Sex and Key Lime Pie (11 page)

Although they’d had sex before, back then she’d had no basis for comparison. He didn’t normally suffer bouts of insecurity, but it had been a long time since anything beyond physical release had factored into his biological need.

Flushed with desire, she laid her head back onto the pillows. Her golden hair formed a halo around her face. An angel. His angel. An unexpected surge of possessiveness filled him as he knelt down before her.

Her skin was smooth and hot, her hands eager and impatient. “Not yet,” he whispered.

First with his hand, then his mouth, he explored her body—tasting, teasing, and from the depth of her sensual cry, even tormenting.

As his lips moved to the soft mound between her thighs, she let out a sweet, sexy moan. “Right there.”

Her voice cracked with want and need.

Luc marveled at the woman before him. No longer the student, waiting to follow his lead, she knew what she wanted. She was a rare woman, comfortable with her sexuality.

Her fingers clutched the fabric of the sofa. She trembled as she opened for him, removing the last barrier of resistance. He caressed her thigh with fluid movements, bringing his fingers higher to part the folds of skin and expose the tiny pink nub at the center.

She arched her hips higher.

Encouraged by her response, he sucked on the pulsing nub. Although he thought he might explode from his own desire, he couldn’t stop now. Her pleasure was his pleasure. Her climax more powerful and earth shattering than his own.

“Please...” Her words became lost in a sob.

“Soon,” he promised.

Moisture poured from her, thick and hot. She clenched reflexively around his probing finger. More than ready, she was in a frenzy of passion. One last logical thought pierced his hormone-induced fog.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked.

He grinned, feeling mighty pleased. “Patience, Dizzy.”

“I’ve been patient enough with you.”

“Well you’re going to have to be a little more patient.” As he began to move away, she grabbed onto his shoulder. “Protection...” He pointed to his jeans on the floor.

She reluctantly released him. “Make it snappy.”

He took too much pleasure in tormenting her to give in to her request. Taking his time, he searched through his wallet. She huffed impatiently. He fumbled with the foil packet. He should have known better.

True to her threat, she took matters into her own hands. She sat up and pulled him onto the cushions next to her. Snatching the foil packet, she removed the contents and proceeded to put it on him, slowly, methodically, erotically. To see him struggle with his own control seemed to give her a measure of satisfaction.

She straddled her legs across his hips. Her body shuddered as he entered her. She closed around him, tangling him in a silky web of heat. Her fingers dug into the flesh of his back.

She held him as if she were afraid he might try to leave. It had taken him too long to find his way back to her. He wasn’t going anywhere. Smiling, he touched his mouth to hers. She enjoyed what he did to her body and in turn encouraged him to keep giving her pleasure. Seeing her nearly out of control gave him a cocky sense of self-satisfaction.

He caught the hard tip of her breast playfully in his teeth. She tightened around him. Her movement nearly sent him right over too.

“Enough.” Her raspy voice reflected the need he felt.

He sucked in a deep breath, hoping to delay the inevitable a few moments longer.

“I want you now.” Her words spilled out with a breathless moan.

He lowered her onto the sofa cushions and covered her with the full weight of his body. Setting the rhythm, slowly at first but quickly gaining momentum, he pushed inside her, filling her over and over. She matched his every move, working in tandem toward one single pursuit.

Her unrestrained sighs and sexy little squeaks were music. As tremors rocked her body, she cried out his name. The last thread of his control snapped. Settling deep inside her one last time, he gave into the long awaited release. Silent tears spilled from her glazed eyes. He licked them, savoring the salty taste of her release. Only then, did he allow himself the pleasure of the same, exhilarating climax.

****

Cheyanne let out a deep purr of contentment. As far as earth-shattering experiences go, this one went right off the Richter scale. She sat up and looked out the window at the sparkling harbor lights. Red, white, and blue beams lit the top of the lighthouse in anticipation of the Fourth of July weekend just ten days away. Did the town look exceptionally spectacular tonight, or was she just feeling that way?

Luc, wearing nothing but a satisfied smile, stared at the ceiling. Her pulse fluttered. Even after catching her breath, her body still trembled with aftershocks. Now she realized why she never got over him. In the past nine years, no other man had managed to generate even a spark of arousal, let alone set her on fire the way Luc did. At the same time, her head warned her to tread lightly. He made no promise of a future. She only had the here and now. However long that might last.

As she started to slip from the sofa, Luc snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her back. “What’s your hurry?”

“My unpacking won’t take care of itself.”

“But it will wait.” His fingertips brushed her breast, still tender from their lovemaking.

“For a while,” she agreed.

Luc had never been a demonstrative person, so his desire to cuddle came as a pleasant surprise. She snuggled closer, basking in the warmth of his naked body engulfing hers.

“Do you have any plans this weekend?”

“Other than recovering from you?” she asked. The warmth of his laughter tickled her neck.

“Yeah, other than that,” he said.

“I’m working with Tony tomorrow and then I’m catching the six o’clock to Boston.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“I’m going to pick up my van and some of my stuff.”

“So, I’ll take the train with you.”

His offer was so unexpected, so out of character, she almost wished she could accept. Just the possibility of a weekend alone with him made her giddy. His timing couldn’t have been worse.

“I need to tell you something.”

His body tensed. “You don’t have to explain. I’m sure you have your own life in Boston.”

“Not the life you’re suggesting, but I don’t think you are going to like it, anyway.”

“What makes you think I’d care?”

Great! Angry and defensive; a bitter combination she’d tried to avoid. She had hoped... no, she had prayed that what they just shared might change how he felt about her. When would she stop wishing for the fairytale ending to the nightmare Harlan had left behind?

“I’m picking up my son.”

“Yeah, right.”

“It’s true. I have a son. He’s been at camp the past two weeks.”

For a long moment Luc had no reaction. Kids put a damper on a sex life, but only when they were present. Would her summer fling end as a one-night stand?

Finally, he released her and turned onto his back.

“Are you going to say anything?” she asked when the silence became deafening.

“Congratulations?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. Despite the physical closeness, she felt the emotional distance widening. I guess our unfinished business is finally finished, she thought sadly. She slipped from the couch. This time he didn’t try to stop her.

****

Luc stared at the ceiling after she left the room. She had a child. Now he understood his sister’s warning. Apparently, he was the last to know. Which infuriated him more—Cheyanne, for springing this on him now, or himself, for caring? His stomach muscles clenched painfully. With a deep, cleansing breath, he restored his control. He’d said that the past would stay in the past, but could he work around this new development?

He rose from the sofa that still held the scent of Cheyanne on the plush pillows. The sooner he left, the sooner he could regroup. He gathered the clothes from around the room, and dressed with speed. When he entered the bedroom, he found her curled up in a rocking chair, eyes closed and wearing the same guarded expression as that first night he made love to her. He wanted her now as much as he had then. Maybe more.

He cleared his throat. “I have to go.”

“I figured,” she said softly. “I guess it would be pointless to invite you to dinner next weekend.”

Had he really believed he could pick up where he left off? What had he been thinking? It was too late. Nine years, two continents, and a child had come between them. “I have a busy schedule. I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

Chapter
Eight

Cheyanne parked the minivan in front of Isabelle’s Cape Cod style house. The sunny weather contrasted with her stormy emotions. She hadn’t heard from Luc since he left her cottage. She’d caught him off guard, but he’d never once asked her about the last nine years. Not where she had been or what she had done. Would he show up today, if only out of curiosity?

Sam sat in the seat behind her. She turned and ran her hand over his hair, but the dark waves sprung back to an unruly state.

“Mom!” he complained.

“Can I help it if I want my friends to see how handsome my son is?”

“Not!” This seemed to be his standard response to any compliment she paid him. “Can I take Pele out?”

She glanced at the Colobus monkey. His small black and white face pushed pitifully against the travel-cage bars. She hadn’t wanted to bring the animal but from the moment Alicia heard about the monkey, she had begged Cheyanne to bring it along. Isabelle had no objection and Sam felt more relaxed when he had a familiar face to focus on, even if it belonged to a simian.

“I think you better leave him caged until the introductions are made. He might get nervous.”

They exited the van. As Sam started to remove the cage from the back seat, Alicia flew out the front door and sprinted toward them. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. “It’s about time. I’m Alicia. You’re Sam. Nice to meet you.”

“Hello.” Sam offered his hand without being told. “And this is Pele.”

“Like the soccer player?”

Her statement seemed to please him. Apparently she had passed his pre-adolescent test. If she knew soccer and liked the pet then she was okay...for a girl, anyway. “I have to take him out, Mom, so he can shake hands. Manners are very important.”

“You have to?” She shook her head. He’d trapped her with her own rules. Two sets of eyes fixed hopefully on hers. A breath caught in her throat. They looked so much alike they could pass for siblings. Would anyone else notice? “Okay, but you hold on to him. I don’t want him jumping around the furniture.”

He opened the cage door and Pele scampered up Sam’s arm to his shoulder. Alicia’s brown eyes sparked with instant fascination. The monkey was a great little icebreaker.

“Can we take him to the beach?” she asked.

“Maybe after Sam comes inside to meet his...” Cheyanne cut off her words with a muffled gasp. She almost said family. “Your mother and father are waiting.”

Alicia led the way up the sidewalk. “Can I hold him?”

“Okay, but just so you know...” Sam launched into the dos and don’ts of the Colobus species. In his zeal to convince Cheyanne he could handle the pet, he had done hours of research. All of which he evidently planned to pass on in one breath.

Cheyanne left the two on the front porch and went inside the house.

Isabelle greeted her. “I’m sorry. She’s been waiting at the window for half an hour.”

“No problem.” She gave her friend a hug. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m great. Really, it was just false labor. Doc says everything is fine with the baby.”

“Good.”

Isabelle lowered herself slowly into an overstuffed chair and glanced out the window. “Wow. You weren’t kidding. He is tall. He must take after his father.”

“What?” Cheyanne choked out.

“I pictured him light like you and Rita. He must get that coloring and height from his father’s family.”

“You’re right, he does.” Cheyanne had no wish to discuss her late husband—a striking blonde like herself—nor Sam’s parentage. She needed a quick change of subject. “I brought that disk for the restaurant bill of materials program Tony wanted.”

Although talented in the cooking department, Tony and Isabelle wanted to learn more about the business side, so they could hopefully get a larger place. Tony had asked her so many questions at work that Cheyanne had promised to give him her textbooks and computer disks from the Institute.

“He told me about the idea of doing a buffet for the summer dinner crowd. It’s so perfect I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before. It’s so much easier, more cost effective...”

“Lord, Izzy,” Tony said as he walked into the room. “Let me give her a drink before we pummel her with business questions.”

“Don’t blame the pregnant lady. I brought it up.”

The children came inside. Introductions were made. If anyone other than Cheyanne noticed the resemblance, they didn’t mention it. However, they did welcome her son as family. The monkey too.