The Sweater Next Door
Page 4
“I’ll be right over—unless, of course, you’d like to come here.”
It suddenly occurs to me that the thought of making love in my childhood bedroom takes some of the excitement out of it. None of the other bedrooms are options either.
“I think it might be best if I come to your house, if that’s okay.”
“How fast can you get here?”
Smiling, I hang up and run out the door, sprinting over the front yard to Patrick’s house. His door opens, and I can tell he feels the same way I do: unable to wait one more minute to be in each other’s arms.
My heart jumps at the sight of him. I run into his arms and hold him tight. Needing to explain everything, the words come spilling out.
“I’m so sorry. You were right. I didn’t want to listen to anyone. I’ve been holding on to this pain for so long, I think I actually got comfortable with it. I didn’t want to hear what you were saying so I ran. Forgive me.”
“Stop. Don’t. There’s nothing to forgive. I love you, Laney. I think I started loving you long before you came back to Stone Ridge. Your mother shared every detail of your life with me, because I think she thought you’d come back one day. I’m convinced she was preparing me to be here for you when you did.”
Pushing the hair from my forehead, Patrick kisses my face. My body reacting to his touch, I let myself feel every emotion.
“You love me? I haven’t been especially lovable these last few days.”
Patrick smiles and teases me. “You can make it up to me, starting right now. Tell me that you love me, too.”
“How about I show you?”
It’s been a long time since I’ve been with anyone. I never let myself fall in love, so all I have to go on is an awkward encounter with an artist in Manhattan. One night with Richard Newbury on the sofa of his studio in Greenwich Village after one too many is all the reference I have, and if memory serves, not a memory I’d ever refer back to.
I have no idea what I’m doing except that I want to make love, real love to this man. All I can do is pour out my heart to him and let my body do what comes naturally. I’m going to have to rely on Patrick to show me the way.
Patrick lifts me and carries me to his bedroom, placing a condom on the nightstand.
I’ve wanted this since the first time he held my hand. I didn’t know how easy it would be, how natural, as if someone designed it long ago.
Our clothes fall away, each piece pulled off like a synchronized dance, until nothing is left but our naked bodies. I cling to Patrick as he lowers my body to the bed and traces my neck to the edge of my shoulder with his lips.
His thumbs graze my nipples, and I arch my back to meet his touch. I can’t, nor do I want to hold back, and so I release the moan that comes from deep in my throat, letting him know how much I want this.
His eyes trace every inch of my body, clearly loving what he sees. The soft female flesh under the strength of his hard muscular body drives him over the edge, and I can see the passion in his eyes.
There’s no other word for it; it’s pure worship, and he tells me so.
“You are so beautiful, Laney. I’ve thought about nothing else but making love to you since we met. I’ve laid awake every night thinking about this moment.”
He leans down and kisses me. His tongue thrusts, parting my lips so that he can taste every inch inside. His hunger met by my own as my breasts push against his chest. His mouth moves to taste them, sucking the nipples and letting his teeth tease them into hardness.
Every stroke makes me tremble, and the combination of his gentle touch alternating with harder urgent motions teaches me more about the man I love. Committing it all to memory, every move, every word spoken, every sound of pleasure, we learn who we are together.
His hands explore every part of my body and watch my reaction, judging the intensity of my pleasure. Every inch of his body pressed against mine, my hips move without instruction, and the ache to have him enter me is intense.
My pussy drenched, Patrick drives a finger inside as his thumb rubs over my clit. The tension and explosion overtakes my body, and I call out his name as I climax, my body shaking.
Leaning over the side of the bed, he reaches for the condom. He strokes his cock, moving as quickly as he can to slide it over and down his shaft.
I wrap my legs around his waist as Patrick moves to enter me, the tip of his erection sliding against the warm liquid of my swollen pussy. Slowly at first, he moves inside me, and I tighten around him, claiming what’s mine and giving all I have to him.
Our fingers entwined and pressing down into the pillows above my head, we move in rhythm. With each thrust, our bodies tense, and our breathing becomes more rapid.
I pull my arms down and wrap them around Patrick’s body, my nails digging into his back. The need to have his skin against mine is intense as he pushes deeper and faster inside me. I feel his cock pulsing as he calls out, my orgasm meeting his, my legs not willing to let go.
We stay in that position for a moment. Our bodies still on fire and locked in an embrace, Patrick lifts his head and looks into my eyes before his mouth covers my own. He moves to lie next to me. Never letting go, we fall asleep in each other’s arms.
Epilogue
Since I promised Ella that she can help me make the holiday cupcakes, I chase behind her every step. Dusting flour off her face with a washcloth, I laugh, “How did you manage to get more flour on your face than you did in the bowl?”
She shrugs her shoulders and loses patience with my cleaning her up. Luckily, Patrick enters the kitchen and scoops her up in his arms, taking over the washcloth duties.
“There’s my favorite cupcake.”
“I’m not a cupcake, Daddy. I’m a little girl.”
“Oh, I see. I stand corrected. I got confused because of all the flour.”
He turns his attention to me. “So are you almost ready? The parade starts in thirty minutes. We should head over to the field soon. I want to get a good spot so we can see everything.”
I take the apron off and head into the dining room.
“Yup. I’m almost ready. Just have to finish this letter to Kristen’s mother. She doesn’t know that my mom died, and I think I should be the one to tell her.”
Patrick leans down, and Ella puts her hands on my head as he kisses me.
“Okay. How about I bring the cupcakes over to Lidia Morrow? The bake sale table is already filling up. I’ll meet you over there.”
“Great. It won’t take me long. I should be there in about fifteen minutes.”
Patrick puts Ella down, grabs the cupcakes in one hand, and holds the other out for her to take.
Smiling, I think about how much has changed in only a couple of weeks. My entire life, really. My love for Patrick and Ella is something I never anticipated but now can’t live without. They are my family, and my future will be with them, wherever it leads.
I sit at the table and put the finishing touches on my letter to Rachel Nelson. I’m sure she’ll be sad to hear about Mom, but I’ve opened the line of communication, offering to continue to write to her and asking that she stay in touch with me. I hope she does.
I’ve made the decision to stay in Stone Ridge after all and not go back to New York. In time I’ll be ready to sell this house, but not now.
I need to live here for a time, and with the money Mom left me, I can afford to focus on my fiction writing. Those stories will have to come out of my nightstand and into the light. Besides, I’ve got lots more stories to write, and heaven knows, my mother isn’t done talking to me just yet.
THE END
About the Author
Callie Cole is a contemporary romance author who loves to write about strong women with just a bit of spunk. Asked if any of the characters in her books are anything like her, Callie says, "Yup. Every single one of them!
Callie's stories can make you laugh, cry, and get your heart racing. "I have the most fun writing sweet and spicy characters. I wan
t the reader to care about the people in my stories.”
Website: calliecole.com
Also by Callie Cole
Thank you so much for reading The Sweater Next Door. I hope you enjoyed Laney and Patrick’s story. If you did, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.
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Check out my other books on Amazon.
Park Avenue Christmas
New In Town
Bombshell Boss
Hard on the Heart
Wild and Blue
Unlove You
Flirt