by Diana Tobin
She was pulling back the covers and crawling across the large expanse when Web gripped her ankle. He kept his hold on her as she rolled to her back. Gripping her other ankle, he spread her legs wide, keeping his gaze locked on hers.
His hands moved up her legs to grip her hips as he crawled between her legs. Still staring into her eyes, he said, “Remember, I’m yours.” He thrust into her. “You’re mine.” He pulled her knees up and thrust again. “Mine!”
Keeping one hand on her hip, he moved the other to the back of Gusta’s neck, bringing her lips to his, kissing her deeply as she matched her rhythm to his.
“Mine,” he said again, as the world exploded around them.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Gus was sprawled in a tangle of limbs across the bed. “I knew it. I knew I’d never survive it. But, sweet Jesus, what a way to go!” She drew in a deep breath. “Damn it! I finally have an orgasm, multiple orgasms, and that’s it.”
“Gusta, what are you talking about?” Web said chuckling.
“Web?”
“Right here.”
She gulped. “Are you dead, too?”
She felt the warmth of another body, and a large hand cradled the side of her face. “Sweetheart, open your eyes.” Gus blinked a couple of times before being able to focus on Web’s face above hers.
“I thought I was struck blind. Maybe, you can’t see—once you’re dead.”
Web’s body shook with laughter. He wrapped his arms around her, rolled to his back, pulling her on top of him. “Orgasms will do that to you.”
“Are you making fun of me?” Her palms were flat on his shoulders, pushing her up to stare down at him. The only problem with that was it put their hips in closer alignment.
“No,” he said, seriously. He pulled her head down for a kiss. “But I am feeling mighty damn proud.” A grin crept back on his face. “First ones, huh?”
“Um, yeah.” She couldn’t help smiling back at him. She felt so damn alive!
“Honey, you were married and had a baby. I can’t believe you never had an orgasm before this.”
Web had his hands on her head, running his fingers through the short strands, scratching her scalp lightly. It felt wonderful, and she was ready to purr.
“Women don’t have to have orgasms to get pregnant. Just men. I told you Steve was–”
“Stop right there.” Web’s hands tightened on her head, making her eyes open as she stared at him. “I don’t want to hear another word about what your ex said or did. Not ever again. Do you understand me?” She nodded her agreement and he gave a nod of satisfaction. “We’ve already established he’s a lying jackass. With all the affairs he had you’d think he’d have learned how to satisfy you. Selfish bastard! I should go out to Oregon and beat him to a bloody pulp for that alone, besides what he did to you and Hope, but he’s not worth the effort.”
Gus could only continue to stare at Web as his touch on her hair gentled. She had a real live hero on her hands. Well, under them. She didn’t think men like him existed outside of books.
His kneading fingers moved from her head to her shoulders and upper back. “Multiple ones, huh?”
She let her head rest on his chest, feeling her bones liquefy at his massage. “Yeah,” she said on a sigh.
“Just for the heck of it, how many?”
“I lost track,” she murmured.
“I’ll help you count. The first one was downstairs on your bed.”
“No, the first was out by the lake.” She snuggled into him, inhaling the spicy scent she would always associate with him, the hair on his chest tickling her nose.
Web pulled her up to look into her face. “What do you mean out by the lake? When? How?”
“Sheesh! All the power in the world, and now you want details?” She frowned at him. “Wipe that smirk off your handsome face.”
His grin only became more cocky. “If I did something right, I want to know so I can do it again.” He reached up to peck kisses across her face, lingering over her chin. “Tell me.”
“W-we were talking. You were telling me how hard you get, you were kissing me, touching me…” She smiled a bit as she remembered it. “Then just as I was shivering and shuddering you were gone. Out in the water.” She sighed as a delicious tingle raced up her spine.
“You had your first,” he tilted his head, waiting for her to acknowledge he had it correct. “Just from me talking, a few kisses and touches?”
“Yeah,” she affirmed dreamily. “That’s when I figured if we ever had full sex, I’d probably die from the experience. Then, bam! We did…and I thought I had.”
“So, you swam out to get me because you decided you wanted to test your theory?”
“Well, partly.” She folded her hands on his chest, resting her chin on them. “I was thinking about what you said. The cold showers, jumping into the lake, and there you were, going for a swim—and it was chilly. So, if I was affecting you that way, and considering what you had just done to me, it had to be worth taking a chance.” She met his green-eyed gaze. “I decided the worst that could happen was I had it all wrong and you’d politely tell me to leave you alone.”
She reached up to run one finger lightly over his lips. His beautiful oh-so-kissable lips. “Plus, you were right. About how I was letting my experiences with he-who-shall-not-be-named still guide my life. I had to stop expecting everyone to treat me the way he had. I would never be able to move forward if I kept letting the past hold me back.”
Gus inched up his body. “I really need your mouth.”
Web met her halfway. And, while their tongues danced and dueled, he spread her thighs over his and slipped back inside her, where he filled her completely, and she held him snug and tight.
♥•♥•♥
“We’ve got to eat.” Hours had passed. Web didn’t want to leave his bed, not as long as Gusta was in it, but they really needed to eat. Or, at least, replenish some liquids.
She stretched, arching her toes down to his feet, her arms reaching up to the headboard. He marveled at the beauty of her, and decided maybe they could go without food or drink.
“I’m starving,” she announced.
“You do seem to have quite an appetite.” He grinned at her. “I’m doing my best to keep up with you.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “I have sooo much to learn. And, no—I don’t want to know where you learned it all.”
He leaned in for a kiss. “I keep making it up as we go along.”
“Baloney!” she stated, then gave him a smacking kiss. “But, good answer. Let’s go get some food.”
Gusta bounced out of bed and looked around. “Where are my clothes?”
“Downstairs. We came in wet, remember?” Slowly, he sat up. “You don’t need to wear anything.”
“I can’t just parade around the house naked. I can’t cook naked.”
“Why not?”
“Well, what if someone came to the door?”
“Yes, we’ve been overrun with visitors,” he said dryly. But, he rose from the bed and pulled a tee shirt out of a drawer.
“Why is that?” Gusta let him put the shirt on her as if she were a small child and needed help getting dressed. “You know nearly everyone in town.”
Web opened another drawer. “I know people, but they aren’t close friends. Not the kind to just drop by.”
“How come?” She sat back on the bed, watching him pull on his shorts.
“By the time most kids were in high school I was away training and competing. My friends are other skaters, spread around the world. Top athletes don’t spend much time in Webster, Maine. Yet.” He put his hands on his hips. “Are you gonna carry me downstairs since I carried you up?”
“We’d be dead for sure,” she said, rising from the bed and grabbing his hand. “Help me find something for dinner.”
“Supper,” he corrected. He glanced at the clock. “Hell, it’s nearly time for breakfast.” He let her lead him down to the kitch
en.
While Gusta prepared a light meal for them, Web gathered up the wet clothes they’d left in the dining room, and mopped the floor. After eating, they cleaned up the kitchen together.
Web took Gusta in his arms, kissing her, then lifted her to sit on the counter. He reached out to turn off the light in the room, leaving them in darkness, save for the filtered moonlight.
“I want you again,” he whispered against her lips.
“I want you, too,” she whispered back.
“No condoms down here.”
She moved to get off the counter, “We’ll go upstairs.”
“Not yet.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, holding her in place, then knelt on the floor before her. Moving his hands to her hips, he pushed the shirt up to her waist and scooted her to the edge of the counter. “I need another taste first.” Letting her legs dangle over his bare shoulders he let his lips, teeth, tongue, and fingers send fireworks shooting off in her body.
♥•♥•♥
Gus was in the shower early the next morning when Web stepped in behind her.
“Please tell me you don’t have to work today.” He pulled her wet body against his, kissing her ear and neck.
“I was trying to be quiet so you could sleep.” She shivered at the touch of his tongue.
“Can’t sleep without you,” he said. He took the soap from her hands and began rubbing it over her body. “We need to get some of that pretty lotion you use up here.”
“It’s almost gone. Wait, how do you know what I use?”
He grinned turning her to face him. “Honey, I smell it on your skin and hair every time I get close to you. Now, you’re gonna smell like me.”
Gus grinned back. “That’s fine with me. But, I’m going to be late for work.”
“Then we’d better make it worth it.” He fastened his mouth to hers, lifted her soap-slicked body up against his, and made sure they both felt the fireworks.
As it turned out, Gus was only a few minutes late to work. Web insisted on driving her since he had errands out of town.
“My fault she’s late, Nettie,” Web told the café owner. “We had a slight shower mishap this morning.”
Gus felt her face flame beet red as Nettie snorted.
“Is that the story you’re going with?” Nettie Baxter, owner of Moose-ley Coffee, had gone to school with Web’s mother, so she had known him since his birth. Any woman with half a brain would be glad of a shower mishap with the strapping man Charles Webster had become. Nettie was convinced her newest employee had a full working brain and was no fool. “Give her a kiss and be off with you so we can get to work.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Web’s smile was huge as he took Gus in his arms and gave her a long and thorough kiss.
“Cripes, Web! I didn’t say swallow her whole,” Nettie said on a laugh.
Without taking his gaze off Gus he said, “Just following orders.” He took a step back from her, still holding her arms. “Can I get a cup to go?”
Gus nodded her head, but didn’t move. Web ran his hands up and down her arms. “Gusta? My coffee.”
She blinked, then took a quick look around the small café. No customers, just the three of them. “I’ll get it.” She turned away to get a large go-cup for him.
“How’s your mom doing, Web?” asked Nettie.
“Good. Haven’t seen her since Gran’s funeral.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “We talk often. They need to meet Gusta.”
“Oh?”
“She’s Gran’s granddaughter,” Web told her.
“Julia’s child?” Nettie looked from Web to Gus. “No wonder she looked so familiar. She looks like Emma.”
“I’m right here and can hear you both,” said Gus. She supposed if people were going to talk about her, it was best it happened in front of her.
“Land sakes, girl, why didn’t you tell me?” Nettie asked.
“There wasn’t a place on the job application for long-lost relatives.”
Nettie laughed and Web grinned. “She’s a keeper,” Nettie declared. “Hard worker, just like her grammie.” She smiled at both of them, then pointed a finger at Web. “You be sure to treat her good, or you’ll answer to me.”
“Yes’m.” He looked at Gus. “I’ll be back for you when your shift is over.” He leaned toward her when Nettie interrupted.
“Don’t be kissing her again. We ain’t got time the way you go about it. We’ve got to open up. Shoo!” Nettie waved her hands at Web. “You can kiss her plenty when you pick her up. And, I’m sure you will.”
He saluted Nettie with his coffee cup and winked at Gus. “Count on it.”
With Web gone, Gus got to work. She couldn’t get over Web kissing her that way in front of Nettie. Sure, they’d held hands in public before, but usually, they were out of town so the only ones to see them were strangers. A kiss like that in his home town in front of people he knew meant Web was proud to be seen with her, didn’t mind having others know they were together.
She hugged that knowledge to her all day. No one ever made her feel as special as Web.
During a lull between customers, Nettie asked Gus about her mother. “How’s she been?”
“Mom and Dad died seven years ago.”
Nettie put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear that. She was so young.” She laughed. “She had to be, since we’re the same age. Do you mind me asking what happened?”
“Auto accident.” Gus could tell from the look on Nettie’s face she’d keep asking questions, so decided to explain. “They were living near Spokane, Washington and had come down to southern Oregon to celebrate my daughter’s first birthday. The accident was on their way home.”
“How sad. But, you’re married and have a little girl?”
“No, I’m divorced.”
“Ah,” Nettie nodded her head in approval. Evidently, she’d thought Gus was carrying on with Web while married to another man. She must think unfaithfulness ran in the family. “Who’s taking care of your little girl? I’m surprised she’s not with Web.”
Gus fisted her hands and drew a deep breath. “My daughter had cancer and…”
Nettie put her arms around Gus. “Oh, no. You poor thing! Losing your mama and daddy, then your husband, and your baby. That’s the worst.” She gave Gus an extra squeeze and rocked her a bit. “At least, you had your grammie and grampa. And, now you have Web.”
Thankfully, customers began filling up the shop and Gus didn’t have to explain that she’d never had grandparents, or none she’d known of. But, she did have Web, at least for now, and she was very grateful for him.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“How was your day, honey?” Web asked as they drove home.
“Long,” Gus said with a laugh. “I haven’t quite decided which was worse; Nettie continually plying me with questions about the family or announcing to each customer that I was your girl.”
“Well, you are my girl.” He flattened her hand on his thigh. “Too bad it’s gotten too cool to wear shorts. That could make the trip home more interesting.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her and moved her hand farther up his thigh.
“Pervert. You’d wreck your Jeep.”
“Be worth it.”
She just smiled at him, but didn’t move her hand. “I gathered from the locals it’s been a long time since anyone has seen you with a woman. You didn’t bring your harem to your hometown?”
“Ha!” He glanced at her and could see she was more serious than her words let on. “I found out, pretty quickly, that whole groupie scene wasn’t for me. Many women like hanging around athletes. It was all too superficial for me. I know this sounds corny, but I saw the relationship between my grandparents and my parents. I’m not willing to settle for less for myself.”
He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. “I’ve never had a harem. I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I can barely keep up with you.” He grinned at her. “But, I’m sure having fun trying.”
“I’m noth
ing special–”
His hold on her hand tightened painfully. “Don’t make me stop this car in the middle of the street and show you and the whole town just how special you are.”
“I was going to say I’m only special with you. And, we’re home.”
He pulled the Jeep into the garage and let the door shut behind them. “Good. Now I can show you in private how special you are. Lemme over there.”
Web slid over the stick shift to the passenger seat and pulled Gus around to straddle his lap. “I missed you,” he said against her lips.
Sometime later, Gus grinned at him. “I have a whole new appreciation for getting a ride home.”
Web laughed and hugged her. “Just so I’m the only one you get a ride from,” he growled.
She cupped his face in her hands. “I would never be unfaithful to you while we’re together.”
“I know, baby.” He kissed her fingertips, then her lips. “I will always be faithful to you.”
Gus wouldn’t think about how long Web’s always might be. If she only had the next ten months with him, she would consider herself more than lucky. Despite what he said, Gus knew she was nothing special, but Web certainly made her feel as if she were.
Web helped her out of the vehicle. “I suppose you’re going to dress to go in the house.”
“Of course,” she said with a laugh, pulling on her clothes and slipping her feet into her sneakers.
“Waste of time,” Web said, pulling on just his jeans and gathering up the rest of his things. “But, then, undressing you is like unwrapping a present.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “All mine!”
A shiver of delight ran down her spine. She was his as long as he wanted her. “What did you get in the city?”
“A few supplies. A few surprises,” he said mysteriously.
Gus hung her jacket on a hook behind the kitchen door. She was going to have to spend some of her earnings on a warmer coat for this winter. Probably, boots, too. “What kind of surprises?”