Guarding the Truth Read online

  The dancing continued for half an hour, at which time Madeline’s pawing puppy date began to practically climb all over her. He was wasted, and she was only slightly better.

  Parker had grown less patient by the minute and could take no more of this display. He waited for the right moment. This mauling imbecile would have to go the head soon or combust.

  The instant the cretin ambled away from her, Parker was up and in her space within seconds. He said nothing. Didn’t want anyone to notice anything was awry.

  He practically dragged Madeline straight out of the nightclub and onto the sidewalk without saying a word. He couldn’t speak yet without yelling. The words running through his brain were phrases like “what were you thinking?” and “have you lost your mind?” Parker kept his head low and didn’t glance back at her, but he was boiling inside. He gripped her hand as lightly as he could manage, but she followed him easily, like a rag doll. For a few moments.

  Once they entered the cool night air, Parker steered Madeline toward the lush landscape between campus buildings. When they were about a block away from the club and alone, he stopped and turned to her.

  He’d expected one of two things to occur when he yanked her out of the bar like a Neanderthal. One possibility was that she would be angry as hell. Pissed. And probably start hitting him and screaming. When she hadn’t tried to escape his clutch during the brief walk into a haven between the trees, he expected door number two, that she was too drunk to care and would be laughing and limp all the way home. The lack of noise coming from behind him ruled that out too.

  When he turned to face her, he was not prepared for a third option. She was crying. Tears of despair trailed down her face. And she stood there looking at him. Waiting. Waiting for something he couldn’t give her. Some words of explanation she was owed. He didn’t have them.

  But the silent resignation, a testament that she knew without a doubt she had lost this battle, was more than he could bear. He was hurting her. And he would not do so any longer.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry. Please…” Parker melted inside.

  The look on her face made his gut clench. His resolve disappeared. He pulled her into his embrace and held her, gripping her as tight as he could.

  He rocked back and forth and let her cry. Her tears soaked through his shirt, and he didn’t care. Parker vowed never to hurt her like this again if it was the last thing he did in life. If he got fired, if he lost her to the truth one day, he would never be the cause of this kind of deep pain again.

  * * *

  The night breeze was comforting. Soothing. Whispering to them. Madeline never wanted this moment to end. She relaxed in his embrace and let her tears flow, the wetness cool on her heated cheeks. She had no answers, had accomplished nothing, but she didn’t care. Parker was here now. He was holding her with all the kindness and gentleness of a lover, and she knew he loved her. Whatever his issues were, she would deal with them when the time was right.

  Please God, give me another chance.

  When he finally pulled away and looked into her eyes, she saw affection embedded in his gaze. He smoothed his palms down her arms and took her hands in his before bringing her shaking fingers up to his mouth and kissing them lightly all over. Little sparks shot up each arm as his moist lips traveled over her skin. “I…”

  “It’s okay now. Let’s go home.” Parker wrapped his arm around her, and they walked as one toward their complex. There wasn’t anything to say. The silence was not unnerving. Their gait was not hasty, but rather lingering, as if the moment would be ruined if they hurried. The world would wait for them.

  When they arrived at the door to Madeline’s apartment, she let them in. Parker hadn’t let go of her at any point. Perhaps he feared that to do so would cause her to slip away. In any case, the walk had heightened her awareness of him.

  In the weeks she’d known him, she’d never had the opportunity to be this close to him, this…connected. His rock-hard body was pressed into her side. They could have entered a three-legged race by the time they made it across campus—and won.

  He held her like a precious commodity. She was not unaware of the juxtaposition of his tight muscled arms against hers. He smelled…like Parker. Some combination of the soap he used and the shaving cream.

  She was hypersensitive to him, skin tingly everywhere he touched her. And God help her, she wanted him. Wanted him to strip her naked and make love to her. Her breasts poked forward, straining against her bra as though it were a size too small. She ached to remove her shirt and bra and watch Parker’s face as he stared adoringly at her chest before taking a nipple into his mouth. Lord, her skin was so hot.

  As Parker shut the door behind him, he took her once again into his arms, but this time he gently kissed her. A kiss that deepened with each passing moment until Madeline thought she would explode with desire. “Please…”

  “Please what, baby? Tell me what it is you want. I don’t want to do anything you aren’t ready for. I don’t want to disrespect you.” Parker stared into her eyes with his deep brown gaze glazed over with desire. He took her face gently between his hands and waited for her response. His touch was so soft, loving.

  Is that what this had been all about? Had he been afraid of offending her? Had he known she was as innocent as she was? How could he?

  “Parker, I want to be with you, intimately… I want… I want you to make love to me.” There, she said it. And he didn’t disappoint her.

  A smile spread across his face as he continued to stare into her eyes. “Maddie? Are you a virgin?”

  Oh God. What did she say? She wasn’t prepared for that question. But she couldn’t bring herself to lie about something this important. She stiffened beneath his hands. Would he be disappointed if she said yes? Or no?

  “I’m only asking because I want your first time to be special, perfect. I don’t want to yank you into the bedroom and ravage you without knowing.”

  “Yes.” The word barely escaped her lips, uttered so softly she wasn’t even sure he heard her. Her gaze fell to his mouth as she spoke. He repeatedly licked those soft, sexy lips. She slowly raised her eyes to peer directly into his. There was no judgment there. Only love, lust, and longing.

  “Are you sure now is the right time? You had kind of a lot to drink. I want you to be totally cognizant of what’s happening. Fully aware of every feeling when I take you.” His words were like poetry, and Madeline felt a tightening deep in her abdomen. She could feel her vaginal walls clenching at the thought of having him inside her. And her arousal was leaking out to soak her panties.

  Could he please hurry this up and stop talking? She was not a delicate flower.

  “I didn’t drink anything. I hate beer. I was just pretending.” She couldn’t help but chuckle. At least one thing had happened tonight that he was not fully aware of. It had seemed like he knew her every move. Had he been following her? Had she not been crazy to think she felt his presence on her tail many different times? Perhaps not.

  Parker laughed in response. A hearty laugh that relaxed the atmosphere in the room. “Well, what are you waiting for? Show me your room.”

  * * *

  Holy shit. Parker was in deep dog doodoo. The smoldering fire burning inside him was aching to burst free. There was no stopping this from happening. There was nothing he would or could do to prevent it. He had no desire to. This woman was his, for as long as she would have him. He could no sooner deny her than he could have strangled her…

  Fuck. I almost forgot. He was going to have to be extra gentle with her. She’d recently been attacked. Even though she hadn’t been raped, she would have lingering memories of being maliciously fondled. He knew all the facts, but details on paper didn’t describe what he was sure had been a horrific experience.

  What he’d also seen in her file were the pictures. The photos taken of Madeline’s beautiful skin, battered and bruised. Although the murdering slug hadn’t succeeded in raping her, he’d come damn close. Images
were etched in his brain of her delicate white, almost translucent skin covered with blue fingerprints around her neck, her arms, her thighs…

  Parker had to shake the memories from his head, but stay cognizant of the implications enough to treat her with tender loving care over the next several hours. And he intended to take all the time in the world to worship this goddess of his.

  Parker sat Madeline on the bed, noticing it was nicer than his, by coincidence or design he didn’t know, but he mentally documented the fact that they would be spending far more time in her room than his from now on. The mattress seemed brand new. Perhaps her father had made a few calls. He did seem like the type who would have.

  Madeline stared up at Parker, a mixture of lust and fear of the unknown expressed in her gaze. He lowered her onto her back and lay alongside her, keeping enough separation that she would not feel his growing hard-on rubbing against her.

  He leaned over her face and resumed with her mouth, thinking to calm her nerves by torturing her lips, her tongue, every crevice. She tasted like minty toothpaste, and he smiled against her, realizing she indeed hadn’t taken a drink of the beer she’d held.

  When she squirmed beneath him and reached for his face with her free hand, Parker knew he’d acquired the desired effect. She may not know quite what her restlessness meant, but she did know she wanted more.

  Parker leaned above her on one elbow, not willing to climb on top of her yet. Using every bit of his restraint to hold himself back. He wanted to be inside her. Now.

  He smoothed his hand down her face and slowly lowered it over her neck and down her soft arm, bringing goose bumps to her skin. Parker took her arm and placed her hand at her side. “Just relax, baby. I’m going to go really slow. Tell me if I do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I want this to be good for you.”

  “Hmmm,” was all he got from her mouth that hung open a tiny fraction. Her eyes drifted closed. She eased more tranquilly into the comforter and exhaled slowly.

  Parker strained to control his impulse to ravage her. He wanted her. And he knew she was ready, physically. He was sure if he stripped her down right this moment and dragged his fingers between her legs, he would find her sopping wet and ready for him. But mentally was another issue. This woman needed—deserved—better. He would restrain himself long enough to provide.

  He began with a languid exploration of her body, gently dragging his hand over her clothed torso and up around her breasts. He didn’t touch her nipples or even come close, but she arched infinitesimally into his meandering hand in silent supplication. She had her eyes squeezed together, and he was aware she could not see his slight grin of satisfaction that he could wring such results out of her with only a gentle touch.

  As soon as she began to squirm with more abandon, Parker reached his hand under her soft pastel pink sweater and laid it flat on her torso, in part to steady her and in part to let her get accustomed to his bare touch. She shivered. Her stomach rose and fell with her heavy breathing.

  “Oh…Parker,” she moaned, and her mouth opened ever so slightly more.

  “Baby, open your eyes. Look at me.” He didn’t want her to have any opportunity to not remember completely who she was with. To slip into the world of abuse her previous sexual encounter, if you could call it that, might produce.

  Madeline obeyed, if only a tiny amount. At least he could see her eyes through the partial slits and she didn’t take them off his.

  He resumed his inspection and moved his hand upward to delicately trace the edges of her bra. When he glanced lower, her small breasts rose and fell beneath his perusal, her nipples visibly poking forward through both her bra and sweater. But Parker took his time.

  Eventually, when she was pleading with him with eyes that had gradually opened to reveal a deep blue tone, Parker allowed one finger to reach under the lacy material of her bra and graze lightly over her nipple.

  The result was a resounding moan Madeline could not control and was perhaps unaware of. She bucked against him in attempt to force more direct contact with his finger. Parker’s cock grew harder with her moan and strained against his jeans.

  He could not help but chuckle lightly at her response. He was so pleased. So proud of himself, frankly. But she was oblivious to either his laugh, his smile, or his ego. Her eyes had rolled back.

  Parker didn’t want to disappoint her. He unclasped her front-hooking bra with a flick of his fingers and, without pausing, squeezed first one breast and then the other in the palm of his hand. She was perfection.

  Madeline reached for him with the hand not trapped between them. She surely couldn’t help herself. It landed on his bicep and applied enough pressure to silently beg him to continue.

  Parker couldn’t wait a moment longer to set eyes on this lovely chest of hers. He sat up enough to pull her sweater over her head, forcing her arms above her for a moment. Her breasts lay high on her chest, her glorious nipples dark and hard, stabbing into the empty night around them.

  The only light in the room came from the full moon peering through the window. Parker could not help but gasp at the sight of this vision before him.

  She reminded him of a lady of earlier centuries in a nude pose, her face with the look of intense desire and her firm mauve disks reaching for the heavens. Had she been naked, with her leg angled right, the look would’ve been complete, and Parker made a mental note to arrange her in the position one day in the near future. Not for some artist, of course, but so he could relax and stare at the image before him.

  Leaning into her begging body, Parker began to love her with his mouth, gently at first, taking a nipple and sucking it loosely to allow her time to acclimate to the experience. The muscle in Parker’s arm clenched as Madeline once again squeezed it in her palm, her nails digging into his flesh, driving his lust to new heights.

  “Parker…oh my God… I…”

  He lifted a fraction to smile at her, licking the little tip along the way. Then he resumed his attentions, switching back and forth between her perfect breasts, fondling the left-out globe on either side with his fingers in between.

  He shifted to lie between her legs, easing them with great care as far apart as needed to accommodate his larger frame. The warmth between her legs leaked through her jeans. When he pinched one nipple between two fingers and nipped the other with his teeth, she came undone. She lifted her hot crotch against his torso and began to beg.

  Parker’s rock-hard cock was also begging as it pressed against his jeans and the mattress beneath.

  “Parker, please… I can’t take this… I need…more…”

  “I’m getting there. Be patient. Enjoy this. This first time should be a memory that’s etched in your mind forever. I never want you to forget this time with me, loving you.” Lord, Parker, you’re in deep. You just slipped the L word into the conversation, even if it was subtle. Get a grip or she’ll run scared.

  “At least, would you take some more clothes off? I want to see your chest. Feel you against me.” She ran her sweet hands up and down his arms, delicate light touches that sent sparks down his spine.

  How could he deny the lady’s request? Parker sat up and lifted his shirt over his head. He leaned into her and fully luxuriated in the contact of her soft, pale, smooth skin against his dark chest lightly dusted with fine hair, which brought a shiver to her as it softly tickled her skin.

  They were left with two pairs of jeans, his boxers, and whatever hidden treasure she was wearing to qualify as panties. Unable to wait another minute, Parker nibbled his way down Madeline’s torso and licked along the juncture of her jeans and her sexy, slim waist. He would never get enough of this woman’s sweet taste if he lived a hundred years. Her fingers threaded into his hair. Her breaths came in pants as her stomach dipped beneath his lips.

  Parker dragged his hands down Madeline’s torso, popped open the button of her jeans, and met the top edge of delicate lace that probably matched her bra, had he taken the time to notice when he’d pull
ed it away from her.

  Parker dallied with the material for a moment before easing down her body and dragging the offensive jeans together with their equally obstructive panties past her hips and down her legs. He pushed the last remnants away with his feet and returned to spread her legs as gently as possible with his hands on her thighs. Soft, light-brown hair covered her mound, and beneath she glistened with her own fluids.

  Madeline gasped and pulled her knees together, recovering from her lust-filled state enough to be embarrassed by her lack of clothing and the perusal of a man’s lusty inspection. She leaned forward on her elbows.

  Parker would not have it though. He looked into her eyes and said, “Relax, baby. I want to see you. Touch you. Taste you.” And so many other things that would cause your head to spin if uttered out loud this early in the game.

  “Oh my God. You…can’t…do that… Can you?”

  Parker let a small chuckle escape his lips. His cock stiffened. His mouth watered, needing to taste her.

  He pictured her taking him into her mouth and moaning around his rock hard cock. “Oh, I can. And I will. You’ll be writhing beneath me in a few short moments without any sense of the modesty currently visible in those gorgeous eyes of yours. Close your mouth, lie back, and just feel. Let yourself go. I can smell your arousal. I can see the moisture leaking from you. I’m going to make you come with my mouth now. Make you scream in abandon. Let you experience what your body is begging, pleading for.

  “And then, when you’re coming down from that incredible high, I’m going to do it again, with my fingers inside you, raking over your G-spot, my other hand pinching your beautiful clit into submission.”

  Well, I meant to hold off on that speech for a bit, but what the hell. The look on her face was worth it. The shock was so compelling.

  She hadn’t obeyed his command to lie back, but he hadn’t expected her to. He knew he was breathing precariously close to her sex, inflaming her higher, and himself as well, while inside she digested the words he uttered.