Finally, he pulled out a thermos and handed it to her. “Coffee?” she asked, her voice high and hopeful.
“There’s cream and sugar too. Well, cream substitute.”
With desperate fingers, she clawed open the thermos and poured coffee into the attached cup. After adding some creamer and sugar, she inhaled deeply. “This smells divine, Jamie.” She took a sip and enjoyed the savory warmth taste of it.
“Eat up.” He plunked a foil-wrapped package on her lap and waggled his eyebrows. “You’re going to need your strength.”
“Hmm… that sounds… promising.”
“And you know I always keep my promises.”
Yes, he did. Which was exactly why he’d never promised he’d come home safe and sound at the end of every shift. He couldn’t. Well, she’d made promises too, ones she planned to keep. Pushing the negativity aside, she passed Jamie the coffee and unwrapped her breakfast surprise. The spicy scent of Portuguese sausage filled her nose. She took a bite of the still-warm sausage and egg sandwich. Delicious.
Water shot out of a fissure in the rocks, the plume reaching a good thirty feet, startling her. The sausage went down the wrong way and she choked. Coughing and gasping for air, she dropped the sandwich and smacked her chest. His work-face on, Jamie raised her hands into the air. “Keep coughing,” he said, handing her a napkin. His cool tone calmed her and she quickly disengaged the bite caught in her throat.
As she regained her breath, Jamie took her hand and pressed it to his lips, a sheepish expression on his face. “I thought it would be fun to see your reaction when the water came through the blowhole. It wasn’t. And I’m sorry. I should have warned you.”
Before answering, she took a sip from the bottle of water he offered her. The liquid soothed her throat. “You couldn’t have predicted what would happen. Does the blowhole have a name? I want to know what to call the thing that almost killed me.” She chuckled, trying to lighten Jamie’s mood.
“The Dragon’s Nostrils.”
Another plume of water shot up, making her snort. “I can see why.”
When she finished her sandwich, Jamie reached into his backpack and got out a couple containers and handed one to her. She opened it, and now it was her turn to feel like a kid with a favorite toy. “Oh, Jamie!” The container was filled with pineapple spears, slices of mango, pieces of watermelon and cantaloupe, and a few other fruits she couldn’t name. Grinning widely, she took the fork he handed her. “You remembered.”
“Hard to forget. Before meeting you, I wouldn’t have been able to name half of what’s in these containers.”
When they finished eating, Jamie packed up and gave her the camera. “Let’s get some photos for Chloe.”
Coming down from the boulder, she yelped when her feet touched the burning rocks.
“Too hot for your lily-white Seattle feet?” he asked, his grin teasing.
“I guess I don’t have your heat tolerance, Mr. Firefighter.”
Enjoying the banter between them, she laughed and put on her shoes. They spent a half hour exploring the tide pools and taking pictures of the fish, corals, and sea urchins. On a sandy part of the beach, she found a colored glass ball and held it up for Jamie to see. “I wonder what this is.”
“It’s a Japanese fishing float. Fishermen used to use them on their nets.”
“Oh, Chloe will love this. Can we bring it to her?”
This was one of the things he loved best about Rickie; her first thought was always for Chloe. He held the backpack while she rolled the ball in an extra T-shirt he’d brought and secured it among their other supplies.
“Ready to see more?” he asked, when she was done.
“There’s more?”
“Oh, yeah. The best is yet to come.”
Her belly tingled as she anticipated what else he had in store for her. “You know, for someone who insisted the vacation be unscripted, you seem to have done a lot of planning.”
He grinned. “When you do it, it’s OCD. When I do it, it’s research.” He winked, and she went wet between her legs. His smile really should be illegal. It was one of the many things she loved about him. It was also one of the things that attracted the fire bunnies. Her smile fell.
“Hey,” he said, touching her face. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m so happy we’ve finally found each other again. I just—” She clamped her mouth shut. How could she admit to being jealous, especially after this morning?
“Erica.” His use of her full name let her know how serious he was. “What I said up there by the lighthouse, that wasn’t bullshit. I meant every word. Every syllable. You’re mine. And I’m yours. You’re it for me.” The corners of his lips kicked up. “Especially now.”
After everything he’d done during the last few days, she needed to shake off her worries and simply enjoy being here with him. “I meant every word too. And I’ll try to be less insecure.”
Jamie gripped her hand. “Let’s go.” Anxious to know what he’d planned for them, she followed him away from the people and the tide pools, away from the lighthouse. Where were they going? They took a little path and after a minute of walking, it narrowed dangerously. Fear gripped her belly and she dug her heels in. “Ah, Jamie…” Her eyes gravitated to the edge of the trail, then to the water and the waves that crashed onto the rocks. She swallowed. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“Rickie, you’re one of the bravest women I know. You can do it. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll put a harness on you. I’ll go first and anchor the rope on the other side, then you can cross. Sound good?”
“You brought your climbing gear?”
“Like I said, I’m always prepared.” He made quick work of strapping her in, a small smile playing on his lips.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
His eyes twinkled. “Damn right. I love seeing you all trussed up.” He dropped a kiss on her lips, then crossed the narrow section of the path with sure-footed ease. “Your turn.”
Sweat dripping down her spine in an unnerving trickle, she inched forward, cautiously placing one foot in front of the other. Although she tried to focus on Jamie, her gaze was drawn to the edge. All she could hear, all she could see was the water crashing on the rocks below. Her heart started to pound against her ribs and her chest felt tight.
“Erica. Eyes on me.” Jamie’s commanding tone pulled her back. “You can do this, honey. Even charging into an unstable mountain of debris didn’t faze you.” He tugged on the line attached to her harness. “I’ve got you.”
She nodded. He was right. This was nothing compared to the horror they’d gone through the night of the earthquake. Straightening her spine, she kept her eyes locked on Jamie’s and stepped cautiously toward him. When she reached him, she fell into his arms, panting. “Please don’t tell me we have to go back that way.” She’d overcome her fear, but once was more than enough.
He touched her nose and pushed a bottle of water in her hand. “We don’t. Now drink. I don’t want you to get heatstroke.”
After having her fill, she gave him back the bottle and made sure he drank too. He was always seeing to her needs and forgetting about his own. That was going to stop. He helped her out of the harness, then tucked it and the rope into the pack. Wanting to carry her share of the load, she tried to swing it onto her back. The unexpected weight made her stumble. Laughing, Jamie took the bag from her and easily settled it on his shoulders. “I think I’d better carry this.”
“How have you been handling it this whole time? It weighs a ton.”
“This isn’t even half the weight of the two SCBAs you dragged through all that crap at the courthouse.”
She shrugged and bit her lip. “Maybe. I barely noticed.” Adrenaline and the fear of losing Chloe had carried her through the ordeal. She’d marched into the debris, her mind empty of all thought except reaching Chloe and Dani. Her eyes welled as she remembered once again the soul-wrenching terror she’d felt when she’d
thought she’d lost Jamie. His incredible strength and skill had saved them all.
“That’s because you’re incredibly brave.” Tucking a strand of hair under her cap, he brushed her mouth with his. “Come. Let me show you what you worked so hard for.”
They entered a cave, about thirty feet deep. It was large and impressive and had a great view of the ocean. But it was also dark, with who knew what crawling along its walls. She angled her head toward the back of the cave. “There?”
“From the look on your face, it’s clear that cave sex is out.”
She peered inside again and shuddered. “It might even be a hard limit.”
He laughed. “I have a much better place in mind.”
They walked on the rocks, along the water, pausing every now and then to let a big wave retreat. Soon, they arrived at another series of tide pools. But this time, they were alone. She turned to check if anyone could observe them from above. They couldn’t.
Behind, she heard a splash. She whipped around and stood gaping at Jamie, who’d launched himself into the clear turquoise water. Stark-naked.
When he surfaced, drops of water gleamed in his dark hair. He looked like a veritable water god, and she felt like his virgin offering. Okay, she wasn’t a virgin, but the rest of the imagery held. “Join me.” His husky voice made her nipples harden and her belly quiver with desire.
She tugged off her shirt, capris, and shoes. Wearing only her bra and panties, she approached the edge and dipped her toe into the surprisingly warm water.
“Uh-uh. All of it,” Jamie said.
“But—”
“No one can see us, Rickie.”
After undressing faster than she ever had in her life, she tossed her underthings on top of her clothes and jumped into the tide pool. It would be harder for anyone watching to make out her nakedness in the water.
When she surfaced, Jamie was sputtering and wiping water from his face, an evil glint in his eyes. “Jamie. I didn’t mean—” She stopped talking when he began stalking toward her, the water god transformed into a water dragon. Oh no! Was he in Dom-mode? Was he about to punish her? Her eyes stinging from the saltwater, she folded her arms over her breasts and stared down at her reflection. “Mr. Caldwell, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have splashed you. Please. I won’t do it again.”
“Rickie.” Jamie’s expression held a confusing mix of concern and exasperation. “Babe, I was just teasing you.” He stroked the back of his fingers along her cheek. “Relax.”
She caught his shoulders and used the buoyancy of the water to hoist herself up and wrap her legs around his waist. Clasping him to her chest, she nuzzled his neck. The warmth of his body and the saltiness of his skin comforted her. “I love you so much, Jamie. I want to make you happy, but I don’t always know how.”
“You do, babe. You do make me happy. I don’t want you worrying about this D/s thing. We do it when we want to. When it feels right. Besides, I’d never punish you for something you did when we weren’t in a scene. I don’t expect—or want—you to be submissive outside of those times.”
All the fear and anxiety about the future she’d kept bottled up inside her evaporated in the heat of his gaze. Jamie was giving her everything she’d ever wanted in a man, everything she’d ever wanted in a husband. “I need you, Jamie,” she whispered against his lips. Making her intent clear, she shifted over his erection and lowered herself onto it. Inch by inch she sank down. The sensations of being filled, of being stroked deep inside where she needed it most, were so exquisite, tears filled her eyes.
Jamie groaned. The sound rumbled in his chest and she felt it against her heart. With his hands cupping her butt, he lifted her up and down in a slow teasing rhythm. When she moaned in pleasure, his mouth closed over hers, swallowing the sounds. He sucked her tongue into his mouth, uniting them in a never-ending circle.
Leaning her backward so she floated on the water, he flicked his tongue over a distended nipple. The gentle lashing sent shivers coursing through her body. As though she had the attention of a hundred lovers, the warm sun caressed her face, the gentle waves lapped at her body, and the light breeze kissed her wet skin. Making love had never felt so foreign and exotic, and she was loving it.
When Jamie closed his lips over one nipple, grazing it with his teeth and sucking hard, she arched her back and almost earned a mouthful of water for her efforts. Laughing, Jamie supported her while she caught her breath. “You up for a little experiment?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Her insides clenched and she felt a new slickness where they were joined. Jamie could induce an orgasm with that sexy smile. She bit back a moan. “As long as it doesn’t involve swallowing copious amounts of water.”
“No worries. Hold onto my hand and leave your legs loose on either side of my hips.”
Where was he going with this? Frowning, she did as he asked. He supported her with a strong grip on her hip and clasped both her hands in one of his. “Keep your head up,” he said as he began to rock her back and forth. With each swing, he impaled her deeper and deeper until he was embedded to the hilt. As he increased the speed of the movements, he pulled her harder against him while he flexed his hips to heighten the impact and depth of penetration. He stretched her, filled her completely, bumping against her needy clitoris with each thrust.
“This is… my variation… on suspension sex,” he gasped between pants. “Like it?”
She loved it. She’d never experienced anything so liberating in her entire life. With his grip on her hands, he kept her elevated so the water skimmed her lower back in a sexy, thrilling massage. The rapid movement kept her breasts bouncing and swaying, never letting her forget their aching, puckered peaks. She was so on fire, she could almost hear the sizzle as drops of cool water splashed on her hot skin. Every sensation, every touch, every sound built up the delicious pressure until she could take it no more.
Shivering and shuddering, she threw her head back and screamed Jamie’s name. Her orgasm hit in wave after wave of blissful contractions. In the recesses of her mind, she heard Jamie call her name as he pumped into her one last time, his fingers tightening on her as he achieved his own climax.
After a moment, he lifted her out of the water, holding her tightly against his chest. With heavy arms, she hung onto his neck and slumped against him, replete and happy. “Jamie, that was so…” At a loss for a word to encompass it all, she let the sentence hang.
“Incredible?” His warm breath made goose bumps ripple over her skin, and she trembled with small aftershocks. Still inside her, Jamie groaned and kissed her throat.
She tugged on his ears until he lifted his head. Letting herself fall into his warm loving eyes, she said, “You’re what made it incredible, Jamie. You make every time incredible.”
“Does that mean you want to go back to having only vanilla sex now?” he asked, arching a dark arrogant brow.
“God, no. This was magical and perfect. But I want to taste all thirty-one flavors.”
He grinned and cupped her face. “Rocky road coming right up, ma’am.” Laughing, they sank into the water, wrapped around each other.
Chapter Eight
After spending the remainder of the day visiting Honolulu and Pearl Harbor, Jamie and Rickie headed back to Turtle Beach. Jamie chose to drive up the western side of the island so they could catch the sunset over the ocean.
Rickie patted his thigh. “You’ve been quiet since we visited the Arizona Memorial.”
He shot her a small smile and covered her hand with one of his own. He didn’t want to put a damper on their day, but their sightseeing had affected him more than he’d have thought it would. “I was just thinking about my grandfather’s brother, Great Uncle Joe, and his wife Charlie. Did I ever tell you she was here, at Hickam Field, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor?”
Her expression somber, Rickie shook her head. “No. Your father told me Joe lost his eye in the Doolittle Raid, but I didn’t realize that Joe’s wife had been m
ilitary too.”
“She wasn’t. Not exactly. She was a flight instructor, and her first husband an officer on the Arizona. She was in the air when the attack began.”
“Oh my God.”
“It wasn’t until it was all over that she found out her husband wasn’t one of the survivors.” At Rickie’s harsh inhale, he shot her a reassuring glance and squeezed her hand.
“Charlie must have been devastated,” she said, emotion thickening her voice.
“She was, but a year later, she met Joe in Texas where she was working with the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron.” He shrugged. “Life goes on, you know?”
Rickie’s only response was to turn away and stare out the window.
Smooth move, asshole. Jamie wanted to kick himself. Of course, she’d feel a kinship with Charlie. She was probably seeing herself in Charlie’s shoes right now—a young widow, trying to move on and make a life for herself. Shit. Just the thought of Rickie loving another man, of his daughter calling that man “Daddy” made him want to puke.
They drove in silence up Veterans Memorial Freeway until they reached Kamehameha Highway. They hit the coast as the sky was beginning to darken. Needing to salvage the day, Jamie pulled the Mustang off the road and parked.
“What are we doing here?” Rickie asked.
“Let’s go watch the sunset on the beach.”
A smile played on her lips. “End the day like we began it?”
“Seems fitting.” He grabbed a blanket from the backseat and stepped out of the car, waiting for her to join him. They dashed across the two-lane highway and the deserted beach to the water’s edge, laughing like children. Jamie took a moment to lay the blanket out in a dry area, shielded from the road by an outcropping of rocks. Chasing each other, they ran in the wet sand, jumping the waves as they rolled in. Rickie squealed when a bigger wave bore down on her.
What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 9) Page 14