Scattered Pieces

by Allie Able

  She smiles up at me and nods her head

  “Thank God. I don't think I could go through the whole date, without tasting you,” I murmur, as my hands come up to cup her face. I lower my head and touch my lips to hers. Her hands find their way to my sides and hold on tightly to my shirt. I nibble on her bottom lip and she opens, allowing my tongue to slip inside. I tilt her head so I can kiss her deeper, tasting every inch of her mouth. She always taste so sweet and I can never get enough. After only a few minutes, I reluctantly pull back, ending the kiss before we are late for our reservations. I look at her glazed over eyes and smile, happy to see she is as affected by me as I am by her. I lean in and give her one more soft kiss on her lips, before taking her hand and leading her towards the front door.

  “Do you have everything you need?” I ask as we walk towards her entry way.

  She nods her head, as she grabs a little purse off the table by her front door and locks her door behind us.

  “I guess I should have asked you, if you like Italian food?”

  She looks over at me and gives me a bright smile, “Italian food is actually my favorite. I love it. We use to have this little Italian restaurant, in the town where I grew up, and I can remember my mom and dad taking me to eat there at least once every two weeks.”

  She looks so happy when she talks about her parents. I hate that she she had to experience that loss, but I'm thankful to see she can look back on the time she had with them and feel happiness. I take my eyes off of the road for a second to look over at her and smile softly. “I'm glad to hear that, sweetheart.”

  * * *

  Summers house isn't far from the downtown area where the Italian restaurant is located. Her bakery is just down the street, so I'm a little surprised she hasn't eaten here, yet. I park my truck and tell her to stay where she is. She looks a little confused at first, but when I open her door and help her down, she looks pleased. I bend down and give her lips a quick, soft kiss. She blushes again and I can't help but chuckle, as I take her hand and lead her towards the restaurant.

  After telling the hostess my name we are seated at a private, dimly lit table.

  “What kind of wine would you like?” I ask Summer when our server comes to greet us.

  “Um, I would like a red, please.”

  I quickly look at the wine menu. I'm more of a beer drinker, but my mom and sister like wine, so I have drank it on occasion., Since I have been to this restaurant before, I happen to know they have a great red wine. “We will have a bottle of the Chianti Classico, please.”

  “I would have thought you would have ordered a beer,” Summer says, once the waiter has walked away.

  “I like to drink wine on special occasions. My mother and sister insist on it, especially when eating Italian.”

  Summer nods her head and smiles. “My mother was actually part Italian, so she insisted on it as well. My poor father never stood a chance.”

  The waiter comes back and pours our wine and I take a sip of mine and nod my head. He finishes pouring and sets the bottle down on the table before asking if we are ready to order. I haven't looked at my menu, but I know what I want.

  Summer looks up at me from where she was studying her menu, “Will you order for me? I don't know what is good here.”

  I nod and smile, as I turn to the waiter, telling him our order. Once he has taken our menus and retreated, I look over at Summer and watch as she takes a drink of her wine and I do the same.

  “Tell me something about yourself that I don't already know?” I ask, as I set my wine glass down.

  She smiles at me and cocks her head to the side, while she thinks. She scrunches her nose up in concentration, unaware of how damn cute she is “Hmm.. My favorite color is yellow.”

  I laugh softly and shake my head. Not exactly what I was going for, but I will play along. “Okay, mine is blue.”

  “How very manly of you, I would have never guessed that,” she jokes, as she takes another drink of wine.

  I really like playful Summer. My smile feels so wide I'm afraid I may break a tooth.

  Summer stares at me for a second before dropping her voice to a whisper, “I really like your dimples.”

  I throw my head back and laugh out loud. I was not expecting her to say that. I look at her and see she is blushing. “I really like you,” I tell her sincerely.

  She looks down for a second, before shyly looking up at me through her eyelashes. “I really like you too,” she says quietly.

  I reach across the table and take her hand, giving it a little squeeze. “I'm happy to hear we have that in common.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Summer

  I AM SO RELAXED AROUND Grant and our conversation flows so easily throughout our date that, before I know it, I look down at my watch and see it's past 11:00 pm. “Wow, is it that late already?” I ask.

  He looks down to check his watch and seems to be just as surprised as I am. “I didn't even realize it was getting so late. You have to work tomorrow. I better get you home.”

  After he pays our bill, he takes my hand and leads me towards the door. He switched to water after his second glass of wine, but I continued to drink and I can feel the effects the alcohol is having on me now. I'm not drunk by any means, but I definitely feel a little buzzed.

  Grant helps me into the passenger seat of his truck before going to the driver side and cranking up. I love that he does that. Besides my father, I don't think any man has ever opened a car door for me. Ryan certainly never did that. I quickly brush off any thoughts of Ryan and turn my attention to Grant. I watch as he drives the truck with one hand and the other arm is relaxed against the center console. He is just too handsome for words. His blue button up shirt is molded against his broad chest, like a second skin. I noticed at dinner that the color of his shirt makes his blue eyes shine even brighter. He must feel me looking at him, because he turns his head, meeting my eyes.

  “You're staring at me Ms. Foster,” he remarks, smirking at me.

  I quickly look away. I feel myself blushing, embarrassed to have been caught staring at him, for what must the hundredth time. His hand reaches over and takes mine. He laces our fingers together and I look back over at him as he brings our joined hands to his lips and kisses the back of my hand.

  “I like it when you look at me,” he reassures me, quietly.

  He rests our hands on his leg and smiles over at me, before looking back at the road. We pull into my driveway a few minutes later and he cuts his truck off. Before I can say anything, he is making his way to my side and opening the door.

  “Thank you,” I say, as he takes my hand and helps me down.

  I reluctantly let go of his hand so I can dig into my purse for my house keys. When we reach my front door, I turn around and look up at him. “Thank you so much for dinner, Grant. I had a great time,” I whisper.

  “Me too, sweetheart.” He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and cups my cheek in his hand. His other hand comes to rest on my waist and he pulls me closer to him. His lips touch mine in a gentle caress. He traces my bottom lip with his tongue, silently seeking entry. I eagerly open my mouth under his, as I grip the sides of his shirt in my hands, trying to pull him closer. He tilts my head and takes the kiss deeper. This kiss is different from every other one we have had. It is intense and full of promise. I feel like body is on fire and everything below my waist is starting to tingle. Before I even realize it, we are moving and I find myself pinned against my front door. After he nips my bottom lip with his teeth, his lips start moving down my neck, sucking and biting along the way. He licks my exposed collar bone and then works his way back up towards my ear. He licks the outer shell, making me shiver in response, before biting down gently on the lobe.

  “Shit, Summer. I want you so bad, sweetheart,” he whispers in a husky voice.

  Just to prove his point further, he grinds his hardness into where it is pressed against my belly. I haven't been with very many men, only two if we are count
ing, so I don't have a lot of experience with the male anatomy, but Grant feels huge pressed against me. Everything about this man is huge. It should scare me or intimidate me how quickly he could overpower me, but it doesn't. I feel safe in his strong arms. It's that thought that has me moving to get us inside, as quickly as I can.

  I use my hands, that are still holding on tight to his waist, and give him a gentle push. Grant must think something is wrong because when I look up at his face, his eyes are filled with worry and concern. I smile gently, trying to reassure him that everything is fine. I get my keys out of my purse and unlock my front door. I turn around, look back up at him again and suddenly I feel shy, but I somehow push through it. I grab his hand and wordlessly pull him into the house. I shut the front door and lead him to my bedroom. I let go of his hand, when we reach my room, as I turn around to face him.

  “Summer, what I said on the porch,” he says quietly, stopping to gather his words, “I'm not trying to rush you into doing something you don't want to do. We can take this as slow as you want.”

  “I know that, Grant, but do you want me?” I ask boldly.

  He reaches for me, grabbing my hands, and pulling me to him. He wraps both arms tightly around me, and buries his face in my hair. “I want you more than my next breath, sweetheart. Never doubt that. With just a kiss from you, I get harder than I have ever been in my whole life,” he says, “I'm in deep with you already, Summer and I don't want to do anything that could screw this up.”

  My breathe catches and I wrap both arms around him, hugging him closer to me. I have never felt more at home or safe than I feel, when I'm wrapped in his strong arms. I pull my head back just a little, so that I can look up at him. His eyes are burning bright with intensity, as he looks down at me.

  “I don't think it's possible for you to screw this up, Grant. I'm already in deep with you too,” I admit quietly.

  He doesn't say anything, but his beautiful eyes burn even brighter. His hand travels up my back and he tangles it into my hair, at the nape of my neck. He tilts my head back and to the side as he bends his head to take my mouth in a slow, deep kiss.

  I need to touch him and my hands over his shirt isn't enough, I need to feel his bare skin against mine. I pull his shirt out from where it is tucked into his pants and slide my hands under his shirt, up his sides. He moans into my mouth, as I explore each dip and crevice of his stomach. I have never touched a man with muscles like this and I suddenly feel greedy, needing to touch and see more of him. We are both panting, when I pull away from his lips and start unbuttoning his shirt. His hands leave my hair and come up to hold onto mine, stilling my movements.

  “Are you sure, Summer?” he asks, again.

  “I have never been more sure about anything, Grant. I need to feel you,” I reply quickly and honestly.

  His eyes search mine for a long minute, before he nods his head in acknowledgment. “Lay down, sweetheart,” he says inclining his head towards my bed.

  I take off my heels, before following his instructions. I want this so bad, but I am also so nervous, as I crawl towards the middle of the bed and lay on my side facing him. I watch as he finishes unbuttoning his shirt and tosses it towards my shoes, before taking off his under shirt and doing the same. His body is perfection. I saw him shirtless in my kitchen, but for some reason here, in the darkness of my bedroom, it feels much more intimate. I follow the plains of his stomach, watching the muscles as they flex with his movements.

  He takes off his shoes and socks, before crawling into bed with me, leaving his pants on. He lays on his side facing me and pulls me to him. “I don't think I have ever seen anything more beautiful, than the sight of you laying in this bed right now,” he mumbles quietly.

  Even if I had something to say to that, I don't get the chance to respond, before his lips are descending on mine. One of his hands tangles in my hair again, as his other arm pulls me flush against him. While his mouth is working against mine, my hands start to explore his hard chest and stomach. His skin feels hot under my touch, and his muscles jump under my hands. He moans into my mouth and his hand, around my back, pulls down the zipper of my dress. Once he has it all of the way unzipped, he moves me so that I am laying on my back and he is still on his side, looming over me. He starts kissing his way down my neck, moving the material of my dress off of my shoulders.

  He lifts his head to look down at me, as he pulls my dress up my legs and over my hips. “Is this okay?” he whispers.

  I can't get my voice to work, but I manage a nod. He smiles down at me, before pulling the dress over my stomach, dragging the back of his hands over my flushed skin along the way, until he finally pulls the dress over my head and tosses in onto the floor. He looks down, taking in the sight of me in my light blue strapless bra and matching panties. He glances back up at my face, with a look of awe.

  “You are so fucking perfect, Summer Foster.”

  I shake my head at him. He hasn't seen the scars yet. “I am far from perfect,” I whisper in response.

  “You are perfect to me,” he says, before moving his body over mine and taking my mouth in another drugging kiss.

  My hands find their way up to his hair, so I can hold him to me. He kisses down my neck, to the top of my breast where they are pushed up in my bra. He drags his mouth lower, to the top of my belly and I squeeze my eyes shut, knowing what he is about to see. It's dark in my room, only the moon casting a soft glow on us, but it is enough for him to see my ugliness. I feel him pause, when he gets to the scars that adorn my ribs and upper stomach. I can feel his gaze on my face, but I don't open my eyes to look at him. I was hoping he would just skip over that part of me and not ask questions. I'm not ready for those questions, yet.

  “Sweetheart, look at me,” he urges gently yet firmly.

  Before my brain can even process the request, my eyes open and I look down at him. He is studying my face with a fierce look of anger, but I know it's not directed at me. I can see the questions brimming in his eyes, but instead of saying anything, he bends his head and kisses each scar, almost like he is trying to heal them with his mouth.

  He finally lifts his head and looks at me again. “Every part of you is perfect, sweetheart,” he says, with so much tenderness shining in his eyes, that I suddenly feel like crying.

  In that moment I know, no matter how crazy or fast it is, I am falling in love with Grant Hamilton.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Grant

  THAT MOTHER FUCKER HIT HER. I know he did, because the only way she could have gotten those kinds of scars, on her perfect skin, is from enduring years of abuse. It takes everything I have to not show my anger. I don't want to scare her, and in no way am I angry at her, but I want to kill her bastard of an ex-husband. I'm not going to ask her any questions right now. I can only hope that she will open up to me soon. How he could have harmed this beautiful woman, in any way, is a mystery to me.

  I lower my head and continue to shower her soft skin with kisses. I make my way back up her body until my lips meet her's again. I explore all of her exposed skin with my hands, until I feel her relax against the bed. I pull my head back and rub up the side of her nose with mine.

  “Your skin is so soft,” I whisper.

  Her hands start moving across my skin and I can't help the groan that escapes me, when she lightly scratches her nails down my back. I roll to my side taking her with me, so I can unclasp her bra. I remove it from her body and toss it towards where her dress is laying on the the floor. I lay her down so that she is onto her back, again, and I look down at her bare chest, if possible my dick gets even harder, pushing against the confines of my pants. Her breast are perfectly round and her nipples are light pink. I run my hand up her stomach and cup her in my hands, running my thump over the hard peeks. I pinch each one, between my thump and forefinger, before bending my head and taking them in my mouth. Every part of her body tastes so sweet. I suck, until she is wiggling beneath me, and grinding her pussy against the top of m
y thigh, where it is resting between her legs. I lift my head up, just enough to look into her lust filled eyes, gauging her reaction as I move my hand down her stomach, slipping my hand beneath her panties. I feel nothing but soft, smooth skin. I move my hand lower and her wetness coats my fingers.

  “Fuck, sweetheart, you are so wet,” I groan.

  She moves her hips up and down, causing my fingers to slip back and forth through her wetness.

  “Please,” she begs, panting. This woman should never have to beg for anything. I will gladly give her anything she wants.

  “Shh,” I say, quieting her, “I've got you, Summer. Do you need to come, sweetheart?”

  She nods her head quickly, against where it is resting against the pillow. “Yes! Please, Grant.”

  I growl deep in my throat, at the sound of her sweet voice begging me to make her come. I move my hand from the inside of her underwear, and she makes a sound of protest.

  “I'm just getting these out of the way, sweetheart. I want to see you,” I say, with a deep chuckle.

  Once I have her panties pulled off of her, I push her legs wide open and settle my body over hers. I trace the inside of her thigh with soft, teasing strokes of my fingertips. Her hips start moving again, trying to get my hand where she wants it. I still her movements by settling more firmly on top of her, taking her mouth in another kiss. I nibble on her bottom lip with my teeth, before coaxing her mouth to open under mine. I move my hand up her leg, until it finally meets her wet center. I dip one finger inside, feeling how tight and wet she is, and I almost come in my pants. I move my thumb up, finding her little bundle of nerves. I circle it slowly, making her moan long and loud, into my mouth. I pull back enough so that I can see her face. She is panting, her face and neck are flushed red.

  “Does that feel good?” I ask, whispering against her neck.

  I feel her head nod against me. “God, yes. So good,” she groans, making me chuckle.

  “Can I use my mouth on you?” I ask, before kissing lower to her breasts. I pull her nipple into my mouth and lightly bite down. Her hands that were resting on my shoulders, move to my hair and pull, making me hiss. Fuck, that feels good. I move my thumb a little faster on her clit. She begins to moan loudly and I know she is close to coming.