The Cottage Next Door Page 5

  They hadn’t talked much since the sex. Hunter had withdrawn immediately, as if he had realized he’d just cheated on his dead wife. It would have been laughable if it hadn’t been so sad. And so understandable.

  Matt had been hanging around her head too. Whispering things in her ear, like how could she have spread her legs for a complete stranger? And why hadn’t she ever given him a blowjob like that one?

  “A grocery store would work too,” she said, trying to shut up Matt’s comments still echoing in her brain.

  “The grocery store is too far away. I never go there.”

  “You’ve lived here for months and you never go to the grocery store?”

  “I’ve been living on beer and convenience food.”

  “How did you get the eggs?”

  He shrugged. “They have them at the little store at the end of our road.”

  Riley nosed her in the ear. “How about you?” she asked the dog. “Has Hunter been feeding you beer and frozen burritos too?”

  Riley woofed and flopped down on the backseat.

  “Am I sitting in his seat?” she asked.

  “Yep.”

  “No wonder he’s so put out. Poor baby.”

  “Don’t feel sorry for him. That place stocks the most expensive dog food in the entire universe. He’s been eating like a king.”

  “Good. At least somebody was.”

  Hunter’s sun-streaked hair was tousled, and now she got why he might have told her that her messy hair was sexy. She wanted to dive her fingers in there again, pull his head down and—

  “Drugstore,” Hunter called out, interrupting her thoughts. She didn’t need her mind to go there right now anyway. He turned into the parking lot, pulled into a spot in the shade of the building, and left the windows down enough to give Riley air. “Be right back, boy.”

  She followed Hunter through the store. She hadn’t shopped for condoms since she and Matt were in college. They stopped in front of the rows upon rows of boxes.

  “Why on earth does anyone need this many different kinds to choose from?” she asked.

  He shook his head and stared at all the boxes too. “It’s been a long time since I bought rubbers.”

  “Yeah.” She scanned the shelves. “This is crazy. Look at this. We can have neon colors. Or ribbed or…ugh—” she leaned in close, “—what is this made out of?”

  “I don’t remember there being this large a selection when I was in high school.” Hunter slid her a lopsided grin.

  Sylvie started giggling then. Part of it was probably nerves, but the entire situation suddenly struck her as too funny.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Look at us. A couple of thirty-somethings intimidated by the condom aisle.”

  “I don’t feel thirty-four right now,” Hunter told her, his voice low and deep. “I feel like a teenager again.”

  “Me too,” she said, making note that they were the same age. What difference did that make? That was more a thing she would have been concerned with when she was a teenager. She burst out with the giggles again. “Yeah, I’m feeling about eighteen right now.”

  Hunter slid his arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I think I like knowing I make you feel young.”

  Sylvie leaned into him, suddenly feeling way too much, too fast. Her body was buzzing with the desire to try what was in one of these boxes. She nudged him with her shoulder. “Pick one and let’s get out of here.”

  “You got it.”

  She didn’t even notice which kind he pulled off the shelf. Didn’t really even care. They stepped up to the counter and the young cashier, who probably was eighteen, raised her plucked eyebrows as she looked back and forth from the merchandise she was bagging to the two of them, standing there with their arms around each other’s waists.

  They managed to hold in their amusement until they got out into the parking lot, then they collapsed into laughter. Riley saw them and started barking. Hunter grabbed her hand and they dashed to the car like a couple of kids sneaking around.

  “I feel like I’m playing hooky or something,” Sylvie said when Hunter pulled out of the parking lot.

  He shot her a wide grin. “You are on vacation.”

  She slumped back into the seat. “Not really.”

  “No?”

  “I’m currently unemployed and trying to decide what to do with the rest of my life.” Remembering the reason Fletcher had offered her the beach house in the first place took some of the wind out of her sails.

  “I guess if you traveled with Matt you couldn’t do anything else.”

  “I did plenty,” she snapped. Then realized she shouldn’t be taking her sudden mood change out on Hunter. “Sorry. I left college to manage his career, book his trips, arrange all the details. I became his bookkeeper too. He’d done every sport he could locally. His column was getting picked up all over the place, so he wanted to take the plunge and go big time. Tackle the big-name challenges. But also find the out-of-the-way places no one knew about. That got him his first book deal.”

  “So you’re looking for work as a bookkeeper?”

  “Ugh. No. I’ve worked as a temp since the accident. I hate accounting the most.”

  “Travel agent?”

  “Definitely not.”

  “Chef? Short-order cook? Restaurant owner?”

  She shot Hunter an exasperated look, thinking he was joking, but as soon as she got a glimpse of his face she could tell he was serious. “Why would you say that?”

  He shrugged. “You said you like to cook.”

  “Oh. Yeah. But I don’t think I’d like to cook all day. I enjoy cooking for the people I care about. I think I wouldn’t enjoy it anymore if it became a job.”

  “Like writing.”

  The words were so soft, Sylvie almost didn’t catch them.

  “You don’t enjoy writing?”

  “I used to. I couldn’t not write. But then there were agents and editors and publicists. A publisher who wanted bigger and better and faster and more. A few lousy reviews that can undermine an author’s confidence. And then when success finally comes, there are all the fans who also want bigger and better and faster and more.”

  “Is that why you said there wouldn’t be any more Angus Quinn novels?”

  He stopped at a red light and turned to look at her. No smile on his face now. “No. There won’t be any more because after Jenny died the words died too.”

  “Oh.” The sadness and frustration was clear in his voice. He’d lost more than his wife that day. “That’s too bad.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So what are you going to do with the rest of your life?”

  “I don’t have a clue.” At least his tone had lightened a bit.

  She rolled her eyes. “We’re quite the pair.”

  “Yes, we are.”

  “Maybe we can help each other,” she suggested. “You know, brainstorm ideas or something. I mean, we can’t stay on vacation for the rest of our lives. Even if it’s tempting right now.”

  They were back at the side-by-side cottages. Home for now.

  “It’s tempting, but after a while I think it would be like your cooking. Hanging out at the beach with no focus would get old after a while.”

  “Not fun anymore.”

  “Yeah.”

  They were still sitting in the car, a breath away. Hunter leaned in and kissed her. “I’m glad you came here, Sylvia Chase.”

  “Me too.”

  Riley nudged between them with his big head and licked them both. Hunter laughed and pushed him away. He winked at Sylvie, then opened the driver’s door and grabbed the bag holding their recent purchase. Sylvie climbed out as he was letting the dog out of the backseat.

  “I’m thirsty and I bet Riley is too,” he sa
id. “How about you?”

  “Yeah.” She smiled at him as they each climbed the steps to their own decks. “I can make us some sandwiches. Unless you want one of those frozen burritos you love so much.”

  “I could eat a sandwich,” he replied with a grin. “Let me check my fridge. I think I have some bottles of water.”

  “That sounds great.” Sylvie paused before she went inside. “Come on over when you’re ready.” She let the door slam shut behind her and leaned back against it for a moment. Shit. She could fall for him so damn easy. This wasn’t what she’d expected. Wasn’t what she wanted. Not now. Maybe not ever.

  Chapter Five

  After lunch, Hunter walked the beach with Sylvie and Riley again. He and Sylvie had seemed to come to an unspoken agreement not to rush into their next sexual encounter. The box of extra-thin condoms sat on the nightstand in his bedroom. Just knowing it was there made him semi-hard.

  Clouds started to roll in. They could be treated to a thunderstorm later. Poor Riley was a baby when it came to thunder. They walked farther down the beach. The golden was blissfully ignorant right now, chasing a gull that was swooping, teasing, calling. Sylvie laughed as the dog bounded into the water over and over again, trying to catch the bird.

  “I think a storm’s brewing,” she said after a while.

  “Yeah. We should start heading back.”

  “What about Riley?”

  “He’ll follow us.”

  Sylvie slid her hand into his. “So, this house you want to buy. By the ocean or no?”

  Hunter paused, then got back into the comfortable walking rhythm they’d developed. “I don’t know. Hadn’t thought about it. Might be nice not to worry about the snow.”

  “Where do you live when you’re not in a beach cottage in Florida?”

  “New York City. Brooklyn. What about you? South Carolina has beaches, doesn’t it?”

  “Yeah, but I couldn’t afford to live that close to the ocean. My family lives outside Florence. Maybe I’ll look around there.” She shrugged. “I need to find a job first. I might move back in with my parents for a while. They offered.”

  “You never told me what kind of job you were looking for.”

  “I don’t have a degree, so I can’t be too picky. I’ll be lucky if I can stay out of the fast food industry.”

  “Let’s reach higher than that. There are a lot of positions that require organizational skills. Managing. Planning. Don’t sell yourself short.”

  “Okay.” A moment later she paused, turned to him and popped up on her toes to place a light kiss on his lips. “Thanks.”

  “For?”

  “For encouraging me to reach higher.”

  “In the short time I’ve known you, I’ve discovered you’re determined and tenacious. You have great people skills, which is a big plus. And from the success your husband had, I’m sure at least half of that was due to what you did for him.”

  Sylvie’s face lit up with her smile. She pulled him down for another kiss. The buzz between them was so strong he could have sworn they’d been zapped by lightning.

  Thunder rumbled in the distance. Riley shot to Hunter’s side. “He’s a big baby,” he told Sylvie.

  “Poor guy. Let’s get back.”

  People were gathering up their gear and making a mass exodus from the beach before the storm hit. By the time Hunter and Sylvie reached their cottages, the sky had turned dark, whitecaps danced on the waves, and the first bolts of lightning flashed over the ocean. A few feet separated the two sets of cottage steps. Sylvie stopped at the bottom, curled her toes in the sand and looked up at him expectantly, all wide-eyed and eager smiles. His body hardened instantly.

  “My place,” he said. Riley dashed up onto Hunter’s deck and whined by the door. “Come on.”

  The first big plops of rain struck as he was unlocking the door. Sylvie shrieked and ducked in under his arm to get out of the sudden downpour. Riley lunged through also, pushing in between Hunter’s legs as he tried to rush inside. Hunter tripped over the dog and bumped into Sylvie, knocking her against the wall. She gasped, and her arms went out to the sides to help catch herself.

  The door slammed shut. The thunder growled. Hunter took a step toward Sylvie to make sure she wasn’t injured. Her eyes were wide, but he could tell it wasn’t with fear or pain. Her lips were parted, her breath coming in short pants. Her shirt was wet. Not drenched like in a wet T-shirt contest, but enough that the thin fabric clung to her body in ways that made his mouth water.

  “Sylvie…” Ignoring his own wet clothes, he reached for her wrists and brought her fingers to his lips for a quick taste. Then he pulled her arms above her head and pinned them to the wall with one hand. He leaned in, pressed up against her trembling body and captured her lips with his.

  The kiss was rougher than he intended, but the anticipation had been building since he bought that box of condoms. His need for her was stronger than he’d imagined, and he thrust his tongue past her lips, claiming her the way he’d been dying to. He shouldn’t desire her this much, but he wouldn’t think about that now.

  Breathless, he shifted the angle of the kiss, nipping her bottom lip before taking it even deeper. She writhed beneath him, moaning into his mouth.

  Fuck. He was being too rough. He stepped back and let her wrists go. “Sorry.”

  Her arms dropped heavily to her sides. Now he could swear there was hurt in her eyes. “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry,” she whispered.

  He cupped her cheek with one hand, brushed his thumb lightly over the red mark on her chin. His damn coarse stubble. “I was too rough.”

  She frowned. “You were perfect. Until you stopped.”

  He realized then that her squirming hadn’t meant she didn’t like what he was doing, but that she was getting into it as much as he was. “You sure?”

  “I’m sure I know what I like.” She grabbed his shirt, and he let her tug him down for a quick kiss. “Don’t hold back, Hunter.”

  He plunged his fingers into her thick hair, cradled her head with his hands and crushed his lips to hers. Sylvie arched her body into his, her soft belly rubbing against his hardness. She opened her mouth to his plunging tongue. This time she met him with hers and they tangled and teased. He pressed her against the wall, his hunger for her a demanding craving that had him by the throat.

  If they didn’t move to the bedroom, he’d be taking her against the wall. And while that idea heated him even further, those damn condoms were sitting on the nightstand.

  Hunter reluctantly softened the kiss, gradually drew away from her, finally stumbled back and stared at the incredible woman who had completely transformed his life in such a short time. Her eyes flashed. Her lips were red, her chest rising and falling with her rapid breathing. She was beautiful. Passionate.

  She was right. This was not the time to hold back anything. There were no expectations between them. Why not let lust run free?

  Rain clattered against the windowpanes. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Heavy breathing echoed off the walls. Sylvie’s heart beat a ragged tattoo. Such passion. It was as if he couldn’t help himself.

  Sylvie tugged off Hunter’s wet shirt and then her own. “I’ll tell you if I don’t like something.” He nodded. “Although right now,” she added, “I can’t even imagine.”

  Hunter lifted her up in his arms. “Bed.”

  “Yes.” She glanced over and saw Riley curled up under the table, his nose under his paws. “Will he be okay?”

  “He’ll be fine.” Hunter kicked open the bedroom door and didn’t let her go until he dropped her on his bed. “I, on the other hand, may not last much longer.”

  Sylvie smiled and shimmied out of her shorts and underwear. “Better?”

  His eyes flashed. “Much.” He took care of the rest of his clothes and joined her on the bed. He covere
d her with his body. His erection rested hot and heavy, like a promise, on her thigh. “Sylvie…”

  “Kiss me again, Hunter.”

  She could live on his drugging kisses. Maybe she was already addicted to them. That would be a problem later, but she didn’t want to think about it now.

  Her sex throbbed with need. She rocked her hips in an effort to relieve some of the pressure building there, but because he had her pushed into the mattress, she couldn’t find the friction she needed. She whimpered, the sound lost in Hunter’s talented mouth. Finally she was able to shift enough to wrap her legs around his waist. There, now she could rub him where it counted.

  Hunter nipped her bottom lip again before he broke off the kiss. She never thought she’d enjoy that bit of pain, but a primitive part of her hoped he’d broken the skin, hoped he was so wild he’d drawn blood.

  The storm raged outside the cottage.

  He brought one hand up to her breast and rolled her nipple between his fingers, gently, the touch a mere tease when she craved more sensation, so much more.

  “Harder,” she demanded as she’d never dreamed of doing before. “More. Harder.”

  Hunter pinched her nipple, twisted it to the point of pain and she nearly leapt off the bed with the incredible sensations. Bolts of arousal shot through her body and gathered between her legs. Her sex pulsed with need. She gasped and arched her body again, grasping his shoulders with both hands.

  “Yes, Hunter. Yes.”

  His chuckle was almost lost in the clatter of the rain on the roof. He licked her punished nipple, soothing it, before he took the other one in his mouth. He began suckling lightly, but as she moaned in complaint, he scraped his teeth over the sensitive tip, and she cried out in indescribable pleasure.

  She needed to feel him inside her. Her center throbbed, softened. “Where are those condoms?”

  “In a hurry?”

  “God, yes.” She released her hold on him and dropped her legs to the mattress. “Get them.”

  He reached over to the nightstand and came back with the small packet. She grabbed it out of his hand and ripped it open, not caring if it was ribbed or neon green. All she cared about was feeling him inside her.