Chronicles of a Serial Dater - Book 7: A New Adult Romantic Comedy (8 page)

Clint grunted and stared at the map a little longer. As the trembling subsided, I started to feel good. Like,
really
good. My muscles were heavy with a sweet ache and now that the danger was gone, the whole experience had been exhilarating. I was about to tell him I was glad we’d taken a wrong turn because otherwise we wouldn’t have seen the falls like we had, which was probably one of the most beautiful things I’d…

He stood abruptly, cutting off my thought. “We need to reach the top of this hill here so I can get a better sense of where we are. Are you feeling up to it yet?”

At any other time, that steep climb ahead of us would’ve seemed impossible, but after climbing up the side of a mountain for the last few hours, it didn’t seem so bad.

“Let’s do it.”

When we reached the crest, Clint turned in a slow circle with his hands on his hips. After a moment, he squinted in one direction and pointed. “Do you see that? Right over there…”

I followed his finger and frowned “See what?”

“There’s a clearing over there.”

I was still struggling to catch my breath. “I’m not sure I see… can we just hold up a second,” I wheezed.

“I’m not trying to freak you out, but it gets dark in this forest quickly. The sooner we get out of the tree cover, the better.”

“It’s the mountain lion thing all over again,” I said.

“And both times I was serious.”

I took a deep breath, readjusted my pack, and nodded. “You’re the Adventure Man.”

As we drew closer and closer to the clearing, Clint became more excited. “Yes! It’s just over here. I think we… yes! Talia, we’re gonna be okay!”

He pointed to a cute little farm house in the distance, a figure moving about in the tiny orchard to the side.

Five minutes later, we dropped our bags on the front porch and opened the squeaky screen door. I felt filthy, far too dirty to be inside such a sweet little B&B. An older woman with dark gray hair and smooth skin came out to greet us. I was expecting Clint to explain that we’d gotten lost, that we needed a ride back to the car, something about our predicament.

I didn’t expect the woman to greet him by name.

“Mr. English. You’re much earlier than I expected,” she cried happily.

“I’m terribly sorry. We can come back in an hour or so if the rooms aren’t ready,” he offered, hooking his thumb toward the door.

I spun around and frowned at the two of them. “Rooms?”

They continued as if I didn’t exist. “No, no. Everything is set for you. Dinner is all prepared.” The woman leaned in conspiratorially and loudly whispered behind her hand, “I thought I would have more time to make those chocolate dipped strawberries you asked for.”

“Strawberries?” My voice came out shrill and finally the pair acknowledged my presence.

“I think we might need a moment before dinner,” he said to the owner kindly, glancing in my direction.

She peered over his shoulder and seemed entirely unhappy to find me. I was sweaty, dirty, and quite flummoxed. Clearly, she hadn’t been prepared for a guest of my caliber. “Well, okay then. Let me get you your keys at least. I’m sure you’ll be wanting to wash up first.”

Clint ushered me back out to the porch. Before he could get a word in, I wheeled on him. “What the hell is going on?” I asked him incredulously.

“Look in your bag.” I gave him a little side-eye and he repeated his request.

I undid the back zipper and dug through, finding a week’s worth of my own clothes and toiletries all carefully rolled up. “How did you… this whole time I was carrying…” I was so stunned I couldn’t complete a sentence.

Clint crouched beside me and grinned. “Anette packed a few things for a weekend break. Shower stuff, clothes, everything you should need.”

“We’re staying here?” I asked, my stomach doing a big flip at the thought of sharing a bed with him.

He grinned as if he’d read my mind and held out two keys. “Separate rooms. We can get cleaned up first of course. Susanne in there has fixed us a fantastic dinner, which we definitely earned with that hike.”

I’m a little slow, but I was finally catching on that this whole thing had been a set-up. The hike, getting lost, stumbling through the forest…

“What about the rental car?” I asked numbly, remembering the car down in the forest.

Clint’s dimpled smile explained it all. “It’s being brought up as we speak. If you aren’t into the idea of staying, I’ll drive you back to the city.” He leaned forward, placing a stabilizing hand on the porch floor between us. “But I really hope you decide to stay.”

Dinner was incredible. What was even more incredible was Clint’s suggestion we test out the hot tub afterward. With a couple glasses of local wine in my system, I gladly accepted the invitation and flew back to my bedroom to get changed. My enthusiasm was only slightly stunted when I saw Anette had been kind enough to pack my smallest bikini.
Thanks, you little biatch,
I thought as I held up the swimsuit. With a thick robe wrapped around my body, I padded outside where Clint was already waiting.

I found him sitting on the deck side of the tub, his feet dangling in. He leaned back on his hands gazing up at the stars.

“Hey,” I called out. “Is it nice?”

His face lit up as I approached. “It is now. Did Anette remember to pack a swimsuit? I’d be happy to go skinny dipping if she…”

I dropped my robe in response, the thick terrycloth pooling around my feet. Clint gazed at me with a mix of lust and appreciation that tightened my core. Sure, the two glasses of wine had helped with my bravery, but there was something about
him.
The more time I spent with him, the more confident and comfortable I felt in my own skin.

“Disappointed?” I laughed self-consciously. The small black triangles at my breasts and matching bottoms didn’t leave much to the imagination.

“How could I possibly be?”

He held out a hand and helped me into the bubbling water before joining me. The massaging jets and heat were exactly what my aching muscles needed. Coils of steam floated from the water and into the night.

“Muscles I didn’t even know I had hurt,” I groaned as I sank into the water, soaking my hair. “This feels amazing.”

Clint’s thick shoulders and arms flexed as he lowered himself into the tub.
Jesus, he’s hot,
I thought. Oliver had been sexy in a youthful sort of way, but Clint… he was a
man.

“You have all the controls right there,” he nodded to the lit console by my arm.

I laughed as I looked at all the options. “I’m afraid I might accidentally launch us into space.”

The motion light on the deck flicked off. The stars seemed to shine brighter to compensate. The only way to see came from the glow of the underwater lights.

It started slowly enough. A foot brush here, a bump there. It’s hard to control all your body parts when they’re roiling and tumbling in water. But then the accidental touches became more deliberate, more delicious.

“That was quite a trick you played on me today,” I said.

“I thought it might make a good addition for your book.”

“You know what wouldn’t have been good for my book? Slipping off a cliff and falling to my death.” I regarded him seriously. “You have met me, right? I’ve tripped over thin air before.”

I slid my foot up the inside of Clint’s leg, a wicked smile on my face. I teased him physically and mentally. He grabbed my foot as it inched higher and higher. I thought he might pull me toward him as Oliver had weeks before in the pool, but instead he lunged forward.

“You have nothing to worry about when you’re with me,” he breathed.

With a hand braced against the edge, his solid body pressed me into the wall of the tub. Our faces only inches apart, his tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip before devouring me.

Weeks of passion exploded in one kiss. Weeks? No. Months. Sure, it wasn’t our first, but it was the first that contained a promise of more to come. I hooked my ankles behind his back, locking him against me. I groaned against his mouth when he pressed his hardness between my legs.

I had to pull away and gasp for air. A cloud of breath disappeared into the night sky as he nibbled on my neck.

“You are so incredible,” he whispered against my skin.

How intoxicating is that? But I couldn’t just give in. With a little wiggle, I shifted from under his weight and floated to the middle of the tub. I gave him my best seductive look, my chin tucked into the water, eyes pinned to his.

“You aren’t leaving me, are you?”

I shook my head slowly and stood. Water dripped from my body, steam rolling from my hot skin. You know by now I’m not full of myself, but there’s just something about the way a man looks at you when you’re about to have sex… I needed to see that in Clint’s eyes.

As he took in my nearly naked body, I stepped forward to straddle him. It was my turn to control the pace. In my excitement, I slammed my elbow down to adjust position and the whole world went dark.

“What happened?” I gasped.

“I think you just hit a button on the side,” Clint replied, his hands climbing up my back. The water continued to bubble and churn, but we were bathed in nearly absolute darkness, only the light of a half-moon above us to see by. I moved to find the switch that turned on the lights and he stilled my hand.

It was like being blindfolded again. The darkness amplified every sensation. I was aware of each nip, kiss, touch. My skin felt electrified and super sensitive.

Normally, my overactive imagination would get the better of me. Alone in the dark, the forest only feet away… I’ve seen plenty of slasher flicks. But I felt safe with Clint. So safe, I was ready for him to do anything he wanted with me.

With one hand at the string on my back and the other at my neck, Clint untied my bikini top with one swift yank. His touch quickly replaced the fabric as it floated away. The chilled air turned my nipples into little buds he gently rolled them between thumb and finger. I gasped when his hot mouth closed over one, tongue flicking and swirling around the sensitive skin. I ground against his hard cock, only two strips of thin fabric separating us.

It was a dark, delirious dream.

While we kissed, his hand dipped below the water and found my thigh. He squeezed the flesh, thumb swirling closer and closer to the edge of my swimsuit. He grazed the crease of my thigh, flicking the fabric up with his nail and sending a vibration down that made me shiver. Just when I thought I couldn’t take it any longer, his other hand repeated the motion on my right leg. I gripped his shoulders and arched my hips toward his ever-retreating touch.

I was ready for him to take me there on the edge of the tub, on the deck, in the grass, against a tree. I didn’t care. I was so ready for him I could feel my heartbeat throb between my legs.

I held his head between both hands and kissed him deeply, communicating how much I wanted him. When we broke free, he said the words I’d been waiting for.

“I think we should go inside.” His deep voice coiled my core even tighter.

“Yes.”

But when we reached my bedroom door, he hung back.

“Aren’t you going to…” I said as I stepped into my room.

Clint held the door frame with both hands as if he needed to keep himself from following. “I really shouldn’t.”

I snorted and pulled at his robe. The loosely tied belt fell apart, revealing his hard stomach beneath. “Come on. I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“Not tonight.”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. I was ready for it. No nerves, no nothing. After our session in the hot tub, I was sure it was going to be the night.

Clint pulled me tightly to his bare skin again, his tongue firm yet soft against mine. The parting look he gave me made me think he would change his mind, yet he carried on down the hall to his own room.

“Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I laid down on the bed in my wet suit and robe, almost waiting for him to come knocking at the door with a second though. I wanted him so badly but didn’t feel at all rejected… confused, frustrated, turned on beyond belief, sure.

What game are you playing here, Mr. English?
I wondered with a private smile.