Dangerous Curves Ahead (Watchers Crew) (18 page)

I reached up and pinched my nipples. He looked down at my fingers. A chuckle broke through his shaking chest.

“Fuck, I love you,” he said.

I pinched my nipples harder. It didn’t take much. With him buried inside of me, and his love raining down on me, I felt the swelling deep inside of me. He felt it too because the smile melted off his face and the pained ecstasy returned.

I’m not sure who fired first. But my core clenched, and his erection released, and we came, together, in unison.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The sun streamed in on my face, but that’s not what woke me the next morning. It was Christopher. He planted light butterfly kisses on my eyelids. My eyes opened immediately because my reality was better than any dream I’d ever had.

“Good morning,” he said.

I groaned in agreement. The smile on my lips was as big as the orgasm that had sent me into slumber. Christopher captured my lips in one of his slow, leisurely kisses that said he had all the time in the world and he wanted to spend it with me.

“I never thought there was a difference between fucking and making love.” He slid his fingertips across my temple, displacing the baby hairs at my crown. “I was wrong.”

My voice was still nowhere to be found. I gave over my mouth, my body, my thoughts to this man with an angelic face and a devilish glint in his clear, blue eyes. He looked at me as if I were his own personal slice of heaven.

With one more lingering kiss, he rolled off me and out of the bed. “What are you doing today?” he asked.

If the question were directed at my body, the answer would’ve been staying in his bed and replaying the acts of the previous night. But the businesswoman in me overruled that idea.

“I’ve got to finish the end of the book,” I said.

I was so close to being done. My characters had already passed the All Is Lost moment where my heroine, believing herself in love, learns about the bet that initially brought my hero to her door. The hero was left alone in the Dark Night of the Soul moment as he realized he’s well and truly in love and wants to spend the rest of his life with this amazing woman.

All that was left was to get them back together with a Grand Gesture. That was the part of the book that I excelled at. But I was having trouble in this story. None of the words in the big speech from my hero were resonating.

“Can I do anything to help?” Christopher leaned over me, a sensual glint in his eyes as he nipped at my nose.

“You’ve done enough.” I lifted my head for a proper kiss. “I can figure this part out on my own.”

“I’ve got to run out for a minute. Why don’t you hop in the shower? When I get back, I’ll take you home so you can get to work. Then I’ll come to your place this evening and make a romantic dinner after your day of hard work.”

“That sounds lovely.”

He disappeared into the bathroom, came out fully dressed, and left before I’d finished wiping the sleep from my eyes. I took a long, leisurely shower and pulled on yesterday’s clothes. Instead of wearing my top, I pulled one of his shirts out of the drawer and slid it over my head. I felt wrapped up in this man head to toe, inside and out.

I came down the stairs to a quiet house. There was shuffling around in the kitchen. Assuming it was Ellie, I went in.

It wasn’t her cooking over the stove.

“Morning, MK. Want some pancakes?”

Eagle had a spatula in his hand, low-slung jeans on his hips, and nothing else. I stopped in the doorway. My mind flashed back to the other night with him kneeling before me with my breasts in his hands.

He raised an eyebrow as though he read my mind. I expected his eyes to dip to my breasts, but they didn’t. He held my gaze. He leaned his hip against the stove and waited to see which move I decided to make.

“Yes,” I said coming into the room. “Thank you.”

Eagle nodded his head in approval, and then turned back to the pan.

My unease at being alone with him dissipated as my nostrils filled with the sweet smells of whatever was in the pan. I took a closer look. In one pan were fluffy, golden pancakes. In another-

“Are those crepes?”

“Yup.” He maneuvered one out of the pan and onto a plate. “But, the pancakes will be up in a minute.”

“Oh,” I couldn’t hide my disappointment. “I like crepes.”

He appraised me anew. “No one else likes them. Too fancy for this burgers and fries crew.” He picked up the plate of crepes and handed it to me.

I took it from him greedily. The first bite melted in my mouth and I groaned.

“Another satisfied customer,” he purred.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but I didn’t set my fork down. After the second bite, I said, “I love, Christopher.”

He flipped a pancake. “I figured.”

“I don’t want to have sex with you.”

“I figured.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. His head cocked to the side and his eyebrow arched. “Do you think that’s a requirement to be apart of this family?”

“I…?” I didn’t know?

Eagle brought a second crepe over to my plate. He uncapped the syrup and poured it on. Way more than I had for the first crepe, which was exactly how I liked it.

“We’re alike, you and me,” he said. “We both like to watch pleasure. But real pleasure, not the fake shit online or in videos. Right?”

My mouth fell open. But then I closed it.

“I don’t need to fuck you to get you off. So, we’re good.” He winked and turned back to the stove.

I opened my mouth to retort, but what could I say? The Internet porn didn’t arouse me. Watching Ellie and Hawk, and then Ellie and Owl, and Kira and Hawk, and even Mrs. Robinson, did. If I was honest with myself, I had liked watching those live scenes play out. They aroused me nearly as much as having Christopher’s hands on my body.

 I turned my attention to the second crepe when Owl and Hawk came in to the back door.

“Good morning, MK.” Owl bent and kissed the top of my head. “Sleep well?”

I didn’t have a chance to answer. Hawk pulled up a chair on the other side of me. “MK, you’re a writer. Do you think you can help me with this ad for the shop?”

“I… sure. I can take a look at it.”

“Cool,” he said. He stared at the crepes on my plate. “You know you don’t have to eat that shit. I can make you some pancakes.”

“No.” I pulled my plate towards me. “I like it.”

Eagle chuckled from the stove. Hawk shrugged, distaste written all over his face.

“Hey, MK,” said Owl as he refilled my glass of orange juice. “I was looking for a new book to read. I’m a huge fan of historical, literary fiction. Do you have any recommendations?”

Eagle shoved another crepe on my plate. Hawk pulled up the ad copy. Owl and I compared To-Be-Read lists.

By the time Christopher returned, my belly was full thanks to Eagle. My fingertips were blue with ink as Hawk and I rewrote his ad. And my already bursting TBR pile was now doubled from Owl’s suggestions.

I fell asleep in Christopher’s car as we made our way to my place. I awakened like I did this morning; to butterfly kisses on my eyelids.

“You hungry, princess?”

I groaned and held my bread-bloated belly.

“Well then,” he shook his head with mock sadness, “I guess we’ll just have to work up a sweat.”

“I can barely move,” I giggled.

“Don’t worry. I’ll do all the work.” He came around the car and opened the door. He pulled me out and into his arms.

I thread my fingers through his hair and brought his lips to mine.

“Mary Katherine?”

I looked over and saw Principal John Stafford frowning at the two of us. In that moment, I felt like I was in the principal’s office. I pulled away from Christopher. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought maybe I came on too strong on our date. I was going to offer to take things slower, but…” He trailed off, waving his hands to indicate the lack of space between Christopher and I.

An irrational wave of guilt swept over me. Until I realized, I hadn’t led this man on. I had expressed my disinterest the first night, and then again outside the museum.

“This is my boyfriend,” I said. “The reason I’m not interesting in dating you.”

“You never told me you had a boyfriend when I asked you out.”

Christopher stepped aside so he could look into my face. “You were dating this guy?”

“No… well, not exactly. We had dinner at my parents’ house.”

Christopher took another step back.

“My parents set that up,” I said. “And then we bumped into each other at the museum.”

“And you kissed me,” said John.

“No, you kissed me,” I said.

“You let him kiss you?” asked Christopher. His lips parted as he stared down at me.

My head spun from the three directions this story was being stretched. I focused on the most important part.

I stepped back and wagged my finger at Christopher. “There is absolutely, no way you are going to make me out to be the bad guy here. I didn’t sleep with him. I didn’t even come close to it. How many women have you been with since we’ve been together?”

Principal Stafford balked. “Mary Katherine, you are not the woman I thought you were. Dating more than one man at a time. Sleeping with multiple partners -and out of wedlock.” He shook his head and backed away. I was surprised he didn’t make the sign of the cross as he went.

“You let him kiss you?” Christopher repeated. His voice sounded small.

“I…”

He shook his head at me. Was this seriously happening?

“If I’d pursued another woman, the way I pursued you,” he said, “kissing her, taking her to meet my family, sleeping with her -actually sleeping with her where I held her through the night, how would you feel?”

I could only shake my head and hands. It was not the same thing. “So if I had just fucked him, that would be okay with you? If I’d let him play with my breasts, that would be cool? Or is it that I didn’t have your permission? That you didn’t know? Is that how this works?”

He didn’t say anything. His jaw tensed. He turned away from me and stormed back to his car. He left me standing there. He slammed himself inside and took off going zero to sixty in ten seconds.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sunday night dinner was not the place I wanted to be. But I’d been reminded in the past few weeks that family was a place of solace; a place of comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.

“I spoke to Principal Stafford,” said my mother. “I can’t believe your behavior, Mary Katherine.”

My mind flashed back to Holly and her tribe. I could picture her now, relying on her community to help her do mundane things like the dishes. I saw her planning future events with her boyfriend and his wife. She’d make sure she spent quality time with each and every family member and ensure they had what they needed from her.

“We didn’t raise you to be like this,” said my father. “Dating two men at the same time.”

I wrapped my arms around myself as Owl had done to me the other day before I left with Christopher. Hawk had given me a cheerful farewell while Eagle looked on with an open smile. I’d felt like I belonged in a place I’d never expected to fit.

“It’s those romance novels,” my sister piped in. “If you think slutty behavior, at some point, you’ll act on it.”

I thought of Christopher’s nieces and nephews. They were being raised in a village of people they could turn to at every corner. So unlike my sister who pushed away any attempt at help, certain only she could do things right.

“Louisa Mae, watch your language,” said my mother.

“Mary Katherine’s in the wrong, not me.”

“You slept with a married man,” I said.

“Mary Katherine watch your tongue,” said my father.

“You’re a married man sleeping with other women,” I said.

“I will not have that kind of talk in my house,” said my mother.

I looked around the room at the collection of aghast faces in the light of the truth. Denial was a dark front moving quickly over their expressions. I would receive no support from within these walls. These people had never ensured I had what I needed. Each person in my family was only out for themselves.

It was why I’d spent so much time with my grandparents when I was younger. Holly had said walking away was so easy. She was right. Staying was hard. Coming home after weekends with my grandparents was always hard. Sitting still at family dinners while I was starving for food and positive attention was hard.

Getting up and walking out of my parents’ house was the easiest thing I’d ever done. I may not have been an expert on real love, but I knew it shouldn’t hurt or shame the receiver.

Each member of my family had taken vows; thick and thin, better or worse, rich and poor. Each member of my family had let go of their end of those bargains.

I left my family’s home with thick tears in my eyes, feeling worse for the wear, and poor in spirit. No one came after me. I didn’t expect them to.

“You'll have to rework this ending, Mary Katherine.”

The next morning was the start of the workweek. After leaving my parents’ house, I’d spent all Sunday night writing and finishing my manuscript. I shuffled the phone to the other ear as I listened to Moira.

“The HEA is completely glossed over,” she said. “There’s barely any emotion there. I don’t believe these two will make it.”

I sighed, running my fingers through my tangled hair. I hadn’t brushed it since yesterday.

“Let me guess,” said Moira. “You broke up with your boyfriend?”

Christopher hadn’t called or texted or stopped over since leaving me Saturday night. I felt the loss acutely. I couldn’t sleep. Instead, I’d finished the manuscript and sent it over to Moira early this morning. It was late afternoon now.

“See, this is why I don’t do relationships. When I need my urges met, I go to a bar, have a one-night stand, and never see the guy again. Men are bastards. Who wants to keep one around all the time?”

And this was the person in charge of feeding women’s romance addictions. But maybe she had a point. I’d written all my previous books without a relationship, lost in the fantasy of what an HEA could be. I was in the after now and it sucked.

My doorbell rang. I got off the phone with Moira, making promises to flesh out the ending with more emotion. I opened the door and Ellie and Kira poured in. Ellie enveloped me in a hug. Kira went for my fridge.