by Jenika Snow
As if she couldn’t bear to hold her eyes open any longer, Brea let them close and started rising and falling on his stiff cock. She was so wet, so incredibly soaked that there was no resistance as he slid in and out of her.
“Yes, that’s it, baby. Take all of me.” Neck straining as he tilted his head back, Adrian looked like a man about to lose control. She wanted to be that woman who caused such a virile and powerful man to lose it.
Moving up and down on him harder and faster, she felt her clit hit the root of his shaft with every downstroke, felt herself climbing the ladder of arousal as everything around her started to turn black with her impending orgasm.
“Yes.” The force of her climax had her slamming her pussy down on his cock, riding out the storm that was crashing inside of her.
She was vaguely aware of the grunts and growls emitting from Adrian, felt his fingers dig into her flesh harder, and then felt his shaft swell and lengthen inside of her with his own orgasm.
“Jesus, Brea.” His roar of completion rocked the room, crashed through her, and had another orgasm churning within her. It was intense, just like him, just like the way he made her feel.
His hips lifted, meeting her downstrokes until she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Fuck. I can feel your pussy clenching me, baby.”
She forced her eyes open, stared down at the face of a man who had pushed every insecurity, every fear, every worry that had built inside of her away.
The strength to hold herself up was lost, and she collapsed on top of him, breathing heavily, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against her own. Neither of them spoke, but the silence was comforting.
He moved his hands along her sides and moved higher. It took her a moment to realize he was sliding his palms up and down her back, and everything around her came crashing down around her. The post-euphoric feeling that she’d just surrendered to was now a bleak, shameful feeling inside of her.
Could he feel the scars?
14
“Brea?” Adrian stilled his movements at the feel of her tensing above him. What they’d just shared had been incredible, more than that really, but now there was something between them, this wall that had been erected.
Her breathing had changed from the ecstatic, quick pants of a female well loved, to the erratic rhythm of someone uncomfortable.
The raised skin on her back had him cursing internally. What the fuck had that asshole done to her?
When she tried to climb off him, he wanted to hold her tighter, but he knew she needed her space. It was the last thing he wanted to do—let her go—but he wouldn’t push her.
“Baby?” She rolled off him but kept her back away from his view. “Talk to me. Please.” It didn’t matter that the desperation in his voice was thicker than honey. This small, fragile female before him, the woman he realized he loved more than his own life, had suffered something horrible.
What he wouldn’t give to be in the cage right now, beating the living shit out of the bastard who’d done this to her.
“Look at me, pretty girl.” He wanted to see her face without streaks of drying tears or the residue of fear. He wanted to erase all her bad memories and replace them with ones that she could smile at when she looked back.
She finally lifted her head and stared at him. There was no fear, no sadness, but there was a shame that covered her like a second skin. The light strands of her hair created a curtain, partially shielding her from view.
“It’s the one part of my body that disgusts me.” Goddamn, but she sounded so lost. It ate at his soul. What could he do to make things better, to make her feel safe with him?
He wanted to touch her, but he didn’t know if it would be welcome. “Brea, there is nothing you can say or do, nothing in this world that would make me feel anything but love for you.” He hadn’t meant to tell her, not now at least. It seemed too soon, and if the shocked look on her face was anything to go by, she thought that as well.
She exhaled on a shaky breath, glanced away, and he wanted nothing more than to reach out and pull her close.
“He did this to you?” Although he knew the answer before he’d even asked the question. Bringing his hand to cup her cheek, he waited until her gaze met his.
“Yeah. He gave me these,” she said and presented her back to him. “He gave me these right before I left him.”
He pulled her onto his lap, cradling her body, needing to hold her as much as she needed the comfort. There was a part of him that didn’t want her to say another word because he felt like this time her pain was caused by him. Her head was against his chest.
“I want to kill him, Brea.” He said the words before he could stop them. She didn’t need to know that. He didn’t need to frighten her.
“You and me both,” she said, surprising him by her admission.
Knowing she’d been hurt, hearing the pain in her voice, the shame she felt, sliced through him, leaving him raw, vulnerable. He held her tighter with one arm and reached for the blankets with the other, pulling them up and covering them. He kept her on his lap, against his chest because he couldn’t live with the thought of letting her go.
“I’m sorry.” Although the words certainly wouldn’t make things better, at this moment it was all he could think of saying.
They were silent for so long that he felt her body start to relax against him and knew she was falling asleep.
They slept like that, curled together, their hearts beating the same steady rhythm, Adrian keeping her close and protected. Always.
It was the smell of him, intoxicating, masculine, all hers, that had Brea slowly opening her eyes. Sleep clung to her, and she had kinks in her neck and back, the position she was currently in awkward. She was curled against Adrian, his big body pressed to her, his hand cradling the back of her head to his chest.
Adrian roused beside her, making her heat, grow aroused.
Predawn light filtered in through the nautical-themed room.
“You’re awake,” he murmured huskily, and every erogenous zone lit up at the deep timbre of his voice.
Sitting up, the blanket fell from her nude body. She thought about last night, how he’d held her after he saw the scars on her back that Cameron had given her, how he’d made her feel so safe.
There was so much she wanted to tell him, so much more than she had already told him. She could never reveal that her time here was limited, that when she finally had enough saved up, she was going to disappear. She had to. It was safer that way, not just for her but for Adrian as well. If Cameron did find her, found out she was involved with Adrian … God, she didn’t want to think about what he’d do to the man she’d fallen in love with.
The intense pain that settled in her heart at the thought of never seeing Adrian again was like a hot poker right through her gut. It was hard to breathe, hard to focus. Her feelings for him might have been fast and taken her by surprise, but the danger that she put in his life by just associating with him made wanting to be with him a selfish desire. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Adrian could handle himself against anyone, but he didn’t know Cameron.
Her ex was a classic sadist, a textbook psychopath that could manipulate and have everyone and anyone eating out of the palm of his hand right before he slit their throat. He had no remorse, no sympathy. He lived in this world for the sole purpose of inflicting pain on others. She’d learned the hard way, and she was not going to bring that kind of horror on Adrian.
God, she wished they could run away together, just vanish. The idea of actually asking him to leave with her had jumped into her mind, but only momentarily. She couldn’t ask him to give up everything for her.
“Come here, baby. Let me hold you. Please.”
Brea curled against him happily, readily. She wanted to feel his warmth, the love she so desperately needed. When his arms wrapped around her, everything was perfect.
15
The way the sun looked as it peeked over the horizon, bathing th
e water in light early-morning hues, was something of beauty. They sat at a little bakery drinking coffee as they stared at the beach with its calm, serene waves.
“It’s so beautiful.” Brea kept her attention toward the water and brought her cup to her mouth, taking a sip of the warm, vanilla-flavored drink.
“Yes, it is.” The way Adrian said it had Brea looking at him. He wasn’t staring at the beach but at her instead.
He brought his own cup to his lips, taking a long sip while he watched her over the rim. Cheeks heating from his comment, she had to look away from his intense stare.
“You want a muffin?” The B and B had a breakfast spread, but they’d woken up before the sun had risen and decided to head out in search of a place that was open at this ungodly hour.
Right now his suggestion had a loud rumble coming from her stomach. “Anything besides blueberry, please.”
The sound of the crashing waves had her turning her attention away from Adrian’s retreating form and looking back at the water.
“Business or pleasure?”
The voice was behind her, and she looked over her shoulder, seeing a thirtysomething man wearing dark aviator glasses and a worn brown leather jacket. “Excuse me?”
“You.” He lifted a cigarette to his lips and brought his lighter up to the end, inhaling deeply as the tip glowed a bright orange.
They sat on the patio seating, and although he was more than allowed to smoke out here, distaste over her meal and her relaxing moment being interrupted by the thickening cigarette smoke nauseated her.
She took in his appearance, with his wrinkled shirt, the pit stains flashing in view when he shifted on his seat and moved his arms. He had a five-o’clock shadow covering his cheeks and jaw—not the sexy kind that Adrian sometimes got, but looking more like he’d slept in his car and hadn’t showered in a few days.
“Come here for business or pleasure?” He inhaled again, holding in the smoke for several long seconds before exhaling in her direction. The stench had her nose wrinkling in disgust.
“Just visiting.” She might be wary, but she also didn’t want to draw any more unwanted attention to herself by being a bitch, so she smiled at him before turning her focus forward once more.
“Yeah, me, too. Just passing through. The scenery was too good to pass up, though.”
“Yeah.”
Silence stretched on for a few moments.
“Know any good places to stay overnight? Maybe a good bed-and-breakfast?”
She shifted in her seat, growing more uneasy with each passing second. Although this guy was most likely harmless, his questioning had every warning bell going off inside of her. Although since leaving Cameron, it seemed everything had red flags sprouting up.
“Me and my old lady are looking for a quiet place to lay low for a while. Just got hitched and are on our way north.”
She turned around then, taking in his appearance again. “Your wife?”
Flicking the ash from his cigarette, he took his sunglasses off and stared at her, his eyes black with bags surrounding them. He lifted up his left hand, showing her a thin gold band around his ring finger. “Yeah, she saw a T-shirt stand down the boardwalk and wanted to get a few souvenirs.”
“Oh.” She cleared her throat and brought her cup to her lips, taking a long drink of her now-lukewarm coffee. “Well, I can’t really help you out, sorry.”
When he grinned after several long, uncomfortable seconds, her palms became clammy.
He lifted his scuffed-up hands, his fingernails grimy, and pulled his cigarette out of his mouth, snubbing it out.
“They had cinnamon. I hope that’s okay,” Adrian said a foot from her. When he was seated, he slid her muffin across to her.
“Thank you.” She glanced back at where the guy had been seated, only to see his empty chair and the scent of cigarette smoke lingering in the air.
Brea couldn’t stop herself from looking down the boardwalk. There was no sign of him in either direction.
The feel of Adrian’s fingers flexing on her flesh drew her back to the present.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded and licked her lips, tasting her vanilla coffee covering the soft skin. “I’m fine.” She looked into Adrian’s eyes, saw the crease of worry between his brows, and lifted her hand up to smooth it away with her finger. “I’m fine, really.”
“You would tell me if you weren’t, right?”
“Absolutely.”
After their breakfast he stood, smiling down at her. “Come on. I want to show you something.” His hand was stretched out, and she didn’t hesitate to take it.
They walked down the boardwalk, the smell of salt in the air growing more intense as the sun continued its ascent. He led them onto the beach where people were already setting up umbrellas and towels. It was still fairly early, but she had no doubt the beach would fill up quickly, especially with the temperature forecasted to reach in the high eighties.
They must have walked for ten minutes, the twists and turns he took causing her curiosity to grow. The silence between them was comfortable, and it gave her time to think about last night. He’d been very comforting and understanding when she’d told him about her past. There was a small part of her that regretted opening up and showing the ugly side of her life, because it would make what she had to do in the end that much harder.
But he’d opened up to her as well, and now she felt this bond formed between them that was strong, unbreakable. It was real.
Towering rocks stood to their left like a mountain growing before them. The ocean was to their right, the waves picking up as the time passed, crashing against the shore and turning the sand a darker shade of beige before the water absorbed, lightening it up. The sound was calming, a gentle whooshing noise that could have lulled her to sleep.
“It’s right over here.” He veered off to the left, toward a small cave that was nearly invisible as two large, protruding outcroppings concealed it.
Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he smiled down at her, brought her hand to his lips, and kissed her fingers. He led them toward the cave, but his steps were slow, languid.
Once in the cave she immediately heard the sound of dripping water as it echoed around them. The deeper he led them into the cave, the closer and clearer the noise of the water became. The scent of wet earth filled her senses.
Adrian’s big body blocked her view, but his large frame was silhouetted by the light that became brighter the farther into the cave they went. The walls around them were close enough that she could place her hands out beside her and lay her palms flat on the rough surface. This had to be claustrophobic for Adrian, being so big and muscular.
And then the walls opened up and the smell of fresh seawater filled her nose. When he stepped to the side, a beautiful pool of water and trickling from the rocks were revealed. Her breath caught, and she found her hand going to her mouth, blocking the gasp that would have spilled.
The look on her face had made bringing her here better than he could have imagined. That gasp of pleasant surprise as she saw the pool had his chest swelling with pride.
He’d found this treasure trove when he first got to the city. His thoughts had been dark and turbulent, and all he’d wanted to do was escape. He’d driven until he saw the coast, then started walking down the beach without a destination in mind. The alcove had been small, but he just wanted to disappear into the darkness. It seemed fitting for where his thoughts had been that day.
“The seawater comes in through right there,” he said as he pointed to the right. An opening at the top allowed the sun to filter through, casting the pond in a morning glow. “I came here to clear my head, think about where my life was heading now. I find myself coming here a lot. I try to imagine what my life will be like as the years pass. If I’ll be happy, if I’ll ever be able to make someone else happy.” Her full attention was on him, and he took a deep breath. “I thought maybe if I brought you here, it would help you cl
ear your mind, too, think about what you want out of life.”
She looked at the water, then back at him, her smile growing. “Thank you.” She lifted her hand and placed it on his chest. “It’s beautiful, and I’m so glad I decided to come here with you, not just to the cave but to escape the shitty box I’d placed myself in.” She dropped her hand back to her side and looked at the pool. “With you I feel free,” she whispered.
This trip had been meant to put a smile on her face, to have them growing closer, and he felt like they’d accomplished that.
He felt like he’d found that missing piece to his soul.
16
They found themselves in the pool of water not long after entering the cave. It had been Brea’s idea, and she was honestly surprised she’d suggested it. Now here they were, wading in the water, the look on Adrian’s face telling her his desire was climbing … just like hers.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he said softly, and her heart jumped to her throat. He pressed his wet, hard body against hers and made a slow sweep of his tongue up her throat. She closed her eyes and moaned. He had his arms wrapped around her, cushioning her back as she leaned against the rock edge of the pool.
Her arousal pounded through her like a stampede of horses, causing her breaths to puff in rapid succession. Although she still had her panties and bra on, still embarrassed by the scars that covered her skin despite Adrian’s acceptance and empathy, there was no doubt Adrian could easily see her nipples as they stabbed through the material, chilled from the ocean water. As if he’d read her mind, he dragged his lips down her neck, over her collarbones, and sucked her achingly taut nipple into his mouth.
