Second Chance at Love (Love Conquers All) (13 page)

The next day Karen spent the entire day being a bag of lazy bones. The events of Christmas Eve and Christmas had finally caught up to her. Thank goodness for grandparents. Donna and Patrick had come by earlier to take Ashley and Kyle to the Franklin Institute. And after their trip to the museum, they were being dropped off at the Peretti’s to spend two nights with Zoe and then off to Starr and Kevin’s for the rest of the week. Basking in a sea of nothingness, Karen ate and watched Lifetime in peace and quiet. It felt so good not having the children seeking her out every five minutes. She certainly didn’t miss breaking up any bickering between the siblings. Later that night, she and Dom talked on the phone into the wee hours of the morning like teenagers. Before ending their call they’d made plans to go to dinner in Olde City.

And now here they were, snuggled up on a cold December night, enjoying a horse drawn carriage ride.

“Dom, do you think your parents are ever going to be okay with Ms. Beatrice?”

“After the other night I think so. When I talked to my dad this morning he told me my mom and Ms. Beatrice had gone out for lunch yesterday afternoon to talk in private. As for my dad he said as long as she meant everything she said Christmas night he’d be willing to give her a chance.”

“Oh.”

Dom didn’t like the way she had said, “Oh.” It was as if her mind was a million miles away. Like something or someone was troubling her. “What’s up babe?”

“Nothing.” Karen lied. She didn’t know if she should get him involved in her recent drama.

As the carriage came to the end of their ride, Dom stepped down onto the side walk. Instead of offering his hand to help her down, he lifted her out of the carriage as if she weighed nothing. Tipping the driver, Dom turned his attention back to Karen.

Intertwining their gloved fingers, the couple walked hand-in-hand to Dom’s vehicle. Karen breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t pushed her to tell him what was troubling her. Or so she thought.

“Babe, please don’t lie to me. I know you asked about what’s going on with my folks and Ms. Beatrice for a reason.”

Oh well, that sigh of relief was for naught. “I got a call this morning,” Karen confessed. She could see from her periphery Dom gazing at her with an arched brow.

“Oh yeah? Who called?”

“Gregory parents.”

The muscle in Dom’s left jaw began to twitch. “What the hell did they want?” He didn’t like the sound of her in-laws popping up seven years after their son’s death. It didn’t feel right to him.

Karen didn’t know if she was shivering from the sudden gush of cold air or Dom’s frigid tone. “They want to see Ashley and Kyle.”

Karen had been frantic after talking to them. The exchange had not been good. After all these years they were demanding to see their grandchildren. They had a nerve to say they had a right to see them. When Karen told them she didn’t think it was a good idea because the children didn’t know them, Gregory’s mother had the audacity to blame Karen. The crazy woman even went as far as to accuse her of keeping her son’s children from them. Karen nearly hit the ceiling, reminding them that they made the choice not to be a part of the children’s lives. Of course the dirty liars denied it.

“No. I don’t like it. I think they’re up to something.”

“So do I,” Karen agreed as she slid into the seat of Dom’s SUV as he held the door open for her.

Getting behind the wheel, Dom slammed the door shut.

Karen laughed. “I’m upset with those crazy people, too. But you don’t have to take your frustration out on the poor door.”

Putting the key into the ignition and turning it, Dom shot her an annoyed look. “Babe, this isn’t funny. I don’t trust those people. After all these years, all of a sudden they want to see Kyle and Ashley? What did they do, grow a conscience and decide they want to be grandparents to your kids?” Dom shook his head. “I don’t want the kids anywhere near those people.”

With all his ranting, Dom hadn’t noticed Karen staring at him. But once he did, he couldn’t quite read her expression. He hadn’t meant to get all up in her family business. But someone had to look out for those children’s best interests. You know, just in case she faltered and let those deadbeats into their lives. What if they were just trying to see the kids to get money out of Karen? She had shared with him that his parents were pretty upset at the reading of Gregory’s will. He had left all of his insurance policies and retirement funds to Karen. The sum of money was pretty hefty. It didn’t make Karen a wealthy woman, but it was enough to help her care for herself and the children while only working part-time. With the advice of her attorney, she had taken a portion of the money to invest for their education.

Dom hissed an expletive when a lone tear slid down Karen’s cheek. He gently wiped the tear away before leaning over to rest his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

Putting a finger to his lips, she silenced him. He believed she was upset with him, but that was the farthest thing from her mind. He’d just inched his way farther into her heart. Her children meant more to her than life itself.

“You really do love them?” He really didn’t have to answer, because her heart already knew the answer.

Dom didn’t respond to her with words. The kiss he gave her was sweet and tender, yet full of passion that told her everything she needed to know.

“Damn straight I love those kids. Love them like they were mine. And I’m not going to let
anyone
hurt them. I’m…not…having…it.” Dom tried to keep his voice as calm and soothing as possible, but the gruffness of his tone as he punctuated every word couldn’t be masked.

Oh…my…gawd!
Karen should have been ashamed of herself. She should have jumped out of the SUV and rolled around on the lightly snow-covered ground to cool off her scorching panties. How in the world did she go from teary to horny in ten seconds flat? This was absolute craziness. It was that rough, take no prisoners voice and the dark, brooding gaze in his eyes that turned her on. No man had every set her on fire like this.
Whew! Boyfriend looks like he’s about to tear something up! Ooh, please let it be me!

Karen gently stroked the stubble on his jaw. The warmth of her touch brought him to a simmer. Dom closed his eyes, thinking she must think he’s a brute. What right did he have to be so possessive with her children? Did the fact that they were seeing each other give him the right to have a say-so in her children’s lives?
If you love her it does,
the quiet voice in his heart whispered. Before he could apologize again, Karen murmured, “Honey, I know you’re not going to let them hurt our babies.”
Oh no! Did I mean to say our?
The tiny voice in her head snickered,
sure you did.

“Never,” Dom huskily whispered as he took her mouth in a hot, passionate kiss that steamed up the windows. The atmosphere crackled with sexual energy. Breaking the kiss they both panted, catching their breaths. Dom smirked, a grin curving his lips as he spied Karen touching her kiss-swollen lips. Cutting her eyes at him, she giggled.

“Shut up, Dom.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to.”

Chuckling, Dom put the car in gear as he pulled out of the parking space. “Your place or mine?”

A jolt of excitement rushed through Karen. She had never done anything like this before. Settling back in her seat, she tugged her bottom lip between her teeth as she contemplated her answer. Releasing the now tender flesh, she said, “Yours.”

Dom opened the door, allowing Karen to enter first. After locking the door he pulled Karen into his arms. The sexual tension in the tight, enclosed space of the SUV was killing them both. Neither spoke the entire ride home for fear of having to pull over at the first secluded area to take care of business.

She welcomed his crushing lips as they pulled and tugged at the zippers on their outerwear. Breaking the kiss, Karen pleaded, “Hurry,” as they stripped down to their underwear. The thick, huge bulge in his royal blue boxers made Karen swallow hard. Tilting her head, she stared as if she needed to see his package at a different angle. When the thing twitched she took a step back.

“Where’re you going?” Dom murmured his eyes heavy with desire as he roamed Karen’s partially nude body from head to toe. The bra and panties she had on weren’t particularly sexy. Playtex bras and high cut Hanes cotton panties wasn’t exactly a turn on. And of all colors they were white. She looked almost virginal, which was far from the truth since she had birthed two babies. Nevertheless, the boring undergarments didn’t take away nor hide her sexy curves. He was still itching to get his hands on her.

“Um…nowhere,” Karen croaked out as she took another step back. It had been over seven years since she had last been with a man. A startling case of jitters warred with the sensual longing of being loved in the most intimate way. She definitely wanted this, but understood that taking this step was going to catapult their relationship into another realm. She wouldn’t second guess herself about it.
I’ll think about that tomorrow.

“Then stay still.” The deep, wicked chuckle floating over the airwaves sent ripples of desire over the surface of Karen’s skin. Her knees buckled when he snaked his arm around her slim waist, drawing her close. The feel of his thick erection against her flat belly let her know just how much he desired her.

“You have no idea how bad I want you,” he whispered, sucking her earlobe.

Standing on the tips of her toes, she wrapped her arms around Dom’s neck. Her nipples began to tingle at the feel of his solid chest. Pressing further into his engorged manhood, she teased, “Oh yeah, I do know.”

Giving him two quick pecks on the lips she leaned slightly back, gazing into his handsome face. Feeling flirty, sexy and desirable, she taunted, “And you’ve wanted me for a loooong time, too.”

Dom released Karen. His chest expanded even wider as he squared his shoulders, taking a step back.
What the heck is he doing?
she wondered.

Stretching the muscles in his neck he leaned his head to the left, then repeated the same motion to the right. Karen lifted a questioning brow as he rolled his broad muscular shoulders. What he did next nearly made her swallow her tongue. Flashing a wolfish grin, Dom’s top lip curled, showing a hint of a sparkling canine. When he spoke his voice came out in a low growl.

“I’m giving you two seconds to make your getaway. But when I catch you,” he flashed that wolfish grin again, “and I will catch you, you’re going to wish you hadn’t played with me.”

Karen nervously licked her lips, backing up in the direction of the bedroom. “Wait a minute. This isn’t right.”

Ignoring her plea, Dom began to count. “One…”

It didn’t do Karen a bit of good to run. Before she could reach the archway of the bedroom Dom was on her. Did he even count to three?

Karen let out a high pitched squeal. He had lifted her off her feet and thrown her onto the bed as if she weighed nothing. Scrambling to get away, she pushed herself up on all fours and began crawling.

The sight of Karen’s derriere up in the air was enough to make a brotha howl at the moon. Karen let out another squeal as she felt a large strong hand wrap around her ankle. “Ooph!” was the sound she made, falling face first into the mattress.

Flipping her over on her back like a ragdoll, Dom straddled her with powerful, massive thighs. Grabbing a pair of scissors from the nightstand, he cut a straight line down the center of her bra with the precision of a surgeon. “You won’t be needing this.”

Karen’s chest heaved raggedly as she gazed at Dom in a sensual haze. Her eyes never left him as he eased the scissors down her body. She jolted when she felt the cool metal of the scissors at her hip. She should have been mad when he snipped her underwear at each hip, yanking them off, sending them along with her destroyed bra sailing across the room.

“You made me wait too damn long,” Dom grunted before taking a perky nipple into his mouth. Although he wanted to ravage her, Dom took his time licking, suckling, and nibbling. She tasted like a combination of honey, cinnamon and chocolate.

Karen arched her back gently, forcing more of her breast into his mouth. When he switched to the other breast, giving it the same attention, she could feel the soft, vibrating purring in the base of her throat. The throbbing between her legs grew as the suckling became more intense.