Black Hills Angel (Black Hills Series) (14 page)

"Breathe, baby." Matt's voice was so low and his words whispered across her flesh.

"I am. I'm trying." She closed her eyes. "Matt, what are you doing?" She felt slightly embarrassed by the question, but it was out before she could retract it. She felt him press a hot kiss to her inner thigh.

"Loving you, Andy. You'll like it. I promise." Anticipation built with his last words. She couldn't seem to reopen her eyes, so she lay there in the semi-dark room. He slid his hands up her thighs and over her hips at the same time as he pressed his whole mouth into her. The jolt nearly brought her off the bed, but his hands held her hips down. His tongue probed inside her, flicking and twitching as it caressed her. She couldn't fight the wash of pleasure that melted over her and then slid intoxicatingly up her veins.

"Oh. God. Matt." Her words came out on puffs of breath. He pressed further still, brushing across that secret spot that caused the air to crackle and her legs to shake. This act had to be so taboo, but it felt so good. She moaned again as he found that amazing spot, sucking and nibbling. She felt the rise, the impossible energy building in and around her. His skilled attentions were mind-blowing and she couldn't help but wish they'd never end.

"Hold on, baby. There's more."
More!?!
She wasn't sure she could take more. The sensations bordered on the super intense and painful. She shifted her head back and forth, fighting to find some reason in the madness. Her fingers tangled in the comforter. His hand fell away from her hip and she grieved the loss. Before she could tell him so, she felt one finger slid into her overheated body and withdraw. Then she felt two fingers slide into her and she almost sobbed with relief. Matt created an ebb and flow pattern, which her body followed of its own free will. She couldn't have stopped it if she tried. That glorious incline was building further and she felt the crest nearing. It was a furious pace they carried on, his fingers stroking her and his tongue lapping at that most secret place.

Then she was flung into the sun! Brilliant, shimmering, and heavenly! She felt every nerve tremble with release and sag into the mattress along with her sedate and extremely satisfied body. As she floated back, she could hear Matt rummaging in his bedside table drawer. Her eyes opened when she heard him cuss. Senses awake, but her body not yet obeying her commands, Andy turned her head. Matt crawled onto the bed beside her, holding her to him. He kissed her forehead and then lay still.

"That was amazing." Andy's voice sounded scratchy as she ran her hand over his thickly muscled thigh. Matt groaned as she drew her fingers over the corded muscles at his hip. She could feel his arousal standing proudly at attention. She gripped him at the base flexing her hand around him.

"Sweetheart, you are going to
kill
me." His words sounded more like a plea. Curiously, she ran her eyes over his face, which contorted into a grimace.

"We aren't going to finish this?" She was disappointed. She loved the feel of him deep inside her. Foreplay had been amazing, but she still wanted him inside her. He put his hand over hers where it rested at the base of his erection.

"I'm out of condoms." The disappointment in his voice nearly made her laugh out loud. As it was she smothered the chuckle. Matt raised a brow as he saw the effort it took her to not lose it. "It's not funny. It's rather embarrassing actually."

Andy squeezed him noting the rigidness of his length. Leaning up on her elbow, Andy smiled down over him. She loved the stubble that was starting to shadow his jaw. His blue eyes were her favorite feature, well except maybe a thing or two in other places.

"I'm on the pill. We don't actually have to have a condom." She let the words sink into his sex-induced fog. He pressed his lips together.

"I don't want you to think you have to do that, Andy. I'm an adult. I can go by the store tomorrow." His voice was smooth and rich. She felt bolder in her quest. He wasn't going to make the decision for her. He was willing to forego his own pleasures tonight. Her heart swelled.

"We don't have to wait, Matt. I appreciate that you would." Andy smiled, hoping it looked sexy.

"Andy, honey, it's okay. I can handle one night." She took a breath as she watched him.

"You don't have anything to pass on, do you?" She raised both brows in question. He chuckled.

"No, I don't have any STD's or anything like that. I just don't want you to feel like you have to do anything tonight. I'll survive, I promise." He made to get up as if the debate was over. It wasn't. Andy got up on her knees and pressed her palms into his chest to push him back down on the bed. Silently she hoped she wouldn't mess this up and embarrass herself in front of him.

"I want to have sex with you, Matt." Her voice wavered only for a moment and she sighed. Sliding a leg over his waist, Andy straddled his body. She felt powerful with his erection pressing against her still hot, slick entrance. The giddiness claimed her in a gratifying way. Matt's eyes widened at her boldness and then clouded quickly with desire. His palms rose to her breasts, cupping and squeezing them.

"Just ease down, baby. Let instinct take over." His instructions filtered through her mind and she did as he said. Carefully lowering her body onto his, she gloried at the fullness as she stretched to accompany his length. Her eyes closed. All senses poised on the powerful male between her thighs and his hands teasing her already heavy breasts. Slowly she levered herself up and down, trying to create the rhythm her body craved. It felt awkward and she bit her bottom lip in concentration. Matt must have taken pity on her, because she felt his hands on her hips. He lifted her and then let her fall, his own hips mimicking the pattern. She sighed with pleasure.

The slickness of her body allowed them to glide in and out. Their mating as old as time itself. She heard Matt groan with relief and she felt his erection swell inside her. Her breasts thrust out, her back arched, her head tipped to the ceiling, she felt keenly erotic. Their climaxes built simultaneously and swiftly they chased each other up the mountain. Sweat beaded on their skin as the urgency sent them crashing off the top into the black. Andy slumped forward, her lips pressed to his. Gently he kissed her lips and enfolded her in his arms. One breath later and they both sank depleted and sated into the dark oblivion.

***

Matt awoke a short time later, Andy still in his arms and her hair falling in waves over his shoulder as she rested on top of his chest. He stretched and grinned in the darkness. He had given her every excuse to wait tonight. Hell, he had all but resigned himself to the inevitable. He couldn't believe he had been out of condoms.
Such a rookie mistake!
Then she had taken their pleasure into her own hands and impaled herself on top of him. It was obvious she had no idea what she was doing, but that's what had made it so much fun. Her newfound power and desire would be satisfying to watch unfold and grow.

Gently Matt eased Andy off of him, tucking her beside him. Slipping off the bed, he grabbed ahold of the extra blanket and swept it up over her naked form. He went to the bathroom adjoining his suite and when he came back out, he couldn't do anything but stand beside the bed and stare down at an angel. Her cheeks were flushed, her dark lashes in crescents against her skin and gently pursed lips parted slightly in sleep. He could see where his stubble had rasped her delicate skin. His heart filled with a deep-seeded longing to protect and provide for her. Since he had seen her and Harper in the hallway of their apartment building, he knew his purpose was for them. He was head over heels in love with Andy Martin and her daughter, Harper. There was no going back. There was only moving forward.

Quietly he got back into bed and settled Andy once more against his side. She sniffed and yawned before going back to sleep. Kissing her on her bare shoulder, Matt closed his eyes. Silently he prayed that he could make Andy see that he was the only one for her. In return for her choosing him, he vowed that he would be everything she needed him to be. Pulling the blanket up over his chest, Matt yawned and then fell asleep with the angel beside him.

Chapter Fifteen

It had taken a couple of days, but the last of her boxes had finally been delivered and her apartment emptied. She felt guilty about having Matt pay for the place when no one was living there. Besides she hadn't really liked it anyway. It was too little for one. Two, it was not well sealed and three, well, there was always a funky smell she could never get rid of. Andy sighed loudly and leaned back into her chair. Looking about her room, she loved the soft hues of gray and lavender. They calmed her in a way only surpassed by Matt. Closing her eyes, she smiled. Secretly she knew she was falling down that long road of no redemption. Denying it only seemed to make it more insistent that it was love.
Love.

Remember? That tender emotion you once thought so lasting and worth saving?

Oh yes. She remembered well. She remembered how painful and devastating love could be.

It did bring you something wonderful. Harper. Your daughter.

Harper had been the light at the end of the tunnel. Although to be fair, she still felt surrounded by the darkness that crept closer at moments like this. Andy shook herself. She had been out of work less than a week and already she was losing her mind.

There was nothing left to clean in the house. What little mess there was, the housekeeper that came three times a week kept in order. Andy had tried to convince Matt and Garrett that she could do the same work in exchange for letting her and Harper live here, but of course, they would hear none of it. She huffed.
Men!
She was starting to feel caged and edgy. She couldn't even drive to the store because her car hadn't been fixed from
Psycho
Monica's slasher fiasco! Andy wanted to scream! This was alot to take in.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
The front doorbell pealed from downstairs. Andy got up from her chair and her phone buzzed in her pocket. Slipping her fingers into her pant's pocket, she swiped her finger across the screen.
Matt.
Her heart fluttered.

Time to get out of the house!

Andy's brow puckered at the message and then her heart flipped. The doorbell rang again. Hurrying down the stairs to the main floor, Andy peered curiously at the door as she made her way to it. Her hand stretched out to the door knob and turned it open. A smile curved her lips as she recognized who was on the other side. Margaret.

"I was starting to hope I wasn't interrupting a nap, sweetie." Margaret smiled and stepped into the house. Andy grinned.

"No, I was just upstairs staring at my four walls. Harper is napping though." Andy closed the door.

"Wonderful. I could use a snooze too." Margaret put her purse on the hall table and rubbed her hands together. "Did you get Matt's message? He wouldn't let me call you when I was leaving the office." Margaret rolled her eyes. Andy knew the feeling.

"Yes, he just texted me. I feel a bit bewildered by it though. What is this all about?" Andy led them down the hall and into the living room, where she took a seat on the wide couch. Margaret sat next to her. The older woman smelled of warm sugar cookies. Her hair lightly teased into a fluffy round halo. Everything about her was motherly and inviting.

"Well I took the afternoon off of work to spend with my newest
grandbaby
. Matt knew you'd be chomping at the bit to get out of here and we came up with a plan." Margaret grinned conspiratorially. "Now. I have a couple of gifts and instructions for their use." She dug into her capris pocket and produced a set of keys. Andy stared at the keys, wondering what was going on. A couple of envelopes followed. Margaret chuckled at Andy's
deer-in-the-headlight
look.

"You should see your face, girl. Here is a set of keys. Since your vehicle is still in the shop, Matt leased one for you. Here is a note and its contents from Matt. I have been instructed to tell you to read them when you get inside the vehicle. Any questions should be directed to Matt." Margaret handed over the keys and the letter. She leaned back against the couch and flipped the remote to the television. Andy felt at a loss. This wasn't exactly what she had been thinking.

"So you are here to watch Harper and I am to leave the house?" Andy couldn't help sounding slow to catch on. It did sound good to get out of the house and Harper would be in good hands.

"Yes, now go, dear! I can handle it from here." Margaret shooed Andy with her hands. Instantly feeling lighter in spirit, Andy got up off the couch and went to grab her purse. Suddenly it felt like Christmas morning when she was a child. Slipping her purse strap over her shoulder, Andy waltzed out the door to stand frozen on the front steps as the door closed behind her.

"What the..." Her mouth had suddenly gone dry. The vehicle sitting in the driveway was amazing and somewhat of a shock to her system. Her feet moved slowly forward. Her fingers rubbed the remote as it unlocked the doors. Matt had leased her a 2010 Ford Escape. It was black, shiny and inviting. She pulled the handle and looked over the immaculate gray interior. She breathed the fresh, new car scent in. Childish giddiness swamped her again. She hopped up and down a few times in glee.

Slipping into the car seat, Andy stuck the key in the ignition and turned it on. Cool air came from the vents. Setting her purse in the other seat, she turned the envelope over in her hands. Her name was written in tiny print on the front. Opening the flap, she pulled out the white computer paper and two plastic cards dropped out. The first was a gift card to Rapid City Mall. She grinned and flipped it over. Her face fell. Her stomach clenched. Five hundred dollars! Swallowing hard, she turned her attention to the other card. It was a debit card to a joint account at Black Hills Credit Union. Her head ached with overload. She unfolded the papers included with the cards in the envelope.

Andy- I'm certain that you are about ready to climb the walls. I can only imagine your surprise at the car, but I wonder if you are going to throttle me when you see the gift card amount and the debit card. I went a little crazy on the mall card so I thought I had better tone down the account. I have transferred another five hundred dollars to our joint account. Use it for gas, groceries, and stuff for you and Harper. I will transfer as needed. Please don't reject these gifts out of hand. Have fun today. Do girlie stuff! Hair, nails, clothes, lingerie ;), whatever you want. Margaret will keep Harper until I get home. Today is for you. Enjoy!

P.S. Sign the papers included for the account and drop them off with Wendy! See you tonight!

--Matt

Andy felt like her insides were shook up. This was alot! Too much really! Her mind waged war with her practical self and her Christmas child that suggested she do exactly as he suggested. She sat in the car for many minutes, debating a dilemma she was certain any woman would love to have.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out.
Matt
. This time he was calling. Perfect.

"Hi, Matt." Andy's tried to make her voice light and unaffected.
Good luck!

"Hey baby, are you on the road yet?"

She smiled at his happy humor. She knew he was grinning from ear to ear on the other side of the receiver. She shook her head in exasperation.

"Well, no, not exactly." Andy toyed with the leather key chain on the Escape's keys. Only now did she realize her name was tooled into the leather.

"Put your seatbelt on, take the car out of park and hit the road! I wanted to do this for you. There are no strings attached. Besides I don't like leaving you without a vehicle. There is one more thing." Matt paused, his tone changing. Andy's senses immediately went on alert.

"What's that?" Andy pulled her seatbelt over her shoulder and clicked it into the lock.

"My lawyer called today and they granted the protection order. Monica won't be able to come near the house or my vehicles, the Escape is included."

Andy blew out a breath.

"That's good, right?" She wondered why he wasn't shouting this from the rooftops! She would be.

"Well, it is, yes, but they haven't been able to serve her with the papers. They can't find her."

Shit!
Not good!
Her heart tripped before she reminded herself that the officers and Rapid City Police Department had been great at their jobs. They would find her soon.

"All right. Well let me know if you find any more out." Andy placed the papers in the front seat. She would go to Black Hills Credit Union first and drop the signed pages off for Wendy. She was determined to have a good day.

"Of course. Now go and have some fun. If you need me, call me. Don't worry about Harper. I've got her covered."

"That might be asking too much of me not to worry about my daughter, but I will go. See you tonight. Just remember this is all your fault!" She grinned when Matt chuckled. That deep throaty laugh made her think about the last few nights they had slept in the same bed. Maybe she would take him up on the lingerie idea! Boy wouldn't he be surprised! Again the wash of giddiness came over her and she couldn't wait to go!

"Bye, baby." Matt hung up the phone and Andy put it back in her purse. Time to go! She put the Escape in drive and pulled out of the circular drive. She was intent on making the most of this day!

***

Andy felt completely redone. Somehow she had tucked her insecurities far enough away from the surface that she did enjoy the shopping spree Matt had sent her on. Making the quick stop at Black Hills Credit Union, she dropped off the papers. Wendy was tall, thin, and beautiful; besides being incredibly well versed in her job. She also suggested to Andy, after finding out about the makeover, that she go to the salon called, "Untangled". Seeing Andy's hesitation, Wendy invited her into the office and swiftly picked up the phone to call the salon manager, Jenny. From there it was a complete snowball effect! Andy's cheeks warmed at the thought of Wendy's description of the rag doll, single mother in need of a major revamp. Wendy assured both Jenny and Andy that it would be well worth the effort.

Feeling a bit less confident in the idea, Andy drove to
Untangled
and met with Jenny. At first sight, Jenny was middle-aged with purple hair. She was suddenly even less certain this was a good idea. Ushered to the barber chair, Jenny asked her about her habits, whether she liked her hair up or down, long or short, and if she liked the color it was now. Twenty minutes after that, Andy was gripping the shampoo chair with white fingers. Wax! After several unforgiving yanks, she had shapely eyebrows. The turnout was starting to grow on her. Andy wondered what was next. She was in Jenny's hands without a brake to pull.

She was afraid to look in the mirror. Her heart had been like a restrained rocket in her chest, but the moment that Jenny spun her around, Andy knew that this was the change she had been waiting for. A tentative hand rose in surprise and appreciation. Lovely lengthy layers framed her face and her brown hair was now fashionably streaked in bronze highlights. The green in her eyes now shimmered with gold flecks. It was amazing! Andy felt her spine straighten and her chin raise as she walked out the door of
Untangled
. A vast and needed transformation at Jenny's capable hands!

Next it had been the Rushmore Mall and the various clothing, perfume, and shoe stores. She really felt grateful for the physical transformation, but the outer wrapping was something else entirely. Feeling that lingerie might be one way of thanking Matt, Victoria's Secret with its many hangers and shelves of lacy, silky, and provocative underwear. An hour later, she had been successfully measured and fitted for bras. Several pairs of sexy and some conservative panties were selected along with two lace and silk nighties. Her cheeks warmed at the thought of those. It was completely out of her comfort zone, but when she thought about Matt's view and well, it was worth it. The bill on the other hand was enough to stop her heart. Megan, the sales girl, had convinced her to wear a matching bra and panty set home. It was impressive what the underwire did to lift her breasts.

The front seat of the Escape was filled with various bags. She had purchased a couple of skirts, fun summer tops, and a pair of flats and heels. Ending her shopping spree at the mall, Andy quickly thought about dinner. Wouldn't it be fun to make dinner and surprise the guys? Mexican lasagna was always easy and fun. So she made a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up the ingredients. Four hours after she had left home, Andy was exhilarated and exhausted. It was a full-filling exhaustion though. She knew she looked fantastic and couldn't wait to show her new features off. Well...same fixtures but new presentation. One she was very, very happy with!

Margaret's car was still there!
Reprieve!
Andy hurried getting her stuff inside the house and passed a cheeky smile from Margaret holding Harper. Andy put her new clothes next to her bed and then finished hauling the grocery bags into the kitchen. It was all a blur. Margaret offered to stay and keep Harper out of her hair. Andy could hardly say no! She checked the clock on the stove for the time. Matt would be home in about forty-five minutes. Perfect! Her heart raced. Browning the hamburger, adding the taco seasoning, and assembling the Mexican lasagna, it was in the oven in twenty minutes. Setting the timer for the oven, Andy flew up the stairs to change into one of her skirt and top outfits. Bouncing between the heels and the flats, she finally settled on the flats. Heels in the carpet sounded dangerous.