I’d had the same problem, but out of respect to Mark, I didn’t voice my opinions. “Kiss me.”
He did, starting soft and careful and growing to roughly demanding with a good dose of need. Rolling me onto my back, he continued his sweet assault on my mouth. I slid my hands under his shirt and reveled in the warm skin under my fingertips. The muscles in his back flexed as his hands and mouth moved down my body, exploring and touching. He started with my jaw and neck and my collarbone. Soon, my sweater was pushed upward and over my head. I leaned forward and lifted my arms to help him. He pulled off his shirt and tossed both of them aside.
“Easton,” I groaned as his mouth settled on the swell of my breast. He unhooked the back of my bra with none of the fumbling of the teenage Easton. This Easton was a man with much more experience, and he was familiar yet different.
He slid his tongue around my nipple, sucking it into his mouth, as I moaned and writhed underneath him. He thumbed my other nipple, pressing and pinching gently. His touch sent shockwaves through my body. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed this. Missed him.
Then he was gone. The absence of his weight left me cold and shivering, a void only he could fill.
“I’m sorry. I’m not going to be able to do much in the way of foreplay this time. I have to have you.” He kicked off his shoes and yanked off his pants and underwear. I smiled as I saw his erection, knowing it was all for me. He peeled the remainder of my clothes off me and fished a condom from his pocket.
“You came prepared?” I arched my back, not the least bit modest regarding my current nakedness. He’d seen me before, and he’d see me again. No doubt about that. I spread my legs, waiting for him, as I opened my mouth and ran my tongue around my lips while staring pointedly at his cock.
His grinned down at me. “You’ll get your chance, but I have to fuck you first. I don’t think I would be able to hold out for much else tonight.”
“We can take it slow later.” I reached for him, and he came to me. His handsome face flooded with emotions I didn’t dare to interpret. Right now, right here, he was mine, and I was his. Tomorrow was tomorrow, and for now it didn’t matter. We mattered. We’d always mattered, even through those years we’d been apart.
He entered me, and my body gladly stretched to accommodate him. We were where we belonged. He moved inside me, and I buried my fingers into his back, urging him to go deeper until he touched me so deep I felt as if he’d found that piece of my soul I’d kept hidden from the world.
This wasn’t just sex. It wasn’t just fucking. It was something beautiful yet carnal, profound yet part of the cycle of life. We bonded. Our bodies melded together. Our souls entwined.
We came together in a powerful surge of emotions that rolled over me with the intensity of a rocket launch. My mind left my body and merged with his. He loved me. I felt it. I knew it. I wanted it.
And I loved him.
Tomorrow I might regret what I’d done, but tonight, no regrets.
Easton point of view
Someone shook me awake. I didn’t want to wake up. I was having an erotic dream in which Caro and I were on a warm beach. As I moved inside her, warm waves rolled over us again and again.
“Easton, wake up.”
I groaned and rolled onto my stomach, burying my head in the pillow. The dream was too good to leave it behind just yet.
“Easton! Wake up!” Caro’s voice was urgent.
Alarmed, I rolled to my back and sat up. “Is something wrong?” I rubbed my eyes and tried to get my bearings. I wasn’t one of those guys who woke up and hit the ground running. It took several minutes and a few cups of coffee before I was semi-functional.
“It’s six a.m. You have to get out of here before the kids and Junie know you stayed the night.”
“Why?” I sat up in bed and squinted at the early-morning light peeking through the slats in the blinds. All I wanted to do was crawl back under the covers with Caro and spend the morning making love to her. When had fucking become making love? I mused.
She gave me one of those how can you be so dense glares. I blinked several times. She was in a bathrobe, standing at the foot of the bed, staring at me. I heard a scratch at the door. Mona needed to go out.
“Take the dog for a walk, would you? I need to clean up and get breakfast ready.”
I staggered to my feet and began gathering my clothes, pulling them on. “What time is breakfast?”
She frowned, and I half expected her to tell me I wasn’t invited. “In an hour.”
“Great. I’ll be back.” I gave her a kiss on the cheek, ignoring the cool reception. She was having morning-after regrets, and I understood her feelings. I’d let things go for now. One step at a time. And last night had been a big step.
Caroline point of view
What had I done?
I’d given in to my lust without giving a fuck about the long-term consequences. Yeah, sleeping with Easton had been epic, like a dream come true. Now it was morning, and my dream turned to harsh reality.
I was a fool and an idiot, and I was now deeper into this mess than I’d ever been. I was scared and fearing I’d never measure up to all those other women chasing after Easton. My insecurities ran rampant this morning, and I regretted last night, even while I had to admit I’d do it again given the opportunity.
The kids woke up shortly after Easton left to walk the dog. We’d almost gotten caught.
My phone rang, displaying Fran’s name. Oh, my God, I’d forgotten to return their call yesterday. Now I really felt like shit. In all the chaos that was Christmas and my mixed-up feelings regarding Easton, I’d completely left out two of the best people in my life on the biggest family holiday of the year.
“Fran, I’m so sorry we didn’t call you back yesterday.”
I moved out of the living room and down the hall to my bedroom. Bad idea. The bedroom reminded me of last night and Easton. I hurried back to the hallway.
“That’s not like you, Caro. It was Christmas day, for God’s sake, and we didn’t get to talk to our only grandchildren. I know they’re not blood, but they’re our grandkids. Have you already forgotten us?” Fran was understandably upset, and I deserved her anger.
“I’m so sorry.” As busy as I was, the Mills were important to my children and to me.
“How quickly you’ve moved on, Caro. It’s as if none of us ever existed. Did you take even a moment to remember Mark yesterday? Did all those wonderful Christmases we spent together as a family mean nothing to you? We loved you like the daughter we never had. We treated you well, and this is the thanks we get?”
I’d never heard Fran so upset. Guilt crushed me with the force of an elephant sitting on my chest. I was a horrible person. Really horrible.
“Fran, I know words can’t fix this, but I’m truly sorry.”
“I’m hurt, really hurt, Caro. Sorry isn’t going to fix this. I’d rather not talk to you. Please put the grandkids on the line.”
“Here’s Hailey.” I handed the phone to Hailey. “It’s your grandmother, sweetie.”
Hailey grabbed the phone and took it into her bedroom, jabbering excitedly. Heath hurried after her, patiently waiting for his turn. I trudged to the kitchen, bearing the huge weight of guilt. I’d messed up. I’d been so wrapped up in the holidays and Easton, I’d forgotten about Fran and Howard.
I heard a rap on the door and opened it for Easton and Mona to enter.
He took one look and my face and said, “What’s wrong?”
“I for ot to have the kids call their grandparents yesterday.” I was miserable. I’d brought this on myself, and I had no one else to blame. My attention had been focused solely on myself, Easton, and the kids. No one else had entered my tight little world yesterday. I’d barely thought of Mark. This had been my first Christmas without him, and I’d forgotten the man I’d spent seven years with as if he’d never existed. He’d been there for me when Easton hadn’t. He’d loved my children and given me a good life. His parents had loved me as their own. They’d supported me and always been there for me, and this was how I repaid them. I was an awful person, and I’d betrayed them. I’d betrayed Mark. I’d betrayed my children.
“Oh.” Easton watched me warily, as he skirted around me to the coffeepot and poured a cup for him and me. He turned back, handing me a cup. “Was it ugly?”
“Beyond ugly. I’m horrible. How quickly I forgot about them and about Mark. The guy I spent the last several Christmases with. Fran is hurt, and she has every right to be. The kids are talking to them now.” I sipped the strong coffee and avoided his gaze.
Easton’s troubled gaze flicked to the hallway, where the bedrooms were.
“I betrayed them all. I dismissed all my memories of them as if they never existed. What kind of person does that?”
“One who’s healing?” Easton offered lamely, uncomfortable with this subject.
“Or undeserving of such good people in her life?”
“No, Caro, you’re not like that. You deserve happiness, too. You forgot. There was so much going on. It’s understandable.”
“No. It is not. What I did is unforgivable.”
“I wouldn’t go that far—”
“You should leave.” The deadness in my tone surprised me, and the hurt in Easton’s eyes didn’t help my mood any. I’d been a selfish bitch yesterday and partially because of my infatuation with him.
“I want to stay.” Easton lifted his chin stubbornly. He wasn’t going anywhere. There was nothing that would defuse the bomb about to go off once the fuse was lit.
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