by CORY CYR
I had to quit coming up with excuses. I was comfortable with him. We had a good life, and we got along. He even brought my mama to the island so I could spend time with her. Jasper did that because he loved me and knew how important she was to me.
I struggled through the rest of the day, trying to catch up on the work I’d missed when my mama was visiting. I had lunch delivered at one, then stayed until six to get everything done. I finally got my things together and got ready to go home. Going by Jasper’s office, even though he normally left at five, I was surprised to hear him talking, so I didn’t bother to knock. This would give me plenty of time to get dinner prepared. I had a casserole that I’d made the other night in the freezer. I planned to bake it and add a green salad. After dumping my stuff in the back seat of the rental car, I drove home.
Once I got the food into the oven, I changed into shorts and a T-shirt. I set the table by the pool because it was too nice an evening not to eat outside. Besides, I loved the little twinkling lights that were strung around the patio. I finished tossing the salad just as I heard Jasper drive up. Quickly, I checked the casserole.
Jasper dropped his briefcase upon entering and commented, “Smells good.”
“It’s called turkey tetrazzini, but I made it with chicken. I found the recipe on Google. It kinda sounded good, so here’s hopin’,” I said as I stood on my toes and placed a kiss on his chin.
“When I said it smelled good, I didn’t mean the food, babe.”
I placed my hands on my hips and frowned. “Recovery times vary, and eight hours isn’t long enough.”
Jasper bent his head to my left ear. “I have come up with alternative plans. Ones that don’t include ravishing you with my cock.”
“Gawd. Ever heard of a day of rest?”
“You think I’m God?” His sexy smirk left me breathless. “No rest for the wicked.”
“Okay then, while I’m chewing on the thought of your alternative plans, why don’t you get changed? I still can’t figure out how you don’t sweat to death in those suits. Makes me hot all over just lookin’ at you.”
He grinned. “I rest my case.”
I realized what I had said and snickered as he left for the bedroom. I pulled the casserole from the oven, placing it on the counter to cool. I went ahead and set the salad bowl on the outside table.
Jasper came into the kitchen in shorts, no shirt, and no shoes.
“Lord, you sure are pretty,” I stated.
“Aren’t I supposed to say that to you?” he asked, picking at the casserole.
I slapped his hand. “Stop that. It has to cool for five minutes.
“How about some wine?” Jasper asked as he looked through his wine rack. He pulled a bottle out. “This is a fine vintage, Opus One red.”
“I don’t drink a lot of wine, so whatever you pick is good with me.”
Jasper snorted. “As I recall, you didn’t seem to have an issue with polishing off an entire bottle of Château Margaux.”
“Never gonna let me forget that, are you?”
“Probably not.”
Shrugging, I rolled my eyes.
Once the casserole had cooled and Jasper retrieved wine glasses, we were ready to eat.
“This is outstanding. To be fair, you haven’t cooked me a terrible meal yet.”
“Yeah, it’s not bad,” I said as I took a bite. “Never made it before, so I’m glad I didn’t poison us. I did change a few ingredients,” I admitted.
“Try the wine. I think you’ll like it.”
I took a small sip. “Damn, that’s tasty. I’d take this over that hoity-toity wine I drank before.”
“I thought you’d enjoy it because it has a sweeter bouquet.”
“Not sure what that means, but you chose a good one.”
He laughed as he tipped his wine glass to mine.
Almost an hour later, Jasper sat back. “My compliments to the chef for another meal that will make my scale jump ship.”
“You’re not startin’ that again, are you? Just you wait until the holidays. Then you’ll have something to complain about. Mama gave me a bunch of new cookie recipes.”
“I thought I should tell you there’s another storm heading our way. Supposed to be here late tomorrow night or the next day, which gives us plenty of time to do what’s needed. It might persist longer than the previous one. I’m just going by the weather reports. Those meteorologists don’t really know anything for sure until it gets closer or sets down on the islands.”
The last storm had given me nightmares, which was how Jasper and I got together. “Not exactly thrilling news.”
“You have nothing to worry about. I’ll make sure the generator is up to par, and we can stock up on dry ice for the coolers. It’s kind of our anniversary.”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure what you’re talkin’ about.” I knew exactly what he was referring to.
“It was the first time we fucked,” Jasper said in a very sexy accented tone.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I kinda thought we made love.”
“Oh, little country, do you not know the difference between when I fuck you and when we make love?” he asked as he placed his hand on my bare arm. His touch made my nipples hard and my skin prickle with goose bumps. He spun me toward him, his hand holding my neck as he kissed me with a force that made all my aches and pains disappear.
I threaded my hands through his hair, pulling away, excited. “Are you going to have your way with me right here?”
Jasper smirked. “I thought maybe I’d take advantage of you in the pool. Get naked while I grab some condoms.”
I cringed. “Some… as in a few?” Even though my body was racked with soreness, my pussy ached to be filled by this man.
“A handful,” he replied with a glint in his eyes.
I stripped off my clothing and walked into the warm water, sitting on the stairs to wait for Jasper. He returned a few minutes later, completely nude and holding condoms. He tossed them on the cement edge as he strolled into the pool and sat next to me. I floated between his legs, gazing into the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.
“Well, think you can manage this?”
I cupped the back of his head as I pulled him down to me, sealing my answer with a kiss.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jasper
Two bouts of oral sex and one round of fucking later, I was satisfied… for now. Daisy found screwing in the water more comfortable. I had a feeling tomorrow would be a different story. I’d always been highly sexual, but with Daisy, I felt out of control. Every time I looked at her or heard her twang, my dick turned to granite. Would I always feel this way toward her? Or was my sex drive perpetuated by the two-week hiatus.
I started my day off by preparing for the storm. We got all the shutters secured and made sure our guests were readied with assurances that we were handling the situation. Reese took about nineteen guests to the mainland airport because they felt more comfortable returning after the storm passed.
I had dry ice scheduled for delivery late this afternoon and every window secured with metal shutters. I stocked up on water, batteries, and candles and started draining the pool so there wouldn’t be a chance of flooding. From the look of the ominous sky, the rain might start earlier than predicted, and the winds were already increasing speed. The news now said this storm could produce up to ten inches of rain with sustained winds of seventy miles per hour and gusts over one hundred.
I spent the remainder of the day making sure the entire island was secure and everyone had the necessary supplies to last three to five days. I wanted Daisy to feel safe, not be worried. This time would definitely be different. She hadn’t had a nightmare since she’d moved into my room. Sleeping in my bed, in the confines of my arms, would keep her out of harm’s way.
Since I was home and Daisy was working, I decided to provide dinner. The weather was too harsh for outdoor grilling, which was the extent of my cooking expertise, so I jumped into my Hu
mmer and drove to the hotel. I had one of chefs whip me up a Caesar salad and set me up with a fresh-baked loaf of whole grain bread. Once I got home, I reheated the leftover casserole from last night. I set the dining room table with fancy plates, uncorked another bottle of wine, and lit the candles.
I stepped back, checking out my fine-dining masterpiece. I chuckled because I had never made an effort to impress anyone I was sleeping with. I always felt the need to give the best performance in bed, never opting to do anything else. I was new at the love part; I didn’t know what I was doing or even if I was doing the right things, but Daisy and I had a profound connection. I couldn’t imagine going back to my old ways. This woman brought out emotions I had spent years suppressing. The truth was that no matter how much I needed to be needed, Daisy had been the one to fill the hole in my heart. We were so uniquely different, yet somehow we meshed.
My ears perked as I heard her car, and I went out to the drive to meet her.
“Wow, you got a lot done.” Her face looked grim as her eyes scanned the protective covers on the windows.
“Just being cautious. It’s most likely overkill, but I’d rather us be safe than sorry. This is part of living on the Virgin Islands. The weather is great most of the time, but occasionally, you have to deal with tropical storms and hurricanes,” I commented, carrying her bag. I hated lying to her about what was coming, but I knew she might panic.
We walked through the sliding glass patio doors that led into the dining room.
“You even drained most of the pool. You were busy,” she stated as she noticed the table setting. “You did this for me?”
“Of course. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Now go get comfortable,” I ordered with a laugh as I tossed her purse down on a chair.
“Smells good. You cooked?”
I shook my head. “Not really, although I did set the table and choose the wine. We’re having leftover casserole, and I ordered the salad and bread from the kitchen. Oh, and I picked these,” I said as I pointed out a vase of daisies.
“For you being so big and bossy, you can be quite charming.”
“Big and bossy, huh? You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I remarked, swatting her arse with a towel.
I heard her giggling all the way down the hall. I scooped servings of the warmed casserole onto our plates. Setting out butter alongside the warmed bread, I dumped the salad into a bowl. For the finishing touch, I poured the wine into our glasses.
“The table looks so pretty. Thanks for doin’ all this. Out of your comfort zone, huh?” she asked as I pulled out her chair.
“Does it show? I never had anyone in my life I wanted to do these things for. I’ll leave the indoor cooking to you because I’m better at the outdoor type.”
Daisy smiled as she picked up her glass. “Just the fact that you would try means the world to me.”
I sat next to her and began eating. “Did you know I have a walk-in bathtub? I’ve never used it, but I had it made special for two.”
“No, I did not. Where have you been hiding it? I know you have several tubs, including the one I used before.”
“It’s in the third bedroom. We could go exploring after dinner.”
One of her eyebrows arched. “Explorin’, huh? Trying to find new words for sex? I’ve read about men who invite you to see their etchings.” She snorted.
“It’s the candles, I think. Kind of made me romantic. Never mind,” I said, flustered.
Daisy stopped eating and placed a hand on my arm. “I like that you want to be romantic. You just never seemed like that kind of man. I guess I’m surprised, which is a good thing.”
“I’m trying new things. I want to be the man you’ll always want. I got the feeling that Maynard wasn’t a hearts and flowers kind of guy. I want to be everything he wasn’t.” I tipped my head toward her, and our foreheads touched.
“You already are. I love you more than I ever thought possible. My heart aches when you’re not in the same room. That’s what you do to me, Jasper. I feel empty when you’re not around. I never knew it could be like this. I want to be your everything.”
I laid my knife down and wrestled her into my lap. “You gave me life, Daisy Jones. I was a dead man walking for years until you showed up. It might have been your arse that enticed me, but it was you as a person who made me finally feel love. I need to be the man you deserve because I owe you the world.”
Her knuckles brushed the side of my face. “Okay, how about we go find that bathtub? I’m feelin’ sexy now. And you’re feelin’… well, extra romantic, too,” she said, rubbing her bottom across my erection. “Got condoms?”
I nodded as I set her feet on the floor and showed her my pockets. “I can’t wait until this is over and we don’t have to use these ever again. I’m so ready for more bareback.”
Grabbing candles, we walked hand in hand to the third bedroom. I hadn’t come in here since I had the tub designed, but the housekeepers kept the room tidy and the bathroom spotless.
“Holy crap, Jasper. I wasn’t expectin’ this. I might have seen this getup in some magazine. Are those lights in the bottom?”
“Yeah, kind of a Jacuzzi slash bath.” I stopped to ignite the wicks, then turned on the faucet.
I began to undress her. Once she was naked, she undressed me in turn. I added some bath oil to the rising hot water as our shadows flickered in the candlelight. Once the tub had filled, I stepped in, offering my hand to Daisy. We stood together for a moment, her head pressing against my chest as she listened to my breathing.
The water was steamy as I sat down, placing her between my legs. The tub was extra long to accommodate my height.
“You’re the first woman who has used this bathtub.”
“Kinda hopin’ I’m the last,” she murmured as she turned to face me. Her tiny hand caressed my unshaven cheek as the other lay on my thigh. “It scares me that I love you so much. I always worry that one day you’ll decide you don’t want me.”
I grasped her hand that held my cheek and kissed it. “That will never happen. Besides, it’s me that should have concerns because of what I’ve done in the past. Daisy, you know what I’m capable of, and even though that’s not me anymore, I think there may come a time you’ll come to your senses and realize what I did and no longer choose to be with me. Though, I don’t think I could survive without you.” I choked on my final words.
She grabbed a condom out of the bowl on the floor and ripped it open. I held her hand steady as I guided her to sheath my cock. Daisy moved above my length, then sat firmly. She moved her body up and down, sliding along my dick. My head fell back as she took control and I allowed her to fuck me. With her hands on my shoulders, she pumped herself on my shaft. Every move she made was an effort on my part not to come. Her body pistoned as she ground herself onto me. Daisy’s eyes met mine as her pussy held my swelling cock. I was now straining to keep myself from falling over the precipice, but the water was too hot and my girl was too good. The cry of my release echoed off the walls as I drove myself into her. I stayed inside her, and she nestled against me.
I moved her once the water began to grow tepid. “Let me remove the condom.” I pulled out, my dick soft and the rubber limp. I caught the edges and tossed it in the trash by the tub.
“I love you,” I whispered, standing.
I tugged a towel off the counter, wrapping it around my waist. I took another and held it as I helped Daisy stand. I cocooned her in the towel, then drained the water.
“I enjoyed you taking advantage of me. Never had a woman take control. I liked it.”
“So glad I could do something no other woman has done.”
I looked at her. “That’s not what I meant. I think you know that.”
She nodded. “I know. I’m just tired and on edge because of the storm.”
I gripped the towel and pulled her toward me. “I never want to argue with you. It’s too early for me to go to bed, but if you’re exhausted, you go. I’ll
clean up the kitchen and join you later. I don’t want you to worry. This storm is not a big deal.” I made the promise without looking her in the eye, because this one had the potential to turn into a hurricane.
* * *
I woke up to the rain beginning a day earlier than predicted. It wasn’t heavy, but the clouds blackened the normally sunny skies. Daisy had gone into work to finish up some paperwork. I followed, wanting to make sure the hotel was secure. I noticed some light erosion on the beach, meaning there had been heavier rain during the night. I made sure all the commercial-size generators were ready to roll in the hotel, kitchen, and medical bay.
“Are the windows locked down on all floors?” I asked the girls in guest services.
“Yes, sir. We turned on the automatic function last night because the weather reports can’t make up their minds when the storm is going to make landfall.”
“I’m sure those metal shutters gave the guests peace of mind.”
The girls agreed. “No doubt. I let each room know before they began rolling down. I didn’t want them freaking out.”
I grimaced. “Wait until the lights begin to flicker. It was a good call when Kai bought those commercial generators. Thank God we don’t need them all the time. Among everything else these rains bring, it’s causing havoc to the sand on the beaches.”
One of the girls came around the desk. She was attractive and young. “I’ve lived on the islands for twelve years. Kai was born here, so he remembers how fickle the weather can be. Plus, we have all that global warming. I’m sure that doesn’t help. If you need anything else, I can make sure it gets done.” She was standing entirely too close.
“I appreciate the offer, but I think I have everything handled.”
“Well, just know I’m here if there’s anything you want. My name is Leanne.”
This young woman was definitely flirting. The egotistical part of me couldn’t blame her, but as one of the owners, she should know better. She had probably heard about my past sexual history and wished to add to it. It would take longer than a couple years to erase Kai’s, Reese’s, and my sexcapades.