“And why have you never told me this?” Zoey asked, thinking about how close of a friendship they had developed over the years. They were inseparable most of the time, but never once had they talked about anything that could possibly occur between them, including sex. Especially sex.
“What was I going to tell you?” Kaleb asked, sounding dumbfounded. “I would’ve never thought to share some of the things I dreamt about doing to you. I know you, Zoey. You would’ve run for the hills.”
True. Zoey wasn’t one to have engaged in any sort of intimate relationship over the last few years. Not since Jason. Her heart had been broken, and she had no intentions of letting it get broken again. Not by any man. But this... this was different. Kaleb was her best friend, and if they were smart about it, there was no reason they couldn’t incorporate a little sex into it. Neither of them were having it, and she knew that for a fact, so they wouldn’t be hurting anyone else either.
“Ok, maybe you’re right.” She admitted. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t do the whole friends with benefits thing, right?”
“Friends with benefits?” Kaleb smiled, but Zoey realized immediately that it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Did he not want to do this?
“Yes. You know, we get naked every now and again?”
“Hmmm. I like the idea of seeing you naked.”
That was the Kaleb she knew. The man who flirted the panties right off of women everywhere.
When he leaned closer, Zoey smiled and then kissed him. For some reason, it felt natural to kiss Kaleb. Maybe that’s because she’d dreamt about it for so long.
“This night has been a long time coming.” Zoey whispered against his lips.
At least for her that was true.
When he pulled back, locking those smoky eyes with hers, one of those lingering embers deep in her core burst into flame. She suddenly wished they were alone, someplace where they could explore the firestorm that was brewing out of control between them.
He didn’t say anything, but Zoey knew he was beginning to reconsider. The gentleman in him couldn’t allow him to throw caution to the wind, likely from fear of hurting her. Zoey wasn’t fragile, neither in heart or spirit, and she wanted to assure him that she could deal with the aftermath. She wasn’t looking for strings, or attachments, or promises.
“I want to be with you tonight.” Zoey said, willing him to see everything she was feeling as they stared at one another. “Even if that’s all you’ve got to give me. Just give me tonight.”
She wasn’t sure where the words came from, or when she had started feeling that way, but there it was. Maybe it was the fact that she’d been in lust with this man for as long as she could remember, or maybe it was because she wanted to pursue something she felt might very well slip from her grasp if they waited too long.
This was exactly where she wanted to be; in Kaleb’s arms for as long as he would have her. It didn’t have to be forever, she wasn’t sure she even believed in forever anymore. But for one night – this night – she knew exactly what she wanted.
♂♀
The sound of metal clinking on glass caught their attention, and Kaleb forced himself to look away from Zoey. He wasn’t quite sure what he was feeling – definitely lust, maybe something more – but he was grateful for the distraction.
“First, I want to thank everyone for coming.” Travis said, standing in the middle of the floor beneath the tent holding a microphone. “As you all know, on this day, fifty years ago, my parents vowed to love one another and, somehow, I’m not quite sure how, my mother has put up with my father through all of these years and here they are. Still together.”
A rumble of laughter erupted from the crowd; exactly Travis’ intention. The man might not be one to laugh easily, but he had a way with crowds.
“Mom, Dad, we came together to celebrate this day with you because you’ve been an inspiration to us all. The love and support you’ve provided us, your family and friends, through the years, hasn’t gone unnoticed, nor has it been unappreciated.
“As the oldest of the seven of us, I can tell you that you’ve shown us what it means to love and be loved and for that, we will always be grateful.”
Kaleb wasn’t sure where his brother had come up with the words, but he’d easily expressed exactly what Kaleb felt. Glancing at his brothers, they were all riveted to the three people standing in the center of the floor, each of them smiling, endorsing every word Travis spoke.
Curtis tilted his head in his normal acknowledgement while Lorrie had tears streaming down her face. Granted, they were tears of joy, but the sight still tugged at Kaleb’s heart as it did anytime his mother cried. Thankfully that wasn’t often, unless, of course, she was getting mushy. They definitely tried to avoid those times.
“Dad, if you don’t mind.” Travis stated, handing him the microphone.
Curtis’ voice boomed through the microphone, drifting across the humid August night, spilling out from the tent and washing over each of the guests who had come to celebrate the wondrous occasion. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming, and I’d like to thank my boys for thinking ahead and sending me on a wild goose chase across the state of Texas just so they could put this little shindig together.” Again the crowd laughed. “But most importantly, I’d like to thank my beautiful bride for honoring me fifty short years ago.” Looking down into Lorrie’s eyes, Curtis continued. “I’d do it all over again. In a heartbeat.”
To Kaleb’s surprise, his sweet, demure mother, threw her arms around his father’s neck and planted a scorching hot kiss right on his mouth. The crowd cheered. Then Curtis raised the microphone, glanced around at the hordes of people circling around them. “And that’s all I’ve got. Time for everyone to clear out now because I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”
Handing the microphone back to Travis, Curtis pulled Lorrie into his arms, lowered his mouth back to hers and again, the crowd cheered.
When Kaleb glanced down at Zoey, he noticed she was smiling, as well as wiping what appeared to be a tear from her eye. His heart turned over. Pulling her in close to him, he continued to focus on his parents, trying to give Zoey a little privacy.
When the band started up again, he turned back to the woman beside him, tilting her chin until she looked at him.
“I’m taking you to my place tonight.” He warned her, the driving hunger roiling through him. “I just need you to know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Zoey nodded her head as though she understood what he was telling her. He continued anyway.
“I’ve waited too damn long to have you. I’ve kept my distance, kept my hands to myself, but I can’t any longer.” Her eyes darkened with the same overwhelming desire he felt every time he looked at her. “Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
She didn’t answer, but she didn’t look away.
“I can’t promise gentle, and I can’t promise I’ll shower you with sweet words. As much as I want to, I’m not that man. I need you, Zoey.”
This time she did nod her head, her fingers linking with his and squeezing her silent agreement.
Now if only the damn party would end. Kaleb wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to wait.
Chapter Seven
♀♂
Zoey was a nervous wreck. Her hands were shaking, her palms sweating, and her heart was pounding like she’d just run a marathon. For the better part of the last hour, she and Kaleb had made their rounds, talking to the lingering guests, dancing, and finally saying their goodbyes to Lorrie and Curtis before walking out to the truck. Where they were now.
Kaleb reached the door before she did, and he eased it open, taking a step back so she could get in. When he crowded her between the truck door and the seat, similar to the way he had earlier, her blood pressure spiked, and she feared she might just pass out.
Never in her life had she felt like this. Never had her body throbbed with anticipation, an eagerness to touch and be touched. But that’s what
Kaleb did to her. He had always heightened her sensuality, made her want things she didn’t figure she would want from a man.
It wasn’t like she was a virgin. This wasn’t her first time. She’d been with two men in her life, one being her husband, the other a man she dated before Jason. Both of those were serious relationships, both of which she knew what she was walking into. She knew Kaleb better than she knew either of them, but yet, she felt as though there was so much she didn’t know.
And here she was about to alter the rest of her life because Zoey knew without a doubt that being with Kaleb would ruin her for any other man. She loved him. Had always loved him; although maybe that love was based more on friendship than anything else, but it was love nonetheless. There was no way to confuse lust with love when it came to Kaleb because, despite the fact that she was attracted to him, she deeply cared about him. Always had and always would.
That didn’t mean she was in love with Kaleb, but she feared she was. She had always feared he could break her heart so easily if she had given him the chance. And maybe that’s why she’d kept her distance for so many years. Their friendship was strong, always had been and why would she want to ruin that with one night of passion.
It was too late to think about that now because her body was committed, her heart might be a little hesitant, but she wasn’t listening to her heart. Not tonight.
“You sure about this?” Kaleb asked, his masculine scent like a drug, infusing her body with a buzz that had her aching for more. Addicted. That’s what she was. She was addicted to this man.
She dared a glance up into the gray-blue of his mesmerizing eyes and smiled. She was ready. “Yes, I’m sure.”
If she wasn’t mistaken, Kaleb’s hands were shaking nearly as much as hers were. She doubted he was nervous, probably just anticipating what was to come. If the chemistry between them was anything to go by, then they were in for the ride of their life when their bodies came together as one.
Instead of lingering, she climbed up into the truck, aware of his penetrating eyes still raking over her, making her knees weak. If she wasn’t careful, she’d be a puddle of hormones by the time they reached his house.
When Kaleb climbed into the driver’s side, he didn’t say a word, but he did link his fingers with hers again as they drove in silence down the dirt roads that bisected the Walker land. Her nerves were rioting, and she was pretty sure he could hear the pounding of her heart over the low hum of the engine and the radio that was playing softly through the cab of the truck.
When they pulled up to his house a minute or two later, she steeled herself. Choosing to preoccupy her mind by admiring his home, rather than dwell on what was about to happen, Zoey found herself reliving some of the times she’d been here.
They had hung out at his house a number of times in recent years, but almost every time someone else had been there too. Generally a group of people including Kaleb’s friend Gage, who was currently out of state. He was another one of the men in town that the women lusted over, and it was no secret he too had been included in some of Kaleb’s more infamous rendezvous.
Never had she been to Kaleb’s house alone before now.
His house was the epitome of the man, and she knew he was proud of it. Dark wooden beams held up the cover over the front porch while river rock lined the bottom of the house. The cabin wasn’t so much a cabin as it was a house, but because of its size and seclusion, she figured that’s why they referred to them as such.
Instead of wood logs, the house was dark, chocolate brown stucco, with thick wooden beams for trim. The front of the house was mostly windows and a door, and during the day, with it positioned to face the sun rising in the east, there was a vast amount of sunlight peeking through the thick trees, bringing with it warmth and light.
Zoey’s thoughts were interrupted when Kaleb opened her door, standing just outside looking sinfully sexy with his mussed hair and chiseled good looks. Although she figured he’d shaved when he had come to pick her up several hours before, he now had a line of stubble along his jaw, and she wanted to run her fingers over it, just to feel the sensual scrape against her skin.
Without further hesitation, she climbed out of the truck, joining him as he led her up the steps and onto the wide front porch, before opening the front door and allowing her to go in before him.
Once inside, Kaleb flipped on a small table lamp and the room filled with a soft yellow glow. It took every ounce of nerve she possessed to stand there, trying to ignore the tension that had grown to monumental proportions in the last few hours.
Taking a step forward, Zoey was in the living room, arranged exactly as it was the last time she’d been there. An oversized brown sofa, covered in buttery soft, distressed leather, and an equally large recliner sat facing a wall of river rock encasing a fireplace. The room had little else besides a table made of unfinished wood and wrought iron, holding a couple of coasters and a remote control for the massive flat panel television.
On the impressive wood beam mantle, a couple of pictures caught her eye and she ventured over to see them. She didn’t remember seeing them before. One was a picture of the seven boys standing beside a sign for Walker Demolition. Every one of them smiled brightly and the sun reflected off of their exotic blue eyes, twinkling with mischief. They were a handsome bunch that was for sure.
Another framed picture was of his mother and father, neither of them expecting the camera, so they looked relaxed, gazing at one another like only two people truly in love ever did.
The third picture caught her eye and she almost stumbled as she moved closer. It was of the two of them from her senior prom. It was the cheesy pose they made you take for the photographer, but it was still overwhelming to see it sitting right there for the world to see. Glancing back at Kaleb, he looked shy, and so boyishly handsome, her heart swelled even bigger than it had when he’d held her hand for most of the night.
“I didn’t expect to see this.” She admitted truthfully.
Kaleb took a few steps closer, pulling her against him. When the warmth of his chest pressed into her back, her breath hitched in her throat. With his arms wrapped around her, Zoey felt a strange sense of comfort wash over her. As foreign as it felt to be in his arms, it was also incredibly familiar although Kaleb had never touched her like this. The closest they’d come had been when she had been grieving for her mother and Kaleb had been there for her, holding her while she broke down.
“You stole my breath that night.” Kaleb admitted, his voice low and sexy.
When she looked at the photograph, she remembered that night like it was yesterday and not fifteen long years before. She hadn’t intended to go, not really caring to, but he insisted it was a rite of passage and if she didn’t have a date, he was going to take her. They’d been talking about it, and she was teasing him that she wasn’t going to attend her senior prom. When he had asked her, she’d been pleasantly surprised, and although it was nothing more than two friends at a dance, she remembered that night fondly.
“Zoey.” Kaleb whispered in her ear, his voice sounding gruff and strained. Almost as though he were trying to hold himself back.
Turning in the circle of his arms, she looked up and her breath caught. He looked stricken by some unnamed emotion, clearly trying to rein in what he was feeling. She knew how he felt because she’d been overwhelmed by a number of emotions since the first time he kissed her just the day before. Had it only been one day? It felt as though they’d been doing the dance leading up to this moment for ages, not just hours.
“You’re so beautiful.” This time Zoey whispered the compliment, using her fingers to trace the stubble on the hard line of his jaw. Her fingers trembled as she outlined his warm skin, brushing her thumb over his bottom lip.
Before she could think about what they were doing, what the next step was, Kaleb pressed his mouth to hers, stealing her soul with his kiss before he lifted her in his arms, throwing her off balance until she wrapped her legs around his wa
ist, ringing her arms around his neck.
She half expected him to carry her to the bedroom, but he surprised her when he turned to the sofa, easing himself down until she was straddling his lap. One of his big hands cupped the back of her head, holding her to him, his tongue exploring her mouth as she devoured him, unable to hold back the hunger that had been building in her all night.
Or rather years.
♂♀
Kaleb knew he had to go slow, but it was so damn difficult when the only thing he wanted to do was strip Zoey of that frilly dress and bury his cock in her sweet warm depths until she was wrapped around him in every way possible. When she brushed her soft fingers along his jaw, it was all he could do to keep from grinding himself against her, desperate to get lost in the sensations.
He’d waited. Then and now.
It felt as though Kaleb had been waiting his entire life for this moment. For the chance to feel her, to touch, taste, explore every glorious inch of Zoey’s sweet smelling skin.
One night stands, Kaleb was used to. Repeated sexual adventures, he’d been there, done that, as well. As much as he wanted to convince himself that they were in it for one night, or even a week or two, he knew he was lying to himself. This night was going to change his life forever, and how he proceeded would lay the path for whatever was to come.
When he told Zoey that he wasn’t gentle, he hadn’t been lying. He wasn’t. There was a dark hunger that lived just beneath the surface and Zoey pushed every ounce of his control. If he let go, if he took her with the aggressive need he felt coursing underneath his skin, he’d risk scaring her, yet Kaleb feared he couldn’t hold back.
Zoey broke the kiss, leaning back until she was staring down at him. She stole his breath, robbed him of every good intention because she was just so damn sweet.
When her palms glided down his chest, over his stomach until she reached the waistband of his jeans, he held his breath, anticipating her next move. Realizing her intentions, he pushed farther into the couch so she could pull the hem of his shirt out of his jeans. Without an ounce of finesse, he pulled his shirt up and over his head, throwing it somewhere in the near vicinity.
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