First Light

by Isabel Jolie

  “Logan, you know, you shouldn’t let whether you can have children hold you back. From relationships, I mean. If you stop and think about it, no couple goes out and tests themselves for virility before getting married. They both love each other and want to spend their lives together, and that’s what propels them forward. They may hope for kids, but if one of them can’t, or together they can’t, that’s immaterial. It’s like, I’m sorry, but that really bothers me that your ex made you feel you are less. Children aren’t everything. For many happy couples, they simply aren’t. You don’t take a vow to be with someone forever as long as they can have children. You take a vow in sickness and in health. There’s no mention of children.” I set my fork down. My insides churned. The man before me was a good person, and he deserved more.

  He reached his arm across the table and opened his palm to me. Tentatively, I placed mine over his.

  “Thank you. I think I needed to hear you say that.”

  “Any time.”

  He stood and came around to my side of the table and pulled out the empty chair beside me. Before I could ask what he was doing, he sat down and lifted my chin. He pressed his lips to mine, soft and warm. His beard brushed my cheek, and I leaned closer. His breath tickled my ear.

  “I also needed that.” I pulled back enough to meet his gaze.

  “Any time,” I whispered.

  “Well, look who it is.” Poppy’s boisterous voice rose high above the restaurant noise. “Look at you two!”

  Gabe caught up with her and wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her into his side.

  “Hey, guys.” Logan didn’t make a move to change seats. He merely nodded to Gabe and draped an arm over the back of my chair. “I checked the conditions for tomorrow. Perfect. Should be zero turbulence. You still up for going?” I turned to Logan, knowing the question had to be meant for him.

  “Absolutely. What time?”

  “You want to say seven? Is that too early?”

  Logan looked to me, his warm hand sizzling under mine, and the temperature in the room heated.

  “Can we push it a little later? Would that mess you up?”

  “Nah, with the weather tomorrow, there’s no need to hit it early. Ten? Is that late enough? You know, we could fly over to Savannah. Grab a late lunch, then fly back. That might be a long day of it, though. Let me think about where. Maybe Hilton Head. I don’t know. I’d like some time in the air. I’ll figure it out. Want to meet at the marina?”

  “That works. We’re finishing up now, but would you guys like to join us for a drink?”

  Just as Gabe pulled out the empty chair beside Logan’s empty seat, Poppy intervened. “Maybe another night.” Gabe quickly pushed the chair back under the table. “We’ll let you finish up your date. How about you both come over tomorrow night? I mean, you know, if you’re going to be back from flying in time?” She squinted at the man to her right, questioning him.

  “We should be.”

  Logan looked to me and raised a singular dark, thick eyebrow.

  “Sounds good. Let me know what to bring,” I answered for us.

  After our friends departed for their own table, our server asked, “Can I interest you in dessert?”

  “I’m full.” I placed my palm over my stomach for emphasis.

  “Just the check, please.” His gaze remained locked on me, setting off a chain reaction of flurries.

  My BlackBerry vibrated in my handbag. I checked it as Logan signed the bill. Three missed calls. No doubt Erik wanted to continue our fight. Explain to me his logic. How important it was that he have eyes on me. How much danger I could be in. I turned the phone off. Tomorrow, I’d deal with my brother. For the rest of the night, I planned to enjoy my date, uninterrupted.

  We silently left the restaurant and climbed into the golf cart. Logan twisted the key. “Should I take you home? Or would you like to come back to my place for a nightcap?”

  “A nightcap? Do people still say that?”

  “I honestly don’t know. It’s been that long since I’ve dated.” I laughed. I wasn’t divorced, and I could almost say the same thing.

  “Maybe we could stop by my house to pick up Nym? We could share a drink and go for a walk?”

  If the request seemed odd, Logan never let on. He found my hand on the seat and slipped his fingers through mine, letting our joined hands rest on the seat between us. The warm night air breezed past us as he accelerated down the short road to my house.

  Once we arrived, I told him to sit tight, and I ran up the five steps to my front door. I opened the door, and Nym’s alert head poked through instantly. I re-tapped the alarm, picked up his leash, and locked the door once again. As I locked the deadbolt, light reflected on the lens hanging in the eaves above the front door. For the briefest of moments, I considered flipping the bird to my brother. But under Logan’s watchful eye, I refrained.

  I liked Logan. If I’d met him back when I was in college, his directness would’ve stood out as unique. Of course, back then, his younger self probably wasn’t nearly as direct. Still, at this point in our lives, we had a commonality. Someone we loved had hurt us. Both of us found ourselves far away from our homes because of that hurt. But Logan had continued, looking out for others, doing the right thing. He hadn’t talked to me about his time in the military or the police force, but I believed that, no matter what my brother might suspect or claim, the man beside me fought for good.

  Yes, turning my phone off equaled defiance on my part. A setting of boundaries that were long overdue. Surely, I could date Logan without him getting suspicious about a brother who lived in another country? A thread of guilt weaved within me, thinking of bringing potential risk to my brother. He, too, believed in his cause and believed he was working for the good of humanity. But more and more, it felt like I had somehow become a casualty of an irrational war.

  Tomorrow I planned to have a calm, rational discussion with that brother of mine. But tonight, Logan and I would cross a line that, had he had condoms, we would’ve already crossed.

  An energy coursed between us, heavy with anticipation. The warm breeze sent my hair flapping behind me. Logan’s beard brushed my ear as he leaned down, close to me, and with a hint of a smirk asked, “How long of a walk does Nym require?”

  “Not too long. But we can walk him later.” He flattened the accelerator.

  Chapter 14

  Logan

  * * *

  My body thrummed in anticipation as she entered through the back door of my home. The sheath dress she wore cupped the svelte curves of her ass. The top of the dress dipped low, revealing the smooth bronze skin of her back except for where her glistening black hair fell. I ached to run my fingers through the soft strands and to grip it just hard enough for intensity.

  “What would you like to drink?” I kicked off my shoes by the door as she floated down the hall.

  “Did you buy a dog bed?”

  “Yeah. I figured you might be over more, and Nym could use a bed when he’s here.”

  “That’s really…” Her voice trailed off, and I wondered if she thought I was overeager or pushing too hard. But, like I told her, I didn’t play games. She’d either like me or she wouldn’t. “So sweet.”

  I stepped up behind her and brushed her hair off her shoulder, laying a light kiss on the exposed skin. Goosebumps sprung up along her arms. As I kissed her, I explored. The curve of her hip, her flat, smooth stomach. I inched up the fabric of her dress, little by little, high above the lean, taut legs I ogled on the beach during her noon run. The thin strip of her silk panties easily stretched, and she gasped as I slipped a finger beneath the fabric. Her head rested on my shoulder, and the curves of her buttocks perfectly melded over my arousal.

  I toyed with her, pressing against her mound, circling the area I suspected would drive her crazy. She sighed and mimicked the movements of my hand with her hips, applying pressure to my very hard erection.

  “Cali, you are dripping.” I took her l
obe between my teeth and gently bit down, and she quivered against my hand.

  “I hope you went shopping.” Her breathing quickened, and I sped my fingers to keep time with her husky exhales. “For condoms.”

  That made me grin.

  I bent and scooped her up and carried her like a bride into my bedroom. Her feet hit against the doorframe, and for a split second, a memory of the same thing happening with Bethany and her white, silky heels flitted across. I shut the memory down. I’d always been a one-woman kind of guy. And I planned to focus on the one currently in my bedroom.

  She leaned back on her hands, and her thin silk dress pooled at her waist. I reached over to the drawer in my bedside table and placed a condom on the edge. Then I moved over the bed, running my hands along her thighs, loving the smooth feel of her skin. I slowed at her white silk panties and put a thumb under each side then pulled. She rose ever so slightly, allowing me to ease them off.

  Her dark eyes met mine, her lips in the softest of smiles, and my heart pumped double-time. After dropping the silk to the floor, I arched over her, with every intention of removing that dress. I wanted her naked, and I craved the taste of her breasts and the feel of them in my hands.

  She had other ideas. She pushed up onto her knees. Her fingers found my belt and tugged. My knees butted up against the bed as she roughly worked my pants open and down.

  Feeling more than a little ridiculous standing there with a shirt on and my dick sticking out at full mast, I helped her along. With determined speed, I undid my shirt buttons and shoved it off as she captured my gaze, her mouth inches from my aching cock.

  As my shirt hit the floor, her tongue caressed her lower lip. Everything slowed as I transfixed on the sexy as fuck vision on hands and knees before me. My lower back muscles tensed so completely, I worried I might release right then and there, before she even touched me.

  I roughly wrapped my fingers around my erection and stroked, aiming to gain some control. This was our first time, and we’d only get one first time. I kicked off my pants and reached for the hem of that dress, right as her tongue licked across the tip of my cock.

  “Fuuuck.” The wet warmth of her mouth surrounded the head, and the dress slipped out of my hand. I blinked to gain control and gently cupped the back of her head, careful to not apply pressure. My knees threatened to buckle. I focused on the ceiling. Her silky hair surrounded my fingers, and I scooped it back, away from her face. The hollows of her cheeks sucked in as she worked up and down my cock. Her fingers cupped my balls, and tightening sensations shot through me, from the pit of my stomach and down my spine. I pulled her off, and the suction broke with a pop.

  She looked up, eyes dark and doe-like, questioningly.

  “Baby, when I come tonight, I’m coming inside you.” I found that hem and tugged it up and over her head. She wore a white lace bra that wrapped around her like a band, or like a sinful bathing suit top. Her dark nipples peeked through lace, and I gently pushed her back onto the bed, eager to taste.

  I crawled along her legs, up the bed, making my way to her sacred apex. She spread her legs open for me, and just before dipping down, I told her, “And you’re coming, too.”

  My tongue slipped inside her center, and she gasped. Her reaction urged me on. Her hands knitted into my hair and tugged, directing me as I tasted her, my tongue working her nub as my fingers slid in and out of her delectable channel.

  “Right there, right there.” She tightened around my fingers as her chest lifted off the bed, curling forward. A sense of elation filled me.

  I grabbed the condom and quickly sheathed myself, eager to feel her around me. I positioned my body over hers, and her legs lifted, wrapping around my thighs, welcoming me. I paused, poised above her, and kissed her. Our tongues lashed against each other, and my hips pressed forward. She stretched around me, tight, warm, and better than I imagined. I pulled back and tenderly traced her cheek, slowing things down, even as our breaths raced ahead. Her hips lifted, and I sank deeper. She was plenty ready for me, but damn, the sensation robbed me of oxygen.

  “God, you feel good.” Her teeth grazed my shoulder, and her muscles tensed. “Am I hurting you?”

  “God, no.” Her nails raked down my back. She grabbed my ass and tugged.

  I inched forward, studying her facial expressions.

  “It feels so good. It’s just been a long time.”

  Fuck. It had been a long time for me, but I’d been preparing myself for this all week, jacking off in the shower, envisioning this very moment, aiming to ensure I lasted long enough to blow her mind.

  I pulled out, then pushed in, and fuck. Her muscles clenched around me. I stared at the headboard. She rocked her hips. I dipped my head and sucked on a nipple, still under the lace bra, then I yanked it down, revealing those perfect breasts.

  With each plunge forward, I dipped to take a nipple in my mouth, sucking and twirling. All sorts of little noises came out of her and those nails on my back stroked up and down until we found our rhythm together. I pounded against her, my skin slapping against hers. Over and over until she tightened around me, on the verge. She whimpered as I pulled out and turned her onto her side and entered her from behind. From this position, I could tease her clit while I gave her the pressure she craved. It didn’t take long with the combination of thrusting and working that sensitive bundle of nerves before she clenched around me and shuddered.

  I sucked in air and stared at the corner, refusing to go over the edge. I bent and kissed along her shoulder and cupped her breast. She rolled onto her back and pulled me forward, kissing me, as her legs wrapped around my torso. I fell forward against her and thrust deep. She felt fucking amazing.

  “I don’t know if I can again,” she gasped.

  “Oh. You can.” We transitioned to a slower rhythm, and our tongues followed along in a similar dance. As her breathing evened out, I lifted a leg, and lifted her ass, and watched. Captivated as her eyelids half closed, her mouth open, gasping in brief, ragged breaths. Her moans grew louder. Sweat dripped down my chest as I drove into her, watching her every sign, breathing deeply for control. My chest brushed against her chest, her pebble-hard nipples and the softness of her breasts in contrast to mine. Her nails sliced into me. She screamed. Her channel seized up, and I let her take me with her, releasing in a jarring, pulsing climax. I collapsed onto her, gasping for air.

  “Holy fuck,” she panted. It took me some time to catch my breath and to find the strength to lift myself off her.

  I finally rolled onto my back and climbed off the bed to take care of the condom. When I returned, I stacked pillows against the headboard and leaned back against them, then pulled her up against me, taking care to ensure she was nowhere near the wet spot. The layer of sweat lent itself to creating a chill in the air conditioning, and I tugged at the ends of the comforter, pulling it over us both. It occurred to me we might have stained my comforter, but I was more than okay with the sacrifice.

  With a hazy sense of satisfaction and elation, I settled into the vibration of her heartbeat pulsing next to mine.

  “Wow.” She said it low, as if she didn’t mean for me to hear, or wasn’t even conscious she said it, and a feeling of invincibility washed over me.

  “Well, it was our first time. I wanted to be sure you didn’t forget it.”

  “Trust me, I won’t.”

  I loved the feeling of her silky strands against my chest, covering me like a blanket. The tips of her fingers caressed my beard, then she tugged on it softly.

  “I like this.”

  “You do?”

  “I like the way it feels against my thighs.”

  “I’ll keep it, then.” I wondered if her ex, or other men she’d been with, had always been cleanshaven, but tonight I would not be asking about her ex. Besides, I’d been married before, too. I knew Bethany and I had had great moments, but they didn’t undercut what Cali and I experienced. And Bethany and I had been great together, until we weren’t. I had to
believe the same would be true for Cali and her ex.

  “When I first met you, you didn’t have a beard.”

  “No. I also had shorter hair. Military style.”

  “You’ve loosened up since you’ve been here.”

  “I suppose.” I wrapped a long strand of her hair around my finger, mesmerized by the contrast of her black hair against my skin.

  “Me too,” she said quietly.

  “If this is you relaxed, I’m curious about what a tense Cali is like.”

  She raised her head off my chest, and a wide smile graced her lips. “What do you mean by that?”

  “Cali, you have two deadbolts on your front door and an alarm. You run every single day at the exact same time. You live your life on a regimented schedule, and we live at the beach.” A regimented schedule and the beach life clashed.

  “Well, Nym does better on a schedule. And everyone should be secure. That’s smart.”

  She dipped forward and gave me a playful nip.

  I pinched her hip, and she squirmed. We both laughed in a lazy kind of way, and she settled back down on my chest.

  “Did you install that alarm, or was it there when you bought the house?”

  “I had it installed.”

  “Why? I mean, I’m not against it… Have you always been so security conscious?” I closed my eyelids, loving a naked Cali next to me.

  “No. I just think it’s smart,” she said with an unmistakable edge. I kissed her forehead.

  “Works for me. But if there’s a reason for it…” What? What did I think? She was scared of something? Someone? Everyone in Chicago had an alarm. Seattle was probably the same way.

  “I can get paranoid. I think it comes from living alone. But I feel like I haven’t been so worried lately. That maybe I am relaxing. Maybe it’s all in my head.” The smooth pads of her finger circled over my nipple. “You’re observant. Have you noticed a difference?”

  “Hmmm…since we’ve gotten to know each other, the biggest difference I see is that when you see me, you smile.”