MoreThanWords (19 page)

She’d danced plenty of times. Only in front of her dog, but
hey, he hadn’t turned tail and run. And Travis had seen her move—very
intimately, every which way and fully naked. If she could do those things while
looking into his eyes, a little bump and grind while she took her clothes off
was nothing. She could do this.

She closed her eyes and let Travis’ music flood her senses.
The sultry beat worked its way through her body. She let her hips swivel side
to side, then into a figure-eight. She relaxed her neck, rolled her shoulders,
matching the rhythm of her hips. The music took over, guiding her as she made a
slow half turn, bent at the waist and arched her back.

Behind her, he groaned. The sound of pure masculine hunger
shot to her core, empowering her. She ran her hands downward over her ass as
she swayed. She curled her fingers under the hem and eased the skirt up, one
slow inch at a time, until it bunched around her waist, leaving her bare except
for the strip of purple lace masquerading as underwear and the matching garters
stretching over her ass to the tops of her stockings.

“God damn.”

The huskiness in his voice unlocked something inside her.
She turned again, managing to unzip and step out of the god-forsakenly tight
skirt in the process without falling on her face—no small miracle with her eyes
closed and the mile-high spiky heels she still wore. She brought her hands up,
twining them together above her head before letting them fall to the row of
silver buttons on her sheer black blouse.

“I want to see your eyes.”

Her eyelids fluttered open and she met his gaze. Intense,
hungry, appreciative. “Better?” she whispered around her heart, now stuck in
her throat.

“Perfect.”

“Oh?” She ran her index finger up and down over the buttons.
“Then I should leave these closed?”

“If you don’t open them, you know I will.”

By popping them off in one swoop as he’d done before, she
bet. Very hot, but she’d prefer to wear this blouse again. “Keep your hands off
my buttons,” she said, working the second one through its hole.

“No deal.”

“Okay, don’t.” She pushed the last silver disc clear of the
fabric. Goose bumps rose on her arms as the material slid over her skin. The
bra followed suit, tickling her nipples to hard peaks. She cupped her naked
breasts. Kneaded them. Pushed them together while his eyes burned into her.
“Touch all my buttons. These ones…” She thumbed the straining, needy nipples,
then trailed her fingers lower, into the front of her tiny thong. “This one.”

The music ended mid-strum. He shoved the guitar aside,
shucked his jeans and boxer-briefs in one movement and hooked a finger at her.
A tractor beam couldn’t have been more effective. She glided forward, into the
vee between his legs.

He stopped her hand when she pulled it from her panties.
“Keep it there.”

Obediently, she snaked her hand beneath the satin again. Her
clit was slippery under her fingers. Desperate for pressure. She rubbed it, a
small circle to relieve the aching need for contact, and couldn’t stifle the
moan of pleasure. Her cheeks burned at the noisy slip, but when she braved
meeting Travis’ eyes, she’d never seen them so dark.

“Do that again,” he said, then closed his mouth over one
nipple.

Soft warmth washed over her first. Gentle, sensual laving.
Then teeth, scraping her sensitive areola, nipping the tip of her stiff peak.
Delicious roughness from his stubble as it brushed her skin. Pleasure as she’d
only experienced with one man—Travis.

She moaned louder, pressed her fingers harder against her
clit. Her knees buckled—stupid pretty shoes—and she stumbled forward, toppling
them onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, lips and laughter.

Both animals tore into the room. Shoulder to shoulder, they
surveyed the state of their humans. Satisfied with what he saw, Charming nosed
Kersh, wagged his tail, and the chase was on again.

“I think they’re playing now, not fighting.”

“Like us.” Travis ran his fingertips under the string on her
hip, pure mischief glinting in his eyes. “How much do you like these?”

“I hate them.”

His grin was feral. His arm flexed and the scrap of material
fell away from her body.

“Good thing I have access to an unlimited supply of
panties.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you went without. Easier access for me
to do this…” He dragged his fingers through her folds, torturing her with a
light touch to her clit, then hinting at penetration only to remove his hand at
the last second. “Or this…” He rolled her onto her back and hauled her knees
over his shoulders. Head caged by her thighs, he dipped into her—lips and
tongue, teeth and fingers.

Bliss, simple as that. “God, I’ve missed this. No toys
compare to your—everything.” His mouth vibrated against her, might’ve been a
laugh, maybe a growl. Either way, the sensation ratcheted up her need. She
cupped his head, the buzzed hair soft under her palms as she gave into the
spiral beginning between her legs. Her hips thrust upward, eager for more delicious
pressure, more of his fingers curling inside her while he sucked and flicked
her clit. Over she flew. She clutched at him, bucking through a climax that
left her breathless. And ready for more.

She waited for him to look up and meet her eyes. “I’m all
yours.”

Six feet of gorgeous, naked, very hard man rose to stand in
front of her. Too yummy to simply look at. She rolled onto hands and knees and
crawled across the bed toward him.

He stopped her with a small head shake and a smile. “You
have no idea what it does to me, watching you stare at my cock and lick your
lips. Makes me want to—”

“To what?” she asked, positioning herself at exactly the
right height for him to slide over her bottom lip, deep into her mouth.

Only he didn’t. “Not this time.”

“But I love sucking you. It makes me hot.”

“You’re already hot.”

She darted a lick at the tip before he had a chance to step
away. “It makes me wet.”

A single laugh burst from his lips. “You’re already wet. You
were wet before my tongue touched you.” He chuckled again, dropping to his
haunches and catching her chin in his hand when she pouted. “Sweetheart, I
didn’t think I’d ever see you again, let alone have you in my bed and in my
life. I need to be inside you. Deep inside you, right now.”

“I can’t really argue with that.”

“Good.” His lips brushed hers lightly. “Now turn around so I
can fuck you.”

She couldn’t argue with that, either. A drawer opened and
closed as she changed position. Foil ripped. She looked over her shoulder in
time to see him roll a condom over his thick, rigid cock. Honestly, the man was
spectacular. She may never use her Mr. Right Magnum Eight again. Unless…

“Travis…” She hadn’t meant to whisper, but her heart was
racing, stealing her ability to breathe deeply or speak any louder. “Can you
grab my bag?”

One dark eyebrow rose. Three seconds later the canvas tote
dropped on the bed.

“Open it. Take your pick, use anything you want.” They’d had
nothing but phenomenal sex, loaded with dirty talk that included telling each
other various things they wanted to do. They just hadn’t had the time to do
them all before the break-up. Now they did.

Travis’ eyes left her to peruse the contents of her hastily
packed bag. A smile quirked at his mouth, pulled the corners of his eyes into
creases. “You have quite a selection here.”

From the temperature of her face, she had to be past pink
and approaching red. So what—he liked it when she blushed. She wiggled her hips
to draw his attention. Once she had his gaze, she ran a hand over her backside,
dipped her fingertips in her juices and dragged them upward until she got to
the rim of her ass. Slowly, she circled, teasing herself as much as him.

“See anything that interests you?”

The bed dipped as he moved to his knees behind her.
“Everything. But right now, this.” He trapped her hand with his. Put gentle
pressure on her middle finger—the teasing one—enough to breach the tight ring
of muscle and nerves. Another press from his hand urged her finger deeper.
“Fuck, Calli. Just…fuck.” He exhaled, long, low and appreciatively. “How does
it feel?”

“Good.” Her eyes were on his face, but his were focused on
her ass, their joined hands. God, he was gorgeous. Sexy. Inextinguishably hot.
“But—” Now his eyes flicked to her face. Perfect. “It’s not enough…I want more,
I want to be filled.”

A pained groan came from her man. “You’re killing me.”

“Get the blue vibrator with the rhinestones around the
base.” She almost giggled at the speed with which he rifled through the bag.
“That’s the one. It turns on by twisting the base. The more you turn it, the
more—”

“It vibrates.” He closed his palm around the smooth
cylinder, clearly assessing its power and girth. “And this is for…”

“It’s an anal toy.”

His Adam’s apple slid up and down and he licked his lips.
“Is it new?” His normally rich voice had become a low rasp.

What answer was he hoping for? She shook her head, smiled a
little. “No, I’ve used it. A few times.”

“Tell me how.” The head of his cock bumped against her slick
folds, sliding inside her instantly, making them both groan at the promise of
what was to come—literally. “Every detail.” Hands braced on her back, including
the one holding the vibrator, he prevented her from pushing onto his cock,
engulfing him like she wanted. “Ah-ah. Not until you tell me.”

“Meanie.”

“You started it, sweetheart.”

She swiveled her hips a little and another groan escaped his
lips. Two could play the meanie-pants teaser game. “Sometimes I lie on my back
and fuck myself in the ass with it while I rub my clit.”

“Sweet Jesus.” An inch, maybe two, of his cock slid forward.
One-handed, he twisted the jeweled base. Tickled her with the softly whirring
toy. He used some of the juices from between her legs to lubricate his target,
then pressed the sloping tip against her. “You come with this in your ass?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She squirmed against it, trying to get more, but
he didn’t give it to her. God, what was he waiting for?

“More,” he said between gritted teeth.

“Yes please.”

He laughed. A short, sexy bark that shot an arrow straight
into her heart. Right then, she knew. No more talking herself out of it—she
loved him. She’d give him anything he wanted, with pleasure.

“One time, I was on my stomach. I waited until I was almost
coming, then slid it all the way in and—” The swift thrust of his cock stole
her breath and her words. She fumbled around with one arm until she hit the
bag. Found the lube and lobbed it in his general direction.

A cool trickle slid down her backside. “Like this?” he
asked, inching the vibe deeper.

“Yes, oh yes…keep going…give me more…all of it.”

“Oh fuck.” Travis pulled out, thrust his cock deep inside
her again, mimicking the movement with the toy in her ass.

Sensations bombarded her. The pounding of his cock, the
fluttering inside as he ratcheted the vibrator higher. Skin smacking against
skin with each hard, perfect thrust. So good.

“I want more,” she said, practically gasping the words.

“That’s all of it, sweetheart—it and me—I feel like I’ve got
a fucking cannon down there, you’re turning me on so much.”

“Mmm, I feel it, I love it.” She scraped her nails across
her ass cheeks, pulling them apart ever-so-slightly while she met his eyes. “I
want that cannon in my ass.”

“You’re sure?”

“You really have to ask?”

He chuckled at her whimper when he removed the toy. “Fuck,
you’re sexy.” The tip of his cock nudged her rear. He let out a strangled moan
as the head eased inside. “I’ll go slow, I promise.”

She didn’t want slow. Her lips parted to tell him, but all
that came out was this…sound. Something new, low and primal, it matched what
she wanted. What she needed.

“More.” She pushed her hips backward. A demand. “All.”

“Fuck.” He groaned and slid deeper. Deeper. “Fuuuck…I have
to—” He pulled back, thrust into her again. “Fuck, so good.” Retreated and
thrust, harder. “Can’t stop—fuck, Calli, you’re so—fucking—tight—perfect—fuck…”

God, the fullness. She moaned every time he slid home.
Almost cried out. It bordered on pain, so fiery hot and intense, yet she craved
it. Whimpered with each retreat. Arched her hips to welcome each new thrust.

“Deeper, please.” Her skin tingled. Between her legs, she
ached with the need to come.

Travis’ hand on her back guided her lower, to her stomach.
He stretched her legs flat and straight, between his. Then moved inside her
again.

“Oh god…oh…” The angle, the position—whatever it was,
just…did it. Tipped the scale, tilted the whole world. She jammed both hands
under her body. Curled her fingers around her clit. Ground her mound against
her knuckles, setting off an explosion that rippled along every inch of skin
cradling his pumping cock.

Travis yelled a string of curses and collapsed on her back,
forcing the air from her lungs. “Shit, sorry, I’m crushing you.”

Her hands scrambled to cup his ass. “It’s perfect, don’t
move.” And it was. The weight of him, the heat. Comfort, protection and passion
in one. Their skin, slick with sweat and the scent of sex. More than that. “I
love you.”

He shifted enough to brush her hair aside, then pressed a
tender kiss below her ear. “Forever, sweetheart. This time, it’s forever.”

Epilogue

Calli took the back stairs two at a time. The store was a
mess and she hadn’t done the daily paperwork—it’d be there later. She’d never
complain about paying customers, especially when the last couple had dropped
close to five hundred bucks
and
bought three pieces of her handmade
jewelry, but they’d come in ten minutes before closing and now she was late for
her date. Hopefully he’d waited.

“Shit,” she said to Charming by way of greeting. “I don’t
suppose you’d use your pan for old times’ sake?” The eyes bugging out of his
face at her said no, and not in nice terms. “Okay, but it’s going to be a quick
one.”

Six o’clock on a beautiful July evening. The sun was still
high and a warm breeze wafted the aroma of a street vendor’s cart somewhere in
the neighborhood. Her stomach rumbled harder as her dog demanded they follow
the scent half a block down Belmont. In the end she had to pick up the stubborn
Chihuahua and carry him home. He wasn’t particularly impressed at the mode of
transport. Neither was Calli. Now she was thirty-five minutes behind schedule.

Inside the apartment, she grabbed her laptop and headed for
the bedroom. Two sets of legs followed.

“Ugh, I’m hungry too, but since
I’m
waiting, you guys
can wait.” Two pairs of eyes stared up from the floor. Charming and Kersh
didn’t give a hoot about her online date. They wanted kibble, stat. “Fine.” She
logged in, raced to the kitchen to feed the boys and returned to the computer
in a matter of minutes. “Be there, be there, don’t let it be too late…”

She simultaneously sighed and smiled. The animated host
waved at her, holding a card that read,
Travis has invited you to play
.
Accept
this player or decline?

She clicked the button and the screen switched to a game
board. Didn’t matter how many times they’d played, her heart still jumped when
she saw Travis’ avatar. He’d ditched the black rose shortly after Valentine’s
Day, swapping it for a photo of Kersh spooning Charming. Of all the things he
could’ve used for his avatar, he’d chosen a picture of “the kids”, as he called
it. If it was possible to love him more, she didn’t know how.

He’d played
waiting
for eighty points. Double-letter
score on the W, double-word score and a damn bingo—a fifty-point bonus for
playing all seven tiles in one shot. He must have an in with the admins now
that he’d done some revamp work on the Wordloverz site, because he always
seemed to have the perfect tiles at exactly the right time.

The best word she could come up with was
dong
for
eight measly points. At least it was appropriate.

Not surprisingly, he commented.
Nice word.

She pictured him smiling at his screen, shaking his head in
amusement.
Sold a big one right before closing time.

As big as the one in the back of your t-shirt drawer?

The rat. How’d he know about her secret stash, the goodies
she kept for use while he was traveling? All
their
toys were in the
night table.

Another message popped up on his side of the chat window.
Have
you used it this week? How about the little black one you like so much?

The only black item she owned was a thumb-sized vibrator
she’d felt obligated to test drive before shelving at Romance U, since it
retailed at ninety-nine dollars. He’d questioned her about the price while
adding it to the online store, and she’d assured him it was worth the money.
He’d poked and teased at her until she confessed to sampling one enough to wear
down its first charge. Travis being Travis, he’d immediately checked the specs
in the info he was uploading to see how long the little unit claimed to last.
To say he’d been jealous of the toy’s time between her legs was kind of an
understatement.

She rolled across the bed. Travis was spontaneous, but never
random. He’d asked her about a specific item—there had to be a reason. He’d
probably taken it—maybe everything—with him, just for fun. She’d been so busy
this week, she’d nodded off every night without opening the drawer once.

She pulled the handle, wondering what she would or wouldn’t
find. The Black Magic sat in its velvet-lined box, a sticky note wrapped around
the end of its shiny shaft. She peeled the yellow paper away, smoothed it on
the tabletop, smiling as her fingers traced the indent of his pencil-scrawled
words.
I can do better than this. XO.

Tears welled in the corners of her eyes. He’d been gone six
days this time, and she’d done a decent job of keeping occupied so she wasn’t
constantly pining. It was only going to get worse—the nights away to play out
of town had turned into weekend gigs, sometimes three- or four-day stints with
travel time. This trip was much bigger than those. A music exec had scouted him
at a club and invited him to record a three-song demo at a schmanzy Toronto
studio, all expenses paid. The opportunity of a lifetime. If it went well, he
could end up signed to a label, have singles on the radio, music videos, on
tour…

The laptop beeped as a new message appeared.
Still there?
It’s your move, sweetheart.

She shook her head, focused on the screen. He’d played
love
for seven points. That promise she’d made to herself not to be a whiny, needy
girlfriend crumbled.

I wish you were here.

Black vibrator run out of charge again?

Smartass.
Haven’t touched it. Waiting for somebody who
does it better.
There, now he knew she’d seen his note.

That’s a lucky somebody. Do I know him?

A smile replaced the tears that’d threatened.
He has
brown hair, hazel eyes, a giant, hairy mole on his stomach and a third arm
growing out of his side. Oh, and he carries a Scrabble board. Always.

Sounds dangerously nerdy.

Mmm-hmm. Actually, he’s deliciously nerdy. If he were
here right now, I’d drop to my knees and suck his cock until he yelled bingo.

Seconds ticked into minutes without a reply. Or a move.
Probably meant he’d had to answer a call or a text. Flirting online with your
girlfriend obviously took a backseat to more important business. She got it,
she did. And she couldn’t be more happy and proud of him, but damn it,
sometimes it really sucked.

Berserk yipping and scurrying sounds startled her from her
funk. Her heart had jumped out of her chest with the surprise, but she wasn’t
scared. She’d been off the Alprazolam for three full months, and the fearful
part of her was still gone. It was moments like this that reminded her of that
victory, made her smile head-to-toe.

The frenzied barking notched down to excited whining. In her
haste to get online, she hadn’t pulled the living room blinds. With everything
going on in the Village this weekend, Charming was bound to go bananas at the
low-slung windows.

She hopped off the bed, putting on her authoritative voice
as she stepped into the hall. “Charming. Kersh is going to be mad at you when I
have to shut out the sunshine…”

“That’s what I told him.”

“Oh my god!” She squealed at the sight of Travis standing in
the middle of the room. “You weren’t supposed to be back until Monday…” She
flung herself at him, only giving up squeezing him when the possibilities
barged into her head. “Why
are
you home early, did something go wrong in
the studio, or in the meetings?” Because as much as she’d love to have him
around 24/7, she’d love seeing his dream come true more.

“Hey, watch the Scrabble board tucked under my arm here…” He
winked and set his netbook on the coffee table.

“Huh?”

“Not the real deal, I know, but the best I could do on five
minutes’ notice. I was parked in front of the coffee shop, taking advantage of
their free WiFi while I waited for the right opportunity to surprise you.
Didn’t want to drive around the city looking for another Scrabble board when I
had such a great offer waiting for me upstairs.”

“Offer? Oh,
that
offer.” She went to her knees, more
than happily, and unzipped his jeans. His half-ready cock swelled in her grip.
One swipe of her tongue around the head and he stopped her, pulling her to her
feet.

“You’ve got it backward, sweetheart.” This time
he
lowered—to one knee. He pulled a box from his pocket and cracked it open,
offering up an amazing smile and the most beautiful amethyst-and-diamond ring
she’d ever seen. “Say you’ll be mine.”

“I’m yours,” she blurted.

“If you wouldn’t mind clarifying, there are three males in
the room, and I’m pretty sure all of us would like that distinction.”

He didn’t fool her. For whatever reason, he loved when she
said his name. She’d hated her voice since the first attack damaged her throat,
stripping away the higher pitch forever. Knowing that Travis found her husky
tone sexy, that hearing her speak his name turned him on, had gotten her past
that resentment. Meeting him, falling in love with him, had been the catalyst
that changed everything. She’d been his since day one—he had to know that.

“I’m yours, Travis.” Her voice shook. Her knees were worse.
He steadied her. Slid the ring on the
index
finger of her left hand…

He laughed, gut deep and through to his eyes. “You are so
damn cute when you scrunch your eyebrows together like that.” His thumb rubbed
soft circles over her hand. “I’m asking you for forever, yes, but I figured I’d
keep the traditional finger open until I can afford to get you a big diamond
for it—which won’t be too far down the road, since I signed a contract this
afternoon.”

“Oh my god, I’m so, so happy for you!”

“Will you keep that spot open for me, Calli—marry me when
I’m in a position to give you everything you deserve?”

His hair was longer again, thick and soft under her fingers.
“You don’t have to do this now. I don’t expect you to stay in every night
playing Scrabble when you’re going to have the world at your feet. It’s a
beautiful ring, and a wonderful promise,” she screwed the white-gold band off
her finger and held it out, “but you should keep them both, at least for a while.”

“You think I gave you a ring out of some twisted sense of
obligation?” The smile vanished, replaced by a hard line. “I got it the week
after we got back together. I’ve almost given it to you a hundred times, but I
wanted to have more to offer you than part-time work building websites and
intermittent gigs that might never amount to more.” On his feet now, he stared
down at her. “When’re you going to believe me that—”

“I love you.” She didn’t say it enough. She didn’t believe
it enough when Travis said it. “I got you something too. Wait for me for a
minute?”

“Forever.”

“It won’t take that long.” Thank god for the crinkles around
his eyes, the slight twitch of his lips. She hurried to their bedroom, hands
shaking as she undressed. Too many buttons and hooks. One of these days she’d
start wearing t-shirts and yoga pants, to speed the process along.

She pulled a new black-lace bra and skimpy boyshorts from
her drawer. Fastened the thin leather choker she’d made around her neck.
Stepped into ridiculously high fuck-me shoes. She did a quick perusal in the
mirror, running a finger over the design disappearing into the top of her
panties. If he hated it…well, there was always laser removal. She took a deep
breath and returned to the living room.

“Holy fucking hell. I should stay away more often.”

“As long as you always come home to me.”

“Only place I want to be, sweetheart.” He closed the gap
between them and put his hands on her. In her hair, down the valley of her
breasts, under the collar around her neck, around the ink wrapping her hip.
“You got a tattoo.”

“I went to your guy—he was really good, like you said.”

“Jamie’s one of the best.”

A glowing rec for the tattoo artist, not for the permanent
addition to her body. Shit. “You hate it.”

His eyes flicked from the ink to her eyes. “No, hell no.
Just surprised, you’ve never mentioned getting one. It looks incredible on you.
The dark lines and hints of color against your fair skin are perfect.”

So he hadn’t noticed yet. “Look closer.”

“With pleasure. Mind if I start at the top and work my way
down?” It wasn’t a question so much as a warning. Travis placed a light kiss on
her forehead, each eyelid, the tip of her nose. His lips met hers, softly at
first. Gentle but not hesitant. A slow, sensual tease as he increased the
pressure, exploring her mouth in a way that made her squeeze her thighs
together to ease the budding need. Travis was always in control—he knew what he
wanted, what she wanted too—and always made both happen, to her never-ending
delight.

The next stop was her neck. He licked and nipped his way
down the side, chuckling when she shivered.

“This is pretty,” he said, fingering the embossed leather
neckband. “Very sexy—what does it say…?”

She waited for him to read it, but he said nothing, just
smiled at her while teasing her nipples by stroking under the edge of her bra.
She arched into him only to have him shift backward. Intentionally denying what
she wanted. Taking control, making the ache for his mouth on her nipples that
much stronger.

“You know what it says.”

“Tell me anyway.”

With her heart now in her throat, she could barely whisper.
“I’m yours.”

“I love it when you say that.”

Exactly why she’d chosen those words.

The hook at her back popped open. Travis’ nails raked her
skin as he dragged the straps from her shoulders. Goose bumps popped up all
over. He pulled the see-through cups from her sensitized breasts extra slowly,
making her squirm on the spot. Finally, his lips grazed the peaks. He moved
from one to the other, pushing her past needy to desperate.