by Alicia Rae
I snuck up behind him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and hugged him from behind. His tall, muscular form was well above my own, so I reached up onto my toes to place a kiss on the upper left side of his back, over the lower portion of his tattoo, which expanded from one shoulder to the other.
Curved lines of black ink covered thick, jagged scars that marred his flesh. We had yet to talk about the markings, but Damien no longer concealed them from me. He was now comfortable in his own skin around me.
Damien settled his left arm over my own. The magnificent smell of the coffee brewing had me peeking my head around the side of him to get a better whiff of the scent while also trying to conjure a way to snatch his cup without burning myself with my haste.
Damien slid his palm along my forearm until his elbow was blocking my view. “You’d better have one heck of a game plan if you’re planning on stealing my cup of joe.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I peered up at him, feigning innocence.
He glanced over his shoulder at me. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
He gradually straightened his arm. The movement forced me to take a backward step, followed by a second. He lifted his free hand to retrieve the mug.
There was no way around him, so I teased, “What happened to ladies first?”
Damien slowly turned around with the coffee in hand, closed the small gap between us, and lowered his face to mine. “If you wanted the first cup, you should have stuck with bringing me breakfast in bed.” He gave me a killer knockout smile. It was definitely smug.
Well, that plan backfired.
I switched gears by lowering my lips into a full-on pout and slumping my shoulders. “Oh, okay. I guess I’ll just have to go through the trouble of making my own.” I sighed, totally faking it.
He brought his spare hand up to my face, flipped it over, and brushed his knuckles down my cheek. His lips curved into a smile. “You’re irresistible when you pout.”
“Does that mean I get your cup?” My expression lifted, and I outstretched my greedy hands, getting way ahead of myself.
“That depends…” he drawled long and slow. Then, he tapped his cheek several times. “Plant one on me, gorgeous. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll give it to you.”
Closing the small gap between us, I reached up onto my toes and ever so lightly kissed his cheek. I used his distraction to my advantage and wrapped both sets of my fingers around the rim of his mug. His grip eased. Once I knew I had the prize, I opened my mouth, stuck out my tongue, and licked a trail up his cheek before pulling away.
We eyed one another for a brief moment. He knew I’d won this battle, and so did I. I forced myself to refrain from doing a victory dance, only because I’d probably shake my hot coffee and burn myself.
His shocked appearance shifted, causing his eyes to darken with a glare, and he told me, “That wasn’t very nice.”
I smiled sweetly. “Neither was stealing my cup of coffee in the first place.”
“You played dirty. I’ll remember that next time.”
“I love you, too, stud.” I winked, raising the mug to my mouth to take a sip. The brewed coffee was super hot. It took all of my might not to scrunch up my face. I couldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing I might have just seared my taste buds.
I came around the kitchen island and lowered myself into the first chair.
“So, how did the rest of your workweek go?” Damien asked, going to the coffee machine and waiting for the Keurig to work its magic.
“The days were long, and I had my struggles here and there,” I admitted, recalling how easily I’d burned out by early afternoon.
“How so?”
“Staring at the computer screen and working with numbers all day, it gets to me sometimes, so I make myself take breaks often to regroup,” I began. Then, I decided to cut myself some slack. I had been slowly making progress, and that was all that mattered, so I added, “But, each day, I feel myself slipping more and more into my old groove.”
“I don’t want you to overdo it.” Damien’s tone was stern yet soft. He grabbed his coffee cup and came to sit down next to me, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze as he passed by me.
“I won’t.” I turned to look at him. “I have Ashton and Cale. The two of them are stellar to have around. They’re each proving to be great assets to the company.”
“So, Cale is doing well then?” Damien queried. “Because if he gives you any shit, he’s gone.”
“Yes, so far,” I answered in between sips of my drink. “I’m still hesitant to trust him with some things, but Ashton and I have been checking over his accounts. So far, everything looks solid.”
“Good.” Damien hummed, appearing to be lost in his thoughts.
I nervously gripped my cup, thinking about the rest of the events that had soured our week. “No word from Annabelle or Drake?”
“No.” Damien sighed, shaking his head. “But I’m sure it won’t be long before they harass us again.”
“Oh,” I breathed, unsure of what to make of the situation.
It would be nice if Annabelle and Drake let us be.
Damien rose from his chair and came to stand behind me where he pulled my stool backward, giving me room to stand. “All right, gorgeous, we agreed to make breakfast together. We’d better get a move on, so we can go out and enjoy some sun with your friends.”
His abrupt change of topic didn’t go unnoticed by me, but I let it go. I was excited to spend a whole day with him.
twelve
Raelyn
As Damien drove us to the dock where we were meeting Iris and Joshua, I couldn’t contain my excitement. It was going to be an awesome day. I was going to be kayaking for the first time in my life. It was a gorgeous Florida day with the sun shining, and I was eager to try something new.
We entered the parking lot where we spotted Iris’s car and pulled into the empty space next to it. I was already unbuckling my seat belt and opening the door as Iris bounced over toward me.
I exited the vehicle.
Iris grinned. “Are you ready for this? I know I sure am!”
“Yes!” I replied, sharing her excitement.
Iris hugged me as Damien and Joshua came up alongside us.
“I have two single kayaks, but I thought we’d rent some at Beachside Rentals right here, so we could get two double kayaks instead,” Joshua said, pointing to a blue hut off to our left.
I wasn’t too keen on rowing through the water all by myself anyway, so I beamed at him. “That sounds like a great idea.”
“Hell yes, it does. Less work for us!” Iris laughed, reading my mind.
Damien went to the trunk of his car and briefly opened it to collect a small cooler to bring out on the water with us. It was good he’d remembered to pack one before we left the house, for the Florida heat was already scorching my face and shoulders.
“I hope that thing is jam-packed with beer,” Joshua piped in, coming closer.
Damien’s mouth curved into a devious smile. “A couple.”
“Don’t worry, babe.” Iris opened the door to her backseat and snatched a purple cooler of her own. “I brought us a few of our own.”
“Good, because I don’t like to share my beer,” Damien teased, looking directly at Iris.
Iris rolled her eyes in mirth. “Don’t worry; if I run out, I have no shame in stealing one.”
Damien and Iris locked up their cars, and the four of us made our way to Beachside Rentals where we quickly rented four life jackets and two double kayaks, both with a more open seating area than the traditional ones that were enclosed around the waist. I was relieved, knowing I wouldn’t get trapped.
Damien and Joshua hauled the large kayaks down to the water. Iris and I kept a short distance between us and our men, carrying the coolers and our sandals, as we padded through the warm sand.
“Mmm, mmm, mmm, look at that fine sight,” Iris purred at my side.
“Indeed,” I agreed, taking in the rear view of my man.
Damien was shirtless. The broad set of his shoulders and lean torso flexed, enhancing each and every one of his toned muscles. The black ink across his upper back, deltoids, and down his arms all popped against his skin in the bright light. And I couldn’t miss the way his waist narrowed into his navy-blue swim trunks to his toned ass. The sight of him was positively mouthwatering. I wanted to tackle him in the sand and kiss him senseless while he ravished me.
I nearly came on the spot when Damien glanced over his shoulder and revealed a panty-melting grin.
“Don’t be checking out my ass,” he said, interrupting my dirty daydream.
“I wasn’t.” I casually feigned innocence, glancing at anything but him.
Damien already knew he was irresistible to me. There was no need to feed his ego.
“You were. I could feel your eyes burning into me, baby.” He was smug. “No need to deny it. I plan to watch you strip out of those clothes, down to your bikini, very soon, so I can return the favor.”
My face split into a grin.
Iris whistled next to me. “You definitely have yourself a keeper there.”
“That, I do.” I laughed, watching as Damien faced forward and strutted his stuff.
We reached the water. Damien and Joshua lowered the kayaks to the ground. Iris and I set down the coolers.
Joshua clapped his hands and rubbed them together with a smirk. “There’s no time to waste. Strip it down, ladies.”
Damien shot Joshua a look, letting his possessiveness be known. He stepped in front of me, clearly blocking Joshua’s view of me.
Iris seemed oblivious to it all. She quickly removed her shorts and tank and rolled them into a ball before sauntering up to Joshua. She threw her arms around him and kissed him.
I unbuckled my shorts and shimmied them down my legs. All the while, I felt the heat of Damien’s stare. I pulled the denim off my feet and tossed the garment at my man.
“Very nice.” He hummed throatily. “Now, lose the shirt, gorgeous.”
I brought my hands to the hem of my pastel-blue halter top and pulled the material over my head. Damien invaded my space. He snuck his finger under the center of my top and readjusted it with a wiggle.
Apparently, it wasn’t working out to his liking, so he totally manhandled my boobs until they were neatly tucked away as much as possible. “There,” he stated, slightly drawing back to admire his handiwork. “Gotta keep them babies in line, so they don’t fall out.”
I laughed hard. “You’re ridiculous,” I told him.
“I am not,” he scoffed, slipping his hand around my waist to yank me flush against his body. “They’re for my eyes only,” he breathed into my ear before nipping at it.
His firm length pressed along my stomach, and I was glad I wasn’t the only one affected.
“Let’s go, lovebirds.” Iris tugged on my elbow. “You can grope each other later.” She chuckled.
The four of us secured our belongings on the kayaks before Joshua and Damien pulled them into the water. Iris and I went in behind them. Subtle waves rolled onto the shore as Damien held the kayak still for me. He used his spare arm to help me climb on, and I took my seat in the front of the raft and buckled the lap belt. Damien hopped in behind me, making the task look so effortless. He handed me one kayak paddle, keeping one for himself.
“Which way do you guys want to go?” Joshua called out.
I glanced to my left to see Joshua and Iris were both seated in their kayak, slightly bobbing up and down with the current.
“This way.” Damien pointed to his right.
I followed his gaze.
It was less populated in that direction, which was probably best for this newbie. I slid the right side of my paddle into the water and pulled. The incoming waves pushed against us as I repeated the motion.
The kayak rocked a little, and I cried out, startled, “Whoa!”
“It’s okay. Take it nice and easy,” Damien cooed behind me.
I kept working my side of the kayak, making sure to use equal force. We advanced forward, working our way out into the water, with Joshua and Iris nearby.
It wasn’t long before we found ourselves an impressive distance away from our starting spot. I quickly learned to feel Damien’s movements, and we synced our motions, flawlessly working together. Though I’m sure his powerful pulls with his paddle were mostly responsible for our progress across the water.
It wasn’t long before I realized I should’ve taken the backseat. That way, I’d have the opportunity to see those delectable muscles of his in action. It was such a pity to miss what must be quite the breathtaking view.
All three hundred sixty degrees of my view was stunning. The warm sun reflected across the water, making it shimmer and glow. Several Jet Skis skipped across the water, filling the skyline to our left, while swimmers waded up near the shore to my right. The ocean smelled of salt, and I was reminded of its potency every time a small gust of wind blew. It was an earthy scent, which I loved.
I paddled until I simply couldn’t anymore. My muscles screamed for a break, so I secured my paddle to the two black clips attached to the kayak.
“Tired?” Damien asked from behind me.
“Yes.”
We continued to make our way upstream for a few more minutes before Joshua called out, “Let’s take a break here.”
The kayak came to a stop with only the waves slightly moving us as Damien latched his paddle to the kayak, too.
Undoing the clip of my belt, I spun myself around to face Damien and strategically placed my legs over his. Then, I went to the cooler between us and fetched a water bottle. The cap was quickly removed, and I downed nearly half of the bottle at once. There was no shade out on the water, so I wanted to stay hydrated in the heat.
Damien cracked open a beer, as did Joshua.
“Hey, where’s mine?” Iris whined, prompting Joshua to grab her one, too. She cracked it open and guzzled it down without delay, making me laugh.
“Damn, that’s good.” She sighed distractedly while leaning her head back. “Beer, sunshine, and friends—now, this is living the dream.”
“Hell yeah, it is. No work, no pesky executive leaders making demands, nowhere to be. If this is what retirement will be like, I’m going to start counting down the days.”
Iris rotated to face Joshua, arching a brow. “You mean, years.”
“Shit, don’t remind me.” Joshua sighed gravely.
“What do you do for a living, Joshua?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
“I’m in commercial banking. I’m a branch manager at a bank in Holmes Beach.”
“Oh,” I said. That wasn’t too far from here. “What does a branch manager do?”
“I’m responsible for hiring employees, overseeing approval of loans and credit lines, marketing locally within the community as well as assisting with customer relations.”
“So…you have the power to approve me for a fancy credit card and ignore all my never-ending student loan debts?” Iris purred, rubbing her leg along Joshua’s inner thigh.
“Not if I want to keep my job,” Joshua kindly retorted.
“Well, damn,” Iris huffed, making Damien and me laugh.
“I can help you organize your debt though, which will help you pay it off quicker.”
“I have Raelyn for that. She already keeps me in line.” Iris winked at me. “She has no problem with voicing her opinions when one of my favorite stores is trying to get me to open an in-store credit card. It’s the rare time I see Raelyn turn ugly-mean.”
Joshua cringed. “Those have horrible interest rates.”
“I only have one,” Iris defended herself while raising her white sunglasses to eye Joshua. “One can make sure I don’t sign up for The Gap or a Kohl’s charge card or whatever, but if you even think of messing with my VIP Angel status with Victoria’s Secret, I’d can your ass in a heartbeat.”
&n
bsp; “True! You can’t beat their twenty-five dollar reward coupons in the mail and free panties!”
“Or their free tote bags or other goodies with a seventy-five-dollar purchase.” Iris grinned, lowering her shades.
Damien glanced at me and asked, “I’m guessing you have one of those cards, too?” His lips twitched in amusement.
“Yep, and I’m married to that card for life.” I moved my left leg to join my right and crossed my ankles, still balancing myself on Damien’s thigh.
Damien’s eyes darkened. With lustful heat or challenge, I was unsure. Maybe both.
“We’ll see,” he said.
I pensively eyed him. His statement didn’t seem to be solely in response to me having the store credit card per se, and I had a strong hunch it was more in regard to me saying I was married to it. But I was too much of a chickenshit to ask him to clarify.
We hadn’t spoken much of our engagement during the last three months. We’d agreed that weddings were usually very stressful, so we’d pick a wedding date after I was fully recovered.
A roguish handsome grin snuck its way across Damien’s features at my lasting speechlessness. It was one that I didn’t need him to verbalize his feelings, for I could easily read them on his face. And his expression said we’d be having the wedding talk soon. Very soon.
My heart skipped a few uneven beats until Iris distracted me by shouting. “All right, peeps! It’s time to cool off!”
Iris shakily rose to her feet, causing the kayak to dip and sway. She only got halfway to the point of standing before she lost her balance and belly-flopped into the ocean.
“Ah, ha-ha-ha!” Joshua laughed. Then, he threw himself off the kayak and joined his girlfriend in the water.
Damien removed my legs from his lap and sat forward in his seat. My pulse drummed at the evil glint in his eyes.
He said, “You ready to get wet, gorgeous?”
“I am, but how on earth will I pull myself back up onto the kayak?”
“No need to worry. I’ll help you with that part.” Damien scooched his way over to me, crowding me, not that I was complaining.
Feeling rather nervous, I set my hands on either side of his shoulders and let my second fear be known. “What if we’re over a swimming pool of sharks?” I looked around us. “Maybe they breed here.”