Seaside Dreams (Love in Bloom: Seaside Summers, Book One) Contemporary Romance (12 page)

She imagined he was a sexy combination of both.

Bella brought her attention back to Kurt, staring at his laptop and tweaking the marketing plan for the work-study program. Leanna claimed to think better when her hands were busy. She’d made a catastrophe of Bella’s kitchen, while baking bread and calling out ideas for them to jot down. Now Leanna was poking around in Bella’s refrigerator.

“I think you’ve got a solid plan.” Kurt turned the laptop toward Bella. “I just changed a few words here and there.”

“Really? It doesn’t suck?”

Kurt laughed. “Of course not. What you had before didn’t suck, but this is even better. I like the new spin on it.”

Leanna pulled a fresh loaf of bread out of the oven, filling the small cottage with the delicious scent of warmth and comfort. “You know I’d sign up for the program if you really wanted me to.”

“I know you would, but there’s no need. I’m going to make this work. I just have to be creative.”

Leanna closed the refrigerator door. “Where’d you hide the jam?”

Bella opened the refrigerator and pulled a jar of Luscious Leanna’s Sweet Treat apricot-lime jam from the door and waved it at Kurt and Leanna. “Want some?”

“Don’t sweat it. I can never find anything in my fridge either,” Bella assured her.

Caden came out of the bedroom, where he’d been installing the last of the new locks on the window. “It smells like heaven in here.”

“Leanna made bread.” Bella glanced at Leanna’s dirty T-shirt. “As you can see by the flour, sugar, and”—she leaned in close to look at an oily streak on Leanna’s jeans—“butter that she’s wearing.”

“That’s my girl.” Kurt kissed a streak of batter from Leanna’s cheek.

“Hey, cleanliness and creativity do not go hand in hand.” Leanna began gathering the bowls and utensils she’d used. “That’s a banana, cranberry, almond loaf, and this mess is a small price to pay.”

“Agreed,” Bella said. “Leave it. I’ll take care of it. Thanks for your help, you guys. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Of course you could have, but if we didn’t keep you busy, Caden wouldn’t have gotten any work done.” Kurt reached for Leanna’s hand. “Come on, babe. Let’s go check on Vera and give them some privacy.”

“Thanks for helping Bella and for giving me time to get the locks installed,” Caden said. “Now at least I know she’s got ample security.”

Leanna opened the door to leave. “Like she’ll lock her doors? See ya guys.”

“Tell Vera we said hello,” Bella called after them.

Caden placed his hands on her hips. His fingers slid beneath her billowy tank top and skimmed her waist as he touched his forehead to hers.

“Do you feel good about what you’ve accomplished?” His breath was hot, his voice rich and seductive.

Bella’s body hummed with anticipation. She wrapped her arms around his bare back, feeling the muscles she’d just spent more than an hour watching flex and bunch beneath his taut, tanned skin. God, he felt good.

“Yeah,” was all she could manage. “How about you?”

He lifted her chin and kissed her softly. It was the kiss of a man who had no place else that he’d rather be, tender and full of promise.

“That depends. Will you use these new locks?”

I’ll do anything you ask
. “Mm-hm.”

“Then yes. I feel better knowing that you’re a little safer.”

“I never thought I needed protecting, but I have to admit, there’s something about
you
protecting me that feels good.”

“Yeah?” He lowered his mouth to her neck and trailed kisses to her ear. “Everyone needs protecting.” He licked the shell of her ear, then whispered, “Even tough women who make plans.”

Bella closed her eyes, relishing the sound and feel of him.

“Are you sure you can commit to me?” he whispered.

Oh God, yes
. A shiver of worry skittered up her spine. With her eyes still closed, she whispered, “I know I can commit, but you might find I’m not all you were hoping for.”

He pressed his lips to her cheek. “You’re exactly the woman I’ve hoped for.”

Her throat tightened.

Caden drew back and cupped her cheeks in his big, strong hands. “Look at me, Bella.”

She forced herself to open her eyes, and the compassionate, loving look in his told her everything she needed to know, and his words drove that feeling home.

“I’m not afraid to commit, and I’m not afraid to love.” He searched her eyes, pausing, Bella assumed, long enough for his words to sink in.

“But we’re adults, and Evan’s still just a kid. I’m not a free agent, Bella. My life includes Evan, and always will. My decisions affect him, so if there’s any chance you’re going to run scared, then let’s take things slow.”

She tightened her grip on him. “Slow? It doesn’t matter what we call it, Caden. Our hearts and bodies don’t know
slow
. At least not when we’re together. You’ve weaseled your way into my heart so fast. I have no desire to go slow with you. I just want to...Oh, Caden, I don’t want to make a life decision about my job, or my house, and then get hurt. I need to make those decisions without the rest, but that seems unrealistic.”

He brushed her hair from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. “Then how about if we just make damn sure we don’t hurt each other? Because I need that same level of commitment from you. I can’t afford to be hurt. Evan doesn’t need a lovesick father making his life more complicated.”

“I don’t cheat or lie. I never have,” Bella said adamantly.

“Neither do I.”

He sealed his mouth to hers in a tender, drawn-out kiss that made her long for more.

“Tell me what I need to know before I take you into your bedroom and make sweet love to you until neither of us can remember how to talk.”

She could barely breathe, much less think straight.

“I…I break rules,” she managed.

The left side of his mouth quirked up. “In the bedroom or in general?”

She placed her hands on his bare chest and felt his heart beating as fast as hers. Every breath, every second, pulsed with heat. She forced herself to answer.

“Both.” She didn’t really break rules in the bedroom, but now, with him, the idea was tantalizing.

“Holy…I’m not a cop in the bedroom.” He lowered the strap of her top and kissed the curve of her shoulder, sending her mind reeling. “Tell me about the rules you break outside the bedroom.”

He ran his tongue along her collarbone. Bella closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his body against hers, his tongue on the skin above her breasts, the feel of his arousal against her belly.

“Fireworks,” she said in one long breath.

“You see them now?” he whispered. “Or you use them?” He slid his hands up her ribs, making her feel small and feminine—and crave the feel of them on her breasts.

“Both.” Another breathy word. She couldn’t help but bring her lips to his chest. He smelled like passion and strength. Earthy, musky, and sweet all at once. She kissed the arc of his pecs, nipping at the muscle.

“I can’t break the law,” he whispered.

She heard restraint in his voice. “I would never ask you to.”

His eyes darkened as he grazed the underside of her breasts with his thumbs.
Oh God, yes
. She couldn’t have pushed words from her lips if her life depended on it. She was too focused on his thumb brushing over her tight nipple. She felt ripe and ready, hot all over.

He kissed her again, then whispered, “Tell me all the bad stuff now so we go into this with our eyes open.”

He slid his thumb from her nipple, and before she could stop herself, a little wanting sound escaped her lips. He captured her mouth with his and took her in an impatient, tongue-thrusting kiss. When he drew back, she was dizzy, drunk with desire.

“Eyes open, baby. No secrets, no lies, no hidden agendas.”

She opened her eyes, and his hungry gaze brought the truth to her lips.

“Skinny-dipping.” Oh God, he was going to run out the door if she kept spewing her rule-breaking ways.

His mouth quirked up again. “You
are
a naughty girl.” His thumbs brushed the sides of her breasts.

“Tell me.” She kissed his chest again and forced herself to continue. “Your bad stuff.”

He sealed his mouth over the curve of her neck, pulling a moan from her lungs. His lips grazed hers as he answered.

“I’ve been a single dad for a very long time.”

He cupped her breasts, and she sucked in a breath at the gratifying touch.

“And I’m a cop,” he whispered. “No bad stuff.”

He lowered her other shirt strap and kissed his way across her shoulder. A light breeze blew through the kitchen, and Bella realized the only thing between them and the outside world was the screen door. He took her in another knee-quaking kiss and slid one hand to her ass.

“Only fantasies,” he whispered against her lips.

The thought made her damp.

He slid his eyes from hers to the door. “Of all the things I haven’t had a chance to do.” He kissed each corner of her mouth, then pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Like make love to a woman outside.”

Bella’s knees weakened.
Outside
. “Like, on the beach?” She was beginning to realize that her rule-breaking ways were pretty tame. She’d never had full-on intercourse outside, and the idea of making love to Caden outside revved her up even more.

“Too open.” He kissed her again. “Indecent exposure.”

“The woods?” she offered.

He touched his forehead to hers again. “Bella.”

“The pool?” she asked softly.

He met her gaze. “You are going to get me in trouble.”

She laved his nipple, feeling it tighten with every stroke of her tongue.

“Holy Christ.” He tangled his hands in her hair and took her in another deep kiss.

She wanted to be closer, to feel the weight of him on top of her. To feel him buried deep inside her.

He drew back, his eyes jumping over hers. “Bella, if there’s more, tell me quick.”

“I. Can’t. Think.”

She pulled him down for another kiss, and they stumbled into the bedroom. Caden kicked the door shut and kissed her so deeply that she felt as if she were floating on a cloud. He tasted deliciously sweet, and hot, fervently plunging his tongue into her mouth, tearing his lips from hers only long enough for her shirt to slip off; then they were mouth to mouth again. She fumbled with the buckle on his tool belt and heard Tony’s laugh filter through the open window.

Bella froze.

“Window,” she whispered.

He moved quickly toward the window. Bella dashed out the bedroom door with her arms crossed over her chest. She closed the window over the kitchen sink and pushed the cottage door shut. Bella took a second to get ahold of herself before she lost all control and climbed Caden like a tree. She pressed her hands flat on the door and leaned her forehead against it, breathing deeply.

She sensed Caden behind her before she felt him unhook her bra. His hands circled her from behind. Heat radiated from his bare chest. He rocked against her, brushed her hair from her shoulder, and lowered his mouth to the back of her neck. She shed her bra and reached behind her, clutching his hips as he gyrated against her. His hands slid up her ribs, stopping short of her breasts again. She couldn’t take it. She needed him to touch her again, to take her breasts in his hands and—
Oh Lord
.
Oh yes
. He slipped one hand down the front of her shorts, cupping her sex and teasing her with his fingers. Her body heated with desire as he sucked and kissed, nipped and licked her neck, taking her right up to the edge. She rose onto her toes, urging him deeper.

“You like that,” he whispered against her neck.

She moaned, arching against his probing fingers. In the next breath, his hands gripped her shorts and pulled them off. He turned her roughly in his arms and pressed his body to hers, her back against the wooden door. He pressed barely there kisses to her cheeks, her chin, her neck, everywhere except her lips, making his way slowly down her neck, then back up to her face again. Every feathery tease heightened her anticipation.

“Caden, please.” She was ready to crawl out of her skin and into his.

He placed one hand on each side of her head and pressed his thighs to hers. She leaned forward to kiss his luscious lips and he pulled away.

“No rushing.”

He traced the edge of her lips with his tongue. Each time she moved forward, wanting to taste him, to feel his mouth consume her, he drew away. He trapped her lower lip between his teeth, then sucked it into his mouth and soothed it with his tongue, taking Bella up on her toes again. She caressed him through his shorts as he drove her out of her mind. He kissed along the edge of her jaw, and she closed her eyes, giving in to the torturously slow progression he was lavishing on her, feeling as though she might come apart from sheer anticipation.

“You taste so sweet,” he whispered against her cheek.

He ran his hands up her outer thighs, lingering at her hips, then caressed her inner thighs. She rocked her hips, silently pleading for more as he finally, blissfully, lowered his mouth to hers and took her in a long, soulful kiss. She fumbled with the button on his shorts. He made quick work of shedding his boots and shorts. He reached for his wallet, pulled out a condom, and tore it open with his teeth.

“I’m on the pill.” She saw hesitation in his eyes. “I’m clean, Caden. I got tested in the spring. I’ve been on an
all about me
path, and the first step was making sure I was clean.”

He leaned his forehead to hers. “It’s not that. Caty was on the pill, too.”

Hearing her name stung in this intimate moment. But he’d asked for honesty, and she wanted to give—and receive—nothing less. She caressed his cheek, and when she went to kiss his lips, this time he didn’t pull back.

“Okay,” she whispered, and she helped him roll on the latex sheath.

THE LOOK OF understanding in Bella’s eyes nearly overwhelmed him. He couldn’t wait a second longer to be inside her. He lowered himself to a chair and guided her hips as she straddled him. They both sucked in a breath as she took in every inch of his thick desire until he was buried deep. She was so beautiful, loving him in sync with his own efforts. He tangled his hand in her hair and brought her lips to his for another passionate kiss. Caden loved kissing Bella. Her mouth was soft and eager, and every stroke of her tongue was sensuous and filled with more than just the carnal lust that drove them together, which is why he took his time, savoring every second of each magnificent kiss.