6
Charlotte
I always have a plan, and I follow it, no matter how difficult it is. But, this time, I have no plan. I have no idea what these butterflies in my stomach mean.
Am I nauseous from the stress of the day, or even the bumpy car ride?
God knows, I nearly passed out from the fear of seeing Arturo’s organs splattered across the rocks, and then the frenzy of getting him out of the bush and to a hospital in time.
I rationalize that the tumultuous feelings racing through me are because of what I’ve been through today, and yet, when I realize Caleb is about to leave, I can’t let him go.
Why is that?
I have no clue.
But I want him to stay and place his hand over mine again. It feels so damn good to be comforted. I don’t remember the last time anyone did that for me.
“Would you like something to drink?” Caleb asks, standing in front of the minibar.
“Sure. I’ll have a bottle of water. ”
He grabs one from the fridge and then pours himself a drink from one of the premium liquor bottles on the top shelf.
When he hands me the water, the coldness of the bottle seeps through me, and I shiver. Caleb notices and rubs the goosebumps along my arm. “Let’s sit outside. It’s beautiful tonight.”
There’s a circular daybed on the patio and pillows all around it. I exhale slowly as my body relaxes against the soft cushions. The pool is a neon shade of blue from the LED lights and there are several people walking around. Yet, it feels like it’s just the two of us in the resort.
I sip my water, but it only quenches my thirst, it does nothing to settle my nerves. Turning to Caleb, I nod toward his drink. “Does that help calm you down?”
He takes another sip. “It does for me.”
I stare at the amber liquid and wonder if it would help me as well. I haven’t had a drink since college. It’s not necessarily because of Charlie but I never enjoyed alcohol before. I only drank it to get drunk. But that was ten years ago.
“Would you like some?”
He moves his glass closer to my mouth. I consider taking a sip, but I shake my head, instead. “I don’t think I’ll like the taste of it.”
Caleb lowers the drink, but his eyes remain on my mouth. “There are other ways to taste it. ”
My eyes fall to his lips and my heart speeds up. I turn away, trying to catch my breath and navigate the tension between us.
“My apologies,” he says.
He thinks his words offended me, but they’ve only opened a closet of feelings I’ve kept closed for many years. Caleb places his drink on the table next to the bed, then turns to stand up.
I panic.
I don’t want him to leave. Not yet. I grab his wrist and his muscles bunch at my touch. I don’t let go, even when his gaze drops to our hands, and my lungs tighten. It’s as though there’s hardly any air between us. The humidity and the electricity are thick, and it’s hard to breathe.
His rough stubble shouldn’t look inviting, but it does. I want to run my lips against his jaw. As I inch closer to his face, he turns and stares into my eyes. They’re as dark as the shadows lingering in the distance, and I get lost inside of them.
It feels like a dream, with no responsibility or consequences.
His fingers caress my jaw, ever so softly, sending shivers along my back. I can smell the alcohol on his breath as our mouths move closer together. It smells sweet, sort of like molasses, and reminds me of rum cakes.
I close my eyes and wait for his lips to touch mine and when it finally happens, my heart flutters. They’re soft and plump, smooth yet demanding. My hands rummage through his hair frantically and a soft moan escapes my lips when his fingers scrape against my scalp.
My body, from head to toe, tingles and I open my mouth wider.
His kiss is slow and passionate, and while I want to lose myself in it, I can’t seem to turn that part of my brain off.
Am I really going to do this? Kiss and make out with him? Maybe more? I feel dirty from the day and all I can think about is taking a shower? What if he wants to kiss me in other places?
“Wait,” I say, catching my breath.
Caleb pulls away and searches my face with his eyes. “Oh. I’ve got protection in my wallet.”
“No. It’s not that. We don’t need any… I… I can’t have any more kids. It’s just that… I don’t know if I can do this right now. I mean, it’s been quite the day, and I… I think it’s best if we stop now and I take a shower.”
He closes his eyes and nods. “Yes, of course. I get it.”
When he stands up, I can’t help but notice the bulge at his pants. “I just need a minute before I can leave. I’ll wait out here. I promise I won’t come inside. ”
He’s giving me the perfect excuse out of this. I can go back in, lock the patio door, take a shower, and simply continue my vacation with a book and a daiquiri as planned.
My head says that’s the right thing to do. The smart thing. But my body doesn’t want to hear it. No, it wants to pull Caleb down and rub itself all over him. My core spasms, applauding that idea.
Caleb takes another sip of his drink while looking away at the pool. He avoids eye contact, and I wonder if he’s angry that I stopped this. His jaw clenches and his fingers are white around the glass. “Are you okay leaving?” I ask, searching his face for clues.
“Yes, of course. I just need another minute.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Charlotte, there’s nothing you can do to make this erection go away, in fact, asking me in that breathless voice only made it harder.”
That’s my cue to leave. He’s telling me to go. He’s not angry, just trying to get himself under control.
But I want to press him further and see if I can make him lose control. Damn, that’s so manipulative of me. I close my eyes and push the thought away.
I breathe slowly, trying to understand all the thoughts running through my head. I want to do the right thing, but I also want to do him.
Is that the right thing? I have no freaking idea.
I stare at the pool and listen to my heart. It’s thumping like a trapped bunny in my chest, and my body is thrumming with desire.
Why am I fighting this?
I’m not marrying this man or even dating him. We are two people who want this and there’s no reason I shouldn’t have him. Besides, it’s ‘Opposite Charlotte’ week, isn’t it?
The pep talk works and my mind and body align. Pushing off the daybed, I stand confidently in front of Caleb and place my hand on his chest.
“I’m going in now to take that shower.”
He swallows and nods, staring out at the pool and avoiding my eyes.
I smile and lean forward, whispering in his ear. “Why don’t you come inside and join me?”
Caleb turns to look at me and watches my expression closely, perhaps deciding if this is a cruel joke.
“I want you,” I say.
He inhales, and his chest rises, brushing against mine. “Fuck, woman, if you’re joking you’ll kill me.”
“I’m not joking.”
He grabs the back of my head and stares into my eyes. I hold his gaze and dare him to kiss me again. “Are you coming? ”
“Yes,” he breathes and lowers his head to take in my lips. His kiss is slow, but he nips at my mouth. “Let’s go inside.”
We stumble back inside the room, and Caleb locks the door behind us. I walk toward the bathroom, fully intending to take that shower, and look over my shoulder to see if he’s following.
He catches up in two long strides and brushes my hair away from my back, sweeping it over my shoulder. His steady fingers find the zipper at the back of my floral dress, and he pulls it down to the top of my panties. The light dress falls to my feet, and he drops to his haunches to pull the panties down.
He doesn’t stand up, however, his lips caressing the dimple at my cheeks. Finding the back of my bra, I unclasp it, hurrying to get under that shower head before he makes other plans.
Caleb rips open the front of his shirt, a button or two flying onto the marble bathroom floor. I don’t follow them because my eyes are glued to his chest. His pecs are round and sculpted and sit above six defined ridges on his abdomen. He unbuttons his pants next. The zipper snagging at his burgeoning bulge. With his thumbs, he pulls down his briefs and releases his massive erection.
Caleb steps closer to me but I can’t move. I haven’t had sex since I was with Charlie’s father. It sounds crazy, but I haven’t had the time to date. My battery-operated-boyfriend was enough.
I wonder if things are different now. Does Caleb have certain expectations of how this will go?
“You’re staring at me, but you don’t look happy. Do you want me to stop?”
“No,” I answer before even thinking about it. “It’s just… I’m…”
Caleb smirks and closes his eyes briefly. “Don’t worry about what happens next, Charlotte. Just relax and let me take care of you.”
He reaches for my hand after turning on the shower. When the cold water hits my back, I gasp and my breasts and nipples tighten. Caleb’s gaze drops to them, and he lightly brushes his fingers across the rigid peaks.
I close my eyes, and my knees weaken. He’s barely touched me and I’m about to orgasm. He grabs the bar of soap and lathers it in his hands. Every vein and crease enthralls me at this moment.
He runs his soapy hands down my calves, and then up my thighs, avoiding the spot where I want his slippery fingers most. I bite my lip, holding back a groan.
“Turn around,” he whispers in my ear.
The groan escapes when his hands massage my neck and shoulders. Water trickles down my head and face and I close my eyes, enjoying every tickle of sensation running through my body, from my scalp and back, down to my toes.
I don’t know how much more of this I can take, but I won’t leave this shower without washing my hair. I pump some shampoo into the palm of my hands, and I lather it up in my hair.
“Your body is so damn sexy in that position,” he growls, and drops to his knees. He covers my lips with his mouth and swipes at my clit with the flat of his tongue. I shiver, and my knees buckle this time. Quickly, I rinse all the shampoo from my hair, but it’s difficult with Caleb’s tongue inside my sex.
I press my hands on either side of the shower stall, holding myself up with all the strength I can muster from my weak legs. Caleb notices how close I am to falling and he straightens, wrapping a hand around my waist. When I’m steady on my feet, he releases me and grabs the soap again.
This time he uses it to lather his stomach, and my body reacts as though his hands were touching my skin instead of his. When he wraps a sudsy hand around his erection, I lick my lips involuntarily. He watches me as I watch him pumping his fist up and down his shaft. I shouldn’t feel this excited watching man pleasure himself, but it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
He closes his eyes briefly, and I can’t imagine him coming on his own, so I step closer and take him in my hand. My fingers don’t touch but I grip him as tightly as I can. His eyes fly open, and he stares into them as I try to mimic his earlier movements. I’m slower and more awkward but he doesn’t seem to mind since he presses his body closer, dropping his forehead on mine.
He groans next to my ear and I press my thighs together to relieve some of the pressure.
When his breathing becomes ragged, he pushes my hand away and lifts me from the back of my thighs. Instinctively I wrap them around his hips, and he presses my back against the cold wet tiles.
His erection is at my entrance, and I gasp when he presses inside me. There’s some pain, but there’s still pleasure, I bite down on my lip trying to wait for it to pass. Caleb pulls out and stares at me.
“I thought you had a son. This can’t be your first time.”
“It’s not. It’s just… it’s been a while.”
He stares at me, then reaches behind him to turn off the water.
“No. No, I don’t want you to stop,” I plead embarrassed.
He grabs a robe for me and a towel for himself and covers me with it. “I’m not stopping, baby. I’m just taking it slow.”
His words both relieve and excite me because I realize we are far from finished.
We walk over to the bed and Caleb waits for me to sit. Then he spreads the robe open from my breast, down to my stomach and caresses my thighs. “Lie back,” he says, and I do.
The heat from his mouth warms my body until a swipe of his tongue over my clit sends shivers down my back. And just like that, I’m back and ready for him. He works my sex like a fine-tuned instrument, plucking at it, stroking it, and finally playing me until I scream out in pleasure. The orgasm hits quickly, as I knew it would, and leaves me feeling tingly if still unsatisfied. I’m used to this feeling, it’s how I usually feel after reaching my peak, so I’m not surprised by the feeling. Caleb caresses my sensitive clit, his hand glides easily back and forth. “Yes, I think you’re ready now.”
He climbs on top and slowly presses inside again. There is no resistance, this time as he snuggly fits himself in. “Just a bit more,” he whispers, and I’m surprised he’s not fully in yet. But then he lifts my thighs, and I feel him slide in deeper.
Oh.
He fills me completely, and his weight on my body comforts me. He moves slowly and I close my eyes at the soothing sensations. I’ve orgasmed so there’s no racing to the finishing line, worried I won’t get there. There’s just this sense of easy enjoyment.
But as Caleb pushes deeper, and his thrusts become harder, he reaches a spot that causes my nipples to tighten again. My core clenches and butterflies awaken in my stomach. This can’t be happening again. I don’t come twice. Never.
Caleb changes the angle, moving a pillow beneath my lower back and I gasp loudly the next time he thrusts inside. “Fuck.”
That’s me. I’m the one swearing.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me again. I want to feel you this time.”
“I can’t,” I pant. “I can’t come twice.”
“Yes, you can. I can feel you around me. Let go.”
I relax my muscles and close my eyes. There’s a pressure on my abdomen and it traps his penis inside me, making his thrusts that much harder.
“Oh God,” I cry, my legs shaking beneath him.
Caleb thrusts faster, and harder. His hips pound into me and my body and breasts bounce from the impact. “I think I’m going to come again,” I say astonished and probably more to myself than to him.
My words only spur him on and something inside of me snaps, my control, my tension, hell maybe even my sanity, because I scream and scream as the strongest orgasm of my life rips through me and I don’t have any idea if Caleb came or not because my ears ring from my own powerful release.
He drops onto me and I can barely breathe but I’m not about to complain. A tear falls from my eye from the pent-up emotion, and I wipe it away.
Caleb kisses me and smiles. “You’re fucking amazing,” he says, and I laugh.
“Amazing,” I agree, and realize I may have released more than just emotion. He may have released a carefree side of me I haven’t seen in a long time.