What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 9)

by Kristine Cayne

  “Today is today. We’ll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Okay?” He placed a branding hot kiss on her neck. “Go on, I’ll meet you up there.”

  Comforted by the mere tone of his voice and his nearness, she gave a slight nod. Clutching the edge of her dress, she trotted up the firmly packed path, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll see you up there.”

  The ceremony took place amidst an ancient ruin, made only more breathtaking over time. Scattered rubble surrounded the open limestone pavilion and three massive pillars remained standing at the entrance. The wedding party stood in front of the pillars in a mix of dramatic colors, all standing out against the paleness of the aged marble. The white and black on the bride and groom contrasted with azure bridesmaid dresses and blood-red roses.

  Applause erupted as the happy couple engaged in their first kiss as husband and wife. This is what true love is supposed to feel like. Overwhelmed by feelings of respect and adoration, Shayla let tears fall to the weathered marble beneath her bare feet. She stood paralyzed, unable to take her eyes off John. When he turned to look at her with a stare mirroring her own, Shayla’s heart soared.

  The fiery orange sun began to sink into the Aegean Sea as they boarded the ferry back to the mainland. The reception was at a restaurant overlooking the edge of a cliff near the outskirts of the village. The short drive leading up the winding road was filled with warm hearts and subtle smiles.

  The orange glow of heaters and tiny white lights strung from tree branches illuminated the cozy outdoor patio. The dreamy vision stopped each of them in their tracks as they walked through the set of open French doors.

  “Wow.” JC’s voice was filled with awe as she sauntered toward the handrail.

  The fiery sky turned to dark blue, and all that remained of the sunset were swirls of soft pink hovering over the caldron jutting out of the now-black water. John’s eye followed the simplistic lines of architecture overhead. He seemed to be taking mental notes of the construction of the aged pergola. He gripped the beam, checking for sturdiness she assumed.

  Shayla giggled at his inquisitiveness.

  “What?” His cheeks burnished with color. He pointed at the rough lumber. “There isn’t a nail or screw in this structure. This is impressive. It’s all done by hand.”

  Her lip twitched and she pulled it between her teeth. Sweet sensuality filled her tone. “Hmm. All done by hand. That is very impressive.”

  Her hand immediately flew to her mouth, covering her modest laugh.

  Caught off guard by her boldness, John smiled, exposing a set of dimples she hadn’t noticed. He reached for her, but she dodged behind the beam, evading his grasp. “There isn’t gonna be anything getting done by hand tonight.”

  She let out a squeak when he grabbed her by the arm, drawing her to his chest. A throaty hiss escaped his lungs and a gleam of desire sparkled in the squint of his eyes. John bent to kiss her.

  “Beautiful!” Lisa exclaimed with a dreamy sigh. She flashed an exquisite white smile as she sauntered by.

  Benny followed right behind her, clearing his throat and tossing them an all-knowing, smartass grin.

  Groups of candles and red roses adorned tables dressed in crisp white linens. Busy waiters served glasses of champagne to everyone standing at the cliff’s edge taking in the breathtaking view. Greek music announced the arrival of the bride and groom, and cheers erupted throughout the restaurant and patio.

  Dinner was delectable, and as the celebration grew louder, Tommy and Tess gravitated to the dance floor. Old-world atmosphere and the distinct hum of elation filled the evening. When the Greek wedding dance began to play, locals filtered outside to partake in the event, including two of the Greek gods from cliff diving the day before. As more and more local families joined in the fun, Shayla stayed on alert for any unsuspected videoing or picture taking. However, most of the locals had gotten to know Tommy over the years and respected his privacy.

  She made her way to the bar and pulled JC off to one side. “Did you invite those guys?”

  “No,” she assured, holding out her little finger. “Pinky swear! I didn’t invite them. I might’ve manifested them. Honestly, they saw the party from two blocks away, but I have been visualizing dancing with him all day. Can they stay? Please? I promise they won’t take any pictures! I need somebody to dance with.”

  “Good Lord, I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but okay.”

  JC threw her arms around Shayla’s neck. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re the best!”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I want their phones.”

  The strong fragrance of their cologne seized her breath as they approached the bar. Neither of the men made a complaint and gladly relinquished their phones. The taller of the two men, who’d given his number to JC at the beach, slung his arm through hers. They headed for the dance floor before the other handsome young man could dig his phone out of his pocket.

  “Would you like to dance?” he asked in a thick accent, cupping Shayla’s hand in his as he lay the cell in her palm.

  John’s heavy hand curled around the tip of her shoulder. “She’s dancing with me.”

  Shayla jumped at the pugnacious sound of his voice. Twisting her neck, she turned to see John and Tracy standing beside her. He stood slack, but looked dark and threatening with a deep scowl notched between his brows.

  “Maybe later,” the young Greek offered politely, lifting the back of her hand toward his lips.

  In one swift movement, John pulled her hand right out from under the guy’s lips and gathered her into a one-armed embrace. “I don’t think so, bud. She’s with me tonight.”

  A distinct warning lay within his words, and John’s green eyes grew murky with the squint of his thick ebony lashes.

  John hastily swept her away from the bar.

  Tracy’s eyes widened in shock, mirroring Shayla’s as she passed by.

  Shayla carefully tossed the cell phones on the head table. Her fingers drummed lightly on her hips. “He was simply asking me to dance. You didn’t have to scare him.”

  Taking hold of her wrist, he escorted her to the floor. “Bullshit. If I weren’t here, guys would be lined up to dance with you like an old-fashioned kissing booth at the county fair,” he grumbled flatly, hauling her close.

  She couldn’t help but chuckle. “An old fashioned kissing booth.”

  He loosened his hold, but his face held rigid. His heart pulsed rapidly beneath her cheek. John dropped both hands to her hips and she automatically draped her hands over the top of his shoulders.

  Her fingers stroked and played with the hair at his nape. “I was going to say no.”

  Neither spoke, cloaked in the heavy bruised air. Shayla knew he had something on his mind and she waited patiently for the tension to slip from his hold. She eased into his solid frame, allowing him to guide her around the room. Their bodies moved as one as John led her effortlessly around the floor with confidence and fluidity.

  He sighed, giving a slight shake of his head. “This has nothing to do with him.”

  Flickering candlelight cast shadows on the hollow of his throat, his bronze skin delectable. She traced the dip between his collarbones with the tip of her finger. “Today is today, remember?”

  The flat of her palm stole to the inside of his open collar shirt; her icy fingers relished the warmth of his smooth skin.

  His eyes grew dark and serious. He clutched her hand up to his chest and nuzzled closer into the sensitive spot on her neck. “But I want tomorrow. I…I…I don’t even know what to say because no matter how I say it, it’s gonna make me sound crazy.”

  Caught off guard by the confusion muddling his voice, she wobbled a bit, but he held her secure, offering a sense of safety she’d never felt. “I like crazy,” she whispered playfully.

  A small reverberation of laughter rumbled in his chest. He eased her fully into his arms when a country ballad, Must Be Doing Somethin Right, by Billy Currington played. Her eyes drifted shut.
She was soon engulfed in the warmth of his breath near her temple as he sang along quietly in her ear.

  His rich, seductive voice made her skin come alive, sending sparks zinging through her limbs. John’s thighs brushed against hers, skillfully maneuvering her through the small open channels of their family and friends. Everyone and everything seemed to dissolve around them. A fine layer of perspiration blossomed over her skin.

  John cradled both sides of her neck with his long thick fingers.

  She found the sweet scent of his breath intoxicating and leaned in for a kiss.

  John hesitated, glimpsing at their crowded surroundings. His lashes etched a jagged shadow against his cheek. “Are you sure?”

  She couldn’t hear the music over her heartbeat drumming in her ears. She dropped her hands to his hips, hooking her fingers through his belt loops. Shayla arched forward until their bodies molded perfectly together, giving him all the answer he needed.

  Slowly, lazily, John lowered his mouth to hers, never breaking eye contact. His strong fingers coasted over the edge of her neckline with the ease of a feather catching in the wind. He pressed soft kisses filled with utter sweetness to one lip then the other.

  She whimpered in delight, catching his lower lip gently between her teeth.

  He dragged the kiss to the corner of her eye and beyond to her temple. Suppressed hunger was caged under the layers of his fine clothing like a thoroughbred waiting to break out the gate at the Kentucky Derby. Sounds of need filled his heavy breath, holding back the urgency to take her mouth with ravenous kisses.

  Stealing her away from the reception, John led her through a small iron gate at the cliffs edge. The moonbeams reflecting off the water below seemed to follow their every turn, giving illumination to the narrow concrete path. Her heel skidded on the smooth round rocks embedded in the concrete, but he clutched her firmly beneath the ribs. A sense of security washed over her as she held on to the back of his hand. This man would never let her fall. John would always be there to protect her.

  They hastily made their way to the end of the short winding trail etched into the natural switchback of the cliff. Luscious anticipation churned in her as he slowly twirled her around, stalking her with his lust-filled stare.

  John backed her against the smooth pumice stone wall, still holding warmth from the afternoon sun. His constrained demeanor lost to desire in a frantic ravishing of lips, teeth and tongue. “Damn, woman. You are driving me crazy.”

  Shayla yielded to his demands, welcoming his rich, drugging kisses, both shaking, absorbed in ravenous need. His arm fell behind her, gripping tight to the small of her back. She moaned into his mouth with a soft murmur, reacting with needs of her own. Clinging to his neck, she tilted her hips forward, cradling his erection in a rhythmic motion.

  Reaching beneath the thin material supporting her breasts, he pulled, freeing the pale skin from the confines of her dress. The cool night air worked in sequence with his fingers, tipping the delicate pink blossoms into tight buds. She arched, lifting her torso and he bent, sucking the tender peaks into his wet, searing mouth. With each tug, the pulsing spot at her center ached and throbbed as if tied together with an invisible string.

  Shayla panted and whimpered as he nibbled at her throat. His mouth came to hers, feeding tenderly, giving her long, sinuous licks of his tongue.

  John cupped a hand beneath her bottom.

  She gasped at the rush of cool air across her bare hips. Her dress gathered at her waist, making her damn near naked under the full moon. She didn’t care. Rising to her tippy toes, she rubbed harder against him, tying to extinguish the burning ache right through their layers of clothing. She clung to his shoulders, loving the feel of the strain rippling through the cords of his muscles, grinding against the hard length of him.

  For the first time in her life, Shayla felt what she wanted. It wasn’t a list of descriptions written on a piece of paper. Her heart burst with happiness, excitement and a certain level of unbridled trust that went beyond words in her vocabulary. She couldn’t begin to list his goodness on a sheet of paper. There was no judgment, only a feeling of being bound so tightly together, they became one.

  “I want to feel you.” Her hands frantically yanked at his waistband, trembling to get at his silken skin.

  He groaned ruefully. “I didn’t come prepared,” were the only words she could comprehend between straggling curse words and a few explicit warnings of what she could look forward to in a few short hours.

  John held her tight, grinding in rhythm with her hips, encouraging her to ride out the momentum.

  “Yeah, but I—” Her voice purred low and hoarse as she reached frenziedly to unzip his pants to take him right there. She was on fire.

  “We can’t, baby,” he reminded with a slight shake of his head. “But I’ll take care of you.”

  Collecting her hands in one of his, John pinned them to the smooth rock above her head. His other hand nudged at her thighs and she automatically complied, widening her stance. Slipping his fingers beneath the elastic of her panties, he clenched his jaw. Exhilaration mounted in his breathing as he watched her face and manipulated the tip of his finger over layers of skin in teasing circles. Each of them released heated exhales of relief as he dipped two fingers into her slick flesh.

  She moaned as his fingers pumped, pushing deeper with a small twist. Her inner muscles clenched around the thick intrusion. His fine-tuned rhythm sent spasms rippling in a forward direction.

  “Feel good, baby?”

  The sweet endearment in his tone each time he called her baby felt like a soft caress drawing her closer to him. She could only nod in response.

  Shayla loved the way he looked at her, yearning to give her pleasure. Her slender body curved and she rocked with his rhythm. The scrape of his stubble branded her chin and neck when he devoured her mouth and throat. She twisted, hunting for his lips.

  John took her mouth aggressively with keen slick kisses, stimulating her into rhythmic climax. As spasms swelled and tumbled through her, she strained on her toes, lifting her hips, offering more, needing him to extinguish the fervor he ignited inside her. Her body jerked and trembled. “Oh, oh, oh God,” she cried out in a quiet whimper.

  He covered her mouth, consuming sounds of her pleasure.

  Shayla went limp, sagging against him, exhaling a whimper when he withdrew his fingers.

  John rolled to the side, propping his back against the rock and hauling her into a one armed embrace.

  She stood between his thighs, wantonly sprawled over his front, catching her breath.

  Cool air wafted across the back of her exposed legs and layer of humid skin. She stared, watching him bring his fingers to his mouth to indulge in her flavor.

  “You taste good. I’ve never been so damn hard in my life.” John stroked her arm and back, settling her trembles, keeping continuous contact with her skin as if he were a masseur finishing the best massage of her life. “I’m sorry, baby. I planned on waiting until later, but I just couldn’t help it. I’ll make love to you as soon as we get out of here.”

  “I don’t care if it’s half-way, all the way, or…or even a quarter of the way. I’ll remember this moment for the rest of my life. I’ve never felt so…so alive in all my life.” Her voice turned tender as she confessed, “I’ve never done this outside.”

  A flash of a grin tucked into the corner of his mouth. Her admission seamed to surprise him. “Ever?”

  She tilted her head sideways in coy acknowledgement.

  “You’ll love the desert.” He caressed her arms from shoulder to fingertip with utmost tenderness. “I’ll take you out in the middle of nowhere, bouncing around in my truck near the base of the mountains.”

  She unbuttoned one button of his shirt then another, pressing kisses to his chest and fingering his dark nipple. So entranced in the sunny vision running though her mind, she allowed herself to drift forward into the future. Intrigued, she asked, “And then what?”


  Uncertainty clouded his gaze, as if trying to decide if he should continue. He hesitated, but only briefly. “We’d pack a lunch. I’d teach you all about the desert and take you to see some ancient petroglyphs.”

  “I make great gourmet sandwiches.” Shayla was aware of the fragile ground she walked on to speak of the future. But she couldn’t resist, wanting to know what he would be like at home.

  “We’d find a little hidden gully and spread out a blanket. I’d turn on some old rock and roll and we would talk and laugh, enjoying each other. We’d stretch out naked in the hot afternoon sun and I’d rub you down with some warm oil. Close your eyes, Shay,” he demanded, anticipation lingering in his voice.

  She did as he asked, letting her lids fall shut to the night sky.

  “Can you imagine doing this in the heat of the day? The sun beating down on us.” His delicate voice sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.

  A wondrous vision of him lying naked on a blanket in the glow of the afternoon sun sifted through her head. Her lips parted and a heavy exhale rose in her throat. “Ummhmm.”

  “I’d kiss every. Single. Inch of you. And make love to you so sweetly. Or roughly. Hell, I’ll make love to you however you want.”

  “I might have a list.” She smiled.

  “Then we’d cuddle together watching the second most gorgeous sunset we’ve ever seen while enjoying a glass of wine.”

  “And the first?” Her eyes opened.

  “Tonight was the first.” He held her close, watching her reaction. “And after that, it’s Vegas so your options are endless depending on what kind of woman you are. We can lay right there and sleep all night under a blanket made of stars or we could walk the Strip, see a show or even go clubbing all night long.”

  Leaning fully against him, she couldn’t help notice he remained rock hard and rearing to go. Her hand lowered into his slacks, attempting to grip the girth of him in her hand.

  His stomach muscles tensed and he gave a long drawn out groan as she stroked down the length of him.