Reckless (24 page)

“I aim to please, darlin’.”

“You haven’t pleased me yet.” She licked her lips. “Let’s see what you’re capable of before we pass judgment.”

“I think you already know what I’m capable of, don’t you?”

Her mind flashed back to all of their erotic encounters. She shuddered to think what it would be like to share her bed with this man every night. He was, beyond question, the most amazing lover she’d ever had. “Remind me,” she whispered.

He stood over her, his tight abdomen level with her face. “That’s exactly what I intend to do.” He reached down to pull her camisole over her head, groaning as he tossed it aside. With a self-satisfied smirk, he looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but thank you.”

She giggled and fell back on the pillows behind her head. “You’re not finished yet, cowboy.”

The mood shifted from playful to intense as his eyes travelled up and down the length of her body. “I thought about you every damn day while I was gone.”

She bit her lip, trying to suppress the urge to tell him the feeling was mutual. It wasn’t fair to give him false hope. Ty hadn’t asked for any of this, yet he was the one who was going to be paying the ultimate price.

She let her legs fall open, trying to distract him. “I thought you were through talking?”

“You’re right, I am.” He climbed over her. “Roll over on your stomach.”

She smiled up at him, struck by how handsome he was. There was no doubt in her mind, with that face and voice, his debut album was going to sell a million records. “Why? You’re not proposing something kinky, are you? Not that I’d be opposed to the idea…”

He laughed as he grabbed her waist and flipped her over, peeling her shorts off. “I’ll take that under advisement.” He kissed a moist path up her legs, pausing to lick the swell of her bottom.

She squirmed as her body responded to his touch. The wet swipe of his tongue, the rasp of his whiskers, the gentle pressure as he drew her soft skin into his hot mouth. It was like sensory overload. The scent of her arousal hung heavy in the room, making her wish he’d use his capable tongue where she needed it most.

“You’re so damn sexy,” he whispered, kissing his way up her back to her shoulders. “I can’t get enough of you.” He covered her wrists with his hands, pressing her body into the mattress. “I want to taste every inch of you.”

“I don’t know if I can wait much longer.”

She could feel his mouth curve into a smile against her neck. “We’ve got all night, darlin’. I’m not going anywhere.”

Maybe not tonight, but tomorrow she’d have to tell him she couldn’t see him anymore. He would resent her for leading him on, but she needed to stoke his anger. It was the only way he would keep his distance from her and their baby. If he hated her, he wouldn’t insinuate himself into their lives, asking questions and demanding answers she could never provide without turning his world upside down.

He shifted his body, settling in beside her. His hand slipped between her legs, fuelling the fire raging inside of her. “Spread your legs for me, baby.”

“Oh God, Ty…”

He brushed her hair aside, kissing her neck as he worked a finger into her wet channel.

She buried her face in the pillow as he stroked her, building the intensity. She raised her bottom and shamelessly pressed her mound into his hand as he continued to lick her neck. “Yes, right there. I’m going to…” Her body took over when words failed her, sending a clear message that he was giving her exactly what she needed.

He continued to touch her until the last quiver subsided, leaving her body limp and exhausted.

“I don’t know if I can move,” she mumbled, turning her head to face him.

He smiled as his hand moved up her back. “That’s okay; we don’t have to go anywhere. Roll over, I want to hold you.”

She frowned, surprised by his request. “But, don’t you need…”

He laughed, pulling her into his arms as she rolled over. “Don’t worry about me. I can wait.”

Her back was pressed against his chest and she could feel how much it cost him to hold off. “Liar,” she whispered. She was struck by how selfless he was, tending to her needs while delaying his own satisfaction. It killed her to know she’d waited forever to meet a man who put her first and she may live out the rest of her life without meeting anyone else like him.

“I love you, Avery,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shut out his words. She didn’t want him to tell her he loved her. It would just make it harder for her to walk away. Instead of responding, she slid her hand behind her, easing it between their bodies. His sharp intake of breath told her he wasn’t as patient as he’d led her to believe.

“I thought you needed a few minutes.” His breathing became ragged as she wrapped her hand around his shaft, stroking him.

“God, that feels good.” His hand encircled her breast, pinching her nipples.

She flinched, drawing away from his hand. Her nipples had been sore lately, not uncommon, given her condition.

He leaned forward, trying to read her face. “Hey, you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

She tried to bury her face in the pillow to avoid his curiosity. “Uh, just…” She wanted him to believe it was her cycle prompting the symptoms because if he began to suspect it was something more, he would be relentless.

“Oh shit, sorry.” He kissed her cheek. “I’ll be more careful, I promise.”

His compassion and understanding made her want to cry. There was no way she deserved this man. “It’s okay. Don’t worry.”

He brushed her hair back from her face. “I’d never do anything to hurt you. You know that, don’t you?”

She nodded, trying to fight back the tears.

“Hey, what is it, baby?” He kissed her shoulder. “You look upset.”

She shook her head. “No, I guess I’m just a little tired. It’s been a long week.” A long week of trying to distract herself with work so she wouldn’t think about him.

“I hear ya.”

She rolled over, snuggling against his side. “Listen to me complaining.” She settled her hand on his chest. “You must be exhausted after the week you’ve had and you go back out on the road week after next, right?”

He raised his hand to stifle a yawn. “That’s the plan.”

She looked up at him. “You think you’re going to be okay with it? Travelling to different cities every day, living on a tour bus…”

He grinned. “I don’t know. Can I count on you to be there to keep me company?”

She hated herself for allowing him to believe they could have a future together. “You know I have a business to run. I can’t just follow you all over the world.” Not that she wouldn’t like to.

He brushed his lips against her hair. “I know, that was just wishful thinking on my part, I guess. But as long as I have you to come home to, I’m good with it.”

Maybe claiming one last night with him had been a mistake. She should tell him now, before they made love again, that it had to be over.

He shifted his weight to cover her. “I know patience is supposed to be a virtue and all that, but I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

Her hands moved up his back. “Kiss me,” she whispered. So much for good intentions. When he looked at her like that, like he wanted to devour her, the only thing she could think about was having him inside of her again.

“Condom?” he asked.

She inclined her head toward the nightstand. “You’ll find some in there.”

He reached over, grabbing one from the box before closing the drawer. He grinned at her before tearing the package open with his teeth.

Once he had it open, she seized the package. “Why don’t I help you with that?”

He chuckled, dropping his head. “Darlin’, if you touch me right now, I’m liable to go off like a rocket.”

“Ohh, I wouldn’t mind seeing that.” She gripped his shaft, sliding her hand up and down before rolling the condom on.

“Sweet Jesus,” he muttered. “You don’t know what you do to me, woman.” He positioned himself over her, pausing long enough to look into her eyes and make that connection before sliding home.

She closed her eyes and tensed, needing to savor the moment. When she was alone and missing him, she wanted to remember what it felt like to have him surrounding her, his weight on top of her, filling her, his scent flooding her.

He leaned forward, easing his hands under head. “You need a minute, baby?”

Baby. That one word served as a reminder that she was carrying his baby. A little boy or girl he would never know. She hated herself almost as much as she hated Abby for doing this to him. He deserved to know his child, their child, to be a part of his or her life.

“I’m okay,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “Make love to me, Ty. Please…”

“My pleasure.” He leaned forward, nuzzling her neck as he slid in and out, stroking her. “That feels so good.” His breathing was ragged. “It’s been too damn long.”

She wrapped her arms and legs around him, trying to draw him closer, knowing it would never be close enough to ease the ache in her heart.

He reached an arm up to grab the headboard as he increased his intensity. He thrust in and out furiously, creating just enough friction to maximize her pleasure. “Ah, I’m gonna need a…” His face contorted in ecstasy, outlining his hard edges. “Minute, or I’m gonna lose it.”

She loved to watch him on the verge of losing control. Knowing that she had the power to make this tough guy melt in her arms satisfied her in a way sex alone never had. She knew it was because what she shared with Ty went beyond sex. It went beyond the bedroom. It was a soul-deep connection that left her feeling awed and terrified. “It’s okay. Just let go, Ty.”

“No, I want to make you…”

She squeezed him with her inner muscles, taking the decision out of his hands.

“Damn it, girl.” He gripped the headboard with both hands, tensing before giving into the sensation. As he absorbed the shock of his powerful release, he said, “My God, I think I’m gonna pass out.”

She laughed as he slowly withdrew and eased off the bed. “Be right back.”

She watched him walk to the bathroom. He was amazing. Hard muscles, bronzed skin, massive shoulders that tapered down to a narrow waist. She sighed. How the hell was another man supposed to compete with that? She reached for the remote control for her sound system and pressed the button, filling the room with the sound of music. His music.

He came out of the bathroom, grinning. “Would somebody turn that shit off?”

She laughed and patted the bed beside her. “Come here, cowboy. You wore me out. Time to get some sleep.”

He slipped between the sheets, tucking his arm around her as he settled her head on his chest. “G’night, baby.”

That was the last word she heard on his lips as she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Fifteen

Ty woke up to the sound of screaming and crying.

Avery was thrashing around in bed shouting, “No, my baby. Please, don’t let him take my baby.”

Startled, he sat up, torn between listening to her rant and waking her. In her dream, Avery believed she had a baby and someone was trying to take him or her away? What the hell was that about?

“Please, don’t do this, I’m sorry. I should have told you. It was my fault. She needs me. I’m her mother…”

She was crying harder now, sobbing.

Ty touched her shoulder, afraid of startling her. “Avery, honey, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”

“No, you can’t,” she shouted. “I won’t let you.”

He shook her more forcefully, trying to put her out of her self-induced misery. “Avery, wake up.”

Her sobs started to subside as she forced her eyes open. She sat up in bed. “Where’s the baby? What have you done with her? I want my baby.”

Ty stared at her, trying to decide whether she was awake. She appeared to be. Her eyes were wide open.

She jumped out of bed and ran down the hall.

He got up to follow her, concerned she might hurt herself if she wasn’t fully awake. “Where the hell are you going?”

“To the nursery,” she shouted over her shoulder.

“Nursery? What nursery? What are you talking about?”

She stopped in the doorway of her second bedroom, a small home office. She turned toward Ty, looking upset and confused. “What happened?” She pressed her hands to her stomach.

“Sweetheart, you were just having a bad dream. You must have imagined you had a baby and someone was trying to take her from you.”

“You,” she whispered. “It was you.” She touched her fingertips to her mouth, as though she wished she could take the words back.

“Why would I try to take your baby?” He looked at her carefully. His gut told him this went beyond a random dream.

She covered her face with her hands, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t know. Listen, you’d better go, Ty.”