Текст книги "Searching for Always"

Автор книги: Jennifer Probst

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 15 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

fifteen

ARILYN IMAGINED A few things on their first night together. Pulling at each other’s clothes, slipping into a world of dreamy sensuality with little awkwardness and an all-encompassing, blistering heat. Somehow, in her fantasy, they didn’t walk into her bungalow at midnight and deal with a series of fantasy-popping occurrences beginning with Mrs. Blackfire.

They reached the porch and the slam of a door echoed in the quiet. The scrape of the walker warned her before she heard the familiar, hissing voice. “Officer Petty! There’s been a break-in at Arilyn’s house. I called the police, but they refused to send someone, and I’m going to sue the town.”

She heard his quick intake of breath. Hmm, he still wasn’t practicing the technique of drawing the air from his belly up to his chest. She’d have to go over that in class again on Monday. “If the police didn’t send someone, they didn’t think there was a break-in,” he pointed out. “What did you see?”

Her face lit with the excitement of a crime. “A young girl. Small, blond, braces. Wearing jeans with one of those shirts that show off her belly button, which is kind of ridiculous in this type of weather, and way too old for her.”

Arilyn turned, swinging her high heels from her fingers. She grasped for her own patience. Was it so wrong just to want to go inside and have sex without talking to anyone? “That’s Tina, my dog walker, Mrs. Blackfire. She was here to walk Robert. I’m watching him while Kate’s on her honeymoon.”

“Oh.” The brief disappointment quickly disappeared. “But she had something under her arm! She stole something from you! Why didn’t Patrick walk the dog? I don’t trust these young kids anymore. They don’t know the value of honest work.”

“Poppy had a field trip today, so I had Tina take over. I let her borrow a few books of mine; that’s probably what you saw under her arm.”

Her face fell. “Well, you should check anyway.” She pointed toward Stone. “I wasn’t pleased with the police response. They said that since she had a key, she wasn’t a burglar. In my day, it would’ve held true, but this is a new age. Burglars have keys now! We need to be watching every second!”

Arilyn tried not to groan, forcing a smile and opening her door. “I agree. I’ll talk to Stone about it. Good night, Mrs. Blackfire!”

She gave a small humph, then disappeared back inside. Arilyn figured she had a few minutes before the telescope began moving. She motioned toward the windows. “Pull those blinds down so she can’t spy,” Arilyn hissed.

Stone chuckled, moved forward, and froze.

Robert, Kate’s paraplegic pit bull, came racing down the hallway at top speed. Happy and desperate for company, he dragged his back legs behind him with expert ease, his large body hauling his way toward Stone for a classic doggy greeting.

Pure fear carved out the lines of Stone’s face. His skin looked clammy in the hall light, and he huddled against the door, watching the dog bound closer, stuck in a memory of horror where he couldn’t fight back.

Oh, God, she’d forgotten. Pit bulls. The bite. His fear of dogs.

Robert.

“Robert, stop!” she whipped out, firming her voice and stepping in front of Stone to block the path.

The dog skidded to a halt. Eyes filled with trepidation for doing something wrong, he whimpered low and ducked his head.

“Shhh, sweetheart, it’s okay.” Arilyn dropped to the ground and hugged him, pressing her forehead to his in a gesture of humbleness. “You’re a good boy. But Stone doesn’t realize that yet. You need to give him a chance to get used to you before knocking him over for kisses. Understood?”

Robert wriggled, licking her cheek gently. She snuggled, reached out to check his bladder, soothing him with a pat. “You did good tonight. We have to be careful of bladder infections while Mommy and Daddy are away. Let’s get you hooked up and bring you outside.”

She straightened and walked toward Stone, who watched the whole encounter with wary eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, reaching out to place her hands against his chest. “I forgot to tell you Robert is a pit bull. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, Stone, I swear. Kate saved him when a car crushed his back legs. I know he looks big, but his back legs are useless. He’s a good dog.”

Stone let out a breath. Color seeped back into his skin. “I’m sorry for being an ass,” he muttered. He wiped his palms down his pants, his gaze stuck on the dog, who was waiting patiently to say hello. “He just looks like—looks like—”

“The dog who bit you,” she said softly. “I know. But Robert isn’t like that. Can you give him a chance?” He remained silent but nodded. “Thank you. I have to take him out first. I’ll be a minute. Why don’t you grab a drink and make yourself comfortable?”

Keeping his distance, he skirted around Robert’s excitedly shaking body, and put the high counter between them. Arilyn hooked up the dog’s scooter, adjusting the straps, and let him go free.

Laughing, she watched him race over the lawn, round and round as the wheels turned. His head thrown back in doggy abandon, he breathed in the cold night air and managed to go to the bathroom under the Tree of Spite. After some of his energy had been spent, she brought him back inside, unhooked the scooter, and grabbed his box of treats from the table.

“Peanut butter or bacon?” she asked.

He barked twice. Stone jerked back, startled.

Arilyn laughed. “Bacon it is.” He took the treat gently between his teeth and raced back down the hall to finish the snack in his special orthopedic bed with his favorite purple bunny squeaker toy.

“He knew what you were saying?” Stone asked in disbelief.

“Yep. Kate’s had him for years. He’s extremely smart.”

He walked around and knelt to examine the scooter. “And he’s able to move around using this cart?”

“Yes. It was specially made for him. Allows him to run and play like the other dogs.”

“So he had a tough life,” Stone murmured.

“Some of the most extraordinary animals I know had it tough.” She paused. “Some extraordinary people, too.”

He turned. Stared. Suddenly, the domestic ease leaked away, replaced with a simmering sexual heat that softened her limbs and made her thighs tremble. Playtime was officially over.

Arilyn couldn’t wait.

“Come here,” he commanded. She shivered from the dark, sensual tone of his voice and obeyed. Each step closer tightened the knot in her belly, until she stood before him, waiting. Her hair was curled and secured with a dozen bobby pins to cascade from an elaborate knot on top of her head. With infinite patience, he reached over and began pulling out each pin, one by one. Taking his time, he pulled his fingers through the strands, rubbing her scalp, until a low moan caught in her throat. Like a cat, she lifted her head for more, enjoying the luxurious sensation of being taken care of. Finally, when her hair fell loose around her waist, he stroked her cheeks.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?”

A flush heated her cheeks. “I’m glad you think so.”

“I know so. Sometimes, I gaze at you demonstrating those yoga poses and lose my breath. You remind me of a dancer. Your body is like an instrument, begging to be played and worshipped. Begging to be fucked.”

She shuddered, the dirty words pushing her arousal higher. Her panties were wet between her thighs, and a deep aching made her want to howl. “No one’s ever talked to me like that,” she admitted, pressing her forehead against his chest.

“No hiding.” He pushed her gently away, forcing her head up to meet his gaze. Pupils dilated, she sank into a seething blackness filled with lust and need and a hunger so real she wanted to cry with pleasure. “Not between us. Not ever. I’m not like the men in your past. I won’t tell you lies or make love to you with tenderness. I’m rough, and crude, and loud. I like sex in all its messy, raw ways. I want to make you come all night, in ways you never imagined. I want you to say all those dirty things you fantasized about in my ear and make them all come true. Do you understand, little one? I’m not just going to be your lover tonight. I’m going to take every shred of you and demand each last piece of your darkest, secret soul. Are you ready for this? I’m giving you one last chance.”

Arilyn couldn’t run if the demons of hell were about to seize her soul. Held transfixed to the floor by his delicious body heat, and scent, and words, and touch, the room spun around her and she gave up, gave over, and gave him everything he wanted.

“I want this,” she whispered. Every muscle in her body shook like an answering storm. “I want you.”

His smile was slow and full of promise.

“Good. Now take off your clothes.”

Pushed by the need to experience everything he promised, she reached back and unhooked the clasp on her dress, then drew the zipper down. The sound cut harshly through the thick silence. Without pause, she wiggled the bodice down her body and let the chocolate chiffon pool at her feet. Since the dress was strapless and she wasn’t well-endowed, she wore no bra.

His quick indrawn breath told her he appreciated the lack of underwear, and her skin flushed with awareness. Standing before him, the only item keeping her from being fully naked was the scrap of black lacy panties covering the apex between her thighs.

His gaze roved over her like an intimate touch, probing and exploring every part of her with a fierce appreciation that made her feel beautiful. Arilyn knew what he saw. She’d come to terms with her body image and learned to love who she was. Yoga taught her to care for and appreciate the skin she lived in. Yes, she was slim hipped, with a boyish figure and small breasts. She was no hourglass-curved temptress many men lusted after. Her pale skin held a scattering of freckles, and a funny mole on her upper thigh, and her feet were way too big ever to be called delicate. But it was her body, and she lived in it well, so Arilyn tilted her head up, drew her shoulders back, and let him drink his fill.

“I always knew you’d be extraordinary,” he murmured. “But still the reality has me weeping.”

A smile touched her lips. “I thought you weren’t going to offer me poetry.”

“I also said I tell the truth. Turn around so I can see your luscious ass.” She turned slowly, taking her time, enjoying his frank gaze and the obvious erection that told her she was beautiful to him. When he spoke again, his voice was thick with lust. “Now take off the panties. Slow.”

She hooked her fingers under the elastic and dipped down, dragging the skimpy material over her hips, thighs, calves, and kicking them away from her feet. She kept her pussy neatly trimmed but not bare, preferring a more natural state. His low growl told her he liked it.

“Oh, I want to make you do so many bad things, Arilyn,” he drawled. “All for me.” Still fully clothed, he began walking around her, close but not touching, until he teased her with his scent and body heat trapped beneath a suit of civility. “Later, I’m going to make you touch yourself. I’m going to watch you orgasm by your own fingers, so I can see every move you like to ensure your pleasure. I’m going to feast and devour you whole. But we have plenty of time for that. For now, I want you to walk ahead of me into your bedroom.”

Heart tripping madly against her chest, she tried to breathe while she led him down the hall into the bedroom. Knowing her bare ass was on display, she gave an extra swing to her hips, enjoying her role of Eve and temptress. It was as if the secret bad girl inside burst out and refused to be caged again. With Stone, she could be everything she wondered about. She felt safe with him.

“Will Robert be okay alone out there?” he asked.

“Yes, he sleeps in the living room.”

“Good.” He kicked the door closed with his foot, unknotted his tie, and slid it from around his neck. The fluttering of red silk caught her attention as his tie slipped to the floor. He watched her face and his eyes darkened. “You like that? Maybe I’ll bind you with my tie. Keep you open to anything I want to do to you.”

Oh, she knew about kink and spanking and secret games played by adventurous couples. She just never thought she was in the same field, but the idea of Stone tying her up turned her on to such an extent, she didn’t know what to do. He laughed low as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. “Ah, little one, we’re going to have so much fun together.” He shrugged out of his jacket, flicked open the buttons on his shirt, and closed the distance. “But not tonight. Right now, I need you to take away this brutal urge I have to mark you in every way.” He tugged her close, so her naked breasts pressed against the hair on his chest and her nipples hardened. “Open your mouth and kiss me.”

She parted her lips. He ducked his head.

It wasn’t a kiss as much as a possession. His tongue drove forth with no teasing foreplay, just a carnal hunger that held no politeness or civility, just as he had warned. She clung to him, taking every swipe of his tongue and demanding more, drinking in the spicy male essence that beat from his core, drunk on everything he could give her. Arilyn moaned and rose up on tiptoe, lost in his kiss, surrendering not only to the embrace but also to the night stretching before them in all its wild glory.

He wasn’t gentle. His teeth bruised, nipped. His hand tangled in her long hair and tugged hard, the prickling at her scalp reminding her he owned her for his pleasure. With his other hand, he stroked her breast, plumping, his thumb flicking back and forth over her sensitive nipple until it peaked and lengthened, shooting sparks of arousal to her core. Her body melted in happy confusion, so many sensations building inside, until her clit throbbed for attention and she grew wet and swollen.

As she scissored her thighs to achieve the needed pressure she craved, he broke the kiss, laughing low against her mouth. “My greedy girl, you’re so sweet. I’ve been dreaming of how you’ll taste and I refuse to be rushed.” He hoisted her up and walked to the bed, laying her down on the mattress. “This is what I dreamed of, you spread out for me, skin flushed, eyes soft and needy. So fucking beautiful.”

“Take off your clothes,” she demanded, her voice husky.

He obeyed, quickly removing his shirt and pants, shucking off his shoes with expert ease. He stood by the bed, letting her study him the same way he’d studied her. Arilyn propped herself up on her elbows, taking in every last mouthwatering inch of him.

Dear God, she’d never seen a man built quite like Stone Petty. From his rock-hard muscles, to his impressive stature, to the huge erection pulsing between his legs, he was larger-than-life. Larger than any man she’d ever seen. For an instant, worry seized her, wondering how he’d possibly fit with his wide girth, but then he grasped her ankles and she stopped thinking.

Slowly, he pulled her thighs apart. Wide. Wider. The cool air rushed over her pussy and contrasted with the burning heat tearing her apart. He licked his lips and leaned over the bed, his shoulders keeping her legs spread wide, trapping her deep in the mattress. His palms slid up her trembling belly and stroked lightly, peppering her skin with goose bumps. The amazing sensations of cold and hot, hard and soft assailed her. Another moan tore from her lips.

He looked up from her body and slowly smiled. “Now let’s see how many times you call me ‘Officer.’”

He dipped his head.

Sanity was ripped away from her inch by ragged inch. He was the devil himself, with his wicked tongue and lips and teasing strokes. He settled in and refused to be rushed, even with the urgent lifting of her hips, grinding against his mouth with no shame, only the need for release. Those soft lips sucked at her clit with just enough pressure to turn her on but not get her off. His tongue rubbed and licked down her slit, over her labia, making hungry noises that buzzed vibrations through her body.

Oh, she begged. Every inch of her ached and burned, her muscles straining for what only he could give her.

“Please, Stone, I need to—oh, God, please.”

He circled her aching, hard clit with the tip of his tongue, then massaged it with his thumb. Pinpricks of light marred her vision. She’d never been so desperate to come in her life, until she finally understood the darkness in sex, the ultimate, encompassing need to do anything for the orgasm being held from her.

“You’re so wet. So hot. You’re coming apart right underneath me, little one. Your responses are perfect. Ask me again.”

“Stone, please let me come!”

“Yes, baby, now, against my mouth, give it all to me.” Curling his finger, he plunged inside her tight channel while his tongue increased the pressure on her clit, licking harder and harder and then—

She screamed. She cried. She yelled. The orgasm hit her like a train wreck, squeezing every muscle in her body with an agony of pleasure, all she could do was shake beneath him and surrender. He never stopped, his tongue and teeth nibbling and licking her right up to another orgasm, letting her free-fall in space.

Arilyn fell back into the mattress, giving herself over to him. She watched from heavy-lidded eyes as he donned a condom, paused before her dripping center, and began to fill her inch by slow inch.

Her body reawoke. The delicious friction and pressure as he invaded and took over her body was too much. She flung her head back and forth against the pillow, moaning, not even sure if she was fighting him or urging him closer. His fingers entwined with hers, holding her hands trapped against each side of her head, not stopping until he was buried balls-deep within her. Arilyn blinked up at his face: teeth clenched, sweat dripping from his brow, his gaze pinning her as helplessly as his body.

“Too big,” she gasped. “Can’t.”

“You can. Fuck, you’re so tight, little one.” He moved an inch, going even deeper, until she felt split apart. Slowly he rocked back and forth as she opened up further, every muscle in her body squeezing him. “You fit perfectly. Holy shit, you’re coming again, Arilyn, I can feel it. Let go, baby, give it to me.”

“Too much—I can’t—oh!” And then he pulled back out and slammed inside of her so fast and so deep and so hard, she climaxed again, surrendering to the brutal, aching pleasure that almost bordered on pain.

She rode out the climax, whimpering deep in her throat, and hung on as he pounded inside her body with all the rough violence and lust she craved, until he shouted her name, giving her his orgasm, never pausing until there was nothing left of either of them.

Somehow, he managed to roll over so he wasn’t crushing her. He spooned against her, his arms slipping around her stomach, keeping her close, his lips buried in the crook of her neck. Surrounded by his warmth and delicious smell, she relaxed completely in his embrace.

“What did you do to me?” he whispered in her ear.

She managed to rouse herself enough to answer his question with one of her own. “What did you do to me?”

Arilyn knew they spoke of something bigger than the sex, but she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. She did the only thing left.

She lost consciousness.

STONE STARED INTO THE darkness, listening to her steady breathing.

Well, wasn’t he completely screwed? In a good way. And in a very, very bad way.

He knew exactly what he expected from fucking Arilyn Meadows. Oh, definitely orgasms. Pleasure. Some ups and downs, since they were so different and annoyed the crap out of each other. A few laughs. Then a clean pathway back to the single life, with a clear conscience.

Now?

Not so much.

Stone tried to figure it out. What had happened? Yes, she called to him on a level he’d never experienced before. The physical connection overwhelmed him, but when he slid deep inside her body, felt her core clenching him with those silky muscles, he wasn’t just thinking about her sweet pussy. No, instead he became entranced by the open vulnerability in her grass-green eyes. The way her mouth opened in a breathy gasp, and that look of wonder on her face when he surged inside her, making him feel like Spider-Man and Superman and fucking Thor all rolled up into one holy mix of hotness. The sting of her nails digging into his shoulders, and the way her body fit perfectly to his, like they belonged together. But the worst? Oh, God, the worst part of all scared the living bejesus out of him.

It was the feeling of peace and homecoming when they were connected. As if they were meant for each other.

Stone closed his eyes and tried to take those deep yoga breaths she had taught him. He fought the need to run for the exit and never return. This mix of emotions was brand-new and more threatening than the Headless Horseman on Halloween. He was in it for the sex, Stone reminded himself. It had been a long time. Of course, she looked at him like he was a hero. She’d been stuck with a dickhead for five long years and she was hungry for connection. By morning, they’d both be over the strange feelings.

That had to be it. Right?

The alternative was not allowed.

He tried to ease into sleep for a well-needed nap, but even though he’d just had the best climax of his life, he wanted her again. She stirred, mumbling into the pillow, and the scent of musky sex and coconut body lotion flooded his nostrils. Her body was magnificent, but even more so was her pride and grace in the way she carried herself. As if she realized on her own that she was enough. That kind of confidence was sexy as hell, and he couldn’t wait to have more of her.

Stone stroked her creamy white skin, tracing the scattering of freckles in a sensual game of connect the dots. His thumb traveled up to the sweet curve of her breast, over her nipple, which stiffened up to meet him, practically begging for his tongue.

Stone didn’t fight it. Leaning over, he sighed and tongued her nipple, nibbling, until she woke with a moan spilling from her lips. He smiled and didn’t lose his pace. She rolled over and offered herself up to him with an open surrender that made him grow back to rock-hard status. Twining her fingers behind his neck, she arched up, asking for more.

He moved slower this time, being more thorough as he tasted every inch of her. The sensitive curve of her hip, behind her knee, the part where neck met shoulder. As if she knew this time was different, she didn’t push the pace but met him stroke for stroke. Her hands fisted him and rubbed up and down his dick in slow, silky movements that had precum spilling onto her fingers. She rubbed the tip, and kept her grip strong and tight, bringing him right to the edge in a matter of moments.

They fell back into each other like a poem in which each stanza eased into the next. The stroke of her hand, the slide of her tongue, the warmth of her breath, the lilting sound of his name on her lips. It was as if they’d spent an eternity waiting for each other rather than engaging in one night of carnal sex. Stone fought hard, but when she climbed on top of him and took him deep inside, he almost sighed. The heat grew to blistering proportions, yet she rode him at a slow, intense pace, building up to the rhythm that would allow them both to shatter together.

She cried out. Her body arched, thrusting her small breasts high in the air, red hair streaming down her back. He watched every precious moment, taking it in, and then she collapsed forward onto his chest with him still inside her.

Stone’s second orgasm was even more intense than the first, as if the Fates mocked his plan and were having a joke at both of their expenses. This was the crap they spoke of in chick flick movies and Jane Austen novels. The garbage they spewed when sex and lust mixed with love and commitment. He didn’t believe in any of it; yet, as his balls tightened up and he exploded, releasing his seed, a possessive ferociousness claimed him, driving him to take her again and remind her she belonged to him.

Mine, his mind screamed. She’s mine.

Shut up. This is about sex.

The voice fell quiet. Panting, trying to gather his sanity, he fell back to the bed with her still cuddled against his chest. Time ticked by. They lay quietly in the dark. He waited for her to ask him her endless questions that he couldn’t answer.

But she didn’t speak.

And once again, her breathing deepened and she slept.

Stone lay awake for a long time, wondering what he was going to do.