Yes, You Can Keep Me (An Alpha Male Romance)

by Lacy Lane

  Her own breath shuddered as a wish flashed through her mind, and then he was making it come true without her speaking a word.

  His mouth was warm and soft and controlled against hers. He moved with a purpose, gently plying her lips until they parted with a sigh. Then his tongue darted into her mouth, tasting her, luring her tongue into his mouth to taste him.

  She moaned as he pushed her head back into the pillows. His fingers caressed her cheek again and then slid into her hair. It occurred to her that her bun and braid had long been released, that her locks hung around her bare shoulders, grazing the tops of her breasts.

  The blankets pooled in her lap. Cool air brushed over her chest, hardening her nipples. And then she was falling sideways, twisting until she was on her back.

  He lay on top of her, his arms framing her face. He continued the assault on her mouth, gently tugging her lower lip in between his teeth, licking at the spots he had nibbled. His fingers and then his mouth descended to her neck, teasing the sensitive skin behind her ear. And then around to the nape of her neck just below her hairline. And down to the dip where shoulder and neck gracefully joined.

  She shivered in delight, her hands rising to massage his thick arms through his shirt. Her fingers took on a mind of their own, sliding over the roughness of his cheeks and up into his hair. His luxuriously soft hair felt like silk and curled around her fingers, as if holding onto her as she held onto him. After several minutes, she forced them to abandon their play and moved down to the buttons at the flannel barrier between them.

  He gasped, stealing her breath when her fingers brushed the sides of the shirt open and touched his warm skin. His muscles rippled beneath her touch. Despite their firmness, they were still malleable under her fingertips. A muffled groan passed between them, his mouth moving harder against hers, his tongue diving in deeper as he pressed his pelvis against her.

  She returned the favor, arching up to meet his body, moaning her assent. He rewarded her by lowering his mouth to her breasts, taking one supple mound in his work-roughened hand and enclosing his lips around the erect nipple. Her breath came out in short gasps, her eyes staring at the ceiling but seeing nothing.

  He took his time, plying her breast as he had her mouth, moaning when her hands buried in his hair again. All thoughts slipped away. Her own hands had always aroused her when she needed release, but having someone else touch her breasts...and with such reverence...

  While he suckled one breast, he massaged the other, cupping it, squeezing it, and sending wonderful sensations straight down to her toes. He ran the flat of his tongue over her right nipple before kissing down the inside of her breast and moving across the supple valley to repeat the whole procedure on the other side.

  She felt the warmth and wetness growing between her legs, and her desire heightened as his free hand grasped her side, slowly stroking up and down, his fingers massaging her back, her waist, the outside of her breast. Her body fluttered, rising and falling in waves at his touch. The sounds coming from her mouth were a mixture of moans and gasps and unintelligible words.

  Any misgivings she'd had about their situation were wiped away when his hand settled over her bellybutton, his fingers grazing the top of her dark curls below. Her body rose up in a guttural moan. She may have been lonely and single, but she was no novice when it came to knowing what it took to bring herself release...and when she needed it.

  She whimpered, and he raised his eyes to hers. Without a word, he slid down her body, his fingers trailing along her skin as he went. She shivered, sucking on her bottom lip. Her legs fell open in invitation.

  When he finally reached her hips, he blew against her skin, making her jump. He glanced up at her one last time before he slid his shoulders up under her knees and rested her legs over his back.

  Ella had just inhaled when his mouth latched onto her pussy, his tongue flicking against her clit, making her scream and arch up to him. He spread her legs wider, giving himself more access to play. Her fingers clenched the sheets as she tried to remember to breathe.

  His tongue played havoc on her. Short licks around her clit, and long laps up and down her pussy. His tongue made deep plunges inside of her. She shivered and squirmed below him. All the while, his fingers traced the sensitive skin along the line where her legs joined her body, over her hip, and in the curve of her waist. All the places that normally might be ticklish, but with the right touch, they made her body tingle in prolonged pleasure.

  All she could do was moan and writhe beneath his torturously sweet ministrations, his hair brushing the insides of her thighs. When he propped her pelvis up with one hand under her lower back and slid one thick finger in and out of her rapidly, she froze mid-air, releasing a choked scream of ecstasy.

  The world was a dark ocean of unending pleasure for a few minutes as she floated on the crest of her orgasm and then drifted back down, coherent of his finger still stroking her—slower now—his other hand rubbing her stomach in circular motions. She whimpered when he finally slid his finger out of her and lowered her legs to the bed.

  "I'll be right back,” he promised, his voice husky with longing.

  Her body shivered at his absence, and she bit back a sudden desire to call to him. What would she say? She didn't even know his name.

  He returned in a moment with an ice pack, the sudden chill against her eye eliciting a sharp cry.

  "Shhhh. Go to sleep." He brushed his lips against hers and then against her forehead before he pulled the blankets over her and tucked her in. And then he laid next to her on top of the covers.

  She moaned and rolled onto her side, her sated body pressing against his warm presence behind her. Wondering if it had all been a dream.

  *******

  Ella stretched and yawned. The layers of blankets shifted over her. When she opened her eyes, she froze, forgetting where she was...why she was naked. And then her memory returned and she sighed, snuggling the covers up under her chin. Pale gray light spilled from the window beside the bed, confirming her suspicions that it was morning.

  Without looking, she knew that her rescuer was gone. There was an emptiness behind her, an absence of his pressure against her like it had been throughout the night. She remembered how he'd laid his arm across her waist, holding her to him while she drifted off. It had been an odd but wonderful feeling.

  She rolled over and stared through the doorway to the kitchen, now dark and empty. The previous night slowly replayed in her head, and she squeezed her legs together to repress the desire slowly building inside.

  A light flickered on. She propped herself up on her elbow. He was out there.

  She was certain now that she hadn't been dreaming. Her thoughts waffled between feeling an intense desire to repeat their little late-night episode and the guilt that she had let a stranger do that to her. Not to mention that she had probably ruined his holiday weekend. He had said her car was wrecked. How was she going to get home?

  The sudden sight of him made her suck in her breath. He stood with his back to her. Although a sweater hid his upper body, she could imagine every line and muscle if she closed her eyes. He had shoved the hands that had memorized her body into the front pockets of his tight jeans. He started to turn toward her, stopped, ran one hand back through his hair, and paced out of her line of vision. He returned several seconds later and repeated the process.

  After watching him for several minutes, she couldn't stand it any longer. When he disappeared again, she slid out from under the warm blankets, biting back a squeal as her bare feet touched the cold floor. Her clothes didn't appear to be in the room, but his flannel shirt was lying neatly folded across the arm of the chair. It smelled woodsy when she pulled it on, the cuffs falling past her fingertips, and the hem grazing her knees.

  The air was warmer on the other side of the kitchen. A living room—with a massive stone fireplace at its center and a sparkling Christmas tree decked out with red and green ornaments and gold tinsel at the far end—filled thi
s end of the house. She sighed when her feet sunk into a thick bearskin rug, and she tried not to laugh at the thought that, of course, there would be a rug of that nature in a place like this.

  He didn't seem to see or hear her as he continued his circuit, stopping at a window to look out at the snow, hanging his head as he shook it. He even seemed to look right through her when he turned. But then he jumped back and yelled.

  "Dammit, woman!" He doubled over, leaning against the back of the couch. "Don't sneak up on a person like that!"

  Ella bit her lip, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling. He just looked so good. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

  When he raised his head, his jaw hardened and something flashed in his eyes.

  Her stomach felt heavy at the look. He must be angry. Her accident had interrupted his plans, and now she was literally stealing the shirt off his back. She pulled the latter tighter around her. "If you would kindly point me to my clothes and a phone, I'll call for a ride out of here and leave you alone. I don't want to trouble you, especially at Christmas time. Thank you for your...um...hospitality." Her eyes dipped to his mouth on the last comment, but she pushed the subsequent thoughts—and memories—away.

  He rolled his eyes. "Your clothes are still wet, and the phone is out. No telling when someone will get out here to fix it."

  "Out here?" She shifted her weight and crossed her arms, leaning against the other end of the couch. "I believe I crashed on Maple Road, just about three miles from Franklin."

  His eyes darted down, lingered for a moment, and then returned to hers. She could see his jaw relax, the frustrated look on his face dissipating. "Honey, just because you crashed on the highway doesn't mean I live there."

  "But you said—"

  "I said it was lucky I was coming home when I did."

  "But your field—"

  He smirked. "I have lots of them."

  She threw back her head, groaning. "Where am I?"

  "Heaven,” he replied promptly, not even trying to hide his laugh. “At least you were as of last night."

  Her cheeks burned, and she had to stop herself from stomping her foot. "I'm serious!"

  "You're about twenty minutes from Maple Road...and the nearest house."

  The beams of the ceiling stretched high above her, glowing from the burning fire and the artificial lights on the tree. It wasn't a large house, but it was more than enough for one person. And it wasn't the worst possible situation. He could have left her in the car...or not have seen her at all. "So I'm stranded? With you?"

  "Trust me, I had other plans for the weekend." But his tone belied that he wasn't completely disappointed at her misfortune.

  She closed her eyes, frustrated with herself now. His voice alone made butterflies dance in her stomach. Why didn't she resist him last night? Just because they had such chemistry...

  The back of his fingers stroked her revealed neck, and her eyes flew open. There were icy flecks of blue that she could see now in the better light, but they were anything but cold. It was suddenly hard to swallow. She staggered back and lost her balance. His arm slipped around her waist, hugging her against him, and keeping her from tumbling to the floor.

  He didn't move for at least ten seconds. When she put her hand to his chest to free herself, his mouth descended on hers. His arms tightened around her, one on her waist, the other around her neck, his fingers buried in her bed head hair.

  She could only moan, feeling his body pressing against hers, the heat of him instantly warming her while also making her shiver. Her eyes closed again as she fell into the sensation, gasping against his mouth when he pulled her around the side of the couch and they landed on the cushions, him on top.

  He broke the kiss to move to her neck, and she managed to find her voice. "I don't even know your name." She shuddered as he spoke against her skin, his hot breath and the vibrations of his voice mixing into a wonderful sensation. "I'm sorry..."

  He pulled away and murmured, "Luke."

  "Ella." She tangled her fingers into his hair and guided his mouth back to her neck.

  He mumbled something else against her skin. She moaned, not caring what he'd said, and tilted her head to the side to give him more area to work with. At some point, she realized his hand had gone south, opened the shirt that she had pulled on, and was cupping her bare breast, sending delightful sensations down between her legs. Part of her wanted his mouth to join his hands, just like before, but she was thoroughly enjoying what his lips, teeth, and tongue were doing to her ears, neck, and shoulders.

  She let her own hands wander, although his sweater was a hindrance to reaching what she really wanted. He seemed to sense her frustration and broke his onslaught long enough to remove the barrier. Free to roam, her fingers clawed at the thick muscles in his arms, his chest, and his back.

  "Shhhh, Ella." He withdrew again and stilled her hands. "Don't rush it."

  He was one to talk. She looked up at him, feeling tears in her eyes. Damn her self-restraint. Her body pulsed with desire, every nerve ending on fire, wanting his hands everywhere all at once. Wanting him.

  He brushed her hair back from her forehead and leaned down to kiss her temple beside the bandage. "Don't move."

  She shuddered when he stood up, his muscles straining and flexing deliciously as he hurried around the room. He gathered and laid a pile of blankets on the rug in front of the fire. Several pillows joined them.

  She had pushed herself up on her elbows to watch. Now, his eyes settled on her naked body, framed in his shirt. He groaned and then chuckled.

  "Dammit, woman. You look like a present delivered on my doorstep, and I just peeled back the wrapping paper. I must have been a good boy this year."

  This couldn't be real. Snowed in with a gorgeous stranger, and nothing to do but make out by the fire? Not in her lifetime. She slowly licked her lips, thrusting her breasts out to tease him.

  "Funny, I was thinking the same thing. But right now, I'm feeling very naughty."

  "Well, thank God for that!"

  Luke was back at her side and scooped her up into his arms. Her skin prickled with goosebumps as he settled her onto the rug and then crawled between her legs, tilting her head back to kiss her.

  Their tongues teased back and forth, tasting and exploring the heat of each other's mouth, grazing over the sharpness of teeth. Her hands stroked his biceps, feeling the taut muscles as he supported himself over her. Warm air slipped inside the open shirt and caressed her aching nipples. A soft moan was all the hint he needed, his weight shifting as he slid one hand down her side, cupped her hip, and then slid back up to massage her breast. Her sighs of approval only encouraged him to continue his play.

  She didn't know how long they were lying there half-naked before a fire and a Christmas tree, trapped by snow in a cabin, but she didn't care. She was happy to stay there forever if the atmosphere remained the same.

  He lifted himself up suddenly and slid a hand between them. Ella sucked in her breath, waiting for his fingers to touch her, but he didn't. Instead, she realized he was undoing his jeans, and her heart raced at the thought. She looked away, struggling to draw air into her lungs.

  "Are you okay?" His breath tickled her ear, making her shiver.

  She nodded, biting her lower lip. It would be lying to say she hadn't secretly hoped for what was coming next. The thought of giving herself to him didn't faze her, but that thought did worry her a little. She must have hit her head harder than she suspected. Where were her sensibilities?

  Despite her insistence to see this through, she was still scared. Scared that he might hurt her. Scared that she wouldn't measure up to his expectations. Scared that this really was just a dream, that she was probably still crashed in her car on the side of the road, unconscious...

  His palm cupped her cheek, turning her eyes to his again. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. "Do you want me to stop?"

  She blinked slowly and whispered with a shaky breath, "No
."

  "I'll be gentle." Luke pressed his mouth more firmly to hers, still holding her head with one hand. His other one slid down her body, taking time to heighten all of her sensations by teasing her breast, her nipple, her side, her waist, her hip. And then his hand moved between them, lightly flicking her clit and making her jump.

  He chuckled into her mouth, licking at her tongue. His finger mirrored the action down below, delving into her wetness.

  Ella moaned, arching her pelvis up to him, but he pressed her flat against the floor again. She closed her eyes and had to remind herself to keep breathing when she felt his fingers searching deeper than last night, realizing how tight she was—and why. But he said nothing, just continued kissing her, continued stroking her, continued stretching her open.

  His fingers retracted for only a moment, his weight shifted on her, and then she felt his erection pressing against her. He grasped her leg, pulling it up so she had her knee bent and her foot was buried in the softness of the blankets. A little pressure against her inner thigh to make her legs spread wider, and then he gently pushed into her.

  Her heart seemed to catch in her throat, her body automatically responding as she arched up to him, drawing the head of his erection into her. She whimpered and gripped at his arms, thankful that he had stopped, but also wishing he'd just get it over with.

  Luke broke the kiss and stroked her temple again, carefully tracing her black eye. "Shhhh, Ella. It's okay. I know." His other hand slid under her lower back, cupping her ass. His eyes met hers and held her gaze. And then he shifted once more, pushing hard until he had fully penetrated her.

  It hurt. A lot. She arched her head back and cried out, clenching her eyes closed, her fingers digging into his skin.

  He was bigger than she had imagined. Then again, she hadn't actually seen his cock before he decided to put it inside of her. He groaned when he twitched inside of her wetness and her body responded by squeezing around him. But he didn't try to pull out. Pleasure slowly replaced the receding pain. Blissful pleasure she had never thought possible.