Chapter Thirty-Five
Stacey was waiting for Troy at the front door, anxious and ready to pepper him with questions. He adored seeing her there and being able to calm her fears, for once, instead of creating them.
“Are you all right, Troy? It’s been hours! I’ve been worried.”
He swept her up into his arms. “It’s all going to be okay.”
The smile she gave him would light a million suns. “What is? Where have you been?”
“Pa still here?”
“No, he left when you called.”
“Good.” Troy walked to the kitchen to grab a drink while she hopped from foot to foot with impatience. They sat at the kitchen table, and he explained everything, step by step. By the time he’d finished, her eyes were wide as saucers.
“Oh, Troy, you really did make amends for kidnapping me.” She jumped up and came around to his side of the table. She sat on his knee and threw her arms around him, kissing him over and over. “Thank you!”
“You owe me a big, fat reward for fixing your problems, and I’d like to collect now. Let’s start up again where we left off this morning.”
He picked her up and carried her down the hall to the bedroom. The bed was made, and the room spick and span.
“I’ve been cleaning all morning out of nervousness. I couldn’t stop.”
He peeled off his cut, T-shirt, and jeans. He’d been riding around all morning, and the day was humid. “I need a shower. Come, join me.” He strode into the bathroom and turned on the shower. While they waited for the water to get hot, he helped her slip out of the cute little white sundress. He liked her wearing it. But he liked her even more when she wasn’t.
“I’m really upset about the arson,” Stacey said pulling off her sandals. “I didn’t realize both of my employees were stealing. Hans Rudder has a wife and kids. He was with Dad for years, and never did anything like this.”
Troy opened the shower door, keen to have her next to him. “If you want the police to go easy on him, you could put in a good word. I’m pretty sure the other one is the ringleader.”
“Would that be weak of me?” The shower spray dampened her curls and ran slickly over her. He’d never seen such a beautiful woman. And her heart was so soft, so gentle. He wanted to be with her forever. She made him feel whole again.
“It’s your business now. Your decision.” He picked up the soap, lathered his hands, and began rubbing the suds over her, spending time on her breasts and between her legs.
She hugged him close. “I understand you so much more now. You’re a good man who’ll do anything to get a result.” She gave him a little smile. “Probably all that military training.”
He held her face between his hands and looked deep into her eyes.” Do you think you can forgive me for Psycho?”
She drew in a long breath. “Yes. Just don’t do anything like that again. I love you, Troy, but I need to be able to trust you. I can’t ever be afraid of you. I don’t want to feel that fear, that terror, ever again.”
“I love you, too. I promise to look after you. And I swear, you’ll never be afraid of me again.”
“You really mean that?” Her eyes sparkled with joy.
“I do. I don’t want to talk about it, don’t want to analyze it. I just…do.” He realized it would probably take a lifetime to prove it to her.
But that was exactly what he wanted—a lifetime with her.
He took her in his arms and claimed her lips, his tongue teasing open the seam of her mouth, kissing her with all his heart. She leaned into him, responding as if she couldn’t get enough of him.
Her forgiveness meant everything to him. It meant they could go forward with their lives and get married, leaving behind any anger and resentment over his past stupidity. He slid one hand between her legs until he found her wet, hot core, and stroked between her legs.
“Oh, Troy. That’s so good.” She moaned and moved to the timing of his fingers.
He broke the kiss, leaned over, and sucked on her nipples, first one and then the other, feeling them tighten under his lips and tongue.
He got on his knees and, pushing her gently back against the shower wall, opened her up and licked her swollen clit.
She moaned and tilted her hips toward his mouth. He loved the way she responded to his touch, his forever woman, his one true love. He swirled his tongue over her hard little nub until she came with a shudder and a groan so deep he knew he’d reached her soul.
Her pleasure was his pleasure.
When she was boneless and smiling, he looped his arms under her thighs and picked her up, driving his cock into her heat.
She felt like home.
A union of souls.
He rammed his cock in deep, until she was grasping and screaming, shuddering around him as wave upon wave of orgasm hit her. Her hot little pussy tightened and pulsed around his cock, and he shot into her, filling her with his need.
Slowly, finally, he washed her sweet body with liquid soap. Her eyelids hooded, she even let him wash between her bottom cheeks.
“You never give up, do you?” she murmured lazily.
“Just getting you used to my touch.” He nuzzled her neck. “You have the cutest little butthole.”
She reached over and turned the shower off. “I love you more than I can ever say, but you’re not going there.”
He grinned, got out of the shower cubicle, and, wrapping a towel around himself, followed her into the bedroom.