Before There Was You

by Denise A. Agnew

  “It’s okay. I bought some condoms last week.”

  His eyebrows went up. “Oh?”

  “I…I was being presumptuous. I thought something might happen between us, and I wasn’t taking any chances.”

  He smiled and kissed her nose. “Thank God.”

  They plunged into another kiss, and soon she didn’t know where he began and she ended, their kisses and caresses coming fast and urgent. She was bold and reached down to touch his hardness. When she brushed her fingers over him, he sucked in a breath and moaned.

  He caught her hand. “Wait, babe.”

  She almost groaned. “I’m going crazy.”

  He chuckled softly, but then he eased down her body, pressing kisses over her breasts, suckling and playing with them until she was groaning, unable to stop. He lingered over her belly, his palms molding her hips as his tongue teased her flesh. He parted her thighs and knelt between them. When he licked her, she let out a soft, delighted cry.

  “Okay?” he asked.

  “Oh, yes.” She gasped in a breath. “Don’t stop.”

  Aaron made a satisfied sound deep in his throat and continued. He feasted, licking, lingering, tasting until she thought she’d lose her mind. His tongue traced one fold and then another until the ache was unbearable. He smoothed his tongue over her clit and she gasped again. Oh, my God.

  “Aaron,” she managed to say in a strained voice. “Oh, please.”

  He licked faster, slowly and gently inserting one finger inside her. He took her clit between his lips and sucked. Orgasm rose up from her depths and slammed her so hard she cried out. He moved his finger, and the excitement continued building, tingling and rippling outward from her core with waves of incredible ecstasy. She shivered in his hold as he released her.

  With a hoarse whisper, he asked, “Condom?”

  “In the bedside drawer.”

  He opened the drawer, located the condom, and made short work of the wrapper. After he’d covered his length in protection, he came over the top of her and lowered between her thighs. He propped on his forearms and looked down at her, his gaze so warm and loving she almost cried.

  “Okay, baby?” he asked.

  “I’m better than okay.” She clasped his strong back and lifted her lips. “Please, now.”

  He kissed her. As his hard tip brushed against her folds, she moaned into his mouth. His cock brushed against her clit, sparklers of pleasure danced within her, and she moved with him. She yearned to know his body, to join with him.

  “Are you trying to torture me?” she asked breathlessly.

  He smiled. “Yeah.”

  Her fingers dug into his back. “Brat.”

  He groaned as she drew her nails up his back without any real pressure. “Damn.”

  He hitched in a breath as he stopped making her wait and entered one inch. She arched her neck and closed her eyes as his thickness pushed forward. He went slow, so very slow. She wanted him with a fierceness that drove her to arch higher and hold her breath.

  “All right?” he asked.

  “God, yes.”

  He drew back, went forward, and with a solid thrust moved all the way into her core. His hips were flush with hers now, pressing deep. Oh, God. I never… A man had never felt this way inside her, his hardness pressing her wide and deep until she couldn’t feel anything but his possession. When he kissed her again and his hips moved, all she could do was hold on for the sweet ride. One plunge and another, one hot stroke that sent tingles of exquisite arousal dancing and flaring. She wanted him to take her hard, to bring this hot, shivering desire to another incredible peak. He wouldn’t.

  Back and forth, his rhythm stayed steady, and through the amazing torture, she couldn’t stay quiet and neither could he. They were light and heat, bodies surging, moving. She faded until there was nothing but their bodies joined, until she couldn’t feel anything but the incredible sensation of his cock thrusting harder, deeper. It was going fast, faster as she writhed under him, wild to reach the peak. He caressed her deep, each stroke driving her arousal higher. She couldn’t get there, hovering on the edge.

  “Come on, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “Take me.”

  As if his words sparked the last fire, she seemed to open even wider to him, her body taking his with a frantic dance she’d never experienced before.

  His face buried in her shoulder as his hips rocked, one delicious thrust after another. She couldn’t think, her mind gone as pleasure rose higher, higher yet. She was nothing more than sensation piled upon sensation.

  Orgasm rocked Lana, and she bucked against him, her cry loud and free as her body clenched over his. Ecstasy shook her apart.

  He powered into her, each movement fast and hard, and with one last plunge, he flung himself over the abyss. He threw his head back as a guttural shout left his throat, and his entire body shook. Aaron sank upon her for a moment before disengaging them and rolling to the side. He drew her into his arms. They panted, and her body and mind floated in heaven.

  “God, Lana. You about killed me.” His voice rasped, sounding raw.

  She smiled into his chest and kissed one of his nipples. He hissed in a breath.

  “Is that bad?” she asked.

  “Hell, no. I’ve never…this has been the most incredible moment of my life.”

  His words stuck with her, and tears came to her eyes for what seemed the twentieth time that day. He released her long enough to use the bathroom, and she did the same when he returned.

  When he cuddled her close again, his voice rumbled with a raw intensity. “Lana, when I thought I might lose you today, I realized something. I’ll…understand if you don’t feel the same way. But God, I hope you do.”

  Her heart leaped with anticipation. She edged out of his arms, and he rolled to his back. She levered up on one elbow to look down at him. Her mind couldn’t wrap itself around the amazing thing that had just happened between them.

  “How do you feel?” she asked softly.

  His eyes were crystal clear, honest. “From the moment I met you, I wanted to know you. I felt a connection. I felt like you could understand me. It was crazy. Before you, I was a damned mess, wandering around trying to figure out where the real me had gone.”

  She smiled, tenderness stirring and growing higher. “That was therapy. That’s what helped.”

  “Maybe. But the way I feel about you isn’t because of therapy. I want to hold you, kiss you, and I’d protect you with my life. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before.”

  “Oh, Aaron.” She leaned down to share a gentle kiss.

  “If anything had happened to you…” He drifted off and drew her down for another deep, satisfying kiss.

  When they came up for air, those damn tears dropped from her eyes one by one.

  “Oh, hell.” His brow wrinkled and frowned. “I’m sorry…did I say something wrong?”

  “No, marine.” She laughed and wiped away the tears quickly. “I’m just happy to be here with you, alive and whole. I think we’re good for each other. And I’m falling for you too. I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you. Tonight proved it to me. So much.”

  He drew her into a tight hug, a huge sigh wringing from him.

  Eager to lavish pleasure upon him, Lana sank into his arms and found love again that night.

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Colorado Springs, Colorado

  Lana watched Aaron through the kitchen window of his parents’ house. He was talking with his mother on the back deck, and his mother’s expression turned excited as she nodded vigorously. He’d been helping his father grill steaks, and Lana had helped Aaron’s mother and his sister Mandy whip up the rest of the dinner in the kitchen.

  After dinner Mandy and Lana had shooed Mrs. MacPherson outside to rest on the deck while they washed the main meal dishes and got dessert ready. Aaron had said he needed to talk to his parents. He’d headed outdoors into the July heat with a smile.

/>   Aaron’s sister had become good friends with Lana over this last year, and when Lana turned around to look at her, Mandy smiled like the proverbial cat who’d caught the canary.

  “What do you suppose that’s all about?” Lana asked as she planted her hands on her hips.

  Mandy came to the window. “Good question. Wow, he’s hugging Dad. We don’t see them do that too often.”

  “More than they used to.”

  Mandy looked at her and grinned. “It’s great.” Mandy’s smile didn’t disappear. “You know, I’m so glad you came into Aaron’s life. He’s one hundred percent better. He’s like the old Aaron.”

  Lana felt the heat in her face. After all, he’d turned some corners. So had she. “I feel one hundred percent on most days too. We’ve learned a lot from each other. There are days that aren’t perfect, where we backslide. But everyone has days like that, don’t they?”

  Mandy smiled and slipped her arm around Lana. “I’m so glad to have you as a sister.”

  Lana loved the fact they’d become as close as sisters. “Thank you. Me too.”

  Though Lana’s parents hadn’t fully come around and accepted anything and everything that had happened with Lana, she’d found a new peace in Aaron’s welcoming family. Progress was progress.

  They’d moved into his apartment as soon as her lease was up, and they’d enjoyed their life together day by day as they healed from the past and forged a new future. They’d tackled PTSD together, even the residual from Roxanne’s suicide. Addy had led their group, without Magnus, to a good conclusion. Magnus had refused to return and no one had heard from him since. Lana continued to work from home, while Aaron had entered a Master’s program in counseling with his aim to help military veterans. It would be awhile until he finished the program, but he took a full load of classes and was acing them all. She was so proud of him.

  Before they could say anything else, Aaron opened the back door and leaned inside enough to snag Lana’s gaze. “Hey there, wanna come out with me to the gazebo?”

  Aaron and his father had built the gazebo last year after Mr. MacPherson had decided to retire.

  Curious, she returned his smile and headed toward him. “Okay.” She took his hand and they walked past his parents, who both had conspiratorial smiles of their own. “Hmm. You all have me curious now.”

  They didn’t say a word as they took the steps down and crossed the grass. It didn’t take long, and he drew her toward the middle of the pretty white gazebo.

  He held both of her hands, and she squeezed his fingers as she smiled. “Okay, marine, what’s up?”

  He sighed and released her hands. He reached in his front jeans pocket and brought out a red velveteen box. Her heart about stopped, and she put one hand to her mouth to hold back a gasp. Was this…could this be…?

  Still grinning widely, he dropped to one knee and opened the box. Inside sparkled an incredible cushion-cut diamond nestled in a vintage design setting of white metal.

  “Will you marry me, sweet Lana?” Aaron’s heart was in his eyes.

  “Oh, my God.” She whispered the words as her hands went to her cheeks and happiness burst to life within her. “Oh, my God, yes!”

  He laughed, the sound deep and satisfied. He lifted the ring from the box and stood. He stuffed the box in his jeans pocket again and took her left hand in his. He slipped the sparkling ring on her finger. “I love you, Lana. Always.”

  “And I love you,” she breathed the words, her throat so tight and eyes so moist she knew she’d burst into tears any minute.

  Aaron pulled her into his arms and gave her a lusty kiss, and Lana forgot everything in the outside world. In the background she heard his family erupt into cheers, clapping, and whistles. When they drew back from the kiss, they turned to look at his still cheering family, now racing across the lawn toward them.

  “I think they like this idea, too, marine,” Lana said.

  His smile said it all as he lifted her hand to kiss it and the diamond sparkled in the brilliant sunlight. They had a lifetime of love ahead of them. “Come on. Let’s celebrate.”

  The End

  Publisher’s Note

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  About Denise A. Agnew

  Denise A. Agnew is the author of over 57 novels. Romantic Times Book Reviews calls her romantic suspense novels “top-notch,” and she's received their coveted TOP PICK rating. Denise has written paranormal, romantic comedy, contemporary, fantasy, historical, erotic romance, and romantic suspense. Archaeology and archery have crept into her work, and travels through England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales have added to a lifetime of story ideas. A paranormal investigator, Denise looks forward to exploring the unknown. Visit Denise’s website at www.deniseagnew.com