Page 108 of At Her Will

His gaze was thoughtful. “What are you thinking?” she asked.

“I thinking about Witford and Tisha.” He pressed his lips together. “There’s something bad wrong between us, Veracity. I gave it to God to fix, because the answer to it isn’t before me, but it’s getting worse.”

“What makes you think that?”

“The silence,” he said soberly. “They talking, they mouths moving, saying the things we normally talk about, but there’s this big silence behind it. I don’t know what to do about it. It like they hiding in a room and not showing me what’s going on there. I’ve never had that happen with us. When you talk about your family, the pain I feel from you, it’s what I feeling…” His eyes darkened. “I’m worried.”

She turned onto Tiger and Skye’s long and winding private driveway, but stopped to let the engine idle, so she could give him her full attention. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could help, especially since I’m the problem.”

“No,” he told her with gentle authority, reaching out to touch her mouth. “You not. The problem is in our hearts. We haven’t figured out how to understand one another on this. It will come.”

She slid her arms around his shoulders, held him to her, felt the strength of his hands at her waist as he took the comfort and gave her back some of the same. That closed circle that couldreassure, that could provide an emotional fortress when needed against the battering of the world.

When they eased back from one another and she resumed driving, he glanced around him. “Tiger and Skye got some good land out here.”

“Yes, about twenty-five acres. Skye’s kept her loft in the Industrial District because it’s closer to work, so often they’ll stay there during the week and come out here on the weekends.”

“Abby and Neil do something like that, don’t they?”

“Somewhat. Abby stays at her house in the Garden District when he’s down range, but when he’s home, she usually works from his place. He’s made sure she has the wi-fi she needs, which he says is the greatest sacrifice he’s made in their relationship. Though she says he’s not sorry he can get better reception for his favorite sports channels and history documentaries.”

Rev smiled. “Was it hard, making room for the men in your family of women?”

“Not as much as we expected. They expanded that family, and each relationship brought out different traits in each woman. As close as we are as friends, those qualities weren’t always accessible or as noticeable before they fell in love. You see it most significantly in Cyn, but really, it’s happened for all of them.”

“Does it bother you, that they found that first?”

She glanced at him. “I apologize, Mistress,” he said, but she shook her head.

“No. You pay attention to how I feel about things. I would have been surprised if you’d missed that.”

“It one thing to notice. Another to confront you with it.”

She looked at their clasped hands. “It feels less difficult to talk about these days. But yes, it did bother me. I recognized it for what it was, though. I didn’t let it make me desperate, or willing to settle. There were plenty of nights I felt the bite of thatloneliness, of flying by myself while they glided along next to me in pairs, but we were still in the same flock. How about you? Have you felt lonely, Rev?”

“Yes.” He gave her the same honesty, not willing to let her fly alone with her own experience. His brown eyes showed hints of gold as they turned upon her. “Maybe I didn’t ask myself the same questions you did, because all my life I been told whatever happened to me, or didn’t happen to me, was because that was how God wanted it, and I never was alone as long as I had Him. But I think God know, as much as we need Him, we need a helpmeet, someone who recognize our heart, and let us walk our earthly path together.”

They pulled up to Tiger and Skye’s compound, which included a long brick house and outbuildings, like the barn garage for his at-home motorcycle and vehicle work. A concrete pad with a pavilion covering it created a generous outdoor space, complete with grill, wet bar and comfortable furniture. The track for vehicle testing was beyond it.

Rev exited the Aston Martin, came around and opened Vera’s door for her. He hadn’t expanded on what he’d said, made it personal, but she knew that was what they were becoming for one another. Helpmeet. She could try to protect herself by denying it, but with him, that insecurity seemed to be disappearing, carried down the river with the ashes of that bridge she’d created.

Tiger had helpfully left the truck they were going to use parked on the track. When they reached it, Rev opening the passenger door for her, she turned, curving her hand around his nape and pressing herself against him. He was ready for her, circling her waist and bringing her closer with one arm. Lifting her foot, she slid it around his calf, her other hand dropping to his ass to knead for the pure pleasure of it. His cock hardened against her, as if merely waiting for her to require that from him.

Ready to serve her, just as he said.

His hand flexed on her waist. “I want to touch you like you touching me,” he whispered against her mouth.

“Not right now,” she said, sensually cruel. “I like that you told me. But all I want is to enjoy you, kiss you, grip your beautiful ass and know that you’re waiting for my command to do more of what I want.”

Then she took his mouth again. He wasn’t passive, his mouth telling her of his hunger, teasing her lips, her tongue, stroking and pulling stronger desires from her. Wanting her to give him that order, willing to wait, but also wanting to let her know how worthwhile he could make it if she decided she wanted to deliver that command sooner.

He pressed his forehead against hers as she broke the kiss. “Good thing we starting here instead of in traffic,” he said.

“Safe driving practices are important,” she said solemnly. “That’s your first lesson.” As she drew away from him and caught his amused but exasperated reaction, she shot him a wicked grin. “Slap my ass the way you’re thinking about and you will pay dearly,” she informed him.

His laugh warmed areas already heated, but it was the kind of warmth that settled it, a promise that the pleasure would be ready to revisit later, and the way they spent the time in between would be worth the wait.

He had to adjust himself to make the fit of his jeans a little less constricting as he got into the driver’s seat, a pleasant thing to watch. She leaned over and stroked him, cupped him as he spread his thighs, anticipating her desires.

---