14. Chapter 14
Posting my work online has been a big success. After just a few days, Foster approached me with a fantastic opportunity. His college friend was getting married in a week, and their photographer canceled because of a family emergency. Finding someone on such short notice during the height of the wedding season was nearly impossible. Foster reached out to them and showed them my site. They were grateful I was willing to commit on such short notice, and the paycheck was too good for me to turn down.
It’s my first wedding of this size, and it’s been a long day. I woke up at dawn and drove two hours to get here, and I’ve been on my feet working for ten hours since arriving. There are just a couple more hours to go. I steady my hands as I take shots of the beautiful, three-tiered wedding cake while the two hundred guests eat their sensational-smelling dinner.
As I walk around the backside of the cake, the brides mother approaches me. “We have a plate set aside for you, dear. Take yourself a break and enjoy,” she points to a table setting by itself.
The ballroom of this boutique hotel is elegantly decorated, accented by pink and cream flowers that match the wedding theme. I cant see myself ever getting married, but if I were going to, it wouldnt be some generic wedding in a hotel or banquet hall. A ceremony on a beach or outdoors is my dream—a small celebration with the ones I love.
I sit down at my place setting and dig in. The food is delicious, as expected. The beef dish must be expensive. I’m considering what shots I want to capture of the dancing when Foster sits beside me.
Hey there, I tell him.
Fancy meeting you here, he says.
“Thank you so much for hooking me up with this. It’s been great.”
“I’m happy to help you out. You must be exhausted.”
I lay my head briefly on his arm, “Pretty much, but it’s good. This place is beautiful.”
What time are you done, or are you staying until the end? he asks, running his hand up and down my arm.
Ill be done around ten.
Meet me at the hotel bar?
I consider and decide a drink with Foster would be the perfect end to this night. “I’ll see you then.
I cant wait. He leans and gives me a quick peck on the cheek before getting up and returning to his table across the room. I finish my meal, and it’s taken away before I return to walking around the room and taking pictures of the decor.
I glance in Foster’s direction and find him watching me intently.
After my time is up, I pack my equipment and stash it in my car. I’m tempted to get in and get home, but I don’t want to stand Foster up. Instead, I drag myself back into the lobby. My feet and legs are killing me as I make my way to the bar, just off the lobby. I’m limping slightly, a lasting effect of my car accident injuries. Too long on my feet, and I hurt.
I look around the modern space of the bar before spotting Foster sitting on a stool and talking to the bartender. She gives him a flirty smile, but he doesn’t acknowledge it. He’s staring at me and gives me a wave when my eyes lock on him.
“This seat taken?” I ask him with a smile.
“No, but I have somewhere better for you to sit,” he says back and chuckles when I lightly punch his shoulder.
“You haven’t changed since high school, you know that?”
He looks down at his much fitter body. “Really?”
“I meant in maturity.”
The bartender comes over, and I order a glass of my favorite Pinot. She brings it quickly.
“A lot has changed since high school,” Foster says, getting serious. “I wanted to reach out to you so many times.”
“So, why didn’t you?”.
“It was mostly fear. Whenever I mentioned it to Cole, he said you avoided him. Talon hadn’t heard from you. We all thought it was best just to let you live your life.”
It surprises me that they ever thought of me. I had always assumed they’d moved on. I no longer want to live with the past hanging over us.
I sigh, “I wish we could start all over.”
“We can clean the slate,” he says before he offers his hand to me. “Hi, I’m Foster Holland. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
I place my hand in his for a quick shake. “Blake Knox. What brings you here?”
“A wedding, you?”
“Same. I was the photographer.”
“That’s amazing. How did you get into that business?”
We spend the next hour talking and I’m glad I didn’t decide to just leave. Foster’s relaxed nature and my two glasses of wine put me at ease.
I yawn. It’s been a long workday, and I’m starting to feel it.
“You look exhausted,” Foster says.
“It’s been a while since I’ve put in such long hours. I’m not looking forward to the long drive home.”
He holds out a hotel room key to me.
“I can’t stay in your room,” I point out.
“You totally can. But this is the key to the room next to mine. Full disclosure: I had a date for this wedding before I moved into the house. I was supposed to take a friends sister as my plus one, but I backed out weeks ago and forgot to cancel the reservation.”
“Lucky me,” I say as I take the card from his hand. “Thank you.”
He grabs my hand and leads me to the elevators. We get to the fourth floor quickly.
“We’re this way,” Foster says. He puts his hand on my back and leads me to the right down a long hallway, stopping in front of his door. With his hands on my hips, he pulls me into him, and his warm honey eyes stare down at me.
His right hand slides behind my neck to cradle my head, and he drops his face close to mine. I go pliant in his arms when he presses his mouth to mine. I forget my name. Kissing Foster is an alluring combination of playfulness and passion. His lips caress mine until his teeth gently tug my bottom lip. I open, and he deepens the kiss, coating my tongue with his. He reluctantly pulls away. I let go of the front of his shirt that I have fisted in my hands and try to smooth away the wrinkles I made.
“Come inside? No pressure. I just want to hold you,” he begs.
Without hesitation, I agree and follow him into his room. I am determined to have no regrets this time, but is that possible?
I slowly open my eyes, and a sliver of light hits me in the face, making me squint. My brain gradually wakes up, and I determine I’m in an unfamiliar room with a furnace wrapped around me from behind. I turn my head to meet Foster’s sleepy eyes. His arm is thrown over my stomach, and our legs are intertwined.
“Good morning,” he says to me with a smile.
“Morning,” I mumble back, trying not to blow my morning breath into his face.
My memory of last night, of the kisses in the hallway, returns. Once we got inside the room, there was much more kissing and some wandering hands before Foster made us go to sleep. This morning, with me in his T-shirt and my panties and him in a pair of boxer briefs, he is too tempting now that my energy has been restored.
I turn around to face him. He pulls me into the cocoon of his arms and against his chest. I lay soft kisses across his chest and collarbone, smiling as I feel the vibration of his groan underneath my lips.
He nudges my chin up, but I stop him just before our lips meet. “My breath–”
“I don’t care. Do you think mine’s any better? I’ve waited years to have you back in my arms. Nothing will ruin this.”
If it doesn’t bother him, I’m not arguing.
Neither of us stops the kiss this time, which quickly turns heated with tongues battling and teeth nipping. I suck his bottom lip in my mouth before moving to his sharp jaw and down his throat. I nudge him onto his back, but he resists. I glare at him and press harder before he relents with a grin.
“Fine, have your way with me,” he settles on his back with his hands behind his head.
I smile up at him, “Oh, I will.”
I rain kisses down the ripped plain of his chest and abs. When I get to the band of his boxers, I run my tongue along the skin there and feel his muscles tense underneath me. Having this talented, fit man respond strongly to my touch is a rush.
I push his boxers down, and he works them off while I take his impressive erection in my hand.
“Fuck,” he sighs when I pump my hand up and down. He’s hard and hot in my hand. His breathing is harsh, and I smile before I bend down and take the head of his cock into my mouth. I swirl my tongue around and down the underside before taking his whole length down my throat as far as I can. When I hollow out my cheeks and suck, he bucks under me. His responses are getting me wet.
“Okay, that’s enough of that,” he groans. Before I register that he’s moving, I’m on my back with Foster’s flushed face above me.
He kisses me hard before dragging the t-shirt over my head and pulling my panties off. He spreads my thighs and goes in with his mouth, but I stop him with a hand on his forehead, “Next time. I need you inside me now.”
With lightning speed, he jumps off the bed and grabs his wallet. He pulls out the foil packet and rolls the condom on before returning to bed. I spread my legs for him and hold my breath while he thrusts inside, filling me all at once. We both sigh. The stretch of my walls around him makes me wince slightly.
“Are you okay?” he asks, concern on his face.
“Yeah, it’s just been a while,” I assure him.
“You want to stop?”
“Fuck, no.”
He grins and begins to move slowly. He’s so gentle, and it’s driving me crazy. He feels so good, but this will never get me where I need to be.
“Harder,” I prod him, squeezing him with my legs.
Instead of moving faster, he rolls himself off of me and lays on his back. “Since you want to be the boss,” he says with a smile and moves to pull me on top.
I stiffen when his hands grab my hips, and he notices the scars on my leg and low on my abdomen. He gently brushes his fingertips over them but doesn’t say anything. I’m grateful the mood isn’t lost.
I line myself up and impale myself on his hard dick, grinding down on him. I quickly find a rhythm that has him rubbing along that perfect spot inside of me. I reach down to my clit, but he beats me there. His stiff thumb rubs me as I ride him. It feels like it only takes seconds before my orgasm starts to build in me.
I ride and grind harder, making filthy noises as I chase my release with Foster rubbing me. Then my vision whites out, and I explode.
Foster holds me through my orgasm, taking over the thrusts from the bottom. When I collapse on him, he rolls us over again. He places my legs on his shoulders and goes hard and fast, chasing his finish. His body goes rigid above me, and I feel him pulse inside of me.
He again rolls off me and pulls me into his side. I lay my head on his chest and listen to him breathe. When we both recover, he gives me a sweet kiss on my forehead and gets up to dispose of the condom before coming back to bed.
“That’s a hell of a way to wake up,” Foster says after we’ve relaxed into each other again. “You, okay?” he asks.
“Perfect,” I answer honestly. Nothing could be better than this. “Sorry, you wasted money on a hotel room no one used.”
He shrugs, “I’m not. This might be a weird time to ask this, but would you go out on a date with me?”
“I don’t date,” I tell him.
He looks down at me in surprise, “Ever?”
“Nope. After the breakups, I was pregnant, so it wasn’t a great time. Then there was the accident and all the recovery time. I’ve gone out with a few guys after that, but that’s it. It’s been years since I’ve been on a date.”
“Would you make an exception for me?”
Do I want to do this again, even though the first time almost destroyed me? It’s hard not to think of Talon and Cole, who played a massive part in our relationship the first time around.
“Yes, I would like that,” I answer him.
“Great,” he jumps out of the bed and scoops me into his arms. “Now, let’s go shower. We have an hour until checkout, and I don’t plan on wasting a single minute of it.”