Page 19 of Burning Love (Looking For Love #7)

ALL YOURS

T he motorcycle turned the corner into the driveway the next morning, and Talia got out of her car.

It was impulsive to come to his house, but she didn’t think Jace would mind.

The roaring engine came to a halt, Jace swinging his long leg over the side, his helmet off and in his hand.

“This is a surprise.”

She moved closer to him, right into his personal space, her hand on his chest, lifting on her tiptoes, her lips to his. “A good or bad one?”

His eyes were searching her face. “Depends on the reason you’re here when I’m getting out of work.”

“I couldn’t wait another minute for you to tell me what to do. Is that good or bad?”

He grabbed her hand with his and tugged her toward the house. “Great,” he said. “Best surprise ever. I need to shower first.”

“Nope.” They got into his house and she shoved him against the wall. “This is sexy. You’re all male coming home from work.” Her mouth landed on his neck, her tongue gave it a lick. Not even salty from sweat. Bummer.

“We had a fire earlier in the night and I showered before I finally got a few hours of sleep.”

She was going to push the image of him fighting a fire out of her mind. She didn’t need that fear right now.

Something she’d never thought of in the past when she’d dated a man. Maybe because they were more boys than men.

“Then you’re ready to go. Where do you want me? I’m all yours.”

He pulled her toward the couch. “Bend over it.”

She laughed and wiggled her hips. “It’s like you read my mind. Why else do you think I’ve got a dress on?”

Nothing fancy. Just a cotton T-shirt dress in mint green that landed around her calves, but had two slits on each side giving her movement.

She had canvas sneakers on her feet again.

He seemed to like that look the other day and she had errands to run today after this. It was a typical outfit she’d slip on.

His hands went to the sides, grabbed two fists of the material and lifted it up to her waist.

She pulled her bikini underwear down while he’d walked out of the room.

Her head was turned while she stayed in this position to watch him return with a condom in his hand, his pants undone and dropped down while he covered himself.

“Touch yourself. How wet are you?”

“I don’t need to touch myself to know I’m ready.”

“This is about me telling you what to do,” he reminded her.

“Oh yeah.” She reached down and ran her finger between her dewy lips, brought it back out and wiggled it around for him to see.

He grabbed it and sucked it into his mouth.

Her body released a flood of more fluid over that move.

“Your eyes got dark.”

“I’ve got a need I’ve been waiting for you to fill.”

He snorted. “I plan on filling it...now.” He plunged into her quickly. She’d been prepared but not for how wonderful it was going to feel.

She gripped the cushions in front of her to hang on for the ride.

“Oh God.” He was moving in and out of her. Not fast. Not slow. Just right.

As if he’d perfected this position and wanted to make sure she’d get the most pleasure out of it possible.

“Play with yourself.”

She did what he said because she was the one who told him she wanted it this way.

Her hand went between her legs, found the swollen bundle of nerves that always sent her over with minimal contact.

But she wasn’t sure she was ready to end this now.

She pressed down on the sensitive bud hoping to prolong the ending.

But his fingers were gripping her hips tighter, he was sliding in more forcefully and she was starting to wonder if his control was sapped.

“I’m really close.”

“Fucking get there,” he rushed out. “Because I’m about tapped out.”

“You should have told me.” Her finger swirled in circles around her bud, her legs were shaking, her breath was catching and she let out a moan.

The little moan was the accelerator that Jace must have been waiting for because he was slamming into her so hard that he was shifting the couch.

Her hand was speed swiping herself and she came and came hard. Jace was groaning behind her, his body not moving in and out, but holding still. She felt the pulsing from him mixed with hers.

She dropped her head down, her hand falling away at the same time, and inhaled, then exhaled.

Jace stepped away from her, breaking the connection she wanted to keep for hours.

The moment she felt the cool air on her ass, her legs grew weak and she shifted to stand, her back almost catching, her hand going there to grab it.

“Are you okay?” he asked quickly. “Did I hurt you?”

She laughed. “I feel fabulous. My back muscles got a little tense. I’ll be fine.”

Her dress had fallen back down, she bent and retrieved her underwear, then walked to the half bath on this floor.

Jace went up the stairs to his room.

When she was done, he was still up there and she started to feel unsure of herself.

Should she leave? Was he waiting for her?

She moved up the stairs to at least say goodbye and saw him standing in his underwear in his room.

What a sight he made.

His biceps weren’t massive, but they were bigger than anyone else she’d dated. The rest of his body completely toned. Not bulky but no fat on him either.

“Do I have something on me?”

“You have a lot on you that I love,” she said. “I’m just admiring the view. I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”

“You’re going?”

It was for the best. “You need to sleep and I’ve got errands to run. I’ll be back later. We’re still on for dinner, right? Or this was all you wanted and now would rather not?”

She’d be hurt if he said yes but was damned if she was going to show it.

He was frowning at her. “Of course we’re still on for dinner.”

“I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“Unless it was all you wanted?” he asked.

“I did want this right now. And I want it again tonight.” She walked over and gave him a kiss. “Now go to sleep and recharge. I’ll bring the makings for dinner.”

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. “Thanks for this. I didn’t know I needed it as much as I did.”

“You’re very welcome. Maybe I needed it too,” she whispered, then got out of there before she let him see anything else she might be feeling.

Talia ran to the store and picked up a few things and returned home.

She hadn’t expected her mother to be sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee.

“You’re back earlier than I thought.”

“I only had a few errands to run,” she said.

“I thought you’d spend more time with your boyfriend than you did this morning.”

She frowned. Aileen wasn’t being overly nosy, but she hadn’t let much drop either in the past week.

“You think I went to see him first thing in the morning?” she asked.

She wouldn’t lie to her mother but she would play some word games.

“Just tell me who it is, Talia. You’re easy enough to keep track of and you haven’t been out since last week for more than ten minutes, if that. I’m not going to fault you for wanting to get a snuggle in.”

She rolled her eyes. Laken had told her that her mother suspected it was Jace.

“You know who it is,” she said. “You’re just waiting for me to confirm it.”

Her mother laughed. “Get a coffee and let’s chat.”

“I’ve got work to do.”

“It can’t be that important if you went to see him when he got out of work. I’ll just follow you downstairs.” Her mother would.

“I’ll be right back,” she said.

“I’ll fix your coffee for you.”

When she returned to her mother’s kitchen, not only was her coffee on the counter, but a few cookies next to it.

“Thank you.”

“You’re dating Jace Rigby, correct?” Aileen asked.

“I am.”

“How old is he?”

Talia wasn’t surprised that was the first question asked. “He’s thirty-seven.”

“Older than I thought,” her mother said. “Has he been married or does he have any kids?”

“No to both.”

“Don’t you find that odd at his age?”

“Why would I when West was the same way? You didn’t think it was odd then.”

“Yes,” Aileen said, nodding. “I did think it was odd. But your brother put his career and the future of the family above himself. What is Jace’s reason? Do you even know?”

There would be no skirting this or lying. “I don’t know what we’ve got. He’s not a commitment type of guy.”

“Talia! You’re in a friends-with-benefits situation?”

“No! I wouldn’t do that. I know where he stands and he knows where I stand.”

“You’ll have to explain that to me because it seems like it’s more about him having his cake and eating it too.”

Her lips twisted in frustration over that.

“Mom. He’s got some childhood baggage that I don’t want to get into.

He shared that with me in confidence. Something he wouldn’t have done if we were only hooking up.

I told him if I find myself caring for him or moving fast he would be the first to know.

It’d be up to him to continue or step back. I’m not setting myself up to be hurt.”

“I’ll never understand you kids and the way you date now.”

“It’s not for you to understand. I’m not holding him to anything. But I believe he will be one hundred percent honest with me. He’s an honorable man.”

“How do you know that?” her mother asked.

“I’ve seen it. Can’t you just trust me?”

“Give me an example,” her mother said. “Humor me.”

“When I asked him if they needed money at the firehouse he said they always needed equipment that wasn’t covered in the budget, but there was a fund for victims. When pressed which he’d pick, he said the victims. They need it more.”

She wasn’t going to share that Jace had said there were times his mother had needed assistance in life.

“That was nice of him.”

“He’s a nice guy. I told Laken about him. She said he sounds like Dad.”

“Really?” Aileen asked, her eyebrows lifting. “How is that?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have a lot of memories of Dad. Not like Laken did. But she said he sounds like a guy that can get it done and always will. He’ll find a way to put everyone else first and keep them safe and secure. Something like that.”

“That was your father,” her mother said softly. “I suppose I could see that, considering his career.”

“His father owns Rigby Construction. He’s worked for his father for years and now helps out on his days off. He’s doing work in a house he purchased. He’s all but stripped it down and started over. It’s really nice, the work he’s done.”

“Am I going to get to meet him?” her mother asked.

“You already met him.”

“Not in the capacity of the man sleeping with my daughter. I want to see for myself you aren’t looking for someone to step in as a father figure to you.”

“That’s gross.”

“You know what I mean,” her mother said. “You just said it—you have no memories of your father.”

“That’s right. What I’ve got is West trying to be my father when he was around and he wasn’t much either.”

“Which leads me to believe you need a man in your life to be there for you and I’m not convinced Jace is the guy.”

“Neither am I.”

“Then why are you wasting your time with him?” her mother asked, confused.

“I don’t know, but I’m not ready to walk away. Can we drop it now?”

“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” her mother said.

“Me neither. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. The ball is in my court until I pass it to him. That’s how it’s being played.”

Aileen rolled her eyes and she took her leave.

Even talking about her relationship with Jace left her confused, but she’d be damned if she let anyone pressure them.