Love Takes a Swim Part 57 by Dellani Oakes

Paisley laughed loudly. “Trust that to be the one thing you remember about him.”

“It made an impression. We studied that right after my first time. I remember wondering how he could possibly give up something that felt that good.”

Paisley stood on tiptoe, kissing him deeply. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“Me too. I need to run, babe.” He kissed her again, longer. “This sucks! This is me leaving.” He backed out the door, waving as he went.

“Boy, he’s got it bad,” Tempest said as she came to stand by Paisley in the doorway.

“Good. I’d hate to think I was the only one. I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have a man like Kai. I know your brothers drive you nuts, Tempy, but I hope you’re lucky enough to find a guy like them.”

They went to the kitchen and started fixing dinner together.

“What makes Kai so special? He’s such a guy!”

“Does he yell at you?”

“Once in awhile, but only if I really piss him off.”

“Does he hit you?”

“Never!”

“Has he ever been mean, just for the sake of being mean?”

“No, not Kai. He’s not like that at all.”

“My ex was exactly like that, Tempy. He was a seriously bad guy. He hit me, yelled at me, made me feel stupid, he did mean things, and told me I was his possession. No other men would even talk to me once Ralph decided he wanted me. He didn’t even want me around my parents. I think he was behind their deaths. He tried really hard to get me to move in with him after they died.”

“Oh, Paisley, that’s so awful! How did you avoid that?”

“My crazy uncle. He was a pretty cool guy, really. But I think Ralph had something to do with his problems too. Uncle Frank was an occasional drug user. Ralph’s family supplied all the drugs in the county. It would be easy to spike his with something, or give him a stronger dose than he was expecting.”

“He sounds evil.”

“He was rotten. His dad was evil. They’re horrible.”

“Do you think they’ll find you?”

“I hope not. Be glad you have family like this, because your brothers and your dad—they’re the best.” Paisley wiped her eyes on a paper towel. “Okay, kiddo. Time to get cooking!”

Kai spent hours helping dig people out of the rubble where a supermarket collapsed. Fortunately, most of them survived, but there were a couple of mangled bodies uncovered and pronounced dead at the scene. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen death, but it was the worst.

When it was over, he and the rest of the team were given accommodations at a local motel. Kai was sharing with Thad. The older man took a shower first. Kai took the opportunity to call Paisley.

It took several rings for her to answer. When she did, she sounded bleary. Only then did he look at the clock.

“Oh, babe, I’m sorry. It’s like four.”

“It’s okay.” She yawned.

Kai could imagine the movement of her body under the covers, her nightgown clinging to the curves of her body.

“It’s good to hear your voice. How are you?”

“Exhausted. It was brutal.” He told her a little of what he’d been doing, leaving out the grisly details.

“Oh, Kai!”

“We’re gonna be here tomorrow too. They think they’ve found everyone, but who knows, right? They’re checking with dogs, running shifts around the clock. Thad’s in the shower. When it’s my turn, I plan to stay there all night, or until the hot water runs out.”

Paisley sighed and he could hear rustling as she moved in the bed. He thought he was too tired to be aroused, but apparently he was wrong.

“Damn, I miss you! This is killing me—being away from you.”

“You’ll be back soon.”

“Not soon enough. Swear to God, I’m gonna explode.”

“Don’t do that. Think of how messy that would be. Not to mention, so disappointing. I mean, what would I do then? You’ve raised my expectations, made me want you more than any other man alive, then you explode? How’s that get fun?”

“I’m gonna think of you when I’m in the shower,” he murmured.

“While you touch yourself?”

Kai sucked in air, exhaling sharply. “Oh, yeah….”

“Good. Think of me—naked in your bed—all night long…. I’m sleeping in your bed. I had to smell you, be close to you…. I thinking of you, naked beside me. I snuggled close while you slept. I touched you.”

“Holy shit! Pais…!”

She laughed seductively. “Keep that image in your mind while you take your shower. Think of how I’ll feel wrapped around you, my arms and legs holding you tight as you….”

“I gotta go,” he said suddenly.

Thad had just come out of the bathroom, wreathed in steam. Kai hung up. Barreling past him, he slammed the bathroom door as he gasped for breath. He undressed in record time and got in the shower.

© 2019 Dellani Oakes

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