Love and Chaos: A Growing Pains Novel (27 page)

She chose a small deer trail at random and followed it.

“So, what are you looking for?” Jace asked as he followed. “What kind of article are you thinking of writing?”

“I don’t know yet. Probably just the beauty of Sonoma County. I was also thinking of comparing the wine tasting to that of Napa. Maybe I can squeeze two columns out of it.”

“Have you been to Napa?”

She pushed a tree branch forward to get by, and then stopped and turned so he could replace his hand with hers. No one liked getting thwapped in the face. He caught on immediately, but instead of taking the branch, he put his large hand over hers. He stepped up, his big body within inches.

Before she had time to giggle again, his free hand lightly touched her neck
. He bent down to her, his lips finding hers softly, almost reverently. His thumb stroked the bottom of her chin in a feather touch, fluttering her heart. He didn’t deepen the kiss, or open his mouth. He kept it light but sensual, keeping the contact until she tried to intensify it, before backing off. That burst of gold in his eyes had her entranced.

“Sorry, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.” His gaze hit her mouth again. He bent for another one,
harder this time, the anticipation building. But still, he backed off just as she tried to get deeper.

“I don’t mind,” she admitted, breathless.

His hand moved from her neck to her hip, turning her delicately and directing her up the path. Dazed, feverish, ready to jump on him, she half stumbled a few feet before the haze of that burning touch receded.

“How are we going to hide this?” she muttered to herself. All she wanted was that touch again. That kiss, so soft, but hinting at wild depths. Fun romps. No reservations.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to.” After a small pause, he said, “I never thanked you, by the way. For protecting Peter. All that you’re doing for him—it’s usually my job.”

“I look after my friends because they, in turn, look after me. And being honest, I might not have stopped you if I hadn’t been trained by my
friend Kate so thoroughly. She’s probably the most loyal person I’ve ever met. She made my brother’s life hell when he messed with Krista.”

“You sound like you have a good support network.”

“I do. A bunch of loyal bitches and an overprotective, meddling brother.”

“And a gay boyfriend.”

Cassie laughed. “Yes, a gay boyfriend. Well, kind of two, because Marcus is too much fun not to claim as a boyfriend.”

“Marcus. I keep hearing that name. How strange you must’ve thought it that I accused you of cheating with him.”

Cassie came upon an intersecting deer path. “I’ve reached a proverbial fork.”

Jace stepped up behind her, his hand on her waist. She felt his lips graze the slope of her
neck, kissing softly up to her jaw line. She closed her eyes and leaned back against his chest. He took in her earlobe as his hand worked around to her stomach. His other hand touched down low on her hip.

In a quick movement, he swung her toward him and captured her lips, this time not holding back. He opened her mouth with his and filled it with his taste, wild wine and
decadence, the sensation taking her away.

She melted into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. She deepened the kiss, her body burning and her groin begging for contact. Hard, fervent contact.

All too soon Jace backed off, his hand once again on her neck, directing her with small movements. Her independent side said she should be pissed, but her more prominent need to be looked after relished in that soft, gentle steer. He wasn’t making her, he was willing her, and she was happy to let someone else do the thinking and navigating for a change.

“I love that giggle. I have a feeling it means I’m doing something right.” He gave her another soft kiss before backing off.

“It’s dumb. The giggle. And me.” Cassie blinked a few times. “I’ve gone fruit loops.”

“I like fruit loops. Go left.
Mush
.”

She did really hate her giggling.

They continued up the hill, hitting a couple more forks, and Cassie getting a couple more kisses. By the time they reached a little plateau, at the base of a steeper part of the hill, she could barely think from the heat of those kisses and the fever of her body.

“It’s just…” he ducked under some tree limbs and disappeared.

Cassie turned back toward the way they came and surveyed the view. The valley below spread out, just like at the house, but she could see more of it here. The breeze tickled her face as she took a few deep breaths, relishing the beauty that was this part of the world.

“It’s this way…”

Jace had stepped out of a copse of trees ten feet from where he’d gone in.

“Is this your secret kill spot, or something? Why can’t we just stay on the plateau?”

“Because there is an even better view. More secluded.”

A wave of excitement washed over Cassie. Her feet were moving before her brain could process. She reached him at the trees and let him lead
her through the calf-tall grasses. Five feet beyond they found another deer trail off to the right, which led to a steep rock outcropping.

“
Up?” Cassie asked, following the stony trail upwards five feet with her gaze.

“Yup. Can you do it?”

She scoffed at him. “Pu-
lease
.” She tucked her notepad into her pants and stepped up onto a rock. Then the next. It wasn’t exactly climbing, but it wasn’t walking either. When she reached the top she turned to find Jace right behind her.

“Okay, it’s just…” H
e stepped around her, focused now. He pushed through a wall of low hanging branches, holding the boughs so she could sneak in behind. They emerged onto a sort of rocky ledge that dropped away to nothingness. To air and a beautiful view.

“Wow.” Cassie stepped forward, around his body. On the hillside, there were trees and branches to block out the view. On this ledge, no such hindrance. The curve of the world reached out in front of them, a huge portion of Sonoma County reaching from side-to-side.

“This is beautiful.” She dug in her pocket for her phone and immediately started snapping off pictures. Jace moved out of the way, and sat on a long, flat rock, surveying the beauty.

She sent a couple pictures via text to Ben, who would love the art, and then to the girls, just to check in. Then, with the girls on her mind, she turned the phone towards J
ace. He was in a perfect pose for maximum effect: he had one leg on the ground, and the other bent and braced against the rock. His tattooed arm looped around his knee, forcing his shirt to stretch against his muscular back, showing each dip and groove.

Before she could make the move toward him, she got a text back.

Kate: Who the
fuk is THAT????

Immediately after, one from Jasmine came in.

Jaz: R u hitting that you bitch? HIT THAT! He HAWT!

Kate: Luv the tats.
Lucky whore

Ben: What a beautiful place, Cas
s. Take more pics. I want to c them when u get back.

Cassie laughed as she put away her phone.

“What’s up?” Jace asked, turning toward her and dropping his leg.

“My friends. They are entirely predictable.” She sat next to him on the rock. “How’d you find this place?”

“Exploring. I’ve been in the area for a while. I love my mother, but I need some time away.”

“If you’ve been here a while, why were you at the store getting wine when I first saw you?” Cassie put her notepad and pen on the ground. She fished out her phone, which was extremely uncomfortable in jeans pockets while sitting, and added it to the other stuff.

“I went to get beer, but…you were looking at the wine.”

Cassie looked over at him and met his gaze. “And here we are.”

He smiled, his focus changing from her eyes, to her nose, to her chin, and then settling on her lips. “Here we are.” He leaned in, slowly, asking her to meet him halfway. No guiding, no
coercing. 

As her lips met his, electricity shot through her body, setting her to a slow simmer. She tasted him again, never getting enough, as passion started to course through he
r. Her body heated next, pulses of building desire heating her blood. Before she knew it, she had scooted over, her body against his, her hands sliding up that hard chest.

He turned to her
fully, the easy slow start getting a blast. He took her face in his hands and deepened the kiss, hard and needy, daring her to keep up. She gripped his shirt in two fists, pulling, getting closer.

Jace grabbed her by the ribs and dragged her over his lap, directing her legs to either side. She sat, her groin lining up with his, his hardness hitting her right where she needed it.

“Hmmm, Jace,” she breathed against mouth.

His hands slid up her chest and cupped her breasts. One stopped, kneading deliciously, his thumb raking across her puckered and sensitive nipple. The other kept going, cupping her neck and taking control.

She rocked her hips, needing that friction. Bursts of pleasure spiraled up through her body with each pass, the intensity pooling in her groin.

Jace pushed her up until she was standing, wobbling
with the sudden absence of him. He was up a moment later, pulling her hips to him, branding her with his heat. He started walking her backward, not letting her choose the direction or destination, just demanding that she trust him. She didn’t bother to open her eyes when the brush of tree branch mussed her hair, nor when her back hit against hard and rough bark.

Jace slid his hands up her shirt and under her bra, cupping her bare breasts with his palms. She felt his hard bulge against her again, thrusting against her in even pushes, making her wet and swollen. Needing him inside her.

“Jace,” she moaned into his lips.

His hands found her buttons next, ripping them open and sliding her pants down her legs. He cupped the back of her neck, his kiss hard and insistent, consuming her. Fingers rubbed between her legs before dipping
under the panty line and finding her slippery sex.

“Hmm, you’re wet,” he growled into her mouth.

Two fingers worked inside her as his mouth found her again. Air assaulted her as he ripped her panties away, the bite against her hip thrilling. She reached around him and pulled him nearer, those fingers working within her, his thumb making slippery spirals around the top of her slit.

She pulled at him, pushed,
scratched, the sensations starting to mount, starting to rip at her. She kissed him savagely, wanting more. Wanting it harder. Wanting that last push to
make
her submit. To claim her completely. To override her rational side, to overcome her fears, to get her out of her head.

To just make her
feel.
Nothing else.

His hands disappeared, eliciting a moan of distaste.

“I want to come together the first time,” he murmured into her lips, working down his pants.

His body crashed against
hers, trapping her against the hard and rough bark. His manhood, long and thick, rested against her hip, hot and heavy. He put a hand to her chest, holding her there. His strength, his power—she wiggled, trying to dislodge it. Trying to back him off.

He pushed into her harder, his large body grinding against hers exquisitely.

She pushed at his shoulders, bucked her body, trying to force out all the air between them. Fighting him to kick it up a notch. Daring him to get reckless—let that raw, animalistic side out and push past sex. Past passion.

To mate with her. No turning back.

He felt her challenge and answered.

His lips bruised hers as he tore her hands from his chest and
raised them over her head. He held her wrists in one hand, the grip nearly painful. “Look at me.”

Her eyes fluttered open. She met the wild heat of his gaze. Saw the possessiveness. Saw the hard truth: he wanted her. All of her. Commanded it. He would accept no less.

Her breath came out in fast pants. Her heart thumped wildly. Emotions battered at her: fear, hope, anxiety, uncertainty.

His gaze bored into her, pushing passed her barriers. Opening her up. Reaching into that place he’d found last night. That dark place of insecurity. The spot she hid, worried she wasn’t enough. Worried something within her was too deeply flawed to be loved.

Wrists on fire, bark biting her skin, small points of pain spiking, he moved closer again, and kissed her.

In a cacophony of emotion, the world roared around her, dragging her und
er. Pulling her in. He held her tight, braced her against it, kept her grounded, and made her submit, body and soul. Made her give in, and give up.

A tear dripped down her cheek, fear no longer an option.

Her hands were released, drifting through the air like ash to settle on his hard shoulders. He held her body against the tree, surrounded by him, blanketed by him. His hips moved away, dragging that large manhood down her skin until the tip skimmed against her pubic hair. She spread her legs, the emotion in this moment so intense she didn’t want to keep going. She didn’t know how she could hold it together.