My face heated about the same time that desire pooled between my legs. It hadn’t been more than a few hours since the last time he’d been inside of me, and yet right now here I was desperately wishing I’d worn a skirt or that we weren’t in a moving vehicle. “Nothing I can recall.”
“Pity,” he murmured, stroking his fingers down the inside of my thigh and then pausing to take a long drink of water out of his bottle.
“You know, I do have an idea of what to add to the list. Here’s a hint: I’m on my knees.” I had the satisfaction of watching him nearly choke and patted him on the back while he coughed. “Are you okay?”
He laughed. “I think the only thing that would make me feel better is to have you scoot closer and tell me more. In detail.”
Did I have it in me? And by me, I meant Catherine, not some version of myself trying to be somebody else. “Am I afforded a learning curve, teacher? Because you should know it’s my first time.” I tried to make my voice sound breathy, but it came out way cheesy.
He grinned at my attempt, taking my hand and placing it on his bulge. “The moment you mentioned being on your knees, I turned rock hard. Anything else is just a bonus.”
I cupped him through the material of his jeans, enjoying the hiss of his breath at the movement. Shifting so I could whisper and kiss behind his ear, I went for it. “Sinking to my knees, I’d glance up at you, anxious to taste that first drop on the tip of your cock with my tongue. I’d lean forward, sucking gently, then—”
“Fuck.” He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before re-tasking my hand into his, away from his growing erection.
“Not good?” I leaned back, watching him struggle for words.
“Let’s just say I’m trying not to pull this car over right now.”
“What’s stopping you?” Holy crap. Did that actually come from me?
The look on his face was priceless and the shock evident. “I—wow—I wasn’t expecting that,” he breathed out. “Although I want to, and believe me, I do—we’re already on the property. They have cameras and probably already know we’re here.”
Right on cue, he turned on his blinker a quarter mile down the road and turned into a driveway.
“Huh. I never thought I’d be the adventurous one for a change.”
***
My nerves replaced all remnants of lust when we pulled up to the house three minutes later. Probably due to the fact that I hadn’t met anyone’s parents in this capacity since college. Of course it could also be because I’d been trying to convince him to pull off the road less than a half mile away from his family’s home for a blow job. That would’ve been a great first impression on the resort camera. Glancing over, I watched Will shift in his seat, clearly still uncomfortably straining against his jeans.
“Sorry,” I offered, not feeling the least bit so. He might not realize it, but knowing I had this sort of effect on him was quite a boost to my ego.
He grinned. “No you’re not, but I look forward to continuing this conversation later.”
“Okay, but it’ll be tough to talk with my mouth full,” I quipped. I watched his jaw drop as he clearly hadn’t believed I’d say something so brazen. Evidently, the last twelve hours had queued up an insatiable sex brain.
“Cath, I’ll warn you I’m about to throw this car in reverse and haul you down to our cabin before saying hello to anyone.”
I waggled an eyebrow. “Promises, promises, but it I think you’re too late.”
As the front door opened, he growled and adjusted himself while taking a deep breath. Two large dogs came out and barked around the car, followed by a dark-haired, teenage girl who shouted at them to be quiet and smiled at Will. I assumed this was his sister.
“Good thing seeing my family is an instant deflator,” he muttered, getting out of the car slowly.
Will hugged his sister while a woman who had to be his mother, wiping her hands on an apron, came out the front door. She was petite with brown hair pulled back and the same piercing blue eyes as her son. Both women regarded me curiously while I stood next to the car, trying to keep the dogs from jumping up in their excited state.
His sister called them to her and tried to settle them down.
“You must be Catherine. I’m Mary,” Will’s mother greeted me with a smile.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I was instantly engulfed in a hug.
“You, too. And this is Janet.” She turned towards her daughter, who was eying me dubiously with green eyes.
“Hi,” she said in that teenage way which left no clue whether or not she was happy I was here.
“Tim is out fixing some plumbing in one of the buildings, but he’ll return in time for dinner. Did you want to go unload your things at the cabin, then come back for lunch? I wasn’t sure if you, uh, needed separate rooms, but I have either a one or two-bedroom ready just in case.” She cast a glance between the two of us.
“One-bedroom is good, Mum,” Will responded without apology. “And we’ll go do just that.”
I didn’t miss the flash of disappointment on his sister’s face. She’d just seen her brother for all of two minutes, and he was already leaving. “Did you want to come along, Janet?”
She looked surprised but excited, and I hoped her brother was on board with the idea. I know we’d both been thinking about continuing where we’d left off in the car.
“Yeah, sure, let me grab my phone.”
“She never goes anywhere without it,” her mother said on a sigh.
“We’ll be back soon,” Will said, hugging his mom one more time and climbing into the car to join me.
“I hope that wasn’t presumptuous, but she seemed crestfallen to see you leaving so soon.”
Will took my hand and raised it to his lips, brushing my knuckles with a kiss. “Although I had other plans in mind for our ‘unpacking’—” He did an air quote with his one hand. “It was worth seeing how pleased she was to be invited. The last couple of years I’ve come to visit, I haven’t known how she’ll be from one moment to the next. She’s kind of moody.”
I gave him a smile. “Teenage girls usually are.”
On cue, Janet opened the back door and climbed in. “Mom said you two might want to be alone, so if you do, you know, I don’t care. I can stay here instead while you settle in.”
Will winked at me before turning around towards his sister. “We wouldn’t have invited you if we’d wished to be alone. Plus, I haven’t seen you in a year, love, so why don’t you tell me what’s been going on?”
She hesitated at first, but then launched into what she’d been up to with school and her friends. Although the cabin was less than a mile away, by the time we arrived I felt as though we’d been thoroughly dipped in the deep end of teenage-girl life. But the way her brother listened and also picked up on things and asked questions was impressive. Watching the affection he had for her was sweet.
While Will handled the suitcases, I stepped into the charming wooden cabin and immediately appreciated the rustic appeal. Off to the right was a small kitchen which boasted a stove, sink and countertop, and a small bistro table. The living area was made up of overstuffed, comfortable-looking furniture with a wilderness motif. A beautiful stone fireplace stood in the center of it all. The doors towards the rear I assumed led to the bathroom and bedroom.
“So you’re from New York City?” Janet inquired.
“I’m originally from the Boston area, but I’ve lived in New York most of my adult years. Have you ever been?”
She sighed heavily. “No, but I really want to go. I asked Will if I could visit him, but he said not until I’m older. But how am I supposed to know if I could live there if I can’t see it?”
“What makes you want to live in New York?”
“Aside from getting the chance to move out of this dreary town, I love fashion. And where better to go, especially when your older brother is a model in the industry?”
Will came in and rolled his eyes. “We’ve had the
conversation, sis. And judging from your grades lately, there’s no way Mum would let you come for a visit anyhow.”
“What is it you wish to do with fashion?” It was in my blood to automatically ask this type of question.
Will flashed me a warning look that I didn’t heed. If he wanted to talk to his sister about her grades or not visiting, fine, but I was a guest. That meant I got a free pass and didn’t have to get into the heavy stuff with her.
“I want to design clothes. I sew all the time, putting together different fabrics and sketching outfits. Matter of fact, I made this.” She ran her hands over her hip plaid jacket which she’d paired with leggings and Doc Martens boots to give off a cute punk meets classic lines style.
“Impressive.”
She eyed my conservative jeans, boots, and cashmere sweater dubiously. “Yeah, well, most older people don’t really get it.”
Nothing like being called old and unfashionable by a teenage girl to make even the editor of a major fashion magazine humble. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“To be fair, she thinks everyone over the age of twenty is old,” Will said, coming back out from the bedroom where he’d dropped our bags. “And that was rude,” he admonished his sister. “Believe me when I say if anyone gets it, it’s Catherine.”
“Sorry,” she muttered, clearly embarrassed to have been called out in front of me.
“It’s fine, really. Let me show you something you might like.” I led her into the bedroom, taking in briefly the beautiful king-sized bed before setting the smaller of my two suitcases on top of it. When I unzipped it and flung it open, I had the satisfaction that I’d redeemed myself in her eyes when she gasped at the shoes inside.
“Are those with the red bottoms Louboutins?” She went to touch them but paused and glanced over as if to ask permission.
“Yes, indeed, and you can touch them. What size are you?”
“Size six.” She frowned when she saw they were eights, but clearly admired the suede nude platform sandals nonetheless. “Are you rich?” She reached for the black Jimmy Choos, practically sighing with pleasure.
Will’s voice came from the bedroom door where he leaned against the frame. “Really, Janet?”
She blushed. “Sorry, but these shoes are way expensive.”
Will arched a brow, which conveyed a silent you asked for this, and backed out of the room.
“I do okay, but a lot of these were given to me by designers. I work at a fashion magazine.”
Her eyes got big. “Which one?”
“Cosmopolitan Life.”
“The Cosmo Life magazine?”
“That’s the one.”
She regarded me with a newfound appreciation. “Do they have internships there?”
I smiled and figured I’d be blunt. “They do, but they only accept the very best students.”
“Did my brother put you up to this with the grades thing?” She eyed me skeptically.
“Nope. But if your goal is to get out of this town someday, the best way is to focus on school.”
“All right. I get it. Can I see the rest of your clothes?”
How could I possibly say no to her request?
***
The rest of the day went by quickly, with lunch and then driving to the next town over to see Will’s brother, Thomas. The reunion between the siblings was touching to watch. When Will introduced me, I took Thomas’s hand and answered his questions about how I liked Australia thus far.
Thomas was confined to a wheelchair and had a hard time with his speech, but was assisted by a computer that spoke for him. His blue eyes and dark hair were quite like his little brother’s, as was the playful grin he’d sport when amused.
Will hadn’t been kidding about the technology which allowed his brother an independent way of living. The impressive facility housed fifty residents with various needs and it was clear his brother was proud to have his own room, only using help when he needed it.
We met some of the staff while Thomas gave us a tour of the newest addition. This included a workout center, complete with a pool, and a team of physical therapists who worked with the patients daily to help with pain or physical limitations.
I wasn’t surprised that Will was amazing, not only with his brother but also with the staff and other patients. He simply had a way with people. Didn’t matter if they had a disability or not, he greeted everyone with a smile and an energy that was contagious.
After the tour, I wanted to give the brothers some privacy, so I said my goodbye to Thomas and then excused myself. I found a place to sit in the charming courtyard filled with flowers and benches. I could see now why Will was so adamant about keeping his brother here, but it was also evident that this didn’t come cheap.
But the real reason I’d excused myself was because spending time with Will’s siblings was only furthering an attachment to a man with whom I didn’t have a future. Seeing him with his family and everyone here today only reaffirmed what an amazing guy he was. I was afraid I might already be in trouble when it came to wanting more than just the physical with him.
Hoping to distract myself, I checked emails, grateful to have an international phone so I could keep in touch with work. I thought it curious that I had a message from Colby Singer, Josh’s younger brother. Even more interesting was the reason behind his email as it gave me an idea for putting Will’s repayment of his medical expenses behind us once and for all.
He found me out on the bench almost an hour later and apologized. “Sorry, that took longer than intended.”
I waved him off. “You should take all the time you’d like. I only wished to give you some privacy.”
As we were about to walk to the car, one of the administrators caught up with us. He gave Will his card and told him the director would like to speak with him later this week.
“Everything okay with Thomas?” I asked once we were alone.
He put the card in his pocket. “Yeah, it’s all good. They just want to talk to me about taking a job as a counselor. They spoke with me the last time I visited, too, but there’s a new director who’d like to convince me. It’s flattering, and I wouldn’t mind working with people who have disabilities, but I can’t see myself moving back to this small town.”
I was relieved to hear it. Although he’d only been part of my world for a short time, I couldn’t imagine him not in New York.
The return trip to the house was quiet. I imagined seeing his brother was emotional, to say the least. I took his hand, making him aware I was there if he wanted to talk but not peppering him with questions.
As we pulled up to the house, he turned towards me. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being so unbelievably genuine while you were there today. It’s the first thing Thomas said to me. That you were sincerely happy to meet him, and then he told me you looked like Charlize Theron.”
Ha, I wished. “Ah. He’s charming, same as his brother, then. And I enjoyed meeting him.” I hesitated, but thought it was worth saying. “I obviously don’t know him like you do, but he seems happy there, Will.”
He smiled. “He is. Tomorrow he’ll come over to the house for the afternoon. The facility has a van service which can transport him, and it’ll be nice for my mum to have all the kids under her roof.”
***
When we sat down for dinner that evening, I met Tim, Will’s stepdad. He was tall and laid-back with an easy smile. He appeared to genuinely dote on his wife, which was sweet to see.
“Where’s Janet?” Will inquired while helping his mom with the last of the platters filled with a delicious-smelling meal.
“She’s been upstairs studying all afternoon. Janet, time for dinner,” she called up the stairs.
She came down with exuberant energy and took her seat. “Looks good, Mum.”
“What’s inspired you all of the sudden?” her brother asked, passing around the chicken.
“Catherine told me about the internship
s at her magazine. And if I want a shot, I need to study more. By the way, would I get to go to a fashion show?” she questioned, glancing at me.
In fact, all eyes were on me, and Will’s didn’t appear too happy. “Uh, the interns often do get a chance to attend.”
She practically squealed. The subject was forgotten when Will purposefully steered the conversation towards talk of Thomas, but there was no mistaking the set of his jaw. The subject of the internship and Janet wasn’t sitting well with him.
Once we were alone in the car, I brought it up right away to clear the air. “Janet asked me if we had internships, and I took the opportunity to tell her only for those students who did well in school.”
“I don’t want her in New York,” he said on a sigh.
“And what about what she wants?”
“She’s fourteen and hasn’t a clue what that is yet. Plus, she has the grand idea that I have some posh apartment in the city where she can sleep in the spare room while visiting.”
And now his hesitation made more sense, given his current living situation. “We only accept college students, which means it would be years from now if she did come.”
“Is there ever a time where you’re not trying to get involved and do favors for people you just met?”
Ouch. And we’d come full circle to me paying for his medical expenses. I was torn between wanting to tell him to go to hell and my need to defend doing nice things for people. I decided I’d do neither and got out of the car, going directly into the cabin without waiting on him. I’d hardly stepped one foot inside before he pulled me into his arms.
“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for,” he murmured into my hair before leaning back and meeting my eyes.
“I didn’t say anything to her I wouldn’t have said to any other young girl who loves fashion.”
He swallowed hard. “I know. You’re unbelievably generous, and I should be thanking you for motivating her instead of criticizing. So, thank you.”
“You’re pretty good with your apology, but it’s still not addressing the real issue here.”
He didn’t bother to pretend he didn’t know what I was talking about. “It bothers me to owe anyone, Cath.”
Teach Me Something (Something Series Book 4) Page 15
