by Lisa Hughey
Then he made the mistake of searching for Sherry. He saw her. That part was great, fantastic. But he also saw how far the hell up he was. He was a long fucking way from the ground. Vertigo punched him.
His vision went white, his head spun, and he lost his grip.
The ropes slipped, and for a terrifying moment, he thought he was a goner. Then tension in the ropes tightened, jerked him to a stop and prohibited him from falling. The gasps of the employees on the ground permeated his consciousness as he realized that Buff Boy had saved him from taking a very bad fall.
“You okay, man?” the camp employee called up to RJ.
RJ cleared his throat. “All good now.”
“Take your time coming down, and I’ll keep the tension tight.”
Coming down went a lot faster because RJ was determined to get down and go throw up. But when he got to the bottom, Alma and Gina grabbed him.
“Jesus, boss, you scared the crap out of us.” Fredo clapped him on the back.
Chad just smirked. “Rough.”
Everyone seemed to need to touch him to make sure he was okay. He endured the hugs and comments from his friends, all the while searching for Sherry. She stood by a picnic table, a basket with forks and knives clutched in her hands, her face white. She skimmed her gaze over him, checking to make sure he was okay. She did care. A smile bubbled up from the depths of his panic. Something warm centered in his chest. And he grinned.
She turned away.
“What happened?” Buff Guy asked.
“Got a little bit of vertigo.”
“Happens to the ones you least expect,” Buff Guy said with a smile. “But at Camp Firefly Falls we’re always ready.”
“Thanks, man.” RJ extended his hand and clasped the wide palm in his.
“All part of the service.”
“Good thing he had quick reflexes.” Nothing in Chad’s words indicated disappointment, but for a moment RJ wondered if there wasn’t a hint of frustration.
He shook it off. Almost plunging to the ground and certain harm made him realized he wasn’t ready to give up on this thing with Sherry. He just had to convince her.
Chapter 8
Sherry’s heart boomed against her breastbone, and fear drowned out everything else.
RJ had almost fallen.
For that split second, Sherry had thought he was going to be hurt.
Her first thought was…why had she turned him down? Penny’s earlier words rang in her head. Live your life.
She wanted RJ. He wanted her.
Why shouldn’t she take this weekend for herself? What was holding her back? What people would think? Except if she and RJ kept their hookup on the down low, just like last year, no one would know except them. She wanted to take control of her life. This was a step.
She’d been mesmerized while he’d been climbing, afraid to look away. Then he’d searched the camp—looking for her?—and she’d seen the exact instant when something had gone wrong. His face had gone white.
She desperately wanted to talk to him but needed to set up for tonight’s dinner, a casual picnic by the lake. Red-and-white-checked cloths covered the tables. Salt and pepper shakers in little glass mugs and baskets with napkins and utensils were scattered over the picnic tables. Mason jars with wildflowers and ferns were the floral decorations.
The whole time she worked on the dinner setup, she kept track of RJ as he moved through the competition stations around the camp.
Finally, he was closest to where she was working.
“Are you okay?” She wanted to touch him, run her hands over his shoulders and chest, feel his heart beating beneath her palm. Instead she clutched last tablecloth to her chest.
“Close call.”
“Why did you climb when you’re afraid of heights?”
“What makes you think that?”
She just looked at him.
“Okay.” RJ blew out a breath. “Because I’m the boss. Lead by example.”
“That’s—” Stupid. Honorable. Incredible. He’d told her earlier what kind of boss he was, now he’d shown her.
“Why they pay me the big bucks.”
“Can’t spend those bucks if you’re dead,” she retorted, then relented. “I’m…glad you’re okay.” That was putting it mildly. Her heart still hadn’t settled.
“Me too.”
She considered, then mentally shrugged. She might not know what she wanted to do with her life just yet, but she did know what she didn’t want. And that was to miss out on an opportunity. Better to regret doing something than to never have done it.
“Your offer still open?”
He’d been surveying the groups of laughing employees ribbing each other, throwing verbal jabs, trying to unsettle each other enough to win the competition. But at her question, his head whipped around. “Yes.”
He didn’t pretend. He knew exactly what she meant.
His immediate acceptance was like a balm to her soul. She’d wondered if it was too late. Apparently not. RJ took a step toward her.
She backed up. “Not now. I have to work.”
“When are you off?”
“Don’t you have responsibilities?”
That made him pause. “Yes.” He cocked his head, clearly thinking. “But after I’m done, I’ll make time for you.”
“I’m not done with work until later tonight.”
“That actually works for me.” RJ headed back toward the camp action, then turned around. “What made you change your mind?”
“When you took off your shirt.” She tossed him a flirty look.
“So you only want me for my body.”
She thought about his body, the things he’d done to her, with her, last year. “Pretty much.”
RJ headed to the last station, a lightness in his step. She’d said yes.
He hadn’t even needed to convince her.
Next up for his group was the Balloon Toss. Alma and Chad faced him and Fredo across the ten-foot gap. They would toss until one group broke or dropped a balloon. Then they’d move farther apart.
Since one member of the group had to sit out, Gina stood next to him.
“Who was that?” Gina asked curiously.
RJ squeezed the balloon, then loosened his grip. He nodded to Chad and tossed the fragile bomb gently.
“Who?”
Fredo lobbed his balloon at Alma, who caught it easily.
“The woman who distracted you from the game.”
“I’m not distracted.”
Fredo snickered as he waited for Alma to toss the balloon back to him.
“Yep, you are. You were eye-fucking her earlier.”
“That sounds uncomfortable,” he tried to joke.
“You’ve been off lately, and now you’re distracted by someone you just met at a camp,” Gina responded. “This isn’t like you. I’m…concerned.”
“Seriously, you don’t have to be concerned.”
“Then why are you are avoiding the answer?”
“Fine.” RJ shifted uncomfortably. “That’s Sherry Washington.”
“The same Sherry Washington you called me about at six this morning?”
RJ sighed. “Yeah.”
“I’m not your mother.”
“No kidding.”
“Or your priest.”
He snorted.
“But I have been your wing buddy for a few years.”
“And you’ve done a great job.”
“Except for Tanya, who was very good at what she did, RJ.”
He knew that. But he still couldn’t believe he’d been taken in for a second. Their meeting had been random, at a charity function. She’d asked him out after bumping into him, literally, and spilling her drink on both of them.
He’d agreed. She’d been attractive, interested in him in a very flattering way. She’d been arm candy for a few charitable functions, an interesting and easy dinner companion, with a facility for putting everyone at ease. She’d been easy to be around.
He’d liked her. Fortunately, he hadn’t had sex with her. It hadn’t ever seemed quite the right time. Intuitively, he must have known that something was wrong. He’d dated her for a month, until he found her trying to get into the laptop in his home office. The experience had made him far more cautious.
Except he knew Sherry. She wasn’t a corporate spy. She worked at Camp Firefly Falls, for God’s sake. She was just a sexy woman and they were attracted to each other.
He wasn’t about to reveal that he’d had sex with her last year.
That was still a secret that shouldn’t get out. It had been poor judgement last year. And after Tanya, that fact wouldn’t reflect well. At all.
But he was very much looking forward to having sex with Sherry again…tonight. He smiled.
“What you’re thinking is a very, very bad idea,” Gina said.
“You don’t know—”
“I’m your friend, aren’t I?”
“It’s not what it seems.”
“RJ, her past actions have shown that she targets wealthy men. You’ve got to start thinking about yourself as more than a guy.” She squeezed his arm. “Your circumstances have changed significantly.”
He wanted to defend Sherry. She wasn’t after money. She was after his body.
“Trust me.” Of course, he had no idea what he was doing.
“It’s not you I don’t trust.”
He distracted her. She was very competitive. “Hey, the BMW folks are ahead.”
“Fine. Let’s win this.” Gina dropped the subject, but her disapproval echoed loudly. And she started trash talking Diego and his partner.
The toss and wait, toss and wait, was repetitive. And RJ’s mind wandered back to Sherry. She’d put some sparkly stuff on her cheeks, and the sun had accented the shimmer. Not enough to hide her flush of pleasure when he’d answered so quickly. Later he was going to explore every luscious inch of her body. He’d start at her toes and work his way up her tanned legs…he could almost imagine—
Bam!
The water balloon Chad tossed hit him straight in the face. The wet splattered over his pecs and dribbled down his abs. He shook his head, dazed, as the people around him laughed.
“Someone was caught daydreaming.”
“I was…thinking about work stuff,” he muttered.
“Not with that smile on your face,” Diego taunted from the BMW group.
RJ wandered over to the table set up with towels just for this purpose. He rubbed the small terry cloth embroidered with fireflies over his face, hiding his grin.
Gina shot him a dirty look.
RJ spent the rest of the afternoon avoiding Gina and Sherry. Gina, because he didn’t want to think about the fact that he might be making a huge mistake. According to Gina, Sherry had the power to be his downfall.
He avoided Sherry because he didn’t want to give away how damn much he wanted her. She consumed his thoughts to the point of distraction, obviously. Her edges were just as intriguing as her softness, and he was ready to explore all of her. At least for this weekend.
Hours later RJ sat around the campfire, the flames licking at the dark night. The scents of toasted marshmallow and melting chocolate and charred wood thickened the night air. The Adirondack chairs around the fire were filled. In a rare show of PDA, Penny was sitting on Diego’s lap.
RJ bounced his leg, the single beer he’d downed earlier doing nothing to keep his energy in check. But since he’d pretended to be relaxing at the fire, he’d kept track of Sherry and where she was all night. Hopefully he hadn’t given himself away.
Diego scowled at something beyond the flames.
RJ hated the look on his cousin’s face. “What’s wrong?”
Diego said, “I don’t like her here.”
RJ didn’t even have to ask who he meant. Diego was more like a brother than a cousin. He’d come to live with RJ’s family when RJ was a baby. And RJ had looked up to him. Diego’s encouragement and support had guided him his whole life.
RJ had pursued business school because of Diego. He was CEO because of him. He’d achieved life goals he hadn’t even expected to hit until he was in his forties. He certainly didn’t want to upset him. So although he wanted to defend Sherry, it confirmed he’d better not advertise that he was going to have sex with her.
Penny fed Diego the last of a s’more. His fingers wrapped around her wrist, he held her hand to his mouth and sucked at her fingers.
Penny rested her head in the crook of Diego’s neck. He loosely clasped his arms around her waist, but RJ knew that his grip would tighten in an instant if anyone threatened Penny.
Finally, the campground was mostly empty. In the distance, Sherry trudged toward the gazebo.
“And…I’m out.” RJ wanted to make out with his own girl, not watch his cousin get it on in public. He shoved out of his chair.
“Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do,” Diego said, without taking his eyes off his amor.
Penny laughed and stared into Diego’s eyes. “You’ve got a short memory,” she murmured.
Diego flushed. “Good point.”
“Be safe.” Penny shot him a measured look, as if she knew exactly where RJ was going. “And be kind.”
He didn’t really want to know what Penny and Diego were talking about. He had a date with a hot woman.
He was ready to rock her world.
Chapter 9
Sherry had spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in a state of anticipation.
RJ had stayed away but when he thought no one was watching, his gaze could start a forest fire.
She’d filled the hours remembering the time they’d spent together last summer. She circled the campground, doing her job but staying away from him.
She brought the last of the s’mores paraphernalia back to the industrial kitchen. Steam from the dishwasher and the wash station had her hair falling limp around her face. She felt grungy and hot and sweaty and not in a good way.
She trudged back from the kitchen. Their quick conversation had been long on anticipation but lacking in specifics. For all she knew, he’d gone to bed.
Doubts crowded in, fizzling all those sexy thoughts that had sustained her through the grueling evening. It was a lot of work to make life fun for the campers.
Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe he’d found someone else. Maybe she was an idiot for saying yes in the first place.
“I thought you’d never get done.” Arms wrapped around her from behind. Instantly she relaxed, as her body recognized him, felt safe in his presence.
Sherry melted against him, wrapped her arms over his. He nuzzled her neck, rubbing his nose down the arch and pressing kisses against her skin. He nudged aside the collar of her shirt. His erection prodded her lower back.
And her knees went weak. It had been a long time. A really long time.
RJ tugged her shirt from the waistband of her shorts, even as he pressed her toward the shadowed exterior of the gazebo. The fairy lights twinkled in the late evening, but outside their glow shadows cloaked them in secrecy.
He spread his fingers until his pinky brushed the button of her shorts, and her stomach contracted at the light erotic touch. With his thumb he swiped leisurely back and forth between her breasts, rubbing along the lace cups of her bra.
He stopped at one of the pillars, gripped her breast in his hand and squeezed.
Arousal surged, her body priming for him.
“Hands on the pillar. No touching.”
Sherry moaned softly.
“Shh, you don’t want anyone to hear, do you?” He pinched her nipple again.
Her breath caught.
“We’re out here in the open.”
Sherry squeezed her thighs together as desire pulsed between her legs. She screwed her mouth tight, trying to hold in the sounds that wanted to escape.
“Anyone could see us.”
She panted as his other hand slid beneath the waistband of her shorts and scraped along the edge of her
lace panties.
RJ licked the curve of her ear, blowing softly inside.
Sherry couldn’t focus on anything but his fingers. He plucked at her distended nipple, then ventured further into her panties with his other hand. His middle finger slid closer to her clit with every foray.
She begged with her labored breaths. “RJ.”
“What do you want?” He rubbed her clit hard. “This?”
Her whole body clenched, strung tight but ready to fly.
He scooped his hand inside her bra cup and they were skin to skin, his palm slightly callused and a tender friction against her painfully hard nipple.
“Oh my God.”
“Nope. Just RJ.” He stroked his middle finger into her sex, slick with her juices, sliding in and out with ease. Every rock of her hips, he filled her more.
And still she yearned. “More.”
“More what?” he taunted. He pressed just a little harder, but she needed his cock, not just a finger.
“I need more.”
“You’ll get more when I say it’s okay.”
Oddly, this dominant thing was working for her. “Another finger, please.”
He held her against his hard body and slid another finger inside her, rubbing his knuckle against her clit, slowly torturing her with his movements.
Then he pushed inside as far as he could go and flattened his palm against her and did some magical move with his fingers. She broke apart, her brain fracturing into a thousand pieces, her body flying into the hottest orgasm of her life, and she still had her clothes on.
Sherry threw back her head and moaned into the hand he’d clamped around her mouth.
Her sex pulsed rhythmically against his fingers, sucking on the digits as if she could pull them into her body and never let them go. Her head spun as she arched into the pinch of his fingers and the plunge of his hand. He squeezed her pussy as she contracted around his invasion.
Not even the threat of discovery could stop her cries. Right now she wouldn’t care if the whole camp knew he’d just fingered her to spectacular orgasm in a matter of minutes.
His technique deserved to be recognized as a world-class manipulation of the female sex organs.