Feels Like Home: A Southerland Family Contemporary Romance Book 1 (17 page)

He repeated the delicious torment with her
other breast, finally sliding the strap off her shoulder and
lifting her breast from the cup. With excruciating tenderness he
pulled her aching flesh into his mouth. She couldn’t catch her
breath, taking short gasps as he suckled her.

“
So good, God. That feels
so good.”

Spurred on by her words he sucked harder and
she cried out for him, desperate to have him inside her. Her legs
had to give out. She couldn’t feel so much, be at the mercy of his
hands and mouth and stay standing.

“
Bed, please,” she said on
a gasp.

He pulled away and she almost cried at the
loss of his hot mouth on her swollen nipple. His hands shook as he
unfastened the clasps on her bra and slid the zipper down on her
skirt. He watched, eyes dark with desire, as she shrugged out of
her bra and let the dress pool at her feet.

“
Sweet Jesus on the cross.”
He breathed the words like a prayer.

She stood naked except for her cherry red
lace panties. The hunger in his gaze was more than enough reason to
fight the urge to cover herself. Feeling the cool air on her skin,
she basked in the heat of his gaze, forcing herself to stay still
for a moment when all she wanted in the whole world was to reach
for him.

“
You are so beautiful.” He
dropped to his knees in front of her like a man struck and any
insecurities she’d ever had burned away in the naked hunger of his
voice. His hands clasped her hips and he paused letting his head
rest against the soft mound of her belly.

With her wrists free she could finally get
her hands on him. Threading her fingers through his hair, she
cradled his head against her. She felt him sigh and the sweet
tenderness of simply touching him threatened to overwhelm her.

The kisses started out sweet almost reverent,
just his lips tender and chaste tracing a line across her belly.
Before long they grew hotter, wetter, more demanding. He hooked his
thumbs under the lace and tugged off her panties. She knew he’d be
able to tell how aroused she was. She didn’t think she’d ever been
this excited or felt this much. When his fingers found her, sliding
through her silky folds to her core, she thought she’d fly
apart.

He groaned. “So wet, God, you’re so wet for
me.” His words sent another rush of heat through her.

He slid first one then two fingers inside her
and her hands gripped his shoulders. He blew across her mound
teasing the tight, wet curls and then he kissed her open mouthed
like she was something delicious to eat. His tongue teased and
flicked across her tight bundle of nerves and pleasure bloomed and
swelled inside her.

Starting a slow, steady, stroking rhythm with
his fingers, he suckled her swollen needy flesh. Her fingers bit
into his shoulders as she struggled to stay standing. Her breaths
came in shallow gasps and wave after wave of pleasure built under
the onslaught of his mouth and hands.

He drove her on, relentless in his demands
for her pleasure and she felt the tightening that was at the same
time familiar and completely new.

“
I’m close. Please. I want
you inside me.”

She felt him groan against her sensitive
flesh but the pace of his fingers inside her never slowed. She
didn’t want to come again without him. She didn’t think she could
take a repeat of Sunday, but her body didn’t care. Jude curled his
fingers to stroke the rough patch of skin inside her tight channel
and nibbled and licked the tight bundle of nerves.

Before she could protest again, pleasure
uncoiled and whipped through her. Her climax stole her breath and
made her legs go weak, the trembling in her limbs threatening to
knock her off balance. Using his hands and mouth he drew out every
last bit of her orgasm.

When the tremors finally started to subside,
he stood and kissed her. She tasted herself on his lips and the
heat flared again. Gently, he guided her until the back of her
knees hit the edge of the bed. He pushed her down and she climbed
into the center of the bed.

Naked, her body still pulsing with the
lingering aftershocks of her climax, she looked up at him with eyes
heavy-lidded with desire. She wanted him more than she’d ever
wanted anyone, more than she thought was possible.

“
Take off your clothes.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and he moved like a man
inspired, stripping off his shirt. He kicked off his shoes and slid
his pants and boxers to the floor. When his erection sprang free,
long and thick and hard, she licked her lips and reached for him.
He groaned as her hand closed around him, all velvet covered
steel.

“
Not this time,” he said,
peeling her fingers away. “I have got to be inside you.”

She lay back on top of the patchwork quilt
and opened herself for him. He made a strangled sound and then he
was on the bed with her, rolling protection down his length. He
palmed her bottom, raising her hips and in one smooth movement, he
slid into her.

“
Jesus, God,” he said and
then he started to move, long smooth strokes which touched every
part of her. “I’m not going to last.” He groaned but it didn’t
matter. She was already spiraling up to another delicious climax.
When she felt the tightening start again, she leaned up and nipped
at his throat.

“
Let go,” she panted. “Come
with me. Now.”

She felt his climax build, felt him swell and
then pulse deep inside her, and then she was coming too, fracturing
and shattering into a million pieces in the strength of his
arms.

“
You know if you leave you
car parked out front, Mrs. Adair is going to see it and know you
spent the night.” She dug a spoonful of ice cream out of the
carton. Still relishing the first chocolaty bite, she poked around
looking for one of the almonds. She loaded her spoon with the nut
and some of the ribbon of fudge swirled through the ice cream and
then passed the carton to Jude. “Your reputation will be
ruined.”

“
Don’t care.” He scooped up
a huge spoonful of ice cream without even looking into the carton
and popped it in his mouth. “I’m planning on doing it again.
Often.” He nudged Max who lay sprawled across the foot of the bed.
“You’re gonna spoil him if you let him sleep there.”

When they’d gone down to the kitchen for the
ice cream, they’d found him sleeping on the couch. In an act of
self-preservation, he must have followed them into the house from
the porch which was good since neither of them had thought about
him during the kissing or what came after. He followed Autumn and
the ice cream and claimed the foot of the bed while Jude was in the
bathroom.

“
Poor baby. He was
completely neglected.” The dog raised his head just enough to look
pathetic and she snagged the carton back from Jude.

“
Neglected my ass.” He
glared at the dog. “Chicken eater.”

“
You can’t blame him for
that. It was really good chicken.” She licked ice cream off the
back of her spoon and watched his eyes grow dark. He took the
carton from her and set it on the nightstand.

“
Out Max. Now.” Jude pushed
the dog off the bed and shooed him out the door, closing it with
him on the other side.

He climbed back into bed and pulled her to
him, covering them both with the quilt. Autumn curled against his
chest and he traced her spine with his fingers, stopping when he
reached the dimples at the top of her butt and then starting all
over again. He held her, his arms wrapping around her in an attempt
to keep the rest of the world away from them and when he kissed
her, he tasted like chocolate.

“
There is something wrong
with you.” Kristen looked at Jude like he was a patient on furlough
from the state asylum.

It was the third time he’d gone into the
wrong exam room. He couldn’t help it. He couldn’t think about
anything except Autumn. And every time he managed to get a hold on
his libido he’d see her sitting at the computer in her sexy
librarian skirt and the blouse that buttoned up the front and all
he could picture was the way her hair had fanned across the pillow
that morning in a sexy riot of curls.

He was worthless.

If he could convince her to let him take her
out for lunch or better yet upstairs to his bed, maybe he could get
a grip.

“
Do we have anyone else
scheduled?”

Kristen rolled her eyes and spoke very
slowly. “Not until two. Just like I told you the last three times
you asked me.”

“
I’m taking
lunch.”

“
Thank God. Take a walk
too. Clear your head before you hurt someone or I hurt
you.”

“
Your concern is a balm to
my heart, sweet Kristen,” he said, clasping his hands to his
chest.

“
Give me an ever loving
break.” She turned in a huff and left the room.

Autumn was at the computer, her gaze intent
on something on the screen. He walked up behind her and rested his
hands on her shoulders, sliding his fingers under her hair. He
could feel the warmth of her skin through the silk of her blouse
and his blood started heading south. She smiled up at him with red
lips that he knew exactly how sweet it felt to kiss and blue eyes
rimmed with inky black lashes. It took every ounce of his control
not to throw her over his shoulder like a cave man and carry her
upstairs.

“
Let me take you to lunch.”
He watched her smile shift to concern.

“
We shouldn’t. Kristen
already thinks something’s going on. If we go to lunch together,
she’ll know.”

“
She’ll know anyway. You
can’t keep a secret in this town and I have no intention of
trying.” He bent and nipped at the tender skin behind her ear,
breathing in the spicy floral scent that hung in her hair. “By
tonight the whole town will know you’re mine.” He whispered the
words against her skin and felt her tremble. It was almost enough
to make him lock the door and clear the desk. God, he was a mess.
“And Andrew and my brothers will know to keep their hands to
themselves.”

“
Doctor Southerland, are
you jealous?”

“
Hell, yes. What’s your
point?”

“
No point.” She laughed.
“But I think we should at least wait until tonight to go public. Go
on without me. Maybe if you’re not in the office distracting me
I’ll be able to get some work done. I haven’t gotten a thing done
all day.”

Reluctant but enormously pleased that he was
messing with her concentration as much as she messed with his, he
kissed her cheek and went off to find Andrew. If he couldn’t have
lunch with Autumn, he could at least warn his friend to be on his
best behavior at Bailey’s birthday party. And maybe the walk would
help clear his head. He went upstairs to get Max. The walk would do
him good, too.

“
Jude Southerland, you know
better than to bring that dog in here.” Mrs. Overstreet shook her
finger at him, but she wasn’t fooling anyone. He knew she slipped
Max biscuits when he wasn’t looking.

“
I know, Mrs. Overstreet. I
won’t let it happen again.” He winked at her while he told what
they both knew was a lie. “Is the good counselor in?”

“
Go on back,” she said,
shaking her head. “And tell him I’m taking lunch. I’ll put the sign
on the door.”

“
Yes, ma’am.” Jude bowed
his head toward Mrs. Overstreet and led Max down the hall. He
knocked but didn’t bother to wait for an answer before he opened
the door to Andrew’s office. He set the white paper sack he was
carrying on the desk and sank into a chair.

“
No, no problem. Make
yourself at home. I wasn’t doing anything important.” Andrew
wrapped his hands around Max’s massive head and then scratched him
behind the ears until the dog collapsed belly up on the
floor.

“
That’s what Mrs.
Overstreet said, too. She’s taking lunch by the way. Ours is in the
bag.”

Andrew gingerly opened the paper sack and
peered in side. “Meatball subs. God, the grease is leaking through
the paper. How can you eat this stuff?”

“
Don’t act like you don’t
love it. You used to live on Jeno’s subs.”

“
When I was eighteen. This
is not how grown men eat. You’re as bad as your
brothers.”

“
If you don’t want it…come
on, Max.” Jude stood and reached for the bag. Max laid on the floor
and ignored him.

“
Well, since you brought
them.” Andrew picked up the bag and moved around the desk. “But we
can at least eat them in the employee break room so I don’t get
marinara on my papers. Come on, Max.” Max rose and obediently
followed Andrew to the door across the hall.

“
Traitor,” Jude murmured,
trailing behind.

The employee break room was the original
kitchen. A single row of cabinets lined one wall with a sink under
the only window. A strawberry shaped cookie jar, a gift from Jude’s
sister Bailey, sat on the counter. Jude lifted the lid intending to
snag a cookie and set it down when he found the jar stocked with
granola bars instead. Andrew grabbed two diet cokes from the
refrigerator and set them and the bag on the small table in the
center of the room.

“
Seems a little pretentious
to call it an employee break room. Aren’t you and Mrs. Overstreet
the only ones who work here?” Jude rummaged in the bag and pulled
out three huge meatball subs wrapped in greasy waxed
paper.