Chasing Destiny (18 page)

He continued upward until he reached her lips, kissing her intensely as he ran his hands down the small of her back. He ground his pelvis against her center and cupped her perfectly firm backside, lifting her feet off the floor. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he carried her to the massive, four-poster bed and then carefully laid her down before positioning himself on top of her. His hands were in constant motion, caressing her bare skin; memorizing every inch of her petite body.

“God, I’ve missed you”, he whispered. He slowly migrated down her body, exploring with his mouth until he came upon her lavender, lace boy shorts. After rising onto his knees, he hooked his fingers along the sides of her hips and gently pulled the lacey garment away. He tossed her panties on the floor and sat motionless for several moments. He admired her flawless body in disbelief; she looked like a priceless piece of art, perfectly sculpted for his enjoyment. Her round breasts were spilling out of her lace demi-bra, the border of her pink nipples peeking over the delicate lace. His focus traveled south, sweeping across her flat stomach and ending on her shaved mound. She was completely bare and his
fingers twitched at the thought
of
touching her smooth, slick center
.

 “You’re so beautiful”, he said, as he grazed his hands up her thighs.

Jacob grabbed her legs, pulling her closer and then kissed her inner thigh. Her breathless moans encouraged him as he positioned her legs over his broad shoulders. He pleasured her between and
her body trembled with delight
.

Every slick lap of his tongue brought her closer, deeper into a long
forgotten place. An abyss that soothed as
well as satisfied. The sensation penetrated through the physical pleasure
and filled a void that only
he
could fill
.

Panting with pleasure, she teetered on the edge and within moments waves of electric energy pulsated throughout her entire body. She called out his name as her body twisted with ecstasy.

When her muscles relaxed she opened her eyes and met his heavy gaze. “I want you, Jake”, she said, breathlessly.

He quickly got up and removed his faded jeans. He reached into his wallet and retrieved a condom, tearing the packet open with his teeth and sheathed himself before climbing into bed above her. She ran her fingers through his thick, dark hair as he kissed her neck. Her jasmine-scented skin was nostalgic, reminding him of the history between them. He grabbed the sides of her face with his large hands and gazed into her impassioned eyes as he penetrated her flesh.

Cassie clenched her eyes shut and gasped for air as he drove his throbbing love deep into her willing body. Her petite frame was completely impaled and with every forward lunge, he punctured the
protective wall around her guarded heart.

“Open your eyes. I want you to look at me”, he whispered, breathlessly. Cassie did as he asked and then lightly grazed her finger across his lips before kissing him. Their bodies were linked and the connection he felt went beyond the physical act. He took his time, savoring
every moment of her flesh, his love for her
growing with every thrust of his body.

Her moans vibrated his soul—
damn he’d missed hearing her sounds
. She was
on the verge of another
intoxicating ecstasy as her breathing became more rapid and shallow.

“You make me feel so good”, she confided as she stared longingly into his captivating eyes. She dug her nails into his back and with one last, hard thrust, their pleasure peaked. A surging mass of energy erupted from their core in synchronized, rhythmic waves and when the intensity subsided, they lost themselves in each other’s eyes. They studied each other in silence, recognizing the metamorphosis that had just taken place and reveling in it. No words were spoken; none were needed. She turned on her side to face him, her heavy eyes staring back into his. He cupped the side of her face and gently caressed her cheek with his thumb. Her eyelids fell heavier with every stroke and within minutes, her body succumbed to fatigue.

Jacob traced her feminine curves with his eyes, retaining the surface of her flawless body in his memory. He was exhausted, but he didn’t want this night to end. He was terrified of waking in the morning, only to find that their intimate rendezvous had been a figment of his overactive imagination—another erotic dream. They’d turned a corner and he was eager to explore where it might lead.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The room was quiet and still. Cassie opened her eyes, squinting at first, and then suddenly sat up. She covered her breasts with the ivory, down comforter and glanced around a room that clearly wasn’t her own. “Jake… Jake?”

Nothing; the only response was the echo of her own voice. She reached her hand to the side of the bed where Jacob had been several hours ago, before she’d drifted to sleep, and found a small folded piece of stationary that had her name written on it. She unfolded the note and smiled as she read.

Good morning, beautiful:

Meet me at the gazebo by the river.

Jacob

Cassie folded the note in half and held it against her heart as she grinned. It was still unclear what had come over her last night, but whatever it was, she relished it. She tossed the comforter aside, placing her feet on the cold, hardwood floor and quickly wrapped her dress around her before dashing across the hall to her suite. She reached for her favorite pair of fitted, worn jeans and an old college sweatshirt that she’d cut the sleeves off of years ago. She’d also cut the neck as well, making it larger and one side invariably slid down, revealing one of her bare shoulders. She swept her golden hair back into a loose ponytail and deserted her suite.

It was cloudy and much cooler than the day before. After leaving the back terrace, she started down the winding, flagstone path that led to the gazebo… and Jacob. A feathery haze hovered above the pristine river; it was eerie and alluring all at the same time. The winding path followed the riverbank and suddenly veered to the left. Jacob stood in front of the gazebo with his hands in his pockets, his face lighting with happiness at the sight of her.

“There she is”, he said as she approached.

“Good morning.” She wrapped her arms firmly around his neck as he held her tight, lifting her feet off the ground as he occupied her body in his strong arms.

“I have a surprise for you”, he whispered.

“What kind of a surprise?”

He placed her feet back on the ground and reached for her hand. “Close your eyes and come with me.”

“Jake—”

“C’mon, humor me a little.”

Cassie shot him a curious look. “Okay, okay… I’m closing them.”

“And no peeking”, he reminded her.

“No peeking, I promise.”

He slowly led her toward the small, stone gazebo and then instructed her to open her eyes. She did as she was instructed. She opened her eyes, gasped loudly and covered her mouth with both of her hands.

“
Jake
…” A red blanket had been carefully spread across the gazebo’s stone floor and a collection of matching, plaid pillows were scatter about. A stainless steel thermos and two coffee mugs were placed next to a small picnic basket, along with a single, red rose.

“Surprise—I hope you like it.”

“Are you kidding me? This is… it’s…
perfect
. Thank you.”

Jacob led her to her seat and covered her shoulders with a fleece throw. He filled their mugs with scalding, hot coffee and took a seat next to her. He emptied the picnic basket, placing the container with cream and sugar for their morning beverages in front of them, along with a platter of fresh fruit and homemade, wild blueberry muffins.

“I’m really flattered, Jake. It’s been a really long time since anyone’s done
something so unexpected like this for me.”

“Are you serious?”

Cassie took a sip of her coffee and licked her lips. “As sad as it sounds… yeah.”

“Well, maybe we can do something about that”, he said, grinning.

She raised her arm and motioned at the scenery surrounding them. “How did you pull this together on such short notice?”

“I woke up early, went downstairs, and ran into the innkeeper. I asked her if I could arrange a private and intimate breakfast for me and a
very lovely lady
; she told me about this place. She packed the picnic basket, gathered the blankets and pillows, and I carried it down here and set everything up. Once everything was ready, I snuck upstairs, left you a note, and then came back here to wait for you.”

“You always did know how to make me feel… special.”

“That’s because you are…”

Cassie met his gaze. His spellbinding, green eyes pierced her soul, penetrating her barriers and exposing her vulnerabilities. She turned her head away as if her deepest secrets and desires had been unveiled.

“How’d you sleep?” he asked, in an attempt to change the subject.

“Better than I have in a long time. What about you?”

Jacob shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “I didn’t sleep much.”

Cassie pinched a piece of the moist muffin and placed it in her mouth. “How come?”

“I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you…”

Jacob traced the hole in the knee of her denim jeans with his finger, becoming increasingly nervous with every circumference. It was important to him that she understood how incredible last night had been for him. He wanted her to know that she was more to him than a one night stand; more than a warm body in his bed. “Look, Cass… I want you to know that last night wasn’t a casual hook-up…” His stare pierced through her alluring, hazel eyes. “
It really meant something to me
.”

Cassie smiled and leaned into him. She cupped the back of his head with her hand and pressed her soft, voluptuous lips against his. His admission reverberated through her mind, comforting her in a way she’d never experienced before. He’d changed—she no longer believed she was the target of some manipulative ploy. He’d opened up and divulged his feelings and as much as she wanted to confess how she felt about him—she couldn’t—
not yet
. She was treading on new ground; she’d been unfaithful to Landon and she didn’t take that lightly. Before she could tell Jacob how she felt, before she could even begin to consider where their current situation might lead, she needed more time. Time to evaluate her feelings for both of the men in her life and with only two more evenings away from her life in Chicago remaining, she needed to do it quickly.

“I should go. I need to get in the
shower; we have to be at the cottage soon.”

“You need help? I could wash your back”, he suggested in a deep, seductive tone. He softly kissed her neck, evoking a breathless moan.

Don’t lose yourself
,
Cassie. You need
some time alone to think
.
“I think I can m-
manage just fine”, she whispered, inconvincibly.

“Are you sure about that?”

No, she wasn’t sure
—about that and about a lot of things in her life at that moment, but she did acknowledge that if she didn’t leave soon, she wouldn’t have the will power to turn him away. “I’m sure.” Cassie pulled away and stood up. “Do you need any help hauling anything back to the inn?”

“No, I’ve got it.” He stood up as well, reaching for her hands. He interlocked their fingers and pinned her with his hypnotic stare.