Slave to Love (24 page)

I nod and feel the tears coming to my eyes just recollecting the fear of not making it out of there.

“Do you remember what happened?” He’s rubbing my hand softly on his scruff and it feels so good.

Trying so hard to pluck the memories and soon they begin to pop up in different parts of my head like Whack-a-Mole. “When the door just inched open, the water started to pull, like a tide. I got dragged under and then got my head up.” Thinking for a second, “I couldn’t move forward and I realized the heel of my shoe was caught in a grate in the floor and I couldn’t unwedge it. So I bent down to try and pull it out and something must’ve hit into me because I felt pain. And that’s all I remember.”

The smile that makes me feel amazing is on Hale’s face for the first time and the effect is like the nurse added some good drugs to my IV. “You went down for a shoe?” I’m not sure if his look is one of astonishment or amusement or a combination of the two.

“It was a Louboutin.” I am dead serious and he loses it laughing.

“Mermaid, I will buy you one hundred pairs of Louboutins. Just please don’t risk your life like that again.”

“When can I leave here?”

“When a neurologist says you’re okay. There’s a lot of testing they’re going to be putting you through before they release you.” He weaves his fingers with mine. “I called your mom and Kemp. They’re both up to speed and know you are out of danger.”

“You spoke to my mom?”

“Yes. She was very nice. Kemp got the number for me. She wanted to fly out to take care of you when you get out, but I told her that it wasn’t necessary because you would be staying with me and I promised I would take a lot better care of you than I did this weekend.”

“Staying with you?” I feel like I can only repeat sections of what he is telling me.

“Yes. I told her that maybe we could all spend Thanksgiving together.” His smile is huge as he drops bombshell after bombshell.

“Who does she think you are?”

“I think I might’ve used the phrase ‘Sugar Daddy’.”

I try to laugh but the burn turns it into a hacking spasm. Holding the cup and straw as I drink, Hale smiles, “Last night wasn’t exactly what we’d planned. You owe me, Sierra.”

“Start coughing up those Louboutins, Sugar Daddy.”

“I think I’m going to keep you barefoot for a while. Shove over a little.”

Scooching over to make room, he crawls in to the bed, lying on his side facing me. “You look exhausted, Hale.” I press my lips to his forehead.

“Mmm-hmm,” he takes my hand again, threading our fingers as he brings it up to his lips. A second doesn’t pass before his lids close and his breathing tells me that exhaustion has claimed its next victim.

“I didn’t expect to feel this weak.” Leaning against Hale, we enter his apartment, and I’m immediately struck by the grand scale of everything. The curved glass walls make the space feel more loft-like than I had envisioned.

“This way,” he steers me to the left and down to the end of the hall to the master bedroom. His headboard is a lush dark brown padded leather and the bed is topped with a down blanket in a white duvet.

“Let me get you something to change into,” and he disappears into the closet. When he emerges he’s holding a white button down shirt. “Get in bed, woman,” he demands and gently pushes me down by the shoulders into a seated position.

Sensing my discomfort and slight confusion, “Let me go get you some extra pillows and something to drink.”

Leaving me on my own, I start to disrobe from the hospital scrubs I was sent home in and slip his shirt over my head without unbuttoning it. It’s longer than some of my dresses, I observe. Getting under the covers, I’m attempting to roll up the sleeves, when Hale reenters.

“Let me help you with that.” He sits down next to me and expertly rolls the cuffs. When he’s finished, “Sit forward, so I can get these behind you,” and he places two king-sized pillows against the headboard.

“You need rest, mermaid.” He takes a strand of my hair and lets it run through his fingers. “What can I bring you? Can I get you anything?”

I pat the bed next to me, he smiles, gets up and walks around to the other side, kicking of his shoes. Getting in, he remains above the covers.

Rolling over, I put my head on his chest and wrap my right arm around him. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

Laughing, “Thank you for letting me. I didn’t know if you would. I finally got you in my bed.” He gently strokes my hair.

“So, are you ever going to kiss me?” I’m tired, I feel like crap, but I want to feel this man all over me and he’s treating me like a porcelain doll.

“Baby, your body has been through a lot of trauma this week, you need rest. And you really need it for what I plan on doing to you.” He gently pushes the hair from my face.

“You can kiss me.” I am not letting this man leave the bed.

“Yeah, but I won’t be able to stop.”

“Are you going to make me beg you to kiss me? It’s what I need more than anything.”

Turning toward me, he gets under the blanket and pulls me into the length of his body. “How can I deny that?”

“Hale,” looking up into his handsome face, “hold me tighter.”

As his arms pull me closer, I can feel the tears surfacing, before they break into sobs, erupting out of nowhere and I realize how shaken and scared I am. Within Hale’s embrace, I no longer have to call upon strength that’s depleting my energy.

“Shhhh, it’s okay, Sierra. I’ve got you,” his voice is soothing as he starts a gentle rocking motion. “You’re safe, baby. You’ll stay here with me for as long as you’d like.”

Reaching back to the nightstand, he grabs a tissue and dabs under my eyes.

“They were trying to kill somebody,” I finally manage. “Who?” I search his dark blue eyes for an answer.

“The best intelligence resources, from multiple countries, are on it. They will figure out who leaked the location, who the shooters were, what group or person they are affiliated with, who the target was. We’ll have all the answers,” his voice is calm, intensely calm.

“Hale, do you think they were after you?” I’m so worried for his safety. If anything happened to him…

Shaking his head, “I really don’t, Sierra. There were definitely higher value targets in there. I’m kind of low on that totem pole.”

“Would you get a bodyguard for a little while?” I need him to be safe.

Smiling, he kisses my forehead. “You want me to get a bodyguard?”

Nodding, the tears begin anew. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I honestly don’t think I need personal security, baby, but if you’ll sleep better at night, I’ll hire someone until we have answers from last weekend.”

“Thank you,” I manage.

“I love that you are worried about me.” His smile is brilliant.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

Pulling me tighter, I bury my face in his neck. If there was ever a moment I needed to feel connected, have him joined to me, buried deep inside me so that I don’t know where he ends and I begin, now is that moment.

“You need rest,” he whispers in my ear.

Shaking my head, “I’ll rest after you make love to me. I need to be yours.”

“In my head you were mine from the night in the St. Regis. I just didn’t know how wonderful you really were.”

“You were so mean to me.”

“I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even look at you.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t want you to think I was a jerk,” he admits, candidly.

“Why would I think that?”

“Because I was tongue-tied, Sierra. I wanted to impress you and you were all like, we need to leave, we need to go downtown. Susan clearly wanted to stay and you didn’t give a shit. You could not wait to get out of there.”

“I thought you hated me.”

“And then I made that dumbassed comment about your legs and you just zinged me.”

I laugh at the memory.

Running his fingers through my hair, “I wanted to go all cave man on you, drag you upstairs to a room and fuck your brains out.”

“And now you’ve got me in your bed and you still haven’t made love to me.” I’m going to taunt him until I get my way.

“See, that’s the big difference.”

“What is?” I’m not quite sure what is so evident to him.

“I wanted to fuck you then. Which I still do. Over and over again. But right now, I want to make love to you. I want to make a memory with you that wherever we are in our lives, this will always be the standard for making love.”

“You want me having sex with other men?”

The look on his face is classic. “No. Me, only me, Sierra. The other night I said, I love you. I meant that.”

“So what does that mean, Hale? What does ‘I love you’ mean to you?”

“It means you have my heart. I will always put you first. You are the most important thing to me. You can trust me with anything and everything, but especially with your heart.”

I remain silent.

“Trust me, Sierra.”

Silently, I begin to unbutton the shirt of his that I am wearing. Watching me, I hear his breath catch. After the last button is opened, I shrug the shirt from my shoulders and kick the blanket away.

I watch as he takes me in, his eyes sweeping up and down my body that I have just offered up for his enjoyment. Reaching out, I take his hand and place his thumb and forefinger around my left nipple.

“Hard,” is all I say and he complies with a rough twist. My smile tells him to go harder and he complies, twisting until I moan. Rolling to my back, both nipples are now open to him and both his hands are on them.

“Do you like it a little rough, Sierra?” His eyes are smoldering and I know there is no way he is going to stop now.

“I like it more than a little rough, Hale. But I think you already surmised that.”

“Well today we’re not going to get too rough, but I can’t promise anything about tomorrow or the next day.”

“Suck them,” I direct and reach for his head to press it to my breasts.

“You’re telling me what to do?” He’s amused, but the look in his eyes is dangerous and I crave him even more.

“I am.” I don’t back down.

Taking my hands from his head, he holds them out to the side as he covers my body with his.

“You are really telling me what to do? You are so amusing. That’s actually pretty hot.”

He’s got my body pinned.

“Women don’t tell you what to do?”

“I do what I want.” Right under the surface is the guy who plays Russian roulette with danger, who takes chances with his life because of some deep-seated need I’ve yet to uncover.

“Well, maybe that isn’t satisfying to your partner. Or don’t you care?” I hold his eye contact. We’re in a don’t blink situation.

“Do you think I’ll leave you unsatisfied?”

His smirk makes me want to struggle with him, but I remain very calm and in control.

“Not if you care.”

“You said before that you wanted to be mine.” He uses my words as a weapon.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to be an active participant.” I realize that right now we are laying ground rules for the future and defining our relationship.

“Sierra, I wouldn’t want it any other way with you. That’s what makes you so damn hot and sexy.”

“But you don’t want me to tell you what to do.” I’m confused.

“Nope. I want you to spread your legs and touch yourself. Show me how you touch yourself when you’re thinking about me.” He gets up and sits back on his knees between my spread legs. “Touch yourself, Sierra,” he orders.

Suddenly I feel shy. No man has ever seen me masturbate before and now Hale wants to watch it from this very close up and personal vantage point. Pulling the blue scrubs top over his head, he flings it to the floor. Now sitting bare-chested between my legs, he pushes my thighs farther apart.

“Come on, Sierra. Show me how you get off when you think about my cock in you.” And he spreads me even wider. I am totally open to him and the thought that he could be thrusting into me at any time is getting me very wet. With my forefinger, I slowly circle my clit. Very gently Hale runs a single finger up my slit, just slightly dipping inside of me and then moves his finger to where mine is to moisten the area. His eyes never leave mine.

“You are so damn sexy, mermaid. The night I met you, I went home and jerked off in the shower thinking about you. About your gorgeous hair, and those nipples, which yes, I will suck and your pretty smile and that you knew about the history of that bar and because you weren’t even wearing make-up and you didn’t care.”

As my finger works in circles, my breathing gets ragged. He pushes his hair back and I notice he’s practically panting, watching my finger.

“Look at me, Hale.” I demand of him. “What do you want to do to me? Tell me.”

“It’s what I want to do to you first, that is the issue,” and he laughs.

“I just want you to kiss me.”

“I will after you come.”

He’s going to make me work for it.

“Well, how about this,” Removing my finger from touching myself, I extend my arm to him. “How about if you finish me.”

Taking my finger, he sucks it into his mouth. Smiling, he lies down alongside of me. Not missing a beat, his finger takes over. His free hand goes around the back of my head, bringing my lips to his.