The Baby Race Page 7

  That’s all I need.

  I move my thumb, letting it glide back and forth across her clit while I cover her mouth, swallowing her shocked gasp.

  I pull free of her mouth and kiss my way down the side of her neck, my thumb stroking her the entire time. I keep the kisses coming, thrilling in the taste of salt on her skin as I make my way to the tip of her breasts and take one straining nipple between my teeth.

  I suck at the sweet treat while I slide one finger into her moist heat.

  Her hips buck so hard she nearly sends me flying. Her inner muscles clamp down on my finger. If she’s this tight against my finger … My eyes practically cross at the thought of how she’ll feel surrounding my cock.

  That reminds me… As wonderful as this is, if I keep playing with her like this for much longer, my poor cock won’t get the chance to find out what she feels like because I simply won’t last that long.

  Caitlin’s nails dig into my back once more, scoring my flesh, leaving deep indentations that I know I’ll still feel tomorrow.

  “Please,” she moans. She’s so completely wrapped up in what my finger and mouth are doing, I wonder if she knows what she’s begging for – or if she even realizes that she’s begging.

  “I want you, Caitlin,” I whisper into her breast, unsure if she can hear me. “I want all of you, body, soul, and heart.”

  The words shoot through me. Startling me. I’ve never said such a thing to a woman before. Not even anything close. Now, I’ve not only said them, but I realize I mean them. I don’t know what it is about Caitlin, what makes her different from every other woman I’ve ever been with, but already she’s changing my life.

  There’s something about her I desperately need. And I suspect that after tonight, that need will be even stronger. Unquenchable.

  The realization should scare me to death, but it doesn’t. It makes me feel … complete. Like I’ve found something I didn’t even know I was looking for.

  Beneath me, Caitlin moves. Her body undulates as she wraps one long leg around my hips. My hand slips from her, cupping her hip as I shift my position. The tip of my cock probes her sweet entrance and I start to sink into her, only to stop. It’s not enough.

  “Caitlin.” I barely recognize my voice, it’s so thick with lust and emotion.

  Instead of answering me with words, Caitlin’s heel digs into my ass, urging me to sink more deeply into her.

  Groaning with pleasure, I sink hilt deep into her. It’s pure heaven. Her heat surrounds my cock, until I’m afraid I’ll go up in flames.

  Caitlin’s moans sound almost as good as her body feels around my cock. Pinning her gaze with my own, I slowly start to move. To rock into her. To thrust.

  It takes Caitlin a second to catch up, to arch her back up off the mattress and to rock her pelvis against mine. The movement sends shockwaves of blinding pleasure rioting through my body. My eyes cross and my arms shake.

  I’ve never experienced anything so intense.

  It both exhilarates and terrifies me.

  Caitlin’s inner heat grows more intense with each stroke. Beneath me, her body bucks and quakes. Lightning flashes in her beautiful eyes, telling me she’s as close to her release as I am to mine. Determined to experience this together, I pull her close until our bodies practically defy the laws of physics and share the same space.

  That’s all it takes. Caitlin explodes around me, clamping down on my cock as her body bucks and thrashes and her shout fills the air. And I’m right there with her, emptying myself into her in a climax that’s more intense, more brilliant than anything I’ve ever experienced before.

  Spent, I collapse against her. We lie in a tangled pile of bare limbs and trembling flesh as we ride out the aftershocks that rocket through each of us.

  12

  Jeremy

  I bury my face in the crook of Caitlin’s neck, close my eyes, and inhale her fresh, clean scent. I’m perfectly happy to spend the rest of my life right here, like this. I don’t remember a time when I’ve ever felt more at peace, when I’ve felt like I was right where I belong. I suspect that eventually this will bother me, but right now I’m too content to worry about it.

  Beneath me, Caitlin shivers, the movement somewhat different from the uncontrollable quaking that rocked her body in the aftermath of her orgasm.

  I kiss the side of her neck. “Cold?”

  Now that the blood is slowly returning to my brain, I’m becoming aware that the combination of the slightly cool temperature within my apartment and the drying sweat feels chilly.

  “A little,” Caitlin admits.

  I roll off of her, silently mourning the loss of her inner warmth as my cock slides free of her body.

  I shift both of us around and grapple with the bedding until both of us are enveloped under the warm blankets.

  Sighing with contentment, Caitlin turns to me, resting her head on my shoulder, her warm breath fanning across my chest. I gently stroke her soft, bright red hair as a few questions dance through my mind. I try to ignore them, but it proves an impossible task.

  “Caitlin?”

  “Mmm,” she responds sleepily.

  I search for the right words, ones that won’t make either of us uncomfortable, but none are forthcoming. I’m going to have to blunder my way through this and hope for the best.

  “Have you …” I take a deep breath and force myself to finish speaking the thought out loud. “Have you ever done this before?”

  She stiffens. I wrap my free arm around her shoulders, holding her in place when she tries pulling away.

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  The hesitation and uncertainty in her voice breaks my heart. I kiss the top of her head.

  “Absolutely not,” I rush to assure her. “You were wonderful. It’s just … there were times when you seemed … unsure of yourself and how to respond.”

  Normally, I’d just assume her hesitation was the result of being with a new partner, but this felt…different, somehow.

  “This is the first time I’ve … gone all the way with a man.” Caitlin’s laughter startles me. “All the way. God, that makes it sound like we’re in high school still, doesn’t it? Back when everyone was obsessed with sex, but afraid to say the word out loud.”

  I mumble a response, but the truth is that I barely hear her words. I’m too caught up in my own thoughts. She is … no, was a virgin.

  “Probably I should have told you before, huh?”

  Yeah, right. And how and when would that particular conversation have taken place? While we were eating dinner? When I had her splayed across the countertop? The instant before I slid into her?

  And if she had told me, what were the odds I would have continued? Slim to none… Knowing beforehand probably would have scared me so badly, I would have bundled her back into her coat and ridiculous shoes and sent her home.

  But now, knowing that I’m the only man she’s ever been with – that she’s seen something in me that allowed her to do things she hadn’t been comfortable enough to try with anyone else… The knowledge triggers a warm glow of pride in my chest. Makes me feel like the best man in the world.

  It also causes my imagination to run wild, dreaming up all sorts of wild and wonderful things I could teach her. If she’d let me…

  A sense of propriety shoots through me. I pull her closer and run my fingers down her spine, loving the feel of silky skin against my fingertips. “It’s not something you’re required to disclose beforehand, though if you had—” I bow my head and gently nip her earlobe “—I would have taken things slower, made sure you were with me every step of the way.”

  I feel more than see Caitlin smile. “If I’d been any more into things, I don’t think I would have survived the experience!”

  Laughter bursts from me. “Good point.”

  For a few seconds we lie in silence, both of us entirely lost in our own thoughts.

  She speaks first. “Jeremy, I probably shouldn’t ask this. It’s no
t very sophisticated, but, um …”

  Sensing the direction her thoughts have taken, I decide to spare her the embarrassment.

  I reach for her hand and tug it to my mouth, dropping a kiss on each knuckle. “It was the most fantastic, mind-blowing, earth-shaking experience of my life.”

  She tilts her head back, her wide gaze locking with mine. “Seriously?”

  “Cross my heart.” I trace a small X across my bare chest before rolling to my side, pulling her with me and tucking her head against my shoulder. Having her here feels more natural than anything I’ve ever experienced.

  I drop a kiss to the top of her head and breathe in the sweet, coconut scent of her hair. “You okay?” I murmur into her ear, sleep already thickening my voice.

  “Wonderful,” she promises. She hesitates for a second before continuing. “Had I known it felt that good, I would have jumped you the second you said hello.”

  13

  Jeremy

  It doesn’t matter how long I stare at my computer screen, I can’t make sense of the accounting statement I’m supposed to be reviewing. The words and numbers keep swirling into a jumbled mess, which makes the dull headache hammering against my temples feel even worse than it did when I first arrived in the office.

  The truth of the matter is that I’m not interested in being here today, and I really don’t want to have to deal with the hundred or so mundane issues my position as the head of Caldwell Industries means I have to oversee.

  I want to be with Caitlin, learning what makes her tick, what makes her smile, what made her brave enough to trust me with her body last night…

  When I woke up this morning, she was already gone. The only proof I could find that she’d actually been in my apartment, and that dinner and the mind-blowing sex we’d had afterwards wasn’t just a figment of my imagination was the pair of ski socks I’d loaned her. I found them draped across the back of one of the kitchen chairs.

  That was it. No note. No text. No nothing.

  I pulled out my phone, fully intending to call her, to make sure she was okay, to ease any doubts or regrets she might have, only to discover that, in addition to never actually discussing the possibility of getting married and having a child, we also failed to exchange numbers.

  I tried calling her florist shop, but only got a machine. I left a short message, nothing more than my personal cell phone number and a quick request to give me a call, but she is either busy or ignoring me.

  Too antsy to focus on the accounting report or anything else related to Caldwell, I hit the page button on my desk phone. “Janet?”

  “Jeremy.” Janet’s reply is terse, a sure sign she’s in the middle of something. Normally, I wouldn’t bother her when she’s busy, but today I just can’t work up enough energy to worry about her ire.

  “Could you come in here for a minute?”

  I hear her muttering something unflattering under her breath just before I disconnect the intercom.

  A few seconds later, the door swings open and a grim-faced Janet storms into the office. “What?” she snaps. Temper flashes in her eyes.

  “It’s about Caitlin.”

  Her expression softens, and she settles into the chair on the opposite side of my desk. “Oh! How did last night go? Did you work things out?”

  “Not everything, but it was a good … evening.” There’s no way I’m about to tell her that instead of talking, Caitlin and I spent the night burning up the bed sheets. “You said that her father’s sick, that’s why she needs money. Why she was considering becoming a surrogate mother.”

  Janet folds her hands across her lap and nods.

  “What’s wrong with him?” I prop my elbows on the desk and steeple my fingers.

  “Pancreatic cancer. Stage three.”

  I wince. That’s not good. While not completely untreatable, pancreatic cancer is extremely aggressive. “And he doesn’t have any insurance?”

  “According to my sister, Caitlin’s mom, they have insurance through his job, but it’s not very good. Not only is the company dragging their feet about approving treatment options, but they’ve also been taking a long time to pay for what they have approved. They’ve basically gone from having a comfortable lifestyle to being seriously concerned about money. The fact that they don’t know how long he’ll be able to work isn’t helping.”

  “I want you to arrange to have him put on Caldwell Industries insurance. If you have to, talk to HR and have him hired in as an employee. Make sure he gets full benefits.”

  For the first time since I’ve met her, Janet is speechless. She blinks at me, her wide eyes and astonished expression reminding me of an owl.

  “That’s … amazingly generous,” she says when she finally finds her voice.

  My mind is spinning, practically overflowing with ideas. “And then I want you to organize a committee.”

  “For?”

  “To set up a system that will help other people who are in a similar situation. Like a scholarship, but for medical expenses instead of schooling.”

  “Seriously?”

  I nod. “This whole medical insurance issue is a big mess and it’s never going to get straightened out. Caldwell Industries has the resources to provide some assistance. Where we can, I want to.”

  Janet’s brows knit together. “Jeremy, this is going to be a huge undertaking. There’s going to be a lot of red tape. And the cost …”

  “I know we can’t help everyone, but as long as we can help some, that makes a huge difference in the grand scheme of things.”

  “And it’s good PR for the business.”

  She’s right, but to me that’s secondary. Right now, the only thing I really care about is making sure no one else is forced to make the choice between a huge – and potentially risky – life changing sacrifice and helping a loved one.

  I stand up. My eyes meet Janet’s. “I’m putting you in charge of this project.”

  “Me?” she squeaks. “But I’m not qualified. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

  “You’re smart, organized, and a lot more qualified than you think.” I pull my heavy winter coat out of the closet and shrug into it. “There’s no one else I’d trust with something this important, so don’t argue with me. Just do it.”

  “And where do you think you’re going?”

  “Out. Home. I don’t know. I have a splitting headache and can’t take sitting in this office any longer.” I kick off my shoes and shove my feet into my favorite pair of warm boots.

  “What about your afternoon meetings?” Janet askes.”

  “Run them yourself. You generally know more about what’s going on in this company than I do.” The words start out as a joke, but by the time I finish the sentence, I realize just how true they are. Without Janet, things wouldn’t run nearly as smoothly around here. “And you might as well give yourself a raise while you’re at it.”

  Janet eyes narrow and she stands up. “I should take you up on that, just to teach you a lesson.”

  “I’m not joking.” I brush a kiss against her cheek and hope that none of the sweet, flowery perfume will soak into my skin or clothing. “You’re seriously underpaid. If you don’t request a raise, I’ll handle the matter myself.”

  Rather than wait for her response, I angle myself toward the door.

  “When are you coming back?” Janet directs the question to my back.

  “Tomorrow morning,” I call over my shoulder. “Unless I get a better offer.”

  Three hours later I touch the side of my coat, checking to make sure the contract I had my lawyer draw up is still tucked safely into my pocket. Satisfied that it is, I let myself into Caitlin’s florist shop. A pretty, blond girl who looks like she’s in her early twenties looks up from the magazine she’s reading.

  “Can I help you?” she calls out.

  My eyes leap from one potted plant to another, hoping to catch sight of Caitlin’s bright hair among them. I don’t.

  “Is Caitlin in?�
��

  The girl shakes her head. “No, she ran upstairs. Said something about needing a nap.” She wrinkles her nose. “Which is kinda weird since she’s usually overflowing with energy.”

  “Upstairs?”

  “Yeah, she’s got an apartment up there.”

  I haven’t even considered the possibility that she might live above her shop, but it makes sense.

  “Are you a friend of hers?” the girl asks.

  “Yeah.” Technically a lie, but the truth is complicated. Lovers is closer, but even that doesn’t exactly fit the relationship. In my mind, labeling someone as my lover requires that we spend more than one night together, and that she not bolt before I wake.

  The blonde uses her thumb to point to a doorway behind her. There are so many plants gathered in that area, I wouldn’t have noticed the door without her help.

  “Through there and up the stairs.”

  I take the stairs two at time, nearly tripping over my feet in my haste to see Caitlin again, to hear her voice. It’s strange. In college, I’d had a few longer-term girlfriends, women I went out with for several months, and one I even considered asking to move in with me. I thought I liked, and possibly even loved them, but I never felt this strange compulsion, this need to be with them the way I do when it comes to Caitlin.

  I scale the last stair and pause a moment, taking in my surroundings. The top floor is divided into two spaces that are bisected by the hallway. Both are, or rather were, apartments, but one has no door and it looks like Caitlin is using it as a kind of nursery/storage space for her plants.

  Curious, but deciding that poking around the space won’t make a very good impression, at least not at this stage of the game, I turn to the closed door and knock.

  I hear the distant sound of a door slamming and then feet stomping across the floor. The door before me swings open.

  “Honestly, Tina, is it really so difficult-” Caitlin’s gaze lands on my face. Recognition flares in her eyes as her words die. “Jeremy.”