Chasing Joshua

by Cara North

  He smiled. Evelyn was resilient. No matter what happened to her she would land on her feet. It was who she was, how she lived. He hated that she had to be her own savior so often. No one should have to go through life alone, but it made her who she was, and he admired her for it.

  * * * *

  “Evelyn, I ... I admire you, your courage, and your strength. You’re an amazing woman, beautiful and deadly. I know that you don’t need me to rescue you, but I’m a grown man. I don’t need you to rescue me either.” Joshua decided she needed to know he thought she was capable of taking care of herself though deep down he really wanted to rescue her. He believed that she needed him. He could feel it.

  Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears. He had just told her all sorts of wonderful things that overflowed her heart and filled her head. He believed in her. That meant a lot, but deep down she knew she was going to have to rescue him. He needed her; she just knew it.

  Joshua kissed her tears away. “Why are you crying, baby?”

  That caused her to breakdown more. “You’re just ... I just...” Evelyn sniffed, took a breath, and collected her senses. No, she wouldn’t tell him she loved him. He would just want to protect her more. “I believe in you, too.”

  “Well, before you know it, you might not hate me at all anymore, on principal alone that is.” He smiled and kissed her nose then circled it with his own. She let out a laugh. He patted her gently on her butt. “Let’s go. Grace will eat the whole pie. I’ve seen her do it before.”

  “Joshua?” Evelyn straightened herself out, pushed her hair back, and then pointed to the nightstand. “Look in the drawer.”

  Joshua went to the drawer and pulled it open. The box was there, open and ready for use. He turned to say something, but she was gone. Now that her ankle was healed she really was stealthy. Now that the condoms were in the bedroom, he really wished Evelyn was too.

  * * * *

  Downstairs Joshua set the phone back on the wall and instead of taking his own seat he sat on Evelyn. She could barely see around him, and he weighed a ton. Gray went on full alert.

  “NO, Josh. My E!” The little man came to defend his woman.

  “My E.” Joshua put his hands on his hips and leaned closer to the little rascal.

  “No, my E!” Gray put his hands on his hips, spread his feet apart, and pointed his left finger at Joshua’s nose.

  “You wanna fight for her?” Joshua smiled, but the toddler took a solid punch.

  “Gray!” Ethan stepped behind the little slugger. “Don’t hit.”

  Evelyn swatted Joshua on the thigh. “You got him in trouble.”

  “I asked for it, Ethan. I wasn’t prepared for him to punch me in the lip though.” Joshua laughed then fell off Evelyn’s lap to the floor. “Oh, you got me, oh, no.”

  “My E!” Gray ran to Evelyn and crawled in her lap. “No sit my E.”

  “Gray, you’re going to leave your Uncle Joshua here in the floor?” Joshua feigned offense.

  “Yes, my E.” He pointed his finger at Joshua again. Evelyn laughed and kissed the little devil on the cheek. He was indeed fighting for her. Ethan threw up his hands and headed out to the backyard where Grace was.

  “My E.” Joshua knelt before them.

  “No, mine.” Gray drew his brow together.

  “Fine. You take E. I’ll go get mommy.” Joshua started to stand, and Gray scurried out of her lap and headed for the back door.

  “That was dirty, Joshua.” Evelyn shook her head.

  “All’s fair in love and war, babe.” Joshua looked up at her. There he was on his knees. If it were any other moment, he could easily propose to her. But it wasn’t the right time. Too much still hung in the balance. He stood and pulled her up. “Now, let’s go boot them out of my hammock.”

  “You’re such a tyrant.” Evelyn surprised him by jumping on his back. He started for the backdoor, but he took a detour up the stairs instead. “Uh, where are you going?”

  “It’s almost eight. If we don’t get to work, I won’t get to sleep again.” Joshua took the stairs two at a time.

  “Joshua!” Evelyn started to feel nervous. They were going to do all of it this time. After last night she had a real appreciation for his size now. Women had definitely said it could hurt sometimes. She waved it off. She had dealt with more pain as a child than most women would ever see in their life. A little perspective was all she needed. This would be fine.

  Joshua shut the door behind them, pressed Evelyn into it, and told her to hold on. He shifted around to face her. She still had her legs wrapped around him. He settled his hands on both her butt cheeks, held her against the door, and stared at her for a long time.

  “What?” Evelyn was waiting for him to kiss her.

  “I was waiting for you to kiss me.” He licked his lips.

  “Oh.” Evelyn smiled. “I was waiting for you.”

  Joshua smiled and closed the distance between them. His lips kissed hers gently, licking, teasing, then more hungrily as she pulled him in.

  Taking his tongue and giving him hers, Evelyn felt him between her thighs. His sex pressed to hers. Separated by too many clothes, she thought. She loved the smooth texture of him. She wanted to explore his body slowly, but she always lost control and dove right in for the pleasure points. Joshua had more discipline. She would have to work on it.

  “Joshua,” Evelyn rasped. “Get these clothes off.”

  The Big Dog growled and pulled her from the door and carried her to the bed. He sat with her on his lap, facing him. He hooked her T-shirt and pulled it over her head, flipped the bra strap open and slid it off. Evelyn was still pulling at his T-shirt. He reached back and pulled his own shirt off.

  Her hands searched him, sliding through the silky black hair that peppered his chest. It wasn’t thick, but it wasn’t thin. It was perfect. Just like Joshua. Her fingers slid over his nipples, and she wondered if he would enjoy her mouth there as much as she enjoyed his.

  Evelyn was feeling very frisky this evening, he decided. Her lips had clamped down on his nipple, and her other hand thumbed its mate. She repeated everything he did to her, on him. That made him smile as his fingers pulled the button on her jeans free and pushed down the zipper.

  “Stand up, baby.” Joshua patted her behind. “Gotta get these off.”

  Evelyn stood and pulled both her panties and jeans off at the same time. Joshua quickly unfastened his shorts and pulled his boxers off with them. Evelyn stared at him, looked him over from head to toe. Joshua watched her visually explore him, with a wide eyed curiosity like she hadn’t seen him naked several times already.

  “Now what?” Evelyn asked and licked her lips.

  “Well, now we have to get you ready.” Joshua pushed back on the bed and motioned for her to get in with him.

  “I’m ready.” Evelyn nodded as she got into the bed.

  Joshua slid a finger along her side slowly, crossed her apex, and slid between the lips of her vagina. She was right; she was wet. She was ready, but he wasn’t sure how long he could last on this first run. He had been shut down twice, and he ached to be inside her. So of course, he had to make sure she was satisfied first.

  “Almost.” Joshua pulled his finger back and then covered her with himself completely. He started by kissing her deeply then moved down across her throat, took time to suckle each breast, and as she lifted into him, he knew she was aching for more. She began urging him downward with her hands. “And to think I had to talk you into this before.”

  “You don’t have to talk me into it now.” Evelyn slid a hand through his hair and rubbed the softness with her thumb and index finger while at the same time pushing him down between her legs. She knew when he got there she would come. And after that, he would take her, and that she couldn’t wait another day for. Hell, she may not have another day.

  “I love the way you taste.” Joshua peered up at her as he licked and kissed her sex. She pulled her bottom lip in and closed her left eye. She was trying
hard to watch him, but the pressure was building inside. He could feel it. He pushed two fingers in deep, watched her head fall back, and heard her low moans.

  Her sweet smell filled his senses. Her taste filled his lips. He pushed his tongue in circles around her clit. Her breaths became more rapid. Her thighs gripped at his shoulders. His name escaped her lips. A low moan rolled on the air as she climaxed. She held his face firmly against her.

  Joshua pulled his slick fingers out and teased another lick before kissing his way to her lips. She was already wiggling against him, tempting him to forget his manners and slide right in. But he knew better, and he didn’t wait three days for a box of condoms to make them null and void now.

  “Hang on. Let me get a condom.” Joshua loved her urgency. He felt it, too.

  He grabbed a pack and sat up between her legs to put it on. Evelyn’s eyes were wide in amazement as he slid the rubber down the length of him. He took her lips again. Her lean legs wrapped around him pulling him down to her.

  Evelyn knew one thing for sure right now. She loved Joshua, and there was no turning back.

  “Easy, baby,” he whispered. “Let me get situated. You’re tight, Evelyn. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You will anyways,” Evelyn whispered.

  “What?” That could stop a man right in his tracks, and it did. What did she mean? Sexually, emotionally?

  “I lied to you.” Evelyn felt the tears coming.

  “About what, Evelyn? Are you okay?” Joshua brushed her hair away and wiped at her tears. Maybe he would indeed be waiting a while longer. Maybe she wasn’t ready, or maybe she didn’t want him. “Tell me.”

  “I’ve never done this before.” Evelyn sobbed quietly. She hated that she was sobbing, but it was true. She had tied men up before and played with them safely. She watched them have a release then let them go. It was weird; she knew it, but her therapist was right. She would have to face this someday. Today was that day.

  “I thought you said.” Joshua relaxed. It wasn’t what he was expecting, but a lie he could deal with. She probably had to, another defense.

  “I didn’t want people to think I was weird, inexperienced. I’m thirty for crying out loud.” Evelyn was disgusted with herself. She could have told him. She should have told him, but she was afraid he’d say no. “You don’t want me now, do you?”

  “Evelyn, of course I do.” Joshua kissed her tears and rubbed his nose against hers. “But only if you want me to.”

  “I do.” She kissed his lips. Surrendering herself to him seemed like the easiest thing in the world to do.

  “Relax, baby, I’ll go slow.” Joshua kissed her lips with great care. Her legs relaxed around him.

  He didn’t want to hurt her, hoped that after the initial entry she would enjoy it. He had to make sure she enjoyed it. Giving him her virginity said a hell of a lot about how much she trusted him. It also explained how a woman who tied men up seemed so timid and awestruck in the bedroom. Slowly he worked his hand between them, opened her tender flesh, and stroked her clit. She started moaning and wiggling against him again. He slid himself up and down between her. He let out his own moaning growl. She liked it. He could tell because a surge of wetness spread over his fingers.

  “You like when I growl?” Joshua was all but shaking with desire, but he had to go slow.

  “Yes.” Evelyn bit her lower lip and pressed into his hand. “I love it when you growl.”

  Joshua felt his knees getting weak under that statement. He settled the tip at her opening. She circled him on her own. He decided to let her do it. Let her push him in. She lifted, pressed the tip in with a gasp.

  “It’s okay. You’re in control, Evelyn. Take it as you please.” Joshua just hoped he could hold out under the pressure. She felt tight, hot, and too wet to last long.

  Evelyn lifted her hips hard against him driving him in. She thought about when she pulled off a band-aid, only hurt for a moment and if you pull it slow, it hurts a lot more. Joshua gave her control. He would never intentionally hurt her, not even now. Her guardian angel, the man she loved. It hurt, but just a moment; then she realized, he wasn’t all the way in. Determined she dug her nails in his back as she held on and lifted hard against him. He growled a low primal growl that vibrated the room.

  “You okay, baby?” his voice was low; his breath was fast.

  Evelyn nodded. Compared to the beating she had taken in her life, that didn’t hurt much at all. But she loved that he was afraid for her, concerned that he would ever cause her pain. He considered her a delicate woman. After a moment she realized he was waiting again. He wouldn’t move until she moved. This whole thing probably hurt him more than it hurt her. He was a big man squeezing into a tight spot.

  “You okay?” she whispered catching her breath.

  He growled a response in her ear. The feel of her hips moving against him and the feel of her lips on his neck let Joshua know she was okay, and he could move. Though he wasn’t sure what good he would be to her now, he was almost ready to bust. With a deep breath and a lot of concentration, he began to pull back and push in. When she moaned a low sensual moan, he realized she was more than okay. She liked it. Slowly and with great care he began taking her over.

  It was amazing how good it felt once he started moving. The room smelled like them, a combination of them both. Her senses were overwhelmed. He filled her up and hit something deep within that drove her over the edge with ease. “Joshua, Joshua, Joshua,” she called as her nails bit into his skin.

  “God, you feel good.” He groaned into her neck. He knew when she started calling his name she was getting close, but as that heat pressed tighter around him, he thought he would die.

  She yelled his name so loud it rang in his ears. Her body convulsed around him and milked his own release. It was no surprise when Ethan slammed the door open ready to attack. That howl probably had neighbors calling the police right now.

  “Ethan, shut my door.” Joshua still covered her with his body, and Ethan had seen his ass before, so he wasn’t embarrassed.

  “I thought.” Ethan shook his head and turned away. He closed the door and headed back down the hall.

  * * * *

  Evelyn screamed so loud Grace insisted he find out what happened. It sounded like she just saw a dead body. He couldn’t help smile. It wasn’t an “a” as in aaaaaaaaaa; no, it was the last letter in the name Joshua. Now he was catching other people. Great. Maybe the curse had been passed to Joshua, and he and Grace could finally explore in peace.

  * * * *

  Evelyn started to giggle. He wasn’t sure what she was going to do. If she would be mad that Ethan busted in, but she hit that a sound so hard it was like a howl from a scary movie rather than a session of sex.

  “What’s so funny, you?” Joshua returned his attention to the woman beneath him. He pulled the hair from her face and kissed her full lips. She had cried, she had screamed, and now she laughed.

  “I didn’t mean to scream like that.” Evelyn giggled again.

  “I can’t hear you in that ear. Hang on.” He turned his head to the other side.

  Evelyn squeezed her legs on him.

  “Mmmm, you might not want to do that.” Joshua licked her bottom lip.

  “Why?” She looked at him with big innocent brown eyes then smiled lustfully. “Can you do that again?”

  The real surprise was that, yes, he felt like he could do it again. And again and again. “Let’s find out.”

  Joshua pulled out of her slowly. She wiggled against him trying to keep him inside. That only made him more ready to go again.

  “One use, sweetheart. Have to change the wrapper.” Joshua pulled up and removed the condom. He caught a glimpse of the clock and knew he would be tired in the morning, again. Ethan had been sleeping. He was in long pajama bottoms when he opened the door. Gray would be up soon if Evelyn didn’t wake him already. He hadn’t realized how long everything had taken. It seemed like it happened so fast. “You know,
we may not wake the neighborhood in the shower.”

  “But I can’t be on top in the shower.” Evelyn watched him toss the used condom in the wastebasket close to the bed. He almost missed at her suggestion. “Joshua.”

  “Yes, baby?” He settled back on the pillows, and Evelyn crawled on top of him.

  “How many times can we do this?” Evelyn circled her fingers in his chest hair. She loved the way he felt, the way he smelled, the way he tasted.

  “Mmmm, only once more tonight, I have to work tomorrow, but we can test it another night.” He shook his head. Vixen, he knew she was going to be a firecracker.

  “Okay.” Evelyn pulled the condom out of the wrapper, slid it over him. To her delight he growled at the touch. She settled her hips above him; his head already touched her. “So show me how to do this?”

  “I think you got it under control.” Joshua lifted his hips and slid into her a bit. “Let me know if you get tired.”

  “As if.” Evelyn pushed down on him, watched his head fall back and his eyes close. His hands held her thighs in a shaky grip. “Joshua, you should watch me. You’ll get more out of it.”

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  Chapter 11

  “Listen, Noel, just calm down.” The girl was shaken from head to toe. She wore silk pajamas, and her feet were bare. Obviously she had been snatched in her sleep.

  “Calm down? I’m sorry. I’m new to the rules of kidnapping victims,” Noel snapped at the woman across from her.

  “Noel, look you have to be ready.” Page McKinna had realized her worst fear. Blade had gotten to Noel, and that meant her partner was dead.

  “Ready for what?” Noel’s short red hair stuck out in wild disarray; her brown eyes were big and fearful. She had been pulled from her bed, pulled from the man she loved, witnessed his murder as a rag covered her face. She woke up here, in a closet with some other woman. She didn’t know how this happened or why. It brought back memories of childhood. A life she didn’t even recognize anymore.

  “Blade.” Page reached for her, and she began to rock chanting, no. “Noel, listen to me.”