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  I shift so the apex of my thighs is at the base of his cock and lean down with my hands on either side of him. “Show me what you like.”

  “Sit up,” he says. “I want to watch you ride my cock.”

  I lift myself up to sitting, my legs around his hips. He grabs the base of his cock and holds it up while I place my opening at the tip. He groans as I slowly lower myself down, sheathing him inside me.

  My eyes flutter closed and I lean my head back, reveling in the sweet pressure of him filling me. He grabs my hips and starts moving me back and forth. I use my legs to lift and lower, sliding up and down his cock. The ridge around the tip drags through my pussy, sending jolts of pleasure through me with every pass.

  Instinct takes over and I roll my hips, grinding my clit against him each time I lower down. His fingers dig into my hips and he groans. I love it when he makes that sound.

  I brush my hair behind my shoulders so it cascades down my back. The rhythm comes to me—the tilt of my hips, the pressure of my thighs. My nipples tingle in the cool air and I bring my hands up to caress myself. It feels so good to run my fingers across my hard peaks.

  “Fuck, Linnea, keep doing that,” Caleb says, his voice gravelly. “You are so fucking sexy.”

  I’ve never been so unrestrained, but Caleb brings out something in me. Without a shred of self-consciousness, I ride him, stroking my breasts while he watches.

  He thrusts his hips up, burying his shaft deep inside me. I move faster, squeezing his cock with everything I have. Another orgasm builds, the pressure deep in my core. But I’m focused on him. On the groove between his eyebrows, the sharp lines of his jaw. The primal groans coming from the back of his throat. The sheen of sweat on his toned chest and gorgeous abs.

  “Come here,” he says, his voice demanding.

  I lean down and he slides his fingers through my hair and takes my mouth in a kiss. We keep moving, thrusting, grinding together. This angle hits my clit in a whole new way and I find myself getting louder, moaning into his mouth.

  All at once, he flips us over so I’m beneath him again. He drives into me and I clutch his muscular back.

  I call out and he clamps his hand over my mouth.

  “Shh,” he says, but the wicked look in his eyes and the smile on his lips tells me he likes it when I lose control.

  He keeps his hand gently covering my mouth, but that’s the only part of him that’s gentle. His hips thrust harder, faster. I run my hands down his back and press against his glutes. His cock pulses and I know he’s close. The first tremors rippling through his solid length make my eyes roll back and my pussy clench around him.

  “Are you ready for me to come inside you?” he asks.

  I meet his gaze and nod. His dark eyes are clouded with lust and I get a thrill that it’s me who does this to him.

  The pressure in my core reaches a breaking point. He plunges in again, his body stiffening, his mouth dropping open as he starts to come.

  He grunts and I cover his mouth like he’s covering mine. The feel of him bursting inside me and the look of unbridled pleasure on his face sends me over the edge.

  We groan into each other’s hands, our bodies moving in sync as we come together. The clench and release of my orgasm surges through me, sweeping me away. He drives his hips until we both finish, then pauses, resting his forehead against mine.

  He carefully moves his hand away and I wrap my arms around his neck. His lips come to mine and he kisses me tenderly—soft, slow, lazy kisses that turn my insides to mush.

  “Be right back,” he whispers.

  I wait, my eyes heavy, my body languid, while he slips into the bathroom. When he comes back, I’m already half-asleep again. The warmth between my legs feels so good and my entire body thrums with pleasure.

  He draws me close and pulls the covers over us. “Sorry I woke you.”

  I nestle against him and let my eyes drift closed. “I’m not.”

  His arms tighten around me and he kisses my neck. “Good night, beautiful.”

  “Good night.”

  I wake up for the day in my own bed. My alarm got me up early and I reluctantly slipped out of Caleb’s arms. I don’t know if he wants me to keep doing that so Charlotte won’t find us in bed together, but it seems like I should. Sleeping by myself isn’t nearly as nice, but I do drift off again.

  Downstairs, I find Caleb and Charlotte eating breakfast together at the dining table.

  He glances up from his cereal and a slow, sexy smile crosses his face. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning,” I say and the way his eyes hold mine makes my tummy flutter. I swear he’s picturing what we did last night.

  He looks so much better than he did yesterday. His eyes are bright, his smile genuine. The tired slump in his shoulders is gone. He looks rested. Happy.

  “I wanted to wake you up, but Daddy told me no,” Charlotte says. “He said something kept you up last night. Did you have a bad dream?”

  Caleb winks at me and I try not to smile too big.

  “No, not exactly.” I smooth down my hair and go into the kitchen to make tea.

  I put the kettle on and feel Caleb come up behind me. He puts his hands on my hips and leans in to kiss my neck.

  “Hi, beautiful.”

  I turn and he cages me in against the counter. My eyes flick over to the table where Charlotte is still eating her cereal. Her back is to us, but she could easily look over. I know Caleb talked to her the other day and told her we’re dating. But so far, he’s still been cautious about how he acts when she’s around.

  “It’s okay,” he says, brushing the hair back from my face. “I think it’s all right if she catches Daddy kissing his girlfriend.”

  I smile as he leans in to kiss me. Our lips meet, just briefly, and he pulls away. But he moves in again for another kiss, and then another. It’s like he keeps meaning to stop, but he can’t get enough. I giggle a little as he kisses me again, and this time his lips linger against mine.

  “Daddy, ew,” Charlotte says.

  He laughs. “Ew? What’s ew?”

  “You look like Alex and Mia,” she says.

  “You’ve seen Alex and Mia kissing?” he asks.

  She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “All the time when they think I’m not looking.”

  He laughs again and kisses my forehead. “Well, my two favorite ladies. I don’t have to be at work until tonight. What should we do?”

  Charlotte’s eyes light up. “You can stay?”

  “Yep,” he says. “And if we eat a little early, I can have dinner with you.”

  Charlotte decides she wants to stay home, which doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s pouring down rain outside, and she often prefers to be at home anyway. She and I play a few songs on the piano while Caleb listens. He gives us both standing ovations, which makes Charlotte giggle.

  Then we all snuggle up on the couch together to watch a movie. Caleb dozes off with his head in my lap while I run my fingers through his hair.

  After the movie ends, Charlotte goes to play upstairs for a while. I stay with Caleb and enjoy the way he’s relaxed against me. When he wakes up, he shifts to look up at me, giving me that slow, sexy smile again. He sits up, leaning over me, and kisses me—a deep, unhurried kiss that leaves me feeling dazed.

  Charlotte’s voice comes from the stairs. “Ew.”

  We both laugh and he leans in close to whisper in my ear. “You’re so delicious, I can’t help it.”

  Caleb orders pizza for dinner so no one has to cook. Soon after we finish eating, it’s time for him to leave for work. He cuddles Charlotte at the door, holding her and softly rubbing her back. When he puts her down, she goes back to the living room to play with her stuffed animals.

  He pulls me close and kisses me. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” I ask.

  “Everything,” he says.

  After one last kiss, I watch him go.

  21

  Linnea


  Over the next few months, things between me and Caleb only get better. We trade off babysitting with Megan and James for date nights—they take Bug so we can go out, and we take Noah so they can go out. Charlotte and Noah are such great little friends, and they love hanging out together, so the arrangement is great for everyone.

  Spring arrives, and with it, Charlotte’s birthday. We celebrate by taking a trip to the zoo with Noah’s family. Not long after, Caleb surprises me with a night at the symphony. We both get dressed up—he looks so sexy in a suit—and sharing that experience with him is wonderful.

  With parent night less than a week away, I help Charlotte practice her song after school. I don’t like to push too hard—she’s still little—but I know the more she practices, the more comfortable she’ll be when the time comes. Even if she’s nervous, her fingers will remember what to do.

  She plays her song beautifully. I’m so proud of her. Even more than that, I’m excited at how proud she is of herself. That was one of the biggest things music did for me—gave me something that made me feel competent.

  “I think we’re finished practicing for today.” I plant a kiss on top of her head. “Daddy should be home any minute.”

  “And everyone is coming over later,” she says.

  “They sure are.”

  Everyone to Charlotte means her grandad and her aunts and uncles. We often get together at Ken’s house, but this time Caleb invited them here. He thought it might be a fun change of pace, and there’s plenty of room for everyone. And I think he’s secretly hoping Charlotte might play a song on the piano for them.

  She heads into the living room to finish building a puzzle she started this morning. My phone rings and I glance at the screen. It’s my mother. She pointedly hasn’t asked about Caleb again, and I haven’t brought it up either. But there’s so much weight in her silence on the subject. All she wants to talk about is how much I’m practicing, what songs I’m working on, and go over potential opportunities for auditions.

  “Bug, I’ll be upstairs for a few minutes.” I answer the phone as I walk up to my room. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Linnea,” she says and her voice is tinged with excitement. “I have the most wonderful news. I pulled some strings, and you have an audition with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.”

  My mouth hangs open and I don’t answer right away. An audition? In Pittsburgh? I duck into my room and close the door. “You pulled some strings?”

  “Yes,” she says. “As it turns out, one of my colleagues is married to a woman who serves on the board of trustees for the Pittsburgh Symphony. I saw him again a few weeks ago at a conference, and the connection came up. He said he would talk to his wife and see if she might have some pull. I sent them your audition tape, and he called me this morning to give me the good news.”

  “Wow,” I say, still trying to process what she’s telling me. “When are they holding auditions?”

  “Monday,” she says. “You have a slot at eleven thirty.”

  “This Monday?” I ask. “Mom, that’s just a few days from now.”

  “Yes, but if you’re being honest with me about how much you’ve been practicing, you should be prepared,” she says.

  “Of course I’ve been honest with you,” I say. God, she didn’t hound me about practicing this much when I was a kid. “That’s not what I mean. It’s such short notice. And Charlotte is performing at her school on Tuesday night. I can’t miss that.”

  “This is far more important.”

  “No, it’s—”

  “Linnea,” she snaps. “This is the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. It’s one of the more prestigious and well-respected symphonies in the country. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get an audition?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “And how many auditions have you gone to since you moved to Seattle?” she asks.

  I sigh. “None. But that’s because the only two pianist positions to open up recently were with, what did you call them? Small-time symphonies?”

  “Precisely. And if you’d gone after a position with a small symphony, you wouldn’t be free to pursue this,” she says. “I’ll book your flight for you.”

  “Mom, I can pay for my own ticket,” I say. Last minute flights will be expensive, but I have money saved. And if I book it myself, I can make sure I get a flight back that will have me home in time for parent night.

  “Linnea, this is so important for your career,” she continues. “You’ll very likely look back on this experience as the key turning point in your life.”

  “Yeah.”

  “See, what have I been telling you? Stay focused. Practice. Put in the hard work, and doors will open. It won’t be long and we’ll be announcing our daughter is a pianist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.”

  “Um, Mom, this is a lot to take in right now,” I say. “It’s very sudden.”

  “You have plenty of time to pack,” she says.

  “Yes, I know.”

  “Well, then,” she says. “There’s no problem. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  After I hang up I bite my lip and stare at the wall. I should be excited. My mother is right, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is very well-respected. My classmates from college would kill for a shot to audition for them; an opportunity like this is rare. I expected I’d need to play with a much smaller symphony for years before I had a chance at a position like this.

  This is everything I’ve been working toward. Why I went to college. Why I spend hours every day practicing while Charlotte is at school. This was always the plan. It’s a much bigger opportunity than I thought I would get, and it’s been dropped in my lap.

  Only now, everything is so different.

  Facing what this means leaves me frozen. If I get the position, I’ll have to move across the country. Leave Charlotte and Caleb behind. The thought makes me sick to my stomach.

  As does the thought of such a high-pressure performance. Playing in front of an audience makes me so anxious. I love music, and I love to play, but I’ve never loved this side of it. Not when I was younger, playing in the youth symphony, nor when I performed in college. Teaching is one thing—I love working with kids and sharing my passion for music. But the pressure of a performance is crushing. I often wonder why I do it to myself.

  But that’s what pianists are supposed to do, isn’t it? Play?

  Through my partially open door, I hear Caleb. I need to go downstairs and tell him. But I can’t seem to move.

  A few minutes pass and footsteps come up the stairs. Caleb peeks into my room.

  “Hi, beautiful,” he says. “Is something wrong?”

  “No,” I say. “Sorry, my mom called.”

  He comes in and shuts the door behind him. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, she was fine.” I take a deep breath. “Actually, she called because she helped me get an audition with a symphony.”

  “Wow,” he says. “That’s… that’s great. Which one?”

  “The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.”

  He blinks at me, looking stunned. “Pittsburgh?”

  “Yeah,” I say. “It’s… well, it’s a prestigious organization. I didn’t think I’d have a shot at a major symphony for years.”

  “When is the audition?”

  “Monday.”

  “That soon?” he asks. “Do they really expect people to be prepared on such short notice?”

  “It’s last minute because my mom knows someone and they got me in,” I say. “I didn’t really get it on my own.”

  “Have they heard you play?” he asks.

  “Yeah, she sent my audition tape,” I say.

  He looks at me for a long moment and I wish I knew what he was thinking. When he speaks, his voice is quiet. “Linnea, you’re incredibly talented. If they heard you play, you did get this audition on your own.”

  I tuck my hair behind my ear. “I suppose.”

  “So, Monday?” he asks.

  “Yeah,” I say. God
, this is happening too fast. “I’ll have to leave Sunday.”

  “When will you come back?” he asks.

  “Tuesday, and I’ll make sure my flight gets in early enough that I’ll be at parent night,” I say. “I won’t miss it.”

  “Okay.” He rubs his chin and takes a deep breath.

  “I’m sorry this is so sudden.”

  “No, don’t be sorry. What are we doing?” He takes my hands and pulls me to standing. “We should be celebrating. Linnea, this is amazing.”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “You guess?” he asks. “This is what you’ve been working toward, isn’t it?”

  I nod.

  “And like you said, it’s a big symphony,” he says. “This sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime.”

  “It is. A lot of musicians never get a chance like this.”

  We look at each other again, and I feel the weight of all the things I’m not saying. But he’s not saying anything else either. He smiles and rubs his hand up and down my arm.

  “I’m proud of you,” he says. “You’ll have to share the news with everyone tonight.”

  “Yeah, I will. Thank you.”

  “I’m going to go change,” he says. “They’ll all be here soon.”

  “Sure.”

  He smiles again and leaves me alone in my room.

  22

  Caleb

  Linnea’s news leaves me reeling.

  I change clothes and go back downstairs. We’re doing a casual get together—I’m ordering pizza—so I don’t have much to do to get ready. But I’m restless, trying to figure out what to think. How to feel about this.

  Pittsburgh. She’s going to Pittsburgh for an audition.

  It’s no surprise her parents had something to do with it. They’ve probably been plotting to get her out of here since Charlotte made her sleepover comment. I’m frustrated at their meddling in her life. But at the same time, they’re helping her get where she wants to be. Even if their motives include getting her away from me, I can’t fault that they want her to be successful. So do I.