Seth's Cravings: An Endless Series: Book 2 (22 page)

     “Our dads had all this left over wood around all the
time because of the construction business and we used it to build this
half-assed fort and bridge that went across the river.” He snorted in what
sounded like both fond and sad memories and I instinctively placed my hands over
his caressing the backs in comfort. I felt a brief brush against my hair before
it disappeared just as quickly. “One day we were supposed to meet back there
after lunch but I was late by about thirty minutes because I wanted to finish
this level in a video game I was playing.” Seth’s hands gripped the railing
tightly and I could feel the tendons in his hands strain under the force. I ran
my fingers softly between the creases of his fingers dreading what I felt was
about to come.

     “I found him face down in the river…dead…drowned.”

     His words had me clutching at his wrists in shocked sympathy…to
find someone dead like that, and for it to be your cousin, your brother.

     “I felt an enormous amount of guilt over Derek’s death.
If I had been on time, if I hadn’t been selfish wanting to finish my game I
could have been there to save him. After a time my parent’s became concerned
with how I was taking his death. I was barely talking, spending a lot of time
alone, and taking a lot of risks riding my motorcycle. In six months I
accumulated a multitude of cuts, bruises, sprains, fractures, and finally a
broken arm and concussion, as well as a totaled motorcycle.”

     I found myself wincing with each injury he disclosed.
It wasn’t hard to discern that Seth’s guilt had been eating at him, making him
do things that would purposely put him in jeopardy.

     “My parent’s were at their wits end worrying about me.
They finally had me start seeing a therapist. It didn’t occur overnight, but
after a while I accepted what I couldn’t change. I know Derek wouldn’t want me
to keep blaming myself and end up dead because of the unnecessary guilt I
carried. It was an accident and I had to stop holding myself responsible for
what happened.”

     Two tears trickled silently down my cheeks as Seth
finished his heartfelt story. I could relate to why he felt guilty, but it
was
true that it was an accident. It could have easily been Seth that could have
drowned instead of his cousin if he had been the one there alone.

     “I’m sorry for you.” I choked out hoarsely. “It’s true,
it wasn’t your fault.” I reiterated.

     Seth’s hands flipped over on the railing capturing mine.
They were large and warm, but gentle. He then leaned forward to speak in my
ear. “You also need to stop blaming yourself for something that was going to
happen anyway. Your mom wanted you safe from your relatives and in all
probability didn’t want you all to see her suffer toward the end. Let her have
the same piece of mind in death that you gave her in life. Let go of the
guilt.”

     I swallowed back a strangled sob at his words. I knew I
carried some guilt that the three of us had been shipped off to America away from my mother as she slowly died in Russia, without us by her side. In some adolescent
way I thought if I had been a better daughter and not trailed after my cousins
she would have let us stay. But again, I knew this wasn’t true. What Seth said
was true. She had wanted us safe and not there to see her slow painful decline
into death.

     I disentangled our hands to wipe at my tears and when I
was sure my face was clean I turned to face him making sure to lean back
against the railing for maximum space. Seth stared down at me in brooding
absorption. His hands remained on the railing on either side of my body fencing
me in with his large overwhelmingness.

     The cornering didn’t bother me, I wasn’t easily cowed,
but the look in his eyes was somewhat daunting. I was grateful for his words,
but I gave him an irritated glare. “You know, you have this ability to get me
to talk that I find rather irksome. It seems like I’m always spilling my guts
around you. I don’t do that.” I said this to be contrary, but also because I
really didn’t understand why.

     A bright twinkle appeared in his blue eyes. “I find you
tremendously interesting, and I have this need to know everything about you.” His
gaze tracked down my face before returning to my eyes to stare at me intently.
I fidgeted at his words and at the penetrating quality of his gaze, as well as
the heat behind it. “I think you sense this in me and desire to please
me…unconsciously.” His brow quirked letting me know that he was being purposely
absurd.

     I gave him one of my own to acknowledge the
ridiculousness of his statements.

     His brow came down and his expression turned serious.
“Or maybe you’ve needed someone to talk to for a while and I just happen to be
handy.”

     I didn’t believe that. Someone handy would be a peer at
work that I saw almost everyday. I liked those guys, but I never felt like
spilling everything to them.

     Seth’s hand came up to massage a finger between my
eyes. “Does it really bother you that much to share with me. Believe it or not,
you’re the only person I’ve told about Derek, outside my family and the
therapist. I’ve never wanted to share it with anyone else.”

     I stared at him in shock. “Really.” But than I thought
about it and frowned. “But you only shared it with me to get me to recognize my
needless feelings of responsibility.” I pointed out.

     Seth shook his head. “No, I think I could have made you
see that without the story. I shared it because I knew you would understand,
and because not only do I want to know about you, I want you to know me.”

     My gaze was caught in the depths of his stormy eyes. I
felt myself panicking at what he was saying and revealing with his gaze. “I’m
really not all that interesting. I’m basically a single mom with two jobs and
no extra time on her hands.” I blurted out breathlessly hoping he would catch
my drift.

     He frowned and then some kind of revelation lit up his
face. “So, that’s why…” He grumbled staring at me hotly.

     “Why what?” I asked in agitated confusion.

     Seth shook his head as if it was unimportant. “Nadia,
you’re wrong. You are the most interesting person I know, and not just because
you can play poker, rattle off math answers, and twirl a knife. It’s because of
your commitment and love for your family.” I stared up at him in astonished
bemusement. That was rather…sweet. “And in case you haven’t caught on or are
just trying to ignore it, I like you and would like to spend more time with
you.”    

     I swallowed. “Did you not just hear what I said? I
barely have time to wash my hair, how are we going to find this time you think
I have to spend together?” My words came out whispered which I found annoying.
I needed to sound firmly rational, not feebly hesitant.

     He leaned forward bringing our mouths inches apart.
“You made time this weekend.” He pointed out.

     The breath all but froze in my throat at his nearness.
“But I had to bring Luka and Issy…”

     His hand came up to brush along my bottom lip. “I like
them as well.” He replied gravelly. I saw the look of intent on his face before
he moved closer, and I didn’t stop him. I’d been wondering how he would taste
for forever it seemed.

     Firm but tender lips took mine in a kiss that was searing
and consuming, and detonated something inside me. I’d been kissed quite a few
times, back in Russia and here in America, unwillingly and freely, but none of
them had been like this. From the first touch and taste I knew Seth’s kiss was
going to leave a mark…an everlasting one. 

     I opened my mouth in acquiescence losing all awareness of
my surroundings, wanting to surrender to everything he had to give. My arms
flew up around his neck and my fingers burrowed in his hair tightly pulling him
harder into my lips.

     All I knew was want and need, hunger and desire.

     Seth groaned and surged into me hard pushing me into
the railing at my back. His body aligned completely along mine. He was solid,
strong, and hot and I’d never felt anything better as his body seemed to
dominate mine. My control was a thing of the past.

     Thrusting my tongue into his mouth I teased him and then
retreated wanting more, and he supplied it by following me with his own,
devouring mine, and taking it hostage. It sent me down a rabbit hole of desire
as I whimpered and sucked on his lower lip greedily in uncontrollable bliss.

     There wasn’t anywhere to go as he groaned more deeply
in what sounded like capitulation and pushed into me harder, pressing all that
glorious hardness against my softness. I could feel him everywhere; the firm
muscles of his chest squashing my breasts in an ‘
oh so
’ pleasurable way somewhat
easing the ache I had there, his solid abs moved against mine as we each gasped
in breaths, and most noticeable was the rigidness of his cock burning hotly on
my lower stomach causing an unbearable throbbing between my thighs.

     Instinctively I rubbed against it needing to ease my
ache, but it wasn’t quite hitting that right spot, so I stood on tiptoes
hooking one leg onto his hip aligning us perfectly.

     “Ahhh!” I almost screamed in gratification as my sex
zinged in bliss.

     “Ahh, shit…Fuck! Nadia—” He grumbled in what sounded
like agonizing pain before gripping my butt forcefully and rubbing his hardness
against my throbbing clit, at the same time crushing my lips almost brutally.

     One of my hands remained securely in his hair while the
other clutched frantically at his waist as the ache in my groin tightened in
agonized, inexplicable pleasure. “
Pozhaluysta
, please.” I moaned.

     “Yes, yes.” He responded moving me frantically on him.

     “Seth….Seth.”

     Seth growled angrily which sent vibrations through my
hard sensitized nipples. I whimpered at the extra stimulation. I was so close.

     “Seth, man, her brother is going to be here in seconds.
You better stop before he catches an eyeful. I doubt any of you will welcome
that.”

     I frowned at the voice. I really didn’t want to pay
attention to it…Wait! Someone was here…watching us. His words finally broke
through my haze of pleasure. My brother was coming… and I wasn’t going to be.

     Both of us seem to come to awareness at the same time
as we pulled back from each other. I gaped at him…panting hard…in astonishment
and chagrin…and roaring unfullfillment.  

     Seth’s expression looked like how I felt. “Fuck…I
really didn’t plan—”

     “Me neither.’ I finished for him. I would love to blame
him, but unfortunately I had basically jumped him as soon as he’d touched me.

     “Damn! I thought I was going to have to push you both
in the pool.”

     I looked over to see Nic standing at the steps staring
at us in astounded amusement, and I found myself flushing in embarrassment…and
anger. It was self directed anger, but anger nonetheless.

     What in the hell had I done.

     I’d lost complete control of myself, that’s what I’d
done.

     The man was driving me
sumasshedshiy
(crazy)!

Chapter Fourteen

SETH

     I stared down at Nadia in shock. What the fuck had just
happened! I’d never lost complete control like that before. Because of my size I
was always careful with women, not wanting to get too rough. Unless we
discussed it before hand, but even then I was aware of what I was doing.  

     Unlike the last several minutes with Nadia. It had gone
from zero to unrestrained within two seconds. She’d gone up like dry tinder in my
arms, with me burning wildly along with her. It had been hotter than hell, but
a little unsettling afterwards.

     Scrutinizing her I could see that she was just as aroused
and disturbed as me; a flush coated her already pink skin, her breathing came
out unsteadily between ravaged lips, and her nipples poked out in attention. 

     “Nic, how much time?” I asked gravelly. Sexual tension
rode me hard. I had been so fucking close to coming…in my fucking pants! Sure,
it had been around a month since I’d had sex, but I’d gone that long before and
never come close to coming this fast, not since my first time.

     “Maybe two, three minutes.” Nic replied knowing exactly
what I was asking. “I’ll give the two of you a moment…alone.”

     I heard him walk away but I didn’t bother to look. I
was focused on Nadia. Her turbulent aquamarine eyes stared back at me in dazed
distress. Taking her hand I led her over to the seat she’d vacated earlier. She
sat down without an argument.  

     I took the ottoman again keeping her hand in mine. “I
didn’t hurt you, did I?”

     She looked taken back at my question and frowned. “No,
of course not.”

     I breathed a sigh at her emphatic answer. “Do you
regret what just happened?”

     The frown remained, but she actually seemed to think
about it. “I’m not sure yet.” She finally answered.

     She never failed to surprise. “Well, if you do, lie to
me.” I told her solemnly.

     She grinned and I dropped the solemnity at seeing her
amusement.

     “That was somewhat…” She looked at me in bewilderment.

     “Intense.” I finished for her.

     She nodded warily.

     “I agree, but not bad.” I said rubbing at her palm not
wanting her to be troubled about what just happened between us. “I think
something has been brewing between us for awhile and it sort of exploded around
us just then. At least it has for me.” I admitted truthfully.

     She gave me a brooding look and then sighed like she
was about to divulge something she’d rather not. “It
might
have been for
me…as well.” She said grudgingly licking at her lips slowly like she was
remembering the taste me.