by Lynn LaFleur
“Absolutely. Follow me.”
She led them to the same table near the fireplace where they’d sat this afternoon. Kari listened to the easy banter between Leandra and Slade as they spoke for a few moments. They were obviously very good friends.
Leandra handed each of them a menu and said she’d be back with glasses of water. Once she left, Kari opened her menu. “Do the owners hold this table especially for you?”
“No, but I sit here whenever it’s available. It gives me a good view of the entire place.”
“Once a cop, always a cop?”
“You got it.”
“So why did you quit?”
“I did a four-year stint in the Marines before I enrolled in the police academy. After fourteen years, I’d had enough discipline and following rules. Now I make my own rules.”
Her rumbling stomach drew Kari’s attention back to her menu. “Everything looks wonderful. Do you recommend something?”
“You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Synda’s a great cook. I’m having a steak, the biggest one they have in the kitchen.”
“Do you need to build up your strength after carrying me for two miles?”
He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. His eyes narrowed and he licked his bottom lip. “I was thinking more about building up my strength for later, at my house. I promised you another orgasm, remember? I’m a man who always keeps his word.”
The heat in his eyes seemed to touch every part of her, sending her body temperature up several degrees. Kari unzipped her sweatshirt and let it fall over the back of her chair.
A cocky grin turned up one corner of Slade’s mouth. “Too warm?”
“It’s comfortable in here.”
“And here I was hoping you might be thinking of when we leave here and getting all…fluttery.”
She only needed one look from Slade to feel fluttery. Suddenly, Kari lost her appetite…at least for food. She closed her menu and laid it on the edge of the table. “We could get our meals to go.”
Leandra returned to their table, water glasses in hand. “Are you ready to order?”
“Yes,” Slade said, looking at Kari instead of his friend. “Give us two of your best steak dinners to go.”
Chapter Six
Slade unlocked the back door to his house and flipped a light switch. Recessed lighting illuminated the oak cabinets and white appliances. He stood aside so Kari could enter before him. He watched her glance around the room, pleasure clearly showing on her face.
She smiled at him. “It’s wonderful.”
“Thanks. I’ve been working on it for several months.”
“You’re remodeling?”
“Yeah.” Slade set the plastic bag holding their dinners on the center island. “It was built in the fifties and pretty run down. But I liked the design and the challenge. I’ve worked on it evenings and weekends and whenever I wasn’t busy on a case. I had to completely gut the kitchen and start over. The previous renters had destroyed it, along with most of the house.”
“You’re a man of many talents.”
“I’ve enjoyed it.” He opened a cabinet and removed two wineglasses. “I like working with my hands.”
“And you do it so well.”
Slade looked at Kari over his shoulder. She’d removed her sweatshirt and stood with her elbows bent, her hands propped on the island behind her. The position pushed her breasts forward. “We are talking about construction, aren’t we?”
“Are we?”
A sexy smile touched her lips, one that Slade would love to kiss. He couldn’t. If he started kissing her now, he wouldn’t stop until they were naked on his bed. The next time they were together, he wanted to make love to her, not simply give her a fast fuck.
Although taking her on the hood of his Wrangler had been hot as hell.
He walked back to her. Placing his hands next to hers on the island, he leaned down until he looked directly into her eyes. “You’re trying to spoil my plans.”
“You have plans?”
Slade nodded. “I thought we’d have a leisurely dinner, drink a glass or two of wine.” He touched a curl next to her cheek, rubbing it between his fingers and thumb. So silky. “I could use a shower. How about you?”
“Sounds good.”
Her voice came out breathless and raspy. He liked knowing his nearness affected her so strongly. He ran his thumb down her cheek to her jaw. “Then I thought we’d relax in my hot tub.”
Her eyes widened. “You have a hot tub?”
“I do. Are you interested?”
She smiled. “Very. I love hot tubs.”
Standing this close to her, he could see the silver specks in her blue eyes. He could easily stare into her eyes all night while he worshipped her body. “You’re so lovely, Kari.”
A pink blush filled her cheeks. Slade thought it charming. “Thank you.”
Unable to resist those full lips any longer, he dropped a gentle kiss on them. The tip of her tongue touched him and she clutched his shoulders. It would be so easy to forget the food and the shower and take her.
The ringing of his cell phone broke the spell. Reluctantly, Slade ended the kiss with a slow swipe of his tongue. “I need to get that.”
“Okay.”
He turned and reached into the pocket of his jeans. Kari gazed at his broad back and firm buttocks in those tight jeans as he walked away from her. She sighed. There must be something seriously wrong with all the women in this area. A man as edible as Slade should’ve been snapped up a long time ago.
She could set out their meal while he talked on the phone. Kari removed the foil-covered plates from the plastic bags. Slade must be a really good friend for Synda to send their dinners on her lovely plates instead of those awful Styrofoam to-go boxes. She peeled back the foil. A filet grilled to perfection sat next to parslied potatoes and buttered asparagus. She sniffed deeply and her stomach growled.
Another piece of foil held three fluffy rolls. A plastic bowl contained two pieces of raspberry-chocolate cheesecake. The perfect dessert…after she and Slade made love again.
A small metal rack holding three bottles of wine occupied one corner of the countertop. Kari checked the labels and found a nice bottle of Merlot. Slade had excellent taste. She loved this wine, but her budget called for drinking something less expensive.
Rummaging through the drawers, she located silverware and a corkscrew. More exploring produced deep navy linen napkins. She arranged everything on the island, adding the bottle of wine as Slade came back into the room. One look at his face and she knew the phone call hadn’t been a pleasant one.
“That was Meka.” Slade laid his phone on the counter. “No news about Brenda yet.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.” He released a heavy sigh. “I was sure we’d hear something from the kidnapper by now.”
“Does that make sense? Brenda’s been missing for two days. Wouldn’t a kidnapper contact your parents immediately and demand money?”
“Not necessarily. Sometimes the kidnapper likes to make his victim’s family suffer so they’re more willing to pay. My father is willing to pay just about anything to get his daughter back.”
Kari clasped her hands together at her waist. She wanted to stay with Slade, talk to him and get to know him better, but perhaps she should leave him alone. “Would you like me to go? Maybe you’d rather see how your parents—”
“No, please don’t go.” He stepped closer to her and cradled one cheek in his hand. “I want you to stay. We don’t have to make love if you don’t want to, but stay with me.”
Hoping to make him feel better, Kari teased with him. “Trust me, making love with you won’t be any hardship on me.”
He chuckled, which was exactly what Kari wanted. “Me either.” He ran his thumb over her lips. “I want to see you naked.”
She nipped his thumb. “I know the feeling. You were inside me tonight, but I didn’t get to see anythi
ng.”
Heat flared in his eyes. “Careful. I’m feeling very much like a caveman right now. I could easily throw you over my shoulder and take you to bed.”
“I’ve never had a man throw me over his shoulder.” She grinned. “I think I might like it.”
“I’ll do my best to give you all kinds of new experiences tonight.” He leaned forward and kissed her. “But let’s eat first. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven when you taste Synda’s cooking.”
*
Kari swirled the last bite of her roll through the butter on her plate. Slade was right about her feeling as if she’d died and gone to heaven. She’d never had a more tender, delicious steak in her life.
Slade peered at her empty plate. “I see you enjoyed your meal.”
“I’m going to ask Synda to go home with me.”
“I doubt if Leandra would let you get away with that. They’ve been together a long time.” Picking up the bottle of Merlot, he topped off their glasses. “Besides, she has to stay here in Truckee and keep feeding me.”
“I never get to have any fun.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” He leaned closer and nuzzled her ear. “I can think of lots of ways to have fun.”
The gentle tug on her earlobe made goose bumps erupt over her skin. Her ears had always been sensitive to touch, almost as sensitive as her nipples. “I’m sure you can.”
“I hope you’re proud of me,” he said before his tongue tickled behind her ear.
Kari closed her eyes and tilted her head to give him more room for whatever he wanted to do with that wicked tongue. She hoped he liked oral sex, because she could hardly wait to feel it lick her pussy. “Why?”
“I’ve shown a tremendous amount of restraint.”
“Oh?”
He moved even closer, sliding his right arm along the chair behind her. “I let you eat your dinner without touching your breasts one time.”
She had to clear her throat to keep from laughing. “My hero.”
His gaze dipped to her chest. One finger touched the tip of her left breast. Her nipple immediately peaked. “But now that you’re through eating…” He looked back into her eyes, his finger still caressing her hard nipple. “I see no reason for any more restraint.”
“Is this where you throw me over your shoulder and take me to bed?”
“Tempting, but I’d like to shower first.”
Slade naked, water and soap suds flowing over his coppery skin. The sight would be magnificent. “Would you like company?”
“Very much.”
“Shouldn’t we do the dishes first?”
“They aren’t going anywhere.”
He stood and tugged her to her feet. Hand in hand, Kari followed him as he led her through his living room and down a short hall. She caught glimpses of navy, dark green and crimson in the décor. Her attention was more focused on the man in front of her, not in his furnishings. She wouldn’t care if he lived in a tent, as long as he put out the fire raging through her blood.
Lamps on either side of a king-size bed came on when Slade flipped the switch in his bedroom. Kari noted the same dark, masculine colors reflected in here. She continued to follow Slade through the room and into a large bathroom. An oversized rounded shower stall stood in one corner, next to an ocean blue four-person hot tub.
Slade crossed to the tub and pressed a button on a wall panel. Pale lights filled the bottom of the tub. Another button and the water began to bubble. “It’s ready when we are.” He faced her again. Grasping the bottom of his T-shirt, he pulled it over his head and dropped it to the floor.
Kari swallowed hard. Slade’s chest and stomach were free of hair and sculptured with muscle. No wonder he had no trouble carrying her for two miles.
He motioned toward her. “Your turn.”
“Can’t I watch you and drool for a while?”
His lips quirked. “Fair is fair. I took off my shirt. Now you take off yours.”
Kari hadn’t had many lovers in her lifetime. She’d certainly never stripped for one of them. She thought she should be embarrassed at the idea of taking off her clothes while Slade watched. Instead, the desire inside her turned even hotter.
She tossed her T-shirt on top of his.
She could see his throat work as he swallowed. “Bra too,” he rasped.
The piece of lacy white lingerie joined her shirt on the floor. She stood before Slade, naked from the waist up, breasts thrust out proudly.
Slade sat on the edge of the hot tub and untied his hiking boots, his gaze riveted to her breasts. His shoes fell to the floor, followed by his socks. “Come here.”
She walked to him on legs shaky from wanting him so fiercely. Slade clasped her waist and dragged her between his spread legs. He parted his lips over the tip of her breast, drawing it into his mouth to suckle.
Her legs would have buckled if Slade hadn’t been holding her to him so tightly. She gripped his shoulders when he switched to her other nipple. Back and forth, back and forth, nipping, sucking, licking…raising her pleasure with each tug of his lips. He didn’t release her nipple, not even when he unfastened her jeans and tugged them past her hips.
“Slade.”
Her voice was barely a whisper, but Slade clearly heard the desire in it. He slipped his hand inside her panties. Warm cream covered his fingers. He pushed two fingers inside her channel and thumbed her clit while continuing to suck her nipples. Moaning softly, she bucked her hips and rode his fingers.
Damn, he loved that.
The contractions deep inside her pussy grabbed his fingers. Slade waited until the pulsations had died before he withdrew his hand. He gave each nipple one last lingering kiss. “I like how fast you come.”
“I don’t. Not usually. Your touch is…” Kari blew out a breath. “It’s perfect.” Cradling his face in her hands, she gave him a tender kiss. “You’re a very generous man.”
“I enjoy giving you pleasure.” He cupped both breasts, his thumbs grazing the rosy nipples. “You have no idea all the things I want to do to you.”
“That works two ways. I have a few ideas too, and all of them feature you naked.”
Slade stood and unsnapped his jeans. “Then I’d better get naked.”
Once he’d peeled off his jeans and briefs, he straightened and let her look at him. Her gaze passed over his shoulders, chest, stomach and settled at his groin. His cock hardened even more under her scrutiny. He palmed it in one hand, slowly stroking himself while she watched.
“Damn, you’re big,” she breathed.
“Not too big for you to take me.”
Slade dropped to one knee before her. He untied and carefully removed her boots so he wouldn’t hurt her heels. She used his shoulders for balance as he pulled her jeans and panties over her feet. When she was as naked as he, Slade pushed on the inside of her thighs, silently asking her to open her legs. Parting her labia with his thumbs, he admired the slick, pink folds.
“Lick me,” she whispered.
He sniffed first, taking her scent deep inside his lungs…that tantalizing scent of aroused woman. The tip of his tongue touched her clit, her lips. Kari moaned softly. “Oh, yes. Lick me.”
He lapped up and down the folds and circled her clit. Her taste was a little sweet, a little salty and all woman.
The position didn’t allow him to caress her as deeply as he wanted. He wouldn’t be happy until she came on his tongue. Slade pulled her hand behind his head as he stood. Bent at the waist, Kari dangled upside down over his shoulder.
“Wha—”
He swatted one buttock, cutting off her words. “I need more room.”
The caveman roared to life inside him. It chanted take her, take her as Slade carried her to his bed. He spread her legs wide and lay with his head between them. Lowering his mouth to her pussy, he feasted.
Ambrosia. Her cream was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted. He pushed her legs farther apart so he could lap at every bit of her�
��clit, silky folds, anus. Each taste of her only made him want more.
Kari grabbed his head and bucked her hips. “Oh, God, you’re good at that!”
His cock was screaming at him to fuck her, yet he didn’t want to stop licking her. He shifted on the bed, rubbing his hard shaft against the bedspread to try and ease the ache in his balls.
It wasn’t enough. He had to have her.
She tightened her hold on his head and lifted her hips completely off the bed. Slade pushed two fingers inside her pussy again and felt the contractions from her climax.
Now, the caveman demanded. Take her now.
Slade crawled over to the nightstand to grab a condom. Once sheathed, he flipped Kari to her stomach. Grasping her hips, he pulled her to her knees and drove his rod inside her.
So tight. So wet. So hot. Slade pressed deep, deeper, until his balls touched her. Then he began to pump. He thrust slowly, steadily, loving the feel of her warm channel surrounding his cock.
The sexy moans coming from Kari’s throat urged him to move faster. Slade licked his thumb and caressed her anus in a circle. Kari threw back her head, arched her back and keened loudly. The walls of her pussy milked his shaft. Pushing his thumb into her ass, Slade thrust his rod all the way inside her channel and groaned out his release.
Chapter Seven
So much for my plan to make love to her instead of another fast fuck.
Slade slowly withdrew from Kari’s body. He lay on his side on the bed and tugged her close, her back to his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he savored simply holding Kari.
It had been ten years since he’d loved someone. Sex wasn’t a problem for he knew several women willing to spend time with him, both here in Truckee and Lake Tahoe. Caring about someone, wanting to be with her, learn more about her… He hadn’t experienced that kind of desire in a long time.
Kari had whirled into his life and turned it upside down.
“Wow,” she said, breaking the silence.
“I was thinking more along the lines of spectacular.”
“That too.”
He kissed her neck, the curve of her shoulder. “I’m sorry that was so fast. I got…carried away.”