Touch Me In The Morning Page 14

She could hear his heart beating; its strong rhythm comforting.

  “Certainly guys asked you out,” he said, stroking her hair. “They couldn’t have missed your beauty.”

  She laughed, but not happily. “I was chubby and very shy. By college, I’d retreated into a routine of study – never even thought of marriage until my parents died.”

  “Marriage is scary.”

  She sniffed. “I don’t know about that. I just don’t want it for myself after what I’ve experienced.”

  “Experiences shape our lives. I was an outcast in college. Word got out I’d come from St. Vincent’s.”

  As she felt his breath against her face, she couldn’t imagine females not tossing themselves at his head. “In college, girls didn’t chase you? I find that hard to believe.”

  “To a point, they did. Girls like athletes, b-but –” He shrugged. “I just had a few flings. I d-didn’t want a relationship where I’d have to t-talk. My stammer was worse then, and it’s b-bad enough now.”

  “It doesn’t bother me.” He’d distracted her from her own problems. Bless him. “Your stammer isn’t that bad anyways.”

  “It is. But I know it doesn’t bother you.”

  “Not at all.”

  His smile forced her to do the same. He pressed his face against the side of her head. “You smell good. Did I say that before?”

  “Yes. So do you.” The trembling inside of her subsided. They remained silent, unmoving.

  “Look, we need to lighten the mood. I’m g-going to cheer you up, all right?”

  She felt her spirits lifting. “How?”

  “I’d like to t-take you to my room. I c-can’t do it here. Wrong atmosphere.”

  She felt her heart racing with both anticipation and fear. His eyes teased her.

  “I’m glad you’re as light as a feather.” Without another word, he lifted her and carried her out of the room.

  “Damon don’t!” Her voice rang through the hallway. “Aiden and Kendra…”

  “Are staying at Aiden’s for the night. You scared Kendra so I told Aiden to take her and keep her there.” He stood in front of the door to his room. “Nobody is here except us.” Without another word, he nudged open the door, and carried her inside.

  When he set her on the edge of his bed, she thought of her last time there, after the softball catastrophe. “What are you up to?” Her body trembled a little, but she couldn’t pinpoint why. It didn’t feel like fear. Anticipation?

  “We’re here for a song and a dance.” He turned to grab a lighter off his desk, and then lit two candles that sat on his dresser.

  She watched his back as he worked.

  “These candles,” he said, “remind me of you. They smell of l-lilacs, like you d-do. I think about that sometimes when I light them.”

  “You think about me in bed?” That delighted her.

  His shadow loomed large above the flames as he flipped off the light switch. He stepped over to his entertainment system and turned on the CD player. A love song bathed the room from the surround sound speakers.

  “Most men don’t like sappy songs,” she said.

  He sauntered towards her, his shadow playing tricks on the far wall. “I have a romantic side.”

  She looked into his eyes noting their heightened intensity. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, half amused, half leery.

  To her amazement, he bowed in a charming way and took her hand. “I’m distracting you from all things b-bad. At least for t-tonight. Shall we dance?”

  She grinned. He rarely showed his playful side. “I can’t dance well, remember?”

  “You dance just fine.” He flashed her a killer grin, dimples and all.

  When he swept her into his arms, whirling her around the room, the air left her lungs.

  “Dancing with you is Heaven,” he murmured.

  She inhaled his scent, as his strong arms twirled her around. As she looked up at him in the candlelit room, the flames lit his eyes. She loved him so much she just wanted to break down and cry…

  Loved? That word again.

  No, no. She just appreciated how he made her smile, and she stepped on his toe. “Oh, sorry!”

  “I have nine others. Or eight. Or seven. N-not sure how many you’ve already crushed.” He tossed her a devil’s grin.

  She laughed. “Actually,” she said, “You’re such a good dancer; I think I need an edge.” She moved her foot to catch his toes again, but he swung his foot to the side and she almost fell beneath him. He caught her under her arms and pulled her close. “Be careful, love,” he whispered into her ear. Her knees almost buckled.

  A new song began.

  “Oh, my favorite,” she mumbled.

  “Is it?”

  “Yes!” she murmured watching his eyes brighten. When he pulled her close, his voice, clear and on key, vibrated through her body.

  “I need you because I love youuuuuuu,” he sang with the song.

  Every word, every note brushed her flesh and caused shivers deep inside of her. As the song ended, he dropped her to a low bow and she thought he might lose his grip on her, but, instead, he set her feet on the floor. She gazed into his eyes and shivered. Then he lifted her off the floor, and kissed her. His mouth possessed her with slow, languid pressure, which made her senses swim. When he pulled back, she felt deprived and cried out. His expression had never looked so tender.

  “You’re mine,” he said softly. “Tonight – you’re mine.”

  “I don’t belong to anyone.”

  “Wrong. Tonight we belong to each other.”

  She relaxed and enjoyed being in his arms.

  “I wish I’d met you before Gavin.” He said gazing at her swollen abdomen.

  She nodded the lump in her throat preventing her from agreeing aloud. How could she have thought she loved Gavin, even before he’d shown his abusive side? She’d never felt this much for Gavin.

  “I b-broke a promise to myself today. Each day I promise to k-keep my hands to myself. It’s so hard, but I hope for the strength.”

  She felt a rush of heat. “I promise myself the same thing about you.”

  “I feel I’ve known you always,” he said, adding, “I’ve never connected this well with anybody.” He bent to kiss her.

  Could a kiss cause a heart attack? The emotions inside of her seemed powerful…intense enough to burst. She didn’t want to name her feelings, but they overwhelmed her until she squeezed him so hard that he struggled to breathe.

  Lifting his head, he said, “Are you trying to kill me?”

  “No!” She couldn’t laugh back at him, as dread and desire warred inside her. Her breath coming in short pants, she tried to lock onto his lips again.

  “You certainly are eager,” he said, with a soft smile. “Why is t-tonight different, Love?”

  “I don’t know, Damon. We both seem different tonight. Can’t you feel it?”

  “Yes.” Without another word, he lifted her in his arms, carrying her to his bed again, and placed her on her back.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Are you sure you’re all right with this?” He lowered himself beside her, a hot hand cupping her breast.

  Sweat saturated her body. “I’m fine. Great.” Nothing had ever seemed quite as fine as his hot hand cupped her breast then moved to unbutton her blouse. She reached out and grabbed his broad shoulders, desperate for him now. He kissed her, his hand cupping her breasts teasing the nipples until they were stiff. His magic hands drove her out of her mind. Still, she trusted Damon to bring her the release that she craved, without plunging inside of her. She moaned, thrashed, and felt her abdomen tighten, as her body screamed out for more. She called out his name, breathing unevenly and arching her back

  His adept hands taking her to the brink of sanity, his mouth left her lips and he kissed his way down her body, his teeth nibbling on her skin and sucking on her nipples; dropping until he reached her buttoned shorts. Her breath caught when he rested his cheek below her na
val, his breathing hot against her skin.

  “Can I?” he asked, glancing over at her with a heated gaze. He flashed dimples at her. “I want to t-take you on the ride of your life.”

  “Yes, oh, yes! D-do what you want,” she said. “The only thing I ask is…”

  “Don’t worry love, I’ll respect your boundaries and still make you scream.”

  She gasped with delight when he slid her shorts off and slipped between her thighs, his hot tongue toughing her inner thighs. “Amazing,” he whispered, arching her back, enjoying the pleasurable onslaught of indescribable “I didn’t know men did this. Gavin never…”

  “Leave that turkey out of this.” Damon flicked a tongue at her labia. “Tonight is ours. Try – try to make it just us tonight, Love.”

  “I will,” she said, said with a gasp, adoring him, wondering how any woman on earth couldn’t want to just eat him up. She dared not think of the emotion that she felt right then. Lust. Must be lust. Oh help, please let it be lust! As his tongue licked her damp opening, she finally lost her mind. Her muscles tightened as he drove her to orgasm. When it was over, she lay in his arms, and so content. As she came back to herself, she focused on the wonderful, gentle, caring man that, at least tonight, belonged to her. He’d said nothing since pressing her to his chest, but his gentle kisses and caresses spoke of his happiness that she’d enjoyed him.

  She had to give it back to him.

  His cheek rested against her breasts. His hot breath felt good against her flesh and she stroked his head as she spoke. “Damon, please let me satisfy you.”

  “I don’t want to scare you,” he mumbled into her chest.

  She loved him even more for his words…well, not loved him…no, no, she respected him.

  “Trust me, Damon,” she said, taking his face between her hands and lifting his head so he could see the sincerity on her face, “I want to satisfy you. Please let me. I’m feeling brave tonight.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not sure I can explain. Can I?” she asked reaching for his zipper.

  He broke into a grin and shrugged. “If you insist.”

  His shorts took a while to remove, which accorded them some comic relief as she tugged and complained that he wore them tighter than she. The laughter calmed them both and, by the time his shorts and briefs lay on the floor, she took her first glance at what had once frightened her so much.

  She stopped breathing as she gazed at his powerful erection, full and pulsing with his need. In no way did it scare her. In fact, it intrigued her. She caught his eyes.

  “Scared?” he asked uncertainty on his face.

  “Amazed,” she said, surprised by how much she wanted to touch it. “Yikes! Why is it so big?” She couldn’t imagine it fitting, but still found it elegant. “Are most men like you? Gavin wasn’t!”

  Damon laid his head back on the pillow and laughed. “I’m well-endowed.”

  She sucked in a breath as she absorbed his naked torso. She’d never wanted to please a man before, but she did now. Tonight she couldn’t imagine not giving back to him all he’d given her. With only slight hesitancy, she placed her hand around his thick erection. Her hand could barely fit around it as the warm, throbbing, silky shaft pulsed in her grasp. His pleasured moan spurred her on. She bent over and swirled her tongue over the head of his erection and he shuddered. After his last desperate shudder, he grabbed her wrists, pulled her on top of him, and rolled her beneath him, resting her head under his chin.

  As she lay in his arms, kissing his damp hair, stroking the side of his roughened face, trying to memorize this moment. Dying candlelight flickered across his profile, and he looked contented and at peace, a rare posture for him. She wished they could stay like this forever, so he could shield her from the world. The thought of him going, to leave her vulnerable, filled her with grief. She wanted to keep him, just for the pleasure of touching him. “You’re so precious.” The words just tumbled out.

  His breath caught, and he looked at her in wonder and bewilderment. “That’s the nicest thing anyone ever said to me.” He let out a long breath and the heat touched her face.

  She turned to him at once, wondering if she’d blown it. “I guess I surprised you.” She checked his eyes to read him. Something flickered in them, but she couldn’t tell what.

  Taking her chin between his thumb and fingers, she could see his throat working hard to get his words out. “You’re precious too,” he said, and he ran a finger down her nose.

  They stared at each other in silence for a few moments, and she felt a chill go through her as he seemed to distance himself.

  “You almost made love t-tonight. Francesca’s d-doing a good job.”

  “She is, but it’s not because of her.” Her words seemed to take on a life of their own. “I desire you so much that I decided to finally have my way with you. You certainly drove me insane.”

  His lips curled up. “Lust.”

  “It’s powerful.”

  “It is. I’ve never felt it like this before.”

  “Are you sorry?”

  Heaven laughed. “No. You’re fantastic for a man who claims little experience.”

  His eyes gleamed mischief. “Well, I’ve had some. You had none, and look what you did to me.”

  She smiled at him, and reached over with her finger to gently trace his features.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “For…?” Her fingers sizzled as they stroked his skin.

  He cupped a hand under her chin, “I thought the human part of me had d-died in childhood. You’ve made me see I’m still alive.”

  “You’ve done the same for me,” she said, and pressed her lips between his brows.

  “I just wanted t-to tell you that I’m grateful.” He pulled back so he could gaze at her.

  That potent emotion blazed through her body again. Lust, for sure, but more. The truth exploded inside of her. “I know you don’t want to hear this either, Damon,” she said, her voice trembling, “but I can’t deny it any longer.” She shuddered before the words emerged. “I love you, Damon Steele. I love you with all I have.” Then she waited, afraid she’d made the biggest error of her life.

  She held her breath, wishing she could take back her words. But they were true. Her head spun with the realization.

  His eyes rounded. His throat muscles worked overtime. “For how long?”

  “Forever. Since before, we actually met. I know that makes no sense, but…”

  “No. I understand. Perfectly.”

  “You understand?” she heard somebody ask.

  He nodded. “I feel the same. I love you, too, Heaven MacKenzie,” he said kissing her.

  Hours later, love warming her, she snuggled in his arms. “Now what happens?” she whispered but his quiet snores assured no answer. It felt so good to acknowledge her feelings and to hear his in return.

  When she woke up the next day, she reached over to touch him feeling only felt the coldness of empty sheets. Her eyes snapped open and quickly sat up.

  Damon was gone. Only the faint lingering of his scent assured her that he’d been there at all.

  Chapter Twenty

  Damon had barely opened his eyes when the panic set in.

  He’d gazed at a sleeping Heaven, her dark curls hair sprawled behind her, her naked body turned towards him beckoning motionlessly, and a wave of hopeless love slapped over him. His erection stirring, he’d wanted so badly to wake her with a kiss. Instead, he’d pulled away. Last night had been a mistake.

  Berating himself for getting so swept up in the moment that he’d let himself believe he could have her; he’d slipped quietly out of bed. He had to leave, and leave now or she might wake up and entice him to stay. He picked up the clothes he’d worn last night and buried his face in them. They smelled of Heaven. Angrily, he threw them under his bed and fled the room…and the house.

  Knowing he’d be useless at the shelters, he didn’t go. He pulled into convenience store picked up som
e beer and drank a few cans in the parking lot. Since he rarely drank, he quickly felt a buzz and he started walking around, hands in his pocket, his mind in a fog. He tried not to think too hard. He certainly couldn’t remember the words that Heaven had said to him…the words that he knew she meant, but couldn’t mean. What had he been thinking? He couldn’t, wouldn’t saddle her with him.

  Minutes melted into hours when he found an open bar. He wanted to block it out. Sitting in a dark and smoky bar with easy access to booze made that easy. He could almost sympathize with his alcoholic father. Liquor numbed him, provided he avoided the mirror across from his seat. Slowly he convinced himself that last night had been a dream. At some point during his alcoholic fog, he felt a poke on his back and turned around, the room spinning as he did so.

  Dave stood before him in the crowded, darkened, smoky bar. “Dude, Heaven called. She’s worried and asked me to look for you. Why aren’t you answering your cell phone?”

  Damon rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. “Turned it off. How’d ya find me?”

  “Twice a year you drink, you come here. Not hard.” Dave sat on a stool beside him. “Where’s your car?”

  Damon tried to remember. “I dunno.”

  “Why the hell are you in this condition?”

  Damon reached for his beer mug, but Dave took it from him.

  “Hey!” Damon felt his blood pressure rising. “Gimme that back.”

  Somehow Dave dragged him Damon to his car and took him to a greasy diner, where he plied Damon with coffee and scrambled eggs. “Saved your ass again,” Dave said, shaking his head. “You’re still drunk, but not as bad. Would you like to tell me what happened?”

  Damon, his head still buzzing, drank some coffee then shared what had happened the night before.

  Dave rubbed his eyes. “Look, doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong. I could have told you she loved you and that you love her.”

  Damon slouched in the booth and shook his head. “No good. I’m no good for her.”

  “Dude, I didn’t have a stellar past with my drug use, but Fran believed in me and we’re happy.”