Love Lasts Forever

by Dominiqua Douglas

  “Relax. It’s really easy. I’d do it myself if I had a mirror.” He watched her closely, as if gauging her reaction. “Maybe I will try it—”

  “No, just tell me what to do.”

  His instructions were simple. After lathering his face with soap, she grazed the sharp edge gently along his jaw. Although his hands rested on his lap, she felt the weight of his stare as surely as if he touched her. Blood pounded her temples. Heat scorched her fingertips on his skin. By the time she reached the area bordering his mouth, her heart pounded wildly against her ribcage. At his sharp intake of breath, she feared he heard it.

  “You’re almost done.” His voice sounded gruff with unspent emotion.

  Trying to ignore the urgency building within, she willed herself to complete the task. When it was over, he looked more handsome than ever, and her nerves felt stretched beyond recovery. Thor took the razor and spoke quietly as he cleaned it.

  “Lie down and get some rest. I’ll watch the fire and put it out. If you need another blanket, you can use mine.”

  Too shaken to protest or accept his offer, she sat on her blanket and removed the hat from her head. Hairpins dug into her scalp for days. Some relief came at allowing her hair to go free. The low burning ache inside required more. With a shake of her head, the long braid uncoiled and fell to her shoulder. Her fingers pulled through the thick mass, separating the braid. Before she could blink, he moved beside her.

  “Allow me.”

  His husky voice whispered like a low, rumbling sigh. She shivered in spite of herself.

  He took the braid from her trembling fingers and stroked the hair loose. The liberated mane flowed down her back in coarse waves, but that didn’t stop him from running his fingers through it.

  “So beautiful and soft. I’ve wanted to do this since the first day I saw you. Your long, dark braid is a silent invitation for loosening it.”

  Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest. Almost afraid to look at him, she shifted around to memorize the look in his eyes. Shadows from the fire flickered across his face and made her think of danger. He was so handsome with his strong jaw, full lips, and dark blue piercing eyes. She should look away from him but felt powerless to do so.

  “We should get some rest,” he murmured. Yet, he made no move to leave her. Instead, he leaned forward and nuzzled her neck. “Willow,” he moaned, “make me leave. Push me away. Tell me to stop.”

  Her hands lifted to his broad shoulders then slipped to the nape of his neck. Curls brushed her hands like tiny caresses. Her fingers rubbed his neck and he moaned. She leaned toward him. “I can’t.”

  * * *

  Thor’s voice quivered with Willow’s surrender. He didn’t know whether to shout for joy or beg for a reprieve. His gut vibrated with warning. Do the honorable thing — the right thing— and get away from her. Move to my blanket, lie down, close my eyes and try to sleep. The slight pressure of her soft fingertips on his scalp and the desire burning in her eyes entranced him. The only move he made was toward her.

  His face lowered to claim her lips in a deep, imploring kiss. His mouth moved sensuously across her soft, pliant lips, silently demanding her to open to him. She did, and in his eagerness to taste her, his tongue slipped and found hers.

  Tasting. Probing. Tantalizing.

  She shivered against him and grasped his back. His hands slipped inside the thick, wild mass of ink black hair. Gently, he angled her head and kept her close so the kiss didn’t break and wouldn’t end as he continued to press his hot, open mouth against hers.

  Thor lowered her onto the blanket. His knees nudged her thighs apart as he settled between them. Resting on one elbow, his other hand cupped her full breast. Through the thin fabric of the worn work shirt, his fingers kneaded and caressed her hardened peaks. His mouth planted a trail of kisses along her neck and down to the pulse beating rapidly at her neck. His tongue laved the pulsating flesh and low moans vibrated from the back of her throat. She clutched his head, and her thighs gripped his waist.

  Rock hard, his arousal throbbed within the confines of his pants. Picking up the ages old rhythm, he rubbed his lower body against hers. She moaned his name in a pleading whimper. “Thor…”

  Her cries inflamed him. He lifted his head from her neck to look into her glazed eyes. “I want to make love to you. If you want me to stop, say so now. Please, Willow, make me stop now.”

  “I don’t want you to.”

  Desire shone vividly in her glassy eyes. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. Thor needed no further response.

  He kissed her again, as deeply and thoroughly as he did the first time. She responded by pushing her tongue inside his mouth and tantalizing him with her innocent insistence. Her pelvis rocked against him. He groaned. The ache in his pants begged for release, but he made no move to do so. Her innocence forced him to take care with her. Instinct told her what she wanted from him, but he knew she had never gone that far before. Tenderness and patience would have to be his guide.

  Tenderness is a given, but Lord help me with patience.

  The kiss ended. The suspenders fell from his shoulders. She tugged his shirt free from the waistband of his pants. He allowed her to pull the garment over his head. The appreciative gleam in her eyes as she looked at his bare chest only fueled his arousal.

  Her hands glided over him, caressing the hard planes of his torso and the clenched muscles of his abdomen. Her inquisitive fingers trailed the thin line of hair that disappeared inside his pants. When she tried to unbutton them, he closed his hand over hers.

  “Not yet.”

  “May I touch you?”

  Hitching a sharp breath, he nodded. Her hand found the rigid length of him. The heavy cotton material of his pants failed to diminish the insistence of her touch. His back arched as her hand stroked him, and he groaned.

  “Do you like this?”

  Thor shuddered. Unable to speak, he nodded.

  “You’re so hard,” she said as she continued to caress him. “Like the iron spokes on a wheel.”

  She moved to the next button, but he was fast. He pushed her hand away and pressed his pelvis against hers. “Not yet,” he muttered again with all the control he could muster. Her mouth puckered into a pout, which he kissed away.

  While his lips claimed hers, his fingers plucked open the buttons on her shirt. The ribbons on her camisole were quickly untied and his hand slid across her warm flesh to caress the full, quivering mound inside. When the kiss ended, his head dipped to her breast. Open-mouth, he kissed her there. Her hips bucked against his, and she clutched his head. His tongue bathed the hard pebble. His hand stroked down her body to the apex of her thighs.

  Not wasting time, he unbuttoned her pants in one fluid motion. His hand pressed against her damp undergarment, his fingers caressing her through the cotton barrier. His mouth watered in anticipation. He longed to taste her there. Planting kisses along her ribcage, his fingers continued to caress her. She bucked against his hand and clutched his shoulders, all the while moaning his name.

  Thor quickly removed the remainder of their clothing. Willow whimpered in protest when he moved away, but those whimpers soon became moans of pleasure when he returned.

  Intending to love every inch of her lithe, willing body, his large hands grasped an ankle. He brought her foot to his lips, running kisses along the arch. His teeth nibbled her toes, and she shrieked.

  “Easy now.” His voice was husky and soft, seducing her. “This is only the beginning.”

  His fingers grazed across her silky, smooth flesh from ankle to thigh. He smiled seductively as goose bumps covered her long limbs.

  “Thor,” she moaned, as he lowered himself between her legs. His tongue trailed paths along her inner thighs until she cried out to him again.

  He inched closer to the heart of her femininity. Her sweet musky scent greeted him, increasing his desire to savor her. Unable to resist another moment, his mouth opened, and his tongue licked her slick folds.
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  Her hips bucked wildly. “Oh, Thor!”

  Her response nearly pushed him over the edge. His mouth opened wider, and his kiss deepened. His tongue laved and devoured her spicy feminine juices, feasting on her in wild abandon. Her fingers dug into the bunched muscles of his shoulders and served to encourage him even more. Moving his mouth to direct his attention to her tiny nub, he carefully slid first one finger inside of her. She stiffened at the initial contact, and he withdrew.

  Patience, he reminded himself, sweat beading on his brow.

  His hands moved from her thighs and slid over her flat abdomen then rested on her full breasts. His thumbs and fingers rolled over her nipples, making her sigh and moan in barely contained passion. Delirious sensations swept through him, making him feel as if he was sent back in time for the purpose of bringing life to her passions and reawakening his own.

  All the while, his ardent kisses possessed her. Thor took her little bud between his lips and tongue. He sucked gently at first. “Oh,” she moaned, as his tongue’s strokes became more insistent. She released a loud shriek as his mouth sucked harder.

  Her legs trembled against him. Her hips jerked in time to his ministrations. Suddenly, she tensed and closed her legs around his head. Her first taste of passion captured her completely. Pleasure rippled through Thor. He was the first man to take her there.

  As the waves of desire engulfed her, he continued to love her with his mouth. He craved the taste of her, instantly addicted to her wild response. She moved wildly beneath him, screaming his name, and digging her fingers into his flesh. Just when her movements stilled and she seemed breathless and spent, he entered her.

  The barrier of innocence reminded him to control his instincts to bury himself within her. Her body tensed with his first thrust.

  Patience.

  Thor withdrew and eased inside her again. Slowly, he moved, allowing her to become accustomed to his penetrating arousal. Veins corded in his neck as he focused all of his attention on loving her with gentleness. His efforts paid off when she begged, “Please, Thor.”

  He buried himself deep within her, filling her with his hardness. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and her pelvis bumped hard against his. His mouth closed over hers. Her tongue pushed inside his mouth and quickly found his. Thor drew it deep into his mouth, tasting her there just as thoroughly as he had tasted her before.

  His previous sexual encounters had never been as exquisite as this. Their bodies melded together. He felt at one with Willow. An invisible cord stretched around them, making this more than a quest for physical release. His soul connected with hers. She was better than his boyhood and college fantasies. Willow Elkridge was all he ever wanted and more. Inside her arms, he discovered joy that he never knew existed.

  His body became hot and slick with perspiration. She slid her hands slid down his back and grasped his backside. He pushed hard against her. Their hips moved closer, enabling him to sink deeper inside her.

  She cried out in ecstasy. “Blessed be! I love you, Thor.”

  Her declaration mingled with the loud roar of blood filling his ears. Rocking against her, his release came hard. His voice was raw and hoarse. “Oh, Willow..”

  Rolling off her, Thor closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tightly around her. In the otherwise quiet shack, their breaths came in ragged spurts until their heart rates returned to normal, and they slowly came back to earth.

  Willow’s slender frame curved against him in a perfect fit. Her thigh rested trustingly on top of his, and she sighed deeply. As he enjoyed the warmth of her body, her words came back to him. His eyes flew open.

  She loves me.

  A few simple words rocked his world and rendered him speechless. What should he say? He cared deeply for her. More than he ever cared for any woman but was it love?

  Oh, God, we didn’t even use protection. What if? It was too soon to consider that possibility after the joy of being with her. The need for words nagged him. He owed her that much.

  He brushed damp tendrils from her face. “Willow?”

  She mumbled an unintelligible response. Through parted lips, her breath tickled his chest in slow, deep caresses. She was asleep.

  He shifted beside her and watched her. He was bone-tired and should do the same, but his eyelids refused to close. Even in slumber, her beauty captivated him.

  Willow Elkridge was so much more than a pretty face. She embodied everything that he previously ignored in his determination to achieve his Super Bowl dreams. Selfless and loving, she willingly risked her life for someone else. Through her, he was learning what his family had been trying to tell him for almost a year. There was more to life than football.

  “Oh, Willow,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her dewy, soft temple, “thank you for saving my life.”

  Chapter Nine

  Sunlight streamed through the slats of the shack and beamed across Thor’s face. He blinked awake with a yawn. Willow’s sleeping form still curved against him. Careful not to disturb her, he reached inside the saddlebag and removed the timepiece from the leather confines.

  Mid-morning was giving way to early afternoon. They had a few more hours of rest before their nightly journey began. He closed his eyes and drifted to the edge of slumber. A low noise rumbled in the distance. Thor sat up. Alarm shot through him. When she awakened and stared at him in surprise, he knew he hadn’t been mistaken.

  Dogs.

  Muttering an oath, he rose from the blanket to investigate. His view from the window left him with nothing but a sour taste in his mouth. Barking thundered just south of them, but he couldn’t judge the distance. Just that animals were coming fast. He quickly pulled on Anders’s suit and grabbed his great-great-grandfather’s pistol.

  “What the hell is that?” He paused before going outside. “Are those dogs or the wolves you were talking about?”

  She moved with urgency. Her fingers flew over buttons, righting her clothing and tying her bootstraps. While braiding her hair, she joined him at the door. “I can’t be sure. Those wolves were wild. We’d better see to the horses.”

  “You stay here. There’s only one pistol, and I have it. I’ll check the horses.”

  Her hands briefly clutched his. “Please, be careful.”

  Shouts and louder barking greeted him as he headed toward the frightened horses. He checked the pistol and satisfied that it was ready. He spoke gently to the horses. Seconds later, a pack of hunting dogs raced past him and circled an oak, yapping wildly. A group of men on horseback followed. The leader raised his rifle and shot at the sky. The man yelled, “Come on out of there! You know I won’t shoot. You’re no good dead!”

  “What’s going on?” Thor asked. “What’s in that tree?”

  “A runaway.” The leader fired another shot at the sky. “We can do this all day, but the longer you’re in that tree, the worse it’s gonna be! Get your ass down from there!”

  The scene unfolded right in front of Thor’s eyes. It was like being in the middle of the mini-series Roots, but this was different. This wasn’t a television program that could disappear with the ease of changing the channel. This was real life, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to make a difference or stop it.

  A black man jumped from the oak’s branches. He was shorter than Thor. What he lacked in height he made up with in muscle. His arms and shoulders looked rock solid and strong. The clothes he wore were little more than rags, yet he stood proud and tall. He didn’t say a word to his captors and simply held out his wrists for the ropes that would bind him.

  The man’s face was immobile, and as Thor neared him, Thor noted only sheer force of will kept the man from acting on his rage. Their eyes met for a second. Raw hatred burned in the captive’s eyes as their gazes locked. The intensity of the runaway’s glare shocked him.

  Thor averted his eyes to look at the leader. “What will happen to him now?”

  “Oh, Big Nat will be shown a thing or two about what happens to runaways. Mr. War
ren Eugene Davis don’t coddle his property. This one will learn that fairly soon.”

  Big Nat?

  Thor took a closer look at the captured man. He was older, darker and larger, but he bore a striking resemblance to the three children Thor led to Brown’s refuge. There was no doubt about it. He had to be the children’s father. Talk about luck. Now all Thor had to do was free Big Nat from the goons who had him.

  A posse of armed men and snarling dogs surrounded them. Some things were easier said than done. He’d have to use a little creativity. “Mr. Davis, you say?” he asked the leader.

  The man reared his head back and laughed. “I’m not Davis. I’m just the overseer’s son. Grady Falls at your service.”

  “Oh.” Thor made his voice sound disappointed. “I’ve been looking for the Davis plantation and have gotten badly lost. I hoped to make the man a business proposition. Do you think you and your men could show me the way?”

  “Sure.” Grady shrugged. “Those your horses back there? We don’t have any extras to spare unless you’re willing to double up.”

  Thor offered him a polite smile and shook his head. “That won’t be necessary. Just let me get my things.”

  * * *

  Willow handed Thor his saddle, blanket and canteen as soon he entered the shack. “Did you hear?” he asked.

  “We found him,” she said, her expression solemn, “and not a moment too soon. They’re taking him back to be punished. Probably whipped or beaten.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Thor went to her, brushing the wetness from her face. “I won’t let that happen.”

  She nodded and sniffled. “We’d better get out there.”

  “Willow, wait.” He stopped her from walking out the door. “Maybe you should go back to the Browns. Let me take it from here.”

  “I’ve come this far. I can’t turn back now. I’ll be okay, and don’t worry, I won’t say a word.” She pushed a few stray tendrils inside the lopsided hat she wore and gave him her spectacles. “How do I look? If I keep my head down and stay quiet, think I’ll still pass as a boy?”