He blinked at me before repeating an incredulous “Boring?”
I laughed at his expression. “Okay, I have to admit I barely remember it. I saw it years ago when I was a teenager.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “That’s your problem right there. We need to fix that.”
I shrugged, still smiling.
“All right,” he said. “Let’s move on. What’s your favorite vegetable?”
“My favorite vegetable?” I laughed again.
“What’s wrong?”
“You seriously want to know my favorite vegetable?”
“I’ll have you know this is highly important information. A lot can be determined about a person’s character from their favorite vegetable.”
“Gosh, I’m really sorry.” I tried to look apologetic. “But that’s way too personal for me to divulge.”
His expression turned sly as he scanned down the length of my body. “Maybe I should try and torture it out of you.”
A tingling sensation ran through me. “You promised you’d keep your hands to yourself, remember?”
He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Trust me, you’d enjoy it.”
My breath caught. He was so close. I imagined myself reaching out for him and pulling him onto me. How good he’d feel. His taste and smell. The weight of him.
“Sorry.” I forced myself to turn away, catching my breath. “My favorite vegetable will have to remain classified.”
“I suppose I’ll let this one go.” He sighed. “But only for now.”
I peeked at him, watching as he changed position on the blanket to get more comfortable. He lay down on his back with one arm tucked under his head as he gazed up at the sky.
“What is it with all these questions anyway?” I asked. “It sounds like you’re going down a list.”
His eyes flashed to mine. “I’m just trying to get to know you. Isn’t that what boyfriends do?”
I didn’t reply, not sure what to say. I hadn’t had a boyfriend since my senior year of high school, and it was Ethan. And I didn’t remember him ever being this interested in me, even back then.
We both remained silent, though it was a comfortable silence. The grass smelled cool and green around us. Crickets chirped. Usually I was alone when I sat outside like this.
Philip was still lying on his back, gazing up at the sky. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen this many stars.”
I turned upward. “It’s because there’s no city nearby to cause light pollution.”
“It’s incredible.” He took a deep breath. “I think this town is growing on me.”
“I’m not surprised. I love it here.”
“It does have its charms.”
Our eyes met. It was dark, but we could still see each other.
“So tell me,” he said, his voice quiet. “What are your hobbies?”
“We’re back to this again? You’re relentless.”
“Yes, I am. So tell me.”
I lay on my side next to him, propped up on one elbow. “Well, there are my birds. I enjoy taking care of them. I also like to garden and plant flowers around my house.” I smoothed my hand over a lump of grass beneath the blanket. “I grew up sailing but haven’t done it for a long time.”
“You sail?”
“Not anymore, but I miss it. My dad and I used to sail together. We went all over the San Juan Islands. We even sailed up to Victoria a few times.”
“You two were really close, huh?”
I nodded, remembering the fun we used to have on the boat when I was growing up. All the talks we had. “My dad always told me happiness takes work. If you want your life to be something special, you have to make it that way. He was a great believer in action.”
Philip nodded. “I agree with him.” He glanced over at me. “So why did you stop sailing?”
I shook my head, picking at a blade of grass poking through the rough fabric. “It’s a long story.” I didn’t want to get into how my dad had given Ethan and me the boat as a gift after our wedding, how we had to sell it as part of our divorce, how I used my half to pay for my attorney’s fees.
He studied me, and I could tell he wanted to hear the long story.
“What about you?” I asked, genuinely curious. “What are your hobbies?”
His eyes went back to the sky. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I like to make money.”
I laughed. “That’s not a hobby.”
“Sure it is.”
“What else?”
His brow creased. He appeared to be thinking it over. “I like to follow the news and keep up on current events.”
“A news junkie,” I groaned. “I should have known.”
“Why? What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. My dad was a news junkie. I grew up with C-SPAN playing in the background like other people listen to music.”
He grinned. “I’ve been known to watch C-SPAN.”
“And do people around you complain?”
“Yes.” He chuckled. “All the time.”
It occurred to me that my dad would have approved of Philip. He was industrious and hardworking. He took care of his family. It wasn’t that my dad disliked Ethan, but he thought less of him after Ethan encouraged me to quit college to support us. I couldn’t even imagine Philip allowing a woman to do that for him.
We both went quiet. It had grown late. The witching hour, to be exact, the time of night where it felt like we were the only two people left in the world. I thought about how I needed to get up early in the morning.
I should send him home. It was the smart thing to do.
Instead, I moved closer, rising so I rested on one arm. Nervous energy fluttered through me. I felt him go still at my nearness, saw the way his eyes took in my face. I sensed he wanted to reach for me but didn’t want to break his promise.
“You’re very pretty.” He licked his lips. “Hard to resist.”
I blinked with surprise. And then I did something that surprised me even more.
I bent down, and I kissed him.
Chapter Seventeen
~ Claire ~
Philip tasted like a wonderful dream I once had a long time ago. A dream I’d forgotten but wanted to remember. I drew back from the kiss and gazed down at him.
He smiled. “Do that again.”
“I guess you were right after all.”
His fingers moved gently across my forehead to brush my hair back. “About what?”
“It turns out I couldn’t resist you.”
“I told you.”
Our eyes stayed on each other, both of us smiling. Then I watched as his face grew serious. “Come here,” he whispered. “Kiss me again.”
And so I did. His mouth opened to me, his taste and smell permeating my senses. Nervous energy still vibrated through me, but I didn’t fight it anymore. I let myself enjoy it.
“Lie on top of me,” he murmured after a few more kisses, shifting position so his hands were free to help.
I did as he asked, lying over him so our bodies pressed together.
His hands slid down to my ass. “Damn, you feel incredible.”
My insides were a jumble of nerves.
He moved his hands everywhere, exploring my body, and we went at it for a while, kissing and rubbing against each other. It was sexy, even though we still had our clothes on. I could taste a hint of beer, but mostly he tasted like himself. It struck me that I’d kissed him enough that he was becoming familiar.
Eventually his hands slid under the back of my shirt, caressing my skin. They went to my bra. I squirmed against him as his fingers deftly undid the hooks.
I broke away. Sitting up, I balanced myself on my forearms, hovering over him.
Philip’s eyes were on me with concern. “Is something wrong, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know.” I licked my lips, still nervous. “It’s been a while for me. I’m not sure if I want to do this.”
“Do you want to stop?”
He was breathing hard, and I knew he was turned on. “No, but I can’t have sex with you.” I sat up some more, embarrassed. I was a grown woman in my thirties. This shouldn’t be a problem.
“It’s all right.”
My eyes went back to him. “It is?”
“Of course.”
His expression was sincere, but I could feel his hard-on. “I almost believe you.”
“I wasn’t expecting sex.”
“You weren’t?” I studied him. For the first time, it occurred to me that maybe my assumptions were wrong. It’d been so long since I dated that I wasn’t even sure about the etiquette anymore. I figured guys wanted sex right away.
Philip considered me too. “How about this: you tell me when something is too much, and I’ll stop.”
“Really?”
“I like you. I don’t want to rush things between us. Let’s take it slow.”
I thought it over. “Okay, I guess that’s fine. I could do that.”
“You sure?”
I smiled. “I’m sure.”
His hands rested on my hips, but then he tugged me toward him with a devilish grin. “Then bring thyself closer, my pirate princess. I’ve a hankerin’ to taste yer sweet lips.”
“Oh my gosh.” I laughed at his pirate impression.
“Aye, you’re a ripe treat.” One hand slid over my bottom and squeezed. “Very ripe indeed.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Ye best watch that hand, ye salty dog, lest ye lose it in a quick way.”
Philip’s eyes widened with fake terror. “Shiver me timbers. Me lady has a tongue as sharp as a razor!”
“And a sharp sword too!”
His other hand moved down to my ass, both squeezing me now. “Alas, she is too ripe to resist.” He grinned at me, looking every inch a real pirate. “I’ll have to take me chances.”
Our eyes stayed on each other, both of us grinning and being silly. And it was in that moment that something changed in me. I relaxed in a way I hadn’t for a long time.
A crazy thought came out of nowhere.
He’s the one you’ve been waiting for.
Philip must have felt it too, because his gaze softened. His hand moved up to stroke my back.
“Claire,” he whispered. “My sweet Claire.”
He drew me close, and we kissed again. Tenderly at first, our tongues and lips lightly exploring each other. But then the kiss grew deeper. Purposeful. Like sinking into a slow burn.
Philip flipped me onto my back. My bra was still unlatched from earlier, and he slid his hand under it, kneading and fondling me. He pushed my shirt up, and when his mouth went to my right breast, suckling, I gasped.
His eyes flashed to mine. “Too much?” he asked. “Should I stop?”
“N-No,” I managed to say, excitement barreling through me.
He tried to catch his breath. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” I nodded and smiled.
“All right,” he murmured. He rolled his thumb over my nipple, which sent more sparks through me. I swallowed. He was gazing down. “Look at you. So much treasure to plunder.”
I tried to pull him close, to kiss him again.
“I want to see more of you,” he said. “Can we take your shirt off?”
“Geez,” I joked. “Give you an inch….”
But I sat up partway to help him remove my shirt and bra. I glanced around, grateful for the darkness. Luckily the carriage house was pretty much invisible from the main house during the summer months.
Philip caressed my breasts. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. His hands were warm as they slid down my body before his eyes met mine. “I can’t believe how much you’ve affected me.”
I reached out and stroked his jaw. He’d had a big effect on me too, but I didn’t want to admit it. “Kiss me some more.”
And so he captured my mouth, wrapped his arm around my waist, and laid me down under him again. When he slid lower and went back to teasing and suckling my breasts, I sighed with pleasure. I tangled my hands in his dark hair before moving down to his muscular back, grabbing at his T-shirt.
He took the hint and reached behind himself to pull it off.
I could just make out his body in the moonlight, and he was exactly as I’d pictured. Better even. Smooth skin over solid muscle. Philip was strong and well-made.
“You’re going to have to stop eyeing me like that,” he said.
“Or what?” I answered, slipping my arms around him.
He didn’t reply, only lay over me so we were skin to skin. I felt turned on in a way that I hadn’t in ages and squirmed against him. Our tongues slid over each other, our bodies moving to a silent beat.
After a while, he slipped his hand between us to unzip my jeans. “Can I touch you here?” he asked, his voice husky.
I nodded, and he tugged my jeans off so I was just wearing panties. As soon as his fingers slid over the outside of them, I closed my eyes. It had been so long since I’d wanted a guy to touch me like this.
Philip was gentle, though his breathing was harsh. When he slipped his fingers inside the fabric and stroked me directly, he groaned. “You’re perfect,” he said in a low rumble, his mouth at my throat. “So damn perfect.”
My breathing was harsh too. I decided to forget about our deal, about taking it slow. I reached down for him and put my hand over his erection, squeezing him through his jeans. He grunted at the contact. I tried to unzip him, but he stopped me.
“I want to touch you too,” I said.
His eyes weren’t silver anymore. They were solid black, his pupils huge. I could feel his heart pounding. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Why?” I wanted him. Badly. “Do you have any kind of protection?”
I sensed he was trying to calm himself, though he was struggling. He shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“I do,” I insisted. I put my mouth to his ear and whispered, “I want you. Let me be with you.”
Philip sucked in his breath. “God, Claire… don’t do this to me. Just moments ago you told me you weren’t ready.”
“Come on.” I slid my leg around his hip and rubbed my body against his, trying to convince him.
“I can’t,” he said. He licked his lips, and I sensed him warring with himself.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you to regret your decision.”
“I won’t. I swear.”
But he shook his head. “No.”
I moaned with frustration, still pulling on him, trying to assuage my need.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he whispered. “I’m going to take care of you.”
At first I didn’t know what he meant, but then his fingers were on the outside of my panties. He slipped them beneath the elastic so he was gently stroking me.
My breath trembled. I reached for him, pulling him even closer. His lips brushed over mine as he played with me, and I wrapped my arms around him.
He knew what he was doing—I couldn’t deny that. His fingers were experienced as they gently circled and rubbed before sliding inside me. I tried to hold out but failed miserably. It had been so long. Too long. How could I have forgotten this? Before I knew it, I was grabbing his forearm, moaning with abandon as he brought me to a shattering climax.
When I came down, I was still wrapped around him, his heart hammering against my chest. His skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, his body tense, trembling—like kindling ready to flame.
“Let me do you too,” I said softly.
I thought he might argue or try to stop me, but he didn’t. He was too far gone.
I pulled the zipper on his jeans down and slipped my hand inside his boxers, moving my fingers over him and squeezing at the same time. Immediately he groaned, dragging me close, his mouth hot and needy on mine.
It didn’t take long before his whole body went tight against me. “God… Claire,” he growled, panting. His muscles tensed for a long moment, and then I
felt something warm.
Philip was quiet afterward. We both were. I wiped my hand on the blanket, then moved up and laid my head on his shoulder. We stayed that way for a while as he lightly grazed his fingertips down my spine, the night quiet and still around us.
“Thank you,” he said in a low voice.
I kissed his chest and then looked up at him. “You don’t have to thank me.”
“I broke our agreement.”
“No you didn’t. That’s silly.”
“We were supposed to take it slow. You jacking me off is not taking it slow.”
I rolled my eyes. “So what? Clearly I changed my mind.”
I could see his face well enough, and his expression was serious. “I meant what I said. I don’t want to rush things between us.”
“Don’t worry.” I stroked his cheek. “This is fine. Trust me.”
He stared at me and then began to chuckle.
“What is it?” I asked, enjoying his good humor.
“I just realized….” He shook his head, still laughing. “I sound like the girl.”
I spent the whole next day thinking about Philip. As I scrubbed and vacuumed other people’s houses, as I loaded their dishwashers and mopped their floors, as I folded laundry and dusted family photos, he was there. A great diversion from Mona and her lawsuit, which was just as well, because I needed one. I relived every single detail of last night. It was like I was Cinderella and had found my prince.
But I knew that wasn’t true. No illusions there. I didn’t believe in fairy tales.
And I certainly wasn’t in love. No illusions there either. My heart wasn’t ready for that, but at least I’d met a guy I could be myself with. And I decided to be happy about it, even if it was only temporary.
During one of my breaks, I called Jim, my dad’s old law partner, and left a message. I told him my business was being sued and asked if he could recommend a good lawyer, one who wasn’t too expensive. He got back to me right away and gave me a couple of names to try.
I also called a few of the nanny services in town and asked if they had an employee named Taylor. They wouldn’t give out names, but I left a message with my phone number for each one just in case.
For lunch, I went out to the harbor. My usual spot with a view of the sailboats. I watched them as I sipped coffee and ate my peanut butter sandwich.
Truth About Men & Dogs Page 21