I pointed back toward the cliff. “Should we go to that enclosure you mentioned?”
Andrew spared a glance at the palisades and then shook his head. “No. I don’t care. If someone comes, they can just leave. Who gives a shit?”
I couldn’t have agreed more, and we crashed into each other once again, the force of his body nearly knocking me backward. His lips were on mine as his hands roamed over my back, then my ass. Too soon, he broke the kiss and made his way over my body. Then, it wasn’t too soon as I was captured by his lips on my collarbone, as his tongue traced the edge, then down to my nipple, licking, sucking, giving little tugs.
Then he was on his knees, my cock in his mouth, my hands in his hair. I spared a glance away from him, for a second. Taking in the sea, the cliffs, the hint of lavender at the top before the walls of stone gave way to sky and sun.
And I was home.
By the sea. By the cliff.
But most of all, with him. This man was my home.
I cupped his cheek with my hand and pulled my cock gently from his mouth, then knelt in front of him, offering one more kiss before looking into his eyes again. “I need you inside me.”
He jerked. “You need—”
“Yes, Andrew. Please.”
He didn’t question or speak again, but kissed me, then put his weight on me so we both slowly lowered to the blanket. I landed softly on my ass, and Andrew was between my legs, then covering me, kissing me again. Then he pulled away to look down at me. “You’re so beautiful, Joel.” He was silhouetted against the sun, the outline of his muscles sharp against the backdrop of the sky.
I needed him.
“Be in me, Andrew. Make love to me.” Even as the words left my lips, they sounded foreign to my ears and caused me to suck in a breath.
Andrew’s entire body froze. His arms on either side of my head as he supported his weight. His hips against mine, his erection flush with my own, our legs tangled. “You okay? Freak yourself out?”
Hell yeah, I had.
“Want me to stop?”
I considered for a heartbeat then doubled down. “No. I want you to make love to me.”
He sighed, and it sounded like relief. “I love you, Joel.”
I tried to say it again, but I couldn’t, not that it made it any less true.
Andrew repositioned and started to take me into his mouth once more, his hand tracing over my balls and moving lower between my legs.
“No.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “Don’t wait.”
He glanced up, staring over my body at me, and the sunlight fell over his face. “Don’t you need me to get you ready? It doesn’t seem like you take this position often.”
“I don’t. It’s been… forever, but I’ll be fine, just go slow.” If we waited, I’d either come or I’d freak out and change my mind. But I wanted him inside me. Wanted to be his in a way I’d never really been anyone else’s. “Please. I need you now, Andrew.”
“Okay. You don’t have to ask me twice.”
I let loose a half-crazed laugh. “Apparently I do.”
He paused and then laughed as well. “Yeah, I guess so.” Shifting, he reached over and retrieved the lube and condom. “You’re not going to have to ask a third time.” He dropped the lube bottle and had to scurry to catch it as it rolled away.
I laughed. He was so fucking adorable. “Oh my God, Andrew Kelly, will you get inside your man?”
“Yes, sir!” After he captured the bottle and was back in place, he ripped open the condom, sheathed himself, and then went a little overboard on the lube, coating his cock and taking precious seconds to do the same to my ass, slipping the tip of his thumb inside me.
I arched, hissing. But I managed a floppy wave of my hand against the blanket. “It’s okay. Go slow, but give me your dick already.”
He removed his thumb, and I stilled as he adjusted, drawing his body up to mine and lining himself up. “Breathe, baby.”
Right. Breathe.
I did. And he breached me, the tip of him pushing in and setting my body on fire. My hands shifted their grip from the blanket to his thighs, squeezing his hard muscles tight. I wasn’t going to be able to do this. I’d been wrong.
“Keep breathing.” His hand came up to smooth over my chest. “Look at me.”
I hadn’t even realized I’d slammed my eyes shut. I opened them and breathed. Then did as he asked and looked into his eyes. My body relaxed somewhat at the reminder of who was above me. Of his beauty, of how much I wanted him. Of the love I saw in the depths of his gaze.
I was ready. More than ready.
He smiled and pushed in more.
Another hiss and I tightened around him, though not intentionally.
He sucked in a breath. “Holy fuck, Joel.”
The lust in his voice did more than the lube could. I readjusted slightly, letting my legs open to him and then hook around his hips.
Andrew stared into my eyes as he slowly pushed the rest of the way in, stretching me, filling me. The depth in those blue eyes revealing every ounce of love and lust he felt.
Keeping himself buried deep, he lowered his body over mine, the hair of his chest caressing over my tingling skin, and he kissed me, his tongue slipping inside.
I gave myself over to him entirely, and he began to move. His cock slid, pulling partly out and then shoving back in with slow, agonizing force, stretching me in a painfully intoxicating way as his tongue explored my mouth, caressed my tongue.
Every so often, the pressure was too much, but then he would shift, easing the pain, his movement hitting a different spot inside and sending jolts of pleasure through my body.
He built a rhythm, rocking me on the shore until there was nothing in the world save him. His lips, his cock, his muscled body moving against mine with masculine grace. He broke the kiss, staring into my eyes again. “I love you.”
The words came easy this time. “I love you too.”
Andrew rose to a better kneeling position and increased the speed of his thrust, his hands slipping behind my thighs and securing me in his grip. “Stroke yourself, Joel. Come for me while I’m in you.”
I wasn’t sure I could take any more sensation, but I did as he asked, wrapping my fist around my dick and stroking in time with his thrusts. The sensation of him filling me up, the pressure of his strong hands on my skin, the grunts and growls he made as he thrust—I got lost in it all. It was probably just a matter of seconds, much sooner than I wanted, but I couldn’t hold back, not with the sight of him over me, the feel of him deep inside. “Fuck, Andrew. Fuck.”
At my panted curses, he pushed my thighs open farther and increased his speed, pounding into me. “Come for me, baby. Come for me.”
With a cry, I did, my orgasm rocketing through me, the power of it with Andrew thrusting into my body, making me arch my head back as jets of come shot over my chest, and against my jaw.
Above me, Andrew cried out in his own release, his fingers tightening on my thighs as he pumped again and again. Finally, he was still, frozen there as we both trembled in aftershocks, until his body relaxed. He lowered my legs and pulled himself free.
I wanted him back. Buried deep. Filling me. Completely joined with me.
Even as I mourned the loss of him, he leaned over, doing something with the condom, then lay on his side by me, supporting his head on one hand and lifting the other to trace my stubble. “Trying to show off, huh?”
I chuckled. “Maybe.”
Dipping his head, he ran his tongue over my jaw in a playful lick, cleaning me off. Then he grinned down at me once more, a devilish expression I hadn’t yet seen from him. “Well, I approve.” His smile turned serious. “Are you okay?”
I wasn’t sure if he meant physically or if I was about to jump up and bolt away. “I’ll probably be sore tomorrow.”
“You’d better be. I’ll be insulted if you aren’t.” He laid his hand on my chest, over my heart, whether intentional or not. “But you’re okay?”<
br />
I felt exposed, scared. And happier than I could ever remember being. “Yes. I’m okay.” I could tell there was something else he wanted to ask. Maybe something he needed to say. I knew what it was. I tested the words in my mind before I spoke them. These wouldn’t be caused by the heat of the moment. “I love you.”
The smile that followed made the beach, the cliffs, and every blossom of every lavender flower fade to gray in comparison. “I love you too.”
After a while, we put our clothes back on. Well, our underwear actually, just in case some tourists wandered by. What we’d done would still be obvious, but at least we wouldn’t get arrested for indecent exposure.
I lay on my back, Andrew’s head on my chest, as had already become habit. I traced his shoulder and arm with one hand and occasionally lifted my other to run my fingers through his hair.
At some point, I realized he’d fallen asleep, and I felt strangely alone in his absence.
Clouds moved overhead, and as each one passed, thoughts crowded into my mind. And though they brought more questions, and more fear, a shining light cut through each.
I loved Andrew Kelly.
Like full on loved him. Not a crush. Not anything I’d felt before. Ever.
And I wasn’t going to give him up.
The coffee shop was easy. No plans needed to change. The property would be mine tomorrow. The company’s property, actually, but whatever. I’d still find the old man’s price, buy Lavender Leaves, and keep the town’s policy of one type of business. I wasn’t sure how to fix the whole no chains or corporations thing. I knew I couldn’t talk my father, or the board, for that matter, into making Comfort Coffee a one-of-a-kind location, but I’d think of something. The answer had to be there.
All of that was trivial.
What I couldn’t figure out was how to stay. But I couldn’t leave Andrew. The answer should be easy enough. San Francisco was a little more than an hour away. I could commute. Yeah, right. As if my father would ever consider that. And on the business side of things, I knew he’d be right. I’d need to be there. The hours I worked wouldn’t make commuting an option. I’d barely get to Lavender Shores, have five hours of sleep, and then have to leave again. Maybe be in San Fran for the weekdays and with Andrew on the weekends. Right again, because I didn’t work weekends and every day of every month of every year.
I couldn’t see a solution.
I pulled Andrew closer as he slept and continued to study the sky, searching for answers.
I’d find one. I had no doubt. I’d just have to get creative. But whatever the answer, I wasn’t giving Andrew up.
Fifteen
Andrew
Joel’s fingers traced my cheek, coaxing me awake. It was too peaceful, though, and his chest was too perfect a resting spot. Then his finger darted into my ear.
“Hey!” I flinched and smacked at his hand.
He snorted and ran his fingers down my chest and over my stomach. Like, actually ran his fingers, but way too fast to be even remotely sexy. I glanced down, and let out a scream at the reddish brown lizard crawling over my underwear and onto my leg. I screamed again and scampered backward, kicking Joel in the process, startling him awake with another snort.
Joel sat straight up on high alert. “What is it? What’s wrong?” It took him a second to look behind and find me splayed over the sand.
The look on his face made me feel like a complete idiot and then made me laugh. I pointed at my feet, where I’d felt the lizard last but was sure it was already gone. “Lizard. Sorry, Joel. Just a lizard.”
He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. “What?”
I had better control over my laughter now. “It was a lizard. I thought you were tickling my face, but then you stuck your finger in my ear and…” My words fell away as the implication became clear. I shuddered and then pawed at my ear, trying to rub it clean. “Oh God, that means I had a lizard in my ear.”
His voice tilted upward. “You had a lizard in your ear?”
I stuck the tip of my little finger in, swished it around, then pulled it out with a jerk, like that was going to do any good. “Well, not the entire lizard. He probably just poked his nose in to see if there was anything interesting.”
Joel grinned. “There’s plenty of interesting places to poke around on you, not sure your ear is one of them.” I rolled my eyes, but he kept going. “Probably a good thing. I’ve never been jealous of a reptile before.”
“Shut up!” I tossed a handful of sand at him and laughed.
He ducked and then launched himself at me. I started to scramble away, but he pinned me down and kissed me. After a bit, he pulled back. “Got ya!”
“Oh yes, I was desperately trying to flee. The last thing I wanted was your half-naked sexy ass on top of me.”
He kissed me again and shoved his hand down my shorts. “Speaking of ass…”
I shoved him off. “No. I think I just got half the beach in my underwear. You’re staying far away from my ass. Plus…” The gorgeous violet sunset caught my attention. “Holy shit. What time is it?”
Joel glanced at the sun as well. “Huh. Guess we fell asleep.”
I gave a sarcastic laugh. “Oh, you think?” Then another thought hit me.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
Me and my poker face. “We just slept away the rest of our last day together.”
His expression softened. “It’s all right. There’ll be more.”
His voice held such certainty that the slight building panic lessened. Then another thought struck. “Oh shit, and we’re late for Gilbert.” I pulled out from under Joel, retrieved my jeans from a pile of sand, and dug out my cell. Sure enough, several missed calls and texts. I glanced at the time. Nearly eight. The day really was gone. Sighing, I looked back at Joel. “Sorry. Give me a minute. I’ll call Gilbert, apologize, and tell him we’ll just meet him in the morning for the signing.”
“No.” Joel shook his head and stood, sand making its way over his muscles. Could the guy be any more godlike, seriously? “You wanted to have dinner with him. For us to meet. I’m sure he won’t mind waiting a bit longer.”
“But it’s our last night.”
He closed the distance between us and took both of my arms in his hands. “Babe, it’s not our last night. I’ll be back. True, I’m not sure the exact day or anything, but I can’t stay away from you for long.” There was no doubt, no hesitation, or waver in his tone.
“Okay. You sure?”
“Yep. Totally.” He pointed at the blanket and strewn clothing. “Now, you call Gilbert, and I’ll start picking up.”
Even though we’d pushed back meeting Gilbert at the pizza place until nine, Joel and I were still twenty minutes late.
Gilbert stood up from a table by the window when we entered, tipping a bottle of beer in our direction. “I’m meeting your boyfriend partly drunk, but it’s your fault.” He gave Joel the once-over, his brown eyes widening before turning back to me. “And hopefully you’re late again due to another round of beach sex.”
I nearly stumbled when Gilbert referred to Joel as my boyfriend. Maybe that was silly; we’d already said we loved each other. “Boyfriend” was probably implied. Still, it was only the past few hours that Joel didn’t seem half in mind to run away.
Joel didn’t miss a beat. “Shower sex, actually. Too much sand.” He stuck out his hand.
Gilbert took it but grinned at me. “Oh, I like this one. Pretty and attitude.”
“Gilbert.” I growled through my grin.
He waved me off. “Nope. You two were late. Now you get to put up with buzzed and socially inappropriate Gilbert. Fun times for you.” He plopped back down in his chair. “And I’m not going to feel bad about it. You’re the one getting some, not me. I get to be jealous and catty.”
Joel pulled out a chair on the far side of Gilbert, allowing me to sit between them. “Actually, I’ve met your mom and Andrew’s dad. I doubt you can top either of them.”
/> Gilbert tipped his beer bottle once more. “You are right about that, sir. Very right. Even if I were completely sloshed, I couldn’t come close to Regina Bryant or Robert Kelly. In fact—”
The waitress, Gale, walked up to the table at that moment. “Hi, Andrew.” She nodded at Joel. “You all know what you want, or do you need some time to order?”
Poor girl had probably been waiting on Gilbert for an hour as he promised his late friends would show up.
We ordered and within minutes, Joel and I each had a beer as the pizza cooked.
Gilbert started in. “So, Joel, Andrew tells me you’re buying my place to live in and open some kind of mystery shop. Why the hell are you coming to a horrid place like Lavender Shores?”
Joel opened his mouth, but as a confused expression crossed his face, he glanced my way. I hadn’t seen him that unsure about how to respond before.
“Seriously, Gilbert? Can you wait for the town bashing until after pizza, or better yet, never.” I glared at him, but he didn’t notice, or didn’t care.
“I am serious.” He focused on Joel. “You’re really giving up city life for this place? San Francisco at your fingertips and you trade it for a cabin in the woods?”
“Your cabin in the woods is rather gorgeous.” Joel leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. “Are you not wanting to sell?”
“Oh, hell yeah, I want to sell. You’re doing me the biggest favor, finally cutting—” I kicked him, and he let out a yelp, glowering at me. “Dude. You don’t kick people.”
I glowered back. “And you don’t bash the town when the man I lo—when Joel’s about to move here.”
His eyes widened, and an atypical blush rose to his cheeks. “Huh.” He looked over at Joel, nodded, and then back at me. “Okay, then. Works for me.” Once again, he turned his attention to Joel. “Sorry about that. I live by myself near Lake Tahoe, so my people skills are lacking lately.”
“In a cabin.”
Gilbert grimaced at me. “True point. I suppose I shouldn’t be casting stones.” His expression smoothed, some of his edge falling away. “It really is nice to meet you, Joel. You’re getting one of the best men in the world.” It typically took a little while for Gilbert to adjust to being back in Lavender Shores. He was always a bit of a bitch as he reacclimated, but he had reasons. Good ones.
The Palisade (Lavender Shores) Page 15
