“Come inside with me,” he said, his lips on her throat. “Please.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and let her head fall back. “Yes.”
He somehow opened his door and pulled her out with him, and then hip-checked the door shut. She just clung to his broad shoulders, wrapping her legs around his waist to lock her ankles. Cupping her butt in his hands, he held her close as he took long strides across the sandy path and up the steps to the tent-cabin. He set her down and she stood on shaking legs.
“We’ll take it slow, Cassie.”
“That’s smart.” She stared into his hazel eyes, and the planks beneath her seemed to sway a little. “A nice, slow tangle.”
His eyes flared. He let out a low whistle and unlocked the door. They entered the tent-cabin and Ty lit a couple of lamps. She made her way to his very nice, iron bed and kicked off her sneakers. Settling down, she pulled off her t-shirt.
“Damn,” he said, staring hard enough to burn holes through the lace cups of her periwinkle blue bra.
Coming up on her knees, she made a circular motion with one finger at him. “Take that shirt off, cowboy.”
He chuckled a little and glanced down at the floor. “I’m not a cowboy, Cassie.”
“Do you know how to ride a horse?”
He faced her dead on now, his eyes sparkling. “I do.” He pulled his shirt up and over his head. “That doesn’t make me a cowboy.”
She shrugged, her eyes running over every dip and ripple in his amazing torso. His jeans dipped down just enough to show a sliver of light skin right above the waistband.
“Let me have my fantasy, will you?” she teased.
He toed off his sneakers and slowly walked toward her. His narrow hips rolled in his low-slung jeans. “Do you need a fantasy, Cassie?”
She used to, yeah. She used to need flash and show to even begin to want a guy. Not now, though. Not with Ty.
She gave a slow shake of her head. “With you right here in front of me? You’re fantasy enough, believe me.”
He might think she was just doing a little bit of dirty talking but she was dead serious. He was more beautiful than any guy she’d ever seen, in person or in the movies. All golden and sculpted and hers for the next hour or so.
He came closer, covering her until she edged back on the bed. He was so big yet he supported himself on his strong arms and stared down into her eyes.
“If I’m a fantasy you’re a wet dream,” he rasped.
It wasn’t poetry but his words sent a tingle over her skin. She was prickly and achy and it was all due to this particular guy. “Oh, my.”
He flashed her a quick smile, and then set his mouth on hers. He tasted so good. Fresh and little minty. She took his tongue in her mouth, arching up as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His hair was so soft against her fingers as she ran he hands over his head. When he dipped his head to nuzzle her throat, she let out a purr.
Coming up on his knees, he began to unfasten her jeans. “I have to get you out of these.”
She leaned up on her elbows. “What about yours?”
He shot her look of pure heat. “I have to keep mine on for now, sweetheart.”
“Okay.” She smiled, her breath coming fast. “For now.”
He growled again and she shimmied her hips to help him pull off her jeans. Her panties, just a scrap of lace in the same color as her bra, followed. His lips did, too. Following his fingers as he pushed her panties down over her legs. He didn’t waste another second before bringing those talented lips of his right to her center.
“Ty!”
He didn’t answer with more than a moan as his tongue and lips drove her swiftly to the edge. If she thought he’d been skilled with his fingers the last time they were together he was freaking gifted with that mouth of his.
Higher and higher she climbed, almost frightened by the intensity of the orgasm screaming its way toward her. She must have sobbed or made some kind of sound because he lifted his head as his fingers kept up his sweet torture.
“That’s it, Cassie.” He licked her clit and she bucked as a kick of sensation struck her. “Come for me.”
She reached up over her head to grab onto the iron rails of the headboard and just let go, crying out as she began to come. He didn’t let up. His mouth and the light rasp of the stubble on his jaw sent her out of her mind.
Tremors still rocked her body minutes later as he came up to kiss her lips. “Damn, sweetheart. You’re amazing.”
“That was…” She was breathing hard now. “That was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
He tilted his head, a smile curving his lips. “You came last time.”
Her cheeks heated a little bit, which was ridiculous. She was just about naked and he’d just sent her to heaven with his mouth and fingers.
“I never really had orgasms before, Ty.” She cupped his cheek with one hand. “Before you, that is.”
He pulled back to stand at the side of the bed. “Seriously?”
She came up on her knees again. “I know I might look easy, but I’m not the party girl everyone seems to think.”
He placed a knee on the bed. “Sweetheart, you don’t look easy. Believe me. As for everyone in Cypress? No one is saying a word about you.”
Relief nearly took her breath. “I was worried that my family might hear something they shouldn’t.”
“About me?”
She shook her head. “Oh no, Ty. Not about you. Everybody loves you. I’m just scared that what happened before will follow me down here.”
“What happened before?”
She toyed with the seam of the comforter, her eyes downcast. “You know about the papers, Ty. The pictures.”
“I heard something, yes. But from what I know about your family, they trust you. They care about you. You might say they don’t know you but I can tell they love you.”
She covered her face with her hands. “This is suddenly getting way too personal.”
He grasped her wrists and gently pulled her hands away. “Too personal? I just tasted you, Cassie. I just made you come so hard your screams probably scared the owls out of the trees.”
She laughed in spite of herself. “Yeah, you did.”
He kissed her then. Tenderly. “Anything you tell me stays between us.” He ran his eyes over her body and whistled again. “And anything we do together stays between us. You have my word.”
“Oh?” She came up to cuddle closer to him. “Were you a boy scout, then?”
He covered his heart with his hand. “Guilty.”
As she moved closer she could feel against her belly just how hard he was in his jeans. She placed teasing kisses on his chest. His ridged abs. “Then let’s get very personal.”
He stood as she placed her hands on the top button of his fly but he stayed very close. “How personal?” His voice was rough. Needy.
She undid first one, and then two of the buttons. He was cut, with those smoking hot indentations just above his hips.
“I want to taste you, Ty.”
He trembled at her touch.
“Lord save me,” he murmured.
***
On Tuesday morning Ty stood in his kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He placed the pot back on the burner and brought the cup to his lips. He’d bought his mother a one-cup coffee maker last year but she resisted using it. He admitted that the scent of brewing coffee made the hassle of cleaning the pot and basket almost worth it.
His hair was still damp from his shower and he was dressed for work. He’d slept here last night. In his big bed in the big bedroom on the second floor. Not like Sunday night, when he’d crashed out by the lakeshore after driving Cassie home. One reason was that he didn’t want to wake his mother when he came in. Her bedroom was on the first floor and he knew she had trouble sleeping some nights. Another reason was that he just couldn’t resist heading back out to the tent-cabin and reliving everything he and Cassie had shared.
Damn, she’
d surprised him. Not with her passion, no. She was made for loving, and her body reacted to his every touch. No, she’d stunned him with her confession of the lackluster sex she’d had in her life.
Not that he didn’t feel damn good for making her scream like the wind during a summer storm. Still, she must have tangled with some morons. Or maybe they were just selfish. That was probably the case, since he’d gathered from the few times Jake or Rick had talked about her before her arrival she palled around with fancy boys who were as into themselves as much as anyone else.
“I’m surprised to see you here this morning,” his mother said.
Ty looked up as she walked toward the kitchen and sat at the tall counter. She folded her hands in front of her, looking at him expectantly.
“Coffee, Mom?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes, please. And don’t change the subject.”
He poured her coffee and fixed it the way she liked it, cream and a packet of sweetener, and placed it on the granite counter. “You and I watched TV together last night. Why would you think I would head out to the lakeshore after?”
She took a sip and, if he wasn’t mistaken, a small smile played over her lips. “I thought you might want to spend more time out there in your love shack.”
“Mom!” Thank God he hadn’t been drinking his coffee just then. He would have spewed it all over the counter. “Jeez. Where did you get the idea that it’s my…love shack?”
Her gaze grew serious. “Thomas Tyler Walsh. Do you think I don't know you're a red blooded man?”
Ty blew out a breath. “You've been hanging around Lettie too much.”
She took another sip of coffee, and then waved a hand. “I know you go out there with girls. It’s no big deal.”
“Girls? No.”
“Women, then. I bet you’ve taken a few women out there since we’ve lived in Cypress Corners.”
He hadn’t but he still felt his face heat. “I’m not going to talk about this with you.”
“Ty, you’re a man. You have needs.”
Ty was seized with the urge to cover his ears and sing to himself very loudly. Maybe a verse or two of Row, Row, Row Your Boat. “Can we drop this?”
“I just want to know you’re being a gentleman.”
He blinked as he tried to follow his mother’s reasoning. “What?”
“You know. Taking care of the girl. I mean, woman.”
Now he covered his face with his hands, stifling a groan. “Mom, please.”
“You need to take care of her needs too, Ty. She’s new to Cypress and might be easily hurt.”
He peeped an eye through his fingers. “Who are you talking about?” As if he didn’t know.
“Cassie Chapman. I saw the sparks between you two.” She grinned. “Wait until I tell Lettie.”
“Don’t you dare. Cassie doesn’t want anyone gossiping about her.”
“Ah ha!”
He bit back a curse. She’d caught him.
“I knew you were seeing her. ‘Just picked her up at the airport, Mom.’ Right. ‘She needed a ride home, Mom.’ Hmm?”
“All right, I’m seeing her. I guess. We haven’t gone on a real date or anything yet, though.”
“So you’re just bringing her out to your love shack? That’s not the way to charm a woman.”
“Please stop calling it my love shack?”
“I didn’t realize I’d raised such a prude. You know, when your father was alive we really burned up the sheets.”
“Kill me now.” He rolled his eyes heavenward. “Please kill me now.”
“Oh, all right.” She was still smiling, though. “I won’t talk to you about this.”
“Thank you. And please don’t say anything to Lettie?”
“About your love shack?”
He grunted a little. “About Cassie, Mom.”
“I’m just teasing. Of course I won’t say a thing about that dear girl. You know, there’s a story there. A sad one, I’m sure. Why else would she stay away from her family all that time?”
“I’m not really sure.”
Actually, Ty had heard about the tabloids and racy pictures but had no idea what had happened to ultimately bring her here and no idea what had kept her away so long before. Maybe if he’d had a brain cell still firing after Cassie had blown his mind they would have had that talk he’d anticipated. In the end, he hadn’t shared any of his frustrations and she hadn’t spilled any of her own secrets. Other than her previous lack of orgasms, that was.
He drained his cup and put it in the sink. “I’ve got to go. I have three tours today.”
“Okay, dear. Take care.”
He kissed her cheek and walked toward the door to the garage. “Bye.”
“You know I love it when you stay here at the house, Ty. But I don’t mind it at all when you take time for yourself.”
He met her gaze and saw the unconditional love she had for him. “Thanks. I think.”
He heard her humming as she drank her coffee, probably plotting how to drive her son crazy with some future inappropriate conversations.
By the time he parked the truck he’d finally managed to put their odd and uncomfortable exchange out of his head. Love shack? He’d never actually taken a woman out there before Cassie. He’d just thought of it as a place to crash if he stayed out late or had a really early morning the next day. He was no choirboy, true. He hadn’t lied to Cassie about that.
He’d grown up in St. Cloud and there were a few notches on his belt. Whenever he’d needed to get out he’d just hit one of the few bars that dotted the city. Maybe he’d have a couple of beers. Shoot a few games of pool. And maybe he’d hook up with a woman who happened to be looking for the same thing he was. A couple of hours of sex without any lingering attachment. But he didn’t go out looking to get laid. Not in a while, anyway. And any time he’d gotten laid it had been in town. Far from Cypress and far from his mother.
He walked into the lobby of the Cypress Institute and smiled at the redhead behind the reception counter. He couldn’t help but picture Cassie in that seat. Up to her eyebrows in papers and phone calls. She’d been mussed and adorable and that just might be the first time he felt the sizzle of attraction. No. That was when he’d pulled his truck up to the curb at the airport.
“Mr. Walsh.” The woman greeted him with a smile. “Good afternoon.”
“We’ve talked about this, Becky. Call me Ty? Mr. Walsh was my father.”
“Thomas Tyler Walsh.” She smiled. “And you’re the third.”
Ty chuckled. Everyone seemed so impressed that he was the third. He wore his father’s name, and his grandfather’s name, proudly but those good men were gone. To him it was just a name. Now.
“Yeah, yeah. Is the director in?”
Becky nodded.
“Great. Thanks.” He headed down the hall to Dr. Robbins’ office.
“Good morning, Ty.” The director met him in the hallway. “You have a full schedule today, I see.”
“Three tours, yes. All on the east side.”
Dr. Robbins nodded, his brows beetled. “Have you taken Rick’s sister out there yet?”
Ty’s mouth dropped open. The director couldn’t be talking about the far lakeshore. Could he?
“On a tour?”
“Yes, on a tour.” Dr. Robbins blinked at him. “I know she’s at the Sales Center now and, as much as I appreciated the effort she put in here at the Institute, I think that might be a better fit for her.”
“Maybe.” Ty smiled. “Today’s tours will be a little wild for a city girl, though. Tomorrow I have a tame nature tour planned for the afternoon. I can put on that one.”
“Good, good.”
With that, the director turned and headed back into his office. Ty knew the man’s mind was always working, so he didn’t take any offense at the dismissal.
He thought about having Cassie on tour with him tomorrow. Sitting there on the cushioned seats, holding on tight as they bounced over the rougher
terrain. Clutching the sides of the eco-tour gator vehicle like she’d held onto the iron railing of his bed. Her body moving in rhythm to the cart’s every move. Just like she’d responded to his.
He blew out a breath. Maybe he’d take the smoothest paths tomorrow. He didn’t want to sport a hard-on in front of the rest of the group. That would be a bit too back-to-nature for Cypress Corners.
Shaking his head, he crossed over to the lot beside the Sales Center again and tried to focus on the upcoming tour. It wasn’t going to be easy. First the out-of-body experience of talking about sex with his mother and now picturing Cassie in the flesh?
It was going to be a long day.
Chapter 10
It was going to be a long day.
Cassie pulled her hair back into the sleek ponytail she’d worn to work this morning and tucked her rumpled blouse back into her dress pants. She’d had one hell of an afternoon.
“You’ll get the hang of it, Cassie,” Tammy, saleswoman extraordinaire, said from her perch at one of the tables in the break room.
Cassie let out a breath and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, and then faced Tammy. The cool, calm and collected woman sat sipping an iced tea. What was that southern saying? Butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, maybe? She’d have to ask Lettie. She was always handing out nuggets of wisdom to anyone who asked. And many who didn’t.
“Easy for you to say. You didn’t just almost kill four people.”
Tammy laughed, flipping her perfect hair over on shoulder. Cassie used to be able to pull off that move. Before the heat and humidity of Florida gave her hair waves she hadn’t known she had.
“Rick has faith in you.”
“Then he’s delusional.” She cracked open the bottle and took a long drink. “It wasn’t really my fault, though. That thing ran across the path and scared the hell out of me.”
“What thing?”
“I don’t know what it was. A weasel, maybe. An otter? It was long and slinky and covered with fur.”
Tammy shrugged. “I have no idea what it could be. You should ask Ty.”
Cassie nodded. “Yeah, he should know. I swear the guy knows everything.”
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