Tall, Dark & Lonely (Pyte/Sentinel 1)

“Good then I won’t have to stop and explain how much I like it.” He began moving inside her again.

“Oh no you don’t! I want to see the other tattoo.” Her eyes went to his left bicep. “I didn’t get a very good look at that one. Is it a tribal band?”

He pulled out of her slowly and sat on the bed next to her. “Yes, that one is a tribal one. No symbols, but the one on my back is the one that identifies me as a Pyte.” He turned, trying to distract her from his arm. It worked.

Her fingers ran over the tattoo on his back. “I don’t understand why you need this tattoo. Won’t they figure it out?”

“I’m wearing this one as a symbol of pride. I didn’t have to get this one. The council was showing me some of the books to show me that four other Pytes had joined their ranks years ago and wanted me to see the good they were able to do. I saw that symbol in the book and they told me what it meant. I asked for a copy so I could have that put on my back. It has no hidden symbols and it isn’t a secret.”

She pressed a kiss to it. “Oh, sorry. Did that hurt? I forgot these things are supposed to hurt for a while.”

“No, they don’t hurt. I was healed before I left the tattoo parlor. The ink will never fade, thankfully. The damage done to my skin is already repaired.”

“This one's sexy, too,” she said in a low voice.

“Yeah?” He turned his head back for a kiss. She took his lips in a long sensual kiss before abruptly breaking it.

“Wait I want to see the third one and see if it’s just as sexy as the first two,” she teased.

“No, Madison wait let me-“

Too late, she already moved around him. Her fingers traced over the tattoo and he knew from the way that her fingers shook and her breath caught that she was touching the ‘M’.

“Madison, listen before you get mad I was just-“

“Is this an ‘M’?”

“Yes,” he said carefully.

“Is it..,” she swallowed. “Is it for my name?”

“Yes.” He prepared himself for screaming.

Her fingers continued to trace his skin until her hand was gliding over his arm, squeezing and caressing his muscles. “You know I’m really surprised.”

“I know and I-“

“I really like it. I like seeing it banded around your arm.” She pressed a kiss to his arm.

“You like it?” He couldn’t disguise the surprise in his voice.

She took his other hand and brought it between her legs. “What do you think?” she moaned as she gently rocked her h*ps against his hand.

He sucked in a breath. She was wet, very wet and very swollen. “I think you better be prepared to spend a day in bed with your legs in the air,” he growled as he pounced on her, pinning her to the bed in one swift move and entering her in another.

She was giggling hard until he started moving. Then those sounds of delight turned into sounds of pleasure.

Chapter 21

Don’t puke, don’t puke, don’t puke, she chanted in her head. She took a slow breath and leaned her head against the cool surface of her desk. She sighed as the small comfort calmed her distress, slightly.

“Are you okay, Miss. Soloman?” someone asked.

She looked up to see her class staring at her. “I’m fine. Are you done with your exams?”

Most of the class shook their heads. “Okay, you guys have fifteen more minutes I suggest you use the time wisely. Remember the highest grade doesn’t have to take the final exam next week.” That got their attention. They dropped their eyes back to their exams.

She turned her attention to her computer screen, trying to look busy. Her stomach rolled uncomfortably. Four days, four longs days of this. She was vomiting morning, noon and night. This all started when Ephraim left to go to Concord for a conference and training with the State Police.

Madison couldn’t believe she could miss one person, a man for that matter, so much. Her appetite was gone and she couldn’t sleep. She was love sick. There was no getting around it. She loved Ephraim.

Love. For the first time in her life she was in love with a man. Ephraim was everything she never thought a man could be, thoughtful, kind, generous, funny and sweet. He was also calm and patient. For the past three months he’d told her he loved her without any resistance or expectations and he never once became upset or distant when she didn’t say it back. Ephraim never even brought up how she felt. He seemed content with just telling and showing her what he felt.

He was so unselfish that he made her feel like the biggest bitch. God, she didn’t deserve him. She rubbed her hands over her face. Tonight when he got home she would tell him and show him just how much she loved him. Perhaps dancing and a drive somewhere romantic followed by five or six hours under the sheets. Maybe she should make a romantic meal.

Maybe not.

Her stomach flipped over at the idea. She clutched her stomach and sighed with relief when the bell dismissed her class. Exams were dropped off on her desk as they made their way noisily out of the room.

“Free period, thank god,” she murmured, pushing back her chair. She was going to hunt down a can of ginger ale and crash on the couch in the teacher’s lounge for the next forty-five minutes.

“Madison!” Chris hissed from the doorway.

She could cry. She really could. “What?”

He ignored the irritation in her voice and took it as invitation and walked in, shutting the door behind him. “Has Dad called you?”

“No, I told you last night that he called in the morning.”

Chris looked upset. Actually now that she took the time to really look he didn’t look good at all. His hair, which was short and usually swept forward was mussed, dark bags under his eyes, he forgot to shave and he was wearing the same clothes he wore yesterday for his date with Amber.

“Fuck!” He shoved his hand through his hair. “Is he still coming home tonight?”

“Yeah. Chris, what’s going on? You’ve been acting funny since you came home last night. Did you and Amber have a fight?” She was a sweet girl even though she had a bit of a reputation.

His eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you don’t have to wait for Ephraim to get home. You can talk to me you know.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked around. “With you?” He looked surprised.

“Yes, me. You used to confide in me you know. I may not be a guy but I can answer questions about girls, probably better than Ephraim.”