After the Storm (24 page)

Garrett smiled and then bumped fists with Donovan. “Oorah, man. Oorah.”

Donovan grinned. “Hell yeah, oorah! None of that hooyah bullshit.”

“Okay, get back to your family. I’ll run now and don’t worry. I’ll call off the dogs and tell them to give you some space. I’ll fill them in as much as I can from what little I’ve observed, but just know that Ma is going to be even more determined to meet Eve and her newest grandchildren the minute I tell her you’re serious about Eve.”

Donovan waved, feeling a ridiculous thrill over the fact that Garrett had said
get back to your family
. Hell yeah, his family. His. And he wasn’t going to ever give them up without one hell of a fight. Fuck a fight. He’d breathe his last breath before ever allowing them to be taken from him.

CHAPTER 23

DONOVAN
quietly looked in on Travis and Cammie, who were both sleeping soundly. He was taken with the image of the two snuggled up, Cammie cuddled into Travis’s side, her arm thrown trustingly over his belly.

Her head rested over his arm and she was nestled under his shoulder. Travis’s head was turned to the side so his chin was a mere inch above Cammie’s tousled curls.

Maren and Steele had come by so Maren could check in on Travis, Cammie and Eve. She’d adjusted Cammie’s IV medication and was satisfied that she seemed to be making good progress and was no longer running a temperature. Travis was still experiencing pain and discomfort, though he tried to mask it. Maren had insisted on giving him another injection and then told Donovan that he could switch to oral pain medication for the duration of his recovery.

She’d given Eve a clean bill of health after examining her head and questioning Eve at length about her symptoms.

Afterward, Maren and Steele had left, and Maren had said she wouldn’t return unless Donovan thought she was needed. That after the latest piggyback of antibiotics, Donovan could discontinue Cammie’s IV and monitor her progress.

Once Maren and Steele had departed, Donovan, Eve, Travis and Cammie had lounged in the living room watching movies until it was evident that Travis and Cammie both were ready for bed. Garrett had evidently kept his word about having the rest of the family stand down, because no one else had stopped by, a fact Donovan was grateful for. He savored every moment of the evening alone with Eve and her siblings. He looked forward to many more evenings just like this one.

Donovan stood in the doorway, watching them a moment longer, taking pride in the sight of his family. His kids. Sure, this wasn’t the way a lot of men wanted to start a relationship. With a ready-made family. Taking on a four-year-old and a teenage boy wouldn’t be easy. But Donovan had fallen in love with them all and he looked forward to the day he could officially call them his and give them his name.

Cammie and Travis Kelly.
He liked the sound of it. Tested it quietly on his lips.

Eve Kelly
sounded even better. He was jumping the gun in a huge way. They had a long way to go before they could consider marriage. But it didn’t mean he wasn’t thinking about the day he made it official.

In his eyes they were already his. And in his family’s eyes, they were one of them. But he wanted the world to know it. And that couldn’t happen until any and all threat to them was eliminated.

He backed reluctantly through the door, closing it quietly behind him, and then he walked down the hall to where Eve was. Tonight he would make love to her. He’d make her his, and he was aching to make it happen. He ached to hold her in his arms while he made love to her. Watch her come apart underneath him, her eyes on him, them locked together in the most intimate way two people could be joined.

He wouldn’t push her if she wasn’t ready, but he hoped to hell she wanted him half as much as he wanted her. He’d wait forever if that was what it took, but every part of his soul prayed that she was ready.

When he reached her door, he knocked softly, listening for her summons. When he heard her call, he pushed in, his gaze automatically seeking her out.

She was perched on the bed, clad in a pair of pajamas one of his sisters-in-law had sent over with the rest of the clothing they’d gotten together for her. He’d thank them in person for their generosity and willingness to help out a total stranger, but right now his entire focus was on Eve and spending time with her alone, without outside distractions.

She found his gaze, and color flooded her cheeks. Was he that obvious? She looked adorable, sitting up against her pillows, knees drawn up and arms wrapped around her legs. But what he didn’t see was any evidence that told him she wasn’t open to what he planned.

He walked over to the bed and sat right next to her hip, scooting her over just enough that he could perch on the edge of the mattress. Then he reached for her hand, pulling it to his lips to press a kiss to each of her fingers.

“I want to make love to you, Eve,” he said bluntly.

There were probably better ways of seducing a woman, but he was a get-to-the-point, blunt kind of guy and that wasn’t ever going to change. Besides, she knew what he wanted. He’d certainly made himself clear enough, so there was no need for silly, coy games.

“Will you let me?” he asked softly.

Her pupils dilated and her color heightened further. She nervously licked her lips, and he almost groaned out loud.

“I don’t have much . . . experience,” she whispered. “I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

His heart lurched at the uncertainty written on her face.

“Honey, you disappointing me isn’t
possible
. I just need to know one thing and one thing only. Do you want me as much as I want you? Do you
want
to make love with me tonight?”

Slowly she nodded, an adorably shy expression blooming on her delicate features. She was, in a word, beautiful. And she was his. He had to quash the urge to haul her into his arms, put her on her back and plunge as deep as he could into her body. But he harnessed his inner caveman and forced himself to use restraint.

Carefully he unwrapped her arms from her legs and pulled her forward until she was in his arms, his arms wrapped around her body. They were face to face, their mouths only an inch apart. He could feel every puff of air that escaped with her breaths. They were short and jerky and her pulse was racing, fluttering like a butterfly at her neck. He was seized by the urge to kiss her right over that pulse point in her neck, and so he did just that.

She emitted a sharp gasp and then melted into his embrace, her body going slack against his. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest, felt every one of her curves, the imprint of her nipples against him.

Sweet. So incredibly sweet. She tasted soft and feminine and utterly perfect. He was holding perfection—every one of his dreams he’d ever had—here in his arms. It would never be more perfect than tonight. The first time they made love. The first expression of their growing love. Him showing her without words—what words couldn’t possibly express—all she meant to him and all she was going to mean to him.

He licked over her pulse and then kissed her again, moving upward to her ear. He pulled the lobe gently between his teeth and nipped before soothing with his tongue. Then he traced the outline of her ear and the sensitive inner shell, flicking his tongue until she was squirming against him.

“I want to undress you, honey. I want to see your beautiful body. I’m going to savor every second of tonight. I want it to be perfect for you—for us. I’ll never forget tonight. It means more to me than you will ever possibly know or understand that you’re giving yourself to me. That you’re trusting me with not only you but with Travis and Cammie as well.”

“I won’t forget either,” Eve said huskily, her voice laced with desire.

She pulled back and lifted her hand to his face, cupping his jaw as she stared into his eyes with so much warmth that his insides did a twist-and-tumble routine.

“I want to undress you too,” she said in a shy voice. “I want to see you and touch you.”

He did groan this time. “You’re killing me, honey. I want that too. Believe me, I want you to touch me more than I want to breathe.”

She smiled and then lifted her mouth to his and kissed him. It was the first time she’d made the first move, and he savored the sensation of her exploring his mouth. Of her taking the initiative. He was a willing captive to whatever she wanted to do to him.

“How about we undress each other?” he murmured when she finally pulled back. “But I get to go first. I want you naked when you undress me so I can enjoy the sight while you do your thing.”

She laughed, the sound warm and vibrant in his ears. God, but she was beautiful when she smiled. It was like a fist to his gut every time her face lit up, and he vowed that he’d do everything in his power to ensure she smiled for the rest of her life. That she would always have something to smile
about
.

He rose from the bed and reached for her hand to pull her to stand beside him. Then slowly, reverently, he began undressing her, taking his time with each piece of her clothing. When he bared her breasts, he sucked in his breath as he stared at the plump mounds. Her nipples were puckered and protruded outward as if begging for his touch. His mouth. Oh yes, he was dying to taste her.

She hesitated, lifting her arms as if to cover herself, but he caught her hands and carefully lowered them back down.

“Don’t hide from me, honey. You’re so beautiful. You take my breath away. Never hide from me. You’re too beautiful for that.”

She smiled and her arms went slack against her sides and then he reached for the waistband of her pajama bottoms, pushing them over her hips to fall to the floor. She stepped out of them and kicked them away, standing before him in just her panties.

She presented a delectable sight. So dainty and rounded in all the right places. She was thin—likely from her forced reality over the last months—but she was still curvy at her hips and breasts.

He turned her to the side as he slipped her underwear down, exposing her behind, twin globes that begged for his hands to cup them. And he would. He’d palm them as he slid inside her, angling her upward to receive him more easily. Sweat beaded his forehead as he was bombarded by the imagery of sliding into her delicate sheath.

No longer able to withstand the urge to touch her, he ran his hands down her body, caressing and petting, savoring every touch.

Chill bumps rose and dotted her flesh and she shivered as he cupped her breasts, pushing them upward for his avid gaze.

“I’ve been dying to taste you,” he murmured just as he lowered his head to suck one puckered crest into his mouth.

She made a grab for his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh as she strained upward, meeting his mouth. Her entire body tensed and a soft moan escaped her lips. Smiling his satisfaction, he moved to the other nipple, licking lightly in repeated swipes before sucking it between his lips, exerting more pressure than he had with the first.

She gasped again and her nails pressed harder into his skin.

“Feel good, honey?”

“Yes,” she breathed out. “So good, Donovan. I feel like I’ve waited forever for you.”

He lifted his head to look into her eyes, wanting her to know how serious he was.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life for you, Eve. For this. For you. For this moment. You’re mine and I’m never letting you go. I hope you’re prepared for that.”

Her eyes went soft with answering . . . love? Could he hope for that so soon? He wasn’t expecting it. Not so quickly. But he wanted it. Wanted it with all his heart. The day she gave him those words would be a day he’d never forget. Until she gave him those words, this thing between them wasn’t solid. Wasn’t permanent. When she gave him the words, he would know that she would truly be his in every sense of the word.

“I want it,” she said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. “I want this. I want you. I want . . . everything.”

“I’ll give you everything you could possibly want or need and so much more, honey. Never doubt that. I want you to go to bed at night knowing I’ll always be here, and I want you to wake up in the morning with that same knowledge. I don’t want a minute to pass that you don’t know exactly who and what you are to me.”

“Make love to me,” she whispered. “Please, Donovan. I need you so much. Let me undress you so we can make love together. I’ve never wanted something more than I want this.”

His heart was about to burst right out of his chest. His dick was straining against his jeans so hard that he’d likely wear the imprint of his zipper for days if not weeks! He’d much rather be surrounded by her velvety softness than trapped in the rough denim of his pants.

“I know you said you wanted to undress me, honey, but why don’t I get it done so we can get on to more important things. Like me touching every part of your body. Me kissing every part of your body. And me inside you so deep that you feel me at the very heart of you.”

Her breath hitched and her pupils flared in reaction. A full-body shiver overtook her, puckering her nipples into even tighter beads. He took her reaction as response enough and quickly divested himself of his shirt, jeans and underwear. When he turned his attention back to her, she was staring avidly at his erection.

He glanced down, following her gaze, and winced. No wonder she was so agog. He was sporting a hard-on to end all hard-ons and he was straining upward and was so tight that the head was nearly purple. He was ready to explode and he hadn’t gotten anywhere near her pussy yet.

When he looked back up at her and saw her lick her lips, he damn near lost it on the spot. He reached down and pinched the head between his fingers to stave off his impending release. Jesus, it would be a miracle if he got inside her before coming everywhere.

“Just give me a minute, honey,” he said in a raspy voice. “You’re so damn sexy that I’m ready to come and I haven’t even gotten inside you yet. I want to make this good for you, not have it be over the minute I push inside you.”

She smiled, delight entering those gorgeous amber-gold eyes. The flecks of gold shone even brighter in her aroused state, making them gleam in the low light cast by the bedside lamp.

“It makes me
feel
sexy to know you react to me that way,” she said shyly. “I’ve never had a guy look at me the way you look at me. I like it.”

“I’ll rip the balls off the man who ever looks at you the way I’m looking at you,” he growled.

She smiled again and then crawled onto the bed, lying back against the pillows, a silent invitation in her eyes. He needed no more encouragement than that.

Thinking back on the other women he’d slept with, he could honestly say that he’d simply gotten laid. Not that his partners hadn’t gotten his absolute respect and regard, but he’d gone in knowing there was no emotional involvement. Not anything close to the way he felt about Eve. This was, in essence, his very first time to
make love
to a woman.