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Chapter 7: Control, what control…

He adored this, every bit of it. Frank simply loved the feel of Calleigh in his arms. The smooth arch of her body against his chest. The tight, wet heat of her around his fingers. The hot, sweet depth of her kiss. The urgent pleading of her voice in his ear.

//Oh, sweet fuck.// The tight, stroking grip of her fingers around his erection. "Frank," //Oh, Calleigh,// She'd done it. Calleigh short-circuited his brain with the heat of her touch. She stripped him of all thought except her heat, the need to feel her. Holding her closer, Frank locked his eyes to her face, carefully pressing inside the most beautiful woman in the world.

//Darlin'// She was heaven around him, hot and wet and soft. And so damn small, he was afraid he was hurting her. "Oh, god, Calleigh," Frank watched her helplessly, needing to see pleasure on her face, to know she was okay. Calleigh was gorgeous, staring up at him with such heat in her eyes. Her hands moved, trailing along his jaw as her eyes dropped to his mouth. Calleigh groaned and licked her lips, pulling him down for a kiss.

//Calleigh,// Eagerly meeting each stroke of her tongue, Frank helplessly moved against her with a careful thrust of his hips. And her response… //Yes, darlin'// Calleigh angled her hips to take him impossibly deeper and dragged her nails over his back. "Frank, don't—ah—don't hold back. I, I need you." Her lips brushed his. "Need to feel you," Calleigh gave him a sweet little groan and flicked the tip of her tongue across his lips.

She was … incredible and so eager. And about to get exactly what she was asking for. "Hold on, darlin'," Adoring the smile on her face, Frank braced his elbows next to her ribs and plunged. Every inch of her body arched into his, her hands tightening on his back. //Yes, Calleigh, sweetheart.// The sound of her voice moaning in his ear, the warmth of her skin, the strength in every line of her body forcing his harder, deeper. //Heaven,// "Calleigh,"

Her hands clung to his shoulders as her eyes fluttered and her breath caught at the next hard thrust of his body into hers. Before his eyes, almost against his lips, Calleigh made the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. Something between a moan and a gasp. Frank would do nearly anything to hear that gorgeous sound again. And again and again. //Calleigh,// Plunging, Frank couldn't help a low rasp of his own at the feel of her body accepting his, holding him closer and tighter.

//That's it, sweetheart.// Calleigh was gorgeous, perfect, and close to shattering in his arms. //So close, darlin'// She was so close, but Frank needed more. He needed to feel every inch of this beautiful, strong woman tremble and shake and cling with pleasure. "Cal," He loved this, loved the feel of her body meeting every move of his, loved the heat and strength of her grip, loved the sound of her voice and the feel of her skin, her eyes, her smile. Frank loved her. "Calleigh, my darlin'" Helplessly, Frank cupped a hand against her jaw and found her lips with his own. He'd never get enough of her kiss, her touch, her. Sliding a hand up the back of her thigh, he changed the angle, needing to feel her go over the edge and take him with her. "Come on, Calleigh, show me." Her nails dug into his back as her body arched and trembled under his. So close, just a little more and those breathless little sounds on her lips would shout his name.

"Frank, please," //Not quite, darlin'// Not the sound he was looking for. So close. So close. Another kiss and another thrust closer, Frank locked his eyes to her face and stroked fingertips between them. That was it. Frank watched her eyes close and her neck arch. He felt the sharp edges of her nails and the tightening of her legs around his ribs. He heard her voice call out his name with just… that… sound…

//God, yes…// "Love you, Cal, love you, darlin'."

The desperate need to keep her close was the first thing to make it through the pleasure flooding him. The second thought was that he was probably crushing her. "Calleigh," Her arms tightened around his shoulders when he moved. Almost like she didn't want to let go. //Sweetheart,// Bracing an arm around her waist, Frank kept her tight against his chest and rolled to his back.

Her hair tickled his jaw as she snuggled closer and leaned in for a long, slow kiss. Mindlessly, his hands tangled in her hair to keep her lips on his. Calleigh pulled back just enough to see his eyes. "Frank," Her hands wandered over his chest and along his jaw. "Did… did you mean it, Frank?" He knew exactly what she meant. The words he couldn't help saying at the feel of her shattering around him. The words he meant with every fiber of his being.

Calleigh, strong capable Calleigh was looking down into his eyes, trembling and nervous. And needing him. "Calleigh, darlin', yes." His arms tightened, pulling her trembling body close against his chest, lips reaching for hers. Frank treasured the way she melted into his arms, responding so sweetly to his kiss. Stroking the curve of her cheek, he led her eyes to his, adoring the hope he saw there. "I love you, Calleigh Duquesne."

He felt the response shiver and tremble through every inch of her body as Calleigh smiled, wrapped her arms around his neck, and brushed her lips over his. "I love you too, Francis Tripp."

//Yes, my sweet Calleigh,// He couldn't breathe, he couldn't speak. All Frank could do was dive into her kiss and hold her tighter. She meant it. This strong, delicate, gorgeous, brilliant woman loved him. And he was never letting her go, ever, ever again.

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He felt … amazing above her, inside her. Frank was holding her so tight, touching her, kissing her. Watching her face with caring eyes. His fingers cupped her cheek, his hands angled her thigh against his ribs. The next thrust drove her nails into his back and a gasp up her throat. "Come on, Calleigh, show me."

Pressure and pleasure swamped a whole new set of nerves. Calleigh clung to broad shoulders. So close. Almost… "Frank, please." She got her eyes back to his face in time to see him smile. He had a plan. And if she could breathe, Calleigh would've bet she was gonna love it. She was right. Frank's hand slid up her thigh and into the trapped heat between them, his fingers circling and stroking her most sensitive nerves.

The world suddenly turned white. For an instant Calleigh could feel everything: every inch of Frank's body against her, his lips against hers, his arms holding her, his fingers against her skin, his length buried inside her, his skin under her nails.

His voice in her ear. "Love you, Cal, love you, darlin'."

//Frank?// Calleigh helplessly clung to his shoulders and waist as Frank gave one last thrust and collapsed in her arms. //Frank,// Breathless, she held on tight to broad shoulders as her senses reeled and her mind whirled. Frank had said… that he… //You love me? Really?//

She'd almost caught her breath when he shifted over her, //No, not yet,// "Calleigh," Those strong arms tightened, keeping her body flush against his chest as Frank rolled to his back. Those hands rubbed and stroked her back and hips, warm and adoring. //Frank,//

Calleigh needed more contact, needed a kiss. Leaning closer, she reached for his lips with her own, loving the slow tangle of tongues and the urgent grip of his arms and hands. It felt like he meant it, warm and desperate. "Frank," She weakly pulled back, just enough to see his eyes, to watch his face. Calleigh needed to know, to believe it. She couldn't stop touching him, hands running up the strong muscles of his chest to his jaw. His eyes were hot as they met hers. It gave her courage. "Did… did you mean it, Frank?"

She watched the thoughts cross his face until his voice and his arms made her eyes fall closed. "Calleigh, darlin', yes." //Yes,// His kiss melted nerves all over her body, his hand dragging heat up the skin of her throat to cup her cheek. Frank's eyes caught hers. "I love you, Calleigh Duquesne."

Heat trembled through every inch of her body, driving a helpless sound from her throat and shiver up her back. //Frank, please.// Her arms curled around his neck as she fought to speak, brushing her lips over his. "I love you too, Francis Tripp." Hope spilled over into relief in his eyes. Then strong arms pulled her closer, a hand in her hair dragged her lips to his. Never in all her life had Calleigh needed a kiss this much, needed to touch and hold and taste. And Frank was just as desperate, muscles bunching in his arms as he deepened the kiss. //Oh, yes, Frank.//

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"Hmm," Still half asleep, Frank tightened his arms around what he'd expected to be the warm silk of Calleigh's skin. Instead, he got an armful of cotton sheets and a soft pillow. No sweet curves or lean muscles pressed against his skin. No warm, soft hair caught in his hands. No Calleigh.

Forcing his eyes open with a groan, Frank pushed to his elbows, feeling cold invade his skin. "Cal?" The faint scent of coffee in the air gave him an idea of how to get warm. His Calleigh was in the kitchen, just waiting for him to sneak up and get his arms around her… and a kiss… and her arms around his neck. Maybe he could tempt her back to bed and really heat up.

Dragging his boxers on, Frank stretched and padded on bare feet towards Calleigh's kitchen. //Where are ya, sweetheart?// One more corner and he could … //Good sweet mother of god, darlin'.// Frank couldn't have drawn in a breath to save his own life. Calleigh, beautiful breath-taking Calleigh, was standing in her kitchen wearing absolutely nothing but his shirt. And despite how huge it hung on her, the fabric somehow drew his eyes to every curve of her body.

As she stretched up for … something the back edge of his shirt inched up her thighs. And Frank's brain melted and dripped into his fingers with the urge to touch, stroke, cling. His arms twitched with the need to squeeze, hold and press those gorgeous curves close. //Calleigh, darlin'//

He had to touch her. He had to get his feet moving and cross this room to slide all ten of his fingertips up under that shirt. He had to touch that gorgeous skin.

If only he could move. "Calleigh," Watching the shiver his voice caused move along her back didn't help his knees at all. The heated look on her face as she turned made his hands clench and his breath catch.

Yes, Calleigh Duquesne really wanted him, really loved him. And he had to touch her right now or his heart was going to beat its way right out of his ribs. "Come 'ere, Cal."

Silk, satin and fire. She was suddenly in his arms. Silky skin against his palms. Satin hair between his fingers. And fire welcoming him into a deep and desperate kiss. Her arms looped around his neck, her nails digging into his shoulders. Trying to get closer.

//That's right, Cal, get closer, darlin'// Without conscious thought, his hands moved under the edge of the shirt to slide along her thighs. "Frank, please," Every inch of her body strained closer, one leg tightening against his hip as she tried to climb higher. "Frank, I need to feel you." Her hips shifted rubbing against his desperately. "I need you, please."

Now, now he could move. "Yes, Cal," Wrapping both arms tight around her hips, Frank guided her knees past his ribs and moved towards the door. "I got you, my Calleigh. I need you." His lips trailed down the arched line of her neck as he rubbed both hands up and down her thighs and wrapped those legs around his waist. "Oh sweet Cal,"

"Frank," her hands clenched on his shoulders as her hips arched against his. "Don't you dare drop me." And then she tried to make him do just that. Calleigh dragged her nails along his shoulders and licked the pulse racing in his throat. She clung, and rubbed, and teased him.

"Calleigh," He had to… he needed. Suddenly, Calleigh's back was pressed to the kitchen wall. Frank held her hips still against his and opened the few closed buttons on his shirt. "You're torturing me, darlin'. All this gorgeous skin and you hide it from me." His fingers slid up her thighs, hips and ribs to the curves of her breasts. The whole time, his eyes stayed locked on her face, watching the pleasure fill her eyes. A groan crossed his lips as every inch of her body moved with his, against his. "Don't you want me touchin' you, Cal?"

"Frank, yes!" Calleigh dragged his lips down to hers. "And if you don't get us back to bed now, you'll see how much, right here."

//God, I love you, Cal.// "Come on, darlin', let's go back to bed." Shifting an arm to support her, Frank smiled into a kiss and carried his darlin' down the hall to the distraction of her skin against his.

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The end