Gracie,” he whispered against her forehead before he kissed it gently.

  “Claire did all the preparation,” Gracie protested. “I only helped.”

  “Claire is one special person,” Deuce agreed. “I don’t know what would have happened to Jake if she hadn’t found him.”

  Gracie nodded, remembering how Claire had stumbled upon Jake when she had been volunteering at the hospital. They still wondered what had made him emerge from his coma, but Gracie suspected that miracle had something to do with Claire’s presence, too. If it hadn’t been for her frequent visits to his bedside, Jake would never have come out of his depression after the car accident that had injured his leg and had broken his spirit.

  “How are you feeling, baby?” Deuce asked her, running his hand down her back to caress the soft swell of her backside.

  “I’m fine,” Gracie told him, blushing slightly.

  “Let me see.”

  “What?” Gracie stepped out of his embrace, horrified.

  “Let me see,” he repeated.

  “You don’t need to see, Deuce,” she told him, flustered and just a little bit angry at the invasion of her privacy. Being so open and intimate in the privacy of their bedroom was one thing, but it was extremely embarrassing in the light of day.

  “Oh, Gracie, I think I do,” he told her softly. “I need to make sure I didn’t cause you injury. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I caused you any pain at all. I should have known better.”

  The guilty expression on his face softened Gracie’s anger immediately. He was not trying to make her feel uncomfortable or demand that she obey him. He was truly upset that he had caused her any moment of discomfort. She reached up and touched his cheek lightly.

  “Deuce, you didn’t hurt me,” she told him softly. “When you were inside of me I felt only pleasure.”

  Deuce’s slow smile made her heart melt. “I’m glad, honey.”

  “Me, too.”

  He brought her over to the table and sat at the chair placed at the head of the table, leaving enough room between the chair and the table so she could stand between them. Bringing his hands up to the waistband of her jeans, he unbuttoned them and pushed them down her legs, tapping at her feet one at a time to have her lift her legs so she could remove her sneakers before pulling the pants from her body.

  “Deuce, I’m fine,” she insisted, embarrassed but aroused by the way he took charge of her.

  Deuce pulled back to look up at her, his eyes soft with caring. He watched her silently as he pulled up her shirt and leaned forward to kiss her belly lightly, nuzzling into it and whispering to their baby.

  She reached down and carded her fingers through his black curls, holding her head against him. She didn’t know why he had such an obsession with kissing her belly, but she wasn’t going to discourage it. It made her feel cherished.

  He pulled back and watched her face as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her pink lace panties. Slowly peeling them from her body, he kissed her mound as he pushed the sexy underwear down her legs to pull them off completely.

  “Gorgeous,” he whispered, kissing the spot where her thigh met her hip. “Turn around, baby. Let me see if you’re okay.”

  Gracie was glad to turn around, unable to keep the blush of embarrassment from covering her face. His strong hands held her hips as he gently turned her around.

  “Lean forward on the table, baby,” he told her softly, pushing at her lower back gently to get her to comply. “Settle yourself comfortably while I check your sore bottom.”

  Gracie did as he instructed, resting her chest on the wooden tabletop and turning her face so that she was lying comfortably. She felt his hands run down the length of her back and settle on the cheeks of her butt. His thumbs swirled circles around the muscles of her cheeks, and she couldn’t prevent the sigh that escaped her as his strong hands massaged her tight muscles. She didn’t want to tell him just how tense she had been. It would have only worried him, and she wasn’t about to let him worry any more than he was already worrying about her.

  “I’m going to spread your cheeks to look, honey,” he told her, leaning forward to kiss each cheek lightly.

  “Okay,” she whispered, grateful that he explained everything to her every time he was with her.

  Very gently, Deuce spread her cheeks to look at the tissues of her back entrance. He was relieved to see that there was no redness and very little swelling. A big surge of guilt rushed through his chest at the mem
ory of how badly she had been injured.

  “There’s almost no swelling,” he told her softly, using his thumb to carefully circle the tissues.

  Gracie moaned. Deuce froze.

  “Did I hurt you, Gracie?”

  “No. Feels good,” she told him softly.

  The evil grin that crossed his features was immediate. Leaning forward, he swiped his tongue across the puckered star, smiling against her body as he heard her moan once again.

  He continued his assault, breathing in deeply as the scent of her arousal filled the air. When he saw the cream that was dripping out of her sweet pussy he couldn’t hold back. His tongue traveled to her beckoning channel and lapped up her juices, moaning at the taste of his mate.

  Using his thumb, he gathered up her wetness and swirled the pad of his thumb around her swollen clit. Her gasp of pleasure made him smile against her folds.

  “Deuce,” she moaned.

  “What, baby?”

  “I want you.”

  Standing immediately, he unbuckled his belt, unzipped his jeans, and reached for his throbbing cock. The head was an angry red and pre-cum was pooled at the slit. His body wanted hers. Now.

  Taking his shaft in hand, he guided it to the sweetness of her pussy and pushed inside her in one continuous thrust. Their groans of need filled the silence of the kitchen.

  “So full,” Gracie moaned, loving the way the angle of his cock made her feel. “So good.”

  “Baby, you take my cock so deep.” He pulled out just slightly before pushing back in and holding tightly against her body, pushing the table forward with his thrust.

  Something inside of his mind screamed at him that he would hurt Gracie if he continued to push her against the table each time he slammed into her body. That was not acceptable.

  Reaching down, he wrapped his arms beneath her body and pulled her up so that she stood in front of him, her back plastered against his chest, their bodies intimately connected. Gracie moaned as the new position caused his cock to rub against the spot inside of her that made her feel everything so much more intensely.