Joseph (18 page)

The trip to the house and journey up the stairs hurt her poor chaffed thighs as much as walking on hot coals without shoes would hurt. Admittedly, having never walked barefoot on hot coals she couldn’t be certain, but damn, the rub of her denim jeans against the tender skin of her inner thighs made every step a challenge. Joey set the shower taps and gently helped her out of her clothes. His almost constant laughter at her expense was rather smug on his part, but all things considered, Em knew she looked and acted comically. Just hearing the unusual sound of her lover’s laughter made the pain easier to tolerate.

Joseph’s hands guided her under the warm pulsing showerhead. And thank God he did, because voluntary movement didn’t seem a remote possibility. Her body groaned in appreciation. Okay, it wasn’t an actual groan, but oh, if her abused glutes and hamstrings could make a noise—they would have. With her eyes closed and the hot water working against her tired muscles, she knew without a doubt heaven existed. When Joey’s hands massaged her shoulders and pulled her back against his chest, she discovered she had a few more stops in between the near angelic delight of the shower and real heaven on earth. His hands lightly brushed down her shoulders to her arms and rested on her hips with fingers splayed across her midriff.

“Shower with a massage, little girl.” He lowered his lips to her neck and sent rivers of sensation through her when he nipped her skin. His tongue soothed the sting of his bite.

“Turn and face the wall.” Ember complied without hesitation. Joseph sensually lathered soap over her body. His strong hands worked every muscle down her neck, back, thighs and calves and turned her aching body into putty. Yep, as a doctor she had determined the formula for being turned to putty needed just three ingredients: Joseph, hot water, and soap. Alright, the last two elements were optional.

An aroma of citrus and vanilla wafted through the building clouds of steam surrounding them. When his strong fingers massaged the shampoo through her hair, she leaned back into him and smiled. His obvious arousal pressed against her very sore derriere. Without regard for her delicate condition, she pushed back into him and shifted her hips.

Joey chuckled and grabbed her hips, stilling her. “You little minx. Be good or I’ll take you right now, just like this.” He pushed forward placing his hard cock in between her cheeks letting her know exactly what he would do.

“And you're saying that like it would be a bad thing? Why should I be good if I like the reward for being bad?”

Joseph delivered a sharp slap to her abused bottom and Ember yelped in surprise. “You’ll be good because I told you to behave.” The sizzling demand flipped a switch deep within her. A little moan escaped her lips, but she held still. His hands blazed a trail of heat and strength as he worked her body. His ministrations induced a mind-melting laxness from head to foot.

After he rinsed her off, he turned her around. His eyes blazed with unconcealed passion. He dropped his lips to hers and licked the seam of her lips, coaxing them open and devouring her soft recesses. The demand of his possession reminded her she would indeed do
what
he wanted,
when
he wanted. Ember gave him everything he asked for and slumped limply against the tile wall when he finally pulled away.

“I’m not the type of man to wrap the stars in moonbeams and offer to give you the universe, but I’ll carry this time we’ve shared, with me forever…here.” He placed his hand over his heart. Ember’s breath caught in her throat. Could this man, the one who spoke of moonbeams and stars, be the same one who killed for a living? She felt a tear slip down her cheek knowing with a fatalistic certainty that he would be leaving soon.

“When are you leaving?”

“Don’t cry, little girl. I’m flying out tomorrow.”

“How long will it take? How long before…?” Ember shivered even under the hot fall of water.

“Realistically? Several months…perhaps longer. Gaining access to Morales won’t be easy. I need you to promise you will stay here on the ranch. If you leave, one of the Alpha team members will be with you at all times.”

Joseph turned off the water and reached for a fluffy bath sheet. He wrapped one around Ember and used a smaller towel to dry her hair. The flapping terry cloth muffled her reply. “What’s an Alpha team?”

“Not what. Who. Chief, Doc, Dixon, and Drake. Until Doc and Chief are back in fighting form, one or both of the twins will be with you every time you leave the ranch. Understand?”

“Oh, please, make me suffer! Okay, okay…I promise to take one or both of the Delicious Duo with me wherever I go.”

Joseph stopped his drying and pushed her hair out of her face. His eyebrow lifted. Its effect sinister. Joseph walked her against the wall with his body and growled. “Delicious Duo? Do I have reason to kill them?”

“No, no killing needed. I’m not into blonds, or hadn’t you noticed the type of man who turns me on?” Em traced a bead of water in a meandering path as it trickled down his chest.

“Good. Didn’t want to deal with the paperwork killing them would entail. Plus, I’d have to talk to your biker-shrink friend again.”

He grabbed a towel from the rack and stepped back. She looked up at him and asked, “Will I ever see you again? Or just talk to you from time to time … when it’s safe?”

She watched him dry off. His hard chiseled muscles flexed gloriously as he stretched his towel around his back.

“No. There can be no connection between us. I can’t risk it.” He dropped his towel and lifted his hand to the bath sheet he had tucked around her, pulling one edge. It fell to the floor.

“Never?” Her traitorous voice trembled.

“Little girl, if I could without jeopardizing you or getting myself killed, I would.” He kissed the tip of her nose and smiled sadly. “Now, no more of our night spent talking about what can’t be. Tell me, Doctor Harris, what would you recommend for this serious medical condition I appear to be suffering from?” He took her hand and placed it on his hard sex.

Ember swallowed the desperation she felt, determined not to spoil their last night. She stepped back and put her hand on her hip. “Honestly, Mr. King, I’m afraid for your wellbeing. If we don’t relieve the pressure soon, you will expire from an extreme case of erectus maximus complicated by a terminal case of cobalt orb syndrome. I hesitate to speculate on how much paperwork an explanation of
that
cause of death might involve.”

Joseph’s laughter rang out and echoed in the bathroom. “Dr. Harris, your diagnosis is spot on. What is the prescribed course of action to reverse this life-threatening condition?”

Slowly moving up to him she placed her open hand on his heart and lifted her eyes looking at him through her lashes. Her voice trembled when she spoke. “I think I’ll allow the patient to determine the method. You see, I trust him with my life.”

“And I trust you with my heart, little girl. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. But tonight is about us. Let me make love to you. My way.”

Ember lifted to toes and brushed a kiss across his lips. “No. Our way, Joey. Our way.”

He leaned down and trapped her mouth with firm pressure seconds before he lifted her into his arms. His kiss held her lips as he carried her to the bed. He devoured her mouth with a savage force that robbed her of all air. He released her mouth and she gasped, filling her lungs with sweet cool air. He rolled her so she straddled his hips. Her legs, back and glutes objected immediately. Ember’s whimper didn’t go unnoticed.

“Poor little girl. You didn’t learn your lesson very well today so I’m giving you another. You’re going to ride me tonight. But be warned, little one, I’m not a gentle old nag.” Her back complained when he pulled her down and sucked a nipple into his mouth. His tongue flicked the hardening peak and then his teeth applied steady pressure as his hand found her other breast. His fingers mimicked his mouth’s assault and Ember shivered seconds before she moaned and tried to pull away.

Joseph’s free hand wrapped around her and pulled her down to him stopping her attempt to move. He spoke clenched around her nipple. “Mine.”

Ember braced herself with her hands grasping the sheets next to his shoulders. His assault continued. Teeth, tongue, suction and fingers assailed her nipples and the sensitive flesh of her breasts sending plumes of desire rolling straight to her sex. His relentless possession of her breasts heated and moistened her folds. Ember tried to grind herself against him. His hard cock strained just below her. She could feel the heat of his shaft but couldn’t lower her body without causing intense pain to her breasts. A distant sound of frustration registered. It took Ember a moment to realize she was the source. Finally, Joseph stopped his attack on her now hypersensitive breasts.

He pulled her down to his chest. Painful rivulets of sensation streaked through her tender breasts as he held her to him. He kissed her hard. His tongue dominated hers as it tunneled into her. She willed her body into compliance, relishing his power and strength.

He released her and gazed up into her eyes. The depth of the emotion she saw floored her. It was as if he had lifted the walls around his feelings and let them flood out. Ember couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.

“Lift up baby girl.”

She moaned as her overused thigh muscles spasmed in pain.

She felt him spread her with his hand. “So wet and so hot. It’s time for your riding lesson.” He centered his thick, long shaft under her. “Brace on my shoulders.” When she did as he asked, he lifted his hands and pushed the riot of curls away from her face. “Lower yourself and don’t stop until you reach the base of my cock. Understand?”

Her eyes went as big as saucers. Joseph gripped her ass with both hands and squeezed. “Answer me.”

Ember tried to speak, but she couldn’t make the words come out. Instead, she nodded.

“Say it, Em. Tell me you understand.”

She cleared her throat before she spoke. “I heard you Joey, but... You’re too big! I don’t know if I can take you all at once. I don’t know if I’m wet enough.”

His hand lifted to her face and he forced her to look at him. His velvet smooth words mesmerized her. “You can and you will. Do it now. Make me proud, baby girl. Take me. All the way. Don’t stop.”

Em closed her eyes and lowered onto his shaft. Her body opened, but he was so large she cried out after taking only half of his shaft. He rubbed his hands over her thighs and encouraged her. His words flowed over her bringing her concentration back to him. “Fuck, so good, baby girl. Keep going. Don’t stop. You can take me.”

Ember’s entire body shook. His hand covered her mouth forcing her whimpers into her consciousness. “You're almost there. A couple more inches. So hot and tight for me. Yeah, baby, that’s it.”

She felt his pubic bone hit her clit and stopped. Her body tried to reconcile the pain, pleasure and desire that tumbled through her. He removed his hand from her mouth and trailed fingers down her throat to her breast. Joey rolled both nipples in his rough, callused fingers. A nebula of conflicting sensory inputs tortured her already overtaxed body. He lowered his hand and pressed lightly on her clit. An explosion of sensation ripped through her. In an uncontrollable spasm, her climax blew. Her hips bucked in helpless reaction to the detonations of intense feeling. The forward and back movement while impaled on his cock triggered a second blast. Her body wept around him.

Somehow, she managed to stay braced against his shoulders. Opening her eyes, she gazed down at the man underneath her. His pupils had almost overtaken the color of his eyes. His chest had flushed dark red and his breath came in shallow pants. He waited until she drew a deep breath and then ordered, “Lift up, two or three inches.” He closed his eyes as she rose slightly. His hands stopped her where he wanted her. He opened his eyes and the intensity of his gaze drilled through her.

“I’m going to take you now, baby girl. Don’t move. Do you understand?”

Ember shivered. “Joey, oh God!”

“Shhh…just feel. Just feel.” Joseph waited for her to brace on his shoulders then drove into her. He held her hips, his fingers biting into her soft buttocks as he pierced her deeply. His assaulted her with in a fierce, determined invasion. There was no gentleness. This wasn’t love making. He claimed her, possessed her, and she knew it. Her moans became cries as his rock hard shaft hammered through her, penetrating her recesses. Joseph owned her body and held her breaking heart in his hands.

“I need more, baby girl.” He drove faster into her body. He was taking what he needed from her and she wanted to give everything to him. The sexual assault on her overwrought senses reached an unbearable limit.

“Joey, please, please!” She begged wildly. Her nails raked over his shoulders as she tried to anchor herself against his physical aggression.

“Em, are you ready to come?”

Her mind searched for a way to answer. He thrust harder. “Answer me!” He growled between his pounding thrusts.

“Yes, God, Yes!” Her cries seemed to release his control and unbelievably he forced himself into her harder and deeper. His own animalistic utterings rivaled her cries.

He growled, “You’re mine.” He caught her as her body exploded. Somehow through the fog of climax she sensed his orgasm racking his body as he spread his seed deep within her.