by Jo Chambliss
Bandaid gestures to the front door, and the rest of the men follow his lead and stand, moving as one to leave. Once the last one is gone, Devil locks the door and sets his security system. “I’ve stocked the fridge. Oh, and Skin went to your place and brought back some of your clothes. Unless you need something, I’m going to turn in.”
“Thanks, Devil.” The intense man offers a small salute and disappears down a set of stairs.
“Do you want a t-shirt to sleep in?”
I nod in answer, and Chris leads me into the room he’ll be using. He reaches into a bag on the bed and pulls out a gray shirt. He hands it to me but doesn’t release it. “Do you believe what I said, or do I need to tell you again?”
“No. Fine. Enjoy the train wreck. I just hope you haven’t doomed your friend by bringing us here.”
I jerk the shirt out of his hold and turn for the door, but not before I see him crack a smile.
Chapter 12
Willa
Ari’s laughter wakes me up the next morning, but she’s no longer in bed. Rolling over in the unfamiliar room, I spot a clock on the bedside table. Nine am. I never sleep this late. Making myself get out of the massive bed, I visit the very large attached bathroom and put yesterday’s clothes back on.
In the kitchen, Ari, Chris, and Devil are eating breakfast. “Morning, Mama. You were sleeping, so I was real quiet when I got up.” She jumps down from her stool and races to give me a hug. “And Devil went out and got me pop-tarts.”
“Did you tell him thank you?”
“I did.”
Looking back to Devil, I see that he’s moved to the front door and has two bags at his feet. “I’m going to bunk with Skin for a few days.” Great, now I’ve evicted yet another man from his house.
Before he opens the door, Ari runs up and wraps her arms around his waist. “Thank you for letting us stay here. I like your house.”
The intimidating man stoops down and caresses her little head as he studies her face. If I’m not mistaken, his eyes are even misty. “Ok, kid.” He stands back up and walks out the door. Watching him leave, I can’t help but think that he looked so sad.
Calling my attention away from the door, Chris puts a cup of coffee and plate of pancakes at one of the barstools for me, and I sit down to eat. “When you’re finished, we’ll go out and get some clothes for the two of you.” Chris tilts his head to the side, waiting for me to argue. Knowing it wouldn’t do any good, I don’t take the bait. “Ok.”
It’s just before three when we walk back in the door. Ari and I picked out just enough clothes to last a week, I picked up a blow dryer, some skincare products, and feminine supplies to have on hand.
While we were out, Chris took us to lunch, and later, for ice cream.
For the most part, the trip was miserable for me. In all fairness, every shopping trip for me is grueling, as I just hate shopping. Even more than that, I hated spending his money, but he wouldn’t hear a word about it.
There was one moment that made me smile. While getting lotion and hair stuff, Chris tried to encourage me to get any makeup that I would want. He stuttered and stammered through the conversation, trying to convince me to get what I wanted without trying to indicate I needed it.
His face turned so red, trying to get the words out without being offensive that I had to laugh. In the end, I put him out of his misery by telling him that I don’t wear much makeup. I selected a mascara, some mineral powder, and some tinted chapstick.
Now that we’re back at Devil’s house, Ari is anxious to put on her new fish PJs and wants to take a bath early.
When I’m finished with her, I decide to go ahead and get myself cleaned up and into fresh clothes.
Later that evening, after we’ve cleaned up dinner, I go tuck Ari into bed. When I come back out, Chris is pacing in the living room. The lid to a laptop is open, and he’s on Skype. “Here she is.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve had some friends investigating the kidnapping, and they think they’ve found something.”
Chris motions for me to join him. He turns the laptop around as we take a seat on the couch.
“Willa, this is Cle, Omen, and Squid. Guys, go ahead.”
“Hi, Willa.” The woman smiles warmly before diving in. “Ok, here’s what I’ve found. Thanks to the pictures you took of the little girl’s nightgown, I was able to track its origin and the purchase of the custom-made nightgowns to a boutique in Charlottesville. Reluctant at first, the owner only offered to pass along information until I told her it was concerning a kidnapping case. She remembered the purchase because it was unusual for a man to come into her store, and even more odd that he would buy matching gowns for an adult and a child.”
“Amazingly, she still had security footage from when the man came in two weeks ago. I want to show you a picture of the man, but I’ve superimposed a blank, white mask over his face to get a true ID from you.”
“Ok.” The view of the three people changes to a still shot of a man. I study the image on the screen, but I can’t be sure. “It’s hard to tell from this angle about his height, but the hair looks right. He had a two-inch scar on the left side of his neck.”
“Let me see what I can do with the image.”
I hear several clicks, and then the image refreshes. My hand flies to my mouth. Oh, god. “That’s him!” My hands go to my face, and I start trembling. Strong arms wrap around me, pulling me close to a hard body.
The group doesn’t say anything more, and one of Chris’s hands leaves me for a moment. I hear the click of the laptop closing, and his hand returns. He lifts me onto his lap and pulls my hands away from my face to place them around his neck.
“I told you we would end this. These guys are the best there is. They’ll find this bastard and hand-deliver him to Mike.”
Holding on tightly, I speak into his neck, “This should make me happy, but I’m numb. Fear or anger, I would understand, but I don’t feel a damn thing. That scares me more than anything.” Lifting my eyes to stare into his, I plead, “Make me feel something. Please.”
The look on Chris’s face is pained. “I can’t do this if you’re only coming to me scared. I need you to want me and not just as a distraction.”
Placing my hand against his chest, I confess, “I’ve wanted you since that day in the hospital. I just thought that the only thing you could ever feel for me was pity.”
“Willa, you don’t need pity. You are Stronger On Your Own than anyone I’ve ever met.”
“Then, f…fuck me.” The instant I say it, I regret it. It isn’t natural, it’s not me, and apparently, it isn’t Chris either.
“Willa, there will be many things I want to do to and with you, but fucking isn’t one of them.”
I look down, hurt by his rejection. My face begins to heat in shame and embarrassment, and all I want is to get away from him.
Just as I release my hands from around his neck, he stands with me cradled in his arms. Wha…?
Chris walks with strong, determined steps to the bedroom he’s been using. Gently, he lays me down on the bed and closes the door. His bedside lamp is on, so I can see him clearly as he begins removing his clothes.
My eyes rake over him, not quite believing what I’m seeing. I had known that his chest was hard from the time I watched him chop wood but had not imagined that he would be so perfectly sculpted. The view is so much better up close. Smooth, tan skin covers every chiseled inch of him.
If I had any doubts about his desire or intentions, the massive erection that springs free when he removes his jeans erases them. Wearing only his dog tags, he stalks toward me, a white-hot fire burning in his eyes.
Chris reaches for me, grabbing one of my feet, removing the shoe and sock, then does the same with the other foot. Tugging on my leggings, he removes them and moves up to pull my shirt over my head. I’m left in is my white lace panties and bralette.
He takes his time staring at my body and whispers, “You are so be
autiful.”
As he moves up my body, his hand finds and removes the pin stick from my hair. Then, his hungry mouth finds my lips. His hand tangles itself in my hair, and he begins to devour me.
I’m no longer numb. My body is on fire for this man. The way he makes me feel, I’ve never felt anything like it. I’ve never been kissed this way. I’ve never experienced such all-consuming passion from just a kiss.
Chris kisses a molten path to my ear where he whispers, “Do you feel this?”
My answer is to arch my back, pressing myself against him. This only presses his erection harder into my belly, making me squirm. “Chris, please.”
“I’m not finished making you feel yet.”
His lips leave my ear, finding their way to my breasts. Without removing the bra or even pushing aside the fabric, he latches onto a nipple and sucks through the lace. Each pull of his mouth sends jolts of lightening to my sex.
Only after he’s given the same treatment to the other breast does he lean back and remove the bra. Chris briefly returns to my lips while his hands explore my body, scorching my excited flesh.
I’m about to start begging when he begins to travel down my middle, tasting my skin as he goes.
His tongue finds my nipples again, swirling and teasing them into hard peaks. “Feel me, Willa.” Then without warning, Chris sucks hard on one nipple and then the other, making me dizzy with lust for him.
I hold my breath as deft fingers find the waistband of my panties. Chris dips down to my soaked folds, bringing the slick digits back up to circle my clit.
Soon, I’m moaning over his touch, but he takes my mouth again, swallowing my sounds of pleasure.
My whole body is tingling from his touch as he leaves me to stand at the edge of the bed. Strong hands grip my thighs and yank, pulling me to the edge with him.
Chris slips his fingers inside the waistband of my panties again and pulls them down my legs. Everywhere he touches, he leaves a searing trail
With my body completely exposed to him, he stands and stares. I think, Finally… finally, he’s going to take me.
But he doesn’t. His hands press my legs open, and he nestles himself between my thighs. “Feel this.”
The first stroke of his tongue through my slit has me seeing stars. His strokes are long and slow but are already close to shattering me. I don’t want to think about my ex, but Jonathan is the only man I’ve ever been with, and he was a selfish lover. I never realized how much until this moment. Not once did he ever touch me this way.
Chris teases me with a few more light strokes, then begins pleasuring me in earnest. It’s too much. I don’t think I can handle such an assault on my senses. He said he wanted to make me feel…
On their own, my legs try to close against the intense sensations, but he won’t let them. He holds me in place and makes me take it. He latches onto my clit and sucks just as he did to my breasts. Seconds later, the ambient noise in the house disappears, and I’m blown away by the most powerful release of my life.
My whole body shakes as I bite my lip to keep from screaming and waking my daughter. Chris continues licking me but has slowed his strokes to bring me down from the monster high.
Completely boneless after the intense orgasm, I’m unable to move. Chris climbs back up my body and smiles at me. “I know you felt that.”
There’s no answering him. I’m nearly breathless. I barely register the sound of a foil packet being torn open before he’s settled himself at my entrance.
Eyes boring into mine, he begs for permission. “Be sure, Willa. There won’t be any going back for me.”
“I need you.”
Chris
With those three words, I rock into her with one powerful thrust. She calls out, and I think I’ve hurt her until I see the look on her face. Willa’s head is thrown back, and her lips are curled in a satisfied smile.
The stirring image of her overcome by pleasure further hardens my throbbing dick. Fuck, she’s so tight. Grasping her hands, I place them beside her head and intertwine my fingers with hers.
Our first time should be sweet and gentle, but Willa needs fire tonight. I start to move, greedily taking what I need from her. Her purring moans tell me I was right and that she’s taking just as much from me.
I pound into her as hard as I can to drive away any thoughts she has about masked monsters, flames, or anything else but how I make her feel. She responds vocally, her moans giving way to gasps and quiet shouts.
My savage taking of her body continues until she comes again, causing thunderous aftershocks deep inside her. Her tight center squeezes me so hard that I’m soon stiffening above her, emptying myself into the condom. Overcome by the mammoth orgasm, I collapse to my elbows.
My forehead drops to her heaving chest, and we both lie there winded. When I do pick my head up again, it’s to take her soft lips again, more gently this time.
Not wanting to move but needing to dispose of the condom, I pull out of her and rise from the bed. “Don’t move.”
“Don’t worry. I couldn’t if I had to.”
I’m back to her in seconds and lift her up to strip back the covers. Placing her back on the mattress, I climb in behind her and pull the covers over us. My arm goes around her waist to pull her tight against me.
Neither one of us speaks. I just lie there, feathering light touches on her belly and breasts as we drift off to sleep.
The next morning, I wake with the sun as I normally do. During the night, we’d both rolled over so that she’s tucked against my back with an arm wrapped around my waist. It touches me deeply to know that even in sleep, she needed and reached out for me.
Just as the light begins pouring in through the bedroom windows, Willa’s hand begins caressing my stomach and chest. Even though she hasn’t dipped to my groin, her touch is heaven to me.
Eventually, she lowers her fingers to brush against my hardening shaft, and I want her all over again.
“Mama?”
Willa sighs, and I chuckle. “I’ll run interference, so you’ll have time to dress.”
Climbing out of bed, I pull on the jeans that I shed last night and walk out of the room. I find Ari in the kitchen looking for Willa. “Where’s Mama?”
“She’ll be out in a second. You hungry?”
She shakes her head. That’s odd. Now I notice that she’s not smiling like she usually is. “What’s the matter, Tadpole?”
“I don’t feel good.”
Instantly worried, I pick her up. She feels a little warm, but I have no way to check her temperature. Calm down, Fish. Kids get sick. It could be nothing. I remind myself that I’ve never been around kids and have every right to freak out a little over this.
Pulling my phone out of the pocket where it spent the night, I call Bandaid. “Man, you’ve got to get to Devil’s house. Ari’s sick.”
“On my way.”
I’m holding Ari, whose head is resting on my shoulder, and pacing the floor when Willa steps out of my room. Her brow furrows when she sees me. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Ari. She’s sick. I think she has a fever.”
Unworried, Willa takes Ari from me and walks over to the couch. She places her hand against Ari’s forehead, cheeks, and against her belly. “You do feel a little warm. Do you feel bad?”
Ari nods her little head.
“Can you tell me where?”
She points to her head and her throat and lies down against Willa’s chest. I sit down next to Willa and take Ari’s hand. “Is she Ok?”
“Probably just a little bug.”
I haven’t moved from my spot when there’s a knock at the door. Jumping up, I dash over to let Bandaid in. He brushes past me to sit down on the sofa table and gets right to it. “Good morning, Ari. Let’s see if we can find out what little critters are making you feel bad.”
“Ok.”
I watch nervously as he takes her temperature, checks her heart and her breathing, and lays her down to check h
er belly. The next thing he does is bring out a tool to look in her ears. From there, he looks in her mouth, then reaches into his bag for a small kit.
“Ari, I need to tickle the back of your throat. Can you sit very still for me?
Ari nods her head weakly. “Ok then. Open your mouth wide. Good girl.”
Using a swab from the kit, he takes a sample from the back of her throat.
He does something with a tube and some drops and says, “I think we’ve found the problem.”
“What? What is it?” I ask, almost frantically.
Bandaid turns and stares at me as if he doesn’t know who I am. He smiles and shakes his head. “This little lady has strep throat.”
“Is that serious?”
“Only if ignored, but even then, only in severe cases. All Ari needs is some antibiotics, and she’ll clear right up. Something to consider, though. If I write a prescription, it’ll be traceable.” He pauses to let that sink in. “Or, I can give her an injection of penicillin here, now. Is she allergic?”
“No,” Willa answers.
“Mom? It’s your call,” Bandaid tells her.
“Give her the penicillin,” she says.
Bandaid nods and roots around in his bag until he finds what he needs. After doing some calculations, he draws a certain amount of medicine from the bottle. Willa lifts the bottom hem of Ari’s Frozen nightgown, and Bandaid swabs the area with an alcohol wipe.
Ari cries when the gigantic needle pierces her tush. The spot is covered with a bandaide, and Ari is turned back around.
Seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks is too much for me. I rush over, and she reaches out her arms for me. When I pick her up, she squeezes me tight as she sniffles. “I’m sorry, Tadpole. Do you want me to punch Bandaid for you?”
“Sorry, dad. You can’t get violent with the doctor,” he jokes.
Dad…
I don’t think he realizes what he just said... or maybe it was intentional. It is obvious, however, by the look on her face, that Willa didn’t miss it. The word rolls over me, and I close my eyes, tightening my grip on Ari. Dad.
