Chapter ten

Lenny huddled against a wall and stared towards the street, tensing anytime she heard movement, but no-one came. Still, she couldn't relax because she was sure Jack would find her. The time seemed to stretch out infinitely, and she felt as if hours had passed when she finally heard the sound of a vehicle. It stopped some distance away and she heard the door slam, and she hoped it was Kevin, but she wouldn't come out of her hiding place, not yet. Footsteps echoed in the street as the driver walked along, hesitating every now and then until they reached the alleyway she was in. She didn't need to hear his voice to know it was him, the enormous silhouette at the alley entrance told her who it was and she ran towards him, crying again now help was here.

Kevin saw her come rushing towards him and he gathered her small, shaking body up as she launched herself at him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she sobbed onto his shoulder. His big arms closed around her and he stroked her back, feeling it heave with her sobs. "Shh now, babygirl, everything's fine, you're safe now," he crooned, his eyes closing with relief that she was apparently okay, at least from what he could see in the dim lamplight from the street. He carried her back towards his truck and got inside with some difficulty, because she wouldn't let go of him and so he had to sit with her on his lap, knowing he'd have to wait to drive her home.

She started to calm down after a few minutes and she sighed against him, her grip loosening a little. "I'm sorry," she murmured, still not letting go.

"It's alright, baby," Kevin said softly, nudging her face out of hiding so he could get a look at her. When he did he hissed in a sharp breath and swore, one hand coming up to touch her cheekbone. "He hit you?"

Lenny frowned, realising it must have left a bruise. "Yes."

He looked into her eyes for a long time. "What else did he do, babygirl?"

She lowered her eyes, feeling strangely ashamed that Jack had tried to assault her. "He tried to...to touch me and...he was going to rape me, he said he would get someone else to help because I kept fighting him."

"Ah, sweetheart, you poor kid," he said, pulling her back into a tight embrace as he comforted her. "No-one deserves to be treated that way. Good for you for fighting him. I hope you landed a couple of punches?"

Lenny gave a tiny laugh at his attempt at humour. "Yeah, I did, but I don't think it hurt him much. I scratched his face though."

"When I get my hands on him, I'm going to do more than scratch his damn face," Kevin said, his voice deep and angry as he thought of several different ways to kill the man. "Come on, let's get you home."

He gently moved her to the passenger seat and buckled her in, stroking one hand over her face tenderly and smiling before he started the engine and drove them home. But instead of taking her into her own house, he took her to Mark's, needing to keep her close to him as much as he sensed she needed to keep close. She didn't complain, not even when he sprinted around the hood of the truck and lifted her out, cradling her against his chest as he carried her indoors. As soon as they got inside he took her into the TV room and sat back on the couch, draping her across his lap and hugging her as he switched the TV on and let it blare softly in the background. "You okay, sweetiepie?"

She nodded but didn't say anything, and her face burrowed deeper into his shoulder, a soft sigh issuing from her lips. Kevin looked down at her face and saw her eyes were closed, but she seemed content enough. He looked again at the bruise that was already darkening her cheek, and he wished Sam was here so he could go and find the asshole that did it. But Lenny needed him right now, and his bloodlust could wait. At least for a while.

He realised suddenly that she didn't know about Rachel. "Lenny? Did you try phoning Sam first?"

She nodded. "He wasn't in," she mumbled quietly.

"Er, no. See, Rachel started feeling ill, and so we took her up the hospital," he said, watching as she sat up and stared at him, her face only inches away.

"Hospital? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" she asked quickly, forgetting her own feelings for a few minutes.

Kevin smiled and nodded. "The baby's fine, and Rachel isn't too bad. Her blood pressure's become unstable and it's too high, so they've admitted her for observation. Apparently it could become dangerous, so they want to keep an eye on her in case they have to induce labour...or something like that," he said, trying to repeat what he had heard earlier that evening. "Sam's staying there with her, which is why he wasn't home."

"Can we go and see them?" she asked, chewing her lip worriedly.

"Not tonight, it's too late. But first thing in the morning, okay?"

"Okay." Lenny frowned then looked him in the eyes again. " She's really okay?"

Kevin grinned, rubbing one big hand up and down her back. "She's fine, don't worry."

"Okay," she said softly, satisfied that he wasn't hiding any bad news from her and she settled back against his chest, not for one second wondering at why she felt so comfortable with him holding her.

Kevin gave a sigh and relaxed, his eyes alternately flicking from the screen to her face, and a smile tilted his lips. He rocked her slowly as he watched television, asking every now and then if she felt okay, and he always got the same reaction. A small nod, but no sound.

Eventually his hands rubbed up and down her back again, and he turned her so she was pressed more fully against him, his body reacting predictably. He cleared his throat as he squirmed under her soft weight. "You okay, sweetiepie?" he asked again, his constant refrain. It didn't even occur to him that a man his size might seem a bit ridiculous saying sweetiepie, it fit her.

"Mmm," she murmured, and he smiled at the small sound, glad she was so comfortable with him.

"Are you sure? Want to talk about it yet?"

"No," she murmured, her breath puffing out onto his neck and making him shiver. "I already told you everything. It's my fault, anyway."

Kevin frowned. "Your fault? How do you figure that?"

"I should have listened to Sam and I didn't, so I guess it serves me right. I'm never going on a date again," she vowed, her voice still soft.

A smile tilted his mouth this time. "No?" he asked her, his eyes taking on a serious gleam as he thought about her words. Suddenly the difference in their ages didn't bother him quite as much as it had. All that mattered was how he had felt when he thought she was in trouble, and his previous doubts disappeared. "Never? Not even if it was with me?"

Lenny raised her head and looked at him, confused. "You?"

"Yeah, me. Well?"

"Why would you want to go on a date with me? You said no-one would go out with me unless they were insane," she said, proving that she had heard his words.

"Ever heard it said that eavesdroppers never hear any good about themselves? You should have got there sooner, I was explaining that that was how I used to feel. But not any more," he told her, his smile widening at her expression.

"Really?" she asked, wondering why her heart was trying to crawl out of her throat at his words.

"Really," he assured her. His eyes narrowed. "Why? Would you say no?"

"No! I mean, yes....I'd say yes," she said instantly, blushing slightly when he chuckled.

"Hmm, so I guess you don't hate me after all?" he asked, his chest feeling suddenly tight as emotions he had thought dead started to flood through him.

"I don't hate you, and I don't know why, because I think I used to," she said, her voice no more than a whisper as she stared into his glittering eyes. "But I wish it had been you taking me out tonight instead of that man."

"So do I, honey," he said, his eyes studying her soft expression. "I don't know why I don't hate you either, if it helps."

Lenny shrugged. "It does, sort of. This is kind of weird, isn't it? Us, like this?"

He nodded, his eyes dropping to her mouth. "I guess it is, but it's...right, somehow." He frowned slightly and tried to look away from her, but it was impossible. He felt as if he had been drugged. "What happened to you tonight was horrible, and I'm glad you called me." His frown disappeared only to be replaced by one of his sexy grins, and he raised an eyebrow as he stared at her lips. "You know, they say that the best way to get rid of a bad experience, is to replace it with a good one. Want to try it out?"

"How?" she said, watching his eyes drop and licking her lips nervously.

"Come here and I'll show you," he whispered, urging her head closer to him and then capturing her lips in a gentle kiss that put almost no pressure on her at all. One hand moved up her back and cradled her head, tilting it slightly so he could fit his mouth over hers with more ease, his tongue flickering out teasing the corners of her mouth until she parted her lips for him. With experience and skill he eased her into the kiss, the gentlest they had shared so far, using all the restraint he had just so he could show her what a kiss should really be. Not like the brutality she had suffered at Jack Penn's hands. Slowly he let it grow out of control, just enough that she would be left wanting more, intending all the time to end the kiss before he lost it entirely. But he hadn't allowed for how her hands would feel as they clutched at his broad shoulders, or how the small sounds she was making would turn him on and make his body vibrate against her with need. Her small body was pressed close to him and he could feel every soft curve of her burning through his clothing, and he felt himself hardening painfully fast. He slid a hand around her front and gently cupped a firm breast, feeling the nipple harden against his palm as he squeezed her gently, kneading the soft pliant flesh, his touch getting more sure as she became noisier.

He broke off the kiss reluctantly and nuzzled her neck, drawing his fingers together and plucking at the small peak he had brought to life, smiling as the noises she had been making sounded loudly in his ear. He had heard such noises before, but so often they had been faked. He lifted his head and looked down at Lenny's flushed face, seeing that there was nothing fake about her reaction to what he was doing. She was refreshingly open and receptive. Her eyes opened and she stared up at him through a mist, knowing somewhere in her mind that she should be shocked at the way he was touching her, but she couldn't bring herself to stop him. It felt so good, like white hot needles of pleasure were shooting through her body, and she wanted more of that same feeling. "Kevin," she whispered, raising a hand and touching his face, her fingers stroking over his beard. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, letting her explore his features even as his hands made free with her softness. The way she was touching his face, her fingertips so gentle as they skimmed over him, made him shiver with more than pleasure. No-one had ever touched him like that, not gently, not caringly. He was huge, a giant of a man, and most people didn't think someone like him would ever need tenderness. But he did, and he hadn't known it until now.

Lenny watched his expression and she sat up, lifting her other hand and framing his face so she could place a small kiss on his lips. His eyes opened and stared straight into hers, the warm hazel colour glowing as she continued caressing him. She pulled his head down and kissed each cheek, then his nose, and then each eyelid, moving to his forehead and then straight back to his lips. This time she nuzzled them gently, initiating the kiss with more enthusiasm than any sort of skill, but he felt the touch all the way to his toes. He chuckled and she drew back, staring at him in confusion.

"I often wondered how women felt when they said something made their toes curl," he explained, placing his big hands over hers where they rested on his cheeks. "Now I know. Kiss me again, sweetiepie."

Lenny smiled slowly and did as he asked, pressing her mouth to his and doing the same as she'd done before, sweeping her tongue hesitantly over his lips and then pulling back when he opened his mouth. "I'm not sure....I...I'm not very good at this," she said, uncertain of how to continue.

Kevin smiled. "You're very good at this, you just don't know it. But if it helps, let me lead, okay?" he said softly, and the next second she found herself laying full length on the sofa, with Kevin's huge body pressed right up next to her, his head leaning down over hers. "This is better." He studied her shocked expression and stroked the back of his hand down her cheek, rubbing at her soft skin. "We'll only go as far as you want to. If you want me to stop, at any time, you just tell me. I won't make you do anything you don't want to, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, biting her lip as she lifted her arms around his neck and let her hands feel the huge muscles of his shoulders. Her chin lifted as his mouth descended and she met his kiss eagerly, closing her eyes and losing herself in the sensations he caused. She didn't stop him even when he reached underneath her and released the clasp of her bra, knowing that he would be looking for a way inside the dress before long. But she felt no shame for wanting his touch, and when he looked down at the black material searchingly, she directed his hand to the concealed zip underneath her, blushing when he grinned at her.

"Why, thank you, babyface," he murmured, leaning down to drop small kisses on her face as he unzipped her, pulling the material slowly down over her shoulders until it was bunched up around her waist, the only thing covering her from his eyes being the loosened bra. With deliberate slowness, he pulled the scrap of lace away from her, revealing the soft pale flesh to his eyes. He sucked in a breath as he stared down at the perfection before him, his hands lifting automatically and closing around her waist so he could lift her to his mouth. The dusky peaks were too exciting for him to resist and he took one into his mouth and suckled lightly on her, drawing it deeper as she squirmed in his hold. For a second he thought she was trying to get away, but then her hands weaved through his hair and he felt himself being pressed closer to her, giving him permission to continue.

Lenny couldn't believe the heat that his mouth generated, and she moaned as he became rougher, wanting him to never stop whatever it was he was doing. She looked at him then, shocked at how it looked to see a man suckling at her soft flesh - and Kevin certainly looked like he was enjoying himself. His brows were drawn down as he concentrated on his task, and when he drew back briefly, the eyes he raised to hers were glittering with desire. He looked back down at the perfect breast he had just released and smiled slowly, seeing the tiny marks on the pale skin where his whiskers had rubbed against her. Letting her back down on the sofa he stroked one hand over them. "You'll have marks," he said huskily.

Lenny looked at herself and blushed. "It's okay."

Kevin studied her face intently again, that same fierce look in his eyes. "Want some more?"

"Yes, please," she said softly, her body already arching helplessly up towards him as his hands rubbed over her, the slightly callused feel of his fingertips making her shiver. "Kevin....I need...." she gasped as he kissed his way over her chest.

"What do you need, pumpkin? Anything you want..." he murmured, nipping lightly at her nipple and then laving the small wound tenderly, feeling her tremble with each sweep of his tongue.

"I don't know," she moaned, running her fingers through his long hair and gripping it in two bunches.

Her words made him falter and he raised his eyes to her again, uncertain. "Lenny?"

She opened her eyes reluctantly and looked at him, trapped in his searing gaze. Another shiver worked it's way through her as he rubbed a big hand over her quivering stomach, his expression tender. "Are you a virgin, sweetiepie?"

****Okay....perhaps an evil place to leave it, hmm? And I'm going to be leaving it for a long time I'm afraid. I am off to England tomorrow for 10 days for an operation and then I'm back here in France for two weeks with my daughter, then back in England for another 10 days, then back here! Whew!! It isn't until then that I'll be able to read, write or review! Sorry about that! On the other hand, if I get bored in England I may write something! Hope you enjoyed this anyway!****