In the Shadow of Love (14 page)

“We shouldn’t be doing this.”  The words were dragged from his throat as his lips trailed across the side of her neck.  He was playing good cop/bad cop with himself.

“I know.”  Her breath was hot against his neck, her lips moist against his skin.  She arched her head back enough to softly move her lips against the outer edge of his jaw and his need exploded beyond his control.

His hands retraced her smooth back and found the clasp holding her bra against her.  It fell away easily and he explored the silky smooth territory now unencumbered by man’s invention.  The roughness of his hands against her soft skin didn’t seem to bother her as he worked his way to the front of her body.  He felt a shiver run through her and she pressed herself harder against him.

That did it.  His excitement sprang to life and he knew he was at a point of no return.  Throwing caution to the wind he pulled her down onto the plush carpet beneath them.  The fire burning in the background didn’t compare with the one smoldering inside of him.

He pulled her top away and reveled in the beauty of her body.  Hungrily, he worked his mouth across the sensual shape of her stomach, finding his way slowly to the soft curves of her breast.  She melted beneath his mouth, holding his head tightly to her as he explored every inch of her rounded softness with his tongue.  He worked her into a sexual frenzy, and then suddenly stopped.

“I don’t have any protection.”  The good cop in him wouldn’t let go.

She reached up and pulled his head down towards her, giving him a kiss he’d never forget.  Her tongue finished exploring the inside of his mouth then trailed towards his ear.  “I do.”  Her breath was hot against his skin, “–in the bedroom.”

Pulling away, he leaned on one arm and stroked her face with his free hand.  “Are you sure this is what you want?”

She answered him with her eyes and a sudden move that put her on top.  “Yes.  Now shut up.”  Her eyes danced with pleasure

Maggie had never felt so sexually unrestrained.  She pulled at his shirt to find bare skin beneath and felt him grow hard against her.  His chest felt strong and firm beneath her exploring hands, evidence he worked out.  The thought of him all hot and sweaty made her hunger for his naked body next to hers.

Her hands explored more of his previously clothed physique, leaving a trail of fire wherever she touched him.  She loosened his belt and slid her hand where she could do the most damage to his resistance.  It worked.  He lay back and let her work her magic.  When she’d taken him to a point where she thought he’d give in she found herself gathered up off the floor and carried up the stairs and to the comfort of her bed.

As she lay on her back he removed all final barriers to her body.  He trailed his one hand along her inner thigh while his other loosened his own constraints.  She arched herself towards him and finished unzipping his now loosened pants.  Leaning against him, she lightly traced the length of his stomach with her tongue and felt him growing even harder against her breasts.

Pushing her gently back down on the bed he touched her skin provoking loud moans of pleasure.

“You’re very beautiful.”  He caressed her inner thigh until he found the center of her desire.  “Very beautiful.”  He leaned down to tease her ear with his tongue working his way towards her heart.  “And I want you more than you can know.” 

He explored the side of her neck and trailed fire across the outline of her face.  He licked her lips and began kissing her long and hard while he brought her to a frenzied brink of ecstasy.

“Where’s that protection?”  She moaned at the interruption, pulling his hand back towards her.

“Soon,” he whispered into her ear.  “Soon.”

She rolled over towards the night stand, her knees too wobbly to stand.  Feeling him watch her, she opened a drawer and pulled out a familiar looking package.  He reached to take the item from her hand and she quickly averted his grasp.

“Oh no you don’t,” she felt impish, “–my turn to torment you.”

And she did.

He pushed her down on the bed, throwing caution to the wind and melded with her body trying not to explode too soon.  She arched against him, the contact electrifying as she moaned her pleasure in the release he had denied her earlier.

Then it was his turn – his release was so intense they both melted in each others arms unable to move for quite sometime.           He lay on top of her, kissing her lovingly, sated from the passion they had just shared.  “Are you okay?”

She nuzzled into the side of his neck, stroking his head and shoulders.  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Am I too heavy for you?”

“No, you’re just right.” 

They stayed that way for awhile until he rolled over and onto his back.  He pulled her into his arms, her head resting on his chest.

“That was amazing.”

“Amazing indeed.”  She stroked his chest and played with the hair that covered it, his torso pulsing up and down as he tried to catch his breath.

He kissed her forehead and pulled her even closer to him, settling in for the night.

“That’s nice,” she responded with drowsy satisfaction. 

The warmth of his body soothed her like a comfortable blanket.

“Very nice.”  Her voice trailed off as she fell into a deep and satisfying sleep.

Chapter 11

Waking the next morning to sunshine streaming through the gap in her drapes, Maggie felt a sense of contentment that had eluded her for too long.  With her eyes closed she relived the sensual moments from the night before.  A fire worked its way up her body, a smile spreading across her face as she stretched her arms above her head sinking into the softness of her oversized pillows.

She rolled over, eyes still closed and reached for the man who had brought such intense and primitive pleasure to her during the night.  A pile of pillows lay where his body should have been.

Bolting up she looked around for any sign of the man who had shared her bed.  Garments were draped neatly across the chair in the corner of the room, but only hers.  Morris had obviously gotten dressed and left.  Images came flooding back of shoes, socks, pants and shirts scattered across the floor the night before as the two of them quickly disposed of any barriers between their bodies.

Rubbing her eyes she looked harder for any evidence he was still there.  Her heart sank at the thought that he had gone before saying goodbye.  Tears gathered in her eyes and threatened to spill but she quickly choked them back.  She was a big girl now.  She didn’t need to act this way.

Her feet landed on the soft carpet as she climbed out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.  The days were finally getting longer in Chicago and the nights shorter, a much welcomed sight after a long, bitterly cold winter.  Stepping into the glass-enclosed shower she let the water stream down her body, soothing her tired muscles and washing away some of the stress from the past few days.

As she toweled off she thought she detected the aroma of food – bacon to be exact.  She felt her stomach growl in response.  Her heart raced.  Either Morris was still here or someone had broken into her home to cook breakfast.

Throwing on a bathrobe, she hurriedly followed the tantalizing smell of food.  To her surprise a tray of breakfast sat on the dresser, the suspect bacon sitting proudly atop a pile of scrambled eggs, hash browns and wheat toast.  All of her favorite breakfast foods and ones that went straight to her thighs!

She nibbled on a piece of bacon while she pondered his whereabouts.  The man in question returned with eating utensils and two steaming cups of coffee in hand.

Suddenly shy, her skin tingled with the memory of what they had done last night.  She felt the touch of his hands, his tongue, his powerful manhood all over her body as a stream of blushing energy surged up her body and into her face.

He walked over to her and smiled.  “Last night was wonderful.”  He leaned forward and kissed her solidly on the mouth.  “Um, bacon.”  Stepping back he took a sip of coffee.  “Are you ready for breakfast?”

“Sure.”

She followed him as he carried their breakfast over to a sitting area in the corner of the bedroom.  Munching on another piece of bacon and then a buttery piece of wheat toast, she wasn’t normally this hungry but this wasn’t a normal morning, and last night was anything but usual for her.

The sound of chirping pulled her attention away from her thoughts.  Most mornings she would sit here with her coffee and watch the birds eat from the many feeders adorning the shade trees in her backyard.  Now Morris sat here with her.  Her eyes left the safety of the backyard to find him staring at her.  Once again, that telling blush moved up her entire body and she shuddered.

“Cold?”

“Maybe a little.” The robe she donned after her shower had slipped off one shoulder.  She pulled it closer to her body, trying to cocoon herself in its pink terrycloth comfort.

Maybe things were moving too fast.  Suddenly she wasn’t sure how she felt about tomorrow and the day after that, let alone last night.

“What’s wrong?”  His voice compelled her to answer.

“I’m just worried about Owen.”  It wasn’t a lie.  Not really.  She
was
worried about Owen, but that wasn’t the cause of her concern at this particular moment.

“Maggie.”  His deep voice broke through her emotionally muddled thoughts. He was staring at her in a way that made her heart melt.  “I didn’t mean for last night to happen.”

Then her heart sank.  One minute she was feeling trapped from things moving too fast and the next hurt because he seemed to feel the same.

“I didn’t mean for it to happen as fast as it did.”  He reached over and took her hand.  “Still, I’m glad that it did happen.”  His eyes danced with laughter.  “Maybe now we can concentrate on the case.”

Her mood lightened.

“I want to take things slower now.”  He squeezed her hand.  She raised an eyebrow as if to say it was a little late for that.  “I know we got a little ahead of ourselves last night but that’s not all I’m interested in.”

Maggie felt herself suffocating – just a little.  She’d been on her own, albeit with two young boys, for just a few years and she was comfortable now though she did miss having someone to wake up with in the morning, to kiss goodbye, to fuss over and someone who would do the same for her.

“I don’t really know how I’m feeling about this–,  she looked down at her hands twisting in her lap “–about us.”  “I mean, I don’t usually hop into bed with someone so soon after I’ve met him.”  She wouldn’t look up.

“I know you don’t and I’m glad – and honored.”  Her head shot up at his sincerity.

“You have the most beautiful smile.”  He reached across and stroked her face with the inside of his hand.  She melted under his touch.  Then he pulled away as quickly as he had touched her leaving a streak of heat across her cheek that was soon replaced by cool air.

“I have to go.”  He stood up, his tall body gigantic beside the small breakfast table.  “Will you be okay?”  He reached his hand out to hold hers.

She stood up too.  “I’ll be fine.”

“Maggie?”  He pulled her into her arms.  “Last night was special but we barely know each other.”

She lowered her eyes, still insecure about their relationship and her feelings.   “Here it comes.”

“No.”  With his finger under her chin he gently guided her eyes to him his.  “I want to court you, to woo you.  I want to relish pursuing you and doing things right,” brushing his lips against hers for emphasis he squeezed her arms then let go.

 She heard the front door close behind him.  Hugging herself she put her chaotic emotions aside.  Tugging firmly on the quilted cover piled at the end of the bed she spread it out evenly, running her hand across its pillowed surface.

Gathering the last remnants of her clothing and any evidence that a man shared her bed last night, her quest for orderliness was halted by the sight of a shiny round object lying on the floor.   She was flooded with the realization that last night they had thrown both caution and protection to the wind.

The rest of the day dragged by without any word from Morris.  Maggie knew she was overreacting but as day grew into night feelings of doubt consumed her once again.

She admonished herself for thinking such a thing and tried to shake off the negative feelings that now invaded her mind.  The events of last night played over and over again in her head until she was almost dizzy.  She couldn’t concentrate on anything all day, her heart and soul ached.  The only reprieve was when she talked to her boys on their father’s cell phone.

“How’s it going?”  She talked to Joey first.

“I caught a fish, mommy.  A really big one.”  His voice held such excitement.

Next was Jacob.  “Dad and I caught an even bigger fish.”  It was a proclamation.  “Twice as big as the one Joey caught.”

“Did not!” Joey sounded off in the background.

“Did too!”  The words were shouted into the phone.

“Jacob, Jacob.”  Maggie had to raise her voice to get his attention.  “I’m sure you both caught very big fish.  You can show me the pictures when you get home.”  Maggie heard the voice of her ex-husband in the background.  “Okay you two, calm down and tell your mother about the deer.”

“Oh, mom, it was a big one and dad took a picture and everything.”  Jacob was clearly excited.

“I got the closest to it,” Joey’s voice shrilled in the background.  He wasn’t about to be left out.

“I’m glad you two are having such a good time.  Now let me talk to your father.”

“Dad!”  She held the phone away from her ear as Jacob yelled out for his father.

“Hey, Maggie.  As you can tell everyone is safe and sound.”

“Yes, and having a very good time.”  Their cries of delight echoed in the background.

“Listen, Maggie, I’m sorry about the other day.  You know I still love and respect you.”  She could hear his voice choke up with emotion.  “I know we’re never getting back together but I’ll always love you for what we had.  I just want you to know that.”