So Right With You (10 page)

“
Zombieland
?” She looked appalled.

“Yeah, it’s becoming a cult classic.”

“You don’t say.”

“Come on. Give it a chance. You might like it. And at least when the people die off in this movie, you actually want them dead,” he said.

Chloe shook her head, smiling. “Okay.”

Zombieland
ended, as expected, with a lot of dead zombies. He had called an intermission halfway through and made more popcorn. He didn’t share what had happened tonight. He was too embarrassed that he’d failed to do a thorough background check. Spending time with Chloe had allowed him to forget about it for a while.

He turned off the entertainment center and an awkward silence followed. To fill it, they busied themselves with the necessary cleanup.

She was washing up the popcorn bowl when he entered the kitchen.

“Red.”

“Yeah?” She glanced up at him.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me, too.”

The next evening found Chloe alone again. This time, Garrett had a business dinner with a client. She used the time to do some laundry and finally started the suspense novel she’d been dying to read since spotting it in Garrett’s library.

She was exhausted but wanted to read a little of the book before turning out the light. Garrett had woken her up early that morning for the promised run. She’d had a hard time keeping up with him, but she didn’t mind. The view from behind was pretty outstanding. By the time they had reached the ridge Garrett had mentioned, she was gasping for air and bent over, trying to regain her composure. But he was right. It had been worth it. Beautiful flowing green fields and vibrantly colored wildflowers lay below them. When she could finally stand, he snuck in another kiss, patted her on the butt, and said, “I’ll race you back.” They’d had breakfast together and had left separately for the office. Garrett had a lot of meetings outside the office, and she didn’t see him after that.

Wearing her pink floral loungewear, she was now lying in bed with the book propped up on her knees. She had been reading for about twenty minutes, but she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

“Hey, you.”

She looked up to see Garrett, still in his dress shirt and slacks, smiling and standing in the door of her room with two containers of Ben and Jerry’s.

His sudden appearance caused her body to wake up. What woman could resist a man like Garrett for long, especially when he came bearing sweets? She was definitely thinking about Harper’s idea of rebound sex.

This was not good.

“Hi. How did your meeting with Jenkins go?”

“Fine, he’s going to double his contract with us next year.”

“That’s great.”

“I figured I still owed you that Ben and Jerry’s. He held up one of the cartons with a spoon in it. “Milk and Cookies, right?”

She read the heat in his eyes.

“Uh-huh.” She clutched the comforter. She was going to need ice cream to cool herself down.

“Good.” He approached the bed.

She knew what was on his mind. It was on hers, too. She bit her lip with nervous anticipation.

He handed her the ice cream container. She pulled the spoon out and took a bite.

“What are you reading?”

She held up the novel.

“Hmmm. Good one.” He reached for the book, set it on the bedside table, and kissed her on the lips.

“Mmmm, I’ve always wanted to try Milk and Cookies.” He took a bite of his Chocolate Fudge Brownie. “Here, try some of mine.” He kissed her again, lingering.

When he released her, she let out a trembling breath.

“I think I’d like another taste of the Milk and Cookies.” This time, he took her hand and helped her scoop up another serving. Chloe could feel her nerve endings tingling.
Oh, boy!
He lifted her hand and guided the spoon to his mouth, watching her the entire time. “Huh, something’s missing.”

He took the ice cream container from her and set it on the table along with his.

Chloe’s breath caught.

“Oh, yeah! Now I remember.” He hauled her up close, put his hands on each side of her face, looked into her eyes, and kissed her again. He first licked her lips, encouraging her to open. She did. He then pushed his tongue into her mouth, touched her tongue tentatively with his. When she moaned, he twined them together.

She reached up, put her arms around his neck, and tugged him closer.

She was melting faster than the ice cream they were consuming.

When they came up for air, she said, “I’ve always been fond of chocolate.” She picked up his container, scooped some onto the spoon, and fed it to him. Putting the spoon back, she pulled him on top of her, giving him a taste of some of his own medicine.

“Hmm. Yep, pretty darn good,” she said breathlessly, licking her lips.

They looked at each other and smiled.

“I have an idea of what would make it taste even better.” He eyed her, considering. The look had her skin flushing with heat.

He yanked her down hard until she was lying flat on the bed and swung his leg over to straddle her. His hard-on pressed into her stomach, making her underwear damp. He gave her a broad grin, picked up the ice cream, and put a freezing cold spoonful at the curve of her neck.

The coldness was a shock to her system. She lifted up into him. He took that moment to lick the ice cream, following the trail as it seeped down her chest to her breasts.

“Oh, God.” She heard a voice moan and realized it was hers.

“Definitely worth a try.” Garrett reached for her shirt, pulled it up, and removed it. He unclasped her bra, caressing her arms and shoulders as he pulled the straps over them, dropping both garments to the floor.

His eyes blazed into hers with desire. “You’re beautiful, you know.”

Chloe chewed her lips. The warmth from his gaze infused her body.

The next spoonful landed on her breast. “Jesus,” she screeched.

“Honey, I’m not God, but thanks for the compliment.”

Bending forward, he licked around the edges before taking her nipple into his mouth. He moved to suck on her other nipple. His mouth still felt cool from the ice cream. She felt sticky but she didn’t care.

He reached for the ice cream container again and dropped a huge dollop onto her stomach. The ice cream oozed down her stomach toward her pajama bottoms. He pursued the trail, licking it, including her belly button as he went. Chloe squirmed under his thoroughness. He stopped when he reached her pajama bottoms.

“Can’t have that.” He shook his head and proceeded to pull down both her panties and her pajama bottoms at the same time. When he reached her ankles, he saw her tattoo. Their eyes connected. “I like it. Does it hurt?”

“A little. Mostly it’s kind of tender.”

He gently pulled her garments the rest of the way off and lifted the leg with the tattoo to kiss the outside of her ankle. Dropping the clothes to the floor, he sat back on his heels and his eyes slowly studied her body, starting at her ankle and moving up. He stood. Watching her, he undressed, taking off his shoes and socks, unbuttoning and slipping off his shirt, and removing his slacks and boxer briefs together. Chloe released her held breath. Garrett was perfectly proportional in all ways. He pulled a condom from his wallet, which he set on the table and let go of the pants. “I’d like you to know I’m clean. I don’t believe in taking chances.”

“Okay.” Chloe swallowed hard, unable to formulate a complete sentence as she stared at his impressive physique. “Me, too.”

He climbed back onto the bed and resumed his position.

“Now, where were we? Oh, yeah.” He lifted her legs and put his mouth near the heart of her.

“Ah, Garrett.”

He looked up at her. “Yeah?”

“I haven’t been with anyone besides Trevor.”

His look caused her to blush. “Good to know.” He picked up where he had left off. He started slowly, by kissing her right behind the knees. She couldn’t believe how tortuous he was making this for her. He proceeded steadily up her thighs until he was between her legs. When he reached the junction between her legs, he stopped.

Chloe lifted her head to see what the problem was.

“I want you to watch.” His eyes burned intently, making the connection between them that much stronger.

He bent down again, watching her as he took her clit into his mouth.

Pleasure enveloped her. She reached for his hand to hold, as he bathed her with his tongue. He took his other hand and used his thumb and index finger to spread her while his tongue penetrated her.

Her skin glistened with sweat. The intense sensation built inside her. Reaching its peak, it crashed over her in a wave.

He continued licking her until she came again, this time with his tongue and fingers pumping inside her, bringing her to satisfaction.

Garrett eased himself back into a sitting position with his aroused cock snug against her core. He reached for the condom and sheathed himself.

He entered her gradually. He seemed to like the leisurely pace. She, on the other hand, was growing needy, feeling his hardened steel stretching her with its warmth. She pushed up, forcing him the rest of the way in until he hit her sweet spot.

He had more control than that. “Soon, honey.” He eased out of her and unhurriedly eased back in.

She groaned, “Please.” She arched into him.

“A little longer.” Garrett stroked into her a few more times. She could feel the rise of another orgasm ready to ignite.

“Okay. Now, sweetheart.” He shifted her up until she was riding his lap, open to him as wide as she could be, then thrust hard into her again and again. She moaned, riding the crest with him. They climaxed together.

He kissed Chloe on the forehead, staying inside her warmth for a moment, holding her tight. It had been quite a ride. Her heart still palpitated hard in her chest. She released her breath.

“That was incredible,” he said.

“Yeah, not bad,” she teased.

Garrett looked at her and grinned. “I hate to move, but I need to get cleaned up. I think I’ll dispose of those containers while I’m at it. I don’t think we’ll be having any more.”

The ice cream was completely melted.

When Garrett left her, she collapsed spinelessly onto the bed. She was done for.

When he returned, he found her sacked out on her stomach, asleep. He climbed into bed with her, pulling her tightly to his side. During the night, he gently woke her and they made love again.

*~*

Garrett lay across Chloe like a tapestry, his arm across her back and his leg pressed firmly against her rear. It would have been a dream waking up next to Garrett if it weren’t for the realization that his parents and sister had arrived for their planned weekend. She could hear them moving around downstairs, talking. It was only a matter of time before they decided to climb the stairs and locate him.

“Shoot, shoot, shoot,” she muttered under her breath.

If they didn’t get a move on, there was a good chance his family would find the two of them in bed together.

Chloe gave Garrett one last lingering look.

“Garrett. Garrett,” Chloe whispered. When he didn’t respond, she gave him a hard shove to the shoulder.

“Ouch. What was that for?” His eyes cracked open as he rubbed the spot.

“Your parents are here.”

“What?” Garrett asked, scratching his head.

“I said your parents are here. They’re downstairs,” she muttered a little louder.

“My parents are here?” Garrett sat up, slowly taking in the situation.

“Yeah, and if you don’t want them to find us in bed, you’d better move.”

She gave him a look of frustration and another push that was harder than the last, practically sending him skidding off the mattress. She shot out of bed, grabbing jeans, T-shirt, and underwear from the dresser before running into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

“Jeez, Red. You were much nicer last night. So much for the afterglow,” he grumbled.

He heard the sound of voices coming up the stairs.

He had hoped for a repeat of what they had shared last night, some early morning delight. Instead, he had to make a quick escape to avoid being caught by his parents like a teenager with first lust. He gathered his clothes from the floor and crept out of the bedroom.

His parents and sister were rounding the curve in the staircase. His father was carrying the luggage, and his mother was behind him chatting incessantly. His teenaged sister was occupied with accessing her text messaging. Luckily, none of them had spotted him yet. He slid past the stairwell, raced to his room, skidded to a stop inside, and slammed the door behind him just as they reached the landing.

That was close. Too close.

Then he remembered.

They always stayed in the room Chloe was in.

“Damn.”

He cracked the door open and stuck his head out. He didn’t want them to see he was naked.

They were staring at him curiously, having heard the two recently slammed doors.

“You guys are here already.”

“Yeah, it’s the time we said we would be here,” his father said.

“Sure. Of course.” Garrett nodded.

His dad, a man of few words, started to work his way down the hallway again and was about to enter Chloe’s room.

“Dad. Ah. You might not want to go in there.”

“Why not?” His dad asked.

“Umm. Because my assistant, Chloe, is currently using the room. We just got up. We, uh, overslept.” Three pairs of eyes zeroed in on him at the news. His sister had even stopped texting, which was unheard of. “Not together, of course,” he added, too late and definitely not the right thing to say.

“Chloe’s here. Is everything all right?” his mother asked.

“Yeah. She broke up with Trevor. She’s staying here until she gets settled again.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” She beamed at him like she had just won the lottery.

He had the feeling she had added one plus one and gotten four. His mother had always had a soft spot for Chloe. He suspected her barely suppressed jubilance was due to the concept that she finally was going to get the perfect daughter-in-law. He would have to warn Chloe.

*~*

When the door to his parents’ room closed, his mother exclaimed, “This is wonderful.”

“Suzanne,” Garrett’s father said.

“Did you see the look on his face? He slept with her.”

“I think everyone realized that, including our youngest. I know that look, Suzanne. Leave them alone.”

“Our son is almost thirty-four years old and not married. Left on his own, he hasn’t done very well for himself. I just want to give them a little nudge to get them started in the right direction.”

“Suzanne.”

“Oh, Bill, you worry too much,” she said dismissively.

*~*

Following her shower, Chloe arrived downstairs to find everyone in the kitchen. All of them were seated at the table except for his mother, who was standing over the griddle, making pancakes. Patches was in his usual spot by the stove. When Garrett’s mother tossed him a pancake, Chloe knew why he liked the location so much. He was out for the freebies.