Guarding Hearts (Living Again #3) (30 page)

“Of course, at first it was how hot you are,” Lacey said unabashedly. “But, truly, I think she knew from the first time she saw you that she had some sort of connection to you. I know that sounds ridiculous…”

“It doesn’t,” he interrupted. “Because before I came, I looked her up online and watched a video of her singing that song, Wasted Tears. I was so hooked on her I couldn’t look away. I told myself that it was nothing, that she was just a talented singer with a pretty face, but I knew deep inside that wasn’t it.”

Lacey’s eyes widened, and she looked at him without saying anything for a few moments. “Wow.”

“What?”

“That just gave me the chills, Ellis. It’s like there was something out there stronger than both of you pulling you both towards each other. There’s no other way to explain something like that.”

Ellis nodded. “I know. I fought it as long as I could, but Sam’s it for me. Everything I’ve gone through, all of my past, led me here to her, to us. I promise you Lacey, I’ll never do anything to jeopardize that again. I didn’t know if I would ever see her again, and that scared the shit out of me.”

“She said you call her Sammi,” Lacey said, unshed tears shining in her eyes. “She loves it. You’ve changed her life, too, Ellis. Don’t forget that.”

Sam hugged her parents and Lacey goodbye as they left to head home to Nashville. Lacey had to get back to school. Brian was staying to see through what would happen with Sean. Right now he was locked up without any bail until he had a hearing in the morning. She and Ellis were staying tonight in Knoxville, along with Carl. She had spent the last two hours in the same interrogation room she had been in when she had said what Tanner had done, but this time to recount what had happened with Sean step by step, and what he had admitted to her. She thankfully hadn’t had to see him again since they arrested him at the scene.

As happy as she was to see her parents and Lacey, and for them to know that she was safe, she really wanted to grab Ellis and run away from all of it. She had never been so grateful for her parents when they said they were going to head the two hours or so home, and that she could join them whenever she was ready, as long as Ellis was with her at all times. She barely contained her grin when they said that, and Ellis didn’t. He had shaken her dad’s hand and hugged her mom, thanking them for entrusting Sam to him.

Carl was a wonderful man and Sam was so glad that Ellis had him in his life. He had come all the way from Florida to help Ellis track her down, and for that she would be eternally grateful. She was exhausted after a very long and emotionally taxing two days, but all she wanted to do was get to the room with Ellis and be alone.

But now, as everyone said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, they looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes. The tension that had been a palpable fission in the room was now electric, and they both knew what they wanted. He led her wordlessly to the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor. He reached for her hand and held it, a small smile playing on his lips.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” she teased, bumping him gently.

His eyes darkened, and it made her laugh die on her lips. “You have no idea how much I’m going to enjoy this,” he said, bringing her hand to his mouth. He began kissing her slowly, his lips pressing on each of her fingers. He turned her palm over and kissed all along it. She felt his warm tongue against her skin, and it made her squirm with desire. No one had ever done what he was doing right now, and it was hot.

He looked up at her as he continued kissing her hand, then took her finger and sucked it into his mouth. She gasped as his warm mouth made her tingle all over her body.

The elevator doors opened and he dropped her hand, smirking as he left her bereft. She followed him out, hurrying after him as he made his way to the door of their room.

“That wasn’t nice,” she laughed, smacking him on his fine butt as she approached him. He turned and pinned her against the door.

“You have no idea,” he repeated, and everything in her body clenched. His hard muscles pressed into her, and she thought she might combust before he got the door open. He unlocked the door and pulled her inside, flipping on the lights. Their things were already delivered, and Ellis scanned the room quickly before he relaxed.

She couldn’t stop herself from reaching for him, having gone so long without him that she felt lonely after just a few seconds. He gave her that look, the smoldering one that sent electric pulses throughout her body.

“You tell me if you aren’t up for what I’m about to do,” he said so low she had to strain to hear him. “Because I’m going to make love to you all night, but right now, I just can’t. I have to have you.”

Sam’s eyes widened as she took in his rigid stance and the serious look on his face. He wasn’t kidding. She had never had anyone talk to her like that before. It was… hot. She was turned on.

He smirked when she didn’t respond and stepped towards her. “Speechless?”

She nodded, reaching her hands out to grasp his arms. He stepped back, and she frowned. He took another step back and reached down to take off his shoes, never breaking eye contact. She felt completely out of her element right now.

“Answer me, Samantha.” She wrinkled her forehead at him at the use of her full name, but he didn’t say what she wanted him to. She realized he wasn’t going to say anything else until she answered him.

“I’ve never been so turned on in all my life,” she said, a blush creeping over her cheeks. That was apparently all he needed to hear, as the next thing she knew, he had grabbed her around the waist and turned her around, splaying his hand on her stomach while he pushed her backside into his arousal.

“Still on the pill?”

She nodded, her mouth dry. Her body was going haywire with desire, want, and the thrill of not knowing what in the world he was going to do. He moved her hair to the side and began kissing her neck, his end of the day scruff making her skin extra sensitive.

“You smell so damn good,” he murmured, unbuttoning her pants and pushing them to the floor. His hands roved her backside and traced his fingers down the front of her silk panties, stopping just before she started moaning. Moving his hands up, he pulled her shirt off and threw it on the floor. Coming right back, he unhooked her bra and pushed it off her shoulders, leaving her in only her panties.

He turned her quickly, bending so he could take her breast in his mouth while he used his other hand to reach into her thong. She hissed as he made contact with her sensitive flesh, then made her cry out by entering two fingers into her. He moved to her other breast as his fingers played inside her, sending her into a frenzy. She wanted to do everything, and right now. Sam reached for his button, but he backed up, shaking his head no.

“Go get on the bed,” he commanded, and she quivered. Looking flirtatiously over her shoulder, she walked to the bed and stopped, waiting for him to tell her where he wanted her. “On your back. Spread your legs and close your eyes.”

She couldn’t believe she was doing this, but she had never been more aware of everything in her life. The sound of her breathing, the look in his eyes, the tension in the room. It was all palpable. She watched, entranced, as he stripped his clothes off and threw them on the floor. She had only seen him naked once before, and it seemed like it had been a lifetime ago. Her eyes traveled from his defined shoulders and arms to his cut stomach, slim hips, and the most amazing set of legs she had ever seen. Then, of course, there was the evidence that he was ready for her, and she had to stop herself from licking her lips at the sight of him.

He walked to her, his expression resembling a cat on the prowl. She thought she might detonate just from the look in his eyes alone. He wanted
her
. He stood next to the bed and looked down at her, reaching one hand out and pulling her leg so she was on the edge of the bed. His eyes were fixed on hers as he touched her again, making her eyes close and a noise come from the back of her throat.

“I can’t wait,” he said, lifting her leg so it was on his shoulder. He entered her, pushing her so she was sliding back on the bed. She moaned as he held her leg. He felt so deep and was setting every nerve ending completely on fire. She moved her head back and forth, trying to take in all of the sensations she was having all at once. He had her right to the edge already.

He withdrew from her and she opened her eyes, crying out in frustration. “Get up on your hands and knees,” he said, a smile playing on his lips. “I wasn’t ready for you to let go yet, baby.” She watched him for a moment before listening. Even though they had been together once before this, this was a different man she was with right now. She loved it.

As soon as she turned over, she felt him kneel behind her on the bed. He hovered over her, pulling her hair to the side as he licked and sucked her all the way from her neck down to the base of her spine.

“Ellis,” she breathed. “Oh my god, please.”

“Patience,” he breathed against her back, his hands exploring her body as he continued to lick and kiss up and down her back. He slid one hand between her legs again, swearing under his breath. Gripping her hips, he slammed into her again, and they both called out. Her legs were quivering, and she could feel the sweat on his chest as he leaned against her. She sat back slightly as he used her hips to help guide his movement.

“You’re so hot,” he grunted, pulling her tighter to him. He reached around and used two fingers on her most sensitive spot and she came undone, calling his name and convulsing as he came apart with her. Sweat covered her body as they continued for longer than she thought could even be possible, him sending her over the edge for a second time.

By the time he rolled over and pulled her with him, she didn’t think she could move again.

“Ellis,” she whispered, breaking the silence. “That was single handedly the hottest thing that has ever happened to me. Have you done that before?”

He traced her hip with his fingers, a smirk turning her to jello again. “Baby, you bring out things in me that I never knew existed. I told you that I wanted it and now.”

“But, you were more than just Caveman,” she teased. “You were
bossy
! You wouldn’t even let me touch you!”

Ellis rolled her onto her back and pinned her underneath him. He kissed her softly, his tongue playing with hers gently. “Sammi,” he breathed into her mouth. “I’m going to do everything with you, from now until the end of time. I’ve been so terrified for days. I just couldn’t be without you one more second.”

Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to allow them to come. “I wasn’t complaining, not at all. I’m game for that any time. Can I take a turn once?”

His eyes widened. “You want to be the boss?”

She shrugged. “There are some things I haven’t gotten to do with you yet,” she said shyly.

She’s was amazingly beautiful. Lying there next to her, laughing and coming down from the singlehanded best sex he’d ever had was the most wonderful feeling.

She rested her chin on his chest, both of them content. “Can we talk?”

Ellis smoothed her hair back, running his fingers through the silky threads. “That sounds serious.”

She laughed, and the feeling of her bare skin pressed up against him made him want to stop all talking. “No, it isn’t. Well okay, it kind of is. There are some things I need to tell you.”

Ellis knew that no matter what she had to tell him, it wasn’t anything compared to what she had learned about him. “Okay, baby, go ahead. But before you start, you know there’s absolutely nothing that will stop me from loving you, right?”

Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away quickly. “I’m so glad to hear you say that,” she said. “Every time you say that, it makes me feel like I’m floating in the clouds.”

“I’m going to keep you in the clouds,” he joked.

“So you met Gage, right?”

Ellis nodded, not liking where this was going already. “Yeah, he was your high school boyfriend, right?”

“Yes. We’ve known each other most of our lives, but we started dating when we were sixteen. We were inseparable. Our families were friends, so it was just kind of natural. We dated for over two years, until we graduated. Gage was leaving to go to college, and I was going to take a few classes at the community college and pursue my singing career. Except, two weeks before Gage went to college, I found out I was pregnant.” She paused, looking into his eyes. He smiled reassuringly at her and squeezed her hand, urging her to continue.