Chapter Two
Masculine chests gleamed with sweat in the hot sun as Hal and Mark tore out dilapidated fence posts and repaired or replaced almost the entire length caging the small backyard. Stripped to the waist in the humid July air, Hal was a mouthwatering sight.
Casey was almost finished with the small room they’d left her in earlier that morning. She loved painting, and she’d done a special pale yellow pattern on the walls—neutral enough to appeal to most potential buyers, but jazzy enough to show some thought went into the paint job. Mark was hopeless with these little frills and left the majority of the interior decorating decisions to her.
He’d made a comfortable living over the past few years, buying old houses, fixing them up then selling them at a profit. Of course, the market had changed drastically lately so she’d been helping him to cut costs. Even in the down housing market, there was still money to be made in certain locations on Long Island where commuters were always on the lookout for houses close, but not too close, to railroad lines. They were about half finished with this house, in an ideal location ten blocks from the station. Only the broken down fence around the yard still needed work.
As she looked down on the backyard from the small upstairs bedroom, she took a moment to enjoy the masculine strength on display. Her brother was a handsome man, though in her eyes he couldn’t hold a candle to his friend Hal.
Hal seemed to have sprouted new muscles on top of the already drop-dead-gorgeous physique he’d honed in the Army. He was lightly tanned, and his muscles had a ripped definition Mark lacked, though both men were about the same size. It was obvious Mark was a weekend warrior, while Hal was the real deal.
As if he knew she was watching them, Hal paused a moment, resting one large forearm on top of the post-hole digger. He looked directly up at her in the window and sent her a lazy salute. Caught, she waved weakly and moved away from the window.
She had to stop ogling the man, but how could she resist when he sauntered around in the backyard nearly naked, hot, sweaty and gorgeous? It was too much temptation for a woman who didn’t get out much.
With a resigned sigh, she turned back to her painting. A few more feet of wall to cover and she’d be done.
As she finished the last stroke, she became aware of a quiet presence at the door of the small room.
“You did a great job in here, Cas. The colors are you. Daisies and daffodils.” Hal advanced into the room, moving silently. He was stalking her—in a good way.
She set down her roller and surveyed the finished room. “I like this color combination.”
“I know. This pale yellow and white was on that couch Mark ruined.” Hal came to stand before her. He hadn’t taken time to put on a shirt, and his muscular chest gleamed with sweat. She found it hard not to stare at the rivulets of perspiration gliding sexily down his rock solid pecs.
“You keep looking at me like that and there’ll be trouble.”
His sexy warning brought her eyes up to his. She could have sworn they twinkled at her in the newly painted, airy room.
“Trouble?” She smiled at him, enjoying flirting with danger. “What kind of trouble?”
He surprised her with a quick grab for her hips, bringing her tight against his. She could feel the rigid length of his cock expanding as he pulsed his hips lightly against hers.
“The very best kind of trouble there is.”
His eyes zeroed in on her mouth and before she knew it, he was kissing her, lightly at first, then nipping at her lips until she opened for him with a sigh of delight. He swept in with his tongue, invading her mouth with fierce ardor, pulling her into his sweaty chest.
Her tank top didn’t provide much protection from his very male assault. The upstairs room was hot, even with the windows open to let out the paint fumes, and getting hotter by the second. Their sweat mingled, making skin slide sensuously against skin, carrying the kiss deeper. Every inch of her was plastered against him, his strong hands molding her to his hard body.
She felt powerless to resist, even if she wanted to. Boy, did she not want to resist.
This man knew what he was doing. There was no hesitation. He plundered her mouth, and his hands stroked her. His rough, calloused fingers slid under her close-fitting tank top. She shivered as he caressed the sensitive skin of her abdomen and then higher.
He hooked his big fingers into the bra and pulled upward, baring her with one masterful stroke. Both her tank top and bra bunched under her arms. The hot air of the room breezed across her tight nipples only moments before his tongue swept down to lick, suck and stroke them into even tighter buds.
He pushed her breasts together so he could lick them both with one long, sideways stroke. Her head fell back, moaning. She suddenly understood why some women came just from having their nipples sucked. She was awfully close herself.
Hal could hardly believe he was finally touching Cas this way. He’d dreamed about her for so long. Some days in the desert, the thought of her was the only thing that got him through. And here he was, back home on Long Island with his dream girl in his arms, letting him touch her hot breasts and the rest of her body any way he pleased.
It was almost too good to be true. After the hell he’d been through the past few months, this was a fantasy come to life. Only one thing would make it better.
He moved his hands down, daring to push his fingers inside the elastic waistband of her shorts. When she didn’t object, he pushed inside, caressing her delectable rear with both hands, squeezing the firm globes and darting his fingers into the dark crevice that tempted him.
“Casey, sweetheart,” he breathed desperately against the skin of her throat, “let me.”
“Yes! Hal, yes.”
He couldn’t hold back another moment. With a sweep of his strong hands, he sent her shorts and panties to the floor to pool around her ankles. He took a moment to appreciate the neatly groomed pussy that faced him. He dropped to his knees before her. Daring greatly, he reached out with his tongue to delve quickly into her sweet folds.
Far from stopping him, he felt her delicate fingers lock onto his hair, urging him forward. He didn’t need a second invitation before moving in for some serious feasting on her woman’s flesh.
Her taste was delicate—like sunshine and daisies—just like her. He felt almost drunk as he learned the taste of her, the feel of her skin and the ways to make her squeal in delight.
He looked up once, pausing long enough to draw her gaze down to meet his and what he read there fired his senses. He could feel himself losing control and knew the heat was flaring in his eyes. He lowered his gaze in self-defense, needing to keep a leash on his passion for just a little longer. He didn’t want to scare her. He only wanted to bring her pleasure and decided in that moment, this first time was just for her.
For one thing, her brother was downstairs and could come looking for them at any moment. For another, he didn’t want his first time inside Casey to be rushed. He wanted to savor every stroke. He wanted to claim her and make her his own. That time would come. He had no doubt. After this, he had to have her. Waiting was not an option. Yet he knew he had to get a grip on his own passions before he took her any further. He didn’t want to hurt her or scare her away, so he had to be in control.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t make her lose a little of her control right now. Hal leaned forward, propping one of her legs over his shoulder, moving down, down, down, to stab his tongue into her slick hole. His fingers explored the crack of her ass as she whimpered, begging for release.
He moved his mouth up to latch on to her clit, sucking lightly, alternately flicking her with his tongue and lightly nipping her sensitive skin. She went wild, and he easily used his strength to hold her upright as he slid the fingers of his other hand into her tight sheath.
She came beautifully, making him sweat with the need to be inside her the next time she came for him. He held her throughout her long release, riding her through it and letting her come back down to earth gently. He knew in that moment no other experience had ever been as sweet or as special for him, and he hadn’t even been inside her yet.
But that would come. And so would he. Repeatedly. In every way he could think of or imagine. He’d spent a lot of time fantasizing about this one woman and now that he almost had her, he wasn’t sure if he could ever let her go.
The harsh reality was, he didn’t know how much time he’d have with her. The trials of the past few months had changed him in some fundamental ways—ways that even scared him—and he didn’t want to subject her to the uncertainty facing him. It didn’t mean he could let her go now that he’d had a taste of her.
Even though it went against his better judgment, Hal knew he had to have her. He’d let loose the tiger, and there was no way to put it back in its cage.
So be it.
He wanted her, and she obviously wanted him. They were both adults. They would deal with all the other problems if and when they arose.
Hal lifted her thigh off his shoulder and placed her feet back on the ground as gently as he could, supporting her all the way. He could feel her withdrawing from him, and he didn’t like it, but he supposed it was necessary. He was too close to throwing her to the floor and pounding away at her, and that would be unforgivable.
He rose to his feet, pulling her close in his arms.
“You are so beautiful, Cas. Thank you for trusting me.”
She stroked his chest with her hands. “I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.” A small chuckle escaped her ripe lips, and he knew right then, everything would be all right. She wasn’t withdrawing too far away, just regrouping a bit.
“You’re welcome,” he said softly, puffing his breath deliberately in her ear. “Any time.”
She squirmed in his arms and laughed. “You’re a rogue, Hal. What am I going to do with you?”
He couldn’t help pressing his thick erection against her bare pussy. “I could give you some ideas.”
She was about to answer when they both heard Mark’s thick boots pounding up the stairs of the old house. She sprang out of his arms and bent to scavenge for her lost shorts and underwear. He couldn’t help appreciating the view of her butt up in the air as she found her clothes. She clutched them to her chest and fled to the small, attached bathroom.
“Stall him.”
He could only chuckle as he watched her pretty, pink, bare ass disappear behind the bathroom door.