You Can't Go Home Again

by Aubrianna Hunter

  She loved it, the feel of his slap pulsing through her, forcing her desire higher. “Jace, aaahh…now. Take me now.”

  He lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, placing the tip of his cock against her wet, hungry sheath. He growled against her ear, “You’re mine, Dani. Always mine. I’m going to make you come so hard, you’ll never leave me again.” He thrust into her, one long, hard push.

  He was so big, so hot…so hard. She twisted her hips, trying to ride him, unable to move unless he let her. He lifted her hips, slowly bringing her back down, making her throw her head back and cry out.

  * * * * *

  The feel of her wet heat wrapping around him was too much. He had wanted to go slow, to wring every ounce of pleasure from her… But he couldn’t. He pressed her back against the wall, plunging into her hard and fast, his orgasm roaring up on him. She matched him, twisting her hips to mirror his rhythm.

  Something in him was yelling, that primal voice urging him on… Faster, harder. Fuck her harder. Make her scream. He tried to tamp it down, tried to ignore it. He still pounded into her, gripping her ass, squeezing her flesh, lost to passion.

  He sensed her body beginning to tighten, every muscle contracting. She dug her nails into his back, urging him on, encouraging the intensity. When the first wave of release washed over her, she screamed, loud enough to scare the neighbors.

  Jace felt her sheath contract, her nails in his back, and his own release shattered him. He thrust again and again, yelling through the most intense orgasm of his life.

  When he felt sanity slowly returning, he pulled out, setting her on her feet. Making sure his legs were steady, he carried her upstairs, managing to yank back the covers before collapsing them both into her bed.

  Pulling her against him, he whispered, “Please don’t leave. Just be here when I wake up.” He heard her soft breathing and wondered if she’d even heard him.

  Chapter 35

  Jace woke up…alone. He felt his heart plummet. He bolted upright, swearing before he was even fully awake. It took him all of two minutes, cussing her, calling himself an idiot, before he noticed the puppy curled up on the corner of the bed.

  Seeing Dakota, it finally occurred to him that she was probably still here. It was, after all, her house. He stopped cussing and listened. When he heard the shower running, he breathed deeply, relief coursing through him. Until he realized he still didn’t know what she was thinking, feeling. She may still hate him, and simply be unable to run away this time.

  He should give her time to finish her shower, collect her thoughts. Decide how she felt about this, about them. He should give her space. He managed to sit still in the bed for approximately thirty seconds.

  Space was the last thing she needed. He had one chance. One way to convince her this wasn’t a mistake. He had to keep her aroused to the point where she couldn’t think. Thinking equaled leaving. When he was kissing her, she quit thinking.

  He was out of the bed and into the bathroom before he had time to reconsider. Her bathroom had a large shower with floor-to-ceiling glass doors. When he saw her, head back, eyes closed, water running down every luscious curve, he quit thinking too.

  She was beautiful. Her brown hair almost black in the water, her long lashes dark against her creamy complexion. Her lips were red and rosy, still swollen from previous kisses. He let his gaze wander down. Her long neck, red with beard burn. Her pert breasts, pink nipples pointing out, begging for his lips. He watched her hand run down her body, grazing her breast, down her abdomen and lower. Her gasp let him know exactly what she had in mind.

  He held back the groan, his shaft throbbing to painful life at the sight of her. He had never thought it would bring him this much pleasure to watch a woman touch and please herself. It was the sweetest kind of torture.

  * * * * *

  Dani had awakened, more aroused than ever. She should have been sated, comfortably relaxed after the quick thirty-minute nap. Instead, she’d been ready to go again. And again and again. She’d let the puppy out, stopped to watch Jace sleeping for a moment, then groaned and headed into the shower. She had never felt this out of control, like her body had a mind of its own. And that mind had taken up permanent residence in the gutter. It was a special kind of hell.

  She’d thought about waking Jace, much the way he’d woken her last week. However, she was terrified that he would realize what a horrible mistake this had been. After the absolute best, by a lot, sex she’d ever had, she didn’t want to hear that he regretted it. So, she figured she would just take care of it before he woke up.

  She trailed her hand down her body, loving the sensation of the warm water against her heated skin. She dipped a finger low, parting the folds of her sex, finding the secret spot. Aside from the water, she felt her own moisture and sighed at the little rush of pleasure. Thinking of Jace, the feel of his strong, solid body pressing against her, his huge shaft filling her, thrusting in and out, it didn’t take long before she was on the verge of release.

  * * * * *

  Jace watched her touching herself, watched her body respond to the heightened arousal. Her nipples got darker, tighter. Her lips parted as he heard her little whimper. He was so hard he hurt. The need to touch her, to feel her hands on him, brought him out of his stance and spurred him forward. When he opened the shower door, he heard her quick intake of breath as she spun around, eyes wide.

  Wasting no time, Jace stepped inside and pulled her hard against him, kissing her before she could say a word. He didn’t want her to have time to stop him. He needed her, hard and fast.

  Knowing she was already on the verge of release, he pulled his lips away, dipping lower to suckle her breasts. He rasped his tongue roughly across the tips, suckling deeply then licking again. He ran a hand down, desperate to touch her.

  He must have surprised her, because she made no attempt at resistance. Instead, she dug her hands into the back of his head, pressing his face even harder against her breasts. One of his long, strong fingers plunged into her sheath, sliding deep and slow, before pulling back. Another dip, another pulse of pleasure. When he pulled back again a second finger joined the first, stretching her, increasing the delicious friction.

  “Damn, Dani… You’re so wet, so hot. Oh, hell… I need…”

  He pulled his hand out, spinning her around, pressing her forward until her hands were on the wall. He pulled her tight against him, kissing her neck, nipping, suckling her ear. She whimpered against him, driving him to go faster.

  “Spread your legs,” he growled in her ear, sucking a spot just at the curve of her neck. “Aaahh, you’re so fucking sexy.”

  The feel of her ass sliding against his shaft nearly drove him mad. When she went up on her toes, pressing back against him, whimpering, he growled against her neck. He reached around, cupping her breasts, squeezing her tender flesh as a loud moan rolled through her. Afraid he was squeezing too hard, feeling the need taking hold, he released her and stepped back an inch or two. He took deep breaths, trying to control his desire, trying to calm his need.

  “Why’d you stop? Jace…please!”

  He could hear the need in her voice, the tone pleading. “I’m not stopping, I just need a minute.”

  * * * * *

  She looked back over her shoulder, seeing his jaw tight, teeth clenched. He seemed to be fighting his desire for her. He was trying to stop when she was about to explode? Uh-uh… She wanted him as desperate as she was.

  She turned around, going to her knees, bringing her hands around his humongous shaft. Giving him no time to step back, she wrapped her lips around the tip, licking the salty slit before sucking deep.

  She loved the taste of him, the feel of his hot length sliding through her lips and down her throat. She knew he was trying to cool off, to slow the pace, but she was too needy, too desperate for that. She wanted him again, hard and fast, just like in the entryway. “Aaahh, Dani…you have to stop.” Jace groaned.

  Hearing the need i
n his voice, she smiled softly before tightening her mouth and pulling deeper. When she lifted a hand, cupping his shaft, he yelled, grabbing her hair and thrusting into her waiting mouth. “Aahh… Fuck!”

  Finally he pushed her back, yanking her hair and shoving her off of him. “No! Not like this. I need to… Hell, stand up!”

  She heard his groan, felt his cock getting harder in her mouth. When he pulled her off, she cried out at the loss. She wasn’t done! She couldn’t process his words around the rush of need. When his hands moved under her arms, pulling her upright, she finally caught his meaning.

  She stood, pressing her body to his, kissing him, still desperate for the taste of him. His body dipped, his shaft sliding between her legs, spreading her folds. He thrust against her, wringing a moan from her.

  * * * * *

  He felt her cry into his mouth, her heat sliding against his shaft. He was too close; he needed to bury himself inside her. In one desperate move, he pulled his mouth away, spinning her back around, pressing her against the wall. The water had cooled, running down his back… He didn’t care. He kicked her legs apart, gripping her hips, aligning his shaft with her waiting sheath.

  “God… Dani… I need you so bad!” He plunged forward, pushing into her heat hard, with one long thrust. She was tight, gripping him like a fist, wet and perfect. He pulled back, the second thrust burying him to the hilt.

  He could tell she was already on the edge, her body pulsing, teasing him. With his second thrust he felt her tip over the edge, her muscles tensing. She pressed back against him, twisting her hips, trying to increase the speed. He felt her coming on his cock, felt her muscles squeezing him, bringing him right to the edge. He was hot, burning. He needed to push harder, faster. He reached forward, his hand finding her center, finding her swollen clit, rubbing. Gently at first, then increasing his tempo as his orgasm raged closer. He wanted to feel her come again.

  He never let her come down from the first peak before he drove her to another. She kept up the pace, her body tightening yet again around his cock. He could hear her, her moan of pleasure turning constant. His orgasm broke, rolling through him like a wave, wringing a purely primal yell from his throat, just as her sheath clamped down on his shaft.

  Chapter 36

  As her body wound down, her muscles turned liquid. His arm swept around her waist, pulling her back against him and holding her upright, his shaft still hard inside her. He pulled out, still holding her up, and turned them around. He adjusted the water temperature, making it warmer, then grabbed the soap.

  He washed her gently, softly, leisurely exploring her body, while wiping away the signs of his pleasure. He cupped her breasts, running his thumbs across her sensitive nipples, slick with soap. When she was finally supporting her own weight, he let go, quickly washing his still throbbing member, before returning to his tour of her body.

  He kissed her soft, clean skin while he rinsed her. “Let’s go back to bed? The water’s getting cold now.”

  He murmured softly against her ear, his words like a secret. She turned, pressing her mouth against his, reaching back blindly to turn off the water.

  They stepped out together, gently drying each other. The soft, nubby texture of the towel only heightened her arousal, heating it back to a fever pitch. She grabbed his hand, pulling him behind her to the bed. When her legs hit the edge, she pulled him, toppling them both.

  She saw him gazing at her, wearing his sexier-than-hell half grin. The one she had missed so much over the years. Even as her pulse quickened, her body preparing for him, she felt the question looming. She might regret asking, but the words wouldn’t be held back any longer. She had to know.

  “So, this time wasn’t a mistake? No regrets?”

  The smile left, gone in an instant, to be replaced by a scowl. His green eyes darkened, looking deep and fathomless. He leaned in and kissed her, hard.

  * * * * *

  He pulled back, taking a moment to look into her eyes. Deep dark pools of blue. At the soft smile on her lips, he was amazed. How had he ended up here? No one was this lucky.

  He recalled how he’d felt the morning he’d woken up and she was gone. The brief moment of terror this morning before he’d realized she was in the shower. Didn’t she get it? He pulled his mouth away, trying to find the words to explain. He rolled over, lying back against her pillows and pulling her up next to him, unwilling to let go of the physical connection, even for the time it took to explain this to her.

  “I don’t pretend to understand psychics or what you ‘see’ or whatever. But you got this one wrong. Or right, but not.” He sighed in frustration. “Let me try this again. It was never a mistake, except that you were gone. That was the mistake. What we did…making love…something I said…you left.”

  She lay across his chest, looking up into his eyes. “What? I left because you thought it was a mistake. ‘The biggest mistake of your life.’”

  He was shaking his head. “No…yes… It was only a mistake because it chased you away. I had wanted to make love to you, to kiss you, to make you mine…for well over a year. But I was your friend first. And I screwed it up. I woke up and you were gone. I even tried to catch you at the airport…to apologize…promise not to do it again…whatever you wanted to hear. But you took an earlier flight.”

  He looked down, saw her crying, huge tears running down past trembling lips. “I’m sorry. Hey, shh, don’t cry.” He brushed his thumbs under her eyes, wiping away the tears, kissing her hair.

  He must have shocked her because Dani, who was never at a loss for words, was silent. After the longest minute of his life, she finally spoke.

  “I don’t understand. A year? But you never... I mean, not really. Nothing serious. You flirted...but you flirted with everyone. And you never kissed me. And the shower? Why didn’t you ever kiss me? Or something.”

  He laughed, a low chuckle he couldn’t hold back. “Because you would have run away. You did run away. And I would rather be your friend than send you away sooner. Same reason I tried not to touch you now. But, damn, that motorcycle…and you…all flushed and aroused… I had dreamed it…then…hell, I couldn’t stop myself.”

  He felt her go tense, every muscle in her body locking up. “Dani, do I need to apologize? I thought you wanted that, but maybe not…or maybe just with someone else.” His jaw clenched even thinking about it. “Bri said there wasn’t a boyfriend in L.A., but you said the necklace was from someone special.”

  When she didn’t say anything, just lay there again, quiet and tense, he started to pull away. His shaft was still rigid, a sign she couldn’t miss, but he wasn’t going to let her walk away again. This time, he was leaving first.

  When he moved, started to get out of the bed, she squeezed his ribs, holding him there. She sat up, leaning on one hand. “Jace, did you dream exactly that? The motorcycle, did you dream that specifically?”

  That was not what he had expected at all. “What?”

  “Me, on the motorcycle, the…well, the sex in the entry. Did you dream that, specifically?”

  He thought for a minute, confusion plain in his expression. “Well, yeah…actually. I mean…I guess.”

  “When?”

  “What? When? I don’t know.” He dreamed of her constantly, kissing her, touching her. Every fucking night. How was he supposed to know when? “Why does it matter?”

  “It just does. Was it the night I stayed at your house? Before then?”

  Jace suddenly remembered. “It was the Fourth. When I found you by the lake.” He felt the shiver course through her. “Dani, what’s wrong?”

  “And last night…” She stumbled through the words, sounding nervous. Dani never sounded nervous. “Last night, you said you woke up from a dream. Was it a nightmare, or, ummm, a good dream?”

  He looked at her face, tilting her chin up so her eyes met his. “It was you. I’ve dreamed about you every night since you walked into the bar. Is that what you want to hear? They’re my dreams, my
problem. Why are you so upset?”

  She shook her head, sitting up, tucking her knees against her chest. “I know how weird this sounds, but just…hang on. Do you ever have nightmares about what happened…in Afghanistan?”

  He sat up, flipping his legs over the edge of the bed, turning his back to her, both literally and figuratively. “Dani, I don’t want to talk about this.”

  He felt her hands cool against his back. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, Jace. Just tell me if you have nightmares?”

  He flipped around, pressing her back against the bed, lying on top of her, pinning her wrists above her head with one hand. She thought she wanted to know. She didn’t, not really. “I dream about it…at least two or three times a week…since it happened. Until you got here. I haven’t dreamed about anything but making love to you since the first moment I saw you again. Is that what you want? To hear how much I want you…need you. It was the same in college. Every night I would dream about you…hot and wet, your legs wrapped around me. The things I wanted to do to you…”

  He dipped his head, licking her neck, rubbing his chest against her breasts. He bit her ear, and not softly. “You wanted to know why I never made a move? Because it would have scared the hell out of you. Just like in the shower. Six years ago, I walked away. Just now, I pulled back.”

  He licked her nipple, suckling hard then soothing it with his tongue. He looked up and met her eyes, trying to make her understand. “If you had any idea what I wanted to do to you, then and now, you would only have left sooner.”

  He kissed her, pressing his lips against hers, hard, needy. “I tried to be gentle that night at the lake. But you were so damned responsive, better than I had ever dreamed. You brought me to my knees, Dani. I lose control when I’m with you. I’m afraid I’ll scare you, or worse, hurt you.”

  He kissed her again, slow and deep, sucking her tongue into his mouth. “Is that what you wanted to know? To know how much power you have over me? That you can tear me apart?”