“Number one. Whoa. First of all, Tiger, you came to my island to implode and I rearranged everything to suit you. Number two, for you. Number three, because of the way you felt and what was happening to you. Which was what? Did you get bent out of shape over a hangnail, because everything seems to set you off.”
His jaw ticked as he took another step toward me.
“It would do you good to mind your mouth about things you know absolutely nothing about.”
“Only because you won’t tell me!”
“That’s right I won’t and that’s my choice.”
“Whatever. And by the way professor, your oh-so-polite way of telling me to shut up, isn’t going to fly. I left my parents’ in New York and even they don’t hold that right anymore. I shut up for NO MAN!”
“No, but you would never tell your parents that, would you? Instead, you hide!”
“Oh, you go to HELL!”
“Right back at you, love!”
We were chest to chest as I stumbled with exhaustion.
“I’m not going to coddle you from the truth, Koti.”
“Well, thank God for that, or else it would be a shame to see your soft side seeing as you’re about as subtle as HITLER!”
He gripped me tight to his body as I pushed at him with clenched fists. In an instant, his lips were on mine and I bit them so hard I knew I’d punctured skin. He ripped his mouth away and lifted me to wrap my legs around him, before kneeling on the sand. Our next kiss was savage and filled with need. I ripped at his thick hair as he thoroughly fucked me with his tongue until his will won, limp in his arms as he dove in and touched every part of my mouth. I pulled away scratching his shoulders.
“I hate you so much right now.”
He gripped my hair with his fist. “Feeling’s mutual at the moment.”
“What are you still doing here?” I said between kisses. “Just fucking go home!”
“Oh, how I want to, but I can’t seem to stay away from you.” Gliding his tongue over my chest he pulled away. “I need to, I do. I need to go,” he gritted out.
“I know,” I said truthfully.
“This is going to fuck us both.”
“I know that too,” I said, defeated, reaching between us and pulling his cock from his shorts, before he captured my mouth again. He snatched my dress away from my chest and sucked my nipple into his mouth.
Words fell away as we collided on that beach, our need for the other beating our senses away.
I sank onto him and we both groaned.
Licking the shell of my ear, his whisper had me halfway to the brink. “Fuck, I missed you.”
I agreed into his mouth as he slid his greedy tongue against mine.
“I need more than this,” he said, agitated as I struggled on his lap for friction I couldn’t find. He stood with me still connected, the darkness in his eyes highlighted by the porch light as he carried me to the side of the house. With every step, his cock throbbed deep and I whimpered at the feel, biting his neck. Once hidden, he pressed me against the wall of the house and I gave him a grin. “You’ve got a thing for the side of houses, don’t you?” He thrust into me so hard, it temporarily cut off my air supply.
“This will have to do until I can properly make it up to you.”
“Fuck me,” I rasped out, my heart banging in my chest.
“You just love to piss me off,” he grunted before he drove in hard, with zero mercy as I gasped, clutching onto his neck. “No,” he pushed at my chest, “lean back against the house, I want to see those beautiful tits bounce as I fuck you.”
I could hear my arousal as he buried himself, pumping so hard I saw stars.
“Ian.”
“This pussy is going to ruin me,” he swore as he tore through me with pure vengeance. “So perfect.”
“Please don’t stop.”
“No choice, love, this is going to be short and sweet. And I’m damn sure going to make it hurt as a warning. Stop fucking flirting with my friends or I’ll redden your ass.”
“I’ve barely looked at them.”
“That’s enough,” he said as we both managed a laugh between us, before the feel of our connection took hold.
Heat spread across my ass as his palm connected with a few slaps before he spread me wider with both hands and thrust up, making us both call out to the other. I sank back against the house without much to hold onto. He was keeping me up with the sheer force of his thrusts. I came hard and fast just as he drove in one last time emptying himself into me.
He partially collapsed against me before kissing me so fiercely I had to pull back to draw my breath. Seconds after we recovered, I gave him a lazy smile before rubbing my palm down his jaw. “I guess you’re forgiven.”
I got nothing back aside from the show of emotion that surfaced in his eyes. Recognizing that look as fear and trepidation, we drew the same unspoken conclusion. We were no longer safe from attachment.
It was too late.
Way too late.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ian
When we stepped inside the house, the party had calmed considerably. Drew and Doug were cooking up some half-assed concoction in the kitchen and Julian and Jasmine had disappeared.
“He’s a good one,” I promised, kissing her hand. Both Drew and Doug looked to me with raised brows. “Yeah, she’s with me and it would do you good to keep your comments to yourself.”
Koti turned to me with a sheepish smile. “I’m going to go to bed.” I leaned in and took her lips. “I’ll be there soon. The pain pills are in the cabinet and,” I winced, “sorry in advance.”
“Don’t be,” she whispered with swollen kissable lips. “I’m not. I’ll keep your side warm.”
My side. I had a side?
My heart began to pound with that declaration. She leaned up on her toes. “Don’t overthink it, professor.”
“Right.”
“If I’m asleep, wake me up with your apology.”
“Won’t you be hurting?”
She gave me a warning look.
“Okay.”
With one more kiss, she disappeared into her bedroom.
“Some big brother you are,” Drew said, as they both broke down in a fit of laughter. “You fucked her so hard against the house we thought there was an earthquake.”
I couldn’t help my grin. “Mind your business, domkop.”
“Domkop?”
“Idiot.”
“Then say idiot. We don’t speak South African.”
I rolled my eyes. “Domkop.”
“Whatever. I think the entire island heard you two,” Drew said, taking a bite of his sandwich. “She’s truly beautiful, man. Congrats.”
Ignoring his comment, I gestured toward the beach. “Come on, let’s let the house rest.”
We built a fire fit for a king between the three of us and began the task of draining the cooler we packed.
“So, what’s the story between you and Koti?”
I glared at Drew as Doug sat back on the sand, threatening to pass out.
Throwing another piece of wood on the fire, I did my best to throw them off. “What are we, girlfriends? It’s none of your damned business.”
Drew looked at me pointedly. “We don’t hold back. Never have. That’s the deal. And why are you suddenly living in St. Thomas?”
“I’m interested to know that shit myself,” Julian said as he joined us around the fire.
“That was fast. Did you even use the gentlemen’s rule?” Doug said in a slur.
“They always come first,” Julian assured. “And don’t ask me shit. I like her.”
All eyes drifted back to me. Drew spoke up first.
“What’s the story, Ian? Will we be sending Christmas cards to St. Thomas?”
Toying with the cap of my beer, I pressed the wavy metal into my thumb and gave Drew a pointed look. “Let’s not pretend you know how to spell.”
The guys laughed, and Drew gave me the fing
er, but the heaviness of the question lingered in the air. They knew me well, too well. That kind of bond only came with spending months together in the desert.
“I’m here…” I swallowed because it was the first time I was going to say it out loud. “I’m here because Tara told me that Ella isn’t mine.”
Julian got deathly silent as Drew cupped the back of his head. Doug was already snoring.
“Jesus, man, what the fuck?”
“Yeah.” I took a drink of beer. “So I came here to blow off some steam.”
“Damn.” Drew’s eyes bulged. “Can she take her from you?”
“No, she wouldn’t do that.” Panic ripped through me at the thought. “Well, I don’t know what in the hell she would do. If she went that far in the first place, who knows what she’s capable of.”
“Isn’t she like sixteen?” Drew asked. “She got pregnant when? Our second year overseas?”
“Yep,” I said, taking another swig. “She’s just turned fifteen.”
Drew spoke up. “You got fucking Jerry Springered. God, I knew I didn’t like her for a reason.”
“You loved Tara,” I pointed out. Julian, Drew, and Doug had been groomsmen at my wedding.
Julian remained quiet as he eyed me over the roaring fire.
“What, Drake? No words of wisdom?”
“Sorry, man, I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”
“Me too,” I said, retiring my bottle for another.
“How long are you staying here?” Julian asked.
“Not sure.”
“What does that mean for Koti?” Drew asked.
“Not sure about that either, but you need to keep your hard-on to yourself, fucker,” I said, throwing a handful of sand his way.
Julian spoke up. “I’ve got your back, whatever happens. Whatever you need, man. I’ll be there.”
“Same here,” Drew offered.
“Me too,” Doug said before he resumed his snoring.
Sharing a laugh, we tossed some beer on Doug and dropped the subject before we spent the rest of the night bullshitting until the sun peaked on the horizon. Drunk and exhausted, I showered off the sand and climbed into bed with Koti, on my side.
“Have fun?” Koti asked as I pulled her to me and kissed her neck.
“Mmm,” I answered, shifting her leg to rest on my thigh and stretching her ready pussy with my fingers. Cupping her perfect tit, my cock grew unbearably harder as I brushed over her nipple with my thumb.
“You must be exhausted.” Reaching back, she ran her fingers through my hair. Her soothing touch a balm to cure the ache of needing her. “Aren’t you worn out?”
“Not yet,” I promised, placing tongue-filled kisses on her neck before biting into her shoulder.
“Ian,” she rasped out, as I pressed into her wet heat sliding in nice and slow in an attempt to save her from any more pain. “God, you feel so good.”
“So do you, beauty,” I whispered before I tilted her face back toward me with my finger and kissed her.
She felt too good, too right, but I was done dwelling on it. I had her now, I had her until I couldn’t have her and that had to be enough.
I gently fucked her, our eyes remained fixed on the other. Memorizing every gasp, every moan, I kept us connected, until I couldn’t take another second and spilled into her. After we’d both come down, I pulled her closer to me as I drifted to sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Koti
That morning I woke up to the feel of Ian’s arms around me. Deciding it was dangerous to bask in the sensation of being surrounded by him, I opted for a shower. By the time I tiptoed back into the bedroom, he was awake and sitting at the edge of the bed. Wordlessly I walked over to him when he stood, his eyes covering every inch of my exposed skin before they met mine. He gently pushed the wet hair away from my shoulder.
“I’m sorry I hurt you. I don’t want to.”
“What do you want from me, Ian?”
He paused, his thick brown hair a mess, his eyes etched with concern and tenderness.
“For the moment, it’s simple. You. And I want that to be okay. So, you tell me, is that okay?”
I’d already decided to roll the dice with Ian. There was no decision to make. He was worth it and so I nodded, giving him permission to break my heart. He kissed me long and hard before I pulled away. “You need a toothbrush, crocky.”
He chuckled before he tossed me onto the bed, his hard-on proudly displayed an inch from my face when I sat up. “Jeesh, you’re like a teenager with a new toy.” I motioned toward his erection.
“I know,” he said, waggling his brows. “But I have no time to be your pleasure prince this morning. We’re going deep sea fishing today. Want to come?”
“My pleasure prince?”
“Yep,” he said, leaning down to ruffle my hair like he did when we were kids because he knew I hated it.
“Your ego gets bigger and bigger every day.”
“Hey, I’m only gloating based on your screaming reviews. So, would you like to join us?”
“Join you out in the deep sea with only a life preserver if shit goes south? Uh, no thanks, but have fun.”
“You’ll be heavily guarded by four Marines.”
I scoffed. “Four ex-Marines way past their prime.”
“Ouch.” He scowled at me from where he stood and then looked down at his stiff cock. “Hear that, buddy? She’s trying to shoot us down. We’re not having that are we?” He made his way towards the bathroom, his perfect bare ass on display before he shut the door. He ticked my every box both intellectually and sexually. He was attentive and warm and had a huge capacity for love, which he proudly displayed whenever he spoke to his beautiful little girl. He was the perfect man to steal my heart, and I had zero doubts once he was done with it, it would never be the same.
* * *
Breakfast had been served by the time I got to the table. Everyone was munching down on freshly made eggs and crisp bacon, but when I went to grab a plate, I noticed Jasmine was missing.
Julian’s eyes met mine. “She’s taken the dog out.”
I walked out onto the porch as Jasmine jumped out of the hammock wiping at her eyes.
She dropped Disco on the porch who came running toward me. I picked her up and gave her a kiss. “Morning, baby.” Dispensing the puppy in the house, I moved to where Jasmine stood.
“Why are you crying? Did Julian do something?”
She shook her head adamantly and then smiled, which quickly turned into a grimace that had my heart splintering when she started crying again.
“Jasmine, please tell me what’s wrong. It’s physically hurting me to see you like this.”
“I just can’t stop doing this. I need to stop. I’m stopping.”
“Stopping what?”
“Being a slut, that’s what! I don’t know that man,” she said, pointing toward the house. “I don’t know these men I’m sleeping with. I don’t know why I can’t stop doing this or why I even started. Before Steven, I’d only slept with four men. I’m almost forty-one!”
“I thought you were thirty-nine?”
“See, I’m a liar too.” She cried harder and I couldn’t help my laugh.
“Babe, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. It’s not fun anymore. It hasn’t been for a while. If my prince charming is out there, he missed the map.”
“Are you sure this isn’t about Julian? Did he hurt you?”
“No, if anything he saved me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean for the first time in forever, I got an inkling. Like ‘maybe if he didn’t live in fucking Iowa, I may have a shot at something real and amicable’ type inkling.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Yeah, except I’m not moving to Iowa to test chemistry. I mean, who the hell chooses to live in Iowa?”
“Hey, Midwesterners are the best kind of people and our nicest clients.”
�
��True,” she sniffed, while tying her hair up on top of her head.
“So, you’re done and you’re going to hold out now, good for you. It will happen, Jasmine, and at least you know it’s possible.”
“Also true.”
“Okay then. No more tears.” I pulled her back down into the hammock with me and we started swinging.
“I don’t know why I’m crying,” she said with a sigh.
“You think you really like Julian?”
“Not to that extent.”
“Maybe you’re lonely and you’re admitting it to yourself now.”
“Probably.”
“Well, you don’t have to be lonely. You can come over anytime. And at least now you know what you don’t want.”
“I’ll still be a pervert.”
“Just a pervert who isn’t getting any,” I said, nudging her.
“That’s probably going to worsen my condition.”
“I can live with that.”
“Here I am crying, and you’re the one with real penis problems. God, I love him for you already. He could not keep his eyes off you all night. I swear it was so beautiful to see the way he looked at you. Maybe that’s what has me crying. Maybe I’m jealous.”
“That’s a good thing—not you being jealous—but wanting it for yourself. Though I really don’t think you have a reason to be.”
“Well, you were too busy cleaning to see it. So, I’m guessing you two had it out?”
“Oh, we had it out.” I grinned.
“Sounded like it,” she grinned back. I threaded her fingers with mine.
“You are the best, you know that? I couldn’t have ever gotten my shit together without you. You will too, you know. You’ll get there.”
“I think I’m there. And maybe I’m crying because the party is over.”
“Julian’s the last one, huh?”
“Tonight’s my last night. And I’m glad it’s with him. Nothing’s going to top that ass for a while. I’m cutting my losses.”
“Really?”
“God, yes. He was so good, he knocked me out.”
“Damn.”
She pressed her lips together to hide a guilty smile.
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