Page 54 of Sweet Love at Bayside
Breakfast had become a community event. The guys had moved their running time earlier in order to make it back for the lavish morning meals Desiree prepared.
“Don’t count on it,” Violet said to Drake as she poured coffee into mugs. “Unless Rick has a stand-in lover to keep Des satisfied while he’s gone.”
“Which hedoes not.” Rick was used to Violet’s brash comments, but he was wrestling with his own anxiety about leaving tomorrow, and the last thing he wanted to do was to joke about Desiree and any other man.
“Hey, we have a bunch of friends who live in the Seaside community,” Serena said with a tease in her eyes. “I’m sure we’ll be inviting them to breakfast soon, and I hear Leanna has two hot brothers. You never know.” She waggled her brows.
Rick glared at her.
“Unfortunately,” Violet said, “Des’s cooking ability seems to be tied to the number of orgasms she’s had that morning.”
“Geez, Vi,” Rick snapped.
“If that’s the case, you do have all those wonderful battery-operated boyfriends right down the driveway.” Serena pointed in the direction of the shop. “Breakfast could be miraculouseverymorning.”
Rick shook his head. How was he supposed to survive missing this?
“A few good nights with them and she may not miss Rick at all,” Dean teased.
“Jerk,” Rick grumbled, and headed back inside.
Desiree was setting the last of the crepes on a plate, looking hot in a peach halter-top minidress she’d bought when she’d gone shopping with Serena and Mira yesterday. The dress showed off all her curves, and drove him wild. Actually, everything about her drove him wild. They’d made love earlier, and he wanted to carry her upstairs again and stay in bed all day long, being close to the woman he loved.
He kissed her shoulder, and she held her breath, letting it out with that dreamy sigh that had first captured his heart.
“Hi,” she said as she turned to face him.
He took the spatula from her hand and set it on the counter. “How’s my beautiful girl?”
She shrugged, sadness rising in her eyes, crushing him to pieces. He kissed her cheek, her lips, her chin, the tip of her nose, and finally, a smile broke through the sadness, putting him back together again.
“It’s only two or three weeks until you’re back in Virginia, and then every weekend we’ll be together.” He framed her face with his hands and kissed her deeply. “I promise, sweetheart. You know I can’t stay away from you.”
“I never knew love could be so consuming. I already miss you, and you haven’t even left yet.” She gripped his shirt. “I don’t want to wake up without you. I wish you could stay longer.”
He lifted her onto the counter and stood between her legs, so they were eye to eye. “I wish I could, too. I have to go back and wrap up the deal I’ve been working on for the past few months, and try to mediate the issues between my partners before it all blows up.”
“I know.” She wound her arms around his neck. “Kiss me, Rick. Kiss me like you never want to lose me, so even after you’re gone I can still feel it.”
“Baby,” he whispered, the last sound smothered by the press of his lips.
They kissed as if they’d been lovers for fifty years, their tongues sliding and delving, taunting in ways that were so right, so hot and delicious, he got carried away and lifted her into his arms, needing to be closer to her. Their passion took over so fast and urgent, in seconds they were lost in each other.
“You own me, baby,” he said between kisses. “Every bit of me. From the very first time I saw you, and with every smile, every kiss, every single touch, I’ve been falling deeper and deeper in love with you.”
She held her breath as he spoke and released it with that sultry sigh that struck him in the center of his heart.
“Show me,” she said against his lips. “Bathroom.Hurry!”
He made a beeline out of the kitchen and into the bathroom, loving this new eager, bold side of her as much as he adored her sweeter, more vulnerable side. They made quick work of stripping away clothes, and then she was in his arms again, and his heart rushed out.
“I love you, baby. I love you so much I can’t see straight.”
A slow smile crept across her face, the hazy look of lust hovering in her beautiful eyes. “I love you, too.” She touched her lips to his as their bodies came together, and whispered, “Say it again. Say it so many times I hear it in my sleep.”
DESIREE HAD PROMISED herself she wouldn’t stew about Rick leaving tomorrow. After all, she’d be back in Virginia soon, and as he’d said, they would see each other every weekend. But a few weeks seemed like forever, and after washing up, as they carried the rest of the crepes out to the table, where his family and their friends were laughing and talking, her stomach plummeted. She’d built a life here. A life that made her tremendously happy. How could she leave? How could Rick leave his family again?
She set the plate of crepes on the table, and Rick tugged her against him and kissed her temple.How can I go a few weeks without this? Without you?
