Authors: Dee Ellis
“Anytime Cage wants to take me on a tour, I’m ready. Always loved a man in uniform. Or out of it. Think it’d be fun to slide down his pole.” My mouth fell open and I spun around from gathering books from the drop.
“Lola! Lady that mouth of yours...” I lifted a brow at her but she just giggled, playfully fanning herself with some books.
“I meant the fire pole, of course,” She shook her head and laughed more when I paled, “no, no I didn’t. That man, as I have made apparent, is literally sex on a stick. I hear nothing but good things; I would kill to be his side kick.”
Out of everything she just said, I picked up on one comment. Ignoring the jealousy roiling through me because it was ridiculous, I latched onto that comment.
“I hear nothing but good things”.
It reminded me of the way Cage cut Finn off yesterday. Finn had been insisting I hang out with them during one of their frequent pub crawls. Apparently after a busy day saving lives, they headed to nearby bars to burn off their adrenaline.
By the murderous look on Cage’s face when he caught Finn telling me this, and this offhanded comment by Lola, I had a very good idea how they did that. I figured someone like Cage, with his sexy bedroom eyes, that god damned dimple and all those muscles was exactly like that.
I presume he had plenty of women, like Lola, willing to burn off whatever he wanted to. Though he was a grown man and I really had no right to judge him because far as I could tell, he was single, I chose to do just that.
This new revelation added weight to my decision not to give in to him. No matter what my body wanted. No matter how badly I wanted to taste him again. Feel him pining me down, his fingers slipping past my panties and driving deep inside me.
The weakest parts of me wanted that, wanted Cage. I didn’t come here to hook up or be another notch on some beefy manwhore’s bedpost. As fun as I have no doubt it would be. Lola was still talking, but I had stopped listening when she began talking about pole sizes in direct reference to his large hands.
In just a few hours I had to face him again and carry on in front of those kids. Kids I was beginning to care a great deal about. I couldn’t give in to him. Not to the stupid fluttery feeling I got when he came close. Or the heat that burned through me, threatening to consume me, when he touched me. I would forget about that searing kiss and the resulting orgasm he could never know about.
It would hardly matter, I’m sure. I had a feeling Cage had brought plenty of women the same pleasure. Well, the jerk could get right back to that. Even if it wasn’t true, even if he was a gentleman who really wanted me for all the right reasons, there was too much at stake.
Despite my traitor body and feelings, and that long call with Maisie last night, my mind was made up. Didn’t matter what just about every cell in my body wanted. That’s not how I worked. I did not do things lightly. Nothing I had ever done, besides playing the happy bride to be, had been done halfway. Even that I played to the best of my ability till the very end. Though that was still half assed by my standards.
I wasn’t here to fall for someone who could only hurt me. Which is all Cage could ever do. Either by being the manwhore I didn’t really want to believe he was; or promising me the world and almost giving it to me. Before his dangerous job stole him from me.
Cage was simply not an option for me. Once I convinced myself of that, I’d get to work on convincing him too.
I am in love. There’s little to no doubt in my mind that’s what I feel right now. Does it matter I barely know her? Does it really matter that I know there’s a hell of a lot more that I have to prove to her? Or that the ghost I am positive she’s battling is something I have to overcome? Not to me, it doesn’t.
After an entire night spent going over the last few days since I met Charli, I keep coming up with the same answer. Just like Gwen and Deacon before me, like my sister Regan and Parker, it had happened to me. I looked into Charli’s eyes that first day and felt like,
“Oh hey...there you are. I’ve been looking for you.”
Now I knew what she tasted like. What those sounds felt like as I took her mouth and pressed her against me. Felt her curves in my hands as I held on tight, not wanting to ever let go. I knew that she tasted sweet like honey and crisp like fresh oranges. The feel of her giving in to me, her mouth opening to let my tongue claim her. Her fingers tangling in my hair, had nearly undone me.
I had almost shoved her back into the cottage and fucked her against the door. I knew that when I did take her, I wanted her to lead it. To tell me she wanted me again. Like she admitted yesterday. I almost lost my shit when she came right out and said she wanted me.
Oh plenty of women have said that to me. Some have even proved it. But Charli said it like it cost her something. Like the fallout if I fucked this up would be almost too much for her. Which is precisely why I’m not going to fuck this up. It was already gospel to me that Charli was going to one day be the mother of my kids.
After I properly proposed and let her have the wedding of her dreams. Someday. Right now, I was looking forward to finding out anything and everything she would share with me. We had plenty of time for all the rest of that. I wasn’t going to rush her since I knew she was one push from running.
Last night was tough, leaving her like that. All I wanted was to kiss her goodnight. I had promised I would before the day was over. Then she had been flirty and open and I had gotten so distracted somehow I hadn’t. Coming back to the stations, I was kicking myself in the ass. When I had left her at the door I knew too late she wanted that kiss. Had been waiting for it. Then I went and blew it trying to play gentleman. I wanted to be careful with Charli because I couldn’t risk scaring her away. Apparently, that was too careful and I would not make that mistake again.
“Bro, what has got your panties in a twist?” Finn was quick to give me shit as we sat waiting for calls.
“What? Nothing. Mind your business.” I had debated going back to her place a dozen times as I sat playing video games with him, barely paying attention.
“Bullshit. I’ve gotten the jump on you about a dozen times,” He paused the game and scowled over at me, “a few times, maybe. But that many? You’re not even paying attention. Been pissy ever since you came back from.... oh shit, you’re pouting about the hot librarian, huh?”
“No. Finn quit calling her that, first thing. Second...what was the deal inviting her to O’Malley’s? With all those fucking badge bunnies?” I could have killed him when I heard him laying it on thick earlier.
“First, fuck you, she’s wicked hot and she’s a librarian. Hot librarian. Hereto-forth, Charli Doll. Second, I asked as a favor; Charli Doll is smoking hot and this entire squad took note of that. Might not be smart to allow your current wet dream around a bunch of deviants, Cage. If she goes with you, she’s safe. Otherwise....” Finn didn’t have to finish that statement because I knew what he was saying.
“Charli’s mine.” I growled; there’s no fucking way I’d let any of these guys near her.
“Oh yeah? Does she know that?” I laughed and killed him onscreen to work out some aggression.
“I told her.” I was pissed that I had also promised to prove it by tasting her and hadn’t had the guts to follow through.
“You
told
her? I don’t think that’s how it works, bro. You don’t just tell a girl you’re interested in that she’s going to be yours. What did she say?” Finn had a point but he didn’t understand what was happening between us.
“I know that’s not how you usually handle a woman. But this is different. Charli knows she’s mine. Will be mine.” I adjusted my last comment because I hadn’t made the move to claim her yet.
“Oh yeah? Might want to get on with making it official before someone else does, bro. Or before she finds out just why you don’t want her at O’Malley’s. Or anywhere else, from the sounds of it.” Again I killed him on screen and he cursed.
“You know what...you’re absolutely right. I’ll be right back.”
Finn had followed me all the way to the door, asking questions he knew I wasn’t going to answer. I had made a promise to Charli and I wasn’t about to break the first one I made her. It wouldn’t look good when I promised her other shit. Like when I promised her it was only her, despite whatever O’Malley’s had been about before.
Or when I promised to make her come until she couldn’t see straight. When I promised to make her forget every man who had ever touched her. Jesus, the idea of anyone else touching her, being inside her and seeing her come drove me fucking crazy. Not that I had any right. I hadn’t exactly saved myself for her.
With purpose I rushed to her place, not willing to let the night end without keeping that promise. It was late but I still had time. The cottage was close, something I was more grateful for than ever. The closer I got, the more nervous I became. My heart was thudding in my chest and I was sweating despite the cool fall breeze rustling through the amber hued trees.
When I got to her place, I hesitated because I wasn’t ready. I knew somehow the minute I laid eyes on that woman my life was going to be different. But knowing that and accepting it, really accepting it to be truth, were two different things.
For longer than I was proud of, I paced outside the low picket fence, fingertips running along the rough wood. I needed to fix that. There were, in fact, a lot of little things I needed to fix here. The flue in the chimney needed cleaned up, the attic needed insulated. The basement had some leaks and the kitchen sink tended to drip.
When I had taken my turn staying here, I had meant to get to all of it. Someday, I would fix it. Maybe before Pop sold the place, which was a long way down the road. He loved the place too much. With Charli there now, I wanted it to be perfect and I smiled like an idiot as I realized that.
My smile slid away quickly when as I was pacing, considering how Charli might be altering my life, someone passed me to head through the gate. I went cold, wondering if there was someone I didn’t know about. He was young, younger than me for sure. Stocky with a backwards cap and a too tight shirt with a name written across the front.
I followed him up the walk, intense jealously flooding me unlike anything I had felt before. I meant what I said to Finn.
Charli is mine
. Didn’t matter how long it took her to get on board with that, it was fact.
In that moment I knew my fear of her altering my life was a moot point. Charli had done that the day I met her. Maybe even before then, because I had been waiting for her.
Whoever her visitor was knocked on the door then spun around, whistling beneath the soft yellow glow of her porch light. Shit. A delivery guy. Feeling foolish for my jealousy and what I had been prepared to do to get rid of him, I realized he was giving me an opportunity. Rushing up the steps before he could knock, I greeted him, watching his eyes widen as he backed up.
Quickly I explained I was a friend here to have dinner with her. Then I paid for her wine, chicken and veggies and sent him on his way. Tipped him nicely too. I gave another knock at the door once he was gone, whistling his way down the street.
When Charli opened the door just a little, I almost dropped her food and took her on her doorstep. Dressed in tiny shorts that left her long, sexy legs bare, and a top that looked kind of like a baseball jersey, she looked soft and delicate. The top was too short, showing a flash of her soft belly and too thin because I could see her tits through it.
I wanted to drag her to the ground and ruin her. How I managed to control myself, I have no idea. Seeing her so relaxed, her long damp hair piled atop her head, and her skin scrubbed clean drove me fucking crazy. I felt a flare of anger as my new friend jealousy tore through me. Charli had been about to let someone else see her that way.
Cage?” Charli looked sweet and sexy and I knew I wanted her to change my life. However the fuck she wanted to.
“Yes, Sugar. Jesus Christ,” My eyes couldn’t take in enough of her, “You open your door to strange men looking like that?” Her beautiful gray eyes turned smoky as she peered up at me.
“What? No... I mean...its pajamas,” They were hardly anything I would call pajamas, “Why, exactly are you on my doorstep, with my dinner?” I ignored her and stepped closer, and tried to explain myself.
I think I mentioned her dinner and how I had taken care of it. Maybe even that it wasn’t exactly how I had imagined dinner with her. I can’t recall everything we said because I was watching her body. Watching it come alive because I was close to her.
Just like mine seemed to wake up whenever she was near me. The creamy skin at her neck and chest bloomed pink. As I stared at her perfect tits, the nipples hardened and I could faintly make out the blush pink.
Fuck I wanted to suck them into my mouth and hear her cry out my name. Arch her back and demand more. They were perfect and I couldn’t wait to feel their weight in my hands. Flick my tongue across the tip, and bite down until she begged me to chase her ache away.
Before I knew it, I was pinning her to the door, keeping my promise because I had to taste her. Claim her mouth, claim her. She was mine and she just had to get on board with that.
The delicate sweetness of her mouth was more than I expected. I almost went down to my knees. The taste of her, the softness of her full lips and the heat of her tongue against mine was so intoxicating. I tore her hair gently from the knot she had it in, tangling my hands in the slightly damp waves.
Charli smelled like soap and citrus and it clouded the air and filled my lungs. I never wanted to get the smell out of lungs. Charli gave in to me so quickly, arching close and whimpering that sound into my mouth. I needed her. Wanted her more than I had thought I did before tasting her. My knee shoved between hers and I felt her pussy hot and damp even through my jeans.
Groaning, I took and took from her mouth. Tangled my tongue with hers and crushed her soft curves to my hardness. My cock pressed hard and hot against her belly and she whimpered again, rubbing against me.
When her arms lifted to hook about my neck, hands tangling roughly in my short hair, I was weak. I wanted to lift her against me. Feel those long, smooth, sexy legs wrap around my waist as I pinned her to the door.
For a moment I thought, fuck it, I want her and she wants me, why wait? I let my fingers curl about the tiny shorts she wore, thought of ripping them off and burying myself in her sweet pussy. Because I knew she would be sweet. My mouth watered at the thought of her pussy in my mouth, my teeth tugging at her swollen clit. Watching her flush and cry out as I made her come in my mouth.
There was nothing stopping us. I knew Charli wanted me right then. Wanted me to do just what I was ready to do. Taste her and fuck her and make her mine. But I wanted more from her. I wanted her to give herself to me because she couldn’t stand the thought of not being mine. We both knew I was hers. The minute I looked into her eyes, I had become hers.
I wanted to own her because she wanted me to. Charli was not ready for that yet and I couldn’t take her until she was. When I started to break away, she let out a whimper that gutted me. I wanted to give her whatever she wanted. But she had to know she wanted it, wanted me, before I could.
Charli was pissed and I think that’s when I thought maybe I was in love with her. When she realized I was leaving, that I refused to fuck her until she asked for it and meant it, she let me have it. Lied to me again, which I had to warn her about. Charli was scared and even though I hid it better, so was I.
I just had been prepared for her to come into my life. Charli had not been waiting for me, as much as that may bruise my ego. Charli had been running from her ghosts. I’d let her run as long as it took for her to see I wasn’t giving up. I would chase every ghost away that haunted her until she was whole again.
Standing on the porch, looking down into her beautiful, fiery eyes, her face flushed from my kiss and lips swollen from the same, I knew my truth. I was falling a little bit in love with her every single second and she couldn’t stop it. Neither could I, not even if I wanted to. Which I absolutely did not.
It was scary to feel so much, so intensely, for someone I barely knew. Didn’t mean I doubted what I was feeling. I knew as I backed off that porch and said a goodnight that tore at me to say, it was as real as the heat at my lips from hers. Heading back to the station had been hard and I almost turned back more than once.
I didn’t because I never wanted her to doubt that I meant what I said to her. That I knew she was my future and I was hers. Even if she wasn’t ready to accept that yet. I had all the time in the world to wait. Even though the idea of waiting was killing me.