Page 24 of Guardian

After Sweet left, Ipaced the floor. Every few minutes I snuck a peek through the closed blinds to make sure the cop was still parked outside. He was always there. He even got out of the car and circled my house a few times. I didn’t feel any safer. I needed Sweet in order to feel safe, which made me nervous and excited all at once.

I had to settle down or I’d make Jackson upset. So far, this was all the same as a movie scene to him. He acted like it was something cool and showed no signs of fear. I had to wonder if he was faking it for my sake. After all, he was far too smart not to understand what was going on.

For both of us I needed to find a distraction. I pulled an old deck of cards from my desk drawer and called him into the kitchen.

“How about a game or two of rummy. We can play at the table while we have some chips and a soda.”

“Sure. I wasn’t interested in the show I was watching anyway. It was boring compared to our life,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You know, Dad breaking in and Sweet coming to save us. Learning to fight so we can protect ourselves. Then the cops coming tonight because Mrs. Gruber freaked out over a dead squirrel. Real life rocks!” Jackson replied to my horror.

I rethought my decision to keep the contents of the note from him. Maybe, if he knew about the threat he wouldn’t think this was all some game. I needed him to be a tiny bit fearful, just not terrified. He had to realize there was some danger involved yet not be too scared to go to school. It was a difficult balance.

“Jackson, this isn’t a movie. Someone killed that poor squirrel. They deliberately put it on our porch. It’s normal to be frightened. I know I am. This isn’t something to be happy about, or to be proud of. I’m not sure you’re getting the right point out of this,” I told him.

“We’ll be fine, Mom. We’ve got Sweet. He won’t let anyone hurt us, and I know how to defend myself,” my son declared.

I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer that Sweet was enough to keep us safe. I could and would fight if trouble came, but I’d always be vulnerable if Jackson was threatened. I was afraid the enemy was aware of that vulnerability.

I sent Jackson to bed at midnight after playing rummy, slapjack, and go fish. He fell asleep instantly. I chose a hot soak in the tub and a beer.

My muscles relaxed but my mind didn’t. I kept thinking about Sweet and all he’d done for us despite the way I’d shunned him in the beginning. He’d ignored my fears and the ugly things I’d assumed about him. Instead of telling me to drop dead and disappearing, he’d continued to watch out for us. Although I’dgiven him little incentive to give a damn about me he’d done all he could to help me. He’d taught me some moves that made me less vulnerable, showed me my life could be fun again by taking me for ice cream and then tonight’s movie, and was coming back to make sure I was safe for another night.

I worried about him being gone for so long and realized I missed his presence. I missed his handsome face, his infectious smile, and his tattooed muscles. Picturing his bulging arms, his thick legs, and his taut six pack had me getting restless in the warm water. Out of sheer need I touched my tingling nipples with the tips of my fingers. It wasn’t enough. I wanted Sweet’s big hands there, not my delicate ones.

As if he’d heard my thoughts and come running the sound of the front door alerted me to his arrival. Jackson had told me he’d given Sweet copies of the keys to the new front door. I’d forgotten all about it until now. I wasn’t afraid that someone else had come in. My gut and the parts farther south that began to swell and grow wet made it clear that my visitor was Sweet.

Slowly I rose from the now tepid water and wrapped a towel around my body. I considered the robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door but chose not to put it on. I was going to give Sweet a chance to go farther than a kiss by blatantly showing him as much of my skin as possible without being naked. The rest was up to him.

He called my name softly as he came down the hallway. He didn’t wish to waken Jackson. He just intended to let me know he’d kept his promise of returning.

I stepped from the bathroom, surprising him. He stood frozen in place, his eyes wandering over my still damp curves that were outlined by the small towel. He scanned down over my quivering legs and back up to check out the visible tops of my breasts. He moved his eyes to my face, searching for what mood I was in. He found exactly what I’d meant for him to see; desire and need.

He made a sound I didn’t understand, something between a moan and a growl. I deflated, assuming he was going to resist my invitation for reasons of his own. Then I noticed the twitching of the muscle in his cheek, the same twitching that occurred anytime he was emotional. My belly gave a flip because I knew I’d won.

Sweet reached for me, swinging me into his arms. He took long, quick strides to my bedroom while I reveled in the heat and scent of strong man wafting off him. It was all I could do not to bite his neck right where the snake curled toward his ear. I’d save that for later when surprising him wouldn’t have me dropping onto the floor in a heap.

He stood me at the end of the bed. The towel had slipped. My breasts were in full view. His eyes widened, and his tongue flicked over his lips.

“I won’t stop once I touch you,” he declared.

“I didn’t figure you would, nor would I let you. Te deseo. I want you,” I translated.

He ripped the sagging towel off and threw it across the room. I lifted my chin, proud of the body I presented to his gaze. My breasts were full, my waist small, and my hips curved just right. My skin was unblemished and silky. I remained still while he took his fill of staring at me.

“Madre de dios! You don’t know what you’re asking for,” he exclaimed.

“I think I do. Touch me,” I ordered.

Large hands tenderly cupped my heavy breasts and I sighed in relief. That was the rough touch I desired. His thumbs rubbed across my red, aroused nipples and I started to shake. He stepped closer to lower his head and assault my lips while continuing to fondle my breasts. I answered his lustful kiss by tangling my tongue with his. We moaned as one.

He bit my bottom lip and allowed his hands to roam my curves until he found my ass. His big hands caressed it, then slipped under it to lift me upwards so that my legs circled his waist. My center rubbed tantalizingly across his cloth covered belly. The friction brought me near the brink of completion. I shut down that need in order to prolong the joy of what I knew Sweet had in store for me.

His mouth found the sweet spot just below my ear and his raspy tongue licked me until I couldn’t stand any more. My body’s reactions were way ahead of Sweet’s slower movements.

Chapter 13

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