Chapter Twenty-Five
No one catches me,” Pepper choked down a rising panic. “I’m the one that can’t fail. It’s why this career cul-de-sac has been nothing short of a disaster. There is the real world. The one I planned for. And then there’s Everland. I’ve tumbled down a rabbit hole to a place where nothing makes sense. I don’t like dogs, yet I am falling in love with Kitty. I grew up in a small town and counted the days until I could get away. I dreamed of meeting a city guy, and here I am with you and it’s better than anything. But it’s a dream. A lovely detour. And I can’t stay here forever.”
“Why?” It’s all he could get out. Otherwise the hurt was too damn much.
“Because it’s not real life. Notmyreal life at least. But that doesn’t mean I want it any less.” She slid her arms around his shoulders, his protective heat a shield against the cold night. She’d hold him now, enjoy this moment, because reality was creeping in, and soon these stolen moments would be nothing but a memory. “It doesn’t matter, though. I have to figure out what’s going on with my sister. Start networking for new clerkships. My plan didn’t work. It wasn’t perfect out of the gate, but hey, neither was the U.S. Constitution. I need to make amendments.”
“You could stay. You’re happy here, and happy is a good look on you.” He smoothed the space between her brows. “There’ve been less wrinkles here.”
“Word of advice there, buddy,” she playfully nipped his thumb. “Never point out a woman’s wrinkles or gray hair.” Her sigh came from somewhere deep, a resignation she’d never had to accept because it had always been there. “It doesn’t help to talk crazy. I can’t stay. I can’t be Pepper in Everland.”
“Why? In case you haven’t noticed, we’re all a little crazy around here. You fit right in.”
“Rhett…” She didn’t know what to say. It was long past time to logic herself to safety. “And even if I am a little crazy—and for the record, I admit nothing—you aren’t.”
“Ah. That’s where you’re wrong,” he murmured, brushing a thumb over her cheek. “Don’t you see? I am crazy. Crazy for a dog walker who claims she doesn’t like dogs even though she does, who talks too much, recites dead presidents in her sleep, smells like apples, and steals the covers.” The emotion in those easy words touched her deeply.
What would she do if her life was hers to live, any way she saw fit, free of fear or worry? The notion was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.
“Who’re you calling cover stealer?” She gasped as his hand slid under her shirt, palm cool against her skin. The contrast was good, better than good, and brought necessary distraction. Goose bumps broke out even as fire licked her skin.
“I want.” He traced his tongue over the sensitive shell of her ear, exploring all the tingly nerve endings, not accepting one gasp when he could obtain two. “I want for you to let go. Not forever. Not for the rest of your life. Just tonight. Just for now. Let go, and I’ll promise to catch you.” He nuzzled her neck and pulled her onto his lap, arranging a thigh on either side of his waist. The skirt of her sundress gathered high around her hips, and she found the thin sheer silk of her panties made the rise in his denim more interesting.
“Can you do that?” he asked. “Trust me to take care of you?”
“I want to.”
He kissed like there was no time. Nowhere else to be. Only this moment mattered. His mouth on her skin, pulling at her like the rising tide, his lazy tongue working the curve of her breasts until she had to press her palms through her shirt, over her nipples, to cope with the sweet ache.
“Someday I want a short dirty fuck out here on the deck while you wear nothing but moonlight.” His gaze scorched. “But tonight,” he rasped. “Tonight, I’m taking you below. Tonight, I’m taking you so hard that you forget everything except for the fact you’re mine. That I’ve got you. That I’m here to keep catching you. Let go for once, see if you fall, or if you fly.”
He exhaled harshly and stood, clasping her ass and walked to the short flight of stairs, taking each one without hesitation, ducking as they slid into the cabin in the bow. One snug triangle-shaped bed was framed by two small portholes.
He settled her on the mattress, the springs jolting as he eased on top of her, his braced elbows keeping some weight off as his strong fingers sifted her hair.
“Pepper.” He claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss, his tongue massaging hers in lush, decadent swirls. Yes. God. But the urge to have those clever hands everywhere grew unbearable.
“Please, I need…” She trailed off, not even knowing where to begin. God, she needed so much. Her greedy hips pumped as tension wound through her body, pulling so tight she might snap.
“Let me take over, sweetheart,” he whispered with dominating confidence. “You have one job right now. Lay back and enjoy.”
“Okay.” She exhaled, still unable to fully relax her tense stomach muscles. This was crazy. Why not sit back and accept someone doing for her, doing to her, wanting nothing more than to give her pleasure, bring her joy, make her quit worrying for two seconds about every single thing?
A tremble rolled through him. “I didn’t know I’d been waiting. I didn’t know I’d been wanting. Convinced myself what I had was enough. But you, this, I’ll never get enough.”
His mouth returned to her throat’s hollow, his lips lightly sucking before winding its way along the contours of her shoulders to the plane of her chest, pausing when he provoked even the smallest reaction, attuned to every caught breath or half-spoken plea. This was heat, sweat-slicked, open-mouthed kissing, soft but unbearably urgent.
Desire rolled through her like breakers. She floated and sank all at once. The more she let go, the more she sank into what she wanted, opening herself, offering her body without hesitation, self-doubt, or insecurity, the more he took care. Every new sensation felt inevitable, but it didn’t make it less of a surprise.
Of course he’d do this to her. Of course she’d feel this. Her body was made to feel this way. All her life she’d been waiting to belong to a place, a tangible physical space.
And here it was.
Here was home. Where she wanted to be. Where she wanted to stay.
Forever.
He captured her mouth with a fierceness, tongue thrusting inside, only to tease, to draw out, to saytake it, take what you want because it’s right here waiting for you.It was so much to realize at once. Too much to take in. She tried to pull away but he seized her wrists, pinned them above her head, deepening the kiss. This was to be victory by surrender then. In trusting him with her power, he made her feel more powerful than she’d ever been.
