Serenity (Inevitable #5)(113)

"Yes," agreed Matthew solemnly. "Except that it's not likely I'll ever find out their identities since she and her friend don't remember anything about them."

"I'm sorry," she consoled. "But as awful as it sounds, maybe it's better in a way that the girls don't remember anything about that night. Believe, me, there have been many times over the years when I wish I could have just forgotten it all."

"Your mother doesn't know, either?"

"God, no. In a way, that would have been worse than my dad finding out. Because my mother would have insisted I leave Linda's, that I obviously wasn't safe there, and she would have probably taken legal action to force me to return to her. And that was the very last thing I needed at the time. Having Linda there was the only thing that got me through it all. My parents would have meant well, but they would have made everything ten times worse if they'd known."

Matthew threaded his hands through her curls, holding her head still as he gazed at her fiercely. "I'm going to find out who this bastard is, mark my word, Sasha," he vowed. "And when I do, I'm going to ruin him, one way or the other. There are multiple ways to exact revenge on someone without resorting to violence. He's finally going to pay for his sins."

Before she could offer up a further protest, Matthew's mouth was on hers, kissing her like he'd never kissed her before - with mingled anguish, passion, despair, and possession. At the same time, his hands were tugging at her clothes, pulling the long cotton skirt up above her waist, and tunneling beneath her tank top to cup her breast. Sasha whimpered half-heartedly in protest, too shaken by everything that had just happened to want sex. But Matthew's kisses and caresses spoke clearly of desperation, of overwhelming need, and in the end she let him take what he wanted.



       
         
       
        

When he sensed her surrender, his mood changed immediately, and he became the tender lover he could so often be. The kisses he placed along her cheek, the side of her neck, and her lips were soft and sweet, seductive and persuasive. He took more care as he undressed her, his hands reverent as they touched her bare skin. She shivered as he plucked at her nipple, then replaced it with the gentle lick of his tongue.

She sensed that he didn't want or expect her participation right now, that this was his way of giving to her, of taking care of her. And it felt like his farewell, as though with each sweeping caress and each hungry kiss he was trying to imprint the memory of her on his soul.

But even as she allowed him to control their lovemaking, Sasha couldn't help the low moan that escaped her lips as he thrust carefully inside of her. Nor could she resist wrapping her legs around his waist as his strokes gradually became deeper, faster, hungrier. And when she came, he swallowed up her groans with another deep, drugging kiss.

Her cheeks were wet with tears when Matthew found his release moments later, and the urge to stroke his back and hair comfortingly couldn't be suppressed. He kissed her tears away, whispering against her lips, "I will love you until the end of days, Sasha. Please don't let this be over with, sweetheart. Don't shut me out of your life. I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm begging you to be patient for awhile."

Regretfully, she shook her head. "Let's not do this again," she pleaded. "I can't bear it, Matthew. And now I really do need to go. Before I let you talk me into something that's only going to break my heart over and over."

He didn't try and restrain her when she got out of bed and walked inside the en suite bathroom to clean up. And when she returned to the bedroom stark naked, the look in his eyes was one of bleak sadness instead of the lust that would normally be there.

"What was it that you were going to tell me over dinner last night?" he asked hollowly as she began to pull her clothes on.

Sasha shrugged as she fastened her bra. "That's pretty much a moot point right now, so no sense in discussing it."

"Please." He sat up, the sheet falling away from his bare chest. "Just tell me."

She stepped into the long skirt, readjusting the elastic waistband once it was in place. "Matthew, let's drop it, okay?"

"No." He shook his head stubbornly. "Give me at least that much, Sasha. I could tell that whatever you wanted to say last night had to be important, so tell me now. Please."

"Fine." She took a deep breath before expelling it slowly. "I was going to finally take you up on your offer - the one about moving in here with you. But, like I said, that's sort of a moot point now, isn't it?"