Blaze (Queen's Birds of Prey 2)

Chadwick had been on his last legs when he’d buried his children. Not that he’d been sick by then, but it had taken his heart right along with each shovel full of dirt he’d had to put on them. When his wife had passed on, he’d wanted to crawl into the grave he’d dug for her too, not wanting to go on without her fussing at his side. It ha

d taken all he had left in him to make sure that she was by her children as she had wanted.

He’d died in this house too—or what had been the foundation of this house that was sitting here now. He hadn’t any idea where he was buried. It wasn’t until years later, after coming back here, that he realized someone might well have buried him in any of the land that surrounded his home. For all he knew, he could have been dumped in the crapper that they’d all used. Wouldn’t have surprised him in the least after how they’d treated him when he’d built his home.

He had money hidden in other places around the house. Some of it he checked on when he could, some he’d forgotten about. Chadwick might well tell Bryson yet about the money that was hidden in other walls, but he didn’t trust him much yet. He did a little, but not enough to tell him where all the gold was in the house. And there was plenty of it too. Mayhap, he thought, it wasn’t worth spit either.

Chadwick made his way to the sublevels of the house after making sure that his family was safe. This was where he’d hidden most of the gold that he’d found when digging a well to this house. They’d been the only family with running water right up to the house when he’d passed on. He knew now, from this home, that just about everyone had it. Even had crappers inside.

“You going to tell him?” He turned and looked at Martha when she joined him. “I know you better than anyone, Chadwick. You should have told him right away. He didn’t make it so I’d not see you anymore. Tell him about the gold down here.”

“You think I can trust him?” Martha only gave him that stare that always made him afeared of her. “All right. But if he does us wrong, I’m going to blame it all on you.”

“You know as well as I do that he’s married off to one of them birds that were here when we moved to this town. And you remember how much they helped us when the town wouldn’t.” He said that he did. “Then you know that had Bryson been a not so honest man, they would have killed him by now. He’s trustworthy, and the gold might help a family or two that needs it. Lord knows that we don’t have much use for it anymore.”

He knew that, and decided that he was going to tell him the next time Bryson came around. He surely would like to see the birds again. Just one more time see them darken up the sky with their flying. Telling Martha that he’d take care of it soon, she went away from him. Chadwick would do this, he knew, if for no other reason than his wife thought it was a good idea.

He’d not blame her for a thing, either, if Bryson did anything that caused them harm. Not that he thought Bryson would, but if he did, he’d lay the blame right at his own feet. His wife was a beauty, and the smartest person that he’d ever come to meet. Chadwick loved Martha as much as he was sure that Bryson loved his wife. Blaze, she’d been his friend a long time ago.

~*~

Bryson was glad that he’d finally been able to wake before Blaze. They’d been making love every night, but he wanted to make love to her with the sun shining down on them, when he could see the dewiness of her skin, taste her sun drenched flesh. All of this for the first time, he realized.

Kissing her shoulder, she moaned. His cock, already hard, hurt him when she did that. He wanted to take her now, not wait until she was ready. But this was special. A morning for them—no people calling to them, no ringing phones to be answered. Nothing to keep them from being together, just the two of them.

“You’re thinking very hard.” Bryson laughed and told her that he was really hard all ready. “Maybe we can do something about that. I know that I’d very much like to ride you.”

“Not today. Today is all about you and your pleasure.” She rolled to her back and looked at him. “Christ, you’re the most beautiful creature in the world. In any world.”

“I love you, Bryson.”

He moved over her, his body aching to fill her. But instead of giving in to his basic needs, he moved down her body, removing her gown as he did. “There is something so sexy about a slip, don’t you think? I mean, it’s not meant for sleeping in, I don’t think. But to me, it’s a perfect item to see over a woman’s flesh. The way it slides down over your shoulders and tangles at your thighs.” It moved down as easily as he said. When her breasts were both uncovered, he nibbled gently on the tips, making Blaze moan and shiver twice before he moved down her body more. “Your navel is even sexy to me. The way that your waist tucks in at the middle, the way that it’s perfectly set between your lovely breasts and your pussy.”

Moving the slip over her waist to her hips, he was thrilled when her breathing became shallow, the way her small puffs of air made her body dewy with need. Licking a path from her pretty navel to the patch of soft curls at her womanhood, he laid down across the bed and watched as creamy liquid streamed from her.

“You’re beautiful.” She groaned, then begged him to touch her. “All in good time, love. I need to make sure that you enjoy this as much as I do.”

Her panties were just thin pieces of the same silk, but they were wet with her need. Pulling them off her, he brought them to his nose and nearly came with the scent. Christ, she smelled as wonderful as she looked.

Putting them aside, he moved closer to where she smelled the strongest. Sliding his tongue over her nether lips, he moaned at the hot velvety taste. Using his fingers, he pulled open her lips and suckled in her clit. When she came with just his tongue, Bryson lapped up all that he could of her smooth taste.

He ate her for what seemed like forever. Each time she came, he was rewarded with more of her taste. When she cried out that she could take no more, he proved to her that not only could she take all that he gave her, but made her come four more times before he moved up her body.

Bryson touched his mouth to every part of her that he could touch. First her hips, then her navel again. She was moaning, begging him to finish her, but he didn’t want to rush things just yet.

There was something so sexy about a woman in need. He knew that to push her too far would be painful later. She was all about getting back at him, he’d come to realize. Just when he was sure that he’d pushed her to her limit, Bryson entered her heat and felt the walls of her strangle him with her climax. Kissing her, tasting her, Bryson knew that he was as close as he’d ever been to losing all control.

Moving deliberately now that she had released, Bryson watched her face. Lifting up her bottom so that she was closer to him, he continued to take her slowly. Her face was beautiful in the throes of her need, and he thought that if he could paint, he would paint her just like this. Beautifully his.

“Come for me.” She shook her head, telling him that she was finished. “No, you’re only just beginning, love. Come for me and I’ll finish you off.”

“Please. Please, Bryson, I’m worn out.”

He moved into her deeper, twisting his hips so that he touched something inside of her yet untouched. When she screamed, digging her nails into his back, Bryson thought that if he died now, this would be the best memory that he’d take with him.

He came then, his body exploding with his release. Throwing back his head, he felt something take him along his back—feathers, he knew. There were feathers racing over his back as he came a second, then a third time with her.

Dropping atop Blaze, he laid there feeling like he’d been drained. Not just his body, though that was bad enough, but his mind too. Bryson thought that if he had to think too hard about anything at all, he’d be done.