by Cassidy Coal
"Yeah. Just thinking."
Tyler slowed the car down as they came around a corner to find a large logging truck putzing along ahead of them, loaded up with cut trees, each one at least two stories high if it had been standing instead of stacked lengthwise.
With the number of logging trucks she'd seen in the last few days, she was amazed New Zealand had any trees left.
Nothing for Tyler to do but slow down and follow along behind. Once they'd left Auckland all the highways were pretty much one lane in each direction with the occasional passing lane here or there.
The speed limits were low compared to the States, too. 100 kilometers an hour at most. That was about sixty miles per hour. Then again, when most driving was rural with one lane each way, it made sense. Especially with the large number of commercial trucks they'd seen.
Of course, the weirdest part of driving in New Zealand was driving on the left-hand-side of the road. That's why Sarah was glad Tyler was at the wheel.
"You going to tell me what you're thinking about?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.
She sighed. As amazing as it was to spend time with Tyler and as glorious as the last two weeks had been, there were still large portions of her life she hadn't shared with him.
What was the point? He'd never understand.
He'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Hell, he'd probably been to his first foreign country before he was six months old.
What did he know of growing up in a trailer park? Or using food stamps? Or visiting family in prison?
He'd never get how she was feeling now.
"It's nothing." She stared out the window once more.
"Sarah…" He pulled the car over at a lookout point, the little compact barely managing the bumpy dirt road leading to the parking lot.
He stopped the car, killed the engine, and turned to look at her.
Before he could say anything, she asked, "Why'd you stop? We still have at least an hour before Taupo and I'd like to get there before dark."
He stared at her, his intense green eyes so dark they were almost black. "Because I'm not going to keep letting you shut me out like this."
She rolled her eyes. "I don’t know what you're talking about, Tyler. Look, I'm not one of those girls who shares every little silly thought that passes through her head, okay? So don't ask me to be."
He frowned at her. "I'm not asking you to share every little thought, Sarah. I'm asking you to share the important ones." He ran his hand through her hair. "I love you, Sarah Baxter. And I want you to know you can trust me. With anything."
She felt herself melting at his gentle touch and the way he looked deep into her eyes. He was so earnest, so sincere.
He pulled her to him and they kissed. She felt the same amazing sparks as that first time and every time since. She'd never been with a man who made her feel the way Tyler Corrigan did. He had an intuition about her body that amazed her.
And their chemistry was undeniable. Being with Tyler was like holding her hand just above a live wire, feeling the tingle of the electricity running by just inches away, knowing that if she grabbed it, the force would kill her.
Their kiss deepened and Sarah wondered whether they could climb into the back seat and manage things in such a small space. Before she could take the thought any further, though, another car pulled into the parking lot and a group of teenagers piled out, cameras in hand.
"Let's get to Taupo." She pulled away. "I want to be alone with you. No interruptions."
"Well, with that kind of promise waiting for me at the end of the drive…" Tyler winked at her as he started the car.
She sighed. He was so perfect.
How long until he realized that she wasn't?
"Wow." That's all Sarah could manage when they came over the rise and saw Lake Taupo spread out below them, a vast expanse of blue water stretching to the mountains in the far distance. The lake was huge. The size of Singapore according to her guidebook. The sky a perfect complement to the water with just a few clouds scattered here or there for dramatic effect. It was like a painting.
"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Tyler asked.
"You've been here before?"
Of course he had. He'd been everywhere.
He nodded. "I spent six months backpacking through Australia and New Zealand right after I graduated college. Taupo was my favorite."
"I can see why."
He laughed. "We caught it on a good day. Actually, we caught New Zealand on a good weekend. There was a month I was here that I swear it rained every single day. And I'd scheduled a few multi-day hikes, too, so I had to trudge along in the pouring rain for eight hours straight."
He shook his head, but his lips curled up in a fond grin. "You know, the Kiwis thought nothing of it. They thought I was a complete wimp for even noticing that I was soaking wet most of the day."
"Well, you are a complete wimp, as we saw today." She laughed and squeezed his arm to let him know she was kidding.
He glared at her. "I seem to remember a certain someone shaking quite a bit at the sight of those waterfalls."
He pulled the car into a parking spot along the lake. "Come on. Before the light's gone completely. I want you to see the lake up close."
They walked hand-in-hand along the Lion's Walk—a nice pathway that wound along the edge of the lakefront—and watched the setting sun turn the sky a brilliant red and pink. Tyler pointed to a skydiving plane on the far edge of the lake as it dropped a load of passengers—little dots that fell through the sky until parachutes bloomed above them and they slowly drifted towards the ground.
They passed tons of other tourists, strolling along, taking photos, just enjoying the mild weather and beautiful views.
Sarah shook her head once more at how many young people she saw in New Zealand. It was like half of Europe's kids were there for a year of backpacking and fun.
"Here." Tyler led her to a metal bench. They sat down and watched the boats out on the water. To their right a large sailboat approached the harbor, canted sideways by the breeze. Off to their left a jet boat pulled a couple on a parasail behind it. They could hear the screams of the woman as the parasail operator lowered the couple until their feet were almost touching the water.
"I never want to leave this place," Sarah said, softly, leaning her head against Tyler's shoulder.
"Neither do I." He ran his fingers through her hair. "But duty calls."
She nodded as she continued to watch the people and boats. "Tyler?"
"Yeah?"
"When will you have enough?" She pulled away so she could look at his face.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean. I know why I work. I have student loans and want to have a house some day and want to never ever be poor ever again. But you don't have to work. You have so much money you couldn't spend it in a lifetime. So, why do you keep working so hard? When will what you have be enough?"
He frowned, a slight line forming between his eyebrows. "I work because I want to accomplish something. Something more than just spending my dad's money."
She licked her lips, knowing she was treading on dangerous ground, but unable to stop herself. "But you run a property management firm. I mean…"
She stopped herself from asking him what he thought that was accomplishing. Oh, sure, it made good money, but it wasn't like finding the cure for cancer or inventing a new cheaper form of fuel or something.
He stared at her, his expression stony. "Care to finish that sentence?"
Sarah shook her head. "Forget it. I'm sorry I even brought it up. Let's just enjoy this amazing view and each other's company."
She leaned back into his embrace, but the moment was gone and leaning against his shoulder felt like leaning against a brick wall.
After a long pause, Tyler said, "Sarah, how poor were you growing up?"
She stiffened, but didn't look at him. "Poor enough to never want to go back there again."
He pulled away from her. "But what d
oes that mean?"
It was her turn to stare at him, her expression frozen stiff. "It means I had a very different childhood than you did and I want my children to have better than that."
She never spoke to anyone at Corrigan, Inc. about her family or her life. She didn't need the judgment. And as much as she loved Tyler, she knew that of everyone he'd have the hardest time understanding. They really were from two completely different worlds.
She leaned back against the bench, arms crossed. "Can we just enjoy the sunset?"
He grinned at her, a small light in his eyes. "Your children, huh? How many do you want?"
She shook her head violently side to side. "Oh, no, Tyler Corrigan, you are not going there."
"What? Innocent enough question isn't it?" He grinned at her and the dimple in his chin deepened until it could've swallowed the whole town.
"No. That is never an innocent question." She stood up. "I'm hungry. Let's eat. Look, there's Burger Fuel. Brad told me I had to give it a try while I was over here."
"Sarah, it's Saturday night and we're staying at one of the nicest hotels in the country with some of the best food there is. Don't you want to eat there?"
She glanced at him. "No. I really don't. I'd honestly rather eat a greasy burger at a fast food joint than worry about whether I'm holding my fork properly at some four-star restaurant." She held out her hand. "Now come on. Let me corrupt you a bit. Bring you over to the dark side."
Tyler took her hand and reluctantly followed her across the street to the restaurant with the neon purple and blue sign.
It turned out that Burger Fuel burgers were amazingly delicious. And there were plenty of weird healthy options on the menu to satisfy Tyler. He ordered a tofu burger and Sarah ordered a bacon cheeseburger so large she could barely fit her mouth around it to take a bite.
She'd forgotten that the New Zealand definition of bacon was vastly different from her own, but fortunately she liked Canadian bacon as much as normal bacon, so she didn't really mind. Her burger was delicious from first bite to last. So were the fries she dipped in aioli sauce.
They ate the burgers in the upstairs dining room, watching the tourists stroll by below them.
"You have a little sauce there on the side of your mouth." Tyler wiped at the corner of her lip.
"Just that one spot? I'm surprised my entire face isn't covered."
He laughed. "Well, actually…"
Sarah stared at him, a small smile tugging at her lips, marveling once more that a man as amazing and gorgeous as Tyler Corrigan wanted to be with her.
She was glad the awkward moment at the lake had passed. She didn't want to ruin the time they had together. She wanted to savor every moment, storing them up for the future.
It had to end at some point.
"Penny for your thoughts," he said, softly.
She sighed. "I was thinking about how I have to head back to the States at the end of next week."
He nodded. "I don't want you to go."
She kissed him on the cheek. "I don't want to go either. But I'm pretty sure that Fiona Jones would shit bricks if I stay around for one day longer than I'm supposed to. She's been glaring daggers at me since Valentine's."
Tyler tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "That's because she's jealous that you are so beautiful." He kissed her on one cheek. "And so intelligent." He kissed her on the other cheek. "And everyone likes you." He kissed her on the lips before sitting back with a grin.
She laughed, a large guffaw that filled the area around them. "Hardly. She's jealous because I'm screwing you and she thinks she should be."
He wrinkled his nose. "Ugh. I'd never go there. She's all skin and bones. I'd probably come away bruised all over."
Sarah ran her hand along his thigh. "You still do even with me."
"I know, but in a good way." He took the hand and kissed it, staring deep into her eyes.
Sarah shivered at the lust and desire she saw there. She leaned forward. "Tyler Corrigan, I suggest you take me back to our room now before I jump you right here."
Tyler laughed, but he immediately stood and dragged her out of the restaurant.
They barely made it through the door of their room before they were kissing and tearing each other's clothes off. As Sarah tugged Tyler's t-shirt over his head, she noticed that their room was huge and airy with ten-foot ceilings and a big bay of windows on the other side. It was a standalone luxury cabin along some river or other. She was sure the views were as beautiful as the room, but right now all she cared about was Tyler Corrigan.
She ran her hands down his chest, relishing the feel of his smooth, taut skin under her fingers, pausing to trace each and every line of his six-pack abs. She started to kneel down, to follow her hands with her mouth, but he stopped her and pushed her back against the door, kneeling down in front of her instead.
He pushed her top up and started with soft, deep kisses along her belly, gently taking the skin between his teeth as he slowly worked his way from her belly button downward.
He pulled off her shorts, his hands firm against her skin as he pushed the fabric over her hips. The shorts were quickly followed by her panties. He was getting more impatient as he continued, so those he jerked downward with one smooth motion.
He paused then, staring up into her eyes for a long moment, that wicked little half-smile playing along his lips.
She took a few deep breaths, waiting, anticipating what it would be like when he finally buried his face between her thighs, when he started tasting and sucking.
He loved to taste her. And she loved to let him, to lose herself in the sensation of his hot mouth on her wet pussy.
When she was just about to grab the back of his head and shove his face between her thighs, unable to hold back another moment, he winked at her and started.
First he licked her once, a long, slow stroke from back to front, coating his tongue in the taste of her. Then he started twirling his tongue around her clit, darting and probing, finding the rhythm and pace that worked for her. He kept going until she was whimpering and quivering, her hands buried in his thick black hair as she struggled to remain standing, her legs turning to jelly beneath her.
He pulled back then, watching her as he buried his fingers in her pussy, working them in and out until she was gushing with wetness, writhing on his fingers, her head thrown back, lost in a world of sensation so powerful she didn't even know where she was or who she was.
He stood, pinning her to the door with his body, his fingers still pumping in and out of her, and covered her mouth with his, his tongue probing, demanding, thrusting into her mouth, sharing the tangy saltiness still on his lips.
She clung to him, pressing her body to his, matching the passion of his kiss with her own need and desire. She fumbled at his pants, feeling the bulge there as his erection pressed against the fabric.
She needed him inside her. Now. She couldn't wait, didn't want to go another moment without the feel of him filling her completely the way no other man ever had.
"Turn around," he said, stepping back from her.
She reached for him, but he gently turned her around until she was braced against the door.
She heard his pants drop to the floor and felt his naked body press up against hers, his penis hard and throbbing against the backs of her thighs. He pulled her hair to the side, kissing his way up her neck to her ear, thrusting his tongue into the canal, all hot and wet. She trembled, desperate to feel him inside her.
"Fuck me," she begged, reaching back for him.
He parted the lips of her pussy and eased himself inside, bracing one hand against the door as he slowly filled her.
"Are you ready?" he whispered, softly, running his nose along the edge of her jaw.
"Yes." She sighed, tightening her muscles around his penis.
He braced his other hand on the other side of her and started to thrust himself inside her, slow at first and then harder and harder until they were both braced agai
nst the door, gasping, panting, lost in the primal joining of their bodies, the door shaking in its frame with every thrust.
As his breathing became more jagged, more frantic, he reached down to stroke her clit, demanding that she join him there on the brink, standing on the cliff, ready to fall into oblivion.
She gasped, lost in the moment, tensed throughout her entire body, like a bow string pulled tight.
And then she fell over the edge, released, falling, soaring, vibrating with the intensity of her orgasm, lost and blind, tumbling uncontrolled through a world of pure sensation.
When she finally came back to herself she was still braced against the door, Tyler still inside her. The room felt cold, the sweat from their bodies long-since dried.
His chin rested on her shoulder and she leaned her face against his, her eyes still closed.
"I can't believe the way you make me feel," she whispered.
He chuckled softly. "It takes two to tango." He kissed her on the cheek and slowly stepped away, pulling out of her, leaving her feeling empty and alone.
He came back a moment later with a large white bathrobe and gave her a soft, gentle kiss on the lips as he wrapped it around her. "You are the most amazing woman I've ever met, Sarah Baxter."
She gazed up into his green eyes. "And you're the most amazing man I've ever met, Tyler Corrigan."
He laughed, the sound breaking her out of the last of her post-sex trance. "Then I'd say we're a perfect match for one another, aren't we? Room service?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm sure they can find us some strawberries and champagne…"
She laughed and kissed him. "See if they can't find some whipped cream while they're at it."
The next morning, Sarah lay in bed, wide awake but eyes still closed, relishing the feel of Tyler Corrigan's body stretched next to hers. She loved to use his shoulder as a pillow, nestling her body against him. It amazed her how perfectly they fit together.
The hotel had found them strawberries, champagne, and whipped cream. And chocolate sauce. And ice cream.
Fortunately for them, and the hotel staff, the bathroom was the size of a small bedroom, so they'd managed to taste and explore without having to sleep in any of the sticky gooey mess they made.
