Mission For Love (Love By Design Book 6)

by M. C. Cerny

  “Let me take care of you? Tonight. Please.”

  “School.” I said but his fingertips touched my lips silencing me.

  “I’ll bring you home in plenty of time to change and decide. Whatever you want.” His promise meant slow. Slow wasn’t easy because I couldn’t just walk away from slow. Slow meant leaving cute notes in swirly script and taking this further despite my reckless reservations. It meant dates, friend circles, farmer’s markets, and eventually family dinners. I could blame the alcohol tomorrow. Tonight, I wanted David and his offer of slow.

  Unable to verbalize past the lump in my throat, I nodded yes. David set out to undress me from every article of clothing I wore. He was methodical and the gentle brushes of his hands against my skin flamed a restless need for him to hurry up. Despite my protests, he seemed to slow down even more. I was left in my panties and he in his boxer briefs when we got to the issue of my leg. I moved to take care of it, but David’s hands reached for mine and I let him explore that too.

  “I did a lot of research about this.” He said running his hands up and down the frame and joint. As if he knew my secret desire to know what it felt like on skin he moved his hand to my other leg and repeated the exploration. His fingers traced the groove of muscles and bones.

  “You don’t have too.” My hands touched his.

  His eyes never left my face as he spoke. “I want to Kiara. This is a part of you, and it makes you beautiful, strong, and brave.” His apt hands reached for the button that would unclick the pin connecting. He gently pulled it off and placed it carefully on its side. His eyes didn’t waver, there was no morbid curiosity only a desire to care. He pulled the combination liner and silicone cover off.

  “It’s like trying to explain what ice cream is like to a person without a tongue.” I said reaching to run my fingers over his short hair, my nails scraping gently.

  David’s tongue darted out and he licked my knee, eyes keen and mischievous before he kissed it tenderly. It’s oddly sexy, unexpected, and pulls me under his spell. His hands slide up either side of my legs, his fingers pinching into the divots at my hips. He stands and lifts me with him, My legs wrapping around his waist.

  “In we go.” He opened the shower door and sits inside the steam and pulsating water on the built in seat inside the shower. He placed me on his lap and lathered his hands with body wash.

  “Is this a full service treatment?” I chuckled and then moaned as his hands run over my breasts and over my back covering me in his scent.

  “It can be whatever you want it to be. I just want to spend it with you. Please don’t disappear in the morning.” David’s kiss this time is urgent and I’m shifted over his lap to straddle him. I understood now why he left our bottoms intact. He would have been sliding home if he could. Instead we ground against each other taking the friction as pleasure drawing out every last drop of need between us until we’re in a mindless frenzy.

  “Are we clean enough?” I huffed between kisses and water sluicing our bodies.

  “Yes, god, yes.” David stands and turned off the water. He’s grabbed fluffy towels and dried us off before hoisting me in his arms. I’m deposited on his bed when he crawls over top of me as if he’s afraid I’ll sneak off. I don’t blame him. I haven’t shown him that I’m good at staying put.

  “I like you on top.” I tell him pulling his body down on mine skin to skin.

  “I’m that obvious, huh?” He snorted reaching in the nightstand for a condom.

  “Only to me, David.”

  He rolled the condom down and I opened my legs to invite him. He pushed forward in a slow roll and I liked it. I’d been missing something for sure and David aimed to show me exactly what that was with every thrust. I couldn’t hold back and neither could he as our combined orgasm took us over the edge and into oblivion.

  We kissed until our lips were puffy and raw. I fell asleep in his arms more content than I’d ever been. It replaced my love for flying over the track. It surpassed standing on any podium winning a race. It was the closest thrill to ringing the bell on cancer. David showed me what love was supposed to look like when the person stayed thorough all the challenges and I wanted to wake up next to that.

  17

  David

  As promised, I dropped Kiara off at home and she commented on my stalker like abilities. It was cute and the high of being with her carried me through the rest of the day and football practice. She even waved hello at me in the hallway during classes and I considered that a huge win. When I drove the cart out to the football field and track, she hopped in and rode with me as students observed. Internally, I fist pumped the air and shouted she was all mine. We had a game this weekend and she had a cross country meet. Our athletic seasons would soon be winding down and I was eager to have her attention devoted to me.

  It was the sweet to my day until I came home and opened the accounting program to find the pit my brother had been good at hiding from me until now. I had a few options which included the temptation of calling our parents to set him straight. We’d been through too much as a family to keep doing this with him.

  I found Andy behind the bar helping Pedro with the rush crowd.

  “I know what you do with slush fund every month. I wish you’d stop pretended and just say it, Andy.”

  He was aggravating on a good day. I hated seeing him so wounded over this girl who left him the way she did. Part of me wanted to track her down and shake some sense into her, give my brother the closure he deserved. I wanted him to move on and be happy. I wanted my brother back, not the fake imposter that stood here in front of me lying about his feelings and pasting a smile on his face.

  I was tired of dealing with elephants in small bars.

  “What do you want me to say? That I miss her? That I love her? That she’s like this North Star I can’t stop looking up in the sky for?”

  I wanted to hit something hard. I fisted my hands and tried the breathing exercise from the yoga class to calm my racing heart and the heat that rushed to my head every time I thought about her. There wasn’t much that riled me, not even Viola and her lies.

  “She’s been gone a long time and you’ve been punishing yourself ever since. It’s hard to watch and harder to stomach. I’m losing my brother to something I can’t stop.”

  “David.” Andy wore this defeated look which made me hate his girl even more. Since I found Kiara and a bit of happiness I couldn’t bear for him to miss out on something special. He deserved better than a damaged girl who refused to give him closure. I knew she was a sadist, but I didn’t think she’d hurt him this bad.

  “I need you to say it.”

  “Say what? Say that the extra money I make goes to keeping her safe?”

  “I know you hired a private detective to keep tabs on her. Why not just go get her and bring her home?” It made the most sense even if it broke several laws.

  “Kidnapping is a federal offence across state lines. I’m pretty sure our mother would frown on that.” He said putting his focus on wiping the spots from the baller glasses before putting them away.

  “You want me to go and get her?” Because I would. I’d drag Sierra Occho back kicking and screaming if I could.

  “No thanks.” He was in deep torturing himself because he couldn’t save a girl. I wasn’t sure she even was worth saving, but convincing him otherwise wasn’t happening.

  “No. I mean, go to her. End it. Get some fucking closure. Get laid. Just don’t do nothing.” I knew I could plead with him until I was blue in the face, but I had to try. If our mother knew what this girl was putting Andy through her heart would be broken.

  “She’s been hurt by everyone in her life. I wouldn’t be doing anything different by demanding something she can’t give me.”

  I threw my hands up in the air convinced my brother had imbibed too many hops or grain alcohol to argue with him.

  “She’s keeping you from finding your own slice of happiness.”

  “David, when
I say that Sierra is my North Star, I mean it. She is my everything and maybe one day I’ll be ready to let go, but not today, and not tomorrow, and not anytime soon.”

  I let that go, but not the private detective shit. I didn’t want some stranger doing work I could be doing for free.

  “Fine.” I said laced with frustration, but determined to see this through.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Call off your dog. I’ll do it, and I won’t even charge you for it.”

  He huffed. “David.”

  “Andy.” I growled prepared to go back and forth with my brother all night long over this. We had too many sleepless nights as a family taking care of this girl. If Andy wasn’t done with her, fine, but I didn’t know how long I could support him on this fools mission. When I was serving in the military I wasn’t around to see the totality of his anguish. I wasn’t going to let my brother waste another decade of his life when he could be happy with someone else. Someone who was worthy of him.

  His head hung low and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I think what you’ll find will only make you despise her more than necessary. This is my money, and my choice. Let it go, David. You have a girl and I have mine.”

  “More than what I heard Damien and Chase talk about?” I referred to the bachelor party. Apparently what happens in Vegas becomes sewing circle gossip with the guys.

  “Damien didn’t want to tell me and I get why, but I already knew. It hurts, but what else is she going to do for money out there.”

  “So that’s it? You’re fine with her prostituting?” Sometimes Andy was stupid-stubborn.

  “No, but I’m pretty sure she’s not doing that. I know she’s dancing and while I don’t like it, it makes her feel in control and I can’t take that away from her. Her entire life was about people controlling her and making choices for her. Can you really blame a girl for bucking authority? Running away? All she ever wanted was a fresh start.”

  “I couldn’t do that.” I huffed. Clearly this was the conversation to nowhere with him and why we were more like oil and water than blood.

  “I know, that’s why I’m asking you to not look her up, to not try to find things out. I’ve got Jason on it and that’s all I need right now.” He mentioned the detective and I made a note to look him up also.

  “Mom would fucking freak.”

  “This is also why we’re not telling her. This is my business and my shit with Sierra.” Andy wiped down the bar like this nothing but a normal conversation.

  “So hands off?”

  “One hundred percent.”

  I glared at him.

  “Please.” He said.

  It galled me to let this go. Andy didn’t ask me for anything and as much as I hated giving him this when I knew I could do a better job than this Jason guy, I gave it to him.

  “I hate this.”

  Andy clapped me on the back.

  “I know you do, but I know you’re the best man next to dad. Besides, you got the girl. Enjoy it and don’t fuck it up.”

  “Ah geez. Quit pulling the fucking dad card, you asshole.” We shared a good laugh and I let it go for now. I had dates to plan and a girl to see if she let me.

  18

  Kiara

  David Easton was determined to get what he wanted which seemed a lot like me, naked or some variation of. He waltzed into my house with a sack of groceries smelling like he just showered and my panties were on a crash course to a monsoon season.

  In the last two weeks we worked through an October heatwave between the sheets amidst prime pumpkin season and the turning of leaves. Something my leggings and boots appreciated deeply.

  “What’s that?” I pointed at the bag attempting to keep my cool without fanning myself in his presence while he unloaded salad mixings and steaks.

  “Something for later.” He mused making grand gestures in filling my refrigerator when I wanted him filling other things first. I guess we were doing this now after all. Awkward flirty subtext conversation amidst thick slabs of protein.

  “Staying for dinner?” I probed leaning against my counter wondering where this was going. I didn’t have objections per say, but the man had better start cooking or commencing having his way with me.

  “More like starting with dessert.” He put down the last of the groceries and eyed me up like he hadn’t eaten in weeks. He eyes and body stalked me like a starving lion anticipating the lunge and pounce on his prey.

  “David.” I put my knife down cutting the veggies I’d been prepping anyway when he walked in.

  He smiled. “Kiara.”

  “David.” I warned. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t be in the mood to be chased but he was persistent and convinced me easily.

  “Kiara.” David followed my name up by stalking me around my kitchen. I could have backed away, but who were we kidding, I wanted this as much as he did.

  “What are you doing?” I demanded again watching the glint in his eyes and the way he licked his lips giving me a once over. I wasn’t a piece of meat, but you’d never know by the hungry look in his eyes.

  “I told you, baby. Dessert. First. Life is too short to wait for the good things and I want you now.”

  I made a non-committal noise and stood still as he picked me up and placed me on the counter. He shoved lettuce to the floor and let my tomatoes roll bouncing against the floor. I peered over and saw a few had squirted all over the tile and sighed shaking my head.

  “Messy boy.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. It was easier to surrender in this case.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll clean it all up. All of it.” He jerked his chin and I had a feeling he meant more than just the mess the vegetables made. I rubbed my thighs together creating the friction I needed to ease my ache.

  He grabbed my knees and gently pulled them apart so he could make room for his wide hips. The air tickled my legs and licked a cool path to my core forcing the muscles to clench tight.

  “Waste of some good produce.” I murmured as David reached up under my skirt I’d changed into when I got home to yank my panties down. The cotton and lace scrapped my skin in a delicious wave of rough against soft.

  “I’ll make it worth a second trip to the farmer’s market.” He flipped my skirt up and kissed my inner thigh. He supported the extra weight of my leg and then started licking me gently while he pushed me back over the counter. “I’m just so hungry for this fresh sweet cream.” He groaned against me and proceeded to lick and suck my pussy while pressing my clit gently in slow circles that made me jerk up to feel more of his talented tongue against me.

  “Think I’m good right here.” I moaned into the next set of licks as David did exactly as he promised cleaning up the kitchen from top to bottom.

  “We’re missing something important.” He nipped my inner thigh and pressed a thick calloused finger inside me twisting the digit until he was hooked against my inner wall and the sensation made me a wet quivering mess.

  “David.” I squealed letting my feelings shift to autopilot while he had his wicked way with me. There was time to examine what this all meant, but for now it felt too good to do anything except feel.

  “That’s it. Let go. Give it to me.” He chanted nonsensical words as I rode out my orgasm on the top of my kitchen counter. Granite countertop be damned, he turned me into a puddle of need, and desire.

  “Feels so good.” I pulled him closer to me, the heat from our bodies radiating.

  “I know baby.” David pulled me to the edge of the counter and while I was on the fast track to falling over the brink he toyed with me edging the pleasure only to back off and start up again.

  “Too much.” I whined as he pressed deeper. His fingers lodged further and he curled them stroking me in a come hither manner like he was coaxing me to submit. I was far too gone to fight it off or demand my satisfaction the good old fashioned way. The bedroom was too far and my legs were too weak. I’d suffer now and take it out on him later. If David knew me at all
, he’d know this was a terrible game to play with me. I had a favor to ask him and if he thought yoga pants were a problem, well, better to ask forgiveness later, right?

  It took an hour and a medium rare strip steak for me to catch my breath. David sat me down at the table while he washed dishes and scrubbed the floor. It was like my own version of kitchen porn.

  “I can help.”

  “Nope.” He grinned wearing sweatpants and yellow rubber gloves stretched over his large manly paws.

  I supposed that now was a good time to call in my favor while I had him theoretically worshipping at my feet.

  “While you’re down there.” I suggestively spread my legs open giving him a birds eye view of glistening skin as I raised my skirt just over my knees.

  “Not fair. You do not play fair at all Miss Roberts.” He enunciated crawling over to me.

  “Remember how you suggested being more public.” I caressed the edge of my top teasing him.

  “If this is about my suggestion of fucking in the field house, I was half kidding and I already apologized several times.” His confused expression was adorable on a man of his age and size. Like a teddy bear who popped a stitch.

  “Nope, not about the field house, though I might be convinced in the off season.”

  “Seriously.”

  “No, but you did just volunteer yourself to help chaperone the Decade’s Dance.” I grinned waiting for him to catch up.

  David shook his head and resumed scrubbing my floor.

  “Ugh, I think I’d rather be shot down over hostile territory than put on a velour suit.”

  “I’m sorry, what was that? I think I heard you say, I’m pleased to attend as your date.”

  We eye fucked each other across the kitchen. I knew I won as soon as he broke contact.

  “Sure. I’m happy to dress up like an idiot and watch kids pretend to not spike the punch bowl and make out in the janitors closet.”