Leap

by Cindy Jacks

  After he rummaged in the nightstand for a condom, Gavin wasted no time himself. He stripped off her jeans as she unbuttoned her blouse and took off the camisole beneath. Covering her body with his, Gavin lowered himself between her legs. His arms bore the brunt of his weight, as he pressed down on her just enough to meld their abdomens together. His mouth captured hers, his breath hot and urgent against her cheek.

  He pressed his cock between her thighs and she arched upward to guide him inside her. A groan rumbled in the back of his throat. Tearing away from the kiss, he sucked at her throat and breasts.

  Lila spread her legs more and grasped his ass, pulling him deeper with each stroke. He moved his pelvis forward and up, the base of his shaft sliding against her clit. She dug her fingernails into his back, heat surging between her legs.

  Gavin lowered himself onto his elbows, grazing his lips over hers. He nuzzled her cheeks, her eyelids, her chin—an endless trail of kisses. She sought out his mouth, hungry to taste him and inhale the scent of his skin. Threading a hand in her hair, he cradled her against him. His body heat enveloped her and she clung to him, desperate for release.

  She grew slicker each time he plunged into her, the pressure of his pelvis sending bursts of pleasure through her. Exquisite tension built between her legs and she ground her hips against him. Her body tensed and trembled the closer she grew to coming. He kept up an unhurried pace, his abdomen contracting and relaxing, each muscle working with the same steady rhythm until a massive shudder overtook her. Then he pressed close, pulsing his hips rapidly to push her over the brink.

  Ecstasy broke over her body and gathered into a sharp peak. Even then, the orgasm grew in intensity. She gasped and tilted her head back.

  “Gavin,” she moaned.

  He pushed into her with more urgency, working through her climax. Still caught up in a tide of sensation, writhing beneath him, Lila panted. She wouldn’t be able to bear the stimulation much longer. One more thrust. His cock delved deep inside her, his shoulders tight and arms shaking. He closed his eyes, expression slack as he too came.

  Once his breathing became less ragged, Lila felt his muscles relax. She melted against the bed. He gave her a lazy kiss and carefully withdrew. After snapping off the condom, he wrapped it in a tissue and tossed it in the wastebasket.

  “My God.” Gavin wiped his brow and flopped onto his back. She scooted next to him, lying on her side, one leg draped over him.

  Lila mumbled, “I’m going to be so sore tomorrow.”

  His hand caressed her backside. “I’d apologize, but I’m not really sorry.”

  “Me neither. I’m just sayin’.”

  He brushed his lips against her brow and nose. Her fingers tripped over his large chest, playing with the hair between each pec. The natural scent of his skin brought back memories—flashbacks really. If she closed her eyes, Lila could imagine she’d sneaked over to his house in the middle of the night and they were ensconced in his attic bedroom. Holding up his hand, she compared it to hers. As a teenager, she used to marvel at its massive size. Even now, she half-expected to see his high-school ring there. Funny to think they’d taken such different paths only to wind up back where they’d begun.

  Apparently, he’d been thinking along the same lines. Out of the blue, he said, “You know what I’m wondering? How’d the girl who got a D in home ec wind up as a baker?”

  “Pastry chef, thank you. I’m a pastry chef,” she replied facetiously.

  “Right. Sorry. How did the girl who got a D in home ec wind up as a pastry chef?”

  She interlaced her fingers with his. “Who knows? It was just one of those things. One year Lauren wanted a princess castle cake. Jack was still in law school, we couldn’t afford to buy something so elaborate and I decided to give it a go from scratch. How hard could it be, right?”

  “Did it turn out well?”

  “Nope.” She chuckled at the memory of a heap of chocolate rubble that had served as her daughter’s fourth birthday cake. “It was a freaking disaster. The whole thing fell apart while I was trying to construct it. I guess then I kept working at it because it was a challenge. The next year I made her a three-tier palace complete with chocolate fountain. The more I learned how to do, the more I wanted to learn. I took some classes, worked with a pastry chef. I learned how to sculpt with gum paste and marzipan. He taught me how to make mille-feuille by hand. Several years later, I decided to open my own shop.”

  “It must be great to learn you have a talent you never suspected you had.”

  “I don’t know. I think in this case my only talent has been that I’m too stubborn to quit.”

  “Hey, tenacity goes a long way.”

  She rolled over to face him. “Did you ever want to be anything besides a paramedic?”

  Gavin blew out a long breath. “No. To be honest, I never wanted to be a paramedic. You remember after my parents’ divorce, I was angry a lot. I started getting in trouble. When I went to stay with my dad, he gave me a choice—find a positive outlet for all the pent-up energy or he’d put his foot up my ass. On my seventeenth birthday, I started as a junior member of the volunteer rescue squad. I think at the time, the blood and guts appealed to me. But in the end, it was the other guys, the older ones, who pushed me to get my certifications and make something of myself. It was like I had ten fathers, all of them with a foot at the ready to kick my ass if I stepped out of line. Once I passed my first test and got my first paid position, that was it. I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life.”

  “Hmm.” She nestled her head against his chest. “I should send Billy your way. He’s floundering in college. Almost flunked out last semester.”

  “Sure. The city has a youth recruit program.” He smoothed her hair away from her forehead.

  She had more to say but the words dissolved in her mouth. Lila closed her eyes. His strong heartbeat thumped out a muted rhythm against her ear. She drifted on the warm comfort of his embrace, the scent of their bodies commingled. There were a thousand questions she could ask, doubts and fears that would have to be addressed, but not now. Passion and warmth, that’s all she wanted tonight. And a good night’s sleep.

  * * * * *

  Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep.

  Lila’s cell phone intruded on her slumber. Three thirty already? Lila felt as though she’d just closed her eyes. Still cradled in Gavin’s arms, she was loathe to disentangle herself. They’d slept in the nude. His body heat tempted her to stay. Franco could get by without her. Though she longed to blow off work, she knew she needed some time—a little distance to process the events of the night before. Lila forced herself from the bed and trudged into the bathroom.

  Her tangled mass of hair startled her. Raking a comb through her Bride-of-Frankenstein tresses, she thought about how she’d thrown caution to the wind. What the hell was she thinking? The body of her last relationship wasn’t even cold yet and here she was, waking up in the arms of another man. Stupid. Very stupid. She knew better than this, didn’t she?

  Lila met her own gaze in the mirror. To her surprise, a strange woman looked back. She stared not at Lila Stevens the pastry chef, mother of two, ex-wife…ex-lover. La-La stared back at her. La-La Stevens—fresh, adventurous and full of hope. Yes, hope. Screw the self-recrimination. She deserved to enjoy herself no matter the outcome. Right?

  She gargled with mouthwash—proper oral hygiene would have to wait until she got to work where she kept a spare toothbrush. As quietly as possible, she pulled on her bra, undies, jeans and blouse.

  Gavin’s chest rose and fell with the regularity of deep sleep. In its relaxed state, his face appeared as smooth and unlined as it had twenty-seven years ago. Her stomach did a flip-flop. Not in a million years would she have thought…

  Lila leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss.

  He stirred. “Hey, you leaving so early?”

  “Sorry, I gotta get to work.”

  “Right.” He caressed her cheek and drew her
into another kiss. “Do I get to see you later?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded, suppressing a ridiculous grin. “I’d like that. Now, you get some sleep.”

  Rolling over, he said in a joking tone, “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

  One more kiss and she let herself out.

  On the way to the parking garage, her thoughts raced a mile a minute. What was she doing? What had she started? Wasn’t she too old to jump into…into whatever she’d jumped into?

  She sat in the driver’s seat and buckled her seat belt. As she turned over the engine, Gavin’s words from the evening before replayed in her head. Perhaps she had counted herself out too soon. Maybe more lay ahead of her than just little tweaks. Despite the darkness of the early morning, the day to come felt bright and sunny, replete with endless possibilities.

  Maybe—just maybe—she had one big leap left in her.

  Lila could but hope.

  About the Author

  Prior to becoming a multi-published writer of romantic and erotic fiction, Cindy went to college at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and graduated with a BFA in Art. After a brief attempt at an art career, she decided the “starving artist” life wasn’t for her. She worked for ten years in the corporate arena, but now spends her days as a full-time author.

  When not chained to her laptop, she enjoys hanging with her family, belly dancing and exploring the culinary arts.

  Cindy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

  Tell Us What You Think

  We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at Comments@EllorasCave.com.

  Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer ebooks or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

  www.ellorascave.com