know how to touch her in so many inventive ways.
Her back arched, time seemed suspended and she knew nothing except him and what he was doing to her. He rubbed the slick end of his penis over and over her nub driving her orgasm higher. Another climax consumed her with a rich, hot pleasure that had her heart thundering.
Finally she collapsed panting, trying to catch her breath as he shifted to her side and pulled her in close, murmuring endearments.
âSleep now, Ruby. Youâve nothing to worry about now Iâm here to look after you.â
She wanted to argue to say that she still wanted him inside of her but her eyes did seem heavy and every limb of her body seemed weighted down with satiation. She didnât want to move. All she wanted to do was curl up and close her eyes. The strain of worrying about her twin, of the broken window downstairs and the imminent danger didnât seem to matter with him by her side.
All she could think of was how good it felt to be in Jakeâs arms.
Chapter 4
When Ruby awoke the next morning, she immediately felt across the bed for Jake. The bed was empty but the place next to her was still warm. The sheets smelled of cologne and his own male scent. She breathed in deeply, taking in his essence. He couldnât be far. She stretched like a cat, arching her back, awake from the most restful sleep of her life, though her butt muscles ached as if sheâd jogged a marathon. Even though Jake had thwarted her she knew sheâd be wearing a smile in the shop at the thought of how Jake had explored her allowing no recompense.
He was a tease. Generous beyond doubt. Fantastic affair material.
Glancing at the bedside clock, she saw that it was already seven a.m. A hazy, grey light flowed through the sheer curtains so different from the clean, morning mountain light at home. A horn blasted on the strip outside and in the distance she could hear techno music pulsating from one of the clubs even though the hour was early. She knew the strip would contain the staggering drunks who hadnât made it home, call girls seeking the early morning, married-jogger business from Elizabeth Bay, and office workers searching for their coffee fix.
Senses focused, she heard Jake in her bathroom off the hallway. No doubt he was an early riser. Perhaps heâd come into her bedroom washed, naked and expectant.
She shivered with delight. Heâd made her want him in a way that no man had ever done before, but suddenly self consciousness set in when she decided that she could do with cleaning her teeth and showering before encountering Jake. She rose from the bed, pulled her nightgown into place and walked into the kitchen.
Taking in a deep, appreciative breath, she smelled fresh coffee and saw a paper bag stuffed with fresh croissants on her kitchen counter. She took a mug down from the cupboard, picked up the coffee pot and filled it with strong black coffee. Mixing in three heaped teaspoons of sugar, she took a gulp and sensed her brain neural pathways unscrambling, then she saw her garbage bin, the lid askew and inside of it the split saline ampoules and tissues with spotted blood on them.
The heat of the night wore off and she no longer could summon the free, sensual persona that she had been. A long sigh, almost a groan left her lips. The thought of her workload pressed in on her: the broken window downstairs that needed fixing, the importance of getting the shop open for business and tracking where and why Emerald had fled. A shiver of fear edged at her reason.
What if the man with the knife came back?
The sex-induced calm dissipated like wind hitting autumn leaves leaving hard reality in its place. Even though she had taken basic self-defence classes at the community centre in Blackheath, her first instinct when in danger was to flee.
The bathroom door opened and Jake stepped out into the hallway followed by a cloud of steam. Her heart leapt at the sight of him and the smell of
Learning to Kill: Stories