Becoming a Legend

  Burying his head in her shoulder, he lightly sank his teeth into her flesh, pulling at her skin. She groaned and clenched around him, making him drive harder and faster into her, his fingers gripping her hips, half afraid this was just another dream and she’d disappear as soon as he woke up.

  No words were exchanged, and Kane didn’t need any. Not that he could have formed a coherent sentence if he had tried. All he could think about was the feeling of her around him, her lips against his skin as she kissed him again and again and again.

  Pressing his hips forward against hers, he put extra pressure on her clit as he thrust in and out. Each time their hips slammed together, she moaned, and her fingers dug deeper into his biceps. Her head fell onto his chest, and he felt her begin to spasm around him, so he pulled her as close to him as he possibly could and let go inside her.

  As they were cuddled together under the streams of water, waves of pleasure threatened to wash them away.

  Nora’s body went limp, and though his threatened to as well, he held her up and waited until he could move again. When he finally found his breath, he helped her to stand. Their eyes were locked on each other, and he could see every emotion flitting through her hazel gaze. There were no walls between them. No pretenses, no hiding—she was baring everything to him, and it made his chest hurt. Devastation, protectiveness, longing, satisfaction, caring, compassion, desire…she was teeming with emotion and sharing them all with him.

  She leaned her head back into the water, closing her eyes, and he slid his fingers through her hair, rinsing out the very last remains of shampoo. The calmness on her face made him proud to have been able to take away the little lines of worry normally on her face. He squeezed shower gel onto his hand once more and rewashed every inch of her skin and then his own. They rinsed quickly before the water could chill, then stepped out.

  Kane grabbed a towel off the shelf in the bathroom and wrapped it around Nora. He made a face at her soaked brace and very carefully removed it. Her hand was looking much better already, the swelling almost completely gone. He laid the soft splint out to dry and rummaged through her medicine cabinet. She didn’t have much, but he found some gauze and an Ace bandage and used those to rewrap the injury.

  They dried off silently, still watching each other. His mind was busy processing, thinking everything and nothing all at once. Kane reached for her after they dropped their towels in the hamper. With one soft kiss to her temple, he leaned down and lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his chest and carrying her to bed.

  He felt so normal, as if he could spend a million nights like this, with her. They fit so perfectly, so genuinely, and the realness of what he was feeling overwhelmed him. He curled against her in bed, her back to his front, nothing in between them.

  And they fell asleep like that, because there was so much to say…and no words to say it.

  Chapter 11

  An intermittent, soft breeze on the back of her neck caused Nora to stir; she blinked her eyes open and searched for the clock on the nightstand. Blue digits read 6:17. Earlyish, and yet she felt so rested.

  There was no mistaking the firm, warm pressure against her back as Kane’s body wrapped around her. His slumbering breath tickled, but felt sweet…safe. It was the first time she’d ever woken up in her own apartment and felt happy not to be alone. Normally, she relished her independence, but this morning the muscular lines on the strong arms encircling her were a welcome sight.

  Very slowly, doing her best not to wake him, she turned around in his arms so she was facing him. His long brown lashes lay against his cheek, his jawline boasting a stubbled beard that somehow made him look more distinguished. He looked mature and kind, and she couldn’t resist letting her fingers trail across his cheek. The stubble was soft beneath her touch, and she found herself hoping he wouldn’t shave it off.

  “Mmmm,” Kane’s moan rumbled against her hand on his chest. His blue eyes peeked open as a lazy smile stole across his face. “Morning, kitty.”

  “Good morning,” she whispered back, not yet finding her voice for the day.

  He pulled her torso tighter against his body, his arms around her back, and for the first time that morning, she realized they were both fully naked. Kane seemed to have the realization a moment later and looked between them at the tops of her breasts pushed against his chest.

  “Literally the perfect way to wake up,” he kidded.

  She grinned, squirming slightly as if trying to push away from him. If she was being honest, though, she wasn’t really trying very hard. However, there was definitely something else hard between them. “I should get dressed.”

  “You better not,” he warned, looking down again and letting his hands glide over her skin. “Naked Nora is my favorite.”

  “You going to stop me?” she teased, pushing against his chest. A sharp pain rocketed from her hand up her arm. Right, the injury. She released a cautious breath as the throbbing eased.

  “Maybe I burned all your clothes in the middle of the night. Now you have to be naked forever,” he said, lifting her bandaged hand and gently kissing the tips of her fingers.

  “I’m sure that will go over really well at my job.”

  Kane laughed. “I think Tacos and Ta-Tas would probably approve.”

  Nora shot him a scolding look before chuckling with him. “I meant the youth center, jerk. And the restaurant fired me, so thanks for rubbing it in.”

  “I’m just teasing, kitty.” He grinned. “Let’s compromise and have a naked breakfast, then a naked lunch, then a naked dinner, then more naked sleeping.”

  The mischievous grin on his face and his arousal pressed against her stomach were pretty compelling arguments. “I get the sense you don’t know what the word compromise means.”

  “Inconceivable,” he teased, and she recalled their conversation about one of her favorite movies, The Princess Bride.

  She nibbled on her bottom lip, wondering how long they could stay like this, stay wrapped in this perfect cocoon. Pretend that every morning was like this one, and that she’d always have him by her side.

  Kane sighed, and his expression turned wistful. “I don’t want to sound like a chick saying this, Nora, but it really bothered me that you left my bed. That you didn’t wake me up, or say good-bye, and then you just kept blowing me off, not even answering my texts since.”

  Her stomach twisted as she saw the pain on his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize that. I thought you wanted to keep things casual. Texting and making plans sounds like…dating.”

  He nodded slowly, tracing a line with his finger down her side. “It also sounds like friends. We can at least be that, Nora. There’s a lot more between us than just a casual hookup. Don’t you think?”

  She swallowed hard, wanting to let herself feel what he was asking her to feel, but knowing there was too much at stake for both of them. “Things are so good,” she finally said. “Just like this. Here, now. Let’s just keep it like this.”

  “Yeah,” he said, but she could see there was much more he wasn’t saying. He buried his face in her neck and kissed his way from her ear to her shoulder.

  She shivered, despite how warm she felt, and leaned her head to the side to give him better access. He nipped her skin with just enough pressure to make her want more. Her good hand slid down his chest, dipping between them to find his member. Circling his width with her fingers, she gripped him at the base and slid her hand up and down slowly. Kane pushed his hips forward into her hand, groaning and biting down harder.

  “Fuck, Nora…”

  She couldn’t believe how confident she felt, or how brazen her behavior was. She’d always been shy in bed, her experience always within the confines of a serious relationship. Her recent sexual exploits with Kane were something different entirely, and somehow they felt more real than any of her previous experiences. A sense of power roared through her when she wrapped her hand around his shaft. This huge, gorgeous man was letting her take control
, and the feeling was intoxicating.

  Kane’s hand slipped down her back to her ass, cupping her cheeks and lifting one of her legs over his body as they lay side by side on the bed facing each other. With her hand still moving up and down his shaft, her body ached with need. Then his hand reached between her legs from behind. His fingers slid gently through her folds, spreading her wetness as he slipped one long finger inside her.

  Nora groaned and leaned forward, finding his lips with hers. Letting go of his shaft, she pushed him onto his back and moved into place on top of him. They kissed as her knees came to rest on either side of his hips, straddling him as his length rubbed against her core. Ending their kiss with a soft bite to his bottom lip that made his eyes flame with desire and his expression grow intense, Nora positioned herself above him then eased down carefully, filling herself with him.

  “You’re so wet already,” he panted, his hands finding her breasts and cradling them in his palms as he kneaded gently. “Damn it, Nora. You’re killing me.”

  She grinned as the feeling of power returned and she pumped up and down on top of him. The feeling of him inside her, nothing between them, was so arousing that she already felt close to the edge.

  Kane squeezed her nipples, tugging gently and then not so gently as she rode him. She moaned at the sensations exploding inside her. “Yes, oh God, Kane…keep doing that.”

  He pulled harder and slammed his hips upward in rhythm, meeting her core with each eager thrust. Her head fell back and her eyes closed as she got lost in everything she was feeling.

  “Nora, be here. With me,” Kane’s gruff voice pleaded, and she looked down at him below her. The heat in his eyes was so intense, it made her stomach somersault. It was thrilling and exhilarating, and she couldn’t look away. Not that she’d want to anyway.

  Letting go of her breasts, he gripped her hips instead, lifting her with each thrust and pulling her back down with more force. They slammed together fast and hard, entirely different from anything they’d done before, yet exactly what she needed right then.

  “I’m getting close, Nora. Come with me. Tell me what you need.” Kane’s voice alone could have made her come right then, because his throaty growl sent jolts of pleasure straight to her center.

  She grabbed his right hand and lifted it to her mouth. He watched her with fascination, his eyes widening, as she took his thumb between her lips and flicked her tongue across it. When his thumb was slick with her saliva, she pulled it down between them and pressed it directly against her clit. He immediately began circling the little bundle of nerves, applying pressure in a pulsing rhythm.

  Nora gasped at the jolt that shook her from his thumb’s manipulation as she continued to bounce up and down on top of him. She began to shake harder, and she knew she was seconds from exploding.

  “Come for me, kitty,” Kane growled. “Come. Now.”

  Her body locked up, and she no longer had control as waves of ecstasy crashed into her as she pushed down on him so he was as far inside her as possible. “Holy shit…Kane…”

  He pushed harder against her clit, rubbing furiously, and the pressure made her scream: it was simultaneously the most intensely pleasurable thing she’d ever felt in her life as well as somehow earth-shatteringly excruciating. “Say my name again, kitty. Say it.”

  “Kane!” she shouted, and he gripped her hips with both hands once more. He pumped in and out, guiding her body up and down on top of him, then his body went rigid and she felt him coming deep inside her.

  Completely spent, unable to hold herself upright, Nora collapsed onto his chest. Neither of them tried to disentangle their limbs; they simply lay together, Nora splayed over his body, Kane still inside of her. She listened to his lungs gulping in air until his breathing finally slowed and matched her own.

  “I think I need another shower now,” he finally said. “Sun’s barely up, and I’m already exhausted.”

  Nora laughed. “I know what you mean.” She slid off him gently, curling up against his side instead. Her hand rested on his chest, which was covered in a layer of sweat.

  Kane reached up and touched her bandaged wrist. “How’s your hand feel?”

  “It still throbs a little, but my whole body is throbbing right now.”

  Kane grinned and winked at her. “You’re welcome.”

  Nora rolled her eyes, a small smile on her lips. “Good to know you haven’t lost your arrogance.”

  “Again, you’re welcome.” He kissed her temple and squeezed her into a tight hug before letting go and sitting up. “I’m going to take a shower. Want to join me?”

  “If my legs weren’t jelly right now, I would.” Nora curled into the blankets, rolling around until she was completely tucked in from every side. It was quite a production, and in creating her blanket burrito, she had completely yanked the blankets off him. She wasn’t sorry at all.

  Kane watched her maneuver and shook his head. “You’re something special, Nora.”

  She peeked out of the blankets to watch him stand and walk toward the bedroom door, grinning at his bare ass on display. “The good kind of special?”

  “Sure,” he teased. “Let’s go with that.”

  Moments later the shower turned on and she reconsidered joining him, but her eyelids felt so heavy she decided to nap for a few minutes instead. She still had a couple of hours before she had to be at the youth center.

  “Nora?”

  What felt like seconds later, Nora opened her eyes to see a fully dressed Kane standing next to the bed. He was holding a brown bag in one hand and a steaming cup of coffee in the other.

  “How did you shower and dress so fast?”

  “You’ve been asleep for at least an hour,” he said. “I had time to run out and grab breakfast for us. Come eat.”

  Immediately worried she’d be late for the youth center, Nora sprang out of her bed so fast she tripped over her blanket and went sprawling onto the carpet in front of Kane. Completely naked.

  But man, did that coffee smell good.

  “If my hands weren’t full right now…” he teased, grinning down at her.

  Nora puffed out her cheeks and climbed to her feet. “Well, that was embarrassing.”

  One corner of his lips turned upward. “Not from my angle.”

  She hopped through the fastest shower in her life before joining Kane in the kitchen, where he’d set up breakfast. Her injured hand was once again wrapped in the splint, which was now dry, and she barely registered her tongue burning as she gulped down the coffee Kane had bought. It was exactly what she needed right then.

  “What did you get for breakfast?” she asked.

  He pulled a slim foil cylinder out of the bag and sat it on her plate. “Breakfast burritos.”

  She glanced up from the food to see a mischievous smile on his face. “Are you making fun of my blanket burrito?”

  “I’m just trying to feed you,” he said in fake innocence, holding his hands up in defense.

  Nora unwrapped the burrito and took a big bite. She closed her eyes as the savory flavors of eggs, sausage, and hash browns rolled over her tongue. “Mmm, thank you for that.”

  “Don’t make noises like that, kitty. Not if you want to get to work on time.”

  She glanced at him again, not missing the desire in his hooded eyes. “What noises? This?” She took another bite of her burrito, closed her eyes, and moaned again.

  The sound of his chair scraping backward against the tile floor caught her attention, and by the time she opened her eyes, he was already next to her, lifting her up over his shoulder, and walking out of the kitchen.

  “Kane!” she shrieked, her mouth full and the burrito still clutched in one hand. “Put me down!”

  “I warned you.” One arm was around her thighs, holding them against his chest, and his other hand came down against her bottom, spanking her. It wasn’t hard, just playful.

  Nora laughed, coughing up pieces of egg and sausage. “Stop! I’m going to choke!
”

  She was back on the floor in seconds, and he swatted her behind again. “Can’t have you dying on me. Way to take the fun out of it, kitty.”

  She took an exaggeratedly large bite of her burrito, which earned a laugh from him, then turned, walked back to the kitchen table, and sat down.

  “You’re the one who said you wanted to feed me,” she said between bites.

  Kane sat down across from her and began to eat as well. “I could make a really dirty joke about that right now, but I’ll refrain.”

  “Thank you—you’re so kind.” Her words dripped with sarcasm as she finished her breakfast. Feeling slightly queasy, she realized she had just eaten very fast.

  “I can be kind when I want,” he said.

  “That’s true,” Nora agreed, leaning over and kissing his cheek.

  Kane stared at her, a surprised look on his face. “Did you just pay me a compliment? Oh, we have come so far, kitty.”

  “It’s not a compliment. It’s just an…observation.”

  He nodded. “I’ll take it.”

  He had a lot more to him than met the casual eye. “Fiona told me about your scholarship,” she said, remembering the conversation. “She said you give college scholarships to kids from your old high school here in Woodlawn. I think that’s pretty kind, and really amazing.”

  Eyes on his food, Kane kept eating; he shrugged as if it was nothing.

  “I’m serious, Kane.” She placed her hand on his forearm, squeezing gently. His blue eyes finally met hers, and for the first time in her memory he looked shy. “That’s a really wonderful thing you’re doing.”

  “That school meant a lot to me. Really helped me straighten out when I was just a rebellious teenager. The guidance counselor worked hard to help me get into college, and the coaches really cared about us and our futures, not just winning titles. But I was lucky. I had my father’s finances behind me to help me through it all. I knew a lot of good guys back then who had potential, just not the means.”