Fierce Possession (Touched By You 9) (4 page)

Natalie felt a fast pulse against her clit when the pearls vibrated in Tanner’s palm. Heat poured through her veins, and her muscles tightened. Fearing he would stop, Natalie closed her fists and clenched them. The delicious stimulation continued. The pearls, like round fingers, rocked over her clit and sent radiating waves of pleasure through her.

The tempo increased, and Natalie lost any ability to stop the feeling rocking through her. Tanner’s hand, the pearls, and her sex became one. The erotic sensation exploded deep inside and radiated out. Her scream shattered the quiet of the room, drowning out the soft music in the background that she’d ceased to hear long before.

Rigid and gripped by orgasm, Natalie moaned. Her long cry slowly quieted as her body relaxed. Tanner slid beside her and rolled her over, holding her in his arms. Her breathing continued hard and gasping. She let Tanner hold her, offering no resistance, just sagging against him. He undid the pearl bra and took it off of her then slid the thong down to her ankles, where it slid to the floor.

6 – Having Tanner

When her breathing slowed a little, Natalie leaned up and kissed Tanner. First she kissed his chest, his nipples, his shoulders, and then over his neck. Covering him with hot kisses brought her back to life. His warm skin against her lips was delicious.

The touch of her lips to his neck was tender, sensual, teasing. With a deep growl, Tanner fisted her hair and brought her lips to his, kissing her fiercely, bruising them. Pressing back as hard as he pressed to her, Natalie kissed deeply. Mouth open slightly, he swirled his tongue over hers, hot and wanting.

She fisted his cock, swollen with veins bulging. Stroking it, she loved the feel of it in her hand. Letting her palm roll over the top on the upstroke, she spread pre-cum over the bulging knob. Tanner groaned. Rolling her onto her back, he straddled her.

On his knees with his thick shaft aching, he reached out and cupped her breasts, kissing her again and again. Reaching down, he touched the tip of his cock to her pussy and she sighed. “Yes,” she whispered. “Please. I want you so bad.”

Easing into her, Tanner’s eyes partly closed. Pressing deeper, the exquisite stretch aroused him. Her tight pussy was a warm velvet glove. With a gasp of breath, he pushed inside, all the way, and Natalie panted and rocked her hips up to meet him.

With his weight resting on his forearms, his palms under her shoulders, he fucked slowly to make it last. Pulling back, the head of his cock poked just inside her pussy, creating irresistible sensation. Then he slid deeper and deeper, unable to get deep enough.

He wanted her so much he couldn’t fuck her long enough, hard enough, or deep enough. Straddling her with bent knees, he plunged deep and then almost withdrew. The look on Natalie’s face nearly made him come. The flush of her cheeks, the gleam in her brown eyes, her lush lips, and creamy breasts made his balls ache.

Stopping in an effort to back away from his peak, he kissed her distended nipples sensually. The feel of them on his lips, and the taste of her, was too much to bear. He leaned up and kissed her lips, wildly, over and over. Forgetting himself, he moved his hips, rocking into her, craving the feel.

Natalie rolled her hips up and down, matching his motion. Her feminine panting escalated the sensation rigid in his belly. Holding back was impossible, restraint impossible. Speeding his motions, Tanner fucked harder. The harder he fucked, the better it felt. And Natalie fucked back, moisture gleaming on her skin.

When she moved her hips in a circular motion, Tanner lost it. He moaned and panted as he pounded into her, fucking fast and hard. The feel of her wrapped around him, her muscles squeezing his cock, propelled him into an ecstasy that swallowed him. He couldn’t stop, didn’t want to stop. The sound of their skin touching as he stroked into her was his undoing.

Sweating, gasping, and panting, he stroked faster and faster, until he felt her vagina like a vise around him. Natalie’s sweet pussy beat around him in heavy pulses, and she groaned and clawed at his back. Every muscle in his body turned to steel, and his cock went rigid, spurting inside her, on and on. Still they moved together in a cloud of sensation, bodies tingling with the warmth spreading through them, the waves slowing but not ending.

Still on his knees, and buried inside Natalie, he kissed her softly on her belly. Pulling out, he fell to the side of her, and she draped over him. Her arm rested on his chest, and her leg crossed over his thighs. Locked together, they listened to their own breathing, deep and heavy.

Tanner stroked her hair and ran his fingers over her back. “Baby,” he whispered. Natalie nuzzled closer, her head under his jaw, her palm on his chest.

“I’m glad you liked my surprise,” she whispered back. The room was quiet, the music over; only the distance sounds of the beach drifted through the open window. Tranquil and content, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

7 – Tell Me

Days drifted by, the warm weather and natural beauty of the island luring Natalie and Tanner into the romantic paradise. The outside world didn’t seem to exist. For the first time ever, Tanner slept late. They ate when they wanted to, and relaxed at the spa or on the beach, depending on their mood.

It would have been perfect, except Natalie knew there was something Tanner wasn’t telling her. Knowing that if she asked at the wrong time he’d go silent, she waited.

Sex was hotter by the day, if that were possible. Natalie felt consumed by his need for her, and willingly submitted. Her own desire grew insatiable, and no matter how intense the union, it left her wanting him more than ever.

When she could stand it no more, she knew she’d have to ask Tanner what bothered him. She had to know. Being close to him as she was, his moods affected her deeply, and it became impossible to ignore anything that seemed amiss. Determined, she bided her time, waiting for an opportunity.

Tanner rented an ivory Alfa Romeo
Giulietta, a sporty car to get around the island. There were many beaches, each unique, and it was a pleasure to stop and gaze at the view. Just to relax in the sun and stare at the craggy cliffs and clear water was amazing. One afternoon, they stopped in Porto Cervo to try Italian fare at The Blues Café. They were seated at a table on an upper deck, overlooking Porto Cervo harbor, which was packed with yachts and surrounded by the rolling island hills.

Looking for wines made in Sardinia, Tanner found a 2010
Malvasia Di Bosa, a dry white Italian wine. They sipped it while waiting for their tempura fish and vegetables. Tanner had worn a linen shirt and loose-fitting slacks, looking every bit the tourist. Natalie wore a long skirt, a silk shell, and sandals, in keeping with the beach motif everywhere on the island.

Curving over the roads, the hills rolling by, the sea gleaming in the sun, had been soothing. Tanner enjoyed the
Giulietta and talked about buying one to garage in Milan. He seemed relaxed and showed no signs of interest in anything except Natalie. It might have been wise to just keep her mouth shut, but she didn’t foresee a better opportunity.

“Tanner, can I ask you something?”

He reached out and took her hand, admiring the gleaming diamond on her left hand. “Sure. What do you want to know?”

“What’s bothering you?” Then she knew it was a mistake to bring it up. His features darkened and he withdrew his hand.

“Can’t you tell me?” she persisted.

“Aren’t you enjoying your honeymoon?”

“Of course I am. I’ve never been happier, except…”

“Except?”

“You made the comment when we arrived that I should be worried. I didn’t understand what you meant. And a couple of times I’ve seen a look on your face I can’t place. I don’t know what you are thinking.”

“You are making too much of it.”

“I don’t think so. You are brushing me off. Just tell me.”

“I never thought I’d get married,” he said flatly.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you sorry?”

Tanner’s eyes softened. “No, baby, I’m not sorry. I take what I want, you know that. And I want you. And that’s what’s wrong.”

“What is? How can it be wrong to want me?”

Tanner ran his hand through his hair and expelled a deep breath. A shadow crossed his blue eyes, and a fist tightened around Natalie’s heart. There was something wrong. What if it was something devastating, something she couldn’t do anything about?

“I would tell you if I could.” He took her hand in his and kissed her palm, sending a shiver through her.

“It’s a secret?”

“No, it’s not a secret. It’s just that I don’t understand it myself. You are making me crazy.”

“I don’t mean to. What do I do?”

“You don’t have to do anything. I’ve craved you insanely from the first moment I set eyes on you in the concert hall. There you were in your denim skirt, delightedly screaming with the crowd at the concert. You didn’t know I existed. And maybe you never should have.”

“Now you are making me crazy.” Natalie stood up and went to Tanner. She slid onto his lap and put her hand on his jaw. “What are you talking about?”

“Every since the ceremony, I’ve had this feeling.”

“Yes?”

“I watched you, standing in your pure white dress, vowing to be my wife…” Tanner stopped and leaned his head into her palm. “It was your last chance. You could have a normal life, be with a man who is not so demanding, possessive. Once we said ‘I do’ you’d lost that chance. I’ve pulled you into my world.”

“I want to be in your world. Don’t you see that? I love you, Tanner. I want this as much as you do. Maybe I like your demanding, possessive personality. Did that ever occur to you?”

Tanner was silent for a moment. “I just…want everything to be good for you. And you don’t know the depth of my urges. You think you do, but you don’t.”

Natalie wasn’t sure what he meant. She thought she knew him pretty well. “You are good for me. Haven’t I convinced you of that? We moved beyond that, or I thought we did. I don’t want another life, and I don’t want another man. I want you.”

Tanner squeezed her tight. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know yet.”

Natalie knew that was as far as she’d get right then. From the beginning, they’d struggled together to overcome the idea that she’d be better off without him, that he was bad for her. Never would she have guessed that those old fears would haunt them past the commitment of marriage and into their honeymoon and beyond.

The ride home was quiet, dark, and tender. After the talk, Tanner seemed different. Not different in a bad way, just different. In the solitude of their suite, he made love to her, sweetly and tenderly at first—but then rough and hard, like a fire burned inside him that he couldn’t put out. Natalie was incapable of unlocking the mystery of why he was unsettled, and had no immediate solution.

All she could do was love him. That was what she’d always done, and it was the only thing she could do. Tanner had her heart, completely and forever. And whatever demons reared their head, they’d just have to get through it together. His urges didn’t frighten her, no matter the depth or intensity. The only thing that would frighten her would be losing him.
That
she couldn’t survive.

8 – Idyllic Days

Sardinia was an idyllic island for a honeymoon. Tanner and Natalie spent time at several of the nearby beaches, and ate local fare in the beachside restaurants. Picturesque scenery surrounded them wherever they went, whether gliding around the road in the Alfa Romeo, sitting on a patio sipping local wine, or walking in the sand along the shore.

Tanner even took her sailing, since there was a yacht club nearby. He hired a boat for the afternoon and took her to see other parts of the island. They nibbled fresh fruit and sipped champagne. The romance of the moment seeped into their hearts, and they went below deck. In the cabin they made love for hours before returning to the marina.

Cherishing every moment with Tanner, and knowing she’d remember her honeymoon forever, Natalie didn’t ask more questions. Knowing instinctively that he’d told her as much as he could, and that she’d have to wait it out, she focused on treasuring the days they had away from the rest of the world.

Sometimes Tanner was sweet and tender, and sometimes fierce in his lovemaking. Natalie loved him both ways. Yet some nights, when he was domineering and greedy, she sensed a depth to him previously not experienced. Possibly, it was what he feared for her. But so far, it had only been good. Pushing away nagging worry, she savored sex with her husband, always exciting and passionate.

Andre stayed in the hotel, and was on hand if needed. The safety of the island was not in question, and when they went for drives, they ventured out alone. Natalie knew he missed Sara, who was at home waiting for him. She wished they’d hired a different bodyguard for the three weeks so Andre could be with her. Wondering if they’d get married too, she smiled. It had been a happy moment to see Sara catch her bouquet at the wedding.

Texting was an easy way to stay in touch with Jazzy and Cheryl, and it seemed not much had changed in the short time Natalie had been away. They both reported that Emma was doing well, content knowing both her daughters were happily married.

Sometimes in the morning, Tanner would boot up the computer to connect with Aaron Bader, his CEO, just to keep tabs on the business. Natalie didn’t mind, as she too would monitor emails from distributors of her fashions, and even phoned Brandon Sherwood to talk about an issue at Natalie Baker Designs. He’d taken charge of the operations when her company moved under the umbrella of Clarke Luxury Brands.