“I love the island, too, but he made sure to mention it would be an overnight trip,” Mariah whispered, as if her brothers had their ears pressed to the door and could hear every word.
“And is this your first overnight trip?” Amber asked, her voice rising slightly.
Mariah nodded.
“Oh, my.” Amber’s cheeks became stained with red.
“I don’t mean ever,” Mariah responded, “but I don’t have a lot of experience in that department.”
“Who’s to say he does?”
“Have you looked at him?” Mariah inquired with a raised brow. “Haven’t you noticed the way women look at him when he walks into a room?”
Amber shrugged. “Probably not, because he’s always been my boss. But anyway, I’m sure it’s like riding a bike. It’ll all come back to you.”
Mariah began pacing the floor. “I’m sure it will, but...”
“But nothing. I’m certain that Everett, being the sort of take-charge man that he is, will teach you all you need to know. Don’t worry. Just enjoy the moment and let nature take its course.”
Mariah smiled. “Thank you, Amber.”
“Anytime.”
After she’d left, Mariah tried to remember Amber’s advice. Everett was a singularly focused, determined man, and clearly he was hoping they would become intimate during this getaway. A brief shiver went up Mariah’s spine. It wasn’t as if she didn’t want him, hadn’t wanted him. She’d just been too afraid to make any sort of moves other than a kiss. But Everett had plans now. This time, she wouldn’t resist him, and they’d finally become lovers.
Chapter 13
Mariah allowed the wind to ripple through her wavy hair as she and Everett stood on the ferry to Bainbridge Island on Saturday morning. They’d parked the car and walked over to the deck railing so they could take in the scenery. It was only a thirty-five minute ride to the island, but from the boat she could see the snowcapped Olympic Mountains, Seattle’s skyline and a view of Mount Rainier. Everett had dropped EJ off with his parents so they could have the day to themselves.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Everett asked, coming behind her and placing his hands on the rail, effectively blocking her inside his embrace.
“Oh, yes,” Mariah said. She could feel the heat emanating from the wool jacket he wore and it surrounded her like a warm blanket. Or perhaps it was the smell of his masculine cologne that wafted to her nose? Either way, she was very aware of the man, the trip and all that it represented. He hadn’t said anything when he’d picked up her small suitcase and placed it in the trunk next to his an hour ago, but it was clear they both knew what this night meant.
Mariah, however, was a bundle of nerves and shivered from the cool wind whipping across the bay.
“I thought we could take in a winery,” Everett said, when she finally turned around to face him and he wrapped his strong arms around her. “Or the distillery. Whatever you want, this day is yours.”
“It’s ours,” Mariah said, standing on her tippy toes to brush her lips across his.
Everett didn’t react at first and Mariah thought that he didn’t like a public display of affection. But then those massive hands of his grabbed both sides of her face and he deepened the kiss. Without thinking, she opened her mouth and his tongue slid inside, circling with hers in a deliciously slow mating ritual as they each tasted the other.
When they separated, they took in ragged, deep breaths to fill their lungs with the oxygen they’d just been deprived of after trying to swallow each other whole. Everett was right about one thing. It was time.
* * *
Bainbridge Island was a local favorite on the weekends, so the streets of the quaint downtown area were bustling with people walking, talking, or moseying through the shops, eateries and coffee spots. After parking in a public garage, Mariah and Everett walked hand in hand through the town, browsing.
It had been months since Mariah had a day off and she felt guilty leaving Chase and Jackson when the bakery was still so new, but she needed this. Not just for physical reasons, even though she’d been working sixty-hour weeks, but for emotional reasons, too. Whenever she was around Everett she thought she might combust, and she needed a release.
The failure of her marriage had been a blow to her self-esteem. Afterward, she’d felt ugly and unlovable, not to mention heavy from the extra couple pounds she’d gained from stress eating after the divorce. Thanks to those long hours on her feet at the bakery, she’d lost all the weight she’d put on postdivorce, and then some.
Now, when she saw herself through Everett’s eyes, she felt sexy. It was heady stuff. They should sell it in the nearest Walgreens or CVS Pharmacy.
Eventually, she and Everett stopped at one of the wineries for a tasting and tried several different wines, from cabernet sauvignon to chardonnay to pinot noir to malbec, all the while laughing and talking. Mariah was learning more and more about what made Everett tick and he discovered that although she had a lot of love from her father, it wasn’t the case with her mother.
“Are you sad about that?” Everett inquired.
Mariah shrugged. “Would I like to have one of those TV sitcom relationships with my mother and go to her with my problems? Yes, but that’s never been the basis of our relationship. It’s always been my dad.”
Everett grinned. “A true daddy’s girl.”
She grinned. “And proud of it.”
After lazily drifting through the shops and stores, Mariah and Everett eventually drove to the quaint inn he had chosen. Right away she was struck by the unique architectural details throughout, such as its thatched roof and crown molding. The room the innkeeper led them to was bright and sunny thanks to large bay windows and French doors leading out to a beautiful deck with a view of the water, but it was also elegantly decorated in warm yellow and blues. It housed a large brick fireplace, a cozy sitting area with wicker furniture, and a massive four-poster bed that would easily fit the two of them.
“I hope you enjoy your stay,” the woman said as she left.
Once the door closed, Mariah was nervous as to what to do next. She’d never stayed with a man in a hotel room, other than her husband.
But Everett made her feel at ease. “How about we get ready for dinner?” he said, placing her small suitcase on the bed. “If you like, you can use the shower first.”
“Thank you, I’d like that.”
When she emerged twenty minutes later in one of the fluffy white bathrobes waiting in the master bath, Mariah found the room empty. Everett was standing on the deck watching the sunset.
He didn’t hear her as she approached, allowing her the chance to study him closely. He was a fine looking man. His muscled body in the loose-fitting jeans and polo shirt told her he was at ease in whatever he wore. Mariah was attracted to his confidence and wished she had more herself.
She’d taken an extra amount of time in the bath, ensuring she’d showered, shaved and shined enough to entice a man like Everett. She’d moisturized her skin with a fragrant Bath and Body Works lotion and spritzed perfume all over her.
He must have sensed her presence, and turned around. He didn’t speak at first, just surveyed her from where he stood.
* * *
Barefoot and free of makeup, wearing a plush robe that was likely covering her naked body, Mariah paused in the doorway. Everett groaned inwardly. He heard the voice in his head that warned him to take things slow and make the night romantic by sweeping her off her feet. He blatantly ignored his own edict and instead decided to go for what he wanted more than anything, which was to take her to bed.
Slowly, he walked toward her, closing the French doors behind him, but never taking his eyes off hers. Mariah retreated and edged farther into the room, away from him. Everett couldn’t quite make out the emotion reflected in those brown depths, but he
intended to find out now.
He backed Mariah up until her legs were pressed against the king-size bed and there was no space between them. No place for her to run. One of his hands came up to caress her and he palmed her face with his hand. “You are so beautiful.” She looked downward when he said it, but he lifted her chin. “I mean it. You are. And I’m going to show you just how much.”
He reached between them and, grasping the belt of her robe, tugged it free until it fell open. Mariah’s gasp at his audacity was audible, but she didn’t say a word.
He took that as his cue and, using both hands, slid the robe from her body. It fell to the floor, baring all of her to his admiring gaze.
Everett’s eyes roamed, taking in everything—the full swell of her breasts, her flat stomach, the curve of her hips and the triangular patch of curls that awaited him. But it was her up-tilting breasts that he wanted to sample. He’d been aching to touch, to taste, to pleasure them with his hands, his mouth and his tongue. He groaned. He could no longer help himself and lowered his head to take one in his mouth, while his arm curved around Mariah’s waist so he could caress her bare bottom.
He took the nipple fully into his heated mouth and suckled, gently at first and then with long greedy pulls. His free hand moved to cup and tease the other breast with his fingers. He wanted everything all at the same time and Mariah didn’t deny him.
“Everett,” she moaned weakly when he switched to the second breast, claiming it with his lips, teeth and tongue. Over and over, he teased the sensitive bud, laving it with his tongue. He could see he was driving her mad with passion because she was moving against him, pressing to get closer to him.
He wanted to be just as close and swiftly lifted her into his arms and laid her on the bed. Before joining her, he disposed of his shoes, shirt and jeans, until he was standing only in his briefs. Everett knew he had to slow down the pace, otherwise, he’d have her legs in the air and be plunging inside her without making the moment last. He reminded himself to stay in control, until Mariah opened her arms to him, welcoming him into the bed. That’s when Everett knew that keeping control would be a hard battle to win.
* * *
Mariah couldn’t believe how Everett made her feel just by caressing and sucking her breasts. She was on fire from his kisses and caresses. The juncture between her thighs was already starting to ache unbearably. She’d never felt this kind of passion before. Never wanted to be taken, possessed, as she did by Everett in this moment.
As Everett undressed, removing each layer of clothing, Mariah’s passion and desire for him grew. His broad shoulders were bare now, showing her the muscled chest she’d felt each time he’d held her when he’d hugged her goodbye. The rest of him was even better. His abdomen was taut and well-defined, his legs long and muscular, and the bulge in the black briefs he wore quite impressive.
Mariah swallowed. She sorely hoped he wouldn’t be upset by her lack of experience. Her ex-husband hadn’t been one to try more than a few basic positions and Mariah had deferred to him in that department. But now she was eager to please Everett and be a good lover.
And when he joined her on the bed and she felt the weight of his body, nothing else mattered except the two of them in this moment. He slid his arms underneath her, pulling her closer, and then kissed her softly, gently, reverently, and Mariah melted in his embrace.
While his lips traveled over hers, his hands moved lightly, slowly down her body, as if he was trying to memorize every inch and contour. Mariah sighed as she felt his hand on the curve of her back, her derriere, the soft flesh between her thighs and there. Everett was stroking her in the place that ached for his touch.
His tongue made love to her mouth, eagerly joining with hers on a wondrous journey of exploration and discovery. Meanwhile, the tips of his fingers danced between the curls as they opened her up like a bud. They caressed and probed her moist entrance before he smoothly slid his finger inside.
“Everett!” she cried, when a second finger joined the first. He circled her sensitive nub with his fingers and she arched against him, wanting more.
He gave her more by deepening his kiss while his fingers went farther, deeper, filling her completely. Mariah arched against him, her muscled walls clasping around him like a vise, but Everett didn’t stop. He continued to thrust his fingers inside her. Harder, faster.
Pleasure coursed through Mariah and she could feel her body begin to quake, could hear a loud roaring in her ears just as her orgasm tore through her and she saw stars. She cried out at the release. But before she could recover, Everett left her mouth. She wanted more of his feverish kisses, but instead he placed his mouth where his fingers had been.
He cupped her from behind and brought her even closer, and then his tongue darted inside her.
“Ohmigod!” Mariah swore as she arched off the bed, but Everett grasped both her wrists firmly and had his way with her, tasting every inch of her until a second orgasm hit her and she screamed again.
She was so disoriented, she didn’t realize Everett had once more switched positions and was lightly brushing damp tendrils of hair away from her face. “Are you okay?” he asked, looking down at her.
Mariah nodded, but was unable to speak. The kaleidoscope of emotions he’d unleashed was like nothing she’d ever encountered before, and they hadn’t yet fully consummated their relationship. She wasn’t sure just how much more pleasure she could take. “I... That was incredible,” she finally gasped.
“I enjoyed tasting you,” Everett said, licking his lips. “I’ve been craving you for a long time, Mariah.”
She smiled weakly. “Have you?”
“Oh, yes.” He grinned wickedly. “Which is why I’m giving you time to regain some strength.”
“Oh, really? Why is that?”
Everett chuckled. “Oh, baby, that was only the appetizer. We have the main event, dessert, and then there’s always seconds.”
She titled her head and looked up at him through glazed eyes. “There’s more?”
“Oh, much more,” Everett murmured, reaching for her. He kissed her openmouthed, absorbing her gasp of surprise, which allowed his tongue to dive inside and explore every inch of her mouth. Sexual hunger emanated from him as he claimed her and made her his.
* * *
The feel of Mariah electrified every fiber in Everett’s being. He’d been waiting for weeks and, deep down, maybe longer for a woman who could make him feel alive again. And he had. He’d found that woman in Mariah and he couldn’t wait to bury himself inside her. And she was ready for him. He’d ensured that she was wet and primed. And now, reaching for a foil packet from his pants pocket, he protected them both. Once he was sheathed, a fierce rush of sexual need enveloped him, and as if she sensed what he needed, she parted her legs for him and he settled himself between her thighs.
He kissed her wildly, passionately, as he drove his shaft inside her. Mariah groaned as he inched deeper and deeper, filling her completely. Then he began moving slowly, rhythmically. He wanted her to feel each and every stroke, wanted her to know how much he craved her, desired her. And that he was starting to fall in love with her.
Love? His mind wanted to rest on the thought, but the lower half of his body wanted release. He had no choice but to go with it. Back and forth. In and out. Slow and easy, then deeper and deeper.
Mariah’s moans became louder as he rocked into her, joining their bodies as one. Her arms circled his neck, pulling his mouth down on hers. There was nothing gentle or tentative about her kiss, either. All the pent-up frustration from weeks of holding back was unleashed and their tongues dueled, wanting mastery. And when Mariah wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper and deeper inside her tight core, he began pumping harder and faster.
“Yes, oh, yes,” she cried, as her release came, simultaneously shattering his control, and his
entire body detonated into a million pieces.
Chapter 14
A wet tongue.
Warm hands working their way up and down his pulsing shaft.
Arousal.
Everett felt his body come to life and was momentarily disoriented as sleep began to leave his eyes. He glanced down and saw Mariah, naked on her knees on the bed, with her breasts bobbing forward. He wanted to reach for them, squeeze them and taste them, as he’d done last night.
But instead he was held captive. She was firmly holding him between her hands. He watched as she licked her lips to moisten them, just before taking his rock-hard erection between those full, deliciously sinful lips of hers.
“Sweet Jesus...!” His hips lifted off the bed.
She teased him, taking him deep into the heat of her mouth before releasing him so she could lick, suck, taste him, as he’d done to her last night. Hell, twice this morning. He hadn’t been able to get enough of her taste, her smell. Mariah’s unique scent was so hot that he might explode right then and there just thinking about that honeyed interior.
And now she was sucking him off as if her life depended on it. It was too much.
“Baby, baby,” Everett said, trying to rise from the bed, “you have to stop now.”
Mariah shook her head as her eyes connected with his. “Not until I make you come and taste you.” She pushed his chest with such force that he fell back against the pillows and finally gave up the control he was so desperately trying to hold on to.
Instead, he just enjoyed her ministrations. The soft feel of her lips on his shaft, the light flicks of her tongue on its length. When she bobbed down again and took him completely into her mouth, Everett grasped her head and ground into her. Mariah took all of him, milking him until he could feel the tension inside his body steadily building and eventually reaching the peak.
“Mariah!” he groaned, just as he shuddered violently and climaxed.
Mariah took him and all his juices. When she was finished and his trembling began to subside; she looked up at him, licked her lips and smiled. “Now we’re even.”
Cappuccino Kisses Page 13