The Damaged Heroes Collection [Box Set #1: The Damaged Heroes Collection] (BookStrand Publishing Mainstream)

by James, Sandy

  “Just another minute,” she sweetly called back to him.

  Ross’s body wasn’t that patient. He stripped his pants and then wondered if that might be a bad idea. He’d never taken a virgin to bed before, and he wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Would she be shy? Would she be afraid? When he saw the white terry robes stacked on the dresser, Ross kicked off his boxers and wrapped himself in the thick robe.

  After dimming the lights, he poured some more champagne into their glasses and set them on the nightstand. He turned down the comforter and sheets then suddenly ran out of things to do. Fortunately, the door to the bathroom opened.

  Laurie leaned against the doorframe, trying to look seductive and hoping she didn’t appear as nervous as she felt. The silk negligee had almost impossibly thin straps she figured would snap with the slightest tug. Her breasts were ready to spill over the top at any moment. Slit to the hip on both sides, the flimsy piece of silk barely covered anything of importance. The front tended to gather between her legs if she took a single step. When Ross just stood gaping at her, she became self-conscious. Not knowing what to do or say, she stared at the floor and nervously nibbled on her bottom lip.

  She wasn’t sure how a person could move so quickly, but Ross was suddenly there, standing in front of her. Before Laurie could even react, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed. As she slid over to give him room, he dropped the robe and covered her body with his.

  His hands and lips seemed to be everywhere at once. Kissing, sucking, rubbing, caressing. A myriad of sensations raced through her, too numerous to count, too wonderful to bear. Touch. Yes, please touch. She tried to catch her breath but never had the chance. She heard fabric tearing but didn’t give it a second thought. He had her naked faster than she ever thought possible. The ripped red nightgown was banished to the floor.

  Once he had Laurie where he wanted her, Ross tried to take a couple of deep breaths as he scolded himself to slow down. It seemed like he had been waiting forever for this moment, and he was amazed and very grateful that this interlude wasn’t being interrupted by a phone call, a mother-in-law, or another premonition.

  Rolling to his side and propping himself up on an elbow, he took the time to really look at his wife. She was exquisite, soft and round in all the right places. Her skin was creamy white. When she tried to cover herself with her hand, Ross grabbed her wrist. “Don’t.” She looked at him with scared eyes. “Please let me look. Don’t ever hide from me, Laurie. You’re beautiful. Every single inch of you.”

  She had no idea how to respond. As he released her wrist, Laurie reached her hand behind his head. “Kiss me,” she whispered as she pulled him down to her. His mouth covered hers with such intensity, his need and love consumed her. She took the lead, letting her tongue slide into his mouth and duel with his. His throaty growls thrummed through her like the pounding of a big bass drum. Slow, steady, firm. Like the beating of a heart.

  She made him crazy with need. Ross kissed across her cheek to her ear. He tickled her with his breath and his tongue, whispering a litany of wicked things he planned to do to her. His ego loved the fact that she trembled at his seductive words. Working his way down her neck, he nuzzled a soft place just above her collarbone. He enjoyed it all. The little mewls she made every time he touched her. The tensing of her muscles. The breath catching in her throat. The toes moving impatiently against his shin. He savored each reaction. Relished it. Memorized it.

  Laurie ran her hands over his shoulders and his back, reveling in each new sensation. When he palmed her breasts, she closed her eyes and moaned. As soon as he replaced one hand with his mouth, she arched her back, wondering how anything could feel so magnificent. The ache, the need, was consuming. Devastating.

  As he thoroughly explored each of her breasts with his mouth and tongue, Ross let his hands slide over the warm skin of her stomach, resisting the urge to hurry toward his goal. Everything inside him begged for him to take her, to separate her legs, to open her to him, to be inside her. He knew she’d be tight, just like he knew she’d be perfect. Slow. Slow. Laurie needs me to go slow.

  Pushing himself lower, he kissed her stomach, letting his tongue swirl around her navel. He playfully nipped at each of her hips before he slid his hand up the inside of her thigh. He wanted her ready because he wanted to make this something special for both of them. But when his fingers reached her core, Ross lost control. Perfect. She was absolutely perfect. Wet, hot, and so very tight. As he slid a finger deep inside her, he wasn’t sure he could wait much longer to claim her.

  Laurie drank in each caress as he stroked parts of her she’d never shared with another, places that drove her mad with want. The fever in her blood pooled between her legs—an aching, pulsing need she welcomed. She rocked her hips against his gifted hand, trying to find some release for the tension building deep inside her, some release for the craving she had no name to describe. Ross continued to pet and tease. And touch. Oh, how deliciously he could touch. Her nails dragged across his shoulder as she tried to pull him closer. When he slid a second finger inside her, she arched her back and moaned in a husky voice she barely recognized as her own. “Please, Ross,” she begged, hoping he could give her what she needed from him, because she needed it now.

  Her plea was more than he could stand. Ross quickly covered her as he settled himself between her thighs. He kissed her long and hard. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered.

  She responded by spreading her legs a little wider and pulling him into another deep kiss.

  Got to go slow. But he realized going slow was impossible. He thrust himself deep inside her.

  Her body stiffened, but only for a moment. Ross stopped moving. Laurie would need to adjust. Her body would need to relax. Had he hurt her? No. No, she would tell him.

  He’d never enjoyed a woman’s body with no barrier, nothing to dull the sensation. Warmth to warmth. No. Fire to fire. Being inside Laurie was the most exquisite torture he’d ever known. “God, don’t move like that, Kitten.” He could feel the sweat breaking out on his upper lip as he braced himself on his elbows, trying desperately not to crush her. Move. He needed to move, needed to feel himself stir within that welcoming, wet heat. “Laurie? Did I hurt you?”

  Laurie thought his voice sounded strained, like he was in pain. Her own quick, sharp pain had dulled to an ache. “A little. It’s okay, Ross.” Just an ache, just a twinge. But she wanted the hunger back. Laurie pushed her hips up to take him in more deeply. His groan rumbled through her, hit her like a visceral blow. He wanted her. He really wanted her. Ross moved and began to slide out before sinking back into her.

  With each of his gentle thrusts, Laurie raised her hips to meet him. The exquisite tension began to build again, growing stronger, threatening to swallow her and leave nothing behind. No wonder the French called this the petite morte.

  Ross kissed her deeply, letting the action of his tongue mimic the drive of his hips. She felt so wonderful, so perfect that he wasn’t sure how long he could continue to hold himself back. Every movement of her body, every innocent reaction, and every honest response were almost enough to push him over the edge.

  Laurie’s muscles tightened, and for a moment she felt overwhelmed by her own reaction. But it was so delicious, so frightening, so consuming. “Please, Ross. I...I don’t know how.”

  “Yes, you do,” he replied with whispered reverence. “Just let go, Laurie. I’m here.”

  She let go of the fear, wrapping her legs around his hips and pulling him deeper inside. Her body was begging, pleading for him to be closer. Closer still. Suddenly, everything inside her shattered. Her body spasmed, bucked against his as she called out his name.

  Ross buried his face in the soft spot where neck met shoulder and lost himself in Laurie, finding the heavenly release he’d longed for and marveling in the passionate gift she’d given him. God, how he loved her.

  Laurie could feel the light sheen of sweat covering Ross’s skin a
s she ran her hands down his broad back. She kissed his shoulder and loved the slightly salty taste. He didn’t seem inclined to move. She tapped him on the back. “Are you okay?”

  He pushed himself up on his elbows. “I’m not sure. Give me a second.”

  She had to laugh at that.

  Ross finally rolled to his side, tugging her with him. Laurie snuggled up to the crook of his arm and draped her leg across his thighs.

  She felt shy. Not awkward, just shy. And more than a little curious. Would it always be like this? Would she always please him? Or had she pleased him? “Ross, was that...um... Did you...well, of course you did. I mean, well...”

  He pulled her a little closer. “Is there a question there somewhere?”

  She laughed again but wasn’t sure it sounded genuine. She reached out to stroke his chest. “Yeah. Was I...any...good?” Then she fervently wished she had simply kept her mouth shut.

  His new wife wasn’t just good. She was fantastic. But she was also unsure of herself. He hugged her a little closer. “You were beyond good. I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

  “Really? How many... Oh, never mind.”

  He kissed to top of her head. “Not many. Honest. To call you the best would be an understatement.” Laurie wiggled against him, his body immediately reacted again. He gently took her hand and led it to his growing erection. “See what you do to me?”

  Laurie almost pulled back from the foreign feel of him. Ross put his hand on top of hers and wrapped her fingers around him. After he moved his hand away, she began to slowly slide her fingers down his length. Every inch of him fascinated her. She could feel his whole body tighten in reaction to her touch. She decided she loved having that kind of power over him.

  “Laurie, we can’t. Not again. You’ll be too sore.”

  “Says who?” she asked as she kept stroking him.

  Ross groaned.

  “I’ve got an idea.” She released her hold. Crawling over him, Laurie grabbed his robe from the floor and wrapped it around her before she went to the bathroom. The enormous tub had simply been too inviting to ignore. Turning on the faucet, she drew a hot bath.

  Ross rolled out of bed and followed her into the bathroom.

  As she leaned over the large tub to adjust the temperature, he came up from behind, pulled her hips back against his groin, and growled. Laurie immediately straightened up and reached behind him to grab his buttocks and pull him closer. When he reached for the sash holding her robe together, she squealed and slapped his hands away.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I don’t want you to see me. There’s too much light in here.”

  “For pity’s sake, Laurie. We just made love. I saw all of you.” Ross grabbed her and twirled her around to make her stand in front of him. Keeping eye contact, he slowly untied the robe and slipped his hands over her shoulders to ease it off her. Running his hands down her arms, he laced his fingers through hers. For a quick moment, Laurie thought about resisting. But the strength of his gaze and the touch of his hands soothed her.

  Slowly lifting her arms, Ross took a small step back. He let his gaze rake a path from the top of her head to the tips of her toes before slowly returning to make eye contact again. “You are the most perfect woman I’ve ever seen.”

  Every inch of her skin had flushed warm, and she figured her unladylike snort told him she didn’t believe him.

  “It’s going to take some time to give you confidence, but it’s a job I feel...up to,” he said with a chuckle.

  Laurie flashed him a smile. She broke away and went back to the tub. Turning the water off, she stepped into the bath. After lowering herself in the water, she looked up at her husband. “Care to join me?”

  Ross didn’t need to be asked twice.

  Sitting on opposite ends of the enormous tub, they relaxed in the warm water. Feeling a little braver now that most of her body was concealed, Laurie let her foot wander. She started by rubbing her toes over his foot. Slowly sliding up his shin, she loved the feel of the crisp hairs on his legs. Ross smiled at her with one of his iniquitous grins. She took it as an invitation and pushed her toes over his thigh. He fished her foot out of the water and kissed it, setting her into a twitter of giggles.

  “You know I’ve thought about this since that night you took me to your condo,” Laurie said.

  “About what?”

  “Taking a bath with you. Do you know how hard it was to let you touch me like that?”

  Ross gave her a sly smile and rubbed her foot. “Do you know how hard I was touching you like that?”

  Warmth spread over her cheeks.

  “Come here, Kitten.”

  Laurie moved to straddle him, and he pulled her against his chest. She could feel his arousal pressing against her stomach and marveled she could so easily elicit that response from her new husband.

  Ross wondered if she knew how much their earlier lovemaking had mussed her hair. He suddenly wanted to see it down, wanted to see those pale locks framing that beautiful face. Carefully plucking each small white flower from her tresses, he set them floating in the bath water. Letting his fingers slide through her silky hair, he located each pin holding it high on her head until it spilled to her shoulders. “So pretty,” he whispered in her ear before he kissed his way down her neck.

  Ross leaned down to take a breast into his mouth and enjoyed how she arched her back and gave herself to him like some offering. He couldn’t get enough of her, couldn’t get close enough to her.

  Laurie wanted to feel him inside her again. When he pulled away to capture her lips, she let her tongue be the one to coax a response from his. As their tongues played across each other, mouths slanting to gain better access, she slid her hands down his chest. Broad, firm, strong. He was a work of art, a sculpture, a masterpiece. Across his flat stomach she teased and touched. Then her quest ended as she wrapped her fingers around him.

  Ross would have come right then and there if he hadn’t made love to her before. Control. He’d lost all of his precious control. No woman had every made him want, had ever made him need the way Laurie did with her hesitant endeavors to learn to please him. Perhaps he felt chauvinistic self-satisfaction that no other man had ever enjoyed her the way he could. Maybe it was the shape of her body—from her long legs to her full breasts. Whatever brought about the intense desire, he knew how special she was, and he had every intention of spending the rest of his life enjoying her, loving her. Making love to her.

  Lifting her by the hips, Ross raised Laurie above him as he slid inside her and let her pull him toward the heaven he knew he’d find only with her. He smothered her with his kiss.

  Laurie couldn’t believe anything could feel as good as taking him inside her body. Every muscle pulled him deeper, demanded his possession, commanded her movements. She rocked her hips hard against him.

  Water sloshed out of the tub, but they didn’t care. When she felt that exquisite tension build again, she welcomed it wholeheartedly. Their bodies increased the frantic rhythm until Laurie felt the delicious tremors wash over her. Ross thrust his hips up one more time and called her name with a husky growl as she felt him shudder. She collapsed onto his chest panting.

  “I think I’m going to love being married,” he whispered in her ear.

  Chapter 20

  The never ending trip is taking a toll on everyone. T.J. wants to be sure that we don’t leave a trail, so we don’t travel any main roads. We’ve met some interesting people and seen so many little towns. We stay for a few weeks then we move on. Yet, I know T.J. is still afraid that they will find us. He sees gangsters or policemen around every corner and Ice in all of his nightmares.

  We’ve finally decided we’re going to Montana. T.J. says we’ll be safe there. I can tell he’s worried his parents won’t welcome him back, but he really thinks we have no place else to go. I think he’s wrong about his family. I know they’ll be glad to see him.

  To trudge the road so the path w
as lost

  was shown to be at too great a cost.

  Mile after mile to reach the west

  to go where Fortune thought was best.

  Ross had passed the point of frustration.

  “You know, making a good marriage isn’t easy,” Laurie said, the annoyance plain in her tone. “It requires some compromise.”

  “Yeah, I know. But I figured it would make more sense if we went to the condo. I’ve got to go back to work tomorrow and all my stuff is there,” Ross countered, allowing his irritation to be just as clear.

  Laurie put her hands on her hips and frowned. “But then I’d have to drive into Joliet in the morning. I’ve been away from work too long too. If we stay at the house, you could drive the Lexus in. Or the trains go right through here. It’ll take me forever to drive to the clinic if we stay at the condo.”

  “We’d have more privacy at my place.” He gave her his customary scowl.

  She scowled right back at him. “Deepika is at the hospital all the time. We’ll have plenty of privacy at my place.”

  Ross tossed their bags in his car and slammed the trunk shut. He was preparing to growl something at her again when he suddenly realized how ridiculous their first real argument was turning out to be. Seeing the contrition on Laurie’s face, he figured she must have come to the same conclusion.

  “Looks like the honeymoon’s over, huh?” she asked as he came around to her side of the car and rested her forehead against his chest.

  He kissed the top of her head and breathed in the apple scent that always soothed him. “Yeah. Sorry, Kitten. I guess we need to sit and talk about what we want to do about the house and the condo.”

  Laurie glanced up at him and nodded. “Then what do we do tonight? Flip a coin?”

  “Your turn,” Ross replied.