Sweet Surrender Read online

“Have no reason to be any other way. Makes life simpler.”

  “Is that why you’ve stayed here instead of moving to a busy city?”

  “In the beginning, I’d planned to go off and be a doctor in New York. After my mother died, the family needed me. I made the decision to remain. I have no regrets.” He ate a forkful of eggs. His gaze steady on her face.

  “I care about you, too. You’re always thinking about the other person. I find that refreshing and attractive.”

  “Do you find me an awesome cook?”

  “I think that I’ll call you Master Chef.” She took the last remaining piece of French toast and swirled it in the maple syrup. “I suppose you feel right at home in this kitchen?”

  “Standing at the stove did bring back memories. Yet, it’s different. The chaotic atmosphere wasn’t there.” He pointed toward the living room. “Sometimes my mother would come home from her job on the midnight shift. She’d sit in the large winged-back chair and kick off her shoes. I’d make breakfast and she’d talk about her evening. Most times she’d fall asleep before I’d finished cooking. Sheena would cover her with a blanket. I’d keep a plate in the oven.” He took a deep breath. Haley could see him try to shake off the memories and the emotions they evoked.

  This house with its three levels, lots of windows and large backyard had grown on her. When she’d moved in, the house had been safe harbor out of a depressive life. Over the months, after she had painted, decorated and furnished her home, the old house had settled into her heart. It had character and didn’t have that mass-market assembly feel that the new housing tract that was being built on the other side of the city did.

  “You had a lot of responsibility for a young boy.” She poured a second cup of coffee, adding a dollop of milk and a spoonful of sugar.

  “I’ll take a cup, too.” Pierce slid his mug to Haley. “As much as it hurt, and I thought that I would never recover from what I perceived as my father’s betrayal, my situation wasn’t unique.” He sipped his black coffee. “While we all moped around being angry and having our own pity parties, I knew we couldn’t make it if we didn’t suck it up and pull together. I took on the role of drill sergeant.”

  “Jeez, I guess that didn’t earn you the Favorite Big Brother Award.” Pierce had the height and demeanor to look strict. “Did your sisters ever get to date?”

  “Oh, don’t start that line of questioning. Thank goodness they aren’t here to jump on the bandwagon. In my defense, I did it out of love.” He drained his mug.

  Haley admired his neck as his Adam’s apple bobbed. Was there any part of this man that she didn’t find attractive? She’d no doubt that he always sought to take the lead, but with all the unexpected sweet things that he’d done for her, she believed that he had a deep sensitive nature.

  She reached across the table and took his hand, bringing it to her cheek. His finger stroked her skin with a tenderness that melted any remaining reservations that threatened her courage. She kissed each of his fingers and experienced a foolish desire to kiss every inch of his body.

  “You positively sweet, hunky man, do you do anything for purely selfish reasons? You’re killing my stereotypical beliefs.” Haley touched her chest and smiled in gratitude. “You’ve even helped Beth and me out of a difficult situation.” She kissed the top of his hand. “Thank you for that. But I’ve yet to hear you say that you want to do something for yourself.” She squeezed his hand, hoping that he truly understood what an impact he’d made in her life. “You must have dreams, Pierce. Share with me…please?”

  Pierce lowered his gaze from her face. He didn’t need to say anything for her to sense that she’d made him feel uncomfortable. A dark frown covered his features. She was tempted to smooth away the three rows of deep grooves that marred his handsome forehead with a kiss.

  He pulled back in his chair. “No offense, but I think that I’ll keep my dreams right here,” he said as he tapped his temple. “Back to your original question, though, I am doing something for myself. I’m laying the groundwork to have an after-breakfast lovefest with you.”

  And if Haley passed away this minute, she knew she’d be laid out with a smile on her face.

  “I have to clear away the dishes and the food. Later we can have seconds and eat in the backyard.”

  “Your fastidiousness isn’t necessary, you know.” Haley pushed away her plate hoping Pierce would take the hint. She licked her lips, tasting the sweet residue of the maple syrup and sat back in what she hoped was a seductive pose.

  Pierce shook his head, granting her a toothy grin. He began clearing the dishes, moving methodically back and forth between the dining room and kitchen.

  Frustrated that she had to wait, she played with her fork, stirring it in a small pool of syrup. She licked her fork like a lollipop, hoping that Pierce would be moved by her flirtation. In a few minutes, she’d let him taste the sweetness with a lip-locking, toe-curling kiss. Not that she suffered from a massive ego of her abilities. Quite the opposite, her attraction to Pierce opened the door to her lively imagination.

  Instead of voicing her frustration, she lent a hand with finding storage containers for the leftovers. Haley glanced at him as he walked past her. She enjoyed the whiff of his aftershave, crisp and spicy.

  “I’m beginning to think that you don’t have human blood flowing through those veins.” He’d given her a peek into his sensual treasure chest, and now he sat atop its closed lid like a genie for no other reason than to send her into agony with the expectation.

  “You’ll thank me later for not leaving the kitchen a mess,” he said.

  “I’m turned on by a neat freak,” she muttered. Her yearning wasn’t all physical lust. He did touch her heart. Pierce had a smooth sophistication that added sexy to his demeanor.

  In full pout, she stacked the plates, piled on the silverware and grabbed the cups by their handles before heading to the dishwasher. If Beth had set the dishes in the washer in the same haphazard fashion that she used, she’d have made her daughter redo them.

  She wiped down the excess water off the counter, hung the dishcloth on the edge of the sink and waited for Pierce to stop polishing the table.

  Wasn’t he as hot and decidedly bothered as she? Shouldn’t he be flustered? Shouldn’t he want to rip off her clothes, right here, right now?

  “All done.” His voice held such a pride for the good job he’d done in cleaning up the kitchen and dining area.

  She walked right up to his face and jabbed her finger into his chest. “That’s what you think. I’m not all done. I haven’t begun. I hope that you’ll take your time and be as conscientious with me as you were with that table.” She planted her hand on the table, leaving her handprint.

  Pierce lifted her hand and replaced it at her side. Then he took the cloth and erased the smudge back to its gleam. “I’m known as a man who pays attention to detail.”

  “Let’s see if I can add my recommendation to your testimonials. I’m heading upstairs. I’d hate for this to be a solo venture, but perhaps there’s a patient who will get your undivided attention.” She walked past him, deliberately adding a sway to her hips with her best come-hither look.

  Pierce accepted Haley’s unspoken invitation. His hand closed around her slender wrist. She looked up at him, startled, with her mouth slightly parted. Contact with her skin short-circuited his system. If she only knew how touching her sent an electric shock through his body.

  He pulled her against him. All the faked calmness he’d displayed had expired and he couldn’t hold out any longer. Her hypnotic gaze stroked his heart like a siren’s harp.

  During breakfast, he wanted to pull his chair next to hers. The casual passing brush of their arms stoked his addiction for more than her physical beauty. He wanted the inner core that defined her true essence. He blinked, holding his eyes closed for a few seconds. Never had he experienced such powerful emotions. It felt as if his heart was guiding instead of his head.

  “Kiss me bef
ore my head explodes,” she said.

  He responded to Haley’s demand without hesitation. His mouth covered hers, greedily enjoying the sticky sweetness of maple. Her soft lips spoke a language that he quickly learned and mastered.

  His body, on the other hand, stirred with a hunger that couldn’t be satisfied with a kiss. Although he drowned in her embrace and the sweetness of her mouth, he wanted more. He drew away from her lips until he could see her eyes.

  They had darkened ever so slightly. Her arousal matched his in intensity. He felt sure that she could feel the physical change in him as their bodies were pressed so closely together.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked in a sultry, thick voice.

  “I want you to know that I don’t do this with just anyone. I’m not a player. I’m respectful of women. I can’t help how strong my feelings are for you. I don’t want you to be afraid that I’m going to take advantage of you. I know what a rough time you’ve had. I’m here for you.”

  “I appreciate that, Pierce,” she said and ran her hand down his stomach. He twitched as he felt her fingers go past his waist and slide over the front of his pants. Her hand settled over his arousal, which responded immediately to her manipulation. “I’d say you’re as ready as you’re going to be. Shall we stop dawdling?”

  Pierce took her hands and pinned her against a wall. “You can’t touch like that and expect me to act like a gentleman.”

  She took no mercy on him, arching her body. The deep V-cut of the halter top gaped and the exposed swell of her breasts teased him. She wrapped a leg around his and slid her hips against him.

  “So you think you’re ready?” Pierce played with her earlobe, enjoying her moans. He kissed her neck where her pulse visibly beat, resting his lips against her skin as the moans vibrated through her throat.

  He lifted her, cradling her against his chest. He didn’t want to remove his hands from her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck to stay in place. Her perfume did its part to heighten the reaction of all his senses.

  “You think Laura knew that you would seduce me?”

  “I figured you had coerced her to do your bidding.” Haley kissed his chin.

  “No more kissing until we get upstairs. Otherwise, I may drop you.” He headed for the stairs. There was no need for her to give him direction. He had grown up in this house.

  Haley pointed the way to what was once his mother’s room.

  He pushed open the door with his foot and glanced around. He was glad to see that the room had changed from the sickly yellow to a creamy blue. The furniture layout, however, copied what he recollected. Haley’s vanity sat on the left. The chest of drawers was behind him, supporting the television. There was a small desk and a chair in the right corner of the room. Flesh-tone panty hose hung over the back of the chair.

  “Here you are, safe and sound.” He walked toward the bed and gently laid her in its middle on a royal-blue comforter.

  She pushed herself back toward the matching pillows. He watched her pull the skirt down around her exposed legs. She grinned. Her hazel eyes twinkled full of mischief.

  “You are so darn beautiful.”

  “And you are so darn handsome.”

  He unbuttoned his shirt.

  “No, let me. I want to undress you. You took care of me this morning. I want to take care of you during our time together.”

  “Only if I get my turn.”

  “It’s a deal.” Her hands slid up his chest to his shoulders, sliding the shirt off his back. She planted kisses around his chest, branding him with her mark. “Now for the pants.”

  “I can’t wait,” he growled. He grabbed her teasing fingers, sure that his eyes had crossed at least once while she’d traced figure-eights around his belly button.

  “I want to memorize your muscle definition.” She ran her fingers down his chest; her thumb rubbed against his nipple. His stomach muscles tightened. She unzipped his pants and pushed them down his hips. As if her handling of him weren’t enough, she then wrapped her legs around his hips and squirmed in direct contact with his erection. Talking was impossible. He groaned. Or maybe he cried uncle.

  Pierce had to take a couple deep breaths to fortify his control. She continued to pepper his neck and torso with kisses. In between the kisses, she inflicted agony with flicks of her tongue.

  He flipped her so that she now straddled him. Her tousled hair fell forward, partially shielding her face. He smoothed each side back. There was simple pleasure in admiring her face. Her hair peaked in the middle of her forehead and framed the sides of her face, accentuating her narrow chin.

  He unfastened her halter and allowed the top to fall. Her breasts lay bare. Their full size, gently sloped, would be an artist’s dream. He touched the firm mounds, drawn to their sensitive dark brown peaks.

  Haley took his hand, guiding his fingers around her breast. He massaged them, blowing on the peaks to further tease her. Haley didn’t back down from the attention. Instead she rocked her hips over him with sensual reciprocation.

  He pulled her down and gently covered her nipple with his mouth, coaxing the nub to a taut peak. Her increased moans and shuddering sighs let him know that he pleasured her well. His tongue slowly stroked and teased. His hands slid down to her hips, loving the fleshy cushion of her backside. The lacy panties provided a thin barrier to their ultimate pleasure.

  “I want you, but I’ve got to take care of business first.” He eased her over to the side of the bed. He rolled away before swinging his legs to sit on the edge. He grabbed his pants lying on the floor and dug into his pocket for his wallet.

  Haley knelt behind him and rested her breasts against his head. Happiness had eluded her for several years. When she’d worked up enough courage to divorce Vernon, happiness had been one of the emotions that she’d figured she’d never experience again. The thought of sharing any part of her life with another man had been buried along with childhood fears and Vernon’s nasty criticisms.

  She saw the condom wrapper in Pierce’s hand. Her pulse did a flip-flop. They were taking the next step together.

  “Pierce, I don’t want you to think that I want you for more than you’re willing to give.”

  “I understand,” he said. “We will be two lonely souls enjoying what the moment brings. No pressure,” he said as he looked up at her.

  He tore open the small square packet. He looked toward the morning light that slanted through the open bedroom door. They were both too preoccupied to bother closing it.

  He thought about when he would come to his mother’s door and hear her weeping after his father had left. His mother’s last contact with his father had been a note.

  Haley wasn’t sure what happened. Pierce stared at the bedroom door. She paused, wondering if he’d heard something. Only his profile was visible. From her vantage point, she could tell that he was thinking. She hesitated before touching his shoulder. He jumped.

  “Hey, I think I lost you there for a few seconds.”

  “Sorry. It’s the house. This room.” He clutched his pants to his waist.

  Haley looked around the room. It was clean, repainted. She thought of it as cozy. “You don’t like the room?”

  He turned and kissed her hard on the mouth. There was sadness in the act, almost a desperate appeal to her. “It’s not the room. I can’t help thinking about my mother, which makes me think of my father.” He shook his head. “Sorry.”

  Haley didn’t know what to say, except to share a personal part of herself with him. She pressed her breasts against his back and tried to soothe away the tension from him. “Why don’t we go to another room? Perhaps the one on the left—I’m using it as a den.”

  “Gross, that’s Sheena and Laura’s room.”

  “Can’t use the one across the hall, that’s Beth’s.” This magical moment can’t be slipping away, Haley thought. It wasn’t fair. Not that she’d planned their lovemaking as part of the morning schedule. But once Pierce had put it out in the op
en, she’d realized how badly she did want to rub naked bodies with him and reach great climactic pleasure together. “The basement?” she asked weakly, knowing that she didn’t care for bedding down with dust and spiders.

  The front door closed.

  “Mom, we’re back!”

  Haley kicked Pierce off the bed. “Get in the bathroom.” She threw his shirt at him. She’d apologize later. At least he looked as mortified as she did. She hurriedly fastened the top of her halter and pulled on her skirt.

  “Laura wasn’t feeling well, so we came back. She went on home. I think she was going to throw up,” Beth yelled from downstairs.

  Haley stood in front of the mirror, fixing her hair. She leaned closer for any signs that she’d been rolling around with a man on her new comforter. As long as Beth didn’t come near the stairs, she might be able to distract her so that Pierce could get out of her bathroom.

  “Hey, Mom, isn’t that doc’s car outside?”

  “Yes, sweetie. He’s fixing the closet door in the guest room.”

  “Oh, maybe he can fix my window.” Beth’s voice drew closer.

  Haley tiptoed to her bathroom door. “Beth’s coming. Hurry up.”

  “One second,” he said, his voice sounding strained. The door opened. He walked out and edged his way against the wall into the guest room.

  Beth walked past Haley. At least, she didn’t look suspicious. Haley followed her into the guest bedroom. Pierce stood near the bookcase, examining a desk lamp with exaggerated contemplation.

  “Hey, Doc.”

  “Hey, Beth. What’s up?”

  “Nothing much.” Beth stepped closer to him, then stopped. She looked down at his feet. “By the way, where are your shoes?”

  Chapter 6

  “Mom, Doc said that I could go to his office today and paint.”

  “It’s Sunday, Beth. He couldn’t possibly have said that.”

  “Call him, then.”

  Haley put down the report that she was reviewing. She had to finish writing her response, which was due the next morning. Beth wasn’t letting her concentrate long enough to work.