Learning To Fly

by Melissa Snark

  His hand cupped her pussy, stroking the mound of burgundy curls. He wet his index finger within her silky folds. His finger sank to the first knuckle into her grasping heat, and he found her more than ready for him. With a shift of his hand, he stroked her hot core until she arched her hips in time with his hand. He swept all of his fingers along her cleft, opening her weeping folds so his thumb could strum her swollen clit.

  Cassie cried out and Kyle swallowed the sound with his mouth. She panted and her heart raced as his finger slid into her slick heat over and over. Her nipples formed hard peaks and perspiration shimmered upon her skin. Her skin felt tight from the heat and impatience drove her to squirm against the weight of his chest and the temptation of his teasing fingers. She growled to express her frustration with his slow pace. Climax was so close she could feel it, beckoning like a bright white star, elusive but so near, so full of promise. She clung to him with all of her strength, reaching for the orgasm he’d created in her core.

  “Please, Kyle. I need—” With a demanding thrust, her hips lifted from the mattress. She tugged at his hair and he laughed.

  He moved his hand again, thrusting into her with his fingers and feathering his thumb over her clit in a way that sent her straight over the edge into sweet oblivion. The orgasm struck hard and fast, forcing Cassie to turn her head into the pillow to smother her shout. An explosion of color and sensation overwhelmed her senses. Every muscle in her slender body convulsed so hard that it blended the pain into pleasure. She screamed his name in praise, begging for more, begging for mercy…

  Kyle’s voice, warm with affection and approval, reached her ears through the storm of passion. “God, you’re so beautiful. I love watching you come.”

  “Oh, that was—” Amazing. Stunning. Too big for words. She melted into a boneless pool. Perspiration coated her skin, and her hair clung to her face and shoulders in damp curls. She lay like a supple little cat with her limbs spread, hoping she could handle more.

  With a chuckle, he nuzzled her throat. She could feel his smile against her skin. “We’re not done yet, Red. Not even close.”

  Kyle pressed a kiss to her lips and Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck, savoring the way their bodies connected from chest to toes. He lay between her parted thighs, his erection pressing against her belly. “I always forget just how much bigger you are,” she said, wriggling around beneath him.

  “That’s easily fixed.” He spread his hands across her back and rolled, taking her with him. His iron-hard cock thrust against her—hot, hard, throbbing. She made a startled sound against his mouth, but was delighted to discover the advantages of her new position. She straddled his hips, balancing her hands on his chest, as her long burgundy tresses tumbled forward about her face.

  Cassie reached between them to grasp the base of his shaft, her thumb and middle finger measured his circumference, and then she weighed his heavy ball sack. He grunted with pleasure and the taut muscles of his washboard abs contracted, causing his shaft to twitch within her grip.

  She lifted her hips and positioned the head of his member against her weeping core, then sank onto his cock. Her eyes widened and she gasped at the unaccustomed sensation of being stretched. The head of his shaft felt huge as it entered her channel. Too many years of abstinence had left her tight and tender.

  “Easy, baby. Oh God, you’re tight.” Kyle’s face betrayed the strain of entering her body in slow degrees. His hands steadied her hips and slowed her descent. Inch by inch, she impaled herself upon his rigid cock, her pussy straining to accommodate his massive girth. The penetration was incredible, and at last he filled her. She sheathed his erection, enveloping him. She flexed the muscles of her pussy, and he moaned in reaction as her athletic body tightened about him.

  Cassie’s impatience and inexperience forced her into an uneven rhythm that left them both gasping. A short stroke here, longer there, rough and then gentle.

  “Red, you’re killing me.” His hands grasped her waist tighter and guided her into an even cadence. With a soft giggle, she acquiesced to his direction, rising slow and falling steady. Ah, but it was heaven.

  “I have a feeling you’ll live.” Cassie’s brow arched to tease as she sank even deeper onto his cock. Her entire body quickened, energizing him in turn. She loved his impatience, the restless bucking and lusty groans, as much as she admired the man’s formidable self-control. As she rose and fell, the pleasure built like the grand crescendo of a musical score, lifting her higher and higher. In Kyle’s arms, Cassie flew into the face of pleasure and soared high above the clouds.

  “Cassie.” He murmured her name, and she saw naked need in his features. His emotions, though unspoken, mirrored her own. More than just their bodies joined them together, although the union of cock and pussy came damn close to transporting them to paradise on earth, if ever there had been such a thing.

  “Oh, Kyle, I—” She dipped her head and pressed a searing kiss to his lips. It was like soul searching through a thick fog of pleasure, and then finding her other half. Did he feel the same?

  Cassie balanced her palms on Kyle’s slick chest to maintain her balance. Their skin stuck together everywhere and anywhere it touched. Spreading her thighs wide, she sank onto him again and he gave a ragged shout and surged against her. He penetrated deeper than ever before, and it felt as if the head of his cock had breached her womb as her clit brushed against his skin with just the right amount of pressure.

  “Oh God!” The fuse on her climax lit as she flexed and gyrated through the pleasure. The depth of the passion forced her eyes shut tight and she screamed as everything exploded. Kyle stiffened beneath her surging hips, his shout echoing her own, and he convulsed with his own release. Their bodies thrust together, no domination or submission, just the pursuit of mutual pleasure.

  ****

  “What do you think of this?” Cassie turned her sketchpad around so Kyle could examine the conceptual drawing of the new building. It was one of her first attempts to put her vision of his building to paper. She had sketched with the CAD image in mind, but embellished upon the structure, giving it life and soul.

  They sat together in his office at one of the drafting tables, so close that their arms and knees brushed. She cherished the easy intimacy they shared. In such a short time, he had become her other half. His dark brow knit in thought and he stared at it for several long seconds. He was quiet long enough for her to guess his impression. “You don’t like it.”

  Kyle looked up. “It’s not that. I love all of your drawings.”

  “What is it then?”

  “It’s just—” His hand made a turning motion, mirroring his thought process. Then he stopped and reached for a stack of blueprints. “This viewpoint has been covered in your study of the old cannery. What I’d like is a new perspective.”

  “I’ve covered every conceivable angle from the beach,” Cassie said. “The only thing left would be the water.”

  “Exactly.” Kyle located the blueprint he sought and pulled it out. He positioned the plans in front of them and smoothed out the edges. It was the ocean-facing side of the marine institute.

  “I could put the ocean in the foreground and then do the entire study of the new architecture from that angle. A juxtaposition of old against new.” She nodded her head. Her mind was already racing, considering the challenge.

  “Can you do it?”

  Cassie looked up, lost in thought, before replying. “Yes, but it would help if I could see that perspective in person.”

  Kyle’s lips formed a quirky smile and he touched her hand. “That can be arranged. How do you feel about sailboats?”

  “I think that sounds romantic. Do you know how to sail?” she asked.

  “You might say that.” He was way too smug for a man who knew just a little about sailing. His grin gave him away. “I own a sailboat,” he said. “If you want, next weekend we could go out on the bay and spend a few days out on the water.”

  Cassie squealed h
er consent. She caught Kyle’s shoulders and pulled him down to her. His lips were silken sin against hers. The kiss was wet and wicked, a merging of mouths, and a dueling of tongues. Common sense became lost and he pulled her from her chair and started toward the couch. Soon, nothing else would be accomplished for hours.

  The sound of a throat clearing interrupted them. Cassie and Kyle turned in unison to find Kieran in the doorway. Cassie flushed at the compromising position they’d been discovered in, but Kyle appeared unabashed.

  Of course, Kieran had approached cat-quiet, demonstrating his disturbing talent for sneaking around unnoticed. His tense posture communicated something dire, and Cassie’s stomach formed knots in anticipation.

  “What’s up?” Kyle asked.

  “A call came to the house,” Kieran said. “Shelly answered. It was an FBI agent calling himself Hugh Farrell. He said Lynch has been caught. Shelly didn’t get the name of his section or any other information before he hung up.”

  Cassie felt the blood drain from her face. She froze, unable to speak or move. Kyle regarded her with concern. “Isn’t that good news?” he asked.

  “No, it’s not.” Cassie reached out and caught Kyle’s hand in her own and clung to him for support. “Aside from the fact that the FBI doesn’t know where I am, Hugh Farrell is the name Lynch used to impersonate the FBI agent the first time he came after me.”

  “He’s taunting us,” Kieran said, vibrating with anger.

  Cassie nodded. “He’s smug and arrogant. He wants us to know he’s near and that he knows where I am.”

  “We’ll be ready for him.” Kyle’s tone was low and dangerous. For the first time ever, she could not have distinguished her lover’s voice from his twin’s. She shivered, disliking the notion that he possessed such a capacity for violence.

  “What are we going to do?” Cassie included herself in the need to plan. She could not sit by while others endangered themselves for her.

  “We set a trap,” Kieran said, “and we wait. Bait and switch should work.”

  The very suggestion scared her senseless. She crossed her arms and bit her lower lip. She wanted to help but the idea of playing dangerous games with a man like Simon Lynch…Thankfully, Kyle stepped in before she could formulate a strategy.

  “We’re not using Cassie as bait,” Kyle said, adamant in his refusal.

  “I wasn’t suggesting that we should.” Kieran cocked one dark eyebrow. His impersonal gaze swept over her. “I have a female employee about your height and weight.”

  “You’re going to ask Trish,” Kyle asked. The heat departed his expression, leaving behind only skepticism.

  “Trish can handle herself,” Kieran said.

  “Who’s Trish?” Cassie hated being out of the loop when it came to such an intimate matter.

  “Our cousin on our mother’s side. She’s a former marine.” Kyle eyed Cassie and then nodded agreement. “With the right clothes and a wig, Trish could pass for you from a distance.”

  Kieran flashed a wolfish grin. “No such thing as a former marine. Are we agreed then?”

  Cassie uncrossed her arms. She looked to Kyle, needing to verify that he wasn’t going to do something dangerous or stupid. “Kieran will be standing in for you?”

  “Yes.” Kyle inclined his head. From his expression, he was comfortable with his brother assuming the role of decoy. Given his agreement, she could see no reason to object.

  “I’ll go get something of mine for Trish to wear.” Cassie made her way to the doorway and glanced back.

  Kyle met her gaze. His brown eyes were full of confidence, and she used his strength to steady her own resolve. So far as plans went, this was better than doing nothing at all. She worried that the desperation driving her resolve might lead her to make bad decisions. She needed to finally feel safe.

  Marshaling her will, Cassie found her sense of purpose. She gave Kyle a nod and left to fetch the clothing. If she wanted a future with Kyle, she had to deal with her past. It was the only way.

  Until Kieran’s plan played out, they would wait.

  Chapter Ten

  Kyle stood outside of the enclosure but maintained a circumspect distance while Sal Malome, the veterinarian, inspected his feathery patient. The red-tail hawk wore a hood to keep her docile while she was being handled.

  Cassie sat on the edge of an old metal desk in the far corner of the aviary. She had her drawing tools on hand. Her pencil created scratching sounds as it flew across the paper. On the page, the raptor took shape in profile. She liked being present without feeling like an intruder. Kyle had included her in the hawk’s final fitness evaluation without being asked. It was funny how such a small act made her feel so much at home.

  Sal unwound the bandages about the hawk’s feet and dedicated a couple minutes to inspecting the healed talons before humming in satisfaction.

  “How does she look, Sal?” Kyle asked.

  Sal stood and exited the enclosure and Kyle swung the gate shut. “Good. Real good. She’s healed up just fine. You can go ahead and release her, Kyle.”

  “Thanks, Sal.” He offered his hand to the older man.

  “Where you planning on letting her go?” Sal asked.

  Kyle exchanged a glance with Cassie, and she mustered a smile for him. Her eyes were teary and her heart full of sadness. The hawk was a beautiful creature. Both of them would miss her, but it would all be worth it to see her airborne. Kyle spared the hawk a thoughtful glance. “I’ll release her tomorrow morning close to where she was found. I’ve got a mated pair on my land or I’d release her here.”

  “Sounds like a good thing. She’s a wild thing, meant to be free.” The vet smiled with a twinkle in his eyes and tipped his hat to Cassie. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Claeys.”

  She bounced to her feet and extended her hand to Sal. “It was nice to see you also, Dr. Malome.”

  They escorted Dr. Malome to his vehicle, a 70’s hunk of junk painted mint green with black racing stripes. The tires burned black smoke as the vehicle tore out of the driveway. Laughing hard, Cassie caught hold of Kyle’s arm.

  “Can I come with you tomorrow to release her?” She wrapped her small hands about his bicep. Touching him felt so right and brought her an indescribable sense of pleasure. The rightness of it only served to add emphasis to the constant unease eating at her—the fear that she stood to lose everything. The specter of Simon Lynch hung over her like a guillotine.

  “Of course.” He wrapped his hands about her waist and held her close. He bent to kiss her lips. Cassie closed her eyes and melted beneath his touch. Her mind was full of strange notions: beginnings and endings, things coming full circle, and whether she could forge a future with this strong, kind man.

  ****

  The next morning, Cassie accompanied Kyle to release the red-tail hawk. They parked the pickup truck at a scenic pull off and hiked on foot to the release site. It was a perfect morning—blue skies and billowy white clouds floating overhead.

  He chose a promontory overlooking the ocean and set the carrier down on a level patch of ground once they reached the edge of the cliff. Kyle donned heavy leather gloves and reached into the carrier to extract the bird. He then held her immobile while Cassie freed the bird of her restraints.

  “Do you have her?” Holding the hawk’s hood and jesses, she eased backward, taking great care with her footing on the rocky terrain. The last thing she needed was another inconvenient tumble down a hill.

  “I’ve got her.” Kyle held the hawk away from his body with her wings pinned. Freed of her restraints, the hawk emitted a grunting challenge. He raised his arms and held the raptor aloft so that her tawny plumage and golden eyes shone in the morning sunlight. Her tail feathers were rich russet and spread fan-like.

  Cassie laughed. “She’s ready to go.”

  “Hold tight, lovely lady.” He strode forward and Cassie fretted as he neared the drop off. He swung the raptor upward and outward, releasing the hawk into the sky. Below,
the ocean was a stormy gray with white crested peaks crashing against the cliff side.

  The hawk cried out as she gained her freedom. She spread her wings and beat the air, gaining altitude and momentum. The air current lifted her to new heights so she soared high above the cliff. Her tail was a russet splash against the blue sky.

  Cassie tilted her head back and shaded her eyes, squinting so as to not miss a second of the hawk’s flight. “Good luck…”

  She sniffed and blamed her watery eyes and runny nose to the sting of salt air and the brightness of the morning sun. Anything but the tightness of her heart in her chest. She would cherish this memory forever.

  Cassie realized that she had grabbed Kyle’s hand when he leaned in close and nuzzled her cheek. “Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

  She smiled past the tears. “I want to fly too.”

  He smiled and folded her fingers over his, then pressed a kiss against the back of her hand. “I love you, Red.”

  Cassie’s jaw dropped and she lost her ability to speak. They had never been closer than in this moment. Bodies, hearts, souls—united as one. In his eyes, she saw a powerful devotion and no expectations. He was strong, and he was confident. He loved without fear, without any guarantees.

  “Kyle, I—” Cassie fumbled for words, but he wasted no time. He captured her face between his hands, cupped her jaw, and claimed her mouth with his own. She clung to him, welcoming the reprieve while she attempted to organize her tumultuous thoughts. Her response should have been a no-brainer. It should have been easy, but it wasn’t, and she felt like such a coward.

  The persistent ring of Kyle’s cell phone ended the kiss. He checked the display. “It’s Kieran. I have to take this.”

  “I understand,” she said.

  He answered the call. “Yeah?”