He bent to lick across her nipples. Back and forth as she seemed to warm and melt against him. This was perfect. The time neither of them had to worry about what they did or how they did it.
She wrapped her legs around him and held him to her as she arched into his mouth. Her nails dug into his shoulders and he knew she’d leave marks. He hoped so. He loved it when she left marks.
“I don’t want to wait,” she murmured as he kissed down her ribs. “I want you in me.”
He warred with his desire to taste her, to drive her up with his mouth, and to comply with her request, sliding deep into her body. It wasn’t as if either plan had any drawbacks.
He groaned as she slid her hands up his sides, scoring her nails over his ribs, sending shivers through him. “Now.” Demanding. She reached down, grabbing his cock. “In me.”
“Once you scratch the surface you’re a horny, demanding, cock-hungry woman.”
She laughed. “Don’t tell anyone. You’ll blow my cover.”
He fumbled until he got suited up and lined his cock at her gate, pressing in so slow, beads of sweat popped out on his forehead. He had to rein it in before he thrust. He wanted to take it slow. Wanted to tease.
“You’re like the best all-you-can-eat buffet ever. I want to gorge and gorge. So I have to make myself taste slowly. Here.” He kissed her mouth and she sighed into his. “And here.” He made his way to her throat. She arched, giving him the line of her neck, offering herself to him, and he didn’t try to stop. He tasted the softness of her skin. The salt of her warmth. Her scent was strong at the hollow of her throat and he breathed deep. Wanting to hold her there inside himself.
She was physically small, but against him she was strong. Vibrant. Her muscles flexed as she moved to meet his thrusts. He kissed over her freckles. Across her cheeks, over her shoulder.
Outside it had begun to rain and the sound seemed to make music in between the gasps and groans. There were no words just then. Just sensation and the sound of the rain on the roof.
Her hands landed on his ass as she dug her fingers in, holding on. She hitched her thighs higher and he shifted, grabbing her thighs and sliding his hands back to her knees.
Her eyes rolled up as she groaned as his fingertips stroked the skin at the back of her knee. She was flexible enough that once he levered up a little he could shift her, turning his head to lick where his fingers were.
She moaned rather loudly and his cock throbbed in response. Throbbed in time with the frantic beat of his heart.
He grabbed her hand, moving it to her pussy. She kept his gaze as she slowly began to circle her clit with her middle finger.
She tightened around him. Each time he thrust deep, she squeezed. He wanted more. Wanted this to never ever end. But it would. Sooner rather than later. He began to hurtle down that one-way street. Climax dug into his flesh, into his heart and body with sharp claws.
He knew she wasn’t far either. Her cunt superheated, slicked up as little earthquakes of her inner muscles began to echo through her pussy. He bit her thigh just to the side of her knee and she cried out, clamping down around his cock until he nearly saw stars.
With a gust of breath, her name a tortured sound on his lips, he joined her, thrusting until he had to fall to the side, her legs still tangled with his body.
“I think I might last until after lunch now.”
She laughed, sliding her fingers through his hair.
* * *
“Hey, you finally fixed this back door. It’s about time.” Daisy strolled in and tossed herself onto Mary’s couch.
“Why, good evening to you too.”
“I’m hungry. Take pity on me.”
Mary rolled her eyes. “Don’t you have a boyfriend? Also I just brought you a huge bag of food yesterday.”
Daisy laughed. “I know and it was all very good. But said boyfriend took a lot of it to work for his lunch. He gave me a very sad story about how nowhere in town makes food as good as yours and how it helps him get through the afternoon. He even gave me the eyes and then he made me come and I forgot why I should even say no. He’s got a magic penis. I’m powerless against it.”
Mary choked out a laugh and couldn’t stop. Soon she had to sit down next to Daisy, who’d begun laughing along with her. This went on for some time until she could finally breathe again.
“Wonder if there’s a twelve-step for that. My name is Daisy Huerta and I’m a Levi-holic. Hi, Daisy.”
“Ha! But then I’d have to want to be cured and I don’t. But he did eat all your food and I could make a peanut butter sandwich or some soup. But you live right here and you have delicious food and I haven’t seen you in a few days, so really, look at all those birds I killed with that one stone. Also, ew, I don’t like that saying. I don’t want to throw rocks at birds. See what being hungry does to me?”
“Good lord, you’re a mess.” She kissed Daisy’s cheek and stood. “Yes, my door is fixed. Damien fixed it and the window too. I’ve got carnitas. Want some with rice and beans?”
“I’m sure that was a rhetorical question as the answer would never be anything but yes.”
As much as she teased, she did love it when her friends and family showed up wanting to be fed. It was her way of taking care of them. Their way of letting her do it.
“There’s tea, juice, beer, milk. There might be more; you’ll have to check the fridge.”
She got to work putting together a plate.
“Have you eaten yet?”
“I ate earlier. I just got home from a job about twenty minutes ago.”
“When did Damien go back to Oregon?” Daisy poured them both a glass of red wine and she clinked her glass to Mary’s once she handed it over. “Cheers.”
“He left this morning.” It had been a good visit. She’d learned a lot about him. He’d listened to her stories, asked questions. Helped her when she’d needed it and backed off when she didn’t.
“When do you see him again?”
“He wants me to come down to visit him there. He said he wanted me to cater an event so if he hired me, I could spare the time.”
Daisy laughed. “Well, certainly that job would be way more fun than most. I’m just guessing, by the way, that you aren’t nailing all your other clients after you make them dinner.”
“I’ll never tell.” She slid the plate into the oven to heat. “Be ready in a few.”
“So . . . how are things? I mean, this is more than a fling, obviously. He totally digs you. That much is clear for anyone with eyes. He also did repair work, hello. That’s a true sign.”
She sighed and took a gulp of her wine. She told Daisy about the conversation she and Damien had had. About how he wanted to move things into relationship territory but that she was concerned.
“I admit, I was worried for a bit. At first when it was just a one-off I was like, whoo, get some, girl! And then later it was more than that and I didn’t know if he was good enough for you. I certainly knew from what I’d seen online that he had a reputation. But I’ve gotten to know him a little and I gotta say, I like him. I like how he treats you. I like how he looks at you. I like that he fixed your broken stuff. I don’t like that he lives in another state. What would I do without you if you moved? But that’s selfish. I know I’ve spent more time with Levi lately and less with you. I miss you a lot. But I want you to be happy. I want you to find something real, and if that means you live four hours away, that means I’ll drive down to see you all the time.”
“Don’t go getting ahead of yourself. I don’t know. I really don’t. I hate his lifestyle. Not all of it of course. He’s close with his family. He works hard. He values the same things I do. But, you know I look at Gillian and all the stuff she has to deal with, and I already got a call about a single picture someone took. I don’t want that. I don’t want to hear from women who fucked him before me. I’m not cut out for that stuff. I’m not thick-skinned enough for that.”
“So end it.”
“He brought me s
alt. As a present. Flower of Bali and Fleur de Sel.” That had sent her reeling.
“This is a good thing?”
“Yes. Don’t you see? He didn’t buy me diamonds. He bought me salt that’s sort of hard to find. Salt I’d love to use because I cook things. He thought about me, knew me enough to understand I’d find this incredibly moving. I could have resisted jewelry. And it’s not the first time. He brought the filé I made the gumbo with before that too. He’s clever. And really, really good in bed. My god. He’s . . . Anyway. He’s good. We’re good. I don’t want to end it.”
Daisy grinned. “So don’t. Let him prove himself to you. And if he does, the other stuff won’t matter as much. You’ll find a way to deal with the distance and the media. Like Gillian does. Like I deal with Levi’s dumb society stuff. Like Jules deals with bossy Cal and bossy Gideon. I’m giving up my house. Levi asked me to move in with him.”
Genuine happiness filled Mary to near bursting as she hugged Daisy. “When?”
“Two hours ago. He came home after court. Well, came to my home and we—well, we visited. Anyway, after the visit he said he thought it was silly that we were apart when we liked being together. He said he wanted me with him every night. He said he had spoken with one of his brothers, the architect, to convert one of the guest rooms into a dressing room. Like I have in my house. Only bigger because, well, you’ve seen his house. Anyway. He wants his house to be our house.”
“And you said?”
“Hello, do you think I’m dumb? I said yes.”
Mary grinned so hard her face hurt. “I’m so excited for you!”
“Me too. Scared a little, but mainly excited. I’ll keep my studio space where it is. No sense in moving that. I love the light and the size is perfect. Plus I get to work with my grandmother around and that’s the best part. I’m in love. So much love my life is overflowing with it. I’m really, really happy right now and I’m so glad you’re happy too. You’re the first person I told. There was more visiting in a carnal sense to celebrate the answer, and then he had to go back to work and I came over here.”
“This totally calls for something more exciting than leftover carnitas! I have champagne.”
“Yay!”
“Shall we call over the troops?” Mary got up and began to rustle through her kitchen. “I’m making a feast. We need a feast of celebration.”
Daisy laughed, moving to hug her again. “You’re the best person in the world. I knew if I told you, you’d make me feel even better, and you totally did. Thank you for being my best friend.”
Mary sniffled. “What else could I be?”
She called Gillian and Jules and told them to get over to her place to celebrate some news. Both women said they were on it.
Damien called just after everyone had arrived and the champagne had been poured and toasts had been made. She was giddy and slightly drunk.
“Sounds like I’m missing something good.” She heard the smile in his voice when he said it and realized she missed him already.
“Celebrating with my friends. Daisy’s had some good news. You got home all right?”
“Yes. I miss you already though.”
She took a chance. Later, if it didn’t work out, she could blame the champagne. “I was just thinking that.”
“Come down. Spend some time here with me. Two days at a time isn’t enough. Spend a week. Stay in my house. Meet my family.”
“I can’t take a week off. I have supper club and various jobs I’ve already booked.”
“How about if you come down here first thing on a Monday? Your Sunday Supper Club will be finished and then I can fly you back whenever your next job is. If it’s just a day later or whatever I can even fly you home, even for a few hours, and then we can come back. Whatever. I wasn’t joking when I said I wanted to hire you to cater for me. I want to do a big dinner for my family and I can’t cook worth a damn. You can though.”
He was so charming, so earnestly wanting to be with her. How could she not relent? “Are you sure? That seems like an awful lot of work to fly me up and back. Twice even.”
“Am I not being clear about how much I want to spend time with you? I like flying. It’s fun for me, gets me hours in the air and it means it cuts the travel time down enough to make it doable.”
“Let me look at my schedule to see when I’ve got a stretch of time without jobs. I think it’s not going to happen until October though.” She paused. “But I can probably swing a day or two. If we left on a Sunday night after supper club and came back Wednesday morning.”
“Yeah?” She pictured his smile and it warmed her.
“Yeah. And I’ll make the feast. You will not pay me for it.”
“Your time—”
She cut him off. “There are things I do freely because I care about the people I do them for. Trying to pay me for them would make me feel bad.”
He paused. “All right. That’s fair. Also a compliment, if I’m not mistaken. Also, if I fly up to get you, that means I have more time with you and you have more time being here instead of traveling.”
“You like getting your way.”
He laughed. “You’ve found me out.”
“All right. Let me get back to you on dates. I’ve got to run. I’m glad you’re home safe.”
“I’ll talk to you soon then. Night.”
15
They stood in a coffee shop and she had to rein in her impulse to punch the woman currently gushing all over Damien. A good solid jab to the throat might cure this bitch of her manners problem.
He was flirty, but in a general way. It was his nature, Mary had realized some time ago. But it was clear the woman took his nature as an excuse to keep it up.
Damien stepped away and the woman stepped closer. Mary watched, her head cocked, white noise in her head. She didn’t like being jealous. It sucked. It was ugly, and yet she totally was jealous.
To his credit though, Damien kept trying to find nice ways to tell this woman to back off and go away. Finally he stepped back, grabbed Mary’s shoulders and put her between them. Then Mary felt like she’d been given permission to step in.
“What Damien is trying very hard to say and you’re trying very hard not to hear is that he’s here with someone. That’s me.” She waggled her fingers in greeting. “If you walk away now, you can keep some dignity.”
He pulled her back into his body, encircling her shoulders in his arms. His heart beat so steadily she calmed a little. He kissed her temple.
The gusher looked a little surprised, her gaze going back to Damien.
“This is Mary. She’s my girlfriend. I’m here with her. I’m with her,” he repeated, and finally the gusher shrugged and wandered away.
Girlfriend? She thought to protest and realized she didn’t want to. Even if it wasn’t true. Was it? Oh man, now was not the time to have this internal panic attack.
“Thank you for saving me,” he murmured in her ear. “I’m sorry, that was so rude.”
Well, he’d learned from the time in New York. He’d dealt with it quicker. It wouldn’t be the last time either. She had to decide if she could find a way to deal with it.
“I wanted to punch her in the throat.”
He turned her, tipping her chin up. He didn’t care who was looking. In fact he hoped everyone was, because he wanted the world to know this was his woman. “It’s hot when you get this way.” He brushed a kiss over her mouth.
“Mm hm. I’m told this is part of the whole deal. I know enough at this point to be certain I don’t enjoy it. The private plane part is a thumbs-up, though.”
He laughed, tucking her against his side. Their coffee order would be up soon and then they could be on their way.
“Mainly that sort of thing doesn’t happen here. In town most people leave me alone. We grew up here. We’re locals. I go grocery shopping and that sort of thing and people are mostly respectful. I see old schoolteachers and that sort of thing. I’m sorry. I really am.”
&nb
sp; She sniffed but said no more. In all the times they’d been together she’d never really shown any jealousy. Other women he’d been with had been jealous when they had no right to be. That had been annoying. This one though? He wanted to pump his fist in victory.
Their coffees came up and he grabbed them.
“Sometimes people do this sort of thing to Adrian at Tart. Jules kicks people out. I guess they do it sometimes at Erin’s café as well. Once, Jules actually jumped the counter to haul out some skank who flashed her boobs at Adrian. Unbelievable that some people have no self-respect at all.”
“Clearly you need to be with me to protect me at all times.”
She laughed. “Mmm hmm.”
“Come on. You ready for Sweet Hollow Ranch?”
“Bring it on.”
He got her back into the car as she sipped her coffee. He’d warned everyone to back off until he slowly brought her around. The last thing he needed was to have his family scaring her off. He’d gotten her this far, he wanted to be sure he got everything right. He wanted her to be in his life regularly.
He took her in the back way so that when they came around the last bend she’d see the river off in the distance along with his house. He wanted to preen and show off for her.
“Wow, this is so beautiful.” She looked around as they got out of the car. “Smells good too. So quiet.”
“It’s nice to be up here. You can see what’s happening elsewhere, but it’s quiet and off the beaten path. Come on in. We’ll drop your stuff off and decide what to do. You can look at the groceries I picked up as well to see if I need anything.”
She took his free hand and he calmed.
“Horses?”
“Yeah. They’re mainly Ezra’s thing. He loves them. My dad uses the ATVs, but Ezra rides out to check the orchards and fields. He’s got dogs too. Chickens. Pigs.” He opened up and ushered her in, her bags in the hand not in hers.
She stopped, her mouth dropping open. “Damien, this entry is stunning.” Letting go of his hand, she turned in a circle, checking the place out.
Flagstones and slate covered the floors. The entry was open to the second floor. Huge windows let the light rush in