Page 73 of Wrecked for Love
I winced as she hit a sore spot.
“That’s the one, huh?”
“Yeah,” I admitted. Then, shifting gears, I added, “By the way, I haven’t noticed your nightmares lately. Or have I been too out of it to notice?”
“You’re not out of it at all. My nightmares aren’t as bad as they used to be. They’ve mostly been downgraded to…bad dreams.”
“That’s a relief. I was starting to worry I’d been an inattentive partner.”
She kissed the top of my head. “Never.”
I gently took her hands, halting the massage. “Claire, I’ve been thinking…maybe we should get out of town for a bit.”
She sat beside me. “Why? What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” I answered a little too quickly.
“Elia, I dragged you into this. Let’s call the sheriff. I’ll come clean about everything that happened at The Willow. There’s no witness, but Armand Voss is no saint. Whatever happened to him, it was because he was up to no good, and the sheriff has to know that.”
I shook my head.
She shifted toward me, leaving just half of her ass on the couch. “If you’re worried about The Revenants, I’ll leave them out of it. I’m not naïve. They’ll catch up with me sooner or later. But right now, we’ve got the Vosses to worry about. That’s the immediate threat. I’ll make sure Clare Ashbourne stays rock solid as long as we need.”
“No, Claire. No sheriff.”
“Is he under their thumb?”
“No. It’s not that I don’t trust him…”
“Then what? Why not?”
I sighed. “He’s not crooked, but he’s not exactly diligent either. Especially when it comes to the Vosses. Remember how they handled the sabotage of Diesel’s pen? My bull running loose in the middle of our date?”
Her lips curved into a small smile. “Yeah, I remember.”
“Now it’s more than just a bull. Whatever we’re facing with the Vosses, bringing in the authorities is asking for trouble. They’re experts at manipulating or getting rid of evidence. You saw how spotless The Willow was.”
She dropped her head. “I know,” she said softly, her fingers wringing together. “To tell you the truth, I don’t even want to go back there, Elia.”
Something inside me cracked. I hated seeing her like this—defeated. But more than that, I wanted tonight to be different. I wanted her without the interference of all this looming danger.
The Vosses were circling closer every day, settling old scores. Whether it was Armand and Lucien or their fathers and mine, the history of punches thrown ran deep in our bloodlines.
“Hey, are you hungry?” I asked, the question simple but loaded.
She flinched ever so slightly, barely noticeable. “Um…it’s still early, baby. That’s why I got dinner started. The pot roast will need about four hours,” she replied, her voice hesitant.
I repeated the question, my voice softer but resolute, as if her answer was already written in the space between us.
My eyes held hers, my hands gliding down her back in a gentle, deliberate caress. Her warmth seeped through the thin fabric as my fingers moved lower and caressed the curve of her ass. She had to feel it too—the longing that pulsed between us. There was something different about her today, a subtle change in her scent that tugged at my senses. I had been near her long enough now that I could perceive even the smallest change in her body. Every nuance of hers felt like a secret she hadn’t yet shared, but it was one I was already beginning to understand.
“As a matter of fact, I am,” she finally answered, a different kind of hunger riding her raspy voice.
Unable to resist, I pulled her closer. Our lips met in a crushing kiss, the taste of strawberry from her lip gloss dancing on my tongue. The rhythmic motion of my hands continued, tracing circles on her ass as she instinctively pressed against me, her core seeking friction with my erection. Divine. Fucking divine.
I rose gradually, lifting her along, her body straddling mine. Once we reached our bed, I undressed her, revealing her enticing breasts. They were masterpieces, holding the power to command my surrender. I found pride in my weakness because being undone by her felt like the only strength that mattered.
Shedding my own clothes, I reveled in the sensation of her skin against mine. She writhed, urging me to remove her panties, and I obliged. Her hand explored my hardened cock through my underwear before removing it entirely. As I positioned myself on top of her, our eyes met.
