Secret Confessions: Down & Dusty — Casey (3 page)

But she wasn’t here to fuck and make-up and now he’d heard she’d been with someone else … Well, he probably wouldn’t want to touch her ever again. ‘Why?’ she asked.

‘Why?’ He ran an angry hand through his scruffy hair. ‘Because I still believe in us. I loved you then and I love you still.’

The breath caught in her throat. No! She didn’t want to hear that. He might think he loved her and maybe deep down she still loved him, but it wasn’t that fucking simple. Life never was. They wanted different things. Fundamental things. Things that Samuel was willing to give her. So what if his fingers and tongue didn’t make her crazy the way Joel did simply by opening his mouth? There was more to life than fantastic sex. Still, she had to know, ‘Then why the hell didn’t you come after me?’

Joel sighed. His expression was still tense but the fight had lessened in his eyes. ‘Ever heard the expression “If you love something set it free, if it comes back to you, it is yours”?’ He shrugged. ‘Well, you came back.’

His cocky expression had returned and it only riled her up. ‘I came back to ask you for a divorce!’

‘Really?’ His thick brows crept upwards. ‘Because the way I’ve heard it, you could’ve done that via a lawyer and a letter in the post.’

The arrogance of the man! But was he right? Had she latched onto Lucky’s plea for assistance because secretly she’d been searching for a reason to return to Milpinyani? To Joel? Suddenly she wished she’d said yes to an alcoholic beverage.

‘I also came back for Lucky.’

Ignoring this last bit, he curled his hand around his glass but didn’t drink. Instead, he looked at her unnervingly. ‘What’s this bloke like that wants to steal my wife?’

‘He didn’t steal me.’ She sighed in exasperation. ‘I’ve been working on a station as a cook just outside of Julia Creek. Samuel is one of the owner’s sons and he’s a true gentleman. He’s a hard worker, a good person and he wants us to get married and have a baby.’

‘Right.’ Joel nodded once. ‘And does he make your toes curl between the sheets? When he touches you, do you forget about everything but the need to fuck his brains out?’

‘Don’t be so crass,’ she snapped, annoyed at the traitorous shiver that slithered down her spine at his words.

He folded his illegally delicious arms across his chest and hit her with a smug expression. ‘I’ll take that as a “no”.’

‘Not everything is about sex, Joel.’ But she feared the quiver in her voice might make her sound like a liar. ‘A relationship needs to meet a woman’s other needs as well.’

‘You’re right,’ he conceded. ‘But forever is a long time to be having crap sex with the same person. You sure you’re ready to say goodbye to your orgasms?’

‘Who said … I … You are …’
Argh.
She wanted to hit something. And he was sitting in front of her. ‘My orgasms are no longer any of your business, Joel Cooper. I want a divorce. Are you going to sign the papers and save us both a lot of grief?’

‘You want a divorce. I don’t. You always said I needed to grow up, so give me the chance. Let’s settle this disagreement like adults. Naked. In the bedroom.’

It was Casey’s turn to splutter her drink, only she hadn’t actually taken a mouthful in the last few minutes. Despite this, she still coughed as if she’d swallowed something the wrong way. ‘Are you insane?’

He cocked his head to one side and smiled again. ‘Maybe. You’ve always made me crazy. But how about it? If I can make you scream in ecstasy, you’ll come home and give our marriage a second chance. If you don’t have an orgasm, I’ll sign your bloody divorce papers and never bother you again.’

‘I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous. Who makes that kind of proposition?’

‘You scared, Case?’ He moved his leg again, this time pushing it between her thighs and she sucked in a breath as his knee pressed against her. He wasn’t playing fair.

Joel chuckled, but he didn’t move his knee. ‘Choice is yours, babe, but I know you’re wet for me. I can feel it through your panties.’

Damn, she hated that he was right!

Well, she wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge and how she’d love to wipe that smug grin off his face. Plenty of women could fake orgasms, so how hard would it be to pretend she wasn’t enjoying herself? And the thought of just one more time with Joel made her pussy pulse. She briefly thought about Samuel—his warm, sunny and eternally helpful nature. Would it technically be cheating on him considering she was still actually married to Joel? Even as she asked herself this question, she knew she’d already made up her mind. She wanted this, whether or not she should.

‘Okay. You’ve got yourself a deal.’

‘You won’t regret it, babe,’ Joel said, shifting his knee ever so slightly so that his pressure on her deepened and she lost the ability to think about anything else. Right now, all she wanted was for him to push her up against a wall and fuck the hell out of her.

‘Come on, I’m not that hungry anymore.’ Her heart beating so fast it hurt, Casey pushed back her seat and stood before she could think better of this. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

Joel also stood and grabbed her hand. ‘There’s only one thing I’m hungry for. Starving in fact. And I’m about to eat my share.’

***

They were barely outside before Joel yanked Casey against him and smashed his mouth against hers. As his tongue slid into her mouth and his hands roved all over her body, she forgot for a moment that she was supposed to be fighting, not enjoying, this. He tasted of the Coke he’d just drunk and there was an underlying flavour of mint toothpaste and she wanted to devour him. His hands skimmed over her breasts again and then slid up her neck into her hair, leaving a trail of heat in his wake.

He pulled her head closer, his fingers tangling in her hair as he deepened the kiss, his tongue scraping along her teeth before he nipped her lower lip. She moaned as the slight pain shot straight to her core, lighting up everything inside her, turning her on more than ever.

Joel chuckled and although he didn’t say a word, his tone said it all. He thought his mission was going to be an easy one and if she wasn’t careful, he’d be right. With as much restraint as she could gather, she tore her lips from his, shoved her palms against his rock-hard chest and marched the short distance to her room out the back of the pub ahead of him. Although she didn’t turn to see him follow, she could hear his footsteps right behind her and could picture his cocky swagger, the walk of a man who thought he was about to win.

Whatever you reckon, Joel Cooper.

Casey dug the key out of her pocket and then cursed under her breath when it didn’t easily turn in the lock. She fumbled unsuccessfully, her body temperature rising and heart rate accelerating by the second.

‘Allow me,’ Joel said, his breath hot against her neck, his warm body pressed up against hers and a hardness that could only be his erection jutting into her lower back. Her stomach flipped as his hand closed over hers and he turned the key effortlessly.

Before she could catch her breath, the door swung open and Joel manhandled her inside, kicking the door shut behind them. Her mobile phone fell from her grasp and Lord knew where the key was as he spun her round and backed her up against the door.

‘Don’t fight it, Case,’ he whispered, before dipping his head and clamping his mouth to her nipple through her t-shirt. This time she bit her own lip to stop from gasping or crying out. She would not give him the satisfaction without a fight. She dropped her hands to her side, fighting the urge to reach for his belt buckle and release what her body craved almost as much as it did water and oxygen. It was going to take every iota of her self-control to fight the pleasure already rising within and if she so much as touched Joel with her own hands, she’d be a lost cause. The material at her breast grew immediately wet and she felt the flood of moisture between her legs.

Her hormones were screaming at her. Rid him of his shirt. Touch his skin. Taste his cock. But she closed her ears to all of it and focused hard on not feeling anything as he dropped to his knees and shoved his hands up her skirt.

‘Relax,’ he whispered. ‘Open your legs for me.’

She found herself helpless but to obey. Her mouth watered at the thought of what he was about to do and she felt her breath coming in short, sharp bursts. She glanced down, their eyes met and he grinned wickedly at her as one finger strolled up her inner thigh. His touch was like molten lava washing over her—she’d forgotten it could be like this. Her body felt languid and she wanted so desperately to touch him as well, but she fisted her fingers at her side and dug her nails into her palms instead. She’d have bite marks on her lips and claw marks on her hands later, but the alternative was giving in to him.

As he stroked his thumb over her panties right down her core, her head fell back hard against the wall and she welcomed the pain. Anything to take her focus of what he was doing down below.

Again, she almost took a chunk out of her own lip as his finger glided tantalisingly across her panties, which were now sopping wet. He teased at the edges and she wanted to tell him to shove his fingers inside her now, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t say or give anything.

‘I’m taking these off,’ he hissed.

Her only reply was a slight intake of breath.

In one swift move, he tore her knickers down her legs. She closed her eyes as she stepped out them, unwelcome desire thrumming harder within her as she anticipated the return of his touch. He took his sweet time and she kept her eyes squeezed tight, not wanting to look at him for fear she wouldn’t be able to fight this much longer. But that was perhaps a bad idea, for when his mouth landed between her legs, his tongue pushing into her most intimate part, he took her by surprise and she almost—almost—cried out. Once again her lower lip got a battering—self-inflicted pain the lesser of two evils.

Knowing he was now otherwise engaged, she risked opening her eyes and stared down at the top of his dirty-blond head moving slowly, rhythmically, against her. It was impossibly erotic. And as he flicked and licked and sucked, waves of pleasure built. Joel had always been a good kisser—wherever his lips were—and it was getting harder and harder not to react.

Her breathing grew more and more ragged, her hips thrust up to meet his moves, her body began to shudder, and she grabbed hold of his head as it became impossible to fight the climax that rocked over her. She felt as if it had turned her inside out, left her shattered in tiny pieces and, in the end, she couldn’t help but cry out.

And she hated herself for it.

God, she was so damn weak, allowing herself to be lured into his childish games.

As her breathing endeavoured to return to normal, Joel looked up at her. Casey fully expected a smug smile and some witty words uttered in an I-told-you-so tone, but instead when his gaze met hers all she saw was love.

The intense, passionate, dangerous love they’d always shared. It broke her heart.

‘You’re still the hottest woman alive. I’m so hard for you, Case. I need you.’

And whether he meant now or forever didn’t matter because right now there was nothing she wanted or needed more than his cock buried deep inside her. She put her index finger on his chin, tipped his face up to look at her, and then she stooped to kiss him. His hands landed once again in her hair as she pushed her tongue into his mouth, tasting herself on him. They were both as hungry as each other.

Joel pulled her down onto the floor with him and they rolled across the ancient, scratchy carpet, legs tangling and their mouths fused as their hands worked to rid each other of their clothing. Somehow she lost her shirt, Joel lost his jeans and jocks, and he shoved her skirt up around her waist. She straddled him then, not caring about the carpet burn on her knees as she rubbed herself against his rock-solid cock. It teased right at the entrance to her needy body and she thought if she didn’t have him right this second, she’d die.

‘Fuck, Casey.’ He groaned as she slid down, impaling herself on his erection. He thrust upwards, his positioning perfect. Her body stretched to accommodate him and they both cried out in mutual euphoria.

She leant backwards, securing her hands on his thighs as she soared up and down. No one had ever filled her so completely, so perfectly, the way he did. His hands found her breasts again and this time he yanked down the cups of her bra, not tender at all as he freed them. She didn’t care. Nothing had ever felt so good. He cupped her breasts, playing with her nipples, teasing them while his cock did the same to her clit.

‘You. Are. A-mazing,’ Joel uttered, his words now short and sharp to match their erratic breathing. Then, he thrust upwards one more time, cried out her name and her second orgasm in less than ten minutes came in perfect unity with his.

When they’d recovered, he pulled her even closer to him on the floor and kissed the nape of her neck. She felt all lit up inside.

Then he had to go and ruin it. ‘Is sex with this new man of yours ever that good?’

She shivered as guilt and self-loathing swept over her. An image of sweet, kind Samuel appeared unbidden in her head. He deserved so much better—he deserved someone who loved him the way she loved Joel.

But, as much as Casey loved Joel, she also hated what he’d made her do. He’d made her remember exactly what she was missing these days. The way she felt about him she’d never feel about anyone else, yet he hadn’t come after her. He was all talk. He waxed lyrical about loving her, about needing her, yet he’d let her walk out of his life because he hadn’t been willing to compromise, to change his ways so that she could have the family she so desperately craved. That wasn’t true love.

And he’d toyed with her emotions tonight and tricked her into a quick tumble between the sheets. Or across the floor if she wanted to get technical. Which she didn’t.

Anger whirring up inside her, she shoved Joel away and scrambled to her feet. She yanked her denim skirt back down to her knees, found her shirt on the floor and pulled it over her head. Then, with Joel still lying naked on the floor, she marched back across the room and opened the door. The din from the bar area floated inside.