House of Payne: Steele (17 page)

Creating beauty from the ugliest of traumas was the most beautiful thing—the most
human
thing—they could do.

God, how she loved being human with him.

“I like the feel of you under me, Essie.” His mouth left hers only to speak, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. He rested most of his weight on a forearm, freeing a hand to sweep down her belly to slide into the panties she still wore. “I like it one hell of a lot, but I need to know if you’re doing okay with me like this. Don’t want to have you freak out on me when all I care about is giving you pleasure.”

The sweetest sensation squeezed around her heart until it almost hurt. “I know who you are. You’re the man who moves me so much I can’t help but be glad I’m alive just so I can experience you. You’re the man I invited to be where you are now. You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted.”

“Essie. Baby.” A shiver racked his powerful body, as though she’d somehow managed to shake him all the way to his core. Then his mouth was on hers again, hungry and driving and wet, while his fingers tugged the last of her clothing away.

She squirmed under him in order the help, then trembled as her newly bared skin reacted to the feel of him. Nothing in the world could have prepared her for how good it felt to have his weight pressing her down into the mattress. He smelled and tasted divine, and the hair-rough texture of his legs against her inner thighs alone was enough to melt her brain. Slowly she pulled her knees up until they framed his ribs, luxuriating in the feel of him between her legs. The move tilted her pelvis up to him, and she didn’t hold back in rubbing the juncture of her thighs against his cock.

Her pulse slammed into the stratosphere when he groaned against her mouth.

“You rub my cock like that without even knowing what you’re doing, just imagine how dangerous you’re going to be after a few in-depth lessons.”

“Dangerous? That’s a bit strong, don’t you think?”

“No way, sweetness. You’re going to be the fucking death of me, but I can’t imagine a better way to go.” His mouth was everywhere—her lips, her ear, her neck, her breasts. It was as though he was driven to brand every part of her with his mouth. “Gotta get a condom, baby. Safe sex is always going to be part of our lessons. That’s just how I play it.”

“Okay.” She barely knew what she was agreeing to; she just knew he’d rolled away for half a second and returned with an unopened box of condoms he’d retrieved from the nightstand. “You sure I’m your first houseguest?” She didn’t mind if he had a past filled with women; everyone had a past. What mattered was that he was truthful about it.

“Yep. Got these just for you.” The box was ripped open and a small cascade of foil squares spilled out. He grabbed one, and within moments had the protection in place. “Not only am I a good teacher, but I’m also a damn considerate host. But most of all,” he added, reaching between them to slide his fingers through the wetness that had gathered between her legs, “I’m a fucking genius in the sack. Ready for the next step in your lesson?”

“Yeah-h-h-h.” Her response trailed off into an incoherent moan as lush pleasure bloomed in her bloodstream. It slithered through her with every stroke between her folds, her legs opening wider as if that might somehow deepen the exquisite sensation. Her hips sprang off the bed as a rush of mindless sensation slammed her, and with her head straining hard into the mattress, she was barely aware of the breathless sounds coming out of her, a crazy mix of his name, some curses and maybe even an unknown language. It was insane and wild, and it was a wave she wanted to ride forever.

Her hands reached over her head and fisted on the bedspread beneath her, pulling at it as she pumped her hips into his touch. Expertly he worked her clit, and she ground down harder still, not ashamed to rub herself against his hand as long as she got what she wanted. And what she wanted was the hot pleasure tightening every muscle in her body until it shattered…

Then it did, releasing an insane explosion of dizzying sensation. It ripped her right out of her mind and flung her into a world of sweet madness. She was only vaguely aware of him moving over her, settling himself completely in the cradle of her thighs to fill her with a careful thrust his cock. The slow, smooth invasion was beautiful and strange and so unbearably
right
that she came again, the walls sheathing him spasming to hold onto the earth-shaking sensations that destroyed her concept of what sex was for all time.

She was still riding the tail end of the purest orgasm she was sure she’d ever experience when his face tightened and his short breaths became harsh grunts that sounded almost pained. He raised his torso almost all the way off her body while his hips pumped faster, and he looked down to where they were connected. When she followed his gaze to watch his thick, veined stiffness impale her again and again, the raw lust that engulfed her brought another wave of pleasure just as he grunted so loudly it echoed around the room. Furiously he slammed down all the way to his hilt gain and again, as if he wanted to bury himself inside her forever, before at last he collapsed onto her, his face buried in her neck.

Shimmering eddies of sensation were still echoing through her, keeping her adrift in a kind of post-orgasmic stupor, when his lips moved against her neck. Still planted deep inside her, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled so that she was lying like a ragdoll on top of him, and all she could do was hold on for the ride.

“A triple orgasm for your first time out,” he murmured into her hair, and she thought she heard a smile in his voice. “Most girls should be so lucky. I should probably just go ahead and say
you’re welcome
and get it over with.”

Yep. That was definitely a smile she heard. “This wasn’t my first time out.”

His hand found her hair, and he tugged on it until her face came up to his, and the seriousness in his eyes surprised her. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice a huge fucking difference between me and that piece of shit who hurt you. Or do we have to go through this lesson again?”

“Um…that’s kind of a trick question.” Something unbearably soft and beautiful unfurled in her chest when she realized how important this was to him. The trauma that she’d endured could never be erased, and she knew on a logical level he understood that. But, sweet man that he was, it wouldn’t stop him from trying to take the bad memories from her by replacing them with the most mind-blowing sex the world had ever known. “Thanks to you, I now understand what beautiful, consensual sex is all about. But, here’s the thing… I really, really wanna go through that lesson again.”

His gathering scowl melted into a reluctant smile. “Do you, now? Are you that much of a slow learner?”

“I just want to make sure I have it. And then I’d like to go over it again. And maybe some more, so… do I have to answer, Professor?”

His lazy chuckle charmed her, and with his hand fisting in her hair, he pulled her in for a kiss. “I’ll let this one slide, young lady, but only because you’re now officially Teacher’s Pet.”

Chapter Sixteen

“Okay, I’ll admit it. This is way better than washing my car.”

“You know it.” Steele grinned at Essie’s observation, his concentration split between her and driving slowly down one of the many rows positioned in front of Cascade Drive-In’s huge white movie screen. Many of the drive-in’s parking slots in the center were already occupied, but that didn’t bother him. He wasn’t looking to hang with a crowd. He chose a random spot at the back, then maneuvered his quad cab truck between two speaker posts so that the truck’s payload faced the screen. “Down in Louisiana when I was a kid, you weren’t doing summer right if you didn’t hit a drive-in movie at least once.”

“I find it hard to imagine your father being in favor of movies.”

“Good guess.” He grimaced as he made sure the speakers on either side of the truck were aligned with where he wanted them to be. “I’d never been allowed to see any kind of movie in my life until I was taken in by the Toussard family.” The truck jerked to a full stop, because his entire body flinched at the shock of hearing that name. It had been years since he’d allowed himself to say it out loud. There had been a time when he’d vowed he’d never even think of it again. “We’re here. Let’s get set up.”

“It’s been forever since I’ve been here.” The bubbling happiness in Essie’s voice chased away the last of his unease, and he smiled as he slid out of the truck. “My parents loved to pack us kids up for the drive-in’s opening day, and one of the last dates I had before I was attacked happened here. I can’t remember what the movie was, but I do remember Ritchie Teagle copped a feel through my shirt, which I allowed. Then he tried to cop a feel under my shirt, which I didn’t allow, and that was pretty much the end of my date with Ritchie Teagle.”

“Ritchie must’ve done it wrong.” Steele unlatched the truck’s tailgate, pleased she’d come so far in her healing process that she could talk so easily about the attack that ran through her life like a jagged fault line, forever separating it into the two halves of
before
and
after
. “A guy’s gotta show patience and finesse. Make a lady see that he cares about her before making a grab for the prize.”

She raised a brow while he hopped into the back of the truck. “The prize?”

“Since we’re talking about your first-class rack, I’m tempted to refer to that boomin’ part of your anatomy as the ultimate grand booby prize. But, since you were still just a kid when Ritchie whatever-his-name-was came down with a bad case of the gropes, your girls probably hadn’t yet achieved their epic, anti-gravity, boner-making status that they enjoy today. That’s why I’m simply referring to them as
the prize
.”

“Uh-huh.” In the falling dusk he could see her color heighten as he helped her climb up beside him. “This is such a weird moment. I genuinely don’t know whether to slap the shit out of you or thank you for that comment.”

“What you can do is help me get situated back here.” Smiling, he moved a bunch of pillows they’d gathered from his place around until the truck’s bed was completely covered. “Movie’s going to start as soon as it’s dark, and I want to be settled with you in my arms by the time the first preview rolls.”

He watched her face soften in a way that made every muscle in his body tighten. “You got it, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart.

Shit. He hadn’t been called anything like that in so fucking long. Too long. That had to be the reason why it rang through him deeply it stole the air right out of his lungs.

Had to be.

Ten minutes later, with barely a hint of purple in the western sky, they were stretched out on the comforter-topped bed of pillows, speakers hanging over either side of the truck, popcorn and sodas at the ready. More blankets that hadn’t been used along with a pile of throw pillows propped his head and shoulders up, and he pulled Essie close so she could rest her head against him. Despite the warm summer evening he couldn’t help but drink in the heat of her as she curled against his side.

Sometimes glimpses of heaven could be achieved on earth.

“I don’t even know what we’re here to see.” With her cheek against his chest, she reached into the big bucket of still-warm popcorn, and lifted a kernel to his lips. “What’s the name of the movie?”

“Don’t know.” He took the popped kernel in, savoring the gesture as much as the crispy morsel of salted, buttery goodness. “My goal was to give my student a break in between classes while still staying close, so I didn’t pay much attention. I think it’s some kind of action flick.”

“Mm.” Her sound of amusement moved through him like a physical caress. Then she shifted so that her chin rested on the hand she had on his chest, and smiled into his eyes. “You need to know something about me, Professor.”

That nickname twisted him inside-out in the best possible way. “What, Pet?”

“Your student likes her studies and wouldn’t mind working through the night.”

“Sweetness.” He sucked in a tight breath while that statement went about destroying him from the inside out. “I’ve got a boatload of lessons planned for you, never doubt it. But I’m not about to rush your education. The twisted-up things life taught you before I came along can’t be undone with just one energetic session in the sack, no matter how amazing it was. So for now, this break can be looked at as a lesson in closeness. I want you to enjoy being close without me being inside you and making you scream my name.”

Even through the deepening dark he could see the color tinting her face. “I don’t recall
screaming
your name.”

“It’ll happen. Trust me on this.”

“There’s that swagger again.”

“I gave you a triple orgasm, baby. I’m entitled to swagger.” Sifting his fingers through her hair, he brought her brow to his lips moments before light splashed across the outdoor screen. “Movie’s coming on. Got any more popcorn for your Professor?”

She stretched for the popcorn bucket, then flattened her breasts against his chest as she returned to feed him. “Because you’re such a dedicated teacher, your Pet has decided you can have as much popcorn as you want.”

His skin tightened and heated all at the same time as she fed him. Then he grabbed the bucket up and returned the favor, slipping little morsels in between those soft, plump lips he couldn’t get enough of, oblivious to whatever was happening onscreen. From that moment on, the scent of popcorn was destined to give him a raging hard-on, he just knew it, but that was something he was happy to live with.

Did she have any idea what a miracle she was? If not a miracle, then she definitely defied the odds. He’d seen the police photos of what had been done to her years earlier. The shadow of that level of torture—especially during those delicate formative teen years—didn’t just go away. So many things could have crushed her as a result—a psychotic break. Drug dependency. Alcoholism. Self-abusive behavior. Suicide.

None of that would have surprised him. He knew all too well how some wounds never closed completely; the hurt went too deep for the healing. But somehow Essie had done it. She’d managed to avoid the dangerous pitfalls to come out the other side of that hell. It took a titanium-like strength of spirit to overcome all that, and she did it because she was determined to find a way to live her life and be happy.

Because Essie didn’t give up. She never did.

Not when she should have died.

Not during the years of painful recovery.

Not ever.

If he’d come home to Essie four years earlier, with no recognizable face and looking like a goddamn horror show, would she have given up on him like Apolline?

Steele slammed the door on that unexpected thought so hard his body jolted, bringing her attention snapping around to him when she’d been watching the movie’s opening action scene.

“You okay?”

“Bit my tongue.” It was a lame-ass lie, but it was the best he could do.

She made a sound of sympathy and stretched up to kiss him. Her gentleness and sweet smile punched him in the gut and left in its wake a sweet, sweet ache. “Don’t abuse that thing. I have plans for it later.” With that, she settled back down and returned her attention to the movie.

Steele didn’t even try to do the same. Conflicting thoughts crowded his head, bumping up against the arousing sensation of Essie curled up on him like he was her favorite teddy bear. She felt so fucking good he couldn’t remember what it was to feel anything else, and that sent up a red flag. To forget one’s past was to be doomed to repeat it. Since he sure as hell hadn’t enjoyed that trip the first time around, he wasn’t about to invite a second act. Not while part of him was still locked up in the first.

He needed to get control of himself.

He needed to get control of her.

He needed…

Her
.

Darkness had fallen completely when he reached down to unhook first one suspender of her overalls, then the other. Her head came up off his chest, allowing the bib to fall open.

“Hey—”

“Lesson three is all about learning how to control your responses, including your pleasure and… your volume.”

“Are you
insane
, Steele? We’re in public.” Her voice was hushed with shock as he stroked his hands lingeringly along her sides, down to where the denim stopped him low at her hips. If he’d heard only shock in her voice, he might have stopped then and there. But that wasn’t all he heard. Breathless excitement was building in her, and it was an excitement they shared.

That was all the encouragement he needed.

“We’re far enough away from all the other cars, and we’re at the back so we’re not in the line of sight of anyone.” Through the thin fabric of her yellow tank top, he cupped the rounded flesh of her breast and squeezed gently, his forefinger and thumb rolling her nipple until it was pebble-hard. She bit her lower lip even as a low moan hummed out of her. “Sex in public should probably be a more advanced lesson but you, but when opportunity knocks, sometimes you just gotta say what the fuck and go for it.”

“This is crazy.” Her body belied her words as she arched into his touch. “Sex in public… oh my God, so utterly crazy.”

“And exciting. Anyone could see us, Essie. Maybe even get off on seeing us. Admit it—that’s one hell of a hot turn-on.” His cock swelled and throbbed at the thought, straining against the confines of his clothes until it was a near-pain to bear, but he loved it. He rubbed the increasing hardness against her to make it throb even more, and he broke out in a fine sweat as edgy pleasure poured into his system. “Oh… yeah. Yeah, yeah,
yeah
. We’re going to fuck each other hard, Pet. Right here. Right now. And it’s gonna be so fucking fantastic you’ll never want to have sex behind closed doors again.”

“We
can’t
.” But again, her body betrayed her because she didn’t pull away. On the contrary, the hand she had on his chest slid down his abdomen, over his pelvis and came to a rest on his bulging zipper to give it an experimental squeeze. He groaned and thrust into her to let her know her experiment was a raging success. “Oh God, Steele. Anyone ever tell you you’re crazy?”

“Never.” He couldn’t stop his hips from humping her goddamn hand. If she didn’t stop squeezing him, he’d come right there in his pants. “I’m told I’m just the opposite.”

“Then no one knows the real you. Not like I do.” With that, she dropped her mouth to his.

Her kiss was hungry, demanding that he match her fire with fire, and he was more than up for that task. But as he did so, her words tumbled through his mind. She knew a different side to him that no one else did. To the rest of the world he was careful, quiet. Methodical. He never rushed. He never took risks. In his line of work, that kind of shoddy behavior got people killed.

But with Essie, he was free. He could show her anything, do anything, and he knew she’d take it all in without judgment. She accepted everything that he was, and he trusted her to do that.

He
trusted
her.

The tone of the hunger inside him changed. Deepened. Every sense sharpened until it was almost painful, yet he pushed for more. He dived his tongue into her mouth again and again, driving to get so tangled in her that they could never be fully separated. Wild, desperate lust surged as he shoved the denim down her hips so he could fill his hands with the lushness of her ass. The need to be inside her grew from a growl to a roar, to a frenzied hurricane that he never even thought about controlling. And when she pulled her mouth from his, it was as jarring at the universe tearing in two.

“Steele.” Her whisper speared through the fog of desire blanketing his brain. “Do you really want the whole drive-in to see my ass?”

“No.” That was
his
ass. No one else got to see that piece of heaven but
him
. Reaching behind him, he dragged one of the unused blankets from the pile and spread it over the both of them. “There. No one can see you but me.” To drive that point home, he pushed her overalls and panties further down her legs, and gave her room so she could kick them off. As she did so, he dug around for his wallet and the condom he’d tucked inside. After plowing through the fastenings of his jeans, he freed his poker-hard cock from the prison of his clothes with a hiss of raw relief before rolling the protection in place.