Authors: Vivian Arend
Silence. Katy’s lips were pinched together tightly, her usually glowing skin gone white.
Yeah. Pretty much explained a lot of things.
Gage had to look away from her clear gaze. Had to finish—not all of it, but at least the next part of the story. “He went a little crazy. Started hitting her, and by the time he was stopped, she’d been hurt so bad she died a couple days later.”
Katy curled her fingers around his back as she leaned in and hugged him, as if attempting to comfort the child he’d been. “And you ended up in foster care.”
She was shaking, and he couldn’t bear to tell her the rest. Instead he buried his guilt and stroked her hair, the softness soothing him deep inside. “Yeah. It wasn’t that bad. There are a lot of good people who take in kids. Only by that age I wasn’t as cute, and there are less people who want teens, so I got moved around a bit.”
Less people who wanted to deal with the aftermath of a twelve-year-old who had been through what he’d seen.
What he’d done.
Katy pulled back, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I’m so sorry that happened, but I’m glad you ended up in Rocky.”
Her warm palm cupped his face, and she leaned in slowly to kiss him. Not a sympathy move, but highlighting the growing connection between them. Giving a touch of herself in offering, expecting something from him in return.
What he gave her was control. Instead of turning the softness into a ravishing, he kept his hands from roaming and concentrated on kissing her. At least he did until she caught his fingers and tugged. Pressed his palm against her breast and held it there.
She had nothing on under the T-shirt, and her nipple tightened, poking his palm as their lips continued to meet. He went with it, stroking gently, cupping the full round and teasing her nipple with his thumb until she arched toward him.
God, the noises she made as he kissed his way down her neck. He twisted her against the couch and jerked up her shirt, exposing her breasts.
Exploring all her soft skin was not a hardship. The only thing hard was his cock, imprisoned behind his jeans where he fully intended on keeping it for another night.
This was about touching Katy. Seeing the changes in her body since the last time they’d been together. Delighting in the opportunity to be with her physically.
Making memories.
He kissed the top of her soft curves held in his hand, pausing to glance into her eyes. Katy’s mouth hung slightly open as her breathing quickened.
“You’re so beautiful.”
She smiled, and he dipped his head to kiss her lips quickly before returning to torment her nipple. A lick around the tip, a gentle blow of air until it tightened. Pregnancy gave her skin a flush and increased the size of her breasts.
“Oh.
Oh
, careful.”
He gently rolled the tip with his tongue. “More sensitive.”
“You’re making me wet without even touching my pussy,” Katy confessed.
“I’ll pet your pussy later.” As long as she was squirming with pleasure he was doing something right.
Unexpectedly, Katy took control. She wiggled out of her sweatpants and lay back on the couch, pulling him over her. Only this time she directed his hand over her belly and between her legs.
Gage smiled against her lips as he stroked the narrow line of elastic. “You’re a lot bolder these days. I like it.”
“Shut up and kiss me,” Katy demanded, but she was smiling as well.
The kissing was easy. Nothing soft anymore, he consumed her hungrily. Stroked and tasted and took in every one of her gasps and moans like a symphony of lust.
At the same time he slipped his fingers under the edge of her panties, forcing the fabric to one side so he could ease between her folds into slick wetness.
“Oh, yes.” Katy pressed up into his hand.
“Eager.” He wasn’t going to wait. But slow was good for another reason—this time to bring her to the point of maximum pleasure. One finger parted her carefully, easing inside her tight passage. His thumb centered over her clit with gentle pressure as Katy clutched his head and pulled him back far enough she could stare into his eyes.
A second finger joined the first. Her face registered the additional pressure, and she widened her legs. Her tongue slipped out to wet her lips, and her breathing sped up as he moved a little quicker, fingertips curled slightly to find the spot he wanted. Again and again he thrust into her, checking her response, loving how she accepted the pleasure and soaked it in. Embraced it, and with one swoop, exploded in climax, her body squeezing his fingers tightly as her eyes closed.
“
Gage
.”
“Hmm, nice.” He slowed his touch. Took her down easily as her body continued to shake from her orgasm. “God, you’re beautiful when you come.”
She melted onto the couch, boneless relaxation overtaking her. “No pictures, okay? I think I can remember this happened, in all its Technicolor glory.”
Gage laughed then kissed her. Eased back as she sat up.
“What now?” Katy asked, all flushed and warm.
“Now you get dressed, and I’ll tuck you into bed.”
It obviously wasn’t what she expected to hear. Katy damn near pouted. “Alone?”
He nodded. “This time.”
“When is next time? Soon?”
His body ached. “Very soon, but this is about more than sex, Katy. We’re memory making. Finding out more about each other. Let’s not rush too fast.”
“Uh-uh. You said soon. So, while yes to those other things, I think soon should mean soon. Promise?” Katy pulled her clothing back into line as ordered, but she still looked wonderfully near ravished as she stumbled to her feet.
He shot upward to steady her. Anticipation of growing closer in so many ways thrilled him more than he could say.
“I promise.” When she was ready, he would be as well. Oh, hell yeah.
Chapter Thirteen
She’d figured it out. Gage was determined to drive her crazy. Either that or he’d been taken over by aliens, and the body snatchers had forgotten to program the clone for sex.
No, that wasn’t right. Katy was still getting orgasms, lots of them, delivered in a timely and most enthusiastic fashion on a regular basis. The man’s tongue should be enshrined—when it came to going down on her, he was talented and thorough enough she couldn’t walk afterward.
Actual sex was the issue. Sex hadn’t yet happened, and after three weeks of exploring lots of other pleasurable activities, Katy was more than eager.
She was pissed.
On the nonsexual side, her unsatisfied libido had her directing frustrated energy into a variety of art projects. She couldn’t seem to stop herself. The fight with numbers had turned into an addiction with creativity. As the baby growing inside started to make itself more apparent, her interest in things she had never tried before continued. Her brothers had been thrilled at the suggestion of getting her gift cards from craft shops for Christmas. After a few enthusiastic shopping sprees, she had knitting projects started, and a quilt. She’d bought coloured pencils and art pads for her doodles.
The last trip to the store had ended with her buying an assortment of Play-Doh and clay that she was itching to dive into. Around the house new hobbies lay scattered on all available surfaces.
The phone rang, pulling her from her current art project. She checked the call display and sighed her frustration before answering.
“Simon. What’s up?”
And it had better not be another invitation for a date.
He chuckled. This annoying, grating sound. “Got a present for you, sugar. Just making sure you’re home so I can bring it over.”
Katy leaned on the wall by the kitchen and fought to keep her voice level. “I don’t need any more presents, Simon. Please, stop trying to buy your way into my affections.”
He’d bailed out of the prenatal experience after that disastrous first day, but for the rest, he just wouldn’t give up. He called. He dropped in. She was polite each time she turned him down, but he kept on coming like some crazy Red Bull-fueled boyfriend from hell.
“You don’t mean that, I know you don’t.”
“Oh, yes, I’m sure I do. Gage and I are happy”—happy enough except for the fact she was going to kill him if he didn’t get a move on—“and I need you to wait until we know more in terms of the baby.”
“I think you need a little more convincing, is all,” Simon insisted. “We were good together, and we need to be together.”
“You should stop calling me.” The doorbell rang, and Katy turned to answer it. “We are not getting together.”
The man didn’t give up. “Who’s at the door? Is it Gage? You shouldn’t be with him. I swear he’s dangerous.”
Katy peeked outside to discover Gage waiting for her. “He’s not dangerous, and you’re getting annoying. I have to go. I’ll be in touch if I need anything.”
“I’ll—”
She hung up on Simon and pulled the door open for Gage. How the man managed to make a winter coat and toque look sexy was damn unfair. “Hi.”
He straightened from his easy slouch. “Hi. Can I come in?”
Katy shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
She turned back to her project, pretending to ignore him, but she knew he was there, all right. Just was tired of his bossy ass, along with the continued annoyance of Simon.
Silence loomed until she finally peeked over her shoulder.
“Why are you still wearing all your snow gear?”
Gage shrugged. “It’s a nice day. I wanted to go for a walk.”
For some reason his wording only upset her more. “Fine. Have a nice time.”
She turned her back and ripped a page violently from the magazine, examining it for the best section to add to her mosaic.
Cold fabric wrapped around her as he leaned against her back. “You mad at me?”
“I thought you were walking.”
“With you, Katy. I want to go for a walk with you.”
“That’s not what you said,” Katy pointed out snarkily. “And far be it for me to insert myself into your plans.”
Gage lifted her from the chair and forced her chin up. “Okay, point taken. Will you come with me? It’s pretty outside, and we should take advantage of the nice weather.”
Like some damn yo-yo, her mood rose instantly. Katy couldn’t hold on to her mad. “I’d love to go for a walk. Give me a minute to change.”
Thirty minutes later they were strolling through the birch trees at the edge of the town park, the snowy path underfoot packed down by a snowmobile. The crisp January air burned her throat slightly as she breathed, but it was still refreshing. Snow clung to bare branches, shimmering white against the shockingly blue Alberta sky.
Gage had her hand in his, their gloves separating them but connected just the same. “You look like you’re having a ton of fun with the crafts. And sewing. And painting.”
“Post-concussion syndrome. Doctor finally gave me a name.”
“Really? That’s cool.”
“Yeah. I suppose. The brain’s a neat thing. I damaged part of it, so now the pathways or whatever shifted in new directions and
poof
, I’m an
arteest
.”
“Creativity everywhere.”
His comment hit the wrong way.
“I know my house is a mess,” Katy snapped, then instantly felt guilty.
He squeezed her fingers. “I didn’t say anything about the house. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“But it is a mess, and that’s not like me, but dammit…” Katy jerked her hand free and paced to the edge of the trail, staring at the sky as she attempted to find her sense of peace. “My God, this is insane.”
He had the guts to laugh softly. “Katy, I’m not judging you. Or expecting anything from you—”
“Yeah? Well maybe you should.”
That dangerous grin of his widened. “Oh?”
Ass. “Is there something wrong with my body, Gage? You afraid of hurting the baby if we have sex? I mean, you can’t be afraid that I’ll get pregnant, because, hello, that ship has already sailed.”
Jumping from arts and crafts to sex in under a minute.
Go, Katy!
“You’re not happy with our sex life?” Gage asked.
A growl escaped her. She marched across the short distance between them to get in his face. “We don’t have a sex life. We have you deciding when to turn off the heat, and I’m getting tired of it.”
“Agreed.”
His instant response pierced her bubble and deflated part of her anger. “You agree? Then why are you being such a pain in the butt?”
Gage pulled off his glove and cupped his warm palm to her cheek. “You know how you wanted to be invited along on the walk? Not just me assuming that you would come?”
“Yeah?” Where was this going?
He stroked a thumb over her cheek. “You have changed since the accident, and I like the new Katy. I like how she’s bolder, and more outspoken. I think it’s fascinating that you’ve suddenly got this artistic side, but there’s one thing you’re not doing.”
She nuzzled against his hand, placated a little. “And what’s that, bossypants?”
A low rumble of amusement escaped him. “You’re still not deciding what you want then going for it.”
There was a twist she hadn’t expected. “I thought you said I was bolder?”
“You are…and you aren’t.” Gage enclosed her in his arms. “You’re bold as brass for a moment then you cut back like your response is a bad thing. It’s not, Katy. If you want something, take it. If you don’t want something, stop beating around the bush. Tell him to get lost.”
Oh. “This is about Simon.”
Gage shrugged. “Partly. I know you’re worried about him being the dad, but since you’re not planning on marrying the guy, maybe you should stop being so accommodating.”
She’d thought of that, but… “You’re right, but it’s still a tough step to take.”
“Not saying it would be easy, but what’s the use of having this new attitude if you’re not going to use it?”
Katy slipped her hands around his neck. “Well, if you insist, I can think of something I’d really like to do.”
“Hmm.” Gage stroked her cheek. “Go on, Katybug, boss me around and get some practice.”
They couldn’t get back to the house fast enough.
But when they arrived, Katy didn’t simply demand he take her into the bedroom. No matter how daring she felt that was one step further than she could take right now.