Resisting Roots (Lotus House Book 1) (10 page)

I shook my head as his hands crept under my loose tank and up to cup my breasts over my bra. I arched into his hands, the pleasure swirling around us both almost like a fog filling the room. Our breaths came in soft sighs and eager pants as he explored my curves. He’d figured out that I wore a front clasping bra and undid it expertly. I tried not to think about why he was so good at removing undergarments and instead went with the flow.

Trent growled against the side of my neck where he bit down. Simultaneously, he plucked at each hardened nipple, and I cried out. I was shocked that my body was responding so quickly and elated that he knew just how to touch me to bring the most pleasurable result.

“Baby…” I blew out a heated breath.

He hummed against my ear where he traced the shell with his tongue. Warm and wet, just like the space between my thighs, growing with intensity under every new sensation. Trent was a master at the art of seduction and I his willing subject.

“Mmm, I like hearing you call me baby. Makes me so hard.” He thrust against me once more and then spun me around so we were face-to-face. “I think we should take this someplace a bit more comfortable.”

I looped my arms around his neck and grinned. “Oh, yeah? Where did you have in mind?”

He leaned close, planted his hands on my bum, and lifted me. I wound my legs around his lean waist.

“Why tell you when I can show you?”

With quick steps, he planted me on the side of the bed and fell right on top of me. “Hmm, where was I?” He placed a fingertip at my ear and ran it down my cheek, along my neck and down between my breasts. “Oh yeah, right about here.” He traced the tip of my erect nipple, which poked visibly against the thin fabric of my tank.

“Trent…” I gasped as he pinched the nub through my shirt. The motion sent a bolt of fiery need directly to the tight bundle of nerves that wanted nothing more than for him to relieve the pressure, relieve the ache.

“Relax. We’ve got time. It’s still early…” He shifted my tank up.

I lifted my arms so he could remove it and the loosened bra while straddling my form.

“Jesus, gumdrop. Your tits…” He cupped them with both hands as if lifting them in worship. “Never fucking seen better.” Trent used his thumbs to play around the areola and flick at each tip.

I jerked, grabbing the comforter below as he got to know my more feminine attributes. Trent’s greatest strength, his patience, was currently my biggest weakness.

Trent petted my breasts, lifting, squeezing, rubbing, plucking, elongating the nipples until I shook with unfulfilled carnal need. I wanted his mouth on me and bigger parts of him
inside
me. Now.

“Please,” I whispered, my gaze locked on his face.

A lazy smirk crossed his features when he leaned forward and took one reddened peak into his mouth.

The sensation was so extreme, I almost came against the single movement of his tongue laving my nipple. “So good,” I whimpered, my legs shifting.

He licked and kissed every centimeter of flesh covering my chest. Saying he was committed to his task was stating it mildly. The man was downright obsessed.

He licked and took long sucks on each nipple before trying to pull as much of each breast into his mouth at one time. Not an easy task because my breasts were huge—size D on a five-foot-five body was ginormous in my opinion, but the vote was in. Trent Fox was a serious boob man.

“They’re just perfect.” He leaned back, slapped each side playfully so they knocked into one another. “Babe, I could die a happy man sucking these.” Again, he latched on to a breast, swirled his tongue in the same dizzying circles he’d done on my clit the other day in the yoga room, and that’s when it happened.

My phone buzzed against my bum. I jolted up.

Trent backed off as if I’d been stung by a bee. “What was that? What happened?” He looked around the room.

I laughed and, wiggling, found my phone in my back pocket and pulled it out.

It was Row. I tapped the green button and held it to my ear. Trent groaned and sat back on his haunches.

“Row?”

My brother’s voice was shaky. “Vivvie, I… I heard a noise. Well, not one noise, lots of ’em. I think someone’s trying to break in. Mary’s in bed, but Viv, I…should I call the cops?”

I sat up, pushing Trent off me. “Is the house alarm on?” I clasped my bra and scrambled for my shirt.

“Genevieve?” Trent said.

I didn’t have the time to answer. I put the phone on speaker.

“Yeah, the alarm is on,” Row said. “But the light near the garage and the backyard? That motion light is still on. It hasn’t gone off, Viv.”

I pulled on my tank. “It’s okay. If you hear or see anything, call the cops. Trent and I are on our way. Stay on the phone with me, bud.”

My brother’s voice sounded low and frightened. Reminded me of how he sounded when I’d told him our parents had been killed in a car accident and it was just the three of us from then on. Why the hell had I gone on a date? If I had been there, he wouldn’t be scared right now. He and Mary wouldn’t be at risk.

I clenched my teeth as Trent raced us through his house, down the elevator, and through the parking garage. “We’ll take the Harley. It’s faster.”

“I’m going to be on a motorcycle, and we’re ten minutes out. Please call the cops if you’re that scared. Okay?”

“Okay. Vivvie?”

Rowan’s voice was so low I pressed the phone so hard against my cheek it would leave a phone-shaped Imprint.

Trent put the helmet on my head and snapped it closed. Without knowing what to do, I just hopped on to the back seat. Trent readjusted my booted feet to the appropriate pegs.

“Phone off. Now,” he said.

“Yeah?” I said to Rowan while nodding to Trent.

“I love you,” Rowan said and hung up.

A pit the size of the Grand Canyon took position in my stomach. Trent grabbed my hands and tucked my phone into his jacket pocket. “It will be okay.”

“How do you know?” My voice shook, and tears flooded my eyes as I imagined my brother home alone, scared out of his mind, and me sitting on the back of a hot guy’s bike. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to them because I was being selfish and taking time to date instead of caring for them.

“Not gonna let it happen, babe. Period,” he declared in that alpha I’m-a-bad-boy way I liked so much and worried would break my heart.

“Not going to let what happen?” I asked, gripping his waist.

“Anything,” he growled. With that, he gripped the throttle, revved up the engine, put the bike in gear, and raced across town, weaving in and out of traffic like a madman, blowing through yellow lights without any thought of caution.

If I hadn’t been so scared of what could be happening at my house, I’d have been bone scared of the ride from hell. Instead, I thanked my lucky stars that I was with someone who could move fast and react even faster.

The house alarm was blaring as we pulled up to the house. I hopped off the bike and took the front steps two at a time. I’d unsnapped the helmet, yanked it off my head, and left it on the ground as I fumbled to get my key. Every windup of the alarm reaching its crescendo took my heart right along with it.

“Christ, gumdrop, wait!” Trent hollered behind me.

I didn’t care. Stopping this train was useless. I had to get to my family, and I’d plow through anyone, lack of weapons or protection be damned. If anything happened to my siblings, I had nothing left to lose.

The door finally opened, and I screamed through the giant open space, my voice rising against the volume of the alarm.

“Rowan! Mary! Where are you?”

G
enevieve plowed
through the door of the historical-looking home like a high-speed ball thrown by an all-star pitcher. No stopping, no concerns for her own safety. I chased after her, my injury be damned. It protested with every jolt of my feet hitting the cobblestone walkway as I jogged the best I could after her.

“Rowan! Mary! Where are you?”

Just as I hit the porch, I heard a scuffling sound behind me and caught a glimpse of two guys dressed in black hoodies running past the side of the house where I imagined the garage was. Nimble as teenagers, they both hopped over a small fence and blasted at a full run down the street until they were out of view.

“Fuck!” I turned away, wishing I were in full fighting shape so I could run after them, but then I’d be leaving Genevieve on her own. I couldn’t risk the real knowledge that there could be more than the two intruders that got away.

“Genevieve!” I roared over the sirens piercing my ears. Jesus Christ, someone needed to turn off that alarm.

“Up here!” she cried out.

Cursing these old homes and their unique architecture, complete with a double set of stairs, I attempted the task of getting up them. When I reached the top, I found a door wide open. On the bed sat Genevieve, her arms wrapped around her brother and sister. Her little body shook as she held them.

Rowan’s lifted his head from their huddle, his gaze meeting mine. He gave me the cool guy chin lift, and my heart filled with pride. The boy was turning into a man and needed guidance.

“Hey, gumdrop, you think we could see about turning off that alarm while I check the house?”

“The cops should be here any second,” Rowan said, just as the sound of an additional higher-pitched siren screeched into the area.

Red-and-blue lights flashed against the upper floor bedroom window. I walked over to it and checked. Sure enough, the boys in blue had arrived. “Cops are here. I’ll go talk to them.”

I made my way down the stairs as the cops were entering, guns drawn. I lifted my hands up. “Just got here with the owner of the house.”

The cops nodded. “Anyone else here?”

“One adult female and two children. The boy called us when he heard noises out back. Haven’t checked there, but I did see two males leaving the premises. Didn’t bother to stop and chat as they were escaping.”

“Stay here, sir. We’ll check it out.” The cop waved at his partner to go around the back while he proceeded through the house.

I stood at the base of the stairs, serving as sentinel. Anyone tried to hit the stairs he’d have to go through me first.

“Is it clear?” Genevieve asked from the top of the stairs, her brother and sister behind her.

I shook my head. “Nope. Cops are checking it out.”

Not wanting them to be anywhere near the lower level of the house, I made my way back up and opened my arms. Genevieve’s head plowed right into the center of my chest the moment I reached the top. That fright, the one that had taken up deep in my bones when she jumped off my bike, started to dissipate but didn’t quite leave.

The cops both made their way back in. “You can come down. It’s clear. Can one of you turn off the alarm?”

Genevieve shuffled over to the front door where a square white panel was mounted. She pressed a few buttons and the ringing stopped. Blessed silence.

“Now, can anyone here tell me what happened in detail?” one of the policeman asked.

Rowan stepped up, his spine straight, his voice timid, betraying how afraid he was when he relayed what he’d heard. He didn’t call the cops until he heard the glass breaking. When he heard the noise of someone definitely breaking in, he took his baseball bat and cornered himself and Mary in her bedroom and called the cops.

“Yeah, you’ve got a broken window and a tipped over garbage can out back. Might be a good idea to change out that back door with something more solid. Those old doors with the top half having the crisscrossed windows make it child’s play for intruders to break in. All they have to do is break a small window, put a hand in, and unlock the door. You’ve got a handle lock and a bolt, but that glass doesn’t prevent them from getting in. The alarm though? A great call.”

Genevieve nodded. “Thank you, Officers, for coming so quickly. Is there anything more we need to do?”

The cop stood, tall and beefy—one of those guys who took working out as serious as he did his job. His hand rested on the butt of his holstered gun. “I’m sure your husband here can secure the door.”

Her stunned gaze shot to mine, eyes opened wide, and her mouth moved fast. “Oh, he’s not…uh…my husband.”

“Well, your boyfriend then. Whatever.”

Before she could correct the cop again, I weighed in. “I’ll take care of the door. Thanks, Officers.” I held out a hand.

The cop closest to me proceeded to shake my hand while his eyes went squinty. “Hey! I know you. You’re Trent Fox. Best hitter in baseball!”

I chuckled. “Yep, that’s me.”

“Good to meet you, Mr. Fox. I’m a huge fan of the Ports.”

“Yeah?” Seeing a golden opportunity dangling in front of my eyes, I made my play. “If you got your notebook with ya, I’d be happy to autograph it. Maybe in exchange, you could do a couple drive-bys of the neighborhood over the next few days? Keep an eye on my girl and her family here?” I gestured to the little huddle behind me.

Genevieve was in full mama bear mode, looking over Rowan and Mary to make sure they didn’t have any scratches and hugging them profusely. I had a feeling she’d be keeping them in sight all evening.

Both cops nodded. “Sure, buddy.” They handed over their notepads.

I scribbled out my name and a brief greeting, thanked them again, and walked them out. Going back in, I passed by the family huddle, heading to the back. A small window in the door was broken, glass scattered on the floor. A seething burn of anger filled my chest. What kind of pimple-nosed pricks would invade the home of a woman with two kids? Meaningless pieces of shit, that’s who.

I found a dustpan and broom near the door and cleaned up the glass. Last thing I wanted was my bare-footed yogi chick scarring up her dainty feet. Once I’d cleaned that up, I went out back and found a shed that housed weights and tools. Near the back, I found a sheet of plywood that would fit the entire length of the window.

“Hey, Trent, you need any help?” Rowan came up behind me, watching while I sifted through the tools haphazardly thrown in boxes.

“You know, you should really keep your tools more organized. Not only would they be easier to find, but they’ll last a lifetime if you treat ’em right.” Figured the kid could use some manly advice. It was something my dad had drilled into me from the time I was a baby and set booty-clad feet in his mechanic shop.

“They were…my dad’s.”

I looked Rowan dead in the eyes with as much conviction as I could convey. “Then you should be treating them better because of him.”

Rowan looked down as if I’d shamed him.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Good job tonight, kid. It could have been worse. You acted smart. Kept your head and protected your sister.”

Rowan lifted his head. The hope I saw in his eyes nearly fried me.

“Proud of you.”

He nodded, moved over to a box, and found the hammer I was searching for and a box of nails.

“Thanks. Now, come on and help me board up this window. Then tomorrow I’ll call about a door replacement.”

Rowan narrowed his eyes and tapped his lip with his thumb. “How much does something like that cost? Vivvie’s gonna freak if it’s expensive. We’re kind of on a budget.” He looked away and shuffled his feet.

I gripped him on the shoulder again. “How about you let me worry about the door, and you worry about checking in on your sisters? Yeah?”

“Okay, yeah.” Rowan jogged back into the house.

On a budget.
A code word for stone-cold broke. After hearing about how she’d burned through their inheritance paying off the house and was still struggling, I knew she probably wouldn’t have the coin to buy a new door. A flash in the pan for my bank account. Getting her to agree to let me buy one, on the other hand, would take some serious maneuvering.

T
rent found
me upstairs just as I’d gotten Mary back to sleep. The alarm and her brother barricading her room had scared the living daylights out of her. My baby girl needed the extra time with me to fall asleep. When I looked up at the doorway, Trent stood, leaning his back up against the jamb, his massive arms crossed in front of his chest. For a moment, I pouted, feeling let down that I hadn’t been able to assuage the hunger for this man earlier. Instantly, a sense of guilt poured over my body like a bucket of ice water, chilling and freezing my limbs and mind.

No. Being with Trent was what had gotten me into this position in the first place. Had I not been with him, I’d have been able to scare off the would-be intruders and I wouldn’t have two scared kids and a broken window. Ugh. It wasn’t his fault. I just wanted someone to blame, but with things like this, there wasn’t anyone. Still, it didn’t change the fact that being with Trent was a bad idea.

I got up, pulled the blankets to Mary’s chin, and kissed her forehead. Shutting the door most of the way, I turned off her light and proceeded to Row’s room. Soft alternative rock music came from behind his door. I knocked.

A muffled “Yeah?” came through the old wooden door.

I opened it and held the knob. He sat cross-legged on his bed, tapping furiously on his phone. Probably telling all his friends about the near miss with the break-in. The single thought sent chills down my spine.

“Just hitting the hay soon and wanted to tell you how happy I am you were here and took care of your sister.”

Rowan’s face lit up at the praise.

Note to self—tell him more often how wonderful he is.

“Anytime, Vivvie. It’s what men do. Protect their family. Just because I’m sixteen doesn’t mean I’m not capable.” Rowan looked directly into my eyes and then to a spot behind my shoulder.

Trent’s body was close. I sensed him before I could see him. His warmth seeped into my backside as I focused my attention on Rowan.

I nodded. “No, you’re right, and you definitely proved that tonight. Thank you, Row. I love you.”

“Love you too. Pancakes tomorrow?” He grinned.

I couldn’t turn him down after the evening we had. Emotional blackmail. Rowan was the king.

“Sure.” I smiled and slid his door shut, booty bumping Trent in the process.

Trent wrapped his large paws around my hips. “Where’s your room?”

I tipped my chin toward the room at the very end of the hall. It had its own small flight of stairs. “You can’t stay,” I said, cutting that idea off right at the quick.

Trent’s hands tightened at my hips. “Excuse me?”

I shushed him. “The kids will hear you.”

He pushed a hand through his hair and sighed. “Gumdrop, the kid already knows I’m here. Now, let’s go into your room, or they may end up hearing a lot more than they bargained for.” His lips curved delectably into a small smile.

His eyes changed color, seemed brighter, greener, fueled by the fire we’d set earlier.
Oh, boy.
Huffing, I led the way to my parents’ old room. The room was pretty large and far enough away from my brother and sister that I didn’t worry they’d hear us. I opened the door and let him enter. His big form in the room somehow made the large space seem far smaller, more cozy.

“Nice room.” He looked around.

My parents had had great taste. The bedroom set was a chestnut color and looked great against the cucumber-green paint and thick white crown molding and baseboards. Like a lot of houses in the Berkeley hills, this one had been renovated with top-notch window dressings, furnishings, and everything one would need to make a home a home. My parents had spent a pretty penny making this a beautiful place for us to rest our heads, and I was proud of their achievement. Hoped to goodness I could hold onto it.

“Thanks, it was my parents’. I’d already moved out when they passed, so Dad had made my old bedroom into an office. It just made sense for me to move into theirs, plus it makes me feel close to them. I did change some things.”

I dragged a fingertip slowly along the comforter I’d purchased. It was a shimmery taupe and gold. It had little embroidered daisies every few inches. Reminded me of happier times when I’d pick the daises in our backyard with Mom during the spring. Now, they grew wild, and Rowan hacked them down when they all burned to a crisp under the California sun. Nothing like what my mother was able to achieve with her gardening prowess.

Trent set his hands at his hips and took a leadership stance. “Look, gumdrop, the house is not secure. I’m not going anywhere until it is. You got that?”