A Matter of Honesty (15 page)

had in her bags. There were two complete outfits in one bag and matching shoes in

the other. He smiled as she dug into the pocket of her jeans.

“Here is your change.”

Nathan pulled Bethany into his arms. “Did you bring me any change?”

Bethany shook her head. “No, but I did bring you a surprise.” She gave him a

wicked look. “Although you have to come upstairs to see it.”

With that said Nathan grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the stairs. “Mom

said dinner is in an hour,” Sabrina called after them.

The only reply was a giggle from Bethany. Daniel stood up and took Valerie‘s

bags from her as she sat down with a grateful sigh in the seat he‘d just vacated.

“Tired?”

She nodded. “Yes, but we had fun. How about you guys?”

Daniel nodded before lowering himself to the floor. He took off Valerie‘s shoes

and began to rub her feet. When she moaned in pleasure a surge of jealousy traveled

through Steve. He had missed out on so much during Tina‘s pregnancy with Hannah.

Sometimes he was amazed his child was so well adjusted as Tina had been an

emotional wreck, screaming or crying if he looked at her. Touching her had been out

of the question.

“I‘m going to tell the guys dinner will be ready in an hour. Gail, call our

grandparents to see if they‘re coming over for dinner.”

Gail nodded to Sabrina. “Will do.”

Steve smiled. His grandparents had all gone back to their respective houses

since technically the family reunion was over. The festivities had gone well and it had

been fun. He and his cousins were sticking around until tomorrow, then they would

all be heading back home as well. Steve looked over at where Lauryn was standing

quietly. She held three bags of her own in her hands.

“What do you have in your bags?”

Sabrina giggled as she walked over to Lauryn. “That‘s for her to know and you

to find out.”

Lauryn‘s cheeks began to redden, which made him feel all the more inquisitive,

but he would have to find out later since Sabrina was dragging her out the room.

Hannah followed hot on their trail. Valerie smiled at him.

“Cousin, I would love to be a fly on your bedroom wall when you get back to

Norman and that shoulder heals.”

His jaw went slack at Valerie‘s words. What the hell had Lauryn bought? Not

able to stand the suspense he stood up and headed upstairs. He would try to see what

Lauryn had purchased. Even though he might not be successful, it was always worth a

try.

Steve paced the floor one more time. He headed down the hall toward Lauryn‘s

room. Her door was open and she was sitting in the middle of the bed reading a book.

It had been three weeks since they‘d returned from the family reunion. The kiss he‘d

shared with Lauryn in front of his family had caused a lot of speculation that neither

Steve nor she denied or confirmed. Hannah was ecstatic that he and Lauryn were

involved. Everything seemed to have fallen in place. Well, almost everything. Though

he may have started dating Lauryn on a tentative basis, it was now something more.

Something neither of them could deny. The elephant in the room that no one wanted

to discuss… until now.

His shoulder was better. It was still a little tender but not painful. He was

ready to take what he and Lauryn had to the next level. If he had read the signs right,

so was Lauryn. She was giving every indication that she yearned for physical intimacy

as well. He had stayed away as long as he could, sneaking in the occasional passionate

kiss. He‘d known he didn‘t want to touch her until he could do so and enjoy it.

Tonight was that night, if he had anything to say about it.

He reached out and knocked on the doorframe. She looked up at him, smiling,

before placing the book aside.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

“I missed you.”

Lauryn laughed. He had a good idea as to why, since he just seen her a few

minutes ago when they had tucked Hannah in and read her a bedtime story. “It‘s only

been a few minutes. I haven‘t even made it past two pages in my book.”

He smiled. “But I still missed you.” He walked over to the bed, leaning down to

scoop her up. She squealed in surprise but automatically wrapped her arms around

his neck.

“Put me down before you hurt your shoulder,”

“Be still and I won‘t.”

She stilled instantly, holding herself as motionless as possible. He carried her

out of the bedroom and down the hall.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To my bedroom.”

She didn‘t respond but he studied her expression, keeping an eye out for any

distress and finding none. Steve reached his bedroom, stepped inside, and kicked the

door closed behind him. She jumped at the low thud but he knew it wasn‘t loud

enough to disturb Hannah. He had been sure to make sure his daughter was

completely asleep before going to Lauryn. Since they‘d been back from Stillwater,

Lauryn had spent a few nights in his bed. While they had shared a few heated kisses,

it had never gone beyond that. Tonight was going to be different.

He walked over to the bed, letting Lauryn stand on her own beside it. She

stepped back and he saw she was fidgeting nervously.

“We need to talk about this,” she stammered.

Steve sighed. He knew she was inexperienced but he planned to take care of

her. When he entered her, she would be ready. “Okay.”

“Um, do you have any protection?”

He went to the drawer and pulled out an unopened box. Her mouth dropped

open in a cute fashion. He watched a blush creep up her neck to her cheeks. She began

to wring her hands nervously.

“Do you know what—?”

Steve nodded before stepping forward to take her hands in his. “Lauryn, I want

to make love with you as much as you want to make love to me. We are both prepared

for this. We‘ve both waited for this moment a long time. So let‘s make it as special as

possible, without worrying. I‘ll take care of you. I promise.”

Lauryn stared at him for a moment before she smiled and nodded her head. He

pulled her close and his lips claimed hers as he held her tenderly. It was as if her lips

where drugging him, the taste of her was so intoxicating. Steve‘s mouth slipped away

from hers to whisper against her cheek.

“You are so exquisite.”

She smiled, reaching up to touch the untamable lock of hair she seemed to love

so much.

“You‘re pretty sexy yourself.”

He smiled and brought his mouth down on hers. One of his hands slipped

between them. He could feel the shock run through her body when he cupped one of

her breasts. He had to remember to take this slow. She‘d confided to him that she

wasn‘t a virgin but she wasn‘t all that experienced either. Gently he stroked her

breast through the gown. He knew the silky material was one of the surprises she‘d

bought in Stillwater. The filmy material didn‘t provide any barrier between his palm

and her hardened nipple.

Lauryn moaned and he covered her mouth with his. He could feel her going

limp in his arms. He felt his semihard erection stiffen even more, and pressed himself

against her. She gasped in response, but he didn‘t move, allowing her body to get used

to his. Before the night was over he planned to make sure there wasn‘t a part of him

she didn‘t know.

It was his turn to gasp when she caught him off guard, lowering her hand

between them, exploring until she found what she was looking for. When she started

stroking him he could hardly control himself, the pleasure was so intense. Her touch

was a little hesitant, but her eagerness to explore his body spurred him on.

“Lauryn, stop,” Steve whispered, his voice deep with huskiness.

When she didn‘t comply, his hands slipped down and grasped hers, slowly

leading her fingers away from his hard shaft. It had been so long since he‘d been with

anyone. He didn‘t want to find his deepest pleasure with her from being caressed. He

stepped back then slipped the gown over her head, leaving her naked. She made a

move to cover herself but he gently caught her hands. “Don‘t.”

She blushed heavily and he smiled to reassure her. “You are too beautiful to

cover up.”

“I‘m not comfortable like this.”

He gave her a reassuring smile. “Believe me, honey, you haven‘t a thing to be

uncomfortable about. But if it makes you feel any better…” He kicked off his boxers

until he stood naked with her. Her gaze lowered, roaming over his body slowly,

slightly widening when it traveled over his hard arousal. She seemed to forget about

her own discomfort, as he‘d intended. She placed her hand on his shoulders when he

picked her up. He laid her down on the bed before following her down. When she

went to move over to make room for him, he shook his head.

“Come here.”

She moved back into his embrace and he lowered his mouth to hers. He moved

over her, nudging her legs apart. He fought a shudder as his aching erection brushed

the juncture of her thighs, her heat and wetness tormenting him. She moaned and

arched into him as if suffering from the same agony. He groaned, needing to slow

down, or he was going to burn out of control. It took everything he had to pull back.

She reached for him but he eluded her hands. He ran his hands down her body,

wanting to learn every curve of her lush body.

“You‘re so gorgeous, so sexy.”

He felt her shiver against him in response to his compliment. But he wanted

more from her. He traced his finger lightly over her breasts, pausing to place a kiss on

her collarbone and neck. She moaned in pleasure, her legs moving against his

restlessly. He felt her squeeze her thighs together, knowing what effect he was having

on her. It was the same one she had on him. He ached from wanting her.

He trailed his hand down her stomach, in between her thighs, moaning as he

felt the wetness that had gathered there. Moving his hand, he slowly began to stroke

her. Lauryn‘s head fell back on the pillow and she cried out. He lifted his head to

watch her, wanting to see the pleasure he gave her play out over her face.

“Does that feel good?”

“Yes,” she managed to choke out. He continued to stroke her gently, smiling as

he watched her movements become more lithe as he pushed her toward an abyss he

wasn‘t sure she had ever been to before. Her body stiffened with each stroke of his

fingers as more low sounds of pleasure escaped her. He knew she was right where he

wanted her when her thighs tightened around his hand, almost making it impossible

for him to move, but he didn‘t cease. She was going to experience a wealth of bliss

tonight, if he did nothing else. The corners of his mouth curved upward as she

clutched blindly at him. He gathered her close to him with his free arm, whispering in

her ear, “Just relax and go with it. Let it come.”

It seemed to be all the reassurance she needed because she stiffened, then

gasped, burying her face into his chest as her body convulsed around his fingers. He

stroked and caressed her until her muscles went lax, telling him he had accomplished

his goal at least once. The plan was to take her to the pinnacle of release several more

times before the night was over.

Lauryn lay still trying to figure out what had just happened to her. There were

no words to describe it. Now she knew what she had been missing all this time.

Could relate to the ultimate pleasure she had occasionally heard some of her female

cohorts whisper about during the “women only” lunch outings.

All thoughts were suddenly pushed from Lauryn‘s mind when Steve‘s fingers

began to stroke her again. She shivered as she recalled the passion he had just sent

surging through her. It didn‘t seem possible for her to be able to achieve such a high

level of pleasure again, but with the skill of his fingers, it wasn‘t long before he had

her entire body quivering. There was no doubt in her mind that his intimate touch

was being branded on her brain. Sensations were roaring through her and she bit her

lower lip to stop from crying out.

She met his gaze and saw the heated lust that darkened his eyes and knew it

had to be a mirror of hers. He was purposely teasing her feminine core, making her

want him to the point where she was almost ready to plead.

“You‘re extremely wet, Lauryn,” he said in a low throaty voice as he continued

to stroke her with expert precision. “Do you like what I‘m doing to you?”

Did he really expect her to be able to answer him? Even if she wanted to, she couldn‘t.

Her vocal cords didn‘t seem to want to work, not to mention she couldn‘t form a

coherent thought. But he was looking at her, waiting. It was a struggle but she forced

herself to respond, “Yes, I like it.”

“I want to taste you, Lauryn,” he murmured as he shifted until he came to rest

on his knees between her thighs.

When he lowered his head between her legs it hit her that he had been serious.

He was taking what he wanted. And when his tongue thrust out and gave her that

first intimate touch, she felt boneless pleasure of the most intense kind oozing

through her pores.

“Steve.” She closed her eyes on a pleasurable sigh as he continued to kiss her in