by Lily Bishop
Lindsey didn't know how she would dismount. She looked at the distance she was from the ground, then at her feet. She didn't think she could do it without a stool, but then Ric took her by the waist and helped her swing her leg over. He acted as if she weighed nothing at all.
After she dismounted, Lindsey turned and saw the picnic table with a woven basket and two coolers. The rustic table made of carved redwood blended into the area near the waterfall. The round table included two attached round bench seats.
“How did this all get here?”
“Stan and his wife arranged it for me. What do you think?”
Lindsey leaned up and kissed Ric, barely touching her lips to his. “You’re amazing.”
He squeezed her in a quick hug. “What can I say? You inspire me. Let’s see what goodies they gave us.”
In the basket, Lindsey found a tablecloth and she spread it out over the table. She also found two cushions, which she added to the bench seats. Stan’s wife Stella had provided real china and cutlery.
Lindsey set the table, impressed by everything Stella had sent. A silver salt and peppershaker. Oversized silver spoons and a serrated knife. As she set out the dishes, warning bells clanged in her head like an old-fashioned fire station. Why would he set all this up in a secluded location?
What if Ric proposed? She knew that was what he wanted, and she would have to tell him no. Oh, God, how could she tell him no? What would she do?
Her hands shook as she lined up the forks and folded cloth napkins over the plates.
“So, what do we have?” she asked, her voice masking the fear she felt.
“It looks like fried chicken and a selection of salads.”
He lined up the plastic bowls in the center of the table, each a different color and added spoons to each one. She found potato salad, pasta salad, fruit, potato chips and sour cream dip.
“Wow. This is a picnic.”
“Can’t have my girl going hungry.”
Lindsey sat down and began fixing them both plates. “Is that what I am, Ric? Your girl?”
He glanced up and smiled. “You’re so much more than that, but we have to start somewhere.”
“True.” She took a bite of corkscrew pasta. “Mmmm. This is good. I don’t even like cold pasta, but this one actually has flavor.”
Ric pulled apart a roll and made a sandwich with roasted chicken. Lindsey nibbled on a piece of cheese. She took a fat purple grape and reached toward him. He leaned forward, and she traced the grape around his lips before she popped it in.
“I’ve never met a man like you,” she said. “Every other man wants something from me. You’re content to let me just be.”
“Content is overstating,” he said, his lips quirking. “But I understand you need time.” He fed her a piece of cheese and another bite of honeydew. She took his finger in her mouth and sucked. He drew in a deep breath, shuddering just a little as he let it out.
That hung in the air, just a little bit awkward. “So what made you decide on a picnic?”
“I wanted you to get a feel for the property, and you’ve been so busy finishing the semester, you needed a break.”
“That’s the truth. I definitely need a break.”
“Speaking of breaks, have you decided what you’re going to do for Christmas? I still want you to come down to Calliope.”
Lindsey continued filling her plate, but she didn’t look up. Not just yet. She didn’t know what to say.
She realized that Ric was waiting for her answer, so she had to say something. “I don’t know yet. I usually spend the holidays with Laura. She and Fox will probably be having Christmas at their house in Atlanta. If it weren’t for that, I’d love to come to Calliope.”
“Well, let me know. If you can’t, maybe I can come up after Christmas, and we can spend some time together.”
“I’d like that too,” Lindsey echoed. She thought he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t.
“Can you really see yourself here? Giving up the island? You’ve been part of an island all your life. Not a lot of ocean up here.”
Ric shrugged. “There are many issues I have to consider, but I’m ready to expand beyond the island. Of course, Buck says he wants to sell, but he may not be ready. It’s still early.”
“What exactly do you want to do with the horse farm? Stan talked about an expansion?”
“We're still running the numbers. I’ve considered a riding school, to supplement the reiners, and I might breed quarterhorses. There’s a good bit of recreational horseback riding in this area, and good trails. That, combined with a fencing academy, should keep the pace in the black.”
He had thought everything out. Love rushed inside of her. Ric was considering her feelings and actually thinking about moving off the island.
They finished the picnic with a couple of slices of cake and then mounted the horses to go back. They stored everything in the cooler, where someone would collect it later.
Lindsey couldn’t remember when she had had so much fun. At one point, she had thought Ric would propose, but he had stopped short of that each time. At first she had wondered how she would tell him no. Now she was second-guessing that decision, and found herself wishing he had asked.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Dinner and Then Some
As they cleared the table from dinner, Ric lifted the almost empty bottle of wine.
"There's not enough to save," he explained. "Do you want a bit more?"
“Sure, I’ll take another glass. I don’t have anywhere to be.”
In her note, the housekeeper had said that to leave the dishes for her, so Lindsey retreated to the den. She stretched like a cat before she sat down on the sofa.
Ric brought her the refilled glass and sat down beside her. This might be her favorite wine of all the ones he had given her. He had said it was a shiraz from Australia. She had smelled a distinct bouquet of blackberry. He told her he could also pick out currant and pepper. Lindsey only smelled blackberry. And wine.
Ric had turned off most of the lights. The lamp in the foyer gave the den enough light that they wouldn’t trip over each other. Lindsey wanted to sit closer, wanted to initiate contact, but she didn’t know how. After he had told her no the night before, she didn’t need that debate again.
“Why do I feel really awkward?” she said after a minute.
“No need.” He lifted her across his lap as if she weighed nothing. With her back against the arm of the couch, she could still reach her wine and she could still see his face.
His hand on her hip kept her balanced. She relished the heat that he generated. She took another sip of wine and then set it down.
“You keep getting me to try new stuff. Don’t be surprised if I get addicted.”
“You’re talking about the wine, right?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, the wine,” she lied, grabbing him by the back of his neck and pulling him toward her. She couldn’t get enough of his scent. She craved the taste of him.
She loved the strength in him, knowing he was holding her. His arms felt solid around her, as if he would never let her go. She so needed this. She so needed him.
“There’s something I forgot to tell you last night.” She leaned over to pepper his neck with kisses.
“What’s that?” His voice sounded tight, as if he were barely holding it together.
“I went on birth control last month.”
“You went on birth control,” he echoed. She could almost feel the control humming in his muscles.
“Yes, sir. Sure did.” She slipped her hand between them and rubbed the hard ridge she found in his pants. “I got the implant. It should give me a few years without worrying about taking a pill every day or getting pregnant.”
He groaned. “You are making it difficult for me to respect your innocence—”
“I don’t want you to respect it. I want you to take it.”
She would have scrambled off him, but he held her
still.
“Not yet. No rush.”
“I want everything. Full speed ahead,” she answered, grinding into him.
He chuckled, a warm sound that stoked her fires even further. “I promise. Everything. And more.”
She wanted to argue her point, but he kissed her again and she forgot why she wanted to rush him. When he squeezed and kneaded her breasts, her nipples tightened in response.
How did she not know that he could make her gasp out of need for him? She threw her head back, just to get a breath, and he surged to her neck, finding a pressure point just below her ears. When he kissed her there and tickled with his tongue, her nervous system sang with joy. Tingles rushed through her until she thought they would burst through her skin.
“I keep dreaming about you and I wake up on fire,” she told him.
“I haven’t slept through a night in six months for dreaming of you.”
#
What had he done to deserve such a woman? Ric eased her off him and stood, and then he lifted her in his arms. He kept kissing her—she tasted wonderful, of wine and summer in the dead of winter.
He was torn—he wanted her more than he had ever wanted any woman before, but he didn’t want her to regret anything. He sensed last night that he had hurt her feelings, but her first time shouldn't be rushed. At the waterfall, he had almost asked her to marry him, but instinct told him she wouldn’t say yes. Not yet. His father had always told him not to ask that question unless he knew the answer. He always said a man and a woman couldn’t recover if she said no.
He laid her on the bed and pulled back the cover. He nudged his boots off with his feet and took the time to unzip her brown leather boots and slide them off.
He wished he had brought more wine into the bedroom. He needed to slow things down and quickly, or he would be too much for her. He stretched out beside her and pulled her into his arms so they were both on their sides facing each other.
“You are amazing,” he whispered. His hand slipped beneath her shirt so he could rub her back. She wore a crisp button-down shirt with a tank top beneath it. He didn’t feel a bra strap. He reached around the front and found one of her pert little nipples. It was already on high alert, but it tightened even more under is fingers.
He had to see them. He let her lay back and unbuttoned her shirt until only a thin camisole lay between him and his goal. Her hands followed his, trying to help but getting in the way.
He took her hands and pulled them above her head until they touched the iron headboard.
“Hold your hands up here, out of the way. I’ve got this,” he added, when she looked like she would protest.
The shirt finally open, he pushed the camisole up until it framed her tits like a curtain. Beautiful, dusty pink nipples stared at him, daring him to give them attention. He tweaked one with his fingers while he leaned in and circled the other with his tongue. She gasped at the twin assault, and he took that as a sign to keep going.
“You like that, baby?” he asked, cooing to her.
“Yes,” she ground out, and he felt her hands on the back of his head.
“No, ma’am, put your hands back or I stop.”
She whimpered, but did as he asked. He was so turned on, if her hands roamed where she wanted, he’d embarrass himself on the sheets.
“These are perfect for me,” he whispered.
“They’re too small.”
“No ma’am, perfect. I’ve got just the amount I want. Right here.”
#
How could he just stop? Ric had been giving her breasts attention and then stood up abruptly. She was about to protest until she realized he was pulling off his jeans. His shirt and undershirt came next until all he wore was the boxer briefs. Her eyes widened when she saw the way his erection jutted out.
“I worried you were quitting,” she said when he lay back down.
“Those pants were doing some serious damage. Your fault,” he added.
“I can tell.” She touched him through his underwear and felt him jump to greet her.
“And that’s why I kept my pants on so long.”
“What? I can’t touch you?”
“Not if I’m going to keep my sanity and make this good for you. We need to go slow, make sure you’re ready.”
“Every fiber of my being tells me to hurry…”
“I know, but you have to fight that urge. There will be time for rough and ready sex after your body is used to the idea. If we do that now, it could hurt you even more than you’re ready for.”
He slid up on the bed and kissed her, one hand rubbing her breast, his elbow taking most of his weight. She could relax without having to stretch toward him, and she let herself enjoy his touch.
At that thought, she smiled beneath his kiss. The nervousness she had felt earlier had faded.
The hand that was on her nipple slipped lower and of its own volition her hand moved to block. He stopped at her stomach and soothed her. “It’s just me,” he said. “You know I won’t hurt you.”
She nodded against him, squeezing her eyes tight. She had been feeling so good. Now the coldness was back, the freeze that had shut her down every single time.
“Deep breath, sweetie. Deep breath. I’ve got you.”
She kept her eyes closed and breathed deep as he spoke. He unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them past her hips. She expected him to slide her panties down at the same time, but he left them in place.
His hand skimmed her stomach. She sucked in a breath fast, but he danced around her navel and then returned to her breast. When he started nibbling and sucking, Lindsey lost herself in the moment as the cold fear receded.
“You still with me, Princess?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m here—”
“Don’t overthink it. If you want me to stop, all you have to do is tell me. I’ll go take a cold shower.”
“Oh, God, I don’t want you to stop,” she said, then squealed when he brushed her nipple with his teeth. He swallowed her squeal with a kiss.
This time when his hand slipped down, her hand didn't chase him. He went under her panties and cupped her mound. She arched into him, not even realizing what she was doing.
“That’s it baby,” he cooed, sliding her panties down. She felt him take off his boxers, and she cupped his ass with her hands, squeezing. He murmured his pleasure, leaning into her. His cock rubbed against her, arousing her even more. “You like that?” he asked when he dry humped her, letting her feel the rhythm without penetration.
“I need more,” she whispered, breathing through the need. She knew now what it felt like, that determination to have him inside her. It went beyond anything she had felt before. She needed to have him.
He rolled off her until there was a little bit of space and kissed her again. She felt his finger sliding down her mound, rubbing her in circles that got smaller with each turn. She wanted to slide his finger exactly where she needed it, but he might think she wanted him to stop. So she waited.
She stretched up and pushed onto his finger, gasping when he added a second finger and plunged inside. She was wetter than she ever remembered being, slippery wet as he slid in and out. She felt full, but thought she could take more. She needed more. He plunged in and out with his fingers, readying her for him.
She looked up, and in the dark room, lit only by the nightlight in the bathroom, she saw the love in his expression.
“Make me yours, Ric. Only yours.”
She felt him at her entrance, probing, readying himself. He was big. Much bigger than his two fingers. He eased in. Lindsey held still, surprised by the burning sensation. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to breathe past it.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “Just do it.”
He moved slowly, letting her get accustomed to his size. The burning eased. She shifted a little bit and felt him push in more.
“Better?”
“Better.”
Using a vibrator a few times couldn’t compa
re to the sense of fullness she felt now. The sense of being invaded by another. She gloried in his power and knew that he would use every bit of it to protect her. He reached between them and rubbed her clit, circling it with his finger. She felt herself open up even more. This was nothing like the violence she had experienced before. This was something completely different, something magical.
“You’re so tight,” he whispered. He moved again, and this time, the pain receded quickly. She could tell he was holding back.
“I want all of you,” she whispered.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, all of you.”
She closed her eyes and gripped his back. She gasped as he plunged all the way in. Her eyes watered and she couldn’t get her breath.
“Breathe,” he whispered. “The pain will fade.” He held still and waited. She felt the tension in his arms, felt the control he enforced to go slow for her. She moved her hips, just a little, and the movement helped.
“That’s better,” she whispered.
He started with slow thrusts, introducing her body to the foreign movements. She felt like she was learning a new dance.
She didn’t know when the burning stopped and the flushing started. She felt like her entire body was on fire. He reached between them again, circling her clit. She bucked up, meeting his thrust. He pressed harder with his fingers, and she felt the fire rush up in waves and then dissipate just as quickly. She panted at the sensation, not sure what happened. When he froze above her, she felt him finish inside of her.
When he rolled off her, he carried her with him so that she was partially on top of him. “Are you okay?” he asked. “I hope the pain wasn’t too much. It shouldn’t hurt again.”
“I’m okay,” she said, but she couldn’t hold back a sob. She wasn’t upset, but she felt tightly wound.
He took her in his arms. “I’m sorry baby,” he said, whispering.
“I’m fine. It will all be fine.” She took a deep breath and the urge to burst into tears passed. She had known the first time would hurt. She just didn’t expect to feel so raw emotionally.
“A shower will make you feel better,” he said. “Come on.”
