“Petting you.” Fee turned her face toward his chest and nuzzled a nipple. “I think we need to document this amazing recovery time … for the Guinness World Book of Records.” She licked then took a delicate bite of the nipple she teased. “Any ideas about what I should do with this?” She swept a gentle thumb over his very wet and sensitive cockhead.
Trey had a lot of ideas. All of them had to do with never leaving this bed, but they needed to eat, if for no other reason than to keep up their strength for more love-making later in the day.
“Shower-sex … tongues and mouth only since you have to be sore. Shower. Clothes. Then we’ll hit the Lodge for breakfast.” Trey threw off the comforter and got out of bed. Gathering her into his arms, he headed for the master bathroom. “After breakfast, we’ll come back here and sit in the hot tub. It’ll be good for any soreness you might have.”
*
“Trey, I’m fine. I’m also on board with all your suggestions.” Fee rubbed her cheek over his shoulder, inhaling the combined musk of their love-making. “I could cook you breakfast, you know?” Mostly because she wasn’t sure she wanted to face the interested looks from her and Trey’s friends.
“That would be a miracle…” Trey laughed as he held her one-armed against his side as he turned on the shower. He’d shown throughout the night that he didn’t like her too far away from him. “…because like Mother Hubbard’s cupboards, mine are bare. We’ll need to make a trip to Grangeville sometime today to buy food.”
Trey looked down at her. “Never feel you have to cook for me, little doc. You have a busy schedule between the clinic and your ER shifts. We can always eat at the Lodge. Scotty always makes more than enough food.”
“I want to cook for you.” Fee rubbed her hand over his six-pack abs. Her man needed fuel to keep his gorgeously hot body running in tip-top form—and to have the energy to make love to her. “I like cooking … it relaxes me.”
“Fuck, baby.” Trey’s voice was a low sexy growl. His cock nudged the arm she’d positioned across his lower abs. Yep, fully erect, the head of his cock did reach his navel. “I just had an image of you wearing a frilly apron and nothing else.”
“Um…” Fee clenched her thighs as her clit twinged. The picture he’d painted and the lust in his voice had her wet and needy again. “I could do that … as long as I wasn’t frying anything. Kitchens aren’t really safe places for unclothed bodies.”
Do not discourage the man, dummy.
Trey grinned. “I’d keep you safe. First, I’d clear off the center island, cover it with a large towel so your skin wouldn’t touch the cold granite. Then I’d lay you down gently on top, with your legs hanging over the edge, and eat you for my appetizer. After I ate the meal you cooked me—which you’d serve naked—I’d clear the kitchen table, bend you over it, and have you for dessert.”
Fee moaned. God, who knew cooking and eating a meal at home could sound so sexy? She wanted to act out the scenario he’d described … maybe a couple of times a week. “We need to buy an apron. I don’t have any.”
“For chrissakes, Fee. Don’t encourage me.” Picking her up, he carried her into the huge shower, then lowered her to sit on the built-in bench. He knelt between her spread thighs. “Fuck. I want you again. But I’ve already taken you more times than I should’ve.”
Fee cupped his face. “Look at me.” When his eyes, dark green with arousal, met hers, she said, “I want you now. I need you inside me. I think I’m addicted to your cock.”
Trey had a naughty grin on his face. “Let’s make sure you’re ready for me. I need another pre-breakfast snack.”
Before she could reassure him she was more than ready, he leaned down and began nibbling her pussy. Her orgasm came out of nowhere. She wasn’t sure it was his mouth or the lascivious images his words had created, but her climax was stronger and harder than any of the others he’d given her. The pleasure was so devastating she collapsed against the glass brick wall, unable to hold herself upright. Even with the pleasure threatening to drive her out of her mind, there was something missing. “Cock. Inside me. Now.”
“Fuck, yeah.” Trey stood, then pulled her up and into his arms. “Put your legs around my waist.”
“I can’t.” She tried, but was shaking too hard. Her arms and legs were limp as the debilitating orgasmic waves still shuddered through her.
Trey braced her back against the tiled shower wall, then lifted her hips with one hand and wrapped one leg around his hips. Somehow she managed to get the other one anchored and then crossed her ankles at the top of his ass.
“Put me in.” He muttered the words against her breast right before he sucked a nipple into his mouth.
“Aww, gawd.” Fee fumbled and felt blindly for his cock. Finally, she fisted his thickness and notched it into her still-spasming opening.
Trey took care of the rest by ramming his penis home. The tempo he set was wicked good and exactly what Fee needed. The pressure in her core built again, like a soda bottle being shaken, and then it exploded. She screamed, a long wail that echoed in the cavernous bathroom.
“God, baby, I’m coming.” He wrapped her tightly against him, one arm under her hips and the other around her upper back. “Hold on.”
Fee wound her shaky arms around his neck and buried her lips against his throat.
Trey thrust upward in short, hard jabs. His pubic bone ground over her clit with each upthrust and the orgasm she’d thought was over found new life.
“Ohgod, ohgod, ohgod,” she whimpered against his neck. “It hurts so good. So fricking good.”
“Jesus … fuck me … you’re fucking perfect.” Trey grunted as his hot cum flooded her depths—and squeezed her so tightly she couldn’t catch a full breath.
Light-headed, all strength sapped, Fee lay limply within his hold. She was vaguely aware of him sitting on the shower bench and shifting her so she was cuddled on his lap.
Tears—Of what? Relief? Release? Gratitude?—flowed down her cheeks. She sniffled and tried to hold them back, but it was a brief, losing battle.
“S-s-sorry,” she inhaled sharply. “I d-d-don’t know why I’m cr-cr-crying.”
“Shh. It’s okay, baby.” Trey’s voice soothed even as his soapy hands stroked over her still-trembling body. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
“I know.” She turned her head and kissed his shoulder. “I know.” Then she let out a long sigh and relaxed even more into his hold and let him tend to her.
****
The last time Fee had eaten breakfast in the Lodge was the morning back in June after she’d delivered Keely’s baby. She and Price had eaten early that day, crack of dawn early, with only Scotty for company. Afterward, she and Price had hit the road for Boise for her flight to Santa Fe.
Today, however, the breakfast nook in the kitchen hearth room was filled with laughter, sweet baby noises from Riley, and the rumbling of multiple conversations. This time, she had nowhere else to go. She was home.
The smells coming from the buffet set up on the huge kitchen island were amazing. Her mouth watered and her stomach growled … loudly. She placed a hand on the offending body part and felt herself flush with embarrassment at the sudden silence in the room as she and Trey entered. They were now the center of attention, and not because her stomach growled.
Trey covered the hand on her tummy and leaned over to whisper against her ear. “Seems you’ve worked up an appetite, little doc.”
Fee turned into his body and patted him on his ass. “Yes, very hungry,” she said in a tone only he could hear. “You should be also, with all that work you did.” She kissed his jaw. “Fuel up, lover. I have some things I want to do to you.”
“Now, why did you have to go and tease me like that just as we’re about to sit down and eat?” He brushed a kiss over her cheek.
Price coughed. “Um, could you two hold the public displays of affection for later. There are innocents present.”
Fee sent her brother a glare. “You
haven’t been innocent in years, big brother.”
“Good one, sweetheart.” Trey hugged her and this time kissed her on the lips until Price buried his face in his hands and shouted, “Have mercy.”
The rest of the people sitting in the breakfast nook laughed at Price. Tweeter punched Price in the arm and whispered something against her brother’s ear that had him giving Tweeter the finger.
Fee eyed their breakfast companions—Pia, Carmela, Keely, Ren, Price, DJ, Tweeter, and baby Riley. Every single adult had a “I-know-what-you-two-did-all-night” smile on their faces, except for Price who looked painfully embarrassed. Riley merely cooed and held his hands toward them while bouncing in his high chair.
“I think we’re outed,” she whispered. Trey snorted. “And Riley wants his uncle.”
“Riley’s a Maddox male and he wants you.” Trey urged her toward the table. “Go give him a smooch. He likes all the ladies smooching him.”
“Good morning, everybody.” Fee made her way to stand by the open seat next to Riley. The baby’s attention had totally turned toward her and away from what looked to be the strained peaches Keely was trying to shovel in his mouth.
Fee leaned over and gave Riley a great big noisy kiss on his cheek. She inhaled his clean baby scent and everything in her clenched as her hormones, already elevated by the vigorous reintroduction to sex, went haywire. “Such a big boy you are, Riley.”
Riley bounced and held his arms up. Fee picked him up and out of his high chair, then snuggled him against her shoulder. She could care less that he wiped his peach-covered mouth and cheeks on her T-shirt. It would wash. She looked at Keely. “I’ll feed him so you can finish your food.”
“You sure?” Keely smiled at her child who’d decided Fee’s curls were his new favorite toy. “He loves to spit his peaches out and make bubbles with them. Then he laughs like a loon.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” Fee sat, and Trey scooted her chair in so she had just enough room to hold Riley on her lap and still reach the table. She scooped up some peaches and aimed them at the little rosebud of a mouth and Riley slurped it down. “I’m new so he’ll eat until he gets bored. Then I’ll pass him off to his Uncle Trey who might manage to get even more down him.”
“And his Uncle Trey will take him.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek and then the top of Riley’s head. “What do you want from the breakfast bar?”
“Eggs, bacon and”—she looked at DJ’s plate—“some of those pancakes that DJ has.”
“Whole grain pancakes, Trey,” DJ said. “Scotty will make them to order.”
“Gotcha. Be right back.” Trey rubbed Fee’s shoulder before moving away.
“Um, so, things are good?” Keely asked, with a bright smile.
“Yes.” Fee slipped another spoonful of peaches in Riley’s mouth. “Very good. Stupendously good.”
“Aw, geez, Fee,” Price groused.
Ren choked on his coffee and said, “Um, I don’t think I need to hear anymore about how good my brother is. So, stop poking your nose into Fee and Trey’s business, sprite.”
“I didn’t frick-fracking ask for specifics.” Keely turned indignant eyes toward her husband and then toward Price who snorted.
“You would’ve.” Ren leaned over and kissed the tip of his wife’s nose. “You wouldn’t be able to help yourself.”
Tweeter nodded. “Yep, imp, you would. Leave the embarrassing girl talk for when your menfolk aren’t around.”
“Afraid of what you might hear?” DJ nudged her husband with her shoulder.
“Hell, yeah. You women are brutally lethal.” Tweeter toasted them all with his orange juice. “We menfolk have very sensitive psyches.”
“Sensitive, my ass.” DJ snorted.
“I adore your ass,” Tweeter muttered as he turned his attention to the mound of eggs on his plate.
“Tweetie!” Keely flicked a blueberry at her brother, who snagged it out of the air and popped it into his mouth with a wink. Shaking her head at her brother, Keely turned to Fee. “So, Fee—Tweetie and I tracked down the cell towers for those stalker-ish phone calls and…”
“What stalker-ish phone calls?” Trey thunked a plate of food in front of Fee. The loud noise and his tone of voice silenced the other conversations around the table.
“Uh-oh,” Keely said, her face red. “You didn’t tell him?”
Fee’s stomach lurched. “Um…”
“No, she didn’t tell me,” Trey muttered, a scowl on his face. He sat, moved his chair even closer to Fee, then placed his arm around her shoulders. “What calls, little doc?”
Riley oblivious to the tension, grabbed his uncle’s finger and began to gum it.
Fee set Riley’s food on the table. Stroking the baby’s back, she turned to face Trey and returned his scowl. “I’d planned on telling you on our first date back in New Mexico … but I’ve been sort of busy. Ya know? Getting kidnapped. Moving across country. Held hostage. Taking care of an injured bad guy at gun point. And then last night … well, last night … hell, Trey … you made me feel happy and beautiful and sexy—so the calls slipped my mind, okay?”
For just a second, Trey’s frown disappeared as his expression softened and his green eyes glowed with love.
“Trey, I just got the phone from her yesterday,” Keely said. “So…”
Trey’s face went stony once more and he shot Keely a pissed off look. “Okay, I understand your part in this, but”—Trey turned back to Fee—“what I want to know is how long before Keely learned of these phone calls were you receiving them?”
Well, hell. Fee focused on Riley whose blue-eyed gaze had turned almost as accusatory as his uncle’s. Heaving a sigh, she snuggled Riley’s head against her shoulder and rubbed his back as the baby resumed gnawing on Trey’s finger. “They started almost as soon as I got settled in New Mexico.” Fee picked up a napkin and wiped some peachy slobber from Riley’s mouth and Trey’s finger.
“Fee, for chrissakes why didn’t you come to me?” Price asked. “The calls have to be from that douchebag Stall.” He looked at Trey as if seeking agreement.
“Watch your tone, Price.” Trey glared at him even as he placed a burping pad between Riley’s head and Fee’s shoulder. A half-asleep Riley searched for and latched onto his uncle’s finger again, letting the therapeutic gumming lull him to sleep. Poor baby was cutting teeth.
Ohmygod. Her heart melted. She wanted a child with Trey. They’d need to work as a team—as parents and life partners. Partners didn’t lie to one another, directly or by omission. She hated that she’d hurt Trey, and he was hurt, she could feel it, so—
“I’m sorry.” She rubbed her cheek over Riley’s head and let his baby smell soothe her. “I should’ve told you, both of you, when the calls first started, but—” She heaved a sigh. God, she couldn’t cry—she had to explain.
Trey must’ve heard the tears in her sigh, because he pulled her, and Riley along with her, onto his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder and let his warmth and scent soothe her.
“Go on, baby. I’m listening.” He kissed her forehead.
She nodded. “All the time while growing up, I was told not to be weak. To stand up for myself. To be self-sufficient. That a Teague didn’t ask others to solve his problems. A Teague was the one who solved other people’s problems.”
“Fee, dad was a fucking asshole,” Price muttered, then pulled out a quarter and slid it to Keely. “For the effin’ f-word jar.” Then he looked at Fee. “You aren’t weak. You’re smart and strong and a freaking survivor to the nth degree. Dad was wrong on every count. It isn’t weak to ask for help when you need it.”
Fee snuggled into Trey as the past threatened to overwhelm her with images of all the times her father had called her a waste of sperm and a coward. Knowing something wasn’t true didn’t make the accusations any less traumatic or hurtful. “I know that, Price, but the little girl in me still hears him. Can you understand that?”
Price grimaced. “Yeah. I s
till hear some of his shit, too.”
Fee sent him a grateful smile. “So … when the calls started, I handled things in what I felt was a logical way.”
“What did you do?” Trey rubbed her back, soothing away knots she hadn’t even realized had formed.
“I called my phone provider, first, and reported the calls. Found out the calls were coming from pre-paid cells which had been purchased all over the eastern seaboard. The phone company changed my number. That stopped the calls for a while, then the calls started again.”
“Are they from Stall?” Trey asked. His eyes flashed green fire. A muscle in his jaw clenched and unclenched.
His anger was on her behalf and not aimed at her. Her man liked to be in control. She should never forget that, and would have to find ways to assuage his need to wrap her in cotton wool and to deal with anything which upset or threatened her. In the future, she would have to negotiate a fine line between Trey having too much control versus not enough.
“Yes. They’re from Stall. I recognized his voice yesterday, but I suspected him before that. Before yesterday the calls were mostly dead air.” She sighed. “Listen … I really felt I was handling the situation, being the responsible adult I was taught to be.” She looked at Trey, pleading for understanding with her eyes.“I was being careful. There was no overt threat.”
“It’s okay, baby. I understand.” Trey kissed her on the mouth, a gentle brushing of lips that calmed her, eased the tightness in her throat. “But I’m here now. Forget all that crazy shit your father browbeat into you. I want to know when something bothers you. I’ll back up your moves and decisions and only take over when you need me to.”
There was the line of compromise. He’d spelled it out without her even having to discuss or negotiate it with him.
“I love you.” Fee kissed his jaw. “You’ve given me much-needed space for months. You’ve listened to me, learned to know me. I know in my soul you’ll never let me down.”
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