by Riley Love
“Beautiful.” His voice was rough, like I’d rubbed the velvet the wrong way. “Show me what you like, Alina.”
Interesting. “You guys have been calling me Lina, like the story when we’re together. Like it’s the difference between fantasy and reality.”
“It is.” His fingers trailed along my stomach. “It’s dangerous to spend too much time in fantasy. When we watch this later, and you’re Alina again, it will be your reality.”
He hooked his thumbs into my underwear and stripped me. A small moan emitted from his lips, and he undid his own pants, easing them down his thighs. His thick cock sprang out, hard and ready. I reached for it, and this time he didn’t push me away.
His eyes closed as I moved along the length. I ran my fingers over the tip. I loved the way his body reacted to my touch, and I’d enjoy watching this part over and over. Goosebumps blossomed over my skin at the thought of my very own dirty movie, starring me and a man I’d spent the last fifteen years fantasizing about.
I couldn’t explain to him how much it meant to me that he used my name. The fantasy was fun, but I needed a sliver of this to be real. I had to bring it home with me and cherish it for the rest of my life.
Hunter reached into a drawer in his nightstand. I didn’t let go of him. Instead, I drank in the way his body stretched. The way the muscles moved under his dark skin. He was tragic and beautiful. I had an idea for after we finished the video, but I wouldn’t tell him now. Not until I made his dream came true.
“Do you want to follow the story?” I asked, each word shaking a little more.
He nodded and handed me the condom. No need to tell me what to do. I’d orchestrated it years ago. I kissed the tip of his cock and ripped open the foil packet. After I rolled the condom down his shaft, I pushed him back on the bed, pinning him down on the mattress by his shoulders. Our gazes locked. This was already like watching a movie. The scene had played out so many times in my head.
My hair hung in his face like curtains as I leaned in and stole a kiss. That would be lost to this moment, the camera unable to capture it. I straddled him, my pussy practically dripping in anticipation of having his cock inside me. But it wasn’t time yet.
I sat back, grasping his length one more time. My hand didn’t move as easily against the latex, but I could easily fix that. Moving his cock against my slit, the condom glimmered with my arousal in the candlelight. Hunter rolled up, tangling his fingers in my hair. That wasn’t part of the story, but it felt so good when he pulled my hair, that I didn’t protest. Lina was much more dominant than Alina. Alina needed something completely different.
“I need to fuck you now,” he rasped. “I need to bury myself deep inside you, Alina.”
He needed to move on. I could help him with that. Our fingers laced together around his shaft as he positioned himself to enter me. I let go, grasping his shoulders hard. He was big, thicker than Todd, but it was the best kind of burn. His head fell back as I clutched his shoulders, digging my fingernails into his skin.
“I love the way you feel inside me,” I said.
He slowly pushed himself in until he filled me. I could lay with him inside me, his weight on top of me, forever, but when my body pulsed around his, he moved. It was his awakening, the reality that he lost his beloved Natalie. He thrust hard and fast, like he had to shatter the barrier between his fantasy and his reality. I wasn’t sure which one he needed to get away from.
And I didn’t care. I cradled his head against my shoulder. His kisses were his confession, his truth. I wrapped my legs around his waist, riding his thick, beautiful cock until I came.
My body throbbed. My pussy, my head, my heart all did the same. Hunter rolled onto the bed. His shallow, heavy breaths said he was spent, but his rigid shaft told a completely different story. On my wobbly legs, I pulled myself up. My skin was damp with sweat from our union. Hunter’s skin was dark against the black silk sheets. His eyes watched my every move. His breath was the only sound.
I straddled him, circling my hips over the tip of his cock before he took hold of it. I thought he’d push himself back inside, but Hunter wasn’t in any hurry. He ran his cock along my slick, swollen slit. I was trembling, biting my lip to keep myself from begging for it.
I was so lost in him I’d forgotten I’d scripted this very moment long ago on a cold, lonely night in my childhood bedroom, jumping every time my mom made a sound. He’d taken me so far away from that. Like Cleveland existed on another plant. He was waiting for me to move the script forward.
“Fuck me, Hunter.” I didn’t think the words would belong to me. I’d given them to Lina, but I took them back. “Bury that cock inside me and fuck me until you come.”
Hunter did as I asked, hips pistoning up into my hot cunt over and over again. He reached for me, pulling my face down to his by my tangled hair. Our lips clashed, kisses as sloppy and desperate as each stroke inside me.
His body swelled inside mine, and hot cum shot into his condom. I squeezed my eyes closed, wishing we could’ve been skin on skin and I could’ve felt his seed running down my inner walls. There was absolutely no room in my life for a baby, but I wanted to have a piece of him that I could take home with me.
Hunter licked his lips and blinked slowly. “Thank you,” he said between ragged breaths.
He lowered my body to the bed. I pulled the satin sheet over us, even though we didn’t need any help keeping warm, hoping to hold this feeling close to us as long as possible.
The video. Fantasy and reality were so blurred. “Can we watch it?”
His eyes lit up. “Fuck yeah.” I didn’t always pick up his southern drawl—it was more the richness of his voice that labeled him as southern. But when he was relaxed, spent, he was never more himself.
He rolled his body away from the mattress. It was still a treat to watch him move, to be this close to his naked body. I fucked Hunter Carmichael. My inner fangirl was going crazy.
When he came back, he had a laptop with him. Our bodies tangled together like we belonged that way as he pressed play.
The light was low, but there was no mistaking what was happening, and with who. We clung to each other, watching the video like we hadn’t lived it, like it was all new. Our cries rang through the room. And when it was over, we were breathless all over again.
“Thank you, Alina,” he said as he fell against the pillow. “For bringing my fantasy to life.”
Chapter Seven
I’d brought Hunter Carmichael’s fantasy to life. Like he didn’t have any idea how many nights I’d lie in bed, dreaming about him. Closing my eyes and listening to his music convinced me I had a reason to wake the fuck up the next morning. And now I knew I actually meant something to him, that I’d soothed some of his pain. It was a gift. He thought he was the one who’d received it, but he’d given it.
While we filmed, the chef had arrived. The world was still turning around us like I hadn’t just fucked Hunter Carmichael. Like I hadn’t given him my email address and a link to the video wouldn’t be waiting for me when I went back to my bungalow. The guys waved to me as I walked by the common area and cheered when I smiled back. Even if they hadn’t known what we were doing, they knew now. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this happy.
“Jose’s making conch salad. And you might think this sangria is the nectar of the Gods,” Zach called to me.
“I’ll be out in a minute.” I wasn’t quite ready to sit with the rest of the band yet. I wanted to drink in the last of my Hunter afterglow. I was still tipsy on him. If I wanted to, I could call up the link on my phone and let the guys watch it over dinner. I squeezed my thighs together as I entered my bungalow, my body tingling at the very thought of everyone watching me fuck.
And I was breathless at the realization that by the end of the weekend, I would’ve fucked every single member of Jupiter in Blue. Maybe more than once. Being here with them like I was their friend and not their fan didn’t make that giddiness go away. The guys
and the music had been my happy place for so long. This weekend was validation that I was right about them.
I crawled onto my bed, considering if I wanted to bring Blake or Zach—or even Todd or Hunter for an encore. That hadn’t been ruled out—here when it was time to fuck them. It didn’t really matter to me where we did it. I didn’t have any connection to the bungalow. It was the best hotel room ever, but it wasn’t mine.
If only I could bring the guys home…
I closed my eyes as I spread out on the mattress, Hunter’s tattoo still fresh on my body. I pictured my worlds colliding. Jupiter in Blue in my childhood home in Cleveland. The guys helping me with Mom. And she’d know who they were, and she’d know they were there to take care of me.
My surroundings were a cruel joke when I opened my eyes. I could never bring the two worlds together.
Rolling onto my stomach, I grabbed my phone. My laptop was over on the window seat, and I didn’t feel like getting up. The phone would do.
Hunter had sent the link, but he wasn’t the only one who wanted my attention. My sister texted and left a voicemail. That couldn’t possibly be good.
The first text said, Call me. Then the next one said, Never mind. Everything’s cool. Enjoy your trip.
Like hell I’d never mind. My heart pounded as the call connected. I didn’t bother to listen to the voicemail. Anita would either try to placate me or scare the hell out of me. I had thirty years’ experience dealing with my sister. There was never any happy medium.
Esther’s screaming was the first thing I heard when the call connected. At least I hoped it was Esther. Three-year-olds cried over absolutely nothing. I could put my mind at ease.
“Did you get my messages?” Anita sounded out of breath when she answered.
“Only saw the texts that scared the hell out of me. I figured it was best to call you.”
“Everything’s okay now.” She shushed Esther, cooing something unintelligible to her. Talking to Anita on the phone was so frustrating because I never had her full attention. “Mom fell.”
All the air rushed out of my body. “What do you mean, she fell?”
Anita muttered something else to Esther before answering. Like anything could be more important than answering my fucking question. “Esther loosened the lap belt on her wheelchair, and Mom got out. She tripped over a toy and lost her balance.”
“Oh my God.” I jumped off the bed, tearing at my hair as I paced in the tiny bungalow. “How could you let that happen?”
“Because I’ve got a three-year-old who gets into everything and a seventy-year-old who doesn’t remember her own name and two hands and one set of eyes. Shit happens. I’m doing the best I can. I don’t appreciate you giving me shit when you’re on some tropical vacation with a boy band.”
“Mama said shit!” Esther’s voice came through loud and clear. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”
I bit back my laughter. I was too pissed at both of them to let anyone off the hook so easily. “What happened to Mom?”
Anita sighed. “She bumped her head pretty good on the coffee table. Thankfully she didn’t hit a corner. I called 911, and the paramedics came. They said to let her rest and keep a good eye on her. Right now, she’s taking a nap—I won’t lie, I’m pretty damn envious—and I need to be on the lookout for any unusual behavior.”
The problem was Anita didn’t spend enough time with Mom on a regular basis to know what would be considered unusual. Her day-to-day behavior was erratic, deteriorating, and downright heartbreaking. And that was a good day. Settling in the chaise, I squeezed my eyes closed and tipped my head back. The sun warmed me, but I didn’t deserve it. I was a selfish bitch who put her own desires ahead of others’.
“Alina, it could’ve happened at any time. To either of us. Stop judging me. I don’t love Mom any less because I have a kid.”
No, but Mom wasn’t her whole life either. Mine was. Well, Mom and my imaginary attachment to Jupiter in Blue. “I’m not judging. I’m mad at myself.”
“Don’t be. You needed this vacation. Are you having fun?”
“Yeah.” And I’d stopped feeling guilty about it. Until this phone call. “It’s been amazing.”
“Good. Get off the phone. Mom’s in great hands. Her visiting nurse is coming in the morning, and if she thinks I need to take her to the doctor, I will. But tonight I’m going to make these ladies some mac and cheese and pour myself a glass of wine. I suggest you do the same.”
“I think conch salad and sangria are on the menu.”
She moaned. “Damn, you’re getting spoiled. You’re surrounded by sexy men, and someone is feeding you. Don’t tell me any more, or I’ll board everyone on the next flight to join you.”
“Okay, no more.” I laughed. “Please keep me updated.”
And don’t let anything else happen.
“I will. Text messages only. Enjoy your trip.” It was more of a threat than a suggestion before Anita hung up on me. Some things never changed. I was the serious one; she was the dramatic one.
I held the phone against my chest and stared out at the ocean, not seeing detail, only a riot of colors. I’d blamed Anita, but this was my fault for leaving Mom with someone I knew couldn’t give her their full attention. I could’ve hired someone to stay with her, if it didn’t cost a fortune. There was no guarantee they’d do what I wanted either. Anita loved Mom, and even if she wasn’t taking care of her exactly like I would, I knew she was doing her best.
A knock on the door startled me. At least this time I was dressed. Not that it mattered because Hunter had already seen all of me. He slowly entered the room, my smile growing bigger with each step he took closer.
He sat on the edge of the chaise, his fingers grazing my toes. “Do you need to talk?”
I did but not about what he was expecting. Still, he was the perfect person for this.
Lifting my feet into his lap, he pressed his thumbs into the tender instep. He’d already turned me to jelly, but I would never turn down a foot massage. I almost told him he would’ve been a fantastic husband, but I wanted to keep him in the present. The present I was so desperate to get back to myself, instead of the land of should’ve, could’ve, would’ve.
“My sister called while we were…busy.” I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of his fingers against my feet. He’d found a knot. The tension had slipped back in when my guard was down, and he planned to obliterate it. “She said my mom fell.”
Hunter’s fingers stilled, and his gaze flicked up to me. “She okay?”
I nodded.
He leaned in closer. “Are you okay?”
“No.” And it was nice to finally be able to admit it. Everyone was always telling me to relax without telling me how. “I feel like my sister’s in denial about how sick Mom is. And she’s there with her daughter. It’s impossible to give anything your full attention when you throw a three-year-old into the mix—”
“And you’re sitting here, in the Caribbean, beating yourself up, thinking about what you could’ve done better for your mom.”
“Pretty much,” I said. Hunter knew the drill all too well.
He closed his eyes for a long blink, and I wondered if his beloved Natalie was back with him. I had a feeling she never left. Would she approve of what we’d done? I could never take care of him like she did. Or could I?
“Your mom wants you to be happy,” he finally said. “I’ve never met her, but she raised an incredible daughter who put her own life aside to make sure she was well cared for. You learned that from her. While this seems awful right now, know that your mom would never have wanted you to stay home and miss out on this trip.”
He was massaging my feet again. I tipped my head back. It was hard to tear my gaze away from his beautiful face or the muscles moving in his strong arms for no other reason than to bring me pleasure. Hunter was a caregiver too.
“I wish I could tell her about this.” I could, but she wouldn’t understand. “She took me to my first Jupiter in Blue
concert. I had to beg for weeks. She conned me into doing like a year’s worth of chores, but it was worth it. But she wouldn’t admit she liked you guys too.”
“And we like you, Alina.” He picked up my foot and placed a kiss on the top of it. He grinned as I giggled. “Come have dinner with us. Get some sangria before Zach drinks it all. And sit next to me while I brag about what we did.”
That made my heart flutter. “Promise?”
“Damn, woman, I can’t wait to show off your video.” Hunter stood and held his hand out to me. “Let’s make the rest of the guys go crazy wanting you.”
Chapter Eight
“Didn’t think you were joining us,” Todd said, eyeing Hunter. I hadn’t prepared for this—the possibility that the guys would get envious seeing me with someone else. That it could possibly be more than a quick fuck for them.
“She got some bad news about her mom.” Hunter put his hand on my shoulder. This was way more than a fuck. We’d reached out and touched each other’s darkness in a way no one else could. We’d stripped down and actually saw each other. Through the masks, the walls, and other bullshit we threw up to shield ourselves from the world.
The guys at the table looked up at me, mouths open, a chorus of Is she okay? rang out around me.
“My sister is taking care of it.” I accepted a glass of sangria from Zach and took a long sip. After the sex and the scare, I needed it more than ever.
“Whatever you need, Alina. Say the word, and we’ll make it happen,” Blake said.
Wow. My closest friends in Cleveland hadn’t made that offer. It wasn’t fair to compare the guys to them. Katie and the others didn’t have an excess of cash to throw at someone else’s problem. But still, it felt good.
“Thank you.” I took a seat at the table. “Right now, I need some food. It smells incredible.”