All In: Raising the Stakes (9 page)

Somehow Joe carries us to one of the beds without our mouths ever separating. Not until I jerk his shirt off over his head. My palms greedily caress his biceps and chest, down his abs. My fingers go to work removing his pants and those, along with the rest of our clothes, are off a second later. I wrap my arms and legs around him, unable to feel enough of his warm flesh against my own.

When Joe's cock nudges my opening, I can't hold back my moan that’s simultaneous to his curse.

"Condom," he mutters. "Gotta get a fucking condom."

He pulls away, and the cool air replaces his body, making me shiver from the sudden and intense feeling of loss. It's like an inferno burning inside me as I wait for Joe to return. Finally he’s back on top of me, acting almost as desperate as I am for him. We grab and press and pull against each other until his hard length penetrates me. My cry of pleasure is drowned by his ever seeking tongue in my mouth.

My ankles lock behind his back, trying to hold him inside me, so he can't retreat. My moans take on an urgent staccato rhythm, corresponding to his thrusts. I've never been very vocal with sex in the past, but apparently I've never had great sex before now. Joe's cock reaches depths no other man has ever come close to hitting before.

Our mouths separate when we’re both gasping for air. Joe's lips go to my neck, sucking and nipping while our bodies continue to frantically collide.

"God, Katie," he says softly against my skin. "I've wanted you for so damn long."

"
Yes
," I respond in agreement since all other words fail me.

Joe grabs my bottom, elevating my pelvis as he drives himself into me, harder and faster, deeper, building the wonderful pressure.

"You feel…fucking...incredible," he groans. "I'm going to stay inside you. All. Night. Long."

He thrusts deep one last time, sending me soaring into the heavens. Believe it or not, that was just the beginning.

…

Joe

I wake up with a heavy weight on top of me. My hands begin searching and my eyes fly open when the memories of the night before come flooding back to me.

Katie’s fallen asleep on top of me, her petite body completely limp. Her head rests on my chest. Thick, wavy red hair spilling down my sides. Her arms wound tightly around my neck. Our lower bodies are a bit more interesting. Her legs are still straddling my hips, and my half-mast, condom-covered cock is still buried in the warm embrace of her pussy. She feels perfect on me.

My fingertips slowly trail up her sides and back down, then around a similar path up her spine. When she finally starts to squirm awake, she makes
mmm
sounds that send my cock to full attention.

Katie gasps, apparently becoming aware of where we’d left off when we fell asleep last night, or early this morning. I grab both of her perfect ass cheeks and push her down, sheathing myself deeper.

"Ah," she cries out when she begins working her hips on me. Her arms around my neck tighten and I lose the hold on my restraint. I thrust my hips wildly, bouncing her up and down on my cock.

"
Ohh! Ohhh!
" her moans grow louder as she slams herself on me until we both freefall into paradise.

"Time to get up," I tell her as we recover.

"I think…I'm already up."

"Okay, but unfortunately, it's time to get off my cock," I amend, making her laugh. I love the sound of it and can't get enough.

We spent the entire night in each other's arms, fucking, laughing, making out, and talking. It was the best night of my life. Katie seemed so happy and carefree, unlike the attorney I know from work. The fact that she wasn’t repulsed but turned on when I told her I’d been with Chad, shocked the fuck out of me. Now I’m really glad I was honest with her.

The ring of her cell phone breaks the spell we'd been under. She scrambles off of me. Grabbing her phone from the coffee table, she heads for the bathroom, shutting the door. Back to reality.

Fuck
.

We have an hour before the seminar starts this morning and I hear Katie turn on the shower to start getting ready. Even with the wall suddenly back down between us, I can't stop smiling as I think about our amazing night. I’m still lost in memories when Katie opens the door about ten minutes later, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her hair.

"You can, ah, shower if you want while I get ready," she says almost shyly.

I don't move, I just take in every inch of her amazing body. Her skin looks like unblemished ivory satin. Almost too flawless to be real.

"You've got a few freckles, right?" I ask.

She laughs. "What?"

"Freckles? Cute little dots?"

She shakes her head. "Ah, no. Why?"

"Because you're too damn perfect to be real."

"Does anyone actually buy it?" she asks, cocking one hip.

"Buy what?"

"All that bullshit you sell," she replies with a smile.

"It's not bullshit," I say defensively.

After I toss the used condom in the trash bin I start toward her, still as naked as when we woke up together. I watch as her eyes do their own wandering up and down my body. It takes all the restraint I have, but I don't touch her on the way to the bathroom. I can tell she’s expecting me to but I want to leave her wanting more. By the end of the weekend I want her ready to jump me whenever I walk into the same room as her.

"You wanna grab a quick breakfast downstairs before the conference gets started?" I ask. "I don't know about you, but I'm starved after last night's exertion."

She swallows and nods. I can't help but wonder if she has an endless stream of pornographic movies starring us playing on repeat through her mind like I have in mine. It’s going to be damn distracting today, that’s for sure.

...

Eight very long hours later, I think my cock is going to explode. I've been half-hard all day, desperate to get naked with the woman sitting all prim and proper beside me. I don't allow myself to touch her even innocently, and it’s painful to endure, especially when I want nothing more than to stake my claim for the douchebag from the day before that’s still staring at her. Katie seems as antsy as me; constantly shifting in her seat, tapping her pen, or drumming her fingernails on our table. At lunch, I debated hauling her ass up to our room for a quickie but decided against it. I want her to be as horny and desperate as I am when we finally get back in bed tonight. She can say what she wants, but this shit between us is not ending tomorrow.

I hold back on the long elevator ride up. I don't even launch myself at her when we got back to our room. I simply go in and flop out on the bed, waiting. How long will it take her to make the first move? I’m betting that she can't last five minutes, and if not, that seals the deal that there is no way this is going to be "just the weekend." I want it all with her; hearts and flowers, romantic, candlelit dinners. Everything.

I prop my hands behind my head and exhale in relief that the day is over. On and on people talked one right after another about jury selection, presenting evidence, and expert witnesses. Tell me something I don't know. Shit, there’s no way to prepare for trying homicide cases. Each and every one is going to be unique with its own challenges. I’m confident that Katie and I could cross those bridges when we came to them. 

Am I worried about working with her after sleeping with her? Hell no, because now that we've crossed that line, I’m confident that this thing between us isn't going to end anytime soon, so therefore it won't interfere. Well, other than maybe a few quick office fucks here and there. I guess this means Chad and I are definitely done. That thought is more depressing than I expected it to be, but I can’t have it both ways.     

While I was lost in my thoughts, Katie has resumed her position from when we woke up this morning. She straddles me, and looking a little unsure, her mouth still comes down on mine. Less than five fucking minutes. What was that? Maybe two.

I flip us over, ready to show her that I want her without a single doubt. Our clothes go flying and then we’re naked and fucking until we pass out. The passing out occurs a lot earlier tonight since we'd been at it for so many hours the previous night.

Katie

It’s ridiculous, but I still have a stupid grin on my face all day Monday. Everyone I pass in the hallways or see on the elevator asks what I’m so happy about. Responding with, “It was just nice to get away for the weekend,” apparently was code that everyone understood for, "I fucked Joe."

It wasn't that hard for them to figure out. Every other single woman and a few married ones assured me that if they'd been sharing a room with Joe Cool they would've fucked him too. That was followed up with the obvious question, how was he in the sack? 

Again, without me saying a word, everyone seemed to deduce from my unrelenting smile that it was damn good. I'm not sure if there are words in the English language to describe how it had been. Wonderful? Amazing? Mind-blowing? None of those adjectives do the trick. 

The most shocking part of my day, however, came after I'd been home from work for about half an hour. In my comfy cartoon pj's, I look out the peep hole and almost pee myself. How the hell did Joe find out where I live?

Nothing to be done since my car is obviously in the driveway and the lights are on with the TV so loud our neighbors could probably hear. I unlock the door and finally pull it open.

"Joe, what are you doing here?" I ask, trying not to undress his jeans and tee with my eyes.

"I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner."

"I thought we made it clear that we were only…together for the weekend."

"Katie Kat, I asked you to dinner. I didn't ask you to fu-dge me…" Joe barely catches his curse when Drew runs over and interrupts by tugging on my pajama bottoms.

"Kay, Kay, now can I have a cookie, peeeeaaasssee?" he asks, and then he turns his big, blinking green eyes to Joe. As he does with all strangers, he ducks behind me, grabbing onto my legs for dear life.

"Ah, Drew, this is Joe. Joe this is Drew. Can you say hi to Joe?" I ask, ruffling his red hair.

"Hi," he says quickly like it pains him.

Joe smiles and squats down, holding out his hand. "Hey, Drew. It's nice to meet you."

Drew looks up at me before he finally stretches his tiny, sticky hand out to shake Joe's.

As quick as he'd appeared, he’s off again, screaming, "Thomassss!" when his favorite show comes on. He's recently developed a love of the blue engine and all things train.

"Babysitting for your sister?" Joe asks.

I give a nod and affirmative sound. "Yeah." When he doesn't mention leaving I hesitate before finally asking. "Do you want to come in?"

"He-ck yes," he says with a wide smile.

I wave him in and then go behind him, grabbing toys and trying to pick up so it doesn't like a tornado recently blew through. Although Drew could be about as destructive.

We stand back and watch as Drew sings and dances to the show's catchy theme song, and then he finally sits down in the floor Indian-style about a foot away from the TV to watch the show.

"Is it safe for him to sit so close?" Joe asks with a laugh before taking a seat on one of the clear sections of the sofa. My heart skips a beat at his protective question, while at the same time, I cringe at the parental criticism. Stupid heart, he's only passing through.

"I've tried and the result is always the same. He throws a tantrum for twenty minutes then he's right back in the same spot. So, I give up."

Joe looks around the house, his forehead creasing in thought. "Does he stay here a lot?" he finally asks, palming a soccer ball that was sitting beside him.

"Uh-huh," I answer, sliding a few toy cars aside to take a seat beside him.

Still analyzing, Joe looks at Drew in his train pajamas and back at me. "He stays overnight?"

"Uh-huh."

"How often?"

I sigh, steeling myself to get it over with. This is one sure way to drive Joe away. "Every night."

His eyebrows shoot up, then he glances around the room. "Why?" he asks softly.

I fumble with the string ties on my pajama bottoms, searching for the words. "Because my sister Kelly…she died the night he was born," I explain quietly.

"God, Katie," he says, reaching over to rub a hand comfortingly over my leg. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

I blink back tears and nod hoping that will be the end of the conversation. I should've known better. Joe’s smart and questions people for a living to solve puzzles.

"But, wait. Where's his father?" he asks in a whisper.

I mouth the word "prison" and Joe's jaw drops. I stand up and nod toward the kitchen, and he follows.

"Why?" he asks when we were out of earshot.

"Kidnapping, rape, and ah, second degree murder," I say, letting him put it together.

His eyes widen. "Holy sh-ucks." Closing the distance between us, his arms wrap around me, holding me against his chest. A few of the tears I'd tried to fight fall down my cheeks. But the squeal of delight from the living room brings me back to reality. One where men like Joe don't settle down, especially not with women raising their dead sister and a psycho's son.

I head back to the living room, knowing from experience that it only takes about two minutes for Drew to get into some sort of trouble. Sure enough, he’s trying to stand on one of his big bouncy balls.

"No, Drew! Get down," I warn him and he hops down, kicking the ball instead, sending it ricocheting off everything in the vicinity.

I expect Joe to say he’s going to head on out, making a quick escape, but instead, he returns to his previous seat. Curious about him, Drew pulls himself up on the couch next to him and mimics his posture - a slight slouch, long legs spread wide, and hands on his thighs. It’s pretty damn adorable. Getting bored with sitting still for more than ten seconds, Drew climbs up on his knees and points at Joe's eye, so close his finger’s practically on the lid.

"Bwue like Thomas," Drew tells him, and he's right, the two are very similar blues.

"That's right," Joe tells him with a smile. "Do you know what color this is?" he asks, holding up the red and white soccer ball.

"Bwue."

Joe raises an eyebrow and looks at me in question.

"Everything's blue. It's his favorite color," I explain to him.  

"This is actually red," Joe tells Drew.

"Wed," he repeats.

"Yep. And this is yellow," he tells him, holding up a yellow taxi car.

"Wawo," Drew repeats. He just turned three and the way he tries to say certain words is too cute. His pediatrician assured me he’s meeting all his markers for his age.

The name that color game continues for a while until everything goes back to being "bwue" and Joe gives up.

"You know what time it is, buddy. Go potty, pick out a night-night story and hop in bed," I tell him.

There’s the normal whining before he tugs on Joe's hand, trying to pull him up with all his tiny strength. "'Mon, Joe. Weed me a stowy, peeeaaasseee?"

"How can you ever say no to him when he says please like that?" Joe laughs and gives in.

After reading T
he Barnyard Dance
twice,
it’s finally time to turn out the lights. 

"All right, little man, it's time to go to sleep. Good night. Love you," I tell him with a kiss to his cheek.

"Night Kay, Kay. Night Joe," he says with a yawn before I shut his door.

"Wow," Joe remarks when we fall back on the couch. "You do this every night after working all day?"

"Yep."

"No wonder you got drunk Thursday night. How do you do it all?"

I shrug. "I'm used to it now."

"What about your parents? Are they still around?"

"Yeah, they're alive if that's what you mean. They refuse to see Drew, so therefore I haven't seen them in three years."

"Why the hell do they not want to see him? He's hilarious."

"They think he's going to be his father's son. That someday he'll be evil and demented..."

"That's ridiculous. You don't think that, do you?" he asks, pulling me against his chest.

"I hope not, but I worry about when he grows up …"

"I don't think you have to worry about that. But what exactly happened, Katie?"

I inhale his intoxicating scent on his shirt as I try to make the words come out. "Kelly was five years younger than me. In my third year of law school at Madison, right before her twentieth birthday, she went missing. She was in undergraduate school there, too. Pre-med. We know she came home after class like her normal routine, then when my parents and I got home we noticed her car was in the driveway but she wasn't inside. The front door was open and the lights and TV were on like she'd been there…" I take a deep breath, pushing the memories of those days away. "God, every day was worse than the one before. I just knew after the first week that she was dead, but I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to keep thinking someone would see her, recognize her picture. Then, thirteen months later, on November first, Tyler Evans and an older cop showed up on our doorstep at three a.m. My mom opened the door and screamed when she saw them, waking me up. I ran downstairs, and…one look at their faces and I knew." I sniffle back more tears to keep going. "When they said she'd been found alive, but she'd just died in childbirth we were stunned. Childbirth? What the hell? And then the amount of time she was gone was plenty for her…anyway, Drew was breech. The psycho tried to deliver him in his house, but…she couldn't. Finally, when it was too late, he called nine-one-one."

Joe's hand is comforting and soothing, stroking through my hair as I recount the story.

"So you decided to raise him when your parents wouldn't?"

I nod against his chest. "Tyler told us Kelly wanted to name the baby Audrina if it was a girl and Drew if it was a boy. Then she told him to tell
me
specifically that she…she forgave him." I wipe the tears away with my hand before I leak all over Joe's shirt. "Hearing that, I just, I felt like she was telling me the baby was hers, you know? That she wanted me to take care of him."

"Of course. I'm only hearing all this for the first time, but it sounds like you did the right thing. Otherwise, he would’ve ended up bouncing around to a bunch of shitty foster homes. He deserves better than that kind of life. You lost your sister, but she left you a piece of her."

I close my eyes and nod, thankful to hear someone say I'm doing the right thing.

…

Joe

Katie’s passed out on me, and I don't blame her. The woman is the best prosecutor I know, usually putting in nine or ten hour days at the office, and now to find out she’s a single mom to a three-year-old…she’s amazing. She takes care of everyone else all day long, but no one's been taking care of her. How could her parents refuse to see their own grandchild? Yeah, maybe the circumstances were horrendous, but the boy is completely innocent, just like Katie's sister.

I try to think about the kid I'd spent the night watching play and sing and dance. He seemed like a pretty normal little guy. When he looks at you dead on with those big, hopeful green eyes, and says, "Peeeaaasee" it’s impossible to refuse him anything.

After sitting with Katie for half an hour, I come to the conclusion that she isn't going to wake up anytime soon. I heft her up in my arms and start down the hallway, trying to figure out which room is hers. I finally decide on the one with the big bed covered with a blue comforter that has some sort of floral embroidery pattern down the center.

Kicking my shoes off, I pull the sheets back and lay Katie down on one of the pillows before sliding in behind her and covering us up. My cell phone in my pocket has a daily alarm, so I let myself drift off to sleep, holding the woman I’m falling in love with.

...

I’m having a really great dream. Katie and I are back in the oceanfront resort. The sliding door is open, letting the sounds of the waves and the cool breeze in while we lie naked, tangled up with each other. Katie's tongue swirls around my belly button, making me groan before she starts moving lower. My cock twitches, attempting to draw her mouth's attention down to it. Katie, bless her heart, takes the hint, teasing with a few licks around my crown before taking me deep into her mouth, and
ahh
…sucking me so damn good.

"
Fuck yes
," I moan, running my fingers through her hair. She shushes me in response. Which is really ridiculous since she’s a helluva lot louder than me when she comes.

Katie distracts me from further thought when she squeezes my ass with both hands while her mouth works me over.

"I'm close." I warn her when my hips can't hold still any longer. "So…fucking…close."

This time when she shushes me, reality starts seeping in. Blinking my eyes open I realize I’m not at the beach with Katie, but we are in fact in bed together. Her bed, and she really is sucking my cock. Oh shit! And there’s a kid
right
down the hall.

I look over to check if her bedroom door is shut, and I hope, locked. Either way I can't last any longer. I try to keep my grunts of pleasure down, but it’s impossible to stay completely quiet when my body rocks with the amazing shudders of release.