‘It’s important,’ Baxter stated.

  ‘I’ll meet you somewhere then.’ She couldn’t have him come to her house just yet. Not until she’d had the chance to explain everything.

  ‘You can come here. I’ll pick you up.’

  ‘No. No,’ she interjected. ‘If it’s that important, I will come up there.’

  He gave her the address and she promised to leave as soon as she could. She ran her brush through her hair, swiped on deodorant and quickly applied some mascara.

  During the trip across town, she contemplated turning the car around at least three times, but she gripped the steering wheel and continued her journey, crossing the bridge to Sugar Peaks. The palatial mountain homes glowed against the star-filled night sky. It was the first night it hadn’t snowed in weeks and the snow reflected like crystals under the light of the full moon.

  The mansion where Baxter was staying was one of the biggest on the mountain and came complete with an obnoxious medieval style door knocker. Lauren banged it twice and heard the sound echo through the cavernous home.

  “Oh, it’s you,” she said as Baxter opened the door.

  “Were you expecting someone else?” He stepped aside, gesturing her into the marble foyer.

  “Did you give your butler the night off?” She stepped inside and pulled off her scarf. Baxter stepped behind her and helped her shrug out of her jacket.

  “I gave everyone the night off.” He hung her jacket in the closet and then rested his hand on her lower back, guiding her into the great room. The twenty-foot windows ran the width of the entire room, a few lamps along with the wood-burning fireplace cast the room in a warm glow, but their light paled in comparison to that of the blue light from the moon that filled the entire room. The mountain range loomed, jagged and black along the horizon.

  “It’s a beautiful view you have here,” she said. She walked to the window and the lights of downtown Chance Rapids sparkled below them.

  “It is,” Baxter said. “Please, have a seat.” He relaxed into one of the many oversized leather club chairs by the fireplace. Lauren sat in the one beside him but didn’t let herself sink down into its depths. She folded her hands in her lap and perched on the edge of the cushion. The crackling of the fireplace grew louder in the silence between them.

  “Baxter, why am I here?”

  “I want to talk about us,” he said.

  She took a deep breath. “I thought that we agreed to wait until after the hearing.” She stood up. “We shook on it.”

  “Please, Lauren, sit.”

  “I will not sit, Baxter. We had an agreement and you just broke it.”

  Baxter stood and reached for her hand, but she pulled back from him. “You can’t just summon me here.” She saw the lust in his eyes and then it dawned on her. “Is this a booty call?”

  “Oh god, no.” Baxter shook his head. “Lauren, wait right here.” He jogged out of the great room. “Don’t go anywhere,” he shouted from somewhere within the depth of the massive house. Lauren crossed her arms and stared into the fire. He returned shortly and handed her a piece of paper.

  “What’s this?” she asked.

  “Read it.”

  She sat on the arm of the chair and was glad that she did or else she might have fallen down. “What is this?”

  “You know what it is,”

  “Is this for real?” She folded the letter, her hands trembling as she held it out to him.

  “It is.” He took the letter and set it down on the glass coffee table. “Lauren, I—”

  “Stop,” she interrupted. Her heart thumped against her ribcage as she tried to make sense of what was happening. The letter was addressed to the council, accepting all of the changes Lauren had recommended for Caldwell Creek.

  “I love you,” he said. He reached out his hand and this time she let him take hers. He tugged gently and pulled her to him. The moonlight shone in his eyes and his dark lashes reflected its light. He cupped her cheek and kissed her softly and slowly and she savored the moment, not wanting to break away to speak or to even breathe. She held onto his wrists and when he pulled back held his gaze, “I love you too,” she whispered. “But you can’t do this.”

  “I can and I’m going to, first thing Monday morning.” He kissed her cheek and her body melted. He kissed her lips and butterflies attacked her stomach. “You made me see, Lauren.” He kissed her again, this time a little harder.

  “What? What did I make you see?” She was still holding onto his wrists, her face inches away from his, not wanting to let go or get too far from the warmth of his skin.

  “Me,” he whispered. He rested his face against hers and the softness of his breath on her ear brought goosebumps to her entire body. “Lauren.” He pulled back and held both of her hands. “When you met me at the lodge, that was me. Something about seeing you and being back in this town reminded me of all the things that I used to care about. Before I became obsessed with proving myself to everyone at Caldwell. The executives might hate me for these changes, but it’s the right thing to do in the long run.”

  Lauren’s vision blurred as the tears welled up in her eyes. In all of the scenarios she had imagined, this one seemed like the longest shot. He got to stay in town and work on his project, and she was able to protect Chance Rapids. Maybe Charlotte was right. Perhaps there was a reason she and Baxter Caldwell had reunited this way. Could it be fate? Were they meant to be together?

  “Oh, Baxter.” As she hugged him, tears of joy fell down her cheeks. His strong arms wrapped around her and held her close to him. She squeezed him tightly, the want for all of him growing too much to bear, especially when she felt his erection pressing hard against the ache in her lower belly. She stood on her tiptoes to press herself against his rock-hard cock and moaned into his mouth as he kissed her.

  He swept her up in his arms honeymoon style and carried her into the kitchen, setting her on the countertop. She pulled her sweater over her head and watched him bite his lip as he took her in. He literally growled as he bent down and kissed her collarbone while he reached around her back to undo her bra. She arched her back and a shiver ran up her spine as the warmth of his hands cupped her breasts, then a moan escaped her lips as he took first her left nipple, then her right into his mouth, sucking as he pulled away and giving each one a little nip with his teeth. He kissed her lips and she murmured with pleasure as he gave them the same treatment as her nipples. Her hair fell down her bare back, brushing the countertop as she allowed Baxter to undo her jeans. She lifted her hips to allow him to slide her pants off, and the chill from the marble countertop on her bare ass told her that he had taken her panties with them. The warmth of his breath between her legs confirmed it. He held one hand on her breast as he kissed up along her thigh, skipping the part of her that wanted to feel his lips the most, and back down the other thigh. She quivered. He did it again, this time pausing between her legs, the rhythm of his breath teasing her. She writhed and pressed her hands into the counter, arching her back into a crescent shape, wordlessly urging him to take her into his mouth.

  “I’ve waited a decade for this, Lauren,” he murmured into the skin of her thigh. “I’m not going to rush it.” He pushed down on her chest and she complied, relaxing her body flat onto the island, the arches of her feet at its edge, Baxter between her knees.

  “Baxter, I can’t take any more teasing.” Her words came in gasps.

  “What do you want?” He drew in so close between her legs that she could feel the button of his jeans, cold against her desire as he whispered in her ear.

  “You’re going to make me ask for it?” she moaned. Even though Lauren wanted Baxter more than she’d ever wanted anything or anyone in her entire life, she was still a prude.

  “Tell me what to do to you.” He nipped her earlobe.

  Lauren’s face flushed; dirty talk had never been part of her repertoire. “I want you.”

  “You can do better than that,” he growled. “I’ve heard that vocabulary of yours.” He kissed her neck and each breast again before continuing down the center of her body, her core a nuclear reactor ready for a meltdown. He paused between her legs. “Tell me, Lauren,” he said. His lips were so close they brushed against her, making her twitch involuntarily.

  She rested herself on her elbows, her eyes meeting his as he gazed up from below. He flicked his tongue and her breath hitched. “Take off your pants,” she said. He kissed her, the warmth of his lips finally meeting her body and she moaned. His pants dropped to the floor with a dull thud, his manhood tenting out the fabric of his boxer briefs. “Those too.” She stretched out her leg and grabbed the waistband of his boxer briefs with her toes and tugged.

  His cock thudded against his body as he complied, and he stepped out of his underwear. “Now what?”

  Lauren knew that his cock was substantial, but the monster in front of her was bigger than she remembered. He put his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrow at her. “I’m waiting,” he said.

  “I want you to…” her voice trailed off.

  “I’ve heard you in action, Miss Bunkman.” He trailed a finger down her thigh. “You own the courtroom.”

  She met his gaze and held it. He was right, she was a powerful woman. If they were in the courtroom, she would have no problem ordering him around, and secretly getting off on wielding that kind of power. She hopped off the counter and dropped to her knees in front of him. She didn’t tease, she licked the tip of his cock and then grabbed his ass, pressing him into her mouth as far as she could. His legs were quivering, and she did it once more. She stood up and nipped at his lip this time.

  “Go get a condom,” she ordered. He smiled and grabbed her by hand, leading her out of the kitchen. He broke out into a run and she giggled as they sprinted through the hallway of the mansion into the dark master bedroom. His hand fumbled around on the wall until he found the dimmer switch.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he said as he adjusted the lights to a soft glow. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her gently, his cock brushing against her body. She grabbed onto his wrist and pushed him away by his chest. “Brock,” her words were breathy. “I need you inside of me.” She stepped toward him, pushing him until the back of his legs was against the big four-poster bed. He grabbed her by the arms, spun her around and tossed her onto the silk duvet cover like she was a feather. Lauren writhed on the bed as he rolled on the condom. “Fuck me.” He sprang on top of her and paused at her opening, one eyebrow raised. “Now.” She managed to growl and smile at the same time. He smiled back and winked at her. She nudged him with the heel of her foot, and he groaned as he plunged into her. She dug her nails into his back and moaned as his hardness filled her. He started pumping slowly and rhythmically. She balled the bajillion thread count sheets in her fists, squeezed her eyes closed, and her breaths started coming faster mirroring his thrusts as he drew in and out of her. Her body started to tingle, and her toes curled so hard she thought her feet might cramp. She opened her eyes at the same time he opened his. He smiled at her, his body still moving, her leg hooked over his waist, and she smiled back.

  He pulled out of her completely and kissed where his cock had just been. “It’s my turn to do what I want,” he said, a devilish look in his eyes.

  “What do you want to do?” Lauren’s sweaty hands were still holding on to the sheets.

  “Make you come,” he grinned.

  Lauren moaned as Baxter buried his face between her legs, his tongue doing exactly what she wanted it to and when her legs started to quiver and she tried to pull away, he dug his hands into her ass and held her, continuing until the strongest wave of an orgasm Lauren had ever experienced washed over her entire body. “Oh, my god, Baxter,” she screamed. Her limbs tensed and a tingle surged from her core all the way to her fingertips. He kissed her thighs and her chest heaved as she panted, recovering from the pleasure that had just train wrecked her body.

  He kissed her belly and ran his fingertip between her breasts, stopping to rest his hand on her racing heart. He kissed her neck. “Turn over,” he whispered into her ear. Lauren smiled and turned beneath him. Baxter interlaced his fingers with hers and let his body weight press her down into the firm mattress. He kissed the back of her neck as he slowly slid into her from behind. Even though it had only been momentary, her body had missed having him inside of her, and once he was there again, she felt complete, like the last missing piece to a puzzle had just been found. Baxter proceeded to make love to her tenderly and slowly, reaching his hand between her legs and making sure that when his body bucked against hers, that she was coming too. He moaned loudly at the same time as she screamed out his name. He pressed into her hard from behind, his cock twitching inside of her as he came. He collapsed on top of her and she smiled and nuzzled her face into one of the down pillows, his panting weight on her back welcome.

  “I love seeing you smile.” He kissed her cheek.

  “You can make me smile like that all night long.” The slightly sassy words sounded foreign coming out of her mouth, but good.

  “Sounds like a challenge,” he said.

  A challenge he completed three more times that night.

  Twenty-Four

  Baxter turned over and inhaled her scent – sandalwood and citrus. He opened his eyes and the sight of her brown hair splayed over his pillow warmed his heart. Her lips were parted slightly, and her chest rose and fell with her breathing as she slept. He rolled into her, burying his face in her hair and taking her scent more deeply. His morning wood was harder than usual and as he wrapped his arms around Lauren’s waist to pull her in tightly, his cock throbbed against her round ass.

  She murmured and shifted further into his embrace, pressing her body firmly against his, her breath resuming its soft sleeping pattern. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and slid out of the sheets, slipping into a pair of sweatpants. He didn’t bother to tie the drawstring, fully intending to return to the bedroom to drop his pants and wake up the gorgeous woman in his bed. But first, coffee.

  His feet were warmed by the radiant floor heating as he walked barefoot through the mansion. He ground the beans and leaned against the counter while the machine churned out espresso. He shot it back and proceeded to make an americano with milk and a little bit of sugar for Lauren and cream for himself. He was tired, but it was a good kind of exhaustion. The kind you can only get from staying up late fucking. Lauren was a tigress in the courtroom, and the fact that she was a chameleon in the bedroom didn’t surprise him. He loved the dichotomy of the woman, powerful and commanding, combined with sweet and generous. The hair prickled on his arms as he thought about how they had alternated between sweet slow lovemaking and straight-up carnal fucking. He knew every curve of her body after last night – every single one and all he wanted was more.

  He set the coffee down on the nightstand and watched the smell rouse Lauren from her sleep. She opened her eyes and squinted at him, a sly smile spreading across her face as she saw his massive hard-on practically busting through the seam of his sweatpants.

  “That smells amazing.” She propped herself on her elbow and took a sip of the coffee. The sheet fell from her chest and unlike most women he had been with, she didn’t move to cover herself. The quiet confidence of the woman was refreshing, and he wanted to drink her in. He crawled on top of her and kissed her gently. “Sorry about the morning breath,” she whispered.

  “I don’t fucking care about that.” He took the mug from her hand and practically devoured her mouth. He kissed her collarbone and traveled down her body with his lips, removing the sheet as he went, exposing her body until he found himself between her legs, desperate to taste her sweetness again.

  The room lit up as the sun crested above the jagged horizon, bathing the master suite in a glow of orange. She’s radiant, he thought as he looked up at her, her hands rested limply on the pillow beside her head, her eyes closed. No, she wasn’t a supermodel; she was better. She was Lauren.

  Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. “I should get that,” she said through a moan.

  “It can wait.”

  The phone buzzed again, but this time it was a call. “Hold that thought, Baxter,” Lauren said and slid up, leaving him lying in wait halfway down the bed. She picked up the phone and glanced at the screen. “I have to take this,” she said. She slid out of the covers and scurried naked into the ensuite bathroom, sliding the huge slab door shut behind her.

  Seconds later she rushed into the bedroom. “I have to go.” She tossed the duvet back and patted down the sheets to try to locate her discarded panties.

  “Is everything okay?” Baxter asked. He handed her the bra that had been tossed onto the floor. Lauren rushed down the hallway as she zipped up her jeans and pulled on her shirt. Baxter followed. “Don’t forget this.” He held out her purse.

  “Thanks.” She looped the purse over her shoulder and grabbed onto his hand. “I had a great night,” she said.

  He looped his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips lingered and then she pulled away to root through her handbag for her car keys.

  “Is there anything I can do?” Baxter asked. She looked frantic.

  She turned to face him, her hand on the door handle. “Baxter, there’s something we have to talk about.”

  “Sounds serious,” he said.

  She cast her eyes downward, “It is.”

  “Oh no.” He searched her eyes, “Was last night a one-off?”

  She shook her head, “There’s something I have to tell you, I just can’t do it now.”

  “Come back then and we can talk tonight.” He squeezed her tighter.

  “Alright,” she agreed. She stood on her toes and kissed him again, and he swore he saw a touch of sadness in her eyes.

  “I hope everything is okay, with, whatever it is you have to do.” He pointed to the phone she still held clutched in her hand.