by Natalie Ann
“I can, but he won’t go. You didn’t notice the dog door at the back of the kitchen?”
“No,” he said. “Nice and convenient.”
“Builders in the family and all. I’m sure if I ever sell the house the new owners might not like it, but they can fix it if they want.”
“Not sure I’ve ever seen it not attached to the door, but rather part of the house.”
“It was my only choice unless I wanted Frank to go downstairs through that door.”
She walked over and turned the Keurig on. “Downstairs?” he asked.
“Come on, I’ll show you. First, grab two treats out of that jar with Frank’s name on it. He’s waiting.”
She watched as his eyes moved to the counter, saw the blue ceramic jar with paw prints painted on it and pulled out two biscuits to lay on the hardwood floor.
While Frank was enjoying his snack, she brought Jake downstairs to the finished basement. “Okay, now this is overkill.”
“It is.” She looked around at the family room that she never used but was furnished with large furniture and a TV on the wall, a bar to the far corner. “There is a bedroom and bath at the other end and a room with workout equipment in it. That’s the only thing I use down here.”
“Why would you have a house built this big?”
“I didn’t. This was the model home. That’s why there are so many upgrades. When I was ready to find my own place I was thinking of building, but kept saying how much I liked the things here. Reed and my father figured it was time to sell it anyway, so I bought it.”
“I’m sure at cost.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “You don’t think I’m going to answer that question do you?”
“No. So how many bedrooms upstairs?”
“Four bedrooms. Two full baths. Plus the half on the main level and the full here. So five bedrooms, three and a half baths. Way too much space for me. I know.”
“Do you want a lot of kids?”
No one had ever asked her that before. “I want kids someday, but never thought of how many. My niece Angie stays with me now and again though.”
“Reed has a kid?”
“Stepdaughter. He’s getting married in a few weeks. No one thought he’d ever settle down after Whitney.”
“Whitney?” he asked. They were back in her kitchen now, his coffee brewing.
“Cream, sugar?” she asked. He shook his head. “Reed was engaged a while ago. Whitney died in Hurricane Nina in Bali.”
“Sorry to hear that. It had to be hard,” he said.
She slid his coffee in front of him and started her own. “Not like you think. I know you won’t say much, and it’s kind of common knowledge. Whitney had lied to Reed and said she was there on business, but she was really there with the man she was having an affair with. They both died.”
“Not so sorry now,” he said. “Oops that was inhumane.”
“I’m sure a lot of what went through Reed’s mind. But he met Taylor. She works for Chapman’s and now they are getting married after the New Year.”
“Why are you telling me this?” he asked.
“Not sure. I feel comfortable with you. We’ve said a lot of things to each other tonight that most don’t on the first date. Plus it’s either tell you that or what I’m really thinking.”
He set his cup down. “What are you thinking?”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to tell him but then figured why not? She hadn’t been holding anything else back from him. “I want to know what your lips are going to feel like on mine.”
She squeaked out when he reached for her, the rest of the words falling from her mouth and the thoughts from her brain as his mouth slanted against hers.
Yeah, this was what she wanted. To be standing pressed against Jake Baxter as his hands held her head in place, his mouth devouring hers like he had the cheesecake he’d had for dessert tonight. Part of her wondered if he was that hungry or trying to find any way to extend their night.
It didn’t matter now since they were in her kitchen and feeding off of each other like she’d been dreaming of doing since she’d walked out of his apartment earlier this week.
“What you’ve been wanting them to feel like?” he asked, nibbling at the corner of her lip, then pulling it in and sucking on it.
Her knees were wobbling more than a little, her hands that were gripping his shoulders were starting to hurt from the pressure. The problem was, if she let up at all, she was afraid she was going to tumble to the ground like boulders down a mountain during an earthquake.
“Yeah,” she said, letting out a little breath. “Would you think badly of me if I asked you to go upstairs with me?”
He dropped his forehead to hers. “No. No man would, but I don’t have protection on me. I didn’t even know I’d be getting in for coffee let alone that offer.”
“I don’t have any here either.”
“Which tells me you don’t do this often.”
“Never and I’m not sure why I am now.” Unless it was possible for hormones to really overtake the body like aliens from another planet. Or maybe he was sending out magical pheromones. That sounded more plausible.
“What did I say about when the two of us were going to get together?”
“Explosive,” she said, putting her lips to his. “Is that what this is? Chemistry?”
“I’d say it’s more than that.”
“I’m not sure I care what it is, but you can keep experimenting if you want.” Then she wondered who this woman was that was letting words out of her mouth that never escaped before.
One minute his lips were on hers, her feet on the ground, the next her arms were around his neck and she felt like she was floating. Then her butt landed on something. She opened her eyes and noticed it was the island in her kitchen.
“No reason we can’t do other things,” he said. “In the name of science and all.”
Science? What the hell was he talking about? Oh yeah, chemistry...experimenting. “What do you have in mind?”
He didn’t answer her, but rather showed her. His hand going to the button of her jeans, undoing them and then pulling her shirt out. Slowly the buttons came undone on her shirt and she was exposing her pink lace bra to him. “I knew you’d have something dainty on under your clothing.”
“I’ve got a matching set on,” she admitted.
“Now you’re just torturing me.”
“I am,” she said, then groaned when his large hand moved the lace aside, her nipple popping out and his mouth landing right on it like a dart to a bull’s-eye. He was pulling it in and sucking hard enough she felt a little pain mixed in with the pleasure.
Between her legs she felt a gush of fluid, her tender flesh swelling to the point she wanted to rub her legs together to help ease it.
“Is this what you want?” he asked, his hand moving there outside of her jeans, cupping her and applying some pressure. She didn’t care if it was juvenile or not, but she started to grind against him as he attacked her body in multiple locations.
Her head went back, her nails to his shoulders trying to grab a perch and just hang on. “Jake?” she said, knowing she was getting close to embarrassing herself soon.
Good grief, she’d admitted she didn’t have sex on the first date, but here she was on her kitchen island with her legs spread wide while she hoped Jake gave her an orgasm through her clothes.
He didn’t answer her, but he did stop and moved his hand. There was an extreme amount of disappointment in that, though she knew she wouldn’t beg. If she had to take care of herself later, that was fine. That was what her drawer full of toys was for.
She was lifted off the counter and prepared to hold back the begging when she realized her pants were lowered and her bare butt was back on the cold counter. “Ohhh,” she screeched.
There was no time to complain because those stretchy jeans she’d put on for the night were coming in handy as Jake spread her legs as far apart as he could, then got b
etween her legs and decided to put his mouth to work in another place.
“Jesus,” she shouted out. He didn’t hear, or didn’t care and neither did she. All she cared about was that his lips were currently sucking on her clit hard enough that he was making slurping noises in the room. In the past that’d embarrass her. Now, it just turned her on more.
“I want you to come for me,” he said. “I want to taste you as everything pools out of you and into my mouth.”
If she thought there was a gush between her legs earlier, it was nothing to what just happened when he voiced those words and her body let loose. His mouth moved down to her opening, and his tongue went in and the throbbing that had started out low was now beating a drummer’s solo at a rock concert.
It was no ten-second solo either, but minutes. Or what felt like it. She didn’t have the energy to open her eyes and look at him when he was done. Not even when he started to laugh.
Well, the laughter made her open her eyes. “What’s so funny?” she asked, knowing that heat was filling her face now.
“Frank? I guess he isn’t much of a guard dog, is he?”
She looked over and saw the dog on the couch on his back, feet in the air, and a soft snoring sound coming from his mouth.
Hot As Ever
“Are you getting excited?” Rachel asked Taylor when she walked into her parents’ house the next day. Any embarrassment over her sexual encounter with Jake on her kitchen island was wiped clean from her mind like a teacher swiping the marker from the whiteboard.
She needed that release more than she cared to say and if he didn’t let her return the favor, well, she wasn’t going to beg. He was man enough to say yes if he wanted it. Proof was the bulge in his jeans that was giving her ideas of stripping him naked. Or maybe running to the drug store to get some condoms, not caring if that broke the mood or not.
Instead, he helped pull her pants back up, kissing the living shit out of her, then made his way out the door like he was Santa that dropped off the loot and was sneaking away up the chimney with the satisfaction of a good night’s work.
If they hadn’t made plans for next Friday night, she’d think he just had a fetish for oral sex in odd places.
“Yes,” her future sister-in-law said from the couch where she was looking through a book with Angie. “Your mom is in the kitchen getting some snacks.”
“What?” Rachel asked Taylor, not liking the silent sly look she was getting. Knowledge mixed in with humor.
“You look both relaxed and exhausted. Something you want to share?”
Rachel rolled her eyes, looked at Angie and shook her head.
“Angie,” Taylor said, “go see if Grandma has any cookies to bring in.”
“Cookies,” Angie said, jumping down and running out of the room.
“Share,” Taylor said.
“No,” Rachel said back.
“Come on. Don’t leave me hanging.”
“Not much to say.”
“Sure there is. Either you got lucky last night, or your box of toys was put to use.”
Rachel felt her face flame up. She should have never admitted she’d had a vibrator when she and Taylor were dishing about her lack of sex life months ago.
“Why did you send Angie out of the room?” her mother asked when she walked into the room carrying a tray with three cups of coffee and a plate of cookies. Angie was running in with a bottle of water in her hands.
“No reason,” Rachel said. Her mother gave her a look similar to what Taylor had, but she ignored it. “So all the RSVPs are in for the bridal shower now, right? We just need to figure out if we are doing assigned seats?”
Her mother and Taylor shared a look, then a laugh. Taylor said, “I think just let everyone sit where they want. I don’t want it too formal and I don’t know that many people here either.”
“Do you wish your family was flying up for it?” Rachel asked.
She wasn’t sure if she’d want her bridal shower without her family but understood that Taylor wasn’t as close to her mother and siblings. Not just geographically but emotionally and socially. Though Taylor did ask her sister Anne, who was only two years older than her to be the maid of honor.
“Yes and no. It’s too much for them. Not just the money for the flights and lodging, but the time off of work.”
“I guess I didn’t think of it that way,” Rachel said, knowing Reed was willing to foot the bill for everything. Hotels, flights, and other expenses.
“They are all happy to come for the wedding. I’m not thrilled Reed is paying for the hotels, but most of my family insisted they cover their own flights.”
“It can be a pride thing,” Rachel’s mother said.
“Only Crystal and my parents couldn’t swing the flight cost,” Taylor said. “I mean I’m not sure Crystal is even working since she changes jobs like I do my underwear. My parents, well, they’ve always been paycheck to paycheck. This is kind of a vacation for them.”
“As it should be,” Rachel said. “And both Anne and Crystal have been talking with me. The same with your sister-in-law, Sharon. They’ve given their input and I’ve sent them pictures of favors and asked their opinions as much as I can. I want them to feel like they had a hand in it.”
Taylor’s eyes got a little watery and Rachel felt bad that what should be an exciting time might be turning into a sad one. “I appreciate everything you guys have done. I don’t know how I got to be so lucky to become part of this family.”
“We’re lucky to have you as part of it,” Rachel said.
An hour later, the details of the shower were set aside, then talks of the wedding started. She and her mother were going to try to arrange as much of the seating for the wedding as they could and leave Taylor and Reed to handle their friends and Taylor’s family.
“So are you having any luck with your pilot?” her mother asked her. Her mother always inquired about her work. Not to be nosy, but supportive more than anything.
“Yes and no,” she said, looking away.
“Did you contact Jake Baxter?”
There was the heat filling her face and Taylor was quick to latch on. “Who is Jake Baxter?”
“Someone that was a year ahead of Rachel in school. He’s a helicopter pilot that just moved back to the area. She is trying to find one for work. I mentioned his name to her.”
“I’m not sure if he is back to the area or just visiting.”
“And how would you know that much?” Taylor asked.
“Because I talked to him. He’s not interested. At least at the moment.”
“Well, why not?” her mother asked.
There was no way she was going to go into those details with her mother. “He’s got other plans currently and he is trying to work them out.”
“Why are you fidgeting?” Taylor asked. “You never do that.”
Rachel forced herself to stop squirming and wanting to jump up off the couch as if tarantulas were ready to climb up her pant leg.
“Is Jake still as hot as ever?” her mother asked.
“Mom! Since when do you notice something like that?”
“Since I’m a woman and all the girls, including yourself, had stars in their eyes over him back in the day.”
“This is getting interesting,” Taylor said, rubbing her hands together. The sister she’d always wanted growing up was something she didn’t care for now.
“What is?” her mother asked.
“Nothing,” Rachel said.
“Angie, why don’t you go see if there are some new coloring books and crayons in the bins in Grandpa’s office?” her mother said.
Rachel watched as Angie took off running. “Spill it,” Taylor said.
“Fine,” Rachel said, sighing and knowing there was no use arguing. “He looks even better than he did before. He’s not interested in the job, or at least currently. But he was interested in a date with me.”
“That’s more like it,” Taylor said, getting more comfortable
on the couch.
She shot her future sister-in-law a look that said something along the lines of “you better not mention sex in front of my mother!”
“So did you go on a date with him?” her mother asked, her eyes showing some excitement. She wondered what that was about.
“We did. Last night we went to dinner and talked. He’s nothing like I thought he’d be and everything I kind of hoped for mixed in together.”
Why the hell had she just admitted that when her mother and Taylor started to laugh. “What were you expecting?” her mother asked. “I remember Colt. He was a good kid.”
“Who’s Colt?” Taylor asked.
“Colt is one of Jake’s older brothers,” Rachel said. “He graduated with Reed. They didn’t really hang out, not like best buds or anything, but they played football together and were friendly. Anyway, Jake’s a good guy. I guess I expected him to be pretty cocky and arrogant.”
“I would have thought that too,” her mother said.
“Back up,” Taylor said. “He’s a pilot, you said. Back in the area? Where was he?”
Rachel explained Jake’s history, leaving out the more personal details from the date last night. “He’s at a crossing so to speak. He’s home for the holidays, and he is trying to figure out his next step. We went on a date and had a good time. That’s all it is.”
“Do you have another date planned?” her mother asked.
She wouldn’t lie. “Next Friday.”
“Then maybe it’s not all about a good time, but more.”
“I’m not sure and not putting any pressure on things. I’ve got a job to do, a position to fill, and I’ll do that with a bit of his help. I asked if I could pick his brain on the requirements and what he’d like if he had the position and he agreed to that. Otherwise, I’m probably just someone he is killing his time with.”
“Are you okay with it only being that?” her mother asked. “You’ve never been one to date someone without at least hoping or wishing it could turn into more.”
Her mother was right. When she dated it was always with the expectation that something could develop. If not, she didn’t waste her time anymore, rather focusing her energy on her job. The one thing she had some control over.
