They had just finished when a young couple burst through the final barrier of foliage. At first they didn’t see them. The flames had died, but the wood still glowed.
As the kids were about to go skinny-dipping, Blake spoke up. From their open mouths, those two were sure surprised.
Chapter Eight
While April had been to the waterfall in the park many times, being with Blake was by far the best time she’d ever had. Not only was he a considerate and wonderful lover, but he had a great sense of adventure. She believed that if the couple hadn’t come into their alcove of love when they did, she and Blake might have chanced another swim and maybe even another lovemaking session. As it was, they ate quickly and left, leaving the pleasure cove to the two new lovers.
Blake dropped her off at her parents’ house because that was where she’d left her car. Today she wanted to spend time sorting through her possessions and deciding what she wanted to bring over to the apartment. Blake said he’d borrow Randy’s truck to deliver the furniture. Given Randy drove Blake’s car to the ranch, she figured the plan was well on the way.
Her mom was at the piano working on a new piece when April came downstairs carrying a box. She looked up and smiled. “You’re going to your apartment?”
The pain in her mom’s tone nearly sliced her in two. “Yes, but I might be back for dinner. I’m not set up for cooking yet.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “I’ll expect you, then. Cooking never was your favorite pastime.”
“If you weren’t such a great cook, maybe I would have tried harder.” She leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Gotta go.”
“Say hi to Blake.”
April kept her back to her mom as she rushed out. She didn’t want her to see the heat that had rushed up her face. Her pussy was still vibrating from making love, and knowing her mom, she’d be able to tell there was something different about her daughter.
There was a rush of adrenaline as she drove to her apartment and put the key in the lock. When she stepped inside, she smiled. Yesterday, the sofa and bed and been delivered. She’d left notes on the wall where to put the furniture, and they’d followed her directions. Blake would be bringing over the dining room table and chairs, along with two living room chairs.
While she waited for him, she made the bed and began to unpack. She tackled the bathroom next. Just as she had finished hanging the shower curtain, her cell rang. It was Blake.
“Hey.” Goose chills raced up her arms just hearing his voice. She had it bad.
“I’m downstairs with the furniture. You want to help me unload?”
“Be right there.”
This whole moving thing was so exciting. It was something the two of them could do together and would bring them closer. Her only regret was that Randy was not on board with being a threesome.
She rushed down the one flight of stairs. Blake was standing next to the truck with her furniture strapped into the back. A sense of pride filled her. Giddy with excitement, she flung herself in his arms. “Thank you for doing this.”
He kissed her. “I don’t come cheap, you know.”
“Oh, yeah? How much do you charge?”
She hoped the fresh sheets would be used to extract payment. “Maybe two romps in the hay?”
“It’s a deal. How can I help?”
He chuckled. “I hope you’ll be there when we make love.”
She swatted his chest. “I meant, I can help with the furniture.”
“Oh.” He grinned and stepped away to untie the rope. “In that case, how about we bring the dining room chairs in first?”
They’d be light and she could handle those. It took four trips, but soon both the dining room and living room chairs were in place. When she came back to the parking lot, Blake had the table mostly out of the truck.
“How about you take one end?”
Together they maneuvered the table up the stairs to her apartment. She was sweating by the time she was finished.
“Could you use something to drink?” She’d brought over some Cokes and a six-pack of beer. Blake drank wine, but the beer was in hopes Randy would show up someday.
He pulled open the fridge and grabbed a Coke. He finished the can in a few seconds.
What she really wanted to do was take a shower. She bet Blake wouldn’t mind getting naked with her. Tub showers weren’t her favorite, but she bet if he joined her, it would become her favorite place to be until they broke in the bed.
“How about a shower before we eat?”
He stepped closer. “If you’re offering your sweet pussy for a meal, I’m game.”
She smacked him on the chest. “Do you always have a one-track mind?” She loved that he did.
“Only where you’re concerned.”
Smiling, she took his hand and led him into the bathroom. He lifted his T-shirt when she stayed his hand. “Let me.”
“I’m grungy. How about you play with me after I get naked?”
“Works for me.”
They both stripped. She made sure the soap, shampoo, and conditioner were in the shower. After turning on the water to get it hot, she stepped in and dunked under the soothing flow. When she turned around to get the shampoo, Blake palmed her tits.
“I hope this place has a limitless amount of hot water because we could be here for a long time.”
“I’m willing.”
She poured some shampoo on her palm and rubbed it into her hair. As she worked up a lather, Blake was doing the same thing on her body.
“I wish soap were edible. Then I could lick the soap off you.”
She giggled in part because of what he’d said, but mostly because he was tickling her nipples by blowing the suds off the tips.
After she rinsed her hair, she wanted to run her hands all over his muscled body. Looking at him took her breath away. Add in the fact he was a great listener and into everything she liked, and she knew she was falling for him fast. Dare she say she already was in love with him?
She doused her hands with soap then went to work on his body. Every curve and plane turned her on. Had she been a man, she was sure her cock would be rigid, just like Blake’s was now.
He stepped closer. “You’re very dirty.” He slipped a finger into her pussy, and she jumped.
“That so?”
“I’ll have to take my time to get you clean.”
“You go right ahead.”
She ran her hands from his shoulders to his chest, and down his stomach, until she was washing all around his cock, but never touching him.
“He needs some lovin’, too.”
Blake lifted his cock and slid it across her pussy. She understood he needed attention.
“Fine.”
She carefully washed his balls before she cleaned his cock. Rubbing her closed hand up and down seemed to do the trick. The shower had a handheld head, which she extracted from the wall. Making sure not to hold the water too close, she rinsed him.
“Hmm. I think I missed a spot.” She leaned over and drew his dick into her mouth.
“Jesus.”
Excited by his reaction, she ran her mouth up and down his length. Next, she dared to bare her teeth and lightly scrape the skin. He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed tight as if he was holding on to the thinnest of threads.
The vein in his cock enlarged as if he was ready to explode. As much as she wanted to bring him to climax, her pussy needed him more. She stood and washed him once more.
“You are a devil, April Callen.”
“Yup.”
It wasn’t like she’d never had sex before, but skinny-dipping, making love in the woods by an open fire, and then taking a shower with a guy were all new to her. Being able to be herself was so freeing.
“Turn around.” Blake rotated her. “I need to do your back.”
“You’re just afraid your cock will explode if I touch it too much.”
“You got that right.�
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While he did soap up her back and scrub it clean, he took more time with her ass, making sure her butt crack got nice and clean. Every once in a while, he’d slip his hands around to the front and tweak her nipples.
He pressed a hand on her back and she had to steady herself against the far wall. She knew what he was about to do and widened her stance. His soapy finger slid into her ass, and tingles shot through her body. “That feels good.”
“Music to my ears.”
The word music made her think of Randy. Would they ever be a threesome? He pulled out his fingers and turned her around.
“I just lost you. Your whole body seemed to deflate.”
“I was thinking of Randy.”
He took the showerhead off the wall and rinsed both of them. “Let’s dry off.”
While she enjoyed the rubdown, she’d more or less ruined the mood when she spoke his roommate’s name. Why was that? Had Blake realized that he wanted her for himself and didn’t want to share? She wasn’t sure that would be acceptable anymore. Having made love with Blake, her goals had become clearer. She wanted them both.
“I have a plan,” Blake said, “on how to bring Randy into the fold.”
“How?”
“Here’s what I’ve come up with. Tell me what you think.”
* * * *
April wasn’t sure his plan was going to work. Supposedly, Blake had told Randy that he and April were going out Saturday night, and that he was going to pick her up at the apartment. That was where the misunderstanding would come in. April was to pretend that she believed she was meeting Blake at the house. When she got there, Blake wouldn’t be, but Randy would be.
The two of them would talk, and hopefully it would lead to something more meaningful. Blake would come in a little bit later and take it from there.
As she pulled up to the house, the lights were on. Good. Most likely that meant Randy was home. Quickly, she closed the car door and got out. Halfway to the entrance, she stopped. Amazing music emanated from inside. At first she thought it might be a classical rendition on a CD, but when the music stopped then started again, she thought it might be live.
A million thoughts bombarded her. Could Randy be playing the piano? Her mom had been convinced he was a musical genius, but April couldn’t understand why he’d be working on a ranch instead of performing.
If he were at the piano right now, Randy was a genius who’d lied to everyone. Before she went in, she had to be convinced. Bent over to avoid being seen from the living room window, she dashed across the lawn to hide under the window. Slowly, she lifted up.
She froze. Randy was at the piano, his eyes closed and his head bobbing back and forth to the music. She didn’t recognize the piece, but the emotional rendition was powerful. There only needed to be a percussion section in the background to complete the performance. The drama, the power, and the smoothness of the playing seeped into every pore and electrified her. Her heart seemed to speed up as the beat increased. The crescendo built, and Randy’s movement became more frenetic as if he was doing a self-exorcism. Never had she seen such passion.
When he finished, she failed to move. Her heart thudded against her chest at what she’d heard. Why he hid this talent, she didn’t know, but he’d been exposed now. While she’d never been a big fan of the symphony, Randy’s playing lit up her body.
He stood, and only then did she realize where she was. She crouched low and raced to the front door. After composing herself and plastering on a smile, she rang the bell as if she’d just arrived.
Randy must have debated whether to open the door, because she swore it was a full minute before he answered her ring.
“Blake’s on his way to your house.”
She inhaled to play the acting role of her life. “Really?”
“That’s what he said. You want to come in and call him?”
At least Randy wasn’t totally put off by being near her. In fact, he didn’t seem to be able to take his gaze off her. Was it because she’d take more time than usual to do her makeup and hair, or was he studying her because she and Blake had made love?
“Sure.” She stepped inside. “On my way up the walkway, I heard amazing music coming from inside.”
She waited for him to admit the truth. “Yeah. I just got a CD and was listening to it.”
She wanted to ask him if he always worked up a sweat listening to music, but she didn’t. “Who’s the artist?”
“Artist?”
Yup. See if he could answer that one.
“Beethoven. It’s one of his more obscure pieces.”
She looked around the room. When she spotted the DVD player, she walked over to the machine and pressed the eject button. She pulled out the CD. “It’s a Trace Adkins CD.”
If his beard hadn’t filled in from this morning, she bet she would have seen him blush. “I meant it was on the TV.”
“Cool. What channel is that?” She spotted the remote on the coffee table and picked it up.
“Okay, I was playing.”
Finally, he told the truth. She spun around. “You were amazing. Why would you hide that fact?”
“You don’t seem surprised.”
“Oh, I was surprised all right until I looked through the window and saw you at the piano playing your heart out.”
He glanced to the ground. “How long were you there?” His mouth twisted.
“Long enough to be amazed, thrilled, and excited for you.”
He shrugged. “Lots of people play.”
She stepped closer to him, wanting to make him see the truth. “But not like you.”
“I never took lessons. I’m a hack.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re better than anyone I’ve ever heard. Have you ever auditioned?”
“Hell, no. Besides, you don’t make money being a musician.”
He was talking nonsense. “You do when you’re as good as you are. Or don’t you like to play?” If playing wasn’t a passion of his, then she could understand.
“I like it all right.”
She stepped closer. “Play something else for me.”
He studied her for a moment. “Shouldn’t you be calling Blake and telling him you’re here when he’s at your place?”
Lies had no place in this arrangement. “He knows I’m here, which is why he’s not.”
He craned his neck. “He set me up?”
She grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face her. “He wanted me to see the real you.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“Would you just play for me? Please?”
He shrugged. “What kind of music do you like?”
He could play a lot of different styles? “Everything. You pick. If you wrote something, I’d like to hear that.” He finished the composition for her mom, so he could write music.
She leaned against the piano as he sat down. He looked to the ceiling as if he was trying to decide what she’d like. “I call this piece ‘Secret Temptation.’”
The music started off slow and soft. It was seduction put to music. His fingers moved effortlessly over the keys, and his head dropped back as if he were savoring the notes, or picturing having sex at the same time.
She inhaled and could almost feel his hands on her body. She swore her cells transformed as he picked up speed. There was a desperation in the chords he chose. If she’d known anything about music, she’d have said he’d changed key because the music contained more dissonance. Then suddenly, he switched back to the first soothing sound, only this time, it was at a faster pace, as if the song were building to the climax. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The notes came out more staccato as his hands flew across the keys, building and pounding. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. The music was so commanding that her heart raced.
The room almost vibrated with the music then tapered back to the soft, lilting melody, reminding her of the afterglow of sex. Or had she been thinking a
bout sex so much that everything reminded her of coupling?
He finished and closed the lid on the piano. “I need to take a shower.”
She wasn’t sure if that was an invitation, but his playing made her feel as if she’d climaxed. “That was wonderful.”
“Thanks.”
He strutted down the hall. A door clicked closed. What was that about? Couldn’t the man take a compliment? While she always sensed that Randy Stark was a complicated man, she never knew the depths of his brilliant mind. Too bad he was so misguided in his focus on life. Who better to show him how amazing he was than her?
She waited a minute until the water ran in the bathroom. The big question was whether she should get naked and step into the shower with him, or just waltz in and enjoy the peep show? Randy wouldn’t be the type to throw her out, would he?
He seemed to be one who might enjoy having someone watch. If he engaged in ultimate fighting, he’d be used to an audience. Since he seemed to know she’d slept with Blake, he might realize that she was willing to be with him, too, especially if he and Blake liked to share.
While she’d never walked in on a naked man before, she had to do this. What was the worst thing he’d do? Ask her to leave? Wrestle her to the ground and get her all wet?
Options, options.
Chapter Nine
Damn. He should have closed the drapes, but he’d assumed that with Blake gone, no one would see him or come visit. April was the last person he wanted to hear him play. She’d ask questions, ones he wasn’t sure he wanted to answer.
You’re full of shit. You loved that she heard your music.
Having her keep her gaze on him throughout the song stirred a longing inside him. Randy wanted someone to appreciate him, and April seemed to get the mood he was trying to create. When she closed her eyes and inhaled, he knew she was connecting with his soul.
She was wrong about one thing. He couldn’t make a living playing the piano. It didn’t matter that he didn’t need much money to live. He’d made more winning cage fights than he knew what to do with. Working at a manual job was what America was about. It was honest work.
Secret Temptation [The Callens 3] (Siren Publishing M?nage Everlasting) Page 8
