Wyn tensed. The memory of how she’d reacted the first time he met her came rushing back. She’d flinched when he approached her, and the comment about needing a protector had stirred his instincts. He’d let the initial curiosity go. She hadn’t acted fearful since. Except for the night in the pub. Her hands had trembled when she looked at her phone, and color had leached from her face.
“Son of a bitch. I’ll kill him.” Wyn grabbed his car keys and strode to the door.
“You gonna fly to Russia to do that? That’s where she’s from, right?”
Wyn froze midstep. He tightened his grip on his keys. “No, but it explains why she’s shy of relationships.”
“Maybe I misinterpreted the whole thing. You should ask her.”
And have her get defensive? Or worse, push him away? If Ronnie didn’t even know the details, he didn’t expect to get them without a fight. Iona might be his lover, but she wasn’t his. She didn’t trust him. With her body, yes. Not her heart. The asshole who’d hurt her had damaged it. She was holding it close.
Dammit, everything made sense—her insistence they not get serious, her words the first day they met, even her surprise at how he treated her. Whenever he cared for her after sex, she’d watch him with such a look of awe that he had made a point of showing her how much he treasured her.
Wyn pivoted on his heel. “Nah, I have a better plan.”
Eric raised a brow. “And that is?”
Wyn yanked out his cell and pulled up a web search for the local florist. “I’m going to show her how much she means to me.”
“Haven’t you already been doing that? I’ve seen you two. The damn air sizzles when you’re together.”
Wyn shrugged. “Yeah, the sex is good, but I don’t have her love. I want it.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“Fuck, yeah. I love her.” As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Wyn knew they were true. “And I’m not losing her. Not now. Not ever.”
Chapter 12
Iona stared at the roses on her dresser. Ronnie had brought them up with a huge smile on her face. Iona had felt the color drain from hers. Lilies were intermixed with the red roses. Dmitry had always sent her similar bouquets.
How had he found out she was here?
“What’s wrong?” Ronnie laid a hand on Iona’s arm.
Iona shrugged off the icy feeling settling over her and faced her sister. “Nothing. I’m just surprised to have gotten flowers.”
“I know.” Ronnie’s eyes lit up. “Everyone in town is talking about it too.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Dmitry’s company had been buying up huge tracts of farmland across the northeastern states. Gas drilling had become a lucrative business, and Dmitry wanted a hand in it. With all the rolling acreage surrounding Sander’s Valley, how long it would be before his investors set their sights here? If they had, there was a chance he could’ve found her. Dmitry knew Ronnie had moved to Pennsylvania. He even had her number.
Iona pinched the bridge of her nose. She was a fool. Did she really think he wouldn’t put two and two together and figure out where she was staying? Everyone at the office in Washington thought she was living at Ronnie’s old house in Virginia. Iona had even had the calls forwarded to her cell phone. But if he went there and didn’t find her? Oh God.
“Why?” she forced the question out before Ronnie picked up on her distress.
“Because Wyn has never sent any woman flowers before. You’re the first.” Ronnie’s grin widened. “Actually, if you two make it to the three-week mark, you’ll be his longest girlfriend too.”
Wyn sent them? Her breath rushed out. Giddiness replaced the anxiety tightening her chest. In the next moment, however, her nerves returned. A different reason stirred her unease—boyfriends sent flowers, not no-strings-attached lovers. But did the label still apply to them? More to the point, did she still want it to? Or did she want to see where this unexpected involvement went?
She twined her fingers together in case they started trembling. “We’re not officially in a relationship. We’re just having fun.”
“Is that what you call spending every free moment together? Having fun?”
She didn’t know. Instead of admitting her confusion, she raised her chin. “Yes. I’m not ready for a relationship. Wyn knows that.”
Ronnie held her gaze for a long moment. Finally, she shook her head. Her long sigh cut through the silence. “But do your hearts?”
Iona swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”
“You look at each other with stars in your eyes.” Ronnie huffed. “Maybe that’s a little overdramatic, but there’s a connection between the two of you that’s more than lust. I see it. Eliza does. Even Jack has commented on it.”
Iona glanced at the flowers. “Dmitry wants us to give our relationship another try.”
“You don’t have a relationship anymore. Remember? You broke it off.”
Iona rubbed her neck. “I thought I knew him. I didn’t. It makes me question my ability to pick worthy men.”
Ronnie stepped next to her and loosely hooked her arms around Iona’s waist. “Wyn’s a good guy. I swear it. Sure, I missed out on a lot while I was gone, but I watched him grow up. He’s not perfect. None of us are, but if I had to pick a man for you, it’d be him.” She tightened her hold on Iona, then dropped her arms. “I’m meeting with the new owner of the bakery in town about the wedding cake. If you need me, call.”
Iona nodded, and Ronnie walked out. The door closed with a click. Iona stared at the small card tucked into the fragrant arrangement for another long moment before forcing her feet to move. She snatched the foil envelope. Her hands trembled. She ignored the sight and opened the card.
Thinking about you. Needing you.
~Wyn
Her pent-up air escaped in a rush. She pressed the square of thick paper to her chest. A grin spread. She was thinking about him too.
And needing him.
Chapter 13
Iona stared out the windshield of Wyn’s truck but couldn’t concentrate on the scenery. Wyn and his wandering touch had her complete attention. He skimmed his fingers up her inner thigh. She spread her legs, silently inviting him higher. He stilled his upward swoop at the hem of her shorts and toyed with the frayed edge. A long moment passed. Her breathing quickened. Arousal flowed to slicken her already drenched cleft.
She waited, but he didn’t move his roughened fingers. She clenched hers. He’d teased her all day. She understood his reluctance to take his attentions too far. There was a difference between a packed stadium and the local dugout, where they could sneak behind the bleachers and make out, pretending they were teenagers.
She’d even gotten a thrill out of his inability to keep his hands off her while they’d been surrounded by people. They weren’t in a crowd any longer, though. She needed some relief. His suggestive caresses had left her hot and bothered. She shifted her bottom toward the edge of the seat. His fingers slid higher over her denim.
He flashed her a grin. “Need something, darling?”
“Uh-huh.” She nodded. “You. I ache.”
He rubbed his knuckles over her jeans-covered cleft. Her heart beat harder. Excitement tightened her muscles. She pushed her sensitive flesh against him, hoping he’d take the hint and give her what she craved.
“Me too.” He dragged his fingers once more over her groin, then gripped the steering wheel. “I’ve been thinking about fucking you all day.”
She bit the inside of her cheek and fought her frustration. “I was hoping we’d get to sneak away and find a place to give each other a little relief.”
His smile turned wicked. “Damn, I would’ve liked that. I wasn’t sure you’d be okay with it, though. It was crowded. We might’ve gotten caught.”
They stopped at the light. She glanced behind them. No other cars drove on the deserted country road. Perfect. She popped her seat belt and faced him. In one quick move, she undid the button on his jeans and y
anked the zipper down. His erection sprang free. She fisted his length and gave it a rough stroke. “We’re alone now.”
“Yeah, we are.”
He lifted his hips. She took the hint and worked his cock with hard tugs. His penis grew in her hands. His breaths shortened. Precome welled. She slid her thumb over the slit and used the glistening drop to lubricate her slide.
“Fuck, that’s good.”
It was. She wanted more.
She bent and swirled her tongue around the head of his cock. The salty taste of him hit her tongue. A shudder ran down her spine, and her eyelids drifted shut. She’d never cared for oral sex before. It was one of those acts she did because it was expected. With Wyn, though? Crazy or not, she craved it. His taste, the feel of soft, silky skin over his veined length, the guttural sounds he made…she couldn’t get enough.
She curled her tongue around his erection, and he pushed his thick cock deep. The head hit the back of her throat. Lips stretched wide, she breathed through her nose and relaxed her muscles. He slipped farther in, but she couldn’t accept all of him. The man was the largest she’d ever been with. That in and of itself would’ve been enough to soak her panties, but it was the way he touched her that made sex with him unforgettable.
“Iona.”
Her name. One word. That was all, but it rocked her. The emotion laced into it did crazy things to her heart. She dragged her mouth off him. Slowly, so damn slowly. She wanted to enjoy the slide of his rigid cock over her tongue. His deep breaths and the tensing of his thighs under her palms added to the moment.
He grabbed handfuls of her hair. The slight tug on her strands spread tingles over her scalp. She moaned around his length, and his cock jerked.
“More, Iona.”
That had been her plan. She glanced at him and found his gaze on her. The glow of the dashboard gave him a wicked aura. His slackened expression and lust-hazed eyes told her everything she needed to know. She had him right where she wanted him. For a moment, she considered teasing him the way he had her all day. The craving to feel the hot explosion of his seed pushed back the need to punish him for making her wait.
He broke their heated stare and scanned the road. The corner of his mouth rose in the lopsided smile she loved. He threw the truck into park and hit the button for the hazard lights.
“You’re naughty. You know that?”
A swirl and lick of her tongue, and she worshipped him, not bothering to respond. She craved him too much.
He tightened his grip on her hair. “You know that, don’t you?”
The tiny bite of pain made her wild, but his tone demanded an answer. She gave him a small nod, all she could manage with his erection in her mouth.
“I like you this way. Naughty. Wild.” He lifted his hips, and his veined length slid over her tongue. “Give me more.”
It was her plan. She worked him, licking and sucking, until he fucked her mouth. Jaw slackened, she let him pump into her. His thrusts quickened and shortened. She waited a moment more before she dragged her teeth over his length and clamped down, holding him in a precarious kiss. He inhaled roughly. A quick look showed his dilated gaze locked on her. Mouth opened slightly, he panted. She grinned around the thick cock between her lips.
He was gorgeous. And mine. The thought came out of nowhere. The truth in it remained. She pushed the implications aside for the moment and focused on her task. She wanted to make him explode.
She closed her eyes. Swipes of her tongue eased whatever discomfort her teasing had caused. More of his deep moans rewarded her and helped her learn what he found pleasurable. He hadn’t given her many opportunities to suck him off. The few times she’d gotten her mouth on him, he’d ended up bending her over the nearest available surface and driving his cock inside her.
Not this time. She hungered.
She alternated between rough pulls of her mouth and tugs of her hand. He slid deeper with every thrust. It was almost too much. The head of his cock hit the back of her throat. She focused on the sounds he made and the trembling in his body and adjusted her strokes to match him, enflame him, make him wild.
“I’m close.”
It was what she wanted to hear. She relaxed her throat. On his next push, she swallowed and let her moan take him over. He came, her name exclaimed on a low grunt. She savored it as much as his endless release.
The tight pull on her hair eased. The jerking of his cock slowed. The muscles under her hands relaxed. But the emotion settling over her didn’t fade with the last of his orgasm. It swelled her chest.
She released him and took in the sight of the man she’d pleasured. Head tipped back, he breathed hard. She let her gaze travel over him. Her heart did a little flip. Strong and passionate, he was what she’d always thought a man should be. Of course, Dmitry had been too. He’d also treated her like a princess when they first started dating.
“My little princess. And I’m your prince. You’re mine to give relief, mine to control, mine to own.”
Dmitry’s words echoed in her head. Their bedroom games had been fun. He’d never given her anything but pleasure. Yet she’d always felt alone. An object to bring to release or make moan, then put aside until he wanted to play again.
All those after-sex encounters… Or should she say the lack of them? They were clues to his true nature. He would get irritated whenever she tried to snuggle. And in public? They only held hands when he initiated it. It’d seemed so normal. She’d never given it much thought. They had been together for a long time.
Five years.
She rubbed her neck. The image of his crazed eyes flashed before her. “Five years I was faithful to you. Five years, Iona. You owe me this one slip. Consider it payback for all those times you ignored me. Never fucking again. After tomorrow, you will be my legal wife. And I will make sure nobody else gets your attention, not the old bastards on the board or the pathetic kids at that damn orphanage.”
“Iona?” Wyn touched her knuckles with the tips of his fingers. “Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head. Tears welled. She closed her eyes.
“Shit, I did.” He dragged her close and ran trembling fingers down the column of her throat. “I knew I was too much for you. Fuck, I’m sorry, love. We won’t do that again.”
She opened her eyes. Wyn’s concerned face filled her vision and chased away the lingering image of Dmitry’s. The tightness in her chest eased. She flashed Wyn a smile. “Don’t be ridiculous. You didn’t hurt me.”
“Then why…” His warm expression turned guarded—not cold exactly, just wary. “Why were you rubbing your neck?”
She propped her elbows on his chest and leaned closer until his brown eyes became her world. “Because you taste good. I truly enjoyed pleasuring you. That shocks me. I never particularly cared about giving oral sex. It was a duty before. Do you understand?”
He nodded, then kissed her, despite the lingering flavor of his release in her mouth. No hesitation. No sign of disgust. A hungry sound accompanied the swipes of his tongue instead. He licked the insides of her cheeks, her teeth, her lips. Finally, he pulled back. Some emotion shone on his face. She had no words to describe it, but she was fairly certain no man had ever looked at her the same way.
“Come home with me.”
She felt herself nod.
He gave her another lopsided smile, threw the car into drive, and peeled out.
They drove for a while in silence before the implications of what she’d agreed to hit her. She hadn’t spent the night with anyone since Dmitry. Actually, she’d never slept with anyone else. Nervousness gripped her.
The sign for Sander’s Valley Farm came into view. His house along with his brothers’ homes were surrounded his parents’ farm. She’d felt completely safe within the rolling acreage between the mountains, with its lake and walking paths. The sight of it after what she’d agreed to made her heart race, however.
He took the turn and headed down the one-lane gravel road to his place on the fa
r end of the lake. She cleared her throat. “Maybe staying over isn’t such a good idea.”
“It’s past midnight. Ronnie and Kyle are probably sleeping. You don’t want to wake them.”
No, she didn’t, especially since Ronnie had been complaining of morning sickness. She needed her rest, yet Iona selfishly wanted the safety their home brought. “I have a key. I’ll be quiet.”
Wyn stopped the car. He turned in his seat. “Talk to me, darling. What’s the real reason you don’t want to stay with me?”
She dropped her gaze. He tipped up her chin but didn’t say anything else. He held her gaze and waited. Silence stretched. Finally she sighed. “I’m nervous.”
“Of what?” He ran his thumb over her jaw. “Of me?”
Yes, but not in the way she suspected he thought. He hadn’t given her any reason to fear him physically. It was the doubt. He was too perfect. Just like Dmitry had been in the beginning. But Wyn wasn’t like him. Wyn treasured her in a way Dmitry never had.
She leaned close and kissed him to avoid voicing her fears. He opened to her, welcoming her lead, something Dmitry refused to allow. Annoyance gripped her. She hated comparing them. They were different men, raised with different values, living completely different versions of what life offered. It wasn’t Wyn’s fault she was questioning her feelings, past and present.
She broke the kiss and told him the truth, at least part of it. “I haven’t spent the night with anyone since Dmitry.”
“I’m not him. Whatever he did to hurt you, know I won’t do the same.”
Her curiosity spiked. Ronnie had been trying to get her to talk for weeks. Wyn hadn’t pushed her once. “Aren’t you going to ask what he did to make me end things?”
He worked his jaw back and forth before meeting her gaze. “I want to know, but you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
Not a question. He spoke as if he fully expected her to divulge everything to him. His confidence and patience drew her. She snuggled closer. “You’re right. I will.”
Fix Me: Men of Sander’s Valley, book 2 Page 10