Whisper's Edge

by LuAnn McLane

  He gave it to them. First, cold, creamy ice cream followed by his hot, hungry mouth.

  “Tristan!” She arched her back, giving him full access to her breasts and he took full advantage. He toyed, licked, sucked and when he nipped slightly she moaned. “Dear, God, you’ve got me hotter than a firecracker.”

  Tristan laughed. “Good.” He just knew it would be like this with her. No pretense, no teasing, just sweet honesty. He tugged her sweatpants over her hips and then down her legs, tossing them onto the floor. He sucked in a breath. She wore a black lacy thong that just tore him up. He had already pictured her naked…oh, but he sure hadn’t done her justice. Not even close.

  “You’re beautiful, Savannah.”

  “You certainly make me feel that way.”

  He gave her a half grin. “Hey, I was a geeky kid. Didn’t dare sit at the cool table.”

  “So here we are.” She smiled softly.

  “Beauty and the geek?”

  She laughed as she reached up for his belt, half-shy while trying to be bold, and it tugged at his heart. But her fingers didn’t fumble. A moment later his jeans hit the floor with a plop and he tugged his shirt over his head. She grinned when she saw his flying-pig boxers. “Take them off too,” she requested, and to his surprise she quickly tugged them to his knees before he got the chance. He did the rest for her. “Oh my…”

  “Your fault.” He was fully erect and hard as nails, but he wanted this to last, so he took a deep breath and said, “Let’s go to your bedroom, Savannah. I want full access to every single sweet part of you and this sofa just won’t do it justice.” Plus, he selfishly wanted to sleep all night with her, and his game plan was to make love to her so thoroughly that she fell asleep in his arms.

  “Okay.” When she breathlessly agreed he scooped her up in his arms and carried her.

  When she gasped and then opened her mouth as if to protest Tristan shook his head. “Don’t even say it this time. You’re not heavy and I might be a geek, but I work out.”

  “Oh, so you can read my mind?”

  “I can read your beautiful but totally expressive face. I could beat your butt in poker every time.”

  “Ha,” she said. “We’ll see about that,” she added, but shrieked when he spun her around and then carried her swiftly through the small hallway to the bedroom. He gently put her down in the middle of the mound of pillows and immediately covered her body with his. The feeling of his skin sliding against hers felt amazing.

  Tristan kissed her deeply, moving suggestively in a sneak preview of what he wanted to do with her.

  “I’m sticky,” she said.

  “I’ll give you a tongue bath.”

  She giggled, but then gasped and shivered. Her hands played with his hair and then caressed his back while he licked, kissed, and explored her body from her head to her cute toes.

  “Tristan!” She moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing up as if trying to get even closer than skin on skin. Tristan understood. She couldn’t get close enough. Savannah’s full breasts were crushed against his chest, and when he eased back and rocked against her body, her nipples grazed back and forth. His erection pressed against her belly, hot and hard against her cooler skin. Damn…he needed a condom.

  “Baby, I need to go and get protection.”

  She looked at him through half-lidded eyes. “Okay…I don’t have any…No wait.” She grinned and then hurried into the bathroom. “Don’t go anywhere,” she said over her shoulder.

  “No chance of that.”

  She returned, clutching a colorful handful of what looked like lollypops. “The Camden brothers gave these out at our last Halloween party. They thought it was hilarious.”

  Tristan laughed when he realized the “lollypops” were actually condoms on a stick. The little break cooled his ardor enough to allow him to start kissing her at her ankles and working his way up her calves to her thighs. He teased her by kissing close to her mound but just shy of where she needed him. He wanted her hot and ready because he knew when he entered her he wouldn’t last long. His heart hammered as he started a trail of soft kisses up her torso. “You still taste like ice cream.”

  She giggled low and breathless. “Then lick me again.”

  “Gladly and, believe me, I’ll never look at ice cream the same way again.” He licked his way up to one nipple and then sucked the other while toying with her silk-covered mound. She arched her back in silent plea while he moved his finger slowly over her thong. Finally, he slipped his finger beneath the triangle, feeling her moist heat. She was close.

  Tristan tugged the silk to the side and slipped his finger into her folds and encountered her wet and ready. He dipped and toyed, moving in a slow circle while she moved her hips in an effort to get him to touch her in the right spot. Tristan teased a moment longer and then moved his finger over her clit and rubbed while he drew a puckered nipple into his mouth and then sucked hard.

  She arched her hips and cried out his name gruffly before falling against the pillows. “Dear God…”

  Tristan tugged her thong down her legs and tossed the wisp of silk from the bed. He paused—just briefly—to look at her flushed face and trail his fingers down her body. She shivered, pliant and satisfied.

  Well, he was only beginning.

  Tristan kissed her, barely refraining from the urgent need to be sheathed inside her. But he wanted to get her juices flowing again and wring another orgasm from her while he made sweet love to her. He caressed her breasts while kissing her deeply, stroking her tongue and then pulling back to lick her bottom lip. Her eyes were closed and her breath started to come in shallow breaths when he lowered his caress closer to her mound. Knowing she was still sensitive, he touched her ever so lightly, and when he drew another low moan from her, Tristan parted her thighs wider and then entered her with one delicious stroke.

  “Mmm, Savannah you feel amazing.”

  “Yes, oh yes,” she responded in a throaty, breathless tone that sent Tristan over the edge. Balancing on his arms, he moved his hips, pumping in and out in a slow rhythm that had her matching him until he quickly picked up the pace, moving faster, going deeper until she wrapped her legs around his waist tighter and crossed her ankles. “Give me all you’ve got,” she said, half laughing, half moaning while clinging to him.

  Tristan complied and made love to her with deep, steady strokes, holding nothing back. When he felt her begin to climax Tristan felt his own release with an intensity that he’d never experienced before. His arms trembled and sweat trickled down his back. But it wasn’t just a physical release…no, he felt a hard tug on his emotions and pulled her against him. When she didn’t speak…something she always did, Tristan smiled softly. She’d felt it too.

  Could he be falling in love with Savannah? Was it possible to fall this hard and this fast?

  Tristan kissed the top of her head. He knew one thing for sure. He couldn’t imagine doing anything that would cause her any kind of hurt. He was in a helluva pickle but he would find a solution.

  He had to.

  Losing Savannah wasn’t an option.

  19

  In Living Color

  AFTER SHARING MORNING COFFEE WITH KATE, BEN TOLD her that he was going fishing. He was, but in truth he also had plans to stop up in town and buy her a present. It wasn’t her birthday or a holiday but he knew that unexpected gifts were the best kind of surprise. Anna had loved it when he brought her home something out of the blue, and it didn’t have to be expensive…simply thoughtful.

  Anna. Ben felt a sad pang thump him in his gut but not the guilt of simply being alive that he’d endured for so many years. Oh, and sometimes he’d get so damn pissed at her for dying. Like either of them had a choice in the matter. For the first time since her shocking death, Ben gave himself permission to simply live his life and to be happy.

  He’d never thought he’d get to this point, and he sure never thought he’d have another woman in his life but he did. He was tir
ed of sneaking around with Kate and wanted their relationship to go public. It was time. Oh boy, not that it didn’t scare the hell out of him. Coming out of his cocoon of sadness meant allowing for the possibility of suffering another tragic loss. But it was too late. Tonight, over dinner, hopefully fresh fish, he was going to tell Kate that he had fallen in love with her.

  Ben gripped the steering wheel tighter to steady the slight tremble in his hands. Yeah, he was scared all right, but with the heavy cloak of loneliness lifted, Ben felt as if he were walking from darkness into sunlight.

  Ben pulled into the parking lot of the block of shops called Wedding Row, and took up several spaces with his boat still hooked to his truck. He looked at the brick buildings that were new but could have passed for vintage brownstones. Along with Designs by Diamante, the jewelry store where he was headed, there was a florist called Flower Power and a bakery called Take the Cake, a spinoff from Grammers up in town. A sign advertised that there was a bridal shop opening soon. There were a few more storefronts up for lease but Ben thought it wouldn’t be long before they too were filled.

  A bell tinkled when Ben entered the jewelry store. Soft, soothing music played in the background and a spicy, sweet scent lingered in the air, nice but not too overpowering. Recessed lighting cast a bright, cheerful glow that glinted off silver and gemstones. Round, glass-topped tables were scattered throughout the shop, all of them laden with artfully displayed jewelry. He stood there for a moment and glanced around, suddenly feeling a bit uncertain. Where should he begin?

  “Welcome!” greeted a pretty woman from behind the counter. “Come on in and have a look around.”

  “Thank you.” Ben recognized Nicolina Diamante from a recent article about her store in the local paper. She had made news with her marriage to Mitch Monroe, the Chicago bigwig who had moved to Cricket Creek. Monroe had been responsible for much of the recent economic boom in town and apparently more was on the horizon.

  “May I help you?”

  “I hope so. I’m a bit out of my element.”

  Nicolina gave him a warm smile that eased his nerves. “Ah, shopping for a woman?”

  “Yes.” Ben approached the counter and looked down at the display case. The jewelry was gorgeous.

  “Everything here is handcrafted,” Nicolina explained. “If you don’t see something to your liking, I will customize anything you wish. I do have to admit that I have a bit of a backlog, so it could take several weeks.”

  “I really wanted something today.”

  She nodded. “Well, describe your lady to me. First, what is your relationship?”

  “Uh…” What should he call her? At their age, “girlfriend” sounded kind of silly. “We’re uh…”

  “In a romantic relationship?”

  “Yes,” he admitted.

  “Is this a special day? Birthday or anniversary?”

  “No, I want to show her that I appreciate her,” Ben answered, and was met with another smile.

  “Good for you! We all need to feel that way, that’s for sure. Okay, that’s a start. Now, tell me a bit about her tastes, her personality. Her favorite color.” Nicolina waved her hands around in the air as she talked, reminding Ben of birds flying. “You know, is she a diva or down to earth, that kind of thing.”

  Ben rubbed his chin. “Well, she dresses pretty casual but with a touch of class, you know?”

  “I do.”

  “She has blond hair that’s…kind of a spiky mess but looks great on her.”

  “Ah, cool tones for fair skin.” Nicolina nodded. “And something sassy.”

  Ben smiled fondly. “You betcha. Outspoken for sure…and funny. But a hard worker. Caring.”

  “Quite a woman. We need to find something that captures the essence of who she is so as to reflect her personality.” Nicolina tilted her head to the side. “Well, it seems like you need something bold yet a bit whimsical.”

  “That sounds about right.”

  “What are her favorite colors to wear? We want something she can accessorize with most of her clothes.”

  “Mmm, she used to wear mostly black and white but she’s started to add a lot of color lately.”

  “Ahhh.” Nicolina put a hand to her chest. “Well personally, I love bracelets. Unlike a necklace, you get to look down and see the jewelry.” She looked at him closely. “But then again, a ring is a strong statement, if you want to go that route.”

  A ring? Ben’s heart thumped a little bit harder. “Let’s go with the bracelet.”

  “Okay.” Nicolina slid the glass door open and brought some bracelets up from the display case for him to look at. “These are all made with semiprecious stones like pearls, ivory, coral, jet…technically not really stones at all but used to make jewelry. I weave in sterling silver charms etched with powerful words or sayings that reflect personality or beliefs. Very popular now but I’ve been doing it for many years.” She held up a bracelet. “This one is a whimsical variety of charms with bold color of turquoise, carnelian, and white jade.” She held up another one. “This one is busy, bold, and jangly. The charms are etched with meaning. See, this one says family and this one says hope. I added colorful gemstones and rare antique trade beads.”

  Ben pointed to one that caught his eye. “What about that one?”

  “Oh, a favorite of mine. I love the chunky coral and turquoise combination. It’s called ‘be strong.’ Look closely and you’ll see that the heart charm has strength etched on it. I only have the one silver charm on the bracelet because to me this represents that sometimes love hurts but the heart must remain strong. I stopped with only one, when in most cases I add several charms in between the beads.”

  Ben picked up the bracelet and examined it closely. It felt feminine and delicate in his big hand.

  “The mother-of-pearl discs add a little whimsy and soften the piece.” She smiled. “Bold, beautiful, and strong. And perfect colors for a blond.”

  “Perfect,” Ben said. “I’ll take it.” He didn’t ask the price because it didn’t matter. He already pictured Kate wearing it.

  “It’s one hundred twenty-five,” Nicolina said in a rather apologetic tone.

  “Worth every penny.” Ben wasn’t wealthy but well off enough not to have to worry. Splurging on Kate was a pleasure that he wanted to repeat. He didn’t realize how much he missed buying presents.

  Nicolina smiled. “I’ll wrap it pretty for you!”

  “Thanks,” Ben said and handed her his debit card.

  After Nicolina wrapped the bracelet she said, “Enjoy! I hope your lady loves it.”

  “I’m sure she will.” After Ben was back in his truck he tucked the gift inside his glove box and locked it. He couldn’t wait to see Kate’s face when he handed her the package. Once he was out on the lake he even missed hooking several fish because all he could do was daydream about Kate and the evening ahead. He finally caught a few nice crappie to fry up that evening and called it an early day.

  Later, after cleaning the fish, Ben took special pains with his appearance, shaving closely and then rustling up a bit of gel to put in his hair. He splashed on some aftershave and picked out his nicest pair of khaki shorts. He put on a light blue casual button-down shirt that he hadn’t worn in years and then looked at the white box wrapped with a blue velvet ribbon. His heart thumped in his chest and for a moment he lost his nerve.

  But the heart-shaped charm came to mind. “Love hurts but the heart must remain strong,” he whispered. “Not easy.” Ben closed his eyes and swallowed.

  Love also heals.

  When those words seemed to float into his head Ben had to smile. A tingle ran down his spine. “Thank you,” Ben whispered.

  Ben hadn’t felt the presence of Anna standing next to him for a long time. The first time it had happened he blamed it on the half bottle of bourbon he’d downed the night after her funeral. She chastised him for going that route and he’d never done it again. When it happened again the logical part of Ben chalked it up
to his brain helping him cope with her sudden death. But in the end, whether the visits from his late wife were real or imagined ceased to matter. One way or another Anna found a way to calm him in his weakest hour and he was thankful.

  Ben would have thought it was odd that Anna would pick the evening that he was going to profess his love to another woman to make an appearance but that was so like her. She had given him her blessing and that was all that mattered.

  Ben closed his eyes again, and for the first time in so very long he pictured Anna with such clarity that it took his breath away. Go! Hurry. Don’t waste a precious moment.

  Love must transcend space and time. Because he loved another didn’t mean he didn’t love her. Anna understood. “Love is bigger, broader, and so much stronger than that.”

  A single fat tear slid from the corner of his eye and rolled down his cheek but the turmoil in his heart vanished and he felt a warm rush of peace. Whether coming from the hereafter or from his precious memories, the strength of Anna’s love found a way to reassure and calm him.

  Ben picked up the gift from the dresser and smiled. He was finally good and ready. There was no need to look back, only forward, and for the first time since he could remember the future looked bright rather than bleak. Ben felt as if he had started to live his life in color rather than black-and-white and it felt amazing.

  After getting the bag of fish fillets out of the fridge he spotted a bottle of Bogle Chardonnay that Kate had come to enjoy. He grabbed it, put everything in a canvas tote, and smiled. The vineyard had become Kate’s favorite and he kept it on hand for her. The thought occurred to him that living under the same roof would make things a whole lot easier, even though her place was just a short walk away. Still…the notion held appeal.

  Ben whistled as he walked through Whisper’s Edge. The sound of dishes clanking and the aroma of food wafted his way, making his stomach rumble in anticipation. He was suddenly very hungry for dinner…and a whole lot more.