Hide: Part One (The Black Letters Series Book 1) (16 page)

His thumb caressed my cheek as he patiently waited for my answer. Tears pressed my eyes, wanting to flow into his hands, but I couldn’t show him my weakness, not again.

“I need to go.” My voice was strong, but my feet wouldn’t move.

Mitch sighed, running his hand down my cheek and to the side of my neck. I flinched, biting my lip to keep it from twitching. Shrugging from his touch, I turned to my car, fighting tears as the dirt crunched beneath my nude heels. Mitch growled as he slammed the back of his truck closed. Heavy boots on rocks and dirt followed me. A hand reached for the door, stopping me from escaping inside.

“Meet me tonight.”

I wiped my eyes. “Let me go…”

His head was low, trying to meet my gaze. “Not until you say yes. I won’t leave you like this.”

I was breaking in front of him, sick of fighting feelings I secretly wanted.

Both of his hands found the top of the car, caging me in completely. There was no hiding now as his nose brushed mine.

“
Please.
Let me take it away.”

My eyes were heavy as soft pants began leaving my lips. Could his touch rid me of the silent hell I’d been living the past seven years? The heat was there between us, radiating like the sun on this hot summer day. He licked his lips, pressing down gently to meet mine for the first time.

Wildfire spread throughout my body as I met his mouth, and my muscles went limp from his soft suck on my bottom lip. My arms were still crossed, attempting to protect my heart from this man who was tearing down my walls one thick brick at a time. His kiss became more intense when I let out a soft groan. Arms were suddenly around me, pulling me to his broad chest that I’d yearned to touch so many times. I was caged and not in control, a position I’d been terrified to be in my entire romantic life because of my dark past. I sighed his name in between kisses, unsure of what I wanted.

He paused long enough to make a plea. “Come home with me.” His mouth found mine quickly, his tongue darting confidently, dancing eagerly with mine. I loved every second of his kiss, feeling the need and passion with every dip of his tongue.

“Now?” I breathed, bringing my mouth back to lock with his.

He grunted, pressing his hips into mine. “Yes, I need you,
now
. I can’t wait any longer.”

My arms unlocked from my chest, making their way to Mitch’s pecs, my hands slowly moving upwards to cradle his face while we kissed. I wanted him just as badly, but still needed to keep my responsibility.

“We both have to work. I’ve got a meeting with a client at 2.”

His lips left my mouth to find my jaw, the fresh scruff on his face felt amazing as it rubbed against my sensitive skin. “That’s in three hours,” he said between kisses. “Plenty of time.”

It was enough time, but I wanted a clear head this weekend for Becca’s wedding, and the unsettling nerves in my stomach told me going home with Mitch would put me in a fog the rest of the day, or possibly my entire life.

“I have to finish packing, and prep for my meeting,” I sighed, enjoying his lips now working their way down my neck. The sensation of his tongue running along my neck was an elixir for all the times it had been touched destructively.

“I’ll help you,” he coaxed.

I let out a soft giggle, gently pulling his face back to mine. “I can’t.”

His lip quirked, then he kissed me chastely. “I’m worried you’re going to get in that car and think of every excuse possible why this was a mistake.”

I bit my lip, buying time to think of how I’d respond to his statement. He was right. My mind would automatically go to why I couldn’t be with him. But his words stuck in my head,
let me take it away.

I wanted to try.

“We have to focus on Tyler and Becca’s wedding this weekend, then we’ll figure this out.”

His head tipped so it was resting on mine. “Promise?”

I nodded, grabbing the back of his neck as I went in for one last kiss, letting him know I was serious. I was still confused, but my body couldn’t deny him anymore.

***

Images of my simple make-out session with Mitch kept replaying in my mind the rest of the day. My meeting was boring, packing was cursory, and dinner with Nathan and Kobiashi was mere routine. Nathan nudged me a few times, making sure I was paying attention. If only he knew that while we were enjoying appetizers, I was imagining what his younger brother looked like with his shirt off. And then, as we ate dessert, what he looked like without pants.

“What’s got that shit-eating grin on your face?” Nathan asked as we walked through the airport security. I shrugged, feigning acknowledgement for my mood. I wasn’t going to admit his little brother had caused butterflies to form in my stomach.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were in love.”

“No way,” I said quickly, laughing slightly. Love was something I wasn’t sure I believed in anymore.

“Whatever you say. Do you have the wedding itinerary?” Nathan was the only male in the universe who would worry about a wedding itinerary.

“Of course, I made it last weekend. Tyler should have forwarded it to you.”

Nathan grumbled under his breath. “He didn’t. That man only cares about one thing. Well, maybe two things.”

We both laughed. “Typical man.”

Chapter Seventeen

Clanking of glasses filled the air, signaling for Becca and Tyler to kiss for the umpteenth time. They were shockingly good sports about the interactions, and seemed to be the happiest I’d ever seen them. The wedding activities were a blur, moving from nails to hair, rehearsals and preparations for the ceremony. It happened so fast, and I was thankful for the buzz I was supporting from the ride to pictures and the reception.

My interactions with Mitch were sparse. He’d texted me throughout Thursday and Friday with his stupid pick-up lines and flirty comments. My responses were slim, but only because we’d been so busy. I’d been by Becca’s side constantly, wanting to make today the fairy tale she deserved.

“Thank you so much for the speech,” Becca sniffed as she squeezed my hand. We were sitting at the head table, relaxing from the fine dining. “You’re the best friend a girl could ever have.” She was being sappy.

“You’d do the same for me,” I whispered softly.

“In a heartbeat,” she assured, nodding her head rapidly. Then, in normal bride tradition, she took off, mingling with her guests.

Mitch was sitting at the end of the table. I could feel his presence as I sipped what was left of my champagne. He was moving toward me now, his confidence radiating with each step. He looked handsome in his suit, and a touch awkward. I could tell he wasn’t used to wearing one. It was humbling to see.

“You’ve done a great job ignoring me,” Mitch pouted, taking Becca’s seat. “I thought you weren’t going to come up with a reason for us not to try?”

Setting my glass down, I turned to him. “This weekend was about my best friend, not you. Sorry if I’ve been too busy to flirt.”

His brows wiggled. “God, I love when you’re feisty.”

My eyes found the ceiling as I shook my head, trying not to laugh at him, but my smile couldn’t be contained. He had charm, and I was starting to fall for it.

Mitch set his arm on the back of my chair, leaning into me as though he was going to place a kiss on my neck. Shivers ran down my arms in anticipation, quivering as his nose touched the shell of my ear. “Save me a dance, all right?”

He left before I could jokingly tell him no.

Simple wedding reception traditions passed by, leaving the dance floor open to the guests.

“Come on, they’re going to play Elton,” Nathan said slyly, pulling me to the dance floor.

I had yet to dance with Mitch, but as much as I wanted to touch him, I knew it was for the best. Controlling my hands and movements might be hard at this point, and I wasn’t ready for anyone to see the way we reacted to each other while being so close.

“
Candle in the Wind
? Really?” I teased as Nathan spun me then brought me back so our bodies were flush.

“Did you expect something else?”

“Of course not.” I laughed, resting my head on his shoulder as he held me close.

“I’m glad you’re out of your funk,” he said quietly against my ear. “You’re a hard one to read, but I knew you weren’t yourself for a while. This weekend you’ve been a shining star.”

“It must be weddings,” I sighed dramatically. “You know I’m a sucker for a good romance.”

“Right,” he said sarcastically. Becoming serious again he added, “You’d tell me if something were wrong, right?” I tilted my head away from him, feeling guilty for keeping part of me distant from my best friends. “I know I’m a hard ass most of the time, but I do care, Jamie. Even if you’re debating screwing my little brother.”

I smacked his shoulder. “Says who?”

“Body language. There couldn’t be more sexual tension between the two of you.”

“Isn’t Mitch always like that?” I teased, trying to play off that I wasn’t interested.

“Say whatever makes you feel better, but I’m not an idiot. I stand by what I said earlier.” His eyes met mine. “And, I’m going to repeat what I said to you before. Be careful around him, Jay. You were right, he’s not dangerous, but he’ll play with your heart.”

“Do I look like the kind of girl who gets her heart broken?” My face was smug, but inside I was tearing apart. My heart was still ripped in half, bleeding for the ones I’d lost.

“I know you can take care of yourself. It doesn’t mean I still can’t be protective.”

Grateful for his affection, I smiled.

***

Of course, Becca would have fireworks at her wedding. When I looked around to find her, she was gone, and I clicked my tongue, knowing her and Tyler had used fireworks as an escape.

“They sure went all out, didn’t they?” Mitch came to my side, his mega-watt smile in full form. His eyes were a touch hazy, buzzed from the alcohol.

“Wouldn’t be a Stine/Conklin wedding without fireworks.”

Over two-thirds of the guests were gone by now, allowing for more space on the patio. Leaning into his side and resting my head on his shoulder happened naturally while my body awakened to his scent. He was wearing his sexy cologne, the woodsy smell taking over my senses. Mitch slid me in front of his body, arms wrapping around me from behind while the fireworks flew over the Grand River. My hands clung to his, helping him hold me. I sighed contently, feeling safe in his arms. This felt so right, and the visions of letters and white knuckled hands squeezing my neck evaporated. He was taking my pain away, and I was ready to stop fighting it.

“Come home with me,” I purred through the crackling of the fireworks.

“Mmm...” he contemplated in sarcasm. “I actually reserved a room.” My elbow found his stomach, causing him to grunt and chuckle at the same time. “I imagine the bed is big enough for the two of us, even though you didn’t save me a dance.”

My grin was wide as I tilted my head to look up at him. “Oh, I saved the best dance for you.” His eyes widened fractionally, filling with lust as I licked my lips. My bare skin was begging to be touched by his calloused hands.

“Shall we go create our own finale?” he suggested, his hand moving lower on my hip. All eyes were on the fireworks, and like Becca and Tyler, now would be the perfect opportunity to make a getaway without anyone realizing we were leaving together. I moved from his embrace, taking his hand to walk through the reception hall and to the hotel entrance. Mitch eagerly followed, barely able to keep his hands off me while we passed by many of our co-workers.

It was all over once we reached the elevator. Passion hit us in a rush as the doors closed. Mitch lunged for me, pinning me to the mirrored side of the elevator. His mouth crashed into mine, fiercely demanding me to open up for his tongue to explore. My hands were just as crazed, reaching underneath his suit coat, searching for the muscles I’d longed to feel and taste.

“I’ve been thinking about kissing you ever since we were on Kobiashi’s lot,” he gasped between kisses. I moaned in agreement.

Thankfully, no one was in the hallway while we were all over each other, finding his room. He pushed me so my back was against the door, pressing his body flush with mine, kissing me madly. Everything inside of us was ready to ravage each other. Mitch fumbled in his pockets, biting my lip as he grabbed the key and finally opened the door. My fingers were working on his buttons as I walked backward through the threshold. Mitch tossed the key on the floor, then slammed the door shut with his foot.

We were alone now.

No judging eyes or emotions. I was going to devour him tonight and not worry about what games my mind would play on me in the morning.

Mitch let out a deep breath as he took me in from head to toe. His stare made me feel alive. Watching him undo the remainder of his buttons while I kicked my heels to the side fed my need for him. I was finally able to see what was beneath those shirts, and the reality was way better than my fantasies. I couldn’t hide the hitch in my breath as his suit jacket and dress shirt fell to the floor. Smooth, taut, tanned skin covered his chest and abdomen with ripples of muscle you’d only see in magazines. His nipple held a bar piercing, and I wanted to run it between my tongue and teeth. He also had a large bandage on his shoulder, and I was curious what was beneath it.

“Why is your dress still on?” Mitch asked, taking a step toward me.

Interest in the bandage evaporated. My hands were trembling with anticipation now, grabbing at my dress. I shimmied out of it, leaving me in my lacy thong. I’d almost opted not to wear anything but had decided against it.

Mitch hissed as his eyes roamed my almost-naked body. “You’re so much hotter than I imagined.”

I jumped him, letting out a groan of relief as my bare chest met his. My hands grabbed his face, pulling him down for our mouths to explore each others again. Mitch’s palms found my ass, grabbing each cheek while rolling his hips into mine. I gasped into his mouth from the feel of his erection, and my hands reached for the button on his suit pants, frantically yanking them down along with his boxers. Taking my mouth from his, my eyes shamelessly watched as he sprung free. I grinned upward, showing him I approved.

He smugly winked as he stepped out of his shoes and pulled off his socks. His cockiness normally irritated me, but now only made my grin wider. My hands met his chest, shoving him so he’d fall backwards onto the massive king size bed. He laughed under his breath, moving backward so he was completely on the bed.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve thought of this very moment,” he rasped.

My lip twitched in satisfaction. The thought of him daydreaming about fucking me turned me on as much as when I’d fantasized about doing the same to him.

My thumbs hooked into my panties, sliding them off and tossing them to the side as Mitch watched with hungry eyes. My body felt sexier than ever under his gaze. Slowly, I crawled over his body, straddling him while sitting upright on my knees.

“Is this what you dreamed about?” I asked seductively, reaching for my breasts and cupping their heavy weight. A soft groan escaped my lips from my own touch, and I couldn’t fathom the damage his large hands were going to do.

Mitch bit his lip as he watched with fascination, his hands gently finding my thighs, working their way up to my hips. “Yes, except those tits are normally in my mouth,” he growled, suddenly sitting upright.

I inhaled sharply, my hands finding his shoulders while he nipped his way to each nipple, twirling his tongue in tantalizing circles, then sucking each one harshly between his teeth. My groan was loud and needy, wanting to slam my hips down onto him. Instead, I teased, rubbing the tip against my clit, causing more moans to escape my mouth. Mitch grunted into my breasts, biting the soft skin harder the more I ground my hips. With this speed and need, I was going to come fast and hard. My nails dug into his shoulders as he tugged on my nipple, pushing me completely over the edge and into euphoria.

Mitch’s mouth left my skin, his eyes wildly watching me ride out my high. “Oh, Jamie, you’re a fucking dream come true.” His hands grasped my waist, forcing me down on his lap.

“Oh!” I shouted unexpectedly. My head tipped back as my insides spasmed around him, getting used to the large foreign object that had just entered my most sacred place.

“Oh my God,” he gasped, thrusting his hips upward, then steadied himself deep inside of me. “Don’t move yet,” he begged through panted breaths. “Let me feel you.”

The lack of movement was torture and a blessing all at the same time. Even though I was soaked, I needed to get used to his size before I could move. My head dipped forward, causing our foreheads to meet. Our warm breath mingled, making a connection that caused my entire body to tremble. The sensations blooming inside me were beyond description. I was consumed by him.

He slowly lay back on the bed, his hands moving from my waist to my hips, gently coaxing me to move. I started out slow, grinding my hips so as to get used to him. My first orgasm had ridden out in a calm wave, but another was building. My eyes were open instead of screwed shut this time, allowing me to admire his beautiful physique. My hands greedily found his pecs, running down along his abdomen as the roll of my hips intensified.

Mitch’s breaths were getting shorter with each jump, his eyes never leaving my breasts. They were bouncing now, and his hands couldn’t contain themselves as they reached up, firmly grasping each one as his thumbs caressed each nipple. Every time he’d pinch and tug them, I’d moan, my hips moving faster.

“Yes…” I encouraged softly, almost reaching another release.

“Like that?” he asked, knowing he was causing me to unravel. “You’ve got sexy little nipples that love to be played with.”

I groaned again. I loved dirty talk, and the way his deep voice was hitching when I’d squeeze him from my insides made me frantic. One more squeeze and I was done for, coming loudly and rapidly.

“That a girl,” he growled, pressing my hips down as he pumped upward into the contractions of my orgasm. His cock twitched inside of me, making more tremors carry throughout my body, goose bumps forming on every inch of my skin.

Sated green eyes met mine as I came down from the dance we’d just shared. His hands urged me to lay on his chest. Even though his body was rock hard, he was the best pillow ever, and I didn’t want to move from our position. He was still thick inside of me, one arm protectively wrapped around me as the other grazed up and down my spine. Our hearts were slowing, beating together to the same rhythm.