Turning Up the Heat: A Sizzling Modern Romance Novel

12. Oskar

The momentI saw her smile, I walked through the door, took her face in my hands, and kissed her. Then I kissed her again. And again and again. Changing angles and nipping at her lips every time I leaned in, I drew her closer until I had her wrapped solidly in my arms. Then I turned us around so I could kick the door shut and poured four weeks’ worth of missing her into my kiss.

I only stopped to let us up to breathe.

She smelled so good, and she tasted so good. I couldn’t stop kissing her. We still hadn’t said a word since I walked through the door. I couldn’t step away from her. I felt her arms wrap around my neck as I reached one arm under her ass and lifted up. She ran her hands across my shoulders, then up to tangle them in my hair, her mouth never leaving mine. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and my arms supported her as I leaned her against the back of the front door.

I finally drew back, and both of us panted silently for a moment. I looked at her, searching her face, but only saw the same need I felt mixed in with a healthy amount of surprise and confusion.

I didn’t want my mouth away from her skin, so I leaned in, nuzzling her warm neck with my nose and mouth. My lips made busy circuits along her neck and jaw as I inhaled her scent.

“Oskar?”

“Yes?” I kept nibbling along her collarbone.

“What? How?”

“I only have three days to kiss you. Shhhh.”

“But—”

“I know it’s a surprise.” I lifted my head and looked into her eyes as she leaned away from me. “Is it a good surprise or a bad surprise?”

The confusion cleared from her eyes, and a happy light came into them that reflected my own. “Good surprise, Chef. Very good surprise.”

As soon as I heard her approval, a growl erupted from my throat and the baser instincts I’d been trying to keep in check leaped to the front of my brain.

I ground my hips into the juncture of her thighs. Her legs encircled my waist, and I had to relax my hands so I didn’t bruise her. I felt her small arms wrap around my neck again, and her hot mouth searched mine out. Our lips fused together in a searing kiss that quickly had me as hard as a rock. I tore my mouth away from hers.

“Kelsey, where?—?”

“Down the hall, straight ahead.”

“I missed you.” My heart was racing and my balls were already tight.

“Oskar.” She arched back and ground herself on my erection.

I groaned and stumbled down the hall with Kelsey wrapped around me. We hit a few pictures along the way, but I didn’t stop.

The minute I stepped through her bedroom door, I saw her bed. Leaning down, I set her on it and disentangled her arms from around my shoulders and neck. She scooted farther up toward the headboard, and I kicked off my shoes and crawled to her.

All she was wearing was a robe, and within seconds I was hovering over her on the bed, on my hands and knees, staring down at the flesh and blood that had been taunting my dreams for weeks. I could see my own lust reflected in Kelsey’s eyes as she stared up at me. She toyed with the buttons on my shirt before I lost patience and sat up to pull it over my head and throw it on the floor.

I tugged on the belt of her robe, loosening it so she could shrug off the thin material. Her lacy tank top and tiny shorts were the only things she had left on, and I let my fingers trace that delicious inch of skin.

My head dipped down, and my tongue circled her navel. Her hands gripped my hair; her breath was rough. I let my mouth drift from her navel up her rib cage as I teased the lacy shirt up.

Her hands stroked from my hair and down my back as I traveled north along the topography of her body, my tongue tracing every curve and dip as I took my time to remember her taste. Finally my hands trailed along her sides, pulling her shirt up with them, and she leaned up slightly so I could pull it over her head.

“Kelsey… Fuck.” I let out a hard breath. I gathered her close and lay next to her, reveling in the feeling of her bare flesh against mine. She was trembling. I think we both might have been.

I couldn’t wait anymore, and from the feeling of her insistent hands on the fly of my jeans, neither could she.

“Oskar, please…”

“Let me just—” I groaned when she eased the erection out of my pants. I hadn’t bothered putting on underwear when I stopped over at Hanna’s house to quickly shower and change after my rushed drive north.

Her hot hands gripped me as I tore her shorts away and pushed my jeans down my legs. All thoughts of patience left me; my fingers reached down between her thighs and found her hot and wet.

“Oskar, please. I’m ready.”

I reached down frantically, found my jeans, and grabbed the condom I’d tucked into the back pocket. It took every bit of control I had, but I wanted to see her face when I entered her. I stared into her eyes. She rolled hers back briefly, then closed them in pleasure.

“No, look at me. I want to see you.” I tried to stay in control, but I was losing it.

She opened her eyes to look at me, and a hot jolt of pleasure coursed through me when I saw her hunger. I bit back a curse and thrust.

Her sharp cry of pleasure fed my raw need. Soon enough, she gasped out my name in ecstasy, and I followed with my own hoarse groan before collapsing on her and quickly rolling us on our sides.

A few moments later, I forced myself out of bed to take care of the condom; then I jumped back next to her, wrapping my long arms and legs around her small body. Her skin prickled with goose bumps. I pulled the blanket up around us, and she burrowed her face into my chest.

Once she was in my arms, I let out a deep sigh of relief. A few moments stroking her back and I felt her body relax; I quickly followed her into sleep, exhausted, sated, and finally next to her.

My dreams drifted.They usually weren’t so realistic. I smelled Kelsey’s skin and a hint of the shampoo she used. I could almost feel her fingers playing along my shoulders and trailing through my hair. I could see the play of golden sunlight and flickering shadows across my lids as I swam closer to consciousness. In the background I heard a humming sound and wondered why I had left the radio on.

I blinked my eyes and saw an unfamiliar room.

Kelsey’s room.

I took a deep breath and smelled her everywhere. I looked around but didn’t see her. I did, however, hear the humming that I’d thought was the radio coming from the front of the house. I pulled on my jeans, wandering out toward the smell of coffee and Kelsey’s off-key hum.

Off to the left, I saw a patio door open to a small yard. I could smell oranges in her garden. I turned the corner and leaned against the doorjamb, watching Kelsey grinding coffee in a small galley kitchen barely bigger than my own.

She was humming along with a song playing from an old speaker tucked in a corner of the counter.

I spoke in a low voice. “Hey there.”

She started, then turned around with a smile on her face. “I thought I was dreaming until I woke up to a very large man in my bed.”

I couldn’t stop my smile. “Sorry I fell asleep like that. I drove all night to get here; I think I was running on adrenaline.”

“I can’t believe you’re here.” She walked over and wrapped her arms around my waist. I hugged her back and let out a long breath, enjoying the smell of fresh ground coffee and Kelsey’s shampoo.

I needed to repeat this morning scenario as much as possible.

I smiled when I saw what she was wearing. “Is that my shirt?”

Her cheeks turned a little red. “It smelled like you and I didn’t really want to get out of bed, but the call of coffee was too much.”

I tilted her chin up so I could reach her lips and laid a soft kiss on them. “Don’t mind at all. You look cute. Better than cute.”

Just then my stomach interrupted and let out a loud growl.

Kelsey giggled. “Whoa there, Chef. When was the last time you ate something?”

“What time is it?” I pulled my hair back into a knot and stretched my arms up to lean on the doorjamb. “I didn’t even look.”

“Around one.”

“In the afternoon?” I blinked. “I was more tired than I thought.”

“Seems like you needed a good nap.”

“That wasn’t all I needed.” I played with one of the buttons on my shirt. “That’s the best I’ve slept since you left my bed.”

She smiled shyly. “Me too.”

I tried to contain the idiotic grin that wanted to take over my face when I heard her confession. “Well, since we’re both so sleep-deprived, it’s probably in our best interest to stay in bed as much as possible while I’m here.”

She laughed as if I was joking. I was not joking.

Kelsey looked up from the coffeepot. “How long are you here for?”

“I told Hanna I was here until Wednesday but I didn’t know how much she’d actually see me. She gave me shit about blowing her off for my new girlfriend, but I think she’s secretly plotting how best to get her revenge.”

Kelsey’s cheeks flushed, and I realized that I’d just called her my girlfriend.

To be fair, Hanna called her my girlfriend, but I didn’t mind.

I played with the mental image of a red T-shirt emblazoned with Oskar’s Girlfriend across the front. Maybe the back too. I realized that Kelsey still hadn’t said a word and was staring at the coffee.

“Hanna called you my girlfriend,” I said, “but I didn’t correct her. Should I have? Is it too soon for that? Is there some sort of etiquette or process that we need to go through?”

She still didn’t answer, but she was blushing and didn’t look horrified, so I thought I’d try teasing an answer out of her.

I came up behind her and put my hands on her hips, then bent down and whispered, “Is there some sort of regulation? Any forms to fill out? Do I need your name tattooed on my ass?”

With the last ridiculous question, she burst out laughing.

“So that’s it then? The tattoo on my ass? That’s what I have to do to call you my girlfriend?” I glanced at the chef’s knife I had tattooed on my right forearm when I was a twenty-two-year-old idiot. Every damn chef I knew had gotten that same tattoo, so I did as well. I’d added a whisk to the other side and some flames around one wrist before I’d called it a day. “I’m not a fan of pain, but if that’s the American custom?—”

“Stop.” She turned to slap my backside. “You better not. I like the ones on your arms, but I don’t want anything marring that perfect butt.”

“You think my butt is perfect?” I gasped a little. “You must want to be my girlfriend.”

“Well…?” She had an infuriating little smile at the corner of her lips.

I was starting to feel like an awkward idiot, so I grabbed her chin and pointed her face up to mine. “How about it?” My heart was at my feet. “What does it mean anyway? I’m not interested in anyone but you. You’ve said you’re not interested in anyone else. I know it’s not traditional, but… traditional is boring. I’m not calling you a friend when you’re obviously more than that. What do you say?”

I waited, more than a little nervous, until I saw her smile start to grow. Then I let myself relax.

Kelsey snickered. “My boyfriend, the Swedish Chef.”

“You better fucking not.” I slapped her butt and leaned against the opposite counter. “One, I’m Danish, and it’s not even close.”

“Geographically, it really is.” She was barely holding it together.

“And he doesn’t even sound Swedish. It’s more like... Norwegian maybe.”

Kelsey burst into laughter, but I was too happy that she had called me her boyfriend to care. I flipped her around, bent down, and threw her over my shoulder.

She screamed, “Oskar!”

“Swedish Chef?” I muttered. “Bork bork this.” I slapped her ass where it lay on my shoulder.

She squeaked as I started walking back to her bedroom. Coffee and food could wait. I had to fool around with my girlfriend.

“Oskar?”

“Hmm?”

Kelsey and I were lying in bed, drowsy and enjoying the late-afternoon sun coloring the garden. I gazed outside, looking through the shades at the back of the house. The window was cracked open so we could get some fresh air. Luckily, Kelsey had a high fence, so I didn’t have to worry about anyone besides me seeing my girlfriend naked. We were lying tangled in the sheets and each other while I traced patterns connecting the tiny freckles on Kelsey’s skin.

“How did you manage two days off?”

“Victor offered to take over the kitchen Sunday and Tuesday for me. He’s been busting his ass and doing really well on Thursday nights, so I thought I’d give him a chance. And before you ask, I’m not even going to pretend I’m not fucking nervous about not being there for two open nights, but I’m trying not to think about it.”

“Thank you. For coming up here to see me.” She ran her fingers along my shoulders. “It means a lot, knowing how busy you are.”

“You’re completely welcome. If we’re going to make this work, we’re going to have to travel. I’d like to see you at least once a month.” I stared at the ceiling. “That doesn’t even seem like enough, but I know our schedules are going to be hell to work with.”

I would have loved to be a romantic and say we would see each other every weekend and call every day, but we weren’t teenagers and we both had lives. I knew that Kelsey, as practical and organized as she seemed, would appreciate it if I gave her a clear idea of what I wanted.

Kelsey didn’t respond immediately, but I could tell she was thinking it over. I was starting to realize that she needed time to process things. She was stubborn but highly rational. I just needed to give her a logical reason to see it my way and she would consider it and come to her own conclusion.

Since I liked how independent she was, I couldn’t really complain.

After a few minutes, she nodded. “I think we could make that happen. We’ll have to stay flexible on what weekends we see each other, but I think we can make it work.”

I smiled. “Determined Kelsey. I like it.”

Her head popped up and looked around. “Did you bring anything with you? I know you want to stay naked as much as possible, but that’s probably not realistic all weekend.”

Well, there went that plan.

“I left my stuff at Hanna’s house. I have a key over there, and I didn’t want to presume. Honestly, I took a chance coming up here when I know how much you travel. I was halfway expecting you not to be here even though Talia was pretty sure you were going to be home.”

“Talia was in on this?”

I grinned. “I didn’t tell her I planned on attacking you at your front door, but she may have guessed. I just said I was going to be up here visiting my sister and wanted to surprise you if you were around. I think her bullshit meter read that as false though.”

She smiled. “Talia knows things. Not as much as Josh, but when they put their heads together, no secret is safe.”

“They’re a little bit scary. Did you ever have a secret when you were growing up? The gossip chain down south is ruthless and efficient.”

“It is. For instance, even though we haven’t spoken to another soul, I have a sneaking suspicion that Josh and Tal already know we’re together and calling each other Schmoopsy and Cupcake. There’s no way they could know… but I just feel like they do.”

I blinked. “Schmoopsy?”

“I couldn’t remember the Danish thing you called me.”

“But Schmoopsy?”

“Oskar, it’s a minor detail.”

“You’re not actually going to call me Cupcake, are you?”

“I don’t know. I’m thinking about it.”

I pinched her butt and she giggled. So fucking adorable. “Did you ever get sick of it?”

“The gossip?”

“Mmm.” I nodded.

She picked at the bedspread. “I did. It’s one of the reasons I moved away. But weirdly, at the same time, I know all those people love me, and one of the reasons they talk about me is because they care.”

I nodded. “Yes. That makes sense.”

“Any one of them would give me a kidney.”

“Do you need a kidney?”

“Not currently, but who knows?” She rolled toward me. “They care about you too now. They’ve caught you in the net. Abandon hope of ever getting out.” Kelsey smiled as she laid her head on my arm.

I reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I’m okay being in the net. It’s nice to feel like you’re a part of something. You’ve always had that. I haven’t.”

“Are you going to go get your things from Hanna’s?” She messed with a lock of my hair that had fallen over my forehead. “I want you all to myself for the next few days, but I know that’s really selfish.”

“I like you being selfish about me. Hanna didn’t expect to see me much this weekend anyway.”

We’d stumbled out to the kitchen an hour before to eat some eggs and toast before chasing each other back to bed. The results of a long day, full stomachs, and numerous orgasms were starting to take their toll. I felt my eyes droop. I saw Kelsey taking longer and longer blinks. I traced her cheek with my finger, and she leaned into me.

“Sleep,” I told her. “Just a quick nap. We’ll still be together when you wake up.”