Page 44 of Salvation

The way he said it suggested he’d had his share of dark nights crying into a pillow — or whatever version of grief guys like him unleashed. Maybe hacking big oak trees into tiny little bits? Throwing bricks at a cement wall? She’d never tried those methods, but hell, she’d sure be tempted to.

She sniffled. “Yeah. Well, at least I found out what kind of guy Jeff was when he left.”

Todd’s head jerked around. “He left?”

She nodded.

“He left you?” His voice took on an incredulous tone.What idiot would ever leave a woman like you?

That, as least, made her smile.

“I told him I needed time to regroup before trying again.” She shrugged.

“And?” A growl built in Todd’s throat. A good thing they weren’t at a cocktail party and face-to-face with her ex. She had the feeling Todd would tear out Jeff’s throat.

“He said he wanted a divorce. He was married with a baby thirteen months after I lost Lucille.”

“What a shithead.”

She actually laughed, because it felt good to hear someone else say it out loud. Almost everyone else just looked at her like it had all been her fault. All her mother had done was urge her to beg Jeff to take her back and promise to try any treatment he thought she ought to subject herself to.

Fight for him, honey,her mother had said.Go back and try again.

The corners of Todd’s mouth turned down, and his eyes grew dark, as if he knew. Really, trulyknewthe feeling of losing a child he’d never even had the chance to meet properly.

She looked into his eyes, wondering just what was going through his mind.

“Hey,” she whispered, trying to cheer both of them up. “I was having a good time until now.”

He gave her a weak smile and pulled her closer. “Sorry. I was having a good time, too.”

“Really?” Her voice squeaked a little.

His smile turned into the genuine thing. “Yeah. And you know what?” He tugged and turned at the same time, pulling her on top of him.

“What?” she said, stretching out along his body. His chest hair tickled her nipples, and her legs tangled with his.

“We’re back where we started.” His eyes dropped to her lips.

She smiled and shifted her weight slightly, pressing down with her hips. “I guess we are.”

One broad hand tugged gently on the back of her neck, pulling her into a kiss. The other slid from her waist to her rear and pressed down.

She sighed into the kiss and split into a straddle. His cock twitched under her, and she sat up over him.

“Mmm,” she murmured, flipping her hair back. She put her hands on his chest and started sliding over him in long, languorous strokes. Up then down, nestling closer each time until she was dragging herself over his cock.

She murmured her pleasure and closed her eyes, relishing the feel of him under her. Then she reared back and watched his eyes as she slowly slid down over his cock, taking him deep.

Fill me,she nearly cried.Fill the emptiness inside. Fill it with your heat.

Todd wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her closer. She rolled her hips, taking him deeper.

Fill me like no man ever has before,she wanted to say. He already had, but she was greedy for more.

When he bucked up, she gasped. She leaned farther and farther back, working him deeper, cartwheeling her arms back to grip his thighs. She rode him, totally and utterly exposed. Her breasts bounced, her hair swayed, and the looks Todd gave her made her feel beautiful instead of self-conscious. She rocked harder and harder, losing her breath. Hissing as he stretched her, gasping when he slid against exactly the right spot. Every sharp thrust of his hips seared her inner walls.

He teased her nipples and kneaded her breasts, finding out what drove her wild. Every touch pushed her closer and closer to the edge — but then he’d back off, refusing to let her come.

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