First Sight_Never Give Up, Never Give In Read online

  ***

  A pounding at her door is what woke her. Jessica rolled to the side and sat up slowly. She glanced at her bedside clock. The light that came in through the sheer drapes and threw shadows across her wood floor were not right, but she couldn’t put her finger on why.

  As Jessica made her way to her door, the pounding got more persistent as the seconds passed. “I’m coming,” she tried to yell, but it only came out as a croak. It took her a moment to unlock the door. “Garrett, what are you doing here?”

  He moved past her into the apartment and set a sack down on the sofa table. He walked back and closed the door.

  For some reason, a shiver ran down her back in apprehension at the click of the lock.

  Garrett’s arms crossed over his chest as his gaze roamed over her and took in her short, white nightgown and sleep-tussled hair. Jesus. Had he ever seen anything sexier than this little woman? His mouth watered, and his body ached. He didn’t know how much longer he could go without her tucked under him and he as deep as he could get inside her. He hardened painfully, stopping his breath in his chest for a moment. He dragged his eyes up to her face and cleared his throat. “Would you like to tell me why you haven’t answered anyone’s phone calls? And once again, you opened the door without asking who it was.”

  Jessica lifted one hand, pushed her wild hair out of her face, and looked around. Dismay and confusion skipped across her pale face. “I’m sorry. I actually don’t know where my phone is. I think I put it in my purse, but I have seemed to have lost that.”

  Garrett looked up at the ceiling and took several deep breaths. When he looked back at her, his eyes looked just as angry, but calm and not frantic like a minute before. He’d lost it when he driven to the shelter with food and they told her they’d been trying to call her all morning. One of them was just about to head over, but Garrett came instead.

  “I’ve only been gone a few hours, Garrett. It’s like nine o’clock. I was planning on going in before six tomorrow morning.”

  Garrett shook his head before he took the few steps that separated them, and his heavy hands landed on her slim shoulders. “Baby, it is morning.”

  “What? No, Garrett. I’ve only been asleep for a few hours, and I came home around four, I think.”

  “Jessica. It’s nine o’clock in the morning on Tuesday.”

  Jessica jerked in shock and tried to pull away. “Oh, my God, Garrett. I’ve got to get to the shelter.” Now she realized why the amount of sunlight coming through her windows looked off.

  He pulled her reluctant body against his and wrapped his arms around her. “Baby, I was just there. Kari has everything under control. She told me she hadn’t worried until she couldn’t get a hold of you earlier this morning. She knew you hadn’t been at the shelter last night like you said you would be, but she said you had been going full speed since Saturday afternoon just about nonstop. She said you managed to get in a few quick naps, but that was it. She knew you had to be wiped out.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist, still a little weak, and shook her head in dismay. “I slept close to seventeen hours. That’s crazy.”

  Raw anger shot through him. “No, what’s crazy is pushing yourself as hard as you did. I knew I should have come to the shelter earlier to check on you, but I thought you’d be so busy, I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

  They were both silent. Garrett’s nose pressed into her hair and breathed deeply and took in her scent. “When was the last time you ate anything?”

  She turned ridged. “I don’t remember,” she whispered nervously under her breath.

  “Are you kidding me?” he said calmly but with clenched teeth and pulled her toward the sofa. “Come sit. I’ve brought some muffins and breakfast sandwiches. I left some at the shelter for your staff.” He pulled the food out and spread it on the table in front of her and unwrapped one of the sandwiches. “Start eating, baby. I’ll go get you some juice.”

  Once in the kitchen, Garrett pressed his forehead against the coolness of the fridge. He couldn’t seem to make his heart stop racing. When he’d found out she’d been unreachable, he’d panicked. He made it across the city in half the time it usually took him. He started to calm when he saw she was all right but then got a look at her.

  For a small woman, she had long feminine legs with softly defined muscles in her thighs and calves. He couldn’t stop the image of those legs wrapped around his waist as he took her. He groaned low in his throat as the image flashed across his brain.

  “Is everything okay, Garrett?” Jessica called from the living room.

  He squeezed his eyes shut and cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m coming.” He gritted his teeth against the ache of his erection that rested heavily in his pants. It was going to be torture being near her with only her thin short nightgown and his pants between them and to not lay her down and sink into her so deep, she’d never get the feel of him out of her mind.

  “Here you go, baby.” He handed her the glass and tried to keep his gaze from her half-naked body. He unwrapped a muffin and put it down on the sandwich wrapper. “Here, baby, eat some of this too.”

  Jessica smiled up at him. “Thank you for feeding me. It seems you do that a lot. And for thinking of my staff.”

  Garrett wiped a crumb off the corner of her mouth with his thumb. “Someone has to.”

  She shrugged and kept her eyes on the food and took little bites. “I’m usually very good at taking care of myself, Garrett. I’ve been doing it a long time.” A smirk crossed her face. “You just don’t like what I eat.”

  He narrowed his eyes and nodded. “You’re right about that. You eat like a teenager, and I don’t like the small amount you eat.”

  Jessica tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked up at him. She exhaled. “Garrett, you’ve got to remember, I’m half your size.”

  “Oh, I know exactly what size you are,” he said as he leaned forward and placed a hard kiss on her lips. “The perfect size for me.”

  She snorted. “If you like women you could put in your pocket.”

  He nodded slowly, and his features took on a serious tone. “Yes, I would very much like you in my pocket. And in my house, my bed, and I’d very much like to be in you. Anywhere.”

  Crumbs from the sandwich in her hands scattered on the hardwood floor. She was pulled into a whirlwind of desire so quick, she lost her breath. A hiss escaped between her lips, and she jumped when his heavy hand landed on her naked thigh. She’d forgotten she wasn’t wearing anything but a pair of cotton panties and a short baby-doll nightgown. She looked down in shock at the large, dark, masculine hand that covered her pale, slim thigh, and the contrast between her light soft skin and his hard dark skin drove another rush of fervor through her. Her gaze traveled to her nipples that tried to poke through the thin fabric before raising her eyes to his dark ones.

  “God, baby, don’t look at me like that, or I’m liable to carry you to bed.”

  Jessica’s eyes locked on his as she swallowed then gingerly placed her hand on top of his. “Would that be such a bad thing?” She breathed.

  “Dammit.” He growled and pulled his hand away from her thigh, stood, and walked toward the patio door with his hands on his hips and his head hanging.

  Jessica looked at his rigid back and felt a spear of pain and something like dread tighten in her stomach. What was she thinking? She should have kept her mouth shut. She lowered her gaze to the forgotten meal and blinked several times. God, when would she learn? She wasn’t the type of person people wanted in their lives the way she needed them, even if they said they did, like Garrett just had.

  Her parents taught her that. Of all the things they’d said and done to her, the insult “no one would ever want you” sunk the deepest and forever tarnished her self-esteem. And God forbid if she forgot that lesson, they would beat it back into her either with words or drunken fists. She had to get used to being alone and appreciate what she did have.

  “Garrett,
thank you for the food.” She stood and tried to keep emotion out of her voice. If she could get to the bathroom and lock herself in, she could silently release some of the pain that tightened her chest and made it difficult to breathe. “I’m sorry, but I have to get ready and go to the shelter.” She walked toward the hallway to her bedroom. She turned at the last minute and cringed at the angry look on his face. “I’m really am sorry I made you uncomfortable. That was not my intention.” Jessica turned before any tears fell and hadn’t taken two steps before an arm like a steel band wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the floor. Her scream at the sudden move was cut off when a growl tore from him and blew roughly against her ear.

  “I don’t know what the hell is going through that pretty head of yours, but I can assure you it’s not right, and I’m afraid it’s probably going piss me off.” He hissed harshly as he carried her with one arm around her hips to the sofa and sat down before he put her sideways on his lap. He placed one arm behind her back and the other over her legs with his hand hot on her thigh. His gaze trekked over her face and the look he could only describe as defeat and the sight of her tears hit him hard. “Now why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?” Although his voice was soft, it broke no argument.

  Jessica took a deep breath and kept her eyes on her hands that lay in her lap and concentrated on swallowing back the tears stuck in her throat. Dammit, why I did have to turn around, she thought. She would have made it to the bathroom had she not paused.

  “Jessica, look at me.”

  She reluctantly raised her head.

  “What are you thinking, baby? Why are you so sad?” A band tightened across his chest at the tears she tried to hold back.

  Jessica shrugged and stayed silent. Misery pulled her down.

  “Jessica, we’re not going anywhere until I get an answer, and I’m warning you I will know if you’re telling me the truth.” A purr of soft menace entered his voice, and his eyes revealed the threat of punishment if she failed his request.

  She took several deep breaths and tried, but failed, to steady her erratic heartbeat. Her hands were gripped tightly at her stomach, as if trying to calm the cold knot of fear she felt about answering him. “I was wondering why you haven’t...” Her voice was barely audible and filled with anxiety.

  He waited for several seconds. His frown deepened. “Go on. I haven’t what?” He tried to sound easy, but he couldn’t hide his displeasure.

  “Tried...” Her teeth snapped together, preventing her from going on.

  Garrett clinched his teeth together in impatience. “Jessica!”

  She blew out a breath. A dark crimson blush spread across her face. It took all her strength to look him in the eyes. “You haven’t tried to touch me. You know, like a man touches a woman. I know it’s silly of me to want that, and I should be happy with what I have. And I really didn’t—”

  Garrett’s features contorted with confusion, then shock, then anger. “Are you shitting me?” he burst out as he shook his head in disbelief.

  Jessica recoiled and fought to be free of his lap. A shadow of despair flickered in her eyes.

  “God, baby, I’m sorry,” he said. He tightened his grip on her and kept her against him with her head tucked under his chin, until he gained some control. “I’m just shocked you don’t know how I feel about you.” He ran a hand through his thick, short hair in agitation, making a mess of his usually neat hair. “I’m a dumbass. I should have considered your lack of experience, and that’s my fault.” He cupped her cheek in his palm, tightened his grip on her chin when she tried to jerk away, then made sure he had her complete attention. His expression softened, and he ran his thumb gently over her lips. “Are you listening carefully to me?” He waited a moment for her nod. “I would give my left nut to be inside you right now.”

  He didn’t know how she would take it at first. When she shook her head in denial, he nodded his head until she stopped. He didn’t expect the wealth of relief and the smile that overtook her face.

  “Jesus, woman. Don’t look at me like that.” A painful moan slipped from him. Garrett lifted her a bit to adjust his aching shaft. He could feel cum already seeping out of his slit, and he was unable to stop it. It was highly possible that it wouldn’t take anything but her in his lap and thoughts of her for him to lose control and come in his pants. It amazed him; he hadn’t lost control since his teens. He couldn’t let another second pass without kissing her. He speared his fingers through her sleep-tousled hair, adjusted her head to where he wanted it, and slammed his mouth down, taking hers forcefully, thrusting his tongue into the depths of her mouth, and showing her without words how much he wanted her.

  Jessica moaned and turned in his arms, flattening her breasts against the hardness of his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck as a throbbing began deep inside her that spread heat throughout her body. A harsh, needy groan slipped out, begging, desperate for more.

  Garrett turned his head and adjusted the way their mouths fit together as one hand slid across her stomach and enclosed a breast. His body stiffened when he pulled the sound of sweet impatient hunger from her. It would take a lifetime for him to ever get sick of the sounds she made.

  He deepened the kiss further, touching the deepest recesses of her mouth. He groaned at the heavy weight of her breast, pinching her nipple between his thumb and finger, pulling a startled whimper from her.

  A deep need overwhelmed her. Jessica couldn’t seem to grasp a thought as spirals of heat spread through her, pushing her toward a level of desire she’d never considered before and never thought achievable.

  Garrett’s hand stroked down her body before it slipped under her short nightgown. Harsh groans flew from their mouths when his hot hand landed on her upper thigh. His fingers curved in to graze the damp heat escaping out through her panties. Garrett ripped his mouth from hers. “Jessica, baby, look at me.” His eyes blazed down at her.

  She tilted her head back and her eyes opened, narrow and unfocused. Her tongue slid over her swollen lip. She craved his warm, masculine taste.

  He groaned at the drugged look in her eyes and the erotic way she savored him on her lips. He watched carefully as he slid his fingers under her panties, sliding through her thick syrup before circling her hard little clit before he pushed a large blunt finger up her tight pussy. Garrett gritted his teeth at the tight clasp of her inner walls on his thick finger and groaned when his finger touched the evidence of her virginity. She tightened further when he started driving his finger gently in and out, making sure not to breach her or cause her any pain. He wanted to have her in his house before he took her for the first time.

  “Oh, God.” Another bolt of heat raced through Jessica as she stared at his face, fascinated by the look of deep concentration as he pleasured her. Her heart beat erratically, and she started to pant and tried to catch enough air into her lungs.

  “Keep them open, baby.” He was pleased when her eyes flew open to glue to his. “You like this, don’t you?” A pained chuckle escaped his throat at her whimper. “You like having a part of me in you. Just wait until I have you under me and I’m deep inside here.” Garrett pressed his long and thick finger in her faster and with more power. “You feel this?” He lightly massaged the skin that he would take. “You’re going to give me this, right?”

  Jessica mewed deep in her throat and nodded slowly.

  “I am going to finally make you mine. Every inch of your sweet little body will be mine. But you need to understand I will be the last man you’ll ever have in your bed. Do you understand what I’m saying?” Garrett circled her inner channel and pressed on the spot on top that he knew would ramp up her pleasure and waited for her agreement.

  Jessica nodded but could only focus was on the need that tightened her stomach. He’d given her an orgasm before, but the tremendous feeling that rolled through her now was more intense and took her breath. Her concentration was zeroed in on the spot inside her that he tormented and drove her c
loser to what she thought was going to be an orgasm but was so much more powerful than any she’d ever given herself.

  He pulled his finger out until just the tip was in and didn’t move it, just kept it there. “Jessica, answer me baby, and I’ll give you what you need and make you come. You want that, right? I want that too, baby. I want this sweet little pussy to clamp down on me and then drown me in more of your honeyed syrup.”

  Garrett’s words made Jessica cry out, and her vagina clenched with a sudden spasm of hungry need. The lack of sensation frustrated her, made her growl, and try to move her hips on his finger.

  He tightened the arm that held her against him and kept her from moving. “Answer me,” he demanded gently.

  Jessica froze at the dark honeyed sound of his voice and blinked up at him in confusion. “What—”

  Garrett smiled gently. “Tell me you’re mine and you’ll stay mine.”

  She leaned up and softly kissed his lips and traced them with her tongue before she tilted her head back to look him in the eyes. “I’m yours.”

  He pushed his finger in forcefully in before pressing and rubbing on her spot. A groan tore from his throat when she whimpered and clamped down on his finger so hard he had to work to keep moving it. “Say it again.”

  She moaned low in her throat. “I’m yours, Garrett,” she said weakly. “Please—”

  “Good girl. Now say your mine forever.”

  Jessica arched in his lap and growled in frustration. “Forever.”

  Garrett pulled out before he pushed in with two thick fingers and at the same time placed his thumb on her clit and pressed. “Come now, baby. Let me feel you come on my fingers.”

  Her body tightened unbearably as a low keening sound built and grew stronger until it became a low scream. At the same time, a pained groan slid from him.