Can't Hardly Breathe (The Original Heartbreakers #4)

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His tongue swiped out, and she moaned with bliss...rapture. Her head fogged. He fit his hands under her bottom, holding her up as he licked her, faster and faster. When she was crying his name incoherently, he delved his tongue deep, deep inside her to mimic the motions of sex.

“Will never get enough of this,” he told her, and replaced his tongue with two fingers. The emptiness was finally, deliciously filled. He sucked on her little bundle of nerves and brought her to a swift and brutal climax.

She screamed to the ceiling, her spasms growing in intensity, racking her entire body. When the last one faded, she sagged against the mattress and tried to catch her breath.

He jackknifed to his feet, his lips glistening in the light. His erection stretched toward her, weeping at the tip.

“We’re not even close to being done, love.” With one fluid motion, he flipped her to her stomach. The mattress bounced as he worked her into the position he wanted her. On her hands and knees, her bottom in the air. Delicious! His strength and aggression were on Technicolor display, his hunger for her driving him.

“You even have freckles on your back,” he said. “I am the luckiest man on this planet.”

And she was the luckiest woman. After all her trials and tribulations, Daniel was her reward. “Freckle marks the spot.”

He laughed but quickly sobered, too caught up in the moment...the need. Then he leaned over her, his chest pressing against her back. Heat to heat. Skin to skin. His erection teased her opening but didn’t enter her.

Warm breath fanning over her nape, he said, “I like having you at my mercy.”

“Less gloating, more filling.”

A foil wrapper ripped, the sound ramping her up.

He ran her earlobe between his teeth. “I know you are perfect just the way you are.”

With a shout, he thrust inside her. Pleasure. So much pleasure. Part of her died, part of her came to life.

When he pulled out and slammed back in, the bed rattled. Another wicked sound. She was wet, soaked, and he somehow grew harder, as if he were a sword forged in her fire. Everything was a stimulant. The air. The forcefulness of his breath. The way his fingers dug into her hips. She would be bruised tomorrow, and she would love it; she would remember his possession, and she would smile a secret smile.

He reached around her and caught her swollen little nerves between two fingers. Fingers he scissored. A climax rocked her, swift and sure, her heart practically exploding as her inner walls clenched on him.

His body jerked against her, and he roared her name, coming, coming so hard she felt it. She was branded. Forever marked as Daniel’s girl.





CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

DANIEL DIDN’T WANT to leave Strawberry Valley. He’d begun to dread the arrival of the weekend, when he would have to venture into the city for a job—where he would have to spend an entire weekend away from Thea. But Friday morning arrived on schedule and, because he’d made a commitment, he stayed in.

Jazz and Charity had stuck around longer than anticipated, but they, too, were leaving as soon as they finished filming some kind of segment at the inn. A home-in-the-heartland piece they hoped the network would air to catapult the inn into the vacation destination for all Oklahomans. Their way of apologizing to Thea, he was sure.

Since he and Thea had made love in the theme room, he’d spent every night with her. They’d drunk golden milk on the roof while gazing at stars. Sleeping still wasn’t his favorite thing, and nightmares still plagued him, but his girl knew just what to do. He always fell back to sleep with a smile.

They’d already said goodbye, before he’d driven to his dad’s to pack and get the dogs situated, but damn it, he needed one more kiss.

Virgil was in the kitchen with Adonis and Echo, eating a plate of food Carol had sent over. Daniel joined them, and the dogs rushed over to demand pets.

“Don’t forget to—” he began.

“I know, I know,” Virgil said. “Take the dogs to Dorothea at seven, when she’s done for the day.”

“Thank you.”

“They’re my granddogs. They’d be just fine spending the nights with me.”

“Yeah, but she needs them.” Never going to be alone again. Daniel poured himself a glass of orange juice. “You still thinking I’m not good for Thea?”

“Well, isn’t that what you think?”

“I...don’t know,” he admitted. His need for her still scared him, despite his hatred of fear, but he was working on it. He sat at the table and buried his head in his hands. “How did you know Mom was the one for you? That you could risk being with her...one day losing her.”

“Easy. I couldn’t breathe without her.” So simply stated, without fear or reservation. “She was worth any risk.”

Jude and Brock strode into the kitchen. Jude was frowning, of course, and Brock looked posthungover and prehungover at the same time.

“Need coffee.” Jude scrubbed a hand down his face, revealing cracked and bruised knuckles.

“Rough night?” Daniel asked.

“Ryanne banned Jude from the bar for fighting.” Brock pilfered a piece of bacon from Virgil’s plate. When Virgil slapped his hand away, he growled, “You should thank me. I’m helping reduce your cholesterol, old man.”

“You let me worry about my cholesterol. You worry about the fork you’re gonna be wearing if you reach for another piece of bacon.”

Brock reached for another piece.

Virgil didn’t fork him, but he did grumble under his breath. “You boys are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. I’m gonna enjoy the peace and quiet while you’re gone, yep, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

After Jude drained the coffeepot dry, the three of them loaded their bags in Daniel’s truck.

“You boys be careful now, you hear,” Virgil called from the porch, the dogs dancing at his feet.

Daniel saluted him before driving off. “Gotta make a pit stop,” he said.

“Let me guess.” Jude slipped on a pair of sunglasses. “The inn.”

“You are so whipped.” Brock, who occupied the front passenger seat, twisted to peer back at his friend. “And so are you. You’ve been sitting in a dark corner of a bar watching every move the bartender makes like a creeper. I’m embarrassed for you.”

“Screw you. Screw you both,” Jude snapped, and Brock laughed. “There’s talk of a rival bar being built across the street, and how the supposed owner is not a nice man. I’m looking into him. I’m also protecting Daniel’s girlfriend’s best friend.”

Whatever you gotta tell yourself, buddy.

“I’ll just be a minute.” Daniel parked in front of the inn and jumped out. The sky was a brilliant baby blue, the sun shining.