“That’s it, baby, that’s it. Let go, I’ve got you.” Riser punctuated the statement with each plowing drive. He stood over her fully now, yanking her onto his cock with each forward thrust. Laney grabbed his arms, her head tilted back, and screamed, “Yes!”
She clenched around him, a powerful orgasm milking him until Riser was a mindless beast as he thrust into her. Damn, yes. His balls tightened almost painfully.
He couldn’t hold out any more. With one final thrust, he drove inside to the hilt and released.
He wasn’t aware of much, except for the gradual return of reality. His cock still twitched inside her, as Laney wrapped her arms around his waist and he collapsed on top of her, her legs still wrapped around his hips, holding him to her.
It had been the best orgasm of his entire life. He could feel himself softening inside her, but he didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay buried in her depths forever.
“You okay?”
“Perfect,” she whispered in his ear. Riser lifted enough to see her face. Her heavy lidded eyes beamed satisfaction. Her lips were raw and red from his kisses and there were scrapes on her face from where his stubble had scraped her delicate skin. She was gorgeous. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“Not at all.” She lifted up on her elbows and placed a feather-light kiss on his neck. Riser shuddered from that simple touch and his cock twitched again.
“Hold on to me. Okay?”
Riser put an arm around her waist and lifted her from the table. With Laney wrapped completely around him, he carried her back to his bedroom. He broke contact long enough to ease her onto the bed and then climbed in right beside her, immediately pulling her back into the circle of his arms.
He eased onto his back, and Laney laid her head on his shoulder, her small hand splayed on his chest. It was the most natural thing in the world for him to cover her hand with his own as he held her close, savoring the feel of her soft, hot breasts on his skin.
He accepted the surge of protectiveness, like he would his own limb. Their coupling had unleashed something inside him, something his instincts had hinted at in the hospital. Laney was his and he would protect her with his life.
Chapter Eleven
Her body hummed; her skin so sensitive, she ached. The orgasm he’d given her had taken her down completely, but then he’d revived her with kisses. Filled her up with the goodness of his embrace. He’d lit a fire in her, and now she was keyed up instead of relaxed.
He lay still beneath her, the same way they’d been for nearly an hour with her cocooned in his arms, his rock-hard shoulder beneath her cheek. His body, chiseled from years of training, was breathtaking…there was no other word for it.
He’d taken her with a force that had made her teeth chatter, filling her to the brink. At one point, she’d been scared of his size, but they had fit—perfectly—almost like they were made for each other.
The haze of pleasure that wound around them surrounded her like a protective dome, impenetrable by the outside world. A big part of her wanted to stay here, sheltered and protected. But now that the first wave of passion was spent, now that Riser was asleep, her mind returned to her hospital. To her daughter and her ex.
Was Mark at the hospital right now with Lily?
How was she supposed to lay here all night, worrying and not acting? Was she strong enough to do that?
She had to stay away; otherwise, Mark would take her and probably kill her. And yet, it was torture to imagine what might be happening and not know. To think about Mark anywhere near Lily’s bedside. She shifted restlessly as the raw pleasure morphed into raw pain.
Maybe she should wake Riser. Something told her it would help to talk to him, to have him reassure her again, but the bandage on his side was a reminder that he’d had a rough night too. He probably needed his rest. She couldn’t wake him now, but with restless energy coursing through her she couldn’t lie here and do nothing.
She gently lifted Riser’s arm from her shoulders and sat up.
The room was dark, with only a dusting of moonlight streaming through the window next to the bed, highlighting the masculine comforter piled near the footboard. All his furniture was dark wood, his home simple and unadorned with decorations.
Was this where he went to escape from reality? Had he brought other women here? Was she the first one he’d brought to this bed?
Don’t be silly. Of course he’d had other women here. Riser had been single as long as she’d known him. Hadn’t she seen him flirt with Cheri? With plenty of other women at the bar?
Laney’s fingers curled into the sheets, and her muscles tensed at the thought of Riser with other women.
Was she jealous? She’d known all along that he was the kind of guy who had a lot of women, and they’d only had this one night together. What right did she have to feel that way? What right did she have to feel anything?
She’d gone home to an isolated cabin with a sexy bachelor, and they’d had sex. It didn’t mean they were in a relationship or that he would ever want to be in one with her.
Or that she would want to be in one with him.
The last thing she needed was another man in her life, especially the kind of man who was always away, always in danger. So, he wouldn’t want any kind of relationship, and she didn’t want that kind of instability. Where did that leave them?
Laney speared her fingers through her hair, a derisive smile snarling her lips. Hadn’t she learned anything?
“Hey, come here,” Riser’s sleepy words had her head turning in his direction.
She took in his sexy face and her heart crawled up into her throat. It struck her that he was looking at her with fierce emotion, like…like she was already his. She couldn’t help but plant herself back down beside his body, any more than she could help glancing down at his huge manhood, hard and ready. Against her will, her womb clenched and her nipples tightened.
“Laney, are you okay?”
She didn’t like the way his concern was edging out, not one little bit. It made her feel…vulnerable. Not what she needed. No, she needed to take the edge off, and here was the perfect thing. Riser could make her forget, and she needed that right now more than she needed to breathe. In a brash move, totally unlike anything she’d ever done, Laney straddled his hips and gripped his wide length in her hand, guiding him into her entrance. His eyes narrowed, but she didn’t give him a chance to think. She sank down onto him fully in a violent movement that stole her breath. She braced her hands on his chest so that she wouldn’t fall as she adjusted to his size.
Riser’s hand slammed into her hips, and he held her in place, his jaw clenching as he arched. “Christ, Laney. You feel so fucking good.”
She lifted herself up and dropped down, impaling his length inside her just as hard, just as fast. Over and over she rode him, allowing the feelings to overtake her emotions, until she was just a moving mass of need, a tightening core of pleasure ready to explode. Riser helped her when her muscles got tired. He lifted her and slammed her down, both of them grunting and moaning in pleasure as they sought their release.
Laney exploded first, the sharp shards of the orgasm slicing through her senses. She felt him swell and explode inside her, filling her and possessing her body. She collapsed onto his chest, gasping for breath, so exhausted she could barely hold her eyes open. Riser wrapped his massive arms around her and stroked her hair, his body shuddering every few seconds beneath her. It was the most amazing experience she’d ever had with a man, and she clung to the cloud of happiness and fulfillment and allowed sleep to take her.
###
Laney awoke sometime later in the night, and answered the call of Mother Nature. A wash of moonlight spilled through the window, highlighting Riser’s relaxed and boyish features. She couldn’t resist trailing her fingers through his hair, before easing out of the bed. She half expected him to wake instantly, but all he did was grumble, swinging an arm out over her now-vacated spot on the bed beside him.
Careful not to wake him, she tugged on his T-shirt, tiptoed to the bathroom to take care of her most urgent need, and then made her way to the kitchen to search out a cup of water. Tonight’s lovemaking sessions had been more of a workout than she’d pulled off in years. She yanked the refrigerator door open, took out a bottle of water, and downed half the contents in one long, satisfying gulp.
Maybe she should take one for Riser too? Surely, she wasn’t the only one in need of a little rehydration. The thought made her feel a little saucy, a little like a vixen…. She’d taken him with just as much ferocity as he had taken her. Riser hadn’t held back in vocalizing his pleasure. And he hadn’t turned from her either, once he’d achieved completion. As a matter of fact, he’d held her even closer, as if he enjoyed the cuddling as much as the sex.
That experience was so completely foreign to her, and to have it happen in the midst of this whole ordeal… Mark had never held her, and toward the end, he hadn’t tried to pleasure her either.
Even before the first beating, Laney had started trying to avoid sex with her husband if she could. His rough, quick tumbles had often ended up being more painful than pleasurable.
So completely unlike her experience with Riser.
Her entire core squeezed at the memory of how deeply he’d sealed her. And she hadn’t failed to notice that he’d made sure she was taken care of before seeking his own release. As a matter of fact, he laid her out on the kitchen table like dinner and devoured her.
Laney unconsciously crossed to that table now and trailed her fingers over the smooth surface, growing wet just from being near that sturdy prop.
She didn’t have much time with him, and after this mess with Mark was finally cleaned up, he’d be gone again, off on another mission, and Laney would resume her normal daily activities of serving beer and taking care of her daughter. That was what was going to happen, but it hadn’t happened yet. They still had tonight, and she wanted to live out this adventure to the fullest.
She could either let fear rule her, or could she find the courage to go in there and wake the sex god who was snuggling her pillow and demand another round.
The thought left her trembling, not out of fear but from a flood of desire. He hadn’t minded at all when she’d taken control and ridden him hard and fast. He’d encouraged her, spurring her on, like he was turned on by her actions.
Yes, she was tender from the rough sex, but it was a sweet ache that she would savor in the following days.
She wanted him. Right now. She was powerless to do anything besides wait out here in the cabin until they contacted the sheriff and the judge—a powerlessness that would drive her mad if she let it—so she might as well spend as much time as she could in the pleasure of his arms.
Laney made to move from the table but then her purse vibrated, signaling a phone call. Still half dazed, thinking about the man twenty feet away from her, she fumbled through her purse in the darkness and held the phone to her ear. “Hello.”
“This is the nurse at Red River Hospital. I was hoping to contact Lily’s mother.”
Laney gripped the phone and pressed it harder against her ear, the drunken haze of pleasure receding in a rush. “Yes, is she okay?”
There was a short pause, and then the nurse said in an unsympathetic voice, “I know you kidnapped that little girl, and honestly I don’t want you anywhere near her, but—”
Laney’s hands went numb with fear, the cold from the hardwood floor seeping up through her bones and saturating her heart until it was painful to breathe. “But what?”
“There was a problem with the surgery, a complication. She had blood type AB-. We don’t carry that here because it’s so rare. You are the only one who we can be sure is a viable candidate to donate,” the nurse paused, “That is if you really are her mother.”
“What happened?” She didn’t bother trying to keep the desperation out of her voice; it was impossible. Her mind churned up a mad jumble of terrifying scenarios, all involving Lily near death, alone and reaching for her mommy who wasn’t there.
“She started bleeding in surgery and we are having trouble getting it under control. If she doesn’t get blood soon, she may die.”
“Die” was the only word Laney managed to catch, but it was enough to drain all the strength from her body. She sunk into the chair behind her. “No one else is there?”
Had Mark not showed up yet? Had enough time passed that he really didn’t care about Laney’s betrayal? About the daughter he’d almost injured that night?
The nurse made a sound of annoyance before answering, “No one who can donate. You need to get here right away.”
This could all be a trap. Mark could be using her daughter to lure her to him. If it was a ploy, it was a good one. Laney wouldn’t be able to say no, even if it meant her own death. She couldn’t take chances with her daughter’s life.
“Ma’am, are you coming?”
Laney squared her shoulders and stared through the window next to the table at Riser’s truck. Her gaze fell on the shiny set of keys hanging right next to the door. “I’m on my way.” She disconnected the call and carefully set the phone down.
Heart pounding and stomach tighter than a bowstring, she snuck into the bathroom, not turning on any lights, and got dressed in her dirty clothes. Then she padded barefoot back out into the night. She couldn’t wake Riser; he wouldn’t let her go. He would just repeat what logic was trying to hammer into her brain at this very moment: this was almost certainly a trap set up by her husband.
Still, there was a twenty to thirty percent chance that something really was wrong with her baby. Riser probably wouldn’t understand, but that was enough to spur her into action. Even if it meant possibly losing everything. Even if it felt like a betrayal to take his truck.
She knew that Riser would wake and come after her the moment she fired up his truck.
She put the key into the ignition, hesitating only a second before she cranked it up and threw it in reverse. Then she turned the truck in his front yard, cringing a little—now, she’d gone and messed up his lawn, too—before throwing the car into drive and gunning it down the driveway.
She’d been in a state of confused shock on the ride here, but she was hardwired with an excellent sense of direction. The right turns had all registered in her mind, and in a truck with this kind of muscle, she could cut the drive time in half and make it back to the hospital before sunrise.
She shifted, the power of the engine vibrating her muscles and fueling her adrenaline. As she let her hand fall to her lap, her pinky brushed something hard. Riser’s pistol was tucked in a small holster between the seat and the low console.
Laney wrapped her fingers around the steering wheel with a grim satisfaction. She kept a gun in the house that she’d managed to pay cash for in a pawnshop, but she hadn’t been shooting in years. Still, she knew how to handle a Beretta. Mark had taught her that much; and it was a lesson she might actually get to use.
Chapter Twelve
A loud roar woke Riser. He bolted from the bed and rushed to the window in time to catch his truck disappearing down the driveway. “Shit!”
He raced from the room, screaming Laney’s name, all the while knowing he wouldn’t get an answer.
How the hell could he have been so fucking careless again?
Their last bout of raw sex, wild and frantic and fucking hot, had drained him completely. He’d barely managed to stay awake long enough to pull the covers over them before passing out. He’d sunk into a deep, dreamless sleep, a rare occurrence in his life, only to wake up to a nightmare. His key holder was empty. Laney’s clothes were gone, and Riser was standing naked and alone in his house.
How could he have believed she trusted him enough to take care of her problem? They’d connected on such a deep level, but that didn’t change her second-guessing her decision to leave the hospital. He was confident she’d give him the privilege of protecting her. Too confident.
His gaze fell
on the kitchen table where they’d made love, the taste of her still on his lips. Her purse was slumped in a ragged heap, her cell phone right beside it. She’d left in a hurry. Riser snatched it from the table and quickly scrolled to the recent calls list. The area code for the hospital was at the top. Fuck.
He hit the redial key and pressed it to his ear. The phone rang twice before a female answered, “Red River Hospital pediatric unit.”
“This is Lily Browder’s father calling to check on how she’s recovering from surgery.” It was all Riser could do to keep his tone even, when his teeth were grinding and he had sawdust in his mouth.
“Mr. Browder? You just checked on her status fifteen minutes ago. Nothing’s changed since then. Did you have to leave the hospital?”
The black night faded to red. That bastard must’ve called Laney and told her something was wrong with Lily. It was the only reason she would have gone tearing out of here in the middle of the night—no purse, no phone, no goodbye—like a mad woman. “Thank you.” He ended the call without another comment, having gotten all the information he needed.
He quickly punched in Bo Lawson’s number, “Laney took the truck, she’s headed back to the hospital now. Are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m inside with Cheri and Lily. Mark’s here, but he can’t do anything. Lily can’t be moved and Laney’s not here. He’s prowling the halls.”
“Shit. I know she’s headed there.”
Riser let out a frustrated grunt as he crossed back into the bedroom and yanked on his pants, the rough slide of the fabric over his tender skin a tiny taste of the punishment he deserved. He had literally fallen asleep on the job. Every instinct, every ounce of training that had been hammered into him over the years had slid to the wayside beneath Laney’s soft lips and sweet moans. He was a prick, a certified asshole, and he sure as shit didn’t deserve a woman as sweet and caring as Laney. “What’s the ETA on that warrant?”
“Tomrrow morning.”
“That’s not good enough,” Riser bit out.
Brotherhood Protectors: Riser's Resolve: Men of Mercy (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 7
