Chapter 20
WILL
I led her out on the balcony. As we stepped out, Paige squeezed my hand, and I followed her gaze to the red wine bottle I’d set in a bucket, and the glasses and candles.
“You…. When did you do this?” she asked.
“After you said you’d join us. Figured you’d want to relax after so much driving. If you don’t want wine, I have other drinks.”
“Wine is great.”
She sat at the edge of the comfortable double lounge chair.
It was my favorite place in the apartment.
Since I lived on the top floor, there was no balcony above mine, so I had a full view of the sky.
A tall palm tree right in front of us obscured us from anyone’s view.
I lit the candles before pouring us wine.
Paige was unnaturally quiet during the process.
I wasn’t an expert on women’s minds, but my sisters had drilled one thing into me: when a woman was quiet, it was not because she didn’t have anything on her mind, but rather because she had too much.
We clinked glasses, and after the first sip, I asked, “Want to tell me what’s on your mind, pretty girl?”
She played with her glass, looking up at the stars, murmuring, “You’re very good at… romancing.”
I smiled, kissing her forehead. “Come on, let’s lie down. It’s a beautiful evening.”
We both sipped some more of the wine, then set the glasses on the small table and moved to the center of the lounge.
I lay back first, holding my arm out for her to use as pillow, and she did just that, coming so close to me that our bodies touched completely.
I brought my hand under her chin and tilted her head up, then kissed her slowly.
I coaxed her tongue, deepening the kiss.
My free hand moved to her dress, bunching up the fabric until I found her skin. Smooth and warm, inviting.
I kissed her until we were both out of breath and then kept my forehead pressed to hers, because I needed the contact.
“I’m glad you could swing by tonight,” I admitted.
“Thanks for inviting me.”
“I didn’t know if hanging out with me and Milo was up your alley.”
She laughed softly. “I’m always up for some fun time with kids.”
“I know that now. You’re quite a woman, Paige. The more I find out about you, the more I like you.”
She’d buried her face in my neck, and I felt her smile against my skin.
“Oh yeah? I like the sound of that.”
I couldn’t be sure, but I thought she might have wiggled her toes. We spoke about everything and nothing for a while, and she even pointed out some constellations. I made note of her interest in astronomy. Who knew when it might come in handy.
Something vibrated between us.
“That’s my phone,” I said, taking it out of my pocket. It was a notification from the calendar I kept for the rentals.
“You’re going away next week?” Paige asked, her eyes on the screen.
“No, I own a few rentals, and this is the booking calendar.”
“Holy shit, those are a lot of bookings. How many rentals do you own exactly?”
“Ten, for now.”
“Nice.”
It afforded me a great lifestyle that wasn’t obvious at first glance, which I liked.
“Want to tell me about your day?” I asked, and not just to make conversation. I wanted to know.
“Made some progress with the funding. I’m confident that I’ll have at least 25 percent of it in the bag in about a month.”
I loved her confidence. It wasn’t just blind cockiness. Her confidence was born out of knowing her strengths.
“Man, I just love August,” she said, apropos of nothing. We were in the second week of the month.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. It’s like the heat is more bearable. Or maybe I just get used to it. By the way, I had dinner with my parents. They, err… might know about you.”
I squeezed her to me, patting her ass. “What do you mean might? I thought I was bragworthy. I’m wounded.”
Paige laughed softly, poking my arm.
“What did you tell them about me?” I insisted.
“That you’re smoking hot and make me laugh.”
“That’s it?” I worked as much offense into my voice as possible. Paige was now nibbling on my neck, and I felt every lick of her tongue straight along my cock. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep the conversation going.
“Trust me, with my mom, less is more. Dad was actually a little shocked you’re on the force.”
That gave me pause. “Why?”
Paige stopped nibbling my neck and instead wiggled back a bit so she could look at me. “Because at all those annual events he has with colleagues, he’s always tried to set me up with sons of his comrades, and I wasn’t interested.”
I looked at her intently. “This reticence you have about my job is because of your dad, isn’t it?”
Paige nodded slowly. “I think so. It was just… hard, you know. Growing up, he was always away. That wouldn’t have been half bad if he’d been away on a random job, but what he did was dangerous.
We all worried, so much. My biggest fear was that one day another man in uniform would show up at our house to tell us Dad wasn’t coming back. ”
Paige’s voice wobbled, and my chest constricted. I pulled her into a hug, and she melted against me instantly.
“It happened to many of his comrades, so I know we were lucky,” she muttered in a small voice, but then she continued in a strong tone. “I know what he did was important, though. And so is what you do.”
“Paige… my job isn’t nearly as dangerous.”
“I know.” She shrugged, and I held her even tighter because I understood. I knew that bone-deep fear of losing someone you loved, though mine had a different root. Could we work through her misgivings?
“I’m so happy I didn’t have to be at the inn tonight,” she continued, clearly wanting to change the subject.
“On which evenings are you on rotation?”
“Tuesdays and Wednesdays.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“Why would you do that?”
I rolled her on her back and slid over her, propping myself up on an elbow so I could look at her. I touched her face with the other hand.
“To spend time with you.”
She blinked a few times, and I felt her relax under me. The candlelight only lit half her face, but I saw her lips curl in a beautiful smile.
“That would be great.” On a wiggle of eyebrows, she added, “I promise to make it worth your time. Tempt you with nonskimpy outfits and all that.”
I laughed. “I’ll make sure you keep that promise. Besides, I know a thing or two about construction. I can be of use.”
“Is this a manly thing? My brother and father also think they know a thing or two, yet every time they attempt to repair something, mayhem ensues.”
“In high school, I worked in construction during summers for some extra money. It’s how I got into the rental business. I flipped houses. One thing led to another….”
“Okay, I take all that about manly bragging back.”
She lifted her head and kissed me, and I was caught unaware but opened up for her nonetheless. It felt out-of-this-world good. I was enjoying letting her take the lead… at least until the little vixen started sucking on my tongue, and my cock became painfully hard. Then I took back the control.
I unhitched her hands from my shoulders and pushed them over her head.
I turned rock-hard when Paige opened her legs wider.
The woman was made for me. Her body’s response to me was incredible.
I enjoyed her mouth until I felt her quivering under me, rolling her hips, looking for friction.
But I held my pelvis just out of reach, not giving her what she was looking for.
No, I was going to take my time with her.
I planned to make her feel insanely good.
“Will,” she muttered, fidgeting, trying to break free. “I want to touch you.”
“Not yet.”
She tried to roll up her hips again, but I pulled my pelvis back.
“How long will you keep him away?” She pouted, nodding toward my belt. This woman was far too cute for her own good… or mine.
“Until I make you come.”
She swallowed, snapping her gaze up.
“What?”
“I’ll make you come with my fingers, and then I will give you my cock.”
She swallowed again. I captured her mouth, sliding a hand under her dress.
She smelled so impossibly good. Sweet and spicy, and I found myself wishing the pillows would pick up her smell so I’d have something to remember her by after she left.
I went straight for her panties, moving the fabric to one side.
She was so ready for me that I slid two fingers inside her at once.
I curled them slowly, searching for the sweet spot inside her.
She climaxed hard and fast, and I covered her mouth with mine, feeling the reverberations against my chest. The throbbing below my belt was maddening, and I was dying to be inside her, but I held her while she rode out the wave of pleasure.
When her breaths became even and her hands roamed over my back, I reached for the small box under the table, snatching a condom.
“You’re… well prepared,” Paige said in a low, thick voice.
“It’s the only way I can cover my bases with you. Advance preparation. Because when I’m with you, I forget myself.”
I got my pants and boxers down below my ass, then rolled on the condom under Paige’s watchful gaze.
She made to reach for me, but I stopped her.
I gripped myself at the base, then squeezed closer to the tip, placing the crown on her lower belly.
Her dress was bunched around her waist, and she couldn’t see what I was doing to her. She could only feel.
“This is what you want, isn’t it, Paige?”
I dragged the tip to her clit as she nodded feverishly, then slid inside her.
Her eyes widened, and she bit her lip as her inner muscles clamped tight around me.
She braced her arms around my neck, bringing me closer.
I pressed my cheek to hers while I moved, because I wanted to be close and hear her.
She was quiet, but those soft, barely audible sounds were fueling me.
I made slow, lazy love to her, feeling her come apart one thrust at a time.
The base of my erection tightened, energy gathering at the tip.
She felt so good that I knew I wouldn’t last long.
She seemed close too, but I wanted to make sure she came again.
So I stilled, working one hand between us, touching her clit in small circles until she tightened around me like a fist. Then I slid in and out again, kissing her while she made my world tilt on its axis.
After cleaning up, Paige shuddered a little, and I brought a quilt. I slipped under it right next to her.
“So thoughtful,” she murmured.
“I’ll warm you up. Brought the quilt just in case.”
“You’ll warm me up, huh?”
“Yes. I’m a man of many talents.”
“That you are. Those fingers are downright magic.”
“Just my fingers?”
“Hmm… other body parts might also fit in the magic category.” Her voice was low and sweet, almost a purr. “Your chest is the world’s best pillow.”
“I see.” I chuckled while she shifted her head on my chest, looking for the most comfortable spot to rest it.
She yawned. “I should go soon, or I’ll fall asleep.”
“What would be so bad about that?”
“Explaining it tomorrow to Milo.”
She had a point, but was it the only reason she wasn’t staying? I moved over her, kissing her bare shoulder.
“Will, what are you doing?”
“You’ll see. I’m not nearly done with you.”
Kissing her mouth, I tasted wine and chocolate on her lips. I could get drunk on her taste. I didn’t want to be without her taste again… without her. It was a powerful feeling, and I was sure it was here to stay. And I knew one other thing: tonight, I was going to own her pleasure.