Safeguarding Kelly(26)
Author: Zoe Dawson

 

Kelly arched stiffly beneath him, and Jason’s face contorted with an agony of pleasure as her body convulsed around him, pulling, pulling at him. Then with a ragged groan, he went rigid in her arms and let go emptying himself deep inside her. Holding on to her with convulsive strength, he clasped her head against him, her face wet against his neck. Feeling as if he had been turned inside out, he pressed his mouth against her temple and closed his eyes, his pulse choppy and erratic, the feelings in his chest almost too much to handle. God, she made him feel unbreakable.

 

He drew a deep, shaky breath and pressed another kiss on the corner of her mouth, his touch slow and comforting as he softly stroked the angle of her jaw with his thumb. He ran his hands through her long hair, combing it across their bodies, releasing the fragrance of jasmine, inhaling deeply, letting the satiny length cascade through his fingers. Taking another deep breath, he bracketed her face with his hands again, shifting his weight so his hips again settled between her thighs. Realizing that she needed something to ease the emotional rawness, he tipped her head back and brushed a light kiss against her mouth, letting a touch of humor surface. “I hope you don’t snore like a buzz saw,” he murmured against her mouth, taking another slow savoring taste. “That’d be a lot of wood for such a little thing to pack.”

 

He felt her smile against his mouth; then she tightened her arms around his back and slid one hand back and forth over his shoulders. “I’m not the one packing some impressive wood, special agent.”

 

Jason grinned, loving her sass. “Only the best for you, babe.”

 

She poked him in the ribs, and he jumped and grabbed her wrist trapping her hand above her head. “Don’t go poking the prickly bear. You might not like my growl.”

 

He caressed the soft skin of her wrist. “I like your growl very much. I think I might even like your teeth.”

 

Continuing to stroke her wrist, he lowered his head and slowly moistened her bottom lip, then took her mouth again, nipping at her plump lip. He released a soft sigh, and she slid her free hand up his torso, finally cupping the back of his head. He deepened the kiss, and Kelly yielded fully to his questing tongue. Finally, Jason let go of her wrist and slid his arm under her, holding her with infinite care. After a long satisfying kiss, he reluctantly drew away, gazing down at her as he caressed her bottom lip with his thumb. He stroked her face, tracing her high cheekbones, the arch of her eyebrows; then he gave her another quick kiss, braced himself, and abruptly withdrew from her moist warmth. She jackknifed against him, and he held her head against his shoulder until she caught her breath, then he rolled onto his back, taking her with him. He stripped off the protection and dropped it on the pile of clothes beside the bed, then drew her against him. Snuggling her head against his shoulder, he drew her long, muscled leg between his. Cradling her hips against him, he ran his hand up her naked back, then tucked his head and kissed her brow. We need to talk, Kelly,” he said, his tone husky.

 

She went still in his arms, then she turned her face against his neck and tightened her arm around his waist. Pressing another kiss against her hair, he began slowly stroking his hand up and down her back. His expression somber, he considered all he wanted to say to her, then he started to talk, his voice very quiet. “There’s quite a bit we don’t know about each other, but that will work itself out.”

 

Kelly stirred and shifted her head, then he felt her lashes against his skin when she opened her eyes. “It will?”

 

Staring into the darkness, he let his hand rest on the swell of her hip giving her a small, prompting squeeze. “Yes, it will. But there is something I want to share with you. Something that’s important for you to know before we move forward.”

 

There was an odd hesitation, and he was aware of an unusual stillness in her. Finally, she said, “Okay.”

 

His expression thoughtful with how strongly he felt about his conviction, Jason absently stroked the rise of her hip with his thumb as he considered the words. “I’m the product of a union between a married man and his mistress,” he said, his tone rough. “I’ve been kept as a dirty secret all my life and I hate that more than anything.” One corner of Jason’s mouth lifted in a humorless smile. “My father has never publicly acknowledged me as his son.”

 

Kelly lay still in his arms for a split second, then she rose up on her elbow and looked down at him, her hair creating a waterfall of inky blackness around her shoulders. She stared at him, the faint light from outside washing across her face and revealing the agony of her expression. A glimmer of pain appeared in her eyes. “Oh, God, Jason. I’m so sorry.”

 

He stared up at her for a moment, then shifted his focus. Avoiding her gaze, he painstakingly hooked his thumb under a thick swatch of hair and drew it back tucking it behind her. “This is about the things I was never allowed to talk about,” he said quietly. “About keeping a secret that would keep my father safe.” Finally, he met her gaze, his expression somber. Screwing up his courage, he took the step he knew could change everything. “I don’t want to keep Kiko a secret the way my dad kept me a secret. I can’t. It would make me no better than he is. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

 

She gazed at him, her eyes wide with uncertainty, then she looked away. She lightly ran her fingertips along his collarbone. Her gaze averted, she continued to stroke his collarbone, and Jason waited, sensing her struggle. Her hair was draped around her face, and she lifted it. Jason waited for her to answer, knowing this was critical. Her fingertips lingering on his skin, she finally answered. “I understand what you’re saying, but it’s not the same. There are criminal charges involved and the very real possibility that Kiko will lose one or both of her parents to prison.”

 

His heart tightened. He cupped her face. “I get that, but Kelly we just talked about honor. How could I hide this?”

 

She stared at him, then she swallowed hard and looked away. He brought her head around, his gaze demanding and intent. “Please, Kelly. Just talk to me.”

 

She held his gaze for a moment, then she bent her head and started caressing his collarbone again, her touch not quite steady. She swallowed, then took a deep, unsteady breath. “Because we both know she’s yours. Who else matters?” Then she closed her eyes, and said, “It’s the principle of the thing. I get it. I really do. I want you to be happy, but is this worth losing your career and freedom, robbing Kiko of her father?”

 

His gut tightened, but his mind, his heart wouldn’t let go of what had been, for him, the denial of his father’s open, public love. Staying in the shadow, keeping the information from the Coast Guard, would that be the coward’s way out?

 

“We can talk about this some more once we get this case resolved.”

 

He closed his eyes and hugged her hard, feeling as if he could take his first deep breath in days. He pressed a kiss against her brow, then hugged her again. His chest expanded with a deep, uneven breath. His voice gruff, he said, “Thank you for that, Kelly. I know you’re sorry about Kiko. We can talk it about it more as well. Whatever we both need.”