When he knew she’d reached her plateau, Bryan slid down until he was prone on the floor, pulling Callie down with him. His hands went to the fastening of his jeans, and he opened them, frantically freeing himself. He searched desperately through his pockets for the small foil packet, then sheathed himself. He pulled Callie astride him, and grasping her hips, lowered her onto his erect manhood. Feeling her tight wetness around him, Bryan clenched his teeth, and his head strained back, the cords in his neck standing out as he struggled for control. He continued to raise and lower her on his shaft, the pleasure intensifying to dizzying heights. He could tell from the tightness of her body that it had been a long time since Callie had been with a man.
“So tight, so wet, oh God,” he growled, his body straining with the effort to limit the force of his thrusts. He didn’t want to hurt her but he’d never felt anything like this and controlling the need to plunge deeply into her succulent body was almost impossible.
Callie tensed as she felt her body spread inexorably by the pressure of Bryan’s engorged manhood. For a moment she didn’t think he would fit, and she strained a bit to adjust to the size of his thick head. When he slipped inside, she gasped. All her inner nerve endings tingled as she was completely filled with his broad length. Her one “unfortunate incident” had not prepared her for the reality of making love with Bryan Spencer. It was as though he’d branded her as totally his. No other man would ever suffice. She unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders. Sweat was gleaming on his golden chest and she stroked it, loving the feel of his slick, hot skin under her hands. She lowered her head and slipped her tongue around one of his nipples. His silky fine chest hair feathered around his nipples, trailing down his torso in a thin line to his groin where it thickened into a full pubic bush. Driven by something primal deep within, she wanted only to give him the same pleasure she’d enjoyed earlier. She moved her hips forcefully up and down on his shaft, squeezing him with her inner muscles.
Bryan tensed even further, the shudders rippling through his body more powerful than ever.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God,” he moaned, rolling his head from side to side. His control slipped another notch. “God baby, you feel so good. You’re making me crazy!” he strained out as his hands flexed forcefully on her hips.
Catching sight of Bryan’s extremity pitched Callie into a second orgasm. When Bryan felt her muscles begin to clench spasmodically around him, he knew he couldn’t hold back any longer. His back arched almost impossibly as he reached his own release.
After maintaining that posture for what seemed like an eternity, Bryan sank back onto the floor, taking a limp Callie with him. She pressed her fevered face into the curve of his neck as the tremors continued to arc their way through her body. It seemed that the exquisite sensations would never cease. They were almost frightening in their ferocity. Their bodies gradually calmed as they lay in a boneless heap on the floor.
Bryan stirred briefly from his position under Callie, smoothing his hands over her back to rouse her. He wanted to stay intertwined with her forever, but was concerned that he might have hurt or frightened her.
“Callie.” When there was no response he shook her slightly. “Callie, baby, are you okay?” he rasped.
Callie murmured something unintelligible into his neck, and he shook her more insistently. “Baby, are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
Finally Callie raised her head and peered down at him as if in a daze. “Whaaaa…?”
“Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he asked anxiously.
Callie continued to stare at him blankly as she gradually collected herself.
“Oh my God,” she murmured as she moved completely off him, her movements jerky and disjointed. She wiped a hand over her face. “What did I do?”
Bryan sat up immediately and reached out to touch her shoulder. “Sweetheart…”
Callie began to collect her clothing. Still feeling disoriented, she held her shirt up to cover her nakedness. She knew only one thing for sure: She had to get away from Bryan as quickly as possible.
Bryan grabbed her shoulders firmly. “No, Callie, you’re not leaving me.”
“But, Bryan…”
“Listen to me, Callie. You knew this was going to happen sooner or later.” He looked down ruefully at the faint marks on her hips and breasts. “I’m sorry I hurt you and no, I didn’t intend for it to happen tonight, but we were going to be together eventually, and you know it.”
Callie still reached for her clothing, trying frantically to move away from his hands. “Bryan, just let me put my clothes on…”
Bryan brushed her locs away from her face. “No, Callie, you’ve got to go home tomorrow. Just stay with me tonight, please.” He leaned forward, his mouth mere centimeters from her own as he whispered, “Baby, I’ll be leaving soon, and we won’t be able to be together for a long time. I just want to hold you. Please stay.” Bryan was almost desperate to continue their embrace. The need to have more of her was urgent. Now that he’d had her, he had no intention of ever letting her go.
When Callie moved hesitantly under his hands, he moved them to her shoulders, stilling her as he captured her lips in a tender kiss. He moved away slowly, until his lips were a mere hairsbreadth from his own. Staring down into her liquid brown eyes, he implored, “Callie, stay with me.”
Callie breathed in deeply, closing her eyes as she reflected on what had just happened. To do so would only make bad matters worse as far as she was concerned, but the invitation to spend the night in his arms was impossible to resist. She leaned forward, placing her head on his shoulder.
Bryan moved his hands up, cupping her head to his body as he inhaled deeply. She would stay. All was not lost.
* * *
As the fingers of dawn painted a pastel palette across the sky above the Santa Monica Mountains, Bryan woke to a dream fulfilled. Each time he’d awakened during the night, he’d looked down on the vision Callie made lying against him and simply couldn’t believe that his fantasies had come true. Though they had made love only one additional time, the sensation of her flesh against his was as intimate as the most carnal act. One of her arms was flung across his chest, and her thigh lay across his hips. Her hair was strewn over his chest from where her head rested on his shoulder. He rubbed it in circular motions against his skin. As he had suspected, the soft coily texture was extraordinarily sensual. He lay back in the bed, luxuriating in the feel of her silky flesh against his own. But she had an early flight and he had to talk to her before she left. There was no way he was letting her leave until they came to some type of understanding. He gently shook Callie awake. “Come on, sweetheart,” he murmured. “We need to talk.”
* * *
Callie and Bryan sat facing each other on a beach that was abandoned at this early hour. Clad only in his pajama bottoms, Bryan’s legs were splayed to the outside of hers. He held both her hands firmly ensconced in his own as he tried to formulate the best way to tell her what was in his heart. He knew he was unlikely to get another opportunity to talk to her like this, and was terrified that he would botch it. He’d never wanted to express such feelings to a woman before, and didn’t know where to begin. He waited until she raised her eyes inquiringly.
Taking a deep breath he began. “Callie, last night was the most incredible night of my life. For the first time in my life, I felt…” He fumbled, unable to put such wondrous emotions into words. “I can’t even tell you what I felt, but it was unbelievable. I wish things were different, and I could take as much time as I want to be with you, but I’ve got to finish up this tour. There’s no way out of it.” He rushed on when she didn’t respond. “Do you understand what I’m saying?” He took another deep breath and held it, afraid of what Callie’s answer would be.
Callie had lowered her eyes the instant Bryan mentioned the previous evening. “Bryan, I don’t think any of this is a good idea. There are just way too many things separating us.”
Bryan placed a finger under her chin, raising her head until her eyes met his own. “Callie, the only thing separating us right now is you. We are two people who care about each other. Are you going to throw that away because other people don’t approve, or because of the business I happen to be in?”
Callie broke eye contact and lowered her head again, but couldn’t think of anything to say.
Bryan continued, “Callie, like I told you last night, you knew damned well that this was going to happen sooner or later. Okay, the physical part happened sooner than I had planned, but baby, we’ve got something here, something I’ve never had before…” He broke off, unable to think of anything else he could say that might convince her.
Callie knew she was being unfair to Bryan. He was right. Deep down inside she had known that their relationship would eventually come to this, and if she hadn’t wanted it, she should have stopped it long before they slept together. Breaking it off now would make things even more difficult. She lowered her head to her knees. “Bryan, I do want to be with you,” she admitted, “but…”
Bryan pulled her closer, relief making his body go limp. “Let’s not think about the ‘buts’ right now.”
Callie turned her head to look at the seagulls diving for their morning meal. “It just seems to me that it would be simpler for us both to just let it go.”
Bryan cuddled her against his chest. “Callie, I don’t think either of us has ever taken the easy way out, no real reason to start now.”
From that position, nestled in the warm safety of his arms, Callie couldn’t think of any real reason to start either.
* * *
Callie and Bryan stayed on the beach for as long as they could, but eventually they had to get ready to go to the airport for Callie’s flight back to Alabama. Bryan would be staying in L.A., rehearsing for the resumption of Storm Crow’s tour. Callie had packed the previous day, so it was really just a matter of checking the house to ensure that she had not left any of her belongings behind. As they sat in the kitchen enjoying one last cup of coffee before they departed for the airport, Bryan slid the tiniest cell phone she’d ever seen across the table to Callie. Smaller even than a pager, it gleamed with an odd metallic sheen.
She picked it up and examined it curiously.
“I’ve always refused to have a cell phone before. There are times when I don’t want to be in contact with anyone, but that doesn’t apply to you. With this cell phone, I’ll be reachable twenty-four hours a day.” He took it from her hand, and flipped it open. “I’ve got one like it. Yours has my number programmed in it. You’ll be the only person to have that number, so you can reach me any time you want, okay?” He handed the telephone back to Callie. “I’ve got a manual and an extra battery for it around here somewhere, but it seems pretty easy to operate. This way we’ll be able to stay in touch, no matter where I am.”
Callie continued to examine the cell phone. “It’s really tiny,” she mused. “Do you think you’ll be able to keep up with yours?” she asked, an impish glint in her eye.
Bryan smiled at her. “I always hold onto what’s important to me.” He gave her a pointed look. “It’s a trait commonly found amongst gutter rats like myself.”
Callie had to laugh at his self-deprecating humor. “Bryan, I’m really going to miss you,” she murmured, quietly reaching for his hand.
Bryan gave her big grin. “You could always come with us. It would be a blast,” he continued enthusiastically. “We’ve got some great cities left, especially Miami. I love Cuban food. Have you ever tried it?”
Callie shook her head. “No, Bryan, I’ve never had Cuban food. But I’d have to be crazy to go on tour with you and your band. One week with you guys has aged me at least ten years! I don’t know when you people sleep, and my God, the amount of beer y’all drink would keep a brewery in business for centuries. No, that’s okay, I’ll return to my nice, quiet, sane bookstore.”
Bryan smirked at that comment. He’d spent enough time at Books and So Forth to know that the largest collection of kooks he’d seen outside L.A. patronized it.
They reminisced a bit longer about the insanity of the previous week, postponing their departure as long as possible. When it was impossible to delay the inevitable any longer, they began loading Callie’s belongings into Bryan’s truck for the trip to the airport.
Try as she might, Callie could not resist the need to hold onto Bryan as long as possible. She feared that she was making a spectacle of herself, but at this point, she was beyond caring. Bryan felt much the same way, and they spent most of the time they waited in the VIP lounge quietly embracing each other. They remained entwined until final boarding call, then reluctantly separated, knowing it would be a long time before they had this pleasure again.
* * *
Callie snuggled down deeper into the warm confines of the fluffy pink quilt on her bed, still using the cell phone. It was after midnight, and she had had a very long day. Bryan’s schedule was still insane. The band’s rehearsals were often overly long because they were really feeling the vibe. With the time difference, his promised calls usually came very late in the evening. As she yawned her way through each work day, Callie would remonstrate with herself to cut the conversations short, but she never did. She took so much comfort in talking to him while lying in bed, she couldn’t bring herself to limit the time. So what if she sleepwalked through most of her days?