Tore Up (Mississippi Smoke Series Book 1)
Tore Up: Chapter 28

Bane walked over to me, carrying a blanket. I watched quietly as he placed it over me, then took a seat further down the sofa.

He had eaten dinner with me after I took my shower. He asked me questions about what all I was doing at the distillery. When we were done, he’d suggested we watch a movie.

I wasn’t sure if I had entered an alternate universe or what was happening, but I didn’t want to leave it.

At first, when he’d followed me to the pool, I had expected him to tell me swimming or too much sun was bad for me. Just something negative and bossy. That was not at all what he’d done.

Pleasant Bane was throwing me off. I kept thinking he’d snap out of it at any minute and return to being an asshole.

“I have to go to the stables tomorrow. Do you want to go with me? I’ll let you feed the horses carrots, and we have a new foal you haven’t seen,” he said.

Turning my head to look down the sofa at him, I processed what he’d just said, not sure I’d heard that right. He wanted me to go to the stables … with him.

When I didn’t say anything because I was speechless, one corner of his mouth quirked, as if he was amused.

“I won’t bite,” he teased. “I might be a while, and I don’t want you to be stuck here all day, alone.”

He’d said he wouldn’t bite like that was funny. Had he forgotten that he had held a knife to my throat and sent a bullet flying inches from my head? Because I hadn’t. My attraction to him and my secret alone time, where I thought about him, were different. In my dreams, he wasn’t the same man. In reality, he had threatened to kill me. The one-eighty he’d taken here was a jolt.

Be that as it may, I also did not think I could turn him down. That might make him go back to being mean, and we were alone here. The others were gone on some family job. Than wasn’t here to be a buffer for me.

“Okay, um, thanks,” I replied.

He didn’t say anything more as the movie began, and I pulled the covers up to my chin.

He had asked me if I liked comedy, horror, or action movies. I’d said comedy or action was best. Not having nightmares had been a relief, and I didn’t want those to return.

I didn’t know what movie he had chosen as I stared at the screen, and he hadn’t told me. There wasn’t much time for me to get interested in it before my eyes began to get so heavy that I couldn’t keep them open. Deciding that he probably wouldn’t notice if I closed them a little bit, I gave in, sighing as I snuggled into the plush sofa.

“Probably should have gone with comedy.” Bane’s deep voice was close to my ear and pulled me from the darkness.

Hands slid underneath my body, and I opened my eyes, startled, as Bane scooped me into his arms. When he began walking with me, his gaze met mine.

He smirked. “Action is not your thing.”

My entire body felt heated, pressed against his chest. He was actually carrying me. No one had ever carried me in my life. At least not since I could walk. I was stunned.

“Go back to sleep. I’ll put you in bed.”

He would put me in bed? There was no part of my body not awake now. It was all very alert—some parts more than others. I was going to embarrass myself. I had to get out of this. I also didn’t want him to have to walk up all the stairs. I wasn’t that light.

“I can walk,” I told him.

“I’m good,” was all he said.

I wasn’t good. I needed him to put me down and let me go have some alone time in my room before going to sleep.

“I, uh, need to brush my teeth and change. You don’t have to carry me up.”

He glanced down at me and then stopped. Whew. That had worked. I just hoped my knees didn’t give out on me. Because they might be weak from this experience.

His jaw looked tight, and I worried that I’d made him mad. I was starting to enjoy this Bane and really hoped the other side wasn’t coming back out.

I prefer to keep Dr. Jekyll, please, and Mr. Hyde can stay locked away.

“Okay,” he said almost reluctantly, lowering me until my feet hit the floor.

Yep, my legs were weak and slightly shaky, as was the rest of my body.

Glancing at him nervously, I managed a smile. “Good night,” I told him, not wanting him to realize the effect he had on me. Then, I turned and hurried up the stairs.

Once I was safely in my room, I closed the door, then let out a long, shaky breath. Lifting my arm to my nose, I inhaled to see if I smelled like him. Let down, I didn’t smell anything but the strawberry shampoo I also used as my body wash since I’d run out of the soap I had brought with me.

My eyes went to my bed, and I anxiously began to undress and went to get my pajamas. I slipped on my top, then paused when I reached for my bottoms. Deciding it would be easier without those since I was going to need to get myself off before I could go back to sleep, I left them in the drawer and closed it.

Going to the bed, I picked up my bottle of sleep aids and took one, then pulled the covers back and climbed inside. Lying on my back, I slid my hands down into my panties and sighed. With images of Bane, I used my imagination. It didn’t take long before I was muffling my cry when I climaxed. Smiling, I tucked my covers up and under my chin before closing my eyes and drifting off.

He was here. My dream Bane. His warm, hard body was sliding under the covers with me. I shivered with anticipation. These dreams normally began with him already in bed, but this time, I got to feel as he moved close to me. His hand went over my back. I pressed closer, and his hand stilled.

I heard his sharp intake of breath as his body tensed.

“Ah fuck,” he whispered. “Where are your shorts, pretty girl?”

I’d forgotten about those. My dream was going to be more accurate than I’d expected. I buried my face in his chest to inhale. Bane’s palm was flat on my lower back, making that area tingle from his touch. It began to slowly ease down until his fingertips brushed against the satin and lace of my panties. He let out a ragged sigh, and his hand flinched.

I wiggled against him, not wanting him to stop.

“No,” his low voice scolded me. “Let me hold you. That’s enough.”

I disagreed. I wanted dream Bane to do more than just hold me. But like the real Bane, I didn’t want to anger him. I rubbed my cheek on his pec, loving how it felt. How he smelled. When I moved my leg up to slip between his, he didn’t hesitate. But he never did anymore. I scooted my body closer until his thick thigh was touching the crotch of my panties.

That was wonderful. Why hadn’t I done that before?

A deep noise vibrated in his chest, and my already-hard nipples tightened more. I rocked against him, just the slightest move, not wanting him to tell me no. When he said nothing, I did it again and again. This was even better than my fingers. The ache between my legs turned into a throb.

Bane’s chest rose and fell in short, fast breaths. Did this feel good to him too? His palm felt like a gentle caress as it lowered until it was covering one of my butt cheeks. A satisfied groan came from Bane, and I started rocking harder. The friction building.

“Sweet girl”—his voice was low and thick—“you need to stop.”

No. No, not yet. Please not yet.

I was so close, and I wanted to feel what it was like to orgasm with his arms around me.

His hand crept down until his fingertips were so close to my wet folds that I wanted to plead with him to touch me. Slip his fingers inside me. Oh God. I let out a moan, lifting my bottom back so that it forced his fingers over the fabric sticking to the wetness between my legs.

“Fuck.” His hoarse whisper made me tremble. “Ah, pretty girl.”

I rubbed his thigh, then went back enough that his fingers ran over me too.

I was close. Almost there.

Bane let out a pained groan, and then he did it. His fingers went beneath the fabric until he was touching my clit. I fought back the orgasm, wanting this to last.

“Hot,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to my head. “Swollen.” His lips traveled down my face. “Soaked.”

I began to shake as the release came. Nothing had ever felt that good, and this was just my drug-induced imagination. He took his hand away as I eased back against him. His arms locking around me. I began to drift.

The words, “So fucking sweet,” sent a warmth of pleasure over me as I faded.