Isaiah kissed her then shook his head. “This is totally different and we’re adults now. I’ll talk to him when I get home. He’ll be fine with it.”
~~~
It really did feel amazing—almost too good to be true. Everything had just fallen into place as if they’d been in this relationship for years. Even the issue with Gilbert was dealt with as painlessly as possible. The day after the cocktail party Gilbert sent her another apologetic text, only this time he was obviously sober. He said the friendship between them would no longer work but, for the sake of jointly being there for Matt, they should keep the lines of communication open, only to deal with any issues that should arise with Matt’s depression.
Even that seemed to be working itself out. Apparently, the night of the cocktail party was not Matt and Lori’s first time sleeping together, but it was the first time they’d spent all weekend together. He actually called to apologize to Kelli for having disappeared on her on Sunday and hadn’t even been there to say good-bye in person. Of course, Kelli gave him a pass. If anyone knew about amazing weekends you never wanted to end, it was she. At least he’d only neglected her that Sunday after the cocktail party.
Like with Isaiah and Kelli, it didn’t seem to matter how short the relationship between Matt and Lori had been so far. Just a week after the cocktail party, Matt was talking about asking Lori to move in with him. If it weren’t for her experience with Isaiah, Kelli might think him crazy or be more worried. What he was describing feeling for Lori this soon made absolute sense to Kelli because she was now living it. In Matt’s case at least, he’d worked with and known Lori for some time before falling hard. Kelli had felt the craziness he was feeling for Lori the first night she spent with Isaiah, and she’d just met the guy! In any case, with Matt sounding so happy now, she didn’t anticipate any more episodes. At least, she was hoping there wouldn’t be.
Kelli hadn’t been sure what to expect when they got back to her place, since their relationship had done such a one-eighty from when they left. But she should’ve known better. Given all the talk about how strangely comfortable they felt with each other, it was just that. Isaiah had even eased up about sightseeing the day they left Santa Fe and agreed to drive by some of the places Kelli had mentioned.
Kelli couldn’t help think about one of the things Isaiah had said on their ride back to her house, where they’d talked and laughed the whole way. This road trip felt almost as if he were taking it with a long-time girlfriend—his fiancée—one he’d been with for years. It continued once they were back home. Sleeping in separate rooms was no longer happening. They’d spent as much time in her bed and a few other choice places in that house, making love as she imagined newlyweds would. It was like a honeymoon Kelli never wanted to end.
Isaiah had since told her more about his life in the past year. She finally had the full explanation as to why he’d left the fire department. He was now both self-employed, handling all the behind-the-scenes stuff for his famous brother, and he was working for his cousin’s security firm, because there was no way he could take a job where he’d be stuck behind a desk at all times. His being here with her now really felt like an act of Fate. He’d actually turned it down, opting for what sounded like a more exciting assignment in Los Angeles. But at the last minute those plans were unexpectedly changed, and he’d ended up here instead. Every day that passed that first week alone they got so much closer. It all felt beyond magical.
Except for one thing.
Aside from the calls he took often from his cousin, Kelli had heard Isaiah on the phone with his siblings on several occasions in the last week. Not once had he mentioned if he’d said anything to them about who he was assigned to watch. And not once had she dared ask. It made her nervous. It was the only thing she could imagine might sour things for them. The chilly vibe she’d gotten from a couple of his siblings, most notably his youngest brother AJ, had not been forgotten. She could only imagine the vibe she’d get from Nathan the day she’d inevitably be forced to face him again—as Isaiah’s girl. For the most part, there hadn’t been anything they couldn’t discuss in complete openness. Except this.
Kelli had decided she’d leave it up to Isaiah. He was the one who’d ultimately have to deal with his family head on—not her. One other thing she’d noted about Isaiah from the very beginning was he was an intelligent man. If he didn’t seem worried about it, then she’d trust that he could handle this lone niggling part to what otherwise already felt like a perfect relationship.
They’d just come in from sitting out on the porch, chatting and enjoying comfortable silences. They’d gone out to cuddle on the porch swing while they waited for dinner to be ready. Now they were back in the kitchen, getting ready to eat. Kelli had prepared one of her favorite comfort foods—meatloaf. She finished putting the first sandwich together and started slicing the crust off the bread then cut it in half. When she was done, she sliced a few lemon wedges and grabbed the Tapatio hot sauce out of the cabinet. She’d been so busy cutting up the side of a snack size Doritos bag with a pair of scissors that she hadn’t even noticed how strangely Isaiah was eyeing her until she placed the bag next to the sandwich on the plate and handed it to him.
“What?” she asked then it dawned on her. “Since I’d only been cooking for myself up until you got here, I got used to not making side dishes. I hate reheating mac and cheese. That means most of it would go to waste. So I just buy the snack size bag of chips, and it’s usually my only side dish, but I do have some frozen veggies I can throw in the microwave, if you’d prefer that.”
“It’s not that.” He pulled the plate closer to him. “I’ve had chips as a side dish plenty of times, especially with a sandwich. I just think it’s odd that you cut the bag open sideways instead of from the top”—he smirked—“like most normal people.”
“I am normal.” She smirked back playfully. “I cut it that way so, when you add lemon and Tapatio, you get a better chance of getting it on all your chips.”
He nodded, a little over exaggerated. “That makes total sense now, except I don’t add lemon and Tapatio to my chips.”
“You never have?”
For a moment, she was distracted as she was often by the smile that had those perfectly plump lips outstretched.
“I might have once or twice, but it’s not a given like I take it you assumed.” He motioned down to his cut open sideways bag of chips. “And what are we, seven?” He picked up one half of his sandwich. “Actually, my mom stopped slicing the crust off my bread when I was about five.”
“Yeah.” She smiled, feeling a little bittersweet. “Well, mine didn’t until she passed, even if I was already seventeen, and I just never stopped doing it.”
She glanced up at him, and as usual, the way he gazed at her now left her a bit breathless. Kelli was used to him teasing her about her eating habits now. But she still enjoyed teasing him right back.
“Are you one of those that thinks all the vitamins and good stuff are in the crust? Because I haven’t thrown it out yet if that’s what you’re complaining about.”
“I wasn’t complaining.” He laughed, coming around from behind her and kissing her softly on the temple. “Just making an observation. To be honest, I can’t even remember having the crust cut off for me; though I remember doing it for my younger siblings.”
He kissed her again then came around her and leaned against the counter. He picked up one half of his sandwich and bit into it, closing his eyes and nodding in reaction. Bringing the napkin she’d handed him to his mouth, he finally spoke after swallowing.
“That’s damn good.”
Feeling all tingly about the compliment, Kelli smiled big. They were quiet for a little bit as they both dug into their dinner, standing around the counter. She’d brought out the small chocolate milk containers she’d gotten from the dairy, and Isaiah called it one of the oddest meals he’d had in a while, especially since he ended up liking the lemon and Tapatio in his Doritos.
 
; “That noise,” he said suddenly, and she glanced up to him, confused, “the one you said your car was doing just before I got here. I wanna take a look at your car and see if I can’t figure out what it is.”
As usual, Isaiah was done with his early dinner long before she was. She watched as he shoved the last piece of sandwich in his mouth, even though she still had half of hers left. Isaiah leaned in and kissed her, rubbing his hard body up against hers the way he did so often when he kissed her. “That was delicious, baby. I’ll probably have another when I’m done checking out your car, but it’s getting dark fast, so I’d like to check it out before I lose all light.”
“The garage keys are on that key chain too,” she said as she watched him take the keys from the hook right by the back door, “in case you need anything to tinker with.”
He gave her a playful evil eye. “Real men don’t tinker with cars.”
Kelli laughed. “You know what I meant.”
She explained she’d clean up a little and meet him out there in a bit. Isaiah had only been out back for a few minutes when something thumped in her bedroom, making her freeze. Kelli was more than convinced now that she was completely safe here. She’d even convinced her dad she didn’t have to move again. But there were times like this when she had to admit to getting spooked. She stood there, wondering if she should run out back to fetch Isaiah or grab a knife and go investigate. It was probably nothing, and she’d feel silly if it turned out to be nothing more than the window blinds tapping against the window with the breeze.
Taking the biggest knife out of the wooden knife block on the counter just in case, she took a few cautious steps toward the bedroom. There was another sudden thud and then Boris came thundering out of the hallway, making her screech in response.
“Jesus!” She clutched her hand at her chest as the stupid cat jumped across and over the sofa in the front room and hid somewhere behind the curtains in the corner.
In the next second, the back door pushed open as Isaiah burst through it with his gun drawn. “What happened?” In two long strides, he was standing in front of her, pushing her behind him. “Someone in here?”
Obviously, he’d think that after hearing her screech then rushing in to see her holding a knife in the air. “No.” She chuckled now that she could, and he turned around to face her in confusion. “Boris.” Just as she said it, Boris strolled out from behind the curtains as if nothing had happened, jumped onto her sofa, and licked his paws without a care in the world. “He ran out of my room like the crazy cat he is. But I’d heard thuds coming from my room first. It was why I picked up the knife and was gonna go check.”
Isaiah’s eyes opened wide; then his brows furrowed. “Instead of coming to get me?”
“I really didn’t think it was anything, but then he ran out and scared the hell out of me.”
The murderous glare remained on her face for a few more seconds; then Isaiah turned back to her hallway entrance. “So something in there scared him?”
“Yeah”—she placed the knife back in the wooden block—“probably his own shadow. He’s skittish that way.”
“Stay here.”
Clearly her explanation of why Boris came hurling into her front room wasn’t enough. Isaiah still held his gun up and walked cautiously to the hallway entrance. He stopped there before peeking around the corner. Kelli watched him silently, a hundred percent sure there was no one else beside them and fat Boris in the house.
A few minutes later Isaiah walked back out into the front room, frowning. “No more leaving that screen off the window for the cat, even in the day. I’ll install a cat door if you want, but I don’t like the window being wide open like that.”
He stalked toward her with a purpose, even as he put his gun away behind him. The moment he reached her he cradled her face and searched her eyes, the worry still in his. “Promise me if anything like that happens again you won’t do anything else but run to me, you hear me?”
Kelli nodded, staring into those overpowering eyes. “I promise,” she whispered. “I just didn’t think—”
“It doesn’t matter how insignificant you think it is, Kel. I don’t want you taking any chances.”
His smothering hug and his burying his face in her neck with a deep breath were enough to make her feel guilty that she hadn’t taken the noise in her room more seriously, even if it had turned out to be nothing. Feeling his heart thudding against his chest made her feel even worse, but at the same time it made her heart melt.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, running her hands through his hair. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”
She kissed the side of his head before he pulled away, exhaling loudly, then chuckled at the sight of Boris sprawling out on the sofa, big belly up in the air. “Fucking cat.” His expression finally eased up as he turned to face her, shaking his head. Then he glanced around the kitchen. “Are you done in here?”
She nodded as he slipped his hand in hers. “Just about.”
“Good.” He started to the back door, tugging her along. “I’m not done out there, but I don’t want you out of my sight anymore. It’s getting dark anyway. You can hold the flashlight for me.”
It turned out to be a loose hose Isaiah said he’d hoped he could just tighten. But by the time they’d been out there for a while and it was nice and dark, he gave her the bad news.
“Looks like it’s gonna have to be replaced. Seems you driving around with it loose messed it up. How long was it making that noise?
Kelli winced. “Few months at least.”
“A few months?”
His exasperated expression made her squeeze her eyes closed; then she laughed. “It didn’t seem like a big deal until a few weeks ago when it started getting louder.”
Isaiah closed the hood of the car, shaking his head. “You didn’t think it was a big deal. And in there”—he motioned to the kitchen door—“you didn’t think it was either, yet you picked up a knife.” Isaiah leaned against the car, pulling her to him. “You’re just a bad girl all around, aren’t you?”
Kelli smiled, looking up at him as she bit her lower lip. “Maybe I need to be punished.”
His brows jumped up, and she loved how quickly she could feel the effect her words had on him. The bulge against her thigh was already there and gaining size by the second. Kelli brought her hands down over his pants, rubbing him eagerly.
“Let’s go inside,” he whispered, already straightening out, but she shook her head.
He stared at her, confused for a moment, and she giggled when she saw the clarity hit him.
“Babe, your neighbors . . .” He began to protest, glancing around her yard, but she could tell the idea wasn’t one he disliked all that much.
“Closest ones are at least two miles away.”
She turned off the flashlight so he could see just how dark it got out there. Instantly, his lips were on hers. His strong arms embraced her tightly, and while it was dark, the glow from the kitchen window allowed just enough illumination of the backyard for them to see what they were doing. Isaiah’s hands slipped down into her shorts from behind, squeezing her bare ass with a moan. Kelli brought her hand to the front of her shorts, undoing the button and the zipper. She pulled both her shorts and panties down as Isaiah came up for breath.
He pushed her legs open with his knee then brought his hand up between her legs “Oh my God,” she gasped as he sunk a finger deep inside her.
“Bad girl,” he said, his voice sounding strained against her ear as he lowered his face to suck her neck, even as his fingers continued to fuck her.
“I am,” she said breathlessly as she stared up at the stars in the night’s clear sky. “Punish me, Isaiah.”
Obliging, he sucked her neck hard and slipped a third finger in her already dripping pussy. She cried out from the utter pleasure of it.
“You like that?”
His voice hoarsened, and she could feel why against her legs. Like her, he needed to be inside her
now.
“Yes!” She rubbed his erection a bit harder than she had earlier. “I want you inside me.”
She started to undo his button and his zipper. Isaiah slowed for a moment when a car passed out front. “It’s too dark,” she assured him, pulling him out of his pants and briefs, and wrapped her hand around his cock, stroking it. “I need you,” she practically begged.
Lifting her onto the hood of her car, he spread her open then leaned in and licked her pussy, making her arch her back and moan in delight. But it was short lived because, in the next second, he was digging in his wallet for a condom. The second he slipped it on he was on her again, kissing her deeply as he slipped in the first inch slowly—teasing. Kelli glanced down at his talented hips as he slipped in further—deeper—until he was all the way in, and he stayed there for moment as he often did to enjoy that feeling of being deep inside her.
Kelli’s eyes glistened from the incredible sensation. He was so big. The very first time he’d been in this deep it’d been almost too much to take, but now she loved it.
“God, yes!” she said, spreading even wider for him, wanting him even deeper each time he slid back into her.
The few cars that had passed out front had since stopped slowing Isaiah down now. At this point, she didn’t think anything would stop him from fucking her as hard as he was now, until one of those cars turned into her driveway. The headlights on them had Isaiah throwing his entire body over Kelli to cover her.
“What the fuck?”
Neither moved for a few moments as they waited to see if the car had just used her driveway to turn around, but the lights turned off and then so did the car. Isaiah jumped off her.
“Get in the house,” he ordered as he fumbled with his pants, and she slid off the hood of the car with her heart at her throat. “Get your gun and lock yourself in the bedroom. Do not come out until I tell you it’s okay to.”