Twice Cherished

by Ava Branson

  He walked over to the counter and fingered the backsplash. Eyeing the stacked glass backsplash, he asked, “You do this, too?”

  “Yes, and it’s not as hard as it looks. Now the bathroom? That was a different story. You’ll see in a minute, but I’m pretty proud of the way it turned out.”

  He nodded. “You should be. I had no idea you were this talented, Micki. I’m impressed. Truly.”

  “Thanks, again. You’ll see the bathroom and know what I mean. But in the meantime, here’s my guest room slash home office. It’s not a large room, as you can see, but I’m pretty pleased with all the functions it serves.” I let him go in ahead of me. “You can see my little sofa there, but the coolest part about that is it’s the base for the Murphy bed right behind it.” I pointed out the smooth latches used to pull down the bed from the wall. “See? It’s not only a queen bed, but you have this great couch as well. And here,” I turned, pointing to the coffee table on wheels. “This top also lifts up and inside.” I pulled the wooden panel up. “This has a built-in filing cabinet.” I turned to smile at him. “No more ugly metal storage. And even better,” I walked over to the small desk centered on the wall under a large window, “not only does this function as a great desk, but if you clear off the top, you lift the tabletop up and inside are three bins that I store all my craft stuff in. You know, paints, and stuff like that.” I didn’t take everything off the desktop, but cracked the lid a bit so he could see inside.

  He straightened, dropping his hands to his hips as he turned to survey the entire room once again. “Micki, I gotta tell you. I’m blown away and I mean, totally fucking blown away. You’ve utilized every ounce of space in this room to its maximum potential and it’s still functional, comfortable, and inviting.” He turned to look at me, his expression filled with awe. “I’m so impressed,” he shared, genuine sincerity clear in every word.

  “Thank you again.” I replied, unprepared for the satisfaction and pleasure that filled me with his words of praise.

  With a backward glance into the room before we moved to the bathroom, he added, “I’m telling you, Micki. You should consider branching out.”

  “I’m flattered you think so.” And I was, but I didn’t take him seriously.

  How the man knew what I was thinking, I couldn’t know, but he seemed to be able to read my mind at times. “I’m not blowing sunshine here,” he said in all candor. “Think about it.”

  One look at his face told me he meant it. “I will, and now let me show you the bathroom that gave me migraines.”

  I stood behind him as he stepped into my nicely sized, for a small home, bathroom. Good thing, since it was the only one. “I’m seeing all the cuts and starts of tile, so I get it, but I have to admit that,” he pointed at my clawfoot tub that sat at the far end of the bathroom under a wide window overlooking the back yard, “now that sparks the imagination.”

  With each nuanced comment, every flirtatious comment, my protective shell cracked a bit. “Oh, it does, does it?”

  He moved to stand in front of me, inches away, but not touching me. He didn’t need to. I’d never been more aware of what intense male magnetism could do. My lips parted to ease my quickening breath.

  “Mm hmm,” he murmured, his deep voice a smooth purr. “It conjures up all kinds of images of you in it.” One corner of his mouth curled into a wicked, sensual smile. “Maybe I should think about installing a clawfoot tub in my house before you get there.”

  I swallowed hard. “One room left on the tour,” I pointed out in an oddly tight voice. With effort, I yanked my eyes from him and turned to walk down the hall. “Everyone stay together,” I called over my shoulder in my best tour guide manner. “It gets tricky here and I don’t want to lose anyone along the way.”

  He followed me the six steps it took to get to my bedroom without another word. My heart thumped an extra beat as I stood to the side to let him step into the room. Muted grey walls with crisp white trim, it was a bedroom of serene retreat. Plush bedding and just feminine enough to know a woman lived there. One large peaceful painting hung over my bed, and I’d sprinkled smaller, similarly themed landscapes around the room. Three paned windows, carefully and painfully costly to restore, allowed natural light in to bathe the entire room. I’d kept the entire color palette quiet and understated. Sea glass colors sprinkled around in just the right amounts.

  I watched as he took in the entire room before fixing his attention on the bed. The room couldn’t accommodate a king-size bed and still have room for the chaise I had to have, so I’d opted for a queen. He continued to stare until I wondered if he’d found a bug.

  “It’s not the largest master bedroom, so that’s why—”

  “It looks like you.” The hoarse note in his voice caught me off guard. He turned to face me and something akin to pure, unadulterated lust raced through my veins. “And this is where we should go back to the kitchen because this room gives me way too many ideas that we don’t have the time to explore.” Pinning me with one long look of dark promise, he raked a hand forcefully through his hair. “And when that time comes, I want the whole fucking day, not just an hour before you have to go to work.”

  I stood rooted to the spot as he strode down the hall and disappeared around the corner. Pressing one hand hard against my stomach, I tried to subdue the explosion of butterflies that took my breath away. He’d been just the right side of aggressive and it turned me on in ways I never expected. Had never felt before.

  A jolt of pure feminine thrill raced up my spine and, despite my inner fears, my body was on an out-of-control train headed for only one destination.

  I padded back into the kitchen to find him braced against my sink, looking into my backyard. “Coffee?”

  “Sure.”

  Exactly like we had at the studio, I pulled the basket of single-serve coffee cups out of the upper cabinet and placed it on the counter next to the machine. “I operate on the same help yourself model as we do at the office. Pick whatever you like.”

  “I did,” he replied.

  I could tell that his gaze was on me because the skin on the back of my neck goose bumped. I hesitated to turn around, afraid that if I saw in his eyes what I heard in his voice a few minutes ago, we’d end up making love right there in middle of the kitchen. Or on the table. Or the counter.

  “Tell me something, Micki.”

  I heard him move away from the counter to come and stand behind me, the warmth of his body seeping into my back. I couldn’t look. Didn’t dare turn around.

  “What’s that?”

  He didn’t answer right away so I felt compelled to turn slightly to see him out of the corner of my eye. His face was inches from mine. My knees threatened to buckle.

  “What happens after we make love the first time? Will you let me make love to you again?” he asked in a deep voice that held a note of uncertainty.

  It hurt to breathe. I was afraid if I turned all the way around, I’d be answering his question in a very physical way. A kernel of trepidation found its way into my heart and I defaulted to my usual approach when faced with emotions too strong, too powerful to process. That would be joking with an extra dollop of deflection. “The odds may be in your favor, Mr. Stockton.”

  Stray hairs tickled my cheek as Devin stood motionless behind me, his breath warm as it caressed my face. I jumped when his fingers touched my hand and slowly, with a feather stroke, traveled up my arm, over my shoulder and brushed back the errant strands. An innocent gesture turned purely erotic.

  “I will do everything in my power to convince you to give me a second chance.” Our gazes held for a moment before a pained expression came over him. He looked at his watch, then back at me. “I’m going to leave now so you can get to work. Thank you for the coffee.” In a low, husky voice, added. “And for letting me into your home.”

  An hour ago, I’d just been nervous about having him here, in the intimacy of my house and now, I faced the realization how much I loved seeing him
here. Like he was meant to be here. “Wait…will you let me know what your schedule’s going to be?”

  “You’ll be the first to know. I promise.” He took three steps away from me and stopped. He turned and slowly, purposefully, walked back to me.

  He stopped and peered into my eyes. “Stop?”

  Confused, I shook my head. “Huh-what?” My brain had shut down in favor of letting the wildfires that burned low in my belly consume me.

  “Do you want me to?”

  Still dazed and unable to think clearly, I blurt out the first thing that came to mind. “I’ve lost my entire train of thought.” Not what a sophisticated, worldly woman would say, but it was honest.

  He took the last step that had him standing so close our clothes touched. Framing my face in his hands, he tilted my head up.

  “What are you doing?” I asked breathlessly.

  “Starting you up a new train.” He sealed his mouth over mine and kissed me, his tongue teasing—lightly, at first. Then he deepened the kiss, pulling a moan from deep in the back of my throat. His body tensed, his arms going tighter around me. The kiss spiraled into a hot, intense connection that made me want to climb up him and let him know I was his to do with as he pleased. My head began to spin and I slid my hands over his shoulders, digging in the carved muscles until a ragged, masculine groan vibrated in his chest. The thrill of his response reverberated through me, making me wet with desire and hungry for more. With a rhythm as old as time, I rocked against his hips, aware of every hard inch of him. I wanted him to know I knew what he wanted, that I wanted it, too.

  He pulled back, swearing viciously. “Micki,” he rasped. “Jesus Christ, give a guy a break. Go. Go! Go to work and get yourself ready to come to me.”

  My mind could only process one overwhelming siege at a time. Forget thinking ahead. I stared at him as he raked his hands through his hair, but looked so in control. “How the hell can you look so…so—”

  “Five seconds from losing my mind? I have no fucking idea!” he growled, hauling me back against him for a hard, swift kiss. “Start packing,” he ordered, and turned to leave. Just before he walked through the doorway, he looked over his shoulder with a wicked smile and said, “Or come without any clothes. That works for me, too.”

  I couldn’t get to work fast enough.

  Chapter Eight

  Devin

  I stood by the corner of the customs building at the airport and watched Linc’s plane taxi in, my heart racing to get my first look at Micki. I wouldn’t let myself truly believe she was coming until I saw her physically step from that plane.

  “Thomas,” I yelled to the customs officer I knew well who was waiting to process her bags. “Take good care of her, but hurry it up, will you? I need to kiss her.”

  A slash of brilliant white teeth shone against mahogany skin as Thomas laughed. “Oh, you been bitten, eh mon?”

  “It would seem so,” I shouted over the growing noise as the plane came closer. Linc taxied to where the ground control crew indicated and powered down the aircraft. A few moments later, he left the cockpit to lower the stairway. Micki appeared seconds later and stepped gracefully down the stairs, turning to retrieve her bag from Linc.

  My body tightened and tensed, watching her as she reached for the bag. As she stretched, the breeze lifted the blue and white crop top she wore, revealing a glimpse of golden skin. The trim white pants hugged every curve of that luscious backside of hers. My cock surged to life, anticipating caressing those curves and long legs without the distraction of clothes.

  She turned, whisking her hair off her face and caught sight of me. She smiled and waved. I pointed to the building and yelled, “I’ll wait for you outside.”

  One of the benefits of flying privately was not having to slog through customs with tons of other passengers and being at an ultra-small airport made the process even faster. She cleared customs and was out the door in under ten minutes.

  Ten minutes too long for my present mood.

  As she pushed through the glass door, I pulled it and she stumbled out, losing her balance and went straight into my arms. Not that I’d planned that or anything. Our lips met in a kiss that quickly went from suited for public viewing to downright scalding. My cock, already primed, reacted to her body against mine in the most painful way possible. If this kept up, the car ride to my house was going to be uncomfortable.

  She pulled back and gasped. “We’d better stop before this gets a little more…more...”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” I grabbed her bag from her hand, admiring the small weekend bag for what it wasn’t—a huge suitcase filled to the max. “Travel light? Or did you take my suggestion and not bother with clothes?”

  She looked up, her face shining in the late morning sun. “I prefer to travel light and yes, there are some clothes in there, but…they’re well-chosen clothes.”

  I grinned but shook my head. “I have no freaking idea what that means, but I’m looking forward to finding out.” Taking her by the hand, I steered her toward the small parking lot. “Over there, the yellow Jeep.”

  She followed in the direction I nodded. “That’s a fun little ride. Great for the islands, I’d imagine.”

  “Mother Nature’s air conditioning, except on super-hot days when I zip her up and run the A/C.” I glanced at her hair, all loose and laying over her shoulders, which was the way I loved it, but… “Hope you don’t mind your hair getting blown. You have something to tie it up with?”

  “Always prepared. I was a Girl Scout, you know,” she added with an impish grin. “For exactly one year. Hated it. Learned some things, to be sure, but the girls were so cliquey. It wasn’t the place for me, but I’m always prepared. That little bag of mine is deceiving. I can pack like there’s no tomorrow.”

  I swung her hand high, feeling more carefree than I had in years. “Is there no end to your talents?”

  “Well,” she drawled. “I’ve decided I can’t fly a plane.”

  “Why? Wait…did Linc try to do something to scare you?”

  “No, no, no.” She shook her head. “Not at all. He did let me take the yoke for a bit out over the ocean and that was really cool, but just now, when I saw the landing strip coming up? I had to close my eyes.” A sheepish look came over her. “I’ve never been in a plane in that position before. You know, in the cockpit? And to see everything as you’re hurtling downward at it, and so fast, and—well, everything. So, I’ve decided I’ll leave the flying to those talented people that like that sort of thing. I’ll just continue to pay for my tickets and watch the runway whiz by from inside the plane.”

  We’d reached my Jeep and I deposited her bag in the back. She hopped in gracefully and as she was occupied with buckling her seatbelt, I cupped her face in my hands and brushed a light kiss across her mouth. “I can’t tell you how hard it’s been waiting for you to get here. It’s been four days of hell.”

  Her eyes flickered over my face, her lips softly curved. “I’ve been eager, too.” Our gazes held, what thoughts she was having, I could only wonder. I sure as hell knew what mine were.

  My hands slid down her neck and over her shoulders, flexing, wanting to pull her in for another kiss, but I’d been this patient this long. I could wait another hour. “What would you like to do first? Eat? Swim? Fish? Sail?”

  “Yes,” she declared, then burst out laughing until she caught sight of the water to my left. There were very few places on this small island that didn’t have some view of the water. She leaned halfway over my lap to get a better look, putting my fingers oh-so close to being able to slide under her top. “Oh, my God…look at that water. I so want in.” We hit a bump and she bounced back in her seat.

  “We’ll be at the house in about ten minutes. Can you make it or should I pull over and we’ll dive in here?”

  “Tempting, believe me, but I want to see your house, too, so I’ll be a good guest and go along with what you have planned.” Her head swiveled back and forth from looki
ng out her side of the Jeep, to mine. “Wow, Devin. The houses are gorgeous. A couple of these are like mini-mansions. Do they even need all that space indoors?” She glanced my way. “I would think being here, you’d want to be outside all the time, not inside, but I guess if you want luxury no matter where you are…” She shrugged, without finishing.

  A thought entered my head that shouldn’t have, but still, it managed. The specter of Clint Thurman and the fact that Mick dated a guy who apparently had money, but also had an equally colossal ego as to think he could get anyone because he had money, chapped my ass.

  No. I couldn’t believe Micki was into guys for what they had; otherwise she’d have found someone else who wasn’t a complete asshole but still had money. There had to be some of them around on Mimosa Key. Still, the thought burned enough of a hole in the back of my head to irritate. I’d had my own experiences with women who dated my bank account and it’d left a bitter taste in my mouth.

  Micki continued to pivot her head from one side of the car to the other, trying not to miss anything. “Good God almighty, Devin, it’s so beautiful here. How you manage to tear yourself away is a mystery to me. I don’t think I’d ever want to leave.”

  “It’s tough sometimes, I’ll give you that. But I’ve never spent the amount of time I’m going to now, so I may well not leave. Who knows? I’ve got a lot to think about over the next few weeks.” And now that she was here, none of that mattered as much as before. I navigated a sharp curve as we veered from the coast and entered a more tree-lined portion of the road. Partway into the turn, Micki gasped and reached for the roll bar.

  I laughed, enjoying it a little too much at her expense. “A little too fast?”

  “No, no…not really.” She tried for a carefree smile, but her eyes were a little too wide to back her words. “You know the roads…right?”

  Without a word, I eased off the gas. We came to a part of the road where nothing but water was on either side of the road. On Micki’s side was a large cove. “See over there?” I pointed to the right. “Those are the ferry docks. If you want to go to any of the other islands faster than we can sail, we’ll take those.”