“Bears?” Callie stepped closer to him with a panicked look in her eyes.
He cataloged that reaction for later. Not that he’d need a ruse to get closer to Callie, but he was trying to remember all the things she was afraid of.
“We are in the Colorado Mountains, Cal,” Christine reminded her.
Wes touched Callie’s arm and felt a zing of electricity course between them. “We don’t worry about bears. Keep a clean camp, keep Sweets around, and we’ll be fine. They won’t bother us if we don’t bother them.”
“Unless they’re superhungry,” Kathie said. “Then we might look like a tasty meal.”
“Kathie!” Bonnie shook her head. “Callie, if they had trouble with bears, do you really think they’d do these camping trips? Tell her, Wes.”
“Tell her you do and she’ll end up in your tent tonight.” Christine raised her eyebrows in quick succession, causing Callie’s cheeks to heat up.
“Christine.” Callie glared at her.
“Okay, fine. I’m kidding.” Christine poked at the fire with a stick. “Sort of.”
Wes laughed. “I swear you guys act like sisters. Don’t worry, Cal. Bears aren’t going to bother us.” He was tempted to whisper, But you can still share my tent.
She nodded, but her eyes were now shadowed with worry. Without concern about her friends, who clearly knew everything there was to know about them, he draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Relax, okay? Just take a deep breath and let’s enjoy the evening.”
She pressed her palm to his stomach. “Okay.”
Holy Christ. How many more hours until your friends are asleep?
They ate dinner around the campfire, and Sweets enjoyed the scraps of meat tossed her way. The margaritas were cold, the meal was tasty, and the stars shone like diamonds against the black sky. With Callie by his side, the cool breeze, and the sounds of the forest surrounding them, Wes couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be.
“Tell us the truth, Wes. Do you ever get tired of taking these trips?” Bonnie sat between Kathie and Christine, leaning her elbows on her knees, holding her drink in both hands.
“You’re married, right, Bonnie?”
“Yeah, the three of us are.” She pointed to the others. “Why?”
“Well, do you ever get tired of coming home to your husband?” He watched Christine’s eyes light up and knew she had a joke on the tip of her tongue.
“Nope,” Bonnie said. “I love everything about Mark, from his stinky feet to his anal need to keep things orderly.”
“You just love his anal needs,” Christine teased.
They all laughed.
“Sorry. I couldn’t help it.” Christine took a drink of her margarita. “So you love it. What about when you’re not on trips? You live in Trusty, right? Do you miss being here when you’re there?”
Wes reached an arm around Callie. “Not on Thursdays.”
That earned him a collective Aw from her friends.
“What about you guys? What do you do for a living? And do you like what you do?”
“I’m a writer, and yeah, I like it too much.” Kathie gazed into the fire. “I think I need a twelve-step program.”
“Oh, come on. You’re not that bad,” Bonnie said.
Kathie glanced up at her. “Yeah, I am. That’s one reason I didn’t bring my laptop on the trip. It’s like an obsession. I think sometimes Paul feels slighted by the attention I give my writing.”
“Aw, Kath.” Callie tilted her head. “I’m sure Paul doesn’t feel slighted. He adores you, and he knows how important your career is.”
“Yeah, he does, but still.” Kathie took a long drink. “I think I’ll plan a trip away like this with Paul. He’d love it.”
Christine put an arm around Kathie. “Why don’t you plan something more extravagant? Pamper him a little.”
“Not that I know much about this, Kathie, but have you thought about defining the hours that you write, like when he’s at work? I know it’s hard when your work is there with you every second, but maybe treat it more like a job and less like something you love?” Callie shook her head. “That sounded horrible. Less like something you love? Everyone should love their job.”
Wes set his drink down and held Callie’s hand. He loved her thought process. “You know, from a guy’s perspective, I think it’s great that you love your job so much, and I have no idea what Paul is like, but I know with my job, and with most of my siblings’ jobs, if we don’t draw a line, we could easily have no life at all. Sometimes you have to create your own boundaries.”
“What do your siblings do?” Callie asked. “For that matter, how many do you have?”
“Five.” He waited for the typical wide-eyed response.
“Five?” Callie’s eyes widened.
And there it is. “Yup.”
“Do they live near you?” Callie asked. “I’m an only child. I can only imagine how great it would be to have a big family.”
“Yeah, most of them do. My oldest brother, Pierce, owns casinos and travels a lot, and my third older brother, Jake—he’s almost two years older than me—he’s a stuntman in L.A. The others live in Trusty. Ross is a vet, Emily is an architect, as I mentioned the other day, and Luke, the youngest, owns a ranch and breeds gypsy horses.”
“Hold on.” Christine held her palms up. “You have a brother who’s a stuntman? Like jump-off-cliffs and tumble-over-moving-cars stuntman?”
“Like all those things and more.” He was proud of his family, and he’d be just as proud if they didn’t have such well-respected careers.
“What about your parents?” Kathie asked.
Wes finished his drink. “My mom lives in Trusty. My dad took off when I was three.” He shrugged.
“I’m sorry,” Kathie said.
Callie squeezed his hand. “That’s awful. I’m so sorry.” She scooted closer to him.
“It’s not awful. Really. My mom is amazing, and my brothers and sister and I are close. I don’t think you can miss someone you never really knew.” He looked up at Kathie, who was watching him intently. “But you can miss someone you know and love.”
Kathie nodded.
“So, Kathie, you’re a writer. Bonnie, you must be a photographer.”
Bonnie had her camera up to her eye, and when Wes looked over, the flash blinded him. “Yup. Nature and wedding photog.”
“She’s amazing.” Callie put her cheek next to Wes’s. “Take our picture.”
Wes was still seeing spots from the first picture when Bonnie snapped a few more. He kissed Callie, and through closed lids he saw the flash light up.
“I get dibs on copies of those pictures,” he said to Bonnie.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Bonnie answered.
“And, Christine, you’re obviously a comedian.”
Christine drew her barely there brows together. “What? Why would you think that? I’m a serious person.” She slapped her thigh. “A real taskmaster.” She turned and shouted, “Hubby, put those chaps on. Brown boots, Stetson too, and get that cute little ass of yours in the bedroom.”
Sweets sat up and howled.
“Come here, Sweets.” He patted his thigh, and Sweets came to his side. “It’s okay.” He patted her back. “So how did you get into comedy? Do you do stand-up or…?”
“I sort of fell into it. I was a pharmacist and I used to make jokes a lot, you know, just passing the time. One night I went with a friend to a comedy club and they had an open mike. Four drinks later, I was the ten-o’clock show. The owner of the club gave me a gig and I never looked back.”
“That’s incredible. So many comedians struggle for years before they find real work. Callie gave me a biography on Charlie Kent, the comedian, and he said it took him nearly ten years before he could earn a living.”
“You do read the books she gives you.” Kathie’s eyes widened and jumped between Callie and Wes.
“
Callie goes to a lot of trouble to pick them out. Of course I read them. Or at least I try. I don’t always have time to get through all three, and I have to admit that I’ve been too distracted to read at all the last few days.”
Callie scooted closer to him. “Some distractions are worth setting books aside for.”
“I never thought I’d hear those words coming from your lips,” Bonnie said.
They made s’mores and talked for a long while, until all that was left of the fire were glowing embers. An owl hooted in the distance, and Sweets’s ears perked up. She huffed a breath and closed her eyes again. The sounds of crickets and tree frogs sang out in the darkness.
Bonnie rose to her feet. “Well, guys, those margaritas did me in. I assume we’ll be up at the ass crack of dawn tomorrow?”
“We have no set schedule, so feel free to sleep in.” Wes’s pulse sped up at the thought of finally being alone with Callie.
“I’m exhausted, too.” Christine rose and stretched.
Callie fidgeted with the edge of her shorts, and he knew that she was expecting Kathie to suddenly be exhausted, too. He stifled the urge to lift her into his lap. It was one thing to be close in front of her friends, but another to openly settle his mouth on that tempting neck of hers and take his fill until neither of them could see straight. He was getting hard at the thought and quickly gave the others instructions to urge them along.
“There are flashlights in the baskets in your tents, and you’ll see jugs of water, a washbasin, and hand towels in each tent. It was really nice getting to know you guys better.”
Sweets got up and swung her head between Christine and Wes, as if she were deciding if they were going for a walk or staying by the fire pit.
Christine crouched to pet her. “I enjoyed our chat, too. You two kids don’t stay out too late, now, ya hear?” She reached for Kathie’s hand. “Come on, sugar. Time to get our beauty rest.”
“Good night, Cal. Good night, Wes.” Kathie took a few steps and then turned back. “You know, Wes, I think you’re right. You can’t miss something you never had, but you really can miss something, or someone, you know and love. I think I’ll take Callie’s advice and work out a schedule. I love Paul, and I don’t want him to feel hurt because of my obsession for writing.”
Callie hugged her. “He knows you love him, Kath. He loves you so much. Don’t worry. Just have an honest talk with him, like you do with us. He gets you. He married you because of who you were, and that included working crazy hours and talking to people who don’t exist.”
Listening to Callie assure Kathie with such empathy and love tugged at Wes’s heart. Not only did she have wonderful, warm, funny, and endearing friends, but she was as much of a rock for them as they were for her. He wanted to be that person for her.
Chapter Fourteen
CALLIE SAT DOWN beside Wes again and nervously ran her finger along the seam of his jeans. Her breathing was jagged. Her eyes followed her finger as it trailed along the side of his thigh. He wanted to calm her nerves, but words weren’t enough, and he was still thinking about the warmth she’d shown Kathie. He covered her hand with his, a silent assurance that he wouldn’t move too fast.
“I love the person you are,” he whispered, then kissed her temple.
She looked at him with desire in her eyes, and when she placed her hand to his cheek, he turned in to it and kissed the center of her palm. He covered that hand with his, pressed it to his lips again, and kissed it. He couldn’t help but take a quick taste with his tongue. Callie’s eyes darkened, and she sucked in a quick breath. He wanted to be that breath, to be enveloped by her. He’d thought about her lips, and the taste of her sweet mouth, all afternoon. Wes cupped the back of her neck and brought his mouth to hers in a long, sensuous kiss. Kissing Callie was so much better, hotter, wetter, than his fantasies.
“I could kiss you for hours,” he whispered against her lips before taking her in another greedy kiss. “Callie.” One long, heated breath was all he could manage.
Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted, and her hands, those delicate, feminine hands that he wanted to feel wrapped around his hard length, were pressed against his abs, making it impossible for him to think. Her eyes fluttered open and her tongue swept across her lower lip, leaving it slick and enticing. Wes took her cheeks in his hands and licked the glistening streak, then followed the swell of her upper lip to the corner of her mouth.
“You taste sinful,” he whispered.
She was breathing hard, and as he moved in to kiss her again, she whispered, “Let’s be sinful.”
Holy hell. He thought he’d dreamed those words up in his mind, but in the next breath, Callie climbed onto his lap and straddled him, breathing fast and hard. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her arms circled his neck, and he had to kiss her again. There was no holding back the pent-up passion as they kissed and touched, moaned and craved. She wasn’t the fragile girl he’d thought when he’d first met her. Shy at times, and with that came a sense of vulnerability, in contrast to her strength and sensuality. She was sexy as hell. Intoxicating.
And she was his.
The thought brought him to his feet with her in his arms. She tightened her thighs around his middle as he carried her across the clearing, guided by instinct and the faint light of the stars, to his tent. Their lips never parted. Callie ran her fingers through the sides of his hair, then fisted them tight, deepening their kiss and pulling a hungry groan from him.
He carried her into the tent and drew his lips back long enough to whisper, “I have to…” He kissed her again. “Close the tent.”
She eyed the open tent and nodded as he lowered her to her feet. Wes worked quickly to draw the tent flaps closed. He felt Callie’s hands slip beneath his shirt and run up his back; then the soft warmth of her lips met his spine, drawing all the air from his lungs. Her hands slid around to his abs, lightly trailing over them. He was rock-hard and wanted to be inside her, feel her velvety center wrapped around him, and at the same time, he wanted their first time to be something she’d never forget. He spun around and gripped her wrists, fighting the fire in his belly, panting out each breath. He opened his mouth. Slow. The word wouldn’t come, but he was damn ready to. He tore her sweater over her head, unable to control himself, and laid her down on the cot. She reached for him as he ripped his own shirt from his body and came down over her.
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
Their lips met in an erotic collision of tongues and teeth. Their bodies gyrated, hip to hip, his hardness against her center. He gripped her sides, and when he came up for air, her eyes remained closed, and he drank her in.
“Christ Almighty, Callie.”
Her breasts were trapped beneath a pink lace bra. He ran his tongue across the scratchy material and over her dark, hard nipples and felt her shudder beneath him. With his teeth, he dragged the straps from her shoulders until they lay loosely over her arms. Then he licked a path between her breasts and unhooked the simple clasp. Her skin was warm, her breath hot, and he loved the way every stroke of his tongue caused a sharp inhalation. Using his teeth, he slid the cups of her bra off her breasts, freeing them for him to devour. He filled his palms, sucking first one nipple, then the other. He caressed the taut peaks with his thumbs as he moved between them. Callie rocked her hips into him. She gripped the sides of the small cot as he kissed his way down the center of her body to her belly button, then ran his tongue around the sensitive skin while he adeptly worked the button on her shorts and slid them down to her knees.
She tried to push them down, and he caught her hand in his and brought it to his mouth. Callie’s eyes shot open. She held her breath as he sucked each finger in and let it out sharply as he drew them out slowly. Wes slid her shorts off, and as she lay in her lace panties, completely open to him, he forced himself to slow down. This was Callie’s decision to make, and he wanted to be one hundred percent certain that she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.
He slid up her body and looked into her eyes.
“Callie, we can stop.”
Her eyes darkened, narrowed.
“I won’t be upset. I’m happy just being with you, and I know how you feel about intimacy.” He searched her eyes, and although he saw her desire as clear as day, he needed to hear her tell him it was what she wanted. He didn’t want any misinterpretations.
She nodded.
He touched his forehead to hers. “I need to hear it. I can’t risk making a mistake and blowing this. I already care about you too much.”
A sweet smile spread across her heated cheeks. “Wes Braden,” she whispered, “I want to be with you in the most intimate way imaginable. Are we clear?”
“Crystal.”
He sealed his mouth over hers, and even though he’d love to tease her into oblivion, he didn’t think he could manage that long.
“Hurry,” she said with a seductive grin, jolting him out of his careful movements.
He made quick work of removing her pretty pink panties and his own clothes. All her precious curves lay naked before him. Her breasts heaved with each breath, and when he lowered his mouth to the skin just above her damp curls, she made a low, sensual sound that spurred him on. His fingers found her center, and she arched against him, urging him deeper. She was so wet, so hot, that when he brought his tongue to her sensitive folds and tasted her sweetness, he nearly came apart. He teased her with his tongue as his fingers found the spot that made her insides clench tight; then, with his other hand, he brought her slim fingers to her center. She hesitated, but her eyes told him this wasn’t new to her. He covered her hand with his.
“You’re safe with me, Callie. It’s just you and me.”
She closed her eyes and touched herself tentatively at first, then more fervently, and it was the most erotic thing he’d ever witnessed, watching the woman who filled his heart show him what she craved as they took her over the edge.
“Wes,” she panted.
He dragged his tongue over her wetness as she stroked herself and her knees fell open wider. She was so beautiful, touching herself so openly, sharing her most intimate self with him. He drew her fingers into his mouth and sucked them clean, pulling another loud, needy moan from Callie. He held her hands in his as he used his mouth to give her the pleasure she needed, to take her over the edge again. Her body pulsed and thrust against his mouth as she stifled a cry of pleasure and dug her fingernails into his palms. She came down slowly, panting and reaching for him again. He grabbed his wallet from the floor and fumbled in the dark for a condom.
Fated for Love Page 14