After Him: An Enemies-To-Lovers Romance (Virgin Island Series Book 1)

by L. L. James

  And now he was going to have her.

  He pushed open his front double door and stepped inside. Taking a moment to kick off his mud-caked boots, Marek toed them off and looked around his house for Carmen. Quiet enveloped him as he quickly rolled the cuffs of his old Levi’s up and slipped off his socks.

  After placing the socks inside his shoes, he strode down the hall toward the kitchen. Carmen wasn’t there. Frowning a bit, Marek stopped in front of the stainless steel sink and washed his hands and strong, muscled forearms. Just as he was drying his hands on a towel hanging on the handle of the stove, he heard a muffled voice coming from the other side of the house.

  Grabbing a large green apple on his way past the wooden fruit bowl on the counter, Marek bit into it and slipped down the hall following the noise. When he came to the French doors to his office he stopped and listened through the closed doors.

  Laughter filtered through the glass and settled warm around his heart. He heard Carm respond to something, her voice soft with affection. Hearing her say her sister’s name, he sighed and stepped away from the door. He knew by the last phone call it could take awhile before she got off the phone. The woman sure liked to gab.

  He figured as he made his way upstairs to his room that if talking to her sister for three hours every day would make her happy then he’d gladly foot the bill. He needed to hear her laugh, see her smile. And if that’s what it took, then that was fine with him.

  Besides, he could definitely use a shower. Sweat and dirt were two things he knew would keep Carm at arms length and he wanted her in his arms tonight. They were going to finish what they’d started last night.

  With his thoughts turned to getting Carm naked, Marek stripped out of his dirt smeared clothes and strode to the bathroom. He studied his face in the mirror as he pulled off the black band that had held his hair out of his face all day. Landon was a smart man and had wisely kept his mouth shut about it all day, although he’d seen his lips twitch a few times on the flight over.

  With his hair free it fell in a riot of curls over his right eye, and he shoved it back. Glancing at his reflection for a moment, he wondered what Carm saw when she looked at him.

  Did she see a mixed race man with wild hair and green eyes? An illegitimate son of a young, single mother and absent father? Or did she see a man who had once been a troubled youth who’d overcome all obstacles to become a man of confidence and ability—one who made his way successfully in the world?

  He knew she loved him, but he didn’t know how she saw him.

  Marek swore and turned to the shower. He turned the nozzle and waited for the water to heat. It was eating at him knowing he’d opened himself to her, left himself exposed and vulnerable. He’d told her things about himself he never shared. Ever. This was the first time he’d let a woman into his life, into his past. And it left him shaken and scared.

  For the first time in his life he was vulnerable, open to hurt from a woman. It had been a gamble leaving her those pictures and his biography, but he knew that if they were going to take the next steps he had to make the effort.

  Didn’t mean he had to like it.

  Marek tested the water and found it hot so he climbed in and shut the glass door behind him. Water poured down his chest and washed away the day’s sweat and grime. Enjoying the rising steam he closed his eyes and let the heat seep into his pores, let it sooth his tense muscles.

  Carmen wrapped his body in knots, made his muscles tense and his gut churn. Something had to be done about it. He had to have her tonight, had to release all the tension built up inside him before he exploded.

  Water pounded and pulsed on his broad shoulders and slid down his back, past his narrow waist and over his steel ass to the floor. Marek closed his eyes and tilted his head back until the water slicked his hair back away from his face.

  Carmen had better be off the phone by the time he dried off and dressed or he was going to rip it from her hands. He couldn’t wait any more to find out what she was thinking. If she was happy about his gesture, or if it had backfired on him, and now had her worrying over his juvenile antics. Merde, he had been a stupid kid, that was all. He wasn’t proud of the things he’d done, but he’d done them. That was fact. Didn’t change who he was now.

  He hoped Carm would see it that way.

  Marek swore under his breath and turned toward the water. She had him so churned up inside he was going crazy. The hell of it was he didn’t know how to make it go away. All he knew was that he had to touch her soon.

  Steam rose all around him fogging the clear glass of the door and rolled over the top of the glass. The hot water felt wonderful as it pounded against his sculpted chest. Closing his eyes, Marek ducked his head under the water and let it run over his head and down his face. It massaged his scalp, pulsed along the back of his head. Letting it pour over him and wash the stress away, he leaned forward and placed his hands on the granite shower walls.

  Lowering his head to let the water beat the back of his neck and between his shoulder blades, Marek sighed. Long strands of brown hair streaked with blond hung on either side of his face and down his neck as he stood under the steaming water and breathed in deep. The hint of coconut and vanilla spice filled his nostrils and tightened his gut. Even in the damned shower he couldn’t escape her. She was everywhere.

  His long-fingered hands closed into fists against the cool granite as his stomach churned into knots. How could he smell her when she wasn’t even there?

  A cool hand touched him then, high on his back and stroked down slowly to his waist. He went deadly still as his whole body tensed at the touch. Again, the smell of coconut and vanilla spice filled his nostrils, this time stronger and unimagined.

  Desire shot through him at a dangerous level as a second hand reached out and touched his back. It too ran down the length of his corded back and slid down to rest at his waist. Marek clenched his hands until the knuckles turned white, and waited.

  Silken strands of hair whispered along his lower back seconds before he felt a mouth, warm and open, touch his spine. Shivers raced down his back where her mouth touched him, raising goosebumps along his skin.

  On a ragged whisper he demanded, “What are you doing in here?”

  “Finishing what we started.” Carm responded.

  Blood poured from his head straight to his groin at her answer. Marek spun around with lightning speed and raked his hair out of his face with both hands. There she stood, his goddess, the woman who’d crawled under his skin and into his thoughts.

  And she was glorious.

  The ends of her pale hair were damp around her bare shoulders and her eyes were large and full of desire. They stared back at him, hiding nothing.

  Carmen wanted him.

  Marek let his eyes rake over her naked body, greedy for every detail. Her large breasts hung full and round with small pink nipples hard with arousal. His gaze traveled down over her slim waist, over the lush flair of her hips, past the feminine swell of her slightly rounded stomach to the thatch of silvery blond curls between her thighs.

  Lust slammed into him like a fist as he stared at the barely concealed slit between her thighs. Her blond hair was so light it was almost translucent, allowing him to glimpse the treasure it hid.

  Ripping his eyes away from her beautiful pussy, Marek slid his gaze down her long, curvy legs to her pink toenails. Carmen was the most breathtaking woman he’d ever seen.

  Her voice brought his eyes back to her face and Marek watched her mouth as she spoke, “I told you there would be no begging when I was ready, Marek. I want you.”

  His knees almost buckled.

  Then he was on her, his mouth devouring hers, his hands tangled in her blond hair. His body pressed hard against hers as be backed her against the shower wall. He growled as her hands slid over his back to his ass. She squeezed and he pushed his erection against her lower abdomen.

  Ripping his mouth off hers to nibble on the spot just below her ear, Marek demanded
with a gravelly voice, “Why now, cheri?”

  He heard her sharp intake of breath as he nipped at her ear and thrust his cock against her. She matched his thrust and pushed back against him creating exquisite friction that almost had his eyes rolling in the back of his head.

  Thrusting again, he repeated the question, “Why now?”

  Carm lifted a long leg and wrapped it around his waist, opening to him. On a gasp, she replied, her eyes locked on him, “Because you’re in love with me.”

  Marek sucked in a breath at the conviction in her eyes, and shook his head. Before she could argue he covered her mouth with his in a soul-kiss. Tongues tangled and rasped. Teeth nipped and tugged. Hunger clawed at him with vicious talons urging him to take her right there in the shower.

  Water pounded against his back as he slid his hands up to cup her breasts. His thumbs rubbed over her puckered nipples until she arched into his hands, then his mouth slid down to cover them. Flicking his tongue over one nipple and teasing her other with his fingers, Marek groaned at the warm taste of her skin.

  He felt her tug at his hair and covered her nipple with his mouth and sucked. Her low, throaty moan sent heat searing straight to his cock. He felt it on the very tip of his throbbing head.

  Desire consumed him, spread through him like wildfire. Only one thing remained: Carmen. She surrounded him, became all he could see.

  Moving to suck on her other nipple, Marek guided his hand down her body, over her rounded hips to the curls between her legs. Slipping his hand between her thighs, his cock pulsed in reaction to finding her wet and ready.

  Carm felt like she was on fire. Marek’s mouth set off blazes along her skin everywhere it touched. She’d known it would be like this. Consuming, overpowering.

  The steamy air around them pulsed with it. With their need for each other.

  When she’d heard him outside the office doors she’d known tonight was going to be the night. And when she’d discovered him in the shower her inner wild woman had taken over and she’d climbed in behind him.

  Just looking at his hard, sculpted body glistening with water had turned her nipples hard and sent a delicious ache to the pit of her stomach.

  Marek lifted his head and looked at her, his green eyes glittering with hunger. “I’m going make you come, cheri. I’m going to lick you, taste you until you scream.”

  Carm nodded as he slid down her body, his hand stroking between her thighs. Then he was kneeling before her, his wet hair hanging in curling ropes around his head. She looked down at him as he gazed at her pussy and felt a pool of warmth spread between her thighs.

  A ragged moan escaped her as he parted her with a finger and stroked her slick, swollen lips. Then his mouth was on her, hot and wild. His tongue thrust against her, slowly licked over her. “You’re so wet, sugar. Do you like when I do this?” He did it again, rasped his tongue over her sensitive nub with just the right amount of pressure.

  Her knees buckled and she would have fallen but he gripped her hips and lifted a leg, draping it over his shoulder. Then his mouth was on her again and his fingers joined, stroking and thrusting into her as his lips and tongue worked her clit, pushing her to new heights of arousal. Pushing her beyond anything she knew.

  Overwhelmed by his dominating need, her head fell back against the granite shower wall and she surrendered, riding higher as his tongue thrust and circled, and his finger stroked deep inside her. When he kissed her pussy like he kissed her mouth—open, deep, hungry—she exploded on an orgasm that started at her core and burst out like glittering stars, tingling all the way to her toes.

  The echo of her scream hung heavy on the steamy air, but before she could recover Marek removed her leg and pulled her from the shower.

  They didn’t make it to his bed.

  They tumbled to the floor and she was on her hands and knees. He kneeled behind her, his breath ragged, his desire beating at her, wave after wave.

  “Tell me you want this, cheri.” He demanded as he reached between her legs and parted her. His fingers stroked her slick folds, the hot head of his penis pushed against her.

  Beyond thinking, she moaned and pushed against him, felt his thick head enter her. A hunger she couldn’t place screamed for fulfillment. She heard him groan, deep and visceral, and pushed back against him, taking him deeper.

  She needed this, needed to give herself to Marek, needed to let him claim her in the most basic way a man could. It was time.

  She lowered down to her elbows and rested her head on her fists. “Please, Marek. Now.”

  Strong hands gripped her hips from behind and with one thrust he buried his thick shaft deep inside her. A raw groan ripped from him, a sound of primal claiming.

  Carm flinched at the razor sharp stab of pain and sucked in a breath. His sheer size filled her, overwhelmed her.

  She felt him go still. Marek growled, “You’re still a virgin aren’t you?” At her small nod, he swore, low and harsh. “I’m so sorry, cheri. I would have been gentler if I’d known.”

  But she didn’t want gentle. As the pain resided, that deep hunger returned. She wanted to be claimed by him, taken by the man she loved in the most primitive way. Carm pushed her ass back against him, burying him deep inside her.

  Marek seemed to understand what she wanted and asked, stroking her ass possessively, his voice thick with accent, “Is that what you want? You want to be fucked?” She felt the sharp nip of his teeth on her shoulder, the scrape of his shadow beard at her back.

  Desire flared dangerously at his dirty words and she pushed back against him again, nodding. He withdrew and thrust back into her, sending delicious shockwaves racing to her core. “You like that? Like the way my cock feels in your hot little pussy?” Dark arousal rolled heavy from his tongue.

  She knew he held back, setting a strong, steady pace—until he heard her whimper and pant, her orgasm near. He lost control then and pounded into her with long, deep strokes. Again and again he pumped deep into her, riding her until she screamed out and clenched hard around his cock.

  Her sheath squeezed and convulsed around him, sending him spiraling into his own powerful orgasm. Marek groaned with his release and the world went black around them.

  Eighteen

  Carm stretched her arms over her head and gazed out over the acre of green grass from her vantage point on the second floor. She stretched her legs out in front of her as she sat at the table outside Marek’s bedroom on the verandah and wiggled her toes.

  Three times last night. Three wonderful, intense, earth shattering times, and her body ached this morning in places she didn’t know it could. It had been even better than she’d imagined it would be. Marek was a demanding lover, full of intense passion and emotion. He’d taken her places last night she’d only dreamed about. And then he’d taken her beyond.

  Oh, how he’d taken her beyond. On the floor, on the bed, and outside on the verandah against the railing.

  A shiver rippled through her and she snuggled deeper into the thick white cotton robe Marek had loaned her. Contentment settled cozily around her as she watched the ocean ripple in the distance with gentle waves. The sun was already warm on her face and the birds chirped cheerfully in the trees.

  A soft breeze tugged at her hair and rustled the leaves of the palms in the yard. She looked on as Sunny crept along the ground with her belly dragging and her tail twitching. She must have been chasing a bug or butterfly because she stilled and crouched, her fluffy butt wiggling in the air. Then she pounced, her body leaping through the air to land a few feet away.

  She missed her target and dashed off across the lawn after it. Carm watched her until the cat disappeared out of sight, and then sighed. She felt loose and incredibly relaxed. Like she’d spent a fortune on a professional massage and had had a deep tissue treatment.

  Marek made her feel that good. Relaxed and content with the world. Stifling a yawn, Carm ran her hands through her tousled hair and held it with one hand at her neck.


  Life was damned fine. It was funny, really, how love could alter a person’s view of the world. Color it in vivid shades. And change life from ordinary to extraordinary in the blink of an eye.

  Carm never would have imagined in a million years that she’d be sitting on a tropical island, basking in the afterglow of amazing sex, while the man she loved was downstairs brewing coffee. But there she was. Crazy in love with the man of her dreams downstairs making her coffee.

  As a wild canary flew by, her thoughts turned to practical matters and to her sister. She wished Kate could be here to meet Marek. And she worried about her and the baby. Last night Kate had said they were doing fine but Carm had detected a note of anxiety in her tone.

  If everything turned out how she was hoping it would she’d be able to bring Kate and the baby down here for a visit before too much longer. Maybe she’d even be able to get Marek to fly back to Colorado with her before then.

  One thing she did know for sure was that she no longer had the slightest desire to void her marriage. Nope, Marek was in for it now. Lock, stock, and barrel. He’d gone and made her fall in love with him and now he was stuck with her. And if last night was anything to go by, he wasn’t all that broken up about it.

  In fact, if she remembered correctly, he’d even said something about sending fate a card for bringing him Carm. He’d been a little out of it then, granted, as it was right before his orgasm, but it still counted.

  A rustling came from behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see Marek making his way toward the open doors with a bamboo tray loaded down with coffee, mugs, cream and sugar. Warmth hummed welcomed in her veins at the sight of him bare chested in the morning sunlight.

  Lime green swim trunks rode low over his hips, the deep groove of his chiseled stomach muscles pointing down into the waistband. Below his blue dolphin tattoo a dark brown happy trail disappeared beneath the green material and she felt her face heat as she mentally pictured what she knew was down there.

  Pulling her eyes away from the bulge in his shorts, Carm ran them back up over his chiseled abs and pec muscles to his face, only to find him grinning wickedly at her. A naughty glint flashed in his pale green eyes like he was thinking of something particularly dirty. She had a feeling she knew what it was. He’d put her yoga flexibility to good use last night.