Touch Me (6 page)

He made a purring sound and lapped the side of her neck gently.

A strangled whimper tore from her as he eased deeper until he was buried inside her. She closed her eyes and focused on the sensations, the heavy, pulsing pressure between her legs.

“So tight, baby,” he whispered against her jaw. “So fucking wet for me.”

Oh God, she was, and she was desperate for this. Every part of her starving for the chance to let go and feel what he did to her, because he’d given her no choice.

Pinning her hands down, he began to move in a slow, luscious pumping motion. “Alex,” she moaned, but he didn’t speed up, didn’t thrust harder. More. She wanted more. She instinctively began to struggle, testing the strength of his grip. He held her in place, subduing her efforts with an ease that turned her on even more. Vulnerable. She was completely at his mercy, and loving every second of it.

“You love this.”

Helpless, she nodded. “Oh, God.”

“I’m not letting you go. Not until you come apart for me.”

She shivered at his words, his seductive tone. He was every dark fantasy she’d ever had come to life. The pleasure spiraled higher, pulling tighter with every stroke of his thick cock, stimulating hidden nerve endings deep inside her body. He groaned against her neck and drove harder, his rhythm gaining power and speed. Her hips tilted to meet each thrust, his pelvis barely grazing her swollen clit with every stroke. She made a choked sound and flung her head back, surrendering to his mastery. Her legs splayed wide apart on the mattress while she arched into each thrust. Needing. Needing him so much it scared her. But it wasn’t enough.

“Touch me,” she gasped, uncaring that she sounded desperate, uncaring that he’d made her beg. “Please, Alex, touch me.”

Instantly he shifted his weight and took both her hands in one of his. The other he slid down between their bodies to find her pulsing clit. He rode her while his fingers stroked over her rhythmically, so tenderly it broke her heart. A sob built in her throat. He kissed her hard and deep, pausing to murmur to her between kisses. She didn’t understand most of the Spanish he used, but it didn’t matter. The soothing, approving tone was all she needed to hear.

Ecstasy gripped her, blooming with every stroke of his cock and fingers. With a ragged cry of relief she arched up and let the orgasm surge through her. Alex’s weight held her beneath him while the waves took her, and she was only vaguely aware of when he threw his head back and let out a rough groan with his own release.

Shuddering and limp beneath him, Tia closed her eyes and tried to still her spinning senses. Without a doubt that had been the most intense, exciting sexual experience of her life. The tears pricking her eyes burned hotter. She squeezed her lids shut, but her throat tightened.

“Hey.” Alex released her hands to cup her face. “Look at me.”

She shook her head, embarrassed beyond words at the thought of falling apart in front of him.

His lips caressed her face, raining hot, tender kisses across her skin. She hitched in a breath, put her hands on the front of his shoulders to push him away. He didn’t budge. Wouldn’t let her go.

Horrified, she covered her face and hid against his chest as her shoulders shook. Alex swore, rolling them onto their sides, then brought her up tight against his body. His arms were so strong around her, accepting and protective at the same time. It choked her up even more.

“Shhhh,” he soothed, one big hand stroking through her hair, down her spine. “Don’t cry, baby.”

Sniffling, she fought to get control, dragged in a couple of deep breaths. After a few minutes her heart rate slowed and her breathing calmed. She kept her cheek pressed to his shoulder, afraid to meet his eyes.

“You okay? That was what you wanted?”

Tia nodded and wiped her eyes. “You were perfect. So perfect,” she whispered. The way he’d held her, so dominant yet gentle, allowing her to fulfill her fantasy without any shame or guilt. “I thought that part of me had died a long time ago, but it hadn’t. Thank you.”

His arms tightened around her. “I loved giving you that. Never seen anything so beautiful. And believe me, I love taking control as much as you love giving it to me.”

She smiled, let her heart swell open for him. He’d given her no choice about that, either.

He kissed her and got up to dispose of the condom. She slipped across the hall to the guest bathroom. From the silent hallway she could hear her phone buzzing in her purse down in the foyer. She frowned. It was almost eleven o’clock. Dread coiled inside her.

Grabbing a robe from the back of the door, she ran down to get her purse. Back in the guest bathroom, she shut the door and took out her phone. The blood drained from her face when she checked the call display. Eleven calls in the past two hours, all from her ex.

She set her phone on the countertop and pulled the blind on the window aside. The street was dark and quiet, lit only by the streetlamp at the corner. She didn’t see David’s car parked there, but something told her he’d been there earlier. Watching the house while he kept calling her. He’d have seen her car in the driveway and no doubt would have jumped to conclusions when she didn’t answer. It would never fully register with him that she’d meant it about contacting her through her lawyer.

He might have even been worked up enough to look through the windows.

She set a hand to her roiling stomach. Had he seen them? Her on her knees while she took Alex in her mouth? The thought made her want to throw up. What she and Alex had shared was beautiful, special. The possibility of David watching ruined that, threatened to turn it into something shameful.

The phone was cold in her numb hand. If David was that unstable, she’d have no choice but to change her phone number and get a restraining order. And it would be best for everyone if she immediately got a place of her own instead of living here. Alex didn’t need to deal with David’s shit while he was home to recover. She refused to bring trouble to his doorstep.

Letting out a deep breath, she texted the real estate agent that she’d take the apartment she’d seen that afternoon, then washed her face and brushed her teeth. She was just setting her toothbrush into the glass holder when her phone chimed. The agent had texted back, asking her to meet first thing in the morning to sign the papers. Tia turned the phone off and tucked it back in her purse. How was she going to tell Alex about this? He was so protective, she knew he’d step in, try to shield her. But he didn’t know how awful David could be. She wouldn’t involve him in that ugliness. Leaving this house would be hard, but it had to be done.

Alex was lying on his side with the sheets draped around his waist, revealing the mouthwatering landscape of his chest and abs, those deliciously defined arms that had held her down and then cradled her so tenderly. “Lose the robe,” he said, lifting the sheets for her.

Stupid to feel self-conscious now, but she blushed as she undid the sash and let it pool at her feet. She was acutely aware of him staring at her naked body, and knowing he liked what he saw made her tingle all over.

“Gorgeous,” he rumbled, snagging her wrist to tug her onto the bed. The heat of his body curled around her when he tucked her back against his chest and brought his hard thighs up beneath hers. He tucked one arm beneath her head and wrapped the other protectively around her waist. Heaven.

Sighing, she turned to kiss his wounded shoulder and snuggled back against him, more content than she’d been in forever. If it weren’t for the looming details she had to take care of in the morning, she might even have been truly happy for the first time in recent memory.

Alex clenched the crumpled note in one fist and knocked on the apartment door with the other, fighting to keep his temper at bay.

He still couldn’t believe it. He’d come home from a doctor’s appointment to find that pathetic note and nothing else. She’d packed a bunch of her clothes, taken some of her stuff with her. No explanation, nothing for him to figure out what the hell was going on. The
xo
in the message meant shit to him. Tia put that on every piece of correspondence she’d ever sent him. He knew damn well what they’d shared last night had gone far beyond physical need. For both of them.

He was clear on his own feelings, and he was pretty sure she felt the same way about him. The woman had broken down and cried afterward, and when he’d fallen asleep with her in his arms, he’d expected to wake up the same way for the rest of his furlough. As a
start
. Why the fuck had she taken off, moved out without telling him and changed her number so he couldn’t even contact her?

He damn well was going to find out.

The shocked expression on Tia’s face when she pulled the door open was almost comical. Unfortunately, at the moment he didn’t find the situation at all funny.

“Hey,” she said. He didn’t answer, and the surprise rapidly gave way to curiosity. “How did you find me?”

Nice. Not even an apology or an attempt at an explanation. “I’ve been busy stopping at every place you circled in the paper yesterday.” This was stop number four on a mission that had taken him across the whole damn city.

“Oh.” Her cheeks turned pink. “Um, do you want to come in?”

Without a word he stepped past her, waiting until she’d closed and locked the door before looking around. Christ, she already had furniture moved in from her storage unit. If she wanted out of his place so badly, why the hell hadn’t she at least asked him for help? “You managed to hire movers this morning?”

She watched him with wide, dark eyes, and crossed her arms over her breasts. “Um, I guess I should explain—”

“What the hell’s going on, Tia? I even called your mom, but she hadn’t heard from you either.”

She flinched at his abrupt tone, but he couldn’t pretend he wasn’t pissed off and more than a little confused. He arched a brow and waited, fighting the need to grab her and shake her for worrying him.

She dragged a hand through her damp hair. “I got a new phone and haven’t called to give her my number yet. And this place had a lot of interest, so I had to act fast.”

That was the best she could do? She’d taken off, scared the shit out of him, and that was all she had to say for herself?

A flush crept up her neck when he kept staring at her. She rubbed her nape and glanced away from him. “Look, you were more than generous by letting me stay at your house for all this time, but I needed to find a place of my own now that you’re home. You should be able to come and go and bring people around without me being in the way.”

When he realized what she was thinking, a cold rock settled in the pit of his stomach.
Fuck.
A bitter smile twisted his lips. “Did I treat you like a one-night stand?”

Her eyes snapped back to his. “I don’t…I mean I wasn’t…” She frowned. “What am I, then?”

“Did it
feel
like a fucking one-night stand to you?” She winced at his words, but he was beyond holding his anger back. “Because it didn’t to me.” He’d never felt as close to anyone as he had after making love to her last night. Being with her was even better than he’d imagined.

Her eyes widened, and she took a step toward him. “No, that’s not what it felt like.” She scrubbed her hands over her face and took a breath, seemed to collect herself. “Okay, I found out David had been calling me all night, and I wasn’t sure if he’d been watching the house.”

His jaw tightened as the tension in his belly grew. “What?”

“I knew he’d try to trash your reputation if he thought you and I were…involved, so I told the agent I’d take this place. This morning I went to the police station, filed for a restraining order and changed my number. I was just out of the shower when you got here, but I was going to call and explain everything.”

He held up a hand, gritted his teeth as her words sank in. “David had been harassing you and you were scared enough to file for a restraining order, but you didn’t say a word about it to me last night. Then without talking to me or anyone else you took off this morning and never once asked for my help.” He shook his head, unsure whether he wanted to punch something or shake her. “Jesus, Tia, how do you think that makes me feel?”

Her teeth nibbled on her lower lip, her eyes wide with regret. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just didn’t want to bother you with—”

“
Bother
me?” He all but shouted it at her. For some reason, those words hurt worse than all the rest of it. It felt like she’d kicked him in the gut. “So now I’m not even important enough to
bother
with little details like your safety?” After what they’d shared, he’d mistakenly assumed he meant more to her than that.

Tia opened her mouth, closed it. When he started to turn away, she made a sound of distress and lunged over to grab his arm. “Wait—please don’t go!”

He shrugged off her hand. “Why the hell would I stay? I guess I could be a pal and offer to help you move the furniture around, but it looks like you’ve already taken care of that too.”

She grabbed him again. He tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let go.

Fighting back the anger and hurt swirling inside him, he turned and leveled a glare at her. “What?”

She grabbed both his arms, dug her fingers into his leather jacket. Staring up at him, her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry. Please don’t go.”

Ah, hell. He couldn’t stand to see her cry. Pulling free of her grip, he crossed his arms and kept glaring. “Why did you do this without telling me? You planned all this last night and still crawled into my arms without saying a single fucking word.”

“I told you, I didn’t want you to have—”

“Bullshit.” If she didn’t give him an honest answer in the next five seconds, he was out of here. “Why? You were embarrassed about last night?”

Her shoulders lifted slightly. “A little, but…”

But that wasn’t the whole reason. “I didn’t treat you right? You got cold feet?
What?
” he demanded in exasperation.

She swallowed, looking so lost and helpless it killed him not to pull her into his arms. “I was scared,” she admitted in a tiny voice.

“Of what?” Of him? No way.

Her eyes closed a moment, took a moment before looking at him again. “Alex, I care about you. A lot.”

“You’ve got a damn funny way of showing it.”

Her hand came up to dash away a stray tear, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “No, you don’t underst— I’m falling for you, okay?”

The vise around his chest suddenly loosened. His lungs expanded as he pulled in a deep breath. “And that spooked you, so you took off.” Instead of talking to him, she’d bolted. He understood why she’d be afraid of her ex, but Alex wished she’d turned to him for help. He wanted her to lean on him, not handle all this on her own.

She nodded, looking miserable. “I didn’t want David to do something that would ruin what happened between us.”

He’d love to take a piece out of that asshole’s hide, but he wasn’t worth it. “And what about us last night. Did that spook you too?”

Another hesitant nod, her face flushed bright pink. But at least she looked him in the eye when she admitted it.

He sighed, the anger fading into frustration.
Ah, baby.
How the hell did he convince her that his feelings were real? That depending on him to meet her needs, sexual or otherwise, was nothing to be frightened or ashamed of? Yeah, they’d become lovers, but before that they’d been friends. Good friends. She had to know him well enough to understand he’d always take care of her, no matter what. Stubborn, strong-willed woman.

“Come here.” When he held out his arms, she came to him willingly, hugged him so hard around the waist that he grunted. Holding her tight, he kissed the top of her head, savoring the feel of her soft curves pressed up against him. After a moment he pulled back to meet her eyes. “You know how much I care about you, right?”

She nodded.

“And I loved being with you last night. Loved everything about what we did.”

Another nod, but this time it was hesitant, as though she was too embarrassed to talk about it. Uncertain if he was telling the truth.

“Don’t believe me?”

Her shoulders lifted in a stiff shrug, and she looked away.

What the hell more could he say to convince her? He wanted her—always would. He wanted to take care of her in whatever way she’d let him.

He glanced around the studio apartment. If she needed more proof that he wanted her in his life and got off on her submissive fantasies as much as she did, he was more than happy to give it to her. But he was done with talking. Words didn’t seem to matter to her, so he’d show her instead. In a way she’d never, ever be able to misunderstand. His gaze fell on the chaise set against the wall beneath the picture window.

“You want me to stay, Tia?”

Her gaze came back to his. “Yes.”

He jerked his chin at the chaise. “Then strip and go lie on that, facedown.”

Her eyes widened and she backed up a step. “Wh-what?”

“You heard me.”

She wanted to run from what they had together? He removed his belt, pulled the leather taut between his hands while she watched him with wide eyes and retreated a few steps. Hiding a smile, he advanced on her.

Let’s see you walk away from this.

Tia’s heart pounded when Alex came toward her with the belt. She’d never seen that look on his face before. Intent. Resolved. Completely at odds with the molten heat in his eyes. It tangled her up. Her feet stayed rooted to the floor as her heart slammed against her ribs.

He stopped and cocked a coal-black brow. “Clothes. Off.”

A quick flash of fear flooded her veins, but she squelched it. He would never hurt her. She didn’t know what he intended to do with the belt, but she knew he wouldn’t harm her with it. Despite herself, the lips of her sex swelled and dampened. Her hands shook at the thought of him dominating her, taking her from behind.

Still, she hesitated. “You’re angry.”

“No, I’m hurt and tired of wasting my breath with you. So I’m going to prove something, and I’m going to make sure it’s very memorable for you.”

His tone was calm, but the heat in his expression made her heart pound. She blinked, not knowing what to say. She’d already apologized, but—

“Take off your clothes, Tia.”

The throb of arousal grew inside her, filling her with an achy need. She might feel uncertain about this, but she wasn’t uncertain about him. She wanted him too badly to say no.

Shoving the nerves aside, she drew her clothes off with trembling fingers, never looking away from his eyes. He watched her strip, his hot gaze raking over her body as she bared it to him. She wanted Alex. Needed him to take away the scary feeling of emptiness inside her. When she was naked she backed toward the chaise and paused next to it.

His face was an implacable mask when he stopped a foot from her, still holding the belt. “Lie down on your stomach.”

The hard tone unnerved her. She hesitated but eventually did as he said and stretched out on her front. The rough weave of the fabric rubbed against her tender nipples, sending a new rush of moisture between her thighs. She watched him from the corner of her eye, trembling with anticipation. What was he going to do?

He stripped off his shirt and crouched next to her, his delicious scent of male musk and soap swirling in the air between them. “Give me your hands.”

He was testing her. She read the silent challenge in his face. But this time she wasn’t chickening out.

With a hard swallow, she raised her hands slightly, flinching when he wrapped the black leather strap around and between her wrists then stretched her arms out flat. He bent to do something underneath the chaise, and when he rose she tugged but realized she couldn’t move her arms. God, he’d tied her down to it. A burst of excitement warred with the sharp bite of fear, the intoxicating mix speeding up her breathing.

Alex moved in behind her, and she had to crane her neck around to see him. She gasped involuntarily when he laid a hand on her back, between her shoulder blades. His skin was so hot. He stroked his palm over her skin in a lazy circle, his touch warm and reassuring, a thousand times more arousing because he’d restrained her hands. Rendered her helpless against his strength.

“So beautiful,” he murmured, bending to kiss her nape. Everything was more heightened now. Each touch, the feel of the fabric beneath her. His tongue trailed over the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder. She lifted her head to give him better access, but he scraped his teeth over her skin and pulled away.

His hand followed the curve of her spine, all the way down to her hips where he paused to caress each buttock. A flush of embarrassment covered her, knowing he was staring at her butt and thighs, but the seductive touch made her folds grow slick, made her clit swell and throb. She squirmed beneath his hand, parting her legs in the hopes he’d touch between them. Instead he gripped her hips with both hands and lifted, urging her up and forward. She scooted onto her knees and followed the silent command, leaning forward on her forearms to brace herself. When she looked back at him over her shoulder, her breath caught at the intent expression on his face.

Watching her, he pressed one hand firmly between her shoulder blades, gently forcing her upper body down to the chaise until her breasts and cheek pressed against the fabric. A delicious wave of heat spread over her skin.

With one hand he stroked her hair away from her face while he held her still. “That’s a good girl.” His deep voice sent shivers through her.

The chaise’s cushion dipped beneath his weight when he settled on his knees behind her and pushed her thighs apart with his own. She let out a plaintive moan when he covered her with his warmth, his hard body curving over hers protectively. Through his jeans she could feel the length of his erection pressed against her buttocks. She wriggled back against him, silently asking for more.