Before the last spasm rushed through her body, she opened her eyes to see him sheathe himself. Then he was back and easing his body over hers. She looked into his eyes when he whispered, “Now for the beginning.”
Beginning? Didn’t he mean the ending? Her body felt hot all over and continued to throb. Before she could question what he meant, he leaned in closer to her mouth and breathed against her lips. “Take me in, Bryce. Take all of me.”
Her heart slammed erratically in anticipation. “I will.”
He slowly began entering her, inch by inch, giving her body time to adjust to his size. She was surprised at how her body automatically adjusted to him as he continued to push deeper inside of her.
When Bryce felt him buried to the hilt, making her feel full and complete, he gave her time to breathe in deeply before he began moving his body to mate with hers. She lifted her body to meet his every thrust and, in return, he pressed down to meet her. Urgent need consumed her and her muscles began tightening around his thick shaft. It seemed he knew exactly what spot to hit to make her moan, get deliriously insane. She needed more, hoped for more.
Her body surged with his heat as she felt yet another orgasm building. Shocks of pleasure began claiming what breath she had left in her lungs. More fiery sensations tore through her as she continued to arch up to meet him. The ritual continued over and over, as her body relentlessly milked him as he’d taught her to do years ago. Sensations swept through her. Suddenly, she couldn’t last any longer and her passion reached its peak. Contractions hurled all at once to her womb, and she tumbled over, realizing that, this time, Kaegan was tumbling with her.
“Brycie!”
She couldn’t scream. What she did was whimper in ecstasy, knowing while he’d given pleasure to her, she’d done likewise to him. The drugging scent of his masculinity invaded her nostrils at the same time she heard him growl a ragged murmur of satisfaction.
When their bodies began winding down, he lowered his gaze to hers and held it. She wasn’t sure what passed between them at that moment but knew something had. Before she could dwell on that thought, he leaned in and whispered “Brycie” again before capturing her mouth in his.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
KAEGAN STARED AT the woman who’d slept beside him in his bed all night as she began waking up. She’d warned him what to expect the day after their lovemaking, and he was hoping after a night like last night, she would change her mind. Ten orgasms had her sleeping like a baby. As far as he was concerned, multiple orgasms couldn’t get as sweet as the ones they’d shared. She was still the most passionate woman he knew.
The letter K was still tattooed on her backside. He doubted she knew how he’d felt when he’d seen it. To this day he could remember her showing it to him when she’d gotten it and telling him she would always wear it with pride. She’d wanted to get the G, as well, but hadn’t been able to handle the pain of both letters. He had appreciated her doing the one.
She slowly opened her eyes and stared at him, blinked and then stared again. He knew she was remembering last night. Every single detail. When a smile spread across her lips, he released the breath he’d been holding. At least she was in a pleasant mood. Should he take that as a good sign? When it came to Bryce, he would take whatever he could get.
“Good morning, Bryce.”
“Good morning. What time is it?” she asked, yawning.
“Close to ten.”
“Ten?”
“Yes. Were you supposed to help out at the café this morning?” He knew her parents usually opened the café for the early morning church-service crowd.
“No, usually I don’t on the weekends.”
He nodded. “You’re hungry?”
“Why? Are you going to feed me?”
“Of course. How does Cajun fish and cheese grits sound?”
“Like heaven. But first, I need to ask you something.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “What?”
“Why is my picture in your bedroom? I told myself I wasn’t going to ask you about it, but I have to know.”
Kaegan glanced over at the photograph. “Do you remember when you gave it to me?”
“Yes. I was in my senior year at Grambling and figured it was time for you to have an updated photo of me.”
He shifted to flip on his back and stare up at his ceiling. “After we broke up I packed all your stuff up that I had, but for some reason I couldn’t get rid of anything, so I put it all in storage. It was only when the house was finished here that I arranged for all my stuff in storage to be shipped to me. This house is so large, I figured I had space for it all now.”
He paused a minute and then said, “It took me around eight months to go through all those boxes. Then I came across the one with your name on it and again for some reason I couldn’t get rid of it, but I wanted everything out of my sight...except for that picture. I figured waking up and seeing it every day would be a constant reminder why I could never trust or love another woman.”
She was quiet for a long while, and then she said, “Okay, I can get that, but now that we’re friends again, why is it still there?”
He met her gaze. “Now it’s a reminder of what I lost because of my stupidity.”
She released a deep sigh and he had a feeling he wouldn’t like what she was about to say. “I meant what I said last night, Kaegan. Us sharing a bed wasn’t the beginning of anything. We’re still nothing more than friends.”
Kaegan wondered if she really believed that. He couldn’t say he didn’t know of friends who slept together, because he did. They thought of themselves as friends with benefits. Kaegan had decided not to indulge in any relationship like that, mainly because there wasn’t a woman he wanted as both his friend and his lover. And he sure as hell didn’t want that kind of relationship for him and Bryce.
“Kaegan?”
“Yes?”
“We still have that understanding that last night was one-and-done, right?”
If she truly believed that, he wouldn’t argue with her about it. She would discover soon enough that when it came to them, there was no such thing. “Yes, there’s still that understanding.”
“Good.”
Easing out of bed, he said, “I think I better get up now and fix your breakfast. I have extra toiletries in the guest bathrooms.”
“Okay, thanks. And, Kaegan?”
He turned before entering the bathroom. “Yes?” He noticed she seemed preoccupied with his naked body. Namely, his huge hard-on that made it quite obvious he wanted her again.
A smile touched her lips when her gaze traveled back to his face. “You were absolutely amazing. I never would have thought that...” She trailed off for a moment and then said, “Ten times.”
He couldn’t help but return her smile at seeing her face in total awe. “Yes, ten times.” He turned and continued to the bathroom before being tempted to say there were a lot more where those came from.
A few hours later, after they enjoyed breakfast out on his patio, he was walking Bryce to her car. Sharing breakfast with her had been supernice. He’d done all the cooking and she’d made coffee and set the table. He tried not to think about how she looked like she belonged in his home. Neither of them brought up what had happened the last time she’d been in his kitchen.
They walked side by side and he glanced over at her. A part of him regretted her leaving and he’d thought about asking her to stay, but knew doing such a thing wasn’t a good idea after what she’d reiterated that morning. He had Thursday to look forward to, when she would be accompanying him to Boston. “I talked to Sawyer yesterday morning,” he said, breaking into the silence. “He mentioned that he and Vashti have decided to find out the sex of their baby.”
“Yes, Vashti told me and Ashley that, as well, when Ashley invited us to lunch the other day. At least I thought it was lunch.
It turned into a surprise party that Vashti and Ashley planned for me for passing my exam.”
“That was nice of them.”
“I thought so, too.”
When they reached her car, Kaegan opened the door for her. When she slid onto the seat and snapped the seat belt in place, he closed it before leaning down and placing a kiss on her cheek. Considering what she’d said last night and again this morning, he knew not to do anything but make it a friendly peck, although more than anything, he would have loved giving her a long, deep and drugging kiss. One she would remember for a while.
He stepped away from the car to talk to her through the open car window. “Will you be ready for our trip to Boston this coming week?”
“Yes, but it’s strictly a business trip. You will remember that, right?”
He didn’t say anything as he glanced down at the ground, thinking of just how much he’d enjoyed being with her yesterday and last night. She had wanted him as much as he’d wanted her, and she’d told him so.
“Kaegan?”
He glanced back up at her and gazed into her eyes. Did she think the strong attraction they’d always had for each other could be one-and-done so easily? He had a feeling she would find out just how wrong she was about that. “Yes, I will remember, Bryce. But maybe you should be asking yourself if you’ll remember, as well.”
He gave her a wink and then turned and walked away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE NEXT WEEK was a flurry of activities for Bryce as she prepared for her trip to Boston. She’d made her family aware she was leaving town so they could plan accordingly, since she wouldn’t be there to help them out at the café. When she’d told them that Kaegan had hired her as his real-estate broker and that she would be traveling to Boston with him, they’d merely nodded and told her that was nice of him to hire her and for her to have a nice trip. Neither her parents nor her brothers seemed concerned that after all this time of disliking each other, she and Kaegan would be taking a trip together.
She was the one who’d begun questioning if taking the job had been the right thing for her to do. Then there was what had happened Saturday. Surprisingly, she had no regrets about that night, mainly because she had needed him in a bad way. Taking care of her physical needs for once had been the best thing she could have done and her body was loving her for it. She felt rejuvenated, invigorated and recharged. Kaegan had been so keen to her needs, and if anyone would have told her she was capable of having multiple climaxes the way she had, she would not have believed them.
At the moment, she recalled his parting words when she’d left his place. Did he think after Saturday night she would develop an appetite for him? If so, he would be disappointed. She’d gone four years without being sexually active with a man and could go another four.
If anyone wondered why she was in such a good mood and smiling a lot, they hadn’t inquired about it. When Kaegan had walked into the café Monday morning with Ray and Sawyer, her heart had begun thumping like crazy in her chest the moment their eyes met. She had read that we-share-a-secret look and knowing they did share one had made every cell in her body sizzle. They might be one-and-done, but they’d made enough sexual memories Saturday night to last a lifetime.
He had called Tuesday night to give her flight information and to say he would be flying to Boston a day early for a business meeting. Someone would be picking her up from the airport to deliver her to the hotel. He would like her to tour several vacant facilities and then have dinner with him and Eric Tolbert, the man who would give them insight as to places of interest on the harbor. She was excited about the prospect of meeting Mr. Tolbert and appreciated Kaegan believing in her abilities to handle this aspect of his business.
In a way she was glad he would be leaving the cove a day earlier than she would. Ever since that day they’d returned to the dock late after making that side trip to Eagle Bend Inlet, rumors had begun flying around town about them finally getting back together. She found that odd, since they hadn’t been seen around town together. And whenever he came into the café, she didn’t talk to him any more now than she had before. Nor had he visited her at her home, and she hadn’t been back to his. Because Kaegan lived in the bayou and not in town, she doubted anyone knew she’d spent the night at his place Saturday night. Still, she knew there were those watching her with romantic minds, including her own parents, although they hadn’t said a word.
She was busy packing Wednesday night when Vashti called to wish her a safe flight. They hadn’t talked much this week since Vashti had been busy helping Gloria plan her wedding. Since it was a second marriage for both Reid and Gloria, they decided the wedding would be small, but the reception would be large. Bryce hadn’t told Vashti that she’d spent the night with Kaegan and wasn’t ready to share that information with anyone yet. Not even her best friend.
“Thanks, Vash. I’m looking forward to this trip. I’ve never been to Boston and hope to have some free time to tour the city.”
“You’re going to love it. I’ve been there a few times and loved it. And you’re okay with Kaegan?”
Bryce lifted an eyebrow. “Okay with Kaegan how?”
“Are you okay being there with him? I know you’ve accepted his friendship but were still trying to keep distance.”
If Vashti only knew how close they’d been that weekend. “I’m representing him now, so, yes, I’ll be fine with being around him.”
“And you never did say how your meeting with him Saturday went.”
“It went fine.” Knowing she needed to end the call before she told Vashti information she wasn’t quite ready to share, she said, “I need to finish packing, Vash.”
“Take some heavy clothing. It’s cold in Boston this time of the year.”
“Okay, I will. I’ll text you tomorrow to let you know when I get there. Love you.”
An hour later she had finished packing. Duke’s wife had a meeting in New Orleans in the morning and had offered to drop her off at the airport. She was about to strip and shower when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly nine, so it wasn’t too late to get a call. She saw it was not a number she immediately recognized. “Hello?”
“Hello, Bryce, this is Jeremy. I hope I’m not calling too late.”
“No, it’s fine. How are you, Jeremy?”
“I’m doing okay. I was calling to let you know that I’m going to be in New Orleans this week and was hoping for that rain check on dinner. I’d love to see you.”
Undoubtedly, she hadn’t been clear in that message she’d left for him that day. Now would be a good time to reiterate what she’d said. “Oh, Jeremy, I’m extremely busy now. In fact, I got my first client as a broker and will be leaving town for the rest of the week.”
“That’s awesome, Bryce. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. Well, it was good talking to you.”
“Same here and have a safe trip.”
“Thanks.”
Bryce ended the call. Jeremy was a nice guy but she wasn’t ready to get seriously involved with anyone. But then all she had to do was to remember what she and Kaegan had shared Saturday night. As far as she was concerned, she’d needed physical satisfaction, and now she could move on. Like she’d told Kaegan, it wouldn’t happen again.
* * *
KAEGAN STOPPED PACING around his hotel room when his phone rang. He picked it up immediately. “Yes?”
“Mr. Chambray, this is Cornelius Duggar. Ms. Witherspoon has been picked up from the airport and delivered to the hotel.”
A smile touched Kaegan’s lips. “Thanks for letting me know.”
He clicked off the call. That meant Bryce would be coming up to her room any minute—a room that he’d made sure was connected to his. He intended to make sure the door on his side was not only unlocked, but also wide open in case she ever got a mind to visit.
It was wishful thinking on his part, but there was nothing wrong with hoping.
Making love to her Saturday night had made him realize more than ever how much he wanted to be the only man in her life. He loved her and knew he had to earn back her love and would do whatever it took to do so. His cell phone indicated a text message had come through. Clicking it on, he saw it was from Bryce, letting him know she’d arrived at the hotel.
Kaegan texted her back and said he would give her time to get settled before their dinner meeting. After placing his phone back on the table, he shoved his hands into his pockets, knowing he couldn’t wait to see her, although he’d seen her Tuesday morning at the café. More than once before going to bed, he’d been tempted to call her, but was determined to play by her rules. He had to believe that they were meant to be together and eventually they would.
He glanced out the window and looked at the beautiful view of the harbor, and knew Bryce had the same view. In fact, their balconies were connected. At that moment his cell phone rang. He picked it up only to see it was from a number he didn’t recognize. It was the same number that had called him a couple of times this week and each time he answered the person never said anything. He decided to remedy it now by blocking any future calls. He didn’t have time for such nonsense.
* * *
“HAVE YOU HEARD from Kaegan?” Faith asked Willa as they took their place at the table. They’d decided to come to Spencer’s for lunch today.
“Yes. I talked to him this morning and he’s scheduled to return on Saturday. But I doubt that he will.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Faith asked.
A smile touched Willa’s lips. “Because he’s not alone. Bryce is with him.”
Faith raised an eyebrow. “Bryce Witherspoon is with Kaegan on a business trip?”
Finding Home Again (Catalina Cove) Page 21