Chapter 11 #2
A wise man would take a few steps back and protect her from being hurt.
The man who left her all those years ago might have been selfish and reckless, but at least he hadn't failed someone who trusted him with their life.
But when she touches me like this, those thoughts recede far enough that I can breathe.
The fear of disappointing her disappears, and that makes me dream of possibilities, and that feels like something worth fighting for.
Her t-shirt rides up as she settles more firmly against me, revealing that she's not wearing anything underneath. The realization sends a surge of desire rushing through me, and I groan into her mouth.
“I want you,” she murmurs against my lips. “Again.”
“I’m all yours, Callie Cooper,” I promise, sliding my hands under her shirt to caress the smooth skin of her back.
She pulls back, lifts the shirt over her head, and then she's naked in my lap, all soft curves and warm skin. I take a moment to look at her, marveling at how beautiful she is in the morning light.
Desire is in a race with fear, running rampant through my body.
I never meant to let anyone this close again, not when the last person who trusted me ended up dead.
But as she arches into my touch, I realize it’s too late to pull back now.
And that scares the crap out of me. I don’t want to let her down again.
“You're staring,” she says, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
“Can you blame me?” I run my hands up her sides, then bring them around to cup her breasts, flicking my thumbs over her nipples, fascinated by how quickly they harden into tempting pebbles. “You're gorgeous.”
Her eyes flutter and shut as I lean forward to take one into my mouth, sucking gently as my hands continue to explore her body. She rocks against me, creating a delicious friction through the thin fabric of my boxers.
“I need you,” she pants, reaching between us to push my boxers down.
I lift my hips to help her, and then there's nothing between us, we’re skin to skin until she rises to her knees, and I realize she intends to take control.
“Wait.” I reach for the nightstand drawer where I left the condoms.
“I'm on birth control.” Her eyes meet mine. “And I'm clean. I haven't been with anyone since Kirk.”
The admission sends a wave of possessiveness through me. “I'm clean too,” I tell her. “Got tested just before leaving Chicago. I haven’t been with anyone for months.”
“So, we're good?” Her tentative smile is so endearing that it almost overshadows the fact that she wants me bare inside her. Fuck. I’ve never had that pleasure with anybody.
And until this very second, I never considered how happy I’d be to say that.
Because I wouldn’t want to experience it with anyone else. Only Callie.
“We're perfect,” I agree, gripping her hips again.
With slow, precise movement, she rises, and I guide her as she positions herself over me, and then lowers her body, taking me deep inside her.
We both gasp at the sensation, the air rushing out of our lungs in a simultaneous exhale. For a moment, neither of us moves, just savoring the connection.
Her body heat envelops me as her pussy flutters and squeezes me tightly.
She presses her upper body to mine, flattening her breasts against me, her nipples poking my skin, and wraps her arms around my back.
My pulse quickens, and I throb inside her until her breath becomes ragged and hot against my neck.
Sweet Jesus.
Then she begins to rock, gently at first, a tease before she sets a pace that's both tantalizing and maddening. I let her lead, content to watch her take her pleasure as she rides me, her head thrown back, her hair cascading down her back.
The only sounds in the room are those of our bodies moving together, the gentle rustling of the sheets beneath us, and the occasional sigh.
When she flings her head forward, her hair brushes my shoulders, and I inhale the floral scent of her shampoo, mingling with the sweat on our skin and arousal from last night and now.
“God, Callie,” I groan, tightening my grip on her hips. “You feel amazing.” And I think I’m falling in love with you.
She opens her eyes and smiles down at me, her eyes dark with desire, and for a moment, I’m sure I said that last bit aloud. “So do you.”
I sit up straighter, changing the angle, taking control, and she gasps as I hit a new spot inside her. Her movements become more urgent, her breath coming in short pants as she chases her release.
“That's it,” I encourage, one hand sliding between us to find her clit. “Let go for me, sweetheart.”
It doesn’t take long before she falls apart at my touch, her inner walls clenching around me as she cries out my name. The sight of her in ecstasy and my inner confession are enough to push me over the edge, and I follow her into bliss, holding her close as we ride out the crashing waves together.
Afterward, we collapse back onto the bed, our bodies still joined, our breathing gradually slowing. I brush her hair back from her face and press a kiss to her damp forehead, letting my lips linger there for a long moment.
“That was…” she begins and trails off with a dreamy look in her eyes.
“Yeah,” I agree, unable to find the right words either. Words I can say aloud that won’t send her running.
She carefully lifts herself off me, wincing slightly, and I immediately miss the connection. But she doesn't go far, curling up next to me with her head on my chest, the image of when I woke.
I want to do this every day. Wake up with her in my arms every morning. I want to keep her.
“We should probably talk about what this means.”
I trace lazy patterns on her bare back, considering. “It means I like you, Callie Cooper. A lot. And I think you like me too.”
She laughs softly. “That's a bit of an understatement, don't you think?”
“Maybe,” I concede. “How about this: I want to see where this goes. For real this time, not pretend.”
She props herself up on one elbow to stare at me, her expression serious. “What about Harper? And Kirk? And the whole reason we started this in the first place?”
“I think the bakery will be fine,” I say, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Business has already picked up. As for Harper and Kirk,” I shrug. “I think you need to let that go and move on.”
She bites her lip, considering. “And what if this doesn't work out? What if we try for real and it falls apart?”
“Then at least we'll know we gave it an honest shot,” I tell her. “I can't promise you forever, Callie. No one can. But I can promise to be honest with you, to respect you, and to do everything in my power to make you happy for as long as you'll have me.”
Her eyes soften, and she lowers her head to kiss me. I nab her tongue and suck on it for a second. “Okay,” she whispers breathlessly when I let her go.
“Okay?” I repeat, not quite believing it's that simple.
She nods, a smile spreading across her face. “Let's do this. For real.”
With one hand cradling the back of her head, I pull her down for another kiss, this one all-consuming, pouring all my feelings into it, trying to show her with actions what I'm not quite ready to say with words. When we finally break apart, we're both breathing heavy.
“I really do need to get to work,” I say reluctantly.
“Me too,” she sighs, but makes no move to get up.
I laugh, giving her a playful swat on the behind. “Come on, Librarian. The books are waiting.”
She groans but rolls away, stretching like a cat before standing, and I almost yank her back, our jobs be damned. “Fine. But I'm using the shower first.”
On the walk across the floor to the bathroom, her ass twitches seductively, and my groan is automatic. “Want help?”
She pauses in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder with a mischievous grin. “Well, it would be environmentally conscious of us to save water.”
I'm out of bed and following her before she can even finish the thought, my heart lighter than it's been in years.
In the shower, with water cascading over us and Callie's laughter bouncing off the tile, I hold her against me and let myself believe that I deserve this second chance, too.