hair was drying in messy waves around her shoulders, and her cheeks were still flushed from our dash through the rain into the house. She eyed me, tapping her fingers on the counter.
“Hang on a sec. Susie left a fishing bag here from last summer. It’s in the coat closet. I bet there’s a clean change of clothes that might fit you.”
“Uh, I appreciate it, but I seriously doubt Susie’s clothes would fit me,” I called over.
She hurried to a closet by the door, coming out beaming. “Here it is. You know Jared, right? I went fishing with him and Susie. I know her clothes won’t fit, but I bet his will.”
“Of course, I know Jared. We refer clients to them all the time. And, you’re right, we are probably close to the same size.” I took the bag she handed me and went into the bathroom, relieved to change out of my damp clothes into the borrowed T-shirt and jeans.
Not much later, I took a swallow of beer, Diamond Creek Brewery, of course, before lifting another slice of pizza. “They do make good pizza,” I commented after I finished chewing.
Cammi was not one to hold back when it came to eating. She was working on her third slice of pizza. She smiled over at me. “I know. They’ve been around forever, and they don’t need to change a thing. It’s just perfect.”
She finished her slice with relish before leaning back. “I need to take a food break.”
The wind was blowing the rain against the windows, creating a cacophony that sounded like tiny pebbles striking again and again. She pushed her plate away and lifted her wine glass to take a swallow. My eyes snagged on her bottom lip when her tongue darted out to catch a drop of wine at the corner.
Nothing about what was happening with Cammi felt within my control. It was a cascade of events, each one increasing the momentum and shredding my discipline.
The wind came in rolling gusts off the bay, buffeting her small house as the land and the ocean pushed the wind back and forth in the dance of the storm. The lights flickered after a sustained rush of wind. Cammi unhooked her toes from the rungs on her stool and stood, hurrying around the island to open a cabinet above the stove. She pulled out several candles, the thick, chunky kind. She placed two on the counter and then circled the house, distributing a few more.
I went to check on the fire and add a little more wood. If we lost power, we would be toasty as long as we stayed in the living room. When I straightened, she had a lighter in her hand and lit the two candles in the kitchen. She glanced up at me as I approached.
“This way, if the power goes out, there’ll be a little light.” She paused, her eyes searching mine. “If you’re going to go home, you might want to go soon. I know your drive is at least twenty minutes.”
If I had any sense, I would’ve opened my mouth and told her that, yes, I was going home. But I didn’t want to leave. Every cell in my body was tuned to the frequency of Cammi, and I needed her. My need for her was unlike any I’d ever experienced. I’d had my share of desire and casual encounters, many hot, quick, and fun.
Yet, with Cammi, there was a sense of burgeoning, my draw to her running deep and anything but casual.
I closed the distance between us, stopping in front of her where she stood with her hips resting against the edge of the counter. She still held the lighter in her hand, and I reached for it, the burn of electricity sizzling up my arm from where my fingers brushed against hers. I set it on the counter before resting my hands on either side of her hips. Her eyes blinked up at me. The subtle hitch of her breath in her throat was like the lash of a whip against my already galloping need.
I closed my eyes for a moment, taking in a swift inhalation of air. Opening my eyes, I finally did what I’d been wanting to do, well, since the last time I kissed her.
Dipping my head, I pressed a kiss on the side of her neck. I already knew she was sensitive there. Another hitch of her breath, and I pressed open kisses along her jawline as I