Chapter 7
seven
Dane
Deca’s eyes are wide as I lick her sweet essence from my fingers.
Waiting until I’m convinced she won’t move her ankle too much when we’re screwing, I enjoy categorizing her changing emotions.
She’s embarrassed by what I’m doing, so I make a low, growling sound of pleasure while holding her gaze. A fresh rise of pink fills her cheeks.
An orgasmic aftershock shakes her body and surprise dominates her face. Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part, but I don’t believe she’s ever had an orgasm quite like the one I gave her. Finding ways to give her more is a challenge I’m willing to accept. My cock throbs in agreement.
She starts to speak twice before she finally manages to say, “What about you?”
“Oh, I’m well pleased, babe.”
She thinks about that a moment. “But you didn’t come. I want you to have that, too.”
“Looking out for me, Deca?”
“Well…”
“You gonna keep that ankle still?” I don’t allow her to answer as I take her swollen lips in another enticing kiss. Her lips and her silky tongue are so responsive to my wordless requests. I plan on kissing her for the rest of my life.
When we come up for air, she nods and it takes me a moment to remember what I’d asked. I hold up a condom. “Good. Help me on with this?”
She hums as she studies my cock then fumbles a bit as she rolls down the thin protection. “That okay, dear heart?”
Dear heart. Other women have either not used an endearment or tried being all cutesy and saccharine. I’ve been calling Deca babe. Is that too common for this uncommon woman?
Waiting for my answer, she gnaws on her lower lip. I touch my finger to the spot. “It’s perfect.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Her soft laughter lightens my heart. When she wraps her hand around me I swallow my groan and ease between her spread thighs.
“Deca, look at me. If I do—if we do anything that hurts tell me to stop.”
“Ooh, does that mean I can choose a safe word?”
Her eyes sparkle, her pupils nearly filling the irises. She’s telling me she’s adventurous. I file that away for later. “Okay, what’s your safe word?”
“Pickles.”
I arch one brow. “Pickles? Really? Okay, pickles it is. And if I forget or if for some reason I don’t hear, pinch my arm.”
She plants her good foot flat on the mattress by my hip, arching as her pussy searches for my cock. I grab a pillow, fold it, and stuff it under her ass. “Better?”
“Not until you’re in me.”
I guide myself, sinking into her wet heat a couple inches. She feels so good, so perfect I’ll burst if I go faster. I pause, kiss her, and whisper in her ear. “Perfect. You’re perfect for me.”
Tiny jerks of her hips demand more. I sink slowly into her, balls deep. My groan of pleasure is low, long, rumbling. I can’t imagine anything better—until I start to move.
Her hands skim over my heated skin. She moans encouragements and praise. I return the praise, nipping at her earlobes and the soft skin of her neck. She wraps her good leg over my hip, trying to press me closer.
I keep my thrusts as easy as I can, shifting my hips until I find the exact angle that makes her cry out with each pass of my cock over her g-spot. Then I increase speed, our damp skin slapping together as I maintain that angle.
“Dane, you’re… magic,” she pants. “I think I… might… again. Never more than… one…oh…Dane.”
She’s never experienced more than one orgasm at a time? Another challenge I’m going to win. I slip my hand between us and find her clit. Using the same motion as when she came for me before, I stroke and press firmly in time with my jerking thrusts.
I’m not going to last. “Deca… now… come now…”
Her look says she doesn’t believe that will happen.
Until it does. She cries out my name, her body tensing beneath me.
Around my cock, her inner walls contract and ripple.
It’s all I need. I slam into her twice, press her hips deep into the mattress, and growl her name.
Every spasm and jerk of my release pulls a single word from my lips.
“Mine.” Again and again, I show her, tell her, she’s mine.
After we clean up and I double check her ankle, which really does seem to be healing quickly, we crawl back in bed. Cuddled together, we watch an insipid holiday rom com and plan my next steps in confronting Carson and ending the partnership. She has fabulous ideas for me, and for her new business.
We talk about that, too. She confesses to not having much of a formal business plan and agrees to accept my help.
Pine Woods is primarily a tourist town and there’s a good chance a metaphysical rock shop could do well.
As long as she finds items specific to this area for people to purchase as memories.
How in the hell did I get from rolling my eyes at her midnight dancing to wanting to help her business be a success?
I know the answer. I fell in love with her hard and fast. And forever.
I just need to tell her. I’m afraid she won’t accept my love almost at first sight.
That’s okay. A point in my favor is I’m sure she cares for me, too.
I’ll wait until she catches up. My love will always be ready, no matter how long I have to wait.
She sits at the island while I fix our evening meal. Our conversation has moved to our families, our childhoods, our dreams. Each hour that passes, I love her more.
After our meal, I turn on the fireplace.
She teases me about having a fake log in a gas powered fireplace when there’s so many trees around.
I stifle her laughter with kisses and we make out in front of the fire like a couple of teenagers but don’t go any further.
That feels right, too. I’m not accustomed to being with a woman who demands nothing of me. Not sex. Not attention. Not money.
Deca is an enigma. One I’m going to enjoy figuring out.
While we’re settling in for the night, I share the plan I’ve been contemplating. “I’d like to go to the lodge tomorrow.”
“To confront your soon to be ex-partner?”
“At least to get the process started. I know it’ll take some time and a majority of the first steps we discussed can be done on the phone. I want to make the calls where I have immediate access to any requested information.”
“That makes sense.” She yawns. “Will you be gone long?”
“Not sure. That’s why I’d like you to come with me. You can recuperate in my suite as well as you can here. Maybe better. One of the massage therapists also has training in physical therapy. I’d like to have her take a look at your ankle.”
“Well, aren’t you sweet? No, really, I appreciate how much you care, dear heart. One of the best reasons to go to the lodge…”
“Is?”
“I can get my clothes and wear something that actually fits. Not that I don’t love wearing your clothes, but my style’s quite a bit different.”
“And if you need anything, we can have it brought in from town. I would appreciate your help organizing the documentation. I don’t want to task any of my employees with that. I’m not sure if Carson has an accomplice or not.”
“I’m happy to help. I need to sleep though if I’m going to be up to any of that.”
“Good night, babe, Sleep well.” I so want to add those three words I’ve never said to a woman before. It’s not time yet.
“Night, dear heart. Thank you for everything. I… sleep well.”
The next morning dawns with the sun shining brightly, sparkling on the snow. I promise Deca breakfast at the lodge so she’s up and ready to go before I have my papers and laptop gathered.
“So how are we getting to the lodge?” she asks while she tries on a couple of my old coats. The damn fur of her cloak still isn’t dry.
I glance out the window at the long, narrow drive leading to the main road. There’s a good number of tall drifts that make me think all the excess snow in the area has been piled up here just to irritate me. I’m not sure even my four wheel drive will plow through that.
“We’ll take the ATV.”
A broad smile brightens her face. “That sounds like fun. Are we ready? No, wait.” She hobbles across the room and gathers her precious stones into the bag and pulls the drawstring tight. “I don’t want to leave these behind.”
My heart dips. She won’t admit it, but she doesn’t think she’ll come back here. Somehow I need to convince her otherwise. Maybe today I’ll discover some clue of how to do that.
“I don’t have a safe way to carry these,” she says when she returns to my side. “Can you put them in one of your buttoned pockets?”
At least she’s trusting me this much. I unbutton one of the many pockets on my jacket, the one over my heart, then hold out my hand. The bag barely fits into the pocket. “Safe and sound.”
I insist she wears the single helmet then with her arms wrapped tightly around my waist, we follow the same path I created yesterday to the clearing.
After that we travel next to the paved and shoveled path to the lodge.
My crew’s done a great job providing safe access for any guests who want to do a little winter hiking.
When we reach the parking lot I slow the ATV to a crawl to protect the snowtracks from damage. At her snow covered vehicle she reaches into the rear wheel well and pulls out a tiny metal box that contains her car keys.
“You know that’s not a safe way to protect your car.”
“I know. But I didn’t have any pockets.” She opens the rear door and grabs a small bag. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Before leaving her car, I make a quick phone call so the bell captain is waiting at the lodge entrance with the wheelchair we keep on hand for emergencies. Deca takes one look at it and shakes her head. “I’m not using a wheelchair. I can walk.”
“I know you can, but this will be quicker and easier. It’s a long walk to the elevators. Do this for me, please.”
She sighs and plops onto the chair and crosses her arms. I crouch to lower the foot rests and lift her feet into place. I glance up at the bell captain and nod. He signals and one of the bellhops comes running to take the ATV to the private garage.
Deca is still fuming about the stupid wheelchair when I push her into the lobby.
I’m immediately called away to deal with an emergency so I ask one of the staff to take Deca to my suite.
The emergency? Carson James has disappeared.
Thanks to Deca’s discovery, it didn’t take long for me to track a huge deposit of lodge funds into an offshore account.
However talking to the authorities keeps me busy much longer.
By the time I’m finally free to make my way to my suite three hours have passed.
How upset is Deca going to be with me? I stop at the gift shop but nothing jumps out at me as an apology gift.
Doubting I’m the only one who might make use of the option, I make a mental note to look into the possibility of adding a small cooler of flowers.
Empty handed, I pause outside my door, unsure if I should knock. Hell, it’s my home. I punch in the code and enter. A voice calls from the bathroom. “Is that you, Dane?”
“It’s me. Sorry I took so long.”
“That’s okay. I understand sometimes business needs to be your first focus.”
She doesn’t sound angry. Is she hiding in the bathroom? Or did she take a bath while waiting? I expected one reaction and now I’m confused.
Muffled by the door, her words continue. “What happened?”
I move to the closed door and lean against the wall. “Carson disappeared. Along with a huge chunk of lodge money. Thanks to you, I was able to pinpoint the exact deposit. The rest of the time I was talking to various agencies and legal authorities.”
“Oh good. Then things are working out okay.”
“Yeah. Babe, come out of the bathroom.”
“In a couple minutes, dear heart. Go ahead and relax. The couch might be good. I won’t be long.”
She’s planning something. I know it deep in my bones. I sit in the center of the couch, rest my arms along the back, and stare at the closed door.
Two minutes later the door cracks open. “I’m ready. Are you?”
“Deca, come on out here. I’ve missed you.”
She giggles. “It’s only been a few hours.” The door inches wider.
“Time has no meaning when I want to be with you.” Even though I mean what I say, I roll my eyes at the schmaltzy words.
The only reply is the door opening before she steps into the room.
My eyes go wide. Her golden hair is in its normal messy bun although there are numerous strands curling against her face and neck.
She’s wearing a short white dress that I’m fairly certain is really just a shirt.
And red striped, thigh high stockings. Like a Christmas elf.
Swaying her hips and barely limping, she sashays across the room.
Dear god, she’s a vision. One my cock reacts to immediately. “Babe.”
“I hope you’re free for the rest of the day. And night.” She stops in front of me, waiting for my nod. Then she lifts one foot and rests it on the couch between my legs, exposing the fact that…
“No underwear, Deca? Are you trying to kill me?”
She wiggles her ass and leans a little closer. “No, I just wanted to remind you of what we didn’t do last night. See if you were still interested.”
Still interested? I grab her hips and hold her steady while I take one long, slow lick along the seam of her sex. “Does that answer your question?”
“Umm, you might need to repeat yourself so I’m sure.”
I bury my nose in her soft curls and slip my tongue between her folds. A lick or two and I find her clit. She gasps and uses one hand to spread herself for me. Clasping the soft globes of her ass, I pull her tight against my mouth. Her free hand spears through my hair.
Some tiny speck of sanity reminds me I shouldn’t keep her standing like this. Her ankle may not be as painful, but it still needs to heal.
I lift my mouth from her and she whines a denial. “To the bed, woman.” The rumble of my command lingers in the air between us.
“You shouldn’t boss me around,” she says almost like a question.
“Why not, babe?”
“Because I might like it too much.”
Ah, now that’s interesting, and definitely worth exploring later. For now, I soften my request. “Will you join me in the bed, babe?”