5. Marigold
Chapter Five
MARIGOLD
My manager is cross-questioning me about a small detail someone else missed in our project. His disapproving voice drones on and on. The late afternoon sun shimmers outside.
After that incredible kiss with Dean yesterday, my sleep last night was restless. The soaring temperatures haven’t helped. I’m trying to concentrate and failing.
“Miss Evans! Are you paying attention?”
“Yes, of course. Sorry.”
“That’s why remote working is so inefficient. I’ll be thankful when you’re back in the office. Send me the new sketches!” He ends the Zoom call. I work for another hour, send the sketches, and then log off. A cool breeze pushes the curtains open by the window and Moose’s ears prick up.
Grabbing my crutches, I whistle for the dog to follow me outside. I’ve been doing more exercise, like the physio recommended, and I manage to navigate my way down the steps and around the front yard. Moose trails after me as I make my way to the lounge chair under the cherry tree, sweating from the effort.
Sitting on the chair, I arrange my boot on the padded seat and lay back. Another cool gust of air sends tingles skittering up and down my hot skin. The memory of Dean’s kiss lingers everywhere. I’ve never been kissed like that before. Urgently, like he’d been waiting a long time to do it. Closing my eyes, the breeze wafts against my bare skin. Moose comes to lay at my feet. Insects hum and my breathing slows.
I wake with a jump, reluctant to leave a dream where Dean is pulling up my dress as waves crash over us both. Wetness pools between my thighs and my nipples are hard. But I’m also soaked through. Raindrops drum against the tin roof of the storehouse. Moose is staring at me from the porch.
The dusty yard has turned into a puddle of mud. My shirt and shorts are stuck to me, and I rub my hands over my wet arms.
“Aren’t you cold, hot stuff?” Dean’s voice makes me jump.
“I fell asleep! I didn’t hear you arrive.” I move my leg carefully off the chair.
“You stay right there. Don’t move a muscle.” He strides towards me, his dark hair slicked to his head.
I ignore him and stand up, but my crutches start to slide in the mud.
“Shit!” I squawk.
Dean catches me before I can fall. His big body is warm against my cold skin. He pulls me up into his arms. My brain screams for me to be calm and collected, but my body betrays me. I stroke his jaw, angling my face up for a kiss.
With a groan, he crushes his lips down on mine as the rain pours over us. He’s kissing me hard, holding me tight against him and it’s perfect. The one guy in Snowflake I’d have sworn I’d never kiss is the one whose mouth fits mine like the right piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Whose body is made for mine; who makes my knees tremble and my core clench.
He breaks the kiss. “You’re cold, Goldie. Let’s get you inside.”
I nod, my body still humming from the intensity of his kiss. Dean carries me towards the cabin. The rain slams down, soaking us both. Heat radiates from Dean's huge body, warming my chilled skin and setting my core on fire. He opens the front door, Moose walking in front of us, and carries me inside.
Pushing my hair back from my face, I squint up at him. “Could you find my hair tie? It needs a wash and I don’t think it getting rained on will help.”
“I’ll wash it for you.”
I shake my head. “My sister will be back tomorrow, I’m sure–”
“Goldie. I want to. Let me help. I’m good at this stuff. Remember I’m an EMT. And a former champion linebacker.” He grins at me.
I start laughing. He’s standing in the middle of the living room, still holding me to his broad chest.
“And that qualifies you to wash my hair…how?”
“Well, I have strong fingers. And I’m medically trained. So you’re in safe hands.” He starts walking towards the bathroom.
“You know, you don’t have to carry me around everywhere.”
“I like it.” Dean stops. “Do you not like it?”
Foolishly, I gaze into his eyes and he kisses me again. My head is scrambled to hell when he stops, taking me into the bathroom. He sets me down on the side of the bath, leaving the room to get a chair. He positions the chair by the sink, then takes off his T-shirt, folding it up so there’s a pillow of fabric under my neck.
I gawk shamelessly at his six-pack and muscular chest. “Do you get those muscles from being a firefighter?”
“I keep up my training at the gym. We’re required to pass fitness tests to work at the firehouse, but they’re not a challenge for me.” He picks up the shower attachment by the tap as I lean my head back over the sink. He wets my hair with the warm spray, then squeezes some shampoo into his hands and rubs it into my hair in small, wonderful circles.
Tingles run all over my body and I moan. “Wow. Do they teach you this in EMT school or are all ex-jocks this good at head massages?”
He looks smug. “I’ve never done this for someone else before.”
“It’s working…” The rhythmic, circular motions are sending me into a trance. He rinses off the shampoo and repeats the process with conditioner. Staring up at his muscles flexing as he massages me, I’m lost in how good this is. Once he’s rinsed the conditioner off, he dries my hair with a soft towel.
I can’t resist running my hands over those perfectly sculpted muscles. His skin is warm. I reach up and wrap my arms around the back of his neck and he lifts me, kissing me again. My shirt is wet from the shower spray.
“Can you help me with this?” I point down at the shirt.
“Taking off shirts is another of my special talents...”
“Is there anything you aren’t good at?” I trail my fingers across the stubble on his cheeks.
“Gymnastics. And drawing. I drew a picture for my Mom of a horse when I was a kid. It’s still pinned to the refrigerator because it makes her laugh.”
I shake my head. “We can’t all be artists. And I’m glad you’ve admitted you’re bad at something .”
Dean carries me into the bedroom and lays me gently on the bed. “There’s something else I want you to think I’m good at…”
He pauses, gazing down at me, then turns his attention to my shirt. Every time he undoes a button, he kisses the exposed flesh underneath. Zaps of electricity run up and down my spine as his lips move on my skin. I let out a moan as his rough stubble brushes against my skin. His hands slide down my back, pressing me closer to him, as if he wants to melt into me. The rain pours down relentlessly, thrumming against the window.
Each button undone is like a deliberate tease, each kiss even more electrifying than the last. The smell of his spicy cologne mixes with the scent of the rain on his hair, creating an intoxicating blend.
Dean's fingers trail along my collarbone, brushing against my skin. With every touch, goosebumps erupt all over me. His lips graze over my skin with feather-light kisses as he works his way down, his mouth mapping out his territory. With a slow smile, he finally reaches the bottom button and pulls the drenched shirt off me in one swift motion.
The cool air hits my bare torso. He leans in again and plants another kiss right above the hollow of my throat before trailing more soft kisses down my chest while deftly undoing my bra. He groans as my breasts spill from the cups of my bra, revealing my peaked nipples to his hungry gaze. He takes one into his mouth gently, sucking and nipping at it, causing a wave of pleasure to shoot through me. His tongue circles around the hardened peak. My hips instinctively arch towards him, craving more contact and my breath hitches in my throat as he moves to the other nipple and does the same, wetness pooling between my legs.
As he pulls back, he looks up at me with a mix of lust and curiosity in his eyes.
"I have to taste you," he murmurs against my skin, sending shivers all over me as he kisses his way downwards. As he reaches the hem of my shorts, he looks up at me once more, his gaze hot.
With careful fingers, he peels them off slowly, delicately maneuvering around the boot. He slides my panties down, revealing my wetness. He takes a deep breath as if savoring the scent before leaning down and kissing me between my legs, his lips feather-light and teasing against my swollen clit. I moan as his tongue flicks out to tease the little nub between his lips, sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through me.
Dean looks up at me with a smile on his face, taking in every reaction as he continues to tease me mercilessly. His tongue traces lazy circles on my clit while his big hands tease my nipples, stroking and lightly pinching.
“Please…” I beg, my hands tangled in his hair.
His tongue starts to move faster. My moans fill the room as rain pours down outside. My body shudders under his touch as I get closer and closer to the edge. A wave of pleasure rocks through me, electrifying every nerve ending until I cry out his name as I come hard. My breathing slows from its frantic pace as I try to come down to earth. But there’s a deep, unfulfilled ache between my legs.
“I want you inside me,” I gasp, my voice breathy. “Do you have any condoms? I didn’t expect this to happen…”
He smiles. “I did a talk at the hospital as part of the EMT recruitment drive and they gave everyone a bunch of condoms. I have some in my wallet.”
He gets out a condom, then kicks off his boots and pulls down his jeans. His huge cock springs free and my eyes widen. He unrolls the condom over his length, gently placing my legs wider apart. He puts a pillow under my right knee so I don’t have to put any weight on the bent leg.
Dean positions himself between my legs. I gasp as he rubs the head of his cock against my entrance, teasing the opening before pushing in slowly. He pushes in further, filling me up completely. With a groan, he leans down to capture my lips in a searing hot kiss, our tongues dancing together as he starts to move within me.
The bed creaks underneath us as Dean begins to thrust, his pace steady and sure. His hips slide against mine in perfect harmony with each other; it feels like we're locked together. He kisses my neck as he thrusts deeper and deeper, marking his territory with soft bites and nips that make me shiver with delight.
My hands claw into his shoulders, digging into the firm muscle beneath as I arch up toward him, meeting every downward thrust with a moan. His mouth finds my breasts again, sucking and nipping at them while he continues to push into me with long powerful strokes. His thumb moves to find my clit and a warm wave rises inside me as he pumps his hard length into me. I come, stars bursting behind my closed eyelids, my pussy pulsing against his girth. He thrusts harder, his body stiffening as he comes, groaning my name.
Our breathing slows and we lay wrapped around each other, the rain steady outside. I’m so tired and happy, all I can do is close my eyes and drift off to a wonderful deep sleep, cradled in Dean’s big arms.
I’m woken by Moose standing by the bed, looking quizzically at me. I sit up. I’m alone.
“Dean?” I call.
I button my shirt and pull on my shorts. My crutches are leaning against the bedroom wall. I make my way into the kitchen. Moose’s food bowl is full. And there’s no sign of Dean.
There’s a knock on the front door and I smile.
“You don’t need to knock!” I call.
It swings open and a woman with gray hair and a kind expression peers in.
“How are you doing, my dear? I’m Charise, I’m on the morning volunteer shift. Let me get the coffee pot on and then I’ll walk your dog. He’s a big one, ain’t he?” She cackles.
My heart drops. Memories of Dean’s phone lighting up with messages flood through my head. Along with the more painful ones of his teasing in high school. He hadn’t changed, he just tricked me into thinking that he did. He got what he wanted and now he’s gone. So much for being a caring volunteer.
I’ve been well and truly played.