Take care of her? “I don’t think this is what Cale had in mind when he made you promise to take care of me,” she said, unable to forget the promise he seemed obliged to keep.
“This has nothing to do with Cale,” he said, unsnapping her shorts. “This is between you and me. Slip your panties off and crawl in the tub.”
She didn’t have the energy to argue with him. Not when her muscles were still quivering and sensitive. Pulling her battered body up, she slipped into the water that barely covered the bottom of the tub. God, even her toes were sore.
Ridge leaned back against the wall next to the tub so they were sitting side by side. He pulled his legs up, resting his wrists on his knees. She wanted to reach out to him, comfort him in some way, but she had no idea how. Instead, she slipped down further into the rising warm water and closed her eyes.
She didn’t understand him staying. Yet during their shouting match she’d never once sensed him wanting to leave. A sense of duty? Probably.
“You don’t have to stay,” she said, letting him off the hook. “I totally understand if you want to leave. I want to leave and I live here.” It suddenly occurred to her how unfair she’d been to him. So much had happened to shred his stability and she’d added one more straw to the pile. She should have told him that night in Dover. She should have laid all the cards on the table then.
“You want me to leave?”
No, she didn’t, but it would probably be for the best. He’d be able to think, sort it all out and make sense of things.
“Too fucking bad,” he said on a crazed chuckle. “I’m staying.” He moved then, turned toward her and rose to his knees. Reaching across her, Ridge grabbed the washcloth, dipped it into the water and squeezed a warm stream down her shoulders.
He did that for a few minutes and then turned the water off. Dipping his hands down into the tub he placed his hands on her thigh and began to work the muscles in a gentle massage. She couldn’t stop her eyes from rolling back in her head or the soft whisper of a moan escaping her lips. His hands were magic, the tension and ache melting away with every gentle knead.
He worked his way all the way up to her hip and then back down until he reached her toes. Each toe got individual attention and when he finished, he moved on to her other leg. Finishing with her legs, he moved to her arms, starting at her shoulders and working his way to her fingers.
“God, you’re good at this,” she moaned, sure she wouldn’t be able to move after he finished. She didn’t want to know where he’d learned it. Some things were better to simply enjoy and not worry over how they came to be.
“You’re tight,” he said in a husky voice.
“Yeah, I’m not sure when the last time was I didn’t feel like the weight of the world was sitting on me.” Actually, she did. It was before the night all hell broke loose and the only two men on earth she cared about were thrown into the middle of hell. Since then, she’d become weighed down little by little every day.
“Something tells me most of that will be gone now.” Ridge worked between her fingers, her palm and then traveled back up her arm. “That was one hell of a secret to keep.”
“And I should have told you about it in Dover.” The guilt ate at her sore, sour stomach. “I have no excuse to offer, Ridge. It was a bad decision.”
He didn’t comment, only continued to massage her body. Looking up into his face, she could see the conflict clearly in his eyes. Taking a chance, she opened up a little to see exactly what emotions he tried to hide.
Anger. Ridge was still very angry at her and who could blame him. The pain in his leg still surged throughout his body, but he managed to keep it at bay, clamping down on it like a vise so it wouldn’t touch her. He worried about that, her experiencing his pain. He worried about a number of things that she couldn’t put her finger on.
Heaving a heavy sigh, she studied his dark eyes and noticed the caring there. He was so mad he could chew nails and spit rust, but he stayed and tended to her. Why? Did it really matter? He’d grow bored with this playing-house gig and move on soon, very soon.
“Ridge,” she whispered, enjoying the caress of his hands on her flesh.
“Yeah?”
“I need to teach you how to block.” He stilled, his arms tensing, but his touch still gentle. “It’s important,” she assured him, reaching up and cupping his scarred cheek. “When you leave there will be times I’ll know things.” Avery swallowed. She wanted to put this delicately without her pain resonating in her voice. “Times when you’re doing something private with someone and it will come through.”
Ridge muttered a disgusted curse that cut to her core. Doing her best to ignore the burning pain of rejection, she dropped her hand and looked away. “It happened with Cale occasionally. Intense emotions bleed through faster, stronger, and it’ll happen without you being aware.”
Her stomach turned again at the thought of Ridge being with another woman. Stupid and childish. She held no claim on him.
“You mean to tell me you knew when he was intimate with someone?” Ridge’s brow crinkled as shock filled his face.
“Yeah, that’s what I mean and believe me that is something a sister doesn’t need to experience.” As bad as it was with Cale, it would be a thousand times worse coming from Ridge.
Ridge raised his hands from the water, leaned his elbows on the side of the tub and turned his head away. Ignoring her impulse to open up and absorb his thoughts, she simply sat there and waited for him to digest the information.
“That means I’ll know when you’re having—” His jaw clamped shut hard, making the muscle tick.
“Not necessarily,” she responded quietly. “I’m damn good at keeping things to myself. I’m pretty sure Cale never knew when I was having sex with someone. At least, he never mentioned it to me.”
“Fuck,” Ridge cursed again. “That’s just fucking wonderful. Just what I need.”
Okay, he didn’t need to make it sound like some gross, overboard porno flick. Hurt more than she had a right to be, Avery pushed up in the tub, splashing water over the sides.
“I’m sorry that’s so repulsive to you,” she said, standing and letting the water trickle from her body. “I swear to you, on my life,” she snapped, a bit more livid than she meant, “I will do everything possible to keep that disgusting part of my life from touching you.”
* * * * *
Ridge watched Avery snatch a towel off the rod and storm out, her sexy ass jiggling as she stomped away. Oh no. Nope. She didn’t get to do this. She didn’t get to dump all this on him and then get pissed off.
“Avery!” he shouted, stepping out the bathroom. In two steps he made it to her bedroom door only to have it slammed in his face. “Don’t do this, Avery,” he growled, reaching for the doorknob.
The little brat locked it. She locked him out. Didn’t she know, couldn’t she read his thoughts and know this kind of behavior only make him horny? Telling him he couldn’t have only made him want more.
“Open the door or I’ll break it down,” he warned as his cock jerked to life. What was it about this woman and confrontation that made him so damn hot?
“Go home, Ridge,” she shouted. “You were planning on leaving tonight anyway. I’m only making it easier for you.”
The hurt was so thick in her voice that it made his heart squeeze. What made her think he was leaving tonight? Where the hell did she get that from? “For someone who’s supposed to be able to know my thoughts, you didn’t come close there. Now open this fucking door!”
“Go to hell!”
Something crashed in the room and he heard her tiny yelp. “Avery?” When she didn’t respond, fear gripped his chest. His only thought was getting to her. Kicking out with his good leg he crashed the door open and barreled through. His vision focused on her, only her. Wrapping her up in his arms, he turned and rushed for the door.
“What the hell are you doing?” she yelled, trying to push away. “Ridge, stop it.”
“What happen
ed?” he asked, scanning the room for intruders. “Who’s here?”
“No one, you big bonehead.” She continued to struggle against his grip, but he held steady, ready to drag her out of harm’s way. “Let me go.”
With his heart hammering in his throat he stopped moving and inspected every inch of the room. Empty. No one there but the two of them. On the floor lay a small, cheap wooden jewelry box busted into pieces.
“How’d that happen?” he grumbled, still holding her close to his body.
“You made me mad. I needed to throw something,” she snapped, scowling up at him. “That’s your fault!”
He glared down at her, anger and adrenaline combining and creating a dangerous mix in his bloodstream. He was still angry with her, pissed off as hell over her little secret, but even anger couldn’t quell his need. His raging erection was testament to that.
“Ridge,” she said in a stern, neutral tone.
He released her, let her take a step back and then devoured her body with his gaze. Her little towel barely covered her. She held it together at the top, almost covering her breasts. Her heavy globes pushed against the terry material, flaring the bottom open, exposing her soft, sweet pussy. As fast as lightning, Ridge reached out and ripped the towel away.
“Don’t hide yourself from me,” he demanded. “Never hide yourself from me!” He’d lost it. Oh hell, yeah, he’d lost all rational thought. This one tiny woman could take the big bad soldier and drive him mad with lust.
That lust had consumed him now. Their fight had ignited the flame. Her locking him out fueled the fire, but the fear that someone had hurt her while he stood on the other side of the door had detonated the bomb of possessiveness.
“Do you have any idea how hard I get when you fight with me?” he asked in a low, menacing voice. Ridge circled her, slow calculated steps only an arm’s length away like a wild cat stalking its prey.
“You’re insane,” she snapped, jutting her chin out.
She wasn’t afraid. She should be. “Right now I’ll agree with that,” he said.
She cocked her hip to the side and jammed her fists onto her hips. Ridge focused on her fleshy ass and had to ball up his hands to keep from reaching out and spanking her. God, he wanted to see her creamy flesh blush from his hands.
“It doesn’t matter because we’re done, Ridge. I’m surprised you could stomach me this long.”
He ignored the last part of her shot and focused on the ‘we’re done.’ No way was he done with her. “You think this is over, Avery?” he asked, coming to a stop in front of her. Holy hell, she was one fucking hot woman standing there oozing with attitude and naked as the day she was born.
“I know it is, unless you plan to force sex on me.”
He almost laughed at the indignant look on her face. She said intense emotions could leak through her barriers. Now seemed like a really good time to test that. Ridge released the snap on his jeans, lowered the zipper and reached inside his boxers. As soon as he freed his throbbing cock he gave it a hard, long stroke that nearly made his knees buckle.
He needed her taut, wet body gripping him, rippling in pleasure around him. Fisting his engorged head reminded him of her mouth sucking and teasing until he could barely breathe.
Avery gasped slightly. “Stop it,” she insisted, looking away.
Like hell. Ridge increased the pressure of his grip and stroked faster. Little beads of sweat popped out all over his body and to his extreme satisfaction, Avery began to sweat too.
“Block it.” He stroked harder, faster, until his cock was so full of blood his skin stretched to the point of splitting. His orgasm gathered in his balls, churned and begged for release.
“I can’t,” she whimpered as her body began to tremble slightly. “Please, Ridge.”
Her thigh muscles quivered as her hand slipped down between her legs.
“Please what?” If he didn’t get inside her soon he’d shatter to pieces. He needed her wet warmth to bring back some sanity to his brain. “Say no, Avery. Say no and I’ll walk out of here now.” It would kill him, but he’d do it if she honestly didn’t want him.
Ridge held himself on the edge. Now his body trembled from the force of his will. He’d never been so desperate for anything in his life.
“Oh god,” she cried, doubling over. Avery looked up, hunger, need and the same desperation eating away at him reflected in her eyes. “Fuck me,” she growled. “Now.”
Without thinking, Ridge scooped her into his arms, carried her to the mattress and gently laid her down. “Touch yourself,” he ordered as he toed off his shoes.
Avery raised her knees, spread her legs wide and then slipped one finger between her wet folds. He almost lost his control. He stopped with his jeans and boxers halfway down his legs and breathed through the overwhelming need to plow into her body. Sweet, wet juice coated her finger as she worked it back and forth. His blood simmered, edging close to a boil.
“Avery,” he whispered in a raw voice. “So beautiful.” Suddenly guilt reared its head for doing this to her. “Are you doing this because you want to,” he asked carefully, “or because I drove you to it?” He’d never forgive himself if she did this because she had no choice.
“I want it,” she answered in a breathy, anxious whisper. “More than you know.”
That’s all it took. His blood surged hot and heavy through his veins and collided in his cock. With one hand he pulled out his wallet while the other shoved his jeans down to his ankles. As he stepped out of his pants he pulled out a condom, tore it open with his teeth and quickly covered himself.
He didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t be gentle.
“I won’t break,” she told him as her thighs opened wider. Using two fingers she spread her folds in an invitation he couldn’t refuse.
Kneeling onto the bed stretched his thigh muscle to the point of agony, but he didn’t care. He’d endure the pain for the pleasure he knew awaited. After flexing his fingers a few times, Ridge slipped his hands beneath her ass and lifted until she was where he wanted her. Avery braced herself and he gripped the base of his cock, pushing the head up against her hungry opening.
“Don’t tease,” she pleaded, staring up at him.
“I’m not.” He didn’t mean it to tease. He simply needed to grab a hold of the last shreds of control. “I need you so fucking bad,” he growled between clenched teeth.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
The little vixen lunged forward just enough to push his head inside her body. His vision went blurry as he plunged through her constricted tunnel. Her muscles stretched around him, rippled and then clamped down. When his balls pressed against her ass, he stilled, making a deal with God, the devil and anyone else who was listening so he could hold on long enough to prolong this glorious pleasure.
Avery mewed, rolling her head back and forth on the mattress, fisting the sheet in her hot little hands. He couldn’t stop looking at her. Her long locks were fanned out on the bed, her generous breasts where pert and tipped with pebbled pink nipples. A look of sheer bliss sparkled in her eyes as her bubblegum-pink lips parted slightly.
Ridge clenched his fingers into her fleshy ass and gazed down at where their bodies connected. It was an incredibly erotic sight. One he’d often dreamed about on quiet nights. Even in his imagination, and his imagination was damn good, it didn’t compare to real life.
“Stop thinking and move,” she moaned, shifting her hips. “Or do I have to take care of it myself?”
Her daring tone sliced through his deep thoughts and brought back the animal eager to rut. “One of these days I’m going to watch you take care of it yourself,” he told her. “Right now, I’m in charge.” With that he pulled back and drove in hard and fast.
A gush of hot liquid doused his cock and dripped down his sac. “I love how wet you get,” he groaned, pulling back out.
“Only for you,” she said and then licked her bottom lip. “Now shut up and get to work.”
Ridge gazed down at her, licked his thumb and then flicked her swollen clit as he thrust forward hard. Her muscles clamped around him and he thought he’d lose it right then. How he hung on he wasn’t sure, but he managed to drive himself into her snug little body over and over. The sound of their flesh slapping together filled the room along with their combined moans of ecstasy.
“Make me come,” she pleaded, thrashing her head back and forth. “Please.”
Eager for her come, Ridge reached down, strummed her clit a few times and then lightly pinched it. Avery’s hips thrust high in the air, her body tensed impossibly tight and she screamed out her release. Ridge tried to hold on but Avery’s intense climax tore through him like hot shrapnel. His orgasm exploded, bordering on pain as his body filled with more pleasure than anyone had a right to.
They melded, their connection twining together so he could feel her and she could feel him. Avery cried out once more as another orgasm ripped through her trembling body, squeezing every last drop of his essence from his throbbing cock. Her release flowed through his bloodstream, nerves tingled and arced with lightning, igniting yet another build up he couldn’t stop if he wanted to. Instead he closed his eyes and lost himself in the kaleidoscope of brilliant colors bursting behind his eyelids.
His soul separated from his body, floating on a current of ecstasy he didn’t know existed and at the same time overwhelming him. His brain would melt into a useless glob of goo and he didn’t give a damn. Beyond the pleasure, beyond the physical, he could sense her loving spirit and wanted nothing more than to bury himself there forever. After all the hideous events he’d witnessed in his life and the freezing cold emptiness it left behind, Avery offered a warmth and safety he craved.
Her shallow sobs broke through his hazy brain, forcing him back to reality. Slowly the spectacular light show diminished and his body pieced back together. Ridge forced his eyes open and gazed down at the most magnificent sight he’d ever see. Avery’s chest heaved, her pink flesh shimmering from a light coat of sweat. Her long, dark eyelashes fanned across the top of her cheeks and her disheveled hair splayed across the bed. She looked like an angel.
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