Warrior's Heart (Gifts Of The Ancients #1) (2 page)

Her heartbeat skyrocketed at the look in his eyes. She didn’t quite know how to handle an amorous Hal.

“I need to think about this,” she said softly, thinking out loud.

He kissed her hand a final time, then let her go and moved away from the window.

“I know. I’m rushing things. Go home and think, Casey. We have time.” He patted the roof of her car as he moved back. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She started the car and took off, watching him in the rearview mirror. He’d thrown her a curve ball. Of course it was exactly what she’d wanted for years. She’d swing at his pitch and see where it led. She’d wanted him since she was old enough to want a man, and it seemed her dreams were coming true—at least for a while. She didn’t think Hal had a permanent bone in his body, but she’d take him for as long as he’d let her have him. Even a week with Hal would fill the empty years that had come before and those that would follow after.

Chapter Two

Masculine chests gleamed with sweat in the hot sun as Hal and Mark tore out dilapidated fence posts and repaired or replaced almost the entire length caging the small backyard. Stripped to the waist in the humid July air, Hal was a mouthwatering sight.

Casey was almost finished with the small room they’d left her in earlier that morning. She loved painting, and she’d done a special pale yellow pattern on the walls—neutral enough to appeal to most potential buyers, but jazzy enough to show some thought went into the paint job. Mark was hopeless with these little frills and left the majority of the interior decorating decisions to her.

He’d made a comfortable living over the past few years, buying old houses, fixing them up then selling them at a profit. Of course, the market had changed drastically lately so she’d been helping him to cut costs. Even in the down housing market, there was still money to be made in certain locations on Long Island where commuters were always on the lookout for houses close, but not too close, to railroad lines. They were about half finished with this house, in an ideal location ten blocks from the station. Only the broken down fence around the yard still needed work.

As she looked down on the backyard from the small upstairs bedroom, she took a moment to enjoy the masculine strength on display. Her brother was a handsome man, though in her eyes he couldn’t hold a candle to his friend Hal.

Hal seemed to have sprouted new muscles on top of the already drop-dead-gorgeous physique he’d honed in the Army. He was lightly tanned, and his muscles had a ripped definition Mark lacked, though both men were about the same size. It was obvious Mark was a weekend warrior, while Hal was the real deal.

As if he knew she was watching them, Hal paused a moment, resting one large forearm on top of the post-hole digger. He looked directly up at her in the window and sent her a lazy salute. Caught, she waved weakly and moved away from the window.

She had to stop ogling the man, but how could she resist when he sauntered around in the backyard nearly naked, hot, sweaty and gorgeous? It was too much temptation for a woman who didn’t get out much.

With a resigned sigh, she turned back to her painting. A few more feet of wall to cover and she’d be done.

As she finished the last stroke, she became aware of a quiet presence at the door of the small room.

“You did a great job in here, Cas. The colors are you. Daisies and daffodils.” Hal advanced into the room, moving silently. He was stalking her—in a good way.

She set down her roller and surveyed the finished room. “I like this color combination.”

“I know. This pale yellow and white was on that couch Mark ruined.” Hal came to stand before her. He hadn’t taken time to put on a shirt, and his muscular chest gleamed with sweat. She found it hard not to stare at the rivulets of perspiration gliding sexily down his rock solid pecs.

“You keep looking at me like that and there’ll be trouble.”

His sexy warning brought her eyes up to his. She could have sworn they twinkled at her in the newly painted, airy room.

“Trouble?” She smiled at him, enjoying flirting with danger. “What kind of trouble?”

He surprised her with a quick grab for her hips, bringing her tight against his. She could feel the rigid length of his cock expanding as he pulsed his hips lightly against hers.

“The very best kind of trouble there is.”

His eyes zeroed in on her mouth and before she knew it, he was kissing her, lightly at first, then nipping at her lips until she opened for him with a sigh of delight. He swept in with his tongue, invading her mouth with fierce ardor, pulling her into his sweaty chest.

Her tank top didn’t provide much protection from his very male assault. The upstairs room was hot, even with the windows open to let out the paint fumes, and getting hotter by the second. Their sweat mingled, making skin slide sensuously against skin, carrying the kiss deeper. Every inch of her was plastered against him, his strong hands molding her to his hard body.

She felt powerless to resist, even if she wanted to. Boy, did she not want to resist.

This man knew what he was doing. There was no hesitation. He plundered her mouth, and his hands stroked her. His rough, calloused fingers slid under her close-fitting tank top. She shivered as he caressed the sensitive skin of her abdomen and then higher.

He hooked his big fingers into the bra and pulled upward, baring her with one masterful stroke. Both her tank top and bra bunched under her arms. The hot air of the room breezed across her tight nipples only moments before his tongue swept down to lick, suck and stroke them into even tighter buds.

He pushed her breasts together so he could lick them both with one long, sideways stroke. Her head fell back, moaning. She suddenly understood why some women came just from having their nipples sucked. She was awfully close herself.

Hal could hardly believe he was finally touching Cas this way. He’d dreamed about her for so long. Some days in the desert, the thought of her was the only thing that got him through. And here he was, back home on Long Island with his dream girl in his arms, letting him touch her hot breasts and the rest of her body any way he pleased.

It was almost too good to be true. After the hell he’d been through the past few months, this was a fantasy come to life. Only one thing would make it better.

He moved his hands down, daring to push his fingers inside the elastic waistband of her shorts. When she didn’t object, he pushed inside, caressing her delectable rear with both hands, squeezing the firm globes and darting his fingers into the dark crevice that tempted him.

“Casey, sweetheart,” he breathed desperately against the skin of her throat, “let me.”

“Yes! Hal, yes.”

He couldn’t hold back another moment. With a sweep of his strong hands, he sent her shorts and panties to the floor to pool around her ankles. He took a moment to appreciate the neatly groomed pussy that faced him. He dropped to his knees before her. Daring greatly, he reached out with his tongue to delve quickly into her sweet folds.

Far from stopping him, he felt her delicate fingers lock onto his hair, urging him forward. He didn’t need a second invitation before moving in for some serious feasting on her woman’s flesh.

Her taste was delicate—like sunshine and daisies—just like her. He felt almost drunk as he learned the taste of her, the feel of her skin and the ways to make her squeal in delight.

He looked up once, pausing long enough to draw her gaze down to meet his and what he read there fired his senses. He could feel himself losing control and knew the heat was flaring in his eyes. He lowered his gaze in self-defense, needing to keep a leash on his passion for just a little longer. He didn’t want to scare her. He only wanted to bring her pleasure and decided in that moment, this first time was just for her.

For one thing, her brother was downstairs and could come looking for them at any moment. For another, he didn’t want his first time inside Casey to be rushed. He wanted to savor every stroke. He wanted to claim her and make her his own. That time would come. He had no doubt. After this, he had to have her. Waiting was not an option. Yet he knew he had to get a grip on his own passions before he took her any further. He didn’t want to hurt her or scare her away, so he had to be in control.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t make her lose a little of her control right now. Hal leaned forward, propping one of her legs over his shoulder, moving down, down, down, to stab his tongue into her slick hole. His fingers explored the crack of her ass as she whimpered, begging for release.

He moved his mouth up to latch on to her clit, sucking lightly, alternately flicking her with his tongue and lightly nipping her sensitive skin. She went wild, and he easily used his strength to hold her upright as he slid the fingers of his other hand into her tight sheath.

She came beautifully, making him sweat with the need to be inside her the next time she came for him. He held her throughout her long release, riding her through it and letting her come back down to earth gently. He knew in that moment no other experience had ever been as sweet or as special for him, and he hadn’t even been inside her yet.

But that would come. And so would he. Repeatedly. In every way he could think of or imagine. He’d spent a lot of time fantasizing about this one woman and now that he almost had her, he wasn’t sure if he could ever let her go.

The harsh reality was, he didn’t know how much time he’d have with her. The trials of the past few months had changed him in some fundamental ways—ways that even scared
him
—and he didn’t want to subject her to the uncertainty facing him. It didn’t mean he could let her go now that he’d had a taste of her.

Even though it went against his better judgment, Hal knew he had to have her. He’d let loose the tiger, and there was no way to put it back in its cage.

So be it.

He wanted her, and she obviously wanted him. They were both adults. They would deal with all the other problems if and when they arose.

Hal lifted her thigh off his shoulder and placed her feet back on the ground as gently as he could, supporting her all the way. He could feel her withdrawing from him, and he didn’t like it, but he supposed it was necessary. He was too close to throwing her to the floor and pounding away at her, and that would be unforgivable.

He rose to his feet, pulling her close in his arms.

“You are so beautiful, Cas. Thank you for trusting me.”

She stroked his chest with her hands. “I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.” A small chuckle escaped her ripe lips, and he knew right then, everything would be all right. She wasn’t withdrawing too far away, just regrouping a bit.

“You’re welcome,” he said softly, puffing his breath deliberately in her ear. “Any time.”

She squirmed in his arms and laughed. “You’re a rogue, Hal. What am I going to do with you?”

He couldn’t help pressing his thick erection against her bare pussy. “I could give you some ideas.”

She was about to answer when they both heard Mark’s thick boots pounding up the stairs of the old house. She sprang out of his arms and bent to scavenge for her lost shorts and underwear. He couldn’t help appreciating the view of her butt up in the air as she found her clothes. She clutched them to her chest and fled to the small, attached bathroom.

“Stall him.”

He could only chuckle as he watched her pretty, pink, bare ass disappear behind the bathroom door.

Chapter Three

“I’m coming.”

Soaking wet and dripping all over her carpets, Cas wrapped a towel that was much too small around her body as she ran for the door. The way the visitor was knocking and leaning on her doorbell, she assumed it had to be some kind of emergency. Her heart was in her throat when she threw open the door, only to find a grinning idiot leaning against the jamb, smiling at her and giving her body a hot, slow, more-than-once over.

“Were you really coming? That’s not something you should be yelling out to just anyone who rings your doorbell. I mean, I don’t mind hearing it.” Hal straightened and moved inside, crowding her back into her apartment. He shut the door. “But next time, I want to be in you when you shout those words. Okay?”

Well, maybe he wasn’t just a grinning fool. Maybe he was Satan, sent to the mortal realm to tantalize and tease her endlessly. Her temperature skyrocketed as his gaze roamed her body again and again. She knew the small bath towel covered the strategic bits—barely—but from the heat in his eyes, one would think she was completely naked before him. It certainly felt that way.

She had to regain control of this crazy situation. Not allowing herself to show fear, or the incredible arousal he created with nothing more than a smoldering glance, she squared her shoulders. She tried hard not to remember the incredible climax he’d given her in that freshly painted room.

She’d avoided going to her brother’s for the rest of that weekend so she wouldn’t have to see him. It was Friday afternoon again, and he’d come back. She’d have to tough it out this time.

“So, where’s the fire?”

“In my pants, after seeing you like this…all wet for me.”

He chuckled as she tapped her bare foot impatiently. “Oh, you mean the doorbell?” He tried to look innocent and failed completely. “I need to borrow your car. Mark took off in his, and I am without wheels at the moment.”

“For that you had to scare me half to death and drag me out of the bath?” She retreated behind the couch. Showing bravado was one thing, but Hal was just too potent to keep her act up for long. Plus, she was dripping all over the floor.

“I thought someone was dying.”

“I am dying over here, Cas. I swear if that towel slips any lower I’m going to have a heart attack right here in your living room.”

With a small gasp, she tightened her grip on the top of her towel and pulled it up a few inches. Of course, that caused the bottom part to split open, showing off more of her sexy legs. His gaze traveled immediately southward, and she figured retreat was the better part of valor in this case.

She headed for the small bathroom. Only problem was that because her apartment was so small, it connected through her bedroom. She could feel him following her as she talked fast, seeking the safety of a door between them.

“Where do you need to go? I have to run an errand anyway. I’d be happy to drop you off or we could go where you need to first, then you can come with me to the post office. I just want to mail something in the outdoor box, so it’ll be quick.” She called the words over her shoulder, trying her best to sound businesslike and unaffected by his potent maleness. In reality, her knees were quivering, as were other, more tender parts of her anatomy, remembering his hot eyes on her.

“That sounds like a plan. I’ve got to hit the grocery store. Mark is without food in his fridge, and I promised to pick up this week’s load since I’m mooching off him.”

Sure enough, he was right behind her. She glanced back as she retreated into the bathroom. He was fingering her open lingerie drawer and looking around her pretty yellow and white bedroom like he was planning to stay a while. She closed the door to the bathroom and threw the lock, coward that she was.

By the time she was dressed, thankfully he had moved back into the small living room. He’d flopped down on the couch and taken up residence. He looked beat and suddenly her heart went out to him.

“I could stop and get the groceries if you want to crash. I’ll drop them off at Mark’s on my way home, okay?”

His eyes shot open, and he stood to his feet, albeit without his usual vigor. “No, it’s my turn to buy the food. Plus, this way, I get to spend time alone with you—even if we are in public and I can’t do all the things I’ve been thinking about doing with you since last weekend.”

Her heart rate accelerated. He drew closer, pulling her strongly into his arms, reeling her in.

“I keep thinking of you coming apart in my arms, and I want to see it, feel it and taste it all again. You were like fire under my mouth, Cas, and I’ve been walking around with a perpetual hard-on thinking about what it would be like if you returned the favor.”

His arms tightened around her. She wasn’t complaining. She knew if she made a single sound of protest he would let her go. She couldn’t find it in herself to say no to him. He’d been the stuff of her dreams for so many years, she couldn’t push him away.

She knew him inside and out, and sure, the outside was buff and totally hot, but inside, she knew he was a good person with strong values that matched her own. She admired him as a person and practically drooled over his hard body. What more could a girl ask for?

She couldn’t deny she’d thought about taking him in her mouth. She’d thought about it a lot over the past few years and even more this last week. She wanted to know what he tasted like, what he felt like, and most of all she wanted to bring him that same satisfaction he’d brought her. She wanted to feel him explode in her mouth and know that she’d given him pleasure. It was fast becoming her fondest fantasy.

So she gave in with barely a whimper when his mouth closed over hers, demanding, strong and utterly masculine.

His hands started to roam, and she invited the caress of his strong fingers, leaning a bit away so he could access her tender breasts while his mouth mated with hers.

His tongue probed deep, eliciting a moan of desire from her. He groaned and stepped back, still holding her breasts—one in each big hand, squeezing and caressing in a way that made her insides dance in anticipation.

“We’d better cool it if we want to get our errands done. Mark will be back soon, and he knew I was coming over here. There’s no time for this.”

“You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself.” She couldn’t help chuckling at the way he seemed transfixed by her body. She knew she wasn’t sex symbol material, but the hot look of his eyes made her feel beautiful and sexy in a way she’d never felt before.

It made her feel daring.

“Believe me, Cas, there’s nothing I want more than to strip you naked and make love to you for the rest of the night. Of course, Mark would have both of us shot if he knew. He trusts me to take care of you.”

“How about I take care of you this time?” She boldly trailed her fingers down his chest until she crossed the equator of his belt. Licking her lips, she felt lower to wrap her fingers around his straining cock. It was bigger than she’d imagined, and suddenly she wanted to see it. To taste it.

“No, honey, we don’t have time. You’re playing with fire.”

He halfheartedly tried to push her away, but she could tell he was tempted beyond reason.

She sank to her knees in front of him, attacking his belt buckle with eager hands.

“I feel like living dangerously. And, Hal, we at least have time for this, surely.”

He wasn’t resisting. In fact, he seemed awestruck just watching her hands tugging down his zipper and reaching inside for the hard length that was so eager for her touch. She pulled him out gently, entranced by her first look at his long cock. He was thick and hard. She was amazed at how excited he’d become from just a kiss.

Okay, it had been a kiss that totally rocked her world too. From her admittedly limited experience, she thought men usually needed a bit more stimulation before reaching this incredible level of arousal. He was also remarkably well shaped and pulsing as she stroked him.

She could only imagine how he would feel inside of her. Long and thick, and heavily veined, his cock seemed the perfect instrument of pleasure. Her mission was his delight and she set about her task with obvious relish. She teased his length with her tongue, flicking the sensitive skin just under the head. She looked up at him, wanting to see his beloved face and the bliss etched in the masculine lines of his jaw.

She smiled at him, and it was almost more than he could bear. She was charmingly tentative at first. After she got her lips around him and started to stroke, Hal nearly lost his mind. She was ringing all his bells with the sweeping strokes of her soft tongue and the sucking wetness of her mouth. He pushed a little deeper, and she took him with no objection, practically swallowing the tip of him. He could feel her throat working around him and was amazed.

The sensation was like nothing he’d ever experienced before, though he’d had his fair share of blowjobs in his life. The others were nothing compared to the feeling of being in this woman’s soft mouth. He’d always loved Casey’s smile and the way it lit her whole face from the time she was just a kid. Now he knew he would never see that grin again without thinking of what it felt like to have her soft lips caress the most sensitive parts of him.

He wanted her mouth on the rest of his body. The little places that seemed inconsequential, but felt oh-so-good. The nape of his neck, the crease of his elbow, the dip of his spine.

He wanted her to kiss him there and in all kinds of other places. For now, this incredible act of loving would more than make do.

He vowed then and there, when they finally found the time and place to share their bodies fully with one another, he’d take an hour just kissing every inch of her skin the way he wanted her to do to him. He’d caress her with his hands and show her the love he had inside.

For the look he read in her eyes was more than just sexual thrill. It was love. He’d hoped and prayed to see that look on her face one day, and he knew now how far she was willing to go to please him. It was a precious gift. One he would never mistreat.

He cupped the back of her head, softly kneading the nape of her neck as she stroked him deep into her mouth, sucking hard and blowing his mind. Her soft hands caressed his balls and every once in a while she looked up at him, her wide eyes meeting his with a shy kind of excitement. It was enough to make him come, but he held back, wanting this moment to last. When he could finally stand no more, he let go of her head.

“I’m going to lose it in a few more seconds, Cas. Let me go now if you don’t want me to shoot down your throat.”

But she didn’t let go. To his great surprise and intense arousal, she sucked him harder, taking him even farther down her throat, working him with her hands. He felt his balls draw up and his muscles clench.

He came with a shout, not holding her, letting her choose what to do this first time. He didn’t want to overwhelm or frighten her, even if she was doing a damned fine job of overwhelming him. He was deathly afraid this intense feeling would become completely addictive.

It could very well kill him, he thought, but what a way to go.

He spurted over and over into her mouth, and she drank it down, her tongue working hard to pull every last drop of come out of his stiff penis. She taunted him with the slick wetness of her mouth, riding with him through the most intense orgasm of his life.

She kissed her way up his body when he tugged on her shoulders. She seemed shy all of a sudden. He placed his lips over hers for a deep, wet kiss, discovering he loved the taste of himself on her tongue—almost as much as he loved her.