Caught in Us (Caught Series Book 4)

by Kacey Shea

  “Promise?”

  Fuck me. “Yes,” I practically growl before stealing a kiss. It shouldn’t feel this way, especially after the sex we just shared. But lust runs through my veins. Unstoppable. Untamable, like a fire out of control. She does this to me and I almost forgot how addictive it is. I pull away, panting and my cock hard. “Now, put on a damn shirt before my neighbors get a view of this fantastic rack.” I palm her breast, giving her nipple a squeeze before handing her my shirt.

  She puts it on without argument as I pull items from the fridge. I glance over my shoulder, taking her in. The shirt fits more like a dress. God, I think it’s my new favorite outfit on her.

  She and I work together, piling together ingredients to make a few sandwiches. It's a simple, perfect moment. One I commit to memory. One that stirs an ache in my chest. Because having her here, wearing my clothes and in my space, does something to me. This woman. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s it for me. Now all I need to do is convince her what my heart already knows, and find a way to make her stay.

  32

  Alicia

  I can’t get over how right this feels. Me. Him. Talking and laughing like we did during our summer in Kitty Hawk. It fills my mind with possibilities I have no business entertaining. Because no matter how good or perfect this moment is, I still fly back to London in a few days. We have a child together and live an ocean apart. And at the end of the day, we’re still two recovering addicts. No matter how good this feels, I can’t let my guard down.

  This joy consuming my heart won’t last. I don’t deserve it anyway.

  “You full?” he asks, nodding to my empty plate. “I can make another sandwich? Heat up leftover pasta?”

  “I’m good.” I rub my belly and wink, needing to infuse some humor back into my thoughts. “You’re the perfect host. I give this place five stars. Highly recommend.”

  He grins. “Make sure you leave a Yelp review.” He stretches his arms overhead, his muscles flexing in a way that would make my panties wet. If I were wearing any. A yawn escapes his mouth. “Should we head back to bed?”

  “You’re tired?” Disappointment hits me square in the chest. As much as I know it won’t last forever, I’m not ready for this night to be over.

  Chase’s palm slides over my hip, his body brushing against mine. “Who said anything about sleeping?”

  Okay, then. My body thrills with anticipation. “What did you have in mind?” I tip my chin up, my lips needing to brush against his.

  His arm bands around my waist, effectively tugging up the fabric covering my backside. He palms one of my ass cheeks, rubbing it before leveling a playful slap. “You.” He slaps it again. “Me.” And another. “Fucking.” He gives my butt one last tap. “Anything else is gravy.”

  “I think I can make that happen.”

  His brows lift, the flecks of gold in his chocolatey brown eyes catching the light. “Oh, I know you can.” He stoops down, his hand clasping around the backs of my thighs and then he’s up, carrying me over his shoulder and hauling me back to his bedroom like some kind of Neanderthal.

  I love it.

  “Is this how you train for fire rescues?” A giggle escapes my lips.

  “I wish.” He chuckles, stopping at the foot of his bed. “Down you go.”

  I expect him to toss me onto the bed but he surprises me, returning me to the mattress with a gentleness one wouldn’t expect from such a strong, built guy. I rise on my knees and meet his lips for a kiss that starts sweet but elevates with my racing pulse.

  My hands explore his body, fingers dancing over his skin to memorize every curve, dip, and valley. I take my time, kissing him, sucking along his neck, and stroking his cock from over his boxer briefs. There’s a need to draw out his pleasure, to make this last and build up the delicious tension coiling inside until it snaps.

  He lets me set the pace this time, caressing my skin and waiting to pull the T-shirt over my head until I tug his boxers down. His fingers play with my clit, and when he slips one finger inside, my arousal heightens. It’s good, but I need more.

  “I want you inside me,” I whisper against his lips.

  “Yes.” He breaks our kiss, patting along the rumpled bedding until he uncovers one of the condom wrappers. He rips it open and sheaths himself. “How do you want it, baby?”

  I want him under me, over me, behind me. I want him like this, hard and ready for me, forever. The thought scares me and I almost get lost in my head.

  “Alicia?” He cups my face. “Tell me how you want me.”

  “I want to ride you.” I am desperate for control. With my heart and thoughts racing, I’m afraid this is the only kind I’ll find.

  Chase lays back on the mattress, his head resting on two of his pillows. He watches me intently, his gaze eager with anticipation.

  Crawling up his body, I take his hard length in my hand and stroke it a few times before turning my back to him and positioning his cock between my legs. I glance over my shoulder, loving the heat I find in his gaze.

  “Oh, fuck.” His fingers dig into my hips. “You have such a nice ass. You know that?”

  I spread my thighs wider and sink down, arching my back as I take him in.

  “Fuucck,” he groans, drawing out the expletive. The growl in his voice scatters goose bumps across my flesh. His hands rub the globes of my ass. “God damn. You’re so hot.” He spreads my cheeks wide. “You make me so fucking hard.”

  I rotate my hips, rocking as I rise up and down in a sensual rhythm. Chase whispers filthy encouragements, urging me on. His hands skim over my bare skin as I swivel my hips. My body heats, my muscles strain, and sweat beads on my skin. My breasts ache for attention and I reach up, squeezing them the way I’d like Chase to.

  I rock back harder, delighting in every groan of pleasure I pull from his lips. Our breaths are the only sounds that fill the room, a soundtrack that only heightens my arousal. “Yes, yes,” I chant as I ride him. I’m on there, chasing my pleasure with a reckless abandon.

  Chase’s hands go to my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh with a pinch of pain. I might be on top but he takes over, thrusting his hips as I rock down. He hits deeper. Filling and stretching me until I can’t take any more. Our bodies slap together and my thighs begin to shake.

  “Yes. I’m gonna . . .” I don’t get to finish that thought, my body writhing and shaking as I orgasm. My body falls forward and I grab his thighs for balance.

  “Fuck. I’m going to come.”

  But I’m not ready for this to be over. If he comes, it won’t be long before he falls asleep and this temporary escape will end. My heart aches more than it should at the thought. I lift my body off of his and turn around, crawling up his body and claiming his lips. “Don’t come yet,” I whisper into his ear as I kiss down his neck. “I want to suck you first.”

  33

  Chase

  I nearly shoot my load at the mention of her pretty lips wrapped around my cock.

  “You want this in your mouth?” I grip the base of my dick.

  “Yes.” Alicia grins.

  In one swift move I reverse our positions, flipping her onto her back. She squeals, her laughter one of my favorite sounds. Peeling off the condom, I crawl up her body until my cock is at her lips. She grips me in her hands, stroking my length and pressing wet sloppy kisses on the crown. Fuck.

  Her mouth falls open and her tongue darts out, tasting my cock as if it’s a piece of candy she can’t wait to taste. I brace myself on the wall over the headboard and thrust my hips forward, sliding into her mouth a little at a time. She licks, sucks, and moans, taking me deeper. The impulse to rock into her and fuck her mouth is almost too much but I resist.

  She sucks me in deeper. Her eyes lift to mine, and she releases me from her mouth to stroke my base. “Stop holding back. I can take it.” Her breathy demand snaps the thin band of control in my mind. She wants this? All of me? Fuck, yes.

  My hips rock and this time when my d
ick slides between her lips I’m not careful. I hit the back of her throat and she gags. I try to ease back, but she lifts her head, bobbing forward to take me back in.

  “Yes. Fuck, Alicia.” I rock my hips. Sloppy wet slurping echoes throughout my bedroom. She moans, the vibration adding to my pleasure. “Fucking take this cock.” My body tightens, the pleasure almost too much. She chokes, but doesn’t stop swallowing me down like she never wants to stop. I thrust my hips forward. Her eyes water. God, I’m not gonna last long.

  “You like it when I fuck your mouth, don’t you?” I fuck her mouth in earnest, chasing my release. My balls tighten. A tingle shoots down my spine. “Damn it. You’re gonna make me come.”

  She releases me from her mouth. “Come on my breasts.” Her hand jacks me off, her mouth sucking the tip of my cock with a pressure that sends me over the edge.

  “God, yes. Fuck. Baby. You are so good.” My muscles strain and spasm with the rush that rockets through my body. “Take this cock. Take it.” I pull out of her mouth, aiming for her chest as my orgasm hits. Ropes of semen shoot from my cock and decorate her tits. She’s a fucking vision, her hair wild, her eyeliner smeared, and my seed painting her skin.

  A smile teases her lips. “We made a mess.”

  “Totally worth it. Wait here.” I leave the bedroom to grab a washcloth from underneath the bathroom sink and wet it in warm water. Returning, I take a seat on the bed and wipe the evidence of my orgasm off her body. I could hand it to her, but part of me wants to do this. To take care of her, even if it’s only in a small way. “There. I think I got it all.”

  “I think you did.” She climbs off the bed, picking up her borrowed T-shirt off the ground. “I’m going to use the restroom.”

  “Go for it. Use whatever you need. There’s extra toothbrushes under the sink.”

  While she’s gone, I straighten the sheets and pillows and tug on the old pair of gray sweatpants I like to sleep in, then grab a few waters from the kitchen. I make sure Paws is good. He stares at me from the top level of his cat tree with a disapproving look. I swear he’s judging me.

  “You don’t know what you’re missing,” I say to my neutered feline friend, then turn off the lights.

  Alicia comes out of the bathroom as I’m walking by the door.

  “Oh, hey.” She glances down at her toes, her cheeks blushing as if we weren’t just doing dirty things to each other.

  “I thought you might like a drink.” I hold out one of the water bottles.

  “Thanks.” She takes it.

  “I was hoping I could convince you to stay a little longer.” I nod toward my bed. “Maybe the rest of the night.”

  “I’m good with that.” She turns her cheek as she walks by, trying to hide her grin, but it’s too late. I already saw it.

  We settle onto the bed, relaxing into the bedding side by side. She tucks a pillow under one ear, turning onto her side to meet my stare. “So . . .”

  “Yeah.” I brush the hair back from her face.

  “You tired?”

  I am, but I’m not ready to give in to sleep. It’s been so long since we’ve been together this way and I want to savor the moment, stretching it as long as time will allow. “How about we talk? Unless you’re too tired.”

  Her gaze casts down to where her fingertips trace patterns on the bedsheet. “What do you want to talk about?” There’s a hesitancy to her words, as if she’s not quite sure.

  “How about we play a game?”

  She perks up at the suggestion. “What kind?”

  “One where we get to know each other again.” I hate that there’s a void in our histories. It’s only been three years but I missed so much. I have so many questions.

  “Like speed dating meets second chances?”

  “Yeah, an I-go-you-go back and forth with questions.”

  “Fine.” She exhales a long breath, her gaze lifting to mine. “But you go first.”

  “Okay, but you’re too far away.” I scoot closer, my hand snaking around her waist to pull her tight against my body. I smile when she hooks one of her legs over mine. The hem of my T-shirt rides high on her thigh and I run my hand along her bare skin. “When’s Matthew’s birthday?”

  “March twenty-sixth.”

  My hand brushes up and over her hip to graze her stomach. I try to picture it swollen and full with our child. I swallow hard, sadness overcoming me at the thought of all the moments I missed. “Was it an easy birth?”

  “I mean, I think so. I got an epidural so the physical pain was tolerable.”

  I wish I could have been there.

  “That was two questions,” she teases, but I get the feeling she’s only trying to ease the tension.

  “You know I’m horrible at playing by the rules.” I force a smile. “Your turn.”

  “Are you really good friends with Callie and Jill?” She winces. “Sorry, that’s personal.”

  “Alicia.” I tip her chin up with my fingers. “I want us to get personal. Nothing’s off limits. And yes, I consider them friends. It took time. Probably wouldn’t have happened if Cam and Jill weren’t soulmates. I had to prove myself and re-build that trust. It’s funny, I was thinking about how weird it should’ve been today, walking down the aisle with Callie. But it wasn’t. I am not proud of the man I used to be, but I am proud of who I am today.”

  “I’m glad you have such a good support system here.” She brushes her fingers over my chest.

  “What’s your favorite thing about living in London?”

  She doesn’t answer. Her mouth opens, then shuts, her brow furrowing with her thoughts.

  “Surely there must be something.” I aim for teasing, but anger pulses in my veins at the idea she isn’t happy. There better be a reason she’s been living in another country for three fucking years.

  “I like the work I do at the university.” Her tone is measured. “I enjoy teaching more than I thought I would. The research too. What about you? Why’d you go back to firefighting?”

  “I realized it wasn’t firefighting I hated. It was who I’d become.” The warmth of her body pressed to mine pulls a yawn from my mouth. It would be so easy to fall asleep, but I blink away the exhaustion. “What’s your biggest regret?”

  “Besides avoiding you?” She sighs. “Not talking with my dad when I had the chance.”

  It hits me. In the letter she left behind she mentioned he had a stroke. “I’m sorry. Did he pass?” I never got to ask. I was so consumed by the fact she left.

  “He survived the stroke. It’s just . . . You know, I’d rather not talk about it. It bums me out.” Her body stiffens, her discomfort apparent. “What’s yours?”

  “My biggest regret?” My answer comes quickly. I’ve given this years of thought. “Getting behind the wheel drunk with Maverick.” Those memories haunt me like a nightmare I can’t escape. “But then I wonder, if I took that night back where would I be?” My hand caresses her hip, her closeness offering me a comfort she probably doesn’t realize. “That horrible mistake forced me to evaluate my life. It brought us together, and we made a child. And I have to think about Tyler too—would he be alive? Would I have started the teen center here in Richmond? Maybe, but it’s unlikely. So, do I wish I could erase Maverick’s injuries and suffering? Absolutely. But that pain used me, and I turned it to a purpose. That’s something I can’t regret.”

  The weight of my confession settles between us. Her breathing grows even and her eyelids drift shut. I wonder if she’s about to fall asleep. I like the idea of her sleeping in my arms, even if I don’t want this night to end.

  “Chase.” Her voice is timid, sleepy and soft. “I’m leaving next week. I have to finish my program.” We both know what that means and I sense her apprehension. I understand it all too well. There’s so much we have left to figure out.

  “We’ll work it out.” There are no easy answers, but I have to believe it. “I’ve waited forever for this. What’s a little more time?”

  34r />
  Alicia

  I don’t know when exactly I fall asleep but I wake the next morning to a strange sound. It’s a vibrator. No. That can’t be right. I left mine back at my flat in London. My eyes pop open and I scrub the sleep from my eyes, disorientated for a second before I remember where am I.

  Needing to use the bathroom I slide my feet out of the covers, careful not to wake Chase as I leave the bed. He looks so peaceful. His chest rises and falls with a steadiness that could pull me back to sleep if I didn’t have to pee.

  I pad out of the room and use the restroom. My body aches, my hair is a mess, and my eyeliner is smeared. Yet I smile back at my reflection, because last night was everything and then some. Time has only improved what was already a pleasurable experience. Not that I want to go three years without sex, or Chase, ever again.

  Paws greets me as I come out of the bathroom, meowing and rubbing up against my legs.

  “Hey, you.” I squat down to scratch behind his ears.

  The buzzing sound that woke me earlier goes off again somewhere nearby. I push to my feet, and wander into the living room, curious as to where the pulsating rattle is coming from. My clutch lays on the couch from where it got tossed last night. It buzzes. My phone! Shit. I sent Simon a text last night, but it’s been hours since I checked in. God, I’m a horrible mom. I hope he’s only checking in and nothing’s wrong.

  My screen lights with dozens of notifications when I pull it out. The messages are so far from what I expect, I can hardly process the words I’m reading.

  Eddie: Alicia. Call me. NOW.

  Ricky: Please pick up.

  Eddie: Where are you?

  Ricky: Call me back.

  Simon: Your brothers can’t get hold of you.

  Simon: I didn’t know if I should tell them you’re with Chase.

  Simon: Not that I know where he lives.

  My knees lock and I feel faint. I fall onto the couch, my heart racing and hands shaking as I scroll through more notifications. Most were sent hours ago.