by Various
He quietly stood in the bathroom door, watching the shape of her through the frosted glass shower door. Every curve was outlined in the steam filled room.
“Room for two?” he asked. The last thing he wanted was to startle her. He still couldn’t help but feel that this change in events was a tenuous thing, and the littlest mistake on his part could break the magic.
“If you think you can fit.” She opened the door and he saw the shower was not intended for two. Had she been a taller woman, he wouldn’t have dared enter. But her size made him give it a try. There were mere inches keeping them from pressing against the walls.
“Good morning,” she said, her hair full of soap. She kissed his chest, since that was what was at lip level for her.
“Is it ever,” he replied, running his hand down the centre of her back. Her skin was slick with soap, and he couldn’t resist massaging her lightly.
“Mmmm. If I’d known I’d get a massage I would have woken you.” She turned, pressing her body against the shower wall to give him better access to her back.
While he continued his ministrations to her back with one hand, he slid the other around to her stomach and down to the soft mound between her legs.
The water from the wide shower head installed in the ceiling fell on them like a spring rain as he worked her back and front. Within seconds she was moaning, rocking her body against his hand. He stopped rubbing her back, instead caressing her breasts as he pulled her tight toward him. He ached to slip himself inside her, but waited until she had regained her breath.
Before he could shift positions to aim himself towards her wet opening, she turned and kneeled in front of him. She slowly kissed her way up the inside of his thigh, one hand massaging his firm butt cheek, the other cupping his balls. It took everything he had not to explode there and then.
He tangled his hands in her hair, but tried not to guide her. He wanted to experience the rhythm she set, not drive her to follow a pace of his own choosing. It was worth it. She moved her mouth over him, at times taking him deep into her, other times lightly teasing him with the tip of her tongue. When she pulled away, it was to explore him with kisses, on his thighs, his balls, his stomach. And while she kissed him she would slide her hand over the length of his cock.
Cam wanted to make it last, and fought to calm himself. He took in deep breaths, willing himself to remain in control. It was a losing battle the moment she took his entire length into her mouth and squeezed his scrotum. He tried to push her away as he came with a shudder, but she kept a firm hold of him, continuing her kisses until his body relaxed.
He looked down at her as she looked up, a smile on her face and a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.
Once out of the shower he tried to entice her back to bed, but she insisted she had to make an appearance at breakfast.
“Why don’t you stay here,” she said as she towel-dried her hair. “I’ll bring you food, and we can spend the rest of the morning in bed. Or do you want to go get some work done?”
“If you think I’m leaving this room to go freeze my arse off drawing birds, when I could be here working up a sweat with you, then you really need to get to know me better.” He took her brush and worked through the tangles in her hair.
He also tried to undress her while she swatted him away.
“Campbell Scott.” She paused. “What’s your middle name?
“Campbell Duncan Alistair Scott. It’s a mouthful, I know. My father’s father was Duncan Scott. My mother’s father was Alistair Campbell. I was their first child, and in case there were no more, I got all the family names.”
“But you have a sister?” she asked, pulling on a pair of jeans.
“Two. And a brother. He’s the baby. He’s only twenty. And acts twelve most times.”
“There’s just me and my brother, Will. He’s younger than me too. He doesn’t come home often. He’s in the Navy.”
“Ah. Will he be upset to see how you’ve redecorated his cottage?”
She pushed him. “I told you. There was water damage. It needed it.”
“If you say so, darling,” he said, kissing her nose. The intimacy was spoiled by a loud grumbling that wasn’t coming from his stomach. “I think you need to go in search of food. Don’t worry. I’ll stay here just like this awaiting your return.”
He lay back on the bed. “You don’t even need to tie me up. I am your willing captive.”
“I’ll try my best not to be long. Any preference for breakfast?”
“Hmmmm. You, covered in marmalade. And a cup of coffee.”
She grinned and kissed him. “I’ll see what I can do.”
——
Elsie refused to over-analyze anything that was happening. She was going to let herself live in the moment and just shut out the thinking side of her brain. Once downstairs she quickly said good morning to the two tables of guests that were enjoying French toast and ham. She made one recommendation of a great day trip, promised to find a bottle of bakeapple jam for a couple from Atlanta, and reviewed the reservations list. After check out tomorrow Cam and Asher were the only guests on the books. If she could get Ash to leave, she might get to enjoy the house with just her and Cam. She often kept staff to a minimum when there were only a handful of guests. The idea of sharing the house with Cam was comforting. They could curl up in the library together in front of the fire. Play strip poker in the games room. Snuggle in the TV room and watch a movie on the big screen. Yes. She had to get Asher out today. Tomorrow morning at the latest.
“Well, don’t you look happy this morning. Much better than that scowl you’ve had of late.”
Elsie kissed her great aunt on the cheek. “Good morning, Auntie. How’s the concierge business today?”
“Grand. I got myself a hundred dollar tip, just for telling Mr. and Mrs. Emmerson that there was bingo this evening down at the parish hall. I’m going to drive them down after supper.”
“That’s great,” Elsie said, running through her emails quickly. “Anything else?”
“Well, Mr. Scott hasn’t been up for breakfast. He must have gone out pretty early this morning because I haven’t seen a motion down that way since I got in at half past six.”
Elsie tried not to smile as she remembered him wrapped around her back, one hand cupping her breast, as he snored into her ear. That would have been around six thirty this morning.
“Well, it’s a beautiful day for it,” she said. “I’m going to take the morning off myself and relax with a good book. If anything comes up, of course, call me.” She kissed her aunt again, and headed to the kitchen.
Her father was reading the paper. Thankfully her mother was nowhere in sight.
“Found an empty whisky bottle in here this morning,” he said, not looking up from the paper.
She filled him in on Asher’s drunken episode, although keeping her role in the whole thing out of it, other than as B&B owner to the rescue, while she prepared a breakfast tray.
“That for him?” her father asked, finally looking at her.
“No. It’s for me,” she said.
“A lot of food for just you.”
“I’m hungry.”
“I’ve fed you lots when you’re hungry. That’s a lot of food for just you.”
“Dad.”
“Elsie.” He met her gaze.
She recalled what her mother had said. “Asher Corbin is not sharing breakfast with me, okay.”
“Never said he was,” he said. “But someone is.”
She didn’t answer.
“None of my business. I’m just the chief cook and bottle washer round here.”
She ignored him as she grabbed a handful of tea bags, a tub of honey, and some other staples. “I have a kitchen of my own. Perhaps it’s time I stocked it,” she said before carrying it all out of the kitchen.
She wondered how long it would be before her father called her mother. She also wondered how long it would be before she stopped feeling like a teenage girl ha
ving to justify everything she did to her parents. Here she was hiding a man in her room, just so that no one would know. And she was wishing her house was empty so that she could share it with him. It was ridiculous. She was a grown woman in her thirties for the love of God. It was her choice who she shared her bed with, and her house. If she hadn’t been starving, and turned on by the thought of Cam up in her bed waiting for her, she would march into the room, demand he get dressed and eat with her in the dining room. Where she would hold his hand, and stroke his hair. Maybe she would even feed him.
Okay. Maybe that was a bit much. But she wasn’t going to hide it. She was attracted to a man, and he was clearly attracted to her. There was nothing to be ashamed about. This was a place where couples came to experience a bit of romance, and take a break from reality. And she knew there was a lot of “knockin‘ boots”, as her brother used to refer to it, happening under her roof. It was time she got in on the action more often.
——
The morning with Cam was amazing. And not just the times when they were having what could only be called mind-blowing sex. They laughed. They dozed. They even tried to watch the news, but turned it off when a story about Asher came on.
Cam was easy to talk to. And easy to seduce.
“So,” she said after recovering from a particularly intense orgasm. “I was thinking you might like to go for a drive with me this afternoon.”
“Really, where?”
“Into town. St. John’s. A friend of mine owns an amazing restaurant. I thought we could go for a walk downtown, have an early supper and then come back here.”
“If you like. I’m fine staying here all day. Then I don’t have to get dressed.” He nibbled her ear.
“That’s also tempting. But I’d like to show you the city. It’s really my second favourite place on earth. And since you’ve spent days exploring my favourite spot, I thought you might like to see a bit more of Newfoundland.”
He rolled on top of her and kissed her. “I’d much rather explore my favourite spot,” he said, running his hand down her stomach. “But once I’m done here, it’s a date.”
An hour later, once her mind was focused once more on getting out of bed, those words came back to her. Smiling, she realized he was right. It was a date. Her first in more than six years.
——
It was a spectacular afternoon for a drive. The city was an hour and a half away and they filled the time easily. He hadn’t really seen the city when he had arrived because of the fog and his rush to get started. And his grumpy mood. But exploring the oldest city in North America with a beautiful woman by his side was a whole other experience.
She parked on the harbour front, which they walked along, looking at the different vessels. Some looked like they had spent more than enough days at sea, rust thick on their bodies. Others were sleek and clean. There was even a cruise ship docked. Which was a bit of a shock, honestly. He pictured cruisers seeking sun and surf, not fog and wind. But there was no denying there was a certain charm about the place.
The wind was cool, which encouraged them to duck into the little stores along Water Street to warm up. In one, he bought a wool hat, and she bought a pair of mitts. At another, they got some locally roasted coffee to go. The highlight of the afternoon for him, however, was a trip to a small lingerie shop where she modelled several options for him.
“Pick one. I’ll wear it tonight under my outfit for dinner,” she teased.
In the end he couldn’t pick just one. He bought everything she tried on.
“If I’d known that, I would have kept trying things on,” she joked, once she realized he was ignoring her protests that she was capable of buying her own clothing.
About an hour before dinner she left him on his own. Apparently she had some more shopping to do, and figured he’d enjoy himself more browsing around. It was a good time to get her something special.
Cam wasn’t the kind of guy who showered women with gifts. Then again, he wasn’t the kind of guy who was content to spend an entire day with a woman, especially if it was out of the bedroom. Hell, he wasn’t the kind of guy who wandered around aimlessly thinking about the kind of guy he was. He was different with Elsie. More himself, really. Not that he had changed anything major about himself. It was more a shift in perspective. Since his chat with Daphne he had done some soul searching and didn’t really like the images of himself that were coming to mind.
A quick visit to a jewellery store and he knew right away that a bracelet or earrings were just cliché. He left as quickly as he’d entered. He popped into several other stores, but nothing there seemed appropriate. He honestly had no idea what he wanted to get her, but believed he’d recognize the right thing when he saw it.
He found it at a candy store. He filled a chocolate treasure chest with a ring pop, a candy necklace, and scotch mints. He dashed back to the shop where they’d bought their knit goods and found a scarf that matched her mittens, and wrapped it around the chest.
There was something both exciting and nerve-wracking about picking out a gift that you hoped would say things you weren’t sure you could say yourself. Cam hoped Elsie would see that he wasn’t ordinary or typical, that he was willing to go out of his way to do something unique for her, and that he had a whimsical sense of humour. Of course, she might also think he was cheap and tacky. Better to find out now.
He waited for her at the bar of the restaurant, playing the day over and over in his mind. He wasn’t sure what had changed her mind about him, and he didn’t plan on asking. He was happy. Happy to the point where if he thought back, he had a hard time remembering a time when he had felt so relaxed and content. He was filled with an enthusiasm to discover what came next.
“Were you waiting long?”
How had he not noticed her arrival? She was without a doubt the most stunning woman in the room. A deep yellow, long-sleeved dress clung to her every curve. Form fitting, and yet totally elegant. He couldn’t begin to imagine what piece of lingerie she could have managed to conceal underneath.
“There’s no such thing,” he said, taking her arm in his. The material was a thick silk, so supple that he had to fight the urge to run his hands down her body.
If her intention was to wear something that would compel him to touch her, she had succeeded. Perhaps too well.
“You look delicious,” he whispered as he helped her into her chair. “Do we need to order or can I just devour you?”
A hint of redness crept into her cheeks. “The food here is very good. But perhaps later.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he said, sitting next to her and resting a hand on her leg. “That I can guarantee.”
——
Dinner was amazing, Elsie reflected as she washed her hands in the ladies room. Cam was a fantastic storyteller, and she loved the easy way they could talk. It didn’t hurt that he made her laugh. The most difficult part of the evening was trying to resist the urge to walk out from dinner, drag him to the car and tear his clothes off. The man couldn’t keep his hands off her, and each time he caressed her, whether it was her hand, her arm, her leg, or her face, her body threatened to give in. She got butterflies in her stomach just thinking of what the rest of the night had in store. It was tempting to find a room in the city for the night, but she did have to go home. The long drive back to Heart’s Ease was going to be difficult, but she planned on making up for it all night long. She checked her hair, smoothed down the front of her dress (which she had paid way too much for), and ran her lips together to blot out her freshly applied lipstick.
She was caught off guard when, as she stepped out of the room, Cam was waiting for her.
“I just have to taste you,” he said, pushing her against the wall and crushing her mouth with his.
Dear God, she wanted him. Normally the idea of making out in a public restroom would quash any sense of desire she had. But this was an upscale restaurant, with luxurious private washrooms.
She slipped away f
rom him and opened the door she’d just come out of. Reaching out, she grabbed him by the waistband of his pants and pulled him inside. “Kiss me again,” she demanded, amazed yet empowered by her boldness. “And don’t you dare stop until I come.”
It took Cam all of one second to process the invitation before he had her pressed against the wall again. There was nothing gentle about the way he kissed her, and she returned in kind. He slid his hands down the front of her dress, one hand stopping to caress her breasts through the silk dress. The other moved down to gather the hem of her dress and push it up to her waist. With deftness he slid his hand between her legs. Elsie knew she was slick and ready for him. It had been building all evening.
She didn’t want to come from his hand. She needed to feel him inside of her, squeeze herself against his long, hard shaft. Although it was difficult, in no small part because the intensity of their kiss was taking a lot of her energy and focus, she managed to get his belt undone and pants unzipped. Wrapping her hand around his penis she discovered there was nothing she had to do to get him ready to penetrate her.
He slowly removed his hand from her crotch, purposely stroking her clitoris as he did, and lifted her up, pinning her to the wall.
“Hold on tight,” he commanded, before resuming their kiss.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and linked her hands behind his neck. With a hard thrust, he filled her. Pulled himself nearly out, and rammed himself inside again. There wasn’t much she could do in return other than grind herself against him, keeping him as close as possible. She felt herself stretching with each thrust, clenching her pelvic muscles to increase the sensation.
Elsie couldn’t breathe. She pulled her mouth away from Cam’s, her breath coming in shallow gasps. A hot tingling at her very core crested out in waves through her body. She bit in to his shoulder to muffle the exquisite sounds of pleasure that she longed to shout. With a shudder she fell limp in his arms. Cam pulled away from her, and grabbed a hand towel. How he was able to maintain control long enough to prevent staining her dress was a feat she couldn’t comprehend.