All In (10 page)

Her heart raced at full throttle, her body an engine
winding out at maximum speed. Kate curved her spine, knowing her ass was now
raised into the air as if ready to feed him her goods.

“So damn hot,” Lee growled. When his fingers lightly
traced down the crease of her ass and dipped into the folds of her pussy, her
body reared back. Her neck stretched, her head angled toward the dark sky. Her
anguished cries rose into the air, calling out into the tranquil night around
them.

“Lee!” she gasped. Kate’s body began to shake,
anticipating his next move.

“Christ,” Lee released a gusty breath. “This is
going to be so good,” he said, his voice rough with need.

His teeth nipped the cheeks of her ass. Electric
current zapped through her body. His palm caressed her ass lovingly. Slick,
warm wetness tickled between her legs from behind.

“Oh,” Kate flinched.

“Take it easy. This is spectacular,” Lee chuckled. “I’m
going to gorge on some beautiful pussy right here under the moonlight.” His
mouth landed on her hard, sampling her. Kate’s eyes flew open as she gawked
into the blackness, unable to see what was going on. Lee’s lips drew in on her
clit, his teeth teasing her again.

“Oh my God!”
Kate
screeched.

“Mm,” Lee hummed into her sensitive tissues. “Nice.”
His tongue went to work, slithering through her folds. He meticulously soaked her
walls as a brush would a canvas. One finger slipped inside her, prodding deep,
hooking onto that delectable spot.

Kate’s fingers curled. The concrete scraped the pads
of her palms. There was nothing to hold onto. Her world tipped, riding the
delicious sensations of Lee’s mouth. He abruptly put on the brakes. The warmth
of his mouth left her.

Water sloshed behind her as he rose to his feet. Lee
gripped her hips and guided her back, descending Kate back down into the water.
The balminess of the pool water met her skin, reaching her thighs.

Her thoughts whirled. Her body soared on Lee’s
tailored pleasure, wanting more of his wondrous technique. Kate was so immersed
in the feeling that when Lee’s cock sliced into her from behind, her teeth hit.
Her body
bucked,
every joint flinching in reaction. His
hips butted into her, splitting her in two, cutting right through her with a yearning
Kate had never felt before.

****

“Mick?”

Fuck!

“Yeah.
I’m right
here.” Mick leapt off the bed and spun on his feet. His head reeled for a
minute. He carefully placed the book in the bottom of Cara’s pack.

“You want to let me in? My hands are kind of full.” Cara’s
voice reached through the door, a barrier Mick was thankful he had. He bolted
to the door, squeezing his dick hard, gritting his teeth.
These books are worse than illegal drugs.
Mick yanked his shirt out
of his jeans, allowing it to blouse over his groin.

“I’m coming,” he answered quickly.

Two
more paragraphs and you would’ve been.

Chapter
Nineteen

“Where are you headed?” Cara asked. She sat down in
one of the plastic chairs outside the door of their room. A damp breeze blew
down the sidewalk. The temperature had dropped, reminding one that spring hadn’t
yet arrived. The sky was granite gray with a weak sun attempting to burn
through.

“There’s an ad for manual labor in Point Pleasant. They
need to get things up and running before the summer tourist season starts,” he
told her, rolling up the paper and stuffing into his back pocket. “What about
you?”

“The real estate office up the street here is
looking for someone to clean the rentals before they open for the season,” Cara
said, biting into a granola bar.

They both had found promising ads in the local paper
Cara had picked up the day before.

She’d also gotten some decent staples at the small
grocer in town. Along with a small French press coffee pot, she’d purchased
some snacks, a few cans of tuna, peanut butter and jelly, and a loaf of bread.

“I guess we’ll meet back here, then?” Mick downed
the last of his coffee. “You going to be all right?” he asked.

“Yeah.
The
office is right up the road,” Cara informed him.

“We’ll save time and better our chances if we work separately,”
Mick said, his gaze more direct this morning. “Not bad for an eight-dollar
plastic gizmo.” He peered down into his cup.

Cara had made the coffee with hot tap water, but it
was better than nothing. They really needed to watch their money. The room was
cheap but until they had more money coming in, they needed to keep their
spending in check.

“Did I score with the plastic gizmo?” Cara smiled. She
really needed him to lighten up. Should they dissect the kiss? Evaluate what it
really meant? As time created distance between them and the event, it didn’t
feel so puzzling. There were other concerns that they needed to address. So far,
they continued to work as a team, and that’s what they needed from one another.

“It’s a hit,” Mick said, his tone low. His stare
worked through her, rattling her insides. She shook off an apprehension that
seemed to resurface whenever he looked at her that way. What way it was exactly
Cara had yet to figure out.

Mick ran a palm over his head. His hair was the
longest she’d ever seen it. Thick, dark strands now began to cover his head,
grazing the edges of his ears and hanging over his brows. “I may try to snag a
haircut today, too,” he said. “I’ll catch you later then, back here,” he
nodded. “Don’t forget your key.”

Cara sat back in her chair and watched him walk down
the street. Mick’s body moved with a certain type of swagger. It reminded her
of home. Would people know that they were from an inner city area? Was she stereotyping?
Sometimes it was hard not to because of where they came from. They’d been
stereotyped by outsiders all their lives.

Mick was no thug, but he had that hard edge to him. It
was an edge they had needed while growing up in The Hollow. Hopefully over time,
and after they settled in, they’d become comfortable with their new location. Then
maybe that hardened defense mechanism would fall away, eroded by the promise of
a brighter future.

****

“I have twenty properties that I need to get into
shape,” Todd Conway told her. “Do have any prior experience?”

“Ah,” Cara stumbled. Her mind raced, feeling like
she’d botched this up already. Ken’s brother had made it so easy for them,
landing them the job at tavern. Todd’s voice plowed through her thoughts.

“Do you have any references?” He
asked. Cara shook her head, admitting defeat.

“I’m sorry. I’m unprepared. I didn’t mean to waste
your time.” Cara rose from her chair. Todd waved her back into her seat.

“Sit. You look like an honest person. I know because
of the recent storm people are scrambling, needing work. I like your honesty. I
respect it,” Todd said, smiling. “How’s fifteen an hour.”

Cara tried to conceal her surprise. Conway Reality
dealt with primarily summer rentals. Todd needed to get his homes cleaned and
ready for his tenants. It was evident that he needed someone he could count on.
She’d obviously shown him that by being straight forward and honest with him
right from the start.

“I’m ready when you are,” Cara said, not wanting to
look too eager.

Todd turned his back and rummaged through a filing cabinet.
The office was small and cluttered. Stacks of binders sat on the floor against
the opposite wall. A large map of several shore counties hung above. Cara noted
the red tacks. They seemed to be in the same clustered area, but miles were
measured in inches on a map. On foot it could be a challenge. She didn’t allow
that thought to deter her. She could make a lot of money in a short time.

Todd wanted his properties ready by May first. All
his houses but four were already rented for the upcoming summer. He explained
that all her needed supplies were at each residence.

“Some stuff may be stored in the laundry rooms. For
others, just check the closets. If you have a problem, you can give me a call.”
He pointed to the stack of cards on his desk. Cara removed one and tucked it in
her pocket.

A bookcase leaned to one side, rebelling against a
weight it wasn’t made to hold. She waited patiently while Todd searched through
files that were crammed and bulging.

He faced her, handing her a map. He then dug through
a desk drawer and pulled out a large key ring, each key color-coded.

“The highlighted addresses on the map are color-coded
and here are the keys that match each dwelling. Whatever you do … please don’t
forget to lock up. We’ve had a lot of trouble with looting because of Hurricane
Sandy,” he said, his mouth pursed in disapproval.

“I’ll make sure,” Cara assured him.

“Do you have transportation?” Todd asked, moving
toward the door of his office.

Cara didn’t flinch. This job was too good to pass
up. She’d figure something out.

“I can take care of that,” Cara told him, rising
from her chair. She extended her hand. “Thank you so much.”

“Paydays are Fridays, of course. I’ll need for you
to call in your hours by 2 p.m. on Thursdays. Just stop in on Fridays by five
and Peggy will have your check out front for you. It was nice meeting you,
Cara,” he said, still holding her hand. Cara politely disentangled hers from
his, though she’d prompted the gesture. Sea-blue eyes gazed down at her, Todd’s
height towering above.

“Thanks again.” Cara smiled as Todd opened the
office door and waved her back out into the reception area.

After introducing herself to Peggy, who managed the
office, Cara headed back to The Beachcomber. Todd had told her to start next
week, so this gave her time to scope out the addresses and fix her transportation
problem if she could. Cara had the feeling she may be doing plenty of walking.

By the time she arrived, Mick had beaten her back and
was gracing her with a freshly shaved head. Though she’d been curious how he’d
look with locks framing his face, Mick’s features alone, minus the hair, were all
he needed to appeal to the opposite sex.

Did I
just think that?
About Mick?

The kiss played over in her mind once more, the feel
of his mouth on hers, his tongue and how he tasted her. He’d done something
extraordinary to her body. It had spoken that night, and in a way it’d never
spoken before. That kiss had stoked a flame inside of her. Did she want him to
fan it some more? Did she want to feel those sensations again?
And with Mick?

A shiver ran up her spine, burning through her body.
Mick’s body had been a hard wall of heat, like a warming stone that radiated steady
heat that never cooled.

Mick tipped back in his chair, balancing on two legs
as he rocked back and forth. Cara waved, only seeing the glare of a muted sun
bounce off his sunglasses. His mouth eased into a full grin, telling her that
his jaunt had been just as successful.

Chapter
Twenty

“It’s a lot of walking,” Mick said. He squinted at
her, fighting off the glare of a descending sun. “Damn good job, though.” He
grinned, giving her a playful nudge.

They strolled along the cool sand, leaving their
shoes at the gate. The beach was a mere seven blocks from the motor inn.

Mick had landed a job in Point Pleasant, doing
restoration in a deli that had suffered extensive storm damage.

“God, it’s so nice here,” Mick sighed, gazing out
into the sloshing sea. Gold rays bled across the water, the horizon slowly
dimming. Whitecaps overturned, pushing a forceful tide up onto the shore.

“It is.” Cara snuck in a look at his profile. Mick’s
face was smooth, his cheeks recently shaved. He was calm and relaxed. Cara
welcomed this mood. At times back home he’d been frustrated, his features tight
with anger and resentment. This was a refreshing side, one she liked and hoped
would stay. When his hand grabbed for hers, tugging her down toward the
waterline, her mind cramped, her thoughts scurrying.

His fingers squeezed hers as the frigid water
crashed over their feet.

“Whoa,” she laughed. “That is cold.”

“I can’t wait to swim here and taste the salt. Better
yet … why wait?” Mick said, bending over. He trailed his fingers through the
water, lifting them to his mouth. One of his
finger’s
disappeared
between his lips.

Cara’s skin grew warm, her palm moist within his grasp.

“Here. Taste it.” The tip of his finger traced the
edges of her lips, his eyes locked with hers in a visual hold that had Cara’s
mind careening in panic. “Lick your lips,” he whispered. “This is home.”

Cara slid her tongue over her upper lip, tasting the
briny salt. Her palate responded, her mouth salivating.