Passionate Kisses

by Various

  Her heart broke to hear the helplessness in his voice. She shook him some more and even tried slapping him, but eventually, she just wrapped her arms around him, pinning his arms to his sides, and held him as tear-filled sobs racked him.

  She’d never seen the nightmare this strong. Could it be because of the exhaustion that had driven him to bed before she’d come? Whatever the reason, she couldn’t bear to see him suffer like this. She had to do something.

  Sunday night, the first time she’d come to his room when Haley hadn’t been in the house, she’d dared to awaken him with pleasure. Giving in to her desire had freed her from her dread of the fog and the regret she’d felt after caution had cost her precious time with him. It had also made her feel incredibly close to him. Maybe that closeness could bring him out of the nightmare tonight.

  It was worth a shot. Lifting up over him, she pressed kisses to his cheek and lips. She let her hands go from restraining to exploring and appreciating his strong arms and muscular chest through his shirt. She poured her affection and concern for him into physical contact, willing the nightmare away.

  When he didn’t respond but continued to whimper, she began to feel awkward. Seeing him suffer made sex the very last thing on her mind. She was torn between stopping and pressing forward, but when she tasted tears on his face, she knew she had to break the dream’s hold at any cost. Pushing past the awkwardness, she put her mouth over his ear and said, “Derek, I love you. Please let it go. Let the dream go and come back to me.” At the same time, she worked the button and zipper on his jeans and dipped her hand inside to cup his soft flesh.

  He paused in his sobbing as if straining to listen.

  Encouraged, she let her fingers gently stroke, and kept whispering. “It’s DG, Derek. Remember? Your dream girl? I’m here in your bed with you, wishing I had you back. Please, let the nightmare go and come back to me.”

  He hardened against her hand, but went back to sobbing and saying how sorry he was.

  She tried again. “I love you so much.” She meant every word. “I’m waiting for you. All you have to do is let the nightmare go. Just let it go, and I’ll make you feel incredible.”

  His sobbing stopped. “DG?” His eyelids still moved as if he were dreaming, but she was beating the nightmare back with her love.

  “It’s me. I’m here, and I want you. I want you so bad.”

  His brow furrowed with confusion. She imagined him looking around in his dream, searching for her. She threw caution to the wind and whispered in his ear exactly what she wanted to do to him. Then she scooted down and took bold liberty with his body.

  * * * *

  Rain beat down on Derek. A siren pulsed in the distance. He pumped the chest of the man he called daddy, counting to thirty before stopping only long enough to breathe into the man’s mouth. His stomach twisted with building dread as he worked. The CPR wasn’t working, but he couldn’t stop.

  A voice whispered through the night. “I love you,” it said. At first he thought it belonged to the man, but when he strained his ears to hear more, he recognized the voice. DG.

  He was dreaming, and she was trying to wake him up.

  He wanted to go to her, but the dream felt too real, the compulsion to keep pumping the man’s chest too strong. If he stopped, he’d be doubly responsible for the man’s death. He had to keep going, at least until the medics arrived.

  “I love you... I’ll make you feel incredible.” The words came with a gentle tug of pleasure to his dick. The dream turned from color to black and white. The rain still pattered around him, but he no longer felt drenched to the bone. He started to break free from the responsibility chaining him to the man.

  “I’m going to suck you, baby. I’m going to give you sweet dreams.” The pleasure turned molten.

  He hissed in a breath. The dream evaporated like steam from a mug of coffee. He opened his eyes to his bedroom and the press of DG’s hands on his hips. She had his jeans open and her lips wrapped around him. Hot. Her mouth was so fucking hot. A glint of naughty affection in her eyes punched through the dark.

  Sweet Jesus. What a wonderful way to wake up. Elation zinged through him, along with the unreal pleasure of what she was doing to him.

  He couldn’t have been asleep long, but the excitement of being with her again brought him fully awake with the giddiness of a kid on Christmas morning. His heart felt lighter than it had all day—hell, lighter than it had in a lot of years.

  His fingers found her bobbing head and tunneled into her soft hair. Her scalp was warm. Her mouth surrounded him with silky wet heat. Oh, God, her tongue pressing just there…fuck.

  He wanted to greet her, but couldn’t form words past the groans sawing from his throat.

  He should stop her—they needed to talk—but the part of his brain lost to this pleasure overrode the gentlemanly part. Her name tumbled from his lips as she brought him closer and closer and closer to the edge.

  “Look out,” he said through gritted teeth. His release hit him hard. Light exploded behind his eyelids as intense pleasure rocked him from head to toe. His hips bucked up, and his knees jerked. He worried he might hurt her, but she held on, her lips clamped around him. She took what no other woman ever had, and she did it greedily, like she couldn’t get enough of him.

  An instant later, she kissed his mouth, not giving him a chance to refuse her, not that he would have. She delved inside with her tongue as her body covered his. His taste and hers combined in a heady mix.

  He moved his hands all over her, caressing, squeezing, pulling her closer. They kissed for a while, hard at first, then softer as his breathing slowed.

  “So, I guess you’re not mad at me,” he said as her kisses wandered to his cheek, then his ear—oh man, the heat of her agile tongue around his earlobe had him getting hard again. How was that even possible?

  He felt her smile against his temple. “I think you’ve got enough anger bottled up in here for the both of us.” She circled her palm over the center of his chest.

  True. He carried around enough anger for a small town, and it had been doing nothing but getting him in trouble lately.

  “How do you feel, sweetheart?” He clicked on the lamp.

  She looked beautiful, as always. No trace of sickness marred her complexion. In fact, the insecure slant to her brows had been replaced by heavy-lidded satisfaction. She looked more sexually confident, like she’d taken a risk and was pleased with the results. He liked the look on her.

  “Fine,” she said as she snuggled into his side without a trace of insecurity. “But I’ll probably pass on any follow-up feasts you had in mind for tonight.”

  He rolled to put her beneath him. Her clothed breasts compressed beneath his weight. Heaven. He didn’t deserve another chance with this amazing woman, but he’d be damned if he’d screw it up again.

  “The only feasting I had in mind for tonight was on humble pie. I owe you an apology.”

  “Derek.”

  “No. Let me do this.” He traced the delicate strength of her cheekbones, the arches of her auburn eyebrows, her slender throat, which moved with a swallow as she closed her eyes to enjoy his touch. “I was trying so hard to learn something about you, I didn’t consider your safety. I made you sick. Can you forgive me?”

  “It wasn’t your fault. I wanted to eat. It was delicious. I felt normal for a change. I just wish I hadn’t destroyed your bathroom.” She blushed. “Or that I could have cleaned it up for you.”

  He shook his head. “You’re incredible. You know that?”

  She gave him questioning eyes.

  “I’ve never met anyone sweeter than you. I make you sick and you’re worried about my bathroom floor.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “Cleaning it up was awful, but only because I was hurting so bad for you. I couldn’t even hold you while you were going through that. And then what I said—it came out all wrong.”

  “I know.” She rubbed their noses together in a trusting move that turned his ins
ides gooey with happiness.

  Layers of rage melted away, leaving him raw and exposed. With anyone else, he would have insulated himself against the vulnerability with hurtful words, but not with DG. He wouldn’t hurt her. Never again. He didn’t think he could survive it.

  “You were hurting for me,” she said. “I knew that. I only wish I could have told you so.”

  The melon scent of her hair surrounded him like a fantasy, and her hands rubbed up and down his back under his t-shirt, sending tingles racing along his spine. Just like that, she’d forgiven him—no judgment, no arguments, just sweet acceptance.

  He had her forgiveness. Now he wanted her complete surrender. If he let another night go by without making love to her, he’d live to regret it.

  No more regrets with DG.

  He began unbuttoning her shirt.

  She nipped his earlobe like she wanted him to keep going. “You didn’t sleep this afternoon like you said you would, did you?”

  “How did you know?” he asked, not pausing in his task. When he finished, he spread her shirt and rubbed his hands up and down her trim torso, loving the cool satin of her skin.

  “You look awful.”

  He looked up to find her eyes sparkling with humor. “Oh, good. All the women in my life are in agreement. I look like crap. It’s official.”

  She propped herself up on her elbows. “You saw Haley, today? How did it go? Are you two okay?”

  His stomach tightened with the memory of Haley’s face pinched in pain. His poor little girl. “We’re okay. She forgave me. She broke her arm today. I spent a few hours with her at the hospital.”

  She sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry. Will she be alright?”

  He nodded. “Kids heal fast. She’s a trooper. Made me real proud today.”

  DG beamed. “She seems like a great kid.”

  “The best.”

  If only he could be a better dad to her. He’d started to repeat the mistakes his father had made with him and his brothers. But he wasn’t interested in dwelling on his faults right now.

  Right now all he wanted was to make DG feel as good as she’d made him feel. Then make her feel that good again. And again.

  Chapter 12

  Derek’s whole face softened when he talked about his daughter. His love for her was as obvious as his guilt. He’d mentioned Haley had forgiven him, but he clearly hadn’t forgiven himself. DG didn’t understand how that worked, how someone could continue to wallow in guilt even after they’d been forgiven. A person would have to hate himself more than he loved the person he’d wronged.

  She cupped his cheek. “You’re still upset with yourself, aren’t you?”

  He kissed her palm then shook his head slowly. “Honestly, the only thing I’m feeling right now is lucky to be with you. Lie back, sweetheart. I’m going to give you a good memory to take with you when you have to leave this morning.”

  The thought of leaving him hit her hard in the chest. She didn’t know if her heart could take another long separation from her dream guy. Their eyes locked, and she saw the words had the same effect on him. His mouth set in a grim line.

  “What’s happening to us?” she asked.

  He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “I don’t know. But I’m done wasting time. Aren’t you?”

  She nodded solemnly and arched her back to let him unhook her bra. As she sank back into the pillows, he stroked his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, drawing the straps down and sending warm tingles racing over her skin. The moment he’d freed her breasts, his hands covered them, caressing and weighing them. His face was reverent, his gaze dark with determination.

  He lowered his mouth to hers. When their lips touched, she moaned, wanting more than the sweet, slow kiss. He paid her reverence. She burned to be debauched.

  “Please,” she begged, lost to the need to be filled, heart, body and soul, by Derek.

  “Shhh. Let me.”

  He stroked his hands all over her, up and down her torso, over her hips, around to her back, languid strokes from her shoulder blades to her buttocks. He followed his touch with kisses until every inch of her knew what it meant to be worshipped.

  If she’d had her way, she would have missed this. Properly schooled, she lay back and let her tough construction worker have his tender way with her.

  The only sounds were the scrape of his callused hands over her skin, the rasp of clothing as he divested her of each piece one at a time, her gasps, and his occasional hum of approval as he pleasured her with everything at his disposal.

  At last, he settled between her legs, sent her a naughty grin and lowered his face to her most intimate place, where he proceeded to make her forget everything but delicious ecstasy. Even after an earth-shattering release, her serious, angry man persisted in his efforts to please her. He coaxed her higher and higher and anchored her to the bed with his strong hands as she came crashing down once more into purest bliss.

  He sat up between her legs, smug as the cat who knocked over the milk jug. She was so relaxed, she couldn’t move a muscle, didn’t want to move a muscle. She just lay there, sprawled and naked and utterly transfixed while he dragged his t-shirt over his head.

  She greedily devoured the sight of his tan skin, stretched over hard working muscle. His jeans were already open from earlier, and the V of his zipper perfectly framed the evidence that he’d fully enjoyed what they’d just shared. But the best sight of all was the look in his eyes, heavy with desire for her and tender with something she dared to hope might be love.

  Her movements clumsy, she helped him peel his jeans down his hips as he covered her body with his. She kneaded his firm glutes and skimmed her fingers up and down the warm skin of his back. She wanted to worship him as he’d worshipped her, but the intensity in his eyes spoke volumes. I will have you now, that look said. Right now.

  No argument from her.

  His mouth found hers and their tongues joined. With one hand, he guided himself to her center and pushed inside, stretching her with unapologetic intent, making them one. The amazing fullness felt so secure she wondered if the fog would lose its purchase on her. They froze like that and looked into each other’s eyes.

  Derek exhaled a rough curse.

  Thank God he’d turned the bedside lamp on earlier. She would remember the look on his face for the rest of her life…or death. Solemn passion bled from his every pore. Love shone in his brown eyes. Parting from him at dawn would break her.

  “You feel so good,” he said. Then he made love to her.

  Her heart soared as she locked her arms around him, her fingers clinging to his back. He held on just as tightly. All her dread of the fog and fear of being dead vanished, leaving only rightness.

  Pleasure zoomed up on her more quickly than she would have liked. Her body was a parched desert and Derek’s loving brought floodwaters rushing up from below to quench and nourish. She wanted it to go on forever, but the drenching fulfillment wouldn’t be denied.

  He knew. “Come on, sweetheart,” he murmured over her ear. “Let’s go there together.”

  His words brought her home. She cried out in mixed pleasure and determination not to let the fog steal her away again. A moment later, Derek followed, his arms tightening around her until she couldn’t conceive of ever being alone again.

  After several beautiful, quiet seconds, he whispered her name and brushed kisses over her face. Moisture on her cheeks told her she was weeping.

  “Don’t cry, baby girl,” he said. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

  “Don’t let go,” she said. “When dawn comes, don’t let go. I won’t leave you again.”

  “I won’t let go, sweetheart. I’m never letting go again.”

  As he smoothed her tears away with his thumbs, she noticed the gray circles under his eyes. Her own problems vanished in the face of his exhaustion. “You need to sleep.”

  “No. I won’t lose any time with you.”

  “You can’t keep this up.”<
br />
  He exhaled, clearly knowing he’d reached his limit.

  She wiggled out from under him and clicked off the light. He didn’t protest as she guided him to lie down, and stretched alongside him. Darkness and Derek’s scent surrounded her, along with his strong arms.

  “You’re right,” he said. “I need sleep, but I won’t let go. I promise.” Keeping one arm around her, he set his alarm for a few minutes before five AM. “I hate this.” He settled beside her, tucking her against him like a treasure. “We never have enough time.”

  “Whatever we have, it’ll have to be enough,” she said, her fingers stroking his forearm.

  “It’ll never be enough,” he murmured, already half asleep.

  The sound of his steady breathing created a soothing rhythm. Peaceful. But she would never be completely at peace until she knew the coming dawn wouldn’t rip her away from the one place she longed to be.

  * * * *

  Derek buried his nose in the cool silk of DG’s hair. Her melon scent curled around him and conspired with his sated body to drag him into oblivion. He didn’t want to go. He wanted to stay with his woman, wanted to make love to her again. Once was not enough. A thousand times wouldn’t be enough.

  But she was right. He couldn’t keep this up. He needed some serious shut-eye, even if the thought of going to sleep filled him with dread.

  “Every time I close my eyes, I have bad dreams,” he said, fighting the inevitable.

  “I’ll watch over you.” Her voice was a soothing balm.

  He knew she would wake him from the nightmares when he had them again, but that wasn’t the issue. The first nightmare, the one where he relived the accident from last Friday, always caused a dark feeling he had trouble naming in the pit of his stomach. And the other one, the one where he worked in vain to save the older man, that one left him feeling so damn empty he could hardly breathe. DG would wake him, but not before the nightmares did their worst. He didn’t think his psyche could take any more, and he knew his body needed hours of uninterrupted sleep.