One Wild Ride (Lords of Mayhem 2)

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “It is.”

Moose took a deep breath. “I felt like a shit bag toward the end. I resented the hell out of her. She was this burden I couldn’t escape. The last two years I was frightened she would die when I was out of the house. I didn’t want her to go that way, all alone with no family.”

“Honey, that’s a lot of responsibility for someone that young to take on,” Joey said.

“It was so much, medication, therapy, doctor’s visits.” He shook his head. “Sometimes, I’d have dreams at night where I walked out and left everything behind.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No. But I l never want to be placed in a position like that again, where I’m needed that much.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Too much for me.”

The slight waver in his voice made her stomach clench. No wonder the poor man ran from any sort of commitment. “While I understand you have to know, it’s not a usual or easy situation. It’s okay to have had moments of weakness and frustration while you dealt with it. There’s no flaw in your character.” She placed her hand over his and squeezed. “Do you want to do something for her?”

“No, talking about it was plenty.” The rigid set of his shoulders eased. “You’re pretty good at the listening thing.”

“Have you met my best friends?”

Moose snickered. “Good point.”

The somber mood shifted, and she snuggled closer, seeing the man in a different light.

He wrapped an arm around her, tucking her under his arm as he hit the play button and restarted the show.

As the survivors on the show struggled with the internal meltdown, she tried to imagine Moose as a caretaker. The gruff man who sat beside her now had been hardened over the years by his lifestyle, guilt and grief. It made her wonder about the remnants of the fresh-faced youth that remained.

The press of lips pulled her from the light slumber she’d drifted into. “Mm hmm.” She opened her mouth, accepting Moose’s invading tongue. Her lids fluttered and she squinted as she adjusted to the low lighting from the television.

He eased her body onto the couch, pressing her legs apart as he crawled between her thighs. Warm and solid, his lower body rested against hers as he devoured her lips. This time felt different. The normal urgency had fled, and he sampled her like a fine wine, sipping at her lips as he explored her mouth with a reverence that spoke to their elevated level of intimacy.

She reached up and framed his face with her hands, drowning in the beautiful blue pools of his eyes.

His beard felt soft in her hands and his expression was gentle. Her breath caught. All the things she’d never hoped for were reflected in his eyes. Maybe I’m not the only one falling.

Moose pulled back and their gazes connected.

Goosebumps rose as he slipped his hand beneath her skirt, pushed her underwear to the side and ran his thumb over her clit. Her hips jerked in response and he grinned. He rubbed the tiny bundle of nerves once, twice and removed his hands.

“No,” she whimpered, unashamed of the whiny pitch of her voice.

“Shhh.” He brought his hands to his mouth, sucked on his fingers, then brought them back to her core.

The wetness eased the path of his fingers and she arched her back, moaning as he filled her, ramping up her achy need higher. They worked together in a smooth rhythm and he watched her with a look she thought might be pride.

“You’re so beautiful when you take your pleasure from me like this. You love everything I do to you, don’t you?” He added a third finger.

“Yes,” she cried out, widening her legs to take him deeper.

“That’s my girl, take it all.” He crooked his fingers and her walls flexed. His eyes were alive with excitement. “You’re mine now aren’t you, baby?”

“Yes.”

He thrust harder. “Tell me, Jo-Jo.”

“Yours—I’m yours.” She panted.

“That’s right.” He reached up and gripped her hair tight, leaning down. His breath caressed her face. This was more than domination. “You belong to me. Don’t forget that.” He nipped her bottom lip and fucked her hard with his fingers.

Her legs shook, and her eyes drifted shut.