His words sent a jolt right to her sex, and she tightened her legs together, already seeking friction to ease the ache. She leaned back, held his gaze, and smiled. “You can take me somewhere tomorrow. You can show me off later. And I’m sure we can find something to eat at your place. Right now, I just want to go to your house.”
He leaned his head back and laughed, and the beauty of his face reminded her how much she had missed looking at him. Phone calls, messaging, even FaceTime was nothing like being in his presence.
He kissed her once more, fast and hard, then leaned back and buckled his seatbelt. “Then let’s go, babe.”
They left the small town behind, and she stared out of the window at the vast forests. As the road they were on wound around, she was excited when the woods fell away and she could see part of the rocky coastline. Finally, turning down a pea-gravel lane, she was stunned by the property at the end of the drive. As Blake parked on a stamped concrete pad in front of a garage, she stared at the cedar house perfectly situated with the woods around and the water of the inlet in the background.
Thinking that he was taking her to his house, she twisted her head around. “Where are we?”
Chuckling, he said, “Babe, this is my house.”
Her eyes widened as she turned and looked back at the beautiful stone wall leading toward the front door.
“I normally drive straight into the garage, but I wanted you to have a chance to see the house without going through my messy laundry room.”
“Oh, Blake, I could care less about your mess. After all, you’ve seen my apartment!”
He opened her door and held her hand as she slid her feet down to the driveway. Escorting her past the front of the house to the door, she said, “I’m in awe, Blake. This view is gorgeous.”
They walked into the slate entryway, and she was already squealing with delight at the wooden floors, pale walls, and tile fireplace in the living room with a wide, carved, wooden mantle. And directly in the back was a huge picture window overlooking the deck and the water.
Glancing to the side, Blake was staring straight at her, his face hopeful. She turned and grabbed both of his hands, holding them tight. “I’ve only seen one room of your house, and I can’t imagine why you’d ever want to leave. This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”
His shoulders relaxed, and his smile widened. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the house.”
As he gave her the tour, he explained the work he had done on the house and other projects he hoped to accomplish. The living room was connected to a massive kitchen and family room, also with a fireplace and windows and a French door that led to the back deck. Next to it was a formal dining room that was currently used as his office.
In each room, she clapped her hands and bounced on her toes, finding more and more to love.
He led her downstairs where she saw two bedrooms and wondered why he skipped the master bedroom. One bedroom was used for storage and the other was set up as a gym. Both led to a side deck, overlooking the water as well.
Finally, he led her back upstairs, down the hall and into the huge master bedroom. It also had windows overlooking the water, doors leading to the deck, and a master bathroom that rivaled any she had ever seen.
Whirling around, she gasped. “Do you realize your master bedroom and bathroom are almost the size of my whole apartment?”
He did not answer her question but instead led her through the door to the wide porch that extended across the back of the house. They walked to the edge, overlooked the crystal blue water, and he stood behind her with his arms pulling her back tightly to his front.
“So, do you like it?”
An indelicate snort slipped out, and she laughed. “How can you even ask that? Now that I’ve seen all of it, I can definitely tell you this is the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen in my life.”
She twisted around in his arms and stared up. His eyes were moving around her face as though memorizing her.
“I’ve spent so much time in the last couple of weeks imagining you here with me,” he said, his voice soft and reverent. “But now that you’re here, I’m terrified.”
She could not imagine anything terrifying a man like Blake. Smart, strong, drop-dead gorgeous. She cocked her head to the side. “What scares you, honey?”
“Because now that you’re here, I’ll always remember this. You, right here, with me. And when you leave, this place will never seem the same.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to reply, “Then I’ll never leave,” but she knew she was not in a position to make any promises yet. Instead, she pressed closer. “I’m here now. Please make love to me.”
He leaned down, closing the distance between them, placing a sweet kiss on her lips before he lifted her up in his arms and carried her back into the master bedroom, where he did exactly what she asked.
24
Sara tried to quell the butterflies in her stomach as she stood with Blake, welcoming his friends into his home. She was not usually so concerned when meeting people but found that she really wanted his friends to like her.
She and Blake had spent the past two days squirreled away in his house, only going out to visit a couple of restaurants and hitting the grocery store for today’s cookout. Earlier, she had stood in his master bathroom, fretting over what to wear.
He had walked in, taken one look at her and wrapped her in a bear hug. “I told you it’s casual, babe. Stop fretting. You’re so beautiful, it won’t matter what you’re wearing.”
Now, as the first of the guests arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the other women casually dressed like herself. Her next problem was trying to remember everybody’s name. Of course, she knew Tate and Drew, and it was easy to remember Drew’s fiancée, Babs. She was beautiful, trim, and athletic, with long dark hair sporting a purple stripe down one side.
As soon as Drew introduced Babs, she handed him the covered dish she had been carrying and pulled Sara into a hug. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to meet you!” Babs said. “It’s not often that my fiancé refers to someone as a badass, and I was thrilled to hear him describe you that way.”
Blinking, she was not sure how to respond since she had never been called a badass before, but it seemed as though that was a compliment among Blake’s friends.
It was also easy to remember Mace, the iconic leader of the group. Huge, olive skin, dark hair, with a five o’clock shadow that looked as though it would take a machete to shave. As his gaze penetrated her, she felt her knees shake. But then he smiled, and she understood what captivated Sylvie. She had no doubt that Mace would take a bullet for his beautiful wife. Sylvie also greeted her warmly. “I’m so glad you were able to come. We’re all hoping that you’ll fall in love with Maine.”
Before she had a chance to think of a response to that comment, more people poured into the house. She met Julie and Walker, Helena and Rank, and an older couple, Marge and Horace. She memorized the couples' names as she mentally paired them together. When it came to the single men, it was easy to confuse Josh, Clay, Cobb, and Bray. But after they greeted her with enthusiasm, the men headed out to the wide deck with their beer and the meat for grilling.
She was unsure if she should play hostess, but the women immediately put her at ease, letting them know that she belonged as the mistress of Blake’s house. They helped her set up a buffet on the kitchen table, each having brought platters of food.
Her nervousness was soon swept away as they talked and laughed, sharing anecdotes about how they met their Keepers and listening to her story of what happened in French Guiana.
Shaking her head, Sylvie said, “It’s the strangest thing with these men. While I don’t wish that any of us had to go through what we did, I truly believe that it takes a very special woman to be with a Keeper, and that meeting under unusual circumstances seems to solidify the relationship.”
While all the women had been accepting of her, Sara could not help but o
ccasionally glance over at Marge, whom she felt was still deciding whether or not Sara was right for Blake.
Her attention was diverted, though, when Helena said, “Rank told me that you had to shoot someone.” Helena placed her hand on Sara’s arm and said, “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
Giving her head a little shake, she replied, “I don’t really think about it, to be honest. I’m not even sure that response is normal. It happened so quickly, and I suppose I should be horrified. But that man was trying to kill Blake, Tate, and Drew. They had gone after the others, and this man was sneaking from behind the building. I just grabbed a gun, aimed, and fired.” Shoulders sagging, she shook her head again and said, “I can’t believe I actually hit him. I’m not a good shot, and very much out of practice.” Lifting her head, she looked at the other women, wondering what they might be thinking. “But I had to do something. So, it was either him or us, and I chose us.”
Marge had been standing off to the side, her perusal acute, but she turned quickly and stalked straight over to Sara. Throwing her arms around the much smaller woman, Marge pulled her close. As Marge finally let her go, Sara’s knees began quaking again, uncertain of the woman’s reaction.
“I wasn’t sure about you, Sara. You’re a pretty woman, no doubt about that. You’re smart and tenacious. All that’s good for any of my boys. But what you just said tells me you’re the kind of woman that cannot only handle a Keeper but deserves one as well.”
Blinking in surprise, she glanced at the other women, seeing their wide smiles. “Thank you.” She tried to keep her voice from shaking. “That means a lot coming from all of you.”
Before her emotions could run away, the door opened, and Horace stuck his head in and called, “The chops are ready.”
“Good,” Marge proclaimed. “Let’s get this party started!”
The food had been enjoyed, and now the gathering sat around the benches and chairs on Blake’s deck, watching the sun sink lower over the tree line with the sparkling water in the distance.
He sat in one of his oversized deck chairs, Sara on his lap. At first, she was hesitant when he took her hand and gently pulled her down, but as she looked around and saw several of the other couples sitting in a similar position, she relaxed.
He could tell she had been nervous before the party started and kept a close eye on her even when he was at the grill and she was inside the kitchen with the other women. Marge had him concerned, the way she held back from Sara as though judging her. He knew that Sara would win her over, and he could tell when it happened as he watched Marge move to Sara and pull her into a hug, and from that moment on, Marge had nothing but glowing things to say.
Sara fit in perfectly with the Keepers and their women, just like he knew she would. It was selfish of him to want her to move to Maine, but he could not help it. Their relationship was still so new, and yet he could tell that it was right. And if the past two days that they had spent together were any indication, she felt the same.
As the party wound down, Mace and Sylvie prepared to leave, wanting to get back to their son, David. Marge and Horace left soon after, hugs and goodbyes given all around.
Josh and Bray were heading back to the compound, wanting to continue to monitor one of their clients. Clay was leaving early the next morning for a mission, so he said his goodbyes as well. Helena’s parents were coming the next day for a visit, so she and Rank decided to make it an early evening. Since Julie and Walker had driven them, the four of them left at the same time.
“Hey, Flyboy,” Babs said, looking at Drew. “How about we show Sara what a Maine dive bar looks like?”
Cobb and Tate immediately stood, both saying, “Sounds good. We can move this party to Moose’s.”
The last place Blake wanted to go was to a bar that Shelley would probably be at, but Sara looked up at him with a smile on her face, saying, “That sounds like fun.”
Not being able to come up with an excuse without telling her the truth, he forced a smile onto his face and nodded. “Sure. That’ll be great.”
She went inside to grab a jacket as he locked the back doors. Tate walked up behind him, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry about it. I’ve got your back.”
He had no idea what Tate meant by having his back when it came to Shelley, but with Sara walking into the room, he did not have a chance to find out. They soon pulled into the parking lot of the bar, and he glanced around, breathing easier when he did not see Shelley’s vehicle.
Once inside, he and Drew escorted Sara and Babs to a table while Tate and Cobb went to get pitchers of beer. As the beer flowed, the stories became more outlandish, and he relaxed. With his arm around Sara, tucking her in close, he could not think of a more perfect day. Waking up with her in his bed, making love before breakfast, grocery shopping, and making sure the house was ready for their guests, having her at his side during the party with his friends, and now enjoying the camaraderie at the end of the day.
The bar became more crowded, and he noticed Tate sitting up straight, looking toward the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he spied Shelley walking in and knew the instant her eyes landed on him with his arm around Sara. Shelley’s eyes narrowed, and she began stalking toward him, not caring who she pushed out of the way.
Tate stood, excused himself, and headed straight to the tall, pissed off blonde. Drew and Babs continued talking to Sara, keeping her attention focused on them while Blake tried to see what was happening behind them.
It appeared Shelley was not saying anything, but her eyes widened as she looked between Tate and Blake. Several minutes later, Tate came back to the table with another pitcher of beer and settled back into his seat. Casting another glance behind him, Blake did not see Shelley anywhere in the bar.
Babs said, “Hate to be predictable, but I need to visit the little girl’s room. Sara?”
Nodding, Sara laughed. “Definitely.”
He scooted to the side so that Sara could get out, and she smiled and winked as she followed Babs past the bar to the hall where the restrooms were. Not wasting any time, he, Drew, and Cobb turned to Tate. “What the fuck did you say to Shelley to get her to leave?”
Tate shrugged and grinned. “I just told her that she didn’t want to come over here and get in Sara’s face. She seemed to agree that that was not a good plan, and she left.”
Rearing back, Blake shook his head. “You're full of shit. That’s not the only thing you said.”
Tate laughed. “I just told her the truth. I told her that the last thing she wanted to do was upset your new girlfriend because she knew how to shoot, and I’d seen her kill a man.”
Blake’s mouth dropped open as Drew and Cobb howled with laughter. “That’s fuckin’ priceless, man,” Cobb said while Drew patted Tate on the back.
Shaking his head slowly, Blake said, “I think I should be pissed as fuck at you for saying that, but it worked. That might’ve been the only thing you could’ve said to get her to turn tail and run.”
The men were still laughing when Babs and Sara came back, and the group finally dispersed after another round of drinks. Goodbye hugs were given again with Sara promising that she would see them all the next time she came back.
Driving home, Blake glanced over, reaching across the console to link fingers with her. “Were you serious back there? When you told them you’d come back?”
She turned her head and stared at him, her face illuminated by the glow of the dashboard lights. “Honey, if you’ll have me back, I’ll be here in a heartbeat.”
As soon as they got home, he reset all the alarms while she headed to the bedroom. A few minutes later, he followed and found her soaking in his huge garden bathtub. She smiled, dragging her fingertips through the water, leaving seductive glimpses of her luscious body. “Now, what can we do with such a big tub?”
He pulled his shirt over his head as he toed off his shoes. Stripping out of his pants and boxers, he step
ped over into the warm water, straddling her legs as he kneeled over her. “How about we find out what we can do in this tub?”
His arms banded about her, and they twisted around, changing places, causing the water to slosh perilously close to the top of the tub. His back now rested against the side, and she straddled him, her breasts pressed against his chest. Her fingers splayed on his shoulders, and she licked her lips before leaning in, licking his.
He swallowed her moan, the feel of her wet body gliding over his, urging his own groan from deep within his chest. Where her fingertips touched, his body felt like pricks of fire, igniting his skin as she trailed her hands over his chest, shoulders, and arms.
Wanting her ready for him, he palmed her breasts, teasing her nipples into tight buds, rolling them between his fingers. She dropped her head back, her eyes closed, and the movement pushed her bountiful breasts forward, and he took advantage, pulling one deep into his mouth.
With one hand sliding to her ass, the other hand moved to the front, through her slick folds, and he inserted a finger deep into her channel. Thrusting in and out, she met his movements as she began to rock, fucking herself on his finger. Nipping at her breast, he pressed his thumb on her clit, and her fingers dug into his shoulders as her body tightened and then cried out her release.
As the shudders eased, she dropped her head forward, taking his lips in a searing kiss. He did not want to rush her but grinned through the kiss as he felt her lift up on her knees, slide a hand down to his cock and guide it into her opening. She then settled down, sheathing him with her body.
It took a moment for them to find their rhythm, her attention snagging on the water sloshing over the side of the tub, and he finally said, “Don’t worry about the water.” She grinned, and with her hands on his shoulders, moved with more abandon up and down on his erection.
Blake (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 5) Page 19