Captive Hearts

by Gina Leuci

  I wasn’t in the mood for dancing anymore. We exited the stuffy hall onto the sidewalk, and I spotted Leland walking away. Going the opposite direction was Jake while Hope huffed behind him.

  I rubbed my side again, and eagle eyes was quick to notice. “Damn it. How bad?”

  Wow. Second swear tonight from the straight-laced man of law. “I’m fine.”

  “What were you thinking jumping in between them?” he barked.

  I didn’t care for his tone, so I immediately went on the defensive. “Same thing you were, I believe. I was hoping to stop things before they got out of hand.”

  “They’re twice your size. You stepping between them has the effect of spitting into the wind.”

  I picked up my pace in a sorry attempt to storm away, but not before I had what I hoped would be the last word. “Well, in a room full of pacifists, this little piece of spit, was the only one to do anything.”

  He took my arm and stopped me, but I refused to look at him. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  Damn him. Why did he have to apologize? And use a tone that begged for forgiveness. I felt my anger dissipate.

  “You keep rubbing your side. The same place where he kicked you.”

  It was and it hurt like the dickens but I didn’t want him to make a fuss. I lowered my hand from my ribs and instead took Caleb’s hand, hoping to distract him. “You’re never off the job, are you? Quite the display of authority in there.”

  My change of subject didn’t go unnoticed, but he went with it. “They both needed a swift kick in the ass, but it did the job.”

  “Guess Hope didn’t quite get what she wanted.” I noted. “Of course, neither did her brother, so I guess they’re both a little pissed these days.”

  Caleb gave a little ‘hmmm,’ and I walked beside him back toward the apartment. I could still feel the tension emanating from him, so I continued my attempt at distraction. “You always come to my rescue, though. Thank you.”

  His paced slowed a bit to match mine. “I wish you would stop getting into trouble where you need to be rescued.”

  I shrugged, still holding his hand as we walked, while crickets chirped their goodnight song around us in the still night. “Tonight wasn’t my fight. I was only trying to help.”

  Caleb grunted. “By standing between two men twice the size of you and their swinging fists? Hardly the best plan.”

  Back to this? “Well excuse me. So I don’t have your brawn or strength. At least I tried.” I released his hand and stomped away.

  The moment we entered the apartment, Caleb turned on me. “Let me see your side.”

  I moved past him, flipping on the overhead light. We’d left the air conditioner running throughout the day so after the warmth of the summer night, the cool interior was welcome. “There’s no need. I’ll be fine.”

  “Grace, are you really going to fight me on this?”

  I froze. I knew that voice. It was his, ‘you can argue, but you won’t win’ attitude I remember from the early days of arriving in Wellington.

  I slowly turned to face him only to find him leaning against the closed door, one eyebrow raised as he looked ready to advance.

  I felt the hairs on my skin rise. “There is nothing to argue about. I said I’m fine, and that’s the end of this conversation.”

  He pushed away from the door, and his move across the room was slow and deliberate. Part of me screamed to run, but the other part, the stubborn part, held ground. I lifted my chin to look up at him and put my hand out. He stopped when his chest met my palm.

  Me stopping him? Unlikely.

  “Lift your shirt, Grace.”

  Adrenaline pumped swiftly through my body. I hadn’t seen this side of Caleb in a while. “You’re making this a bigger deal than it has to be.”

  He took another step forward forcing me to step back. He took two, I took two, my hand never leaving his chest. “Caleb.”

  He had the upper hand, and he knew it. Larger. Stronger. But my fight or flight instinct—or my plain stupidity, who knows—kept me glaring at him. The glint in his eyes spoke volumes. I took it to mean he enjoyed this cat and mouse game.

  The arm I held out only kept the distance between us because he allowed it. He took another step, and I moved back, this time coming in contact with the wall behind me.

  I gulped.

  “What will you do now, Grace?” He stood his ground. “Who is actually making this a bigger deal?”

  I struggled to find reason in the face of his impenetrable stance. “It’s my body. I decide…”

  “Not when your health is concerned.”

  My temper flared. “No. That is exactly when it is my decision. That’s what started everything bad about this place. No man. No doctor. No bloody town. No one but me gets to decide. If I say you are not going to see my side, then you need to respect my decision.”

  “You’re my wife.”

  I was about to go over the deep end. Way over. I didn’t yell, though. My words were slow and deliberate. “Stop right there. Don’t even think of pulling the husband card. We are not married. Not in the proper sense of things, and you have no rights over me.”

  I saw a slight bending in Caleb’s stance. His eyes, which continued to bore into mine, went from steel to a flash of something else. Pain? Compassion? I still didn’t know this man enough to read him.

  “Fine.” He took a single step back, and I slowly lowered my hand. Had I actually won this battle? “I know what happened with Dr. Todd on your first day here scarred you. I won’t repeat the same mistake. However, I will ask you to tell me the truth, at least. Do you have any broken ribs?”

  I had won. He was capitulating to me. I had to take a moment to recollect myself before answering. “Tonight was nothing compared to last week, and you already determined on that night I was fine.”

  “Any pain when breathing?” he continued.

  “No. Jeesh, Caleb, he just head-butted me where I was already bruised.”

  His eyes darkened again, and when his jaw tightened, I knew I’d revealed more than I should have. My mouth dried.

  “You never told me about the bruising.” He sounded sad at my revelation.

  “Ah, well, we’ve been a bit preoccupied with being forced to marry, moving into an apartment, and then playing out our plan for redemption with the elders of this freaking town.”

  He ran a hand over his head and while I knew he was completely frustrated with me, his eyes kept going back to my side and there was no denying his worry. “Really, Caleb, it’s not a big deal. Nothing appears to be broken. I’ve gone an entire week without any complications. The bruising is part of the healing process.” He remained silent, and it was my weakness. “Oh, for goodness sake. Fine. Look.”

  Chapter Seven

  I pulled up the side of my shirt, revealing the hues of purple, blues, and greens. “It’s healing.”

  Caleb’s eyes closed for a second before he fell to his knees on the floor before me and gently placed a hand on my bare skin. I sucked in my breath with an audible sound.

  His hand snapped back. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No.” My voice was little more than a whisper. “You startled me.”

  And surprised me with the level of compassion. His hand hovered again at my rib cage, and his eyes asked for permission. This time I nodded. His fingers first traced the outline of the bruise before he pressed his thumb down and checked, like he had the week before, that nothing was jutting out.

  “Promise me that if you have any difficulty breathing, you will tell me.” He looked up at me, and I melted at the sea of emotion I saw in his eyes. Sadness and even a hint of vulnerability. “I don’t care how much you hate our doctor here, I need your promise.”

  I gulped. Damn him. He knew the last thing I wanted was another trip to the clinic; knew I’d endure any amount of pain to avoid it. But he cared. He truly cared if something happened to me. I slowly nodded, but when he raised his eyebrow, I knew he needed to hear the
words.

  “I promise, Caleb.” I tentatively reached out to cup his face in my palm. “I also meant what I said. I’m fine. It’s tender, but there’s no need to worry.”

  “I don’t like to see you hurt.” Then he leaned forward and kissed my bruise. Both the admission and the kind gesture rocked me to my core, and I leaned back against the wall as I tried to comprehend what was happening.

  Gone was the fierce, over-protective police chief determined to have things done his way. The man on his knees, brushing his lips and fingers across the rain-bowed skin to soothe away my aches and pains was a man I could fall for if given the right circumstance.

  When he stood, his hand stayed on my bare skin, but the rest of his body brushed up against mine, pressing me, albeit lightly, against the wall. “Thank you.”

  I stared up at him, at his blue eyes, dark with an emotion I couldn’t understand. “For what?” My voice was as soft as his. I didn’t know how to take this moment. First, he’d been mad, then determined. Then he’d been amazingly gentle and sad. Now his apology had my head spinning.

  “For allowing me to see that you are okay.”

  The cracks in my defenses splintered. I’d been so completely wrong about him. He wasn’t a stone wall. He was a river, weaving around my heart and sending me rapidly toward a waterfall.

  “I really am okay.” I placed my hand on his at my waist where his thumb continued to rub gently sending spirals of sensation through my body, making it hard to get more than a few words out at a time.

  Caleb gazed down at me, his eyes deep and dark with emotion I didn’t recognize. “Grace, I really want to kiss you now. Please?”

  Oh, dear God in heaven. This man was asking permission? He wanted to kiss me? Okay. Yes. Yes. My brain screamed the answer, but I couldn’t respond. It seemed I was doing that a lot lately. Losing my ability to talk. “Mm hmm.”

  “Say yes.” It was an order, but also a plea and I tried to swallow around my dry mouth.

  “Yes.”

  His mouth captured mine. Gentle at first. Tasting. Exploring. Sending sweet sensations throughout. I was aware of every place his body touched mine. His left side from shoulder to toe pressed against my right, while his right hand still pressed gently against my bare skin under my shirt. My hand moved from his to roam up his biceps, across his shoulder, until I reached his firm chin. I leaned in more, silently asking for him to deepen the kiss.

  It was all he needed. His hand moved to my back, pulling me closer as he pressed against me. His tongue plundered deep, and I answered its call to action. This wasn’t our first kiss, but this was the first where we didn’t hold back. This was more than the mere attraction we’d been courting for weeks. We’d moved along to an almost desperate need.

  I was panting by the time his lips moved to my neck, and I threw my head back to give him access to my throat. His hands roamed my skin beneath my shirt until he reached my bra. With a quick twist, he released the hooks. Seconds later, he was back on his knees, my shirt pulled up, and his warm mouth attached itself to a nipple.

  I moaned. My hands curled into his hair, as every erogenous zone zapped to life. I didn’t know how much longer I could stand, so I pressed against the wall as his mouth licked, then sucked while his fingers prepared the other nipple for the oncoming onslaught.

  When was the last time I’d let myself succumb to these feelings? I’d lost my virginity to my boyfriend in high school, and he’d broken my heart. I’d taken things slow with the guy at college, and he would have raped me if my friend hadn’t intervened.

  Deep down, I knew Caleb wasn’t like either of them. Yes, I found him attractive. Yes, I’d been having lustful feelings toward him for weeks, looking for any opportunity to see him. Five minutes ago, I was mad as hell at his overbearing nature, but when he’d dropped to his knees, my anger had dropped away with him.

  When he stood again to capture my mouth, I nearly lunged forward to meet him. I needed this tonight. I needed to feel something other than fear and anger and resentment that had been keeping me going for the past two months.

  He didn’t meet me with the same intensity. Instead he pulled just far enough away to place a kiss on my forehead. “As much as I want you, we can’t do this.”

  His words stung me like a thousand bee stings. Why was he doing this to me? Why had I allowed myself to feel anything for him? I couldn’t help the sudden onset of tears that welled in my eyes.

  “Shh. No. Don’t cry.” He kissed the wetness on my cheek. “I’m sorry.” In a swift movement, he swung me into his arms and carried me into the bedroom and somehow managed to pull the covers down before placing me in the center of the bed. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  As he went to pull away, I reached out and grabbed his hand. “Don’t go, Caleb.”

  The enormity of my words hit me. I didn’t want to be alone. I didn’t want him to leave. I didn’t want to fight my feelings any longer. We may have only been married, so to speak, for one week, but the past months had weighed me down and those few moments in the living room had almost made me forget everything else.

  His fingers tightened around mine. “What are you asking for, Grace?”

  I scrambled to my knees and took his other hand in mine as well, as I looked up into the depths of his blue eyes. “Stay with me. Make me forget what’s outside these doors. Kiss me again and take all this craziness away. Please.”

  When he closed his eyes, I thought he was going to refuse. But when they opened again, he couldn’t hide the desire in the dark depths, or in the huskiness of his voice.

  “From the moment I met you, I’ve been trying like hell to not want you, but as much as you frustrate me, you also make me laugh.” He squeezed my hands, and I wondered where this was going. “Every day since your arrival, I have marveled at your spark, at your energy, but I’ve also seen the sadness in those gorgeous brown eyes. Every instinct in my body is urging me to do whatever I can to erase those tears.”

  “Then stay with me,” I pleaded. “I just need this one night. When you touch me and kiss me, there is a part of me that feels there is at least one thing right in this messed up summer internship. I need you, Caleb. I need the feelings you stir up in me.”

  “God help me.” He ground out before capturing my mouth while he moved to kneel on the edge of the bed with me. The tears that rolled down my cheek now weren’t from sadness. Relief? Maybe. All I know was I couldn’t get enough.

  He pulled my shirt and bra up over my head to throw them on a heap on the floor while I struggled to get the buttons of his shirt to cooperate with my hasty fingers. With each button released, I pushed the fabric aside to kiss his skin until I stopped caring and finally yanked the remaining fabric aside, the final few buttons flinging across the bed.

  I’d admired his muscles from afar, but up close? I ran my fingers across his body, marveling at the ripples and ridges of perfect pecs and abs.

  “Lay back,” he ordered.

  I did, lying across the bed diagonally, as Caleb worked the buttons of my shorts before pulling them and my panties down in one smooth motion, taking my shoes off at the same time. While we’d never turned the bedroom lights on, the light from the living room streamed in, giving me more than enough light to see how his gaze traveled my exposed body. The blue in his eyes darkened causing my body to melt like an ice cream cone under the sweltering heat of the sun.

  He turned from me, sitting on the edge of the bed to quickly remove his boots. My brain told me to move, to take that time to press against his back, to kiss his neck, to wrap my arms around him. But I stayed and a moment later, he joined me, both of us lying sideways across the expanse of the bed. He still wore his jeans, the denim rough against my legs while his bare chest slid tauntingly against my rigid nipples as he claimed my mouth in another kiss.

  I couldn’t let him have all the fun. My hands went around him, touching and learning the contours of his body. From his back, around his sides, and between our bodies.
I skimmed my fingers up his chest until I found his nipples and I let my thumbs replay what his had done to mine earlier, eliciting a deep moan from him.

  Between the tangle of our legs, I felt his arousal pressing against his zipper. I shifted, bucked up, asked for more. Caleb answered by moving against me, his lower body gyrating in the most intimate way possible, and I felt the moisture pool at my apex.

  We continued our movements as our mouths and hands set each other on fire. It had to be a hundred degrees in the room, despite the central air working furiously in the summer heat.

  My hands went to his waistline, unbuttoning his pants. His hands stopped me. “Not yet.” The air conditioner cycled on sending a blast of cool air over my heated body. I wanted to curl into Caleb, instead he leaned back. With gentle fingers, he turned my chin so our gazes met. “You’re beautiful, Grace. I want you more than you know. I’ve wanted you for some time. This summer isn’t what you expected, I know that. It’s not what I’d planned either. So if I can help you forget everything about this place that makes you sad and replace it with something better, even for a night, I’d like to do that for you. Do you trust me?”

  Did I? I desired him. I was attracted to him. I wanted him to finish what he’d started. But trust? Caleb was a good man. He’d shown that time and again. I’m not sure why he was asking, but deep down, I knew I could answer truthfully.

  “Yes, I trust you.”

  He pushed back and stood at the side of the bed, and my heart cried out thinking he was leaving me. Then he lifted one leg, sliding his hand down my calf, then under my heel, lifting it to place a sweet, tender kiss along my arch. Placing my legs over his shoulders, his lips trailed a path of meteor showers as he moved inward. I was lost, gone in another atmosphere.

  I’d asked for this. The past eight weeks disappeared as I escaped into this world of sensation, of hope, of one night of passion. The future was bleak, and not something I wanted to think of. Caleb was here. Caleb was now.

  And Caleb was as sad and twisted up inside as I, forced into a situation neither of us had ever expected. Maybe this night had been inevitable, marriage or not.