Her Gentle Giant: No Regrets (11 page)

* * * *

Grace slipped into the restroom, hoping it was empty, as Rachel exited one of the stalls. After a couple of women left the room, Grace dropped all pretense of fluffing her hair. “Eli is getting acquainted with your new admirer at our table.”

“My
what
?” Rachel asked, surprised by how quickly things had moved.

“What do you mean, acquainted?”

Earlier, when she’d looked up at the man sitting at the table, he’d made eye contact with her. Dressed all in black with sleek, short black hair, he had a bad-ass cool alpha vibe going on. He must have just gotten there because no women hovered near his table yet trying to get his attention. That thought had relieved her in a funny way. Maybe some of the floozies in the bar would be drawn to him and would give it a rest with Eli.

“Ace is a good friend of ours. He watched out for me when Owen kept pestering me back in June. He’s here to testify in that drug trial, and he’s thinking about leaving San Angelo and settling down here. He seems to have taken a fancy to you. I don’t think Eli is very happy about it. It’s interesting, actually. The shoe appears to be on the other foot now.”

Rachel’s eyes narrowed, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

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“Eli is definitely showing
his
jealous nature. He’s sending out all these territorial vibes and innuendos, trying to warn Ace off of you. It’s very sweet to watch, seeing him struggle to be nice to our friend when he really wants to kick his ass for staring at you and wanting to dance with you.”

“He said he wants to dance with me?” Rachel asked softly as another woman came in the restroom.

Grace nodded and pulled Rachel into the corner by the door. “Eli did not like that
at all
, but he didn’t say anything. He doesn’t want to offend Jack.

Ethan was trying to smooth things over and told Ace that he didn’t think that was a good idea but that there were lots of other women who’d love to dance with him here tonight. Isn’t
that
the truth! But
then
Ethan also told him that you’d been beating the women off Eli like mosquitoes all evening, so he may not want to dance with any of them if they were after Eli first.”

Grace rolled her eyes as if to say, “Men.”

“Well, I don’t want to dance with anyone but Eli.”

Grace shrugged like it was all very simple. “So just say you’re here with Eli. Ace will understand, although that doesn’t mean he won’t try to ask you. It’s probably a good thing we got our girly dances in early because you dancing with me to those songs while Ace is in here watching would be like a red flag to Eli’s bull. Not good.”

“So you’re my informant?” Rachel asked, grinning. “Or are you in here trying to buy Ethan time to smooth things over between the two of them before I show up?”

Grace snickered, evidently amused by the whole situation. “Both! I’m watching out for my friends, plus stalling a little to give Eli and Ace a chance to get on friendlier terms before you make an appearance. Eli is probably watching for your return by now.” She paused and became serious for a moment. “Remember, he’s probably feeling pretty territorial right now.

If you love him, follow his lead.” She grasped the door handle and pulled on it.

Eli made his excuses and stepped away from the group when she appeared, and he met her outside the hallway. She looked up at him and allowed him to lead her away to the front of the club. Evidently, he was not feeling magnanimous enough to take her over and introduce her. He didn’t say anything about the man, just helped her into her chair before sitting
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beside her. He was attentive as ever, though he seemed distracted. A few times she noticed him staring at the other end of the bar.

* * * *

Toward closing time, Eli noticed when Ace rose from the table across the bar and made his way to the front of the club, probably ready to call it an evening. Eli had known this moment would come and that Ace would not be the kind to miss an opportunity. Ace stopped in front of him and stuck out his hand to shake Eli’s again, his eyes drifting to Rachel expectantly.

“Eli, it was a pleasure,” Ace said with a grin. It was not lost on Eli that Ace left the statement open-ended, leaving no question as to which part of the evening had been a pleasure for Ace, no doubt observing his beautiful Rachel as well as antagonizing him in the process. Eli shook his hand, matching his grip but unwilling to embark on a pissing match in front of Rachel.

“Yes, it
has
been a pleasure.”
All mine, you son of a bitch.
“Rachel, this is Ace Webster, a friend of the Warners’, and Ethan and Adam. He works in security and investigation. Ace, this is my girlfriend, Rachel Lopez,” Eli said politely, though it sounded as stiff as he felt.

“I was admiring you on the dance floor earlier, Miss Lopez,” he said as he shook Rachel’s hand gently. “You move beautifully with your partner.

It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You’re a lucky man, Eli.” He released Rachel’s hand and moved away toward the door.

Eli watched him as he stalked casually out the door. He looked over at Rachel, perturbed that Ace had made mention of watching her on the dance floor and had felt the need to hold her hand so long after shaking it.

Her hand was held out in front of her awkwardly, and when she turned it over, he could see the business card in her palm. It lay on her palm and she didn’t even close her fingers over it, holding it out to him to take instead.

Worry showed on her face, like she was afraid he’d be mad at her for accepting the card.

Gently taking Rachel’s hand in his, Eli lifted her palm, took the card from it, placed a soft kiss where it had been, and then pulled her to him.

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“I can’t believe he did that, Eli. I didn’t mean to take it from him. He slipped it into my hand,” she said, her eyes searched his face. She seemed worried he was upset with her.

Eli slipped the card into his back pocket. “I know, baby. I can’t blame him for trying, though. Eli tried to see the humor in their role reversal.

Rachel had been shooing women away from him all evening. Turnabout was fair play, he supposed.

Additionally, she’d been dealing with it all evening from
multiple
sources, and he’d only had the one to deal with. Still, he knew they hadn’t seen the last of Ace. “He’s right. You are beautiful, and I can recall being hypnotized by the way you move a time or two.” He grinned at her dark blush. “But that doesn’t mean I take kindly to him slipping you his card right under my nose.”

Her hands slid slowly up his torso, distracting him with her soft touch.

“Eli, you do know I’m not a bit interested in him, right?”

“Yes, I figured you weren’t, but it’s good to know for sure. I guess we each know how the other feels receiving unwanted attention tonight.”

“Yes. Yours is the only attention I want. This has been an interesting evening.”

“Yeah, it has. I hope you weren’t too bored, sitting up here with me.”

“Bored? No.” She chuckled. “Bored would have been me sitting at the bar, waiting for you to come over during breaks. I spent the whole evening with you, and we even got to dance quite a bit. It was not a boring evening.

Plus, I have later on, after we get home, to look forward to,” she reminded him softly as she looked up into his eyes.

He looked down at her and trailed his fingers over her cheekbone. “I know. I’m hard just thinking of it.”

“Remember, you have company, so we’re going to have to be very, very quiet.”

“That’s fine, because I was planning on making slow, sweet love to you, anyway. I was rough today, and I want to take it easy with you tonight.”

In a subtly aroused reaction to his words, her eyelids fluttered at his words, and she licked her lips and he wondered if she was imagining what Eli had just described. His hardening cock eagerly jumped to attention.

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Glancing up at him, Rachel smiled. “You didn’t hurt me, Eli. But slow and sweet sounds heavenly.” She rested her head against his chest, sighing when his hand slid over her back. “How much longer?”

“The club closes in fifteen minutes. One of us usually stays to make sure all the waitresses get to their cars and safely on their way, but it’s Rogelio’s turn to do that, so I’ll be good to go in about thirty minutes. Think you can hang on that long?” he asked, looking into her blue eyes that were now soft with desire. Slowly, a playful, yet seductive, smile came to her lips, and she chuckled.

“I don’t know, Eli,” she murmured suggestively. “That’s a
long
time, it’s
very
hard
for me to wait, but if I get to
come
home with you, I think I can
take
it
.” She giggled delightedly when he groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Bad girl.” He nibbled on her ear and hugged her when she squealed.

“Hey, are you two going to be like this every night from now on?

’Cause, it’s downright nauseating,” Mike muttered from his chair.

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When they arrived home that night, Rachel stepped inside the front door after Eli opened it for her. She noticed that Kelly and Matthew were snuggled sweetly together on the couch. Matthew was dressed in a fuzzy yellow sleeper, curled up in the crook of his mama’s arm. Kelly was curled inward on the couch, forming a nice little cocoon for the baby to sleep in.

Both were out cold. Only a dim light shone from one of the lamps, left on by Kelly, undoubtedly, so they could find their way through the house. Eli turned the lamp off, and they made their way back into the bedroom on silent feet.

“Do you want a warm shower?” he asked.

“That sounds nice. But won’t it disturb Kelly?” She wanted to get the smell of cigarette smoke off her skin and her hair before she made love with him. A slow burn began inside her pussy.

“No, she’s a heavy sleeper, and she says Matthew is, too. I don’t think we’d disturb her as long as we’re not too noisy.” He stood before her, his hands gliding down her arms.

“We? You want to take a shower together?” The thought sent a delighted thrill straight through her.

“Don’t you?” He slid his arms around her, and his hands glided over her derriere, squeezing firmly. She loved the feel of his big hands sliding over her body like that.

“Yes.”

After he grabbed his robe from his closet, they slipped into the bathroom and undressed while the water heated up. She brushed her long hair out while she watched him remove and fold his leathers, placing them on the long counter then adding his white T-shirt and knit boxers to the pile.

She boldly gazed at his hard-muscled body from head to toe, desire smoldering within her. He stepped into the shower, affording her a glimpse
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of his sculpted ass, and held out his hand for her so she wouldn’t slip as she followed him in. He doused himself under the spray and moved aside so she could do the same while he reached for the bottle of shampoo.

She enjoyed his heated gaze even more than the hot water sluicing down her body. The water collected and ran in rivulets over and between her breasts. She reached up to squeeze the hot water through her hair, which caused her breasts to lift up to him in a playful invitation. She gasped softly when she felt his warm mouth close over one of her nipples. His tongue played with the tight peak, drawing on it before releasing it with a soft pop from his lips and moving to the other one and giving it similar teasing attention. He released it only because he needed to rinse the shampoo from his hair and to allow her to finish bathing. She lathered her hair and rinsed then took his washcloth and poured bodywash on it.

After they had both lathered and scrubbed, Eli poured more bodywash in his hand and murmured, “I think you may have missed a spot, Rachel.”

“Where?” she asked softly, and she lifted her arms helpfully, clasping her hands in her hair. “I don’t see it.” She looked at his hands as he rubbed them together, getting them slippery with the soapy gel. “Maybe you could help me?”

* * * *

Eli’s cock twitched hungrily as he smoothed his wet hands over the upper swells of her breasts, evoking a soft moan from her at his questing touch. He cupped her full, round breasts tenderly, smoothing his hands down her ribs to her abdomen, delighting in her panting gasps, before sweeping over the gentle swell of her hips to her ass and her thighs. He kissed the pulse in her neck and laved her silky skin with his tongue and could feel how quickly her heart was beating. She took bodywash in her own hands and paid him similar attention before he pressed her body to the cool tile wall with his own. The hot water sprayed down on them, rinsing the soap away as they kissed under the shower head.

He wanted to lift her to him and lower her onto his cock right now, but he wanted a slower buildup to their lovemaking and didn’t want to take a chance on waking the sleeping baby. After the soap was all gone, he shut off the water and reached for a towel to wrap her in. He squeezed the water
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from her hair with a towel then dried himself off. As she combed her hair and used the blow dryer, he noticed a blush on her cheeks as his cock grew harder and thicker. She licked her lips, and his cock bobbed enthusiastically at the thought of her going down on him.

Eli wrapped a towel around his waist and held his robe out for her as she hung the towel up to dry. She slipped her arms into the robe and closed the front as he opened the bathroom door. He switched off the light and then turned to her in the dark. He lifted her from her feet and gently carried her into his bedroom, softly closing the door behind them. She snuggled to him as he stood there by the bed with her, enjoying the sensation of her cuddled in his arms.

“I love you.” He climbed onto the bed with her in his arms. Her warm hand swept along his cheek, and her fingers slipped slowly into his hair. Eli recalled Jack telling him earlier that he knew a good jeweler, and he squeezed Rachel to him gently. He’d never be able to sleep in this cold room alone without thinking of her. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t noticed how minimalist it was before now. Maybe it was because his life was so full now that she was a part of it. He noticed the chilliness because her warmth was in his life now.

“Eli, I love you. I–I adore you,” she said, her voice husky with the depth of her feelings, sounding like she was holding back tears.

He’d known how he felt about her for weeks, and it was dawning on her, as well, how right for each other they were. He could count on the fact that Rachel would be practical and knew that was the reason for her moving next door. It was the reason why she wouldn’t consider moving in with him, even though she knew she was in love with him. She needed a little more time, and he’d gladly give her whatever she wanted. He’d use that time wisely and work on increasing that good impression he’d made on her folks.

Being on their good side could only help his cause. He’d get that phone number from Jack tomorrow. A good craftsman would need time, too.

Kneeling in the center of the bed, he held her, unwilling to let her go even for a moment. She tilted her head up to him, and he kissed her sweetly, reverently. He nuzzled along her throat and kissed and licked her, sucking on her earlobe. Wanting his hands free to roam over her warm silky body, he laid her down on his pillow, fanning her long mahogany locks across it.

He kissed her blushing cheeks as his own hair fanned out around them,
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blocking out the cold white sterility of his bedroom. He pulled back the covers, allowing her to shift onto the sheet with a little help. She removed his robe as he did likewise with his towel and tossed it on a chair and climbed under the covers with her. He settled his big body over her warm, curvaceous form.

She smiled up at him, and her eyes fluttered closed with a contented-sounding sigh. He pressed his body to her, smiling tenderly at her as she looked up at him so trustingly. “I love being like this with you. I feel safe and protected.” She paused, and her eyes grew shiny with unshed tears.

“Eli? What if I hadn’t given in to your persistence? What if I’d convinced you that I was too jealous and not worth the trouble? What if we missed this, here, right now? How would I know to regret it every day of my life? This moment with you is everything to me now that I know. I could have missed it if I’d kept running.”

“No regrets, right? My dad says, ‘Live life with no regrets, nothing left undone or unsaid, because you never know how long you have.’” He caught a tear with his thumb as it slipped across her temple.

“Thank you for understanding. I’m sorry I’m so emotional tonight.”

“You’re in your heart, which is a good place to be. I feel the same way, honey,” he murmured, his voice shaking a little.

He slid his lips in a slow, brushing trail down her quivering torso. She moaned softly as he lifted her hips gently to him and pressed his lips to her soft abdomen, just inches above her mound. He lifted one of her thighs and placed a gentle kiss on her silky inner thigh at her knee before working his way down to her pussy. He pressed his lips at the dip between her inner thigh and her outer labia, and his black hair streamed across her pussy. She moaned softly in frustration as he skipped over the area where she evidently wanted his mouth most and worked his way once again from the other inner knee and slowly down her thigh.

“You torture me, Eli. Please, I need your mouth on me. I need you so much it hurts,” she murmured in a shaky, husky voice filled with need.

He lifted her thigh so he could look into her eyes as he smiled down at her, slowly placing one kiss after another in a damp, slow trail that led straight to her pussy. She whimpered as he came closer and closer, flicking with his tongue so she’d know what else he would use on her. Her breaths
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came in rasping pants, her chest rising and falling rapidly. He caressed her abdomen, soothing her with gentle hands.

His hair slid over her abdomen, and he took a thick lock of it and gently trailed it over her wet, open pussy lips. She tilted her head back on her pillow, a whimper coming from her as he slid it up, ever so softly, over her engorged clitoris, tickling her mound with the very ends before drawing the lock over her lips once again. He could tell she was actively trying to hold her orgasm off, trying to wait for him, swallowing convulsively, her breathing now staccato panting.

Judging by her sounds, she needed his touch desperately, and as he reached the base of her thigh, his tongue dragged over her wet pussy lips.

She was coated with her sweet juices, so ready to receive him and so hot for him. She tried to keep her noises quiet, moaning softly and sighing his name over and over again. He kissed her lips and slid his tongue into her opening again and flicked up gently and slowly to her clit, feeling it the instant her tension broke like a bowstring pulled too tight and finally released.

She sobbed as he laved her swollen clit then slid into her entrance again and tasted the sweet cream that flowed from her powerful orgasm, licking each drop from her lips. Eli slid his hand up her outer thighs and over her hips and rib cage, soothing her as he was overcome by a feeling of utter masculine possessiveness toward her. He felt pride in his ability to give her such pleasure and loved to see her blushing and moaning beneath him in the absolute height of ecstasy.

Her sobs quieted to soft moans, and he felt dazed by her response to him. He looked into her dark blue eyes, and a profound peace filled him.

“My angel.” He closed his eyes, so overwhelmed was he by his emotions.

He kissed her inner thigh before settling himself in the cradle her body formed for him, giving ease to him, innocent to the deep way she affected him.

Maybe tomorrow at the lake he could explain to her why he reacted to her this way, the peace she brought to him. Maybe he could explain the painful place inside him that she alone had been capable of healing with her love, her smiles, and her acceptance of him. Right now, all he could focus on was being inside her and feeling her silken warmth caress his hardened shaft. He wanted to fill her and claim her as his one true love. His angel
.

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“Would you open yourself for me?” Eli knelt over her, gazing ravenously on her gorgeous curves. Smiling radiantly, Rachel nodded then stretched under him, arching her back, spreading her hair out on the pillow.

Gazing at him, she lifted her feet one at a time, pointing her toes and sliding each calf slowly, sinuously in blatant invitation over his forearms, which would allow him access to whatever part of her he wanted to explore. It was a clear message of how vulnerable she was making herself for him.

She curled her forearms and wrists on either side of her head and allowed her thighs to fall completely open to his stare. The blood rushed to his cock, and he hardened further at the sight of her engorged lips and the fresh honey that moistened her entrance.

He allowed the anticipation and tension to build as he held her, drinking this beautiful sight in. She moaned in need, wanting that first touch as much as he did. He gazed at her open pussy and licked his lips, noting the fresh arrival of honey in her entrance as her body responded to him, begging for him to fill her. His thickened cock twitched in eagerness to get inside her.

He tortured them both with anticipation.

Remembering the need for lubricant, he opened the bottle and applied some to her pussy lips. He wanted to make it as easy for her to receive his cock as possible. He smoothed more over his cock, knelt in front of her. She slid her feet and calves around his hips, and he planted her feet flat directly behind him. She allowed him to position her to his liking and gasped as he reached for her. He lifted her with his hands under her back, holding her upright in his arms, her feet braced behind him, so that she could watch for herself as his cock slid into position at her entrance.

Rachel held on to his arms as he lifted her slightly to gain the perfect angle and then allowed her to control the speed at which she slid onto his long, thick shaft. He helped her take it slow, finding tremendous satisfaction in the ecstasy that flooded her face at the sight of his stiff cock disappearing inside her hot, slippery cunt.

Looking up at him with almost childlike joy on her face, Rachel closed her expressive blue eyes briefly. She pushed against the mattress with her feet, rose off his cock, and moaned as she slid back down. He could see her juices smeared over her inner lips as they stretched around his thick girth.

He rumbled deep in his chest as she reached between them to rub her clitoris and slid again on his hot, hard shaft.

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“I love watching you touch yourself, angel. Do you like being able to watch my cock slide into you?” He groaned at the sensation of his cock sliding into her sweet tight cunt.

“I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as this, you gliding into me so hot and big. It still amazes me that your huge cock will fit. I love the way it fits. You’re so strong.” Her eyelids slid shut for a few moments, and her head fell back as she rode his cock with increasing fervor.

“I want to hear you when you come again. Say my name when you come for me,” he whispered as her fingers strayed to her clit again. He held her securely in the cradle of his arms and pumped into her in an achingly slow rhythm that had them both groaning and panting for air. Eli took his time, dragging his cock almost all the way out of her pussy before sliding in to the hilt. She began to softly beg him to go faster, harder, but he stuck to this slow rhythm. He was in no hurry this time and planned to give her what he promised—a slow sweet release.

“You feel so good. It feels like you’re getting even bigger and harder.”

“It’s because you feel so good. You make me so hard and hot. Don’t hold back. Come for me.” He held her tightly as he began to pump into her a little harder, giving her every inch on each pass. She arched her back and whimpered his name.

“Eli, oh, Eli, I’m coming, baby. Oh, baby, Eli! Eli!” She moaned as she pumped over his cock, his name slipping from her lips over and over. She came to rest with his cock fully seated in her. He groaned as the last of her rippling orgasm pulsed around his cock, and she raised her head to look in his eyes. She grasped his shoulders, pulling herself upright into his trembling arms. Clinging to his neck, she began to softly gyrate her hips over his cock. She gradually quickened the pace and rode him for all she was worth. He grasped her hips in his large hands and helped her ride his long shaft in smooth, sweet abandon.

“Damn, woman, you feel so good, so hot and wild. Spread your legs wide. I’m going to change positions.” She opened her legs wide for him, and he laid her on her back and pushed her legs up to her chest, slowing the pace but riding her deep, stroking her G-spot as she struggled valiantly to remain quiet. He stroked her to another hot, gushing orgasm, keeping control of his own release, and pulled out. She had a look of momentary shock as he grinned lustily down at her. “Hands and knees, woman.”

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She grinned saucily at him and eagerly complied. He leaned over her as he reached between her legs and fingered her clit. “You’ve never been taken by a man this way, have you?” His other hand trailed around to her breast, rubbing the nipple between his fingers, dragging on it. At the negative shake of her head, he turned her chin to face him, and he kissed her, his approach gentled, no longer as rough. “I’m glad I’ll be the first.”

She whimpered, the anticipation evident in her shaky voice. He rose up behind her, spreading her legs, smoothing his hands up and down them as he did. Her juices dripped in translucent droplets down her thighs as he tilted her hips so her pussy was completely bared to his gaze. He gently pressed her lower back so that she arched toward him.