by Starr, Faith
“What a catch you are.” He planted a gentle kiss on my lips. “Let me spoil you this weekend.” He pulled me alongside him to the clerk at the front desk.
“Here are the keys to your suite. It’s located on the twentieth floor. The elevators are around the corner to the right. Once at your floor, exit the elevator, make a right, and proceed to the end of the hall. You have an oceanfront view. The pool is located on the second floor. There is also a gym that’s open from 6 AM to 10 PM daily. You can use your key card to gain access. We also offer an array of spa treatments. All you have to do is press the spa button on your phone to make an appointment. You have a fully stocked minibar in your room. We also offer 24-hour room service. Whatever you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. We hope you enjoy your stay.”
Darn. I don’t think the woman took a breath while reciting that memorized speech.
“Shall we?” Ryan asked as he placed his hand against my back and accompanied me to the elevators.
We rode upstairs along with another couple. The woman blatantly stared at Ryan. She totally recognized him but didn’t say a word to either one of us. Ryan was completely oblivious, his eyes focusing on the red lights above the door that indicated the floors we were passing.
The other couple got off on the twelfth floor.
“That woman recognized you.” I smiled.
“Don’t care. All I care about it getting you upstairs to our suite.”
His blue eyes penetrated mine with such intensity I had to blink a few times.
The door opened to our floor. As instructed, we made a right and followed the hall to the end. There were tasteful tapestries on the walls between the rooms. Thick carpets lined the hallway. Dark, rich colors of gold, purple, and black filled the space. Sheer magnificence.
“After you.” Ryan allowed me to enter the suite first.
Holy cow! It was spectacular. The king-size bed had a mirrored headboard. I could already picture myself on all fours with Ryan behind me, the two of us watching our reflections.
Take a deep breath.
Beige travertine lined the floor. An area rug with a black and cream zig zag pattern sat in front of a black leather couch and two matching armchairs. Fluffy cream throw pillows rested on them.
A chrome and glass coffee table sat on the plush rug. Symmetrical blocks of glass acted as a partition between the bedroom and living room.
There were two flat-screen televisions mounted on the walls, one across from the bed and the other across from the couch.
A wood dresser with modern molding rested under the TV in the bedroom.
There was a built-in minibar with a coffee maker, microwave, and minifridge. The countertop was covered in black and gold granite—beyond rich.
French doors led to the balcony, which overlooked the ocean. Two lounge chairs with lavish beige covering sat next to a small coffee table.
“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful, Ryan. It’s first-class.”
He dropped our bags on the bar. “I saw pictures online, but they didn’t do the place justice. I agree with you that it’s kick-ass.”
I opened the French doors. Warm salt air filled my lungs. I mindfully breathed in and out, relishing the serenity.
Strong arms wrapped around me. I rested my head against Ryan’s chest. “Now this is a picture.”
My eyes opened and took wonder in the expanse of ocean blue with waves crashing against the shore. Seagulls made ha-ha-ha-ha sounds in the distance. It was perfect.
“I agree. Thank you for bringing me here.”
He rested his chin on my shoulder. “The beach is quiet. I’m glad there aren’t a million tourists on it.”
“Me too. It’s like we have the whole place to ourselves.”
He spun me around. “You’ll hear no complaints from me about that.”
“Nor will you hear any from me.”
Our bodies came together instinctively. His lips brushed against mine.
“I can’t remember the last time I took a vacation.” I sighed.
“I’ll have to change that.”
If only he could. My current situation didn’t allow for lengthy breaks. I was going to relish every second of the next few days, including the breathtaking man who had brought me to paradise with him.
Our little kisses morphed into one filled with passion. He bunched my hair at the nape of my neck. My fingers dug into his hair and played with the soft waves.
We stepped together—him forward, me backward—until we reached a lounge chair. We got comfortable on it. Meaning: my body on top of his.
Our tongues mangled, and our hands explored.
I straddled his hips, resting my knees on both sides of him. Slowly, I ground myself against his covered erection.
He raised my shirt, breaking our kiss long enough to get the fabric up and over my head. Blindly, he unclasped my bra and let it fall forward.
With the flick of my wrists, the lingerie fell on top of him.
He shoved it aside. “We won’t be needing that right now.”
He cupped one breast then the other. The pads of his thumbs rolled over my nipples.
I raised my hips long enough to unsnap his denims. I gave the skillful man space to unzip and shove them down. The removal process of his boxers was a two-person job. Seeing the small airplane designs on them was much appreciated. He was such a boy yet a man in every sense of the word.
“Take off your shorts, baby.”
Right.
One. Two. Three. Unbutton. Unzip. Kick off. It was as easy as that.
“Anxious, are we?” he joked.
“You bet I am. We haven’t been alone together in several days. And that kiss you gave me before we left made me desperate for more.”
“I like the way you think.”
“I hope our neighbors don’t come out on their balcony.”
“There are dividers. They won’t be able to see anything. As far as hearing, I can’t make any promises. And who cares? Let them eat their hearts out. Why don’t you climb aboard?” He stroked his length.
Before taking him up on his request, I inched down the lounge chair and licked the juices pooling at his tip.
“Fuck, Lizzie.” He reached for my head and fisted my hair, watching intently as I sucked and bobbed up and down over him. My gaze fixed on his. I skimmed my tongue down the side, our eye-contact never breaking. “You’re so beautiful.”
He released my hair and smoothed it next to my face. The earnestness in his expression was overwhelming. I couldn’t imagine him being so affectionate and tender with other women. The feelings were too real. This thing taking place between us wasn’t a fling. He knew it. I knew it. We wouldn’t verbalize it, though. It was too soon and scary as shit. At least for me it was. I’d go out on a limb and say it was the same for him.
“Climb on top of me, Lizzie.”
“We need a condom.”
“Shit. I almost forgot.”
“Actually. Maybe we don’t. I’m on the pill.”
He froze. “I thought you said it’s been a while.”
“I did, and it has. It keeps my periods light.”
“So, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying my periods aren’t as bad as they used to be thanks to the pill.”
“No, smartass. I mean about the condom situation.”
“I know what you meant. I was pulling your leg.”
“I’d rather you pull something else right now.”
“During one of our get-togethers you mentioned you use protection with the women you sleep with. Is that true?”
“Of course it’s true. I wouldn’t lie to you, especially about something where safety is involved. I may play around, but I do so responsibly. I barely even kiss them, and I never go down on them. I’m clean. That I can assure you. I wouldn’t risk hurting you, or myself for that matter.”
That comment alone had me flying because he had done both of those things with me and to me. It only reiterated our no-
fling deal.
“Then I’m comfortable with not using a condom.”
His eyes lit up. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. But please know that by me agreeing to do this, I’m trusting you, which says a lot because I don’t trust easily.”
His reply was to mash our lips together as if we were long lost lovers who’d finally found each other.
We kissed for ages.
One would think we’d be going at it like bunny rabbits, but we weren’t. The green light for him to go bare had done the opposite and slowed down our actions.
“Let’s go inside,” he suggested.
“You don’t want to stay out here in the fresh air?”
“No. When I sink into you, I want you sprawled out on a bed so I can feel every inch of you.”
Okay then.
I rose and assisted him up with me. We entered the suite hand-in-hand. Butterflies danced around in my stomach. It became difficult to swallow.
We stopped in front of the bed. He yanked the spread by the edges and tossed it on the floor. The decorative pillows went flying.
He guided me onto the center of the bed. His body settled over mine. He rested on his elbows and pushed loose hair behind my ears. “You sure about this?”
“No doubts.”
“Me neither. And for the record, I don’t trust easily either. This is a big step for me too.”
“Then let’s take the leap of faith together.”
He kissed my neck. I rolled my head to the side. His lips planted sweet touches down my collar bone and to my breast.
With my nipple pinched between his teeth and his eyes on mine, he sucked on it, and released it with a pop. I bit on my lower lip.
The other nipple got the same treatment.
A moan escaped me. “Mmm.”
“Your body is luscious. I love it.” He reached underneath me and gripped my ass. I tended to think I had too much in that particular area of my body. He apparently didn’t, which boosted my confidence a few notches. I would prefer for him to love all of me, though.
Slow down, Lizzie. Don’t get ahead of yourself. You fall hard and fast.
It’s been forever since I’ve even been on a date, so that’s untrue.
Still, be careful.
The voices in my head needed to take a breather. I wanted to get ahead of myself with Ryan. I hadn’t enjoyed the company of a man in years. The fact I was giving myself so freely to him had to mean something.
It does. It means you’re horny and miss being touched by someone other than yourself.
“For crying out loud!”
Ryan suspended all action between my legs and peered up at me. He had found his way down there during my mental dispute. “What’s wrong?”
Shit! I had verbalized my thought.
“Nothing. Sorry for the disruption. You may continue.”
He didn’t budge. “Why did you scream that?”
“It wasn’t directed at you. It was directed at my stupid thoughts which keep going in circles.”
“I bet I can make them stop.”
“Feel free to do so.”
He crawled up my body and settled his rigid length between my slightly parted thighs. Using his knees, his widened the space between them.
My fingers dug into his ass, eager to get the show on the road. He chuckled against my ear as he lined things up.
My body welcomed him with no hesitation. And my God— the feeling of skin against skin was like nothing I’d ever felt before. Come to think of it, I hadn’t. I had only had sex using condoms.
“Holy shit,” he mumbled.
“Right?”
We smiled at each other.
He stroked my cheek, easing in and out of me delicately.
I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. My entire body wanted to sink further into the transcendent feelings consuming it.
Ryan picked up the tempo. I let my bent legs drop to the sides, giving myself to him completely.
“It feels unbelievable.”
That it did.
Our movements became frenzied, neither one of us able to get to the summit fast enough.
He throbbed inside me. I locked myself against his hips, enabling him to fill me to the core.
My head tipped back. He remained buried inside me, his warmth filling my channel, causing an eruption around him. My body trembled in ecstasy. “Ryan!”
“That’s it. Ride it out.”
And I did, through every spasm and tremor.
A whoosh of air escaped my lungs.
“I’m swearing off condoms forever.”
I glared at him. “Don’t you dare.”
He chuckled. “Only with you.”
His comment made me feel better than the exquisite orgasm he had just graced me with.
“Damn right.”
21
Ryan
We rested in bed. I twirled her curls. She danced her fingers over my chest.
“Do you mind if I ask you something else about what we touched on before, even though it’s after-the-fact?”
I assumed her question would have something to do with my sexual history.
“Of course.”
She leaned her chin on my chest. “You said you don’t kiss the women you meet on the road.”
“For the most part, no. Being with them is a physical act. Nothing more. It’s a release of endorphins.”
“Then how is it you’re so skilled at giving oral sex if you don’t do that with them either?” Her cheeks turned every shade of red. I brushed my hand over one of them and felt the heat penetrating off her skin. Her gaze casted downward. She was so sweet, so innocent in a sense.
“‘Ancient Chinese secret.’” I covered my lips with a finger.
“Now who’s being the smartass? Wait a second, wasn’t that a line from an old television commercial?”
Nothing got past her.
“Calgon. My mother used to say that to me when she didn’t want to answer a question.”
“So I take it you don’t want to answer mine?”
“It’s not like I never eat a girl out. I just play it safe with who I do it with.”
“Such a nice choice of words.”
“I apologize for being crude. What I meant to say is, I do engage in cunnilingus, but I’m selective with the women I engage in it with.”
“I’m assuming I passed the test?”
“You more than passed the test, baby. You got extra credit and bonus points.” I gripped her ass and gave it a nice squeeze.
The conversation came to a halt. We stared at nothing, me continuing to play with her hair, and her continuing to play with the hair on my chest.
“How about you put on your bikini and I give you that swim lesson I promised you?”
“And here I thought you forgot.” Her lips curled downward.
“Nope. Not a chance. Let’s put on our suits and go downstairs. I’m dying to see what you brought to wear.”
She rose and went to her bag. She pulled out a two-piece and dangled it from her fingers.
Damn. My dick was getting hard again.
“Are you trying to distract me?”
She feigned being insulted, throwing her hand up. “I would never do such a thing.”
“Whatever you say. Guess I’ll have to pocket my dirty thoughts until later.” I scooted off the bed and collected my swim trunks from my bag. I changed in the open space. She changed in the bathroom. Now my curiosity was definitely piqued. What was she putting on?
She strolled out wearing a skimpy suit. My dick saluted her. She checked out my erection.
“We could always stay here instead,” she suggested.
“Oh no, you don’t. We’re going to the pool. I’ll more than make it up to the big guy later… with your help, of course.”
“The big guy?”
“Care to deny it?”
“Never.” She shook her head.
“Good answer. It can get insecure.”
“I seriously doubt that.”
We shared a laugh.
With my phone, key card, and a small bag in hand, I opened the door and escorted her downstairs to the pool.
“Let’s do this,” I said after securing two lounge chairs. She didn’t seem as enthused as I was. “Come on.” I tugged her toward the shallow end, and we stepped into the cool water. It was so refreshing.
Lizzie shivered.
“You cold?” I asked.
“A tad.”
“You have to get in and move. It’ll warm you up faster.”
“Give me a minute to adjust.”
While she remained on the first step, I dove in, getting her soaked in the process. When I came up for air she was standing in the shallow, drenched.
Oops.
Not really. It had been my intention to shower her for both her benefit and mine.
“Thanks.” She dried her eyes with the back of her hands and skimmed her hair back.
“You’re welcome. Now that you’re wet, let’s get to it.” I took hold of her hands and positioned her in front of me.
“You sure about this?”
“It’ll be fun.”
“For who? The guests that aren’t sitting here watching?”
“For us. A shared experience.”
“When you put it that way.”
“That’s the spirit. On the count of three, hold your breath. We’re going to go under for a few seconds. Okay?”
She looked miserable, her chest rising and falling with speed, but I proceeded. Breaking the fear of going under water was crucial for anyone learning how to swim.
“Here we go. One… Two… Three…”
She sucked in a gulp of air, and together we sank to our knees, going below the surface. We came up together as well.
“How was that?” she asked.
“Not bad.”
“Not bad?” she huffed.
The glare she gave me made me laugh.
“Kidding. It was great. Let’s try it again.”
“You’re hard to please.”
“Depends on what part of me you’re trying to please.” I brought my brows up and down in a teasing manner.
Her eyes and nose crinkled.