Happy Ever After

Chapter 14

The sound of the television intruded her dreams. One minute she was trying to serve mini Empire State cakes to a crowd that kept growing and the next a TV anchor was standing in front of her reading the news so fast she couldn't catch the words. Her eyes opened, disoriented, as the unfamiliar bedroom shifted into focus. Her muscles didn't ache as much anymore and she curled and uncurled her feet, testing to make sure there weren't any cramps. The occupational hazard of being a chef, she thought, along with bad hours and callused fingers. Then memory clicked in and she remembered where she was and with whom.

This was the second time she'd slept with Matt to wake alone in his bed. He clearly wasn't one for lingering. Not that they'd done anything more exciting last night than sleeping. He'd brought her back to his hotel room after and given her a foot massage when she got cramps. Then he'd held her, talking as they unwound, and she drifted off to sleep. The last thing she remembered was curling in his arms and the brush of his lips on her forehead.

Now that she was up, she wanted much more than an innocent kiss.

"Good morning," he was standing at the door, arms folded. "Sleep well?"

"Yes." She lifted the covers in invitation. "Are you morally, ethically or otherwise opposed to taking advantage of one very horny pastry chef?"

"Depends." But he was already moving towards the bed, unbuttoning his shirt. "Will there will be whipped cream involved?"

"Play your cards right I'll even throw in a cherry."

"I have a better idea."

She yelped when he nipped her ear and then she was laughing as he rolled her across the bed until she was on top. She was still laughing when he started tickling her stomach. The rat! He knew how sensitive she was and, from looks on his face, he knew exactly what he was doing.

In a heartbeat it turned serious. He lifted her camisole slowly, up and up, and she raised her arms so that he could take it off. He pulled her down for a swift, hard kiss and would have let go, but she wasn't about to let him. She traced his lips, tasting him, coaxing his mouth open so that her tongue could mate with his. Desperate for breath she broke the kiss and hid her face in his neck.

"My turn to drive you crazy." And he proceeded to do just that.

Later they showered together, and it was her turn. There were moments that were intense, others that were playful, sweet and erotic united and through it all he was hers completely. There was nothing off limits that morning, and after the fourth time she thought they were finally done. Lying face down on the wrecked bed, the covers long discarded, her heart slowly returned to normal. He was lying on his back, one hand tangled in her hair, the other resting on his chest.

"Damn." It wasn't a curse. "They say teenagers are horny. I don't remember us ever being this way before. Do you?"

"How could we?" she replied when her breathing returned to normal. "Someone was always watching, reporting back to Mimi or your father. We were lucky to find what time we could."

"Remember when that old biddy from my mom's bridge club caught us in the woods?"

She hummed as if remembering.

"I'd finally gotten you to second base and there she is, standing on top of us with a look that froze my balls off."

"I remember you telling her you were helping me find my contact lenses." She laughed as she lifted her head. "I didn't even wear contacts."

"Just as well. I don't think she believed me."

They lay there, lost in thought and then suddenly Alana remembered she was supposed to meet Gavin.