Racing to Love: Eli's Honor (30 page)

Keeping her captive between his arms, he used his mouth to nudge and direct her where he wanted. Pressing kisses along her jaw until she let her head fall to the side giving him the access he seemingly demanded. On her bare neck, she felt the tip of his tongue lightly trace circles and then his cursive
E
.

He was marking her once again and this time she reveled in it.

“Eli…”

Even in her own ears, his name sounded like a breathless plea for more.

She couldn’t believe how much she’d changed in a matter of days because of one simple question. When he’d asked her to marry him, it was as if a whole new world opened up. Finally, she began feeling things both physically and emotionally that she’d shut herself off to years before. In Eli’s arms, it was as if she couldn’t get enough of the man, couldn’t touch him enough, couldn’t kiss him enough.

Eli pressed his lips against the hollow of her neck and pulled back. “Don’t move.”

His face held all sorts of wicked secrets that made her stomach clench. It was the predatory wink he gave her that froze her movement and left her wide-eyed. Pulling the bottle from her hand, he turned and strode out of the kitchen like a man on a mission. Honor’s breath came out with a whoosh, and she put a palm over her neck to feel the speed of her pulse. Not trusting her legs, her other hand dropped, gripping the granite countertop at her back.

Her eyes drifted shut. As she waited for him to return, she slid her fingertips lower, to the brand he placed with the tip of his tongue. Yes, he’d left her standing in the dimly lit kitchen so horny she was about to self-combust, but it was the
E
on her neck that had her heart swelling. Burned into her permanently, his mouth on her skin, hotter than any flame could ever be.

“You moved, sweetheart.”

His voice was low and sinful. Her eyes flew back open in response. The cocky smirk across his mouth had her wanting to banter back and stay silent at the same time. Honor knew that no matter what, Eli would never hurt her. She could trust him with her whole heart and soul as well as her body. But there were pieces and instances with Eli, gestures and words that threw her back to that place in time when she had been innocent. That time, when as a virgin, everything was scary and exciting, thrilling, dangerous and exhilarating.

She recognized her robe in his hand, along with two towels. Smiling, she let him pull her along behind him, out the kitchen and into the dark of night. The glow from the kitchen windows lit their path. The sunken hot tub was tucked in a dark corner of the deck, and
Dallas was fast asleep downstairs. Privacy was all theirs.

Standing before him, Honor couldn’t form words as he dropped the things from his hand and quietly proceeded to undress her. The man exuded confidence and strength, and her nerves intensified his every touch, leaving her feeling the pricks of electricity of his touch long after he’d moved on.

Swallowing hard, she fought to keep her hands from covering herself, unused to a man looking at her like he wanted to devour her. Honor concentrated on her breathing as he ran his fingertips lightly over her skin. The automatic breath she pulled in when he gently caressed her breasts was swallowed up by his kiss.

Instantly, anxiety was an after-thought. She wanted only one thing…and that was him.

Honor stood on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck as his tongue memorized every bit of her mouth, lips, jaw, and neck. He wedged his hands between them, kneading her gently while brushing his thumbs over her nipples. A soft breeze fluttered through the air and sent a wave of shivers across her skin.

“Let’s get you in the warm water.”

The cool air wasn’t the cause, but he didn’t know that. After helping her into the hot water, he turned toward the buttons on the wall while yanking his shirt off over his head on the way. And there it was again.

That tattoo.

The one that secretly haunted her. It drove her mad and crazy with need—a need to know what it was about, but more—the need to touch it, and for some crazy reason, the need to kiss it.

He turned the jets on low and bubbles started to churn around her. Watching every move he made, Honor sank down lower into the warm heavenly feeling and waited for him to finish undressing. She automatically licked her lips as his jeans and boxers hit the deck.

His muscles flexed and tightened as he lowered himself into the water. She noticed he was already hard when he seated himself on one of the built-in benches. Then he held out his hand for her to come closer, but she misunderstood his gesture.

“No, sweetheart…come here.”

Instead of settling her in beside him, he easily moved her through the churning water to straddle him with her knees bent and resting on either side of his thighs. Once again, her eyes widened in shock, but only for a brief second. His palms on her hips centered her, slowly guiding her down over him. His jaw tensed and she could tell he was barely holding on to his control.

Bending toward her, he licked a drop of water from one nipple with lowered lids. When he looked up, his need was reflected in his heavy lidded eyes, and then he moved to her other breast, sucking the pebbled tip into his mouth. As he drew back, his teeth nipped at the sensitive skin and fire shot through her. Several pulses deep inside her clenched around him.

He pulled in a deep breath through his tight lips. “God, I love you, sweetheart. You’re my everything, I hope you know that.”

Words were bouncing around in her head, but making them coherent was damned near impossible. She nodded her reply, and took his face in her palms, kissing him with all the built-up passion from the last two months. Urgency pushed sweetness aside as her tongue dueled with his. Cold water that extinguished the carnal need the night they made love for the first time, evaporated in the fire that was now roaring between them.

The faster and harder she kissed, the more rapidly he slid her along the length of him. His hands remained on her hips, powerfully using more and more force against the water. His fingertips dug into her. Swallowing groans coming from deep inside him, they mixed with the ones coming from her own throat.

All space and time was forgotten. They were secluded in their own little world. The dark sky twinkled with only the light from the stars above and a sliver of the moon. The leaves rustling and a stray owl were the only noises around, except for the water sloshing in the tub and the hard breathing between the begging and promises they made to each other.

Eli moved just right and hit the spot that sent flashes of color bursting behind her tightly shut eyes. She was barely conscious of the high-pitched moan that escaped from her, and Eli moved even faster. Water spilled over the side of the hot tub and out onto the deck before he stilled, pressing her hips down tightly against him. Honor pulled back from his lips, as both of them gasped for the night air. Sagging against his bare chest, she lay listening to his heart pound. The water danced over her shoulders as she sat, still connected to the man she loved.

He traced patterns up and down her back under the water for what felt like forever. Finally after her heart slowed back to normal speed, Honor sat up with a gentle smile and gazed at the man whose hazel eyes sparkled back at her.

“I love you, Eli.”

“Sweetheart…I love you too. More than life itself.”

Her shoulder came up, and tipping her head with a bashful grin, she finally admitted a truth to him. “I love your tattoo.”

The sinful smile was bad enough, but the man had the audacity to wiggle his eyebrows as well. “I know you do.”

Honor rolled her eyes and smacked the water at him. “What’s it mean?”

“You mean to tell me after all those times I’ve caught you staring at it, you never figured it out?” he asked, his eyes dancing in mischief.

Her mouth twitched and he winked.

Honor loved everything about the man, but the playful teasing side of him made her stomach clench again. She tried not to laugh, but couldn’t help it. She was so in love with him, the anger she was trying to feign was unsuccessful.

Eli slid her off his lap and turned so she could see it. In the pale light of the night sky, she traced the lines with the tip of her finger. With it placed across his shoulder blades, she knew it was done over the scar from his wreck. The one that sent a paralyzing fear through her when she allowed herself to think of what almost happened to the man she loved. To fear she almost lost out on knowing his gentle heart and the love he showered her in.

The thick and thin lines ran across his back in some sort of a tribal or Celtic pattern. The swoops, swirls, and shading, made it all the more mysterious.

“Do you see it, yet?”

Honor leaned forward and brushed a long-awaited kiss over the middle of it, taking her time before pulling back, the tip of her tongue touching it first. “No.”

“From where you are sitting it reads
family
.”

Suddenly the letters danced right in front of her, the lines that were hiding their meaning before, came to life. Tracing the pattern again, she was easily able to find the word that meant as much to him as it did her. She’d heard his story, heard his friends’ version, anyway. She knew how close they came to losing him, and knew how they’d nursed him back to health. She knew how he felt about them and that they were closer than blood family. When her finger finished tracing the
y
, he turned to face her.

With a second wink, he bent forward, his face almost touching the water. “Now what do you see?”

Honor carefully looked into the pattern. Now that she knew the lines formed a word, she let it come to life once again. With both hands lightly running across his back, when looking at the tattoo upside down, it spoke volumes.

“Oh my God.” Her words came out breathless.

Forever.

One word one direction. Another word the other. Two words combined that meant the world.

“You see it, don’t you?” he asked.

The laughter and joy in his voice warmed her soul.

“Oh, Eli.”

He sat back up to face her and pulled her through the water into his arms. “That’s how I feel about you, sweetheart. You’re my family now, and I’ll love you forever and then some more.”

“Forever.” She whispered against his lips.

Epilogue

Eli smiled to himself. He couldn’t help it. The contented feeling was permanent, and every time he thought about the reason why, his heart doubled in size.

Saturday nights were nothing special before. Now though, he treasured them more than precious gems. Lying on the soft leather couch with Honor stretched out and tucked close beside him, their legs intertwined, he ran a hand over her head keeping her cheek pressed close to his bare chest. It was simply Heaven on earth.

They’d eaten another one of her delicious dinners by candlelight, and their wine glasses on the coffee table beside them were still half full. The television was on their favorite channel playing music videos, but it was more for background noise than anything. They were both enjoying just lying together. He never realized how something so simple could make him so happy.

Their son was at James and Karen’s house for the recently established sleepover—a ritual for all the grandkids at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. The couple hadn’t even given
Dallas a choice. They came and gathered him up, including him as one of their own whether he wanted to be or not. Of course, anyone could see how happy he was, by the always present smile on his face.

He’d been adopted by them all, and he was soaring because of it. They may have thought he was an amazing rider before, but it seemed in the weeks since Eli moved them into his life permanently,
Dallas’s riding had become nothing short of stellar. It was as if he knew where he belonged and knew his mother was happy. With that, all the child’s worries had been lifted from his shoulders.

Where he’d been considered great before, he was now untouchable—walking away from race after race with first place wins. He was destined for greatness. The passion in him radiated brightly and was contagious throughout the family.

Eli and Honor planned a huge caravan trip to Tennessee in a couple of months for the Amateur Nationals in Tennessee at the end of July. For the first time, Dallas was going to have more than just his mother and uncle to support him. He had grandparents, and more aunts and uncles than he knew what to do with. They would all be there cheering him on, along with his two cousins, Chance and Jack. The boys had fallen into their own pack, and although years younger, Dallas treated them both as his equals.

Alex was a different story.

From day one, she’d set herself apart, latching onto Dallas with a death grip on his heart. From the outside looking in, no one could truly define their relationship. Not blood-related of course, but they didn’t treat each other like family. There wasn’t the picking and teasing, or the occasional disagreements. They were simply Dallas and Alex. The now four-year-old was always at Dallas’s side, and he seemed content to have her there.

What Eli found so weird was the sense of peace they all felt because of it. Where they’d all worried about what Alex’s future held, those conversations had died out. The big lock they needed to buy…forgotten. He snickered to himself as he thought about it. Their darling would grow up, and they all knew she’d be a drop-dead knockout, and it used to scare the hell out of him. But now, Eli was okay with that, because silently,
Dallas had slipped into the role of her protector and he knew that their son would never let anything happen to her.