T.S. snorted. “Like anyone other than my mother believed that. Because a cop was involved they wanted to make examples out of all of us.” He rolled his shoulders and rubbed his hands over his face, wishing he could erase his past. “I went to prison. When I got out, I started working construction and eventually started my own company. End of story.”
Missy flung herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry, Theo.” He closed his eyes and savored her heat, the press of her body against him. There was nothing sexual about the touch. It was meant to comfort him. And, strangely enough, it did.
He shifted so he could pull her onto his lap and hold her properly. They sat there for a while, simply being with one another. The music played low in the background. This was what he wanted for the rest of his life.
“Tell me about your past, Missy.” He wanted to know everything about her. “I know my comment hurt you when I meant it to do the opposite.” He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and stroked a finger down her smooth cheek.
“Later.” She leaned in and kissed him. It was a soft, gentle exploration as her tongue stroked his. He sucked in a breath as his balls tightened and his cock hardened. His hands closed around her. Her breasts pressed against his chest, the soft mounds compressing against his thick, heavy muscles.
Her hands stroked through his hair and gripped his skull, holding him still for her kiss. He wasn’t going anywhere. He was in heaven.
Missy continued to use her mouth, lips and tongue to drive him crazy. Yet, there was no hurry. This was different from earlier today. This was the first step in the rest of their relationship. They were taking it to a new level and they both knew it.
He fisted his hand in her hair and angled her head so he could get deeper. She moaned and he swallowed the small sound. He kissed her with everything he had, letting her know how much he wanted and needed her.
When he pulled back a long time later, they were both breathless. His heart was pounding a relentless beat that matched the throbbing in his cock.
She slid off his lap and he couldn’t hold back a groan when her hip grazed his erection. She smiled—that womanly, seductive one he loved so much. It was filled with understanding and promise.
She held out her hand. “Come with me.”
Chapter Thirteen
Missy was no longer cold. She was hot. Burning with repressed sexual need. But it went so much deeper than that. T.S. had told her about his past. He’d trusted her enough to open up to her even after she’d told him it wasn’t necessary. She owed him the same truth.
But later. Much later. Now she wanted, no needed, to reconnect with him physically. To let him know how much she cared.
She loved him.
There was no doubt in her mind whatsoever. Her well-laid plans were out the window. T.S. might not be the sophisticated businessman she’d pictured herself with but he was now the only man she could ever imagine being with.
He was stubborn, opinionated, loyal, caring, intelligent and hardworking. He had a checkered past. But so did she. He touched her soul, making her feel things she hadn’t thought possible.
Whenever she’d envisioned a future with a man it had been more of a concept. The man of her dreams would fit easily into her life.
Missy almost snorted aloud. There was nothing easy about T.S. MacNamara. And, surprisingly enough, she liked it that way.
With his hand locked around hers, she led him down the short hall to her bedroom. There was no need to turn on the lights. There was more than enough illumination from the hallway and the streetlight filtering in through the window.
He tugged on her hand. She stopped and turned toward him. His hands slid beneath her fleecy top, shoving it upward. Missy raised her hands over her head, helping him as he pulled it from her.
He made a sound of pleasure in the back of his throat as his hands covered the lacy cups of her bra. It was white and contrasted with her dark skin.
“Chocolate and cream,” he murmured. “That’s what you remind me of.” He ran his fingers up the straps, slipping them beneath. “I do love your appreciation of fancy lingerie.”
He tugged the straps down her arms, exposing her breasts. She shivered, aroused by this touch and the way he gazed at her with such fire in his eyes.
“I missed you.” She’d said the words before she’d even realized she was going to. But they were true. She had missed him every day they’d been apart. She’d missed talking to him, sharing a meal and her day with him, sharing a bed with him.
“Me too.” He leaned down and laved the skin around her nipple with his tongue. The wet heat was exquisite, but he never quite touched her where she wanted him. Missy grabbed his head and tugged his mouth to her nipple.
He chuckled and then lapped at the hard peak. “That what you want, babe?”
Cocky bastard. He knew what she wanted. He took the nub into his mouth and sucked. Ribbons of desire coursed through her limbs before gathering at her core. Oh yeah, that’s what she wanted.
He went down on his knees, his hands coasting along her rib cage and settling on her hips. “You don’t need these.” He pushed his hands inside the elastic waistband of her sweats and shoved them down her legs. She kicked them away.
She was clad in white lace panties that matched the bra that was still tangled beneath her breasts. Impatient, she undid the hooks of her bra and let it fall to the floor. T.S. wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face against her, simply holding her.
Missy’s throat went tight at the suppressed emotion behind the hug. She ran her fingers through his hair and turned her face upward. “Not that you don’t look sexy in your suit, because you do. But you have way too many clothes on.”
A brief smile broke the austere planes of his face and his eyes practically twinkled as he stood. “Let’s see what we can do about that.” He shed his suit jacket, tossing it over the chair in the corner of her bedroom. He kicked off his shoes and bent to remove his socks. “Why don’t you get comfy?”
Missy sat on the bed and pushed herself into the center. Propping the pillows behind her, she leaned back and motioned for him to continue.
He undid his tie and let it fall beside him. One button at a time, he slipped them free until his shirt was hanging open. He shrugged out of it, exposing a wide expanse of sculpted male flesh. The man had hard pecs and abs of steel. She practically purred. A thin line of hair bisected his chest. It ran downward and disappeared into the waistband of his pants.
His belt jangled as he undid it. The rasp of the zipper was like a physical caress down her body. Her skin tingled. Her breasts ached so much she covered them with her hands.
T.S. stilled, his gaze centered on her breasts. “Touch yourself, babe. Pretend it’s my hands on you.”
Need slammed through her and she moved her legs restlessly against the comforter. Wanting some kind of relief from the heat swirling inside her, Missy circled her hands over her breasts. It wasn’t enough. She plucked at the tight nipples with her fingers, crying out at the erotic sensation.
T.S. swore and practically tore his pants and underwear from his body. Naked, he stalked toward the bed. His cock was protruding in front of him, pointing to her, leading him toward her. He put one knee on the bed, then the other, as he worked his way up her body. He lowered his head and planted hot, wet kisses on her calves, the inside of her thighs.
“Don’t stop,” he told her as he knelt between her thighs. When he rubbed his fingers over her crotch the thin silk of her panties was wet. “Damn, you’re hot.” His gaze met hers and she could see the sincerity in them. “You’ve never been cold, babe. You were just waiting for the right man to bring out the heat. That prim exterior hides a volcano of desire just waiting to erupt.”
She was ready. Past ready to do just that. She moaned and undulated her hips.
“I can smell your arousal.” He nuzzled the fabric and took a deep breath. His fingers inched along the elastic, slipping beneath. Missy moaned long and loud a
s his fingers found her hot, slick folds. “Oh yeah, I want more of this.”
She wanted it too but lacked the words to tell him, she was so lost in the sensations enveloping her. But he seemed to know what she needed. He traced the crotch of her panties from back to front, taking care to press at the apex, finding her swollen clit.
Her hips came off the bed as she panted for breath. Every nerve ending in her body was alive. Electric.
T.S. tugged her panties down her legs and away, leaving her naked. He gripped her hips in his hands and lifted, bringing her pussy to his mouth. Missy opened her mouth on a silent scream as he covered her, his tongue delving past her slit and pushing inside.
Had she ever been cold in her life? She couldn’t remember. She felt as though she was in the middle of the desert. T.S. was the sun bathing her body in heat. He sucked and laved, licked and nibbled on her folds. He used his clever tongue to tempt and tease her clit until she was ready to scream.
Noises broke from her throat. Sounds of pleasure. Need. Not real words. That was beyond her.
“Come for me, babe.” His eyes practically glowed as he glanced up at her. His lips were wet with her juices. Locking his gaze with hers, he licked her core from back to front.
Missy exploded. Spasms shook her as her pussy rippled. Wet heat flowed from her core and he lapped it all up. The intensity of it, the sheer carnality of the moment sent her off on another round of spasms.
T.S. didn’t wait for them to end. He knelt over her, keeping one hand beneath her to arch her hips toward him. With his free hand, he guided his cock to her opening.
Her orgasm constricted the opening to her sheath, but he pushed inward, determined. Beads of sweat popped up on his forehead as he gritted his teeth and began to thrust.
Missy cried out as he forged inward, one thick inch at a time until he was snug. It was a tight fit. He stretched her in the most wonderful way. Spasms still rippled through her pussy, tightening the muscles around his shaft.
“I can’t wait, babe.” That was all the warning she got before he began to thrust.
Missy brought her knees up, opening herself. T.S. hooked his arms beneath her thighs and planted his hands on the bed. He rocked back and forth, advancing and retreating, building the heat inside her once again.
She wasn’t sure it had ever really dissipated.
Unbelievably, she could feel the growing pressure within her. Knew another orgasm was close.
She gripped his butt, pulling him closer to her with each thrust. He threw back his head, the thick cords of his neck tightening. He called her name as he came. His cock rippled and pulsed inside her, pushing her over the edge again.
Missy clung to him as they rode out the storm of desire together. He pumped into her one final time before collapsing on top of her. His skin was warm and damp against hers. She closed her eyes and concentrated on trying to slow her racing heartbeat.
Her chest rose and lowered with each breath. She could hear his rasping breath, feel it against her skin. He kissed the curve of her neck while his fingers toyed with one of her breasts, teasing the nipple.
She laughed and moaned at the same time. The man was insatiable.
“Too much?” he asked.
She nodded. Her skin was extremely sensitive to the point where anything was too much. He opened his hand, covering the mound. It felt nice. Cozy.
She didn’t want to break the mood. They were both relaxed. Sated. Time enough to tell him about her past later.
Missy played with his hair. She loved the way it was so dark and straight, like silk. She wished her hair was more like it. He gave a playful growl, almost like a purr, and nuzzled her neck.
“Like that, do you?”
In answer, he nipped her skin then laved the small sting with his tongue.
She couldn’t remember the last time she was so relaxed. For once she wasn’t thinking about work or plans or her future. She was content to be exactly where she was—in T.S.’ arms.
When he finally pulled away their bodies practically stuck to one another. She groaned. “I need a shower.”
T.S. got to his feet and shook his head. “We need a bath. Give me a minute.” He padded out of the room and she took the opportunity to admire his tight butt.
“I know you’re watching,” he called behind him, making her laugh.
She climbed out of bed and followed him into the bathroom. He already had the water running and was lighting the two candles she kept on the vanity for times when she didn’t want the harsh overhead light. The flickering light added another layer of intimacy to the situation.
Once, she would have felt self-conscious about being naked in front of him. Now it was as natural as breathing. She stepped into the tub and lowered herself into the water. He was right behind her, his big body crowding hers.
T.S. couldn’t remember ever feeling this good. He could still taste Missy’s hot juices on his lips. His cock still vibrated with the feel of her tight channel locked around him. He could go again but he wanted to give her some time to recover. He’d had to push hard to get inside her pussy and didn’t want her sore. A bath should help.
The water lapped around them. He’d never taken a bath with a woman. A shower with a quickie worked in, sure, but nothing this intimate. He relaxed against the rim of the tub with Missy settled against him and decided he liked it.
When the water was high enough, he leaned forward and turned off the taps. He took the opportunity to lick several beads of water off Missy’s dark skin. She tasted salty and sweet at the same time.
He grabbed the bar of soap resting in the built-in holder and began to roll it between his hands. This reminded him of the first night he’d been at her place, the night of the attack. He’d drawn her a bath that night too. But this time it was different. He wasn’t watching her but sharing it with her. He was a different person now and so was Missy. They’d changed one another and for the good.
He’d thought it would be easy to have sex with Missy and keep it casual the way he’d always done with women. Just some fun between consenting adults. He’d gotten much more than he’d bargained for and was so damn grateful he hadn’t completely fucked it up.
When bubbles frothed around his hands, he dumped the soap and began to rub his hands over her shoulders.
“That feels so good,” she moaned, tilting her head forward to give him better access.
“It certainly does.” He slipped his hands around her sides and found her breasts. She laughed. Leaning back, she twisted her neck around, offering her lips for a kiss. There was no way to resist such temptation, not that he even wanted to.
He’d committed himself the moment he’d told her everything. Hell, he’d been lost long before that. He just hadn’t been willing to admit it to himself. Missy was everything that had been missing in his life. Everything he’d ever wanted, but had never imagined he’d ever have.
He worked his soapy hands downward and was pleased when she immediately parted her thighs for him. He washed her and then rinsed the soap away. This wasn’t about arousing her, but about taking care of her.
When he finished, he got comfortable and eased her back against his chest. “Talk to me.” He wanted to know about her past.
She squirmed around until she found a spot she liked. By that time his dick was as hard as a spike again, but he had no plans to get derailed. Not yet.
Missy picked up his hand and threaded her fingers through his. The contrast of light and dark skin in the candlelight almost pushed aside his good intentions. Almost.
“You’re stalling, babe.”
She sighed. “I know.” She took a moment and gathered her thoughts before continuing. “It’s not an unusual story. My father was a violent man. It was worse when he was drinking, which seemed to be more often than not. He did some time in jail, mostly for assault. Bar brawls. Once for minor theft. Did a few months for domestic violence, but my mom took him back when he got out.”
“I’m sorry.” And he wa
s. As poor as he’d been, as hard as his childhood had been, he’d always had the love and support of his mother.
She nodded and he wrapped his arms around her, wanting to drive away the memories even as he wanted her to share them with him.
“I was the youngest. I had an older sister and two older brothers. My sister left when she was sixteen. Got the nerve to go to a shelter. They helped her finish school and get a job. My brothers were like my dad. They liked to drink and hit things when they were mad.”
“Did they ever hit you?” Pure molten fury welled up inside him, almost exploding when she shrugged. That said it all.
“I learned to hide, to stay away from home.”
T.S. kissed her temple and silently offered her his strength. It was all he could do. There was no way to go back in time and change her past. If anyone understood that, it was him.
She took a deep breath and continued. “From an early age I knew what I wanted. A life completely different from my parents’. My mom was like a shadow, always watching my father, trying to figure out his mood so she could do whatever it took not to make him angry. When he wasn’t around she drank to forget how hopeless her life was.”
“That’s no way to live.” T.S. couldn’t imagine hitting a woman. His mother had raised him better than that.
“No,” she agreed. “It’s not. That’s why I studied hard and rarely dated. I saw other girls my age getting pregnant and ending up in bad relationships just like their parents. That’s when the teasing started. I was uppity, cold, icy, frigid. I can’t tell you the number of guys who offered to help me with my problem.”
T.S. wanted to find them all and beat them to a pulp. But that wouldn’t help Missy. “I’m sorry, babe.” His voice was rough with unvoiced emotion.
She shrugged. “It made me strong. Determined. I left home as soon as I had my high school diploma. I worked while I went to college on a scholarship. I put my past behind me and made a new one. I learned how to dress, how to speak properly, how to conduct myself in a business situation. I educated myself about music, art, and theatre. I wanted to be someone.”
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