Imago, page 8
“Tell me about your office.”
“It’s small. Half the size of that of my boss’s. I assume it reflects my pay and importance, by comparison also.” He smiled, I assumed to let me know he was either joking or he found the humour in the truth of it. “The laboratory is my favourite workspace. Well, not even workspace. Any space, really. But this here…” He looked around. “This isn’t too bad at all.”
I got to my feet and extended my hand to him. “Come on. Lunch is over.”
Lawson allowed me to pull him to his feet, but as I suggested we head to the next area we’d marked on the map, he frowned. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I was under the impression that along with lunch there was also making out?”
I laughed at how unashamed he was. “Oh, were you?”
He lifted his chin and fought a smile. His defiance and humour were cute as hell. “Yes. If I recall correctly, you said no one will know if you happen to sneak in a little make-out session during your lunch break.”
Now I laughed more genuinely. “Ah, that’s where you’re wrong.” I put my hand to his jaw and lifted his face a little. “I’m pretty sure I said ‘a make-out session with the sexy lepidopterist.’”
He rolled his eyes and I crushed my mouth to his. He was startled by the contact, but I held his face right where I wanted him. He melted against me, sighing into the kiss. I tilted my head just enough to deepen the kiss, and he slid his hands around my back.
God, he tasted so good. He fit against me perfectly, and his arms around me felt divine. His hands clawing at my back felt even better…
Rosemary huffed at our feet, making us break apart. She sat there smiling up at us.
I took a step back and let out a laugh, running my hand through my hair. I was a little embarrassed at how carried away I’d gotten. “I uh, I’m sorry. That got out of hand.”
“Don’t apologise.” Lawson thumbed his bottom lip, and Jesus help me, I almost groaned. He had no idea―absolutely no clue―how sexy he was. “I think Rosemary knew she’d better interrupt.” He licked his lip and cleared his throat. “Or it could have gotten very out of hand.”
I took a very large, very deliberate step back. “Agreed.” I turned and pointed to the Defender. “We really should get more work done.” I was grasping at my self-control, and if he hesitated in the slightest, even the smallest bit, I doubted I’d be able to stop myself. My dick was half-hard and at an odd angle, and I really needed to adjust…
His line of sight followed my hand, and he swallowed hard. “Work, yes.” Thankfully, he turned and started to collect our lunch leftovers, putting them back into the Esky. He gave Rosemary a pat and shot me a hesitant look, his eyes dark. “I think work is a very good idea.”
So we did work, all afternoon. We found the next area I’d shown him on his map last night. It was about a kilometre further up on the track we’d taken into the National Park. He did his grid-walk of the area we’d highlighted, and I took more soil samples, took photos of the vegetation, and of a tawny frogmouth’s nest. We didn’t track every kind of native animal or bird, but noting locations and activity when I could never hurt.
Lawson found nothing again, and even though he said he expected nothing less, I could tell he was a little disappointed. It was in his eyes, and as he drove us back toward town, it was in the way he fidgeted in his seat and the tic in his jaw.
“Tomorrow’s another day, huh?”
He brightened some. “Yes.”
Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Remmy. Call past home. I have something for your dinner date tonight.
I smiled. “You know, I’m pretty sure Remmy thinks I’m useless.” I held up my phone to show him the message.
“You told her about our date tonight?”
“Yes, of course. I called in to see her this morning to collect our lunch, remember?”
He nodded. “Oh, right.”
“Well, I didn’t actually have to tell her anything. She guessed as soon as I walked in.”
He glanced at me, then back to the road. “What do you mean?”
I pointed to my face. “The smile. Gave me away, apparently.”
His answering smile was slow spreading. “Oh.”
“So she’s taken it upon herself to prepare something for our dinner tonight. I told her I had no clue what I was gonna cook, but it had to be special, ya know, because of the perfect date pressure you put me under.”
He snorted. “I told you I don’t need anything extravagant. It’s the company and conversation I scrutinise. Not the food.”
“Good to know the pressure is on my personality and not anything else.”
Lawson laughed. “Exactly.”
* * *
After parting ways with Lawson, I knocked on Remmy’s front screen door. The wooden door was open to let the breeze in, so I could see inside. I heard little footsteps before I saw the culprit. Luca, all long blond curls and cute dimples, wearing only a pair of shorts, sprang to life in front of the door with a giggle. “UncaJack!”
“Hey tiger,” I replied.
Luca roared at me just as Remmy came to the door, wiping her hands on a tea towel. She let me in and Luca launched himself at me. I picked him up. “Jeez kid, you’re getting too big! Have you been playing in your mum’s garden? You’re growing like a tomato plant!”
Luca laughed. “I show you,” he said, squirming to get down. I followed him into the kitchen, where he leaned up on his tiptoes so he could reach and pull over a bowl of home-grown vegetables. “These are from my garden.” He reached in and took a tomato in one hand, a zucchini in the other. His little fingers barely held them. “I can make ratooey.”
“Ratatouille,” Remmy gently corrected.
Jeez. The kid was four and was a better cook than me. I guess that’s what happened when your parents, French and Portuguese, were chefs. “Make sure you save a seat for me when you do, ’kay?”
The kid beamed before running to the fridge to get himself a drink. He put the jug of juice on the counter, and Remmy watched on as he poured himself a cup. “He’ll hold you to that,” she said fondly.
“Good. I’ll look forward to it.”
“Next week?”
“It’s a date.”
She smirked. “Speaking of dates…” Remmy went to the fridge and pulled out a tray that had some kind of baking paper pouch on it. “For a perfect date tonight.”
“You didn’t have to do this,” I said kindly.
“It was no problem. I was making it for our dinner, so it was easy to make enough for you.” She unwrapped the corner of the paper pouch. “I put that twenty you put in my till this morning to good use. It’s rainbow trout with a splash of Thai spices. I wasn’t sure if Lawson liked spicy food, so I kept it fairly tame. All you need to do is pop it in a hot oven for twenty minutes. It’ll steam in the paper. Then serve with steamed veggies and you’re golden.”
“You’re an angel.”
Nico walked into the kitchen. “Ah, the man with the perfect date,” he said with a warm handshake. “Good to see you, my friend.”
I chuckled. “Well, I’m aiming for three outta three in the perfect date score. I think Remmy’s almost got me home with this.” I gestured to the trout she’d prepared.
Nico rubbed his belly. “Don’t know how I’m not the size of a barn.” He kissed Remmy’s cheek. “The hardships of marrying a pastry chef.”
“Well, I don’t know what I’ll cook for Date Number Four,” I said. “Don’t know what will beat fresh trout prepared by a chef.”
“I cook for you, UncaJack,” Luca said. He was kneeling on a stool at the bench next to me, sipping his cup of juice. “I make ratooey.”
“Oh Luca,” Remmy said. “UncaJack doesn’t want us there on a date, darling.”
“I don’t mind,” I said. “And I’m sure Lawson wouldn’t either.” Because if he didn’t want to spend any time with my dearest friends, then maybe there was no long-term hope for us. “We can have dinner at my place. Only if it’s alright with you.”
“Can I, Mama? Can I?” Luca pleaded.
Seriously, the kid was so stinking cute with those big eyes and dimples.
I gave Remmy my best grin. “Come on, it’ll be fun. And I know you’re itching to give Lawson the third degree.”
Nico snorted out a laugh. “She is.”
“Then let me make dessert,” Remmy said.
“You’re doing enough!” I tried to reason. I knew Luca cooking meant that Remmy was supervising, and by supervising, I meant doing most of it.
Remmy waved her hand in the air, dismissing my concern. “Ah, it’s nothing.”
Nico gave me a sympathetic smile. “You know she’s not happy unless she’s feeding someone.”
That was true. “Well, thank you. I’m very grateful.”
“Wait until after dinner before you thank us,” Remmy said, winking toward Luca. “And I suggest you tell Lawson before you drop him into this.”
“Ah, where’s the fun in that?” I asked. “Let’s see how he likes surprises.”
Remmy laughed. “I guess it’s one way to see someone’s true colours.” She handed me the tray of trout. “Here. Don’t want to keep him waiting. We’ll be at your place at six tomorrow night, that way we can be out of your hair by seven thirty.” She waggled her eyebrows at me. Nico laughed, and Luca was busy already lining up his tomatoes and zucchinis along the counter.
I gave Remmy a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. And I’ll see you then.”
* * *
By the time I got home, I barely had enough time to shower and get some veggies sorted for steaming before Lawson arrived. I heard his Defender pull up and met him at the front door. He’d showered too, and was now wearing brown pants, a faded denim long-sleeve shirt, and his trademark bow tie. He took my breath away. I leaned in and kissed him softly, square on the lips. “Hello there.”
He produced a small bottle and frowned. “I wasn’t sure if I should bring a gift or token of thanks. I know it’s customary for the guest to do so, but I couldn’t think of anything that seemed appropriate or that the local supermarket would sell. But I found this, and given it’s a local product, and you like to cook, I thought…”
I took the bottle and read the label. It was a locally produced gourmet strawberry coulis. “You don’t have to bring anything, but thank you.”
He rewarded me with a smile that made my stomach flip. “Something smells amazing.”
“Dinner, which I can’t take credit for. It was all Remmy’s doing. Hope you like a Thai-inspired trout?”
He hummed. “Sounds lovely.” We walked inside where he gave Rosemary a welcoming pat, and I thought now was a good time as any to bring up dinner plans for tomorrow night. “Now, I don’t want to assume there will be a Date Number Four, but I might have already organised something…”
“Oh?” He leaned against the kitchen counter, completely at ease. “You’re that confident to presume a fourth date?”
I shrugged at him. “Confident. Hopeful. Same thing, really.”
He smiled and a faint blush covered his cheeks. “I’ll have to check my schedule, but I think I’m free.”
I chuckled. “Good. Because I have a personal chef lined up to cook here, just for us.”
He stared at me. “Are you serious?”
I nodded. “Yep. He’s a cutie too. There’s a downside, though.”
“What’s that?”
“We won’t be dining alone.”
“Oh.”
“They’ve promised to leave early, though. I hope you don’t mind.”
His blush deepened. “Not at all.”
I traced the heat across his cheek with my thumb, then gave him butterfly kisses along his cheekbone. His breath caught, and he slid his hand around my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. Fuck. I pushed him against the kitchen counter, and he deepened the kiss with a groan from the back of his throat.
God, I could kiss him forever.
And just when I took a breath and kissed him again, the microwave beeped and startled us. I laughed at myself for jumping, and Lawson licked his bottom lip. “That would be the rice,” I said lamely. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off his mouth. “Which we could totally ignore for a while.” I kissed him again, only this time to be interrupted by the oven timer.
He chuckled. “I think the universe is trying to tell us something.”
“Yeah. If I burn Remmy’s trout, she’ll kill me.” So I served dinner, which was outstanding. Lawson made a point of complimenting the rice and steamed beans and baby squash, knowing it was the only thing I’d done. But we sipped wine and made small talk about new government environmental protection laws, climate change, and music, but there was an underlying static, a charge of sexual tension that never went away.
It was in every forkful of food, every lick of his lips, and in every sip of his wine. It was in his eyes when he looked at me, in how his fingers held his wine glass. Even the line of his jaw, his neck, the timbre of his voice. Every single thing he did turned me on.
He took a sip of wine and slowly put the glass on the table. “If you keep looking at me like that, I won’t say no to whatever it is you want to do to me.”
Oh, fuck.
I couldn’t speak for a second. I had to take a breath first. “I can’t help it. And I can’t even bring myself to apologise. You’re sexy as hell, Lawson, and you have no idea what it is I want to do to you.”
His cheeks flamed but his eyes darkened. He held my gaze, daringly. “Does it, in any part, involve your mouth on my body?”
All pretences were down and I was done for. Every nerve in my body was a live wire, and my cock throbbed and my balls ached with need. I stood up, my chair scraping on the floorboards. I walked around to his side of the table, and he never even attempted to stand up. He simply sat there and stared up at me with a knowing, brazen smirk and waited for me to make my move.
CHAPTER TEN
Lawson
Jack held out his hand, which I took and stood up, but instead of leading me to the sofa or to his bedroom, as I’d hoped he would, he pushed me against the dining table. With my arse pressed into the wood, he pushed his body against mine and kissed me like he owned me.
He pinned me where I was with his body and his arms wrapped tight around me. I could feel his desperation in the strength of his hold. It was possessive and pure desire. He swept his tongue into my mouth, owning every part of me he touched.
He was clearly aroused, his erection pressed hard against mine. He ground against me for the friction we both craved, never breaking his mouth from mine.
A passion had sparked between us that I’d never known could exist. I wanted him with every cell in my body.
He was pressing me so hard against the table, it moved under our weight. I lifted my feet and wrapped my legs around the backs of his thighs, just about to beg him to take me to bed.
He gripped his huge hand around my thigh and just when I thought he was going to hitch my leg higher, even pick me up and carry me to bed, he lowered my foot to the floor. I pulled my mouth from his to protest. I was so turned on, my erection wouldn’t recede on its own. I needed him to touch me… “Jack, please.”
His lips were plump and wet, his eyes unfocused and filled with a fire I’d not seen before. His chest heaved and his nostrils flared, then slowly, he went to his knees in front of me.
“Oh, God.”
He undid my belt, roughly pulling it through the buckle. Then he popped the button and undid the fly like he was about to defuse a bomb. He was taking his time, possibly savouring the moment, and all I wanted was his mouth.
I ran my hand through his hair. “Jack.” My tone might have been sharper than I intended.
He looked up at me and smiled. “Yes?”
“Please.” I wasn’t even ashamed to beg. I was desperate for his touch, his mouth, anything. He pulled the front of my briefs down, finally freeing my erection. But he gave me no relief. I fisted his hair this time. “Just fucking suck me.”
He hummed and took the head of my cock into his mouth, finally. The warm, wet heat was exquisite. He sucked me down, tonguing my shaft before pulling off. “I do like it when you curse.” He held my cock up and nuzzled the underside. “I can’t wait to hear your filthy mouth when I’m finally inside you.”
My cock jerked in his hold, and he chuckled again. “That’s what I thought.” Then he took me into his mouth again, pumping my base with one hand and sucking me hard.
“Oh God. Jack, you’re gonna make me come.”
He hummed around me, encouraging me to come. With my hand still gripping his hair, I thrust into his throat and he took me. I tried to warn him, but my orgasm shattered through me and I released into his throat.
The room spun as the perfect moment of bliss and ecstasy consumed me. As the euphoric haze dissipated, I saw Jack was now on his feet, smugly licking his lips. He wasted no time in kissing me, sharing the taste of me. I could barely catch my breath and loved every moment.
I pulled him harder against me, and the press of his still-hard cock at my hip reminded me of his need. I broke the kiss. “Your turn.”
“You don’t have to,” he whispered.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “I want it. Please tell me I can.”
He let out a low growl that sounded like desperation. “God yes.”
I took his hand and led him to his couch. I pushed him back on it and quickly knelt between his legs. I undid his belt, then the button and fly of his pants. His eyes were dark and his chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. He put his hand to my face like he was lost for words. Not breaking eye contact, I freed his cock. The smell of musk and desire made my mouth water.
I looked down then to see his cock. He was well in proportion, big all over. A good eight inches, solid girth, and veins. “Oh, that’s beautiful,” I murmured. I licked my lips and leaned down, tasting his precome. Salty and sweet and everything I wanted. I licked his head, tonguing his frenulum, eliciting a strangled groan from him. So I took him into my mouth and sucked him mercilessly.
