A Kiss Beneath the Stars (The Malone Brothers Book 1)

by S. L. Sterling

  He placed his hand under my ass, lifting and pulling me down to the edge of the bed. I lay before him in my panties as he stood and studied me. He unzipped his pants, letting them fall to the floor, and then pulled his boxers down, springing himself free. He was much bigger than Jason—in both length and width. So big in fact I wasn’t sure if I would be able to handle him. I tried not to show the fear in my eyes when I saw him, but he had already taken notice at my gaping jaw, lifting the corner of his mouth in a half smile. “What is it, Autumn?”

  I averted my eyes, “It’s…” I could feel the blush rise to my face. “It’s just I’m afraid you’re not going to fit.”

  He chuckled lightly as more heat crept into my cheeks. “No worries, beautiful, I’ll go slow.” He placed one hand on each of my knees and slowly spread my legs open. He didn’t hesitate. He leaned down and kissed the inside of each of my thighs, then placed his mouth on the crotch of my panties. A low groan escaped his mouth again as he pressed his tongue against me. “My God, you’re so wet. I can’t wait to taste you.” He moaned into me.

  “Hunter, stop. What are you doing?” I squeezed my thighs together almost trapping his head.

  “Relax, beautiful, I’m just going to have a little snack.”

  “No.”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve never…”

  I blushed, shaking my head. No, I had never done that. Jason had always been all about his satisfaction.

  “Someone has been doing you a great disservice. Just relax. I’ve been told I am very good with my tongue.” He ran his hands over my breasts, my legs falling apart. He leaned down and kissed me just above my panty line.

  He squeezed my thighs with his hands and then, in a quick, swift pull, ripped my favorite pair of lace panties off me. Burying his face into me, he licked and sucked at my clit. I couldn’t help the moan that escaped my mouth as my back lifted off the mattress. If he kept that up, I would come on the spot. Inserting a finger into me, he continued. I could feel myself start to tighten as he inserted another finger, pumping them in and out slowly while he continued sucking my clit into his mouth.

  “Hunter, please stop. I’m going to come,” I cried out as my fingers gripped his hair.

  “Then come for me, beautiful.” There was no stopping him. He continued pumping his fingers, finally curling them up to hit that special spot inside of me, as he continued sucking on my clit. It was like I forgot to breathe; my back arched off the mattress and I cried out.

  He kissed the insides of my thighs again as he crawled up between my legs. I watched as he pulled a condom from the bedside drawer and slipped it on himself. He rubbed the head of his cock against my wetness and then I felt the pressure as he pushed himself at my opening. He took his time sliding into me, inch by inch, letting me adjust to him as he went. “Fuck, beautiful, you’re so tight. You feel amazing,” he whispered. My nails dug into his back as he pushed the rest of himself slowly into me all the way to the hilt. Once he was fully seated in me, he held himself there, letting me adjust to him. Raising my legs up onto his shoulders and leaning forward, he began drilling into me. Reaching down, he rubbed my clit as he thrust into me harder and faster. I could feel him start to swell as I tightened around him. His breathing became more erratic and he let out a deep groan. I felt his muscles start to tighten as he unloaded into me. He collapsed on top of me and stayed there holding me until we both caught our breath.

  Reaching down between us, he held onto the top of the condom as he pulled himself out of me. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” He got up off the bed as he walked into the bathroom, grabbed a warm cloth, and came back, cleaning me up. Throwing the cloth down on the floor, he laid down beside me, pulling me into him, placing my head on his chest. We were quiet as we laid there, him tracing light circles on my back as I listened intently to his heart beating wildly in his chest.

  * * *

  The room was dark. I had no idea where I was. The soreness between my legs quickly reminded me what had happened, and then I felt Hunter’s arm tighten around my waist. I looked at the clock—three in the morning. I laid there for a moment, trying to calm the panic that was rising in me, but it was no use. I couldn’t breathe. I needed to get out of there. I waited until he rolled over, his deep snore filling the room. I felt around the room, trying to find my clothing. I found everything on the floor in a pile, finally finding what was left of my shredded panties just under the edge of the bed. I dressed the best I could in the darkness, grabbed my shoes and clutch, and slipped out the front door.

  As soon as I was in the safety of my own room, I dropped everything and let out an uncontrollable sob. What had I done? Sex with a complete stranger, not once, but three times? What had I been thinking? Taking a deep breath, I tried to stop the tears from falling, but it was no use. Every part of me shook as I removed my clothing, leaving my dress along with everything else in a heap on the floor. Heading out into my private outdoor shower, I turned the water on, letting the hot water hit my body. I sank to the ground, sitting and crying. I let the water wash the tears down the drain. I wasn’t crying over what had just happened hours ago—it was amazing—but rather what had happened years ago, as the realization hit that Jason had never really been the one. When the water finally turned cold, I picked myself up off the ground, shut off the lights, and went into the bedroom, wrapped in a towel. I dried off, slipped into my T-shirt, and crawled into the cold bed.

  It was almost eight in the morning when I woke up from a restless, broken sleep. The sun was streaming through the windows. I rolled over, the familiar ache I felt between my legs quickly reminding me that last night did in fact happen. I had never succumbed to a man’s touch like that before, not that quickly anyway. Jason had never turned me on like that, with a deep need to be satisfied at an exact moment. The whole night had been like nothing I had ever felt or experienced. We couldn’t seem to get enough of one another.

  I pulled myself out of bed and ran a brush through my hair. I packed up my beach bag and got dressed in my bathing suit and wrap. Grabbing my bag, I opened the door. As I went to close it behind me, I found an envelope with my name scrawled across it taped to the door. I had no doubt in my mind who it was from, so I placed it inside my bag and headed up for breakfast. Once I had sat down with my food, I reached into my bag. Grabbing the note, I took a deep breath, my chest aching. I leaned back against the chair, and with shaky hands, opened the note, already dreading what was written inside.

  Autumn, I’d hoped to wake up to your beautiful face this morning. I hope your leaving wasn’t due to regret. I want you to know I thoroughly enjoyed last night, and it would probably break me to know you feel differently. I will be away from the resort today with my brothers on a scuba-diving/deep-sea fishing adventure. I’ve arranged for you to have a very relaxing day at the spa—on me. After all, I’m sure you are rather sore from last night. You’re scheduled to be there at nine. I have arranged a special surprise for dinner tonight and hope that you will accompany me. Please meet me outside of Tranquility at seven. Until then, beautiful, I hope you enjoy your day. — Hunter

  A tear ran down my cheek as I folded the note and placed it back in the envelope and into my bag. I checked my watch, eight-thirty. After finishing my breakfast, I made my way to the spa.

  Chapter Fourteen

  HUNTER

  THE NIGHT AIR WAS COOL coming off the ocean, as I stood outside of the restaurant waiting for her to arrive. I had reserved a private table on the beach for us for dinner. Everything was set. Now all I needed was her. I could feel my pulse start to race at the sound of heels approaching, but my hopes crashed quickly when the person came around the corner and I saw it wasn’t her. I glanced at my watch. It was already twenty after seven. She probably wasn’t coming, and the staff had already told me that they couldn’t hold my reservation for much longer. I swallowed, fighting down my disappointment, and went to let the waitress know that the table needed to be canceled, when I heard a soft voice say my name
.

  I turned and saw her standing at the end of the walkway. She was stunning, her hair pulled up into a loose bun, which showed off her neck. Soft tendrils were falling around her face. The white dress she wore hugged her in all the right places. A soft smile came over her face as she approached me. Pulling her into me, I kissed her just below the ear. “Hello, beautiful. Ready for dinner?”

  The waitress smiled at the pair of us and grabbed two menus. “This way, please.” She turned and led us away from the door.

  “Hunter, where are we going? The restaurant is right there.”

  My hand tightened around hers. “Trust me. You’re going to love it.” I winked at her and placed my hand on the small of her back, guiding her through the narrow path in front of me.

  We stepped from the tight pathway out onto the beach. There, a table for two was set up on a small platform for us in the moonlight. I watched her expression as she saw what was in front of us. “Hunter, this is amazing.” A smile lit up her face.

  “A quiet dinner for two.” I led her to the table, pulling out the chair for her, and then took my seat across from her. The waitress then poured us each a glass of white wine, leaving us to look at the menu.

  I watched her as she studied the menu. I could barely take my eyes off her, and to be honest, I didn’t want to. There was still something hidden in those eyes of hers; I just wish I knew what it was. The waitress returned a couple minutes later to take our order. Autumn ordered the roast chicken and I the lobster. As the waitress walked away, I made eye contact with her, her beautiful grey-blue eyes sparkling against the light of the moon. “What do you think?” I asked her.

  “It’s beautiful. I didn’t know they offered dinners out here. Of course, a romantic dinner on the beach for one doesn’t sound all that appealing, does it?” She let out an adorable little giggle as she looked at me.

  “They don’t normally do this. I had to put in a very special request. How did you enjoy your day at the spa?”

  Her eyes turned down. “It was the most relaxing day I have had in a long time. Thank you. But I don’t feel right about it, so if you could please tell me what all of that cost, I would like to repay you.”

  “No need, beautiful. It’s on me.”

  I watched as she took a sip of wine, her eyes darting back to mine. “That’s very kind of you, but I can’t let you do that.”

  “It’s already done. Now no more talk about it.”

  There were tears in her eyes as she sipped her wine, and now she was avoiding my gaze. I wasn’t sure how to read her, but I could tell there was something weighing on her mind, and I knew it wasn’t me. She wasn’t the type of woman who had been spoiled previously, if at all, and I had a feeling that it made her extremely uncomfortable.

  * * *

  AUTUMN

  I left the topic alone after that, trying to accept the fact that he had wanted to treat me, not that he was doing it because he wanted something in return. I finally relaxed, letting those thoughts leave my brain, and tried to enjoy dinner. Our conversation ranged from our favorite movies, drinks, and hobbies to Hunter’s adventures for the day. We talked about his brothers and my sister. The conversation was fun, light, and filled with laughter, making the time pass quickly.

  It had been the most romantic dinner I had ever shared with someone. Jason could never have touched this. He hadn’t been the type to pull romance or to surprise me with a day at the spa. He always told me things like that were a waste of money, which I now equated to I just hadn’t been worth it. But the thought or idea of a complete stranger spending that kind of money on me because he wanted to didn’t sit well with me either.

  The sound of the waves crashing into the shore and the soft music playing in the background had created a beautiful atmosphere. The staff had just finished clearing away our dessert dishes when Hunter stood and held his hand out to me. “Care to dance with me?”

  Removing the napkin from my lap and setting my coffee cup down, I placed my hand into his. Taking me into his arms, he pulled me into his chest, our bodies swaying to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. We danced in the moonlight under the stars until the staff turned the music off and we were left on the beach in total quietness.

  Slowly, we walked down the beach to one of the palapas. “Did you want to sit down with me for a bit?” he asked as he started pulling me toward the seat. We both sat on the edge of the mattress, looking out toward the ocean. The moonlight was shimmering off the peaks of the waves. “How did you enjoy dinner?”

  “It was lovely. To be honest, I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”

  “You mean to tell me that the men in your past have never treated you to anything like that before?”

  “I’m afraid not. The man in my past didn’t believe in romance.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “It is what it is, Hunter,” I said a little harshly.

  “Doesn’t sound like the men you’ve been with know how to treat a woman like yourself.”

  I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks, and I turned my head to look away from him and down the beach. I hadn’t meant to snap at him. When I turned my attention back to him, I saw desire in his eyes.

  He leaned in and pressed his mouth to mine, his tongue finding mine. He placed his hand on the back of my head, and his kiss deepened as a low moan left my throat. He trailed kisses from my mouth to my ear and down my neck, while his hands roamed my body. My thoughts traveled back to the night before, to the amazing way he had made me feel, and then the feelings of doubt poured into my mind. Jason and I were over, that was for sure. I had accepted that and tried to move on. That’s what last night had been about.

  I ran my hands over Hunter’s bulging biceps and up to his chest. “Hunter.” He continued kissing and sucking on my neck, ignoring my call. “Hunter, please,” I choked out, tears starting to form in the corners of my eyes.

  He pulled back and looked at me. “What is it, Autumn?” he whispered while brushing my hair out of my face.

  “I don’t think I can do this.” My voice was barely audible as tears slid down my cheeks.

  He held me in his embrace but stilled his hands. “You can’t do what?”

  The pain that was building in my chest was almost too much to bear. I couldn’t help but feel sad over the fact that I was finally facing and accepting the closure of the divorce that had happened two years ago. I was afraid that by telling him what was really bothering me that he would walk away from me in an instant. Who would want someone with this much baggage? What was worse was that standing in front of me was a sexy, sweet man, and even though I had only known him for a few hours, I could easily see myself falling totally head over heels in love with him. That revelation scared the shit out of me. I felt that by continuing down this current path, I was only going to end up really hurt, so it would be best to end things right now. You didn’t fall in love with someone you barely knew; that’s how I got into the mess with Jason.

  Placing his thumb under my chin, he lifted my face to his. “Autumn? What is it, love?”

  I fought at first to look him in the eye, but finally gave in. “I’m not just here for a fun vacation.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m divorced—not recently or anything—but I’m struggling to try to put myself and my life back together again.” As soon as those words left my mouth, the heaviest sob shook my body. Hunter didn’t respond. He just kept his arms securely around me, holding me.

  “That’s what I needed the break from.”

  “It’s okay, sweetheart. Divorce happens, and it’s tough for some people.”

  “This is different.”

  “Tell me.”

  “You don’t want to hear it, and I don’t want to bore you with all the details.”

  “You aren’t boring me, and I think maybe you need to talk about it. It’s only you and me on this beach, so you’re stuck with me. But you’re in luck because I’m a really good listener.”
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br />   I wasn’t sure if I should share with him or not. This wasn’t just cut and dry. I kept my head down, my eyes averted from him for what seemed like ages. “I have nowhere I need to be, baby, except right here with you. So, no matter how long it takes, I’ll wait for you to talk to me,” he whispered.

  I finally let out the breath I had been holding and decided to just lay it all out, letting the cards fall where they may. “We’d been married for two years. Things were going well except we both wanted children, but I was having trouble conceiving. He had been putting so much pressure on me, but when it eventually happened, he didn’t seem to be as excited as I thought he would be. Things were going okay. I was healthy, and things were progressing normally. One morning I woke up. I was about three months into my pregnancy, but I wasn’t feeling very well. I chalked it up to just being pregnant and went to work anyway. A couple hours later I found myself being rushed to the hospital, cramping and bleeding badly. By the time I got there, I had already lost the baby. When he arrived, the doctor came in just in time to tell us that I wouldn’t be able to have any children. I could tell from the second he heard that news that he blamed me for everything; it showed in every one of his actions. From that day forward he became distant. He started working long hours, some nights not coming home at all. I was battling depression, which kept getting worse not better. It took a year before I finally returned to work. I’d been back a couple of months when one morning he met me in the kitchen. He announced that he wanted a divorce. He told me he couldn’t live with the fact that I would never be able to give him children and that he was tired of watching me deteriorate. For him, it was basically over. He already had all the papers drawn up that I just needed to sign. He wanted it quick, easy, and with as little stress as possible on both of us, so he just handed over everything to me. After he walked out that door, I never saw him again. He never came back. He was just gone. I finally dropped off the divorce papers to his office and the rest has led me here.”