"Will you be with me?" She asked turning back to him, her eyes wide.
"Yes, Marianne." Is what his mouth said.
His heart was whispering, 'Always.'
She turned back to the window and sighed.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be, Ram."
He had swung by Jake and Caitlin's before calling her to pick up the new keys. Jake made sure that the outside door had a new lock as well as Marianne's apartment.
They walked up the sidewalk, both of them quiet as they saw that the chandelier above the door had been replaced and the door and door frame. Both had been repaired with nothing to indicate it's prior damage.
"Here's your new set of keys, this one is the outside door and this one is for your apartment. Jake made sure that Layne, Sara and Julie got the keys for the new lock on the outside door."
He was still holding her hand as they walked up the porch steps and he felt her shaking.
Ram stopped her before she put the key in the front door.
"I need for you to understand, Pyari, before we go inside. Whoever did this took a knife to every item in your apartment. Your couch, bed, chairs, throw pillows and your clothes are all destroyed. Your dresser was dumped and the bottom of every drawer was punched through."
Her eyes widened at his words.
"It's really, really bad, isn't it?"
He could only nod.
He watched his brave, brave girl take a deep breath and place the new key in the new lock of the large outside door and turned it.
It opened quietly and they stepped inside the hall.
Ram closed the heavy door and Marianne waited until he was beside her once again before putting the key in the new lock on her apartment.
She turned the key and released the lock.
Ram felt his muscles tense.
"I'm scared." He heard her whisper.
"I'm here." He whispered back as he pressed up against her back and wrapped his arm around her waist. He could feel her quaking, but still she reached out and turned the doorknob, pushing the door open.
She didn't step inside as the door opened, instead she pressed herself back against him.
There was a few moments of quiet as they both looked at the scene in front of them.
He couldn't see her face from his position behind her but he felt the first sob move through her and watched as she raised her hands to her face.
You couldn't see much from where they were standing. But you could see enough, more than enough, in the sunlight trying to break through the closed drapes.
Her body bucked against his again as another deep sob shook her. And within seconds her knees collapsed and he held her full weight against him.
Without thinking, he twisted them so she was no longer facing the room, facing the devastation of her home. He quickly closed the door before turning her into his chest and wrapping himself around her.
Heart-broken.
The sounds she made against him, the keening cries told him that her heart was broken.
And they hadn't even made it inside.
He didn't know how long they stood outside that closed door but he was willing to stay there years if she needed him to, if she would let him.
After a while, her keening moved to sobs.
The sobs turned to tears.
Her tears to sniffles, the sniffles to hitches.
And still he held her although as her crying changed, he was able to hold her softer, rubbing her back, offering her comfort.
She pulled back enough to look up at him.
Ram brushed her hair tenderly away from her face before using his thumb over her cheekbone, his fingers trailing along her jaw, his thumb making its way to rub her lower lip.
"I'm so glad you were here, Ram." she whispered, her wet blue eyes still filled with pain.
He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers lightly. "Me, too, Pyari."
Ram took her hand and stroked her fingers until she opened her fist and he could get the key. He saw not only the imprint of the key she had clutched but the tiny, half moons where she had dug her nails into her hand.
"Let me lock up and we can go," he whispered and felt her move back but not let go of his shirt.
He took her back to his home where he could watch over her, where he could care for her as she worked through her pain.
He tenderly placed her in her corner of his couch.
Ram put the tea on to brew and begin filling the large tub in his bathroom even using some of his sister in law's bubble bath.
When the tea was ready he poured two mugs taking them to the tub that was still filling. He went back into the living room and held out his hand to pull her from the couch to lead her into the bathroom.
Ram stood her next to the tub and gently, carefully removed her clothes, neither one of them speaking.
He removed his own, helping her into the tub holding her on his lap as the large tub continued to fill.
He held her with one hand and sipped his tea with the other.
Still neither of them spoke.
He turned off the faucet and leaned back, easing her back with him, letting the water soothe them both.
It took a while but her body eventually relaxed against him. She turned, straddling him as she wrapped her arms around him burying her face into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her fisting a hand in her hair to hold her close.
"Main tumse pyar karta hoon," he whispered almost without sound.
They stayed in that position until the water cooled.
Marianne pulled back and he watched as her eyes roamed his face before filling with tears that slipped slowly down her face. She pressed her beautiful mouth to his as she sighed, "I am so glad you are here, Ram."
He dried her and dressed her in his blue kameez, rolling the sleeves back. She stood in the same place he had placed her, her eyes following him as he dried himself before donning the matching salwar and leading her out of the bathroom, onto his bed.
It wasn't long and she was asleep, the emotions of the day taking their toll.
Ram held her as she slept, her head cradled against his shoulder.
He was almost asleep when he heard her whisper, "I'm glad you are here, Ram."
*.*.*.*.*
We were awakened by Ram's phone. I heard him talking softly and then he turned on the lamp on his nightstand. When the call ended, he wrote in the little notebook that was sitting by the phone.
"What's up, honey?" My voice was as groggy as I felt.
"There's a situation, Pyari. I'm going to have to go."
He put the notebook and pen down before turning back to me.
"You're welcome to stay. Or I can drop you off at your aunt's house if you prefer."
I thought about it.
I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want Ram to be away from me just yet, but my head knew that he had to go. People depended on him.
"My aunt's will be fine, Ram." I moved out of the bed looking around the room for my clothes.
Oh. The bathroom.
My clothes, that my Ram had lovingly removed, were probably still on the floor in the bathroom.
I was just coming back in the room, folding the kameez as I walked, when Ram stopped in front of me and took me in his arms. He had put on jeans and a shirt, but hadn't yet buttoned them up.
"Are you okay, MG?"
"I will be, Ram. It might take a while, but I will be." I said softly into his beautiful chest.
Chapter Twelve
I opened the Fed Ex envelope and found that it contained five unmarked CDs. No note, no letter of explanation. Nothing but the CDs.
I considered loading one into my laptop to see what was on it, but I didn't want to open something that might or might not be trouble.
I already had enough trouble and didn't need to borrow more.
Ram didn't call, and I was kind of disappointed.
That is, until there was a knock on the door during the nine o'clock news that Au
nt Estella watched faithfully.
"Who would come by at this hour?" she asked, trying to see out the picture window. She still didn't get it about looking outside at night.
I turned on the porch light and saw that it was Ram. My heart started beating really fast and I felt my breath speed up as I opened the door.
"Good evening, Mrs. Gibson, Marianne."
"Hello, Chief. What brings you to the door at this time of night?"
"Sorry to come by so late. But, I was wondering if Marianne would like to go for a drive."
Hell yeah, Marianne wanted to go for a drive!
"Let me just get my jacket," I mumbled, my feet moving towards the coat closet but my eyes were glued to him.
God, he was gorgeous.
I dug my keys out of my purse and shoved them in the pocket of my jacket as I moved back to him.
To him.
"I'll try not to keep her out too late," Ram said.
"Have fun," Aunt Estella said, her attention already back on the news of a ten car pileup in Denver.
Ram took my hand as we left the house and we practically ran to his truck.
"Hurry, Pyari."
I never put my seat belt on so fast in my life and Ram almost laid rubber getting the truck out of the driveway.
It takes approximately eight and a half minutes to go from my aunt's house to Ram's house.
He made it in five flat.
We both had our seatbelts off before he shoved the truck in park.
And we ran to his front door where he fumbled with the lock.
"Hurry, Ram."
We tumbled through the front door, our mouths fusing before we had even kicked off our shoes.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him before sliding his hands down to cup my bottom.
I was trying to untuck his shirt, to feel his skin.
He picked me up, never losing the connection with our mouths. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck.
Oh, God.
I loved this position. I was entwined around him and he held me with one hand on my bottom, the other fisted in my hair, as our wet tongues dueled together.
I had the faintest perception that we were moving, but I was caught up in the sensations, the reactions of my body.
He pulled his head away, just far enough away where his lips were pressing lightly against mine.
"First one naked gets to be on top," he murmured against my mouth. His hand released my bottom and I slid my legs down. I released my arm's hold on him.
I was already shrugging off my jacket and had my t-shirt over my head before my feet even touched the floor.
I unhinged my bra with one hand, while I used the other hand to pop the button on my jeans.
The bra dropped and I had my zipper down as fast as I could go.
Since this was a contest with a great prize, I forgot about finesse and shoved my panties down with my jeans, making sure I caught my socks when I stomped my way out of the pile of clothes.
I turned and ran to his huge bed, giggling, knowing I had won!
Yay me!
I had my arms over my head as I did air punches, wiggling in my victory.
Then I glanced at Ram in the dim light from the hallway.
He was still standing in place, fully dressed, watching me.
Devouring me with his eyes.
"Pyari, you are the sexiest woman I have ever seen," he whispered.
Oh. My. God.
He thought I was sexy.
Ram Patel thought I was sexy.
He made his way to the bed and crawled up from the bottom as I laid back against the pillows.
"Hold me, Marianne," he said softly.
Gladly.
I used my arms and my legs to surround him, tucking my face against his neck and inhaling the spice of his skin. Planting soft kisses on his neck, right where it met his shoulder.
His arms went around me as he slowly rolled so I was on top.
I raised up straddling his hips, my hands on his tight abs through his shirt. He captured my hands, holding them out away from my body as his heated gaze roamed over my breasts. My nipples tightened and I could feel my heartbeat echo its deep rhythm between my legs.
My hips moved connecting with the ridge of his hard cock still tucked in his trousers. It flexed, pulsing against me.
He released my hands then used his fingers to circle my nipples.
Just when I thought I couldn't take any more of his slow teasing, his thumb joined his fingers and he rolled them into tight points.
Sharp darts of pleasure danced within me at his touch.
"You have beautiful breasts," he whispered as he moved his hands lower, running his palms over the sides of my breasts down to my waist, over the flare of my hips. He curled up and ran his hot hands over my bottom, circling each cheek.
"You have an exquisite ass," his voice low and soft.
I again felt his hand in my hair as he brought my face to his and his other hand slipped between us and cupped my mound.
"But it's your lips, Pyari, that enslave me."
He crushed me to him, his mouth possessing, plundering mine.
He slid his fingers inside me and pressed the heel of his hand upwards, providing a perfect surface to move against, to grind myself on.
And as I moved, I felt his fingers slide in and out of my wetness.
His mouth caught my moans and whimpers as I began to crest, the dual pleasure of his ministrations on my mouth and my pussy engulfing me in flames, taking me to a higher pinnacle before it finally released.
My climax hit hard, shuddering through me, through every inch of me.
Ram released me and gently pulled me down as he laid down, holding my dazed body as it quivered in the aftermath.
His hands caressed my back, stroking my skin from my shoulders down to the small of my back before moving up again.
"I want to feel you inside me," I whispered into the warmth of his neck.
His body stilled at my words and I felt his heartbeat speed up.
I rolled off of him, laying beside him, our heads sharing a pillow.
I felt, more than saw, his nod before he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stood up.
He didn't face me as he removed his clothes but was turned to the side, the muted light catching on the muscles of his chest and arms as he removed his shirt.
Illuminating the definition of his rippling abs as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers. The light shimmered on his firm buttocks as he pushed them down.
Then lit his hard, thick cock when he straightened.
He turned towards me, reaching for a condom on the bedside table.
The bed dipped as he crawled to where I was, memorizing the beauty of his nakedness that had been captured in that soft light.
I heard the crinkle of the condom wrapper, the bed moving as he slipped it on.
"I don't know if I can be gentle," Ram said running his hot hand over my belly. "I want you too badly to go slow."
"Honey?"
"Yes, Pyari?"
"I won't break if you…can't be gentle, if you can't go slow."
"But…"
I got up on an elbow and wrapped my other arm around his neck, pulling his mouth to mine so that our lips were softly touching.
"Give me your hardness the way you want to, Ram, any way you want to."
I swallowed his moan as he moved between my thighs and with a roll of his hips, slid into the depth of me.
I can honestly say that he was neither gentle or slow.
And it was spectacular.
Chapter Thirteen
I woke up slowly, unwilling to move since I was basically pinned to the mattress underneath Ram.
His head was on my pillow but his lips were at my neck, one of his arms draped over me with his palm cupping my breast.
He even had a long leg thrown over me, spanning my thighs.
It was warm.
It was snu
ggly.
It was wonderful.
But nature was calling.
I had no choice but to untangle us so I could use the bathroom.
I slipped out from underneath him, one appendage at a time, and was halfway across his large bedroom before I heard his sleepy voice.
"Morning, Pyari," he rumbled, his face still planted in the pillow.
"Morning, Sailor," Even I could hear the suppressed laughter in my voice as I responded.
He was sitting up on the side of the bed when I returned.
His dark thick hair was a hot mess and he only had the sheet draped over his genitals, providing me with a stunning view of his arms, chest and abs.
I grabbed my bra, t-shirt and panties as I made my way to the bed.
I stepped into my panties and pulled them up. He opened his legs and snagged my hips, positioning me directly in front of him.
His arms reached around my waist and he pressed his face in my belly as I ran my fingers through his hair.
We stayed like that for a few quiet moments.
"Tea, honey?"
"Uh-huh," I heard him say, his face still in pressed against me sounding more asleep than awake.
"Pop Tart or Eggs?"
Sometimes even I had to take a break from the sweet pastry.
"You cook?"
"Well, yeah. How else am I gonna eat?"
"This just keeps getting better and better."
I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arms around his head for a quick hug before I released him.
I grabbed my t-shirt and went to the kitchen to get breakfast going.
We were just finishing up eating, when I asked him about my apartment.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about that, MG, but every time I try to tell you, we get side-tracked," he said with a wicked grin.
"Okay, now's a good of time as any, Sailor. Spill!"
"Remember how I told you that Tim and Jeff have been working to figure out the who, what and why? They've got nothing so far. We're still waiting for the tests to come back from Cortez.
"Okay."
"But," he said firmly. "I still don't think you should go in alone."
"What are you saying, Ram?"
He turned on his barstool and leaned into me, his arm draped on the back of my stool.
"What I'm saying, Pyari, is that your reaction to your apartment when we were there, shows me that seeing it is hard for you. I'm just saying that it'd be a good idea for you to have someone with you when you go in."
Tap Dance (Dance Series) Page 8