Dalakis Passion 3 - Stefan's Salvation (18 page)

clamped over her hips like a vise keeping her from moving, so she sat there, suspended
in erotic agony, her inner muscles contracting around his hard length. She was so close
to coming again she could barely believe it.
All her senses seemed more alive. She could hear the swish of the leaves in the
breeze, the hoot of a night owl in the tree next to them and the crack of a twig in the
distance as a small nocturnal animal foraged for food. She felt branded by the heat from
Stefan's hands where they gripped her. The rasp of his jeans as the fabric brushed
against her inner thighs like a tender caress. His breath touched her neck just before his
mouth did and she could feel the strands of his long, thick hair as it fanned against her
skin.
"You are mine." His voice was harsh but his grip gentle as he pushed off with his
feet and sent the swing into motion. When the swing surged forward, he pulled her
hips toward him, thrusting hard inside her. When it swung back, he eased his cock out
until just the head was still within her and as the swing moved forward again, he
slammed himself back into her pussy.
Laurel Rose cried out when the swing began to move. She was torn between the
fear that she would fall and the incredible sensation of having Stefan filling her. The
pleasure was overwhelming as each arc of the swing sent him plunging deep. Gripping
his arms with her fingers, she held on and enjoyed the ride. Stefan would not let her
fall. Her trust in him was absolute.
His thrusts grew harder and harder. A low keening sound broke from her throat
when his cock slammed inside her one final time. Her whole body convulsed as she felt
his cock jerk and the warmth of his cum spilling into her.
One of his arms banded around her back, gripping her braid in his hand and
tugging her head toward him. She knew what was coming and offered no resistance.
Tipping her head to the side, she offered her neck to him.
A low, harsh growl filled her ear as his rough tongue swiped at her neck. Her body
jerked involuntarily when his fangs sank into her skin and he began to suck. Her pussy
spasmed again as he drank from her body.
This time she savored every single sensation. It was the most erotic thing she'd ever
experienced. With his cock still pulsing deep within her and his mouth sucking
convulsively at her neck, she felt incredibly aroused and alive. She undulated her hips
and licked at her own lips, almost tasting the blood there. A creature of sensual desire,
there was no resistance in her. All that existed was a deep, abiding need to satisfy her
lover and give him everything he wanted.
Groaning, Stefan withdrew his fangs and licked the small wound with his tongue.
Using his hold on her hair, he tipped her head back further until she was looking up at
him. His eyes glowed, a combination of their normal vibrant green and a brilliant red.
His fangs flashed in the moonlight as he lowered his mouth toward her.
She parted her lips as she arched upward to meet him. She felt his fangs recede as
his tongue swept inside her mouth, bringing with it the slightly metallic taste of blood.
Her blood.
She should have been repulsed or disgusted. But it was desire, which had never
quite abated, that surged to life once again. She'd already come three times and she
wanted him again. Their tongues and mouths mated in an erotic dance of thrust and
retreat. She reached up and gripped his hair when he started to pull away from her,
wanting to stay this way forever.
He nipped at her lip with his teeth, sucking it into her mouth, stroking it with his
tongue before finally pulling back from her. She could feel his cock swelling inside her
again, pulsing against the walls of her vagina. "Again," she whispered. "I want you
again."
Stefan lifted her from his lap, surged to his feet and swung her up into his arms in
one motion. "Good." He uttered the single word as he strode across the yard. Clutching
at his shoulders, she curled her fingers into the thick muscles that rippled as he shifted
her higher in his arms. It was only then that she became aware that he was still wearing
his jeans and boots.
He took the stairs in one leap and shouldered his way through the back door.
"Because I'm going to fuck you all night long." His boots were heavy on the stairs as he
carried her up to her bedroom.
His words made her toes curl. Heat suffused every part of her body. And when he
laid her on the bed, she opened her arms and welcomed him.
Chapter Eighteen
Laurel Rose sat in the comfortable chair on the back porch, bathed in the glow of
the lights from the kitchen, and shucked peas as she watched Stefan work. The steady
rhythm of the familiar chore relaxed her. After their explosive night of lovemaking in
the yard, they'd fallen into a strange routine of sorts.
Stefan had disappeared before dawn the next morning, only to reappear at dusk.
This time, he'd driven up the dirt road leading to her home. She'd been more than
impressed with his big, black truck when he'd shown it to her, explaining how he'd had
it customized to suit his needs. He'd parked it in a shady spot in the woods just behind
her home and it was there that he retired every morning before the sun rose.
She'd been tempted, more than tempted really, to take a peek at him as he slept
during the day. But he'd warned her that he would appear as if he were dead, and
although she accepted what he was, she wasn't quite sure she was ready to see that just
yet. That night, she planned to ask him if there was some way to fix her room, maybe
with shutters or heavy drapes, so that he could stay there with her. She didn't know
how he'd react to such a suggestion, but she at least wanted to make the offer.
He appeared as soon as the sun had set, heading straight to her bathroom to shower
and change his clothing. Then he'd start another chore around her home. So far, he'd
mended fences, helped her paint her porch and tonight was chopping and stacking
wood for her to use over the winter. The steady chop of the axe filled the air as he split
the logs with just one stroke. His strength continued to astound her, but she would
readily admit that she loved watching him work without his shirt on.
He'd surprised her a few nights ago when he'd showed up wearing a pair of faded
blue jeans and a white T-shirt that stretched across his impossibly wide shoulders. After
seeing him in nothing but black, it had been startling to say the least. First she'd stared.
Then she'd laughed. He'd cocked an eyebrow at her and one corner of his mouth had
kicked up as he watched her. When she finally stopped laughing, she'd teasingly asked
him if he wasn't breaking some kind of sacred vampire rule by not wearing black.
He'd stared at her for a moment and then he laughed too. It was more of a rough
bark than a laugh, but it pleased her. He'd looked almost as surprised as she by the
unexpected sound and she knew then that it had been a long time since he'd shared a
laugh with anyone.
It had felt strangely intimate to work alongside Stefan in the evenings. As if by
some unspoken agreement, neither of them had broached the subject of the future or of
the many problems facing them. It was as if they'd both decided to just spend time
together, getting to know each other better before dealing with reality. It was a time out
of time and one that she had been enjoying it to the fullest. She'd been alone for so long
that she'd forgotten what it felt like to have someone else in the house with her. And
not just anyone, but a strong, handsome man. Just being around him made her very
aware of herself as a woman.
Every night, Stefan made love to her slowly and at length, his great strength always
tempered by incredible gentleness. Laurel Rose sensed that he was holding himself
back, trying not to push her or frighten her in any way. That was fine for a couple of
nights, but she didn't like the fact that he felt he had to be in constant control.
She did enjoy the way that Stefan would curl up behind her after they made love,
tucking her back against his chest and holding her securely in his arms as they talked.
She found great pleasure in listening to his deep, rumbling voice as he told her stories
about his brothers and their wives, sensing the genuine love and affection he had for his
family.
She'd shared more of her life with him than she had with any other person. Ever. At
first, she hadn't wanted to talk about herself, but Stefan was persistent and seemed
genuinely interested. He'd laughed at the stories of her childhood that were filled with
adventure and fun. She'd told him all about her grandpa and how he'd taught her how
to hunt and fish and how he'd encouraged her to accept her psychic gifts.
Stefan's arms had tightened around her when she'd shared her pain over her
grandpa's death and how her mother--a quiet, weak woman--had quickly remarried,
needing a man around the house. Silas Warner had been a cruel man who'd hid his true
colors until after the wedding. Her stepfather had assumed he'd own the land once he
married her mother. But her grandpa had not been a fool. His will had left everything in
trust to Laurel Rose and Silas couldn't touch it.
Enraged, Silas had turned vicious. It was after their last visit to the lawyer's office,
when Silas had finally accepted he'd never have a penny from the McCaffey land, that
he'd lashed out. Practically foaming at the mouth, he'd screamed obscenities at her and
her mother. Laurel Rose shivered just remembering the venom he'd spewed. It hadn't
helped that he'd had a few drinks before they'd left town.
Driving at breakneck speed, he'd been cursing her mother when the deer had
jumped into the middle of the road. Laurel Rose had screamed at him to slow down.
Silas swerved, but it was too late. Clipping the deer, he'd driven the truck off the road
and over the side of a cliff. Laurel Rose had been the only one wearing a seatbelt. Her
leg had been shattered, but she'd survived long enough for a passerby to notice the
wounded deer lying by the side of the road and the skid marks going over the side. Her
mother and Silas had not been as lucky. Both had been thrown from the truck, dying
instantly.
Laurel Rose had marked her eighteenth birthday in the hospital and when she'd
finally been released, she'd headed back home. Alone. She'd lived there by herself ever
since.
"Everything all right?" Stefan's voice, low and filled with concern, startled her back
to the present. She hadn't realized that he'd come to stand next to her while she'd been
lost in the memories of the past. Shaking off her melancholy memories, she put aside
the bowl of peas and stood.
"I'm fine."
"You sure?" He continued to study her intently, his green eyes practically peering
into her soul.
Reaching out, she stroked the side of his face, loving the slightly rough feel of his
skin against her palm. "I'm sure."
He gave her one last, long look before leaning down and dropping a quick kiss on
her lips, then heading back to the woodpile. His jeans were well-worn and cupped his
ass perfectly. Laurel Rose paused to admire the view before carrying the bowl of peas
inside and placing it on the counter.
Wandering back outside, she leaned against the porch railing and watched Stefan
work. With each stroke of the axe, the muscles in his back and arms rippled. Sighing,
she pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. She could stand here and watch him
work all night long, except it was almost too dark to work for much longer--at least for
her--and the light from the house was not strong enough to penetrate the gloom. It
wasn't quite pitch black yet, but it would be within a matter of minutes. Laurel Rose
was contemplating turning on the porch lights when she heard the rumbling sound of a
vehicle coming up the dirt road to her house.
The sound of chopping ceased, but she kept her eyes on the road. She forced herself
to relax, but it was hard. She glanced over at the rifle that was propped up next to the
chair she'd just vacated, but she made no move to get it. Whoever was coming to visit
certainly wasn't trying to sneak up on her, but she was wary nonetheless. But this time
she wasn't alone. Stefan was with her, out there in the yard concealed by the darkness,
and that made her feel safe.
She relaxed slightly when a new luxury sedan turned the corner and drove into the
yard. Must be some lost tourist. She'd just started down the porch steps when both
front doors opened. She recognized Cyril Jenkins immediately as he climbed out of the
passenger side, but she didn't know the other man at all.
"Evening, Laurel Rose." Cyril waved as he called out his hearty greeting.
"Evening, Cyril. What brings you out my way?" She had to admit she was curious.
The mayor had never paid her a personal visit before.
"I was just showing Mr. Webster around the area and thought I'd introduce you."
Good manners forced her to walk forward to welcome the two men who were now
standing in front of the car. The other man offered his hand in greeting. "Richard
Webster, ma'am. Pleased to meet you." His suit looked expensive and that, along with
the fancy car, immediately marked him as a visitor and not a local.
Laurel Rose shook his hand, eyeing him questioningly. "Good to meet you, Mr.
Webster, but I still don't understand why you're here."
"Please call me, Richard." He glanced over at Cyril, but the mayor was looking
down at his shoes. "I represent RW Hotels, and as you probably already know, we're
planning on building a resort and spa in the area. I understood that you might be
interested in selling some of your land."
Laurel Rose stiffened immediately, withdrew her hand and crossed her arms over
her chest. "You heard wrong, Mr. Webster. I have absolutely no plans to sell my land."
She glared at Cyril.
Mr. Webster looked confused. "I'm terribly sorry, Ms. McCaffey, but I was under
the impression that you were reconsidering selling."
"Now, Laurel Rose," Cyril interrupted before she could speak. "I know you've been
having all kinds of trouble lately. You know it's not safe for a woman to be out here all
alone, especially since you've got a handicap and all." Laurel Rose almost choked at the
false sincerity in his voice. "It might not hurt to listen to what Mr. Webster has to say.