by Lori Wilde
She reached down and freed his burgeoning erection through the opening in his workout shorts. His whole body jerked. Most exciting was the part of him that jerked hard against her inner thigh. With one hand still pinning his wrists in place over his head, she ducked her head and gently nipped one of his nipples through the thin material of his muscle shirt.
He gasped and writhed and swore again.
Callie licked her way up his body, his chin and his jaw and his earlobe. When she raised her head, she discovered he was staring at her with a gaze so blazingly hot she felt as if she’d been singed.
The idea that they were making out in the weight room and that any minute someone could walk in on them was beyond thrilling. It was dangerous, yes, but that’s what made it all the more arousing. The pulse in his wrist leaped hard and fast and she knew he was just as turned on as she was, if not more so.
She loved how quickly she was loosening him up, how swiftly he was learning to read her. She had to give credit where credit was due. Luke was an apt pupil.
Now all she had to do was push him over the edge, make him totally lose control.
She grabbed for the condom she’d left on the edge of the weight bench. Using her teeth, she tore the foil packet open, extracted the rubber and then shifted so she could roll it onto him.
Sighing, she sank down on the length of him and let go of his wrists in the process. Immediately, he spanned her waist with his hands, holding her in place and hissing out his breath on a long exhalation.
He was inside her. It felt as though they were both inside the same skin or a great mysterious cave. “Ride me hard. Give me all you’ve got, hold nothing back.”
And so she did, riding him hard and fast until they were flying as you might fly in a dream. High. She was so high with passion, so full of him. No one had ever stirred her like this.
They were floating together in a vastness of sensation and every blissful inch felt right and good and true. Callie didn’t know who was inside whom. They were both inside. There was no outside. They occupied the universe and spun in it together.
The delicious expanse of their oneness spread and grew and swelled. A sweet, silent supernova twirling faster than the speed of light across the space of their own rapturous interior. They bathed in the white heat of their joining until the last bit of energy was drained from their bodies and they tumbled wide-eyed and breathless back down into a world of gleaming metal, leather benches and heavy weights.
They had gone so far together, had shared so much intimacy that when they came back into their separate selves, a soft sadness took over.
The experience had been so awe inspiring, so otherworldly that Callie did not know how to act with Luke. From the expression on his face, she could tell he felt just as awkward as she did.
They did not know each other well enough. They had no familiar ground, no safe place in which to reclaim their separate identities. In the confines of that little gym they were in uncharted territory.
A sense of loss set in. As though they’d stolen each other’s souls. Suddenly Callie realized she was frightened. More frightened than she’d been in a very long time. Quickly, she got up, reached into her gym bag and pulled a pair of baggy sweatpants up over her now crotchless shorts.
And then Luke did something that touched her heart. He reached out and took her hand.
THEY HELD HANDS all the way back to their room. He knew he had a goofy grin on his face but he did not want it wiped off. Luke fitted the key card into the lock, then turned to playfully lift Callie, gym bag and all, into his arms.
He was so addled from what they’d shared, so un-characteristically playful, that he forgot to be cautious. She was laughing and his heart was soaring. The door snapped closed behind them and he carried her toward the bed without ever realizing something was terribly wrong.
Later, Luke would castigate himself for letting his guard down for even one tiny second. He’d done something that he’d never done before. He had allowed sex to cloud his judgment.
Just as he was about to toss Callie on the bed, she gasped. “Omigod, Luke, no.”
His hands curled tightly around her as his gaze welded on the dead bird with a broken neck placed strategically on the turned-down sheets. Callie brought her hands up to cover her eyes.
Luke swung around, determined to get her away from the awful sight. When he turned he saw the ugly message emblazoned across the mirror of the bureau in Callie’s scarlet lipstick.
You’re next.
AFTER FINDING the dead bird, Luke had fled the room with Callie and taken her to spend the night with Molly Anne. He’d contacted the Santa Barbara police and spent several hours answering their questions. They dusted for fingerprints but most everything in the room had been wiped clean.
On advice from the police, he changed Callie’s itinerary in case the stalker had obtained access to her schedule. They were supposed to have caught a plane for San Francisco and she’d been slated to speak at a local university. He rescheduled her speaking engagement, canceled his and Callie’s airplane tickets and rented a car. Then he made a special trip to an all-night sporting goods store.
The following morning he sent Molly Anne on ahead to arrange additional security for their stay in San Francisco and make reservations at a different hotel under assumed names. Then he and Callie took off up PCH 1 in a black PT Cruiser convertible.
He tossed her the package he’d picked up at the sporting goods store the night before.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“It’s for you.”
“A present? Oh, Luke, how sweet.”
“It’s not a present,” he said, suddenly wishing he had gotten her something nice. Like flowers or candy or some racy underwear.
She opened the small package. “Lipstick?”
“No, the lipstick case is a disguise.”
Callie turned it around in her hand. “Oh. Ultrastrength mace.”
“I thought you needed something to protect yourself with,” he said gruffly.
“That’s so thoughtful of you. And in this adorable lipstick case, too.” She leaned over, the seat belt pulled against her breasts and gave him a one-armed hug. “But why do I need mace when I have you.”
“You had me with you last night and someone still managed to break into our room and threaten you.”
“It’s not your fault, Luke.”
He glanced over at her. She was wearing a pair of smart denim shorts that showed off a mile of tanned legs and a sexy leopard-print halter top. She’d settled back into her seat but he could still smell the intoxicating scent of her on his clothes. “It’s my job to protect you. I didn’t do my job last night.”
“Hey, nothing happened to me and besides, I distracted you.”
“I shouldn’t have let myself become distracted.” He clenched his jaw.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
He gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Maybe we should call this whole thing off.”
“What whole thing?”
“This you-giving-me-sex-lessons thing.”
“It’s not going to stop you from being distracted,” Callie pointed out. “If anything you’ll be even more distracted, wanting to make love to me and yet keeping me off-limits.”
She was right. He sighed. “Then the smart thing would be for me to take myself off the case and find you another bodyguard.”
“I don’t want another bodyguard. I want you.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not doing a very good job of keeping you safe.”
“Luke, lighten up.” She ran a hand across his brow. “You know what I think?
“You should give yourself a day off. We should get a picnic, hit the beach, have some fun on the way up to San Fran. You canceled my appointments until tomorrow afternoon.”
It was tempting. He would love nothing more than seeing her frolicking in the ocean surf in a bikini. He shook his head.
“Please? For me? To tell you the truth, I n
eed a break from all this notoriety. It’s starting to get to me.” The pleading look in her eyes got to him. Why couldn’t he ever say no to her?
“All right,” he conceded. “But only for a few hours and only on one condition.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“You never leave my side.”
“Deal,” she said and stuck out a hand.
He shook her hand, but he couldn’t help wondering if he was making another horrible mistake.
13
THEY STOPPED for a picnic lunch at a secluded beach. Callie had stripped off her top and shorts to reveal the string bikini Luke had been fantasizing about seeing her wear.
Did the woman have any idea how she was driving him crazy? From the way she strutted down the beach, yeah, she had a damned good idea what she was doing. She moved ahead of him, searching for the best picnic spot. He trailed behind, surveying the area, making sure they had not been followed.
The sun was warm on his skin, the ocean spray salty against his tongue. Watching Callie’s bottom twitch as she strode through the sand, experiencing his desire for her rising fresh and hard made Luke feel as if he was a one-cell animal, responding to every stimulus he encountered. Everything about her was erotic. The sway of her hips, the jut of her breasts, the sight of her pecan-blond hair tousled by the breeze.
She found a nice spot, cloaked from the prying eyes of any passersby that might stray over. He liked the area. It was secure as any place on a public beach. Bending at the waist, she spread out the blanket she carried and plunked down onto the sand.
Luke sank to the ground beside her, settled the bag of submarine sandwiches that they’d picked up at a drive-through and a couple of bottled sodas between them. He watched as she unwrapped the sandwiches and the smell of pickles and lunch meat made him salivate.
But it wasn’t just the smell of food invigorating his salivary glands.
Every whim of Callie’s body triggered the hairs on his wrist to quiver. Every vagary of sunlight dappling across her sumptuous body registered sharp and vivid on his retina. Sensation after sensation washed over him like ocean waves. Nothing was lost in translation.
His senses were on high alert, his body tuned for trouble. He would not let anything happen to Callie. He would lay his life on the line for her without thinking twice.
She looked at him with an unusual light in her eyes. It startled him and he appraised her, trying to decipher what was going on inside her head. His body took stock of the world, of this moment, like an intense and vigilant general moving through an intricate battlefield, searching for configurations and subterfuge.
The novelty of her, the surprise of the expression she was giving him riveted Luke.
They watched each other as they ate their sandwiches and washed them down with sodas. They didn’t talk. They just sat quietly enjoying each other, enjoying the time away from Callie’s hectic schedule. Savoring the respite from danger.
After they’d finished eating, Callie reached out to touch his shoulder. His skin came alive underneath her fingers.
“Make love to me, Luke.”
He should say no. He wanted to say no. To be strong and in control. But one sweeping glance at her body encased so provocatively in that string bikini and he never stood a chance. He opened his arms and in an instant, she was at his side, kissing him thirstily.
Relishing the sensation of her mouth against his, Luke threaded his fingers through her hair, held her close and felt the steady beating of her heart.
Life had taught him to be guarded. His parents had taught him to be strong and in control. It was difficult for him to allow his emotions to override his instincts of self-preservation and allow her to see his vulnerabilities.
She astonished him. Not only by her stunning uniqueness but also by the way she made him feel unique. He confronted the novelty of what was happening inside him, acknowledging it at the same time realizing it couldn’t last.
But for the moment, their energies were merged, looming bright, edges jagged, the details ravishing. Kissing her, caressing her body with the flats of his palms was a sensory litany.
With expert movements, she reached for the waistband of his pants.
Luke kicked off his boots, unbuckled his belt.
He wanted her more than he wanted to breathe, but Luke suddenly felt bereft and could not really explain why. He appreciated her mastery of sex and longed for her to teach him everything she knew. But once he achieved mastery, once he knew both her body and his own inside out, he would lose this achingly sweet superawareness. He would lose the innocence of a beginner.
He knew now why he’d waited so long to fully explore his sexuality. He’d been afraid that once the novelty wore off, once he’d learned everything he needed to know, there would be no surprises left. And for a man who lived by a disciplined code, part of him ached for the freshness of discovery.
It was time to let go of those fears. Time to understand there was something valuable in experience. Time to realize there was always something new to learn, always fresh insights to be gained. His life did not have to pass in a comfortable blur as he feared it would if he hadn’t joined the navy, gone to Limbasa, avoided true intimacy.
Callie helped him understand these things. She lived on her senses, thrived on her sensuality. She wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed or limited by other peoples’ views. She wasn’t lazy about life. She lived with a sense of marvel, with that extra dose of verve that escaped the general populace. She gorged herself on life and he wanted to be part of her feast.
She undid his fly and stripped off his pants. He flung off his shirt and lay back down. She knelt beside him and traced her fingers over his belly.
Their senses combined, expanded. Taste, sight, smell, sound, touch became a cavalcade of experience. He tasted the saltiness of their pooled flavors. He saw how the sun picked up flecks of gold in her hair. He smelled the sweet richness of her femininity. He heard her raspy, excited breathing. His fingers tingled with the feel of her smooth, satiny skin.
She moaned softly when he cupped her breasts and his erection grew stiffer. During their sex play she produced a condom and helped him put it on.
He liked his body when he was with her. It felt as new to him as hers did. His muscles seemed stronger, his nerves more alive. He loved her body. What it did. How she responded. He liked the way her back arched when he touched her behind the knees. He loved the way she purred when he skimmed his hands over just the right spots. He thrilled to knead his fingertips along her spine, loved to explore her bones and make her tremble.
Again and again and again he kissed her, aiming for this or that. Her chin, her cheeks, her nose. Her navel, her elbow, her toes. He stroked her and gently touched her parting flesh.
Luke felt powerless and exposed, shaking with emotion, desperate to be merged with her. He coiled around her, tracing his quivering hands over her body, mapping every part of her that he could touch—her freckles, the little valley between her nose and her lips, the faint dusky network of veins beneath her pale softness. Luxuriant curves and elegant bones. Sturdy, agile muscles. A miracle of nature, holding him with all her potency, delighting him with her skill.
She pulled his erection with long, lazy, caressing strokes until he was harder than he had ever been in his life.
Then unexpectedly, always unexpectedly, he could always expect unexpectedly with Callie, she flipped over onto all fours on the blanket.
“Take me from behind,” she commanded.
Luke hissed in his breath, the stimulus of seeing her bare fanny in the air was more than he could withstand. He rose up on his knees, spanned her waist with his hands and claimed her.
“More,” she pleaded. “I need more of you.”
He sank deeper, joining their bodies. Vibrant impulses shot through him. His body seemed to double inside. He was under her skin and she was under his. Literally and emotionally.
“Harder,” she said. “Faster. Give me everything, Luk
e, everything.”
He obeyed because he was helpless to do anything else. There on the beach, hidden by vegetation, the ocean breeze blowing against his naked skin, the rushing sound of the sea in his ears, he gave it all up.
Her body sheathed his. He hid himself inside her. He disappeared from view and he was not scared. She opened up her internal workings to him. He added his organ to hers and it was as if it was meant to be there all along.
And as they came together in one gigantic overwhelming simultaneous orgasm, Luke realized he’d taken the ultimate risk.
AFTER SAN FRANCISCO the cities began to run together. Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas, Phoenix. The fans’ faces changed and blurred into an amalgamation of eager, young twenty-somethings desperately looking to Callie to sort out their love lives for them. Everything blended into a routine process. There were no more stalker threats. Everything was the same.
Except the nights with Luke.
The following nights passed in a glorious blaze of sexual discovery. Callie alternated between teaching her lover how to please her and learning all she could about his delectable body.
And even though they did not hear anything more from the stalker, Luke stayed on alert, never letting his guard down when they were in public. After what had happened outside Madigan’s he didn’t like her to go out at night. Not that she minded. Callie was all for staying in. Their room service bill was astronomical, but ah, the creative things they did with food.
She liked holing up with him. Snuggling in bed together in between their wild sessions of adventuresome lovemaking. She taught Luke everything she knew. And ever the willing pupil, he absorbed everything and gave it right back to her.
They played without any expectation for the future. They made love two or three times a day. Luke making up for lost time, Callie indulging him.
She introduced him to sex toys, body paints and blindfolds. She brought silken cords into the bedroom and they teased each other with light bondage games.
She taught him how to titillate with velvet and feathers and leather. She used lace gloves when she stroked him to orgasm and he returned the favor by rubbing her sensitive cleft with heated massage oils.