Page 109 of Shelter from the Storm

She stood still as he reached for the hem of her sweater, pulling it over her head before dropping it to the floor. His eyes slid to her neck, gaze growing dark. She didn’t need a mirror to know what he was seeing.

Theo ran a finger over the column of her neck, gently brushing the forming bruises.

“I’ve had worse,” she whispered.

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” he grumbled.

“Sorry,” she said with a sheepish grin.

Theo huffed out a laugh, but it faded when he spotted the large bruise on her arm. It hurt worse than the ones around her throat.

Bending forward, he placed a kiss on her arm.

“All better.” She was aiming for levity but failed when his lips traveled to the side of her neck, kissing those bruises as well.

Pulling away, he sighed, then helped her take off the rest of her clothing. He stripped his own off, as well.

Turning off the water, he stepped into the tub, sinking down before crooking his finger at her. She climbed in, lowering herself until she was nestled between his outstretched legs. Gretchen leaned back, the hot water and the strength of his arms around her washing away all the fear and pain of the past hour.

Neither of them spoke for a long time.

Then, without words, Theo reached for a cup that sat on the edge of the tub. He filled it with water, pouring it over her hair as she leaned her head back. Once her hair was thoroughly wet, he grabbed the shampoo and gently massaged it in. She groaned when he hit the sore spot where Briggs had pulled, not in pain but relief.

“Okay?”

“That feels so good,” she said.

He continued massaging her scalp, then rinsed the shampoo out. From there, he scrubbed her with body wash until her skin tingled and her pussy clenched.

She twisted to face him as the last of the suds were washed away, lifting onto her knees.

“Kitten,” Theo started, clearly intent on stopping her, still worried about her.

She shook her head. “I want you. I need you.” Gripping his cock, which had been hard since they got into the tub, she guided the head to her entry, slowly sinking down until he was fully encapsulated.

They both released a long sigh of relief and passion.

“I love you,” she said, her hands resting on his shoulders, her fingers toying with his damp hair.

“I love you too, kitten. So damn much. Now,” he said, with a sexy smirk that was pure Theo. “Be a good girl and fuck me.”

Gretchen grinned because…

He didn’t have to ask her twice.

Chapter Nineteen

Theo placed a kiss on Gretchen’s shoulder, grinning as he watched her toying with the necklace he gave her for Christmas. The holidays had been a whirlwind of activity, starting with the town’s annual holiday social and ending a couple of hours ago at his parents’ farmhouse.

He and Gretchen had decided to spend the night together here, in what they’d begun to think of as their cabin. Sadly, that would no longer be true in a week, once Boone, the new vineyard manager, arrived to begin work.

Rather than rush to bed, as was their usual routine whenever they were alone together, they opted to relax by the fireplace first. So, as he built the fire, Gretchen made them a cozy nest of blankets and pillows. Then they stripped down to their underwear and crawled beneath the fleece.

She lay in front of him, on her side, her ass occasionally brushing against his crotch. He was hard—a permanent condition whenever she was close by and nearly naked. He was a hundred percent certain those brushes of her ass were teases, but he didn’t call her on them, curious to see how far she would go.

He’d stayed with her every night since Briggs’s assault in the barn, worried about her suffering from panic attacks or nightmares, but there’d been none of that. Strangely, despite the terror of the moment, once Sheriff Anderson took Briggs into custody, something shifted inside her. They went to the police station so she could press charges for assault and file for a restraining order the morning after the attack. Gretchen was calm and collected throughout the process. After they left the station, she said she was certain Briggs knew it was over this time, and she felt confident he wouldn’t come back again.

Theo wished he shared that confidence, aware years would have to pass before he felt secure that the man was truly history. But he didn’t say that to Gretchen because she’d found peace in regards to her abuser at last. And he would never take that away from her.

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