Voyeur (35 page)

brought back the original problem she'd figured out during the exchange: it just wasn't enough, and she couldn't survive on that. Back when she'd

first arrived at the Vail house, she'd questioned whether or not she even knew what it was to be in love—but now she definitely knew. She was in

love with Braden, and nothing less than him loving her back was going to make her happy.

Which probably meant she was destined for a long life of dirty clothes, sad movies, and writer's block.

Part of Braden couldn’t believe he was in a Seattle cab speeding toward the address he'd gotten from his cousin, Monica. But another part of him

couldn’t believe he'd managed to wait this long.

It had been a week since Laura had told him she loved him. A week since she'd rushed abruptly off the computer and ignored his every IM since.

Maybe it was just as wel —because he hadn't even been sure what he wanted to say, only that he'd hated feeling he'd hurt her, and hated the idea

that they might never come into contact with each other again. The more he'd imagined it, the more unthinkable it had become.

He stil didn't know for sure about love. He'd never let himself be an emotional guy. His job demanded that he block emotion out, and it had always

come easy for him—in fact, now that he thought about it, it was probably why he was so good at what he did. Maybe it was due to his parents'

divorce—he'd just never believed in monogamy very much after that, that it could work, or maybe that it was even natural. Happy couples seemed

few and far between in his life.

But Laura's tenderness and the genuine way she'd opened herself to him and put herself at risk affected him in a way he couldn't keep ignoring.

From touching herself on the webcam for him ... to experimenting with a three-way ... to tel ing him she loved him.
He’d never had anyone trust him so very much, and each time it had stirred something deep inside him, made his heart feel like it was
bending, stretching, in his chest.

"Thirty-four Woodview," the cab driver said, pul ing to the curb
in front of a smal , quaint-if-slightly-funky-looking apartment building
from another era.

Braden glanced toward the front door and, palms
sweating, heart racing, realized he was actual y nervous—an emotion
he wasn’t very wel

acquainted with.

He paid the driver, picked up the rose heel laid gently on the seat next to him, and got out, striding boldly to the door and inside. Then
he found the apartment number Monica had also supplied and, without hesitating, knocked firmly, ignoring the doorbel .

When Laura opened the door, he feared she might faint. Her mouth dropped open and he'd never seen her eyes so wide. "What are you doing

here?"

Good question. He stil wasn’t sure. "I just couldn’t leave things the way they were, snowflake." Then he held out the flower, a pink rose just beginning to open.

Her eyes dropped to the rosebud and she let out a heavy breath. "How did you know this is my favorite flower?"

He shrugged. "Its Riley's favorite, so I took a shot."

Trembling now, she accepted it from him. She stood with her hair fal ing tousled around her face, wearing a pale yel ow strappy top, blue jeans

below. Her nipples jutted softly through the fabric. Damn, she was just as beautiful as he remembered, maybe more, and only then, in that moment,

did he realize just how stupid he'd been.

He should have come here the day after she'd left Vail, the day he'd realized he missed her so much. He just hadn't known then, or the week after,

or the week after ... he hadn't known for sure until right this moment.
He loved her.
He loved her so fucking much. Being without her had physical y hurt. For the first time since February, he felt happy.

"I have a plan for Riley," he said. "I think she should move."

Laura blinked. "Huh?"

"I think Riley should pack up and move to L.A. with Sloane. I think they should keep solving new mysteries together. And I think they should find their own secret garden. If they can’t find one, they should make one."

She blinked again. "Braden . . ." she began uncertainly, her eyes reaching out to him needful y.

And he understood. That he had to just say it. Because she needed to hear it. And he needed to tel her. He didn’t even know how to say things like

this, but he had to learn—right now. "Come to L.A. with me, Laura. Let me make love to you every night for the rest of our lives. I know it seems sudden, probably risky—but I love you."

Laura’s knees nearly buckled beneath her, and she reached out to press her hand against the wal to steady herself. He wanted to make love to her.

He
loved
her. Actual y
loved
her. "I... I thought you didn’t know what love was."

"I just figured it out, snowflake. I'm in it. With you. And I have been since we met. I just didn't know it, because . . ."

She tilted her head, trying to understand. "Because you're ... a virgin?" she suggested. "When it comes to love?"

He nodded, the corners of his mouth curving softly upward. "I guess that's an accurate way to put it." Then he stepped up closer and slid his arms smoothly around her waist, and her whole body ached for more of him. "And I want to give it to you, that last little piece of my virginity, the same way you gave me the last little piece of yours."

Oh God. It was too unbelievable, too perfect. "Braden," she said, nearly breathless. "Please kiss me."

His mouth came down on hers in a hot crush, and she could feel how long he'd yearned for the connection, too. The kiss reverberated through her

whole body as their tongues thrust together. His hands dropped to her ass, making her pussy throb.

"I can't believe you love me," she murmured when the kiss ended.

He pul ed back to peer down at her with those dark, possessive eyes. "I do, baby. I love you so damn much. I can’t live without you."

She could barely breathe, too overcome with emotion. "I can’t live without you, either."

"Then you’l come? To L.A.?"

She didn’t even hesitate. She'd miss Monica and her mom—but that's why they made airplanes. She nodded emphatical y. "God, yes!"

"Thank God," he whispered, pul ing her back to him in a deep hug.

Mmm, he felt so good—but she stil needed more of him, al of him. "Fuck me, Braden," she whispered.

A low groan left him, and after that, there were no more words.

They rushed frantical y, pul ing at each other's clothes. She dragged him to the sofa, opening his jeans so that his cock burst free. She moaned at

the sight of it—so big and hard. She'd never needed anything so desperately.

Discarding her jeans and panties, she straddled his thighs and lowered herself onto his stiff, beautiful erection with a low cry that came from her

very core. Braden moaned, too, and they peered deeply into each other's eyes as she began to move on him.

"So long," she murmured, grinding against him, "I've needed this for so, so long."

"There's been no one since you, honey," he told her. "This sweet body is the only one I wanted. This sweet pussy wrapping around my cock is the only thing that could make me happy."

She slid wetly against him, loving when he thrust up into
her deep, deeper.

"God, yes," she purred. "Fuck me, Braden. Fuck me hard.”

His fingers dug into her ass as he plunged into her with rough strokes that reached her very center. Ah yes, so good—she just needed to feel him,

fil ing her.

She found her rhythm against the hard drives and knew it wouldn’t take long to come, since he was so much better than her vibrator. “Soon, lover,”

she told him—which was when he pressed the tip of one finger firmly against her anus, and she exploded into pure ecstasy. "God, baby!" she cried.

"God, yes! I'm coming! Coming!" But she didn’t stop there, adding, "I love you! I love you, Braden, so much!" Because she could say that now!

Because she didn’t have to hide it anymore!

"Ah—baby," he growled on a low groan, and she knew he was coming, too, pushing deep, his eyes fal ing shut, and she watched his handsome

face, watched the way his lips softly parted, the way his features softened as the orgasm tapered into relaxation. She smiled afterward, so glad he'd

taught her how beautiful it could be to witness your lover's pleasure.

"What you said made me come," he whispered when his eyes opened again.

“Ì love you’?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

He nodded, then grinned. "I think I like that."

"Then I'l say it again." Her voice deepened. "I love you."

He smiled into her eyes. "I love you, too, snowflake."

A few kisses later, though, the new, slightly softer side of Braden she was seeing faded back to the masculine demeanor she was more ac-

customed to. "One rule, though, about me loving you."

Stil in his lap, stil enjoying the ful ness of having him inside her, she asked, "What's that?" At the moment, she thought she'd agree to anything.

"There wil no longer be any other guys involved. That's an experience I wanted you to have, and I'm glad we did it—but I'm done sharing."

Laura's heart swel ed, secretly thril ed that he now even possessed the capability to be jealous! "I can live with that."

"Of course, I might al ow a vibrator or two. And we'l stil be doing it with the lights on. In front of mirrors. And maybe even the occasional window."

If any other man had told her such things, she'd have flipped out. But as always with Braden, she could deny him nothing—and imagining the sexual

joys he'd show her at her new
home in Malibu practical y had her creaming around him again already. "Your wish is my command.”

He grinned. "I think I'm going to like this being in love stuff.” Then he added, "God, I've missed your kisses, snowflake.”

And as his mouth pressed once more against hers, she basked in the
knowledge that both she and Riley were heading to Los Angeles—to be with

their mysterious strangers, to solve new mysteries, to discover new
gardens, and to give their lovers every new pleasure they could find.

About the Author

Lacey Alexander’s books have been cal ed deliciously decadent, unbelievably erotic, exceptional y arousing, blazingly sexual, and downright sinful.

In each book, Lacey strives to take her readers on the ultimate erotic adventure and hopes her stories wil encourage women to embrace their

sexual fantasies.

Lacey resides in the Midwest with her husband, and when not penning romantic erotica, she enjoys history and traveling, often incorporating

favorite travel destinations into her work.