Blame It on Your Heart (24 page)

"Honey, this was the only place we could build it—it has to connect with the water and electricity." Despite Molly’s cheerful tone, Ellie sensed an edge to her sister's voice.

"That's a bummer because it would have been way cooler on the other side, right next to the sidewalk."

Brady grunted as he and Damon finished securing the first set of poles in place. "Damn, Josh, with all of these opinions you must be all over that wedding you and Molly are planning." He paused, picked up the bottle resting on the ground near him, and took several gulps. "When is that happening again?"

Josh shrugged and waved him off with a rueful smile. "Who knows? I've been so slammed lately I can't even think about it right now."

"Huh," Brady replied, sauntering over to Josh. "I would have thought with the way Molly is running around, it would be happening sometime soon."

"It will happen," Molly said lightly. "We just need to wait till Josh has a break."

Ellie stole a sidelong glance at her sister. Though Molly continued unpacking glasses, appearing unfazed, Ellie saw the tightness of her jaw, the slight downturn of her full mouth.

"I don't know Josh, you don't want to make a woman like that wait too long. One day you might turn around and realize she's gone onto greener pastures," Brady said. His tone was light, but the piercing look he gave Molly was anything but.

"What, like Molly would ever leave me?" Josh said with a guffaw, oblivious of the way Brady was looking at Molly like he wanted to devour her. "You'd never do that, would you, Molly?" he said, and strode over to the bar and gave Molly a loud, smacking kiss on the mouth. Molly shook her head and smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Of course not." Josh grinned, then turned back to Brady. "Like how's she gonna do any better?"

Molly's smile froze on her face and in that moment Ellie wanted to smack the pompous grin off Josh's ignorant, undeservedly huge head more than she wanted to take her next breath.

Brady's eyes narrowed and Ellie saw something close to fury cross his face, his right hand clenching as the muscles in his arm showed in stark relief.

The fury disappeared so fast she thought maybe she'd imagined it, replaced by a sly grin. "You're right, she probably can't do better," he said. Oh so casually, he peeled off his T-shirt, revealing the kind of tightly muscled torso that Ellie had only ever seen in magazine ads for men's cologne.

Oh, and in bed with Damon.

"But she might have a damn good time trying something different," Brady said and wiped the shirt across his face and down his torso, offering up a display of tight muscle and tanned skin that would make any straight woman with a pulse wipe a little drool off her chin.

From the flush on Molly's cheeks and the way she was chewing on her plump bottom lip, she was anything but immune.

Josh's eyes narrowed, his gaze shifting from Molly to Brady. Ellie could practically hear the rusty gears in his head grind, and she wondered how long it would take him to figure out Brady had all but admitted he was more than willing to be something "different" if Molly was ever inclined.

"Uh, Josh, can you help me start bringing the boxes of booze out here?" Molly said. The look she shot Brady would have withered most men, but his cheeky grin didn't waver as he casually tossed his shirt aside.

They continued to work into the evening getting everything set up. Once the patio was ready they all moved to the kitchen to help Brady prep the food for the next day.

"Yeah, I don't really cook," Josh said, wrinkling his nose at the chef's knife Ellie held out to him.

"It's not cooking, it's chopping garlic for the marinade," Ellie snapped before Molly could jump in. "Trust me, you don't need to be a master chef."

Josh held up his hands and looked at Molly. "Come on, babe, you told me we'd be out of here after a couple of hours."

Molly's fingers tightened around the whisk she was using to stir about a gallon of Brady's secret marinade, a mixture of soy sauce, horse radish, mustard, and the garlic that Josh refused to chop. "I'm sorry it's taking longer than I expected," she replied in a tone that Ellie recognized from some of her own conversations with Anthony. "But if we all pitch in the work will go that much faster."

"We're supposed to have dinner with my parents at seven thirty—or did you forget?"

Molly glanced at the clock and swore under her breath. "I didn't forget—do you think we can reschedule?"

Josh shrugged. "Not for another month—they leave tomorrow for their cruise, and then they're going to Phoenix to visit my sister. You're the one who keeps saying you want to talk to them to nail down the details for the rehearsal dinner."

It was on the tip of Ellie's tongue to ask why they needed to figure out the rehearsal dinner when they hadn't actually set a date for the wedding yet, but the stress on Molly's face gave her pause.

"El." She shot Ellie a pleading look.

"Go ahead." It was Brady who answered. "We've got it under control."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a flake." Molly continued to direct her attention to Ellie and Damon.

"No, really, your fiancé has to be your priority, right?" Brady once again broke in as he chopped the onion on his cutting board with more force than necessary.

"It's fine," Ellie said, looking to Damon, who nodded at her before shooting his friend a warning look. "There isn't a whole lot more we can do tonight anyway." That was a lie. But Molly was clearly so close to the end of her rope dealing with all this bullshit from Josh that Ellie didn't want to pile on even harder.

Her sister was not happy, she knew, and she felt a pang of guilt that she hadn't tried to talk to Molly more about it, get her to open up about what was wrong.

But stung by the way Molly had lashed out before, Ellie had retreated, buried herself in the party preparations. After the party was over, she promised herself, she'd round up her sister for a good heart to heart. For tonight she said goodbye with a quick hug and dove back into the party prep.

"Isn't it Anthony's bedtime?" Damon asked some time later.

Ellie crammed yet another flank steak into a plastic tub full of marinade and looked at the clock. "Thank you for reminding me," she said and hurried over to the sink.

"Can't have you breaking a pinky promise," Damon said with a smile that sent a warm glow across her skin. Earlier today Anthony had come by and extracted a pinky promise from her that even though she was extra busy with the party, she would come home to read him a story and tuck him into bed.

She hurried home and found Anthony already in bed with Adele snuggled up beside him on the narrow mattress. "You made it," Adele said, smiling over the top of the book. "How is everything over there?"

"Crazy. Every time I think we're almost finished I realize there are a dozen other things that need to be done tonight."

"Work as late as you need to." Adele said leaned over to press a smacking kiss on Anthony's cheek then rose from the bed. "I'm happy to stay home with this guy while you guys do all the heavy lifting."

Ellie thanked her and settled into the space her mother had just vacated.

"Mommy," Anthony whispered and snuggled eagerly against her. She put her arm around him and pulled him close, savoring the wave of contentment that washed through her every time she held him close. For a brief second, all of life's stresses disappeared, washed away by the warmth of his sturdy little body snuggled up against hers.

She listened as Anthony filled her in about his day and then got through two chapters of
James and the Giant Peach
before Anthony's eyelids got too heavy. God, what she wouldn't give to plant her head on the pillow next to him and sleep for the next ten hours.

Soon, she reminded herself as she made the short walk back to the restaurant. Soon she could rest.

As they continued to work, people trickled out until only Brady, Ellie, and Damon remained. Finally even Brady untied his apron and declared himself done. "If we all get back in here by ten, that should be enough time to get everything assembled and plated by five." His voice trailed into a yawn.

"I'm going to just go through the checklist one last time," Ellie said and wished him a good night.

"I'll stay and help you lock up," Damon said. Though the words were innocent, the air was suddenly charged with electricity, and all of Ellie's mind numbing fatigue magically disappeared.

Brady shot them a knowing grin. "You two be sure to stay off the counters. It's a health code violation."

Ellie gave a little choked sound and felt her face burn red hot.

As the sound of Brady's footsteps faded she looked up to see Damon sucking in his cheeks like he was trying not to laugh.

"You think it's funny I'm embarrassed?" She asked, though there was no heat to her words. Despite their efforts to keep things professional in front of others, there was no hiding the heat simmering between them from anybody.

"I like it when you blush," Damon said and closed the distance between them. His hand came up to rest alongside her neck as his thumb brushed her hot cheek. "It makes me think about how you get all pink in other places when you come."

He bent and kissed her then, hot and hungry and full of need.

One kiss, one taste of his tongue and Ellie was wet with need, ready to lay back on the counter behind her hips despite Brady's warnings.

And judging from the rock hard bulge nudging her stomach, Damon was right there with her.

But instead of pushing her back, he abruptly pulled away. "Let's finish up and get out of here."

Dazed, Ellie took a second to focus, glad she'd written every detail down since her brain was too lust fogged to remember everything. Satisfied everything was as ready as they could make it for the following day, she let Damon pull her by the hand out to the parking lot and into his truck.

Once inside, he pulled her across the bench seat and gave her another one of those mind bending kisses. "What's your curfew?" he teased as he nipped and sucked his way down her throat.

"Mom's giving me a break tonight." Her reply morphed into a moan at the feel of his strong fingers closing firmly around her breast. "I can stay out as late as I want."

The satisfied noise that came from his throat was echoed by her gasp as he gently pinched her nipple between his fingers. "The last time she let you stay out all night was my senior prom," he mused. "And you remember what happened that night.”

Oh God, did she ever. The memories flooded in of spending the night, just the two of them, in a hotel room. It was the first time they'd been together without having to worry about parents coming home or someone busting them for parking.

It had been raw, lusty, to be sure, but romantic too. The way they'd cuddled naked to watch TV and sip cheap champagne when their bodies needed a break from all the activity.

And the way Damon had slept, cradling her body against him like he never wanted to let her go... When Ellie had woken up the next morning she'd felt a wave of contentment like nothing she'd ever experienced, thinking that this was what it would be like when they were married. Waking up in each other’s arms...

The memory of that feeling and the reality of what had actually happened brought a stabbing pain to her chest, momentarily penetrating the haze of pleasure thrumming through her body. But Damon's hands, his lips, his tongue quickly pulled her back under his spell.

Don't dwell on the past, she told herself sternly as she tangled her hands in his thick hair. Stay in the moment. Appreciate what you can have now, tonight, and however long this thing lasts before you have to let him go again.

Damon slid his hand under her shirt, up her ribcage and under the flimsy cup of her bra. A rush of wet heat pooled between her thighs at the feel of his rough, callused hands on her bare skin.

"God, Ellie, I've been going crazy this week," he groaned against her cheek. "Being so close to you all the time, having to keep my hands to myself..."

"Me too," she whispered, as her hands tugged the hem of his T-shirt up his stomach. The muscles jumped under the brush of her fingers as though shocked by an electric current.

He was working her shirt up over her head when the interior was lit up by the headlights of a passing car. They froze, suddenly aware of just how out in the open they were, parked in front of the restaurant, clearly visible from the street.

"What the hell are we doing?" Damon said with a chuckle. "Fooling around in the car like a couple of kids when I've got a perfectly good bed back at my house. Sound good?"

Ellie merely nodded, unable to form words as all of the blood in her body seemed to have fled her brain for other, lower, parts.

Chapter 14

The drive to his house was normally 5 minutes. Tonight he made it in 3. It was a wonder he could drive, with his entire body shaking with need, his brain on sensory overload brought on by her presence. He could feel the warmth of her body emanating off of her, and the scent of her, flowery and clean mixed with the musk of her need, intoxicated him, fogging his brain more than if he'd chugged a fifth of tequila.

He pulled into his garage and hauled her out of the cab, feeling a little bit like a cave man dragging a woman back to his lair.

At least he didn't have to knock her out and drag her in by the hair. No, Ellie was all over it, plastering herself against his body as he wrapped his arm firmly around her and steered her through the connecting door that led into his kitchen.

He had every intention of taking her to the bedroom. He really did.

But when he closed the door he couldn't resist the urge to push Ellie up against it and kiss her until they both forgot their own names. And then somehow her shirt was off and so was his and, Jesus Christ, the feel of those soft, full tits in his hands, pressing against the bare skin of his chest, was more than his sense of decorum could take.

He bent his head, sucked first one nipple, then the other into his mouth, starved for the taste of her after so many endless days and nights. He loved the way her nipples got so hard and tight against his tongue, the way her fingers tightened in his hair, that little pinch of pain like a shot of electricity to his cock.

"Please, Damon," she whispered, “I'm so close already. I don't want to come until you're inside me."

He wasn't about to make her ask twice. He unbuttoned her shorts and shoved them along with her underwear down her legs while she busied herself with his cargo shorts. He fumbled in his back pocket for his wallet and somehow found the condom inside before she pushed his shorts and boxers down his hips.

She reached out and closed her soft hand around his rock hard dick. It was the purr of pleasure as much as the feel of her hand on his hypersensitive flesh that made his balls go tight and his cock surge so hard he had to close his eyes and think of baseball for a minute so he wouldn't come right there in her hand.

As it was, he counted it a minor miracle when he managed to get the condom on.

He hooked a hand behind her knee and urged her to wrap her legs around his hips as he gripped his cock and slid it against her wet folds.

Her head fell back against the door as he squeezed inside. His breath hissed through his teeth as he struggled not to come. He hooked her knees over his elbows, spreading her wide so he could sink so deep he swore he could feel her pulse beat against the tip of his cock.

He told himself to go slow, take it easy, but his body wouldn't listen, his hips pistoning as he pinned her, helpless to stop his heavy thrusts.

But Ellie wasn't complaining. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she chanted, "yes, yes, yes," in a low whisper. Then she stiffened, her body clenching around him, her mouth opening in a silent scream as her orgasm caught them both by surprise.

Damon felt his own release looming as her pussy milked him, clenching so tight around his cock he could barely move in and out. He loved making her come, loved the way her body seemed to pull him deeper with every shudder that racked her body.

He followed her headlong into oblivion, his body shaking with pleasure as he rocked his hips forward and held himself as deep as he could possibly go.

Heart pounding, he leaned against her and released her legs. The sound of their mingling pants filled the air as her feet slid down to the floor.

They were silent a few seconds as he struggled to get sufficient oxygen back into his bloodstream.

Ellie let out a soft laugh. "Well that was fast."

A grin tugged at his lips as he straightened and leaned back far enough to meet her mischievous look. "I'd take that as an insult if you hadn't been the one to come first."

She gave him a sheepish grin. "Did I mention that I've missed you lately?"

A lock of dark hair had fallen across her cheek. He brushed it back and kissed her softly on the mouth. "And I missed you, you have no idea how much," he whispered against her lips.

"I think I've got a pretty good idea," she whispered back. There was a little quiver in her voice that gave him a strange, twisting feeling in his chest.

Something that made him feel like they weren't talking about missing each other for a handful of days.

In truth, until she came back to town, there hadn't been a day that had gone by that he hadn't missed her. Even if he refused to admit it to anyone, least of all himself.

His throat felt oddly tight as he scooped her up in his arms. "Let's take this upstairs and see if we can last for more than two minutes this time."

She let out a little whoop of surprise as he carried her through the kitchen and entryway to the stairs leading to his bedroom. "I'm not making any promises."

As he started up the stairs with her cradled in his arms a strange thought popped into his head.
If we'd gotten married, I would have carried her across the threshold this way.

The sappy image startled him so much he stubbed his toe on the second step and almost went down.

Ellie let out a little gasp and clutched at his shoulders. "Put me down, I'm too heavy."

"Not even close," he said, hefting her a little to prove his point. Maybe he should put her down, he thought, if simply carrying her up the stairs was enough to put thoughts he had no business entertaining in his head.

But she felt too good in his arms, the soft weight of her, the smoothness of her skin brushing against him with every step. He had to focus on that. On what was happening here, now, tonight. Not what might have been in the past, or might or might not be in the future.

Because while he'd finally caved and admitted that when it came to him and Ellie, nothing could ever be casual, he'd learned the hard way not to plan too far ahead.

At the end of the hall his bedroom door was ajar. He nudged it open with his foot and laid Ellie across the moss-colored comforter covering his king size bed. He quickly ditched the condom then turned back to her.

He stopped at the edge of the bed and took a moment to admire her, stretching like a contented cat against the smooth cotton. The sight of her, her long, sleek legs, soft full tits with their dark pink nipples made his breath catch and his blood run hot and thick through his veins.

Within a heartbeat he was hard enough to pound nails, as if he hadn't come so hard he nearly passed out mere minutes ago.

"Whoever said men slow down with age hasn't been hanging out with you," Ellie said with a sly smile as she stared at his cock in unabashed admiration.

"It's all about having the right inspiration," he said with a grin and wrapped one fist around his cock. As he stroked himself, he watched her face, his cock lengthening at the hungry look in her eyes, his balls tightening at the way she unconsciously licked her parted lips.

His dick jerked in his hand as a thick bead of precome welled at the tip. One last stroke and he let go, knowing if he kept this up for much longer he'd hit the point of no return.

He braced a knee on the bed, and Ellie scooted up toward the pillows. Her hair fell across her face and she reached up to brush it aside.

He moved to settle himself over her and bent to kiss her.

"Ew!" She said sharply.

He froze. "Excuse me?”

She shook her head, grimacing, and shifted up into a seated position. "It's not you—my hands smell like garlic." She held one hand up to her nose and took a whiff, then held it out to him. "Smell!"

He did, and sure enough, her palm had a faint odor of garlic.

"And my hair too," she said, pulling a lock across her nose. "Yuck!"

Damon sat back on his heels and sniffed his own hand. "Huh, I've got it too. Must be from the marinade. But don't they say two garlics cancel each other out? So we're okay." He started in again for a kiss but she scrambled away.

"I can't have sex with you when I smell!"

"You just did," he pointed out and made a move toward her. "But if it's that big a deal, my shower has plenty of room for two."

"Will you wash my back?" Ellie said with a playful look over her shoulder as she swung her feet to the floor.

He felt like his cock was going to stretch out of his skin as he watched her saunter to the bathroom. "I'll wash your back, your front, and everything in between.”

###

Ellie sighed with pleasure as the hot spray hit her body all different directions. Damon's travertine tiled shower had four separate shower heads mounted strategically so that every part of your body was bathed in the hot pulse of water.

The penthouse in Manhattan had featured a shower this nicely appointed, but this shower had a feature her old one could never match. Namely, six foot four inches and roughly two hundred twenty pounds of rippling male muscle, standing so close behind her she could feel the heat of his rock hard erection brushing against the small of her back.

Big, callused hands covered in suds slid over her stomach. She watched, mesmerized, as they moved up, over her ribcage, to cup her breasts. Wet heat rushed between her legs as he captured her nipples between his fingers, every stroke, every tug sending a shock of need between her legs.

She clenched her thighs against the pulse beating there and arched her back as one hand slid back down her stomach, past her navel. His fingers delved between her wet folds, finding the eager, pulsing bud of her clit.

She bit her lips to stifle a cry at the first stroke, her eyes locked on the sight of his fingers slipping and sliding against her. Her legs quivered, and she was afraid they wouldn't hold her, startled to find herself screaming towards another orgasm so quickly on the heels of the last.

"Damon," she whispered, grasping his wrist in her hand, urging to stroke her harder. She was so close.

She let out a startled cry as he abruptly pulled his hand away and turned her around to face him. He was guiding her backwards, to the bench that lined the back of the shower.

Too dazed by lust to protest, Ellie moved back until her calves hit tile. Damon sank to his knees, urging her to sit. "Goddamn, you have no idea how many times I've imagined having you here, like this," he murmured as he bent his head and kissed her like a starving man. Then his mouth was moving down her neck, her chest. He sucked her nipples until her hips were rocking unconsciously against the tile, her entire body yearning toward the pleasure looming just out of reach.

She let out a sigh of anticipation when he moved lower and slid his hands up the insides of her thighs, urging them to spread. He hooked her knees over his shoulders, his eyes locked on hers as he bent his head and parted her with his thumbs.

Her eyes squeezed shut at the first rasping stroke of his tongue. His tongue traced firm circles around her clit, then licked down her slit to thrust inside. Her lips clamped tight around the moan bubbling in her throat as he fucked her with his tongue in long, luscious strokes.

He sucked her clit between his lips and thrust two fingers deep inside her. This time she couldn't completely stifle herself, a little mewl escaping her throat as she rocked her hips against his hand and face.

"You know," he murmured between licks and sucks, "we're all alone here. We can make as much noise as we want."

Ellie's eyes fluttered open, and she looked down at him, blinking dazedly as his words sank in.

He bent to her again, taking her clit between his lips and sucking firmly, his fingers sliding in and out, seeming to touch on every single nerve ending inside and outside of her body.

This time when a moan built in her throat, she didn't try to stifle it. It echoed off of the tiles, blending with the sound of the shower spray surrounding them. "Oh, God, Damon," she cried as his fingers pushed up and inside of her, pressing against the spot that sent her immediately to the brink of orgasm.

"Does that feel good?"

"Yes, God, yes," she cried as her stomach muscles pulled tight.

"That's it," he murmured against her, "make some noise, show me how good it feels."

She couldn't do anything but obey. It felt so good to yell his name, to fully let go. Sounds she'd never even known she was capable of making rang in the air, somehow making the entire experience more erotic after always holding herself back with him.

One last lash of his tongue, one last hard thrust of his fingers and she was flying over the edge, her fingers curling in his hair as she yelled her pleasure.

###

Damon almost came when she cried out his name. He'd heard it on her lips so many times, but in a stifled whisper as they struggled not to get busted. But hearing it loud, laced with passion... it made his cock surge between his legs as he redoubled his efforts to please her, see what noises he could get her to make next.

He sucked her clit between his lips, savoring the salty sweet taste of her, the firm press of her clit against his tongue as he flicked it against her. He'd always loved going down on her, making her shiver and shake and arch her body up to his mouth. Feeling the tight, hot, clench of her pussy around his fingers, making him anticipate the way she was going to feel clenching around his cock.