****
Damn. Nate sighed. He’d tripped over another of her mysterious buttons. Even simple stuff was complicated with Kay. “Ah, okay.”
Kay glanced over her tense shoulder with defensive shadows in her blue eyes and her brows drawn into a pensive wrinkle. “We’ve always done it this way.”
“No biggie. I just was curious.” He kept his arm around her, stroking her belly, sneaking caresses up to her breasts. He wanted to kiss away that worried line. He needed to fix whatever put it there.
“Damn, it’s great to be here with you, babe,” he murmured, nipping again at her ear and tasting kisses down the curve of her neck to her shoulder, pleased as she settled and softened under his touch. That’s better. No problems here. “You taste so good.”
Tasted good, felt better. Being with Kay knocked the exhaustion right out of him better than any pick-me-up of caffeine. This had been the longest damn year away from her.
Her relaxed sigh broke into a laugh, and she set aside her champagne. “Hey, one of us better keep an eye on the fish or we’ll end up with cinders.”
Chuckling, he stole one more kiss before he released her. “Right. Fish. I’m on it. Have a seat and enjoy the champagne and I’ll get this fish served up.”
As he plated the filets, he savored the simple, perfect pleasure of watching Kay. Sunshine lit the gold and red flyaway wisps escaping her neatly braided light brown hair. He loved that yellow polka-dot bikini on her. He’d nearly swallowed his tongue when she’d risen from the water topless, water dripping from her pale and lovely freckled skin, her breasts tight and tempting.
Kay’s blue eyes flicked up to him as she sipped her champagne. She licked a droplet from her lips with a quick pink touch of her tongue, followed by a thoughtful nibble at her lower lip.
Desire curled through his belly. Maybe he shouldn’t have let her pry loose to make lunch after that kiss.
Yeah, but his obnoxious grumbling stomach had kind of broken the moment, and Kay had needed to regroup after his unexpected arrival.
But was it his fault she camped in wilderness areas without cell service and hadn’t gotten the message from George?
“Here you go. One blue-plate bluegill special.” He set the blue-and-white Melamine plates on the table.
She’d likely be further upset with him for holding back the rest of his surprise—that the gang was over at Spider Camp—but yeah, he was being completely greedy and unwilling to share her attentions just yet.
Her smile reemerged. “Perfect.”
“Yeah, thanks to you. Caught them in time.” He took his seat and topped off her glass and his. The surprise of the champagne and the fancy crystal glasses had gone over well. Damn, but he loved making her smile.
“So, tell me everything.” She drizzled honey onto her biscuit. “Why’s the Whisper over at Spider Camp? Last I heard from you, you weren’t getting back to the States until October.”
“My less than shining effort at a surprise. It seemed brilliant at the time.” He winked. “Can I plead sleep deprivation as an excuse?”
Honestly? On mental autopilot, he’d anchored with the others, grabbed his picnic bag and backpack, and charged on over. Bringing the Whisper over to Kay’s camp would have been the sensible thing.
“Well…since you caught lunch.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Now tell me, what happened to the New Guinea trip? You were all excited about that project.”
“Schmidt cancelled at the last minute, but Cane still wanted Schmidt, so after much arguing, name-calling, snitting, and making up, they’re looking at next year now.”
Instead of frustration at the whole debacle between his two prima-donna friends, he’d simply felt relief. Then, while he’d been cooling his heels in Auckland waiting on Cane’s final word on the trip, idly browsing the Web, playing what if and kicking himself over the wasted time, realization had struck. He’d been wasting time in more ways than one. Time to go home.
“Are you going to join them?”
He’d wished Cane aloha and good luck and started the crazed flurry of phone calls, e-mails, negotiations, plane flights, and caffeine-fueled driving that brought him where he needed to be: with Kay.
He smiled. Damn, he was pretty secure about most decisions in his life, but this next step was the big one. “No, I’ve got new plans.”
Hoping he wasn’t sounding like a complete idiot, he rambled on about the shoots in Australia and everything and anything light and easy he could scramble up to spill out over the meal, avoiding—uh, make that saving—the explanation of why he was here and what he had in mind until the right moment.
He was done with the endless traveling. He was more than done with holding back his heart. Kay had always been more than a summer fling, and this year he’d come to finally claim her—and her wary heart.
As for exactly how, well, he hadn’t settled on the answer beyond following his heart. That all depended on Kay and trusting his gut. He smiled at the quick neon image of Las Vegas and its games of chance—an easy ninety-minute drive north from the marina.
He wasn’t a gambling man, but trusting his gut had never let him down before.
Whatever rubbish he’d been blurting out while they ate was working. She began sharing bits of her summer travels, sights she’d seen, and work she’d accomplished. Gradually, the sensual, happy warmth he longed to see edged the last anxious nerves from her blue eyes, and desire bloomed.
Everyone else might buy the artistic free-spirit act Kay carried off with aplomb, but at her core, his Kay was all plans, order, and routine. Heck, one glance at her tidy camp proved her organized mind in an instant.
His Kay. He took a long swallow of champagne. The clean, fresh taste of her fair, freckled skin, her generous mouth, her slim, strong body wet and cool against him flooded his mind. Be patient.
He watched her mouth close on a bite of fish, slide along the fork.
His hard-on ached and he shifted in the chair.
Kay blushed, but mirth gleamed in her eyes as she sipped from her glass.
Don’t push. Or should he? Oh, hell. Patience was a lost cause. It had been a long, long year. He’d been half-hard since landing at LAX, and now with her here…
Be patient. Every reunion was this way, both of them wanting, desperate for each other when they got within reach, but Kay needing to close the space between them first.
Yeah, Kay made him freaking nuts, but damn, she was worth the wait. When her reserve fell away, her blue eyes softened, and she made her move to him, she was every fantasy, every hope he’d ever had.
Kay set aside her knife and fork on her cleaned plate and stretched comfortably in her chair. “That was delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.” He leaned over, meaning to take a quick kiss, but slowed and strayed his lips over hers. “Want some dessert?” Or we could just kiss. Yeah, this was good.
“I have oatmeal raisin cookies. I could make coffee.”
“We’ve got something better. Hang on a moment.” He dug around in the picnic bag and retrieved the container buried in the ice. “For dessert…one well-traveled lemon meringue slice from Mira’s Diner.”
Kay’s delighted laugh was the best thanks. Oh, yeah, Kay with joy in her eyes was like sunrise, Easter, and Christmas all rolled together.
Scooping a forkful, he teased the serving a few inches from her mouth. “Indulge me and shut your eyes. This is an experience.”
Giggling softly, Kay obeyed.
“Open up.”
Her lips parted and he slipped the portion of flaky pastry, creamy lemon custard, and sweet meringue into her mouth. She closed her lips over the fork, slowly drawing off the bite.
His body tightened, and he had no choice but to kiss those soft, pursed lips.
“Mmm.” Her eyes flew wide. “Oh, wow, that’s amazing. Best ever. From a diner?”
Most diner lemon pies he’d encountered were a mountain of rubbery meringue over gluey canned filling a
nd bland crust. Not this one. “Don’t tell anyone, but I swear it’s better than my mom’s.”
He stole more kisses between shared bites of the sweet-tart dessert.
Pie and champagne finished, washing the dishes progressed to leisurely swimming in the refreshing lake water. Swimming led to lighthearted play and promising touches, a sensual game of tag and kiss, teasing quick and slower, sweeter kisses, and slick, cool embraces, all laced through with laughter.
Nate caught her one more time, scooping her up in his arms. Her laughter pealed.
This was exactly where he wanted to be. Kay was his, and he wasn’t letting her go again.
Now, God help him, he just needed to convince her of the same.
Chapter Two
Nate’s commanding embrace jolted desire through Kay. Talk about a turn-around of a day. No more settling for a daydream.
He grinned smugly, his eyes darkening with need, but ever laid-back, Nate was letting her set the pace.
She combed her fingers through his hair and brushed the dripping locks off his forehead. The curl to his hair was a surprise. She’d never guessed. He must not have had a single trim since she’d seen him last.
“What’s with this new shaggy look?” More than a different look, the new hairstyle added an indefinable element to the man she knew. Unsettling. She refocused on her happiness and caught his face between her hands, grazing her thumbs along the sides of his wet beard. The style left his cheeks and most of his jaw clean, which pleased her, although they hadn’t seen a razor yet today. “I can’t make up my mind whether the beard makes you look more like a pirate or a professor.”
“A professor?” Mock outrage filled his voice, and his eyes sparkled with good humor. “Arr. Ye be in the hands of a most desperate pirate.” The corner of his mouth quirked up, holding back laughter, and his smile crinkled his eyes in the nicest way. “It was just time for a change.”
“But I am desperate…” He let her slide down his body, slowing over his erection. “For you.” With a hungry groan, he took her mouth in a wholehearted kiss. He cupped her rear in his hands, holding her close.
Keeping one hand laced into the wet, silky curls at his nape, Kay gripped his hip, soaking in the rush of need, the delightful ride and caress of their bodies against each other. A heady mix of anticipation, relief, and happiness washed away the last of her hesitation.
“Damn, I missed you, babe,” he said against her lips between kisses.
“Missed you, too.” She hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but it was true, more even than she’d admitted to herself in her blue funk earlier. She’d missed his company, missed his good cheer, missed his body. Missed him. She arched against him, savoring the skin-on-skin contact and the press of his eager erection against her. “I need you.”
His gaze grew hot and his satisfied smile shot her racing pulse into overdrive. “I’m all yours.” He lifted her, nudging her to wrap her legs around him.
She held on tight as he carried her onshore, both of them laughing between the kisses that made forward progress erratic.
Nate set her on her feet in the shade of the tarpaulin and trees. They broke the kiss, and he let go long enough to grab the beach blanket hanging on the line and spread it in the shade.
He held out his hand.
Nervous excitement shivered over her. They knew each other so well, but they’d been apart so long. She placed her hand in his and let him tug her close.
After a tender kiss, Nate released her braid and combed his fingers through the wet strands. Raining kisses over her throat, he slid her bikini strap from her shoulder and freed one breast from its scrap of a cup. He closed his mouth over her nipple, softly teasing and suckling until she was whimpering with pleasure. They swayed and rocked body to body like slow dancing to silent music.
She trailed her fingers over him, searching out the sensitive places along his back and sides, enjoying the shivers and ripples in his muscles and the buck of his erection against her belly.
They played, exploring all they had missed since last July, kissing, petting and stroking until they had stripped their bathing suits from each other and tumbled in abandon to the beach blanket.
He rolled away for a moment and retrieved a condom from his backpack.
She reached for the packet to hurry and sheath him.
Nate halted her, his eyes hungry and serious. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a year. I’ve got all sorts of fantasies, and we’ve got all afternoon.” He grinned and set the condom aside close to hand. “I love your freckles.” Scattering kisses over her, the brush of his beard and mustache raised shivers as he followed freckles over her shoulder, breast, belly, thighs, and back to her lips.
She wrapped her hand around his hard, hot shaft, savoring his pleased groan.
“Oh, yeah, babe.” He rolled to his back, giving a lazy, encouraging stroke into her hand.
She’d missed this too much. Missed him too much. She slid lower, scattering kisses along his chest and tight belly, his familiar scent and taste both soothing and amping her own arousal. A teasing kiss and nibble sent him arching off the blanket. With a slow, thorough kiss, she took him in her mouth.
Much too soon, he stopped her with a rueful, panting laugh. “Not now. Too good. Won’t last.” He tumbled her over and seized her lips in a deep, hard kiss.
He caressed his hand over her mound, tenderly stroking a slow finger down the center of her where she was slick and ready for him, adding stroke upon stroke, the sensation exquisite. She gasped and arched for more. He leaned over her, devouring her mouth in a luscious kiss as he caressed her, in and out, teasing and circling, his tongue and fingers playing in the same maddening rhythm, driving her higher and keeping her pent at the edge.
He pulled away and his mouth replaced his fingers, licking and suckling, and launched her shivering and crying into a sharp, shocking climax.
His kiss gentled and soothed through each delightful aftershock, tangling her between more hunger and pure bliss.
“Now, Nate.”
He just grinned up at her and continued driving her wild with hands and mouth and sweet words, until she came again, the pleasure leaving her limp, laughing and needing him filling her now. Why did he have to be so stubbornly considerate?
“I adore what you do to me, but please.”
Satisfied laughter rumbled from him, the rich, deep tone vibrating through her, and he sat back on his heels. His eyes locked on her, he sheathed himself with teasing deliberation.
Then he was over her, spreading her knees, the hard heat of him pressing at her core.
Oh, finally. She arched her hips to meet him.
He caught her wrists. His lips twitched with teasing humor. “In a hurry, huh?” Taking her mouth in an ardent, deep kiss, he eased in, enough to tantalize and tempt, and then drew back.
She whimpered and writhed, trying to take in all of him, urging him to plunge in and take her hard and fast, and end this restless yearning.
He sank in again, deeper this time, stretching and filling her, the sensation perfect, and withdrew.
“Nate, please. Now!”
He thrust fully in, groaning, “Ah, Kay, so good.” He set up a slow, delicious stroking, kissing and licking, keeping her gently pinned and sweetly forcing her to take the pleasure he was drowning her in. The muscles in his shoulders working, bunching. His whole body beautiful in motion.
She had to shut her eyes against the whirlpool of sensation, narrow her focus to touch.
“Come on, babe, let me see how high you can fly again.” He shifted his thrusts, leisurely rotating his hips, and the change in rhythm magnified the shimmering edges flooding her. “Come on, babe. Damn, you’re so beautiful. Open your eyes. Look at me. Look at me.”
“Nate, I need—” She opened her eyes, too filled with wild sensation to find her words.
Passion burned in his face. No more professor look in his taut features, wet with sweat trickling down his temple, or in those
gray eyes, now deep and tense and locked on her. He was all pirate, plundering her.
“What do you need? Tell me.” His voice sawed hoarsely as he fought for his own breath.
She needed him, and something more than she could gather the words to say.
She clawed her fingers into the blanket, arching and meeting his every thrust, clenching her muscles futilely against his withdrawal, gasping at his return. “Nate!”
****
Hell, yeah, this was good. Nate was right where he needed to be after the longest damned year ever of missing her. Kay was beautiful in her passion, reaching, straining her hips to meet him, straining to take him ever deeper. So tight. Hot.
“Nate, let me, let me…”
He loved making her so breathlessly speechless. Good. He backed off, gentling his thrusts. Not easy, with his mind flying on the intoxicating mix of love and lust, but he hadn’t waited for a year to let her, or himself, off easy with a fast tumble. No way. He’d tie a knot in it first.
She whimpered and gave a frustrated, delighted laugh. “Oh…Nate.”
“Look at you, babe. You’re so damn beautiful.” He drank in the sight of her stretched out beneath him in the dappled shade, perfection in cream and blush, her freckles like gold dust. He slowed his body to a sensual, liquid pull and glide, fighting the urge go off in a blaze. Slow, yeah. Oh, yeah. Way better.
They had all the time in the world. Slow and easy and sweet as honey. Her body perfect around his. Her hands against his skin, heaven.
He freed her wrists and cupped her face, caressing his fingers over her cheeks, loving how her eyes fluttered closed as she smiled and sighed. Loving how blonde tipped her brown lashes and brows and caught the light. Loving the one dimple in her left cheek as she smiled. The heat of the day had dried her hair, and the silky caramel waves spread in abandon over the green of the beach blanket.
“Have I said how much I missed you? I’ve been dreaming of this, but nothing in my dreams is as good as being here with you, as loving you. Tell me, what do you need? Did you dream? Did you miss this, us, together? Like this, babe?”
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