He lowered his mouth to her breast, sucking hard and nibbling her sensitive nipples. Throbbing sensations flowed deep into her core. She dropped back her head and whimpered with need. She threaded her fingers through his hair so he wouldn’t stop.
He didn’t stop. He switched to the other breast. “Equal time,” he murmured.
She cried out, and at that point things went from slow and sensual to fast and frantic. The next moment he was deep inside her and her legs were wrapped around his hips. His thrusts were long and hard, dragging out the sensations. She rocked her hips so that his cock slid along her clit with the right amount of friction. She didn’t often come this way, but it didn’t take any time at all to reach a climax tonight.
Then he surprised her by pulling out, sitting back on his heels, his breathing ragged and loud, his condom-covered erection thick and long.
“What’s wrong?” She pushed up on her elbows to look at him, her legs still bent and open for him, her body still quivering from the orgasm.
His eyes were big, warm, soft. “Nothing, except I don’t want this to be over too soon.”
“Oh.” The word came out on a breathy whisper. Too soon. It all would be over too soon.
Beckett grasped her legs and pulled them up and over his shoulders. She gasped as he lowered his mouth between her legs. Just the slightest pressure of lips and tongue to her slick, still-sensitized flesh threatened to send her over the edge again. Too soon.
She cried out his name as she fisted the bedclothes at her side. He nipped and licked and sucked, building her sensations until she couldn’t hold it off any longer. This climax was gentler than the first, but if she were sentimental, she’d say it was sweeter because of it. Because of him and his attempt to give her more and to draw out her pleasure.
But his thrust back into her wasn’t sweet at all. It was forceful and desperate, as if he couldn’t wait any longer. He plunged into her over and over again, His jaw was tight but his eyes were needy as he stared down at her.
She dug her heels into his ass and rode him as hard as he was riding her. He finally reached the end of his endurance and shouted out his release. He collapsed on top of her but caught himself so he didn’t crush her. He did meld his mouth with hers, though, and threaded their fingers together until she felt for that one amazing moment that they were as close to being one as two people could get.
Tears threatened to prickle her eyes when she remembered this wasn’t something she could keep, this moment, this feeling of belonging. She’d be leaving Lakeside soon. Too soon. She wouldn’t be back. Beck had Holly and his whole family here. Not to mention his dream of opening The Salvage Station. He’d never leave. And she’d never ask him to.
Their dreams were incompatible. These next few days were all they could have. They both knew it. Emotions had no place here in this bedroom, not in this house, not in this town.
She pulled her hands free from his and framed his face. She gave him a big, loud kiss and smiled as big as she could. “Wow. That was fun, wasn’t it?”
His face stiffened into a mask. His eyes searched her face as if he was wondering why she was echoing the words she’d said when they’d met her crew at the end of the dock a lifetime ago—actually only a few days ago. He had to have figured it out, because after a moment he flashed a faux smile back at her, even though his eyes were sad.
“Having a ball.” The smile dropped then. He pulled out, leaving her empty. She wanted to cry for missing him already and for being so stupid. He disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
She hadn’t wanted to hurt him. Restless, she got up and began pacing, the gray area rug soft beneath her bare feet. There was a black-and-white photo on his dresser of a younger Holly laughing as she rolled around the floor with Mocha. Another one was of the three Colburn brothers on the wraparound porch of an old Victorian. Did she have any family photographs at all?
Beckett stopped in the doorway and leaned against the jamb, his inked arms crossed over that magnificent chest. “You don’t have to keep reminding me that you’re leaving, you know.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
He picked his underwear off the floor. “Do you want me to drive you back to the inn now?”
Did she? Would it be better to put some space between them? Or should she grasp the time she had left with him?
Rachel approached him and took the boxer briefs out of his hand. “I don’t want to leave.”
“Good, because I don’t want you to go.” He snatched his underwear out of her hands and tossed them away. “We don’t have much longer.”
“I know.” She should be glad, leaving the temptation that was Beckett behind.
“When do you have to go?”
“I should be able to stay this next week. I’m supervising the work on The Salvage Station itself, and the construction of furniture for the bar. Your parents have given me full access to your guys. I’m excited. It’s the first time I’ve done something like this.”
His shoulders hunched and his eyes blazed. “Mom and Pop gave you access to our staff? You know you’re supposed to go through me.”
She didn’t want them to argue, especially now. She should have phrased it differently; she knew how much it meant to him to be in charge. “This is only for the things that are part of the reveal. The surprise. Please don’t get mad at them. They’re excited, too. Happy for you.” She put her arms around his waist. “Understand?”
He nodded, grudgingly. “So you’ll be here a few more days?”
“Yeah. I’d guess it’ll take till the end of the week before we can film the reveal. Has Stu told you when he wants to do your interview?”
“I think I might have already had it. He caught me at Colburn and Sons after filming the salvage, and he had me show him around the salvage yard…again…and he asked me a bunch of questions, so maybe that was it. He hasn’t mentioned it again.”
“What did he ask you about?”
“Mostly growing up in Lakeside. How I like working for a family business. Why I want to open a bar. What’s up with me and you.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That I like you. That we’re spending time together while you’re here. He let it go, didn’t press me about the night on the boat, but he did mention rescuing you during the salvage.” Beckett laughed. “He said he thought the salvage was interesting and he could pitch it to the network as a show.”
“I can see it now. Cameras around you all day. All month. All year.”
Beckett groaned. “Shoot me now.”
“I’ll kiss you now.”
“I’ll kiss you back.” He tugged her over to the bed. “Then we have to start making use of the time we have left.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lakeside’s Fourth Fest had been going on for fifty years. The volunteer fire department had been holding a pancake breakfast fundraiser on the Fourth of July nearly that long. Rachel remembered eating pancakes there with her friends when she was in high school.
When she was eighteen, she never would have considered sitting down and talking with Beckett Colburn. But she could admit to herself now that she was enjoying having breakfast with him, even though they were surrounded by chatty Lakeside residents.
“I can’t remember the last time I had pancakes.”
“I make Mickey Mouse pancakes sometimes for Holly.”
She shouldn’t have been surprised. She shoveled another bite into her mouth, so she wouldn’t picture Beckett carefully pouring pancake batter in his cozy kitchen so Holly’s pancakes would have Mickey Mouse ears.
Stu and the crew had been wandering around, filming the firefighters brewing coffee, frying up bacon and sausage, scrambling eggs, and cooking pancakes. The men and women were laughing and answering questions.
“How do you stand it?” Beckett asked.
/> “The cameras?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t mind them. For the actual show, I usually talk into the cameras only at the project site. And I love that part.” Beck sent her a skeptical look. “I do. The camera isn’t usually hanging around me all the time.” She took a sip of coffee. “Of course, I do have to keep a lookout for the paparazzi. I’m not all that famous, but they can surprise me sometimes.”
Beckett shook his head. “I’d go crazy.”
“They’re not all bad. They help spread the word about me and my show. Give me some buzz when I need it. Yeah, sometimes I feel like I have to be ‘on’ all the time. But it’s usually worth it.”
“Yeah, I’d really go crazy.”
She tilted her head. “Why do you hate the cameras so much?” He’d never really answered her question before. She knew there had to be a story.
He frowned. “Most people don’t want to have strangers poking into their lives, recording them, and asking them nosy questions.”
“You’d be surprised how many people love having their fifteen minutes of fame.”
“Not me. At the first bar I worked, there had been these petty robberies. And because I was the new guy, and had tattoos, and an”—he shrugged—“attitude, I was under suspicion. Police interrogated me. Reporters stuck cameras and microphones in my face every day.”
“Wow, I can see why you’d hate cameras then.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “Eventually I caught the guy, one of the other employees.”
“Good for you.”
“Then the reporters came back again to interview me afterward. I would have been happy to never see another camera as long as I lived.”
“Well, you seem to have taken these guys in stride.” She nodded to the crew, who at the moment were talking to Ethan and Helen on the other side of the room.
“I ignore them as much as possible.”
“That’s a good way to handle them.” She played around with the leftover syrup on her plate. How to admit she was nervous about going to his parents’ home this afternoon? Mia had told her about all the comments that were posted on social media after the Bradford party Friday night. There weren’t as many villagers or fans taking sides as Rachel had expected. Not that there should have been any sides. Why did their families think there were sides? Or was it all Stu’s doing?
Beckett put his hand over hers. “Is everything okay?”
“Were you nervous going to the party my parents threw Friday night?”
“Not really. I knew my parents and friends were going to be there, so I would have them to talk to. Then again, I knew you were going to be there, too, and that’s what I was looking forward to.”
“Even with our argument during the day?”
“Even knowing you’ll be leaving soon. You know my parents by now. This will be nothing like the fancy party. It’ll be about as relaxed as you can get.”
She smiled, turning her hand and threading their fingers together. “I’ll remember that.”
“Are you nervous?”
She squeezed his hand. “Trying not to be.”
…
They’d picked up a couple of watermelons the day before to bring to the cookout. A crowd was beginning to gather around the old Victorian house where he grew up. The backyard held a row of grills, and long tables and folding chairs filled up the space beyond the huge deck. Beck had missed this cookout like hell during the years he’d been gone.
Pop was already in his corner of the covered deck, sitting in his wheelchair like it was a throne. Beck and Rachel carried the watermelons into the kitchen where Mom, Ginny, and Sean, his brother Carter’s stepson, were getting all the salads and desserts ready to take outside.
Beck and his brothers had been the ones to man the grills for years. But since Noah and Anita got married and took off on July vacations, it had mostly been Beck and Carter. He took Rachel back out onto the deck and was about to ask Pop if he and Carter were going to get some help with the grill when Sean came out and slapped him on the back.
“Hey, Uncle Beck, I’m going to help man the grill this year.” Sean may not have been born a Colburn, but he was one in every way that mattered.
Beck struggled to not return the kid’s grin. “Don’t sound so happy about it. It’s hot, backbreaking work.”
Sean laughed, and Beck was reminded of back when he’d begged to join the grill gang. It had been a rite of passage and no doubt that’s what it was now for Sean. “Always looked like fun to me.”
God, he remembered when Sean was Holly’s age. The years went by too fast. “You keep thinking that.”
Carter and Katie joined them on the deck sporting identical smiles that made Beck immediately suspicious. “Hey, Katie, you remember Rachel, don’t you? Rachel, you remember Carter’s wife, Katie?”
“Sure,” Rachel said. “You were a couple of years ahead of us in school. Nice to see you.”
“We missed you at the party Friday night,” Beck said.
“Sorry,” Katie said. “We’d planned to go.”
Carter put his arm around Katie. “She wasn’t feeling too well, so we decided to stay home.”
“Feeling better?” Rachel asked.
“I am. Thanks. I was so disappointed I couldn’t go. I even bought a new dress.”
“Carter will have to take you out to dinner so you can wear it.”
Katie elbowed Carter. “Hear that?”
“Yeah, I hear. Soon, promise.” Carter turned to Beck. “You got a minute before we start grill duty?”
“Sure?”
“Let’s go inside.” Carter grabbed Pop’s wheelchair and headed for the sliding glass door.
Beck took Rachel’s hand to follow, but she hesitated. “Is this a family thing? I can go grab something cold from one of the coolers and wait for you out here.”
“It’s fine,” Carter said. “Come on in.”
Mom and Ginny were still in the kitchen but followed them into the great room. “What’s going on?”
Carter stood behind Katie, his arms around her. “We have news and wanted to let you guys know before word spreads.”
“You’re leaving Lakeside?” Mom guessed, the anguish clear in her voice. It was probably her worst fear, and Beck knew he was to blame for that.
“No. Why would you think that?”
“Your law practice is taking so much of your time. And Katie’s photography business is growing. Your Pop and I are aware you could be much more successful in a larger city.”
“Depends on what your definition of success is,” Katie replied softly.
That rang a chord with Beck. What was success for him? Was it getting his bar open? Being a good father? Making money? Working the family business? Finding a woman to love?
No, he didn’t love Rachel. At least, not yet. Was it a success to find the woman you love when you had no future with her?
“We’re not leaving Lakeside,” Carter said. “There’s going to be an addition to the Colburn clan.” He placed his hand on Katie’s stomach.
Mom’s eyes nearly popped out of her head and she squealed. Ginny joined her.
“In about six months,” Katie added.
Mom started crying. “We didn’t think we’d get any more grandchildren.” She glanced at Beck. “Not that we don’t love the ones we have, but we have so much more love to give.” She swept Carter and Katie into her arms.
After Mom finally released them, Beck slapped Carter on the back. “That’s great news.”
Would he ever have another child? He loved Holly with his whole heart, but would he ever have another kid running around, giving him gray hairs and stealing his heart? He’d love to have more children, but he glanced at Rachel. She’d made it clear she didn’t want children. Good thing he hadn’t fallen for her.
“Ye
ah,” Carter replied. “We didn’t know if it would happen to us at forty-two, so it was a happy surprise.”
“Congrats.” Rachel looked at Katie. “So is that why you weren’t feeling well the other night?”
Katie gave a pained laugh. “My morning sickness tends to hit in the evening.”
“Well, I’m happy for you,” Rachel told her. “I hope you feel better soon.”
“It’s certainly going to be a challenge keeping up with a baby at our age,” Katie admitted. “Definitely not the same as when I had Sean in my early twenties. We hope what we lack in energy, we’ve gained in experience. We’ll work it out.”
“I’m sure you will. Congrats again.” Rachel looked at Beck. “I could use that cold drink now.”
…
The next few hours flew by. Rachel had thought she’d feel out of place at this family gathering, a Bradford among the Colburns, but everyone treated her like family, which she hadn’t expected at all. How could she feel she belonged here more than she did anywhere else in town? How could she feel like she belonged here at all? But Beckett had been right when he said it would be a relaxing day. Her crew worked for a while, but even they put down their cameras and tablets and grabbed beer and burgers.
It hadn’t even been stressful when her parents and Ethan and Helen stopped by. They actually each grabbed a beer from the cooler and a seat next to her. They didn’t stay long, just long enough to get their presence recorded. And long enough to let her know how she’d disappointed them…again.
“I’d hoped we’d see you more while you were in Lakeside,” her mother said.
“But we realize you’re very busy,” her father went on. “We all know you have to keep on top of everything to be successful.”
“Depends on your definition of success,” Rachel murmured, recalling Katie Colburn’s comment.
“You’ve achieved it,” Helen said.
“And now you have to keep it,” Ethan reminded her, a little too gleefully. He’d grown up listening to their father’s credo, too. “Bradfords can’t rest on their laurels.”
The Goodbye Guy (The Men of Lakeside) Page 18
