Friday, August 2, 2013

Surrender & Salvation

Ten years ago Skye Monroe left St. Francisville and David Kincaid just as his career was taking off. Now she’s back to take photographs of the bad boy Country superstar on sabbatical as he tries to rehab his image and career. She could have turned down the assignment, but she didn’t. Was it curiosity, the need for closure or something more that brought her home? Whatever the reason, she can’t deny the fire he still ignites within her with just a look, but is she willing to give him another chance?

David Kincaid’s life started to unravel the day he got his record deal, which also happened to be the day Skye Monroe walked out on him. Since then no amount of fame, fortune or women can fill the void she left behind. When she suddenly appears on his door step for a magazine shoot, looking and sexy as ever, he realizes he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win her back. But is it too late to salvage their relationship and what’s left of his career?


Read Part One - Homecoming - here
Read Part Two - Revelations - here

Read Part Three -Memories - here
Read Part Four - Declaration - here
 


Surrender

An oppressive silence enveloped them both. Skye moved to pull her hand away from where it rested on David’s cheek only to have him grasp and pull it back, shifting his head so that his lips rested in her palm. The gentle touch of his lips to the soft center of her hand sent a jolt through her body, and she melted. When his eyes found hers again, the anguish they held slammed into her, knocking the breath from her lungs. She never meant to cause this beautiful man so much pain. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

She tried to speak, but her heart lodged in her throat like a rubber ball, rendering her mute. They stood silent, searching each other’s eyes for words, understanding. Only when a single tear escaped the corner of David’s eye, did Skye choke down the lump and find her voice. “Oh God, David, I’m so sorry,” she cried softly, dropping her hand to his chest. She could feel the strong, steady beat of his heart, but knew, like hers, it was being ripped to shreds. “I never meant to hurt you like this.”

“But you did Skye,” he whispered raggedly. “You took everything we had and threw it away without even trying. Why? Because you were scared I might cheat on you? Did you really not know how crazy in love I was with you?  You fucking crushed me, Skye.” He pushed her hand away and stalked off to the bar.

She watched him for a moment then followed, coming to stand by his side. He fiddled nervously with the glass of whiskey he’d left sitting on the bar. “David, I –“

It was his turn to silence her with a wave. “You know what really sucks? All these years I blamed myself for you leaving. Hated myself, thinking I’d screwed up. Over and over, I played back the what ifs and what might have beens, and never once blamed you. It was always my fault. Now you stand here, ten years later, and tell me that it was you, not me? Dammit, Skye, what am I supposed to do with that? Talk about being a day late and a dollar short.” He ran a shaky hand through his hair and brought the glass to his lips.

“David, please don’t take that drink,” she pleaded softly.

“I have to, Skye.” His voice cracked. “The whiskey’s the only thing that takes the edge off. “

She winced as she watched him down the contents of the glass in one gulp. God, what have I done?  She knew her actions ten years ago after walking in on him with that nasty piece of work, Chrissy, were fear based, but she honestly thought she was doing him a favor when she walked away. His future had been wide open. He didn’t need any hindrances, and a girlfriend, in her mind, was a hindrance for an up-and-coming musician. Better to let him go so that he could completely focus on his career without worrying about her or her feelings. Never in all her wildest dreams did she think her actions would affect him in such a way. But, there before her stood a mountain of a man, struggling to hold back his tears as he tried to numb an agonizing heartache.  A heartache for which she was responsible and one she shared.  

He reached for the bottle and started to pour another shot, but she grabbed it out of his hands. She had to fix this, or at least try. His red rimmed eyes flashed in disbelief and anger, but she held the bottle away from him. “No, David. No more. You don’t need this.”

“How do you know what I need, Skye?” He sneered, reaching for the bottle she held just beyond his reach. “Better yet, what gives you the right to tell me what I need? I’d say you relinquished that privilege when you tucked tail and ran.”

Touché  Good, he was angry. She wanted him to be angry – at her. She deserved it, and anything would be better than the drunken pity party he was about to throw. She took a deep breath and exhaled it in a heavy sigh. Clenching her jaw, she steeled herself for the argument she was certain would erupt at any moment. As he took a step toward her, she could feel the heat radiating off his body and a charge of desire, hot and thrilling, shot down her spine. She quivered. Dammit, even in the midst of such ugliness he had complete control over her body. He leaned forward, reaching for the bottle, and as he did she swore she heard a growl rumble deep within his chest. His breath tickled her cheek when he spoke.  “Are you going to give me the bottle or not, Skye?”

“No,” she replied, the word airy and vacant with distraction. One slight move to the left by either of them and their lips would meet. Resisting the urge to turn her head, Skye closed her eyes and concentrated on steadying her breathing.

“You know, I could just take it, don’t you Skye? He murmured, his voice husky against her ear, the weighted double meaning of his words not lost on her. A soft moan escaped her lips, and he shifted, tipping his head below the brim of her baseball cap, so his lips hovered just above hers. “Maybe I should take back what’s mine. Is that what you want, baby girl?”

“You could try,” she whispered, slowly letting out the breath that had backed up in her lungs. Her pulse went crazy. Its throb extended beyond her throat, her heart and wrists, electrifying places she forgot she had. She felt it everywhere. She felt him everywhere.

He pulled her hard against his body, knocking her ball cap off, his lips crushing down on hers, intense, demanding. His kiss lacked tenderness, but she understood why. He was punishing her. Making her pay for the pain she had inflicted, for the wasted years he had spent blaming himself. He pried open her mouth and plunged into her with his tongue. She gasped at his assault but opened herself up to him. No man had ever done the things David did to her with his lips and tongue. He didn’t just kiss, he commandeered. And right now, he was taking back what was his all long. She molded her body against his, losing herself in the taste and feel of him, savoring his strength surrounding her. God, I've missed him.

She felt the heat and hardness of his arousal against her. Her heart pounded, and every fiber of her body pulsed in unison with that steel-hard shaft pressed so intimately against her. But it wasn’t close enough. She wrapped her leg around his, grinding herself wantonly into his hips. He groaned, his hands moving down from her waist to grasp her bottom firmly. He felt so good, it took every ounce of will power she had left not to hop up and wrap herself around his waist.

He tore his lips away and rested his forehead on hers. They stood for a moment, silently clinging to one another, gasping for air. Finally, she cupped his face and pulled his lips back down to hers. “I was so stupid, baby. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you,” she whispered against his lips.

“Shhh…Skye. No more words. Right now, I just need this,” he murmured as his lips took possession of hers once again. She melted into the kiss. She let out a small whimper when he scooped her up in his arms and deposited her on the couch a few feet behind them.

“I need to see you, Skye,” he said simply as he slid the tank top over her head. A shiver of excitement coursed through her body at the possessive look he raked her with. His lips found her neck as he reached behind her for the clasp of her bra, his hands now taking the place of the material. Her nipples pebbled at the touch of his calloused fingers, and when his mouth dropped, gently taking a nipple between his teeth, she was convinced she would come apart right there.

She trembled as David continued to undress her. The feelings he coaxed from her with his hands and his mouth were almost too much to bear. Once she lay naked before him, he knelt on the ground between her legs. Suddenly shy, she tried to scramble away.

“No, you don’t. No more running,” he growled as he pulled her back and coaxed her legs wider.

His hand splayed out across her stomach, and their eyes met. A shock of heat surged down her spine and straight to her core at the unbridled hunger she saw gleaming in their chocolate depths. Raw, primitive lust and something more - 

Need, primal and unfettered, burned there, too. A need so focused in its intensity, she couldn’t help but recognize it for what it was – a need for her.

He wrapped her legs over his shoulders and bent his head. When his tongue lapped over the tight bud at the apex of her legs, she arched against his mouth and cried out. He toyed with her softly, knowingly prolonging the delicious torment.  His hands squeezed her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. The explosive sensations his hands and tongue created brought her right to the sharp brink of ecstasy. God, so close. His tongue circled her core, flicking and probing. She writhed against his lips and fisted his hair, holding him where she needed him to be. His mouth closed over her, sucking on the sensitive bud, and she screamed his name as her mind and body splintered into a billion pieces.

David climbed up beside her on the couch and enveloped her in his arms. Pressing his lips to her temple and rocking her gently as the tremors of her delicious release subsided.

When she was able to focus again, Skye looked over at him and smiled, lifting a trembling hand to caress his cheek. David caught her hand and brought it down and placed it over his heart.

“Welcome home, baby girl,” he whispered against her temple. “You’ve been missed.” 




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