Too Hard to Break (9 page)

“Now don’t start thinking of reasons to say no, Elle. You
know we’re good for each other. We’ve both admitted to loving each other and
we’ve lived together for months now with no problems. The way I see it, you
just need to move your things in here and sleep in my bed every night. That
won’t change much.”

“You want me…forever?”

His smile returned slowly, and he nodded before kissing the
tip of my nose. “And ever and ever, baby. ’Til-death-do-us-part kind of forever.”

“Oh, Hank.”

Emotions swelled in me until I thought I’d burst. I pushed
him onto his back and straddled him, pulling my shirt off before he could
protest.

“So, is that a yes?” he asked.

I laughed and started kissing him until he forgot the
question.

We wrestled to be on top but I’m pretty sure he let me win.
By the time we were done I was finally naked and his boxers hit the floor soon
after. I ran my palms over his muscular chest and through the thin pelt of hair
to his abdomen. He’d grabbed a condom and handed it to me. I tortured him by
rolling it on as slowly as possible.

“Damn, baby, if you don’t behave this first time isn’t going
to last much longer.”

I giggled and leaned down to kiss the covered tip of his
penis. He groaned and threaded his fingers through my hair.

“That’s all right. So long as you have more than one
condom.”

“I’ve got two boxes I bought five months ago. They’ve been
waiting as patiently as I have.”

I bit my lip and gently grasped his cock between both palms.
“I’m sorry you had to wait so long.”

He shook his head and thrust into my grip. “Don’t be. Worth
it. So fucking worth it.”

He pulled my shoulders down until he could reach my breasts
with his questing mouth. I gasped and thrust them forward as he suckled one
between his lips. My breath shuddered through me when he switched to the other
and I grabbed the headboard for balance. He held one breast in his hand and one
between his lips. His other large palm cupped my ass lovingly, squeezing it in
rhythm to his sucking. I rode him slowly, rubbing my crotch against his, though
he hadn’t entered me yet.

“O-okay. Okay, now,” I said.

He didn’t protest as I sat up again to reach between us. I
took his cock in one hand and positioned it between my thighs. He grasped my
hips and steadied me when I would have plunged. It was sweet torture as he
slowed my descent. Finally I was seated fully on him and nothing in my life had
ever felt so right. We were made for each other.

“Perfect,” he whispered.

I nodded and started to move, rocking my hips back and forth
and riding to my pleasure. He gripped my upper thighs but didn’t try to stop
me, just seemed to need the anchor. It wasn’t a position I was used to. Declan
had always wanted to take full control. Hank let me use him as I needed and the
look on his face told me he was enjoying it just as much.

I placed both palms on his chest and leaned forward to
change the angle of his penetration. He groaned and thrust up harder.

“Oh god, yes,” I gasped.

As if that was all he’d been waiting for, he gripped my
thighs harder and pulled them wider. I quickened the movement of my hips as he
thrust harder.

“Oh, Hank…Hank…yes…”

I just needed a little bit longer, a little more friction to
explode like a firecracker. I leaned forward until I was almost lying flat on
his chest, increasing the pressure of my clit against his pelvis.

“Oh my god!”

And that was all it took. He sped up his thrusts and I came
until I saw stars. The orgasm sped through my muscles like lightning and I
threw my head back on a moan. Hank grabbed my ass in both hands and ground
against me so hard I thought I might hurt him, but then he shouted my name and
went still.

“Jesus, baby. That…was…amazing.”

All I could muster was a smile, but my face was plastered to
his chest so he didn’t see it. That didn’t seem to bother him as he ran one
hand up and down my back. We remained that way, panting in each other’s arms,
for god knows how long. Finally my skin cooled enough to chill and I shivered.

He rolled onto his side with a groan and I slipped from his
chest. I settled onto my back and let my arms fall to my sides. He sat up with
a chuckle and leaned over me.

“You all right?”

“I don’t know. I think you killed me.”

“Now don’t exaggerate, darlin’. I’m sure you’re good for at
least two more rounds.”

I couldn’t help but laugh and he kissed the tip of my nose.

“Hold that thought and I’ll be right back,” he said.

With a sigh I watched his delectable ass move across the
room to his bathroom. He took care of business and returned with a grin on his
face. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to do with you.”

Before I could ask a single question, he lifted me into his
arms and strode back into the bathroom. I’d never actually been in there and
gasped in amazement.

“Oh my god, it’s beautiful.”

“Thank you. This was the first room I redid when I bought
this house. I made it large enough for the garden tub and standing shower, then
realized it might be nice to have a double sink if I ever found a lady to share
it with.”

I rolled my eyes as he set me on my feet.

“Sorry, hon, but you got me instead of a
lady
.”

He chuckled and pulled me into a heart-stopping kiss that
made me forget what the hell we’d been talking about.

“You are my lady, and don’t you forget it.”

“Huh?”

He chuckled again and let go of me to start the water in the
tub. With a sigh I tied my hair into a knot at the top of my head and waited.
He finally turned to me and held out his hand.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

I stepped into his arms without an ounce of doubt or
hesitation.

Chapter Six

We bathed slowly, washing each other in between tasting and
loving. I left more than one mark on his skin and he left a mark on top of each
of my breasts. It wasn’t until we were done that I realized it was the first
time I’d ever bathed with a man.

“What’s so funny, baby?”

I looked up at him, only then realizing I was smiling. “I
think we got more water on the floor than we left in the tub.”

He looked around and laughed. “Yeah, maybe.”

He stepped out and grabbed a towel, holding it open to me.
When I held my arms out, he wrapped me up and lifted me into his embrace. Like
a cherished treasure he cradled me and walked to his bed. He set me down gently
and started rubbing the towel over my skin.

“So…are you ready for round two?” I asked.

His eyebrows lifted and there was definite interest in his
gaze. “Maybe.”

“Maybe? How can I change that to definitely?”

He shrugged and opened the towel to reveal all I had to
offer. I’d never thought much about my body. I stayed in decent shape just by
working at the gym and eating well, but I’d never really felt sexy. The heat in
his gaze as he looked me over sizzled my blood. I squirmed and rubbed my thighs
together in anticipation of what he might do next.

“That all depends on one thing, darlin’.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

Rather than answer, he stood and gripped my legs, moving me
so they hung off the edge of the bed. He kneeled between my knees and spread my
thighs.

“Before we do anything else I’m going to taste your slice of
heaven.”

The breath rushed out of my lungs as he licked a slow line
up one thigh. He placed a closed-mouth kiss flat against my core before licking
down the other thigh. I fought to keep my hips still for his play.

“Oh…Jesus…”

He took his time lifting me to an orgasmic high that left me
soaring for long minutes.

I called out his name as the pressure slowly started to
build low in my belly.

“Yes…yes…”

His hazel eyes peeked at me over the expanse of my body.

“Yes!”

I came hard, soon pushing on his shoulders to stop the
overload.

“Oh god, Hank. No more…I can’t take…no more…”

He rose and used my towel to wipe his face before leaning
over my limp form.

“I probably should have made you wait but I just couldn’t
help myself,” he said.

I had no idea what he was talking about and was too sated to
care. The glorious erection nudging my hip caught my attention and I slipped
one palm around it. He groaned and closed his eyes for a heartbeat before they
sprang back open.

“No, baby, not yet.”

He pulled back and I sat up to reach for him. “Why not? I
thought you had more condoms.”

“I do, but you never answered my question.”

True confusion filled me as I watched him straighten and
cross his arms over his chest. How he could stand so calmly while obviously
aroused baffled me to no end, but I had no idea what he was talking about.

“What question?”

Rather than answer he turned away and went to his dresser.
My confusion continued to grow as he rooted around in a drawer before returning
to the bed. He went down on one knee, held up a small velvet box and opened it
for my inspection.

“Elle Jean Woodard, would you do me the great honor of
becoming my wife?”

As a little girl I had fantasized about all kinds of ways my
true love would propose. Of course, it had never included a naked, fully
aroused man built like Hank, but who was I to complain? I jumped off the bed,
snatched the box out of his hand and dropped on top of him. He laughed as he
threw his arms around me and fell onto his back.

“Of course I’m going to marry you, Hank. You think I’m dumb
enough to let the best thing that’s ever happened to me get away?”

He shook his head and hugged me tight. “I don’t think you’re
dumb at all, baby. Just a little stubborn maybe. But I wasn’t going to take no
for an answer for long. I figured I’d weaken you with mind-blowing sex until
you were too tired to argue.”

I laughed until tears streamed from my eyes and he carried
me to the bed. “God I love you, Hank.”

“And I love you too, Elle. You know I would have waited
forever for you.”

With a sigh I snuggled into his arms as I opened the box to
inspect my beautiful ring. “I wouldn’t have made you wait forever.”

“No?”

His grin didn’t quite hide the doubt in his eyes and guilt
assailed me. Why had I waited so long for this wonderful man? At first it
really had been because I needed to heal, but then it turned into something
else. I slipped the ring onto my finger and he took the empty box from me,
placing it on the bedside table.

“I have a confession to make.”

He raised one brow and waited while I summoned all the
courage I had hidden somewhere inside to confess everything.

“I, uh…for the past few days I thought you had moved on. I
thought you were seeing someone.”

The hint of amusement in his gaze disappeared and an
uncharacteristic frown wrinkled his brow. I took a deep breath and tensed for
his anger but he surprised me with a kiss instead.

“That certainly explains a lot.”

“It does?”

He nodded and moved over me, settling comfortably between my
legs. It was immediately obvious all our talking hadn’t dimmed his arousal one
bit.

“Yes, it does. I noticed you growing distant and there was
that one night I got home late.”

The memory of that night sent a flush to my face and I
turned away. “Yeah.”

He ran the fingers of one hand through my hair a couple of
times before cupping the side of my face. He looked into my eyes and there was
no anger in his gaze.

“What happened that night? I was so ready to make love to
you and I thought you wanted it too.”

“I did, but…”

“But?”

I took a deep breath and confessed the rest in a rush. “I
smelled perfume on your hand and you were late and I got upset.”

True surprise lit his face before he threw his head back and
laughed. “Perfume? On my hand?”

I nodded.

“Oh, baby. Gloria bathes in the stuff. All I did was shake
her hand when she met me at the restaurant. I’m so sorry.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the true regret in his tone. It
immediately erased the slight fear and the memory of pain from that night.

“It’s okay. I know better now.”

“If you really thought I’d found another woman, why didn’t
you just ask me? I can’t believe you thought I could possibly want anyone else
with you here.”

“I know. I should have asked. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to
know…you know?”

He nodded and kissed me again, lingering at my mouth as he
nipped and tasted. After a few minutes I was squirming against him.

“You’re it for me, Elle. I knew it the moment I first kissed
you. I hope you realize that.”

For the first time tears stung the back of my throat and I
truly felt what he was offering me. I nodded as I tried to find my voice. “I
know…you’re it for me too.”

“Good.”

He next kiss was a little harder, a little desperate and a
whole lot of what I needed from him. I met it with equal fervor and wrapped my
legs around his hips.

“Hang on. Not yet.” He grabbed a condom from the bedside
table and ripped it open with his teeth. I grabbed the package and pulled it
out to take care of business myself.

“Oh, I love this part.”

He chuckled as I rolled the condom down his length and then
smoothed my hands back up the shaft. I cupped his balls in one hand and
squeezed the head gently in the other.

“Fuck, baby.”

“Yeah…fuck.”

He chuckled and thrust into my fist. We stayed like that for
a few minutes as my arousal grew into an aching need. He thrust against me and
let me play while stealing and giving kisses. Finally I’d had enough and
wrapped my legs around his hips again.

“Okay, ready?”

“Ready.”

I moved the head of his cock to the apex of my thighs and he
entered with a single thrust. We moaned into each other’s mouths and shared a
single breath. Then he was moving against me and I met him with every thrust. I
ran my hands over his warm skin, reveling in the play of muscle beneath my
palms. His elbows rested by my ears, his body cocooning me in his strength. I
turned my head to kiss his biceps and he left a trail of light bites along my
neck.

“I could do this all night,” he whispered. “I love being
inside you.”

No words could match my feelings and I barely had the breath
to speak at all. So rather than talk I kissed him again and tightened every
muscle in my body. He groaned and thrust faster.

It didn’t take long for my arousal to build to a thrumming
orgasm. I lifted my legs higher on his hips and rode through the climax as it
washed over me. His name escaped my lips and he sucked my lower lip into his
mouth.

We rocked back and forth slowly at first. Then he started
thrusting his hips faster as he sought his release. His panting breaths sounded
in my ear as his pulse beat against my breasts. Mine raced with his and I
closed my eyes. “Oh God!”

I thrust against him, coming in a rush. He pushed against me
as my muscles tightened and shouted my name. Another full second, three more
thrusts, and he slowly relaxed against me. I fought to catch my breath.

“O-okay…okay…that’s it. I need…to sleep now.”

He slipped from my body without a word and disappeared into
the bathroom. My eyelids lowered to the sound of running water.

* * * * *

It took no time at all to move my things into the master
bedroom. I set my toothbrush next to Hank’s and my disposable razors on the
ledge of his bathtub. He cleared out half his dresser and closet for me. We
both laughed when we realized my stuff barely took up a quarter of the space.

“Looks like we need to go shopping,” he said.

I immediately shook my head and set my hands on my hips. “Oh
no you don’t, Hank Thurmond. I’m not about to let you spend unnecessary money
on me.”

He put a hand over his chest and tried to look innocent. It
didn’t really work.

“Unnecessary? Now, baby, how can you say it’s unnecessary
when you need new clothes for the trip?”

I dropped my hands and bit my lip uncertainly, not sure what
to think of the gleam in his eye. “Um…what trip?”

He closed the distance and pulled me into his arms. “The
trip to Vegas I already booked for your first week of vacation. I hope you
don’t mind that I already talked to Craig about it.”

I squealed and hugged him tight. “You’re taking me to
Vegas?”

“Yes ma’am. And when we come back you’ll have to get all
kinds of paperwork taken care of.”

“What do you mean?”

“I hope you don’t mind a small wedding, darlin’. Sean and
Megan are going to head up there for the weekend and watch me make an honest
woman out of you.”

“Oh my god, really?”

“You don’t mind getting married in Vegas?”

I leaned up on my toes and kissed him. “Hell no, I don’t
mind. I love you, Hank. The sooner the better.”

He grinned and kissed me back.

“And I love you, Elle. Figured I’d better get you to the
altar before you come to your senses and try to find someone better.”

I gasped and tightened my arms around his neck. “I’m not
looking for anyone else and you better not be either, buddy. I fought too hard
to get here to let you go easily.”

“Hell no, I’m not looking for anyone else,” he said.
“Besides, I like my woman tough enough to beat the shit out of anyone who
messes with her.”

I laughed and shook my head. “That was a momentary lapse, I
assure you.”

“Maybe, but you are tough as nails. You know that, baby? Too
hard to break after all the shit you’ve been through, and just perfect for me.”

There was really nothing I could say to that. So I just
kissed him instead.