Chapter Eighteen
The worry he had for Bella was still playing in his mind as her lips moved over his. Then she reached for him and he forgot everything except her, here and now.
Lifting her into his arms, he carried her up the stairs as she tugged at his clothes, laughing when he had to stop in the middle of the stairs to yank off his pants.
“Here.” She almost growled it out. “Please, I don’t want to wait.” She turned away from him, placing her hands on the banister on the small landing.
She glanced over her shoulder at him, and her tongue darted out and licked her bottom lip as her eyes ran slowly over him. He couldn’t explain the powerful burst of lust that hit him while she looked at him with such desire.
Suddenly, he was yanking her pants off her hips. He sheathed himself and pushed her even further until she held onto the banister, her backside facing his desire as he plunged into her. She arched back as she cried out his name.
“Yes, please, Calvin.” She jerked closer to him. His hands gripped her hips as she started moving, building his desire until he was almost blind with it.
Leaning forward, he gripped her breasts as she arched against his bare chest. His mouth nipped at her neck, her earlobes, until she cried out and he felt her tighten around him with her release.
Still, he wanted more. Needed more. Hoisting her up into his arms, he carried her lax body the rest of the way up to his bed. Laying her down gently, he waited until her eyes fluttered opened and focused on him.
“This matters,” he said as he slowly slid into her.
“Yes,” she agreed and wrapped her arms around him.
He bent down and kissed her, pouring everything he was into the kiss.
“You matter,” he said as he felt himself slide.
He waited until he heard her breathing level and knew she was asleep before slipping out of bed to head downstairs and make sure he’d locked every door, every window. He quietly put the dishes in the dishwasher and started it. He noticed her phone sitting on the coffee table and took it upstairs. He plugged it in on her side of the bed, then crawled into the bed next to her and covered them both, pulling her into his arms.
First thing in the morning he was going to have a talk with Ben. He knew Bella had been hiding the extent of her dilemma from her brother. Ben had warned him not to hurt Bella, and he had no intention of doing so. Ever.
But that didn’t mean the actions she’d taken in keeping her secrets hadn’t hurt her brother and family.
When his alarm went off, he started to roll over, only to come up short when he realized the entire right side of his body was asleep.
Groaning, he peered out one eye and saw the messy mass of hair and smiled. “Morning,” he said when she shifted, wrapping his arm tighter around her.
“Nooo,” she sighed and tried to hold onto him. “Call in sick. The wedding was canceled.”
He chuckled. “We still have guests. Actually, the groom is scheduled to leave this morning, and I wanted to make sure he has the proper send-off.”
“I’ll come with…” She started to roll away.
“No, don’t. Your brother should be here by the time I leave. You’re going to spend the day with them.” He rolled her over until she was tucked underneath him. “And you’re going to tell them everything.”
She tensed, but then sighed and nodded. “Okay.”
“Good.” He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Now, I have less than half an hour to shower.” He started moving against her and felt her warm up to him.
“A lot can happen in half an hour,” she purred.
When Calvin let Ben in the back door, Bella was dressed in another pair of yoga pants along with one of his sweatshirts, eating toast and sipping coffee while she sat at his breakfast bar.
“Morning.” Her brother walked in and set a box of donuts on the counter.
“My savior.” She set the toast down and reached for the box.
“I thought you’d want something sugary this morning,” Ben said, handing Calvin a to-go cup of coffee.
Calvin stopped himself from walking over and placing a kiss on Bella’s lips before leaving. Instead, he reached in the box and took a donut for himself.
“See you later,” he said as he started to walk away. Then Bella reached out, gripped his tie, and pulled him down until she brushed a soft kiss over his lips.
“Oh my god.” Ben groaned. “Don’t ever do that in front of me again.”
“Shut up. You kiss Sarah all the time in front of me. It’s practically the same thing.” She smiled up at him. “Have a good day. Don’t kill Fredrick.”
He chuckled. “No promises,” he said as he left. But before he walked out, he turned to her. “Show him the messages. All of them,” he said with a frown.
Bella nodded, her smile slipping slightly.
“What messages?” Ben asked as Calvin shut the door behind him.
He knew Ben wouldn’t let Bella be alone again while she was in town. She’d told him that she’d agreed to move back to Silver Cove after her commitments at the end of the month. Now, he just needed to convince her to move in with him instead of trying to get her own place.
Moving around that morning getting ready, just seeing her things in his closet and bathroom drawers made the place feel more like home than anything he’d ever done to the house.
Having her sit across from him on the kitchen bar while he’d downed his first cup of coffee and packed his lunch had brightened his morning. Falling asleep with her in his arms, making love to her into the late hours of the night, knowing that she would be there when he got off work. She’d embedded herself into his very core, and he didn’t think he could breathe easily without knowing she was there.
Since the wedding event was canceled, most of the guests who hadn’t left the evening before would be leaving today. Including, or so he’d been told by Brock, Fredrick Stafford. The guy had posted bail around midnight last night.
When Calvin stepped through the front door, he knew instantly it was going to be a long day. There was a line of guests trying to check out. Heather and Stacey were working the front counter and when they noticed him, they smiled.
“Here’s the manager now,” Stacey said with a sigh of relief.
An hour later, they’d checked everyone out and had assured them they would get refunds for the next two nights. He was about to head back to his office when Brock and Eric walked in.
Eric and Stacey were another stable couple Calvin enjoyed being around. This time, however, he could tell Eric was on official business.
“Got a moment?” Brock asked him.
“Sure.” He nodded towards his office. The three of them started heading up the stairs. “Stacey, if you need me…”
The woman waved at him and then winked at her husband.
“What’s this about?” he asked as he shut his office door.
“We got a call early this morning,” Brock started. “Has Fredrick Stafford checked out yet?”
“No,” Calvin answered with a frown. “I was waiting around downstairs so I could handle him personally.”
“We found his rental car not far from the docks. The tires are slashed, and the inside is pretty messed up,” Eric said.