Man in the Moon (Sweet Escapes Book 1)

by Gardener, Melissa

  Chris kissed him chastely at first, then brushed her tongue over his bottom lip, asking for permission. Their kiss grew from there, Andrew’s tongue meeting hers as he pressed her up against the workstation; a repeat of their last encounter playing in both their minds.

  “Oh, gross! Get a room!” Amy teased, rolling her eyes.

  At the sound of Amy’s voice, Andrew pulled away from Chris and turned his back to the two ladies in the room, quietly calming the situation in his pants.

  “Bye, Amy.” Chris laughed as she pulled a red-faced Andrew behind her.

  As Chris opened the door, Andrew threw back a goodbye of his own, “Later, Amy.”

  The last sound they heard was the cackling of the teenage girl currently manning the shop.

  Chapter 11

  Walking into her apartment with Andrew in tow, Chris held his hand in hers and tugged him along as she led him into her bedroom.

  “I’m going to go take a shower, then I’m all yours,” she told him, stepping up onto the tips of her toes, kissing his lips. She then pushed him onto the bed and placed her knees on either side of his thighs, straddling him. “I missed you,” she whispered into his neck.

  Andrew held onto her and cradled her head in his palm, pulling her lips to his. His fingers tangled in her hair as he held her strong against him, angling her head where he needed it, to get better access to what he wanted. He had missed her to the point of aching, and needed to touch her and be closer to her.

  Parting her lips with a gasp, Chris couldn’t help the moan that escaped as her tongue brushed the softness of his. She cursed Mother Nature—cursed her period—then ran her hand along Andrew’s hard chest and scruffy five o’clock shadow, before pulling back and getting herself in check. “Shower...I need one, badly.”

  Andrew chuckled, raking his fingers through his hair. “I’m going to go get my bag out of my car.”

  Nodding, Chris turned, went into the bathroom and stripped out of her clothes.

  Andrew’s bag fell heavily on the floor of Chris’s bedroom, the sound of running water bringing images of his naked, wet girlfriend to his mind. He needed her. His pants tightened as he closed his eyes and swallowed a groan. She was right there, on the other side of the door.

  Naked.

  Wet.

  “Fuck it.” Andrew’s movements were quick as he pulled his T-shirt over his head and let his pants and boxers fall to the floor. He didn’t knock on the bathroom door, nor did he ask to join her.

  “Andrew?” Chris’s voice wavered for a second before she turned toward the opening in the curtain, her hair full of shampoo and her eyes dark with desire. The ache she felt between her thighs intensified tenfold as she watched Andrew, in all his naked glory, step into the tub behind her.

  Wordlessly, Andrew licked his lips as he brushed his fingers up her side, palming her breasts, giving them a gentle squeeze.

  Closing her eyes, Chris leaned into the spray and let the water rinse the shampoo from her hair. Andrew’s mouth covered one nipple, sucking it greedily while his hand expertly tweaked the other. How she made it through the last ten years of her adult life without him was a mystery, but she vowed to never go a day without his mouth on her in some way.

  Chris’s hand gripped Andrew’s hair painfully as she held his face to her chest. “Oh, God, Andrew...that feels good.”

  Dropping wet, lingering kisses between her breasts, and to her collarbone, Andrew stood and pulled her body into his, brushing his erection between her thighs. “I need you, Chris.”

  His voice was hoarse on her skin. She needed him, too. The ache she felt between her thighs burned as his cock brushed her lower lips. “We can’t, Andrew.” A tinge of embarrassment flooded her. She had never thought of sex during her period. Never wanted to, but right now, she was seriously considering it.

  Her hand caressed his length, jerking him softly. Teasing strokes that did nothing but make him want more. Her eyes lingered on her hand as she held him. He was thick and ready for her, twitching and growing with every stroke.

  Water descended over both of them like a waterfall. His eyes, dark with desire, burned her as he spoke. “Please, I need you, Chris.” His lips left a trail on her neck and brushed her earlobe. “Please.”

  Chris moaned and closed her eyes, her skin pricking all over and her resolve quickly waning. “God, you make me want to, but I told you I...”

  “Shhh, I don’t care,” he whispered over her heated skin. “I need you.”

  Her hand faltered as she turned her back to his chest, leaning back into his solid muscles. His fingers moved her hair to the side and his lips pressed to her neck.

  His fingers then made their way down her body, as she trembled under to warm spray. She prayed her hot water tank would last until they were done. She needed this so much. To feel him there. To have him touch her. His middle finger parted her folds and caressed her flesh. Her hips swayed against his erection, teasing before taking it into her hand and moving to press it where she wanted it most.

  With a groan, Andrew entered her. Her warmth enveloping him, welcoming him home. “Jesus, Chris,” he hissed into her neck, his fingers pinching and swirling deliciously on her clit.

  Inhaling sharply, Chris leaned forward and placed a hand on the wall in front of her. The feel of his fingers combined with having him inside her, filling her and thrusting into her, heightened the tingling and tightening in her belly. She closed her eyes and let herself feel, the rhythmic crescendo of their bodies moving together toward a common goal, quickly sent her over the edge. “Oh, God, Andrew...oh, God...so good.”

  Andrew buried his face between her shoulder blades, surprised he could breathe in spite of the water rushing over their bodies. His thrusts were erratic as he felt her quiver around him. “That’s it, Chris. Come for me, baby.” He pressed kisses to her skin and kept his pace steady. “I love you, sweetheart.” And with one more thrust, he came hard, spilling inside her in five long spurts.

  Andrew held her as they both came down from their bliss. Naked, warm and sated, he slipped out of her and dropped chaste kisses to her shoulder.

  “I can’t believe we did that,” Chris groaned, steadying herself, turning to face Andrew.

  Andrew shrugged and pulled her into his arms. “It wasn’t our first time in the shower.”

  “But it was my first time...you know...with The Flo,” Chris explained, looking around for any telltale traces.

  Lifting her chin, Andrew pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Stop worrying so much, sweetheart. I love you, and it was totally worth it.”

  . . .

  After their shared shower, the pair spread out on the couch with ice cream and potato chips while they watched old movies and reminisced about what had happened during their time apart.

  “So you’re telling me Lynn asked out your dad?” Andrew mused. “I’m impressed.”

  Chris chuckled, licking her spoon. “I know. I feel so bad for her, you know, ’cause he shot her down a few times, but I’m glad he’s doing it.” She turned to him, offering him some ice cream. “Which reminds me, Dad’s not working Wednesday, so I thought it would be nice for the three of us to have dinner together.”

  Andrew swallowed his cold treat and kissed Chris’s shoulder, his cool lips making her shiver. “Sure. I can’t believe we’ve taken this long to do that.”

  “I know. We’ve been so busy.” Chris looked away, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought about how difficult this was going to be. Balancing her business and family, along with a budding romance, would be a challenge, and she hoped none of them would ever suffer.

  “What’s going on in that head of yours?” Andrew pulled her along to lie on the sofa, so she was on her side with her back to his front.

  “I’ve been so busy—we both have—I missed you so much. I guess I didn’t realize until now how difficult this was going to be, you know?” She turned in his arms so she could face him. “I love you, Andrew. I just...I want this so much for us.”


  Andrew’s lips twitched, his insides fizzling and cracking. I’m becoming such a girl, he thought as he pulled her impossibly closer. “If we want this bad enough, Chris, it’ll happen.”

  Nodding and feeling somewhat better, Chris nestled herself in his warmth and closed her eyes, the steady beating of his heart lulling her to sleep.

  . . .

  Waking up with a start, her heart racing and her eyes frantically taking in every detail around her, Chris realized she was in her room, in her bed, lying next to a sleeping Andrew.

  Once she had fallen asleep in his arms, Andrew hadn’t had the heart to wake her, so he had simply brought her to bed and slipped in behind her.

  Looking at the clock, she decided to get up; her alarm was set to go off in fifteen minutes, anyway.

  “Where are you going?” Andrew’s sleep-rumpled voice sounded so different in the darkness of her bedroom.

  “I have to get up for work. Go back to sleep.” Chris leaned over and kissed his cheek, smiling as he pulled her into his arms.

  “Not yet. Don’t go, I just got you.” He nuzzled her hair, his warm breath fanning over her neck and collarbone.

  Chris closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness they had, and reveled in the comfort it brought her. Fifteen extra minutes in his arms sounded like a good idea.

  . . .

  Once all the arrangements were delivered to the funeral home, Chris was able to go back to the shop and start her day.

  “That was quick,” Amy commented, walking through the door.

  “You’re here early.” Chris set down her cup of coffee and held out a fresh muffin for Amy.

  “Nine a.m. on the dot. The boss hates it when I’m late.” She winked, taking the muffin and inhaling its sweet scent.

  “Your boss is quite a tyrant,” Chris added, taking a bite of her own morning treat.

  “I like her, though. She’s nice and her boyfriend is pretty hot.” Amy wiggled her eyebrows and grinned.

  “That’s it; get to work, young lady.” Chris chuckled, rolling her eyes as she turned on the computer and logged in her expenses and delivery notes.

  . . .

  Andrew opened the door to his house, noticing how empty it felt. He didn’t like it one bit. His home was now wherever Chris was, and clearly, Chris wasn’t there at that moment.

  After rolling out of Chris’s bed, it had taken him a few minutes to get himself up and going. He was still tired from traveling. Since it was Sunday and he didn’t have much planned for the day, he figured the best thing for him to do would be to go home and unpack.

  Now that he was in his house, though, he missed the sight of Chris’s cozy apartment. He missed her smell. He missed her shampoo bottles tucked in every corner of the tub, and he even missed the flowery linens and fancy pillows adorning her bed.

  Unpacking was an easy task, and by ten he was bored. He decided to pay his mother a visit, before dropping by the grocery store to pick up a few necessities.

  “So you don’t miss Chicago at all?” Julia asked, eyeing him speculatively.

  Andrew shook his head. “I thought I would, but once I was there with Jason and Tonie, I had nothing to miss. They say hi, by the way.”

  “Oh, how are they? Is Tonie behaving?” Julia chuckled in a soft lilt.

  “Tough as nails, but a heart of gold, as always. Jason is hanging in there.” Andrew recalled their conversation from the club and mentioned Carla’s disappearing act.

  “Oh, honey, Carla always had her eyes on you, but I don’t think you ever noticed her.” Julia clucked her tongue. “Poor thing never stood a chance.”

  “Mom, come on, Carla didn’t have a thing for me. When did you see that?” Andrew’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his mother, waiting for an answer. He had never noticed Carla acting differently toward him. Surely his mother had seen something that wasn’t there.

  “It was subtle. Whenever they came to the house, she always lingered around you more than the others.” She shrugged. “A mother knows these things. Besides, even if you’d known, would it have made a difference?”

  Andrew thought for a second on the times he remembered with Carla and shook his head. “She’s always been a good friend, nothing more to me, so I guess not.”

  Andrew went on to tell his mother about the upcoming projects he would be working on, and in turn she mentioned her most recent conversation with her doctor.

  “So, he said I could walk without a cane, but only inside the house for now.” Her eyes shone with excitement as she watched Andrew’s reaction to this good news.

  “That’s great, Mom. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” He stood and made his way to her, pulling her up from the sofa. “Show me.” He motioned to the hall. “I want to see this for myself.” The excitement in his voice was palpable.

  Julia’s smile was so bright; she could have lit up a room. “Oh, honey, don’t be silly.” She smacked his chest in a teasing gesture.

  “Mom,” he pleaded, lowering his face so he would be eye to eye with her. “Please Mom, for me. Show me.”

  She rolled her eyes, but nodded before taking a few steps and making her way leisurely down the hall and into the kitchen. “Did you want coffee, Andrew?”

  Andrew’s chest constricted and his eyes welled with happy tears, while he watched his mother walk without the help of a cane or any other implements for the first time since her stroke.

  He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, then looked to the Heavens and thanked whoever was up there. “Yeah, Mom, coffee would be great.”

  . . .

  “Andrew?” Henry’s voice was unmistakable to Andrew’s ears. It hadn’t changed one octave in the past two decades. To Andrew’s surprise, he only winced a little before turning around down the canned food aisle.

  “Henry.” He grinned, his eyes roaming over the man who used to be his father’s best friend. Andrew hadn’t wanted to hatch open new wounds by visiting Henry in the wake of his move to Westfield, but now with his budding love affair with Chris, the two meeting and reconnecting would be unavoidably painful. “Wow, you haven't changed one bit,” Andrew commented, giving Henry an awkward handshake.

  The two men were both disconcerted seeing each other for the first time in years. Andrew looked identical to his father in Henry’s eyes; the sight bringing on a cacophony of emotion he wasn’t quite ready to face. While Andrew couldn't help feeling he was being brought back to his childhood, where the two of them stood in this aisle while waiting for Andrew Sr. to pick up some potato chips down the next aisle over.

  “Wow, so how are you doing?” Henry asked, scratching the back of his neck. He knew very well how Andrew was, seeing as Chris had been excessively talkative about the boy who had stolen her heart.

  “Good. Just got back from a business trip.” Andrew nodded, unsure of what he was supposed to say. “Saw Mom earlier. She’s doing much better. You should go see her.”

  Henry cleared his throat. He felt uncomfortable, his chest tight and his eyes stinging. “Sure, sure. I suppose I should. I’ve been...ah...avoiding it, I guess,” Henry admitted, his lips turning down, his eyes narrowing.

  “Henry, we all miss him...them.” Andrew took a deep breath as Henry’s eyes focused on his. “But life goes on. I’m in love with Chris. That’s not going to change,” he admitted, gulping nervously, waiting for Henry to say something.

  He was grateful the store was relatively empty so the two could have this uncomfortable and emotional conversation on neutral ground.

  Henry sighed, his chest feeling lighter with every word exchanged between the two. “You’ve grown up.” He nodded. “I guess we can’t keep avoiding this.”

  Andrew pursed his lips. “We can’t. Chris wouldn’t let us, anyway.”

  Henry’s face brightened up. “You know her well, Andrew. She definitely wouldn’t.” Henry scratched the day’s growth on his chin and yawned. “If you don’t mind, I have to go to bed. I’ve been up since yesterday morning and I’m no
t getting any younger.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll leave you to it. Just...don’t be a stranger.” He smiled, taking a deep breath.

  Henry headed down the aisle and turned to Andrew, saying, “I won’t. Tell Chris to give her old man a call, would ya?”

  “I will.” Andrew nodded; pushing his cart and suddenly feeling as if things were finally all falling into place.

  . . .

  “I saw Mom today.” Andrew stroked Chris’s bare arm as they lay in bed late Sunday night.

  Chris turned to face him, Andrew’s warmth comforting her after the long, lonely week she’d had. “Yeah? How did it go?” She grinned, knowing Julia’s little secret, but not wanting to say anything to burst Andrew’s bubble.

  Andrew pushed a strand of hair away from Chris’s face and smiled. “She’s great. She’s going to be okay, thank God. She walked today, Chris. It’s amazing. She’s been walking for the past few days, actually.”

  “Mmm hmm, you’re lucky. Your Mom’s great.” Chris closed her eyes, the ache in her chest intensifying as thoughts of her own mother crept up. “She asked me not to tell you when I delivered her flowers on Wednesday.”

  Andrew kissed Chris’s shoulder and wiped away the stray tear that slid down her cheek. “Eva would be proud, you know.”

  “I know.” Chris snuggled deeper into his chest and sighed, abating the sadness she felt as she thought of all the moments she had missed with her mom. “She’d be happy for us, I think.”

  Pulling Chris’s small body into the cocoon of his larger frame, Andrew kissed the top of her head and soothed his hand down her back. He understood these emotions as he had often wondered about his own father. “I know she would. That woman loved me.”

  Rolling her eyes, Chris giggled and pulled away to look up at Andrew. “I love you, so she definitely would have loved you, too.”