Brody

Morgan slept beside me, her head resting on her arm and the bed sheet pooled over her waist. She was naked with me, and I ran a hand down her arm, knowing it tickled her a little, and snuck around to grab one of her breasts. I cupped it, loving how it fit perfectly in my hand. She was petite, so her breasts weren’t too big, but I loved them. Leaning down, I took one in my mouth, my tongue swirling over the nipple.

I felt her start to awaken, her entire body jerking.

She rolled, her hand coming to my back. Her next sound was a soft groan. “Good morning.”

The sun was starting to peek, but only just, so it was probably before six. It was my first day back to work, and I had a scene in the afternoon. I knew Gayle would be coming to check on me, but until then, I rolled on top of Morgan, my mouth switching to her other breast.

Her hand went to my hip, and her fingers sank into my skin as I positioned myself at her entrance. I went in, pushing all the way.

Goddamn.

She felt so good, every fucking time.

I closed my eyes, loving this feeling of my dick in her. It never got old. Every time I wondered if I’d start to get the “used to” feel, but it never happened with her. I’d never experienced this before—wanting back in as soon as I was out of her.

I felt her body warm to mine, molding against me, and her walls tightening around me.

I dropped a kiss to her shoulder and then began to move.

Her legs went around my waist, and she rocked in tempo with me.

I first worried since I hadn’t used a condom and didn’t pull out, but she laughed when I expressed the concern. She ran a hand down my chest then, saying, “I can’t have children.”

I caught her hand, asking, “What?”

She nodded. “I don’t know why. I don’t have a cycle like normal women. I think it’s because of how I live, but it isn’t something we need to worry about.”

Since then, I’d been raw the whole time, and we’d been having sex on the daily this week. As I slid back out, then right back in, I searched for her mouth. I wanted to touch those lips. I wanted to claim her both ways, and like all the other times, she was eager for me. She opened her mouth, her tongue searching for me right back.

This whole week had been amazing.

It wasn’t just the sex.

It was everything.

She was with me every night. She was beside me every morning, staying on the days I could convince her Shiloh wanted mother-daughter bonding time with Shoal. Morgan laughed every time, knowing I was just bullshitting her, but she’d stay in the bed, her naked body wrapped around mine.

There’d been no other therapist sessions. Gayle checked in a few times, even coming to visit once. I saw the surprise when she looked at me. I hadn’t been lying when I told her I was resting the whole time, and she’d been right. I had needed the week, but it wasn’t because I was suddenly doing meditation and finding myself. It was because of Morgan, all of it was because of her.

I felt my release coming, but I wanted to hold off.

Pausing, I reached down and found her nub. I began rubbing my finger there, applying just enough pressure to drive her wild. It was like a magic button. I touched it, and Morgan started going nuts. I waited, caressing her, and when I felt her starting, I began thrusting harder.

“Brody!” she gasped, her body twitching under my hands. She arched her back, her neck exposed, and I clamped down, tasting her there.

Holding her hip as an anchor, I pounded her harder, going all the way to the hilt and then I felt my release.

Holy fucking shit.

I gasped, keeping myself above her. She ran a lazy hand up my arm, cupping the side of my face. She liked to watch me as I came. I didn’t know why. Her thumb touched the corner of my mouth, and I grabbed it, nipping it with my teeth, rubbing my tongue around it.

She laughed before pulling it out. Her hand went back down my back, her nails lightly skimming. I loved that. I felt like a damned cat, but it felt so good.

Then, as my release left me, I laid down on her, letting her take almost my full weight. I worried about this too in the beginning. I didn’t want to crush her, but she enjoyed it, or that was what she said. I never gave her my full weight, usually shifting to the side so it was mainly my chest and head on her. I wrapped my arms around her, and she began brushing my hair from my forehead.

Those little ministrations? They always relaxed me further. I’d either fall asleep or get drowsy again, like I was this morning.

“You working today?”

I nodded, lifting just enough to look at her. I saw the cloud of wariness and shifted to the side so I was lying beside her. With my head propped up by my hand, my elbow on the bed, I reached out with my free hand to tap her chin lightly. “What’s wrong?”

“Our time will be . . .” She hesitated. “It’ll be different.”

“Yeah.” I caught her hand, lacing our fingers and resting them on her stomach. I began rubbing my finger over her, enjoying how even that small touch had her closing her eyes in contentment. “I’ll just leave at random times, but trust me, I’ll have to go on more runs if you don’t come find me first.”

She groaned. “Don’t ever do that again. I was so mad at you.”

I chuckled. “I enjoyed that night. Best sleep I’ve had for a year.” I meant it. I slept better when she was beside me, and it didn’t matter if we were outside or in this apartment. Though, I liked the clean sheets if I was given a choice.

I reached up and ran my thumb down a wrinkle in her forehead. “What’s really going on? I can tell you’re stressed about something.”

Her eyes shot to mine. She was chewing on the corner of her lip. “You’re going to think I’m stupid.”

“Never.” I stared back at her. I wanted her to see how serious I was. “Tell me what’s wrong. I’ll fix it.”

“That’s the thing. I don’t know if you can fix it. I’ve felt off, like something is wrong.”

“Wrong? You and me?”

“No, not us.” Her eyes shifted. She was staring at the ceiling, but I knew she was lost in her thoughts. “I’ve just been getting this feeling lately. Something bad is about to happen.”

I pulled my hand away and sat up, tugging her with me so she was lying in my arms. “What do you mean something bad is about to happen?”

A fierce need to protect her took over.

This week hadn’t been just amazing; it’d also been terrifying at times. I worried every morning she left that I wouldn’t see her again. And once she came back, I knew she’d go again. It was inevitable. I was relieved when I had her by me, but the horses and the wild really did call to her. She’d be in my arms, and we’d hear Shiloh neighing for her. A part of me didn’t even blame the mustang. She wanted her family with her. She wanted to make sure Morgan was okay.

I would’ve done the same, but I saw that it wore on her.

She wanted to stay with me, but she also wanted to go to Shiloh.

Every time she chose me, a little lost look entered her eyes.

There were times when she wouldn’t know I was watching her, and I saw that look almost overtake her. She was yearning, missing the feeling of being out there. The afternoon trips to Shiloh weren’t doing it for her, but then she would look at me and the look would clear. A hunger would appear in her eyes that matched my own.

We’d start kissing, other times so much more.

I ran a hand over her arm and then down between the V between her breasts before I cupped her. This felt right. Every time I could hold her, touch her, I was fine.

I ran a hand down the underside of her arm, caressing her.

I never brought up her mother or what the pseudo-therapist told me, though it was in the back of my mind. I kept waiting for her to talk about it. She never did. And I was unwilling to push her, but I felt like I had to now. “What about your mom?”

Her body grew heavier again as she turned her eyes to mine. “My mom?”

I nodded. “It’s the whole reason I’m here, Morgan. You never talk about her.”

“There’s nothing to say. She died.”

I cleared my throat. I was about to ask a prodding question, but she started on her own.

Her voice was quiet again, small like she was embodying the little girl she’d been then. “They don’t think I knew what happened when they found me, but I did. I knew that he killed her.”

I went still. “He?”

“The monster.” Her voice went flat, hollow. “I never knew my father. My mom left him before I was born so I didn’t know who he was then, but it wouldn’t have mattered. I still would’ve run. He was there to cause harm.” Her body tensed in my arms.

I’d never felt so useless. How do you protect against a goddamn nightmare?

“My mom told me to hide, so I ran to Shoal.” Her bottom lip jerked, but that was it. “He searched the whole day for me. He left once, but he only moved his car so that they wouldn’t know he’d been there. He parked it farther down the road, pulling off and hiding it behind some trees.”

“He was searching for you?”

She said, almost dully, “He looked until they started looking for me. I heard the search dogs barking, and it wasn’t long after that when his smell left.”

“Jesus, Morgan.” I rested my cheek on top of her head. “I’m so sorry.”

My arms tightened around her. I would’ve held her for the rest of the day, for the rest of her life. I didn’t want to let her go, but she had a different idea. Hunger darkened her gaze, and she turned in my arms. She moved to straddle me, and I knew what she wanted when her lips found mine.

She wanted to forget.

I was sliding into her again moments later, but this time was different. Maybe I was trying to make sure we both forgot our haunts.

Or maybe it was the first time I felt like I was making love to someone.