Waiting for Wednesday (10 page)

“Need a second. Too soon,” she whispered, but he shook his head.

“No, it’s not too soon. Open up and let me in, kitten.” His words, along with the relentless drive of his cock as it tunneled its way inside, triggered a mini climax and her inner muscles began to spasm again.

“God, Tris, can’t—”

Her words disappeared on a cry as he shoved his dick in the last few inches. She felt impossibly full, completely claimed by his thick flesh. She shuddered, wondering if she’d ever felt anything so incredibly wonderful and frightening at the same time.

“Open your eyes, Lane.” She complied, wondering when they’d drifted closed.

“Am I hurting you?”

She shook her head. He wasn’t hurting her. “You’re big.” He smiled. “You sure do know how to stroke a man’s ego. I’m going to fuck you now. Gonna try to do it slow and gentle—at least this first time. I know it’s been a while for you. Thing is, I want you, need you too bad. There’s a demon in me that wants to make sure you can’t walk right for a week.”

“I don’t need gentle, Tris. I’m not made of glass.” He gave her a sad, guilty look and she wondered what he was thinking.

“Yeah, well, you might not get gentle. I only said I’d try, not that I’d succeed. I feel the need to make sure you remember who you belong to. Probably makes me a chauvinistic asshole, but I can’t help it. You okay with that?” 77

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Her inner muscles clenched at his words and he chuckled. “Guess you are. Your pussy is gripping my cock like a clamp. Leave your hands on the mattress, no matter what. You touch me and I’m likely to go off like a volcano.” She nodded only once before he retreated, thrusting back into her so deeply she saw stars. He moved slowly at first, but soon he came into her just as he’d warned—his actions gaining strength and speed until the combination of immense pleasure mixed with the slightest bit of pain. It was more heavenly than anything she’d ever experienced. Tris was holding back nothing, giving her everything he had and more.

That realization—more than his passionate loving—drove her to the brink of bliss once again.

She cried out as her orgasm claimed her and he dropped from his hands to his elbows, still thrusting inside her cunt. His lips devoured hers as his tongue mimicked the motion of his cock.

“So good,” he said as his lips moved to her ear and she trembled as her climax began to subside—his thrusts driving her insane. She’d never felt so taken, possessed, claimed.

“That’s right,” he praised. “God, I love how you come on my dick. So hot and wet.

Oh kitten, I’m never gonna be able to get enough of this…of you.” She thought his softly spoken words sounded almost apologetic as they dragged her from the euphoria pulsating through her body. She’d already come twice and she could feel the third building with each powerful stroke.

“Can’t hold back anymore.”

He’d been holding back? When?

“Come with me.” He lifted one hand to her breast, his fingers firmly tweaking her tight nipple and this time, she did scream. Tris swallowed the sound with his mouth and she felt each pulse of his cock as he filled the condom. For several moments they were frozen together, both of them gasping for air, a slick sheen of sweat covering them.

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Tris moved out slowly and she shivered, even that soft motion wreaking havoc on her too-sensitized nerve endings. He disposed of the condom before turning back to her.

“Shhh,” he soothed, as she rested her head on his chest. “Give me a minute to figure out if I can walk again and I’ll go downstairs to get us a washcloth.” She pressed her legs together. She was sore in places she didn’t know existed and her legs felt like Jell-O.

“You okay?” he asked gently.

“I’m trying to decide.”

He laughed. “Can I decide for you? You’re better than okay. You’re amazing.” She lifted her head and looked at him. Her heart lurched at the sight of his dear face and she realized she was in way over her head. “Tris, I think I should warn you. I’m a bad bet.”

His eyes narrowed and she wondered if she’d angered him with her words. “How so?”

“I don’t have the first clue about how to be in a relationship that isn’t dysfunctional as hell.”

He shrugged, unconcerned. “That’s not a problem. I’ll teach you.”

“Is that something you can teach someone?”

“Of course it is. How do you think I learned? I watched my parents when I was growing up. My mom and pop were the real deal—lovers in every sense of the word.

That’s what I want with you, Lane. The only reason you have a problem reaching out and trusting someone is because no one in your shitty past earned your trust. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not going to leave you or let you down. I promise.” Her throat clogged with unshed tears at his vow and she struggled to respond.

“When I left last year, I hurt you, didn’t I?”

He smiled. “You came back. That’s all that matters.” 79

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“No, it’s not. Not at all. I’m so sorry, Tris, but I think that should prove to you what I’m saying is true.”

Tris came over her, his chest pressed to hers, his hands gripping her head, holding her in place. “I’ll never let you leave again. I intend to do everything in my power to keep you right here, in my bed, in my life. I’m going to make you so happy you’ll forget what it feels like to be lonely or hurt or sad or scared. I love you, Lane, and I’m going to show you exactly what that means.” He sealed his promise with the sweetest kiss she’d ever received. She could feel the tears flowing down her cheeks, but there was no force on earth that would stop them. He’d spent the last hour filling her body and now, with his words, he filled her heart.

He broke their kiss and gently wiped away her tears. “Go to sleep, kitten. We have plenty of time to figure out everything. A lifetime.” He wrapped her in the cocoon of his arms and, despite the riot of emotions rampaging through her thoughts, her body agreed with him and simply gave in to sleep.

* * * * *

Tris awoke in the middle of the night, wondering what had roused him. He usually slept like the dead after sex. Then he heard it again. Lane was whimpering. He looked over and realized she was asleep. Asleep and crying. Moonlight shone through the room’s single window and provided enough light for him to see the tears streaming down her face. His heart broke at the image.

She sobbed again and he wrapped her in his arms, pulling her head to his chest as her shoulders shook with her cries.

“Shhh,” he whispered, afraid to wake her though the sounds of her crying ripped through his gut like a bullet. “Shhh, kitten. I’m here.” He tightened his hold on her, running his hand through her hair.

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“I’m here,” he murmured over and over. Eventually, her quiet sobs subsided and he felt her drift into a deeper sleep.

Tris lay in bed with Lane in his arms, sleep eluding him as he tried to figure out what he was going to do. How was he ever going to be able to make her trust him and feel safe? For now it seemed all he could do was stay on this path, offering his love and protection. Only time would heal the wounds Lane suffered from.

Time and patience.

He sucked at patience.

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Chapter Six

Tris woke up to find Lane curled up on his chest. He grinned and ran his fingers through her soft hair, relishing the tickle of her breath. He marveled that his dream of holding her had come true. A month ago, he hadn’t dared to wish for this anymore and now, as if by magic, she was here.

A movement in the doorway caught his eye and he glanced up to find Riley standing there with raised eyebrows. He slowly disengaged from Lane, taking care not to wake her. He motioned for Riley to step out in the hall as he rose and shrugged on some jeans before joining her.

“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”

Riley grinned. “You never see anything interesting if you knock first.” Tris rolled his eyes. “What do you want, Riley?”

“I was worried about Lane when I couldn’t find her in the apartment. Pop is asking for her.”

He frowned. “Is Pop okay?”

“Oh yeah, it’s just time for his morning exercise and he’s getting antsy. Letting him watch that baseball game yesterday only made him more stir-crazy. I swear that man will be back in the restaurant serving dinner again before the week is out.”

“He’s doing great, but don’t mention the restaurant to him. I’d like to see him take a good long break from doing any serious physical labor. He’s always worked too hard.

Regardless of how well he’s doing, I don’t want to see him overdo it.”

“He loves work, Tris. That restaurant is his life. The reason he’s doing so well and working so hard to recover is so he
can
go back to work. Lane has dangled the restaurant under his nose since day one.”

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“She has?” Tris asked, feeling guilty once more for hiding from Pop during his recovery. He had a lot to make up for with his old man.

“Lane knew from the first that Pop lives for work. She said he needed something to get better for and I agree. I don’t think we should take that goal away from him. Lane said that as soon as he’s able, he could start taking orders, talking to the customers, and Ewan can do the serving and the lifting. He liked that idea. You know Pop. He loves being around people and he hates feeling useless. Lane’s given him a pretty strong incentive for making a quick recovery.”

“Lane seems to know Pop pretty well.”

Riley shrugged. “She knows all of us, Tris. That girl must have memorized every word you ever said to her on all those nights she hung out at the pub. She remembers things I’ve done even
I
don’t remember doing.” Tris wondered about Riley’s comment. Lane had often asked about his family during their weekly chats and she’d been delighted by his stories about his childhood.

“I didn’t realize.”

“I get the impression she didn’t have much of a childhood. I think you sort of gave her a taste of what a good one could be like when you told her about us.” Tris looked at his little sister and realized she had a point. “I guess I did. You’re pretty smart sometimes, brat.”

“I’m smart all the time. You’re just not always smart enough to realize it.” He laughed, but it was cut short when he heard Lane moving around behind him.

“It’s nearly ten o’clock,” Lane said.

He’d been filling the doorway and when he turned, he saw she’d put her nightgown back on. She blushed when she realized Riley was there.

“Hey, Lane,” his sister said cheerily.

“Oh, Riley. I’m so sorry I’m late. I just need to change and then I’ll be ready to start your pop’s exercises.”

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Tris wanted to protest her haste to leave. He wasn’t finished talking to
or
touching her. He knew a lifetime of kisses wouldn’t be enough for him. He also knew if she left before they’d settled a few things, he’d be starting from scratch tonight.

“Actually, I was just coming to tell Tris that Teagan’s here. She’s going to stay for a few days while Sky is doing the interview circuit, promoting his new album.”

“I thought she was going with him,” Tris said.

“She wants to spend some time with Pop,” Riley replied before looking back at Lane. “She and I were wondering if we could take Pop for a short walk outside this morning instead of him doing his daily exercises. It’s a gorgeous morning.” Tris grinned at his sister. She was giving him the perfect opportunity to be alone in the apartment with Lane.

“Oh, I think your pop would love that. I’ll get dressed and join—” Riley interrupted Lane, who was clearly trying to escape his room. “Ewan is going to help us get him downstairs and then try to clean up the mess he made in the office when he was doing those bleeding taxes. Jesus, he’s an ass at tax time. Glad it’s over.

Teagan was going to sleep on the couch while she was here, but seeing as how…” Her words drifted off and Tris finished her line of thought.

“While you two take Pop out, Lane and I can move her stuff up here. Teagan can have her own bed.”

“Tris,” Lane said softly.

He turned and grinned at her. “You can sleep in here from now on.”

“No, I can’t.”

Riley smiled widely. “Oh yeah, this is gonna be fun to watch.” He scowled and crowded Lane back into his room while stepping through the doorway. “Go take your walk, brat.” He closed and locked the door before turning and leaning against it, ready for the onslaught. Lane didn’t disappoint him.

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“What the hell are you doing? Why did you tell Riley I would move into your room? Do you have any idea how inappropriate—”

He cut off her chastisement with a kiss. She fought him for a second, but he had no qualms about using his strength against her in this instance. He grasped her wrists as she fought to push him away and he held them together one-handed behind her back.

With his other hand, he gripped her head, holding her lips to his, pushing his tongue into her mouth.

Her fight was short-lived and he quickly sensed the change in her demeanor as she started to return his kiss. She struggled to regain the use of her hands and he released them, rejoicing when she gripped his waist, dragging his lower body toward hers.

He raised her nightgown to her waist, swallowing her moan when he dragged his finger over her clit. She was soaking wet and he knew the talk they needed to have would have to wait. He was hard and aching and only Lane held the cure. He moved away from her lips.

“I want to suck your cock,” she whispered.

He was blown away by her request and before he could think beyond his next breath, she dropped to her knees.

“Fuck.” He wondered if he’d ever seen anything as sexy as Lane kneeling before him, working his jeans over his hips. Once the material fell to his ankles, he kicked it off, gasping as Lane took his cock in her firm grip.

“God, Lane.” She ran her tongue around the head, teasing him with the contradictions in her touches. Her too-light licks were an incredible contrast to the rough strokes of her fist. Over and over, she ran her grip along his aching flesh, hard and strong, while only giving him a small bit of her mouth. He’d never felt anything more erotic.