“I—” He swallowed. “I was a coward and agreed. Instead of being willing to face what I’d done, I agreed to their terms and left.”
He dropped his eyes to stare down, but she wouldn’t let him escape. She ducked under and forced him to see her expression.
“You had no choice.”
“I could have said no and taken what I deserved.”
“You protected your family. This town.”
“I deserted you.”
“To do the right thing. The hard thing.” She brushed her lips across his as she whispered, “I forgive you.”
Had someone shot him? Had an axe severed his legs? What else could explain the slump of his knees? The rough seating at the picnic table pressed against his joints. Head bowed, he leaned forward and pressed his face against Renny’s belly as he wrapped his arms around her legs.
His body shook. Not quite with tears, more like relief. His heart swelled with love. Hope blossomed in his soul. So many feelings assailed him. Emotions long pent up, thought dead, pressed him in all directions, and yet, in some respects, he felt lighter.
He’d told the truth, and the chains it bound him with no longer held him down.
“Caleb.” Softly spoken. She lifted his chin and let him see the love in her gaze. “Kiss me.”
He rose to his feet and, in a smooth motion, clasped her to him. Dipping his head, he claimed her lips, trying to show how he felt.
But the taste of her wasn’t enough… He wanted all of her.
He pulled away and groaned.
“Where are you going?”
“I need a cold shower.”
“Whatever for?”
He spun to face her. “Because if I don’t, then I’m going to strip that towel from you and lick every goddamned inch of your luscious body.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, we still don’t have a bloody room.” Who would have ever thought he’d pray for privacy?
“It’s almost one a.m. No one is awake but you and me.” She leaned back on her elbows and let her knees fall open, the motion undoing the simple tuck of the towel. As its edges peeled away, it revealed the swell of her breasts, the sharp tips of her nipples, and the shadowy cleft between her thighs.
He might have been punched to the head one too many times, but that didn’t make him stupid. Caleb didn’t wait for another invitation.
He dove on the offering, his hands spanning her waist, an hourglass indent made for holding. His mouth claimed hers, but it didn’t remain long, not with the luscious temptations waiting below.
The swirl of his tongue around a brazen peak drew forth a cry from her. And another when he let the flat edge of his teeth tug. He sucked her breasts into his mouth, enjoying the pull on her flesh, the scrabble of her nails on his shoulders and how her heels dug into the base of his spine as she tried to draw him nearer.
He held firm—and he meant firm—and kept his teasing play of her nipples, switching back and forth until she just moaned continuously.
Then he blazed a trail down her rib cage to the round softness of her belly. He rubbed his bristled jaw against her skin and felt the shiver that went through her.
He wasn’t done with his journey.
Farther his lips stroked, their feathery path leading to one plump thigh. He couldn’t help but nibble.
Yummy.
But something even tastier beckoned.
“Open for me,” he whispered against her mound. Her legs were parted, but he wanted more. He wanted to see the source of her musky honey.
She lay right back against the picnic tabletop, golden hair spread around her, chest rising and falling as she panted her arousal. She drew her legs farther apart, bringing her heels to rest and grip the edge of the table. She offered herself to him, and he trembled.
She is so damned beautiful. How could I possibly think I deserve her?
He didn’t. But he would do his damnedest to do right by her.
Caleb leaned forward and blew hotly on her cleft. The petals to her sex shivered. The heady scent of her arousal surrounded him. The taste of her burst upon his tongue with only one lap.
Sweet ambrosia. He licked her sex with a rumbling enjoyment, an enjoyment she shared and expressed with her moaned, “Caleb.”
He parted her nether lips, stabbing his tongue into her heat, feeling the erotic tension permeating her body. He wanted her to come.
Fingers replaced his tongue, a pair to stretch her tight channel while his tongue flicked at her hooded clitoris, causing it to swell so that each stroke made her gasp.
Her * tightened around his fingers.
He grabbed her clit with his lips.
Her hips arched off the table.
Pumping fingers and teasing lips followed. She drew in a sharp breath. Her body bowed, she could only gasp, no real sound escaping her.
The final, hard clamp of her channel made him gasp and then exult as her * convulsed in climactic waves for him. Yet still, he pushed his fingers in her, drawing it out and then rebuilding it as he found her sweet spot. And stroked it.