Lush (19 page)
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“Of course you do, Curly.”
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“Cooking makes me feel better. It relaxes me to create things.
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I’m not Eric Ripert or Jean Louis Valpar, but making food, shar-
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ing it with people pleases me. I feel like I was supposed to do
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this.”
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He remembered something. “Wait here.”
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He jogged to her room, digging through his bag until he
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found what he was looking for and returned to the table.
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“What is it?” She examined the little box.
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“A present. Open it.”
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Inside was a little silver container and a bag.
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“A salt cellar!” And not just any old salt cellar, but one that
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would last forever and take a beating. The bag was— she paused
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to open it and sniff. Sassafras hit her nose fi rst.
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“We were in New Orleans and went to this place that had
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the best gumbo I’ve ever eaten. The owner swore it was because
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of their fi lé powder they made right there, specifi cally for the
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restaurant. I convinced her that I knew someone who would do
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justice to her fi lé if she’d sell me some. The cellar I saw at a shop 22
in Portland yesterday. My mom actually saw it fi rst. Just little
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somethings. Not a big deal.”
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He blushed and she felt herself fall for him a little bit. Which
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she knew was a bad idea, but he’d clearly done this thinking of
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her. Not jewelry. Not a fur coat or something like that. But a
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salt cellar and some fi lé powder. It was like the best gift ever.
S28
“It’s hard to fi nd the right fi lé so I can’t wait to try it. In fact, N29
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Lauren Dane
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I’ll make some gumbo for dinner to give it a test run. As for the
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cellar, I love it. This is so thoughtful.”
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He drained his coffee and stood. “I want to see you naked.”
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She got up, moving to the door to be sure it was locked. “My
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friends tend to be bargers. Can’t have that.”
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When she got close, he picked her up, surprising her, but not
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for long. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on.
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Her fi ngers tunneled through his hair, holding him in place as
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she kissed him.
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He held her easily, taking a few steps until her back met the
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hallway arch. He pressed against her just enough to send a wild
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thrill through her. He sucked her tongue, sliding his along it in
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a way surprisingly close to the way he ate her pussy.
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Like a switch he pressed, just a look or a touch from this man
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and her libido went from simmering to roaring inferno. She
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wanted. So much. Wanted him to fuck her. Touch her. Whatever.
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She wanted to leave scratches on his back. Wanted to be just a
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little sore when she woke up from their nap.
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And she knew he’d make it happen.
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He bit her neck and she made a needy sound. Her hands
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made their way around his arms to grab at the hem of his shirt
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so she could get it off.
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“Can’t wait,” he murmured and went to his knees, keeping
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her in his arms so her butt came down on his thighs instead of
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the fl oor.
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“Damn, you’re good.”
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He ripped the shirt she wore up over her head. Her bra fol-
28S
lowed and she got her belt and jeans open and off as he managed
29N
to get his jeans open. She grabbed his cock and he nearly snarled.
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Lush
“Now.”
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“You’re not ready.”
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She took his hand, guiding it to her pussy, and proved him
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wrong.
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“Fuck.” He dug in his wallet, pulled out a condom, and
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within a breath she was on her back in her hallway and he was
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pressing into her.
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His jeans were still on and they brushed against the sensitive
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skin of her inner thighs with each thrust. Hard and fast. She
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wrapped her thighs around his waist, holding him close, keeping
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him deep. He felt so good this way. Hell,
she
felt so good this way.
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His hands held her ass, keeping her at the perfect angle, drag-
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ging his dick over her clit again and again. Outside the sun began
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to rise and birds sang as he fucked her on her runner.
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He got to his knees, thrusting still. The muscles of his abdo-
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men rippled with his movement as his skin gleamed from the
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sweat of hard work. “Will you make yourself come, Curly? Hm?”
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She cupped her breasts, her thumbs sliding back and forth
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over her nipples. He watched with such naked greed it only
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emboldened her. He took one of her hands, sucking on her fi n-
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gers, making them wet. She felt a little woozy just watching, it
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was so hot. The tug and draw on her fi ngers echoed in her nip-
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ples and clit. Then he guided those fi ngers to her clit.
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Shew
. He was so dirty it left her delirious. She stroked over 24
her clit, slow but fi rm. Drawing the pleasure out, knowing he
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watched, knowing it fed his pleasure in turn.
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And then he reached back to adjust her leg, his fi ngertips
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fi nding that place behind her knee. She blew out a gust of air as
S28
her muscles tightened around him.
N29
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Lauren Dane
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“Shit.” He did it again, this time with a little more pressure,
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sending ripples of sensation from that spot to her cunt. “This is
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so fucking hot.”
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She agreed.
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He dug into her pussy in short, deep thrusts. The carpet at
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her shoulder would most likely leave a mark. And she found she
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liked that idea.
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She was so close. Her body knew it. Her eyes drifted halfway
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closed as she took him in. The power of his upper body, the hot-
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ness of the way he still wore his jeans while she was totally naked.
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The fullness as he fucked into her body while she fl uttered around 12
him. It was nearly too much and then it simply overfl owed as she
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came.
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He bent, one hand on the carpet next to her head to brace
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his weight, and he sped up. Deeper and harder. Over and over
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until he came as well, dropping that fi nal inch to kiss the last
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of her wits away.
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“Now I think I could really take a nice, long nap.” He kissed
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her once more and then behind her knee before helping her up.
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She woke up after a long nap, feeling much better. He was still
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sleeping so she got up carefully and headed to the bathroom.
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After a shower she’d check her work messages and make another
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pot of coffee.
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One message from her assistant to let her know the breakfast
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had ended well. She’d known that already because she’d checked
28S
in once she’d arrived in eastern Washington yesterday. A call
29N
from Jules, apologizing and asking for a return call. A message
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Lush
from Daisy checking in to see if she’d returned from the Gorge
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yet. Cal being grumpy because she hadn’t called Jules back yet.
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Her mother. Two calls about possible jobs. She wrote those
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numbers down as she turned her laptop on and called up her
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calendar.
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Damien came out of the bedroom right as she was dealing
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with the second call. He moved to her quietly, kissed the top of
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her head and indicated he was going to shower.
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He looked as good going as he did coming.
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Once she got that call taken care of she fi gured she’d best
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deal with Daisy fi rst.
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“I’m back. We got in at nearly four this morning.” She dis-
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carded the junk in her inbox as she made the call.
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“Was it fun?”
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She smiled. “Yes. It was an awesome show. Adrian was amaz-
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ing. Sweet Hollow Ranch was amazing. Gillian should be back
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today too. Miles starts school on Tuesday.”
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“I can’t believe he’s going to be in high school. Our little
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Miles.”
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“He’s so mature. This trip really changed him. He carries
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himself differently. With more, I don’t know, authority? Gillian
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positively glows.”
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“Is he there?”
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No use pretending she didn’t know Daisy meant Damien.
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“Yes. In the shower.”
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“I’m waiting for you to invite us to dinner.”
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Mary laughed. “All right. Come to dinner. Bring some wine.
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Let Levi pick. I’m making gumbo. I saw some good- looking
S28
shrimp at the market day before yesterday. I’ll pick some up
N29
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Lauren Dane
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with some spicy sausage. Damien gave me some fi lé powder and
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I’m anxious to try it.”
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“Yum. Are you assailing my choice in wine?”
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“Your man has excellent taste. In wine and women. If I
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wanted a painting, I’d defi nitely ask you.”
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“You should invite Jules too. She’s sad. She didn’t mean to
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upset you.”
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Mary sighed. “For god’s sake, it’s not the fi rst time I’ve had
09
a spat with Jules. I’ve known her since kindergarten. We’ve
10
fought about probably every single thing under the sun. Why
11
everyone has to be involved with this is beyond me. He’s going
12
to be here two days, then he goes back to his life. I don’t want
13
to overshadow this visit with any negativity or drama. I’m done
14
with it. Things will be fi ne but I’m not going to let anyone make
15
me feel bad or stupid or guilty.”
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“She’s sorry. She loves you.
We
love you. We let that get in 17
the way and ended up making you feel a way we never intended.
18
You know how miserable she is when she’s in a fi ght with any-
19
one. I’m sorry. I want you to be happy. I really do. I like him. I
20
like that you like him. I promise.”
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“I’ll see you guys at seven. But if this comes up, I’m not let-
22
ting you have any food.”
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“That’s so sneaky.”
24
“I’m a sneaky bitch.”
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Daisy laughed as she hung up.
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28S
29N
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H
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e came out a few minutes later as she was pouring her-
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self a cup of coffee. He looked tousled with his hair still
18
wet, wearing low- slung lounge pants. Clearly freeball-
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ing it. Yum.
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His expression lit when he saw the coffee. “Oh, just the thing.
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Can I have some too?”
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She poured him a mug. “There’s milk in the fridge.”
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He sipped with a happy sigh. “What shall we do today then?”
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“Daisy called and invited herself to dinner with Levi. You’ll
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have to share the gumbo though.”
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“Sounds good to me. I like your friends.” He sat across
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from her.