24. Claire
CHAPTER 24
Claire
H eadlights swept through the front window, drawing my attention away from the movie playing on TV. Pebbles stood up from her spot on the blanket in my lap and barked.
I scratched her head. “It’s probably just someone turning around. Relax.”
But she spun in a circle, barked again, and launched herself off my lap, making a beeline for the front door.
Pausing my movie—I couldn’t hear it over her—I put an arm over the back of the couch to turn and watch her while I waited for her to realize it was nothing.
The doorbell pealed.
Okay. Maybe it wasn’t nothing.
Frowning, I pushed the blue throw off my lap and got up. Wary of all the craziness lately, I peeked out the front window first.
Ozzie’s truck sat in my driveway.
Eyes growing wide, I straightened and looked at the door. What was he doing here?
Pebbles barked again, her little tail wiggling. She spun in a circle, then looked at me and barked.
“I’m coming, crazy girl. Hang on.”
One hot pink slipper slapping softly on the floor, I nudged her back as I reached the door. She darted around my foot, nose pressed to the crack.
With a huff I scooped her off the ground. “You’re not escaping. Not this time.” Throwing the locks, I turned the handle and opened the door.
My heart tripped at the cautious smile on Ozzie’s handsome face.
He held up a white plastic bag with the words “Thank You” printed on it in red. “I brought dinner. Can I come in?”
Dinner? After we agreed it was best to keep things on a professional level?
I cocked my head. “Why?”
He lowered the bag. “I talked to Chief Riggs. Or I should say, he talked to me. It was… enlightening.”
A spark of hope lit in my chest. “Really?”
“Really.” A slow, sexy smile spread over his face. “So, are you gonna let me in?”
My feet moved back without my permission, leaving enough space for him to enter. I guess I was.
“Thanks.” He stopped in front of me, just inches separating us.
I tipped my head back so I could see his face. A quick shiver of excitement raced through my veins, leaving me buzzing with anticipation. Once again, I marveled at how good it felt to have a man be so much taller than me. With his boots on, he topped out at close to six-foot-four. I was in my slippers and felt every inch of the six-inch height difference.
It was glorious.
“I hope you’re hungry.”
He meant the food, but the heat in his eyes as he stood so close added another meaning. One my body caught onto without missing a beat.
“What did you bring?” I forced myself to ask, instead of hopping up with my good foot to wrap my legs around him and fuse our mouths together. But I set Pebbles on the floor, so I’d be ready to do just that if the opportunity presented itself.
“Crab legs. From Kellerman’s.” His brow wrinkled. “You’re not allergic to shellfish, are you? That would be unfortunate, living up here.”
A smile crossed my face, the concern he showed only endearing him to me more. “No. I like crab legs.” I swayed closer, unable to stop myself. If he didn’t kiss me soon—even just as a hello—I’d do it for him.
“I’m glad.” He shifted nearer, his head lowering. “Do you think they’ll keep?”
The meaning of his whispered words registered a moment before his lips landed on mine.
With a soft thump and a rustle, the bag hit the floor. My feet left the wooden planks as Ozzie banded strong arms around my hips and lifted me against him.
All rationality fled. Even that part of me who protested so much just the other day knew this was an amazing idea.
But she had one last thing to say before she retreated, and that was to put away the food.
I wrenched my mouth away. “Grab that bag.”
The cutest look of confusion crossed his face before he remembered the food he’d brought. It did my ego good to know I could make a man forget everything with just a kiss.
“Right.” He lowered me to the floor, sliding me down his tall frame.
My thoughts scattered with the friction. That needed to happen when we were naked.
Leaning to the side, he shooed Pebbles away from the bag and hooked the handles, then straightened. “Lead the way.”
Swallowing hard, I tamped down the urge to forget all about preserving our dinner and spun around. I drew in a breath through my nose and told my body to cool it. It would get what it wanted, but it needed to have a little patience.
Ozzie followed me into the kitchen. So did Pebbles, her tiny claws tapping softly on the wooden floor. Silently, I opened the refrigerator door. He set the bag inside.
The door handle was barely out of my hand as I closed it when he scooped me up again.
“Where were we?” His mouth hovered millimeters from mine, his warm breath puffing over my face.
In answer, I kissed him.
He backed me into the counter, his hands roving down my sides and back up, caressing me through my sweater, which just wouldn’t do. I needed his hands on my skin.
Grasping the hem of my top, I pulled it up and over my head, only breaking our kiss for an instant. Those long, strong fingers wrapped around my ribcage as I dropped my shirt to the floor.
Pebbles barked, but I ignored her. She’d get tired of being ignored and go settle on her bed, eventually.
My hands went to Ozzie’s chest. I tugged the zipper down on his coat and pushed it off his shoulders. It landed in a heap behind him as I spread my fingers over the soft green and black flannel covering his muscular torso.
Starting at his neck, I pushed buttons through their holes, somehow maintaining the dexterity in my hands as his mouth and wicked tongue tantalized me.
His shirt followed his coat to the floor.
But I still wasn’t at bare skin. He wore a plain, gray t-shirt underneath.
I tunneled my hands beneath the fabric, glorying in the contact. Smooth skin, dusted with crisp hair met my fingers. Muscles jumped beneath my touch.
A soft groan left him. He pulled back and yanked his shirt over his head.
Rather than kiss me again, though, he hooked his fingers in the waistband of my leggings and peeled them down my legs. My underwear tried to go with them, so I helped them out and pushed them down. They dropped on top of the gathered fabric around my calves and the top of my orthotic boot.
Crouched in front of me, Ozzie splayed his hands over my hipbones. His thumbs ghosted over the apex of my thighs.
A wave of heat washed over me from head to toe. My head fell back as I let out a mewling cry. How did that feel so good? He’d barely touched me.
The pressure increased as he dipped his thumbs into the vee. Moisture flooded my core, and my breath came out on a short pant.
A warm puff of air was my only warning before his tongue darted out to taste me.
“Oh!” With fumbling hands, I gripped the counter as my knees sagged. I tried to spread my feet to give him better access, but my leggings held my ankles together, effectively trapping me where I was.
I eased back and lifted my good leg, trying to free myself.
Ozzie pressed closer, still teasing my center with his mouth. One hand slipped over the inside of my thigh and down my leg. He grabbed a handful of material and pulled, freeing my foot.
But that didn’t mean he gave me control of it. Instead, he lifted my leg, putting it over his shoulder. With his mouth still laving attention on my lady bits, the hand that freed my foot traveled back up my leg to slide over my belly and grasp my breast. When he swirled his hand over my nipple and then gave it a quick pinch, my body erupted.
With a sharp cry, I flew apart, sagging against the cool countertop behind me.
While the echoes of pleasure still moved through me, he stood, leaning over me. “We’re not making it to the bedroom. Not until later.”
Two fingers took over for that wicked, wicked mouth, robbing me of breath.
“Much, much later,” he said, his voice low and gravely as he buried his face in the crook of my neck.
I gripped his shoulders. “That’s fine.” Dear Lord , was that high-pitched squeak my voice?
The fingers swirling over my center delved inside my channel and any ability I had to speak fled along with the rest of the air in my lungs.
My eyelids slid shut, and I just let myself feel. Those long fingers continued to create a lovely friction, driving me wild with a slow, steady pace.
It was both torture and the best thing I’d ever felt in my life. No one had ever come close to making me feel the way Ozzie did. And certainly not before we’d ever even done the deed.
Vaguely, the quiet rasp of a zipper and the rustling of denim made it through the fog of lust clouding my mind. Silken steel replaced his fingers, just teasing at my entrance.
Yes!
Another wave of moisture flooded my core, anticipating what was to come.
His wallet landed next to my arm. I opened my eyes, bringing my hands up to clutch the sides of his head. I was glad he could still think straight. If I’d been in charge, I’d already be riding him, damn the consequences.
With deft fingers, he plucked the condom from inside. A moment and a wrapper crinkle later, he wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me onto the edge of the counter.
One hand came up and gripped my chin, bringing my eyes to his.
How eyes that were nearly black could burn, I didn’t know. But Ozzie’s did exactly that. The little flecks of gold shone bright with an inner fire.
With a slow roll of his hips, our eyes still locked together, he fused our bodies.