He couldn’t wait anymore either. He tore open the condom and thrust his way inside her before she took her next breath. She gasped as he drove in and out of her, slowly and deliberately, his hands clutching her hips. She raised her legs, trying to feel every inch of him. He lifted her ankles over his shoulders and released a guttural moan as he plunged deeper inside her. Her hips matched his rhythm and he moved faster and faster until her body shook uncontrollably. Tyler watched her face with sheer joy, memorizing her look of contentment. He wanted to bring her that kind of pleasure every day, multiple times if she required it. He wanted to give her everything. With that thought, he exploded into a million thrilling pieces.
“Tell me the truth now that you’ve had me twice,” she said, peppering the top of his head with kisses. “Am I worth the wait?”
He caressed her bare stomach. “Without a doubt. Let’s not wait that long before the next time, okay?”
“How does five minutes sound?”
“Like Heaven.”
“Tyler, there’s something I’ve been wanting to say.” She drew him up to her level so that she could look into his eyes. “I am so in love with you, it hurts.”
His stunned expression was quickly replaced by relief and, finally, pure happiness. He pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her fiercely.
“You know I love you, too. I couldn’t hide it even if I wanted to.” He brushed a stray hair from her face. “Don’t go back to London. Stay.”
Stay. Alexis thought it was the best suggestion she’d heard in a long time.
Chapter Twenty-One
The shrill sound of the house phone pierced the air, jolting Alexis from her sexy daydream. These days she seemed to be having sex with Tyler even when she wasn’t actually with him. Now that she’d had him, she couldn’t get enough of him.
She jumped up from the couch and the magazine that she’d been pretending to read slid to the floor. When she realized that she was the only one home to answer the phone, she ran to the kitchen and plucked it from its cradle.
“MacAdams’ residence,” she said, slightly breathless.
“Alexis MacAdams, I’d recognize that voice anywhere,” a man’s voice thundered.
Alexis knew his as well. Morris, her mother’s boss.
“Hello Morris. It’s nice to hear your voice. My mother isn’t here, though, she’s at Lowry’s.”
“That’s okay. I was calling to speak to you, my dear.”
“Oh.” Alexis couldn’t think why. “How can I help you?”
“Would you be available to meet me at Pacho’s Café in about half an hour?”
She checked her watch. “Sure.”
“Great! I look forward to it.” Morris hung up the phone and Alexis stared into the receiver. She had no idea why Morris would want to see her alone, but at least she only had to wait half an hour to find out.
Alexis recognized Morris instantly. Same characterful clothing, much whiter hair albeit worn in the same slicked back style. His thin lips and large gums seemed more noticeable in his golden years. Alexis remembered reading that, as some people aged, certain features became more exaggerated and she decided that Morris certainly fell into that category.
She stood to greet him as he approached the table.
“My dear, sweet Alexis,” he said as he enveloped her in his paper-thin arms. Alexis worried that she’d snap him if she hugged him too hard.
“It’s good to see you again, Morris.” She sat down and watched uncomfortably as his bony fingers wrapped around the heavy chair and attempted to slide it out. Before she could stand to help, a waiter swooped in and pulled out the chair for him.
“Thank you, Peter,” he said.
“No problem, Morris. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Surprise me,” he said with a devilish grin. “My companion Alexis will have an iced tea with a slice of lemon.”
Alexis nodded in agreement, shocked that Morris would remember her beverage of choice from her teen years. She’d long dispatched of her iced tea habit since the chilly and damp English climate didn’t warrant it.
“Let me look at you,” Morris declared. After a moment of scrutiny, he announced, “Exactly the same.”
“I was going to say the same to you.”
“Hogwash,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’m an old man now and I know it. My joints do me the honor of reminding me every morning.”
“My mother says you’re as spry as ever.”
“Liar,” he said, a slow, gum-filled smile spreading across his face. “But do continue to flatter me. It keeps me young at heart, if nothing else.”
“You seem to be as busy with clients as ever. People still trust you with their work.”
Just then Peter stopped at the table with an iced tea and lemon for Alexis and a clear liquid on ice with a slice of lime for Morris. Alexis guessed it was a vodka tonic. She seemed to recall that Morris had a fondness for vodka.
“Let’s be honest,” he said and took a sip of his drink. He smacked his lips together before continuing, “Mangrove Island is hardly a hotbed of legal activity, but it’s real nice, the kind of law I’ve had the privilege to practice. Helping local folks with their needs. Sometimes I think I’m part life coach, part lawyer.”
“It does sound nice,” Alexis agreed and realized with a start that she meant it. After years of inflated egos and unrealistic face time and companies with unlimited funds and the demands to match, Morris’s description sounded like legal bliss. “I helped Betsy with an issue recently and it was so gratifying to see how much it meant to her personally. I never get that from my clients.”
Morris eyed her carefully and Alexis was quickly reminded of his aptitude for, as her mother put it, ‘sussing people out.’
“No, I imagine you wouldn’t,” he agreed.
She swallowed some of her iced tea.
“So how nice does it sound?” He leaned back in his chair now, still assessing her. “Nice enough to want to do it?”
“Are you offering me a job, Morris?” she asked. “Did my mother put you up to this?”
Morris wagged a finger at her. “We are not talking about your mother right now, although we’ll get to the topic of one Tilly MacAdams shortly.”
“I’ve only practiced corporate law, Morris. I don’t have a clue how to do what you do. Helping Betsy was easy. It wasn’t out of my comfort zone.”
“Do you think I came straight here from law school and threw up a shingle? Heck no. I paid my dues in a big Miami firm before I jumped to the island.”
“Really?” Alexis couldn’t imagine Morris in a big firm environment. No wonder he fled for the smallest island he could find. She was surprised she’d never heard mention of it before.
“I remember very well what it’s like.” He took a long sip of his drink. “I also remember very well why I left. It’s not for everyone.” He shrugged. “And you seem too human for that work, Alexis.”
Alexis straightened. For her, that was a pretty huge compliment. “You think so?”
“Heck yes. Somebody who can write beautiful poetry like you is far too human to be a corporate lackey.”
Alexis nearly spit out her iced tea all over the crisp, white tablecloth. “You remember my poetry, too?”
“Hard to forget when I’ve been staring at your poems in my office for the last twenty or so years.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your poems. The one about streets of fire and then the one about the golden summer. I could go on, but I daresay your cheeks have gone magenta.”
Instinctively, Alexis’s fingertips pressed against her cheeks. “They’re in your office?”
“Oh, not all of ‘em. Your mother has a few favorites in picture frames. Helps keep you close by even when you’re far away.” He paused, drinking in her reaction. “You know, Alexis, she couldn’t be prouder of you. I know your relationship isn’t all it could be, but whatever your impression is of your mom, she loves you.”
“We’re working on it,” Alexis said. “I think we’ve made some progress.”
“You know how you could make even more progress?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Alexis knew what he was going to say. “If I take a job with you?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to offer you a job, Alexis.”
Her eyes widened. “You don’t?”
“No, ma’am. I want to offer you my practice. It’s high time I retire and pass the baton to a worthy lawyer.”
Alexis’s hand flew to her heart. “And you think I’m the right choice?”
“I know you are.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to process his offer. It was so unexpected. “But how do I draft a will? Don’t I need to pass the Florida bar exam? I’m a member of the New York bar.” Her mind was flying in a hundred different directions.
“Now don’t go making a list on me. You’ll remind me too much of your mother.”
“Morris, have you had the practice valued?” Between her savings and Mark’s life insurance and estate, Alexis had plenty of money, but she had no idea how much Morris would want for the practice.
“Lighten up, Alexis, this is Mangrove Island, remember?” To prove his point, he polished off the rest of his drink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “You figure out if you’re interested first and then we can talk down and dirty.”
At the mention of the word ‘dirty,’ Alexis summoned up an image of his dingy office. “Does the lease allow the tenant to redecorate?”
“Well, I own the building so I guess I’m equipped to answer that.” He pretended to think for a moment. “I’ll say sure thing. Pretty it up as much as you like. I’ll even kick in for the fixtures and fittings.”
He threw a twenty-dollar bill onto the table and pushed his chair back with more strength than he had when he arrived. “I’m looking forward to my retirement, so you let me know as soon as possible, alright?”
“I will. Thank you for thinking of me, Morris.”
“You finish your iced tea. Don’t rush on my account. I can see myself out.”
With a wave, he ambled out of the café with Peter rushing to hold the door open for him.
Alexis lingered over her iced tea, her brain overloaded. Her first thought wasn’t about money or even her mother; it was about Tyler. She could live here and be with Tyler. She could have a different type of legal career, just as he had suggested. No more hoop-jumping, no more faceless clients. She’d be using her skills to help people right here on Mangrove Island. Her heart thumped so loudly that she was afraid the entire café could hear it.
On the way back to Rumrunner Road, Alexis stopped by her sister’s to collect the salon data she’d requested. The boys were at the park with Joe so she and Betsy had the place to themselves. Betsy was in the process of cleaning up the kitchen after a baking marathon. Several cooling trays sat on the counter with various types of muffins while two loaves of pumpkin bread baked in the oven.
“I had coffee with Sandy Ventura yesterday,” Betsy revealed. “Just wanted to test the waters.”
“And?” Alexis leaned on the counter expectantly.
Betsy broke into a smile. “She’s totally into the idea.”
“That’s great, Betsy. Any thoughts on location for the bakery?”
“A few places are available in Flamingo Key. I thought I’d give Sara Michaelson a call once everything’s finalized on the salon end.” Sara Michaelson was a realtor who grew up near them in Castaway Cove.
“I’ll ask Tyler, too. He seems to know everyone and everything on the island.”
“I’ve been coming up with potential names,” Betsy said excitedly. “Bun in the Oven. Cake-tastic. Owen suggested Sweet Treats.” Betsy reached across the counter and handed Alexis an envelope. “Speaking of Owen, he drew you some pictures.”
“For me?” Alexis was touched. “I have some exciting news for you, too.” When she told Betsy about her meeting with Morris, her sister whooped with delight.
“You’re going to say yes, right?” Betsy prodded as the oven timer bleeped. As she pulled the two loaves of pumpkin bread from the oven, the delicious scent filled Alexis’s nostrils.
Alexis covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know. I want to.”
“Then what’s stopping you? You don’t want to go back to London. I can tell.”
“No, I don’t,” Alexis admitted. “I don’t have a life there anymore.”
“Well, you have one here, ready and waiting for you. If you say yes, I’ll even let you have the first slice of bread.”
Alexis threw up her hands in acquiescence. “If that bread tastes as good as it smells, you just might convince me.”
When she left Betsy’s, she bypassed Rumrunner Road and decided to go to Tyler’s instead. Although he needed to be at work soon, she hoped to squeeze in a brief visit. If she was lucky, maybe he hadn’t showered. Then she could join him. Her body grew flush with excitement, imagining the water splashing off his washboard abs.
“A special delivery?” he joked when he opened the door and saw her standing there. He held the door open for her and sneaked a kiss as she passed under his arm.
“I couldn’t stay away,” she said, making her way to the dining table. Even though she was bursting to mention her meeting with Morris, she knew it was best to make her decision first.
“Now you’re speaking my language,” he said with a sexy grin. “What’s in the envelope?”
Alexis opened it to reveal one of Owen’s pictures. The word ‘family’ was written at the top in different colors and he’d drawn his parents, his brothers, his grandparents, and Alexis. No one had a nose except Joe, probably because his real nose was on the larger size. Alexis towered over everyone else in the picture, larger than life. She also sported wings and breathed fire.
“That’s a budding artist you’ve got there,” Tyler said, peering over her shoulder.
“Yes, he is.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled the back of her neck. “I hope our kids have a sliver of that talent.”
Alexis froze. “Our kids?”
“A guy can dream, right?”
“I thought your dreams were all about hot, sweaty sex with me?”
He slipped a hand under her top and cupped her breast. “Oh, they are. But now that I have the reality of hot, sweaty sex with you, I need new dreams.”
“Mr. Barnes, are you propositioning me to bear your children? Because you know I’m not in a position to make promises.”
Still clutching her breast from behind, he tightened his hold on her and drew her body firmly against his. “Then let’s change your position and see what happens.”
“Tyler, I want to give you everything you want,” she breathed as the ache between her legs grew stronger.
He felt her nipple harden as he swept his finger over it. “I know you can’t promise me children,” he whispered, “but can I proposition you to try as often as possible?”
She pressed her rear into his erection. “That might be a workable compromise. I’ll need to speak to my client first.”
He squeezed the flesh of her breast and she sucked in a breath. “I have a message for your client.”
“Give it to me,” she dared him, wriggling her bottom against his erection. “I’ll be sure to pass it along.” A wicked grin broke across her face when she heard him groan.
His mouth worked her ear to her collarbone, while his hands worked on her front. One hand toyed with her breasts and the other hand deftly unbuttoned her jeans, pulled down the zip, and reached inside her panties. She arched her back as he slid two fingers inside her and stroked her warm center. He couldn’t believe how ready for him she was.
Her evident desire for him made him even harder.
“Message received,” she murmured.
When she attempted to turn around to kiss him, he held her firmly in place. He yanked down her jeans and panties and bent her over the table, keeping her wet with his agile fingers.
“Tyler, please,” she begged, burning with lust. She wanted him like she’d never wanted anyone before. As she cried out for him to enter her, an orgasm ripped through her.
She barely had time to recover when he unfastened his trousers. She heard the tear of the condom wrapper just before he plunged inside her. She gripped the edge of the table, unaware of her strained knuckles. Her head was swimming with desire and pleasure and all the incredible emotions he produced in her. She craved his nearness, longed to feel him as deeply as her body allowed.
“Harder,” she insisted. “You won’t break me, Tyler. I’m strong.” She felt his hands grasp her bottom and she moved her hips rapidly to keep up with his fierce pumping.
As Tyler was about to explode, he felt her body shudder as another orgasm jolted her. This time she yelled his name, unable to contain the eruption. Only when she’d finished did he let the shockwaves tear through his own body.
“Alexis,” he gasped, before slumping over her back. He eased out of her and peppered her back with kisses before standing up.
She pulled up her clothes and turned to kiss him. “You’re so amazing,” she said. “It isn’t fair to all the other guys.”
“So did my message get through to your client?”
She tilted her head and gazed up at him with her bright, hazel eyes and Tyler thought if he died right then and there, he’d die the happiest man on the planet.
“Busy signal,” she said. “Why don’t you try again in a few minutes?”
“You saucy minx,” he said teasingly, lifting her off the floor. He still hadn’t pulled up his trousers, but that didn’t stop her from wrapping her legs around him.
“I’m only a saucy minx for you,” she said, offering him a soulful kiss. “No one else.” His tongue met hers as they enjoyed the taste of one another.
Tyler knew he could never get enough of her, would never tire of feeling her body entangled with his. He finally had the woman of his dreams and there was no way he was going to let her walk out of his life. Not again. Whatever he had to do to convince her that they belonged together, he would do it with bells on.
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