by Jill Sanders
When she tugged his boxers off him and sank her teeth into his hip, he lost control and broke free.
Spinning her around until she was flat on the mattress, laughing up at him, he growled against her skin. Then he pulled back and yanked her jeans down her legs. He was going to go fast, then he saw the wicked smile on her lips and gained control once again.
“Two can play at this game.” He took the soft belt and tied her hands above her head as she smiled up at him. His entire body shook with desire, testament to the fact that he’d always lose control around her.
“Let’s see how much you can handle,” he said as he started his torture. She lay beneath him in only her new panty and bra set. Just the sight of her drove him mad, but he wanted to show her exactly what she’d done to him.
Using his mouth and fingertips, he played over her skin as she squirmed underneath him.
At one point, as he was using his tongue to wet the outside of her panties, she cried out his name. He smiled.
“Yes?” he asked. “Tell me what you want.”
“You, your tongue on me.”
“It is,” he teased.
“On my skin.” She practically begged.
He moved over and ran his tongue on her hip and she growled. “No,” she said as he chuckled.
Her tied hands came down to his hair, but he pushed them back up. “You’re not supposed to move,” he warned.
“Josh,” she sighed, “please.”
He kissed her. “Let me take care of you,” he said softly, and she relaxed back.
He once again ran his mouth over the silk covering her. She started to jerk her hips, but then he nudged the material aside and tasted her skin on the tip of his tongue. She cried out.
“Josh, I need you.” She moaned softly.
He couldn’t have agreed more. He was past the point of needing her. He pulled out a condom and slipped it on. His mouth covered hers as he took her. He felt himself slide farther into something he knew that he shouldn’t be allowed to have.
Chapter 14
Life seemed to speed up the next few weeks. Carrie had gone on three more rescues with her parents, bringing a dozen more animals to her door. She had the room, but with her current donations, she was going to be strapped by the end of the year.
She and Sara, Lilly, and Riley were back in their favorite booth at the Oar before the evening rush hour started. They nibbled on French fries and sipped sodas.
“What you need is an event. You know, a fundraiser. Maybe an adoption day down at the town square,” Lilly suggested when she told her friends of her dilemma.
She thought about it. “Maybe we can put something together with a few other business. Have the Oar supply food.” She turned to Sara.
Sara smiled. “That’s a wonderful idea, a Pride event. I can put something together. Maybe next weekend?”
“I bet I could get my parents to join in as well. Mom can have an animal health clinic. She does those every now and then. Dad could have something as well, maybe for the kids. We can get the fire department and even the coast guard to have a table.”
“What about asking Baked?” Riley asked.
“Yes, and Sara’s Nook,” Carrie added.
“I have time this week. I can go around and ask the businesses,” Riley suggested. “I just need a date and time.”
“I’ll have my mother do everything necessary on the city’s part,” Lilly added. Her mother was the mayor of Pride and had been for several years now.
“Wow, this is coming together.” Carrie smiled.
“Just like our business,” Lilly added. “We came up with a name.” She nodded to Riley. “Go ahead, it’s your idea.”
“Lilly Pad. With two L’s.”
“I love that it has my name, but I keep trying to convince her to use something with both of our names in it,” Lilly said.
“Riley Pad just doesn’t cut it. It sounds like a feminine product,” she joked, and everyone chuckled. “Besides, everyone always called us the two lily pads, because our names are so close.” Riley smiled. “And I love what we can do with the imagery on the sign.” She tilted her head. “I see two lily pads with flowers on either end of the lettering.”
Lilly shrugged. “It’s your shop, I’ll just run it.”
“It’s our shop,” Riley corrected. “We could always call it Cousins.”
Carrie chuckled. “The Crazy Cousins Boutique.”
“Hey.” Lilly smiled. “Sounds great. I was for Pride Boutique, but… not Riley.”
“I want something unique.” She shrugged.
“How about Classy …”—she pointed to Lilly, and then pointed to Riley, “and Sassy.”
Everyone was silent, and Sara looked up from her phone to smile.
“I love it,” Lilly said after a moment. “It also has a double meaning. We carry everything from Classy to Sassy,” she said slowly.
“Classy and Sassy.” Riley repeated it. “Oh my…” She turned to Carrie and smiled. She’d only meant it as a joke, but now that it was out, she really liked the idea.
“To Classy and Sassy.” Sara held up her glass of water to toast with. Three more glasses raised. “Classy and Sassy,” they all said, smiling at one another.
Sara turned back to her phone and when they were all done drinking, she looked up.
“Everything is set with Aunt Lacey. She’s got the event booked for the main grassy area in front of town hall for a week from Saturday. I figured we shouldn’t wait, since it’s such short notice.”
“How did you do that so fast?” Carrie asked. Everyone looked at Sara.
Sara smiled. “Carrie saves animals, Riley is the best dressed, Lilly has the business head.” She shrugged. “I’m the one that organizes and gets things done.” She turned back to her phone as everyone laughed.
The talk turned, once again, to the sexy new pizzeria owners. Riley was infatuated with one of them. Or both of them. Carrie couldn’t really tell.
“Have you actually talked to either of them yet?” Sara asked.
“Well, no, not yet.” Riley frowned. “I’m working up to it.”
“You’d better hurry. With new blood scarce in Pride, the vultures are swarming the pair,” Lilly said. “Even Rene was down there dressed in her Sunday best the other night.”
The group turned towards the dessert chef, who was sitting at the bar talking with Liz, the sous chef. Both women were young and attractive, and single.
Riley sighed. “What have I got that they don’t?” She glanced down at her chest. “I don’t get how all of my cousins can have C’s while I’m stuck with an A?” She frowned and adjusted her top.
“It’s not the size that matters,” Sara said, glancing up.
“Says the woman with full C’s.” Riley frowned at Sara. “Wow. Have those gotten bigger since you’ve married?”
Sara blushed and shook her head. “No, it’s just…”
“They do look bigger,” Riley added.
“Will you two stop…” Sara moved to get up. When she stood, Carrie had to reach out and catch her friend when her face turned pale.
“Oh, my, god,” Lilly said as she rushed to her cousin. “You’re pregnant,” she accused.
“Shh.” Sara glanced around and sat down quickly, then placed her head on the table after taking a sip of water.
“You are!” Riley added. “I knew they were bigger.” She smiled.
“Shut up,” Sara hissed.
“Does Parker know?”
Sara glanced up. “No one does yet.” She sighed. “I was waiting for the right time.”
“When? After the kid pops out?” Riley joked, earning a glare from Sara.
“Oh!” Carrie jumped in. “I have an idea.”
Four heads bent together as they discussed a plan. By the time everyone got back to work, everything was lined up for a private party on the back deck at the Golden Oar that evening.
Carrie blocked off the section half an hour before Parker was due to ar
rive. Lilly arranged the tables and moved the extra chairs aside. Riley and Sara ran home, and Riley helped Sara pick the best outfit for her to wear that evening, then rushed back and helped arranged for the couple’s favorite meal and dessert to be cooked up.
When Parker arrived, Sara sat out on the balcony alone. Carrie showed him to the deck.
“What’s all this?” Parker frowned down at his work jeans and shirt after seeing Sara in a low cut, soft pink sundress and white strap sandals. “I should have changed.”
“You’re perfect,” Carrie said and nudged him towards the table. “Dinner will be served soon.”
Sara’s plan was to tell Parker during dessert, but as three set of eyes watched from the other side of the glass, they could tell by Parker’s reaction to something Sara said to him that she hadn’t waited.
They hugged each other quickly and then got back to work. Dinner rush was almost twice the usual that evening for some reason and halfway through the meal hour, Carrie realized they really could have used the outdoor space.
Still, they made it work for their friend. When Carrie took out the tray of food for them, they were all smiles.
“Congratulations,” she said softly. She set the tray down on the table behind them to hug them.
“I’m still speechless,” Parker said, taking Sara’s hand. “I mean, we were trying, but…” He shook his head. “Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” Sara said. Carrie was happy for what the couple had together and a little jealous too.
For the rest of her shift, she wondered if she’d ever have that with Josh. Did he want marriage? Did he want a family?
She realized that she hadn’t talked to him about any of that or their future. Sure, he’d moved in and they were enjoying being together. The gossip in town had even died down, especially since Kevin’s accident was a bigger story.
As she drove home that night, so many questions swirled in her mind. When she arrived home, she parked behind Josh’s car, laid her head down on the steering wheel, and cried for no reason at all.
* * *
Josh sat on the dark front porch, Louie at his feet, as he nursed a beer.
He’d been too lazy to get up and turn on a porch light when it had grown dark, so he and Louie sat in the dark, watching the fireflies dance around the front yard. He’d taken care of all of Carrie’s animals, a chore he really enjoyed, after getting home that evening from work.
His lawyer had informed him earlier that day that William Martin had signed an exclusive contract for GLO to use Internal Security. Josh’s business was heading in the direction he’d always dreamed—working for great companies while doing good things to help people who deserved it. He couldn’t have asked for a better way to undo everything his father had done in life.
He watched Carrie pull in and park, but when she didn’t get out of the car, worry flooded him. He set his beer down and walked over to the car door. When he saw her crying, he quickly pulled open the door.
“What’s wrong?” He knelt and touched her shoulder.
She glanced up, her eyes red. She shook her head as she smiled at him. “Nothing, it’s just…” She sighed and unbuckled her seat belt. “I’m being silly.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. “Being silly equals crying all of a sudden?”
“No. Yes.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t know.” She sighed. “Sara’s pregnant.”
His eyebrows shot up. “That happens.” He nodded and pulled her out of the car. “They’ve been married for a while now.”
“Almost two full years.”
“Okay,” he said again slowly as she got out of the car, pulling her purse and jacket out. He took them from her and set them on the top of the car, then took her in his arms.
“So, why the tears?” He scanned her face. “Not happy tears?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s just…” She swallowed and then met his eyes. “Do you want kids?”
He should have guessed the question was coming, but still, it rocked him slightly.
“Yes,” he answered truthfully. “I always have. You?”
She nodded as she wiped her eyes. “I guess I’m just tired. It was a long day.”
“You worked a double shift. That’s not a long day, that’s too much for one person to handle.” He held her again.
“I have more animals I have to care for,” she added with a sigh.
“I’m here,” he suggested, nudging her back until she met his eyes. “That’s why I’m here. To help out, to be with you.”
“Yes, but…” He stopped her by kissing her lightly.
“Come on inside. I baked something for you tonight.” He grabbed up her purse and jacket again.
“How was your day?” she asked as they walked towards the door. “The animals?”
“They’re all great. Berta and I played soccer for about an hour.” He chuckled when he remembered the llama running around, enjoying the green ball he’d gotten her. “She’s like a kid.” He smiled. “I’m thinking of building her a goal post to see if she can kick the ball through it.”
She shook her head, and a smile started to form on her lips. He much preferred smiles to tears.
“I talked to Sue today,” he told her, remembering the call from his sister. It had surprised him, and he’d enjoyed catching up with her.
“What’s she up to?”
“She’s still in San Diego. She works in the ER and donates a lot of her time at a women’s shelter and loves it. It’s kind of funny,” he said as they walked through the door, “how the three of us went on missions to undo all the evil that Kevin has done in his lifetime.”
She set her purse and jacket down then wrapped her arms around him. “You’ve nothing to atone for. Anything your father did in his lifetime, he’ll have to pay for himself.”
“Right.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Come on.” He took her hand.
“What did you bake?” she asked as she followed him into the kitchen.
He moved aside and showed her the cake on the table. He’d worked for almost two hours after taking care of the animals to finish the masterpiece.
She moved forward, and he held his breath.
When she turned around again, he was on his knee, the ring he’d purchased for her over two years ago held out in front of him.
Her eyes were wet again, only this time, she was smiling.
“Yes,” she said quickly. She held out her hand.
He slid the ring on her finger and she glanced at it quickly. “I bought this two years ago, before I left town. I was going to ask you the night my father drove me to the station.” He looked up into her eyes and smiled. He grabbed her in his arms and kissed her.
“Did you really buy it two years ago?” she asked.
“Yes.” He smiled. “Which is why I got you this the other day.” He pulled out a second box.
“What’s that?” She frowned at it.
“Well, two years ago, I was working two jobs and barely making enough to live, so this is a little something extra.” He flipped the lid.
She reached up and took the box holding the diamond earring and necklace set. “They match.” She held up the ring to the box.
“Yes, I had them made.” He pulled the necklace out and helped her put it on.
She removed the earrings she had on and put the new ones on. “I’ll never take them off.” She hugged him. “I love you.” She kissed him again and part of him wanted to shout that he didn’t deserve her love, but the other part rejoiced in the knowledge that she’d said yes.
“I have to call my folks,” she said and that feeling of rejoicing was replaced by fear.
“I… um… Your dad already knows,” he admitted.
“He does?” She turned back towards him.
“Yeah, I did the whole… ask the father for the daughter’s hand thing.”
Carrie’s eyes grew wet again. “You did?” She whispered it. He nodded.
“He promised me he’d keep the secret f
rom your mother, so, if you want to call her…” He nodded to her phone in her hands.
Before calling, she walked over once more and hugged him. He took her face in his hands gently and kissed her. “I love you.” He smiled. “Call. I’ll cut the cake.”
“Hold on,” She snapped a few pictures of it first. “Okay.” She smiled. “Go ahead.”
But instead, he took her phone, wrapped his arm around her and kissed her, and snapped a few pictures of themselves. “Those should go along with the cake shots.” He kissed her again.
“Thank you. This is the happiest way to end a somewhat shitty day.”
He chuckled. “Don’t expect this every night.”
“No.” She shook her head and smiled at him.
“I meant what I said. There’s no reason for you to work double shifts to pay for everything around here. Actually…” He sighed and figured now was the best time. “I wanted to talk to you about taking this place to the next level.”
“Next level?” She frowned.
“You do such an amazing job for Pride and the surrounding areas. Have you ever thought of opening it up statewide? I’m sure your dad gets calls for help outside of our county.”
“That would be a huge commitment.” He could tell she was thinking about it.
“Which is why I was looking at the land beside yours. I was thinking, with the extra acres, we could build a state-of-the-art rescue center. One where we hired a full-time vet to care for the animals and had a crew of volunteers to help out on a daily basis.”
“That’s… a lot of money.” He could tell she was dreaming about it all.
“Which I’m willing to put in.” He wrapped his hands around her waist. “You’re doing so much good here, giving these animals a second chance. Since the moment I stepped foot on this land, I knew I wanted to be involved somehow.” He remembered hearing about all the animals his father used to torture and skin for the fun of it. “This is my chance to do something right. Besides, you’re already making enough in adoption fees to care for the animals you had before. All you need is a little boost to go bigger. Let me be that boost.”
“When you put it that way.” She smiled. “Oh, I forgot to tell you about the fundraiser…”