"I'll be here, I'll be here."
Elodie hung up the phone and sat in her chair for the longest while, replaying what had just happened over and over in her mind, turning it this way and that, trying to see if there was any way to erase what she'd already said, and what he'd said back to her.
The truth about her feelings for Clay needed to be even more buried than they had been for the past decade plus. He could not find out anything about how much she desired him, how she'd wanted to mow over her own little sister to get to him the moment she'd first seen him. She needed to just continue to be Mousy Elodie—her nickname from high school. She didn't know how she was going to accomplish it; he seemed determined to drag her out of her safe, cozy little shell, and Elodie was going to have to resist with everything she had.
Unfortunately, part of everything she had was a bunch of mutinying body parts who wanted to spend as much time with Clay as they could, saving up memories for future fantasies.
She padded off to bed, huddling under the down-filled comforter that had been a Christmas present from April and Clay, letting her mind wander into the comfortable fantasy she'd lived on for so long, of being together with Clay—even in her fantasy she couldn't call herself his wife, because that was what April had been—in their house, painting in her own studio and greeting him when he came home after a hard day on the ranch, being swept up into those big arms. He had on occasion hugged her, and Elodie had filed each of those times away, remembering every nuance of it as she was held against his big body as he held her tightly. Clay had always treated her as someone special, just because of who she was to April. His normal guard was down around the family, and he never hesitated to hug her hello or good bye.
So she already knew how strong he was when he wrapped those muscular arms around her, but these hugs would be different, because she was his, and he didn't have to maintain any sort of distance from her. Her body melded to his, desire rising instantly as it always did whenever he was around. She lifted her face to his for a kiss that she deepened herself, twisting her lips beneath his and cupping the short cropped hair at the back of his head in her palm, fanning it in her fingers as their tongues danced together.
Clay would draw back just a little and kiss the tip of her nose, groaning as he rubbed his lower body against her, obviously fully capable and ready. "I take it you've been lonely all day, my love?"
"Horribly, horribly lonely," she breathed into his mouth as it returned to its home perched above hers.
"I think I have a remedy for that." Clay adjusted a little and lifted her into his arms, walking up the winding staircase to their bedroom without being out of breath in the least. He laid her down on their big king bed and continued to kiss her as he relieved himself of his simple cotton tee.
As the vast expanse of his torso was revealed, Elodie couldn't help but run her hands over it. She'd always been fascinated by his chest, all those bulging muscles lightly covered with soft black hair, small peaked nipples poking out at her hands as insistently as other parts of him were poking into her hip. His hands were busily finding their way under her knit shirt, finding and disposing of her bra like an expert, then feasting on her breasts, cupping them gently, and seeking those already plumped out nipples that tingled in expectation of his touch.
Warm, rough fingertips pinched and rolled her nipples confidently, making her groan and twist, pressing her breasts more firmly into his hands. Before she knew it, she was naked beneath him and he settled himself between her legs. She was spread so wide to receive him that she could feel the rough fabric of his dress pants against her most private area.
Clay's mouth, evil grin and all, descended on her breasts as he asked, only somewhat tongue in cheek, "Did you behave today?"
She couldn't think to answer him beyond a long, drawn out "yes" as her breathing became more and more labored. When he captured a stiffened nipple between his lips and teeth, she squealed suddenly, not knowing if he was going to nibble or suckle until those warm wet lips tugged that sensitive nub into his mouth, trapping it against the top of his mouth and flicking it mercilessly while his other hand gently pinched and rolled her other nipple.