Chapter 18
Again And Again
Saturday morning, Nash worried about Charlie going over to help Sylvia with the Christmas trees. He didn’t want Charlie to think he didn’t trust him to do a good job, but he also didn’t want his son out of his sight.
Marcus had located Adam Parsons’s address in New York.
He’d discovered the man worked at a gym as a personal trainer as well as at a sporting goods store.
Not the one where they’d spotted the lookalike, but a different chain in Queens.
The owner hired ex-cons who were looking to improve their lives.
According to Marcus’s sources, Parsons was a solid employee, and hadn’t been in any trouble with the law for over a year.
Unless he’d killed Mary Mae and Liam. Which meant he might be getting away with other things, too. They needed to know if the man continued to obsess over Mary and if that obsession extended to her daughter.
There were hints of gang-related activity in Adam’s background, but the parole officer said it appeared Parsons had cut those ties by moving to Queens and taking on the new jobs.
There was no reason to think Charlie was in any danger while working over with Sylvia, but Nash couldn’t let him go on his own. He’d just have to tell him his reasoning.
Nash was cooking up some breakfast burritos, a tradition he and Charlie had enjoyed on Saturdays for years.
Oggie snoozing in the corner added to the comfortable vibe of the room.
The dog had slid easily into their routines and enjoyed mingling with the other dogs as well.
He especially loved time with Charlie and Ella.
Ford and Jolie entered the kitchen from the mudroom with Hemsworth, their Australian shepherd on their heels. Nash smiled at them as Oggie perked up when Hemsworth went over to do the sniffing meet and greet. “Want some burritos? I’m making tons.”
Ford’s grin widened. “Awesome. I’ll chop up some apples and we’ve got berries here, too.”
Nash smiled at Jolie. “How were the ducks this morning?”
She laughed. “They’re having fun in the fresh snow for now.”
Charlie, Olivia, and Ella walked in from the other door, chatting about dragons. Dogs, ducks, and dragons. A typical morning at the apple farm.
Ford elbowed Charlie as they set the table. “You okay with me and Jolie joining you at Sylvia’s today? We want to help Sylvia get Squirrel used to other dogs. If you bring Oggie and we bring Hemsworth, it’ll be fun to see how they get along.”
And just like that, Nash didn’t have to worry about Charlie being alone for the day. He’d bet his breakfast that Jolie and Ford had come up with the plan solely to help Nash relax about his son being away from him.
Charlie nodded. “That’ll be awesome. Oggie’s good at following commands so far, but it’ll be good for him, too. Is it okay if I bring him, Dad?”
Nash nodded as he set the tray of burritos in the middle of the table. “Of course. Just make sure you help Sylvia and keep an eye on the dogs so they don’t bother her customers.”
Charlie rolled his eyes. “Of course. I promised her I’d help, and I will.”
Because a promise was important.
After breakfast, Nash followed them outside. Charlie climbed in the truck’s back seat, with a huge smile on his face. The dogs sat on either side of them, clipped into harnesses. His kid was officially in heaven. “You have your phone and it’s charged?”
Charlie nodded and Ford patted Nash on the back. “Relax. We’ll be fine. Why don’t you and Olivia work on some new cider flavors? We’ll be back before supper. It’s Gray’s turn to cook so you know we won’t be late.”
Nash waved them off and turned to find Olivia walking toward him without Ella. She was grinning so he didn’t have time to worry. “Where’s Ella Mae?”
Olivia grinned. “With Amber and Gray. They’ve offered to take her for a few hours.”
Need roared through Nash. He reached out and cupped Olivia’s jaw. “Hours?”
Her eyes flared with heat, and she nodded. “Right until supper time.I think our friends are conspiring to give us some alone time.”
“I like our friends. I like that idea.”
“Me too.”
Knox appeared and headed toward the orchard. He called Nash’s name before tossing him some keys. “Why don’t you take the ATV to the cider cabin? It’ll give you more time to…experiment.”
Olivia’s intake of breath and her deep flush might have had Nash pissed at Knox, but her eyes sparkled with humor. Instead of responding to his friend, he grabbed her hand and tugged her to the barn to grab the ATV.
The machine had a plow attached to the front, but Nash kept it in the raised position. Ford and Jolie had used it to clear the path to the ducks this morning. The path that would make an excellent skating path. He’d have to work on that after Christmas when they all had skates.
He kept his thoughts on skating as he followed the path to the cider cabin. That path had been plowed as well, proving his friends had indeed been conspiring to give him and Olivia some time for themselves.
Nash pulled up in front of the cabin and parked. Olivia bounced off the seat and he followed. They set the helmets on the ATV and Nash reached out to cup her cheek. “We can work on cider flavors if you want. We don’t have—”
Olivia cut him off with a smile as she moved closer. “Oh, we most certainly do have to do something other than make cider.”
Good news. He dropped his lips to hers and kissed her with all the lust that had been building for days. “You’re sure?”
“Very sure. A hundred percent sure. All the way sure.”
His hands weren’t quite steady as he unlocked the door. As soon as they were inside, they shared a look and then started kicking off boots and shedding mittens and jackets.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She sparkled with joy and desire.
Olivia’s jacket hadn’t hit the floor when he reached to cup her face in his hands. Her smile was everything and he couldn’t wait any longer.
Their lips crashed together and the desire they’d been dancing around for weeks exploded.
Lips, tongue, teeth, hands. All moving to taste and touch. He wanted to slow down and savor. Wanted to drown her in romance. Wanted to watch her shimmer over the edge like a sunset.
And he wanted to devour her in one giant gulp.
He lifted his head to check in with her and saw her eyes hazy with desire.
She touched his lips with her finger, and he nipped lightly. Her eyes flared again and then they kissed again.
Nash ran his hands under her warm blue sweater. “Okay?”
Her laugh was warm and husky. “More than okay. Touch me, Nash. All of me. Make love to me.”
Her voice trembled on the final words, and he wanted to stop and tell her he loved her, but his mouth wouldn’t cooperate with words, only kisses. Instead, he grazed his hands up her body, lifting her arms and her sweater at the same time.
Beneath, she wore a pale blue bra, the soft cotton cupping her breasts. He laid his hands over the cotton and they both groaned at the same time. He covered her mouth with his as he ran his thumbs over her nipples, feeling them peak beneath the material.
Olivia purred into the kiss and his body responded to the sound. Best sound he’d ever heard.
And they were just getting started.
Nash reached around and unsnapped her bra. When he drew it off down her arms, she shivered. Cold or need?
He pulled her closer and her nipples rubbed against the cotton of his shirt. Olivia gasped and moved so that she rubbed against him again.
With a growl, he cupped her breasts and played with her sensitive nipples, learning what touches created what sounds.
Purrs, moans, gasps, happy sighs.
Man, he could watch her react to his touch all day long.
He imagined he could spend a happy afternoon on those beautiful breasts alone, but not today.
He didn’t have a clue how long they had. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be long enough. But he wanted to watch her shatter with at least a few orgasms before they needed to return to the real world.
Keeping one hand on her breast, his mouth on hers, Nash used the other hand to undo her jeans.
Olivia’s hands joined his, and soon, the jeans joined the growing pile of clothes on the floor.
And then she was naked. Gloriously, beautifully naked.
He couldn’t contain the growl as he skimmed his hands over her.
Olivia’s hands moved to Nash’s jeans, and his body went from rock hard to granite.
He managed to grab the condom he’d been carrying before his clothes joined hers.
Olivia grabbed his erection while he tore at the condom. He cursed deeply as her touch nearly sent him over the edge before he’d even got inside her.
“Hurry, Nash.”
Finally, he was sheathed, and his hands were free to touch her again. He lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around him.
A quick look showed him the table was clear enough. He took the few steps and then laid her down. She gasped at the contact of the cold tabletop, and he leaned forward to capture her breast with his mouth.
He used his hand to play with her other breast until she was shuddering beneath him.
“Nash.”
She gasped out his name as she flew over the edge. He raised his head to watch her, fascinated by the way her body and her voice reacted to the sensations.
His own body demanded more, but he forced himself into control.
When he entered her, he wanted her to be fully aware. He wanted to watch those eyes go dark with need. For him.
Olivia hadn’t known pleasure could be so big, so all-consuming.
Her orgasm went on forever, sending shivers through every part of her, inside and out.
When she managed to lift her eyelids, she found Nash watching her. Studying her with a smile in his eyes and a clenched jaw.
She reached up to stroke the stubble. “Wow. I’m flying. Floating.”
“And we’re just getting started. You ready?”
She felt his sheathed erection at her entrance, and her body turned greedy all over again.
She continued to caress his jaw with one hand while she reached for his hip with the other. “Ready. So ready. I love you, Nash.”
Her words triggered his body as returning love flared in his eyes. He entered her with one swift thrust, and she cried out at the perfection.
Her body arched off the table and both her hands gripped his hips, not letting him move away.
One of those sexy growls she loved so much caused her skin to shimmer.
When he was as deep as she could take him, he gripped her hips and leaned down to kiss her as gently as a snowflake. He held them both still until she blinked and looked into his eyes. “I love you, Olivia. So damn much.”
Her heart burst with joy as he eased back slowly, only to slam back in.
She couldn’t close her eyes, couldn’t look away as he changed the pace and the angle. Studying her reactions and driving her higher and higher.
She wanted to tell him she’d already had one orgasm, that her body wouldn’t be able to do that again.
Except her body was proving her wrong. And nothing had ever felt so good.
When her world shattered again, she called for him to go with her.
With a deep groan, his body stiffened, and he followed her over the edge, sending her own orgasm into another series of kaleidoscopic spirals that filled her completely.
She hadn’t a clue how much time passed before she managed to open her eyes. Nash lifted his head at the same time, and she figured her grin matched his. Wide, happy, full of joy.
She brushed her hand over his jaw, enjoying the feel of the stubble on her sensitized fingers. “Wow. That was just wow.”
He laughed and kissed her lightly. “Yes, you are. A complete wow. You okay?”
She laughed. “Definitely, and probably obviously, okay.”
He grinned and kissed her again. “Just making sure. I had entire plans to romance and seduce you. But those plans kind of dissolved the moment we closed that door behind us.”
She grinned again. “This was perfect. Seduction and romance complete.”
He rubbed his stubble against her cheek lightly. “Did you mean it?”
She cupped his head and waited until he looked at her. “I did. I love you, Nash. You’re the best man I know, and I’ve known I was in love for days and days, but I was too nervous to tell you.”
“Same, Olivia. Same. Now, let me take care of the condom and let’s do the seduction and romance on a softer surface than the kitchen table.”
He scooped her up and put her on the bed in the larger bedroom, then went to take care of the condom. Olivia couldn’t do anything other than lay back and relax.
He loved her back.
When he returned, he held up a strip of condoms. “I only had the one, but our friends are acting like Christmas elves. I found these on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet.”
That made her laugh again. She supposed she should feel embarrassed that the others knew what they were up to. They’d helped them out by taking the kids and giving them privacy.
Olivia had always been private, but the fact that their friends had planned this didn’t make her feel anything other than happiness. That meant they not only knew about the attraction arcing between her and Nash, but they also approved.
They thought she and Nash worked together. They weren’t planning on chasing her away or discouraging their relationship.
Their friends thought she was good enough for him. Even with all the problems in her past and the fact that Adam might bring danger to their town, they approved.
She was wanted.
Nash lay beside her and stroked his fingers over her face. “That’s a serious look. Regrets?”
She immediately shook her head. “Not one. Just thinking that I never expected to fall in love. I never expected to trust a man enough. And I certainly never expected to have a group of friends who would not only want me to stick around, but who would help us find the time to be alone like this.”
He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “You’ve had a life that made you strong and independent, Olivia. You’ve been hurt time and time again, yet here you are. Taking care of your new daughter and being strong enough to trust in others. You’re incredible.”
Her eyes misted at his words. No tears allowed, not even happy ones. She stroked her hand through Nash’s hair. “You make me feel incredible.”
His eyes sparkled. “That’s the plan. You ready for some seduction?”
She laughed, but that soon turned into a groan of pleasure as his hands coasted down her body. Nash positioned himself between her legs and trailed a finger lightly around her nipple, starting those shivers again.
He grinned and kept his eyes on hers as he trailed that finger over the other breast and down her sides, down to her center.
He shifted his hands under her butt and lifted her. His grin was predatory. “Hang on, Olivia. This might take some time.”
And then he proceeded to help her lose her mind.