Fucking whore. Who the hell was this guy? Did she just meet him? She was his, his alone. These last two years he’d watched over her, kept her safe and now…the fury at her betrayal ripped through him and he wanted to kick his way into the house, drag the guy off of her and beat the shit out of him. To show her. To show her how much he loved her.
Then, when she understood, he would take his knife and show her over and over how much he loved her…
Sarah woke up early, feeling a happiness she hadn’t felt in a long time. Beside her, Isaac slept on his stomach, his face soft with sleep, his arm flung across her stomach. They had made love long into the night, finally falling asleep as the sun began to climb into the Washington sky. She turned onto her side, propped her head up on her arm and studied him. There was something familiar about him, something she couldn’t define. His arm, so massive, felt good curved around her. she bent her head and kissed him softly, the stubble rough against her lips. Isaac murmured and smiled in his sleep.
Sarah slipped carefully from the bed and tugged her jeans and t-shirt on. Going down to the kitchen, she put the coffee pot on and opened the back door. The day was already warm and she sat down on the porch steps to think. Her head was spinning from the last twenty-four hours – and the man asleep in her bed.
He was undeniably gorgeous but as well as that, she’d discovered he was funny, kind, an incredible lover. The way he’d fucked her in the hallway last night, so masterfully, so expertly…god, she’d never felt like that before. Not with Dan, not with anyone. She’d never known sex could be like that: animal, feral, almost violent. The way his huge cock plowed her into delirium, his mouth on her clit – she drew in a shaky breath. Damn, she was getting wet again just thinking about it, despite the fact her thighs still ached from last night. She didn’t even know this man, just went with her instincts. I guess I moved on then, she grinned to herself. It was strange – for two years she had been trying to find out what happened to Dan but lately, a resentment had been building. Her relationship with her husband had always been up and down but before he’d gone, it had started to feel…alien. Like she didn’t know who that person was anymore. He was different. She’d started to suspect he was having an affair but the day she had planned to confront him, she’d gotten home to find him gone. She’d wandered around near their home, looking to see if she could find him, if he’d taken their dog Wilson for a walk. She’d called out for her husband, and for her beloved Labrador but had found nothing. When she climbed up to the abandoned lighthouse on the edge of their property, she found Dan’s keys, phone, wallet, shoes laid out in a neat line at the edge of the cliff. Wilson had been tied up and whined when he saw her.
That’s when she’d panicked…
Sarah pushed the memory away. No. No way. Nothing was going to spoil her mood today. Whatever happened now between her and Isaac, last night had been the most erotic in her life. Nothing would change that…even if it turned out to be a one night stand. Sarah pushed away the quick rush of pain that idea brought her.
She shifted and felt a rustle in the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the letter she’d received the day before. The latest letter, she thought. Isaac’s presence had made her feel weirdly safer and she steeled herself and ripped it open.
I’m always watching, I see you, Sarah, don’t let me down…
She screwed it up and threw it aside. It was the third strange note she’d received but she figured it was some jerk trying to freak her out. She thought she might have an idea who it was too – the ever charming Caroline. Hateful woman.
Eager to expunge the bad taste the letter had left, she scrambled to her feet, went inside to make the coffee. Taking them upstairs, she saw Isaac sitting up in bed, stretching. He grinned when he saw her.
‘Good morning, beautiful.’
She put the cups down on the nightstand, leaned over to kiss him. ‘Good morning yourself, handsome.’
He slid his hands into her hair as he kissed her. ‘God, you taste so good.’
She chuckled her lips against his mouth. ‘Even with morning breath?’
‘Especially that. I do have one complaint. You have too many clothes on.’
Sarah grinned and stood up, peeling her t-shirt off slowly, then her jeans. Isaac’s eyes moved over her body appreciatively. She sat down next to him, bending to kiss his hard chest.
Isaac trailed a finger down her spine and she shivered with pleasure. She stood and moved toward the bathroom, beckoning him.
‘Wanna join me in the shower?’
Isaac grinned. ‘You know I do.’
As they stood under the cool spray, Sarah took him into her mouth, hollowing out her cheeks as her warm, wet mouth enveloped his cock, sucking at him, teasing the tip with her tongue. Isaac sucked in a deep breath of pleasure, his fingers tangling in her dark hair. She brought him to the edge of climax before he lifted her easily and plunged into her, pressing her back against the cool tile, his mouth hungry on hers.
‘God…Sarah…I could fuck you all day….’
She laughed, gasping as he thrust hard into her, his cock unrelenting as it drove her towards orgasm. ‘Fuck me harder, Isaac….’ She gasped as, grinning, he did as she asked, ramming his hips against hers until she felt her body melt and shudder.
Afterward, they dressed and Sarah cooked them breakfast, scrambled eggs and maple bacon, fresh fruit, and juice. They ate on her porch, looking down to the small cove at the end of her garden.
‘It’s beautiful here,’ Isaac said thoughtfully, munching on a strip of crispy bacon. ‘The island, the Sound…the coffee house owners.’ He grinned at her as she rolled her eyes and smiled.
‘What made you decided to move here?’
Isaac sipped his coffee. ‘I wanted somewhere out of the city. I love Seattle but sometimes it can get claustrophobic.’
Sarah ate a forkful of eggs. ‘What do you do?’
For a second his eyes were amused. ‘I own a tech company.’
‘Cool.’ Then she stopped. ‘Wait…’
‘Yep.’
‘You’re Isaac Quinn?’
‘Yep.’
She grinned sheepishly. ‘Sorry, you must think I’m a dumbass. It’s just I’m not very technological minded. I can work my iPad but that’s about it.’
Isaac smiled. ‘No problem – at least you won’t bother me about your lost passwords…although you can totally bother me about your lost passwords.’
Sarah laughed. ‘Now that you mention it…’
Isaac reached over to touch her face, running the back of his finger down her cheek. ‘Sarah?’
‘Yes?’
‘Would you spend the day with me?’
Sarah walked through the storeroom into the kitchen, a wave of noise sweeping in from the open door to the shop. Sarah drew in a great lungful of air and blew it out slowly, feeling the happiness in her flood through her body.
Going out into the coffee house, she grinned at Molly in greeting, trying to hide her joy. Molly wasn’t fooled for a second.
‘What’s up? You look weird.’
Always the silver tongue. Sarah smiled despite herself.
‘Weird is right. There’s a new man in my life.’
Molly’s eyes lit up. ‘My brother finally did the decent thing and left the witch?’
Sarah rolled her eyes. ‘Will you ever stop trying to fix me and Finn up?
‘Not ever,’ Molly smiled, a wicked grin. ‘Oh, I know…’
Sarah waited.
‘Is it that guy? The computer dude?’
Sarah gaped at her. ‘Am I the only one who didn’t recognize him?’
Molly sighed dramatically. ‘And you such a geek, as well. Shame on you. So…’
It was Sarah’s turn to grin. ‘Oh look, customers.’
Sarah went to serve the new customers as Molly grinned to herself. Sarah looked out of the window. She saw Finn, dressed in his cop’s uniform, walking out of his front door, Caroline at his heels. Caroline was smilin
g. More like a rictus, Sarah thought. She saw Molly looking at them too. She grimaced
‘Ignore her, she’s a hideous troll.’
‘What does he see in her?’ Sarah slammed the register with a little too much force. A stand of muffins fell off the counter. She went round to pick them up. Molly leaned over to watch her.
‘Well, what did you get up to with Mr Robot then?’
Sarah stood, hands full of ruined cakes and dumped them in the trash. Despite herself, she was enjoying tormenting the ever curious Molly.
‘We, um, connected.’
Molly’s mouth was hanging open. ‘You slept with him?’
Sarah leaned on the counter. ‘A lot. A lot, a lot.’ She grinned at her friend’s astonished face and knew what she was thinking. Sarah didn’t have affairs or flings or whatever. Not until now.
Molly started to smile. ‘Well, hallelujah. Was it good?’
‘Yup.’
‘Wow. Wow.’
Sarah nodded. ‘Mols, honestly, I never knew…well, let’s just say it was never like this with Dan. That’s not to say it was bad,’ she added hurriedly, ‘Just with Isaac…well.’
Molly came around the counter and hugged her. ‘I’m so pleased. I’m so, so delighted for you, Sars. You deserve to be happy.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Did you tell him about Dan?’
Sarah felt her chest hurt. ‘Not yet. I don’t know where this is going yet and I’m not ready to see that look in his eyes, the one I always get when I tell someone Dan disappeared.’
Molly rubbed her friend’s arm in sympathy. ‘I understand, honey.’
Sarah was quiet. Molly gave her a minute, went to clear some tables. Sarah looked out of the window, over to Finn’s house. Now Caroline was yelling at a departing Finn, his face was set in a grim line as he walked into the coffee house ‘Hey.’
Sarah rolled her eyes at him sympathetically. ‘Hey, dude.’
‘Hey girl.’ He said, his eyes softening. Molly might want Finn and Sarah to be together but both of them knew that was never on the cards. They were too close friends now to ever cross that line.
‘Yo, bro.’ Molly slapped. ‘What did the dragon yell at you today for?’
Finn shrugged. ‘Who cares?’
‘Why the hell are you still with her?’ Molly asked the question Sarah was thinking.
‘Fuck knows. My shift doesn’t start for an hour but I just had to get out of there.’
Sarah tugged one of his blonde curls. ‘Stay and chill out with us, dude. We’ll feed you all the basic food groups – sugar, coffee, butter.’
Finn grinned at his friend. ‘You make it sound so good and so dirty at the same time.’
Molly cleared her throat and nodded at her boss.
‘Talking of which…Sarah’s had an interesting twenty-four hours.’
Sarah blushed and Finn raised his eyebrows at her. Sarah half-smiled, feeling strange at telling her old friend about the new man in her life.
‘I’m seeing someone. Sort of.’
‘She means she got laid. Properly laid.’ Molly’s grin was wide and wicked.
Finn choked on his coffee as Sarah laughed in shock at Molly’s pronouncement
A half hour later, the coffee shop empty, the three of them sat at one of the tables. The heat outside had become oppressive, stormy.
‘Well.’ Finn pulled his tie down.
‘Yeah.’
Finn took a slug of coffee. ‘I think I should meet him. You know, for security. Make sure he’s not a con artist.’
Molly grinned into her coffee. Sarah raised her eyebrows at him.
‘And how will you ascertain that, Columbo?’
‘I shall say…are you a con artist? From his answer, I shall make a judgment call.’
‘You mean if he says yes, then…’
‘Exactly.’ Finn tried not to grin. Sarah started laughing.
‘Our tax dollars hard at work.’ She got up, squeezing his shoulder. ‘Thank you, though, you’re sweet to think of it.’ She moved away to the kitchen. She called back over her shoulder. ‘Anyway, you’ll meet him tonight if you’re still here about eight. He’s picking me, we’re going to George’s.’
He nodded and stood up. ‘I’ll try and come back and meet…what’s his name again?’
‘Isaac. Isaac Quinn.’
‘Got it.’
Sarah smiled at him.
‘Later then?’
‘You bet.’
‘That woman is very unpleasant.’ Isaac turned back from staring at Caroline. Sarah looked over at Finn – he looked so unhappy she ached for him. She felt Isaac watching her and turned back to him with a smile.
‘Sorry.’
They were seated at dinner across the restaurant from Finn and his wife. George’s restaurant was full to capacity and the room was buzzing with conversation. Above it all was Caroline’s nasal screech, arguing with a morose Finn. Caroline shot daggers over at Sarah who responded with the cheesiest of grins, making Isaac chuckle.
‘Not friends then?’ He asked after a particularly poisonous glare.
Sarah grinned. ‘Nope.’
Caroline suddenly stood up, scraping her chair against the stone floor.
‘Fuck you, Finn!’ She stormed out. Finn buried his head in his hands. Sarah’s hands tightened on her napkin. Isaac was watching the redhead cross the street and slam into her house. Sarah sighed.
‘You’re right, Isaac, she is unpleasant. And Finn is one of my best friends, he deserves better.’
Isaac covered her hand with his. ‘Let’s change the subject. You look breath-taking.’
Sarah grinned, embarrassed. ‘It’s the dress, not me. How are you settling into the hotel?’
‘Very well. I travel pretty light so I didn’t have to bring much.’
‘A Nomad.’
‘Yes. Something like that.’
She cleared her throat softly. ‘You know, you don’t have to stay at the hotel.’
Isaac smiled. ‘Is it wrong that I’ve been sitting here wishing you might say something like that?’ He leaned over to kiss her, his lips brushing along hers in a way that made her head swim.
Trying to calm herself – and the frantic quiver between her legs - she studied the menu. ‘I can never decide what to have in here.’
He laughed. ‘Surely you must have worked your way through the entire menu by now. For our next date, I’ll take you to the city, take you to my apartment.’
She smiled. ‘Our next date?’
‘And the many, many more to follow.’
‘Well, how-de-doo.’ George sang his greeting and Sarah giggled at Isaac’s surprised face. She stood and embraced the newcomer.
‘Hello George. Isaac, this is George, my pops for intents and purposes. George, this is Isaac Quinn.’
‘How are you, Isaac?’ George offered Isaac his hand. ‘How are you liking our little island?’
‘Hoping to see a little more of it, if Sarah will be kind enough to show me around.’
She smiled and nodded. ‘George, won’t you join us?’ She looked over to Isaac, who nodded enthusiastically.
‘Ha, no, sweet girl, I just came to say hello. Great to meet you, Isaac. I’m sure we’ll see you again soon.’ George patted her shoulder and moved away. Isaac smiled at Sarah.
‘Your father?’
Sarah nodded. ‘Sort of. Very long story and one for another time. He’s the only family I have…except Mols and Finn. They’re my adopted siblings.’
Isaac looked over at Finn, who was still sitting at the bar. ‘You know, we could ask Finn to join us. He looks like he could do with a friend.’
Sarah was touched. ‘That’s sweet of you but I know Finn, he’d just be embarrassed.’
As if on cue, Finn slid from the bar stool and moved to the door, disappearing into the night, without glancing back to see them. Isaac turned back to Sarah.
‘Can I ask? Why did you and Finn never…um…I’m presuming here, of course,
but growing up together, it never crossed your mind that it could be more?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘No, really, it didn’t. I mean, I love Finn of course, but a relationship? It would feel…weird.’
Isaac smiled. ‘So, I don’t have to be worried about the competition then?’ His tone was light but there was something beneath that she couldn’t fathom.
‘Definitely not.’
‘Good.’
She smiled. ‘Are you ready to go? I told Molly we’d stop by the coffee house.’
‘Hey, dudes.’ Sarah, followed by Isaac, patted Finn on the back as they made their way into the coffee house. She walked behind the counter and grabbed the coffee pot. She filled three mugs and passed one to each of them. She grabbed a soda from the cooler for herself. Isaac sat down at the counter.
‘Finn Jewell, meet Isaac Quinn.’
Finn eyed him, offered his hand and without hesitation, Isaac shook it.
‘Hey, Chief, good to meet you.’
‘Likewise.’
Sarah beamed.
‘Be right back.’
She gave them both a smile and disappeared. Molly went to clear the tables and close the door.
Isaac grinned at Finn. ‘Sarah tells me you’re like her big brother. You going to give me the speech?’
Finn laughed. ‘Let’s just say it’s implied and leave it at that. You’ve made her light up, that’s for sure, and that’s good enough for me.’
Isaac beamed. ‘She rocks my world…even after this short a time.’
‘It’s worth,’ Finn grinned at his sister who had come back to the counter, ‘I haven’t seen her like this since way before Dan disappeared.’
Molly stopped and threw a murderous glare at her brother. Isaac didn’t notice.
‘Dan?’
Sarah chose that moment to return to the main room. She stopped when she saw their faces – Molly and Finn embarrassed, Isaac confused. She smiled at them.
‘What happened? Were you two being socially awkward again? They’re twins, you know,’ she added as a joking aside to Isaac. He smiled and took a deep breath in.
The Billionaire’s Lighthouse Series: A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance Page 70