by Marie Force
Determined to see this through to the finish, right here on the sofa if that was what it took, he worked Maddie’s T-shirt up and over her head. His own shirt went sailing across the room as he knelt to help her out of the yoga pants that had been feeding his fantasies all day as she tended to their children. He loved the way her ass looked in the clingy pants.
Her skin was flushed and rosy from the heat they generated together, and knowing she wanted this as much as he did had him moving faster to get rid of their clothes. The overly large breasts that she hated and he loved were sore from her pregnancy, so he was extra gentle when he held them and ran his tongue over each nipple, making her squirm beneath him. That little squirm ramped up his urgency, and while he would’ve loved to spend more time on foreplay, time alone was one thing they hadn’t had much of today.
He came down on top of her, her arms wrapping around his neck to bring him back for more kisses. Being naked with her was his favorite thing in the entire world. “Missed you,” he whispered as he captured her lips for another tongue-twisting kiss.
“We did this yesterday, Mac. You haven’t had time to miss me.”
“I missed you today when I had to share you with the other man in your life.”
Smiling, she tilted her hips in invitation, and that was all the encouragement he needed to enter her in one smooth thrust that made him gasp from the overwhelming pleasure.
“God,” he whispered, “that’s so good. It’s always so good.”
“Don’t go slow, Mac. Not tonight.” She wrapped her legs around his hips and pushed into his thrust, making him see stars. Between that and the way she dug her fingers into his ass, tugging him deeper into her—
A cry from upstairs made him freeze mid-thrust.
“Mommy!”
Mac wanted to wail—and he wanted to finish.
Maddie pushed at his shoulder. “Let me up.”
“Maddie…”
“I’ll meet you in bed after I settle him.”
Though it was the very last thing he wanted to do, he withdrew, helped her sit, found her T-shirt and handed it to her.
She kissed him before she headed for the stairs. “Sorry.”
With his cock throbbing and his heart beating furiously, he fell back on the sofa, trying to calm himself and taking a measure of comfort from one small thing—at least Thomas hadn’t caught them in the act this time.
* * *
Luke brushed the hair back from Sydney’s forehead, gazing down at her as she slept in the hospital bed. Dried tear tracks marred her otherwise flawless complexion.
Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. The two-word phrase cycled through his mind like a chant, because the baby was fine. Syd was fine. Earlier, when she’d looked at him with those big doe eyes and told him she was bleeding, he’d had to force himself to keep it together for her when he was freaking out on the inside at the thought of losing the baby they both wanted so badly.
He had to keep reminding himself that she was fine. The baby was fine. Everything was okay. Sydney had worn herself out, worrying and crying and stressing. They’d given her something to settle her and had decided to keep her overnight because her blood pressure was higher than it should be.
Gee, I wonder why.
Then he remembered that Slim was still here, waiting for word about Syd’s condition before he left.
Luke bent to kiss her pale cheek and went to find his friend, who was right where he’d left him in the waiting room, flipping through a copy of People magazine. He jumped up when he saw Luke coming. “How are they?”
“Fine, thank goodness.”
“Oh,” Slim said, heaving a huge sigh of relief. “That’s great news.”
“They’re going to keep her overnight, so you can split. Sorry to have messed up your day. Send me a bill for the flight.”
“No apologies needed, and Merry Christmas on the flight.”
“Slim—”
He waved off Luke’s protest. “That’s the end of it. I’m so glad everything is okay.”
“Thank you. I’m glad, too. So damned glad. If anything ever happened to her… I can’t even imagine it.”
“I don’t know how all you guys do it.”
“Do what?” Luke asked.
“The wife and kids and home and hearth thing. It’s so fraught with peril everywhere you look.” He shuddered. “The thought of giving someone that much power over me… It’s frightening.”
Luke smiled for the first time in hours. “It’s also the best thing to ever happen. To be loved the way she loves me… There’s nothing else like it in this world.”
“If you say so.”
“When I saw you with Erin at Jenny and Alex’s wedding, I thought maybe something might come of that. The sparks were flying. Everyone saw it.”
“Something has come of it. I’m spending the holidays with her at the lighthouse.”
“Oh, wow, I hadn’t heard that.”
“It was just decided this morning.”
“I hate to tell you, but spending the holidays with a woman smacks of serious.”
“It does not. We’re hanging out, having fun.”
“Just be careful,” Luke said with a teasing grin that belied his exhaustion. “You might find yourself with a shackle around your ankle in the new year.”
“Bite your tongue,” Slim said, smiling.
Luke extended his hand. “Thank you again for everything today—the ride and the support. Much appreciated.”
Slim shook his hand and gave him a bro hug. “Any time. Give me a ring when you’re ready to head home. I’ll pick you up.”
“You’re the best, but don’t worry about us. We’ll take the boat back when Syd’s ready.” Luke sent Slim on his way and returned to Sydney’s room in the ER. They’d be moving her upstairs to the OB ward in the next hour or so. He sat by her bed, took hold of her hand and rolled his head, seeking to relieve some of the tension in his neck and shoulders.
She squeezed his hand.
He raised his head to find her watching him with concern.
“Are you okay?”
“If you are, I am.”
“Sorry to put you through such an ordeal.”
“Don’t be sorry. I have a feeling this won’t be the only time our little princess puts us through the wringer.”
She smiled. “What a way to learn what we’re having.”
“At least we’ll never forget the first time we saw her.”
“No, we won’t. Do you want to go to a hotel for the night? No need for both of us to be stuck here.”
“I’m not going anywhere without you and the princess.”
“Are you sure?”
He raised her hand to his lips. “I’m very sure.”
* * *
On the flight back to Gansett, Slim thought about the conversation he’d had with Luke. He’d spoken the truth about being fearful of giving anyone that much power over him. But even as he’d said the words, he knew he’d already given Erin the power to hurt him, which was a sobering thought. When, exactly, had that happened?
At the very beginning, if he was being honest with himself. He thought about the night he’d come upon her sitting outside the lighthouse, tending to a fire and crying about her dead brother’s fiancée marrying someone else. Her grief had broken his heart that night, and her fortitude had impressed him ever since.
Not only had she gotten through Jenny’s wedding, she’d positively sparkled as one of her bridesmaids, tending to the woman who should’ve been her beloved brother’s wife. That took some kind of guts, and he admired her tremendously for the way she’d put aside her own pain to rally for her friend.
But seeing Luke so undone over Sydney earlier had given him pause. Caring that much about someone else was a scary thing, and something he’d gone out of his way to avoid. Soon he would be forty, and he was no closer to settling down than he’d been at twenty.
Regardless of how attracted he was to Erin—and he was incredibly attra
cted to her—he wasn’t sure the family-man life was for him, and he had no idea at all what she wanted. They hadn’t “gone there” in their many conversations. He might be getting way ahead of himself—and her—by asking questions about home and hearth and family.
A shackle around his ankle would give him hives. No doubt about that. But the idea of spending more time with Erin made him happy and excited for what might be possible. Enjoying a woman didn’t equate to being shackled. Did it?
As the island came into view, he turned his full focus toward landing safely, relying on the runway lights to touch down in the dark. Slim couldn’t wait to get to her, to be with her, to kiss her some more, to… Damn, maybe he was more shackled than he’d thought.
He went through the methodical routine of securing his plane—speaking of shackles—by attaching the clips to the metal rings built into the tarmac to ensure that the gusty winds expected over the weekend wouldn’t damage his livelihood.
The second he was in the cab of his truck, he sent Erin a text to find out where she was.
At Jenny’s. Are you back?
Just now. On my way.
See you soon.
Can’t wait.
He couldn’t wait either. Shackled had never felt so good.
Chapter 7
“Check out that big smile,” Jenny said after Erin stashed her phone in the back pocket of her jeans and resumed chopping red peppers for Jenny’s veggie tray.
“What big smile?”
“The one that stretched across your face when you heard from your sexy pilot.”
“He’s not my sexy pilot,” Erin said, beginning to feel uncomfortable with Jenny’s certainty that something would come of her friendship with Slim.
“Is he or is he not a sexy pilot?”
“He is.”
“Is he or is he not shacking up with you over the holidays?”
“Have you always been this much of an ass pain, or did it start when you were happily married?”
“She’s much more of a pain since she got married,” Alex said as he came into the room, grinning at his wife.
“Listen to him,” Jenny said, scoffing. “I’m the best wife he’s ever had.”
“You know it, baby.” He hooked his arm around her from behind and kissed her neck until she giggled like a schoolgirl.
Erin was taken by surprise when her heart began to ache. By now, she ought to be used to seeing Jenny in love with someone else. But until she’d come to the island over the summer, Alex had existed in the abstract for her, the new guy Jenny was seeing. Now he was a flesh-and-blood man who was obviously crazy about Jenny. Toby’s Jenny…
“Er?”
Erin looked up from the pulverized peppers to realize Jenny had been talking to her. “Sorry, I was spacing.”
Jenny sent her a dirty smile.
She thought Erin was thinking about Slim. That was for the best. The last thing Erin would ever want to do was crap on the happiness Jenny had waited so long to find. Toby, who’d been madly in love with Jenny, would tell Erin to get over herself and get on board, especially while she was a guest in Jenny and Alex’s beautiful new home.
Paul and Hope came in a few minutes later with Hope’s son, Ethan, who was full of pre-Christmas excitement.
“I set you up with the Xbox in the bedroom,” Alex said to Ethan.
“Nice!”
“One hour and then it’s bedtime,” Hope called after her son.
“Mac and Maddie’s kids are sick, so they’re out tonight,” Jenny said. “But they invited everyone to their house on the twenty-sixth.”
“Sure, sounds fun,” Hope said.
“You guys never quit with the partying,” Erin said.
“That’s all there is to do around here this time of year,” Hope said.
“Need me to give you some pointers for passing the time, bro?” Alex asked, a cocky grin making his eyes gleam with mischief.
“Oh, sorry, honey,” Hope said, wincing. “I tossed him a softball, didn’t I?”
“And he hit it right out of the park.” Paul smiled at Hope and put his arm around her. “You should know better by now.”
“I really should.”
“Alex’s dirty mind and mouth are the thing of legend,” Jenny said for Erin’s edification.
“You love my dirty mind, and you positively adore my dirty mouth.”
Jenny stuffed a roll in his mouth, making everyone laugh hysterically.
“I love you so much, Jenny.” Paul wiped laughter tears from his eyes. “So, so much.”
“You love that I manage him for you,” Jenny said to her brother-in-law.
“Yes, I do.”
“Manage me, my ass,” Alex said around a mouthful of bread.
“Your ass is one of the best parts of you,” Jenny said to groans.
Jared and Lizzie James arrived with another man Erin hadn’t met before. They introduced him as Jared’s brother, Quinn. Like Jared, he was blond, but unlike his brother, Quinn didn’t smile easily and was polite but quiet. Lizzie more than compensated, telling them how Quinn had come to see the building she and Jared had bought to house a rest home for the island’s elderly.
“What do you think of our fair island so far, Quinn?” Paul asked over cocktails.
“It’s, um, small.”
“You live in New York City,” Lizzie said. “Anything would seem small to you after that.”
“There’s small and then there’s Gansett small,” Quinn said with a small grin.
Watching their back-and-forth, Erin could see how hard Lizzie was trying to convince her brother-in-law to embrace her project. She wanted him to be the staff physician at the new facility. While Quinn resembled his older brother in looks, he had none of Jared’s easygoing charm or wit. Quinn was more buttoned down, somber.
Though intrigued by the James family dynamic as talk turned to holiday plans, Erin found herself watching the door, waiting and anticipating. Any minute now. God, she was like a silly teenage girl waiting for her boyfriend to arrive. Could she be any more ridiculous? Except, that was how she felt. Her skin prickled with awareness of him, and he hadn’t even arrived yet. Knowing he was on his way had her heart beating faster. Her face felt warm, and she was probably flushed, giving away her secrets to the room full of friends.
Eager for a moment alone to get ahold of herself before he got there, she went into the kitchen for a glass of ice water.
Naturally, Jenny followed her and insisted on getting the water for her.
Erin took a sip, the cold liquid soothing her parched throat.
“You going to be all right?” Jenny asked in a teasing tone.
“I don’t know. I’m all wound up inside over him, and I shouldn’t be. He’s here for a short visit, and then he’s going back to Florida for the rest of the winter. What can possibly come of it?”
“Erin… Really? You’re honestly asking that? You’re not indentured to the island and the lighthouse. You could go with him.”
“I don’t know. Nothing has been decided.”
“You should go and see what happens. What do you have to lose? If it doesn’t work out, you can come back here for the summer.”
“I have everything to lose. I can’t… I don’t know if I’m ready for what this could be.”
Jenny left her perch by the sink and crossed the room to where Erin leaned against the counter. She put her hands on Erin’s shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact. “I’ve been right where you are. When Alex and his ghastly lawn mower came roaring into my life, I wasn’t in any way prepared to contend with him and all the things he wanted from me. In fact, neither was he with everything that was going on with his mom. But look at what we would’ve missed if we hadn’t found the courage to take a chance.”
Oh God, Erin thought, I’m going to cry. She blinked furiously to keep the tears contained.
Jenny hugged her. “It’s so frightening to risk more than we can afford to lose. I get that. I get it better than any
one else ever could. But Toby would want us to be happy, Er. I have to believe that, or I wouldn’t be able to get through the day.”
Clinging to Jenny and her wisdom, Erin nodded.
“If I can do it, so can you.”
Erin laughed and drew back from the woman who’d become her touchstone after they lost Toby. “I never would’ve survived without you.”
“Ditto. But we can do better than survive. We can thrive. And someday, after we’re done here, we’ll see him again. I want him to be proud of me when that day comes.”
“So do I.” Erin took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together. “I admire you more than anyone. I hope you know that.”
“The feeling is definitely mutual. And… I think your guy is here.”
Erin was on the verge of reminding Jenny that he wasn’t her guy when Slim came into the kitchen and made a liar out of her. Her heart nearly leapt from her chest at the sight of his handsome, smiling face as well as the windblown hair and the rugged leather jacket he wore. He was like a fantasy come to life, and his dark eyes drank her in.
“Is that Alex calling me?” Jenny asked, scooting from the kitchen to give them a moment alone.
“She’s nothing if not subtle,” he said.
“Always has been her strong suit.”
He came over to her, making her entire body go haywire in reaction to his nearness. What. The. Hell.
Unsure of what he expected, she looked up at him, trying to anticipate his next move. But when he merely hugged her, she sagged against him, breathing in the bewitching scent of man and leather and soap.
“Missed you,” he whispered, close enough to her ear to set off another series of unprecedented responses that converged in an insistent throb of desire between her legs.
Dear God. What was it about this man? How did he reduce her to a quivering pile of want simply by walking into a room and hugging her?
When she came up for air, she realized her arms were inside his coat and wrapped around his waist. If this was how she reacted when he was gone for a few hours, how would she feel when he left again to resume his winter life in Florida? She didn’t want to think about that, especially not while he was standing right in front of her, sizing her up with those sexy dark eyes that saw her a little too well for her liking.