Lying in bed, he wished he could slip across the hall to be with Christina. Rolling over on his back, he threw his forearm across his brow and stared at the ceiling. Nothing about this case was easy. Not the connection Jerry had with the Bennetts, or the band, or—by default—Christina. She might be angry when she found out what was going on, but he had to take that chance. He’d fallen for the beautiful violinist, and keeping her safe was the only thing that mattered.
18
Clay paced on his front porch, waiting for Christina to arrive. It had been almost a week since he’d seen her last and he found that he couldn’t wait until she was in his arms again. He’d discovered a few videos of the band playing, taken by fans and uploaded to the Internet. While the quality was not perfect, he watched them over and over, never tiring of the music she made and the heartfelt performance she created.
As she turned into his drive and her eyes landed on him, she greeted him with a wide smile. By the time she parked and climbed from her car, his long legs had eaten the distance, and he moved directly into her space, standing toe to toe. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her, loving the way she melted against him as her arms slid around his neck.
“I like your greeting!” she enthused.
“If you think that was a proper greeting, let me get you inside, and I’ll really show how glad I am to see you.”
She laughed and gently pushed against his shoulders. “Let me grab my things—”
“I’ve got them, babe.” Opening the back door, he saw her overnight bag and her violin. Taking the bag, he looked over his shoulder and said, “I’ll let you take your violin.”
She placed her hand on her waist as she cocked her hip. “Are you afraid of my violin?”
“I’m terrified. Terrified of dropping it. Terrified of breaking it. It’s such an extension of you, and I’d feel a whole lot better if you carried it.”
Smiling, she pushed past him and reached into the car to snag her violin case. His gaze dropped to her delectable ass, then shot up as she turned around. Looping her arm through his, they walked up the front steps and into his home.
She set her case just inside the door and he placed her overnight bag on the table. Turning, he said, “I thought we might do something different if you’re game.”
“I’ve missed you so much, sweetie, I’m up for anything you want to do.”
“How about we take the canoe out on the water.”
She clapped her hands, her eyes wide. “Really?” Suddenly, her smile dropped. “Uh… do you have a life jacket? I can swim, but not very well—”
He linked fingers with her, pulling her close. “Of course, we’ll have life jackets. Babe, your safety is my top priority.”
“Your top priority?” she cooed, lifting on her toes for a kiss.
“Well, on the water it is. But once we get back here, I’ll show you another priority.” He wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed as he led her out the back and down toward the water.
Soon, she was seated in his canoe, her hands gripping the sides, her knuckles white. He looked over as he pushed them away from the pier and dug the paddle into the water. “You okay?”
“Yes, once I get used to the rocking motion,” she assured. Soon her hands relaxed, and she was pointing out the sights along the wide creek that led to one of the bays. “Are we going out to the ocean?”
“No, we’ll stay where the water is calmer.”
As they glided past the thick green shoreline, she dragged her fingers through the water and inhaled deeply. “Wow, it feels as though I can really breathe out here.”
“I love it,” he admitted.
“I never asked where you grew up.”
“I was born in Oklahoma. Little town.”
She cocked her head to the side. “You don’t sound like you liked it very much. Was it because of your parents?”
Nodding, he said, “Yeah, I guess. Not really the town’s fault, but it was small. Everyone knew everything about each other. And believe me, my parents’ reputation for fighting nasty was well known.”
“You were embarrassed,” she stated, her voice soft.
He nodded, holding her gaze, seeing concern in her beautiful aqua eyes. She looked down and smiled, pointing to the other paddle.
“Can I use that?”
“Absolutely.” He handed it to her and offered simple instructions. She was a fast learner and they were soon gliding faster through the water. Laughing as they disturbed waterfowl, they watched the birds take flight nearby. Occasionally, a fish would leap from the water, splashing back down, causing more ripples. The sun rose high in the sky and Christina’s back was reddening. “We need to head back before you get sunburned. I should have thought of that.”
“This was amazing, Clay. And now that I’m an expert paddler, I hope you’ll take me out again.”
He had gone out many times on his own or with the other Keepers near the lighthouse, but he had never enjoyed his time on the water as much as he did with her. Everything with her is better.
Once back at the house, they walked into the kitchen and he asked, “Are you hungry?”
His words were cut off as she leapt forward, and he barely caught her in time as her body slammed into his. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she grabbed his jaw and kissed him. Lust shot straight to his cock, and he twisted, pressing her back against the wall, erasing any space between their bodies. Heads moving back and forth, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, gliding it over every crevice, loving the velvet feel of her tongue on his and the sweet mint from the gum she’d obviously been chewing.
He was so focused on the electricity moving between his mouth and his cock, he almost missed her sliding her hands in between them, her fingers working the buttons on the front of his shirt. Having no idea how she managed it, he felt her tugging the material over his shoulders. Hating to lose their contact, he debated taking her against the door, bending her over the sofa, or heading down the hall to the bedroom. His brain short-circuited as he tried to decide, and as though she could read his mind, she simply said, “Now.”
Letting her feet slide to the floor, he stepped back just enough to jerk his shirt off, tossing it to the side. Her fingers went to his belt buckle then she lifted her hands into the air as he divested her of her shirt. Grabbing a condom from his wallet, he shucked his pants as she jerked her jeans and panties down her legs, kicking them to the side.
She looked up and held his gaze, her smile spread across her beautiful face. He wasn’t opposed to wall sex but wasn’t sure how comfortable that would be. Her eyes cut to the living room, and he scooped her up, stalking toward the sofa. With a tug on the cord, he made sure the blinds were closed as she flipped around with her knees on the cushions and her hands on the back. Wiggling her ass, she glanced over her shoulder.
He reached his hands around and palmed her rosy-tipped breasts, tugging lightly on her nipples. Bending forward, he kissed her neck, over the fluttering pulse, and down her back. Lowering to his knees, he licked her slick folds, inhaling deeply the musky scent of her arousal.
The globes of her ass beckoned, and he kissed first one and then the other, ending on a nibble that elicited a squeal. “Jesus, babe, you’re beautiful. Every fuckin’ inch of you is beautiful.”