Page 16 of Cryptic Curse (Bellamy Brothers #7)

HAWK

H er lips are soft against mine, tentative but welcoming. I keep the kiss slow, exploratory. When I pull away, her eyes are wide and shining in the moonlight, full of surprise and something more.

“You want to go back to the house?” I ask huskily.

She swallows and looks at me. Finally, she nods. “That would be best.”

The moon is high as we walk back to the house in silence.

God, it took everything in me not to shove my tongue into her mouth, kiss her the way I wanted to.

When we reach the deck, I open the door and we walk back into the large kitchen.

I look down at Daniela, at her glistening lips, her flushed cheeks, her wide eyes.

“Goodnight, Daniela,” I say softly.

“Goodnight, Hawk.”

But neither of us move.

I should walk her to her car.

I should offer to drive her home.

I should do anything other than what I do.

But I can’t help myself.

I pull her to me and crush my mouth to hers.

And this time I’m not gentle.

I allow all the pent-up desire to surge forth as I taste her, exploring the soft contours of her mouth. I slide my hand over her back and pull her closer.

When she responds with an equal intensity, I’m fucking thrilled. She curls her arms around my neck and presses herself into me.

I’m lost in the sensation of her, in the taste of coffee, condensed milk, and something uniquely Daniela on my tongue, the feel of her soft curves against my hardness. All thoughts of restraint dissolve into nothingness.

It’s just us.

Here.

Now.

I break the kiss and inhale sharply, our foreheads resting against each other. The kitchen is quiet. The only sounds are our labored breaths and the sporadic ticking of the wall clock.

“Daniela,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with raw emotion.

She lifts her head to look at me, her nearly black eyes wide with a mix of emotions I can’t quite decipher.

“I…” She drops her gaze to my chest and plays with the collar of my shirt. “I think… I think I should go.”

A wave of disappointment washes over me, but I nod and step back to give her space. “Of course,” I say, my voice rougher than I’d like it to be.

But instead of leading her away, I trail my finger over her soft cheek.

And she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me again.

Not gentle. She slides her tongue between my lips and explores, bold and unafraid. She pushes her hands into my hair and presses against me.

Fuck.

I’m lost.

This kiss is more insistent. It pulls me under, and I don’t even try to fight it. I grip her hips, push into her, knowing she feels my rock-hard cock against her. The heat between us is palpable, a fiery current that threatens to overtake me.

Until she breaks free, inhaling with a gasp. There’s something wild and untamed in her gaze. The same need reflected there that I know is blazing in my own eyes.

“Daniela…” I run a hand through my hair in an attempt to regain some semblance of control.

“I know,” she says softly. “I should really go.”

But again she makes no move to leave, and I claim her mouth again, this time backing her up against the counter.

Our mouths fused together, I lift her onto the counter, lean in between her spread legs.

I’m hard as a rock.

I know she feels me pressing against her flat stomach.

“Daniela,” I rasp into her mouth, moving my hands to the small of her back and pressing her against me. “Tell me to stop.”

She doesn’t tell me to stop.

Instead, she wraps her legs around my waist, drawing me in closer. The friction between us is maddening, intoxicating. It’s too much and not enough all at once.

“Please,” she breathes out between kisses, knotting her hands in my hair to pull me closer.

I swallow a groan, lost in the thrilling sensation of her. Heat pools in my gut as I press closer still, the fabric of our clothes the only barrier between us. But even that seems too much.

“Daniela.” I grip onto what little self-control I have left.

But instead of voicing a protest, she shakes her head slightly. “Don’t stop,” she says, pulling my face back down to hers. “Please don’t stop.”

And with those words, any semblance of restraint I had left crumbles away. Our kiss deepens, and all thoughts of propriety and caution vanish as the tension between us grows unbearable.

I slide one hand under her sweatshirt to the soft skin of her back. She shudders against me and fumbles with the buttons of my shirt, exposing my chest. She traces her fingers over my skin.

Fuck.

Energy and arousal surge through me.

This moment feels surreal, as if only Daniela and I exist. It feels simultaneously too fast and not fast enough, but I don’t care. All I care about is the woman in front of me.

Her breath hitches as I run my fingers up her side to cup her breast through her bra. She gasps into my mouth and clings to me tighter as I move my thumb over her hardened nipple.

I’m ready, so ready.

This isn’t the first time I’ve fucked in my parents’ house, but the first time in the kitchen.

I give her nipple a pinch?—

She gasps and pushes me away.

“Daniela?”

“I’m sorry.” She runs her fingers through her hair, loosening it from its messy bun.

It falls against her shoulders.

God, she’s fucking beautiful.

“This is my fault,” she says. “I… I shouldn’t have let it go this far. I’m… I’m a married woman, after all.”

I smile and caress her cheek. “Vinnie is your husband in name only. He and Raven are home by now, probably in bed. As much as I don’t relish the thought of what he’s doing to my sister…I know he’s doing it.”

She nods. “I know. And I’m fine with it.”

“Then…?”

“I just…” She hops off the counter and adjusts her sweatshirt. “I’m sorry I gave you the wrong idea. But I… I have too much respect for the institution of marriage to be unfaithful to my husband.”

“But your marriage isn’t a real marriage,” I remind her.

She sighs and walks a few steps away before turning back to face me. “I’ve done enough damage to marriage already.” she says.

“What do you mean?”

She’s silent a moment, looking away.

“Daniela, sweetheart. You can talk to me. I swear to God, I would never hurt you. Hell, I’d never hurt any woman.”

She nods. “I know. It’s just… This is hard to say.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”

“I want to,” she says. “I need to.” Again, a pause. “My father… He made me…entertain his friends and associates.”

For a moment the words don’t quite sink in. They hang there, weightless and meaningless, like the calm before the storm. My brain scrambles to catch up, but everything feels muffled, like I’ve been plunged underwater.

Until they smack me in the head.

And when they do, the floor drops out from under me.

Rage surges through me.

I knew Daniela didn’t have an easy life in Colombia, that she was only seventeen when she married Vinnie and came here to the States.

“They were all married,” she says. “Or most of them were. Not that it mattered to any of them.”

“Daniela…” I step toward her.

She steps away.

“Please don’t be afraid of me,” I say.

She shakes her head. “I’m not. Which is surprising, but I’m truly not.”

“I won’t do anything you don’t want,” I say. “And if I’d known…”

“I’m afraid of me ,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “I’m afraid of losing myself before I’m ready for it.”

The raw pain in her dark eyes cuts me to my core.

“Daniela…” I reach out to touch her face.

She flinches but doesn’t pull away this time.

Her skin is like silk as I caress her cheek. “You’re not losing yourself. You’ve been through hell and you’re still standing.”

She looks at me through her long black lashes. “I’m not sure if I believe that.”

“Well, you should,” I tell her firmly. “Because it’s true.”

I don’t push her anymore as we stand in silence. She’s so close I can smell the lingering scent of the coffee on her lips.

“Daniela,” I say finally, breaking the silence, “we don’t have to rush anything.”

She nods slowly. “Thank you, Hawk. I appreciate your understanding.”

“And Daniela?” I add, my voice softening.

“Yes?”

“You’re stronger than you think. When you’re ready to explore that strength, I’ll be here.”

She gives me a small nod, the corners of her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Yet she manages to return my smile.

“I should go,” she whispers.

I help her off the counter and walk her to the door in silence. We don’t say much else as we reach her car parked in the driveway. Drawing a deep breath, I lean in and press a chaste kiss to her forehead before pulling away.

“Call me if you need anything,” I tell her as I open the car door for her and give her my cell phone number.

“I will,” she promises before slipping inside.

I stand there as she drives away, her taillights disappearing down the long driveway.

As I walk back inside the quiet house, I notice a text message.

From Daniela.

A kissy face emoji.

My dick gets even harder.