Colters' Daughter (12 page)

With gentle hands, he washed her body, paying special attention to the areas he was hardest on. She was warm and sleek in his hands. And so very willing.

He scraped his mouth across the mark on her neck, and then he lapped it with his tongue. “You’ll wear many reminders of my possession tomorrow.”

She smiled and arched her back, the spray bouncing off her breasts and belly as she reached to curl her arms around him.

“I can still feel your marks,” she murmured. “Your fingers on my skin. Your mouth on my neck. I’ll go to sleep tonight remembering what you felt like.”

His body tightened at the sultry, seductive words.

“You’ll go to sleep tonight
feeling
me, not remembering me,” he corrected.

Her smile grew broader, and she rolled up on the balls of her feet so she could kiss the corner of his mouth.

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to walk by the time we go back home.”

He slid his hand over the curve of her behind and squeezed lightly. “If I had my way,
dolcezza
, you’d never walk again.”

Except for those magical days with Callie in Europe. He’d allowed himself latitude he rarely gave. He became lazy and unmotivated. Or rather his motivation changed from the moment he met her.

She was draped across him like a warm blanket, her legs tangled with his. It was a very possessive gesture. One he delighted in. He might be the more dominant one in their relationship, but she was mighty possessive of him in her own right.

He fingered a strand of her dark brown hair and listened to her inhale and exhale. Her breath blew over his neck, a sensation that pleased him.

Yes, his motivation had changed when he’d come face to face with the woman he’d tracked across three countries. A seduction and courtship that was supposed to have lasted a week had turned into three weeks he’d never forget.

Before he met Callie, his family was the single most important thing in his life. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to take care of them, protect them, make them happy. Damn the cost or consequences.

Callie had changed all of that.

How could he keep his promise to his family and his promise to Callie that he’d never hurt her? The simple answer was that he couldn’t, and he’d known it from the beginning. He’d chosen Callie. His promise would go unfulfilled, and he was making his peace with that choice.

His gut twisted and some of his satisfaction melted away. He couldn’t change the past or what his primary motivation had been when he’d made sure his and Callie’s paths crossed, but he could make sure she never found out. What mattered was what his motivation was going forward.

She stirred against him, and he tightened his hold on her, simply wanting the reassurance of her warmth. She raised her head and stared at him with sleepy, contented eyes.

“Good morning,” she said on a sigh.

He kissed her. More savagely than the moment called for, but some of the darkness still hadn’t receded.

She went soft against him, accepting the carnal heat of his mouth. He rolled her underneath him, his knee between her thighs. With a quick nudge, she was open and accessible. He was inside her before he took his next breath.

He was instantly at peace. She did this to him—for him. For a long moment he remained lodged within her, staring down into her eyes, absorbing her acceptance. Soaking in her love.

She raised her hands and cupped his face then stroked lightly over his cheekbones as if to tell him everything would be all right. As if she knew the dark turn of his thoughts.

He closed his eyes and took in deep breaths as her fingers stroked over his face. Then he turned so her hand slid over his mouth and he kissed the inside of her palm.

She pulsed around him, her heat surrounding him, inviting him deeper—into the very heart of her soul. He withdrew slowly, opening his eyes to watch the play of emotions dance across her face.

Her eyes darkened, and she sucked in a quick breath as he pushed forward again.

He’d fully intended it to be a quick, rough fuck. He’d wanted to take. To be selfish. But now as he watched her, he tempered his movements, going slow and more gently than he imagined he could.

He wanted to wrap her in silk, protect her from every bad thing in the world—including himself.

Slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the tenderness he was capable of.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured even as he pushed inside her again. “I was rough with you last night. I should have been more careful this morning. You must be sore.”

She smiled and curled her arms around his neck. She kissed him sweetly, covering each tiny part of his mouth before sliding to his jaw and then to his ear.

He shivered as she nipped delicately at his lobe and then sucked it between her teeth.

“I’m okay,” she whispered into his ear. “I love waking to you inside me. It’s a beautiful way of reminding me I belong to you.”

Dear God. Her words slid over his skin and soaked deep into his heart. His chest ached and became so heavy he could barely breathe.

“I love…you,” he said in a voice he didn’t recognize. “Just you.”

Her eyes widened in shock and then filled with tears. The sight nearly undid him. How could she be so surprised? Had he held back so much? Had she doubted… Stupid question. Of course she had. He hadn’t given her any reason to believe she was anything but a holiday fling.

How he hated what he’d done to her confidence. And he’d done nothing to allay those fears when he’d returned. He hadn’t come back and said, “I love you.” He’d come back and said, “I want you.”

He kissed away the tear that slid over her cheek. “I do love you,
dolcezza
. I’m sorry this is the first time you’ve heard the words. I’m sorry that this is the first time I’ve given them to you.”

She squeezed him and lifted her hips to take more of him. So characteristic of her. Always giving. Always willing to take more from him.

“I only care that you’ve said them,” she said in an aching voice. “I love you too, Max. So much. I’ve missed you…”

She broke off as another silver trail slid over her cheek. He hushed her with another kiss. “I missed you too, Callie. Never doubt it. Say it again. Let me have the words again.”

“I love you.”

He’d never considered himself an overly emotional man. He was always in complete control of himself and his actions—his reactions. But Callie… That she loved him, that she was willing to forgive, willing to give of herself so freely after the way he’d hurt her.

The knot grew more uncomfortable in his throat. He kissed her again, not knowing what else to do. He couldn’t speak. He didn’t trust himself not to give way to the building tide of emotion in his chest.

Thank God. Thank God she still loved him. That she wasn’t holding back after all he’d done. He couldn’t—wouldn’t allow her to know just how far he’d been willing to go to keep a promise to his family. It would destroy her.

“Are you with me,
dolcezza
? Are you close? Tell me what you need.”

She sighed again and her smile was so dazzling that it spilled sunshine all over him.

“You, Max. Just you. Love me. I’m always with you.”

Her words unleashed his tightly held control. He thrust deep and started coming before he was even at full depth. She arched into his arms and wrapped her legs tightly around his, their bodies woven together in a beautiful tapestry.

Max and Callie. Callie and Max.

She buried her face in his neck and then sank her teeth into the column of his throat as she came apart. Her body tugged relentlessly at him, pulling him deeper, and then went liquid around him, bathing him in intense, sweet heat.

For the longest time he lay atop her, their legs and bodies meshed together as he pulsed inside her. It was hard not to imagine his seed taking root. For a moment he fantasized about her big and round with his child.

He wanted these things. He wanted her unreservedly. Her submission, her love. He wanted all of her. He wanted children. Lots of girls with her indomitable spirit, her sassy smile and those gorgeous blue eyes. He wanted boys who were as strong and as resilient as she was.

“Are you still on birth control?” he asked a moment later.

“Yes.”

He couldn’t help the stark disappointment that surged through his body.

She pulled away, a frown curving her mouth downward. “Why?”

He smiled then, wanting to ease her worry and not put a damper on what was otherwise an incredible moment for him.

“I just had this image of you. Pregnant with my child. Of feeling your belly, big and round. I liked it. I liked it a lot.”

She relaxed and then grinned. “You’re going to have to wait a while for that, I’m afraid. I have way too much I want to do and see before I start popping out a brood of children.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “A brood?” He was teasing her, because suddenly the idea of being surrounded by a pile of kids was completely pleasing to him.

“I always imagined that I’d have a lot of children,” she said wistfully. “Eventually. Not right away. But when I was ready. I love having a large family. I loved growing up with three older brothers.”

He pushed himself up and off of her, carefully withdrawing from the delicious heat of her body. He settled beside her and pulled her into his arms until their noses nearly touched.

“Tell me of all these things you want to do before you settle down and have babies.”

She snuggled against him until their legs were once more entwined.

“I love to travel. I like to just…go. Whenever I get the urge. My mom has always said I was born with my head in the clouds and my eyes always looking toward a place I’d never been. She’s probably right. I have wanderlust. There’s nothing quite like just packing up and going. Seeing new places, meeting new people, seeing the sun rise and set in a different place each day.”

“I want to show you those places. I want to see them with you. I’ll show you the world, Callie.”

Her eyes shone and glistened again, but he was determined not to make her cry. No more. He wanted to make her happy.

“I love you, Max. So much.”

Would he ever grow tired of hearing those words? He couldn’t imagine such a thing. If anything, he worried she’d grow tired of his need to hear them.

“I love you,
dolcezza
. I need you to know that.”

She smiled. “I do now.”

He kissed her again, long and leisurely, as he should have done earlier when she was just awakening. He apologized now as he gently fed at her lips and savored each touch and taste.

And then he held her, until the soft even tempo of her breathing signaled that she’d drifted back to sleep. He smiled and slid his leg more firmly over hers, until her body was completely sheltered by his. Shopping could wait.

From the time they walked into the upscale stores, Callie was pampered, catered to, fawned over and draped from head to toe with beautiful, expensive clothing.

Through it all, Max kept a close watch. He never seemed to tire as Callie tried on outfit after outfit. He’d stand back and study for a moment before simply nodding or shaking his head, and then the salesperson would hurriedly divest Callie of the outfit and either toss it in the discard pile or whisk it away to the to-be-bought pile.

And he had impeccable taste. He knew exactly what looked good on her, what flattered her and what didn’t. No expense was spared.

He even insisted she model the lingerie he chose, although he was very clear that no one but he got to see those particular modeling sessions.

She felt…beautiful. A little devilish and very sexy. She watched his eyes, saw the way he looked at her, and she ate every single moment up.

She loved being spoiled by Max. She’d gotten a taste of it in Europe, but now that he’d made his feelings clear for her, his lavish treatment took on a more endearing quality.

Behind the dressing screen, she grinned as she pulled on a particularly scanty pair of panties and a matching bra. They didn’t leave much to the imagination, and the panties…had a little surprise that she was eager to show Max.

She poked her head out and his gaze immediately fixed on her. Then she shyly stepped out in the daring high heels she’d donned just for this outfit.

His eye smoldered dark as his gaze traveled up and down her body. She strutted forward and straddled his lap until he was forced to lean his head back to look into her eyes.

Emboldened by his response, she reached for the fly of his pants and slid her hand inside as she unzipped him. His cock jumped in response when her fingers curled around his length.

“What are you doing, you little minx?”

Continuing to caress him, she leaned down and took his mouth with hers, kissing him until they were both struggling for breath.

“You asked for a private lingerie showing. I intend to show you just how this particular lingerie works.”

Before he could respond, she arched over him and fit the head of his cock through the slit in her underwear. He sucked in his breath in surprise as he slid through the material and deep into her wetness.

“Holy shit. I’m buying you these in every color they have.”

She grinned, adjusted her position and then sank down until she’d sheathed his entire length. He curled his hands around her hips to keep her in place and nuzzled the lacy edge of her bra until he had the cup worked down enough that her nipple poked over the top.

He licked the rigid peak, coaxing it even tighter. Her head fell back and she closed her eyes as pleasure shot through her veins. Up and down she bounced on his lap, aided by his hands still dug into her hips.

The sheer naughtiness of having sex in a department store fueled her desire to greater heights. She felt incredibly sexy, daring, a vixen bent on pleasuring her man.

Her head swung back down, and she fixed her stare to his as he pulled slowly away from her breast.

“You are a deviant, naughty temptress,” he ground out.

She lifted her behind from his lap and then slowly lowered herself back down his length until he was buried to the balls.

“You say that like they’re bad qualities,” she said mischievously.

“Oh hell no. You were already my dream girl. Today just cements it. I love every deviant bone in your body. Now I wonder how loud I can make you scream.”

The wicked gleam in his eyes told her he’d have no qualms about doing just that. Okay, so she might not mind being a naughty girl when she knew no one was looking, but it didn’t mean she was ready to let the entire store know that she and Max were fucking like bunnies behind a curtain.

He chuckled low. “I’m teasing you,
dolcezza
.”

He lifted her up and motioned for her to stand. Confused, she did as he gestured and waited for what he wanted.

He made a circling motion with his hand and she turned until her back was to him. Then he gripped her waist and guided her back toward his straining cock.

“Lean forward.”

As she did his bidding, his hands left her waist and smoothed over her back, up her spine to her hair. Then he slowly worked back down, over her ass and to the slit in the crotch of her underwear.

His finger eased inside her and her knees buckled. She would have pitched forward but he caught her with one hand. The head of his penis brushed through the underwear but instead of finding her entrance, it brushed over her clit.

He rubbed back and forth from her quivering bud to her entrance and then back until she was slick and wet and so very ready to have him back inside her.

She tried to take matters into her hands by pushing back when he rubbed around her opening. His response was to smack her loudly on the ass.

She jumped, more startled than pained. All too soon the burn turned to a low hum of pleasure that worked over her behind and had her squirming for more.

“Sit back now.”

Eager to do his bidding, she sat and closed her eyes as his length slid easily into her pussy.

“Now work it. Fuck me. But watch yourself in the mirror as you do.”

She gasped. She’d forgotten about the triple mirror just in front of her. Now that her gaze lifted and focused on her reflection, she was transfixed by the naughty vixen staring back at her.

Her breasts spilled from the dainty bra. Her legs were spread and she could see the mesh of flesh where she and Max were joined.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes gleamed. Her hair… Her hair was tousled and mussed, her lips swollen. She looked like a woman well loved.

She pulled forward just enough that his cock slid back almost out of her pussy. Mesmerized by the picture they presented, she slammed back, moaning at the instant sense of fullness.

“Cup your breasts. Roll your nipples and let me watch you in the mirror.”

She straightened enough that he had a good view and then reached into the cups of her bra and lifted until her breasts came free.

He wrapped his hands back around her hips and took over directing her movements while she pinched and rolled her nipples between her thumb and fingers.

“You look beautiful. Wild and wanton. My sweet vixen.”

She stared back at herself, saw Max watching around her shoulder as he pulled her down on him over and over. She felt beautiful. And as he’d said, wanton. Wild. Bold.

“Keep touching yourself. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Raw need rolled over her. Hot and edgy. Her skin prickled. Her orgasm bloomed, swelling until she fidgeted restlessly in his grasp.

Her breasts, so much more sensitive now, felt heavy in her palms. Each brush of her fingers across her nipples sent shard after shard of ecstasy streaking through her abdomen and lower until she convulsed hotly around his cock.

“Use your fingers on your clit. Come when I come,
dolcezza
.”

Leaving one of her breasts, she sucked her finger into her mouth until it was damp. Then she slowly trailed it down her midline, over her belly and underneath the lace of her panties until she delved into her folds to find her swollen, super-sensitized clit.

As soon as she rolled her finger over the tiny nub of flesh, her entire body clenched painfully. He thrust harder, his grip tightening at her hips.

She tried to call back the moan that welled in her throat but it came out in a low, husky hum.

“That’s it, baby. Come for me. I’m so close.”

He was so tight inside her, so swollen and rigid that it became harder for him to thrust. Each movement sent her spiraling ever nearer to release.

She gasped when he withdrew and plunged—hard—sending him to greater depths. There was an edgy mixture of pain and mind-bending pleasure that left her insides clawing to be set free.

And then she simply catapulted forward. The excruciating tension broke, sending her into a million tiny pieces. A rainbow of color flashed in her vision and her reflected image blurred as he pumped harder and harder into her.

With a growl he slammed her back onto his lap and held onto her so fiercely that his fingers left impressions in her skin. He flooded hot and hard into her clenching womb. She fell back into him, suddenly exhausted and limp.

Max collected her into his arms, her back pressed to his chest. He turned her face toward him and nuzzled her cheek as he whispered over and over that he loved her.

Drowsily she opened her eyes to see herself in the mirror. Sprawled indelicately across Max’s lap, his cock trapped between her legs. She was wet and sticky, and she glanced ruefully down at the very expensive panties they’d just ruined.

“Guess you’ll be buying these for sure.”

He chuckled and nibbled affectionately at her shoulder. “These and a dozen others.”

She tried to stand but teetered on the ridiculous heels she’d slipped on. Her legs were as shaky as a newborn colt’s.

Max caught her before she could pitch forward and then he rose.

“Get cleaned up and changed. I’ll take care of getting your clothing together. Oh, and wear one of those pairs of underwear out of the store with the red skirt we chose and the silk top.”

“I’m going to freeze!” she protested.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. “I’ll keep you warm,
dolcezza
.”