Page 33 of When I Come Back
She’s close. Her breathing has picked up, her hand in my hair is gripping almost to the point of pain, and her thighs are locked around my head. I maintain the pressure and tempo of my movements until her body shudders and a loud moan—reverberating in my palm as it travels all the way up her throat—escapes her mouth.
I ease my efforts as her orgasm fades and pepper a few gentle kisses on her pussy and inner thighs. Releasing her neck, I remove her thigh from my shoulder and help her back into her underwear and shorts. I then slowly stand and take in her flushed chest and cheeks. Her heavy breaths.
When our eyes meet, she stretches up and kisses me deeply, no doubt tasting herself on my lips. That was always a big turn on for her, confirmed by the groan she lets out when her tongue sweeps my mouth.
My cock still aches, and I reach down to adjust myself. She looks at me and then down at the bulge I can’t hide, apprehension crossing her face. I don’t expect anything from her and to accentuate the point, I intertwine our fingers and slowly lead her back up the path we came down after another quick kiss. We walk in silence until we reach the trail.
“I, umm… I need a favor,” she finally says, breaking the silence.
“That wasn’t enough?” I return with a smirk, and she shoves my shoulder with a shy smile.
“Oh my God, stop,” she says through a laugh. “I need help at the restaurant.” My eyebrows shoot up because I was sure it would be a cold day in hell before Thea Carina Ashford would ever ask for my help at RED.
“What do you need?”
“Travis can’t come in before the dinner shift tomorrow. He’s still dealing with his daughter. I was wondering if you could help cover breakfast and lunch?” Her eyes are uneasy as if she’s expecting me to say no.
“Of course. I’ll be there.” We share a smile and continue back to the trailhead in silence.
Once there, the air between us is awkward; we’re both unsure of how to leave things. She’s fidgeting with her rings, eyes darting around. I can’t get a read of what’s going through her head. To put an end to this before it can venture into uncomfortable territory I take her face in one hand and pull her in for a long, deep kiss then pull away.
“See you tomorrow, Lemon.” I turn and walk toward my hotel, the sweet, dazed look on her face after I pulled away front and center in my mind the whole way back.
Chapter Sixteen
Thea
Mind-blowing. It’s the only word I can think of to describe what happened between Cary and me at Carina Cove. And I have been thinking about it a lot since it happened—basically nonstop. I feel like a teenager high on hormones for the first time. I should be thinking about all the reasons this is a terrible idea. There are so many other things to consider, I just can’t pull myself out of the best-orgasms-of-my-life haze to care.
I’ve gone as far as making up a fake reason for him to be at RED today. Josh could have handled the breakfast and lunch shifts on a Monday by himself. Even if it is our first day open since Hazel and Owen passed, he could have handled it alone. He’s done it before.
Travis’ absence wasn’t so much a problem as it was an excuse. In forty-eight hours, I’d managed to fall so deep into the Carrington Grant hole that I am already shifting my life around looking for ways to see him again.
This. Is. Bad.
Running—almost literally—into him yesterday was a shock. I’d never expected him, or anyone else for that matter, to be on that trail. It’s not somewhere locals or tourists usually venture out to during the fall and winter months. During the summer, sure. Maybe even spring. But usually, I’m able to be out there by myself and get carried away with my thoughts. Running has always been the best thing to clear my head and after everything that happened after the charity event and then my conversation with my mom, I’d needed some clearing.
Now, I’m even more confused. Not that anyone could tell by the way I’m practically drooling while watching him cook right now.
How could I not though?
Even if he wasn’t hot as hell, he also went out of his way during the lunch rush to have food sent to me in my office. Making sure I’m fed with some of the best food I’ve ever tasted only makes him more attractive.
I need to stop before someone sees me ogling him. The rest of the town still thinks Ripley and I are madly in love. Our fake dating stunt was never an issue before, but now it feels dirty. I’m scared someone is going to see the way I’m looking at Cary and think I’m stepping out on Rip. This town is entirely too small for me to get labeled as a hussy, even if it is a misunderstanding.
Fortunately—or maybe unfortunately, it’s hard to say—the booth I’m sitting in rolling silverware gives me the perfect view of the kitchen. I know it makes me look suspicious. Monday is my inventory day, so I should be in the back counting and placing my order for anything we’re low on. Two of my servers have already asked me why I’m out here and not doing just that. And as if my sins aren’t grandiose enough, I lied. I told them I did it throughout the week since we were closed. I one-hundred percent did not do that. It’ll bite me in the ass come Friday if I don’t find time to do it at some point.
Cary’s making me irresponsible.
The look on his face as he concentrates on plating the dish he’s about to serve shouldn’t be a turn on. He’s so serious with his furrowed brow and his sharp eyes; his concentration is solely focused on the dish in front of him. The way he delicately sprinkles the garnish from up above, his fingers rubbing against each other as it falls—the muscles in those damn forearms rippling with the movement—shouldn’t make me wish his fingers were on me. His hair is pulled back in his usual top knot, and God, I’m desperate to see it loose and around his face again so I can run my hands through it. Nothing about watching him work should make me wish I was on my knees in front of him returning the favor from yesterday. And yet…
I’m startled by a voice, pulling me from my inappropriate thoughts. “Thea.” The voice belongs to Travis who wasn’t supposed to be here for another two hours, or so I thought.
“Travis.” I turn my phone over to see the time. “I thought you couldn’t come in until three?”
He’s already pulling his apron from his bag, wrapping it around his waist, and tying it in place as he speaks, “The sitter was able to come early. I felt terrible leaving you hanging again, so I rushed here.”
I set down the silverware I’m in the middle of wrapping as I shake my head. “You didn’t have to do that. I had Cary come in to help Josh in case we got busy since we were closed all last week.” I pause as an idea starts to form in my mind. “However, this is great. I have some paperwork and business things he and I need to go over today, so this works perfectly.”
