Approaching the Bench

by Chantal Fernando

  I narrow my eyes on him, closing the space between us so the material of his horrible shirt presses against the soft cotton of mine. “I don’t need a man to get off, Callum. There are ways around that.”

  He swallows. “Well, that’s an image that isn’t going to leave my mind anytime soon.”

  I step away from him and he glances down at his crotch. I can’t help but look down there too, and he’s hard. Our eyes both raise and lock. I shrug. “This isn’t my fault; you started this line of questioning.”

  “And you finished it,” he adds, then sighs and glances around the property. “Do you think they have a library here?”

  “I guess so, why?” I ask, surprised by his question.

  “Because I need a distraction and we’re going to need to borrow Farming for Dummies.”

  I stop in my tracks, pausing.

  Shit, I think he might be right . . . again.

  chapter 11

  CALLUM

  AS IT TURNS OUT, we weren’t just dropped off here and forgotten about. A police officer stops by and welcomes us to town and says that he’s aware of the situation and is here to help. What we didn’t see with our new IDs was a letter explaining who Taylor and Castiel are meant to be while we are here. Basically the farmhouse is used as a vacation home, although I don’t know who would want to come here on vacation, and the son of the owners lives on the land next door. He comes daily to feed, water, and check on all the animals, although we are welcome to help if we like. So basically we don’t need to do anything except enjoy farm life and keep a low profile. I look at Trinny, at how beautiful she is, and know there’s no way in hell she’s not going to be noticed. Still, the chances of us being found here are slim to none, and we just need to get by until then. The cops even rented us a truck under our fake names so we can get around town.

  “My lady,” I say as I open the passenger door for Trinny. The door makes a creaking sound, which makes her laugh. “Are you ready to go exploring?”

  “I am,” she returns.

  When I slide into my own seat, I turn to her and ask, “So, what did Google say?”

  “What do you mean what did Google say?” she says, confusion flashing in her eyes.

  “Didn’t you say you were going to search and see what the highlights of this town are? Any tourist attractions or natural wonders?”

  “Oh yeah.” She winces, buckling her seat belt. “There’s no internet here, so I couldn’t do that.” She reaches down into her handbag. “But I did find this.”

  She slides out an ancient-looking map and opens it up.

  I blink slowly a few times. “So we have no GPS, or an idea where to go. We just have . . . a map?”

  She nods and murmurs, “Yeah,” then turns to me with the cutest smile playing on her lips, a mischievous glint in her eye. “You up for an adventure?”

  “Always,” I reply, smiling to myself. “But I had no idea that you, Your Honor, would be.”

  “Not in the courtroom anymore, my law clerk,” she replies, glancing out over the open land. “It’s not exactly a vacation, or an ideal destination, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make the most of it. You never know when a day could be your last.”

  She looks out the window, silently watching the road as I pull out and turn right, no destination in mind, just to see what we can and explore what we have. I wonder if she’s thinking about her parents now. “You know, I’m a good listener. So if you ever wanted to talk about something . . .”

  “I knew you were good at talking from the moment I met you,” she murmurs, turning her head back to me. “But I think you’re right. You are also a good listener.” She’s quiet for a few moments, and then says, “I guess I’m a safe person. I only take calculated risks, and I don’t do anything spontaneous and adventurous like what we’re doing right now.” She stills and expels a deep sigh. “But I almost died. I should take some risks, don’t you think? I mean what if I had died? I haven’t experienced life nearly as much as I should have, or could have. I work, and that’s about it. Take an annual trip alone. That is my existence.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with working hard, Trinny,” I say to her gently. “You love what you do; I see that every day. You make hard decisions, you take on that pressure, and you handle it with fairness, grace, and determination. If you want to explore more, go for it. And if you want a partner in crime, you now have one.”

  I feel her gaze on my profile, and then she says her sweetest words yet, as she reaches over and rests her hand on my thigh. “And what if the first risk I want to take is with you?”

  I give her my eyes, before returning them to the road. “Then I’d say it’s just another good decision under your belt.”

  She removes her hand and turns the music up on the radio. “About a Girl” by Nirvana plays, and she sings along to the lyrics.

  I smile to myself and press down on the gas.

  “I’M GLAD YOU THOUGHT to bring water,” Trinny tells me as we sit on a large rock, looking at the view of a creek we found. The town might not have much, but it’s kind of nice being somewhere new with no technology and good company. Maybe it’s just good because of the company.

  “Wouldn’t want you to die of dehydration on our first solo outing,” I tease, watching as she sips from the bottle. “Maybe we could even consider this our first date.”

  She stops drinking, closes the lid, and licks a drop of liquid from her lips. “First date?”

  I grin and gently touch her shoulder with mine. “Yeah. It’s what all the young people are doing.”

  “You calling me old, Cas?”

  I cup her face with my hand and bring my lips closer to hers. “You look younger than me, Taylor.”

  I close the space between us and taste the lips I haven’t been able to look away from since I saw them. She closes her eyes first, so I do the same and fall into her, wanting to give her a first kiss she will never forget. My hands move to her slight waist, my tongue touching hers, tentatively at first, then deeper, hungrier.

  Bolder.

  She tastes like summer, water, and mint, and not only am I hard right now but I also have fucking butterflies in my stomach. Not that I’d ever admit that out loud. She makes a moaning sound against my lips that has me hardening to the point of pain, so much so that I pull back and shift in my seat, the rough rock underneath me not my friend right now. We don’t look away from each other’s eyes, and I couldn’t if I tried—those blue pools hold me captive.

  She lifts her fingers up to touch her lips. Then, once again, she surprises me. “I think we’re going to have to do that again.”

  Her eyes flash with want, and she moves forward and takes control, kissing me, not as sweet this time, harder, rougher. Her fingers tangle in my hair, tugging lightly, and I don’t know if it’s the sun or her lips that are giving me that dizzy feeling. We’re two people who have every reason to stay away from each other, but we’ve been thrown into a place where we can’t, and I don’t want to. I never wanted to.

  She’s my boss.

  She’s older than me.

  She has walls as fucking high as the Great Wall of China. . . .

  But she’s mine.

  At least in this moment she is.

  And right now is all that matters.

  I end the kiss again, but this time only to jump down from the rock, then lift her in my arms and carry her down. She wraps her legs around me, and I grab her hat, forgotten on the rock, and walk with her to the truck. She feels so light in my arms, yet every part of me that her skin touches feels so sensitive. I don’t know how this happened, and I don’t know what’s going to happen, but like the conversation we had just before, life is about taking risks.

  And I’d risk anything to be with Trinity.

  I open the back door of the truck and sit her down in it, pushing her back against the warm, beat-up leather, and continue to kiss her. I bite down gently on her lower lip, then playfully suck it into my mouth. Her hands wrap around my
neck, pulling me down onto her, her thighs parting to make room for me to settle in the middle of them. I know she can feel how hard I am because my dick is pressed against her thighs, straining against the denim of my jeans. Every time she moves, the friction makes my breath catch. When her fingers leave my nape and move to pull off my T-shirt, I let her. She stares at my body, from my eyes to my belt, and I’m suddenly very thankful that I take good care of myself. She runs her index finger down the center of my abdomen muscles and sighs dreamily.

  “Maybe younger men are the way to go after all,” she murmurs, then brings her lips to my chest and starts to trail kisses down my stomach. When her fingers start undoing my belt, all I can think is fuck.

  Is this a dream?

  Is she really undoing my jeans and taking out my dick right now? My dick that looks even bigger in her tiny hands?

  Oh fuck.

  She licks the head, then sucks as much as she can into her mouth, and I can’t look away from it.

  I can’t wait to get my mouth on her little pussy, because I know it’s going to be fucking perfect.

  chapter 12

  TRINITY

  IT’S BEEN A WHILE since I’ve had sex, or at least that’s the excuse I’m using for being so bold right now. His cock is huge, which I guess can be expected because of his height, but fuck, I can barely fit half of it into my mouth. I don’t give up trying though, and I can tell from his moans and just how hard he is that he likes what I’m doing to him. I stroke him from base to tip to add a little something extra, before hollowing my cheeks and sucking as hard as I can, making sure I don’t touch him with my teeth.

  “I want to taste you, Trinny,” he rumbles, hands in my hair. “I want my mouth on your pussy.”

  I lift my head and study him, then scoot back on the seat so I’m right up against the window. Callum wastes no time, pulling down my denim shorts and black cotton panties—I clearly wasn’t expecting this to happen, so I didn’t put on anything sexier, but he doesn’t mind. He only seems to care about what’s underneath the panties. Lucky for me.

  “Mmm,” he moans, and lowers his head, tongue peeking out as he spreads my thighs farther apart and licks my sex. I give silent thanks for the fact my wax appointment was the day before the attempted kidnapping, so I’m all neat and bare down there for him to explore.

  And boy, does he explore.

  He licks my clit, flitting his tongue along it, making my thighs shake as my orgasm is almost within my reach. He slides a finger inside of me and I see stars, pleasure taking over all my senses. I love this moment, when you’re on the verge and you’re so turned on that you’re lost and you don’t care what you look like or what sounds you make, you just want to get over that line.

  “Callum,” I whisper, my hand moving to my breasts, feeling my pebbled nipples through my thin T-shirt. He must hear the pleading in my tone, because he sucks just a little harder on my clit, and it’s enough to push me over. “I’m coming,” I warn him, because I don’t want him to stop or move from the exact position he’s in. My thighs are trembling as the pleasure hits, spreading from my lower belly outward. I arch my back, my moans getting louder and louder until the pleasure slowly drains away, leaving me feeling sated and satisfied. And if I’m being honest—a little sleepy and hazy.

  “I could watch you do that all day,” he says, speaking over my deep breathing. “Fuck, you are beautiful when you come, Trinny.”

  “My turn to find out what you look like when you come,” I tell him, sitting up and reaching for him again. It’s awkward in the back of this car, but I don’t care. I would have died if I’d had to wait, and I know he’s feeling the same. I suck him until he comes in my mouth, swallowing every drop.

  “Fuck,” he whispers under his breath, eyes still on me as I sit back, wiping my lips with the back of my hand. He shakes his head, amusement and something else dancing in his eyes, and offers me his hand. I take it, and he pulls me against his chest. “I’m going to want to do that again and again. All of it, and more.”

  I lift my head and glance up at him. “Guess we better go home then.”

  “You finished with adventuring for the day?” he asks me, tucking my hair back behind my ear, and then pressing his lips against my forehead.

  “We can do more exploring in bed,” I say, and before I know it he has me buckled in the front seat, and we’re on the road back to the farmhouse.

  I put the window down and smile as the warm breeze hits my face.

  WHEN WE GET HOME, I realize something. “We needed to go to the store and get some groceries,” I say as my stomach rumbles.

  “I can whip something up for lunch, and we can go to the local pub for dinner if you like,” Callum says, pulling me closer by the belt loops on my shorts. “But yeah, we’re going to need to do a store run. I can go alone, if you don’t want to.”

  “Are you hungry now?” I ask him, but he shakes his head.

  “Are you?”

  “Kind of,” I admit. “For more than one thing though.”

  He just grins and pulls me into the kitchen and sits me at the table. “How about an omelet?” he asks, scanning the fridge. “It’s pretty much all we have: eggs, bread, milk, and a few vegetables and fruit.”

  “Sounds good,” I say, watching him while he rushes around the kitchen, whipping me up an omelet. He’s already spoiling me, even if he doesn’t realize it. When was the last time a man opened doors for me? Cooked for me? Actually cared if I came? I can’t remember. Not all men are as chivalrous anymore, and Callum might be younger, but from what I’ve seen in just this short period of time, he’s more man than all of them put together. He knows how to treat a woman.

  “Coffee or juice?” he asks me, pulling me from my musings.

  “Juice, please.”

  He places a glass of orange juice in front of me, along with some cutlery. “I promise tomorrow’s lunch will be a little fancier. I’ll even make my famous gumbo if I can find all the ingredients.”

  Fuck, he’s so sweet.

  “That sounds amazing,” I tell him. “My dad used to make gumbo.”

  “You must miss them,” he says. He doesn’t pretend to not know this fact about me. Everyone seems to know about what happened to my parents, and I’ve gotten used to that over the years. “I lost my mom too. That’s why Justin lives with me.”

  “Sorry to hear that,” I reply, glancing down. “I miss them every day. You know how they say time heals all wounds?”

  He nods. “Except it doesn’t?”

  “Not by a long shot. I guess you just get used to dealing with the pain. It kind of becomes you; you know what I mean? My pain is inside of me, and it’s a part of me now. I try to not let it control my actions and my thoughts too much, but it’s hard.”

  He takes my hand.

  “How did you lose your mom?” I ask quietly.

  “Heart attack,” he tells me, and I wonder what he’s thinking right now. “She was really into health and fitness, so it definitely took us by surprise.”

  “Will you tell me about her?” I ask, wanting to know more about the woman who brought him into this world.

  “Okay,” he murmurs, then takes a deep breath. “Her name was Daisy, and she married my dad when she was really young. It didn’t work out, and it was just me and her for a few years until she got pregnant with Justin. I remember she used to wake up early every morning to make us breakfast, and she’d play music while she stood in front of the stove, dancing. She was always so happy, even in the morning. She used to say that Justin and I were the loves of her life.”

  “That’s beautiful,” I reply, giving his hand a tight squeeze. “Now I know where you get it from—I used to always wonder how you could be so chirpy in the mornings.”

  He smiles at that.

  “My mom used to give me the best hugs. You know the ones that just fix anything?”

  He nods. “I know the ones.”

  I smile, and then decide to change the subject. “I’ll c
ook dinner tomorrow night.”

  His brow raises. “You’re going to cook?”

  “Can’t let you put me to shame now, can I?” I fire back, smiling. But the truth is, I want to spoil him a little too. He’s been looking after me, and I want to give that back to him. Not because I feel like I have to, but because I actually do want to.

  What the hell is going on with me?

  This has to be a first.

  He puts down a plate in front of me before making his own and sitting opposite me. “I hope it’s okay.”

  I take a bite and it’s good. A little salty, but I don’t mind. “It’s perfect.”

  He smiles.

  We finish eating, and we both clean up together.

  I like this. No gender roles. No expectations. He doesn’t care that I earn more than him, and I don’t care that he’s only just starting out in his career. He doesn’t mind that I don’t like being in the kitchen, and I don’t expect him to take over that role either. We can both get everything done, as a team.

  We’re equals.

  I’m drying the dishes he washed, and I’m on the last one when he takes it from me, places it in the drying rack, and lifts me in the air and over his shoulder.

  “What are you doing?” I ask him from upside down, holding on to him for dear life so I don’t end up on the floor.

  “We have unfinished business and I’ve never seen anyone dry a dish so slowly,” he all but growls, throwing me onto his bed. I bounce once before settling, glaring up at him as he starts to undress, his T-shirt, jeans, and boxers falling to the floor.

  “I’m a perfectionist, I like to do a job properly,” I argue, eyes still on his body. He’s so tall and lean, yet sculpted. I wonder how much time he spends working out.

  “My eyes are up here.”

  “If you wanted me to look you in the eye right now, you shouldn’t have gotten your cock out,” I reply, licking my lips. “But now that it’s out to play, why don’t you come over here?”

  “Are you going to do this job properly?” he teases, tone husky, throwing my previous words back at me.