by Cathryn Fox
Despite the white paint chips gathering on the rose bushes like dander, and a few broken cedar boards hanging by rusty nails and oxidized from the salty sea water, the place was in pretty good shape. By rights, Alex Sutherland, the owner, should be fixing it up, but something compelled Trent to do it himself. Maybe because he liked doing things for Katy. Wanted to do things for her.
He grabbed his ladder and went to work, fixing the loose boards and even doing a few extra repairs on the roof. As he stood back and brushed the moisture from his face, he nodded, pleased with the outcome. Truthfully, he was used to doing such repairs. His own place was old and once belonged to a sea captain.
He could update, buy a newer, more modern home, but he kind of liked the old place, and since he was good with his hands, he could do most of the general repairs himself. As a teen he remembered how much Katy had liked the house with its towering widow’s walk and how they’d drive around and point out the houses they’d like to live in.
Disregarding the fact that the house was meant for a big family and he didn’t even have furniture for over half the rooms, he had bought it anyway. Maybe on some unconscious level he’d hoped it would help Katy find her way back to him, and together they could fill it with children.
He’d gotten very little sleep last night and now exhaustion pulled at him. He threw the supplies back into his truck and made his way to the station. He exchanged a few words with Adam then hit the sack. When he woke a few hours later, he spotted a couple of the other guys catching up on their sleep. Quietly climbing out of his cot, he made his way to the kitchen, only to find Adam and Errol playing cards at the table.
Errol? What the hell was Errol doing there?
“Errol,” he said, greeting him with a nod and smoothing his mussed hair off his face.
Errol offered him a snarl and pointed his cane. “’Bout time you got your sorry ass out of bed.”
“Errol,” Trent began, and pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off an impending headache, but Errol cut him off.
“I think there’s trouble out on the strrreets.”
Trent made his way to the coffeepot, certain he’d need caffeine before he heard the rest of Errol’s story. The guy was not known as an alarmist, but of late Trent was beginning to wonder. He poured himself a mug and when Adam held up his empty cup, Trent refreshed his before replacing the carafe.
He leaned against the sink, took a long drink and asked, “What kind of trouble?”
“A ruckus of sorts. That’s why I’m here. I need your help.”
Trent pushed off the counter and made his way to the table. “That’s Brody’s department. Not mine.”
Errol gave a dismissive shake of his hand. “You know I don’t trust the police.”
“Yeah, probably because you were on the wrong side of the law more than enough when you were a kid,” Adam piped in, laughing.
“Never mind that. I’m worried about my Katy.”
That stopped Trent in his tracks, and he took in the deep lines on Errol’s face. “What about Katy?”
“Them damn paparazzi won’t leave her alone. She hasn’t even left the restaurant. I think she’s still there cuz she don’t want to face them.”
Trent knew the real reason she was working late. But he’d promised her he wouldn’t say anything to anyone so he didn’t.
“Why don’t ya just do a walk by,” Errol said, and Trent didn’t miss the glint in his eye. “Make an ole fella feel better.”
“I’ll cover for you,” Adam said. “Just keep your cell on. I’ll call if we need you.”
Trent couldn’t help but think the two were up to something. It all seemed a little fishy, but he also couldn’t help thinking how much he’d like to see Katy again, even if only through the restaurant window.
Errol laid out his cards and gathered the loot—which consisted of a handful of old candy bars left over from last year’s Halloween—from the center of the table. “Take the back way. Deputy Veinotte blocked the path off and paparazzi have to keep to the main streets.”
Trent made a quick trip to the men’s room, jumped in the shower and changed his clothes before making his way to the Seafarer. When he stepped outside, the warm, muggy air closed over him. The sound of the camera crew speaking on the street carried in the still night.
Trent slipped around back and cut through the rose bushes lining the walking path. A few minutes later he came upon the back entrance of the Seafarer. He climbed the stairs leading up to the service entrance.
Trent leaned against the rail as the sight of Katy in the window had his pulse leaping. Fully focused and concentrating on her menu, she hadn’t noticed him through the pane. He stood on the back deck and watched her, loving everything about her, especially the way she moved with such innocent sensuality. She’d changed out of her work uniform and now wore a light T-shirt and curve-hugging jeans that had his hands itching and his mouth watering.
When she disappeared into the other room, he moved toward the stairs, not about to disturb her when she was so clearly focused on her work, and that’s when his cell went off. Shit. He must be needed at the firehouse. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, “Yeah?”
“Fire, Seafarer, hurry…”
The second he slammed his phone shut, the smell of smoke reached his nostrils. He spun in time to see orange flames licking the sky. His feet pounded hard and the sound echoed in the night as he ran down the stairs and took note of the trash-can fire near the recycle bins. He shot a glance around and found the hose beneath the stairs. He turned it on and dashed along the gravel path to the fire. As he doused the flames, he couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was going on. It was the second trash fire in as many nights.
A sound at his back had him turning and he spotted Katy rushing toward him. Eyes wide and mouth open in shock, she stared at him. Her glance went from him, to the trash can, back to him again. “Trent,” she said. “What’s going on? What are you doing here?”
“Just putting out another one of your trash can fires,” he informed her.
She frowned and shook her head, perplexed. “Haven’t we already done this?”
“Yeah, talk about déjà vu.”
She gestured toward his hose. “At least this time you didn’t soak me.”
He arched a brow and lifted it. “It’s not too late.”
Her soft chuckle teased his nerves and has his cock thickening. He studied her mussed hair, flushed cheeks and big blue eyes. He took a measured step toward her, until his body hovered over hers. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re the one starting the fires, Katy?” He tapped the cell in the front pocket of his jeans. “That you’re the one making the calls.”
She planted her hand on her hip and shot back, “Now why would I do that?”
Trent curled a lock of her dark hair around his finger and watched the desire flicker over her eyes. As their gazes collided, Trent knew she felt the bond between them every bit as much as he did. It was a connection he’d never felt with another, and suspected he never would. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe to get me all alone so you can have your way with me,” he teased.
The tip of her finger pressed into his chest and she poked him. “How do I know you’re not the one starrrting them?” she asked rolling her Rs.
Trent laughed. “Well someone is starting them. If not you, and not me, then who?”
“My guess is either the teens are really antsy this summer or someone is trying to drive us together.”
“Either way, we should go inside and call Brody.”
When Katy nodded, he slipped his arm around her waist and followed her back along the gravel pathway. He turned off the hose on the way. Inside, the warm scent of melting chocolate hit him hard and just thinking about drizzling that sweet syrup over her naked flesh and licking it off had saliva pooling on his tongue. Lust exploded inside him as he envisioned himself spreading her legs, covering her in chocolate and spending the rest of the night feasting on her.
He cleared his throat, adjusted his pants, and glanced around, trying to take his mind off his erection and doubting it possible. He’d been in the back kitchen before, of course, had done the fire safety inspection himself just a few months back.
Katy gestured toward the stove. “Would you mind giving that a stir for me? I don’t want it to burn.”
His gaze tracked her as she went for the phone, and his body registered every sexy detail of her curvy backside. As she punched in the numbers, he turned and looked at the sauce warming in the double boiler over the stainless steel range and tried not to think about all the delicious ways he’d like to use it.
Taming his desire, he turned the burner off, gave the sauce a quick stir, then stepped around the long counter positioned in the middle of the room. Bracing his hands on the ledge, he looked out through the service slot and into the restaurant. The lights were off and the place was quiet. The restaurant was locked up for the night which meant they were all alone. While Katy talked to the sheriff’s office, he walked back to the counter and examined the ingredients and the recipes spread out over her workstation.
As he looked things over, what he noticed first was the rich, sophisticated menu, one normally found at a fine seafood restaurant. What it wasn’t, was something the tourists expected or the Seafarer’s regular customers were accustomed to. Since the townsfolk weren’t too big on change, he was pretty certain her menu wasn’t going to be a hit, but he sure loved how hard she was trying.
He was about to talk to her about it, but when she hung up the phone, drew all the curtains, and moved toward the stove to stir her chocolate, the sight of her tight ass shut down his brain and he decided talking was meant for later. Right then, as she stood with her back to him, her jeans hugging her curves and making her look good enough to eat, he decided to do just that.
“The sheriff said he’d look into it,” she tossed over her shoulder, then dipped her finger into the chocolate to test it.
When she removed the chocolate from the heat, Trent stepped up behind her, gripped her hips and pushed his cock against her ass.
She gasped in mock surprise, but then she wiggled. The movement was slight but he noticed it. Katy wanted to play every bit as much as he did and he suspected she’d drawn the curtains and turned her attention to the chocolate sauce for her own naughty reasons.
“I think there is something we should look into too.”
“Oh, and what’s that?” Katy asked as she went up on her toes to reach the bag of sugar in the cupboard above the stove. Her hot, sexy ass rubbed his cock, so achingly familiar, so achingly erotic, he damn near exploded.
“Jesus, Katy,” he murmured, dying to be inside her. Everywhere.
She spun around, her eyes wide, warm chocolate staining her lips. Sexual energy leapt between them and nearly ignited the kitchen. “Trent, are you okay? You sound like you’re in pain.”
He grinned, licked the chocolate from her mouth, and pushed harder against her. Their eyes locked, the heat between them tremendous. “Yeah, baby, I’m in pain.” He stopped to lick his lips. “But wouldn’t you just know it, chocolate makes everything better.”
He slipped his hands around her ass, and hoisted her onto his hips. As her body molded to his it made him feel wild, crazy, completely out of control. Frenzied with need, he backed her up and pinned her between the wall and his chest.
When she licked the rest of the chocolate off her lips, he whispered, “I need to fuck you, baby.” He ran his thumb over her mouth. “I’m going to start here.” As she kissed him, he slid his hands along the outer edge of her breasts and squeezed. “Then here.”
She moaned and arched into his touch. Trent slid his hand between their bodies and stroked her pussy through her jeans. A growl of longing sounded deep in her throat.
“And here,” he said as she thrust her pelvis forward, eager for him to do just that. He circled her waist and cradled her ass in his hands. “And I’m going to finish right here.” When her eyes widened in surprise, he said, “Well you can’t go around shaking that sweet ass of yours and not expect me to want a piece of it, now can you?”
Lust-saturated eyes met his, and in a low, deeply intimate voice full of sultry invitation, she said, “I suppose not, T.”
The promise in her eyes had his body rippling in anticipation and his groin tightening with need. Jesus, he’d missed her, especially her playful, adventurous side.
As his body buzzed to life, he took possession of her mouth and kissed her long and deep. By the time he inched back and let her legs slide to the floor, they were both breathless. A moment later he stepped back to look at her.
Her hair was mussed, her cheeks flushed, and her nipples were so hard they poked out of her T-shirt. His mouth watered for a taste. “I want you naked. Now.”
She pointed a finger and wagged it up and down. “You too,” she said, her seductive cadence generating warmth and need deep inside him.
He tore his own clothes off as she slowly removed hers, teasing and tormenting his libido with her slow seduction. Trent raked his fingers through his hair, his blood running thick and hot as he watched her. “Christ, girl, you make me crazy.”
She offered him a sexy grin, her eyes glimmering with sensuality as she lowered herself into a chair and widened her legs. She gave him a beautiful, unobstructed view of her glistening pussy as she took her breasts into her hands and squeezed.
She moistened her lips. “Come here, Trent. It’s my turn to taste you.”
His body went weak as he stepped into her and brushed her hair from her face. She inched down in her seat and drew his cock into her hot mouth. “Fuck…” he bit out, and threw his head back as the wet warmth of her mouth enveloped him. Desire thrummed in his veins, and as the tang of her arousal permeated his senses, he had to gulp for his next breath.
The way she drew him into her mouth and kissed his cock with such intimate recognition instantly had him teetering on the edge of ecstasy. His entire body vibrated and Katy, as if sensing his urgency, moaned in delight.
He watched her suck him in deep and use her tongue to lick the precome dripping from his slit. His whole body broke into a sweat as her mouth gripped him hard, and it was all he could do not to give himself over to the sensations. Inching back, he brushed his thumb over her lips and glanced at her heavy breasts.
She smiled at him, knowing exactly what he wanted. She squeezed her breasts together and he stepped back, dipped his finger into the warm chocolate and drizzled it over her mounds. Katy cried out in bliss when he bent his head and drew one rigid nipple into his mouth. His warm tongue brushed over her gently, tasting the sweetness and wetting her hard buds and creamy flesh in preparation. Once she was well lubricated, he stood and met her glance as he slipped his wet cock into the tight channel she’d molded for him.
“Oh baby, you feel so good.” He drove upward, and she stuck her tongue out, brushing it over his tip with every hard thrust. His body shook with unabashed hunger and he moved urgently. Sensing he was about to lose control, he quickly withdrew his blood-filled cock before he erupted. Panting and on the brink of losing it, he dropped to the ground and poised his mouth over her pussy as he took a moment to compose himself.
As his blood ran hot, he asked, “Are you wet for me, baby?”
Trent trailed his fingers along her thighs and she widened her legs even more. The sight of her hot, wet pussy practically rendered him senseless.
“Why don’t you check,” she murmured, and lifted her hips off the chair. His hands spanned her waist and he pushed her back down to anchor her in place.
He slipped a finger inside her and she liquefied under his touch. He groaned deep in his throat. “Baby, you’re on fire.”
Her pussy muscles gripped him hard and his cock protested, demanding to be the one inside her. Breathing became difficult and it took all his effort to speak. “I need to fuck you now, sweetheart.”
Eyes full of want shot to his. “Please, T.”
Th
ere was a desperation in her voice he’d never heard before, and the tender look of intimacy on her face warmed his darkest corners and knocked him off balance. A surge of love rushed through him and his throat clogged.
When she slid her fingers through his hair, he lifted her from the chair and took her place. “I want you to ride me, baby.”
Katy wrapped her legs around him and he gripped her hips and guided her home.
Home. With him. Where she belonged.
She wiggled, wanting to impale herself, but he wanted to draw out the moment and savor it. Trent drew a steadying breath as he slowly drove into her and joined them as one. As they came together, they forged an intimate connection, one that went beyond the physical, one that took two broken pieces and made them whole again. He looked deep into her blue eyes and knew there was nothing he could ever do to sate his need for her. She’d taken up residency in his heart over a decade ago. She was under his skin, inside him, a part of him.
Katy’s mouth found his and she began riding him, long hard strokes that pushed him to the edge and tested his control. As he lost himself in her, body, heart and soul, he could feel the pressure building in her body.
Slipping a finger between them, he drew small circles around her clit, and could feel the pleasure resonating through her. Her beautiful breasts bounced with her every movement and color flooded her cheeks. A heartbeat later she took a shuddering breath and he could feel her liquid heat scorch his cock. As she came for him, he held her tight and buried his face in her neck, forcing himself to hold on because he needed to be inside her. Everywhere.
When her body stopped spasming, he lifted her from his cock, slid his hand around her back and stroked a shaky finger over her puckered passage. Her eyes met his and she whispered, “I want it too, T.” She pushed against him, trusting him with her pleasure and welcoming him into her body.
