Sitting back, he pulled his shirt off, tossing it to the side, and moved to her again. This time he undid the tie at her hip and pulled the dress apart, exposing her body that way.
He sat there looking at her for a long time, quietly taking her in. A month ago she’d have felt embarrassed at his close perusal but he’d made her realize that he thought she was beautiful. Her scars did not matter to him. If her thighs were an issue, he hid it well and so she just let him look, loving that he wanted to.
Reaching out, he traced a fingertip along the scalloped lace of her bra, skimming just over her nipple.
“I like this. Red looks good on you with all items of clothing I see.”
The catch on the front was a black rose and he popped it with one-handed ease. Her breasts spilled into his hands, his thumbs coming up to flick back and forth over her nipples. Each movement of his fingers against her sent an answering pulse to her clit.
Her fingers dug into the muscle of his upper back as he leaned in, the heat of his mouth closing over the pulse-point at the hollow just below her ear.
Moving her hands, she pushed him back and scrambled atop his prone body, wriggling out of her dress and bra.
“Now that’s a reward for a long hard day. A beautiful woman sitting over my cock in nothing more than garters, stockings, a wisp of red lace pretending to be panties and some very sexy shoes.”
“There’s that silver tongue, I see.” Her hands made quick work of his belt and the button and zipper of his trousers and she kissed down his neck, over his chest and belly. The way his hands felt on her, so large and warm, confident and gentle, always made her want to cry.
“Pants off!” She struggled to get his trousers off and he laughed, setting her aside and standing to do it himself.
“Well, lookit you.” He moved toward the bed, his cock so hard it pressed against his stomach.
When he’d stopped, his cock was right at eye level. She looked up at him, up his body and saw the look on his face. He waited there, making sure her comment at the Grange wasn’t just made in the heat of the moment.
“I do want you to take me, Shane.”
One of his hands caressed her face, down her neck. He watched her face until he appeared to be sure.
“Well then, I think there’s a little rain check to be collected and then I’m going to fuck you with those garters on.”
She grabbed him and angled his cock to slowly take him into her mouth. Loving this, loving how much pleasure it gave him, she took it slow, doing all the things she’d learned he liked so much.
Her tongue swirled around the head, digging into that sweet spot just beneath the ridge of the crown. The salt of his skin, of his essence, sprang on her tongue, filled her with desire, made her feel like a goddess that he wanted her so much.
Shane looked down at her, watched his cock disappear between her lips and pull out again. He loved the way her eyelashes swept over her cheeks.
His fingertips traced over the raised marks of her scars on her back. He’d found it reassured her that he thought she was beautiful. As if anyone could look at her and think anything else. Her scars were as much a part of her as her eyes or those long-as-sin legs. So he loved them too, even as he wanted to take the man down who’d given them to her.
When she’d told him she wanted him to take her, he’d nearly come on the spot. He dreamed of being able to show her the depth of intensity of his desire for her but kept it in check to keep from scaring her. He wanted to take her hard and fast but he’d watch her, especially this first time, to be sure she was all right with everything.
“Cassie, stop. Lie back, leave your legs over the side of the bed.”
She did as he told her to and he marveled at her, lying there on his bed. Her dark hair spread around her head like midnight. Her breasts, breasts she thought were sagging, were capped with puckered pink nipples, just begging for his mouth. Her belly, with no pooch he ever could divine, led to the neatly trimmed patch of hair that shielded her pussy. Only right then the pretty red panties covered her.
“Next time, put the panties on after the stockings.”
She laughed, a slow, sexy sound that never failed to make him crazy. Reaching down, she pulled at the sides of the panties and they untied. Lifting her ass, she pulled them off and threw them over his shoulder.
“Oh. Very nice. Very nice indeed. You know, I wanted to see these legs wrapped around me but I’m thinking we can save that for another time.”
He pulled out a condom and sheathed himself quickly before flipping her over with relative ease. He did sense her stiffen and he drew a fingertip down her spine. “Shhhh. I want to take you from behind, Cassie. Feel you from this angle, be able to reach around and touch your body, have your clit right where I want it.”
He paused, giving her time to stop if she was freaked but she relaxed. Pulling her body toward him, he brought her feet to the ground and bent her just so, moving to check her readiness.
When Shane touched her pussy and found her so wet she was slightly embarrassed by how much he turned her on, he made a low sound.
“Fuck. Cassie, how do you do this to me? Make me want you even more when I feel the evidence of how much you want me?” As he finished the last word, the blunt, fat head of his cock pressed against her, nudging his way into her gate.
She pushed back into him and they both grunted in satisfaction as he seated himself fully inside her.
Losing herself a bit as he began to thrust, her hands gripped his comforter, cool against her heated skin. He felt so good as he filled her up over and over. Her body molded itself to him, took him in and made itself his.
“I want to feel you come around me,” he murmured, leaning down and kissing her shoulder. One of his hands found her clit, fingertips strumming through the wet flesh, bringing the skin of the hood to stroke against the clit. The friction was delicious, right on the edge of just enough but not quite there.
His lips pressed over each one of her scars as the fingers of his free hand stroked lightly over her arms and back and down over the curve of her ass and thighs.
“More.”
In answer, he began to thrust into her hard and fast in deep digs. He gave up the slow tease of her clit and squeezed it gently between slick fingers over and over until she came, screaming into his mattress. All the while he continued to fuck her.
“Damn, you’re so fucking sexy I don’t know what to do. I just want to spread you on a cracker and eat you up. I want to kiss every inch of you. You walk past the front window of the bookstore as I drive past and my cock throbs. You’ve bewitched me, Cassie.”
His voice was slightly breathless, staccato even, as he continued to move within her. She felt, for the first time, the full power of his thighs as his muscles flexed against the back of her thighs. Felt the strength in his arms as he held her, the uncoiled desire in his movements and heard it in his voice.
And there was no fear. This wasn’t how Terry used her. He’d used this strength against her to hurt her. Shane used his strength for her, on her to bring her pleasure. Even with the strength he had, he did not abuse it, he kept it under control and she gave in to her need to moan and cry out as he built the pleasure within her.
“Pleasepleaseplease,” she whispered.
“Please what?” His voice wavered a bit, she knew he was close and she wanted him to come deep inside her. More than she’d ever wanted anything and she wasn’t quite sure why. She just knew she wanted him to find pleasure inside her, to know her body gave him safe haven when he needed it. When he wanted it.
“Please come inside of me, Shane. I want that so much.” Her words escaped her mouth in a quick flow before she could worry that he’d be disgusted by her brazenness.
“Hell...” His word was stuttered as he pressed once and then once again, deep into her, his fingers holding her hips tight as he pressed de
ep, his cock jerking within her as he came.
Long moments later, he kissed her neck and left the room. Returning quickly, he helped her into bed after he’d taken her shoes off and removed her garter belt and stockings.
“You’ll wear those again, right?”
“I couldn’t deny you the chance to see my legs wrapped around your waist with them on.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you. I haven’t always been the nicest man to women, you know. But you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I love you, Cassie.” He kissed her deeply, pulling her against his body.
Chapter Fifteen
Cassie paused as she picked up the cashmere sweater from the table where it’d been stacked in a pile of folded luxury. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and a chill settled at the base of her spine.
She turned and looked around the area but nothing seemed amiss. “Cassie? Honey, are you all right?”
Shaking off the dread, Cassie turned and found herself looking into the face of Edward Chase.
“Edward, hello.” She kissed his cheek and he gave her a hug.
“You looked upset just then. Is everything okay?” He looked around the area much as she had.
“It just felt like someone was watching me. Probably because I’m here buying Shane’s Christmas present.” She tried to believe the lighthearted laugh she gave but couldn’t.
“Sugar, you should tell Shane. Do you think your ex has found you?”
“I don’t have any reason to think that, Edward. My brother is keeping in regular contact with the investigators and they’re all in contact with me and Shane. He hasn’t surfaced since the summer. Maybe he’s given up.”
Edward looked at the charcoal-colored sweater she held in her hands. “Shane will like that. Can I take you to lunch?”
Cassie really liked Edward Chase. She definitely enjoyed Polly but Edward was quiet and insightful and Cassie treasured their conversations on everything from post modernism to baseball.
“Sure, why don’t I meet you at El Cid in fifteen minutes? I just need to pay for this.”
He kissed her cheek and agreed, heading out while she went to the cashier to pay for the sweater and the shirt she’d found. With the assistance of a local artisan, she’d made Shane a bracelet of pounded copper and silver that she hoped he liked. The sweater and shirt were nice and all, but the bracelet had taken her a lot of time and effort. She’d never done anything like it before and wanted to create something that fit his personality perfectly. But now she had a new skill and had taken to working with silver to create earrings and necklaces that did very well.
Edward was waiting with fresh chips and salsa and waved as she caught sight of him.
After they’d ordered and the food arrived, Edward told her that he’d been looking into how she could go about practicing under her new name with her medical license.
“I don’t want you to think I’m presumptuous but I’m asking around. The state board is going to want to have the ability for your patients to know who you are. This name change project has been around for several years but it’s still hard to get professional licenses in the new name for many women.”
“I appreciate that, Edward. I’ve been thinking on it long and hard. I miss medicine a lot. I know I’ll have to go back to get more training but if I mean to make my life here, I’ll need to figure out what I want to do. I like working at the bookstore and all, but it’s not what I’ll do forever.”
“So you plan on making Petal your home then? Pardon my nosiness but my son loves you very much. The change in him is remarkable. I’d hate to see his heart broken.”
Cassie reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I never thought I’d want to be with anyone else again. I swore the last thing I needed was a big, domineering man and look who I went and fell for. I want to be where Shane is. He gets me. Like no one ever has. He understands me and makes room for my quirks and works around my crazy stuff. I adore him.”
“Good. That’s good to hear. I like you, Cassie. I like you being in my family an awful lot.”
* * *
After lunch, Cassie went home and wrapped the presents and checked to be sure Brian’s flight was on time. He was flying in for the weekend to celebrate Christmas with her and the Chases.
Shane managed to convince her that she and Brian should stay at his house because it was bigger and more comfortable for everyone. In truth she spent seventy percent of her time there anyway, and Brian knew they were a couple and was very happy about that fact.
Even though she had a key, she knocked on Shane’s door and ignored his annoyed look.
“Hi, baby, take these will you?” She thrust the packages at him and bent to pick up a bag of extra clothes she’d packed.
“Darlin’, use your key. You’re not a guest. And let me get that.” He held the door and then went to put the packages under the tree they’d both picked out the weekend before.
“It feels weird just letting myself in.”
He grabbed her and pulled her down onto the couch with him. “Move in here and it won’t feel weird.”
“What?”
“I’d ask you to marry me but I know that would be rushing you. But I want you here with me. I want to wake up with you every morning. I like that my bathroom has your stuff in it. I want to build a life together.”
“I...I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”
His face lost a bit of its light and seeing that she’d caused him pain sliced through her. But she was afraid of making another Terry-sized mistake.
She put her hand to his face. “I love you, Shane. But it’s only been five months since I met you.”
“Almost six and I love you too. You’re here or I’m at your place almost every night. What’s the difference?”
“Shane, I don’t want to hurt you but I need the haven of my own place right now.”
Kissing her he nodded. “Okay, fair enough. But you know how I hate it when you treat me like I’m him.”
“This argument is really old, Shane. I don’t want to have it again. I promise you that’s not what I’m doing.”
“Bull. If it hadn’t been for him you’d move in here. How is that not making me pay for his behavior?”
“If it hadn’t been for him I wouldn’t be here so that’s a moot point. Stop making this about you! I am not wanting to take this slow because I think you’re Terry. I know you’re not Terry. I’m taking this slow because the last man I lived with nearly killed me after beating the hell out of my body and soul for years. The difference is pretty major, Shane.”
“It feels the same to me.”
She stepped back, out of his embrace. “I’m sorry. All I can do is feel what I feel and tell you the truth of it. I’m being honest and trying my damndest to explain the inexplicable to you. This is about me. If you choose to make it about you, I can’t stop you.”
“Why are you so difficult? Why don’t you let me love you?”
“I do. I’ve given myself to you, heart and body. I’m not giving anyone my soul, Shane. I love you, more than anyone I’ve ever loved but that’s not going to stop me from using my common sense. I’m sorry it offends you that I want to wait to move in together. I’m not doing it because I don’t trust you or want to be with you. I’m asking you to respect my feelings and to give me time. But I can’t make you what you aren’t any more than I’ll let you make me into what I’m not. So if you can’t live with that, tell me now so I can walk away. I’m in deep enough with you and your family, if you’re going to break it off, do it now.”
Pacing, he shoved a hand through his hair. “I’m not going to break it off. I love you. Things would be so much easier if you just agreed with everything I said.”
Cassie snorted a laugh and he moved to where she was standing to pull her close. “You’re a very c
omplicated, difficult woman.”
“You’re a very arrogant, difficult man.”
“Perfect match.” He grinned.
“So you say.”
“I do. Wanna get lucky? I’ll let you open a present early.”
“Oh you think I’ll fall for that one twice?”
Laughing, he took her down to the carpet.
* * *
“I can’t believe you gave me rug burn on my ass,” Cassie murmured in Shane’s ear as they had Christmas Eve dinner around a table filled with only about four hundred of his family members.
He chuckled. “It was worth it.”
“For you! I was on the bottom.”
“Next time roll me over, darlin’, I’m quite happy to have you on top.”
She fought off laughter. “As if I’m not nervous enough meeting all these people, I have rug burn.”
“And a bit of beard burn on your inner thighs too, I’d wager.”
The charming devil had the audacity to leer at her and she burst out laughing. Luckily, everyone seemed to find their interaction wonderful and amusing and his grandparents only dropped marriage and great-grandchild hints about every twenty minutes.
“Did you tell Shane about how you felt like you were being watched at the department store earlier?” Edward’s voice was casual but Cassie heard steel there and fought annoyance as her brother and Shane both rounded on her.
“I just felt weird, not necessarily watched. And no, I hadn’t had the chance to tell either my brother or Shane about it. Thanks for that, though.” She rolled her eyes at Edward and Polly sighed and smacked her husband on the arm.
“Cassie, you promised to tell me!” Shane glared at her.
“And me,” Brian echoed.
“Look, as much as I’d love having this conversation here with the family of my boyfriend looking on, I’m not going to. I hadn’t had the chance to tell either one of you. Brian, your plane was late and Shane, you waylaid me when I got to your house. I appreciate your concern but it was nothing. And that’s all I’m going to say right now.”