Till There Was You (17 page)

Moving over to the dresser, Lily fixed the towel about her chest and raked her fingers through her now damp hair to try to make it look somewhat presentable. She then checked her breath, huffing against her palm and sniffing back, thankful when it returned a pleasant scent.

As she went back to the bed, she couldn’t help but notice the book was missing from the nightstand. Regardless of his reasons behind it, she loved that he’d read Pride and Prejudice because it showed there was a softness in his heart. The thought of his softer side made her smile. She’d witnessed it already in the way he cared for his dog. Then again when he’d taken care of her today. He was a good man; he simply needed time to be able to show it. 

When a clearing throat sounded behind her, she turned quickly, grinning as she found a near naked Linc in the doorway, his towel tied around his waist. Her eyes drank in the sight of his corded muscles and she had a great urge to lick her lips.

She leaned against the bedpost, taking in the decent amount of scarring on his torso. She’d seen it in the shower but had put it down to the fact he was ex-military and had probably been in some sort of accident.

“I was about to send out a search party,” she said with a smile as he moved to stand in front of her.

“Wet jeans aren’t the easiest things to remove,” he replied with a lopsided smile, causing her to laugh a little as she placed a small hand in the center of his chest.

“I could have helped.”

“I had a better time imagining you in here, naked and waiting for me.” Sitting on the bed, he took hold of her waist so she stood before him.

“Almost naked,” she whispered, resting her hands on his broad shoulders before she leaned down to kiss him long and hard, controlling every desire screaming for her to rip that towel away and mount him then and there. Pulling away just before she lost all reason, Lily broke the kiss, breathless from the intensity. By the look of the tenting beneath Linc’s towel, Lily knew he had responded to the kiss the same way she had.

“Then we need to fix that,” he said, his voice a deep rumble as his strong hands reached out and tugged open her towel, revealing everything for him to see. It was an intoxicating feeling for Lily to watch the hunger in Linc’s face as he drank in every detail he could, his eyes raking over her body as the bulge beneath the towel grew even more.

“Fair’s fair,” she whispered, skimming his lips with hers as she reached down, her hand brushing against the bulge before loosening the towel and setting him free. She marveled at his size that was easily bigger than her favorite toy. Suddenly, her insides felt empty. She wanted to be full.

“You are ridiculously perfect,” he murmured, pulling her closer as his hands moved over her body, setting her skin alight with every gentle caress, every press of his fingertips.

She gasped when his mouth covered her nipple then pulled back as his tongue showed her just how skillful he was in a toe curling display that had her melting against him. Shifting to the other breast, he gave that nipple the same amount of attention, coupled by light touches on her skin as his fingers slid up her inner thigh and lightly teased her entrance.

“Oh,” she moaned, her hands moving up his neck and curling into his hair. She wanted his mouth on hers. “Kiss me.”

Linc growled through gritted teeth and gripped her waist, kissing her passionately as he lowered her to the bed. “I want to taste you.”

His kisses traveled down her neck, lingered on her left breast, then moved farther, sucking and licking over her flat stomach before ending up right between her legs, which she parted for him, giving Linc full access to her inner self—access he took full advantage of.

It might have been the dreams or the build-up of sexual tension, but the moment his tongue moved against her clit, she felt close to bursting and let out a long, low moan. “Oh, yes. Linc.”

Under his careful ministrations, Lily found herself struggling to hold on, and as he slid one of his long, thick fingers inside her and pressed against her G-spot, he pushed her the rest of the way. “Linc!” she moaned, her hips lifting as her release took over.

Clamping her thighs together in bliss, she trapped Linc as he continued to massage her internally, riding wave after wave of pleasure. When her body started to relax, Linc lifted his head and pressed a kiss to the inside of each thigh before he gave her sensitive clit one last cheeky pass of his tongue, causing her hips to jolt as he slid up her body.

“I need you inside me,” Lily gasped, holding out her hands as he settled above her. Reaching for a condom, Linc rolled it down his shaft then kissed her thoroughly.

“You taste amazing,” he murmured, his mouth moving along her jaw to bite gently at her ear. Her insides clenched as her fingers dug into the hard muscles of his back.

“Fuck me, Linc. I want you to make me scream.” With a pleasurable grunt that had Lily’s core quivering, Linc adjusted her hips and pressed his cock against her opening. Reaching between them, Lily took hold of his rock hard length, sliding her hand up and down the shaft before guiding it inside her, feeling the head part her lips as she rocked up to meet him.

She gasped as he slid half his length into her on the first thrust, slowly withdrawing before sliding his full size in on the second, filling her more completely than anything ever had.

Linc released a moan and stilled, his breathing labored as he held himself above her. Happy for the moment to adjust to his girth, Lily relaxed, enjoying the feeling of being stretched by his size. But soon, she was ready for more and rolled her hips against him.

“Don’t move,” he ordered, his voice strained.

“Is everything all right?” she asked, suddenly concerned.

“You’re just...you’re very snug. I won’t last long if you do that.”

“Oh.” Lily couldn’t help but giggle. “Is this your way of telling me I’m ‘tight’ and feel ‘oh so good’—who’s the romance reader now?” Her giggle turned into a hearty laugh.

He groaned. “Oh god, Lily, don’t laugh either. I’m serious. It’s been a while, and yes, you feel amazing. So give me a minute to gain control.”

“Does thinking about dead puppies help?”

His brow furrowed. “What?
No.
Who would even think of that?”

She shrugged. “I saw it in a movie once.”

“Well, it’s not really something a guy wants to think about while he’s balls deep in a gorgeous woman.”

“But it helped, right?” She grinned, noticing the strain had left Linc’s temples as she looked up at him.

“Actually, yeah, it did.” He laughed and shook his head. “Bloody hell, of all the things.”

“Movies can be helpful,” she said, lifting her hips to take him farther inside her.

He leaned down and kissed her. “Less talk, more fucking,” he murmured as he pulled back, driving his shaft inside her, building up speed with each consecutive thrust.

“Oh,” Lily moaned, all thoughts of levity pushed aside as they locked eyes and connected in a much more serious manner. As Linc’s thrusts became faster, Lily dug her nails into his back, her moans growing louder as she pulled him deeper into her.

She could feel the pressure build each time he slid inside her, like a spring being coiled, ready to explode the tighter it was wound. Lily’s legs curled around him and she pulled him in one last time. Raising her hips to get the best angle, she bit at Linc’s ear, her fingernails drawing a thin line of blood as another powerful orgasm ripped through her.

“Oh god,” she called out. “Linc!” His thrusts only picked up speed, causing her to scream out as her orgasm became more intense. A moment later, Lily felt him explode inside her, holding her close as his release pulsed in her depths.

“Holy fuck,” Linc groaned, his chest heaving as he rolled them both over, making sure to keep them connected.

Sitting on top, Lily grinned down at him. “That was quite the first offering,” she said, nodding her head in a way that suggested it could have been better.

Laughing, Linc reached up and touched her face tenderly before running his fingers down her body. Reaching where they were still joined, he pressed his thumb against her clit. “I thought I heard you scream. But I suppose I’ll have to try harder this time.”

Lily moaned, her body responding instantly to his touch. “Already?” she gasped out.

Looking up at her with hunger in his eyes, he nodded slowly, rocking his hips back and forth.

“Do I have to ask this time?”

“No,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even. Pleasure flooded through her body as he expertly teased her clit. “You can make me scream any time you like.”

He grinned. “Then don’t expect to leave this bed any time soon.”

True to his word, they spent the rest of the night devouring each other in various positions and places, only stopping briefly for a light dinner and dessert of various syrups that were consumed off the other’s body. That led to a more sedate shower, before one last slow, sensual meeting of the bodies. Lily would have described it as making love more than fucking. When she fell asleep, Lily was wrapped in Linc’s embrace, her dreams restful and body fulfilled.

––––––––

H
e slept. For the first time since the accident, Linc slept a dreamless sleep, waking up refreshed, albeit a little achy from the bedroom gymnastics he’d played with Lily the night before. But he’d slept; he couldn’t believe it.

Across his chest rested a warm arm attached to the sleeping figure beside him. Even in her sleep, with her blonde hair in a tangle, Lily looked beautiful. Linc couldn’t help but run his fingertips over her soft skin, causing her to stir and her intense green eyes to flutter open.

“Morning.” She smiled, elongating her body into a stretch beside him. “Have you been up long?”

“Only a few moments.”

“Good,” she mumbled, letting her eyes fall closed again. “Means you didn’t spend too long staring at me like a creeper.”

“No more watching, remember? Just doing.”

“Hmmm.” She slid her naked body closer to him and moved her hand lower. “And we said we’d take it slow, too. I expect after last night, all rules are out the window?”

“The slow part definitely is,” he confirmed, sucking in his breath as her hand found his waiting shaft.

“Good,” she said, pressing a kiss to his chest as she shifted above him. “Because I don’t have anywhere to be today.”

It was the last thing she said before disappearing under the blanket. After that, Linc didn’t really want to talk anymore.

T
he next two months flew by in a blur. Linc’s relationship with Lily had quickly deepened to a level he hadn’t expected.  She was the light in his life that he had refused to allow himself to bask in, and now that light was there, his soul was finally starting to mend long after his body had healed.

Sleep had become the norm, instead of a desperate luxury. Most nights were spent in either his bed or hers. His nightmares had turned into dreams, sometimes memories of the past that reminded him of what it was like to love and be loved. When he woke, they were bittersweet as he still missed what he couldn’t have. But somehow, the warm body of the blonde beside him kept the sadness at bay and reminded him it was possible to get a second chance at life—to climb out from the darkness and become a good man again.

Patchy snow covered the thawing ground as spring made its presence known to the world. Shade had made a full recovery, and one of their favorite past times was taking him on runs and long strolls through the woods, being sure to avoid the creek, even though the weather had started to warm. With the greenhouse fully planted and growing well, everything seemed to be falling into place.

Linc, himself, had even noticed the change in his demeanor. He stood a little straighter, smiled more, and actually spent time interacting with people. Linc had even been making regular trips into town to spend time with Lily at the bar, watching her in her element as she interacted with the townsfolk. It was there he ran into the old vet, Tim, and often sat and talked to the old man, exchanging barbs instead of pleasantries.

He found he had a more positive outlook on life further brightened by Lily. Her bubbly nature coupled with her unwillingness to let him brood made a big difference.

It was on one of those days when Linc was sitting in the same corner as the night of the fight when Matt decided to join him for a somewhat friendly chat.

“I don’t get to see a lot of my sister these days. I hear you’re the one to blame for that.”

“Of that, I most certainly am guilty,” Linc replied, sipping his Coke while he watched Lily as she worked. He still didn’t trust himself with alcohol and had admitted that much to Lily, saying while he didn’t think he was an alcoholic, he did feel alcohol wreaked havoc on his moods and he preferred to stay away from it. It was something she completely understood, because despite owning a bar, she wasn’t much of a drinker herself.

“As her big brother, mind answering a few questions?”

“Really, Sarge, don’t you ever drop the cop act and talk like a normal human?” Linc glanced at him out the corner of his eye before returning his gaze to Lily.