She shook her head. “Just know that I am attracted to you, but I am not sure I’m built for relationships. Not anymore.”
“And know that after growing up in a house with five women, I have the patience of a saint—as I pointed out before.”
She laughed. “Okay.”
“Why don’t you go out onto the lanai? I need to grab the fish and the asparagus.”
“Oh, you’re grilling the whole dinner? That sounds scrumptious.”
When she turned to leave, he found himself watching the sway of her hips and listening to the way she cooed to his dog. It was almost too homey, but it felt right. This woman, this night.
He had to pull himself out of his stupor and went about his tasks. He had a lady to impress with his culinary skills.
* * *
A couple hours later, Elle’s stomach was still full from the smashing dinner and enjoying the evening. Sure, they were spending it looking over all the leads both Graeme and Marcus had dug up, but it was still enjoyable. There wasn’t a beach, but she enjoyed being close to the water. She could hear it lapping against the rocks.
“Earth to Dr. Middleton,” he said.
She glanced at him with a smile. “I just love that sound. Water is so soothing.”
He didn’t say anything, but he kept staring at her. The moment stretched out, and she felt a tickle at the back of her throat.
“What?”
“Nothing, you just seem very happy.”
“Why does everyone say that like they are surprised?”
He shrugged. “You would smile sometimes, and it wouldn’t reach your eyes.”
She thought about it. Had she been like that? After dealing with her ex this afternoon, she felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted. She had finally said what she wanted, and she felt as if that part of her life was over.
“Good to know.” She glanced out at the setting sun. “How do you not sit out here and just stare all day long?”
He chuckled. “It was hard not to after I found the house. But, then I realized I had to pay rent.”
She smiled. Streaks of red and orange still filled the sky, but it would not be long before it was dark. Hawaii didn’t change its clocks; and as it was, it would be well after eight, and she had an early morning.
“So, you have a list of people to look through,” she said.
He nodded.
“I guess I should be on my way.”
The moment she said it, Dumfries was on his feet and waiting as if he were going with her. She laughed and made her way into the house.
“Elle?”
She turned around to face Graeme. The fading sun was behind him, highlighting the golden hues of his hair. Arousal darkened his eyes. Just seeing that stirred to life her own desires.
He took her hand and pulled her slowly to him. The closer she got to him, the more her heart sped up. When he finally had her in his arms, he nuzzled her neck. For a man who seemed to be very sensual, he took his time about getting to it.
“You always smell like roses, Eleanora.”
His accent had thickened, as he dragged his tongue over her pulse point. Every time he did that, her knees went weak. He tugged on her earlobe, pulling it between his teeth and sliding his tongue over it. The man was deadly with that tongue. The one thought brought to mind all kinds of naughty things. Things she wanted to do, or have done to her.
He pulled back and looked at her. It was the most serious expression she had ever seen on his face. He dropped his hands.
“All you have to say is no. I’ll step away.”
She looked at him then, this big, brawny warrior, and she knew that he would. No question about it. It was her choice. Always.
“I want to stay.”
For a second he said nothing. The moment stretched, and Elle worried that he might be having second thoughts. Suddenly, he groaned. The sound so primal it lit through her blood and sent her head spinning. He took two huge steps to her, grabbed her by the waist, and yanked her against him. He kissed her, but it was different than before. This wasn’t seductive or teasing. Raw need pulsed through her as Graeme plunged his tongue deep within her mouth. She could do nothing but surrender.
With little effort, he lifted her into his arms, then walked to the back of the house to his bedroom. He dropped her on the bed from such a height that she bounced. A laugh of sheer delight rose up from her throat, and he stopped to stare at her.
“Aw, lass, you do know how to make a man melt.”
She stopped laughing as she watched him pull off his shirt, then unbutton and unzip his pants. Bloody hell, he was a bloody Scottish god. Muscles rippled beneath golden brown flesh.
Her gaze moved down his body. He was still wearing a pair of knit boxers, unfortunately. His erection was hard to miss. His cock twitched as she studied him. Graeme chuckled. She looked up at him.
“It has a mind of its own when it comes to you.”
She smiled and scooted to the end of the bed so she sat with her feet on the floor. Without hesitation, she reached forward and pressed her hand against him. He groaned and she smiled.
“Sure, get enjoyment out of my pain.”
Feeling a little bold, she said, “I promise to help with that.”
His eyebrows rose in surprise. What did he think she was, a prude?
“You’re in charge, love.”
For a second, she didn’t understand. Then, when she saw the glint in his eyes, she did. He was letting her take control of the situation. She stood and turned around.
“Could you unzip me?”
Again, he hesitated. Now she realized he was just as nervous as she was, and it made her fall for him even more. In the next second, she felt a slowly released breath against the nape of her neck. He eased the zipper down. She let the dress fall to the floor. He bent his head and touched his lips to her shoulder. As he moved his mouth up to her neck, he trailed his fingers down her spine, then back up to her bra. As he continued to tease her, he unhooked her bra. This time, she hesitated for a second. It was the first time a man would see her naked since the attack.
And just like that, memories of that dark night years before came rushing back to her. She closed her eyes as if that would help but, of course, it didn’t. The terror, the pain, everything rushed through her, dampening the arousal Graeme had inspired.
He paused and pulled back just a few inches.
“You have the control, Elle. Just say stop and I will. No matter what.”
She couldn’t see his face, as he was standing behind her, but she could hear the infinite pledge in those words. He would do what he said, because Graeme always did. Warmth filled her and...trust. Love might be what the poets write about, but for her, trust was much more important. And she knew with Graeme, it was there.
She let the bra drop to the ground. He turned her around slowly, then slipped a finger beneath her chin to force her gaze up.
“Know this, Elle. When I say you are in control, you are. Stop is the only word I need to know that we have gone too far for you. Doona ever hesitate to say it. I want you, more than you’ll ever know, but I don’t want you to give up your peace.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Graeme.”
“What, love?”
Elle couldn’t bring herself to say it. Truthfully, she didn’t know what to say to him at that point. Instead, she cupped his face and kissed him, trying her best to pour all of her emotions into the kiss. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing against her. The scent of him filled her senses. He always smelled of musk...but not a cologne. It was unique to him, and it always called to her. His warmth surrounded her, as his arms urged her closer. She could feel his erection against her belly. It sent little sparks of heat dancing through her blood and along her nerve endings.
He ripped his mouth away, then gently laid her down on the bed. In one quick move, he slipped her panties off. For a moment, he stood staring down at her, mumbling something that sounded like Scottish Celt. Then, he joined her
on the bed, first kissing her mouth, then working his way down her body. His tongue and hands worked magic over her body, teasing her, tempting her.
A graze of teeth over her nipple. His fingers dancing over her belly button. When he settled in between her legs, he smiled up at her.
“You even smell like roses down here, love.” His voice was thick with emotion and darkened with arousal.
He set his mouth on her sex. She was already wet, so wet she even surprised herself. If she had thought he was good before, she had been wrong. He was a bloody genius with his tongue. He slipped it between her folds, then up and over her clit. Again and again, that same motion brought her closer to completion, but not close enough. When he slipped a finger inside of her, then pulled her clit between his teeth, she lost it. A rush of heat burst through her as she bowed up off the bed. She screamed his name, as she molded her hands to the back of his head pressing herself against his face.
Just as she felt herself falling down, he added another finger, and continued on.
“Come for me again, love. I want to see you.”
She could do nothing but obey his plea. Before she could stop it, another orgasm slammed through her. She screamed from the force of it, as blissful gratification washed over her.
This time, he pulled away, tugged off his boxers. She opened her eyes, as she watched him stand back up. His erection curved up against his stomach, and she licked her lips.
“Oh, love, you do know how to please a man.”
He joined her back on the bed then, bending down to kiss her. She could taste herself on his lips.
He slipped an arm beneath her, then rolled them over so she was on top of him. She found herself straddling him.
“As I said, love. You’re in charge.” He grabbed a condom out of his bedside table and handed it to her.
Even in this, it was up to her. She undid the wrapper, then scooted down so that she could roll the condom on his erection. She did so slowly, savoring the groans from Graeme.
“Bleeding hell. I have unleashed a she-devil.”
She laughed with the power of it, then straddled him once more. Again, she took her time as she sank down on his cock. Inch by inch, she took him inside of her, and that connection she had…grew. It wasn’t just physical, but also emotional.
God, he was huge, and he filled her to bursting. When she finally had him inside her to the hilt, she rose up and started to ride him. Amazingly, she felt her arousal start to build again.
He rose up, and she thought he would roll them over again; instead, he pulled her close, still allowing her to set the pace, as he took one of her nipples into his mouth.
“Oh, yes, love, that’s it.” His teeth grazed over the tip, then he pulled her deeper into his mouth. Need blazed through her once again, lighting another orgasm, but it shimmered just out of her reach. Then, as she felt him surrender to his orgasm, she gained her release. As she convulsed against him, they fell over the edge into pleasure together.
Chapter Sixteen
Graeme lay in bed, Elle on top of him. At that moment, he decided he might just be the luckiest man alive. Scratch that. He was the fucking luckiest man alive. She had chosen him, and that meant she trusted him. That was more than he expected at this point.
He trailed his fingers over her shoulder.
“When did you get the tattoo?” he asked.
He had seen it earlier, but did not mention it. She’d had Scottish Gaelic tattooed on her shoulder, neach-tàrrsainn, meaning ‘one who survives’.
“It was about a year after...well, after. I spent most of that year hidden away in Oxford and in Inverness.”
“With your grandmother.”
“Yes. It allowed me to spend time working on myself and not dealing with the rags in London. They couldn’t find me, so they left me alone. I had time heal.”
He kept running his fingers over her flesh as he waited. He knew this was a lot for her to share, a part of her soul she kept hidden. If he pushed she might retreat.
“My grannie was the one who said I should get it. I came up with the idea, and she pushed for it. She found the artist to handle it, and took me when I was ready.”
“I can’t think your folks were too happy with that.”
She chuckled, and he could feel the delightful little tug against his cock. He was still inside of her and he liked it this way.
“My father still doesn’t know. Mum likes to say my father was born middle-aged, so she decided not to tell him. But Mum, she’s somewhat more liberal about things like that.”
“She definitely sounded nice on the phone.”
“She is, as is my father, but he’s just a little set in his ways. Of course, when he comes to visit, he will see it if we are at the beach.”
He liked hearing her talk about them. There was a warmth in her voice he didn’t hear that often. Graeme thought it boded well for their relationship. He was very close to his family, even with all the miles between them.
He stopped moving his hand when he realized what he had just thought. Granted, he knew with her history, Elle didn’t jump into bed with him on a whim, but he hadn’t registered his intentions until now.
She sat up and looked down at him. The light from the living room poured in through the doorway behind her. She looked like...an angel. Right then and there, he wasn’t exactly sure what was going to happen to this relationship. But the one thing he did know was that he’d fallen in love with her.
“Graeme, are you okay?”
He nodded, as his world shifted around him, then settled in a new order. It wasn’t the same, but it definitely felt right. She was beautiful, but she was strong and sweet, and just the kind of woman he always thought he would marry.
“You look weird.”
He chuckled. “You look like a goddess.”
She rolled her eyes and turned away, but he caught her hand.
“Why do you do that?” he asked.
“What?”
“You don’t take my compliments seriously. You are beautiful.”
She sighed. “I’m just not accustomed to men saying that to me.”
“Please tell me that idiot of an ex-husband wasn’t that stupid?”
She shrugged. “He wasn’t good at expressing his affection.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe I just gave him an excuse. My ex was a wanker, who didn’t understand me at all.”
He smiled. “There’s the Eleanora I know.”
She slipped out of bed, and he hated losing the ability to touch her—but he let her go. He didn’t feel at all guilty for enjoying the view of her cute little arse as she walked into the bathroom.
Graeme pulled off the condom and threw it in the wastebasket. When he looked around for Dumfries, he saw his dog had decided to finally give them some kind of privacy. She’d shut the bathroom door, and he heard the toilet flush.
When she opened the door, she smiled at him. “You don’t need to worry about pretty words. I’m not a woman who expects flattery.”
“It’s not flattery. It’s the way I see you.”
Her eyes softened, and her cheeks pinkened. Graeme promised himself to say things like that every day for the rest of their lives.
When it hit him what he had just thought, he waited for the panic. It didn’t come. Instead, he felt...centered. Right. She climbed up on the bed beside him.
She leaned down and kissed him on the mouth, then moved lower. With precise moves, she skimmed her mouth over his flesh, nipping here and there, and driving him downright mental. When she reached his nipple, she twirled her tongue over it, before moving further down.
She settled between his legs, circling her fingers around his cock.
Fuck.
Elle paused. “Did you say something?”
“No,” he said, but it came out as a growl. Her mouth curved.
She leaned down and licked the head...once, twice...then she took him fully into her mouth. Taking her time, she teased him, her tongue wrapping around
his shaft, as she slipped her hand down to his sac. He clawed at the sheet trying to keep his control, not wanting to come just yet, but Elle was unrelenting. Over and over she took him into her mouth, until he couldn’t hold back any longer.
He slipped his hands to her hair with the intent of pulling her up, but he found himself moving with her, heat curling low in his stomach. When he thought he couldn’t take it any more, she gave him one long last lick, then released him. He opened his eyes. She sat there, looking so damned happy that he couldn’t be mad. Frustrated, yes, but he couldn’t hold a grudge against her for teasing him. Power radiated off her in waves, and it was one of the sexiest things he had ever seen. She reached over, grabbed another condom. After slipping it on him, she straddled him once again and started to ride him.
As she twisted her hips, he groaned. He watched as she threw her head back and moaned. Damned, the woman was so un-fucking-believably sensual. Then, she leaned forward, placing a hand on each side of his head and looked down at him. Over and over, she rolled her hips, not breaking eye contact.
“Come for me, Graeme,” she said, her voice husky with her own arousal.
She took his bottom lip between her teeth. She released it, then increased her speed. In the next moment, her inner muscles rippled over his cock as her release hit her.
“Come with me, Graeme, now,” she pleaded. He could do nothing but fulfill her request. He thrust up into her and let go.
His orgasm was a rush of heat, then pure bliss washing over him. Moments later, she collapsed on him.
* * *
The next morning, Elle walked into the office and found Graeme waiting for her again. He was dressed in a dark gray TFH shirt, which he tucked into a pair of form-fitting jeans. God, she wanted to slip her hand beneath the waistband of his jeans and tease him.
She released a slow breath and ordered her hormones to calm down. She was almost forty years old, for goodness sake. He approached her, unhurried, with his hand on the holster of his gun.
Oh, my.
“Good morning, Eleanora.”
“You know,” she said, just loud enough for him to hear, “you’ll have the entire office betting on us if you aren’t careful.”
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