Page 31 of A Monster Is Coming

Peter laughed. It was a nice sound. I had a feeling he didn’t know how to laugh, not that it was any of my business.

“Do you have any family?” I immediately wanted to slap myself. My one rule was not to ask personal questions.

“No,” he said. “It’s why I’m here.”

“Me neither.” It wasn’t a lie.

Liar.

It was a lie. My parents were alive and well when I went on the run.

Peter’s hands went to my hips and he drew me close. “You’re nervous,” he said.

I didn’t know if that was supposed to be a question, and I didn’t feel comfortable answering it.

“Ugh, no, of course not, what do I have to be nervous about?”

He turned me around so my back was pressed against his chest. Both of his hands were at my hips, and I couldn’t help but cringe wondering if I was having one of those days when they felt large or small. I was so confused right now.

Peter’s lips brushed across my neck and I closed my eyes as pleasure seemed to rush through my body. Is this why people acted so irrationally when it came to someone they wanted to be with? Was this sex? Attraction? Flirting? I’d never experienced anything like it, and I felt so out of my depth.

“You have nothing to be nervous about,” he said.

“I don’t think this is part of a lesson, Peter,” I said. Did I have to remind him that we were at the pool? That he was supposed to be doing a job? I didn’t want to remind him of anything. Not a damn thing.

My body felt on fire. My nipples were incredibly tight and my breasts felt so heavy. Between my thighs, I didn’t know why, but I felt need for friction, pressure, something to relieve the tension coursing through my body. I needed it.

And I tensed up as one of Peter’s hands began to travel up my body. It was such a slow process, and I couldn’t help but moan as he got so close to my breast. His other hand stayed at my side, not moving.

I licked my lips, trying not to think or feel, or do anything that was going to mess up these feelings. I had no idea what was going to come next, or how I was supposed to react.

Then his lips were wreaking havoc with my body as well. Soft, light brushes against my neck. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I tried to focus. I tried to think of anything that would keep me grounded, but all thought left my mind. All I could feel was Peter. He stood behind me still, his hands on my body, and as he cupped one of my breasts, his lips seemed to set fire to my body.

My neck felt so sensitive as he nibbled, right near my pulse. It was like that one bite forced me to submit my body. I had no control. My nipples tightened and he stroked them through the fabric of the suit. I didn’t want him to stop. The pleasure was so good.

The hand at my hip didn’t stay still. No, he slid down my body, going beneath the water line, and held my pussy within his palm.

“I know you’re a virgin, Niamh. I know it’s going to take time to get you ready, but I can be a patient man.”

Here’s the thing: I was not saving my virginity for anything. The men I’d been around had been total bastards. Most of them wanted to get to know my father, or be around my father when he came around. No one else showed any interest in me. It was always about getting close to my father. Never about me. This man was the first person to want me, for me. And I couldn’t help but find that a heady combination—one I didn’t want to let go, so when his hand sunk beneath the fabric of my bathing suit, I didn’t fight him. I let him touch me, because the truth was, I’d run away and forced myself to live in even tighter confines than I had when I was near my mom or dad. They were still controlling me.

I knew I was afraid of my dad finding me and what would happen. I hoped he never did, but I didn’t want to still be a virgin, chasing away the one guy who wanted me.

I spun around, breaking all contact Peter had with me, and I lifted my head, looked him in the eyes, and asked him to take me back to his place.

I was ready, because I didn’t know what the future held, but what I did know was that right now I wanted to be with him. My father wasn’t here, so who I was didn’t matter. Peter wanted me for me, and I wanted to hold onto that with both hands and not let go.

Chapter Eight

Peter

Standing in the bedroom, I wait for Niamh to arrive. She was in my bathroom. I’d followed her request exactly. Tonight, the plan had been to try and break down those walls she had built around herself. Ivan had given me time. I had to believe he had men or women in place to deal with whatever bounty hunter made their way to Pickle Quest. Also, it helped that no matter what, I was ready and alert for whoever the fuck made it into town.

I didn’t know what had changed her mind. From the moment we hit the mats, she’d been tense, trying to create distance between us. Even at the pool, I knew I made her nervous. Those were the kind of senses she needed to start listening to. I wasn’t a good man.

She was in the company of a bastard, and her body was telling her that, but she wasn’t going to listen. Need had taken over. Need and curiosity, and possibly a whole lot of everything else.

I’d waited for this moment, but now, as I stood here waiting for her, I realized I wasn’t exactly prepared for a fucking virgin. If Ivan was here, regardless of the respect I had for him, I believe I would have punched him, not just once either.

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