True Blue Love: The Thorns, Book 3

by Melissa Lopez

No. Neither of them would get any sleep if he had his way.

  On the edge of the bed Kaycee crossed her legs, picking at her breakfast. Miller sat only a few feet away out on the balcony in the sun, eating. She’d showered while he’d gone for their meals.

  She took a shaky breath. Their time together had flown by. Her shoulders slouched under a weight of sorrow. She didn’t want her time with Miller to be over. She hadn’t known it’d be so sad to see the experience come to an end.

  Forcing down another bite of scrambled eggs, she closed her eyes. What a truly amazing time she’d had. What a truly amazing man Miller was.

  “When do you need to be at the airport?” He didn’t turn her way, so she took in his profile.

  “Four hours.” Her throat worked. “I’ve got to be there in four hours.”

  “You want me to drop you?” The rawness in his voice rolled across her skin.

  Through a shortness of air, she whispered, “No. It’s okay. I’ll call for a ride.” Her stomach tensed as she fought for control of her spiraling emotions.

  This was it.

  This was goodbye.

  He set his container down and stood. She gazed up when he approached. Quietly, he took her plate and placed it on the dresser.

  “Scoot back, Yank.” He pulled his shirt off to let it drop to the floor. “I want to fuck you.”

  She whimpered.

  Oh, God, yes.

  Again and again and again.

  Heart pounding, she scrambled backward on the mattress. He followed her. At the head of the bed, she undid the towel and spread her legs in invitation.

  Immediately, he buried his face between her legs. She screamed at the relentless way he sucked at her clit. Pleasure burst in wild beats. His mouth suckled deeply, sent her closer and closer to an abyss of pure bliss.

  Her hands fisted, her hips bucked.

  Sensations of arousal washed over her as he continued to draw on the tingling bundle of nerves. Feeling the oncoming climax, she tensed, strained to seek the promised pleasure.

  He sucked until she lay limp.

  Groaning, he got up on his knees. Through half-closed lids, she looked on while he released his big cock and encased it in the protection.

  Without hesitation, he covered her body with his. He plunged his cock in deep. He tried to keep his weight off her, but she hugged him close. Arms and legs wrapped around his heaving body.

  Too fast. Too fast. She didn’t want it to end. Didn’t want what they shared to be over.

  Urgently, her hands skimmed his shoulders, back, anywhere she could reach. She wanted to memorize him. The thick muscles that defined his body. His scent that curled her toes. The delicious weight of his heavy body.

  I’ll miss you so much.

  She placed kisses wherever her lips landed.

  His hips thrust, bucked and pounded his cock into her greediness.

  Growling, he shifted. Caught her hands and entwined their fingers. His upper weight now rested on his forearms.

  A whimper escaped her trembling mouth. “I want to touch you.”

  His fingers squeezed hers between his.

  The strokes he used turned excruciatingly slow. With slow circles, he rolled his hips, teasing her with the promise of more. In growing frustration, she tried to rock her hips, but his lower half held her down.

  “Miller.” Frantic, she rolled her head. “I want to touch you.” Needed to touch him so badly.

  “I want this to last.” His cock pulled out only to push back in. “I want this to last.”

  Heat burned the back of her eyes. “I want this to last too.” I want it to last forever. “You make me feel so good.”

  At the feel of his cock going harder, she kissed him. “Don’t come yet.” Oh, God, not yet.

  “Shh, I won’t.” He groaned. “I won’t.”

  Trembling, she marked his shoulder. Wanting him to remember her the way she would him, she used her teeth and lips on his skin. Again and again, she placed love bites.

  All the while he groaned.

  Blissful minutes passed with deep, slow strokes of his cock. Panting, she did her best to match him motion for motion. Her juices flowed. Desire curled hotly in her core as inner walls clasped at his working muscles.

  He grunted as his control slipped a notch. The pace of his loving sped up. She moaned at the heightened arousal he flamed. Urgently, he worked his rigid length in and out of her appreciative sex.

  She panted, shaking with need.

  His cock rubbed her clit every time he entered her. He kept his big body angled just right to hit all her sweet spots.

  “Please, please.” Her thighs attempted to drag him deeper, to get him to move faster.

  Delicious urgency. Rapture. They threatened to consume her at the feel of the relentless push and pull of his cock filling her deep.

  On a cry, she strained and reached her climax. Splintered outward on another cry.

  Miller followed her, completing her with a string of brutal thrusts. He groaned. His back arched. With each short jab of his length he came hard. His cock pulsed deep inside her sucking muscles.

  Breath ragged, he was slow to leave her. She grabbed the sheet while he removed the condom. Wishing for more time, she regarded him while he adjusted his jeans. Put his shirt back on. He disappeared into the bathroom.

  Throat hurting at the onslaught of sadness, she listened to the sound of the toilet flush. To water running…

  Kaycee’s chin quivered, causing her to compress her lips together to still the sadness. An incredible, horrible pressure built in her chest.

  He reappeared to shove a few personal items into his bag.

  Oh, God, he’s going to go…away forever.

  Hands on his hips, he faced her. “You sure you don’t want me to take you to the airport?”

  Mouth dry, she swallowed. She sat up. Gave a slight shake of her head.

  “I don’t mind making sure you catch your flight.”

  For the first time in her life, it was too hard to talk. Again, she swallowed, trying not to fall apart in front of him. It’d do neither of them any good. He’d been clear from the start it’d be nothing more than an encounter between two strangers.

  The look he wore assured her he still felt that way. His face showed no emotion. Nothing she could read anyway. His eyes were unreadable. Like they’d been on the plane from Sydney when they’d first met. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.” Her teeth caught her lip.

  A moan ached in her throat but she pushed it down.

  “All right then.” He raked a hand through his hair. “It was good knowing you, Kaycee.”

  A cry tightened in her stomach. Oh, God… “It was nice knowing you too, Miller.”

  Again, he raked his hair before he picked up his bag. “You have a good life.”

  You too. She couldn’t speak through the trauma of him leaving.

  “On my way out, I’ll make arrangements for a ride. And I’ll make sure this room is covered for another night.” His throat worked. “In case you have any trouble at the airport.”

  She shook her head.

  I’ll be okay.

  I’ll be okay.

  He moved toward the door, and she scurried off the bed. At the door, he kissed her. His breathing was unsteady. He straightened up. “It was good knowing you, Kaycee.”

  Then he was gone.

  She stood in the doorway, her gaze watery as he walked away. He turned the corner without looking back.

  The sob that clawed at her throat hurt. It hurt as much as her chest did. She stumbled to the bed and collapsed. How could his leaving hurt so, so much? Would she ever get over him? Cradling a pillow to her face, she cried for something that had been bittersweet.

  Chapter Six

  Brooding, Miller sat on a stool in the airport’s pub. It’d only been a few hours, and already he missed Kaycee. How was that possible? To miss someone he’d only just met?

  But he did.

  Leaving her earlier had nearly
brought him to his knees. It’d taken everything he had to walk away from her. Every bloody thing he’d had.

  That’d been what he was supposed to do, right? Walk away? Eh. It’d been for the best. He had to get back to his life. And she had her own to live.

  Only he couldn’t get her out of his head. The last look she’d given him would fucking haunt him forever. She’d been sad at their parting. He’d worried that she’d been about to cry. What would he have done then? He wouldn’t have been able to survive her tears. The woman couldn’t hide her emotions.

  He preferred to remember her happy. Smiling at him.

  For a time, he sat there, trying not to think. Not to remember. Until something got his attention.

  “That’s thievery.” A familiar voice sounded directly behind him.

  Carefully, he listened to an argument taking place. Christ, he was in trouble. He’d liked the sound of Kaycee’s voice so much, he imagined he heard her. The Yank’s accent had been light, a breeze on a hot summer day.

  A frown tightened the skin across his forehead as he concentrated on what was going on.

  “You can’t change the price now.”

  It couldn’t be.

  Finish the drink and hit the sky. Leave it alone.

  He forced himself to sip his beer.

  “That’s my price for the trip, sheila,” the bloke declared.

  “But we’d already agreed on a price.” The Yank’s feminine voice tugged at him. “I’ve already paid you.”

  Bloody fuck no.

  “Prices change. Inflation, luv.”

  His teeth clenched in annoyance. So the bloody bloke had promised her a ride. Where was she going? Why hadn’t she told him she wasn’t leaving the country?

  Because you didn’t ask.

  No important information given. None received.

  Christ.

  He swiveled around to get a look at the Yank. Like the first time he’d spotted the beauty, he lost his breath.

  Kaycee faced the other way. But he knew her voice. He knew her arse. The curve of her thighs. The way she stood. The mass of black hair down her back.

  No, front or back, he’d never forget her. Not any piece of her.

  “Decide, sheila, I’ve places to go.”

  “Where you heading?” Miller swung away from his stool.

  “Miller?” She turned around. Some of her hair twirled as she spun.

  “Piss off, mate.”

  “I was talking to the lady.”

  “The lady and I are talking business.” The older man stood. “Piss off.”

  He growled. His hands clenched into fists.

  Palm up, she placed herself directly in front of him. “I’m heading to Brady’s Pub in…”

  “I know it.” He cut her off. Old man Brady and his wife ran a pub in his area. In a reasonable driving distance from Thorn station. “How much did the bloke charge you?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Her hand clutched at his arm. “Let’s go.”

  “How much did you pay the fucker?”

  “Miller, please.”

  “How bloody much?” He wasn’t about to let this go. He’d not allow her to be ripped off. Not his Yank.

  She paled. “A thousand dollars. But I’m chalking it up to a life lesson learned.”

  “What’s his name?” His jaw ached from clenching his teeth.

  “Joe Byrne.”

  “How’d you meet him?” He snarled. By Christ, he had no problem being a toe-cutter when needed. The bloke had stepped over the line. He wanted nothing more than to plow the man’s cakehole with his bloody fist.

  “Online.” Her hand squeezed his arm. “Please, Miller, let’s go.”

  Ignoring her, he gave the bastard a hard look. He withdrew a business card from his shirt pocket and laid it on the table. Aggressively, he leaned forward. “You’ve got a week to get the reimbursement to this address.” He tapped the card. “After that, I’ll be coming for your arse.”

  She moaned.

  By Christ, the whacker wouldn’t take advantage of Kaycee this way. Not while he could stop him.

  The man’s mouth twisted when he read the card. “Thorn.”

  “That’s right.” His family owned one of the oldest stations in Oz. It wasn’t one of the giants, but his home was well known.

  It wouldn’t be difficult to have the authorities track the whacker down. No doubt the bastard had scammed other tourists.

  Without a single word more, the bloke stormed away.

  Kaycee followed in the man’s wake, stopping at her luggage cart. White-knuckled, she gripped the handle bar.

  At Miller’s approach, she turned stormy eyes his way. “Just what were you thinking, acting like that?”

  “What were you thinking?” he countered on a surge of possessiveness. Christ, don’t think about what might have happened to her.

  “Holy shit!” She let go of the cart to face him head on. “Have you ever dealt with an insane individual?”

  “What?”

  “Well, I have. Neither of us knew what that man was capable of.” She waved an arm. “You cannot just…just order people about. Without knowing if they’re capable of reason. He could’ve shot us.”

  “The bloody bastard is a fucking criminal!” His teeth clenched. “I was defending you.” Didn’t she see that? He’d have fucking outdrawn the bloke. Knife-throwing was a particular skill of his.

  “I’m a big girl. I was doing fine on my own.”

  Anger at her inability to see reason got the better of him and he took a step forward. “You’re the smallest woman I know.”

  “Oh!” She gasped. “I cannot believe you said that. I’m not small. I’m short.”

  “Small.” He folded his arms.

  Mouth compressed, she shook her head. “I’m five-two and some twenty…thirty pounds over my ideal weight.”

  “Now that’s bullshit.” Kaycee wasn’t overweight.

  “Okay. Okay.” She flipped her hair back over her shoulders, before taking hold of the cart. “Thank you for dealing with that man for me. It was nice seeing you again.” She put the cart in motion. “Have a nice life.”

  Bugger me.

  Before the luggage cart passed by, he put his foot on it, easily stopping the motion. He wouldn’t let her dismiss him. However shitty the experience with Byrne had been for her, this gave them the perfect opportunity for more time together. And that he wanted to take advantage of. “I’ll take you to old man Brady’s.”

  “Oh, no, you won’t.” Her chin lifted. “I’ll find another pilot.”

  The fuck she would. “There are no other pilots available.”

  “What?” Her stormy gaze narrowed. “There has to be…”

  “No, Yank. I’ll call all those I know.”

  “Oh, you wouldn’t.”

  “I’ll be the one to make sure you get to Brady’s safely.”

  “Why?” Her mouth trembled, sucker-punching him in the gut. “Four hours ago, you walked away from me without a backward glance.” She swallowed. “I know you didn’t look back because I watched you. You didn’t even ask me for my number.”

  A tic beat to life in his cheek. If he’d looked back, he’d have turned back. Leaving her had been the hardest thing of his life. His hands trembled at the need he felt to embrace her. He shouldn’t have left her.

  Insecurity had kept his feet moving. Christ knew he’d had enough rejection in his lifetime. Fuck, they’d had a bargain—he’d thought that was what she’d wanted. But now he knew if he had a do over he wouldn’t leave her like that. He hadn’t been thinking clearly enough to ask for her number.

  Bloody fuck.

  He should have gotten it. He’d been unprepared for her to enter his life. Things like this didn’t happen to him. He hadn’t known how to handle this. To handle her. He’d fucked it rightly. “Though what we had was casual…” His chest grew tight at the words. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  “Fine.” She shook her head. “Whatever
.” Sullenly, she threw herself down on top of the luggage. “Just drop me at Brady’s.”

  “You bet.” Taking hold of the cart, he put it in motion. He glanced back down at the top of her head. She clutched her bag to her chest. Damn but her behavior put him in mind of Cohen’s daughters when one of the older girls pouted about something. He didn’t like the gloomy appearance Kaycee gave off now. He preferred her smiling and happy.

  He sighed, heading toward the exit they needed.

  Going by the pissers, he stopped. “Luv, do you need…”

  His heart kick-started. Where the fuck had that come from? Christ, he’d have to watch his bloody tongue from now on.

  “I guess.” She climbed off without looking his way.

  His breathing eased, surely she hadn’t noticed his slip of the tongue.

  “I’d better go since your little plane doesn’t have a restroom.”

  He frowned. “I’ve already explained bush planes don’t have pissers.”

  “I know.” She pursed her lips, sparing him a glance. “But I prefer thinking it’s your plane that’s inadequate.”

  Amusement rumbled up as a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. So the Yank had taken a jab at him through his birdie. The grin expanded to a chuckle. Even annoyed with him it was damn good to have her back in his life.

  “So, how soon before we make it to Brady’s?”

  An hour. Kaycee hadn’t spoken to him for an hour. It was now apparent she wasn’t good at staying angry with others for too long.

  Miller took his gaze from the blue sky. His nostrils flared as his blood heated. Christ, he liked looking at her. She appeared more relaxed now.

  “Depends. We got a late start.” Which they had. He’d already decided to draw out their travel time. Time. He wanted more of her time. “And all that luggage you cart around is eating up my petro.” That was also true. “I’ll be needing fuel about dinner time.”

  “Oh.” She wiped her hands on her pants.

  “I don’t fly at night.”

  “Oh.”

  That was it. No questions of curiosity, just “oh”. He wanted her inquisitive nature back. He needed her questions. He was clueless on holding up a conversation with her otherwise. Fuck. So, maybe she was still pissed at him. What a pig’s arse he’d been for leaving her.