by Wilder, L.
When the sun started to set, we headed back to our spot on the beach and collected our things, then hiked up the trail to the Jeep. We stopped for dinner at a local crab shack, talked some more, and drove back to my place to watch a movie. As soon as we got to the house, I made a bowl of popcorn and a couple of drinks, then carried them into the living room. Lauren was already sitting on the sofa, scrolling through the different movie channels looking for something to watch. I’d just sat down next to her when a commercial for interior house paint popped up on the TV. As soon as she saw it, Lauren turned to me with a startled look on her face. “My apartment!”
“What?”
“My apartment,” she repeated. “I was supposed to check and see if the manager of the complex worked on what Dad told him needed to get done.”
“I didn’t realize you were still thinking about moving.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
She’d mentioned looking for a place a few weeks earlier but had said nothing since then, so I told her, “You haven’t mentioned anything about it lately.”
“Well, like I said before, I’ve been a little distracted.”
“You know, you could take advantage of that distraction and skip moving into some apartment.” I offered her the bowl of popcorn as I continued, “You could just move in here.”
“What?”
“Skip the whole fucking apartment thing and move in with me.” I could tell by the expression on her face that I’d taken her by surprise. In hopes of not scaring her off completely, I added, “I want you here, Lauren, and as far as I’m concerned, the sooner the better.”
“You’re being serious with this?” I didn’t respond. I just sat there and looked her dead in the eye, giving her a moment to consider what I had said. After several seconds, she pressed her lips together and inhaled a deep breath. I knew I had her. “Okay, I’ll wait on the whole apartment thing.”
“Good.” I leaned towards her and slipped my hand around the base of her neck, pulling her towards me as I whispered, “It’ll give me more time to convince you to move in.”
I immediately lowered my mouth to hers, kissing her long and hard—showing her just how much she meant to me. It was urgent, full of need and uncontrollable want, and all her little whimpers and moans spurred me on even more. It wasn’t long before I started to lose myself in her touch. I couldn’t help it. There was just something about Lauren that got to me like no one ever had before. Her intoxicating scent teased my senses as I ran my tongue across her bottom lip, then delved deeper into her mouth. When she inched closer, pressing her warm body against mine, I nearly lost it. I lowered my mouth to her shoulder, trailing kisses along the curve of her neck as I whispered, “I need to fuck you, and by fuck you, I mean now.”
“Then, what are you waiting for?”
Damn, this woman was going to drive me to the point of insanity, and she knew it. It was written all over her face. When I saw that wanton look in her eye, I just couldn’t hold back anymore. I pulled her to me, and when her parted lips met mine, she melted in my arms. Lauren wound hers around my neck, and as she kissed me back, I found myself thinking of all the times I’d wanted to kiss her when we were kids, how I’d fantasized about having her perfect, full lips on mine. I was consumed by her, then and now, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. She let out a needful moan, and the once tender kiss quickly changed, becoming more intense and heated. She opened wider, inviting me to claim her with my mouth. Damn, she felt so fucking good in my arms. My hands drifted to Lauren’s hips, pulling her closer, and as she shifted just enough to grind against my erection, a heated moan shuddered through her chest. I gave her hair a gentle tug, then lowered my mouth to her ear and whispered, “You’re driving me crazy, woman.”
“Show me.”
As soon as the words came out of Lauren’s mouth, I was done. I kissed her once more, long and hard, then pulled my t-shirt over my head. I watched as her hungry eyes dropped to my chest. While gnawing her bottom lip, she ran her fingertips over my muscles and trailed them down my abdomen. She reached my waist and made quick work of my belt and fly, then started to tug at my jeans.
Leaning down, I lifted her into my arms and cradled her against my bare chest as I carried her down the hall to my room. Carefully, I lowered her down on the bed, then slipped off her sandals. Lauren lay perfectly still as my hands reached for the hem of her shorts, slowly easing them, along with her white, lace thong, down her long, lean legs. With every inch of exposed skin, I could feel my need for her building. I took my time, using every bit of resistance to rein in my hunger, so I could save it all for the moment I slid deep inside her body.
Lauren’s eyes never left mine as I pulled off her top and ran my fingers along the lace cup of her bra. I shifted the soft fabric to the side and took one of her nipples firmly in my mouth. She arched her back towards me as I swirled my tongue around her sensitive flesh that begged for more. She felt so damn good, tasted so good that it was nearly impossible to keep myself from completely losing it. Needing more, I trailed my mouth down past her navel, and her moans filled the room as I kissed and nipped at her soft, delicate skin.
I centered myself between her legs, spreading them wide as I raked my tongue firmly across her clit. Her fingers wound into the sheets, twisting them in her hands, as I continued to tease her with my mouth. I never took my eyes off of hers as I relentlessly licked and sucked, back and forth, relishing the way her body reacted to my every touch. Lauren was close, and after just a few more moments, her body grew rigid with her release. Seeing that satisfied look on her face made it impossible to wait any longer. I had to be inside her.
I stood up and stepped out of my boots, then pulled off my socks, jeans, and boxers. I reached into the drawer beside the bed for a condom, and as I began to rip it open, she took it from my hand. “Wait a second.”
A mischievous look crossed her face as she bit her lip and slowly positioned herself at my hips. Her greedy eyes fixed on my throbbing cock as her fingers wrapped around me, then her lips curled into a smile as she started slowly moving her hand up and down my hard shaft, gradually tightening her fingers around me. Her lips parted, and her tongue skirted over the head of my cock before she took me into her mouth. Damn. Her mouth felt so fucking good around my cock. My hands dropped to her head, tangling in her hair, as she opened her mouth wider, taking me deep. When I felt myself press against the back of her throat, a hiss slipped through my teeth, and before I could rebound, she quickened her pace, nearly sending me over the edge. Her warm, wet mouth was driving me wild, but I wanted more.
I slipped my hands under her arms, pulled her forward and then quickly rolled us over. As I looked down at her beautiful yet confused face, I growled, “Your mouth feels fucking incredible.”
“Then, why did you stop?”
“I want to be inside you when I come.”
After grabbing the condom from the bed, I slipped it on and centered myself at her entrance. Her eyes instantly locked on mine. They were wild and fiery, her desire evident. She wrapped her legs invitingly around my waist, pulling me closer and grinding her center against my hard cock. I couldn’t wait anymore.
“Yes,” she moaned as I slid deep inside her. Her breath trembled, and I paused, reveling in the sensation. She was so tight and perfect that I had to fight the urge to come just from being inside her body. I pulled back, then thrust inside her again and again. The sounds of our bodies colliding filled the room as I looked down and asked, “How do you want me to fuck you?”
Her back arched off the bed as she moaned, “Just like that. Don’t stop.”
I continued driving harder and deeper, building up to a relentless pace. Each was more demanding than the last, and I could feel Lauren pulsing around me as her orgasm began to take hold. She shifted her hips forward in the same heated rhythm, giving as good as she got, repeating, “Yes, just like that.”
“You’re getting close. I can feel it ... so wet, so fucking ti
ght.”
“Yes.” She panted. “So close.”
“Fuck,” I groaned. Her body jolted beneath me, clenching my rock-hard cock, milking me as I continued to drive into her. The sounds of our bodies pounding against one another continued to echo around the room, making me want to claim her in the most carnal way. At that moment, I slipped my hands under her hips and lifted her, grinding the tips of my fingers into her flesh as I buried myself even farther. A deep, tortured growl raked through me as I came inside her and stilled, relishing the sensation. After a few moments, I removed the condom and tossed it into the trash, then lowered myself down onto the bed beside her. She rolled to her side, and I put my arm around her while she rested her head on my shoulder.
We lay there in silence, listening to the sounds of our ragged breaths start to slow. I’d just started to gather my senses when Lauren propped up on her elbow and said, “You know, I’ve got a lot of stuff.”
“Okay.”
“I mean it. I have a lot of stuff,” she repeated. “I was planning to move into an apartment, so I bought a new sofa and a chair. I also have all the stuff from when I lived with Hadley, and I have a lot of clothes ... and an obnoxious amount of shoes.”
Knowing full well what she was getting at, I looked over to her and smiled. “There a reason why you’re telling me all this?”
“I was just wondering where I’d put it all.”
“That mean you’re moving in?”
“No,” she lied. “I just wanted you to be prepared if we decided to move in together.”
“There’s no ‘if’ on my end.” I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “I want you and your obnoxious amount of shoes to move in whenever you’re ready.”
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Consider me warned.” I gave her a wink, then asked, “So, when are you moving in?”
Chapter 10
Lauren
“Looks like it might be the battery,” Smokey announced as he continued to inspect my engine. I already had a pounding sinus headache, and hearing my car’s battery had gone bad wasn’t making me feel any better. “Have you had any trouble with it starting or the lights running low?”
“Not until this morning.” I looked down at my watch as I sighed, “Oh, man, I need to leave soon, or I’m gonna be late for work.”
“I’ll give you a jump for now.” He walked over and grabbed a pair of jumper cables from his truck, and while he started hooking up the leads to both of our batteries, he said, “I’ll have one of the prospects run into town and get you a new one, then they can come by the school and install it while you’re at work.”
“That would be great.”
“Just be sure to leave the doors unlocked and put the keys under your seat.”
“Sure thing.”
I’d always thought a lot of Smokey. He wasn’t as outspoken as some of the other brothers like Two Bit or Maverick, but when it came down to it, he wasn’t afraid to tell anyone what was on his mind. I liked that about him. Dad did too—which was why he’d gone to Smokey to debate an issue he was having with their construction plans. They’d just finished discussing it over coffee when I realized my car wouldn’t start. Before Dad even had a chance to offer his help, Smokey was up and out the door. I watched as he went over and started his truck. After he let it run for a few minutes, he motioned me over to my car. “Go see if she’ll start.”
“You got it.” I rushed over and got behind the wheel, then quickly turned the key. When I heard the engine crank over, I threw my hands up in the air and shouted, “Whoohoo! We’re back in business.”
“That you are.” He removed the cables, then closed my hood. “Remember to leave your keys under the mat.”
“I will.” Before closing my door, I shouted, “Thanks, Smoke! I really appreciate it!”
“No problem.”
He gave me a quick nod, then watched as I pulled out of the driveway. I’d like to say that my rocky start ended when I got to work, but it didn’t. In fact, things went from bad to worse in a matter of minutes.
I hadn’t even made it to my desk when Mr. McLean walked through my doorway with a notepad in hand, so I knew he was there to observe me. I didn’t have a problem with him watching my class, but I would’ve felt better if I’d had a chance to get the kids settled before he came in. It didn’t help matters that it was Monday. The kids were tired from the weekend and were lethargic as they filtered into the room. Even after being prompted time and time again, they barely said two words throughout the entire lesson and showed very little enthusiasm on the subject. I’d hoped Mr. McLean would give me some kind of input before he’d left, but when the lesson was over, he simply stood and walked out of the room, leaving me feeling like I’d bombed the evaluation.
That in itself was enough to make for a bad day, but things continued downhill from there. I spilled my coffee, my computer crashed, and I still had a pounding sinus headache. I just wanted to call it a day, but we hadn’t even made it to lunch yet. I took a couple of Tylenol, then jumped right back in, hoping that I’d feel better after I had a bite to eat. I got up from my desk and approached the front of the room. “Okay, guys. Let’s take a little time before lunch to finish up those math packets we were working on last week.”
I was waiting for them to get out their papers when I noticed that Collin had raised his hand. I tried to brace myself for what I knew was coming. “Yes, Collin?”
“I don’t have mine.”
“Um-hmm,” I grumbled under my breath. I tried to push back my annoyance before I asked him, “Are you sure it isn’t in your folder?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“What about in the tray I set up for you?”
“I didn’t put it in there.”
“Go check and make sure.”
I waited as he got up and ambled across the room, only to watch him return empty-handed. “It’s not there either.”
“Okay then, let’s check your backpack real quick.”
“I don’t think it’s in there, Ms. Lauren.”
“We won’t know for sure unless we look.”
With that, Collin reached behind his chair and picked up his backpack from the floor. He placed it on his desk and started pulling everything out. It was a complete mess. Even though I was tempted to fuss, I knew Collin had been through a lot over the past year. His parents had gone through a nasty divorce, along with a lengthy custody battle in which his father had lost. In fact, Mr. Phillips lost just about everything, including his home and the woman with whom he’d cheated on his wife. I tried to remember how much Collin had been through as I picked up one of his binders and started flipping through it. When I didn’t see it, I reached for another binder. That’s when I noticed his father’s journal was wedged between his books. As I pointed to it, I asked Collin, “Why didn’t you give that back to your father?”
“I did. He must’ve put it back in my backpack.”
“You mean to tell me he put it back in your bag? Really?”
“I guess so.”
The book looked important. I didn’t want to take the chance on Collin losing it, so I picked it up and said, “I’ll tell you what. Just to be safe, I’m going to hold on to this. I’ll call your father after school and let him know he can come by to get it.”
“Okay.” I placed the book on my desk, and by the time I returned to Collin’s, he was holding up the missing papers. “They were in my math book.”
“Great.” I knelt down and spoke in almost a whisper. “You have to learn to be more careful and keep up with your things, Collin.”
“I know. I’m sorry, Ms. Lauren.”
“How about this? If you can keep up with all your work this week, I’ll let you pick out something from the treasure box.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
“Good deal.” I stood, then motioned my hand towards his assignment. “You better get to work. I don’t want you to get behind.”
“Yes, ma
’am.”
I gave the kids some time to finish up the assignment, and then we headed to the cafeteria for lunch. Sadly, I couldn’t eat until I’d called Collin’s dad to let him know about the journal. I would’ve waited until after school, but Mr. Phillips was a Clallam County Park Ranger, and his afternoons were typically the busiest. Once I was back at my desk, I pulled up Collin’s information on my computer and found his father’s number. I should’ve gone to the office and called from the school’s phone, but I was too tired to walk all the way back down the hall. Besides, I knew Mr. Phillips and didn’t see the harm in using my own. I tapped in his number, and as soon as he answered, I said, “Hi, Mr. Phillips. This is Lauren.”
“Oh, yeah, Lauren.” Clearly remembering our conversation from parent-teacher conferences, he quickly asked, “Collin missing his work again?”
“No, sir. It took a little time to locate today’s assignment, but he finally found it in his backpack.”
“Oh…Well, is he in trouble about something else?”
“No, sir. I’m not actually calling about Collin ... well, not technically.” Before I confused him any further, I told him, “I found your journal in his backpack last week. I told him to return it to you but discovered today that it was still in there. I was worried he might lose it, so I took it out and have it with me.”
“Come again?”
I was surprised by the immediate change in Mr. Phillips’s voice. It suddenly sounded deeper and almost angry, like I was talking to a completely different person. I figured it was just my imagination, so I repeated, “I have your journal, Mr. Phillips. I think it might be a data log for your work.”
“You mean to tell me you looked inside it?”
Again, Mr. Phillips didn’t sound like himself, so I asked, “Excuse me?”
“Did you look inside the journal?” he roared.
His anger caught me off guard. I didn’t want him to think I’d invaded his privacy, but I also didn’t want to lie to him. Hoping to ease his concern, I replied, “Yes, sir, but only for a moment. As soon as I saw that it was yours, I put it back in Collin’s backpack.”