by Nic Saint
“Nearly there,” the pilot announced, and when she looked down—for the first time since they’d taken off—she was relieved to find the familiar shape of Eden Island appearing on the horizon. A piece of paradise in an ocean of azure, it drew ever nearer as they approached, and when finally the house rose into view, she even managed a weak smile.
Finally. She’d made it. And this time not as the result of a contest, but on her own terms. One of the exclusive clubs for bestselling writers. Well, she didn’t actually have a bestseller yet, but Melinda had told her she’d booked her on Oprah, The Today Show, The Late Show and a bunch of others. She was going places, and if that book didn’t land her on the first spot on the New York Times bestseller list, Melinda wasn’t the agent she thought she was.
The bright sunlight reflected on the tranquil waters of the Atlantic, and the palm fronds waved gently in a gentle breeze wafting in from the ocean. The house was ready, the helicopter finally touching down. With a wave, she said goodbye to the pilot, and when he threw her a knowing smile and a cheeky wink, she answered in kind with a wink of her own.
Strolling down to the glass sliding doors that led from the roof to the reception room on the second floor, she reveled in the heat of the sun already beating down on her. Even though the weather on Long Island had been balmy, the dry heat of the Bahamas was something else entirely, and instantly she felt the tension drain from her body, the precursor of the languid relaxation that would follow.
Entering the house, she made her way down the wooden staircase. First things first. She desperately needed a shower after the long trip. Stepping into the bedroom, she plunked her suitcase on the bed, once again the thought of Josh crashing into her mind. Last time she was here, the closet had been filled with his boxers and shirts. Now it was empty, she the only inhabitant of this island paradise.
It didn’t matter, she convinced herself. She would still make the most of it and work like a beaver on her next book, no time for regrets.
Stepping into the bathroom, she hummed a merry tune to drive away the thoughts of gloom. With every step, thoughts of Josh came back to haunt her. This was where they’d been so happy together. If only he were here—they could explore if what they’d had was real. Turn the fiery encounter they’d had into a real romance.
She shook her head as she stripped down to her undies. No more thoughts of Josh, she decided. What was done, was done, and that part of her life was over.
She flicked her panties and bra onto the hamper in the corner and stepped lithely into the shower. Opening the showerhead full throttle, then adding the body jets, she reveled in the feel of the warm water streaming down onto her back and massaging her sides. God, she needed this. And as she let the powerful jets massage the tension in her neck, she let out a long and shuddering breath.
Then, just when she was starting to relax a little, a sound came from somewhere beyond the shower door. With a frown, she looked up, wondering if she’d heard right. When the shadow passed before the shower door, she cried out in shock and horror, clasping her hands to her mouth to stifle the scream.
And when the shower door was brusquely yanked open, and she found herself looking into dark green eyes, set in the most handsome face she’d ever known, her legs suddenly buckled beneath her, and without a word, she slipped and went down.
But then strong arms gripped her and held her up, steadying her, and then Josh stepped into the shower, fully clothed, and stared down at her with a gaze so smoldering it melted both her heart and mind. A mind that had been closed to the possibility of ever setting eyes on him again.
“Josh,” she murmured, staring up at him with eyes wide and limbs trembling.
“Happy birthday, Chloe,” he muttered, and then his lips were on hers, and she closed her eyes, all resistance falling away, and she clung to him with desperation, arms clasped firmly around his strong neck, her naked body pressed up against him. His tongue demanded entrance and melded against hers with a fire and a fury that took her breath away, and when he ravished her mouth as if he’d never possessed it, she weakly clung to him and wished this moment would never end.
CHAPTER 38
It didn’t take long for the passionate embrace to explode into a moment of tearful reunion. And as Chloe let her sobs turn into broken murmurs of feverish hope, Josh kissed her cheeks, now wet from both the shower and her tears, and whispered, “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I should never have pushed you.”
She clasped herself to him, wanting to feel him—wanting to reassure herself he was really here, and shook her head, words failing her. She didn’t care now—couldn’t even remember why they’d parted. All that mattered was that he was here—finally reunited in the place they’d found each other the first time.
She stared up into his unfathomable eyes, now dark with passion and tender lust. “Make love to me, Josh. Make love to me like it’s the first time.”
And as his lips crushed hers once more, all resistance futile, she knew she’d always belonged to him—had always been his from the moment he’d set eyes on her in this very spot only months before.
As he enveloped her, his arms bands of steel around her trembling, naked form, she felt safe in the knowledge he’d returned—had set up this birthday surprise especially for her. No one else was around—no one to disturb them. It was just her and Josh, finally alone and free from the world with its pesky paparazzi, nagging relatives and interfering friends and acquaintances.
It was just the two of them, and that’s the way it was supposed to be.
He led her out of the shower, both dripping wet, and they walked along the corridor, leaving puddles in their wake. As they walked, he shed his clothes, flinging his soaking shirt to the floor, then shucking off his pants and finally he was naked. His cock rose precipitously, a thing of beauty and power, and as she giggled and tiptoed behind him, they only made it as far as the terrace before they found each other once more, insatiable—impossible to stay away.
Both of them naked now, they collapsed onto the terrace floor, and as Josh cupped her breast in his hand, tenderly easing her nipple between his lips, her eyes rolled back in her head and she let her arms slip to the ribbed wood beneath as he ravished her body, pliant, naked and vulnerable, his for the taking. And when his lips reached her sex, he eased his tongue inside in one smooth stroke, and she cried out in ecstasy, the touch of his hot mouth on her satin skin easing the ache that had lived there since they’d parted.
She raked her fingers through his hair, water dripping from his curls onto her belly, and then he lifted her thighs and spread them, and she was now fully exposed to his hot gaze, his tongue doing wonders with the tiny nub that teased and swelled under the onslaught.
His hands snaked up and caught her twin mounds of shivering flesh and she covered them with hers, willing him on.
Her eyes crashed open when she felt his hardness slide wetly between her folds, sneaking inside, and she moaned with delight, like he did, finally united with her lover—her man—her Josh.
He reared up, slowly easing his hard girth into her wet pinkness, and as he touched the deepest core of her, the tears started to flow again, sobs racking her chest, and when he cupped her cheek, his eyes filled with worry and tender concern, she breathed, “Don’t stop, Josh—you’re making it all go away—making all the pain go away. Please, don’t stop.”
It was clear he couldn’t stop, even if he’d wanted to, for the union was as healing for him as it was for her, and as he guided the hardness that curved inside her belly to ever greater depths, exploring the center of her being, the heart of her sex, she felt the familiar tremble explode inside her—ever widening quakes of pleasure rolling through her body, making her moan and cry out under his embrace, and when his lips sought hers once more, she eagerly slashed her tongue against his, imploring him to take her deeply—her mouth—her body—all of her.
His towering girth spread hotly and stimulated the deepest part of her and then electric arcs sparked and shimmered
before her mind’s eye, her body in the throes of the ultimate delight. The torrent of passion and heat that dissolved her, seemed to melt him, and he exploded inside her center, delivering the seed of his loins to the heart of her sex.
The heat pounded down mercilessly upon them, but they didn’t care. Drops of water from the shower had evaporated and been replaced by rivulets of sweat pouring from their bodies, forming a thin film between them, the only thing separating them as their sex remained connected, their lips hungrily seeking one another, and only when they finally came up for breath, did words replace gestures, and whispers the passionate coitus.
“I love you, Chloe,” he breathed against her cheek, licking an errant drop of sweat from her glistening skin. “I’ve loved you from the moment you intruded on my retreat.”
“I intruded?” she countered, lazily wrapping her arms around him as he remained lodged inside her, their sex connected. “I’ve loved you from the moment you intruded on my retreat, honey.”
He gazed into her eyes, and smiled. “You can intrude on me as much as you want, any time you want. In fact, I wanted to ask you if you would like to intrude on me for the rest of my life.”
“You—what?” she whispered, her breath catching.
“I’m probably making the same mistake again, but… Chloe Thomson? Would you marry me?” When she didn’t immediately respond, he added, “I know it’s too much to ask. We don’t even know each other, and I should probably take things slow, like your mother said. But I love you and—”
She shushed him by placing her finger on his lips. “Yes.”
His eyebrows arched up, a look of hope on his face. “You mean—”
“Yes. Yes, I will marry you, Joshua Reynolds.”
“We can wait a year, if you want. No need to rush into things.”
This time she shut him up by placing his hand on her breast and then capturing his lips with hers. It did the trick, and when finally she released his mouth, she murmured, “Let’s rush into this, Josh. Let’s get married the moment we leave this island.”
He merely nodded, words wiped from his lips, then smiled. Whatever he’d wanted to say was forgotten, and only love and hope remained. And before the world could interrupt, or their own minds with feeble protestations, they made love again, for the first time as future husband and wife.
It was only the beginning, Chloe knew. From now on, they would never be apart again, Eden Island not only their writing retreat, but their honeymoon island as well. And then she gave herself up to the love that united them, and was lost to the world, wrapped up in Josh.
CHAPTER 39
“I don’t think I can go through with this, Josh.”
Chloe swallowed away a lump, trying to crush down a growing sense of uneasiness gnawing at her bosom. She’d heard so much about Josh’s family, and she’d actually been looking forward to meeting them all. But now that she was actually going to, she found herself panicking. What would they think of her? Former pop princess turned writer, her world was so far removed from life in Pleasant Springs, she didn’t even know what they could possibly talk about.
Josh, a gentle smile on his face, gave her a gentle nudge. “It’ll be fine, hon, I swear. I told Jocelyn all about you, and she can’t wait to meet you.”
“That’s just the thing,” she offered, biting her lip. “What if she doesn’t like me? What if we don’t click?” And in a low voice, she added, confessing her greatest fear, “What if the children hate my guts?”
He laughed, now, and she gave him a look in which despair and insult were nicely blended. She gave him a punch on the shoulder. “Don’t laugh. I’m serious!”
It only made him laugh more. “Honey, they’ll love you. Trust me.”
“Well, I don’t,” she muttered darkly. “Not when it’s my ass on the line.”
It wasn’t just dinner with the in-laws, she knew. She and Josh had postponed setting a date until after Chloe had met his family, and he’d met hers. This time, he didn’t want to rush her. And even though they’d been talking about buying a house together, they hadn’t pulled the trigger yet.
Even though she’d assured him she wanted to get married as soon as possible, he’d still held off. And deep down, she was grateful. But as they passed the sign indicating they were now entering Pleasant Springs, she’d immediately been enchanted by the loveliness of the scene that spread before her eyes. Rolling fields of fresh green, lazily grazing cattle, and farmhouses dotted the landscape, and when they entered the town proper, the main street with its quaint shops, the small square with its kiosk and the locals lazily strolling about, she felt right at home.
Life was peaceful here, time having slowed down from the hectic pace of New York or even Long Island. It was as if she’d stepped into a different world, a world where people knew one another, and neighbors were friends. Where townsfolk got together for barbecues and babysat each other’s kids. Where no one locked their doors at night, burglary an alien concept.
And even though she saw a policeman amble on the corner of Main Street, he didn’t seem too preoccupied, chatting as he did with one of the shopkeepers.
Yes, she’d come a long way, to be driving with Josh to meet his family. Finally, he rounded the car and opened the passenger side door to bid her exit. She stepped from the car, still feeling strangely exasperated, but then he clasped her to him, and pressed a tender kiss on her lips that left her feeling woozy. “Are you going to do this each time I make objections about something?”
“Sure will,” he returned, dazzling her with that smile of his.
She shrugged. “I’ll take it.” He could kiss her any time of the day. Any day of the year. Any year of the lifetime they’d promised each other back on Eden Island. Long before they were to announce their union to the world, they’d already spoken their vows to each other, right there on the beach, where they’d made love the very first time.
They walked up the steps to the front door, and even before they had the chance to ring the bell, the door swung open as if on cue, and a woman with an abundance of beige curls appeared. Her smile just as infectious as Josh’s. Wiping her hands on her apron, she took Chloe’s hand in both of hers.
“You must be Chloe,” she spoke warmly, then enclosed her in a warm embrace that did much to melt away the apprehension she’d been harboring.
Overwhelmed by this gesture of kindness, she felt tears stinging behind her eyes, and blinked them away furiously, for, behind Jocelyn, she’d spotted two faces, eagerly studying her from behind their mother.
The moment Jocelyn released her to welcome her brother, Chloe knelt down and found herself smiling into two eager faces, one more adorable than the next.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” she spoke a little formally as she pressed the hand of the biggest child, a girl with red curls and freckled face. She took Chloe’s hand and gave it a gentle tug.
“You’re Uncle Josh’s new bride, aren’t you?” the child spoke shyly.
Chloe laughed. “I guess that’s me. I’m Chloe. And who are you?”
“I’m Genevieve and I’m five!” the girl exclaimed, her shyness magically lifted by Chloe’s kindness.
“Such a big girl!” vociferated Chloe, and when the girl threw herself into her arms for a big, wet kiss, she returned it in kind with a kiss of her own.
The girl stood back with a giggle, then announced, “I like you,” and raced away down the hallway and disappeared from view.
Standing, Chloe couldn’t help but feel that she made a decent first impression. Then, before she could consult Josh, a sturdily built man ambled up, his face round and jolly, his sandy hair thinning.
“I’m Jocelyn’s husband Gerald,” he announced, giving Chloe a hearty handshake. “And you must be the girl Josh has told us so much about.”
She quickly darted a look at her husband-to-be, and coyly asked, “What have you been telling these nice folks, honey?”
“Only good stuff,” Josh assured her, and Gerald was qu
ick to acknowledge that the news from Long Island had been positive to a degree.
Then he took her aside, leading her into the living room, a spacious and gaily decorated family room with toys liberally strewn about wherever she turned. “I hope you eat meat?” he anxiously asked her the moment he had her to himself.
“Sure do, Gerald.”
He heaved a sigh of relief. “Good. I was afraid Josh had brought home another vegetarian.”
She frowned at these words. “Another… vegetarian?”
Panic rose in Gerald’s eyes, his cheeks taking on a dark flush. “Oh, damn. I probably shouldn’t have said that. It’s just that the last time Josh brought someone home with him, she was a vegetarian, and spent the whole dinner complaining about the lack of variety granted people like her who favored the vegetarian lifestyle.”
“Oh,” was all Chloe could find in response. So she wasn’t the first girl Josh had brought home. Of course, she wasn’t.
Gerald’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Between you and me, the woman was a bit of a b-i-t-c-h.”
“When—when was this?” she ventured, afraid to learn the answer.
Gerald frowned, thinking hard. “Um, I think… eight, nine years ago?” Then he shook his head, a relieved smile appearing on his jovial face. “Nope. It’s ten. I remember because we’d just bought the house.”
Relief flooded her being. Ten years ago? “And in all that time Josh never brought home another girl?” she hesitantly asked.
Gerald eyed her curiously. “Course not. You’re the first, honey. The first one he’s ever been serious about. The vegetarian one? He only brought her along because Deirdre insisted. She was her friend’s daughter’s best friend.” He shrugged. “Or something.” Then he gave her shoulder a tight squeeze. “It’s good to see him finally happy. We thought he’d never settle down.” He nodded seriously. “You really put a smile on his face. I’ve never seen him happier.”