"Where's Malcolm?"
"In his room."
Sandy stared into nothingness. "I'll eat the sandwich," she informed him and walked into his bathroom.
She was putting on the shirt Seth loaned her, when he entered the room with a tray containing another plate of sandwiches and two glasses of milk.
His body responded immediately to the sexy sight of her in the shirt which fell below her knees. She was definitely naked underneath. He could see the outline of her breasts. He mentally jerked himself from ogling her and went to the bedside table to place the tray on it.
She climbed into the bed and folded the sheets around her while he brought forward a chintz-covered armchair and placed it beside the bed. She took the sandwich and bit into it. A minute later, he watched as she dropped it on the plate, took the glass of milk and drank half of it. When she saw the disapproval on his face at her actions, she picked it up again and took another bite.
Seth watched her and realized she was probably still in shock. He sincerely wished she would argue with him about not wanting to eat the sandwich, throw a tantrum or something. He didn't like this docile Sandy one bit.
They ate in silence.
"Seriously, I can't take any more bites. I feel as if it's gonna choke me." She dropped the half-eaten sandwich on the plate and drank the remaining milk. Seth finished his and gulped down her glass of milk as well.
Seth tried to focus his gaze somewhere other than her rosy nipples clearly imprinted on the shirt. This was not the time to think of sex. She needed comfort now, not sex. His body, however, refused to listen to him as he hardened within seconds. He shifted uncomfortably on the chair.
"I'll take these to the kitchen," he huskily told her.
"Please don't go. I don’t want to be alone right now."
He sat down gently.
"Okay, baby."
"Could you please hold me until I fall asleep? Promise me you won't leave when I fall asleep."
"Ten devils couldn't make me leave you tonight," he proclaimed stoically.
She smiled a little and settled down in bed. Seth went to the other side, took off his shoes, gently climbed into bed beside her and reached for her. Sandy could only offer a stiff welcome at first, but she later relaxed. He cradled her in his strong arms and his fingers raked her hair.
With her head on his chest, she whispered, "I never want to go through such an ordeal again."
Seth pulled her closer. "You never will, baby. Not while I still have breath in me.”
They lay in companionable silence. Minutes later, he heard her breathing become even and knew she was asleep. Moments later, he joined her.
*****
"I've got to go."
Those soft words exploded in Sandy's ears and she panicked, trying her best not to show it in her eyes, but Seth saw it anyway.
"You don't have to be scared anymore, Sandy. He can no longer harm you. "
He didn't understand the reason for her panic. She didn't want him to leave, but not because she was scared she might be attacked again. She didn't want him to leave because she couldn't live without him. Sleeping and waking up in his arms this morning had been such a wonderful thing, she didn't want to think that would be the first and last time it would ever happen.
They had breakfasted with Malcolm, and he had offered to drive her home despite the fact she had wanted to stay, but she had agreed nevertheless in order not to be a nuisance. Upon arriving at her house, after making coffee, they had sat in silence for some minutes until he finally spoke.
Now he was standing by the sofa and looked around him as if he didn't belong there. She could see he was trying his best to control his feelings with the rising of his chest as he took in each breath, his pulse throbbing in his throat and the narrowing of those gorgeous eyes of his.
Just standing before her looking as handsome as ever with tousled hair and eyes the color of the sky, he was a sight for sore eyes. Her body responded to him as usual and she had to mentally hold herself back from throwing her hands around his neck and sobbing out her relief at him just being in her house after so long.
"Please don't go. I don't want you to go. I can't live without you. If you'll have me, I'd love to be your woman," she gushed out, her tears overflowing.
Joy bubbled in Sandy's chest as she saw the relief that flooded his face.
"Sandy," he said softly, "I've missed you so much it hurts. I know you're scared, but please don't be." He took a step toward her. "You've taught me how to smile again, how to see beauty in trees, to smell the roses and to get in touch with my feelings; in fact, you've thought me how to live again."
He placed the untouched cup of coffee on the coffee table and took another step closer, his eyes darkly intense. "I... I can't live without you... I love you."
"Seth," she cried out. Her cup dropped from her hands unnoticed as she rose and rushed into his arms.
He hugged her as if he would never let her go, and she didn't want him to, either.
She lifted her head from his chest and locked her gaze into his. Softly, she told him, “I love you and I want to be with you."
Moved by so much love, Seth captured her lips with his in a truly earth-shaking kiss.
“I love you so much, Sandy, you have no idea,” he said in a low, husky voice, just audible enough for her to hear over the rapid beating of her heart.
"I love you too, Seth. Please make me yours in deed as well, not only words," she demanded passionately.
Seth pulled back a bit. "Are you sure of what you're saying?"
Sandy leaned closer. "I have never been surer of anything in my life. I want you, Seth and I know you want me, too."
Seth hesitated. "Sandy, are you sure you want this? I don’t want you to regret it when it’s done."
"I don't care, Seth. I'm burning for you." She brought his head down for a kiss.
With a groan, he gently lifted her and she quickly wrapped her legs around his waist. Sandy put her hands around his neck and deepened the kiss. The kiss started slow and deep, but it heated up quickly. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and she wrapped hers with it. It was a hot and fervent kiss. Excitement flowed through her pores.
His hand moved all over her body. It trailed her feet to her legs, then to her thighs. By the time his hands went underneath her short dress, she blushed when Seth gave a moan of delight at discovering she was without panties.
Seth snatched his mouth from hers, his eyes looking about him. He couldn't take her right there. Their first time couldn't be a quickie on her carpet. His gaze focused on her and he rasped out. "We need to get to your room immediately."
Sandy laughed. A joyful sound that turned his insides out. "I'll show you," she said and gave him such a tantalizing smile, he crushed her lips with his.
She slid from his arms, took his hand and led him down the short hallway to her room. She pushed the door open and they both stepped in.
Sandy saw him regarding her single bed with skepticism and knew he was wondering if it was going to fit him or both of them and wouldn't break when they were making love.
To distract him before he changed his mind, Sandy put her hands on the hem of her dress and lifted it over her head, brushing back her hair with a nervous smile on her face to reveal her soft and creamy skin, and her round breasts with pink nipples standing hard, begging to be kissed. The searing look he gave her made her toes curl.
Slowly, his jacket dropped to the floor. His shirt followed. When his hand went to his belt to undo the buckle, Sandy couldn't stand there staring at him in fascination anymore. She climbed into the bed and covered herself with the sheets. She still kept on ogling him even as his jeans dropped, and he bent to remove his boots and socks before slipping the jeans from his feet.
He straightened and stood there in magnificence. His muscular chest was dusted with curly hair. He was so strong and so masculine that she couldn't remove her gaze from his rock-hard erection which was glaring from his black boxers.
He saw the worry in her eyes and misunderstood.
“Don’t be afraid, baby,” he informed her as he joined her on the bed, his weight depressing the mattress. His gentle hands reached for her. She readily moved into their grasp. He grinned to allay her fears.
Blushing terribly and fixing her gaze on the hair on his chest, she said, "It's not that. I... I haven't done this before, Seth. You're going to be my first,"
Seth sucked in his breath. He put a hand under her chin and kissed her.
"Baby, I'm going to try my best not to cause you more hurt than I should."
"Thank you," she told him, her cheeks a rosy hue.
"Tell me something, though, how come you're untouched? I've come to learn virginity isn't a big deal to most women."
Sandy lowered her head. Tears glistened in her eyes. “My stepfather spoiled me for men. I was so afraid of anyone coming close to me and hurting me that, I never thought of having sex. Until you.”
He kissed her passionately.
“It never felt right doing it with him. I just couldn't bring myself to go all the way with him or anyone else."
"Does it feel right now?" he asked, holding his breath.
She lifted her face to his, a big smile beaming from it. "It feels more than right."
Seth held her face and placed kisses all over it which made her giggle.
He later focused on her mouth and her giggles became moans. Her breasts started swelling and tightening, her nipples becoming hard. Kissing both her nipples and sucking them, which made her arch her back, Seth's hand moved down her body until he got in between her thighs to her moist heat.
Sandy quivered as his hands moved further into a place that had only ever been touched by her. The pressure of his hand increased and his teeth grazed her erect nipples, which made her begin to writhe slowly in his arms.
She had never known such a sensual experience and the sensations all over her body were beginning to drive her crazy. His mouth left her nipples and covered her mouth, with their tongues dancing in rhythm with the way his hand was moving inside her sensitive flesh.
Sandy's moans filled the room and her nails dug deep into his back as his fingers increased in their intensity in probing her core. Her moans became louder as she couldn't stop herself. She had never felt this intense pleasure in her life before. When Seth's lips moved to torture her breasts and nipples again, she thought she had died and gone to heaven.
Sandy's moans of delight became loud. She opened her eyes from her throes of passion and said, "Please, Seth. I can't take it anymore. I feel..." He halted her words with a savage kiss.
He positioned himself between her legs, using his knees to push them further apart to accommodate him. He held her passion-glazed gaze with his as he slowly entered her. Her gasp made him pause and brace himself on his forearms. He kissed her tightly closed eyes.
"Relax, baby," he advised and she immediately relaxed her limbs, prompting him an inch further. He kept moving inch by inch until he was deep inside her, destroying the barrier that had known only peace all her twenty-one years.
Sandy reeled at the pain she felt as his big manhood penetrated her to the tilt. She couldn't help the tears that rolled down her eyes. This was the best moment ever. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment all her life. She felt completely at peace right there and wanted to stay like that forever.
But when he started moving slowly inside her, all thoughts of peace left her mind, totally consumed by pleasure. Her nails dug into his back as her pleasure heightened. She arched her back in an attempt at driving him deeper into her.
When she heard Seth's groan of pleasure as he went deeper into her, she smiled. She had known she would have to do this with someone someday but she was more than glad it was with Seth.
She licked the sweat off his shoulders, tilting and straining toward him as the tempo of his thrusts increased. He gripped her buttocks with his hands, raising her to meet the ferocity of his thrusts as he tried to control his emotions. Never had he felt so complete inside a woman.
Sensations she couldn't control started moving all over her body which sent her muscles into spasms, and she experienced the most beautiful thing ever as she cried out. Seth's thrusts had increased now as he neared his completion.
Just when she was coming down from the crescendo he had taken her to, he kept grunting, until—unable to stop himself—he roared like a bear and fell on her, his body convulsing as he emptied himself deep inside her.
He moved to lie beside her for fear of crushing her, and gathered her into his embrace. His chest lifted up and down as if he had just completed the fastest race in his life.
Silence descended as they tried catching their breaths still marveling at the intensity of their coupling.
"Are you all right, Sandy? I didn't hurt you, did I?" He shifted a little to look at her.
Sandy was all smiles, like a cat that had licked clean her bowl of cream. "If taking me to heaven and back is hurting me, please hurt me again and again."
Seth chuckled. "Soon. Let me catch my breath." He stroked her hair sprawled against her pillow.
She laughed but cut it short when she felt him stirring on her thigh.
After a moment had passed, Seth said, "I love you so much, Sandy. Thank you for trusting me enough to give yourself to me." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "To make it official, will you be mine?"
Sandy could do nothing but grin. "If you promise to love and cherish me always, then yes, I'll be your mate for life, Seth."
"Yes, my love, I promise to love and cherish you for as long as we shall live."
He sealed his promise with a kiss which led to other things.
***
“I’ve called your aunt to tell her that you aren’t coming in today,” Seth announced as he walked barefoot into her kitchen.
“Why would you do such a thing?” She was astounded.
“Because I want you to come and spend some time with me at the ranch. I don’t want that bastard finding out where you live and coming to confront you,” he explained with anger in his eyes.
Sandy shrugged. She didn’t mind. All she was interested in was spending time with him. Loving him was so new and thrilling, she wanted to explore it.
He drew her to him and kissed her. “I want you to pack a few things for the weekend. And perhaps a week.”
She laughed and returned his kiss.
“I want to see your art collections. You have no excuse to give now. Every time I ask you to show me, you give me one excuse or the other. What do you have to say for yourself now?”
His arms tightened around her.
She blushed hard and ducked her head.
“What is it?” Concern was laced in his voice.
“My recent art collections are mostly of you.”
Confusion marked his forehead for some seconds and then he threw back his head and laughed uproariously. She punched him playfully until he stopped.
“Lead the way, sweetheart.”
A little nervous since she had only shown Jules her latest collections, and she still didn’t know if she was good in portraits or landscapes, she led him to her spare bedroom which she had turned into her art studio.
Canvasses were propped against the wall as her paintbrushes and pallet lay on a table in the corner. The room smelled of oil and paint.
One after the other, Seth unwrapped them and peered at the portraits. His countenance was so solemn, she didn’t know what he was thinking.
“These are really good.”
Pleasure welled up inside her. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. You’re very talented.”
She smiled brightly. “It wa
s my way of escaping the hurt and pain whenever my stepfather became a monster. He tore up a great number of my drawings but it never stopped me. My mom encouraged me to continue. Cooking and baking was her release valve; thus, she wanted me to have one as well.”
He gathered her into his arms. “Thank you for showing me. They’re amazing. You’re amazing.”
Sandy smiled and kissed him. She was so glad to have shared this part of her life with him that she kissed him with pent-up relief. Exhilaration shot through her as he peeled off her nightshirt and made love to her right there in her makeshift studio. The room became even more special to her.
After a light breakfast, they left the house. Seth placed her small overnight bag in the trunk and pulled her into his arms, his back against the truck’s door.
“I love you with every fiber of my being,” he declared, his voice thick with emotion.
“I love you with my whole heart and soul,” she replied and raised her head for his kiss.
They were still kissing when a car pulled up at the curb.
"So, this... thing is the reason you refused to pick my calls for the past three days." A shrill voice sounded in the air the second the door opened.
A gasp escaped from Sandy's lips. Standing before her was the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. The woman was incredibly stunning, with pale blonde hair on her head which fell sleekly over her shoulders.
Her satin gown caressed her body like a second skin, and her legs, which went on endlessly, were on full display, starting at the hem of her short dress. She was shapely and elegant, and Sandy felt ugly before her.
"What are you doing here, Haley?" Seth asked with barely restrained anger.
Sandy wanted to pull away from his arms but he held her tautly. She eyed him warily. His face had become as hard as a rock.
"What are you doing here?" The beauty retorted, her gray eyes flashing fire. She glared at Sandy as if she were an unpleasant thing she had found stuck underneath her shoe.
"We’re done, Haley. I don’t know how you got here, but I want you to go back to where you came from. I’m done with you," Seth delivered with supreme cool.
The woman’s face lost all its color, and she didn't look quite so beautiful now. Sandy found herself feeling sorry for her even though she didn’t know what was going on.
Just Be My Love (Saving Sandy series, #1) Page 7
