Page 48 of Raise The Bar
“Maggie?” he asks, and I’m snapped back to the moment. We’re so close on the couch that if either of us moves an inch, our bodies would make contact. I’m afraid if that happens the entire room will go up in flames. I feel myself getting flushed, despite the air conditioning. I search his ocean-like eyes and try to remember what we were talking about.
“Hmm?” I don’t move away.
“I asked if you have a name yet.” His eyes stare into mine, flicking downward to my mouth and back up again. “For the business?”
“I’ve got some ideas.”
“Anything you want to bounce off me?” His tone is teasing, but there is heat in his gaze. My mind races with possibilities. What would he do if I climbed onto his lap right now? Pushed his laptop to the side and straddled him?
“Not just yet,” I say, still so close. “But I think I’m almost ready.” His jaw tenses at my words. It’s getting harder to push against this gravitational pull he has on me.
My phone chimes loudly, startling me so much that I almost spill my wine. I move back, setting my glass down on the coffee table and reaching for my phone.
“I should check this,” I mutter, flustered by the interruption. “ It might be from June’s caterers.”
“Of course,” Callum pushes a hand through his sandy hair and sets down his laptop. He stands, putting some much needed distance between us. “Can I offer you a top up?” he asks, pointing at my almost empty wine glass.
“Yes, please.” I watch him scoop up our glasses and walk to the kitchen. Is it a good idea to add fuel to this fire? Probably not. Am I going to do it anyway? Apparently so.
I pull up my email and see that it’s a response from one of the subscription boxes I sent my product to last week. I quickly read the email, then read it again just to make sure it says what I think it says. Then I let out an undignified shriek causing Callum to run back into the room.
“What?” His face is full of concern as he looks me over to see I’m physically okay. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s from one of the subscription boxes!” I jump up from the couch. “They want to use my soap in their Christmas box. They want five hundred bars!” Callum’s face lights up like a Christmas tree as he closes the distance between us and wraps me in a hug. He lifts me off of the floor and spins me around his living room.
“That’s incredible!” He sets me down, but doesn’t let me go. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you.” I hold onto him tighter, not wanting him to pull away.
“Of course you could have,” he laughs into my hair. “This was all you. You had the idea, you contacted the company, you got the deal.” His strong hand strokes my back as he leans back to look at me. “You’re amazing, Maggie.”
I don’t know who moves first. I’m not sure if I leaned in and he met me halfway or if we both started for the other at the same time. All I know is that we’re kissing and nothing has ever felt so right.
Our mouths find each other like long lost lovers, kept apart for too long. His taste is a drug that I will do anything to have more of. His hands find my hair and I slip my fingers inside his t-shirt, trailing them along his toned torso and back. I pull his body against mine, wanting to be closer to him than I’ve ever been with anyone before.
He pulls back the slightest bit searching my eyes. “Maggie–”
“Don’t try to talk either of us out of this,” I beg, still breathless from his kiss. “Do you want me, Callum?”
His blue eyes are almost black with need. “I want you so much I can barely stand it,” he groans, his voice like gravel.
“Then take me, please. I want you to take me.”
Chapter 27
Maggie
His hands move from my hips to my ass and he lifts me like I weigh nothing. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist and we melt into each other once more. I feel more in control from this new angle and I like it. We are a tangle of limbs and tongues as Callum carries me into the dining room and gently sets me down on the edge of the table. I notice the papers with colorful graphs printed on them that he’d mentioned before. A giggle slips out of me and he stills.
“Yes?” His deep voice is sin itself. “Is there something you’d like to share with the class, Lois?”
“No,” I smile as he nuzzles his face into my neck. The hairs of his beard tickle which makes me laugh harder. “I was just admiring your graphs. They look really informative.”
“Mmm,” he murmurs against my sensitive skin. “I promise I’ll go over them with you, but you’re going to come for me at least twice first.” My head falls back at his words and his hands travel up my thighs, disappearing under my dress while he continues to kiss my neck. His hands are smooth and strong, stroking my thighs, getting closer and closer to my aching center. He brings one arm up around my waist, supporting my lower back, and brushes his other hand over the front of my panties. He groans into my neck when he feels how wet I am. I am drenched and far too crazed with desire to care about anything but his hands on me. He slides a long finger inside me and I arch into him, feeling myself clench around him.
“Maggie.” His voice is pained. “You’re killing me.” He adds another finger, moving them in and out of me slowly. I grip his shoulders and start to move my hips, matching his rhythm. I’m climbing too high, too fast but I can’t hold back my building climax. When he presses his thumb against my clit, I barely manage to hold back a scream as my orgasm shoots through me. I let myself free-fall into my pleasure as Callum’s arm tightens around my waist, holding me to him tightly.
My eyes flutter open, Callum stares down at me with a look of complete awe.
