So Not a White Knight

by Starla Kaye

“Guess you are, too.” In the next breath, he drove his shaft deep in one long thrust and held still.

  “Ohhh!” she gritted out, holding her breath as she adjusted to the sudden fullness within her. It didn’t hurt, but, oh wow!

  He waited patiently, without speaking, without moving, but she suspected suffering.

  Finally, she said, “I’m all right.” She glanced back at him. Yes, suffering, if the tightness in his expression and deep breathing were signs. “Are you okay?”

  He nodded, clenched his jaw tighter. He watched her for another second, making certain he believed her.

  The sight of such a powerfully built man kneeling behind her, his long cock buried to the hilt, holding her in place, made her tremble. It was so much better than anything mentioned in the books. Something she would remember forever.

  With a relieved look, he started moving in and out, slowly. She watched, fascinated by the experience. Intrigued by the way his facial expressions changed from determination to desperation to almost pain. Feeling her own changes growing, she turned her head and gave in to just enjoying everything he did. He fucked her hard, as he’d vowed he would. His balls slapped against her with every thrust.

  Heat flared within her. Tension gripped her. She struggled to breathe, heard his ragged breaths. Once more, she readied for something amazing, a second orgasm.

  She grunted with the intensity of the thrusts. “Oh, God.”

  “Give in. Now,” he ordered and slammed into her with another brutal piston that forced her head harder against the mattress.

  Essie screamed as another explosion ripped through her. She held still, pulse thrumming all through her as it rocked her. She felt weak, lightheaded, and would have collapsed to the bed if he hadn’t held her up.

  But he kept her in position, not finished yet. Thrust after thrust, shoving her forward. His panting grew louder, longer until he drove deep a final time and roared out his climax. “Oh, Essie! Damn, Essie!”

  He collapsed over her back for a few seconds, still inside her but shrinking. She felt the sweat on his body and didn’t care. She’d sweated, too.

  It took another couple of minutes before he slid out of her and sucked in air. “Are you all right?”

  She stretched out like a contented cat sleeping in the sun and turned to face him. “Better than all right. I’m boneless.”

  He grinned, pleased, as he steadied his breathing and eased down next to her. He nodded toward the box of condoms. “I hope I brought enough.” He grinned even more. “Just how many positions have you read about? Want to try?”

  She shifted onto her side, scooting against him, smiling sassily, encouraged by his attitude. “I think there were 365. And I’m fascinated by all of them.”

  He groaned, but amusement simmered in his blue gaze. “We’ll need more condoms.”

  Toying with his smattering of chest hair, she smiled. “I think they have a small store here at the resort.”

  ***

  Trevon’s eyes blinked open, and he took in the darkened bedroom, the lingering musky scent of their lovemaking. He should be exhausted. Instead, he felt revved up, energized. Maybe not ready yet for another round of heart-pounding, test-his-stamina sex, though.

  He heard light snoring beside him and smiled. He doubted Essie would own up to being a snorer. He found it adorable.

  Shifting, he glanced at her, dead to the world. Mr. Sexy Beast—he rather liked the name now—had more than done his job. They had used up most of those condoms. He felt darn good. She was an amazing lover, eager to try anything and everything, probably the scientist in her. And limber, oh man. He still couldn’t believe how keen she’d been to try the crazy “Indian Headstand” thing in her book. More like she acted as a wheelbarrow, braced on her arms, him holding her up, legs wrapped around his back. He’d studied the pictures to get it right. And what about that “Dolphin” thing? With her braced on her neck, torso lifted and arched upward, her legs behind him. More study time on his part. He couldn’t let her down.

  His pulse raced. He started to sweat, again. Whew! And she’d stroked his ego with compliments more than a few times. A definite surprise this time, wild. Had he missed the signs before? What an idiot he’d been. She was a hell of a woman, and she lit one fire after another inside him.

  After a quick trip to the bathroom, he strolled naked toward the main room, quietly closing the bedroom door behind him. The digital clock on the DVR told him it was in the wee hours of the morning. Their last day together. The idea bothered him, a lot.

  He went to the sliding doors and moved the triple panel of shutters to one side so he could look out over the beach. The pitch-black sky held a handful of twinkling stars far, far away. The light from a full moon sparkled on the rolling waves. He liked it here.

  He smiled, remembering their mid-afternoon drive into Lihu´e and farther up the coast to Wailua. They had needed a break. Okay, he needed a break. He wasn’t as young as he used to be. His endurance wasn’t as robust these days. She’d teased him a bit about it. He smiled again. She’d never teased him in the past. He liked this playful, demanding side of her.

  His “break” had been to a change of locations for some extremely hot, quickie sessions. Near Wailua Falls then around Opaeka´a Falls. Oh, yes, seriously nice.

  The phrase “You’re not in Texas anymore,” passed through his thoughts. When he told Essie about considering buying a place in Maui, he’d only been playing with the idea. He did want to do it, but here on Kauai instead. Because of their time together here, how she had made him enjoy everything about the island. This would be a great place to get away from the stress of his business and everything else. Maybe she would come with him sometimes. He would have to discuss the possibility with her.

  Essie Reynolds possessed an interesting sense of humor, an amazing mind, and an enjoyment of challenges. The engineer in her. He regretted taking her for granted in the past. He remembered her being inquisitive before, but she was far more so now, about everything. Especially sex. Dear Lord, she was curious about that. Which made him an extremely lucky man. For the moment. Soon, they would go back to their real lives.

  The idea saddened him. He’d wanted a second chance with her, and so far they were getting along well. But had he made up for failing her in the past? He still didn’t know.

  His cock grew hard thinking about Essie in the other room. After their weekend together, he would need some serious recovery time.

  Tired and sore, Essie lay flat on her back, feeling aches everywhere. For a second, she couldn’t understand why. Then her face heated, and she knew exactly why she felt this way. She had done some things that would challenge a contortionist…with Trevon. Oh, Lord! Her inner wild woman had definitely burst free. Kendra would be proud of her. But Essie…. Well, she wasn’t sure how she felt, other than sore.

  The smell of coffee drifted into the room, and she inhaled deeply. Her lifeblood.

  “Daylight’s wasting, as they said in the old Westerns.” Trevon walked to her side of the bed and sat down. She glanced with caution at him. He smiled, setting a cup of coffee for her on the bedside table. “Good morning.”

  His rumbly voice caused warmth to curl through her. He had cleaned up, shaved, and already dressed in jeans without a shirt. She missed his sexy shadowed beard but liked the impressive bare chest. She remembered threading her fingers through the smattering of hair there, nibbling on his nipples. And more…. A lot more.

  “How long have you been up?” She struggled to meet his eyes, a little shy. She scooted back and leaned against the headboard, pulling the sheet over her breasts. She winced, hoping he didn’t notice. “Why didn’t you wake me earlier?”

  The man missed nothing, at least it seemed so this time. “I was restless, so I got up a while ago.” He reached to smooth the bangs out of her eyes, his fingers whispering against her forehead and sending a shiver through her. “I let you sleep because you needed it. A bit sore, aren’t you? Sorry.”

  Ess
ie tried to ignore her blushing, ridiculous after what they had done together. She held onto the sheet with one hand and reached for the coffee with the other one. “You’re my hero.” She took a sip, sighed. “It’s wonderful.”

  “You’re good for my ego. Praising my abilities, including making a simple cup of coffee.” He eased back, focusing on the sheet she gripped. “I’ve already seen every inch of your delicious body, sweetheart. I’m hoping to see it all again. Soon.”

  She liked his casual attitude, his light teasing, the assurance in his voice and in his heated eyes. He was good for her, too. Really good. He had done everything she’d wanted to try. Not once did he make her feel crazy for being pretty much a sex-crazed woman. So, why did she hide her body from him?

  As she released the sheet and it fell to her waist, he drew in a breath, nostrils flaring. Pleasure filled her. “So what’s the plan for today, lover boy?”

  His gaze darted to the box of condoms on the other nightstand. “See how many more of those we can use up.”

  “You’re not too….” She didn’t want to say “tired” or “worn out” and wound his male pride. But they had gone at it hard, aggressively…a lot.

  He chuckled. “It’s been a long time since I worked out that hard. But I’m game.”

  She focused on the bulge in his jeans and smiled. “Glad to hear it.” Her stomach rumbled and she groaned. “Sorry.”

  “How about we go grab some breakfast? After you shower.” He stood, grinned, and waggled an eyebrow. “Want to shower together, save water?”

  They had done that twice the day before, neither time being quick. He really liked to play with the soap. Why hadn’t they done it in their past? She had so many regrets, and she couldn’t place all of the blame on him.

  “Maybe later. I’m in more of a hurry this time. I’m starving.” If she remembered right, they hadn’t eaten since stopping in a little diner in Wailua.

  He shed his jeans, and she discovered she wasn’t as hungry as she’d thought. At least not for food. As she climbed out of bed and into his embrace, her heart raced, even as dread began filling her. Their last day together. They would return to their own, very different lives. Unless….

  “Don’t think about leaving right now,” he said gently. He cupped her buttocks and pressed her against his thick erection. “Just give us both this one final day to indulge ourselves, fulfill our desires.” He smiled down at her. “To try out some more of those 365 positions.”

  She blinked back sudden tears and forced a lightness to her tone she didn’t feel. “To finish that box of condoms.”

  Chapter Seven

  “Oh, Kendra, what am I going to do?” Essie sat behind her desk two weeks later. Nothing in her life seemed right. She couldn’t get her head into the project she was supposed to be leading. She avoided talking to any of her family. And she’d let her friend’s phone calls go to voice mail until today.

  “About?” Kendra prodded. She hesitated and asked, “I’m worried about you. Do you want me to come see you? My guys will take care of Evie. I can—”

  “I adore you for wanting to drop everything and come here to be with your poor, pitiful-me friend. But I’ll get through this.” Being this depressed was ridiculous. Trevon had given her everything she requested from their one-night stand, and much more.

  Kendra sighed on the other end of the line. “I should never have gotten you mixed up with Madame Evangeline. I just thought…. Well, it worked out so great for me. Shane, Carson, and Evie are my life.”

  Sniffing back a tear of envy, Essie looked at the brochure from the resort. It was nearly worn out by her looking through it over and over and over. She hadn’t looked at the many photos she and Trevon had taken. Maybe someday. Not yet. Her heart hurt too much with missing the incredible man. The man who hadn’t called her since their return to Houston.

  “I had an amazing experience. I can’t complain about a second of it.” A big, fat tear plopped onto the brochure and she dabbed it away. “I’m just being silly.”

  “He hasn’t gotten in touch with you, has he?”

  Essie heard the irritation in Kendra’s voice. If she didn’t take control of the situation, her friend would show her mother hen side, treat her like her chick that needed protecting. She felt the tiniest bit better. But she needed to deal with this on her own.

  “No.” She thought back to the original arrangements each of them made with the matchmaker. “He more than met what I requested. Way more.” Trevon had earned another chance with her. Yet they hadn’t talked about it before they left each other in the airport. Partly because he’d been on his phone with his partner from the second the plane landed.

  She dashed at another tear. Maybe showing her new aggressive side had been too much for him. But unleashing her curiosity and his not objecting to trying whatever she wanted made her…well, uncontrollable. Everything had been such fun. That stupid book was the problem. She should never have bought it, never have become enthralled with all the possibilities. What happened to that book? Whatever. “I got too greedy,” she mumbled.

  “I doubt if he suffered,” Kendra gritted out, annoyed. “You had sex, probably a lot of it, if I’m right. So the man did not suffer.”

  She couldn’t deny the lots of sex part. “I’m just not sure what I did wrong.”

  Kendra snorted. “He’s an idiot.”

  Essie jerked as someone knocked on her closed office door. Without even waiting for an answer, her father opened it and stepped into the room. He frowned. What had she forgotten this time?

  “I’ve got to go, Kendra. My dad just came into my office. I’ll call you later.” Essie disconnected and slid the brochure under a stack of papers next to her monitor.

  “What’s the problem?” she asked, not quite meeting his eyes.

  He walked closer. “You’re back to dressing—”

  “Don’t go there, Dad.” Some of her rebellious spirit had faded, more with each day since her return from Kauai. The change hadn’t felt as important anymore.

  “People are talking, Essie. They don’t understand your mood lately.” He blew out a breath, and she glanced up at him. “Your family is concerned about you.” He took a second. “I’m worried.”

  His words almost made her tear up again. Showing emotion was a strain for him, so this caught her off guard. “I’ll be fine,” she said and gave him a weak smile. “I just have some things on my mind. Personal matters.”

  He shifted uneasily, still frowning. “This has to do with the little vacation you took a couple of weeks back, doesn’t it? Did something happen? Something I…something I can help with?”

  She blinked at sudden moisture in her eyes. “Nothing bad happened, Dad. But I appreciate your concern.” There was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do. Or should do. She just needed to get to the point where those incredible days were the memory she had wanted and not something she longed for.

  “Your mother wants you to come to Sunday dinner this week.” He looked uncomfortable. “She’s missed you.”

  Essie smiled, her heart lightened. Her father had missed her being there, even when they disagreed on something. Maybe her mother as well, but he had come here and let her know his feelings, in his awkward way.

  “I’ll be there.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief, met her gaze, and said, “Maybe I’ll ask Daniel, too. He has asked about you.”

  “No, Dad. Daniel needs to move on. I have.” Now she needed to move on from thinking about Trevon Chanders every minute of every day.

  Her father looked ready to protest but then nodded curtly. He turned toward the door. “Sunday, then. One o’clock.”

  After she watched him walk away, she glanced down at the simple dress she’d worn today. Comfortable, familiar, but it seemed wrong. She liked the jeans she’d worn before…before giving up on the new woman she wanted to be. The one she’d been while with Trevon.

  She picked up the brochure, studied it with less pain than before
, and put it in a drawer. He’d helped her take a big step forward in her life. Now she needed to manage the next ones on her own.

  Her stomach tumbled with butterflies. She should to tell her father she was quitting the company. She didn’t know what she wanted to do next, but it wouldn’t have anything to do with being a chemical engineer.

  ***

  Trevon stretched out on his bed, tried to relax after so much happening in his world lately. But his thoughts wouldn’t slow down. He’d returned from Kauai energized, body worn out, but mentally eager to make changes. Talking to Essie on the plane trip home helped. With her quick mind, she grasped the details, the possible problems, and then figured out how to make it work. He had never discussed his dream with the other women in his life. All they had ever been interested in was his body and how he could use it to satisfy them.

  They were history. He’d ended each of the relationships his first week home. None of them cared. Sad as it should be, neither did he.

  Essie, though, he missed. Sure, most of their time on the island had been all about sex. A whole lot of sex. Incredible times because she enjoyed it so much. She’d worked him damn hard, and he ached to do it all over again. He had earned another chance at a relationship with her, but he hadn’t pursued it after leaving the resort. Why not? By now she would have put it all behind her and gone back to her normal lifestyle. The thought saddened him.

  Put her aside. Let it go. There was so much more he had to focus on. His business partner was finally stepping up and taking over some of the PR work Trevon had always done. But he still needed guidance. At least Ed was fine with him easing away from so much heavy involvement with the firm. He’d even agreed to help with Trevon’s starting the new company. To his relief, their discussion about it all had gone really well. Essie had told him to stop holding back, just move forward with the idea. He felt so much happier.

  But what about her moving forward with her goals? She wanted to stop working for her father’s oil company. She wasn’t sure what she would do, but the job there no longer interested her. She admitted she didn’t require the income. He wanted to know what was going on with her. Yet he hadn’t tried to get in touch with her. Again, why the hell not?