Woman of Midnight (Wardens of Midnight)

by Helen Scott

  “It’s absolutely pouring outside. I really don’t think it’s worth searching for her in this since she wouldn’t come if we called. She’s probably tucked herself away somewhere out of the rain.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize—” She broke off without finishing her thought. She hadn’t realized it was still raining, even though now that he’d mentioned it, she could hear it pounding against the tiny window in the kitchen area. Her body and mind both hummed with anticipation and desire, two things she hadn’t felt in a long time.

  “I can go if you want and meet up with you later,” he said, wincing as he stood.

  “Whatever works for you.” She didn’t know what to say. Hell, she didn’t even know if she wanted him to stay. That was a lie. She knew.

  “Okay, I guess I’ll head out, then.” He withdrew his hand from hers, and she immediately felt the loss like a cool wind blowing over her skin.

  The apartment was so tiny that he grabbed his shirt, pulling it on as he moved, and was at her front door in just a few strides, and she was still standing there, trying to make her mind and her mouth cooperate. “Do me a favor”—she paused and took a breath as he clasped the door handle—“don’t go.”

  He turned toward her. “You want me to stay?”

  She nodded.

  “Tell me, Lola. Tell me you want me here,” he said, walking to the middle of the room, standing between the couch and her poor excuse for a coffee table.

  Her heart hammered in her chest, and suddenly she was moving and talking. “I want you . . .”

  By the time she’d finished those three words, she was in front of him, her hands touching his face as they brought it down toward her own. There was a fraction of a moment before they connected when the world seemed to narrow into a single shining point, a breathless vacuum, that was just the two of them. It felt like everything was watching and waiting for them to take the plunge.

  When her lips connected with his, it wasn’t that tender first kiss they showed in movies where each was unsure of the other. No, this was lips devouring each other as their bodies pressed up against one another as if they couldn’t get close enough. His hands wrapped around her and pinned her to him in a way that, when combined with the passion behind the kiss, stole her breath. He was claiming her, marking her for all time as his. Whether it was just a kiss or whether it was more, she knew she would always remember kissing Domino in her living room. They separated so they could each draw breath, and Harper’s chest was heaving.

  “Sorry, I—” she started, not that she really knew what she was apologizing for, but he cut her off with another kiss. This one was slower, more luxurious, as his hands skimmed over her body, their heat practically scorching her skin.

  Their clothing was still wet from being out in the rain, and it let her feel every flat plane of his body as her hands took on a life of their own. Her mouth opened as she drew in another gasp of breath, and he took the opportunity, sliding his tongue in and allowing it to tangle with hers. Bolts of heat and lightning pulsed through her body as they stood there, clutching each other while their mouths moved in a rhythm that was so primal, it was beyond thought.

  His mouth pulled away from hers and began to kiss a trail from her collarbone all the way up to her ear before nibbling on the lobe. He traced the path back down before biting on her neck. Small needy sounds that she had no control over were coming from her as his mouth, teeth, and tongue moved over her sensitive skin. An appreciative rumbling noise came from him as her head fell back, exposing more of her neck and chest to him.

  Chapter 7

  Domino’s lips brushed against her sweet skin, and his bear grunted and huffed within him, beyond pleased with the turn of events. Harper practically running to him and pulling him into the hottest kiss of his life had been about the last thing he’d expected to happen, but boy, was he glad it did. His hand went to the bottom of her wet T-shirt and slid it up slowly, exposing the silky tan skin of her stomach. The fabric peeled away from her as he moved it higher inch by inch. It was torture for him, but he didn’t want to rush anything, especially given her confession earlier in the park. How anyone could leave her at the altar was beyond him.

  The sounds falling from her lips made his cock twitch in his jeans. They had been growing uncomfortably tight since she’d first touched him, and now he could feel himself straining against the fabric. He couldn’t take it anymore. As he gripped her by the butt, he lifted her slightly off the ground so he could rotate them before gently easing her back onto the couch while kissing on her the whole time.

  “Can I take this off?” he rasped out as he tugged further on the end of her T-shirt.

  “Please . . .” she said breathlessly.

  He quickly removed the T-shirt, only to be confronted by her ample breasts, which were encased in a mouthwatering bra. The gauzy greenish-blue material had a lace pattern on it that was outlined in black, and a delicate little bow right in the center between her breasts, while the tinted skin of her areolas peeked out from behind the thin material. He wanted to bite it, rip it off, but he also didn’t want to scare her. His bear’s need to physically claim her was growing more powerful, and he knew that soon, he would either need to back off or ask if they were seeing this thing through to the end.

  When her delicate, soft fingers found the edge of his T-shirt, he pulled it off once more, feeling the pull of the bandages on his skin as he moved. The care she’d shown him and his injuries had unlocked something deep within him, something that demanded he care and protect her as his mate, not just a potential mate.

  He watched as her eyes traveled over his body, skating further and further down until she could clearly see the bulge in his jeans. As they worked their way back up, her fingers traced the tattoo on his bicep, and he couldn’t help but stare down at her beautiful brown eyes. She had him in some kind of spell. If she had asked for the moon in that moment, he would have done everything in his power to get it for her.

  She didn’t, though. All she said was, “Come here.”

  Domino obeyed without question, and she pulled his head down to hers, her lips brushing and tasting his own once more, and then he groaned as her hips rocked up toward him. He was far enough away from her that she wasn’t grinding on him, but he still felt her body graze his own, and everything in him roared to take her up on the invitation.

  His head dipped, and he took one of her nipples into his mouth, suckling it through the lace of the bra. She gasped and writhed under him, her head thrown back, her eyes closed, and her mouth hanging open in pleasure. He slowly lowered his hips toward her own, earning another gasp and a roll of her own hips once he rested against her.

  The fabric of the bra was so delicate that he was worried he’d rip it, so his hand snaked around her back and deftly undid the clasps that held it closed. He lifted it up and off, exposing her exquisite breasts to the world. His fingers found one pert pink nipple, while his mouth found the other. Gasps and moans escaped her as he worked, and slowly, her hips began to rock a gentle rhythm against his own. He knew if she kept that up, he would be finishing in his pants and playtime would be over before it began. As he pulled away from her, there was a sad moan of protest, as though he was taking away her favorite toy, so he began kissing his way down her stomach.

  Her tan skin fluttered underneath his lips as he moved over sensitive areas, kissing and nipping as he went. When he landed at her waistband, he looked up at her, only to find her watching him with almost glowing eyes. She nodded slightly, and he knew she was giving him permission to continue his exploration of her body. His fingers found the button and zipper of her jeans while his eyes never left her own. It was intimate and arousing and pure torment all at the same time. He wanted to watch as the jeans revealed more of her to him, but he couldn’t draw his eyes away.

  His hands dipped inside her waistband and slowly began to tug. She raised her hips for him, and he pulled and wiggled the wet denim off her. It was too much; he had to see her, so he b
roke eye contact and watched as her lean tan legs were exposed to him, along with a pair of white lace panties that had a heart-shaped hole just below the waistband. His mouth salivated at the sight. Not only could he see the tight black curls just behind the bright white lace, but the heart cut-out was just plain hot.

  The task at hand drew his attention away, though, as he continued to remove the wet jeans from her stunning body. Once they were down at her ankles, he pulled her tennis shoes off before removing her socks and jeans as well. She was almost completely bared to him, and his body was being drawn to hers like a magnet.

  Before he could return to his previous position of almost lying on top of her, she sat up. Her hands came to his own waistband now, and she made quick work of his belt while he just knelt there and let her do whatever she wanted. The clink of the metal clasp falling open sounded in his ears while her chilled fingers undid the button and fly on his own jeans. He stood and allowed them to slide down his legs as he toed off his boots and socks.

  When he looked at her again, her eyes were locked on his cock. It was pushing at the front of his boxer briefs, and as he watched, her hand came up and began to stroke it. Her breathing was shallow and fast, as was his own.

  She looked up at him, and there was a flush on her cheeks, while her eyes were more intense than ever.

  “I need you, Lola.” The words rasped out of him. He hadn’t intended to say them, but her hot gaze seemed to pull them from him.

  At the sound of his voice, he saw goosebumps break out over her skin and her chest fill with a shuddering breath. She stood and walked past him, taking his hand and leading him back to the bed. Those damn panties swayed in front of him, like a flag in front of a bull. It didn’t help that there was an even bigger heart cut-out on the back side, exposing a good portion of her butt to him as the rest of it pulled against the material as she moved. He was going to remove those with his teeth and make her squirm. She was going to experience pleasure like she’d never had before, and he’d have her calling his name before they were done.

  Chapter 8

  Harper was doing her best to be sexy, but she wasn’t exactly sure she was succeeding. After leading him back to the bed, she rotated them so that he was lying down, and she climbed on top of him, being careful to avoid the bandaged wound on his abdomen. She sat astride him with her core pressing against the hard ridge of his cock, giving her a type of pleasure that she’d been missing for a long time.

  Domino’s hands were cupping her breasts, and he had even managed to pinch her nipples between two fingers on each hand. Each time he pinched, her hips bucked and rolled, which made him groan, which turned her on even more. When he wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her down to him, a wave of anticipation flowed over her, which was only heightened when his other arm wrapped around her back as he kissed her senseless, and then before she knew what was happening, she was on her back and his beautiful body was looming over her, looking entirely too sexy for his own good.

  He kissed a line down her neck to her nipples before lavishing each one in turn, and then he continued to her panties. She was almost embarrassed about them. They were the kind of panties she would normally save for an anniversary or something, but she hadn’t exactly been expecting the day to take this turn. When she felt his teeth take hold of one of the side straps and tug, her eyes popped open, and she glanced down the length of her body at him. He grinned up at her, the white lace firmly trapped between his teeth, as he slowly pulled it down her legs, exposing the apex of her thighs. Her breath hitched, and she couldn’t look as he kissed his way back up her legs, having freed her from her panties.

  As his kisses moved closer and closer to her center, her breath became unsteady, turning from deep ragged gasps into shallow pants. Finally, after what felt like hours of anticipation, he kissed her where she most wanted him to touch her. The gasp that exploded out of her startled them both, and she noticed him looking up at her in concern. “Please, don’t stop, Nic,” she said breathlessly.

  Those few words were all he needed, and his tongue came out, sliding up her pussy, tantalizing every part of her until he found her nub of pleasure. He swirled his tongue around it like a hurricane, which had her writhing on the bed, arching her back to try to give him better access. When he slowly thrust a finger into her, she cried out, feeling perilously close to the edge already. He brought his free hand up and began playing with her nipples, one after the other and back again. The sensation of an orgasm was quickly building within her. It had been too long since she’d been touched like this, and her body was starving for it. When Domino added a second finger to the thrusting and began alternating his thumb and tongue on her clit, she lost it. The soft and hard sensations, combined with the thrusting of his fingers, was all too much.

  The orgasm exploded inside her, making her scream in pleasure. It was like being in the sea and wave after wave of pleasure buffeting against her, making her body buck and jerk as he continued to touch her, wringing out every last ounce of pleasure he could. When the orgasm ended, she was able to open her eyes once more, feeling like she was returning from an out-of-body experience. She’d never felt anything like it. Domino grinned at her from between her thighs. The sight in and of itself was enough to make her twitch with pleasure.

  “Take your boxers off.” She rasped the words out, her throat sore from the screaming orgasm she’d just had. Harper was sure she’d alerted all her neighbors that she was having sex.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He stood and offered her a small fancy salute before stripping the remaining material off.

  He was stunning, a perfect specimen of masculinity, at least to her. She knew some women went for the bulging muscles, but she’d never been one of them. Domino was tall and strong and thick with muscle, the kind that made her feel safe and protected without feeling like the guy must spend hours at the gym every day and watch every little thing he eats.

  She pushed up on her elbows and curled a finger at him in a come-hither motion. “Sex?” she asked as he watched her with a fire in his eyes. If there was one thing she needed to feel to make her reentry into the world of dating, or whatever it was she was doing with Domino, it was the feeling of his cock thrusting in and out of her already-satisfied pussy.

  “Protection?”

  “Nightstand,” she said, finding it amusing that they’d resorted to one-word sentences.

  He paused when he opened the drawer and pulled out a condom with one hand and her purple vibrator with the other. A raised eyebrow and a grin was all she got in question.

  “What? A girl has needs.”

  “I’m happy to fulfill them to the best of my ability,” he practically growled at her while he tore open the foil package and rolled the latex onto his cock.

  “I’m happy to let you, or at least let you try.” She winked at him at the last part, teasing him.

  “Oh, sweet Lola, there’s no trying needed on my part. Now, you just sit back and enjoy the ride.” His grin made her insides melt as he crawled between her thighs once more.

  His head dipped to the hard bullets of her nipples, and he kissed and licked them while his fingers from one hand gently caressed her folds, being careful to avoid her overly sensitized bud. She felt him parting her slick heat again and again, spreading her wetness all over her lower lips before the blunt head of his cock nudged at her entrance. He inched it in a little farther before withdrawing it and inching it in again, going further each time until finally, he thrust in completely, earning a moan from her.

  “Fuck,” he hissed as his hips pressed against her own. “Damn it, Lola, you’re so tight. I don’t know how long I can last.”

  “Well, if you’re good, I’ll let you fuck me again later, so don’t worry about how long you last, but how good you make it.” She groaned the words as he began to move inside her.

  “You’ll beg me to fuck you again, and I’ll happily oblige.” He murmured the words into her ear as he bit down on her neck to the poin
t of pain before easing off.

  Then he began to move, rocking in and out of her, his hips smacking against her own as his balls hit her ass. The feeling was amazing; it was everything she’d been wanting from him and more. When he reached behind her and grabbed her ankles, she was surprised, even more so when he pulled her legs up in front of him, lifting her butt off the bed. He put both feet over one shoulder and then thrust into her again. She almost screamed for him again. He felt huge, and she was feeling something she’d never felt before. The sensation began to build, and as his groans and huffing noises became more frequent, so did the urgency of the sensation.

  “Oh, God, Nic, don’t stop!” she called out to him as he kept up the brutal pace.

  He sped up at her words and moved one leg to the side so his thumb could reach her clit. As he circled it, the sensations competed with one another, and Harper felt like she was about to be pulled apart. His thumb caressed her once, twice, three times more before everything completely overwhelmed her. She heard herself scream his name, his real name, as her body clenched and released with a pleasure she’d thought was a myth, or only bestowed on hypersexual women. Everything in her hummed with satisfaction as he continued thrusting away, bringing on wave after wave of her pleasure. His thrusts became even faster and his movements jerky, and then he exploded inside her. He called her name almost like a prayer, if in that prayer he was saying fuck a lot, as she felt his cock pulse inside her.

  They were both gasping for breath and covered in a sheen of sweat by the time he was done.

  He rolled off her and went into the bathroom to clean up while she just lay there, a puddle of goo. She couldn’t move even if she wanted to. All her muscles felt like jelly, and all she wanted was to go to sleep. A buzzing noise prevented that from happening, though. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Pause. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.