Open Arms (13 page)

“Tammy. I want you to feel good.”

“I
do
feel good.”

He smiled and kissed her mouth, then her eyelids. “You can feel better.”

Her smile was radiant. “OK, then.”

Rob moved down her body, kissing her breasts, her stomach, the tops of her thighs. Gently, he turned her on the sofa. She sat up, her slim back pressed against the sofa behind her and her legs dangling on the floor. He knelt between her open thighs, lifted her legs on to his broad shoulders, wrapped them around his neck. She sobbed as his mouth moved closer to her hot sex, then closer.

Rob closed his eyes at the first taste of her. Sweet, hot. Perfect. He opened her lips and found the hard nub of her desire – he pressed his tongue against it, circled it, took it between his lips and gently pulled at it. Tammy’s hips raised off the sofa and he grasped her under her pert ass. He lifted her closer, higher and sucked her clit without mercy.

Tammy couldn’t believe how it felt: his hot mouth lapped her and licked her, his tongue penetrated her in the most amazing way. She was in the air, her hands holding on to the back of Rob’s neck, her whole body concentrated on what he was doing between her legs. She arched her back.
My God, I’m going to come already
.

She felt the waves growing with his every thrust, every touch, and she shuddered. His head was moving between her legs, and she ran her fingers through his thick blond hair, directing him for her pleasure. She was shameless now, lifting her hips up, higher and higher, straining to be closer to his mouth, to his tongue. He burrowed deeper in to her wet pussy, sucking her clit, loving her every moan and movement.

Tammy closed her eyes as the spasms grew and strengthened; here it came, now. Her body lit up: the ripples of light started in her pulsating center and moved outwards, down her thighs and legs, all the way to her curling toes. Her chest caught fire and her fingertips tingled. And still, it built.

She was sobbing now. “I can’t – I can’t take it… Rob, please!”

He responded by pressing his tongue against her delicate pearl, wet and dripping against his lips, as hard as he could. It sent an electric current through Tammy’s body and she exploded, completely. She jerked wildly on the sofa, fighting to keep her legs spread, and he coated his lips with her sweet essence; she knew he could feel every vibration, every shock-wave.

Her body went limp and she gasped for breath. Rob rose on his knees and kissed her and his passion sparked hers again. She tugged at his t-shirt, pulled at his jeans. He almost growled when she ran her fingers over his hardness. He wasn’t interested in any more preliminaries: watching her come was more than enough to turn him on, almost to the point of pain.

He pulled her unresisting body to the floor, turned her on her stomach. She lay trembling, waiting for him to put on the condom and then take her. Rob ran his hands down her spine, around her waist, and then lifted her hips up and back, raised her in to the air. She leaned on her elbows, her forehead pressed to the carpeted floor, barely breathing.

He lifted her more, ran his finger up and down her sex, opening her to receive him. Tammy gave a small shriek and thrust her hips back, begging now for him to be inside of her.

“You feel so good,” he said in a low voice. “You are the fucking hottest woman I have ever known… you make me crazy.”

Without waiting for her to reply, he pushed himself inside of her, all in one movement, as deep inside her as he could go, buried to the hilt. She exhaled sharply, pressed her ass back against his thighs, taking him even deeper. He groaned, pulled back almost to the tip of his cock, plunged in again. And again. And again. And again. He held her hips and just thrust and thrust, barely hearing her rising cries, feeling nothing except her sex, hot and sweet and pulsing.

One final thrust – as deep as he could go – and he came, hard. He jerked and cried out, his chest heaving; he didn’t think he’d ever stop coming. As his vision cleared, he saw that she writhed beneath him, close but still not coming and he reached under her, found her swollen clit. As she started to come, he rolled it between his fingers.

Tammy screamed, exploding for the second time in as many minutes. Her arms shook and she collapsed, stars bursting in front of her eyes. If Rob hadn’t been grasping her hips and massaging her pussy, she’d have landed flat on her face.

Oh, Christ on a cracker, girl. You have a thing for crash-landing on the floor around this man.

“Hold on there, sweetheart,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve got you.”

He leaned forward and gently hooked her under the arms. He pulled her back until she was sitting on his large thighs, pressed back against his broad chest. He was kneeling behind her, still inside of her, and she closed her eyes to savor the sensation of Rob holding her close, running his hands all over breasts, kissing the side of her neck, murmuring in her ear.

“How was that, sweet thing?” he whispered.

She turned her head to face him. Her eyes were bright. “It was perfect.”

“Yeah. I thought so too.”

She felt him swell inside of her and she gasped. “No way!”

“Oh, yes way.” He moved her on his swelling cock, her hips rolling and thrusting. He ran his tongue down her neck and she shuddered. “I can’t get enough of you, Tammy.”

She threw her head back, closed her eyes. She couldn’t get enough of him either.

Chapter Eight

Phil straightened up when he heard the engine approaching. Twinkle nickered and he stroked her nose.

“Come on now, girl. I’ll finish brushing you later.”

She rolled her eyes at him and tossed her head.

“You’re so vain,” he said. “You just wait a few minutes, now.”

She huffed.

“OK, OK.” He shook his head. “Hey, Rosie!”

She popped her head out from Millicent’s stall. “Yeah? What’s up?”

“Can you finish grooming Twinkle here? Madam can’t wait.”

“Sure thing.” Rosie came over, tall and healthy and glowing. “You’re a real princess, huh? Can’t wait on your primping?”

Twinkle harrumphed and tossed her head again.

Phil stood in the stable doorway and watched Kimana climb out of her truck and walk down the hill towards him.

“Mornin’, Phil.”

“Mornin’, hon. What are you doing out this way?”

“I just wanted to drop by, see how Tammy is.”

Phil beckoned her in and they walked to the back office. “You want some tea?”

“Please.”

He got two mugs and his thermos. The steam rose as he poured the tea and Kimana sniffed appreciatively. “Lapsang Souchong?”

“Yep. The best there is.”

They raised their mugs to each other and sipped.

“OK, so. Tammy.”

Kimana leaned back, crossed her legs. “Is she OK?”

“Better than OK.”

“She faced down Wolf?”

“I’d say. She opened the cabin door and stood there staring at him for about a minute, she figures. They just looked at each other, neither one moving. She said she barely blinked the entire time.”

“Longest minute of her life, I expect.”

“Damn right.”

“And did she also confront the other thing she was hiding from?”

“Yes. She and Rob are in New York right now, working with the police sketch artist.”

Kimana smiled. “She is a remarkable woman.”

“Indeed. A shame I'm not ten years younger, or she isn’t ten years older. And that Rob isn’t a horrible human being who doesn't deserve her.”

“Oh, Phil. Honestly. You aren’t old. Plenty of life still in you, and lots of love to give. With the right woman.” She looked him over. “You ain’t half bad-looking, either. Easy on the eyes, I’d go so far as to say.”

“Nah. My romance days are over.” He sipped and shrugged. “Too bad none of my relationships were ever really healthy or loving.”

“There’s still time.”

“Nah again. I’m good on my own.”

They sat quietly, two friends who had pulled each other through some incredibly hard times, and who were happy to sit in silence together.

“You know, Phil. This whole thing with Tammy just reminded me how everybody has a wolf. Tammy had a memory to retrieve, a predator in an alley to confront and challenge. You and me? Our wolf is alcohol. Addiction.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

She raised her mug. “To another day where we have kept the wolf outside of our door, outside of our house. To another day where we didn’t let that beast in to our lives to rip and maim and destroy everything we’ve built up and won and achieved. To another day sober.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Phil said. “To another day where we kept the wolf at bay.”

**
Tammy stared down at the pad of paper. She had been at this for almost four hours and she was exhausted and near tears. But it was all worth it now.

She turned to Dora, the sketch artist. “That’s him.”

Norm Jaruzelski stepped forward. He had been sitting at his desk in the corner with Rob for most of the time, the two men quietly watching Tammy and Dora work. He held out his hand and Dora handed him the pad.

He looked at it. “You’re sure, Tammy?”

She nodded. “Oh, yes.”

“It was dark, you were beaten badly. You had head trauma –”

“Yes. But every time I look at this face, my stomach clenches up and I can’t breathe. I
know
it’s him.”

Jaruzelski studied her stiff shoulders. “That’s good enough for me.”

Rob came over to Tammy. He wasn’t sure if she wanted to be touched or not and he held back, waiting to see what she would do.

She smiled at him, tired and strained. “I’m OK.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She went in to his arms and stood there, almost sagging. “Just take me home. Please.”

Rob kissed her on the forehead. “You got it, sweetheart. Let’s go.”
**

Rob paused in the bedroom doorway. Tammy was sitting there, her back to him. She was staring out the window, very still.

“Hey, sweetheart. What’s wrong? Are you OK?”

“Can you come in here for a minute?”

“Of course.” He sat down on the other side of the bed, not touching her.

“Can you get in to bed with me?”

Rob lay down and held out his arms to her. When she didn’t move towards him, didn’t even turn around, he was alarmed and sat up again.

“Tammy?”

“Is it OK if we lie down together but we don’t make love?” she asked. Her voice was small and timid and it broke his heart.

He scooped her in to his arms, and turned her to face him. She lay down and buried her face in his chest. He stroked her hair. “You just stay right where you are, as long as you need to. I’m here.”

She lay next to him, not crying, but quiet and subdued. She just breathed in and out, and waited for her stomach to unclench and for the block of ice in her chest to unfreeze. She just waited to feel like herself again. She was almost there.
**

Two hours later, Rob got up and went in to the kitchen to find some food. Tammy had fallen asleep an hour earlier and he had lain awake, holding her and watching her. He thought that after seeing the face of the man who had hurt her so badly, she might have a nightmare about the attack, but she was peaceful and calm. He knew in his heart that coming back here to confront the bogeyman in the alley was the best, strongest thing for her to have done.

He stared out the window of Julie’s bright kitchen. It was raining, raining hard, and the gray skies reflected the gray buildings. The architecture in New York was amazing, no doubt about that, and the buzz in the city was crackling with energy and potential. But he didn’t like being in the city anymore, not since he had left Denver and moved to just outside Clarity. He needed space and sky and fresh air. Even though he was born and raised in Denver and had loved cities all his life, Open Skies was something special.

He made a cup of tea and a sandwich and sat alone in the kitchen to eat. When Tammy got up, he’d try to coax her to go out with him somewhere to get a proper meal. Maybe she’d prefer to order in, though. She may need a night on the sofa in her pj’s, laughing at bad television and drinking wine.

He heard a noise behind him and he started.

“Rob?”

“Sweet thing, I was hoping you’d get some more sleep.”

She came in to the kitchen. “No, I’m OK.”

“You sure?”

“Uh-huh.” She looked at his plate. “Can I have a bite of that?”

“Sure.”

Tammy took a massive bite, demolishing almost half the sandwich. “Ummm. Good.”

He grinned. “You want me to make you one?”

“Maybe later.”

“OK.”

“Right now, I want you to come with me.”

“Come with you where?”

“This way.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

“But the bedroom is that way.”

“You got that right, sweet thing.” She tossed her head. “Come on, now.”

He followed her in to the bedroom and watched as she turned to face him. Slowly, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and pulled her long t-shirt off. She was naked underneath and his breath caught at the sight of her tight, rose-tipped breasts and the soft hair between her thighs. His eyes lit up and she went weak in the knees at the look of pure animal lust crossing his face. Naked, she climbed in to bed and stretched out in front of him.

“Will you join me?” she asked.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and touched her flat stomach. She shuddered.

“Move over, sweetheart.” He lay down on his back fully clothed, and took her in his arms. Her breasts brushed against the material of his t-shirt and the feeling was exquisite. Her mouth opened against his lips as he captured her in a kiss. Their tongues met, retreated, met again.

“I want to taste you,” he whispered. “Come here.”

He gently pulled her up the length of his body, and spread her thighs with his large hands. He lifted her hips, set her on his chest, pressed her knees farther apart on either side of his shoulders. He reached beneath her, behind her, stroked her ass. Then he placed his hands on her thighs, and pulled her closer. Closer.

She gazed down at him as he slowly inched her body forward. She held her breath, waiting for the moment when he’d taste her. Seconds passed, and then finally, he rested her on his mouth. Tammy threw her head back and moaned.

Rob spread her thighs wider, buried his face between her legs. God, she tasted so sweet – she was hot and wet and all he wanted was to bury his tongue as deep inside her as he could. He licked her pink lips, up one side and down the other, spreading her sex wider with his fingers.

Her head spinning, Tammy placed both hands on the wall in front of her. Her pussy was pressed in to Rob’s mouth; he was able to reach every inch of her from this angle. His hands caressed her outer lips, then pushed inside, fingering her clit as he lapped and sucked and stroked. His strokes were teasing and Tammy wriggled on him.

He circled her swollen pearl slowly, watching her face. “What do you want, Tammy?”

“Your tongue,” she whispered. “Inside me – all the way inside me… please.”

He held her eyes as he licked her bud luxuriously, spreading her sweetness around and around in circles. “Like that?”

“No.” She arched.

Rob darted his tongue in, then out. She gasped, her hands curling in to fists on the wall. “Like that?”

“Yes… yes. Again, do it again. More.”

He thrust his tongue inside, deeper this time. Tammy cried out.

“Like that?”

Tammy couldn’t answer; her body was shaking wildly just from that one thrust. She nodded, gasping.

Her hips were moving of their own accord now, moving back and forth, gyrating on his hot mouth. Not in the mood for any more games, Rob pulled her down, burying himself in her, devouring her. She raised herself on her knees, lowered her pulsating center on him, raised herself again. She moved faster, feeling the pressure build in her pussy with every thrust; his tongue stabbed her, his thumb pressed on her clit, his fingers held her open, wide open. The sensations rose and rose and Tammy sobbed, begging him for release.

When the climax came, it shocked her with its intensity. She froze, her legs spread as wide as possible, her whole body on fire, her sex open and aching and melting in to his eager mouth.

Rob felt her body stop shaking, felt her go rigid on top of him. He pushed his tongue as deep as he could, and pressed on her clit at the same time. Tammy screamed, screamed again. Her thighs and hands gripped his head, and she pushed her sex against him; he lapped up her sweetness like a parched man, wanting it to never end.

In her whole life, Tammy had never experienced such an orgasm. It was deep and wide and overwhelming – it was a wave of sensation that just broke over her and swept her away. Every inch of her body was alive, every nerve ending sizzled with electricity, and she thought her heart was beating fast enough to burst. She couldn’t stop screaming, couldn’t keep herself from grasping his head, forcing his mouth tighter and deeper and harder against her pussy, milking every bit of the release, riding the wave until it receded and subsided.

Tammy fell forward suddenly, her forehead resting on the wall, her eyes shut tight. Her slim body shook, and Rob gently lifted her off his mouth, wiped his lips on his t-shirt. He turned her to face him, wrapped her in his arms. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath, and she clung to him and sobbed, her face hidden in his chest.

“Tammy. Hey, are you OK?” He stroked her tumbled hair. “Sweetheart, are you with me?”

She was crying now, crying like a child cries: helplessly and without restraint. Rob held her as close as he could, waiting for the storm to pass.

Slowly, she calmed. She opened her eyes, looked in to his worried face.

“Tammy? What happened? Are you alright?” He lifted her chin. “Did I hurt you? God, Tammy, what did I do wrong?”

She took a shuddering breath. “Nothing. It was – it was incredible.”

The tension left his face. “It was?”

“Yes,” she wiped her cheeks, slick with tears. “It was – I just – I didn’t know that it could be like that. I wasn’t ready for that.”

“So, you’re OK?”

“More than OK,” she said. “That was the most amazing experience. I’ve never – I didn’t think it was possible for – for it to be like that.”

He stroked her back, felt her body relax. “Wow. Well, I’m glad it was so good.”

She kissed him now, sweetly, exhausted. “It was. Believe me. It was.”

Minutes passed. They lay, silent. Tammy was cradled in Rob’s arms; she felt like she was floating.

She raised her head. “You know what Kimana said, about me having to open the door to the wolf? To stop hiding and to face it?”

He touched her hair. “Yeah.”

“Well, I don’t think I was the only one who had to do that.”

He gazed down at her. “What do you mean, sweetheart?”

She sat up a bit to see his face better. “I mean
you
.”

“Me? I didn’t have anything lurking around, waiting for me to confront it.”

“Sure you did. Your true nature.”

“My what?” Rob stared down at her in confusion.

“Well, think about it. You’re a nice guy, a good man – there’s never been any doubt about that. You’re a protector and someone who offers comfort and safety. Right?”

“OK.”

“But you’re also a
different
kind of protector – one who would fight to protect the people he cares about. Right?”

“Of course. I think most people are.”

“
And
you’re a wild thing in bed.”

He blushed. “What are you even –”