He couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt this relaxed and content in a woman’s presence, or had enjoyed himself quite as much. And it wasn’t strictly the sex, he realized with some surprise, though that of course had been nothing short of spectacular. No, he just liked being around Aubrey, conversing with her, finding her witty, engaging manner truly entertaining and amusing. She didn’t fuss, didn’t try to call attention to herself, and was probably the lowest maintenance female he’d ever met. Save for sunscreen and lip balm, she wasn’t wearing a lick of makeup today, and had taken less time to get ready for the beach than he had. She didn’t expect him to shower her with attention or flatter her with excessive compliments, and was just so damned easy to be around that he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else in the world right now.
Jordan was stretched out on his own chaise on his stomach, his chin propped in his hand as he studied her at his leisure. His gazed lingered lasciviously on the gentle rise and fall of her breasts, their round fullness barely contained by the low-cut bikini top. Thankfully there was just enough fabric to keep her pale apricot nipples covered, though with every breath she took he was sorely tempted to slide his fingers inside the shallow cup and fondle her warm, lush flesh.
He was grateful that he was resting on his belly, hiding the front of his body from passers-by, because the erection that was presently tenting his swim trunks would have been all too obvious to anyone glancing his way. Reluctantly he tore his gaze from Aubrey, difficult as that was, and tried to think of something else - anything else - except how quickly he could get her back inside his suite and then back inside of her.
Idly, he scrolled through the two dozen or so text messages he’d been ignoring over the past day, the majority of them from that nosy bastard Finn wanting to know if he’d gotten lucky yet. Even though he had often regaled Finn and Max with details of his past amorous encounters, he was reluctant to tell them anything at all about Aubrey. Finn at least would clamor for a photo of her, and there was no possible way that Jordan would let his friends see how Aubrey was a dead ringer for Tessa Gregson - the very reason he’d escaped San Francisco in the first place.
He took a sip of the bottled mineral water he was drinking - his beverage choice having been influenced by Aubrey, who’d declined any alcohol since she intended to go swimming again this afternoon - realizing with some surprise that he hadn’t given the fetching Mrs. Gregson more than a passing thought since laying eyes on her would-be twin the previous day. And the more time he spent with Aubrey the more he realized how different she was than Tessa - outgoing and confident as opposed to shy and often uncertain. He was beginning to wonder if maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him, and that the physical resemblance between the two women wasn’t as strong as he had first imagined - though that might just be wishful thinking on his part.
Learning that Aubrey was adopted had put a whole different spin on her startling resemblance to Tessa, however. If that hadn’t been the case, Jordan might have been able to dismiss it all as merely a coincidence. And the very idea that the two women might somehow be related was admittedly far-fetched. Jordan didn’t know a whole lot about Tessa’s background, except that she didn’t have any family still living, but it was hard to imagine anyone not knowing about the existence of a sister or cousin or other close relative, especially one who looked just like you. So it had to be simply a coincidence, reasoned Jordan. There was no other explanation that made even a lick of sense.
And then all thoughts of Tessa and if she might or might not have a connection to Aubrey floated away like the breeze that suddenly picked up - the same breeze that caused Aubrey to vault into a sitting position and clap a hand onto her hat before it blew away.
She grinned at him. “Caught it just in time. Otherwise you’d be running across the beach to chase it down right about now.”
Jordan laughed, reaching over to squeeze her thigh. “Darlin’, the only time I run is when I play basketball, and then only when I really have to. I know for a fact that you could beat me in a foot race any day of the week. Probably any other sport, for that matter.”
Aubrey shrugged, pulling her knees up against her chest and wrapping her arms around her shins. “I’m not so sure about that. You look like you keep yourself in good shape, Doctor Reeves.”
He ran his hand up and down the satiny smooth skin of her leg. “Not half as good as you, sweetheart. You’re a much stronger swimmer than I am, for example.”
She waved a hand carelessly in dismissal. “That’s just because I grew up in a beach town. I’d spend almost the entire summer at the beach every year. Where did you grow up, by the way? I swear I’ve heard a little southern twang in your voice, especially when you call me darlin’.”
Jordan sat up, grateful to note that his erection had subsided enough to be decent, then swung his legs over the side of the chaise to face her. “Very perceptive, darlin’,” he drawled, exaggerating the accent. “And you’re quite right. I was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta. Though I thought for sure I’d lost all trace of my Southern drawl by now. I left town to attend college at Stanford when I was eighteen and haven’t been back since.”
Aubrey frowned. “So you haven’t kept in touch with your parents for all that time?”
“I’m actually in frequent contact with them. Sorry if you misunderstood me. I haven’t returned to the Atlanta area because my parents no longer live there. Once I graduated from prep school, they divorced and went their separate ways. My father’s in Manhattan, while my mother lives wherever her current husband resides. I think she’s on spouse number five by now, while my father is still on wife number three. At least he was the last time I asked.”
He had intentionally kept his tone lighthearted, almost as though he was making a joke of his circumstances, but she didn’t look in the least bit amused. She removed her sunglasses, her blue eyes filled with compassion and concern, then reached over to take his hand in hers.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “That must have been awful for you, Jordan.”
He tried to shrug it off, not used to anyone feeling sorry for him, or caring about his feelings. “Their divorce certainly didn’t catch me by surprise or anything,” he assured her. “I think I figured out by the time I was six years old that my parents hated each other’s guts. And by the time I was nine I had a pretty good idea that they cheated on each other on a regular basis. But despite how miserable they both were, they had this ridiculous notion about having to stay together for my sake until I turned eighteen. I can’t say which one of us was the most relieved when that day finally arrived.”
Quick as a flash, Aubrey was by his side, scooting up against him on his chaise. She wrapped her arms around his bare torso, resting her head on his shoulder.
“What a rotten way to grow up,” she sympathized, kissing his cheek tenderly. “Were you an only child?”
“Yeah. Fortunately my parents chose not to subject more than one child to their messed-up relationship. And I’m guessing they stopped sleeping together not long after I was born. Too busy with all of their other lovers.”
Aubrey shook her head in dismay. “I can’t even imagine how terrible it must have been to grow up under such conditions. I mean, I know not every marriage can’t be as happy as my own parents’ has always been, but your mother and father should have realized how hard it was for you.”
Jordan gave a short, sardonic laugh. “To hear them tell it, they were hoping to spare my feelings by keeping the family together. Overall, it would have been better for everyone if they had just divorced years before they finally did. We would have all been happier. Ah, well, I shouldn’t complain, you know? As much as the two of them despised each other, I always knew that they both loved me. And we were well off, enjoyed a high standard of living, so they would shower me with material things to make up for the rest of it.”
“Is your father a doctor, too?”
“Yes, though not in the same field.
He’s a plastic surgeon,” replied Jordan, rolling his eyes. “So it was easy enough for him to relocate to New York after the divorce. Plenty of rich, vain women there who wanted nose jobs and breast implants. His current wife was one of his patients, I believe, and from the photos I’ve seen she could be a walking advertisement for his services. Not too many real parts of her left.”
Her arms tightened about him as she rubbed her cheek against his, her obvious need to offer him comfort making him feel all warm inside. “So you don’t see your parents all that often?”
“My father was out in San Francisco about a year ago for a medical conference and we spent a few days together then, but his current wife didn’t make the trip. As for my mother, I met up with her in Florida a couple of years ago when she was between husbands. I talk to each of them on the phone about once a month, but that’s as far it goes.”
Aubrey frowned. “What about holidays? You don’t mean to say that you spend Christmas and Thanksgiving all alone?”
He smiled at her reassuringly, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “I haven’t spent holidays with either of my parents in a good ten years or more. But never fear, darlin’, I’m not alone and miserable during the holidays. Between my friends and colleagues at work I get more invitations than I can possibly accept.”
Jordan tactfully didn’t mention that he’d spend the last few Thanksgivings and Christmases on vacations of one sort of another - ski resorts, tropical beaches, posh European capitals - with whatever female had been willing to accompany him. Besides, he was finding that he liked having Aubrey worry about him, and was deeply touched by her concern for his feelings.
“That’s not the same thing at all,” she protested. “There’s no substitute for being with your family, especially at the holidays. I don’t know what I’d do without my parents and brothers and all of our aunts and uncles and cousins.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he told her, hugging her close. “Not everyone is as lucky as you are to have such a happy family. But, hey, I didn’t turn out so bad, did I? I’ve got a job I love, lots of great friends, perfect health, good looks,” he added teasingly.
He cupped her cheek, then brushed a soft kiss on her lips. “And right now I’ve got the most beautiful woman in the world by my side. That by itself makes me the luckiest man in the whole damned world. Now, are you sure you don’t want a drink? Because after talking about my dysfunctional parents, I’m feeling the need for something a whole lot stronger than Pellegrino water.”
Aubrey shook her head, then sprung to her feet. “I’ve got a better idea,” she declared. “Much better therapy for you, too, than alcohol. Let’s go for another swim. Nothing like some good old fashioned exercise to clear your mind.”
Jordan groaned in protest but reluctantly placed his hand in hers as she tugged him off the chaise. “Except that your idea of exercise and mine are very different,” he murmured wickedly, slipping an arm around her waist. “You want to go swimming while I’d rather engage in an indoor physical activity.”
Her eyes sparkled at him flirtatiously. “That’s not what you told me this morning. I seem to recall that you wanted to fuck me out on the patio tonight. Changed your mind already?”
He pulled her flush against his body, rubbing his swollen cock against the notch of her thighs. “Does this feel like I’ve changed my mind?” he whispered hoarsely. “In fact, we can head back to the suite right now so I could give you a real, er, workout.”
Aubrey made a little sound that was part whimper, part groan. “Not - not outside on the patio, though. I mean, people would be able to see us in the daylight.”
He licked along the side of her neck, then bit down lightly on her earlobe. “You’re right, darlin’. That particular pleasure will have to wait until it’s dark outside. But there are a whole lot of other places in that big suite where I haven’t fucked you yet.”
She shivered as his fingers trailed teasingly down her spine. “Like the shower, for one? I thought this morning that you might - ah, never mind.”
Jordan chuckled, sliding his hand down her back to squeeze her ass. “That I might what, baby? Fuck you up against the shower wall, with all that hot water streaming over our naked flesh?” He held her still, rotating his crotch against hers again and fighting off the urge to slide his hand inside the low-cut waistband of her bikini briefs and discover for himself how wet she was. “Believe me, the thought crossed my mind several times. But I could tell you were a little sore after the workout I gave you last night and this morning, so I figured I should remember that I was a well bred Southern gentleman and let you recover a little.”
She poked her index finger into his chest, scowling at him adorably. “Who said I was sore?” she grumbled. “I notice you didn’t ask my opinion, and I’m pretty sure I know my body better than you do at this point.”
“Don’t be so sure about that,” he replied easily. “Vaginas are my business, after all, and I can tell when one has been a little - let’s call it overused. My fault, I could tell you were awfully tight and that it had been awhile for you. I shouldn’t have been so greedy.”
“No!” Aubrey shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You weren’t greedy at all. And even if you were, I was just as bad. In fact, I’m feeling very, very greedy right about now.”
He arched a brow at her in amusement, chuckling when she rubbed her half-naked tits against his chest. “Are you now? Well, I’m afraid you’re going to have to curb your impulses a little longer, sweetheart. As irresistible as you are, it is awfully hot out today and I think we could both stand to cool off a little. Come on.”
Jordan took her by the hand, pulling her along as he jogged through the powdery sand to the water’s edge. Only then did he release her hand as they dove into the waves at the same time.
They swam steadily for the better part of an hour, and he realized again just how strong of a swimmer Aubrey was. He commented on her obvious skills as they finally made their way back to their chaises.
“I know you spent a lot of time at the beach growing up in San Diego, but I’m guessing that you were also on the swim team at school,” he told her as they both began to towel off.
Aubrey gave a little shrug. “I was. For a couple of years at least. Until I got bored with it and moved on to a different sport. I did that sort of thing a lot growing up. Drove my parents half nuts when I drifted from one activity to another, always needing a new challenge, or becoming disillusioned with what I was doing.”
She told him about all of the various sports and other activities she’d participated in growing up, a list that spanned the usual sort of team sports like soccer, basketball, softball, and track and field, in which she’d competed in the high jump. She had taken swimming, tennis, and gymnastics lessons at various points in her life, and in more recent years had tried spinning, Cross Fit, hot yoga, and kickboxing classes. During her time in Alaska and Mexico, she had taken up rock climbing, mountain biking, and ocean kayaking, and while here in Hawaii she’d spent a lot of time doing stand-up paddle boarding, hiking, and snorkeling.
Jordan, who was admittedly lazy and mostly uninspired about working out, was speechless after listening to her extensive list of activities. “What, no surfing?” he joked. “After all, with your blonde hair and tan, not to mention that knockout body, you look like the ultimate surfer girl.”
She laughed as she reached for the gauzy cover-up. “I’ve been told that before. And I’ve dabbled a little with surfing, but it requires a lot of dedication in order to become halfway decent. And, well, you’ve already heard about how easily I get bored. Besides, buying a surfboard is a big investment, not to mention needing a place to store it. And since I’ve got zero idea where I’ll be living in three months time I prefer to travel light.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to blurt out something like “why don’t you come visit me in San Francisco for awhile then”, but he stopped himself before the word
s could properly form. But the mere fact that he’d been thinking about extending such an invitation shocked him, because that simply wasn’t something Jordan Reeves ever did. He couldn’t recall the last time a relationship with a woman had lasted more than a week or two, and in recent years that timeframe had been condensed to mere days. He had never lived with a woman, aside from sharing a hotel room during a vacation, and rarely if ever brought a woman to his condo in San Francisco. He preferred to go to her place, or her hotel room if she was only in town visiting, which meant he was in complete control of whether he spent the night or not. For him to even be thinking about inviting Aubrey - someone he’d known for barely twenty-four hours - to cohabitate with him for an unspecified length of time was so completely out of character that he swiftly banished the idea from his head, and changed the subject at once.
He pulled his cell phone from the canvas bag to check the time. “It’s three o’clock,” he announced cheerfully. “Which means that for me it’s really five o’clock since I haven’t quite made the adjustment from California time yet. And that means it’s officially cocktail hour. And since you just wore me out with that last dip in the ocean, I’m done with my exercise for the day.” He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her in close. “At least, with my outdoor exercise,” he added with a lecherous grin. “So, will you join me for a drink now?”
Aubrey gave him a look of mock reproach, but did consent to ordering a melon margarita while he asked the waiter for another of those tasty Mai Tais. They reclined back on their padded lounge chairs as the smiling waiter placed their drinks on the little table between them.
The Girl of His Dreams (Bachelor #1) Page 10