Sweet Chemistry (21 page)

Kate exhaled, letting her shoulders relax.

Jeff cleared his throat. “What do you do besides school? Do you have a job or something?”

“I work for the chemistry department part time during the school year, and during summer break, I work at a couple of restaurants near the beach and then an office cleaning service at night.”

“Wow. That doesn’t sound like much of a break.” Heather gaped at her.

“I know, right? School is a piece of cake compared to that.” Kate laughed.

“Is that where you learned to cook?” Jeff asked.

James piped up. “No, she’s been cooking since she was six.”

Kate squeezed his leg under the table and grinned at him.

It took them an hour to finish eating, and when Kate offered to help clean up, James shooed her from the kitchen. “This is our job.”

Kate joined Heather in the front room, where Miles was pulling himself up on the couch in front of his mom. “I swear this kid is going to be walking before I know it. I can’t believe he’s going to be one next month.”

Kate sat on the couch next to Heather and when Miles started inching toward her, she held her hand out to him. Miles gripped her finger and wobbled as he continued to move toward her. He bumped into her knees and moved past her, making his way to the other couch.

Miles didn’t release his grip on her finger, and when he moved farther than she could reach, she moved with him. Before too much longer, she was walking back and forth between the two couches, helping steady him.

Heather smiled. “He likes you. Thanks for playing along with him. You seem like you’ve done that before. Do you have siblings?”

Kate shook her head. “I used to babysit.”

“Do you want kids?”

“Yeah, I do.” Her words came out of her mouth before she had a chance to filter herself. It was true. She did want kids. “Someday.”

“James would be a good dad.”

Kate blushed and looked down at Miles.

“Someday,” Heather added.

Miles stopped walking and rubbed his eyes. Kate picked him up and put him on her lap. “He looks like he’s ready for a nap.”

Heather nodded. “Right on time. I’ll be back in a few.”

Kate walked around the silent room, looking at the family pictures on the walls. There was a collage of Jeff and Heather’s wedding, one of them featuring a younger beardless James. He was smiling, but his eyes were sad.

James came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Kate leaned against him. “Why do you look so sad in this picture?”

“I was a little envious of my baby brother.”

Jeff came up next to them. “It’s all about choices. You chose your career.” Jeff directed his next comment at Kate. “I hope he actually makes time for you.”

James tensed and his voice was hard. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” His fingers dug into her skin.

“I understand his job. It’s time consuming sometimes, but it’s part of who he is, and he
always
makes time for me.” Kate turned in his arms, tilted her face up to James, and brushed her lips against his. “I’ve got a busy life too, but we make it work.”

James’ face softened, and when Jeff left the room to check on Heather, he whispered, “Thank you.”

“He doesn’t know, does he, about your ex?”

His eyes were stormy. He shook his head.

She kissed him again and he relaxed. She locked her arms around his neck and embraced him while they kissed.

Jeff cleared his throat. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but do you want to play a game or something? Heather just got Miles to sleep.”

Kate nodded and they followed Jeff into the dining room, where Heather was setting up a game. Kate grinned. “I love tile rummy.”

They finished four games before conversation turned to pie. Kate pushed away from the table. “I’ll get it.”

Kate was standing in front of the fridge when James’ strong warm hands cupped her hips, pulling her possessively against his body.

“I came to help.” James’ breath was hot against her neck, and then he was trailing kisses down her spine.

“Oh.” Kate was already panting.

He grazed her skin with his stubbly face, covering her skin with goose bumps. His hands moved down, following the valley between Kate’s hips and legs, and slowly dragged the hem of her dress up. Kate moaned when he stroked her slit.

“James, they’ll hear us…” A swinging door separated them from his family, but that didn’t stop either of them. Her body rocked against his hand and he pushed her panties to the side and dipped a finger between her slippery lips.

“So wet,” he murmured against her neck before he bit it lightly.

Kate moaned and James moved his hand quickly to cover her mouth. She gripped the door of the fridge as her ears filled with the sound of his breath and the beating of her heart.

He pushed his finger all the way in and pressed his palm against her clit. He moved slowly at first, pumping in and out and grinding his straining cock against her ass.

Her breath became ragged as she neared orgasm. James nipped at her ear and sealed the edges of her mouth with his hand, trapping the scream building in her throat. Her entire body shook as she came. It took a minute for her breathing to even out. Her body trembled when James pulled his hand away. She thought she might come again when he pushed his finger into his mouth and sucked it clean.

James moaned and his body quivered.

Kate let out a shaky breath. “Thank you, that was very
helpful
.”

James smoothed her dress into position and then washed his hands and turned to the cupboard next to the sink as if nothing had happened. “I’ll take the plates, forks and whip cream to the dining room.”

He came back into the kitchen a moment later and picked up the pie she just cut. Kate carried the other two into the dining room.

They all opted for a slice of each on their plates, loaded with a generous pile of whip cream.

“These pies are amazing.” Heather mumbled around a mouthful of pumpkin pie.

“Kate and I made them. She’s going to open a bakery.” James winked at her.

Heather smiled. “Just another thing to add to your someday list, right Kate?”

Both men looked at them and then shrugged.

“Yeah, someday.” Kate smiled and took a bite of pie.

“You know how I told you I like apple pie?” James had a bite on his fork, hovering in front of his mouth.

Kate nodded.

“This is the best pie I’ve ever had.”

She beamed at him.

“I second that. Although the pumpkin is my favorite.” Jeff stuffed another fork-full in his mouth.

Kate smiled. “
I
think the pecan pie is the best.”

Heather took her last bite and then disappeared down the hall. Miles was happy and rosy-cheeked when they came to the table. “It wasn’t a long nap, but at least he’s happy.” Heather bounced him on her knee as James and Jeff cleaned up the dessert plates.

Miles was facing Kate and reached his arms out to her. “Is it okay if I hold him?”

Heather laughed. “Please. Be my guest. Sometimes my arms ache from holding him so long.”

Once Miles was on her lap, Kate shook her hair over her eyes and played peek-a-boo with him. Miles squealed and giggled every time her face reappeared. At one point, she caught a glimpse of James, leaning in the doorway, watching her. She flashed him a smile and got back to her game with Miles.

Eventually, James and Jeff joined them at the table. James cleared his throat. “I hate to be the one to break up the party, but we should probably go soon. It’s getting dark.”

Heather got up and loaded a few containers with leftovers. Kate insisted she keep the pies, but Heather put the apple pie with their leftovers. “I don’t want James to throw a tantrum.”

Kate laughed. “Good idea.”

They hugged before they left. “Thank you for the wonderful food and company. It was lovely to meet your family.”

Heather smiled. “I’m so glad you came, and now I can see why James is so crazy about you. Don’t be a stranger.”

Kate hugged Jeff briefly and then picked up Miles and squeezed him and nibbled his belly. “Thank you again.”

James hugged them all too, and then whisked Kate to the car.

“My brother and Heather think you’re great.”

“You think?”

“I know. See? I told you. Nothing to worry about.” James patted her leg.

“Miles is such a cutie. I just love his laugh.”

“I’ve never been able to get him to giggle like that.”

Kate shrugged. “Kids like me, what can I say?”

“I like you too.”

“Good. How about your brother? What did he say?”

James laughed quietly. “A lot.”

Kate snorted. “Heather had a lot to say as well. I really like her.”

“I’m glad.” James wound his fingers through hers.

“I’m sorry your brother hurt your feelings. I don’t think he meant to.” Even in the relative darkness of the car, she could see his jaw tighten.

“I know he didn’t mean to. He’s just an ass sometimes.”

They rode in silence for a while, and eventually, they were driving right next to the ocean. The water was black, and lapped silently at the gray sand as they sped by.

“We’re here,” James announced as they pulled up in front of a large house overlooking the beach. It was decorated with bright white Christmas lights.

“We’re staying on the beach?”

“Almost. The beach is just across the street. Hang on a second. I’ll go get our key.” He got out of the car, ran to the main office, and was back before Kate could get the trunk open. “We’re in number seven.” James nodded down the row.

“We have our own bungalow?”

He grinned. “Yes, I thought it would be nice to have a little privacy.”

They grabbed their backpacks and the Thanksgiving leftovers and followed the path past the main house to bungalow number seven.

The cool night air surrounded them, and the soft sound of the ocean filled her ears. She took a deep breath and looked out toward the ocean. “I love the ocean.”

“Good. We’ll go exploring tomorrow.” James turned down the walkway between two bungalows, pulled the key out of his pocket, and opened the door.

The main focus of the room was a large bed. A fire crackled in the fireplace in the corner of the room with a soft couch positioned in front of it. A small kitchen was tucked off to the left and a bathroom was across from it. Kate walked over to the sliding glass door and opened it. Just past the empty street, she could see the shadowy ocean. Cool salty air filled the room. She closed the door, put her backpack down, and walked into the little kitchen. A welcome basket of fruit, coffee, tea, and sweet breads was waiting on the counter. “Good thing there’s a fridge here, otherwise, we’d have to eat all these leftovers tonight.”

James shook his head. “That would be terrible. Then I’d be forced to eat more apple pie.”

Kate laughed and looked around again. “James, it’s so beautiful.”

He touched her face. “
You
are beautiful.”

“Did you look in the bathroom? There’s a jetted tub.”

James nodded. “Did you look over there? There’s a bed.”

Kate ran and dove onto it, landing with a giggle. “Yes, it’s really comfortable too.”

“I think you would be even more comfortable if you were naked.” James pulled the curtain over the windows, and then came back to the edge of the bed. “How do you get that thing off?”

Kate slid off the edge of the bed, pulling the bedding down with her and twirled around until she was facing away from him. “Zipper.”

James turned the light off and then slid the zipper down and pushed the material over her shoulders. Her dress dropped on the floor around her feet. He unhooked her bra and then gripped her arms and kissed her neck. His breath tickled her spine as he sank to his knees behind her.

She turned to face him. The glow from the fire illuminated the room. His eyes were dark and heavy.

He leaned over and reached into his backpack to retrieve a condom. Kate put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“Don’t. I want you. Only you.”

James frowned. “But…”

“We’re safe. Please?”

James dropped the condom and pushed her onto the bed.

Kate wiggled out of her panties as James undressed. He fumbled as he opened his pants. She bent her knees and put her feet on the bed, and then crooked her finger at him.

James crawled up the bed between her legs and nuzzled her skin.

Kate giggled. “That tickles.”

James licked the inside of her thighs and then parted her lips with his tongue. Kate moaned. He growled against her swollen flushed skin. He wanted to bury himself in her heat, but he was determined to get her off first. He licked and sucked, bringing her to the edge and then pushed her over. Her moan echoed off the walls, making his cock twitch. Each breath became more difficult than the last.

He sat up between her legs, stroking her slit until his hand was shiny. He leaned back on his heels and stroked his cock. “Are you sure?” His words were barely audible.

Kate nodded. She licked her lips and watched him manipulate his dick. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.” She scooted her body closer to him, until his knuckles rubbed against her sex.

James sighed. He didn’t want to stop. He wanted to be in her. His cock jumped when her hot pussy kissed the tip. Kate lifted her hips off the bed, getting even closer to him, forcing the head just inside.

“Fuck.” James sighed and then pushed into her all the way. Her slick walls engulfed him, and James struggled not to come. “You feel so good.”

Kate nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. “So. Good.” Her pussy contracted around him, squeezing him as she came.

He pulled out almost all the way, and his body shuddered for a moment, and then he slammed into her quivering flesh. Kate gasped. He reached between their bodies and rubbed her swollen clit and drove into her over and over again, extending her orgasmic scream.

Kate’s body went limp, and she was panting.

James stilled his hips. “Are you okay?”

Kate nodded. “Very okay. Do that again.”

“What?”

“All of it. Fuck me again. Don’t stop.” Her words came out between gasps.