Chapter 8

• Chris heard Owen objecting loudly and laughed, knowing the sarong discussion was underway. Getting up, he sighed and went to get changed.
• He was just tying his own sarong around his waist, a new black one he’d found with white, he wasn’t sure what, patterned all over it, when Kasey knocked on the open door.
• His mouth dried up when he looked at her. She was wearing a short white sarong with a tiny white halter. His eyes lingered over the fairy sparkling against her stomach. She looked like one of the little fairies he’d fastened around her ankle earlier.
• She leaned against the door and gave him a shy look. “I just wanted to say thank you again for the anklet. I love it, Chris.”
• Leaning against the wall beside her, he looked down at her for a moment. “I’m glad you like it, sweet Kassandra,” he said softly. “I’d wear what you gave me, but I don’t seem to have cuffs on right now.” He watched her eyes move over his bare chest and waist.
• “Cuffless looks good on you.” Kasey blushed.
• “And you look lovelier than I’ve ever seen you look, all soft and innocently seductive.” He reached down and ran his hand lightly over the delicate fairy dangling from her belly button. “Every time I see this, it gives me several erotic thoughts.” He rested his hand against her bare waist and pulled her gently away from the doorway. She looked nervously over her shoulder.
• Chris lowered his head to her ear and spoke softly. “Everyone is getting changed. I’m not going to seduce you, sweet Kassandra, just kiss you.” He feathered little kisses over her neck and across her jaw. “You taste so tempting,” he whispered against her mouth before he closed his lips over hers.
• He kissed her tenderly, almost hesitantly, knowing he couldn’t kiss her as he wanted to. Not with everyone wandering around, and the door open. Her mouth responded to his, and he almost forgot what he’d just thought.
• Shuddering when her hands brushed up his chest, he lifted his head and looked down at her. “Go, before I’m blind with wanting you.” He kissed her lightly and released her.
• She stood there a second with a dazed look before walking out. He glanced at her ankle to see the fairies in full flight. Shaking his head, he adjusted his sarong and dug in his pack for his noon offering.
• As people walked past the group to reach the fire and place their offering into it, Dade gave Cora a look. She shook her head each time. Chris kept a bit of distance between Kasey and himself this time, not wanting to interfere with anything Cora might pick up.
• Patrick moved to stand beside him. “Had a bit of a fright earlier. Two young girls didn’t return after the fire lighting. They were found, ah, exploring the other side of their sexuality, we’ll say, so if you can let Miss Cora know, it might explain some of the tense vibes flowing right now.” He sighed. “Young people...jealous as hell,” he muttered, then walked on by to Justin.
• Kasey gave Chris a puzzled look when he stepped over to Cora and spoke into her ear. Cora smirked, quickly putting her hand over her mouth before nodding solemnly as he walked back to Kasey.
• Chris winked down at Kasey. “I can’t explain it now. I might laugh out loud.”
• Chris chuckled when he heard Owen thank Leena for making him wear the sarong. He understood completely. Standing in the noon sun in front of a blazing fire was too hot, no matter how you looked at it.
• After a light lunch and several bottles of water later, they agreed to rest for an hour.
• So why was he alone in the little rustic sitting area while everyone else was in their rooms sleeping? He doubted Leena and Owen would waste time to for sleep, however. Ah, he thought, he was sitting alone because he couldn’t close his eyes without wanting Kasey, and he couldn’t go in to her while Cora and Rachel were with her. So here he sat, wanting and alone. Sighing, he rubbed his hand over his face.
• He just decided to go lie down, when Kasey stepped out of the cabin, closing the door quietly behind her. “Is everything all right, Kase?” he asked in a whisper.
• Kasey shrugged and chewed on her bottom lip. “I’m just tense. Worried about what might happen tonight.”
• His heart ached for her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and ran them down her arms slowly. “Come stretch out on the bed with me, sweetheart.” She gave him a surprised look. “To rest, we’ll leave the door open. No one will care especially if you tell them how you’re feeling.”
• She looked up at him for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
• He took her hand and led her into his little room and stretched out, pulling her down with him. She cuddled tight against him and rested her small hand on his chest.
• Turning her head, she looked at him. “Thank you.”
• Smiling, he wrapped his arm tight around her. “I told you anytime, didn’t I?”
• She smirked.
• He kissed her softly, because he couldn’t seem not to.
• Kasey kissed him back just as tenderly. Then she suddenly propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him. “Chris, I really should tell you something.” She bit her bottom lip and looked down at her hand on his chest.
• “What is it?” His heart beat loudly as he studied her.
• “I really like you. Well, that’s more than obvious, I guess.” She looked at his eyes as he searched hers. “I really, really like you. And when you kiss me, I...” She bit her lip again. “I don’t know how to say this.”
• “Just say it, Kasey. It’s usually best that way,” he said, watching and wondering what she could possibly have to say that was so difficult to tell him.
• “Okay. I really like you, and I’d really like to be with you, really be with you, but I can’t. Not here, not with everyone else here.” She looked at him for a moment. “I’ve never...I haven’t ever... Well, you would be my first, Chris, if we, I mean, I’m assuming you want to with the way you kiss me. No one has ever kissed me like that before, and you do it so well. I know you probably like women that know what they’re doing but I...”
• Chris placed a hand over her mouth and looked at her for a moment. “Slow down a little, and let me catch up.” He looked at the hesitance in her eyes for a moment and tried to steady his heartbeat. “You’ve never been with a man?”
• She shook her head, no.
• He moved his hand to rest against her cheek. Now would be the time to say something to reassure her, he ordered himself. So many things suddenly fell into place for him it was overwhelming. “Sweetheart, I can’t even begin to say how that makes me feel. That you’d want me to be your first.” And only, he thought to himself. “I would treasure that gift.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “Yes, I want to. You have to know that. I have for a long time.” Chris kissed her as tenderly as he could manage. “I understand you don’t want it to be here in a cabin full of people, and I won’t try to persuade you otherwise. Okay, that’s a bit of a lie.” He grinned at her sheepishly. “When I kiss you, I tend to forget how to think, but you’ve only to remind me, okay?”
• She nodded and smiled, color rising in her cheeks. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I tried last night, but you started kissing me, and when you kiss me, I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to do anything but kiss you.” She leaned over and kissed him sweetly. “I’m kind of nervous, really. I don’t know what to do. Well, I know sort of, but not from experience kind of know...”
• “Nothing will happen until you tell me you’re ready for it to, Kasey. That’s a promise.”
• She smiled and let out a breath. “Okay. I was afraid you’d change your mind when I told you.”
• “Highly doubt that.” He pulled her tight against him and kissed her roughly, stabbing his tongue inside her mouth and tasting the innocent taste that was Kasey. She wiggled tighter against him and pulled his mouth harder against her own.
• He was hard as quickly as he took the next breath, wanting her more than he ever had before. Pulling back, he bit her bottom lip and sucked on it briefly. “This is not a good idea right now,” he growled against her mouth.
• When he pulled his head away, he looked into her big green eyes filled with passion and groaned. “And if you don’t understand what I mean...” Grasping her hips, he pulled her tight against him so she could feel his desire. “That is how much I want you. Now stop wiggling against me and close your eyes or I’ll forget all my good intentions, you sexy little witch.” He grinned at her even though his voice was rough.
• Kasey smiled that irresistible little smile of hers then kissed him quickly before lying down and nuzzling against his chest.
• Letting his breath out, he closed his eyes. He wanted to jump up and yell in triumph. His little Kasey would only ever be his. Kassandra, lovely Kassandra, his.
• There was no way he’d sleep with her tight against him, but he certainly wasn’t going to let her go and get up. Wrapping his arm possessively around her, he closed his eyes and rested his head against hers. His.