“I don’t want you to come just yet,” he commanded, his voice tinged with a haughty tone of supremacy.
Grabbing her legs, he pulled her up and across the bedspread, giving her only a moment’s respite as he tore off his own clothing. Naked now, he joined her on the bed and knelt between her splayed limbs. Erica drank in his masculine beauty, from the unusual tattoo he sported over his right breast, to the corded arm muscles, and on to the swirls of hair that sprang from his abdomen and down to his pubic curls. A star-shaped beauty mark rested just above his left hip bone, while in its dark nest, his penis rose, richly golden and immense. When he handed her a condom, she grasped his cock with greedy fingers. Shivering, Nico took in a gasp of breath as she stroked him to bolder proportions and then slowly worked the condom down his shaft.
With a growl, he gripped her legs and brought them up and over his shoulders. Guiding his cock head to her opening, he jammed his huge rod inside. As he pumped with brutal force, Erica reached beneath and stroked the satin flesh of his balls. His moans became grunts of pure pleasure until her tight hold thrust him to the breaking point. Pausing, he parted her legs then positioned her so that her head hung over the side of the bed. When he entered her again, Nico stretched and began a slower, smoother rhythm. The blood rushed to her head and made her senses all the more acute. She dug her nails into his shoulders.
“Eriqueta, Eriqueta.” He trilled her name with a sensual roll of the r’s, his litany beautiful and exciting as he readied to come with her.
Lifting her head now, Erica skimmed her hands along his back and held on as he continued to increase their momentum with short, quick thrusts. When she felt his muscles tense, she knew he was ready to join her. Letting go, she mingled her steamy flow with his own hot cum. He shuddered in tandem with her, their flesh tingling and glowing with shared bliss. Unleashing one last roar of pleasure, he slid across her slick body, and Erica allowed her head to drift back over the edge of the bed. Seconds passed while they recovered.
Then, pulling away, Nico helped her find a more comfortable position as he eased beside her. In turn, she found his hand and twined her fingers through his.
He began to kiss her exposed throat. “Eriqueta, Eriqueta, princessa de la mar.”
Princess of the Sea. She hated to think this moment would end, that the waves lapping around them would soon cease, that the sun and the blue skies would soon grow cold. Worse, she would have to come back down to earth.
“What are you thinking?” he whispered as he nuzzled her cheek.
“Why did you decide on that tattoo?” For emphasis, she traced the design with her index finger. A gold-inked crown with red and blue “gems” along the tiered top balanced on a black King of Clubs playing card beneath.
“Oh that,” he chuckled as he grasped her hand. “Would you believe I did this on a dare? In high school, I got in with a somewhat rough crowd who called themselves ‘The Kings’ Club.’ Not a gang, mind you, more like a group of stupid, punk kids. These guys ran around painting graffiti on historic buildings, skipping school and drinking behind some old storage sheds. We used one as our headquarters. I thought I needed the club’s signature as my badge of manly honor, though the tat hurt like hell.”
She laughed. “What about your brother?”
“Oh, he did it, too. We became the club’s twin members, two tough brothers, but it didn’t last long. When some of the guys were caught shoplifting and referred to juvenile hall, my dad set us down and read us the riot act. Gianni and I quit then and there.”
“Such a checkered past!”
“Hey, artists rely on their past experiences for inspiration, just like writers.”
Silence ensued for a moment, until she sighed and nestled close to his side. “I wish we could stay right here, like this, forever.”
“I’d like that, too. That’s why I hate to tell you I have to leave soon.”
She tipped her face to his. “Oh, no!”
“I can’t help it. I have prior commitments and just a short time to fulfill them all. One of those is tonight, dammit.”
Erica wanted desperately to ask about his schedule. Every minute without him meant she would be climbing the walls wondering what he was doing, who he was with... Then again, she would be overstepping boundaries if she pried too deeply, asked too many questions, or even broached the subject of commitment.
Nico stroked the underside of her chin. “But we’re still on for this weekend, right? I’ll pick you up at your place, about four Friday afternoon?”
She nodded with a thin smile; although, her heart ached with the knowledge they had to part.
The trip back to the marina seemed all a blur to her, and the couple said very little as Nico drove her to the Palmetto Terrace. Before she opened the car door, he leaned over and gave her a tender, passionate kiss.
When he finally broke their embrace, his fingers lingered across her face. “Do you still want to go ahead with the design plans for Gianni’s place?”
“Why, yes, of course.” Erica had no real excuse as to why she couldn’t take the job, other than Nico’s brother happened to be a sexist pig. Oh well, a lot of men acted and talked that way, and it certainly never stopped her from earning a living before. Gianni Sloan was hardly daunting or intimidating, not enough to make her harbor second thoughts.
“Then I’ll see you Friday.” Behind his sunglasses, Erica knew Nico gave her a sweet, affectionate wink.
* * *
“Ah, señorita, I learn more about the man upstairs.”
As Erica walked into her apartment, she found Rosina sitting at the breakfast bar with an iced tea in a hand, a little fortification after the hours she just put in tidying the place.
“He has such a reputation that the girls call him The Player, or Señor Parrandero. That is, the girls who clean apartments around here.”
“I’m sure they’re just being polite.” As she spoke, Erica threw her shopping bag on the floor and flopped on the sofa. “I can imagine what else they must call him.”
Rosina frowned. “Say, you look like a boiled lobster, mijita. You must have got some sun this afternoon.”
Erica tried to control her burgeoning grin. She had gotten so much more than just el sol. “Yes, I went for a sail with a friend. You know, Rosina, I don’t think I need to know anything more about Señor Parrandero. He’s commissioned me to decorate his apartment.”
“Aha!” the maid exclaimed heartily. “You just watch yourself, Mees Erica, or you’ll be the next notch on his conga drum.”
This time she had to laugh even though a sunburn headache had etched its way across her forehead. “Don’t worry, I have no interest in Mr. Gianni Sloan. It’s his twin brother I’m interested in. Nico Sloan is here visiting the family.”
“His hermoso?” Rosina gave Erica a wide-eyed look. “I don’t know about him, but I’ll ask around if you want.”
The housekeeper’s snooping skills intrigued Erica enough to get her curiosity up, especially if she could find out more about Adriano Sloan. “He’s an artist from Connecticut and owns a gallery.”
Rising from her stool, the housekeeper ambled over to Erica with an envelope in her nut-brown hand. “Speaking of el diablo, the man himself come down earlier and left this for you.”
Accepting the envelope, Erica quickly opened it and found a blank check and a note from Giancarlo Sloan:
I hope this will secure your services. I left the recipient and amount open because I’m not sure if I should pay you directly or your firm. Does a thousand dollars to get you started sound right? Either way, I hope we can develop a fruitful relationship. I look forward to our next meeting.
G.S.
P.S. Sorry about today.
“Well, well,” Erica remarked as she fanned the check under her chin. “It looks as if I’m going to be spending a lot of time upstairs, for at least the next month.”
“You be careful, señorita,” Rosina warned again as she went for her straw handbag. “We have
an old saying where I come from: Una vez que un amante inconstante, siempre que un amante inconstante.”
Once a fickle lover, always a fickle lover. Erica had to smile even though she never heard that particular dicho before. “Don’t worry, Rosie. It will be a cold day in hell before Gianni Sloan gets me into his bed.”
Chapter Eight
“Why don’t you try out the mattress to see if it’s worth salvaging? I’d like my bed to be the focal point.” With a stretch of his muscular arm, Gianni indicated his pièce de résistance. “Nice and big and fluffy. I want super comfortable.”
Erica, who had been taking notes, failed to look up and take the challenge. She rather doubted the mattress on his present king-sized bed would be worth salvaging, especially after all the beatings it took through years of body wrestling.
He continued. “Something along the lines of a wood-hewn bed frame with a natural fabric headboard. And how about throwing in some green here and there?”
How about a soft wood frame so you can make the notches easier to whittle? Trying not to smirk, she dug into her notepad until the lead snapped from her mechanical pencil. “A tree house theme?” she suggested.
Gianni threw her a puzzled look. “Well, not exactly. I’m thinking more along the lines of earthy and easy on the eyes.”
“Just a joke,” Erica mumbled. “Um, yes, I can see natural fiber wall covering in a buff or tweed, as well as rattan blinds and perhaps a nice potted philodendron or two in terra cotta planters.”
“All right. Sounds good to me. I bow to your expertise.”
“Yes, but you must live with it, so I want you to be happy with the choices. If you like, we can knock out the wall between the two smaller bathrooms, and make it one big area with a garden tub.”
“Hey, I like that idea!” he agreed with an enthusiastic nod.
As Gianni started back to the living room, Erica followed. So far, her suggestion of a neutral color for the walls in order for the focal point to remain with Nico’s artwork had been met with approval, as well as the addition of some track lighting. Again, she agreed with the owner to keep in mind natural, earthy tones for the furnishings.
Returning to the card table he used in the dining alcove, Gianni went for his checkbook. Tonight he decided to go for the relaxed look in a dark tank top and shorts. Surprisingly, he remained cordial and all-business with Erica. “Will another thousand do for now?”
“Why don’t we discuss a budget?” she suggested. “I need to know how much you’re willing to go for the decorating. This way, I have an amount to keep in mind when I do the purchasing of fabrics and furniture.”
Glancing up, he stitched his brows in a slight frown. “Well, I thought you’d come up with an estimate, and we can work from there. I’m all for spending what I have to. Although, we can put a cap on the expenditure at say fifty thousand?”
Erica tapped the end of her pencil against her chin. “That should work, and it gives me quite a bit of latitude. Right now, I don’t require any money until the renovation is complete, and then I’ll present you with a bill.”
“Sounds good.” Gianni smiled. “Like I said, I leave it in your capable hands. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go to the gym downstairs and work out for awhile.”
Of course, you have to keep those love handles nice and tight! All during the walk-through, Erica itched to ask him what was up between him and her sister. Since Maritza’s call on Tuesday evening, she had wavered between saying something and keeping her mouth shut. According to Mari, Gianni had called her once since his return from his out-of-town gig and hadn’t returned her subsequent phone calls. Could he be putting her off because of someone else? Erica wasn’t sure, although, she hadn’t heard any more overhead noises since Saturday.
As Gianni walked Erica to the door, he mentioned her upcoming weekend with his twin. “I hear you and Nico will be spending some time together. Good for you. I gather you’re interested in my artist bro in more than just a professional capacity.”
“He’s an incredibly perceptive and generous man, plus talented and interesting over all.” Something you’ll never be, buster!
“Well, just be careful. Nico might surprise you yet.”
About to walk out the door, Erica turned around and glanced at her client. Gianni gave her a smile, thin-lipped and etched with veiled cynicism, while his eyes played up a sly glint. “I’m just looking out for you. Guys aren’t always who they make out to be, including my brother. The package might come nicely wrapped, but you might not like what’s inside once you open it.”
Well, you should know! Any girl who tears aside your flashy wrapping will be in for one big let down when she finds a dud inside! “Oh, don’t worry about me,” Erica announced in a superior tone. “I’m a big girl now and can take care of myself. Unless your brother is a closeted ax murderer, I’m going to see him as much as possible while he’s here. Plus, I plan to make sure our weekend together will be truly memorable.”
With that, she pivoted on her heels and flounced down the hall. Erica didn’t have to turn around again to know that Gianni regarded her from his apartment door. She could almost feel his lecherous stare burn through her floral sundress and scorch her soft derrière. Just for the hell of it, she produced an exaggerated sashay of her hips.
Take a good look, buster, ‘cause you ain’t never gonna get any of this!
* * *
Even as Erica offered her own Hyundai Elantra for the trip, Nico decided to borrow his twin’s Jag. The weather, he told her over the phone, remained too nice not to drive with the top down and enjoy nature. She couldn’t agree more. Now, as she packed for the trip, Erica tried to keep romance in mind as far as wardrobe was concerned. Once they hit the B&B, she didn’t plan to experience all that much of nature except to drink champagne with a toast to an inspiring sunset.
Working at her drawing board at home, she was already steeped in colors and fabrics for her neighbor’s apartment when Mari phoned. Erica, of course, had nothing to offer when she heard her sister’s lament. Gianni the Romeo, it seemed, had been called out of town yet again.
“All I can suggest,” Erica cautioned, “is to ask him directly. If he is seeing someone else, maybe out of town, he’ll either be honest and up front, or lie to you. Then, cariña, it’s up to you if you wish to continue seeing him or not.”
She heard her sister sigh on the other end. “But how do I know if he’s lying? Men are good at it, even better than women sometimes. My ex Ricky is a prime example of a lying SOB.”
“Take note of his habits. How many times does he go away? Does he break dates with you? Does he have telltale lipstick marks on his collar or reek of another woman’s perfume?”
“You know, tesora, you’re not very encouraging.”
“Sorry, sweetie, but I’m the last person you should talk to about this stuff. My experiences with men haven’t been topnotch.”
“So, what are you doing this weekend?” Mari asked with an expectant lilt in her voice. “I thought maybe we could do some sisterly-girlfriend bonding. You know, take in a movie, eat pasta and do each other’s hair.”
Erica gulped as she tried to frame her answer without giving out specifics. “Oh, I’m sorry, amor, but I’m going on a buying trip this weekend, to an estate sale out of town.”
“That makes the two of you,” her sister chuckled wryly. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re Gianni’s other woman.”
Erica laughed along, though she knew Mari wasn’t that off the mark. Yet why did she hesitate to tell her own sibling about the other Sloan brother?
Because if I start advertising my romance with Nico, the whole relationship will be over before it even starts.
Instead, she scrambled for a tried-and-true, if not inane, answer. “Just hang in there. You’ll know soon enough.”
Chapter Nine
Releasing her silk scarf, Erica allowed her hair to tumble in the wind. “I’d like to visit your gallery and see some m
ore of your work. In fact, we might be able to work out an agreement where I can include your paintings in my inventory of design decor.”
“Wow, that’s quite a compliment, but I’m not sure I can live up to your standards.” As he spoke, Nico gave her a quick glance and a smile before he returned his focus on the road ahead.
“Oh, your work is wonderful, no doubt about that. You utilize such vivid colors and brush strokes. I already envision several rooms in your brother’s place with your paintings as focal points.”
Tilting his head, Nico chuckled lightly. “You know, Ms. Rael, if you keep up this ego-stroking, I’ll be putty in your hands.”
Erica’s lips crept upwards in a giddy smile. “That’s quite all right. I love to work in clay. There’s something very sensual about molding and smoothing and caressing it before the masterpiece hardens.”
Nico grinned. “Oh, oh! You’re going to get me too excited, and we have another fifty miles to go.”
I could offer to give you a blow job right now, she thought with a sly smile. But I’d hate to have a life-threatening accident in the middle of the Everglades. Worse, end up biting off that gorgeous cock!
In deference to the dangers of causing an arousal, the couple decided to stick to innocuous subjects until their arrival at Calypso Bay and the Bed & Breakfast called La Masón del Mar.
According to Nico, the weathered Victorian rated four stars on his Internet search, and since his own parents had stayed there once and raved about the service, he felt confident his date for the weekend would love it as well.
The minute Erica walked into the foyer/lobby, she fell in love with the place—and not just from a decorator’s standpoint. The owners, the husband and wife team of David Hughes and Patsy Cargill, had put much thought into ambiance and decor with slate-blue walls and overhead fan lights. Hurricane bowls contained sweet-smelling potpourri, while wicker and distressed wood furniture offered tweed pillows and brass accents.
Nico had booked them a room with its own bath and French doors opening onto a balcony. As she walked in, Erica immediately noticed the sweet aroma of hibiscus and mimosa, and the island-inspired fabric prints in sea foam green and ocean blue.
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