Isabella (The Mitchell/Healy Family #2)(26)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Waves of sensitive tingles rushed through me, hardening my ni**les and giving me butterflies in my stomach. I was about to be with a real man, someone older, who knew exactly what he was doing. The idea of it all was frightening, but electrifying at the same time. I accepted his mouth as he came down to kiss me again. Our tongues met, and as the pattern of our movements increased, I understood his hunger was only intensifying.

I reached down, prepared to stroke his c**k with my own hands, but he stopped me, replacing mine with his own. With one swift undertaking he toyed with my entrance, gliding his stiffness over it. I nodded, silently letting him know that it’s what I desired. “Are you sure you want this? If you’d rather me hold you, I’ll do it.”

“Stop givin’ me choices. I told you what I want,” I whispered.

My body beckoned to be filled, and slowly it happened. Rusty never moved his lips far from mine as he started to enter me. I watched him closing his eyes, appearing to have been swept away by something he hadn’t felt in so long. I noticed him trembling even before he was fully inside. My arms wrapped around his back, as I prepared to keep him as close as possible. This wasn’t like a quickie, or just regular sex. I wanted to experience all of him; to share his pleasure, and his pain.

He leaned his forehead on mine, and stopping moving the lower part of his body as he spoke. “I’m sorry. I need to take my time with you, but I’m afraid I may not last that long. It’s been years since I’ve felt this.”

I reached my mouth to his and sucked on his bottom lip. It was easy to reciprocate my affections, knowing that I welcomed whatever he was offering. I didn’t care if he lasted ten seconds, or ten hours. I’d never experienced such emotion with sex, and knew it wasn’t all about intercourse. There was something deeper between us, and I felt it necessary to explore every aspect of it.

Our first encounter didn’t last very long. Rusty pulled out of me, refusing to finish inside, even though we both knew I couldn’t get pregnant from this encounter. However, hours later when we woke in each other’s arms, he wasn’t so concerned. He fulfilled me, taking me to heights, and then held me afterwards, placing sensual kisses over my body. The chemistry between us was undeniable, and I realized early on that this thing wasn’t going to end when we got home. Pregnant or not, Rusty wanted to be with me. We’d talked about it while lying naked together in bed. The comfort of his touch let me know that I didn’t have to be alone. Whether we were friends, or remained lovers, he wanted be around. In a perfect world I would have loved to go home and announce to everyone that we were going to be a couple. In that same world they’d accept us, and the fact that I was carrying my ex-boyfriend’s child.

I wasn’t living in that perfect world though.

As the sun rose I lie awake watching Rusty sleep. He seemed so peaceful, and I appreciated what we’d shared. It almost made me wonder how I was going to be able to see him every day, without anyone finding out that I’d be reminiscing on the night we’d shared. When the time was right I’d tell the family about the baby, but didn’t know how Rusty would fit into it all. They weren’t going to be happy with me, so I couldn’t spring both things on them, and expect acceptance. It literally wasn’t feasible.

A low snore came out of his mouth as he slept so close to me. I ran my fingers over his lips, smiling when he never opened his eyes. He seemed so peaceful, reminding me that I was the reason for it. It only made me feel worse, because I knew I’d have to give him up.

Since I’d planned on being off of work for an extra day anyway, I snuggled up closer to his hot body, and closed my eyes. In truth I knew I didn’t want to be anywhere else. Never in my adult life had I ever felt so comfortable before.

Things were much different on the ride home. Instead of refusing to speak to him, and keeping my distance, I sat in the middle seat, with his arm wrapped around my shoulder. He let me sleep for most of the way, every once in a while kissing me on the head, reminding me of how sweet he was.

It killed me that he didn’t want anyone to know the real him, because he truly was a wonderful soul. His secret was safe with me, no matter how many obstacles it caused me to go through. In the upcoming months I’d need his friendship, so no one, especially my cousin, was going to be able to find out about us. Knowing that hurt me so much, because it also reminded me that our time like this was about to end.

I’d made my choice though, and there was nothing anyone could do to change it.

Chapter 16

Rusty

It was funny how she felt like she was broken, but I was the one that needed all of the saving. Being with her, feeling her touch, it brought me back to life again. When we arrived back to Kentucky things didn’t go as I had assumed they would. It all started that first night when I stopped by to check on her. I’d dropped her off earlier to get her vehicle, and purposely took my time going back to the ranch so that we didn’t arrive at the same time. After checking in with Noah, and making sure that Titan, and my trailer, were all the way I left them, I snuck over to visit Isabella. I’d gone for a few hours without seeing her, and already was feeling as if it had been too long.

It was hard to not think about the night before, and how she’d finally been in my arms. I think I’d deprived myself for such a long amount of time that I’d forgotten how to control these types of emotions. I definitely wasn’t mad that they were happening. For so long I’d waited for her to notice me; to give me a chance to know her better.

I hadn’t expected that we’d end up in bed, but I’d given her plenty of time to reconsider the decision before going through with it.

I knocked on her front door, which was more hidden than the kitchen entrance. She answered and smiled, but I could tell from her body language that something was off. She didn’t make me wait long to figure it out.

She motioned her hand toward the living room furniture. “We need to talk.”

I sat down on the couch next to her, silently wondering if I should try to kiss her, or even hold her hand. When I reached for hers, she pulled it away. “Rusty, I can’t do this with you. There’s too much goin’ on in my life to be able to start somethin’ with you. What happened in that hotel room was –.”

“Perfect,” I interrupted.

“Don’t say that.”

She looked away, causing me to question the connection that I could have sworn we had. I reached for her arm, only to be rejected again. “What’s wrong? Is it something I said?”