With a few quick economical motions, Wade divested her of her jacket and flannel shirt. Her slight weight was ridiculously easy to maneuver as he shifted, repositioned her so that she sat astride him, the steering wheel at her back.
When he touched her, a gasp fell from her lips, and he watched as her eyes lit from within. That sleek ivory flesh felt so soft under his hands, so warm.
Greedy, he buried his hands in the short curls at the nape of her neck, arching her mouth up to his.
Through the thick cotton of his sweater, he felt her nails biting into his skin. A hungry little whimper fell from her lips as he traced a line of kisses down her neck, raking the sensitive skin there with his teeth.
“Wade,” she moaned, and he felt her entire body shiver under his hands. His cock ached and throbbed, and as she started to rock against him, he thought he’d leap right out of his skin.
“Damn it,” he hissed, lifting her slightly, moving away from that sweet, hot heat between her thighs. Through the thin silk of her bra, her nipples beckoned, hard dark little circles that he was dying to have in his mouth again.
He was having a hard time focusing on his plans when she was plastered against him, her mouth hot on his, her tongue dancing in his mouth, her body wrapped around his like a kudzu vine. Cursing the tight confines of the cab, he twisted and shifted until she lay beneath him.
Her hands clutched at his shoulders, her hips rocked against his. Wade swore he could feel the heat of her right through their clothes. Too many clothes. Wrenching away, he drew to his knees to remedy that.
The silk and lace of her bra opened at a flick of his hand, the cups falling aside to reveal round firm breasts with rose brown nipples already erect. Rolling them between his fingers, he watched though slitted eyes as she arched up, panting. Giving into the urge, Wade lowered his head to nip and suck and suckle until she was mewing beneath him, whimpering deep in her throat.
He tore at the laces of her hiking boots until he could tug them off, then he reached for the waist of the slim fitting denim leggings, pulling them down with quick impatient jerks of his hands.
As he revealed her sleek body to his eyes, he stopped and stared, hardly able to recognize this thin, pale woman to the lush body he had loved in the past. Pale flesh, concave abdomen. Wade gazed at her, torn between lust and disbelief. He could count her ribs.
Bitterly, he reminded himself that girl didn’t exist any more. Probably never did. Hooking his fingers he lacy front panel of her panties, he jerked hard, shredding the fragile material, tossing it aside.
Levering himself fully clothed over her, Wade cupped her face in his hands, covered her mouth with his. Kissed her deeply, stroking the sweet hollow of her mouth as she wrapped her arms around him and held him close.
Closing her eyes, Nikki basked in the warmth of his body, shuddered at the slow teasing strokes of his hand as it stroked from armpit to waist and back again On each stroke, it wandered lower, fingers searching, seeking, gentle.
A direct contrast with his hard determined mouth as it pressed one biting kiss after another to her mouth, her neck and her breasts. Her breath caught in her throat and her lids drifted partly shut when he caught one pearled nipple between his teeth, bit down gently, then swirled his tongue across, easing the slight hurt.
Stroke after teasing stroke, he circled around her nipple now, nipping at the underside, blowing a cool puff of air across it, nuzzled it while lower, his hand stroked closer and closer.
His hands became greedy, demanding
Rough denim rubbed against the tender flesh of her inner thighs, rasped sensitive nerves as he shifted slightly to give that roaming hand easy access. One long callused finger parted her, slid across the damp portal while his thumb flickered across the hardened pebble of flesh.
“Wade,” she gasped, her hands reaching for his, tugging. Her eyes were nearly blind with need, her weakened heart pounding in her chest, strong and sure.
Nikki’s eyes fluttered open, locked on his intent face. His eyes glittered fiercely, his jaw tight. And she shivered. She recognized his touch, her body recognized his, but she didn’t know this man, this hard faced, grim stranger.
Something cold settled low in her belly, warring with the heat. A flash of fear fluttered in her chest. She was deeply aware of the feeling that something wasn’t right, something was off.
Unconsciously one arm raised to shield her body while the other went out, her hand pressed to his chest, whether to stay him or drawn him close, she didn’t know
A muscle spasmed in his cheek and he slid his hands over her thighs, draped them over his. “Wade,” she whispered, distraught, nervous, almost afraid.
His eyes locked on hers, dark and relentless. And angry, she thought. Determination oozed from every pore of his body and she was certain he meant to do this, whether she was willing or not. He was intent on something he seemed to need and she had ceased to matter.
And then he buried his face against her neck, held her tightly against him. His voice nearly breaking, he asked “Don’t you want me any more, Nikki?”
Wade didn’t recognize his own voice, the need in it. He only knew he had to do this, had to have her. He couldn’t live another minute if he didn’t mark her, brand her as his and erase the touch of another man’s with his. If he didn’t ease the ache that had been building for five years. God, she had to want to him. He would die if she stopped him.
He didn’t hear the need, but she did. It roared through her like a tornado, destroying all resistance
Beneath him, her arms closed around him, shielding him against something she couldn’t see, but sensed. Her eyes closed. Not want you? she thought desperately. My God. A day hasn’t gone by that I haven’t wanted you.
She didn’t even realize she had spoken out loud but Wade heard her words, heard the truth in them, and shuddered. He stiffened, his eyes tightly closed as her words echoed in his mind. The absolute sincerity in her words, in her eyes soothed a thousand myriad hurts, and caused a million more to take their place.
She’d gone to another man… Like a freight train, one thought after another rammed into his head, a hard fist of nausea closing around his stomach until he thought he would vomit. Another man had seen this, had touched her like this, felt the wet tight embrace of her body.
Hands that had unconsciously gentled went hard as unspoken pleases turned to demands. Covering her body once more with his, Wade moved closer until his sex nudged her damp flesh. One hand moved to guide him in while he propped his weight on the other elbow and with one heavy thrust, he buried himself inside her.
She flinched, arching up against him with a weak whimper, her eyes wide and dark as the sharp discomfort bordered on pain. Her body recoiled from the rough, sudden invasion.
The movement didn’t slow him, didn’t deter him. She was wet and hot, but his entry was difficult, for her tight flesh resisted him. She was wet, hot, and hungry…but her sheath was so tight…He flexed his hips, pushing deeper until he was sheathed to the hilt. Her flesh rippled around his, alternately clenching and relaxing. As her muscles worked to accommodate him, he wondered at it. She’s so tight.
And one thing was certain. Whatever she had been doing in New York, she had not been with another man.
Her eyes opened slowly, her lips parted as she took rapid shallow breaths. She stared up at him, her face flushed with need.
“Are you okay?” he asked roughly, forcing his body to wait. At her nod, he dipped his head, planted a sweet gentle kiss on her damp mouth. Weight braced on his elbows, he began rocking against her, his thrusts slow and gentle. With each steady thrust, her body opened, relaxed, welcoming his instead of resisting. Silky hot tissues gripped at his sex as he pulled away, hugging him tight as he buried his length back inside her.
Raining kisses over her face, he crooned against her ear, coaxing, praising, pleading. “You feel so damn good, baby” he whispered.
Beneath him, she tossed her head back, staring at him.
He shuddered as she wrapped her legs around him, holding him tight, as thought she never intended to let go. And he was holding back. Tossing her head back, she held his eyes, arched up, trying to take him deeper, but he stilled her movements by pinning her hips with his own
Wade’s body tensed as she clamped those silken little muscles around his cock, released, then did it again. “Wade, please,” she whispered.
“Easy,” he crooned in her ear, using one hand to hold her still as he pulled back, nearly withdrawing. “We’ve got a lot of time to make up for.”
And slowly he entered her. Gave her an inch, then pulled back. Slid a little deeper that time, not so deep next. All the way in this time, then so far back only the tip of his head remained within her. Clamping a tight rein on his lust, he filled his sight with the picture she presented. Eyes dark with passion and need, lips swollen and red from his, legs spread wide to receive him. Dipping his head, he asked, “Do you want me?”
“Yes,” she gasped when he nipped at her neck.
“How much?” he demanded, shaking his head to clear his vision.
“More than anything,” she whispered, reaching down to cup his buttocks, draw his more firmly against her.
He caught her hands, pinned them beside her head. Then he slowly rotated his hips against hers, ducking his head to suckle at her breast. His voice was muffled as he asked, “More than everything?”
“Yes,” she whispered. Over the length of her body, he stared up into her eyes as she arched up, taking him in just the slightest bit deeper. “More than everything. It’s always been like that.”
“Always?” he repeated, lifting his head and resting his chin between her breasts as he stared at her.
She opened her heavy lidded eyes, stared into his. Those soft hazel eyes were open and naked with her need. “Always,” she whispered.
“Always,” she repeated, softly. “Even when you were no longer mine.”
Shaking, he sank deep within her and hooked his arms under hers, cupping her face in his hands as he gently took her mouth. He held his body still within hers as he loved her mouth endlessly. Her inner muscles rippled around his shaft and he pulled back. His tongue stroked over, plunged deep, withdrew from her mouth to nip her lip, nuzzle her face, then he pulled back slowly.
Wade ran searching eyes over her face and landed on the faint scars at her left brow. And they reminded him. Deliberately, he dredged up hated thoughts of her with another.
It gave him strength, control, reminded him of why he was here. He waned her to know, she had to know, what it felt like to have your heart shatter within you chest. She had to know. And he had to make her feel it.
But it wasn’t easy. She flexed around him, her sheath like hot wet silk. He eased deeper, slowly inch by inch, until he rested against the gate of her womb. Slowly withdrew, eased back, pulled back until they were nearly separated. Remembered how empty he felt, how his heart had fallen to pieces. Shattered.
He thrust hard and deep, held himself there and asked, “And what about when you were no longer mine?”
His heart froze within his chest as those beautiful eyes flooded with tears. It resumed beating, then, fast and furious as she reached up, cupping his cheek in her hand. Brokenly, she whispered, “I’ve always been yours.”
He shuddered, unable to move as her words rippled over him. Wade felt his throat close, threatening to choke him and his heart swelled so that his chest ached as badly as his sex.
Instead of shattering her, she had shattered him Looking into those tear drenched eyes, he saw the truth there. Whatever had happened in the weeks after she had left him hadn’t changed how she felt in her heart.
In her heart, she was, and always been, his.
And this pointless game of domination seemed childish. Shamed, he hung his head as her words whispered over in his head and heart.
“You always will be,” he promised, cupping her hips in his hands, and driving himself home
His hips pumped, harder and harder, until he was lifting her on the seat with each thrust. She pulsed around him. Arched up, her pebbled nipples came in contact with his chest, leaving trails of sensation. The base of his spine tingled and he felt his testicles drawing in tighter to his body.
Harder and harder, he moved, tightening some coil deep within. In a broken litany, Nikki whispered to him, “not enough…please…love you…Wade…”
The words made little sense aloud, but he understood, adjusting his position so he could slide his hands between her thighs, circling his thumb around the tiny bud of nerves, edging closer and closer, until with one sudden movement, he pressed down hard, firm.
A sharp startled cry left her lips, echoing through his body like a jolt of lightening, while her snug channel clamped tight around his sex, her flesh becoming even hotter, wetter as she screamed out his name.
She convulsed around him, sinking her teeth into his shoulder just as he emptied within her. A low groan left him as her hips pumped against his, her body trembling. His body jerked as he withdrew and plunged deep one last time, held himself there as her body milked his.
Damnation.
Chapter Eleven
Nikki slept quietly, curled up against his side. The rough ride didn’t disturb her, nor did the silence of the man next to do her. She was unaware of his indecision, of his dilemma as she enjoyed the first sound sleep she had in months.
Wade felt her warmth against his side as he steered the truck over rough, uneven terrain. She slept as peacefully as Abby did at night. The way he hadn’t slept in years.
What in the hell am I doing out here? he wondered
His shattered heart and bruised pride were calling out for something. She had played him for a fool and that was simply how he saw it. She had purposefully led him to believe there was no other man in her life, had claimed that even when her eyes were black with passion just a short while in the cab of this very truck.
Hell, he could still smell the musky scent of sweat, sex and woman in the air. Her scent still clung to him, stirring his flesh even as he damned himself for wanting her so badly.
He had never known her to be a hypocrite, but how could she condemn Jamie and then go out and do the very same thing?
Could he live the rest of his life, knowing she had given away what had been his? Knowing that she scorned the mother of his child for doing something Nikki herself had done?
Did he wanted it to go unpunished all the times he had seen the light in Abby’s eyes extinguish by a cool word or look? Nikki hadn’t ever been cruel, but Abby’s sweet, childish attempts to befriend Nikki had all been ignored, and Abby had sensed in her heart that Nikki rejected her.
No. Steeling himself, locking his jaw, he told himself, You have to do this.
He pulled up in front of the cabin some twenty minutes later. It was cold out already and the sun hadn’t even started to set. He shook the sleeping woman awake, instead of kissing her awake, the way he wanted to. He couldn’t give in to the urge to cuddle her close, hold her tight.
Wade would learn to live without that. He would have to.
Nikki came awake slowly, reluctantly. Damn it all. She didn’t want to wake up. Her sleep had been peaceful and dreamless. Her body was warm and relaxed, sated.
Her mind, however, was puzzled. Her eyes scanned over unfamiliar territory and a frown wrinkled her brow. She looked over the see Wade staring moodily at the front of a little cabin.
“Where are we?” she asked, her voice husky from sleep.
She barely heard his terse reply, for her eyes had fallen on the clock. It was nearly six. They had been driving for four hours. Well, not all of the time had been spent driving, she realized, a dull flush creeping up her neck.
It faded quickly though, as she climbed out of the truck. His answer had just sunk in, enough for her to grasp what he had said. But she must have misheard.
“Exactly what are we doing in Gatlinburg?” she asked, pulling her coat closed over her chest. Damn it, it was c
old.
He paused in the middle of unloading boxes from underneath the bed cover. His eyes were solemn, his mouth a tight narrow line. “Settling things,” he finally said, after staring long and hard into her eyes for what seemed liked an eternity.
“Why here?” she asked, baffled.
He didn’t answer but she didn’t notice right away as her mind finally started functioning. Again, she repeated, “Why here?” holding her hands out, palm up in the age-old gesture of confusion.
“Because here you can’t kick me out of the house, or walk away from me. Because here your damn brothers can’t interfere, nor can anybody else. We’re on equal ground here and I’ll have my say,” Wade said, facing her over the bed of the truck.
“You did that a few months ago,” she reminded quietly, remembered pain darkening her eyes.
“That was anger, not me.” He took a box from the truck and shoved it in her arms.
Automatically, Nikki took it, dimly noted that it was full of food, while she studied him, trying to fit the pieces together in her head. It wasn’t easy; her brain was still addled from sleep and sex. Studying the food, she realized he had planned this. Very thoroughly planned it. Finally, she asked, “Are you saying you’re not angry now?”
Unreadable black eyes met hers. Softly, truthfully, he said, “No. I am not angry.” He was hurting, he was desperate. He was unbelievably confused, he was insanely jealous, and he was furious. Anger didn’t come close to describing what he was feeling now.
He took the box from her, dropped it to the ground, then moved closer until his toes nudged hers and she had to tip her head back to meet his eyes. He cupped her chin in his hand, studying her face.
She stiffened when his fingers traced over the scars nearly hidden at her hairline, but the questions didn’t come. His mouth spasmed once before it drew tight into a frown. “We’re going to settle this,” he repeated, his voice firm. Then he released her, took up a couple of boxes and walked away.
NO LONGER MINE Page 21
