“Stay put before you hurt yourself.”
She bit her lip, as if wanting to protest, but final y she nodded. Knowing how badly she wanted to go against him, though she was stil obeying his command, sent blood rushing to his cock. Damn, she had no idea how much her acquiescence pleased him. Her submission wouldn’t go unrewarded.
Wade resumed his sensual torment, licking and biting one turgid nipple, before switching to her other beautiful tit. He used his hands to plump them together and nuzzle his face into her cleavage. Languorously, Wade made his way down her body, lapping and nibbling at her rib cage until he reached her bel y where he let his tongue dip into her little button. She pleaded with him, saying his name over and over. He final y caved.
Pushing her legs wide, he dipped his tongue into her hot opening. At the first contact, Gracie’s good hand was in his hair, grasping handfuls and pushing his face against her. He sucked her sweet little clit into his mouth and flicked it with his tongue, before lapping at the nectar of her arousal. Gracie tried to move, as if to force his tongue deeper, trying to rush him to the finish line. Wade wouldn’t be hurried; he was too aware of her injuries to al ow her any leeway. He would take her there gently, or not at al .
Holding her stil , Wade let his tongue tease the swol en lips of her cunt, his bal s drawing up tight at the feel of her softest, most tender part so close to his cock. Hel , she might as wel be wearing a chastity belt. He could fil her in an instant, true, and it’d be exactly what they both wanted, needed. But he would have her healed before letting that particular beast out of the cage. His fantasies were anything but tame, and he had a feeling Gracie would bring out the more savage side of his nature the instant his cock sank deep.
Besides, having his face buried in Gracie’s swol en, wet pussy wasn’t exactly a hardship. In fact, he was pretty sure he could lick her al night long and not get bored.
“Watch me,” he demanded, his voice hoarse from pent-up desire. Her gaze shot to his, and he could see from her languorous expression that she was close. He placed his lips against her clit and kissed the swol en and sensitive bit of flesh. A primitive growl reverberated inside his chest at the way her body started to move against his face. He parted her with his fingers and sank his tongue deep into her dewy center once more.
“Yes! God, yes, Wade!”
Hearing her cries tore another hole in his control. The sudden burning thought of another man doing this to her had him nearly snarling. Wade had never felt such a powerful mix of tenderness and possessiveness toward a woman.
Wade began sliding his tongue in and out of her, slowly, building her pleasure little by little. He used his thumb to stroke over her soft clitoris, licking and nibbling, plying her flesh. Al too quickly she screamed and clutched fistfuls of his hair, anchoring him to her as she rode out a wild climax.
Wade cupped her pussy in a protective, possessive hold and claimed, “Mmm, this is my hot little pussy now, Gracie.” And he meant every word. He wasn’t letting her go. And he sure as hel wasn’t going to lose her to some asshole bent on making her his “love.”
Her answer was the most wicked grin he’d ever seen on a woman. Seconds later she was asleep, her legs stil spread wide, his hand stil covering her mound. He moved off the bed and stared down at her. A red-haired angel, that was Gracie. Sweet one minute; fiery hot the next.
She was the most potent of mixes. “Fuck,” he groaned, raking his fingers through his hair. He should have known he wouldn’t be able to walk away once he got her out of her clothes. Witnessing al that passion, it was akin to waving a red flag at a bul . No way in hel was he going to be able to resist going after it, again and again.
Careful not to wake her, Wade readjusted her legs to a more comfortable position, then pul ed the blankets up, covering her body from his view. She stirred a little but didn’t wake. The cast on her wrist caught his attention, and a kind of rage he’d never felt fil ed his gut. The bastard would pay for hurting her.
Wade leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, then murmured, “Sweet dreams, angel.”
He flicked the light off and left her to sleep in peace. As he walked back out to the living room, the couch came into view. He sighed. “It’s going to be a long ass night.”
Outside the apartment, he stared at the truck he’d seen Gracie get into at the hospital. It’d been sitting in front of her place al night. He looked down at his watch. Four in the morning. Why had the man stayed al night? Gracie Lynn didn’t date. He knew that. She loved him, only him. She had no need for other men. But the truck didn’t move. It stayed there, taunting him. An evil specter keeping him from the woman he loved.
Sitting in the nondescript sedan, he pul ed the slip of paper, so precious to him, out of his pocket and gripped it tight as he watched Gracie’s front window. There weren’t any lights on, only darkness. Were they in bed together? Had she let that man, that disgusting piece of filth, into her body?
He moaned. “No, no, no. She would never betray me that way.” But then who was that man? She didn’t have any family. He knew that; he’d checked. He knew everything about Gracie Lynn. The schools she’d attended growing up; the grandmother who’d died when she was little. That useless drunk of a father who always drained her bank account and forced her to work two jobs. Gracie Lynn was alone. Like him, she’d been waiting for the right person to fil her life with love and happiness. Soon, he would be able to take her away. She would quit her jobs and be his wife. She would be the mother to his children. She would greet him every day with a smile and take care of his house and love his children.
That’s the life she was meant to live.
The curtains moved suddenly, and he held his breath, waiting, hoping to see Gracie Lynn. Instead the man stood there, bare-chested, his gaze scanning the parking lot. When it landed on his car and lingered, he held his breath. Only after the curtain fel back into place, leaving him once again to his thoughts, did he manage to breathe.
Touching a finger to his cheek, he realized she’d brought him to tears. She would have to be punished. She needed to learn her place.
Reaching over, he opened the dash and pul ed out the razor blade he kept there for emergencies. He pushed his sleeve up, revealing the pumping vein in his wrist. As he stared at Gracie Lynn’s front window, he slid the sharp, cold steel down his wrist, slitting the skin easily. Blood oozed from the fresh, shal ow cut. Ten more thin lines later and peace settled over him.
Yes, she would have to pay for causing him pain.
9
It was Sunday, and Wade had woken her early. Apparently the man was a morning person. Gracie so wasn’t. After two cups of coffee and a bagel, Gracie was clearheaded enough to place a cal to her boss, Marie, at Coughlin’s Furniture Manufacturing, the company where she worked when she wasn’t at Serene Comfort. She’d explained to the kind, older woman about the car accident—leaving out the crazy stalker bit of course. When Marie offered to give her Monday and Tuesday off to recuperate, Gracie grabbed it with both hands, only too grateful for the break. Silently, Gracie admitted that at least part of the reason she wanted the time off was so she could spend it with Wade. Once she’d taken care of that little detail, Wade had practical y dragged her out the door, explaining that they were heading to his place to meet his associate.
She wasn’t certain why Jonas couldn’t come to her home as planned, but she was curious enough about where Wade lived to go along with the change.
Gracie stil couldn’t believe she’d al but begged him to make love to her the night before. Worse, she couldn’t believe she’d fal en asleep on him! Her cheeks burned with mortification at the thought. What must he think of her? Surely he wasn’t used to women fal ing asleep in his arms.
The things he’d made her feel, though . . . Oh, wow. Two orgasms, and yet he’d kept his pants zipped the entire time, not once asking for anything in return. Strangely, she wished he had. She wanted to pleasure Wade. The feeling was a unique one, considering she’d never real y thought much about sex. It was usual y over too quickly. With Wade it wouldn’t be quick; she knew that instinctively.
Now as Gracie looked out the passenger side window at the deserted city street, her eyes widened in disbelief. “This is where you live?”