Our Chance (Lake Placid Series Book 3)

by Natalie Ann

  The next thing she knew his hand was at her hip, then sliding smoothly over the material of her dress and covering her breast. Like she was a puppet and he was pulling the strings, her body arched into his.

  She felt his other hand on her bare thigh. She wasn’t sure how, he had to have been lifting her dress up slowly without her knowledge, but she wasn’t about to protest.

  If he was good enough to get there without her knowledge, he could continue on as far as she was concerned.

  And he did, until she thought for sure her legs were going to buckle when his finger slid inside the edge of her panties, teased her a bit, then took the plunge. Not a tiny toe dipping in either. Nope, full-on assault.

  “Mmm, warm and moist, just like your pie. Bet if I tasted it it’d be much sweeter than anything you’ve ever served me before.”

  What was he talking about? Food? Pies? It didn’t matter as long as he didn’t stop what he was doing.

  “Are you going to taste it?” she whispered, challenging him.

  “I know enough to not gorge myself with the first serving. I want to be able to come back for seconds.”

  Damn, she was in way over her head. And when he slipped his finger inside, she knew her muscles involuntary grabbed it and tried to hold it there.

  “So tight,” he said. “I’m going to love when I get to this.”

  She couldn’t talk anymore, not that he was letting her. His mouth was covering hers again, his finger inside of her moving in and out, his thumb coming up to rub and that was all it took. If she thought her legs were going to buckle before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now.

  Her head fell back, as she opened her mouth and let out a long groan and a tiny swear word. The only time she ever let one slip, not that Caleb was aware of that. He’d probably only rub it in more if he knew.

  “Wow, guess you had every reason to be confident,” she said a few seconds later.

  He smiled, his eyes all glossy, his pupils dilated. He was turned on; there was no way around it. If he wasn’t, she’d think there was something wrong with him.

  “I told you.”

  He stepped back though, making her miss the heat of his body, and if she was completely honest, the comfort of his touch.

  “Where are you going?” she asked when he picked his keys up from the counter.

  “Home to take a cold shower.”

  “You don’t have to leave.”

  What had she missed? Had she turned him off somehow?

  “Yeah, I do. It’s kind of like Tarzan. You can’t just ask him to lift his loincloth the first chance you get. Patience, baby. When I come back for seconds, I don’t want you preoccupied or worrying about being interrupted.”

  She turned her head and looked out the window to see a car in the parking lot next to Caleb’s truck. She was always so tuned in to her guests. There’d never been a time she hadn’t noticed when someone was on her property. She couldn’t believe how far gone she’d just been.

  He leaned in and gave her another scorching kiss making her want to yank him forward and into her bedroom. She’d never been that impulsive before and was slightly mystified she wanted to be right now.

  “I look forward to it,” she said, trying to gain some semblance of control.

  “It’s always nice to have something to look forward to. Until next time.”

  With that he walked out her door and out of sight.

  “Yeah, next time. Tarzan, you better be ready for some show and tell,” she whispered, but no one was around to hear it.

  Patience

  Another week went by with nothing more than a few brief visits from Caleb, courtesy of a jailbreak dog. They hadn’t had any time alone really, just some quick coffees and more cookies.

  Now she was craving the encore. Craving some show and tell, and her patience was at its end waiting for him to make that move.

  He liked to move slowly, she got it. She was okay with that, really she was. Except there was no way around the fact that he’d given her a taste of what was to come and she was ready to savor the full-on experience.

  When the last of her guests were out the door for the day, she hopped in her car and decided to go for a drive.

  She turned down Caleb’s driveway and was disappointed when she didn’t see his truck. But there was a new garage there, so maybe, fingers crossed, his truck was inside. Only one way to find out.

  Marching up to the front door with a purpose in mind, she knocked once and took it as a good sign when she heard Sparky barking. Caleb never went anywhere without his dog.

  After a minute, there was still no answer, so she knocked again, this time louder.

  More barking, and some pawing at the door this time. That’s her buddy, making enough racket to get Caleb to check out the noise.

  It was almost another minute before the door was yanked open with a fierce-looking Caleb standing in front of her, his hair sticking up on end as if his fingers had been running through it.

  She didn’t care one bit, not that he was frowning at her, not that he looked annoyed, nothing at all. She slapped her hands on his chest, walked him backwards, and kicked the door shut with her foot. Sparky was jumping around like it was a game, but she wasn’t sharing right now.

  “I want to see what’s under that loincloth,” she said a moment before her lips covered his.

  Somehow she heard his laugh; then he lifted her in the air, held her tight, his mouth crushing hers. If this was a preview of what was to come, she was glad she conserved her energy and drove here.

  “Are you ready for this?” he asked, seconds before he tossed her over his shoulder and started to climb the stairs.

  “I’ve been ready for a week. I didn’t realize you were this slow.”

  “You haven’t seen slow, but you’re about to.”

  “Promises, promises,” she said, her heart racing as a flood of tingles exploded in her body.

  There was no time to look around the loft he just carried her to, because he shifted her, laid her on the bed, then came down right on top of her.

  The weight of a male body on hers was something she hadn’t felt in longer than she cared to admit and realized how much she missed it. The comfort in the strength of a man next to her showing her what he had and taking care of her.

  He started to kiss her cheek, then her neck, his hands going to the rubber band holding her braid together. “I want your hair down. I want to run my fingers through it. I’ve been dreaming of it since our date.”

  “You have a funny way of showing that you’ve been dreaming of me.”

  “Darling, I’ve been dreaming about you for months. Now I’m going to show you how good it can be.”

  She hoped so. “I’m looking forward to it. You know, you’ve never been this chatty before. I’d kind of like you to go back to the Caleb that doesn’t talk and just shows me what all these dreams are about.”

  “I like how pushy you are,” he said, but right after the last word was out of his mouth he was lifting her shirt and tugging it over her head.

  She’d worn her daintiest lace bra and panty set—just for him. Well, for her too. She liked feeling sexy under the loose clothes she always wore. It wasn’t practical most of the time, but today wasn’t about practicality, today was about turning a man on. Even driving him slightly insane.

  It had to be working because his mouth went right to the lace edge and traced all around first one breast and then the other. Dipping in and teasing her, but not giving her enough satisfaction.

  Grabbing his head, she moved him where she wanted him, right over her nipple and held him there. He was smart, she’d give him that, and took the hint as it was intended, licking the pebbled peak and making her squirm.

  Every nerve ending was standing at attention. That little preview Caleb gave her last week only managed to work her up more, not relax her.

  She let go of his head and he moved to the other side, did the same and had her arching up high. Slow was good
, but not when it was frustrating. “Caleb.”

  “Hmm?” he said.

  “I like slow. Slow is great, but maybe can we advance a little bit?”

  No response from him, but that was fine, because his hands were sliding under her and unhooking her bra, then pulling it away. She didn’t stay exposed for long though, because his hands replaced the lace, holding her tight, massaging her, trailing his fingertips over her peaks. Every movement and every motion just building her higher.

  She slid her hands under his shirt and dragged it up. Maybe if she started to undress him, he’d move a little faster. The good news was he shifted enough for her to take his shirt off, the bad news, he lay right back on top of her and went back to her breasts. Maybe it wasn’t so bad, though.

  After a minute she decided enough was enough. If she wasn’t so turned on, she’d growl right now.

  “Caleb, if you don’t move on, it’s going to be over for me before we get to the good stuff and I really want to get to the good stuff.”

  “You’ve got no patience,” he said, but started to move, licking his way down her ribs, to her belly button, then to the waist of her skirt. “You’re a lot thinner than I thought you’d be.”

  “Thanks for the compliment. Now move,” she told him.

  He made some noise that sounded like a laugh, she thought, maybe. Oh, she didn’t care right now. All she cared about was that he was sliding her long skirt down her legs.

  “I like your clothing under your clothes.”

  “Glad to have your approval,” she said.

  The same noise as before, probably a laugh this time. But since he was moving the tip of his tongue around the top of her lace panties, she wasn’t paying too much attention.

  She almost sighed with relief when she felt the panties slide down her legs. When his tongue touched her, her sigh turned into a moan, then when his fingers came into play, well, she couldn’t help but shout, “Don’t stop!”

  “Just as sweet and tasty as I thought,” he said.

  He wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted to gorge himself, because he went right at it, moving around her, in her, and playing her like never before. Her back arched, her hands went to his hair, gripping him tight. There was no way she was letting him move from that spot. Not until she was ready.

  It wasn’t long though, not with how primed she’d been, mixed in with what he was doing. “Oh my God,” she screeched, and her back curved like a bow it was arched so much.

  He kept it up, continuing on until every throb was ripped out of her body.

  She felt the bed move as he got up but couldn’t even open her eyes at that point. “In the pocket of my skirt is a condom. I wanted to be prepared.”

  “Good thing, because I forgot where I put the box I bought.”

  Her lips parted in a smile at the thought that he was actually ready by taking a step and buying them.

  She didn’t have time to think much more about it, not with his naked body sliding up and over hers, then slipping inside. Sore back or not, she arched into him again. “You feel so good,” she moaned out.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” he said. “You want slow again, or can I give you what I’ve been waiting for? Don’t worry; I’ll get you there again, too.”

  Wasn’t that just the sweetest thing that he asked? “Show me what you’ve got.”

  So he did. Starting slow, and oh that was so nice. Long smooth strokes, almost completely out and then easing back in. She spread her legs wider to get every part of him she could with him taking advantage of it, picking up his pace, but still keeping it steady.

  Then she started to crest and her hips started to move faster than his. She hadn’t expected to build up that fast, but she did. He had the magic touch it seemed, because she was on her way again.

  He pulled out all the way, left her on the edge and then sank back in filling her fully. A few more times like that, a few more teases and she was ready to growl at him again, ready to yell at him for tormenting her.

  She didn’t need to worry though. He reached down, put his hands under her knees, spread her wider and proceeded to show her exactly what he’d been so confident about.

  It wasn’t a dream. It was reality. The most beautiful reality she’d ever experienced.

  ***

  Caleb lay back and pulled Celeste across his chest. How one of his most frustrating mornings turned out to be one of his best was a mystery and a relief. He wished all his frustrating mornings ended like this.

  “Who would have known there was such a little sex kitten hidden under all those baggy clothes?”

  “Well now, I guess we go together then. You Tarzan, me kitty.”

  He laughed. He had to. It was just too ridiculous of a statement. In that moment, he felt light and free. A feeling he never thought he’d have again. One buried so deep that he was keeping it locked away.

  Not even the racing of his heart when she said, “we go together,” could make him nervous.

  “Speaking of surprises,” she said, her finger tracing the area right above his heart. “You’ve got some surprises under your clothes, too.”

  “Does it bother you?”

  “What, a tattoo on a nice muscular chest? Heck no. Would you think it was sexist if I said it turned me on?”

  “You can be sexist anytime you want.”

  “So…roman numerals. What do they stand for?”

  His heart was racing for another reason now. He could lie, but it wouldn’t accomplish anything. Or he could tell her the truth and put a damper on this moment. He went for the truth. “It’s a memorial tattoo.”

  “So a date then?” she asked, and he could see her mind working.

  “Yes.”

  “October first.”

  “Right again,” he said as he watched her frown.

  “Six years ago?”

  “Yes.”

  He didn’t want to say anymore. He’d been asked what the tattoo meant in the past and he’d never said it was a memorial. Why he felt the need to confess it to Celeste was beyond him.

  Maybe it was that he felt his guard drop after their time together. The human contact he hadn’t had in over a year. More if he was really honest with himself. He was better when he stayed to himself.

  “Memorials are hard on everyone, so I won’t ask you talk to about it,” she said, surprising him.

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ve got some memorial dates of my own, so I understand.”

  He wanted to know, but didn’t ask. That window that was open a crack from before could be pushed open more for her to climb in. He wasn’t ready for it.

  “So what brought you to my door this morning?”

  “I was horny, what else?”

  He threw his head back and roared with laughter. She wasn’t a kitten, she was a tigress. And she was exactly what he needed today.

  Rational Conversation

  Three days later, Celeste was happily whistling while she baked. Her endorphins were still running high after all.

  Caleb said she had some hidden talents, but she suspected he had plenty of his own, along with a whole bunch of secrets. Not even the secrets she suspected, but much more. Something about him ran so deep.

  Though, she had to say she appreciated the talents he’d showed her in the bedroom. There wasn’t a selfish bone in his body and she was forever grateful for that. What woman didn’t love being worshiped in the bedroom like that?

  She couldn’t remember the last time her body felt this fluid and relaxed. She might have to go surprise him more often if she felt this loose and limber afterward.

  And poor Sparky, he’d stayed downstairs. When Celeste finally decided she needed to get back to her house, she’d stood up and said, “Where’s Sparky?”

  “I have no clue. Sparky!” Caleb yelled.

  But they didn’t hear a sound. So they got up, dressed, and went downstairs to see Sparky lying on his bed with his head under a blanket. It was too ridiculous of a s
ight to not comment. “I think he’s embarrassed. I hope he can look me in the eye again.”

  Caleb leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. Tender almost. “He’ll get over it. It’s his first time with a female guest.”

  “I’ve been here before,” she’d said.

  She was pleasantly thrilled to know she was the first female guest Sparky had been around, and since she knew Caleb had only lived in Lake Placid for a little over a year, she knew he hadn’t been with another woman either. Well maybe. Guess he could have stayed at a hotel, but she chose to believe she was his first.

  “For a visit, but not for any activity,” he said.

  “Activity. Is that what we’re calling it?” she asked and leaned up to kiss him quickly. “Look, Sparky. I’m kissing the warden.”

  Sparky didn’t lift his head, causing her to laugh even harder.

  “I’ll have a little man-to-man talk with him about the birds and the bees when you leave. Give him a few days before he can face you again.”

  She’d caught his smile, but she also recognized the double meaning there. Caleb was going to need some space too, so she wouldn’t push him. She’d let him have his way…for now.

  ***

  “Celeste,” she heard her name called right after her front door shut.

  “In the kitchen, Cole.” She couldn’t imagine what this visit was about. Or maybe she could.

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  “I’m baking, as you can see.” She went back to whistling, knowing it would annoy him.

  “You slept with him,” he accused her.

  Damn he was good. She didn’t expect him to figure that out so fast and was slightly mortified they were having this conversation. But she was going to do what she always did, and purposely get on his nerves.

  “You figured that out, how?” she asked angling her hip as she placed her hands on the counter and stared at him.

  He flushed, and it was adorable, but she didn’t tell him that. “You’re whistling. Aside from your fight song, that is the only other thing you do when you’re happy or sad. I know you aren’t sad.”