“I heard about what happened to your car,” he’d said one day when she’d neglected to check the caller ID on her cell before answering it. “Must have been awful for you to have found that.” His tone of voice belied his sincere words. Even after several demands to see her car, no matter which Carver brother she asked, it was always Leland who firmly set his foot down, telling her in no uncertain words that she’d never see that car again if he had anything to say about it. Which he did.
“Actually, I didn’t see it,” she’d answered in a distracted voice, not wanting him to think it mattered to her. “The Carvers had it taken away and replaced before I much more than realized there was a problem.” Wait for it... “How did you hear about it, anyway? I’ve not told anyone, and that family is all military or ex-military, except Vivian. They’re more tight-lipped than the CIA.”
“Good news travels fast,” he’d responded after a second or two of spluttering.
“Not that news. Considering the timing, you know, with you being there and everything, it makes one wonder if you had anything to do with it.”
The dimwit had hung up, not even trying to argue with her. Dan had lost his mind. That was obvious. He was an intelligent man, if a bit unbalanced. For some reason, this situation had tipped him over the edge. Why he simply didn’t find a woman more suited to him was beyond her. From the moment they’d met, he’d tried to change her. And she’d let him. If he hadn’t started trying to remove Abigail from her life, she’d probably have still been with him, trying to conform to his idea of the perfect woman.
“Why the scowl on that lovely face?” Chase wrapped strong arms around her from behind, bending over to nuzzle her neck tenderly.
She sighed, reaching back to stroke his hair and pull him closer. “Just thinking about how different my life was two weeks ago. Funny how I went from completely miserable to happier than I’ve ever been in such a short time.”
“Life has a way of rewarding you for good behavior.” He gave her neck an open-mouthed kiss, licking the sensitive flesh he found there. God, Melanie loved the way he made her feel! With one touch, one look, he could melt her bones. That night at his parents’ house, she’d wanted him so badly she’d wanted to scream. Now, with Abigail snuggled securely in her own bed, their last night in her old apartment, would he keep her wanting?
“Obviously, you never knew me as a child. I was horrible,” she said, arching her neck to give him better access, which he took full advantage of.
“I wasn’t talking about you.” The husky note in his voice sent shivers along her arms, made her nipples peak and her pussy clench with anticipation. “I was a model child.”
Her chuckle sounded more than a little strained, but she couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips. “I bet if I asked Vivian, she’d have something to add to that.”
“Nope. My mom thought I was the best child on the face of the earth. Never got into trouble. Not once.” How could he continue the conversation when his hands roamed her body from her waist to her breasts and back again, with his rock-hard cock mashed so pleasantly against her backside?
“I’ll have to remember to ask her tomorrow.” Melanie’s thought processes were becoming Jell-O. Her chances of keeping a coherent train of thought were rapidly approaching zero. Big, warm hands caressed her body through her nightgown; lips and teeth tugged the skin at her neck, ear, and jaw. Breathing became difficult; she couldn’t seem to get enough air. Enough Chase.
“Chase, I–”
He turned her in his arms, his mouth finding hers unerringly. There was a frenzied need to his kisses, as if he’d waited an eternity to have her in his arms and intended on making the most of it. With a swift movement that almost made Melanie squeal, Chase lifted her into his arms, carrying her to her bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Carefully, he managed to shut and lock the door, not wanting Abigail to walk in on something she shouldn’t see. Making it to the bed proved difficult, however, as Melanie tried to rid both herself and Chase of clothing all at once.
“Slow down, baby,” he soothed, even as he impatiently shrugged out of his shirt and tugged at her gown. “We’ve got all night.”
“I need this, Chase,” she moaned. “I need you!” And, Lord help her, she did. He was so good to her, so protective of both her and Abigail, she’d lost her heart long before now. But the need to have him master her body, for him to show her all the pleasures to be found in his arms had eaten away at her defenses until she was left a mass of raw desire.
“I know, baby. Me too. God, how I need you!”
His fevered admission only fueled her desire more. She couldn’t get out of her clothing fast enough, couldn’t rid him of his fast enough. Expecting he’d take her immediately, she was surprised–and frustrated–when he placed her hands over her head, letting his hands trail down her arms to cup her breasts. Dipping to her chest, he took one peak between his lips and moaned around it.
“I’ve been dreaming about these nipples since that night at my parents’ house.” He moved to the other breast, nipping this one gently before taking a long, slow lick to soothe any ache. All it did was make an ache of another kind. “Wanted to suck you again, over and over until you begged me to fuck you.”
“Ohhh...” Arcing her chest to his urgent kisses, Melanie was shocked at how much she loved the sex talk.
“Oh, yeah, baby,” he growled at her chest, lowering his mouth to the underside of her breast and, again, nipping gently. “I’m going to do things to this lush body you’ve only dreamed about. Going to make you come so hard...”
“Chase! Oh, God!”
He continued moving down her body, pausing to lick each rib, to dip his tongue into her navel, then kiss his way from there to her smooth mound. With a growl, he lifted her hips, cupping her ass with his big palms. Opening his mouth, he lowered it slowly to her cunt, covering it with his whole mouth. He kept his eyes on her until he created a seal, sucking and stabbing his tongue inside her. Once that happened, his eyes seemed to roll back in his head, then he closed them tightly, groaning in bliss.
Melanie didn’t register much after that, other than the wicked sensations he created within her. He seemed to find her clit instinctively, flicking it over and over until she was mindless, needing him so badly.
“Need you,” she gasped. “Oh, God! Chase! Please! Now!”
“Come, Melanie!” he rasped, sounding almost as needy as she felt. “Come now!”
She did.
Throwing one wrist over her mouth, Melanie bit down to keep from crying out as waves of pleasure rippled through her. Chase kept sucking and flicking her clit, groaning right along with her, his hips flexing into the bed like they might her body. Never had anything like this happened to her during sex. Sure she’d had orgasms, but this was more. Body and soul more.
As the waves ebbed, Chase rose over her. Sweat glistened on his skin and his eyes were wild with emotion. Without reservation, Melanie opened her arms, gripping his shoulders with her hands, pulling him down to her. One quick, sharp thrust, and he was inside her.
There was no way to suppress her gasp. She didn’t even try. His body slid over hers in a silky, slick, glide. Cock hard as steel, he stretched her, filled her, each thrust hard and long. Soon, Melanie could only grip his muscled ass with her fingers as she clung to him, buried her face in his neck, and hung on for dear life.
Over and over he pounded into her, his groans and grunts the sweetest music. He wanted this as much as she did, needed her the way she needed him.
“Melanie,” he whispered brokenly, “oh, sweet Melanie!”
“Chase!”
“Come with me, baby. Oh, God, come with me. Now!”
Back bowed, teeth clenched tightly, Chase came. Came so hard, Melanie felt him come inside her nearly as strong as she’d felt the thrust of his cock, gloried in it even. His orgasm triggered her own and she clutched him to her, keeping her mouth firmly shut against the screams she wanted to unleash.
/>
It was only then she registered they hadn’t used protection. And, God help her, it felt...right!
***
Never in his adult life had Chase failed to use protection with a woman. This time, it had never even entered his mind until it was way too late. Looking down into her face, she saw by the widening of her eyes and the slight part of her lips that she’d realized it at the same instant. Instead of saying anything, he waited. Watched.
As if she were absorbing the shock, the expression melted into a look of pure contentment. Sliding her arms around his neck, she pulled him back down to her, kissing him languidly, a woman well satisfied.
“I’m sorry, Melanie. That was careless and thoughtless of me. But I can’t say I regret it for my part.”
“Don’t be sorry. If you’d asked, I’d probably have said to use protection, but it would have been more a reflex decision than one I really wanted.” She smiled up at him, framing his face in her small hands. “I don’t regret it if you don’t.”
“Never,” he said, needing to kiss her again, to keep kissing her until he was hard and throbbing for her again. Until she was slick with wanting him. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you, Melanie. You’re the only woman for me.”
With a glad cry, Melanie threw her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely. “God help me, Chase,” she whimpered. “I love you. I love you so much!”
He untangled her arms from him, pushing himself up on one elbow, his body still fully embedded in her, his softening cock beginning to harden once more. Had he heard her right?
“Don’t joke about that, Melanie. If you’re not sure, I can wait. But don’t tell me that unless you really mean it. My heart couldn’t stand it.”
She laughed, though tears formed in her eyes. “Believe me, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” Sniffing and swiping at her eyes, she continued. “I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but I’ve been fighting it since that first lunch we shared together.”
“Honey”—he stroked the hair away from her forehead, leaning down to nuzzle her temple with his lips—“I’ve been lost for you since the middle of the summer. I just had no idea if you would give me a chance with you. When I finally met you, and you were even more beautiful than you were in my dreams, I didn’t have a fucking chance.”
Once again, Chase found her lips with his, needing her again. Fiercely. With a groan, he flexed his hips, driving into her with languid strokes. She met him eagerly, wrapping her legs around him, digging her heels into his ass. Her nails bit into his back as she clung to him. Tongue tangling with hers, thrusting against her like a spear of his cock, Chase took her every way he could, needing the soul-deep connection he had with her in that moment.
The squeeze of her cunt around him was the sweetest torture, the taste of her lips the most potent wine. It would be easy to completely lose himself in her arms and body. Though he’d just come, Chase found himself hard as steel for her again, thrusting in and out until he felt the building pressure to ride her hard. Still he held back, wanting to make this last as long as possible.
Melanie clung to him, her arms around his neck, fingers threading through his hair as she kissed him with the same fervor as he did her. Sensations poured through him, heat surrounding him until he thought he might burn from the overwhelming emotions. Love. Lust. Need. Everything rolled into one. The woman currently writhing in his arms so sweetly had not only saved his life and his sanity, but was giving him a future he’d never conceived possible.
It wasn’t long before she spasmed around him, her cunt milking him so sweetly. Her cries were stifled as she buried her face in his neck, clinging to him, sinking her nails into the flesh of his back as if she’d never let him go.
“Melanie!” He groaned her name as he thrust into her helplessly. “Oh, sweet, God!”
“Need you,” she gasped, her breath punctuated by the slaps of their bodies colliding in the sweetest dance. “Come inside me again, Chase,” she whispered. “Please.”
That was all it took. He had to sink his teeth in to the pillow to keep from bellowing his satisfaction. Melanie still squeezed him rhythmically as her orgasm continued to course through her.
No more did Chase fear the future, or despair from the past. From the moment he’d met Melanie, the grief inside him had eased until he’d accepted it as a part of him. Had it not been for Ritchie’s selfless act of saving the life of a stranger, Chase would never have been driven to the point where the letters of two mysterious strangers would be the highlight of his week. He’d never have bridged the gap he’d created with his family. And he’d never have met his Melanie or her sweet Abigail.
Life just didn’t get much better than this...
Chapter Twelve
The next afternoon, U-Haul loaded and ready to go, Melanie did one last inspection of her apartment. The only thing left was Abigail’s bag of stuff she wanted with her in the car, mainly a few toys and some of her baseball memorabilia. Once everything else had been emptied out, Melanie had insisted on cleaning the bare rooms before she left. Once done, she’d waved at Rick as he drove off in the big U-Haul truck, bound for her new apartment and new life. Chase had stayed with her, waiting on Abigail. The three of them would head back to Lexington as soon as the little girl got home from school.
When she’d climbed into the shower, Chase had joined her. Startled at first, Melanie had self-consciously touched the shower cap protecting her hair, not relishing the idea of him seeing her in it. Chase, however, didn’t seem to notice it at all, concentrating instead on the rest of her, shaping her curves with those big, work-roughened hands. It hadn’t been long before Melanie could have given a damn about the stupid shower cap.
Before they left, Abigail wanted to go to her bedroom one last time. Melanie supposed this was a more than exciting adventure to the little girl. On some level, Abigail knew this was the start of a new life, one that included Chase and a brand new town. Leaving behind her old life must have been difficult for the little girl, even if she didn’t know how to express what she was feeling. Chase, bless his soul, went with her. Even now, Melanie could here Abigail chatting about something that had happened when she was younger that had caused the peeling of the wallpaper along one corner of the room. Chase’s rumbling laughter sent a thrill through Melanie.
A knock at the door startled her. Must be the landlord. Without hesitation, Melanie crossed to the door, opening it...to stare into the face of an obviously confused and angry Dan.
“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, barging into the apartment, backing Melanie up several steps before she stood her ground. Looking around, his face grew even more thunderous. “Where’s all your furniture?”
“I’m leaving,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. “I got another job, but it’s away from here. Abigail and I are moving.”
“Where?” He took a threatening step forward.
“None of your business! You need to leave before someone gets hurt.” Melanie wanted nothing more than to run to Chase, but there was no way she was tucking her tail between her legs now. Dan was an ass. She could deal with him.
“Just what do you think Social Services will say? You don’t have permission to leave!”
“I don’t need permission! I’m Abigail’s legal guardian, soon to be her mother, and there’s not a damned thing you can do about it!” Melanie was rapidly passing the realm of angry to royally pissed off. The nerve of the man!
He lunged for her, his hand shooting out to grab her neck. Instinctively, Melanie’s own hands went to his thick wrist. She had just dug her fingers under his pinky to pry his hand away from her throat when Chase entered the room with Abigail in tow.
“Mommy!” the child shrieked. Chase stepped in front of the little girl when she would have run to Melanie.
Dan looked startled, but didn’t let go of Melanie. Instead, he put her between Chase and him.
Melanie glanced at Chase. C
alm as ever, though there was a gleam in his eye that gave her the shivers, he pulled his cell out of his pocket, punched a few numbers, then put it on speaker.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“This is Chase Carver, I’m at one, one, three South Main Street, the home of Melanie Wade. I’m about to throw a beat down on an intruder. He has Miss Wade by the throat, and her child is with us.”
There was a pause as the operator either was dispatching police or trying to decide if Chase was for real before finally saying, “Officers are on the way.”
“I’ll stay on the line so you can hear what actually happens. The intruder is Dan Jackson.” He paused looking Dan straight in the face as he added, “Might want to send an ambulance too.”
“Mr. Carver, I highly recommend–” Whatever the woman was going to say was wasted because no one was listening, least of all Chase. He stalked toward Dan. When the man jerked Melanie more fully in front of him, Chase grabbed Dan’s wrist–the one attached to the hand encircling Melanie’s throat—and squeezed. With a groan, Dan let Melanie go. She wasted no time, instead ducking under his arm and lunging away.
“Get away from me!” Dan shrieked. “Melanie is my woman. Everyone knows it. We’re getting married–”
His words were cut off when Melanie, ever conscious of the open 9-1-1 line, interrupted him. “You got me fired from my job at your office, tried to get social services to take Abigail away from me, destroyed my car, and tried to strangle me! What part of that makes you think we’re in any shape or fashion a couple?” All the while, Melanie backed away from him, wrapping an arm around Abigail, ushering the girl farther into the apartment away from danger.
Abigail had just disappeared into her old bedroom when a gunshot rang out, followed by a grunt of pain. With a cry, Melanie slammed Abigail’s room shut and darted back to the living room. There she found Chase and Dan locked in a grappling fight.
Blood ran down Chase’s left arm, and Melanie noticed him favoring it. Dan took every opportunity to take advantage of Chase’s weaker side, punching and swinging at his left shoulder as much as possible.
A Hero to Rescue Me (Hero's Crossing) Page 6