Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Pulling down the lace cup of her bra after pressing a tender kiss to her heart-surgery scar, he ran his thumb over her bare nipple. “I want to suck you everywhere, baby.” His breathing was ragged. “Especially here.” He dropped his hand to between her legs, pushed up with the heel of his hand.
Catie’s nerves short-circuited. “I want you inside me.”
“Oh fuck yes.” Shifting back with alacrity, he kicked off his jeans and briefs while she somehow managed to undo her shorts and get them off.
Danny’s hands on her hips, the slightest pressure. And she realized he wanted her to turn.
Damp heat between her legs, she did as he’d silently requested and pressed her palms to the wall. He rolled her panties down her thighs, stroked his hand over one bare cheek.
“You are so goddamn beautiful.” A rough whisper against her neck as he leaned in to press a kiss to her nape.
“Danny.” She lifted a hand, moved it back to stroke his hair.
He nuzzled at her before pulling back, and she heard the familiar sound of a condom wrapper tearing. Then he was gripping her hips tight, the blunt head of his cock bumping against her in erotic pulses before he slid into her so slow and deep that she almost couldn’t stand it.
Her body clenched around him, her hunger for him a raw need.
She’d thought she wanted fury, but she didn’t urge him to go faster when he settled into a slow and intense rhythm that hit every sensitive spot inside her. All the while, he kept on saying the sweetest, hottest things to her until all her shields and walls lay in splinters at her feet, her heart in Daniel Esera’s careful hands.
33
A BROKEN HEART
She didn’t want to leave him. But here they stood at the departure gate as her flight began to board. They’d booked flights close in time so they could be in the departure area together, but hers was an hour ahead of his.
Throat thick, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. His own hug was as fierce. “Best holiday ever,” he said, his voice rough.
She nodded, unable to speak. They were breaking apart all too soon and she turned to walk away. She couldn’t draw this out. It was always better to cut things off hard and fast. It hurt less that way.
“Hey.” Danny’s voice stopped her.
She turned to see his eyes dark with emotion.
“Vietnam next?”
Her heart shuddered. Nodding, she managed to get out “Count on it.” Then she was striding through the boarding gate.
But she turned at the last minute, looked back.
Danny was still there, watching after her. She carried that image with her as she walked onto the plane, found her seat. And, when the plane took to the sky, she imagined him watching her fly off.
“Vietnam,” she murmured, and it was a promise to herself.
It, however, ended up a broken promise. Clive suffered a massive heart attack a week before she was meant to fly out to meet Danny. Dropping everything, she booked a flight to Sydney, Australia, where he was currently in the hospital, and took a taxi directly from the airport to the hospital.
A hollow-eyed Gloria sprang up from the waiting room chair where she’d been slumped. “Oh, Catie!” Tears waterfalled down her face as she threw her arms around Catie.
Panic was strangling hands at Catie’s throat. “Is he okay?” If she was too late…
But the other woman nodded. “I’m just—” Gulping in air, she wiped her face. “I’m so sorry. That was terrible of me. But I’ve been alone all this time, and I—”
“Shh, it’s okay.” Catie hugged the distraught woman, well able to understand her fear and panic. As with Clive, Gloria had no family in Australia. She was only here because Clive was here, their relationship having lasted far longer than Catie thought even Gloria had expected.
Gloria squeezed her tight, then drew back. “Come on. I’ll show you his room. I just came out here for a bit because the doctors were doing their checkup.”
Her father’s room proved empty of anyone but an unconscious Clive when they entered. He’d been put into a medicated sleep after his emergency surgery. Catie fought off her panic at all the wires coming out of his body, at all the machines to which he was attached.
Gloria touched her arm. “I think the doctor should still be here. I’ll go find him so you can talk to him directly. I barely heard most of what he said.” The kind woman then left Catie alone with her dad.
“Hey, Daddy,” she said, her voice shaking as she bent to press her lips to his cheek. “Still sleeping in, I see.”
Dropping her small daypack to the floor, she took a seat at his bedside. The daypack just held emergency supplies in case her luggage failed to arrive with her in Sydney. She’d prepared for a long stay and brought a full suitcase—it had landed safely and was now at the nurse’s station not far from Clive’s room. The nurses had been kind when she’d explained she’d come directly from the airport and had made room without hesitation.