by Lynn LaFleur
“Paper towels are fine with me.”
“Syrup’s in the pantry next to the refrigerator.”
She set their places, topped off her coffee mug, then returned to her chair as Quade set two platters piled with ham and French toast on the island. “How does that look?”
“Delicious.”
“Help yourself while I refresh my coffee.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice. Eve took a piece of toast and a generous slice of ham. She’d cut off the first bite of meat and placed it in her mouth by the time Quade joined her.
Eve closed her eyes in pleasure while she chewed. “Oh, my God, that’s wonderful.” She opened her eyes again and looked at Quade to see him smiling. “That has to be the best ham I’ve ever tasted. It isn’t too salty like a lot of ham I’ve eaten.”
“I bought a pig from a farmer in Walnut Springs and had it butchered. I made sure the processors went light on the salt.”
She washed down her bite of ham with a sip of coffee. “You bought a whole pig just for you?”
“And a side of beef from Nick Fallon. I have two big freezers in my laundry room.” He cut off a bite of toast, swirled it in the syrup on his plate. “My office is here, Eve. It’s more like a den than an office, which helps people feel comfortable. They talk more freely when they’re comfortable. I have a regular sterile office at the high school, but I see clients here whenever I can. I fix a snack or sometimes a full meal, depending on how long the session lasts and what time of day it is. That’s why I keep the refrigerator and pantry well stocked.”
“I noticed all the seating places on your porch. Do you have sessions outside?”
“If that’s what my client wants to do. It’s whatever makes him or her the most comfortable.”
She watched him as he ate his bite of toast. Handsome, charming, attentive, caring, a fantastic lover and cook. Add all those things together and they created a man any woman would be proud to call hers.
Eve hated that she could never do that.
No thinking bad thoughts today. This is a day to enjoy being with Quade. I plan to cherish every moment with him.
She forked another piece of toast onto her plate. “I shouldn’t have a second piece, but it’s too good to stop with only one.”
“Enjoy it. We’ll walk off the calories.”
Or work them off making love, if I have any say about it.
Quade placed the last piece of toast and slice of ham on his plate. “Cozy Crafts is closed on Sundays, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you work tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’m off on Tuesdays.”
“I didn’t schedule any clients Tuesday so I’d be free to pick up some supplies in Fort Worth for the fire department. Clay should let me know for sure sometime today if I need to go. Would you like to ride along? We can have lunch or dinner, maybe go to a movie.”
Spending a day in Fort Worth with Quade sounded wonderful. “I’d love to go with you.”
His warm smile proved her comment pleased him. “Good.” He laid his fork across his empty plate. “Did you get enough to eat?”
“Goodness, yes. It was delicious, Quade.”
“I’m glad you liked it.” He picked up her empty plate along with his and stood. “I’ll set these in the sink and take care of them later.”
“I don’t mind washing them. There aren’t many.”
“I’ll put them in the dishwasher later.” He set the plates in the sink, came back to the island. “Want the grand tour of my house before we go outside?”
“Yes, please.”
8
Quade closed the back door behind Eve. Taking her hand, he led her down the steps into the backyard. They hadn’t gone more than a few feet when he heard a loud commotion in the trees to their left.
“Daisy and Cocoa are heading this way.”
As he predicted, the two Labs burst through the shrubs and made a beeline for him. Eve took a step backward, but could go no farther for Quade still held her hand. “Are you afraid of dogs?”
“No, but they’re so … rambunctious.”
“Sit!” Quade said firmly.
Both dogs stopped two feet away and dropped to their haunches. Their tails wagged, their tongues hung out of their mouths, but they remained still.
“The golden Lab is Daisy, the brown Cocoa. They’re both spayed females.”
“Can I pet them?”
“Sure, but then they’ll love you for life.”
Eve smiled. “That wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
“They won’t move until I tell them it’s okay, but then they’ll be all over you.”
She dropped to her knees on the ground. “I’m ready.”
Quade squatted next to Eve. “Come here.”
The dogs pounced, both trying to lick Eve’s face. Quade worried that it might upset her, but she laughed in delight. He smiled at her efforts to pet them when they seemed determined to bathe her with their tongues.
“Okay, that’s enough. Sit!”
Once again, the dogs obeyed his command. Quade stood and offered a hand to help Eve. “Believe it or not, they’re great watchdogs. No one gets on the property when I’m gone. But if you’re with me, they assume you’re okay and want to play.”
“I don’t mind. They’re beautiful.” She scratched each dog behind one ear. Quade recognized the blissful oh-yeah-that’s-the-spot look on Daisy’s and Cocoa’s faces. “How old are they?”
“Daisy is almost four, Cocoa is five.” He added to the scratching behind the dogs’ other ears. “I’m thinking about getting one more. I have Animal Control on the lookout for a Lab puppy.”
“These were rescue dogs?”
“Yeah. I got Cocoa from Animal Control right after I moved to Lanville.” He straightened. “Ready to go exploring?” he asked the dogs.
Excited barking met his question. Both Labs took off toward the woods, then stopped and looked back at Quade and Eve as if to tell them to hurry. Quade entwined his fingers with Eve’s again and followed the dogs for several yards, then he turned to take the path to the creek. The dogs soon fell into step, Cocoa by Quade and Daisy by Eve.
“Are they protecting us?” Eve asked.
“Yeah. They’ll stay right by us as long as we’re walking. When we stop and sit, they’ll take off to play.”
“You’ve trained them very well.”
“They were easy to train. They’re very smart.” He reached down to pat Cocoa’s neck. “Aren’t you, girl?”
He looked back at Eve to see a tender smile on her lips. “What?”
“It’s sweet how much you care for your dogs.”
Quade could tell her he poured all his love into the Labs since he didn’t have someone special in his life. Instead, he said, “They love unconditionally, so it’s easy to love them back.”
Eve squeezed his hand, but said nothing else. Quade remained silent also, content to walk with her by his side.
He heard the babbling of the creek through the trees. The sound proved the creek held little water, but enough from last week’s rains to flow over the rocks. He led Eve to his favorite grassy spot beneath a huge willow tree.
Her delighted gasp made him smile. “Oh, Quade, what a beautiful place.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Reaching into the canvas bag he’d slung over his shoulder, Quade pulled out a blanket and spread it on the ground. Once Eve sat with her legs folded in front of her, he removed two bottles of water and a plastic container of oatmeal cookies from the bag and set them on the blanket before sitting beside her. “Ready for a treat?”
“Please.”
The Labs looked at Quade and Eve for several seconds, then took off down the creek. “Told you,” Quade said with a grin. He removed the lid and held the container toward Eve. “Help yourself.”
She chose two of the soft cookies. After biting into one, she moaned in pleasure. “Delicious. Did you make them?”
“No, I bought them from Emma. I
’m a good cook, but I’m not much of a baker.”
“I’m the opposite. I’m a better baker than cook.”
Quade opened both bottles of water, handed one to Eve. “What’s your specialty?”
She looked over the creek while she took a sip of water. “I make a chocolate cake with chocolate icing that’s to die for.”
“Mmm, I like cake.”
“You wouldn’t by any chance be hinting that I should bake a cake for you?”
He liked the teasing light in her eyes. “Now would I do something that impolite?”
“It isn’t impolite to ask for something you want.”
“Well, then.” Quade popped his last bite of cookie into his mouth, rubbed his hands together to get rid of any crumbs. “I’m going to ask for a kiss.”
She smiled before leaning closer and touching her lips to his. Quade slid his hand beneath her ponytail to cradle her nape. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss, ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. Eve parted them to allow him entrance. He touched the tip of her tongue with his and was rewarded when she did the same.
Seconds away from pushing her down on the blanket, Eve surprised him again by pushing him down first. He went willingly to his back. Their kiss continued while she yanked up his T-shirt and unfastened the button at the waistband of his jeans.
“It’s private here, right?” she asked. “You don’t have any close neighbors?”
“My closest neighbor lives three miles away.”
The vixen smile that always led to intense pleasure for him spread across her lips. “Good.”
By the time she’d unfastened his jeans and tugged them and his briefs down to his knees, his cock lay hard and thick against his belly. Eve ran one fingertip down the heavy vein. “I’m fascinated by how this more than doubles in size when you become aroused.” Still caressing him, she looked into his eyes. “I told you last night and I’ll tell you again. You have a magnificent body, Quade.”
“So do you. How about letting me see more of it?”
He’d barely finished the question when she stood, toed off her shoes, and shucked her jeans and panties. She straddled his thighs before removing her T-shirt and bra. The sunlight bathing her body stole his ability to think.
Actions spoke louder than words anyway.
Taking her hands, he gently pulled her forward until she reclined on top of him. Her soft belly cushioned his hard cock. He loved the feel of her breasts pressed against his chest. If he slid his hand between her thighs, he knew he’d find her pussy wet and open for him.
The realization that he didn’t have a condom made Quade curse beneath his breath. “We have a problem.”
“What?”
“No condom.”
Her vixen’s smile flashed over her lips again. Sitting up and straddling his thighs, she reached for her jeans and withdrew something from a back pocket. She held up a condom packet between two fingers.
“Number three. I brought it just in case.”
Quade grinned. “I do like an intelligent woman.”
She also grinned, but it quickly faded. “I’m on birth control and haven’t been with a man in over two years. So if we ever didn’t have one of these handy, I promise I’m safe.”
“My last relationship ended six months ago. We were always careful. I promise I’m safe, too.”
Eve twisted her lips from side to side. “Kinda spoils the mood to talk about something so serious and personal.”
“A little.” He cradled her breasts in his palms, thumbed her nipples. “But I’ll bet we can get back in the mood pretty quick.”
Her nipples beaded beneath his caress. Quade didn’t spend nearly enough time with Eve’s beautiful breasts last night. He planned to remedy that oversight today. Pulling her forward again, he arranged her so her breasts were even with his mouth. He licked each tip, getting both nice and wet and hard.
“Quade,” she whispered.
Her raspy tone encouraged him to continue. Quade circled both nipples with his tongue, giving each an equal amount of time. Only after he’d made them as hard as he decided he could did he draw one into his mouth to suck.
Eve’s long moan proved she liked what he did. Quade lightly bit one nipple, pulled on it with his teeth. Eve squirmed on top of him, rubbing her mound on his stomach. She made a sound of frustration in her throat before she shifted positions. Apparently, she wasn’t getting the stimulation to her clit that she needed.
He’d be happy to help her with that.
With his mouth still worshipping her breasts, Quade reached between her legs and located her swollen clit. Eve gasped, then moaned again.
“Right there. Oh, yes, Quade, right there!”
He sucked harder on her nipple while his fingertips danced over the sensitive bundle of nerves. He caught glances of Eve’s face when he switched nipples. Although they’d made love only a few times, Quade already knew the signs of impending bliss for Eve. Wanting that bliss to consume her, he pushed two fingers into her pussy and rubbed her G-spot.
She shattered.
Her nipple popped from his mouth when she pushed on his shoulders and arched her back. A strangled sound came from her throat, one he would mistake as pain if he didn’t know better.
She wilted on top of him, her breath hot and humid against his neck. Quade left his fingers inside her channel, gently moving them to prolong her pleasure as long as possible.
“I think I’m dead.”
Quade chuckled. “You wouldn’t be breathing if you were dead.”
“Am I breathing?”
“Yeah. I can feel your breath on my neck. It’s very sexy.”
She lifted her head. Her eyelids appeared heavy, as if she could barely hold them open. “You’re very sexy.”
She kissed him long and passionately. By the time the kiss ended, Quade’s dick screamed at him to fuck her.
“Eve, I really need to use that third condom. Now.”
“I dropped it.”
“What?”
“Wait, here it is.” Eve waved the packet in the air as if it were a prize. She scrambled down his body while she tore it open, glided the latex over his hard cock. Holding it straight up, she impaled herself.
“God, you’re so tight.” Quade gripped her waist, arched his hips, and drove into her. “Tight and wet. So wet for me.”
Placing his feet flat on the ground, he thrust into her again. Eve braced her hands on his chest and matched his movements. She pushed down when he arched, lifted her pelvis when he retreated. Sweat soon covered his body and his breathing became more labored. He wanted Eve to come again before he did, but he didn’t know if he could hold back much longer.
His balls drew up tightly to his body. Quade fucked Eve faster, chasing that point when pleasure would engulf him.
All the burgeoning feelings inside him fizzled when Eve stopped moving. The lack of blood in his brain made thinking difficult, so he didn’t realize she’d lifted herself off his cock until he no longer felt the snug wetness. “What are you doing?”
“Something different.”
“What’s wrong with the same?”
A moment later, Quade mentally took back his complaint. Eve turned to face the creek and impaled herself again. She leaned forward and gripped his knees, which gave him an unimpeded view of her ass.
“Oh, yes,” she said in a breathless voice. “Feels so good.”
Quade held both buttocks while Eve fucked him. He didn’t move, but let her take whatever she needed. From this angle, he could see his dick slipping in and out of her pussy. Her cream covered it, letting it slide easily.
His gaze shifted to between her cheeks. He licked his thumb, rubbed it in a circle over the rosette. When Eve didn’t complain, he wet his thumb again and pushed the tip past her anus.
“More. Give me more, Quade.”
He’d like to shove his cock in her ass, but knew his saliva wouldn’t be enough and didn’t have any lube. He thought of the bottle of gel in his n
ightstand and longed to have it here.
Quade pushed his thumb in her ass as far as he could. Eve cried out, dug her fingernails into his thighs. Strong pulses surrounded his shaft and his thumb as the orgasm raced through her body.
The feel of those strong contractions meant Quade couldn’t hold back any longer. He had to fuck her, and fuck her hard. Gripping Eve around the waist, he quickly switched their positions so she was on her hands and knees. Quade plowed into her, his thrusts firm and fast. It took only moments before he felt those pulses around his dick again. Shoving his cock all the way into her pussy, he closed his eyes and let the orgasm overtake him.
His surroundings slowly seeped into Quade’s brain. He recognized the sound of the creek flowing over rocks, birds singing in the trees, the wind whistling through the leaves over his head. And Eve’s heavy breathing. Opening his eyes again, he saw that she’d braced her forehead on her forearms. Her thighs trembled against his.
Gently withdrawing from her, he helped her straighten her legs so she could recline on the blanket, then lay beside her. “You okay?” he asked.
“My bones are going to completely dissolve if I keep having so many orgasms.”
Quade grinned, pleased she found such intense satisfaction with him. “Do you want us to stop?”
“Hell, no. I’ll use a walker if I have to.”
She gave him a quick kiss, then rolled to her back and looked up. “It’s such a beautiful day. We should have a picnic right here.”
“We can do that. We could walk a little more and build up an appetite, then go back to the house, fix a picnic lunch, and come back here.”
“Or …” She rolled toward him, placed her hand on his chest. “We could go back to your house now and work up an appetite on your big bed.”
He struggled not to grin again. “I don’t have a walker handy.”
“I don’t need one yet. In fact, I’m feeling stronger by the minute.”
Only three hundred yards separated them from his bed. They could make that in minutes.
Now that the idea had been planted in his head—and his dick—Quade couldn’t wait to get Eve in his bed. Scrambling to his feet, he snatched up their clothes and stepped into his shoes. “Let’s go.”