Next Door Knight

by Nicole Flockton

  And it’s not like he really needed the approval from Kerry’s father. The only approval he was truly after was from the woman in the living room. After the way her body swayed toward him just moments ago, he had an idea she wouldn’t be averse to taking their relationship to the next level.

  But first, he planned to get through dinner. The decision to eat at home was a risky one, but he just wanted it to be the two of them. With no waiters interrupting their conversation.

  Cooking wasn’t one of his greatest skills, but he could follow a recipe, or watch a YouTube video. Tonight he hadn’t needed either for his roast chicken with vegetables. The meal his father always prepared for him when he returned from deployment. He liked to believe Dad would be happy with his retirement decision. He missed his dad. He would love it if Dad was still around so he could talk to him about what he’d decided but life didn’t work out that way. Making this meal for Kerry seemed like the perfect way to pay tribute to the tradition his dad had started and the beginning of a new future. A new future with a new career and with Kerry by his side.

  “Does it look like we need to be ordering pizza?”

  Caleb startled, and the oven door slipped out of his hand, slamming shut. “Pizza?” he asked. “Oh, no, I haven’t burned it. But the vegetables need about another ten minutes.”

  “Well, that’s good to know.” She sniffed and her nose scrunched cutely. “It does smell delicious. Are you going to tell me what we’re having?”

  “Nope.” He wandered over to the fridge, the rush of cool air a welcome reprieve from the warmth of the oven and the desire flooding him. “You’ll have to wait until I serve it to you.”

  “Ohh, I’m intrigued.”

  He chuckled as he pulled some water from the fridge, closing it with his hip. “It’s nothing exotic. But it’s—it has meaning to me.”

  “Then I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful.”

  *

  “I don’t think I can eat another mouthful. That was delicious, Caleb.”

  He swallowed and smiled. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. It didn’t turn out too bad, if I do say so myself.”

  “You say that like this is the first time you’ve cooked a roast dinner.”

  He fiddled with his beer bottle. “It’s a meal I’ve had numerous times. This is the first time I’ve cooked it though. Usually my dad does.”

  “Oh, where is your dad? This is the first time you’ve mentioned him. Does he live in another state?”

  “No. He died a year ago.”

  “Oh, Caleb, I’m so sorry.”

  He reached across the table and took hold of her hand that rested by her plate. “It’s okay, you didn’t know. How about we go into the living room and let dinner settle before we have some dessert?”

  The questions she wanted to ask were shining in her eyes. The subject of his father’s death wasn’t one he spoke to many people about. He’d told the therapist he’d been made to see after his accident. He probably should’ve continued going, but after the required amount of sessions, the last thing he wanted to do was talk about his feelings and relive his dad’s death as well as Trigger’s.

  “Sure, that sounds great.”

  Kerry extracted her hand, and he wanted to grab it again, keeping their connection.

  Her chair scraped across the tile, and he copied her action, standing and stretching, working out the kink in his leg from sitting for too long at his small dinner table. “Hey, there’s no need to do that,” he protested when she started to collect the dirty plates.

  “It’s the least I could do after you made such a lovely meal.”

  No way was he going to let her do all the cleanup. He’d invited her over, and besides, the dishes could wait. He reached out and took them from her when she tried to brush past him. “I’ve got it, but thank you.”

  In seconds, he had the dishes piled on the side of the sink and faced Kerry, her gaze going from him to the dirty dishes. “What?” he asked at her.

  “Aren’t you going to put them in the dishwasher or at least rinse them?”

  “Nope.” He cupped her elbow and steered out into the hallway. “They’re not going anywhere. They can stay where they are.”

  “But—”

  He placed a finger over her lips. “Seriously, Kerry, I’d much rather spend time with you than worry about some dishes.”

  He pulled her into his arms, his hands resting on her hips. He lowered his head and captured her lips with his. A sigh of completion flowed through him. Nothing had ever felt as good as having Kerry in his arms.

  He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, and she opened up to let him in. A low moan came from her and her fingers dug into his chest where they were squashed between them.

  His body flared to life and he pulled her closer to him, not bothering to hide his reaction to their kiss. Instead of pulling away, Kerry ground her hips against his hard flesh.

  Back in the day, when all he wanted was to forget for a little while, he’d sweep the girl he was with into the bedroom and have her undressed in double-quick time. He hadn’t taken advantage of them—they were with him all the way. In fact, most of the time they had his shirt off before he’d managed to unzip their dresses.

  But the last thing he wanted to do was treat Kerry that way. At almost thirty-eight, he’d reached the conclusion he wouldn’t have what the other guys on base, who had found their Mrs. Right, had. Now, he was hoping and praying the woman in his arms wanted a future with him, because with every passing second he held her, he never wanted to let her go.

  The thought should frighten the hell out of him, but instead it empowered him. He dragged his lips against hers. Trailed hot kisses along her jawline until he found her ear. “Is this what you want, Kerry?”

  “Yes. Yes, I want it all.”

  Bending his knees, putting most of his weight on his right leg, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her the short distance to his bedroom. Once beyond the threshold, he slid her down his body, framed her face with his hands, and reacquainted himself with her lips.

  The hunger to have her settled into a pleasant buzz. She’d agreed to take the next step, and he planned to show her that she wouldn’t regret this decision. Tonight he was going to worship the woman who’d come to mean so much to him.

  *

  One second they were joking in the kitchen about dirty dishes and now she was in Caleb’s room, his lips on hers and they were about to make love.

  “Everything okay?” he whispered as his fingers played with the zipper tab of her dress.

  “Yes, more than okay,” she responded and began to unbutton his shirt. No way was she going to let anything overwhelm her in this moment. It was all about her and Caleb.

  Sure, there were so many questions between them. She wanted to know about his father and how Caleb truly felt about retiring, but those things, like he’d said about the dirty dishes, weren’t, going away. She wanted to remember every single second of making love together for the first time.

  She pushed Caleb’s shirt off his shoulders and her breath caught. She’d seen him bare chested before, but now she could touch the lightly tanned, muscular flesh. Run her fingers over the ridges; follow the trail with her tongue.

  There was so much she wanted to do to him that once was definitely not going to be enough. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t suppress a seed of hope from sprouting inside of her. Hope that this was the beginning of a future with Caleb.

  With him, she could be herself. She didn’t have to be on show, a person she’d been molded and expected to be, like with her ex. With Caleb, she knew without a doubt that he would let her fly and be waiting without recrimination when she returned home.

  Cool air whispered across her bare back from the air conditioner when he pulled her zipper down. She shrugged out of her dress, and the material bunched between their bodies. A shiver rippled through her as he brushed his lips across the top of her breasts.

  She wanted more. Wanted hi
m to release them from the confines of her bra. Wanted to feel his lips enclose around her nipple and suck.

  “More, Caleb. I need more. I want everything.”

  “Never let it be said I don’t listen.” He took a step away from her, allowing her dress to fall to the ground. She watched as he quickly dealt with his trousers and underwear before standing in front of her naked and unashamed of his blatant desire for her.

  Her mouth went dry at the beautiful specimen of a man before her. There were a couple of scars, and she planned on asking him about them. She wanted to know everything about him. Later though. Now, all she wanted was to lose herself in his arms. Give herself over to being with someone who wanted to be with her. It had been so long since she’d been intimate with anyone; Winthorn had left her bed long ago. That should’ve been a big hint that things weren’t what she thought they were, but she’d been so relieved that he didn’t want her attention all of the time, she’d accepted it without explanation.

  Warm hands closed over her shoulders, pulling her from the memories of her ex. Caleb’s bedroom was the last place she needed to be having those thoughts. He pulled her close, and his erection butted up against her belly.

  His fingers threaded through her hair, pulling gently so her head tipped back. His gaze met hers, a fire burning in their depths. She did this to him. She made him hard.

  Never before had she experienced this type of empowerment. It was a heady sensation and one she could easily get used to.

  Taking a step away from him, she reached behind her and unclasped her bra, shaking the lace and satin material from her arms. Next she hooked her fingers into the waistband of her panties, sliding them down her legs before kicking them away.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said as if she were a goddess. With Caleb looking at her, she did feel beautiful.

  Needing to have his strong arms around her, she closed the distance she’d created and rubbed herself against him. “I’m all yours.”

  “Excellent.” He smiled and then lowered his head to capture her lips once again. His hands roamed down her back until he reached her ass. She raised her leg and hooked it around his, angling her hips a little more against his erection, letting him know exactly what she wanted and where she wanted it.

  Once again, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed. The scent of fresh linen and his citrus aftershave mingled and surrounded her when he laid her on the mattress.

  She dug her fingernails in his shoulders when he began to massage her breasts. Her body arched, giving him more access. His thumb brushed her engorged nipple, and a rush of warmth coalesced between her thighs.

  His mouth replaced his hand and she moaned long and low. “Feels so good.”

  “There’s more where this came from, trust me.”

  “Oh, I do.” And she did.

  Without a shadow of a doubt, she believed Caleb. He didn’t seem the type to only go after his own pleasure like he who would not be named had been.

  As much as she wanted to explore Caleb’s body, she allowed him to learn what she liked. There was plenty of time for her to learn what he liked.

  He kissed her again as his hand caressed her hip before sliding between her legs. She moved them apart to give him better access. He slid a finger inside of her and she shuddered. His thumb caressed her clit, enhancing the sensations flowing through her like a waterfall. He stroked in and out, adding another finger to increase her pleasure.

  She tore her mouth away from his and drew in a deep breath, rocking her hips in time with the motion of his fingers. The tips of her toes began to tingle, moving up her legs until it reached the point where Caleb’s tongue had joined his fingers.

  She couldn’t think; her mind was buzzing and her body wasn’t far behind. The tingling between her legs spread wide, and her orgasm crashed over her. She bucked her hips against his fingers and mouth, wanting to draw out her release.

  Caleb kissed his way back up her body, swirling his tongue around her nipple before biting it, causing another tremor. His erection rested on her thigh and, even though she’d experienced an amazing orgasm, she was more than ready to have him make love to her fully.

  She framed his face and held it still so that she could kiss him. Her tongue delved in and his tongue met hers. Her hips lifted; she was far from done. As if understanding her silent message, Caleb swiveled his hips, and she groaned at the friction.

  “I can’t wait any longer. Take me, Caleb. Make me yours.”

  “Definitely.” He rolled off her and she mourned the loss. A second later she heard the sound of the drawer opening and the distinctive crinkle of a condom. She would’ve offered to help him put it on, but he was back on top of her before she could catch her breath.

  He positioned himself so their lower bodies were aligned. Kerry spread her legs.

  Caleb slid an arm beneath her back, angling her.

  Time stood still as she gazed into his eyes. The unspoken question hung in the air. Was she ready?

  Her answer? She reached down and closed her fingers around his hard length, stroking from base to tip before guiding him to her entrance. He slowly entered her. She sighed in contentment when he filled her completely.

  Their lips meshed together again, and Caleb withdrew slowly before plunging back in. Without thought, she lifted her hips, taking all of him. They repeated the action a few times before the heat began to rebuild inside of her. She dug her nails into Caleb’s ass.

  “Oh, yes, faster. Harder.”

  Caleb heeded her requests and, like before, all thoughts disappeared from her mind and all she concentrated on was the man above her and what he was doing to her body. Waves of pleasure built, waiting for the moment when everything would cease to exist and her orgasm would sweep her away. She didn’t have to wait long; Caleb’s forceful strokes were hitting the spot, and her body tensed before she climaxed hard around him. He shouted out her name as he came inside of her.

  Her inner muscles clenched and released him, making her orgasm last longer. Nothing existed but the man in her arms, and she couldn’t be happier.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Caleb jolted awake, his heart racing. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings, but the familiar shape of his dresser appeared as the haze across his eyes cleared.

  “Are you okay?” Kerry’s husky voice washed over him and the tension he’d woken with dissipated as quickly as a Texas winter.

  “Yeah, just a bad dream.”

  Well, he thought it was a bad dream. He couldn’t recall it though. Which was unusual. Whenever he’d had a nightmare the vivid images always stayed with him.

  He was about to pull Kerry close when he heard a faint sound, like a stray branch scratching against the roof. He knew for a fact there were no overhanging branches on his property. Perhaps he’d just imagined it.

  “Did you hear that?” Kerry asked. Okay, he didn’t imagine it.

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you know what it is?”

  He sat and craned his head in an attempt to see if he could hear it again. There it was, a faint scratching but it was followed by a short, sharp bark.

  Kerry gasped beside him. “Is that? No, not possible, you said you were going to fix the hole. It can’t possibly be Willow.”

  Caleb chuckled and was grateful for the darkened room so Kerry couldn’t see the way his cheeks were heating. “Umm, I still haven’t fixed it.”

  “You haven’t?”

  Amazing how much he could discern from tone without the benefit of light. Everything in Kerry’s two words pointed to disbelief. Another muffled bark, and he tossed the covers back and picked up his pants, sliding one leg in, and almost ended up on the ground when his injured leg buckled beneath his weight.

  “Fuck.” He rubbed a hand down his leg, massaging the twitching muscle.

  “Are you okay? What happened?”

  “Nothing,” he ground out. God, he hated the weakness in his leg.

  Caleb zipped u
p his pants carefully, seeing as he was going commando, and limped down the hallway. He reached the back door of the kitchen in time to hear her scratching at it again. The damn dog was looking at wrecking his door.

  He pulled it open and the annoyance that been festering in him disappeared when he clapped eyes on Willow’s happy doggy face as she plopped down on her furry butt. “You are one determined pup, aren’t you?”

  He bent down and lifted her up in his arms. She snuggled in as she always did. Slowly but surely, Willow had wormed her way into his heart, not to mention her owner. After tonight, he couldn’t imagine going forward without Kerry by his side. But he was getting ahead of himself.

  When he walked into the bedroom, Kerry sat up, tucking the sheet under her breasts. With the light on behind her, he could see the dusky outline of her nipples. His body immediately reacted to the memory of how her breasts felt in his hands. The way she tasted on his tongue. He wanted to explore that taste again.

  “Willow, what are you doing, girl?”

  The dog wiggled in his arms, eager to get down.

  He placed Willow on the bed and chuckled when she scampered up to her owner. Contentment shook her body when Kerry began to scratch her belly.

  “Can I ask you a favor?”

  “Sure,” he responded, enjoying seeing Kerry and Willow in his bed.

  “I should send Dad a text to let him know where Willow is in case he wakes up and tries to go looking for her. Are you able to grab my phone out of my handbag?”

  “Sure, where is it?”

  “It’s on the side table by your couch.”

  “I’ll be right back.” He left her talking to Willow while he fetched her phone.

  This was a first; he’d been under the impression that a woman’s handbag was a sacrilegious item no man was ever allowed to look inside. It was exactly where she said it was going to be. He unzipped it and found the phone and something else he hadn’t expected to see.

  “Well, now, this is interesting.” Palming the item and phone, he zipped up the bag and headed back to his room, a little spring in his step.

  He paused in the doorway, admiring the view. Kerry had settled herself back on the pillows and Willow was snuggled up against her. Again, this vision was something he could definitely get used to.