One and Only Read online

  “Yes, Atticus. Yes.” She stroked his skin, taking the decision out of his hands. “Make love to me.”

  “Are you certain?” He pulled back only slightly. “I don’t want to hurt you. I hated to leave even one small bruise on your skin when I could easily have healed them all.”

  “You could never hurt me,” she reassured him. “And we needed to leave some of the bruises to show the nice ambulance men,” she teased with a coy smile. “But I want you now, Atticus. I don’t want to have to wait until they let me out of the hospital. I can’t go two minutes without wanting you. I’m addicted to you.” She laughed to ease his strain, cupping his cheek and looking deep into his mesmerizing eyes.

  “You do the same to me, Lissa, and it’s an addiction I pray never to quit.” He swooped in for a devastating kiss, aligning his body with hers on the plush sofa. “I can’t resist you. But we do this my way. I don’t want you in any pain whatsoever.”

  “Whatever you say… Master.” She gave him a saucy smile as she read his need for domination in their shared minds. She was getting better at reading him the more they were together, though the idea that they were One still boggled her mind.

  He growled and nipped her neck playfully, then worked his way down her body. They were both naked and he took full advantage, pausing to lick one pointy nipple into his mouth, then the other until she was writhing on the soft fabric.

  “Please…” she moaned in need.

  “Don’t move.” Atticus left her sensitive breasts, nipping the swell of her tummy next as he worked his way downward. Strong hands pushed her thighs apart until one foot rested over the back of the sofa, the other on the floor. Then his mouth was on her, sucking her, his tongue stroking with flickering little licks that set her on fire.

  Her passion rose like a skyrocket, bursting into a little explosion even as he pushed one long finger into the slick heat that was more than ready for deeper invasion.

  “Atticus!” He rode her through the tiny storm, letting the waves break only to build again, stronger than before. She could feel him holding back, letting her pleasure override his own through their bond, and she loved him for it. He was so afraid he might inadvertently hurt her. The care he showed her was a beautiful thing and she was humbled by it, but she wanted him. She didn’t want to wait any longer for his possession.

  Atticus growled as he sat up. “This isn’t going to work.” He ran one hand raggedly through his hair. The gesture was endearing considering his frustration was all because of his care for her. Lissa followed him, crawling over him until she was seated on his lap. She’d never been so aggressive in lovemaking before, but she knew he liked it. He was probably as surprised as she was by her actions, but definitely fired up as she straddled his straining erection.

  “I know you wanted to do this your way, but I like my way better.” She stroked his cheek with hers, rubbing against him like a cat. She felt so sexy in that moment, it was a wonder she didn’t purr. The silly thought brought a smile to her lips as she licked over his firm jaw and down to his neck. Two could play the neck nibbling game, though her teeth were admittedly not up to the task the way his were. Still, the sensation of her blunt teeth over his skin seemed to inflame him.

  “Harder,” he urged her, when she bit down on the muscle where his neck met his strong shoulder. She obliged, noting the little dents her teeth made in his skin as she pulled back.

  “I think I’m going to love biting you after you change me.”

  He stilled. “You really want that? You’ll join me in my darkness?”

  “I’ll join you in the dark, in candlelight, in the ocean, in an airplane. Anywhere you are, I’ll be there.” She gave him a shy look from under her eyelashes, playing with him. “If you want me.”

  “If I want you?” He growled and flipped her over his legs, ass up. He swatted her butt and made her squeal with pleasure. “Woman! How could you doubt it? I’ll gladly join the mile high club with you. I have a friend with a very nice jet he’d be willing to loan us. Just name the date.”

  She giggled as he rubbed her stinging bottom, then spanked her again.

  “Are you laughing at me, Lissa?” His mock outrage made her laugh harder as her breathing sped. His hand came down in sharp slaps against the fleshy part of her ass, driving her higher.

  She loved it. She didn’t understand it. She’d never been spanked by any man before Atticus, but with him, it just felt right…and really, really exciting.

  “I asked you a question, wench.”

  She had to think back to remember what he’d been saying as his hand landed a few more times. She was more than hot at this point. She was steaming and ready for anything he could give her.

  “Um…”

  “What was that? I asked you if you were laughing at me, sweetheart.”

  “No. No, I’m not laughing at you.” She gasped as his fingers began to travel the crack of her ass, dipping within the slick heart of her to tickle and tease, making her yearn for more. “Please, Atticus! I need you now.”

  “Are you sure? Do you think you’ve been a good girl? Do you deserve a treat?”

  She could have slapped him when he laughed, but she knew it was all in good fun. Still, she wasn’t feeling very humorous at the moment. No, at the moment, she needed him inside her. She needed him. Period.

  He toyed with her, his fingers driving her crazy—a poor substitute for what she really wanted. She wiggled and moaned, but he was merciless.

  “Atticus… Please.”

  He finally took pity on her, lifting her up and placing her on her back, positioning her like a rag doll. He was so strong, he took her breath away. Yet he was as gentle with her as if he handled the most delicate crystal. He paused above her, his hard cock so close to where she wanted it most, but he made her look into his eyes as he braced himself above her on his elbows.

  “I love you, Lissa.”

  Her heart melted. “I love you too.” Her pledge was spoken in a whisper, stronger for its emotional depth. She felt their words ringing through the bond they shared, making it stronger. “Come to me, Atticus. I need you.”

  “I’ll always need you,” he confirmed as he took her lips and claimed her body with one smooth move. He pushed inside her, sliding easily in the thick arousal he’d caused. She moaned as she felt him slide all the way home. Where he belonged.

  Chapter Six

  The ride was only just beginning. Atticus paused for just a moment as he kissed her long and deep, but soon he was thrusting in long sweeps, almost pulling out only to plunge home again, over and over. She cried out and wriggled under him as his motions drew her higher. He knew just how to move to give her the most pleasure.

  That this spectacular man was all hers only heightened her passion. She’d known him such a short time, but time meant little to something as powerful as their love. Their joined souls meant they knew the core of each other’s personality without even trying. They were truly One.

  She felt his raging desire as a reflection of her own as he drove them both faster and higher. She clutched at his shoulders as he lowered his head, stroking his tongue over her neck as the sharp points of his fangs dropped to zing her with little pinpricks of unexpected pleasure before sinking deep into her jugular.

  The moment he struck, her orgasm began and it went on and on while he sucked at the sensitive skin of her neck. She felt him come as he pulled her essence into himself, bathing her in a wash of his pleasure. Lissa cried out at the wonder of their shared souls, their shared passion, their shared bodies. She loved this man more than anyone or anything she’d ever known and would for the rest of their days.

  Atticus withdrew his teeth from her skin and licked over the wounds, sparking closure of her wounds so there was no mark left to mar her skin or betray his predilection for biting her. She was too sated to do more than follow when he lifted her over his body, changing their position so she’d be more comfortable as her eyes closed and sleep overtook her.

  �
�I’ve been granted a miracle, Lissa. I love you more than life and I’ll never let you go. Never.” He kissed her temple as he settled her over his heart.

  The last thing she heard as she drifted off was his words of love. She slept against her mate with a smile curving her lips.

  Much later, Atticus placed calls to both the resort and the police, spinning a tale about how Lissa had just shown up on his doorstep out of the blue. Atticus brought her to the bedroom he kept above ground and gave her some of his clothes to wear. She had just enough time to clean up while an ambulance was summoned. His shirt was too large for her as she emerged from the bathroom of the master suite and she looked adorable in it.

  “They’ll be here soon, my love. Undoubtedly, they’ll want you to go to the hospital, maybe even keep you there until tomorrow.” He took her hand, drawing her down to sit beside him on the downy bed. “I regret I cannot go with you, but it wouldn’t make much sense to the authorities. I don’t want to raise any sort of suspicion. Plus, it’s bound to take a while for them to reassure themselves that you’re all right. Likely they won’t let me be near you while they run their tests and it could take all night.” He shrugged. “The police will likely want to take my statement and check my land, so I’ll need to be here to show them around. I could cloud their minds, of course, and the people at the hospital, but crowds are tricky. If I miss even one mind, I could be putting us both in danger of discovery. It’s safer for me to remain here, all things considered. Being caught out in the sun is dangerous for my kind, as it will be for you once you are turned.”

  She smiled, assuring him of her love. “I’ll enjoy the sun for a few days yet, but I won’t miss it too much, if I can have you in return.”

  “You’ll always have me, my love.” He drew her knuckles to his lips in a gentle kiss. “Once you square things away with the hotel, I want you to come back to me. Tomorrow night, I want you to lie beside me, here, in our home.”

  “I want the same thing, Atticus. I’ll get my stuff from the hotel and be knocking on your door right as the sun goes down.”

  He drew away to reach into his trouser pocket, producing a set of keys as they both stood. “You don’t ever have to knock. What’s mine is yours. This is your house too. You will make it a home as it has never been…until now.” He pressed the ring of keys into her palm, closing her fingers around the cold metal while her eyes filled with tears.

  She hugged him close, burying her face against his chest. He held her for long moments, until at last, he heard the buzzer that indicated a vehicle was at the gate leading to his estate.

  “They’re here.”

  “I know.” She pulled away with a sad expression on her lovely face. “But I don’t want to leave you.”

  “I will be near, Lissa. Wherever you go, from now until eternity, all you have to do is reach out with your mind and I’ll be there. We are One. In time, we’ll learn how to manage the joining better, but for now, just think of me and I will be with you.”

  “Same goes for me, Atticus.”

  She drew back and they walked from the bedroom, down a long hall and into the main area of the house. Atticus flicked a button on the way, releasing the gate so the authorities could make their way up the drive. They’d have to act like mere acquaintances while the humans sniffed around their home. Atticus had lived long enough to know when the wiser course of action was to play by human rules and this was one of those times.

  His new mate was human and had family and friends. They had to be careful how they managed her conversion so she could keep her human contacts for at least the length of her normal lifespan. After sufficient years had passed, they could reinvent themselves, as Atticus had done many times in the past. It was tricky to manage turning a human without cutting them off from all previous ties, but for Lissa, he would do anything. She deserved to keep her friends and family in her life and he wouldn’t make her chose between them and him—if a true mate really had a choice. He knew full well, she didn’t. Neither did he. They were destined for each other.

  The police car came into view and Atticus went to meet them at the door. He paused before opening the portal, turning to look at her as she climbed under a blanket he’d spread on the wide couch.

  “I love you more than I can ever express.”

  Her eyes filled again as her gaze met his. “Me too, Atticus.” She sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of one hand as she pulled the cover up to her chin. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can return…to you.”

  “Atticus?”

  “Here, my love.” His deep voice purred through their shared minds. “How are you holding up?”

  “They’ve got me in a private room. Things have quieted down a bit, but I had a few X-rays, plus a team of doctors checking me over in the emergency room. I think they’re satisfied that I’m okay. As you suspected, they admitted me for the night. A nurse is supposed to wake me up every hour to check my eyes or something.”

  “They’re probably concerned about the bump on your head. Does it hurt?”

  “Not much. But you were right to leave a little bit of the damage from the crash. They’re already marveling over how well I came through the wreck that killed everybody else.”

  “I’m sorry I had to leave a single mark on your beautiful body, but we have to be careful if you want to continue to live your current life.”

  “I appreciate all the thought and effort you’ve put into this, Atticus. I love my family and friends, but I love you more, especially for going out of your way to preserve my relationships with them. You’re a special, amazing man and I can’t believe you’re in my life.”

  “Same here, my love. And of course we need your family and friends, otherwise who will we invite to our wedding?”

  She paused, the flavor of her shock, delight and awe coming through loud and clear. “You want to marry me?”

  “Oh, yes. A wedding like you’ve always dreamed of, Lissa. With all the trimmings, including a big bridal party. I guess I’ll have to come up with groomsmen to balance out your old college friends, eh?” His chuckle sounded through their minds. “But we’ll have to have an evening wedding, of course.”

  “I can’t believe it.”

  “Believe it, my love. I never thought to marry, and in the eyes of my people, we are already mated, but I know from your thoughts how important this is to you. I want you to have the ceremony and the reception of your dreams. That is, if you’ll consent to be my wife. Sorry, I should have asked that first. Will you marry me, Lissa, and make me the happiest of men?”

  “Yes! Yes, I’d be delighted to marry you, Atticus. I love you.”

  “Hold that thought, love, for this evening. Dawn approaches and I must seek shelter for the day. Will you be all right today?”

  “I’ll be fine. They let me call my friend Jena. She’s a doctor. She should be here any minute, though she’s not on staff at this hospital. She’ll gather the rest of the group and they’ll take good care of me. I’ll get my things from the hotel and be at your place as soon as I can ditch my friends.”

  “Our place, Lissa. This vineyard is your home now too. Or we could move someplace else if you want. I’ll live anywhere, as long as you’re there.”

  “I know how much you love the vineyard, Atticus. That you’d be willing to give it up for me means a lot, but there’s no need. The place is a dream. The house is lovely and the grounds are gorgeous. I’ll be happy living there…with you.”

  “Good. Then hurry home, love. I’ll be awaiting your return.”

  Jena entered Lissa’s hospital room shortly after dawn, waking Lissa with her presence. Not long after Jena assured herself that Lissa really would be all right, their friend Kelly arrived with a change of clothes for when the doctors sprung Lissa later that morning. As Lissa had predicted, the troops were rallied and her friends circled around her, taking turns sitting with her and talking until the doctors let her go with a few words of instruction and a bottle of p
ain relievers.

  Over their objections, Lissa had her friends take her first to the resort to collect her bags, which had been sent ahead. That accomplished, they took her home and stayed for lunch. Lissa laid the groundwork for her new relationship with Atticus by telling them of her plan to visit the man who’d rescued her, to return his shirt.

  “Should you be driving after that knock on the skull?” Kelly wanted to know.

  “The doctors said I’m fine, right, Jena?” Lissa turned her gaze on the doctor and Jena had to admit she was right. “Besides, I’m just going to drop off the shirt he let me use. Believe me, if you’d seen this man, you’d want to do the same.”

  “He’s that good looking?” Jena asked as she poured tea for them all in Lissa’s small kitchen.

  “Better,” Lissa said with a grin. “His name is Atticus Maxwell and he has lovely, mysterious eyes.”

  “Maxwell? The Atticus Maxwell who owns the most exclusive winery in the entire valley? They say he’s a bit of a recluse, and eccentric too, though he bottles some of the best wine in the country—maybe even the world. It’s won all kinds of awards,” Kelly said with surprise widening her eyes. “Honey, he’s one of the richest men in the valley. You showed up on his doorstep?”

  “I didn’t know whose house it was. It was just the first one I saw after walking away from the accident in a daze.”

  “You were very lucky, Lissa. And blessed. Somebody upstairs was watching over you.” Jena’s voice dropped to a hushed whisper. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  A group hug followed and soon after, Lissa was able to usher her friends out the door of her apartment with promises to call the next day, or sooner, if she needed anything. Lissa set about packing her belongings, but only a few. She couldn’t do anything too obvious yet. Atticus had cautioned her that they had to move slowly. But she filled a suitcase with clothes and shoes, taking a few mementoes that she wanted to have with her at his house. She watered her plants and closed up the apartment so it would be okay for a few days. It was unlikely she’d be back anytime soon. She wanted to spend every moment with Atticus and she knew he felt the same.