Rescue Me (Butler Island)

by Nikki Rittenberry

  “Now, please”, she begged in a voice she barely recognized as her own.

  Planting one of her palms against his broad, solid chest Lana lifted her bottom, then guided the tip of his sex into position with her other hand. Inch by glorious inch, she lowered herself onto him, giving in to the pleasure-pain as her tight flesh stretched to accommodate his thick shaft.

  “Christ, Lana.” With Lana now fully seated on his cock, he dug his fingers into her hips to hold her steady. “Hold on, Sweetheart. I just”—Randall blew a puff of air from his lungs—“need a sec.”

  Feeling generous she gave him exactly two seconds before she wriggled her bottom, garnering enough friction to cause a whimper to flee her lips. She was burning up inside, smoldering when she looked down at him again. Because something about his unsteady breaths, his tightly clenched jaw, and the salacious haze in his hooded eyes hinted that he was barely clinging to his self-control. Randall Burns was an alpha male through and through. He was the commander in his previous relationships—always the one to lead—always dominating. The ringmaster.

  And he was giving that up. Giving her carte blanche over him.

  This was her show, now. She was the director.

  She was in charge.

  Gazing into the depths of her blue eyes he eased his grip, giving Lana the signal she’d been waiting for.

  Planting both palms on his solid chest for leverage, she lifted her bottom, rising onto her knees until the tip of his cock brushed the gateway to her core. And when Randall drew in a breath through clenched teeth with a hiss, she slid back down his thick rod until she was fully seated again.

  Lana quickened the pace to her unbridled ride, feeling powerful and unbelievably sexy. The expression on his face, the passion in his eyes, fueled her. Knowing she had this effect on him brought her closer to the pinnacle of pleasure. His roughened voice urged her on until finally she shattered, throwing her head back, chanting his name, practically melting into him, never wanting the riveting sensation to end.

  With a few choice obscenities, Randall gripped her hips steady and thrust into her from below, his body flexing under her fingertips as he followed her over the edge.

  Moments later Lana leaned forward, pressing her weary, sweat-slickened body against his. There was a stretch of comfortable silence as they both worked to draw air into their lungs.

  Still buried deep in her tight heat Randall swaddled his arms around her, needing to get closer. Nuzzling her neck, he swept his lips along her salty-vanilla skin. “I have an idea.”

  “I’m all ears”, Lana sighed contentedly, feeling him smile against her neck.

  “Let’s hit the shower. I’ll wash your back, you wash mine.”

  “Feeling dirty again, are you?”

  Randall chuckled softly against her ear. “Something like that.”

  “Good. I like it when you’re dirty.”

  With a sudden renewed spark Randall gripped her ass and stood, making his way into the master bath, letting Lana’s sweet laughter wash over him.

  Chapter 23

  It was well after three in the morning before they fell into bed again—to sleep, that is—because after they’d lathered one another in the shower (a bout of foreplay Randall wasn’t likely to ever forget), he’d plunged into her body twice more.

  His eyes scanned the room. Repetitive rows of bright light traversed the lavender walls as the sun’s splendor permeated the blinds. Overhead, the ceiling fan pirouetted unsteadily, causing a rhythmic click as the seconds ticked by. It hadn’t been his intention to stay the night, but holding Lana as she drifted to sleep, hearing the cadence of her soft, even breaths, had been hard to walk away from.

  And wasn’t that the crux of it. Because last night he caught a glimpse of what a lifetime with Lana might look like: losing himself in her heavenly body, kissing, laughing, their sated souls finally falling into bed together with exhaustion after hours of loving. A deep ache unfurled in his chest. He wanted this with her, wanted to make a go of it, but that couldn’t happen.

  Not now, maybe not ever.

  Staring up at the whirling fan blades he pondered that. He’d really made a mess of things. Steering clear of Lana Phillips was the right thing to do, but even knowing this he just… couldn’t. He tried to tell himself it was because of the promise he’d made to Jimmy on the brittle forest floor back in Tate’s Hell last year, but then he’d be lying. His presence in Lana and Connor’s life may’ve started out that way, but it was more than that, now.

  Being here didn’t feel like an obligation anymore. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time guilt lured him to this address. He liked the person he was with Lana, liked that she saw him as someone worthy, important.

  Of all the women in your life, why did you have to fall for her?

  Nothing good could come from loving his best friend’s wife, that much he did know. Because just the mere thought of the emptiness she’d leave behind when this thing was through warped his weary mind. Randall pinched the bridge of his nose and clenched his eyes shut, searching his brain for his next move. The right move.

  He’d been so caught up in Lana Phillips’ spell he’d almost believed that this thing between them was real. It wasn’t, at least not philosophically speaking. Because there was no denying the realness of their combustible chemistry. But believing there could be more, that he could play the leading male role in her life, was just about the most moronic idea he’d ever cooked up. And Lord knew how many of those he’d had over the course of his thirty years.

  “You do that every morning?”

  Randall’s head snapped to the gorgeous brunette lying beside him, hair a bit disheveled from sex and sleep. “Good morning. How long have you been lying there awake?”

  Lana turned to her side and propped her hand against her temple. “Long enough to witness the deliberations goin’ on inside that head of yours.”

  “Which head are we talkin’ about?” He teased, but one look into her probing blue eyes assured him she wasn’t buying his witticism this morning.

  “You know what I meant”, she uttered softly. “Does this”—she gestured between them with her free hand—“feel weird to you? I mean, being here, in this house—in this bed—with me.”

  Rolling on his side to face her, he raked an unruly strand of hair from her face with his fingertips. “It should, but for the life of me I can’t figure out why it doesn’t. Because right now”, he mumbled against her jaw, “there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  And that was the God’s honest truth—no matter how sick or twisted it was, this was exactly want he wanted.

  In the next instant he rolled her beneath his hard body, kissing her long and deep. His fingertips traipsed across her bare skin, gradually making their way to the succulent folds at the apex of her thighs.

  “Mmm, you’re so wet”, he murmured against her ear, his finger disappearing into her body.

  “I dreamt about you”, she breathed.

  “Yeah? Tell me about it. What did I do to you?”

  “I…y-you did…we…we were—Omigod, Randall!” She screamed when he sucked her nipple into his mouth.

  “What’s wrong, Sweetheart—having trouble multi-tasking? Huh?” To make his point, he added a second finger while his thumb worked over the responsive bundle of nerves at the juncture of her thighs, his mouth simultaneously suckling her sensitive nipples, causing her to cry out in pleasure. “Can’t think past how good I make you feel?”

  Lana’s nails bit into his shoulders as her lithe body squirmed beneath his. “Randall”, she whimpered. “I want you—that’s all I’ve got, right now.”

  “Tell me more, Sweetheart; I need to hear you say it. What do you want?”

  “You—inside me. Please…”

  The neediness in her voice startled her for a beat, but she didn’t waver. And when he withdrew his fingers from her body, she quickly reached for the lone condom lying on the nightstand beside her and rolled it down his engorged
shaft.

  His weight came down on her again, but instead of pushing into her he took his time, caressing her skin with his hands and mouth. Lana’s hips bucked in frustration, desperately seeking friction to ease the pulsing ache between her legs.

  “Huh-uh”, he whispered against her jaw. “This time we’re going slow.”

  “Are you trying to kill me?”

  Randall chuckled under his breath. “No, but what a way to go.” He nibbled the delicate skin along her collarbone for another minute or so, then finally ended the torturous foreplay by sliding into her wet sex.

  Randall filled her completely—physically, emotionally. His slow, methodical thrusts, his masterful touch and endearing kisses released something inside her, threading the final stitch in her broken heart. This incredibly giving man had managed to close the gaping hole, his strong presence mending the unfathomable.

  And she loved him for it.

  “Don’t hide”, he groaned softly. “Look at me.”

  Those skillful fingers reached down between them again, gliding over her wet flesh in soft, lazy circles, drawing the tension tighter.

  “Come for me, Sweetheart. I want to watch you.”

  Meeting his piercing gaze she tumbled over the peak, raking her nails over his back, her sensual whimpers echoing off the walls of the room.

  “God, Lana”, he growled through clenched teeth as her body pulsed around him, milking his shaft as he spilled into the latex barrier.

  They’d barely recovered when the sound of her mother’s voice echoed from the living room. “Lana…?”

  Sharing a quick holy-shit expression, they scrambled out of bed in search of cover. Randall snatched his jeans, then dashed into the bathroom, his broad shoulders crashing into the door jamb before shutting the door behind him.

  “Lana!” Her mother called again.

  “Be right out!” She fed her arms through a white terrycloth robe, cinched the sash around her waist, and opened the door, desperately taming her wild mane with her fingertips as she journeyed to the living room.

  She was mortified to find Connor sitting on the couch sucking on a Blow Pop, her mother righting the kitchen chair that’d been knocked over the night before when Randall had charged at her during her strip tease. But that wasn’t the worst of it, because when the chair was finally upright, her mother bent to pick up the note Lana scribbled last night, directing Randall into position.

  This was awkward.

  “Hi, Sweetheart”, Lana said to her son. “Did you have fun?”

  Connor popped the purple sucker from his mouth and nodded. “Want some?”

  “No, thanks.” Lana turned to her mother. “I, um… I thought you were bringing him by around noon.”

  “It is noon.”

  “Oh. I didn’t realize, I guess.”

  Her mother’s accusing eyes narrowed a bit as if to say: obviously not, considering you were preoccupied.

  “Connor, why don’t you finish your sucker in the kitchen? I’ll be there in a few minutes to clean your sticky hands. I need to speak to Nana about something.” Connor leapt off the couch with a buoyant step. “Don’t bite down on the candy, all right? Don’t want you to choke.”

  “I won’t”, he hollered back a second before a loud crunch sounded from the entrance to the kitchen.

  Lana blew a slow, steady stream of air from her lungs, both from frustration of her son’s disobedience and the uncomfortable conversation she was moments away from having with her mother.

  Lauren Crawford waited until her grandson was out of earshot, then launched into her investigation. “Who’s here?”

  “Nobody—”

  “Lana Kay, a woman doesn’t make sounds like that when she’s alone.”

  “It’s the twenty-first century, Mom—you’d be surprised.”

  Her mother crossed her arms as surprise swept over her face. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that”, she finally uttered on a sigh.

  “Sorry.”

  Her mother’s laser-like stare assessed her again. “I take it he’s someone I know?—Someone Jimmy knew?” Lana nodded feebly. “Oh, honey, what are you doing? Do you have any idea what this’ll do to your reputation?—How your carelessness might affect Connor?”

  Lana felt anger boil inside her. “So what am I supposed to do, Mom? Spend the rest of my life alone? Give up hope of ever being happy again?”

  “No, that’s not what I’m saying—”

  “Then what am I supposed to do? Since you think you’re suddenly an expert on the subject, you tell me.”

  “I never claimed to be an expert, Lana. I just don’t want you to do anything rash without first thinking about the possible outcome.” Her mother stepped closer, placing her hands on Lana’s shoulders, softening her tone. “Maybe this is the right thing for you. I don’t have a crystal ball, honey; I can’t see what tomorrow will bring. But you have to take into consideration there’s also a possibility this whole thing could backfire. Are you prepared for that?” she asked worriedly. “Because no matter how much time has passed, the people loyal to Jimmy aren’t going to like the idea of you moving on.”

  She’s right—especially when they discover who you’ve been moving on with.

  “Just promise me you’ll give this relationship some thought and prepare yourself for what happens if things go—”

  “Hey, Randall”, Connor yelled excitedly after popping the sucker from his mouth. “Wanna see my tongue?”

  Lana’s eyes darted away from her mother’s, quickly landing on the broad silhouette lurking in the shadows of the hallway.

  “You’ve got a purple tongue, Squirt.” She heard the shadow say.

  Lana winced as her mother slowly turned her heard to glance over her shoulder.

  This is bad—really bad!

  But Lauren Crawford made no mention of the man eavesdropping in Lana’s hallway. Instead, she pulled her daughter in for a hug before reaching for her purse on the end table. “I put a casserole in your fridge. It’s a new recipe. Give me a call after dinner and let me know whatcha think.”

  And then she was gone, leaving Lana to pore over her mother’s prudent plea.

  Chapter 24

  Lana spent the remainder of April and most of May gearing up for the first annual charity auction in her late husband’s honor. A myriad of details had immediately demanded her attention once the venue site had been chosen. She had to take into consideration crowd size, refreshments, auctioneer fee, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

  After speaking with much of the island it was determined that nearly all eleven-hundred residents were planning to attend, which had made offering refreshments a bit of a problem. Luckily the local Senior Committee offered to provide lemonade and bottled water, and Chief Handler had volunteered the fire department to serve hotdogs to hungry bidders, leaving the city only responsible for the cost incurred by the auctioneer.

  Day after day, Lana had marched into local businesses asking for donations for the upcoming auction. She’d already managed to collect a wide range of interesting items from the businesses located on the island, but it still wasn’t enough. She wanted the charity event to be a tremendous success; couldn’t wait to present the Public Service Society with a sizable check. Just thinking about all the good the organization could do with that money made her heart sing with pride.

  Lana eyed the clock, noting she still had nearly forty-five minutes until her normal workday ended. She’d planned to venture to the mainland after work and convince more businesses to support the Public Service Society by donating items and services to the charity auction, but seeing how her inbox was completely empty at the moment she figured maybe she could get a head start.

  Rising from her desk she peered through the mayor’s opened door. “Got a minute?”

  Mayor Cliffburg glanced from the document he’d been poring over since lunch and smiled. “For you, always. My eyes could actually use the break.” He gestured to the twin winged-back chairs positioned i
n front of his desk and waited for her to take a seat. “Everything all right?”

  “Um, yeah, everything’s great.”

  He eyed her curiously for a stretch, almost as if he was trying to solve a riddle. “Good. Glad to hear it. And how’re the donations coming along for the auction?”

  “Well, that’s actually why I wanted to talk to you.”

  The mayor leaned his back against the expensive leather, bracing his cheek with one of his manicured hands. “All right, let’s hear it.”

  “Frankly, I’ve managed to get donations from just about every business within city limits—a whole range of items and services, actually. But I know we can do better. I was thinking of involving businesses on the mainland. It’d be an opportunity for them to show support for a local charity and draw new customers to their businesses—an invaluable marketing strategy, if you ask me.”

  A smile splayed across his lips. “I think it’s brilliant. You really have a knack for this kind of work, Lana. I really mean that.”

  “Thanks”, she uttered quietly. “It’s a great cause and—”

  “Yes, but it’s more than that. You have this way about you—an innocence… It speaks to people.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re welcome…So, you headed to the mainland tonight?”

  “Well since things are kind of slow at the moment, I was hoping to get a head start. Maybe drive to Apalachicola right now?”

  “I don’t think that’ll be a problem. In fact”—he leaned forward—“why don’t I accompany you this evening? Teaming up with the mayor could entice more donations.”

  Lana tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Um, yeah, sure.”

  “Excellent”, he announced cheerfully as he rose from his chair. “How ‘bout I drive—we can pound the pavement, grab a bite to eat, then I’ll swing you back by afterward to get your car.”