AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Touché.”
We take turns spinning all the frames while the honey slowly begins to ooze into the filter. “Okay. It’ll take a couple of hours for it to strain so we’re finished for now.”
“Then what’s the next step?” she asks, getting to her feet and stretching.
“That’s it. It goes from the honey bucket into jars.”
“This was fun. Maybe I’ll learn how to keep hives too. If I’m still here next summer, you could teach me how to get started.” Her last statement is more of a question accompanied by raised eyebrows as she waits for my response.
“If you’re still here?” Does she plan on leaving?
“I signed a year lease. I’ll have to decide then whether to stay, assuming Silver’s mom still wants a tenant.”
The overwhelming alarm I feel at the thought of her leaving is a huge flashing warning that I need to keep some distance between us. A warning I’m going to ignore. “I’d love to teach you.”
CHAPTER 16
CALLIOPE
This morning was terrifying.I don’t think I overreacted necessarily—being confronted with a masked man in the woods would make any woman run like hell—but it wasn’t him. Of course, my mind jumped to a person I fear in that situation. It was a thief, likely the same one who robbed our vehicles before.
Arlow’s plan to put cameras up is a good one, and I’ll make sure to shop for a gun when I get back from my trip. It won’t be the first time I’ve owned one but when I moved, I hoped I wouldn’t need one again. It was naïve, I suppose. A woman alone is always at risk.
I’m not alone tonight. Arlow hasn’t left my side all day. After we finished with the honey, he accompanied me back to my cabin to pack before we returned to his place to eat dinner. We’ve spent the evening together, playing Scrabble and watching TV. I wouldn’t have thought I’d be so relaxed after the day I had but he turned things around. He always does. I wish I could bottle whatever it is about him that calms me. It’s like magic.
I’m not sure where I stand with him from one minute to the next and my habit of overthinking everything doesn’t help. He said he couldn’t be with anyone romantically, and if he’schanged his mind, he hasn’t voiced it. Silver swears he can’t take his eyes off me. That feeling is mutual. I’ve never been so attracted to anyone, so desperate to feel his hands on me. We claim to be friends, but I know friends don’t look at each other the way we do. They don’t touch each other the way we do or cuddle together on the couch to watch TV like we’re doing right now.
My head rests on his shoulder, and he reaches for my hand. His fingers curl to interlace with mine and the intimacy in such a small thing feels overwhelming. Somehow comforting and thrilling at the same time. We stay like that until the credits roll on the movie we’re watching.
“It’s late. I should get to bed.”
“Mm,” he hums, not releasing my hand. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”
“Around ten. They’ll text when they’re almost here. Are you going to miss me?” My tone is light and teasing.
He lets go of my hand and brushes my hair back from my face as I look up at him. The ever burning spark between us flares again but this time there’s no doubt in my mind that he feels it too. “Calliope.” He murmurs my name like a plea or a prayer.
His eyes close briefly when I run my fingers through his scruff. He leans in inch by tortuously slow inch until his lips hover over mine, his breath tickling them. Unlike last night, he’s sober. I’m not walking away.
The anticipation is killing me as he hesitates, and my heart deflates a little when he touches his forehead to mine. “This isn’t why I asked you to stay.”
Space. I need to put space between us. I scramble to stand up and escape across the room. “I know. I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you want.”
He’s on his feet immediately, pacing to the window and back. “What Iwant,” he scoffs. Frustration drives his hand throughhis hair. His strides eat up the floor, closing the distance between us. Surprised, I retreat a step until my back hits the wall. He pinches my chin, his eyes burning into mine. “I want to kiss you until neither of us can breathe.” He leans in, sliding the tip of his nose along my jaw. “I want to peel off your clothes, taste your skin, explore every trace of you with my tongue. It’s all I can think about. I want to hear you moan for me and see your face when I make you come.” He leans to warm my ear with his heated words. “What I want is to throw you in my bed and fuck you and fuck you and fuck you.”
There’s no breath left in my lungs. His confession hangs in the thick air as he pulls his head back to look me in the eye. Hearing it in his deep voice, I’ve never been so turned on and desperate for someone in my life. Despite his words, I can feel the restraint in his tensed body and measured breaths. I don’t know if he’s hoping I’ll be the one to stop this or praying I don’t. If he’s counting on me to step away, he has the wrong woman.
Instead of replying or kissing him, I kneel in front of him and watch his eyes widen as I slowly pull the drawstring of his sweatpants, giving him every opportunity to stop me. “Do you want this?”
His cock hardens under my palm through the soft material. “Oh fuck,” he breathes. I may be the one with my back to the wall, but he’s the one who’s cornered. Caught by desire that neither of us is willing to fight tonight.
I slip my fingers beneath the waistband of his underwear and pants on each side, waiting until he nods. He plants one hand against the wall as I pull them down. With a man his height, I wasn’t sure what to expect. There are so many myths surrounding dick size, but he’s perfect. A little on the longer, larger side, but not enough to be uncomfortable or painful. It’s a rideable cock if I’ve ever seen one.
His tongue slips out to wet his lips, and he closes his eyes for a moment as I stroke him. The smooth warm skin is almost as enticing as the tiny sound that escapes him. His body jerks at the first brush of my tongue.
If there’s one part of my life where I don’t suffer with self-doubt, it’s sex. I’m confident in my abilities. There’s nothing I want more in this second than to shatter this man standing over me, to make him come apart at my touch.
He pulls in a sharp breath when I slip my lips over the head. I take my time, licking and sucking him. When I move back too far, bringing my head into light contact with the wall, he slides his fingers into my hair, protecting me from bumping it again. The noises he makes as I increase the pressure, curl my tongue around his cock and pull it to the back of my throat spurs me on.
