Could Have Been Us

by Corinne Michaels

  That night with Jack, he was insistent. He said he had to or he might never forgive himself for not tasting me.

  I was scarlet red, but once I got over the shock of it, I thought I might die.

  Now I want nothing more than the feel of his mouth again.

  His tongue swipes over my clit, and I arch my back. The pleasure running through every vein in my body.

  “Even better,” he says and then his tongue is there again.

  Jack licks, alternating the pressure, driving me insane. He moves in circles, then flicks, and then sucks as the climb to my orgasm moves faster than ever before. He finds a new rhythm, one that has me panting and crying out his name.

  I have no idea what I’m saying other than one word here and there. There’s a sheen of sweat forming on my face, and I can feel the tightening in my muscles.

  “So close. So close. Oh, God,” I pant.

  He does it again, increasing the pressure on my clit, and as though we’ve reached the end of the music, I explode. I cry out, head thrashing back and forth as he holds my legs apart, continuing to lick and suck. The orgasm is wave after wave that drags me under.

  When I catch my breath, Jack is on his knees, pulling his pants down. I watch as his cock springs free, and he grins at me.

  Yeah, my memory has totally failed me. He’s bigger—so much bigger—than I remember. His body is different, more defined. He’s like a damn God who is chiseled in all the right places and hard as stone where I want him most.

  Needing to explore him, I shove him back against his pillows. “I want to touch you,” I tell him.

  Jack puts both hands behind his head. “I’m all yours.”

  “Yes,” I say with a smirk. “You are.”

  I kiss his neck, his shoulder, and his chest, letting my lips linger over the scar from a fire he was in four years ago. I kiss it again. “I remember this night.” I remember every second of fear from not knowing if he was seriously hurt. All I heard from Grayson was that Jack needed care after being in an on-scene accident. I was terrified as I waited for the news that he was okay.

  “The fire?”

  I nod. “What happened?”

  Jack moves a little. “One of the new guys was in a weak spot in the house. I saw the ceiling starting to come down, so I dove after him.”

  “And you got hurt.”

  “There was something between us that cut me. It was nothing.”

  I look up at him. “It wasn’t nothing to me. I remember worrying so much. Gray said you’re always the one who takes the risks. I don’t want to lose you, Jack.”

  He sits up, taking my face in his hands. “I didn’t have you then.”

  “You did. You just didn’t know it.”

  Jack’s head rests on mine, his eyes closed. “I didn’t. Not really.”

  I kiss his lips, pouring all my fear and love into him. He had me, whether we understood it or not. He has always had me.

  If he didn’t understand that before, I’m going to make sure he does after tonight.

  I shove him back down, and he resumes his relaxed position. Let’s see how long he can stay like that.

  My lips return to the place I last kissed, moving down his body. I don’t wait or tease him, I want to make him lose his fucking mind. My tongue rings around the head of his cock before I take him deep.

  “Fucking hell.” Jack grunts, and then his hands are gripping the comforter.

  I bob my head as I watch his thigh muscles tighten.

  “Stella.” He says my name as a plea to stop, but I don’t.

  I suck him deeper, moving at a pace I know will drive him wild. I want him to be out of his mind. I want to do for him what he did for me. He didn’t allow me to reciprocate that night, and I’ve dreamed of taking him in my mouth so many times.

  I’m going to live this fantasy out now.

  My hand cups his balls as my other hand pumps in time with my mouth. Jack’s fingers tangle in my hair while his other hand still clutches the bedding.

  I love this. The power I have over this man right now.

  “You have to stop.” Jack’s breath is coming faster. “Stella, fuck. Stop, baby.”

  I lift up, and Jack has me on my back before I can blink. He reaches toward his side table, grabbing a condom.

  This time, at least, I have an IUD as well and we don’t have to worry about forgetting a condom. He slips it on and braces above me.

  His eyes tell me everything I need to know. Not only does he want me but also that he loves me. There’s a slight lift of his lips as we allow this moment to pass between us.

  I rub my finger down his strong jawline. “Make love to me, Jack.”

  He moves his hips, and I feel the tip of him at my core. “I won’t be able to let you go, you know that?”

  I nod quickly. “I know, and I’m counting on it.”

  He slides in deeper, and it’s almost too much. The pieces of me that have been empty are whole again. He fills the gaps with each thrust. The passion and love we give each other as we make love borders on overwhelming.

  Tears fill my vision as I wrap myself around him—legs bracketing his hips, hands clutching at his back. Jack pushes deeper again and again.

  “Stella,” he murmurs. “Stella, God, baby.”

  I look up through blurry vision, and a tear slips down. He wipes it away. “Don’t cry.”

  “It’s just so much,” I explain as the tears keep coming. “I love you so much.”

  He leans down, lips touching mine sweetly. “I can’t hold back,” he admits. “God, you feel too good.”

  I know what he means. It’s the culmination of time coming together with the promise of tomorrow. We don’t have to hold back anymore. We can love each other and finally allow our feelings to grow.

  “Let go,” I urge him.

  His lips are on mine a moment later, and he pushes harder, faster, and deeper than before. I fall apart again, Jack following seconds later, and I know that nothing will ever come close to that again.

  It’s nightfall, and I’m lying in his arms on the couch. The television is playing some movie that neither of us is watching. Dinner was . . . inventive. Jack is in desperate need of some food shopping.

  I was able to put together some type of snack board with the crackers, salami, and cheese sticks he had. It wasn’t elegant, but it was perfect for us.

  He shifts a little, tucking me closer into his side. We are naked under the blankets, being warmed by each other and the fire.

  “What are we watching again?” he asks after a few minutes.

  “No clue.”

  “You put it on.”

  I shrug. “It’s a movie channel.”

  He studies the television a little longer. “No, it’s a chick movie channel.”

  I laugh at the face he makes. “It’s all about love.”

  “How the hell did you even find this channel? I thought I only got sports.”

  “Yes, Jack, you get only sports channels on your television.”

  “Well, it’s all that’s ever on.”

  I shake my head. “Look, they’re snowed in together.”

  “It’s almost summer, why would we want to watch this?”

  “She’s the local farmer’s daughter, and he’s a grumpy business mogul who got stranded. Fifty bucks says they fall in love and he wants to stay there because he sees the simple life with her is worth more than this company.”

  Jack sighs deeply. “Are you implying this is somehow about us?”

  I grin and nestle closer. “You do love me and are grumpy.”

  “I was grumpy. Today, I’m definitely not.”

  “Why is that?” I ask playfully.

  “Some dark-haired beauty let me do very dirty things to her.”

  I laugh as the heat fills my cheeks. “She sounds like a keeper.”

  “I think she is.”

  I look up from under my lashes, batting them a few times. “Do you think she’s worth more than a company?” />
  “She’s worth everything.”

  My chest gets tighter. “She’s scared,” I confess.

  “Of what?”

  “Waking up tomorrow and losing her grumpy man.”

  Jack lifts my chin, waiting for my eyes to meet his. “She doesn’t have to worry about that.”

  “It’s easy to say.”

  “I know, and it’ll take time for you to see it’s true.”

  He gives me a brief kiss before I rest my head on his shoulder. This feels right. The two of us together, watching a movie on the couch. It’s easy and effortless.

  The movie keeps playing while Jack comments on how ridiculous the guy is. I try not to roll my eyes, but he keeps making me laugh.

  “Seriously, if he can’t make a choice, how does he run a company?”

  “I don’t know, how do you do it?”

  Jack’s face scrunches up. “Hey, I’m not a millionaire with nothing standing in my way.”

  “Yes, this is true.”

  “Besides”—he wiggles his brows—“I got the girl. This dude hasn’t even gotten a kiss yet.”

  I shake my head. “You’re a mess.”

  “No, I’m lucky. I have the most beautiful woman naked on my couch and under my blankets so I can do this . . .” His hand moves, rubbing the side of my breast.

  Warmth spreads through me as his fingertips move across my nipple. “We’ve had sex three times already, you can’t possibly want to do it again.”

  Jack pushes me flat on my back. “Does it feel like I don’t?” He rocks his hips forward, and I can feel his erection through the blanket.

  “I might need a better look.”

  He tears away the blanket between us, leaving no question as to exactly what he wants. “What do you think now?”

  I grip his cock in my hand. “I think you should show me.”

  And he does—again.

  Chapter 19

  Stella

  “Thank you, Winnie,” I say as I hug my best friend. She’s saving my butt.

  Tonight, Jack is taking me on a date. A real one, but the instructions he sent are a little worrisome.

  “I have no idea what the hell you need this for.” Winnie hands me her backpack and a rain jacket.

  “Me either.”

  She laughs. “You know this is usually gear you bring when you go on a hike.”

  I already thought of that, but Jack wouldn’t be that stupid, right?

  “I’m pretty sure he’s just bringing me somewhere and is concerned I might get dirty so he’s taking precautions,” I say while opening the box of hiking boots I bought yesterday, per his instructions.

  Winnie leans against the doorjamb and grins. “Yeah, that sounds like Jack—worried about you getting in the mud. He told you to bring hiking boots, which you didn’t even have and needed to buy.” She looks down at the box. “Are those heels?”

  “They’re cute, right?”

  I lift one shoe out and marvel at it. It was the only fashionable pair of boots they had. They are fur-lined with thick laces that go up around the calf, but the heels make them look more like regular boots than hiking shoes.

  Winnie bursts out laughing. “Stella, you bought heels! To hike!”

  I groan. “You don’t think he’s going to make me hike, do you? I wanted to be sure I looked cute.”

  “I think it’s pretty obvious that he means to take you out in the woods.”

  Damn it. “Maybe he’ll surprise me.”

  “Oh, he’s going to surprise you, all right,” Winnie says with a laugh. “With a hike.”

  “It’ll be fine. I love hiking.”

  “You’re a liar.” She shrugs. “But then again, you’re dating a wilderness guide, what the hell do you think is going to be his idea of a date?”

  I shake my head as the reality of this starts to hit me, and I look at her in horror. “Oh my God, do you think he’s going to ask me to camp?”

  Winnie almost chokes on her laughter. “You should see your face! Oh, Stella, it’s priceless. I wouldn’t discount the idea. He loves being outdoors, and I’m sure he wants to share his passion with you.”

  I’d much prefer passion without any chance of bugs or animals.

  “I’m going to hate this.”

  “Probably, but you love Jack, so this is sort of a good compromise.”

  I roll my eyes. “Not that much.”

  “Liar.”

  Fine. She’s right. I do love him, but Jack knows me. He knows I don’t do anything outside and camping is an absolute no.

  “There’s no way I’m sleeping outdoors, not even for him.”

  Oliver decides to come out of the guest room, which I refuse to let him repaint because Amelia picked the shade of pink she wanted. “Winnie!”

  “Hey, Ollie.”

  My brother pulls her in for a tight hug.

  “Are you going hiking?” he asks when he sees the boots.

  “Not me, Stella is.”

  He bursts out laughing. “Stella?”

  “Jack is taking her.”

  “He’s not taking me hiking!” I say.

  Oliver laughs harder. “Oh, it’s like he wants this relationship to fail before it’s even started.”

  “Right!” Winnie agrees.

  “Maybe he doesn’t know about the time we all went out in the woods.”

  I glare at Winnie. “Really?”

  “What? You were a damn mess.”

  “She almost started a forest fire,” Oliver offers.

  I flip them off. How was I supposed to know that I needed to make a ring of rocks when I put almost the entire bottle of lighter fluid on the wood? No one told me anything, they just said to make a big flame, so I did.

  “I’m so glad we’re taking this trip down memory lane.” The sarcasm in my voice can’t be missed.

  “Well, I’ll send him a text to warn him that he may be in more danger than with the city people he’s used to dealing with.”

  The people in my life suck.

  “As much as I’d love to listen to you guys, I have a date to get ready for and you have to get to work.” I point at Winnie.

  Oliver elbows me. “Yeah? And how are you going to get rid of me?”

  “Jack is going to sleep here tomorrow.”

  His face falls a little, and I giggle. “And, on that note, I’m getting out of here,” Winnie says.

  “Thank you again.” I give her a hug and lift the backpack.

  “Call me when you get back . . . from camping!” Winnie calls from over her shoulder.

  “Is he really sleeping here?” Oliver asks as I head into the kitchen.

  “Yes, this is my place and we’re going to have nights where he stays here and we have lots of loud, headboard-banging sex.”

  Oliver rubs his forehead. “I’m going to call Alex.”

  “Why?”

  “I need to move out.”

  I pull into the driveway of where the resort is going to be out on Melia Lake. Jack is there, still in the same spot where he took the selfie he sent me moments ago to let me know he was waiting and I was late.

  He’s smiling as I walk to him.

  “Hi there.”

  “Hello, gorgeous.” He gets to his feet and then wraps his arms around me, kissing me sweetly.

  This. This simple, easy, hello is everything. It’s the little moments that have my heart feeling light. I pray we always have these moments.

  I lean up, wanting another kiss. “So. What are we doing?”

  He grins. “We’re going to have fun, that’s what we’re doing.”

  “How?”

  “We’re going to hike first.”

  Jesus, Winnie was right.

  All right. I mean, I was somewhat prepared for this. While it may not be what I want to do, relationships are about sacrifice, right? Jack may not want to go shopping one day, but when I book us a trip where I plan to do nothing but walk around and fill his arms with bags, he’ll endure. I must do the same.

>   Or I can kill him.

  I’ll go with option one.

  I plaster on a smile. “Hiking sounds great.”

  Jack bursts out laughing before pulling me into his arms, rocking back and forth as his shoulders bounce. “Oh, baby, that was almost priceless.”

  “What was?” I ask, forcing myself not to smile.

  “Your face. You really tried.”

  I slap his chest. “Jerk.”

  “Stella, I’ve known you for a really fucking long time, and you have never once gone hiking, have you?”

  “No.”

  “I am not going to force you to start now.”

  Now I almost wish we were going hiking so I could prove myself. “I could hike.”

  “If you were dying and needed to.”

  I shake my head. “I mean for fun. You do it.”

  “I like the outdoors, nature, and the land.”

  “I could too,” I counter.

  Of course, as luck would have it, some kind of flying object streaks by me, getting entirely too close to my face as it passes. I fall to the ground, letting out a very . . . loud screech as I go down.

  Jack resumes his fit of laughter as he drops down on his haunches. “That was . . .”

  “Shut up.”

  He tries to cover another laugh with a cough.

  “Jack, if you ever want to see my breasts or any other part of me again, I really urge you to choke on your laughter before anything else escapes.”

  He clamps his mouth closed and nods. “All right, for the boobs, I’ll do it. And those . . . whatever we’re calling your boots.”

  I roll my eyes. “I didn’t think we were hiking.”

  “We’re not.”

  Jack rises and extends his hand, helping me up. “Well, if we’re not hiking, what are we doing?”

  “I didn’t say I wasn’t hiking.”

  “If this is a riddle, you really suck at it.”

  His fingers brush my cheek. “I’m going to be the only one hiking.”

  “You’re leaving me here?” I ask with a hint of panic.

  Instead of answering, he bends down and lifts me up over his shoulder. “I’ll never leave a man behind.”

  I giggle as he moves through the woods, carrying me as though I weigh nothing. We go over a few rocks, but his gait never wavers. After we cross over a brook, he stops and puts me down.