by Ali Parker
"And we had that together." I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Let me walk you to the door."
"Okay." She turned and walked through the foyer, stopping suddenly and turning to face me. I took a step back to give us some distance. "You were willing to break the rules for me."
"And I am for Dana too, Ana. I'm older and ready to start a family. Your sister is the only woman I want that with." I moved around her and opened the door. "Help me make that happen?"
"It's the least I can do for not running hard and fast after you back then." She walked out and didn't look back as she made her way to her car.
Did she still love me? I couldn't tell.
I didn't care either way. She was a memory... a painful one.
Turning, I walked back into the house and closed the door behind me. Excitement raced through my chest. Dana.
I'd get a chance to redeem myself to her, to help her see how much I wanted her in my life. I wasn't going to fuck it up. Not a chance.
I jogged to the bedroom and pulled off my clothes before jumping in the shower. I wanted everything to be perfect, including me. She needed to know what she meant to me, that I was her man and wouldn't stop until she was mine.
My body ached for her touch.
"Soon," I mumbled and stroked myself a few times. Soon she would be pressed to the bed beneath me, letting me worship every inch of her.
I wasn't going to take no for an answer.
***
"Dana." I smiled like a kid in a candy store as I pulled the door open. The angry look on her beautiful face caused my high to dim a little.
"How dare you!" She walked in and pushed me in the chest with both hands, causing me to take a step back.
I planted my feet and lifted and eyebrow. "Be careful, woman. I'm not the type of man who's good with being pushed around."
"Where is she?" Tears filled her eyes as she pushed me again.
I grabbed her wrists and tugged her toward me. "Who are we talking about and why are you so upset?" She smelled like heaven, the tropical scent of her shampoo rushing down to fill my lungs. I growled and took two big steps toward her until she was pressed against the door. "You smell so fucking good." I leaned down and pressed my lips to the side of her hair. "Stop for a minute and talk to me."
"My sister!" She pushed a little, but not nearly as hard as she had before.
"Ana left two minutes after she got here." I moved back just a little, but kept my lower half pressed to her, holding her in place. I pinched her chin gently and forced her to look up at me. Her dark hair was wild, her eyes filled with passion. I was completely lost to her. "She came to try and fix things between me and you. Nothing else."
"I don't believe you." Her breathing was off as emotions raced across her face. She was terrified. She still loved me.
"Then don't believe me, but I wouldn't lie to you. I didn't walk away last week, baby. You did, and I've been in hell since then." I leaned down and brushed my lips by hers, loving the soft whimper that came from her.
She didn't want to fight me. She wanted me to fight for her.
"Look at me." I kissed her again, short, hard.
"What? Let me go. I came over to talk, not be manhandled."
"You think this is me manhandling you?" I laughed low in my chest before moving back and bending over a little. I pressed my shoulder against her stomach and picked her up as she yelped.
"Put me down! Kendal! What are you doing!!"
I ran my hand over the curve of her ass, cupping the back of her thigh and pressing my fingers against her center. Her jeans were too thick to really get a good feel of her body, but they'd be off of her soon enough.
"I'm manhandling you." I walked toward the bedroom as she kicked and tried to throw a fit. "That's the best you got?"
"Really!" She upped her game a little, almost kicking me in the dick.
"Better. Much better." I dropped her on the bed, letting her fall hard. Reaching out, I gripped her hips and pulled her to the edge of the bed as she growled loudly at me.
"What are you doing?"
"I already told you." I moved to my knees and slid my arms around her waist, pressing my cheek to her stomach and closing my eyes. I tightened my hold on her as my heart pounded in my chest.
She panted loudly, but seemed to be calming down a little. My heart broke when I heard the sound of her first sob. Her fingers ran through my hair, scraping down the back of my neck as she let herself cry.
I stayed there, holding her as tightly as I could until she pulled at my shoulder. Only then did I move up and cover her body with mine.
"I can't lose you. I hate this life without you," she mumbled, her beautiful lips swollen, her eyes filled with unmet need.
"Then don't lose me." I brushed her hair back. "Ana came to fix things between me and you." I brushed my nose by hers and breathed in deeply. "I’ve missed you every night for the last week. You know I didn't find you because you were her sister, Dana. You know I don't still love her or I would be with her. We met at my sister's deathbed. Remember, baby?"
She nodded. "Yes. I know. I just wish I were more. Ana is so-"
"Stop." I rolled my hips, forcing her to open her legs for me so I could settle down between them. My erection was thick and twitching as if trying to get the poor girl’s attention all on its own.
"I know. I just-"
"No. You don't know." I leaned down and brushed her tears away before pressing my lips to hers. "Open up for me. I won't hurt you."
She moaned softly and wrapped her arms around my neck, her legs around my waist.
The desire to own her washed over me, and I pressed against her tighter as I slid my tongue against hers, coaxing her to submit to me. Her soft moans mixed with sexual pants left me on fire.
"I need you," she whispered, "but I'm scared."
"Of?" I lifted up a little and rocked against her, wanting inside of her soft body so fucking bad.
"Of losing you again."
"Were you scared of losing me when we first started seeing each other?" I rolled onto my back and pulled her with me.
She sat up and pressed her hands against my chest. "No. I don't know. Why would my sister come over here to help me? She and I barely get along. Why would you ever choose me over her?"
I ran my hands up her thighs, along her sides until I cupped her throat on either side. I pulled her down and kissed her passionately, invading her once again until she pushed away from me and breathed in deeply.
"I'm not in love with Ana. That was six years ago." I sat up and wrapped my arms around her, pressing my face against her breasts before turning and kissing the little bit of skin above her t-shirt opening. "I want you more than I have ever wanted her or anyone else, Dana. I've made that clear. You stood beside me through Mandy's death no matter how shitty I was to you."
She cupped my head against her chest and pressed her cheek to my forehead. "It's going to take a little while for me to move past this."
"Then let me help you do it." I ran my hands over her hips and down to cup her ass. "Stay with me tonight. We'll make dinner and talk about anything you want. Then I'll run you a hot bath and wash you up for a long night of hearing you moan my name."
She shivered and bucked her hips, rubbing her sweet center along my raging hard-on.
I growled and slid my fingers down farther, petting her from behind as she dug her fingers into my shoulders and arched her back. "Maybe we don't do dinner at all."
"No. I want dinner. I need time with you before we-" She gasped as I tapped her pussy with my fingers.
"Oh, yeah?" I smiled and slid one of my hands into the back of her jeans, pushing until I had my middle finger buried in her wet heat. "You're so wet, baby. All this fighting turn you on?"
"I don't know." She ran her hands down my face and leaned in for a long kiss as I drove my finger into her, brushing by her ass with my thumb as she rolled her hips and let me have her.
"I like it. Come for me once bef
ore we go." I gripped the back of her head with my free hand and ground against her clit by lifting my own hips. The clothes were getting on my nerves, but she needed to know who she was dealing with. I wanted her lust and her love. Both in equal parts. When I wanted it.
"Oh God," she whispered against my lips. "Stop. I'm not sure-"
I slipped another finger inside of her and licked up the long column of her neck. "Stop thinking and keep fucking my fingers, baby. I'm going to take advantage of every part of you tonight. You ready for that, Dana?"
She hugged me tightly as she screamed my name, her body tightening around me, wetting me in her release. The way she let herself enjoy the quick fuck was beautiful, delicious. It had me completely on edge. We had a lot of shit to work through, but there wasn't anything I wouldn’t do for her.
"I want more," she whispered against my ear.
Time to tease her.
"And you'll get it. After dinner." I ran my fingers up her ass and pulled her down for one more kiss. It was filled with promise, forgiveness, raw lust.
We could get past all this shit... and then, I'd have to figure out what to do about my job. One thing was for sure. She was more important than any rules I'd set for myself or had the University force upon me.
She was my future. My everything.
Chapter 10
Dana
"Did we really just do that?" I sat in the Lexus, my skin on fire, my heart racing a million miles per hour. The plan was to come over and bitch him out, kill my sister and move to a different part of the country. A few minutes in Kendal's presence and I was screaming his name and trying to figure out what color I wanted my bridesmaids' dresses.
He ran his hand over his cock and adjusted himself. "Yes, and my body is screaming for me to finish it."
"You're going to win me back with sex, aren't you?" I laughed and noted that he was watching me.
"I'll use anything I have to." He reached over and took my hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing each knuckle, one at a time.
The deep pulse inside of me came to life again, leaving me sensitive, wet, needy. Damn him.
Had Ana really gone over to try and save things between me and Kendal? If so, my mother must have sent her. I'd have to find her sometime the next day and see what she was up to. It was rare for my sister to do anything that didn't benefit her directly and massively.
"What are you thinking for dinner?" I had to change the topic before I crawled over into his seat and got us arrested for indecent exposure.
"Whatever you want. Steak? Lobster?"
"Both?" I snorted and pulled my hand from his to tug at the seatbelt. "Hey."
"What, baby?" He glanced over and took my hand again, rested it on his thigh. He looked like something out of GQ in his jeans and t-shirt. The man never looked dressed-down no matter what he did. His dark hair was messy from me running my fingers through it, and his soft pink lips wet from my kisses.
I wanted him on his knees, between my thighs, making his apology with the flicking of his tongue and deep thrusting of his fingers.
He laughed. "I lost you. Are you fucking me in your head?"
"What?" Horror rolled over me. "No. I was just thinking about dinner."
"Liar." He squeezed my hand and chuckled. "You said, 'hey'. Hey what?"
"I was just going to tell you that I was sorry about the other night at the Beta Alpha Psi thing. I should have been more mature. I just have always had this inferiority complex where my sister is concerned. She's always been more than me."
"She's not nearly as much as you." He pulled my hand farther into his lap, forcing me to lean over a little as he stroked himself with my fingers. "Just the thought of you turns me on, Dana. I have to be careful when I'm in class not to let myself go there. And not just sex. Anything related to you. The way you interact at the hospital, how smart you are, how strong you are."
I took a shaky breath. I'd been wrong about him. How quickly I was willing to run due to fear and in doing so, I would have lost the best thing that had ever happened to me.
"I went on a date." I pulled my hand back, realizing that I needed to make sure there was nothing standing between us being together.
"A date?" He lifted his eyebrow before his expression darkened a little. He parked in the grocery store parking lot. "And how was it? Find someone you like better than me in a short week?"
"What? No." I got out of the car and walked around to face him. "My brother set me up with this poor guy that he's been friends with forever. It was awkward, horrible. All I could think about was you."
"If I told you that I'd been on a date, you'd lose your shit." He reached out and cupped the side of my face.
"I know." I glanced down and exhaled loudly. "Forgive me. It was more like a weird friend thing with your little brother’s bestie. Nothing happened. Nothing."
"You'll have to pay me back for this one." He leaned down and nipped at my lips, his aggressive side so damn addictive.
"Anything you want," I mumbled and snuggled against his side as we walked into the store. He wrapped a strong arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head.
"Be careful what you offer. I might take you up on it."
A shiver ran through me. I knew his stories from the past were filled with sexual depravity and lust that would burn most people, but surely, he wasn't that guy anymore, right?
Did I want him to be?
Yes. Badly.
***
"You get enough?" Kendal stood up from the table and reached for my plate. We'd spent the time cooking dinner and eating, talking through everything.
He had a lot on his proverbial plate at UT, and I had some big decisions to make, but one thing was for sure. We were going to work toward being together again. I couldn't blame him for dating my sister. It was the past and not having him in the future left me without another option.
"I did. It was delicious." I got up and followed him into the kitchen, bringing our wine glasses. "So, are you going to talk to the University President about Daisy, Mark and Heather? Seems like a lot to get involved in."
He set the dishes in the sink and turned to face me. "I think so. If I lose my job, then so be it." He reached out and brushed his hands down the side of my face, pulling me closer and leaning down to make love to my mouth.
By the time he moved back, my knees were weak, my stomach tight. "I love your kisses."
"Then you should have more of them." He kissed me quickly and moved around me to walk down the hall. "Bring the wine and meet me in the master bathroom."
"Okay," I whispered softly as nervousness ran through me.
A bath? Or shower together? Sex sounded good, but getting naked and having him stare at me for half an hour or more... terrifying. Would he compare me to Ana? She was so much thinner than I was.
"Stop stalling," he called from down the hall. "I'll happily turn back into a caveman. I've been dreaming about licking every inch of you since we met."
"Shit," I mumbled and grabbed the bottle of wine. If he didn't like what he saw, he would tell me. No, he won't.
He was sitting on the edge of a huge garden tub when I walked in, the smell of strawberries filling the air as bubbles rose in the bathtub. He glanced back. "Hi beautiful."
"Where do you want this?" I lifted the wine feeling like an out-of-place heel.
"On the sink is fine." He turned and pressed his hands to his knees. "Undress for me."
"What? No." I put the wine down and then rethought my response. I grabbed the wine, filled up a glass, downed it and did it again.
He laughed in the background, the sound delicious. "Undress for me, Dana. It wasn't a request."
I turned to face him and took a shaky breath. "I don't know."
"I do. Take off your clothes and let me see you. I plan on spending the rest of my life memorizing every beautiful curve and crevice. Let me start tonight."
I nodded. Him and his poetic language. He could probably talk a nun into sinning. No wonder
he and Damon Bryant were friends.
"Just know that I don't want to do this." I reached down and tugged my shirt off, throwing it at him.
He caught it and stood up. "Stop treating this like a moment where I'm going to judge you." He pulled his shirt over his shoulders sensually, leaving miles of smooth, tanned skin on display. The dark trail of hair that lead into his pants had my pulse spiked. “It's about showing off. Teasing your mate. Offering them a moment of pleasure without touching them." He undid his jeans as I took a step back.
I wanted to see every inch of him, bared to me. There was something so intoxicating about it. His willingness to submit and go first. It left my head spinning.
He took his time, sliding his boxer briefs over his muscular thighs and leaving his body on full display. He ran his hand over this erection, gripping it tightly as he watched me. "See what you do to me? This isn't because there's a promise of sex. That exists everywhere. Anywhere. It's because I want to lose myself inside of you. Because I want to hear you moan my name, to know that you belong to me. You turn me on. No one else."
I swallowed the thick ball of regret in my throat. I'd almost lost him over nothing. Over the past.
Reaching back, I undid my bra and pushed it off my shoulders slowly, reaching around to knead at my breasts as his eyes shifted and he nodded.
"Beautiful," he whispered and licked at his lips. "Your jeans."
I unbuttoned them and slid them over my hips before standing up and kicking them off as casually as I could. He was much better at being sexy than I ever would be.
"Panties." His voice was low, commanding. It caused chill bumps to break out across my skin.
He stepped back and got into the bubble bath, still standing and waiting on me as I slid my panties down my thighs slowly. "Like this?" I glanced up and he smiled.
"Exactly. You're the greatest treasure I'll ever know. Let me revel in the sight of you teasing me." He extended his hand. "Come let me wash you."
I walked toward the tub on wobbly knees. It was the biggest bathtub I’d ever seen. We’d have no trouble having a bit of fun. The real problem was that I'd never let anyone wash me before, much less took a bath with someone. "How about I wash myself and you just watch."