Caught in Us (Caught Series Book 4)

by Kacey Shea

  “I forgive you. I don’t want bad feelings between us. I want to support you and be a part of Matthew’s life. I don’t want to hate my son’s mother.” He brushes the back of his hand down my arm.

  “That’s . . . That’s really big of you, Chase,” I say, my focus distracted by his touch. I consider if roles were reversed. “I’m not sure I could be so forgiving.” I’m not sure I deserve it.

  “There’s just one problem,” he says, his feather touch moves back up my arm. His gaze boring into mine with a fuel that stirs the fire in my belly. “You’re talking like everything’s in the past. Our story doesn’t have to be over.”

  My breath catches. A seed of hope takes root. The rational part of my brain reaches for the biggest reason. “But what about Julia?”

  “We broke up last night.”

  “What?” It’s almost too much to hope for.

  A throat clears. “Um, sorry, I thought the restrooms were this way.” The man’s gaze drops to the ground. Our position appears more compromising than it is with my back to the wall and Chase hovering over me.

  “That way,” Chase says, stepping back and pointing down the path.

  “Thanks.” The man nods before leaving us alone.

  I want to get back to our conversation. Julia and Chase broke up. Why? Was it because of me? Or last night? Is it selfish to hope? “I’m sorry.” I reach out, touching his arm. “Are you okay?” Please don’t be sad. Please don’t be heartbroken.

  “It was time.” He shrugs, his gaze downcast and unreadable. “I thought I was ready for a serious relationship, but turns out I’m still in love with someone else.”

  My heart pounds in my chest. He couldn’t mean . . .

  “Oh, come on.” His grin is cocky, but his words hold tenderness. “Don’t pretend you’re clueless to what you do to me.”

  I can’t believe this is happening. That he’s here and available and wanting another chance for us. It’s everything I’ve hoped for. Desire races through my veins. It feeds my confidence. For the first time in years I surrender to attraction. I step into Chase, my fingers skirting the front of his suit jacket as I whisper, “And what’s that exactly?” I tilt my head up so his lips are a mere breath away.

  “How about I show you?” His arm bands around my waist. His mouth falls to mine. His kiss is searing. Just like the other day, but this time his touch holds no resentment. There’s nothing forbidden. We’re two people, unattached and connected by a bond that goes deeper than lust. I sink into his arms, my body coming to life. Awareness prickles my skin. His hands rove over the fabric of my dress, searing me with his heat.

  “I want you, Alicia,” he whispers between kisses.

  I want him, too. “If we’re quiet, there’s an empty guest room upstairs.”

  “I don’t want to be quiet.” His hand moves between us, palming my breast as he kisses me again. “I don’t want a quick fuck.” His hand slides lower, teasing and brushing along my panty lines. “I want to taste you, all of you, and I want to hear every fucking moan that leaves your mouth when I make you come.”

  Um, I have no argument for that. “Where to?”

  “My place. Can you stay the night?”

  “Simon will watch Matthew.” He won’t mind, I’m certain. He’d probably insist I go.

  “Then let’s go.” Chase grabs my arm and starts walking.

  I stop short. “What about the reception? You’re the best man. Shouldn’t you stay?”

  “Alicia.” He saunters back to me, caging me against the wall with his large frame. “There is nothing more important than spending tonight naked in your arms.” He runs a finger down my jawline, lifting my chin so our lips meet. He brushes them against mine, lighting up my entire body. “I’m fully committed to multiple orgasms. For both of us.”

  “So selfless.” I reach for the back of his head and pull him back to me, claiming his mouth. Our tongues meet, battling for dominance, and I remember just how assertive he is in the bedroom—and how much that turns me on. That and my pent-up sexual energy should have me orgasming in no time. Hell, if we keep this up I’ll be coming right here. My hips move, my body seeking friction. His cock lengthens, hardening against my belly with each sweep of my tongue in his mouth. Even through the fabric of our clothes, its impressive. My clit aches for attention, his leg not nearly enough. Fuck. What the hell am I doing? I might be wickedly turned on, but I am not interested in putting on a show. Especially in my parents’ backyard. I push at his chest and take a step back, catching my breath and a little clarity.

  His brows knit with concern. “But if you aren’t ready for that, I’m completely content to stay here and make out under the stars . . . talk . . . whatever you want.”

  I almost laugh at his misread of my retreat. Instead I lift my eyebrows, calling bullshit.

  He chuckles. “Okay, not completely. But I don’t want to pressure you, or rush into something you’re not ready for.” He steps forward, looping his arms around my waist. “We can take things slow.”

  “Chase.” I hold back my grin.

  “Yeah.”

  “I want this. I want you.”

  “Yeah?” His mouth is on mine again. Our breaths shared. Moans stifled by more kisses.

  The clearing of a throat breaks us apart. “Sorry, I’m looking for . . .”

  “That way!” we practically shout.

  “Chase.” I grip the lapels of his jacket. “Take me back to your place before we scandalize one of the guests.”

  He grins, the joyous twinkle of his eyes almost boyish. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  31

  Chase

  I break a few traffic laws driving Alicia to my place. Anticipation crackles in the air. We don’t talk or touch, almost as if doing so might detonate the tension between us. With each passing mile the ache to pull her into my arms grows. If I give in, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop. Which is why I practically jump out of my truck as soon as I pull into the driveway.

  I should probably play it cool, but there’s no hiding my desire. I jog around the front of the truck to help her down. “Here. Let me.” I hold the door open with my back and steady her hip with my palm. Her dress isn’t too extravagant, but between her heels and the lift of my truck, it’s a long trip down to the ground.

  She grins, resting one hand on my shoulder while her other holds her clutch and bunches the fabric of her skirt. “Such the gentleman.”

  “Not for long.” A wicked smile spreads across my lips.

  “Thank God.” Her soft laughter fills the night. She slides down my body and tugs at my arm. Her seductive smile stokes the fire building in my chest. “Show me your place. I want the grand tour.”

  We walk through the gate and into the small back yard that connects Cam and Jill’s place to the guest house I call home. I’m sure she’s been here before—back when Jill lived in it—but pride fills my chest as I click on the lights and she takes an appreciative look around. The furniture is modern and the decor minimalist, but I tried to mimic the color palate from my uncle’s beach house. I might not be much of an interior designer, but it’s warm and inviting.

  “I like what you’ve done with the place.” She kicks off her heels and skims her hand over the back of the couch.

  “Wait till you see the bedroom.” I steal the small clutch from her hands and toss it onto the couch. My arms tighten around her waist. I can’t wait another second. I have to kiss her. My mouth captures her lips. Wanting. Tasting. Exploring.

  Walking us backward, I almost trip on the way to my bedroom. An annoyed meow sounds near my feet. I wince. “Sorry, Paws.”

  “Oh, my God. Is he okay?”

  “He has nine lives.” I yank at my tie and toss it onto the dresser. The light from the other room illuminates this space with an erotic glow.

  She stands in my doorway, the silhouette of her curvy figure making my cock hard. She was always beautiful, but damn . . . she takes my breath away.

  I c
an’t believe this is finally happening. After everything, the universe has brought us together again for a purpose. I can’t help but feel we’re meant to be. That this is more than simple attraction. It’s fate. My soul belongs with hers. By the intensity of her stare, I think she feels it too.

  She reaches for the hidden zipper at her side and slides it down. I shrug out of my jacket, then work on my buttons.

  “Don’t mind these.” She shimmies out of her high-waisted underwear. “I wasn’t prepared with sexy lingerie.”

  “I don’t need all that.” I unbuckle my belt. “I just want you.”

  Her gaze widens as I pop the button on my slacks and let them fall to the ground. My erection presses against my briefs, begging to get in on the action. My ego loves how she’s temporarily distracted by its presence. Of course, I do the same when she reaches around her back to unclasp her bra.

  I finish undressing, almost as if I’m in a race. Only there are no losers on this course. At least I hope not. I stalk toward Alicia at the same time she saunters close. My hands brush up the sides of her body, over her hips, and then cupping her breasts. Her fingers roam over my chest, her thumbs caressing my nipples and drawing a gasp from my mouth.

  Just thinking about sinking inside her, her warm slick heat wrapping around my cock, has my balls aching for release. Shit. If I don’t slow down, I’m going to embarrass myself.

  “Alicia.” I palm her ass and steal a kiss.

  “Yeah.”

  I scoop her up by the backs of her thighs and walk us the rest of the way to my bed. I set her down on the edge of the mattress. “This is probably gonna be really fast.” I reach over, pulling open the top drawer to the bedside table and retrieve a few condoms. I drop them onto the mattress, then cup her jaw. “It’s been a while. Since I . . .” Fuck. Why am I admitting this now?

  “You and Julia weren’t . . .” Alicia’s eyes go wide. “Sexually active?”

  “No. We were.” The last thing Alicia wants to discuss is my recent sex life. I brush my hair back from my face. “Sorry, is this weird to talk about? I don’t want to kill the mood.”

  “No, it’s fine.” She grins, her hands sliding along my waist. “But only because you broke up.” She tugs me forward, her thighs spreading for me to step between them.

  “Yeah. Well, before you came into town I’d been putting in a ton of overtime. And we hadn’t really gotten a chance to, well, you know,” My fingers dance along her collarbone then down to the swell of her perfect breasts. My mouth waters with the thought of sucking on her pert nipples. Shit. What was I saying? “Then you were back and I couldn’t . . . I didn’t want to . . .”

  Her brows lift with the hint of surprise. “You couldn’t sleep with her because of me?”

  “It’s stupid.” I scrunch my nose. Embarrassment floods my cheeks. God, what is wrong with me? Have I forgotten how to foreplay? “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “No.” She loops her hands around my neck, and pulls my head down so our mouths are close. “I think it’s sort of sweet.”

  “You might not think it’s so adorable when I slip inside you and come in less than thirty seconds.”

  She presses a kiss to my mouth. “The Chase I remember wasn’t a one and done kinda man.”

  I pull back and my lips tip up with a smirk. “I’m still that guy.”

  She brushes her hand along my hairline, tucking the longer locks behind my ear. “It’s been a while for me, too.”

  “Well.” I bend down, crowding her body so she has to lie back on the bed. “I’m not as good a person as you.” I kiss down her neck and between her tits. “I don’t want to know who else you’ve been with or how many partners you’ve had since me.”

  “None.”

  My gaze snaps up to meet her stare.

  “Yeah, so if anyone has something to be embarrassed about, it’s me.”

  I’m not shocked by much, but this takes me by surprise. “You didn’t sleep with anyone else?”

  “Not since our summer together.”

  “Fuck.” It might make me a caveman, but that admission strokes my ego. A smile spreads across my lips as I pepper kisses on her belly. “So what you’re saying is that I ruined you for all other men?”

  “Oh, my God.” She throws her head back and laughs. “It’s not like I had time. I was pregnant and raising a baby in another country.”

  “Admit the truth.” I fall to my knees and press her thighs open. My lips are dangerously close to her center. My mouth waters at her arousal, but this back and forth teasing is too fun to abandon just yet. “My cock is the only one you want inside you.”

  “Maybe, before you started boasting about it.” She pushes up on her elbows, meeting my gaze with challenge. The hint of her smirk and the sass of her words send a thrill down my spine. “Now I’m not so sure.”

  “Then let me remind you. But first . . .” I lick my lips. I’ve been dying for this. “I need to taste you.” Any smart reply dies on her lips as my mouth moves to her pussy. I kiss her, allowing her body to guide my moves. I find her clit with my tongue and I’m rewarded with gasps of pleasure. They spur me on. I’m determined to draw at least one orgasm out of her before I get mine. Even better if she comes all over my face.

  “Yes.” Her fingers dig into my scalp. “There. Right there. Oh, fuck yes.” She holds me to her as if there’s anywhere else I’d try to go.

  Time no longer passes by in minutes. I measure it with each breathy moan, each erotic gasp, and by the tremble of her thighs wrapped around my head. I lose myself in her pleasure. My only goal is to drive her over the edge.

  “God! Yes! Fuck!” Her moans turn to screams as her orgasm rips through her. Her legs shake and I don’t stop eating her out until the last aftershock runs through her body. She’s so fucking wet. The evidence of her pleasure is thick in the air.

  I stand up and reach for one of the condoms, wrapping myself in latex. My cock swells, aching to be wrapped in her wet heat. I won’t last, that’s for damn sure, so instead of crawling over her body, I wrap my hands around her thighs and hold her legs so they’re resting on my chest. I pull my hips back and line my cock up at her entrance before easing in slow.

  A hiss leaves my mouth at the same time she groans. In and out. Finding our rhythm, I make each stroke long and hard, moving my hips to an imaginary song.

  “More,” she begs, her legs spreading wide. She reaches a hand between us, her fingers moving to rub her clit. Her hair spreads across the sheets in a beautiful mess. “Chase. More.”

  Sweat beads on my skin. I grab her ankles for balance and increase the pace of my thrusts. The slap of our skin as our bodies come together tightens my balls. Fuck. It’s so good. Too good. “Take it.” I slam into her harder. “Fuck.” I groan, holding back the urge to come. “Take this cock.” My hips thrust forward. “You want this?”

  “Yes,” she chants. “Yes. Yes. Please.”

  “That’s right.” I pull out slowly, until only the tip remains before slamming back in. “This is my pussy,” I grunt, doing it again. “This is where I belong.”

  “Oh, God.” Her fingers work faster against her clit. “Fuck me.” She pants, her muscles beginning to shake. “Harder.”

  I give her everything. Thrusting my hips. Giving in. Coming home. A familiar tingle starts at the base of my spine but I stave off my orgasm. I don’t want this to be over. Not when she’s so close. Her thighs tremble. And then she’s there, falling over, calling out as pleasure overtakes this moment. She cries out and her moans mix with mine as her pussy grips my cock, milking it with her release.

  “Fuck. Yes.” I tumble over the edge, following her as my own orgasm hits. I pull out as an extra precaution as my seed fills the condom. I instantly miss the connection. Crawling over her body, my mouth finds hers with an overwhelming need to kiss her. We make out as our bodies come down from the high of shared pleasure. My pulse slows and my heart returns to a normal rate, but something between us shifts, strengt
hening a bond I can’t ignore.

  Our bodies are sticky with sweat and the room smells like sex. I don’t want to move off of her, but I’m sure this can’t be comfortable. I carefully roll to the side, then cup my junk before hopping off the bed to discard the condom in the bathroom. I wash up, then head back into the bedroom.

  I stop short in the door frame, my brain scrambled for a second.

  Alicia laid out on my bed, naked and satisfied, with a content smile on her lips is about the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Damn, you’re beautiful.”

  She bites her lip, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “You’re not too bad yourself.”

  I walk to the edge of the bed and lay next to her, running a hand along her thigh. “I say we take a snack break.”

  “I could eat.” She shifts on her side, snuggling into my chest. Her fingers absently trace the patterns of my tattoos.

  “And drink water. Hydration is important.”

  “You’re really good with this stuff. Ever consider a career as a first responder? You’d make a great EMT.”

  My mouth falls open, laughter shaking my chest as I reach down and give her ass a swat.

  “Hey!” Her eyes go wide, but there’s no shock on her face. Only amusement.

  “I love your smart mouth, but if you suggest any profession other than firefighting, there will be consequences.”

  “Oh?” Her brows lift, a glint in her gorgeous eyes. “So, no future in law enforcement, then?” She pops off the bed, racing toward the living area as her laughter trails behind.

  “So that’s how it’s gonna be?” I call out as I push off the bed, stopping to pull a pair of boxers from my dresser and yank them on. I grab one of my clean T-shirts, a county fire one, and stalk into the other room. She stands in my kitchen, nude and grinning like she won this round.

  “Don’t think I’m letting you get off so easy.” I walk forward, caging her against the counter. My lips hover over hers. I already want another taste. “You’re going to pay for that later.”