by Gwen Hayes
He captured Sera’s hand and jogged back up the trail toward their cabin. He was about two seconds away from grunting, “Me man. You woman.”
“Miguel, slow down.”
He turned to her, unsure what his problem was other than the idea of someone else touching her made him crazy. It should have been hot, right? A threesome? A foursome? But no. It didn’t make him hot. It didn’t make him bothered. It made him want to hide her away. And that made no sense because she wasn’t his.
Shit. He wanted her to be his.
They began walking again. Slower this time. “What’s gotten in to you?”
“Nothing.”
He took the cabin steps two at a time and opened the door. He wanted to put her in a fireman hold and get her into the cabin, away from everyone but him. He wanted to do things to her that would ensure she screamed his name. He wanted things from Sera he hadn’t wanted in a long time.
“I think Layla has a crush on you,” she said, breezing past him like he wasn’t just this side of losing control completely. “She talked about you the whole time we were in the bathroom. Why are you staring at me like that?”
Because standing there in the middle of the room, the soft glow of the lamp behind her, her hair in a messy bun that looked like it might have marshmallow stuck in it, and wearing his oldest flannel shirt, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“Miguel?”
He took a step toward her, closing the distance. “I think her crush is more on you, but I don’t want to talk about Layla.”
“Okay.” She squinted. “Why do I feel like you’re about to pounce on me?”
“Because I am.”
IF SHE’D JUST MET MIGUEL this evening, Sera would never have believed him to be the same man she worked with in the city. It wasn’t just the beginnings of a beard or the worn jeans. Miguel in the city was laid back and loose limbed even in suits and ties and polished shoes. Miguel in the woods was tense, like a jaguar ready to spring, despite his casual attire.
He was need honed to a fine edge. A predator eying his next meal. She felt vaguely uneasy—not because he would devour her but because part of her wanted him to. The gnawing ache inside her demanded it.
His intentions were clear. He didn’t have to voice them. Standing in front of her was Grade A primal male ready to take his mate. “This is a very bad idea.” She didn’t name off all the reasons. They been down this path before and nothing had changed except that look in his eye.
“I don’t think it matters anymore, princess. You’re going to have to tell me to leave if you don’t want this because I can’t spend another night in this cabin without exploring every inch of you with my tongue.”
Liquid heat pooled between her legs. “Oh,” was all she could say. Because she was stuck on the picture of his words. She hadn’t figured him for a dirty talker. She hadn’t figured to like it so much.
One step closer, in her space, yet not. “I’m going to start with that patch behind your ear, Sera, because I know that turns your knees to jelly.”
He was wrong. He didn’t have to touch her to turn her knees to jelly. Just his voice was doing a damn good job of it.
Behind her now, he continued a slow circle. There was an intense static between their bodies, like an electrical current was going to arc, zapping them both. “I’m dying to taste you. I want to scrape my tongue over your nipples and finally know the weight of your breasts in my hand.”
She should be talking. Saying something. Stopping him before this went any further. Before it went too far. But that damned gnawing ache grew larger, spreading over her limbs and weighing down her tongue so she couldn’t speak. Afraid if she opened her mouth, the only thing that would sound would be a desperate keening, she waited as he circled back to her front.
“You’re not sending me away. Why is that?” One fingertip traced a feather light line from her temple to her jaw. She shivered, showing her weakness. This was crazy. He’d barely touched her. “Do you think I’m bluffing? Because I’m not. I’m not sure what you’ve done to me, but I promise I intend to return the favor. You won’t know yourself anymore. I’m going to turn you inside out, Sera. Just like you’ve done to me. Over and over. This marriage gets consummated tonight.” His hand slid to her neck, feeling where her pulse hammered wildly. “Unless you send me away.” He leaned down until they were eye to eye. “Are you going to send me away, princess?”
“I can’t breathe.”
“Yes you can. Tell me to go.”
“I can’t...”
He took a step back and she grasped the front of his t-shirt. “Don’t go. Stay.”
His already dark eyes turned even more so. “You’re mine. I don’t know what happens next week, but the rest of camp, you’re mine.”
She nodded, mute in the intensity of his gaze. She wasn’t going to think about next week. She loosened her hold on the front of his shirt so she could grab the hem. He helped get it over his head, and then her hands roamed the expanse of delicious male chest. She didn’t question his possessive demand since she felt it too. “You’re mine also, Castillo.” She wrapped her arms around him, stroking his strong back. Muscles bunched and tensed under her caresses. She wanted to touch him everywhere.
“Agreed.” He reached for the hair band, letting loose the messy bun. “In my dreams, your hair is always down like this.”
She angled her head. “You dream about me?”
“More than I care to admit. Get naked.”
She placed a kiss to the soft patch of hair in the center of his chest, gratified by the involuntary shiver she received in return. So she kissed an inch lower while his large hands tunneled through her hair.
“I said get naked.”
“Busy.” Sera pressed lower, a groan her reward. She tongued a path back up, circling his flat nipple.
Miguel flipped her around, her back to his chest.
“Hey.” She tried to squirm, but he held her strong.
“Nope.” His hand slipped beneath the waistband of her jeans. “Sometimes you need to let me lead, remember?” His finger touched the top of her sex and he buried his nose in her hair to suck on the patch of skin below her ear. As promised. “I won’t take you anywhere you don’t want to go.”
She arched, trying to bring his hand into further contact. “If you do this half as well as you mambo—oh.” Direct contact with his fingers cut off whatever it was she was going to say.
Miguel chuckled, but brought his hand back out of her pants. “Get naked, Worth. I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Or what?”
He spun her back around, grabbed the lapels of the flannel shirt and rent it down the middle, the buttons skittering off the wood floor. He pushed it down over her shoulders, trapping her arms, and walked her backward toward the bed. “That’s what.”
“It was your shirt anyway.”
“I’ll give you another one.”
When the backs of her knees hit the mattress, he pushed her gently until she was on her backside, propped up on her elbows. Then he went to work on her socks and shoes. When she tried to sit up to work her arms free, he held her still. “I’m leading right now.”
Was she willing to keep her arms trapped while he did whatever he wanted to her? Yeah, she so was. “Will I get a turn to lead later?”
“Darling, you can have as many turns as you want.” He undid her jeans, directed her to move her hips, and slid the denim down her legs, panties and all. She should have felt self-conscious, but as he moved his strong hands firmly back up her calves and thighs, his eyes staring at her, she lost the desire to keep any inhibitions.
There was no point.
She let her head fall back when he nuzzled at her mound. After he placed an almost chaste kiss there, he said, “I’d rather you watched me.”
She lifted her head and questioned him with a look.
“Oh yeah, I love it when you arch one brow at me. You do that at the office all the time.” Miguel
widened her legs, settling in at the juncture of her thighs. “I want you to watch me. I want you to watch me turn you inside out.”
He licked her slowly and she struggled to keep her eyes from falling closed in bliss. He paused, making eye contact with her and once again he reminded her of a wild cat. A jaguar going in for the kill. Using his fingers to separate the lips of her sex, he used his whole mouth on her. Driving her to peak after peak, yet she hadn’t yet crested. She couldn’t hold up her head anymore. She couldn’t hold onto a thought anymore. Her world reduced to Miguel and his mouth.
“Come for me, Sera.”
She wanted to. Oh god, she wanted to. But she couldn’t let go. There was still that part of her, that rigid unyielding part, that wanted to hold her back. “I can’t...”
“Yes, you can.” One hand slipped up her belly and under the tank top she had forgotten she still wore. He groaned when he got a handful of her braless-breast, and then he pulled his hand out enough to push the whole shirt up and over her breasts. She felt so wanton, half dressed and spread open for him. Once again, she thought she might go over the edge. She was straining for something out of reach.
“I really can’t...”
“Yes, you can.” Miguel pinched her nipple while rolling his tongue over her and she came without warning. Waves of pleasure crashed over her, and he stayed with her until they ebbed, leaving her wrung out and shaking. She felt the cold when he moved away, heard the rasp of his zipper and pants as they came down his legs. The next sound was a wrapper for condoms she didn’t know were in the room, and then he was on top of her suckling her neck.
“You’re amazing. Beautiful. I love the way you taste. The way you look when you come.”
Sera wrapped her legs around him, wishing her arms were free, and drew him closer, trying to get him inside. He felt so good, his skin sliding against hers, the hard length of him heavy against her stomach. He raised up, holding himself above her while he slid into her with one powerful stroke, his eyes never leaving her.
He filled her completely. She felt him everywhere.
In and out so slowly she thought she might die, he kept his rhythm and his eye contact until the tendons in his neck stretched tautly, giving him away. He was losing control and she couldn’t wait until he tumbled off the cliff.
He paused, resting his forehead on hers, his eyes watching her. She’d never felt so open. Never felt the need to be so open. So exposed. She wanted him to take her wherever he wanted to go.
She planted her feet and arched into him, pushing him deeper.
“Oh god. Sera, you’re killing me.”
“So you don’t want me to do it again?” she asked, even as she did it.
“Fuck.” He reached between them and put direct pressure on her again. “I’m not going until you do.”
She bucked against him because she had no choice. Everything felt so damn good. “I already went, remember?”
“Again, Sera.” Miguel stroked her as a raw, low sound escaped him. It was that sound that put her over the edge. That tugged on the invisible cords in her center. She came again, contracting around him as he gave one last thrust and followed her.
Chapter Six
Good morning, Campers!
Pastry chef Allison and our dance instructor Sue are teaming up for a two-part class today and tomorrow—Meringue and Merengue—learn a dessert and a dance this week! They’ll be in the boathouse at 4 p.m. each day.
We also have a special on hot stone massages and a midnight nature walk. Meet at the archery field at 11:50 for that.
Day Five
Sunrise Yoga: 7:30 a.m.
Softball game: 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
Counseling: 1 p.m.-2p.m. 1:50
Arts & Crafts: 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Massage: 4 p.m.
SERA WOKE UP ALONE.
Maybe it wasn’t really a surprise. It’s not like they talked about what would happen to their “relationship” after they had sex. Because until last night, sex hadn’t been a foregone conclusion.
Or had it?
Maybe it had been assured the moment they’d stepped into the cabin and realized they’d be sharing a bed for a week. Maybe she’d been foolish to think she could control the situation. Because sex with Miguel was out of control. Scary out of control. Or at least it should have been.
Sera wasn’t a prude. She liked sex. Had liked sex a little too much and probably too often in college—but she’d always been careful. Not just with condoms, but with her heart. She’d chosen her sexual partners very carefully, even then. And the last few years, she’d only slept with men who were likely to make good partners for the next phase of her life too. It was time to start thinking about long-term. If she wanted to have a child, and she thought she probably did, she needed to start planning.
Miguel was so not in her plans.
She rolled over until she was on his pillow. It smelled like him, so she inhaled deeply. Which was ridiculous. He’d slipped out of their cabin before sunrise to avoid her. It made no sense to moon over him like a lovesick teenager.
But really, it was hardly her fault he smelled so good.
Sera stretched. Deliciously sore and a little tender. Miguel had done a good job last night, and she refused to regret what happened. She couldn’t take it back, and she didn’t want to anyway. If he was feeling weird this morning, that was on him.
She’d suspected they would be good together in bed just because he was so wrong for her. But he was also sure of his body. And who knew she liked a caveman in the bedroom. She tried to imagine someone like Phillip telling her to come and it made her giggle.
When the door opened, she sat up, surprised to see Miguel juggling the door and a cardboard flat. Before she could get out of bed to help him, he said, “Do not get up.” He kicked the door closed and laughed. “Do you practice that eyebrow thing in the mirror?”
“Yes.”
“Well, your practice has paid off.”
“Why can’t I get up?”
“Because you look amazing and I’m coming back to that bed right now with gifts.” He set the flat down, kicked off his shoes, and stripped.
“Are you supposed to be my gift? Shouldn’t I be the one to unwrap you?”
“Sera Worth, you are a naughty girl.”
Naked now, he turned to grab the tray and she stared at his ass. Yes, he was a gift all right. He turned again and made a clucking sound when he caught her staring. He was blocking her view of his other parts with the box he brought with him to bed.
“I kept you up so late last night, I thought the least I could do was bring you coffee before yoga.” He handed her a cup, two creams, and a sugar. He’d been paying attention. Then he pulled out a Styrofoam box, making a big production of opening it like it was a ring box. “Sera Worth, my counterfeit bride, will you have breakfast with me?”
“Is that chocolate? Where did you get it?” The confection was the signature dessert from dinner last night. Camp Firefly Falls did not skimp on the chefs they brought in and the pastry chef was a goddess. This dessert was called The Firefly and they’d had it the first night too. It was worth coming to camp for.
He handed her a fork. “I snuck into the kitchen.”
“You stole it?”
“I might have used my considerable charm to be given a piece.”
“You flirted with the chef to bring me chocolate? You must really care.”
He took the fork from her hand and fed her a piece. Pure bliss. “Actually, when I snuck in to get the coffee, I found one of the owners in there. I promised not to tell his wife he was sneaking dessert if he let me bring you back some.”
“So you committed blackmail for me. I’m touched.”
“Not yet, but as soon as you finish that chocolate you will be. Though I’m starting to wonder if I can compete. You really like that dessert, don’t you?”
She thought about breaking out her Meg Ryan impression to show him just how much she liked the dessert, but decided
to just keep eating.
They ate and drank their coffee in silence. At least until the silence began to feel heavy.
He cleared his throat. Twice. “Do we need to talk about last night?”
“Are you fishing for compliments, Castillo?”
He set the empties on the nightstand. “I appreciate you trying to keep things light—but I also know you. Last night wasn’t the plan, and you don’t like going off plan.”
“Not generally, no. I know that come Monday, our lives go back to normal. We don’t make sense in the real world, but this isn’t the real world. And we do make sense here. It’s business. We want to win this account, so we need to sell this campaign, right? Nothing says we can’t also enjoy it.”
He pulled her to his chest. “I am enjoying it. I don’t ever want to get married in real life—but I like Camp Miguel and Camp Sera. They are a nice couple. I say we let them have the next few days. Monday will sort itself out.”
She snuggled in a little more. “Camp Sera thinks that’s a great idea.”
Sera ignored the warning siren blaring in her head. She could handle this for three more days. It would be like...playing a part in a movie.
No problem.
SITTING ACROSS FROM BIRK FELT a bit like being called to the principal’s office for some reason.
“We missed you two at yoga this morning.”
Sera stole a glance at Miguel and felt a blush grow hot on her cheeks. They’d been busy. Working on their “campaign.”
“We slept in,” Miguel answered.
Birk leaned back in his chair. “Well, it is vacation, right?” He winked like they weren’t fooling anyone. Except that they were fooling everyone. Themselves most of all, but she’d think about that later. “Today, we’re going to learn techniques for diffusing arguments when discussing hard topics. As you’ve said, you don’t have any rough spots right now—but these will come in handy in the future and work just as well with anyone, not just marital communications. You can use these techniques at work too. If you have any issues with co-workers.”