Whispers from the Dead (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 2)
Page 23
He was going to be all right.
The one room cabin was bathed in soft afternoon light that made me instantly sleepy. I dropped my keys on the table and forced myself to meet Daniel’s dark gaze. He rose from the bed and stood looking at me. I can only describe the look in his eyes as needing. I felt the same way, so I understood perfectly. All the violence and death of the last couple of days had left a coating of lonely despair all over me, and Daniel was feeling it also.
Without a word, he closed the distance. He grabbed my arms and pulled me against him. And then he kissed me. His lips were firm and fit perfectly against mine. He tasted so good, that I couldn’t believe that I had not surrendered to him long ago.
When he nuzzled my neck, I made a hoarse noise that I never heard come from my throat before. The sound made Daniel groan in return. He pushed the coat off my shoulders in a single movement and I was only half aware of him helping me pull my shirt up over my head.
He stopped just long enough to gaze down at me for a moment and smile. His eyes told me that everything would be all right, his hands told me that he would never let go of me unless I forced him too. I had waited too long for this moment and now that it was really happening, I couldn’t make it happen fast enough.
Daniel’s breath was warm and minty against my ear, his fingers kneaded my hips and his tongue traced the corner of my mouth. Somehow, his shirt was off and my hands were rubbing into his back, forcing him even closer.
Then we were in the bed and our clothes were off. Our bodies were finally completely skin to skin and I marveled at how well we fit together, almost as if we were created only for each other. He kissed me again, deeper and harder than before. His fingers moved from my hips over my belly. Desperate chills raced through me and I couldn’t stop myself from wantonly arching against him. But Daniel wasn’t in as big of a hurry as I was. He leisurely traced a path between my breasts. His fingers moved over a nipple, causing me to cry out again. I couldn’t have formed a coherent word if I’d wanted to. Daniel was relentless with the exploration of my body and I writhed beneath him as if I was a total slut. But for the first time ever, I didn’t even care. I was being moved completely by instinct, and that was all.
Just when I thought I was going to faint dead away, he was inside of me. At first his rhythm was controlled and smooth as silk, but soon his pace quickened and I was the one in control. With a deep groan, he came just an instant after I did.
I was panting as if I’d run a mile and shivering at the same time. Daniel rolled over and pulled me up under his arm. His breathing was as erratic as mine and our sweat mixed together as we continued to stay tightly pressed against each other.
After a few quiet moments, my breathing returned to normal and I finally looked up at Daniel. He was already staring at me with glowing eyes that made me shiver all over again. The look on his face was so intense that it scared me a little. I had spent my entire romantic life since Denton trying to avoid such strong emotions towards a man, but here I was, completely lost to them. And it seemed that Daniel was, too.
“You are the most precious thing in the world to me,” Daniel whispered.
Sure, it wasn’t an, “I love you,” but it was damn close. I almost opened my mouth to tell him how deep my feelings were for him as well, but instead, I swallowed a knot in my throat. Why was it so damn difficult for me to let Daniel completely in?
Daniel was waiting and I began to form the words in my mind, almost ready to push them out when my cell rang.
“Don’t answer that,” Daniel ordered.
It was perfect timing, so I wouldn’t ignore it. I struggled away, inch by inch, and then stretched to reach my coat lying on the floor. I managed to answer the phone on the last ring. Daniel rolled onto his back and growled.
“Hey, Todd—what’s up?”
“I was going to ask you that. How did my intel work out?”
“Uhm, well, it was right on. It’s a pretty long and crazy story, perfect for a retelling at lunch time on Friday at Nancy’s Diner. Make sure Bobby joins us, too. He’ll love this one.”
“Glad to hear that you’re coming home, especially now,” Todd said flatly.
I laid back into the pillow with the feeling of apprehension crawling all over me. “What now?”
“It’s Aaron Esch—remember him—our cult leader? Well, he’s in a tizzy about a new Amish family that’s moved into town.”
“That doesn’t have anything to do with the sheriff’s department,” I stated flatly.
“I don’t know—something about strange healing practices. It sounded like voodoo shit.”
I really wanted to say, “That’s impossible,” but I’d been down that road before. Anything was possible with the Amish.
Instead, I said, “Get as much information as you can and we’ll meet in my office on Friday morning.”
“But it’s only Monday,” Todd complained.
I cut him off. “If you haven’t forgotten, I’m still on vacation,” I reminded him and then I hung up. I turned the phone off and tossed it onto my pile of clothes on the floor.
When I rolled back over into Daniel, he was already facing me with a broad smile on his mouth. “You’re not rushing back to Blood Rock after all?”
I lifted my hands up and cupped his face, bringing his mouth back to mine. This time the kiss was less urgent, sweeter, and I savored it in the same drawn out way that I had the delicious apple pie. Only Daniel tasted even better.
When we finally came up for air, I whispered, “This rustic little cabin is beginning to grow on me. Maybe we should stick around here for a few days and do the tourist thing. I always wanted to shop for crafts,” I teased.
“There won’t be any time for shopping…I promise you that,” Daniel breathed and then his mouth was on my breast again and I couldn’t think at all.