by Emma Tharp
Both of my brothers have expressed their concern for me. It’s been harder to take time off lately for family functions or to go out for a meal with them. They worry I’ll have a heart attack or something because they think I’m overworked. It shouldn’t be so hard for them to believe that I love my job and I don’t mind the long hours. Not to mention, it’s slightly hypocritical, at least for Garrett, because he’s one of the hardest working people I know. And Donovan is so successful because he worked hard to build up his venture capital firm. Even though our parents aren’t alive, I can still hear their advice—especially Dad’s. Work hard and you’ll never have to rely on anyone. I took it to heart. I’ll only ever have to rely on me.
“Trust me. I haven’t even thought of the firm since I left. And I only have about thirty minutes left of my drive. The next week is going to be all about relaxation,” I tell him.
“Good. That’s what I like to hear. Make sure Dean treats you right.”
“Don’t worry about that. Remember, I told you that he’s the perfect gentleman.”
“All right, I better go. Liza is telling me it’s time to go for a swim. The ocean calls. Love you.”
“Tell everyone hi for me. Love you, too.”
I end the call with a smile on my face. My brother took time out of his own vacation to check on me. I really have been blessed with the best siblings.
The rest of the drive is uneventful and before I know it, I'm pulling up to the outdoor café on Broadway. It's a beautiful, quaint street in Saratoga full of amazing food and nice shops. Paying the meter, I scan the sidewalk.
I see Dean before he sees me. I take a moment to drink him in. He's tall, tan, with a commanding presence. There's something about his stance; his muscular shoulders are pulled back with his hands jammed into his pockets like he's in complete control, yet calm and relaxed all at the same time. He's watching a couple intently as they walk past him. The man has his arm around the woman's shoulders and the woman has her petite arm slung around the man's waist. They're oblivious to everyone else around them as they stare at each other and laugh about something. It's young love at its finest. I admire them for a beat before I walk toward Dean.
His teal eyes find mine and they seem to penetrate me, stripping away the time and distance. It feels like coming home. He moves toward me, closing the distance, and the smile that takes over his face is broad and wide. His tongue glides along his bottom lip and I can't look away. He's incredibly skilled with that mouth and suddenly I regret the decision to stop for lunch before I take him to bed.
"You’re a sight for sore eyes. It's so good to see you," Dean says as he wraps his strong arms around me. One of his hands lands on my back and the other is mere inches from my ass. The heat of his touch sears through my sundress.
My hands twine together around the back of his neck and he leans down to kiss me. All the people and the noise of the street fall away the second his lips are on me. I'm completely under his spell when his tongue plunges against mine. His fingertips press into my back, squeezing me closer to him. He lets out a low growl and a rush of heat spreads through me. All the fear I had about Dean losing the spark for me melts away.
Dean pulls back and his hands run through my hair. "What do you say we take a raincheck on lunch?"
"It's like you read my mind." The thought of sitting next to Dean in a restaurant for the next hour, pretending like I don't want to be rolling around in the sheets sounds like torture.
"Good. Let's stop at the grocery store to pick up the basics and then I need to get you back to the cottage so I can strip these clothes off you."
"Follow me." I give him one quick peck before rushing back to my car.
There's a market a few minutes up the road that we stop at. I've never shopped this quickly before. We grab food for dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow along with a few essentials.
"We're eating in?" Dean looks hopeful.
"Sometimes. Breakfast. Some lunches and dinners. Others… Out. I don't want to work all the time when I'm on my one vacation a year. You know?"
He stares at me a moment. "You only get one vacation a year. And you spend it with me." He says it like it’s absolutely unfathomable.
I nod. "I do. I can't imagine spending it any other way.”
His teal eyes light up and his smile widens.
"It's worth it. Just wait until you see this place."
We check out, each paying half and then load my car with groceries. "Follow me," I say.
"Anywhere."
We get in our cars and head toward Lake George. I'm dying for him to see the lake house. I can hardly wait to see the look on his face when he realizes the place is ours for a little while. When I saw pictures of the stone fireplace, I knew we’d be lighting a fire and going at it on the rug in front of it. I couldn't resist. I took one look at the huge walk-in shower and imagined what it would be like to share it with Dean. Soon, I won't have to dream about it—we'll be living it.
Shivers run up and down my spine as we pull into the driveway. The place is as beautiful in person as it is in the pictures. A large, rustic Adirondack-style home right on the water that has breathtaking mountain views. There are fifty acres of land with trails and trail maps on the property where we can hike if we feel like it. I know how much Dean appreciates wildlife and adventure.
I stop in front of the house and quickly turn off the car. When I hop out, I hold my arms out wide. He jumps out of his car to join me. "Look at this place! What do you think?" I squeal in delight when Dean looks positively speechless.
Four
Dean
Holy hell.
My stomach drops as I see the roof of the house from the distance. I should've known. I should've expected this. She is used to a much different lifestyle than I've had the opportunity to grow accustomed to.
Sure, I’ve traveled. It’s always ski vacations. I save and save to ski the top-rated mountains in the world. But when I go, I don’t splurge on expensive hotels. That’s not why I’m there. One trip I didn’t have to pay for was Aspen. Many years ago, one of my students in Vermont asked me to go with her and stay for a week, making sure the lessons continued. And more. Because I was single and she was paying … Why not? That had been pretty incredible. We stayed in a log cabin with a stone fireplace and a hot tub so big I could practically swim in it. This…is going to beat that to a pulp. I can feel it in every cell of my body. Mostly because I have feelings for Giselle, not because this place looks like it’d cost a month’s wages to stay for a week.
Licking my lips, I step out of my beat-up pickup truck. She's driving a sleek, black Mercedes sports coupe. For me, a car is just a way to get from point A to point B. Nothing more. She wears designer clothes; I prefer comfortable athletic wear. We might value different things, but if that’s what she likes and can afford, more power to her.
I walk over to her, determined not to ruin this for her. She’s so damn excited and happy. And it’s her year to pay for the accommodations, so why should I be bothered? Was I upset two years ago? I know the answer. I mostly enjoyed Beverly Hills. I didn't think about what it cost her; I was more concerned with what it was costing me. I spent a ton of money on the flight. Looking back on it, I feel like a complete ass. This time around she did everything she could to help me feel more comfortable. A huge grin spreads across my face as I greet her.
"This place looks amazing." I pull her in for a hug and rub her back in the process. The feel of her body pressed to mine has my blood pumping hard. "Take me inside. I'll bring the food in and you can give me the grand tour." Hopefully the tour is quick, because I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to keep my hands off of her.
I grab the bags and she takes my free hand and leads me inside. We unload the bags with perishables as quickly as possible. Then she shows me the incredible open floor plan, the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. She makes sure I notice the gorgeous view from the master bedroom, which overlooks the lake. Lake George is stunning, but the view i
sn't as supremely beautiful as she is.
She bats her eyelashes at me and twirls a strand of her hair. "Check out the shower.”
“Damn. I built one just like it. The tile work and showerheads alone cost more than I make in a month.”
“Wow.” Her eyebrows raise. “When I saw it online all I could think about was what I wanted to do to you in there."
This is one of the many things I love about Giselle. She isn’t afraid to tell me things like that. She’s open with her body and opens up to me about what she likes or wants in the bedroom. It’s so damn sexy, and when she expresses her dirty thoughts, it takes all of my willpower not to rip her clothes off her. “Oh, really. And what did you have in mind?” I pull her in close to me and caress her ass.
Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. “You’re just going to have to wait and see.”
"Okay. I think we should test it out now." I am all in.
I press kisses on her neck. Her sweet lavender scent surrounds me, and I breathe her in. My lips close around hers and my tongue explores her mouth, reacquainting ourselves. Her kiss feels brand new, yet familiar at the same time. It’s almost as if no time has passed at all.
My heart jackhammers in my chest as her fingertips run through my hair. She moans into my mouth, “I've missed you."
Pent-up desire hardens my entire body. "I feel the same, baby." Moving toward the shower, I turn it on, making sure the water gets steamy hot.
“Unzip me,” Giselle says, lifting her hair and turning so her back is to me.
Tugging the zipper down, I ease the straps along her shoulders and arms until it all slips to the floor. Next is her bra. All that’s left is her thong. I squeeze her perfect ass, so round and soft before stripping her bare. It takes me two seconds to remove my shorts and T-shirt and lead her into the shower.
Hot water rains down on us as I take a moment to admire every inch of her body. Her breasts and hips are soft and supple, while her waist and legs are toned and tight. My cock swells in appreciation. With greedy hands, I cup her face and kiss her lips, her jaw, down her collarbone. When I get to her nipple, it’s hard and ready for me. She arches her back and moans. I suck hard before releasing it and moving to the other side.
She reaches down and her hands move to my waist, down my V until she gets to my erection. Giselle strokes me, working up and down my length. A ragged pant leaves my lips. “Giselle.”
I claim her mouth and trail my fingertips, feather soft, down her stomach all the way to her sex. First, I slide one finger inside her, then another. She lets out a shuddering breath as I press in and out of her. “Yes. That feels so good, Dean.”
She tightens her grip on me as water splashes around us. Every touch is driving me crazy and pushing me toward the brink. It’s way too soon. “Giselle, I need you now.”
Pushing her up against the wall, I glide my cock along her entrance. As part of our arrangement, we each agreed to get tested before our get-togethers and she’s on birth control. I get to feel all of her and I can’t wait another second.
I’m dizzy with desire as I enter her slowly, easing inside inch by inch. She’s breathless and clutches my shoulders. The sexy little sounds she makes, the way her body responds to mine, all of it overloads my senses. Maybe I should think about sports, or famine, or something else to distract me from the way Giselle is grinding against me. I can’t let go yet. I have to remind myself to go slow, to not lose control our first time together in a year.
Desire is red hot in her eyes—I know mine are full of lust and longing, too. I capture her lips with mine and kiss her deep and greedily. My hands are everywhere, on her hips, around her waist, squeezing her ass—I just can’t get enough.
“Oh, God. You feel so good,” Giselle moans.
“So do you, baby.” So do you.
I flick my tongue across her nipple and suck it into my mouth. She whimpers and writhes against me. “Harder. Please,” she begs in short pants.
She doesn’t need to ask twice. Unable to hold back any longer, I succumb to the anticipation I’ve been holding on to for a year and slam into her. Reaching the end of her, I don’t relent.
“Yes!” she screams while her nails dig into my back. Everything tightens in her body just before she lets go, pulsing around me.
Thrusting into her a few more times, my orgasm rockets through me. I don’t pull out right away, instead enjoying the sweet feel of being inside her. I’m really going to enjoy getting reacquainted with her.
“Wow,” she breathes as she rests her head on my chest.
Kissing the top of her head, I put my arms around her. “You can say that again. I’ve really missed you.”
Her arms come around me. “Me, too.”
“Let’s wash up and we can go downstairs for a drink and catch up,” I suggest.
She looks up at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I thought that’s what we were doing.”
“Oh, we were. And we haven’t even gotten started yet.” I have a year’s worth of things I’ve been dreaming up that I can’t wait to do to her.
She goes up on her tiptoes and presses her lips to mine. “You’re damn right we haven’t.”
I’m so glad we’re on the same page.
Five
Giselle
Everything about spending time with Dean is amazing, but one of my favorite parts is that we're never glued to a clock. We sleep when we want, have sex when we want, eat whatever we feel like it. Oh, and there's always plenty of drinking.
We've only been together a few hours when I wake in his arms as the sun is setting. It has to be around eight o'clock in the evening. I smile as I watch it disappear through the huge wall of windows in the master bedroom.
Dean tightens his hold around my body, rolls me over, and lies on top of me. "What do you want to do tomorrow?” he asks, his voice husky with sleep.
"Hmmm." I run the ideas through my mind. There's so much to do in the area. "Let's go to a winery or two. We need to stock up and I'd love to bring a few bottles home to remember this week by." I let out a contented sigh. Already, I can feel the tension draining from my shoulders. This is exactly what I need, what I crave every year. The halfway point is perfect, I spend half of the year in planning mode and then afterward, I have the other half to remember these special days.
"Sounds perfect." He lays a gentle kiss on my cheek, my jaw, and my lips. "Know what else sounds perfect?" he asks in a low sexy voice.
I can think of so many things, but then my stomach growls.
"Food?"
He laughs. "Definitely food."
He pulls on shorts and I grab his T-shirt from the floor and wear it. The thing barely covers my butt, and I love it like that. I know he'll be looking and I know how to keep him hot and bothered. I figure if we eat, we’ll have a chance at going at it one more time before we collapse for the night. Yeah. I'm insatiable and shameless. I don't do much the rest of the year. Sure, I might hook up at a holiday party or wedding, but it isn't often, and it's been a quiet year for me. Somehow, all my friends seem to be getting married. I can’t even find a guy I want to invest the time in to go out with. The men I have tried to date in the past are always complaining that I’m a workaholic and I’m not around enough. No wonder I treasure my summers so much. All the love, none of the nonsense.
Walking into the kitchen, Dean grabs my ass and kisses my cheek before I go to the refrigerator and pull out the deli meat and cheese.
"Oh my God. You're going to make me a sandwich? You're the best."
I can't help but giggle at the adorable expression on his face. "Anything for you."
He comes up behind me and pushes my hair to the side, laying gentle kisses along my neck and shoulder. Releasing a heavy breath, I tilt my head. Heat spreads through my body with each touch of his lips.
"I thought you wanted to eat," he says, his warm breath tickling my skin.
“I’m starving, but I could be convinced to wait awhile longer.”
&nb
sp; "I am, too, but I want to do this while I wait." He goes back to teasing me by nibbling on my ear. My nipples get hard under the thin fabric of his shirt. I love that he knows exactly what to do to turn me on.
I make two ham sandwiches quicker than I’ve ever made one before.
We take our dinner to the living room and we snuggle up close on the couch. My stomach growls before I even take a bite. The last thing I ate today was yogurt at breakfast.
"Tell me, Giselle, how was your year?" Dean takes a giant bite of his sandwich.
I shift my position to face him, cradling one leg underneath me. "It was great. The firm was busy and I got a nice bonus check around the holidays. How was your year?" Gosh, saying it out loud proves to me how boring my life sounds.
He wipes the corner of his mouth with his napkin and sets it down. He begins squeezing the muscles of my calf. "There was lots of snow this season, great conditions on the slopes.” He hesitates but only for a moment. Is he hiding something? “This summer has actually been busy, too."
In the summer he typically doesn't have a steady income, more odd jobs as a handyman. I think it would be hard to live with the unpredictability of that lifestyle. But it seems to suit him just fine. "Glad to hear it," I say. “My brother, Garrett, got married this past weekend. It’s his second marriage. He seems happier this time around. I hope it works out for him this time.”
“Why’d his last marriage end?”
“His wife was cheating on him.” My stomach sinks when I dredge up those memories. Garrett was devastated by her betrayal. Another reason I’m in no big hurry to start up a relationship. Why fall so deeply in love only to have your partner stab you in the heart?
“Ouch. That’s awful. I could never hurt someone like that. When you make a commitment, you need to honor it. But it sounds like he’s in a better place now.”
It’s good to hear. If I were married, I couldn’t betray my partner. Why bother making the commitment if you’re going to continue looking for the next best thing? And I believe Dean when he says he wouldn’t cheat. He’s always shown me what a respectable and honorable man he is. He once told me a story about his elderly neighbor who has a few dogs. His fence was partially destroyed in a wind storm, so Dean took it upon himself to use his own money—since the neighbor is on a fixed income—to fix the fence so the dogs could go out and play. And he’s always the perfect gentleman with me, opening my doors and pulling out my chair for me before I sit down. Dean is a great catch. I’m surprised no one has snatched him up yet.