Bigger Than the Sky (Serenity Point)

by Harper Bentley

  What the hell? I mean, I know what he’s doing, but after what we did at Jen’s, come on! He’s letting me call the shots here, waiting for me to make a move first. “Kade?” I call.

  He stops in the road and looks over his shoulder at me.

  “Um, if it’s not too much to ask, do you think you could… well, walk me in and kinda check around the place for me?” Nice first move, Amelia.

  At that, he comes back, his slate eyes staying on me the entire time and they’re brimming with what can only be interpreted as lustful amusement, if there is such a thing. He takes my hand and leads me into the station, his eyes not missing a thing as he looks around before locking the door behind him. We go to the back and up the stairs only to see that it’s vacant, and it’s so quiet that a sadness hits me at how alone I’ve been the past several years and I want to ask him to stay. But I don’t want to use him in that way (although using Kade Kelly in that way always does a body good) since I don’t know where my head’s at with us right now. I know I should just walk him down, watch him leave then go back upstairs to bed.

  “You good?” he asks, looking down at me, that look of amusement still on his face as he cuts his eyes at me when I take off my jacket and hang it up.

  I nod while biting my lip. “Thank you.”

  He turns to go, but then my brain’s suddenly slammed with a barrage of thoughts that jump around inside my head, like how nice he was to walk me up, how he’s been so sweet to me, how damned handsome he is and how friggin’ hot it was when his knee was between my legs tonight. Some very carnal thoughts of how we used to be also make an appearance, thoughts of how he’d made love to me, how it’d felt to be beneath his powerful body as he thrust deep inside me, and my mind is made up. I reach a hand out putting it on his corded forearm to stop him. When he turns back he raises an eyebrow as if challenging me to follow through, so I tiptoe up and lace my arms around his neck, pulling him down to brush my lips against his. It’s meant to be a fairly innocent gesture (kinda) until his hands clasp onto my waist and in one swift movement I’m pushed against the wall where he presses his hard body into mine (yes!).

  The kiss now gets wilder, hotter, and my hands are instantly everywhere on him, like they want to touch all they can, purchase every bit of Kade Kelly real estate that’s available, as they move down from his neck, over his shoulders, to his biceps, then across his chest and lower to trace his hard, sculpted abs.

  I’m really getting into this kiss and my perusal of his amazing body when he suddenly pulls away, looking down and narrowing his eyes at me. I know he wants me to tell him how I feel, but I can’t. All I can do is stare up at him while breathing hard because, damn, the man can kiss, and because, damn, I so need him to keep doing it. When my eyes move to his lips, I see them tip up at the sides, which makes me lick mine in anticipation. I hear him growl out a “Fuck,” and the next thing I know, he grabs me by my upper arms, picks me up and throws me on the bed where I bounce a couple times before he grips me by my ankles and pulls me to him.

  “Been wanting to get my mouth on that pussy,” he murmurs as he kneels in front of me and takes off my boots.

  Oh. My.

  I sit up and lean back on my hands, watching as his gray eyes move up, locking on mine while he slowly slides his hands up the insides of my thighs. One hand finds my center and he presses his thumb against me, moving it in circles making me drag in a breath. His other hand continues going up over my shirt to my breast where he brushes his thumb over my taut nipple then rolls it between his thumb and finger making my breath hitch once again.

  I close my eyes and my head falls back as I let out a moan that’s so loud and so filled with want that I should be embarrassed but I’m not, because what he’s doing to me feels so damned good that I’d moan out the Preamble to the Constitution if it means he’ll keep doing what he’s doing to me. His hand now glides up to my neck where he lightly wraps his fingers around my throat making me bring my head back up to look at him. I see the muscles of his jaws bunch then his hand at my neck gently pushes me back to where I lean on my elbows. Our eyes stay locked as his hand moves back down between my breasts then lower to unbutton my jeans and pull down the zipper. I lose his eyes as he uses both hands to grab my jeans by the waistband slowly gliding them down my legs, looking as if he’s opening a gift that he knows what’s inside but he wants to savor unwrapping it as much as he can.

  Upon seeing my lacy, black panties, his eyes spark with lust before he grabs them at the sides of my hips, jerking them down my legs and off then his hands are underneath me, pulling my hips up and his mouth is suddenly on me, making me cry out loudly. I fall back on the bed, one of my hands in a fist going to my forehead as I arch up off the bed. My other hand moves down and my fingers clasp into his hair as he thrusts his tongue out, flattening it as he laps at me.

  Dear God.

  I’ve forgotten how amazing it is to have his mouth on me, how he knows exactly how to use his tongue, how he knows precisely what to do to make me come hard for him. And that’s where I’m heading when he puts two fingers inside me, pushing into that spot that he knows drives me wild. He keeps this up until I’m ready to shatter when he stops and pulls back to look at me.

  “Kade! Oh, God, please, please don’t stop,” is my shameless, throaty plea.

  The smirk I get from him would be exasperating if my mind wasn’t on other things, like the fact that I’m ready to explode. After a few seconds, he drops his head again, and not taking any chances of him stopping, I wrap the fingers of both my hands into his hair holding him to me as he continues to tease me a bit longer with his tongue, his fingers, bringing me to the edge. I’m sure I’m probably about to pull all his hair out as my fingers grasp it even more tightly as I grind my hips against him, but I can’t help myself.

  “So fucking sweet,” I hear him say before he sucks my clit with that talented mouth of his and I can’t take it any longer as I completely split into a million pieces right there on my bed, climaxing so strongly, I feel as if I’m no longer in my body, as if I’ve just checked out.

  When I finally come back to myself, I see he’s standing, gazing down at me, his face varying degrees of male satisfaction and hunger. The huge bulge behind his fly tells me he wants more. I smile blissfully up at him and extend a hand in invitation for him to join me, but he cants his head to the side and a smug look crosses his features.

  “Call me when you’re ready for all of me,” he says and leaves.

  ~~~

  I lie there and blink a couple times. Did that really just happen? Did he just walk out?

  Yep. I’m pretty sure he just did. The man does have some remarkable restraint for real. Or he has someone lined up to help un-restrain him later. And that thought kills my post-orgasmic buzz.

  I know he’s going back to Jen’s to get Brody who’s probably tying one on big time due to his earlier encounter with Piper. Poor Brody. And while he’s there, Kade’ll probably run into Peyton. And end up taking her home. And I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to help assist him with his little, or what I know is a not so little, problem. Greeeeeat.

  Because I can’t leave well enough alone (and I’m still not ready to let my aspirations of being a P.I. die), I get up and dress, and grabbing my jacket, hustle downstairs to go check things out. Pulling my keys from my jacket pocket, I lock the store and walk up the street, making sure to stay in the shadows. When the door to Jen’s opens, I jump quickly into the cover of Sanderson Insurance Agency’s doorway and watch from across the street as Kade comes out with an arm around Brody who’s completely trashed and another around Peyton who’s acting like she’s wasted but knowing her it’s probably just another act to get his attention. I tell myself he’s just being nice. He’ll take her home and that’ll be the end of it. I hope.

  He walks them both down the street toward his store where his truck’s parked and I follow stealthily. When they get to his truck, he opens the passenger door
and helps Peyton in first. Then he practically has to pick Brody up and shove him inside, but only after he finally gets hold of him because Brody’s been performing, playing air guitar, making the base riff sound with his mouth to Ozzy’s “Crazy Train” (Dun dun! Dun dun, dun dun, dun dun!) and boasting to Kade that he should join his band because he could “so fucking rock the shit out of everyone” if he did.

  I make it to the overhang at my station and have to bite my lips to stifle a giggle as Brody starts screaming the “Aye, aye, aye, aye” part while still jamming out on his “guitar.” Kade stands with his hands on his hips and watches him and I know he’s rolling his eyes which makes me snort quietly. When he finally gets Brody in and closes the passenger door I see him let out a deep breath. Now I keep my eyes on him as he goes around, gets in the truck and starts it. It’s dark inside so I can’t see all that clearly, but I’m pretty sure I see things all too well when Peyton wraps her arms around his neck and lands a big one on him. But what really shocks me is that he doesn’t pull away.

  I wait for him to move away. And wait. And wait some more. Then I stand there stunned and all I can think is, he just had his mouth on me not thirty minutes ago and he’ll probably be doing the same to her in ten! Annnd this makes me want to puke.

  Brody protests and Kade finally pulls away from her and I watch as she reaches a hand up to his mouth, probably wiping lipstick off him.

  I also watch as Kade backs out and heads out of town toward Brody’s house, which means he’s not taking Peyton to hers.

  I’m still watching when the street is empty and the disbelief of what I just saw becomes reality, and I know that my cluelessness over Kade and me has ended and I just want to go home to Richmond.

  Chapter 12

  I’m up early the next morning. I’ve already burned my lip on my coffee, stubbed my toe on one of my new end tables and banged my head on a counter when I stood up too quickly from underneath it. It’s definitely a Monday.

  I’ve opened the garage doors to air the place out some and I’m standing outside testing one of the air hoses when a car pulls up and a man I don’t know steps out. He’s very good looking, dressed in a navy suit with a blue striped tie, his blond hair has fashionably spiked bangs and I just know his tan skin is from a tanning bed not from working outside like Kade does.

  Ugh. Kade.

  I frown because I’ve told myself I’m not going to think about him again. Ever. Ever ever ever. But just as I remind myself of this, I look over at his store and see him in the window moving some inventory around, pointing across the room for Mike to move something, and I want to walk over there and give him a big fat piece of my mind about what happened last night. I’m still staring across the street when Suit Guy speaks, getting my attention.

  “Hi. Dax Baker.”

  Ah, so this is the guy Peyton was cheating on her husband with. Mr. Mayor himself. The huge smile on his face makes me have to blink a couple times because his white teeth are almost blinding in the early morning October sun. I take the hand he’s holding out and say, “Oh, sorry. Amelia Hale-Chapman.” His hand is so soft and I’m tempted to ask what kind of lotion he uses.

  “Nice to meet you, Amelia. Just thought I’d come by and introduce you to the mayor,” he says with a wink. “So, you’re fixing up Jean and Elliot’s place, huh?” We turn and face the garages.

  “Yes. Hoping to, anyway. I’ve got to go in this morning to check on my permits.”

  “I saw them go across my desk on their way to the City Planning Commission,” he says with a grin. Even though he’s very handsome, his grin is a little smarmy and he’s kind of giving me the creeps, especially when he puts his hand at the small of my back and leans in close saying rather suggestively, “I can put the fast track on things if you’d like.” He does some kind of tickle thing with his fingers on my back and I freeze. What the hell?

  “Uh, I’m sure everything will go through fine,” I reply, moving away a little. His touch makes me want to take another shower. Ick.

  “Well, how ‘bout I nudge things along for you,” he says with another wink. He leans toward me and says with a sly look, “Need to get back to the office. A mayor’s job is never done.” He chuckles and takes my hand between both of his. “It was very nice meeting you, Amelia.” He leers at me suggestively for a moment before letting it go and turning to go to his car.

  Yep. Definitely going to need another shower. I watch him leave and happen to glance across the street to see Kade standing at the window, hands on his hips watching me with a scowl.

  I raise my eyebrows at him and give him my best “What are you looking at?” sassy face then spin on my heel and go back inside the garage.

  ~~~

  By noon I’m pretty pleased. I’ve had five guys and one woman come by to pick up applications for the mechanic positions and an older couple who owned a quick stop in a small town a few hours from here who would like to manage the station.

  I realize I haven’t eaten all morning and now a roast beef sandwich from Mags’ is calling me, so I walk up the street to the diner and I’m greeted immediately when I walk inside.

  “Amelia! That’s two days in a row!” Mags hollers out from a table where she’s taking an order.

  I blush when everyone in the place turns to look at me, but I smile and nod at her. I walk to the front counter where her husband Frank is working the register. His face lights up with a big smile when he sees me, and after he checks out the couple who was paying, he comes out from behind the counter. He’s not a big man, just a little taller than my five and a half feet, and he probably weighs only twenty pounds more than I do, maybe a good one-forty. He has a sweet, taciturn demeanor about him that I know works so well in his career. I’ve seen him dog whisper even the most ill-tempered canines into submission with his softly quiet voice a few times.

  “Amelia! Maggie said you were in town! So good to see you, sweetheart!” He wraps his arms around me in a hug.

  “Hi, Frank,” I reply as I hug him back hard.

  God, they’re the best people. I forgot that he closes down the veterinary clinic every weekday for an hour to come help Mags with the lunch crowd. When he pulls back, he keeps his hands on my upper arms. “I’m glad you’re here. Serenity Point is where you belong, you know.”

  I smile weakly at him, not sure if he’s right. “We’ll see,” I say with false enthusiasm.

  “Bah. You’re a hometown girl.” He winks at me. “Now, what can I get you, hon?”

  I order and pay for my sandwich then sit on the little bench next to the register waiting. I look around the place and shake my head in awe. Every booth and table is full and there are still people waiting to be seated. Maggie’s is a real-life legend. As I look around, I recognize several people I’ve known for years who smile and nod at me and I do the same in return. Hm. I wonder if Frank’s right about my being a hometown girl. I have felt welcome since I’ve been back, Peyton being the only exception. I’m inspecting my fingernails as I’m pondering if I’d be happy moving back here, when the bells on the door go off for what seems to be the hundredth time since I walked in. Glancing up, I lock eyes with Kade. Great. His narrow for a few seconds and I can tell he’s not too pleased with me, probably because of my encounter with Mr. Mayor earlier. Oh, and maybe the sass that I threw in, but whatever. I can flirt with whomever I want. I mean, he was making out with Peyton last night, so why should I give a crap.

  I watch him walk smoothly toward me, his long strides eating up the space between us, and have to remind myself to breathe. His body in motion is definitely a sight to see.

  “Here we are, Amelia,” Frank says as he comes out of the kitchen with my sandwich in a bag.

  Sweet! Frank saved me from an awkward encounter with Kade. I so want to kiss him right now. I thank him and turn to leave and come up short because Kade’s right there. Jeez.

  “Uh… excuse me,” I mumble looking up into his steely eyes.

 
“By all means,” he replies acerbically, his eyes piercing mine as he sweeps a hand out to his side. Yep, he’s pissed.

  Of course, I have to rub a little salt in the wound, so I smile sweetly at him and answer, “Thank you, Kade,” then make my way around him, heading toward the door.

  “Are we going for three tomorrow?” Mags hollers out at me.

  I turn with a smile and nod before leaving.

  ~~~

  After lunch, I walk to the mayor’s office to meet with the Director of City Planning to get my permits in order. He’s an old friend of Papaw’s, and everything has gone through without a hitch, thank goodness. When I go back to the station, a few more people show up to pick up applications and at five, I put up the “Closed” sign. Overall, it’s been a pretty successful day.

  “Hey, Cass,” I say when my phone rings.

  “You up for some barbecue and beer?” she asks.

  “You bet,” I answer.

  “Then get your ass out here now,” she orders with a laugh.

  “Yes, ma’am! I’ve got to clean up but I’ll be there in thirty. Um, Kade’s not gonna be there, is he?”

  “Only if you want him to be.”

  “Nope.”

  “Then it’s just us girls,” she says before hanging up.

  I take a shower and dress then head her way. She lives in a doublewide trailer on the same five acres Brody does, his trailer sitting on the front two acres and hers on the back.

  “Knock, knock,” I say as I walk inside to the glorious smell of all things barbecue. “God, it smells great, Cass!” She’s in the kitchen putting pork ribs onto plates along with baked beans and homemade coleslaw. “I need to do anything?”

  “Get me another beer,” she says with a chuckle as she carries the plates to the table.

  I open the fridge and reach inside to grab a couple bottles taking them to the table where she’s already seated, handing her a bottle and sitting down.

  She holds her bottle up. “Here’s to hot make out sessions with hot guys,” she says with a wicked grin, clinking her bottle to mine.