The Keys to Jericho (80 page)

Brenda pulls the thick stack of paint chips from the table and says, “Katydid. You can help me pick out some colors. I’m stuck on three rooms.”

“Well, we’d really like to go home.” Home. That sounds nice.

“Oh. I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to pick through three different colors for the upstairs hallway bathroom.”

“Can’t we do it tomorrow?”

Brenda looks from Kat to me, and then back to Kat. “Why? What’s going on?”

Kat clears her throat. “We’d like to be alone.”

Brenda laughs and asks, “You’re blowing me off? Weren’t you just alone?”

“No. We were at the park with Dash.”

My dad perceptively nods with a huge grin. “Go. Have a good night.”

Brenda’s eyes widen. “Oh! Of course! Celebrate without your pants! Go practice!” She laughs and rolls her eyes as she waves us to the door. “I mean, have a good night!”

Kat shakes her head. “So subtle of you.”

We eagerly stand and my dad hugs me again, whispering, “Saved you. Huh?”

“I owe you,” I whisper with a laugh.

Looking at me, his hazel eyes shine as he holds onto my shoulders and smiles, fighting a breakdown. “Just be happy. That’s all I want in return.”

I smile at him. “I will be. I promise.”

When Brenda hugs me, she says, “You’ll definitely have to come to my house for Thanksgiving now.”

“I’ll be there.”

She whispers, “Thank you for saving my daughter.”

I whisper back, “She saved
me
.”

Brenda lets go of me and I grab Kat’s hand, impatient to get to her apartment. Brenda asks more questions even as we hurriedly walk outside, but we don’t stop to answer.

I follow Kat up the stairs, grabbing her ass and making her giggle. As soon as she has the door unlocked and open, she yanks me through the doorway by my tie, and I kick the door closed behind me. Kat starts undoing my tie, while I tear my shirt out of my pants, and work on the buttons. She slides off my tie, whipping it over her head as her hands go to the top of my shirt, unbuttoning and meeting me in the middle.

Unbuckling my belt, I say, “I want you so goddamned much, Kit Kat.”

One of her hands goes to my fly, while the other strokes my hard-on through my pants. “It’s hard to miss.”

I step on the heels of my shoes to take them off as Kat pushes my pants down, leaving me in my underwear, and I go to the hem of her T-shirt, lifting it up over her head. My hands go to her back, speedily unhooking her bra, before going to her jean shorts, and tearing open the button and zipper. Kat kicks off her shoes and wriggles out of her shorts.

The bed on the couch catches my eye, and knowing she really was telling the truth, I ask, “Why’ve you been sleeping on the couch?”

She winces as she answers, “Our fight. I can’t sleep in my bed.”

“Fuck. I’m sorry.” I sigh and trail my fingers over her reddened cheeks. “Aw, baby, let’s change that.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I’ll show you, and this time, pay attention, Katriona.”

Her eyes widen and leaving our clothes strewn on the floor of the living room, I take her hand and lead her to the bedroom. When we’re next to the bed, I spin around and dive in, kissing her, my tongue overpowering hers, I’ve missed her so much. As her hand goes to my cock, feeling me through my underwear, I groan and pull her closer to me, her stomach rubbing against the tip.

Guiding her to the bed as we kiss, we hit the side, and I move my mouth to her cheek, whispering, “Get on the bed.”

Kat climbs onto it, lying on her side, and I follow her, pushing her onto her back. I overwhelm her mouth once again and her legs cradle me as I hover above her. Kat’s hands go to my face and then into my hair, holding me to her as her tongue begins to dominate my mouth, and I throb more for her.

When Kat turns her head, I go to her neck, hungrily kissing down to her collarbone. She shyly asks, “You’re really going to be my husband?”

I lift my head to gaze down at her. “Yes.”

Her brown eyes are uncertain. “Only if you’re 100 percent sure, Jared.”

“I’m so sure that on Monday, let’s go get our license.”

“What?”

“We have a two-day waiting period. We can get married at the courthouse Wednesday.”

“You heard what my mom said. She wants to be there.”

“She can be. They allow people there to watch, don’t they?”

Kat shakes her head. “I’m not doing the courthouse again. I want the real thing with you.”

“We’ll be married. That’s all that matters.”

She slides her thumb over my bottom lip and says, “I don’t want to treat it like it doesn’t, though. Let’s plan something great for us. I want to celebrate marrying you. Finally.”

“Kat, that won’t be until when?”

“How about July, around the 4
th
? When we first dotted our i’s and crossed our t’s.”

I sigh. “You want to wait that long?” Now,
I’m
the one wanting to get married yesterday.

“No, but it’ll give us some time to be engaged before we take the plunge, and if you’re serious about us getting married in the gazebo, like I want to, we’ll have to reserve it now. I want this to be special with you. In front of all of our family and friends.”

“We can still elope and keep it a secret.”

She briefly closes her eyes before reasoning, “God. You know how tempting that is? I won’t be able to keep it a secret, though. I’d want to tell everyone you’re my husband.”

I groan in defeat. “You’re right. That’s one secret I wouldn’t be able to keep to myself.” Bending, I kiss down her chest, licking around her silky tit. I feel her heart racing beneath it.

Kat sighs as I lightly clamp my teeth onto her nipple, and she asks, “Does this mean you’ve also changed your mind about…other things?”

Raising my head again, I say, “Jesus Christ. You aren’t really pregnant, are you?”

Shaking her head, she says, “No. I’m not. I was just wondering.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. “I hope you don’t plan on ever messing with me like that. I’d want to know before anyone else and not part of a joke.”

Smiling, Kat teasingly asks, “I guess renting a billboard would be out of the question then?”

“Hilarious.” I rub my dick against her underwear and she whimpers. Smiling at my small retaliation, I swallow before saying, “I meant what I said in the kitchen, Kit Kat. I will be the only man donating to that cause. I’ve never wanted kids before, but with you… You’ve always been the exception to the rule. I’ve broken all those with you, anyway. Whenever you want to go off birth control, we can try for a baby. I just would like to have some time to ourselves. Maybe wait until after we move, get settled in our jobs, and buy a house. But yes, I’ll eventually knock you up. Not because I’m giving in or I feel railroaded. It’ll be because I want a baby with you.”

She smiles as her eyes shine up at me. “That’s perfect. Wow, Jared. And I do want you all to myself for a while.”

I return to her nipple and she whispers, “You’ve changed your mind about so much. I can’t believe this is all happening.” I bite her, just so she knows it
is
really happening, and she moans. Her hands go into my hair as I trail my tongue to the center of her chest, and then as I kiss along her stomach, licking and sucking on her skin the closer my mouth gets to her waistband.

“Jared, I fucking want you.”

I smile over her stomach as my fingers dig into the top of her underwear, pulling down, but I don’t take them off yet. Instead, I lick her skin underneath, making her pant when my tongue dips close to her hairline. Her legs fall open, and she raises her hips, all but begging me to slide my tongue into her.

She cries, “Baby, I need you!”

Pulling her underwear down some more, I lick into her hair, tasting how wet she is, and I can feel how wet my underwear is getting.

Sitting up to slide them off her legs, she peers over at mine. “Get rid of yours, too.”

“Now why would I do that?” I tease, slipping my fingers into my waistband and yanking on it, but not going any further.

Kat growls, “Because I need you inside me. Stop teasing.” Without her underwear, she opens her legs and my gaze falls, my teasing quickly forgotten. Pushing her legs open further, I bend, taking her pussy into my mouth, and I lap at her clit.

Kat loudly gasps, “Jared. Holy fuck.”

On an upward stroke of my tongue, I tell her, “Your pussy is
mine
. Only
my
cock will be inside you. I’ve made my official claim, Kit Kat.”

She pants, “Just yours.”

“Good, because I fucking own every inch of you.”

As I flick my tongue into her, I watch her face contort and she struggles to speak. “Don’t you ever put your cock into some whore’s pussy, Jared. It belongs in
mine
.”

“I would never do that to you. I promise.”

I dip my head, and her hands go into my hair, pulling, as I ravenously eat her.

She begs, “Stop. I want to come with you.” I can’t stop, though. She tries pushing on my head, but I keep fucking her with my tongue. Kat eventually gives up and moves her hips, countering my licks. Fuck. I’ll lose it like I did last time with her.

When I taste more of her cream and feel her narrowing, I abruptly sit back, us both panting, and I shove down my underwear, taking them off as fast as I can. Crawling over Kat, I kiss her neck as I grab my dick and guide it into her.

Kat inhales and I groan as I unhurriedly thrust inside her, pushing deep, careful not to detonate either one of us yet. Her hands stroke my back as we slowly move. “Jared, fuck you’re so good.”

“We’re good together,” I say, moving to her throat.

She breathlessly giggles. “We are.”

Feeling her relax some, I sit up, leisurely pulling out of her and pushing back in as I finger her clit. I do this in a repeated rhythm. “Fuck me, Kat. Goddamn, your pussy feels so good on my dick.”

Kat moans, “You feel unbelievable inside me.”

I growl, “What else do you feel?”

She smiles. “How much you love me.”

“It’s about fucking time.”

Closing her eyes, she warns, “Oh, I’m getting close, baby.”

“Good.”

“Not yet.” She pulls on my arms and I hover above her again as I slow my thrusts.

Her hands go to my head, forcing me to look at her. “I own you, Jared. I’m staking my claim on every inch of you, including this rock-hard cock of yours. It’s mine, as is your heart.”

“I’m all yours, Kit Kat. Forever. Marry me, baby.”

As we rock together, Kat moans and grips my shoulders tighter. “Don’t stop! Oh, God!” she yells as she comes. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” She catches her breath and says, “I love you, Jared.”

Riding her faster to my end, I pant, “I love you, Kit Kat. Oh, fuck, I do.” Grunting as I erupt into her, I then hoarsely whisper, “So damn much, baby. I always have.”

It only took nearly losing her for the second time to tell her that.

CHAPTER 31

Steady drumming wakes me, leaving me disoriented in the dark. Lightning electrifies the room, illuminating Kat sleeping next to me.

After we rebranded Kat’s bed so she can sleep in it again, I threw my clothes back on to go outside for my suitcase. While she called her dad, I took a shower, and then during Kat’s shower, I called my sister about going to the club with us, since she can’t text on her primordial phone. Hadley said that she’ll come up in the afternoon since Finn will be away, camping with his cop friend, and won’t be back until Sunday. That certainly eases my mind for the bombshell fallout, at least for awhile.

On the other hand, Kat’s dad returned from his trip early. Unfortunately, that consists of a meet-and-greet for me. Shit. I can’t even get out of it, since I have no valid excuse like Finn apparently does for ditching.

Afterward, we grabbed some leftovers Kat had in the fridge before returning to her bed. However, instead of more celebratory sex, she snuggled into my arms and we fell asleep at 10:56 PM.

I rub my eyes as the rumble of thunder vibrates the bed. Twisting, I look to the nightstand and see the green 3:32, leaving me surprised we had crashed so hard.

With her back to me, her hair is shadowy chaos on her pillow. Putting my arm around her waist, I slide up against her as I try to fall asleep again. However, the sudden feel of her ass is too irresistible against me, and my hand slides to her hip, stroking her smooth skin. Tilting my head, I kiss her neck up to her ear. Lightly licking her earlobe, my breath blows across her ear and onto her cheek. My growing erection pushes into her ass.

Before, sex was meaningless. Besides not kissing, I kept my eyes closed while doing it with random women, as Kat had called them. Kat was the one I fantasized about each time. Now, that the dream is a reality, I need to make up for all the years of us not being together.

What’s more, I’ve never wanted sex with the same woman as much as I do with Kat, or so often. However, our alone time has been nonexistent as of late, which is my fault. When we did have sex, Kat more than satisfied me, but not frequently enough for my liking.

To put it another way, Kat isn’t on my cock as often as I need her to be. The need for her is only becoming greater every time we fuck.

Kat stirs, her ass pushing against me, and I grunt into her ear as my fingers dig into her skin. She mumbles and I slide my hand up her thin-strapped tank top, skating my fingers over both tits, feeling her nipples harden, catching up to my dick. I should let her sleep, but since her body is responding to mine, I need her even more now.

As I scrape my teeth along her shoulder to the strap of her shirt, my fingers clutch her breast. Although fondling her tits is one of my favorite things to do in life, I take my hand out of her shirt to send it between her legs, over her underwear—another favorite thing to do. Through the material, I impatiently stroke through her hair, unable to get inside access this route. As I kiss back up to her ear, I drag my hand to her ass, sliding my fingers into the bottom of her underwear. When I probe at her pussy, she gasps and then moans as I push into her, feeling the remnants of me from our last time, which makes me throb. It may be primal thing, but I love the thought of my scent all over her, and only my cum inside her, both marking my territory. That may classify me as an outdated jerk, but I don’t care. I don’t want any other man taking what rightfully belongs to me. She’s mine and I’ll assert that fact, reminding her any way possible.

When she whispers, “Baby,” the throbbing surges and so do my fingers. Kat shifts and pushes down her underwear, forcing me to remove my fingers from her for a few seconds, but I return them, burrowing deeper, not even allowing her to take off her underwear completely.

Pushing my erection against her, she doubtfully asks, “You want me right now?”

Over her bare arm, I say, “I always fucking want you. Obsessed. Remember?”

Kat peers down her shoulder at me amid the flashes of lightning, and I snag her mouth with mine, but she turns her head and says, “I want you.” She leans forward, sticking her ass out more, allowing me easier access, and my fingers slip into her more smoothly.

When she moans, I take my fingers out of her to hurriedly shove down my underwear, taking them off, and angle my hips over her ass. Gripping my cock to enter her, I’m only able to go in partially. However, it’s enough to make me loudly groan as the head of my cock thrusts in and out of her. This is what I need with Kat, the physical connection between us while I still can.

Circling my hand to her front, I send my hand between her legs and to her clit as I take her from behind. Kat says, “I need more of you. I’m obsessed, too.”

“What do you want, Kit Kat?”

Kat moves, and I fall out of her. Rolling over, she pushes me onto my back as she pulls her underwear down the rest of the way, tossing them onto the floor. Kat kneels next to me as she takes off her skimpy shirt, her tits bouncing free, and I can’t stop staring. She asks, “What would you do if I sent you a picture of me like this during the week, while you’re in Philadelphia?”

As my gaze takes in her tits and then her pussy, flashing from the lightning, I robotically mumble, “I’d stare at it.”

“What else? Show me.”

I’m at a loss for words, but my hand goes to my dick and I start stroking it.

When I realize that I’m jerking off in front of her, I cautiously look up to her face, but don’t stop stroking. To my surprise, her gaze is glued to my movements, and she says, “I want to hear what you’d tell my picture.”

I groan as I stare at her tits and stroke faster. “You’re so sexy. I wish you were here to ride me. I want to fuck you, Kitty Kat. You make me so damn hard. You feel so good.”

Kat whimpers as she watches me, and I ask her, “What does this make
you
want to do? Show me.”

She’s hesitant at first, but her hand falls between her legs, and she rolls her fingers into her hair in a circular motion. “Is this sexy?”

Fuck. I jerk faster and groan, “Fuck, Kitty Kat. You’re so goddamned hot.” Her fingers go deeper and I gasp as I watch her. “More. Tell me what you’d say.”

Kat moans, opening her legs more and moving faster. “Jared, you’re so fucking hot. I need your dick inside me, giving me a refill. I want to be overflowing from you.”

I let go of my shaft and impulsively grab her hand, having it take the place of mine. As she grips my dick, she straddles me and I whisper, “I need to be with you.”

Her face is lit up from the lightning. “I
am
with you.”

I clarify, “I need us to be one.”

Kat whispers, “Like this?” Holding onto me, she pushes her body down onto my erection, gliding me inside her.

I groan, “Yeah. Fuck.” My hands go to her thighs, holding her open as she takes all of me into her.

The room flashes from the storm, and being so amped from watching each other, we try to go slow, since we’re close to losing it already.

With her legs snug against my body as she steadily rides me, Kat swings her hair over her shoulder and says, “Baby, this is what I need, too. You, deep inside, making love to me.”

She picks up my hands, weaving our fingers together, and I breathlessly say, “Every time.” Between my panting, I add, “Inside your pussy is almost my favorite place to be.”

“What’s your favorite?”

I let go of her left hand to send my right hand up to her chest, between her tits, where I rhythmically tap my fingers.

Kat’s hand covers mine, lightning illuminating her diamond. “Forever.”

Spontaneously, I pull on her arm and she drops closer to me. I sweep her hair off her face and say, “You’re the sexiest and most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, Katriona. It’s no secret. I’m in love with you.”

Not wanting her to say anything, I grab her hips and slam her onto me in an urgent pace, instantly setting us into a raging fire. As our deliberate lovemaking turns into a fast and furious fuck, I growl, “Jesus Christ. My appetite for you is endless. Never enough. Fuck me, Kitty Kat.”

I watch her hair and tits bounce as we fuck hard, the thunder, lightning, and the rain nearly keeping time with us. “Jared, your cock. I need it inside me more. You drive me crazy. You’re so good.” Kat squeals as her body holds onto mine from the inside. As her pussy pulses over me, she gasps, “Holy fuck!”

I savagely fuck through her orgasm. “I’m only good with you. Don’t fucking stop,” I groan as I let go of her hips, and raising my head, I roughly clutch her tits, panting, “Kat.” As I heatedly come, she stops moving with me, and we both moan as I pour into her.

Plopping my head down onto the pillow, I heave a heavy, contented sigh, and Kat pushes onto me, forcing my jerking cock deeper. Leaning forward, she breathlessly says, “I love you, too.”

Snapping on my watch, I absently shake my wrist, jostling the metallic band into place. My hands then go into my hair, fluffing it in the dresser’s mirror, and debating if I should wear my hat.

I notice the broken starfish on her dresser, and next to it, the key keychain, which makes me smile.

Seeing Kat in the mirror, she puts her arms around my waist as I restlessly adjust the three buttons on my short-sleeved shirt. She says, “I like this dark purplish color on you.”

“It was a gift from my sister last Christmas. I threw it in my suitcase, good thing, I guess.”

“Hadley has good taste.”

I shrug as I straighten out the shirt over my jeans. Peering at our reflection, she grins from the side of my bicep, and I anxiously ask, “What?”

“How adorable.”

Confused, I check that my fly isn’t down as I repeat, “What?”

“You’re nervous.”

Undecidedly running my fingers over my stubble, I scoff, “No, I’m not.”

Kat laughs, squeezing my arm. “You are absolutely worried about meeting my dad.”

Rolling my eyes, I say, “Not nervous. Just making sure I don’t come off looking like a prick.”

“Didn’t you ever meet one of your past girlfriends’ dads?”

“One or two, just because I was forced an introduction at school functions. I never sat and talked to them. I couldn’t have cared less.”

“And this time it’s different?”

I dubiously cock an eyebrow. “Yeah…”

Kat hugs me from behind, her hands sliding over my stomach. “Well, anyway, you look good. Smell good, too.”

Grinning, I ask her reflection, “Oh, yeah? How good?”

“So good that I’ll be thinking dirty thoughts about you, while you’re kissing my father’s ass.”

I frown at her laughter. “I do
not
kiss ass. Anyone’s. If he likes me, fine. If not, well… I guess we can’t get married.”

Her laughter immediately ceases and her eyes widen. “That’s
not
an option.”

I sadly nod, trying not to smile, but truly hoping that he really doesn’t hate me. That would be awkward. “We’ll have to call off our engagement and go our separate ways again.” I shrug as I catch her horrified expression looking back at me. “I’ll still move down there and be your neighbor. We’ll even carpool. You can pull your weight with driving then, right? Only fair.”

Kat’s mouth opens and closes as I fight my grin, while messing with my hair again, but glancing at her while doing it. She finally says, “You’re right. We can still be friends.”

Not expecting that response, my mouth falls open as she turns away. Twisting, I hook her arm. “Friends? Are you fucking serious?”

Kat bites her lip, but that doesn’t stop her from bursting into laughter. “Your face! Oh, my God! Priceless!” She gasps for air and I roll my eyes.

“You’re hilarious,” I grumble as I turn back to the mirror.

Her laughter dies somewhat and she says, “Oh, baby, I’m sorry. You’re on edge and I’m only making it worse.”

“Uh-huh,” I mutter, checking my watch.

“I know what can take the edge off.”

I instantly raise my gaze to the mirror to see her sliding up her skirt. Spinning around, I stutter, “What are you doing? We’ll be late.”

“Really?” She pulls down her underwear and I can’t look away as she stands and turns around, showing me her gloriously naked ass. She looks over her shoulder, seductively asking, “Don’t you want me?”