Emotion wells up inside me, and I blink quickly as my friends slide in to get their hugs too. “You guys are going to make me cry.”
Casey wipes her eyes and says, “Some of us already are.” Megan checks her phone and says, “We’ve got to go check in for afternoon line-up. But I’m glad you had fun.”
“I can’t thank you all enough. That was a fantastic surprise.”
As they leave us, Derrick slides a ski on either side of me and presses his body against mine. “Joel will be here in a minute to take you back down, and I’ll meet you there.” My fleece zipper whispers as he slowly pulls it down to reveal my neck. Nibbling his way up to my ear, he says, “And then let’s go home to do something about lunch, because what I’m hungry for only you can provide.”
“If this is how you rescue injured boarders, then I might need another one of those sled rides.”
His smile warms me and he says, “Anytime, darling, anytime.”
Chapter 49
The heat of the sunbaked car seeps through my clothes, and sensing my need for silence, Derrick doesn’t turn on the radio. By the time we get home I’ve dozed off.
Waking when he turns off the engine, I don’t want to move. Some of my muscles are in shock from use for the first time in months. But this kind of physical exhaustion is something I’m used to and makes me feel like an athlete again. Except for the deep ache in my leg.
“Derrick, I can barely move, and I need pain meds.”
“I thought that might happen, but I know how much you hate them.” He retrieves a pill from his pocket and places it on my tongue.
Derrick knows I won’t take anything until I’m past the point of tolerance. I dry swallow it easily before the coating melts off.
He says, “I’ll come get you, don’t move.”
Like I could. The dogs bark and race out of the house to greet me. Derrick must have opened all the doors so he can carry me in easily.
A tear slips out as I swallow my nausea. The car creaks open, and Derrick’s competent arm slips under my thighs while the other wraps firmly around my back. I lean against his soft nylon zip neck and inhale his sweaty musk. “Today was absolutely wonderful, thank you. The pain was worth it.”
His heart thumps against his chest, and I focus on the steady beat as he carries me in to the den. He places me gently on my bed, and I sink into the cushion of memory foam.
The sound of nylon rustling is faint as I count in my mind the number of seconds it will take until the pain subsides. Twelve hundred seconds. Although I’ve never been able to actually count down to zero, the process gets me through.
Barely feeling Derrick remove my clothes, the weight of the comforter relaxes me as sleep tries to take over. Light gives way to darkness as he pulls the shades. The bed sinks when Derrick lies beside me and finger combs my hair from my face. And I sleep.
The scent of curry wakes me, and my stomach grumbles in reply. Unsure of how my body will feel, I sit up slowly. I really have to pee, but wetting my pants is better than forgetting to be gentle with my leg. I reach for my crutches, and the metal is smooth under my fingers. Lifting up on my good leg, I don’t even bother with testing the bad one.
Rubber thumps onto the tile, and Derrick rushes to my side. He pulls my pants down for me when I’ve placed myself over the toilet. He grabs the crutches as I hold the counter and lower myself with my good leg.
My bladder lets go and I sigh. “Just in time, thank you.” If someone told me a few months ago my boyfriend would be doing this, I wouldn’t have believed it. Learning to let Derrick take care of me has been a life-altering lesson. While I could have let Casey do this, I would have never entertained the thought of some guy seeing this side of me.
Leaning my crutches against the wall, Derrick says, “I have curried chicken chili ready when you are.” He leaves me to finish on my own.
The lemon scent of soap follows me to the kitchen. I’m hungry and decide to eat before testing out my leg. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know it’s going to hurt, and Derrick’s twist on my chili is too good to ruin with pain.
While I slide onto a leather bar chair he places a steaming bowl of food before me. The combination of garlic and curry explodes on my tongue and I can’t help the groan that escapes.
I look over at Derrick’s grin and watch his strong hands smear butter on a thick piece of homemade bread. When he hands it to me, I immediately take a bite to enjoy the carbohydrates.
Coming around the counter with a glass of water for me, Derrick asks, “Are you up for cuddling on the couch? We can watch a movie or read, your choice.”
One step above total-slug mode, I’m sure I can and smile at him. “Throw in a foot massage, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”
“Done.”
After I’m finished eating, I test my leg with a few steps to the couch. While stiff, it’s not too painful, and I take it as a sign I’m healing well. I perch myself on the edge of the sofa and do my stretches before sliding back into the plush, comfortable leather.
Derrick places himself at the other end, and I swing my feet up into his lap. He begins to rub my foot, and I ask, “Did you ever think you would be helping your girlfriend pee?”
He smiles at me. “I never thought I would love a woman enough to want to. Taking care of you is easy and feels so right.”
I sigh as his thumbs press on my arch. “Letting you feels right too. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you, Derrick.”
He moves to my other foot and traps me in his trademark stare. I imagine his love wrapping around me like his gaze. He says, “I have to be back in New Hampshire by August.”
“I know.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to do next year?” He hastily adds, “Are you staying here?”
While part of me would like to try to return to competition, my logical side says it would a tough road to travel, and I may never be physically able to reach my previous level. Until now, I haven’t let myself make the tough decision.
“No. My days of competing are over, and it’s time to focus on a career. I should go back to school and get my degree in Physical Therapy.”
“Where would you go?”
I smile because this part I’ve figured out. “Franklin Pierce. It’s about an hour away from Hanover. Growing up in Woodstock I’m used to driving at least a half hour to the grocery store. An hour to see you would be nothing.”
The sudden sinking of the couch around me takes me by surprise as Derrick climbs over my prone body. “Live with me. We’ll find something between our two schools.” As if he needs to convince me, he kisses my neck up to my ear, knowing it makes me tremble.
I reach under his shirt and pull it up toward his head. “That’s hardly a big step to take, considering where I live now, but you can keep working on my resolve.”
“In that case, I’m going to move us to a better location.” He gets up from the couch and scoops me into his arms.
By the time he’s at the top of the stairs his heady scent is heightened and I lick his chest. “I can’t wait to taste you.”
His feet pound with purpose down the hall and his arousal presses into my hip. When we get to his room I say, “Put me on the bed please, and strip.”
Derrick sets me down and I lick my lips. His nimble fingers unbutton his jeans and he lets them drop with a whoosh of denim. His defined chest tapers down to a narrow waist and hips, and I long to trace the muscles of his quads as they flex in movement when he pulls down his boxer briefs.
I command, “Come here.”
He steps forward and I place my hands on his hips. His skin is smooth and warm, and I take in the beauty of his cock. Thick and long, it almost begs for my mouth. Gripping his length with my hand, I stroke and lick the head, teasing him before taking it in.
The primal growl from Derrick sends blood rushing to my core and I suck while he rocks in and out of me. Bringing him almost to the point of no return, he pulls away, panting. His husky
voice says, “Your turn.”
Strong hands yank my long underwear and panties off my hips before I can fully lift up off the bed. I scramble back as excitement courses through my veins. He crawls after me and grabs at my shirt. I reach to unclasp my bra and barely get it off before he’s reaching for that too.
My body quakes, knowing what he’s after, and I settle my head back and sink into the pillow as he lifts my thighs over his shoulders. One quick swipe with his tongue makes me cry out.
I thread my fingers through his hair and hold his head while he makes me writhe under his mouth. When I’m almost there he stops and lazily kisses his way toward my face.
“Derrick, please. This is torture.”
“But, Gretchen, sex with you should never be without a kiss.”
I am about to beg, but he squelches it with his lips. We taste each other as we nibble and our tongues entwine. I break away and say, “Fuck me now.”
Sheathed within seconds, he enters quickly making me gasp, but after a few hard thrusts he slows down, and we move in a rhythm that has become ours. A mix of hard and soft, rough and tender, we’ve discovered how to feel it all.
Completely sated and sleepy, we lay entwined in each other. Derrick says, “You never answered my question.”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll live with you.”
Kissing my neck lightly he whispers in my ear. “You’re my forever, Gretchen.”
Emotion tightens my throat, and I whisper back. “You’re my everything.”
Please join my mailing list to be notified of the next book in the series Fierce, coming December 2014.
Other Books by Violet Vaughn
The Fire and Ice Series
Crave
Release
Rush
Fierce (December 2014)
Exposed (2015)
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About the Author
Violet Vaughn is a ski bum at heart. A former ski instructor, she still loves bumps, trees, and a good powder day. When she isn’t skiing or writing she runs through the woods with her three Portuguese Water Dogs, laughs with her family or reads. You can learn more about her at www.violetvaughn.com
Table of Contents
Rush
Rush
Copyright
Contents
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
About the Author
Rush Page 23