Gazing up at him, her lashes wet with tears, Marti’s breathing slowed. Gradually, she settled in against his chest, one hand on his heart, the other arm draped around his neck. He knew she tried to seem casual, not behave like she was needy, but if he pulled away even slightly to test her, the grip would tighten. Still, she remained silent.
“Babe,” he murmured into her hair, while gently rubbing her back, “how can you not know how much you mean to me?” She seemed to relax some then. Her breathing deepened, her body grew heavy. Finally, when he tested and pulled away, her hand slipped off his shoulder and Joey was free.
Swallowing regret, he wondered how he could have ever thought freedom was superior to this. With Marti, he wanted nothing more than a lifetime of being a slave her desires, guardian of her hopes, and nourisher of her spirit. Whether she knew it or not, the woman who couldn’t control a simple power had complete control over his heart.
In the living room, he stripped down to his boxer briefs, pulled a pair of pajama pants and his bedding from the closet, then settled in for another long, sleepless night on the couch. The only difference from this night and the ones previous was the slight smile playing on his lips and warm thoughts of the future playing out in his mind.
Morning came earlier than he expected. When Joey opened his eyes in the dim light, he found Marti asleep, sitting up with her head against his chest, her butt on the floor. Leaning over, he hauled her onto the couch with him and tucked her under the covers. “You’re freezing,” he complained, full of concern as he tried to rub the warmth back into her limbs. “Why aren’t you in your bed?” he scolded.
“Because you’re out here,” she murmured against his chest. Letting out a blissful sigh, she nuzzled into his neck, tucked her hands under her chin, and went right back to sleep.
Joey was plenty comfortable having her on top of him, but the thought of Brantley coming down the stairs and seeing them in this intimate pose ruined the moment for him. “You win. We’ll sleep in your bed.” He could feel her cheeks move and her lips part as she smiled against his bare chest. The little minx, she knew what she was doing.
Gathering her in his arms, Joey walked her back into the bedroom, shut the door behind them with his foot, and carried her back to bed. As soon as he set her on the mattress, she tore off her t-shirt and panties. “What are you doing?” he asked. Instantly his heart pounded while all his blood headed south. Already he could feel his cock jerking in his pajama pants. How could he sleep next to her like this? Standing beside the bed, he froze while he tried to figure out what to do.
Before he came to any conclusions, Marti had moved, angling herself so she sat balanced on the edge of the mattress, her legs spread, so one was on either side of his thighs. Reaching out for his pajama pants, she carefully pulled them down, removing the boxer briefs with them.
Joey watched as she smiled when his penis bobbed in front of her face. Taking it in her hands, she gently tugged him closer. Slowly, hesitantly, he accommodated her wishes. Then he watched in awe as she tenderly took him into her mouth. It was beautiful, watching his cock disappear in between her lips while feeling the wet warmth surrounded him. Reaching out, he cupped the back of her head. It took everything in him to not grip her head and try to control the situation. Too soon, he could feel the familiar sensation of pre-come gathering. Sure enough, he watched as she milked him, lapping up the thick liquid gathering at the tip. Throwing his head back, he struggled to hold in the moan he could feel building in the back of his throat. It was too much. She was simply too much. “Stop,” he begged.
“Good thinking,” she agreed enthusiastically.
His defenses were down. Joey believed they were in agreement. Climbing into bed, he thought to settle in and snuggle her. Apparently, Marti had something else in mind. Almost instantly, she had him on his back and was straddling him. Before he could question the sanity or safety of her decision, Marti had impaled herself on his erection.
The moan, the one he had struggled to hide, came rushing forth from his throat. “Oh God.” His hands were on her hips, helping her as she rode him. In the half light, he could see the outline of her body, her thin waist, the ample round breasts bobbing teasingly as she moved, and especially the way his penis peeked in and out of her folds while sliding in and out of her.
While he watched, Joey felt himself growing impossibly hard. Though he wanted to just let go and release deep within her, he waited to feel her telltale pulsing first. Unlike times past with other women, with Marti he had paid attention. He knew the signs to watch for. He waited to feel her tempo change, to hear the tiny gasps, the erratic change in her breathing. Joey knew he’d feel her clenching around him. She was close. His body knew it.
Only this time was different from what he expected. A moment later, Marti whimpered. Her whole body shook. Her arms began to quiver after supporting her weight. Without thinking, Joey rolled her onto her back. Her legs clasped around his waist. The whimpering intensified. With his hands gripping her shoulders, he buried himself as deep inside her as their bodies allowed. Dipping his head, he captured her lips and kissed her with everything in him. It still wasn’t enough. He wanted to shout it, didn’t care if crazy Miss Gracie across the street knew it. “I love you, Marti. Dammit,” he groaned as he felt his cock jerking in release. “I fucking love you.”
As soon as he was spent, Joey buried his head in her neck. There. He had said it. Now she knew. He meant it. Lying there in her arms, his head against her chest, soothed by the sounds of her pounding heart, he waited, hoping to hear something else. Joey fell asleep waiting. The words he longed to hear never came. Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes to fight back the fear and tried to fall back to sleep.
Though her eyes were closed, Marti never managed to get back to sleep. He said it. Of course it didn’t count. Everyone knew you couldn’t trust a proclamation of love that came during sex. It was like talking dirty. No one really meant it. It wasn’t his fault. She had no one to blame but herself. She was the one who snuck out to the living room to be near him. She was the one wanted to feel powerful and in control again after being a blubbering mess. Stupid pregnancy hormones. Now she was the one laying here, riddled with guilt because the morning would be so awkward. It wasn’t the sex that made it so. Nope. It was the proclamation of love.
Careful not to move too much, she peeked at the clock and realized she had to stay like this for at least an hour before she could get up without raising suspicions. So Marti pretended to be all relaxed and sleepy. Half an hour later, Joey started stirring. Closing her eyes tightly, she tried to remain limp. Soon, he had climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
Waiting quietly, she secretly hoped he’d be ready to get up for the day. When the shower turned on, Marti breathed a sigh of relief. With him in the shower, she wandered out to the kitchen to make a hot tea. It was time to get her head together. They were leaving for the airport in a few hours. How had he managed to put this secret trip together without her help? Where were they going? How had he paid for it?
Marti was standing in the kitchen sipping her tea when Joey came out. Smiling at him, she explained, “The bed was cold without you.”
“Oh.” The relief was evident in his voice. “I was afraid you were sick. I’m not used to you coming out here before showering.”
Peeking at him over the rim of her mug, she nodded. “True. This was an exception. Guess I’ll go shower now.” Walking over to him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek before heading back to the bedroom.
“Hey, what if we go to Hope House for breakfast,” he suggested. “We don’t really need to make more work for ourselves before we go.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she murmured. Then she went to shower. Alone in the room, she looked at the bed, blushing as she thought about what they had done there not so long ago. There was no time to think about that. She still had a bag to pack.
An hour later they were loading the minivan and driving t
o Hope House. Brantley had left while she was showering. It was a relief not seeing him before the trip. For once, she just wanted to focus on herself, take care of her wants and needs. Rest and relaxation was key for a healthy pregnancy. Somehow, she doubted an encounter with the young lawyer would have helped with any of that.
Marti was quiet during the drive. Though Joey hadn’t brought up their lovemaking and more specifically, those three little words...or four if she counted ‘fucking’...she couldn’t settle in and enjoy their time together. His hand reached out and captured hers, rousing her from her thoughts.
“Hey, you okay this morning?” he asked. When she looked at him, she realized his brow was furrowed with worry.
Nodding, Marti squeezed his hand. “I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep long enough I guess. I’ll probably nap on the plane, if you don’t mind.”
“That’s a great idea. I may just join you. Then we’ll be revived for the next leg of the trip.” He winked at her.
“You know, I’m gonna figure this secret out eventually. Can’t you just give me a hint, make it a game, or shoot, just tell me outright?” She forced a serious look and laid a hand on her abdomen. “I’m not sure the surprise is good for the baby.” Then she blinked a few times while she struggled to hold back a laugh.
“You look like you’re about to bust. Right. Not good for the baby.” Joey shook his head. “I’ll probably only hear that from you a few million times between now and the delivery,” he teased.
“At least,” Marti agreed, her head bobbing.
They pulled into the parking lot, and exited the vehicle. While they were walking up the steps, Keely came out. “So, you two all packed for The Keys?” she asked, beaming.
Joey sighed and his shoulders sank. “Thanks, Keely,” he grumbled.
“You never said it was a surprise!” Keely looked completely contrite with her hands folded in an unspoken plea for Joey’s forgiveness.
Meanwhile, Marti danced up the steps, threw her arms around Keely in a quick hug, then danced around while she waited for Joey to join her. “We’re going to The Keys?” She squealed a few times.
As disappointed as he seemed to be that his surprise was ruined, Joey seemed to perk up when he saw Marti so happy. “Yeah, we are, unless we miss our plane. We need to hurry up and eat.” Laying his hand on her lower back, he directed her through the door.
Once they were seated at their usual table near the window, Marti spoke again. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but based on everything you’ve told me, money is tight. Are you sure we can afford to take this trip?”
Taking off his coat, he hung it on the back of his chair before answering. “Well, I called in a favor for the airline tickets. As for the hotel, my father bought this vacation deal a long time ago.” He folded his hands on the table. “It’s kinda like a time share, only we can travel and stay at wildly discounted prices all over the world instead of the same place over and over again. I was the other name on it, since he didn’t have a wife. So now, we benefit.” Joey smiled at her reassuringly.
Feeling immensely better, Marti smiled. “Okay. Now I feel like I can enjoy it. Otherwise I’d be sitting there worrying all weekend.”
The rest of the meal was a rushed affair. She could feel him willing her to chew faster, to drink her hot chocolate instead of savoring it. Then he hurried her back into the vehicle so they could drive to the airport. Soon enough, she understood why. They did hit traffic on the way to the airport. Billy Graham Parkway was backed up.
“I’ve never been on a plane before,” Joey murmured. “I can’t believe I’m going to miss my first one.”
“We’ll be fine,” she assured him, even as she worried they wouldn’t make the flight either.
Finally luck was on their side and they managed to park in long-term parking and head into the terminal. “We’re going to make it,” he announced. “Don’t worry.”
Going through Charlotte Douglas International Airport wasn’t nearly as challenging as she expected it to be. The luggage was checked and Joey threw their carryon over his shoulder. They made it past security in record time, and even had time to spare before they needed to check in at the gate. To kill time, they went into the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Shop and picked out a couple of truffles for the flight.
“Whoa. Decadent,” Marti murmured as she looped her arm through his.
Giving her hand a squeeze against his body, he teased, “Only the best for you.”
Within fifteen minutes they boarded the plane. While Joey shoved the bag in the overhead compartment, Marti scoped out their traveling companions. “How long is the flight?” she asked as he belted himself into the seat beside her.
“About two and a half hours.” He pulled a magazine from the back of the seat in front of him and started to thumb through it. “Why do you ask?”
“Yeah. We’re not gonna get a nap in.” She shook her head and pointed over his shoulder.
Slowly, casually, he turned. Obviously, he saw what she had. “You think that baby will keep us from sleeping?” His head drew back. “I don’t see that. I can sleep through anything.”
“Right.” Marti nodded in disbelief. “More power to you.”
During the takeoff was the worst. The parents didn’t know to give the little one a bottle to help his ears pop. Instead, he screamed in pain. The discomfort continued for the rest of the flight. By the time they landed, he had finally tired himself out.
Joey’s eyes were practically bloodshot. “That was terrible,” he whispered loudly in her ear.
“I warned you.”
They took the long walk into the terminal. “Now what?” she asked as they waited for their luggage.
“Now we take a cab to the mall to pick up our rental.” Happy and confident was a great look for him.
Already, Marti was enjoying this side of him. Maybe he could be like this all the time if they were alone more. “Not here? I know they have vehicles.” She frowned. As the experienced traveler, she still couldn’t help but question him.
“Significantly cheaper.” He led the way to the cabs waiting outside. “Plus we can pick up last minute stuff at the mall or grab food before driving down to Key West.”
“I’m impressed,” she admitted with a grin.
They stopped and loaded into the first cab whose driver rushed to help them. The drive to the mall was fast and chaotic. Like all major cities, their driver was foreign. He pushed the speed limit, pounded the brakes in a way that had them lurching out of the seat, and darted in and out of traffic. Marti was ready to kiss the ground when he left them at the Avis Car Rental.
The woman behind the desk inside smiled to greet them. “Do you have a reservation?”
“Masters,” Joey announced. He pulled out his license and credit card in anticipation of completing the transaction.
“Okay,” the woman announced. “I have your PT Cruiser pulled up right out front.”
“Whoa.” Joey frowned. “Yeah. I can’t drive around a PT Loser all weekend. We’re driving to The Keys. We need something sexier. What have you got?”
There was silence as she studied the computer screen. “How about a Sebring convertible?”
“Now we’re in business.” He beamed.
“I can have it ready for you in an hour.” The woman reached for his card.
Looking at Marti, he asked, “Can we wait that long?”
Shrugging, she considered his question. “We can grab a bite to eat and then head out. It’ll be fine.”
Once the transaction was completed, they walked inside the mall and directly to the food court. It was the middle of the lunch rush, but since it was a Friday, the mall wasn’t nearly as crowded as it could have been. They picked up slices of pizza and sat at a table to eat. Pulling his phone from his pocket, Joey checked for messages while he ate. When they were done, Marti needed a restroom.
“I’ll be right back,” she announced as she pointed towards the sign for the bathrooms.
“I�
��ll go with you.” Joey stood and loaded the tray with their plates and napkins. “Can you grab my drink so I can dump this?”
The need to pee was great, so Marti grabbed his drink, followed him to the trashcan, and then they walked to the restroom together. She went her way and he went his. “I’ll meet you right here,” he told her.
Without thinking, she nodded and rushed into the bathroom. When she was done, she washed her hands, dried them, and headed back to the entrance he promised to meet her at. After a minute, she began to pace. It didn’t seem like he should be taking so long. After two minutes passed, she felt like a sucker. Finally, she pulled out her phone and called him.
Tempest Torn Page 20
