Carol's Image (15 page)

Tom held her tightly, willing to give his strength to her. “I just want to know how things are now, angel.”

“Each year my parents host a huge charity event, but don’t let the words ‘charity’ fool you. It’s an expensive dinner; people are desperate to get the invitations. It’s the place to see and be seen. I started going when I was about sixteen. Hated them. I was the pudgy kid that just happened to be the daughter of the man hosting. Dad even had to pay someone to dance with me or escort me. I hated it. I haven’t gone since I changed majors and left my parent’s support. This year, I received an invitation. I have no idea why. I have no desire to go. I haven’t responded. But getting it in the mail, well…I admit, it sort of made me go back into some of my more unpleasant memories. Then I was just started to go out with you and that was stressful. Ronald was a total unpleasant blast from the past. It was just all too much that day and I gave into the weakness.”

“Carol, you’re not weak. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.” Blue eyes held blue eyes. “Proud to be yours and proud to call you mine.”

The smile on her face radiated straight to his heart. Blonde hair framing her beautiful face, blue eyes shining, and that smile.
God, I’d give anything to have that smile turned toward me every day for the rest of my life.

She giggled and looked down.

“What’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours, angel?”

“Oh, it’s silly. It’s just that I actually toyed with the idea of going this year and taking you. Just to really show them that I’ve moved on. But that is silly.”

“Angel, you want to go, we’re goin’. We’re officially datin’. No reason we shouldn’t go.”

“It could be brutal, you know,” she said hesitantly.

Placing his hands on either side of her face, he leaned forward till his lips rested on her forehead. “Babe, I’d walk through fire for you. Believe me, angel, your parents don’t scare me at all.”

Pulling her face up, he placed his lips on hers. Gently. Softly. With just the slightest pressure.

Grabbing his face in her hands, she took the kiss deeper. Their talk now over, she wanted him and was determined to let him know.

He pulled back just far enough to separate their lips. Carol, missing the contact made a mewling sound. He waited until he had her eyes.

“We good, angel?”

Her brow crinkled as her lust filled mind tried to understand what he was saying.

Tom chuckled. “Stay with me, babe. This is important. Told you we were going to take care of you being clueless. Laid out my past reputation, so that shit was dealt with. Now you shared about your parents and about your eatin’ disorder. And now you know I’m not goin’ anywhere. You don’t face this alone. You don’t face them alone. You’ve got me and I’ve got your back. We’re in this together.”

He held her face as he watched her beautiful blue eyes fill with tears. Trying unsuccessfully to blink them back, they slid down her cheeks.

“I’ve never had anyone have my back before,” she whispered.

Wiping the tears with his thumbs, he replied, “Well you’ve got it now. So are we good, angel?”

“Yeah. We’re good,” she said, smiling through her tears.

“Thank god,” he growled as he took her mouth, this time hard, wet, possessive. Full of power, full of lust, full of love. Standing with her in his arms as though she weighed nothing, he stalked into her bedroom.

She was light in his arms, but he felt every curve as she slowly slid down his front. His hand held fast to her ass, keeping her feet dangling above the floor, pressing her into his aching dick. Capturing her moan in his mouth, he continued to pour his soul into her as their lips stayed sealed in a kiss.

With her arms wrapped around his neck, he could feel her hands gripping his back. Feeling moisture against his face, he reluctantly released the kiss and leaned back to peer down into her tear-filled eyes.

“What’s wrong, angel?” his voice gravely with both need and worry.

Shaking her head, she gave a tenuous smile. “I just love you so much. It’s okay if you don’t love me back, but I can’t seem to stop what I feel. I really love you, Tom Rivers.”

He walked over to the bed and gently laid her down with his body covering hers. Still dressed, they lay pressed from chest to feet. Keeping his face as close to hers as he could while still being able to focus on her luminous blue eyes, his voice shook with emotion.

“Angel, you are it for me. I felt somethin’ the moment I first saw your beautiful face. Somethin’ changed deep inside of me. Touched me. Stayed with me. I wanted to know you and since that time, everything I’ve learned about you just makes me want to stay with you forever. I love you too, angel. If you know anything about me, you know I’m loyal. I’ll love you till the day I die.”

Wiping her tears with the rough pads of his thumbs, he moved back in to capture her lips. Pouring everything he had into the kiss, he willed her to take from him everything she needed.
Strength. Courage. Hope. Comfort. Protection. Love.

Carol felt him capture her soul in that kiss. For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel alone. He was slaying her dragons. And it felt right. It felt good. Allowing him to have some control didn’t make her out of control. With that realization, she answered his kiss back, sucking on his tongue until she could hear his moans deep inside of her.

He lifted himself up onto his knees, pulling her up with him. Quickly he pulled her shirt over her head and divested her of her bra. Palming her breasts with his hands, he lowered his head to suck a nipple deeply into his mouth.

Leaning her head back, her hands in his hair, she felt her world tilt with the sensations tugging from her breasts to her core. Sliding her hands down, she captured the bottom of his tight navy t-shirt and pulled it over his head, his lips only leaving her breast for the second that it took the material to pass.

Moving from breast to breast, he gave equal attention to the luscious rosy-tipped globes.
How could I have ever thought that fake tits were attractive?
Her natural breasts and ethereal beauty captured him. Enthralled him. Owned him.

Her hands found their way to the top of his jeans as she undid the button and slid the zipper over his enormous cock. Sliding her hand down the front of his boxers, she wrapped her fingers around his silky manhood, moving her hand up and down its length.

Moaning, he pulled away from her nipples, looked deep into her eyes and asked, “You got a problem with me being in control, angel? I swear, it will always be about you.”

Blue eyes gazed at blue eyes.

“I trust you. With all my heart,” was her reply.

Smiling a slow smile that reached the twinkle in his eyes, he just nodded. “All right, angel. Lay back down and keep your hands on the bed. Keep them there until I tell you to move them.”

Smiling back, she slid back down to the mattress, lying perfectly still, wondering what he was going to do.

Tom unzipped her jeans and pulled them off her body slowly, kissing her skin as it was exposed. As the jeans landed on the floor, he kissed his way back up to her satin panties. He slid them off as well, then moved his hands to her knees where he gently pulled her legs apart, totally exposing her pussy to his view.

Carol lay there, mesmerized by the sight of this handsome man, staring at her. She watched as he lowered his head between her legs and began to lick her wet folds. The sensations threatened to overtake her, and she threw her head back on the pillow. Her hand automatically sought his head, but he quickly withdrew.

“Hands on the bed, angel. You don’t move till I tell you.”

She stilled her hands, but her fingers clutched the sheet underneath her, holding on like a drowning person grasps a life preserver.
That’s what he is…my life preserver.

Tom licked her dripping pussy, then pushed his tongue up into her as far as it would go, loving the taste of her as much as he loved hearing her scream his name when the orgasm hit her.

He stood up, licking his lips as she watched in fascination. Ridding himself of his jeans and boxers, he faced her in all his glory.

Her eyes lit up at the sight of the Viking standing in front of her.
No romance novel hero ever looked like that.
Her reality was so much more than anything she had ever read. Or could have ever been prepared for.

“On your knees, angel. Place the pillows under your hips and grab hold of the headboard. Smiling as he watched her acquiesce, he patted her ass in a gentle stroke.

“You ready, angel?”

Carol nodded her answer, but a smack on her ass was his reply.

“I ask, you answer. I wanna hear you say it.”

“I’m ready, Tom.”

Slamming his desperate cock into her waiting pussy, he groaned at the tightness.
Damn, she feels amazing.
Careful not to hurt her, he pounded away, reaching one hand around to fondle her breasts, tweaking her nipple in the process.

Carol couldn’t remember ever being more turned on, the feel of his cock sinking deeper and deeper into her waiting pussy. The friction was creating an electrical current that started deep in her core and vibrated out in all directions. She could feel herself racing to the end, desperate for the release of crossing the finish line. She felt his hand slide from her nipple to her clit, fingering the swollen nub. That was all it took for her to reach the goal, the electrical current exploding in fireworks that shook her whole body as she screamed his name once again.

“Hang on, angel,” came Tom’s voice, rough with need. He continued to pound in and out several more strokes until, neck straining, veins standing out, he grimaced and yelled out as he found his release deep inside her warm pussy. Continuing to thrust a few more times until he was drained, he collapsed onto the mattress, pulling her against him.

Sweating, panting, gasping for breath. Smiling. After a few minutes, they looked at each other. Blue eyes gazed at blue eyes.

He pulled her in, one hand protectively wrapped around her and the other hand cradling her head to his massive chest. Lying still for a few minutes, they simply reveled in each other and the love they had declared.

Pulling the cover over them, they settled in for sleep.

“I hear your heartbeat,” came her soft voice.

“It beats for you, angel,” came the gentle reply.

A
fter Tom left for work the next morning, Carol stood at her breakfast bar, staring at the invitation.
I can do this. I can pick up the phone and do this. It’s a simple call. Actually, mom won’t even answer – the maid will answer. So I can just leave a message. Okay. I can do this. Here I go. Oh Jesus, Carol, just do it!!

Grabbing her cell phone in her hands before she chickened out, she dialed her parent’s home number. One ring. Two rings.
Good, let the answering machine pick up.

“Hello.”

“Mom? I wasn’t sure you’d be home.”

“I’m always at home on Thursday mornings Carol, getting ready for the Ladies’ Auxiliary Book Club. But then you would know that if you stayed in touch.”

Sighing, Carol pressed her fingers into her temple as though to relieve the ache that was sure to follow. “Sorry, mom. But that goes both ways, you know. You and dad don’t call any more often than I call you.”

Silence greeted her.

“I wanted to call to let you know that I received the Charity Dinner invitation, and I have decided to come this year.”

“You’re serious?” her mother asked. “Well, that is certainly a change. Decided that you have stayed away too long? Well, I will arrange a date for you. In fact, I am sure that Ronald will be more than thrilled to escort you this year.”

“Mom, you don’t understand. I will be bringing my own date.”

“Who?” her mother asked sharply.

“You don’t know him. He is the man I have been dating for a little while and he will be escorting me to the dinner and to meet you and dad.”
There, I got it out. Breathe in. Breathe out. You got this girl.

Silence. Nothing. No sound. No huffing on the other end of the phone. Just silence.

Hanging her head, Carol suddenly felt very tired. “Mom. Are you still there? Am I welcome or not?”

“Well, you certainly have to admit that your news is most surprising. Who is this person you are seeing?”

“His name is not important, mom. He isn’t going to show up on any of your social registers. What is important is that he is the person I am with, and he will be escorting me to the dinner. So just put me down as attending with one guest.”

“All right, Carol. We will play this your way, as always.”

Shaking her head now, as it still hung down, Carol could feel the familiar feeling of bile rising. Willing herself to keep her breakfast down, she needed to finish the call. “I have to go mom. I have to be at work in a few minutes,” she lied.

“Still playing nurse?”

“Yes, mom. I’m still playing nurse.”

“Wait. Before you go, let’s set up a time to get together.”

“Who?” Carol asked incredulously.

“Just you and I, dear. We haven’t had lunch in forever, and maybe it would be good to meet before the dinner.”

Just say no. Just say no.
“Sure mom. When and where?”
God, I’m such an idiot.

“How about Sunday for brunch. We could meet at the little Bistro in Jefferstown; that’s halfway between Richland and Fairfield.”

Carol surprised that her mother would agree to drive any distance to see her, then realized that her mother would have a driver. “Sure mom. I’ll see you there about eleven. Gotta go to work now. Bye.”

Hanging up before she could throw up, she sat on the stool trying to regulate her breathing.
Choices. It’s all about choices. I can meet with her. I’m strong. I’m in control. I can do this.
Continuing to self-talk until the desire to throw up passed, Carol stood up, feeling stronger than she had in a long time.

Putting in a phone call to Ronda to update her on her events and progress, she spent the rest of her day off housecleaning and running errands.