by S. J. McCoy
She firmed her grip and slowly lowered herself onto him, gasping as he filled her. That seemed to be his cue to take over. He grasped her hips and pistoned deep inside her, moving her in his time as he thrust deeper and deeper.
“Chase!” He felt so damned good. She felt as though she was melting. The friction of his cock moving inside her ignited every cell of her body until she was dissolving around him.
“Look at me, Kenzie,” his voice was a growl, his hands tight on her hips as he pulled her down onto each thrust.
She opened her eyes and looked into his.
“Come with me,” he gasped and thrust deep and hard.
He strained inside her, carrying them both away. His orgasm exploded sending her own crashing through her. She ground her hips down onto him drawing him deeper and deeper as she clenched around him. Through all the shuddering and gasping, her eyes remained locked with his, intensifying everything.
He held her gaze as they stilled. She was still gasping when his hands tightened around her and a wicked grin spread across his face. He held her in place and rocked his hips slowly, determinedly underneath her. Oh God! She'd thought she was done, but a little flame flickered low in her belly. She moved with him as the heat spread and she stiffened. “Chase!” She screamed his name as the little flame exploded into a raging wildfire that tore through her. “Oh God, Chase!”
She slumped down onto his chest gasping for air. “Damn!”
He closed his arms around her. “Welcome home, lover.”
Kenzie closed her eyes. He must mean welcome to this house. They'd just christened it, after all. But with his arms wrapped around her like that, their bodies still joined—he felt like home.
She pressed her lips into his neck. Afraid now to look into his eyes. “Welcome home, yourself.”
He rocked his hips again. “I'd happily live right here.”
She'd happily let him! That was stupid talk though and she'd do well to remember it. She rolled off him.
He ran his hand down her side, his voice full of concern. “Jesus, Kenzie!”
She buried her face into his shoulder. She couldn't look at him. He was running his hand ever so gently over the bruises. She'd hoped they'd faded enough by now. Apparently they hadn't. She didn't want to talk about it. She scrambled off the bed.
“I stopped by during the week and stocked the fridge. Do you want a beer?”
He stood up to join her and touched her cheek. “Kenzie...”
She shook her head. “Don't, Chase. I'll be downstairs.” She broke away from him and ran down the stairs before he could say anything.
~ ~ ~
Chase went into the bathroom to clean up. When he came out, he went to grab his jeans and then thought better of it. Kenzie had run off before she had a chance to put any clothes on. He didn't want to put her at a disadvantage. The marks still visible on her body had shocked him. What the fuck had that guy done to her? He shook his head. He couldn't think about it. She didn't want to talk about it, so he wouldn't make her go there. All he could do was help her heal. He took the stairs two at a time and went to find in her in the kitchen. She was sitting at the little table, two open beers sat beside her.
She held one out to him without looking up. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” He caught her wrist when he took it from her.
She finally met his gaze. “Talking about it would mean admitting just what a fuckup I am. How badly I messed my life up.” She shook her head and stared at the little chicken magnets Megan had left on the fridge. “How weak I am.”
He pulled her up from the chair, grabbed both beers, and led her to the living room. He sat in the armchair and tugged her hand. She sat down in his lap with her back to him. He handed her a beer and curled one arm around her waist.
“Okay. Now you can't see my face, and I can't see yours. I know you don't want to talk about it, but please will you let me say something?”
He felt her stiffen. Sitting like this might not have been the best idea. He'd known she wouldn't want to meet his eye, but he hadn't considered the way he stiffened at the feel of her naked ass pressed against his cock.
“What?” The hard edge was back in her voice.
He wanted her to go back to being the soft, trusting Kenzie. Not the defensive, prickly version. But he understood. “Kenzie lover, you are not a fuckup and you are not weak. You didn't mess your life up, you had a really tough break. He tightened his arm around her at the thought, but he had to say it. “The guy...” He had to bite back the anger in his voice. “The guy who did this to you. I'm guessing he was a whole lot bigger and a whole lot stronger than you. You fought him off. He didn't get what he came looking for, did he.” He could feel himself shaking at the thought of what would have happened to her if she weren't as strong as she was. “How many women do you think would have managed to fight him like you did? It takes strength, and I don't just mean physical strength, to fight like that. If you weren't you, it would have been a lot worse. You are a survivor.”
Her shoulders heaved in a big sigh, then she relaxed back against him. “I know you're trying to be kind, Chase, but let's face it. I put myself in that situation in the first place. I moved to Nashville with him. I created the mess all by myself. I did what I do, I screwed the wrong guy and ended up in a bad place. It's the same old story.”
He drew in a sharp breath. The thought of her screwing any guy other than him had his heart racing again. He drew her closer still, trying to ignore the way her ass was pressing up against his aching cock. What could he say to that? Then it dawned on him.
“So write a new story. You've come to a good place now.” He ran his hand up over her ribcage, his touch feather light, so very conscious of her bruises. He kissed her neck while he filled his hands with her breasts, then brought his lips to her ear. “Screw the right guy this time.”
There was nothing hard about her voice when she spoke. “I already screwed you, but now what happens? Where do we go from here?”
Good question. He wished he knew the answer. At least he knew the first part. He ran his fingers down, over her stomach and between her legs. “What happens now is that you screw me again, and you keep screwing me, and keep talking to me while we figure out where we want to go from here.”
He leaned back in the chair and she let her head fall back against his shoulder. He closed one hand around her plump breast while the other teased her clit. She let her legs fall open and he wrapped his ankles around hers to keep them that way. She writhed in his lap making his balls tighten. He bit down on her neck as he rolled her clit between his finger and thumb. She was soaking wet for him and he was hard as a rock again.
“Chase!” He loved the way she said his name. She didn't speak it, she breathed it.
She was trembling under his touch now. He needed to be inside her, but there was one problem. Coming down here naked meant no condom within reach. She was grinding her ass against him, his cock had found its way between her legs and was pulsing with need at the feel of her slick heat. He couldn't though, not without a condom. He bit down on her neck and used both hands. He tormented her clit and traced her folds before sliding his fingers deep, making her moan.
“No, Chase I want you. I want to feel your cock inside me, not just your fingers.”
She leaned forward, sliding her hand under them to cup his balls and at the same time opening herself up and allowing his cock to push at her entrance.
Chase bit his bottom lip. It would be all too easy to penetrate her right now, bury himself balls deep and feel her close around him. “Kenzie, baby. I don't have a condom.”
“I'm guessing a guy who screws around as much as you do gets checked regularly?”
He frowned. He didn't want her to think of him as a guy who screwed around. He always had been though—till now. And she was right, he knew he was clean, he'd had his checkup last week. “Yeah.”
“Well, if you're clean and you trust me, we'
re good. I'm on the pill and you're the only guy I've slept with since I had my regular checkup. I don't sleep with anyone without a condom.”
The thought of her sleeping with any other guy, condom or not, sent that rush of jealousy through him again. The blood was surging in his veins and he was more than ready to go. He pinned her ankles against the chair with his own and pulled her down onto him, impaling her with one deep thrust. He moaned as she closed around him, tight and hot, and so wet for him. He wanted to make sure it was great for her and he wasn't going to last like this. He reluctantly pulled out. She pushed her ass back against him.
“Get down, lover.”
She slid down onto the floor and reached her arms up to him. There it went again. The way she made him feel when she did that slayed him. She was so soft, open, trusting. He got down from the chair and covered her body with his own. He remembered wondering how it would feel to have her hips pinned beneath his. She spread her legs wide for him and moaned when he filled her. Now he knew. It was the best feeling in the world. Her hips moved with his, taking him deeper, drawing him in as they took each other to the edge. He hooked his elbow behind her knee and drew it up to his shoulder. Now she was wide open, letting him all the way in as he thrust wildly. She tensed, then screamed his name as she let go. He came harder than he ever had. With no condom between them, she felt even more amazing than before. She clenched around him over and over until he saw stars. He'd always thought that tales of people who came so hard they passed out were urban legend, but she took him close. When their bodies stilled he collapsed on top of her, then immediately propped his weight back up on his elbows.
She wrapped her arms around his back and tried to pull him down. “Come back. I want to feel close to you.” The look on her face slayed him again. She was begging him!
“I just don't want to squash you. To hurt you.”
She tried again to pull him down and he let her—who was he to argue? “You're not hurting me. You're making me feel better.” She buried her face in his neck and mumbled something he couldn't hear.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
He grinned to himself. “Tell me, or I'll have to get up so I can hear you properly.”
She spoke against his neck, but this time a little louder. “I said: I want to melt into you so it doesn't have to end.”
Wow! “It doesn't have to end.” His heart was racing again as he rested his weight on her.
She tightened her arms around his back and said in a tiny voice. “I only meant the afterglow.”
He smiled to himself. “So did I.” He was pretty sure they were both lying.
Chapter Thirteen
Kenzie smiled at Ethan. “Of course you can come over. I'm staying in Summer Lake so I can be a good auntie.”
“Tonight?” he asked hopefully.
“We need to give her time to settle in first, little mate,” said Michael as he came down the stairs carrying two of Kenzie's bags.
Kenzie felt bad. “As soon as I know what my schedule is going to be at work, I'll call you and we'll figure out when you can come stay the night, how about that?”
Ethan grinned. “Really? I can come stay?”
“If your dad doesn't mind.” She looked at Michael.
He grinned. “I don't mind at all. You might want to check with Chase though.”
“He won't mind. He's on trial. He's my Uncle-for-now Chase and he wants to be my Uncle-forever Chase.”
Michael laughed and looked at Kenzie.
She shrugged but didn't comment.
Megan came running down the stairs with the last of Kenzie's things. “Come on, we need to get a move on.” She gave Ethan a hug. “I'm not coming to the bus stop this morning since I'm helping Kenzie move her things in. I'll pick you up at Grandma's tonight, okay?”
Ethan smiled up at her. “Okay, Meggie. I'll see you later.” He turned to Kenzie. “And I'll see you soon.”
She hugged him tightly, still surprised at how attached she'd grown to him in the last couple of weeks.
“Yep, see you very soon.”
When they arrived at the house, Megan smiled at her. “I'm so glad you're staying, Kenz.”
Kenzie smiled back. “I am too, sis. Thank you. Thank you for letting me stay with you, for letting me rent this place. For everything.”
Megan grinned. “How about a thank you for giving Chase your number after you left here?”
“I should be mad at you for that.”
“No way! I know it's not your usual style, but just look how it's working out. Chase is a good guy. He's obviously crazy about you.”
Kenzie couldn't help the big smile that spread across her face.
Megan laughed. “And you're obviously crazy about him.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Totally! And now you get to move in together. I have to say I'm quite pleased with myself about that.”
“Yeah, but what if it doesn't work out?”
“It will! I know it will. You two are made for each other.”
“Megan, we're both made to sleep around! Neither of us is made for this kind of thing.”
“Sorry, Kenzie, but you're wrong. You've both done your share of sleeping around and now you've met the one person you want to give it up for. I can tell. You've both lived that lifestyle because it was easy, it was fun and it was right in front of you. Now that you've met each other, I think you'll both find that you're made the same way as the rest of us.”
Kenzie thought about it. Perhaps Megan was right. She certainly couldn't see herself going back to her old ways. She didn't want the thrill of meeting new guys. The thrill of spending all her nights with Chase was much more appealing. Even when she thought about working behind the bar at the Boathouse, she wasn't thinking about all the guys she would meet. She was thinking about being able to watch him, listen to him sing, about waiting for each other to get finished at the end of the night, so they could come home together.
Megan opened the car door. “I need to get off to work, let's get this inside. You don't need to over-think it all, just enjoy it. You know I'm right.” She hauled one of Kenzie's bags off the backseat and Kenzie scrambled after her.
“But what if I screw it up, Megan? Make a mess of it? You know that's what I do.”
Megan turned back as she opened the garden gate. “You won't screw it up. That's what you used to do, when it didn't matter to you. It seems to me that Chase matters...”
The front door opened and Chase came out. “Hey ladies.”
Kenzie caught her breath as she smiled back at him.
“Good morning,” said Megan as he took the bag from her. “Thanks, Chase. I'll leave you to it.” She smiled at Kenzie then hugged her before heading back to her car. She spoke in a low voice. “It seems he matters a lot. You need to make sure you don't screw it up. I'll call you later.”
Kenzie stared after her for a moment, hoping that she was capable of not screwing up.
“Good morning, lover,” said Chase. “Do these want to go upstairs?”
Damn him, he was so hot! She smiled back. “I do.”
“Then let's go.” He slung the bag over his shoulder and held the front door open for her. “After you.”
~ ~ ~
Chase stared out across the water and sipped on his beer. Kenzie was in the office talking to Ben about her schedule. This was all working out so well. They'd moved all their stuff into the house and christened her room. Then they'd sat out in the sun in the little backyard for a while before coming over here. Chase had no idea where it was all going, but he was enjoying it. That was all he needed to know…for now.
He saw Dan make his way out onto the deck and waved. He liked Dan, he was quiet and smart, like genius smart, but he was cool. Chase had hoped he might bump into him soon. He wanted to ask for any advice he had about winning over little kids. Dan seemed to have formed quite a bond with Missy's son, Scot. Chase w
as hoping he might give him a few pointers on how to handle Ethan.
Dan lifted his hand and made his way over to where Chase was sitting. “Hey, how are you? I've been hoping to catch up with you.”
That puzzled Chase, what could Dan want with him? “I'm great thanks. What do you want me for?”
Dan grinned. “I want to ask how you feel about weddings.”
Chase swallowed hard, as his heart began to race. Weddings? Jesus! That was a scary thought. Just a few weeks ago he'd been happily chasing any piece of ass that caught his fancy. Things had changed since he met Kenzie—but weddings? He just stared at Dan, not knowing what to say.
Dan laughed. “Don't look like that! I mean playing weddings, with the band, you know?”
Chase let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. “Ah!”
Dan kept laughing. “Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.”
Chase laughed with him now. “That's okay. You just caught me off guard. Have you and Missy set a date then? Ben hasn't mentioned anything.”
“We're working on the date. And Ben wouldn't have said anything because we're not getting married here. We're going to Vegas.”
“Vegas?” Chase raised his eyebrows.
“Yeah,” Dan ran a hand over the stubble on his cheek then smiled. “Miss loves it there and it's about the only way I'll be able to stop her from working herself into the ground to organize it all. Do you remember the night we got engaged?”
Chase laughed. “Remember it? I'll never forget it. It was an awesome night. You guys all dancing on the bar, her birthday, you going down on one knee in front of everyone? Kudos, man.”
Dan smiled shyly, “Thanks. You guys were a big part of it. Playing all her favorite songs and everything. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. How would you feel about coming to Vegas? Being our wedding band? I know she would love that.”
Wow! “We'd have to talk to Ben.”
Dan nodded quickly. “I already did. I didn't want to poach you away from him. He's cool with it.”