Releasing Raven [Braden Security 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read online

  Finally, he raised his eyes off his hand and looked at her. “You’re beautiful,” he told her as he undid the front clasp of her bra. Raven watched as he looked back down and pushed the two halves of her bra apart and her breasts came into view. He took his hand and gentle cupped the right one, letting his fingers move over the nipple. Raven gasped at the intense feeling building inside of her that she felt from his touch. Then she felt a wet mouth engulf her breast with a hard suck, this time she moaned, raising one of her hands, and she ran it through his hair and grabbed the back of his neck to encourage him to keep going.

  Brad didn’t need encouragement, as he just raised his head enough to take the other breast into his mouth. He could smell and taste her flowery perfume on her skin. He knew he would never forget this smell for the rest of his life. Brad felt Raven raise her hips and grind her mound into his cock. He was so hard, that her heat pressing into him almost got him off. Not wanting to embarrass himself, he let her breast pop out of his mouth and he raised himself on his arms, dislodging her hold on his neck. When she tried to reach out to grab him back, he took her hands and put them over her head, holding her still for a moment. He heard her whimper at not being allowed to touch him, so he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

  “I just want to get this clothes off you so I can feel your whole body, baby. Just let me move for a minute and then it will be even better, when there are no clothes between us.” Raven let go of Brad and he slipped off the bed. Grabbing the bottom of his shirt, he raised it over his head and took it off. Next he toed off his sneakers and undid the bottom on his jean, but didn’t take them off. Bending down, he untied Raven sneakers and took her shoes and socks off. Putting his knee on the bed next to her, he reached out and undid her jeans and slowly slid them down her legs.

  Throwing her jeans on the floor, he crawled back on top of Raven on his hands and knees and gave her another kiss and helped her take her blouse and bra off. Lowering down onto his elbows, Brad felt her soft skin on his chest. Tangling his hands in Raven hair, Brad cupped her head in his hands and brought a scorching kiss to her lips.

  Raven met his every movement with his tongue with one of her own and just as hot. Brad thought he would go up in flames. He was having a hard time controlling his urge to just rip her panties off and bury himself in her heat, as far as he could go. Brad felt a small hand work its way between them and then a tight grasp on his cock. He almost exploded from that one touch.

  Knowing he couldn’t take the time to love her the way he wanted for this first time, he pushed himself up and away from her lips and rose on his knees. Taken the top of her panties, in hand, he moved back on the bed toward the edge, taking them down her legs as he moved. Reaching the end of the bed, he stood and almost caught his cock on the zipper of his pants, he wanted them off so fast. Finally hopping on one foot, he got them off and leaned down and put his hand on her ankles.

  Brad moved her legs apart, so he could see her pink womanhood covered with fine hair and glistening, in the light from the small lamp in the bedroom. Brad had never wanted a woman as much as he did at that moment. His cock stood straight out from his groin and pointed, seemingly trying to seeking her warmth. Brad looked further up Raven’s body, past the taut nipples, into the blue eyes starting back at him, smoldering with fire in them. Brad stared into her eyes as he moved her legs further apart, making room for himself as he crawled until his cock was touching her heat. Leaning down over her, he put one hand on the bed near her head and with the other he took hold of his cock and swiped it up and down her slit. Finally he couldn’t stand the feel of her on just the head of his cock, so he lowered himself until he was at her entrance and nudged the opening, just letting the head inside.

  As he did, Raven put her arms out and tried to grab his shoulders, so Brad pushed the rest of the way, in lowering himself fully over her, feeling her nails on his back. Brad just laid there for a moment, loving the feeling of his cock surrounded by her heat. Raven moved her hips and her legs spread out more, which pushed him even farther into her. Brad knew her movements meant something, but he couldn’t think of anything but moving before it ended from his first push into her. Pulling half way out of her, he sighed at the exquisite feeling of her grip on him, like she didn’t want to let him move an inch in her. She was so wet, that Brad had no trouble tunneling back in deep as he felt her cervix on his cock head. Losing control, he leaned back on his knees and took hold of both of her hips, bringing her up snugger against his groin. Speeding his movements up, he pounding his cock into her, seeking more of her heat. He could tell from the moans and heavy breathing that Raven was close and as lost in the moment as he was. Wrapping one of his hands under her butt to keep her tight to him, he took his other hand and brought it to her nub and worried it with his fingers.

  Raven’s body gave a jerk and then she pushed her head back and screamed his name. Brad buried himself one last time, bottoming out in her sheath, and let himself go. He reared his head up and moaned at the feeling of his cum trying to escape his cock head in gushes that bathed her sheath in his wet warmth. Losing his strength, he lowered himself shakily on top of her and took her lips with a breathless kiss. Rolling off her, he laid on the bed beside her and groaned. Brad put one arm over his eyes as his body shook from little aftershocks. Brad took his other hand and reached out and felt around until he felt hers and took it in his and squeezed it.

  Raven squeezed his hand back and tried to catch her breath. What had she been missing? None of the guys she had been with before her accident had every brought her to heights that Brad seem to take her. She felt a shiver come over her whole body, as it cooled in the night air. Raven brought her legs together and reached out and grabbed the covers by her side and pulled them as much over her as she could. Raven caught her breath, and went rigid, when she realized that she had actually moved her legs without thought. Were the doctors right all this time, was she crazy? There was nothing wrong with her, except in her mind? She had to get out of here and back to her house as soon as possible, so she could think. Pulling her hand from Brad’s, she put it on the bed and with her other hand pushed herself up into a sitting position. Pushing her hair away from her face, she kept the features of her face neutral, trying not to show any emotion as she looked down at Brad. Brad, was staring up at her with a worried look on his face.

  “Is anything wrong?” Brad rose on one of his elbows as he asked.

  Raven didn’t answer, just pushed the covers off and looked around the bed, finding her blouse and bra wrapped in the blanket she had just moved. With shaky hands she pushed her arms through her bra straps and hooked the clasp in the front. Then she took her blouse and put it on and started to button up the buttons. Brad’s hand came into her vision as he reached over her and stopped her hand on the last button. He was now sitting with his head bent, trying to look up into her face that she had down, watching her hands.

  “Nothing’s wrong. I just would like the rest of my clothes and I would like to go home now.” Raven took a breath and lifted her head and looked at Brad giving him a small smile, trying to make her words not sound too harsh, even though she was starting to panic. Her mind was shattered and she just needed to be home and think.

  Brad let her hand go and got up from the bed and picked up his pants and put them on. Raven could tell he was confused by his jerky movements, as he reached down and picked up her jean and panties and passed them to her, but she couldn’t talk about it now. Grabbing the panties first, she reached down to her feet and pulled them over and maneuvered them up until they were snug in place. Next she took her jeans and did the same. Brad didn’t say anything and didn’t offer to help, for which she was grateful. She didn’t know how much she could hold in, if his hands were on her. Oh God she didn’t have her chair here. He would have to carry her back. It was a struggle to get her jeans closed as she tried to hurry and her hands also were jerky, the more she tried. Once she was dressed, she didn’t know what to do. She could
n’t just get up and walk out.

  Biting her lower lip, she asked, “Do you think you could go over to my house and bring my chair back here?”

  “You don’t need your chair. I’ll just carry you back, the same way I brought you here,” Brad told her

  “No, I want my chair. You can carry me down to your driveway and I can make my own way home.” Raven knew she was being unreasonable, but right now her only thought was to get away to think, something she couldn’t do when Brad held her in his arms.

  “But…” Brad started to say and she cut him off.

  “Please just do this for me, I want it this way.”

  Brad grabbed his sneakers off the floor and made his way to the bedroom door and out, not saying anything, but Raven could see the hurt in his eyes.

  A few minutes later Brad was back. He made his way to her side of the bed and looked at her with now cold eyes. Reaching down, he curved his arms under her and picked her off the bed and bristly walked through his house and down the front steps, setting her down in her wheelchair.

  Once Raven was back in her chair she felt more in control. Turning her chair toward the street and her house, she started down the driveway. Looking back over her shoulder, she told Brad, “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I will explain later.”

  “Don’t bother. I get the picture. Do you want me to help you cross the street?” Brad asked in a bitter voice.

  “No, thanks, I’m perfectly okay on my own.” She knew Brad watched her until she was in her house. She could feel his eyes on her as she wheeled her chair as fast as she could cross the street and up the ramp to her door. As soon as she was in the house with the door secure, she wheeled further into the hallway and put her head down in her hands and sobbed.

  Chapter Eleven

  Brad walked into his house after watching Raven go safely into hers, slamming the door behind him. What the fuck had happened? Throwing himself on his couch, he plowed a hand through his long hair, pulling at it. He was so frustrated that he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to go over and shake her until she told him what was wrong. He thought, no, he knew, that she had enjoyed their lovemaking as much as he did. So what was the problem? Pushing himself off the couch, he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and walked out into his back yard. Sitting down on one of the lounge chairs, that James had also insisted that they needed, he let out a long, shaky breath. He opened his beer and sat back. Taking a gulp of his beer, he tried to think over the evening. The dinner seemed to go okay, that only left the bedroom. He thought over the steamy kisses, the soft touches and explosive ending, he couldn’t find anything that she didn’t seem to like or participate in willingly. He knew she had got off. Brad took another sip, no, it had to be something he was missing. Sitting back, he adjusted his pants, which were becoming too tight as he tried to bring every detail to mind, every caress, every touch, and every taste. Brad jumped up and started pacing the yard. Suddenly he stopped in the middle of his yard, as he remembered burying himself deep in her and how her legs had moved even wider, to allow him to sink as deep as he could. That’s it. He almost yelled “Ya-hoo!” but didn’t, it was the middle of the night and he didn’t want to wake his neighbors. But he couldn’t help the smile spreading over his face. She moved her legs. That had to be a good thing? Is that what had her so upset? Brad wanted to rush over and ask Raven if she noticed and if that was bothering her. Running into his house, he grabbed his keys beside the door and rushed out onto his driveway. Coming to a stop, he looked across the street. All the lights were out in her house. Brad felt the adrenalin rush out of him, at his disappointment that he couldn’t see her tonight and set things right between them. Tossing his keys up in the air, he caught them. He couldn’t help feeling great anyway, she had moved her legs. Turning, he walked back into his house, anxious for the morning to arrive.

  Everything the next morning went wrong for Brad. It seemed all the guys had to talk to him and the furniture was delivered just as he finished his last phone call. Opening the door for the moving men, he noticed the wheel-trans in her driveway. Damn, he would have to wait. The afternoon was waning and she still hadn’t returned. Brad couldn’t stand being cooped up in his house.

  Changing into his jogging clothes, he left the house and started around the block. He didn’t want to go too far and miss her coming back. Brad ran the block so many times, he knew the people living in the houses, would wonder what he was doing and maybe call the cops, so he finally gave up and when back home. It was dusk now and he was starting to get hungry, he hadn’t stopped for lunch as he helped the men move the furniture around the rooms in his house. Walking into the kitchen, he pulled a microwave dinner out of the freezer and put it in. Walking back to his bathroom to the shower, Brad pulled his sweaty clothes off as he went. Five minutes later Brad was back in the kitchen, with a towel wrapped around his hips. He had taken one of the fastest showers he ever had. He didn’t want to miss seeing her return. He couldn’t wait to see her. He wanted her in his arms again, as soon as he could.

  He kept looking out the front living room window every few minutes and when his dinner was ready he took it out with him and sat down eating in a chair that was pointed toward the window. He had pulled the curtain back so it didn’t hinder his view of her house across the street. The room was dark and the street lights had come on and Raven still hadn’t returned. A few people had gone by walking their dogs and had given Brad a strange look from the sidewalk as he sat staring out his window at Raven’s house. He didn’t give a shit if the neighbors thought he was strange, so be it, he wasn’t deserting his post. As a sniper in the army, he had spent many days and nights staking out a target, so this was nothing to him. He had put clothes on and had grabbed a beer, so he could wait here all night if necessary. Brad finally woke around dawn with a start. He couldn’t believe he had fallen asleep, maybe he was getting too old and comfortable now, with a home and new life in the suburbs. Looking across the street he saw Les, her brother’s car in the driveway. He watch Les get out of the car and move to the back passenger seat and open it and pull Raven’s wheelchair out of it. He then closed the door and opened the front and helped Raven get out and into her chair, then they both disappeared into the house.

  Brad started pacing in his living room, his gaze never leaving Raven’s house. An hour passed before he saw Les come out of the house and leave. Brad knew it was probably too early and she was probably tired after being out all night, but he couldn’t wait any longer. He admitted to himself that he was worried and he wouldn’t get any rest until he saw she was okay. He needed to see her and cleared the air between them. With a determination that he usually only felt when he was starting a mission, Brad stalked out his door and crossed the street and was knocking on her door before he really knew what he was going to say when he saw her. When he didn’t hear anything, he took his fist and pounded on the door. Now he was here, he wasn’t going to allow her to ignore him. Finally, he heard cursing on the other side of the door, and Raven asked, “Who is it?”

  “It’s me, Brad. Let me in,” he said impatiently.

  “Brad, it’s not morning yet, go away.”

  “I don’t care, just let me in. I’m not going away, until I see that you’re okay. It took you a long time to come to the door.”

  “Oh, for god sakes, did you forget that it takes me longer to do most things? I’m fine and want to go back to bed,” Raven replied raising her voice.

  “God, I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I just wanted to make sure that you were…” Brad didn’t know how to emphasize his deep need to see her,

  “Fine,” she yelled, and the door lock snapped open and she pulled the door open a bit and stuck her head out.

  Brad just stood there and looked his fill. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was scared that he had somehow scared her and she had left for good.

  “Well, what do you want to say?” Raven had a mulish look on her face.

  “Can’t we have this conversation inside
, so all the neighbors don’t hear us?”

  “Oh, are we having a conversation? It looks to me like you are trying to barge in here, banging on my door at this time of night.”

  “Well you were gone all day and came back with your brother. I got worried and couldn’t wait until morning to find out if something was wrong.” Brad tried to put his most forlorn look on his face. He saw James try this tack many times with Avery and she always seemed to forgive him.

  Raven pulled back into the hallway, allowing him to enter the house.

  “And that puppy dog look is not going to sway me. So forget it.” Turning her chair, she led Brad into her living room.

  Brad followed her after closing the front door. Putting his hand in his pockets, he stopped a few feet from her.

  “Look, I’m sorry, but we didn’t part on the best terms yesterday. You disappear today and, well, it’s just my instinct to look after anyone I care about. As to the look, I stole it from James.”

  Raven laughed. “And how well does it work for him?”

  “Avery always seems to fall for it,” Brad said with a grin.

  “Well remember, I’m not Avery. I don’t fall for and don’t like a charade. If you have something to say, just spit it out.”

  Brad took his hands out of his pockets, making his way closer to her, he dropped on his knees. Reaching out, he took hold of her chair’s handles, surrounding her with his arms. He shook the chair to get her attention. When he had her gaze trapped with his, he reached over and gave her a quick kiss.

  Pulling back, he said, “I’m sorry for anything I did. I missed you today and got a little anxious, so can we start again? After you tell me what I did wrong the other night?”

  Raven felt terrible as she looked into Brad brown eyes, he really seemed like he was worried. It was her fault for freaking out and running the other night with no explanation. He was a great guy to apologize when nothing was his fault.