The Billionaire's Final Stand (37 page)

              He gave her a sufficiently horrified face. He had no doubt she was dead serious.

              “Thanks for being such a great friend to her.”

              “She’s the best. Now you can go get her,” Cassie told him before she reached up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

              “Okay, that’s enough kissing between the two of you,” Max growled as he swung Cassie into his arms and kissed in a far from chaste possession.

              Austin turned to leave again, but his path was blocked by his father this time.

              What the heck? Was it a conspiracy?

              “Not so quick, Austin,” George said.

              “I’ll be back for the wedding. I promise,” Austin said, his eyes glancing to the door.

              “Love can’t wait. You take your time with Kinsey,” George told him.

              “Then why are you blocking me?”

              George’s eyes filled with tears, and Austin felt immediate remorse for the way he’d spoken to his father. If the last few months proved anything, it was that time was limited, and he needed to appreciate every moment he had with him.

              “I’m sorry, Dad.”

              George held up his hand to stop him. He cleared his throat, then lifted his head up, both pain and joy in his expression.

              “I loved your mother. Oh, the joy she brought me each and every day I had with her. The sound of her voice when I walked in the door was music to my years. I thank God for the time I was blessed to be with her. I understand why he wanted to bring her home early. She was just that special,” George whispered in a broken voice.

              Everyone was silent as George spoke. Was he having second thoughts on marrying Esther? They were frozen as they waited.

              “I never wanted to find love again, but the funny thing about love, is that you don’t choose it, it chooses you. I loved your mother, and I always will. But, I’ve been blessed in this life to have a second beginning. Esther makes me laugh. She makes my heart pound, and my knee’s week. I’ve fallen a bit more in love with her each new day, and I’m proud to make her my wife. It’s okay to give our hearts away, just as long as the person we give them to is worthy,” George continued, his eyes bright.

              Austin hoped he and Kinsey would share that strong of a love. One so strong that not even the finality of death could break it.

              George opened his hand, palm side up and looked down. As he did, a single tear fell, landing right in the middle of the circle of platinum.

              “Your mother wore this ring for thirty years. Our last night together, when she knew it was time to go home, we were lying together, speaking about our family. She made me promise to take her ring and pass it to one of you. She said whoever wore it was guaranteed an eternity of happiness with their true love. She said I’d know when the moment was right because she’d be by my side, whispering in my ear, watching over our children,” George stopped as he coughed, emotions clogging his throat.

              Austin looked over to find every woman in the room had tears cascading down their cheeks, sympathy in their eyes. Heck, even the men were clearing their throats, trying like crazy to keep it together.

              He turned back to his father, who smiled, with both joy and sorrow in his face.

              “It’s you, Austin. Take your mother’s ring. You treat your future wife like the queen she is, hold her, comfort her, and tell her every single day that she’s the light of your world. You cherish her always.”

              George placed the ring in Austin’s palm, then gently pushed his fingers shut around it. He placed his own hand over his son’s, patted it once, then let go. He smiled at Austin and his other children, then looked in the corner of the room, his gaze clouding over for a moment before his eyes shut briefly. Then, without saying another word, he walked from the room.

              Austin opened his fingers to gaze at the antique diamond set in a stunning platinum band, and his heart flooded with warmth. He shut his eyes, and for one moment, one glorious moment, his mom was right there with her arms wrapped around him.

              When he opened his eyes, he looked at his family and slowly his mouth turned up at the corners as he smiled.

              “This is a wedding day. A beautiful, sunny, amazing day, so all of you quit weeping. I’m going to beg for forgiveness now, and hopefully win the girl,” he said before finally managing to make it out the door, all sorrow gone as he raced toward his future.

              Austin made it to Kinsey’s house in one piece – barely. He must have broken every speed limit in the Seattle area, urgency pushing him on.

              His heart raced as he climbed the outside stairs to her apartment, then listened at her door. He couldn’t hear a sound on the other side, so he slowly inserted the key into the lock and turned the knob.

              He felt like a burglar as he looked inside her private space. Shadows danced in the darkened room, little light managing to get through the closed blinds.

              He stepped inside and locked the door behind him, cautiously moving through the small room. It didn’t take him long to locate the opened door at the end of the short hallway. He looked inside and found her sleeping on top of the blankets, her face relaxed, her hair cascading over the pillow.

              His groin tightened at the sight of her laying there in nothing but a T-shirt, which was riding high, showing him the delectable curve of her round behind.

              “Priorities,” he reminded himself, the sound of his voice causing her to stir, but not wake.

              He sat on the edge of the bed and reached his hand out, stroking her hair.

              “Kinsey, wake up. I need to talk to you,” he whispered as she began to stir. His stomach knotted as she turned on her back, showing him her barely covered body. Only her breasts were shielded from his view. He tried being good – tried not to look as her leg shifted, her body seeking his in her sleep.

              He laid next to her, his endurance being pushed to the limits.

              “Kinsey, please wake-up. I need to tell you something,” he said, his voice a little louder.

              “Austin?” she murmured, her eyes still closed.

              “Yes, Kinsey. It’s me. I need to talk to you.”

              “Kiss me,” she muttered.

              “We really need to talk first, Kinsey,” he said through clenched teeth.

              “Mmm, need you. Please,” she uttered as her body shifted closer.

              Austin was lost. How could he refuse her when she was arching into him, her beautiful core bared, her lips red and inviting. Just a little kiss, then he’d stop. Just one kiss…

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

              Kinsey woke up to the feel of Austin’s mouth devouring hers. She knew it was him without opening her eyes. She knew his smell, his taste, his very essence. She knew him.

              She opened her eyes, shock consuming her as his tongue slipped into her mouth. What shocked her more was the fact that her arms were wrapped around him, pulling him toward her as her hips pushed up against his hard body.

              His hand lifted to her hip, pushing up her shirt, and she felt desire flare through her, cutting all thoughts from her mind. She groaned as his tongue stroked her mouth and his hand climbed higher beneath her shirt. He delved deeper in her mouth, possessing her, claiming her in a way that had her wanting to shout
yes
.

              He surrounded her, his scent, taste, hands and body. He was invading all her senses, overpowering her with his sheer magnetism. She moved against him, needing him to set her free, to relieve the ache he’d so quickly built.

              “Kinsey, I came to talk. I need to talk, but…” he uttered as he lifted his head and looked into her eyes.

              Talk? She didn’t want to talk. She didn’t want to think. She didn’t want to give herself time to feel guilty. She only wanted to feel the explosion she felt building inside. She grabbed him and brought his lips back to hers.

              With a groan, he complied, nipping her bottom lip as his hand slid the rest of the way up her shirt and cupped her straining breasts. He squeezed her nipple, making her gasp into his mouth.

              He shifted, pulling away from her and she protested. He grabbed something from his pants pocket, then shed his clothes in record time. Before she could even blink, he ripped her shirt over her head, then laid on top of her, his full weight crushing her into the mattress.

              “Yes,” she begged. She pushed her hips against him, wanting him to sink inside her. She ached, pain throbbing in her core. She needed him buried deep, needed it beyond reason.

              “Not yet,” he warned.

              He moved down her neck, quickly reaching her breasts. He ran his tongue along her swollen nipples, tasting and teasing them, then pulling one at a time into his mouth, tugging on the buds with his teeth.

              He continued down her body, his hands moving along her thighs, then up to cup her flesh, before coming around and spreading her open for him to explore.

              He pushed his finger inside, making her cry out as his mouth descended and his tongue licked her flesh. Finally, he sucked her sensitive bud into his mouth, running his tongue against it, sending her flying over the edge.

              He stroked her softly as pleasure washed through her, and she fell into an endless black hole, where ecstasy was her only feeling.

              Slowly, he climbed up her body, moving sensuously, kissing and nipping at her skin as he made the journey. He reached her face, his eyes dark, filled with lust as he gazed at her.

              He moved to the side, slipped on a condom, then started sliding inside her still quivering body.

              He gripped her hair, pulling her lips up to meet his as he greedily took her mouth while his hips drove into her, his thick erection pushing harder, faster and deeper.

              “Oh, Kinsey, yes, yes,” he cried as his movements quickened to a frenzy. His body pressed into her, slapping against her flesh. She reached behind him, gripping his firm butt in her hands, feeling the muscles flex beneath her fingers each time he thrust.

              Higher and higher. She was reaching, reaching…

              She cried out as the storm broke and she fell into a sea of tranquility and pleasure. She gripped him tight, exploding around him, squeezing him, pulling him under with her.

              “Kinsey!” Austin cried her name as his body tensed, his pleasure pouring into her. His hips continued to thrust, drawing the pleasure out for endless moments.

              Finally he slowed, then stopped, as he relaxed against her. Her legs wrapped around his hips, holding him close. Her hands were still clinging to his hair while his lips rested on her neck.

              “I can do that all day, Kinsey. The feel of your body, the taste of your skin. What you do to me is more than I deserve. You’re so beautiful, so sensual. I think of you and my body readies for your welcoming heat. I want you so much, every day, all the time,” he said as he kissed her neck, his tongue sliding out, sending shivers down her sated body.

              He moved them to their sides, her leg trapped beneath him, his still hard staff buried in her pulsing heat. She couldn’t take any more. Her body wouldn’t survive it.

              “You make me feel like I can fly, Kinsey. I feel like I can do anything when I’m in your arms, like I’m invincible. I didn’t mean to do this until we talked, but you were lying there, so beautiful. The sight of your body makes me lose my mind,” he continued, melting her with his words, while the slightest movement of his hips had her straining for more.

              “I… I can’t think when you touch me,” she admitted.

              His lips turned up at the corners, male pride radiating from his pores as his hands slid down her back, her hip, then up her side and across to her breasts where he gently squeezed the soft flesh, making her moan.

              “Good, then don’t think. Just listen,” he whispered.

              “What? I… How… Wait…” she gasped.

              She wanted to know how he’d gotten into her apartment. What was he doing there? Those were just a couple questions she needed answers to, but she was losing her train of thought as he quickly fueled her body’s flames again.

              “I convinced Cassie to loan me her key. I had to talk to you, and I had a feeling you wouldn’t let me in,” he told her as if he knew her question.

              “I wouldn’t have,” she confirmed, managing to get the words past her trembling lips.

              He smiled before he brought his head down and sucked her nipple into his mouth. While loving on her, he shifted them again so he was on top once more, his growing erection still filling her, his mouth pulling on her nipple, before moving to the other side and giving it ample attention.

              “I love you, Kinsey. I love you so much that the thought of not being with you rips me up inside. I need you. Yes, I need your body. I need to feel your taut heat gripping me. I need to pleasure you in a thousand different ways. But, more than that, I need you sitting next to me every night. I need to see you grow old. I want to have my children with you, watch them grow, as we sit back and love each other. I want it all. I love you… I love you,” he finished in a raw whisper before his lips descended again and kissed her gaping mouth.