I guess I can understand that. “So why are you telling me?” I ask.
“I need someone to know,” she admits, “and already I can tell how important you are to Elinor. That will make you important to Elizabeth as well. It is good that you know.”
“I won’t lie to Ellie,” I want her to know that. I will have to tell Ellie. This is something too big for me to keep from her.
Beatriz nods again with a sad smile. “I know. Maybe she will take the news better from you than from me…”
“I think you should tell them both,” John’s voice comes from behind us. I didn’t even see him get up and approach us. Beatriz jumps and gasps, her hand to her throat, turning to look up at him.
“I can’t… they will both be so… disappointed in me for keeping this from them.” She says her voice trembling.
“No, they won’t,” John and I say at the same time. She looks from me to him and something unspoken passes between them. That at least explains why he’s still here… not that I blame him. There is something undoubtedly special about these Lovell women.
Beatriz returns her attention to me, “I will think about it.” She carefully puts a bright smile back on her face and reaches for my hand, “Now, mijo. What are your intentions regarding my daughter?”
I fold her small hand between mine and give her my most self-assured grin, hoping that I’m not messing up by declaring myself too soon. “I plan to make her my wife.”
“Good. That is good,” her smile is genuine as she pushes up to her feet. “No more of the hanky-panky under my roof,” she says seriously, wagging her small finger at me. With her decree made, she walks to her daughters, stooping to kiss their cheeks before standing for a long moment staring at her grandson playing in his sandbox under a weathered play structure in the far corner of the yard. He looks up and waves at her and she returns the gesture before strolling over to her small greenhouse and walking inside. John follows, a look of concern on his face. Ellie and Lizzie whisper rapidly in a mixture of English and Spanish that I catch random words of, watching as he follows their mom inside. They think John and Bea make a cute couple. I smile. They’re right.
Chapter 33
Ellie
The cool shadows of my room wrap around me. There isn’t even a hint of daylight creeping through my window, but I can already hear Mama up rattling around in the kitchen. Probably making the coffee we both rely on to get our day started. I smile up at the ceiling, listening to Auggie’s steady breaths from the other side of the room while replaying the previous day. I wish I was waking up wrapped in Blake’s arms again, but Mama sent him and John out the door right after we finished cleaning up from supper. We talked on the phone until I fell asleep, mid-sentence most likely since I don’t remember saying goodnight. Feeling around blindly I locate my phone between my pillows and check the call log. We talked for more than three hours about everything and nothing. I sigh happily. There isn’t anything that can knock this smile off my face today.
I should get up! The thought explodes in my mind. The sooner I can get to Luminoso, the sooner I can see Blake. If I’m early enough maybe I will even have time to slip into his small apartment and fix him breakfast as a surprise. It’s not like I don’t have a key. Bouncing off the bed, suddenly bubbling with energy, I hurry into the small bathroom to take the quickest shower in history and rush into a clean housekeeping uniform before shrugging into the big cozy flannel Blake left behind. Actually, I didn’t offer to give it back when he was getting ready to leave. It smells like him, clean and woodsy, and I drag the lapels to my nose and inhale deeply, breathing him into my lungs before practically skipping down the hall to the kitchen. I rummage in the fridge gathering up the ingredients to make a simple frittata when I get to Blake’s.
“You’re in a rush this morning, mija.”
I glance at my beaming mother before turning back to the assembled food on the counter and start packing it in a hand-knit shopping bag that I made during the summer for going to the Farmer’s Market.
“If I’m early I can fix breakfast for Blake and me before we have to work,” I toss over my shoulder to her.
“That is good, mija. That boy, he needs your love,” she says, her eyes suspiciously damp.
“I need his too, Mama,” I admit, turning to her again and throwing myself into her arms. She smooths my hair behind my ear and kisses my cheek.
“Yes, you do. Now go. Take the car, don’t waste time catching the bus today.”
“What if you need it?” I ask. I don’t like the idea of leaving her here without transportation.
“I won’t,” a blush spreads over her cheeks. “John is coming by to help me do some work on the greenhouse.”
It’s a valid reason for him to come over. Greenhouses in the desert need to be maintained correctly or else they kill the plants they’re supposed to sustain, and a lot of the work that needs to be done takes more than one person. But still… her blush is a dead giveaway. I’ve never seen Mama blush just saying a man’s name. “He is, is he?” I ask, my voice teasing.
“Si, Elinor,” she shakes her head at my tone. “Now, go. Feed your man.”
I don’t have to be told twice. Pouring myself a travel mug of coffee, I hook the bag over my arm and blow Mama a kiss, grab my purse and keys and hurry out the door with my damp hair still loose around my shoulders.
The barest hint of golden light is tinting the horizon as I pull into the parking garage and locate an open employee spot. Blake is probably still sleeping. I’m almost giddy at the thought of being able to do something nice for him, and even giddier about the possibility that there might be time to crawl into his big bed and really get our day off to a good start. I think yesterday might have made me into a monster! Breakfast can wait…
My key card makes a small whirring sound as I slide it through the magnetic lock and hold my breath at the click of the lock releasing. I silently push into the dark apartment. It’s quiet. I can’t even hear Blake’s measured breathing like I expected. The light from the hall behind me illuminates the room before me. It’s just as tidy as it was the last time I was here. The bedroom door is ajar, so I toe off my shoes, setting my purse and bag of groceries on the counter. They will be fine there for a while.
Careful not to make a sound, I tiptoe across the plush carpet, stripping off his shirt and laying it over the back of the couch as I pass it. My dress is the next thing to go. My nimble fingers swiftly unbutton it as I sneak into the bedroom and approach the bed.
Chapter 34
Blake
“Is that Ellie sneaking into your room?” Geno points at his monitor with a laugh. After taking the whole day off yesterday to spend with Ellie and her family, I figured I should come put some hours in with Geno. There’s still a fuck-ton of upgrades that need to be made to the security systems, so when she fell asleep on me mid-sentence just a few hours ago I figured what the hell. I was too keyed up to sleep anyway, wanting to be there with her instead of in my empty bed across town.
I glance over to his screen and chuckle, watching as Ellie glances around to make sure no one is watching before sliding her housekeeping key card into my lock and tiptoeing into my living space. She’s fucking cute with my favorite flannel swallowing her petite frame and her loose hair hanging half-way down her back. She has her purse and another bag over her shoulder. I wonder what she is up to. She’s in for a surprise when she realizes I’m not there.
“Better go see what she’s up to man,” Geno advises, still grinning at her antics. “I guarantee she expects you to be there.”
Just then my phone dings with a text. I glance down, my lips quirking, not surprised to see that it’s from Ellie. I roll back from the long counter and rise, stretching the kinks out of my back and rolling my shoulders to loosen them up. “I’ll be back,” I offer, knowing that she clocks in at seven, so our time is limited.
“No hurry, man. Go spend some time with your woman.” I tilt my chin, acknowledging his words and step
into the hall, swiping my screen. It’s a selfie.
Fuuuck! It’s tasteful and so fucking gorgeous. Just like she is. The photo is Ellie in my bed draped with the sheet, but it’s clear from her bare shoulders and arms and the tantalizing suggestion of her puckered nipples that she is naked underneath it. I don’t even bother waiting for the elevator. Waiting even a couple minutes for it is too long and it’s not that many flights of stairs! I take them two at a time and stop in the stairwell breathing heavily. I give myself ten seconds to catch my breath, because I can’t wait any longer than that, before I push the door open and make my way casually to my door. Geno is probably watching and laughing his ass off about how fast I made it up here.
Fuck him. He’s not the one with the woman of his dreams waiting naked in bed for him. I don’t even care. If he had a woman half as perfect as mine, he wouldn’t waste a second getting to her either. I unlock the door, my hands fumbling with the lock and almost dropping the slick card twice before I’m rewarded with the sound of the lock opening. I push inside and slam the door behind me, announcing my arrival.
A small giggle floats to my ears and I storm the bedroom, tearing my shirt off over my head with one hand while undoing the button and zipper on my jeans with the other, releasing the hard rod straining out of the top of my snug boxer briefs, begging to get into my girl.
“You little brat, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” I growl, falling onto the bed and yanking her against me. Yearning for the silk of her skin under my rough fingers, the sweet taste of her pleasure against my tongue, the wet fire of her slick sheath gripping my cock. I might die without it. Without her.
“Surprise!” She moans softly, her breath feathering against my face. She smells like bubblegum toothpaste again. It makes me fucking crazy. My dick jerks, precum beading at the tip and rolling down my shaft, soaking into the elastic waistband of my boxer briefs.
“Best surprise ever,” I rumble as my mouth takes possession of hers and I pull the sheet away from her. Unwrapping my present. Her golden skin glows in the pale light of the lamp and the pink tint of the sunrise just showing through the windows that face it.
Her lips smile against mine as she returns my kiss stroke for stroke, her small, sharp teeth nipping my lip before sucking it into her mouth and soothing the tiny pain with her tongue. I’m going to start every day for the rest of my life loving this woman, I promise myself. I work my hand between us, making sure she’s ready for me.
Her thighs part eagerly for my touch and she thrusts her slippery folds against my seeking fingers, crying out in startled wonder when I drive two inside to firmly rub her g-spot. Her pussy contracts with a gush of her sweetness. She’s drenched and I’m not going to be able to hold back from fucking her for much longer.
Her hands scramble down my back and push at the fabric still covering my ass. “Off!” she demands, tearing her mouth away from mine and glaring fiercely into my eyes. When I don’t move fast enough, she pushes up onto her knees, pushing me onto my back and begins tugging them down until my thickness pops free and slaps against my abs. She abandons the task of removing the remainder of my garments immediately, her attention on my engorged length, and almost-purple-with-need cockhead.
“Ohhh,” she croons, wrapping both of her strong, slim hands around it, and lifting it toward her waiting mouth. She licks the glistening droplet waiting there for her and makes another little sound of excitement. I flex, producing another bead for her enjoyment. “Let’s get these off of you,” she mutters, more to herself than to me and I lift my hips, helping her get my jeans and boxers off so I can see what she has in mind. As much as I want to take her, I want to see where she will go if I let her take the lead.
When I’m as naked as she is, she pushes my thighs apart, making space to kneel between them as she lowers her mouth to my cock and glides down over it with a hum of happiness. Her mouth stretches wide, her lips a tight ring around my substantial girth as she adjusts her angle. The gentle scrape of her teeth against the thick vein when she slides back up is almost more than I can bear and with a throb I pump more precum onto her tongue, forcing myself to stay still. She swallows audibly before repeating the slow glide down my shaft and back up again. Over and over until my hands are fisted in her hair, using it to help guide her movements.
“Angel,” I groan, not wanting her to stop sucking my cock, but needing her to. “Ride my dick, babe.” I want to take my time with her, but time is something we don’t have this morning. Soon, I promise myself. Soon I will have her to myself for as long as I want.
She releases my flesh with a wet pop, her eyes meeting mine as she wipes her mouth with her thumb and does as I directed, straddling my lap. The insides of her thighs are slick with her desire. Her head drops back, mouth open in a silent scream, as she deliberately lowers herself onto my rigid pole, a guttural moan in her throat as she stuffs herself full of me.
Reaching between us I pinch her clit and roll it between my fingers and lift my hips, pushing even deeper. When I’m so deep I can feel the end of her channel kissing the head of my cock I roll my hips, dragging the thick ridge against that special place inside her and at the same time grinding against the stiff little button of her clit. Her inner walls flutter and I’m blown away at how quickly she’s come to the edge. I do it again, repeating the motion the way she did with her mouth and tongue until she’s writhing on top of me her raspy voice moaning a litany of my name and unintelligible words.
Reaching up I slide my hand under her hair, clasping her nape and pulling her down, her breasts rubbing against my lightly furred chest, her mouth seeking and meeting mine. Not kissing, just moaning, nipping and gasping against each other as we strain toward the pinnacle of mutual pleasure.
“Blake!” her voice is thin and breathless as I grip her ass in my big hands and lift her off my cock and slam her down onto it. I do it again, feeling her thighs quiver against my sides. Her pussy contracts like a vice around me. “Again!” she gasps, and I give her what she wants, jabbing my hips up as I slam her down again. She screams, her body going stiff over mine as her cunt clamps down harder than anything I could have ever imagined, strangling my cock and soaking me with her cum.
Her rippling orgasm triggers my own and white light explodes behind my eyes. I roar my own climax, rolling us over and pounding into her softness again and again while hot ropes of cum paint her tight channel with my possession. When my dick finally stops unloading into her, I collapse and roll to the side, sparing her my crushing weight, pressing kisses against her sweaty face until she giggles.
“Wow…” she breathes, then sighs and cuddles closer. “That was…”
“Something else,” I finish for her.
“Exactly,” she murmurs, her voice sleepy. I reach for my jeans still lying on the bed and pull my phone from the pocket. There’s enough time for a nap, I decide, setting an alarm. I should clean her up, but when I move to get up for a washcloth she protests and holds me tighter and I give in to the lethargy making my limbs heavy and doze off with her in my arms.
Best morning ever. We’re walking down the hall toward housekeeping, Ellie’s hand in mine, our fingers laced together. More time would have been nice, but we cuddled and slept for a while before my alarm woke us up. We showered together, her laughter filling the steamy enclosure as I soaped her ticklish body and she washed mine. By the time we stumbled out of the shower there was just enough time for her to make scrambled eggs and toast instead of the frittata she had planned. Since I don’t know exactly what that is, it didn’t matter to me. I was just happy to share breakfast with her before walking her to work. Stopping just outside the big double doors she turns to me, her lips curving in a joyous smile.
“I’ll find you at lunchtime,” I promise, brushing a chaste kiss against her forehead when all that I want to do is crush my lips to hers and drag her back upstairs for another round of lovemaking. I’m not ready to share her with anyone else, but I know that I have to. I can’t keep her
locked up in my room forever… despite how amazing that sounds to me right now.
“That’s great. I shouldn’t be too hard to find,” stretching up on her toes she returns my kiss with one of her own, letting her lips linger against mine for a long moment before stepping away. “I do need to go now,” her voice betrays her longing to stay.
“Then go,” I say, rejoicing inside that she kissed me in public, before turning her by the shoulders to face the doors. I cup her curve of her ass and give it a squeeze, making her gasp in surprise. She spins back to face me with flushed cheeks and her rich, dark eyes sparkle with excitement and good humor.
“That doesn’t help,” she teases, stepping forward and pushing the heavy door open.
“Later, angel,” I promise. I shove my hands in my pockets to stop myself from reaching out to touch her again and force myself to take a step back.
“Later,” she repeats in a whisper, stepping through the door with a finger wave before allowing it to fall shut behind her.
I blow out a long breath. Wow. I had no idea that letting her go to work would be so hard. I always want to keep her by my side, and if that isn’t possible, I want to know exactly where she is and who she’s with. I never knew I had caveman instincts, but now that I’ve made her mine the compulsion to keep her safe from anything that could harm her beats in me like a primal drum.
I turn away with another sigh. I can’t stand here all day waiting for a glimpse of her. I’d better go see what Travis is up to and then get back to Geno like I promised. I still haven’t figured out exactly how Dominic was able to override the security system. It’s killing me but will have to wait a little longer. Installing more cameras on the casino floor is on the agenda for today, and I want to make sure that everything we need is set up so there aren’t any gaps in coverage when we switch to the new system. Set up shouldn’t take long, just a few hours. I have a team scheduled to come in tonight to begin installing the new cameras one area at a time. Xavier wants it done before New Year’s when business will pick up again after the holidays. Fortunately, I won’t be needed for that part of the upgrade and will be able to spend the evening with Ellie.
Embracing Ellie: K&S Securities Series Page 25