Tal heard an apartment door open and close and he walked to the peephole to peer out, pretty sure it was Sonny’s door.
All night, he couldn’t stop thinking about the small sounds she’d made when she’d been snuggled under that blanket on her couch listening to him talk to her. Fuck, it was the hottest thing he’d ever experienced.
Her whimpers… and, fuck, seeing the movements under the blanket, that he’d known were her hands moving over her body as he’d described what he wanted her to do… and what he’d wanted to do to her… His cock swelled at the memory. And then her soft moans that had increased until she’d come right in front of him. How he’d been able to keep his cool and stay planted in that chair was a wonder.
Of course, knowing what had happened to her, he would never push her to go faster than she could handle. No matter how much patience it took. No matter how painful it became for him. His cock could complain all it wanted, he wouldn’t do anything to frighten Sonny.
He heard footsteps in the hall, and sure enough, he saw Sonny pass by. He opened the door and stepped out.
“Sonny,” he said, seeing her a few feet down the hallway walking toward the elevator. His gaze locked on the gentle sway of her delightful ass in her snug jeans.
She turned and gazed at him, her stance tentative.
“Oh, uh… hi.” She pulled the bag that was slung over her shoulder closer to her body.
“I was going to come over and invite you out to lunch, then I heard your door open,” he said. “What do you say?”
She frowned, her gaze shifting to the floor.
“I have some errands to run, then I have a lot of work to do today.”
It was Saturday, but he knew she was self-employed, and sometimes had time crunches.
“Okay,” he said, “but you still have to eat. We don’t have to be out long. We could go right now if you like.”
Her long, blonde hair shimmered in the light as she shook her head.
“No, I really can’t.”
He found it disconcerting that she wouldn’t look at him. Clearly, she was embarrassed by what they’d done the other night. But it had been good for her. It had been a major step forward, her trusting him that much.
“Okay, then how about dinner?”
She shook her head nervously. “Today’s not a good day.”
He was determined not to let her slip back into her shell, shutting him out.
He tipped his head. “Sonny, I’m a patient man. Just tell me when is good for you and we’ll do it then.”
“Um… I’m not sure.”
He frowned. “Sonny,” he said softly. “I can tell that you’re a little uncomfortable with what we did the other night. Maybe a little embarrassed. I want us to talk about it. We made a good step forward, and I want us to keep making progress.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “I just can’t right now,” she said, her voice sounding a bit shaky.
“Baby, I just want us to talk.” He took a step forward and she jerked back.
His chest constricted. Fuck, right this instant, with her large brown eyes wide as a frightened deer’s, she looked terrified. As if she actually thought he might hurt her.
Damn, he had to put that out of his mind. Believing she feared he would harm her. He’d just seen that look in so many women’s eyes that he assumed it every time. Had already assumed it about Sonny.
But Sonny had reason to be nervous around any man, not just him, and sometimes, especially if he startled her, she was going to look at him like this. As much as it hurt, he knew she was reacting to her gut and he couldn’t blame her for that.
He just had to remind himself of the immeasurable trust she had shown him. That had gone a long way to healing his own scars, as well as hers.
“Okay,” he said in as calm a voice as he could muster. “Maybe tomorrow.”
She drew in a deep breath and nodded. “I… really have to go now.”
She turned and hurried down the hall. He watched as she stopped in front of the elevator halfway down the hall and pushed the button.
It wasn’t going to be an easy path with her. But everything in him knew it would be worth it. To help her.
Helping her back across the threshold of fear would probably be one of the most important things he could ever do in his life.
It might even help him feel whole again.
* * *
Sonny’s heart pounded as she waited for the elevator to arrive. Tal still stood at his door watching her.
Finally, the doors whooshed open and she escaped inside. She leaned against the elevator wall and sucked in a breath.
When she’d left her apartment and started down the hall on her way to pick up some groceries, she’d heard a door unlatch. She’d prayed it not be Tal, but her request had been denied. As she’d hurried past his door, he’d stepped into the hall behind her.
So many feelings had swirled through her at that moment.
Her mind had immediately returned to the memory of her lying on her couch yesterday, him on the chair across from her.
And his deep, sexy voice.
She still couldn’t believe she’d done such intimate things in front of him. Even though she was hidden under a blanket, he knew what she was doing. He’d seen her face, the movement of the blanket as she’d stroked herself.
And he’d heard her intimate sounds as she’d come.
She covered her face with her hands, sucking in air to calm herself.
Everything he’d said in the hallway just now, though, had been so caring. His voice filled with concern. He wanted to help her. She believed that.
But she couldn’t forget the newspaper image of him handcuffed and being taken to jail.
The elevator doors opened and she stepped into the sunlit lobby and walked to the entrance. She opened the glass door and stepped into the beautiful sunny day, gazing at the clear blue sky as she breathed in the sweet scent of the colorful flowers.
She was confused and uncertain. She didn’t want to give up what she’d started with Tal, but the article had talked about his background, with gang associations, brutal behavior, and several calls to the police by neighbors about domestic violence involving his father and a younger brother. The whole thing painted a grim picture of who Tal was.
But it also contradicted everything she sensed about him.
The deep calmness she felt when she heard his tender, caring voice told her he was not that kind of man.
She had no idea how to reconcile the two conflicting views.
And making the wrong choice could have terrifying results.
* * *
Tal placed the sandwich into a container and tossed it into the bag with a bottle of water and an apple and headed to the door.
Since he wouldn’t be having lunch with Sonny, he decided he’d go for a walk to clear his head, then eat by the water. Steve often went down to Hog’s Back Park to have lunch by the falls, or even further down the river, depending on his mood. Maybe he’d be there and they could talk. Tal could use some friendly advice, though he’d have to be careful what he said. He would never betray Sonny’s trust.
He went down the elevator and stepped out into the warm, sunny day. He walked along the sidewalk, over the bridge, then turned into the park. There were several people standing at the lookouts viewing the falls, but he didn’t see Steve. He continued walking, enjoying the view of the glistening water and the abundant greenery around him, then followed a path leading into the shade of thicker trees. There were several people enjoying the park. Walking dogs, playing Frisbee, and eating picnic lunches.
After a few minutes, he spotted Steve sitting at a table talking with a woman. As he got closer, he realized the woman was Leandra, Sonny’s friend. After the party, she and Steve had hooked up and were now seeing each other.
They seemed to be engrossed in their conversation and hadn’t noticed him approaching yet. As he got closer, he could hear Leandra’s voice.
“How well do you know this guy Tal?” Leandra asked.
Steve set down his sandwich and took a sip of his pop.
“We’ve known each other since university. He’s basically my best friend.”
She leaned forward. “Did you know that…” She frowned and stared at her water bottle. “That he was arrested for murdering his father?”
Tal stopped cold, shock jolting through him. Hell, this was bad news.
“Where did you hear that?” Steve demanded.
“It was a newspaper article I found on-line. It showed him being arrested. The article mentioned that he was involved with a gang and that the police had been called to his home numerous times for violent episodes.”
Steve knew the whole story. When they’d gotten close in university, Tal had told him all of it in confidence. Tal knew Steve wouldn’t betray that trust by telling Leandra, or anyone else, anything about it.
Steve shook his head. “All I can say is, I’ve know Tal for a long time and he’s a great guy. I’d trust him with my life.”
“Well, it seems like that wouldn’t be such a great idea. And I’m really worried about the fact that he’s interested in Sonny.”
Steve’s gaze jerked to hers. “You can’t tell Sonny about this. I don’t know what demons she’s dealing with, but you don’t want her to think she’s living next door to a killer. And more importantly, no matter what you think, I believe Tal is good for her.”
Leandra frowned. “It’s too late. I already sent her the article.”
Tal’s chest constricted and his fists clamped into balls.
Ah, fuck. That’s why Sonny reacted the way she did this morning. Like a deer facing a wolf.
“Why the hell did you do that?” Steve demanded.
“Because she’s my friend and I want to protect her.”
Steve shook his head.
“I don’t know how you can be so convinced the guy won’t hurt her,” she said. “If you know something about it… if there’s something I’m missing… then explain it to me.”
Tal strode forward. “Don’t you think it’s me you should be asking?”
Leandra’s head jerked around and her eyes widened.
Then he saw it. The fear.
She sucked in a deep breath and seemed to cringe.
He stood at the end of the rough-hewn wooden table, glaring at her.
But to her credit, she sucked in a deep breath and pushed back her shoulders.
“Was the article true?” she asked evenly.
“Not exactly,” he said, his voice dead calm. “It wasn’t my father. It was my stepfather.”
Then he turned and strode away.
* * *
Sonny stared at her phone, the text Leandra had just sent her slowly sinking in.
Just saw Tal in the park. He admitted it! He murdered his stepfather!
Oh, God. She had hoped there was some explanation. That the whole thing was a lie, or that he’d been framed.
But he’d admitted the crime to Leandra.
A knock sounded on her door and she walked to the entrance and peered out.
Her heart thudded when she saw Tal on the other side of the door.
She opened the door, the chain still on.
“Hello,” she said, keeping her voice even.
“Your friend sent you an article about me,” he said bluntly.
She sucked in a breath. “Yes.”
“So where does that leave us?”
It was all too much to handle. She shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Fuck,” he mumbled. Then he tugged something from his pocket and handed it to her. It was a flash drive. “Here. I recorded this for you.”
She took it from him. The brush of his large fingers against hers sent electricity quivering through her.
“What is it?”
“It’s an audio I made for you. I used my cell to record what I said to you the other night and I made this audio from it.”
“You recorded us?” The thought of him listening to that recording… hearing the sounds she’d made when she came… made her cheeks flame.
He frowned. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to post it on the Internet or anything. I knew at the time I wanted to make this audio to help you, so you could listen to it any time.”
It was hard to breathe with all the conflicting emotions tumbling through her.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, the words carried on a breath of air.
His hard gaze locked on her and she felt her body start to tremble.
“Will you let me in so we can talk about it?” he asked evenly.
Panic surged through her as images flashed through her mind. Of him in handcuffs. Of words from the newspaper article, as if jumping off the page. Gang member. Violent tendencies. Arrested several times. Gruesome scene. His father’s bloody, battered body.
She realized her head was shaking back and forth.
His mouth formed a thin line.
“Fuck it!” He turned and started to walk away.
She stood frozen at the door, the drive in her trembling hand, not sure what to do.
The fact that he’d killed someone, especially someone close to him, and that he had a violent nature, confused and frightened her. She’d suffered at the hands of a violent man and his friends. Those men had had a veneer of respectability, but under the surface, they were ruthless and cruel.
On the other hand, with Tal she felt safe and protected. She couldn’t believe he was the brutal man depicted in that article.
Sonny was terrified to let him in. Terrified he might hurt her. But as the storm of conflicting emotions swirled around her, she realized that she was even more terrified of losing him.
But she needed time.
She squeezed her hand around the cold flash drive he’d given her. Small and black. Containing the words he’d spoken to her yesterday. The words that had opened a door for her that had been closed tight for so long.
And she realized, time is exactly what he’d given her all along. He hadn’t pushed her, even when he’d clearly been suffering with need because his body was hard for her. He’d been patient and kind. Loving and tender.
No matter what some stranger in an article said about him… no matter what some picture alluded to…none of it changed the man he was. What she heard in his voice. What she felt when she was with him. And the compassionate way he treated her.
She pushed the door closed and slid the chain off then opened it and burst into the hall.
“Tal, wait!”
But his apartment door was already open and he was going inside.
“Please!”
He glanced at her, his eyes cold and hard.
Then a flash of fur grabbed her attention and she realized that Mia had just streaked out the door and was racing down the hall at full speed.
“Oh, God! Mia.”
If she got into the elevator, or the stairwell, she’d be frightened. She might even get outside. Sonny’s heart crumpled at the thought of losing her.
Mia was already halfway down the hallway.
Tal stepped back into the hallway but before either of them could start running after the furry creature, the sound of an apartment door opening far down the hall, then voices, had Mia stopping dead in her tracks.
As the voices came closer, Mia, clearly frightened, turned tail and raced back up the hall, but instead of running to Sonny’s apartment, she headed straight to Tal and leaped onto his denim-clad leg and climbed it like a tree trunk. He grabbed her, and tucked her against his chest, snuggled in the crook of his muscular arm, and she cowered there, peering out from the protection of his body.
Tal turned to Sonny, his expression still drawn tight in anger. As he walked toward her with Mia safely in his arms, she sucked in a breath.
But as he got closer, she realized that what she’d thought was anger, was actually pain. His eyes glinted as he tried to hide it, but she could see it there.
Because she’d rejected him.
She wasn’t used to having power over a man, in any way. The thought confused her. And in this case, saddened her.
She didn’t want to hurt Tal. Ever.
When he reached her door, he tried to tug Mia from his body so he could hand her to Sonny, but Mia’s claws were embedded in his shirt so tightly, he couldn’t pull her away. He pulled free one tiny paw, but as he tried to free the next, she squirmed and the first paw connected with his shirt again.
Although Sonny could feel tears welling in her eyes from her tumultuous emotions, the sight of him trying to pull the determined cat from his shirt made her break out in nervous giggles.
His gaze shot to hers and she looked properly contrite.
“If you bring her inside, she’ll probably let go,” she offered.
His lips compressed in a straight line as he followed her back to her door, then inside. She closed the door behind him, then turned to take the cat from him, but Mia leaped from his arms and scurried down the hall.
He turned and reached for the doorknob, but she stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
She rested her hand on his arm.
“Tal, please stay.”
* * *
Tal drew in a deep breath, allowing the closeness of her, the feel of her delicate fingers on his arm, to calm him.
When she’d shut him out, not even giving him a chance to explain, his whole world had crumbled around him. Having Sonny accept him—and more, look to him for help—had meant more to him than he could ever conceive.
This past that hung over him… this awful shadow… threatened everything that mattered to him. Love. Family. Having one special person to share his life with, who cared about him as much as he cared about her.
He nodded and let her guide him to the couch where he sat down. She settled in beside him.
She took his hand, entwining her fingers with his.
“Tal, the things they said in that article…” She shook her head. “I don’t believe them.”
It would be so easy to just accept that. She was giving him a free pass to just put it all behind him and move forward.
But that would be a lie. And that was no foundation for any kind of relationship.
And it certainly wouldn’t be fair to her after she’d opened up to him so completely.
He squeezed her hand gently.
“But I’m afraid it’s the truth.”
* * *
Sonny’s heart pounded in her chest. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what he had to say.
“My mother remarried when I was fourteen,” he explained. “The guy convinced her he was a knight in shining armor, ready to take care of her and her two sons. She’d been alone and struggling since we lost my dad. She couldn’t see what he really was. He had a nice house, a good job. She wanted to feel safe. But once they were married, he treated her like a slave. He bullied her and kept her isolated. If she went to visit a neighbor, he’d beat the crap out of her. If she didn’t have dinner on the table when he walked in the door, he’d beat the crap out of her.”
Sonny felt ill, remembering the beatings she’d suffered at the hands of… him.
“Fuck, Sonny, you’re trembling. This must be bringing up bad memories for you.”
She squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I want to hear it all.”
He nodded. “I tried to step in… to protect her… but he was bigger than me and just sent me flying cross the room with one whack. But sometimes it distracted him enough that he’d leave mom alone.”
Sonny’s stomach clenched at the thought of younger Tal being beaten by his stepfather.
“By the time I was fifteen, I’d started hanging out with a tough crowd, learning to fight, getting into trouble. Then one day, I came home to find that he’d pushed her and she’d hit her head on the granite counter. She went into a coma. He told the police it was an accident and, of course, they believed him.”
He sighed, staring off into space.
“She died a week later. If it had been just me, I would have taken off at that point, but I couldn’t leave my younger brother alone with this guy. So I learned to act tougher. To look tougher. I was pretty small at fifteen, but over the next year I grew to over six feet tall. I made it clear that if he laid a finger on Joey, I’d break every bone in his body.”
Sonny rested her hand on his arm, disturbed not only by his words and the harrowing past he’d had to endure, but also by the haunting sadness in his eyes.
“Finally, he couldn’t handle it any longer. Being subdued by his teenaged stepson. One night, he got drunk and attacked me with a butcher knife. He caught me off guard, coming at me from behind, and got in a few slashes before I knocked him to the ground and wrestled the knife from him. Once I let him up, he lunged at me. When I stepped out of the way, he went flying through the front window and sliced his neck open on the glass. When the police showed up, they assumed I initiated the fight and killed him. Especially with my history.”
Sonny’s heart ached for him. “I’m so sorry, Tal.”
He shook his head, then focused on her. “The charges didn’t stick. But that doesn’t change the fact that I wanted to kill that bastard every single day. And one day I probably would have.”
Sonny shook her head. “I don’t believe it. That’s not the kind of man you are.”
“Baby, have you taken a look at me lately? Everything about me is designed to intimidate.”
“Because you wanted to protect the ones you loved, and that was the only way you had.” She smiled. “And I love how you look. Strong and confident.”
She ran her hand along his muscled forearm. “I feel safe with you.”
* * *
Tal’s heart swelled at Sonny’s words. At her total acceptance.
He slid his arm around her and held her close. She snuggled against him.
“Baby, I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me, for any reason.”
She stroked his cheek, and tipped up her face, her brown eyes glowing. He couldn’t resist. He dipped his head down and brushed his lips against hers. She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer, deepening the kiss.
He swept his tongue into her mouth and stroked, enjoying the delight of her softness.
Then he felt something on his shoulder and a raspy sensation against his ear. He drew back and turned his head to see two green feline eyes staring at him. Mia, half on the couch back and half on his shoulder. She began licking his ear again.
Sonny began to laugh. “Mia, stop that.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry about it. She just wants a little love.”
He wrapped his hands around the cat and held her to his chest. She snuggled against him, then stretched out on his arm and purred.
“You’re there for a while now,” Sonny said. “Once she gets comfy, she settles in for a good long nap.” She smiled. “I could put on a movie if you like.”
“Didn’t you say you have a lot of work to do today?”
She bit her lip. “I lied. I finished the project this morning. I just wasn’t ready to talk to you yet. I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay. I get it.” He smiled, stroking the small furry critter in his arms. “So that movie sounds great. And maybe some water?”
Sonny stood up and glanced through her Blu-ray library, then pulled out one she thought Tal would like and put it in the device. Then she went into the kitchen to grab a couple bottles of water. By the time she got back, Tal was asleep, Mia still curled up against him.
Sonny smiled and grabbed the blanket from the arm of the couch and laid it over him, draping it below where Mia lay sleeping. Not that it was cold, but she always found the light blanket to be comforting, and she wanted to give Tal that comfort, too. Especially after he’d opened up to her about his tragic past.
She sat down in the armchair across from the couch with her laptop, and watched him. Everything about him was big and masculine. His hulking body. His dense, bristly, almost black whiskers and thick hair shaved close to his scalp on the sides, longer on top. His huge feet propped up on the ottoman.
All that contrasted against the sight of his muscular arm, covered in tattoos, curled around Mia. Seeing the small ball of fur nestled against him… remembering the gentleness with which he’d stroked the little cat… made her heart topple.
He was so good at giving comfort, and love.
Her chest ached at everything he’d been through. He deserved better. He deserved to be loved. To be cherished and cared for.
She wished she could take him in her arms right now and hold him close. Prove to him that he was a very special, wonderful man.
* * *
Tal opened his eyes and blinked at the bright afternoon sunshine. He glanced toward the purring coming from his lap. There was a soft, fleecy blanket over him, and Mia, Sonny’s audacious little cat, had moved from his chest to being curled up on his stomach.
“I told you she’d keep you there for a long nap.”
He laughed and stretched his arms, then stroked Mia’s soft fur.
Then he glanced at Sonny, sitting on the armchair across from him. The same armchair he’d sat on the other night when he’d talked her through an orgasm. And he was where she’d been, the same blanket around him, his feet on the same ottoman.
At the memory of her face as she’d come, heat stirred in his groin and spread through his body.
She had her laptop open and she wore ear buds. Her face and neck were flushed and his gaze jerked to the side of the computer to see the black flash drive he’d given her sticking out the side.
His eyebrow darted up.
“Are you listening to the recording I gave you?”
Her cheeks turned a deeper rose color.
“Yeah… Seeing you where I was the other night… and me being where you were… reminded me. So I listened.”
A wide smile crept across his face.
“So you like it?”
She nodded, the rapid movement of her head and the eagerness in her eyes skyrocketing his ego.
The thought of her listening to the sexy audio while she watched him sleep… and wondering how turned on she was… had his cock swelling.
Mia’s eyes popped open and she mewed, then stood up and leaped away. He couldn’t blame her. His rising erection had changed the landscape of her cat bed.
“So would you like to come snuggle up beside me and listen to it together?” he suggested.
He loved the idea of touching her while she got turned on by his voice, even it if was just to have his arm around her. To be close enough to hear her heartbeat start to race. To hear her soft breathing as she got excited.
“I’d like to. But there’s something else I’ve been thinking about.”
“Oh, yeah? And what’s that?”
“In the recordings,” she said, “you’re watching the woman and… that’s really exciting…”
He put his feet on the floor and sat up straighter, then tossed the blanket beside him.
“Okay. Would you rather I do something different? Maybe pretend I’m blindfolded? Or that we’re on the phone?”
He was sure she was asking him for more distance. So she could hear his voice, but not feel that he was watching her, even on a recording. If that’s what she wanted, he’d give it to her.
“No, that’s not it. I just…”
She pulled the ear buds from her ears and bit her lip.
“What is it, Sonny? You can tell me.”
“I’d like to… um… to watch you…”
He waited, but she just fidgeted, her cheeks blooming an even darker red.
Did she mean watching him as he talked? Or did she mean…his cock twitched… she wanted to watch him jack off?
He raised an eyebrow. “You want to watch me come?”
She bit her lip.
“Well… uh… I’d like to know that you’re… I mean… I don’t know if you did last time… And I’m not asking you to tell me, I just…
He fought back a grin. She was so adorable.
“I want to know what it’s like,” she continued, “to be in the same room with a man when… to feel safe with a man when…”
* * *
Sonny had seen the heat flare in his eyes when she’d told him she wanted to watch him, then amusement glitter as she’d backpedaled.
Now, his expression grew compassionate.
“I get it, baby. I’ll do anything to help you. You know that.”
She wrapped up her ear buds and put them in the little case she had for them so Mia wouldn’t chew through the cord.
“So when would you like to do it?” he asked.
God, she was so turned on from listening to the recording he’d made for her … her nipples hard and tight… her vagina clenching in need… that she wanted to do it right now.
“When would you like to do it?” she asked.
“Baby, just the thought has me ready to go.”
“Okay.” She bit her lip. “Then… now?”
He chuckled. “Okay. Hold on. Come over here for a second.”
He patted the couch beside him.
She closed her laptop and set it on the side table, then stood up and walked toward him, wondering what he was going to do. She sat beside him.
He slid his muscled arm around her waist and drew her near. He kissed the top of her head and she shivered in delight. He was so much bigger than her. She felt so tiny in comparison. Just like Mia had looked curled in the crook of his arm.
“I think you need a little time for this idea to sink in,” he said. “Maybe we’ll have dinner first, relax, and then we’ll talk about exactly what you want.”
“But I told you already.”
“Yes, and that was great. I think you should get used to expressing what you want. And how you want it. You’ve shown an extraordinary level of trust in me, and that makes me feel really good. I want you to trust me. I also want you to be able to express yourself fully to me.”
She gazed up at him with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’m not asking for crazy intimate details. Just enough so I know what to do without making you nervous.” He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Not that we won’t push some limits, since that’s what you need right now. Okay?”
“Okay.”
He took her hand and stood up, drawing her with him. “So why don’t we go to my place and I’ll make some dinner. Then we can decide if we want to stay there or come back here.”
The thought of sitting in his apartment while they did this excited her. Being in his environment, where he slept, where he showered, where he gave himself pleasure… maybe while thinking about her.
She followed him out the door and back to his place. Stepping inside felt strange. Ordinarily the thought of being in a man’s apartment, alone with him, would fill her with blind terror. But it was different with Tal.
He’d helped her take huge steps forward.
And the one she’d take with him after dinner had her pulse fluttering.
He led her to the couch. “Just sit down and I’ll bring you a glass of wine, then get dinner started.”
But when he tried to draw his hand away, she didn’t want to let go.
“You don’t have to go to any trouble. We could just order a pizza.”
“It’s no trouble.” He smiled and kissed her hand. “Don’t worry. It won’t be long. I already made a pan of lasagna for tonight that I’ll just put in the over then pull together a salad. So sit.”
She sat down, their fingers sliding apart.
He walked into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a glass of red wine. He handed it to her and then turned on some music.
About ten minutes later, he returned with his own glass of wine and sat beside her.
“It’ll be ready in about forty minutes. If you’re really hungry, we could have the salad ahead of time.”
She gazed up at him, and her eyes must have shown that food wasn’t what she was hungry for, because his deep blue eyes heated. She ran her hand over his bristly cheek, growing weak with need at the masculine feel of him.
She tipped up her face in invitation. His arm slid around her and his face lowered. Anticipation built in her as his lips drew nearer, then when they brushed hers, she felt faint.
As the pressure of his mouth increased, she slid her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. Her heart raced as his tongue glided over her lips and she opened, welcoming him inside. The gentle sweep of his tongue made her feel treasured.
She was lost in the gentle strokes of his tongue, the tenderness of his mouth moving on hers. She felt totally enveloped in his presence.
Protected. Cared for.
Wanted.
Their lips parted and she gazed into his eyes, seeing the reflection of her own need for a deep connection with someone.
She stroked his raspy cheek. “I love it when we kiss.”
He smiled. “So do I.”
“It’s so intimate. So sweet. It makes me feel special.”
His blue eyes gleamed with loving sincerity.
“You are special, sweetheart.”
He stroked her hair behind her ear, sending tingles down her neck.
“I know with what happened to you,” he said, “it’s hard for you to trust a man. I’m glad you trust me enough to open up like this.”
She drew him back to her and found his lips again. His arms slid around her in a full embrace and he pulled her tighter to him, his tongue delving deeper this time. She suckled on it, wishing he could be nestled inside her forever.
His hand slid under her hair, then his fingers glided up the back of her head, threading through the strands. The kiss became more passionate. She melted against him, her heart thumping in her chest. The feel of his hard body against her, his thick arms around her, made her weak with desire.
“If we keep this up, I’m going to have trouble stopping,” he murmured against her lips, then took them again.
She pressed her tongue into his mouth and swirled deep.
He drew back, even though she clung to him.
“Okay, sweetheart. I know you’re not ready for where this is taking us.”
He drew her hands from around his neck and entwined his fingers with hers, then kissed the back of her hand. He picked up her glass of wine and handed it to her. She sipped, watching him over the rim of the glass, a warm quivering feeling inside at how protective he was of her.
“I’m going to bring out the salad now.”
They sat down at the table and enjoyed the Caesar salad together, then he brought out the lasagna. He put a portion on her plate, and she took a bite.
“Mmm. This is delicious,” she said. “You’re a great cook.”
“Thank you.”
He refilled her wine glass and she took a sip. She felt so relaxed. Being here in his apartment. Enjoying his company. Just like they were on a date.
He was right. She had made huge strides forward.
Because of him.
She swirled the wine in her glass as she watched him.
He had his own baggage. His early years had been tragic. Losing his father. Doing his best to protect his mother and little brother at such a young age. Then her death, leaving him alone to look out for his sibling. He’d had to grow up so fast and become so tough.
“Thank you for telling me about your past,” she said softly. “It must have been difficult to dredge it all up again.”
“I’ve never told anyone about it before, except for Steve.”
He took another bite of his food, and she thought he was going to close up, but then he turned his gaze to her.
“But I’m glad I shared it with you.”
Her heart swelled and she rested her hand on his. He lifted it and kissed her fingers. The gentle touch sent delightful shimmers of heat through her.
“I don’t want to pry, but do you mind if we talk about it some more?”
She thought it would help him to share his story, and she really wanted to know more about what had happened and how he had coped.
“Sure. Ask whatever you want.”
“Okay. So what happened after your stepfather died?”
“They arrested me, as you saw in the article. It looked pretty bad for a while. The police saw me as some thug involved with gangs, prone to violence, and figured it was an open and shut case. But then they looked into his background and uncovered past complaints against him from a previous marriage. That pieced together with hospital records showing his dead wife and current stepsons having had suspicious injuries, gave credibility to my account of what happened that night.”
Her heart ached.
His dead wife and current stepsons.
He meant himself.
“So they let you go.” She was so glad he hadn’t been put in prison.
“Once they realized I was the victim, yeah.”
“And your brother… It sounds like you were able to protect him from being physically harmed by your stepfather.”
“Mostly.”
The haunted look in his eyes told her he’d had to witness at least one time when his younger brother had been hurt. She squeezed his hand.
“So what happened to Joey and you afterward?”
“Joey was only thirteen and they wouldn’t let me be his guardian since I was too young. If the two of us went into foster care together, I knew that I’d be hurting his chances of being taken into a good home. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to abandon him to the system. I knew that our real dad had a brother in the UK and when the authorities contacted him, he and his wife were willing to take us in.”
“That’s great. But you didn’t go with him?” Hadn’t they wanted him?
“I did go with him at first. Stayed with them for about six months, but then came back here. Joey was happy there. They had a daughter about my age and a son who was a year younger than Joey. They became friends really fast and I saw that Joey loved being the big brother for a change.”
“So why did you leave? I think there’s more than you wanting Joey not to be eclipsed by you with your younger cousin.”
He sighed. “Yeah, well as you’ve seen, I’m pretty sensitive about women being afraid of me. You can imagine how I felt when I saw dread in their daughter’s eyes every time she looked at me. I’m sure she was convinced that I was going to drag her into a room and rape her the first chance I got. And it wasn’t just her. Even my aunt looked at me with fear.”
“You’re such a wonderful man. That is so unfair.”
He shrugged. “I can’t blame them. I looked like an intimidating bad-ass. But even though I wasn’t what they expected when they agreed to take in their two nephews who’d been abused by their stepfather, they really tried to make me feel welcome. I knew it was better for everyone if I dropped out of the picture. So I came back here and I was able to finish school and get student loans to put myself through university.”
“That’s great that you were able to turn things around for yourself. So what you do for a living?”
“I have a Masters in Sociology and currently I’m working on a study for the government of the effects on society of self-driving cars. I love the freedom of working from home and deciding my own hours.”
“And you don’t have to worry about co-workers perceptions of you. I understand all about that. Except that I stay away from other people because I’m afraid. You stay away because they’re afraid of you.”
She stroked his arm. “I’m sorry life has been so difficult to you.”
He gazed at her and tightened his hand around hers.
“It hasn’t treated you so well, either.”
She smiled. “Until now.”
“God, Sonny. Come here.”
She stood up and he pulled her onto his lap, then cupped her face and kissed her with a tenderness that melted her heart. One hand glided down her back while the other curled around her head, drawing her close to his body, her breasts crushed against his solid chest, her mouth meshed tight with his.
When he released her, she could barely catch her breath.
“I think I’m all done dinner,” she said in a husky voice.
“Really?” He tucked his finger under her chin and tipped up her face, a devilish grin playing across his lips. “So does that mean you’re ready for desert?”
Oh, God, she was so ready.
She nodded.
“Good. I have ice cream. And I think there’s some leftover blueberry pie.”
Her jaw dropped and he just laughed.
“I take it that’s not what you had in mind.”
He kissed her again. Brief but intense. Then he lifted her to her feet as he stood up. Now their bodies were tight together, their gazes locked.
“I think we should finish our wine in the living room,” he suggested.
She just nodded.
He picked up her wine glass and pressed his hand to the small of her back, then guided her to the living room.
“I think you’ll be comfortable here,” he said as he gestured to an armchair.
He handed her the glass, then cleared away the dishes, returning a few moments later with his own glass and sat on the couch facing her.
“You made a request earlier,” he said, settling back. “I think it’s time.”
She shifted in her chair. “Yes. That would be… good.”
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Now, sweetheart, I want you to be completely open and honest with me right now. I don’t want you to be embarrassed by what you like. Or what turns you on. And I don’t want to go too fast for you, so if you don’t tell me, I’ll play it cautious.”
She drew in a deep breath.
“I want you to talk,” she said slowly. “Like in the audios. Tell me what you’re thinking about. What you like. I want this to be totally about you and your pleasure.”
His eyes twinkled. “Well, not totally. Because the idea of me coming turns you on, right?”
She bit her lip. “Yes. But it’s not just about… um… coming. You’ve done so much for me. And part of that is helping me understand what excites me. I want to know what excites you.”
He smiled. “Okay. What else?”
She gazed at him, and the open acceptance in his eyes calmed her.
“I want to hear you. Having that pleasure. To see you.” She felt her cheeks flame. “I mean… your face.”
He laughed. “My face. Okay.”
He sipped his wine, pondering.
“So, is it really just my face you want to see? Because if so, I’ll grab a blanket and keep my cock hidden. Because, baby, it’s going to come out of my jeans at some point.”
Her gaze fell to his crotch, and seeing the fabric stretched over his already growing bulge sent heat simmering through her.
“I…” She sucked in a breath. She desperately wanted to see his big, male member. “I don’t want you to hide it.”
He chuckled. “Okay, I think we’re ready to go.”
He stood up and drew the drapes, closing off the sight of the setting sun, then turned on a small lamp. The room was cast in a soft light. Dim enough so it was relaxing, but lit well enough so she could see him—and his body—clearly.
He sat back down and pulled his cell from his pocket and tapped on it a couple of times, then set it down.
Was he recording this to make another audio for her later? So she could listen again and again? Her body quivered at the thought.
He leaned back and drew in a deep breath. Then his gaze drifted from her face down her body. Her skin heated and little bursts of excitement danced along her nerve endings at his acute male attention.
He took a few more deep breaths, then sighed deeply.
Hello, baby. I’m glad you’re here with me again. I’m going to share one of my most intimate moments with you.
I’m going to take my time. Ramp it up nice and slow so you can really enjoy it.
Are you ready?
His gaze was on her and she nodded. The wide, satisfied smile that spread across his face took her breath away.
Good, baby. Because so am I.
She watched as his hand stroked over the front of his jeans. She sucked in a breath, wishing she was feeling what his fingers were feeling.
Right now, I’m sitting here fully dressed, but I’ve been thinking about you for hours and my cock is so hard… so big… it’s painful inside these jeans. But before I do anything about that, I’m going to take off my shirt.
He grabbed the hem of his white T-shirt and pulled it over his head, then tossed it to the floor. His glorious muscles and dense tattoos were a sensational sight.
Now I’m sitting here in just my jeans, stroking my cock. I told you it’s already rock hard and aching. I’m imagining you sitting in front of me, curled up in the big armchair, watching me. I can see the hunger in your eyes.
His gaze washed over her and she shivered.
I love that you want to watch me. To hear me.
I know the thought of me stroking my cock in front of you is turning you on. You want to see it. My hard cock. Throbbing in my hand as I stroke it.
Do you want me to show it to you, baby? Yeah?
She bit her lip, her eyes wide. She did. So badly. She didn’t say so, but he smiled, reading it in her eyes.
Mmm, it’s exciting knowing how much you want to watch me stroke myself.
Mmm. Yeah. In my imagination, you start to undo your top… a smile on your face… teasing me as you slowly release one button at a time.
Her fingers dropped to her top, resting on that first button. She wanted to undo it. She wanted to be the woman in his fantasy.
His gaze burned through her as she toyed with the button, not meaning to tease him. Just aching to be brave enough to take this step.
I’m unzipping my jeans now, thinking about that. Mmm. Thinking about seeing your beautiful breasts.
He pulled the zipper down as he spoke and she held her breath.
I slide my fingers over my cock, still inside my jeans, knowing you want to see it.
Oh, God, she did. So badly.
His fingers slid inside and the sight of them moving under fabric… knowing he was touching his hard shaft… took her breath away.
I think about your fingers unfastening your buttons … your top falling open.
She licked her lips and found herself undoing the button on her top. His eyes heated and she undid the second, then the third, watching his hand moving under the denim.
She sucked in a breath and released more buttons, letting her top fall open.
Oh, yeah, baby.
The heat in his voice singed her senses.
I squeeze my cock tightly. It’s hard and ready. I can see the craving in your eyes.
She waited, her breath held, watching his hand.
You want to see what you’re doing to me?
I will show you, baby. I promise. But first, I want you to open your top and let me see you.
She let the top slide from her shoulders a little, opening the front a little more so he could see her.
That’s right, baby. Open it all the way.
Oh, God help her, she couldn’t resist his words. She opened her top and let it slide off her shoulders and fall to the floor.
His eyes widened, then he laughed softly.
Oh, yeah. Just like that.
He hadn’t expected that. But clearly he would encourage her. Trying to help her push past her boundaries.
Ah, fuck, I love the sight of your beautiful breasts all covered in that sweet baby blue lace bra.
Now I’m going to give you what you want. I’m pulling out my cock.
Her breath caught at the sight of his thick, stiff cock as he drew it into view. Oh, God, it was every bit as big as she’d imagined.
It was swollen and red, veins throbbing along the side. The head was as large as a plum.
His hand glided from the base to the tip, then down again.
She sucked in a breath at the sight.
He chuckled.
You like that, baby? Seeing my cock? Watching me stroke it?
She nodded, a deep ache building inside her as she watched his big hand, tightly gripping his cock, gliding up and down.
Now you can watch my cock get harder as you show me more of your body.
I’m pumping it for you. Knowing how much you love watching me do it… is pushing me closer to the edge.
He stroked his cock slowly. The tip disappearing and reappearing in the embrace of his hand. She longed to walk over to him and wrap her own hand around it. To feel it pulsing within her grip.
Oh, it feels so good. My cock is hard. I’m getting to that state where I’m close… and I’ll stay there for a long time.
For you.
Ahh, fuck, baby, I want to see your naked breasts so badly. Take off your bra for me.
She wanted to give him what he wanted. He was giving her so much. As she reached behind herself to unhook her bra, his breath caught.
That’s right. Show me your hard, aching nipples.
She dropped the straps, then slowly lowered her bra, revealing her naked breasts. A shiver rushed through her. No man had seen her naked since…
She pushed the thought from her mind and basked in the glow of his appreciative gaze. Oh, God, this is what it should feel like. Just like this.
She wanted him to look at her. To see how much he turned her on. She brushed her fingers over her hard nipples and he groaned.
Oh, fuck, baby, I love seeing you touch them. I love watching them get harder as your fingertips brush over them.
I’m stroking faster now. Pumping up and down.
Can you see my cock getting harder? Just for you.
She squeezed her nipples between her fingertips, her gaze glued to his enormous, swollen cock as his hand moved up and down the thick shaft.
Goddamn, you have me so fucking hot.
Oh, that’s right baby, squeeze those nipples. Let me see them swell.
She watched his hand move up and down. His cock thick. The tip glistening with precum. Oh, God, was he really that hard because of her?
She was thrilled that the sight of his hard cock didn’t frighten her. He wanted her and she wasn’t afraid.
She wanted him to want her. To see her.
She cupped her breasts, squeezing them, then stroking her hard nubs again.
Ah, fuck, baby, that’s so sexy. You touching your breasts like that.
Pinch those hard nipples for me, baby… as I stroke my cock for you.
She did as he asked, pinching them between her fingertips, feeling the ache spike through her body, straight to her pussy. Moaning at the quivering sensations pulsing through her.
Oh, fuck, baby, I want to see so much more of you. I want to see you naked. Want to see every part of your beautiful body.
Ohhh, yeah. Just the thought is making me harder. Taking me closer.
She bit her lip. She wanted to give him what he wanted. She wanted to be naked in front of him. To see his eyes as he looked at her. To see his cock swell even more.
She sucked in a breath, then ran her fingers over the button of her jeans.
Oh, God, baby. Fuck, yeah. Show me.
She unzipped her jeans, watching his eyes darken, turning her blood to liquid fire. His gaze glided down her newly exposed flesh, over her stomach to the top of her lacy blue panties, his soft groans and sounds of approval encouraging her.
Yeah, take off your jeans.
She stood up and pushed her jeans down. Goose bumps danced over her body, prickling across her skin. She flushed hotly, embarrassed at being half naked in front of him now, wearing only her panties, but his deep, needy breaths and the hot masculine appreciation in his eyes held her mesmerized.
Mmm, baby. Those tiny panties are so sweet, but there’s a sweeter sight beneath them.
He pumped in a steady rhythm now, need glazing his eyes.
I… want… to… see… you.
He groaned softly.
All of you.
Oh, God, his need rippled through her and she couldn’t help herself. She had to give him what he wanted. She needed to… because she desperately wanted it herself. To bare herself to him completely.
She tucked her fingers under the elastic.
Oh, fuck, baby. Yeah. Take them off. Show me your sweet pussy.
Quickly, before she could change her mind, she pushed down her panties.
Ohhh, baby. Oh, yeah. I’m so fucking turned on seeing you like that. I’m stroking my cock… pumping it harder…
She sat down, watching fascinated as his hand glided up and down, the head of his cock disappearing into his fist, them popping up again. She licked her lips, wishing she could lick the tip of him. Taste that glistening precum.
I see you watching my hand. The hunger in your eyes.
I love the sight of you completely naked in the chair. Sitting there waiting for me to come. Anticipating it.
You want to watch me pump my cock until I come? Imagine it pushing inside your aching pussy and riding it until you come right along with me?
Oh, God, the thought of his big cock pushing inside her… filling her full… made her tremble with intense desire.
Oh, baby, I can imagine my cock sliding into you. Ahh, fuck. Feeling your hot pussy gripping me tightly. The velvety softness of you around me.
Fuck, I’m so fucking close. I could come right now.
You want to see that, baby? See my cock explode in my hand, because of you? The cum pulsing out of me?
Her gaze was glued to his big, hard erection. Waiting… Wanting so desperately to see that.
God, I want to come so fucking badly.
Baby, open your legs for me. Slowly. As I pump my cock. Let me see that sweet pussy of yours.
She opened her legs, exposing her most intimate flesh. The intense heat in his eyes washed through her, pushing her need higher.
She glided her hand down her stomach, then over her exposed folds.
His eyes widened, the pupils turning to a deep midnight blue.
Fuck, that’s right. Stroke your pussy for me.
Oh, fuck. Is it wet, baby? Are you wet for me? Are you getting turned on watching me pump my cock for you?
“Yeah,” she whimpered softly, barely able to catch her breath.
You have me so turned on it’s going to feel incredible when I finally come.
I’m stroking my throbbing cock in my fist. Thinking about what it would be like to sink deep into your beautiful, swollen pussy. To feel how wet and hot it is around me.
He let out a long groan, his eyes filled with need.
Oh, yeah, baby. That would be so sweet.
I can barely hold on.
The sound of his trembling voice… knowing she affected him so intensely… thrilled her.
But I want you to come, too. Are you close, baby? Are you going to come for me?
She stroked her slick flesh faster. Pleasure pulsing through her. Swelling deep inside her and expanding outward.
“Oh, yes,” she whimpered, sounding close to tears. She pushed her fingers into her wet opening, feeling the slick warmth inside. Thrusting them in and out.
Goddamn, you’re so fucking sexy. God, keep finger fucking yourself like that. Ah, fuck, baby.
His deep groans and heavy breathing sent her whirling close to the edge.
Oh, yeah. Fuck. Stroke your clit for me.
She vibrated her fingertip over the little button, letting out a soft moan at the pleasure of it.
Oh, fuck, I don’t think I can hold back. I’m going to fucking come any minute.
“Oh, please,” she cried. “Yes. I want you to.”
You want me to stroke faster for you, baby? Do you?
“Yes,” she cried. “Oh, God, yes.”
She watched his hand pump faster, and she stroked herself faster, too, matching his speed. Oh, God, it felt so good.
And she liked him watching her. She thought it would be different. Scary. But the desire in his eyes… the need… made her feel special. Wanted.
Oh, fuck… Oh, yeah.
I’m going to come for you, baby. I’m… ah, fuck… yeah.
The sight of his face, filled with such need… his long, breathy words… filled her with a desperate longing.
I’m… so… fucking… close.
Ah, fuck. Ah, fuck. Ahhhh, fuuuuck!
She pumped her finger faster in her pussy, his raspy, masculine moans ramping up her pleasure to a fever pitch.
“Oh, God,” she cried, then moaned long and loud as an orgasm washed over her.
Oh, yeah, baby. That’s right. Oh, fuck, baby. Come for me.
You’re so beautiful. I love… watching you… come. Knowing… I brought you… that pleasure.
His groans of pleasure and heavy, broken breathing, pushed her pleasure higher.
His hand still moved on his cock as he watched her, his eyelids half closed. A gleam in his eyes that took her breath away.
She soared higher, gliding on a cloud of ecstasy, as her whole body vibrated in pure bliss.
Oh, yeah. I’m fucking… coming… Oh, God… Ohhhh.
His groans of release filled her with euphoria. She watched him erupt, a white plume shooting into the air.
He drew in slow, deep breaths now.
Oh, yeah, baby. Mmm. That was so good. It felt fucking incredible.
Because of you, baby.
Thank you, baby.
Her moan slowly faded in her throat as she slumped back. Her legs were straight out in front of her and her head flopped on the cushioned back of the chair.
She was still dragging in deep breaths, floating on the afterglow of the spectacular orgasm, when she realized she was slumped on the chair, totally naked.
She pulled her hand away from her slick opening to her stomach, embarrassed that he’d seen her touching herself there, then immediately slid it back to cover herself, her cheeks burning. She slowly curled up like a furling leaf, trying to cover her naked breasts, too.
* * *
Tal watched Sonny as she withdrew into herself. The open, relaxed sexual being she’d been only seconds ago, withered into an embarrassed, vulnerable woman.
He drew in a deep breath as he slid away his cock and zipped up.
He had been shocked and delighted at the way she had responded to his words. The way she had watched him with intense hunger in her eyes. It had turned him on more than he had ever been in his life. Watching her open up and expose herself to him. Physically. And emotionally.
She had trusted him.
She had wanted him.
His cock twitched at the thought.
But now she needed him in a different way.
He picked up his t-shirt from the floor and stood up. He lifted the shirt in two hands, shaking it so it hung flat, keeping his gaze on it rather than her beautiful, naked body on the chair, her shimmering blonde hair mussed and trailing over her shoulders.
He laid it over her like a blanket and her fingers curled around the fabric, pulling it closer around her.
“Go ahead and put that on,” he said softly, then turned around.
He could hear her moving and the rustle of the fabric as she pulled it on.
“Okay,” she said softly.
He turned around. A smile turned up his lips at the sight of her. His t-shirt draped over her small frame like a tent. A smile that faded as he realized how it clung to her body, showing the outline of her breasts, her nipples still hard and pushing at the thin fabric.
He knelt in front of her. Her cheeks were crimson red and she wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Sonny, I want you to look at me, sweetheart.”
Her brown-eyed gaze flickered to his, then away again. Her cheeks darkened in color.
He tucked his fingers under her chin and lifted, and this time their gazes collided, then locked.
“I don’t want you to withdraw, or be embarrassed by what we did. You took a big step forward today. You should be proud of that.” He ran his fingertips tenderly over her soft cheek. “You knew what you wanted, and you allowed yourself to have it.”
Her eyes gleamed with some deep, unsettling emotion. She had so many demons to deal with he could only imagine what she must be going through.
“What we just shared was a beautiful experience and I am so glad I was a part of it.” He stroked her hair back from her face and smiled encouragingly. “I’ll never forget it.”
She trembled under his touch and he wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her close, but he wouldn’t jeopardize the fragile progress they had made.
“I want you to know,” he said gently, “that I’m here for you in any way you need me right now. Okay?”
She nodded and long, tentative seconds lingered between them as both their hearts thumped in synch.
Was she going to pull away? Withdraw from him even more?
She sucked in a long, slow breath. Then to his total astonishment, she surged against him, flinging her arms around his neck. As she rested her head against his shoulder, burrowing in as close as she could, he tightened his arms around her. Holding her. Loving her right here, in the safety of his embrace.
He stroked her hair.
“Thank you, Tal.”
Her soft words, spoken against his chest, were barely audible. But they seeped into him and sent his spirit soaring.
He tilted her chin up. “Thank you, baby.”
Her sweet lips turned up in a small smile, then she lifted her head, parting her lips in invitation.
He dipped his head down, and brushed his lips against hers.
She murmured, then pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.
The pressure of her sweet mouth on his, the brush of her tongue against his lips, set his heart pounding.
He wanted her so much he could barely contain himself, but there was no way he’d make a move on her. Now or in the future. Not until she was totally ready.
He would protect her from anyone. And anything.
Even himself.
Their lips parted and she gazed up at him and smiled. She ran her hands from his neck down his shoulders. Then her gaze turned to his upper arm. Her fingers lovingly traced the long scar that cut through the ink work. Most people didn’t notice it because of the density of his tattoos.
“What happened?” she asked.
“That’s where my stepfather gashed me with the knife. There are two more.” He pointed at the smaller scars on his arm.
She gazed at them, stroking her finger over them.
“I’m sorry you had such a difficult time,” she said, compassion quivering in her voice. “You’re such a wonderful man. You deserved so much better.”
He smiled, then stroked her hair back, and cupped her sweet face between his hands.
Then he brushed his lips against hers in a sweet kiss.
“Well, it seems I’ve finally gotten what I deserve.”
* * *
Sonny smiled as she gazed at the bright mix of purple, pink, and white petunias in the large barrel planter outside the restaurant where she and Tal were going to eat dinner. Tal had gone to park the car and she’d decided to wait outside rather than go in and get a table, since it was such a beautiful day outside.
Of course, everything seemed more beautiful to her ever since that wonderful, intimate experience between them [a few days ago]. She’d been awestruck by the whole thing, but especially the gentle way he’d drawn her back out when she’d started to fall prey to her old fears and withdrawn. With patience, and tender words, he’d ensured she didn’t regress.
She noticed a sleek, back limousine pull up in front of the restaurant and stop, blocking traffic. The driver got out and opened the back door. A shiver raced through her as a man in a suit stepped out.
Any man in a suit, especially one with obvious wealth, set her heart twisting in fear, but she drew in a deep breath, willing herself not to fall into her old pattern. The man who had abused her, and his deplorable friends, were history. It happened years ago and far from here. She couldn’t let them and what they did to her rule her life anymore. Especially now that she had met Tal, who was helping her get past the pain and regain control of her life. Just seeing a rich man shouldn’t send her into a tailspin.
So she drew her shoulders back and, instead of cowering as she stared at the ground waiting for him to disappear into the distance, she lifted her head high… and gazed in his direction.
Then froze.
Her hands began to tremble.
The man’s steel gray eyes turned to her as he stepped onto the sidewalk, a flicker of recognition in their depths.
Then his lips turned up in a cold, feral smile. He waved away the man talking to him and stepped in her direction.
“I haven’t seen you in long time,” he said, his cold familiar voice dredging up a blue of horrific memories.
His gaze glided down her body and she felt as if she’d been stripped naked. She stood frozen in terror.
“I always thought you were one of D’s best pets.”
He was so close she could barely breathe. D had been how the other men had referred to the man who had kidnapped her. His friends whom he’d shared her with.
To her, he was just Master.
This man had been the worst of the lot. His sexual demands had been more degrading and abusive than even Master’s. And he’d beaten her more viciously.
He reached out and stroked her cheek with one finger. She wanted to jerk back, but her body refused to move. When she’d been a prisoner, she’d been trained to stay still… allowing them to touch her as they wanted. The alternative had been severe beatings.
Or worse.
“It was a shame when he let you go. I could have enjoyed you for quite a bit longer.”
The glint in his eye sent a chill through her.
He knew where she was. He could send someone to nab her anytime he wanted. And then she’d just disappear. Again.
She couldn’t breathe. Her whole body trembled.
Then his cold, gray gaze flickered behind her and his arrogant confidence seemed to waver. Just a fraction.
That’s when she realized Tal was behind her.