“So you don’t think we’re safe,” she stood up straighter, not buying his reasons, “Even though you claim that we are.”
“I didn’t say that,” he reached for her hair, “I just know that if I need to see something, if I need to act, I don’t know that it will happen if I’m not in the right frame of mind. I’m sorry. I can’t ride on your bus with you.” He heaved a deep sigh, “You distract me too much, and I think that’ll be the only way to solve the problem. I can’t let anything happen to you.”
Searching his eyes, she wasn’t sure what to say. Finally, she conceded, “I want you to go. If you can’t be on the bus with us, then ride with the security team and keep your distance. If that’s what it takes for you to feel right about this, then I’m ok with that. I need you there.” The thought made her wince, as that had been the role Henry played for so many years, watching from afar; but at least he would be close.
Pursing his lips, he nodded slightly, “I’m considering doing that, but I won’t promise anything. We’ll see how things go between now and then before I make up my mind.”
Leaning her forehead against his, the pair stood and swayed left and right, the white puffs drifting to the ground visible through the window beside them. Exhaling noisily, he indicated the wide frame, “Remember the last snowfall we shared?”
Tori smiled, recalling the surprise snow day back in Texas, and nodded, “The day we met Trish’s boys. They walked into our lives and never left.” She could feel his sadness, and it occurred to her that he might be homesick.
“Do you wanna go home? I mean, go home for Christmas?” she asked meekly, considering how it might improve his outlook.
Shaking his head, he refused. “Your brother expects us to stay here and share the holiday with him, and we should. It’ll be our first family Christmas since you found him. It’s only right,” Michael tried to sound understanding, even if he didn’t completely feel that way.
Kissing him, Tori sent her fingers gliding across his wide chest and around his shoulders, feeling the warmth of his hardened muscles through his tee. She had come into the room with the intention of making love, but felt drained by the sad tidings he had given her. Renewed ambition set over her, and she pushed forward decisively, placing her mouth over his and preventing him from speaking further.
Pulling at his clothes, she lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it on the chair next to them. Using her tongue, she wet his nipple through his mat of curly hair and ran her fingers across it playfully. Her touch excited him, and he splayed his digits lightly across her waist, searching for the hem of her shirt to remove it.
Emitting a small giggle, Tori took a step back and began to remove her own clothing, not stopping until she had fully undressed and her long black hair fell around her naked curves. Her lips curled in a soft smile, her eyes full of tenderness, she pulled at his button and zipper, and the remainder of his garments fell to the floor.
Lifting her chin towards him, she backed to the bed and perched on the edge of it. He made his way up to her, stopping in the perfect position for her to reach out and toy with him before taking him into her mouth.
Tori had always loved how much he excited her, and she him, her fingers grasping eagerly as she pulled and teased.
Michael enjoyed her playfulness, caressing her scalp and running his digits through her dark tresses while she fondled him. He allowed her to do so for several minutes before removing himself from her grasp and dropping to his knees before her.
Tugging at her legs to spread them wide, he laid her back on the edge of the bed so that he could reach her easily with his face and fingers, exploring her soft folds beneath her trimmed mat of fur, almost as if he were opening a fragile gift. She moaned slightly, her hands anxiously moving back and forth between his brown waves and her own flesh that demanded the attention of her trembling fingers.
His need urging him for more, he stood and indicated for her to move to the center of the bed. Grappling with her legs while he faced her, he pushed them down, folding them so that her ears and knees were almost connected, claiming her in a swift driving motion that took her breath away. He moved against her with heavy thrusts, and she panted into them, relishing his forcefulness, the wetness oozing down to coat her forbidden crinkles of flesh.
The two were as noisy as ever with their grunts and groans, lost in the animalistic roots of their desire. Eventually freeing her legs, she wrapped their silky smoothness around him, squeezing him slightly as he leaned over to kiss her, and then lick and bite at the tender skin that covered her neck. Clawing at his shoulders and hair, she begged him for more, and then lifted her feet towards the roof to allow him to punish her more fully.
Giving in to her demands, he sat up and rolled her over onto her face, so that her rear end stuck up into the air and made his way inside of her. Tori loved it when he drove her in this manner, crying out sharply at his eager stabs. As she cried for more, he tried to appease her with hard, almost violent strokes that caused him to pant, the sweat dripping from his sticky flesh. He grasped at the roundness of her hips, using them for leverage as he worked, Tori hanging on to the blankets that covered their bed in a mixture of pain and lust.
After a few minutes, he teased her with his thumb, rubbing the folds of her round orifice, tickling the tender flesh and allowing her to become lost in their actions more fully before she had finished. Knowing her trembling signal, he squeezed her ribs as he released, her breathing in deep gasps as her insides undulated in waves of pleasure, her grasp weakened to nothing as she clung to the cloth.
Their desire spent, the couple dropped down onto the flat surface, their bodies still intertwined. His arm looped around beneath her, Michael’s hand became buried inside her thick curls that allowed her skin to hide and peek at him in small sections. He pulled gently at her locks as she tantalized him, and he felt the strength of their bond weighing heavily in his chest. He loved her so much, he almost felt trapped by his devotion.
Lying still, wrapped in the warmth of their greedy sex, the couple could hear the sound of Jingle Bells emanating from somewhere in the house. Humming softly to the melody, Michael ran his fingers over the red marks that were visible where he had held on to her too tightly a few moments before, only feeling slightly guilty as it had also pleased her that he had done so. Eventually, they moved to the shower, continuing to share kisses and to express their fondness for one another in kind, each knowing they had done their best to satisfy the other.
Nobody’s Angel
Things continued to run fairly smoothly in the house as Michael and Tori made the effort to avoid the rowdier activities of the other three. Eventually, this got old for the girl, and on the last night before Cody and Collin were to leave for Nebraska, she decided she wanted to be a part of the crowd.
“What do you mean you’re going downstairs?” Michael grabbed her arm, swinging her around to face him, “You’re going to join the party?”
“Yeah, I’m going to join the party,” she stated flatly, her eyes dropping to his lips as her hand wafted around to indicate their prison, “I’m tired of hiding up here like a hermit. Besides, it sounds like fun.”
Her husband clenched his jaw, his hand gripping her arm more firmly than he intended before she wrenched it away from him. “You got a problem with that?” she demanded crisply, her eyes darting back up to meet his, aware that he really didn’t like it, but unable to give in to him at the moment.
“No,” he dropped the word calmly, “No problem. Let me change, and I’ll go with you,” he tried to buy some time.
“Don’t be silly,” she laughed out loud, “It’s our house, we can go buck naked if we want to.” His brow shot up at the comment, not even doubting that she was serious, and she continued, “I’m going. Come and find me if you have to change. Or, whatever.”
Giving herself a quick glance in the mirror, Tori closed the door behind her, aware that he hadn’t moved and stood, staring after her in disbelief. Her fingers
trailing the banister, she descended the front staircase, and found her way into the living area that held the massive tree.
Pushing her way through the bottleneck and into the room, she looked around at the groups that were strewn about, many of them drunk or high. Two couples shared the couch, both missing important pieces of clothing, and she found herself staring at them in surprise, as she had experienced scenes of that nature too many times to count in her previous life.
Only staying for a moment, she retraced her steps, taking the narrow hall that wound through the center of the house and came out in the kitchen on the back side. The constant thud of the music beginning to make her innards spasm, she forced her countenance into a pleasant shape to mask the few unpleasant memories that bombarded her.
Entering the oversized room, the stench of alcohol greeted her, and her mouth began to water. Smiling as she gazed around the wide expanse, she moved up next to the table, where several shot glasses and bottles of liquor were scattered across it, obviously a large quarters match in full swing .
Her brother sat on one end, shirt off, with a small blond rubbing his smooth chest from behind. “Hey, sis,” he blurted too loudly, “Wanna join us? Make some room, guys,” he demanded before she had even responded.
“No, Danny; it’s ok,” she held her palms up in a stopping motion, as a pair of hands slid around her waist, and a warm breath caressed her ear.
“Hey, beautiful,” the male voice cooed, his fingers moving across her flat belly in a circular motion before pulling her tightly against him, causing his exaggerated bulge to press against her rear end. “Let’s go someplace private,” he continued as the digits found a nipple, her heart doubling in speed at the excitement the intimate action produced.
Catching his hand, Tori slipped slightly to the side, but not completely out of his grasp, “Collin, honey; you’re drunk,” her voice tinkling lightly as she spoke.
“I know,” he laughed himself, pushing her back against the wall next to them, caging her between his arms, “But you can’t tell me you’re not tempted. I see the way you look at me, you know.”
Tori’s mouth hung open, a small smile refusing to be wiped away, “How I look at you? Are you kidding me? That’s so lame,” she laughed out loud, and he leaned forward, placing his lips over hers.
Her hands pushed against his bare chest, only half resisting his advances. She could feel the pulse in her neck, her panties already growing moist at the thought of being in such a compromising position.
When he ended the kiss, he kept his face close to hers, his lips on her cheek, “So whatdaya say? Share and share alike?”
His reference startled her, and images of lying across the table while a group of men took their turns at her sprang into her mind. Her smile fading, she licked her upper lip, “No, Collin; not tonight. Ok? I just wanna hang out for a while. Listen to the music and… mingle.”
“Suit yourself,” he pulled his arms down and stumbled away from her.
The air surrounding her felt colder with the removal of his presence, and she shivered, feeling a surprising stab of sadness to see him go.
Straightening herself and smoothing her clothing, she made her way over to the fridge, where she retrieved a bottle of water, only to be manhandled briefly by a second man, who she had never met before. This time, Michael intervened, removing the unwanted hand from her waist and telling him to get lost.
“Wow, I wasn’t sure you were going to show,” she teased him as she pulled out a second bottle to hand her mate, noting that he had, in fact, not changed clothes. Realizing he may have seen the display, she only felt slightly guilty at the encounter with Collin. Lifting her chin, she waited for him to respond as his brown eyes bore into her.
Without speaking, Michael reached and grasped her hand, jaw set as he led her through the far door and down the passage that came out at the lounge, which held a bar and pool table. Guiding her inside, he indicated that she should choose a cue, and he ran the couple lying across the green felt off to another part of the house, with a booming, “Hey, guys; get a room!”
Giggling at the way he acted, Tori continued to smile as she selected a maple shaft and watched her husband place the balls into the rack for a simple game of eight ball. “You any good?” she inquired.
“Does it matter?” he tossed back, unable to suppress a grin of his own. Damn she’s gorgeous. I’m gonna kick the shit out of that man if he ever touches her again. He sneered as he recalled what he had seen before Collin had been dispensed. “What shall we play for?”
Her smile shriveled into an evil grin, knowing the thing she would want from him he would never do, whether he won the right or not. But what if she won it? Staring at him, her mind turned as she wanted to be careful how she worded her request.
Opening the bottle of water, she took a long drink, and placed it on the table in the corner. Her back turned, she peered over her shoulder at him, her long black mane hanging behind her.
“Oh, you know, we don’t really have to wager anything, do we?” she spun the phrase coyly, and he smiled, leaning on the table with straight arms.
“Well, if you’re going to have guys feeling you up in the kitchen, I figure I might as well have my shot, right love?”
The smile disappeared from her lips, aware that he had seen everything that had taken place. Turning to face him squarely, she could feel her nerve slipping away, “He cornered me,” she defended, “I wasn’t there on purpose.”
“Yeah,” he breathed, “And I could see how hard it was to get away from him, too. Choose the wager. Whatever it is that you want most. Then I’ll tell you mine.”
Tori ran her finger along the side of the table, moving slowly around to the far side while keeping her eyes fixed on him, curious what he would ask for. “Maybe we should just put up money. Like, twenty a game or something.”
He laughed again, “That’s chicken shit, baby girl. You wanted to come down here, to enjoy the party. Make a real wager.”
She didn’t like the way the word party rolled off his lips, and she stopped moving. “Alright, we make it for the night. If I win…” her voice trailed away, a little afraid to actually ask him for it, “If I win, we make it dirty. Really dirty.”
He shook his head with a chuckle, “Is that the best you can do? I know what you mean, but you can’t even say it? A badass bitch such as yourself?” He had been giving her a twisted grin, enjoying tormenting her, but something about the hurt expression that crossed her face stopped him cold. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean it like that.”
She looked down at his chest, the table still between them, “Yeah well, that’s the best that I can do,” and she blinked rapidly for a moment. “What’s yours?” her voice shook slightly as she demanded to hear his terms.
“We go home,” he stated bluntly. “If I win more games than you, after the tour is over, we go home.”
Tori stared at him, air caught in her chest; “That’s it? We already agreed we were going home anyways. That’s a stupid wager, Michael,” her voice went up as she rebuked him, angry that she had made a real request, and he had blown her off.
“I mean for good.”
Jaw dropped, she coughed; “What? You’re kidding me. Are you asking me to quit the band? You’re the one who convinced me to be here, God damn it!”
Reaching over, he picked up the cue ball, holding it in his hand as he pointed his index finger at her, “No. I said you should choose what you want to do and not because you were afraid. In the end, it was your choice. I wanted to take you home. I still do.” His voice dropped as he spun the ball in his palm, “It’s the thing that I want most.”
She blinked at him for a moment, “I don’t want to play.”
“What do you mean you don’t wanna play?” he waved his arms around. “It’s just a bet! Haven’t you ever gambled before?”
“Are you going to give me what I want if I win?”
He squeezed the ball, as if it would compress in his firm grip,
rolling his tongue around as he considered the question. After a lengthy pause, he nodded, “Yeah, if you win more games than me, I’ll give you what you want.”
“How many times?” she demanded, lifting her chin.
He burst out laughing, “What the hell kind of question is that?”
“A legitimate one,” she countered evenly. “If you win, you get something that’s forever. I want the same. If I win, you give me what I want… from now on.”
Michael stared at her for a moment, then rolled the ball across the table to her with a nod, “You’re one hell of a horse trader, ya know that? Sure, as often as you like, I will treat you like a filthy whore. Your break.”
Ignoring the jab, Tori placed the cue ball behind the imaginary line and chalked her cue. After a few practice strokes, she sent it crashing into the cluster of balls, two of them falling into a pocket, one of them the cue ball. “Fuck!” she swore loudly.
Michael laughed, retrieving the white sphere. “Hmmm, tough break,” he snickered at his pun and proceeded to run the table. Calling the final shot, he sank the eight and returned his stick to the rack, “Thanks for the game.”
Turning, he could hear her calling after him as he made for the door, “Wait a minute, that wasn’t fair! You cheated; God damn it!”
Swinging around, he faced her squarely, “I cheated? I don’t see how… the wager was, that if I won more games than you, I won the bet.” She had made her way up behind him and stood toe to toe with him, his eyes only slightly higher than her own as she narrowed them at him. “You never specified how many games,” he finished in a quieter tone.
Fuck me, I didn’t. Son of a bitch. She had been so eager at the thought of trapping him into giving in to her, she had missed that part of the deal. “I assumed it would be more than one.”
“Well, you know what happens when we assume things,” he teased her with a small grin, his hand catching hers to play with her fingers. “You remember that song of yours, Nobody’s Angel?”
“Yeah, what about it?” she demanded, still pissed that he had gotten the better of her.
A New Life Series - Finisher Set Page 37