Returning Pride (18 page)

When he’d driven into her heat, he was sure he wouldn’t last long, but the more he had her, the more he wanted to hold himself at bay. She was so wet, hot, and tight he enjoyed every second. He could just lose himself.

He loved the way she moved with him. The way she smelled. Everything about her was perfection.

When her hands had reached around him and held tight to his hips, he felt her nails skim his skin and smiled. He looked down at her face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was slightly opened. He could see the moment she exploded around him.

Knowing he could build her up again, he pulled one of her legs tight against him and watched her begin to rise. Just when he saw her about to go over the edge a second time, he joined her.

He lay there feeling her chest rise and fall against his own. Her soft skin felt like heaven next to his. She fit perfectly in his arms. She
felt
perfect in his arms. Why had he waited so long to finally get her here? How was he going to make sure she stayed here?

The rain was still coming down hard when she surfaced. She was being pressed deep into the soft mattress. Iian’s weight was pinning her and keeping her warm at the same time.

The room, which had been overly hot when they’d been enjoying each other, had quickly cooled her already damp skin. Reaching around, she tried to pull the comforter over them both. He shifted and rolled them both until she thought they’d hit the floor. Then he shifted and the comforter was over them as he rolled them back to the middle of the large bed.

“Tell me you’re not moving to Paris. Tell me you’re going to stay right here,” he mumbled against her hair.

Nodding her head in agreement, she smiled and snuggled into his warm chest to settle in for the night as he played his hand lightly over her hair.

When he could tell she was asleep, he closed his eyes and, smelling her wonderful scent, drifted off.

G
eorge Jordan stood on the deck of his sailboat and noticed it was taking on water fast. His feet were spread wide, the stance of a man who’d been born a sailor. The heavy waves crashed into the boat’s small hull. It wasn’t the rain or the water leaking into the boat that concerned him, it was the lightning that kept getting closer and closer, along with the large wall of dark clouds he knew would hit them soon.

Looking over at his son, he watched as he helped hoisted the sails, expertly. He saw the fear in his eyes. He remembered seeing that face for the first time, eighteen years ago. At birth, his youngest son had reminded him of a fish out of water. He’d gasped for breath and then cried out with a strong voice, his big blue eyes looked around the room, searching for a means to his first meal, not knowing his mother had given her life for his.

Taking hold of the ropes, he swung the mast around and headed in the direction he knew would be land. Although it was in the middle of the day, the dark sky didn’t show any signs of light. He’d been born on the water, made a living off it, and even raised his three kids to respect and love it. Now it appeared, it was going to be the death of him. Well, at least he’d do everything in his power to make sure it didn’t take his son along.

The Dawn-treader was his favorite sailboat. Looking up at the mast, he laughed as the sail caught a large gust of wind and started to pull the vessel towards life. Knowing it wouldn’t be enough – it couldn’t be enough – he smiled at his son, who was holding onto the side of the boat tightly.

“We’re moving, you just hold tight. I promised your mom on the day you were born I’d take care of you, and I’ll be damned if I let a little storm come between me and my promise.”

A few minutes later, the strong winds had started to crack the mast in half. He could hear the wood creaking under the weight of the wind. A few more minutes, and the tiny vessel shook hard, almost throwing them both overboard. Then it started to tip to the side and take its last dip towards a dark, watery grave.

“Come on my boy, it’s time to go,” he shouted over the wind.

Lightning cracked, causing his son’s face to be illuminated. He could see the fear mirrored in his silvery eyes. Looking overboard towards the small dinghy that was tied to the back, he yelled over the wind, “Grab hold and don’t let go when you land. Just you remember that, don’t let go! I love you son.”

He pushed his son with all his might and watched as he jumped across the empty space between the two boats. His son landed in the dinghy with a thud. When his son shook his head and look back to him, he was just about to jump into the icy water and make a swim for it, when everything went dark.

Iian watched from the small dinghy as his father and the boat exploded with light. The last thing he’d ever hear in his life was “I love you, son.”

She’d been trying to wake him for a few minutes. He’d woken her up with his moaning. Her legs had been wrapped around his and he’d kicked and thrashed about until she’d woken confused. Then she’d remembered where she was.

Trying to wake him up was hard. She’d called his name at first, then almost smacked herself in the forehead for her stupidity. Grabbing his shoulders, she began shaking him until his eyes flew open. He blinked a few times, then reached over and turned on a light on the night stand.

“
Are you okay?” she signed.

He just nodded his head and ran his hands over his face. When he looked back at her, she asked, “Was it about your father?”

He shook his head in agreement.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

His head was pounding like crazy and his vision was a little gray on the edges. A true sign that a migraine was quickly on it’s way.

“It comes in bursts. Sometimes all I need to do is have a certain smell or taste and there it is. The image of my father standing at the helm. Seeing him smiling down at me with the sky to his back.” He shook his head. “When I have the dreams, they’re almost always followed by migraines.” He rubbed his temples. “I don’t remember much, just leaving the dock the day before. Then at least in my dreams, there was a storm. I think it was the lightning that killed him. He’d pushed me onto the dinghy. The old man had always been strong. But he just picked me up and tossed me, not thinking of himself. When I hit, my head smacked the deck hard and everything went silent. I looked back over to him just as he exploded in light.”

She ran her hands over his face and wiped away his tears.

“He threw me into the dinghy to save me and I laid there and watched him die. The last thing I heard was him telling me he loved me.”

“Iian,” she whispered and had a tear of her own falling down her cheek.

He signed back. “I’m sorry I woke you.” He wiped the tear from her cheek. He looked over at the clock, which said it was still early enough that he thought about snuggling back down with her. Then he got a better look at her. She held the sheet close to her chest and he realized what she had on underneath, or the lack of what was underneath.

“Come here.” He pulled her close. She looked wonderful and smelled even better. He ran his fingers over the sheet she held close to her chest. He saw her shiver, saw her skin start to glow with excitement. He watched her eyes fog over, she leaned her head back and he watched the light play across her face. He let his fingers linger before dipping them lower and gently pulled the sheet away, exposing more of her soft skin to his view. Her hand fell away and rested next to her on the bed. He could see her chest rise and fall with each breath. Shifting his weight, he leaned down to kiss her, running his mouth along her slender neck. Playing his tongue across her shoulders, he went lower to enjoy the softness of her.

He removed the sheet completely so that she was fully exposed for his view. The low light played over her as he ran his fingers over her. She laid back and held very still as he took his time learning every curve, every soft spot.

His fingers slowly played over every inch of her. She moaned every time he would get closer and closer to her center. She felt herself vibrate with want. Grabbing the sheet beneath her, she closed her eyes as his mouth finally found the spot where she ached. He played a finger just over her tender nub, and she couldn’t help but moan. He had a way with his mouth. Something was building deep inside her and she couldn’t help but try to pull him closer. She wanted him deep inside her.

She twisted and tried to pull him up to her. Then he was there. His silver blue eyes focused on her face, searching her own eyes. She smiled up at him and pulled him down for a kiss just as he entered her slowly.

“Please Iian,” she pulled his face to hers so he could read her plea. “I can’t stand it, I need you.”

Smiling down at her, “What? What do you want, Ally. Tell me.”

“I want it fast.” She closed her eyes again and pumped her hips trying to get him to move faster.

“Like this?” He pulled back until he hovered just outside her sleek entrance. He saw her physically moan and she tried to pull his hips back down to her. He chuckled when her nails dug into his hips.

Trying a different tactic, she ran her tongue slowly over her bottom lip. Two could play at this game, she thought. Running her fingers through his hair, she traced down his neck and smiled as he watched her mouth hungrily. Then she moved down his shoulders, down his chest, over his tight stomach. His muscles bunched as she glided over each one. She watched as his eyes closed, and held himself very still above her. Then she went lower, circling him as he hovered at her entrance.

She played her finger over him and enjoyed the moist drop that appeared on the end. Then she tightened her grip around his girth and watched his eyes snap open. Finally, he plunged into her heat again and it was all speed. Each thrust took them deeper in pleasure. His hips pumped faster. All she could do was hold onto him and enjoy the speed she’d so much wanted.

Closing her eyes, she threw back her head as the feelings started to build deep inside her. Just before her release, she felt him waver. He drove deeper and harder and she could tell they would reach the end together.

She felt so good, he tried to hold still. Holding himself above her as he enjoyed watching her eyes fog. Never had he experienced the thrill of seeing pure pleasure cross her face. He held himself still until he felt her hips starting to pump against him. Then he began to move slowly. Her hands came up and grabbed at him, trying to get him to move faster. Her body came off the mattress, her hips moving in a rhythm on their own. He lost his control when she had shifted her hips, his mind had just shut off and all he could think about was pleasing her with speed.

Iian woke pinned down. At first it took him a few seconds to realize Allison was lying across him, her hair spread out across his chest and face. If he opened his mouth, he would breath it in and most likely choke. Reaching up, he brushed it off and enjoyed the softness. He could feel her steady breathing and rubbed his hand down her back and knew the moment she started to awake.