by Cathryn Fox
“If you want your mind blown, then let me tell you Luke hooked up with Emery, as in Emery Vincent Taylor, daughter of the man who put him in juvie.”
“What the fuck?”
Caleb held his beer up. “I think it’s something in the water, which is why when I’m in town, I stick to beer.”
Kyle picked up his beer and clinked it against Caleb’s. “I hear ya, buddy. You still up in San Antonio?” He walked to the head of the table and broke the balls. They clattered and he sank a low ball.
“Heading back shortly,” he explained stealing a glance at his watch. “Had a long weekend and spent it with Matt and Sky. Those two are good together.”
When James asked Rachel to marry him and they began down a path that didn’t include him, it made Kyle feel like the third wheel. He was glad Sky, Matt and Caleb—all best friends since childhood—found a way to make it work out. Could he have found a way instead of running halfway around the world? Doubtful. Caleb wasn’t in love with Sky the way he was in love with Rachel. There was no way he could have stayed and tried to keep things normal.
He took a shot, sank the ball and walked around the table to take another. For the next hour, he hung out with Caleb, the two just shooting the shit until Caleb glanced at his watch again.
“I better hit the road, buddy. Early morning tomorrow.” He put his cue away. “I hope to see you at the barbeque.”
“Yeah, I might go.” Caleb disappeared through the front door and, since it was nearing ten, Kyle could only imagine Rachel and Ava were already tucked in. He couldn’t wait to do the same. He was dog-tired. Ava might be a little squirt of a thing, but her energy exhausted him. He jumped in his truck and made his way to Jack’s to grab his gear. He snuck in through the back, hoping to avoid a run-in with his friend. The last thing he needed tonight, especially after the argument with his parents, was another interrogation. Jack was a great guy, hell, he loved the man, but he was always sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. He’d be the first to question him about Rachel, and the man could smell a lie all the way to Afghanistan.
He grabbed his rucksack and drove back to Rachel’s. There was a light on in the upstairs bedroom—her bedroom. Walking quietly, he let himself in, and not wanting to make any noise, he kicked off his boots before making his way up the creaky staircase. He slipped into his room and tossed his bag on the bed. A noise sounded and he stilled, listening for it again. His ears met with silence so he reached into his rucksack and grabbed his shaving kit. He made a quick trip to the bathroom, then noticed Rachel’s bedroom light spilling into the hall as he returned to his room.
He pulled off his shirt and, dressed only in his jeans, he threw himself down on his bed and reached for the pillow, only to discover there wasn’t one. Shit. Since he wasn’t about to bother Rachel, he drove his hand under his head and rested on his forearm. Hell, it wasn’t the first time he’d gone without a pillow. He closed his eyes, and despite his exhaustion, sleep wouldn’t come. He tossed, flipping to his sides, first right, then left, then on his back again. The bed frame squeaked with each move, even though he’d been trying extra hard to be quiet.
A soft knock sounded on his door, and his heart jumped. He threw his feet over the side of the bed and padded quietly across the small bedroom. He inched the door open, and when he found Rachel standing there, dressed in a nightshirt, that hovered mid-thigh, he nearly bit off his tongue. Her hair was loose, a tousled mess, like she too had been tossing and turning only moments ago. The warm bedroom look was so sexy on her it triggered a craving unlike anything before.
As his traitorous cock thickened, his mind went down a path it had no right to travel. His fingers itched to touch, and his mouth watered to taste as his body ached to join with her, to lose himself in the heat between her legs. Holy Christ. He drew a breath, desperate to leash his control.
Get it together, dude.
“Hey,” he said quietly, glancing past her shoulders to see if Ava was in the vicinity. Her bedroom door was shut. She had to be fast asleep.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” She spoke in whispered words and her dark lashes blinked rapidly as she looked him over, but he wasn’t so sure it was concern he spotted in her eyes.
“I’m okay.” He struggled to keep his gaze off the plunging neckline of her nightshirt, and the creamy cleavage that was lasering in on every functioning brain cell, and zapping them dead, one by one. Christ, he was going to need those brain cells, otherwise he’d end up taking advantage of her in a time of vulnerability again. He couldn’t let that happen.
Her gaze left his face and lingered on his chest. His muscles spasmed under her scrutiny. “Is your shoulder bothering you?” she asked, her voice sensual, quiet.
He shook the buzz from his head. “No, why?”
“You’re tossing and turning a lot.” She crinkled her nose and gestured with a nod to the wall separating their rooms. “I could hear the bed frame squeaking,” she explained. “And I thought you might need something.”
Oh, he needed something all right.
“I have some joint and muscle ointment, it helps with pain and swelling.”
Uh, not the kind of swelling he had.
She lifted her hand to show him a tube of anti-inflammatory gel. He hadn’t noticed it earlier. No, he’d been too busy looking at the curves in her nightshirt, the way her nipples were poking against the thin fabric. Would she be pantyless too?
Fuck me.
“This stuff is great,” she whispered. “You should try it.”
Needing something to do with his hands before he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss, he reached out and took it from her. He held the capped end in one hand and tapped the bottom of the tube against his palm, fighting valiantly to suppress his urges.
“Thanks. I’ll give it a try.”
“Here, let me help.” She reached for the tube with shaky hands, unscrewed the cap and poured a generous amount into her palm. She stepped closer, and her warm, sweet scent curled around him as her hand went to his shoulder. That first touch penetrated his defenses and a rush of sexual energy hit him so hard, his entire body rippled.
“You’re so tight,” she said, her voice a breathless whisper. “Maybe you should put off building the tree house.”
“No I want to do it for Ava.” Christ, was that his voice. He sounded like he’d just eaten a bucket of nails.
His skin began to burn wherever she touched but it had nothing to do with the ointment. The room seemed to grow warmer, the walls closing in on him. Maybe if he got outside he could clear his head.
“Always so stubborn,” she murmured, her voice keeping him put. She poured another generous dollop into her palm and went back to rubbing it in, each caress fueling the flames inside him. He turned sideways to hide the swelling in his pants, but when her eyes fell to his bulging zipper, he suspected she could see right through him. “Well this should help, at least.”
She was speaking, saying something, but between the mad pounding of his heart and the thrumming in his head, he could barely comprehend. He worked to tamp down his desire, but his fucking cock refused to obey.
Her fingers skimmed along his shoulder, then down his arm. He closed his eyes against the flood of heat, unable to breathe past the need clawing at him. Maybe if he took her to his bed—one last time—it would help get her out of his system.
Shit, get it together, Kyle. You’re stronger than this.
When he opened his eyes again, he found Rachel staring at him, those dark come-hither eyes of hers seducing his last vestige of his control. When it came to her, he was fighting a losing battle.
“Kyle?”
Chapter Five
The intense, almost troubled way he looked at her made her hyperaware of how much she wanted him again. Need raced through her as his eyes moved over her face, her mouth, devouring her like a man driven by more than just desire. There was a sense of urgency in him unlike anything she’d ever felt before. It was
both frightening and exhilarating.
“Kyle,” she whispered again. His name lingered in the air as she parted her lips, welcoming his kisses, his touches. Even though she had no idea where they stood, or what would happen tomorrow when the lust cleared from their brains, she was powerless to deny her needs or question the logic in them coming together intimately again. Tonight she wanted to feel, not think, and prayed that come tomorrow there were no regrets, for either of them.
His nostrils flared as his hand snaked out and grabbed her nightshirt. He bunched the material into his fist and gave a hard yank. She jerked forward, her body crashing against his. He hissed as they collided, and his lips came down hard. His mouth moved over hers. His kisses were carnal, ravenous, and so damn demanding all she could do was close her eyes and revel in the sensations.
Her body pushed against his, her stomach rubbing against the steel erection straining behind his worn jeans. There was no denying that he wanted this as much as she did, but would he run away in the clarity of morning, like he did last time? Her stomach clenched. Now that he was back in her life, how would she ever survive him leaving?
A growl crawled out of his throat as the air around them charged with enough sexual energy to set off a nuclear plant. Her body trembled, her nipples hardening even more as they poked against her nightshirt and brushed against his bare chest. He deepened the kiss, his tongue slashing against hers. Her heart slammed in her chest. Oh God, she needed…
“Yes,” she murmured, and that one word seemed to do something to him. He reached over her shoulder and closed the door, then backed up toward the small bed, dragging her with him.
Her hands slid around his back, exploring his hardness as his body tensed beneath her fingers. She breathed in his familiar scent as her heart twisted with the love she felt for him. Her thoughts fragmented when his hands slipped under her shirt and skimmed along her sides, going higher and higher until he stroked the outer slopes of her breasts. Those work-roughened hands of his kneaded her body, the scraping of his calluses amping her excitement to a whole new level. Kyle was smart, smarter than he let on, but he was also a man who wasn’t afraid of manual work or getting his hands dirty.
Something about his ruggedness appealed to the woman in her. But she couldn’t think about that any longer, not when the rough pads of his thumbs were coming perilously close to her nipples. She moved back, pulling away from his chest so he could touch her, taste her. Oh, what she’d do to feel the heat of his mouth on her body, between her legs.
She arched into him, letting him know in no uncertain terms what she wanted, needed from him tonight. His fingers found her nipples, his thumbs brushing urgently over them, his touch commanding yet soft. Her breath grew shallow and when their eyes met and locked, they exchanged a long, heated look, one that said no matter what happened tomorrow, tonight was a different story.
Her hands left his body and she peeled her shirt over her head, tossing it onto the unmade bed. Eyes that looked tortured, delirious with need, went to her breasts as she stood before him in nothing but her panties. She hadn’t planned for this to happen, and thanked the Lord that she had the foresight to wear her favorite black lace, not her normal comfy cotton that had zero sex appeal.
Then again, maybe on some level she’d hoped this would happen.
Her eyes raked over him in return, her fingers itching to explore his body, to take his hardness in her hands, her mouth. Her body quivered. She’d missed him so much. Missed his smell, his touches, his laugh, his smile. When was the last time he smiled or had any kind of fun? Then again, she could ask herself that same question.
He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her closer. His lips crashed down on hers again, then brushed along her cheek, dusting kisses down her jaw as his hands moved around her back, pulling her impossibly tighter against his body.
His hands slid to her backside and he squeezed her ass, his mouth going to her neck. A shiver moved through her when he found the sensitive spot he’d discovered all those years ago. She writhed against him and he trailed his tongue lower. Her hands moved to his hair, and she raked her fingers through it when his mouth found her breasts.
He made a slow pass with the soft blade of his tongue, and heat exploded through her. “Yes,” she murmured holding him against her. He licked again, his tongue warm, lethal against her bare flesh. His teeth clamped around her nipple, and he bit down with enough pressure that she felt it all the way to her core. Her sex quivered, and moistened in anticipation. Her breasts filled with blood and swelled, and she could almost feel the tension rising in him as he licked, nibbled and sucked his fill.
Heat tugged low in her pelvis and her body grew so needy standing became difficult. His hands slid along her inner thighs, and he pushed her panties aside, running his finger along the lacy slip of material. His knuckle nudged her clit, and a gasp caught in her throat. Her hands tightened in his hair, waiting…just waiting for him to touch her. He was toying with her, teasing her to the point of madness. Frustration grew inside her. She needed so much more.
“Please touch me,” she begged, her words tumbling out in a whisper as she rocked her hips, to force his finger to the spot that needed him the most.
Kyle stopped touching her and pulled away, leaving cold where there was once heat. Her stomach dropped, a commotion breaking out inside her. Was he having second thoughts? His chest rose and fell erratically, and his eyes latched on hers as his hands went to the button on his pants. He tore at it then released his zipper in a rush. Relief moved through her. He shoved his jeans down his legs and kicked them away. He was moving fast, too fast. She was sure any second now he was going to rip her panties from her hips, toss her on the bed and take her hard and fast. While she liked that idea, she needed to touch him in the worst way.
When he reached for his boxer shorts, she closed her hand over his. “Stop,” she pleaded.
His body tightened, and he pinched his eyes shut. A strange, strangled noise caught in his throat. “Jesus,” he said, that one word so strained she could barely hear it. The sound of his indrawn breath filled the sudden silence. He began to move away, but she shook her head, and squeezed his hand to still him.
“No, Kyle,” she whispered in a haze of arousal. “I want you to slow down. I want to watch you undress. I want to touch you.”
His muscles bunched. “Oh, Christ,” he said on a growl, his cock straining so hard against his shorts she thought they might rip open.
She stepped up to him and put her hands on his body, running her fingers over the hard planes and contours, and just taking a quick moment to enjoy the feel of him beneath her palms. He was a fighter, a soldier, the toughest guy she knew. But seeing the way he was coming unhinged from her unhurried exploration, fired her up so fast and so hot she feared she might go up in a burst of flames. But it would be worth it because she liked this side of Kyle. Liked the way he let down his guard and reacted to her.
She ran her hands lower, following the dark line of hair leading to his boxers. He trembled when she slipped her fingers inside the thick elastic band and shoved them down his hips until she freed his cock. Her head dipped and she gazed at his erection for a long time, taking pleasure in his girth and length, the pre-come pooling on his crown. She moistened her lips and took him into her hands, enjoying the way he pulsed in her palms as she ran them from crown to base, dipping into his liquid heat to use as lubricant. He cupped the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair.
“That feels so good,” he murmured and let his head fall back, his eyes closed.
He rocked into her hands, and as his hips powered forward, she pressed her lips to his chest. The saltiness of his skin danced on her tongue as she trailed her mouth lower, and when she sank to her knees, he stilled. The hard tug on her hair forced her eyes to his.
Confusion furrowed his brow as his eyes latched upon hers. With his other hand, he swept her hair from her face and his throat made a noise as he swallowed.
�
��Rach?” he questioned, so much emotion, tenderness in his voice, she nearly forgot how to breathe. “Baby, what are you doing?”
She had no idea why he was so shocked. Had no woman ever done this for him before? If not, she was going to rectify that, because she wanted to taste him, to savor every inch of his body and give him the same pleasure he was giving her. Instead of answering, she leaned forward and drew him into her mouth, taking him in until his crown hit the back of her throat. A shudder moved through him. He was big, too big. There was no humanly way she could close her mouth around every inch, but she was damn well going to do her best. She loosened her throat, and leaned in to him.
“Oh, fuck.” He gripped the sides of her head and he curled his fingers through her hair.
He held her hair back and watched her pleasure him. Wanting to give him a show, to make this good for him, she moaned in pleasure and he swelled even more as she greedily took him more deeply than was comfortable. She massaged his balls until they drew up into his body and ran her tongue over him, lapping at the juices spilling from his crown. While she’d like to stay at his feet all night, until he released in her mouth, from the sounds coming from his throat she guessed it was becoming too much for him—and that he had other plans.
“You’re fucking killing me, baby.” He groaned. “Come here.” He pulled her to her feet, her softness colliding with his hardness as their bodies meshed.
His mouth found hers, his hand racing over her curves as he turned her until the backs of her knees hit the bed. With a little shove she fell backward. He sank to the floor between her legs and grabbed her thighs. He gave a tug and dragged her until her ass was on the edge of the bed. She went up on her elbows to see him, and the desire reflecting in his eyes licked her from head to toe. She was sure she’d never been so turned on in her life.
With eyes the darkest shade of blue she’d ever seen, he tapped the side of her ass, and pleasure resonated through her. “Lift,” he growled.
She did as he requested, and he slid her panties down her legs. His breath was so hot on her flesh she was sure she was going to orgasm from the heat alone. Warmth spread through her as he brushed his mouth over her inner thighs. Once he had her completely naked, he spread her legs and placed them over his shoulders. He closed his eyes, and leaned over her, bending her knees toward her sides. He pressed his mouth to her stomach and breathed deeply, like he was savoring the scent of her skin. He slid lower, until his mouth was right there…right where she needed it most.
