Was I proud that we managed to attract the attention of the Criminal Investigation Division of OSP? Yes. It was with Kipp’s help, but the case still stood on its own merits. My team had done good work, and we deserved to be proud of that. We also got some closure on the case and direction about Allison. Knowing that she wasn’t just missing or had left on her own accord gave the investigating team important direction.
Night had fallen now, and with it came the stars that pierced through the dark purple of the night sky. They were so vivid here, far from the pollution of the cities. Kipp hadn’t turned on the string lights since there were no other renters here, and all the other cabin lights were off. Turning off my porch light, I walked to his place.
It smelled delicious like barbecue, and my stomach rumbled. Kipp turned away from the grill, and my heart skipped a beat when he gave me a dazzling smile.
“I’ve got all the delicious things waiting for you. You’ll see that I didn’t lie. I’m a great cook.”
He wasn’t lying. He fed me steaks drenched in garlic butter, fluffy baked potatoes, and grilled asparagus that I knew came straight from Maggie’s garden. I’d gotten a full tour of her impressive space yesterday, and she’d made us take bags full of produce.
“I got that area around the hot tub all finished while you were working. Did you bring a suit?” he asked while we scraped plates and put them in the dishwasher.
“Sure did.” He wasn’t going to know what hit him when he saw the teeny tiny bikini that I brought with me. “Want me to go put it on?”
His eyes heated. “I’ll meet you out there?”
Nodding, I went to change into the little suit I’d bought in Vegas a year ago when I’d been out in Henderson for an expo. It had been an impulse buy, but the pools there were amazing, and what can I say? Vegas was meant to be enjoyed.
By the time I had tied the strings and sauntered out, Kipp was already seated in the hot tub, watching me with appreciation, his eyes hooded.
“Come on over here, Trouble, and climb on in.” He held out his hand to steady me. “That suit is …” he trailed off.
“You like?” I licked my lips, my nipples pebbling, anticipating his hands on me.
“Let’s just say that.” He pulled me close, pressing against me, his dick unmistakably hard. “Yes.”
Leaning into him and nuzzling against his neck, I gave myself a moment to enjoy the warm water and soak in the feeling of another body pressed against mine. It was underrated — the skin-to-skin contact of someone who cared about you.
I had gotten used to being alone. Living alone, traveling alone, and being relationship-free. The lie that repeated in my head was that it was better for me that way. My life was complicated enough without trying to add dating into the mix. The truth was that loneliness was real—sharp and bitter enough that it caught on my tongue some days before night fell, and I tangled myself in dreams that felt much like a nightmare.
He rubbed his hands up and down my back lazily, letting me curl into him and find the comfort I needed without asking what was wrong.
There was no answer I could have given. Nothing was wrong. Everything was perfect. I wanted to soak it all in. Rocking against him, I licked the column of his throat and nipped at him. His skin smelled slightly salty from sweat from being outside and a little like sunscreen. Running my hands up over his pecs to play with his nipples, I pinched them the way he liked and watched as his eyes fluttered. He’d been turned on from the moment he saw me in the bikini, but I liked him right on the edge of losing control. Riding him, with the fabric between us, heightened everything, and it took effort not to come.
“We haven’t been out here ten minutes,” Kipp panted. “And I want you already.” He kneaded my shoulders, sucking one earlobe into his mouth.
Kipp hoisted me up onto the edge of the seating area that he’d just built today, right up on top of a towel that he’dset there. He smirked up at me, spreading my thighs. “Just what I thought. Perfect height.”
“For what exactly?” Like I didn’t know. My pulse sped up. Tangling my hands in his hair, pulling him to where I wanted him.
“You want my mouth here?” He grazed his thumb just for a touch over my slit, making me moan in anticipation. “Say the words, Trouble. Tell me what you want.”
“I want your mouth. Right there.”
He smiled in satisfaction as he released the ties of my bikini. It definitely read Sin City, with minimal fabric and tiny strings hanging on by a wing and a prayer.
Kipp wasted no time, pressing his mouth over my clit and sucking hard, diving two fingers inside me, like it was an Olympic sport. Groaning as he found me slick and wanting.
“Oh my God.” Leaning back on my elbows, I let my head fall back towards the sky as I gave myself over to the feeling of him between my legs.
“I could eat your pussy every day.” He sounded positively feral, his eyes gleaming up at me.
There had been very few times in my life when I had felt valued or even treasured, and never by a romantic partner. Sure, romance novels painted you all these scenes of men who would spread your legs and worship you from your pink toes all the way up to your ears andback. Men who loved to eat girls out, but where had these magical men been with tongues and mouths? Well, apparently, they had been hiding in the mountains.
His fingers stroked up into me, hitting my G-spot with incredible accuracy. “You’re so sexy, Hattie. Look at how perfect you are, sucking my fingers in. That’s it. Give it to me.”
His mouth landed on me again, and I could feel the orgasm hit me just as his teeth grazed against my clit. Pleasure lit me up right along my spine, along my pelvis, sparking through in a wave. Before I’d even come down, Kipp was sliding me back, pulling one of my legs up over his shoulders.
“Need you to give me those eyes, sweetheart.”
