Lowering her head, her mouth closed over one of the buds, and his breath hissed out. She smiled against his chest. Rolling her tongue over the nub, she gently pulled on it with her teeth, and his hands sank into her hair. So she paid the other side due attention, earning her another hiss accompanied by a moan.
“Take your shirt off,” he said, fisting a hand in her hair and gently pulling her mouth up to his. “You’re so beautiful, I want to see you.”
With a quick lift and toss, her college sweatshirt sailed across the room, and his greedy stare licked over her black lace bra. He started at her ear, nipping and teasing down her neck until his hot, wet kisses reached the lace strap. With gentle fingers, he pulled the strap off her shoulder, exposing the tender skin to his very thorough mouth. A shudder rushed over her, pebbling her wet skin. Her bra fell loose with a twitch of his fingers, and he cupped both breasts.
“Your body is beautiful, Angelique. I love touching you,” he said as he pulled her bra off and tossed it aside.
His mouth found hers, soft and warm and loving. When a sigh escaped through her parted lips, his tongue slipped in and it was like a little slice of heaven on earth. He pulled her hips against his, and the hardness that pressed into her belly almost made her weak in the knees. Well, actually it did make her knees go weak. She swayed right into him, in fact, molding around him like melted chocolate over a strawberry. One of his hands wandered south and found its way home, eliciting another shudder from her.
His talented fingers had her workout pants pushed down just past her waist, when he froze. Pulling away so that their noses nearly grazed, he looked into her eyes.
“You lied.”
Wait. “What?” she said, trying to think through the foggy lust that had settled over her.
“You said you weren’t wearing panties.” His fingers snapped the elastic band at the top, and a sweet sting coursed through her bottom. “You lied.”
“Well, you were playing dirty by touching my . . .”
When she hesitated his lips turned up, and wickedness winked in his blue eyes. “Yeah?” he teased her to finish the sentence.
Of course she didn’t give him the satisfaction. “. . . by the way you were touching me.”
He chuckled. “You didn’t seem to mind.”
“No, but that’s not the point.”
“I’ve got a point for you.” He gently eased her back toward the bed. “Lie down and I’ll show you.”
She ignored him. “The way you touched me gave you an unfair advantage, so I had to do something.”
His eyes glinted. “Ah, always looking for a strategy to gain the upper hand.” He nipped at her bottom lip, and more arousal speared through her. “Trust me, when we’re done here, you’ll feel like the winner. I’ll make sure of it.”
She laughed. “Okay, but you first.” With quick fingers she had his jeans and boxer briefs sinking over that lovely ass all the way to the hardwood floors. Mmm. Hard wood. This may not be such a bad idea after all. At least for now.
Before he knew what she was doing, she pulled him to the bed and pushed him down onto his back. Kicking the rest of her clothes off, she climbed up his body one slow inch at a time, her tongue taking a playful journey all the way to his mouth. After a hot, sensual kiss, she started to descend again, until she reached the intended destination and took him home with slow, sultry strokes of her tongue.
His breathing became labored, and his fingers threaded into her hair as he rode the wave of bliss that she tried so lovingly to provide for him.
When she was done, he pulled her up to lie against him. The cool morning air chilled her skin, and a little shiver raced over her. He pulled the quilt over them and wrapped her in his arms. His chest rose and fell, and she traced the sculpted angles of his chest with the tip of one finger, her legs and feet entwined with his.
“Will you stay?” One hand caressed her hair, the other trailed down her spine, with light, gentle flicks and back up again.
She wanted to. Loving Blake was so different than it’d been with Gabriel. More passionate, more emotional, more give and take, more . . . more of everything.
It took her a second to open her eyes and give him a sobering look. She shook her head. “Blake, I know you want a family. I couldn’t ask you to settle for less.”
“I don’t care about any of that.” He tried to nip at her bottom lip, but she pushed him away.
“When we were at the free clinic and then when Ella’s baby was born, I heard you say you wanted kids.”
He pulled in an exasperated breath. “Angelique, I’m supposed to say nice things to my patients. I do want kids, but I want you more.”
“You say that now, but later on you might change your mind.” Her stomach knotted. “I couldn’t live through another man that I love pushing me away because of how cancer has changed my life.”
His hands stilled against her, and the entire length of his body went rigid. “Maybe you should give me some credit and stop comparing me to the shallow prick who broke your heart.” His tone was sharp and stabbed at her heart. “Or is that the problem? Are you sure you’re not still in love with him?”
Gabriel Schmabriel. She loved Blake. “I’m positive.”
“You just said another man you love. Does that mean you love me?”
Yes. She hesitated.
“Because I love you, Angelique.”
Her heart soared, and her eyes filled. Good Lord, what’s wrong with me? She had never let herself cry in front of anyone. Not even during her illness, not when dealing with the aftershock of losing her real breasts, and certainly not when she caught Gabriel with the Cheerleader. She’d kept it to herself, dealt with it privately, refusing to let anyone else see her weakness.
“God help me, I’ve tried not to love you because I don’t know if I can make you happy.” He rubbed his eyes with a thumb and index finger. “I’m not sure you know what will make you happy. But I do love you.”
“I love you, too.” Her voice was a whisper.
And with a smooth movement that made her breath hitch, he rolled her onto her back and moved over her. When his impressive erection settled between her legs, she let out a small gasp of anticipation, which he swallowed with a hot kiss. Her need spiked again, and it churned and lapped inside her, begging for him. All of him.
As he nudged her thighs farther apart, she wrapped both legs around his waist. Her body cried out for more where his erection touched her, liquid heat jolting through her all the way to her core.
You should walk away from me. “You’re right, I don’t know what will make me happy.” Or if you’ll stay happy with me. Only me.
Staring down at her, he pushed halfway inside her, and she arched into him. Her body already reacting, tightening, quivering. Her lungs seized as the coil tightened, pleading for more of him. He lowered his head and sank his teeth into her neck with just enough pressure to bend her to his will.
He was so good at that anatomy stuff.
“This seems to make you happy. Why don’t we start there?” he said with a raspy voice as he placed a kiss on the same spot where his teeth had just been.
It took every ounce of willpower and courage she had to open her eyes and look at him, but she did it. His body rigid with renewed desire, his face as beautiful as an angel’s. With a palm on his cheek, she stroked his day-old stubble. “Eventually this won’t be enough. I’m scared I won’t be enough. What if you want more?”
“What if I don’t?”
And with that, he plunged inside her to the hilt, filling her body with his pulsing flesh. Flooding her mind with pleasure and desire. She urged him on, her hands traversing every inch of his back and bottom and neck and shoulders. Pulling him deeper, clamping around him like a vise. And he didn’t disappoint. Somewhere in the cabin next door, two omelets went cold and untouched as he took her fast and urgent until his name tumbled through her lips, and a fierce orgasm splintered her body and her mind into a thousand shards.
Chapter Twenty-One
Angelique wasn’t sure how much time had passed, or what time it was. All she was sure of was that she could lie in Blake’s bed, wrapped around him for the rest of her life. Her heart zinged with a burst of warmth when a light snore drifted from the beautiful man whom she clung to.
But then a gust of reality blew away her daydream, and an arctic chill filled her chest, weighing her down.
She could chance it. Chance a future with Blake. Trust that he’d never tire of just her. Hope that he’d never grow distant and regretful because he’d settled. But somehow she didn’t think so. She’d seen his face when Ella and Coop’s baby had slid into his hands. Saw Blake’s admiration when Ella, Coop, and their new infant were loaded into the ambulance, all clinging together as a new family.
She looked up at Blake’s sleeping profile and appreciated his honed jaw. His beautifully formed features. There were worse things than taking a chance on a man like him, and the benefits would certainly be worth it for however long the relationship lasted. But could she live through the heartbreak of watching him become distant and disconnected if someday he decided he wanted more than just her?
She didn’t think she could. Cancer, mastectomies, reconstruction, and Gabriel’s betrayal would be like a lazy stroll through the park compared to Blake falling out of love with her. Gently, she tried to extricate herself from his grasp so she could dress and slip out without waking him. As she rolled toward the edge of the bed, his sinewy arm snaked out and hooked around her waist.
“Are you trying to sneak away?” He rose onto an elbow.
Yes. “No, of course not.”
She clamped her eyes shut for a second before turning to face him. Mistake. Big mistake. His soft blue eyes lured her in again, and she let him pull her back against him. They lay on their sides facing each other, him still reclined on one elbow, her supporting her weight with one hand.
“Then stay a little longer. This is nice.” He nodded, glancing at the rumpled bed that had been perfectly made when they arrived. His eyes took in her nakedness, and he ran his big, warm palm up her arm. “I’ll start a fire in a little while, and you could cook something to eat. I’m starving after all the physical activity.” He gave her a playful grin.
She pinched him. “So you’re using me for food?”
He lifted one shoulder. “You’re using me for sex, aren’t you?”
She laughed. “Well, you are much more satisfying than Harley.” And oh, heavens, he had to be. She’d never actually used Harley, but still. The way Blake . . . his stamina . . . the multiple . . .
He scowled. “Who the hell is Harley? And just how many exes do you have, anyway?”
She gave him a wicked smile. “Not telling. And Harley is a battery-operated gag gift from Kimberly.”
“Oh, hell no. Harley’s got to go. I’ve already ousted your Audi-driving, Rolex-wearing ex-fiancé and my maintenance man, Clifford. I’m definitely not competing with the Energizer Bunny.”
“I should remind you that you beat Clifford by default just because it wasn’t his weekend to clean your office when Gabriel showed up in town the first time.”
“There’s such a thing as being in the right place at the right time.” He fell back on the pillow and slid an arm under the back of his head. His sculpted biceps flexed, and his dreamy blue eyes stared up at her through long, shuttered lashes.
Oh, hell’s bells. Darn those mesmerizingly beautiful eyes and sinfully long lashes that any woman would kill to have. And the incredibly well defined arms, too. They were just too much for her to resist. Way sexier than Clifford the maintenance man.
His gaze slid down to her breasts. The very same breasts that she’d wanted before the mastectomies but had made her feel like the bride of Frankenstein afterward—yes indeed, those were the ones. Instead of revulsion, a spark of lust ignited in his baby blues, turning them almost purple.
She sighed, her engine starting to rev again. Who needed Harley? She loved this gorgeous man, and he was right here. Waiting for her.
“My parents are visiting. I should get home. It’s kind of rude to leave guests alone for too long.”
He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, and her heart melted a little more. Pretty soon, she’d be nothing but a puddle at his feet.
“I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t have to.” She put a hand to his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat pulsing into her the same way his cock had. A wave of terror hit her.
“What?” he asked when her expression changed.
“I don’t think we . . . one time we didn’t . . .” Her eyes rounded at him. “We got so crazy, I think we forgot to use a condom once.” Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh my God. What if . . .”
His hand tightened around her waist and drew her closer. “Would that be so bad?”
No. It wouldn’t. She stared at him, wide-eyed at the thought. Nothing would make her happier than having a baby. His child. But no.
“Babe, I’m a doctor. I know the statistics. Just because you have the gene doesn’t mean our children will have it.”
Our children. Her heart thundered. “There’s at least a fifty-fifty chance a daughter would inherit my defective genetics.”
“Even if she does, it’s not a certainty that she’ll actually develop breast cancer. We can keep a close eye on it.”
Having children with Blake seemed like a dream. A dream that would complete her life. But the risks . . . what if their children couldn’t beat the odds the way she had? “You sound like my mother.”
“Then your mom’s a smart lady.”
“I didn’t mean it as a compliment.” Angelique pushed at his chest, but he held her tight.
He brushed the back of his finger down her cheek. “Worrying about it won’t help.”
Closing her eyes, she put her hand over his and cradled it against her cheek. His roughened skin against her softness stoked the smoldering heat inside of her, and it flared.
She took the tip of his finger between her lips and suckled. A gentle growl reverberated in his chest.
“You won’t get to see your parents until tomorrow if you keep that up.”
“They might prefer Clifford over you if they knew what you’ve been doing to me.” She sank her teeth gently into the pad of his finger.
He drew in a ragged breath. “I’m pretty confident your parents and Nona are on my side, so forget Clifford.”
She squeaked when Blake pulled her down and rolled on top of her. Wrapping herself around him, she nipped at his bottom lip. “Make me,” she whispered.
At her words, his cock grew thicker and hard as granite against her inner thigh. “Damn,” he said on a half moan, grinding his hips into hers.
He closed his eyes, and he pressed against her again. His rock-hardness against the soft, wet folds of her sex made the sensations climbing inside her arrow straight to her core.
“If you’re sure you wouldn’t rather have Clifford as your boyfriend.” He reached for a gold square on the nightstand, and had it rolled on before she could respond.
She giggled. “I guess I can give up Clifford if you give me a reason.”
“Stay another hour, and I’ll make sure you never think of Clifford again.”
A cry of ecstasy ripped from her as he drove into her deep and hard.
The sun made an appearance over Wheeler Peak, burning off the early morning fog and providing some warmth to the crisp atmosphere. Finishing up her morning run, Angelique turned onto her drive and slowed her pace. As she approached the house, she stalled to a slow walk to catch her breath before making the call that would change the course of her life.
She wiped sweat from her brow with a forearm and headed around to the back door, where she took off her shoes. Who was she kidding? Her life had been forever changed the second she let Blake Holloway touch her.
Sarge greeted her just inside, and she scooped him up. Planting a kiss on the top of his head, she scratched him behind the ears. “Hey, bud. You miss
me?”
Her mother flew into the kitchen wearing a colorful velour warm-up suit. “Hi, sweetie. We’re going to the Gold Miner’s Café for breakfast. Nona has a date. Want to come along and eavesdrop for entertainment? We sit at a different table, and she tells the guy that I’m the maid and your dad’s the chauffeur.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” said Angelique.
Her mom shrugged. “She’s an old woman. We humor her.”
Angelique shook her head and set Sarge back on the floor. “Sounds fun, but no thanks. I’ve got to call the office while you guys are out.” Walking to the pantry, she filled Sarge’s bowl with kibble and gave him fresh water.
Nona walked in reeking of Final Net and wearing gold metallic sneakers. Oy vey. Dad was next, mumbling something about troublesome mothers-in-law. He pecked Angelique on the cheek just before her mom shooed them all out the door.
Her mom grabbed her purse, but she came to a stop next to Angelique. “Are you going to be okay, dear? I can stay with you.”
Angelique smiled at her mom. “Thanks, but I need to do this on my own.”
Her mom sighed and gave her a hug. “All right, but if you need us, you can reach us on my cell.” The horn honked. Her mom rolled her eyes and said something in broken Italian that couldn’t be nice.
Angelique’s heart warmed as she watched her obnoxious, loving, busybody family drive off.
The landline rang, and Angelique snatched it up to look at caller ID. A wave of relief washed over her, and she answered it.
“Hey, Coop. How’s the new mom and baby?”
“New mom speaking,” Ella said, her voice bleary.
“Well, hey there, new mom. How are you?”
“Crazy from sleep deprivation. If I ever go to work for the CIA, I know how to torture someone. It totally works. I actually agreed to host Thanksgiving dinner at my house next month for both my family and Coop’s. At the same time.”
“Oh, wow,” Angelique said.
“I know, right? Hey, can you play volleyball tomorrow night? I’m not up to it yet, and it’s the last game before the league playoffs.”
It's in His Touch Page 24
