“Mine,” he roared as he came, continuing to thrust until all sense of reality was gone. His blatant possession soothed the ache in her soul, making her orgasm even more satisfying.
Lost in an endless ocean of pleasure, she drifted aimlessly, content to simply be until Damek stirred and lifted her off the desk. Her blouse was wide open, her bra ruined beyond repair, and her skirt hiked around her waist. Damek was still hard inside her, his cock throbbing as he settled them both into his large desk chair. Her thighs hugged his flanks, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, loving just being close to him.
Sonia was sleepy and replete, but couldn’t shake the niggling sense of disappointment. She inwardly scolded herself. She’d promised herself she’d be happy with things the way they were and be patient with Damek.
“What’s wrong?” Damek eased her away until she was sitting up straight. She grumbled at being moved from his comfortable chest, but he wouldn’t be denied. He gently pushed an unruly lock of hair off her forehead, hooking it carefully around her ear. She could see the growing concern in his gaze.
She hated that she’d inadvertently destroyed the loving, sensual moment. Damek was always in tune with her moods and emotions, even when he couldn’t hear her thoughts. She shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong. That was amazing.” She kissed him, hoping to distract him.
She should have known better. Damek stood and lifted her off his lap, letting his semi-erect cock slip from her body. He ignored his open pants and his growing erection while he buttoned her blouse and pulled down her skirt. Her bra was still on under her top even though it was ripped beyond being useful.
Needing to pull herself together, she turned away from Damek’s probing gaze and opened her blouse enough so she could remove her bra. She didn’t have any pockets, so she dropped the damaged garment into the garbage can tucked behind the desk.
Liquid trickled down the inside of her bare thigh, and for a brief moment, she wished she’d worn underwear instead of giving into her need to seduce her husband. She needed to clean up, but that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Damek’s office didn’t have a private bathroom or shower. If they were going to be doing this kind of thing here on a regular basis, she’d have to do some renovations. A shower would be perfect right about now. Behind her, she could hear Damek pulling his clothing back on.
Pasting a smile on her face, she turned and, sure enough, he looked immaculate, not a hair out of place, while she was rumpled and sticky. If she didn’t love him so much, she could really resent him for that.
Papers were scattered all over the floor and she bent to pick some of them up. Damek’s hand came down on her shoulder. “Leave them.”
She slowly straightened and laid several papers on the desk. She’d never be able to look at his desk again without remembering tonight.
“What is wrong?” He rubbed her upper arms, his gaze growing more concerned by the moment.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.” Frustration bled from every pore of his body. Being this in tune with another person was disconcerting at times. Sonia knew he was upset, but she didn’t want to admit to what was bothering her.
It felt wrong to want more from him than he was willing to give. His every action showed her that he loved her. Why couldn’t she just be happy with that? She gave herself a pep talk every single night when she woke from her day sleep, determined to be patient, but it simply wasn’t working.
“Sonia. You must tell me. Do you want to leave me?” His tortured question almost broke her heart.
“No!” How could he even think such a thing? She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him tight. “I love you. I’ll never leave you.”
His breath was warm against her temple as he sighed. “Then what is it? Something has been bothering you these past weeks. I’ve been patient long enough. Tell me so I can fix it.”
So autocratic. So demanding. That was her husband. How could she make him understand? She took a step back and ordered her scattered thoughts, which wasn’t easy with him watching her with those penetrating, sexy dark eyes. “It’s not something I can demand you fix. It’s something you have to figure out for yourself. If I demand it and you give it, then it’s worthless.”
Damek rubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t understand.” For the first time since she’d known him, he looked tired and discouraged. Her heart felt as though it was breaking. She was making him feel this way, though it wasn’t her intention. She didn’t know what else to do.
“I know.” Sadness tinged her words, but they were the truth. She did understand. Damek had never been in love before and probably wouldn’t even recognize the fact if it hit him over the head. He wasn’t used to thinking in those terms because he’d been alone for so long.
Desperation ate at Damek. He had to know what was wrong. He could easily slip into her mind and discover the truth for himself, but he knew if he did such a thing, he would irrevocably break the special bond between them. He needed Sonia to tell him what was wrong, freely and of her own will.
Sadness enveloped her and it was breaking his heart, a heart he’d long thought dead and dormant until he met her. She’d changed him, and there was no going back to the man he’d been. He didn’t want to.
He enjoyed life now in a way he hadn’t for hundreds of years, maybe never. Everything was more special when he shared it with Sonia. He loved the way she insisted on behaving as though she were still human—having coffee in the evening when they woke, sharing the newspaper and going out to concerts and the movies.
But most of all, he simply loved being with her, holding her in his arms as the sun rose and sent them both to rest. He stayed awake each morning long after she was asleep simply watching her and marveling at the fact that she was his.
He knew she was happy most of the time, but in quiet moments there was something unsettled inside her. “Are you unhappy I turned you into a vampire?” He’d dreaded something like this happening. He’d changed her life, tied her to him without her consent.
“No. Of course not.” She offered him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and patted his chest as if to reassure him. “I’m going to go home and get started on my research.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek before turning to leave.
Damek knew if he let her walk out the door whatever was wrong would continue to fester, inevitably driving a wedge between them. He couldn’t let that happen. “Sonia.”
She shook her head, not turning around to face him. “Let it go, Damek. Everything is fine.”
Using his preternatural speed, he reached the door before she did. “I can’t let you go. Not like this.”
“Nothing is wrong,” she promised. “I love you.”
Damek knew she was telling the truth, but there was still something she was hiding from him. Fear and regret ate at him. He had to know what was wrong. If he couldn’t take it from her by force, there was only one other way to get it from her.
He slowly dropped to his knees before her.
“What are you doing?”
He felt her mounting concern, but he’d gone too far to stop now. “You must tell me what is wrong?” Emotion threatened to close his throat. He swallowed hard and forced out the words, holding nothing back. She was his reason for living now, his sanity, the balm that drove back the bloodlust and indifference that had colored his life for so many years. He could not go back to those centuries of bland sameness. He’d rather die.
“Damek.”
He shook his head and buried his face against her stomach, needing her warmth against his face. “I love you, Sonia. I cannot lose you. You must tell me what is wrong.” The last was more a demand then a request, but he did not take back the words. He held her hips in his hands to keep her close.
He felt her stiffen against him and looked up, ready to do whatever it took to put an end to this untenable situation. Her gray eyes were shining with the pure light of her soul. It was so beautifu
l it almost hurt him to look.
“You love me?”
He frowned at her question, wondering what his love for her had to do with whatever was bothering her. “Of course.”
“Of course,” she muttered. A lone tear slipped from her eye to roll down her cheek.
Damek surged to his feet. “Please don’t cry. You don’t need to tell me what is wrong.” Not if it made her cry. He caught her face in his hands and kissed her cheek, capturing the tear on his tongue. The salty drop was bitter in his mouth. He’d done this. He’d made her cry.
Then she started to laugh. He eased back, not quite sure what he should be doing. Was she sad or happy? He might be a thousand years old but he still didn’t understand women. He wasn’t sure any man truly could.
“That’s it. Don’t you understand?”
He shook his head. “Have pity on your poor husband.”
Sonia had earlier pictured Damek on his knees confessing his love to her, but never had she thought it would hurt her so much when he did so. Hearing him beg her to tell her what was wrong was a moment she wouldn’t soon forget. She never wanted to see her proud vampire begging her or anyone for anything. It simply wasn’t right.
He was watching her carefully, as though she was a ticking time bomb and he had no idea what would make her explode. “You told me you loved me.”
He shook his head. “I still don’t understand. Of course, I love you.”
He really didn’t get it. “You never told me you did. Not in words.” She sighed and leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I was going to be patient and pretend I didn’t need the words. You always spoke in terms of possession, not love.”
“You are mine.” He caught her chin in his hand and tipped it upward until she could see his scowling face.
There he was, her arrogant, dictatorial man. And she wouldn’t have him any other way. “And you’re mine,” she reminded him. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t need the other words, the softer ones.”
A slow smile curved the corners of his mouth. “Ah, I think I understand now.” He kissed her then, the soft caress filled with love and gentleness and hope.
“I love you, Sonia. You saved me in more ways than you will ever know. You are my life.”
“As you are mine.”
She tugged his head down and kissed him, tasting true happiness for the very first time. Damek cupped the back of her head, tilting it to the side to give him better access. She felt the hard push of his erection against her belly and smiled.
Then they forgot the outside world and let all their troubles drop away. Whatever happened in the future, they would deal with it together.
About the Author
N.J. Walters has always been a voracious reader of romance novels and decided one day that she could write one as well. The contemporary story, Discovering Dani, was the very first novel she wrote while living in a little town much like the one Dani O’Rourke lives in, though all other similarities to Dani’s life pretty much end there. Then she wrote another one that followed up on Dani’s friends and neighbors. But she didn’t consider herself a “real” writer yet.
Just a few years later N. J. had a mid-life crisis at a fairly young age, gave notice after ten years at her job on a Friday and received a tentative acceptance for her first published novel (an erotic romance) from a publisher on the following Sunday.
Happily married to the love of her life, with his encouragement and support she gave up the job of selling books for the more pleasurable job of writing them. She now spends her days writing novels of her own. Werewolves, vampires, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to do it. And some days she actually feels like a “real” writer.
N.J. enjoys hearing from readers, and she can be reached at [email protected]. You can check out her web site at www.njwalters.com.
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Damek's Redemption l(-6 Page 22
