Touched Read online

  We sit here chatting, but I’m getting more and more worried when Knox doesn’t appear. Finally, about thirty minutes later I hear him call my name from the family room. Tabbie smiles and nods to the doorway, and I give her a small smile back then stand and walk to him. As soon as I enter the room, he takes two huge steps and pulls me into his arms. “Thank you for giving me a little time to look around.” He squeezes me tighter until I have trouble breathing but who needs air if I can comfort him. “I don’t know if I can stay here tonight but leaving isn’t an option.”

  Rubbing his back, he finally releases his death grip on me a little, so I’m able to look up at him. “I’ll do anything or go anywhere with you. You just say the word, darling.”

  He leans down and kisses me softly. “I can’t begin to tell you how much having you here with me helps, more than you’ll ever know.” My heart just stopped beating with his words, and I lean up and kiss the hell outta his mouth. Damn, it’s getting warm in here. A clearing of a throat caused us to split apart. His arm still wrapped around my shoulder, and he chuckles.

  “What do you say I cook us up some dinner and settle in for the night,” Tabbie laughs and heads back to the kitchen.

  § § § §

  Looking around my old bedroom isn’t quite as bad with my girl next to me. Good thing Tabbie cleaned up the room and put clean sheets on my old bed. Jade gives me a quick kiss and then takes her small bag to the bathroom down the hall, so I remove my shirt, put on my sleep pants and climb into bed, resting my head on my arm and stare up at the ceiling. My eyes snap to the doorway when she walks in. Closing the door quietly behind her, she leans against it, looking nothing more than sexy in her short camisole and matching sleep panties. I lick my lips as she saunters over, climbs in bed next to me and snuggles into my side, her body smelling sweet and feels so warm. “Mmmm, I’m sorry. I’m exhausted,” she yawns into my chest. My arm wraps around her, holding her tight when I hear her soft and light breathing as she quickly falls asleep. I don’t think I’ll be that lucky as I try desperately to fight off all the memories trying to invade my mind.

  Sometime later I startle awake to someone screaming, the bed shaking in violent movements. “Nooooooo! Don’t touch me!” Shrills in my ears.

  “Shhhh, darling. KNOX!”

  I open my eyes to find I’ve pinned Jade down, my body on top of hers and my hands holding her wrists above her head, her hands white from the pressure. I’m panting as my heart beats wildly and sweat dripping from my forehead. Quickly, I release her as I jump off her and turn around sitting on my side, my elbows resting on my raised knees and my hands running through my hair as I try to calm myself down. She’s sitting by my side but not touching me.

  “I’m… I’m sorry. I knew… I knew this would happen. I should have warned you or had you sleep in a different room or I should have slept on the couch. I…” I can’t seem to form the words that I want to, and I’m suddenly afraid I’ve hurt her.

  She leans over, rubs my back and kisses my cheek. “Shhh, now. It’s ok and to be expected. Such horrible memories are surrounding you right now. Let me help.” She moves until I lower my legs as she straddles my lap, her mouth claims mine instantly, and my tongue doesn’t hesitate to move in. I roll us over until I’m hovering over her, my hand moving underneath her small shirt and grasping her breast as her back arches up pushing it into my hand even more. Her hands find the waistband of my pants and starts pulling them down quickly, but I release her breast and grab her wrist gently. “No, you don’t have to, Angel.” She smiles, nods and I let go of her hand as she proceeds to push my pants down, then using her feet to move them further until I kick them off completely.

  I look into her loving eyes that are now full of desire. “Make love to me, Knox. Let me help make new, wonderful memories for you here. Let’s take away the bad ones together. Let me love you,” she whispers as I help her remove her top and panties. Fuck! I’m going to cum just by her words. The most beautiful words I’ve ever heard.

  My mouth attaches to hers as my hand moves down her flat stomach and onto her pussy. Her hips buck as I insert a finger into her wetness. She moans loudly, pushing on my arms when suddenly she grabs my fully erect cock and tries to push me into her. I rub my face against her cheek, whispering in her ear, “You’re so eager, so responsive to my touch. God, you make me rock hard for you.” I slide just the tip into her, and her hips move up to try to push it in further. “I love how you want me so badly. Fuck! I’m not going to last long. I want you so much!” My cock enters her, and I push my hips, diving in as deeply as I can go, but she’s so fucking tight. My head snaps down at her. She’s panting as she breathes heavily. “Baby? I know you’re not a virgin but damn, you’re so tight. Are you protected?”

  “Ungh!” she moans loudly. Her eyes close, but quickly they open, staring into my soul, her chest rising and falling fast with our movements. “Yes, I… I’ve been on the pill for years and I… You really want to talk about this now?” Her head rises, with one brow raised, then her head lowers back to the pillow as a loud moan escapes and echoes in the tiny room.

  No more talking is necessary as my thumb finds her clit and begins making circles as our tempo increases, moving in and out of her faster and faster, and she meets me with every move, so in tune with each other. Finally, after one hard thrust, I feel her muscles clench around my cock, causing me to move harder, faster, until she lets out a loud guttural moan. My mouth immediately covers hers to muffle the sound as she climaxes, which only makes me cum so fast and hard that my body is shuddering uncontrollably while hers shakes beneath me.

  I drive into her twice more as I watch the most beautiful sight I’ve ever witnessed, her face as she rides out her orgasm. I swear her face is glowing, so radiant that it takes my breath away. I finally pull out, kiss her swollen lips as I brush some of her long hair away from her face and reluctantly climb off the bed to get a warm washcloth to clean us both off. When I return to the bedroom, I stop and just look at my love. She’s sound asleep, her body shivering slightly in the cool air, but a small smile still on her face. Wasting no time she stirs a little when I clean her. I quickly clean myself, tossing the cloth down on the floor and climb into bed, lifting her gently into my side as I cover us both up and my hand rubbing her cool arm trying to get it warm. I still when she moves a little and sigh, but then realize she’s just getting more comfortable. I glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand and see its two o’clock in the morning. I then tilt my head, resting it against the top of hers and close my eyes. I think I can sleep peacefully now.

  When I open my eyes, the light is shining in from the small window above the bed, and I actually feel rested. Stretching my arms up, I turn my head and see its noon. Wow. Then I instantly feel the coolness in the room as I turn my head the opposite way to find Jade’s side of the bed empty. I remove the covers and sit on the edge, picking up my jeans from the floor and stepping into them. Standing I pull them up, fasten them and then yawn as I head to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth, relieving myself and running a comb through my wild hair, I walk downstairs, but stop in the family room when I hear laughter coming from the kitchen.

  “And then he cried when the ice cream fell off the cone and to the floor. Poor thing. I took him back over to the stand and got him only one scoop so he would have a better chance of getting to eat it. Oh, the smile on his cute, adorable face was worth the extra money.” I remember that time as Tabbie recalls it. I was so sure I could eat a double scoop before it could melt, but instead I was clowning around and it fell off. I about bawled my eyes out.

  “Well, after seeing some of the family pictures in the house I’m surprised to see only one up of that cute little boy,” Jade speaks out sadly. Silence. I’m about to start walking in there when Tabbie speaks up again.

  “Yeah, well, the bitch from hell wouldn’t allow it and I’m shocked she even had one up on a wall. I’m sure that was an oversight on her part.” Tabbie snorted.

&n
bsp; “But the one thing I don’t understand is why Knox? Why did she hate him so much? What could such a small and sweet little child do that would make her want to treat him so badly?” Jade’s confusion isn’t unnoticed. I’ve asked myself that many times over the years, with no answers.

  I hear Tabbie sigh. “No one knows for sure. For his father loving him more than her? For him not giving her another child? For him just being alive? We’ll never know now but I don’t think we would know even if she was still alive.”

  “I feel like I’m asking so many personal questions. You can just tell me to mind my own business if you want to,” Jade remarks, and I smile when Tabbie snorts again.

  “Girl, you can ask whatever you want. Doesn’t bother me. I’m a pretty open book,” she answers Jade.

  “Well, what happened with you all this time and then after he left?” Jade asks, confused again.

  I lean against the back of the couch and cross my arms as I listen. “Oh, I hid a lot. Knox made me when she went on her beating sprees. Then, once he moved out, at sixteen, I wanted to get the hell outta dodge as soon as I could although she was so different after he left. She was not as mean, but still bitched all the time about how ungrateful he was for leaving us like he did. I had to hold my laughter in when she did that and thank God he got out. I was just really lonely without him, not having many friends and having to be here with her by myself. However, after moving out I started modeling and it didn’t take long for my career to take off. Knox keeps wanting me to model for some ad campaigns that his company works on but I dunno. He also wants me to move to Florida to be closer and now that… It will take some time to fix this house up but I think I may just do that, sell it and move to be closer to him. Oh, and to you too.”

  It becomes quiet but then I hear Jade whisper, “What happened to his father? He hasn’t told me and maybe I shouldn’t ask but…”

  “Oh, it’s no secret. It was in the papers. He committed suicide several years ago. Seriously, between my mother and his father we have some major issues in our family, but hey, Knox and I are perfectly stable if that helps.” Tabbie laughs, then Jade joins in, so I take that as my cue to join them. I walk into the kitchen, and they laugh even harder when they see me.

  I walk straight over to Jade, lift her up into my arms, her legs instantly clamping around my waist and carry her into the living room. Tabbie shouts from the kitchen, “Well, don’t mind me!” Our mouths lock as I walk, and I set her down on the back of the couch. Her legs release me, and I step in closer.

  “Mmmmmm, morning,” I say against her lips. We kiss a few seconds more then I look into her eyes, her face still seems to be glowing. “Thank you.”

  Her head tilts a little as she smiles. “For what?”

  My mouth finds hers again, her fingers twisting in my hair, which is now my favorite thing for her to do among others. I lean back, but lower my head so we’re eye to eye. “For letting me love you.” Her eyes glisten with unshed tears as she leans into me, her fingers leaving my hair and her hands wrapping around my neck as I move closer still. “What couldn’t you tell me last night when I asked you about being so tight,” I whisper in her ear. Her face lays on my chest as she begins to sob. “No, Angel. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking insensitive. I shouldn’t have asked. Shhh.”

  After sobbing for a couple of seconds her head rises and I wipe some wayward tears from her cheek as well as some of her long hair. “No. You’re nothing but sensitive and I don’t deserve you. You’re too good to me.” Now I’m the one confused, and I know she can tell that by the look on my face. She smiles. “You’re the first man I’ve been with since…” She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “You’re the only man who has ever made love to me. I haven’t been with anyone since I was raped.” Oh, my God. I knew she had the rules at the club for a reason, but I would have never thought she hadn’t been with anyone since she’d been raped. Her head lowers as if she can’t look at me, so I lift it up with my hand under her chin, her eyes closed but then finally they open and look at me. “I was a virgin when I was raped.”

  I don’t hesitate in grabbing her close to me again, my arms tightening around her, my hand holding the back of her head as her face lays against my chest again. “Jade, sweetheart. I had no idea. I’m beyond touched that you would allow me the honor of being your second time but more so that you allowed me to be your first love. And you’ve given me the greatest gift anyone could ever give. You gave me your heart. I will love it and cherish it always.”

  Her head rises and the look in her eyes is pure love. “I love you, Knox.”

  I take her hand, pulling her off the couch, and lead her into the kitchen. Tabbie looks up and smiles. “We need to celebrate. I’m in love! Let’s go out to dinner tonight to the finest restaurant we can find. I’ll call Ralph to set it up!” Tabbie straightens up in her chair, looking at me then looks at Jade and beams.

  “About fucking time!” she yells, slamming her hand on the table. We all burst out in laughter and spend the next few hours talking, and I keep watching how comfortable Jade is becoming the longer she is around us. For me? I was comfortable the moment I laid eyes on her. That’s when she stole my heart.

  CHAPTER TEN

  It’s almost time to leave, and I can’t find the earrings I packed. Dammit! I’ve looked in my small and large bag. Where in the hell did I put them? I freeze. Oh, no! I hope I didn’t forget them. I turn around as Knox walks into the bedroom, standing there in a black tux with a crisp white shirt and black tie holding a small, black velvet box in his hand stretched out towards me. My eyebrows immediately lower and my lip curls. What is he up to? After I don’t move for a couple of minutes, he chuckles and walks to me as I stand up straight with my hand on my hip. “What? What’s that, Knox? What did you do?”

  He takes my hand from my hip, turns it over and lays the tiny box in my palm then steps back. “Open it.” His smile is my undoing, so I look down, open the lid and gasp. Laying in more velvet is a set of diamond earrings, pear shaped and that sparkle so brightly they’re almost blinding. “Do you like?” My eyes move up to his gleaming ones, and I open my mouth but nothing. So I walk the two steps to him and crush my mouth against his as his arms brace around my waist pulling me even closer. “I’m going to take that as yes,” he says grinning against my mouth.

  “But when…? How…?” My eyes squint and then look down at the magnificent earrings again, admiring how they sparkle back at me.

  I take a step back. My hands begin to shake as I try to remove them from the box, but I’m almost afraid to touch them. My eyes snap up when his hand cups mine, his other hand picks up the earrings from the box and turns his hand over. There they lay in his palm, and he gives me his devilish grin. “Do you need help putting them in?” I smile and shake my head, then take one of the earrings, letting go of his hand with the box and place one in my ear then pick up the other and do the same. He takes my hand and leads me into the bathroom, then turns me around to face the mirror. In the bright lights, they really glitter. Looking into the mirror, I give him a wide smile, my teeth showing brightly, and he smiles back as he puts his hands on my hips.

  “They’re gorgeous but you don’t need to buy me expensive gifts. I love them.”

  He leans down, resting his chin on my shoulder and grins. “Not as gorgeous as you, Angel.” My heart just left my body as it soared with his loving words. “Come now. We’ll be late for our reservation.”

  Ralph pulls the SUV up alongside the curb at what looks to be the finest restaurant around here, but it was a thirty minute drive to get here. Once he’s opened our door, Knox helps me out, my light lavender dress pulling a bit with its tightness. I start to walk towards the front door, but he stops me, pulling me back against his chest as his strong arms move around my waist, his hands on my stomach and I can feel his light breath at my ear. “I didn’t tell you. You look most beautiful in that dress. I think it’s becoming one of my favorites.” Smiling, I turn my head a bit s
o I can see him behind me.

  “Only for you, darling. Always.” He smiles, then his hand moves and pinches my bottom, and I yelp. He laughs as he takes my hand to lead me into the restaurant when flashes from cameras go off all around us. I lower my head. His arm goes around me quickly and Ralph steps behind us to move us into the front door fast. We’re seated immediately at a table for three in the corner, and our waiter rushes over to take our drink orders so fast it made my head spin. Then brings us our drinks in a matter of a couple of minutes.

  “Well, let’s make a toast!” Tabbie lifts her glass and raises it to Knox and then to me. “To Knox and Jade, may their happiness never end!” We all clang our glasses together, but before I have a chance to sip, Knox puts his arm through mine, and we drink like we were just had gotten married.

  I let Knox order for me, well, because he does that so well. By the time dinner has arrived, I’m starving. “The funeral is tomorrow morning and shouldn’t take more than thirty minutes. Mother didn’t have any friends so it will just be us,” Tabbie states as she plucks her fork into her mouth.

  I watch as Knox chews, swallows, then takes a sip of wine. “Have you thought anymore about returning to Florida with us? You know I will call and have the house packed up and have everything shipped there and I’ll get the best real estate agent set up to sell it. You know it won’t get much though, right?”