What the Heart Takes (26 page)

As he worked to remove what was left of their clothing, the view in the end was well worth the wait. She gazed over her shoulder, catching him admiring her naked flesh. Her cheeks flushed when they made eye contact. Anxiety spiraled within their connection. Maybe it was excitement that he’d misconstrued. It was hard to focus on anything other than the need throbbing in his groin.

The mattress gave beneath him as he sat on the edge. He grasped her hips again, guiding her down to his lap so that she faced away. Yet the moment her toes left the floor, her body tensed in his arms. She grabbed his leg and pushed herself back to her feet.

“Heaven?” he questioned, reaching out for her, but she avoided his touch.

“I can’t do this.” The words were merely a whisper, one she uttered as she turned her back to him. “It’s awkward. I’m…I’m too…I’ll crush you.”

He couldn’t contain the laughter bubbling in his chest. It came out as more of a cough, but gained him a set of knitted brows. “Are you serious?” Silence filled the air while he waited for her to answer him. She didn’t. “Why would you think such a thing?”

“I’m nearly eight months pregnant, Dylan. I’m huge.”

“No, you’re not.”

“You have to say that. You’re my husband.” She shook her head, moving her foot forward, but he was on his feet in less than a second. He grabbed her wrist, easing her back against his chest.

“I don’t know what you see in the mirror, but the woman standing before me is beautiful. I love every part of you,
especially
this part.” He rested his chin on her shoulder, gazing below as he stroked the side of her stomach. “This is us, remember?”

Her profile revealed her quivering lip as she said, “I know, but…”

“Heaven…” Silky skin teased his fingers as he caressed her face, urging her to look at him. “I can barely tell you’re pregnant.”

Another quiver of her lip led to a full pucker. “Great. Now people will think this is my natural shape.”

“No, they won’t.” Slipping his arms inside hers, he circled her waist, kissing a trail to her ear. “I said I can
barely
tell, not that I
can’t
tell. Who cares what anyone thinks anyway. I think you’re beautiful and sexy. You drive me crazy with want every time I look at you. Do you know why?”

She shook her head, pressing her lips together so they wouldn’t tremble. He wished she could see herself through his eyes. Then she’d know how beautiful she was, would know that every time he saw her swollen belly, she stole another piece of his heart.

“It’s what’s in here, Heaven.” He tapped his finger over her heart. “You’re beautiful, inside and out. That beauty stems from your soul, and our souls are intertwined. How could I ever not want you?”

“You say that, but look how long it’s been since we’ve made love.”

“Because of Layne, not you. I know you feel my emotions. Do you feel anything different?” She gazed over her shoulder again, meeting his eyes. Her lips hovered not far from his, making it hard for him to remain unaffected by his need. That same need throbbed harder, begging for a release only she could give.

When she finally shook her head, he nodded. “That’s right. You don’t feel anything different because nothing’s changed. I love you, Heaven. I love everything about you. Please, let me show you.” His lips swept over hers, teasing them ever so softly, and then he whispered against them, “Make love to me.”

He waited to see if she would object. The pulse of her energy shifted from fear to desire, and once her tension faded, he gave in to the same desire coursing through him.

The sweet scent of her skin filled his nose when his lips returned to her shoulder. He grazed a section with his teeth, careful not to press too hard. One swirl of his tongue had her leaning into him, her head to the side. It gave him ample access to her neck and he took advantage, suckling the area below her ear.

A moan escaped her mouth. The sound made him hard, rock hard, to the point he’d be in pain if she didn’t satisfy his hunger.

He eased back onto the bed, not far from the edge, urging her to come with him. She did this time. The warmth of her bottom met his lap. He couldn’t understand why she’d been so nervous. She was as light as a feather.

His hands gripped her hips, squeezing them gently as she draped her legs over his. Damn, she felt good hovering just above his hardness, especially when she arched her back. Her bottom rubbed against his length, making him pulse harder. A groan rumbled in his chest a moment later.

She was driving him mad with desire. From the subtle grinding to the heavy breathing, every move, every sound, increased his erection.

Lifting her just a little, he pressed his tip to her entrance, enjoying the moistness that greeted it. The heat of her hands warmed his thighs as she held her weight just above him. He couldn’t wait to be inside her, to feel the way she tightened around him with each thrust he gave her. If she made him wait much longer, he’d go insane. He’d waited long enough.

The desire maddening him was worth the wait in the end. She released the tension in her arms and slid onto him, inch by throbbing inch. Delicious heat sheathed him in the sweetest, slowest motion.

Another moan vibrated in her chest, sending a surge of desire from his gut to his groin. He couldn’t think of a more beautiful sound. No ballad came close. It was the truest love song ever written, and each note called to his heart, his body, his soul.

Buried to the hilt, he pulsed inside of her when she tightened around him and rocked her hips. He curled his fingers over her curves, pushing and pulling her bottom in rhythm with his thrusts. Each time he drove deeper, she wiggled herself against him.

His energy crashed with hers, twisting and twirling until the two became one, just like their bodies. The awkwardness she felt earlier disappeared. She raised her arms, locking her hands behind his neck. He released his hold on her hips and trailed one hand up her side. The goose flesh spreading across her skin brought a smile to his face, as did her labored breaths.

As his hand continued upward, he teased her silky skin, working his way to her hands. He captured her wrists, holding them together. She tried to work them free, gasping when she couldn’t. She moved her hips faster, taking him harder, deeper. He fought to keep his seed from releasing in her depths. He couldn’t give in to his desire yet. Not until she reached climax first. The way her body writhed against his said it wouldn’t be long.

She ached for him. The source of her ache lay nestled between her thighs, begging for release. His fingers itched to touch her, to relieve the ache that had her gripping his length again and again.

He slid his other hand from her hip, trailing it down her leg. When he reached her knee, he curled his fingers underneath and pulled back. Her legs opened further in the process, exposing the part of her he longed to caress.

A soft whimper filled the air when he pressed his fingers against her flesh, paying extra care to the sweet little nub begging for his touch. He wanted to run his tongue over it, suckle it into his mouth until she screamed in pleasure. If she didn’t feel so good riding him maybe he would. Then again, they had the whole weekend. She’d melt under his tongue before it was over.

His current kisses were doing a good job as it was. Each swirl he gave her increased the speed in which she rocked. Her cries grew louder, longer, hotter than the last.

When her head fell against his chest, little spasms pulsed within her warmth. Each one tightened around him, making his eyes close and his breath quicken. He wouldn’t last much longer. He couldn’t. The ache built, coalesced, and consumed all that was him, all that was her.

“I love you,” she whispered. The sweet sound of her voice had him fully erect and fully aware of how hard she clenched his length.

“I love you too.” He whispered the words back, brushing his lips against hers when their eyes met. “Nothing will ever change that.”

He meant every word of it too. Nothing would change his love for her. Not his father, not her Keeper, not this crazy journey ahead of them. He’d love her until he took his last breath.

Focusing on the thought, he caught her lips between his, suckling them until her labored breath turned to panting. Each one beat against his mouth, mixing with his heavy breaths. Her body continued to work above him, but he stilled himself, watching in awe as her profile revealed closed eyes and folded brows.

A few more glides from her, a few more swirls from him, then everything exploded.
She
exploded—around him, atop him, through every inch of him. His name left her lips, over and over, just like the way she clenched his hardness, again and again.

The sensation became too much. He kissed her once more, groaning into her mouth as his last thrust delved deepest. Then he exploded, spilling every ounce of his pleasure inside of her.

They sat there for the longest time, not moving, not speaking, just breathing. Though their breaths were quick and shallow, hers mimicked the pattern of his. He reveled in the thought and held her close.

Once their breathing slowed, he pulled her to the middle of the bed, waiting for her to settle beside him. When she did, he drew her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He wanted to tell her how amazing she was, but the thrum of her energy said it didn’t matter. She was happy, safe, and in his arms. That said more than any words they could have spoken.

As he continued to focus on their bond, a soft, white light illuminated the room. It was her phone. A vibration resonated across the nightstand from its direction. Grunting his displeasure at the sound, he hated the fact that someone decided to interrupt their alone time. More than that, he hated that Heaven pulled away from him and grabbed her phone.

“Who is it?”

His question hung between them as she swiped the screen and began reading the message. The curiosity forming within him grew worse when her energy pulsed with confusion.

“What is he talking about?”

“Who?”

“Layne,” she whispered, turning her eyes back to him. “I thought you said he was okay with us leaving. I thought you said you talked to him.” She flipped her phone around, pushing it toward his face so that he could read the text.

Where are you? I can’t believe you up and left without telling me. Is this because of what I said the other night? About needing space? I thought… Never mind. It doesn’t matter.

Gazing at the space between them, he stroked a circle on the sheet before closing his eyes. This couldn’t be happening right now, not this soon after the love they made. He’d planned to tell her tomorrow, but as usual, Layne wanted to beat him to the punch.

“Yeah, about that…” God, he hated doing this. “I told him we were leaving, but I neglected to say it in person.”

“What do you mean?”

He opened his eyes again, hating the way her lips started to pucker. He knew he’d gone about this the wrong way. Explaining why wouldn’t make a difference when all she wanted was an answer. She deserved an answer, even if it meant she’d be pissed with him.

“I wrote him a note and left it on his door.”

“Why?”

Had he not been staring at her, he wouldn’t have realized she’d spoken. Her voice cracked when she asked the question. It made his cheeks burn hot with guilt, especially knowing his reason behind the whole thing.

“Because,” he whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I knew he wouldn’t let you out of his sight.”

CHAPTER 17

The insistent thump in Layne’s chest reminded him that he still had a heart, even if it felt shattered. He balanced himself on the edge of the couch, staring at the note in his hand. How could something so simple create havoc in his soul, havoc that sent him to his knees an hour after reading it?

Gripping the bottle in front of him, he brought it to his mouth while clenching the paper in his other hand. The sharp scent of aged oak burned his nose. He eyed the black label, grateful to have discovered the Jack Daniels bottle in Nicholas’s liquor cabinet. There was nothing more mind numbing than good ol’ Tennessee whiskey. Hopefully it would numb more than that.

He pressed the opening to his lips, noting the cap lying on the floor, not far from the front door. It rolled to that particular spot not long after he chucked it through the air, bouncing it off the wall. A harsh burn began at the back of his throat as the liquid rushed down in one, big gulp. If he kept this up, he’d pass out in an hour.

The bottle clanked against the coffee table when he slammed it back down. He gazed at the note, rescanning each word his friend had written. He’d recognize Dylan’s handwriting anywhere, though it was hard to make out now. No matter how many times he’d crumpled the paper in anger or threw it onto the floor, he kept picking it back up, reading over it again.

Why had Heaven chosen to go along with this? Yeah, he told her that he needed space for a few days. He didn’t think she’d take it so literally. This reeked of Dylan’s influence. Somehow, he’d convinced her to leave with him, but knowing she did it so easily was like a punch in the gut.

He couldn’t lay all the blame on her, not after their last few conversations. He’d done everything he could to put distance between them, everything to make her think he didn’t care. Would she still have left if she knew how this would affect him? It left a hole, not only in his heart, but in his soul as well. Did she sense his heartache once he’d found the note? He knew she could sense Dylan’s energy when he was away, but she’d never mentioned if she could do the same with him.

The thought made his gut churn. He didn’t want her to know that he felt like this, like he couldn’t breathe, or speak, or feel. Everything numbed except his heart. It beat with pain like he’d never known.

His phone vibrated against the cushion, reminding him of the last text that came in, the one he still hadn’t read. He grabbed it up, jerking it to his chest as he tapped the screen. Heaven’s name appeared at the top, followed by her message.

We’re in Cleveland until Sunday. I thought you knew. I’m sorry…