by Nina Lindsey
Pleasure billowed inside her, inciting the urge for more. She wanted to be naked with him, to feel the hot friction of their bodies, to open herself to every part of him. She pulled his shirt up and found the warm, strong muscles of his lower back. He broke their kiss and pressed his forehead against hers.
“You’re like all my favorite things wrapped into one package.” He ran his hand over her flushed cheek. “I can’t get enough of you.”
“Take as much of me as you want.” She twined her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her again. “Take all of me.”
Their lips met and clung. Callie was certain they were fogging up the windows. Jake slipped his hand down the front of her shirt, tracing the little pearl buttons. “I want to see you, but in your bed.”
“Seeing can wait,” she whispered breathlessly. “Right now, we can just feel.”
A groan escaped him. He brushed his hand against her leg. Her skirt was hiked up so far he was practically nestled right between her thighs. He trailed his hand higher and higher up her inner thigh, easing one finger into the edge of her underwear. Callie’s breath stopped in the middle of her chest. Arousal flamed through her.
He paused, lifting his head to look at her. Never had a man looked at her with such desire, as if nothing else existed for him in that moment. She gave a slight nod before he brought their lips together again.
She was falling, losing herself in him, in them. Murmuring low in his throat, he pressed his fingers deeper between her legs and found her hot core. She gasped. Sensations coursed through her body, causing her to arch against him and seek relief from the ache coiling inside her.
He trailed his lips across her cheek to her ear, whispering encouragement in a husky voice that had her writhing harder against his fingers. His touch was as exquisite and expert as his kiss. Like a bright, silken thread, her arousal stretched tighter and tighter before shattering in a chaos of sensations and stars.
“Jake.” His name broke from her on a sharp cry as the wave coursed through her body.
His murmurs continued to resound in her ears while he worked her to completion. Callie had the faint, hazy thought that until this moment, she’d only ever read about this kind of all-consuming pleasure. She slid down the other side, and Jake pressed his mouth to hers in a hot, greedy kiss that she wanted to last forever.
When her heartbeat calmed, she reached for him, wanting to give him the same pleasure he’d given her. He grasped her wrist and shook his head.
“Not here.” His voice was hoarse, his eyes dark with lust. “As much as I want you, it’s not going to be in the backseat of a car.”
Though disappointment shot through her, Callie had to appreciate his care. “For what it’s worth, this was a much better make-out session than the one I had with Billy.”
He chuckled. “Good to know I’ve still got what it takes.”
“In abundance.” She kissed him again.
Jake stroked his hand down her cheek to her neck, a light flickering in his expression that she didn’t recognize. “You’re incredible.”
Callie touched his lips. “I’ll bet you say that to…er, never mind.” She didn’t want to think about that.
“Hey.” He cupped her chin and lifted her face to look at him. Though his skin was flushed, his expression grew serious. “I’ve been around, yeah. I admit it. I know it’s no surprise. But what I say to you…I mean it, Callie. I’m not going off a script here. I haven’t rehearsed and I sure as hell don’t have anything memorized. I’m just…what I tell you comes from me, okay? These aren’t stock phrases I’m recycling. I hope you believe that.”
Shame rustled in her chest. She leaned up to kiss him. “Of course I do. I’m sorry if I implied anything different.”
“Let’s try again.” He stroked a lock of damp hair away from her forehead. “You’re incredible.”
“Thank you.” A smile curved her lips. “So are you.”
“Thank you.” He patted her hip and hauled himself off her. “But we should probably get going before the police drive by and decide to investigate.”
His tone was light, but the remark reminded her that Jake was still effectively hiding out in Bliss Cove. Any kind of notice could be damaging, and if the police found them…well, there was no end of celebrities whose careers had been destroyed because they’d been found in compromising situations.
Not to mention, Professor Calista Prescott didn’t need to end up on a police report for being caught fooling around on Lighthouse Point. What would that do to her reputation and tenure review?
Pushing herself upright, she fumbled to put on her jacket. They returned to the front seat and started the drive back to downtown. The marine layer had started to encroach over the sky, bringing an increased chill to the air and dimming the moonlight.
“Do you want to go home?” Jake shifted gears and turned a corner. “Or we could grab a drink. Get something to eat.”
“I could eat.” She rubbed her belly. “Let’s stay away from Bliss Cove, though. I don’t want to risk running into anyone I know. Because I want to keep you to myself,” she added quickly, in case he misunderstood.
He shot her a smile, and Callie thought she would never grow tired of the sight of him smiling at her. It would be especially lovely over coffee at the breakfast table, or during a candlelit dinner…
Whoa, girl. Rein it in.
“Let’s go over to Rainwood.” Jake turned off the coastal road toward the neighboring town farther inland.
Downtown Rainwood bustled with a Saturday night crowd. After parking, Jake took Callie’s hand and they wandered around, pausing to look at posted restaurant menus while debating the merits of Chinese over Italian.
As they walked, Callie realized she hadn’t thought of her book proposal once all evening. Obviously, Jake was an astonishingly powerful distraction, but it was more than that. The persistent tension in her shoulders had disappeared, and sheer enjoyment had stopped the stream of tasks and worries constantly running through her mind.
She was happy. She loved being with Jake, talking to him, sitting beside him at the movies and sharing popcorn. She loved the way his eyes lit up when he saw her, and the way her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
She loved that she was so comfortable with him already that she’d been able—no, she’d been incredibly excited and eager—to surrender to their physical attraction. She could hardly wait to do more.
“Moroccan.” Triumphant, Jake stopped in front of a restaurant called Marrakesh and spread out his arms. “This is it. The perfect choice after Casablanca. We’ll get some kebabs, maybe a chicken tajine…”
His voice faded from Callie’s ears. A cold shiver rippled over her skin.
She stared into the restaurant window at a woman dressed for a night out in a silk blouse and skirt, with a diamond necklace glittering at her neck. The woman sat at a small table with a gray-haired man dressed in a suit and tie.
Along with their plates, a bottle of wine and half-filled glasses sat between them. They were talking, laughing, and holding hands across the table. The man extended a forkful of food for the woman to try. After tasting it, she widened her eyes with pleasure. Gazing at her warmly, he smiled and poured them both more wine.
Under any other circumstances, Callie wouldn’t have given the couple a second glance.
But the woman was her mother.
Chapter 14
Confusion and anger swamped her. Callie pivoted on her heel, turned away from the lighted restaurant window, and strode half a block away.
“Callie?” Jake’s voice, edged with puzzlement, sounded behind her the instant before he caught up to her. “Where are you going?”
Her throat hurt. Who was that guy? Why hadn’t her mother said she was seeing a man? Was she seeing him? They’d looked all cozy and intimate, but maybe she was misinterpreting the situation.
No, she wasn’t. Her mother was out with a strange man, and they sure as hell weren’t acting like a cou
ple on a first date.
“Callie.” Jake closed his hand around her arm and pulled her to a stop. “What’s wrong?”
She drew in a breath and pointed toward the restaurant.
“My mother is in there.” Her voice shook.
Jake darted his gaze to the window, a cloud descending over his eyes. “Then we’ll go somewhere else.”
“No, you don’t get it.” Yanking her arm from his grip, Callie stalked away from the restaurant. She didn’t know whether to go in there and confront her mother or not. “I don’t know who that man is.”
A frown tugged at his mouth. “So she’s on a date. Is that a problem?”
“You’re damned right it’s a problem.” Callie fisted her hands, her breath fast. Though some part of her mind recognized that she was reacting with undue force, a mess of hurt, pain, and grief swirled through her chest. “I didn’t know she was dating anyone, much less a man who holds her hand and pours wine for her. How long have they been seeing each other?”
“I don’t know.” Jake stepped closer, a crease appearing between his eyes. He put his hand on her lower back. “Come on. Let’s go back to the car.”
“I don’t want to.” Aware of a few passing glances, Callie took another breath and tried to calm down.
“Okay, then let’s go over here.” He guided her to the doorway of a closed art gallery and settled his hands on her shoulders. “You’re upset because you didn’t know she was seeing someone.”
“Of course I didn’t know.” Callie folded her arms against another chill. Tension poured down her spine. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me. Do my sisters know? Am I the only one out of the loop, like I was with the hamsters?”
He blinked. “The what?”
“Never mind.” She waved a dismissive hand and paced back and forth. “I don’t get it. Why wouldn’t she tell me? Why is she even dating? Isn’t she busy enough?”
“Aren’t you busy enough too?” The question was gentle, but it hit Callie like a stone.
She glared at him, her heart pounding. “Don’t put this on me. My mother is sneaking around behind my back with a strange man I don’t know, and they’re…canoodling over wine, and my father is the only man she’s ever been with in her entire life, so will you please tell me what the hell is going on?”
“Yes.” Grabbing her arms to stop her pacing, Jake put his hand against the side of her neck. “What’s going on is that your mother suffered a shocking, devastating loss when your father died. So did you and your sisters. You’ve all had to deal with it in your own ways. And what’s going on is that your mother will spend the rest of her life missing your father, but somewhere during the time since his death and her own health troubles, she remembered that she is still alive.
“She remembered that she’s still young, that she has a lot of living left to do, and that her daughters are finding their own paths. She realized she wants to have fun, to be with someone she likes, someone who appreciates her. She remembered that your father wouldn’t have wanted her to be alone. He would have wanted her to be happy again. That’s what’s going on.”
Tears blurred Callie’s eyes. “So why is she sneaking around like a teenager?”
“She’s a grown woman who can make her own decisions. But she’s ‘sneaking around’ because she’s not ready to tell you yet.”
“Why not?”
“Maybe because she knew you’d react badly.”
“I’m not reacting badly.” She shoved him and turned away again. “I have a right to be upset.”
“And she has a right to tell you about a date when she wants to.”
“Why are you on her side?”
“Sweetie, there are no sides here.” He spread his hands out, a plea rising to his eyes. “But if there were, I’d be on your side without question. I just want you to look at this from another angle. Sometimes it’s okay to keep things to yourself for a while.”
Her breath escaped in a rush, and her shoulders slumped. Of course he was right. And wasn’t she doing the exact same thing by not telling her mother and sisters about him?
“I’m sorry.” She pressed her hands to her cheeks. “It’s just…I’ve never seen her with a man who wasn’t my father. I didn’t even know she was interested in dating.” She shook her head. “You must think I’m a basket case.”
“I think you’re a woman who loves her mother and wants what’s best for her.” He slipped an arm around her, tugging her against his side. “Come on, I’ll take you home and cook you dinner. It won’t be chicken tajine, but I can scramble a mean set of eggs.”
Callie let him guide her back to the car, her ruffled feathers settling as his warmth flowed into her. Aside from the shock, the discovery that Eleanor had a secret made Callie wonder just what else her mother was keeping from her.
Smothering her uncertainty, she pulled on her seatbelt as he started the drive back to Bliss Cove. Yes, it was unfair of her to expect that her mother would tell her everything, especially when Callie was keeping the same secret.
But Jake was temporary. Fleeting, like a comet. There was no point in telling her mother or sisters that she was “hanging out” with him. Why get their hopes up when nothing serious would ever come of it?
At least she was practical enough to keep the reality of the situation in mind. Aria, on the other hand, would squeal and proclaim there was always a way for star-crossed lovers to find a happy ending. Rory would tell her to stop whining and force it to work. Her mother would hope fervently that Callie wasn’t letting love “pass her by.”
No, she’d keep Jake to herself. If you didn’t see a comet flash across the sky, you’d never know it was there at all.
When she and Jake returned to her house, Callie excused herself to change clothes and collect her thoughts. Back in her own space, especially with Jake, she put her mother’s dating life and all its implications out of her mind. She’d been given the gift of limited time with an incredible man—and she wasn’t going to waste it by worrying and overthinking.
In fact, not thinking would be a welcome and long overdue relief.
After pulling on black yoga pants and a pale blue T-shirt, she went into the living room. Jake was studying a small colorful watercolor of a fairy dancing in a garden overflowing with blossoms. He turned when she entered, his gaze skimming over her in appreciation before he indicated the painting.
“This is new,” he remarked.
“Yes.” Pausing beside him, she looked at the happy little painting. “I stopped by Destiny’s shop Moonbeams yesterday and picked it up. I decided my walls could use a bit of color.”
“I like it.” He brushed his hand over her arm. “You okay now?”
“Yes.” Callie sank onto the sofa and dragged her hands through her hair. “You still must think I’m a loon.”
“Yeah, but not because of tonight.” With a grin, he sat beside her, close enough that she felt the warm press of his thigh against hers. “Actually, it’s nice that you care about your mother so much.”
“She and my sisters think I’m a control freak.” Callie plucked at a loose thread on the hem of her shirt. “I’ve kind of always been like this, though. I think my mom blames herself because I had a rough start in life.”
“Why?”
“I was born premature.” She rubbed her hands on her thighs, faint anxiety twisting through her. “From what I understand, I had a pretty close call, and then I was in and out of the hospital a lot. Everyone was concerned that I’d have developmental delays. My mom still says that she and my father spent too much time worrying and not enough time just enjoying their firstborn child. Then I surprised them by doing everything early—walking, talking, eventually reading and math.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Jake rested his hand on her thigh, the warmth of his palm a welcome comfort.
Callie put her hand over his. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d told anyone about her early years. Maybe she never had.
“My dad d
ecided to homeschool me after I tested out of kindergarten in the first month,” she continued. “That was where I got my foundation in Greek and Latin, and of course history and science. We were really close. When he was hired at UC Santa Cruz, they put me back in school at the next grade level. So then I was well over a year younger than my classmates, and my parents were still really overprotective. They eased up after my sisters were born—my mom says she finally learned balance in parenting—but I always felt like I had to be the best in order to make them proud.
“I guess I also had the idea that I needed to compensate for the worry my parents went through, though of course they never did anything to make me feel that way. I’ve just always been ambitious and put work and responsibility before anything else. My mom and sisters think I’ve taken it to a new level since Dad died and after Mom’s surgery. Maybe they’re right.”
She fell silent. Jake turned his palm upward and twined their fingers together.
“I think we all blame ourselves for things that weren’t our fault,” he said. “I did that when my dad left. I still do sometimes, but I can’t change what happened. All I can change is where I go from here.”
Which would soon be away.
Callie squeezed his hand. “I think you should write your own screenplay.”
He huffed out a laugh. “I don’t have a story.”
“Yes, you do.”
“I’m not a writer.”
“Being a writer isn’t something you’re born with,” Callie said. “It’s something you can learn. But the only person who can write your story is you.”
Jake brought their entwined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles before letting go. He pushed himself off the sofa.
“What’ve you got for dinner fixings?”
Callie followed him into the kitchen. He studied the contents of the refrigerator with a frown.
“Probiotic yogurt and kale?” He turned to glower darkly at her. “That’s it? Not even a carton of eggs?”
“I haven’t had a chance to go shopping this week.” She put her hands on her hips. “And unlike you, I don’t stop for fast-food hamburgers on the way home from work.”