by Tawny Taylor
“Yes, take,” he enunciated. “You have to believe you deserve what you want, that it’s yours. That’s the most important part of it all. If you don’t believe you deserve it, if you wait for someone to hand what you want to you, then you’ll be waiting your whole life for things to happen, and they won’t.”
It was an interesting philosophy. I wasn’t sure I agreed with him. “I think I understand.”
Turning, he faced me. His gaze locked to mine. “What do you want, Bristol?”
“I want…” I couldn’t answer that question, outside of saying I wanted him to make love to me again. To hold me for hours. To kiss me until I melted. I realized right then and there that I had gone my whole life not knowing what I wanted in life, not professionally, not personally. Not long term. I lived day to day, looking no further ahead than tomorrow. “I guess I don’t know.”
“You don’t know what you want. That’s what you need to figure out. Then you need to tell yourself you not only deserve to have it, but you are going to have it.”
“Sounds like something I’d hear on an infomercial.”
He chuckled. “I can’t argue with that. But it does work.” He smoothed his hands down my arms. “I’ve known you since you were a child. Your mother and I were good friends. And now, since we’ve had some time to spend together, I’ve come to care even more about you. I want the best for you, Bristol. I want you to have everything you’d ever dreamed of. It’s up to you to figure out what those dreams are.”
He cared about me. He cared. “I…I care about you, too.”
The boat bumped the dock, and I wobbled a bit. Thankfully, Shane was still holding me. He steadied me then motioned for me to step off the boat first. My shoes thunk-thunked on the wooden dock as we walked up toward the house.
The sun was bright, the water lapping softly at the dock’s supports beneath me. Sea birds squawked. The sky was clear, a blue shade I’d never seen. I dragged in a deep breath as I reached the bottom of a stone staircase that curved up the hill. Shane climbed the stairs at my side, our steps in perfect timing. At the top, I was standing on a stone patio. The water of the swimming pool reflected the brilliant tropical sun and the deep blue of the sky.
A splash startled me. I followed the sound with my eyes, discovering a man with deeply suntanned skin emerging from the water. He shook his dark-haired head, sending crystalline droplets of water into the air. Then he looked our way, lifted a hand. Shane returned the gesture.
I didn’t.
“This way. I’ll show you to your room.” Placing a hand on the small of my back, Shane steered me through an open, wide doorway. The stone from outside, smooth and marble-like, continued inside. We walked through a large living space that included a seating area with a huge television, an open kitchen and spacious dining area. As I’d come to expect, the furnishings were all sleek and chic and expensive looking. We headed down a short hallway that branched off the right side of the space. Shane stopped at the first door. “This is your room.” He opened it for me and escorted me inside.
Two words. Insanely gorgeous.
One wall was all windows. Unimpeded ocean views. Opposite that wall sat the bed. It was dressed in crisp white. When I woke tomorrow morning, the ocean would be the first thing I’d see. Unreal.
God, I could get used to this.
Maybe Shane was onto something with that positive thinking stuff. Maybe I’d been living life too safely? Maybe I needed to let myself dream?
Shane motioned to a set of frosted glass doors. “Your luggage has already been delivered. You’ll find your clothes in here.” He walked toward another door, not far from the closet. “You have your own bathroom here.”
“Thanks.” I didn’t know what else to say. If someone had told me a month ago that I would be traveling to paradise with Shane Trant, that I’d be his lover and his submissive, I would’ve laughed in their face. “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s spectacular.”
“You’re welcome. I work hard. So when I need to get away, I come here. Phone reception isn’t great. There’s no internet access. I can’t work.” He grinned, and my heart did a triple flip. He was just too freaking gorgeous to be real.
“That’s one way to make sure you don’t work, huh?” I said.
“Exactly.” He grabbed my waist and stared into my eyes. “Damn, I want you again, already.”
A little sizzle of erotic heat buzzed up my body. I moistened my lips, hoping for a kiss.
I wasn’t disappointed. His lips met mine, and within seconds, I was being kissed to oblivion. While his lips, teeth and tongue did things that should be illegal, he half walked, half carried me across the room. The back of my legs hit something soft--the bed?--and I fell backwards, landing on a cloud of white cotton. Arms around Shane’s neck, I pulled until he was angled over me, arms extended to hold his weight off me.
His lips caressed mine. His tongue explored my mouth, filling it with his decadent flavor. He reached down with one hand, teased my nipple through my bra. Growing hotter and more desperate with every second that passed, I arched my back, pushing my flesh into his hand.
Yes, we’d just had sex. But I wanted him too. I wanted him inside me again, filling me, making me beg for release.
“Please, sir,” I murmured as he broke the kiss to nip at my earlobe.
His tongue dipped into my ear and the entire left side of my body tingled. Goose bumps prickled. Heat crashed through my body.
“Not now.” Being cruel, he flicked his tongue down the side of my neck. I squirmed beneath him, lifted my legs to wrap them around his waist. A pounding heat was gathering down there. I needed him to make it go away.
He whispered against my skin, “We’re being rude to our guest.”
“Guest?”
“You saw him when we first arrived.”
“Mmmm.” I remembered seeing the man, of course. But I wasn’t particularly interested in talking about him. No. I was much more interested in getting my clothes off and Shane’s clothes off. It was hot. I was hot. I was burning up.
Letting go of his neck, I let my hands go exploring. This was a rare treat. Shane had bound my hands every time we’d had sex. Thus, I’d spent very little time touching him, stroking him, exploring all those delicious ridges cutting between his thick corded muscles.
Shane bit me, right in the crook of the neck, and I yelped as I angled my head to give him better access to that spot. Pain. Pleasure. They were one and the same to me. They both made me hotter. Tighter. More desperate for release.
But instead of biting me again, Shane extricated himself from my clinging grasp and straightened up. “Later. Our meal is getting cold.” He went to the closet and opened the door. My clothes were all hanging neatly. He selected an ankle-length maxi dress he’d sent me and laid it out on the bed. “You have five minutes. Only five.”
And he left, shutting the door behind him.
Suffering, thanks to his magical kisses, I scowled at the closed door then hurried to the bathroom to freshen up. Five minutes. There was no time to waste. Not if I didn’t want to be punished.
Then again, I hadn’t been punished in a while…
* * * * *
Exactly five minutes later, I was in the living room, searching for Shane. Voices, both male, drifted in through the open doors, carried by a sea-scented breeze. Barefoot, the tiles underfoot cool to the touch, I followed the sound. They were standing close to the stairs, both holding glasses. The stranger was shirtless, a pair of swim trunks hanging from his narrow hips. His body was muscular, lean, his dark hair ruffled by the wind. Shane was still in his white dress shirt and pants. The brisk wind was sending his untied silk tie flailing from his collar. He looked a little stiff, I noticed as I came closer. His expression a little sharp. It was the stranger who noticed me approaching first. He was facing the house. Shane’s back was to me.
The stranger’s gaze flicked to me and Shane did a one eighty and cranked on the smile. But I couldn’t help noticing
the wattage wasn’t at one hundred percent.
Was there a problem?
Shane held a hand out to me, and I placed my hand in his the moment I was close enough to reach it. “This is Bristol,” he said, introducing me first. “Bristol, this is Jordan. He’s an old and dear friend.”
“Bristol.” Jordan, the old and dear friend, offered a hand.
“It’s nice meeting you.” I shook it and quickly placed my hand back in Shane’s.
Shane’s grip was hard. Not painful but almost. I sensed he was smiling on the outside but fuming on the inside.
Were they not dear old friends? If not, why wouldn’t he just tell his friend to leave?
Shane gave me an assessing up and down. “You look lovely. Shall we?”
“Thanks.” Feeling a little awkward, I let him escort me to the table set for three. I waited for him to pull out my chair then push it in. Neither man sat until I had.
Wasn’t this cozy? Me with two men. Gorgeous men. Men who were eyeballing each other like two junkyard dogs that were ready to tear each other to pieces.
I’d never seen Shane behave this way before. It made me feel a little uncomfortable. Correction, it made me very uncomfortable.
“Bristol, how was your flight?” Jordan asked as he extracted the chilled wine bottle from the bucket of ice next to him.
“It was quick, thank God.”
“Not a flier?” He motioned for me to hold out my glass, which I did.
“No. I’d never flown before.” Keeping my gaze locked to the glass, I watched the wine swirl around the sides as he poured.
“I’m sure you’ll get used to traveling,” he said, lifting the bottle. “Of course, it’s always easier if your host knows you’re anxious. That way he can provide for your comfort.”
I glanced at Shane. He was being quiet. Too quiet.
His sharp gaze was on Jordan. The muscle on his jaw was a little tight. If we were alone, I’d ask what the problem was. But we weren’t. “I assure you, her comfort was my first priority.”
Oh good grief.
“Yes, Shane is an excellent host,” I said, sipping the wine. It was delicious, of course. Smooth as silk. Unlike the conversation. Time to change the topic, before Shane blew a blood vessel. “How are you finding Antigua?”
Jordan answered, “It’s nice this time of year. I like to fly out every few weeks, unwind.”
Must be nice. “I’m sure it’s good to get away.” I glanced at Shane again. That jaw muscle was getting tighter.
What the heck was going on?
The conversation came to a standstill. I wanted to fill the awkward silence but I didn’t know what to say to either man. It seemed no topic was safe. So instead I concentrated on eating. The food was delicious, of course. It was different from anything I’d tasted before. There was a cold fruity soup that tasted better than I expected, followed by a rice dish with beans and coconut, served with seafood, including some breaded fish of some kind. Dessert was a fruit fritter. Sweet, light, perfect.
After eating, Jordan excused himself, saying he was meeting some friends in town. I didn’t say a word until I was sure he was out of earshot.
“Is something wrong?” I asked Shane. He was staring out at the ocean.
“No.”
“You’re very quiet.” I traced the rim of my now empty wineglass with a fingertip.
“I’m quiet sometimes.” His voice was clipped. Cold.
“I get that. But you seem…tense.”
“It’s nothing.”
It wasn’t nothing. Why was he lying? Feeling a little insulted, I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest. This wasn’t what I’d expected. Not at all. Here we were in paradise, and Shane was miserable. “Won’t you tell me what’s wrong? Did I do something to make you upset?”
“No.”
“Is it Jordan, then?”
“He’s an old friend.” There was little, if any, emotion in that statement.
“Is there something going on between you two? Were you expecting him to be here?”
“I’d rather not talk about it.” He stood, went to the railing and leaned against it.
I followed. I wanted to dig harder, to get the truth out of Shane, but I knew he was the kind of man who wouldn’t handle prying well. I decided to let it rest for the time being and try to distract him. We were alone now. In paradise. For only a short time. Our obligation to our guest had been taken care of. Now we could do as we please.
My eyes went to the gorgeous infinity pool.
There was something insanely sexy about swimming. Skin brushing against skin, weightless.
“Would you like to go for a swim?” I asked.
“Not right now.” He still sounded distant and tense.
There was no way I was going to let his mood ruin this trip. I glanced around. Unless someone was either in a low flying plane or on a boat with some powerful binoculars, there was no way anyone was going to see me…
Acting on a crazy impulse, I grabbed the bottom of my dress and pulled it over my head.
Ahhh. Nude. The brilliant Caribbean sun kissing my skin. The salty sea breeze caressing it.
Shane’s head jerked to me. His eyes widened. Little sparks of desire lit in their depth.
That was better.
Feeling very sexy, I gave him a little smile then sauntered over to the edge of the pool and dove in.
My body sliced through the water, its chill a welcome relief to the sizzling burning on my skin. I surfaced at the far end and turned toward Shane.
Surprising me, he dove in fully dressed, shoes and all. I watched his lean body torpedo through the clear water. He broke the surface, hauled me against him and kissed me.
Ahhhh. Heaven.
His kiss was pure seduction. Lips soft. Tongue slipping in to caress mine. Hands sliding under my ass, holding my weightless body. I wrapped my legs around his waist, arms around his neck and kissed him back.
This was what I’d imagined when I’d first arrived at this glorious place. Shane, kissing me, making me tremble with need. Here, in this pool. Under the blazing sun. With the sound of the ocean’s waves echoing in the distance and the scent of the sea heavy in the air.
Leaving me to hold on, Shane reached down with one hand, took off a shoe and tossed it onto the patio. The other followed. Then his pants and underwear. Now he was nude from the waist down, his erecting teasing my opening.
I fisted his shirt while he grabbed hands full of my hair and pulled, forcing my head back. “Dammit, you’re mine. Mine.”
“Shane,” I said on a sigh. How I loved the way he said that, how he claimed me. With his words. With his mouth. With his whole body.
He kissed my neck, making me shudder. Goose bumps prickled my shoulders, my arms. It was as if he knew exactly what I needed, when I needed it. How to touch me. How to kiss me.
I held on, surrendering to his skilled hands and wicked mouth, growing more breathless, dizzier by the second. He kissed and nipped and licked. He caressed and pinched and squeezed.
It was a seduction. But when he gripped my waist and pushed me down, impaling me with his thick rod, I felt as if I’d been claimed. Possessed. He thrust into me, filling me, and I quaked.
“Yes, sir,” I muttered, arching my back so he drove deep inside. “Thank you.” I met every one of his rough thrusts, using my arms and legs to lift up then slam down. Again and again and again. Within seconds, I was on the verge of climax, my body tight, my breath caught deep in my chest. “Please, sir. May I come?”
“No.” His hands moved down, cupping my ass cheeks. A finger dipped into the crack. “No, minx.”
My inner muscles clenched around his girth, and a wave of erotic heat crashed through me. I was going to come. I couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t.
I gritted my teeth and surrendered.
An intense orgasm overtook me. Inside, my muscles clamped around him like a fist then convulsed.
He growled and pounded into my burning
flesh, amplifying my pleasure until I was sure I’d pass out. It was ecstasy like I’d never known. Every nerve in my body was on fire. I was twitching and clenching and trembling. My mind was lost in a sea of carnal pleasure. All I could do was cling to him and ride one wave of pleasure after another.
I felt him widen as he found release. He jerked back, thrust deep inside and then pulled out.
He grabbed my face and kissed me again. The kiss was rough and semi violent. Not what I was expecting. I sucked in a little gasp of shock and surrendered to it, to him, allowing him to torment me until he’d had enough.
When the kiss ended, I felt boneless. My muscles were all thoroughly relaxed. As he gently released me, I floated on my back. As I drifted across the surface, I was aware of Shane. He’d pushed himself out of the pool and was circling one end. I spied something in my peripheral vision at the opposite side. Movement. I turned my head.
Jordan
Reacting out of pure instinct, I flipped over on my stomach and dove beneath the surface, kicking hard to propel myself as far away from him as I could.
I was nude. He’d seen me.
Who knew what else he’d seen.
Had he been standing there the whole time? Watching?
My face was burning when I surfaced. My gaze went first to Shane. He was wrapping a white towel around his lower body. I couldn’t tell if he was aware of Jordan being there, watching us, or not.
I decided I’d let him know.
“Jordan,” I said as I wrapped one arm around my breasts, hiding them from his view. Then, to Shane, I said, “May I please have a towel?”
Shane glanced at Jordan but didn’t seem surprised to see him. “Sure.” He pulled one off the rack next to him and strolled toward me.
I gave him a wide eyed look as he held it open for me. Evidently I was going to have to stand nude in front of this stranger. But only for a second.
Moving quickly, I pushed out of the pool and stepped into the soft towel. Thankfully, it was large, bigger than a bath towel. It covered me from chest to knee.