Fated (7 page)

Vaulting up, he was at the door and
yanking it open, just as Candace brought the knuckles of her hand down. He
caught that little bunched appendage in his own, far larger, hand, and
redirected it to his mouth, pressing a kiss on her wrist. He felt her pulse
kick into a higher gear, and their eyes locked. As in her flat shoes, Candace
barely came up to his shoulder, but any sense she wasn’t his match was debunked
by the flowing curves of her body, the little scrap of material she wore
clinging and accentuating every one.
And the scent of her…

“Darlin’?”
He relished the faint shiver that ran through her as he drew her close.

“I don’t want to talk. I want…”

He should make her say it, spell
out what she wanted, but he couldn’t be that much of a bastard. Dipping his
head, he met her raised lips and lost his head.

She tasted fresh and clean, and he
worked one hand through her hair to hold her steady for his kiss. When they
both had to breathe, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed, depositing
her near the center, then stood back to imprint the view on his cortex. Candy
belonged there, in his bed, in his life, all the intervening years be damned.
Her hair was a golden flame over the dark pillow cases, and her pale limbs
shone. Only her nightgown no longer fit the picture, and he knelt on the
mattress to slip the narrow straps down and push the fabric to her waist.

Full, round globes were revealed,
the rosy pink of her nipples a perfect target for both his fingers and mouth,
and as he took one between his lips, cupping the other breast, Candace moaned.
Her hands crept up to sift through his hair, fingernails lightly scratching his
scalp, and spurred him on. Suckling her, tweaking the opposite nipple, he
elongated each one and then gently bit down, enjoying the way she arched into
his touch and moaned louder.

“You taste like I remember,
darlin’. Your skin smells the same.”

“You remember?” Mouth still swollen
from their kiss, she peered up at him with desire-
hazed
eyes.

“I never forgot, Candace.
Even when I never thought to touch you again.”

“I’m heavier … bigger,” she nearly
whispered.

“You’re a woman.
My
woman.”
He knew his possessive assertion might be jumping the gun, but
he wasn’t backing away again.

Drifting her fingertips down his
cheek, she then followed the length of his neck and across one pectoral, before
resting the palm of her hand against his heart. “I want to be.
Despite everything.”

“Nothing else matters.”

“I’m not the same person—”

“She’s in there, darlin’. We’ve
both had some experiences that we’ll no doubt bring to the table, but we’re
still us.” He gave her a knowing look. “And I can’t say as I object to some of
the changes you’re referencing.”

The light from the small bedside
lamp reflected the sudden glow of Candace’s face as she blushed furiously. Her
mouth pursed mutinously. “You have me at a disadvantage, Reece. I don’t know
what you got up to while away.”

“And I’ll share with you,” he
promised.
“As much as you care to know.
We have a lot
of talking ahead, but there’s something more pressing at hand.”

He could scent her arousal, and his
cock was a hard, aching bar of need behind his boxers. As she lifted a thigh to
press it against him, he knew she understood, and tugged her nightgown over her
lower body. Candace obligingly lifted up, and he freed the garment over first
one foot then the other, tossing it aside. She wouldn’t require any clothing in
his bed ever again.

The sight of her shapely hips and
rounded belly leading to the pussy he’d plundered back in high school made him
twitch, and he reached for control. Their much younger fumbling in
hard-to-find-private places had limited the times they had together and
inhibited their loving. Now they had all night and no one to fear interrupting.

Stripping off his underwear, he drew
a condom from the nightstand, to sheathe himself with stiff fingers, fearing he
wouldn’t have the time or inclination to stop himself later. They’d both get
tested and figure out birth control that suited them, but for now he’d eschew
skin to skin contact, savor it at a later date. Candace watched him with a
sensuous set to her lips, her hands now idly stroking her breasts and teasing
at her nipples.

“If you’re clean, Reece, there’s no
need. I haven’t done anything without a condom. And I’m protected against
pregnancy.”

God.
His
fantasy
come
true. He stripped off the latex and turned back without another
thought, and was upon her. Parting her full thighs with both hands, he lowered
his head to press a kiss on the soft, tender skin on the inside. This was going
to be over before it started, so long had he thought about it and waited. Using
his tongue and lips, holding her labia apart with fingertips, he tasted her
fully, the sweet and tart evidence of her arousal driving him wild. Finding the
poking, hard bud of her clit, he sucked at it voraciously, vowing to take that
rest of the night exploring in greater detail but for now…

Candace went over, calling out his
name, and he scrambled up and over her shaking body, planting both hands by her
shoulders to support his weight. His cock, no longer blinded by latex, slipped
through her wet folds and fit against the entrance to her sheath.

“Tell me you’re ready,” he gritted.
He knew she was soaking, had lapped up the proof, but he needed to hear her ask
for him.

“Please. Reece, I want you inside
of me.” She panted and drew her thighs further apart and upward, setting her
feet flat on the mattress.

He drove inside, one hard, full
thrust until his pelvis met hers. The silken, pulsing heat brought tears to his
eyes as his heart swelled in concert, and he closed against them, dropping his
head to her shoulder.

“Reece?
Baby?”
The oh-so-familiar endearment made him lift his head.
“Are you okay?”

“You held me at arm’s length,
darlin’. I wondered if I’d ever be this close to you again.”

The sweet, feminine smile curving
her mouth was answer—and apology—enough, but she spoke in a husky voice. “I’m
so sorry.
For everything.
I missed you so much.”

Resting his forehead against hers
he worked his hips, the clasp and glide of her channel sorely testing his
resolve. Somehow their hands found one another and
clasped,
intertwined, and he held them down beside her head. From the look in her eyes,
Candace responded to the implied restraint, as even greater desire clouded the
amazing blue to the dark of the early night sky. More urgently, feeling her
wrap
her legs around his waist, feet pressing against his
buttocks, he changed the angle of penetration, searching out a sweet spot, and
she whimpered. Grinding against him, hips somehow swiveling beneath his weight,
her pussy fluttered in release, then clamped down to nearly strangle the cum
from his cock. Taken by surprise, he poured his essence into her, and the
roaring in his ears vied with the groan of completion bursting from his throat.

Collapsing, he tried to arch his
back and save her from all his weight, but she held him tightly with her strong
legs, residual tiny clenches deep inside of her caressing his cock. Releasing
her hands, he slipped free on a rush of their combined fluids and lay beside
her, tucking her against his side.

“Okay?”

“
Mmmm
.
Nothing coherent to share.”

With a laugh he hadn’t dreamed to
ever share with her again, he nuzzled her temple, and she sighed with
contentment, snuggling in closer. “Still love you, Candace.
Never
stopped.”

She didn’t tense or shy away. Peering
up at him, she smiled sweetly. “I’ve always loved you, Reece Murdoch.
And no one else.
Although I’m thinking you’ve improved some
on your technique.”

Loving that she could tease him,
Reece patted her ass in mock warning.
“Told you we’d share
later.”

“’Kay.”

As they lay in the quiet of the old
house settling around them, he refused to think of anything but the present.
Candace shifted and pushed away a little.

“Bathroom.”

He let her go, absorbed by the
vision of femininity slipping across the bed to patter toward the bathroom.
He’d only scratched the surface of her physical appeal, and the emotional side
of her guaranteed a non boring life. He couldn’t wait. His cock agreed, filling
and hardening against his abdomen.

****

Candy cleaned up and checked her
look in the mirror, totally satisfied with her reflection. She looked well
fucked, but also, well loved. There was a definite difference, and she’d never
thought to see it again. Their trysts of old had been sweet and wonderful, but
now that both were grown there was so much more between them. Their bodies
worked well together, and she was going to work harder than she’d ever worked
to develop a full relationship with Reece. He was committed, too. She believed
it.

As she sauntered back into the
bedroom, the way he
lay
, stretched out full length,
long, hard cock reaching to her, caused yet another rush of moisture between
her legs. Two orgasms already and she craved more.
More of
Reece.

Never taking his eyes from hers, he
swung his long legs over and sat on the side of the bed, muscled arms swinging
back to rest his weight on his hands. She advanced, impossibly drawn.

“On your knees,
Candace.”

Wow.
A re-enactment of earlier when he’d pushed her too soon, her daddy’s behavior
between them and not resolved. Reece’s demand had spoken to her then—in a thigh
tightening, belly clenching kind of way—but she felt quite different now. A
blaze of desire flowed over her body, cumulating in her sex and making her
breasts heavy, the nipples puckering. She dropped onto the little rug by the
bed and rested demurely on her heels, fully aware of the picture she was
presenting him.

Rewarded by the way his cock beaded
pre-cum, the wide head glistening in the muted light, she allowed herself an
innocent smile. “Like this?”

“Exactly like that, little miss,”
he growled, and her arousal spiked higher with her feminine power.

Leaning forward, his big hands fit
around her skull, fingers working through the strands of hair, with both thumbs
resting on her cheekbones. She met him look for look, until something within her
surrendered and she lowered her eyes with a sigh of relief. Reece would take
care of her.

“Open.” There was no mistaking the
satisfaction in his tone.

Obediently opening her mouth, she
let his hands guide her, pulling her head gently forward until the tip of his
cock fit against her lips. She had to stretch wider until he slipped inside,
salty and hot. She could taste herself on him, and the thought of them fucking
earlier stirred her up, making her
close
tightly
around him and skim her tongue against the notched sweet spot.

“Fuck.” His hands tightened, and he
held her immobile. His cock pulsed against her palate, and she sucked lightly
to taste, then used her tongue again. Unable to do more, aware not to use her
hands, she held him in her mouth as he stroked her face with his eyes. “You’re
beautiful, darlin’.”

And then, with no warning, he took
over the pace, using her mouth without mercy. Loving his mastery, certain he’d
never hurt her, she closed her eyes and took him, breathing through her nose to
counteract the depth to which he impaled her throat. This felt so primal, so
claiming, but more so, he was hers and she was never giving him back. She was
so wet with pleasuring him her thighs were coated, and her clit throbbed.
Just a little pressure…

“Touch yourself. Get off.”

Her eyes popped open to lock with
his, and her hand flew to her apex at his command. She rubbed her aching clit,
spurts of pre-cum warning of his pending release. The sweet agony of climax
made her press hard around her fingers to extend the experience as Reece
shuddered and came on a distinct shout. She swallowed and milked the head of
his cock, giving it a farewell lick as he hissed and withdrew.

“Fuck me, Candace.
Bliss.”
He touched her cheekbones tenderly. “You okay?”

“Uh-huh.
You?”

“Seeing as you emptied my balls,
little miss, I’d say so.” Tugging her hand from her sex, he lapped at her
fingers, and smiled in obvious contentment.

Accepting his support, she rose
from her knees and pushed her hair back, enjoying the way he blatantly approved
of her body. He slid back onto his side of the bed—she was already assigning
sides, to her secret satisfaction—and she clambered in beside him. She never
stayed over with the men she played with, but this was hardly
play
. Oh, there were some components of that, many of which
they’d build on, but she was going to share a bed tonight with Reece.
And as many nights as she could manage from here on in.

They’d have some things to face
tomorrow and probably in the next several days, but nothing she didn’t believe
they couldn’t surmount. There were other places to live besides Barrister, and
this time she didn’t think about running away. Nope, she and Reece would be
walking, together.

Epilogue

“You and the
Sheriff?”
Sinclair didn’t sound as surprised as Candace thought she
should. She stirred her coffee and regarded the other woman. Sinclair resembled
the proverbial cat and a whole pail of cream.

“That’s right.”

“Well, maybe it’s because I’m so
darn happy, I want it for people around me, especially somebody who means as
much as you do, Candy. And you mentioned him a lot over the past months.”