Who You Least Expect

by Lydia Rowan

  He reached over and clasped her hand. “It won’t. Just trust me.”

  She squeezed his in return, and he hazarded a glance at her, feeling a funny little tickle in his chest at the soft smile that now covered her face. He suspected she did. In the weeks since her father’s hospitalization, she’d opened up to him more, shared her fears, her hopes, her struggles, and she wouldn’t have done that if she didn’t trust him on some level.

  “I do,” she said softly and much to his surprise, saying so out loud for the first time. And then her smile was replaced with a stern expression. “And I must. There’s no other explanation for me letting you take me God knows where.”

  “I know where and besides, we’re having fun. Just relax.”

  “Said the wolf to the lamb.”

  He laughed but remained silent as did she, for the final few minutes of their journey.

  “This looks like a hangar,” she said when he stopped and unbuckled his seat belt.

  “Yep.”

  “Is there a plane in there?” she asked, voice rising and eyes wide.

  “More than one, I presume,” he said as he got out of the car and rounded to the passenger side.

  She hadn’t moved, so he opened her door, reached inside, undid her seat belt, and grabbed her hands, which were as stiff as the rest of her.

  “Why are we going to a hangar, Cody?” she asked in that stern voice that he found so sexy, though based on her expression, that was far from what she intended.

  “Blakely, darling, one must be on a plane to jump out of one,” he said as he pulled her from the car.

  “Jump out… You mean… Oh, fuck no!” she practically screeched as she leaned away from him. “Cody Sommers, take me home this instant!”

  “I will, but we have to do something first.”

  “You’re not serious,” she said, giving him a once-over.

  He didn’t respond, just watched her face as she watched him, certain he saw the instant that she understood he had no intention of leaving until they’d finished.

  “Oh my God. You are serious.”

  She balled her tiny hands into fists and for an instant, he wondered if she was going to slug him. It wouldn’t surprise him if she did, but it would be worth it just for the chance to see the expression on her face. Enraged would be an understatement. Collected, meticulous Blakely Bishop was on the verge of a full-blown tantrum.

  She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

  Tossing the concern about the violence in her eyes aside, he grasped her face between his hands and leaned down to kiss her, brushing his lips against hers once, then twice.

  “You’ll be fine. I’ll be with you all the way,” he whispered against her lips before kissing her again.

  She reached up and wrapped her hands around his wrists and then pulled back, staring up into his eyes, searching for what, he wasn’t sure. Whatever it was, she must have found it because she released his wrists and let her arms hang at her sides.

  “Well,” she said after a moment, “let’s get on with it before I change my mind. And I’m so mad at you.”

  “You’ll get over it,” he said as he pulled her from the car and then swatted her ass, which earned him another censorious glare. “Right this way.”

  After linking his arm with hers, he led them into the hangar, where the pilot waited.

  “’Bout time, Sommers. Hurry up before we both get court-martialed.”

  “Nobody is getting court-martialed, Royal, so stop being such a pussy. You got the gear?”

  “Here.” He gestured at the suit and parachute.

  “Blake, put this on,” he said.

  Cody thought he saw a tremor in her hands, but she dressed without complaint, though the suit was far too long for her. He adjusted it as best he could and then gave her brief instruction.

  “I’ll wear the parachute and you’ll be attached to me with this,” he said, pointing at the harness.

  “I don’t get my own parachute!” she bellowed, her eyes practically bugging out of her head.

  Her expression was so comical, he was more than halfway tempted to continue the ruse but he took pity on her.

  “You have an emergency chute here.” He tugged on the pack that was on her back. “But don’t worry, Ms. Bishop. I’m a professional, and I’ll be with you the whole time. Just stretch your legs out as far as you can, and hold on tight. Oh, and enjoy the ride,” he finished with a smile.

  Blakely gaped, mouth opening and closing as she stared at him in disbelief. He took the opportunity to double-check her suit, buckle the helmet on her head, and slide the protective goggles over her eyes.

  “You’re adorable,” he said, dropping a kiss on her nose.

  She narrowed her eyes and glared at him, looking like she wanted to punch him again, something Royal apparently found hilarious, because he laughed like a hyena as he walked toward the cockpit. Cody stepped behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, nudging her forward. Grudgingly, she moved. When they reached the plane, he stepped around her and got in, offering her his hand. After she took it, he pulled her in and they made their ascent, the roar of air filling the belly of the plane. Royal radioed that they were nearing jumping altitude, so Cody took his position and settled Blakely in his lap, where she promptly gripped his thighs with an iron hold. Even though he knew fear was the thing that made her cling to him, it was a good feeling, having her physically attached to him like this. He enjoyed it for as long as he could.

  “Blake,” he said a moment later, “stick your legs out. In about thirty seconds, we’ll start the jump.”

  She nodded but didn’t speak, and he could see the tic in her jaw where she clenched her teeth, her usually lush mouth pulled tight with worry. When he brushed his mouth against hers, she squeaked but he didn’t let up and a few seconds later, he felt her mouth slacken, felt her little huff of breath as she began to respond.

  Then he pulled back and she glanced up at him, and he smiled when he saw that her face was almost normal.

  “That’s better,” he said, to which she responded with a slight smile.

  When they reached jumping altitude, he tapped her on the shoulder.

  “You ready?” he screamed to be heard above the rush of air.

  “No,” she screamed but then she nodded.

  “On three, two, one. Go!”

  He propelled them out of the aircraft, that first disorienting feeling of weightlessness followed by the rush of free falling hitting him. Blake was silent, didn’t release a sound, but he felt the tension in her body.

  “Look,” he said into her ear. “You don’t want to miss this.”

  He couldn’t see her face but in a heartbeat, her scream hit him and made him pull her closer. And then he smiled as the sound morphed from terror to pure, unadulterated joy. Jumping out of a plane had lost most of its novelty, but it felt like an entirely new experience with her. She squeaked when he pulled the chute, and she gripped his hand tighter than she ever had. Despite the beauty and serenity he usually felt during this kind of descent, he paid no attention to his surroundings and kept his gaze trained on Blakely, the sight of her far, far more amazing than anything that passed them by. He wondered if she realized how tightly she clung to him and what she would do if she did. Granted, he’d sprung this little trip on her without warning and it wasn’t like she had alternatives, but he couldn’t help but believe she held him so tightly because she trusted him, cared for him.

  They landed with a thud, Cody using his body to cushion her as much as possible. After a moment, he stood, taking her with him, and then untangled the chute. Then he wrapped her hand in his and headed back to the hangar. He didn’t see any MPs running toward them, so he guessed the thousand favors he’d called in to plan this had paid off.

  “You still hate me?” he asked teasingly as he removed her helmet when they got back to the hangar.

  Instead of responding, she looked ahead, a thousand-yard stare in her eyes. He’d seen Bl
ake spitting mad or on the edge of hysteria, but this placid inscrutability was new and unnerving. It made sense, he supposed, given how afraid of heights she’d said she was, how much she hated being out of control. Still, when she hadn’t said anything as he’d helped her out of her suit or as they drove off base, his worry increased. He kept glancing at her furtively but there was not a single hint to her feelings in her face or in her posture, and Cody got that sinking feeling that he’d fucked up royally.

  “Pull over please,” she said quietly when they were about five miles from the base.

  A quick glance at her showed she still had that same unreadable expression, so at the first side road, Cody pulled off and parked. But he didn’t look at Blakely, not right away.

  “Cody,” she said, her voice drawing his gaze, “that was the most amazing, wonderful, awesome thing ever!”

  Now, her face was alive with excitement, her body humming with energy. “I can’t believe it. I mean, that was terrifying, but so not. I felt so light, so free!”

  She smiled at him, and Cody felt that trickle in his chest again, suspected this time he knew what it was. Her expression changed, taking on a depth and desire that went directly to his cock.

  “You should recline your seat,” she said on a husky whisper.

  And then she unbuckled her seat belt and with easy motions, she unfastened and then lowered her pants and underwear. He swallowed, surprised and so incredibly turned on as she unbuckled his seat belt. His gaze was drawn to her naked lower body, her rounded thighs and her plump pussy lips. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on her, thought he could make out a faint sheen of moisture on her, but before he could determine whether it was just a trick of the light, she was on top of him, her thighs bracketing his, the heat from her cunt searing him even through his jeans.

  “Back,” she said as she reached over and reclined his seat. Once she had him satisfactorily situated, she smiled and then stroked her hands down his chest and over the ridge of his cock.

  “I don’t know why you decided to take me on that little trip, but it was very…inspiring.”

  As she spoke, she leisurely ran her hands across his cloth-covered cock, the muted sensation still enough to have him bucking his hips.

  “Glad to be of service,” he choked out, to which she replied with a husky laugh.

  “I bet you are,” she said as she grasped his belt and pulled the leather from the clasp.

  Her movements were slow, deliberate, and she seemed to enjoy prolonging his torture, content to move slowly as she unbuttoned his jeans and then gripped the zipper. One hand on his waistband, the other on the zipper, she pulled firmly but slowly, making a concerted effort to not touch him. At first glance, she appeared completely unaffected, but he couldn’t stop his smile when he noticed her jerky breaths, felt the way she rocked against his thigh, subtlety, almost imperceptibly, but just enough for him to know that she too was being swept into this story of need.

  When she had fully lowered his zipper, she moved fast, hooking her fingers into his underwear and pulling it down, taking it and his pants with her. He lifted slightly, pushing her back, and they both laughed when the horn honked. But the levity was short-lived because his laugh morphed into a moan when, after she’d pulled his pants down, she lowered her hips until she rested above him, the hot wetness of her pussy making his balls draw up.

  Anticipation had him gripping her ass tight, but again she slowed, trailing a finger across the crown of his cock and then down his shaft and back up again. She repeated the motion, all the while moving at such a deliberate pace that he again bucked and cried out.

  “Don’t play, Blake. Need you,” he said, his voice low and thick with frustration and desire.

  “But you like games, Cody,” she said, finally wrapping one of her hands around his shaft. “I might be coming around to your way of thinking.”

  A wicked smile crossed her face and she tightened her grip and stroked his shaft. The precum that flowed from his slit coated him, easing her path, and he watched avidly as she stroked him, her small, soft brown hands moving over him so expertly that he thought he might come. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold back when inspiration struck.

  “Oh, ahhh.”

  Her eyes, which had gone soft and almost sleepy, flew open when he touched her. She apparently hadn’t noticed that as she’d stroked him, he’d moved himself and now had two fingers wedged between her legs, filling the small space between her cunt and the base of his cock. And while his movements were limited, there was more than enough room for him to trace the hood of her clit, let his finger drop down to graze the distended little nub, which was hard with her own arousal. She looked down at him with surprise in her eyes.

  “You said it yourself. I like games.”

  She laughed lightly and then tightened her grip, stroking him with renewed vigor. The heat of the day and their harsh breaths warmed the inside of the car, but he didn’t care, too enraptured by watching her hands as she touched him and touching her in the same way.

  “Condom?” she said in a tight voice.

  “Console.”

  He moaned when she released him, but sighed when, after fumbling in the console, she retrieved a condom, slid it onto him and impaled herself on his cock. Her walls pulsed around him, warm and tight, and he again felt like he was home as he had since that very first time. He sat up, pulling her as close as he could and wrapping his arms around her body. They stared into each other’s eyes, still, silent, and as close as two people could be. His heart started beating so hard, he thought it would explode with the emotion of it all.

  Then he captured her lips in a rough, needy kiss, and she responded, opening for him and rocking her hips wildly. The space didn’t allow much movement, but little was needed. He was buried to the hilt and her jerky motions set off a riot of sensation that again had him on the edge. He tried to wait for her, but it was too much, and he felt the sizzle of pleasure across his skin as cum shot from him. When he held her even tighter and pushed up, her walls clamped down on him and she broke the kiss, crying out her own pleasure against his neck.

  He held her as he spent himself fully, held her as she rode out her own climax, held her long after, not wanting to let her go.

  “Looks like we’re making this sex-in-semi-public thing a habit,” she said.

  “Your idea. And I have to say, pretty smooth, Ms. Bishop. And it seems you’ve done something like this before,” he responded.

  She shifted her face up and trailed her lips over his throat, up his jawline, and then stopped at the corner of his mouth.

  “I’ll never tell,” she said softly and then chuckled.

  Sensitized after his climax, he felt the rush of her breath against his face, the weight of her body against his was more intense and, wanting to feel more of her, he gripped her ass cheeks, moved up the curve of her waist and back, loving the play of her soft, satiny skin beneath his palms.

  “You know,” she said as she rocked slightly, “you can be fun sometimes.”

  He laughed and then went quiet, staring down at her. Her eyes were averted and he was grateful, not yet sure if he wanted her to see the intensity that he knew was reflected in his eyes.

  “Maybe I can be other things, too,” he eventually said.

  “Of course. You’re strong, brave, very sexy,” she said, punctuating the last word with a kiss to his collarbone.

  “Thanks, but Blake…” He trailed off and then stilled her movements by resting his hands on her hips, and she looked up, a slight smile on her face, her eyes soft and glazed with passion. “I am more, you know. We are…argh. I’m fucking this up. What I’m trying to say is, Blakely, I love you.”

  He held her gaze with his after he said the words and watched as the teasing in her eyes curdled and her smile went hard.

  “Cody, don’t.”

  “Too late. I said it.”

  She shook her head. “Why?”

  “Why do I love you?”

  “N
o. Why did you have to ruin this? I was having a good time; we were having a good time, and you had to go and get serious about it. I can’t manage your feelings too, not with everything else that’s going on.”

  Disbelief ricocheted through him, but it wasn’t enough to block out the look of disgust on her face.

  “I sorry you find my declaration of love so distasteful and inconvenient,” he said, somehow, and he wasn’t sure how, managing to keep his voice relatively level even though his heart pounded so hard that his chest ached and his lungs felt as if they were constricted by a vise.

  “Don’t be silly. It’s not…distasteful. It’s just…misplaced. You’re young, so your emotions get away from you, but I’m sure you’ll get over whatever it is you think you feel soon enough.” She paused and stared at him as if figuring out a puzzle. “Yes, that’s it I’m sure. You just got caught up in the excitement of the day and let your tongue loose. Don’t worry. I’ll pretend you never said it. Now, where were we?” she said, leaning to kiss him again.

  He stopped her, and realized that being near her, being practically inside her as she’d so casually spoken those words, had left him feeling used and dirty, worse than he’d ever felt in his life. He pushed her away, the need to be as far from her as the confines of the car would allow hastening his movements. He turned his eyes away and listened as she moved back to the passenger seat and put on her pants. Mechanically, he adjusted his own clothes and then gripped the steering wheel.

  “Cody, are you upset?” she asked and when he risked looking at her, he saw the confusion on her face.

  “Upset? Why the fuck would you think a thing like that?” he said bitterly, his capacity for calm apparently exceeded.

  She looked taken aback for a moment, but then regained her composure. “I’m sorry, Cody. I know you didn’t mean it, though, and I don’t mind. Like I said, heat of the moment and all that. And it doesn’t change anything between us,” she said as she touched his arm.

  The feeling of her flesh against his made his skin crawl, and he shook her off and stared at her, not even trying to keep his expression neutral.