Broken Ground: (Broken Series Book 1) (37 page)

"I even made it to an unusual size so it can't be replaced without rebuilding the entire door frame. It's not coming out once it goes in." I couldn't help smiling at the thought. "Now you know what I've been working on all this time while you were at the lake painting." I stepped over and pulled her into my arms. "Speaking of the lake, I seem to recall you offering to skinny dip with me." I kissed the top of her head, not the least bit apprehensive about going in the lake. Not anymore. "That offer still stand?"

Ali beamed up at me, realizing the implications of my proposal. "Absolutely, Mr. McGavran. Lead the way."

AFTER GRABBING A
couple of towels and a new cotton drop cloth — originally intended for use when the time came to stain the door — we hurried back to the lake. The moon was nearly full, casting a soft white glow on the valley that was reflected in the still water of the lake. The quiet breeze stirred the tall grass at the edge of the water causing it to sway pleasantly. Ali had been playful, pulling me along and giggling all the way to the lake but once we got there, a quiet thoughtfulness settled over her expression.

She stood aside while I lay out the cloth beneath the willow, covering the soft grass. When I was finished, she handed me the towels, holding my gaze as she stepped back and began to undress. The soft sound of the towels falling to the ground barely registered in my awareness as she lifted her thin t-shirt over her head, revealing a pale pink lace bra that looked amazing next to her sun-kissed skin. With slow, deliberate movements she untied the knot that fastened her Capri pants around the swell of her hips. Once the strings were loosened she paused, the hesitation pulling my attention to her face. The corner of her mouth turned up in a sexy smile and, with a quick wiggle of her hips, the cotton capris pooled at her feet.

Holy hell.

Her matching panties were see-through in all the right places and barely large enough to cover the smooth mound at the juncture of her thighs. With the moon at my back, I was able to see every inch of her lush, voluptuous body glowing in the evening light, the ethereal beauty of her staggering. Still pinning me with her seductive smile, she stepped out of the pants, kicking them aside but retaining the wedge sandals that made her legs look impossibly long and taut. A low growl escaped me when she leaned down to slip off her shoes, those perfect full breasts all but spilling from the confinement of her bra.

Ali removed her shoes slowly and purposefully, taking an occasional glance up at me from under her lashes to see if I was watching. She righted herself, nudging the sandals aside and wiggling her pink-tipped toes against the cotton of the drop cloth. When I swiped my tongue across my suddenly parched lips, her tongue trailed slowly across her plump bottom lip in response.

She reached back with one hand and unhooked her bra, the band loosening around her torso while her other hand held it against her. She slid the straps off of her smooth shoulders one by one, taking her time and enjoying making me squirm. When she pulled the garment free, tossing it onto the ground between us and dropping her arms to her sides, my dick pulsed, throbbing. I was hard as fucking granite, and it took all the self-restraint I had not to throw her down on our makeshift bed and bury myself inside her.

Noticing my heaving chest, she smiled a little wider and raised a hand to her breast. Her slender fingers caressed and cupped for a moment before tweaking the high taut nipple, making us both moan softly. She trailed her hand down her ribcage and across her smooth belly, stopping just at the edge of the tiny lace panties that I would soon be using as fucking dental floss.

My gaze flitted back and forth from her gorgeous face with its sensual expression to her roaming fingers that were teasingly dipping into the edges of her underwear. The way my cock strained against my zipper was becoming painful, so I absently unbuttoned my jeans to relieve the pressure.

Ali smirked knowingly and continued her assault on my senses, going deeper and deeper beneath the waistband of her panties until her entire hand was caressing her undoubtedly slick folds. She threw her head back and moaned, breasts rising and falling with her rapid breaths. My mouth was watering, my cock was twitching, and I was half out of my mind with lust.

She removed her hand, and I watched in awe as she placed two of her slick fingers in her mouth, licking them clean with a groan while my whole body shuddered. Fucking hell, I couldn't take much more.

Seeing my control wavering, she hooked her thumbs into the edge of her underwear and in one swift motion, they were on the ground at her feet. She flipped them across the space between us with her right foot, and I caught them just before they hit my chest, crushing the damp material in my fist. I was so turned on I would probably end up eating the damn things just to get a taste of her.

Before I could consider the adverse digestive consequences of that idea, Ali blew a kiss my way and scampered off toward the pier. I took two long strides to give chase before realizing I was overdressed. By the time I made it to the mouth of the pier, my clothes were scattered in every direction, and I was pretty sure I'd never find half of them. Somewhere, a damn squirrel would be stuffing his nest with my socks by morning. I wasn't particularly concerned at that moment because Ali had already jumped into the water with a splash, and I didn't give a damn if I had to drive back to the cabin in a towel. I had more pressing matters to attend to.

I strode down the pier, fully naked and painfully aroused. I reached the last plank and droplets of water sprayed over my torso as Ali splashed me from where she floated on the surface of the lake, the smooth orbs of her breasts breaking the surface, causing me great distraction. I watched intently as the water lapped at the juncture of her thighs, cooling her heated skin as my entire body burned with desire.

Her hand lifted from her side, and she curled a finger to beckon me closer. "What are you waiting for, swim champ? I'm getting awful lonely out here all by myself." She pouted playfully, but there was a watchful expression on her face, as if she was considering that I might not be ready to do this.

Time to prove her wrong.

I motioned for her to stay back and watched with an amused smile as she used her hands to paddle her floating body further from the pier. Not her arms, just her hands in a small flapping motion that was bird-like but surprisingly effective. So damn adorable.

When I was sure she was out of harm's way, I told her, "Can't have you feeling lonely now, can I? Get ready, love. I'm coming in."
In more ways than one.

I took a deep breath and dove in headfirst, slicing through the cool water with ease, my usual feeling of freedom was expanded a hundredfold. I kicked and stroked and dove until my lungs were about to burst only surfacing when I absolutely had to. I sucked in a breath and dove again, unable to stop. It was only after I reached the far bank that I stayed on the surface treading water and panting in lungful after lungful of the night air that smelled of honeysuckle.

Ali was treading water too, one hand on the pier as she watched me with a look of pride. I gave her a little wave and started making my way back, alternating between slow crawl strokes and back strokes that afforded me a stunning view of the night sky. As I neared the spot where I'd last spotted her, she floated peacefully on the water staring up at the stars and my desire rekindled, burning white hot even in the cool water.

She watched as I made my way over, positioning myself between her legs and telling her to stay just as she was, floating there on her back like a goddess in the moonlight. I wanted to see if coming would make her sink. The water was shallower here, and I was able to touch the bottom, though barely.

I pushed her legs wider apart, smiling when she remained buoyant. I ran my tongue up her inner thigh and chuckled when her gasp made her torso momentarily drop deeper into the water. She resurfaced, and I reached up to palm one of her breasts, careful not to put the weight of my arm on her. She whimpered but stayed atop the water, so I went in for the kill. I locked my mouth over her mound and held her ass up in the water so I could apply just enough pressure to her swollen clit to set her off.

Soft mewling noises echoed across the lake as I swirled my tongue over her, in her. She was the sweetest thing I'd tasted in my life. Her body tensed as she struggled against the urge to grind into my mouth. The desperate sounds she made in the back of her throat told me she was close, she just needed a little push, and she would come apart. I kept working her with my mouth while I walked us closer to the shore, seeking the shallower water to get the leverage I needed with my legs.

Once I was able to plant both feet firmly on the lake bed, I wrapped both arms around her thighs and pulled her into my face, burying my tongue inside her. Pulling back, I swirled it over her clit while I slipped two fingers into her and pumped them in and out, fucking her hard with my hand.

Ali's hands shot up to squeeze and tug her breasts, and soon she was convulsing, quaking in my mouth. She stayed afloat, but I kept one hand below her back, just in case, while I lapped at her clit and thrust my fingers with incrementally slowing strokes. I kept softly licking, kissing, and sucking at her until her contented sigh announced that she'd recovered.

As soon as I removed my hands her lower half sank into the lake, and she began treading water in front of me. Despite the orgasm that had just ripped through her, there was desire in her eyes. She reached out to me — she was still unable to touch bottom — and I took her in my arms. She locked her legs around my middle and kissed me deeply, running her hands through my dripping hair.

I took hold of her, my thumbs at her hip bones and my fingers grasping her ass as I lifted her up and onto my cock. I lowered her slowly, enjoying the feel of her hot flesh enveloping me an inch at a time. When I slipped all the way in, I thought my legs would give out. She felt so fucking good.

She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled her hips back, my dick slipping almost all the way out before she thrust forward and took me to the hilt. She circled her hips, dipped and swayed on my cock until I had to bite my lip to keep from swearing. I'd never felt anything like this, ever. She was so hot, so tight, so...

Oh, fuck!

I grasped her hips and pulled her all the way onto me, halting her motions. "Wait, baby, we can't do this."

She clenched her muscles, gripping me tight enough to make me growl. "Oh, really? It feels like we can." She nipped at my lip and gripped me again.

One more of those and I was going to go off like a goddamn rocket.

"No. That's not what I mean." I thrust my hips forward almost involuntarily before I stopped myself with a groan. "I wasn't thinking straight, hell, I'm still not but we have to stop. I'm not wearing a condom."

She watched me for a moment, finally stilling. "I guess we were a little distracted." She kissed me softly and pushed my hair back off my forehead. "Do you have one at all? In the truck maybe?"

I shook my head. "No. I never keep them in my vehicles or wallet, too much chance of them being ruined by the heat."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Smart. Inconvenient in our current situation but still smart." She looked at me seriously. "Have you ever...? I mean, without a condom?"

"No. Not once. But before you go thinking I'm some kind of Boy Scout, it wasn't about me being responsible. It was me having convinced myself that no kid deserved a father like me because I was a walking, talking curse."

She gave me a sad smile and pulled my mouth to hers for a brief kiss. "That's not true, you know that right?" I nodded, and she looked relieved that I no longer felt that way about myself. "I don't know how you feel about continuing without a condom, but I want you to know that I'm clean. I was tested for everything known to man after Keith and there's been no one else except you."
And there never will be
, my mind supplied. "I'm also on birth control." She pulled my forehead to hers, looking me in the eye. "We can stop right now and go to the cabin. I'm fine with that, truly I am. But, I want you to know that I trust you, I trust
us
enough not to stop if that's what you want."

Hell no, I didn't want to stop. Nothing in my life had ever felt so good, so right. I'd never had sex without that barrier, but with her I didn't want anything between us. Figuratively, or literally. It was the only 'first' I had left, and I wanted it with her. I wanted to feel her, to fill her, to mark her.

I thrust up sharply and nipped at her lip. "I want this. I want to make love to you, feel your body around me, to come inside you over and over. You're mine, Ali. And I'm yours." I pulled out of her, the cool water a sharp contrast to her heated core before slamming back in, going balls-deep.

She gasped at the invasion and said, "I'm yours, Clay. Don't stop. Please."

I set off with a growl, making my way closer to the bank, struggling for balance with Ali still wrapped around me, inside and out. She squealed and clutched my shoulders, "What are you doing, crazy?"