Page 14 of Stone (Claimed and Protected #3)

D aniella

I’d allowed my rage to get the better of me.

All the rehearsed speeches I’d done over the years, the tears I’d shed and the near breakdowns I’d experienced had been lost in some insane haze the moment I’d laid eyes on Stone. After that, all common sense had spiraled out of control.

However, I wasn’t angry with Stone.

Okay, maybe I was just a little bit. He hadn’t understood how much his letter and phone call had hurt me.

Or maybe he hadn’t cared. There were too many obstacles, too many emotions and reminders of the past to be able to think clearly.

I’d lashed out because I’d reached the stage of grief where mostly rage had kept me from tumbling into an abyss.

At this point, the ugliness was a bridge over tumultuous water and I needed to forget all about him.

Yet the truth was still there and would never go away, constantly eating at me during every waking hour. I’d never been free of the anguish or the wonder of what would have happened if things had gone differently.

The girl who’d wished for a hero had turned into a woman who knew they didn’t exist. Then Stone had gone and saved my life. Now I could no longer think straight.

I closed the bedroom door, furious with myself as well. For that tiny second, I’d thought there was a chance that what we’d shared could be rekindled. That had been foolish of me. One thing I’d said to him had been true.

I wasn’t that girl any longer.

Nope.

This woman was stronger than she’d allow him to witness. There was no turning back.

That didn’t mean I wouldn’t continue to suffer. Heartache knew no time limit.

The door was shoved open so hard, the door handle slammed into the frame.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“We’re not finished yet.”

“Oh, yes, we are.”

Spinning around, I was ready to launch into him. I even had my finger pointed, ready to tell him to get the hell out. Then I noticed how his massive frame barely fit in the doorway and the air was sucked from my lungs.

I shouldn’t want this. I shouldn’t even consider what was going through my mind, but I also had no chance of curtailing what I was thinking.

The man was much hotter than before. I hadn’t paid any attention that he’d changed into jeans and a tee shirt, the material so body hugging I could see every muscle bulging through the fabric.

Talk about six-pack abs. Forget it. The man had eight.

Twelve. I couldn’t breathe let alone count.

But I longed to run my fingers across every single one several times just to be sure. His arms were massive and there was ink trailing down both, including a wicked-looking dagger. All the venomous words that I’d been poised to say were stripped away.

With his jaw so clenched, his eyes full of fury, and the cords on both sides of his neck pulsing, I was certain the angry man would blow a gasket.

“You know how much I hate when you walk away from me in mid conversation.” His voice was deep, huskier than before.

“I didn’t walk away. I was finished with the conversation. We have nothing to talk about.” I folded my arms, trying to hold my own with the man who stood several inches taller. We both took a step toward each other just like we’d done when we were young.

Only we weren’t youths any longer.

“That’s not how this works,” he insisted.

“Oh, yeah? You’re still trying to run the show, huh?” He was only inches away and my pulse was already racing, the crackling current shifting back and forth killing my anger.

Instead, lighting up my desire like a magic wand.

He’d taken a shower and dear God, he smelled manly, musky with hints of citrus and a splash of exotic spice. With his mouth twisted in frustration, all I could think about was having his lips on my mouth.

And my breasts.

And my pussy.

Nope. I couldn’t do this.

“Right now, you’re playing by my rules. That’s what kept you alive.” He dared take another step forward, sweeping his gaze all the way down to my bare feet. When he grinned, highlighting his dimples, I knew if I didn’t drive him away, I’d never find the courage to do so.

I pushed him. Hard. Hard enough that between the surprise and the force I used, he was pitched backward into the wall.

“I think you should leave,” I said defiantly.

He shook his head as if removing cobwebs and closed the door. “I don’t think so.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Oh, yeah.” With one giant stride, he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, jerking me toward him. “You’re going to do exactly as I say.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I don’t think you want to find out.”

“To hell with you.” My voice was breathless, unrecognizable. I was as lost in the moment as I was in the man. Or at least I had been once upon a time.

Still, as he crushed his mouth over mine, I allowed the tingling sensations to crawl all over me without mentally complaining.

He rolled his other hand down my back, cupping my bottom.

He even lifted me off the floor and I was inclined to roll one leg around his hip as I rubbed up and down his strong arms. I couldn’t resist giving in to my deepest longing and slipped my hand around his neck.

Just being able to tangle my fingers in his hair felt a little like a dream come true.

He thrust his tongue inside and between the taste of beer, peppermint, and some kind of barbequed potato chip, I was sinking into a sensation overload.

He’d always been a good kisser, but years, miles, and experience had taught him a thing or two.

One thing was certain. He knew how to tame a girl’s tongue with ease and style.

With my heart skipping beats and my pulse quickening, I was way too lightheaded.

He growled into the kiss the same time I moaned, which he captured expertly. By the time he broke the kiss, stars were floating in front of my eyes from lack of oxygen.

With his breathing labored, he grazed his teeth from one side of my jaw to the other.

I was trembling in his hold, captivated by the way he could still command my body. When he nipped my earlobe, I shuddered audibly.

But something reminded me that this just couldn’t happen.

So I pushed him away again.

He playfully stumbled backward, his grin widening. He did me one better, moving forward and lifting me as if I weighed nothing, tossing me directly into the center of the bed.

He was certainly strong, but I was quick. I jumped off the bed, fighting the laughter that was threatening to give away how I really felt. I hadn’t been this free for a long time. Maybe I needed a release. Was this forever? Of course it wasn’t. The playfulness wasn’t even the start of anything.

With another guttural sound, he snagged my arm, this time pushing me against the wall with a hard thud.

Gasping, I cocked my head, punching him lightly under the jaw. He did nothing but place his hands on either side of me, cocking that handsome head of his as if daring me to do something.

So I did.

I scooted underneath his arm, but the huge man fisted my hair, dragging me back. This time when he pushed me against the wall, I didn’t have the desire to run. With my breathing labored, I tilted my head back.

Stone exhaled. “Mmm… Mmm… Mmm… Still as feisty as you used to be.”

“More.”

“Well, all feisty women need to be tamed.” He ripped off my shirt, pitching it aside. The man was hungry, immediately cupping both breasts.

I didn’t dare stop him.

Besides, I was tingling all over, vibrations dancing down to my toes. Panting, as he lowered his head, immediately sucking on my nipple, I drifted away into a moment of bliss. He wasn’t gentle, certainly not like our first time, pinching my other bud between his fingers.

The blast of pain was an aphrodisiac, the intense throbbing creating a fire between my legs. Every sound like some raging, wild animal, he rubbed his lips to my other nipple, sucking and biting.

I tugged at his shirt, trying desperately to feel his skin. He tossed my hands away and crawled his fingers to the drawstring, yanking with enough force he jerked me from the wall.

Within seconds, the man had me standing in front of him in all my glory. I gasped and half laughed, no longer able to fight him or my desire, or able to find any words.

Nothing at all.

He continued sucking on my nipple while he nudged my legs apart with his knee. I tossed my arms over my head, still quivering and my stomach full of butterflies. I wasn’t the same young girl. I was all woman and for a few seconds, I was terrified I’d changed too much.

As he pulled back, returning to his full height, he shook his head slowly while he whistled. “Holy shit, Dani. You’re fucking so goddamned beautiful I don’t know what to say. Maybe that’s not the right thing, but…”

I placed my finger across his lips. “Shush. That was the perfect thing to say.”

He narrowed his eyes and rubbed his hands down my sides, rolling one between my thighs. “Are you wet for me, Dani? Did you ever think about me when you were in bed at night?”

“Maybe a few times.”

His grin was knowing and he cupped my mound. I was so nervous I was ticklish and rose onto my toes.

As he slipped a single finger inside, I whimpered softly. I couldn’t remember how long it had been since I’d enjoyed having a man touch me.

“God, you’re so wet, Dani. So very wet.” He slowly dropped to his knees and immediately brushed his palms along the insides of my legs.

I bit back a cry, fearful Kage and Maddox would rush in to see if something horrible had happened. He blew across my stomach before darting his tongue around my belly button.

A part of me knew this wasn’t the best idea, but another part of me didn’t care about common sense or years past.

I licked my dry lips, forced to slap a hand across my mouth when he swirled his tongue around my clit. The powerful rush of sensations was fueled by the intense longing I’d felt for years, a push and pull while trying to find a way to leave the past dead and buried.