Out of Darkness Read online

  “Close your eyes,” she instructed.

  He couldn’t help but grin and close his eyes as she asked. “They’re closed.”

  Meredith stepped into the doorway of the bedroom and bit her lip, she wondered if he thought her too forward. But she’d come to the conclusion in the shower if she was going to do this, she was going to have to do it right. “Okay, open ‘em!”

  “Holy shit,” he whispered. She stood there, naked as the day she was born.

  Chapter Twelve

  She had to give it him, he lay on the bed with his arms behind his head, never once flinching as she walked towards him.

  “Whatever you feel comfortable with,” he reminded her.

  She’d taken the time in the shower to shave and do all the things she’d hadn’t felt the need to do in the past weeks since her attack. She’d found some girly shampoo and body wash and had treated herself like she’d been at a spa. It had been on the tip of her tongue to ask if the girly stuff had been for her or if he’d had another woman at this place before, but she didn’t want to ruin the mood.

  Her hands shook as she made her way over to where he lay. Her brain screamed at her to run the other way and never look back, but she knew that she had to do this. She knew that she couldn’t let this defeat her anymore.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

  The smile that came to her face was so genuine it made him want to cry. It seemed to give her the push she needed. Without hesitation that he had suspected, she lifted herself over his body and straddled him. It surprised her how much she wanted his hands on her, but she knew that unless she told him or showed him, he wouldn’t touch her. Placing her hands on his shoulders she situated herself on his lap to make sure she wouldn’t fall.

  Once comfortable, she leaned forward and put her mouth on his, kissing him with everything she felt. Of its own violition, her tongue plundered his mouth, getting swept up in the feel of their bodies against each other. His taste was an aphrodisiac. He always tasted of coffee and tobacco, even though she’d never seen him smoke. With other men, it would have been a turn off, on him it was sweet and earthy. Reaching behind his head, she put her hands on his and directed them to her breasts, conforming them around the globes that dangled without the restraint of a bra.

  “Please,” she whimpered.

  His long fingers massaged the aching flesh as she put her arms around his neck and pressed their bodies closer together. The hardness of his manhood crushed against the wetness that was quickly building at her core. It felt good to her, better than it ever had before. She’d never had these kind of out of control feelings with any other man. It was quickly becoming out of hand, but she went with it. Maybe she wouldn’t have to use those toys just yet – that’s how wound up he made her.

  “You feel so good,” she told him, grinding her body against his.

  He leaned forward, letting his lips trail down the column of her neck, leaving a wet line before he pushed himself forward enough to take a nipple into his mouth. She moaned loudly as his tongue swept over the hard tip, a caress all its own.

  Meredith opened her eyes, watching him. He was just as beautiful as he made her feel. His long dark lashes were stark against his skin and the stain of arousal rose on his strong cheeks. His expression was intense as he worked her nipple with his tongue, using his teeth to nip gently. She shivered, fisting her hands in his hair, holding him tighter against her. With a mind of its own, his other hand went to where her bottom rocked against his cock, showing her the rhythm that he knew instinctively would get her off. He knew that if she was in the moment, she might be completely free to let herself go.

  “What do you need me to do?” he asked, his voice rough.

  The tone may have scared her if his touch wasn’t still so soft and smooth. No matter what he had to be feeling, he still kept himself in check. She had figured that when she got this far into it, the crazy feeling of her body releasing its tension in orgasm, she might panic. It surprised her how badly she wanted it, how badly she wanted to experience the little death with this man.

  “Just keep doing what you’re doing, don’t stop,” she panted as she increased the speed of her hips against the hardness of his cock.

  His body tightened as she panted with each lift of her hips, each grind of her pussy against him, he wanted this so badly for her. Her breath came faster and faster as she wound her arms tighter around his neck, using them to help the up and down motion.

  “Give it to me, c’mon baby,” he encouraged her.

  Her nails cut into his neck so hard, he was sure she drew blood, but the bite of pain was fine with him. He held her body, strung tight as a bow as she fought for the orgasm that appeared to be just out of her reach. Frustration was beginning to take over, he could tell. It set just beyond the cusp of her reach. Her face screwed up, and he could see tears come to her eyes.

  “Touch yourself,” he instructed her. “Don’t worry about me, get yourself off.”

  His deep voice was a caress against her skin, causing goose bumps to appear along her arms and legs. Before, she would have clammed up, embarrassed to do this in front of someone else, but she needed this so bad. Unclasping her hands from around his neck, she brought her finger to his mouth, pushing it against his lips. He swirled his tongue around it, sucking before letting it go with a loud pop. Hooded eyes met his as she took the finger and moved it down to the middle of her body. He could feel it, her finger strumming against her clit, and it made him hot, hotter than anything else ever had.

  With a growl, he clamped his teeth and shut the door on his own needs. This was completely about her. He could feel her body tightening again as her finger increased its speed. Bringing his hands up around the back of her body, he dropped her back in a dip, closing his lips again around her nipple. The angle did it and he knew as soon as he shifted her that it did.

  “Oh Tyler,” she cried, the tension flowing from her body as she tightened her thighs around his hips.

  “Give it to me,” he instructed and held her as she rode it out.

  When she was finally done, she collapsed against him, tears streaming down her face.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tyler felt the warmth of the tears that Meredith continued to shed on his bare chest. She had immediately collapsed against him and had snuggled up so tightly to him, he didn’t want to let her go. Even though she still cried, it had slowed considerably and her breathing had evened out, matching his.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, running the back of her hand across her nose.

  “Hey,” he caught her chin, tipping it so that he could look into her eyes. She felt his hand come up behind her head and tangle in her hair to keep her steady. “The pleasure was all mine. You are one hot piece of ass,” he teased.

  She gave a very unladylike snort that caused a smile to spread across his face. “I can still feel how hard you are,” she wiggled against him.

  “Doesn’t matter,” he shook his head. “This has been the most pleasure I’ve ever had. You let me worry about how hard I am.”

  That didn’t sound fair to her, almost like he was taking something away that should be hers. “What if I wanted to help you, the way you helped me.”

  For the first time, panic flared in his eyes. “I think maybe this time, I should work this out on my own,” he told her carefully, reaching down to adjust himself.

  It was cute, as a smile curved along her face. Her eyes looked up to him and just like that she took on the role of seductress. “Do I at least get to watch?”

  Good God, she was going to kill him. “If you want.”

  Untangling her body from his, she lay on her stomach facing him, obviously ready for a show.

  “You’re making me feel like I’m just a piece of meat,” he joked as he stood up and took off his shirt.

  “What a fine piece you are,” she went right along with him. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if she should run and get a dollar bill when it hit her rig
ht in the gut. Her attacker had thrown that dollar bill at her in disgust.

  “You alright?” he asked, noticing her face lose its color.

  This was important. This was one of those times in life when a conscious decision is made about your past and future. Would she continue to let her past affect her present, thereby affecting her future? She couldn’t let it anymore and she knew she had to let it go.

  “I’m fine. You just keep stripping your hot body bare,” she whooped, hoping to cover up the misstep she’d just had.

  He hadn’t missed the dead look in her eye, the panic and despair that had resided there for just a split second. Whatever it was, he wouldn’t question it and he’d do whatever she asked. He wondered if he had triggered her by accident and tucked that question in his pocket for a later time. He didn’t need to know what it was, but he wanted to know if he did something involuntarily to cause her pain. Moving his hands to the button his jeans, he raised his eyebrows.

  “You sure you can handle this?”

  The teasing was everything she needed. Laughing she sat up on her knees. “Show me all you got.”

  He made a big show of taking his jeans off and throwing them on the chair next to his cut. The boxer briefs he wore underneath outlined his manhood well. She could tell he was gifted, hopefully he was talented to. When the time came for that. The little joke caused her to giggle.

  “You’re killin’ me here baby. I’m strippin’ and I’m down to my underwear and I’m hard as stone and you’re laughin’? My self-esteem just took a huge nose dive.”

  His southern accent was much more pronounced now, a true indicator of just how turned on he was.

  She shook her head, “Just a little joke I told myself. As big as you look, I realize you’re gifted, but are you talented too?”

  Taking off his underwear, he flicked it behind him and sauntered over to the bed. “I have no problem showing you just how talented I am at a later date,” he promised, his large hand going to where his cock stood at attention.

  She watched, not taking her eyes off his hand. When she’d told him that she wasn’t very sexually experienced, she hadn’t been lying. This was one of the things she’d never watched, never participated in. Embarrassment rode high on her cheeks, but she promised herself she would see this through. His large hand stroked up and down along the smooth skin of his shaft, gathering the drop of clear fluid that had beaded on the end and smearing it back along as he stroked down.

  The heat in her eyes was enough to burn him. She was so intent on what he was doing that he felt like he could explode at any moment. Her tongue came out to wet her bottom lip, and he felt it on the tip of his dick. He moaned, throwing his head back.

  Meredith wondered if he realized how gorgeous he looked standing there in front of her. His feet were planted apart, his stomach muscles tightened in anticipation of what was to come, the veins on his arms sticking out as his hand gripped the hardest part of him. It was like the two of them were in a haze and it made everything that much hotter.

  “You’ve got me so worked up,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “I’m glad I didn’t get a chance to get inside you, I’d have embarrassed myself.”

  That burned her hotter than anything else he could have ever said to her. At this moment in time, she wanted him inside her, but she knew it’d be a mistake. Using her knees to walk over to him, she pressed them together so that the tip of him rubbed against her belly. She wasn’t sure how this would feel, but she knew she wanted to feel him. As much of him as she could, regardless of the feelings it brought to the surface.

  She leaned down, running her tongue around his nipple, much in the same manner as he’d done with her. The hiss that left his mouth gave her encouragement to do it again, this time using her teeth to nip at the tight skin.

  “Goddamn,” he mumbled, his hand moving faster along his length.

  Remembering what he’d said to her and how hot it’d made her, she stood up on her knees and put her lips to his ear. “Give it to me, Tyler,” she whispered, letting her teeth run along his earlobe.

  His whole body tightened, and he growled as she felt the heat of his release splatter against her belly. Surprisingly, it didn’t disgust her, it didn’t make her feel cheap. It made her feel hot, it turned her on again.

  Leaning back, she looked up into his eyes and smiled as he heaved deep breathes, trying to regulate himself back to normal.

  “For someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing when it comes to sex, baby, you’ve rocked my world, and we haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet.”

  A feeling of accomplishment washed over her. Maybe she wasn’t so bad at any of this. Maybe she’d just needed someone to pull it out of her.

  “What do you say we go take a shower?” she asked, hopping off the bed, not even bothering to wipe herself off.

  He ran a hand over his eyes. “Shower? Sounds good.” He seemed a bit out of it, and that was the best gift of all.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I took back a major part of myself today. The part of myself that had been missing. I let Tyler touch me in ways that I’ve never let a human being touch me before. Both physical and emotional. It feels like a part of me has healed. That gaping hole that was once in my stomach – causing all those jitters – it’s gone. I’m happy and ready. Ready to move on. Ready to find my rapist. I just need to figure out how to tell other people. What if they try to talk me out of it?

  “You warm enough?”

  His deep voice caused so many feelings in her now. He wasn’t just the man who protected her now. He was her lover and it felt so right. The mere fact that she was writing in her journal – in his arms – and trusting him not to be nosey, said an awful lot about how far she had come.

  “Sure am,” she assured him lazily.

  It had started raining, and she told him how much she loved the rain in the country and how it sounded against the tin of his roof. He’d suggested they go out back where he had a covered porch and a swing. He’d given her a pair of his sweats and a sweatshirt, and he’d grabbed a blanket for them to snuggle under. She now lay, cuddled against his lap as he used his toe to swing them back and forth.

  “I can’t believe you have this back here, I never pictured you as the type.”

  He shrugged and threw his arm along the back of the swing. “All my life I’ve strived for normal because I never had it growing up. I always wanted a porch swing growing up, so this was the first thing I did. I’ve never been out here with anyone else before.”

  There was the opening she’d been looking for. “You mean never been out here on the swing with anybody else or had anybody else here in general.”

  “Both, kind of” he clarified for her. “The guys don’t really come into my private sanctuary. Liam’s helped me with some of the remodeling, but nobody else cares to come here. You see how scared of the cup they are,” he grinned.

  “I think you should be honest about the cup, at least with me,” she huffed.

  He made the motion of zipping his lips and throwing away the key. “I’ll never tell.”

  “Is it okay for us to be here for this long? I know you’ve been doing stuff for the club and I hate to take you away from that,” she changed the subject.

  “I let Liam know I’d be off the grid for possibly a few days.”

  “A few days, huh?” The smile that lit up her face caused every masculine part of his body to take notice.

  “Well, you never know,” he tried to play it off. “I mean I didn’t think we’d spend two or three days here screwing like bunnies, but I thought maybe we could spend some time alone together,” he rushed to cover up.

  “I’m just giving you a hard time,” she smacked him in the stomach. “I would love to spend some alone time with you.”

  This was the part of their relationship that made him nervous. One look in her eyes and he wanted to spill his entire life story, but he’d never been the type to talk a lot about his past. With her thoug
h, he knew that it wasn’t fair to keep himself hidden away. For the two of them to work, there had to be honesty. He’d never had that in any kind of relationship before except in his club. It was scary.

  “Do I make you nervous?” she asked after the long beat of silence had passed between them.

  “You scare the fuck out of me,” he admitted on a laugh. She watched as he ran his hands through his hair.

  “How?”

  “You make me want to tell you everything and lay my soul bare. Especially after what you shared with me today, but I’m scared to do that. I don’t have a good track record with people at all, and I don’t want to send you running for the hills.”

  His honesty touched her more than anything else could have and at the same time it broke her heart.

  “You can tell me whatever you want to, Ty. It doesn’t have to be your life story and it doesn’t have to be anything you don’t want to share with me. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

  He wanted to laugh at her use of those words. They were the words he was constantly using for her. Maybe they had needed each other; maybe they’d been brought together by a force greater than themselves. For the first time, he believed that it wasn’t just a coincidence that he’d been driving by on the night of her attack, maybe it’d been the plan all along. Comfortably, she settled back against his lap, enjoying their quiet time together.

  Liam sighed, he really needed Tyler. This protection run had turned FUBAR from the word go. William was breathing down his neck about these damn protection runs. It didn’t help that they had been voted on by the club as the first show of solidarity towards Liam. Showing that they were perhaps ready to move in a different direction with another man at the head of the table. If this didn’t go well, Liam knew he would never hear the end of it.

  “I’m gonna tell you one more time Jagger, get this shit straight,” he yelled at the new brother who couldn’t seem to find his way out of a paper bag.