“Where did you go to school again?” she asked.
“Harvard.”
She gave me a wry smile. “And you’re telling me that a degree doesn’t matter?”
“I’m not saying that,” I corrected her. “It’s an asset, no doubt. But it’s neither a requirement, nor a guarantee.”
She reflected on that, nodding in agreement. And she smiled. Man, I liked making Caroline smile. Her gray-green eyes were like the ocean, turning dark or brightening with her emotions. Just now they sparkled.
“You’re right. Not having a diploma hasn’t stopped me. But it still would be cool.”
“You want me to make a few calls? I know some board members at HBS.” I was only half-kidding. And I wasn’t joking at all about knowing board members. They wanted me on the board, too. As an extremely wealthy and well-connected young alum, I was their wet dream. I could make a case for Caroline, too. They always liked accepting a few people from off the beaten path.
“No, I don’t want to go to Harvard Business School!” She laughed like I’d made a great joke. It made me smile, too. I liked how easily she rejected a sought-after prize in the circles of my acquaintance.
“Heart set on Yale?” I teased.
“Paris!” she burst out, seeming to almost overflow with joy at the mere prospect. “I’ve always dreamed about studying at Le Cordon Bleu. They have a nine month course in baking and pastry arts.”
“Then do it.”
Now she rolled her eyes. “King Kavanaugh decrees it shall be so.”
“You can call me King if you’d like.” Master would do, too, but I’d wait to introduce that one.
“I’ve had the application form filled out and ready to go for a couple of years now. But, you know, life gets in the way.”
“You could make it happen.”
“OK, I’ve had enough of the motivational quotes.” She held up her hand in a stop signal. “I appreciate your encouraging me, but let’s not get crazy.”
I disagreed, but I could tell I’d pushed her enough for tonight. I enjoyed finding out her limits, though. Then I could test them in the future.
We enjoyed the rest of our meal. I especially enjoyed watching the way Caroline licked her sorbet spoon. The way she closed her eyes and sucked, a low moan in her throat. Yeah, that worked for me.
“Not a bad meal.” I led her through the restaurant to the exit, taking the excuse to touch the small of her back once again. It curved in ever so slightly and I rested my palm against it. How easy it would be to slide on down, an amusement park ride for my hand, down then up over the swell of her buttocks. She was all woman and my cock leapt to attention wanting to show her how much I was all man.
“Colt, that was literally the best meal I’ve ever had.” She turned to me in the evening air, outside on the sidewalk, grasping my forearm. “I can’t believe it! Every course outdid the last! It was so creative and inspired.”
She chatted most of the car ride to the airport and I admired the depth of her insights. A lot of food critics writing for snobby gourmet magazines could take notes from Caroline. She had a natural instinct. It would be fun to take her out to some more top-tier restaurants, and I planned on doing just that.
She grew quiet as we reached the plane. I rested my arm around her and stroked her cheek. “All out of commentary?”
“I’m sorry, I’ve been talking non-stop.”
“Not at all. It’s fun to see you so happy.”
“But I didn’t mean to… I’m babbling away and I barely know you and probably won’t ever see you again.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, you can’t have a lot of plans to come back to Redwood Bay in the future.”
“Next week, in fact.” I just made that call. Suddenly, I had important business to take care of.
“Next week?” She seemed to brighten at the prospect.
“I’ll come back next week to hear your formal proposal for your store. What would it take to make moving to an alternate location worthwhile to you?”
“You’re set on tearing down my shop?” She didn’t sound happy.
“I didn’t say that, Caroline.” I held her hand as we climbed the stairs to the plane. “Location can be negotiated, too. But I’m encouraging you to think about this as an opportunity.”
“What about the lichen?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Yes, I know how strongly you feel about lichen. Could you tell me again the name of that particular species you mentioned this morning?”
“Shut up.” She elbowed me in the ribs. “But seriously, those environmental groups aren’t going to let up.”
“Thanks for that.” I hadn’t gotten the full run-down on how all this protesting originated, but I could tell, Caroline wasn’t a hardcore environmental activist. Somehow she’d gotten involved with these Love the Lichen folks, but she mostly cared about her store. As well she should.
But she was also right—an endangered species wasn’t going to fade off the radar all by itself. Groups with resources and networks were on alert. We were going to have to do something about it.
“You’re going to need two proposals,” I told her as we settled ourselves onto the plush couch. Her dress rode up on her thighs, exposing her creamy skin. An invitation to a party I most definitely planned on attending.
“One for your store,” I continued. “And one for the resort. I’m building it, and I’m doing it on that site. But I’m open to discussing an eco-friendly theme.”
“Eco-friendly?” she asked. Nope, not an environmental activist.
“I’ll have my team talk to…you?”
“I guess. But really it should be Nora. She’s the one actually from Redwood Bay who understands all of this.”
“Wait, you’re not an expert in lichen species?” I feigned surprise.
She gave me a look. “I think you’ve probably figured that out by now.”
“You made an excellent presentation,” I assured her, arm around her shoulders and hand down to rub her arm. “It wasn’t your fault I kept getting so distracted.” I leaned down and kissed her throat, feathering my way down her skin.
Her lips parted. She asked, breathily, “You did?”
“I did,” I confessed, drawing my hand down to her knee, stroking, caressing her bare thigh. “You were standing there in that blouse with buttons down the front. And all I could think about was undoing them.” I brought my lips over to kiss the hollow at the base of her neck. Then I traveled down, then down again leaving a trail of kisses, showing her exactly what I was thinking about doing while she’d spoken. She shivered as I flicked my tongue between her breasts, in the luscious valley of cleavage she’d so generously showed me all night.
“And that skirt you wore.” I started moving my hand, inching it up her thigh, my fingers making lazy circles on her soft, sensitive skin. “Skirts give such easy access.” My fingers kept working their way up, up to where I finally brushed against her panties. Light, caressing, just my tips, she drew in her breath at my touch. I could feel her wet heat through the lace.
“Wet for me, Caroline,” I murmured my approval, giving her another stroke, this time more firm. “I like that.”
“Colt?” she whispered, her breath coming in a pant. She rose her hand to my bicep and I could tell she wanted to touch, but she still felt hesitant.
“What is it?” I brought my hand back to her thigh, letting it rest there.
“I don’t…I don’t know—”
“You don’t have to know anything,” I reassured her. She was so skittish. It only made me want her more. “Trust me.” I kissed her neck, sliding my hand over the playground of her curves, down her shoulder, along her arm and waist. “Let me take over.”
She shivered in my arms, her eyes half-closed with desire. But still she struggled with it. “I’m not ready—”
“Shhh.” I kissed her plump lips, licking, nibbling on her bottom one. “I’m not going to try to have sex with you. Yet.” Wa
s she used to men who rushed the goal? Well, I’d just have to show her how an expert played.
“We do have a plane ride, though. A whole hour, just the two of us. And I’d love to get to know you better.”
She relaxed into me, her hand now freely caressing my bicep, my shoulder. She twisted her fingers into my hair and kissed me back with a passion that instantly tested my resolve to go slow.
I broke away, taking back control, wrapping my fingers through hers and pressing her hand back against the couch at her side. With my other hand, I swept against her panties again, groaning as I felt her wetness. So slick, dripping already for me.
“There’s so much I want to know about you, Caroline.” My voice itself a low caress, I pushed the scrap of lace to the side and brought the thick pad of my thumb up against her swollen clit.
“Oh!” she cried out, her fingers digging into my hand where I held it against the couch.
“I want to know what you think about when you touch yourself.” I stroked her, so slippery and smooth, working slowly, taking my time. Her eyes closed now, she gave herself over to the sensations. Yes, Caroline, just like that. I wanted her to put herself in my hands, trust me with all of her.
“I want to know what you fantasize about,” I continued, bringing a finger to her entrance and slowly sliding it inside. She felt so hot and tight, so slick and I could already feel her quivering, her orgasm building. But I didn’t want her to come too soon. The build-up would make it even better. I wanted to make her come so hard her legs would feel too weak to walk.
“It’s going to be a whole week before you see me again, Caroline. I want you to touch yourself and think about how it’ll feel when I taste you.” I bent down and sucked on her neck, plunging my finger into her deep. She threw her head back and moaned, pushing her pussy against the palm of my hand. “And how it’s going to feel when I first enter you.” I drove my finger in again, this time using my thumb against her slick, needy clit.
She clutched my arm with her free hand, as if clinging to me so she wouldn’t slip and fall. But I wanted her to fall. Sometimes the best rush came from letting go. I’d be right there to catch her afterwards.
Working into a good rhythm now, I circled and stroked, thrusting in my finger, slowly drawing it out before thrusting in again. “I’m going to love listening to you scream and feeling you come on my cock.”
“Ah!” she cried out and I could feel her muscles tightening, her ass and thighs tense with the need for release.
“Will you like that, Caroline?” I teased her, mercilessly working her pussy. She groaned in response, thrusting her hips toward my hand. “I’ll fuck you so good. But I’ll only let you come after you beg me for it.”
She whimpered, fisting my shirt in her hand, her hips working, urgent, in rhythm with my thrusts.
“Will you beg me to come?”
“Yes,” she moaned, panting, so close.
“Are you going to beg me now?” I growled at her.
“Yes! Yes, please! Please, I need to come.”
I thrust two fingers inside of her deep and pushed against her clit full and commanding. Leaning my head closer to hers, oh so slowly my tongue traveled up her neck to the lobe of her ear before whispering, “Come for me.”
She screamed, her head thrown back, her fingers practically trying to rip my shirt off my back she grasped it so hard. And she came and came on my fingers, bucking against me, giving me exactly what I wanted, so sweet and slick and wanton.
After her shudders had subsided, I cradled her, dazed and blissful, in my arms. I took my fingers from her pussy and brought them to my mouth to suck and lick her sweetness. She tasted like ambrosia, nectar of the gods. Why had I decided to wait to have her? My decision now seemed just shy of insane. There was only one thing to do. I’d have to tease and torment her enough in the intervening week to make it worth it.
I held her to me, feeling her heartbeat slow as she sighed. Kissing her hair, I confessed, “It’s going to be a long week, Caroline.”
CHAPTER 8
Caroline
I couldn’t get the smile off of my face. I tried, too. I didn’t want to be that obvious. Subtle was what I wanted, not arousing suspicious.
But when Hannah came by Tasty Bakes the next day, she knew right away.
“You like him!” She was used to a whole lot of “ehh” from me, shrugging my shoulders, unenthusiastic over men. Now, she looked at me with surprised delight. “Naughty wench! What did you two do last night?”
I thought about making something up, something that wouldn’t cause a huge splash and become the talk of our small town within minutes. Hannah stood awaiting my news, and Shelly, too. She’d actually arrived early for her shift, so the broadcast system was effectively in place. The problem was, I wasn’t good at lying. So I told the truth.
“He flew me to San Francisco in his private plane!”
“What?!” Much jumping and squealing ensued, as I told them about the insane restaurant and the twelve-course meal that we were served. We didn’t even have to order!
“What does something like that even cost?” Hannah asked.
“I have no idea! I never even saw a menu.”
“My last date was at Subway.” Shelly sounded forlorn. “And he asked me if I had some extra change to cover the cost of his cookie.”
“Oh, please, Evan and I never even went out,” I commiserated. “This blew my mind.”
“And how was the dress?” Hannah looked at me with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, the mad scientist wondering how her creation had performed.
“It was pretty fun to wear it.” I busied myself with taking out supplies, pouring and mixing, but that didn’t cover up the blush that stole over my cheeks. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Colt had looked at me in that dress, feasting on me, delighting in what he saw. And then the way he’d touched me…
“Oh my God!” Hannah exclaimed, punching me in the arm. “Did you join the mile high club? On his private plane?!?”
“No,” I was able to answer honestly, though my blush only intensified. Wow, that orgasm had been hot. The dirty things he’d said to me had turned me on nearly as much as his wickedly talented fingers.
“I’m so jealous!” Shelly groaned. “But, wait, what about the shop? And his plans to tear it down and build a parking lot?”
“Well, nothing’s been figured out yet—”
“What?” Shelly looked disturbed.
“He’s not being a jerk,” I insisted.
“So, he’s called off his plans?” Shelly asked.
“No, he told me he’s still going to build the resort here.” I hesitated. It sounded worse now in the light of day with my friends. He’d been so convincing last night. But then again I’d been in a deeply aroused daze most of the evening. “He wants us to come up with alternate plans. For the store and for the resort.”
“Like, a different location?” Hannah wondered. The store she worked at was only two doors down so they’d have to move as well.
“That’s bullshit,” Shelly declared.
“He told me to think big, tell him what it would take to make it worthwhile to move.”
“Sounds like a line to me.” Shelly threw a kitchen towel on the countertop. “Too good to be true,” she declared, heading back out front to help a customer.
“What do you think?” Hannah asked me. She looked serious, but it was hard to take her too seriously. She wore a large pink cowboy hat studded with rhinestones.
“I don’t know.” I paused, hand to my hip. It was hard to think with the smile that kept bubbling up, fizzing over me like a soda that had been shaken. I guessed I should be feeling more cautious, maybe even reserved and suspicious. But I felt giddy.
“You like him,” Hannah said again, a smile playing across her face as well. “Just be careful.”
I had to give her a look. This was a woman in a pink rhinestone cowboy hat talking to me, after all. “How many times have you told me, ‘You only
live once’?”
“I know.” She shook her head. “But it’s easy to give you advice when you’re being a stick-in-the-mud. Now that you’re off jetting around in private planes—”
“OK, I’ve only done that once,” I corrected her. “And I still know this thing with him isn’t going anywhere.”
“Remember that,” she cautioned me, swiping a scone as she turned to head back to work. “The word fling isn’t exactly in your vocabulary. And you’ve got to know that’s all this is.”
She wasn’t trying to deflate my buoyant mood. Neither of them were. But they succeeded anyway, pushing all that exuberant excitement into a side dish next to a large main course of reality.
It had been fun to have a night out in a red Marilyn Monroe dress and high heels. I’d never felt so flirty and sexy, and I’d definitely never had an orgasm like that before. Hotter than the jet fuel in his plane. Wow, I had to fan myself for a moment.
But both Hannah and Shelly made sense. I shouldn’t get too carried away with this. I needed to stay smart and come up with a proposal—what would it take to make it worth my while to have my store bulldozed to the ground? I’d start with the moon and the stars and go from there.
§
I got his first text message that night.
Colt: Can’t stop thinking of you in that red dress.
There, just like that, my smile came back. Another text arrived.
Colt: And how you’d look out of it.
Cue the blush. Oh my goodness. Colt was next-level seduction. He made everyone else who’d ever hit on me seem like a schoolboy. I was the first person to declare him soundly out of my league, but for some reason he seemed interested in leaving the majors and hanging out with a player on the farm team.
My super suave sexting reply?
Me: Hi Colt.
I didn’t know what to say to this man. But my lameness didn’t seem to deter him. He kept sending me little messages throughout the day, giving me a laugh, making me flush.
Colt: Are you working with those hippies to come up with a proposal for the resort?
Funny, I was sure we all seemed like hippies to him. And he hadn’t even met my parents. If you googled “hippie” I believe a picture of them came up. I hadn’t started thinking about the resort yet, but Nora and I were meeting later that day.
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