Idolize (Dark Storm Book 1) (11 page)

He wrote:
To Tommy, the brave, Declan Reed
.

Sasha put the cookies on a plate and Tommy’s interest went elsewhere.

“Audrey and I are going to look after Tommy today, so you two can go off and have some lunch. Now go, get out of here, get yourselves sorted.”

At that moment, Cassi wanted to hug both of these women so much. She grabbed her purse and gave Tommy a kiss that involved chocolate chip cookie being smudged on her face. Declan followed her out of the house. His hood was again in place, pulled down over his face as he walked to the car.

As they drove off, she decided everything was going to be different from now on. No more secrets. If he asked, she would tell him everything and take the consequences. She’d dealt with crap before and if it was all going to go wrong now, she would cope again.

Declan took her hand in his and squeezed it. When she looked at him, he smiled, and even though he was twenty-six, she felt like it was a boyish grin. He then put his hand back on the wheel and studied the road ahead.

“You’re not angry with Sasha because she called me, are you? I know your privacy is important, but I felt like I wanted to help and couldn’t do anything.” He stared ahead.

“No, I’m not angry. It was wonderful to see you at the door, but I suppose this changes everything a bit.” She bit her bottom lip, not knowing what to say next.

“I was going to go to the beach house again if you want.”

“I’d love that.”

Declan chatted about the show as they drove, but she knew they needed to talk, even though she would have preferred to just rip his clothes off and jump him. They pulled into the driveway at his brother’s beach house and she followed him indoors.

“I’ll make us a drink.”

He busied himself in the kitchen as she sat down on the sofa and stared out at the ocean. He came back, put down the coffee, and sat next to her. He leaned across and gave her a kiss. Just a gentle one, and then he moved away.

“I want to strip you naked and delve into you right this minute. I never stop thinking about you and your body, but I guess we need to talk,” Declan said, in a low voice that sent her over the edge as she imagined what he was suggesting.

She twisted her hands around each other. He reached across and took her right hand in his.

“It’ll be fine, Cassi. You can just tell me what you want. I truly don’t believe there is anything you can say that will change how I feel.”

Cassi’s stomach was turning over as her mouth went suddenly dry, but she would get this over and done. This was all lovely, but she didn’t know how he really felt. If she said she was falling for him, would he run?

“My parents are very religious. I mean really full-on, sitting down praying all the time, and lots of reading from the Bible. I never did anything bad at school. Didn’t have a boyfriend and did what they said. I wasn’t even allowed to go to prom, as they thought it was where bad things happen. Which was code for girls losing their virginity. That was something to be kept for wedding nights, and then only when you wanted a child after that. I don’t think they realized most of the girls already popped their cherries long before prom.”

Cassi picked up her coffee and took a sip before she went on.

“I went to college to study business and was enjoying it. I also went a bit crazy being free for the first time in my life. I got drunk, smoked weed, and there was, of course, lots of sex. Some of it good, and some not so great. I was in my second year when I met Steve. He was an artist, outrageous, and so different to anyone I’d ever met before.”

She thought back to the first day she saw Steve, and remembered how her heart almost flipped when he noticed her. No one paid her attention at school or college. Now it seemed like a dream.

“Things were good to begin with, and his art was doing well. It didn’t last and he got involved with heavy drugs and everything went wrong. He owed people money and started to get violent. I wanted to leave, but found out I was pregnant. My parents disowned me, said it was my own fault. I would’ve been on the streets. So in the end, I gave up my study and had Tommy.”

She wasn’t sure she wanted to go on, but she had come this far.

“You don’t have to say anymore if you don’t want to.”

She could see the concern in his eyes and she cared for him even more because of it.

“I want to. He started to take crack as well as the heroin, and things spiraled out of control. One night he came home and I said was I worried about him. He beat me up. I remember waking up on the floor, bruised and battered, with Tommy in his crib, crying. I didn’t know how long I’d been out, but knew I needed to leave. I tried Mom and Dad again, but they said no. I called Sasha. She said to come and live with her. I had enough money for the bus fare and sat there with Tommy on my lap, plus the clothes on our backs. It was all we had in the world.”

Declan took her hand in his and squeezed it. “I wish I could have been there for you. So do you know where Steve is now?”

Cassi shook her head.

“I don’t even know if he’s still alive. He used to threaten he would come after me if I took Tommy. He said he would never hurt Tommy, but sometimes he was so out of it, he’d nearly burn the place down. I called the cops a couple of times, but it just made it worse. I wanted to leave, but felt trapped.” She found her breath was shallow and fast as she remembered.

“You did what you needed to do to survive. Tommy seems a great kid.”

“So there you have it. I was scared to be with you in case he found us.”

“I want to be in your life, and I don’t care if it means I have to take on your son as well. I suggest you let me try and find out if Steve is still alive. If he is, I think you should move in with me.”

Cassi didn’t think she could open her eyes any wider as her mouth hung open. Not only was he accepting Tommy, but he wanted them to live together. She adored him, but this was happening too fast.

“You look shocked at my suggestion. I’d like you in my bed if you moved in, but if you wanted your own space, that would be fine, too. The place has six bedrooms, so Sasha could come as well.”

“You hardly know me. Why are you doing this?”

“I know about your past and about Tommy. We know we’re compatible in the sack. I can’t stop thinking about you, so it makes sense. If you move in and think it’s a big mistake, I’ll buy you somewhere else to live. I’d just really like to wake up each day with you next to me. Will you at least think about it?”

It was surreal that he was offering so much help. Could the universe really be that kind to her?

“I’ll think about it and talk with Sasha. I really like you, but I don’t like bringing men into my life who may not be around in the long run. I don’t think it’s good for Tommy to get to like someone and then watch him disappear. I know that sounds rough but…”

“No buts. I don’t plan on going anywhere, but I can understand your caution. I’m patient and we can keep meeting like this until you feel happy with the next step. In the meantime, I was wondering if you’d like a bath and a massage. After that, I’m going to have to screw you until you scream.”

Her body was already heating up at the idea of getting naked with him.

“That sounds wonderful. After the past week, I’m ready to be pampered, spoiled and pleasured a little.”

“Who said a little? I want to fuck you ’til your legs go weak. Sit here for two minutes and I’ll be back.”

He went off to run the bath and Cassi stared out at the ocean. Could she really have a happy ending and a safe life with someone like Declan? Did things like that happen to girls who ended up on the wrong side of the tracks? At this moment, she was just going to think about the wonderful bath and great sex she was offered. Declan came back out, already topless. His body was beautiful and she wanted to run her fingers over the taut muscles of his chest and abdomen.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’m not going to bother with the bath and take you on the floor right here.”

“I don’t know what you mean. I could be tempted by the floor, but I want that massage you promised.”

He put out his hand and pulled her up from the sofa so she came up against his chest.

“I love the feel of your skin beneath my hands.”

Declan bent his head, kissing her lips, and pushing his tongue into the interior of her mouth, searching every corner as before. She couldn’t get enough of him. When they finally came apart, she was breathless. He took her hand in his and guided her to the bathroom. She couldn’t stop the tears that came to her eyes as she saw the candles and rose petals. The fragrance of roses filled the air from the bubble bath. She turned to look at him as he went to undo the buttons on her blouse, but stopped.

“You’re crying. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just no one has done anything like this for me before, and now some famous guy is doing it. It just all seems so unreal, I feel like I’m going to wake up and be so sad this was just a dream.”

“I’m in a show on TV, but I’m just a guy from Aus who’s mad about a girl who came to his rescue when hiking. This is just us for a few hours.”

He was right and she would enjoy it and worry about the future later.

“Now I was about to undo these buttons until someone interrupted me.”

He pushed her blouse off and kissed her shoulder. She could feel her nipples harden and she wanted out of her bra so he could touch them. He kneeled down on the floor before her and unzipped her jeans. As he pushed them over her hips, he kissed from her navel to her waist, sending little tickles through her body. She gazed down at him and saw him wink as he pulled her jeans and panties off. He stood up, reached behind her back, and undid her bra as he nibbled below her ear, which made her body feel like melted butter, so good, but bad. He stood back and glanced down her body.

“From your expression, I get that you have no idea how fucking sexy you are. It’s like you’re waiting for me to arouse the next spot, and when I do and hear the little sounds you make, I get so turned on.”

She didn’t say anything because if she did, it would be ‘I love you’, and that might spoil everything. Dear God, had she just thought that? She wasn’t just falling. She was in love with him. Cassi didn’t want him to look at her now or he would see it on her face.

Declan scooped her up and lowered her into the water. It took only a moment before her body relaxed with the heat. He shucked off his boots, his clothes were gone, and he slipped in behind her. She lay back against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his body. He pulled her hair aside and bent down to kiss her neck, twirling little circles with his tongue that made her body tingle. When he stopped, her body still wanted more.

“Sit forward.”

She did as she was told. In fact, she was happy to do whatever he wanted. His strong hands started to massage her shoulders, and though it was painful at first, the tension in the muscles slowly released. He never said a word, but methodically made his way down her back, finding the knots and working on them until she felt languid and lazy.

“Lean back,” he whispered.

She did and decided now was a good time to tell him her news. “There’s something else I wanted to tell you. I’m on the pill now. I want you to know I haven’t been with anyone else but you since we met. Now you know about Steve and his drug use, I made sure I was thoroughly checked out and I’m clean. If you still want to use protection, I understand.”

“I haven’t been with anyone else either, since that night in the cabin. I’m clean too, and I trust you.”

It wasn’t two people saying “I love you”, but it was getting closer to commitment. She could feel his erection pressing into her back and it only heightened her thoughts about what was to come. Declan’s hands came around and caressed her breasts, and her nipples ached with need for him. His hands cupped her soft flesh as he ran his thumbs across her taut nipples, sending a shooting sensation straight to her pussy.

“Do you know you have the best nipples I’ve ever seen? So big and hard. All I ever want to do is suck and bite them, and hear you make those sounds that mean I’m giving you pleasure. I want to be the only man touching you like this.” He rolled her nipples between his fingers and she considered she would never tire of him touching her.

“I don’t want anyone else either. I just want this moment right now.”

His right hand slid down over her abdomen and between her legs as his finger on his left hand continued to run little circles around her nipple. Then he tweaked it again. She brought her knees up and let her legs fall apart so he could touch her more easily. He slowly moved his fingers up and down over her folds that already felt swollen with need for him. She groaned as his finger found her opening and slipped inside. Then he added another finger and moved back and forth. His other hand came down and his fingers made tiny circles and flicks on her clit, getting faster and faster.

Cassi gripped the edges of the bath as she rocked and pushed back against him. Her whole world revolved around what he was doing with her pussy. The throbbing building as he fucked her with his fingers.

“Come for me, Cassi. Make the sound that makes me go wild for you.”

The shuddering rolled over her as her body shivered with her orgasm. He didn’t remove his fingers and she could sense her body gripping onto them as she pulsed.