Each night, after Jack was asleep, she had slipped into Colt’s room. Jack knew that she and Colt were in a relationship, but she was not ready to discuss with him how far the relationship had progressed. Lately, life had been so unpredictable, she wanted to make sure that Jack was in a good place and not confused.
It was hard to leave Colt’s warm embrace, but she had been so thankful he understood. That was one of the things she loved about him…he cared greatly for Jack.
Now, all thoughts flew from her mind as Colt lay her on the bed. Looming over her, he dragged her sleep shorts down her legs, snagging her panties as he went. Tossing them to the side, he bent and kissed each calf, slowly working his way up her legs.
“Jesus, Carrie, I smell your need, and it’s like fuckin’ nectar.”
She could not stop the giggle from erupting and said, “I swear, only a man would think arousal would smell as good as flowers.”
He nipped the inside of her thighs, grazing the skin with his teeth, and said, “Better than flowers, babe.”
She leaned up on the mattress, propping her upper body up on her elbows as she watched his dark head disappear between her legs. More butterfly kisses landed on her inner thighs, and she fought the urge to press her hips upward.
He lifted his head, speared her with his glance, and gently ordered, “Relax.”
She flopped back onto the bed, allowing her legs to open widely, giving him full access. With the flat of his tongue, he licked her slit, and she gasped as shivers of delight moved through her. He worked his way toward her clit and inserted a finger into her channel, finding just the right spot to create the friction her inner core craved. She closed her eyes tightly, giving herself over to the physical sensations as her fingers clutched the bedcovers.
He continued to suck and lick until she thought she would go mad with wanting as her sex quivered under his ministrations. Just when she thought she could take it no more, she felt her body tighten, and she cried out, succumbing to the spasms of pleasure moving through her.
Her legs flopped open, and she barely felt the soft kisses as he moved over her mound, upward over her abdomen, circling around her belly button, before pushing her camisole upward. The material passed over her breasts, and he latched onto one engorged nipple, sucking hard.
As he took his time, she reached down and ran her fingers through his thick, black hair. She watched as he moved between both breasts, giving equal attention to them.
He lifted his head, and with a twinkle in his eye said, “You know, you’ve got the best pair of tits I’ve ever seen.”
Barking out a laugh, she slapped her hand over her mouth to still her mirth. As he lowered his head and continued to suckle, she closed her eyes, once more giving over to the sensations he was drawing from her.
Unable to wait another moment, she begged, “Please, Colt. I need you. I need you inside now.”
He crawled over her body further, dragging her camisole over her head and tossing it onto the floor. Looming above, he shucked off his boxers, shifting his body so that he could pull them all the way off, and they landed close to her clothes. He grabbed the condom from his nightstand, but looking down at her, asked, “Are you on the pill?”
She nodded and said, “Yes. I’ve been on the pill for years.”
“I know I’m the first man you’ve been with in a long time, and I get tested for my job, so I know I’m clean. And to be honest, it’s been a while for me, too, and I’ve never gone ungloved. But I want you to be able to trust that, so we can get tested—”
“Colt, I trust you now. I couldn’t be here in this house—with my son, in your bed—if I didn’t trust you.” He hesitated, and she watched as his dark eyes worked, thoughts moving behind them.
“What are you saying, babe?” he asked, his voice rough his gravel.
She reached her hands upward, clutching his shoulder, her fingers digging into his flesh. Her lips curved into a slow smile, and she said, “I’m saying I trust you to take care of me. And that includes trusting you to take care of my body. If you want nothing between us, that’s fine with me.”
He growled as he tossed the condom back to his side, moved his hand between her legs, spreading her arousal over her folds. With the tip of his cock at her entrance, he slowly entered, inch by inch.
She felt his fullness, but this time, it was different. Flesh on flesh, his cock dragged along her inner core, and she gasped at the sense of fullness.
Looking up, she watched as his face appeared tortured, his eyes closed, his jaw tight. “Please, look at me, Colt.”
His eyes jerked open and the air rushed from his lungs as he admitted, “I want to remember this moment. I want to remember how you look spread out on my bed, taking my body into yours. I never want to forget the gift you’re giving me, and how I always want to strive to deserve it.”
His words rushed over her, filling each deep and dark crevice. As he continued to push his cock deeper until he was fully seated, she clung to him, a tear sliding from her eye. When he was fully seated, she urged him to move, but he held steady. “Not going to rush this, Carrie.”
Slowly, he pulled his cock out before gliding it back in again. Finding the rhythm she craved, he thrust, alternating between fast and slow until she was mad with longing. Lifting her legs higher, she dug her heels into his ass, clinging to his shoulders with her hands. The play of muscles underneath her fingertips gave proof to the magnificent body and power he held.
Her inner core tightened, and she urged him on, thrilled when he acquiesced. Suddenly, before she could have imagined, she came, her muscles quivering. He threw his head back, coming at the same time. She was fascinated, watching his face as he pulsed into her. The force of their climax took her breath away, and he gasped loudly, still pumping as though wringing every last drop from his body.
He finally dropped his chin, pierced her with his intense gaze, and said, “I love you, Carrie. Jesus, I never thought I could love anyone the way I love you.” He rolled to the side, pulling her with him so that her body was still partially laying on his.
His words rang in her ears, but she hesitated. Do confessions of love count if they were wrung from the depths of an orgasm?
“Stop overthinking,” he encouraged, giving her a squeeze. Tucking her closely, he said, “My words aren’t because we had sex. Incredibly good sex, which blew my mind—”
She giggled at that but quieted as he continued.
“I think I began to fall for you the first time I saw you in Joe’s Place. You got a rockin’, smokin’ hot body, but swear to God, it was your smile that knocked me on my ass.”
Her grin still on her face, she admitted, “I noticed you, too. I thought you were the most handsome man I had ever seen. Tall, dark, kind of broody—”
“Broody?”
“Yeah… You know, the ‘don’t mess with me’ vibe that just made me want to take you home and take care of you.”
He chuckled and shook his head, then shifted out of bed, stalking to the bathroom. Coming back a moment later with a warm, wet cloth, he gently cleaned between her legs. She climbed from the bed and snagged her panties, top, and sleep shorts. Once dressed, she turned toward him, and he wrapped her in his embrace.
“Lay here with me a while.”
“I don’t want to fall asleep,” she said, her voice full of longing.
“Let’s just enjoy each other for a little while longer. Jack always sleeps late.” He held her gaze, and she slowly acquiesced. Climbing back into the bed, he added, “Sometime soon, you know, he’s going to know we’re in a serious relationship.”
She snuggled closely as he curled his front around her back, tucking her in tightly to him. Her sated body relaxed, and she said, “Maybe, just maybe, I can let myself snooze here for a little while.” After a moment, she whispered, “I love you, too, Colt.”
A knock on the door caused Carrie to jolt awake, uncertain where she was. Sitting up quickly, she elbowed Colt in the chest, and he gru
nted as he jerked upward as well.
“Mom?” Jack’s voice came from outside the master bedroom door.
“Oh, my God!" she whispered. “I can’t believe I slept so late!”
Shoving the covers down, she hopped up, wishing she had her robe instead of just her t-shirt and sleep shorts as Colt said, “It’s only three a.m., babe.”
Realizing it was way earlier than Jack normally arose, all thoughts of a robe left her mind, and she rushed to the door, throwing it open. “What’s wrong?” As the words left her mouth, she spied his pale face.
“Sorry to wake you, Mom, but I threw up.”
Before he had a chance to say anything else, her hand snapped to his forehead, checking to see if he had a fever.
Shaking his head, he said, “I don’t think I’m sick, because as soon as I threw up, I felt better.”
“Well, you did have a lot of junk food tonight when we were watching the game.” She suddenly stiffened, feeling Colt’s presence right behind her back. He had one of his flannel shirts in his hand and slid it up her arms and over her shoulders. It hung to her thighs, and for a second she luxuriated in the soft feel and scent of his shirt on her.
“Hey, Buddy,” Colt said, resting his hand on Carrie’s shoulder. “I’ve got some Gatorade in the fridge if you think that would help. I don’t have ginger ale, but it’d only take me a few minutes to run to the all-night mart and get some.”
“You don’t need to do that, Colt,” Jack said. “I’m sure Gatorade would be good.”
With a chin lift, Colt slid past them and into the hall, heading down toward the kitchen. She quickly buttoned the top of the shirt while watching her son carefully. He did not seem shocked or upset that she had been in Colt’s room in the middle of the night. Nonetheless, she felt the need to say something. “Honey, I’m sorry that you had to go looking for me when you felt sick—”
Jack’s brows lowered, and he said, “Why would I go looking for you? I figured you’d be here.”
Now it was her turn to lower her brows, but before she had a chance to ask what he meant, he continued. "Mom, I’m practically a teenager, not some little kid. I know you and Colt are together, and couples sleep together."
Carrie was flabbergasted, unsure of what to address first. Finally blinking, she snapped, “You’re eleven years old…that’s not a teenager.”
Colt had made it back to them, handing Jack the bottle of Gatorade. He placed his hand on Carrie’s stomach and gently moved her backward into the master bedroom, clamping his other hand around the back of Jack’s neck, and said, “Come on in, buddy. You can sip on the Gatorade, and we’ll talk for a few minutes before we all go back to bed.”
Carrie’s eyes bugged out, but Colt simply leaned in, kissed her forehead, and said, “It’s time. Trust me?”
She knew that the answer to that simple question was ‘yes’, but she also knew that he was not a parent. As her feet moved back toward the bed where she perched on the side, she also knew that Colt would never do anything to hurt them. And, since he had once been a boy, he might have more insight than she.
“Babe, take a breath and relax,” Colt ordered gently.
She rolled her eyes, but Jack echoed, “Yeah, Mom. It’s all cool.”
“Jack,” Colt began, “You’re eleven years old, and you’re right, that’s not a little boy anymore. But then, you’re also not a full-grown man yet. What you are is at the age where you’re learning to become the kind of man you want to be, and the fact that your mom trusts me enough to help with that is a bigger honor than I ever thought I would have.”
Just with his opening sentence, Carrie felt tears hit the back of her eyes and her shoulders relaxed, knowing that Colt would never do anything, or say anything, to hurt them.
Continuing, Colt said, “I would never disrespect your mom, and that includes taking advantage of her. A good man would never do that. When we talked earlier, we said we were like a family. You’re not just extra. You don’t just come along with the woman that I’ve fallen for. My feelings for you are strong, just on their own. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Carrie’s gaze shot over toward Jack, her heart clenching as she watched the easy smile on her son’s face as he nodded.
“Good,” Colt said. “So, just to make sure there’re no misunderstandings, we’re not just like a family. As far as I’m concerned, we are a family.”
Jack sat up straighter, his shoulders back, his head held high. Twisting slightly, he looked at Carrie and said, “Mom, you’re the greatest mom in the world. And I’m sorry that Peter was too chicken to take responsibility for you and me, but I don’t want you to take that on. That’s on him. But if I could pick the kind of dad I’d like to have and the kind of man I think you deserve, it would be Colt.”
Unable to hold back, she wrapped her arms around her son and held him tightly as tears slid down her cheeks. Opening her eyes, she looked over Jack’s head at Colt, seeing him swallow deeply, blinking as though to keep the moisture back as well.
After a moment, Jack squirmed and said, “You're squishing me.”
Letting him go, she lifted her hands and swiped her tears away from her cheeks and said, “Moms are allowed to squish their eleven-year-old, almost a teenager, learning to be a man, kid who got sick in the middle of the night.”
Wading in, Colt said, “On that note, I’d suggest you keep sipping the Gatorade and head back to bed.”
Standing, Jack walked straight to Colt and threw his arms around Colt’s waist. Colt did not hesitate, encircling Jack in a hug as well.
“Good night, Colt.”
“Good night, buddy,” Colt replied.
Carrie walked Jack back to his bedroom, twisted the cap on the Gatorade, and set it next to his nightstand. Looking down at him, she said, “You’re probably too old for me to tuck you in, but can I just say that I think you’re the greatest kid?”
He grinned up at her and said, “Yeah, you can tell me I’m great anytime you want to!”
She bent and kissed the top of his head and said, “I hope you can go back to sleep. If you get sick again, come find me.”
Turning, she walked out of the room and flipped off his light, not hesitating to walk straight back to the master bedroom. Eyes on Colt, she walked straight into his arms, snuggling against his chest as he held her tightly.
“Family, huh?” she mumbled.
With his lips pressed against the top of her head, he asked, “Yeah. Is that okay?”
She leaned her head back and held his gaze, saying, “I think it’s perfect.”
Bending, he took her lips, the kiss soft and sweet and full of promise. He led her back to bed, tucking her carefully into his arms, and they both fell asleep once again.
26
At the end of the briefing, Colt told the team that they would be driving to the church to talk to the pastor and Brian Jeter.
Trevon shook his head and said, “Colt, this may be nothing more than some kids acting like badasses, thinking they’re cool.”
“It’s not like we're going in guns blazing, Trevon,” Colt said. Staring at his deputy who seemed to be dragging his feet, he wondered what Trevon was thinking.
Deciding to talk to him later, he turned to Hunter and said, “You’re with me.” Leaving the others to their assignments, he and Hunter headed down the road.
“What do you know about this church?” Colt asked.
“Not much. Being new here, there’s a lot of this area that I’m still learning,” Hunter said. “You grew up here…any thoughts?”
Shaking his head slowly, Colt said, “My father was the kind of man who liked his family in the pew every Sunday, but I can’t say that he practiced what he heard preached. Plus, this church wasn’t around back then. It’s newer.”
On the Eastern Shore, there were quite a few churches around, some of them older and others more modern, not affiliated with a particular denomination. They soon pulled into the almost empty parking lot of the one-story
brick building that housed the church offices and a large industrial size building that held the sanctuary. Entering the door leading to the church offices, they encountered a round, pleasant-faced woman who asked, “Hello. May I help you?”
“We were hoping to speak to Pastor Hackett. Is he here today?”
Her smile remained on her face as she nodded and said, “Please, follow me.” She walked over to a door, knocked on it, and stuck her head in, saying, “Allen, the Sheriff is here to speak to you.”
She opened the door wider, her smile beaming as she allowed Colt and Hunter to enter.
The office had carpet, but it was not plush. The desk was wooden but not opulent. The chairs appeared comfortable and slightly worn.
Alan Hackett stood, his smile wide as he greeted them. “It’s good to see you,” he said. “Sit, please. How can I help you?”
Colt observed the pastor’s clear eyes focused on him and Hunter.
“We’d like to get some information about the youth camp,” Hunter began.
Nodding, Pastor Hackett said, “I don’t know if you ever went to church as a child, but many churches used to have something for a week or two for the children, calling it Vacation Bible School. It was a great way to give the kids a chance to have games and activities during the summer, and it gave churches an outreach to a lot of families who might not normally come to church. But it was only for the younger kids. Brian suggested this year that we have something for the middle and high schoolers as well. I confess, I liked the idea, but couldn’t figure out how I could put anything else on my plate. But when he suggested that he handle it, I was more than happy for him to do so.” Tilting his head to the side, he asked, “Is there a problem?”
Shaking his head, Colt said, “Not a problem, per se, but we’re doing some investigations and wanted to cover all of our bases as to what some of the youth in the county are doing the summer.”
Our Time (Baytown Boys Book 11) Page 20