Lifting her bottom slightly, he dragged his tongue from her slick opening back to her clit, pausing to suck and nibble each crevice. Ariel gasped out her surprise and tightened her hold on him.
***
“Sweet Jesus!” She arched off the bed and pushed her hips at him.
Damien had had just about all he could stand. He needed inside her. Badly. Pulling himself up along her upper body, he kissed her belly once again, her breast, and finally her lips, where he lingered. Covering her with his much bigger body, careful to keep his weight off her, he rubbed his pulsing cock against her wet entrance, silently asking permission to proceed.
Ariel put her hand between their sweating bodies and guided him inside her. As the swollen head of him entered her, she screamed, a look of utter bliss on her face. Wrapping her legs around him, she impaled herself on his thick length and arched her back.
Damien groaned and moved slowly at first, then plunged into her with more force. He gave her what she needed, took what he needed. He whispered soft words as he rode her body in sweet abandon. Nothing in his life could have prepared him for this moment. Ariel was his world. He'd known from the moment he first saw her she was meant for him. The pleasure he took in her body was only the tip of the iceberg. He wanted all of her. Heart and soul.
Ariel dug her fingers into his shoulders. Damien knew she hadn’t given herself to anyone since the awful betrayal and he wanted to be her hero, to help her heart heal. This wasn’t about a sexual encounter— he wanted to give her all he was, to pledge his entire being to her. Even if this was all they ever had, if she left him after this one afternoon of sweet bliss, he hoped he had given her confidence in herself and the courage to go on. God help him if she decided to leave him. He would do everything in his power to make her happy, to fulfill every need.
Tossing her head back and throwing her hips at him, she came with a soft whimper, her strong inner muscles grasping him, threatening the tenuous control he had on his wayward body. She just felt so damned good! No other woman had wrapped herself around his heart so completely.
She clutched his shoulders as her body contracted around his. When her spasms lessened, Damien gave in and let her bring him with her into bliss. He wanted this, wanted to be a part of her permanently. Allowing his mind, body and soul to merge with her completely, he prayed there would many, many more nights like this one.
Pleasure surrounded him, pulsing through his aching shaft to the base of his spine. He stifled his groan against her neck as he thrust once more and emptied himself into her. He kissed her neck and breasts. Her mouth. Wanting to worship her with his mouth he tasted with reverence everywhere, offering unspoken praise.
When he finally pulled himself away from the temptation that was Ariel, he said, “You have to know that I have no intention of letting you out of my life. I want you with me.”
“B-but, what about the baby? She’s not yours,” Ariel stuttered.
“I want you both, Ariel. I’ll play whatever role you want me to in her life as long as you let me stay in yours. I’ll treat her as if she were my own if you’ll let me. Please, sweet. Don’t make me beg.” He smiled at her. “At least give me a chance to prove how much I care about you. Given time, I’m sure we’ll grow to love each other very much. I think I’m already at least half in love with you. What do you say?”
Her smile grew slowly, but eventually lit up her face. “I think I’d like that very much.”
Damien gave her a quick, hard kiss before moving off her. Making a quick pass through the bathroom, he cleaned himself before joining her again and cleansing her with a damp cloth. Then, he climbed into bed beside her, pulling firmly against him, his arms wrapped around her. This was how it was supposed to be. This was what he wanted every night for the rest of their lives. Not long after that, he felt her breathing level out and she relaxed against him completely, asleep. He smiled and kissed her neck before nuzzling his face against her hair. Dragging her scent into his lungs, he closed his eyes and slept.
Chapter Four
Damien woke to a horrible racket outside his house. That goddamned GTO had to go. Glancing at Ariel made him hate the bastard all the more. She looked vulnerable, unsure of herself. With a growl, Damien pulled her to him, kissing her hard. When he backed away to look into her eyes, they had a haunted look, but her gaze never wavered from his.
“He’s jealous,” Damien stated. “Ultimately, it’s up to you. I won’t tell you I’ll step aside if you want to go back to him. I want you in my life and I’ll do anything I can to keep you there.”
She smiled. “I don’t want him and you know it. I just hate confrontation.”
“No problem, sweetheart. Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute.” He kissed her again before tugging on his jeans and padding to the door ready to open a can of whoopass if it became necessary.
Damien had just stepped outside, pulling the door closed behind him, when Gretta stomped furiously down the street. “I’ve had enough of this, you son of a bitch,” she yelled as she approached the car, Tom still revving the engine. How in the world Damien managed to miss the huge Louisville Slugger in her hand, he didn’t know. But one second she hurried toward the car, the next she was swinging the thing like Hank Aaron.
The passenger side glass burst inward. Tom threw up his hands to protect his face, but Gretta continued to demolish the once pristine vehicle. Damien thought about trying to contain the little spit-fire, but given the way she swung that bat, he decided it would be best to not get in her way.
Standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, he watched as she systematically demolished Tom’s car. Instead of driving off, the dumb bastard got out of his car, yelling for her to stop, which only fueled Gretta further. The beat-down she gave the car made Damien wince, but he wasn’t about to interfere. As far as he was concerned, the dumbass got what he deserved.
Gretta didn’t run from Tom, either. When he approached, yelling for her to stop, she turned on him. That was when Damien decided it might be best to stop the battle before Tom got his head knocked off.
“Take it easy, Gretta.” He stepped between the two rather than hauling Gretta away from behind. He wanted her to see who she was swinging at.
“I will not take it easy!” Gretta spat her words more in contempt than anger, though Damien was sure there was a healthy dose of both surging through Ariel’s sister. “He’s disturbed my sleep for the last fucking time with this goddamned car!”
“You’re kidding, right?” Damien wanted to laugh out loud and groan in frustration all at the same time. There was more to it than simply lost sleep on Gretta's part. Gretta was probably worried Tom would try to intimidate Ariel, or worse, sabotage Ariel’s chance at happiness with Damien. He’d known Gretta a long time. No, this was not about lost sleep.”
“Look what the fucking bitch did to my car!” Tom shrieked as if this were all Gretta’s fault.
Damien’s eyes wanted to cross. Had there not been a crazy woman in his front yard wielding an enormous bat in a very destructive arch, he’d have laughed at the whole scene.
“That’s nothing compared to what I’m about to do to your balls!” Gretta lunged at Tom, who skirted out of her way. Damien caught her around the waist and practically tossed her in the direction of the house. It was a good thing too, because the cry of a police siren sounded in the distance. They were about to have the kind of company who might not like what Gretta was about to do to Tom’s tenders.
Ariel opened the door and snagged her sister’s hand as she hurried down the steps toward Damien. He waved her off, not missing the fact that she’d chosen to dress herself in one of his T-shirts. It covered her easily, reaching to mid thigh despite the girth of her abdomen. Damien couldn’t help but smile. This was as good her announcing she was his. No way Tom could deny she was over him now.
“Ariel!” Tom snapped. “Get back in that house and put your clothes on! This nonsense is over right now! I’m taking you home.”
&n
bsp; That was all Damien could take. In one swift motion, he whirled, grabbed Tom by the shirt collar, and slammed him against what was left of his car.
“You made a deal I intend to enforce,” Damien said. “Even if you hadn’t, do you honestly think I’d give her up without a fight? You had your chance and you blew it.” He looked straight into the other man’s eyes. “Come near her again, and I’ll make what Gretta did to your car look like a slight misadventure—only it won’t be your car I’m hurting.” Tom paled slightly, but stopped his blustering, not looking away from Damien. “Do you understand?”
When Tom nodded, Damien let him go with a little shove. Without a word, Tom got back in his car and drove away as fast as the battered car would let him—just as the police showed up.
The officer got out and shook Damien’s hand. Brett Carter was a part time cop, and a full time ER doctor with an attitude. Such was the beauty of a small town. “Neighbors called.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Something about a GTO and a Louisville Slugger.” He raised an eyebrow as his gazed wandered to Gretta’s direction. “Is there a problem?”
Grinning, Damien shook his head. “Since Tom took off, I’d say no. Though, I’m sure you’ll be hearing about it from him later.”
Brett shook his head and chuckled. “No doubt. I can handle him. You should really use more restraint, you know.”
“Wasn’t me.” Damien shook his head. Jerking a thumb over his shoulder, he indicated Gretta. “She has a soft spot for her sister.”
Brett’s face split with a wide, satisfied grin. “Indeed.”
Watching the street until he could no longer see the car down the block, Damien remained on alert. He wasn’t taking the chance Tom would change his mind and come back looking for trouble. He noticed Brett watching too and met the other man’s eyes before they turned to the women.
Gretta hugged Ariel fiercely, saying something to her sister that Damien couldn’t hear. Ariel nodded and smiled, the conversation ceasing as Damien neared them.
“I think you need to tell me your intentions toward my sister.” Gretta lazily hefted the bat to her shoulder, her gaze drifting past him to Brett. She didn’t act the least bit intimidated. If anything, she looked a little more fierce. Challenging even.
Damien smiled. “I intend to make her my wife, if she’ll have me. Though, I confess, you caught me before I was prepared to ask her properly. I don’t have a ring.”
Tears formed in Ariel’s eyes. She squealed and threw her arms around Damien’s neck, raining kisses over his face as the tears fell in steady streams down her face.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry, sweetheart,” he murmured, holding her tightly but always aware of the babe between them.
“It’s okay,” she sniffed and laughed as she swiped at her eyes. “I’m happy.”
“So...” He let the word hang between them, suddenly aware of his nerves. Gretta had forced his hand. He wasn’t prepared for this yet, not having time to woo Ariel like she needed.
“Yes,” she cried. “Absolutely I will marry you!”
“Are you sure? We’ve only had one night to, uh…discuss this.” He smiled at her. He wanted to shout for joy and swing her around in the air in shear delight, but he was too afraid of doing something that might hurt the baby.
“One night is all I need, Damien. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Well, except when I knew I wanted to make love with you,” she laughed.
He hugged her to him, kissing her mouth tenderly. “One night forever then, sweetheart. One night forever.”
Epilogue
“I understand you have some anger issues we need to discuss.” Brett cocked his hip lazily, his forearm resting on the butt of his weapon. “Perhaps I need to frisk you. You know. Make sure you don’t have any concealed weapons.”
Gretta met his gaze, daring him to try. Brett’s cock was at immediate attention. He’d always known the woman would be a handful.
“I don’t need to conceal my weapons.” She let the bat fall from her shoulder to rest one end of it on the ground. Her hand remained on the hilt. “Anything I use will be out and in your face.”
A slow smile spread across Brett’s face. He couldn’t help it. In that moment, he knew he was in love.
**Marteeka**
Marteeka Karland
Erotic romance author by night, emergency room tech/clerk by day, Marteeka Karland works really hard to drive everyone in her life completely and totally nuts. She has been creating stories from her warped imagination since she was in the third grade. Her love of writing blossomed throughout her teenage years until it developed into the totally unorthodox and irreverent style her English teachers tried so hard to rid her of.
Want to see what’s up with Marteeka? Check out her website at www.marteekakarland.com or join her Yahoo! group at [email protected]. Marteeka always welcomes e-mail from her readers. You can reach her at
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Epilogue
One Night Forever Page 3