Victim of Deception (7 page)

M
ax dropped his hammer and whirled around. Karessa stood in the doorway, water dripping from her hair and clothes. She’d obviously gotten caught in the rain.

Heart pounding at being caught, he bent over to retrieve his hammer. “Hey, Karessa.”

“I asked you what you’re doing.”

He took his time standing so he could think of a good reason for him to be in this room. “Checking out the wall. You said you wanted a door here.”

“I thought you were working in the dining room.”

“I am.” He shrugged. “I just thought I’d take a look in here.” Before she could question him further, he quickly continued. “Looks like you could use some dry clothes.”

She pushed her wet bangs back from her forehead. “It’s pouring. I’m really sorry I didn’t have Kevin renovate the garage first.”

Lightning flashed outside the window, followed by a loud clap of thunder. He could see Karessa shiver. Despite the warm house, she had to be cold in her damp clothes. “Go ahead and change your clothes, Karessa. I’ll get out of here.”

More lightning flashed. Karessa bit her bottom lip as she gazed at the window. “I think the storm is getting worse.”

“Kevin said there’s a tornado watch for Tarrant County.”

She looked back at him. “You can’t go out in this, Max. You’ll be soaked before you get three steps away from the house. You’d better wait until the rain dies down.”

He’d never refuse an opportunity to be alone with her. “All right.” He gripped the handle of his hammer. “I can start on the door for you, if you want.”

“No, not now.”

She rubbed her forehead. Her action made Max notice the pinched look around her mouth, the darkness beneath her eyes. He hadn’t noticed those signs earlier with his heart beating so hard. “Does your head hurt again?”

“A little.”

“I’d say more than a little.”

“I’m fine,” she said, her tone sharp.

Max knew better than to push. He remained silent while she rotated her head on her neck and released a heavy breath. “I’m sorry, Max. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s been a hell of a week.”

“No problem.”

“I’m gonna change and lie down. Don’t work in here right now, okay?”

“Sure. I’ll go back to the dining room.”

He watched her walk down the hall and into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. With a glance at the wall, he left the room. There would be time later to investigate what might be behind that wall.

“What are you doing, Mary?”

His wife leaned over the railing as she watched Max descend the steps. “Nothing, darling.”

“Don’t give me that innocent act. I’ve known you for over one hundred years.”

She faced him. A mischievous smile lit up her face. “They’re getting closer.”

“Thanks to you. The storm is a lot more intense in here than it is outside.”

“I only made it seem more intense for Karessa and Max. If they walk out to the veranda, they’ll discover it isn’t raining as hard as they think it is.”

“But they won’t walk out onto the veranda because they
do
believe the storm is worse than it actually is.”

Mary grinned. “I know.”

Aaron couldn’t help chuckling. When his wife put her mind to something, there was no stopping her. “So, what’s next? A tornado?”

“I can’t change the weather, Aaron.”

“But you can make them
think
there’s a tornado.”

“If I have to.”

“I’m glad you’re on my side, sweetheart.”

Karessa had been in her bedroom for over an hour. Max figured she was probably taking a nap to try and get rid of her headache.

Wanting to be quiet so as not to disturb her, he had returned to painting the kitchen instead of working in the dining room. The lack of any noise from upstairs bothered him. The storm still raged outside, but he couldn’t hear anything inside the house.

He needed to know for sure that she was all right.

He stood outside her bedroom and pressed his ear to the
door. Nothing. Max debated with himself for a moment about invading her privacy. Worry overruled etiquette. Turning the doorknob, he slowly pushed open the door.

Karessa lay on her back, one arm covering her eyes. He thought she was asleep, until she moved her arm and wiped her eyes with her hands.

Seeing her tears made his heart clutch in his chest.

“Hey,” he said softly.

She turned her head his direction. “Hey.”

“Still hurting?”

“Yeah.”

Sympathy welled up inside him. He had to help her. She might try to push him away, but he was determined to do whatever he could to help her.

Max stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. She watched him with suspicion in her eyes as he walked toward her. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m gonna help you get rid of your headache. Turn over.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Don’t argue with me, Karessa. A massage always helped you. Now turn over on your stomach.”

A frown formed between her eyebrows, but she didn’t argue. She rolled to her stomach, her face turned away from him.

Max sat on the side of the bed and laid his hands on Karessa’s shoulder blades. One touch and he had no doubt why her head hurt.

“You’re so tight.” He pressed into the blades with his thumbs. She groaned. “Too much stress lately?”

“New exhibits.”

He knew Karessa always worried about how the public would react to a new exhibit. Max thought she worried over nothing. All
the museum’s exhibits were well received and very popular. Her worrying was probably what made The Gage-Austin so popular and successful.

Success shouldn’t make her suffer.

He slid his hands up to her shoulders. They felt like bricks instead of flesh. “Jesus, Karessa, don’t you ever relax?”

“Rarely.”

“That’s apparent. I think you need some time on a tropical island somewhere with no phones and no obligations.”

“Mmm, sounds good. When can I leave?”

Max chuckled. “As soon as I turn your body into a pile of mush.”

Her cell phone chirped from the nightstand. Max felt her tense as if she were going to raise up to answer it. He pressed harder on her shoulders. “Uh-uh. Ignore it.”

“But it might be—”

“I’m not letting you up. You can check the voicemail later.”

“Don’t pull your macho shit on me, Max.”

He chuckled again. “Such language.”

“Max—”

“Straighten your neck so I can get to it.”

He grinned at her huff of breath. She’d never liked it when his opinion differed from hers. Tough. This was for her own good. If he had to pull his macho shit on her, he would.

She straightened her neck and propped her forehead on the pillow. “There. Are you happy?”

“Ecstatic, except your hair’s in the way. You have one of those hair clip things?”

“In the bathroom, second drawer on the right.”

“Lotion?”

“On the dress—Why do you want lotion?”

“Be right back,” he said, ignoring her question.

When Max returned to the bedroom, he removed his work boots and left them by the door. The best way to work on Karessa would be to straddle her, and he didn’t want to get her bedspread dirty.

Climbing back on the bed, Max gathered up Karessa’s hair and clipped it high on her head. She wore a floppy T-shirt with a loose neck. He tugged it away from her neck before reaching for the bottle of lotion. Pouring a liberal amount in his palm, he rubbed his hands together to distribute the rose-scented liquid. He pressed his thumbs into her muscles as he spread the lotion over her shoulders and neck.

Her back rose and fell with a deep breath. “That’s nice.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

“I shouldn’t let you do this.”

“Why not? I’ve given you lots of massages.”

“I’m still angry at you.”

“I know,” he said softly.

“So why are you doing this?”

“Because I care.”

She gave no response to his comment. That didn’t surprise him. He doubted if Karessa would ever believe he cared for her, especially how deeply he cared.

He wanted to work on her back as well as her neck and shoulders, but the neckline of her shirt wouldn’t stretch enough to let him do that. He poured more lotion in his hands, then ran them up under her shirt.

“Max!”

She started to raise her torso off the bed. One firm hand in the middle of her back stopped her. “Calm down. I’m not making a move on you.”

Deep pressure with his thumbs made her moan. “Your whole body is one big knot. You need to soak in a hot tub.”

“The best I can do now is a bathtub.”

“That’s probably a good idea, after I work on you some more.” He slid his hands all the way up her back, stopping only long enough to unhook her bra. Her body tightened when he unfastened it, but he disregarded her reaction and continued the massage. Up and down, side to side, he kneaded her flesh until the stiffness began to melt away.

Touching her was causing a completely different stiffness in his body.

Ignoring his growing erection, Max pushed her shirt up to her shoulder blades. A gentle downward tug on her jersey pants gave him access to her lower back. Her skin was already smooth; the lotion made it even softer. He hadn’t touched her in five years, and planned to savor the feel of her flesh beneath his hands as long as he could.

Her breathing grew deeper…the sign of her beginning arousal. His massage was apparently affecting her as much as him. Max ran his hands all the way up to her neck, then made the return journey to her low back. He repeated the process over and over, dipping a bit farther inside her pants each time.

On the last pass, he palmed her buttocks. Karessa shifted on the bed, spreading her legs another inch. Taking that as a sign that she wanted more of his touch, he slid one thumb between her buttocks. She clutched the pillow and lifted her ass a few inches off the bed.

“You want this, don’t you?” he asked as he circled her anus with his thumb.

She didn’t answer with words, but her breathing increased. Max tugged her pants and panties down her legs to her knees.
The sight of her ass made him groan. It was larger, fuller, than the last time he’d been with her. He could tell she’d gained weight. It seemed to be focused mainly in her breasts and ass.

Perfect.

His own breathing now as erratic as hers, Max pressed one hand against his bulging zipper while he caressed her anus. Dipping his thumb down to her pussy, he collected her cream and spread it over the puckered hole. Karessa whimpered. She began to pump her hips in time with his movements. Each time she raised her hips, his thumb slipped a bit farther inside her ass.

Touching her like this made his head swim, but it wasn’t enough. Stretching out on his stomach, Max spread her buttocks wide and licked her anus.

“Yes,” Karessa moaned. “Like that.”

Her musky, womanly scent drifted to his nose as he moved his tongue around the small hole. He’d never been with a woman who smelled as sexy as Karessa. Or tasted as good. He made one pass over her labia with his tongue before darting it inside her ass.

“Mmm. That feels good.”

To him, too. He’d be happy to tongue-fuck her ass all night long. He wanted to make her come over and over and over…

Karessa lifted her hips another few inches. “More. Oh, more, please!”

All too happy to comply with her wish, Max thrust his tongue harder, faster, into her ass as he pushed two fingers into her creamy pussy. Karessa froze for a moment, then moaned loudly and trembled. The walls of her pussy clamped onto his fingers, expanding and contracting through her orgasm.

Max gave her anus one last lick before he rose to his knees and flipped Karessa to her back. Her eyelids drooped. A satisfied
smile touched her lips. She might be satisfied, but his cock was as hard as the handle of his hammer.

His gaze passed over her bare skin. With one finger, he touched the smooth flesh of her mound. “You still shave your pussy.”

She nodded. “I like it this way.”

Cradling her mound, he slid his fingers over her wet labia. “So do I.” He watched her eyes drift closed while he touched her. “It’s very sexy.”

She opened her eyes again when he tugged her pants and panties off her legs. One jerk and his T-shirt joined her clothes on the floor. Looking into her eyes, he unbuckled his belt and unfastened his jeans. Her gaze dropped to his pelvis when he pushed his jeans and briefs past his hips.

His cock jerked when she licked her lips.

He’d love to feel that warm mouth wrapped around his shaft. Not now. Now, he needed to fuck her. Not able to wait one more second, he stretched out on top of Karessa and entered her with one stroke.

It was like coming home. He’d been with women—a lot of women. No other woman had ever fit so right in his arms. No other woman had ever made him feel whole, as if they were truly part of each other.

No other woman had ever made him feel love so deeply.

He kissed her. Her lips softened beneath his and parted ever so slightly. Slipping one hand behind her neck, he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. His tongue stroked her lips, her teeth, her tongue. He began to move his hips, driving his shaft into her creamy pussy. She responded eagerly, her arms wrapping around his neck while her hips rose to meet his hard thrusts.

Max knew he’d come much too soon if he kept up the frantic
pace. Holding Karessa tightly, he rolled to his back. “Ride me, sweetheart.”

She pushed herself into a sitting position. Max inhaled sharply. Her new position buried his cock inside her, all the way to his balls. It wouldn’t take more than a few thrusts for him to come.

Karessa pulled off her shirt and tossed it to the floor. Her bra followed. Max stared at full, creamy breasts with big pink nipples. Cradling the globes in his hands, he ran his thumbs over the hard nubs. “You’re bigger.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

He pushed her breasts together and squeezed them. “They’re beautiful.” He looked up into her eyes. “
You’re
beautiful.”