“Garrett,” she breathed out as I nipped at her sensitive center. She jerked and started to tremble in my hands.
“Cami, let go,” I rumbled before sucking her clit back into my mouth. My grip on her hips was loose as I continued my pursuit, assaulting her core relentlessly with my tongue until her body vibrated with tension, and she finally cried out. Victory.
She was panting as her orgasm subsided. Internally, I patted myself on the back for a job well done as I placed fluttering kisses on the inside of her thighs. My dick, however, reminded me painfully that it needed attention as it strained uncomfortably against the zipper of my jeans. But from the sleepy look on Cami’s face, I knew that I’d have to deny myself a little longer.
The feeling of having Cami under me was absolutely perfect. We were tangled up in a mess on her very comfortable couch. We talked quietly, our murmurs filling the condo as the sun set over the city in a blaze of fiery orange. Her cheeks were still flushed, and every now and then, she’d get a look in her eye that told me she was replaying our lunchtime tryst. Every time her lips twitched before transforming into a grin, I pulled her tight against my chest and kissed her.
“Tell me something no one else knows,” I quietly demanded.
“I miss my mom,” she admitted. I was surprised by her confession because of her reluctance to even talk about her mother.
“How long has she been gone?”
“Seven years.”
I shifted our bodies until she was tucked between me and the back of the couch. My fingers sifted through her hair slowly, playing with the silken strands.
“Were you close?”
Cami wrinkled up her nose. “I don’t know. I was closer to her than Valerie was.”
“Why?”
“I don’t think she understood Valerie. Mom always needed to be out exploring, and Valerie just wanted to stay home. I became a willing accomplice to her spontaneity. She took me on the most random weekend trips simply because she wanted to visit someplace new.” Cami was quiet for a moment, her face reflecting thoughtful consideration. “I think she saw something of herself in me. We were like kindred spirits.”
“What did you have in common?”
She pursed her lips and made a soft humming noise. “Desire.”
“What do you desire, Cami?” I asked her softly before placing a light kiss on her lips, which she eagerly returned. Her small hands slid under my T-shirt and brushed against my stomach before latching onto the waistband of my jeans. I reached between us with one hand and snatched up both of hers. “I can wait.”
“But what if I can’t?”
“I’d like our first time to be somewhere other than a couch.”
“Then I can wait too,” she said on an exhale of breath. “Your turn now. Tell me something you’ve never told anyone.”
“I regret joining the Army.” I could see the confusion in her eyes, so I explained further. “It was a knee-jerk reaction. I should have considered what I was doing first instead of signing up without thinking about my family.” My confession surprised me. It was like the words just tumbled right from my brain without a second thought, and the moment they had, I felt lighter.
“I missed those last precious moments with my mother. The last time I saw her, she was crying because I was leaving for boot camp. She begged me not to go, and there was a moment when I almost gave in because I would have done almost anything for her. But I still left and then she was gone.” I swallowed the emotion that wanted to bubble up. This was the most I had ever talked about my mother to anyone, and it felt good because the burden of those memories was heavy.
She placed one of her hands on the side of my face and studied me closely. “Do you think she’s proud of you?”
I turned my head slightly to place a kiss on her palm. “Yes,” I answered. “But she’d be even prouder that I decided to come back.” This moment had turned into one of unexpected honesty.
“I’m going to regret asking this,” she said quietly, and I felt her body tense. She looked at me pointedly, her blue eyes a little harder than before. “Tell me about Nikki.”
I groaned and rolled off the couch. I stood and stretched out my body before walking over to the wall of windows that faced the city. “Do you have any beer?”
She shook her head. “I haven’t lived here for a while, and it’s been a few months since the last renters moved out.”
“Then let’s go out because if we’re going to talk about Nikki, I want a beer.”
Cami stood and ran her hands through her wild curly brown locks. She tugged on her khaki shorts and adjusted her loose tank top. “I hope you don’t want to go anywhere fancy,” she said.
“Just any place with beer.”
We left her building and headed toward the water and Pike Place Market. Our hands were clasped together as we made our way through the popular area that was teeming with people. Out of habit, my body went on high alert. I let Cami lead the way, partially because I was unfamiliar with the city, but also because my eyes continuously scanned the crowd for invisible threats. I only started to relax when Cami glanced back at me with her bright blue eyes and smiled.
We turned just before the famous market and walked down a narrow street that was only open to pedestrian traffic. “I know you said beer, but I thought …” Her voice trailed off as we stopped. I looked up and noticed that we were standing in front of a wine bar. “I really like this place,” she added shyly.
“You like wine?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.
She smiled, a bright, delightful expression that lit up her entire face. “The jammier, the better.”
I extended my hand as if to say, “After you,” and followed her into the cozy, comfortable room that was heavily decorated with wood. We sat down at a small table, and someone brought over menus.
“So. Nikki?” Cami arched one eyebrow and sat back, crossing her arms over her chest.
I laughed softly. “You’re not even going to wait until I’ve got just the slightest bit of alcohol in me?”
“Nope.”
“Okay.” I drummed my hands on the table in front of me and looked around the room for a moment, searching for how to begin. “Palmer and I met her while we were out having drinks. We were back on base between deployments. She lived close by and was out for the night with some of her friends.”
“So, she’s what, like, some kind of military groupie? Like a base bunny or something?” I howled with laughter at her term—Base Bunny. But Cami wasn’t laughing; she just looked at me with expectant eyes.
“Sorry. I wouldn’t call her a groupie. We hung out with her for a few months before Palmer and I were deployed again. And then, sometimes when I was on leave and headed to the States, I’d call her up.”
“Jesus,” she muttered. “So, it was pretty serious?”
“No. Not at all. I was clear with her from the very beginning that I didn’t want anything serious. Too many of my brothers have had their hearts broken because their wives or girlfriends left them while they’ve been deployed.”
“And what about me? You’re willing to break your own rule for me?”
“Cami, I’m willing to do just about whatever it takes to keep you.”
Chapter Eleven
Cami
It felt good to be in Seattle, in my condo, with Garrett. It felt like my old life. But I didn’t regret sacrificing the budding career and the condo in the in-demand high-rise to go home to Gig Harbor and take care of my dad. I’d never let my wanderlust for new experiences keep me far away from him and Valerie. I didn’t want to hurt them like my mother had, so I’d given myself a long enough cord that allowed me the freedom I desired but kept me connected to home.
Garrett and I enjoyed our tasting flights, and after a tense conversation about Nikki, I listened to him as he explained more to me about wine than I ever thought possible. I enjoyed the more fruit-forward reds while he preferred those full of mouth-puckering tannins.
“You have to
let it breathe,” he said after I took a sip of something he enjoyed, but I hated.
“It tastes like erasers!” Garrett laughed heartily at my declaration, and I went back to enjoying my glass of red wine that tasted like raspberry jam.
It was later than expected when we left the wine bar, and we had to decide: return to Gig Harbor or stay the night in Seattle.
“Cami, it’s your choice. I’m okay to drive,” Garrett said as we stood in the alley just outside the wine bar. I took my phone from my purse and frowned. Valerie hadn’t bothered to call after my outburst at the hospital earlier. My gut was churning with the uneasiness of this morning’s emotional turn of events.
“We’re only an hour away,” I said with a shrug. “If something happens, we’re still close enough.”
Garrett took my hand easily but let me lead. Instead of guiding him back toward my building, I took him down to the waterfront. I didn’t want the night to end. Plus, I feared awkwardness would settle between us once we returned to my condo. Garrett didn’t seem to mind as we walked down to Pike Place Market and found a bench that faced the water. The marketplace was quiet now that business was done for the day. I made a mental note to return early in the morning to buy flowers for Valerie as an apology.
“You said you have brothers?” I asked, trying to continue the “getting to know you” conversation we’d started and stopped throughout the day.
“Two brothers. Oliver and Neil.”
“Are you the oldest?” It was easy to tell that he was, even if he didn’t say it. He carried the burden of the oldest child and had a look I often saw in Valerie’s eyes.
“Yes. Oliver and I are fairly close in age though; only eighteen months separate us.”
“And Neil?”
Garrett grinned. “He was the happy accident. He’s a freshman at Stanford.”
“Did you see them when you went home?”
“Only Oliver. He and his wife Tabitha run the winery.”
“How does that make you feel?”
“Oliver’s a natural. He’s made great improvements to the business, and I have no desire to take it away from him. My passion is for the land, and the fruit it produces.”
We were quiet again, sitting on the bench, letting the slight breeze wash over us. There was a lot I wanted to ask, to know, but I was scared.
“What’s going to happen once you leave?” That question had weighed heavily on my mind. I lived close enough to Fort Lewis to know that dating someone in the military wasn’t always easy. Valerie knew that better than most, and several friends from high school were now married to servicemen.
Garrett blew out a breath and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t know. What do you want to happen?”
I shrugged. “I don’t have an answer to that. This is pretty new to me.” My mind circled back to our conversation in the parking lot after the Coldplay concert. “I mean, I haven’t dated someone in the military before.” And I haven’t fallen so quickly before either, I mentally added.
“I’ll be able to call you and email you.”
“How often?”
“Once a week, maybe less. If I’m out on patrol, then not at all.”
I swallowed hard. Once a week or not at all? Was that what I wanted for myself? But then I glanced over at Garrett and studied him silently. He was unbelievably handsome with his rich chestnut brown hair and neatly trimmed beard. His nose was straight and pointed and his jaw strong and square. But it was his eyes, the color of melted chocolate, which captured me. So deep and soulful. Underneath, he was equally amazing. He captivated me with his knowledge of wine, and even though he talked about running away from the family business, the passion was there burning inside him. Yes, this was what I wanted for myself. I wanted Garrett no matter how or when I got him.
“Okay,” I said softly. “I’ll take that.”
As we walked back to my building, our hands gravitated toward each other like magnets. His touch was warm and comforting, and I craved more and more of it. Inside the building’s slick marble lobby, we waited for an elevator silently, but once we stepped inside, Garrett backed me into the corner. His lips were on me, eagerly taking and tasting. His large hands roamed my body freely, touching every inch he had promised to memorize. I desperately wanted to reach down, unzip his fly, and take him in my hand. As he kissed trails along my cheeks and jaw and neck, I fantasized about having his cock in my hand, stroking it until it was practically steel. I moaned softly and rubbed myself against him.
“I don’t have much patience,” he growled. “I want to fuck you so badly.”
“I want that too.” My voice was nothing more than a breathy whisper.
The elevator chimed, interrupting us, which might have been a godsend. We broke apart but only fractionally. Garrett still had his hands on me as we exited and walked down the hall to my unit. I giggled as I fumbled with my keys, too distracted by the way his hands and lips were still exploring. I felt like a teenager again, lusting after my crush. But Garrett was much more than an innocent high school crush. He was a man, and my heart told me that he was going to be my everything.
When I finally succeeded in unlocking the door, I opened it, waiting for him to pounce. Instead, I turned and saw him standing in the doorway, watching me with a primal gleam in his eye.
“Being in a relationship will be rough,” he said in a low, gravelly voice. “This isn’t going to be easy.”
He was warning me one final time, and it felt like he was intentionally trying put up a wall between us. I didn’t want to hear it.
“Don’t roll your eyes, Cami. I’m serious.” Slowly, he entered my apartment before turning to close and lock the front door. I stood completely still and watched as he stalked toward me. “You can’t just walk away because it’s too hard.”
Nervously, I swallowed as his large hands circled my waist. I looked down to see where they held me firmly. This was more than just a physical connection. This was different and new terrifying and exhilarating. “I don’t think I could walk away even if I wanted.”
Garrett bent his head and brushed his lips softly against mine. “Get the lights, Cami,” he whispered as he walked past me and headed toward my bedroom.
Chapter Twelve
Garrett
Impatiently, I waited for Cami in her darkened bedroom. My breathing was slow as my ears strained to pick up any sound she made. I heard her soft footsteps echoing in the nearly empty space as she walked around, turning off the lights in the condo. Then I heard her exhale just before she stepped into the room.
“Lock the door,” I said.
She squinted at me. “Why?”
“Just do it.” It was one of my quirks. It was a pointless act, but having the bedroom door closed and locked calmed the anxiety that I had developed after years of deployments where I was constantly on alert.
Cami turned and pushed the flimsy lock into place. And then she rested her head against the door. She was nervous; we both were nervous. I took a few steps forward and placed my hands on her shoulders. I lightly ran them down her arms until they covered her hands.
“I’m scared,” she whispered.
“Of me?” She shook her head. “Of this?”
There was no need to define “this” because we both knew what pulsed between us. It was more than lust but not quite love. “Me too,” I admitted.
“People dream about this all the time,” she said quietly, turning to face me. She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight that filtered in through the windows. “I never thought I’d have anything like this or find anyone like you.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to get hurt. I saw what my mom did to my dad, and I didn’t want someone to hurt me like that.”
I reached out and fisted the hem of her shirt. “I won’t do that you,” I said as I pulled the garment up and over her head. “I promise.”
I bent forward and placed a kiss on her exposed chest. The clean scent of h
er skin intoxicated me, and I sank to my knees, grasping her around the waist. I placed another light kiss on her bare stomach and let my head fall forward to lean against her soft middle. She ran her fingers through my hair lightly before I sat back and grasped the waistband of her khaki shorts between my fingers. Slowly, I undid the button and slid the zipper down before tugging the shorts down her thighs.
I smiled when I saw the familiar lace panties Cami wore, then leaned forward and placed my nose against her, inhaling the musky sweet scent that made my mouth water. Gently, I pushed the edge of her panties aside and held it against her inner thigh with my thumb. Just one taste, I told myself. My tongue darted out, taking a tentative lick. She shivered, and her hands grabbed my hair. I shuffled forward on my knees, backing her up against the door. I looped my fingers around the sides of her panties and pulled them down. She was totally exposed to me, and now that I’d had just the tiniest taste of her, I wanted more. I needed more.
I grasped the calf of one of Cami’s legs and tugged until her foot rested on my shoulder, providing me with better access to her pussy. I groaned loudly before I dove into her with an insatiable hunger. Cami moaned above me, her fingers gripping my hair as I greedily took what I wanted from her. She had the most incredible flavor, and I devoured every single drop of her sweetness. I held her firmly, and with each swipe of my tongue, she shivered, and her body tightened. Her toes flexed into my shoulder as the first waves of pleasure began to roll through her. I was relentless in my pursuit until I heard her hands smack against the door, and a guttural moan escapes her lips. Then I alternated between feather light licks and teasing flicks of my tongue before sucking her clit into my mouth, which sent her right over the edge, and she shook around me. Cami steadied herself with her hands back on top of my head as her orgasm rolled through her body.
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