Tameka's Smile (8 page)

He’d asked her to help him get his mind off of what happened and by God, that’s just what she’d do, if it took all night. Tameka grabbed a few pillows and made herself comfortable, her head even with his cock. She wasn’t good at giving blowjobs, but tonight she’d give the best one of her life.

She reached out and took hold of the base of his penis with her thumb and forefinger and slanted it toward her mouth. There was no time for subtlety or finesse. He needed a distraction and needed it now.

Drawing her lips back, she slowly engulfed his rod until it hit the back of her throat. It was by no means all of it, but still a good portion was in her mouth. Treating his cock like it was a raspberry-flavored Blow Pop—her favorite—she sucked on it, hard.

She didn’t bob her head up and down. She didn’t move her tongue all around. She just sucked and released, sucked and released, with the head of his sex pressed firmly against the roof of her mouth, held in position by her tongue. With her free hand she reached down and gathered his scrotum in her palm. Using the same motion as her mouth, she gently squeezed and released his balls with the same rhythm.

Chad muttered something incomprehensible behind her.

The muscles in his thighs began to bulge as his hips made mini thrusting motions.

Maintaining such intense suction quickly tired her jaw, but still she pressed on. Little spurts of pre-cum were leaking from him, mixing with the saliva in her mouth. Suctioning became 49

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easier as she continuously swallowed, trying to keep up with the fluid collecting in her mouth. Some of it still leaked past her lips to pool at the base of his shaft.

His thrusts were getting harder. After gagging twice, she wrapped her fist around the base of his cock to control the depth, using the same squeeze and release rhythm as her mouth.

Chad’s hand came down and tunneled into her hair, pressing against her scalp. “Suck me, baby. That feels good.

Don’t stop. Take all of me.”

She rolled her eyes but deepened her efforts. He wasn’t on autopilot now. He was fully engaged.

She watched as his legs stretched out long and lean, his toes pointed forward. His cock seemed to grow thicker, harder, and longer, but that was crazy. She was tired and imagining things.

She began to mentally urge him to come, not sure how much longer she could keep this up.

Chad growled, “So good. So fuckin’ good.” His voice was deep and guttural. That meant he was close, right? Facing away from him as she was, she couldn’t tell.

There was a ripping sound, like that of sheets being shredded. Chad’s hand clamped down like a vise, and his fingernails dug painfully into her scalp as he pushed steadily on the back of her head, pushing it lower as he pumped harder. She tried to resist but in his passion, he was too strong.

He let out a low animal growl that grew into a roar. With one final lunge, his seed erupted and shoot down her throat, faster than she could swallow. She choked and her throat tightened convulsively. Chad hissed and loosed more semen.

Before she could catch her breath, he dragged her up his body and kissed her senseless. “Thank you,” he murmured, while massaging her aching jaw.

“My pleasure.” As she searched his face, she realized she wasn’t just saying that. It gave her extreme pleasure to have chased the shadows from the depths of his eyes.

She cupped his left cheek. “Are you hungry? I can fix something. I went to the grocery store today.” Chad shook his head.

“Thirsty?”

“No, all I need is right here in my arms.” 50

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* * * *

Like grandmother, like granddaughter. How can she let one
of those things touch her? She doesn’t deserve this land. All the
more reason for me to take it from her. By the time I’m through
with her, she’ll beg me to buy it.

* * * *

Chad’s voice came out of the darkness. “The call came about three-thirty. From the way dispatch sounded, I knew it was going to be bad.” He paused.

Tameka laid silently, her head resting on his chest.

“I was first on the scene.” He swallowed hard and she stroked his chest, a reminder that he wasn’t alone. “It was worse than I imagined, worse than anything I’d seen in the military.” Again he fell silent.

She patiently waited. He had to tell this his way. If she pushed, he might clam up.

“The truck driver fell asleep. It’s the only thing we can figure. Nothing else makes sense. Otherwise, he would have had to see them.”

When he fell quiet again, Tameka wasn’t sure she wanted him to continue. The hair on her nape was standing on end.

Chad’s voice was so low, she had to strain to hear him.

Then she wished she hadn’t. “He plowed right into them. They never stood a chance. An eighteen-wheeler, carrying a full load, going full speed…the mini-van was stopped, waiting for the school bus to finish unloading…”

Her heart began to stutter as comprehension dawned.
Oh,
my, God
!
No
!

“It knocked the bus off the road and onto its side. Kids were screaming, crying…pandemonium. The van…” his voice broke.

His fingers dug into her back. She’d have bruises tomorrow, but what were a few marks compared to what he’d witnessed?

“Seven kids…one family…all dead.”

Tameka bit down on a knuckle to keep from crying out.

“The oldest was seventeen. The youngest two…” his voice 51

TAMEKA’S SMILE

faded.

They were both silent.

“Too damn many body bags.”

Tameka clung to him, sharing his horror, his grief.
Dear
God
,
that poor family. Those children
. She even felt sorry for the truck driver. This was why she gave up her practice, too many broken-hearted people. People she couldn’t fix. Too many people looking for answers she didn’t have.

“One of them bled to death in my arms before Rescue arrived. I couldn’t save him.” He swallowed. “He was such a cute kid.”

By this point, tears were streaming down her face.

“I lost it,” he confessed. “Rome sent me home. Told me to take a couple of days off. Get my head together.”

“And you came to me,” she finished softly.

He stiffened beneath her. “Should I have gone home?”

“No,” she vehemently denied. “I’m glad you came to me.” She didn’t examine her reaction; just knew that it was true.

He relaxed and let out the breath he was holding. “My job isn’t always easy. Most times it’s quiet—routine, but occasionally…it’s bad. Most women couldn’t deal with it.”

“I’m not most women,” she assured him, not realizing the implications of what she was saying.

“No, you’re not,” he agreed quietly.

They lay in companionable silence until a growling stomach disturbed the quiet. Tameka raised her head and looked at him with a grin. “Someone’s hungry.”

He brushed her hair back from her face. “I wouldn’t turn down another offer of food.”

Her expression blossomed into a full-blown smile of relief.

“Luckily for you, I grocery shopped this afternoon. I’m fully stocked.”

The burgeoning smile on his face disappeared. “I should have been here to assist you.”

Flustered, she didn’t know what to say. It was just food, after all, not furniture.

Seeing that she was lost for words, he grinned crookedly at her. “Let’s go see what you’ve got.”

Bemused, Tameka rose from the bed and followed him into 52

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the kitchen.

* * * *

Hours later, Chad lay cradling his woman in his arms. She had no idea the priceless gift she’d given him today. No one had ever comforted him before Tameka. He dealt with the hard knocks of life on his own. He’d learned at an early age not to depend on any one but himself.

Instinct…his wolf…something, had driven him to her today. Had he been thinking clearly, he’d have gone home to lick his wounds like he normally did. That she’d accepted him, cared for him when he was at his weakest…he didn’t have words to describe how that made him feel.

If there’d ever been any hope of him letting her go, she’d killed it tonight with one simple act of kindness.

Mate
!

He nuzzled his face in her hair, inhaling her perfect scent.

She was his, and he’d kill anyone who tried to take her away from him. His wolf growled in agreement.

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Chapter Four

Tameka woke to the news that she had not one, but two flat tires. Yawning widely while wiping the sleep out of her eyes, she stretched. “What are you talking about? I just put four new tires on my car before driving here. They can’t be flat.”

“They are. Both of the back tires,” he said grimly.

Tameka jolted fully awake. “Let me see.” She hopped out of bed, realized she was naked, and glanced around for something to wear.

Chad tossed her his shirt. “Here, put this on.” She hesitated a moment, then checked to make sure all the stains from yesterday washed out. His uniform shirt, Polo in style, came to mid-thigh on her. She slid her feet into a pair of flip-flops and headed for the door, Chad one step behind.

When she saw her car, she muttered words under her breath that would have had her former pastor flinching and giving her a stern look. “Those were brand new tires. Not even a month old.

How am I supposed to get to work? I only have one spare.” She felt like kicking her car.

“What time do you need to be there? I can drive you into town, pick up another tire, and change them while you’re at work. I’m off today, remember?”

She forgot about her anger when she remembered why he was off today. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. “How you doing today?” He lifted her head from his chest and bent down to kiss her.

“Better, thanks to you.”

Tameka snatched her head away and covered her mouth.

“Morning breath,” she mumbled through her hand.

His eyes narrowed and his chest swelled. “If you won’t let me kiss those lips, I’ll just have kiss your other set. Either way, I’m getting my morning kiss.”

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Her eyes widened over the top of her hand as his meaning sank in. She took a step back. “Let me just brush my…Chad!” He swept her off of her feet and placed her on the hood of her car. While she tried to find purchase on the slippery surface, he pried open her thighs and dove in for his kiss. The kiss went on, long and deep, until she was screaming his name.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since I first met you that day by the road,” he said as his pants hit the ground. He draped her legs over his shoulders and plunged home.

* * * *

Tameka sighed as she entered the town’s limits, remembering the way Chad took her on the hood of the car an hour earlier. She was getting wet just thinking of it. The things this man did to her, the way he made her respond, was beyond comprehension.

As they neared the shop, she noticed a crowd of men hanging around the entrance. She sat up straight in her seat.
Dear
Lord, look at them
. Pure beef cake material. There wasn’t an ugly one in the bunch. She unconsciously fanned herself. Man, they grew ‘em big in the mountains. If she’d known the men were this attractive, she’d have made it a point to visit Momma E. while she was still alive. “Hubba, hubba. Come to momma,” she murmured.

Chad slammed on brakes and shoved the gear into park.

“Son of a …” The expression on his face did not bode well.

Tameka fumbled for the door handle, eyes still trying to take in all of the eye candy in front of her.

He laid his hand on her arm. “Stay put.” As he got out of the car and came around the front, they became the center of attention.

“Wonder what they want?” she asked the empty car.

“Is that her?” she heard one of them ask.

“Don’t know. Can’t see through the glare on the windshield,” another responded.

“Can’t be. She wouldn’t be with him. Least wise, not this quick. She just got here and she’s kept mostly to herself. Nobody moves that fast, ‘cept maybe Alex and that was different.” She 55

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couldn’t see which one offered this opinion.

Tameka forgot about the men when a rumble that sounded suspiciously like a growl rolled out of Chad. He seemed to grow larger before her eyes. Some of the men looked wary. She could have sworn a few growled back. What on earth was going on?

Chad held the door open. As she exited the car, Lulu came out. “Time to go, fellas. Barber’s not on duty ‘til tomorrow. Be sure to make your appointment with Mona before leaving.” Then she opened the shop door. “You, inside. You can leave now. You’ve already set yours. No need to linger.”
There were more inside?
Tameka stared. All these men wanted haircuts? She tried to pull her arm loose from the grip Chad had on it. Instead of letting go, he pulled her closer to his body. It didn’t take a Ph.D. to recognize the “hands off, mine!” vibe he was sending.

She unconsciously looked at Lulu, appealing for help, only to find Lulu gazing at her with speculation and a hint of amusement in her expression.
No help there
.

“Chad,” she hissed, “you can let go.”

He dropped her arm and placed his arm around her shoulder, tucking her close. This must be what a football feels like. At his action, some of the men wandered off. Others gave her the once over, then met Chad’s look, stare for stare. Tired of the foolishness, she elbowed him in the side, jerked loose, and reached inside of the car for her things.