by Linda Kage
He groaned and threw his head back, "Fuck, yes. My favorite kind of dream."
I chuckled and decided to do to his neck what he'd done to mine. I licked my way over the tattoo of a tree root and then grew curious about the ink on his heart. Plus I wanted him shirtless.
"This is in my way."
"Then by all means." Pick was quick to grab the cloth at the back of his shirt and yank it over his head.
My vision went a little bit fuzzy at all that fine, tanned, toned naked flesh before me. I wanted all of it at once. Greedy, my fingers reached and immediately skimmed over the smooth, hard planes of his perfect canvas. And that nipple ring . . . ooh. I was going to have some fun with that. As Pick caught the hem of my shirt and started tugging it up, I finally focused on his one chest tattoo.
And that's pretty much when everything went to hell.
"What the . . . ?"
I pulled back so fast I started to tumble off his lap.
"Tink?" Pick caught me, but I batted his hand away as I scurried to the other end of the couch, unable to stop gaping in horror at the words inscribed on his chest.
"What's wrong, baby?"
He started to crawl toward me, his concern thick and wild. But I held up a hand to ward him off.
"You . . . your chest . . . names."
His eyes flared. "Oh, shit. I forgot." Slapping his hand over the mark, he closed his eyes and shook his head, cursing under his breath as he bowed his face.
"You forgot what?" I screeched. "That the name you call me is tattooed to your chest? That my daughter's name is . . . Oh my God. What the fuck is going on?"
His lashes parted. His eyes begged me to calm down even as he lifted his hands in a placating gesture. "Promise me you won't freak out."
Oh, that ship had sailed, buddy. "But you . . . you . . . Oh. My. God. That's not fresh ink, Pick. That's . . . This tattoo is old. It's like years old."
His brown eyes filled with worry as his gaze darted around my face. "Yeah."
"How the hell can you have my daughter's name tattooed to your heart for years when she's only a few months old? And Julian . . . and oh my God. Tinker Bell? There's another Tinker Bell in your life? All three names listed together like that is a mighty big coincidence. That cannot be a coincidence. The only name not freaking me out right now is Chloe, but I still hate her because she was obviously important to you."
"No, don't . . . I will tell you everything. I swear, Eva. But it's a . . . " He shook his head and blew out a breath. "It's a pretty crazy story, so please try to listen until the end. Okay?"
I folded my arms over my chest, and I'm sure he could tell just how upset I was. I'd pinched my mouth with displeasure and put up all kinds of walls to block him because I knew, I just knew, whatever he had to say was going to hurt. He had that panicked, apologetic look on his face as if he knew he'd fucked up big time. No bastard looked that way unless they knew they were about to majorly upset a woman's life.
When he just kept watching me, looking frightened, I rolled my eyes. "Okay." I waved my hand for him to start talking already.
"All right." He blew out a long breath and closed his eyes before saying, "Ten years ago, on November twentieth, Tristy tried to kill herself."
I shivered at the mention of my birthday, remembering how he had the date set as his cell phone's passcode, which only confused me more. Why the hell would a suicide attempt be such a noteworthy date? But I was a good girl and let him keep talking about how he visited the witch who'd upset Tristy, hoping to get revenge, and how he got stuck in some ankle trap she'd set up in her yard. He even hiked up his pant leg to show me the scars around the base of his foot. Then he started talking about glimpses, wedding dances, and immaculate backyards. I just stared at him, unable to—yeah, I was too dazed to say much of anything.
But in no way could I envision him as the freaky, weird kind of guy into witchcraft.
When he was done talking, he blew out another breath and said, "Well?"
I shook my head, stunned. "So, you had this glimpse thing when you were fourteen where saw me? You saw us get married and have three children together named Julian, Skylar, and Chloe?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Well, basically. I mean, I thought they were my biological kids. They called me dad, and I . . . I felt like their father. I don't know how to describe it, exactly. It was just so real, like I was really living it, feeling it, tasting it. You smelled like lilacs, even then."
I lifted my hands to stop him because this was getting overwhelming. "Okay, just . . . slow down."
I think he was afraid to slow down, though, afraid I'd call him insane and leave his crazy ass. He kept talking. "Everything, I mean everything, has matched up so far. I was so pissed at Tristy for naming her kid Julian. But he's turning into my son, isn't he? And Skylar? How the hell could I predict you would name her that? Or that you'd be wearing Tinker Bell on your shirt the first night I met you? And that damn pink pig."
He motioned toward the stuffed animal I had sitting in the swing because we rarely used the swing anymore. "She was holding it in my vision, and then I saw it sitting in the hospital gift shop window the night she was born. That's not just a coincidence."
I covered my mouth with my hands as tears filled my eyes. "And you knew she'd have dark hair and a cowlick."
He nodded. "And in my vision, we dance to 'Baby Love' at our wedding reception, which just so happened to be the first song you played on the jukebox that night."
I couldn't listen to anymore. I popped to my feet and lit out of the living room as quick as I could.
Chapter 22
PICK
I was almost too scared to go check, but I walked down the hall toward our bedroom, anyway. I just knew she'd be in there, packing all her things, scooping up Skylar and preparing to leave me.
When I reached the doorway, though, all she was doing was standing at the crib and looking down at the babies sleeping together. Sensing me, she said, without turning around, "You just had to wait until I fell in love with him before you told me, didn't you?"
Julian. She wasn't going to leave then, but not because of her feelings for me. She was only staying for my son. Pain slashed through my stomach. I leaned my forearm against the doorjamb and then pressed my face into it.
"I understand why you're unsettled and shocked. The entire thing is fucking unbelievable. That's why I didn't know how to tell you. I knew you wouldn't believe me. You'd think I was insane, or delusional, or I don't know what."
She turned slowly. Tears had filled her eyes but they weren't falling. "Oh, I believe you."
I bit my knuckle, hating how far away from her I felt, how hard she was blocking me out. "Then why are you so mad?"
Her blue eyes flared with anger. Jabbing her finger toward the front of the apartment, she hissed so as not to wake the kids, "Because you just stood out there and told me you loved me, you asshole. But you don't love me. You love some woman you've made me up to be for the past ten years."
"Tink," I started, warning in my voice. I pushed away from the door and stepped toward her.
She held up her hand. "No. Don't you dare call me that. Don't ever call me that again. I am not your Tinker Bell. I'm Eva Mercer. That fucking Tink is the one you love, the woman you've built me up to be in your head. Not me."
"Bullshit," I growled as I caught her face hard in my hands. "I don't even know that woman. I saw her for thirty seconds ten fucking years ago. All I know is that I felt happy with her. Happier than I'd ever felt before. It was that feeling of peace, contentment, and satisfaction that I've been searching for. But you, Eva Mercer, are the one I fell for. You were the one who came to my home to save my ass and watch my little boy. You were the one I found sitting on the floor, playing with him and making him laugh. And it's your beautiful caring heart that makes me so eager to race home from work each night so I can feel your soft, warm body curl up next to me in bed. So don't ever fucking tell me how I feel about you again. I know exactly how I f
eel. If you don't want me to call you that name again, fine. Done. But it is this person . . . " I placed my palm against her chest and pressed in. "This is the woman I love."
Her tears spilled down her cheeks. "But you probably never would've paid attention to me if it wasn't for her."
I shook my head, trying to clear it. It seemed incredibly strange to me that she was jealous of herself, that she could separate Tinker Bell from Eva. To me, they were one and the same, but I also understood exactly where she coming from.
"You know what," I said, throwing my hands in the air, defeated. "You're right. I probably wouldn't have."
When her face contorted with devastation, I leaned forward and gently kissed the corner of her mouth before brushing my fingers over her cheek. "You're not exactly the type of woman I usually go for, and I saw that Alec prick who fathered Skylar. I know perfectly well I'm not your type, either. So I'm going to be eternally grateful those glimpses made me pay attention to you. I never would've gotten to know you as well as I have or learned what an amazing woman you are otherwise."
She sniffed and shook her head even as she leaned toward me. "I think those glimpses are blinding you to what a vain, pretentious, selfish bitch I am."
"Shut up," I whispered and kissed her, harder this time. "No one bashes the woman I love." I slid my fingers down her cheeks to cradle her neck. "I've never been as happy as I've been since you stepped foot inside this apartment."
She caught my elbows, her eyes earnest. "I haven't either."
I pressed my forehead to hers. "Then what're we fighting about?"
"Are we fighting?" Her fingers trailed up to my shoulders.
I skimmed my lips over her jaw. "I think so. It feels like I'm trying to talk you into staying."
With a relenting sigh, she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me before nipping my jaw with her teeth. "You know I won't leave. You had me at 'bullshit.'"
I smiled and then groaned when her mouth started traveling south, down my throat. Lifting my chin to let her do whatever she liked, I swallowed when she licked her way over my pulse. Her fingers smoothed along my shoulder and down my back.
I arched a brow. "So I've been blathering like an idiot about how much I love you because . . . ?"
She made a humming sound in the back of her throat, which sent an alarming rush through me and had me harder than I already was. "Because I like listening to you blather about how much you love me."
I chuckled. "Evil woman. I'm going to have to punish you for that."
Backing her toward the bed, I let her keep kissing my neck as relief flooded me. She wasn't leaving. I probably should've stepped away and slowed the pace, not pressured her into more right after my big revelation, but her fingers were slipping down the front of my chest toward my throbbing cock.
"A spanking?" she guessed, lifting her gaze enough to slash me with a curious glance.
I shook my head, picked her up by the hips, and laid her back on the bed. Standing above her, I watched her stretch out on my sheets, looking eager and delectable.
"First," I said, bending just enough to slip off her socks. "I'm going to torture you by touching and licking you all over until you're writhing and cursing me for more." I unbuttoned the top clasp of her blue jeans and licked my lips. "And then I'm going to lick you and touch you even longer."
"Oh, God." She arched her hips and lifted them to help me when I hooked my fingers in the waistline and drew the jeans down her legs, but I paused when I reached her knees.
Keeping her legs trapped in the denim confines, I leaned in and pressed my mouth to her mound, right through her pristine pink panties. With a gasp, she bucked up and grabbed two fistfuls of my hair. I nipped lightly at her hipbone, then I used the tip of my nose to cruise my way up along her ribs, bunching up her shirt as I went.
"Here," I murmured when it caught on the swell of her breasts, "let me help you take this off."
When I had her down to her bra and panties with her pants still clinging around her knees, I skimmed some kisses around her lace-covered breasts. Crawling above her and bracing my weight on my forearms, I framed either side of her face.
"Hi," I said, grinning down at her.
She grinned back and touched my face. "Hi, yourself. I don't think you got my jeans all the way off yet."
I winked. "For now, they're right where I want them." Leaning in close to her ear, I whispered, "It's all part of your torture."
She shivered, and I kissed her. Our mouths melted together. Her lips opened under mine, and my tongue skimmed alongside hers. Under me, her body rose up, trying to rub against mine, so I lowered my hips to hers, and she whimpered, digging her fingers into my hair.
My erection ground into her, and she broke away from my mouth to gasp for breath over my shoulder.
"Oh, my. I never . . . this never . . . "
My teeth caught her ear and tugged, making her shudder and tighten her grip on my ass as she wound her arms around me. "Never what?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. I just . . . I'm not used to feeling this much. It's . . . it's . . . "
"Perfection," I finished for her.
"Yeah."
She attacked my mouth, kissing me hard, licking inside and clawing at me with her eager hands. She latched onto my lip rings with her teeth and tugged lightly.
I growled and pushed my hips deeper into hers.
"I'm beginning to see how torturous having my jeans there is. I want to wrap my legs around you so bad right now."
Me and her both. I was tempted to rip them off, as well as the rest of her clothing. But I wanted this to last.
"I wonder what it'd be like to kiss you if you had a tongue ring?" she said as she touched my eyebrow hoop.
"I'll get one tomorrow," I panted right before tangling my tongue with hers again.
We kissed forever.
Growing restless, Eva arched against me, trying to wrestle free of her jeans. "Pick, please . . . "
I couldn't take anymore, so I ripped them off and tossed them over my shoulder.
"Oh, thank God."
She immediately moved to wrap my waist with her thighs, but I caught her hip.
"Not yet."
She groaned. "Patrick."
I smiled. "That's what I like to hear, baby. Say my name in that sexy voice."
"Pat . . . " Her head fell back as I began to kiss my way back down her body, " . . . trick."
I lingered around her pretty bra, buried my nose into her cleavage and inhaled her heavenly lilac scent. Then I moved on again, licking and nibbling my way down, worshipping every inch. When I reached her belly button, I dipped my tongue inside, then grasped her panties with my teeth and peeled them off. She tensed in anticipation, making me smile when she began to pet my head encouragingly. But I paused when I came across her bright red C-section scar.
I kissed my way across it before lifting my face and caressing her hip. "Your doctor has cleared you for this, right?"
She nodded, but it looked like she was holding her breath. "Yeah. Like a month ago."
Curious what had her suddenly uptight, I kept watching her as I kissed the scar again, right above her pubic line.
"You okay?" I asked.
She nodded but couldn't seem to calm down. So I crawled back up her body until we were eye to eye.
"What's up?" My question was gentle, but it still made her gnash her teeth as if upset with herself.
"I just . . . " She shook her head and gave a small laugh. "I'm getting nervous, I guess. I mean, you and I have never . . . you know . . . before. And it's all so intense and overwhelming and—"
"Hey." I cupped her cheek and pressed our foreheads together. "Don't worry. Nothing has to happen."
That seemed to distress her more, though. "But I want it to—"
I kissed her silent. Then I rested my brow back against hers, feeling so lucky to be here with her. I'd already gotten more than I'd ever thought possible from her; anything else would be gravy. "How abou
t this? We don't think about what could come next. Don't think ahead at all. Just enjoy what is happening."
Her blue eyes softened with adoration. "You are the wisest man I've ever known."
"Damn straight." I kissed her again.
Her limbs relaxed under mine. Then her body melted into me and her breathing picked up. When kissing left us weak and breathless, her legs shifted restlessly. I slipped my fingers between her thighs. She gasped and tightened, but her hands clung to me, trying to draw me closer.
Dipping inside her, I shuddered and closed my eyes.
"Ah, fuck. You feel so good. So hot and wet. I want to taste this." She strained against me, her eyes squeezed shut as she threw her head back and grasped my shoulders hard.
"O…okay."
I grinned. Well, okay, then.
Eva whimpered as I lowered myself. She moaned her pleasure when I licked her, soaking my tongue with a heavenly musky flavor. My fingers continued to pump the tight warm hollow as my tongue massaged her clit, my mouth watering for more.
"Oh . . . oh . . . " She was already so close. Her arousal vibrated through me and her fragrant excitement amped me up. I wanted to bury myself deep inside that wet heat. But I wanted to feel her release against my mouth first.
"Come for me, Eva," I commanded just before I bit her sensitive little nub and pushed two fingers deep. She went crazy, pulling my hair from the roots and squeezing her thighs around my ears as she cried out a strong orgasm. I relished every second and groaned with defeat when two little voices woke from the crib.
"Damn it." I buried my face into Eva's stomach while she came down from her high. "We're moving that crib into the other room tomorrow."
Under me she laughed. How she could always laugh at a time like this, I'll never know. There was absolutely nothing amusing about blue balls.
"Promises, promises," she said as she squirmed out from under me to see to the kids.
I grumpily sat up and crossed my arms over my chest. She brought Julian to me because she claimed he was dry. After I took him, and she busied herself with changing Skylar's diaper, I held my son up so that we were facing eye to eye. "We need to have words, young man. You can't keep doing this. Waking up before Daddy gets his boom-boom is just not cool."