Chapter 26 #2
Laurin came deep inside her, where he belonged, but pulled out at the last moment so the final thick, white string settled just inside her rim.
He held his tip there as long as he could, until biology finally took over and his cock softened and eased out.
They were both panting heavily as he tucked himself back into his briefs, but he kept one hand on her hip to hold her in place so that he could watch that last jet of cum slowly dribble from her pussy.
It slithered its way through her folds, ultimately dripping right into the crotch of the baby blue panties bunched at her knees.
“I just made a mess in your panties,” he murmured quietly, his voice lazy and satisfied, “and you didn’t bring a change with you, did you?”
Her chest heaved as she looked down but didn’t respond, just stood silently in that stance with her legs splayed as far as they could be and her ass fully exposed for him.
Her breath caught and her knees tilted in when he slid his fingers back inside her, like she was worried he was going to make her come again when they really did need to go back inside.
Instead, he made sure that the rest of his cum was tucked up as much as possible to stay within her a little longer before he lifted those fingers back up to her lips for her to suck clean.
He could tell by the way her tongue moved around his finger tips, making sure no spots were missed, that she enjoyed their mingling flavors, and already his cock was twitching again. “Fuck,” he groaned. “I am going to devour you tonight, bonbon.”
She hummed in response, the tone wordlessly giving consent. She finally moved then, spinning to face him, but still she had nothing to say. Instead, she sank into him, curling her hands into small fists under her chin as she rested against his chest.
Laurin’s heart clenched so hard he was left speechless as he carefully pulled the tie from her ponytail, thankful that he was a girl dad as he fixed Candace’s hair for her.
Her chest rose and fell against him so evenly it was almost like she’d fallen asleep, but no, she was just settled for the first time that day, all the anticipation and nerves and fear and resignation fading into what Laurin could only hope was bliss.
He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back, feeling mostly soothed simply knowing that she was good with this, but he wasn’t quite there.
He still had one lingering irritation. So when she finally peeled herself off him, he was the one who pulled her panties back up, taking the opportunity to push the crotch into her slit to make sure it soaked up everything already there.
“There, now you’re not getting on any more ladders today. ”
She frowned, confused. “I doubt there’s going to be a surprise twist now. The challenge is over.”
His gaze bored into her. “You won’t get on any more ladders.”
“I won’t!”
“Tell me why you won’t.”
“I just told you,” she huffed. “There’s no reason to.”
“No, Candace. Tell me why you won’t be going up too many rungs on a ladder and then bending over to reach something too far away.”
Her eyes went wide as saucers. She attempted to chew on her trembling lip, but Laurin used his thumb to pluck it free. With a deep breath of resignation, she said, “Because you came in my underwear. And if I bend too far on a ladder, everyone will see it.”
He grinned, liking how that sounded, but he wanted more. “No, say what really happened.”
Her nostrils flared this time, and he could tell it was taking everything she had to attempt to meet his energy. “Because you came inside my . . . my cunt, and now it’s leaking into my panties.”
“And I’m going to make sure your panties are soaked in semen every single time you even look at anything taller than a step stool until you learn your lesson. Now come on, let’s go finish this show so you can smear that lipstick all over my cock. And Candace?”
Terror reflected in her eyes, like she was scared whatever he was going to say would be even dirtier.
“I love you so fucking much, bonbon.”
She nodded. The way her bottom lip quivered made Laurin feel certain that she was holding off some serious emotions and some serious words, and he was satisfied with that.
It didn’t fully dawn on Laurin until they were back in the pavilion that, because the judges were making their decision while he was fucking every last misgiving out of Candace, he didn’t actually get to hear their feedback.
He’d be able to stream a replay of the episode as soon as he got home if he wanted, but when they were led back to the line in the studio, he had absolutely no idea where any of them stood in the competition.
The crew tried to put Patty in the middle, but Laurin wasn’t having any of that.
He was going to hold Candace’s hand, and there wasn’t enough time to argue.
He stood dead center on the line, where the cameras had already been set up just-so in preparation for this moment, and it was easier for the crew to swap his and Patty’s structures, now on rolling carts, than convince him that it would be better to have Patty in the center.
The moment the gingerbread houses were rearranged and he had both Patty’s and Candace’s hands in his, quiet on the set was called.
Time to go.
And it wasn’t quiet on the set. The applause light lit up immediately, and when that was too timid, Kate turned to the crowd to hype them up.
By the time the cameras started rolling, everyone was screaming and lights were spinning, and the peaceful atmosphere of the set had turned to chaos.
It got a laugh out of Candace, so it was worth it when the hype proved to be too much.
“Are you guys ready to find out who won the Food2Love Christmas Spectacular?” Jannie yelled, and although Laurin heard it fine — as did the audience, obviously — the sound guy in the soundproof headphones gestured that it didn’t come through on the mic.
So Jannie again yelled, “Are you guys ready to find out who won the Food2Love Christmas Spectacular?” and again before the sound guy gave a weak gesture like it had been picked up but not clearly.
A final, “I said, are you readaaaaaaay?” and finally got the thumbs up.
Several crew members gestured frantically for the audience to settle down, and after the next thumbs up, Kate finally moved on. “Well, this season certainly has seen its ups and downs.” She grinned mischievously and said, “We had our fair share of disasters.”
“Like dropped tree toppers?” Jannie suggested.
“And nearly-dropped cakes,” Kate countered.
Jannie was quick with the deflection, though, with, “And let’s not forget the inedible glitter!”
Kate laughed. “How could anybody?”
“We also had some incredible surprises.”
“Like two rookies making it to semi-finals!” Kate gestured to both Laurin and Zara, who was standing with the other eliminated contestants behind the finalists.
“My new favorite Christmas menu,” said Jannie.
“And some new friendships.”
Jannie nodded in agreement. “A lot of faces here I’ll be sad to say goodbye to and can’t wait to say hello to again. You were all incredible, every one of you.”
Laurin felt Candace’s hand tighten on his. It was a little thing, but little things added up.
“Ooh, you had time to print up results?” Kate asked as a festively dressed crew member handed an envelope to Jannie and nodded way too hard, her eyes terrified.
It wouldn’t have looked so weird if Jordyn-With-a-Y wasn’t just out of frame glaring daggers at Kate as the grip whispered something in Jannie’s ear.
Nothing was written on the card in the envelope.
Laurin could tell from the way her eyes lit up before she ever opened it that she knew the winner.
And that light in her eyes told Laurin who the winner was, too, so he was already beaming by the time Jannie ripped the envelope open, said, “And the winner is . . .” plucked the blank card out, and yelled, “Candace Coale!”
Candace and Laurin spun to each other, and Laurin said, “I’m so proud of you!” as Candace said, “You did it!”
And then they both said, “What?”
Candace said, “You won! Congratulations!”
“Candace. Bonbon. You won.” She was already shaking her head, so Laurin added, “You’re Candace Coale, not me. That’s your name.”
“No. I didn’t win.”
“Cut!” Mike yelled over the loudspeaker.
“We have seven minutes, people. Seven minutes until we run out of delay and will be airing in real time. Seven minutes.” Each time he said seven minutes, his voice hitched up an octave.
“The entire world is going to find out who won in seven minutes, and you will all be ready and smiling and understanding what is being said and in tears, so help me God!” He ended with a screeching, “I will not have your personal shit dicking it all up!”
“Candace,” Laurin said more patiently. “You won. You did.”
“But yours is better,” Candace said voicelessly.
“It’s not.”
“You need that money for the bakery.”
“You need it to live. Your apartment is like some ridiculous IKEA tiny-living model.”
“I didn’t want you to see—” Candace started even more softly, only to be cut off.
“Quiet on the set unless you want me to drive my ass all the way up to Jasper, and you do not want that!”
Well, that solved one long-standing mystery. Mike wasn’t on site. He was probably at the corporate office.
Jannie was given another envelope, but this time, when Jannie yelled, “Candace Coale!” everyone stayed dead silent for a second, finally jumping in with gentle golf claps and the fakest, most terrified smile imaginable from Candace.
Take three. Four minutes to go.
Laurin ruined this one, although he would have argued the point if there’d been time to. Candace’s name was called, everyone cheered, Candace’s excitement was mellow but more natural, and that wasn’t good enough for Laurin. So he spun her around and dipped her over his arm, leaning over her.
And kissing the life out of her on nearly-live television.
Mike was freaking out, everyone in the pavilion was either laughing or cheering or booing — good-naturedly — but Candace’s arm went around his back, holding onto him so she could kiss him back, so none of that mattered.
They kissed enough for her shock to fade to pleasure and his hands to get adventurous, and even though it was probably only ten seconds, she was very melty and calm when he straightened her.
“Whyyyyyyy?” Mike whined. “Why would you ruin a shot like that? We’re going to have to air this live. The FCC is going to kill me.”
“It’s fine,” Laurin said to Candace, since there wasn’t a good direction to speak to Mike. “She’s going to be fine. Right, bonbon?”
She nodded, and even though she looked very dazed, Laurin was confident.
She even wiped the smudge of color off his lips, and damn, it was hard not to drag her back behind the pavilion again.
He separated from her, backing up a little bit further so he and Patty would be out of the shot.
All eyes were on Candace when they started filming again this time, but she had eyes only for Laurin.
And when Jannie said her name, he mouthed, “I’m so proud of you. ”
She lit right up. “I really won?” She laughed incredulously before she finally started shaking in excitement. “I really won! Oh my god, I won!”
Laurin rushed in then, but Patty and Jannie were right behind him, everyone hugging her and cheering, Laurin swiping her tears away as she laughed even harder.
“Mike wants you at corporate the day after tomorrow,” Jannie said as she took Laurin’s spot in Candace’s arms. Candace shot him a concerned look, but there was no time to figure out what that meant before everyone was coming down from the risers, and Laurin took a step back to let everyone else congratulate her.
Balloons and confetti rained down from a net that had been rigged to the ceiling, and he snatched Vivvy up to keep her from getting lost in the crowd. “I wanna give Candace a hug, papa!” she complained.
“You will in a few minutes. For now, why don’t you catch a balloon for us?”
Manon hooked her arm through his. “You did it,” she murmured, and nothing could have made him happier than Manon recognizing what the most important victory was today.
“Not quite yet,” he admitted, “but I’m almost there.”
“No, you’re there. Look at her. You’re there.”
Candace was laughing about something Debbie Drops It said, but her eyes were still on Laurin.
Yeah, he was there.