Rescue Me (15 page)

In no time, dinner is finished and Sierra can’t quit talking about the big surprise that she and Adam have made as we sit enjoying what has to be the best tasting stir-fry I have ever had.

“This is so good, Shelby,” Adam compliments through a mouthful of food. “You should move here and open up a restaurant.”

“If you move here Aunt Shelby, I can work for you,” Sierra chimes in.

“Is that so? And what would you do for me, little Miss Sierra?”

“Well, I could bake cookies for you.”

“Yes, of course. Your famous cookies. Those would be my best seller right there, wouldn’t they?”

“Yup,” Sierra laughs.

“No, really. I can’t move here and you guys know that.”

“Yes you can, Aunt Shelby. Me and mommy did, right, mommy?”

“Yes, we did,” I answer as I pat her little hand.

“Yeah, well I can’t. So let’s drop it, okay?”

Adam says nothing more but gives a fleeting look my way.

Adam cleans up after dinner and I set about getting Sierra ready for bed. Shelby retreats to her room and I anticipate how the rest of the evening is going to go as I long for Adam’s touch. It’s crazy how you can be in the same room with someone and still not be close enough to them. As I tuck my precious little cargo into her bed and secure her blankets firmly around her, I stare into her sleepy eyes and thank my lucky stars she is safe and has a man like Adam to look up to.

“Good night, baby girl,” I say as I kiss her cheek and stand to leave.

“Good night, Mommy.” She rolls over and is out before I even close the door behind me.

Adam is in his office working as I come down the hallway. I leave him to do his thing as I walk on through his bedroom and into the bathroom. I so desperately need a shower. I strip my clothes off and pull my hair up on top of my head. Before I step into the shower I make a quick examination of my face.

“God, it looks terrible,” I announce out loud. The swelling has gone down but the bruises are simply horrendous. I am startled by Adam’s voice behind me.

“The view from here isn’t terrible at all,” he states.

“Is that so?”

He stands there for several seconds with our eyes locked in the mirror and then in two strides he has himself planted up against me as he reaches around and palms my breasts in his big hands.

“It’s the truth. I see nothing but beauty standing in front of me.” He places his lips on the back of my neck and continues to knead my breasts as he makes his way down my spine with his gentle torture. When he finally reaches the curve of my ass, he continues down. He moves his hands to the cheeks of my bottom and squeezes. “God, I could kneel right here all damn night and never get tired of looking at this ass.”

“Adam, I…oh!” I let out a soft yelp as he bites my backside.

“The things I have fantasized about doing with this round, tight ass has my mind spinning out of fucking control every time I look at it. But that fantasy will have to be saved for another time because tonight I am going to stand behind you and watch you fall apart at every touch.” He tenderly kisses back up my spine. “Every caress.” He kisses again. “Every word.” Reaching my ear.

I am a pile of slobbering putty at his words. If his arms were not around my waist I would crumple to the floor.

“Open your eyes and look at us, baby,” he commands. When I open my eyes and look at him as he traces his hands up and down my body I see nothing but him and his love shining back at me. He lets go of me for the briefest of moments to pull his shirt over his head and slips out of his jeans. His straining erection with that delectable piece of jewelry at the tip is the most striking thing I have ever seen. I feel the moisture increase between my legs. He reaches back and shuts the door, and with confidence steps over and shuts off the shower. He is back behind me before I can feel his loss.

“I have never seen anything more beautiful in my entire life as you are right now, standing there waiting for me to worship you.”

Oh sweet Jesus, where does he come up with his words?

“You make me feel beautiful, Adam.”

“You are, my love.” He grasps hold of me and pulls me flush against him. When he reaches down into the drawer and pulls out a condom, it suddenly dawns on me he doesn’t have to use them anymore.

“We don’t need that,” I say shyly. He frowns and looks at me in the mirror. “Remember when I told you I would tell you later about what the doctor meant when he winked at me?”

“Yes. I remember.”

“Well he gave me a birth control shot.” I point at my arm where there is a slight bruise and a small raise in my arm. The condom packet falls to the floor as he reaches around and cups me with one of his hands. Nudging my legs apart, he looks back at my reflection.

“Are you telling me that I can make mad, passionate love to my girl with nothing between us?”

“That is exactly what I am saying.”

He inserts his finger into me and I moan and lay my head back onto his chest. It dips in and out of me with ease. I feel myself so close to wanting to fall apart around him and I know he feels it too. He places his hand on my back and lightly pushes me down, then removes his finger. In one solid thrust, I am impaled.

I rejoice in the way he feels. He stays still for a split second and then he starts to move. Holy shit, he pounds into me with such force, my orgasm hits me within seconds. I want to scream because it feels so good.

“I can feel your sweet pussy tightening around me, Erin. You’re even more stunning when you come. You feel so damn good. Keep looking at me, I want you to watch me as I come inside you.”

He pounds even harder and I swear I can feel his piercing hitting my womb as he plunges deeper with every stroke.

“Oh, God. Adam! I am going to come again!” I scream.

“Good! Then come, because I am right there with you.” And I do feel it as his warm, molten liquid spills inside of me. We still have never taken our eyes off of each other’s. He slowly pulls himself out of me, then gently lifts me up and carries me into the bedroom where he places me down on the floor.

“Do you want to clean up before we go to bed?” he asks.

“No. That was the single most erotic thing I have ever done in my life and I don’t want to wipe away any of it,” I say as I lean in and take his mouth in a heart stomping kiss.

“I love you,” I say after we break apart.

“I love you more,” he says. He slaps my ass before turning off all the lights. We climb in bed and he pulls me close and speaks gruffly into my ear.

“So... no more condoms, huh?”

My face pulls into a big grin. “No more condoms.”

“Good, my little fantasy girl. Now get some sleep before my hammer decides he needs to get back to work again.”

Oh, I fall asleep all right, and when I wake up I still have that grin on my face.

Chapter Nineteen
Adam

Never has sex felt as good as it did last night when I slipped inside of Erin without wearing a condom. Christ almighty, I will never get tired of feeling her silky walls around me. Arranging myself in bed so I can ogle the hell out of her before she wakes, I memorize every fine detail about her. The covers are laying low around her sensual body and I can see the swells of her perfect breasts. I can feel my dick start to wake up and stir to life. I lived a fantasy last night as I watched her fall apart in that mirror. I know those bruises on her face dominate her every thought when she looks at herself, so when I saw her standing there and talking about how terrible she looked, I wanted her to know I don’t even see those bruises when I look at her. I look deep into her soul, the part of her that made me fall in love with her in the first place.

“Hi,” I manage to say as her eyes flit open and she looks up at me.

“Good morning,” she says as she curls into my body.

“How are you feeling?”

“Getting better. I needed that sleep though, I can tell you that.”

“Yeah, me too. Speaking of sleep, I think it’s time you move all of your stuff in here. You know I am never going to let you sleep in that room again, right?”

“Mmm. Sounds good to me and that will give me something to do today.”

“No. You’re resting today. Today is all about you.”

She abruptly sits up in bed.

“Adam, I can function just fine. I am not the type of person to just sit around on my ass all day popping bonbons in my mouth. I need to work.”

“I know you’re not like that, sweet cheeks,” I agree, brushing her hair out of her face. “Humor me today. Call Shayne and Jen and see if they want to hang out here with you and Shelby. I do have work to do in my office here, but I really need to go talk to the guys so they know what’s going on. I would feel much better if you had more people here. Unless you want to go with me to the job site?”

“Ugh! All right, I will stay here but I am doing my work first.”

I shrug. “As long as you’re here and safe then work as much as you want.”

She lies back down and I give her a quick kiss. “I am going to jump in the shower. Care to join me?” I reach for her hand as I stand up and when she looks down at my cock which is still hard as a damn brick, she licks her lips. I know that is my answer right there, so I bend down and whisk her into the bathroom. This time she does get the shower she so desperately wanted last night, but not before I bend her over until she is literally screaming my name.

“Did you call Jen already?” I ask Erin as we enter the house after dropping Sierra off to school.

“Yes, I did. She and Zoe will be here around ten. Does that work for you?” she snips.

“It more than works for me. It makes me feel so much better about having to leave you.”

“This is such crap. You shouldn’t have to babysit me like this, Adam. I mean...”

I place a finger over her mouth to stop her from continuing on and I insert my other hand into hers.

“I am not babysitting you,” I inform her. “This is where I want to be. I choose to be here with you.”

Luckily for me, she sighs and leans her head on my chest.

“I know you do, and you’re the most selfless man I know, but this is going to drive me up a damn wall if they don’t find him soon.”

“They’ll find him. I have no doubt about that at all, babe,” I say positively, trying to raise her spirits a little. “Damn, you fit so perfectly up against me and I don’t want to let you go, but I really have a lot of work to do today.”

I brush my lips across hers and let her know I will be in the office for a few hours. I close the door behind me and sit at my desk, but something is weighing on my mind. I pick up the phone and try calling Tonya.

I feel like a total fucking jerk about the way I treated Tonya the last time I spoke to her. I will never be able to forgive myself if something happens to her. How in the hell did she get hooked up with Joel in the first place?

“Tonya, where are you?” I say out loud to myself as the phone continually goes to voice mail. I place my hands over my head and lean my head back in the chair. I am so absorbed in my own thoughts that I don’t even hear Shayne walk in.

“You’re deep in thought there, Adam.”

I jump, startled by her approach.

“Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me!”

She laughs cheerfully. “Sorry about that, but I wanted to give you something.”

Her voice is enthusiastic and full of sorrow at the same time. She turns and closes the door, piquing my curiosity as she takes the few short steps over to the desk. Her small, round stomach is just starting to show her pregnancy. It makes me visualize how Erin would look with my child growing inside of her. That should be the last thing on my mind right now with all the shit we have going on, but just visualizing Erin pregnant lifts my darkened and worried mood. I shake my head and bring my attention back to Shayne who has one of the biggest smiles on her face.

“What is it you want to give me?” I ask as she takes a seat in one of the office chairs. She reaches into her purse and pulls out a small black box, leaning across the desk to set it in front of me.

“This was Aunt Judy’s, and well, I know she would want you to have it.”

I look at the box knowing exactly what is in there, and I look back at my cousin.

“Shayne, I know Mom would want you to be the one to have this.”

She shakes her head.

“No. I believe she would want you to have it. I know it’s too soon for you to give it to Erin or to anyone for that matter, but I don’t want just anyone to have this and I already have mine.”

She holds up the hand that holds her wedding rings. I take a huge gulp and stare at the box.

“Oh, Adam. Quit looking like I asked you to propose today.” My eyes dart to hers. “You’ll know when the time is right for whoever you decide to give this to. You know me, though. I hope it’s her. Now, enough of this sentimental stuff. I need to get back out there because for some strange reason Erin says we’re eating bonbons and watching movies all day.”

I throw my head back and laugh, recalling what Erin said about eating bonbons just a short time ago.

“She did mention that earlier,” I say, still laughing as Shayne starts for the door. “Hey, brat,” I call out, stopping her before she leaves. She turns around.

“Thanks for this,” I say as I pick up the box.

“Of course, Adam. Love you.”

“I love you too, Shayne. Now go fatten yourself up.” She looks down at her stomach and then flips me off as she walks out the door.

I sit and stare at that black box, desperately wanting to open it. I know my mom would be so happy for me right now. She always put both Shayne and me before herself her entire life. So much has happened in the few short months since she has been gone. At last I pick it up and an inspiring feeling spreads through me as I open it and stare at the dark blue sapphire ring my mother wore all the time. It is the ring my grandfather gave to my grandmother on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

Taking it out of the box and holding it between my fingers, I imagine what it would look like on Erin’s finger. Erin and I are nowhere near the point in our relationship for me to ask her to marry me, but then again, I do know she is the one for me. Just like Shayne said, I will know when the time is right. Placing the ring back into the box, I open the top drawer of my desk and tuck it safely in the back. Yes, when the time is right I know just where and how I am going to ask the love of my life to marry me.

A few hours later I make my way into the living room; the sight that greets me is Erin, Shayne, Shelby, and Jen all crying.

“What the hell, ladies? You’re supposed to be cheering my woman up here, not making her cry.”

Four sets of red eyes turn and look at me.

“We’re fine, Mr. Bossy Pants,” Shelby bellows. “It’s this damn movie. Now go do your shit and leave us because it’s about to get to the good part.”

“Yes ma’am.”

There’s not a word from anyone else as all four simultaneously turn their heads back to the television. I take that as my cue to leave, so I grab my keys and head for the door. I’ll be damned if not a single one of them says goodbye.

Trevor is on me the minute I step out of my truck at the job site.

“I take it they haven’t found Joel or Tonya yet?”

“No. And fuck, man. I feel like shit about the way I treated her when she stopped by here. That fucker is crazy and I have no clue how the two of them met. I have tried calling Tonya’s phone three times already this morning. I’ll feel like shit if he does something to her. Even though she says not to, I still blame myself for what happened to Erin.”

“Don’t be an ass. You can’t blame yourself for that. From what you’ve told us, this guy is all kinds of fucked up. Besides, the cops will find her. It’s got to be a coincidence. Knowing Tonya, she met him in a bar or some shit. Don’t blame yourself for this and besides, you don’t know if he has hurt her or not, so be reasonable man.”

I know Trevor is only trying to help, but he didn’t see what that motherfucker did to Erin. I would hate to see that happen to Tonya, too. Or any woman, for that matter.

“I know, but it still doesn’t make me feel better. This asshole beat the shit out of his wife for years, and then he comes back and does it again. I mean, if he can do what he did to Erin who is the mother of his child, can you imagine what kind of damage he could do to someone he doesn’t even fucking know?”

I feel so damn helpless right now knowing I have to keep Erin safe, but fuck, this is killing me.

“I just want that piece of shit caught and thrown back in prison where he belongs,” I say. “By the way, thanks for listening to me the other night when I called you from the hospital. I really appreciate it.”

“Hey, I got your back here and so do the rest of these guys.” Trevor jerks his head towards the crew who is heading our way.

“What’s up? How’s Erin doing?” Dan and the rest of the crew all ask when they reach us.

“She’s pretty banged up right now but she’s doing better than even I thought she would,” I say proudly.

“Well, tell her we miss her and if we can do anything to help, just let us know.”

“Will do, Dan. Thanks,” I sincerely reply. “I came by to let you know I am not coming back to the site until they catch this fucker. I called the Watkinses and explained to them I had an emergency and that I trusted all of you to do the job right. If they have any questions I told them to give me a call. I really appreciate you guys’ support. Now get your asses back to work,” I say jokingly.

Trevor and I stand and talk for a few more minutes before I hand him everyone’s paychecks. As I climb back into my truck I get a deep seated feeling that things are going to get a hell of a lot worse before they begin to get better.

************

All day long I have been trying to soothe this weird sensation that has been nagging away at me. I kept myself barricaded in my office knowing that if either Erin or Shayne saw me they would know something was wrong. I can’t seem to put my finger on it. I need to shovel these thoughts aside. I look at the time and realize Luke will be dropping Sierra off from school any minute now. Jen left about an hour ago, but Shayne is still here and she and Shelby are bantering back and forth about who can make a better pizza.

Preventing myself from getting noticed, I put off the craving I have to just walk up and touch Erin. There isn’t one part of me that isn’t filled with desire for her. I could stand here all damn day watching how she effortlessly flows around the kitchen. Her blonde hair is pulled over to the side in a braid, exposing her long, gracious neck. Her outside beauty is what first attracted me to her, but nothing compares to the beauty on the inside of this woman.

I can’t help but clench my fists when I see that dirt bag’s handprints there. How he could do this to a woman who has a heart as pure as she does? She deserves to have the ground she walks on worshipped. These thoughts are just fueling my anger. The only way I am going to get rid of some of this frustration is by working out, so I turn back around and go change into a pair of shorts. Once I’m downstairs, I put on my shoes and boxing gloves and attack the punching bag. The only thing I wish is that it was Joel’s face that I was beating the shit out of instead of this fucking bag.

“Easy there, tiger. You’re making me a little nervous,” Erin calls out from behind me. My mind is willing my body to stop but it just won’t. I punch even harder.

“Oh my God, Adam. Stop! What’s gotten into you?”

“FUCK!” I roar.

I see her flinch, and the pain and sorrow written all over her face makes me want to hang my head in shame that she is seeing me like this.

“Damn it, I am so sorry. Come here, please,” I ask gently as I toss my gloves onto the floor.

“No. Not until you tell me what’s going on.”

Disappointed in myself, I run my hands up and down my sweaty face and then through my hair.

“I want to tear that sick fuck to shreds for what he has done to you, and I got a little carried away thinking about it and lost my focus. I’m sorry if I scared you, now please come here because I just need to hold you right now.”