Love at Cape Luella Page 3

  “Okay, sweetheart,” Jack agreed and slowly lowered me until I was balanced on my own feet. “How about you show me how to chop vegetables?”

  “Have you ever cooked anything in your life?” I gave him a pointed look – silently thanking him for the change in topic.

  “Does reheating takeout in the microwave count?” he chuckled.

  “Oh my… how have you survived on your own?” I gasped.

  “I almost didn’t,” he whispered and gave me a sad smile. “But then I hired Clark.” A huge grin brought the light back to his eyes.

  “Ah, a personal chef, that makes sense.” I rolled my eyes at him as I picked up my knife and started slicing peppers into strips.

  “Not a chef… assistant,” Jack corrected. “He orders my food and then makes sure I eat it.”

  “Does he spoon it into your mouth, too?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Of course not. My mother taught me manners and how to use my silverware,” Jack chuckled and I laughed with him. “But, truthfully, I get wrapped up in my work and if it wasn’t for Clark, I’d forget about everything else. He forced me to install a full bathroom connected to my office because some nights I forget to go home. He said he didn’t get paid enough to smell me.”

  “Oh my God!” I burst out laughing. “I think I’d like this Clark.”

  “Oh, he’s great.” Jack pointed at the vegetables. “So, instruct me?”

  “Fine…” I sighed.

  “Thank you for having pity on me,” Jack placed his hand over his chest and stood up taller as he bent slightly at his waist in a barely-there bow.

  Rolling my eyes, I began to give Jack a brief lesson in cutting up different types of vegetables for different recipes.

  Hours later Jack had asked me to take a walk on the beach with him. It seemed silly to go out at this time of the night – well, morning – but I wasn’t ready to leave his company. Jack had proven to be a fast learner in the kitchen and even better company.

  He had regaled me with stories of his family. Told me about his sister’s wedding and how he’d had to threaten her to keep her from running off and eloping. His mother was definitely a force to be reckoned with from what he told me about her.

  What I liked most was when he told me about his software company and the groundbreaking technologies they were using to create software that would help revolutionize so many different jobs. Jack became animated when he talked about his work and his employees. I could tell that he thought more of Clark than a simple assistant. I was glad he had someone like that in his life. He deserved it for all of the hard work he put in and how much he helped the world around him.

  “I’ll give you a million dollars for your thoughts,” Jack interrupted my mental recap of the evening.

  “Wow, that much, really?”

  “Two million! That smile tells me it’s worth it.” Jack grinned and reached for my hand to tug me to a stop.

  “How do I know you’re good for it, Mr. Noch?” I questioned and scrunched up my face in deep thought.

  “You don’t trust me?” he gasped and pulled me by my hand into his arms. “How about a kiss then? I’ve heard they’re earth-shattering.”

  Jack didn’t allow me the time to reply before he pressed a feather-lite kiss to my lips. I gasped and he tugged my lower lip into his mouth. He nipped it and sucked on it before releasing it and pulling me tighter to him. His cock was hard between us and my own corresponding parts were responding to the thought of us losing our clothes.

  “You didn’t allow me to finish in the kitchen,” he whispered against my lips as he released them to take a breath.

  After that, I lost my train of thought as Jack continued to kiss me. When I was young, I dreamed of my first kiss. I had wanted it to be this man. However, those dreams and fantasies were nothing compared to the real man.

  “I’m not sure I can live without being able to kiss you every day,” Jack whispered between the next two kisses, and what little bit of my heart he didn’t own was now his.

  The moment I felt Naiva relax I pulled away and looked down into her gorgeous golden eyes. They glistened with desire and her lips were swollen from my kisses. She was sexy as hell and all I wanted was to get her someplace secluded.

  “I don’t want this to end,” I whispered and pressed a light kiss to her mouth as my eyes roamed down the stretch of sand in front of us.

  Soon I found what I was looking for… a deserted old boat shack stood about twenty yards away. There was an old boat pulled up just out of reach of the water. The boat and shack had both seen better days but it was perfect for what I wanted – time to convince Naiva that she should be mine… permanently.

  “How about we go down by that boat shack and watch the sunrise together?” I asked as I turned her to my side and wrapped an arm around her waist. I had her walking before she could even register my words.

  I had a feeling my best bet was to keep this woman off balance. If I let her think, she would find some reason to leave me and most likely I’d never see her again. And, that wasn’t acceptable.

  Once we reached the small building, I glanced inside and winced at the sight. Maybe if I took her back to the house… maybe I could sneak her in without anyone being the wiser. But how would I get her out in the morning? I was pretty sure that Naiva was expected at the B&B tomorrow.

  Naiva rubbed a finger between my eyes and giggled.

  “You’re thinking way too hard,” she laughed.

  “Naiva,” I sighed and pulled her into my arms. All I did was hold her for several long moments. “Would I be out of line if I told you I wanted… you?”

  The last word caught in my throat and I almost couldn’t say it.

  “Jack?” Naiva pushed against my chest until I let her move back a bit. I still wasn’t ready to let go of her but I gave her some space. “You know I have a room back at the B&B, right?”

  “Um…” Was she insinuating what I thought she was?

  “Sand is not comfortable, Jack. It’s gorgeous along the water but the sand is miserable and it gets everywhere. And I mean everywhere.” Naiva was fighting it but I could see the smirk at the corners of her mouth. However, I also knew she was right.

  “Are you inviting me back to your room?” I asked softly.

  “How about you kiss me a bit more and we’ll see.” Naiva was beginning to frustrate me… in all of the best ways. And I was realizing she could definitely keep me on my toes.

  Instead of replying, I pulled her into my arms and began to press kisses along her jawline. I explored her skin as I sucked her earlobe into my mouth. Nipping it, I let it pop free and then sucked on her skin as I worked my way down her neck until I was able to nuzzle into the hollow at the base between her neck and shoulder. It was the sweet spot and I inhaled deeply of her sweet and fruity scent.

  “Naiva,” I groaned and moved back to her mouth.

  I gripped her face between my hands. Something stirred deep inside of me. A raging need was consuming me and I wasn’t sure I would be able to contain the desire she’d unleashed from the recesses of my soul where I’d stuffed it.

  “Naiva,” I rasped again as I kissed her. Our tongues were dueling as I felt her hands move up under my shirt.

  Her tentative touch felt like electric shocks as she smoothed her fingers over my muscles. I felt my body respond to her and my cock was now digging into the zipper of my pants. It was so hard and ready to finally be inside of this woman. In the past, sexual release had been an easy fix. A few fantasies and a quick release which was washed down the drain. The difference between then and now, this woman… the star of those fantasies.

  Finally, we broke the kiss. Both of us were panting for air as we gazed into each other's eyes.

  “Jack?” Naiva said my name when breathing became easier.

  “Yes?”

  “Will you come to my room?”

  “In case you’re wondering, my parents’ room is at the other end of the hall and a floor down. I moved
to this room when I graduated high school.” Naiva stood uneasily by the door as I looked around her space. It was a decent size room with a queen-size bed and a matching dresser and armoire cabinet.

  A bookshelf stood on the opposite wall from the foot of the bed beside the door. Above the headboard were two shelves that held what appeared to be special mementos and knickknacks. I hadn’t been sure what to expect but it wasn’t what I found. Naiva was a neat person. She didn’t have a lot of needless things laying around, there were no clothes thrown on the bed or over a chair. However, the longer I looked the more I began to see. The worn quilt folded and laid across the foot of the bed – handmade by the looks of it – decorative pillows across the top of the bed, and the few art pieces that were more than the normal generic pieces you saw hanging on a hotel wall.

  “Look, I’ll understand if you want–” Turning to Naiva I cut off her words with a passionate kiss.

  In this space, I caught glimpses of the woman I was getting to know and I knew she was the type of woman I could fall in love with.

  As I deepened the kiss, my mind raced. Earlier I’d almost asked her to marry me. It was ridiculous after only one kiss. But I didn’t want to lose her. I wanted Naiva Aisley locked to me so tightly that she’d never escape. However, even at that moment, I couldn’t say I loved her. Then we walked and talked, we kissed on the beach, walked and talked as she led me back to her room – stopping every few feet to experience another kiss as if we were afraid one of us would disappear – and now I saw so much of her in the few items she had thought enough of to place in her room.

  Naiva wasn’t a stuck-up rich girl seeking someone to continue fueling her need to shop. She wasn’t a gold-digger searching for someone to elevate her to a lofty position. Naiva was a hardworking woman who would be a true partner for any man who earned her love and devotion.

  I wanted to be that man.

  Would us continuing what we had started be the right thing to do to accomplish what I wanted? Or, would it scare her away?

  A scream wanted to escape when I felt Jack begin to pull away. Between the two of us, we’d found a reason to stop every time we’d taken a step toward finally getting what I’d always wanted. My body couldn’t take much more of this hot and cold treatment – even if I was to blame for most of it up to now.

  “Jack, please,” I pleaded and reached out and gripped tightly onto his shirt. “I need this.”

  “But do you really want it?” he whispered so softly I almost missed his words.

  “Yes,” I replied instantly and pulled him into me. “And, if we got naked, you’d soon be able to tell how much.”

  Jack groaned and let his head drop so that we rested forehead to forehead.

  “You promise to still respect me in the morning?” he asked and lifted his head to give me a small smile.

  “Depends on how good you are,” I joked and his smile fell.

  “About that…” Jack ran his hand through his hair and looked past me. “I have no idea how good or bad I am. I’ve never done this before. I mean… at least not with another person. I mean…” Jack groaned and stared at me in horror while he clamped his lips together.

  “Are you saying you’re a virgin?” I asked in awe.

  He nodded. One simple, but firm, nod was his only reply. And, it was the most amazing answer I’d ever received.

  “You’re giving me your virginity?” I rasped as I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his waist. I rubbed my face against his chest as emotion welled up inside of me. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing that I’m giving you mine, too.”

  Jack silently took my face between his palms and pressed the softest, sweetest kiss to my lips. He then reached for the hem of my work shirt and pulled it slowly up and over my head. He dropped it to the floor and looked heatedly at my lacy black bra.

  “Gorgeous.” The word broke the silence and I let out the breath I’d been holding.

  Jack quickly made short work of his own shirt and tossed it to land on top of my own. He wasn’t much like I expected when I’d first realized it was him sitting on the cafe’s patio. And, I was more than okay with that fact. The man in front of me was lean muscle and pure perfection. Lightly tanned skin, defined six-pack abs, and just the right touch of hair leading beneath the waistband of his pants.

  “Last chance to change your mind, Naiva. Well, not really,” he smiled at me. “You say stop and I stop. No matter what.”

  This time, I was the speechless one. I gave him a nod of acknowledgment and reached to undo the button and zipper of my calf-length khakis. Allowing them to drop, I forced myself to keep my hands at my sides.

  “I’ve read romance novels and saw some videos… so I have a basic idea of what to do,” I said shyly.

  “We’ll figure it out together,” Jack replied and brushed his knuckles over my cheek.

  “Together,” I whispered.

  Jack took my hand and led me to my bed, my body was tense and I wasn’t sure if I should climb in or wait for him. Looking up into his face, I caught the uncertainty in his own eyes.

  “Does it bother you that I have no experience?” Jack asked as he ran his hands up and down my arms. The movement was soothing and I felt my muscles begin to relax.

  “No, it actually takes some of the pressure off,” I joked lamely.

  Jack groaned and then chuckled.

  “I’ve dreamed of this moment… with you.” Jack moved one hand up to wrap around the back of my neck. His hand rested there gently and he began running his fingertips in circles against my skin. “You’ve been my fantasy since I first saw you, Naiva.”

  “Really?” I gasped.

  “Really. You were so young then… we both were. I kept my distance at first because of your age, and then because I was nervous, and then because I didn’t think you’d give me the time of day.” Jack chuckled weakly as he pressed a kiss to my lips.

  “I’ve watched for you every summer since I could remember,” I admitted. “I always figured I was too poor and too plain for you to notice me.”

  “Poor? Plain? What the hell, Naiva? Is that what you think of me?” Jack began to pull away and I grabbed onto his waist and kept him from leaving me.

  “Please understand, Jack? I’ve dealt with… a lot of entitled rich boys living here. And, I’ve never actually talked to you until tonight… last night?” I laughed at the ridiculousness of worrying about the timing.

  Letting out a sigh, Jack pulled me closer to him.

  “Sorry... I understand.” Jack’s face moved closer and soon he was kissing me softly.

  His mouth moved over mine as if he was exploring– a firm press, a nip, a suck, a swipe of his tongue. Letting the sensations take over, I allowed Jack to lead us. Soon the kiss turned to something more than an exploration. Jack deepened it and his tongue pushed into my mouth.

  Jack’s hands began to move over my skin and I felt as if I was coming alive for the first time.

  “I need you, Naiva,” Jack moaned against my mouth.

  “I’m yours,” I rasped and arched against him.

  Jack’s hands shook against my back as he fought to unhook my bra. I debated on helping him when it finally gave way and he slid the straps down my arms and allowed the lace to fall to the floor.

  I moaned into his mouth when he palmed my breasts. My body bowed against him in an effort to push further into his hands.

  Something changed in Jack. It was almost as if he became desperate for us to get closer. He pulled his body away and began to rip at his pants as he tried to unbutton and unzip them. Throughout the attempt to become naked, Jack continued to keep our mouths pressed together – he held me by my neck with one hand as he stripped with the other.

  My hands joined his and soon we were standing skin-to-skin. The feeling of completeness was unexpected. How could being with him this way feel so right? It seemed strange to feel so connected to someone I barely knew.

  Jack broke our kiss and held my face between both of
his palms. He forced me to tip my head back and look into his face.

  “Naiva, this…” Jack struggled to find the words he wanted to say. “Naiva, this is more than one night. You know that, right?”

  I knew I wanted it to be more than one night, but I hadn’t let myself dream that he’d want the same thing.

  “I know it’s quick but I can’t see myself with anyone but you. It’s always been you,” Jack rasped and pulled me in for another kiss.

  My mind swooned and my heart rate went crazy at his words. Before I knew his intentions, he scooped me up in his arms and laid me out on my bed.

  “You’re gorgeous,” he murmured as he took hold of my panties and pulled them down my legs until they slipped over my feet. “Fucking gorgeous,” he moaned as his gaze locked on my sex.

  “Jack,” I moaned and reached my arms out to him.

  He gladly moved up onto the bed and pressed his hand against my thighs to open me enough for his body to move into the area between them.

  “There’s so much I want to do… so many dreams I want to live…” Jack ran his hands up my legs and massaged his thumbs against the juncture of my thighs just out of reach of where I wanted him. “We can go slow next time, right?” He looked hopefully up at me.

  “Next time,” I agreed and reached out for him again.

  He came into my arms and leaned in to devour my mouth. My body felt as if it was on fire, as if it was electrified from us moving together. The moment was awkward, there was discomfort and a bit of pain as he breached me, but it was perfect. Jack caressed me, kissed me, and was so tender as he made love to me.

  Perfect. My first sexual experience was perfect. I fell asleep in his arms with no worries about my parents or the B&B, content to be with the one man I’d always desired.

  A dream is a strange thing. Most times you know you’re dreaming but you can’t seem to really impact what happens or force yourself to wake up. Then, there are other times when you can manipulate things to go as you desire.