Chapter 37

The bitter taste of hops, temptation and the unique flavor of Elena mixed until he couldn't stop himself from taking it a step farther. His tongue touched hers, slowly rubbing until she responded.

Her tongue hesitantly brushed against his as she pressed closer to him, her need warring with logic. Her fingers tangled carelessly into the darkness of his hair as a soft whimper escaped her. She should stop this and back away, but she was trapped inside his arms and inside her desire. Pulling back, she tore her lips from his, her heartbeat crashing in her ears. Eager to go back to that mouth, but knowing she couldn’t be another single moment, she pulled away.

He felt her pulling away and inwardly cursed. He dipped his head, gathered her in. Even just the bit of night air between them had him panicking. His soft, unthreatening kisses weren’t even enough to hold onto her. "Dammit, Elena," he whispered under his breath.

His panic was there, in his stance and the eyes holding her as firmly as his arms did. "You had the chance and because of anger or fear…” She trailed off, backing up a step. She couldn’t think with him touching her. She waved her hands, “Or whatever. You were the one that threw it away. No one has EVER made me feel the way you did, then just,” she looked down at her sparkly shoes fighting the tears that were never far away. “Just trampled it,” she whispered then looked at him, searching the dark eyes that haunted her dreams, “NO ONE!"

She huffed out an exasperated breath, "I've spent weeks trying to drown out these stupid memories.” She crossed her arms over her chest protectively. “Totally unsuccessfully,” she confessed begrudgingly. “And now you waltz back into my life, begging my forgiveness, and wanting another chance."

She watched him steadily, "Your life style doesn't bother me, I'm a big girl and all, but TELL me how you plan on earning back my trust, when you're gonna be miles and miles away…Oh, ninety percent of the time?” she dropped her hands, defeated. “Give me SOMETHING here Richie. Give me a reason to say yes."

"I'm working with more faith than I've ever had for anyone except my parents and the big guy," he pointed to the stars and heavens above. He smoothed his hands down her shoulders to her arms, forearms and finally to her fingers twining his long ones with her smaller ones. "I don't have anything but me."

He pulled her fingers up to his mouth, brushing his lips back and forth over her knuckles. "I don't know if it's good enough or even worth it to you, but you've got me. All of me in a single night. I can't even think of another woman with you swimming around in my head." He put her hand against his heart, flattened her palm until the slim coolness found his skin within the jacket. "Just me."

She listened to the steady beat of his heart, cocking her head as she studied his face. She’d been unsuccessful at removing him from her mind, and most especially her heart. She'd felt the rightness in that one night. Did a week’s worth of time actually do the same for him?

She tried to fight the smile. Sure, she could make it extremely hard on him, but what purpose would that serve? She wasn't the kind of woman that fell hard and fast like this. In fact, no other man had ever made her feel quite like Richie had. Could she really say no, when her heart was so obviously saying yes? Deep down underneath the facade she'd known he was worth it…that he always would be.

Her palm slid slowly up and came to rest on the back of his neck as she slid closer and stood on tiptoes to press her lips against his. "I'll give you this chance Richie, I'll take you…as is,” her eyebrow arched playfully. “No warranty even,” she purred. Pressing closer she felt his heartbeat match hers. “Question is, big guy,” she traced her forefinger over his bottom lip. “Can you handle what you just asked for?"

Lifting her up, he laughed when her sparkle-clad legs slipped around his waist. "I can handle anything you dish out, Baby." He yanked her closer, then even closer still until the softness of her breasts pushed against him and her arms crisscrossed around his neck. He buried his mouth into her neck, letting the scent of her and the taste of her blend into a heady burst of homecoming. "God, I missed you," he said, letting himself breathe for the first time in days.

She tucked her chin into his neck on the other side, the smell of leather and man making her dizzy. "Serves ya right, you big goof!" She found his earlobe, nibbling before she followed it with a soothing flick of her tongue. "Glad it wasn't just me, Pony." She wiggled a bit on his waist, her hands tightening around him, a devilish imp sitting on her shoulder. "Although you just might regret trying to handle a woman like me."

"The only regret I have is wasting the last few days, because I'm going to test you right away. We leave for London in the morning." He rested his forehead against hers. "I don't know how I'm going to do it.” He pressed a fleeting kiss on her lips, not wanting to break the spell. “How am I goin’ to leave you for ten days?"

She laughed softly, "Ahh, duty calls hmm?" She pressed a kiss to his nose. "I won’t vanish or blow away to dust, I'll be right here, going to school." Her grin widened, "There’s this new invention,” she said solemnly. “It’s called a telephone? Ever heard of it, handsome?"

He groaned, "I have heard of that phone thingie.” He shifted her higher and immediately regretted it as his cock rose to the occasion. “I even learned how to use the silly keys on it," he said trying to keep the playful tone even when all he wanted to do was find the nearest flat surface and finally lose himself in her arms again.

Amusement and that quick rush of excitement she associated with Richie, clamored to life. Trying desperately to ignore the thick, hard length growing between her thighs, she tried to keep it light and easy. "I hear it comes in handy for people,” she rolled her hips, unable to keep herself in check with the amount of beer sliding through her veins. She sighed, “It makes it easy to talk across great distances." Her hands slid along his shoulders teasingly as she pressed against his chest.

“Fuck the phone,” he growled and turned around, heading away from the noise of the party. He caught her hand as it headed around into his hair again. He wasn’t going to make it if she kept that up. The fact that she on the wrong side of drunk made him want to take care. Even if he had a hard on that wouldn't quit, he needed to tread lightly for the first time in his life. “How about we head back to your place, huh?”

Her head was still whirling from the effects of too many nights drinking with little down time for sobering up, but the cool night air was helping that along. "Sounds like a plan..." she trailed off before saying Richie or Pony, still half convinced she was passed out somewhere and dreaming. “I live over that-a-way," her arm waved off to the left and backwards in the general location of where home was.

He grinned down at her, letting her slide down his body. Not able to keep his hands off her, he cupped her cheek, letting his thumb glide over the high arch of her brow and down along the crest of her cheek. "I'll get you home." A soft giggle escaped her as she turned to walk home, and as usual she headed in the absolute wrong direction. Too amused to care, he smiled down at her.

"Well come on Richie, we'll get there and we'll TALK." Her mind whirled as she considered all that she was agreeing to in forgiving him. He wanted to earn her trust back. Question was…how was she going to let him do that?

Richie gently turned her back around to the correct direction and tugged her into him so she wouldn't notice. "Well I can almost guarantee you won't remember what we talk about babe. Impressive handstand on the keg, inside."

She waved her hand dismissively, "Aww shucks that was nothing,” she grinned up at him. “Should’ve seen me hanging from the banister doing it." She leaned into him, more for support than needing his nearness at that exact moment.


He just answered with an eyebrow raise and shuffled her along to the road. The party behind them was in high gear, but the college crowd only worried about getting inside, not the leaving so they had a clear path across the lawn. Their fingers laced perfectly, her smaller hand nestled close and for the first time in what felt like weeks, his belly eased. How could one woman affect him so completely?

She stopped suddenly, wanting to take in the moment. She lifted her face to the sky, smiling lightly. She pushed back the tendrils of hair that kicked up in the soft breeze. Glancing over at the big, solid man that had come to a halt beside her, she opened her eyes again. "Ya know, I think this might end up being my second favorite night of my entire life." She flicked over the dent in his chin. "It’s definitely in the running for best night."

Going with instinct, he curled his hand around her middle, dragging her back against him. Pushing her hair aside, he nuzzled her, drawing in that perfect Elena scent. "You in the moonlight could never be a bad thing, Lains." He dragged his lips up her neck, until he found the line of hair at her nape. "Never a bad thing," he said slow and low as he traced the shell of her ear.

A shiver raced up her spine as she fought back the feelings he was creating in her. "You’re a baaaad boy did you know that?" She glanced right, then left and sighed. As he sucked in the fleshy lobe she groaned, "And that is so not helping me get un-lost either."

"Good thing I have such a good sense of direction. I keep coming back to you, don't I?" He laughed and nipped her neck, catching her hand as he swung her out then back in and hoisted her into a tango with feet dangling as he crossed the street. The first lick of happiness threw him into a playful giddiness that had been missing for a long time.

A soft squeal was the only sound on her lips as her world spun, then crashed into his oh so sturdy body. She was slowly coming to her senses and everything inside of her was screaming to slow it down and talk before he set the blaze inside of her to incineration point. "So, how DID you find me Richie?"

Instead of putting her down he neatly lifted her and tucked her over his shoulder. "A funny thing happened actually; I sort of stepped on you."

Her eyes widened as the ground came a little closer. Gripping his back she sucked back a scream. That so wasn’t a good thing for a drunk girl, with depth perception issues to see. "Stepped on me?" she asked, trying to keep from falling.

"Missing your license, Ms. Elena Masters?"