Red Wine and Roses

by SJ McCoy

  He nodded. “Are you ready?” She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and closed her eyes. He lowered his head and nipped her lip making her open them again. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.”

  He thrust his hips, and she screamed as he entered her. He was so hot and hard. “Yes!” his cry mingled with hers as they moved together.

  She’d never known a lover like this. He carried her away, just when she’d thought she couldn’t anymore, he proved to her that—like he’d said—she found out how good it could be. His big strong body moved above her, moved inside her. He made her feel that he was taking her for his pleasure, but at the same time, giving her more pleasure than she’d known was possible to feel. Their bodies fit together perfectly. They moved as if they knew each other’s rhythm and always had. Just when she knew she was approaching the point of no return, he gasped her name and tensed. It took her over the edge with him, and they soared away to the far reaches of her mind and soul and back again. Wow!

  They lay still for a long time afterward—his head on her shoulder, her staring up at the stars above him. She was afraid that when they broke the silence, when the words came back, the magic would be gone. It’d turn out that she’d only imagined their amazing connection, and worse, it’d turn out that he was the player he’d warned her about, and that he’d be ready to turn around and walk away.

  When he finally lifted his head, he smiled down at her. “Are you okay?”

  “Oh yeah!” She couldn’t help grinning. “Are you?” Her grin faded when he shook his head. “What’s wrong?”

  He laughed. “Nothing, nothing’s wrong at all. I just meant I’m so much more than okay. I’m happy.”

  She sat up, almost knocking him off the lounger. “You are?” she asked incredulously.

  “I am. He put his arm around her shoulders. Only one thing could make me happier.”

  “Oh, yeah? What’s that?” She was waiting for it all to come crashing down around her.

  “If you’ll come back with me, spend the night?”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah.” He hugged her into his side and dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Seriously. That would make me very happy, but only if you want to. Do you?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  ~ ~ ~

  They made it back to the lodge and up to his room without running into anyone. At this point, Cameron wasn’t too worried if they did. At least, not for his sake. His parents had seen him with Piper, and at different points, they’d each told him how much they liked her. Chelsea, his sister, seemed to know that there was something between them, and he knew she liked Piper, too. He hoped Piper wouldn’t mind if someone saw them together. It was different for her; she’d just moved here.

  He opened the door and let her go in ahead of him. Once they were inside, she turned back to him looking nervous. “Are you one of those insatiable guys who just wants more and more and more? I think I might disappoint you if you are.”

  He went to her and put his arm around her shoulders, wanting to reassure her that wasn’t why he’d asked her back here. “No. I’m not. I can maybe manage again at some point, later, if that’s what you want, but that’s not why I asked you back here.”

  “Why did you then?”

  He cocked his head to one side. “Why wouldn’t I? We’re just getting to know each other, I want to spend some time with you.” He smiled, wondering whether he should admit this. “I’d like you to spend the night. Sleep with me.”

  She gave him a puzzled look. “I thought you slept with people all the time.”

  He sighed. She really had taken what he’d said about being a womanizer to heart. “No.” He hated to spell it out, but he felt he needed to. “I have sex with a lot of women. I rarely ever sleep with anyone. There’s a big difference—in my mind, at least.”

  She stared at him for a long time. For a moment, he thought she was about to leave, but he waited, and eventually, she relaxed and smiled. “I think there’s a big difference, too. And I’d like to sleep with you.” Her eyes sparkled, and she gave him that mischievous smile. “I liked having sex with you, too.”

  He laughed. “Thank you. Good to know.”

  “So, if I sleep with you tonight, does that mean you want to hang out tomorrow?”

  He nodded. “I’d like that.”

  “And then we say goodbye?”

  “If that’s what you want, but I don’t.”

  “What do you want then?”

  He shook his head and led her through to the little sitting area. “Honestly, Piper, I don’t know. I’d like to spend time with you. I’d like to get to know you, but I don’t know what that means or what that might look like.”

  She nodded. “I’d like that, too, but it’s probably not going to happen, is it?”

  “Why not?”

  “Because after this weekend, you have no reason to keep coming back here.”

  “Cole’s here.”

  “Yes, but it’s not like you see each other all that often, is it? Not in the normal run of things.”

  “We haven’t, no, but I think we’re going to be figuring out a new normal. A new normal that could include me coming up more often.”

  “And having someone to sleep with—or have sex with—when you do?”

  He nodded. He wasn’t going to deny it. “Yeah. If you want that?”

  She nodded slowly. “I think that could maybe work for both of us. I don’t want or need someone in my life, but it’d be nice to have someone to go out with sometimes.”

  Cameron frowned. It was only when she put it like that that he realized he’d been interested in the possibility of exploring something more with her. At least she was making it clear from the outset that that wasn’t something that interested her. “Okay. So, I’ll be coming back because I like this place, and you might want to hang out with me sometimes when I do?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. That sounds about right. No strings, no complications, just two people who like each other, hanging out sometimes.”

  “Okay.” He smiled. He wasn’t used to planning out in advance how things might go with a woman. In fact, he wasn’t really used to planning anything with a woman. He did like the idea that he’d get to see Piper again though. “Are you free next weekend?”

  “As far as I know, I am, but I start my new job on Monday. I don’t really know what that will be like yet—whether I’ll have to be on call, or how much last-minute flying I’ll be doing.”

  “Well, I’m coming up here anyway, so do you want to see me?”

  She smiled. “Yes. I’d like that.”

  “Me too.”

  “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

  “I don’t know, I’ll have to see what’s happening with the jet. I said I’d go back with Mom and Dad and Chelsea, so we don’t have to fly two trips.” She looked disappointed, so he added, “But I could stay.”

  She shook her head. “I was just wondering. You’ll be here for the brunch, right?”

  “Of course.” Cole and Laura had invited everyone to brunch here at the lodge before they headed off on their honeymoon. “What were you wondering?”

  She shrugged. “If you wanted to take a boat out with me in the afternoon. I remember when I told you about that. I told you I have to make the most of any days off I get. You said you do, too. I’m guessing you don’t take many days off, so I wanted you to be able to do something fun while you’re here.”

  He smiled and tightened his arm around her shoulders. “That’s so sweet of you.”

  She gave him a puzzled look. “It’s not sweet. I just wondered if you wanted to do something fun.”

  “I’ll check what everyone’s plans are as far as flying back. I’d love to, but I don’t want to mess anyone else up.” He couldn’t help remembering what Mary Ellen had said that first weekend he’d come up to the lake. She’d said everyone else was more concerned about enjoying him than they were that he should enjoy himself. He was glad that Piper w
as thinking about him being able to do something fun. It struck him that Mary Ellen was right, and there weren’t many people in his life who looked out for him like that.

  Chapter Nine

  Cameron opened his eyes and blinked a few times while he waited for his brain to catch up. Where was he? Okay, he was at the lodge at Four Mile Creek. He smiled. Cole and Laura’s wedding. Piper. He turned his head. She was still here, curled up in a little ball beside him. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him.

  “Hmm?” She lifted her head and smiled up at him. “Oh. Hi.”

  He chuckled. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

  “I still am.” She smiled and closed her eyes again.

  He rested his head back down on the pillow and hugged her to him, wondering if she was going to wake up and want him. After a few minutes, he realized that she’d gone back to sleep. He smiled to himself and shook his head. She was definitely different from what he was used to. She wasn’t crawling all over him for more sex, and she wasn’t scurrying off to the bathroom to fix her makeup before she talked to him. She’d just rolled over and gone back to sleep. That should keep his ego from getting too inflated.

  He lay there a little longer, wondering if he, too, could get some more sleep. He couldn’t, so he slid out of bed and went to take a shower. If she wanted to hang out today, he hoped she didn’t plan to spend the whole morning sleeping.

  He needn’t have worried. By the time he got out of the shower she was up and sitting in the chair by the window sipping a coffee.

  “Good morning, sleepy head.”

  She looked embarrassed. “Good morning.”

  He went and squatted in front of her, resting his hands on her knees. “Did you sleep well?”

  She pursed her lips. “I’m sorry. I never sleep in like that.”

  “It’s not a problem. It’s not like it’s late or anything, and besides, I’m kind of flattered that you slept so well. I was a little worried that I’d wake up to find you gone.”

  She nodded. “I thought you would. I planned to leave when I woke up.”

  “I hope you’ll change your mind.”

  She pursed her lips. She looked adorable. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes were still puffy with sleep. “Why?”

  “Because you said you were going to hang out with me today.”

  “Do you still want to?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  She shrugged. “Because that was last night, and this is this morning.”

  “And what does that mean?” He thought he knew, but he wanted her to explain.

  She shrugged again. “You know.”

  “No, I don’t. Tell me.”

  She blew out a sigh. “Okay. I’m feeling embarrassed. We wanted to sleep with each other. We did. I stupidly suggested we could hang out today, and you’re too nice a guy to say no. I’m giving you an out here.”

  He blew out a sigh of his own. “Well, thanks, but I don’t want it. I want to hang out with you. Why do you find that so hard to believe?”

  She still looked sullen. “Because you need to get home. Because it’s silly for you to keep coming back here to see me when you can get all the sex you want at home. You must have lots of willing women to keep you busy.”

  Cameron nodded. “I told you last night, and nothing’s changed. I want to spend some time with you, get to know you. Don’t you want to? Just say if you don’t.”

  He could see the hint of a smile now. “Okay. I do. I’m just a little confused and a little scared.”

  “What are you scared of?”

  “Of making a fool of myself. Of expecting too much.”

  He cocked his head to one side.

  “I mean, you made clear what you’re like. I just don’t want to go expecting anything from you.”

  “For starters, I think you took what I said a little too far.”

  “Which bit?”

  Did he really have to spell it out? She was staring at him. Apparently, he did. “The bit about me being a womanizer. I’m really not that bad. Yes, I see a lot of women, but only women who …” How could he put it? He only slept with women who slept around? That sounded bad. It sounded worse than it was—or was it really that bad?

  “Well, I’m not a woman who … I don’t know what you were going to say, but I don’t think I’m the kind of woman you usually go out with.”

  “You’re not.”

  “So why bother?”

  “Because I like you.” He was starting to wonder why bother, too. It didn’t need to be this complicated. He just wanted to hang out with her. It shouldn’t be this hard. If she wanted to go, maybe he should just let her go?

  He got to his feet. “It’s up to you, Piper. I’d like to spend the day with you, but it’s your call.”

  She got to her feet. “Okay. See you then.”

  He watched as she pulled on her bridesmaid’s dress and collected her purse. He went to her as she reached the door. “That’s it? You’re leaving?”

  She smiled. “Yeah. I need to have a shower and get changed. I can’t go down to brunch like this. I’ll see you down there?”

  He smiled. “Okay.”

  Once the door had closed behind her, he shook his head. He’d been thinking that she was making things too complicated, and then he’d been the one who overreacted thinking that she was leaving, walking out on him, when all she was doing was going to get changed. He went back through to the bathroom to finish getting ready. She really had his head turned around.

  ~ ~ ~

  Piper let herself into her room and leaned back against the door. Was she crazy or what? Cameron was being so sweet and trying to be understanding, and she was being completely irrational. She liked him too much. That was the problem, plain and simple. Somewhere in the middle of the night as she’d lain there enjoying the feel of him all around her, she’d realized that she liked him far too much.

  It’d been a year since her last relationship ended. She and Grant had been together since he’d worked with her flying cargo. He’d moved on quickly to fly for the regionals, and that had changed things between them. She’d been a little envious that he’d gotten the opportunity that she never had, but at the same time, she’d been happy for him. She’d supported him. He’d soon started to act like he was better than her. He seemed to think that flying for the airlines made him something special. Maybe it did. The flight attendant that he’d started seeing behind Piper’s back seemed to think he was pretty special. Piper had been sad, but the breakup had been overshadowed by her mom’s death a few weeks later. Since then, she’d found it easier not to bother dating.

  Cameron had woken her up to her desires. At first, she’d thought it would be easy to sleep with him and be done with it, but now she knew better. She liked him. He was on her mind all the time, and she didn’t need that. He was a player; he’d told her so. He might want to come back up here a few times to play with his new toy—that’d be her—but then he’d move on. She should be fine with that, but she liked him. As a person, as a friend—a potential boyfriend. None of that was realistic, so she’d be better off to avoid him completely. Stop it before it started. She’d only end up making a fool of herself. She knew it. But that was dumb, too. If she was going to make the most of every moment like she’d promised herself she would after her mom died, then she should just jump in with both feet and enjoy it while it lasted.

  She pushed away from the door and headed for the shower.

  Twenty minutes later, she made her way down the grand staircase to the lobby of the lodge. There were familiar faces milling around everywhere. Jason, Smoke’s partner at the airport—her other new boss—waved when she spotted him. She went over to him and his wife, Rochelle.

  “Morning. Where did you disappear to last night?” asked Jason. “I thought you’d be around to catch the bouquet.”

  Piper could feel the heat in her cheeks. Laura and Smoke must have come back after she and Cameron had left.

&n
bsp; Rochelle pushed at her husband’s arm and smiled at Piper. “Leave her alone. It’s none of your business.”

  “Sorry.”

  Piper smiled. “No problem.”

  “Hey, guys.” They all turned to greet Luke, another of the pilots who worked for Smoke and Jason. “What time does this brunch start? I’m starving.”

  Rochelle laughed. “You’re always starving, but this time I’m with you. Why don’t you find Angel and ask her?”

  Luke gave her a sour look, making Jason and Rochelle laugh. Piper didn’t join them. She knew that Luke liked Angel, the woman who ran the lodge. She thought Angel liked him, too, from what she’d said at the bachelorette party the other night, but they’d never gotten together. Piper could relate that Luke might feel a little uncomfortable about the whole thing and didn’t need people laughing at him. She pointed toward the double doors that were just swinging open. Laura and Smoke came out from the function room and started to usher everyone in. “It looks like it’s starting now,” she said.

  They moved forward in a big crush of people. Piper looked around her as she went, wondering if Cameron had come down yet. Maybe he was glad to be rid of her? She spotted him talking to his parents at the bottom of the stairs. He turned and met her gaze and beckoned her over. She didn’t react, not sure she wanted to go.

  Luke elbowed her in the ribs. “There’s your man; he’s calling you over.”

  “He’s not my man.” Ugh. Why did she have to react like a kid?

  Luke gave her a knowing smile. “I think he’d like to be. How about you relax?”

  She gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks, Luke. I’m going to try.”

  “Go on. I know how confusing it can all get, but take your chance, see how it pans out. You’ll only regret it if you don’t.”

  She nodded and pushed her way through the crowd to join Cameron and Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton. She was surprised when Cameron slid his arm around her shoulders and pecked her on the cheek. “There you are.”

  She looked up into his eyes. “Here I am.” She didn’t know what else to say.

  His parents both smiled at her. “I’m glad we got a chance to see you. We’re just leaving,” said Mrs. Hamilton.