I’d rarely been there in the months since Ellianna had left me. Her absence from our bed made the emptiness inside me more intense.
Placing her head on her pillow, I carefully pulled the covers back and tucked her in. Kicking off my shoes, I tore off my shirt. Once I was naked, I climbed beneath the covers with her. No sooner had I wrapped my arms around her than she turned over in her sleep, resting the uninjured side of her face on my chest.
“Zachary,” she mumbled in her sleep, burrowing deeper against my side. Clasping her hand, I brought it to my lips before resting it over my heart.
Then and only then did I sleep…
Her needy little whimpers had me sliding my hand from her back down to her ass, squeezing. Her wet core was pressed down on my thigh, the only thing separating her heat from my skin a tiny little piece of cotton.
Restlessly, she squirmed against me, rubbing her clit on me in search of relief.
With a tortured groan, I rolled her onto her back. “Shh, baby,” I soothed, kissing across her chest. I both loved and hated the dress she still wore. It made her tits look amazing, but who knew how many worthless assholes had seen her perfection. “I’ll make it better.”
Ellianna combed her fingers through my hair. “Zachary.”
Finding her lips, I got lost in the taste of her. Fuck, no wonder I’d felt like I was starving for so long. She was the only sustenance I craved. Diving my tongue inside, I decided if I drowned in her, I’d die a happy man.
Needing her naked, I tore at her dress, ripping the seams when I couldn’t find the zipper. She giggled then moaned when I sucked on a nipple as soon as she was free of the material. Her hips arched invitingly, and I pushed her panties down her thighs before finding her clit with my thumb.
“Please, please, please,” she whined.
I wanted to take my time, savor every inch. But when I felt how drenched her pussy was, there was no way I could survive another second without being inside her.
Spreading her legs wider, I lifted one thigh up over my hip and thrust balls deep. She cried out, and I tried to stay conscious as her pussy gripped me. Stars flickered in front of my eyes, but I shook it off.
She was so soft, so hot, so fucking wet and tight, I couldn’t breathe from the pleasure.
“Zachary,” she moaned, her cries growing louder as her inner walls contracted around me, sucking me deeper. “Harder.”
I was already hanging by a thread. Feeling the flutters of her pussy, the gushes of her release as she squirted on my cock, was enough to shoot me over the edge. Groaning, I emptied inside her, burying my face in her neck as I tried to catch my breath.
It was over far too soon, but I wasn’t going to complain. Her satisfied hum told me she felt the same way.
“Did I wake you?” she asked with a giggle when we could both breathe.
“Best wake-up call ever.” I kissed her shoulder and lifted my head. “Shower or more sleep?”
She glanced at the bedside clock. Seeing it was after dinnertime, we both groaned. “I should probably eat.”
“We can order something,” I suggested. “Or go out.”
“I kind of want a sandwich,” she said, nibbling on her bottom lip.
Reluctantly, I pulled out of her, but her soft mewl of protest instantly got me hard again. “Shower with me, and then I’ll feed you.”
After sharing a platter of sandwiches, we spent the rest of the night in bed. Sleeping only in between making love. When I woke up midmorning, I carefully untangled myself from beneath Ellianna and went downstairs to grab us coffee and some breakfast.
Mabel was standing at the island, her head bent as she read over the grocery list she was making. “Good morning,” she greeted without lifting her gaze. “Coffee is fresh, and there are pastries from the bakery. I got a few cupcakes as well, but I’m still not a fan of my child eating them for her first meal of the day.”
“You know Elli is here?” I asked as I poured myself a mug.
She snorted. “I knew about the nightclub incident before you did. How is she, by the way? I heard she needed five stitches.”
My fingers turned white as I gripped the cup. “She took some Tylenol around dawn, but she said she was okay. I’m letting the bastard stew in lockup for the weekend. Then…we’ll see what happens.”
“Mm, that’s probably best. You wouldn’t want to kill him too quickly.” I made a noncommittal sound, already planning how I was going to gut the motherfucker. “I’m about to go to the grocery store. Any requests?”
“Do we have the creamer she likes in her coffee?” I asked, opening the fridge and seeing that we didn’t. “Get a few bottles of that. I want it kept stocked.”
“She hasn’t been drinking coffee. I’m glad those roommates of hers talked her into going to the doctor.” Mabel added a few more things to her list.
“She said she didn’t tell you about that.”
“She didn’t have to. I have many, many friends in this town, Judge. I know everything you kids do.” She snorted. “Heck, I knew what Lyla was doing even when she was in other states. And if you don’t get this Gwen thing under control, I’m going to have to do it myself. I’ve had about all I can stand where that girl is concerned. You have a week. If she’s not dealt with by then, I will be paying her a visit.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I gave in without argument. “I have my men trying to find her right now.”
“Hmph,” my future mother-in-law muttered. “I would feel better if Barrick looked into it.”
“He’s busy trying to fix things with his rocker princess.” I plated a few of the pastries Ellianna liked. “What about orange juice? Or is it too acidic? Damn it, I need a list of what she can and can’t eat right now. And what meds did the doctor prescribe? She never said.”
Mabel laughed and kept scribbling on her list. “I’m sure she will tell you soon.” She pointed her pen at the cabinet where she kept the coffee. “I picked up some of the herbal tea she likes so much. Rita says she drinks that stuff all day long.”
Surprised, I nearly dropped the box of tea when I picked it up. “Rita told you?”
She smirked at me. “She and Ellianna are besties. Didn’t you know?”
Muttering a curse, I filled the kettle and set it on the stove. “That sounds like a really bad idea.”
“Why, because you used to boink Rita?”
I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Mabel, can you please go back to pretending like you don’t know everyone’s secrets?”
She cackled, and I found myself fighting a smile. It was good to hear her laughter. With everything that had been going on with Miss Lindy, I’d been worried she was going to fall into depression.
Once I had the tray set, I pecked Mabel on the cheek and picked it up. “Love you.”
“Maybe say that to the girl in your bed,” she called after me.
“It’s her bed too,” I shot back and heard her huff before I was out of the kitchen.
Ellianna was still asleep when I returned. Setting the tray on the side table, I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss her awake. “Baby, I brought breakfast,” I enticed, kissing a path down her neck.