Broken Open

by Lauren Dane

  Tuesday wrapped her arms around him, reveling in the weight of his body on hers. She loved this, this feeling of being totally surrounded by a partner. Loved the intensity of that sort of connection.

  He kissed her.

  He was truly gifted in the kissing department. Each time he kissed her it was a wholly new experience. This kiss was hard-edged. He nipped her bottom lip as he growled low and she nearly lost her mind. What even was that and what did she need to do to get him to do it again?

  That heated sexual energy he gave off surrounded her, burned against her skin, incited her own desire.

  She gave over to the dizzying depths of it, of that sharp need he evoked in her.

  Her fingers slid into his hair, so soft. He got a little closer, gave her more of his weight on her. But when she tugged he gave her that growl and he reared up to his knees. “Up the bed all the way. Hands above your head when you get there.”

  My.

  Tuesday hoped she managed to stay sexy as she shimmied back up his bed to where the pillows were.

  * * *

  EZRA WAS TOTALLY convinced he’d never ever seen anything as beautiful as Tuesday in his bed. He wasn’t sure which part of her he liked best so he just took her in from the tips of her toes, up long legs, the flare of her hips, that tattoo of hers. He spent enough time on her breasts that he was able to declare those as his favorite part.

  The mass of her curls lay dark against his pillows and the look on her face, good god.

  She was a fucking goddess.

  He did know his favorite trait of hers, as well. She owned her sensuality. The woman he stared at was at home in her skin. She expected to be treated like a queen, which was her due. And that was hotter than fire.

  “If a woman could come just from being looked at, I’m pretty sure I’d be screaming your name right now.”

  He locked his gaze to hers. “You will be soon enough.”

  One corner of her mouth quirked up and he picked up the challenge that lay in her eyes.

  And then she put her arms above her head and he had to pause, gulping in some air.

  “Beauty.”

  He picked up her foot and kissed her ankle and then up to her knee. He put that leg down and picked up the other, repeating.

  Then he kissed up each velvety thigh.

  “I need to get you nice and ready for the next part of the program,” he spoke, his lips against her labia.

  * * *

  SHE WASN’T SURE she had the fortitude for Ezra’s kind of ready.

  Then he took a lick and blew her mind.

  He wasn’t slow this time.

  No, he used his thumbs to bare her to him and dived in.

  She arched, digging her heels into the bed, wanting more and wanting to get away all at once.

  He stopped and looked up the line of her body to her face. “You moved your hands.”

  Looking back on this precise moment later on, Tuesday would see it for the leap off the top of the Empire State Building that it was. But just then it felt so good and so right it didn’t matter. Nothing did but getting more from him.

  Heat flushed through her system and the snappy comeback she’d been on the verge of giving him died away. Yes. That. She wanted more of feeling that with him.

  He waited, hovering so close the brush of his breath against her pussy sent waves of shivers through her body as she moved her hands back.

  Then he made her come so hard that if he’d had close neighbors she’d have blushed every time she saw them for years to come.

  He kissed her hip bone, licking over her skin all the way up to her mouth—after a significant detour at her nipples—to kiss her slow.

  Reaching between them, she grabbed his cock and licked her lips. Turnabout was fair play and all that.

  He hissed. “No. If you do that I’m going to come before I’m ready. I want in you. There’s time for that later.”

  Like she was going to argue. Ha.

  Still, she slid her thumb through the bead of precome on the head of his cock before she let go.

  “Roll over.”

  Shivering, she rolled onto her belly.

  He ran his hands all over her in long, slow strokes until she was boneless. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he murmured as he kissed the back of her neck.

  She wasn’t so relaxed that a thrill didn’t run through her at his words.

  But he wasn’t done.

  “I need you to get that ass up. You can keep your head down.”

  It was his tone. Or the words. Well, probably the words and the tone and the way he touched her, but hot damn did she move quickly.

  He hummed low as he leaned past her. From the corner of her eye she saw him grab a condom. Her hands fisted in the blankets as she tried to find some patience.

  * * *

  EZRA LOOKED DOWN at her as he rolled the latex on. The curve of her ass made his mouth water as he angled himself along one cheek, down to her pussy, circling her entrance with the head of his cock before beginning to push in slowly.

  She made a low, ragged sound as he got halfway in and that was it. All his control slipped away. He thrust that last bit and she met him, pushing back until he was in as deep as he could be.

  Ezra had to pause to hold off as climax dug its claws into his balls. His entire body seemed to vibrate with how much he needed this woman.

  So he let go and began to fuck her in earnest. Lingered in that tight, hot embrace. He leaned down to lick over her shoulder before he bit. Not hard enough to leave a mark. Not a permanent one anyway.

  This sound she made, well holy shit, he had to dig in and seriously debate with his cock. His cock was ready to go at that sound but Ezra wanted to hear her make it again and again, first.

  She pushed back against him again as her body tightened around him so much he nearly saw stars.

  “When I’m ready.” He took her hips in his hands and groaned. She was strong. Hard and soft. Sweet and demanding. All contrasts. He wasn’t under any misconceptions. She allowed him to take charge; she made the choice to give over, which was exactly how he wanted it. Otherwise it was a sham.

  He put a palm at the small of her back and pushed down, keeping her just right. Her body clasped around him again, superheating, and he knew she was drawing close to another climax.

  This time they’d go over together.

  He leaned forward a little, reaching around with a free hand to slowly circle her clit. He heard a quick intake of breath as she gasped at the contact.

  “I don’t know if I can,” she gasped.

  “Pah, you totally can. It’s an orgasm, beauty, and given how fucking gorgeous you are when you have one, I know you can have one again.”

  She groaned, but her body continued to respond as he slowly teased her higher and higher.

  He got close, so close his body tightened up with anticipation. She sucked in a breath and came all around him, the heated, tight clasp of her inner muscles sending him hurtling into orgasm right along with her.

  He thrust hard, over and over as the slap of skin against skin stroked over the sounds of moans and sighs.

  He pulled out carefully, excusing himself to get rid of the condom and when he got back, he smiled at the sight of her in his bed and joined her.

  “How about some juice and something to eat?” He stroked an idle fingertip over her shoulder.

  “Yes, that sounds perfect.”

  He leaned in to kiss her before he rolled from the bed and tossed her a robe that had been hanging on the back of his door. “You don’t have to wear it. No one is going to see in, but it’s a little chilly tonight.”

  She pulled it on and he pulled on a low-slung pair of sleep pants.

  When he opened his bedroom doors, he nearly tripped over his damned dog and the cats, who’d set up camp right outside the door.

  She wisely hid a snicker, but carefully stepped around the cats winding through her legs as she walked. It just gave him an excuse
to touch her again so he slid an arm around her waist. “Wouldn’t want you to fall.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  WOULDN’T WANT YOU to fall.

  Ezra had said those words to her the week before. She’d been wearing little more than a robe and had sex hair at the time.

  He’d meant to warn her not to trip over his animals¸ but the biggest danger was in falling for the man himself.

  He’d dropped her off, walked her to her door and then, he said he’d call.

  Which had made her distinctly uncomfortable, and yet, happy. He had called. Twice over the week. Things were easy between them. He checked in and was sexy and charming, but he didn’t push into her space. It felt a little like he held back. Which was okay, too. Hopefully he’d lose that over time and grow to trust her.

  And here he stood in the doorway to her shop, giving her a look that made her parts stand up to attention.

  “Hey there.” She was with a customer so she kept it at that. “Be with you shortly.”

  He nodded and strolled to look at the art on the walls.

  By the time she had found the right stuff for her customer and had rung it up, it was near closing so Tuesday flipped the sign and locked up before she turned back to Ezra.

  “Hey, yourself. I was in town and I saw the lights on in here. I just went grocery shopping. How about I make you dinner?”

  Flattered and pleased, she hoped she kept her cool when she nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like something I’d be up for, thanks. Why don’t I just drive up to your place in a bit? I need to go home to change.”

  He frowned. Just a brief flash of displeasure and she wanted to kiss his lips to entice them to curve back into a smile. “You’re really spoiled, aren’t you?”

  There it was. He grinned. “Come to me when you’re ready and if you ask me that question while you’re standing in my kitchen, I’ll answer it honestly.”

  She moved to him. “When I’m standing in your kitchen, Ezra, you’ll most definitely be spoiled.”

  He nodded, attempting to be solemn but amusement was clear in his gaze.

  “I’ll walk you to your car when you’re ready.” He leaned against the counter. “I’ll check my email so take your time and do what you need to.”

  But it was hard to concentrate with him there. In her shop. His smell was all over the place now, she realized. It made her happy to know the ghost of his presence would still be in the air when she opened up the following morning.

  She counted the till and wrote a deposit sheet out and tucked it in the bag. This was one part of business that, while it was easier than in the old days before you could take a picture of a check and consider it deposited, still involved a trip to the bank to drop her day’s receipts off.

  Only, that day Ezra was at her side as she headed down two blocks and another one over to the bank.

  “You do this alone every day?”

  “Every day I work, yes. Well, if it’s been a slow day and it’s mainly my cash drawer and all credit cards and paper receipts I just keep it in my safe. Tourist season is arriving so there are days, in the summer and fall usually, when I have to go twice because it makes me nervous to have all that cash around.”

  “Tourists pick up a lot of framed art?”

  She laughed as she dropped the deposit bag off and they headed to her car.

  “I have a pretty nice selection of local artists in my store. I do small enough frames that people can easily tuck them into a car before going home. I have a booth for the market that I staff on weekends from June through September. That has jewelry, too. Used to be like an occasional sale here and there but now it’s over half my overall business. I have a part-time employee—she’s a good kid. She’ll take over the stall here in Hood River so I can staff the one in Portland when my space is finally ready.”

  They got to her car and he took her keys, unlocking for her. He handed them back and bent to kiss her. “Since you’re off the clock and all, I thought I’d grab one because your mouth is a temptation.”

  He made her insides all fluttery.

  “I’ll see you in an hour or so.”

  She headed home, surprised to see Nat there after she’d changed and headed back downstairs.

  Tuesday kissed Nat’s cheek on her way past. “I was beginning to wonder if I’d dreamed you up.”

  “I feel terrible for being gone so much.”

  Tuesday leaned against the doorway. “Why on earth would you feel bad? You’re in love, Natalie. Love. You want to be with him. He’s been gone for a few months. You two had a big fight for part of that time. Of course that takes some face-to-face so everyone feels better. I don’t feel like you’re replacing me with Paddy. Frankly, I’m just waiting for him to invite you to move in.”

  Surprise lit Natalie’s features briefly, but then she shrugged. “I think he wants to but he’s scared of my answer.”

  “You’d say no?” Tuesday knew it was only a matter of time. That fight and making up had been a huge step in their relationship.

  “I don’t know. I love this house. I love sharing it with you.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. Eric and I had our own home for years and you and I were friends through all that. Don’t make me your excuse to say no. I mean, if you need to use me to say what you want to say and are worried how he’d take it, fine. But he loves you. He’s going to love you even if you say you’re not ready. But you are.”

  “Do you think so?” Fear and hope all wrapped up in that question, no doubt.

  “I do. But I also think you just had a big fight and maybe if you get yourselves back on track first and then move in that might be better in the future as you look back, you know? Get past this moment and then once you’re stable again you can take a new step.”

  “I think so, too. Right now it’s good. He’s starting to finally really be back. He’s different when he’s working or out on tour.”

  “Can you deal with that?” Tuesday wasn’t sure she could.

  “It’s not that my buttons get pushed. I thought for a while, even during this tour, that I was uneasy because of all the wild living they do out there. Childhood-issue trigger. Check.” Nat made a check- mark motion with a flick of her wrist. “I was okay when he was gone. I missed him, but we talked. When I went out there on the road with him it was fine. It was, to be totally honest with you, the best sex I’ve ever had. When it went bad it wasn’t his lifestyle that tripped us up. It was just that we came at each other wrong.” She shrugged.

  In some ways that seemed like it might be more difficult. The normal fight stuff was sometimes the scariest.

  “Do you trust him, Nat? He will hurt you. It’s inevitable with someone you love. But you have to trust him to find a way back to you when things are really bad. That’s really it. It’s easy to love someone when things are good. Love like that fills our reserves, strengthens and hardens against attack.

  “But when something bad happens and that love is challenged, that’s when trust will either keep you together or tear you apart. You can’t expect another person not to hurt you. But you can, and you should, expect another person to protect your heart once you’ve given it to them.”

  “Sometimes I forget that you were married. And I really can’t believe I just said that.” Natalie came over and hugged Tuesday. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  Tears pricked the backs of Tuesday’s eyes. “It’s okay. For a long time it wasn’t. But lately it’s been a little easier to look back.”

  “Because of Ezra?”

  Tuesday took a deep breath. “I don’t think so. I mean, he’s part of it, but I think over the last year or so it’s hurt less and less each day. I don’t know if I can say this right but for the longest time it was like that part of me had burned out. Like a circuit that was just always going to be dark. It hurt. Every day it hurt when something would happen and I’d reach out to tell him and he wasn’t there. He never would be there.” She looked up at the ceiling, trying to ste
m the tide of tears.

  “That’s fair.”

  “I need to take this slow, Natalie.” Tuesday took her friend’s hand a moment. “Ezra...this thing between he and I is superintense. I wouldn’t have been ready for him before that first kiss. Hell, Nat I’m not sure I’m ready for him now. So I’m trying to keep it cool. You’re excited because you love me and of course you like him and it’s in your nature to want happy things for people you care about. I’m not up to too much joking about it right now. I feel fragile.”

  Tuesday bet Ezra was feeling pretty fragile, too.

  Natalie hugged her again, this time holding on a while until they both felt better.

  “Enough tears! So what are you up to? That’s your hey-my-boobs-look-great shirt.”

  Tuesday had a certain fit of shirt she loved because it had the perfect cut to emphasize her breasts with the right nip at the waist to show off curves but not too clingy.

  “Ezra came by the shop to invite me to dinner so I’m on my way up there.”

  “Get. Out. Damn. I won’t push you on feelings but you do need to pony up the sex details. That’s all I ask.”

  “Fine, fine. Deviant. What are you up to?”

  “I’m on my way up there, too. I had to grab some clean clothes and I thought I’d invite you over to see a movie. Paddy was headed over to Ezra’s after he and I got off the phone—they hadn’t hung out in a while. Come over after you two eat. Watch a movie and then you can go back to his house and do sex.”

  “We’ll see.” She liked to hang out with Nat and Paddy, watching movies in his screening room. “I’ll leave it up to Ezra. If he’d rather skip the movie part and head directly into the riding him like a pony stage... I love you, but um, I’ll see a movie with you another day if that’s the choice I need to make. I do it for America.”

  “Fair enough.” Nat shrugged and they both laughed.

  “You want to catch a ride up there with me? I’ll drop you at Paddy’s on my way to Ezra’s.”

  “Yeah, that works.”