The Edge of Forever (8 page)

Chapter Ten

One week later

Poppy brought her sandwich to her mouth and took a big bite. Her focus was on the man across the room with his nose buried in a book. It was slightly humorous that he sat there so serious, like he worked out the world’s problems. He shifted in his seat, and the long-sleeved dress shirt he wore stretched across his chest. Lord, it should be illegal for a man to look that good. The light blue button-down shirt did nothing to hide his raw physique. Since they had sex seven days ago they had talked … a lot. It wasn’t just about Jon and their past. They also talked about plans for the future. It was strange sitting here, knowing that she had been intimate with Blake. The butterflies in her belly refused to relent, and the excitement that the black cloud that had hung over her head for so long relented, had her smiling more than she had in a very long time.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to stare?” Blake kept his head lowered when he lifted his eyes to her. God, did he not know how incredibly distracting it was when he looked at her over the rim of his glasses? The smirk he graced her with let her know he was teasing.

“I wasn’t staring.” Poppy looked down when she felt heat rise to her face. His deep chuckle had her looking at him and smiling.

“Yeah, okay.” He leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers behind his head. The muscles in his biceps bulged and flexed, showing all his raw masculinity. “Come here.” His voice dropped lower, and instantly her nipples beaded. When she didn’t move right away he slowly leaned his forearms on the desk and stared at her. “Poppy, come here.” She rose slowly and walked over to him, anticipation beating through her veins like a tribal drum and rivaling her erratic heart.

When the edge of the desk met the front of her thighs she stopped and swallowed. The level look he gave her spoke so loudly that his unspoken words screamed around her. His look was pure, unadulterated lust, and it was directed right at her.

“You know how I knew you kept staring at me?” His low-pitched question helped to clear some of her arousal.

She had no answer and shook her head.
Why is it suddenly so hot in here?

“Because I was staring at
you
.”
 
This time there was no teasing note in his words, and a shiver worked through her. “Now, come here, Poppy.” Suddenly she regretted wearing heels because it seemed so much harder to walk in them.

When she stood right in front of him she tried to slow her breathing, but just being near him had her inhaling the scent that was uniquely Blake. He leaned back in his chair and spread his legs slightly apart. Her pulse pounded in her ears and drowned out every other sound.

“I want you right here.” He placed his hands on his thighs, his sight never wavering from hers. Poppy had never seen this side of Blake, commanding and sure of what he wanted. She stepped forward and went to sit on his lap, but he shook his head firmly. “No, straddle me.”

Oh.
She had never experienced this kind of rush before. Poppy liked it. She gripped the hem of her plaid skirt and slowly drew it up her thighs. Blake’s gaze dropped to watch the act. The stiff outline of his erection pressing against his slacks didn’t go unnoticed by her. The skirt was mid-thigh when she went to straddle him, but Blake stopped her when his hands landed on her waist.

“Pull it up to your waist. Let me see your panties.” He flicked his eyes to her then back to her skirt. “Go on, love.” Poppy did as he asked and let out a shuddering breath as his lids lowered with his desire.

“Blake…” His name came as a whisper from her lips.

“Yeah, baby?” He didn’t take his eyes from her panties. A heady sensation washed through her from the power she held over this man.

“What if someone comes in? What about Maggie?”

He looked at her then. “Everyone’s gone for the day.” He smiled slowly. “Now,” he patted his lap, “straddle me.”

Poppy placed one leg on either side of his thick, muscular thighs and lowered herself onto his erection. A gasp left her when the hardness pressed against her silk-covered mound. A low hiss left him when she sat fully on him.

“You feel what you do to me, Poppy?” He closed his eyes and used the leverage he had on her hips to rock her back and forth on him. The motion had her panties slipping against her saturated folds. Over and over he rocked her against his hard-on, having her climb closer to climax. The look on his face told her he knew exactly what he did to her. Blake leaned in until his lips barely touched hers. “Does it feel good?” The movement of his lips brushing against hers had
Poppy
gasping in need.

“Yes.” He kissed her lightly, too lightly. She wanted his tongue in her mouth, stroking her, sucking at her. She wanted Blake’s flavor filling her taste buds until she was drunk on him. He resumed moving her back and forth, back and forth, faster and faster. Each time he pulled her closer he lifted his hips, which caused her panties to press further into her cleft.

“Oh.
God.”
Poppy let her head fall back as a thrill washed through her.

“I want to feel you let go on me, love.” He kissed her passionately, finally giving her his flavor until she moaned against his mouth. She sucked his tongue into her mouth until she grew dizzy with the taste and feel with him. Blake was relentless as he continued to drive her closer to release. The air became stifling hot, and
Poppy
felt beads of sweat form on her brow. “That’s it.” So close. Poppy was so close, but just as sweet surrender touched the edges of her body, a loud, shocked gasp came from the room.

Blake stilled their movements, and they both turned to see Maggie standing in the doorway, a brown paper bag with the logo of the town’s sandwich shop printed on it and clutched to her chest. Her eyes were wide and almost fearful in their intensity. For so long no one said
anything,
and the only thing that could be heard was their combined breathing.

“I…” Maggie looked around the room, as if she were in search of something.
“Um.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“So sorry.
I just thought you might be hungry.” Maggie held up the bag and refused to look them in the eyes. “I’ll just leave this here.” She set it on a small table set off to the side, then left as quickly as she arrived.

“Shit.” Blake kissed her on the lips and lifted her off him. His erection pressed hard against his slacks, but his attention was on the now empty doorway. “I should probably do some damage control.” Before Poppy could say anything he strode after Maggie.

For a moment Poppy stood there, her skirt still around her waist, shock filling her.
Did he just leave me standing here on the brink of climaxing to go after another woman?
Really,
Poppy’s
thought were ridiculous. Clearly Blake needed to fix things with Maggie so it didn’t spiral out of control and end up getting him in trouble. That was the last thing Poppy wanted.

After straightening she clothes and grabbing her bag, she realized it was time to head home anyway. They could certainly finish what they started there. When she stepped out into the hallway she heard the hushed, angry voice of Maggie. A peek around the corner showed Maggie by the front door, her jacket clenched tightly in her fists. She kept pointing to the room Poppy just left.

“I just don’t get it, Blake.” A defeated note sounded in Maggie’s voice, but beneath it there was also anger. She exhaled and rubbed her eyes.

“Maggie, I’m not doing it to upset you, believe me.” The pained expression that Maggie held disappeared, and a smile that looked far too sweet and forced curved her lips.

“I know. None of this is your fault, but
remember
what I said and think about it.” She lifted her hand and ran it down the front of Blake’s shirt, and stopped at one of the buttons to slip it back into its hole. The act didn’t seem overly intimate, but the look on the other woman’s face told Poppy the affection Maggie held for Blake ran deep.

Discomfort crashed inside of Poppy, and she forced herself away from the scene. She had witnessed something that seemed very personal between the two of them, even if Blake hadn’t acted like it was. He said what he and Maggie had over six months ago was just the one night, but maybe he had just been saying that to hide the fact it had been more? He didn’t like mixing business with pleasure, yet isn’t that what he did with Poppy? Just thinking about it gave her a headache. Things were pretty quiet out there, and images of Blake embraced with Maggie played through her head.
No, you’re being ridiculous.
Blake wouldn’t touch another woman after almost making you come in his office, and professing he loved you.
No, he definitely wasn’t
that
kind of man, but still, she couldn’t deny her curiosity was piqued.

The sound of the front door opened and closed, and she felt her pulse quicken. The heavy footfalls of Blake coming back to her sounded through the hall. He emerged in the doorway, his expression grin. At least he wasn’t grinning and looking all too pleased with Maggie’s clear desire for him. Or maybe he was like the majority of men and honestly didn’t see what Poppy saw?

“Everything okay?”
Poppy tightened her hands on her coat and watched him expectantly. He didn’t answer right away, and she didn’t miss the way he glanced back at the front door. His brow furrowed, and he rubbed the back of his head.

“Uh.”
That didn’t sound good.

“Are you in trouble?” Poppy knew there had to be a no fraternization policy in place, but for her, even that wouldn’t have kept her away from Blake. He made her feel too much, and after living in the dark for so long she ached for the warmth of light only he could provide. But that being said, Poppy didn’t want him losing his job or getting reprimanded because of their relationship and the fact neither of them seemed to keep their hands off each other.

“It’s fine. Everything will be fine.” For some reason Poppy wasn’t sure she liked that answer. His voice sounded distant and held a strange note. He kept his gaze on the hallway, his brow furrowed severely.

“Hey.” Poppy placed her hand on his forearm until he looked at her. “If something’s wrong you know you can talk to me.
About anything, Blake.”
He kept something from her, that much was clear, and she became sick at the thought that it had to do with Maggie. After everything they had been through, done together, she thought they were past keeping things form one another. His lips tightened, and he forced a smile.

“Everything’s okay, sweetheart.
Maggie didn’t care. She was just shocked.”

The tone in Blake’s voice had Poppy thinking he buried the truth under a layer of sweetness.

“Okay.” Poppy could still see the affection on Maggie’s face as she looked up at Blake. Was the woman in love with him? God, if that was the case how painful would it have been to see her and Blake embraced like that? “Blake, are you sure there aren’t any feelings that Maggie still harbors for you?” For a beat of silence he stared at her, then shook his head and glanced away.

“We’ve just worked close together for a long time. You know how it is.”

 
Poppy didn’t, but she wasn’t going to push him on anything. It was clear Blake really had blinders on to the other woman’s feelings toward him, or he chose to ignore them. Either way Poppy wasn’t going to push him. There had been plenty of times when she had kept her innermost thoughts to herself, afraid, ashamed, or just not willing to share.

“Are you ready to go home?” she asked.

He gave a sharp nod and grabbed his coat. He led the way, and Poppy didn’t like the silence that descended upon them. Poppy sighed heavily. She had known from the beginning that starting a relationship with Blake wouldn’t be easy, but she didn’t think she’d have to fight to prove she loved him, especially when another woman was involved.

Chapter Eleven

“How’s Alaska, honey?” The concern in Poppy’s mother’s voice was clear as day. Poppy dried the last plate and put it in the cabinet. Her cell was held between her ear and shoulder.

“Good, Mom.” She went over to the fire and threw more logs in before sitting on the couch. Blake was working late again, and she sat, alone, once again, wondering what was going to happen between them. Although she spoke to her mom a few days a week, Poppy hadn’t told her what had happened with her and Blake. In fact, Poppy didn’t know if there was anything to tell, given the fact Blake had withdrawn from her. It may not have been a lot, but there was certainly a difference in him that she noticed. The increased late nights at work and having to run errands several times a week, errands that he wouldn’t tell her about, weren’t helping her fears and worries that she would lose another person she loved.

“I’m glad, honey. We miss you terribly, Poppy dear, but as long as you’re healing and finding what you need there that is all that matters.” A beat of silence filled the line, and Poppy sighed, knowing her mother meant well but wasn’t nearly done. “So, do you know when you plan on coming home?”

“Mom…” Poppy rubbed her eyes then stared into the fire.

“I know, I know. You haven’t even been there a month, but I miss you, honey.”

She was thirty years old, but ever since Jon’s death Poppy’s mother treated her like a child. Poppy supposed she hadn’t helped the situation with her depression and need to be alone. Things were different now;
she
was different now. “I don’t know if I’m going back to Ohio. I kind of like it here.”

“Poppy, honey.”
There it
was,
the
mom
voice. “I’m not going to argue you on this, but your home is here, with us. Your job, your friends and family, all of it is here.”

Poppy let her head fall back and stared at the ceiling. She needed to tell her mother about how she felt, about her relationship with Blake. It was bound to come out eventually anyway. The sooner she told her mother, the sooner she would understand why staying in Blithe was so important for her.

“I want to stay here because…” She took a deep, strengthening breath.
Here goes nothing
. “I’ve met someone.” The breath left Poppy, and she waited for her mother’s response. The seconds ticked by as he mom clearly absorbed that little piece of information.

“Really?”
Poppy heard her swallow. “Honey … I’m so happy for you. Who is he?” The choked sound that came through the receiver told Poppy her mom was crying. The tears came to her own eyes, and she didn’t bother wiping them away. She cried because she was deliriously happy and because she felt peace. But Poppy also cried because she worried about her mother’s reaction to the next part she was about to reveal.

“It’s Blake, Mom.” The silence stretched out, and her mother cried harder. “I love him, Mother. I love him so much. He makes me feel happy, calm.”

“Oh, Poppy—”

“No, Mom, I need to tell you this. In the past two years I’ve let myself sink deeper and deeper into despair. All the conversations I had with him helped me heal one word at a time.” Her heart pounded rapidly as she waited to hear her mom’s response. “I love him.” Poppy said those three words with so much conviction she didn’t doubt her mother heard by her sharp inhalation.

“I’m happy you’ve found someone that takes care of you, and I have no doubt that Blake will do just that.”

A sob left
Poppy,
and she covered her eyes as the tears flowed faster and harder than before. Just knowing her mother was supportive of this had her heart swelling to great proportions.

“I may not understand the connection you have to Blake, but I do know that you deserve to be happy.”

After they hung up Poppy sat and watched the orange and yellow flames dance around the wood. Of course not everyone would be as accepting as her mom, but in the end it didn’t matter what others thought. The sound of the front door opening and closing had her standing and turning to watch Blake step into the living. She had taken the Yukon home, which meant Maggie had given him yet another ride home, but Poppy wouldn’t let her worry and jealousy over the other woman’s intentions soil how she felt at that moment. Euphoria was a blissful sensation.

“Poppy, baby, what’s wrong?”
He all but tossed his suitcase on the floor and strode toward her. She couldn’t have stopped the tears even if she tried. He cupped her cheeks with his big hands and brushed her tears away as fast as they fell. “Please, tell me what’s wrong.” He thought she hurt, and because of that he felt her pain.

“I love you.” She wrapped her hands around his neck and lowered his mouth to hers. She kissed him with everything inside of her, but still it wasn’t enough. She murmured against his lips, “I told my mom about us.” His body tensed, and he gripped her shoulders and pushed her gently back. He searched her face with his eyes.

“You did?” He sounded surprised.

Poppy licked her lips, tasting his flavor.
“Yeah.”

For a solid heartbeat he didn’t show any reaction, and then he smiled and crushed her to him.

“I told her, and she’s happy for me, for us.” He pulled her away, and tears shone in his eyes. He slanted his lips against hers and took her fast and passionately. Something snapped inside of her, and she ripped her mouth away and started tearing off his jacket, then went to the buttons of his shirt. Hard, tanned male flesh greeted her once the offensive material fell off his shoulders. Her panties became wet the instant she placed her palms flat against his chest. Poppy trailed just the tips of her fingers down the muscled hills of his abdomen and stopped at his belt. A glance into his eyes showed all the lust she felt inside of her. With quick, sure fingers, Poppy undid his belt, slipped it through the loops, and pushed his slacks down his muscular thighs.

A fire raced through her, burning her up internally until she couldn’t think of anything else but having Blake inside of her. When he was void of clothing he went to work on her clothes. When she was just as naked he pulled her up and lifted her easily into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his hard shaft slip between her wet folds. Mouths fused together, with tongues dipping in and out of each other’s mouths. Poppy couldn’t get close enough, couldn’t stop running her hands over his flesh that was warmed by the heat of the fire.

Blake spun around and strode forward. The cool wood of the dining room table greeted her bare ass, and she gasped from the sharp shift in temperature. He pushed her down until her back met the flat surface. He smoothed his hands over her hard nipples, down her belly, and dipped them between her thighs. The first feel of his hands pushing her thighs apart and his fingers delving into her wet pussy had a cry leaving her. Feet flat on the table, Poppy closed her eyes and absorbed what Blake did to her. Thick fingers probed at her entrance, teased the slick opening, and pressed inside. Immediately her inner muscles clenched around the intruders, trying to drag them in deeper instead of pushing them away. He latched his warm, wet mouth onto her clit and sucked while he pumped his fingers in and out of her pussy. The climax that crashed through her had her vision wavering and flashes of light exploding behind her lids.

“So good, baby.”
He flattened his tongue on her and dragged it down her slit to her opening. “You taste so fucking good.” Once at his destination he speared the thick muscle into her, fucking her with a part of his body that was both satisfying and disappointing. She wanted his big cock in her and intended to get what she wanted.

Poppy pushed up until she was on her knees before him. His chest rose and fell quickly as he looked down at her. When his hands landed in her hair and he gripped the strands, a flash of pleasure/pain coursed through her.

“Go on, Poppy.”
His voice was deceptively calm. The hard, thick length that sprouted from between his thighs was impressive and intimidating, but her mouth watered nonetheless. She took hold of the base of his erection and leaned forward. The smell of him filled her nose: clean, sweet, musky, and masculine. The combination of scents had her closing her eyes and taking him into her mouth with excitement. His flavor burst forth and had her pussy creaming and her nipples hardening. He was far too long for her to fit all of his length in her mouth, but what she couldn’t reach she worked with her hand. Bursts of pre-cum coated her tongue, and she greedily swallowed all of him. She wanted more, a lot more.

“That’s it, love. God, that is
so
it.” Shards of pain lanced through her scalp, but that little bit of discomfort only added to her ecstasy. She sucked more and more into her until his cock filled every inch of her mouth, and the tip of him hit the back of her throat. Poppy swallowed around the head of him, felt another shot of his salty essence, and moaned loudly. Her clit throbbed in time with her pulse, and her juices made a slow, steady trail down her inner thighs.

“Are you ready for me, Poppy? Is that sweet pussy primed?”

God, his words were so erotically explicit that she knew she could have gotten off from just them alone.

“
Mmmm
.”
She could have pulled away and answered him, but she didn’t want to lose the flavor of him or the feel of his cock in her mouth. Hollowing out her cheeks, she sucked harder until her lips became numb, but before she could get lost in everything that was Blake Ellis, he pulled her head back. Poppy stared up at him, her lips throbbing from what she had just done to him. He moved his hand lower until he could move the pad of his thumb over the swells of her lips. Blake’s appeared dazed with desire as he stared at the rhythmic motion he continued to do into her mouth.

“I love seeing your mouth so red and swollen from sucking my cock.” The words that came from him had a faraway quality to them. After a suspended moment he lifted his eyes slowly to hers. “I want to be inside of you, Poppy.
Now.”

Her heart palpated at his words. Before she could speak he had his hands on her arms, and he hauled her up the length of his massive body. The way he kissed her, so demanding, controlling, like he was marking her, claiming her, was enough to have everything fade away in the distance until there was just the two of them and no worries could touch them. For several long, intense moments they kissed. Hands explored bodies, skin pressed against skin, and thoughts vanished in the presence of desire. He used his bigger body to move her backward until the leather of the couch pressed to her ass. Blake’s touch became firm and demanding, and when he took hold of her hips and spun her around so she was bent at the waist and her belly dig into the couch, the breath left her. He let her go for a moment, but the sound of him tearing a condom open overshadowed the crackling of the fire. Hands landed on her ass hard, the sound of flesh meeting flesh loud. Her ass cheeks were spread and warm breath coasted over the lips of her pussy, and then he was sucking on her, lapping at her wetness and grunting against her flesh. When her second orgasm of the night barreled through her, Poppy didn’t bother suppressing her cry of pleasure.

Whooshing filled her ears, and Blake pressed his torso to her back, and his cock nudged the entrance of her cunt. The world tilted for a precious moment as neither of them moved. She swore she could feel his heart beating at the tip of his dick. In one swift, body-rocking move Blake buried himself to the hilt inside of her. Eyes wide from the fierceness of his actions, Poppy held on. He rocked back and forth, slowly picking up momentum with every second. Soon his hips thrust back and forth so hard, and his cock pounded into her pussy, that Poppy could do nothing but hold on and close her eyes. The wet sounds of her cunt sucking at his shaft fueled her and had Blake cursing in pleasure.

“Fuck, Poppy.” The pain from his viselike grip on her waist would leave bruises, but it made her feel all the more claimed by him. He had her pushed so far over the back of the couch that the tips of her toes barely touched the floor, but that was okay because Blake kept her grounded. The tip of him hit her cervix and a sting of pain rang throughout, but that feeling was overshadowed by everything else he did to her. “Hang on, baby.” He moved her slightly, so he had her ass in the position he wanted. The new angle had him hitting a spot inside of her that sent fireworks careening into the tips of her fingers and the soles of her feet.

Her orgasm came upon her so quickly that it blinded her with its force. Poppy was aware of Blake pumping into her several more times, and of the filthy, erotic things he grunted out with each thrust. He groaned out as he came, his erection swelling even more inside of her. The awareness of being filled to the brim with Blake’s dick was powerful. They tried to catch their breath as neither moved from the compromising position. He pulled out of her, and the sense of loss became so great her beat skipped a beat. What they had done was not about making love. It was raw, blazing, passionate, and hungry. It was about living and being in love, about giving up their preconceived notions of what they should and shouldn’t do. It was everything Poppy needed.