by Joan Bramsch
They even showered together and Shawn seemed to take wicked pleasure in arousing her with his lathered hands and body until she was begging to be taken back to their oasis. When he refused, she tried a little of the soapy strategy herself and soon found herself being tossed squealing onto the covers, followed closely by a chuckling mischievous Shawn.
Her spirit soared above the clouds of responsibilities and everyday burdens found “out there.” She never felt so free. She never knew such happiness.
For now, she was a goddess. His goddess. Here in this room, she was a queen with her amorous consort who delighted and thrilled her senses, excited and satisfied her body. In truth, he was her world and she surrendered herself to the moment. Put simply, she thought she must love him.
She refused to measure the amount of regret she might feel after her adventure, refused to question her sanity at being here at all. She pushed aside nagging doubts about his feelings for her, knowing in her heart that she would never care for another man as she cared for Shawn. Promises made in the throes of lovemaking could not be counted upon, she believed. Sexual release made men say many things; often they never recalled their words. She realized she might never have Shawn for a lifetime but she would have her store of memories after her time with him ended. It would be enough. It had to be enough!
Toward evening of the following day as they made love again, they both knew this would be their last erotic idle during their stolen hours together.
Shawn was a slave to Casey's warm responsive body. He kissed her skin from her sensitive pink ear lobe and along her slim throat to the throbbing pulse hidden there. Then he slid down into the valley of her undulating breasts where he nestled lovingly before wandering to each dark enlarged peak to worship there. Her murmured sigh of pleasure spurred him on to explore her soft silken belly and beyond to the warm mound beneath.
Shawn thought only of Casey. Never had he shared erotic pleasures with a more responsive woman. Their intellects, their ecstasies, all parts of their bodies and minds seemed to mesh. It excited his senses to think he'd found the one person in the world who complimented and enhanced what he had to give.
He sensed he was falling in love with her. If he'd known it was Casey, he probably would have starting falling when she'd come sliding down that ladder like a fireman! he thought. He stroked her leg, smiling to himself. It had taken a little longer than that. He'd suspected it might be true when he kissed her on the darkened porch. Was it any wonder he'd rushed her?
He lingered at Casey's altar of love until her sigh turned to a deep-throated low moan. Her excitement increased and her entire body moved and pitched beneath his insistent kisses. He nipped gently, then suckled with more fervor. Casey was unable to reach him with her questing fingers, and Shawn chuckled softly while he brought her into a rising level of passion.
Leaving her moist center, he journeyed to her wriggling toes. On his return, he stopped whenever Casey's delirious cries erupted from pleading lips, signaling an especially sensitive spot. Later he buried his face against her neck, breathing with ragged breath, the light perfumed fragrance of her long love-tangled hair.
His passion now equaled hers, although he'd fought against it. He wanted to give as much pleasure as he was capable of before the final journey. She thrashed about beneath him, wanting frantically to touch him in the same way he had done. But this last time, Shawn's pleasure was wrapped up in giving—to her.
Out of control, she flung her body across his to capture the source of his manhood within her pulsating heat. His growl of pleasure when she moved slowly, sensuously, in their dance of love opened the heavens to a never-before experience for them both.
Together, they entered an altered state of mind, a blend of their shared passion. Suddenly their bodies, their hearts, their very souls slid inside a gigantic sphere of golden light that encompassed the pair. It was as if the center of all power in their universe surrounded their love and the solar sizzle forged a bond that would last forever.
Awe-struck, Shawn shared Casey's wonder as she swept her arms in a slow arc, gathering golden energy, a star, a comet, the moon, and formed them into a ball of light. He watched as she held the pulsating orb upon her outstretched palms between their bodies. The throbbing light emitted an otherworldly sound that vibrated into their minds, down their spines and into their lower torsos where their own power connected.
When Casey, his goddess, lifted her gaze to meet his, he saw the love light reflected there, and he felt his very existence connect to hers. Gently, she cradled the ball within her hands, and yet the heavenly light continued to bathe their bodies in the golden glow.
Their shared visual connection never wavered when Shawn's hands tenderly covered her grasp. Then his body, too, pulsated with the vibrating golden beams.
"Oh, Casey,” he whispered, his heart on fire. “My love."
"Yes,” she murmured. “Oh, yes, my love."
Once again, she began the slow, deep dance and, as she moved, she leaned closer and closer over his powerful form. The space between decreased and the heat of the throbbing orb entered their hearts to birth their own shared star of love.
"It's time, my love."
"Yes, my dearest Casey. Now we both burn."
She leaned closer and when their heaving chests touched, the glowing orb exploded into a million starbursts inside their bodies and their cries of ecstasy were captured by Eternity.
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Chapter 8
Monday arrived, sunshine bright, but bitingly cold, and the McDermott crew began work on their next rehabilitation contract, an older home in the West End,, which meant a full week of hard work ahead of them. Casey planned the project with tight, timesaving organization, never forgetting her father's admonition: “Time is money!"
In the morning all the windows and doors were caulked to close any cracks between the openings and the main structure. That afternoon, the crew replaced the old storm windows with a new type design guaranteed to stay tight for twenty years.
By quitting time, with these first steps completed, everyone returned to the office for the last cup of coffee of the day so they could plan tomorrow's work.
Casey settled into an upholstered chair, warming her hands on the hot earthen mug. “Did the insulation come in?” she asked Maureen.
When her sister smiled and nodded, Casey glanced at the other tired members of her family. “Okay, we'll lay in the fiberglass in the morning,” she decided. “John, have you rechecked the figures to make sure we'll have an R factor of 50 in the attic?” She knew what his answer would be, but she always double-checked all figures. That's what made McDermott quality.
St. Louis building codes only required a factor of 30 to 33 in building insulation, but Casey's research had convinced her to bring that factor to 50 in any jobs the company did. The difference in cost for increasing the amount of insulation in a roof or attic to give this added protection was negligible when one calculated the savings in heating and cooling costs, not to mention the savings in natural resources.
She was always careful to point this out to a potential client when she submitted her bid for rehab work and, so far, the client had always agreed with her reasoning.
"The figures are right on the money, Casey,” confirmed John.
"Good.” She took a sip of her coffee before continuing. “I think if we put in a long morning we should be able to finish the insulation by lunch.” She winked at her brother and grinned. “Mike, before we leave tonight, will you please check the warehouse to make sure all the lumber has been delivered for the greenhouse addition?"
"Can do.” He took out his small notebook and made a few notations.
"Tell Mac and Tim they should bring the materials over on the truck at noon, then they can unload while we're having lunch. That way we won't waste any time and can get right to it after we eat. I checked the footings we laid last week and everything is ready for the framework. I think we should be able to complete
that much by quitting time, don't you?"
"If we work like hell,” agreed Mike, putting his notebook into his overall pocket.
"And when do we ever work any other way, Michael?” questioned John with a deadpan brogue. The quartet burst into laughter.
The phone rang on their exuberant chuckles. Maureen answered, then held the receiver out to Casey. “It's Shawn."
Forcing herself not to blush under the steady gazes turned her way, she smiled shyly. “I'll take it in my office, Sis."
She walked quickly to her desk, pushing the door closed without looking up, knowing everyone was watching her hurried exit. She picked up the receiver, hearing Maureen click off in the outer office. Taking a deep breath to quiet her nerves, she spoke softly into the phone. “Hello, Shawn."
A sigh came to her ear. “Baby, do you know we've been apart seventeen hours and ... twelve minutes?” His calculating question set fire to Casey's middle. “If I had you here right now, I'd show you how much I've missed you, honey."
"Did you sleep well last night?” She hoped to dispel the amorous vibrations his deep voice evoked in her.
"I don't remember hitting the pillow.” He laughed. “How about you?"
"What pillow?"
He asked about her day. When she listed the crew's accomplishments, he whistled appreciatively. “You don't let any grass grow under your feet, do you?"
"Nope,” she replied proudly. “We McDermott's work fast but, in some ways, we don't hold a candle to an O'Brien,” she added, lowering her voice to a whisper, contradicting her first decision to turn down the steam. A strangled moan came over the line, and Casey could not suppress a smile.
"If you don't stop purring like that, Kathryn, I shall have to cancel my evening meetings and make short work of you,” he threatened, laughing gruffly at his obvious discomfort. “Mmmm, what a weekend!"
His sensual admission made the hair on the back of Casey's slender neck stand on end, and she wanted to hold him tight. “Do you really have to work this evening, Shawn?"
"Unfortunately, I do, Casey.” He was up to his eyeballs in the retraining program, he explained. “It's taken the better part of today just to convince these people that they cannot use scare tactics anymore. We've got to dwell on the positive."
He told her about a man in Coral Gables who installed a solar system in 1948. “He figures he's saved over $11,000 in utility bills. Now that's positive,” he emphasized. “And much better than making a decision out of fear or scare tactics."
Casey's mind was busily transferring his energy homily to more personal decisions. “No, no one should make a decision out of fear.” Her bright voice completely camouflaged her inner turmoil
"Can I see you tonight after I'm finished? It would be eleven or so. I'll lie awake all night if I don't kiss you, honey,” he cajoled. When she didn't answer immediately, he added, “Just one kiss."
Casey chuckled in disbelief. “You know Mike will be home."
"Do you doubt my ability to restrain myself, woman?"
"It's just that it seems to take one to know one,” she teased in a wishful voice. Hearing his frustrated moan, she hurriedly answered his first question. “If you really want to come all the way over to the house for a goodnight kiss, and if you really don't think you can sleep without one, then yes, you can come. I'll be waiting for you, Shawn."
Her voice betrayed her own doubt that she could sleep well without seeing him at least for a little while tonight. Then she heard someone call to him in the background.
"I'll see you as soon as I can, Casey,” he promised, already distracted. “I've got to go now. ‘Bye, sweetheart.” Then he was gone.
Casey sighed. Suddenly she felt terribly alone. “He moves in the fast lane,” she told her frightened heart. “And he moves alone."
* * * *
Thus began a fierce cycle of hard work for both of them. Each evening they'd see one another for a few brief moments and quietly discuss their day. Sometimes they enjoyed a nightcap but always, they held themselves in check when their tender kisses threatened to erupt into uncontrollable passion.
They were never alone during these evenings. Although Mike went out every night to spend time with Tina, he was always back home before Shawn's late arrival. When one worked on high ladders doing dangerous work in biting cold weather, it was imperative to be well rested and alert.
Jessica called after dinner on Tuesday. “I chose this hour hoping I'd catch you at home, Casey. I haven't forgotten about you. I just wanted you to know that. But the investigation is going very slowly. It's proving more complicated than I had first anticipated."
"You mean there really is a problem?” Casey hadn't wished to say the words but she knew she must.
"Don't know yet. I'm just reporting in.” She sensed her friend's concern. “Listen, Casey. No news is good news, especially in cases like this. Remember, we're not on a witch hunt. We're looking for the truth."
"I could always ask him.
"If he's a sharpie, he'll only lie. If he's innocent, how would he feel?"
"You're right, Jess. I'll wait to hear from you. And thanks."
Jessica laughed merrily, hoping to cheer her up. “Hey, don't thank me. How will I get a good price on my solar addition if you do that?"
"You'll have the best bid I can offer you, honey. Talk to you soon."
When she replaced the receiver, she stood for a moment to gather her thoughts. Jess was right, she decided. There was no solid evidence that Shawn was guilty of unethical business practices, and until there was she would continue her relationship with him. She'd sworn to gamble on his love. She also reminded herself about a little thing called faith!
* * * *
One evening Shawn seemed preoccupied and when Casey questioned him she found out that Tom was running into many more problems on the new photovoltaic product line scheduled to go on the market the first of the year.
"I don't know what to try next,” he admitted. “Every one of us is beating his head against a stone wall—nothing!"
"What exactly is the problem, Shawn? Maybe a her can help."
He chuckled at her not so subtle jab, then told her the engineers had run into a blind alley concerning the means by which the new product could be joined with the existing hardware. “Somewhere the whole damn thing refuses to come together.” He was disgusted that he couldn't find the engineering error himself. “I know we can do better than this!"
Her mind already began gearing up as it always did when there was a problem to be solved. “Do you have the schematics with you?"
"Out in my trunk,” he answered. “Do you want to see them?” He got up immediately when she nodded her head.
Upon his return, they pored over the plans, completely engrossed in the discussion as Casey asked tough questions and Shawn answered them. His eyes showed his determination to get to the heart of the problem; his manner convinced Casey that he was taking her seriously, respecting her intelligence and expertise.
"Do you mind if I keep these?” she asked. “I've got a couple of ideas that I'd like to work through.” She lifted her head just as his gaze narrowed, trying to read her thoughts.
"Sure, I have another set with me. Do you mean to say that brilliant mind of yours might contain the answer to all our problems?” He wasn't teasing, but he seemed doubtful.
If I had the answers to all our problems, you'd love me, she thought gloomily. Instead she challenged his skepticism. “I'd like the opportunity to try,” she answered levelly, not sure it was worth the effort if he was going to pull some chauvinistic stunt.
"No, no, Casey,” he implored. “Don't misunderstand me. I don't doubt your ability. It's just that you may be my ray of hope in this impossible snafu. If you can come up with the answer, I'll be indebted to you forever."
I don't want your indebtedness, she fumed inwardly. I want your love ... forever. “Let me give it a try,” she countered. “I want to help if I can."
Long after Shawn left, Ca
sey studied the plans. When she finally fell exhausted into her bed, she ordered her subconscious to review the materials and find the solution. She had learned to do this years ago and had always been provided with the right answer. The subconscious mind, she knew, never slept and could be programmed to do specific duty while her body and conscious mind rested. With that final directive, she relaxed and was asleep in minutes.
The next evening Shawn's first words, after kissing her with more enthusiasm than was good for either of them, were, “Getting anything?"
She knew what he was asking, but couldn't resist the temptation to tease. “Why, Mr. O'Brien! Are you only interested in my body?"
"Only 24/7, Ms. McDermott,” he bantered, insinuating his hard body against hers in an entirely suggestive manner. “Now I'll ask you again. Anything? And I'm taking about your mind. Your body is already jabbering like a magpie!"
She shuddered when she tried to control the incessant clamor of her senses. “Not yet, Shawn. But something's bubbling. I just have to give it more time. I promise I'll let you know the minute I figure it out ... if I figure it out."
He chuckled softly at the unconscious double meaning of her words. “I have all the faith in the world in your abilities.” He nuzzled her ear and nipped her neck. “Every one of them, baby."
They curled up on the sofa in front of the blazing fireplace, forgetting all the cares of the day. Shawn lifted her across his body, letting her know he was in a loving mood.
"Casey...” He sighed against the open collar of her soft knit shirt where he was caressing her warm skin with kisses that were becoming progressively more intimate. “I want you so much, honey.” His heated massage moved to her trembling breasts. He pulled in his breath convulsively when he realized she wasn't wearing a bra. “Oh, baby,” he crooned while his long strong fingers massaged and aroused her nipples into throbbing peaks. “I want to love you."
Casey's heart began a violent tattoo, pounding against her chest. “Shawn ... Shawn,” she murmured. “I want you to love me, darling.” Then she threw herself over his broad chest and kissed him with complete abandon, willing him with her soul to love her ... just as she loved him.