“The other day, when you got the message and the flowers. There have been some developments.”
He watched as she swallowed, not quite able to keep the nervousness off her face. “I’m listening.”
This time it was Larry who swallowed. Cleared his throat. Seeing no way around it, he sighed. “I’ve been in touch with Marcus about the case I’m working on. He knows I have the papers from the safety deposit box; he just doesn’t know I got them from you. After my visit to him, he was badly beaten. Someone didn’t like that he was meeting with a ‘badge’.”
He watched the color drain from Tahlia’s face. Knew he had her attention.
“How does that relate back to the message and the flowers?”
“It doesn’t, directly. But we suspect they are part of the same bigger picture. I’m still investigating how you made it onto their radar since I never told Marcus I got the papers from you. There is, however, a definite connection somewhere. I just need to figure it out.”
“Okay. Where does that leave me?”
“See, now that’s the thing. I think it would be safer for you to go into protective custody.”
Tahlia’s entire body went stiff. Even her expression froze. Right before a fire kindled in her eyes.
“There is no way I am going into protective custody! I am only just getting my life back, Laurence. Reconnecting with my daughter. I am not throwing it all away over this. Not now. If I were to simply disappear again, right now, Madison would never forgive me. No. Absolutely not. You’ll simply have to find another way.”
“For the love of all that is holy, Lia. Now is not the time to go all Ms. Independent on me. This is serious. These guys are dangerous and have no conscience.”
One look at the thunderous expression on Tahlia’s face and Larry knew he’d made a big mistake. Shit! Definitely not the way to win her around to his way of thinking.
“Lia ...”
“Don’t.” Tahlia held up a finger. “You’ll be wasting your breath.”
Larry shot to his feet, going over to the window. He stared out the glass, not saying anything while his mind worried at the problem. How the hell was he going to convince Tahlia to go into witness protection? He got so lost in his thoughts he startled at the soft touch on his arm.
He turned his head to look at Tahlia as she stood beside him. She held herself with a quiet confidence that had been missing before. He opened his mouth, intending to argue his cause, but words failed him. Closing it again, he blew out a frustrated breath.
“I’m sorry, Laurence. I can see my decision is hard for you to accept. I’m not doing it to be difficult. But I cannot back down on this. I’ve fought long and hard to get myself, my life, back. If I go into witness protection, it’s like I’m losing that all over again.”
Larry put a hand on either side of her neck, squeezing gently. “I get it, sweetheart. I do.” He dropped his forehead to hers. “But this situation has me worried. Please consider it at least.”
“No. I can’t run out on Maddie again. I won’t. There has to be another way.”
He gritted his teeth. Not sure whether he wanted to shake some sense into her or kiss it into her, he stepped back. What he hadn’t anticipated was that she might feel the same. When Tahlia leaned into him and placed her lips on his, he was so taken aback a feather would have knocked him over. It didn’t take him long to recover.
In the back of his mind, he realized it was probably a really bad idea. He just he couldn’t help himself.
Larry leaned into the kiss. Took control. Hauling her soft body up against his harder frame, he nibbled along her bottom lip before running his tongue over the seam of her lips. A silent request for entry.
She opened for him. Welcoming him as her tongue dueled with his.
10
Tahlia went up on tiptoe to push closer to Laurence. She felt herself fall deeper into the kiss. This time, she wasn’t taking a back seat and letting it happen. She leaned into her newfound confidence and gave as good as she got.
She was done being the cowering victim. With the help of her therapist, she’d worked long and hard to build herself up. To learn to defend herself so as never to repeat the abuse she’d suffered at Marcus’s hands. The more she’d learned to do so, the greater her self-confidence had grown. Now she felt ready for this.
Laurence cupped her head in his hands, angling it to his liking, and deepened the kiss. Tahlia felt it all the way to the tips of the toes she was standing on. She’d known that if she was ever lucky enough to find herself in a situation like this, it would be phenomenal. She just hadn’t believed she ever would.
As she’d stood before God and congregation and made her vows, she’d truly believed it would be forever. Now that she found herself in Laurence’s arms though, she intended to soak up every last moment. Store it deep in her heart to treasure and remember when he was gone again.
Her heart racing, her breathing erratic, excitement flowed like molten lava through her. She burned for him. When Laurence broke the kiss and drew back, she moaned in disappointment.
The look he gave her was intense, silently asking her questions her soul knew the answer to.
“Lia. Sweetheart.”
Before he could say more, Tahlia placed a finger over his lips. “Please, Laurence. If you’re going to say what I think you’re going to, please don’t. For once, just go with it.”
Not giving him an opportunity to say more, she kissed him again. This time, she was the one to deepen the kiss. Poured all the feelings she’d been bottling up for years, that she’d never expressed, into the kiss.
She heard and felt the low rumble that issued from his chest. Felt his hands on her hips, the grip tight. No doubt she’d have bruises in the morning. But each one would be worth it if she could be with him this one time. There was no telling if she’d ever get another chance.
Once again, Laurence broke the kiss. “If we’re doing this, I sure as hell am not doing it out here. You deserve more than that,” he murmured, voice husky.
He reached out his hand to her. Knowing what was coming next, Tahlia’s knees went weak, but she placed her hand in his, her trust. Trust had become a commodity to be earned, but this was Laurence – her Laurence. And she’d waited for this moment for years.
Tahlia squeaked when, without warning, he bent and lifted her into his arms. He strode the short distance to her bedroom. He lowered her feet to the floor when he reached the bed before leaning in to kiss her until they were both breathless.
Desire rocketed through Tahlia’s body, and she grew damp in anticipation of what was to come.
Laurence reached for the buttons on her blouse. One by one, he slowly undid each fastening as if he were unwrapping a gift.
That delicious sense of anticipation grew as he reached the point where her shirt was tucked into the waistband on her skirt. Finally. She feared she would combust if he didn’t get her clothes off soon. She craved the feel of his hands on her naked skin.
If his intent was to drive her slowly out of her mind, he was doing a spectacular job. Just when she could take the teasing no more, he pulled the garment loose and pushed it off her shoulders. As it fell to the floor, he reached around her and slid the zipper down. He eased the material over the womanly flare of her hips.
With her skirt pooled around her ankles, Laurence offered a hand. She stepped clear of the material and stood before him clad only in her underwear and high heels. Suddenly uncertain, Tahlia battled to keep from covering herself. To hide her imperfections from him. At forty-five, she still had the curvaceous body of a younger woman, but carrying babies and losing one had definitely left its mark. She was no longer as toned and taut as she would have liked.
“I can see what you’re thinking clearly stamped all over that beautiful face. Don’t do that. You are exquisite. Don’t sell yourself short, sweetheart.” Taking one of her hands in his, Laurence laid it against his raging erection. “Feel that? It’s all for you, because of you. I want
you more than I can adequately express,” he continued hoarsely.
He stepped forward, reached around her, and undid the catch on her bra. Removing it, he palmed her breasts, massaging them gently. “So damned beautiful. Never doubt that.”
Tahlia leaned into his touch, relishing the streaks of desire that arrowed straight to her most intimate core.
“Take your panties off. I want to see you — all of you,” he murmured, taking a step back.
He may have said it quietly, but there was no mistaking the thread of steel behind it. Tahlia lowered them to the ground, and he held out his hand to steady her as she stepped out of them. This time, she couldn’t quite stop herself from covering up, feeling vulnerable as she stood completely naked.
“No, don’t cover up or hide from me, ever. You’re so damned perfect you take my breath away,” Laurence said.
He lowered her to the bed and made his way up her body, using teeth and tongue, sending goose bumps chasing all over her skin. He drew a nipple into his mouth, suckling strongly. Tahlia arched into him, silently begging him for more.
“Tell me what pleases you, Lia. What you like and where you like to be touched. I want to bring you so much pleasure.” She could barely gather her scattered thoughts. She didn’t know how to tell him what she wanted.
“I need the words, sweetheart. I need you to tell me what you need.”
She blushed, a fiery red she sensed spread over her face, neck, and chest. Never had she felt so embarrassed. She had no idea how to tell him what she wanted, needed. Marcus had never cared about her pleasure. It had always only ever been about him and his pleasure.
“Please, I don’t know how to ...” Her words trailed off. She couldn’t even finish that sentence. How was she supposed to tell him she wanted his mouth on her throbbing clit? She hid her face in his neck, avoiding his eyes.
“Baby, look at me.”
Tahlia shook her head.
“Please?”
The gentle tone and patience she could hear in his voice had her doing as he asked, despite her mortification. Her gaze locked with his. The way he looked at her, she couldn’t look away.
“I understand this makes you uncomfortable, sweetheart, but this can’t work unless we’re open and honest with each other. I want nothing more than to make this an amazing experience for you, but in order to do that, I need you to help me out here. Understand?” Laurence ran a finger down her cheek, the touch so feather-soft as to almost be her imagination.
Tahlia nodded. After a couple of attempts, she finally managed to force the words out.
“Please ... my – my clit. I want your mouth on me there. I need you so badly I can’t stand it,” she choked out hoarsely.
Working his way back down her body, Laurence trailed wet, open-mouth kisses all over, circling her belly button with his tongue. He parted her thighs to his questing mouth, leaving a trail of fire across her skin. It felt like she was going to combust at any moment.
And then he gently nibbled on her clit, and she arched up off the mattress, the pleasure was so intense. He licked and sucked her clit, feeling herself getting wetter. When he slid a finger into her, she felt herself wind tighter. She was about ready to come out of her skin and didn’t know how long she could hold out. But when he added a second finger, Tahlia couldn’t stop herself from flying over the edge.
An orgasm the likes of which she’d never experienced ripped through her, hurtling her into freefall.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me. Let me taste you.”
Laurence’s husky words were like adding fuel to the blaze already consuming her. Tahlia cried out as her body spasmed and shook. He kept working her, had her riding a wave of pleasure so intense it left her breathless.
Her passionate response had Larry going even harder than he thought was humanly possible. If he didn’t have her soon, he was going up in flames. As if sensing his need, she reached up to touch his face.
“Show me how to please you,” she murmured against his lips, running her hands up and down his chest.
Staring at her with passion-glazed eyes, Larry threw a pillow on the floor.
“On your knees, sweetheart,” he replied huskily.
Going to her knees gracefully, she waited patiently for him to show her what he wanted from her. After quickly shucking his clothes, Larry placed his hand on her cheek, pushing his thumb gently against her lips. “Take me into your gorgeous mouth, Lia. Take my cock deep. And look at me when you do. I want to see your eyes while I’m balls-deep in your mouth.”
He watched a full-body shudder rolled over her, could see desire and fear reflected in her eyes.
Delicately, she licked the velvety soft head like it was her favorite treat. A hoarse groan seemed to rumble up from the very soles of his feet. When she tilted her head up to take him deep into her mouth, her eyes locked onto his. She worked her tongue down the underside of his cock. Deeper and deeper she took him until her nose came to rest against his taut abdomen, all the while holding his gaze as he’d told her to do. When Tahlia swallowed around him, his knees almost gave out.
Dear god, what she was doing to him? Larry couldn’t remember it ever feeling this good. It felt like the top of his head was about to blow off. He reached out to wind his fingers in her hair as he started thrusting harder. When he felt like he was getting close to climax, he pulled out of her mouth, leaning down to kiss her.
As he straightened, he reached a hand down to help Tahlia to her feet.
“On the bed, baby.”
Larry’s eyes followed as she crawled onto the bed. The sight had him biting back a groan. Before following her, he reached into the pocket of his discarded chinos to grab a condom.
Larry guided his aching cock into her wet heat. He heard Tahlia moan softly as he eased his way into her.
“God, you’re so tight. So fucking amazing. Hold still a minute for me, sweetheart. I just need to catch my breath.”
Larry felt like a teenager with his first lay, fighting to not come so soon.
He counted backwards from twenty in an attempt to calm the need raging through him. When he felt he had himself under control again, he started to move. He glided his hands up the soft, smooth skin on Tahlia’s inner arms, tangling his fingers with hers. Gazing down into fathomless pools of blue, Larry felt a connection the likes of which he’d never experienced. This woman owned him, heart and soul.
He thrust deep, feeling as if he were sliding into heaven. Her tight heat encompassed him, drove him higher. Tentatively, at first, he felt Tahlia start to move beneath him. As she got lost in the desire that held him enthralled, she lost her inhibition, meeting him thrust for thrust.
He felt her core tighten around him even more, her heart beat harder, her breathing ragged.
“Please Laurence ... I need to come,” Tahlia whispered.
“Then come for me, my beautiful Tahlia,” he said as he set a brutal pace.
Tahlia arched gracefully up off the bed, her face a study in ecstasy.
“Aaah ... Laurence, so good ... please, don’t stop.”
Her muscles tightened, and just that quickly, she came for him. Larry could feel her muscles clamp down on him like a tight fist. It felt so good he couldn’t prevent his own orgasm. It seemed like his balls were on fire as they tightened. So intense the fire raced up his spine, dragging him right over the edge with her. He was helpless to stop it. The freefall into pleasure left him gasping for breath. If there was a time he’d ever come so hard, he sure as hell couldn’t remember it.
Slowly, he became aware that he was still holding Tahlia in a tight grip, and he eased up, afraid of hurting her.
“You ok, baby?” Tahlia just nodded as she lay there drawing in deep lungs-full of air.
He slumped over her and just lay there for a moment, savoring the feel of her soft body beneath his. Eventually, he shifted over onto his side, taking her with him. She rolled over to rest her head on his shoulder.
“Will you stay with me?” h
e heard Tahlia whisper.
“I’d like that,” he replied. “I just need to check in with one of my agents this evening, and then I’m all yours.”
If this was going to be their one shot at being together, he wanted to draw as much from it as he could. He wanted to hold on to memories, something to look back on when they’d once again gone separate ways.
11
Larry checked his phone for the millionth time. It was five minutes to seven, and he’d yet to hear from Finn. He hoped it wasn’t an indication that things had gone south with the man’s meeting. He would give the man until seven, as agreed. If he’d heard nothing by then, he’d track him down and hope it wasn’t too late.
“Can I get you some more coffee?” Tahlia asked, her tone and eyes soft.
Checking the time on his phone, yet again, he saw it was three minutes later.
“No thanks, sweetheart. I think I might have a situation on my hands, and much as I don’t want to, I think I need to get going.”
Her face fell, disappointment clear on her expressive face. Before she could answer him though, his phone chimed in his hand. Larry quickly checked and saw it was from Finn.
He held up a finger. “Just give me a sec.” He stood and went over to the window to open the message where it wasn’t clearly visible to Tahlia.
Finn: Had a very interesting visit with my cousin. The leak is quite substantial, and I’m not sure how we’re going to fix it. I don’t think plumber’s tape is going to tape this one up, boss man. The situation is quite urgent now. Please advise.
“For fuck sake.” Laurence hauled back and was about to set his phone flying when he caught sight of Tahlia staring at him, her eyes huge. “Shit, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I ...” His words stumbled to a halt. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He was hugely relieved that his man was safe, but if Finn was worried, it meant nothing good.
Very little phased the man. True to his southern nature, his agent was probably one of the most laidback men he knew. It was probably what made him the exceptional agent he was. He was calm, patient, and quick-thinking. And his solve rate on cases reflected it.
Trusting Laurence Page 9
