Colin held on tight to the wiggling fish and laughed. “Like I showed you, just hold it. The hook is out. Why you insist on throwing yours back in is beyond me. A guy’s got to eat and you want to throw away his dinner.”
Full of pride, she stood on the grassy bank of the pond and slipped her finger inside the fish’s mouth and tugged. Colin pulled the hook and Lea swiftly tossed the flailing fish back into the pond.
His chest heaved with laughter. “Every time, baby. You’ve caught three and you get all creeped out every time you have to throw it back in.”
Her breathes see-sawed from the excitement. “I know, but it’s weird.”
The sun reached halfway to the horizon when he said, “Come here.” He lay on his back on the blanket and patted the empty space beside him. “I need to touch you.”
God, the way he was so blunt made her skin feel prickly all over. As soon as she cuddled up to his warm body, she ran her hand over the smooth skin stretched over his chest. “You got a lot of sun today.”
He slipped his finger over her cheek. “So did you. I think”—he slid his finger down and dipped the edge of her swimsuit top—“you need to show me your tan lines.”
She’d never been one to feel insecure about her ample figure, but Colin’s constant affection made her confidence meter rise one hundred points. She stood up and shimmied out of the one-piece suit. “See them?” she asked and gradually turned around so he could see every curve.
He ran his fingers along her calf and said, “Not really. I think you need to come closer.”
“Oh yeah?” She bent down to crawl over his narrow hips. “Close enough?”
He gently fisted her ponytail and pulled her in for a quick kiss. “Nope. Closer.”
She sat on his thighs and unfastened his cargo shorts. Several tugs and she tossed them onto the grass. “See them now?”
“Getting better, but still fuzzy.” He wrapped his hand around the hard length between his strong thighs. His cock twitched and a clear bead of liquid appeared at the little slit on the smooth head. Her pussy leaked, but she didn’t care. Colin’s words, his gorgeous body, the way he made her feel like the only woman in the world made her skin quiver to be touched.
“Maybe,” he said, pulling his fist up and smearing the clear liquid, making the broad head slick, “you should sit on my lap. I think I could see them then.”
She couldn’t take her eyes off his hand as she straddled his waist. “I think that’s a good idea.” He positioned his cock at her opening and she sat down, filling her pussy with his thickness.
He raised his hips at the same time he laid his head back. “Jesus Christ, Lea, you’re so fucking tight every time.”
She splayed her fingers on his powerful chest and stilled her hips. “You’re so big every time.”
When he opened his eyes, she expected him to say something snarky or sexy, hell even funny, but he didn’t. “I love you. Lea.”
This was her biggest fear and hope in the same sentence. She was broken. Broke right the hell down because no man had ever said it to her like that, like his life depended on it.
“Don’t look at me like that. You heard me,” he said and leaned up, cradling her hips in his lap. When his hand spanned the back of her skull, she was still so drunk on his words she didn’t move. His other hand gripped her hip, making her feel sheltered in a muscular cocoon. “Everything’s okay, Lea, just move for me. Let me feel you against me.”
She should’ve panicked, stood up, and run behind a tree, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t run away because no matter where she went, she felt the same. She needed his strength. The pulse in his cock radiated through her pussy, forcing the frantic cadence of her heart to race not from panic but from passion.
He tenderly pressed on the back of her head, laying her cheek in the crook of his neck. This moment could last forever—couldn’t it? “Colin...”she whispered, hoping the way he started to thrust his hips wasn’t a dream, the way he filled her body was real.
He nibbled on the shell of her ear, sending tiny shivers through her neck. “Yes, baby?”
“Me, too,” she whispered.
Had she ever been hugged so hard? She couldn’t recall in all her life ever feeling so cherished. “I know, baby. I know.”
Lea thought her nerves would take over after they’d made love and the reality of what they’d said would sink it, but that never happened. They laughed and played in the water. Colin left the fish he caught floating in some metal contraption in the water. Even Charlie lay on the blanket enjoying a new bone.
The day was perfect and to end their lazy afternoon Colin surprised her with another treat. “What sounds good?” he asked as he pulled the truck onto the gravel parking lot at the Dairy Shack. “I think Charlie wants a vanilla cone.” The dog perked her bat-like ears when he said her name.
“I bet she does.” Lea was happy—really happy and somehow Colin knew how to make their wonderful afternoon special. He knew she’d be uneasy about what they’d shared and this was his way of making everything okay. “I’m going to try something new.”
Colin held onto Charlie’s leash as he opened the truck door. “Like, maybe, tie me up or I could pour marshmallow cream all over your tits and go to town. Do you mean new like that? Wait, did you mean the ice cream?” She felt like they were really dating when he glanced over and winked. Forgetting about the age difference between them was easy when he treated her like his woman. They were two people in love. A concept so simple. Wasn’t it?
“I meant the ice cream!”
“But you have to admit the marshmallow cream is a killer idea.”
She grinned with the sexy thought. “Yes, it is.”
They walked up to the outdoor counter, Colin’s one hand twined with hers and the other holding onto Charlie’s leash. The girl behind the counter beamed a smile with eyes roaming up and down Colin’s naked chest. Lea should’ve been offended, but if she were the girl, she would’ve done the same thing.
He released Lea’s hand to rest his on his lean hips and study the menu. “I’ll give you two a minute,” the young woman said and stepped over to help the little girl standing beside Lea.
Colin leaned over. “Vanilla with peanuts?”
Lea decided she wanted something different. She realized new things could be exciting. “No, I think I want a root beer float.”
Colin laughed, running his hand over his shirtless torso. “Wow, you’re really going out on a limb.” He cradled her cheek and pressed a kiss on her lips. She whimpered when Colin slid his tongue past her teeth. “You taste good, baby, like sweet tea.”
“Are you guys ready?” When they looked toward the counter, not only was the one girl standing there, but two more had appeared. Apparently, Colin’s body was audience worthy.
All three giggled when Colin rested his palms on the counter. “We’ll have a medium root beer float, a small vanilla cone, and a large chocolate thunder brownie milkshake.”
Where in the hell he stored the calories was beyond her. Two of the girls scampered over to the ice cream machine where Lea heard the thinner girl say, “See, I told you. If a guy who looks like that can like a woman with meat on her bones then Travis can like you, too. Not all guys like sticks and bones, Jessica.”
When Lea caught sight of the young woman with said meat on her bones, she grinned from ear to ear. “What are you smiling about?”
“Nothing, I’m just happy.” She wrapped her arm around the back of his waist and played with the loose edge of his shorts. The way his pants always hung low on his hips made her want to get on her knees and worship his cock. Damn, no man had ever gotten to her like this.
“Well,” he said running his fingers through her ponytail. “I’m happy, too.”
The three girls appeared at the counter again, smiles and giggles intact, and handed over their treats. As they turned to walk away, Colin looked over his shoulder at the full-figured girl and winked. Lea could’ve kissed him all over for it, but
instead gave him a hard time. “Geeze...flirt much?”
He opened the truck door on her side. “What? She flirted first.” He shut the door then went around to help Charlie into the cab. “Besides, she had a nice figure.” A mischievous grin parted his lips. “Men appreciate a woman with a nice rack.”
“Colin!”
The truck hummed to life as he took a sip from the milkshake, “Don’t act like girls don’t check out a guy’s shorts. I thought Rachel was going to crawl over that damn bike at the gym. I was trying to get you turned on and she ogled me instead.”
Lea rolled her eyes and let Charlie take another lick from the cone. “I was turned on!”
Colin smirked. “So was she.”
Lea laughed, knowing the truth. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Bottom line,” he said while watching the road. “You’re all I want and I love looking at your body.”
“You do realize I turn forty in six months, right? I may not be insecure, but I’m realistic. I’m not twenty-one anymore.”
Colin didn’t flinch. “No, you’re not, and I love how your breasts fill my entire hand when I squeeze them and how your hips fit perfectly against me when I’m fucking you. Does that convince you I don’t give a shit that you’re not twenty-one?”
Lea wasn’t sure how to feel about the way he looked at her. He wasn’t upset, but the tone of his voice let her know he wasn’t playing around. He liked her body. The fact she’d earned her curves and shape over time appealed to him. He wasn’t shy about telling her anything anymore and apparently from the way she’d told him she loved him, she wasn’t afraid either.
*****
“Give it to me, Colin!”
Colin kept the spatula raised above his head. “What are you going to do if I don’t give it back?” She went up on her tiptoes then smacked his stomach. The tap felt like a wisp to him, but from the way she shook her hand, it’d been a sting to her. “Oh, now she’s getting violent. I told you to go relax and I’d finish dinner.” When she swung again, he dodged her fist and laughed. “Ma’am, it’s a serious offense to strike an officer. I think I’m going to have to take you downtown.”
“Colin! Fine!” She whipped around to head to the counter. “I’ll just get—”
The way her ass swayed toward the utensil drawer made his dick jump to attention. “Hey, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”
She snapped up straight with a wooden spoon in her hand. “Just because you have your uniform on doesn’t give you the right to mess with me. I’m tired, Colin, and you—”
He wasn’t an idiot; he could see she was worn out. He’d kept her up half the night making love. “Come here.” He eased toward her, unbuckling the thick leather belt around his waist. He set the belt on the counter then made quick time of pulling her round hips against his body.
The day had been hell and all he wanted was to hear his baby laugh and feel her warm body in his arms. She didn’t protest when he slid his hands under her ass and lifted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on while he planted her on the counter.
“Colin,” she said with a whimper. “I missed you today.”
He took the spoon from her hand. “I missed you, too. I’m sorry I kept you up last night. We can sleep tonight, okay?” The feel of her silky hair sliding through his fingers made him want to go slow, to let her know he cared about how she felt.
They hadn’t repeated what they’d said by the lake, but the sense they both knew it hadn’t been a dream rested between them. They didn’t have to say they loved each other. They proved it by the way they made love, the way they couldn’t wait to get home to each other.
She nodded then ran her hands over his shoulders. He watched as she unbuttoned his shirt and freed his arms. His undershirt followed and she didn’t hesitate to pull that over his head. Her sweet smile was such a contrast to the naughty gleam in her bright eyes. He eased his hips between her knees. She tightened her thighs and leaned forward, sliding her tongue between his lips. He loved when she took what she needed as if he was there only for her pleasure.
When he tilted his head, he felt her palm wrap around his dick. “I want this. I don’t care if dinner burns.”
“Fuck,” he growled and pressed against her massaging touch. He gripped the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head. “I want to suck on these. I can see your nipples through your bra. Can I fuck you between your tits? I want to feel them all over my cock.” She moaned and reached behind her back. Thank God the silky fabric fell before he had to rip the damn thing off. The twin mounds fell into place as he rolled one tight nipple between his thumb and finger.
If he didn’t get inside her soon, he was going to blow all over her leg. “Lay back. I’m going to make you come so hard, baby.”
“Jesus! Jesus! Oh God!” Lea startled and leaned up, covering her naked breasts with her arms. “Colin! Holy God! Lea!” Stacey yelled from the kitchen doorway. “No... No... No. I’m not seeing this.”
His first instinct was to protect Lea’s dignity. He pulled her close to his chest. “Mom, calm down. It’s okay.”
“Okay?” Stacey roared. “Okay, Colin? Okay that my best friend is topless and you’re saying…saying…for God’s sake, saying that to her! You can’t even look at me can you, Lea? He’s almost half your age! He’s my son!”
Colin’s heart clenched when he felt Lea’s chest heave. Hell, she clung so tightly to him, he could feel her heart beating in her chest. “Mom, go home and we’ll call you tomorrow.”
“I never—I never thought—you, Lea? You’re my best friend. Does Rachel know?”
Colin felt Lea shake her head. “No, Mom, she doesn’t. No one but Dad.”
That fueled a fire he hadn’t intended. “What! Your dad knows and said this whole arrangement is okay? Well it’s not, Colin. What kind of future can you two have, or is this just about sex?”
Colin did everything he could to keep Lea calm and get his mom out of the house without exploding. “Mom, go home. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Don’t bother, Colin. Obviously, you two have”— she waved her hand at the counter—“unfinished business you need to get back to. And, Lea, don’t bother calling me either. Doing this is one thing, but doing it behind my back is...well, it’s—I’m going home.”
The front door slammed and Colin felt Lea’s body jump with the thud. “Baby?” He lifted her chin so he could assess the damage. Her cherry colored cheeks glistened. “I’ll fix this. I promise I’ll get everything straightened out tomorrow.”
She weakly pushed his chest and slipped off the counter. “She’s right,” she said, walking back to the stove. “I’m almost twice your age. What were we thinking?”
Colin didn’t want to hear any of this. “No, Lea, I’m a grown ass man and you’re a beautiful woman. This is about us not anyone else. And, you’re not half my Goddamn age.”
After she turned off the knobs on the stove, she grabbed her shirt and covered her chest. “And what happens when you find that woman who can give you what you need? I can’t be twenty-four again, Colin. I like my age. I like where I’m at in my life.”
Had she not felt the same things he’d been experiencing? “Bullshit, Lea. You like the excitement, the passion, the way we touch each other. You like the way it feels when you see a text from me as much as I like seeing one from you. Don’t run from what this. People in a relationship take on the world together. We can do this. My mom will eventually understand.”
“Then what, Colin? We start something and every time we get around your mom there’s tension? I can’t come in between the two of you like that. I can’t hurt her any more than I already have.”
Colin wanted to shake the woman, to make her see the feelings they shared were the only things that mattered. His mom, Lea’s fears, weren’t justified enough to end the best thing that had ever happened to him. “She’ll deal with us—this. She’d have no choice, Lea. We’re a package deal. You and I’ve started something spe
cial and I have no intention of ending it like this.”
She dipped her head then looked up, uncertainty and sadness painting her pretty face. “What about our future? What happens when you want to have kids, marriage? You’re going to realize this can never work. You need someone your own age, someone to grow with you. I’m done with establishing my life. I’ve reached a point where I’m content.”
Colin knew she was copping out, letting her uncertainty win. “That’s not true and you know it. Your body, the way it comes alive when I touch you, tells me the truth. You can’t deny the passion between us. We can have kids together. If something goes wrong we can adopt. We can get married. We can have all of that.”
“You can’t keep pretending the age difference doesn’t matter.”
Colin had to prove to her that shit meant nothing to him. He took several steps and had her in his arms before she could protest. “This,” he growled and gripped her waist, unable to resist the urge to feel her body against him, “is real. We can’t worry about the future when we love each other today. The rest of the stuff will fall into place. You’ll see.”
When he felt her pull away, his heart sank.
“I can’t do this. I’m sorry, Colin. I want you to move out. You can take your time packing your things, but I think we shouldn’t talk anymore. If I have any hope of mending things with your mom, I have to stay away. At the very least I owe her that much respect.”
“Lea, listen to what you’re saying. You’re willing to throw this away, what we’ve shared, for a friendship? I know how important my mom is to you, but please see this from my point of view. I can fix this. Please give me the chance.”
Lea took a deep breath. “How did your dad find out about us?”
Colin leaned against the wall, trying to keep from pulling the shirt away from her chest. “He guessed...well, he heard me fucking you by the pool.”
Lea threw a hand up in the air. “Great! Now they think I’m a whore!”
Colin shook his head. “No they don’t. You’re a passionate woman, Lea. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Will you please let me hold you?”
In His Bed Page 9