The Road Leads Back, page 17
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Let go.”
A sob welled in her chest. His mouth on hers muffled the sound as more tears filled her eyes. Digging her hands into his hair, she wrapped her legs around him, clinging as he pulled back and thrust again. This time, instead of a slamming orgasm, the sensations rolled through her like the ripples on a pond. Her body tensed, and she trembled and cried out. In response, he grunted her name and then stilled deep inside her.
She sniffed as he finally relaxed and leaned back to look down at her. “Why am I crying?”
He grinned and dragged his thumbs across her cheeks. “Because we’ve been waiting for this moment our entire lives.”
She inhaled a ragged breath. “That’s no excuse.”
He smiled and kissed her. “It’s the perfect excuse.”
Harry lightly ran his fingers over the curve of Kara’s waist. She was breathing quietly, steadily, sleeping deeply. He, in turn, stared up at the stars, trying to get his mind around his life. He and his mother had shared a tense dinner, but at least they’d been somewhat civil to each other. He’d told Elaine he had decided to skip their dinner this year, but it was important to Kara to resolve the issues with their parents, at least enough to decrease the stress surrounding them. He wanted a life with Kara that was as free from turmoil as possible. They’d suffered enough secondary to what Elaine had done.
His mother accepted that they would likely never have a normal relationship again, at least what had passed as normal for them all his life. Elaine had been far from a nurturing, hands-on kind of mother, but Harry knew that she loved him in her own control-everything-for-everyone kind of way.
He had meant it when he told her he couldn’t forgive her for what she’d done to Kara, but he’d also meant it when he said it was time to leave that in the past. He and Kara had a chance at the happiness that had been taken from them. He wasn’t going to blow it being angry—even when those feelings were well deserved.
Things couldn’t be going better for them now. Phil was enjoying his new job, or so he said. Jessica loved school and had made friends who seemed to truly accept her. Kara had made peace with her parents and seemed to be committing to a life there. And Harry had everything he’d always wanted—his family.
He smiled as he turned onto his side and wrapped his arm around Kara. He hadn’t meant to tell her that he was in love with her. The words had slipped out, but he hadn’t regretted them. She’d clearly been shocked, but when she’d smiled, he knew she felt the same. Years may have gone by—a lifetime, really—but something had remained between them all that time, a bond that had easily been reconnected the moment he’d seen her at the gallery.
Starting tonight, starting where they’d left off thirty years ago, Harry was taking this life and making it right. He would have his woman, their son, their granddaughter. He would work with Phil to make their company the best it could be to give Phil and Jess the security they deserved. He would make certain Kara never felt alone again. He would provide for them all so she could concentrate on the things she needed to—Jessica, art, reestablishing a relationship with her parents. He would be the man he hadn’t been able to be thirty years ago. He would give them—all of them—the life he hadn’t been able to.
He kissed Kara’s head to seal his silent vow. She shifted, moving against him and pressing her naked body to his. He put his lips on her shoulder and ran his palm down her side, resting it on her hip. Then he nipped her ear.
“What time is it?” she mumbled in a sleep-thick voice.
He lifted his head and looked at the clock. “Almost three.”
She sighed. “Why are you waking me up?”
He grinned. “I didn’t mean to. I was just thinking.”
She shifted, rolling onto her back, and then licked her lips and sighed heavily. “About what?”
“How happy you’ve made me.”
Her eyes fluttered open. He grinned as he brushed her hair back and skimmed her face. The moonlight illuminated her face, and Harry couldn’t resist running his fingers along her jawline. That gave way to the urge to kiss her gently, which gave way to licking and softly biting her lips.
“Oh, Harry,” she breathed. “You’re going to me make me scream again, aren’t you?”
“I certainly hope so.”
Chapter Fifteen
Between the warm bath and the wine, Kara was quite certain her muscles were about to melt off her bones. She hadn’t been so relaxed in a long time. She’d awakened with Harry wrapped around her, and the day had just gotten better from there. She’d never taught a group of giggly, wine-sipping women before, but her first class had proven to be much more fun than Kara thought it would be. She’d even connected with a few of them on a friendly level.
When she told them she’d just moved to Iowa, two of them had dragged her out to lunch. Making friends and local connections hadn’t been a priority for her since coming home, but she couldn’t deny the fun she’d had. She’d come home and sat in the backyard watching Phil and Jessica play while Harry sat next to her reading.
It had been the perfect Saturday. In fact, she didn’t think her day could have possibly gotten better.
She looked up when the bathroom door opened and Harry slipped in, and she realized she had been wrong. Her day was about to get a lot better. He sat on the edge of the tub, sipped his wine, and smiled at her.
“What’s on your mind, Harry?”
“Just wanted to see if you needed anything.”
She lifted a washrag from the water and held it up for him.
His grin widened as he accepted it. Setting his glass aside, he dipped his hand into the water and gently grasped her ankle. Water ran down her calf as he lifted her leg up and rested it on his shoulder, apparently not giving a damn that she was drenching his T-shirt. He massaged the rag over her shin, down her calf, and over her inner thigh. He worked meticulously, not missing a spot before easing her leg back into the warm water. He followed the process with her other leg and then reached for her arm. When all her extremities were clean, he dropped the rag into the water, tugged his wet shirt over his head, and tossed it onto the floor along with his shorts.
She smiled and sat forward, releasing the plug to drain a bit of water and making room for him in the tub behind her. He settled in and went to work on washing her back.
“Good day?” he asked.
“Best day.”
“So you’re going to enjoy working at the gallery?”
“Well, I enjoyed the class. I haven’t done anything else, but yes, I think I’ll enjoy it.”
He pulled her back against his chest and dragged the rag over her front. She arched when the material caressed her nipple. Exhaling slowly, she dropped her head onto his shoulder, letting him touch her however and wherever he wanted. His decision to abandon the washrag and resort to using his bare hands wasn’t a disappointment. His fingertips alternated between light and deep massage, awakening every nerve. He rolled her nipple between his forefinger and thumb as his other hand sank between her legs. He licked her ear and whispered how much he wanted her.
A moan ripped from her, and Harry gently covered her mouth. Rivulets of water ran from his fingers and tickled her skin as she rolled her hips into his hand. He kissed her ear, her neck, and then gently bit down, and she lost control. Her body and mind came undone, leaving her panting as he wrapped his arms around her.
She wasn’t done. She wasn’t even close to done. Rolling over in the small space of the tub to face him, she pressed her tongue between his lips, instantly drawing him into a deep kiss as her hand roamed down his chest and grasped his erection. He fisted her hair as she stroked him, rubbing her thumb over the head of his shaft.
He made the same guttural sounds she had as she worked him into a frenzy. After several minutes, he gripped her hips and shifted her over him. Their position wasn’t the most comfortable, but Kara barely noticed as she slid him into her body. Bracing herself against the walls of the tub, she ground her pelvis as he used his grip on her to help her move up and down.
Water sloshed and bubbles popped as he started moving faster. Within minutes, her body was tense with the power of her orgasm as he shoved his body into hers. Breathless, he eased back and sank into the water. Leaning against his chest, she panted for a moment before tilting her head to kiss him.
“I love you so much,” he said quietly.
She pulled his arms farther around her and rested her head on his chest. “I love you, too.”
Harrison settled into a chair on the back porch of Kara’s parents’ house, a glass of lemonade in his hand and a smile on his face. Kara held her mother’s hand as they walked around the perimeter of the yard, talking flowers and gardening while Phil taught Jessica how to play horseshoes.
They’d had a fantastic Sunday dinner with only a few hiccups. Kay and Charles didn’t appreciate that Kara had opted out of prayer before the meal, so Kara reminded her parents that their deep devotion to their religion had made them disown her. Phil cursed under his breath, Jessica asked someone to pass the jelly, and Harry smoothed things over by offering a moment of silence rather than praising any specific deity.
Several tense moments passed before he steered the conversation to Jessica’s first week of school, and the girl worked her magic by melting the hearts of everyone at the table. The tension faded until Kara started talking about her first class and Charles pointed out that her affinity to the arts was to blame for leading her astray.
Kara responded that art had saved her—no one else was around to provide for her and her son. Phil again cursed under his breath, Jessica stuffed a roll into her mouth, and Harry smoothed things over, that time by directing the conversation to how Phil had picked up a thing or two from his mother. His designs were amazing, and the clients who had seen them were very impressed by his artistic abilities.
Kara had passed on dessert and instead took out some of her frustrations on the dishes. Phil had convinced Kay to let his mother clean up. While he and Harry understood she needed to release some anger, Kay had taken it as Kara’s willingness to help. Kay finished her slice of pie, and peace was restored. At least for now.
Harry looked over his shoulder when the screen door slammed. He was about to stand to help Charles, but the older man waved his hand to dismiss the notion. Truly, Harry thought the man should have a walker—a cane, at least—but he seemed determined to walk on his own, slow as that may be. He sank into the chair next to Harry’s and looked out over the yard.
After a minute he said, “She’s still full of spit and vinegar, isn’t she?”
Harry grinned. “Yes, sir.”
“By the time she was Jessica’s age, I realized nobody would ever be able to control her.”
He nodded. “She certainly has a mind of her own.”
“You seem to be able to handle her.”
“Kara doesn’t need to be handled, Charles. She just needs to be accepted.”
“And you accept her?”
“I’d like to think so.”
“You going to marry her?”
Kara bent and smelled a flower and then turned and looked at Jessica when the girl laughed. The smile that spread across her face warmed Harry all the way to his soul. He nodded without giving it too much consideration. “If she’ll have me.”
Charles reached into his pocket and withdrew a small band on the tip of his finger. He held it out to Harry. “This was my mother’s wedding ring. She wanted Kara to have it. She’s the only one of us who held on to the belief that she’d ever come home.”
Harry took the small band topped with several diamonds surrounding a larger one. Even the large one wasn’t huge. The stone was barely more than a chip, but it was beautiful.
“She’ll love this,” Harry said. “Thank you.”
Charles focused on his daughter again. “Someone needs to take care of them when I’m gone. I’m putting that responsibility on you. You understand that, don’t you?”
Harry rolled the ring Charles had given him between his fingers. “I understand.”
“From what I’ve heard, Kara and Phil haven’t had the easiest time. I expect you to take care of her from now on.”
“I will.”
“And make sure my grandson and great-granddaughter don’t ever want for anything.”
“They won’t.”
Charles nodded as if he’d said all he needed to.
Kara looked toward the porch, shielded her eyes from the sun, and offered Harrison a hesitant smile. He smiled in return and silently toasted her with his glass of lemonade. Her smile eased into a natural pull, and he sighed.
“You’re sick, aren’t you?” Harry asked.
Charles hesitated in answering. “Not much time now, according to the doctor.”
“Why haven’t you told her?”
“Because I want to have her back before I tell her she’s going to lose me.”
“As far as I can tell, you do have her back.”
Charles sighed. “What kind of father says the things I said to her?”
“She’d dropped a bombshell on you. I’m sure it was the shock talking.”
“That’s no reason to disown your child. I paid the price. God knows I paid the price. We all did.”
“That’s behind us now.”
“It’s boiling below the surface. You wouldn’t have spent half our dinner playing referee if it weren’t. I just don’t want anything to tear us apart again, especially when I won’t be here much longer.”
Kara and Kay stopped in the shade of an old oak tree and applauded Jessica’s horseshoe toss. The girl beamed at their appreciation, and a new sense of determination filled Harry.
“I swear to you, Charles, I won’t let anything take our family from us again.”
Kara bit her tongue as long as she could, but as Harry drove them home, she asked, “What was that all about?”
“What?”
“You and Dad.”
Harry cast a glance in her direction. “What about me and your dad?”
“Harrison.”
“I noticed it, too,” Phil offered from the back seat. “It was borderline conspiratorial.”
Harry shook his head. “Such paranoia. Did you have fun, Jess?”
“Sure did, Harry.”
He smiled. “What was the best part?”
“Beating Daddy at horseshoes.”
“Hey, Punk,” Phil teased, as if offended.
They giggled, and Kara looked back and smiled. Phil was sitting behind Harry with Jess snuggled up next to him, giving her a clear view of them both. She loved seeing how happy they were. It made all the stress of the last few months worth it. She hadn’t wanted to come back to Iowa, but she wouldn’t change a thing now that she had. She’d never felt such a sense of contentment. But then she looked at Harrison again and narrowed her eyes. “What were you talking about?”
“Might as well tell her,” Phil said. “She won’t let up until you do.”
Harry shook his head. “Why do you think it was a conspiracy?”
“Because I can read you like a book,” she said. “Even from across the yard and with the sun shining in my eyes.”
Harry chuckled, but then his smile faded and he withdrew into his mind again.
“There you go,” she said as he slowed to a stop for a red light. “You have that look again.”
“What look?”
“Like you are plotting something. Your eyes glaze over. Your body is here, Harrison, but your mind is elsewhere.”
“He made me promise to take care of you.”
She caught his gaze when he glanced at her. Her heart sank. There was more. Much more. And he wasn’t telling her. She closed her eyes. She wasn’t stupid, and she wasn’t in some kind of delusional world where she thought her parents would live forever.
“How much time does he have?” As soon as the words left her, it was like the air had been sucked from the car. Their tension was palpable.
She looked at Harry. “I could tell he was sick the first time I saw him. I just didn’t ask how bad it was. So, tell me. How bad is it?”
“Let’s talk about this when we get home.” He put his hand on her knee, and she exhaled.
“That bad, huh?”
“What are they talking about, Daddy?”
Kara glanced back and gave Phil a slight smile. He looked as thrown as she felt. Just like Harry had done to her, Phil patted Jess’s knee to soothe her.
Like father, like son.
Kara returned her attention to Harry. She covered his hand with hers and squeezed it as her heart swelled with love and pride just as much as it was overshadowed with sorrow that her suspicions had been confirmed. She was going to lose her father all over again. “Sure. We’ll talk when we get home.”
He pulled her hand up and kissed it as he glanced at her and offered her one of those sexy half smiles that never failed to melt her. The light turned green, and Harry returned his attention to driving. The rest of the ride home was silent. Even Jessica quit rambling as the apprehension in the car grew.
Kara carried in the leftovers her mother had sent and was putting them in the fridge when Harry walked in and leaned against the counter. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He ran his hand over her hair, and her defenses broke. Tears filled her eyes and her lip trembled. “Is he dying?”
He offered her one slight nod, and she crumbled. Falling against his chest, she found as much comfort as he could offer. He held her, stroking her hair and kissing her head every few minutes until she finally found her voice.
“Why would he tell you instead of me?”
Harry exhaled, debating his answer. “He doesn’t want you to know. He was asking me to take care of you and your mother.”
She lifted her head, trying not to look as offended as she felt. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of my mother.”
