“Really?” His lips had moved to her throat.
Tipping her head back, she closed her eyes. “Mmm-hmm.”
“What do you think of me now?” he asked, taking the wine-glass from her hand and setting it aside.
She wrapped her arms around him. “I think you’re a bit better handyman than I originally believed. But still the sexiest.”
He smiled against her lips. “Thank you.”
Pulling him closer, she murmured, “You’re welcome.”
He slipped his wet fingers into her hair, bringing her face to his, nibbling a kiss against her lips. Beneath the water, she stroked her smooth calf against his hair-roughened one, loving the contrast.
The kisses deepened, tongues exploring, tangling. He slid his hand to her breasts, cupping one at a time, his thumb making lazy circles until she was arching eagerly into him, groping for him. When she found him, hard and ready, he drew in a deep, sharp breath and shifted until she was partially beneath him, their bodies moving slickly, hungrily.
From that first time she had seen him in his jeans and tool belt, his lazy smile lighting his fallen-angel face, she had wanted him. That desire had only grown as she’d gotten to know him better, watching him charm babies and stray animals, seeing the way he’d quietly fought his own inner battles, the way he was so willing to help fight hers.
Casey Walker was a very special man, and she could think of no other way to tell him how much she admired him. How much she genuinely liked him. If there was more to it than that…well, she would deal with that later. Tonight was to relish, a perfect gem of a memory to be tucked away against whatever might happen between them later.
His hand slid up her thigh to brush against her core and she gasped into his mouth. Moments later she nearly whimpered when he began to stroke and gently probe. She tried to draw him closer, but he resisted, his mouth at her breasts now, his fingers skillfully playing her until there wasn’t a rational thought left in her mind. She climaxed with a strangled cry, her body arching almost out of the water.
Casey surged upward, carrying her with him as he climbed out of the tub. They toweled off hastily, just enough that they wouldn’t drip all over the cabin floors and then Casey snatched up his clothes and they moved inside. Buddy was curled into his usual spot on the hearth rug, giving them complete privacy as they headed for the bedroom, closing the door behind them.
Casey fumbled in the pocket of his jeans, then threw them recklessly aside to take her in his arms again. His mouth covered hers even before her back hit the mattress. His patience was obviously completely gone now, but he managed to slow down long enough to bring her to a new peak of pleasure again before he sought his own release.
Buried deeply inside her, he shuddered and murmured her name against her lips, the broken tenderness of his tone bringing tears to her eyes. She blinked them back and held him fiercely, willing the clock to slow down so she could savor every moment of this night with him.
Natalie’s cell phone rang Monday morning, startling her awake. After a night of very little sleep, she and Casey had slept in. She gave herself just a moment to look at him blinking himself awake on the pillow next to her before pushing herself upright and snatching the phone off the nightstand.She checked the caller ID. “It’s Beecham,” she said and lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello.”
“Who the hell is this Walker guy?” Beecham demanded angrily. “He visited me this morning, said he’s from some big, hotshot investigation and security firm in Dallas and that he’s taking over your case.”
“Yes, Andrew Walker is working for me,” she replied smoothly. “Send me your final bill, Mr. Beecham, and I’ll call you to settle on a final accounting of what, if anything, I owe you.”
“You’re firing me?”
“I’m terminating our professional relationship,” she answered evenly. “I’ll expect you to maintain our confidentiality agreement, of course.”
Beecham argued with her a bit longer, but she remained steadfast that his services were no longer needed. He was still sputtering when she disconnected the call.
“You handled that very smoothly,” Casey said, kissing the back of her bare shoulder. “You didn’t sound like someone I’d want to argue with.”
“I hope you’re right about how good your cousin is at his job,” she replied a bit shakily. “By firing Beecham, I’ve put my future career in Andrew’s hands.”
“You won’t be sorry.”
“I hope you’re right,” she repeated, and then tried to push her fears aside, since worrying about it wasn’t accomplishing anything.
After a late, leisurely breakfast, she and Casey stopped by his cabin for him to change clothes and then went for a drive through Cades Cove, a lush valley tucked into the mountains not far from Gatlinburg. The cove had once been a thriving pioneer settlement, now converted into a national park. An eleven-mile road wound through pastureland and woods. Historic buildings—hand-hewn log homes with rock chimneys, barns and outbuildings—were scattered through the park along the road and were open to exploration. Three churches still stood, their quiet interiors haunted by the echoes of psalms and sermons, their grounds the final resting place for generations of settlers.
The drive was Casey’s idea. Natalie suspected that he was trying to keep her busy so she wouldn’t worry so much about what was going on in Nashville. And it did help—to an extent.
After their drive, they returned to her cabin. Neither wanted to spend time with other people just then. Though they monitored their calls, they let most of them go to voice mail, not wanting anyone else to intrude on this precious time together.
“I like being with you,” Casey murmured much later that day as they sprawled against her pillows, sated and happily exhausted.
Snuggling into his bare shoulder, she closed her eyes. “I like being with you, too.”
“When this is over—when Andrew finds what he’s looking for—”