Page 26 of Stripped Bare

Two weeks had passed since Chloe’s rescue, and Shep had stayed with Stace the entire time.Chloe spent four days in the hospital before she was released.She and Stace had laughed, cried and talked for hours and hours.Stace felt as if she was getting a fresh start in life with her sister, Shep, and an open job offer that would allow her to work close to home, doing what she enjoyed and was good at.When the time was right.According to Chloe’s constant complaints of Stace hovering, that would be any day now.

Chloe had decided to take off the rest of the school semester and return next term.She was mostly healed physically, but there were emotional scars Stace couldn’t help with.Stace had to respect that and not press her sister.Instead, she’d be there when and if Chloe needed her.

Tomorrow, Stace was leaving again, but this time, she was only going a few towns over.After spending almost a month with Shep, Stace admitted she was falling in love with him.She also knew he had similar feelings for her, though neither of them had spoken the words yet.She’d agreed to stay with him while she looked for a place of her own.Chances were, she’d never find that place.

She was going to work for Midnight, Inc.There was such a dynamic between the guys who worked there, and she was happy to become a part of it.Ally and Blake had come over when Chloe came home from the hospital, and Chloe had held Ally close and cried as she thanked the woman for finding her.They’d shut the door and talked for over an hour.Whatever Ally had said must have helped since Chloe had seemed more relaxed after their conversation.

Tonight, Stace and Shep had the house to themselves because Chloe had decided to take Nicole up on the offer to stay at her apartment.Stace figured Chloe might be able to share things with Nicole that perhaps she wouldn’t with Stace.Nicole was like a sister to Chloe, and Stace respected the bond the two women shared.Plus, this was the first time Chloe had left the farmhouse since her release from the hospital.Stace chose to see it as another step toward full recovery from the ordeal Chloe had been through.

Stace looked up when Shep walked through the door of her bedroom.They’d continued to share the room even after Chloe had come home, and Stace liked seeing their things mixed on the dresser and in the bathroom.They seemed to be compatible when it came to sharing close quarters, and she hoped it stayed that way.Especially since, once they got to Legacy, they’d officially be living together, even if they weren’t saying that yet.

“Ally and Blake invited us over for dinner tomorrow night,” Shep said as he shut the door behind him.He crossed to sit beside her on the bed and stroked a hand down her leg before bending to take off his socks and shoes.“I told them we’d let them know once I talked to you.”

“You didn’t just agree?”Stace asked, admiring his physique again as he stood and removed his shirt, tossing it carelessly to the floor.The man had an amazing body, and she couldn’t imagine ever becoming immune to his sex appeal.

“Well, no,” Shep offered with a grin.“It’s not just me anymore.It’s us.So, I said I’d talk to you first.”

“I’d love to have dinner there,” she assured him.“I really like Ally, and I’m sure as I get to know Blake better, I’ll like him, too.”

Shep moved over to stand between her thighs, one hand lowering to brush the backs of his fingers over her cheek.“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

She caught his fingers and brought them to her mouth placing a kiss there before running her tongue over one digit.Shep groaned as she took his thumb into her mouth and sucked on it.

“I’ve got something better if you feel like sucking,” he said with that wicked grin.She loved the way his eyes darkened with passion, the ripple of his stomach as she let his thumb pop free and ran her hands up the outsides of his thighs.

“Something just for me, huh,” she said with a smile as she flicked the top button of his pants free and leaned in, running her tongue over his taut lower abs.

“Only for you,” he moaned in agreement as her hands shoved jeans and boxers down far enough to allow his thick length to rise free and proud from the material.

She loved his cock.As far as she was concerned, it was perfection.Long and thick.She leaned in and ran her tongue all along the head, licking the drop of pre-cum before rubbing it over the slit in search for more of his unique taste.She moved from the crown to let her tongue run over his length down to the taut sac that hung below.Carefully, she sucked and licked at his balls, loving the way he moaned above her.

One hand continued stroking up and down his shaft, the thumb running over his tip and rubbing the drops that filled the slit over him.Feeling those drops made her hungry to take them into her mouth again and with teasing flicks of her tongue, she moved back up until she could take him into her mouth and feast greedily at it.She could spend hours right here savoring Shep.

“You’re killing me, Stace,” he groaned.He wrapped his hands in her hair holding it up out of her face so he could watch her mouth on him.She loved the way he watched her.

He moved his hips, and she gripped one hand around the base of his cock as he pressed in and out of her mouth, fucking her.She moaned as he thrust, loving the way he filled her, the way the head butted against the front of her throat but no farther, as he controlled the depth of each stroke.If she wanted more, she’d have to take it from him.

With the next thrust she did just that.Breathing through her nose, she swallowed him into the back of her throat and fought her gag reflex as she held him there for a long moment.She took pride in the way he throbbed, the tremble in his thighs and stomach as he fought to maintain control.Slowly, she eased him back out of her throat until only the head remained, and she gave it one more hard suck before releasing him from her mouth.

He pulled back from her and shoved his jeans and briefs all the way down stepping out of them before pulling her to her feet and reaching for the hem of her T-shirt.She lifted her arms making it easy for him to pull it over her head.He tossed it much the way he had his then stood back and looked at the black bra he’d uncovered.

“Damn,” he groaned, running a finger over one black lace cup.“Do you have the matching panties on?”

She grinned.“Why don’t you check and see?”

He surprised her then by dropping to his knees in front of her and reaching for the top snap of her jeans.He ran his tongue along the skin of her abdomen just above the band of her jeans as he moved his hands to work the zipper.He spread the material wide and eased the denim over her hips and down her legs until she stepped out of them.His hands spanned her waist as he sat back on his heels and let his gaze run over her from head to toe.

“I love this look,” he said.“You should dress like this more often.”

She decided to tease him.“I have a red set like this one that would be perfect for my first day at my new job.No one would even have a clue what was under my very appropriate business attire.”

Shep growled low in his throat.“I would.You’d have me breaking Jack’s one rule by taking you into the first empty room I found and spending hours worshipping this body.”

“Hours?”she asked, her body trembling with anticipation.

“Days,” he vowed and leaned in to run his lips over her stomach.

Her turn to moan as he tortured her with the pleasure of his lips on her skin.His tongue slid under the edge of her panties and rubbed erotically against the skin there.His hands tugged gently at the material, and she moaned louder as he slid them down her thighs.His head dipped lower, and she stepped out of her underwear, widening her stance to give him easier access.

---