Meant for Me (Take Me Now)

  MEANT FOR ME

  TAKE ME NOW #2

  FAITH SULLIVAN

  Copyright © 2013 Faith Sullivan

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States of America.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  If you are reading this book and you have not purchased it or won it in an author/publisher contest, this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the ebook from one of its many authorized distributors.

  Other books by Faith Sullivan:

  Take Me Now (Take Me Now #1)

  Heartbeat (Heartbeat #1)

  Come What May (Heartbeat #2)

  I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3)

  Unexpected

  Cover image © olly / Fotolia.com

  Edited by Mickey Reed at http://www.ImABookShark.com

  To those yearning for a second chance at happiness.

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Message from the Author

  Preview of Heartbeat by Faith Sullivan

  Chapter One

  Ivy

  My boyfriend is so freakin’ hot.

  I press my nose against the glass, peering out as he stops to take a break from cutting the grass around the garden center. It’s sweltering outside and he’s worked up quite a sweat pushing the lawn mower up and down the property. As a result of his labor, his white t-shirt is clinging to his chest in all the right places. I sigh happily, taking him in.

  He has no clue that I’m watching as he picks up a water bottle and pours it over his head, forming a trail that trickles down the length of his body. I clutch the windowsill as I feel that all too familiar twinge between my legs. Being pregnant, my hormones are on fire and it doesn’t take much to get me going. So it’s no wonder a moan escapes my lips when he doesn’t stop there. Instead, he casually begins to strip in front of me.

  My cheeks burn as he lifts his arms over his head, removing his shirt, elongating every inch of his defined abs. My eyes follow his v-shaped pelvic muscle as it dips suggestively below his belt buckle. My breathing becomes heavy as he stretches, causing his jeans to ride even lower on his hips. My pulse skyrockets as he proceeds to wring the water out of his shirt, flexing his glistening biceps against the rays of the setting sun.

  I squirm against the window, forcing my knees together. My movement catches his attention and he glances up, meeting my gaze. A sexy grin slowly spreads across his face when he realizes the effect he’s having on me. My mouth is open. I’m literally panting for him. He shakes his head and chuckles softly. My heart clenches at how adorable he looks.

  He’s not the kind of guy who flaunts his body, but for me it seems like he enjoys being on display. He runs his hands through his damp hair, tousling it before grabbing another bottle of water. He winks at me, tilting back his head and taking a long swig. He closes his eyes, his lips wrapped around the bottle, teasing me. He smiles when he’s done, beckoning me with his finger.

  I don’t hesitate for a moment. I gladly leave the confines of his air-conditioned office and rush outside. He’s waiting, his eyes smoldering. He stands with his hands on his hips, watching as I approach. It’s unseasonably mild for October, and I step out of my clogs as I draw nearer to him. His gaze never leaves my face. It only intensifies, causing me to blush even more.

  I get close enough to feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek, but I don’t speak. Instead, I run my hands across the wide breadth of his shoulders and down his heaving chest. My touch must be driving him wild because I can feel his heart thudding beneath my fingertips. His skin is so smooth and firm. He’s a man’s man who’d never dream of waxing his upper body, and a trail of soft, fine hair guides me to his belly button and beyond.

  “How can I expect to get anything done around here with you touching me like that?” Eric asks, his voice all husky as I find the zipper of his jeans.

  “Well, you shouldn’t be tempting me by getting naked in front of the window,” I whisper seductively as he grabs my wrist, preventing me from lowering his zipper and undressing him any further.

  With my free hand, I start to remove my dress when he growls, “I don’t want anyone seeing what’s mine.” He scans the horizon for any approaching vehicles, but there are none to be found. “No one’s ever going to hear what you sound like when you come. Only me.”

  He lifts me in his arms, and I’m flush against his chest. I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me toward the greenhouse. I don’t know if Ben left for the day. He’s the quarterback from Glendale High who’s been working here part-time. If he’s still around, he’s about to get an earful. According to Eric, I can get pretty loud.

  Eric pushes the door open with his back, his lips never leaving mine. The steaminess of the enclosed space is like a sauna. Eric’s skin feels slick across mine, and I’m stifling with this sundress on. I want it off. Wriggling in his embrace, I attempt to lower one of the straps.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Eric chides me. “That’s my job.” He nuzzles the dainty strap with his nose until it falls from my shoulder. I wince when he rakes his stubbled chin across my chest. “What’s wrong?” he asks, raising his head, the picture of concern.

  “My breasts are still sensitive, but don’t stop. Trust me, what you’re doing feels so good,” I cry, groaning as he removes the other strap before massaging each nipple with his tongue. I tighten my legs around him and throw back my head, straining against him. He’s still holding me up. Sometimes I forget how strong he is.

  “They were always beautiful, but now they’re spectacular,” he proclaims, fondling their newfound fullness. “I can’t wait to see what your boobs look like after you have the baby.”

  But I barely hear him. I’m too caught up in what he’s doing to me, lost in the sensations flooding through my body. I’m horny all the time now, and on muggy days like this, I don’t want to be constricted by a stupid bra. I like giving him easy access so he can relieve my aching breasts whenever he can.

  We’ve been so naughty lately, but I can’t complain. He’s always ready to oblige my needs no matter where we are—on the counter next to the cash register, in the field he’s planting out back, in the bed of his truck on the side of the road.

  One of these days we’re going to get caught, and then everyone in town will have even more to gossip about, considering how they all still hate me for ‘stealing’ Eric away from Lauren. Yeah, I’m the young slut who threw herself between the perfect couple. And to top it off, I got myself knocked up in the process. How scandalous is that?

  Well, that’s Lauren’s version of events anyway, and sadly it’s the one most pe
ople tend to believe. I don’t have enough influence around here to get them to buy my side of the story. College is on hold, and in the meantime, I have nowhere else to go. I’m barefoot and pregnant, and I’m shacking up with everyone’s favorite grieving bachelor. Yep, that’s me—the young harlot who’s taking advantage of a poor guy who’s down on his luck. Ah, the hypocrisy.

  But even these unbidden thoughts aren’t enough to quench the desire building inside me. My body has a mind of its own—all it wants is sex, sex, and more sex. I can’t get enough. And after two years of self-imposed celibacy, Eric is certainly making up for lost time. I have to admit that he’s always up for the challenge, determined to keep me satisfied. It only makes me crave him more.

  “Eric, please…” I writhe, biting my lip. “I need you.”

  “Your wish is my command,” he says, his eyes blazing. He lifts his head from between my breasts and hikes up my dress, cupping my ass with his callused hands. At first, I wasn’t used to the roughness of his touch, but now I wouldn’t have him any other way. He works hard for a living, and when it comes to pleasuring me, I relish in knowing just how much my man strives to provide for me. For the first time in my life, I feel secure.

  He strides over to the blanket already set up in the back among the hanging rose bushes. The seclusion of the greenhouse is one of our favorite rendezvous spots. We’ve made love countless times in here, even with customers rustling around outside. I think the thrill excites us both.

  Placing me down on the soft flannel, he hooks his thumbs through the elastic band of my hot pink thong, yanking it down. He gets a kick out of the fact that I’m still wearing thongs for his amusement, even though my belly is beginning to bulge. He loves how I’m trying to maintain an element of sexiness during my pregnancy.

  He unzips the side of my sundress, bunching it in his fingers as he lowers it over my hips, tossing it over his shoulder. I’m completely naked now, and the lush, humid air of the greenhouse caresses my skin. I stretch out, raising my hands above my head, sighing in contentment, letting him take in my every move. I close my eyes as his breathing increases.

  “You are like a fucking goddess,” he groans, running a hand down the length of my body. I squirm beneath his touch, but he doesn’t stop. He’s driving me insane, so it’s about time I return the favor.

  Shoving his hand away from me, I spread my legs before him. He gulps, swallowing hard as I bring my hand down, sliding it between my breasts before skimming my navel. Continuing my journey of self-discovery, I cup my mound and jerk against the blanket, delighting in the fact that he’s watching me touch myself.

  “Ivy…” He moans, a dangerous tremor in his voice.

  Instead, I pick up the pace. I feel my orgasm begin to build under his reproachful stare. I really have turned into quite a naughty girl.

  “You are not going to deny me this,” he whispers fervently. In a flash, he is on his feet, clinking the metal of his belt buckle when he can’t get it open fast enough. A second later, I hear the whoosh of his zipper being lowered. He doesn’t even kick his jeans all the way off before springing his erection free from his boxers. In an instant, he’s back on his knees before me, gently tugging my elbow, urging me to stop what I’m doing and grant him access.

  But I’m having too much fun toying with him. I’m going to make him earn it. Keeping a steady, self-satisfying rhythm going with my hand, I guide my foot onto his chest, pushing him back. Tracing his abdominal muscles with my toe, I feel him shudder beneath me. His hand is on my ankle, trying to pull it away, but I hold firm, pressing my foot even harder against his chest, my butt practically in the air.

  Taking advantage of my vulnerable position, he grabs me under the knee, pulling my leg around his taut waist. Going in for the kill, he reaches for my other leg, cinching my ankles behind him. I’m helpless now as I feel his tip press against the back of my hand, blocking his entrance into me. Taunting him, I continue to pleasure myself.

  Utterly frustrated, he buries his face against my neck, nipping and biting me with his teeth. I’ve never seen this feral side of him before as excitement courses through my veins. His erection is now straining against my hand as he rolls his hips, cursing under his breath. His hand is once again at my wrist, begging me to surrender to him.

  Giving in, I let him pull my hand away, and he wastes no time in sliding into me. He lifts my arm in the air, interlocking his fingers with mine. His grip is strong as he dives deeper within me, never letting go. I cry out as I collapse against him, but he continues to hold my hand aloft as he pumps toward his climax, grunting with every beat.

  I’m lost in a wave of complete bliss, but feeling his release inside me brings me back to earth for a moment. I love how we’re able to be with each other, skin to skin, no need for a condom—how a man and a woman are meant to enjoy each other.

  I circle my heels against the small of his back, savoring how deep he is inside me, giving him a minute to catch his breath. We’re both drenched in sweat. His hair is plastered to his forehead, his nose buried in the crook of my neck. He’s so close; I can feel the flutter of his eyelashes against my skin.

  My lips are swollen from his, and I smile when he turns his attention to my stomach, covering it in a fresh round of kisses. Our baby is inside me. A new chance at a future he never thought he’d have. My heart swells. I’m so lucky to have this man in my life.

  I’m just about to tell him that when my phone chimes.

  Eric picks up his head, startled, and looks at me. “Oh God, not again. Doesn’t he ever leave you alone?”

  “I’m just glad he didn’t interrupt us sooner.” I feel a chill when Eric sits up, removing his body from mine. But I can’t pout for long when he bends to retrieve my phone from the pocket of my dress, his naked backside filling my vision.

  We’ve gotten to the point where there are no secrets between us. We share pretty much everything, so I’m not surprised when he swipes his finger across the screen to read the text that disrupted our time together. I can tell he’s angry when his eyes darken as he scans the message. He tosses the phone onto the discarded heap of clothing without letting me read it.

  “What did it say?” I prop myself up my elbows, meeting his troubled gaze. My hair falls forward onto my breasts, but I don’t even notice. The look on his face is killing me inside. He’s standing there, naked, in all his glory, but all I see is the fear in his eyes.

  “Will says he needs you in L.A.” Eric crosses his arms, ready to lay down the law. “But don’t even think about it—because you’re not going.”

  Chapter Two

  Eric

  I was afraid this was going to happen, and now it has. I knew Will Carter wouldn’t disappear from our lives so easily. There had to be a catch.

  “Eric, he must’ve run into some complication he doesn’t know how to fix. We’ve been working together for months on this screenplay. I can’t turn my back on him now. We’re so close to finishing it.” Ivy looks at me with those puppy-dog eyes of hers, and I’m already starting to melt. But I can’t bear the thought of her traveling alone, especially in her condition. There’s no way she’s stepping foot on a plane without me.

  But that’s the problem. I can’t leave the garden center. Not now. The Halloween season is a major moneymaker for Riverside Gardens. With a baby on the way, I can’t turn down the extra income that comes rolling in from the pumpkin patch I set up in the adjacent field. During the week, various school groups make their annual visit, and on weekends we’re jam-packed from morning till night, pressing apple cider and giving tractor-driven hayrides. It’s impossible for me to take time off.

  “But why can’t you hash it out over the phone or by email like you’ve been doing?” I question Ivy, and she seems embarrassed as I bear down on her, hastily covering herself with her sundress. “Why do you suddenly have to fly across the country just because he snaps his fingers? He doesn’t own you.”

  “Of course he doesn’t. But you know what this
could mean for us if he’s able to sell this script. You wouldn’t have to kill yourself working so hard. You never gave yourself enough time to fully recover from your injuries after that stupid fight. I know you’re in pain a lot of the time, but you just push through it. It’s not right. Eric, I only want to help you as much as I can.” She gets up, tugging down her skirt. She’s nervous about pursuing this, but she’s determined and she’s not going to quit. I’m setting myself up to fight a losing battle.

  “I know not going back to school hasn’t been easy for you.” I reach out and tuck a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, attempting to soothe her battered confidence with a loving gesture. “But it doesn’t mean that you’re never going to get your degree. Once the baby comes—”

  “Once the baby comes, I’ll be busier than ever.” Her hands come to rest on my hipbones, and I can’t help reacting to her touch. “I’m not going to have the chance to do much of anything for a while. Don’t pretend things aren’t going to change, Eric.”

  “I’m not…” But I’m at a loss for words when she begins to massage my stomach muscles with her thumbs. I gasp, widening my stance as my eyes start to close on their own accord.

  “I want to contribute any way I can, and the one thing I know how to do is write. I’m barely into the second trimester of my pregnancy. Let me go and sort this out while I’m still able to travel.” She doesn’t like the idea of having to ask my permission for anything, that much is certain. And I can’t blame her for wanting to reassert her independence. But why does it have to be with Will?

  “Ivy, if this is on account of what people around town are saying, you don’t have to prove yourself to anybody.” I grit my teeth as she takes a step back, making me acutely aware of my nakedness.

  “This is not what this is about.” She glares at me from beneath her eyelashes. “Lauren’s bullshit has nothing to do with this.”

  “I just don’t want you feeling pressured into doing anything you’re not up for. All I want to do is take care of you.” I reach for her, and she lets me hold her. She knows how worried I am about this pregnancy and how many things can go wrong. We’re not home free, not by a long shot.