finding Reese.: a SAFELIGHT novel vol.2 (SAFELIGHT Series) Read online

  Catalina looks at me tenderly, and I blow her a kiss all while her hands rub soothing circles against Oli’s back. “There’s no need to thank me, Olivia. I’m just happy that bracelet exists, and Jax never took it off. He promised not to, but you know guys . . .” Catalina giggles softly, trying to put Oli at peace.

  Nearby, Kaelan and Kathy hug each other and look at me with appraising eyes. I offer them the widest of smiles knowing that in Catalina, I have found the noblest of women. Catalina removes a small packet of tissues from her purse and helps clean Oli’s tear-stricken face. I swear Catalina must be an angel because her kindness and compassion blow my mind.

  “Better?” Catalina whispers, and Oli nods silently, excusing herself and entering the restroom in the intensive care unit waiting room. Catalina waves goodbye and takes out her cell phone to make a phone call.

  I walk over to Kaelan, and ask her about Jax’s prognosis. She replies by telling me the doctors are trying to stabilize his body temperature, and are running tests to make sure there isn’t permanent damage to his vital organs.

  “You should’ve seen him, Jupiter,” Kaelan whispers squeezing her eyes shut, and quirking her head to the side. “He was purplish-blue when they brought him here. He almost didn’t make it,” Kaelan cries softly into her hands. “I almost had to bury my baby boy.”

  This situation is tough on all of us. Pulling Kaelan into my shoulder I let her cry freely. She was Jax’s nanny when he was a kid and also his godmother. Kaelan has never been far away from Jax, even during his days in rehab. If anyone knows Jax in every way, it’s Kaelan−from the most intimate stuff to the most outrageous details. It’s no secret she loves Jax like her own flesh and blood, and I know Jax feels the same way about Kaelan. A doctor approaches Kathy. My whole body stiffens as we walk slowly towards them, and Kaelan reaches out for Kathy’s hand and squeezes it tightly.

  “Mrs. Reese, the condition in which your son was found was completely unexpected. The sole reason Jackson is alive is because he was wearing a survival suit underneath his snowboarding gear. He is severely dehydrated and we are having a tough time stabilizing his heart rate and body temperature, not to mention frostbite which is more visible on his fingers and hands. We are hoping he won’t require skin grafts, but that is not an immediate threat.

  “Now to the good news . . . Brain wave activity is normal, and rules out any brain damage concerns we had when he was first brought in. Apart from two broken ankles, probably due to the fact his board was still attached to his boots when he was brought in, your son is in wonderful shape. While we stabilize his vitals, we’re keeping him in a medically induced coma. Jackson is very lucky to be alive,” He declares happily, patting Kathy reassuringly on the shoulder.

  “I have to give you this,” the doctor says, placing Jackson’s bracelet in her hand, “it was causing interference with the MRI machine, but it’s also what saved his life. I’m going to do some rounds and I will be back to update you. Right now, we don’t recommend visitation as we need to allow him to rest. If his condition changes, I will let you know.”

  I place a kiss on both Kathy and Kaelan’s foreheads, and step back searching for Catalina. As I’m walking away Kaelan stops me.

  “I made arrangements for the two of you to stay at Kicking Horse Lodge. Why don’t you guys head over the hotel and get some rest?” Kaelan asks kindly. “I’ll buzz you if we hear anything.”

  Nodding, I walk down the hallway in search for Catalina. As I turn around the corner of the long hallway, Catalina stands in front of the glass divider that separates Jackson from us. Halting in my tracks, I hear Catalina mumbling into the glass.

  “Please, Jax. I need you to wake up. If you can hear me, I know it’s nice wherever you are, but it’s not your time yet. You got me? I need you.”

  Catalina cries into her hands, repeating herself over and over. My heart breaks just watching her pleading, and praying for Jax in front of his door. I walk towards her and wrap my arms around her waist, and bring my head to rest on her shoulder.

  “He’s stubborn. He’ll come around whenever he wants,” I whisper, kissing her neck softly. “Come on. The doc says they aren’t allowing visitors. Kaelan said she’ll call us if anything changes. Let’s go to the lodge and get some rest, okay?”

  “But what if he wakes up and we’re not here?” Catalina whispers amid sniffles, her palm caressing my scruffy cheek.

  “If he does, Kathy and Kaelan will tell him we’re close by. I promise I will bring you back here as soon as we get the word that he’s awake, but for now you and me need to get some rest. Come on, Catalina. He is in the best hands.”

  Catalina reluctantly leaves the window, and we take the elevator down to the lobby so we can leave the hospital. As soon as we walk out of the glass doors of the hospital entrance, we are bombarded by flashing light bulbs, and questions being yelled at us by reporters demanding an update. Lifting my elbows, I push past them as they continue to scream questions at us. Thankfully there is a cab at the rotunda so we throw our bags in and slide inside quickly, and the driver doesn’t hesitate to drive away before he asks us for our destination.

  Once at the lodge and in the safety of our suite, I draw us a bath, and strip Catalina down to her bare skin. Her hand continues to fiddle with the bracelet she bought for herself the same day she bought Jax’s. Her eyes wander the room, and I know better than anyone she’s anywhere but here. Catalina won’t be able to rest until she sees Jackson awake and cracking jokes with her. Until that happens, I will have to do whatever I can to make her feel safe and wanted, and man, I miss my Raven Girl. Call me selfish but I need to feel her skin against mine, and I miss hearing her say my name when she falls apart in my arms. She has her ways of coping with distress−well, so do I.

  I hate that she’s barely talking and it’s like she’s in a daze, moving along, just going through the motions. I’m so used to having Catalina speak her mind, and using her sass and wit against me. Seeing her so quiet and withdrawn−reserved even−makes me insecure. I don’t know what to do to make it better.

  In quiet silence, I undo the buttons of her blouse. My eyes widen when I see her tanned, silken skin. It rouses my dick, but I know all too well now is not the time. I’m relieved knowing Jackson is recovering. It gives me a sense of normalcy, and the realization I am no longer skirting on the edge of disaster, holding in my breath, and waiting for bad news to arrive helps my mind relax a bit. Without haste, I remove the rest of her clothing and throw it on the floor, doing my best to avoid looking at her lips which beg me to kiss them. Foregoing her needs in favor of my own would only prove I’m a selfish asshole. My heart tightens in my chest when I see Catalina’s eyes closed, her forehead scrunched with deep worry. I miss her, and desperately need her to come back to me. God, this is driving me insane!

  With hesitant steps, I lead her into the bath, making sure she’s settled in before I give her the privacy she needs. Kissing her forehead, I exit the bathroom, closing the door softly behind me. Resting my head against the wall, I battle the urge to go back in, disrobe myself and make love to her. But she’s worlds away, and I don’t know how to bring her back. She is my heart and my home and until her universe is righted mine will be royally fucked-up, and I have no other choice but to deal with it.

  Walking over to the bed, I lie down and rest my arm over my forehead. All the flurry of activity and days of sleeplessness over Jackson’s disappearance finally catch up with me. As soon as my head hits the pillow I fall asleep, grateful to shut up all the noise of my stressed-out mind. Hopefully when I wake up, I’ll feel better, more rested, and less frustrated.

  FEATHERY LIGHT KISSES DISRUPT MY peaceful slumber, and warm fingertips trace the outline of my jaw and lips. I smile inwardly, grateful I’m still wanted despite all the craziness of the past couple of days. I open my eyes and it takes a second for them to adjust, and when they do I see before me the most precious sight. Catalina’s long raven hair cascades past her shoulders coverin
g her large and perfectly round breasts, and her almond-shaped dark chocolate eyes are looking down at me. My hands reach for her cheeks to touch the softest of skin, and when she cradles into my touch I sigh with happiness.

  “Hey,” Catalina whispers, her cheeks slightly flushed.

  Clearing my throat, I smile. “Hey, how was your bath?”

  Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she replies with a wistful smile, “It was lonely . . . I missed you. Why did you leave?”

  My heart tightens in my chest when her eyes search mine for answers. Perhaps I was over-thinking things when I decided to leave her alone in the bathroom. Maybe she wanted me there, but in fear of being rejected I hauled ass out of there in the blink of an eye.

  Running my fingers through my hair, I reply, “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, but I knew if I stayed my need for your closeness would’ve trumped all reason.” Taking hold of her palm, I lace our fingers together. “I’m trying my damndest to do the right thing here, Catalina.”

  She quirks her head and an amused smile curls her lips. With a raised eyebrow she asks, “And that would be?”

  My eyes close in relief when she grins wide. Right now I want to do back-flips because, my sassy girl is back. Thank God. The grin she’s put on my face mirrors hers. Winking, I reply, “Keeping my dick in my pants. But like I’ve told you once before, I can control myself but I can’t control him.” My dick twitches in response against her hip, and her shocked face tells me she felt it all right. Shrugging my shoulders, I concede, “It’s inevitable when I’m around you.”

  Catalina doesn’t break my gaze. Her eyes look into mine intently almost apologetically. “Stryder, I know I haven’t been quite myself since Jackson’s disappearance. I’m sorry. I’m so used to losing people my go-to defense mechanism is to shut down. I’m sorry if I shut you out, but thank you for not giving up on me. I love you, Stud.”

  Letting go of Catalina’s hand, I wrap my arms around her and engulf her in a fierce hug. “Shh . . . You don’t need to explain yourself. I get it. I’m just happy you’re back. I missed you.”

  Her heart-shaped lips collide with mine. Her kiss is urgent and my hunger for her mouth knows no limits. I’m instantly consumed by the addictive taste of her tongue, and with my hands holding her face I reciprocate her affections and then some. It doesn’t take long to feel her delicate hands roam freely underneath my layers of clothing an unmistakable sign that she wants me.

  I know it’s my job as a man to keep it together when she’s feeling low, but right now Catalina is showing me how much she wants me, and damn me when I say I want her just as much. My hands abandon her face in search for her breasts, her hardened nipples pressing sexily against my chest. Her hurried palms sneak underneath the hem of my shirt as she gently clutches my hips.

  Taking hold of her waist, I roll us over so I’m laying flush against the softness of her curves and reluctantly break our kiss. With more than eager hands, I remove my shirt, and her warm hands waste no time grasping my chest staking her claim.

  “Mmm, I missed this so much,” I whisper as my lips nip at the curve of her neck.

  My tongue trails the length of her neck, bringing her skin to a flush, and in no time she’s covered in goose bumps. Her skin is so soft and her sweet scent invades my nostrils, urging me further as I lose all of my self-control. Her sighs and gentle moans fuel my need to taste the flavor of her body.

  I trail kisses on her; starting at the base of her neck where her pulse beats lively. Catalina unmans me with her affections, and that doesn’t bother me one bit. My mouth finds the roundness of her breasts and while my hand gently squeezes one, my mouth worships the other. Her nipple elongates under my tongue and I latch on like the greedy son of a bitch that I am, suckling, tasting, and teasing.

  Catalina moans and writhes beneath me as her hands squeeze my ass cheeks and tuck underneath the waistband of my jeans and boxers, her fingernails scratching my skin.

  “Fuck,” I mumble, as lust gets the better of me. “I need to taste you. Right now.”

  My words are Catalina’s undoing as her hands abandon my ass cheeks in favor of my head. Her palms gently tug at my hair and push me down lower to where her pussy is. Smiling against the skin of her navel, I take her lead and trail my tongue down, painstakingly slow until I reach her slit.

  I blow softly against it, and Catalina tilts her hips up; her body begging for me to taste her wetness. I chuckle softly and look up to her. Our gazes meet. Watching her lust-filled eyes and unabashed need for me never ceases to amaze.

  “Feeling needy, are we?” I ask softly, taking hold of her leg, and raising it so my lips can kiss the inside of her thigh. When I do, Catalina trembles and throws her head back, laughing softly.

  “Yes,” she says amid giggles. “Just shut up and get busy, Stud.”

  And shut up I do. My lips kiss the bareness of her pussy, my tongue licking her hardened clit slowly, and when she tries to tilt her hips upwards again, my hands pin them back down against the bed. Her frustrated breaths and fingernails scraping my scalp have me on cloud-fucking-nine.

  We’ve been together a handful of times and I’m learning with each encounter how to read her body and gauge her reactions so I can please her like no other man has before. My mouth clamps over Catalina’s hardened clit and her breath quickens. I free one of my hands and gently caress her plump pussy lips and inwardly smile at her dripping arousal.

  My eager fingers touch Catalina’s sweet spot and she lets out a long, drawn-out moan of contentment. I lavish her with my fingers as my tongue focuses on her clit, and when her body begins to quiver, I quicken the pace. Pleasuring my Raven Girl puts me in a state of euphoria, and my thick dick presses painfully against my fly in response. I need some relief, and while I’m all about giving Catalina hers before I get mine, the truth is I want to be buried deep inside of her.

  I withdraw my fingers, and Catalina’s whimper of disapproval is a clear sign she’s not thrilled with the loss of friction. My mouth unlatches from her clit, and I stand to take off my jeans and boxer shorts. Walking towards the closet, I search for my duffel bag to retrieve a box of condoms.

  We have never used protection since we started having sex, and while I’ve been mindful of not coming inside her, I desperately want to. I loathe using condoms with the woman I love, but I’m not a selfish bastard either. Our relationship is fresh, and it would be inexcusable of me to not exercise reasonable precaution for her sake. Grabbing one, I bring it over to the bed, and lay over her.

  Catalina’s eyes follow me with an amused expression. I’m curious to know what brought that on, but I’ll save it for later because right now I want to lose myself inside her. My lips meet hers; I kiss her hungrily, our tongues slow-dancing. Catalina’s warm, soft hands hold my face, and being held like that makes me feel like the luckiest man on the planet. When her hands abandon my face in favor of my dick, I’m not embarrassed to growl my appreciation, all while her deft palm strokes my shaft, my balls tingling in response as I enjoy every second of it.

  “God, I’ve missed you so much,” I mumble, as her thumb rubs the bead of moisture on the tip of my dick. I close my eyes and surrender to her touch. I feel Catalina’s free hand rustling around, so I open my eyes. That’s when I notice she’s reaching for the condom. I quickly snatch it away, and with a devilish grin I dangle it over her face. “Allow me.”

  Using my teeth, I rip the packet open and begrudgingly roll the condom down my shaft already hating its obstructive properties. Catalina observes my every move, enthralled with parted lips.

  “I’m sorry for stopping when I did, but I desperately want to be inside you and can’t wait another second,” I confess sheepishly, loving that sharp breath she takes in with my words.

  “Well, then get to it, Stud.” Catalina taunts.

  And so I do. Aligning my dick to the entrance of her pussy, I slide in slowly and whisper, “I love you.”

  She lets out soft mewls of pleasure as I settle dee
p into her, and as I pause to place a kiss on the warmth of her chest, her clenching pussy squeezes my dick nice and tight. “I love you too, Stryder,” she murmurs, her eyes connecting with mine.

  Taking hold of her hands, I weave our fingers together and thrust myself in and out of her. At first my movements are gentle, but with each thrust I lose myself in her body, riding her like my life depends on it. Catalina meets me thrust for thrust, her dainty fingers gripping mine fiercely. I close my eyes for the briefest of seconds, and each moan and growl that leaves us rights my tilted existence. The walls of her pussy tighten, and her once-soft moans intensify. I’m right there with her as my own lust-fueled growls echo against the skin of her neck.

  “Cat, you feel so fucking good. I can feel all of you. I love you,” I declare, not caring if I sound like a love-sick fool. I’ve never felt this way with anyone, including my ex. What I have with Catalina exceeds anything I’ve ever experienced in my entire life, and I’m never, ever going to let go of her. I know she’s close to coming, so I swivel my hips, offering that perfect friction that makes her buck wildly.

  “Stryder, baby, please don’t stop. Just like that,” she pants as she squeezes my hands. “Oh, yes, yes.”

  I unlace our hands and take hold of her beautiful face, my eyes locked on hers. I’m giving her what she asks for; I don’t stop moving. In fact, I quicken the pace. And just like that, my sexy Raven Girl comes gloriously, calling my name like a prayer. Two more thrusts and I follow, her greedy pussy milking me of all that I have.

  Completely out of breath, I kiss her lips softly. Her gentle fingers run over my scalp, prickling my skin. Could our sex get any better than this? I’m having a tough time wrapping my mind around that. Despite having had her a second ago; I want her again and again.

  Breaking our kiss, Catalina mumbles almost unintelligibly. “Feel better?”