I Saw Her Standing There

by Marie Force

“There,” she said, patting his thigh. “All fixed.”

  He reached for her and pulled her down on top of him. “You’re a vixen, you know that?”

  “Never been one before, so it’s all your fault.”

  “I’m so glad you saved it for me. That was fucking incredible. You are fucking incredible, and I love you more every day. Not just because of things like that either. It’s everything. All of you.” He reached up to run his fingers through her hair, tucking it behind her ears. “The way you looked at me when you saw me waiting for you on the street. No one has ever looked at me like that before.”

  “Somehow I find that hard to believe,” she said dryly, even though her heart beat madly.

  “I’m serious, Luce. Women have looked at me before, but never the way you do.”

  “How do I look at you?”

  “Like you love me. Like you want more from me than a good time in bed. Like you want me.”

  “I do want you and love you. And I want more from you than a good time in bed, although the good time in bed is a lovely benefit.”

  “I do what I can,” he said with that impish smile she loved so much. “Now where’s that gloss?”

  She found the wand on the bed and handed it to him.

  He smoothly rolled them over so he was on top of her and knelt between her legs.

  “What flavor is it?”

  “I’m almost afraid to say.”

  “Oh come on! Where’s your sense of adventure?”

  “Um, it’s wrapped rather tightly around my cock at the moment.”

  Lucy dissolved into giggles. He was so damned funny—all the time. “Spill it.”

  “Funny you should put it that way. It’s ‘Cream My Jeans.’”

  “That’s kind of gross.”

  “Luckily, you won’t be the one tasting it.”

  “I already took one for the team. This one’s all yours.”

  “Here goes.” He withdrew the wand from the barrel and took great pains to carefully paint every inch of her suddenly super-sensitive nipples with the smooth gloss. “Mmm, that’s hot. Look how shiny they are.”

  As he worked, his erection blossomed and stretched nearly to his belly button.

  “You young boys recover quickly,” she said, caressing his muscular arms as he hovered above her, tongue trapped between his teeth as he created his masterpiece.

  “That’s what you get for robbing the cradle.”

  She gave a gentle tug to a tuft of chest hair. “You’re only three years younger than me.”

  “But what a difference those three years make.”

  “Indeed. I’m hoping you’ll reach the maturity of a seventeen-year-old one of these days.”

  “Don’t hold your breath on—” He startled and his face twisted with what might’ve been pleasure—or pain.

  “What?”

  “It just started vibrating. Scared the shit out of me.”

  Lucy cracked up laughing and couldn’t stop. She laughed until tears streamed from her eyes and her chest heaved with hiccups. Her laughter died, however, when he bent over her and began to clean up the gloss with his tongue on her sensitive nipples.

  “Mmm,” he said, ensuring the vibration of his lips had her full attention. “I thought that might quiet you down.”

  “How’s the buzzing down below?”

  “Why don’t you tell me?” He moved so the bottom portion of the vibrating ring was pressed tight against her most sensitive area.

  Lucy cried out from the triple threat caused by the heated gloss, his lips on her nipple and the vibration between her legs. She wrapped her arms around him, trying to get closer.

  “You like that?”

  “Yeah,” she said breathlessly. “What does Cream Your Jeans taste like anyway?”

  “It’s sweet, but I like the way you taste better.” He moved from her nipple to her lips, the flavor on his tongue giving her a hint of what the gloss tasted like.

  “If you liked that,” he said, “you’re gonna love this.” He pressed against her slippery flesh, gaining entry one slow inch at a time, giving her time to adjust and accommodate. Then he was fully seated, and the vibrating ring was pressed tight against her clit. The combination of his lips tugging on her nipple, the tight squeeze of his cock inside her and the vibration set off the most explosive orgasm of her life, and he hadn’t even moved yet.

  “Lucy,” he whispered against her ear, holding her tightly as she came back down to earth. “God, that was amazing.”

  “Why does my throat hurt?” she asked between deep breaths.

  “Maybe because you screamed your head off.”

  “I did? Really?” That had certainly never happened before.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Thank goodness my neighbors aren’t home at this hour. They might’ve called the cops.”

  He laughed and pressed deeper into her, which was when she realized the screaming orgasm had been hers alone.

  “You didn’t . . .”

  “Nope. You took the edge off. I’m good to go for an hour now.”

  “An hour?”

  “Uh-huh. Hold on tight babe. Here we go.”

  * * *

  Lucy was completely ruined for all other men. True to his word, he’d made love to her for a solid hour, until she finally begged for mercy and used a couple of dirty tricks to finish him off. She’d been in every possible position and a few she never would’ve thought of before him. His imagination was as robust as his stamina. Now she was facedown on the bed as he kissed a series of circles on her back while his hands kneaded her bottom.

  “You’re out to kill me, aren’t you?” she asked when his efforts resulted in yet another throb between her legs. She was surprised she still had feeling there after what they’d just done.

  “Not hardly. It’s your own fault for taking the edge off earlier.”

  “I’ll have to remember the consequences of that in the future.”

  “I want to play with that plug,” he whispered, his lips brushing over her backside and leaving her tingling with goose bumps.

  “Not now. I’m wrecked. You’ve completely destroyed me.”

  “You wouldn’t have to do anything.”

  “Colton!”

  He flopped on the bed next to her. “Fine. Be that way.” Lying on his back, he looked over at her. “That wasn’t a no though, was it?”

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  His eyes went dark with lust, which she found remarkable. How could he have anything left after that marathon? “So you’d be game for doing that sometime?”

  “You like to embarrass me, don’t you?”

  “Not at all. I like to keep it real with you.” He turned on his side and continued to run his hand up and down her back, as if he couldn’t stand to be that close to her and not touch her. She loved that. “I like that I can be myself with you and say whatever I’m thinking, even if it might embarrass you.”

  “I like that you’re yourself with me. I don’t think I’ve ever been more myself with anyone than I am with you.”

  “That pleases me more than you could ever know.” He leaned over to kiss her shoulder, punctuating the kiss with a little nibble. “So the plug? Sometime? Yes?” The eager-little-boy side of him was almost impossible to resist.

  “Only if you do it, too.”

  The face he made was positively priceless. “What? No way.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because, babe,” he said with grave seriousness. “That’s a one-way street. Exit only.”

  “That is a double standard of the highest order.”

  “Call it what you will. Rules are rules.”

  “Then I guess we’re at a standoff on this topic.”

  His hand slid down her back to cup her bottom. “I could make it really good for you . . .”

  “I could make it really good for you.”

  “Not happening.”

  “Okay, then. Your loss.”

  His head dropped onto her back
. “This isn’t fair. You got my hopes up.”

  Lucy smiled. “You get that you’re being totally ridiculous and narrow minded and sexist and—”

  He shifted on the bed and kissed her before she could finish the thought, and because she loved kissing him so much she turned onto her side to give him better access to her lips. For the longest time, they did nothing more than lie there wrapped up in each other, kissing and touching and snuggling.

  As hard as she tried, Lucy couldn’t imagine anything better than whiling away a summer afternoon in bed with Colton Abbott.

  CHAPTER 31

  Syrup grade: 66 percent Fancy Grade, a reflection of good sugaring weather. Only 1 percent Grade B this year. Syrup made in one day: On April 12 we beat the record-breaking Gift Run by 10 gallons, for a total of 464 gallons.

  —Colton Abbott’s sugaring journal, after the boil

  On Saturday morning, Lucy flew to Vermont with Colton, armed with her laptop, broadband device and a week’s worth of work to do for clients—not to mention a stack of paperwork she’d let slide the last couple of weeks. Diana was holding down the fort at the office with orders to call Lucy whenever she needed her.

  She’d decided not to feel guilty about doing what she wanted for a change. She and Colton had spent extra time with Simone, picking her up from school on Friday afternoon and taking her to the park and for ice cream. Lucy had promised to call her niece while she was gone and to take lots of pictures at the wedding, which seemed to satisfy the girl.

  In between spending time with Colton, showing him her city and seeing her family, Lucy had worked like a demon to set herself up to be out of the office all next week. Tucked into her suitcase was the silver frame from Tiffany’s that she’d paid extra to have engraved before she left the city. She’d give that to Hannah and Nolan as a wedding gift, and she had ordered crystal goblets from Hannah’s registry to be delivered to Colton’s parents’ house in time for the shower.

  “What if the shower gift doesn’t get there in time?” she asked when they were on final approach to Burlington. He’d held her hand the entire way, even as he dozed off.

  “It’ll get there,” he said without opening his eyes.

  “How can you sleep on a plane?”

  He opened his left eye to look at her. “How can you not sleep on a plane? What else is there to do?”

  “Fret and worry about every bump and dip and sound. How can you do that if you’re asleep?”

  He opened both eyes, smiled at her warmly and brought their joined hands to his lips. “Have I told you yet today how much I love you and how thrilled I am that you’re coming home with me for this special week with my family?”

  “You might’ve mentioned those things a time or two.”

  “Is it okay if I mention them again?”

  She nodded and fixated on the seat across the aisle as all sorts of thoughts spiraled through her overactive mind.

  “What’re you thinking about?”

  He was always so attuned to her, which was something she was slowly becoming accustomed to. “Nothing much.”

  “Don’t lie to me. I know that look. You’re overthinking something. All the signs are there.”

  “Quit knowing me so well. It’s unnerving.”

  “Get used to it, babe. You’re stuck with me.”

  His words filled her with longing so sharp and so powerful it nearly took her breath away. She wanted to be stuck with him forever. Lately, that want, that desire overrode everything else that had ever been important to her. From the very beginning, she’d been firm in her conviction that moving wasn’t an option for her. She hadn’t changed her mind, but with every day she spent with him it was becoming harder to imagine a day without him.

  Another week together wasn’t going to make anything easier. If anything, it was getting more complicated and confusing all the time. The one thing that remained blissfully uncomplicated was the way she loved him. It was the purest, simplest, most natural thing she’d ever felt for anyone.

  After the plane landed, he stood behind her in the aisle waiting for the people ahead of them to disembark. He slid his hand around her, laying it flat against her belly and keeping her close to him. “I brought the plug with me,” he whispered in her ear, making her shudder from his words as much as the heat against her ear.

  She turned her head to return his whisper. “Let me know when you’re ready to try it.”

  His low growl made her laugh out loud, causing the crowd of people around them to look at them curiously.

  Thirty minutes later, they’d collected their bags from baggage claim and ridden the shuttle to the long-term parking lot. Loaded into his truck, they set out for Butler.

  “I can’t wait to see Sarah and Elmer,” he said. “This is the longest I’ve ever been away from them.”

  “I’m sure Max took good care of them while you were gone.”

  “He better have or I’ll kick his ass.”

  “So what’s the plan for this bachelor party that’s going on tonight?”

  “The guys are all coming up to camp on the mountain for the night. Beer and poker and Jäger and maybe more beer.” He glanced over at her. “You’re sure you don’t mind spending the night with Cameron at their place?”

  “As long as there aren’t strippers coming to the mountain, I don’t mind.”

  Colton’s bark of laughter made her smile even though she was dead serious about the strippers. His laugh was that contagious. “Have you met my brother Hunter?”

  “Yes, a couple of times now.”

  “Then you ought to know that as Nolan’s best man, he’s the last guy on the planet who’d arrange for strippers at a bachelor party. With him in charge, we’re far more likely to end up with tenderloin and pâté than we are tits and pus—”

  She slammed her hand over his mouth. “If you finish that thought, I’ll kill you.”

  “What?” he asked, his voice muffled by her hand. He nibbled at her until she removed it. “You got a problem with pussycats or something?”

  Lucy rolled her eyes at him. “Like that’s what you were going to say.”

  “Now you’ll never know, will you?”

  Lucy watched the scenery go by, captivated once again by the pure, majestic beauty of Vermont. Even the highways were scenic. “Colton?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I just want you to know that I have more fun with you than anyone I’ve ever known in my whole life.”

  He looked at her for a moment before returning his attention to the road. His hand came over the center console in search of hers.

  Lucy happily joined their hands.

  “That’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever gotten from anyone. And P.S., same to you. If I’m not dying laughing with you, I’m dying from wanting you. It’s a pretty amazing thing we’ve got here, and I hope you know I’m never going to let you go.”

  “I’m sort of counting on it.” Under normal circumstances, a statement like that would’ve made her feel wildly vulnerable and exposed. But saying it to Colton was different. She knew she was safe with him and could say what she really meant without fear or regret.

  He squeezed her hand. “Good.”

  * * *

  The invasion of the Abbott men began around four o’clock. Cameron had driven Will and would be taking Lucy with her, but now that the hour was upon them, Colton resented the intrusion. They hadn’t spent a night apart in more than a week, and the thought of even one night without her was unbearable.

  He knew he was being ridiculous, but every minute with her was precious, and he didn’t want her to go.

  Lucas and Landon were fighting over how to put up a tent, and Max was right in the middle of it, refereeing. Wade was telling them all to shut the hell up while Elmer and Lincoln worked on building the bonfire in the yard. In summers past it would’ve been too dry to have a fire, but this year there’d been plenty of rain and thus there were no burn warnings keeping them from enjoying the fire.

&nb
sp; George, Ringo, Trevor, Tanner, Elmer and Sarah ran around in circles, adding to the chaos with their enthusiastic game of dog tag.

  Colton clung to Lucy from behind as she took in the scene unfolding around them. “Please take me with you.” Just an hour ago they’d had the mountain to themselves with only Sarah and Elmer for company, and now it had descended into chaos.

  “You need a night with the boys, and I need a night with Cameron. You’ll survive.”

  “Who’s bringing Nolan?” Lucas asked as he hammered a stake into the ground. He had his shirt off and was sweating profusely from the effort.

  “He’s coming with Skeeter and the racing team,” Hunter said.

  “Put a shirt on, will you?” Colton said to Lucas. “There’re women present.”

  “It’s fine,” Lucy said, patting Colton’s hand. “You don’t have to put a shirt on for me, Lucas.”

  “Me either,” Cameron said with a goofy grin.

  Will threw Lucas’s T-shirt at his head. “Put the shirt on.”

  “They’re just jealous,” Landon said to his twin. “Probably starting to sag around the middle. Happens to old dudes like them.”

  “He hasn’t started to sag—yet,” Lucy said, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a good man chest when I see it.”

  Lucas flexed his muscles dramatically, making the others groan.

  “Maybe it’s best if you get out of Dodge.” Colton kissed Lucy’s temple. “I can’t be responsible for what happens here.” He held her close to him for another minute. “I’m going to miss you tonight.”

  “Me, too. Have fun with the boys.”

  “Can I come with you guys?” Hunter asked Cameron and Lucy. His attempt to dress down for camping consisted of a T-shirt that looked like he’d ironed it, khaki shorts and fancy hiking boots.

  “This is your party, pal,” Colton said. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  “So what’s the verdict?” Cameron asked Will. “Are the boys coming home with me or staying with you?”

  Will whistled for Trevor and Tanner, who came rushing over to him. “You guys want to stay with me or go with Cam?”

  Both dogs jumped up on Cam, practically knocking her over.