by Sami Lee
Her heart in her throat, Hayley let her gaze fall on Mitch. He wasn't watching the ceremony going on right in front of him. His attention was on her.
Her heart catapulted against her sternum. She couldn’t tear her gaze off him. The celebrant’s words as she continued to talk about the preciousness of deep love became little more than background noise as Mitch mouthed two unexpected words.
I’m sorry.
Hayley burst into spontaneous tears, her choked sob so loud the celebrant stopped midsentence. The entire bridal party and all the assembled guests turned to look at her.
In the front row, Mitch shot to his feet. “Are you all right?”
Mortified, Hayley managed to get herself under control enough to mutter, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she repeated, looking directly at Mitch. She glanced around at the other guests, her face turning hot. “I always cry at weddings. Please, ignore me.”
Mitch moved as though to head toward her, but his brother Mason stopped him. “Relax, will you? You can talk to her later. Sit down, for chrissakes.”
Mitch looked at Hayley, who made a motion for him to sit. Only then did he take his seat once more.
Clearing her throat, the celebrant began again.
“Marriage is a supreme sharing of experience, and an adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyous union of two people…”
Once again, Hayley’s gaze sought Mitch’s. She found him watching her, concern evident in his expression. He was going to get a crick in his neck if he didn’t stop craning his head around like that. Sending him a watery smile, Hayley pressed a hand to her chest and mouthed the words, “My fault.” Then she circled her finger around her ear to indicate she knew she was crazy.
His expression softening, Mitch shook his head. He touched a fist to his chest and made a circular motion to indicate… What? She made his heart go pitter-patter? He had heartburn? What?
Then she watched his lips form the words, “I love you so much.”
Hayley stopped breathing. Emotion welled in her chest, like a bubble trying to burst. She wet her lips. “Are you sure?”
With a lopsided smile to indicate how ridiculous her question was, Mitch nodded.
The tears began flowing afresh, but this time Hayley managed to stifle them by biting down on her knuckles. He loves me. The emotion on his face confirmed the words he’d mouthed. As Aidan and Mack spoke their vows to each other, Hayley let the knowledge flow through her, make her feel lighter than a bird lifted by the wind.
At last the celebrant introduced Mack and Aidan to the gathering as Mr. and Mrs. Rogers. Hayley stood and applauded along with everyone else. She watched as Mitch kissed his sister and shook Aidan’s hand. She waited while he whispered something to his parents, who both turned briefly to look at her, surprise on their faces.
Then he started striding in her direction.
Unable to keep her feet still, Hayley ran, meeting him halfway up the aisle Mack had so recently walked down. She flung herself into his outstretched arms, closing her eyes on a happy sigh when they tightened around her fiercely.
Mitch rasped in her ear. “I’m crazy about you, Hayley Bryant.”
“I’m crazy about you too. I love you.”
“You know you’ve ruined it for everyone.” The comment came from Mitch’s brother Mason, who clapped Mitch on the shoulder as he walked by. “We were so looking forward to the show.”
Hayley pulled back and eyed Mitch. “Show?”
Mitch sent his brother the evil eye as he scampered off. “They all had me convinced I had to make a grand gesture. The subject of serenading you at the reception came up in conversation.”
Hayley laughed. “You wouldn’t have done that.”
“I would have.” His gaze misting over, Mitch tucked a strand of hair behind Hayley’s ear with fingers that trembled slightly. “If that’s what it was going to take, I was going to do it.”
Everything inside Hayley melted. “You really do love me, don’t you?”
“Completely, utterly. I’m yours, sweetheart—if you’ll have me.”
“Oh I’m definitely going to have you.” Hayley smiled. “Vigorously and often.”
Mitch chuckled and bent down to kiss her, his lips moving languorously over hers. His arms were still wrapped tight around her, like he didn’t want to let her go.
But Hayley didn’t feel in the least bit trapped or overwhelmed. She had never felt so safe, so anchored, yet at the same time, so light, so joyful.
So free.
“I had a list of demands,” Hayley said.
“Did you, now?”
“Well, requests, really. I was going to negotiate for what I needed, like a thorough professional. I thought you’d appreciate it.”
Mitch smiled, picturing Hayley in a tailored business suit—with a really really short skirt—stating her case across a boardroom table. Or on one, which was where she’d end up pretty darn quick in the scenario he had in mind. He used the arm he had draped over her shoulders to draw her closer to his side. “Why don’t you give me your list now? You have my undivided attention.”
The bridal party had gone down to the beach to have Bilby Island’s photographer take their wedding pictures. The rest of the gathering had begun heading toward the reception venue while Mitch and Hayley lingered behind—a long way behind. Mitch so badly wanted to be alone with her, but for now he settled for brushing his lips over her temple and breathing deeply of her unique, vanilla-and-spice scent. He could tell Hayley enjoyed the contact by the way she practically purred, so Mitch shifted his lips down to her ear, then her cheek.
She sighed contentedly. “I was going to ask you to tell me exactly how you felt about me.”
Mitch tilted her face so he could kiss the tip of her nose. “If you haven’t already worked it out, I love you.”
Her smile was a sight to behold. “And I love you. I always have.”
“Since you were a teenager, I hear.”
Hayley’s eyes narrowed. “Mack. She has a big mouth.”
Mitch smiled and kissed away her annoyance, loving the way she drifted into him, as natural and warm as the afternoon breeze. Loving that this gorgeous, vibrant woman thought he was worthy of such a long-running infatuation, because he was infatuated with her too.
When at last he drew back, they’d abandoned even the pretense of walking. Mitch held Hayley close, feeling how the nearness stirred heat in his body and willing himself not to race her off somewhere and have his way. Patience, patience.
They both stilled when Mitch’s trousers vibrated.
Hayley took a step back, scowling. Mitch held up a finger. “One second. I’ve been waiting on this.”
“You have got to be kidding, Mitch.” Hayley shoved her hand into his pants pocket before he could, extracting the phone with lightning speed. “It’s your sister’s wedding day. What could be so important? This is so typical. In fact it brings me to my next demand.”
Mitch folded his arms and regarded her with a deadpan expression. “We’re back to demands, not requests?”
“Darn straight.” She waggled the phone at him. “Pass code.”
He told her the digits and she punched them into the screen. “I need to know I’m going to get some uninterrupted time with you occasionally. I have to feel like I’m important enough that you’ll turn this thing off sometimes.” She quickly scanned the text message. “It’s from Stella. What does ‘all clear’ mean?”
“It means she’s been able to reschedule my last remaining appointments for the week. I don’t have to go back to the office for eight days.”
“Eight days?”
“That’s right.”’
“As in the Monday a week from this Monday?”
“Yeah.”
She was staring at him with such shock Mitch began to feel uncomfortable. He unfolded his arms and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I want to spend some time with you, here on the island. I checked with Kylie and I can have
the suite for another week. Will you stay in it with me?”
Her voice rasped with emotion. “That’s what you were doing on the phone this morning? Clearing your schedule?”
“Yeah.”
“For me?”
“Who else?” Mitch swallowed nervously. What if she thought he was moving too fast? “I don’t want to lose you, Hayley. I had this idea we could spend a week making love, sleeping late and talking about our dreams for the future. Living in the moment like you tried to tell me I should.”
Mitch was suddenly hyperaware of where they stood—mere meters away from the altar where his sister wed the love of her life minutes ago. He knew exactly how he wanted his future with Hayley to pan out. A few moments ago he’d told his parents, “I’m next,” indicating Hayley with a tilt of his head that had just about made his mother have a conniption.
Abruptly, Hayley grabbed hold of his shirt with both hands and yanked him toward her. She growled, “Take me now.”
All the air left his lungs. “What?”
“We can be a little late to the reception. I mean it, Mitch. Find somewhere private and take me. Right. Now.”
His loins responded with a burst of liquid fire. Mitch grasped her hips and ground against her. “Is that a yes to staying here with me?”
“That’s a hell, yes.”
Mitch heaved a sigh of relief. “Damn, you’re sexy when you make demands.”
Hayley smiled. “Likewise.”
Mitch smiled back, feeling lighter than he’d ever felt. As light as air and as happy as the proverbial clam.
Then, linking hands and laughing, they began sprinting up the beach, toward the resort.
About the Author
Sami’s been a secretary, sales assistant, bartender, waitress, student, tutor, human resource manager and administration officer, but at heart she’s always been a writer. She enjoys creating emotional, sexy stories about the gorgeous, aggravating men who live in her head and the women who were made to steal them away from her.
Sami lives by the coast in Australia with her husband and two stupendous daughters. To learn more about Sami, please visit www.samilee.com join her on Facebook or Twitter, or send an email to [email protected].
Look for these titles by Sami Lee
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Afternoon Rhapsody
© 2012 Jess Dee
Bandicoot Cove: The Wedding, Book 1
Bianca Rogers is one signature away from finalizing her divorce. And she will finalize it just as soon as she gets home. But for this weekend, she’s putting her troubles aside and enjoying the gorgeous, sunlit luxury of Bandicoot Cove, the resort where her brother is getting married. The last thing she expects is to be knocked off her feet—literally—by gorgeous Brody Evans.
The fireworks are instantaneous. Brody is just her type: sexy, warm, friendly, and in the same boat as her: in the process of getting a divorce.
Spending time together is a mutual no-brainer. Attraction quickly grows to full-blown lust. But flying sparks come with increasingly personal conversations, and soon neither of them can ignore their past mistakes or the circumstances that have led them to the island.
Now it’s time to determine whether old hurts and sudden doubts will prevent love from leading them to a whole new happily ever after.
Warning: If you don’t believe in second chances, never thought it was possible to fall in love again and aren’t interested in scrumptious, hot love scenes, then this story probably isn’t for you. You’d be missing out—big time—but yeah…it’s probably not for you.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Afternoon Rhapsody:
“I have a beachside bungalow, not far from where we met this morning,” Brody told her as he quickened his pace.
She needed no encouragement to match his steps, although she had to take two for every one of his. “Me too.” Excitement fizzed inside her. “Whichever one we get to first, we go into.”
“Deal.”
Dripping wet, they scooted through the gardens, their steps increasing in speed from a brisk walk to a gentle trot to an all-out run. Bianca was about to shift into sprint mode when Brody took a sudden left and nipped behind an oasis of trees. He took her with him.
“What the…? What are you doing?”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “Shh.”
That was when she heard it. Footsteps and animated chatter. She couldn’t identify the voices, there were too many of them, but the words wedding, groom and bachelor party drifted her way, and she was suddenly jolly appreciative of Brody’s quick thinking.
Just like she wasn’t ready to face her parents, Danny or Great Aunt Alberta, so she wasn’t ready for anyone she knew to see her with Brody. Wasn’t ready for the speculative glances or raised eyebrows. Wasn’t ready for Rick’s name to come up while she was with him.
“Good thinking,” she whispered.
“Selfish thinking,” he whispered back, and kissed her again.
And just like that, Bianca forgot all about the people walking by. Hidden from view, she forgot all about everything except the man who crushed her to him. The man whose back was bent so he could reach her mouth with his. The man whose erection seemed to have grown in the time it took them to cross the hundred meters from the pool to here.
And she knew it had grown because she could feel it. Her hand was on the front of his boardies, cupping him. She had no memory of placing her hand there, just a vague recollection of needing to touch him so badly, she thought for sure she’d die if she didn’t.
Brody growled into her mouth but did not release her lips. Which suited her just fine, because she wouldn’t have let him go had he tried. Not when his tongue did deliciously naughty things to the inside of her mouth. Not when his lips pressed so enticingly against hers. Not when she inhaled the air he breathed.
Brody’s soft growl changed to a ragged groan when the barrier of his wet boardies proved too annoying, and she slipped her hand beneath the sodden material, taking his hot, pulsing cock in her palm.
Then it wasn’t just Brody groaning. Bianca let out a soft moan, the feel of his hard flesh enough to set fire to her loins.
Satin-covered steel.
She wrapped her hand around him, stroking up and down. Not easy. Not within the confines of his shorts, but God help her, she wasn’t letting go. Not for anything. Not when her actions made him shiver as they kissed.
Not when liquid heat filled her pussy, her stomach clenched with desire and her heart pounded fiercely beneath her breast. Not when the throbbing vein lining his dick made her aware of how alive she felt with him. How her own blood roared in her ears.
Pearls of moisture beaded on the tip of his erection. She stopped breathing. Ran her thumb over the wetness. Moaned.
He tore his lips from hers. “Bee…”
Her name was both a salutation and a plea. His eyes blazed with passion.
Their bungalows suddenly seemed very far away. Unreachable.
Didn’t matter. They could make it. If they walked really fast. Okay, sprinted, they could do it. Get there before the passion overwhelmed them.
“Room,” she gasped. “We can make it if we hurry.”
Brody stared at her with wide eyes.
“Not too far,” she muttered, her heart slamming into her ribs. “Not far at all.”
“Y-you’re serious?”
“Dead serious.”
Disbelief filled his gaze.
“We can run,” she assured him.
His only response was a hoarse laugh. Hoarse and sexy.
Bee would have replied but she couldn’t. Her mouth was otherwise occupied. As she’d presented Brody with her best verbal argument, she’d slid to her knees and yanked at the tie on his waistband, torn at the Velcro and finally gotten his boardies undone. Tempting and h
ard in her hand, his erection now pulsed before her eyes, its tip sodden.
Bee couldn’t wait. No longer wanted to. She didn’t care where they stood. Trees surrounded them, their thick, lush foliage hiding them from view. She’d been a teenager the last time she’d done anything this bold, this daring. Last time she’d been giddy on fresh air and the great outdoors and a man she desired.
She felt like that teenager all over again. Reckless. Hot. Free. Ravenous.
She licked the moisture off the head of his cock.
“Ah, fuck, Bee.” Brody tried to stop her. Grabbed at her arms, attempted to lift her back up, but she nuzzled her mouth against his belly, licking at the sensitive skin there before once again tasting the precome he produced for her.
Instead of lifting her, Brody ran his hands over her shoulders, caressing, massaging. Logically he might have known they shouldn’t do this here. Physically he was in the exact same boat as her—powerless to fight the lust that had sparked between them this morning, flared during lunch and exploded in the pool.
Salt, chlorine and musk flavored her lips. The spongy tip of his cock pressed on her tongue, and Bianca could not restrain herself. She opened her mouth and devoured him. Sucked him deep inside, luxuriating in the sensation of his hard length pulsing between her cheeks.
Her release was slow. A sensual exploration of satiny skin as she pulled off him.
“Bee…honey…” Brody’s voice was a low rasp. The vibrations of his words rippled down her spine, making her shiver.
She sucked him back in and then lost track of her actions. She simply enjoyed him, feasting on his succulent flesh, relishing the gasps and muttered curses that filtered through the air above her. She palmed his testicles and stroked the soft skin just behind as her mouth made love to him.
Brody began to sway his hips, fucking her lips. No, not fucking. His actions were too gentle for that, too controlled, but Bee followed his lead, hollowing her cheeks, relaxing her tongue, and allowed him to direct his penis in and out of her mouth.