Forever Love (Circle of Ghadan Book 1)

by Kimberly Cummons

Pushing back from his hold enough to put her arms around his neck and look him in the eye, she asked, “Is that wise? Shouldn’t we go somewhere people won’t look for us? Everyone knows you’re protecting me, your house would be the first place they look.”

  “My place is as good as any and easy to defend. There’s only one road in and we won’t be alone. Micah’s men will be all over the mountain as will Tomas.” He held up a leather band a little more than an inch wide with a rope design circling it in three rows. “Micah gave me this to put around your wrist. There’s a tracking device in it. Keep it on you at all times.”

  She looked down at the strip of brown tanned and stained leather. “It’s beautiful. But I’ll need to take it off when I shower, I doubt getting wet will do it any good.”

  “I understand it’s waterproof, and the leather’s been treated, it won’t shrink.” He placed it around her wrist, adjusting it to fit and snapping it in place. Micah had designed it in such a way that once attached, it couldn’t be removed without the right tools. “I’ll feel more comfortable if you start wearin’ it now rather than in the morning as Micah suggested.”

  She looked up, her smile an attempt at reassurance, but fear seeped around the edges. “I’m not crazy, Keegan, I’ve been kidnapped once, I don’t want to be again. It wasn’t a pleasant experience and I know I’m very lucky to be alive.”

  Keegan chuckled. “I believe your being alive was the idea behind your abduction, a mhuirnín.” He grew serious. “However, if Dewhurst gets his hands on you again, that’ll not be the case this time and we know it.”

  “He scares me, Keegan. This whole new world I’ve fallen into scares me, but not nearly as much as the man whose hatred practically penetrated the walls. Why would he make me this way and then want me to die? His emotions were so strong I don’t know what he meant. I couldn’t tell if he lied.”

  “I don’t think anyone will ever truly understand why until we catch Dewhurst, but we think he’s tired of being alone and wanted to create a wife who won’t die. The man has never been without a wife, many times he’ll divorce them before they’ve even a chance to reach middle age. No one understands him. Bastien will talk with Sidney in the morning, see if she can give him any ideas, but chances are slim considerin’ how much she doesn’t know about her father.”

  A look of revulsion crossed her face “How would he know I was a Daughter even if he knows who my mother is?”

  “My guess, he was in your shop one day and saw you do something with your telekinesis. We all know that only Daughters have paranormal abilities.”

  Cass shook her head and reached out to touch his chest. Her warmth penetrated the fabric of his shirt. “No, I’ve never used my ability around others.”

  “Never? Not even if something was out of your reach and you knew it would be easier to get with a little extra help? He’s probably been watching you for a while. Somewhere along the line you could’ve slipped.” He slid his hand across her silky cheek, resting on the back of her neck. “I’m sure there are many things you can’t quite reach without the aid of a ladder.”

  She smiled a crooked smile and moved her hand from his chest to brush her thumb across his chin. “I’m closer to the toilet seat.”

  Keegan released a surprised laugh. “Now that’s something I never would’ve thought of as a problem, a mhuirnín. Do you have many instances of needin’ to be close to a toilet, then?”

  Her smile lit up her face. “Not to worship, Keegan. I’ve tried to sit on it in high heels, I can’t believe how far down it is.”

  She pulled back and tracked her hot gaze over his legs, making a long pause just below his waist. Damn if he didn’t grow harder. Her eyes continued their slow trek up his body and when she reached his face, she stood on tiptoe, her mouth inches from his. “With your legs, you really have a long way to go.”

  Keegan moved slowly, allowing her time to pull back, hesitating only a moment before he lowered his mouth to the promise of her sweet lips. She placed her warm, soft hands on either side of his face and leaned into him, taking what he was giving her a chance to refuse.

  Slowly, tentatively, her tongue brushed his lips and with a groan he opened for her. Her movements were unsure and bold at the same time. She was obviously unskilled. Putting his hands under her beautiful arse, he lifted her, encouraging her to wrap her legs around his waist and used his lips and tongue to reward her boldness.

  She moaned, the feel against his lips was fire shooting to his groin. His arousal strained against his jeans as she wiggled against him. Whether to feel him, or make sure she was safe from falling, he didn’t know. What he did know was that she was killing him. Every instinct in his body screamed for him to rip off her clothes and take her here, now, on the floor, or against the door. She deserved a bed.

  Over the centuries he’d learned to control his needs, but Cassie was destroying every shred of control he’d mastered.

  She moaned in his mouth. Damn, he had to touch her. “Hang on tight, a stóirín,” he whispered as he eased his hands under her baggy sweatshirt. Too thin whispered through his thoughts but he shoved it aside. They’d fix that in time.

  She went wild in his arms and started kissing him harder, nibbling on his bottom lip, wiggling against him and he felt her heat rise.

  “Bed, Keegan, I want to touch you. Bed, now!”

  “Cassie luv, it’s all right, we’ve time, we’ve all night.”

  Moving even more frantically against him, she pulled back. She was incredible. Head flung back, her long wild hair brushing his arm, she was about to explode.

  “Keegan. Touch me, please.” Her words were barely audible as she panted for breath.

  “A mhuirnín, wait.” He moved his hands back to her rear and held her in place, stopping her movements before he came in his jeans. Something he hadn’t done since he was a lad.

  “No! I don’t want to.”

  He smiled. He didn’t want to either. “Shh, a stóirín.” He took her mouth in a thorough kiss before pulling back and softly nibbling her lower lip. “Shh, I’ll help you, luv, but you’ve got to relax. Can you be doin’ that for me?”

  She looked at him, her green eyes shining bright. She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue and damn if she didn’t destroy him. It wouldn’t take much for him to lose his tenuous control. He might have gained more restraint with age, but she wasn’t making this easy on him.

  He made it as far as a chair not three steps away. Sitting with her on his lap, she put her knees on either side of his hips and enthusiastically took his lips.

  He stroked her a couple of times through the sweats before sliding his hand past the silk of her drawers and against her waiting heat. “Christ, you’re so wet.”

  “Oh, yes, that’s perfect.”

  With his free hand, he gripped the back of her head and brought her face down. Groaning, he nipped her jaw and then kissed it. As he stroked her, sliding his finger slowly up and down, she pressed against his hand. Working a finger into her, he pressed kisses against her face until he reached her ear where he nibbled on the dainty lobe. She began to rock against his hand and he slipped another finger inside her, letting her ride his hand, setting the pace.

  “Ah damn, a stóirín, yes, that’s it.”

  Gritting his teeth, he began thinking about medical procedures, dealing with bullet wounds, removing, suturing, anything to keep his desire from exploding. He had no idea how much longer he was going to be able to hold out. Blessedly, she reared back, her breasts straining against the sweatshirt, her hair touching his thigh. She didn’t shout out her release, but her groan of satisfaction and joy was better than any scream any woman had ever made.

  Her first initial climax was followed almost immediately by a second before she collapsed against his shoulder. Her breathing ragged. His fingers still buried deep inside her, he wiggled them, and said in what he hoped was a playful tone and not one as desperate as he was feeling, “Do you want to be doin’ that again, a stóirín? Wit
h me along for the ride this time?”

  Her answer surprised him, he’d thought sated as she was, she wouldn’t have much strength left. She grabbed his face and kissed his lips, his cheek, his jaw, working her way to his ear where she whispered in a voice deep and husky from her release, “Yes.”

  Keegan groaned and pulling his hand out of her sweats, stood with her legs again wrapped around him. Cassie grabbed his neck with a squeak as he walked toward the bed where he set her on the covers. Frantic, they began pulling clothes off until there was nothing but bare skin and scattered piles of cloth. Damn, she was beautiful. Nothing, not even near starvation could obscure the exquisite beauty that was his Cassie. She was small, and delicate as a child. But this woman was no child, and when she reached for his erection and took it in both hands, Keegan damn near exploded.

  ***

  Cass ran her hand along Keegan’s long length. Granted she hadn’t been with many men, one many years ago if she counted them all, but she knew Keegan was an incredibly fine example of exactly what a man should be. Holding him as he stood beside the bed gazing down at her with those sleepy chocolate eyes, she studied him, all of him. Criminy, he was beautiful. All sleek, athletic muscle.

  She leaned forward and licked his erection. The feel of his arousal twitching and growing even longer and harder in her hands was a power that was heady. She wouldn’t have thought it possible for her to get even hotter than she already was, but the salty, heady taste of him was like an aphrodisiac and she wanted more. She opened her mouth, and took him. Keegan’s groans were all she could hear. She released him and looked up smiling. He was the most gorgeous of men. His head thrown back, his eyes closed, his long hair flowing down his shoulders.

  He cocked his head to look at her. A dimple-forming smile appeared just before he put one knee on the bed. Pushing her back, he threw his other knee over her, straddling her. Before she could take him in her hands again, he slid down her body, sucking her nipple into his mouth. The heat from his tongue shot through her nerve endings. Gazing up at her, his eyes glowing, he moaned, and she followed right along. Never had she seen anything that could set her on fire like her nipple in his mouth as he sucked and nibbled. His hand came up to lightly pinch her other nipple and breathing became impossible. She had no idea what was happening to her, never had she been so turned on, came so many times or so easily. Never had she literally attacked a man. Good thing he’d been more than willing.

  Slowly, ever so slowly she wanted to scream, Keegan worked his way down her stomach and dipped his tongue in her belly button before he said, his voice a husky growl, “A diamond, I want to put a diamond right here.”

  She smiled. “A deep red ruby.” Like the one in his ear.

  Keegan knew what she meant and his eyes flared with heat as he moved further, kissing her, taking her breath away. When his mouth touched her, she exploded again. His tongue drove her crazy, she was going to die as one climax then another shook her.

  As she fought to catch her breath, Keegan rose, leaving her. Shocked at the sudden loss of his weight, she watched him pull a condom from his wallet. Tossing the wallet in the chair, he opened the condom and rolled it on before returning to straddled her. Taking her mouth in a soul stealing kiss, he plunged into her. She screamed as another lightning quick orgasm hit. Never, never had she ever felt anything like what she felt in this man’s arms. Heaven help her, he wasn’t through with her. His hips moved back and forth as his tongue dueled with hers.

  Again, she was close, so close. Keegan was panting, sweating. She could see the strain, knew he was waiting for her. His hand moved between them. He stroked her once, twice, and she shattered, his roar of satisfaction matching her. She was going to be hoarse, she thought absently.

  He fell against her. He was heavy. Not too heavy. Cozy. He didn’t stay long before he slid off and out of bed. Making a quick trip to the bathroom to remove the condom, he returned and lay beside her. Working the blanket out from under her, he covered them, tucking her in close to his chest, his big hand stroking her breast. He was breathing heavily as he nuzzled her neck behind her ear.

  Finally finding her voice, she asked, “Keegan, what just happened?”

  She felt him chuckle against her neck as he said, “The choo choo just went into the tunnel and let off steam.”

  The playful comment took her by surprise. It was so out of character for the man she’d originally dubbed Dangerous, she giggled. “No, that’s not what I meant, I understood that. I’ve never felt like this before. What happened?”

  “Ah, I wondered if this was normal for you, a stóirín. I’ll take your question to mean it’s not.”

  “No, I’ve had sex, yes I’ve climaxed.” Jeez this conversation should be embarrassing her to no end, but it wasn’t. Could she have possibly gotten totally comfortable in a man’s presence that quickly? No, not just any man’s. Keegan’s. “But it’s never been like this before.”

  “Honestly, it’s never been like this for me either, a stóirín. I hope your comment means you’re happy.”

  She smiled. “Oh, yeah, very happy and very satisfied.”

  “Mmm, I do believe I’m one lucky bastard.”

  His voice was getting sleepy and Cassie knew he had to be tired, he’d been going non-stop for the past couple of days, but she had to ask, “Why?”

  “Because you’re a beautiful, excitin’ woman, Cassie luv.”

  Cass yawned, Keegan wasn’t the only one who was tired. But then, she’d just had an extremely traumatic week, she guessed it only made sense. “I am?”

  “Ah hell, yeah.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  She felt his lips on her neck, but he didn’t say anything. A few minutes later, she knew he was asleep. Smiling she closed her eyes and drifted off, savoring this moment of quiet knowing the morning would be soon enough to face whatever came next.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Cass opened her eyes as they came to the road that would take them up the mountain to Keegan’s cabin. The trip from the airport had been uneventful and once they’d gotten onto the expressway their conversation had faded into a comfortable silence. That was fine as she had a lot to think over. She’d been running her thumb over the design on the cuff ever since they left the airport in Springfield. She recognized a nervous movement when she saw one, but she didn’t stop.

  So much had happened in a short time. Just two weeks ago she’d been picking out newly released books to put on her store shelves. Had they come in? Was the order complete? How was the store doing? Did the special orders make it to the customers? Cass shook her head. If the orders came in like they were supposed to, Kerry would have called the customers.

  She dropped her head back on the headrest. They needed to find Dewhurst’s contact soon so she could get her life back. Hopefully without losing Keegan in the process.

  “Are you all right, a mhuirnín?”

  She really needed to ask him what that meant. She assumed it was some Irish endearment, but what did she know? There was another one, too, one he used when he made love to her. For now, though, it didn’t matter. There would be time for questions like that later. She hoped.

  She didn’t look at him. If she did, she’d lose track of what she was thinking. He had a way of doing that to her. She’d forget her own life and get caught up in the new one that had been forced on her. “What am I going to do, Keegan? I’m worried about my store. I’m mad as all get out about how Kerry has been hurt by a clumsy Daughter. I know you said Dewhurst had gone home and the house was under surveillance, but that’s not enough.”

  Keegan slipped his hand under hers lacing their fingers and caressing the space between her thumb and forefinger. “Kerry’ll be fine, a mhuirnín, Althea said the damage was minimal. Don’t you go worrin’ about it now when we need to be focusin’ on other things. We don’t know where Dewhurst went after the meeting, but he was gone long enough to allow our men to bug his home. Micah’s men are good. Dewhurst won’t get
away from them again. You’ll be safe with me. My security’s the best available and I have cameras over most of the mountain.”

  Grateful as she was that Dewhurst was being watched, she was still mad about Kerry, and Keegan’s attitude didn’t help. “Like minimal damage is acceptable?”

  “No, it’s not acceptable. Nothin’ about this is acceptable, Cassie. This whole situation is unacceptable, but there’s one part of it I’m eternally grateful for.”

  “What about this can you possibly be grateful for?”

  Keegan gave her hand a squeeze. “I got to meet you, luv. I can’t see how that could’ve ever happened had our lives continued as they were going. I don’t make a habit of visiting Elkhart.”

  Cass sighed, he was right, they’d deal with Kerry later. Besides, he’d just succeeded in melting her anger. She smiled. Funny how such a small statement could make a frightening change in her life sound like a good thing. “You know, I believe I’ve come in contact with your world. I’d have to check my records to be sure, but I’m almost positive I’ve had inquiries from St. Clair Treasures for some of my first edition books.”

  Keegan glanced at her and smiled. “Did you tell Bastien that?”

  She shook her head against the headrest. “No, I didn’t think about it until just now. I was thinking about all the things I had waiting for me at the store. If I’m not mistaken, I think there was something in my email I was going to check on the next morning.” A weight formed in her chest. “I never made it back in the next morning.”

  “Since we haven’t been able to find your cell phone, we’ll get you set up with a computer as soon as we get back to the cabin. I have a spare laptop you can use.”

  “You have a spare laptop? Of course you do.”

  A corner of Keegan’s mouth quirked up, the dimple forming on one side. “It’s not as crazy as it sounds. Two trips ago, I got over to Ireland without my laptop. Rather than have Tomas send it to me, I just picked up another one while I was over there.”