Terror and Temptation_A Romantic Suspense Novel

by Vella Day

  “No. Maybe someday I will.” Her smile left her face. “Have you heard anything about Ralph’s condition?”

  Dom didn’t want to spoil the night with talk about her ex. He wanted the night to consume only them, but Tessa deserved to know.

  “Phil told me Ralph’s paralyzed from the waist down. The bullet hit his spine. He’s finished, Tess. He can’t hurt you ever again.”

  She looked up at the ceiling for a moment, and then back at him. “I loved him once, you know, but he changed into a man I didn’t recognize once he started to gamble. I’m happy he can’t hurt anyone ever again.”

  Her sad eyes tore him up inside. “Me too.”

  “Oh, I almost forgot to mention the miracle,” she said, her eyes sparkling.

  “What miracle?”

  “Some angel paid for Judd’s operation. He wouldn’t have been able to afford it otherwise.”

  Dom kept quiet. He reached up and caressed her face.

  “It was you,” she said. “Wasn’t it?”

  “Maybe.”

  She twisted on the seat to face him, and her eyes shone with excitement. “It makes sense now. I overheard you talking on the phone at your house. You were giving someone information about an account and didn’t want a certain female to learn about it. That female was me, wasn’t it?”

  He knew she’d press him until she found out. “Yes. I know how much Judd’s health meant to you. I had the funds, so I transferred some into his name.”

  “Why?”

  “You can’t figure it out?”

  Her innocent look made him hornier than hell.

  “You did it...for me?”

  “Come here.” Dom slipped his arm under her knees and around her back, and then stood. “You sound as if I don’t care about you. Let me show you just how much I do.”

  She giggled. “Oh, Dominic.” Tessa laid her head on his shoulder and his heart did a double take. He knew he’d never been so happy.

  As soon as Dominic lifted her up, shivers of delight spread through to her toes, and she forgave him for not being around these last few days.

  Her heart hammered away in her chest as he carried her into the bedroom and placed her on the bed as if she were a fragile flower.

  Standing at the end, he faced her, his gaze locked onto her face. He said nothing as he slipped off his shirt, baring his muscular chest. Just looking at him had her heart drop to her stomach and her mouth turn dry. Tessa didn’t drag her gaze away from his muscular chest until his fingers dropped to his waist. She licked her lips.

  Yes, she’d seen him naked before, but this time seemed different. The first time they’d make love, it had been purely physical. Well, mostly physical. This time was for real.

  It shouldn’t matter he hadn’t told her he loved her—yet. His actions implied he cared deeply. No man pays for a brother’s operation unless he thought there would be a future for them—or was she putting positive thoughts in her head?

  Stop analyzing his actions. Enjoy!

  Dominic bent down, untied his shoes, and slipped them off, never taking his gaze from her. Desire pooled in his eyes as he dropped his pants. He was hers, in every way, and she planned to keep him.

  Like a lion who hadn’t eaten in days, Dominic crawled onto the bed sending shimmers of joy skittering down her spine. He reached out, pulled out her hair tie, and then brought a tendril to his nose and inhaled. He smiled and let it fall back in place.

  “Much better.” His words held a smile.

  His touch robbed her of speech. Dominic’s lingering gaze was more than a caress, and she itched to touch every inch of him. As she reached up to his face, he grabbed her hand.

  “Just wait.”

  “Such a delicious promise.”

  As he kissed the palm of her hand, then each knuckle, her heart sped up. Oh, how she wanted him.

  Dominic drew the tip of his index finger down the side of her cheek and along the column of her throat. She urged his hand to dip lower.

  “I don’t think you need that sweatshirt anymore, do you?” he asked. Glazed eyes peered through his thick lashes.

  She swallowed, shook her head and let him lift it over her head. Dominic scooted forward and unbuttoned the top three buttons of her shirt. He leaned over and kissed her skin between the opened blouse, his clean scent teasing her nostrils. She threaded the fingers on her right hand through his hair, marveling at its rich, shiny texture.

  “Oh, Dominic, what you do to me,” she panted.

  “Tell me.”

  “You excite me like no one ever has. When you touch my skin, every part of my being ignites.”

  “You do the same for me.”

  He unbuttoned her blouse all the way and slipped it off over her shoulder. With little fanfare, he unhooked her bra and tossed it on the floor, before he tackled her split-legged sweatpants, socks, and shoe.

  Only her panties remained. His gaze dropped to her breasts, and when he leaned over her, his hot breath fanned her nipple. Tessa pressed her chest upward to gain contact.

  Dominic pounced, taking one breast into his mouth and sucking on it, while kneading the other. She thought she’d died and found eternal bliss. First he devoured the right breast, then the left. His lips drove her crazy. She grabbed his bicep and ran her hand up and down his arm, enjoying the sinewy tautness of his muscles. She couldn’t wait until she could use both her arms to wrap around his broad back.

  He flicked his tongue across her tips, and she couldn’t help but moan. How long would she have to endure this torture? This glorious, burning, thrilling torture?

  Tremors of awareness coursed through her. “I love when you touch me like that.”

  “How about like this?” He kneaded her right breast, and then grabbed the tip of her nub between his teeth and pulled. Tension shot straight to her groin. “Or like this?” His mouth encompassed her other breast, and he sucked on her nipple until she thought she’d go insane.

  Dominic couldn’t get enough of her. He drew his mouth upward along her delicate throat and captured her lips with his. She tasted like roasted honey—sweet, tangy, so very delicious. When she opened her mouth to let in his tongue, his erection strained to get out. He didn’t know how much longer he could last.

  Dom pulled away to douse the heat that ran rampant through his body, not wanting to come it before he’d had her.

  “Please don’t stop,” Tessa huffed.

  He loved hearing her beg. Regaining his composure, he traveled kisses down her throat, memorizing the curves and planes of her body. Want pulsed through him like a wild fire. Hungrily, he ran his tongue over her flat stomach and down between her thighs before sucking on her silk panties.

  Tessa grabbed his shoulder and pressed him to her. Her rapid breathing and moans told him she was hanging by a thread. Her desire fueled him. The way she moved, the way she moaned, and the way she gave of herself convinced him she must love him—and she was the woman of his dreams.

  Dominic sat up and straddled her, careful not to lean against her healing ankle. He grabbed her tiny waist with both hands and marveled at her shape. He drew his hands up to her breasts and cupped them once again. Tessa placed one hand on his chest and heat whipped through his veins, pooling in his groin.

  With a quick flick of his wrist, he lifted her rear, pulled off her panties, and deposited them in the same pile as the rest of her clothes. He’d never be able to look at the floor again without remembering their decadent love.

  Dominic moved to the side and sank a finger into her wet folds. “I love you, Tessa Redman.”

  Her eyes widened. “What did you say?”

  He nibbled her lips. “You heard me. When that bastard took you I thought I’d never see you again. You make me feel whole.”

  The smile on her face made the sun look dull.

  “I can’t believe it.”

  How could she sound so incredulous? “I guess I’ll have to show you how much I love you then.”

  Dominic rolled to
the side, pulled down his briefs and lay down next to her. When she reached out and touched his erection, a powerful tremor shot through his body. He grabbed her wrist. “If you touch too much, I might lose it. I’m already on the edge.”

  She got a devil look in her eye. “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I want you now,” she breathed. “I’ll perish if you don’t take me.”

  Dominic didn’t answer. Instead, he plunged a finger into her wetness and kissed her hard. If she’d been more mobile, he’d have found more exotic poses, but he reasoned they had years to explore every pleasure.

  “I’ve only just begun.” He wanted to please her first and give her something to remember. The first time they’d made love, he’d rushed.

  With his knee, he gently opened her legs and dipped down between her thighs. She tasted sweet. Tessa grabbed his head and gasped as he plunged his tongue in and out. Her musky sex scented the air.

  She arched her back and yelled his name. “Dominic! That’s all. . . I can . . .take.”

  Joy burst through him at her desperate plea. Liquid heat engorged his sex. He wanted her, but he wanted her to want him more.

  “Kiss me again,” she said, panting.

  That he could do.

  Careful to avoid her casted foot, Dominic cradled her in his arms and delved into her mouth, tempting her tongue to mate with his. She held the power to become one with him.

  When he knew he couldn’t wait any longer, Dominic pressed her legs closer together in order to straddle her. He opened her folds with his cock and plunged into her, reveling in her wet slickness.

  “Oh, Tessa,” he murmured.

  Once he was fully sheathed inside her, Tessa pulled his chest to hers and pumped her hips up and down. Blood pounded in his ears as she bucked and rolled under him. Her moans turned into cries, and her fingers dug into his back. For the next few minutes, they became lost in total bliss. When his orgasm exploded, she opened her mouth and arched her back as her climax took her.

  Heavy breathing, slick sweat, and sweet sex filled the room. Dominic rolled onto his back, taking Tessa with him. He kissed her eyelids and raked his hands through her beautiful hair, reveling in their joining. “This roller coaster of emotions is going to kill me.”

  “Me too,” she said.

  Dominic rolled away, and Tessa leaned up on her elbow. “So where have you been these last couple of days?”

  He threw her a sheepish look. “Yeah, I’m sorry about cutting out on you. You see, I hired a private detective to find Alex. And he did.”

  “Alex?”

  “My brother.”

  Tessa sat up. “Really? Where? Did he recognize you?”

  “Eventually.” Dom told her of the bad timing of Alex’s accident in California.

  “And you came after me instead of going right away to see your brother? He could have died.”

  Dom reached up and cradled her chin. “So could you.”

  “Yes, but your partner could have come looking for me, or someone else on the force.”

  “I know, but I wanted to find you. No, I needed to find you. To make sure you were safe.”

  “You do love me.” Tessa pressed a hand to her heart. “I think it’s going to jump out of my chest.”

  He laughed. “That’s what I’ve been trying to convince you for the last hour.”

  “I love you too.”

  “That’s the best homecoming present a guy could get.”

  Dominic grabbed her to him and showered her with love again. After he’d thoroughly kissed her, he leaned back.

  “When you’re ankle is healed and your brother is back in charge of the restaurant again, how would you like to take a trip to California with me to meet Alex?”

  She beamed. “I’d love to, but what about work? Can you take the time off?”

  He laughed. “Family is the most important thing to me, not the Force—at least not anymore. And speaking of family, as soon as we’re married I’d like to have a few young ones around.”

  “Marriage. Oh, well.”

  “What do you say?” He held his breath.

  “Yes! I can hardly believe my good luck. Oh, Dominic, you make me so happy.”

  He kissed her hard, reveling in the fact he’d found happiness at last.

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