“I’m too small on top.”
He shook his head. His palms covered her breasts, his thumbs teasing at the hard peaks. “You’re perfect exactly the way you are,” he said. “See how we fit?” He straightened and pulled her against him, his hands firm on her hips. “As if we were made for each other.”
“I’m sure there are other women in this world who fit,” Darcy said, reaching around and placing her hands over his.
“Not like you,” he murmured. “Not like you.” He reached down and slipped his finger inside her. “See,” he whispered. “Perfect.”
Darcy held her breath as he slid in and out of her, teasing her closer to her release. But this wasn’t going to be about her, at least not yet. She drew his hand away and wrapped it around her neck. “I think it’s time I torture you for a change.”
“Please do,” he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
She pressed a kiss to his mouth, then trailed her lips lower and lower, down his chest to his belly, dropping kisses on his wet skin as she went. Then, kneeling in front of him, she slowly took him into her mouth. Kel groaned, furrowing his fingers through her wet hair in an attempt to control her.
The water seemed to heighten the experience, her palms sliding over his flat belly and narrow hips as she drew him in and out of her mouth, her fingertips exploring every hard angle and rippled muscle. As she brought him closer, with a hand to her head he urged her to slow her pace. But Darcy needed his surrender, wanted to feel it and taste it. Finally, with a frustrated growl, he bent down and drew her to her feet.
“We can’t stay here,” he said in a ragged voice. “We don’t have a condom.”
“We don’t need one,” Darcy replied.
He caught her gaze, confused. “Are you sure?”
“I’ll take care of you,” she said, her hand drifting back down over his abs to his belly.
“But I want to be inside you,” he said.
“You will be. Just close your eyes.”
He did as he was told and Darcy slowly began to stroke him. “How do I feel?” she murmured. “Tell me.”
“Oh, God,” Kel moaned. “I can’t do this.”
“You can,” Darcy urged. “Just tell me.”
He paused for a long moment. “You’re warm…and wet. And so tight.” He held his breath. “It’s like I’m part of you. You’re all around me…and it feels so…incredible.” His voice drifted off as he surrendered to her touch. Darcy listened to the clues his body gave her, his quickened breathing, his tense grip on her shoulders.
“I want you to come with me,” he murmured, reaching down to touch her between her legs. He drew his finger along the soft folds of her sex.
Darcy smiled and nuzzled his chest, slowing her pace so that she might catch up. It felt so good to touch him, to share her body with him, to enjoy his body without any fears or hesitation. With Kel, sex was so simple, just passion and lust and desire and nothing more. She didn’t have to think about her past or about her future. For now, he was hers and she’d have him whenever she wanted.
They climaxed together, shuddering into each other’s touch until they were both completely spent. Then Kel gently drew her back beneath the shower and washed them both. Darcy was so relaxed that she could barely stand and leaned on him lazily, her arms wrapped around his neck.
“Take me to bed,” she said.
He wrapped her in one of the thick terrycloth robes that hung beside each steam shower, then grabbed one for himself. They walked back through the pool house, Kel grabbing up his clothes and retrieving his room key from the pocket of his jeans. Before they got to the lobby, he drew the hood of Darcy’s robe up over her head to hide her from any curious staff members that they might encounter.
Darcy was too relaxed to worry about anything but crawling into Kel’s bed and falling asleep in his arms. They rode up the elevator snuggled together, her nose buried in the soft dusting of hair on his chest. And when they reached his room, he helped her out of the robe, then tucked her into his bed.
They could have made love. Instead, they talked, lying in each other’s arms and learning all the little details of childhood adventures and first loves and silly embarrassments. But with every detail that Kel gave her, she felt as if she knew it already.
She’d known him, in her heart, since the very first time they’d met. And everything that he told her now was simply confirmation of the man that she knew him to be-a man that she might not ever stop wanting.
4
“AS YOU CAN see, the kitchen needs a bit of updating. New cabinets and appliances could do wonders. But the layout is good, nice and spacious.”
“I don’t do much cooking,” Kel said as he strolled to the sink. He turned on the faucet to check the water pressure then turned it off. A window over the sink opened onto the view of Crystal Lake and the long lawn that led down to the water.
“Is there a pier down there?” he asked.
The real estate agent nodded. “There’s also an old boathouse, original to the property. And there’s a Victorian gazebo just beyond the trees that is just lovely.”
Kel smiled. “Are the neighbors quiet?”
“Most of these homes have been in the families for years,” she said. “The neighbors on both sides are retired. I suppose you’re looking for a bit more action?”
Kel shook his head. He’d had enough action. If he decided to retire, he wanted a place where he could be himself, where people wouldn’t constantly be staring or requesting autographs or asking him to recount their favorite moments in Giants baseball. And a place where he could have a boat and do a little fishing. He could have that here.
“I think I’ll fit right in.” He pointed out the window. “I’m just going to walk down to the lake. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“You have one hundred feet of frontage,” she said. “There’s also a sandy beach. And there’s a nice little flagstone terrace they’ve built down there.”
Kel stepped through the door and strolled across the wide cedar deck to the lawn. He hadn’t expected to like the first place he saw, or even the second or third. In truth, Kel thought he’d have to look long and hard to find a house that pleased him.
Kel had never thrown money into real estate like many of his teammates had. Some of the guys had additional homes in Colorado and Florida and Arizona. Kel owned an old mansion in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood, a Mercedes, a pickup truck and a decent wardrobe of Italian suits and shoes. Beyond that, he’d spent his money on the typical toys: stereo equipment, televisions and computers.
Most of his teammates might call him frugal, but from the start of his career, Kel knew the precarious position he was in. A simple pitch could lead to a career-ending injury. In the blink of an eye it could be all over. His parents had always struggled to make a living, raising seven children on a high school teacher’s salary. Kel wanted to be in a position to give them whatever they needed as they got older and, at the same time, have a comfortable future for himself.
When he reached the water, Kel walked out on the rickety dock. The lake was beautiful, calm and serene, the sun sparkling off the surface. A fisherman bobbed in a boat nearby, lazily casting his line and reeling it in. He waved at Kel and Kel returned the greeting.
“I could live here,” he said, slowly turning and taking in the view. He could imagine his siblings coming to visit in the summer, the rambling house filled with his nieces and nephews, lazy days spent out on the water. West Blueberry Lane wouldn’t make a bad address.
The agent was still waiting for him in the kitchen. She opened the door and he stepped back inside. “Well, what do you think?” she asked.
“How long has it been for sale?” Kel asked.
“Five weeks,” she said. “The mechanicals need to be replaced along with the roof and that might be scaring
