Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
~LEXI~
I wake up the same way I’ve woken every day since Shawn and I started sleeping together. Naked. Groggy. And deliciously sore.
Last night after our hike, we enjoyed some time in the hot tub. I don’t even own a bathing suit, whether in Seattle or Minnesota, so it was a naked dip in the tub. And, of course, it quickly turned sexy.
One thing about having a physical relationship with a younger man is that he never tires of being physical.
Or maybe I’ve just been with men in the past who were lazy when it came to being intimate. That could certainly be the case.
And Shawn O’Callaghan is not lazy.
Coming here was a great idea. As he said, we did work hard all week and made great progress on the project. Taking a couple of days off is good for the soul.
I need to recharge.
And this is a lesson I’ll take home with me when I leave. I usually work every day in some capacity. I need to remember to take time to rest.
“Good morning.”
I open my eyes and grin at the sight of Shawn standing next to the bed, holding a tray.
“You’re a morning person,” I say as I sit up, wrap the bedding around me, and lean against the wooden headboard. Shawn sets the food on the mattress and sits next to me.
“I always have been,” he confirms as I reach for the coffee. I take a long sip and sigh in happiness. “I love it when you make that noise.”
“Coffee makes me happy.”
“Hmm.” He gestures to the food he prepared. “You should eat. You’re going to need your strength today.”
I feel the sly grin spreading over my face. “Oh, really?”
Shawn laughs and leans in to kiss my cheek. “Yes, for that too. But playtime is later. First, we’re going on another hike.”
“Did I mention that I’m not outdoorsy?” I open my mouth when he holds a forkful of eggs up to my lips.
“You did great last night. You even liked it.”
I nod and take a bite of toast.
“Being out in nature is great for inspiration,” he continues. “If I’m stuck on a project, I take a walk. It clears my head, and I’m usually able to figure out the scene.”
“I used to do the same with running.” I sip my coffee. “And then life got crazy. My dad died, and Mom needed me more. I had deadlines. Everything was just a mess. I got out of the habit, and running just didn’t seem terribly important anymore. Sorry, I’m babbling.”
“I like it when you babble,” he says and eats a strawberry. “I’m sorry about your father.”
“Me, too. He was a great person. Funny. He was damn smart, too.”
“And he passed that down to his daughter.”
I feel myself flush. “You give me too much credit.”
“And perhaps you don’t give yourself enough,” he says. “But before we get too philosophical, we should get ready for our hike.”
“You’re really going to make me go.”
He nods as he finishes his coffee. “It’ll be great. Trust me.”
“I must trust you if I’m actually entertaining the idea.” I lift my arms over my head and stretch, letting the linens fall around my hips in hopes that it’ll distract Shawn from this hiking idea.
He reaches out and circles my nipple with his fingertip but doesn’t take it any further. He stands and gathers the tray.
“Come on, let’s get going. The sooner we get started, the sooner we get back.”
I blow out a breath. “Fine.”
He laughs as he leaves me alone in the room. I take my time getting dressed and pulling my dark hair back in a short ponytail. My hair isn’t long. It’s just easier to take care of when it barely hits my shoulders.
When I’m ready for the day, I meet up with Shawn, who’s already outside on the front porch, leaning against a support.
“Ready?” he asks.
“As I’ll ever be. Are we going back up to the bluff?”
“No, we’re going in the opposite direction. There are some great waterfalls just a couple of miles away.”
“A couple of miles ?”
“You used to run marathons, Lex. You’ve got this.”
“Yeah, in the city. On concrete. Where I wasn’t going to be killed by a bear.”
“Just a mugger.” He winks at me. “Besides, there are only black bears in Washington, and they don’t eat people. We’ll make noise to warn them we’re there, and they’ll go away. We’re not in grizzly territory.”
He takes my hand, links our fingers, and leads me to another trailhead about fifty yards from the house.
“Look at you, being the hiking guide and everything.”
“I have many talents.”
“Oh, I’m aware.”
That earns me a cocky grin that sends a little zing right through me. I enjoy flirting with Shawn. It’s easy because every compliment is totally true.
The path is windy, like the one yesterday, but this one inclines quickly, which tests my endurance and my heart rate.
I really need to get back to exercising regularly.
It’s a beautiful autumn day, and the trees offer shade from the sun. Birds fly by, and we see a few squirrels, but no other wildlife lurks among the trees.
“Do you go to Ireland very often to see your parents?” I ask, trying to distract myself as we climb and make our way on the path.
“At least once a year,” he says. “Before they moved there, we’d go every few years or so to see family.”
“What part of Ireland are you from?”
“The west coast, a little village about seventy-five kilometers from Galway.”
“The photos I’ve seen of that country are beautiful.”
“And they don’t do it justice,” he replies. “I’ve been all over the globe, Lexi. I had wanderlust when I was younger, and I traveled quite a bit. And I can tell you that Ireland isn’t just a place. It roots itself in your soul, and when you leave, you carry a longing with you that never goes away until you’re there again.”
“You’re not even thirty,” I say in surprise.
“I’ll be thirty in a few weeks. What does that have to do with anything?”
“How have you had time to travel so much and establish a career in screenwriting already?” I can hear water rushing, so we must not be too far from our destination.
“I wrote while I traveled,” he says. “I’ve been back in Washington for well over six years now, but sometimes, I get the urge to go somewhere new. More often than not, I choose to go back to Ireland.”
“Is it because you were born there?”
“Maybe. You’ll have to go sometime and tell me what you think.”
The thought of flying over the Atlantic Ocean gives me hives, so I just nod in agreement. We walk around a bend, and I stop short, staring in awe at the falls in front of us.
“Whoa.”
“I know.” We’re shoulder-to-shoulder, watching as water cascades down the mountain, rushing over rock to a large pool below.
“Shawn, this is incredible.”
“I found it by accident,” he says as he leads me to sit on a boulder near the pool. “I took a walk one day and found the trail and ended up here. I think I sat here for about four hours that day and fleshed out the idea for a film that’s currently in production.”
“That’s awesome.” I take a deep breath, enjoying everything about this place. The water is crisp and cold, and once in a while, I feel a small droplet that escapes the roaring water hit my face. “I wrote a book once about a woman who knew everything there is to know about astrology and each birth sign. Of course, I had to do a ton of research. I’m an Aquarius, an air sign. Air signs usually pull their energy from the elements of nature. I never really took it seriously, but I can totally see that. As I’m sitting here, breathing it all in, I feel energized. Who knew that I could be outdoorsy?”
He laughs and squeezes my hand, and we sit in silence for a long while, listening to the water and just enjoying this special place.
Finally, I stand and walk around the pond, and then start to feel restless.
“Are you ready to head back?” he asks.
“I think so, if that’s okay with you.”
“Of course.”
We hike back down the trail, with me in the lead. It feels good to stretch my legs, and before long, I find myself running down the path. The strain on my lungs feels wonderful, my legs feel strong and ready to run for as long and as far as I want to go.
Yes, I’ll be getting back into running when I get home. I’ve missed it.
When I reach the bottom of the trail, I stop and wait for Shawn, who isn’t far behind me. He’s panting hard but grinning.
“You’re like a gazelle,” he says as he bends at the waist and tries to catch his breath. “Jesus, I could barely keep up with you. You definitely should get back into running. You’re damn good at it.”
“I just decided I’m going to,” I say. “And the hiking isn’t so bad either. Look at me, being all outdoorsy and everything!”
Just then, I feel something crawling along my arm. I stare in horror at a massive spider walking across me as if it belongs there.
“Oh, shit! Get it off get it off get it off!”
Shawn swats at it, sending it to the ground, and I do the squirmy, creeped-out spider dance.
“I take it back. I hate nature. I fucking hate nature.”
Shawn’s laughing, so I glare at him out of principle.
“It was just a wee spider,” he says, turning up his Irish to charm me.
“It wasn’t a wee anything. Except I might have wee’d in my pants at the sight of that monster.”
Shawn laughs harder as we walk to the house.
“I need a shower, stat.”
“You don’t look like you sweated much.”
“I had a spider on me, Shawn. I have to wash off. Ew.”
“Do you want me to check you for ticks?”
“ Ticks ?” I stare at him incredulously. “You didn’t say anything about ticks. Are you telling me I could have Lyme disease now? Oh my God, Shawn.”
He’s practically rolling on the ground in laughter. “You’re so damn cute. The odds of a tick already taking hold are very slim. We’ll get you all checked out in the shower.”
“Is this your sly way of getting me naked?”
“Did it work?”
“Yeah.”
Shower Shenanigans should be an Olympic sport. I’m happy to report that there were zero ticks found on either of us, but there were plenty of orgasms to be had—and that’s a successful morning in my book.
Now, we’re sitting in the family room with an Indiana Jones movie showing on the huge TV while we play Canasta.
“I can’t believe you’ve never played this before,” I say as I take a card from the deck. “I used to play all the time with my dad.”
“Were you a card shark with him, too?” Shawn asks with a frown.
“Maybe. You have to take your pants off.”
Did I mention we’re playing strip Canasta? Because we are. It’s glorious. So far, all I’m missing is the button-down shirt I put on over my cami after our shower. Other than that, I’m fully clothed.
Shawn is now officially only in his boxers.
It’s a sight to behold.
“So, you won,” Shawn says.
“No, you’re still wearing your underwear. I don’t win until you’re naked.”
He cocks a brow. “If getting me naked is your goal, I’ll happily do so without having you kick my ass at cards, Lex.”
I giggle and shuffle the cards. “But this is so much fun. ”
“For you.” He waits while I deal, watching me with happy, green eyes. He’s acting like a sore loser, but he’s been laughing and having a good time regardless. “I had no idea you were so competitive.”
“When it comes to cards, yes. I’ve been going easy on you.”
He laughs as he picks up his cards, and then, without saying a word, he simply stands up and takes off his shorts.
“You just gave up,” I say.
He shows me his cards, and I bust up laughing. “Yeah, good call. That’s a losing hand if ever I saw one.”
My eyes roam over him, taking him in from head to toe.
He’s sculpted with muscles in all the right places, and he’s not too beefy. No, he’s lean and toned and just…delicious.
And even after the sex marathon in the shower, I want him again.
I crook my finger, beckoning for him to come closer. He obliges, and I turn in my seat, now eye-level with his impressive cock that’s quickly hardening under the scrutiny of my gaze.
But I don’t touch it. Instead, I let my fingertips glide over his smooth hips, across his abs, and I place a kiss on his upper thigh just under that sexy V.
His fingers sweep my hair back.
“We need to talk, Lexi.”
My eyes dart up to his. “Okay.”
“I’d like to play this afternoon, but I need to warn you that you might need your safe word for this.”
I feel my eyebrows climb in surprise. Excitement takes hold in my belly.
“Really?”
He nods solemnly. “I need you to promise to use it if you need to.”
“Okay, I promise.”
He takes my hand and pulls me to my feet, and then he leads me down the hall to our bedroom. When we’re standing in the middle of the room, he turns to me, then frames my face and kisses me lightly.
“I want you to take your clothes off and stay right here. Don’t go to the bed. Okay?”
I nod.
“Answer me with words, Lexi.”
“I understand.”
He turns away and walks to the closet, and I get to work stripping out of my clothes. He’s more intense this afternoon, and I’m excited to see where he’s going to take this. I’m standing right where he left me, naked as the day I was born, when he turns back and crosses to me.
He’s carrying rope.
My eyes find his in surprise. “You want to tie me up?”
“Very much.” He takes a deep breath as if he’s trying to calm down. “I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. Here.”
He lets me hold the rope in my hands. It’s red and smooth. It feels like nylon.
“This is a soft rope so it won’t bite into your skin at all. It won’t chafe. It’s not meant to hurt you, it’s meant to restrain you while I give you pleasure, that’s all. I want to make sure you understand that I’m not trying to harm you.”
I immediately smile at him. “You’d never hurt me.”
His eyes soften as he reaches out and drags his thumb over the apple of my cheek. “No, I wouldn’t.”
I pass the rope back to him. “What do you want me to do?”
“Just trust me.”
“Done.”
He kisses me, softly at first, and then with more intensity until we’re both panting with need.
“You’re fecking incredible,” he growls, his Irish as thick as I’ve heard it, as he gathers my hands in front of me and ties them together, making an intricate knot. “I’ve done a little studying in the art of Shibari, which is basically knots and bondage. I think it’s beautiful. I’m not in the BDSM lifestyle, it just doesn’t interest me, but the ropes do.
“I won’t tie them so tight that you can’t get out of them if you really want to, or so I can’t easily remove them from you if needed. You’re never in danger.”
“I appreciate you reassuring me, Shawn. I’m not afraid. This is fascinating, and sexy. And I’m totally into it.”
He nods, and with my hands tied in front of me, leads me to the bed. He helps me lie down in the center of the mattress and lifts my hands over my head, tying them to the wooden headboard.
“Does this hurt your shoulders?”
“Nope.”
I’m not nervous in the least. I’m almost giddy with excitement. I don’t know what he plans to do next, but I’m ready for it. Every single thing Shawn has done with or to me since we started this physical relationship has been nothing short of amazing.
I can’t imagine this will be any different.
With my hands restrained above me, all I can do is watch as Shawn reaches for a ribbon that I didn’t see before. He drags it over my skin, across my nipples and between my legs.
The light sensation sends goose bumps over my flesh.
“You like that,” he says with a grin. “What about this?”
He leans over and takes my nipple into his mouth, sucks hard, and then nibbles it until it’s just this side of too much sensation.
I cry out and squirm beneath him. I want to touch him, but all I can do is wiggle in the restraints.
“You have a safe word,” he reminds me.
“Fuck the safe word,” I growl. “Just touch me. This is torture.”
The grin is swift and sly, and the next thing I know, his fingers are between my legs, strumming my folds as if he’s playing a guitar. He plucks them lightly as if the song is soft and sweet, and then his touch deepens, and I’m nothing but a ball of sensation.
We’re five minutes in, and I’m beside myself with lust.
“If you keep moving your legs like that, I’ll have to tie them, too.”
“I can’t stop moving,” I confess, panting hard. “I need you inside me, Shawn.”
“Sorry, Lex, that’s the wrong answer.”