The Guardian of My Soul (Soul's Desire) (22 page)

“Come for me, baby,” he growled, still moving rhythmically inside me. His words were my undoing, taking me to the edge and pushing me over until I felt myself explode into a million little pieces beneath him. It was like pain and pleasure both screaming at me from every part of my body and I cried out his name as I rode the wave of my orgasm. Through the pleasure, I felt him freeze and groan as my inner muscles contracted again and again on the thick intruder inside of me. He shuddered with his own release and then collapsed on top of me, my name rolling off his lips in a low whisper.

Running my hands slowly up and down his back, I lay panting and spent on the bed, my eyes closed as he carefully pulled out of me. I winced at the weird sensation, but he quickly pressed his lips against my own to soothe me. “I love you,” I confessed the moment he pulled back and opened my eyes to look at him.

His face brightened, his beautiful green eyes shining. “I love you too, sweetheart. So much...” he said in the sweetest tone possible.

I grinned up at him impishly, my heart fluttering happily in my chest. For the first time in my life I felt truly alive. “When can we do it again?”

He kissed my nose playfully. “Soon. Hold on a second. I’ll be right back.” He gave me a tender glance and disappeared inside the bathroom for a couple of minutes. When he returned, he had a wash cloth and he gently cleaned me up before stretching out beside me propped on one elbow. He circled my waist with his other arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Feeling the heat in my cheeks rise I knew what he was asking, but I was a bit embarrassed. “Tell you what?”

“That you were still a virgin...”

“I...I wanted you to discover it yourself. Nobody else knows. It’s...my little secret. Are you disappointed?” I worried.

“Kristen, are you kidding me? You’ve just turned me into the happiest man alive!” His words were like a breath of fresh air for me and I hid in his arms, needing his embrace. He pulled a soft blanket over us both and then wrapped himself around me. “Now you belong to me and no one else. Can I ask you why you let the others believe you weren’t?”

“I let them believe what they wanted to because I didn’t want them to pressure me to do something I wasn’t ready for. In spite of what everyone thinks, making love has a lot more meaning to me than just having sex and I refused to do it just for the pleasure of the act. I was saving myself for...someone special...” I whispered truthfully.

He tightened his grip around me and I fit myself perfectly against his body, my soft curves molding into his firmer muscles. “I haven’t felt this good in years. I can never thank you enough for tonight and for caring so much about me to give me the privilege of being your first...”

“Alec, now that I know what all the fuss is about be sure there will be many more nights like this. I promise. And...I honestly hope you’ll also be my last.” I caressed his face.

“Nothing would make me happier.”

With a huge smile on my face I leaned my head on his chest and listened to his heart beating in the same erratic rhythm as my own, while his warm hands roamed across my bare back under the blanket. For the first time I felt I was right where I belonged.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The sun was up and I could hear birds chirping in the trees outside. Memories of last night came flooding into my mind and I found myself smiling with sheer joy. Still locked in his arms I wanted to hold onto him forever, cherishing this moment like no other. Happiness unlike any I’d ever experienced blossomed inside of me, growing with every passing second. I finally understood that in order to be truly happy I had to give love as well as receive it. For a moment I asked myself how I managed to live without this for so long and deny myself the chance to love.

I raised my head and looked at his face. He was so beautiful when he slept.
Mmm, he’s always beautiful!
I studied his relaxed features for a long time and couldn’t find one flaw in him. Even his small scars seemed sexy to me, but the sadness which lay beneath them made me wish they’d just disappear and the memory of her tragic death would stop torturing him. I bit my lip to crush a sigh and cast my eyes to his tattooed shoulder, still intrigued by it.

“You must be wondering why I got it,” he murmured. I flinched at the sudden sound of his voice, my eyes locking with his. “I wanted to cover the horrible scar I received in the accident. It reminded me of that day every time I looked at it. I was desperate and devastated. A tattoo seemed like a good idea back then. I did it without giving it much thought. I was so crushed I even considered tattooing my chest as well. My sister stopped me. She and my mom struggled to help me get through my depression. I don’t know where I would have ended up without them. They are the only reason why I am still sane...”

“Baby...” I whispered, caressing his cheek, seeing sadness written all over his face.

“It’s okay...there’s no use talking about those sad things anymore. You’ve made me happy again. So happy...”

I kissed his forehead, his cheeks, his lips, wishing I could take his pain away. “Was Kaitlyn your first?” My gaze dropped to his chest to avoid his.

His muscles tensed, but he answered me right away. “She was my best friend, my first girlfriend, my first lover. Yes...she was my first...”

“She must have been really special...”

He tucked his finger under my chin to make me look at him. “I can’t lose you now that I’ve found you. My heart can’t stand another loss. All this time I was convinced no one would ever make me feel like she did, but I was wrong. Kris, if anything happens to you, or if anyone tries to separate us—”

I gently put my index finger to his lips. “Shhh! Don’t even think of that right now. We have a few days just for ourselves in this magnificent place. Let’s enjoy them. We’ll figure out later what we’ll do once we return home.”

He nodded and kissed my finger. “How about you take a shower with me?”

My grin came out quick and delighted. “I’d love to,” I answered jumping out of bed. He chased me into the bathroom, our laughter echoing off the cold tiles.

Alec let out a heartfelt moan when he stepped inside the shower and the hot pulsing spray bombarded him from above his head. He lingered under the stream of water with his eyes closed and I grinned, pulling my hair up in a French bun before joining him. His arms immediately tightened around my waist and then his hands rubbed little circles on my back. As he grew bolder, he slipped one of his hands lower and stroked the curve of my bottom, while the other one traced the line of my spine. The sensations made me shiver in anticipation. My body wanted more of the pleasure only he could give.

“You are so responsive to my touch. I love that,” he whispered, and then his tongue traced the soft fullness of my lower lip.

My eyes fluttered closed and I gasped, the heat of his body making me grow warm with arousal. When he kissed me again, licking and sucking my tongue, I moaned and shifted in his arms, rubbing my swollen breasts against his firm chest.

“Oh, somebody is craving my attention.” He bent his head, his eyes dropping to my chest, while I stared at him, wordlessly begging for his mouth on my nipples. His head lowered until he captured one tender peak inside his mouth, sucking slowly. His tongue explored the rosy tip, causing me to gasp in sweet agony and fist my hands into his hair.

“I love it, Alec. Suck me harder!”

“I could never get tired of doing this,” he confessed right before he moved to my other nipple, giving it the same delicious treatment. All too soon he turned me around and embraced me from behind, his hands cupping my breasts greedily while his lips feathered my ear. His awakening member was nestled comfortingly against my bottom. “Your breasts fit in my hands so well,” he groaned, giving them a gentle squeeze. “You’re so beautiful, Kristen,” he whispered, nibbling my earlobe. Sweet jangles of need sang through me at the feel of his teeth on my sensitive flesh and the moment he touched my smooth sex, my body convulsed. He ignored my reaction, teasing it with his fingers.

My legs began to tremble and my breath came out harsh, fast, moan after moan escaping my lips. Then a sudden charge of electric pleasure shot from between my thighs and down to my toes, bouncing back up through my torso and out my fingertips. It threw me into a deep state of euphoria, my scalp tingling as my body went numb.

“Good girl,” he murmured sensually, holding me tightly against him while waiting for me to recover from the aftershocks of my climax.

“Alec...” I moaned his name, turning around to face him.

He kissed me tenderly, then put me under the stream of warm water. He poured a generous amount of shower gel into his palm and started to lather my breasts and abdomen. His hands moved in a slow rhythm, his gaze constantly on me as he moved lower to my hips.

“You’re enjoying this as much as I am.” I smiled and stole a kiss from him.

He chuckled impishly. “You have no idea.” He kneeled before me as he proceeded down my thighs. The way he glared at my sex had my body aching to be filled and pushed to another mindboggling climax. Turning me round, he soaped my back and bottom with care and affection, his fingers exploring all my intimate places, arousing me again. I was so primed it only took a few strokes and a few kisses till I was shaking with absolute abandon, screaming his name as I rode his hand to heaven and back.

Alec held me until I was able to stand, but when I did I wanted to baby him. “My turn,” I said, eager to wash and touch him as well. The water bounced off his body, radiating all around, making him look stunningly handsome. I washed his broad chest and filled it with kisses after rinsing the foam. “They’re not that visible, you know?”

“Not so much now. But they were horrible. I was afraid they’d always be like that.” He sighed. “I still see them, though.”

“Alec, people have scars. Most of our wounds heal, leaving nothing but a scar behind, but some of them don’t. Some wounds we carry with us and though the cut’s long gone, the pain still lingers. The death of our loved ones marks us, scarring us for life, but we need to find the strength to carry on and not let the loss weigh us down. I am sure wherever they are they want us to be happy. It took me years to come to this conclusion, but I see it now. We must go on with our lives and keep their memory safe in our hearts. Don’t let these small imperfections stand in the way of your happiness.” I ran my fingers gently over his tattoo and then replaced them with my lips, hoping it would offer him solace.

“How did I live without you for so long?” He embraced me tenderly.

“I’m asking myself the same thing. But we found each other. That’s all that matters now.” I kissed his mouth and finished washing him tenderly before stepping out of the shower to dry ourselves. “Wow, I’m starving.”

He smiled brightly. “I’ll cook you something delicious.”

“You can cook?” I grinned, looking for clean clothes in my bag.

“Yeah. Mom taught me.” He winked. “I actually enjoy it. It relaxes me.”

“I’ve never cooked in my life.” I blushed, ashamed.

“Well, I guess you never had to. But I can teach you if you want. It could be fun.” He caressed my back.

“Yes, I’d love to. I am eager to learn anything you can teach me.” My mouth curved in a wicked grin.

He chuckled. “Are we still talking about food?”

“What do you think?” I teased.

He scraped his teeth over his lower lip and sucked in a breath. “Oh, wow, you’re insatiable!” he said with a laugh, then slapped me playfully on the butt.

“Only for you.” My tongue darted out to moisten my lips, drawing his attention to them. “After what happened last night and this morning you better believe I’m insatiable.” I ran my hands up his arms and over his shoulders, draping them around his neck. “Now you’d better feed me something good, or else I might end up eating you.” My fingers glided through his hair, pulling him closer for a wanton kiss.

“Is that a threat?” he whispered, nibbling on my lips.

“Take it as you wish.” I winked and pulled away abruptly. His frustrated groan brought a smile to my face.

“All right, boss.” He turned on his heel and strolled toward the kitchen.

*  *  *

I sat mesmerized and watched him prepare our meal, handling the knives and tools as if he were a real chef. While he worked on the omelet, several strips of bacon sizzled in another pan, their appetizing smell filling my nose and making my mouth water. I could tell the food was almost ready and my stomach grumbled in anticipation.

“Here you go, babe. Omelet with mushrooms, bacon, and cheese. My favorite...” he said sweetly, placing the dish in front of me after adding some parsley on top.

“Oh, my...” I licked my lips and dug in right away, savoring its delicious flavor. “This is so much better than I expected it to be,” I complimented him on the taste of his food.

His eyes narrowed playfully as he settled down in front of me with his own plate. “Were you doubting me?”

“A little bit.” I joked and he gave me a stern, playful look. “No guy has ever cooked for me before.”

“I’m really curious. How did you manage to ward them off? A girl who looks like you would have to fight them off with a stick. I’m sure Ian was not the only one who tried his luck with you.”

“Ian was okay at first, but after a while kissing was no longer enough for him. I literally ran out of excuses. But it turned out he hadn’t wasted his time and waited on me. Instead, he screwed others behind my back.” I rolled my eyes. “Honestly, there were a few guys who tried to get my attention. But I’m good at keeping my distance and drawing limits. I actually had fun playing with them. Knowing what they really wanted, I made sure they’d never get it. I was never ever serious with anybody because I didn’t feel I could trust them. I always had the impression I was some sort of a trophy for them. At least that’s the feeling they gave me. So I made sure I was never alone with them. Especially after...um...”

He scowled alarmed. “After what?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “There was this guy a couple of years ago who kept bothering me. I think he was obsessed or something. I refused his advances and he got so mad and insistent. Matt helped me a lot back then. When we realized he wasn’t going to stop harassing me, Matt contacted his uncle, who is a Los Angeles Police Department officer, and he threatened him. I don’t know exactly what he did to him, but I never saw him again after that.” I paused to analyze his statue-like figure, seeing the worry in his eyes. “Um...Mom doesn’t know about him. Only my friends do.”

“I won’t tell,” he said, leaning back in his chair. Lacing his hands behind his head, he seemed to be in deep thought. “Hey...what if he’s the one behind those damn cards?” he asked all of a sudden.

“I...I don’t know. Like I said, it’s been two years. Why would he start bothering me again after so long? It makes no sense.” I put my fork down for a moment. “See? I guess that’s another reason why I dread fame so much. I crave a normal, tranquil life without having to constantly watch my back or worry that I might run into more crazy people like him. Fame makes me feel exposed and insecure. You should have seen how some of Mom’s models looked at me. It’s insane. Sometimes I feel everyone would like to be in my place, while I so desperately try to escape this madness. I’d trade places with them any time just for a chance to be normal.”

“Don’t mind them, Kris. I always did things my way and never stopped to listen to what other people thought of me. You’d go insane if you did. You shouldn’t allow anybody to keep you from doing what you want to do. If you enjoy modeling, then do it, regardless of what those around you think. If you don’t like it, then find something else which pleases you. You know what they say...do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

“I’m pretty satisfied with what I do now. Although...there is something I’d love to be able to do.”

“What is it?” His countenance brightened, looking eager to hear what I had to say.

“My dream is to add a jewelry line to the company. Lucio Jewelry, after my father. That’s my true passion. Deep in my closed I stashed a few pieces I’ve created.”

“Kris, that’s wonderful! Can I see them?” He grinned.

“Sure.” I smiled, pleased with his excitement.

“Why won’t you tell your mom about it, if that’s what truly makes you happy?”

“I will. I just haven’t found the right moment. I don’t think she’d disagree. After all, I’d still be involved in the company. And I want to be. In a way it makes me feel closer to Dad. As you know, the company was his until Mom was forced to take over. He was rather distant too, you know? He didn’t like to expose himself much and he tried to avoid public appearances. He often secluded himself at the ranch and took me with him. Mom, however, she loves that kind of stuff. Being the center of attention is her thing. But she’s really good at handling the press, at dealing with people. Mom was born to lead. And it bothers her that I’m not like her.”

“How did you get along with her before I came?” he asked, sounding curious.

“Well, we had our fights and disagreements, but despite our differences we were quite okay. She’s not a bad person and I know how much she loves me. But she tends to be manipulative and way too overprotective. I’m actually surprised she didn’t come up with more guys like you to tail me everywhere after the incident with the cards.”

He placed his hand over mine and gave it a light squeeze. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. You’re safe with me.” He brought my hand to his lips for a kiss, his eyes never leaving mine. A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

*  *  *

Alec took me for a long walk through the mixed conifer forest with filtered views of Lake Tahoe along the way, stopping from time to time to admire the magnificent view. He didn’t let go of my hand, his thumb rubbing the back of it, his stroke gentle and reassuring. My belly fluttered as I realized how madly in love I was with this man, how strong and potent my feelings for him had grown.

I tugged my hand free and wrapped my arms around his right arm, my head leaning on his shoulder as we walked slowly. His sweet chuckle spread familiar warmth through my limbs and the flutters in my belly were back. “How I wish I could live in a place like this. It’s so peaceful and quiet. Here I can be with you and not be afraid. We don’t have to hide and we can be ourselves.”

He kissed my hair and I looked up at him. “I’d take you away with me if I could, Kristen.”

“I know.” I pursed my lips grumpily. “Alec...what about your plans to continue your studies?”

“Maybe next year. All I want right now is to be with you.”

“I don’t want you to go,” I confessed timidly. “But I also don’t want you to abandon them because of me. If your dream is to become a lawyer, then I’ll support you one hundred percent. If you need more money, I—”

“Kris, my biggest priority right now is you. I won’t give up on my dreams, but for the moment I feel the need to be with you and nothing more.”

“All right.” I kissed his cheek. “But...um...are you really passionate about law, or did you choose to study it just because of what happened?”

“A little bit of both...”

“Surely being a bodyguard was never your lifetime goal.”

“No, but keeping you safe has just become one.” He winked and stopped walking to give me one of his long, penetrating, salacious kisses I so adored.

*  *  *

“Thank you for dinner. Those shrimp were delicious.” I gladly helped him clear our table. “You cooked, so let me do the dishes.”

He laughed amused. “I bet you’ve never done dishes before either.”