The Ties that Bind (Kingdom)

by Henry, Theresa L.

  “He’s just angry at you. He doesn’t mean it. You’ll see.”

  “He also accused me of being responsible for the death of his parents.”

  “What? Oh no he bloody well didn't!” Aviva came up sputtering, her elbow inadvertently jabbing Jason in the stomach.

  “Thank you for that, Angel, but he’s right. I am the reason they died.”

  “I need you to stop this, Jason, and I’m deadly serious. You’ve blamed yourself for their deaths for long enough. This is where it ends. I don’t want to hear you say it again. I don’t even want you to think it, do I make myself clear?”

  Lowering his chin, Jason looked at Aviva, anger shooting from her eyes on his behalf. Her look was all it took for him to know that he was loved by her, and that he wanted her.

  “Wanna fuck?”

  “Jason!” Aviva squealed at the sudden change in the direction of their conversation, as well as the bluntness of his question.

  He ignored the sound. “What are you wearing under that dress? I can feel that you don’t have a bra on. Are you wearing panties? Sorry, knickers.” The words coming out of his mouth may have been said for her amusement, but the look in his eyes conveyed something entirely different.

  Wanting to leave her in no doubt as to his intent, Jason tilted his pelvis at the same time as he cupped each cheek of her bottom and pulled her down so she could feel the imprint of his growing erection.

  “Do you want me, Angel? Tell me you want me. I want to hear you say it.” Removing one hand from her ass, Jason forced it between their bodies and released the fastening to his jeans. Then he kissed her. First, a gentle brush of his lips against her brow, her cheeks the side of her mouth, and whispered, “You don’t have any on.”

  “What?”

  “You don’t have on any knickers.”

  “How do you do that?” Aviva asked, becoming aware for the first time that her bare ass was exposed to the cool night air.

  “I’ve just got it like that?” Jason said with a lascivious grin.

  “You are so full of yourself!”

  “You’re right, but you love it. Know what else you love?”

  Aviva remained silent, knowing he was about to say something completely outrageous.

  “You love it when I’m inside you.”

  “Cock-sure bastard.”

  “What, are you about to deny it? I can feel it. You’re dripping wet for me, and I can smell you.” Lowering his hand, Jason ran his fingertips across her opening, and Aviva couldn’t help but push down against his light touch. Removing his hand, Jason brought his fingers to his lips and sucked, never breaking their eye contact.

  Aviva, groaned, her nostrils flaring at the sensuality of his actions. He may be a cocky bastard, but he was right, she was ready for him. By now her dress was bunched above her waist, and Aviva didn’t hesitate to move so that he could pull it over her head.

  “I think you’re going to have to be on top.”

  “Okay.” Aviva said, without seeming to give his comment a second thought.

  “Don’t you want to know why?”

  “Nope.”

  Jason’s dimples were on full display as he smiled at her quick response. Her dress removed, he threw it aside, gripped her around the waist, and sat her up over his body.

  “I don’t want you to get splinters in your backside.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and in my opinion you talk too damn much.”

  “Angel, the way I’m feeling, this lounger doesn’t stand a chance if I completely have my way.”

  “It’s okay, baby, I’ll take care of you just the way you like it.” Running her nails up Jason’s hard chest, Aviva came to a stop at the juncture of his neck. In a sudden move, she ripped his shirt apart, buttons flying in all directions. Jason started at the sudden move and bucked against her.

  “Now those jeans.”

  “Gonna take too long, sorry, Angel, no time.” Moving his hands to the waistband of his jeans, Jason pushed them down to free himself. Unable to resist, his fingers once again found her opening and lingered for a moment on a mission of discovery. In seconds, his hand was drenched with her wetness, and the knowledge that this was all for him, turned him on even more.

  “Put it in.” Jason ordered as his eyes travelled down to watch her small hand close around him. “That’s it, Angel, you know where I want to be. Do it slow… ah, just like that!” As Aviva inserted his throbbing cock into her body, all Jason could do was throw his head back and grit his teeth. The feeling of her slow insertion of him into her body was his panacea. When they were like this, joined, for him it wasn’t a time for thinking, it was a time for feeling.

  Each of her movements told him that she understood what he wanted. What he needed from her. Yes, it was about the physical, but his need far transcended that, he needed to feel her wrapped around him. He relished each pulse, each ripple of her body as she gripped him within her.

  Gripping her head, he pulled her down, needing to feel the touch of her lips against his. As their mouths met, he devoured her, his tongue pushing forward, demanding that she open up to him. That she deny him nothing.

  This was what he needed, this was where he belonged. Sometimes a man wanted to make slow passionate love to his woman, taking the time to explore every aspect of her body, and sometimes a man just wanted his woman in the most primal of ways. Right now, he just wanted to fuck, but not just anyone would do. It had to be his angel. Jason knew his words hadn’t been a sham, he only hoped she also understood what he wanted.

  Releasing her mouth, Jason gripped Aviva around her waist and relinquished all rational thought. His first thrusts lasted for exactly ten strokes into her body before he stopped for one beat. Then each successive series of strokes were shortened by one.

  This part was for her, what was coming was for him. When he felt her body constrict around him, Jason knew he had taken care of her needs, now it was time for him to take what he wanted. Her, he wanted her without restraint.

  As Aviva’s body convulsed around him, her inner muscles tightened around him, head thrown back in ecstasy. Jason bided his time. When she finally made eye contact with him, his eyes blackened with passion telegraphed his intent.

  The audible sound of her indrawn breath, and the sight of her tongue culminating with the bite down on her lower lip, was Jason’s cue that she was ready for him. Ever conscious that his angel was satisfied, Jason was ready to take what he wanted and needed.

  When he had said that he wanted to fuck, he hadn’t been joking. Holding her eyes, he began to move in earnest, the way he needed to. The way nothing on earth could stop him from doing.

  Each thrust of his body was a show of his power, his want, his need of her, only her. The sound of her gasps. The sound of their wet bodies slapping together, the way her body clamped down on him, as though reluctant to release him drove him crazy.

  As flood after flood of moisture surrounded him, Jason’s way became easier. His need greater. Everything about the woman on top of him was a sensual trigger. Her skin, her touch, her scent. The way her body fit his to perfection... her very being.

  From one heart beat to the next all his thoughts fell away. All that remained was the feeling of their bodies moving in perfect unison. This was it, this was who he was meant to be with, who he was meant to love, who he would always love.

  Unable to hold back, Jason didn’t resist the needs of his body. He gave in to the feelings that rushed through him. Thrusting upwards with powerful strokes he didn’t deny his body what it wanted. When his climax hit, he could only relish the feelings that throbbed throughout his body as he shot stream after stream of life’s essence into her body.

  Replete, Jason held Aviva as she curled up against his chest, the night air blowing across their cooling bodies. Content, he closed his eyes and inhaled, his hands running over the soft skin of the woman he loved.

  “Bloody hell!” Aviva shouted as she jack-knifed upwards. Throwing her
legs over the side of the lounger, and took off at a dead run.

  Not understanding what was happening, it took Jason a few moments to react to her sudden movement. Still confused, he too sprang to his feet to follow her. For a woman who hated too much physical exertion, she was moving more quickly than he had ever seen. Realizing that something must be very wrong, Jason quickened his steps.

  Bursting into the house he had just enough time to see Aviva’s bare ass disappear through the office door. Following behind he saw that she was heading towards the kitchen. As his steps took him deeper into the house, Jason understood what had made her move so quickly; there was a film of smoke everywhere. She had joined the Kingdom club and had burnt their dinner.

  Chapter 14

  Jason entered the bedroom after his morning workout to see Aviva sitting up in bed, her laptop balanced on her lap. However deep her concentration, he knew she was unaware of his presence. Removing his sweat drenched clothing, Jason watched her fingers as they flew across the keyboard. Completely naked he decided it was time for her to acknowledge his presence.

  “What are you concentrating so hard on?”

  “Writing.”

  “What are you writing?” Jason asked, again trying to gain her attention.

  “Song, and you’re breaking my flow. Please go and have your shower and stop talking to me.” Aviva spoke without looking in his direction.

  Jason walked closer to the bed and looked down at her bent head. Standing perfectly still with his legs braced and his hands hanging at his side, he waited until her eyes moved away from the computer screen to make contact with his legs. As her eyes travelled in an upward direction, he knew the moment her attention was snagged, and it had nothing to do with the manly shape of his thighs.

  “Care to join me?”

  “As tempting as that thought might be, I’m afraid I will have to decline. But I’ll meet you later tonight for a bath.”

  “We could mix it up a bit, it’s been a while since we took a shower together.”

  “I’m not getting in the shower with you, you always get my hair wet.”

  “Sorry about that.” Jason said, not sorry at all. However, if he could pull it off, she might just believe the contrite expression he was attempting to convey.

  “Baby, we’ve already established that you can’t act worth a damn. So in other words I don’t believe you. I’ve told you, I’m busy, and you’re breaking my flow and as good as you look you don’t smell so good.”

  “I’ll make a deal with you. I promise not to get your hair wet. In fact, I will guarantee it. If I mess it up, I will personally ensure that your hair looks exactly as it did the first time I met you. Heck I’ll even put in those Bantu knots if you want me to.”

  “No deals. I gave you two chances, and you blew both. Bantu knots?” Aviva asked as though just comprehending what he had actually said. “What do you know about doing Bantu knots?”

  “I’ve seen you do them. I know how, I kinda like them.” Jason wanted to laugh at her disbelieving look. “Come take a shower with me and you can put me to the test.”

  “As much as I would like to see you attempt Bantu knots the answer is still, no.”

  Resigned to showering on his own, Jason leaned forward, managing to outmaneuver her attempts to avoid him, and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I suppose I’ll just have to go shower on my own with no one to wash my back.”

  “Oh, my poor baby.” Aviva said with a look of mock sympathy on her face. “My only thought to that comment is; I wonder how you manage to do it every morning without whining or help?”

  “You’re a little grouchy when you’re writing. Did anyone ever tell you that?”

  “Go away, Jason. You’re getting on my nerves.”

  Mumbling under his breath about a man getting little or no attention from his woman when she was writing, Jason turned away to take his solitary shower.

  **********

  Aviva rolled her eyes and smiled at his departing back. It was a mighty fine back, ass and... hell the man was just fine, period.

  Shaking her head to dispel her obsession with Jason’s body, Aviva returned her attention to the song that had popped into her head the moment her eyes had opened. It was like that sometimes. Out of nowhere a melody would pop into her head followed closely by the perfect string of words that brought it to life.

  This song had a special meaning to her. It spoke about time and the ability to heal. While she knew it wasn’t going to be easy for the four of them to regain the closeness they had once shared, she was determined to at least try to make it happen.

  Steve and Jason had been through too much together, and she wouldn’t allow their friendship to fail now. As for Hope, she knew that most people would probably want nothing more to do with her after the stunt she pulled, but she was willing to give her a chance. This was her last chance as far as Aviva was concerned, but she would go into this business of rebuilding without condemnation of Hope’s past behavior. Hope still had to explain herself, but Aviva knew in her heart that Hope had been reacting to elements that she was still unable to control.

  This was how it sometimes happened, one moment a writer could be bursting with the words that needed to be written, and the next they were gone. The momentary distraction of their fragmented relationship was all it had taken for Aviva’s creativity to dissipate.

  Closing her eyes, Aviva attempted to regain the clarity of thought that had been with her only moments before. Try as she might the only images that flashed behind her closed lids were those of Hope, Steve, and Jason and the gulf that stood between them.

  Aviva heard when Jason emerged from the bathroom but remained perfectly still until she felt the depression of the mattress beside her.

  “What?” Jason asked as he stretched his long body beside her. The single word carrying with it a level of intensity that told her he was perfectly tuned into her emotional shift.

  “I was just thinking about Hope and Steve.”

  “What about them?”

  “I was just thinking about what we’re going to do to sort this mess out.”

  “We are going to do nothing. I don’t want anything to do with that woman. I thought I’d made myself clear on the subject.”

  Aviva could hear the irritation in his voice. But Jason’s inflexibility regarding Hope was not going to deter her from following through with what she thought was the right thing to do.

  “You know I love you, right?” Aviva waited for a sound of affirmation that she realized after a few seconds wasn’t coming.

  Repeating the question she followed it up with a poke to his rib. Shrinking back in sensitivity, Jason’s grunt was her only response. Knowing she would get no more out of him until she explained herself, Aviva drew in a breath.

  “Hope called me while you were working out. She wants me to meet her for coffee later today.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “I said that I would meet up with her.”

  “I thought we had agreed that we would have nothing to do with that woman.”

  “We agreed on no such thing. I would never agree to something like that.”

  “Aviva, I would like you to support me on this. I don’t want you to meet up with her. I don’t want you to have anything to do with her, now or ever!”

  “I’m sorry, baby, I can’t agree to that.”

  “I will ask you one more time to back me on this.”

  Aviva could see that Jason was genuinely angered by her agreeing to meet with Hope. While she understood why he felt the way he did, she didn’t feel the same way. She knew Hope much better than he did, and something was patently wrong with her that was outside of the norm.

  “Jason, please try to see my point of view. I understand how you feel, but I need, no I want to do this.” Aviva said, turning to face him as she searched his expression for a sign that he would at least find a way to accept her position.

  “I can’t stop you from going, as much as I wou
ld like to. I have a question; is this what I have to look forward to, you disregarding my feelings in favor of your friends?”

  Aviva was furious at his question. “That’s completely unfair, and you know it!” Pushing the computer from her lap, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up.

  “It may well seem unfair to you, but to me, I would say it just about sums up this situation.”

  “You are being completely unreasonable, and I’m not going to fight with you about this!”

  “I’d say we were already fighting, and the cause is your good friend, Hope! What the hell is wrong with you people, have you forgotten the way she behaved?”

  “No I haven’t forgotten. I will never forget what she did but I chose to hear her out, and I don’t have time for this right now!”

  “Where are you going? This discussion is not at an end.”

  “Well it is for me I can assure you.” Aviva threw over her shoulder as she headed for the closet and pulled out a red pants suit.

  “Where are you going?” Jason asked, his eyes following her every movement.

  “I have a doctor’s appointment, for which I will be late if we keep up this conversation.” Aviva had her back turned to Jason, so she didn’t see the color drain from his face.

  “What’s the matter with you?”

  Still turned away from him, all Aviva heard were words spoken through tight lips. Wrongly imagining his expression of irritation at her refusal to acquiesce to his wishes, Aviva threw a comment over her shoulder.

  “Nothing’s the matter with me. I’m just going to get my shot.”

  “A shot for what?”

  Still refusing to look in his direction, Aviva continued to pull on her clothes as she answered him. “A shot so I don’t end up with another you running around giving me unreasonable orders!”

  At the sound of Jason’s sharp intake of breath, Aviva realized how her words sounded to him. Spinning around she was confronted by a pale looking Jason whose eyes reflected the hurt she had just inflicted on him.

  “I’m sorry, baby. That came out all wrong.” Dropping her blouse, Aviva approached a still naked Jason who looked her straight in the eyes before turning and walking to his closet to gather clothing.