Jeremiah by Kris Michaels
Chapter 13
”Hey.” Eden’s greeting from the doorway caused him to look up from his notes. Jeremiah leaned back in his chair and smiled. He extended his arm and Eden walked into the small office she’d let him use to see Victoria Marshall. She ran her fingers through his hair, and he closed his eyes, enjoying the attention.
“Hard session?” she asked as she massaged his scalp.
He hummed an affirmation. His sessions with Victoria, or Tori as she preferred to be called, were a minefield of triggers, and the things she’d endured were at times beyond his comprehension. Tori Marshall was a fighter, and she was fighting against the depression and anxiety that the incident she was involved in stacked on her. It impressed him. She worked on the things he asked her to work on and was religious about their meetings. They’d met twice a week for the last three weeks.
“Are you ready for dinner? Gen isn’t coming over tonight. Allison and she are playing cards with Allison’s parents. Gen says they owe her over five dollars in lost poker revenue.”
He laughed. “I feel sorry for them. She’s tenacious when she’s after something.” They’d been alternating eating at Eden’s or Gen’s since he and Eden had started spending so much time together. He loved the easy comradery between his sister and Eden. All three of them gelled and he appreciated Eden letting Gen interrupt their alone time.
Eden dropped a kiss on his forehead, and he opened his eyes. “My sister works too hard.”
“She does. It seems to be a family trait. Now, come up, dinner is almost ready.”
“May I have dessert first?” Maybe he should have tried to suppress the leer that spread across his face, but the temptation of Eden was delectable.
She glanced up at the clock and smiled. “You have thirty-five minutes before we eat supper.”
“Well, then, by all means, let us adjourn to someplace you can get naked.”
She leaned down and kissed him. “Only if you get naked, too.”
“Deal.” He stood and locked up Tori’s records in a locking desk drawer that Eden didn’t use. They turned off the lights and made their way up to the small apartment. He swept her up and she wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the bedroom. He’d had this woman every night, multiple times a night, for the last three weeks and he found he still couldn’t satiate his hunger for her.
Jeremiah pushed open the bedroom door and set her down beside the bed. Not wanting to break the kiss, they performed an awkward dance to undress while still kissing. When she tipped sideways while taking off her jeans, he caught her and righted her. Gently, he pushed her back and pulled her jeans off. God, she was beautiful. Not a bit of makeup and her cheeks were pink with excitement. Her sky-blue eyes shone and the long blonde lashes framing them only enhanced their beauty.
He removed the rest of his clothes as did she. Eden shimmied into the middle of the bed and he followed her on his hands and knees. Feasting on her sweet flesh was his new favorite pastime. He’d traveled every inch of her body with his lips and fingers. She was like a hit of meth to an addict. Mind-altering. Bigger, more, and once he had her, he had to have her again. Yes, he was hooked on Eden Wade, and in the last month, he’d fallen into a dangerous habit of thinking of her as his. As she opened her legs for him to settle between, he promised himself he’d stop doing that.
Tomorrow.
They knew each other and her hands traveled down his back to his ass. She gripped him tight and rocked her hips. He nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Want something?”
She made a small sound in the back of her throat and he chuckled. “In a minute. I want my dessert first.” He kissed his way down to her core and spread her sex. Glistening and swollen, he took that first lick, and when she jumped, he dove in. God, he loved making her come this way. She was perfect against his lips and tongue. His fingers, slicked with her desire, stimulated her inside as he primed her with his attention. She grabbed his hair and pulled, but he wasn’t budging, not until she climaxed. He doubled his efforts and was rewarded with her bucking her hips against his mouth. She stiffened and then bowed. Her legs shook and her insides contracted against his fingers. Her body released and he found the taste he’d wanted.
Eden gasped as he licked along the seam of her body. He kissed his way back up her body and stared at her when he reached her chin.
“Remi, please.” She pushed against him with her hips as she pleaded. He captured her lips and reached over to the drawer where they now kept the condoms, patting around inside. Finally, frustrated by not finding what he was looking for, he broke the kiss and leaned over. He moved the paper on the bottom of the drawer and looked again. “Fuck. Where are the condoms?”
Eden’s hand grasped the side of his neck. “I’m on birth control. Don’t stop.”
He slammed the drawer shut and moved over her again. They kissed in a searching, longing way that told him she was just as needy for him as he was for her. He entered her and stopped as his head breached her sex. The experience of sex without a condom was a first for him. He’d never not had protection, a lesson he learned from his father.
Eden curved her hips and moaned a deep throaty sound when he moved inside her. Her heat wasn’t different and yet it was. Sex without condoms was a gigantic step for him. More than he could express, but perhaps he could show her through his touch.
With infinite care, he made slow, languorous love to her, and yes, he was making love to her. Saying the words wouldn’t change the actions. They shared the same breath as he finally entered her. He dropped his head to the bed just above her shoulder. Trying to mesh his body to hers, he rolled his hips, not lifting away from her. He wanted the contact, and by the way she wrapped around him, she did, too.
The sensations, the emotion of this act on this night, joined them in perfect harmony as he pushed them higher.
“Make love to me, please, Remi. Please.”
Eden’s whispered pleas undid him. He rose to kiss her. “I am, babe. I am.” He caught her lips and drove them into a climax. Eden gasped and tightened like a bow string under him. He let himself go and his hips moved as if on their own accord. He pushed deep and came, his cock kicking deep within her several times before he could suck a lungful of air and drop his head to the bed beside hers.
There was a distinct ding from the kitchen, and she half-groaned, half-laughed. He shook his head when she gave him a gentle push. “It can burn. I’m enjoying this too much.”
“You can enjoy this for five more minutes. I’m not burning dinner.” She wrapped her arms around him and held him as he cradled her under him. “This is good. What we have.” She spoke in a timid voice.
“This is great,” he acknowledged.
“I…” She sighed and shook her head. “Never mind.”
He lifted away from her and stared down at those beautiful blue eyes. “What?”
She cupped his face with her hands. “I have feelings for you.”
He let a smirk slide across his face. “I should hope so.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m being serious here.”
He laid down and brought her on top of him. “I’m not going to lie to you, Eden, I have feelings for you, too.”
She dropped and rested her chin on her fist. “Doesn’t bode well, though. You’re only here for a few more months.”
He dipped his head in a yes and no type of movement. “That’s what’s left for this contract. I’m pretty sure I can find a job for me somewhere in the Black Hills.”
She lifted. “So, you’re willing to stick around?”
“I would never go back. I just wasn’t going to stay here. The citizens of Hollister have won me over. I’ll call and make it official.” He nodded and she pounced, kissing his face all over. He caught her and sat up in bed, stopping her. “Thank you.”
She blinked at him. Happiness radiated off her. “For what?”
“For making that decision easy.” The beeper sounded in the kitchen again. “You better go.” He let go of her and she grabbed his t-shirt, pulling it on as she hustled out of the room. He laid back down and listened to her moving around in the kitchen. The decision had been easy. His clothes and his toiletry items had made the move to Eden’s apartment one night at a time. He hadn’t slept in Gen’s guest room but a couple nights in the last weeks. Was it fast? Yes. Was he uncomfortable with the rapid development? He closed his eyes and searched. No. There was nothing about the relationship that gave him any pause. It was as if all the shards of a shattered image had found their way home and fused together seamlessly to complete a picture.
His phone vibrated and he opened one eye. Where had his jeans ended up? He sat up and groaned as he stood. Swooping down to grab them, he pulled the phone out of his back pocket.
> Tank: Bike’s done. Had some free time.
> Perfect. Will be there tomorrow to pick up and pay.
>Tank: Cool. Turned out pretty sweet. Even for a Royal.
Jeremiah laughed and stepped into his jeans. He paused and hit Tank back up with one more request.
>Tank: It will cost yah, man.
>I’m willing to pay.
>Tank: You should have asked the price first. Stupid Indie.
He chuckled at the insult and headed into the kitchen.
Eden had just sat a huge cast iron pot on the little table. “Damn, that smells like heaven.”
She stopped and looked up at him. “Do you know what heaven smells like?”
He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. “Every time I’m with you, I’m in heaven, so yeah, I do.”
She stared at him for a couple seconds before she smiled. “That is so cheesy, but I’ll take it.”
Jeremiah let her go and slapped a hand against his bare chest. “I’m wounded!”
Eden laughed and hit him with an oven mitt as she passed him. “I’m sure you’ll survive.”
He grabbed her again, lifting her up into the air. “Only if you kiss it better.” He dropped her down and took his kiss. Her laughter made the connection messy, but it was as sweet as any they’d shared.
She slipped out of his arms. “Go sit down. I’m getting the bread.” He did as he was ordered, and she came back with a loaf of the sourdough bread from Sanderson’s tiny little market. It was more like a convenience store for items you couldn’t get by without, but the homemade goods were a tremendous bonus.
She used the oven mitt to take the top off the dish and his stomach growled when he saw the inside. Roast beef, carrots, pearl onions, and potatoes. “Oh, man, extra everything, please.” He lifted his plate and she scooped out enough food to feed an army… or him. He took a bite and moaned around the deep, rich flavor of a long, slow-cooked meal. “Heaven.”
She finished serving herself and sat down. “What are the plans for this weekend? I haven’t been to the root cellar you’re digging for Gen all week. How is it coming along?”
He chewed a huge bite of beef before he responded. “Well, once Phil came over with his little bobcat, the hole was dug in an hour. I’ve got the support system in place, but I need to frame out the shelves, bins, and benches, put in the roof and a door, and then get Phil to help me bury the thing again.”
She dipped a small piece of bread into a pool of gravy on her plate. “You made it big enough for all of us, right? Tornadoes around here are no joke.”
“I made it big enough for all of Gen’s dreams. When I finish the cellar, she wants me to rent a tiller and plow her a garden. Phil’s backlot. He’s letting her lease the land for like ten dollars a month and his fill of veggies in season.” The community of Hollister was fantastic. He’d had no less than five of the local men stop by to give him input on the structure of the shelter and how to construct the entrance so it would be easier to open and close during high winds. Father Murphy stopped by every day and checked on the progress while he chatted. Ken Zorn, the deputy, also stopped by. He told Jeremiah the Klingler boys were out on bail but had a court date and that he shouldn’t worry about them as their father had them shoveling shit until they went to court.
“Did Father Murphy stop by again?” She took a sip of her water.
“Yep. He’s a great guy, but I keep telling him I’m not converting.” He laughed when Eden almost choked on her drink.
“He’s trying to convert you?”
“Nah, but it is fun messing with him.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
“Admit it. This town has grown on you.”
He buttered a piece of bread as he spoke, “I like it here. I’m sure Hollister isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but something about the vibe of this community is alluring.” He smiled at her. “And, like I said earlier, a particular citizen has caught my interest. “
She looked up from her plate and wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “Who, me?”
He winked at her. “You’d be a reason to stay regardless of the town.”
She smiled and batted her eyes. “Why, kind sir, are you trying to woo me?”
He shook his head. “No, the wooing comes tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yep, we’re going on a ride through the Hills.” He bit into his bread and watched her.
“I’d love to! We just went last weekend, but if that is you wooing me, I’m all in.”
“That’s only part of it. I have a surprise for you.”
She sat up straight and asked, “What?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
She damn near vibrated on her chair. “But that’s okay, I’ll love it no matter what it is.”
“Good.” He took another bite of the beef and she deflated.
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
He shook his head, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “For future reference, while growing up, I knew what every Christmas present was before I opened it. I don’t like surprises; the need to know what it is drives me crazy.”
“Well, good thing I’m certified in South Dakota now, isn’t it? I’ll be able to help you get over that issue.” He laughed when she stuck her tongue out at him. God, tomorrow was going to be a great day.
