The Pulse (24 page)

Someday, hopefully. Maybe if they could find a little bit of land, breed something better than rats. He still couldn’t even imagine a cattle farm. How much food did it take to feed a cow? He’d have to find out. His daydream cut off swiftly when he looked down and realized the woman who inspired these thoughts of a better life was here with him on the bed. And for now at least, she was all his.

“Mason?” she murmured when his fingers stopped for a moment.

He shushed her and went back to gently kneading her muscles, and then he rolled her over onto her back.

She giggled. “You gonna massage me like this, too?”

He nodded, rubbing her arms, all the way up to her underarms and pecs, releasing the tension there that made her hunch her shoulders forward when she sat, exhausted.

“Oh, that is nice,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

He smiled and began using his fingertips to rub little circles over her breasts, lightly touching her areolas and nipples. The pink tips of her breasts immediately hardened as he touched them and she sighed.

He couldn’t wait any longer. Latching his mouth on one of her hard peaks, she moaned so loudly he was nervous Luke and Melissa would hear them. He raised his hand up to her mouth, playfully covering it. She nibbled his fingers and he bit her nipple in response, her cry muffled under his hand.

Emily laughed and pushed his hand away, sitting up in the bed. “Hey, you’re still dressed,” she said.

“Oops.” He pulled his shirt off over his head and tossed it on the floor. It was incredible how much better the world looked with a meal in his stomach and a beautiful woman in his bed. After walking all day, and after seeing the disturbing abandoned nursing home, he was glad to be where he was.

“I like it here,” Emily said, pressing herself against him.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” he said. “I don’t like what Luke said about young women like you being a rarity. You don’t want to end up stuck here as some random guy’s wife, pregnant with his baby.”

She shook her head, but she looked at him strangely. “Why would I be some random guy’s wife? Where are you planning on going?”

Years of being a loner made him uncomfortable at the mention of marriage. He wasn’t the marrying sort. He wasn’t even the relationship sort. He’d been on his own for so long, and that worked for him. But the thought of Emily with some other guy made him feel awful, like he’d been punched in the gut.

“Enough talking,” he said, smiling to soften his words. “Let’s enjoy having a bed.” Kissing her deeply, he breathed in the scent that was uniquely Emily, and tried to memorize it. Little kisses down her neck had her gasping as he licked across first one breast and then the other. He followed the trail down her stomach to her navel, licking her there, poking his tongue deep in to her navel until she squirmed, writhing against him.

“Oh my God,” she moaned as he continued laving her belly button. “It feels like you’re licking my pussy.”

“I’m saving that for next,” he informed her, then went back to her navel, enjoying her heavy breaths and her hands running over his head.

Licking lower, he pulled her tight jeans off, laughing as she kicked her legs, trying to help him remove them faster, but only succeeding in tangling herself. Finally he tugged them off, pulling her legs wide open so she lay spread before him on the bed. He grinned and licked a trail from the back of her knee, making her squeal at the tickle and try to pull her leg away. Mason laughed and held her leg still, tickling her for with his tongue for a moment longer before kissing up her inner thigh, finally stopping at her nether lips.

He touched her labia carefully, opening the soft pink folds like he was spreading the petals of a flower, and sucked her clit into his mouth. She gasped and ran her fingers over his shorn head, and he sucked harder.

“You taste so good,” he said, letting his hot breath hit her clit before flicking his tongue across her slick folds again, making her shudder beneath him.

He’d never met a woman who was so in tune with his sexual needs before. Granted, it had been a while since he’d been with a woman before Emily. In prison, he had to make do with his imagination and jerking off quietly at night after his cell mate had fallen asleep.

But now… He nibbled her labia, devouring her, wanting to eat her whole. She gave a low, keening cry as she climaxed, and he slid two fingers inside her, pressing on her G-spot, making her pussy clench around his fingers.

She cried out as he kept her orgasm going, tapping deep inside her, bringing another aftershock of her climax shuddering through her. When he had wrung out the last gasp, he smiled at her and dipped his head back between her legs.

“No!” she gasped as he began licking her clit again. “I can’t—I can’t—”

But she could. And within moments, his mouth never letting up, never giving her a moment’s reprieve, she came again, gasping and breathing hard as her head snapped forward toward her chest in ecstasy.

Pushing her knees up, he slid his hard cock inside her wet heat, his cock so lubricated from her climax he had no trouble pressing inside her tight pussy. Emily wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him even closer, her feet spurring him forward to fuck her with fast, hard thrusts. He could feel her nails digging into his back as he went harder and deeper, pounding against her G-spot again and again.

“Harder,” she panted, her voice raw in his ear, stirring his lust as he held her tighter, determined to do just that.

Her pussy clenched around him, the muscles clamping over and over, and he felt himself sliding over the edge into his own orgasm—but he didn’t want to come, not yet. He wanted to fuck her for hours.

Panting, he pulled out, restraining her wrist when she moved to touch his hard, quivering cock. “I—I need a moment,” he said, closing his eyes. If he looked at Emily lying before him, her legs lewdly spread, her hair disheveled, he’d probably come all over her belly. He forced himself to think of something, anything else. Dandelion-root soup came to mind.

“Roll over,” he said, and the quick way she obeyed made his cock stir again. Running his hands over her back, he commenced massaging her again, until she was calm—jelly beneath his fingers. The pale white globes of her ass looked so enticing, lying there in front of him. He caressed her cheeks, feeling their fleshy smoothness. Spreading her legs, he dipped his finger down between her nether lips and touched her clit, making her writhe against his hand.

“Please,” she whimpered.

Positioning himself over her, he slid his cock deep inside her, letting his full weight fall against her small frame, and wrapped his hand around her waist, trapping it beneath her. He tapped her clit while she wiggled and squirmed, trying to move away, but with his hand caught beneath her body, all she could do was lie there and take the delicious assault as he fucked her deeply from behind while stimulating her clit to orgasm yet again. She bucked so hard she nearly shook him off, and he came hard, exploding inside her, breathing deeply as he finally gave in to the climax.

Her body beneath his was hot and sweaty, and he knew he was too. Rolling off of her, he lay pressed against her, panting, as the sweat dried on their bodies.

“That was fun,” Emily said, and smiled at him. God, her eyes were incredible.

“It was fun.”

“I really am tired, though,” Emily said. She curled against him, her head on his chest, and within minutes she fell asleep, worn out from her numerous orgasms.

Mason couldn’t sleep, though. They were in a strange place, in a strange town. The baby down the hall cried, and he could hear Melissa singing softly to calm the infant. He couldn’t imagine wanting to bring a child into this world. On a survival standpoint, he supposed at least an infant could breastfeed, but breastfeeding from a woman who wasn’t getting any nutrition to begin with wasn’t going to be very healthy for either.

How did they have beef? How could this town be doing so much better than everyone in New York City? Mason wished he could figure out a way to do something similar for himself. But his hackles still went up when he thought about living under someone else’s rule, like in a military camp, or even in a town or community like this. He liked to live alone, and make his own rules. That was how he rolled.

There was a sharp rap on the door, and Emily startled, lifting her head from his chest. Mason frowned. He’d locked the door, but with the eyehook. The door cracked open.

“Sorry to bother you,” Luke said. Emily sat up quickly, covering herself with her shirt.

“Hang on,” Mason said, annoyed. He looked over at Emily—she had pulled her clothing back on so quickly he never would have guessed she’d been naked and fast asleep on him. She tossed him his cargo pants and he pulled them on before opening the bedroom door. “What.”

Luke ignored him and looked at Emily. “Word’s out you’re here, Emily. There’re some people here to see you. They want to talk to a nurse.”

“She’s sleeping,” Mason said. “This wasn’t part of the deal. She walked all day, she needs to rest.”

Emily looked exhausted, but she pushed past Mason, saying, “Okay, I guess I can see some people.” Then she looked at Luke. “But we both need more food. Breakfast tomorrow.”

Luke nodded. “I’ll take up a collection outside, where they’re waiting.”

Mason didn’t like the sound of that—a bunch of people waiting to see her, for medical help. This town was going to work her to death, like they did to the other nurses. The dead ones.

“She’s not a doctor, you know,” he said, earning a dirty look from both Luke and Emily.

“I know that,” Emily said, obviously miffed. “But I’m better than nothing. And in case you forgot, you weren’t too picky about my credentials when you came to me with head trauma and almost died.”

Mason shook his head but knew when to shut up. There was no way to win this. He’d already shared his concerns with her—now she had to do her own thing. But damn if he didn’t want to put his foot down, insist that Luke not take advantage of her just because she was such a generous person.

But Emily was already walking out the door.

Grand Central Terminal

JENNA

Two days later,
Jenna and Taryn stood next to each other on the Tracks. They had become fast friends, which surprised Jenna since Taryn had been aloof to begin with.

Taryn looked over at Jenna nervously. “I don’t know if I can do this. After I do a guy, I feel awful. Terrible.” She looked across the track at a brightly burning garbage fire, seemingly mesmerized by the flames.

“It’ll be better with me there,” Jenna promised. “I’ll take care of you. If you let me, I’ll make sure you orgasm—and with the two of us together, it’ll feel like fun more than work, you know?”

Taryn smiled. “I used to make out with girls at NYU when I got drunk, sometimes.” She giggled and shook her head at the memory. “You’re really pretty, Jenna.”

Jenna smiled, glowing more from that compliment than any compliment from a man. “So are you,” she said softly. Then she stepped out to the middle of the platform, gently pulling Taryn with her. “If we kiss here, you can pretend it’s like we’re at a keg party or something at NYU. Pretend I’m your sorority sister or whatever,” she laughed. “And the guys are going to love it. We’ll eat well tonight.”

“I’d kill for a drink,” Taryn said. “Let’s hold out for some alcohol.”

Jenna ran her fingers over Taryn’s pretty face and leaned in, gently kissing her full lips. She heard men’s voices and footsteps as they walked down the tracks. Pulling Taryn into her arms, she kissed her deeply, giggling as Taryn joined in, wrapping her slender arms around Jenna’s waist.

“I guess this isn’t so bad,” Taryn whispered, and Jenna smiled as the dark, dirty tracks disappeared around them and her whole world became kissing Taryn, breathing in her scent.

Jenna tentatively moved her hand to Taryn’s ass, cupping her through her pants. “Is that okay?” she whispered. She didn’t want anything to make Taryn uncomfortable—she’d had enough of that from the soldiers.

“Yes,” Taryn whispered back, a small smile on her lips. “That’s okay.” Reaching up, Taryn ran her fingers up Jenna’s belly, gently caressing her breast. “Is this okay?”

Jenna kissed her deeply, tasting her. “You can do whatever you want with me, Taryn. I like you.”

Taryn looked calmer, looser. She ran her thumb over the erect nipple showing through Jenna’s T-shirt and Jenna moaned, pressing her breasts forward into her hand.

A soldier cheered. “Take off the shirt,” he called.

Jenna looked up, surprised. A group of four soldiers watched them with interest. She started to lift her shirt, revealing her flat stomach and the bottoms of her full breasts, but then she stopped halfway. “Anyone got a drink? Alcohol?”

The soldiers talked amongst themselves, and one said, “I’ve got some homemade stuff. It’s safe, though. We’ve all been drinking it.”

Taryn nodded. “We each get two shots, right Jenna?”

Jenna almost laughed at her audacity, but she nodded. “And then we’ll give you the show of your life.”

The soldiers talked to each other again and the same guy spoke up. “All right. After, we’ll get you the drink.”

Jenna dropped her shirt. “No deal. You might stiff us.”

Another soldier, the one who had called for her to take her shirt off, looked at her in a threatening way. “I could fuck you right now and you wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing about it. In fact, I might do that.” He started to rub his crotch and Taryn gasped, her eyes filling with tears.

Damn him
, Jenna thought.
What an asshole.

But getting into a power struggle with a power-hungry man wouldn’t end well for either of them. “Of course you could,” she said demurely, “but I’d just lie there. It would be so dull, like jacking off. Instead, you could watch me as I lick this pretty girl’s pussy. Doesn’t that sound like more fun?”

The other soldiers nodded, and apparently the peer pressure made the guy calm down. “I guess,” he said.

“And when I’m drunk,” Taryn said, putting on a flirty voice Jenna had never heard before, “I’m such a slut. It’s really fun to watch. More fun than if I’m sober. That’s why I want the drink first.”