She looked at David who nodded with encouragement. Standing with her glass held out in front of her, she licked her lips. “Okay then, listen closely.” The three of them leaned in to hear her toast.
“Here’s to the fire, but not to the fire that ignites and burns down the shanties. But here’s to the fire that excites…. and brings down the panties!”
Catherine hiccupped before all three of them threw their heads back, and laughed hysterically. Lauren felt her face flush with warmth as David wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck with his scruffy face.
“I should like to bring those panties down soon,” he whispered.
The melodic sounds of the familiar song Sleepwalk started to play over the stereo system, the exotic steel guitar in the instrumental tune bringing their raucous barroom banter down a notch.
“Oh, I adore this song!” Catherine exclaimed, pulling Brian by the hand into an empty space by the billiard table to dance. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he placed his hands firmly on her backside pulling her close.
Lauren watched them with droopy eyes, swaying on her bar stool, entranced by the minor-fourth chord of the haunting melody. David’s fingertips ran down her arm and interlaced with hers. He pulled her forward leading her into another space where they started to sway gently in their own dance.
“This is a sexy song,” he whispered, placing his palm on the back of her hair and pulling her forward to kiss her forehead.
“Mmmhumm,” was all she could mumble. She felt hypnotized by the melody and wrapped her arms around his solid frame, lulled into submission by his unbelievable scent. Halfway through the song, Catherine and Brian walked silently out of the room, holding hands, no doubt headed to their suite to try to make a baby.
Lauren boldly kissed David’s bearded jawline and up his face, nipping and licking at his ear. She could hear him sigh.
“Oh, God, yes. That feels wonderful.” He tilted his head to the side, allowing her to continue while he ran his hands up and down the small of her back. They swayed a little too far to the left, dangerously close to falling over. David steadied her, pulling back and looking into her eyes.
“Are you all right?” he asked. The blue in his eyes reminded her of a perfect sky on a hot summer day.
“I’m drunk,” she slurred, offering a shy smile. “It’s your fault I’m drunk and that I want to get naked with your right now.”
His eyebrows raised with a look of surprise, and a boyish grin crossed his lips luring her in for a sloppy, wet kiss as the song ended. He helped her to the bar and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “Start drinking this, love.”
She nodded before taking large sips from the plastic bottle, the water cool and refreshing on her hot tongue. Leaning precariously on a bar stool, she continued to drink, and watched as David kicked off his shoes and pulled his sweater up and over his head, revealing his glorious six pack abs.
“What are you doing?” she asked, almost choking.
He stripped off his clothes until he stood before her in nothing but his briefs, the mere sight of him reminding her of the billboard underwear advertisement she saw in Times Square. Lauren could feel her heart accelerate in her chest as he approached her, and took the bottle out of her hands placing it on the bar. He lifted her arms above her head and pulled off her sweater, tossing it to the side.
“Shouldn’t we go back to our bedroom? What if Catherine and Brian come back?” she whispered huskily crossing her arms across her chest.
David unbuttoned her jeans and pulled the zipper down slowly. She kicked off her shoes and allowed him to peel her pants off, stepping out of them one leg at a time while holding onto his bare shoulder. They stood before each other in nothing but their underclothes, her chest rising and falling with anticipated breaths.
“Come on, then,” he grabbed her by the hand and headed toward the back door to the pool deck.
She couldn’t help but giggle and gasped when he opened the door and the cold winter air blasted her skin, taking her breath away. The rain had stopped and golden lights illuminated the rectangular pool, making the water shimmer in the dark night. Pulling her by the hand, they jumped in and were greeted with velvety warmth from the heated water.
Lauren came to the surface and sputtered, surprised at the balminess of the pool temperature in the middle of winter. She wiped droplets from her face and slicked back her hair with her hands, her feet feeling the smooth bottom of the pool near a half circle staircase in the corner. David swam toward her, his face shadowed in the dim light as the water lapped against the tiled sides. The sound of the ocean was a roar in her ears as he stood before her and slowly slipped his fingers under her bra straps, pulling them to the side. She reached behind her back and unhooked the garment, which he tossed to the deck. His hands palmed her chest and she closed her eyes, leaning back, taking pleasure in his touch on her wet skin. She felt his hands slide down her sides before forcefully pulling her panties down, revealing her nakedness. The water swirled around her like soft, warm satin. His erect penis pressed against her thigh and she wondered when he had taken off his briefs.
“Have you ever made love in the water?” he asked throatily.
Shaking her head, she swung her legs up and around his waist effortlessly in the water and tangled her fingers in his dark hair. They stared at each other, anticipating what was about to happen, each of their chests rising and falling with want. And then he positioned himself at her core and thrust, causing her to cry out his name in the dark night.
Chapter Twenty-One
Lauren moaned when the bright sunshine peeked through the shutters, crossing her face like a pen light. She rolled over and was nose to nose with David who was still asleep, his gorgeous facial features relaxed in slumber. Not able to hold back, she brought her fingertips up to his bearded face and caressed the dark hair on his jaw line. He shifted, pulling in a deep cleansing breath before opening his blue eyes and staring at her.
“Good morning,” he mumbled quietly, allowing her to continue to stroke his face.
“Good morning,” she replied shyly. They were both naked and playing footsie under the covers.
“How are you feeling, love?”
She lay on her back and ran her fingers through her out-of-control bed hair. “I’m okay, I guess. Slight headache, but nothing major.” She turned to look at him. “I don’t normally do tequila shots.” Pausing, she tried to hold back a naughty smile. “And I’ve never gone skinny dipping before.”
“Hmmm,” he replied, grinning, stretching and sitting up. He pulled his knees up to his chest and leaned his elbows on them, his abs rippling in the sunlight. “What did you think?” His gaze was penetrating, the beard on his face the same color as his dark, tussled hair.
“I liked it,” she admitted. “A lot.”
***
The day stretched out before them like one hundred gifts lined up as far as the eye could see. They joined Catherine and Brian for a leisurely late-morning breakfast before venturing out into the bright sunshine, bundled up on sturdy bicycles, and riding down the beach with the wind in their hair. There weren’t many tourists exploring the sandy terrain this time of year, the hard packed sand looking like it went on for miles and miles with only a few locals fishing or walking by the ocean. They ended up at South Beach Marina on the southern-most tip of the island. They parked their bikes and strolled hand in hand along the boardwalk, the blue and red buildings with striped awnings making colorful reflections in the calm ocean water.
“Are you warm enough?” David asked, pulling Lauren closer into his side. He liked the way she felt up against his body—the perfect fit.
“I’m good,” she replied, looking up at him and squinting in the bright light. He turned his Atlanta Braves ball cap backward and beamed at her. No one seemed to notice who he was, which was a relief, the beard disguising his famous face. He absent mindedly ran his hand up and down his chin, contemplating shaving soon.
David took a sip from the bottle before reaching across the table and tucking a long strand of hair that had come out of Lauren’s ponytail behind her ear. She blushed and he couldn’t help but stare at her pink, ripe lips moist from the beer.
“You know, there’s a story behind this restaurant,” he said.
“Oh, really? What is it?” she asked playfully.
“Well, the original ‘salty dog’ is a dog named Jake.”
“A dog named Jake?” There was humor in her eyes.
“Yes,” he laughed, realizing she was teasing him. “The story is that Jake saved his owner from drowning in the ocean one stormy night. The townspeople near South Beach Marina heard about it and built the Salty Dog in Jake’s honor. His image is all over the place.”
Leaned back in her chair, she offered him the most beautiful smile, making his heart leap inside his chest.
“You always seem to know the history of places, don’t you?”
She was a goddess in the sunlight and he sighed contentedly, knowing he was falling in love with her. He wanted desperately to say those three little words and proclaim his feelings out loud, but he didn’t want to scare her off. It was amazing how hard and fast he had fallen in the short week they’d been together, their chemistry and passion something he’d never experienced in his life. In the back of his mind, he pondered his upcoming schedule, which he knew would definitely prevent him from seeing her for several agonizing weeks. The mere thought of not being near her made him shudder. Shaking off his thoughts, he gave her his undivided attention, enjoying every second they had left together.
The friendly waitress brought their food out, and Lauren sipped on she-crab soup while he devoured the most delicious fish and chips. The southern fried flounder with fresh lemon and malt vinegar reminded him of England. She fed him a spoonful of her creamy broth with large lumps of crab and he held up a piece of fried fish to her mouth, mesmerized by her lips and tongue. Their conversation was effortless and he couldn’t remember when he’d felt this relaxed, enjoying such a beautiful day in the company of a gorgeous woman.
When they finished eating, they wandered down to the ocean, chewing on peppermint-flavored saltwater taffy the waitress included with their check. It was low tide as they explored the sandy shore for seashells, finding several smooth and pristine treasures. He enjoyed watching Lauren’s face illuminate with pure joy every time she would find an ocean prize and offered the same excitement when she would pass the shells to him to hold in the pocket of his jacket.
The sun eventually began to dip slowly behind them and the temperature started to plummet. The ride back took a little more effort, riding into the cold wind biting at their cheeks and making their eyes water. The beach house glowed with dramatic up lighting among the tall pines and palms. They walked the bicycles carefully beside the pool, and when she glanced back at him he thought he detected the hint of an impish smile.
Catherine and Brian had already left for the evening, meeting up with local friends for an early dinner on the opposite side of the island. David insisted Lauren shower first, giving her some privacy while he fixed himself a happy hour cocktail and checked his phone for the first time since they’d arrived. Sitting on a soft leather chair in Brian’s office, he sipped his whisky and did a double take at the twenty-four messages awaiting him. He ran his hand through his wind-blown hair and sighed. He shouldn’t have opened up his voicemail box—he wasn’t ready to go back….
***
Lauren was towel drying her hair when she heard him shout from down the hall. Grabbing one of his white dress shirts within arms-reach, she quietly tip-toed out the door toward the sound while quickly buttoning the shirt.
“I know we have signed contracts, but things happened Sabrina! You need to be able to cover for me for a few more days!”
Lauren leaned her body against the wall and listened carefully.
“I see… uhumm… so they aren’t willing to postpone the shoot in Milan? Not even by two days? Two fucking days, Bri!”
She could hear him pace back and forth across the travertine tile.
“Oh, bloody hell!”
Scurrying back to the suite, she shut the door behind her knowing full well the conversation he was having with his assistant wasn’t good. An interruption in David Randle’s very tight schedule had obviously caused severe problems. Sabrina Watson was right—she was nothing but a distraction to his career. Her week-long fantasy trip was coming to an end sooner rather than later. Standing in front of the master bath mirror, combing out her hair, she willed the tears that threatened to surface to stay away. The last thing she wanted to do was say good-bye to the man she was falling for. Her feelings for him were real and intense. She needed to prepare herself for the inevitable.
David entered the bathroom carrying the remnants of his cocktail and immediately smiled at her. “Are you wearing my shirt?” he asked with a seductive gaze.
All she could do was nod while looking at his reflection in the mirror. He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck, his warm scent smelling of salt air and faint whisky. She closed her eyes and savored his touch, wondering how many more kisses they had left before it was time to say good-bye.
Kicking off his shoes, he stripped down to nothing right in front of her, and wrapped a white towel around his trim waistline. The cloth sagged exposing the V where his lower abs met his hip flexors. With a furrowed brow, he stood in front of the sink and turned on the hot water. He peered at his image in the mirror, rubbing the hair on his face. Lauren watched him lather his beard vigorously with shaving cream and couldn’t help the lone tear that slid down her cheek.
When he raised a fancy razor to the side of his head, his eyes caught hers in the mirror. He turned around with a look of concern. “What is it, love?”
Offering him a tiny smile, she shook her head unable to answer. There were no words to explain the symbolism of him shaving—their time together coming to an end. She wanted to tell him she loved him, that she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. But the words wouldn’t form in her mouth. The ache in her chest was unbearable.
He suddenly smirked and turned back to the mirror. “Don’t worry, it grows back quickly. I’m a hairy beast.” He swiped the razor down his cheek revealing a pink stripe on his chiseled face. She swore she could feel the blade slice through her heart.
***
The gas flames glowed brightly in the large fireplace in the great room, giving off comfortable warmth. Lauren sat on a blanket near the hearth with her legs tucked up under her, waiting for David to bring her an after-dinner drink from the bar. Staring into the blaze, she wished she could make time stand still—and she and David could live happily-ever-after in their dream world on the beach far away from the scrutinizing public and selfishness of everyday life.
She looked up as he approached with two snifters of tawny cognac in his large hands. His chiseled features were sharper in the glowing light of the flames, especially now with his face shaved clean. He hadn’t mentioned his earlier phone call and never implied their precious time together was drawing to a close. But she knew it was. She could feel it.
“There we are,” he said, handing her a glass and settling on the blanket next to her. She clinked the snifter with his and sipped, feeling the warmth of the alcohol run down the back of her throat. He took a sip and eyed her before setting his glass on the stone hearth. Rubbing his hands across her thighs, he spoke softly. “You’re so quiet tonight. And you barely touched your dinner. Do you not like my cooking?” H
is blue eyes showed humor in his question.
Shaking her head, she offered a slight smile. “Dinner was delicious. You’re a great cook, David.”
His brow furrowed. “Then what is it?”
Her chest expanded with a heavy sigh as she drank him in. The need to be near him felt as powerful as the need to breathe when you’ve been under water for too long—without him, she would surely die. She couldn’t imagine having to wait around for weeks at a time to see him, or touch him; to smell his captivating scent and feel his lips on her skin. She was head-over-heels in love with the man and felt guilty for not wanting to share him with the world. Why couldn’t they just stay on the island—in Brian Brady’s beach house—and never leave? She chuckled at herself for being so dramatic.
“Lauren, please?” The look on his face pleaded with her to tell him what she was feeling.
She set her glass down and shifted to her knees placing both hands on either side of his smooth face, stroking his cheeks with her fingertips. His eyes were wide watching her, the famous blue iris’s obscured by his dark pupils. The words were on the tip of her tongue. Three little words to let him know what she was feeling, if she could just mutter them once and for all. But they were stuck in her fear, like gum in a child’s hair. Why couldn’t she untangle her thoughts and tell him the truth?
“This has been the most remarkable week of my life,” she managed to whisper hoarsely, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his shoulder. She felt his hands enfold her waist pulling her in tighter. For a brief moment, she didn’t know if she could ever let go….
***
They retired earlier than the previous nights, even before Brian and Catherine made it back from their night out. Their love making was slow and gentle. No words were uttered, each of them silently coming undone with the force that brought them together. David lay in the aftermath with Lauren asleep in his arms, their naked bodies joined together by their intertwined arms and legs. He kept running his fingers through her hair like a comb, staring blankly out the open plantation shutters where he could see the moonbeams casting glimmering shadows across the ocean.
The Nearness of You: A British celebrity, standalone love-at-first-sight romance Page 14