by J. H. Croix
Ryan flushed and laughed nervously as he handed over the armful of shirts to the woman waiting to check them out. In the short time Ryan had been staying with Eli, Eli had done a load of laundry almost daily to keep up with it.
After Eli finished paying, they headed out to the parking lot. “Last stop is the grocery store,” Eli said as he started the truck. “Let me know if you have any requests.”
“Pizza,” Ryan commented from his seat in the back.
“Let me guess, you’re living off frozen pizza?” Jessa asked, grinning over her shoulder.
Eli recalled he’d had a cart full of frozen pizza the day he’d meandered about the grocery store hoping to see her. “Yup, and we’re completely out of it. Pretty sure Ryan could eat ten of those a day and still be hungry.”
“Definitely,” Ryan added with his shy grin.
After a longer than usual stop at the grocery store between Jessa piling her cart full of requests from Marley and Delia, and Ryan adding one thing after another, they were finally on the highway back to Diamond Creek. On the way back, Ryan asked to be dropped off at Ben and Jeff’s house. They’d texted him during the day to invite him for a barbecue and video games.
“What the hell do you mean, barbecue and video games? How do those even go together?” Eli asked, legitimately puzzled with the combination.
Ryan sighed elaborately before explaining. “They went silver salmon fishing today, so I guess their parents are grilling the salmon and some other stuff. After we eat, they want to play some online games. Think of it like when you watch TV.”
Eli nodded and glanced sideways at Jessa’s muffled laugh. Her silver eyes flashed with mirth. He resisted the urge to reach over and stroke his hand along her curves. He’d discovered today that Ryan was an excellent chaperone. Not because he was actually chaperoning, but because Eli definitely didn’t want to do anything inappropriate around him, so he’d spent most of the day shackling his urges to touch Jessa. Damn if she wasn’t about the most touchable woman he’d ever laid eyes on. With her tousled hair, her gorgeous eyes and her luscious body, he’d spent almost all day itching to touch her.
He forgot he was in mid-banter with Ryan until Ryan cleared his throat audibly. He tore his eyes from Jessa and glanced in the rearview mirror to catch Ryan rolling his eyes. “Okay, like TV. I get it then. We have to drop Jessa off first, and then I’ll take you over the their place. Okay?”
“Cool.”
Eli pondered how to persuade Jessa to have dinner with him since he actually had the night to himself. It occurred to him perhaps he should simply ask instead of going in circles in his mind. Another glance in the rearview mirror told him Ryan had put on the new headphones Eli picked up for him today and was staring out the window while he nodded along to whatever was playing on the smartphone Eli had gotten him.
“Don’t suppose you’d want to have dinner with me after I drop everything off at the house?”
Eli held his breath. The sense of anticipation he experienced around Jessa was unfamiliar to him. He wasn’t used to wanting someone so damn much. She saved him from himself with a quick answer. “I’d love to! Why don’t you drop Ryan off first? Then we can go deliver the groceries to Marley and Delia. That way, you save yourself from the back and forth.”
Eli kept his eyes on the road and nodded, that sense of joy only Jessa could elicit blooming in his chest. “That works for me. Do we need to go by Delia and Garrett’s place to drop off their stuff?”
“Nah. Delia said just to bring it to the lodge. She can take it home from there.”
“Alright then. Any preferences on where to go for dinner?”
He felt Jessa’s gaze and glanced her way. In that tiny moment, all he wanted to do was stare into her dreamy gray eyes. He mentally shook himself and glanced ahead again.
“Well, no. Aside from the coffee places, I wouldn’t really know where to go. What would you suggest?”
Eli pondered for a moment, wondering what Jessa would like the most. “We could try Diamond Creek Brewery, Sally’s or the Boathouse. Those are all local favorites. The Boathouse is a touch more high end. Sally’s is an all-American bar type restaurant. The Brewery is somewhere in between the two. Take your pick.”
“Diamond Creek Brewery,” Jessa replied firmly.
Eli grinned. “Good choice.”
Jessa looked around the restaurant while Eli stepped away to the restroom. When Eli had pulled up in front of the building, Jessa had thought for a moment he must’ve been confused when she saw they were parked in front of a plane hangar. Then, she saw the brightly painted sign above the doors into the building. While the brewery was located in what was once a plane hangar, the owners had done wonders with the inside. The far side of the building held the brewery part of the business with the stainless steel brewing equipment partially visible behind a brick wall dividing the space. Decorative copper storage vessels marked the entrance into the actual brewery. The tall ceiling was filled with model planes hanging above. The hangar had been renovated with extra windows cut into the walls, providing a view of a marshy field where moose often gathered against the backdrop of the bay and mountains. Booths lined the walls with tables scattered in the center. The kitchen sat on the opposite side from the brewery with a bar separating it from the rest of the room. The space was decorated with fabric wall hangings, photographs and colorful rugs, which softened what could have been a noisy space.
She took another sip of her wine and marveled at how busy the place was. Eli had called ahead to reserve a table, which she’d thought unnecessary until they arrived to find the entry way crowded and almost all of the tables full. As she looked around, she saw Eli making his way back to their booth in the corner. A prickle of awareness ran up her spine. Today had been one long tease. All he had to do was exist and her body hummed. Now that she had a better sense of how Ryan ended up here with him, it made her like Eli even more. He didn’t offer much about his childhood other than to say he’d be damned if he’d let Ryan stay there now that his father had returned. Without hesitation, he’d shouldered the responsibility of becoming Ryan’s guardian, even if it meant going through a legal fight to make it happen. Beyond the fact the man was sexy as all get out, he just had to go and be a caring and kind brother. Family meant a lot to her, and it almost pained her physically to realize that Eli had never really had a family he could rely on. Fortunately for Ryan, Eli was stepping up to be the kind of family he could have used himself when he was Ryan’s age.
Eli slipped into the booth across from her, his mouth hooking in a half-grin. His green eyes were bright against his sun-burnished skin. “So, are you about ready to go, or do you want to stay for a bit?”
Jessa glanced to the line of customers waiting near the entryway. “We should go. The salmon burger was amazing and the wine is delicious, but the longer we sit, the longer other people have to wait.”
“How about I pick up a bottle of the wine on the way out?”
“We can do that?”
“Sure can. They sell everything they make in the brewery here.”
Eli caught the eye of one of the waiters passing by and made his request. Moments later, they were threading through the tables and the small crowd by the doors. Jessa felt the heat of Eli’s palm on her low back through the thin cotton of her shirt. Heat radiated outward from his touch. The chilly summer air washed over them when they stepped outside. It was late evening with the sun making its glorious bow behind the mountains and sending streaks of lavender and pink into the sky. She took a deep breath, savoring the woodsy scent mingling with the hint of the ocean.
Eli had parked over toward the marshy field. As they walked in that direction, her eye caught on a cluster of moose in the field. “Oh look! Marley kept telling me I’d see moose soon, and there they are!”
Eli’s soft laugh sent a hot shiver through her. “Hard not to see moose around here. Let’s go onto the viewing platform after I leave this in the truck,” he said, holding aloft the bottle of wine. He
paused and left it inside the truck cab before guiding her with his hand toward a wooden walkway hidden by the tall grasses.
In seconds they stood on the small platform looking out over the field. There was a full-grown moose and two tiny calves. “Oh, the babies are so small!”
“Yeah. They’re much smaller than people expect. It’s mid-summer though, so those two are probably a good month or more old now. They look to be a set of twins too.”
“Oh, wow,” she breathed, feeling a sense of wonder steal over her.
Alaska was renowned for its expansive wilderness and beauty, but Jessa hadn’t truly understood what that meant until she’d come to visit. Every time she was here, she felt like she stepped a little further into the wild wonderland Alaska offered. The sense of being so far removed from the bustle of civilization added depth to its beauty.
“I never get tired of seeing the moose calves. They’re so damn cute. Well, I never get tired of any of the wildlife. Makes me remember what matters. We’re just a speck in the universe.”
Jessa glanced to Eli. “That’s why you do what you do, huh?”
Eli shrugged, his eyes on the moose and scanning the horizon behind them before he looked to her. “I love the outdoors. When I was growing up, it was the only place I found peace. Now, I still get the peace, but it’s also plain fun to take tourists out and see some minds get blown.”
As they stood there by the field with nothing but the soft sound of the wind rustling the tall grass and the call of a raven nearby, she felt suspended in time. Eli’s eyes darkened. His hand was still resting on her low back. With the slightest pressure, he turned her toward him as he angled himself to face her. A step and he was flush against her, his hand sliding over her bottom to cup it.
“Jessa…” His voice was low and gruff, sending a prickle over her skin.
The angles of his face were in shadow, brightening his eyes. Heat suffused her when he incrementally pulled her against him, and she felt the hard evidence of his arousal. Suddenly, they were kissing—a wild, out of control kiss, so hot, so wet and so deep. He explored her mouth boldly with his tongue and lips, and she couldn’t get enough. She plastered herself against him and dragged her hands up over his chest—that glorious, sculpted hard chest of his. She gasped when he tore his lips free and dragged them down her neck, licking and nipping. She was drenched, her thighs clenching with the need spiraling wildly through her.
Eli swore and pulled back. Their breath heaved in the chilled air. He looked down at her. “I’m not going to be able to stop if we go any further and seeing as we’re on a viewing platform…” He gestured around them and in the direction of the brewery just by them. They were in full view of anyone who happened to look in their direction.
Jessa flushed, a giggle bubbling out of her. “Oh my. I forgot where we were. Maybe we should…” She paused, uncertain what to say. What she wanted to say was they should go anywhere private. Immediately. The desire pumping through her was so powerful, she wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d tackled him right here without a thought for where they were.
“Go back to my place,” Eli finished her sentence.
She nodded with alacrity. He moved swiftly, turning and curling one of his warm, strong hands around hers as they walked to his truck. The moment they were in the truck, it felt as if the entire space was alive with electricity, snapping with the force of their desire.
16
Eli kicked the door shut behind him just as Jessa whirled around and shoved him against the door. She shimmied her lush body against him, slid a hand around his neck and yanked him down to meet her lips for a kiss. The lust pounding through him had been on pause during the short drive back to his house from the brewery. The second her tongue tangled with his, it thundered through him. The next few moments passed in a fumbled blur as they tore at each other’s clothes. One of his boots landed all the way over by the kitchen counter when he kicked it free, while Jessa’s jacket hung sloppily off the edge of the couch.
His breath came in heaves and he fought to keep some semblance of control. They hadn’t even moved away from the door yet. He leaned his head back and dragged his eyes open to find Jessa standing before him, making quick work of the buttons on his jeans and sliding her palm inside to stroke the length of his cock. Her shirt had been tossed aside, but her dark blue silk bra hugged the curves of her breasts, making him itch to touch her. He reached a hand out and stroked his thumb across the tight bead of her nipple through the silk only to groan when she shoved his jeans and briefs down around his hips to free his cock. The feel of her hand curling around him and sliding up and down buckled his knees. He braced a hand against the door behind him.
“Jessa,” he choked her name out.
“Hmmm?”
Her reply was smothered as she leaned forward and dipped her head to drag her tongue along one side of his shaft and then the other.
Whatever he’d meant to say next was lost in the maelstrom of need claiming him. He looked down at the sexy curve of her back. Every inch of her was beyond tempting. He kept one hand braced against the door because he couldn’t stand if he didn’t, while he dragged the other down along her spine to grip one of her hips. Meanwhile, she drove him beyond madness between her bold exploration of him—licking, stroking, and sucking until she finally took him all the way into her mouth, swirling her tongue as she did. She drew back, her fist stroking in a wet grip. He was teetering on the edge of control, so he reached for her, tugging her up.
Her smoky gaze collided with his, her lips plump and swollen. He kicked his jeans off while she shimmied out of her leggings. Somehow they made it to the couch. His rough and ragged breath mingled with her breathy pants. He found himself seated on the couch with Jessa straddling him in nothing but a scrap of dark blue silk matching her silky bra. He could feel the damp heat of her sliding against his cock as she rolled her hips slightly. He latched onto the barest thread of control and gripped her hips to hold her still.
She dragged a hand down his chest, those smoky eyes on him every second. He refused to be rushed just yet and eased his grip on her hips to slide his hands up her waist and cup her breasts. A sense of satisfaction rolled through him when she bit her lip and moaned as he teased her nipples through the silk. He dipped his head and laved his tongue over the silk, dampening it and biting a nipple lightly while he rolled the other between his fingers. When she arched into his touch, he couldn’t hold back anymore and flicked the clasp on her bra, groaning at the feel of her silky skin under his touch as her breasts tumbled loose. She flung her bra across the room and shifted her hips back to stroke her palm boldly over him.
“Hang on…” He glanced around, looking for his jeans where he’d made sure he’d tucked a condom into his wallet.
Jessa followed his gaze and leaned backwards to snag his jeans. He yanked his wallet out of the pocket and tore the condom out. She was ever helpful with trying to open the packet and roll the condom on, knocking her head with his in the process. Her eyes slammed up, and she giggled.
Her giggle nearly undid him. Though his body was practically on fire and so driven with need he could barely think, his heart gave a hard kick. Jessa had this way of reaching right to his heart without even trying. Her blithe warmth and bubbly nature knocked him sideways. The combination of that with her bold sensuality brought him to his knees—physically and emotionally.
He felt her shift against him again and the lust thundering through him took over. He reached between her thighs, stroking his fingers across the wet silk. Her eyes closed and she pressed down into his touch. He shoved the flimsy fabric aside and delved into her slick folds. She was restless, urging him on. He dragged his fingers out and positioned his cock at her entrance, driving in and seating himself to the hilt in one surge.
Jessa’s breath escaped in a soft moan when Eli filled her, stretching her deliciously. She held still, savoring the fullness. She was so close to the edge of a climax, she wanted to hold back because it felt
so good, so, so good to be with him like this. She didn’t quite recognize who she was with him. She wasn’t reserved sexually, but she’d never been as wildly turned on by anyone before. Simply touching him and any reserve she had fell away. All she wanted was to be close and to twine herself into the heartbeat of passion that pulsed and shimmered around them.
“Jessa…”
She looked up at his gruff whisper, straight into his heated green gaze. He lifted a hand, stroking it into her hair, as he started to move, rolling his hips slowly. She moved with him, tumbling into sensation. His hand tightened in her hair as he stroked deeper into her. She rose up, savoring the stretch as she sank down onto him again and again and again. Arrows of pleasure shot through her when he reached between them and circled her clit with his thumb. Tremors began to wrack her body as she chased after the sweet release, dancing just beyond her reach. Another swirl of his thumb and her release broke over her in wave after wave, her channel convulsing around him.
His hand tightened in her hair again, his body going taut and his head thrown back as a guttural cry broke from him. His head fell forward into the dip of her shoulder just as she curled against him. Her body still shuddering from the echoes of her climax, she lifted a hand and slowly stroked through his hair. They remained still, their breath slowing in unison. As the heat gradually dissipated, a shiver chased over her skin when she felt a soft breeze.
He loosened his hand in her hair, letting his palm slide slowly down her back. “Left a window open earlier,” he said, his voice husky.
She lifted her head to find his gaze on her, as if he’d been waiting. His mouth curled in a small smile, which she felt right in the center of her chest. Joy bloomed inside and she flushed. Another gust came through the window, sending goose bumps prickling over her skin.
Eli’s warm palm stroked in a circle before he shifted his hips, easing her up. She resisted for a second, not wanting to move away from him. “Just wanna close that window,” he said.
