Читать книгу A Place to Heal - CA J.D. Bodiford - Страница 8

Emma sang to herself as she drove back to the Connell estate once again. Eight long weeks and the job was finally finished. Today was the final walk through. Even though she had not actually given her final approval, Jessica had spread the word among all her friends how pleased she was with Emma’s work and the calls had already started coming in. She was going to have to hire an assistant just to keep up with the office so she could do the million other things necessary to maintain her business. No matter how successful she became, she couldn’t forget that it was her personal touch that the clients were paying for. Even her personal life was like a dream come true. Blake had been an absolute gentleman until she had gotten to know him, and become more comfortable with him, only then attempting to get closer to her. They had either been together or spoken on the phone every night since he had walked into that house and scared the hell out of her for the second time. Their dates had ranged from hamburgers at a drive-in in a nearby small town to a hockey game in Minnesota he had surprised her with, flying on a private jet. He obviously was wealthy, saying only that he had family money and had made a few lucky investments. Emma could respect his desire for privacy. It wasn’t like they were married or anything. Some things people just didn’t want to share.

Jessica was waiting for Emma at the door. Her eyes were sparkling and she was as excited as a schoolgirl. She grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled her into the foyer.

“Oh Emma, I can’t believe how beautiful everything is!” she exclaimed. “I know I was supposed to wait for you but I couldn’t help myself!”

Emma laughed at the older woman’s enthusiasm. “I’ll bet you opened your Christmas presents early, too!”

Jessica hugged her tightly. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” she said, turning and motioning her into the living room. Emma looked at her curiously but she said nothing, again motioning toward the next room. Emma walked forward but stopped abruptly as soon as she crossed the threshold. A photographer and a woman Emma had nearly worshipped from afar ever since starting her career were sitting on the plush sofa. Jessica swept in ahead of Emma, introducing her.

“Emma, this is Alicia Shepherd, the editor of American Design and her photographer, Jeffrey.”

Emma was trembling as she shook the woman’s hand. “I know who she is, Jessica. Her magazine is the bible of interior design. I’ve followed her since my first day of class.” She turned to look at the woman who had just fulfilled one of her dreams. “But why is she here?” she asked.

“To photograph your design, silly! Why else would she be here?!” Jessica said. “I called her as soon as I saw what you had done and she came right over. Alicia and I are old friends. I wanted her to see it before anyone had a chance to move or change anything.”

Emma’s head was whirling. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. They were actually here to photograph her work! She had finally done it!

Emma was still flying high when she pulled into her driveway later that evening. They had spent all morning photographing the cottage and Jessica had called for lunch, the three women talking as if they had known each other for years long through the afternoon. Mrs. Shepherd had quickly put Emma at ease, drawing out her history effortlessly. She was moved to tears by the story of losing her brothers then her father so soon after and caring for her mother through her depression while struggling with her career. After asking permission to use the personal information in the article she would write, she promised to let Emma read the final draft and have complete control over the content the public would see. The pictures and story would be the feature of the next issue due out in a week.

Emma fairly danced through the front door, dropping her keys onto the table.

“Mom! You here?” she called out as she went through to the kitchen. She spotted the note pinned to the message board she and her mother used to communicate. Her mother hated cell phones, refusing to even touch one except in absolute emergencies. She pulled it down, frowning as she read it. Her mother had gone to spend the weekend with her sister. There was nothing unusual in that but she rarely went anywhere on the spur of the moment. Emma picked up the phone and dialed her aunt Alice just to be sure everything was okay. Her protective instincts ran deep. Sure enough, her mother was there. The two women had talked early in the day and when an opportunity came up to spend the weekend shopping they jumped on it. Her mother adored shopping and Emma made sure she had unlimited access to money. It was the only thing she would disrupt her routine for and as long as she was with her sister, Emma could rest easy. She hung up, sighing deeply, her mood somewhat deflated at having no one there to share the news with. She thought briefly about calling Blake but she never knew where he would be at any given time. Their relationship sometimes bordered on strange because Blake could be almost too private, but Emma wasn’t interested in being fodder for the gossips in Houston, either, so if he wanted to spend their time together out of town that was fine with her.

She poured herself a glass of wine and sipped it as she walked upstairs. She didn’t need to turn on the light as she undressed, her bedroom well lit by the full moon shining through the floor to ceiling windows. Not bothering with a swimsuit, she stepped through the sliding glass doors leading to the private deck attached to her bedroom. A flip of a switch and the cover of the hot tub slid back, steam rising into the night air. It was finally late enough in the summer to have cool nights and Emma sank into the heated water gratefully, setting her wine on the nearby table. She leaned her head back against the pillow and smiled, reliving the day. Who would’ve thought that a simple message on a sticky note could change her life?! She laughed out loud at the thought that if her mother had misplaced it or she had not given it a second glance, God only knew how long it would have been before she got the exposure that was now headed her way. She knew that this was the proverbial calm before the storm and she couldn’t wait. All these years of hard work and sacrifice was finally going to pay off.

Emma was almost asleep when the sound of tires on the gravel of her driveway made her open her eyes in irritation. Who in the world could be coming over this late? It was almost nine, well past social hour and Emma didn’t have any close friends who would just drop by unannounced. When she heard the engine cut off, she reluctantly got out, drying quickly and pulling on a robe determined to send whoever it was on their way and return to the soothing water. She barely made it to the stairs before someone started knocking loudly. She pulled the belt tightly around her waist and hurried down, not bothering to look out the peephole before she yanked open the door.

“What in the world is going on?!” she asked angrily before looking up and straight into Blake’s deep blue eyes. Her breath caught, trapped in her lungs at the look on his face when he saw her. When she had pulled on the thin robe she hadn’t realized that the material clung to every curve, nearly transparent in some places where she hadn’t quite got all the water dried and the effect on Blake when she had opened the door had staggered him. His eyes were immediately drawn to her breasts, the nipples tightly puckered from the cold air and he followed the lines of her body down, finally seeing what his imagination had only tried to create. Her waist was small, her hips curving generously into long, sleek legs revealed by the short hem. His gaze was arrested by the sight of fire engine red toenails.

He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes briefly before looking back up. Emma stood very still, one hand on the open door watching him with widened eyes. Blake had often kissed her and even fondled her on a few occasions but he had never pushed for more, respecting Emma’s hesitance. Her inexperience was obvious and he was willing to wait until she was ready. Suddenly, his need for her was overwhelming. The realization that she was naked under the thin material tore through him, taking his breath away. The tension of his body was reflected in the visible clenching of his jaw. His restraint was suddenly at a breaking point and he struggled to move slowly. He knew that if he rushed her like his body was demanding, she wouldn’t think him much better than a caveman.

Breathing deeply, he wrestled with his desire and finally won at least for this moment. His hand visibly shaking, he slowly reached out, circling her nipple with only his fingertip, the touch so light she could barely feel it. He watched as it drew tighter, harder from his caress. When Emma didn’t pull away, he moved his hand down, under her breast, lifting the weight of it, cupping it and squeezing gently. He glanced up at her face to see what her reaction was and watched as Emma bit down on her bottom lip, stifling the moan rising from her throat. His groin tightened, almost painful as he swelled quickly to full arousal. His hand slid away from the sweet burden, molding the curve of her waist and reaching around to her firm, full behind as he slowly pulled her to him. Emma came willingly, taking the two steps necessary to lie fully against him. Her soft gasp as she felt the hardness pressed between her legs echoed in the darkness. Before she could close her mouth he was there, kissing her, tasting the sweetness within. He wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, lifting her to better fit himself between her legs, wedging his muscular thigh between hers forcing her to spread her feet so he could be even closer to her softness. The kiss deepened as he thrust his tongue deeply, stroking hers, encouraging her to do the same. Emma met his demand eagerly, sliding her hands into his thick hair, holding him tightly as she sucked lightly on his tongue. Her body was on fire, heat pouring through her to settle between her legs. An ache like she had never felt before was deep within her and she knew that Blake was the only one who could satisfy her need. He broke the kiss, sliding his lips down the sensitive skin of her neck as her head fell back. He reached the tender spot where her neck joined her shoulder and bit down gently, sucking the skin against his teeth and then licking it tenderly, soothing the sting. The silence of the night was broken by her cry of need and his answering murmur of reassurance as their breathing became more labored, each struggling to draw a deep breath. Blake abruptly stopped, pulling his leg from between hers and stepping back, trying desperately to cool the fire in his blood and regain control of his raging body. Emma watched him, confused. What had happened? He stood with his hands on her shoulders, holding her tightly but away from him, the distance between their bodies feeling like miles. His head was hanging down, his breath whistling between his clenched teeth, his eyes tightly closed.

“Blake?” Emma spoke softly. “What’s wrong?”

He raised his head, opening his eyes to look at her. Her face was filled with confusion. He still held tightly to her shoulders, nearly bruising her with his grip.

“Emma, I need to ask you something,” he said, his voice harsh in the silence.

She looked at him, desperate for some clue as to what she had done to stop him, waiting anxiously for his question.

Blake took a deep breath, bracing himself for the answer he knew he would get before he even asked.

“Emma, are you still virgin? Have you ever been with a man?”

Emma blushed deeply, looking away and trying to pull herself from his grip. He refused to release her and when she tried again to free herself by twisting sideways he shook her gently and forced her to turn back to him.

“Emma, answer me, please!”

Her eyes were filled with tears when she finally looked up.

“What does it matter?” she asked, her voice filled with despair. ‘It’s mine to do what I want to with. I never realized it would be such a turn off!”

“Oh Emma,” he said softly as he pulled her close. “It matters the whole world and it’s not a turn off, believe me.” He leaned back so he could look at her face as he spoke. “I need to know so I won’t jump on you like an animal!”

She sniffed, reaching up to wipe her eyes. “What if I want you to jump on me like an animal?!” she demanded. “For God’s sake, I’m twenty seven years old. I know I belong in a museum! Just because I’ve never went all the way with a man doesn’t mean I’m ignorant! It means I’ve been busy and I’m choosy!” She finally pulled her way free from his grip and walked back into the house, stopping in front of the window to look out into the darkness. Her house was isolated, her closest neighbor over a mile away. She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her hands up and down trying to warm herself. She didn’t know he had closed the door and followed her until he pulled her back against his chest, gathering her close within his embrace. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head then rested his chin there. She stood stiffly, refusing to lean back.

“Emma, please listen to me,” he said. “I don’t think you belong in a museum. I think you must have more respect for yourself than any other woman I’ve ever known.” He turned her around and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. He kissed the tears from her cheeks and softly touched his lips to hers. “Please let me love you like I’ve wanted to from the first time I stood in front of you and realized that you were scared to death of me but had enough courage to face me down. I want to be the one to teach you about the passion between a man and a woman. I want to be the one to burn in your fire.” He kissed her again, whispering against her lips. “Emma, love me.”

Emma melted against him, defeated, seduced, convinced. Their kiss reignited the passion he had stirred in her, brought her right back to the edge of need where she had been waiting for him to give her the gift that hovered just out of reach. He kissed her until he stole her breath away then again he pulled back but this time he needed the space to look at her as he pushed the robe from her shoulders. She stood proudly before him, trembling. His breath left him in a rush, leaving him lightheaded as her beauty was revealed, illuminated by the moonlight when the material slipped from her body to fall soundlessly to the floor.

Her skin was golden without tan lines, her Spanish heritage obvious. Her hair was still braided and piled on top of her head teasing his imagination, making him wonder just how long it was. He had never seen it hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her shoulders were smooth, her arms slightly darker than her chest. Her breasts were full, swaying slightly with the depth of her breathing but upright, proud. Her nipples were still hard, swollen and now he could see the dark circles at the end that surrounded those perfect tips that begged for attention. Her stomach was flat, her navel unadorned unlike so many others he saw on a daily basis. Her legs were sleek, muscled from her daily runs but still with the curves that made a woman’s legs so beautiful. His knees weakened at the thought of those long legs wrapped around his waist as he moved slowly within the center of her where no man had ever been. The very center that was now revealed to his hungry eyes; lush, covered with mahogany curls, the most feminine jewel he had ever seen. The scent of her arousal was faint but his nostrils flared as he recognized it, his breathing becoming deeper, faster. His control was nearly at its end. Not a word was spoken between them as he lifted her in his arms and took the stairs two at a time, following the moonlight streaming from her open bedroom door into her sanctuary, stopping beside the bed and gently placing her there, his actions controlled, the passion and fire in his eyes saying everything he wanted to say but couldn’t because the power of speech had left him. Emma laid back, her beautiful eyes dark, the green eclipsed by her pupils dilated with desire. Blake stood up and quickly stripped the clothes from his body, ripping the buttons from his jeans in his desperate need to lay with her, to touch her, to love her. Emma inhaled sharply as he was revealed to her, the moon as bright as any light. Her desire became tinged with fear as she thought of what was to come, how he would invade her body. Blake saw her eyes widen, heard her surprise. He stood unmoving, waiting for her to make the final decision. His body was shaking with the need to make her his but if she said no he would somehow find the strength to walk away. Emma waited also and the fear receded replaced by trust. She reached out for him, taking his hand and pulling him down beside her. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.

“Emma, I promise I’ll be gentle. Please don’t be afraid.”

She smiled, cradling his face with her hand and then trailing her fingertips over his lips as she repeated his word back to him.

“Love me, Blake. Please.”

Praying for the control to see this through, he lay on his side facing her as he began to lightly rub his fingertips over her silky skin starting at her shoulder. He slowly made his way down to the slope of her breast, teasing her flesh with his palm as he rubbed her hardened nipples moving in small circles. He kissed her as he lightly pulled at the swollen flesh, enlarging it, making it even more sensitive. He left the sweetness of her lips to brush his tongue over the crown, returning again and again until she was gasping with pleasure then forcing a cry from her as he suddenly pulled her into his mouth, sucking hard then releasing her to soothe the dark circle with gentle kisses. He lifted himself over her, settling his chest between her legs so he could give the same attention to the other breast. He didn’t dare let his swollen flesh near her heat, so he stayed well away from where he so dearly wanted to be. He continued teasing her until she was arching off the bed, begging for release from the pressure building inside. She groaned in near agony when he left the swollen mounds to trail his lips over her ribs and down her stomach, nipping and tasting her golden skin. He circled her navel with his tongue, her trembling increasing when he thrust into the small space, tracing the rim with the tip of his tongue. He spread his palm over her lower stomach almost touching the edge of her dark curls making her tense with anticipation and she inhaled deeply when he moved it away, bypassing the swollen, moist flesh between her legs to caress her thigh, trailing his fingertips along the inside leaving a trail of fire. He rose to his knees between her feet, ignoring the throbbing of his flesh hard against his stomach. He spread his hands out flat over her stomach, his thumbs meeting over the line of curls, her hips so narrow that his little fingers wrapped over the crest of her hips. Firmly pushing away the clamoring of his body to take her swiftly, he slid his hands down the smooth flesh of her thighs, down to her ankles on either side of his folded legs and back up, slowly pressing them apart as he reached the tender flesh of her inner thighs. He pulled her knees up, opening her for his hot gaze. Emma grasped the sheet, twisting it in her fists to keep from reaching for him and pulling him down on top of her. Her eyes were closed, all her other senses heightened as he lightly ran his finger down the moist cleft. His hand was shaking as he explored the treasure, the sight and scent of her taking his breath away. She was so beautiful! Her back arched off the bed as he began to invade her with his finger, slowly pressing inward, breaking into a sweat as he realized just how snug the fit would be. When he gently added a second finger, stretching her, he could feel her tightening, resisting his caress. Her flesh was weeping with need and she rolled her head from side to side, moaning.

“Dear God, Emma,” he said hoarsely. “I don’t know if I can do this. You’re so tight, I’m afraid I’ll hurt you!”

She grasped his wrist, his fingers still buried within her. Her eyes were smoky with passion, her voice pleading as she looked at him.

“Blake, please! I need you!”

He watched her as he began to slowly move his hand, teasing the small nub at the top with his thumb. Her whole body was taut, shaking with desire. She was so close and he needed that release to make it easier for him to take her. He continued to stroke her as he leaned down, the first taste of her nearly making him come without ever getting inside. She grasped his head, tangling her fingers in his hair as he replaced his thumb with his tongue, nibbling at the sensitive flesh then sucking lightly. Her breath was coming in short gasps, her hips thrusting upward to meet his strokes. He could feel the contractions beginning deep within her as he moved his hand faster, still tormenting her with his mouth. Suddenly, she stiffened against him, crying out as the waves rolled over her, her whole body jerking with spasms of pleasure. He held her firmly, continuing the loving assault until she lay limp under him, begging him to stop. He rose over her, kissing her hungrily, settling between her thighs, reaching down to open her until he lay against her, thrusting his hips against her to spread her moisture over his shaft. He watched as her eyes darkened and her face became flushed, the pleasure quickly beginning again. He slid easily against her, the friction fast becoming unbearable. His voice was shaking as he whispered softly.

“Please, Emma, tell me you’re ready.”

She nodded, unable to speak. He pulled her legs up on either side of his hips, opening her for his possession. Wrapping his arms underneath her shoulders, he grasped her firmly; his hands warm on her collarbones. He began nibbling at her mouth, whispering softly how beautiful she was, how much he wanted her. Emma was breathing deeply, concentrating hard on relaxing as she felt him tighten his hips, pressing forward against her tender opening. She was soft and wet from her climax but he was a big man. He began to enter her slowly, gritting his teeth against the resistance. Emma whimpered softly at the burning pain and Blake stopped at the soft sound of her distress. Sweat dripped from his body and he clenched his jaw against the need to thrust deep, ending this torment for them both. Emma was aching with the need to feel him inside her; she knew Blake would never hurt her voluntarily. She raised her legs, wrapping them around his muscled waist, tilting her hips upward. Taking his face between her hands, she kissed him, pulling him inward with her strong thighs. Blake sought her tongue with his, devouring her. Emma began making short thrusting motions, trying to take him in small degrees. Following her lead, Blake waited until she was once again relaxed and without warning, surged forward, breaking through the barrier of her virginity and pressing on until he was buried completely in the silken heat. If he had ever doubted her, it was clear now. She cried out once but her sounds quickly changed to husky moans of pleasure as her muscles spasmed around his thickness, trying to accept his foreign presence within her body. Blake watched her closely, holding very still deep within her, needing reassurance that she was okay. She smiled shakily, kissing him again.

“First virgin, huh?” she asked.

Blake laughed softly.

“Yeah,” he said, pushing her hair back from her forehead, wet from his sweat. “Everything okay?”

She hugged him tightly, nearly making him come when her inner muscles clenched him as well.

“Everything’s just peachy,” she said breathlessly. She ran her hands down over his firm buttocks and squeezed. “Now how about you teach me what you promised?”

Blake needed no further encouragement, beginning to move cautiously. Each stroke pushed him closer to the edge and he was taking Emma with him. When he was sure she could take all of him without pain, he began to move faster, holding her close. Emma was clinging to him, running her hands over his back, caressing the deep furrow and meeting his every thrust. She was almost there and Blake was coming apart with the effort of trying to wait for her. Suddenly, she was hurtled over the precipice, her swollen flesh gripping him like a velvet fist as she cried his name. He plunged deep one last time and followed her, hard tremors shaking his powerful body as he emptied himself. When he felt the wave finally beginning to recede he was lightheaded, drained from head to toe, unfamiliar with this feeling of completion that he had found within Emma. He tried to roll to the side, taking his heavy weight from her but she held him tightly, pulling him back down and gently wiping the sweat from his forehead. Her hands roamed over his back, lightly running her nails lazily over him. He closed his eyes, collapsing onto her and fell fast asleep.