Chapter 55
PETAL
Rake looks across the car seat at me, waiting for an answer. I shift my jaw as my ears pop again from the gain in elevation.
“Just keep driving. I’ll tell you when it’s time to exit,” I say, looking straight ahead. I’ve been buzzing since we left San Francisco, and right now I’m sitting on my hands to keep them to myself. All I can think about is Rake tearing my clothes off and running his lips… everywhere.
If I don’t focus, we’re going to miss our exit.
“All right, baby. If we don’t exit at Tahoe, the next destination is Reno. And after that is the Nevada outback. So I’m betting on Tahoe.”
“All good guesses considering those are really the only choices, unless we were to drive straight through to Utah, which would be eight or nine hours and too far for a weekend getaway.”
I pat his hand and glance at him, his weekend scruff already coming in nicely. I could swear I see a couple grays in it too. Damn, I want to touch them. But I force myself to wait.
He looks at the towering pines whipping by. “I can’t believe in all the time I’ve lived in San Francisco, I’ve only been to the mountains a couple times. It’s gorgeous here.”
It is. Lake Tahoe is one of my happy places, like the book store. The drama of the jagged peaks and exposed granite rock faces is breathtaking. Every time the blue-green lake comes into view before me, it’s always a thrill.
“Want some more Doritos?” I ask, extending him the bag, my fingertips completely orange. Normally, I relish licking the Dorito dust off them, but I don’t want him to think I’m completely feral. I try to clean up my mess with a ratty old tissue I found in my pocket.
“Oh yeah, give me some of those babies,” he says. “I gotta hand it to you, I’ve never seen someone bring so much food for a three-hour drive.”
“Car snacks are a very important part of any road trip. Don’t you know that? Any ride over an hour requires food. The saltier and grosser, the better.”
I glance over at him again, trying not to stare. I swear, he hasn’t stopped smiling since we left the city. Actually, neither have I.
“You are the undisputed queen of car snacks, darlin’.”
I turn my phone to make sure he can’t see it. Of course, we’re going to Lake Tahoe, that was easy to figure out once we passed Sacramento and headed for the mountains. But he doesn’t know I’ve rented one of the swankiest houses on the lake. It’s going to be epic.
As will the sex.
“Yup. That’s what I want to be known for. Please make sure it’s on my gravestone after I kick it.”
“Your wish is my command.”
“Okay, take this exit here for Highway 267.”
“I knew it. We’re going to Lake Tahoe,” he sing-songs.
We enter the two-lane mountain road and he navigates the twists and turns like a champ. Not fifteen minutes later we’re pulling up to an insane house in Crystal Bay.
“Holy fucking shit,” he says, stopping the car in the middle of the circular drive.
He drapes his arms over the steering wheel, staring at the house, and I join him. It’s even more majestic than the photos online.
“How in God’s name did you find this place?”
“It belongs to one of my mom’s friends.”
He nods. “Of course it does. Your mom knows everyone.”
I get out of the car and grab my bag. I want to see the inside of this palace in the mountains. “I don’t know if she knows everyone, but she does know someone with a kick-ass Tahoe house.”
I push the front door open and gasp.
Rake is right behind me with our duffel bags. “Holy shit,” he says, turning in a three-hundred-sixty-degree circle to take it in. “This place is massive.”
We enter the great room and the floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a little dock and the lake. We’re speechless.
Rake drops the bags and opens the back door, the scent of pines and the mountains filling the air.
“I’m getting the food out of the car.” I’ve got some wine I want to start chilling, right away.
“Did you know it would be this big? I could invite the whole team and there’d still be room to spread out.”
“I know, it’s way too huge for only two people but I figure if you get on my nerves, I can find a spot to hide.”
“Jesus. You hide in this place and you may never be seen again.”
As soon as we’re all moved in—Rake’s right, I did bring an obscene amount of food for a short trip—I pop open a bottle of champagne and pour us each a glass.
Rake raises his flute and when his eyes meet mine, I feel this sense of… being home. That’s the only way I can think to describe it. He’s dreamy, and looking at him makes me feel dreamy.
Hell, I hope this is not a dream, because if it is, I’m going to be very disappointed.
“Thank you, Petal. For this, and for everything. You’ve put up with a raft of shit the last few weeks and a lesser woman would have fled the country.”
I smirk. “Yeah, well, I thought about it a few times.”
The entire ride today, I was trying to keep my cool, not act like an idiot. You know, like I’ve got some game or something.
I so do not have any game.
I’m thirsting over this man and that’s all there is to it.
Inching up to Rake, I press my forehead against his and inhale his scent, which is really just clean soap and man. Nothing more.
And then my stomach growls, long and low and loud.
“My God. Did those Doritos not fill you up?” He pats my tummy.
“Guess not. They’re the only things I’ve eaten today. Probably not a good move to stuff my face with crap like that.”
Rake takes my champagne and sets both our glasses down. “Pretty sure a girl cannot live on Doritos alone.”
I put my hands on either side of his face, and the way he looks back at me makes me all wobbly. “Sounds like Mister Puck Head is worried about little old me.”
He brushes his lips over my temple and I swear, I gasp. It was involuntary, and I’m a little embarrassed. To Rake’s credit, if he noticed, he’s acting like he heard nothing.
“I might be a little worried about you, baby,” he says, now running kisses along the side of my neck where he pulled my hoodie away. “Can’t have you kicking the bucket before I get you back home Sunday night.”
He takes me by the hand and leads me to the fluffy rug in front of the fireplace, which takes up almost an entire wall. “Wish we could light a fire. But it’s too warm.”
“Yes,” I whisper. “It is warm. And getting warmer.”
I step back and pull off my hoodie, then the tank top I’m wearing underneath. I leave my lacy bralette on and slip down my leggings.
For once, I am wearing a matching set, both my panties and bra are light pink lace. I feel feminine, and I like it, especially with the way Rake’s looking at me, like I’m the most amazing thing he’s ever seen.
Which I know I am not. He’s just nice that way.
Rake tears his faded concert T-shirt off, tossing it to the floor, and my first glance of the day at his naked upper body blows my mind like it always does. I don’t think I could ever get tired of looking at someone so perfectly sculpted.
Then, he drops his jeans and damn if he’s not going commando. He steps out of them and lays me down on the rug.
Pushing my legs up as far as they can go, he buries his face in my pussy, using his tongue to spread my lips. He licks every inch of me down there, and I writhe where I’m lying on the floor.
“God, Rake, that is so good. I love it,” I breathe.
I’m inches from an orgasm, sure to be the first of many this weekend, and just when I’m about to reach my peak, Rake pulls back.
“Hey—” I cry.
But he slides his hips between my legs and in seconds is fully seated in me, my orgasm continuing to build.
My eyes flutter close as I begin to come in a way I didn’t know I could—Rake’s not even moving, and the waves are hitting me, one after the other, tossing me up in the surf and catching me as I come back down.
I arch my neck and scream. “It’s so good, Rake, your cock, oh God!”
“Open your eyes. I want us to watch each other as we come.”
I do, and his dark blue eyes bore into mine for probably the most intimate moment I’ve ever had, like he can see inside me, past my smart-ass personality, past the hurts and petty insults of life, to the part that’s fresh and pure, and exists only for him.