by Harlow Layne
Stella walked into the restaurant wearing the same clothes I’d seen her in earlier today. She made a simple pair of cutoff shorts and a t-shirt look downright exotic with the way she filled them out.
The moment she saw me, a bright smile lit up her face, and her steps quickened until she stopped right beside me. Leaning down, she kissed my cheek before moving to sit across from me. “I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”
“Not long,” I held up my drink that I’d only taken a few sips of.
Clasping her hands together under her chin, her assessing gaze took me in. I was in a pair of cargo shorts and a gray t-shirt. Nothing much, but I hadn’t planned on going out while I was here. “I still can’t believe you’re here. The whole day has seemed surreal. I think I’ve checked my security cameras at least a hundred times, trying to see if I can see any fire.”
“And?” The one thing that killed me was I wasn’t given any updates on the fire. I should have asked Donnie before I left, but my only thought had been meeting up with the woman who sat across from me.
“Nothing so far.” She sighed and looked sad. “I don’t want my house to burn down. Not that anyone does, but it felt so monumental getting there and to have it taken away from me after a few months would be a difficult pill to swallow.”
“At least you had somewhere to go.” Although I couldn’t imagine knowing there might be a chance my house would be gone when I went back to it. “You’re at Penelope’s house, right?”
“I am. She has a condo that she’s never at since she’s always on the road. I’m lucky I have someplace to go because I know there are lots of people who are displaced right now.” Her eyes became glassy as she spoke. “On top of all the stress, and then not having any place to go. I feel for them.” A tear escaped and slid down her cheek before she brushed it away. “I could use a drink.”
I spotted our waiter and signaled to him. After dropping off an order, he came over, devouring Stella with his eyes. “What can I get you, hermosa dama?”
“I’ll have a margarita and…” she looked to me, “are you ready to order?”
“Go ahead, and I’ll figure it out while you order.”
Stella murmured something about a burrito, and our waiter went on to tell her all about his favorite dishes at the restaurant. With each word he spoke, I became angrier. What gave him the assumption she wasn’t with me?
Most likely feeling my eyes burning into him, he turned his attention to me. “And what would you like?”
“Well, first, I’d like you to stop eye-fucking my girl here, and second I’ll have three of the tacos de fuego.”
“I...I meant no…” he stuttered.
“I think you did, so how about you place our orders, and you keep your eyes to yourself for the rest of the night,” I gritted out.
“Of course, señor.” He walked backward a few steps before turning on his heel and scurrying away.
I wasn’t sure how Stella would take the way I reacted to our server. When I looked over at her, I was shocked to see she was biting her lower lip.
“So I’m your girl, huh?” she asked with a raised brow.
“I hope so because I plan to sink into that sweet pussy of yours tonight, and I’d hate for you to be anyone else’s when I do that.”
“I’m not.” Her cheeks pinked up, and I wondered why until she quietly added. “I haven’t been with anyone else since Spain.”
“I haven’t either.”
One of her brows quirked up. “Really? I find that hard to believe.”
“Do you find it difficult to believe that not a day has gone by since you walked away that I haven’t thought of you?”
“How is it we both felt something so strong and yet didn’t get each other’s numbers?”
“Because Ophelia was being a bitch and lied to you.”
“There was her interference.”
“But I do think things happened the way they were supposed to in the end. Otherwise, I might not be here right now. If circumstances were different, I might have still been working on charter yachts.”
“And I might still be in Oasis living a very unhappy life.” The waiter brought Stella her drink and promptly left us. Holding up her drink, Stella clinked it against my glass. “Here’s to fate bringing you to my doorstep.”
“To fate,” I cheered and took a long pull of my beer.
“How long are you here for?”
“I can’t say since no one knows how long it will take to get this fire contained. It could be a week or a month. What I do know is I’d like to spend more time with you while I am here.” There were a lot of things I wanted to do to her, and I couldn’t wait to get her someplace alone.
“I’d like that, too.”
I felt a ‘but’ in there, but she never spoke it. Instead, she sipped on her margarita until our food came.
“I think he’s scared to even look at me now,” she whispered after our waiter left.
“Good, he shouldn’t have been trying to flirt with you in front of me, to begin with.”
“If Brock had done that, it would have pissed me off, but with you, I found it to be quite the opposite.”
“Oh, yeah, how’s that?” Although I had a pretty good idea going by the way she licked her lips and looked at me with hooded eyes.
“It was hot. I wanted to crawl over the table and jump you.” She clapped her hand over her mouth and laughed. “I can’t believe I said that. They put a lot of tequila in this.” She shook her almost empty glass.
“I like your honesty.” Picking up her hand, I kissed her knuckles. “I wouldn’t mind you sitting on my lap and going for a ride.”
Watching her bite down on her bottom lip, my dick got impossibly hard.
“No one has ever looked at me the way you do.” Her words came out in a breathy caress. “Do you think you have time to make a detour to Pen’s condo?”
Was she kidding? My dick had been hard since the moment she answered her door. No matter what I’d thought about through the day, I’d had a semi.
“Nothing could keep me away.”
“Check,” she called. She pulled out a few bills and threw them on the table before she stood up and took my hand in hers. “Ready?”
Her impatience made me laugh as I let her lead me to her car. Her hand left mine the moment the lights flashed, indicating the doors had unlocked.
Sliding inside the plush leather seat, I couldn’t help but look around. Back in Florida, I had an old beat-up truck. Seeing her house earlier and being inside her car showed me how different our lives were. It still astounded me that Stella wanted me. She could literally have anyone she wanted. How she was still single after all these months confused me.
“I live like a hermit. The only people I see are my neighbors and Pen when she’s around.”
“I hadn’t realized I’d said that out loud.” Hopefully, she didn’t hear the rest of what I was thinking.
Her hand came to rest on my arm. “It’s okay. I could say the same thing about you. Why are you single?”
“Because I wanted to be.” It was true I could have had a relationship with someone or had sex numerous times since I’d last seen Stella, but no one interested me like she had. Maybe if she hadn’t been a constant thought, it would have been different, but as I sat in her car, I was happy with the way it worked out.
“Same for me. It has sucked because my neighbor and friend, Lexie, is so in love with her husband it sometimes hurts to think of how alone I am. Pen has a guy. She even had him when we were in Spain. It still didn’t force me to go out and date. I think I was waiting for you to magically appear.” Even with only the light of the dashboard, I could see her cheeks pink up.
“And here I am. You should get prepared for all the wicked things I’m going to do to you now that we don’t have a boat full of people to hear. I want to hear you scream my name over and over again.”
“Yes, please.” She wiggled her ass in her seat, and I knew she was turned o
n.
“Drive faster,” I demanded. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold myself back from touching her.
Doing exactly as I asked, Stella sped up, and with each passing building, I swore I could smell her sweet pussy. Fuck, she was so ready for me.
Pulling up to a tall building, she put her car into park. One second, she was behind the wheel, and the next, she was straddling my lap. Her hands went to my hair as she tilted my head back and consumed my mouth in a desperate kiss.
She tasted of tequila, lime, and something that was only Stella. She was intoxicating.
Her hips swiveled, grinding down on my erection and making us both moan. Breaking from the kiss, she panted as she looked down at me. “I wish I had a skirt on. I’d push my panties aside and fuck you right here.”
Oh, how I wished the same.
“I think we can manage until we get upstairs, don’t you?” Opening my door, I placed my hands on her hips and helped her outside before I slid out myself.
With our fingers laced together, I followed behind Stella in case we came into contact with anyone they wouldn’t see my tented shorts. I barely registered my surroundings as she guided us through the lobby and onto the elevator. The moment the doors closed, we were on each other. My hand went up to grab her breast as her leg wrapped around my hip. Our mouths fused together as we all but fucked each other with our clothes on. When the elevator doors dinged open, it was all I could do to break apart from her. I’d forgotten how amazing her body felt.
She ran down the hallway with me following after her. My body pressed to hers as she unlocked the door. My hands roamed over her lush curves, and I couldn’t wait to touch every inch of her skin.
When the door opened, we stumbled inside, laughing until I heard the click of the door lock. Once I heard that sound, I was like an animal stalking after its prey. Pressing her body into the door, I wasted no time removing her clothes. With each piece of clothing removed, I got harder until I thought I was going to explode. My need for her was visceral and all-consuming.
Her hands frantically went to the button of my shorts, undoing it first and then my zipper. She tugged my shorts and boxer briefs down. Stepping out of them, I picked her up and brought her over to the couch, where I laid her down to feast on her.
It was dark except for the moonlight shining in through the sliding glass door, but even with only the small amount of light, I could see the hunger in her eyes.
I stood, removing my remaining clothes, wanting to feel every inch of her skin on mine. Getting down on my knees, I started kissing the arch of one foot while I ran my other hand up the inside of her thigh. Spreading her legs wide, I kissed and nibbled until I reached her soaked center. I could see it glistening in the moonlight, and damn if that didn’t turn me on even more.
Dipping my head down, I licked her from her opening up to her clit where I flicked it with my tongue. Stella’s back arched as she moaned, her body already writhing under my touch.
“How did I forget how good you taste? I could feast on you for days.”
“Please,” she begged. I wasn’t sure if she was asking me to let her be my meal for the next few days or if she wanted more.
Running my hand between her breasts and over her mound, I used two fingers to hold open her hood as my thumb made slow circles over her clit. I fucked her pussy with my tongue, devouring her as her honey spilled across my lips and tongue, and didn’t stop until her entire body was shaking and she was chanting my name like I was her religion.
Placing a kiss on the inside of her thigh, I moved up her body until I was seated fully between her legs.
Throwing her head back, a low moan came from her lips as I slide inside. Her pussy contracted around me, making it hard not to come. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed one of her legs and placed her foot on my shoulder. It was then I started to move. I couldn’t hold back any longer. It was a dream come true to have Stella under me, listening to her come undone.
Taking one breast into my mouth, I flicked her nipple as I pistoned inside of her slick heat.
“Oh, Remy,” she moaned. “I think I’m going to come again.”
Her words were my undoing. Slamming into her, my balls slapped against her ass with each thrust. When my spine began to tingle, I took her leg off my shoulder and placed it on the ground, letting me sink deeper into her.
“Remy,” she shouted as her pussy started to squeeze my dick in waves of pleasure. Her nails found purchase in my back as I drove into her one last time and unloaded inside of her.
My head fell to her shoulder as I caught my breath. Placing a kiss on her neck, I moved to lie on my side, taking Stella with me until I took her spot and Stella was draped on top of me.
Her heavy breaths puffed out, making her hair tickle my chest with each exhale. “I don’t think I’ll be able to move for the foreseeable future. That was ten times better than on the boat.”
“As much as what we experienced back in Spain was good, great even, you’re right. What just occurred between us was phenomenal, and it makes me think sex with us will only continue to get better.”
Stella hummed. “I like that challenge. I’ve never felt so blissed out in my life.” Her fingers skimmed up my ribcage and along my shoulder, until she was tracing the tattoo I got with my unit when we were on leave. Some days I wished I hadn’t gotten it so I wouldn’t have the reminder etched into my skin forever, but then there were days like today when it was easy to think of all the good times and the amazing men I served with.
“I’m glad I could be of service.” My hands skimmed along her silky skin, making my already semi-erect cock harden further. Leaving her and going back to the station was going to be difficult. After everything, I hoped Stella wouldn’t think it was a wham bam, thank you ma’am type thing. If it was up to me, I’d stay here like this with her until she kicked me out.
We lay like that until her breathing slowed, and at one point, I thought she’d fallen asleep until she spoke. “I know you’re going to have to leave soon. This has been nice, though.” She snuggled further into me, wrapping one leg with mine.
“It has, but just because I have to leave tonight doesn’t mean we won’t see each other again. I know where you live and have your phone number, and you’ve got mine. There’s no excuse for us this time.”
She tilted her head up to look at me with strands of hair all over her face. “I know you’re going to be busy, so whenever you can give me your time, I’ll take it.”
Brushing her hair out of her face, I leaned down and sucked on her lower lip. “You can count on it. I’m not going to let you disappear out of my life again. Now, what do you say we see if I can make it impossible for you to walk until tomorrow?” I swiveled my hips, sliding the tip of my cock through the wetness between her thighs.
Grinning like a cat that ate the canary, she straddled me. “You read my mind.”
17
Stella
Spending my nights with Remy was wonderful. The Earth-shattering sex will make it hard to forget him, but in the back of my head, I was always wondering what was going to happen when he left and went back to Florida. He’d told me all about his dad, and the few times I’d heard him talking to his father, it was sweet the way he’d reassure him he was fine and hadn’t been put in any danger that day.
I also didn’t know when Remy’s time here would be up. The fire seemed to be better contained, but I wasn’t back in my house yet. I didn’t want to risk having to leave again, and Pen’s place was much closer to Remy. I didn’t want to waste our time driving back and forth when we could be doing other things.
“I can feel you thinking.” His voice rumbled through his chest where I had my head resting.
“I’m always thinking about what I’m going to write next.” It wasn’t a lie. Usually, I was thinking about what I’d write about the next day, but not when I was with Remy.
“Is there something else on your mind?” The hand that had been sifting through my hair paus
ed at the nape of my neck.
Damn, I guess I wasn’t as good at hiding what I was thinking or feeling as I thought. “How did you know?”
He let out a long exhale. “I’ve been feeling it since we ate at the Mexican restaurant. I let it go then, but I thought eventually you’d tell me what’s on your mind.”
Rolling onto my front, I crossed my arms over his chest and rested my chin on my arm as I looked up at him. Remy’s hair was flopped down over his forehead and sexily tousled from my fingers pulling on it earlier.
“It seems too soon to say anything.” My gaze shifted, unable to look at him. Instead, I let my eyes roam over the tattoos on his arm. “I didn’t want to run you off before anything got started between us.”
“Something started between us back in Spain. It might not have been what we expected, but that something lingered inside both of us during the months we were apart, even though we never thought we’d see the other again. Correct me if I’m wrong.”
Lifting my lashes, I found Remy’s eyes locked on me. “You’re not wrong.”
His hand slid from my hair and around to cup the side of my head. “Then it’s not too soon for you to tell me whatever it is that’s been on your mind for the last week.”
“If you say so, but if you run, I’m going to hunt you down and smother you.” I cracked a grin to let him know I was only kidding. Kind of, anyway. “I’ve been wondering what we’re doing here. Is this going to end when you go back to Florida? Every night I wonder if it will be our last.”
“Oh, my Stella Bella.” Remy rolled us until I was on my side, tucked against his warm, toned body, and we were nose to nose. “I can’t say how long I’m going to be working here, but I can tell you one thing, I’m not going to be on a plane back to Florida the next day if you’re not with me.”
I blinked several times as I tried to comprehend what he was saying. “You want me to go to Florida with you?”
“Why not? You can meet my dad and see where I grew up.” He said it as if it all made sense to him. “It doesn’t have to be difficult. I like you and everything I’ve learned about you this last week. I hope you feel the same. Since we don’t know when I’ll be done here, I think we should continue getting to know each other and see how we feel when the time comes.”