Page 24 of Coal
“I’ll follow you,” Thea replies huskily, rising to her toes and sealing her lips to mine before they part for me to deepen the kiss. Embracing her, I lift her slightly until she’s on her tiptoes. She wraps her arms around my neck, tilts herhead to give me better access, so I deepen the kiss further, running my hands down her sides to her backside, I squeeze the tight globes. Thea whimpers low in her throat and grinds down on the leg I hadn’t realised I’d slipped between hers. She pulls away with a gasp, then rests her forehead against my shoulder, taking a shuddering breath.
“Jesus, Coal. I’m not sure what it is about you. I’ve never trusted or been so comfortable with anyone so quickly before.”
Shea squawks from inside the car, done with being strapped in and not moving. Reluctantly, I let Thea go, helping her into the car before I reply.
“It’s not just you, Thea. It’s the same for me. I say we ride this feeling until we can’t ride it anymore. What do you say? You in?”
Thea grins at me. “If it’s to the end of time, then I’m in. Now get your sexy arse on that machine so we can get this child home before she erupts.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I grin and walk backwards away, holding onto her smiling face until I have no choice but to turn around. Straddling my sled, I start her and pull away, letting Thea catch up. As I ride past the static caravans that the brotherslive in, I see them with fresh eyes and note the additional awnings that they’ve built on the side where their vehicles are parked. I have a feeling the tubs of flowers on their decking are courtesy of my mother and sister, as I wasn’t aware that any of my brothers enjoyed gardening. Once we’re past them, we take the slight turn in the road towards my house. You can just see the roof over the shrubs and trees. It’s a bungalow which I’ve found, in the UK, is unusual to have, as most houses are two floors and some three. It’s not as big as a house in the US would be, but it’s more than comfortable, with three bedrooms, a guest bathroom and an ensuite to the master. The kitchen wasn’t as big as I’d have liked, and now that I’d brought home a family, I’d have to look into getting it extended into something more family-friendly.
Stopping my sled under the open-sided garage I’d added when we’d first arrived so that it wasn’t left out to the elements, Thea parked to the side, leaving me with enough room to leave if I had to. She’d known instinctively that I may have to leave in a hurry.‘Fucking perfect for me,’I think as I get off my sled and walk to meet her and Shea. I’d have Blue and Sterling come help unload her vehicle once I got them settled in.
Entering the code into the door, I tell her, “The code to enter and leave is 0436.”
Opening the door wide, I can tell right away my mom has been here and cleaned by the familiar smell of the lemon cleaner she favours. Taking Shea from Thea, I tell her, “Wait here for a minute.”
Not waiting for her to reply, I walk into the house and a little way down the passage, scanning around. I see nothing that will harm Shea, so I put her down on the floor, “Stay here for daddy, baby girl.”
As if she can understand me, she claps her hands, babbling, and bounces on her little butt, making me grin at how happy she is. Turning on my heel, I return to the woman patiently waiting for me framed in the open doorway. I can see the puzzled look on her face, wondering what the hell I’m up to. Not giving her any time to protest, I swing her up in my arms. She lets out a startled squeal and grabs at my neck, “Fecking hell, Coal, I’m too heavy for you to be picking up.”
I let out a snort of disbelief. “Woman, stop talking shit. You’re not too heavy, you’re just right. We didn’t have a traditional wedding, but I’m damned if we’re not doing something thetraditional way. Now hush, I’m carrying you over the threshold. Listen, Shea agrees with me.”
Thea snorts out a laugh when she hears Shea chanting, “Ma, ma, ma. Up.”
I step over the threshold and enter our home with a wide smile, a laughing Thea in my arms, and chortling Shea watching us. My wife’s sparkling brown eyes meet mine, a wide smile on her face, happiness clear on her face.
A warmth steals through me, and I fall a little more for her.
CHAPTER 8
THEA
I’d been at the Queens Wraiths for two days, and Shea and I were settling in, and I was finding my way. Maggie and Opal came around every day to see if I needed anything. I’d come to love Coal’s mam and sister. It’s been hard not having my siblings near me or being able to contact them or see them every day like I was used to.
Coal had arranged for me to speak to Aiden, but it had been a quick call. My brother was embroiled in trying to clean up all the mess my dad had left. As for my da, the news said he’d had an unexpected heart attack and died. While we all knew better, it was a way of protecting everyone. My brother was having to go with the whole funeral thing because of his prominence in the community. He didn’t want us anywhere near that and would make up some excuse to keep Maeve and Kara away. It was a blessing that nobody knew about me, so I wasn’t worried about showing my face.
Coal and I’d had a talk about my safety, and I think I’d surprised him with how much I knew about the attempted kidnappings. I wasn’t an idiot, and when he’d brought up wearing a tracker, I’d agreed with no hesitation, especially as he wanted one on Shea too.
His da had insisted on both Maggie and Opal getting one too. I hated that they had to and felt guilty that my being here put them in danger. But Coal’s da had straightaway put a stop to those thoughts.
“I know what you’re thinking, Thea, and there’s no need for guilt. We’re a family. It’s not the first time one of our own has been in danger, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. We protect our own as well as those that can’t protect themselves,” he’d assured me.
His words had warmed my soul, and while I’d not had much to do with Tinman, I’d known I’d like him just from the way he treated Maggie and Opal. But his words cemented that he’d join the list of people I’d work my arse off to protect. It was a growing list. I was coming to love the family I’d married into the more I got to know them.
As for my husband, the man was driving me insane. I’d thought that we’d be making love thefirst night we’d been home. I knew he wanted me as much as I wanted him, but it seemed the man was intent on driving me mad with lust. We slept together every night, and he wasn’t shy in running his hands over me and getting my engine revving, then pulling away. The man was a tease.
Last night he’d pushed me to my limits, but it seemed the man was a closet romantic as well as being a little old-fashioned. I should have expected it when he’d carried me over the threshold. It would go down in my memory books as one of the best moments of my life.
Last night had been the last straw, though. We’d been in bed and what had started out as light petting escalated quickly. The man could kiss, and he drove me to distraction. I was ready to climb over him and do the deed myself and said as much. His words had stopped me dead, though, and my heart melted.
“It’s not that I don’t want you, Thea; I think you know I do,” Coal rumbled, taking my hand and pressing it to his hard cock. I’d curled my fingers around him, and he’d moaned low in his throat at the action before pulling my hand away. “I want you more than anything, but you haven’t been put first in your life, and I’m going to makesure you know you are first inmy life, even if I do feel like I’m going to die from blue balls.”
Snorting out a laugh, I’d buried my face in his chest. When I’d got myself together, I’d rested my chin on his chest and looked up at him. “I don’t think you can die from blue balls, but I may from needing you this bad.”
Coal had slipped his hand into my hair and gently tugged on one of my curls.
“We’ll get there, baby. I have a plan in place. First is to get you a ring, then a cut. I want you to know how much you mean to me before we take this any further.”
