Crime & Passion (30 page)

Donovan worried his eyes might pop out at the
way that deep breath thrust her chest forward. “You’re killing me,
Maddie,” he muttered, grabbing the throw pillow next to him to
cover his midsection.

She slipped out of her shoes and sat beside
him. “What did you say?”

He looked into her eyes and his pulse rose
even higher. It would be a long night, trapped in this small
apartment with her.

If she wears something skimpy like that
damn silk robe, I won’t be responsible for what happens.
That
thought stopped him cold, as he remembered the robe was ruined,
shredded in the attack.

He cleared his throat. “I said, I’m glad
you’re talking to me again.”

“Sorry it took me so long. I’ve been thinking
a lot about what Suzie said.” She closed her eyes briefly. “She
thought you couldn’t love anyone with a scarred face.”

“Oh, Maddie.” Unable to stop himself, he
reached out to her, rubbing his hand across her cheek and down her
neck. “Why would you believe that mad woman? She wanted you to quit
trusting me.”

She opened her mouth then shut it, only to
open it again. No words came out.

Donovan ran his thumb across her bottom lip
tenderly. “What is it?”

“I was wondering...” She swallowed visibly.
“Suzie said you told her something.”

Why did she persist in listening to that
woman? Donovan stifled a sigh. He needed to win Madeline’s trust
again and getting impatient with her wouldn’t help. “What did she
say?”

“She said you told her you were in love with
me.” She flicked an invisible speck of dust from her skirt, but
leaned slightly closer to Donovan. “That was a lie, right? To get
her to leave you alone?”

The wistful note in her voice lifted
Donovan’s heart. Given their prior fight, he could see why she
worried about this. But her voice and body language clearly
screamed she wanted his love to be real.

“I might have dated a lot of women the past
twenty years, but I’ve never said I loved them. Not even Lindsey.”
He grabbed her ponytail, tugging it gently to angle her mouth
toward his. “I would never lie about love.”

“You wouldn’t?” The breathy words escaped her
mouth, tickling air across his face. “But my parents said you told
them the same thing.”

He lowered his mouth until it almost touched
hers, holding back through shear grit and determination. She knew
now he wanted her. The question was, did she want him too? “I meant
what I said to them, but I understand if you don’t feel the same
way.”

“You meant it? Past tense?” Her lips brushed
his softly as she spoke. “Have you changed your mind?”

He gripped her head and pulled her tight,
unable to hold back any longer. She must want him too if she was so
concerned about what he thought. Her soft lips touched against his
and they parted as her tongue darted across his mouth.

He wanted the kiss to last forever, but
Madeline broke away after a few sweet seconds. As her round eyes
met his, he realized she needed the words to answer her question,
not just his actions.

“I
mean
it. Nothing will change my
mind about you, Maddie.” He stroked his thumb down the back of her
neck, delighting in the shudder that passed through her. “Now it’s
your turn. Do you feel anything for me?”

She molded her body against his and ran her
hands through his hair. “I care for you very much.”

He crushed his mouth against hers and
clutched her to his chest. “I’m sorry for hurting you at the jail.
It was always about the money.” He paused, his eyes flicking to her
scarred face, wishing he had a time machine to go back and change
the past. He would have accepted her help, and Suzie wouldn’t have
had a chance at her. “I was wrong. Together, we can get through
whatever life throws at us. I don’t want to be apart from you
again.”

She nodded vigorously.

Donovan gently tugged her hair sideways until
she complied by tilting her head. He went straight for the tender
spot at the curve of her neck and shoulder, noting that to be a
sensitive place the last time he kissed her.

Madeline tossed her head back and whispered,
“Oh, yes. I do love that talented tongue of yours.”

He traced her collarbone with his tongue
before lifting his head up to take her mouth once again. Softly, he
palmed her breast. “Maddie, I don’t want to wait anymore. I’m done
being a better man.”

“Thank God.” She laughed and ran her fingers
under the bottom of his shirt. “I’ve wanted you so long. Let’s not
waste any more time.”

“It’s been even longer for me,” he growled,
pushing her until she lay down on the couch. “You slept through
three weeks while I suffered, only able to look at you.”

She giggled. “Well, I’m awake now, and ready
for more.”

He slowly ran his hands up her legs. The
muscles tensed beneath his fingers as he tickled the smooth skin.
Her skirt hiked up partially, and Donovan shifted his weight to put
one of his knees between her legs, capturing her other leg between
the couch and his thigh. He threw the small pillow onto the ground,
no longer wanting anything between them.

“Now that I have you trapped, what
should
I do with you?” He moved his hands to the bottom of
her tank top, inching it upward. “I think you deserve a little
punishment for making me wait so long.”

She squirmed beneath him, a wide smile on her
face. “Whatever you do,” she said, sitting up partially so he could
draw the shirt over her head, “don’t touch my nipples. That’s the
worse punishment ever. Have some mercy, Mr. Andrews.”

“Quiet,” he ordered, covering the white lace
of her bra with each hand. He made circular motions with his thumb,
teasing her nipples erect.

“Please, sir, be kind.” She practically
panted as her breathing quickened. “Don’t put them in your mouth.
That’s the worst sort of torture.”

He leaned forward, grazing his tongue across
her belly, over the scar there, and up to her breasts. He found the
hard points beneath the fabric, biting each lightly before running
his fingers up her arm. She shivered beneath him and moaned softly.
Donovan peeled her bra strap down, wishing he’d remembered to undo
the clasp when he took her shirt off.

Madeline complied by slipping her arm through
the strap, and Donovan tugged on it, smiling when half her bust
popped out of the cup. He pinched and prodded the nipple, and
Madeline’s eyes fluttered closed. He took it in his mouth, sucking
and licking.

Madeline’s arms slipped between them and he
felt her fumble with the button on his slacks. She carefully eased
the zipper open. Donovan bit down a little harder than he intended
when her hands slid over his briefs.

“Ouch,” she complained. “Not so hard, or I’ll
make your torture worse than mine.” She gripped him in her hand,
squeezing a little harder than comfortable.

“Truce,” he begged. “I got a little over
excited.”

She relaxed her grip slightly, moving along
his shaft to find the head of his penis through the underwear. She
circled it lightly with a gentle fingertip. “I suppose I can
understand that. Things are rather exciting.”

It was his turn to gasp as tingles of
pleasure jolted through him while she stroked him. He vied for
position with Madeline, trying to get his hands up her skirt at the
same time as she slipped her hand beneath the elastic band
separating his skin from her questing fingers.

He groaned in frustration as her arm blocked
his way. He stood and scooped Madeline into his arms. “We need more
room and less clothes.”

“I can walk. You don’t need to carry me,” she
protested.

“Quiet, wench. Don’t tell the torturer what
he can and can’t do,” he said gruffly.

She laughed. “I forgot who the boss is here.
Forgive me, sir.”

“Damn right. Don’t let it happen again.”

Donovan crossed the room and kicked open the
partially closed door to the bedroom. His unfastened pants slipped
down around his ankles, and he kicked them off as he tossed
Madeline down, jumping on the bed next to her. “I finally get to
bounce with you on this bed. I told you this was a better idea than
going to a movie.”

She shook her head, her eyes sparkling with
joy. “No bouncing yet, buddy. I want you to do a strip tease for me
first.” She reached behind her back and her bra slipped free,
releasing the other half of her remarkable bosom. “I’m wearing much
less clothing than you, Mr. Andrews. Fair’s fair.”

He grinned and rolled off the edge of the
bed. “You have a point.” He slowly drew his shirt over his head,
puffing his chest out to make his pecs more impressive. He had a
moment to worry whether or not his physique impressed her. He
wasn’t the most muscular of men, though he was in good shape.

“Very nice,” she murmured, easing his
concerns.

He made a movement to slip off his briefs,
but Madeline shook her head sharply. “Wait. I have to inspect the
merchandise before I decide to bed it.”

She stood up, stepping into him and rubbing
her soft chest against his. Donovan didn’t think he could grow any
harder than he was, but his member dug into her thigh before she
pulled away.

A smile played about her lips, so Donovan
knew his excitement hadn’t gone unnoticed. She caressed her hands
across his abs, slowly stroking from his waistline to his
collarbone as though inspecting a prize stallion.

“You said you’re a runner, I believe?” she
asked, reversing the motion of her hands.

“Yes,” he gasped, his heart thudding in the
cage of his chest.

“Nice.” She grasped the band of his drawers
and pulled them down, kneeling in front of him as she dropped them
to the floor. “
Very
nice.”

She leaned over to grab Donovan’s pants. She
searched the pockets and pulled out his wallet, flipping it
open.

“What are you doing?” he asked, amused.
"Robbing me?"

She glanced up at him through half-lidded
eyes. Oh, how he wished she’d stay down there and put her mouth to
good use.

“A man as worldly as you must have remembered
to bring a condom,” she answered.

Good thinking.
“Right hand side.”

Madeline found it and removed the condom from
its wrapper. She tickled the inside of his leg and gripped the
length of his erection, stroking him before putting the condom in
place.

She then stood, rubbing the front of her body
across the full length of his. “Running does a body good, Mr.
Andrews. I profess myself satisfied.”

He took her in his arms, tracing his fingers
lightly across her bare skin. “Get rid of the skirt,” he said.

“Ah, ah, ah.” She wagged her finger at him
and pointed to his feet. “You’re not done yet.”

He looked down and laughed. Black dress socks
covered halfway up the calves of his otherwise bare body. “You got
a foot fetish or something?”

She shrugged and reached her arms behind her
back. “Maybe.” The sound of her zipper sliding down encouraged
Donovan to rip his socks off without further complaint. As soon as
he flung them across the room, Madeline’s skirt fell into a heap at
her feet and she slipped out of her panties.

“Oh my God, Maddie.” He ran his hands along
her sides, passing them over her curvy hips. “You’re perfect. Truly
gorgeous.”

The playfulness left her face for a moment
and she bit her lip. “Really?”

“Better than my wildest fantasy.”

He reached behind her head and removed her
ponytail, losing himself in the scent of apples released as her
hair swirled around them. He inhaled deeply and ran his tongue
along her upper lip, slipping it into her mouth as he took a step
forward.

He forced her to the edge of the bed and she
fell back, clutching her arms around his waist to take him with
her.

***

Donovan’s heavy weight fell across her,
caging Madeline to the bed and igniting her passion higher. She
delighted in his obvious desire for her. Neither her face nor her
body seemed to slow him down. He wanted her. The warmth of that
knowledge made her even hotter for him. She’d never felt this way
with another man.

He rolled to the side of her, still not
releasing her mouth. Madeline loved the slight taste of mint on his
breath and the feel of his hot tongue as she sucked it.

His hand caressed her inner thigh, and
Madeline spread her legs for him as pleasure jolted through her.
The tip of his finger traced her leg, straying upward to barely
flick her swollen clit.

“Please, Donovan. No more torture,” she
begged, twisting her hips to encourage full contact with his
fingers.

He laughed against her mouth and shifted to
slide his body between her spread legs. His erection pressed
against her moist heat as he leaned into her, kissing her mouth
softly and moving his way down her chest. He spent some attention
on each nipple, sucking them in turn as his hands stayed planted on
either side of her head.

She swiveled her pelvis, desperately aching
to have him inside her. The motion rubbed her clit back and forth
along the length of his hard shaft, but he didn’t enter her.

He moved his head down further, scattering
kisses across her belly as he lowered himself on the bed. The
pressure of him against her sex relaxed as he moved further
away.

“Wait,” she protested, clutching his hair in
her hand. “Where are you going? Get back here.”

He looked up at her, rubbing his chin through
her small tuft of pubic hair. “Relax, Maddie. The torture’s not
over yet. I’m just getting started.”

Donovan moved lower on the bed, grabbing her
legs and swinging them over his shoulders.

“No,” Madeline whispered, a little horrified.
“You can’t do that, Donovan.”

“My torture. My choice.” He kissed the inside
of her thigh, sending a jolt of desire arcing through her body. “I
promise, you
will
like this.”