Chapter 24
His lips felt better than she imagined… and she had imagined plenty since she’d first seen him standing on her front porch.
With his arms banded tightly around her, pressing their bodies together, she felt the evidence of his desire.
And with the heat moving through her veins like molten lava from her lips to her nipples, to her core, she was glad his muscular arms held her up.
Otherwise, she would be a puddle of goo on the floor.
He bent slightly and hefted her into the air, allowing her legs to instinctively snap around his trim waist. Turning, he set her ass onto the counter, then stepped between her thighs, spreading them apart until his erection was pressed against her sex.
She was only wearing leggings, but adding the material of his jeans between them made her wish for less clothing and more bare skin. Preferably more bare skin touching.
Her hands had been clutching his shoulders, but now slid to the bottom of his T-shirt.
Slipping her fingers underneath, she encountered the warm skin over the firm muscles that had driven her musings for the past few days.
Moving them upward, she dragged his shirt along until it snagged on his chest.
Their kiss hadn’t stopped, nor slowed, fueled by desperation and desire.
It wasn’t a movie-star kiss. It was rough, hard, tongues tangling, teeth bumping, noses smooshing against each other.
It was hot flames licking over her skin where she now wished his tongue would trail.
She grunted as she continued to tug on his shirt.
He stepped back just enough to grab the neck of his T-shirt and jerk it over his head, then moved in quickly to continue their kiss.
She groaned again, but this time, it was with pleasure as her fingers now had his whole torso to explore.
Warm skin like satin covering tight muscles that twitched as she allowed her fingertips to dance lightly over every inch.
So lost in the sensations, she barely noticed when his hands were performing the same tango underneath her shirt. Leaning back, she lifted her arms like a toddler so he could whip the offending fleece up and over her head, landing on the floor to join his shirt.
Wearing a simple, front hook bra that was more for lounging than for sexiness, it didn’t seem to matter to him as his gaze raked over her breasts.
She flipped the hook and let the soft material fall off her shoulders and down her arms. Now sitting on the counter topless, she reached up to pull him close again, wanting to finally feel skin on skin.
And as soon as his chest was pressed against hers, she groaned as need and pleasure washed through her.
His hips jutted forward, pressing his erection against her core, and she now knew they still had on too many clothes.
She muttered into their kiss, “Clothes off. All. Clothes. Off.”
“Bedroom,” he murmured in return.
“No, now. Here.”
He leaned back, his brow furrowed in questions. She dragged him forward, managing to get one word out before she kissed him again. “Casserole.”
Casper started laughing with his lips against hers. The feel of his mirth against her lips, being swallowed by her mouth, and rumbling from his chest to hers was exactly what she had wanted.
He leaned back and flipped off the oven. “Babe,” he managed to say. “Casserole can wait. I can’t.”
“Me either,” she agreed, latching onto his upper body as their lips met again. This time, he lifted her off the counter, her legs wrapped around his waist, and their kiss continued down the short hallway and into her room.
Once in her bedroom, they broke apart just long enough for her to fumble with the lamp beside her bed, casting the room in warm, golden light. When she turned back to him, she found Casper standing there looking slightly uncertain, his hands hovering near the waistband of his jeans.
"I should probably mention," she said, her voice breathless, "that it's been a while for me. Like, a really long while."
"How long is a really long while?" His lips quirked upward.
"Let's just say my vibrator has been getting more action than I have for a couple of years.”
Casper's eyes widened before he threw back his head and laughed. The deep, uninhibited sound she'd been wanting to hear. "Well, that's honest."
"What about you?" she asked, reaching for the button on his jeans.
"Longer than I care to admit."
“So…” she hesitated. “This isn’t standard procedure for you when on an assignment?” She knew her insecurity bled through the words, but wanted to know.
He stepped closer until his face was all she could focus on. “No. Never.”
The air rattled from her lungs, and she grinned as she reached toward his jeans. “Good to know.”
His hands covered hers as they worked together to get his jeans unfastened. "Fair warning… I might be a little rusty."
"Good thing we have all night to practice," she said, unsure if the heat blossoming on her face was a blush or boldness.
Getting his jeans off proved to be more challenging than either had anticipated. The denim caught on his boots, requiring an awkward hopping dance as he tried to extract his feet while maintaining some semblance of dignity.
"Boots," Willow said helpfully, pointing at the obvious problem.
"Right. Boots first," he muttered, sitting heavily on the edge of her bed to wrestle with the laces. “Should have left them at the front door like I did before.”
She took advantage of his distraction to shimmy out of her leggings, which proved easier in theory than execution. The stretchy material clung to her legs like a second skin, and she wiggled in an ungraceful shimmy to get them past her hips.
"Need help?" Casper asked, looking up from his boots with amusement.
"I have it," she said, then promptly lost her balance and stumbled sideways into her dresser.
"Smooth," she muttered to herself, finally kicking the leggings away in triumph. “Why is this always sexier in the movies?”
He chuckled, and she turned back to him.
He stood in just his boxer briefs and exhaled a long, slow breath.
The man was absolutely magnificent. He was all lean muscle and masculine beauty that made her feel like a teenager again.
“Okay, I was wrong. This is by far sexier than any movie I’ve ever watched. ”
His eyes traveled over her body with evident appreciation. “Now we both can stare.”
"I'm definitely staring," she admitted, moving toward him. "And I plan to do a lot more than just that."
When they came together again, skin against skin, the fumbling and awkwardness melted away into something much more primal and perfect.
His hands mapped the curves of her body with reverent attention, while hers explored the fascinating landscape of muscle and warm skin that she'd been dreaming about.
"You're so beautiful," he murmured against her neck, his voice rough with desire.
"So are you," she breathed, then laughed softly. "Is it weird to call a man beautiful?"
"Don’t know. No one’s ever called me that before. But coming from you, I’m honored," he said, lifting her and laying her gently on the bed.
Discover and desire, tender exploration punctuated by moments of desperate need. They learned each other's responses, what made the other gasp with pleasure, and how to move together in perfect synchronization.
When he finally moved over her, his eyes searching hers for permission, she reached up to frame his face with her hands.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice strained with restraint.
"I've never been more sure of anything," she whispered.
Their coming together was both gentle and fierce, tender and passionate. They moved as though they'd been made for each other, finding a rhythm that called to something deeper than physical attraction.
Afterward, they lay entwined in the soft lamplight, hearts still racing, skin damp with perspiration. Casper's arm was wrapped around her, holding her close against his side, while her head rested on his chest.
"That was..." She was unable to find adequate words.
"Yeah," he agreed, his voice rumbling beneath her ear.
"The casserole will definitely need to be reheated," she said after a moment.
"Worth it," he replied immediately, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
She lifted herself to look at him, noting the relaxed expression on his face, the way his usual guardedness had disappeared entirely. "No regrets?"
"None," he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
She smiled and settled against his chest, feeling more content and complete than she had in years. Whatever complications this might create, whatever questions it raised about their professional relationship, she couldn't bring herself to care.
For the first time since the stalking had begun, she felt completely safe and utterly cherished. And as sleep began to claim her in the circle of Casper's protective arms, she knew that everything had changed between them in the most wonderful way possible.