Chasing Strength: A Small Town Steamy Romance (Harper Family series Book 4)

by Nancy Stopper

  “About what?”

  “Whatever has you lost in thought.”

  “I’m just thinking about everything that happened today. I mean, it’s not as though we don’t get together as a family all the time, because we do, but today was different. I don’t know if it was because you came with me, or the fact that I only thought about grabbing a drink a couple of times. Usually I spend our family dinners buzzed. Add to that the fact that Izzy’s going to have a baby. It won’t be my first niece or nephew, but it’s her first baby and she’s the first girl in our family to have kids.”

  He covered her hand with his, and she flipped hers over and threaded their fingers together. “It does seem really special, although a bit earlier than they expected.”

  Alexis chuckled. “Yeah, leave it to my always organized sister to be unprepared for labor. I halfway expected her to pack her hospital bag the minute she saw two lines on the pregnancy test.”

  “Do you want to go over there? To the hospital?”

  She shook her head. “Tanner will call or text when she’s ready for visitors. Who knows how long she’ll be in labor? If it were me, I wouldn’t want a barrage of people traipsing through my room after I just pushed a watermelon out of a hole the size of a lemon.”

  He winced. “You may have a point.”

  She unhooked her seat belt and shifted so she was facing him, her legs tucked beneath her. She bit the left side of her lower lip. Always the left side, and always a sign of her nerves. “What I do want, though, is to ask you to come in.” A cute little blush crept up her cheeks. “And stay the night. I have to make up for last night.”

  Her invitation was welcome, but her guilt was misplaced. He loved that she’d fallen asleep in his arms, even if he had to recount all his worst typos to calm his erection when he’d realized nothing else was going to happen. “You have nothing to make up for. I wanted you to feel good. To give you that pleasure. You fell asleep because you let yourself really relax for maybe the first time since I’ve met you.”

  She slid her hand onto his knee, her fingers tickling the inside of his thigh. Even through his heavy denim jeans, her touch sent a jolt straight to his cock. With their gazes locked, she followed a path up his leg, her finger drawing circles as she did. And she didn’t stop when she reached his cock—she cupped the bulge and pushed a groan out of his throat. “I want to see what I missed out on last night.”

  “That could be arranged.” He barely squeaked out the words. Calm down. Now. It wouldn’t be good to finish before he’d even started. “As long as you realize you have nothing to make up for.”

  “Got it. Now get out.” She leapt away and hopped out of the truck before he could catch his breath. She leaned back into the open door. “We can debate that more… naked.”

  She didn’t need to ask twice. He ripped the keys out of the ignition and vaulted out of the truck, meeting her on the stoop as she slid her key into the lock.

  Bandit barked from the other side of the door. “Was Bandit okay when you got home this morning?”

  “Okay? Yes. Happy? No. And he left me a gift in my favorite flats to let me know his displeasure.” She chuckled as she spoke, clearly not too upset with the unexpected damage to her shoes. Nor did she hesitate to accept doggy kisses from a very excited Bandit. Her laughter came easily.

  A few minutes later, Alexis ushered Bandit out the back door while she refreshed his food and water. All the while, Chris hovered in the doorway, entranced. There were so many facets of Alexis and seeing her with Bandit was just another.

  Bandit taken care of, Alexis turned a smile on him and waggled her eyebrows. “That should keep him busy for a while.” And then she was in his arms, her hands climbing to the back of his neck, and she pulled his head down to meet hers.

  Their lips came together, sweet at first and then more heated, with lips and tongues and licks and nips. She pressed her breasts into his chest and her core along his thigh, like a promise of things to come. “I want you. In my bed. Now.”

  Alrighty, then. He linked his fingers with hers and she led him down the hall and into the room where he’d found her sprawled across her bed that first night. Bright moonlight shone through the open curtains, illuminating the cream-colored sheets of the unmade bed like a spotlight. As Alexis crossed through the light, it cast an ethereal glow around her. He stared at her, his breath catching in his chest.

  He couldn’t believe he was here with her. Despite his determination not to risk the inevitable heartbreak that came from loving and losing, Alexis had worked her way into his soul.

  Enough with the niceties. As Alexis flung her flats into the open closet, he kicked the door closed behind them and toed off his shoes. Her shirt went next, and he matched the move, stretching behind him and yanking his off. He reached for her then, needing the touch of her skin against his. “God, you feel so good.”

  Her hands brushed against his abs, her soft touch trailing down until she stopped at his jeans. A minute later, the button was opened, the zipper lowered, and she laid her hand over his cock. She stroked him through his boxer briefs… once, and then again, and he twitched in response.

  “I want this,” she rasped.

  She didn’t have to ask twice. He ripped his jeans off while she did the same with hers. She reached for him, but this time he grabbed her hands and held them out to her sides. “Slow down. I want to savor this moment.”

  She shuddered and he could almost visibly see her fold in on herself. Dammit. He hated that she didn’t know how gorgeous she was. How it was all he could do not to throw her onto the bed and drive into her until she forgot every negative thought in her head. While her skimpy turquoise bra and panties were exquisite, it was more important for her to understand that his feelings weren’t about how she looked. It was the person inside her that he was falling in love with.

  He gathered her into his arms and pressed a kiss to her head. “You’re gorgeous. But even if your body wasn’t, your soul is, and that’s who I see when I look at you. You will always be beautiful to me.”

  He sensed the minute his words sank in and she relaxed in his arms. She pulled back, desire heavy in her eyes, and she framed his cheeks with her hands. With her gaze locked on his until the last minute, she pressed her lips to his. He let her take the lead, to express the emotion that she kept bottled up so much of the time. As she moved her lips to his cheek, he closed his eyes and felt her warm breath on his skin. Her lips whispered across his chin with a gentle brush, not much more than a breath, as if she was memorizing his face.

  He gave himself over to the exploration as long as he could… until his erection strained painfully to get in the game. By then, her hands caressed his body, her lips nipping at his chest and abs. If they weren’t horizontal and soon, his legs might give out on him.

  He lifted Alexis and lowered her onto the bed. Then he followed her down, covering her with his body.

  At some point during her exploration, she’d managed to remove her bra, and her nipples brushed deliciously against his chest.

  He couldn’t wait another minute to touch her, to show her a little of the effect she had on him. He slid his mouth toward her breast while his hand traveled down her body and nudged her panties aside. As his lips closed over her nipple, he slipped a finger inside her. Her muscles immediately clenched around him, holding him in place. She moaned, the sound deep and breathy.

  She was so responsive to his touch that it wouldn’t take much to drive her over the edge. And he planned to. Over and over again.

  But Alexis had other ideas. She shoved her hands into the back of his boxer briefs, her fingers digging into his ass. Each time she squeezed, she sent a jolt straight to his cock until he couldn’t stand it anymore.

  He whipped the briefs down his body and kicked them off his feet. He then hooked his fingers in Alexis’s panties and slid them down her legs, pressing kisses to the inside of her thighs as he did.

  Then they were both gloriously naked, Alexis’s
creamy white skin a sharp contrast to the darkened tone of his arms. Now… where was he? He covered her body again, her arms welcoming him as he caressed her belly and teased the small thatch of curls. She arched her back, her body seeking his touch. He was happy to oblige and slid two fingers into her. Her moisture coated his fingers, smoothing his way as he twisted and stretched, loving how she gripped him tight with her arms and legs, holding him against her as her breathing grew more ragged with each stroke.

  He raised his head to find her watching him. Or more specifically, watching him with his fingers inside her. He quickened his movement, his gaze locked on her as he slid both fingers inside her and twisted, searching for that sensitive spot deep within that would give her the most pleasure. The minute he found it, her internal muscles clamped around him. She broke their visual connection as her eyes fluttered closed and her head flopped back.

  He stroked faster, his thumb searching for her clit and circling it over and over. He thrust his fingers in and out in rhythm with her rapid breathing, the soft, accompanying moans music to his ears.

  And then her entire body twitched and tightened, and a keening sound echoed from within her belly. Her fingers dug into the covers, holding on as he continued stroking her through wave after wave of pleasure.

  When he felt her muscles relax, a sign that she had crested the hill, he whipped his fingers out and fumbled across the bed for the condoms. His fingers wrapped around a foil packet and he made quick work of rolling it on. While Alexis’s body trembled in the aftermath of her orgasm, he tugged her to the edge of the bed and stood between her thighs, his cock stretching long in front of him.

  “Alexis, look at me.”

  Her lids raised slowly, her sex-filled gaze locking with his as he slid his cock into her. Just a little, to give her time to adjust. She was so tight. Damn, he grit his teeth so he didn’t explode. He was determined to make this good for her, to give her another orgasm before taking his own, but she felt so glorious wrapped around him that it was mustering every bit of his strength. He flexed his hips back and then forward again, sliding all the way in.

  As his cock thrust deep inside Alexis, she gasped. “Oh, God. That feels amazing.”

  He gripped her hips and withdrew slightly, thrusting again until his hips were flush with hers. Over and over, pulling out and stroking in, Alexis’s body raising to meet his.

  Her gaze never left his. Tightness formed deep in his groin and he knew he didn’t have long. On the next thrust, he released her hip and slid his thumb over her clit. That was all it took. She cried out, her channel gripping him like a vice as she tumbled again. He slid his arm beneath her back and lifted her to him as he thrust, faster and faster. The burn built in his gut until he groaned through his own release.

  He struggled to even his breathing. Damn. He’d had sex before, but until this moment, he hadn’t known what it was like to make love. He’d never felt the emotional attachment to anyone like he did to Alexis, and the intimacy of this moment, their minds and bodies joined, would be something he wouldn’t soon forget.

  He gathered her into his arms, his knees propped against the side of the mattress to hold him upright, until the last tremors washed through him. And then a little bit longer. Alexis’s eyes remained closed, her body limp, as if she had poured everything she had into making love and was completely wrung out.

  Now that he knew what it felt like to be inside her, to connect with her in a way he hadn’t before, he couldn’t remember what had made him cautious in the first place.

  Once he got his legs beneath him, he disposed of the condom so he could return to Alexis’s side. He slid her up the bed and tucked her in beside him. She opened her eyes, her lids heavy. “That was unbelievable.”

  And then she promptly fell asleep.

  Chapter 16

  Heat permeated Alexis’s back, waking her from a sound sleep. A heavy weight pressed her into the bed, and she blinked her eyes a couple of times, trying to focus. It took her a minute to get her bearings and see that she was in her bedroom.

  But she wasn’t alone. Chris’s naked body was wrapped around her, his arms cradling her as though she was precious. And his cock thickened against her backside.

  She stretched, reveling in the delicious soreness between her legs. Making love with Chris has been… well, she didn’t have words. And for an author, that was saying something.

  She snuggled deeper into his embrace, pushing every negative thought that threatened to surface out of her mind and focusing on the here and now… and the sexy man behind her. Chris continued to amaze her, in the way he supported her with her family at Justin’s house to how he had already come to recognize her moods and give her the space to work out her jumble of emotions.

  Except for her sister, no one had been that close to her. Ever.

  She heard a ding from somewhere on the floor. Her phone must still be in the pocket of her jeans, wherever they were. She should probably check her messages. Oh, yeah. Izzy’s having a baby!

  She lifted Chris’s arm, freezing when he grumbled and tightened his grip. His breathing hadn’t changed—he was still asleep—but still he reached out to her.

  She tried again and this time snuck away from his sinewy forearm, resting it gently on the bed, and crawled onto the floor to find her phone. She shivered and reached for something to tug on. When her fingers landed on the super-soft cotton of Chris’s shirt, she brought it to her nose, inhaling his masculine, musky scent.

  “Do you two need a moment alone?”

  She screeched and fell onto her butt, Chris’s shirt clasped to her chest. She should have known he wasn’t asleep. She hissed in a whisper, “You scared the crap out of me.”

  He rested his head on his hand, his elbow propped on the bed. “That’s what you get for trying to sneak out of bed like that.”

  “I wasn’t sneaking. I heard my phone beep.” She threw his shirt over her head and shoved her hands into the sleeves. “But I’m cold.”

  He threw her a saucy grin. “I’d be happy to keep you warm. But I like you like this. You can wear my shirt anytime, as long as you promise to be completely naked underneath it.”

  His words had her body heating again. Damn, she might not ever get enough of him. And that thought didn’t scare the crap out of her.

  The phone beeped again, and she traced the sound to the back pocket of her jeans. She whipped it out to a series of messages from Justin and Serena.

  “Izzy had her baby,” she cried out as she scrolled through the messages containing details about her labor, the baby, and then finally a photo of the exhausted Momma and Daddy with their new little… boy. She spun her phone and flashed the picture to Chris who had sprawled on the bed, hugging a pillow. “A little boy. They named him Joshua.”

  “He’s beautiful. I’m happy for them.”

  “Me, too,” she mumbled as she flicked through the series of photos that Serena had dashed off to the family, each one cuter than the last. She barely noticed when Chris climbed off the bed and wrapped himself around her on the floor. He didn’t say anything—just rested his chin on her shoulder.

  Serena had said it would be best for Alexis to visit later today since Izzy had been awake most of the night. She wanted to rush to the hospital and meet the newest member of her family, but she understood.

  After everything their family had gone through in the past few years, having a new baby gave Alexis hope that they would be all right. All of them.

  That hope extended to her… and inspired her to write.

  Chris nuzzled her neck. “What’s on tap for today?”

  As much as she would love to climb back under the covers and spend the day with him, she couldn’t ignore the inspiration. “I want to write. No, that’s not right. I need to write. The ideas are swirling in my mind, and I want to get them onto paper.” She turned her head and pressed her lips to his. “Although you’re making it difficult for me to get off this floor.”

  His arms tightened aro
und her, and his lips fastened to her neck, suckling at her skin. “That was my master plan.”

  She smacked at his arms, laughter on her lips. “Well, stop that. I have stuff to do.”

  He flopped his head on her shoulder. “I don’t wanna, but I understand. I guess.”

  But he didn’t release her.

  She sank into his warmth for a moment, cuddling with him on the floor as if they were the only two people in the world. But all too soon, real life invaded in the form of one yippy Jack Russell on the other side of her bedroom door.

  She heaved a huge sigh. “Duty calls.”

  Chris hopped off the floor and pulled her to her feet. “How about I take care of Bandit? You get dressed and then I’ll leave so you can work.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Because I can assure you that if I stay, you won’t be writing any words.”

  What had she done to deserve him? She didn’t get a chance to ask before he slipped on his boxers, tugged on his jeans and shoved his feet into his shoes.

  When he opened the door, Bandit burst in, running circles around her, jumping and yipping. “Hey, sweetie. How are you doing today?”

  “Come on, Bandit.” Chris motioned with his arm and stepped into the hall. “Time to go out.”

  That was all Bandit needed, that fickle dog, affectionate to anyone who fed and walked him. So much for loyalty.

  Alexis grabbed a pair of panties out of her drawer, snatched her jeans off the floor and pulled them on, and then went searching for her bra. But instead of grabbing a new shirt out of the drawer, she slipped her arms out of Chris’s shirt, returning them after fastening her bra behind her back. She buried her nose in the soft fabric again, surrounding herself in his scent. He was just going to have to make do because this was her shirt now.

  She stepped into the kitchen as he was returning from the backyard, a hyper Bandit on his heels. He scooped food out of the huge plastic bin in the pantry and freshened the water bowl in the sink. She loved that he cared about her… and Bandit… enough to ensure his needs were met.