by Karen Renee
I nipped her earlobe. “That wasn’t cop-talk, Raegan. You don’t get to make yourself come. Especially when I haven’t even gotten inside you. Now, hands on the bed.”
She complied, and I leaned back in order to watch my cock thrust into her. I stilled for a moment, absorbing the feeling of Raegan’s silky heat enveloping me.
Home.
Fuck.
This woman held so much power over me and she didn’t even know it. Every time my body joined with hers, a sensation of homecoming washed over me. I withdrew from her and instinctively I thrust in again, but faster. Then I lost it, but in the best way.
It felt almost mindless while I fucked her hard and fast. I did remember to reach around her to rub her clit making sure she got off before me. It ended too fast, but Raegan had that power over me too, with her lush ass, curvy legs, and the noises she made.
When I finished inside her, I collapsed on top of her. “I’m sorry, mi corazón. Swear I meant for that to go longer, but God. The things you do to me, woman.”
She exhaled hard. “You don’t hear me complaining, Clint. That was fantastic. But I do need to clean up.”
I pressed lingering kisses to her neck and back. “All right. Meet you back here, baby.”
Chapter 15
Heightens All of My Senses
Raegan
WALKING BACK INTO CLINT’S bedroom, I struggled with covering myself. When he tore my panties off, I had no idea where they went. Now that I was cleaned up, I wanted to put some undies back on because strolling around in a pair of strappy high-heeled sandals was awkward. As soon as I noticed him stroking his thick cock while lounging on his bed, though, I changed my mind.
Jesus. Anytime I thought he couldn’t get sexier, I was wrong.
If he liked seeing me in high heels, God knew what the sight of him touching himself did to me. I took a step toward the doorway and he stopped stroking.
“Where you goin’?”
“To get my overnight bag, you know, for functional underwear?”
He chuckled and shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought that thong was functional enough, don’t you?”
I dipped my chin at an angle. “Not functional enough for sleeping, honey.”
To my surprise, he launched himself from the bed, lunged for my hand and tugged me back to the bed. Then he wrapped his arms around my waist situating us on the mattress.
“You lose your shoes, and I’ll get your bag, Raegan. But, just to let you know. Any form of underwear is unnecessary right now because I’m fucking you senseless again before we go to sleep.”
I grinned. “You can’t fuck me senseless.”
He gave me his big eyes. “That a challenge?”
“Nope. That’s a fact, because the mere act of you fucking me heightens all of my senses, mi rey.”
Those eyes heated just before he kissed me deep and long. Then he grabbed my bag from the living room, came back, and delivered on his promises.
I HAD ONLY A MOMENT to register Clint’s possessive hold on my breast in his sleep because the doorbell was ringing. Whoever was at the door pressed the button in three rapid-fire bursts. He bolted out of the bed, found his boxers, and tugged them on as he went to the doorway.
He paused and caught my eyes. “Get dressed, Rae. Don’t know who’s here, but it’s either Mamá or one of my sisters.”
“Did you know they would—”
“Fuck, no. I’m as surprised as you are, and ten times more unhappy about it.”
I laid there in a daze after he left, but then it hit me. His mother might be here. After that letter she sent me, I really didn’t want to see her, but life never gave me what I wanted. I hustled out of the bed and dressed as quickly as I could.
Clint’s voice seemed muffled. The female voice wasn’t, though, which told me it wasn’t his mother at the door.
“Seriously, Clint, go put some pants on. I brought donuts, you’re gonna brew coffees with your fancy machine, and I want answers.”
That voice sounded younger; it must be one of his sisters. I debated whether I could hide in the bedroom until they finished with breakfast and whatever ‘answers’ she wanted. When I put my knee on the bed, it creaked, and I cursed my rotten luck.
“You got somebody here? You have a woman? Here? Since—”
“Raegan, come on out, honey.”
“Rae... ‘Honey?’ Are you shitting me, hermano?” I realized it was Laura who was visiting.
Since I was still in the bedroom, I rolled my eyes at Laura using the Spanish word for brother. Aside from the episode at Mom’s house, I hadn’t seen her in a long time, but I knew she and Bronwyn had kept in touch until three years after Clint and I had split.
When I padded into the room, Laura had a guarded expression. At least she didn’t seem as angry as when she showed up at Mom’s.
Her eyes went to Clint. “Does Mamá know she’s here? And in your bedroom?”
He ran a hand through his hair and walked into the kitchen. “No. And you feel the need to rectify that, not much I can do about it. But I’ll remember it in about twelve weeks.”
My brows furrowed at such a specific timeline.
“What are you, Santa?” Laura asked.
Then I understood. Clint always gave his mother and sisters the best Christmas he possibly could. This stemmed from their deadbeat father, as far as I knew, but I had never asked because Clint hardly ever talked about his father.
I stared at his couch as thoughts of Christmas being three months away assaulted me. So many holidays I would have to face without my sister.
I felt eyes on me, and I looked up expecting to see Clint watching me, but it was Laura. She was a female version of Clint. Though, since she was the older sibling by two years, I supposed Clint was the male version of her. Her dark hair gleamed in the light and her eyes were the same vibrant shade of toffee like Clint’s. Some would say her nose had character, but I knew it was a point of contention between her, Clint, and their mother. When she was twelve, her father hit her hard enough to break her nose. They couldn’t afford to go have it set because Juanita had been pregnant with Erica at the time, so medical bills were piling up. It didn’t heal up right. She had to endure that for all her teenage years. Now she wore it like a badge of honor. I knew because Bronwyn had asked her point-blank why she didn’t get a nose job.
“Raegan. Aside from reuniting with my brother, how are things?” Laura asked.
Her tone wasn’t spiteful, which was the only indicator her question held genuine concern.
I gave a small shrug. “If you really want to know, things are surreal at best and horrible at worst. When I think Wynnie’s death has sunk in, something else turns up to freshen the pain, if you will.”
She nodded, but her facial expression said she really didn’t know what I was going through.
The sound of Clint’s sigh shifted my gaze to him in the kitchen. He was leaning into an arm braced on the counter by the coffee machine. Since he was only wearing his boxers, it struck me, I’d been robbed last night. He controlled everything, and I had no opportunity to lick my way from his sternum down his happy trail to his generous cock. For that matter, I noticed he had moved from a four-pack when we were together to sporting a borderline eight-pack.
He opened his mouth to say something, but his cell phone rang and not a second later, so did mine.
I knew that wasn’t a coincidence, and I scurried to my purse.
My phone indicated Mom was calling and my stomach sank. “Mom? Is everything okay?”
“Everything would be fine if Juanita would stop demanding to know where you are.”
“What?” I breathed.
“You heard me. Comes up here, claiming she wants to apologize for that awful letter. Pushes her way in here. Assumes Gabe is your no-good slimeball ex-husband, as if she doesn’t know you got divorced.”
Mom didn’t need to work herself up like this, so I cut into her tirade. “Okay, Mom. It’s all right. Why don’t yo
u—”
I paused when I heard Laura’s loud snort. Then I heard Clint saying, “No, Mamá, I didn’t forget what you said. Will you calm down, por favor?”
“Why don’t I what, Raegan? Don’t tell me to take a deep breath or some shit, but if you got ideas for this situation, I’m all ears.”
I bit my lip and closed my eyes for a moment before I exhaled. “There’s only one thing to do, Mom. Tell her I’m at Clint’s.”
Mom’s outrage was palpable even over the phone. “That’s all you got, smart girl? I already did that! She’s dead set that I accept her apology, which I don’t want to do. But with her in my house, I have to accept whatever she says.”
I fought laughter. “Mom. She wrote the letter to me. I feel sure she’s there to apologize to me.”
“Well, it was me who had to put your pieces back together. Hell, if she hadn’t written that damn letter, Trey Garrity wouldn’t have gotten his slimy mitts on you.”
She said his name like it was a venereal disease. That wasn’t entirely wrong. In hindsight, I was lucky I caught on to his bullshit when I did.
As I mulled over her words, I heard Clint speak.
“Well, you might as well. Laura’s already here, she brought donuts, and I’m brewing everyone their own fuckin’ coffees.”
He straightened from the counter, while his hand came up to cup his head, which he bowed as he listened.
His hand went to his neck, and he raised his head to stare up at the ceiling. “Mamá, are you comin’ over here, or not?”
Pause.
“Then quit givin’ Penny a hard time.”
He closed his eyes and inhaled.
“She doesn’t have to accept anything, Mamá. And I wanted you to apologize to Raegan, but not first damn thing in the morning.”
“Are you there?” Mom asked.
“Yeah, Mom. I am. I don’t know what else to tell you. She should leave soon, I think. Clint’s talking to her.”
“He’s such a good man,” Mom whispered.
I pressed my lips together, nodded, and whispered back, “Yeah.”
“You were a fool.”
“Mom!”
“Well, really, you were young. You both were. I’ll let you go. But did you have a good time, dear?”
“Yes, Mom. Did you have fun with Gabe? Or is Brock more fun?”
She chuckled. “They’re both fun, dear. But instead of playing cards, Gabe showed me how to work a turntable for a nightclub.”
My eyes narrowed while my eyebrows furrowed at such an inconceivable vision of Mom in front of turntables.
“All right, Mom. Be nice to Juanita. I’ll see you soon.”
Clint
TO SAY THIS MORNING wasn’t going according to plan was akin to saying the bulls of Pamploma take a stroll in the streets.
When she found out Mamá was on her way, Laura chugged her coffee, used the wax paper from the donut box to grab her own donut, and hauled ass out of my place.
I stared at the hallway after she left before turning to Rae. “Well, so much for nobody being the third wheel.”
She burst out with laughter, making me grin. “Clint, it wouldn’t matter if she was here, or Erica. I would still feel like an outsider. But thank you for trying to keep things... even.”
She was too far away from me. Once I had her in my arms, I said, “No need to thank me, Rae. Having Laura around would’ve helped me to divert Mamá’s attention.”
Her head tilted. “What do you mean?”
I cocked a brow. “Mamá likes to fuss over all three of us, and Laura somehow dodges that more often than me or Erica. I live to make sure she gets the same treatment.”
She slid her hands up my chest while shaking her head. “Proof you’ve always been about justice for all.”
I chuckled. “Wouldn’t go that far, but when it comes to my sisters, you bet.” I gave her a quick kiss. “Now, I gotta put some clothes on since Mamá will be here in no time.” Her eyes widened and I squeezed her. “No worries, mamita. She’ll be nice. I’ll see to it.”
While I got dressed, she hit the bathroom, and by the time I’d brushed my teeth, the doorbell rang.
Rae still looked like a dead woman walking, and I winked at her to put her at ease.
Positioning myself to the right of the door, I opened it so Mamá couldn’t barge inside. “Hello, Mamá. Are you going to be nice?”
Her eyes narrowed, but her sigh was one of resignation. “Of course, I am, Clint. I’m here to apologize after all.”
I grinned. “Normally I wouldn’t believe that, since you’ve been known to deliver a nice apology while being catty. But, today, I’m trusting you.”
A serious look crossed her face. “Do you really want another chance with her? What am I asking that for? Are you sure you’re not setting yourself up for heartbreak?”
“Mamá, this isn’t the place for this—”
She held a hand up. “I know, mi hijo. But I have to ask because I know how much you loved her.”
I pressed my lips together so I wouldn’t admit that I still did.
That love had not died, even if, for the past nine years, I had pretended it did.
To push past those thoughts, I opened the door wider for her. She walked past me, and I realized she probably had to work today since she was wearing her uncomfortable-looking high heels. Anytime I said she should care more about her feet than her appearance, she muttered things about me being a man who would never understand.
I followed her into the living room where Raegan sat on the couch, but I couldn’t tell if she was still nervous or not.
Mamá set her handbag on the recliner and sank into the couch next to Rae.
Before Rae could shift her body, Mamá grabbed her hands. “I’m sorry. I never should have sent you that letter after you and Clint split up. You were both adults, and what happened was between you two. So, I really had no business butting into it.”
Rae’s eyes had widened with surprise, and I could see her swallow. For that matter, even I was stunned Mom just launched right into things.
“It’s okay, Mrs. Ramsey—”
“Juanita, Raegan. If Clint’s giving you a second chance, then I’m Juanita to you.”
I fought to keep a neutral expression after that, but I did it.
Rae smiled. “Okay, Juanita. It’s okay. You were well within your rights—”
One of Mamá’s hands let go and patted Rae’s leg. “I was not within my rights—”
“You’re a protective mother. You were within your rights, but whatever. What’s done is done. Apology accepted.”
My stoic expression faltered as my head shifted to give Rae an incredulous stare. “That’s it? After the way Penny described she had to pick up the pieces?”
Mom shot me a look to shut me up, but my focus was on Raegan, who shrugged.
“Clint, as worked up as Mom seemed to be, I figure your mother has taken more than her fair share of grief.”
I stared at her as I contemplated Penny and Mamá having words. With an upward jerk of my chin, I said, “You’re right.” I looked at Mamá. “You want coffee?”
She smiled. “If you don’t mind. And I’d love a sugar-raised donut, if my eldest daughter left one behind in her haste.”
I chuckled on my way to the kitchen. “Comin’ right up, Mamá.”
Twenty minutes later, in a strange twist of fate, I felt like the third wheel without Laura. Mamá and Raegan had fallen into a rabbit-hole of girl talk which threatened to make my eyes cross. Initially, I loved it because they were both acting like the past nine years hadn’t changed a thing. Now, I had a full belly, and I had things I wanted to do to Raegan and with Raegan.
They both erupted in howls of laughter, and when they calmed down, I cut into their conversation. “Mom, Raegan and I really do need to—”
She narrowed her eyes before she interrupted. “I know. I know. I’m going.”
The three of us stood on my porch saying our goodbyes
. When she hit the end of the stoop, Mamá turned around with her arms open.
I met her on the sidewalk and hugged her as usual, but in an unusual move she cupped my cheeks to pull my face to hers as though to kiss my cheek. At my ear she whispered, “She does you wrong again, hijo, it won’t be a letter she gets from me.”
I leaned away with huge eyes on Mamá. “I can’t believe you would—”
“No need to walk me to my car. Love you, son,” she said.
I watched her get in her Elantra. When I joined Rae on the porch, she said, “I’ll grab my—”
“No. You will not. We’re not going any damn where.”
Her head tilted. “We’re not? But who’s going to stay with—”
I wrapped my arms around her and nuzzled her neck. “Penny’s good.”
She tried to pull away. “Clint! Gabe can’t stay there with her all day on a Saturday
I raised my head. “He isn’t. She’ll be fine for a few hours.”
She gasped.
I shook my head. “I’m not saying we aren’t headed back there. Just not right now.”
Her brows furrowed.
I grinned. “She hates football. It’s game day Saturday and for once, I don’t have to work a case. We’re watching a game. Tanya’s dropping in on Penny at eleven, and as long as my team isn’t losing or otherwise fucking things up, we’ll get over there around three-thirty.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You certainly have thought of everything, haven’t you, Clint?”
I grinned. “I’d like to think so.”
Chapter 16
The Women in My Life
Raegan
DONUTS NEVER STUCK with Clint very long. By noon, the pizza delivery person had come and gone, leaving us with a large pizza, an order of wings, a small salad, and some sort of dessert pizza. We consumed this carbohydrate-fest with beer.
As I snuggled with Clint on the sofa, something Laura had said came back to me.
During a commercial, I leaned up and caught his eyes. “What did your sister ‘want answers’ about?”
