by Marie Force
“Now you’re nervous.”
“Yes, which makes me feel foolish.”
He brushed her hair back from her face and cupped her cheeks. “Don’t be nervous. Let’s just go to bed and not worry too much about what happens then. Can we do that?”
Relief flooded through her veins, infusing her with gratitude for the series of regrettable events that had brought this wonderful man into her life. “Yes, that’s exactly what I want to do.”
He patted her on the bottom. “Go use the bathroom first. I’ll be right here, waiting for you.”
Daisy grabbed one of the oversized T-shirts she slept in and went across the hall to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. She also ran a comb through her hair and applied the sample of fragrant lotion Tiffany had given her to her hands and face. Studying her reflection in the mirror, she noticed the heightened color in her cheeks and the glazed look in her eyes. She blew out a deep breath and returned to find him sitting on her bed. He’d removed his shirt, revealing his lean, muscular chest.
She wanted to touch him and hold him and feel the way she did every time they were close to each other. As he brushed by her on the way to the bathroom, he dragged a hand across her belly, setting off a firestorm of reaction that made her knees weak.
After the door to the bathroom closed, she got in bed and pulled the covers up to her waist. She found a focal point across the room, a poster of Marilyn Monroe she’d bought to cover a crack in the wall. As a young girl, she’d admired Marilyn’s gumption and confidence. Later she learned more about the reality behind the veneer and could relate to some of Marilyn’s despair. Nothing was ever quite what it seemed.
Since that thought had the power to depress her when she didn’t wish to be anything other than excited about the night to come with David, she pushed it aside and greeted him with a confident smile when he returned. She tried not to watch as he dropped his pants, but she couldn’t seem to look away from the flex of muscle and sinew as he moved about.
Wearing only navy-blue boxer briefs, he slid into bed next to her.
Daisy left the light on and turned on her side to face him, scooting down to lay her head on the pillow.
He rested a hand on her shoulder, and the heat from his palm permeated the thin cotton shirt. “What’re you thinking about?”
“It’s nice to have you here with me like this.”
“It’s nice to be with you like this.”
“It makes me feel special that you want to spend so much time with me when there are so many other women—” She didn’t get to finish that thought, because he kissed the words off her lips.
“There’s no one else I want to be with, Daisy.” His hand slid from her shoulder to her wrist, encircling her arm before starting back up again, leaving a trail of goose bumps. “You know how you said I helped you get better?”
“You did. You came over every night to check on me, even though you didn’t have to. It helped—a lot. I started to look forward to your visits every day.”
“So did I. You helped me, too. For the first time since things fell apart with Janey, I feel hopeful again. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed that feeling until I had it again. You did that for me. So don’t ever think this was a one-way street. We helped each other, and from that has come something neither of us expected.”
She reached for him, drawing him into another passionate kiss, holding on to him as she had for weeks now. Apparently, he’d been doing the same thing. She liked knowing that she’d helped him, too.
His arm came around her, pulling her in closer to him without breaking the kiss. And then his hand was under her shirt, lying flat against her back and making her skin tingle from the desire for more.
She slid her leg between his, the coarse hair of his legs starting the tingling anew. Every time he touched her, she felt it everywhere.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his chest heaving as he drew back so he could see her face.
“I’m great. You?”
He laughed, and she realized how infrequently he did that and how boyishly handsome he looked when he did. “Haven’t been this good in a very long time.”
Empowered by his words and the emotion behind them, Daisy reached for the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it up and over her head.
His eyes got very dark as he took in the lacy black bra and panties she’d left on for him. “God,” he said, kissing his way down her neck to her chest, “you’re gorgeous, Daisy. Absolutely beautiful.”
She’d always thought of herself as pretty at best, but when he told her she was beautiful, she believed it. Cradling his head against her chest, she let go of the worries and the fears and gave herself over to the desire that had simmered between them for weeks now. Even when she’d been bruised and battered and broken, she’d found him attractive.
But never had she imagined a scenario where he’d be all but naked in her bed or cupping her breasts in his big hands or dragging his thumbs over her tight nipples through the silky fabric of the bra. Tiffany had said that bra was guaranteed to clear a man’s mind of all thoughts that didn’t involve sex.
From what she could tell, the bra was having the desired effect on David, but all she could think about was getting it off. The feel of his tongue on the slope of her breast had her wrapping her arms around his head to keep him right there.
His fingers twisted the back of the bra, releasing the hooks and freeing her breasts.
Daisy nearly moaned from the relief, and then she moaned from the heat of his mouth on her nipple, tugging and sucking ravenously. She kept waiting for the fear to resurface, but all she felt was a deep, craving need for more. She touched him everywhere she could reach, dragging her hands over his back and dipping inside his briefs to cup the contours of his backside.
That drew a tortured groan from him. He pressed his hard length against her belly and moved to her other breast, giving it the same attention. “Something tells me you’ve been hanging out with Tiffany,” he said as he smoothed his hand over the tiny triangle that covered her mound.
Daisy was so undone by the movement of his hand that she couldn’t form the words to reply to his statement.
“Daisy?”
She forced herself to focus on his eyes as he looked down at her in concern. “Hmm?”
“Breathe, honey.”
She sucked in a deep breath and realized she’d been holding her breath.
He dropped his head to her belly, his lips setting off a new firestorm of desire that surged between her legs.
She’d never felt such urgent need in her life, but neither had she ever been with a man who put her first the way David always did.
“Are you still okay?” he asked, concern etched into his handsome face.
Nodding, she said, “It feels so good to hold you this way.”
“I love it, too. Are you sure you want to keep going?”
“Yes. If you do…”
He took her hand and pressed it to his thick erection, which surged under the heat of her hand. “Don’t have any doubts about what I want—or who I want.”
She stroked the full length of him, which made him gasp and moan.
“Christ, Daisy.”
His jaw was clenched with tension, and seeing him struggle for control made her want him even more than she already did. She tugged at the boxer briefs and was relieved when he helped her take them off. She eyed his erection, which stretched to his navel and seemed to get bigger as she looked at him.
“If you touch me, we’ll be all done,” he said, sounding tense.
“Then why don’t we save the touching for next time?”
“That sounds like a very good idea.”
“Do you have protection? I never even thought of it.”
“I thought of it, but I need my wallet.”
“I’ll get it.” She reached for his pants on the floor and pulled his wallet from the back pocket. When she turned back to him, he was watching her every move with interest that made her feel self-con
scious. She lowered her gaze and moved her arms to cover her breasts.
“Don’t,” he said, his voice a low growl.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t be shy. You’re gorgeous, and I love to look at you.”
He already knew her so well and understood her better than anyone else ever had. That understanding made it easier for her to drop her guard—as well as her arms—and hand the wallet to him.
She watched closely as he applied the condom and seemed to lengthen and thicken before her very eyes. Her lips were suddenly dry as she experienced a moment of fear over whether or not she’d be able to go through with this. Then he reached out to her, bringing her into his warm embrace, and desire overtook the fear, clearing her mind of everything except him and how he made her feel.
He was front and center as he’d been for weeks now, and like he had when she was injured, he tended to her gently. “Talk to me,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her neck as he caressed her back in soothing circles. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“It feels good to be held by you, to be touched by you. It feels different with you.”
He moved his hand from her back to her breast and teased the nipple that tightened from his ministrations. “Why do you think that is?”
“Because you’re different. This is different.”
“It is for me, too.”
“Sometime I want you to tell me how it’s different.”
“I will, but not now.” He raised her leg over his hip and pressed his fingers to her core, using the triangle of material that Tiffany considered panties to arouse her.
“No,” she said, panting, “definitely not now.”
“Tell me what you want, Daisy. You have to tell me so I know how to make this good for you.”
“It’s already good. So good.”
“I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”
“I’m not. I couldn’t be.”
He removed the thong, letting his fingertips slide slowly down her legs. “Yes, you could. If I do something that reminds you of something you didn’t like, you could be afraid.”
“I don’t want to be afraid of you.”
“Keep your eyes open. Look at me. Remember it’s me. Remember how much we’ve shared and how close we’ve become.” As he spoke, he continued to move slowly until he was above her, looking down at her with those incredibly sexy eyes. “Is this okay?”
Daisy held his gaze as she nodded and placed her hands on his shoulders, needing to hold on to him as he aligned their bodies.
He kissed her softly, tracing her bottom lip with his tongue. “Open your eyes, honey.”
She hadn’t realized she’d closed them.
“That’s it. Look at me. Hold on to me.”
Everything was fine, truly fine, until he began to enter her. The panic hit her so fast she had no time to prepare herself for the flashback of another man, a brutal man, trying to force his way inside of her. As if something heavy was sitting on her chest, she struggled for every breath and fought her way free, blinded by terror, until she was sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking violently. Oh God, had she hit him? No. Please, no.
“Daisy, honey, it’s okay.” He placed a hand tentatively on her shoulder, and she flinched.
The last thing she wanted right now was to be touched, even by him. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her shoulders heaved from the sobs that seemed to come from her very soul.
“What can I do?” David asked from behind her.
Daisy shook her head because there was nothing anyone could do to help if her twisted mind was determined to turn the lovely David Lawrence into something evil and hurtful. “You… You don’t have to stay. I’d understand if you wanted to go.” Another sob broke free from her tightly clenched jaw.
“I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me you don’t want me here.”
“I want you here.” The thickness in her throat made it difficult to speak. “I have no idea what happened. I was fine…”
“Believe it or not, I sort of expected it to happen sooner.”
Shocked by what he’d said, she spun around to face him, wincing at the hint of blood on his lip where she’d clocked him in her haste to get free. She could only imagine what her face and tear-ravaged eyes must look like. Frightful… But the way he looked at her… Sweetly, tenderly, gently… And then he slayed her by reaching for her T-shirt, which was inside out, and helping her into it.
She took a deep, shuddering breath. “What do you mean?”
He reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks, his touch a whisper against her skin. “The last man you cared for hurt you so badly. In every possible way. How could you not be afraid to do this again with someone else?”
“But I’m not afraid, or I wasn’t before…”
“Would it be okay if I spoke to you as a doctor and not as a boyfriend right now?”
She bit her bottom lip and nodded.
“You were nearly raped, Daisy,” he said softly, taking her hand.
Daisy held on to him for dear life.
“Not all that long ago. You’re not ready yet, and that’s fine. I totally understand.”
“You’ve always been so nice to me, and I really appreciate that, but it might be better if we didn’t see each other anymore. It’s not fair for me to do this to you.”
“What’re you doing to me?”
New tears fell from her eyes at the heartbreaking thought of not seeing him anymore. “Mixed signals. Yes means no.”
He smiled and shook his head, as if she’d said the silliest thing he’d ever heard. “You’re not sending mixed signals. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless you don’t actually like me as much as I think you do.”
“I do like you! I like you so much. I probably even love you a little bit.”
His sharp intake of air and the intense way he looked at her made her melt on the inside. “I probably love you a little bit, too, which is why you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” He reclined against the pillows and drew her into his arms. When he had her settled against him, albeit rigidly, he kissed her forehead and ran his hand over her back soothingly. “I’m not going anywhere. If it takes a month or three months or a year or two years, we’ll get there. But only when you’re ready. We’ll do what you want when you want, and I’ll wait because I have a feeling you’re worth waiting for.”
“It’s too much to ask of anyone.”
“You’re not asking me for anything. I’ll happily give you as much time as you need.”
“David…”
“Daisy…” His stern tone drew a reluctant laugh from her.
“No one has ever been so nice to me.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. You should be treated with respect and affection always. That’s the least of what you deserve.”
Her heart did a funny squeezing thing that left her breathless. “What about…”
“What about what?”
“You.” She glanced down at his penis, which was now flaccid against his belly. At some point, he’d discarded the unused condom.
“What about me?”
“I feel like such a tease. We were all ready, and then I freaked out.”
“It doesn’t matter. I swear it doesn’t.”
“How can it not matter? You’re a guy.”
David’s low chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Who is not governed entirely by the whims of his cock. I assure you the two of us will be just fine as long as you don’t shut me out. I don’t know if I could deal with that. I’ve become rather attached to you.”
“You have? Really?”
“Really.” His hand continued to move up and down her back, soothing and calming her, even as she continued to tremble. “Close your eyes and try to get some rest.”
“I don’t think I can sleep.”
“Try. Close your eyes, think happy thoughts and clear your mind of all the things that make you hurt. I�
�ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Listening to his words, Daisy couldn’t help but relax a bit. He was here. He wasn’t going to leave because he didn’t get what he wanted from her. He said he might love her a little bit. That last thought brought a hint of a smile to her lips. What might it be like if he loved her a lot?
Daisy would like to find out, because after tonight, after the way he’d cared for her after her meltdown, she could easily see herself falling completely in love with him.
Arriving home in the morning to shower and change before work, David thought about what’d happened with Daisy the night before. It had taken a long time, maybe even an hour or more, before she was finally able to relax and sleep. He’d been awake the whole time, which was how he’d known the exact second she’d given in to the exhaustion. She’d been sound asleep when he left her this morning with a note to call him when she woke up.
He couldn’t help being a bit angry with himself for going along with something she wasn’t ready for. In medical school, he’d gone through Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder training, and he knew the signs to watch for. He could beat himself up all day long for missing the signs in this case, except there hadn’t been any. The only signals he’d received indicated she was as into what they were doing as he had been.
Things had been going so well for them, which was the real kicker in this whole situation. He was finally in a really good place.
While he’d expected the encounter with Janey to throw him out of sorts, it’d had the opposite effect. It had given him closure he’d desperately needed. They were able to be friendly with each other, and if she stayed on the island, she might need him before she had the baby. He’d be there for her if it came to that. But even if it didn’t, he was more at peace with the outcome of their relationship than he’d been since it blew up in his face two years ago.
For the first time since then, he felt truly ready to move on and engage in a genuine relationship with another woman. But if last night’s incident had shown him anything, it was that Daisy was still a long way from being ready for the same things he wanted. That was okay, though. He’d meant it when he told her he would wait.
He liked to think he was wise enough after all he’d been through to recognize something special when it came into his life. And Daisy was special. There was no denying that.
