Isela's Love (34 page)

Mae gave Pete a playful shove. “Oh don’t you dare. You and Rone have been looking awfully cozy lately.”

Pete clutched his hands to his chest acting as if he were shocked. Then he laughed. “What can I say? When you’re a stud like me, you gotta beat ’em back with a stick.”

Isela and Mae groaned in unison.

“I thought we could all have lunch together,” Jerric suggested.

Beaming, Isela replied, “I would love that. It is so great to see you guys. I’ve been so caught up taking care of Brendan, I didn’t realize how much I miss all of you.”

“How’s my man doing?” Pete asked.

Isela nodded. “Better, much better. He’ll probably be up to coming down here in a couple weeks or so.”

Isela glanced at the floor as she was reminded he would also be leaving her to go home. Mae reached out and grasped her hand.

“Isela, what is it?”

She shook her head, then bringing her head up, she plastered on a smile. “Nothing, I’m fine. I just hate remembering how badly he was hurt.”

“But thanks to you, he’s almost better.”

Isela barked out a laugh. “I hardly think I had much to do with it. Jezbah and Aunt Gin—”

“If you hadn’t gone back for him, he’d be dead, Isela,” Pete said. “Don’t forget that. You risked your life to save him. Everyone knows it.”

“Yeah and you’ve stayed with him all this time,” Mae added.

“He loves you, Isela. Being there for him has made all the difference in his healing.”

“It would to me,” Jerric said.

Isela smiled. “Thanks, guys. C’mon, let’s go get lunch.”

****

Another week went by and Brendan was feeling like himself again. Jezbah gave him one more week of bed rest, assuring him he could go back to normal activity after that. Brendan knew exactly what his first normal activity would be: making love to Isela...over and over for the entire night.

Jezbah and Gin had been sorry to see Brendan and Isela leave, but they understood the bond between Maggie and Brendan. They knew they needed to spend some time together before Brendan left.

Isela had wakened up earlier than Brendan. Not wanting to disturb him, she washed up and wandered out into the kitchen. The heavenly smell of coffee wafted through the room.

“Aahhh, coffee,” she said.

“I couldn’t live in a world without coffee,” Maggie said, handing Isela a cup. “Where I come from, they have machines that make coffee in like three minutes.”

“Now that would be fantastic.”

“Yeah, there’s no lighting the stove or waiting around for it to heat up. You push a button and voilà, coffee.”

“You sound like you miss it.”

“Not really.” She crouched down and wiped a bit of drool from Lucan’s mouth. He gurgled at her from his bouncy chair that Darrios had made for him. “The perks of this place more than make up for the lack of technology. In fact, the lack of technology is one of the things I love most about Celio. It’s quiet. You don’t hear horns honking or sirens blaring through the streets. I don’t have to listen to my cell phone going off every ten minutes.”

Isela cocked her head to the side. “What’s a cell phone?”

Maggie waved her hand in the air, picking up her cup with the other. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I forget I’m from another world. It doesn’t matter.” She stopped abruptly, her face opening up into a wide grin. “Good morning, Bren. How ya feeling?”

Brendan smiled. “I feel fantastic. Good as new.” He glanced at Isela. “The only stiffness I feel—”

“Please stop,” Maggie implored. “Judging by the look on your face, I am pleading with you not to finish that sentence. I don’t think I can handle your not-so-subtle sexual innuendos before breakfast.”

Brendan chuckled. “Wow, someone has a dirty mind. I was going to say the only stiffness I feel is in my right shoulder.”

Maggie blushed. “Oh.”

“Why don’t we set the table,” Isela suggested, desperate to change the subject.

Maggie mouthed a silent
thank you
, reaching into the cupboard to retrieve a stack of plates. “Darrios and I were supposed to go camping up at the lake with Evan and Sandra tonight. Bernie said there’s supposed to be some sort of spectacular view in the sky, like comets exploding or something. I guess it happens every year. Have you ever seen it Isela?”

She shook her head. “No, the warden would never have permitted us to experience anything like that, anything of beauty.”

Brendan stroked Isela’s arm soothingly.

“I said we couldn’t go because I didn’t want to leave you,” Maggie explained, “but since you’re feeling so great...”

“Oh, I get it. You want me and Isela to watch Lucan for you.”

“No, smarty-pants, that is not what I want. We’re taking Lucan with us. Eva and Deedee will keep him plenty occupied. Those girls spoil him rotten.”

As if on cue, Lucan squealed, clapping his hands together and bouncing up and down in his seat. Isela, Brendan, and Maggie all laughed.

“That kid corners the market on adorable,” Brendan said, bending down to pick him up. He kissed the squirming infant’s face. “Don’tcha?”

Brendan tickled him under his chin. Lucan squealed with delight, grabbing a handful of Brendan’s hair and attempting to stuff it into his mouth.

“Yeah, and I think he knows it, too,” Maggie said. “Are you okay watching him for a minute? I’m going to go get Darrios so we can eat.”

Brendan took Lucan’s wrist between his thumb and forefinger and waved it at Maggie. “Say ‘Bye-bye, Mommy. Go get Daddy. I’ll hang here with Uncle Brendan.’ ”

Lucan giggled, staring at Brendan. Maggie waved her finger and pushed open the door. Brendan danced around with Lucan in his arms before setting him back in his bouncy chair.

Isela watched, thinking what a terrific father Brendan would be. She sighed, realizing it would be another woman who would have his children, not her. Hell, the next time he came back to visit his sister, he could have an entire new family with him. A wife, a child.

Jealousy speared her, but she refused to give in to it. Determined to enjoy the time she had left with him until he returned to his world, she merely smiled.

“Isela,” Brendan rumbled. He stepped forward, taking her face in his hands. Electricity sparked between them as he lightly brushed his lips over hers. He wound his fingers in her hair, deepening the kiss.

Isela’s breath caught as Brendan’s tongue intertwined with hers in a lover’s dance. Her arms slid around his waist, the smoldering heat between them turning to a slow burn. Baby coos and giggles interrupted their moment.

Isela glanced over at Lucan then back to Brendan. “Lucan thinks we’re funny.”

“Way to kill the moment, little dude. You’re supposed to be on my side,” Brendan whined.

Isela chuckled. Lucan began bouncing furiously in his seat, blowing raspberries and making silly faces. Brendan and Isela couldn’t help but laugh.

Darrios and Maggie walked in right then. “What do we have here?” Darrios asked. At the sound of his father’s voice, Lucan’s eyes widened and he clapped his hands together, all the while bouncing. Darrios picked up his son, snuggling him to his chest.

Isela smiled to herself. She’d seen the brutal, deadly side of Darrios Derosa firsthand. He was a tough, seasoned warrior with acute instincts and impeccable fighting skills. He’d saved her life. Brendan’s, Mae’s, and Pete’s too. A look from him made most men cower in fear, but seeing him with his child almost made Isela forget he was that guy.

Isela couldn’t take her eyes off him as he stroked the child’s hair and kissed the top of his head. The soft words he uttered as he rocked Lucan back and forth revealed a softer, more tender, gentle man that Isela would have never known had existed. She understood, now, what Maggie saw in him and she was happy she got the chance to see it too.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Maggie and Darrios left around three-thirty in the afternoon for their outing. They had to stop and pick up Evan, Sandra, and the girls and then they were heading up to the lake. Isela had gone to take a shower. Brendan sat at the table just listening to the quiet. He could barely sit still he was so giddy with excitement. The entire night to themselves. The first real evening they’d had together since they’d been freed.

Brendan couldn’t wait to make love to Isela without the fear of being discovered, without having to be quiet so no one would hear them. Not in that dreadful prison. He planned on ravishing her repeatedly, wildly and untamed and then slow and unhurried, exploring every inch of Isela’s body, tasting her, adoring her.

Maggie had told them to help themselves to anything they wanted so Brendan raided the ice-box to find what he planned on preparing as the perfect dinner. He’d found what he assumed was some sort of poultry, about the size of Cornish game hens. He had the Mulsket sitting on the counter, poured and waiting for a toast when Isela came out.

Smiling to himself, Brendan decided not to wait any longer. He got up and hurried toward the bathroom, tearing off his clothes and dropping them along the way. When he pushed open the door his breath left his body in a whoosh.

Isela stood in the shower with her back to him, sudsy bubbles running over her creamy skin and down her long, graceful legs. She hummed quietly to herself as she placed her head under the water and pushed her hair back. When she turned to face him, she gasped, startled.

Her gaze devoured his body shamelessly. He was certain she’d seen the hunger in his eyes, but if not, his steely erection gave him away.

She bit her bottom lip and then smiled seductively. Keeping her gaze locked with his, she grabbed the soap, lathering it up between her hands. Starting at the base of her throat, she threw her head back and began spreading the frothy bubbles over her body, taking extra care to suds up her breasts. Brendan groaned. She met his gaze again, licking her lips.

Brendan stepped into the shower, his cock swollen with need to be inside her. Gathering her in his arms, he kissed her hard, possessively. She returned his kiss fervidly, demanding more. He dropped one hand to her breast, the other around to her bottom. He squeezed them both at the same time, causing Isela to gasp. He gently kneaded her breast, heightening the kiss.

Her skin felt almost too hot to touch, searing his longing for her down to the bone. She reached down between them, taking hold of him. Her soapy hand glided over the length of him, causing him to shudder in ecstasy.

The joy he was experiencing almost made him forget to breathe. He nibbled and suckled her bottom lip, moving down to give her breasts the same treatment. She tightened her grip a little and began moving her hand faster.

“Baby, if you keep that up, I’m not gonna last but another few minutes,” Brendan panted.

“Well then, by all means I’ll stop.”

She gave him a wicked smile before kneeling down in front of him and taking him into her mouth.

“Isela, what...oh God. Oh God, that feels so good.”

The way she moved her mouth over him, deep and then shallow, circling her hand around the base, stroking him while she sucked made his whole body tremble. His muscles tensed and he braced his hands on the shower walls to hold himself up.

Isela languidly ran her tongue around the rim of his hardened erection, lapping at the head. He was coming apart rapidly, going faster than the speed of light into a euphoric oblivion. He knew he was going to crash and he looked forward to it. Every time Isela drew him deep into her mouth, jolts of energy arced over his skin.

His breathing quickened, but oxygen didn’t matter to him in the least at that moment. He moaned, his body torn between begging for release and never wanting her to stop. She
mmmm
ed with him buried in her mouth. The vibration of the sound over his over-sensitized flesh sent him over the edge. He went careening into an explosive bliss he’d never known before. His knees went weak and his thighs shook. If he hadn’t been holding himself up, he would’ve fallen where he stood.

He took a couple of deep breaths before attempting to stand on his own. After a few minutes his knees still felt shaky, but his breathing returned to normal. He offered Isela his hand, pulling her to her feet when she took it.

He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. “That was amazing, Isela. Nothing’s ever felt that good. God, I love you.”

She pushed on his chest, forcing him to look at her. “I love you too, Brendan...so much.”

Brendan kissed her tenderly. He turned off the water. Isela snagged a towel off the rack. Wrapping it around her, she climbed out of the shower and tossed another one to Brendan. He secured it around his waist, his skin still tingling from the combination of the warm shower water and the effects of Isela’s attention.

Isela began brushing out her hair, wincing at the tangles. “Let me,” Brendan said, taking the brush from her hand.

She blew out a breath as Brendan gently ran his fingers through the tangles, loosening them so the brush would go through more easily.

Once Isela’s hair was free of knots, Brendan set the brush down. She turned to face him, placing her hands on his chest. Her touch instantly kick-started his libido again.

“Thank you, Brendan. I swear, when I try to brush it out I think I’m going to rip my hair right out of my head. That didn’t hurt at all.”

He stared at her luscious mouth. “I loved brushing your hair. Touching you is my favorite thing to do.” He pushed her hand down between them over the bulge in the front of his towel. “See?”

“So soon?” Isela raised an eyebrow.

Brendan shrugged. “What can I say? It’s the power you have over me.”

Isela tugged at his towel, letting it drop to the floor. Then she took a step back, dropping her towel next to his. Placing a hand on her hip, Isela whispered huskily, “So, what should we do about it?”

Brendan stepped forward, uttering what sounded like a feral growl. Taking her in his arms, he crushed his lips to hers. She responded eagerly, wet from more than just the shower. The minute their tongues touched, Brendan felt the surge of power between them. Hot, sizzling energy flowed through him with every touch.

Sliding his hand down over Isela’s shoulder down to her breast, he grazed his thumb over her nipple. Rolling it between his thumb and forefinger, raging desire shot through him as she leaned into him and sighed. Reaching down between her legs, seeking her moist warmth, he slid two fingers inside her. When she moaned, his arousal peaked, full and thick against her pelvis.