She blushed even as she smiled.
“All right then, I’ll make arrangements. Can you be ready in an hour?”
His excitement was contagious. She finished her juice and put the glass down almost looking forward to it.
“Can we go by Rissa’s work for a sec first? I need to check in, she’s the only one who knows what’s going on.”
He kissed the top of her head as he walked by.
“Sure. Anything you want.”
He got to the entrance of the hall and turned back. She sensed he was looking at her and met his stare.
“And I mean that.”
She held her smile but felt it in her heart where it mattered most.
“I know you do.” And I think I love you for it.
He smiled back at her. “I’ll be back.” She lost sight of him as he went into his room, she went looking for kittens.
• • •
Nick stood helpless to do anything but watch her as she yelled at the top of her lungs. Her arms outstretched, the sea air whipping through her hair, shorts and one of his T-shirts, she was beautiful as she stood on the bow and Nick stood behind the wheel. They were free, as free as any two people had ever been and he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d notice if he sailed them straight on to Mexico.
They could live happily on the beach the way she wanted to. Just the two of them in some little village. They both spoke Spanish, it could be a good life. He smiled at his desperate fantasy, then called to her. She came practically skipping towards him.
“I love sailing!”
She shouted over the wind at the same time as she threw her arms around his neck. He hugged her between his body and the wheel. He placed her hands on it and this time she didn’t freak. He ran his now free hands down her bare thighs.
“Can we go again tomorrow?”
A bark of laughter erupted from his throat.
“We’ll have to see. Sailor girl.” He kissed wild blond curls. “I wish you could see my boat, but since she’s docked on the east coast, I suppose that’s out. At least for today.”
His hands made another trip over her skin, then came up to rest on her bra under his T-shirt. He loved when she wore his clothes, finding it sexy in a way he’d never imagined before.
“Can we stop and stay out here for a while?”
“I suppose. Why?”
In answer she turned in his arms and took off her shirt. He instantly saw the heat in her eyes flare to life. She shimmied out from between him and the wheel. She walked slowly to one of the lounges and laid down. His mouth went dry as her fingers nimbly undid the front bra clasp.
Nick immediately stopped the boat.
She had the nerve to bat her lashes at him as she ran her fingers over her own bared breasts, she flicked her nipple, sucked on her finger then rubbed the other nipple.
He was rock hard.
“So, how do you feel about Mexico?”
“What?”
She laughed at him while looking incredibly sexy and confused at the same time. He looked at her breasts. Laughter filled the air as he came down on top of her. He pressed his lips against hers, making him hunger for so much more.
“Never mind.” He growled before he took one into his mouth.
Sheer heaven.
“Do you ever touch yourself, Keely?” He ran his hand down her body. “Because if you do, I want to watch.”
Chapter Seventeen
Keely sucked in a breath as Nick’s hand skimmed over her sun soaked skin. His question had sent a swirling tendril of wantonness running rampant through her. Although in honesty, being out here, in the middle of the ocean like this with him, made her more than a little wanton already, but he certainly wasn’t helping her reel that in.
“I have.”
She wasn’t sure how to answer that. It had never really appealed to her and she’d never been able to bring herself to an orgasm, only Nick seemed capable of that feat, but she could tell he wanted the sexy Keely to be wicked and say yes, wanna watch?
He sat back on his heel and settled himself between her thighs, spreading them so he fit snug. His eyes were incendiary and mixed with the heat of the sun beating down on them, she thought she might spontaneously combust.
“But you didn’t enjoy it? You don’t do it often?”
His fingers played with the tiny bow at the top of her shorts as if wanitng to tug it free.
“I’m not sure.”
He smiled wickedly at her and in one small movement had her completely naked. She eyed him with a mixture of amusement and curiosity as he dropped her clothing to the deck below them.
There was something deliciously naughty about laying there naked in full view of anyone who happened to be in the middle of the Pacific Ocean at that moment. It made her a little drunk feeling. She moved her hand along her own thigh up, he watched, she rested her hand over her curls and smiled at him.
“You think I should try again?”
She saw his breath hitch, it made her delirious with happiness.
“Well, there have been new development since the last time…haven’t there?”
“True.” She let out a theatrical sigh. “Still, I’m not sure. Maybe I just don’t know how.” She held out her hand. “Show me.”
His laugh was a little stilted, but he took her hand and directed it between her folds. She was hot and wet and felt for quite possibly the first time in her life, honestly sexy.
He guided her hand lower and pushed her finger inside herself, along with one of his own. She sucked in a sharp gasp. Her gaze was riveted on his. His sweet sexy half smile daring her to stop him, but there was no way in hell.
She moaned into the salt air as it kissed her lips and she felt their fingers slide out. He leaned over her, his chest brushing her nipples. He brushed his finger coated in her juices along the seam of her lips, she opened and sucked, but her lungs froze when he did the same to her finger.
“Oh good Lord, Nick, I want you.”
He only smiled and locked his gaze with hers as he took her peaked nipple slowly into his mouth. He sucked then flicked the tip several times with his sinful tongue. He ground his cock against her pussy, and she let her legs fall open wider as she felt how very hard he was.
She ached.
She needed.
It was always the same, one look from Nick, one touch and she felt insatiable. She grabbed him by the hair and forced him to kiss her. She stuck her tongue in his mouth and let him moan into her. She wrapped her legs around his and forced him to stay. He ground against her, she shivered. If he didn’t fuck her soon she was going to explode.
“Fuck me.”
“I can’t.”
She sucked on his tongue.
“Please fuck me.”
“God, Keely, I can’t. I want to, but I can’t.”
She felt frustrated and wondered how the hell he could be so God Damned committed to his damn celibacy, but she kept her mouth shut on the subject.
“Take your pants off then.”
She saw trepidation in his eyes, so she let her fingers do a little walking and in a few seconds with her help, he was stripped naked as she was. She held out her hand and he came back down beside her on the lounge, she adjusted herself so she could get a good hold on him.
She delighted in the feel of him as she ran her hand over his shaft, from base to tip and back again. She loved that throaty half groan sound he made deep in his throat when he was really turned on.
She was just about to slip him into her mouth when he stopped her.
“I won’t last.”
He was breathless, but she wasn’t satisfied this time.
“Then let me watch you.”
She laid back, positioning herself so she knew he could see between her legs.
“You won’t fuck me, I want to watch you cum.”
Good lord she had no idea where she’d gotten the nerve. Nick was changing her. Every day she spent with him she was growing stronger, and more conv
inced of her self worth and today, she didn’t want to play nice. She didn’t want to be the shy retiring good girl she seemed to slip into so often with him. She wanted to marry the innocence and the wonder she felt so often with Nick, with the harlot she’d been taught to be.
She started to touch herself, spreading her legs a little wider, tipped her head back into the sun.
“Come on, Nick. We’ll cum together this time.” She brought her head up and locked on him. “You can even cum on me if you want to.”
His eyes grew so dark and she watched him grow harder still as her words moved over him. Slowly he grabbed himself. His hand circling his own hard length. It made her so hot to watch, she nearly forgot who she was trying to be for a moment. She sub consciously checked to see if her mouth had dropped open.
She moaned as she slipped her finger deep inside herself. Nick maneuvered himself closer. His hand finding a good, steady rhythm. She actually salivated when she saw the pure clear fluid form on the tip. She wanted a taste and leaned to get it, but he held her back.
“No, Miss Thornhill. Not this time.”
She scowled, but God she was loving this.
She dipped her finger in her own wetness and slid it over her clit, working in a smooth circle, feeling that now familiar coil. She looked at him, wanting to know how much longer she had to wait.
He smiled, her gaze dropped to his hand, working himself harder, faster now. She tried to match his rhythm, tried to gage how much longer he would last.
She was practically panting, his face had lost all any trace of the casual air he so often wore.
“Cum for me, Nick.” She begged, wanting so bad to cm herself. “Please!”
He grabbed her hard behind the neck and crushed his mouth to hers just as she felt the sticky warm fluid touching her skin, she let herself release. Fell over the edge freely and cried out the sheer bliss of it into his mouth.
His body was wracked in spasm as he grabbed her close, putting his arm around her waist, she bit deep into his shoulder as her orgasm crested, then her head dropped back against the chaise. Nick fell atop her, as breathless as she.
Never in all her life had she ever imagined anything could be so spectacular and so right.
She hugged him hard, never wanting to let go.
I love you, Nick. I love you. Please somehow, please save me.
She knew it wasn’t fair, but she simply had no other answer. She couldn’t imagine walking away from this incredible wonderful man. She just needed to figure out a way she could stay.
• • •
Nick made a third lap across the pool, causing the water to ripple around Keely’s body as she floated mindlessly. It was the middle of their second week together, but she was trying not to think about that. Guy and Clarissa were coming for dinner tonight and she was so excited. She’d never had her sister over to dinner before. This all felt so... normal.
She was lost in her thoughts when Nick grabbed her from underneath and pulled her under the water with him. She shared a kiss with him as they sank to the bottom then rose up again. When their heads broke the surface again, both were laughing.
They swam every morning before breakfast. Another thing that seemed so normal. She caressed his cheek, then gave him another quick kiss. He’d been true to everything he’d promised her. Yesterday they’d been to Knott’s Berry Farm, he’d taken her to the theater, Universal Studios, the beach a half dozen times. He’d even taken her sailing again.
She wasn’t sure what was better, the morning and days when they swam and cooked and laid around in bed, or the evenings that always ended after the fireworks watching I Love Lucy reruns cuddled in bed with their kittens. It was the best time of her life anyway she looked at it and she tried harder with each day not to think about how close to over it was.
Derrick had already sent her plane ticket to their apartment. She had nine more days with Nick before it all ended.
“I have to run to the store. I want to buy some fresh cilantro, mine isn’t growing all that well.”
He kissed her nose as he wrapped her legs around his waist, the water supporting both of them.
“I’ll come with you, I wanted to pick out some wine anyway.”
“Clarissa can’t have any, she’s pregnant.”
He smiled at her. “I know, honey. You tell me at least three times a day.”
She blushed and apologized.
“Besides, the wine isn’t for tonight, it’s for something else, but I want to have it on hand.”
She rested against him as he twirled them around. The water resisting and supporting them as they moved. The sun sparkled off the water, the air temperature hadn’t heated to the unbearable nineties they’d been having and as she took a deep breath, she thought of what Nick told her every night as he tucked her against him, thank you for a perfect day. Right now she didn’t want to think what would happen nine days from now, she just wanted now.
• • •
Tonight wasn’t a night to worry, she was having company. She’d been shopping for two days and cooking most of today. She’d never had company before. Well, not of her own anyway. Tonight she got to plan the menu, set the table, buy the flowers, but she had Nick light the candles. The whole place looked beautiful. She and Nick fell into a comfortable rhythm as the day passed to the sounds of Pavarotti and the soundtracks from her favorite musicals like Showboat, the King and I, The Producers and Rent.
She was smoothing out any wrinkles from the knee length red dress she’d chosen for tonight as the doorbell rang. Excitement coursed through her veins as she heard voices now in the other room. Her eyes first met Nick’s, as she came into the living room. He walked over to her, kissed her hand and slipped a red rose in her hair by her ear. When he kissed her cheek he whispered, “You’re beautiful”.
She met her sister’s eyes as the giggle left her lips.
Clarissa handed the bottle of wine they’d brought to Guy and pointed her finger at Nick. “You.” Then she pointed to the patio door. “Outside.”
Nick raised his brows at her, then looked to Keely. She shrugged, then started to say something to her sister, but Nick stopped her. Grabbing her hand and kissing her fingers.
“Open the wine, we’ll be right back.”
“And none for me, I’ll take water or soda or something.” Clarissa declared as she was halfway to the patio door already.
“Nick’s sweet tea is in the fridge, you’ll think you died.”
Clarissa gave Nick a funny look. He shrugged.
“I’m southern, what do you want?”
He slid the glass door opened and waited for Clarissa to step through before him, then closed the door behind them for privacy.
Clarissa wasn’t as tall as her sister, and her hair was dark, cut short and curly, but Nick decided she was very pretty. He assumed the glow was do to her pregnancy. He offered her the only seat out there and he leaned against the balcony wall.
“So, what can I do for you, Clarissa?”
“Well you can start by marrying my sister and getting her away from our mother and that asshole Derik.”
Nick wasn’t sure what was harder, keeping his hands off Keely, or holding back laughter at Clarissa’s words. He cleared his throat in an attempt to hide the small chuckle that had escaped and folded his arm across his chest, propped his other elbow on it and brought his hand up to cover his lips.
“Your sister tells me she’s quite happy with things the way they are.”
He shocked himself at how disinterested he seemed over that statement. Clarissa stood and walked closer. She put her hands on her hips which was a relief to Nick because he’d been pretty certain he was about to get poked in the chest.
“And you believed her? You can’t possibly be that stupid.”
She flung her hands in the air and they landed back right where they started from as she let out a frustrated groan.
“Look, at first I thought you were just some guy out for a good lay, but tonight
the way you looked at her, then when you kissed her hand. I mean, who does that? It’s more than that, isn’t it?”
Nick wondered how much to tell Clarissa. He wasn’t sure how Keely would react if she knew about this conversation. He was still thinking about it when Clarissa sat back down and started talking.
“Keely’s spent so much of her life taking care of all of us, I don't think she knows how to look out for herself and mom has something on her that’s unbreakable. Peter had a coronary when he found out about Derik, not that any of us liked him before we knew the whole truth, but after...oh man, Peter threw a fit the likes of which you’ve never seen.
“He offered to take me and Keely out of mom’s house that night and take care of us and when Keely refused, she hurt him, bad. He joined the army.”
Nick sensed the loss Clarissa felt over that and it saddened him, but if there was something more he could do, he’d already be doing that, so this conversation seemed pointless to him. He shifted his weight onto his other leg.
“I know all that, Clarissa, but the bottom line is that your sister is a very stubborn woman and I haven’t made even the tiniest bit of headway with her. She still plans to fly to Paris next week and end it with me.”
The words were hard to say and he felt himself shudder as they left his lips. Clarissa walked over to him and shocked him by putting her arms around him.
“You love her.”
It wasn’t a question. She looked up into Nick’s eyes.
“Then you have to do whatever it takes to win her. Get her away from our mother, it’s your only hope.”
Nick looked over Clarissa’s shoulder, Keely was laughing at something Guy must have said, or maybe it was kitten antics, he could see Spud on the back of the sofa. He looked back at Clarissa.
“You have any idea how?”
“‘Fraid not. That woman’s like evil’s spawn and she’s got some kind of hold on Keely that I’ve never understood. She’s downright rotten to her and yet still Keely defends her. Its twisted and I haven’t ever understood it.”
He scratched the side of his head, then put his arm around Clarissa’s shoulders, starting to lead her back into the house.
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