Hot as Hale (Hale Series Book 3)

by Marie James

  I tip him on his way out after dropping the last crate in the entryway and close the door behind him. I reactivate the security alarm and find Josie standing at the edge of the foyer.

  “Moving?” She asks with a grin.

  “These are your things, Mariposa.” Her look of confusion is cute and very characteristic of her.

  “Mine?” She pulls the lid off of the top of the closest box and looks in. I smile at her gasp.

  “Yours,” I state as I walk behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. I place my chin on her shoulder and glance down.

  Inside the box, I see a wooden pole lined with hangers. “Ian told me about this laundry service. I contacted a few patrolmen yesterday and had them bag it all up and take it to them.”

  I release her and begin pulling the lid off of each box. I notice the perforated edges down both sides of the front and tug the fronts open, so the clothes are displayed so she can see what is in each one. “They’ve been run through a sanitizing wash, and Ian said you use Tide laundry detergent, so that’s what I requested.”

  She looks at me in complete shock before turning her attention back to the opened boxes. “I thought they were all ruined?”

  “They were just scattered everywhere,” I explain.

  “Even my pajamas are in here.” She shuffles through the clothes a little further. “No underwear?”

  “I didn’t figure you wanted my officers loading those up. Lorali told Ian she’d take care of that for you.” I kiss her lips gently. “I think she plans to hand those types of things over this afternoon, after lunch.”

  “Thank you so much, Kaleb,” she whispers against my lips.

  “Anything for you, Josie.” I return her kiss but pull away before we step over the bounds of our control.

  I turn her in my arms so she’s facing back towards the boxes. “What are we going to do with all of it, while I look for an apartment?”

  I stiffen at her thoughts of leaving. Here goes nothing. I clear my throat and respond hoping my voice sounds more nonchalant than desperate. “There’s plenty of room in my closet, Josie. And half of the dresser is empty as well.”

  She doesn’t respond immediately, and I’m all but holding my breath, waiting for her response. “Help me unpack?”

  The breath I was holding is released in a loud whoosh.

  “Were you nervous about what I was going to say?” She’s grinning at me, toying with me.

  I shrug my shoulders in an attempt to seem apathetic. Hey, it’s either that or scoop her up and twirl her around! I know she’s less likely to leave if her things are unpacked in my house rather than boxed up and waiting to be moved to a new location. She laughs. Apparently, I’ve not fooled her.

  Without another word, I take as many hangers as will fit in my hands and make my way to the bedroom closet. The smell of the Tide on her clothes is apparent, and I realize it has always been a part of her smell. I know I’ll be changing laundry detergent. Bye, bye Gain.

  Chapter 21

  Josie

  Kaleb’s eagerness to get all of my clothes unpacked and into his closet is refreshing. The more I think about it, the less concerned I am about not having lived on my own. It’s not like he’s asked me to move in but he’s certainly not acting like a guy who’s ready to get rid of me anytime soon. I’m trying my best not to think about leaving because every time I do my anxiety spikes.

  I’ve decided to just leave everything on the hangers since they are so well organized and will add them to the drawers once they have been worn and laundered. I’m almost giddy at having all of my clothes back. I was a little stressed at the idea of having to buy all new clothes and the small bag Kaleb packed for me on Friday was barely enough to get me to today, and that’s including all the time I’ve spent out of clothes.

  I sit down on the obscenely huge bed and watch Kaleb as he settles the last arm full of clothes in the closet.

  “Thank you for the closet space, Kaleb,” I say timidly. This whole situation is out of my wheelhouse, and I honestly don’t know how to act. I don’t want to be presumptuous, but I also don’t want to lay it all out there because I’m afraid his head is not in the same place as mine.

  His beaming grin is his only response to my gratitude. “What do you think Sunday lunch is going to entail? Any idea on dress code expectations?”

  “Ian made reservations at Mizuna, so I’d say semi-casual?” I grin as he walks back into the closet and pulls out a dark gray suit and a mint green button-down.

  “That may be a little too dressy,” I advise him.

  He winks at me. “I want to make a good impression.”

  I can understand that. “Ok, how about jeans and no tie?”

  He lays the clothes out on the bench at the foot of the bed and walks around to where I’m sitting on the side. I spread my legs, so he can stand in between them, and I wrap my arms around his waist.

  “Are you nervous about meeting them?” Surely, he doesn’t meet a bunch of women’s parents. I hope this is a novel situation for him.

  “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous. But I’m trained to handle stressful situations.”

  I let out a small laugh at his words, but when I glance up and look into his eyes, the giggle abruptly ends. His facial features are soft, but his eyes are on fire. His lips are parted slightly, and his breathing is shallow. I wonder momentarily what I did to turn his playful banter into a lust filled stare-off.

  We stay like this for a long while, just looking into each other’s eyes, his thumb stroking the side of my face. I feel like he’s trying to send a message to me. I do my best to ignore it because I don’t want to make assumptions. Words and declarations I’ve never before uttered are on the tip of my tongue, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from opening my mouth, afraid they will just fall out and not be well received.

  Thankfully my ability to speak is gone when he leans in and tenderly kisses my lips. I’ve grown fond of every kiss, every caress, every touch he has ever given to me, but this kiss. This kiss feels like a declaration, a promise of sorts. I hope that he can feel the same level of desire, and I do desire him. If I allow my mind to wander, I can see myself having a future with this magnificent man.

  I want that. I want him. Today is a big step, and I hope he doesn’t feel rushed. It seems fast to me, but I don’t want to wait. I hope Dad will be on his best behavior and not begin the interrogation the second we sit down to lunch. I was there when he met Ian, and it was brutal. Ian took it in stride and with class just like he does everything, but it was difficult to watch.

  He slowly pulls away from my mouth. “How did I get so lucky?” He asks softly.

  I beam up at him. “My sister thought billionaire Ian Hale was a drug lord!”

  He laughs at the memory, which was actually a pretty traumatic time for Lorali, but she even laughs about it now, so I guess that making jokes about it is now acceptable.

  I tilt my head back and offer my mouth for another kiss. He shakes his head slightly. I give him a pouty lip and over exaggerated frown. “You don’t want to kiss me?” I inquire as seductively as I can.

  He clears his throat before speaking. “I want nothing more than to kiss you, Josie. But I know I’ll have a difficult time stopping, and we only have an hour and a half before we have to meet your parents.”

  “That’s plenty of time,” I whisper.

  “Not for what I have in mind.” His lust is betrayed by the hoarseness of his voice.

  He tries to pull out of my reach, but I grab him and yank him back. “Care to share your thoughts?”

  I watch as he reaches down and adjusts the obvious erection in his sweatpants. I lost my grip on him once I was entranced by the sight of his arousal. He utilized this opportunity to back away from me.

  I feel needy and desperate for him, and if he wants to resist me, then I plan to make it as hard on him as possible. I slip off the bed and stand. “I should get dressed then,” I inform him as I pull
my oversized t-shirt over my head and drop it to the floor.

  I hear him groan when I snake by him towards the closet. I’m stark naked, and when my nipples harden knowing he’s watching me so attentively, I realize this seduction routine is going to backfire. Tempting him is also turning me on even more. We will both be hurting long before lunch is over.

  No panties, no bras. My entire wardrobe is here except for the necessary undergarments. I grab a tank top with a shelf bra and knee-length, floral print skirt. I reach in again and grab a lightweight cardigan, because I know at some point, if not for the entire meal, I going to have to cover my aroused nipples.

  I turn back towards Kaleb to dress as alluringly as possible and nearly drop my clothes when I see him stroking up and down the length of his erection; his shirt is now off, and his hand is hidden behind the fabric of his sweats. I’m mesmerized by the site and full of glee at knowing my temptation has worked.

  I toss my clothes on the chair in the corner and take a step towards him.

  “No, Josie,” his voice husky and commanding.

  “What are you getting at, Perez?” I smirk at him but stop in my tracks.

  “I should ask you the same thing. Are you trying to seduce me into action when I’ve said we have to wait?” His eyes are trained on mine, and I feel flustered under his scrutiny.

  “Umm….” Is all I manage as a response to his question.

  His hand continues its languid up and down motion, and my body aches for his fingertips. I feel a tender touch on my exposed belly, and I look down only to realize my own hand is moving across my delicate flesh. Kaleb’s eyes leave mine and follow my fingers as they descend toward the apex of my thighs.

  “Josie.” My name on his lips is chastising.

  “What?” I answer with a hiss as my middle finger skates across my swollen clitoris.

  He doesn’t answer; his only response is increasing the pace of his stroking hand. I widen my stance, allowing better access for my wandering fingers. Touching myself was something I rarely ever did in the privacy of my locked bedroom back at the apartment. Doing it in front of a man? I would call someone a liar if they told me I’d be doing this, especially this early in a relationship. What can I say? Kaleb brings out the naughty in me.

  I hum a low approval as my fingers slide further. I find myself extremely wet; my body’s glorious response to the site of Kaleb. I wonder how long he’s going let this continue. Surely, he’s just as hungry for me as I am for him.

  “Kaleb,” I whisper as slowly sink a finger into myself.

  “Fuck,” he responds as my eyelids get almost too heavy to keep open.

  I’ve always had to use a vibrator to bring myself to orgasm, but just my fingers and his eyes on me has me so close to the edge I’m sure to collapse when I tumble over the edge today.

  “Show me.” My voice is breathy, and my eyes never leave his stroking hand.

  I lick my lips as he uses his free hand to push down his sweatpants, exposing his beautiful penis. The sight of his gripping hand causes me to push my fingers deeper inside. I bite my lip to hide my whimpers.

  “That’s it,” he praises quietly, watching as I press the palm of my hand on my clit. His pace is matching the in and out thrust of my fingers, and it has got to be the most erotic thing I’ve seen.

  A sheen of sweat is beginning to cover my entire body, and my heart is thundering in my chest as the initial wave of my release hits me. My knees begin to buckle under the strength of the orgasm. Before I can gasp at my impending doom, Kaleb’s thick arm wraps around my back, and he holds me against his chest. I moan loudly as my core clenches violently around my fingers.

  “Fuck!” He grunts, and I feel hot bursts of semen hit my belly.

  I smile against his chest as my body begins to calm. I would call this a victory if my body didn’t beg for more when I finally pulled my fingers away. It also didn’t help when Kaleb reached down, gripped my wrist, and brought my wet fingers to his mouth. With my free hand, I reach down to grip his sex, but he grips that wrist as well, forcing it behind my back.

  I bat my eyelashes up at him innocently.

  “You got me dirty again,” I state and try to muffle a giggle.

  “You, Joselyne Bennett, do not know how to take no for an answer.” He chastises me playfully, his mouth still wrapped around my index finger.

  I can feel the licking and sucking in my core causing me to shift my hips. My attempt to rub my thighs together is hampered when Kaleb slips his leg between mine. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and it’s hot, sexy, and more than a little frustrating.

  I can feel his come beginning to chill on my stomach, and I look down. “I’m so dirty,” I say in an attempt to push him into action. He has yet to soften, and his hot length is pressed between us; the tip still glistening from his orgasm.

  He closes his eyes on a long blink. “Yes, Mariposa. You’re dirtier than I ever could have hoped for.” Still keeping his grip on my hands, he bends down and kisses my mouth. One caress of his tongue against mine is all I get before he takes a step back and is tugging me towards the bathroom.

  “Oh, now you want to shower with me?” I can’t help but tease him for running away and showering in another bathroom just a bit ago.

  “I have to make sure you’re clean when I meet your father, Josie. I don’t think you showing up for lunch smelling like sex will win me any points. Plus,” he says, letting go of my hand long enough to open the shower door and turn on the water. “There is no need for him to know how much of a dirty girl his daughter is.”

  He steps to the side and smacks me on the butt as I walk past him into the shower. I stand under the cascading water, and my hands immediately go to my breasts.

  “Behave,” he commands just as I’m about tug on one of my nipples.

  I smirk at him, but I’m formulating a plan for later. One in which he will have less control over the situation.

  Chapter 22

  Kaleb

  By some miracle, I was able to get myself and Josie clean in the shower without further incident. The little stunt she pulled in the bedroom was not something I would’ve predicted this sweet, little, innocent kitten would do, but fuck me if it wasn’t ridiculously hot.

  I have to pat myself on the back for the restraint I showed when I watched her dress for lunch with her parents. I managed to keep my cock in my pants as I helped her zip her skirt, even knowing she had no panties on under it. I’m grateful she suggested blue jeans with the blazer; because I have a feeling I’m going to need the extra restriction the denim is going to provide. I’ve barely softened since she began touching herself in front of the closet.

  I busy myself in the kitchen making sure Mia has eaten and has finished her business outside while Josie gets ready. A quick look at my watch informs me that we will be cutting it dangerously close already, but I’m not going to rush her. I know that will get me nowhere.

  “A woman is ready when she’s ready.” My mother would always say when my dad tried to rush her. You’re not going to find me crossing that line.

  I’m scratching Mia’s head and promising to take her to work tomorrow when I hear Josie walk into the kitchen. She’s absolutely gorgeous. Her golden hair is down and wavy, and she’s applied only the slightest amount of makeup. I groan when my eyes scan her body and notice her pert nipples straining against her cotton tank.

  “Something wrong?” She glances down at her clothes, looking for a malfunction or a stain.

  I stalk towards her and reach out and stroke both of her nipples with my thumbs. She gives me a lustful grin, and I give her a soft but chaste kiss on her lips.

  “I’ll not be able to give your dad the attention he deserves if I’m staring at your beautiful breasts all afternoon.” I run my nose down her neck and lick at her raging pulse as my hand continues to stroke her hardened buds.

  She’s the one with the restraint this time, and I narrow my eyes at her when she steps out of my grasp. She pulls a thi
n sweater that I hadn’t noticed from the crook of her arm. “I’ll be covering those up, sir,” she says playfully as she slides her arms into the sleeves.

  “Shame,” I mutter with a smile. “Have everything you need?”

  She walks towards her purse and cell phone on the kitchen island. “I do now.”

  I grab her hand, and we walk towards the garage. I set the alarm for the house and hit the garage door opener on the wall before pulling the passenger side truck door open for Josie. She tugs her skirt up a few inches to climb in, and I cop a feel of her perfect ass as I help her get settled. She may have believed I was only there to help if my fingers didn’t curl and actually grip her cheek.

  I back out of the garage and wait to ensure it is completely closed before heading out of the subdivision towards Denver proper and Mizuna. The drive to the restaurant is quiet, and I can’t help but wonder if Josie is getting a case of nerves at me meeting her father. I’m having trouble myself keeping my natural somatic responses under control.

  I reach and place my hand on her thigh, and the connection calms me immediately. I’d do anything for this amazing woman and meeting her parents is only the first step in ensuring I’ll have the opportunity to give her everything she desires.

  Once we arrive, I slide out of the truck and make my way to Josie’s side and help her out. I resist copping a feel of her this time as the restaurant is mostly windows and I have no idea where everyone is situated inside. We hold hands as we make our way inside. Josie gives Ian’s name at the hostess station.

  “Yes, ma’am. The rest of your party is already here.” I look down at my watch. We’re fifteen minutes late. Great first impression, Perez.

  She’s still holding my hand as we make our way across the restaurant to a private corner. Of course, Ian would situate us away from the general public. Fewer distractions. I make a mental note to thank his ass later, knowing her father will have no distractions for his interrogation. I’m glancing around, taking in my surroundings when I feel Josie release my hands. Looking towards her, I notice we’ve made it to the table.