“Where did you go to school again?” she asked.
“Harvard.”
She gave me a wry smile. “And you’re telling me that a degree doesn’t matter?”
“I’m not saying that,” I corrected her. “It’s an asset, no doubt. But it’s neither a requirement, nor a guarantee.”
She reflected on that, nodding in agreement. And she smiled. Man, I liked making Caroline smile. Her gray-green eyes were like the ocean, turning dark or brightening with her emotions. Just now they sparkled.
“You’re right. Not having a diploma hasn’t stopped me. But it still would be cool.”
“You want me to make a few calls? I know some board members at HBS.” I was only half-kidding. And I wasn’t joking at all about knowing board members. They wanted me on the board, too. As an extremely wealthy and well-connected young alum, I was their wet dream. I could make a case for Caroline, too. They always liked accepting a few people from off the beaten path.
“No, I don’t want to go to Harvard Business School!” She laughed like I’d made a great joke. It made me smile, too. I liked how easily she rejected a sought-after prize in the circles of my acquaintance.
“Heart set on Yale?” I teased.
“Paris!” she burst out, seeming to almost overflow with joy at the mere prospect. “I’ve always dreamed about studying at Le Cordon Bleu. They have a nine month course in baking and pastry arts.”
“Then do it.”
Now she rolled her eyes. “King Kavanaugh decrees it shall be so.”
“You can call me King if you’d like.” Master would do, too, but I’d wait to introduce that one.
“I’ve had the application form filled out and ready to go for a couple of years now. But, you know, life gets in the way.”
“You could make it happen.”
“OK, I’ve had enough of the motivational quotes.” She held up her hand in a stop signal. “I appreciate your encouraging me, but let’s not get crazy.”
I disagreed, but I could tell I’d pushed her enough for tonight. I enjoyed finding out her limits, though. Then I could test them in the future.
We enjoyed the rest of our meal. I especially enjoyed watching the way Caroline licked her sorbet spoon. The way she closed her eyes and sucked, a low moan in her throat. Yeah, that worked for me.
“Not a bad meal.” I led her through the restaurant to the exit, taking the excuse to touch the small of her back once again. It curved in ever so slightly and I rested my palm against it. How easy it would be to slide on down, an amusement park ride for my hand, down then up over the swell of her buttocks. She was all woman and my cock leapt to attention wanting to show her how much I was all man.
“Colt, that was literally the best meal I’ve ever had.” She turned to me in the evening air, outside on the sidewalk, grasping my forearm. “I can’t believe it! Every course outdid the last! It was so creative and inspired.”
She chatted most of the car ride to the airport and I admired the depth of her insights. A lot of food critics writing for snobby gourmet magazines could take notes from Caroline. She had a natural instinct. It would be fun to take her out to some more top-tier restaurants, and I planned on doing just that.
She grew quiet as we reached the plane. I rested my arm around her and stroked her cheek. “All out of commentary?”
“I’m sorry, I’ve been talking non-stop.”
“Not at all. It’s fun to see you so happy.”
“But I didn’t mean to… I’m babbling away and I barely know you and probably won’t ever see you again.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, you can’t have a lot of plans to come back to Redwood Bay in the future.”
“Next week, in fact.” I just made that call. Suddenly, I had important business to take care of.
“Next week?” She seemed to brighten at the prospect.
“I’ll come back next week to hear your formal proposal for your store. What would it take to make moving to an alternate location worthwhile to you?”
“You’re set on tearing down my shop?” She didn’t sound happy.
“I didn’t say that, Caroline.” I held her hand as we climbed the stairs to the plane. “Location can be negotiated, too. But I’m encouraging you to think about this as an opportunity.”
“What about the lichen?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Yes, I know how strongly you feel about lichen. Could you tell me again the name of that particular species you mentioned this morning?”
“Shut up.” She elbowed me in the ribs. “But seriously, those environmental groups aren’t going to let up.”
“Thanks for that.” I hadn’t gotten the full run-down on how all this protesting originated, but I could tell, Caroline wasn’t a hardcore environmental activist. Somehow she’d gotten involved with these Love the Lichen folks, but she mostly cared about her store. As well she should.
But she was also right—an endangered species wasn’t going to fade off the radar all by itself. Groups with resources and networks were on alert. We were going to have to do something about it.
“You’re going to need two proposals,” I told her as we settled ourselves onto the plush couch. Her dress rode up on her thighs, exposing her creamy skin. An invitation to a party I most definitely planned on attending.
“One for your store,” I continued. “And one for the resort. I’m building it, and I’m doing it on that site. But I’m open to discussing an eco-friendly theme.”
“Eco-friendly?” she asked. Nope, not an environmental activist.
“I’ll have my team talk to…you?”
“I guess. But really it should be Nora. She’s the one actually from Redwood Bay who understands all of this.”
“Wait, you’re not an expert in lichen species?” I feigned surprise.
She gave me a look. “I think you’ve probably figured that out by now.”
“You made an excellent presentation,” I assured her, arm around her shoulders and hand down to rub her arm. “It wasn’t your fault I kept getting so distracted.” I leaned down and kissed her throat, feathering my way down her skin.
Her lips parted. She asked, breathily, “You did?”
“I did,” I confessed, drawing my hand down to her knee, stroking, caressing her bare thigh. “You were standing there in that blouse with buttons down the front. And all I could think about was undoing them.” I brought my lips over to kiss the hollow at the base of her neck. Then I traveled down, then down again leaving a trail of kisses, showing her exactly what I was thinking about doing while she’d spoken. She shivered as I flicked my tongue between her breasts, in the luscious valley of cleavage she’d so generously showed me all night.
“And that skirt you wore.” I started moving my hand, inching it up her thigh, my fingers making lazy circles on her soft, sensitive skin. “Skirts give such easy access.” My fingers kept working their way up, up to where I finally brushed against her panties. Light, caressing, just my tips, she drew in her breath at my touch. I could feel her wet heat through the lace.
“Wet for me, Caroline,” I murmured my approval, giving her another stroke, this time more firm. “I like that.”
“Colt?” she whispered, her breath coming in a pant. She rose her hand to my bicep and I could tell she wanted to touch, but she still felt hesitant.
“What is it?” I brought my hand back to her thigh, letting it rest there.
“I don’t…I don’t know—”
“You don’t have to know anything,” I reassured her. She was so skittish. It only made me want her more. “Trust me.” I kissed her neck, sliding my hand over the playground of her curves, down her shoulder, along her arm and waist. “Let me take over.”
She shivered in my arms, her eyes half-closed with desire. But still she struggled with it. “I’m not ready—”
“Shhh.” I kissed her plump lips, licking, nibbling on her bottom one. “I’m not going to try to have sex with you. Yet.” Wa
s she used to men who rushed the goal? Well, I’d just have to show her how an expert played.
“We do have a plane ride, though. A whole hour, just the two of us. And I’d love to get to know you better.”
She relaxed into me, her hand now freely caressing my bicep, my shoulder. She twisted her fingers into my hair and kissed me back with a passion that instantly tested my resolve to go slow.
I broke away, taking back control, wrapping my fingers through hers and pressing her hand back against the couch at her side. With my other hand, I swept against her panties again, groaning as I felt her wetness. So slick, dripping already for me.
“There’s so much I want to know about you, Caroline.” My voice itself a low caress, I pushed the scrap of lace to the side and brought the thick pad of my thumb up against her swollen clit.
“Oh!” she cried out, her fingers digging into my hand where I held it against the couch.
“I want to know what you think about when you touch yourself.” I stroked her, so slippery and smooth, working slowly, taking my time. Her eyes closed now, she gave herself over to the sensations. Yes, Caroline, just like that. I wanted her to put herself in my hands, trust me with all of her.
“I want to know what you fantasize about,” I continued, bringing a finger to her entrance and slowly sliding it inside. She felt so hot and tight, so slick and I could already feel her quivering, her orgasm building. But I didn’t want her to come too soon. The build-up would make it even better. I wanted to make her come so hard her legs would feel too weak to walk.