by Smoke, Lucy
I paused, realizing something at his question. “We never had a family meeting last night,” I said.
Dex’s gaze darkened and he pulled his hand away, shoving his fingers through his hair roughly as he cursed under his breath and shot the others a look. “Shit,” he said, “you’re right. I’m sorry, guys.”
Darren shrugged as Taylor stuffed his mouth and Cody reached for coffee. “Why don’t we just have it here and now?” Taylor suggested.
I bit my lip and glanced around. We were still in public, but no one else was nearby or paying us much attention. “Is that okay?” I asked.
“If you guys are okay with it, then I am,” Darren said, finishing off his banana and tossing the peel onto his, now empty, plate.
Everyone nodded their assent and I leaned in closer to the table. “Okay, so…” I began, drifting off as I turned my gaze to Dex expectantly.
“My mother is difficult to get along with,” Dex admitted openly.
Darren grunted. “We noticed.”
Dex didn’t even bother to defend her as he nodded. “I say we just keep up the facade as much as possible, stay on the down-low with the relationship—at least for now.”
“Does that mean we can’t kiss or hold hands in public?” Taylor piped up.
Dex grimaced. “Discreetly would be preferred, but I’d never ask you to stop showing your affections for Jamie.”
I smiled as he turned his gaze on me. “Is that okay with you?” he asked.
I nodded and leaned into him. “I think I can handle being discreet,” I paused, “in public, of course.”
“Of course,” he agreed, and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before leaving me grinning.
“Well, now that family drama is taken care of and you’ve completely ruined my morning buzz, what are we doing today?” Darren asked.
“Buzz?” I looked towards his drink. “Is that even alcohol? It looks like milk.”
Darren grinned and then winked. “White Russian,” he replied.
I groaned but couldn’t even pretend I didn’t want one myself. “Can I try it?” I asked.
Darren pushed the almost finished drink my way and I took the straw and sucked the last of it up… and nearly threw it up again. Darren burst out laughing at my facial expression as I swallowed the vile liquid. “That. Was. Terrible,” I coughed out.
Even Taylor, Cody, and Dex chuckled as I grabbed up my water and began draining it.
“How about a swim?” Cody asked.
“There’s a pool towards the front of the boat,” Dex said. “There aren’t very many kids there usually.”
“Oh?” Taylor slid him a look. “Wanting to stay away from innocent eyes?”
Dex laughed, stretching an arm behind my back. “No, not at all,” he replied. “But knowing you and your penchant for dares and dumb decisions, I thought it might be safer.”
Taylor picked up a slice of bacon and pointed it. “Touché.”
I snatched the bacon out of his hand and crammed it in my mouth, leaving everyone else at the table laughing as he gaped at me and then went back to his plate, muttering about heifers.
I couldn’t be mad and even when we all packed up and left to head out for the pool, I hung back to grab his hand. I glanced around before quickly going up on my tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his cheek. Taylor’s eyes lit with wicked intent and he watched me as I pulled away and rushed up further, rejoining the rest of the group.
The entire time, though, I could feel his gaze on me.
* * *
“Ahhh, this is the life.” Darren sighed as he lifted his second—or third?—White Russian and drained half of it.
Taylor circled the pool—which, as Dex had promised, was kid-less. Actually, the pool was empty and so was the surrounding area. It seemed that most of the cruisers hadn’t found this little safe haven that we had.
I nodded and turned over so that the sun could soak into my back. I closed my eyes, relishing in the warmth on my skin. I was just starting to drift when I felt cold, wet droplets hit the middle of my back. My eyes popped open and I glanced back.
Taylor had gotten out of the pool and was standing over me, water dripping from the strands of his long hair onto my skin. “You’re gonna burn, sweetcheeks,” Taylor said with a low rumble. “You should put some sunscreen on.”
I grumbled and refolded my hands, resting my head back down. “I’ll be fine, but if you want to put some on me, there’s some in my bag.” Taylor’s shadow disappeared but was back in a few moments.
I resisted the urge to grin as I heard the cap of the sunscreen pop open. Reclosing my eyes, I listened to the soft sounds of Cody and Dex talking nearby and Darren’s soft slurps of his drink. Taylor’s breath was the loudest as he leaned over me and his hands—cool, with the lotion coating his palms—touched my skin.
My spine stiffened but relaxed quickly as he smoothed the white cream up and over my shoulder blades and then down to the waistband of my bikini. He pulled away and was back with more. He lathered the backs of my thighs and calves. I groaned as he dug his fingers into the arches of my feet. It felt so fucking good.
Taylor’s hands drifted across my legs again, moving back up until he was under the creases of my asscheeks. He cupped them, causing my eyes to pop back open. But I didn’t stop him. He kneaded them and I turned my gaze. Darren’s gaze was glued to Taylor’s movements, I realized when my eyes fell to his face.
I felt very suddenly and uncomfortably warm—and it wasn’t because of the sun’s rays. I wiggled, adjusting under Taylor’s ministrations, his fingers brushing impossibly close to my pussy. My core clenched, and I nearly whimpered as he pulled his hands away and reached up, undoing the strings of my bikini top.
“Have to make sure to get all of you covered,” Taylor mumbled, his voice thick with lust.
I knew if I tried to speak, I would sound just as desperate.
Not wanting to break the spell, I remained still as he moved over me, straddling the backs of my thighs as he rubbed the lotion into my skin, digging his thumbs in so hard I had to bite down on my bottom lip to keep from moaning in sheer ecstasy. Taylor leaned over me, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to the side of my neck. I turned my head—checking to see if Cody and Dex had noticed what was going on.
They had—I could tell by the stiffness of their bodies—but they were turned away from us, their gazes roaming the empty, somewhat secluded area. They were keeping watch, I realized.
God, how I loved these men.
I leaned back into Taylor’s embrace, turning my head further so that when he moved to kiss me, I was able to meet him with ease. Hot air brushed across my nipples, causing them to peak and harden. I shuddered, my nakedness making me feel greedy and wanton. Taylor’s hands came up and circled my front, plucking at my nipples, rolling them between his fingers.
Between my thighs, I could feel the wetness building, flowing out of me, soaking my bottoms. Taylor pulled away and urged me over on my back. Another shadow fell over my front as Darren stood up from his lounge chair, moving to his knees alongside the one I laid on. Hands found the strings holding my bikini bottoms together and tugged, pulling them free and tossing them away. Arms circled my legs, fingers digging under my thighs, pulling them apart—spreading me open under the hot sun.
A blush crept up my neck as Taylor’s head descended to my core, but I wasn’t going to let a little embarrassment stop the coming orgasm I knew he would give me. My eyes jerked up as Taylor’s tongue snuck out and licked up the very center of me. Darren’s eyes bored into mine volatile hunger swirling in his irises. I groaned as Taylor flicked his tongue against my clit and sucked it into his mouth—my lips parted as my voice erupted, a moan extending outward before I could even attempt to stop it—and Darren snapped.
His mouth slammed down on mine, swallowing the remainder of my moan. He ravaged me, digging his hands into my hair and anchoring me. My neck arched as my back did—my lower half straining towards Taylor’s mouth and my upper
half straining towards Darren’s. Sparks flashed behind my eyelids as I closed them, sinking into the shockwaves that tore over me, leaving me panting and sweating.
Darren reached out, cupping a breast in his hand, squeezing roughly and that, too, kindled a fire inside. Our tongues didn’t merely touch, they battled. They sought out the other and dueled, clashing against each other. Darren was so wild over me that his teeth clicked against mine, but he pulled away almost immediately, leaving my chest heaving. His teeth bit down on my lower lip, drawing it out and away from my mouth, sucking it with fervor.
Between my thighs, Taylor’s head bobbed and his fingers found my core, sinking in. I clenched down on him, feeling the sudden intrusion. It wasn’t enough. I needed something more. I needed him. I needed Darren.
“Please,” I gasped out. “Fuck me.”
Darren’s teeth bit down on my nipple and I cried out, another wave of wetness soaking Taylor’s fingers. He pumped them, thrusting inside as Darren worried my nipple with his teeth. It was too much sensation. Overstimulation. I writhed between them, not wanting to go over the edge yet.
“Please!” I begged. I didn’t even care that I was begging. I wanted them, needed them, would do whatever it took to get them. But they both ignored me. Darren switched to my other breast, leaving the first one to pucker as the air hit it. Taylor thrust a third finger into me, and I screamed as it all came crashing down around me in a kaleidoscope of color, sparking and dancing over my eyes.
My scream trickled off into a low moan as Taylor pulled away, his lips glimmering, his fingers leaving a trail of wetness on my thighs. “Did anyone hear?” It took me a second to realize who was speaking because Taylor’s mouth hadn’t moved. I looked down and noticed that Darren had released my nipples and was staring over where Cody and Dex stood, side by side, watching the areas around us. Cody jerked his head to the side, indicating a negative answer.
I relaxed into the lounge chair, but it wasn’t over yet. Darren backed away from my breasts, his hand going back to my head, cradling the back of my neck as he pulled me to the side. He jerked his pool shorts down so that his cock protruded and grasped it, holding it out.
“Suck,” he commanded.
Closing my eyes, I obeyed, pulling him between my lips as Taylor spread my thighs once more and settled in. His cock brushed my core and then he was sinking inside. My lips tightened around Darren, earning a thick groan as his fingers clenched in the hair at the base of my skull.
I sucked Darren, savoring the feel of him gliding in and out from between my lips. I opened my eyes again and stared up. His neck was tense, his jaw tight, and his stomach rippled with each thrust into my mouth. I softened my tongue, laying it flat on the underside of his cock. A moment later, I squeaked around his thick length as Taylor jerked my legs up and crossed them so that my feet stuck up over one of his shoulders.
I gasped, feeling him thicken in my pussy as he pounded forward. It felt tighter now in this position. Already, I could feel the flames of my orgasm coming to life. Every time they had me together like this, I thought I would be shocked back to reality. I thought I would find that it wasn’t as good as I remembered, and I was usually right. It was always better. At this point, I wouldn’t last long.
“Fuck,” Taylor hissed out a breath. I couldn’t speak. All I could do was moan as Darren drove his length into me. I tightened my lips around him as the first flutters of my orgasm blossomed in my tummy. Reaching up, I put a hand over his at the base of his cock and then let it drift down, cupping his balls.
“Shit,” Darren’s continuous thrusts stuttered as he moved forward and stilled. His cock thickened in my mouth and then he erupted, coming down my throat as I stared up at his gorgeous face—his head thrown back and the muscles all straining towards his release.
He pulled away gently, staring down at me with quirking lips.
Before I could say anything, though, Taylor jerked himself out of me and using his grip on my legs, flipped me over. He shoved my head down against the lounge as he yanked my hips up and reentered me with sharp, jerky movements. I gasped, my eyes widening at the sudden intrusion.
“Oh fuck!”
Darren chuckled as the curse slipped out and I grabbed onto his arm. Taylor pounded me into the lounge chair, the legs of the pool furniture squeaking and moving in small increments with each forceful thrust. I squeezed my eyes shut and tightened my hold on Darren as Taylor shoved me back up the precipice and straight over it in no time at all.
He stilled over me, hands on either side of my hips and I felt him inside, jerking as his chest pumped against my back while he leaned over to kiss the top of my spine. When he finally left me, liquid seeped out between my legs, and I glanced over my shoulder. Cheeks flushed, he grinned down at me as he moved aside to grab a towel.
When I saw my bikini bottoms floating, unattended, in the pool, I couldn’t hold back the laughter. This was going to be the best spring break I had ever had, I just knew it.
Chapter 8
I wasn’t completely wrong. Cruising with the guys was probably the most fun I had ever had. My parents hadn’t regularly taken the family on vacation when I was a kid, and when we did go it was always to boring places—like mountainous campsites with no other kids or grandma’s house. Sipping margaritas poolside with four incredibly hot athletes was nothing like grandma’s house.
“You up for dinner tonight, Jamie?”
I jerked as a somewhat familiar voice called out to me from across the pool. Lifting my shades, I sat up and scanned the area. Dex’s brother—Stephan—was heading straight for me. I lifted my lips in welcome.
“Hey, there’s a dinner planned?” I asked as he came over and popped into a seat alongside my lounge chair.
He leaned back on his hands and looked around. “Yeah, Dex said he’d come have dinner with me and Mother again before we hit the island tomorrow. Speaking of my brother, where is he—oh and his entourage of course. I assume they’re with him?”
I shrugged and lowered my sunglasses once more to block the fiery sun rays. “I think the guys wanted to go figure out what expeditions they’re doing when we hit the island.”
“Hmmmm.” Stephan’s gaze moved down my floral sundress. “Thought I’d find you in a swimsuit up here. What’s with the dress?”
I frowned, but I supposed it wasn’t a strange question. Nearly every other woman in the area was wearing less than me. “Cody and I were planning on going to the ship’s theater to catch a movie. Movie theaters are always cold.”
“Ahhh, I see,” he said, but he didn’t stop his slow perusal. I shifted uncomfortably. “So, you and Dex’s boys are close, too, then, huh?”
I shrugged without answering. I didn’t know what to say to that considering I more than knew them and I couldn’t tell him that, but I also didn’t like the tone he was using. “I suppose,” I finally answered. My voice was so quiet, it was practically swallowed by the surrounding sounds of people playing in the pool and talking at the poolside tables.
“You have to be if you hang out with them as much as I’ve seen you hang out with them—sans Dexter.”
I turned my head and stared at his face. His expression was odd. He smiled, but the pleasantry didn’t meet his eyes. They were cold, calculating.
“I guess I am,” I replied. “I’ve known them for almost my entire college career. Yeah, you could say we’re friends.”
“And how does Dex feel about that?” Stephan asked.
I frowned and sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the chair. “He’s fine with it,” I said tersely. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find Cody. I don’t want to be late for our movie.”
I didn’t give him a chance to respond as I grabbed up my purse and bolted away, walking briskly towards the interior of the ship. I could feel Stephan’s eyes following me as I went, and as my feet tapped impatiently while I waited for the elevator, I nearly jumped out of my skin when a pair of hands landed on my shoulders.
“Hey, I was just coming to get you,” Cody said brightly. When I whirled around, he backed up and then frowned. “Hey, what’s up? What’s with the face?”
I shook my head and looked over his shoulder but Stephan was no longer where he had been. My fingers itched to reach for Cody’s hand—to feel his palm against mine—but I didn’t dare. I waited until we boarded the elevator, thankful that it was just the two of us before I spoke.
“Stephan was just here,” I started. “He was asking me a bunch of questions—about my ‘friendship’ with you and the guys.”
Cody frowned and reached up, rubbing a thumb across my cheek before dropping his hand away. “What exactly did he say?” he asked.
“Just asked me what Dex thought about me being friends with you all.”
“Hmmmm.” He hummed a noncommittal reply. “We should tell Dex when we see him,” he finally said.
I nodded in complete agreement and then something that Stephan had said registered and I grimaced. “I forgot,” I said as the elevator doors opened and we stepped out. “Stephan said there’s going to be another dinner tonight.”
Cody frowned. “I haven’t heard anything about it.”
“Yeah, neither have I. Do you think Dex is going alone?”
“It’s not a bad thing if he does,” Cody said. “It is his family. They weren’t all that bad last time.”
“Yeah,” I said as I looked away. “I guess you’re right.” But still, something was niggling in the back of my mind as Cody led me towards the theater.
It was actually set up much like a showroom, where people sat together at tables—ate and drank and watched live entertainment. Instead, the employees of the cruise ship had pulled down a large white backdrop while someone worked a projector in the back of the room. We found our seats towards the very front.
I tried to relax as the movie started. Ironically, they were playing Titanic—not my first choice of movie, but it would do to get my mind off of things. By the time Jack stumbled across Rose just as she was about to throw herself off of the ship, I was well immersed into the love story, sighing dreamily every time Jack looked at Rose. Beside me, Cody chuckled and under our table, he reached for my hand and I sighed for a completely different reason.