‘‘I wouldn’t put it past her, not for a minute. In any case, it doesn’t matter, because I’ve created a Safe Outdoor Sex Zone.’’
‘‘Okay.’’ Dorcas always worried about Ambrose’s tendency to pile one spell on top of another. Sometimes that could backfire.
‘‘And even better, the cones are pyramid shaped, so that gives them added power.’’
‘‘No, they’re not. They’re round, which is why they’re called cones. They’re not called parking pyramids, Ambrose.’’
‘‘That’s correct. I had to modify them, flatten them on four sides so they would become pyramids. So anyone within that circle of protection will feel the power of the pyramid during sex.’’
‘‘So I’ll have pointed orgasms?’’
‘‘Very funny, Dorcas. Do you want to keep mocking my invention, or do you want to take it for a test drive?’’
‘‘Are you proposing we go into the woods and have sex right now?’’
He gave her a long, lazy smile. ‘‘I most certainly am, my little muskrat.’’
Dorcas thought quickly. Jeremy and Annie were otherwise occupied, and Dee-Dee couldn’t make her scheduled appearance until after they’d emerged from the tent and could concentrate on taking pictures. That left Dorcas with some time on her hands.
She really did enjoy outdoor sex, especially on a balmy night like this was turning out to be. The moon wasn’t up yet, but when it did arrive it would be full. She could feel the full-moon energy beginning to pulse.
Or maybe it was the effect of Ambrose’s orange parking cones. Now that he’d done the deed and procured those cones, she was curious about whether they’d make a difference during sex. If so, then maybe his protection spell was viable, too. A test seemed like a logical idea.
‘‘Okay,’’ she said. ‘‘Do we need to get a blanket?’’
He took her hand. ‘‘The blanket’s already spread out under the trees, along with a bottle of wine and two goblets.’’
‘‘We can’t let ourselves get distracted. I need to come back here in about thirty minutes and cue Dee-Dee.’’
Ambrose squeezed her hand. ‘‘Then you might have to settle for two climaxes instead of three.’’
A promise of triple orgasms meant that Ambrose had oral sex on his mind. Dorcas didn’t want to short-change herself on that. ‘‘Maybe I can spare forty-five minutes.’’
Ambrose laughed. ‘‘I thought you might begin seeing things my way.’’
Chapter 19
Before Jeremy was halfway into the tent, Annie reached for him, desperate to feel that skin-on-skin connection that set her world to rights. As if he knew exactly what she needed, he kissed his way up her body while he crawled in on his hands and knees.
She moaned as he paused to suckle her breasts. The sensation of his mouth there, right
there,
telegraphed a message straight to her vagina. She intended to keep that line open. Arching her back, she cupped her breasts in both hands and lifted them for greater access.
‘‘Mm, nice.’’ He became even more enthusiastic, tugging on her nipples with his teeth and burying his face in her cleavage. Then he licked every square inch of her breasts, moving her hands away so he could get the underside, too.
She breathed in the scent of musty nylon and sex. The heat of their bodies turned the inside of the tent into a sauna, and her skin grew slick from sweat and the swipe of his tongue. She wanted to come, and she was close.
She gasped for breath as she felt the first tightening. With a little urging, that spasm could become a full-blown climax. All he’d done was use his mouth on her breasts, and it was almost enough. If he’d just slide his hand between her thighs . . . She willed him to do that.
Or she could do it for herself. But no, she wanted Jeremy’s hand to be at the controls. She wanted those thick masculine fingers probing, thrusting, driving her over the edge.
Grabbing his right wrist, she positioned his hand right where she needed it to be. He knew the moves. As he continued to suck rhythmically on her breast, he shoved deep with his fingers.
‘‘Yes,’’ she murmured. ‘‘Oh,
yes
.’’ Spreading her legs, she lifted her hips and pushed against the firm pressure of his fingers until her world erupted, showering her with pleasure.
With a stifled groan, Jeremy released her breast and toppled to his side, but he kept his hand right where it was, his fingers buried to the hilt. The tent swayed and righted itself. Annie rolled to her side, too, so that she wouldn’t risk losing that delicious feeling of his fingers moving gently as the contractions slowly subsided.
His voice was low and husky. ‘‘Lost my balance.’’
‘‘My fault.’’ She dragged in air as her body trembled in the aftermath. She’d been too involved with her orgasm to realize he needed both hands to brace himself.
‘‘My right arm’s stronger.’’
She opened her eyes to find him gazing at her. ‘‘Next time I’ll remember that.’’
He smiled. ‘‘Or I could strengthen my left arm.’’
‘‘It’s okay.’’ Keeping her thighs closed over his wrist, she reached up and traced the line of his mouth with the tip of her finger. ‘‘You stayed upright just long enough.’’
‘‘Do I get my hand back? Not that I’m complaining. I like where it is, but my other arm is pinned under me and my options are limited unless you give me more room to maneuver.’’
‘‘I want you like this for a little while.’’
‘‘You can have me any way you like.’’
‘‘That’s good to know.’’ She felt a certain power knowing that she held him a willing prisoner. By stretching a little, she could wrap her hand around his penis. ‘‘Look what I found.’’
He clenched his jaw and air hissed out from between his teeth. ‘‘Careful. That rocket’s in final countdown.’’
‘‘I can tell. It feels like I’ve wrapped my hand around the grip of a softball bat.’’
‘‘And if you keep squeezing like that, you’ll hit a home run in about two seconds. Maybe we should get the—’’
‘‘Not yet.’’ She had an idea, something she’d always wanted to try and never had the nerve to do. Somehow being cocooned in this tent made her feel safe enough to go for it. She let go of his penis. ‘‘I’m going to reposition myself. Lie still.’’
‘‘Don’t worry. I’m going to lie very still and think about something besides sex.’’
‘‘You can do that while we’re in here naked?’’
He gazed at her. ‘‘No, but it sounded good. God, you’re beautiful.’’
She could listen to that kind of talk all day. Every time he told her she was beautiful, she felt like Cleopatra and Helen of Troy rolled into one. ‘‘You can have your hand back now.’’ She released her grip on his wrist.
‘‘Now I don’t want to leave.’’ He caressed her, building the heat once again. ‘‘I came out here with this tent for a solo camping trip the summer between my junior and senior year. I remember distinctly having a wet dream about you that night.’’
‘‘Do you remember the dream?’’ Amazing how he could work her up so quickly again.
‘‘Typical male fantasy.’’
"Let me take a guess. It involved my mouth and your penis."
‘‘Yeah.’’ He brushed his thumb over her clit.
‘‘That fits right into my plan.’’ Reluctantly easing his hand away, she sat up.
‘‘No, it doesn’t. Believe me, I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t last five seconds if you tried that.’’
‘‘You might if I offer you a distraction. A job of your own, as it were.’’ She watched his expression and had to hold back a smile at the way his eyes widened once he understood. ‘‘Let’s do it,’’ she said. ‘‘I’ve always wanted to.’’
‘‘I’m worried that I’ll come too soon.’’
‘‘Don’t worry.’’ She grinned. ‘‘Be happy.’’
‘‘Lady, if I were any happier, I’d be floating in the air.’’
‘‘That could make this next event problematic. I need you grounded.’’ Sliding her legs to the back of the tent, which was, coincidentally, where Jeremy’s head was, she wiggled into position, not touching him yet. ‘‘If you’re so worried, you can start.’’
‘‘Great idea.’’ As if he’d done it a hundred times, he hooked one of her thighs around his neck, settled his mouth on her sweet spot, and proceeded with enthusiasm.
Immediately her orgasm loomed on the horizon. It was just that fast. ‘‘Stop!’’
His mouth stilled, but he couldn’t seem to resist taking little swipes with his tongue.
She began to shake. ‘‘Jeremy, you’re going to make me come and I haven’t even—’’
‘‘Good.’’ He picked up where he left off, and before she could draw another breath she was crying out and writhing in the grip of a second climax. Apparently this position worked for her.
Panting, she tried to regain control of the situation. ‘‘Okay, that was great. More than great. You should win a medal for that technique. Now it’s my turn.’’
He blew warm air over the place he’d just scalded with his wicked tongue. ‘‘I thought the idea was doing it simultaneously.’’
‘‘You didn’t.’’ She grasped his penis at the base and prepared to assault him with the same dedication he’d brought to his assignment.
‘‘You told me I could start first.’’
‘‘Well, now I’m starting.’’ She slid her lips over the tip of his penis and was gratified to hear his quick intake of breath. But he recovered quickly and began using his tongue to good advantage once again.
He was good at that. Too good. The more he applied himself, the less she could concentrate on her goal. No, damn it, she was going to give as good as she got. With firm resolve she used her tongue on the sensitive underside of his shaft and felt him shudder.
He didn’t abandon his quest, though. If anything, he became more focused. So did she. As the spring of tension tightened within her, she took him deeper into her mouth, increased the suction pressure and danced over his skin with her tongue until they were both thrashing wildly in the tent. It seemed as if each wanted to bring the other to orgasm without losing it themselves.
Talk about a win-win situation.
It was the last coherent thought Annie had before she lost control. Jeremy clutched her with both hands and wouldn’t let her go. She held him just as firmly.
As her orgasm spun through her like a giant pin-wheel, she heard the deep rumble in his chest and finally tasted the salty evidence of his surrender. Then, with countless snapping noises that indicated poles coming apart, the tent collapsed.
Dorcas lay on her back on the blanket feeling the cool breeze caress her naked body. She gave thanks to the gods that she’d married a man who knew his way around a clitoris. Not every man did, but she’d been lucky enough to hook up with an artist in that regard.
The glass of wine had no doubt helped, and the impending full moon had helped, too. Maybe even Ambrose’s fluorescent orange parking cones had helped. She had to admit that their lovemaking had been more creative, so she might have experienced the power of the pyramid, after all.
She rolled to her side and stroked her husband’s bare chest. ‘‘That was fabulous.’’
Turning his head, he flashed her a smile. ‘‘Thanks.’’
In that moment, she fell in love with him all over again. Yes, sometimes he was a pain in the butt, and she really wished he’d buy a Harley and get rid of that dorky red scooter, but he made love like an angel. And he loved her beyond reason, even after more than two hundred years. Not many could say that.
She wouldn’t mind lying here a little longer so she could spend time basking in the afterglow of great sex. But she had obligations. ‘‘I need to check on Jeremy and Annie and see if they’re out of the tent yet.’’ She located her scattered clothes, shook off the pine needles, and got dressed. ‘‘It should be about time for Dee-Dee’s close-up.’’
‘‘I’m still nervous that Annie will take her picture and e-mail it to the
Trib
. After all, she’s with Jeremy, who owns the only high-speed connection in town.’’
‘‘Yes, but she promised to come to me first.’’
‘‘And then what? She thinks we have to make Dee-Dee’s presence public to keep Jenkins from shooting her. We can’t tell her about my orange cones.’’
Dorcas paused to gaze at him. ‘‘What a brilliant idea! Of course we can tell her. We can say that we’ll use the cones on Sunday morning to make it look like the road’s closed.’’
‘‘That won’t work for very long.’’ Ambrose started pulling on his clothes. ‘‘Knowing Jenkins, he’ll ask around about the road and eventually figure out the cones are bogus.’’
‘‘But he still won’t be able to get in because of your spell, right? Exactly how will that work, by the way?’’
Ambrose paused in the act of buttoning his shirt. ‘‘Um, I’m not sure. The spell book was a little vague on the reaction someone could expect if they tried to push through the invisible barrier, but I’m pretty sure they’d start puking.’’
Dorcas wrinkled her nose. ‘‘Lovely. But I guess it would keep them from continuing on, so that’s good. Anyway, I think we can buy some time with your cones, enough time for Annie to fall completely in love with Jeremy. Let’s go see how they’re doing.’’
Moments later Dorcas peered through her binoculars and started to laugh.
‘‘What’s funny?’’
‘‘Take a look.’’ She handed them to Ambrose.
He raised the binoculars and trained them on the beach across the lake. ‘‘What the hell? It looks like two badgers fighting in a gunny sack!’’
‘‘My guess is they made love with so much enthusiasm that they made the tent collapse.’’
‘‘Should we be worried? Maybe they can’t get out.’’
‘‘I’m sure they can get out.’’ Dorcas smiled. ‘‘They just might not want to.’’
Jeremy felt like an idiot, especially because Annie was laughing so hard. ‘‘I actually do know how to set up a tent, believe it or not.’’ He struggled to prop the tent up with one hand.
‘‘Oh, Jeremy, I’m not laughing at you.’’ She gasped for breath.