Chapter 17
17
NOELLE
I prepared a light lunch of salami slices, crackers, cheese, veggies, and fruit, placing it on a charcuterie board to enjoy when Killian returned.
The door opened just as I was pouring a glass of water for myself using the fridge's water filter. "How'd it go?"
Killian wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Fine."
I turned to face him. "What did you do with your brothers?"
"We had to take care of some business." His expression was tight.
"Are you hungry? I prepared lunch." I waved a hand at the counter.
"Starved," Killian said as we moved toward the island stools and sat next to each other.
I wished he'd tell me what the business was that he had to take care of. "Is everything okay between you and your brothers?"
He cleared his throat. "Never been better."
"That's good," I said as we dug into the food.
"Did you still want to go to the maple syrup festival?" I was prepared for him to bow out.
His expression softened at the reminder. "Do you want to go?"
"I was looking forward to it." Even though I'd never thought of myself as a festival kind of person. I didn't have time for it, but the idea of spending an afternoon with Killian on a date-like excursion was exciting.
"Let's go then." Killian helped me box up the food we didn't eat for later, and then we grabbed our coats and headed outside.
For the first time, Killian insisted on driving his rental truck that had been parked in the lot. "My knee is feeling better."
This felt like a date or something couples would do together. Normally I'd be running in the other direction. I avoided any semblance of relationships, but I liked hanging out with Killian. I was looking forward to whatever the day would bring.
When Killian reached across the console with his hand palm up in a silent invitation, I placed my palm on his. My heart sped up like I'd just taken a jump off a cliff.
He closed his hand around mine, and my heart fluttered with delight. I'd never gotten mushy over holding hands with a man, but I could see the attraction.
We entered the park, and Killian paid the admission price. Then we followed the man at the gate's directions to the festival itself. There was a large building where a line had already formed to buy pancakes, another tent set up for the maple syrup demonstration, and a concession stand selling syrup bottles.
"What do you want to do first?" Killian asked.
"Let's check out the demonstration. Then maybe we can go for a hike," I said feeling exhilarated by the sunshine and the prospect of spending the day with Killian.
Killian reached for my hand. "Then we're eating pancakes."
"We just ate lunch," I teased as we walked hand-in-hand to the demonstration tent.
"I can always eat more."
"Do you have to watch what you eat now?" I couldn't help but ask.
He grinned at me. "I can make an exception."
When we reached the demonstration tent, he tugged me close, letting go of my hand so he could wrap an arm over my shoulder. I curled around his side, one palm resting on his chest and the other at his waist. I felt a little out of my element, but when we turned our attention to the three people standing around a fire, I relaxed against him.
His body was hard. His warmth helped to ward off the chill in the air. Smoke drifted our way as the woman answered questions about how and where to tap a tree. She demonstrated the perfect location with a round piece of wood.
I listened with rapt attention as they answered people's questions. Someone stood nearby, taking pictures of every step. Finally, she poured the contents of the bowl into a jar. The contents were steaming.
"Can we eat it?" a little girl asked.
The woman smiled. "It would be too hot to eat right away. But we can pour the syrup over snow. It creates a caramel-like mixture that's sticky but cools it enough to eat."
"Can you do that now?" the girl asked as her mom smiled down at her.
"Absolutely. Let's gather some snow."
We waited while they dished snow into a bowl and poured the hot syrup over it. Then the woman scooped small gobs of the mixture into Dixie-sized cups and handed them to people in the crowd.
We waited our turn and took a cup to share.
"Are any of the trees tapped?" Killian asked.
"If you walk along the water in that direction, you'll find a few," the woman answered, gesturing with her hand.
"Perfect. Thanks," Killian said, holding our cup.
We walked down to the beach, and in the direction the woman had indicated. There were a few logs on the beach. "Let's stop and eat our syrup."
"Good idea." I sat next to him on the log facing the water. The wind coming off the water was cool, but I sat close to Killian, my leg touching his.
Killian removed his glove and fed me a piece of the icy mixture. I opened my mouth, closing my lips around his finger. I sucked on his finger briefly, and his eyes flared.
"Mmm. That's really good. Tastes like candy." I removed my glove and fed him in the same manner.
I wanted to climb into his lap and taste the syrup on his tongue, but we weren't alone. When we finished the sweet treat, he stood and held his hand out to me. We walked side-by-side along the water, looking for tapped trees.
It was cool, but the day was beautiful. I could almost feel the air warming, or maybe that was my desire for an early spring. The problem wtih that desire was that it meant Killian would need to travel farther away to get the snow conditions he'd need to train.
I was delighted when he pointed out a tap, and we paused to study it. "Now I want to watch someone pull it from the tree."
My stomach rumbled.
"You want to get in line for pancakes?" Killian asked with a smile.
"I want to try the syrup on pancakes." It was good on the snow, but I wanted the whole experience. We waited in a long line at the newer-looking building. Inside, there was an open hearth, everyone gathered around to warm up.
Killian paid for pancakes and sausage, and we grabbed our containers from the counter. There was a tent set up nearby with picnic tables. The plastic walls did a good job of keeping out the cold. We sat side-by-side at a table and opened our containers.
I carefully cut the pancakes, then poured the syrup over top. I took my first bite, the sweetness melting on my tongue. The pancakes were almost chewy. "These are so good."
Killian leaned over and kissed me, his lips sugary sweet. "Is it bad I want to go home and lick syrup off your body?"
His heated gaze met mine. "I want that too."
We ate our pancakes quickly, pausing at the concession wagon to buy a few bottles of syrup for us and our families. Then we were in Killian's rental truck and heading home. Our interlaced hands rested on my thigh.
It was the perfect day. Hopefully, we'd spend the evening licking syrup off each other's bodies, and I'd block any thoughts about the future.
In the condo, he pushed me against the closed door and kissed me, still holding the boxes in his hands.
"The syrup," I reminded him as he set everything on the counter. He snagged one small bottle, then grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall.
We hurried, and I couldn't stop the giggle that erupted from my mouth.
In his room, he placed the container on the nightstand, opening it so it was ready to pour. Then he glanced at his comforter. "This could get messy fast."
I began taking off my clothes while he ran into the bathroom, grabbing towels and placing them over the bed. I stretched out on the towel, naked. He stood next to the bed, seemingly transfixed. I touched my nipple with one hand, and the second drifted lower as I widened my legs. "What are you waiting for?"
He sprang into action, pulling his shirt over his head, toeing off his shoes, and unbuttoning his jeans.
"Hurry," I said as he rushed through the motions and grabbed the bottle, tipping it over my body.
"I can't wait to taste you."
My skin heated at the promise in his gaze. Then he drizzled the syrup over my nipples. I startled from the chill.
He set the bottle aside and moved between my legs. He didn't waste any time licking the stickiness from the globe of my breast and then my nipple.
I didn't care about the mess or that we'd have to take a shower; I never wanted him to stop. My fingers curled in the hair at the back of his head as I held him to me. It was a day I'd never forget, and I'd never look at maple syrup the same.
I'd probably always remember his tongue licking it off my body. He turned his attention to my other breast, and I arched against him, needing to feel the friction.
"Patience."
I wanted him so badly; I couldn't hold still.
"I'm not nearly done with you yet," he warned as he moved down my stomach, licking up the syrup as he went. It was the single hottest moment of my life. I'd never combined any kind of food with sex. The act was far more intimate than I expected.
We had time to play with each other, to enjoy life together. It was a heady feeling. One I didn't want to let go of. I was enjoying it too much.
He eased my legs wider and settled between them, lapping at the dollop of syrup he'd generously poured on my clit.
I whimpered as he tugged the swollen bud into his mouth.
"Do you like when I eat syrup off your body?" he asked, his voice low.
"So much." It heightened all my senses, made me hyperaware of every sensation. The roughness of his fingers, the softness of his tongue, the bite of his teeth. I wanted more.
But he was teasing me.
I reached for him. "Killian, I need you inside me."
"Mmm. I have to clean this syrup off of you first."
I groaned as he moved lower, closer to my center. I cried out as he used a finger inside me, curling it over that bundle of nerves deep inside me. The orgasm building was coming from somewhere within me, threatening to be bigger than anything I'd ever experienced.
He sat up slightly, his fingers continuing to move inside me. "I want to see you come." Then he lowered his mouth to my clit. The combination of his mouth and fingers moving in tandem tore through my resolve. My body shook, spasming around his fingers. My muscles trembled, my back arching off the bed, and my eyes slammed shut as stars burst behind my eyelids.
I whimpered as he removed his fingers and moved up my body.
"Do I need a condom?"
I met his gaze, seeing nothing but affection and desire. "I'm clean."
"Me too. But do you trust me?" His gaze searched my expression for assent.
"Yes." I trusted him to take care of me in this moment. I wasn't sure he'd always be here for me, but then again, we hadn't made any promises to each other.
His entire body went taut as he teased my entrance with the head of his dick. "I've never desired anyone more."
His words washed over me, the genuineness softening me further as he slid inside. He moved slowly until he bottomed out.
"You always feel so good."
I touched his forearms, reveling in the corded muscle beneath my palms. "You do too."
He lowered his mouth to mine, and I was lost in the sensation of him moving inside me, stroking emotions I didn't know I could feel for someone. I felt hope, elation, and maybe even love. I was too afraid to examine them closely, but each thrust of his hips made me long for more. More days like this one, more experiences to cherish forever.
I didn't delude myself into thinking this could be something permanent, no matter how much my soul longed for it.
With each snap of his hips, I felt something deeper, longer, and lasting. This man was destined to make his mark on me, and I was powerless to resist.
I'd want him long after he'd gone. It was my plight in life to want this man but never have him. Not really. He wasn't someone who could be trapped or tamed. He was wild like the animals in the forest we'd visited today. Ever moving and evolving. I was the tree stuck in the spot, never able to move forward.
This time, when we climaxed, we did it together. I arched into him just as he let go, spilling into me. Everything about the experience was more heightened. I felt the stickiness drying on my skin, the warmth of his seed inside me.
It was messy yet real. I wouldn't go back and change anything about our relationship. As tragic as it felt that we could never truly be together, I was still glad I'd experienced love. I had a feeling it would be the only time.
I'd been plagued by this attraction my entire life. No one else could possibly compare.
Killian's weight pressed me into the mattress as he kissed the side of my neck, sending a tingle through my body.
He shifted us so that I rested on his chest, my arm and leg curled around his body.
"We should clean up, but I don't want to move." His breath tickled my temple.
We fell asleep like that, exhausted from the day spent outside. Even though I was sticky, I felt like he'd put me back together in a way. I felt affection for this man. The one who was destined to break my heart.