“Jamie has a connection with you. But if you leave without letting him know that everything’s okay, I’m afraid he might suffer another feeling of loss.”
He had already thought of that. “Don’t worry. I planned on coming by tonight to talk to you both. I care a lot about him, and trust me, I won’t do anything to hurt him.”
She met his gaze, as though searching for confirmation. Danielle nodded. “I know you won’t. I guess we’ll see you tonight.”
He watched as she got up and left his suite. He was going to honor his promise and not hurt Jamie. But what he needed to do was also make sure he didn’t hurt Danielle anymore either. Damn, when did I start fucking caring so much? I have got to get off this island.
Chapter Twelve
Danielle got Jamie showered and ready for bed. Beckett said he would come over and spend time with him and explain where he was going and why. No matter what happened between her and Beckett, she had to admit he was good for Jamie. It was going to be hard not having him around every day. Even for me. God, how did I get attached to someone so quickly? But we come from different lives, and it’s time we both get back to them.
She heard the knock on the door and Jamie ran, smiling, to open it. He had been waiting all day for this. Beckett had told her to let him know they would watch a movie and read a story before bedtime. As he entered, walking on his crutches, Jamie blocked his way and wrapped his arms around his legs, giving him a big squeeze.
Danielle felt her eyes tear up and needed to turn around before either of them noticed. Normally Blossom only went to Jamie, but for the first time, she sat by Danielle’s feet and leaned against her. Oh, you know it, girl. This is killing me. I need to be strong.
Wiping the single tear that had fallen, she turned and forced a smile. When her eyes locked with Beckett’s, she could see the reflection of her own pain in his eyes. He only nodded to her, as neither of them wanted to voice what was inside.
She knew Beckett cared for Jamie. That was obvious when he ignored the doctor’s orders to show him a wonderful time on their outing. Only now, looking in his eyes, did she see how much her nephew meant to him. Funny, I thought he was healing Jamie’s wounds, but maybe Jamie’s healing his, too.
“Okay, you two. Come and sit on the couch. We need to talk before you watch your movie.”
They both did as Danielle asked. Once they were sitting, she had no clue how to start the conversation. Her mind was spinning, and her pulse was racing. It had seemed so simple when she’d planned it out in her head, but now with Jamie in front of her, she wasn’t so sure.
Beckett must have felt her anxiety, so he took the lead. “Jamie, I asked Aunt Danielle if I could come talk to you about tomorrow.” Jamie sat quietly and listened. “You know we’re here on vacation, right?” Jamie nodded. “Tomorrow is the last day of the vacation before we all go home.” Beckett looked at her then continued. “You’ll be going home to New York, and I’ll be going back home to West Virginia, and we might not see each other for a while.”
Jamie squinted his face, as though trying to understand, but seemed unsure what he was being told. He turned to Danielle, looking for an answer. “See, Jamie, Beckett came here just like we did, to have fun for one week, and now he has to go back to work. Just like you have to go to school, and I have to go to work, so does Beckett.”
Jamie hung his head low, and sadness filled the room. “This isn’t goodbye forever, Jamie. We’ll see each other again. It won’t be all the time, but I promise we will see each other.”
Danielle looked at Beckett with concern. They hadn’t spoken about that before, and she had no intention of seeing him again after they went their separate ways. If he just made this promise, he sure as hell had better keep it.
Before she could intercede, Jamie smiled at Beckett’s comment, and for the second time that night, he hugged him. Oh, Beckett, I hope you know what you’re doing. This boy loves you.
“Okay . . . well . . . I’m going to read and leave you two to watch your movie. Let me know when the movie is over, and I’ll come tuck you into bed.”
Danielle got up and headed for her bedroom. She left the door open a crack so she could hear if Jamie needed her. Once she lay down on the bed, she grabbed her tablet and opened a romance novel she had been trying to finish for the last few months. Maybe tonight was the night.
Jamie fell fast asleep before the movie ended. Beckett was tempted to call out to Danielle to let her know, but he was capable of putting Jamie to bed. Beckett lifted him onto his left shoulder, grabbed one crutch, and slowly made his way to Jamie’s room. Once Jamie was all tucked in, Beckett stood watching him for a moment. Is this what it feels like to be a parent?
It wasn’t something he was ever going to experience. That was right for some, but not for him. What did he have to give to Danielle and Jamie? He was in and out of the hospital for surgeries on his leg, usually because of his own stupidity, and that wasn’t changing. And he recently started his business. There was no doubt it would become a success, but until then he was making enough to support himself, not an entire family.
Beckett left the room. Exhaustion must be troubling him because those thoughts didn’t normally cross his mind. Then again, his thoughts became all fucked up the moment they’d boarded the seaplane to come here. He wasn’t sure if leaving was going to get anything back to normal. The damage was done. Somehow she had found a way to chip through the wall that was surrounding him. The only positive was she had no clue how he was feeling. And I’m going to keep it that way.
He turned off the television and was about to leave, but she had lectured him about leaving without saying goodbye. Walking over to her bedroom, he peered inside to find her lying on the bed. She appeared to have been reading but wasn’t any longer. He knew he should just leave, but she had this magnetic pull that called to his soul. He entered her room and closed the door behind him. Beckett stood by her bed, looking down at her while she slept. She was stunning. How was it someone so fucking beautiful was still single? She had everything: looks, personality, a sense of humor, and a very loving heart.
His reaction was unexpected. He gazed from her toes to her slender hips, over her tiny abdomen, and finally, at her perfect breasts. His cock became hard as he thought back on how sweet she’d looked, naked in his bed, a few nights ago. Closing his eyes, he inhaled her scent. Sweet like I remember.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, but if he didn’t, he wasn’t going to able to leave. Beckett reached for the bedspread that was at the foot of the bed and pulled it up to cover her. Don’t start what you can’t finish, Beckett. He’d never wanted a woman as badly as he wanted Danielle. He wasn’t sure he could stop with a simple kiss on her lips, but there was only one way to find out.
Slowly he bent and placed a kiss lightly on her soft lips. She stirred, and her tongue darted across her lips, and softly she said his name. “Beckett.”
He didn’t know if she was dreaming of him or if she knew he was there. Either way, he wanted her. Needed her. His kissed her again, this time devouring her lips with a hard, feverish kiss. She parted her lips to let him inside, and what little control he’d had was lost. Inhaling her sweet scent, he kissed from her jaw to the nape of her neck and back to her lips.
She reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck and trying to pull him down to her. “God, baby, I want you so much,” he whispered against her lips.
Danielle ran her hands down his chest to the buckle of his pants. She undid them and pulled his shirt free.
Beckett stood and dropped his crutch to the side to remove his shirt and pants. He loved watching the way she touched him with only her eyes. He started to undress her, but she stopped him and slipped off the bed.
“Lie down and you can watch me undress,” she said seductively.
He wasn’t about to argue with an offer like that. When she got off the bed, he lay in her spot and watched as she removed each piece of her clothing. It wasn’t a striptease
but much more intimate. She never turned her eyes away from his, and he found he couldn’t break the connection either.
When she was completely naked, she got back on the bed and straddled him. He could feel her wet heat pressed against his stomach. Fuck, yeah.
His hands ran freely down her back, over her sweet ass, and back up to cup her breasts. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.
His hands caressed her breast; her moans grew deeper. Sitting up, he rolled one nipple between his fingers while he sucked the other, teasingly flicking it with his tongue. He needed more of her. Now. Reaching one hand between her legs, he found her clit with his thumb and slowly circled it. Her body trembled, and he spread her legs and lifted her to give him more access to her hot center. She quivered as he slipped one finger inside her and pulled it back out.
Breathlessly, she begged, “Beckett, I can’t take . . .”
“You can,” he said as he entered her again. He circled her clit, and she cried out in pleasure, arching her hips off him even farther.
“Beckett. Oh, God, Beckett. Please . . . I—”
Her body jerked violently as she lost herself in a powerful release. He continued to fuck her with his fingers until her body began to settle.
His hard throbbing cock ached, feeling her wrapped around him. He reached for his pants, which lay on the floor near the bed. He pulled out his wallet and found a condom that Gunny had remembered to bring him. Thank God for Gunny.
He lifted her up long enough to sheath himself with the condom.
She trembled as he took the head of his cock and rubbed her clit with it, moved it through her folds, and back to her clit.
“God, Beckett, I need to feel you inside me.”
He wanted to feel her release on his cock. Pressing his throbbing cock at her opening, he paused and looked her in the eyes. He saw the desire burning deep within her. She was hot and wet, and he could wait no longer.
Never taking their eyes off each other, he buried himself deep inside her. She cried out in euphoria. He captured her lips with his, blending their moans of pleasure together. He slowly began to move inside her. Oh, sweet heavens, this was better than he had imagined. He felt like he was making love to her soul as well as her body. How the hell did she seep into his soul so fast? Clearing his thoughts, he began moving faster and deeper; her moans grew louder with each thrust. He gripped her hips and met her again and again. Her body rocked with a release, and he felt her clench around him, causing him to lose control. Plunging deeper into her, he shuddered with his release, more powerful than he had ever experienced before.
Gasping, she rolled to lie beside him. Both lay quiet for a minute, catching their breaths.
He brushed damp hair from her temple and asked, “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She placed a gentle kiss on his chest and said, “You couldn’t even if you’d tried.”
Oh, how he wished her words were true. She had no idea what he was or what he was capable of. He hadn’t been a dishwasher in the Marines. He had been trained for one thing only, and he had been damn good at it. And that’s what scares the hell out of me. I know the monster I am, even if you don’t.
Chapter Thirteen
That last thing she’d wanted to do was leave Beckett’s warm embrace in the morning, but KJ had requested that she meet with her before leaving the island. Thankfully, Jamie was settled with Lynn’s boys, and she would be able to focus on whatever this meeting was about. Please don’t ask about Beckett. I have no answers myself.
As soon as she entered KJ’s suite, she noticed it wasn’t just the two of them, as she had expected. Drew was there, along with Elaine and Trent, Ross and Jill, and finally Jon and Lizette. It looked more like an intervention than a meeting. Thanks for the heads-up, KJ.
“Glad you came. We wanted to talk to you about something. Come have a seat,” Elaine said.
Reluctantly, Danielle went to sit on the couch near who she thought was her friend, KJ. “This looks so . . . formal.”
Jill laughed. “I know, right? When I walked in I got all nervous and stressed out, and I know what this is all about already.”
“Is it that bad?” Elaine asked.
Everyone looked at each other then back to her, and all except Trent nodded. Wise man.
“If I left everything up to you guys, nothing would get done. I mean, look at us, we’ve been here all week, and we’re just now getting to this meeting. It’s only an hour before she leaves, so don’t give me any grief. It’s not good for the baby.”
“Or anyone else around her,” Drew joked. KJ elbowed him in the side. “Ouch. Hey, ask anyone. Bet Trent knows what I’m talking about.”
“Don’t pull me into this,” Trent answered.
“Okay, you two. Unless you really want to see what I look like when I get angry, I suggest you both knock this shit off and let us get down to business before Danielle leaves and nothing is settled,” Elaine said with her hand on her rounded belly.
“Danielle, we wanted to talk to you about the island. What did you think of your stay?” Lizette asked.
“It was amazing. What you all have created here will touch so many lives in a positive way. You should all be very proud. I can’t wait until the first families arrive,” Danielle said.
“Neither can we,” Elaine said. “We’ve thought about everything the families might potentially need here. We even have Ursula arriving tomorrow to discuss pet therapy animals.”
“Ursula?” Danielle asked.
“She’s amazing, Danielle. She rescues animals from kill shelters and works with them to aid people who have different types of need. That’s where Blossom came from,” KJ said.
Danielle had no idea that her sweet dog had been in a kill shelter. Blossom was such a loving and giving dog. Jamie would be lost without her. Why KJ had her beforehand was still a mystery. She knew KJ had been a trauma nurse in the Marine Corps before meeting Drew Navarro. Her experiences must have left some emotional scars, yet it appeared she didn’t let anyone see them. Or maybe Blossom helped her heal, too.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” As long as she doesn’t want Blossom back.
“We’re looking to have cats and dogs here for that purpose, but also a rescue for other animals as well. There will be children here, either as patients or as family members of the patient. A small petting zoo where they could play with pigmy goats would be so much fun. I told Ross we need to get one,” Jill added.
“And I keep ignoring her when she says it. Goats would love the vineyards, but the vineyards wouldn’t love goats.” Ross laughed.
“You keep working on him, Jill. I think he’s about to give in,” Drew said jokingly, encouraging Jill.
Ross shot him a warning look. “Watch it, Drew. Or we might give one to KJ for her birthday.”
They all laughed. All except Elaine. “Can you guys ever get together and be serious for more than five minutes? We aren’t here to see who can outdo the other. We’re here to talk about Danielle and Jamie.”
And I’d rather talk about baby goats. She knew everyone in the room knew the truth by now, about how Jamie had come to live with her. They had all seen first-hand the continued challenges she faced every day. What never ceased to amaze her was how willing they were to help her. This was the first she felt as though she belonged somewhere since her sister’s death. Don’t think about it. You can’t change what happened, and looking back is only going to hurt.
“Sorry, Elaine, we should know better than to invite the guys to any meeting. Individually they’re some of the most feared businessmen around; together they somehow revert to their college days,” Lizette said.
“For the record, ladies, we’ve heard the noise coming from the kitchen. No one has that much fun doing dishes,” Jon defended.
All the women laughed. “Guilty as charged,” Jill said.
While they were all distracted, it was time for her to make her escape. “I should get back to Jamie; the plane is going to be he
re in a few minutes. I don’t want to miss it.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already talked to Gunny, and he won’t take off until you’re on board,” KJ replied.
These guys think of everything. Never met such organized people. No wonder they’re so damn successful. “Well, Jamie—”
“—is having a good time with my sister and the boys,” Trent interrupted. “So before you try bolting again, let’s get to the reason we asked you here.”
“Trent, darling, let me. You have a way of . . . scaring people off, should I say,” Elaine said before turning her attention back to Danielle. “As I was saying earlier, we are trying to make sure we have every accommodation the families will require while staying here. Some stays will be longer than others. And you can understand how this would affect families who have school-age children.”
“Oh, yes, it would.”
“I knew you would understand. Jamie seems to thrive here, and we hope you enjoyed yourself as well.”
“Elaine, it’s been a dream come true,” Danielle admitted. She had no idea what that had to do with the families yet to come, but she knew they would be well taken care of.
“That’s great to hear because we would like you and Jamie to stay here permanently. We realized, as Jamie and the other children came, we hadn’t planned on providing an education for them. That’s a huge part of keeping the family in a routine, especially for families that will be here for an extended stay,” Elaine explained.
Stay. Here on Marpe-Agape Island? “I’m not sure if I’m the right person for this. I am a teacher, but you might want someone who’s—”
“Danielle, we know exactly what you’re capable of. Trust me, we wouldn’t be offering you this position if we didn’t think you were the right person for the job,” Trent stated.
“I’m not sure what to say. I have an apartment in New York, a lease, actually, that I can’t walk away from.”
“There’s only one thing you need to decide. Do you want the job or not? Everything else will be handled by us, including your lease,” Trent said matter-of-factly.
All Bets Off: Betting On You Series: Book Five Page 10