Divulging Secrets

by Lynn Burke

  The tiny kitten mewed and rubbed her nose up across my cheek as I held her close to my face. Light laughter and tears escaped me, melting my heart into a pile of goo.

  “Do you like him?”

  “I had to leave Butter behind when I left Boston,” I whispered, turning my attention on Tom.

  The slight frown on his face relaxed, and he tucked the blanket under his arm to shove his hand in his jean’s pocket. “I’m sorry. Hopefully, that little guy will fill the void.”

  “Guy?” I turned my attention on the kitten. “You’re a boy?”

  “Definitely a he,” Tom said with a chuckle. “I got you a bag of kitten food and a litter box. Hope you don’t mind.” He picked up the bag I hadn’t noticed beside him and handed it to me.

  “Are you kidding?” I couldn’t help my smile while taking the bag and setting it inside the door. “I hate going into town. You want to come in?” I asked, stepping back from the threshold.

  “Nah. I’ve got a shit load of work to do today.”

  “Oh, damn. I forgot all about work today.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Everything okay?” he asked, glancing over my shoulder into the house. “I saw Charlie had been by earlier.”

  “And if that asshole ever shows up without Danny again, please shoot him.”

  Tom’s brow furrowed again, his shoulders tensing. “What happened?”

  I shook my head and nuzzled my nose into the kitten’s soft fur. He mewed at me, his claws digging into my shirt. “He’s been coming on to me since day one.”

  “Fucker,” Tom growled.

  “Yeah. I told him to knock it off or I was going to report his ass.”

  “You should anyway.”

  “Yeah.” A few kisses to my new Butter brought my smile back. “Aren’t you just the cutest thing?” He meowed in response, and I laughed for real, the first in a long time.

  “What about Danny?” Tom asked. “Does he know about Charlie?”

  “No. Charlie’s careful for the most part when he’s around. Danny’s a really nice guy. Quiet. Always professional.”

  “Maybe you should talk to him about Charlie.”

  I lifted my head to find Tom’s serious gaze fixed on my face. “You really think I should?”

  “Hell, yes. No woman should have to put up with sexual harassment. Life is shitty enough for you right now as it is without that asshole trying to get in your pants.”

  Tom’s concern warmed me through, and I smiled. “You’re a good man, Tom Berkley.”

  “I care about you, Candace, and would hate for anything to upset you further.”

  Tears coated my eyes again.

  “What’s wrong?”

  I didn’t hesitate, but stepped into the house, motioning him to follow. “Charlie dropped off a letter from my father.”

  With the kitten snuggled against my chest, I picked up the letter from the table where I’d left it and handed it to Tom, well aware doing so revealed secrets best left in the dark—or so I’d been told. With Tom, though, I knew I didn’t have anything to worry about.

  He unfolded the single sheet and quickly read down to the end. “Wow.”

  “Yeah.” My throat thickened, and my smile wobbled.

  “You okay?”

  Unable to speak, I nodded.

  He moved closer, hesitantly lifting his hand to my shoulder.

  I stepped into his arms, the kitten snuggled between us. Breathing in the scent of the outdoors and Tom’s lingering cologne, I actually relaxed. A sigh shuddered through me as Tom smoothed a hand down my spine, the other resting on the back of my neck.

  He didn’t offer any words, but the comfort he brought couldn’t be beat anyway. His hot breath brushed over my forehead a second before his lips did in a chaste kiss. “Thank you for sharing the letter with me.”

  I nodded.

  “That took courage. And trust.”

  “I suppose it did, didn’t it?” Shaky laughter came through my words, and I stepped away, wiping my wet eyes on the t-shirt covering my shoulders.

  Butter meowed again. “Thank you for the kitten.” I smiled up at him, and the familiar energy zinged between us.

  “I should go,” he murmured, his gaze falling to my lips.

  “Stay,” I heard myself whisper.

  “Not until you’re ready, Candace.”

  I opened my mouth, but shut it again. I’d come a long way, but wasn’t yet willing to let go.

  “Will you call Danny?” Tom asked, reaching for the door handle.

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Let me know what he has to say, or what he plans to do.”

  “I will.” I shut the door behind Tom and rubbed Butter’s little chin. “You are too cute, my little butter ball.”

  His pink tongue flicked out, swiping my chin.

  I actually giggled. “I love you too, little guy. Now, let’s get you a little Butter station set up, and I’ll introduce you to my pillow, which will be your new bed.”

  An hour later, I forced myself to pick up my cell and dial Danny. I got his voicemail, and didn’t bother with a long, detailed message. I just asked him to give me a buzz.

  Butter patted my face with his little paw from his perch on my pillow beside my face and meowed as I hit the “end” button.

  “What do you want, huh?” I scratched him under the chin until he purred with contentment and rubbed his wet nose against my cheek.

  My smile returned.

  Tom. I’d grown to like him more than I expected, and not just in a sexual way. He was mighty fine on the eyes, did a number on my libido, but his thoughtfulness and sensitivities to me outshone most of the friends from my old life.

  Maybe, I thought, giving Butter a little kiss. Maybe someday I’ll be able to offer him what he wants.

  Chapter Ten

  Tom

  Whether Candace wanted to or not, she trusted me. Why else would she show me a letter from her incarcerated father, the man she ratted out to save her own skin? Why divulge the secretive reason for her being in the witness protection program?

  I grinned the whole night long, wishing for something to push her more, something that would help me gain her trust completely. And not just because I wanted to be the man getting into her pants, either.

  The thought of Charlie coming on to her, the man sworn to protect her, bothered the hell out of me. I half-hoped he did show up alone again just so I could confront him. It’d be an all-out, fist-flying, bloody battle, I expected. I couldn’t wait to draw first blood.

  ****

  “How’s the little guy doing?” I asked as Candace meandered into the garden the next morning, Archie on her heels.

  Her smile softened her face in a way I’d never seen before as she peered down at me in my kneeling position between the bean rows. “Such a little sweetie. A snuggler and purr-bucket. Thanks again.”

  I handed her a bucket, taking a quick once-over of the jeans hugging her curves. She lowered herself to her knees on the other side of the row I’d been harvesting from, her flowery scent floating my way. I breathed deep, my cock taking an interest in her tight tank top and the cleavage I wanted to bury my face in.

  “You can start on the other row,” I said, motioning with my chin to the beans on her left.

  She continued to smile while plucking the green beans from the bushes. “What are you going to do with all of these?”

  “We’re going to can them, along with the ones we picked on Friday when we’re done here.”

  “I don’t know the first thing about canning.”

  I crawled forward about two feet, pushing the leaves to the side to find the dangling, ripe pods. “Beans only need a water bath.”

  “Water bath. Sounds easy enough.” She gathered a few more handfuls and dropped them into her bucket. “If you ever decide to renovate the bungalow, add a bathtub.”

  “You’re welcome to come soak in the hot tub whenever you want.”

  That glint of want revealing her mind r
aced lit in her eyes as she glanced at me. “Will you join me?”

  My cock jumped at the memory of that inch of flesh I’d had clutching at me. How close I’d come to burying myself in her hot pussy. I cleared my throat. “Sure.”

  “Tonight?”

  “If you want.”

  “I want.”

  I peered at her over the row of beans, the air crackling with energy between us. What the hell was wrong with me? The woman wanted me. My cock. Damn pride kept me from giving in and enjoying what we both desired.

  Turning away, I fought to focus on the last ten feet of bush beans, yanking pods off the bush with more force than necessary. She’d already entrusted me with information that could possibly put her life in danger, which meant she trusted me with her life.

  What more could I ask for?

  Candace sighed and shooed Archie down the row as he drew near, wanting a little pet. “Go on. Eat some worms or bugs or something.” He clucked and flapped his wings, taking a few running steps away from her waving hand. “So what’s on the agenda for the rest of the work day?” she asked, crawling forward on her knees.

  I tore my gaze from her ass as she settled into a sitting position again. “Hiking.”

  Her brow rose as she glanced over her shoulder at me. “Hiking.”

  “Yep.” I pointed to the mountain to the north. “Government land. It’s a great view from the top. I go up there every couple of weeks and check out my land from the view. Great place for a picnic.”

  Her gaze slid down over my shoulders and chest, and she wet her bottom lip with her tongue. “Hike and picnic sounds good to me.”

  My brain fizzled and my cock sure as hell climbed aboard the “let’s fuck” train of thought in her eyes. While I felt confident in my self-control, Candace shook the ground beneath my feet, tempting me in ways I hadn’t experienced in years.

  “Hike and dinner picnic it is,” I said, returning my attention to the abundance of green beans. Hike and picnic only. I reminded myself to wait until Candace was ready to commit.

  ****

  “Are we even following a path?” Candace asked from behind me, her voice husky and out of breath.

  My cock twitched at the breathless quality to her voice, but I kept onward, glancing up through the trees. “Yes. It’s hard to make out, but I know it like the back of my hand. Been up here countless times, so I promise we won’t get lost.”

  “What’s the gun for?”

  I patted the holster at my hip. “I never venture into the woods without my Glock.”

  “Ugh.” She huffed. “I thought I was in shape.”

  “Here.” I stopped beside a large rock and dropped the backpack with our sandwiches and water bottles to the ground. “We can take a break here.”

  She sucked down water while I sipped. “Drink too much, and you’ll get a side cramp.”

  “So damn thirsty.”

  “Didn’t do much exercise before moving up here to Maine?” I asked while scanning the forest around us.

  “I used to do an hour of yoga every day, but since the trial I—”

  I popped the top on my water and drank again, hoping she’d continue, trusting me with the whole story of why her father ended up in jail.

  “No. I don’t exercise,” she continued. “Any good gyms around here?”

  Joining a gym meant she planned on sticking around for a while. “There’s a small one downtown, but nothing like the ones I’m sure you’re used to. The local gymnastics place has yoga classes, I think.” I shoved my water bottle back in the backpack’s side slot.

  Candace sighed from her perch on the rock, her shoulders slumped, hands grasping her water bottle between her jean-clad thighs as she glanced around. “Sure is quiet here.”

  A breeze rustled the leaves overhead and a few branches squeaked while rubbing against each other. Birds flitted around, and the call of a turkey made its way past us on the wind. “There’s plenty of noise if you listen hard enough.”

  She lifted her gaze to my face, her slow, half-smile kicking me in the gut. “The sounds of the woods aren’t noise. It’s music.”

  “It is.” Our gazes glued together as that music floated around us. I inhaled the scent of fallen leaves and earth while wishing to bury my face in Candace’s neck and breathe in her skin.

  I cleared my throat and stood, turning toward the north while pulling on the backpack again. “Ready to roll?”

  “Yeah.” She shoved her water bottle in the other sleeve of the backpack. “Sure.”

  “Have you ever gone camping?” I asked a little while later as the weight of discomfort settled over my shoulders.

  “You mean like out here in the wilderness?”

  “Yes.”

  “No way in hell. If there’s no electricity or AC, I’m out.”

  I chuckled. “We’ll have to rough it out here one night. Nothing better than sleeping under the stars.”

  “I can think of a few things that would be better,” she muttered quietly behind me, but my ears caught every word.

  I could think of a few things as well, which caused my cock to swell, making the climb a little uncomfortable. At least she hiked behind me so I didn’t have to look at her ass in those jeans. Round and perfect for grabbing. The memory of how her cheeks had fit in my hands thickened me to full mast, pressing my cock against my zipper.

  Fuck.

  I adjusted myself and glanced at my watch. “It isn’t quite five, but I’m starved. Want to stop and eat?”

  “Yeah, my body used up that omelet you made for lunch about a mile ago.”

  We hadn’t even walked a mile yet, but I didn’t bother mentioning that fact. “There’s a clearing up ahead with a rock outcropping. We can stop there and check out the view.”

  “How much longer to the top?”

  I glanced up through the trees to the top of the mountain. “Maybe an hour.”

  Candace huffed behind me, her feet trampling through the underbrush. “I’m going to need that hot tub tonight.”

  Chuckling, I cast a look over my shoulder. Face red and forehead dotted with sweat, she smiled at me with that damn glint in her blue eyes.

  I tore my gaze off her and veered to the left as the trees thinned. Thinking about the chicken harvest in the next couple of weeks took my mind off Candace’s ass, and my cock finally calmed down enough the walk didn’t pain me.

  From the rock outcrop I paused atop, I could view my ten acres.

  “That’s the farm?” Candace asked as I pulled out a blanket from the backpack.

  I shook out and laid the blanket on the rock before turning to peer out over the distance. “Yep.”

  She plunked down on the blanket and dangled her legs over the rock’s edge. After the initial drop of ten feet or so from the rock perch, the slope gently rolled downhill into a ravine. Rocks, fallen logs, and saplings filled the area, making me believe a slide had occurred years earlier. The top of the mountain jutted upward behind us, the jagged rock face evidence of my theory.

  I settled beside her and handed over her water bottle before pulling out the roast beef sandwiches we’d made after canning the green beans. We ate in silence, the breeze teasing her hair and flooding my nose with her flowery scent.

  Focusing on my sandwich helped my sanity stay intact. Once finished, though, I became all-too aware of the warmth of her body inches from mine.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she said, leaning back on her hands and causing her breasts to jut out.

  Since she focused on the lay of the land, I enjoyed an eyeful of her cleavage and how the tank top clung to her breasts. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, and my damn cock swelled again as my mind outran my self-control. Small waist, the button on her jeans the only thing keeping me from the heat between her soft thighs I remembered all too well.

  “See something you like?”

  Chapter Eleven

  Candace

  My question jerked Tom’s gaze up. “Like and want,” he all but
groaned, tightening my nipples.

  I stared into his green eyes, and the truth of his desire rolled over me with gale-force wind, slamming into my chest and catching my breath.

  “I said I wouldn’t get involved with you until you trusted me, which you said you’d never do.” He lifted a hand to smooth back the strands of my hair teased by the warm breeze, the caress of his gaze on my face tingling down through me. “You showed me your father’s letter.” His attention returned to my eyes, and I licked my lower lip.

  I nodded as his hand cupped my cheek, realizing the level of trust I had shown him. Keeping the letter from Tom, hiding my pain—and joy—hadn’t crossed my mind. He was my sole source of companionship, my only friend.

  He leaned in and brushed his lips over mine.

  A low groan rumbled in his chest as his tongue slid along mine, sending a rush of warmth and wetness between my thighs.

  Had he given into his desire completely, or would he pull back like usual, denying what we both obviously wanted? I grabbed hold of his head to keep him close, my fingers tangling in his wavy locks.

  I gave over without hesitation, pressing myself against him, and he answered in kind, deepening our kiss with another groan. Our tongues danced together, tasting and taking what we wanted.

  Tom wrapped one arm around my lower back, the other sliding up and down along my side, his thumb brushing across the swell of my breast.

  My nipple tightened, and I turned into his hand. “Touch me,” I whispered against his mouth.

  He slipped his hand beneath my shirt. I moaned as a shiver slid through me. He kneaded and pinched me through the thin material of my bra, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted his hands on my skin, his cock thrusting deep inside of me.

  I released my hold on his head, but not his hungry lips, reaching around to unsnap my bra. A shudder rippled over me, pebbling my skin as he palmed my bare breast.

  “So perfect.” Lifting my shirt, he tore his lips from mine and gazed down at my pale skin held in his tanned hands. “Beautiful.”

  Clasping his hair again, I thrust my chest out, and he willingly bent his head when I tugged him toward my straining nipple.

  His warm, wet mouth closed over me. I gasped, my eyes clenching shut as pure need raced straight to my throbbing clit and pussy. He sucked me deep, and the tingles of a climax rose to life in my toes.