Pieces of Me (Midnight Steel Trilogy Book 1)

by Lori J. Nelson

  Corie sat down on the bed and nervously adjusted the pillows behind her. Then she quietly slipped under the many blankets. Alek followed her, and they were both ready for the night. Corie forgot how small a double mattress actually was with two people, especially when she was trying not to touch him. The warmth his body was putting out was comforting and nerve-wracking at the same time. She felt her heart start to beat faster at his nearness and she immediately turned on her side away from him.

  “Goodnight, Alek,” she whispered.

  “Goodnight, my angel,” he said quietly settling in. Together they drifted off to sleep with the glow from the fireplace the only illumination in the room.

  Alek woke up and saw that it was still dark out. He had no idea what time it was, but that was the least of his worries. He realized that at some point during the night he had rolled over so that he was spooning Corie with his arm wrapped around her. Normally, this wasn’t a bad thing with anyone he slept with, but Corie wasn’t one of his easy conquests.

  She was someone that he was definitely attracted to, but more importantly, he respected her. He never felt that way with any of the women who had warmed his bed in the last few years. They were a means to an end, with that end being him getting laid.

  As he lay there, he felt how perfectly she fit up against him. Corie was soft in all the right places. That’s when Alek realized that his arm was just under her breasts while her bum was squarely in his lap. Alek knew he had no business thinking about those womanly parts of hers as his previously soft shaft was starting to come to life. He tried his best to control it, but before he knew it, he was hard as a rock. When he slightly shifted to get more comfortable, he ended up with it resting firmly between her buttocks.

  “Oh, fucking bloody hell,” he thought. “I hope she doesn’t wake up with my dick poking at her. Try explaining that, you idiot.”

  It took a while for Alek to fall back asleep. He was extremely comfortable holding Corie the way he was but knew he shouldn’t be. The more time he spent with her, the more attracted he was to her. It could be the close quarters they were in or the fact that she didn’t know who he was or even just that she was a beautiful woman, but he knew he was starting to feel more for her than he had for anyone in a long time. So he decided to stay curled up against her and deal with any consequences in the morning.

  The next time he opened his eyes, Alek was looking at Corie who was also starting to wake up. The room was filled with bright sunlight that streamed in through large living room windows. This time instead of having her back pressed against his hips Corie was facing him. At some point during the early morning hours, she must have turned to face him. They both had their arms wrapped around each other as his surprised blue eyes met her sleepy green ones.

  Alek acted on impulse and did the only thing he could think of. He kissed her. Corie’s beautiful plump pink lips were so close to his that he couldn’t help it. He had to taste her. What surprised him was that she kissed him back. Her arms moved around his neck and with a gentle prodding of his tongue, her mouth opened to his. She tasted so good and so sweet that Alek just kept kissing her and kissing her.

  Their tongues played a game of gentle tag as the kiss progressed. Neither of them had expected it, yet they each wanted it. Alek broke off the kiss to explore further. His let his mouth travel over her face as he left soft wet kisses in his wake. His lips touched her cheeks, her chin, and even her eyes.

  This felt so right having her in his arms. He knew his body was responding to her as it had earlier, except now Corie was awake. She should easily feel the evidence of his desire for her as their hips were pressed together. He didn’t remember the last time he wanted a woman as bad as he wanted her.

  Corie could not believe that this was happening. When she had woken up, she was surprised to find that she was lying in Alek’s arms with their legs intertwined. She was a perfect fit for him as her head was able to nestle right into the crook of his neck while her top leg was in between his two. It had taken her a moment to figure out where she was since she wasn’t fully awake yet. It had been a long time since she found herself in bed cradled in a man’s arms. Dating and men had held no appeal for her broken heart.

  This, however, felt so good, so perfect, that when she looked at Alek, she could see that he wanted it too. His eyes spoke of passion, and for now, that was going to have to be enough for her. Her willpower to stop him away was nonexistent.

  When his lips touched hers, Corie didn’t resist and returned the kiss. She knew she should push Alek away as he was going to be gone from her life very soon, but she couldn’t help it. He made her heart race, and she gave up fighting her attraction for him. From what Corie could tell from the hard rod pressing into her hip, he was ready to take their friendship to another level.

  And he could kiss. His lips were like magic as they wandered all over her face and down to her neck. She knew he couldn’t go much further than that since she was bundled up against the cold. Corie closed her eyes as she reveled in the little sparks his kisses were setting off throughout her. Alek kissed her one last time on her lips before Corie opened her eyes.

  “Are you sure,” he asked her softly tracing her face with his callused fingers. Years of playing guitar had given him permanent callouses on his fingertips.

  “Yes…please,” she whispered back. She wanted nothing to break the spell they were both under. Corie was giving into her heart and not listening to her head for a change. He may be gone in a day or two, but she wanted this morning with him. She needed this to remember him by.

  Corie heard Alek mumble “Thank God” before his lips crushed in down to hers. This time he was more aggressive with her. The gentle exploration of earlier was replaced with more passion as his mouth now controlled hers.

  The hands that held onto her now started to explore as they ran over her back and curve of her buttocks. Corie felt Alek’s warm fingers slide under her layers of shirts to find the silky skin of her back. She did the same to him loving the feel of a man’s body under her hands. Then she pushed it another step as she tried to pull the sweatshirt he had on over his head, but one handed it was hard.

  “Off,” she told him in between kisses.

  Alek pulled back for a moment and gave her a cheeky grin. Quickly, he pulled the shirt off and tossed it absently aside. Corie vaguely remembered seeing the multiple tattoos on both arms and on his chest when she was taking care of him when he was sick, but she forgot them until now. A quick glance showed he had a snake that started at his wrist and wound itself around his arm and disappeared over one shoulder. His other arm was under her so she couldn’t get a good look at it, but his chest had the words Hard as Steel on the left side with a dagger going through a scary looking skull under it.

  Corie put her hand over the tattoo and felt his racing heart. Her eyes shot up to meet his, and they told her how much he wanted her. Now it was Alek’s hands that roamed Corie’s body. They traveled slowly up her back and then back down to cup her butt. He gently ran his hand up her side until his fingers touched the swell of her breast. A playful smile came across his face as he teased her by lightly following the curve with his fingers, before covering it with his large hand. Her eyes closed as he massaged her breast over and over again.

  Then slowly his hand made its way down her body leaving a trail of warmth in its wake. She was dying for him to touch her lower…to touch her where only her own fingers had brought her pleasure these last few years. Corie’s breath hitched as Alek slipped his hand under the waistband of her sweatpants. Her need for him was so great that she was trying not to shake. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing until he kissed her again claiming her lips for his own as his fingers finally found the wetness between her legs.

  Her body pressed against his hand welcoming his touch. Corie felt him start to rub her already sensitive folds through her panties when several loud honks of a truck horn pulled her out of her lust-filled haze.

  “What th
e hell was that?” asked Alek breaking the kiss.

  “Damn it,” she sighed dropping her head back down to his shoulder. “That’s Billy. He’s plowing out the driveway for me. I guess the road is open. I need to wave to him and tell him about your car. He can pull it out of the ditch when he has time.”

  The mood in the room was broken. Now that the farm was being plowed out there was work to be done, and that didn’t include having sex with Alek. At least not right then. “I’m sorry,” she apologized.” I have to go.”

  “Do what you have to do and let me know where I can help. I’m not going anywhere,” he told her with a kiss.

  “Thank you,” Corie replied. Reluctantly, she got up from the mattress and headed to the front door. There she slipped her feet into her winter boots and pulled a coat over her layers. Before she left, she looked back at Alek who was adding wood to the embers in the fireplace trying to get it going again. His long, strong, muscular back called out for her, but Corie knew it would have to wait. She held onto his words that he wasn’t going anywhere. Wishful thinking had her hoping he would stay a few more days…maybe even longer. But before that, she had to deal with the snow that had left them stranded from the world. Then she would figure out where, if any place, he may fit in her life.

  Chapter 9

  Corie stood on her front porch and looked out onto her snow-covered property. Billy had done a good job of plowing her out. He even helped her shovel in front of the barn where the plow had piled up some snow and volunteered to dig out the front walk. He went home with several new twenties in his pocket for his help.

  Alek couldn’t assist Corie outside as his leather boots were no match for the snow and she had nothing that would fit him. She knew it was her sole responsibility to take care of her home be it after a snowstorm or during a warm summer day. This was nothing new for her, but it was the first time that being plowed out made her sad. The roads were open, and that meant Alek would be leaving soon.

  She looked up at the bright blue sky and wondered if this morning’s make-out session started because they found themselves wrapped around each other in bed or did he really want to be with her? She was starting to question everything. Corie knew that she was extremely attracted to Alek, but she had no idea how he felt. Was he the love ‘em and leave ‘em type? Something told her he was and if anything happened between them today or tonight, would she be able to handle the broken heart that would come with it?

  Suddenly she felt two arms wrap around her. Alek rested his head next to hers. “All done?” he asked.

  It was like he knew she was thinking about him. “Yes. Billy is going to come out sometime tomorrow to tow the car out of the ditch. He said the roads are snow covered, but they are plowed.”

  “Guess I need to call the rental agency, but everything is in the car, including my gear. I wonder if I should go out the car and try to get my shit out of it. I sure could use some clothes.” Corie really didn’t have anything that fit him. Alek had tried his jeans on, but they needed to be washed as they were very stiff and uncomfortable.

  “Where is everything in the car?” Corie asked slipping out of his arms. He was such a handsome man that being held this way made her want to put her heart at risk. All rational reasons on why she shouldn’t let things progress between were quickly vanishing.

  Corie made an instant decision that no matter how much she was attracted to Alek, giving into the desire to have sex with him was wrong. She wasn’t that type of girl. A day or two of him in her bed was not what she wanted. If she did that when he left, he’d leave her not only with a broken heart but she would be disappointed in herself as well. She had to put a brake on what was happening between them. She would have to live with herself after he left. Corie didn’t sleep around, and she had already let him touch her in places she should never have.

  But as disappointed in herself as she would be, that wasn’t as bad as losing her heart to him. If she let him in, she’d risk another broken heart, and something deep down told her it could be worse than when she broke up with Jeremy. Much worse.

  Alek hesitated before answering her. He felt a chill front seat, but my gear is in the trunk. I had my phone in the front by me too. I’m not worried about the rental. Doesn’t make any difference when I call to tell them about the accident, but I would like my stuff in the trunk. Do you think we could do that?”

  “We can try. How much do you have?”

  She figured if he had been traveling for a year he had to have a lot of stuff and he did. Corie bundled him up in her scarf and gloves. Alek had no choice to wear his expensive boots back out into the snow, except this time it was packed down from the plow. Together they dug out the back end of the car and loaded his multiple suitcases onto the toboggan Corie was smart enough to bring along.

  Alek pulled it back with everything tied down along with a guitar that surprised Corie. He was becoming more of a mystery every single minute.

  They lugged two suitcases, a smaller bag, and the guitar case into the house. Corie stoked the fire and when it was blazing again, warmed her hands in front of it.

  “Any word on the power?” Alek asked as he joined her. She had been quiet and slightly distant on the way back from the car. He wished he knew what was going on.

  “Billy said maybe tonight, but most likely tomorrow we would be getting it back. I can’t wait for a warm house again,” she sighed. “Plus, we’d get not only the water back but hot water too. I so need to take a shower.”

  “I could use one, too,” he told her with a wink.

  “Can we talk for a minute?” she blurted out. She didn’t want to lead him on. Corie knew she had let things get out of control this morning and not being honest with Alek was wrong. As attracted to him as she was and as much she really wanted him, that couldn’t happen. She had to look at herself in the mirror when he left and like what she saw looking back at her.

  “Not sure I like the sound of that, but of course, Luv. What’s on your mind?”

  Together they sat on the sofa and Corie took a moment as she tried to find the right words. “I know things got a little crazy between us this morning before Billy came. I’m…umm…sorry, I let that happen. I shouldn’t have. I think we should just forget about it and pretend it didn’t happen.”

  “Why?” Alek asked. He was confused and wanted Corie to tell him more. He knew that she was just as attracted to him as he was to her. Why the backpedaling? “You were just as into it as I was, so why the change?”

  She had hoped he would just let it be, but apparently, that was too much to wish for. “Yeah, I was, but I don’t do stuff like that. You’re leaving soon, and that may be your thing to hook up for a night or two with a strange woman, but it’s not mine.”

  The corner of Alek’s mouth lifted in a half-smile. “It’s good to know that you don’t hook up with strange women, even though that would explain why you changed your mind.”

  Damn, him for teasing her now. “Oh hell, I’m not going to sleep with you just because we were stuck together here. You got that tall, bad-boy British thing going on besides being hot as hell and…”Corie stopped abruptly. She closed her eyes as she felt the embarrassment flood her cheeks. Did she just say that to him?

  Alek had a huge smile on his face when Corie finally opened her eyes. “I’m sorry. You must think I’m such an idiot.”

  He took her hand in his. “No, I don’t. I’m glad you think…I’m hot even with my face messed up from the accident,” he chuckled. “I think you are absolutely beautiful and so extraordinary. You risked your life for me, nursed me when I was sick, and now you treat me as an invited guest. That is a person with a huge heart. That makes me want to get to know you better. And combine that with that you are absolutely stunning and I’d have to be a monk not to want you.” Alek kissed her lightly on the lips. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with us, but we won’t know unless we try. I have no commitments on my time, so anything is possible. Okay?”

  Corie’
s heart soared for a brief minute. He wanted to try, and that was wonderful, but he would still leave her in the end. Alek would go back to England, and she would be stuck here writing stories about finding love when she would have lost hers. Her head was telling her no, don’t risk it, but her body and heart wanted him. She was so confused.

  “I just don’t know, Alek. We don’t even live in the same country, how would that work? I just need time to think about it. It’s a lot for me to risk. Okay?’

  She could tell that Alek didn’t like it, but she knew he could convince her that they should be together if she let him. How could she trust him that it wasn’t just for the sex when she wanted a real relationship with him? They had a lot to learn about each other, and it could be days or weeks, but he would eventually, leave taking her heart with him. She was certain of that.

  Alek leaned over and kissed her again. “Okay, but I think you need to give us a try. I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to. My time is my own, and I want to get to know you, Corie, I really do. But just so you know, I am not going to stop kissing you. Anything else will be your call, but not the kissing. That’s non-negotiable.”

  She shouldn’t have been okay with that, but she was. She loved his kisses. “Fine, but maybe we could try another one….right now?”

  His fingers threaded their way through her long curly hair as he pulled her closer to him. Their lips were just a breath apart as they looked at each other for a moment before Alek lightly touched his mouth to hers. Soft and gentle was what he wanted. Strange as he hadn’t felt that way towards a woman in years.

  Corie felt his lips barely a whisper on hers. Then he pressed them more firmly. His tongue begged entrance, and she allowed it in. This was nothing more than playing with fire, but his lips were like heaven on hers. She felt herself melting into his arms. The moment was perfect since they were alone in front of a roaring fire with no place to be except together. This was so right, yet so wrong at the same time.