by S. K. Yule
She smiled. “Thank you. Now let’s enjoy the time we have together,” she said, playfully slapping his hand away.
After unfastening his jeans, his erect cock sprang free, and her mouth watered. Trailing her finger along the prominent vein on the underside, the hard steel covered with velvety skin was a welcome promise that all of the longing, all of the restless nights of wanting him, would soon come to a blessed end. Working the wet denim over his hips, she knelt. Encircling him with her hand, she licked the crown with a slow curl of her tongue, eliciting a moan from him. The fact that she was giving him pleasure sent shivers of joy through her body. Picking up a slow stroking rhythm with her hand, she tongued him to a perfect beat only she could hear.
“Krista.” He tugged her up to stand in front of him.
Cupping her nape, he kissed her, a gentle and lazy exploration. He reached for the front of her towel, and with a flick of his wrist, it pooled at her feet. When he cupped her breast, rubbing the sensitive peak of one nipple with his thumb, a mewl of pleasure escaped her lips. His touch was an intoxicating mix of wickedness and pleasure, a potion that made her body sing and vibrate in need. Each stroke of his fingers sent a rush of heat and moisture between her thighs, the place that ached for him most.
Easing his hand along her hip then around to her mound, he covered her then slid a finger along her damp folds and up to her clit before returning. Each caress, each slide of his sinful fingers coaxed the pressure inside her to build. The moist heat from her body coated his finger, allowing it to slide over her with ease. With the legs of his pants still around his ankles, he shook them off then knelt in front of her and placed his mouth against her wet sex.
Placing his thumbs on each side of her labia, he eased her open, exposing every inch of her to his questing tongue. When he probed deep, then up and around her clit before returning inside, her knees turned to jelly. He ate her, laving and sucking until the tension building low in her stomach became almost too much to bear, and she gripped his head, holding him against her.
“Landon!”
He stood, picked her up, and backed her against the door. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he cupped her ass with his hands, holding her as though she weighed nothing.
“You can’t imagine how many times I’ve fantasized about doing this to you, sugar.” He bent his head and took a nipple into his mouth.
“Oh!” She rested her head against the door and closed her eyes. “I can definitely imagine.” The torture of his wicked tongue sent aftershocks of trembles through her body, one after another.
When he shifted, his cock pressed against her opening, and her inner muscles clenched in anticipation of welcoming all of that delicious hardness. Grasping his shoulders, she dug her nails into sinewy muscles.
When the head of his cock eased inside, he stopped. “You’ve teased me for too long, sugar.”
“Only because I lo-like you so much.”
“It’s been unbearable being so close to you for so long and not touching you.” He grunted as he slid in another inch.
“Enough with the teasing.” The frustration of wanting him buried deep inside beat at her, and she clawed at his back. “Do it now. And don’t be gentle.” Kissing him, she bit his bottom lip, drawing it into her mouth and sucking the droplet of blood she’d brought to the surface. Putting her mouth close to his ear, she whispered, “I like it rough.”
He growled then pinned her arms to the door after slightly bending his knee to support her weight. They both cried out when he slammed his hips up, seating his cock where they both longed for it to be.
“Fuck,” he said between clenched teeth, as tremors shook his body.
“Don’t stop.” She squirmed against him.
He retreated then slammed into her, pushing her a few inches up the door. She’d wanted him for what seemed like forever, and now that she finally had him inside her, her body was on pleasure overload. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her climax neared.
He released her hands, wrapped his arms around her lower back, and laid his cheek against her chest, taking one nipple into his mouth, teasing, licking, and nipping. She locked her fingers behind his nape and held him to her as he began pounding into her. With each thrust of his hips, her cells sang, and her body tightened around him, preparing for release.
“You feel so good. I don’t know how I stayed away from you as long as I did,” he murmured.
“Because you’re a stubborn man of few words,” she gasped around each word as he continued to pound into her. “I’m going to come soon.”
Her body clenched tighter, and his thick cock dragged along every nerve ending in her slick channel, each roll of his hips increasing the pleasure and pressure inside her until she thought her skin might split open.
“Come for me then, sugar.” He thrust home. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Two more strokes of his hips, and the dam broke. The pressure erupted from deep near her core, her body tingled to the point of pain as ecstasy burst through every pore, and from her lips escaped a keening cry of climax. She sobbed and rode the tidal wave of bliss. It wasn’t long until he did as promised, clutched her harder, and bellowed out his own release.
When his hot seed jetted inside her, her muscles clamped around him, milking him of every last drop. Once the waves began to recede, he carried her to the bed. Tumbling her onto her back, he covered her with his big body and kissed her.
“I’ll never get enough of you, sugar,” he said, before licking one nipple after cupping it in his hand.
When his growing cock nudged her, her eyes widened. “Already?”
“That’s what you do to me.”
“Are you sure you feel up to this? You were just burning up with fever a while ago.” She’d be happy to make love to him all night, but not at the cost of his health.
“I’m sure I’m up for it.” His eyes darkened with passion before he flipped her to her stomach.
He traced her spine with one finger, his lips following in their wake, and she moaned. When he reached her ass, he kneaded her cheeks, and she savored his warm, stimulating caresses that stoked her higher than she thought possible.
Guiding her onto her hands and knees, he pushed her legs wide and knelt behind her. He pushed into her, and she closed her eyes, knowing she’d never let go of him. He was hers, and Brady would just have to accept it.
* * * *
When Krista awoke the next morning, she yawned then stretched. When memories of being with Landon took a leisurely stroll through her head, her body tingled. When she saw he wasn’t in bed, she frowned, wondering where he was. Her question was soon answered when the bathroom door opened to reveal a fully clothed Landon with damp hair.
She propped herself up on one elbow. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Fine.”
“Is your fever gone?”
“Yes.”
Oh Good. Back to the same old wordy Landon. “Something wrong?”
“No.”
“Okay.” She sat up, and the sheet slipped off one breast. He cast a quick glance at her then groaned before heading for the door. “Are you going to let me take a look at your injury to make sure it’s healing properly?”
“It’s fine. Get dressed,” he called over his shoulder. “We need to get on the road.”
“We can’t get on the road. The truck is in the shop,” she shouted at the closed door to no avail.
Sighing, she flung herself back on the pillow. Great. Every girl’s dream. To wake up the next morning to the man she’d made love to the night before only to be treated as though she had the plague. Flinging the blankets off, she started for the bathroom. This is so not going to be good.
Chapter Six
It had taken every ounce of Landon’s willpower to keep from climbing into bed with Krista and making love to her again. And when the blanket had slipped and exposed the perfection of one creamy breast... The need he’d kept suppressed for so long slithered th
rough him like a relentless itch he longed to scratch, and he closed his eyes. The rush of yearning that assaulted his body nearly buckled his knees.
Anger and guilt rode him hard. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He was not sorry about making love with her. How could he ever be sorry for that? He was sorry about the circumstances. I should have never slept with her until we talked to Brady. If Brady was against them being together, and they decided to pursue a relationship anyway, at least Landon had tried to do the right thing...and still cause even more mistrust and possibly betray his sister, yet again?
This way was a coward’s way. He owed Krista more than a tawdry roll in the sack in a cheap motel behind her brother’s back. Landon had fallen in love with her months ago, and the woman he loved deserved more than he’d given her.
Everything about the situation pissed him off. They were both consenting adults and should be able to choose who they wanted to be with. In reality, they did have that option, but that option could carry great burden if Brady flipped his shit.
And Landon wouldn’t blame Brady if he did. Too many things were against them. Age, Landon’s betrayal of Nyssa, no matter how unintentional... He and Krista being together created the possibility, at worst, of dividing the family he’d gotten back only a short time ago. But the alternative, living a life without her, would be torturous.
The right thing to do would be for him to keep his hands to himself until they returned and told Brady. The right thing would have been to keep your hands off her altogether.
“I don’t understand why we had to come and sit here for two hours,” Krista looked at her watch. “And another two to go, at least, before it’s finished, according to mechanic boy over there.” She jerked her head toward the glass dividing them and the cars being repaired where a kid who appeared to be nineteen or twenty was working on the truck.
“There’s a diner next door. If you want, we can go grab a bite, and—”
“Talk?” She raised one brow. “No. Can’t, because you don’t do that much, do you?”
He sighed. “Look, Krista.”
“No. You look. If you regret last night, fine. But don’t act as though it never happened.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
He leaned closer and spoke quietly. “I don’t regret what happened last night. It’s just the circumstances are all fucked up. We’ll figure it out. Okay?”
“Sure. I’m going to the diner.” When he stood, she said, “Alone.”
She stormed out of the repair shop, and he didn’t miss the way mechanic boy checked her out as she went. Landon glared at the kid, and when he turned red and dropped the wrench from his right hand, Landon smiled in satisfaction.
A pissed off family was one thing, but a pissed off woman... Not only pissed off, he’d hurt Krista. He hadn’t meant to, but damn it. He was no good at relationships. Time to learn, or I’m going to fuck up everything. If he hadn’t already.
* * * *
Krista had been sipping on hot cocoa and reading her e-reader for nearly two hours. At least she’d been pretending to read anyway. Her mind was too focused on other things. Yeah. If by other things you meant Landon.
Why hadn’t he come after her? Shouldn’t men know by now that when a woman got pissed and stormed off, he was supposed to go after her and confess to his jerky ways?
She took another sip of the re-filled, lukewarm chocolate. Confusion muddled her brain. She’d wanted nothing more than to make love to Landon for months. Now that it had finally happened, she wished it hadn’t. Not because it hadn’t been everything she’d fantasized about. His touch had been like nothing she’d ever experienced. He’d given her more pleasure than she thought possible. Her body hummed at the mere memory. And she certainly did not wish it hadn’t happened because she regretted it, but...he did. He said he didn’t, but she wasn’t stupid.
Just as she thought the day couldn’t get any worse, the two assholes from the truck stop, the ones who had run them off the road, walked in the front door. Anger scorched her, and she fought to keep her cat from bursting to the surface. Sometimes, when strong emotions assaulted her, it was difficult to keep the lynx down, but her kind never exposed what they were to people unless there was no other choice. Shifting in front of people always carried high risk of exposing her species and placing them in danger.
Trying her best to ignore them and hoping neither of them would notice her, she concentrated on her e-reader. Of course, even after everything that had happened, neither of them could leave well enough alone.
Both men slid into the booth opposite her. “Whew wee. Look what we got here, Chip,” black haired guy said.
“I see, Dave.” Chip smirked.
She snorted. She figured their names would be Bubba and Tiny, or something of that nature, to better fit their idiotic IQs.
“What’s funny, bitch?” Dave tapped his finger on the table.
Obviously ignoring these guys would never work. Setting her e-reader down, she stared at them both. “What’s funny is that you accosted me then ran me and my friend off the road, which could have killed us, and now, here you are again. Have you ever heard of prison? Because if you two don’t fuck off right now, that’s where you’ll be going after I call the police.”
She wished she still had her cellphone. Pulling that bad boy out and punching in 9-1-1 for them would emphasize her threat.
“Damn. No need to get those panties of yours in a bunch, sweetheart,” Chip said.
“Mmm. I bet they’re pink or maybe black with a whole lot of lace,” Dave said before running his tongue over his bottom lip.
Her stomach lurched in disgust. “Excuse me,” she said to a nearby waitress. “Can you please call the police for me?”
Chip and Dave stood, fury dancing in both sets of eyes. “Who needs an uptight bitch who doesn’t know how to have any fun anyway,” Dave said before they both slunk off to a booth in the opposite corner.
Brushing the waitress off, Krista worked on calming her anxiety and anger. She finished her chocolate, refusing to allow them to think they’d gotten to her. She paid her bill then made her way to the door. She was on her way across the parking lot when she realized she’d forgotten to leave a tip. She made her way back inside to find her waitress and gave her the money before exiting the diner once again.
As soon as she rounded the corner to cross over to the repair shop, she was grabbed and dragged to the back of the diner.
“Now what are you gonna do, bitch? I don’t see your bodyguard around to protect you anymore,” Dave said beside her ear, his foul breath making her gag.
“Let me go, and I promise I’ll only hurt you a little instead of kill you,” she squeezed the words through clenched teeth.
Chip laughed as he came to stand in front of her. Grabbing his crotch and making a rude gesture, he sneered at her. “The only thing that’s gonna be hurting is you when I get done.”
The thought of either one of them touching her in a sexual manner made her gag again. “Seriously, I’m going to puke if you don’t quit touching me, you skeevy pig.”
Chip backhanded her. He’d split her lip as indicated by the taste of blood. Her mouth had never been her friend—sassy, bold, and gave little thought to letting people know how she felt. Although, in hindsight, she had to admit that a situation as this might call for calculation and smarts rather than a sarcastic mouth.
She could easily take them both in lynx form, but she couldn’t shift in front of them unless there was no other way to escape. Guys like these, ones with big mouths—no matter how dumb—had a penchant for drawing attention even to the most ludicrous stories. The only way to keep them shut up was to kill them, and she didn’t want to get that drastic unless it became the only option. She stomped hard on Dave’s foot then kicked him in the knee. He went down, cursing, and she ran, but she didn’t get far.
Chip was on her in an instant, pinning her face to the concrete before wrenching her arm behind her back so hard it brought tear
s to her eyes. Her cat screamed for release, but before she allowed it to surface, cold metal dragged against her skin as Chip slit her shirt and coat up the back. Even if she changed now, she might still be stabbed to death.
For the first time, terror steamrolled her. She opened her mouth to scream, but just as the sound began to emerge from her throat, Dave had recovered enough to shove a piece of fabric between her lips.
“I get to go first this time,” Dave sneered at Chip.
“No! You went first last time.”
“What the fuck does it matter? We’ve done this so many times, we’re both gonna have a good time.”
“If it doesn’t matter, I go first then,” Chip said in triumph.
Their conversation made her stomach churn. How many other women had they done this to, and what exactly did they have planned. Rape? But would they just leave her when they were done, or was murder in the plan, too?
She frantically searched in her line of vision for some way out of this mess, but no one was around, and the back of the building was only a few snow-covered feet from a patch of dense forest. Would Landon find her body? Because she was sure at this point they’d kill her when they finished having their little demented party. Would her death ruin Landon’s chance at having his sister back in his life? She didn’t want to be the cause of more pain for him or Nyssa. And Brady... She closed her eyes and swallowed hard.
Brady would never forgive himself for this. He would blame himself for sending her with Landon so he could spend some time with Nyssa. She’d never want any of them to blame themselves for her death—life was too unpredictable for blame in situations as these—but what she wanted and what they’d do, she was certain, were two different things. Not only did she want to live, she didn’t want to be the cause of pain to everyone she loved in the world.
Anger surged through her, and she began bucking and fighting for her freedom. Chip grabbed a fistful of her hair and bounced her forehead off the concrete. Stars danced before her eyes, and blackness shadowed her peripheral vision. Her stomach churned again, and tears streamed down her cheeks. When Chip placed the blade under the waistband of her pants, she closed her eyes, praying for redemption. A split second later, she got it.
