Touch Me In The Morning Read online

  Tenderness rushed to the surface and she took a chance, brushing a soft wave behind his ear. “Your stammer is no big deal.”

  “Some think it is. I’ve had women d-disregard me because of it. It gets worse when I’m nervous, so, if I go to bars to meet women – I can barely speak. I d-don’t do it much anymore.”

  “People are such jerks!” She felt outraged that women had hurt him.

  Damon didn’t respond to her passionate words. Instead, he started singing again and she saw his features relax and he caught her stare. Eventually, she joined in again and they sang together, enjoying the experience.

  With no warning, Damon finally snapped off the Karaoke machine.

  The set of his mouth and chin told her he wouldn’t linger anymore. He turned to face her and their gazes intermingled – her eyes on his luminous, beautiful ones. His lashes were so long. Hell, women would kill for those lashes.

  “Bedtime for you.” He spoke with firmness. “Kendra will b-be home tomorrow and you’ll be working with her. You need your rest.”

  His determined face and tensed stance offered no room for argument.

  “Party pooper,” she said.

  He lifted a brow and tried to keep his lips straight, but the corner of one side twitched upwards. “I’ll walk you back to your room. I’m going to t-turn in, too.” He swung his hand into hers and squeezed it. She loved the feel of his large hand with his rough calluses rubbing against her smooth skin.

  Heaven admitted to herself she was tired and, glancing at Damon, his lids had grown heavy. As they mounted the stairs, she asked, “Will you sleep now? You said you don’t sleep well.”

  “I’m tired. I’ll sleep unless a certain woman h-has a night terror.”

  She halted as he stepped up another stair. Since she didn’t move, he stopped and stepped back down. “What?”

  “Please just ignore me if I have a night terror. Sleep.”

  “No.”

  “Why?”

  “Maybe you won’t have a night terror. Come on. Let’s try t-to both have a good rest.” He tugged at her hand and she reluctantly climbed with him again. Oh, how she hoped she didn’t wake him up! He’d made what could have been a terrible day almost a good one. She didn’t want to disturb him any further and knew she couldn’t stop him from sitting with her if she screamed in her sleep.

  When they stopped before her room, he smiled at her. “Think nice thoughts,” he said, surprising her with a gentle tap on the tip of her nose.

  She could barely swallow. The electricity from him just crackled in the air. “Like what?” She asked.

  He shrugged. “Whatever you find pleasant. Think about i-it. And have a g-good night.” He lingered slightly as if unable to leave.

  She knew she’d think of him. That would be pleasant, although dangerous at the same time.

  Damon tore his eyes from hers and she could almost hear a ripping sound. He then turned and headed towards his room, and she watched him until he disappeared, a warm liquidly feeling starting at the top of her head, and coating all of her, clear to the ends of her toes. She hugged herself, still smelling Damon, and then pushed her door open. After she shut it, she leaned against it briefly, and let out a contented sigh.

  Chapter Nine

  From her vantage point at the living room window, Heaven smiled as she saw Aiden crossing the lawn.

  “Damon! Aiden’s here!” She called, knowing Damon had retreated to the library. When she got no response, she wondered if Damon had been expecting him. Heaven always tried to get Damon to greet his brother with enthusiasm when he visited. She could tell how much the fighting hurt them. So far she’d had no success, but that wouldn’t stop her from trying.

  A key twisted in the door and a shoe kicked it in. “Damon!” He started shouting as soon as he entered the foyer. “Damon!” He finally glanced at her, but only to ask, “Where is he?”

  “Shut up, Aiden! Stop yelling!”

  Heaven turned and saw Damon striding towards them from the library.

  Upstairs, Kendra cried out, “Don’t fight! Don’t!” She had her hands over her ears.

  Heaven watched Damon, who appeared wild. His hair was tangled and the shirttails of his collared blue shirt hung out, spilling over worn jeans. He glared at Aiden.

  “What’s your problem?” Heaven moved in front of Aiden to block Damon.

  Neither spoke. Damon kept staring at Aiden, and Aiden behind her, was breathing hard.

  Kendra ran down the stairs. “Please don’t fight! Damon, I won’t go! Just don’t fight!” She ran up to Damon, but stopped a few feet short. Usually he dropped everything for his sister, but not this time.

  “What the hell is going on?” Heaven asked, her stomach starting to quiver. She didn’t want the brothers to fight. And what about Kendra? Kendra would freak out. Getting her wits about her, she said, “Kendra, come over here, Sweetie.”

  Kendra backed up close to Heaven and she put her arms around her. “You’re scaring your sister, Damon!” Heaven said.

  Damon’s fists balled. “I’m sick of you, Aiden! Why do you question my authority?”

  Kendra started crying. “Don’t!”

  Aiden moved up to Heaven and Kendra and put an arm around her. “Kendra, don’t be scared, but I have to stand up to him. You’re my sister. If I want to take you somewhere, it shouldn’t always be a battle.”

  Heaven, so close to both of them felt palatable tension.

  “Damon, can I talk to you for a moment?” For everyone’s sake, she had to put an end to this. It was worse than the usual Aiden/Damon discord.

  “This is none of your b-business,” Damon said, harshly.

  “Kendra is my responsibility and you’re scaring her.” Heaven tried to speak above the drumming of her heart. “Why don’t you take some time out in the study? I know you don’t want to upset your sister.”

  “He doesn’t care about either of us!” Aiden challenged, bitterly.

  Kendra took a few steps back and grabbed Aiden while Heaven looked on over her shoulder.

  Turning back to Damon she saw him clench his teeth. Mumbling curses, he turned and stomped into the study, slamming the door behind him.

  Heaven put a gentle hand on Aiden’s arm. “I’m going to talk to him.”

  “Good luck.” Aiden sounded grim.

  Following Damon into the library, not knocking before she stepped inside, was taboo. She didn’t care. Damon stood by his desk, both fists flat on the wood. He didn’t turn to her. She expected him to order her away at any moment, yet when he failed to, she hesitantly walked up to him and rested a hand on the desk. “What is it?” She asked. It couldn’t hurt. The worst he could do was yell at her, and he’d done that before.

  Damon shook his head, but said nothing.

  “Why are you so angry?”

  Damon’s face was pale under his tan.

  “Well?”

  He turned towards her and, to her surprise, grabbed both her hands in a hard grip. She felt strange – hot and cold and pained by the hurt she knew he felt.

  “You would hate me, too, if you knew.”

  “If I knew what?” She felt herself growing weak, although unsure why.

  Damon, with eyes closed, fought to speak. “He bl-bl-blames me f-for our mother’s death.”

  “You blame yourself, too. Why?”

  He pulled her close and put his arms around her, and she grabbed him, resting her cheek against his shirt. His skin was hot to the touch.

  “I should have protected her. It’s a long story.”

  She felt his body trembling. “I don’t understand.”

  “No, you don’t.” In silence, they stood there and Heaven rubbed his back. “What’s going on with Aiden? What about today?”

  Damon paused. “He wants to t-take Kendra overnight with a friend and his parents. To a summer cottage. She wants t-to go, but – I’m afraid to let him t-take her. I don’t know the family, and I worry about her. So we had words – and he bro
ught up some stuff. Bottom line, he hates me.”

  “That’s not true. He hates how you treat him.”

  “No.” Damon suddenly let go of her and stepped back, then staggered to his chair and plopped down, head in his hands.

  Heaven stepped over to him and put an arm around him, wishing to take away his anguish. “Why don’t you ask him?”

  He says he doesn’t, but I d-don’t believe him.”

  Heaven sat on the arm of the chair and thought of past arguments she’d heard between Aiden and Damon. “You act like he’s a disappointment to you, Damon. You love him, don’t you?”

  “Of course. He’s a g-good kid and he’ll be a very good man.”

  “Tell him.”

  “What?” Damon laughed without mirth.

  “Aiden thinks the world of you. He’s dying for your approval. If you’d give it to him, everything would change.”

  Damon’s brow furrowed. “Did he say so?”

  “Not in words, but every time he looks at you – I’m telling you, he worships you like a hero. I can tell.”

  Damon laughed. “Come on. Why d-don’t I see it then?”

  “You’re too close to the situation. Tell you what. Put aside your fear for Kendra and let her go with him. And throw him a few compliments along the way. If he doesn’t respond favorably, you can withhold my paycheck for a week. That’s how confident I am.”

  Damon’s lips moved a little. “I could never withhold your pay.”

  Heaven rubbed the back of his hair. It felt silky and thick. Her fingers dug into it. “The way you overpay me, I can afford one week’s salary.”

  “I overpay you?”

  “If you try what I suggested, I’ll bet you anything that it will work. I’ll win the bet, too.”

  Damon regarded her with interest. “What do I have t-to forfeit? Not that you have a chance of winning.”

  She refused to let him slide back into self-pity. “If you lose, you owe me a kiss.” As soon as the words came out, she gasped and his eyes rounded. Immediately, she tried to rescind it. “Kidding!”

  He flashed her a cynical smile. “I’m sure I’ll win this bet. But I’ll take you up on your offer.” He stood.

  At least he looked more relaxed.

  “Come on.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him. “Remember, you have to do it my way. Flexible. Nice. Compliments. And try not to worry about Kendra. You know Aiden loves Kendra, don’t you?”

  Damon nodded.

  “But he used to be quite the party boy — drinking a lot—”

  “Used to be, not is. He wouldn’t hurt Kendra.” They stopped at the entrance to the living room. “Go,” Heaven said, “or I’ll kick your butt out the door. And let’s see who wins this bet.”

  “I’ll win.” He strode into the living room, Heaven beside him. Aiden and Kendra sat on a leather sofa. Aiden stared down at the floor and Kendra chewed on her nails. When she saw Damon, she pouted and looked away.

  With a last glance at Heaven, Damon frowned. She shot him a look of encouragement. Heaven watched as he stood in place, as taut as a panther poised to strike. When Aiden and Kendra refused to look at him, Heaven panicked inside. She desperately wanted this to work for Damon and he didn’t look confident. As he stole another glance at her, she winked.

  He turned back towards his brother and sister halfway across the room.

  “Aiden, look at me.”

  Her adrenalin raced as she stared at Aiden, who refused to lift his head.

  Damon exhaled loudly. “All right, don’t.” His voice sounded flat, but at least not angry. “I’ll t-talk to you anyways. I d-don’t want to fight. You can take Kendra. I trust you.”

  Aiden shot to his feet, his blue eyes glowing with shock. Kendra stood, her face registering astonishment.

  “Why the change?” Aiden found his voice, his voice a challenge.

  Heaven curled her toes inside her shoes. She prayed that Damon didn’t take the bait and lose his temper.

  “I realize I should let you t-take Kendra with you. I – I – I trust you t-to take good care of her.”

  Aiden couldn’t speak. He turned to Heaven and she grinned at him.

  Damon took up the slack. “I’m too overprotective. You’re right, not me.”

  Aiden shook his head as if to clear it. “Do you feel all right, Damon? Heaven, what did you say to him?”

  Heaven crossed her arms, but kept silent.

  “I’ll call you when we get there,” Aiden said, his voice suddenly eager to please.

  Damon nodded. “Yes, that you’d have t-to do.”

  Aiden looked so puzzled that Heaven almost laughed. He’d been all set for battle. Kendra looked pleased, a wide grin on her face.

  Damon coughed a few times and shot Heaven another look, then turned forward again. “You’re a good kid, Aiden. You’ll be a g-good man one day.”

  Verbatim. Heaven wanted to throw her arms around Damon, and the look in Aiden’s eyes was priceless.

  “A compliment from you?” Aiden looked incredulous.

  Damon turned bright red. “I can t-take it back.”

  Aiden laughed. “No! All I’ve ever wanted was your approval.”

  Heaven watched as Damon flinched. “Really?”

  “Sure. You’re my hero. You saved my life – and Kendra’s.”

  Damon had to try a few times before he could speak. “I thought…”

  “I know what you thought. It wasn’t true. Ever.”

  Damon looked baffled, and then suddenly, when he couldn’t turn any redder, his voice rang out, harshly this time. “Pack for the overnight trip and d-do it fast before I change my mind! Hurry!”

  Kendra clapped her hands. “Thanks, Damon!”

  Aiden nodded, looking almost ready to cry. “Yeah…thanks.”

  Damon just stood there, hands on hips.

  Kendra ran upstairs and Aiden took a few steps after her, then suddenly halted. His gaze met Heaven’s and he grinned. She grinned back. Aiden glanced at his brother then ran up to the startled Damon and gave him a big hug. “I’ve always loved you, Idiot,” he said, then let go and ran up the staircase.

  Damon looked dazed as he backed into a nearby chair and sat down. Heaven didn’t approach him. She knew he had a lot on his mind. She took a seat on a chair close by and watched the expressions that passed over his face.

  When Aiden and Kendra returned, Kendra clutched a sports bag stuffed with clothes.

  Aiden flashed Damon another grin. “Thanks again, Bro,” he said. “I appreciate – everything.”

  Damon nodded. He moved towards the window to watch them when they left.

  Heaven felt tense and strange. She rose to her feet, aware that her legs shook. As Damon finally turned away and came towards her, he mumbled to himself, but she heard him clearly as he approached. “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe you were right. I can’t believe he doesn’t hate me.”

  Heaven felt a circle of warmth around her heart and a lump in her throat.

  Chapter Ten

  “Glad that’s over.” Heaven started to walk away, but Damon grabbed her hand, and spun her around. “It worked. Damn! How did you know?”

  Heaven felt her hand heating in his palm. “The way he looked at you said it all. Whatever you felt he held against you, got in the way of your objectivity. I have to clean…”

  “Stay.” He took her other hand and her head reeled as he caught her gaze. “What just happened between Aiden and me means more t-to me than anything in the world. You made it happen.”

  Heaven felt the sheer intensity radiating from him; he exuded so much power and emotion. “Damon, it’s no big deal.” Experiencing the magnetic pull he held over her, she tried lightening the mood. “You would have figured it out one day.”

  “Maybe after Aiden had given up on me.” His thumbs massaged her hands, sparks leaping from his skin to hers.

  “It’s not an issue now.” Why did her knees feel like jelly?

  “Not anymore.” H
e slid his hands to her shoulders and tightened his grip. “There’s something very special a-about you.” His voice crooned and she was mesmerized. Before she could collect her wits, a finger slid under her chin and lifted her head as he lowered his own. “I-I’ll take my punishment for losing the bet now,” he said, and his hot but gentle lips pressed against her mouth.

  Alarm bells rang in her head and she knew she should push him away. Instead, she found herself melded to his hard chest, pressing her lips against him with all the passion she’d held in all these weeks. Her arms flew around his neck and she liquefied in his arms…and what strong arms he had!

  She gasped as he curled one muscled bicep behind her lower back, his free hand tangled in her hair. As he bent over her, he deepened the kiss, dizzying her. Her fingers dug into the thick silkiness of his hair and her arm hugged the steel hardness of his back.

  As her breasts squeezed into his torso, they tingled and zinged and spread outwards to the remainder of her body, even in places she’d thought dead. She heard a kitten and realized the sound had emitted from her throat. In response, a guttural groan emerged from his.

  They stood, locked together, like perfectly fitting puzzle parts. Heaven’s heated sensibilities disrupted her sense of time. She felt as if they whirled together with feet off the ground, flying to a place she’d never been before. This new experience exhilarated her and she never wanted it to end.

  Damon’s agonized grunt accompanied the removal of his lips as his gentle hands pushed her away from him. “Oh, God,” he said. “Heaven, I’m so sorry. I-It happened again. Damn it all!”

  And the spell broke into shards of glass. “It’s just as much my fault.” Guilt mixed with fear at the pleasure of it all.

  “This is the second time I felt I had to kiss you,” Damon said, forming a fist.

  “We can control it.” Her bold words meant little to her at the moment. She doubted her own self-control. “Adults can handle lust.”