Loving Cara(42)
“You’ll be the death of me,” he whispers against my neck, but I feel him smile.
“Damn, you’re good at this.”
“We’re good at this, Cara. It’s never been like this for me before.” He lifts his head and gazes down at me, his eyes happy and bright.
“Me neither,” I agree softly.
He pulls out of me slowly and winces as he shifts off his knees.
“Maybe we’re too old to be fucking on rocks,” I smirk at him, but sober at the anger in his eyes as he turns his face to me.
“I don’t fuck you, Cara. Ever.”
“I’m sorry . . .”
“You should know by now that you mean much more to me than a fuck buddy.”
“I’m sorry.” I run my hand up and down his muscular arm. “It was just an expression. I’ve used it before.”
“I know.” He shakes his head, but when he looks at me again, his eyes have softened. “And there are times when it’s sexy coming out of your mouth, but not right after we’ve . . .”
“I get it.” I kiss his cheek and smile at him. “I get it.”
“Okay.” He nods and then helps me dress, just smiling serenely when I remind him that I’m capable of dressing myself.
Control freak.
“Are you hungry yet?” he asks me mildly.
“Starving.”
“Good. I brought lunch.” He quickly pulls on his white T-shirt and faded blue jeans and walks to the ATV to pull a collapsible cooler from another saddlebag and brings it back to the blanket, along with our phones.
“You get a signal out here?” I ask, surprised.
“Sometimes. It gets spotty.” He shrugs and pulls hoagies, pasta salad, and fruit out of the cooler and offers me a bottle of water, which I gratefully take as I look down at my phone.
“My mom called.”
“How are your folks?” He takes a bite of his sandwich.
“They’re good. They enjoy Florida. They were going to come home this summer, but with the tree falling and everything, they decided to just stay down there this year.”
My parents moved down to Florida five years ago to escape the harsh Montana winters. I bought my childhood home from them.
“You should call her back so she doesn’t worry.”
“You’re a nice guy, you know that, right?”
He winces and shrugs. “Well, I’d worry if you didn’t answer or call me back.”
“Good point.” I highlight Mom’s name on my phone and press the green call button.
She picks up on the second ring. “There you are!”
“Hi, Mom, sorry I missed your call.” I take a bite of pasta salad and grin when I hear my dad yell in the background for my mom to tell me hi. “Tell Dad I said hi back.”
“She said hi back!”
“Not in my ear, Mom,” I remind her dryly when she doesn’t pull the phone from her mouth.
“Sorry, honey. How are you?”
“I’m good.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m having lunch.” I smile over at Josh, who is drinking his water and watching me. “Is everything okay with you guys?”
“We’re fine. I just wanted to check in. How is the house coming along? Are you sure you don’t want us to come up and help you?”
“The house is coming along well. The roof will be repaired after the Fourth of July. And, no, I don’t need you to come up and help.” I take a bite of my sandwich and sigh in appreciation. It’s damn good.
“Well, let us know if you change your mind.”
“I will.” I lower my sandwich and clear my throat. “I love you, Mama.”
“I love you too, darling girl. I’ll call soon.”
“I know.” I smile. “Talk soon.”
I hang up and realize that I also have a text from Jill.
“Sorry, I’m just gonna check this text from Jill.”
“I’m fine, babe. Do your thing.”
I grin at him and open Jill’s message: Can you pick me up from the airport tonight?
I feel my eyes go round and I drop my sandwich into its wrapper.
“What’s wrong?” Josh asks.
“Nothing. Jill’s coming home. She’s asking me to pick her up tonight.”
I immediately respond, Of course.
“That’s unexpected,” I murmur.
“Maybe she’s coming home for the holiday?” He pops a strawberry in his mouth.
I’m immediately caught up in watching his lips as he chews.
“Cara?”
“Sorry?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I can’t make love to you again right now because I’ll make you sore and I have plans for tonight.”
I blush and look down at my phone when it beeps at me.