Where We Meet Again

by Wilson, A. M.

I should pretend to be asleep. Law and I only seem capable of clashing, and I’m not in the mood to argue. I should also thank him for helping, even though I never asked him to. The gesture is incredibly kind. The weather won’t hold out much longer, and there’s a strong possibility I wouldn’t have finished preparing my house before the snow fell. And if Law hadn’t helped, and I couldn’t do it, the only person that left was Nathan. What kind of message would that send to a man I’m not sure I even want to go on a date with?

  With all that in mind, I scoot my legs off the side of the bed, grab a crutch, and clunk my way to the kitchen.

  When I round the corner from the hall, all the saliva in my mouth evaporates, and I’m suddenly desperate for a drink.

  A soft dusting of hair sprouts a couple inches on either side of his belly button. It continues up underneath his raised shirt and…

  Down.

  Below.

  His waistband.

  His belt hangs open and parallel to his thighs. The top button of his jeans is open and folded down with the waistband of his underwear visible out the top.

  Oh, Lordy.

  His toned abs glistens with sweat. Law holds the bottom of his tee up to his face and uses it like a towel, allowing me to stare unabashedly. My mouth hangs open and drool probably glistens at the corner of my mouth. I can’t know for sure though. My entire body goes numb… or tingly. Maybe even both.

  He drops his shirt, and his eyes landed on me.

  “Christ.”

  His curse jolts my mouth closed and my mind blank. A warm hum stokes low in my belly, and I have a hell of a time thinking of anything else when that feels so good.

  Law twists his torso and tags his cup off the counter beside the sink. He takes a long drink, and I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows.

  Lowering the glass, he clutches it near the middle of his abdomen and licks the remaining drop of water from his lips.

  “Work’s done,” he grunts low, eyeing me steadily. There’s a distinct feeling of predator and prey, but at the moment, I’m not sure which role is mine.

  “You’re naked,” I mumble. “In my kitchen. Half–naked. Why are you naked?”

  He cocks his head and lifts a brow. A slow grin spreads across his lips. It isn’t full, but it’s enough for those long dimples on the sides of his mouth to peek out. “Cute toes.”

  My nostrils flare in my attempt at a deep breath without being obvious. His grin broadens when I fail. He’s playing with me. The bastard gets off on making me squirm.

  “Come here, Cami.” The huskiness in his voice stokes the warmth higher, and it crackles like a firework in my gut.

  I take two hops closer before I stop myself. I can’t act on his commands. My willpower is shot around this man. I need to up my game before he chews me up and spits me out once again.

  If he thinks taunting my attraction to him is the way to go, two can play this game. He’s had the upper hand in every exchange since he showed up in Arrow Creek, but it’s time for a power exchange.

  I move two steps farther into the kitchen, and not a muscle in his body moves except his eyes. They track me. He watches me like a hungry lion eyeing a gazelle, except I refuse to be eaten.

  The crutch falls intentionally from beneath my arm, and it clatters to the floor. While he’s distracted, I plant my palm on the countertop behind me and hoist myself up.

  The sound of movement draws his attention back. His darkening eyes slowly raise to my new position.

  I scoot closer to the edge, permitting my knees to fall wider apart. Not blatantly obvious, but in what I hope is a subtle invitation.

  If he wants to play with fire, I’m going to show him how much it hurts to get burned.

  Law’s nostrils flare, and he slams his glass down. In three long strides, he’s across the kitchen and working his hips between my spread thighs.

  “Is this what you’re asking for, baby?”

  A shiver rides down my spine. My head lolls on my shoulders.

  He presses forward, the hard ridge of his erection rolling against my sensitive clit. I jerk at the contact.

  I swallow once to clear my throat and control my breathing. “Is this what you want?” The sound of my voice is one I don’t recognize. The pitch high and soft and inviting.

  “Only every day for the last fifteen years.”

  I moan, losing my grip on the game. I should be on top here, but he’s quickly regained control with the years of experience. In a desperate attempt to take it back, I force a hand between us into the open flap of his jeans. Sliding it down the length of his hard cock, I palm him through his cotton underwear.

  I can’t say for sure which of us groans louder, but Law punctuates his with, “Oh, fuck yeah.”

  Those words sizzle straight to the fire in my stomach, and I stroke him, desperate for more.

  He plants a hand by my hip for support and wraps the other around my upper back, his fingers cupping the back of my head. He holds me steady, making it so I can’t move away, and forces me to look in his eyes. Our foreheads touch. Our breaths mingle in the space between us. There’s no more backing down. Not from him, and definitely not from me.

  I’ve had my first touch of Law. Not only in years. Ever. I’m not about to let him go before I finish what I started.

  While holding my eyes, he swivels his hips, instigating a tempo he likes. One I like, too. The change of angle allows me to explore more of his incredible size.

  “I want to feel your hand on my dick,” he rasps, then thrusts his hips forward, filling my palm with himself.

  “It is.” My face flushes. Isn’t this what he wants? How do I communicate with a man who has years of experience ahead of me? I’ve never talked about a man’s dick, let alone to that man’s face while stroking said dick. The thought both embarrasses and terrifies me.

  Law lets go of my head to reach between us and dwarfs my hand in his. I barely register his other hand leaving the countertop and pushing his jeans and underwear off. The buckle on his belt clanks against the floor.

  “Like this.” He takes my lips in an open kiss and dips his velvet tongue into my mouth. At the same time his lips hit mine, he wraps both of our hands around his now bare erection and initiates a slow stroke.

  I get lost in the feel of him. The hard warmth of his cock beneath my small palm, the sounds of the groans rumbling from deep in his chest, the strength of his hand wrapped around mine. Guiding me. Teaching me. His mouth taking mine in a passionate kiss that would blow all others out of the water if I had any to compare it to. His velvet tongue sensually strokes mine like two long lost lovers.

  The warmth of his hand around mine disappears, but I keep on going, stroking him the way he demonstrated.

  His hands cup my ass and lift me into his arms. I have no choice but to clench his hips with my thighs and wrap my free arm around his shoulders. The position might be hard for him, so my fingers on his cock slacken to grip his shoulders instead.

  “Don’t let go of my dick,” he growls into my mouth. The desperate sound of his voice has my fingers tightening again.

  He shuffles us forward a few steps, the clank of his belt on the floor reminding me that his pants are around his ankles. A smile tugs against his mouth.

  Law wrenches his lips away and gazes into my eyes. He spreads his fingers on my ass cheeks and digs them into the soft flesh. Their proximity to my pussy turns the dull throb into a tsunami wave of desire.

  “You won’t find much funny when I get my dick in you. You’ll be too busy screaming.”

  Oh, god. The smile drops from my face. We’re going to… Of course, that’s where this is heading. It’s exactly what I wanted. Why does an inkling of fear creep in?

  We hit the hallway, and suddenly we’re going down. I release an abrupt scream that Law silences with his lips. He kisses me hard, his tongue swirls in my mouth as he cups the back of my head.

  His knees hit the carpet first, followed by his elbow from the arm he wrapped ar
ound my back. He cushions me so perfectly I hardly feel a thing. A small graze of carpet abrades my exposed lower back.

  Breaking the kiss, he sits back on his heels. Power radiates off him as he looms over me. His body is built, and I’m about to receive an uninhibited view. Reaching one arm over his head, he grasps his shirt by the neckline and removes the material in one fluid motion.

  The dark hair from his abdomen continues up over his pecs. Thicker in between where it crosses over his sternum, it turns into a sprinkling around his nipples. I trail my gaze in the other direction, following the hair down to where it encircles the base of his cock. I can see what my accurate sense of touch determined before. His size is incredible.

  “You’re wearing too many clothes.”

  My eyes shoot to his, and all I can do is nod in agreement.

  Law clenches the hem of my blue ribbed tank and tugs it straight over my head. I lift my arms and sit up to help him. The cotton sides up and off without a hitch.

  As I lay back, he deftly flicks open the button on my jeans and slides down the zipper. He grips the denim at both of my hips and works the material down over my butt. Gliding his hands up my bare thighs and hips, he grabs a hold of my waist, lifts, and scoots us further down the hall. My jeans slide further down my legs.

  “Are we going to crawl to the bedroom?” I tease, attempting to dispel some nerves.

  “No, but it’s possible I might fuck you all the way there.”

  “Oh I–ˮ A sharp inhale steals my reply. Both my hands fly to grip his wrist where it rises and falls above my stomach.

  Law’s done talking and proves such by slipping his hand beneath my red thong. His thick middle finger dips through my wetness and plunges inside. Deep. The sensation of something other than my hand or sex toy is a little strange, but not unpleasant. Any thought of discomfort goes out the window when he curls his finger and rubs a spot that arches my back and curls my toes. My toys can’t do that.

  “Fuck. Do that again,” he coaxes. He braces an arm at the side of my head and watches my face as he rubs that spot deep inside me once more.

  I can’t fight the response if I tried, and fuck me, I’m not trying. My back arches, crushing my breasts against his bare chest. The wiry hairs deliciously brush my sensitive skin not covered by my bra. My eyelids slam shut, and my mouth opens on a moan.

  While his finger works inside me—slow and steady, increasing until I circle my hips, then slowing down again—the orgasm builds.

  I haven’t had one in my entire life brought on by another person, but I’ve given them to myself. The feeling is the same, tense, like a spring coiling in my stomach. There’s no stopping it, but I can tell this one is going to be so much more intense than any I’ve experienced before.

  Law sinks his teeth into the muscle where my neck meets my shoulder. I scream, nearly coming at the sudden change in sensation, but then his words stop me in my tracks.

  “Is this your normal M. O.?” he croons, the question and the sound of his voice confusing me.

  “What do you mean?”

  He pushes back a little, looming over me on one arm. His finger stills deep inside me while he talks. “You know. Kiss one guy. Kiss another the next week. Next thing you know, you’re nearly naked, about to come on one guy’s hand, while having plans for a date later with the other guy.”

  My date with Nathan. Oh, shit, shit, shit! “Law, we shouldn’t.”

  His finger swirls inside of me, making me do that arch, eye roll thing again. “Ah!”

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind sharing you a little. I’ve dreamed of taking you for so long that it’s worth it to finally have a taste.” A little malice enters his voice. “Besides, it’s not me who has to sit across from my date with another man’s come still inside me.” He works a second finger inside me and presses down. My legs shake.

  I don’t want to look in his eyes, so I close mine. His words sting, but there’s truth behind them. I’ve dreamed about this too, and I can’t stop, even if I wanted to. I can be pissed about it later, but I’m so turned on that I’ll die if he stops.

  “Jesus, Cami.” He lowers his forehead to mine. I peek and see his eyes are now closed too. “You’re so goddamned tight. How is that even possible?”

  A strangled breath escapes. “I don’t… I mean, I’m not… I’ve never…” What am I even trying to say? My chest aches, and to push it away, I grasp the sides of his head with both hands and pull his mouth to mine.

  He groans into my mouth, and I’m pleased he lets me have control.

  For a moment.

  It doesn’t last long. Whatever agenda Law has, he’s on a mission to complete it.

  Wrenching his mouth from mine leaves us both gasping for air. He pushes back and lowers himself down my body, dropping to a forearm between my spread thighs. Seconds pass as he watches himself finger me, desire etched on his face.

  His warm breath fans over my sensitive flesh, and my hips jerk in response. His brows crease, and he shoots me a curious glance before looking at my pussy again.

  Without warning, he lowers his head and dips his tongue into my wet slit. Just one swipe.

  My pussy clenches tight around his fingers, and a gasp of pleasure erupts from my throat. I’m so close to coming.

  Law lifts his eyes to mine, holding me enraptured with a steady stare, and plunges his tongue in with his fingers.

  My hips jerk hard, but he isn’t finished. His fingers scissor apart, and his tongue flutters relentlessly in the space between them, hitting nerves deep inside me I had no idea existed. Three seconds later, the tsunami building inside me makes landfall, and my orgasm pulses rhythmically through me, squeezing his fingers in a tight grip.

  My eyes roll back, and I swear I black out from the pleasure. I’ve never felt anything like it in my entire life. My bare chest heaves as I regain normal breath.

  “Hey, Cami?” His husky voice sounds from somewhere near my hips.

  “Yeah?” I don’t bother opening my eyes to answer.

  Wiping his mouth on my inner thigh, he places a soft kiss there. He presses another kiss a little lower and traces the crease of my groin as he speaks. “You’ve done that before, right?”

  Embarrassment steals everything else, and I fling an arm across my eyes. “No.”

  “Hey.” He nips at my lower stomach. A shot of desire rushes through me and the muscles clench. “Look at me, darlin’.”

  I give him my eyes. The vulnerability in his startles me.

  “Pleased out of my damn mind that there was something left for me to be a first for you.” His voice sounds thick and stuffy, as if he’s getting a cold.

  Tears well in my eyes. “Then you should know…” I look away to calm my racing heart. He gives me a second, and I’m grateful for that. I don’t know why, after all the fighting we’ve done I’m considering giving him this. All I know is it feels like a step in the right direction.

  “It’s not a first, so it’s not the same…”

  “What’s not the same?” He climbs up my body and cups my cheek. The warmth of his torso against mine grounds me.

  This is wrong, and I’m being selfish, but I can’t make myself stop. I should’ve stopped us before we reached the tipping point of no return. I chose not to. I have no other option now but to keep on trucking. “There’s been nobody for me since I left Logansville.”

  “Baby,” he groans, burying his face into the side of my neck. He lifts his head, and his eyes shine. “Be clearer for me, because I don’t want to misinterpret this.”

  Cupping both his cheeks, I stroke along the sharp ridge beneath his eye. A pale, puckered scar fans out from the corner there and blends in with the other natural lines. I trace it with my thumb. “It doesn’t get much clearer. The one and only time I’ve had sex was the night I conceived my daughter.”

  Law clenches his jaw and drops his forehead against my breastbone. My hands slip from his face. Not able to read his mood, I don’t know what to do. It’s unco
mfortable not touching him after that confession.

  Tentatively, I reach out and settle my hand on the back of his head. He doesn’t brush me off, so I thread my fingers through his messy locks.

  I’m so sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, I want to scream but can’t make my mouth work.

  My hands fall from his hair when he abruptly pushes himself up and stands. He avoids looking at me when he bends over.

  He’s getting his things and getting dressed. He’s leaving. Once again, the mistake I made fourteen years ago is too much for him, and the reminder disgusts him. Can I blame him?

  Something hits the floor beside me, and the sound ensnares my attention. Law’s stripped off his jeans and socks, and now stands naked, stretching his hand out to me.

  Hope soars within me. Is he going to stay? I grab hold, planting my good foot on the ground. He lifts me up straight into his warm, solid chest. Both his arms encircle me, and for a few heartbeats, we hold one another.

  “Could have been me,” he states cryptically. I raise my head, wanting to look him in the eyes. He tightens his hold, forcing me to relax against his chest. “I would have given anything to have been your first. Anything. Thought it was going to be that way. Went so far as to plan it for when you were ready.”

  That hope crashes and burns a fiery death.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way though, Cami.” His fingers sift through my tangled hair. “I’ve seen you with your daughter. Beautiful, like her momma. Kind. Polite. She’s got your attitude too.”

  I tremble in his arms.

  “And your stubbornness, I can tell.” His arms jerk, squeezing me tighter. “Point is, I wouldn’t change that for you, even if it meant having everything I wanted. I’ll have to settle for second, and I’ll be happy doing it, if it means I get to finally have you.”

  Sliding his palm beneath my jaw, Law tilts my head back to capture my eyes. “What do you say?”

  No hesitation. “Please, Law, yes I–ˮ His mouth crushes mine, and his kiss swallows the rest.

  He presses me up against the wall; the surface freezing cold against my naked back. Shivering, I secure my arms around him to steal his warmth as I kiss him back. A desperation steals over me, one that reminds me this moment is fleeting. If history repeats itself, it leads me to believe this amiability won’t last.