Chapter 27
When they entered the condo, Cheryl escaped to the bedroom and into the shower and Jonny mumbled something about fixing himself a drink. If her screwed up stomach could handle it, she would’ve gotten totally wasted just to forget the last few hours.
Jonny seemed off too, but maybe it was her imagination. Trying to act normal while her brain screamed in protest was exhausting. Frank’s cryptic call on the beach, totally freaked her out and nearly brought on a full-blown panic attack.
She stepped into the warm water of the spa shower and let the water beat down on her, but it did nothing for her nerves. After a few minutes, she shut it off, stepped out, and pulled a towel off the rack. When she felt hands at her waist, she yelped.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Jonny nuzzled the back of her neck. “I was gonna join you in the shower.” He splayed his hands over her hips and held her tight. She could feel him hard and hot against her bare ass. “All bent over just waiting for me.”
She spun around, her heart still beating double time. “I know I’ve said this before, but you’ve made me so happy.” Her voice hitched, and she covered it with a cough.
He smoothed his hand over her damp hair. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing,” she answered much too quickly.
“You sure?”
“Remember you told me about your friend that could get us fake ID’s and passports?”
“Yeah?”
“So why don’t we do it?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Become different people, fly to another country. We could even take my brother. I’d love to get him away from Brooklyn.” Her voice shook with desperation, but she couldn’t control it.
“Baby, I can’t leave now.”
“It could be a new start for all of us.”
“I got too much going on.” He moved her closer. “But you don’t have to worry anymore. I told you, nobody’s ever gonna hurt you again.”
She leaned into him and pressed her cheek against his chest. She drank in the smell of salt air and summer heat on his skin and clamped her eyes shut to hold back the tears. She planned on betraying him, and yet he still protected her.
“I know,” she whispered. “It was just an idea.”
“Let me get everything together.” His lips grazed her neck, and the rough stubble on his jawline pricked her skin. “I’ll have so much fuckin’ money you can buy out all those designer stores, and we can go anyplace you want.”
She blinked a few times to hold back a fresh set of tears and let her hands roam over the smooth skin of his rock-hard muscles. It hurt so much knowing something so perfect couldn’t exist for her. Her chest ached, but how dumb was that? Hearts didn’t really break, did they?
His mouth covered hers, and his tongue plunged deep, searching. Like he sensed her desperation or was maybe trying to rid demons of his own. His breathing grew ragged, and she sensed a hunger in him, a neediness, or a desire to be needed. It darkened his eyes and tightened the muscles of his neck. It created an urgency in his touch like his life depended on them making love and making love now.
“I’m burning up for you.” He grabbed her ass and ground against her. “I need to be in you. Now.”
He yanked open a drawer next to the sink, pulled out a condom, ripped it open with his teeth, and sheathed himself. He whirled her around, and she leaned in to brace the counter. He clung to her hips and drew her to him, hard. A reckless need tingled through her as a heat settled between her legs seconds before he thrust into her. He pulled her hips tighter, nudged her legs further apart, and when his fingers found her clit, she squirmed and twitched against him.
“Fuck . . .” He groaned, leaning one hand on the counter for support as his hips pounded harder and his fingers moved faster. “Fuckin’ perfect.”
Skin slapped against skin, and she hoped the counter was bolted to the wall. She bucked back again, and the pressure built as his fabulous fingers worked her until she was helpless to do anything but give into the lust and the love, and what would be their last time together.
“Who’s making you feel good, baby?” He thrust into her hard and stopped.
“Mmmm.” Words and full sentences were not an option.
“Answer me,” he demanded.
“Damn it.” She wiggled her ass against him. “Don’t stop.”
“Then answer me,” he repeated. “Who do you belong to?”
If he didn’t move soon, she would go crazy.
“You,” she panted. “Only you.”
Her words unleashed a magic spell. She shouted his name and repeated the murmured litany seconds before she flew apart. No big build up, just a hot, wild, hard come that left her shaking and clenching.
His back stiffened as his wet heat shot into her. He collapsed against her, bracing his hands against the counter, his warm breath against her neck. He lay there for a few minutes, their bodies slick and panting. She pushed against the counter, and he slowly lifted with her, his free hand snaking around her waist, pulling her around.
With a shaky hand, he traced his finger over her jaw and down her neck.
“You giving me this . . . letting me be real with you.”
She knew by ‘this’ he meant her.
“I wouldn’t want you any other way.” She stroked his still-swollen jaw.
“Whatever happens, I’ll always put you first, keep you safe.”
She desperately wanted to return the favor, but how could she choose between blood and love?
He guided her back to the bedroom where they collapsed on the bed. He stretched out in his oversized bed in his beautiful South Beach condo with the sheet draped over his hips. His tanned arm flung behind his head tightened the smooth skin of his ripped abs and narrow waist. A tattoo on his bicep that meant nothing, and another on his ribcage that meant everything.
He threw his attitude around in a hard, rough way, pretending to be tough, yet his sensitivity and insight floored her. His soul clashed with contradiction, while his eyes were filled with love. She longed to tell him how she loved him and never meant to hurt him, never meant to blow his life apart.
He flung his arm out. “Get in here nice and tight.”
She snuggled into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her as if protecting her from the shadowy shreds of life that opened them up and made them vulnerable.
“Always, baby,” she murmured against his chest.
She could have spent the rest of the night in his arms, pretending there were no consequences or repercussions for decisions she had to make, but Jonny had other plans. He wanted to take her to the club and show her off to his friends, but they’d never make it.