by Moira McTark
The stark desperation in his eyes was all she needed to understand—to be swept into the frenzied storm of possession.
“Take me.” Lara rose to meet him with her mouth, opening to him, clutching her fists in his shirt as he pulled her to him.
His tongue invaded her mouth, his hands sought to cover every inch of her in one grasping, roaming sweep. His hand fisted in the hair at the base of her skull and pulled her head back, exposing the sensitive skin beneath her jaw to his marauding mouth.
The intensity of the contact was shocking, arousing, and liquid heat flooded her core. Every touch felt as though a claim was staked on her skin and in her heart. His hands roved down her back over the curves of her ass. He grasped the muscles hard, his fingers digging into her flesh, and drew her forward in one rough motion, leaving her knees supporting her at the edge of the bed as he ground his cock against her pelvis.
She wanted to climb up his body and seat herself over his shaft. She wanted him inside of her, stretching her, touching her most secret parts. But this was better. Having him take without asking. She’d never felt the need to give herself over to a man so completely before. She throbbed for his touch, his entrance into her body, and the waiting was nearly as exciting as the touch itself.
His hand left her ass cheek and delved lower, following her crack through her legs to the now sodden strip of cotton between her thighs. He stroked over the swollen folds of her pussy once, making her groan and buck against him, then hooked his finger around the leg hole of her shorts. Pulling the strip of fabric aside, he thrust his finger into her pussy as he reclaimed her mouth with his tongue. His hand cupping her ass with his palm, he pressed a second finger into her, stretching her in a tease.
Desperate for more contact, she rocked her hips forward and back as she angled her head, deepening the kiss.
He stroked her mouth and sex in time until she clenched around his finger and pleaded around his tongue. “More…please.”
Cal broke away from the kiss, reached over his shoulder and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. Pulling it over his head, the muscles of his abdomen, chest and shoulders flexed and released in rippling motion.
She splayed her hands over his pecs and stroked the smooth expanse of skin, brushing circles around his perfect, tight nipples with her thumbs.
Throwing the shirt off to the side, he grabbed her wrists and, panting, held them against the hollow at the center of his chest. His eyes were serious, troubled as he stared down at her. “All I want is to make you mine…convince myself that no other man will ever touch you again. I’m acting crazy, I don’t know what’s wrong with me—”
“I’m yours.” She met him with her own unfaltering stare. She didn’t know how she could make such a promise, but she felt it deep in her heart. It was the truth. “As long as you’ll have me…” She pulled her hands free of his grasp and slipped her pajama tank over her head. Pushed the tight shorts down off her hips, sitting back to ease them off her legs. Naked, she moved to the edge of the bed, her knees together, her body less than an arm’s reach away from him. “…I’ll be yours. Any way you want me.”
Lara reached out, tracing her fingers down the thin line of hair from his navel to where it disappeared under the waist of his khakis. She tugged his belt free of its buckle and looked at him. “You are all I want.”
She undid the clasp, worked the zipper down and opened his pants with a parting brush of her hands to release his stiff shaft. His body was rigid, his abdomen tense as she grasped the length of him and stroked to the thick head. Pre-come beaded at the end of his cock, making her mouth water. Lara left the bed to kneel in front of him and lap at the hint of his salty-sweet essence. Cal gripped her shoulders and let out a low groan as the flavor of him rolled over her tongue in a tease. Wrapping her lips around him, she slid his cock into her mouth, pushing him to the back of her throat.
“Lara, I won’t last like this—”
A slight smile threatened the corners of her mouth. That was good, she wanted to drive him beyond control, to give him pleasure he couldn’t stop. She drew back over his hard shaft, letting her teeth drag gently, and then cradled him with her tongue as she applied suction, taking him deep into her mouth again.
She pulled back until the ridge of his head was at her lips then bore down on him again. In and out of her mouth he glided, letting her set the pace. Relaxing the muscles at the back of her mouth, she swallowed around him until he was embedded deep in the wet recesses of her throat.
His grip on her shoulders tightened, and a pulse of wet heat beat through her core. She wanted him inside every part of her at once. Filling her mouth, buried between her legs, his hands covering everything in between.
Suddenly, Cal jerked back, his cock pulling out of her mouth with a wet pop. His hands were on her, lifting her off the floor and planting her on the mattress.
“Spread your legs.” His voice came as a gravelly command.
Perched on the edge of the bed, she pushed her legs apart and stared at his dark cock, glossy from her saliva, bobbing out in front of her. He was so big, she couldn’t believe she’d fit him into her mouth.
Cal grabbed her knees and pulled her legs around his hips. Grabbing the globes of her ass to lift her, he positioned her over his cock as she gripped his shoulders. The thick head pressed against her slick opening, still sensitive from their play in the boathouse that morning. She tried to wriggle in his grasp, wanting to take him inside of her, but he held her firm.
“Tell me again,” he whispered, his eyes fixed on her mouth.
Her core clenched and her juices tickled her opening as they dribbled out. She knew without question what he wanted to hear. “I’m yours.”
Cal lowered her over him in one smooth sinking stroke, until her clit pressed against his groin, her nipples against his chest. A soft cry escaped her as he dragged her up and then drove her back down again, seating her harder than before. He stared into her eyes, as he propelled her body over his like she weighed nothing. Her slick walls clung to him with every stroke, pulsing around him with a growing intensity.
“I’m going to come,” she whispered, biting into the soft flesh of her bottom lip to keep from screaming. She inhaled deeply and his scent, all man, like soap and sweat, overwhelmed her senses.
His eyes were still fixed on her as he pumped her against him at increasing speed. She clenched around him, her wanton cry breaking free along with the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Her clit slammed against him, harder and harder, until she lost herself in the rush of pleasure that radiated from her center to the tips of her toes.
Cal’s fingers dug into her flesh, his every muscle tensed. With a sudden stillness, he held her hard against him. His cock pumped his hot release inside of her. She locked her ankles around his hips, hugging him closer.
Lara rested her head against his chest, panting as their bodies pulsed together.
Cal lowered her back onto the bed and followed her under the covers, tucking her body close to his. Reaching out with one hand to the switch by the door, he flipped off the lights and pulled her closer.
The comfort of exhaustion overwhelmed her and just before the world dissipated, Cal’s voice pierced her fleeting consciousness. “And I’m yours.”
Chapter Twelve
Cal awoke in a tangle of sheets with a single slice of glaring sunlight breaking through the shutter slats of Lara’s bedroom window onto his face. He leaned on his elbow and, checking the bed, realized he was alone. She’d probably woken early thinking to get up before anyone figured out they were together. Though, after last night, he wasn’t sure how she could be awake before he was.
She’d woken him twice in the night. First, with his cock in her mouth and an impish gleam in her eyes. That time it had to have been an hour before they got back to sleep. Then, the second time, running her smooth, toned leg over his hip in a seductive caress that had his cock fully awake before either he or she had been. That time it was probably two hours. H
e wished she was still snuggled beside him—he wanted to bury his face in her hair and spend the morning reveling in her every detail. But she was probably downstairs already, gorging on obscene amounts of Mary’s home cooking.
Pushing up from the mattress, he chuckled at the burn in his muscles. For an athletic guy, he was feeling pretty beat. Lara’d given him one hell of a workout.
The bathroom door swung open and Lara peeked around it. Seeing he was awake she smiled wide, her gorgeous face still slightly puffy from morning grog. Somehow it made her even sexier.
“Hey, beautiful, I thought you’d snuck out on me.”
Naked, she tiptoed across the carpet, and bounced into the bed, showering his abdomen, chest, and neck in a rain of kisses, ending at his mouth with one minty fresh French. “No, just brushing my teeth. I didn’t want to risk my morning mouth driving you away.”
Cal smiled, running his hands over the soft swells of her breasts as she straddled his thighs. He watched as first one rosy nipple crinkled hard and then the other. “Mmm, that was very thoughtful of you. But now I’ve got to get up and brush so I don’t drive you away.”
She shook her head slowly, making tsking noises. “No way, I’m minty enough for the both of us.”
Lifting Lara, he rolled her over into the spot next to him and leaned between her legs. Taking her wrists in each hand, he stretched her arms out and held them with just enough strength to let her know she wasn’t getting away. “I’m stronger than you, baby. Be good or I’ll be forced to overpower you.”
“Do you promise?” she asked, breathless, staring at him from beneath half-lidded eyes. Her legs slid against his hips so that her pussy was spread against his cock.
She was wet again. With a low groan, Cal rolled off of her. “I’m going to go minty up my mouth, then when I come back, I’m going to do all kinds of dirty things to you with my fresh and spicy tongue.”
She squirmed on the bed. “Hurry.”
Cal hopped off the bed and headed into the bathroom. Lara pressed her legs together, trying to ease the achy need he’d started in her so quickly. She’d had more sex in the past twenty-four hours than she’d had in the last two years and still it wasn’t enough. He made her insatiable.
Straightening the wadded pile of sheets at the foot of the bed, she pulled them over her head and soaked in the feeling of complete contentment. This could be Heaven. From beneath the covers she heard the click of the doorknob turning. She wriggled under the covers, more than ready for whatever “dirty” treat Cal had in store for her.
“What the hell? It’s already eleven. My wedding isn’t going to happen by itself.”
Lara froze. Dette was in her room. She was naked, Cal was naked, and they were about to get busted in a big way. Gathering the edge of the sheet in her hands, she pulled it down to her chin and peered at her sister.
Dette looked immaculate, not a hair out of place, every detail of her make-up and outfit coordinated perfectly. How did she do it? “I didn’t realize it was so late. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be down.” So much for the day spent in bed with Cal. But there would be plenty of time for that when it wasn’t mere days before Dette’s wedding.
Dette scrunched her nose, jutting her hand out in frustration. “God, look at you. You’re hideous. Make it fifteen minutes and put some effort into your face. You’re going into town with Keith to run some errands.”
Keith? Crap. She wondered if he knew about this plan yet. After last night she couldn’t imagine he’d be interested in going to the corner with her, let alone a whole day on errands, which suited her just fine. “Hey, maybe Cal could come with me for the errands instead. Keith can do something here.”
“What? No.” Dette switched her weight to one foot and checked her nails as if she couldn’t be more bored. “Stay away from Cal. If something happened with you two yesterday, then today he’s probably going to be dodging you, which is for the best, so don’t make a fool of yourself chasing after him.”
“No, Dette. You don’t understand,” she said, trying to keep her voice low without clueing her sister into the fact that Cal was close by. “I’ll keep your secret, but I told you before, I’m not staying away from Cal. Something real is happening between us.”
Dette snorted through her nose, casting a sympathetic glance toward Lara. “Don’t be naïve.”
Hostility welled within her chest, her stare narrowed, visions of sabotaged Jordan almond favors skipped through her mind—and the bathroom door swung open as Cal walked out, a white towel hanging loose around his hips. “Hey, baby—oh crap, Dette.” He grabbed for the towel with one hand and ran his other through his hair in a sheepish gesture.
Lara’s eyes darted back and forth between them, laughter bubbling up in her throat as Dette stammered, spun on her heel and finally stomped out of the room without a word. Served her right to get a reality check like that.
Cal walked over to the bed and planted a kiss on Lara’s forehead. “Wow, she looked pissed. Is she very protective of you or something?”
“No, she just had some things for me to take care of in town this morning, and I didn’t realize the morning was almost gone.” She ran her palm against the stubbled line of his jaw. “Sorry.”
“Me too,” he said with a wink as he pulled his pants on and then his shirt. “How about I come with you and we get them taken care of together?”
She shook her head. “Nah, Dette wants me to go with Keith.”
“Why? What does it matter?” he asked, genuinely curious.
Lara laughed lightly. “I’m pretty sure it’s just a matter of Dette having it in her head that she wants it that way.”
Cal smirked. “Okay. See you in a bit, beautiful.” And he walked out of the room.
It was amazing how much she didn’t like to see him go.
***
Staring at the sky, Cal leaned against the bumper of the Sinclairs’ yellow H3 Hummer. It was a gorgeous day, warm with a light salty breeze and only a few steaks of soft white clouds to break up the flawless deep blue expanse beyond.
The front door to the house swung open. Lara danced out swinging a keychain around her finger and singing, hideously off key, Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon”. At the bottom step she stopped, smiling suspiciously. “What happened to Keith?”
“Had to bribe him with Lakers’ tickets. We switched errands.”
Her head fell back with a laugh and when she met his gaze her eyes were sympathetic. “I think you got snowed. Keith probably would have traded you Lakers’ tickets to get out of going… He hates stuff like this.”
“No big deal. I got what I wanted.” Which was as much having Lara to himself for a day as it was preventing Keith from being alone with her. He didn’t like the comments that little shit had been making about her.
Lara shrugged it off and beamed at him. “Boys love the Hummer. Want to drive?”
“You bet.” She was right, the bright yellow H3 was cool. He wanted to give it a go.
Lara lofted the keys into the air so they landed perfectly in his open palm. “Nice toss.” He rounded the passenger side to open the door for her.
“Thanks. No driving like an old lady though, traffic’s usually tight and we can’t be late.” She winked and climbed into the seat, her low-slung shorts and cropped top working in opposite directions as she twisted to snap the seatbelt.
Cal swallowed hard watching the creamy stretch of smooth skin, wishing they were headed to a hotel instead of picking up the tuxedos and gowns. Later. Closing the door for her, he circled back to the driver’s side and swung into the seat. “When are we supposed to be there?”
Lara riffled through her purse and pulled out a Chapstick. “The appointment is in thirty minutes.” She smoothed the balm around her lips in one continuous sweep.
It was damn sexy.
“Stop staring at me. You’re making me nervous.” There was a slight flush to her skin and slow tugging curve at the corner of her mouth. He was making her some
thing.
He punched the gas and pulled out of the circular drive and followed Beach Court back toward the main road. Forcing his gaze to stay on the asphalt, he tried to keep his mind off how wet she might be if he slid his fingers into her shorts. His cock thickened. Would she come against his hand if he spread her lips and—
“Cal, you’re going to miss the turnoff.”
He gripped the wheel, checked his mirrors and made the turn, cursing the damn hormones that had reduced him to the kind of man who couldn’t get his head out of Lara’s pants. Who was he kidding? It was more than hormones playing with his head, his heart.
She had a hold on him. And he hoped she never let go. Everything was so different with Lara. So natural. Somehow, even with the Vegas fiasco, his level of trust and intimacy with Lara exceeded any relationship he’d had before.
She was the one, he knew it. Somewhere deep inside her, he had to believe Lara knew it too. He might have a little convincing to do, but—suddenly, it struck him that Lara might not understand what had happened with his ex-girlfriend Paige. How he’d gotten to the point of engagement with her was a mystery even to him. He hoped Lara wouldn’t hold it against him or think he didn’t take marriage seriously.
Clearing his throat, he glanced over at her. “You know, this isn’t just some rebound thing for me.”
Lara turned toward him, a smirk playing on her lips. “Well, that’s a relief. It’s not a rebound thing for me, either.”
She had a teasing tone to her voice, but Cal was serious.
“Look, I want you to know I’ve only been engaged the once. It was with someone I never should have let things go so far with but…”
Lara stared at him, her mouth hanging open, all color washed out of her cheeks. Shaking her head she quirked one eyebrow. “You were engaged?”
Shit. She hadn’t remembered his name, why would he have expected her to remember the hours they spent bitching about their respective break-ups? What the hell?