Unraveled (Love in Salem, book 2) (30 page)

They all finished off their beverages as they discussed Atayla’s ordeal.

“He didn’t have any weapons.  Apparently he never planned to hurt her but when she wouldn’t comply with his demands his temper exploded.  She had told me before that he had a volatile temper.  He thought he could convince her that she still loved him and wanted to go back to California with him.”

“Yeah.  The guy is a real creep.  I tried for a long time to get Tay to leave him, but she wouldn’t.  When I finally got the call to come and get her I was out the door as soon as we hung up.  I didn’t want to give her any time to change her mind.”

The phone began to ring and Aidan sighed.  “It’s going to be a long night.  I suppose I better get busy calling everyone to let them know Atayla is home and well.  Otherwise, they will be blowing my phone up all night.”

Abby chuckled.  “Twenty bucks says it’s your mother.  Tell her what you want everyone to know then ask her to call everyone for you.  Tell her Atayla is asleep and that you are wore out and want to be left alone until morning.  She’ll jump on the chance to help you out since you wouldn’t let her come here to hover over Tay.”

Aidan went to pick up the phone and silently waved to his friends as they left to go home themselves.  He spoke to his mother for about twenty minutes and hung up only after she assured him she was happy to update the rest of the family.

Weary clear to his bones, Aidan trudged back to the bedroom and stripped out of his clothes.  He crawled into bed and tucked himself up against Atayla’s back and wrapped his body around hers.  Now that she was back in his arms he never wanted to let her go.

Atayla turned in his arms and looked into his surprised eyes.

“I thought you were asleep.”

“I was until you came to bed.”

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to wake you.”

She smiled the sweetest smile.  “I always know when you are near.”  She lifted her lips to his for a kiss.

Aidan kept the kiss short and sweet then rested his forehead against hers.

“I thought I lost you today.”  He pulled her tightly against his body.

“That makes two of us.”  She whispered.  “But then I was found.  And you were right there.”

“I will always be there.  No matter what.”

Atayla rolled Aidan onto his back and kissed him.  Her actions took him by surprise.  Throwing her leg over him, she straddled his hips and deepened the kiss.  The cut on her lip stung from the ferocity of the kiss, but she paid it no heed.  She needed this.  She needed him.

His hands were all over her, stroking her.  A soothing balm to her tattered mind.  She was glad he didn’t ask her any questions because she wasn’t sure she knew the answers.  Just knew that she needed to feel his skin against hers.  To feel him moving inside of her.

Atayla broke the kiss and whispered against his lips.

“Make love to me, Aidan.”

He searched her eyes for a moment before pulling her to him and sat up.  She wrapped her legs around him and raised her arms for him pull her nightgown off over her head.  His mouth latched onto her breast and he suckled on it with hard pulls and nips from his teeth.

Atayla threw her head back and grasp the back of his head to pull him closer.  He had a way with his mouth that made her forget her own name.  He was as sinful as chocolate and as addictive as a drug.

His erection rubbed against her clit as she undulated in his lap.  He was completely naked underneath her and she was still trapped inside her panties.  Unwilling to break the moment, she reached down and pulled her panties to the side so she could impale herself with his cock.

She was too aroused to go slow.  She moved at a frantic pace as she rose up and fell down the length of his cock.  His moans mixed with hers sounded like a symphony to her ears.  His fingers dug into her hips as he helped her move and thrust his hips up to meet her demands.

Atayla was ready to soar in ecstasy, but hung just on the edge of detonation.  Growling in frustration, she slammed down harder in Aidan’s lap.

“Easy, baby.  Let me get you there.”  He tried to slow her down.

She shook her head.  “Harder!  Please!  Harder!”

Aidan grabbed her and flipped her around onto her hands and knees.  Before she knew it he had ripped her panties down her legs and was inside her again.  She shuddered when he began to power inside of her, her pussy nearly strangling his cock.

Groaning, he held her hips in a bruising grip and thrust into her channel over and over again.

“Is this what you want, baby doll?  Hmm?”

“God, yes!  Please, Aidan!  Make me come.”

He reached around her hip and strummed her clit, never ceasing his punishing thrusts.  It only took a second for her climax to hit, and she screamed out his name until her voice was hoarse.  Aidan followed right behind her, bucking against her until the last tremor subsided.

He collapsed to her side and pulled her close, resting his face between her shoulders.

“I’m so sorry, baby.  I was way too rough with you.”

Atayla grunted.  “It was exactly what I needed.”

He rubbed his fingers over her hips.  “You’re going to have bruises.”

She smiled against the pillow.  “I’ll let you kiss them and make them all better.”

“It’s not funny.  I hate that I hurt you.”

Atayla rolled over onto her back and stared into his eyes.  “You didn’t hurt me.  I promise you I didn’t even notice.”  She kissed him lightly on the lips.

Aidan wanted to tell her a million things at that moment.  She was so beautiful to him.  His entire life revolved around hers.  She was his heart, his soul, and he would love her for the rest of his life.

“Marry me.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.  “What?”

Aidan got out of bed and walked to the closet.  She watched as he pulled down a box from the top shelf and opened it.  From there he pulled out another box and opened it.  Atayla smiled as yet another box was revealed.

“How many boxes do you have there?”

He smirked at her.  “As many as it takes to deter you from getting to the bottom.”

Finally, he pulled out a small jewelry box and strode back to sit down on the edge of the bed.  When he opened it she saw the most gorgeous sapphire ring in the world.

“This isn’t exactly how I planned to do this.  It isn’t romantic, and I wanted to make a show of it, but I don’t want to wait another minute to see my ring on your finger.  I love you, Atayla.  I will for the rest of my life.  Marry me.”

For the umpteenth time that day tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.  At least this time they were happy tears.

“Yes.”

Aidan removed the ring from its box and slid it on her finger.   He bent over and kissed her until she pulled him down on top of her.  This time when they made love it was slow and sweet and languorous.  Full of love and passion.  Two people joining to become one.

Later on Atayla lay snuggled into his side, tracing her fingers over the Chinese dragon tattooed on his arm.

“Why did you decide to get a dragon tattoo?”  Her sex roughened voice breaking the quiet tranquility.

He raised his arm slightly to peer at it.  “Chinese dragons symbolize power and strength.  After Pops had his heart attack I had fill his shoes and help support our family.  I gave up my dreams because it was the responsible thing to do.  In a way I was still able to make my dreams come true though.  Even when I was breaking my back to bring in a pay check and put food on the table I was still able to apprentice with an outstanding artist.  Turns out tattoos are just as fulfilling as any job I could have gotten with a degree in Arts and Design.”

“Really?  You don’t regret it?”

“Nope.”  He shook his head.  “It was meant to be and I love it.  I had to work hard to get where I am, but it was worth every day of sweat and blood.  I didn’t back down when all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep for a month straight.  It was power and strength that got me through it.  That’s why when I opened my shop I was also my first customer.  Well, Clint’s first customer that is.  I hired him when I decided to open up my own business.  He gave me this tattoo.”  He ran his hand down his arm.

It was then that she knew.  She was drawn to the idea of getting a tattoo, but had never been able to decide what she wanted.

“A Chinese dragon represents myself as well.”  She looked up into his eyes.  “Not to try to steal your idea or anything, but it would be perfect for what I want.  I want a tattoo that symbolizes my taking back control of my life, and I needed power and strength to accomplish it.”

Rolling onto his side, Aidan wrapped his arm around her middle and pulled her snugly against him.  “I think it’s a perfect symbol.”  He whispered huskily against her ear. 

A fresh wave a desire pounded through her veins, causing her nipples and clit to pulsate.  It didn’t matter that they had made love twice already tonight.  She wanted him again.

He smiled knowingly and filled his hands with her soft flesh…

Epilogue

Everyone’s attention was on the newlyweds in the middle of the dance floor.  They held onto each other in a warm embrace as they danced to the love song the DJ was playing.  They made such a lovely couple. 

Abby was glad Atayla had finally found that someone special.  If anyone deserved a happily ever after, it was her.

Her eyes strayed to the guy sitting at the end of the bridal table.  He was so handsome you couldn’t miss him.  She hoped when she found her happily ever after it was with a man like him.  She would absolutely enjoy waking up to that every morning.

She lifted her Champaign flute to her lips and took another drink.  It was her third glass, and it was almost empty.  She knew it would be inappropriate to get drunk at her best friend’s wedding, but she needed the alcohol to numb her depression.  It was hard to fake a smile when all she wanted to do was cry.

Where was once of the servers when she needed one? 

Her eyes locked back on the man of her dreams.  Maybe instead of drinking she should ask that handsome devil at the end of the table for a dance.  That would help her feel better, and common courtesy would ensure that he said ‘yes.’  Then again, she thought miserably, she would rather he agreed to dance with her because he wanted to and not because he felt obligated.

Abby lifted her flute and finished off its contents.  Standing up from her seat at the table, she began to walk towards the bar.  If the alcohol wouldn’t come to her then she would go to the alcohol.

Once she approached the bar she handed the flute over to the bartender.  He immediately took the proffered glass and placed it in the basin to be taken back to be washed.  When reached for another flute Abby shook her head.

“Beer please.”

“What would you like?”

“Whatever is on tap will be fine.”

The bartender began filling the Pilsner glass with a skill and efficiency that only many years of practice could perfect.

Abby eagerly accepted the glass and took a long drink of it.  She moaned.  Ahh, yes, that was much better than the bubbly any day. 

“Like a good draft beer do you?”

Abby startled at the deep, raspy voice behind her.  Turning around, she saw the handsome devil that was sitting at the end of the bridal table.  She smiled brightly and did a mental fist pump.  She looked at his hand and saw he was drinking the same thing.

“Better than Champaign.  I can drink a celebratory glass or two, but that is about my limit.”

He smiled showing off perfectly straight, white teeth.

“I can’t say I enjoy the stuff either.”  He held out his hand to her.  “Seamus O’Reilly.  And you are?”

“Abby Claiborne.”  She shook his hand, which was actually more of a squeeze than a shake.  “O’Reilly?  You must be related to Aidan.”

“Cousin.”  He acknowledged.  “I’ve heard Tay speak of you before.  It’s nice to finally be able to put a face with the name.”

Seamus waved his glass at the bartender to let him know he wanted another one.  As efficiently as he did with Abby’s, Seamus had his beer sitting in front of him within a few seconds.

“Now that is service.”  He tipped his glass at Abby before taking a drink.  “Would you like to have a seat?  Maybe get to know one another?”

Abby’s smile widened.  “I would love to.”

He held out his arm to her.  After she placed her hand on his arm, he led her back to the table where he had been sitting.  Pulling out a chair for her, he directed her to sit in the seat diagonal to his.

Once he was seated himself, he took another swig of his beer before he asked his first question.

“So, Abby.  What do you do for a living?”

Abby had just sat her beer back on the table and licked her lips.