Winter Harvest (7 page)

Victoria made a feeble attempt to slam her fist against his chest.

With a laugh, Traye went to fill the tub. He made sure the water wasn't too steamy, but was at least hot enough to get her warm. He'd never felt this guilty, even when he'd turned her away only a few hours before. Like an addiction, he couldn't give her up, nor could he bring himself to go down that road with her.

He found Victoria dozing on the bed.

"Hey, sweetheart, you need to wake up." Giving in to the pull between them would be so easy. He could wake her up with feather kisses. A shiver shook her body. What was he thinking? Right now, she needed to get warm.

"Victoria?"

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes.

"Let's get you into a warm tub to help your aching bones."

"I am pretty sore." She pushed herself up an inch at a time.

He helped her to stand.

She gripped his forearm. "How am I going to get undressed?"

"I'll help you." He swallowed, hard.
Great idea, idiot
. "Come on."

Together, they shuffled across the floor to the bathroom. He propped her against the wall, and she held tight to his arms.

"Maybe I can do it if I know you'll be there to catch me if I fall."

A lump in Traye's throat prevented him from speaking, so he nodded.

She fumbled with her buttons, and he pushed her hands aside to unbutton her shirt himself. Apparently eager to help him, she shed the shirt. Her nipples hardened underneath her lace bra, and that held him mesmerized. Even though she was drunk and had a concussion, he couldn't deny her beauty. How had he gotten so lucky to have her fall for him?

He undid the button on her jeans and tugged them past her hips. She lifted her legs in turn as he took them off, then stood before him in her bra, socks, and panties.

Traye looked up at her and fell for her harder than ever. Her vulnerability had brought her down to his level, and for a moment, they were the same. He got up, took her head in his hands, and kissed her hard. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. She sucked in a breath and opened her mouth, and he pushed his tongue inside. His groin grew tight.

A moment later, she went limp in his arms. Pulling away, he took a deep breath and studied her. The purple bruise on the side of her face had darkened. He ran his finger over it and took a step back. "We'd best get you into that tub."

"Why did you do that?"

"What?"

"Kiss me senseless, then act like nothing happened."

"I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Fine." She shrugged. Keeping her gaze averted, she removed her panties and bra and stood in front of him stark naked. Her right arm, her legs, and both of her knees had colorful bruises on them. She'd be more than sore come morning. He helped her ease into the tub. The water came up to her nipples, and they puckered. He ached to touch her. If he stayed in the bathroom much longer, he'd be tempted to climb into the tub with her.

"You stay in the warm water while I go put on a pot of coffee and make you some toast."

"I am a little hungry. A greasy cheeseburger would be better." She sank lower in the water and rested the back of her head on the lip of the tub. The clear water showed every inch of her body. He wished he did have bubbles. An image of her naked body would forever be etched on his brain. Backing toward the door, he said, "I think we should stick to toast."

"Whatever."

Traye stepped outside into the cold and let the snow pelt his face. He had hoped the icy air would help him get his mind out of the gutter, but no such luck. He could never ignore Victoria's beauty, but seeing her like this made him want her even more. He didn't want to ignore the pull anymore. Nothing had changed, except that now he knew what he could have.

How he'd keep his hands off her all night, he hadn't a clue. She meant more to him than just a roll in the hay. Once he stepped over that line, however, there'd be no turning back. Deciding the two of them still could never happen, he re-entered the cabin.

Traye made the toast and brewed coffee. At least the storm hadn't knocked out the electricity. No noise came from the bathroom. Easing the door open, he found Victoria still in the tub, with her eyes closed. Some color had returned to her cheeks.

"Are you any warmer?"

"Yes." She opened her eyes and smiled. "A little, but the water's getting cold."

"Want my help getting out?"

"Yeah."

Traye stood by the door for a few minutes. He wanted to step into the tub with her and wash her body, her hair, her breasts, and between her legs. He closed his eyes, but the picture of him making love to her, branding her as his, remained.

"Traye?"

Water sloshed, and he opened his eyes. Victoria had grabbed the side of the tub and started to rise. He snatched a nearby towel to wrap her in. She stood and wobbled a second before he surrounded her thin frame with the towel and helped her step out of the tub.

"Let's get you dressed. I have some sweats on the bed. They'll probably be too big, but at least they'll be warm." Christ, he was babbling. He'd seen her naked, felt her soft skin, and tasted her hungry lips. He didn't have to imagine anymore. Problem was, seeing her like that had made him act like a schoolboy lusting after the head cheerleader.

They had made it to the bed, and she pulled on his sweat pants and shirt. Even drowning in them, with her face bruised and battered, she made him hard.

"You still have a little blood on your face." He went into the bathroom and got a wet washcloth. Even though he tried to be gentle, she winced when he returned and dabbed it against her face. "Sorry."

Traye couldn't stand to see her hurt. He leaned over to kiss the bruise, and she moved into him. He trailed kisses down her cheek, then kissed the corners of her lips. She turned her head and met his mouth in a searing kiss. Grabbing her shoulders, he brought her even closer, and she groaned. Fearing he had hurt her again, he pulled away.

"Did that hurt?" He knew he shouldn't keep kissing her, but he couldn't stop. She had his insides twisted and his desire going from a slow burn to a raging fire.

She shook her head. "No. Don't stop, Traye. For just one night, give in to whatever this is. You know I love you."

"Victoria…" He looked away and got to his feet. "If I loved you, I wouldn't have taken you down this miserable road."

"Oh, God. When are you going to stop feeling sorry for yourself?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your father was a drunk. You had a crappy childhood. So what? It's over, and I'm here groveling at your feet. You know what? You're right. You aren't worth it."

"Ah, she finally gets it." He wished she hadn't.

She shook her head. "I get wasted and fall down your steps to get away from the humiliation you caused me, yet here I am. I don't need this. Trust me. After tonight, you won't have to worry about my chasing you."

He pursed his lips. "I'll miss that."

She crossed the room and hit his chest with more strength than he knew she had.

"What the hell?" He grabbed her hands and yanked her forward. She struggled trying to rip out of his hold. "Victoria, stop it. Looks like you're getting your strength back."

"I'm mad, damn it. You're the most stubborn man I've ever met."

"Yet you love me."

"Yeah, I do… but enough is enough." She went still. "You're no better than your father. You don't want to be. You might not touch alcohol, but you still hurt the ones who love you without a second thought."

"I'm
not
my father." He let her go and stepped away from her. She should have just slapped him; it couldn't have hurt any more.

She lifted her chin. "Prove it."

Grabbing her again, he met her mouth in a clash of teeth. He kissed her hard, and she whimpered. He broke the kiss and let her go again. "Damn it. I
am
my father."

He turned his back on her and ran his hands through his hair. No matter how much he tried to be different, he would never be.

She touched his arm. "Traye, I'm sorry."

He spun and studied her. She was bruised and fragile, and yet he'd still attacked her. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, or any O'Conner. The family had been his rock, and here he was messing it up. He'd never make it through this night.

"Why are you doing this? Why would you want a man like me?" he asked. "I hurt you just now. Isn't that proof enough that I'm rotten to the core?"

"You're not rotten. Just a little messed up." Victoria touched his chest. "We all are, in our own way. Look at Andrew. He went from being an amazing man I admired to an angry monster I have to manage. And I've been chasing a guy who continuously rejects me and confuses me with his mixed signals."

Traye ducked his head, placed his hand over hers, and rubbed her soft skin with his thumb. He knew touching her would only lead to disaster, but with the cabin so small and nowhere to run, he didn't know how to stop.

"Traye, I know you have demons," she said. "Let me help you exorcise them. Let me help you to see that you're a good man."

"No, I think I've proven you were right the first time. I'm just like my father."

She grabbed his hand and led him over to the small couch. They both sat, and he let his head drop back against the cushion. He never before admitted he was like his father, but he'd fought the demon his whole life.

"Do you remember what your father was like before your mother died?"

"You mean, before she killed herself?"

"You're angry about that?"

"Damn right I am."

"But it's so tragic."

"I know. To have done it, she must have been in a bad place. But I can't get past the fact that I wasn't enough for her. Her choice changed all of our lives."

Victoria climbed on top of him and straddled his lap. Ready to push her off, he brought up his head. The minute he touched her thighs, however, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder. Her warm breath tickled his neck. So instead of shoving her away, he brought her closer. Just for a minute, he needed to hold her in his arms. Right this second, Victoria wanted and loved him. He didn't have the strength to deny his heart.

"Traye, you need to let go. You helped me accept Mom dying, so I could show her how much I loved her during those last few days and still be okay. Let me do that for you."

"How?" His voice cracked. All the years of mixed emotions bubbled up to choke him.

She nuzzled his neck. "Let me hold you and love you. I don't know what caused your parents to do what they did, but I do know they missed out. You're so amazing, so loving and giving. They would be proud of the man you've become."

She kissed his neck up to his jaw line. Traye groaned, and his eyes rolled back. Call it weak or acting like a teenager, but he wanted to be loved. Being locked away inside the cabin with Victoria on this snowy night had to be fate… or maybe he just wanted to believe that was true. At any rate, the strong sexual tension between the two of them had doused his resolve to keep his hands off her. Come morning, he'd retreat back into his hole alone.

He grabbed her head, brought her wet lips to his, and devoured them with urgency. She whimpered, and this time the sound didn't wake him from the fog of desire. Instead, it only fueled it. He slid his hands beneath her shirt and pulled it over her head. He'd already seen all of her, but this time he cupped her breasts and rubbed his thumbs over her nipples.

Victoria squirmed on his lap, and he moaned. Her silky warm skin stoked his fire. As he pulled away, the bruises on her arm and face reminded him of her fall.

Her eyes flew open, and her expression pleaded with him to continue. Kissing the corner of his mouth, she whispered, "Don't you dare pull away from me. You started it this time, and I'm going to finish it."

He kissed her bruised shoulder, and when she didn't flinch but instead buried her hands in his hair to bring him closer, he bent down and captured one of her rosy nipples in his mouth. He tugged on it and rolled his tongue around it, producing a gasp from her. No, he wasn't going to pull away this time.

Picking her up, he carried her to his bed. She knelt, ran her hands over his chest, and nibbled it. Enjoying her tongue as she lapped her way up his neck, he rubbed her back. She moved to his pants and fumbled with the button. He pushed her hands away and undid it himself. She pushed on his waistband to help rid him of the confining material and slid his pants over his hips and down to the floor.

Traye guided Victoria's shoulders onto the bed and pulled his sweatpants from her body. Then he stepped out of his boxers and dropped them onto their pile of clothes. Naked, he crawled onto the bed and stretched out beside her. He slid his leg between hers and stroked her skin, then cupped her breast and caressed her between her legs. She ran her hand over his butt and squeezed it, and he moaned.
Hell.

He might regret this in the morning, but for now the amazing sensations she created made him only want her more… and he intended to let himself feel whole for at least this one night.

He pushed her onto her back and spread her legs with his knee. Her eyes were glazed with passion. She bit her lower lip. As he entered her, his eyes never left hers. She smiled, brought her arms around his back, and raised her hips to meet his thrusts. He rode her hard and tried to milk every second of their coupling, knowing that come morning, they'd be right back where they'd started.

Chapter Six

Victoria tried to stretch but something heavy lay on her chest. She turned her head an inch and winced. Everything came back to her in a rush. Her drinking last night, the snowstorm, Traye's rejection, her fall down the steps, and his surrender. A smile tugged at her lips as she turned to face him, grabbed the hand he had resting on her chest, and kissed it.

The night had been everything she had ever hoped for. Traye had been loving and tender, and they had taken their time exploring every inch of each other's bodies.

No way could he see her as his little sister now.

The wind outside still howled. Could the snow have stopped? She pushed herself into a sitting position and looked for a clock. The room was still dark, so it had to be in the wee hours of the morning. Her movement woke Traye, and he opened one beautiful teal green eye and smiled at her before rolling onto his back.