Soul Dreams

by Desiree Holt

  “I thought I’d never have anything to give thanks for again,” Blake rasped, his thumbs brushing her nipples. “Until you came into my dreams.”

  “Me, too,” she whispered.

  “I’m going to put your bra and your sweater on, honey. I don’t think we should do any more for tonight. Otherwise, I’m liable to strip every inch of clothing from you and take you like some lust-crazed berserker.”

  She clenched her fists to steady herself “What if I said that was okay?”

  “No. Don’t. I’ve waited so long to see if life had anything to offer me again. I’m not going to ruin it by being too hasty.”

  When she was fully clothed again, he pressed his mouth to hers, tracing the outline with his tongue before thrusting it gently inside. She could sense his reluctance when he pulled his head back.

  “I’m a mess, Nina. If you knew how much of a mess, you’d run like hell.” He grabbed her hands. “But I don’t want you to. So, we’re going to do this slowly. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she breathed. “I’m not sure I’d know what to do after all this time, anyway.”

  “You’ll do fine.” He pressed his mouth to her ear. “Dream of me tonight, sweet Nina. Dream of my mouth on your nipples and your clit. Dream of my tongue tasting your sweet pussy. Of my cock inside you. And dream of yourself coming harder than you ever have in your life. I want to take you there, a place where no one else ever has. But not until we’re both ready.”

  One more hot, possessive kiss scorching her lips, and he set her away from him.

  “Grange?”

  He raised his voice, so Nina assumed the man was at the other end of the house. At least she hoped he was, after the scene in the living room. The familiar boot steps coming nearer suggested she was right.

  “Can I get you two anything?” The sound of Grange’s rusty voice followed them.

  “No,” Blake answered the man. “Not tonight.” He helped Nina to rise. “But maybe tomorrow night?”

  Excitement threaded through her. “Yes. I’d like that.”

  “Good. Same time?”

  “All right.”

  He led her to the hallway and helped her into her jacket. “Grange will see you out.” His mouth brushed her ear again. “Don’t forget about the dream.”

  “I won’t. Don’t worry.”

  His uneven steps faded slowly away. Finally, Grange untied the scarf. She blinked at the sudden return of light.

  “You okay to drive?” he asked.

  “Yes. I’ll be fine. Thank you.”

  She turned toward the door, but Grange put a hand on her arm to stay her.

  “You’re the only person he’s talked to in two years besides me. Please keep coming to see him.”

  She stared at him. “What’s wrong with him, Grange? What happened to him?”

  “He’d best tell you himself. If you keep coming over here, he will. But not until he’s certain you won’t walk away from him.”

  A wild thought raced through her brain. “He didn’t kill someone, did he?”

  Grange shook his head, a sad expression on his face. “No, it might have been better if he had. Good night, Nina. Don’t give up, okay?”

  She smiled at him, at the worried frown on his forehead. “Not a chance.”

  Not after tonight.

  Chapter Six

  Brutus jumped on Nina the moment she walked in, tail wagging, barking his greeting. She rubbed his head then knelt to hug him.

  “Did you miss me, boy? I missed you, too, but there are some places I can’t take you. Okay?”

  She sank to the floor, trembling, Brutus climbing all over her. She almost felt as though she’d had an out of body experience. Going into the home of a man who was practically a stranger—okay, a virtual stranger—letting him blindfold her and partially undress her. Caress her breasts. Put his mouth on them. Worship them—because there was no other word to describe what he’d done. No one had ever made her feel like that before. Not her dipshit ex-fiancé. Not the self-indulgent Tom Ridgeway. Blake made her feel as though she was the center of his universe. She’d been so aroused when he said he wanted to strip her clothes off, she almost begged him to go ahead and do it. She touched her fingertips to her mouth, still feeling the imprint of his lips.

  Brutus brought her back to reality, rubbing himself against her, still barking excitedly.

  “Want to go out? Okay, come on. Let’s go outside.”

  She kept her jacket on while she walked into the back yard with him. The night was still frosty, but it was clear, the stars like diamonds in a black velvet sky. Brutus sniffed and rooted around the yard, searching for an acceptable place to do business. The yard had an electric fence so she wasn’t worried about him running off.

  Wrapping her jacket around her, she stared at the sky and thought about how strange the evening had been. And how weird she’d enjoyed it so much. Without sight, every other sense had been on full alert. Her nose had filled with the sandalwood cologne he used and the clean smell of soap. The minty aroma and taste of toothpaste. The cedar from the fire. The touch of his rough hands on her skin. His mouth so soft by contrast. The unexpected rush of desire consuming her the moment he’d touched her naked skin.

  Her pussy was still so wet with her fluid her thighs were damp. Her pulse beat furiously. Her breasts ached for his touch again.

  You promised yourself never again.

  And so she had. But new feelings were battling the fear and pain, emotions more intense than anything she’d experienced before. She was scared and excited at the same time. What if she took a chance again only to crash and burn?

  Isn’t that better than being half dead inside? her little voice asked.

  Brutus’s excited barking brought her back to the present.

  “You ready to go inside, boy? Yeah, it’s cold out, isn’t it? Come on. I think I need some hot chocolate. If you’re really good, I’ll let you lick the spoon.”

  Inside, she hung up her jacket, filled Brutus’s bowl with fresh water, and gave him a doggie treat from the jar on the counter. She was in the process of getting out the milk to heat when the bell on her laptop chimed from the other room. She hurried to see if it was Blake, all the while telling herself not to be stupid. She’d hardly been gone from his house a few minutes and she was going to see him again the next night. Here she was, getting her hopes up again.

  But when she clicked on the icon, there was his screen name and a message. She took the laptop into the kitchen with her, setting it on the table, and read what he’d written.

  Blake: Thank you so much for coming here tonight.

  Booklady: I enjoyed it, too.

  Blake: I think my social skills might be a little rusty.

  Booklady: No more than mine.

  Booklady: I had a nice time.

  Blake: I did, too. Thank you.

  She wrinkled her forehead. Thank you?

  Booklady: For what?

  Blake: For putting up with my requests. The blindfold.

  She started to answer him when another message scrolled across the box.

  Blake: Your skin is so smooth. Like in my dreams. Your mouth is so sweet, Nina. Your breasts so nicely rounded. And your nipples taste like ripe berries.

  Nina knew she was blushing, but she didn’t care. Who could see her except Brutus?

  Her ex-fiancé had spent more time worrying about his own satisfaction, and Tom had always wanted her to praise whatever he was doing. She wasn’t used to being the focus of a man’s unselfish attention. She nibbled at her lips as she typed her answer.

  Booklady: I liked the way you touched me.

  She jerked her fingers back almost as if the keyboard had burned them.

  Blake: I liked it, too.

  Pause.

  Blake: I can’t wait for tomorrow night.

  Wow! Okay, then.

  Booklady: Neither can I.

  Blake: Will you do me a favor?

  Uh oh.

  Booklady: What?
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  Blake: When you get up in the morning, will you send me a message and describe your dream to me?

  Holy Hannah! Verbalizing erotic activities had never been her strong suit. How was she going to do it?

  Booklady: I don’t know if I can.

  Blake: It’s easy. Pretend you’re writing to yourself. Please?

  Why not? If she planned to embark on a new adventure, why hold back?

  Booklady: Okay. But I get up early.

  Blake: So do I.

  She grinned to herself.

  Booklady: Will you let me touch your beard again?

  Blake: I might let you touch even more.

  How was she supposed to respond?

  Booklady: In the morning, then.

  Blake: Pleasant dreams. And I do mean pleasant.

  Then he was gone, his screen name disappearing from the active list.

  Nina sat back in the chair, still staring at the screen. Her palms were damp, so she wiped them on her slacks. And her panties were wetter than they’d been before. Did she have the courage to do this? What if she didn’t dream about him tonight? What if she couldn’t make herself say the words?

  Fingers trembling slightly, she set about fixing the hot chocolate. When it was ready, she carried it into the bedroom with her, taking a delicious sip before setting it down. As she removed her sweater and bra, she recalled again Blake’s hands and mouth on her. Without thinking, she cupped her breasts and rubbed her nipples with her thumbs. She could almost—almost—pretend they were Blake’s.

  With a sigh, she pulled out her comfortable sleep shirt, slipped it over her head, and crawled into bed. Cradling the mug of hot chocolate, she replayed every moment of the evening in her head. When the mug was empty, she set it on the nightstand, slid beneath the covers, and prepared—hoped—to dream.

  He always seemed to arrive as she stepped from her bath, already naked, tying the silk scarf over her eyes before she had a chance to see him. As soon as he’d wrapped the towel around her, he turned her and lifted one of her hands to his face. She smiled as she stroked his beard, still amazed how silky it was, like the scarf covering her eyes.

  She started to say something, but his mouth on hers stopped her. He nibbled lightly on her lips, soothing the love bites with his tongue. As always, her cunt began its insistent throbbing, and a rush of need consumed her. The towel dropped as his hands came up to cradle her head, tilting it to give him a better angle. His tongue probed deeply, coaxing hers to dance with him. His thick shaft pressed against her, heating her blood.

  When he broke the kiss, he trailed his lips across her jaw line, stopping to lick the sensitive place behind her ear before tracing the line of her neck. Following her own need, she dropped her hand to wrap her fingers around his cock. Her thumb brushed his velvety head, feeling the liquid sitting atop the slit. With slow strokes, she rubbed the pre-cum into the sensitive skin, drawing a groan from him.

  When he would have lifted her to carry her to the bed, she brushed his hands aside and dropped to her knees. He was always concerned first and foremost with her needs. Her pleasure. Tonight, she was determined he would come first.

  Still holding his swollen dick, she bent her head and took him deeply into her mouth. He was too large for her to encompass all of it. The first time they made love she hadn’t even been sure he would fit, but he’d taken his time, made sure she was ready, and worked his shaft in slowly. This time she took as much as she could, swirling her tongue around the head and sucking hard, matching the strokes of her fingers to the movement of her mouth.

  Blake wound his fingers in her hair, gripping her head and rocking back and forth. The sounds rumbling up from deep in his chest incited her, and she sucked harder, rubbed faster.

  “Oh, honey, don’t stop. My God, you have the sweetest mouth. I love it. I love it.”

  When the tightening of his body signaled he was right at the point of explosion, she slipped her free hand between his thighs, cupped his balls, and squeezed. He exploded into her mouth. She held him as his cock pulsed, sending spurt after spurt of semen down her throat. She swallowed it, loving the salty taste of him, reveling in taking his essence deep inside her body.

  When he finished, he put his hands beneath her elbows and lifted her to her feet. “I might need help standing after that.”

  From his tone of voice, she knew he was grinning.

  “Did you want me to help you to the bed?”

  He chuckled, the gravelly sound so arousing. “I think I can make it on my own.”

  He arranged her on the bed the way he always liked, with her knees bent, feet planted, and legs spread wide.

  “Touch yourself for me,” he growled, kneeling between her legs. “Pinch your clit.

  “Don’t you ever get tired of watching me?” she asked.

  “Not in the least. Go on, honey. Rub yourself.”

  She moved one hand down over her tummy into the folds of her pussy and—

  Nina sat bolt upright in bed, heart thundering. Her nightshirt was rucked up, and her hand was between her thighs. Her mouth was so dry she could hardly swallow, yet her entire body was covered with perspiration.

  How could she ever tell Blake about this dream? She touched her lips, sore as if she’d really had his cock in her mouth. She could practically taste him on her tongue. Feel the imprint of his hands on her body, his fingers threading through her hair.

  Holy God!

  Brutus leaped up on the bed, wagging his tail. A glance at the bedside clock told her it was nearly four o’clock. She didn’t have to open the store today, so she could allow herself the luxury of sleeping in. The only problem was she didn’t know if she wanted to go back to sleep or not. She lay back down, covers up to her chin, hand resting on Brutus’s warm body. But she couldn’t seem to close her eyes.

  ***

  Blake stared at the page of the open book, realizing he hadn’t turned a page in the past fifteen minutes and had no idea what it said anyway. He’d stayed downstairs in front of the fire for a long time after Nina left, polishing off the wine and reliving every second of the evening. If this was a joke fate was playing on him, he hoped he’d have the last laugh. He’d been totally unprepared for the kick of emotion blazing through him, scorching his nerves and igniting his senses. The last time he’d felt this way was—never. Not even with Caro.

  He could still taste the satiny smoothness of Nina’s lips, the sweet flavor of her mouth, the ripeness of her nipples. His hands itched to touch those beautiful breasts again.

  She’s stunning. What makes you think when she sees you she won’t run in the opposite direction?

  That was certainly the big question. What was he doing to himself? It could all disappear in a moment. But he had to take the chance. His desire for her had grown beyond imagination. And if she ran, he’d be no worse off than he was, already broken and destroyed.

  He thought about their IM conversation tonight. He knew he was getting bolder and bolder. But she hadn’t shut him down. And while he’d felt her nervousness, he could tell his feelings weren’t one-sided. He got the hint from the little remarks she let drop she’d been hurt. Badly. While hers hadn’t been physical, like his, and the scars might not be visible, they were equally as painful. They were like two survivors in a war stumbling toward each other.

  He had loved Caro. He really believed that. And her betrayal had hurt almost as much as the burns. But he hadn’t felt for her the depth of emotion he felt for Nina Foster, in what had to be the oddest of situations. Nina’s skin was like the finest satin, her hair like spun silk. And her breasts and nipples. The stuff erotic dreams were made of.

  He could listen to her voice forever—low, melodious, like the song of the legendary Sirens. It was more soothing than any of the medication he’d been given yet at the same time fired his blood beyond the boiling point. He wanted to sink into her body and lose himself in the warmth of her flesh.

  Jesus! He was in damn bad shape here.

  He c
losed the book, put it on the nightstand, and switched off the light. The words of their IM conversation played in his head as he drifted off to sleep.

  “Good. So good. Touch yourself like that.”

  He loved it when she was fresh from her bath, fragrant with the strawberry-scent bath oils she used, her face flushed from the heat of the water. Her body soft and yielding.

  She had blown his brains out with her delicate and amazing mouth, taking him to heaven and back. Now it was her turn. Kneeling between her thighs, he had a clear view of her sweet cunt, all pink and wet. His mouth watered, and his cock, which had been at rest after a wild ride, was making itself known again.

  “Play with your clit,” he reminded her. “Rub your fingertip back and forth over it.”

  The rate of her breathing increased while she did as he asked. He ran the tip of one finger the length of her slit then licked her essence with a glide of his tongue.

  “So good,” he told her. “I could lick you forever.”

  She kept up the movement on her swollen bundle of nerves while he slid one finger inside her waiting pussy.

  Oh God!

  Warm wet flesh closed around it, tightening, her hips thrusting lightly at him.

  He pulled away long enough to don a condom because he was sure when the time came he’d be too far gone to remember. Then he was back. This time he slipped two fingers inside her, feeling the pulsing in her inner walls. Three fingers and she moaned with desire.

  “Let go, Nina. I want to see you come.”

  He pushed harder and faster, her finger keeping time with him until her body jerked and the spasm grew more intense. He rose up on his knees, cupped the cheeks of her ass to bring her into position, and drove into her with one swift thrust.