“Yeah,” Grace added. “That’s the last thing you want. He’s a cheating bastard. You’re too good for him sweetie. He doesn’t deserve you.”
“Thank you, guys,” Julia said. She slowly held out her hand to return the phone, not remembering to whom it belonged. “I appreciate what you’re doing, really.” Julia quickly began to put on her shoes. “And it’s not that he’s with her that bothers me. It’s just that he looks so happy with her – with the woman he was cheating on me with.” She tied her shoe and stood up, hanging the thin strap of her tiny purse across her body.
“Honey,” Mia stood in front of Julia and held onto her hands. “You can’t let him get to you.”
“I know,” she said. She attempted to give her friend a smile. Pulling her hands free, she hung her head and started picking at the hem on her shirt. “And I’ll be fine. I just need to let it sink in and work through it in my head.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Wendy stood beside Julia and wrapped her arm around Julia’s shoulders, squeezing her lightly.
Julia patted her friend’s hand in appreciation. “Yes, sweetie,” she said, mustering the best smile possible. “I’ll be fine.” I have to get out of here. I can’t handle any more of this. “If you guys don’t mind, I’m going to go for a walk on the beach and clear my head. I’ll catch up with you later. Okay?”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Deb stood up and reached for her things.
“No,” Julia said. She stepped toward Deb and placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “But I appreciate the offer. You go. You guys have fun. I’ll meet you later.” And if not, I’ll see you at breakfast.
JULIA KICKED at the warm sand as she walked along the beach. Seeing what she thought was a blue pebble, she bent down and picked up a piece of clear blue sea glass. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface and continued on her way. Her thoughts drifted back to the day that ended her marriage – the images that haunted her for endless days and nights. We weren’t happy for a long time before that. Maybe our marriage was over and I just couldn’t see it – or didn’t want to see it. She let out a long sigh, feeling defeated.
She put her hand at the base of her neck and massaged her collarbone with her fingertips. Her mind began to wander, recalling the sound of Seth’s voice in her ear, the feel of his hands on her face, the taste of his lips. She remembered how he smelled, and how it felt to be in his arms as they danced.
A smile took over her face. She realized she was no longer thinking about Brian. I guess I just needed a good memory to chase away the shitty ones.
Julia felt lighter and walked a short distance down the beach to a spot that was nearly empty of people. Facing the water, she watched the sun began to fall in the sky. Wow. Look at those colors. So beautiful. I think I’ll stay here a while. The cool air off the ocean kissed her skin and blew her hair back off her face. She closed her eyes and allowed the sound of the waves to serenade her.
“Julia?” a male voice came from behind her. Julia turned around to see Seth and a few other men walking along the beach.
“Seth.” Julia smiled. Butterflies immediately took flight in her belly and she caught her breath. “Hi.”
“You didn’t text me.” Seth tossed a ball to his friend and walked toward her. He stood beside her, looking down. He shifted his weight and his muscular calves flexed, showing off their form. She looked up and caught sight of his sculpted abs peeking through his unbuttoned Hawaiian print shirt. Something in her stirred and she swallowed hard, trying to maintain control yet again.
“Yeah,” she said. She dug her toes into the sand. “I’m sorry. This is the first chance I’ve had to get away and I got caught up walking on the beach.”
“You shouldn’t be out alone,” he said, jokingly. “It’s going to be dark soon.”
Julia met his gaze and smiled. “So stay with me,” she said. “Then I won’t be alone.”
Seth gave her a slow smile and then turned to his friends. “Go on without me,” he yelled. “I’ll be there later.” His friends waved and Seth sat down beside her in the sand.
“So,” he said, he stretched out his legs and leaned back on his hands. “Where are your friends?”
“They went to dinner.” Julia bent her knees towards her chest, wrapping her arms around them. “I needed to clear my head so I stayed behind.”
“We have some time. Want to go get a drink?” Seth playfully bumped her with his shoulder.
“No.” She looked straight ahead, out to the ocean. “I like it here. It’s beautiful and I’ve never seen the sunset over the ocean.” She turned to Seth. “Will you stay with me?”
Seth copied Julia’s position, pulling his knees to his chest. “Of course,” he said. He looked out to the ocean and the two sat quietly as the sun kissed the horizon.
With the setting of the sun, the breeze off the ocean cooled. Julia wrapped her arms around her shoulders and rubbed them to brush off the chill.
“Are you cold?” Seth asked. “I can run up to my room and get you a jacket.”
“No,” Julia said. She quickly grabbed his arm to keep him from standing. Seth looked at her fingers wrapped around his wrist and grinned. Julia released her grip and tucked her hands under her arms. “I wouldn’t want you to miss the sunset.”
The couple sat quietly for a moment, the waves washing onto the beach the only sound. “You could just move closer.” She kept her eyes on the horizon and the beauty of the sunset. “You could keep me warm.”
Seth slid closer draping his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his body. Julia tucked herself against his chest.
“Hold on,” he said. Seth used his arms and pushed himself up from the sand. Standing behind Julia, he sat down directly behind her with her between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her back against his chest. “That better?”
“Yes,” she said. Julia snuggled herself into his embrace and was thankful Seth couldn’t see her face. There was no way she could hide her smile. “Much better. Thank you.” She concentrated on her breathing, keeping it slow and steady. Being in Seth’s arms was making her feel things she thought were gone from her life long ago. Julia gently caressing his firm forearm with her fingers.
Seth brushed her hair aside and gently placed a kiss on her neck. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side, granting him permission to continue. He kissed her neck from her hairline to where it curved into her shoulder. Julia’s hands migrated down to Seth’s legs, putting her hands on his knees and running them down the length of his outer thighs.
Opening her eyes, she caught sight of the colors from the setting sun. The sky turned purple, with bands of deep yellow and orange tracing the horizon. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” she said.
Seth leaned to the side, put his fingers under her chin, and turned her face towards him. He looked into her eyes and Julia felt butterflies at big as bats in her stomach. “I have now.” Seth leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
She felt Seth’s excitement growing, hot and heavy, his length pressed against her lower back. He rained kisses down her neck and then over her shoulder before wrapping his arm around her waist.
She grabbed his free hand and slowly coaxed it under her shirt. Her breasts firmly tucked inside her bikini top, she allowed Seth to trace the roundness of her breasts with his fingertips. His rough, athletic hands were hot, stimulating her skin, causing her nipples to stiffen. I want him to touch me. I want him to touch me so bad. Still holding Seth’s hand, she guided his fingers under the bathing suit material to the heightened nerves of her extremely hard nipples.
His touch was pure pleasure on her body, but she wanted more. Needed more. She reached behind her and untied the bottom string of her bikini top. Sliding her thumb under the material, she released her breasts giving Seth all the access he needed. She arched into his hands as he cupped each one, pinching the sensitive nipples between his fingers. Seth’s rapid bre
ath felt hot on her neck and shoulder.
“Excuse me,” a man’s voice came from behind them.
Oh, shit! Julia felt an adrenaline rush mixed with embarrassment. She had never been caught in the act before.
“Don’t move,” Seth whispered into her neck. His words mixed with a chuckle. “Hey, Jack,” he said. Seth answered without turning around. He pinched the bottom of Julia’s bikini top and covered her breasts, pulling the strings around the back and tying them in place.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, well, whatever this is,” Jack said. “But we have that dinner in about an hour and I figured you needed at least a little bit of time to get ready.”
Seth slowly pulled his hands from under Julia’s tank top and stood from the sand. “I’m just going to walk Julia to her room and I’ll be right there.” Reaching his hand out, he helped her up. Brushing the sand off her clothes and skin, Julia looked out at the horizon into the darkness of the sky and the blackness of the water.
“No problem,” Jack said and took off the other direction.
Julia held onto Seth’s arm as they walk in silence across the beach toward the hotel, across the lobby, and in the elevator. When they were standing in front of her hotel room, Seth wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on the lips.
“Can I see you again? Take you to dinner and maybe finally get that drink?”
Julia chuckled and took a step back, moving toward the room door. She took her room key out of her small bag and opened the lock.
“I should be done with this thing in about an hour, hour and a half max.”
She stood in the partially opened doorway and looked into his eyes. My god he’s hot. I could take him. Just have some fun. It won’t mean anything. Fine. Fuck it. That must be my new motto. “I’ve got a better idea. Stay right there,” she said. Julia rushed inside her room and grabbed her extra room key off the desk. Moving back to the door, she held it out to Seth. “I’m not sure why I’m doing this, but here.”
Seth looked at the room key and slowly reached up to take it from her fingers. “When you’re done, just come back up to my room. Let yourself in. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Seth smiled, tucking the key into his wallet and returning the wallet to his back pocket. “I will,” he said. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll be back.”
Julia reached up, touched her lips with her fingertips, and watched Seth jog down the hall to the stairwell disappearing through the door. Pushing the door to her room open, she went inside.
“Oh, shit,” she said aloud. “I need a shower.”
CHAPTER 8
J ulia stepped out of the shower, singing along to the music streaming out the speaker plugged into her iPad. She wrapped one towel around her body, drying her long auburn hair with another. Her mind raced, filled with images and feelings that all lead back to Seth. Running a comb through her hair, she walked into the bedroom and turned off the music. She heard the exterior door close and latch. Startled, she spun around quickly. He’s here. Seth stood in the entryway of the room. He was dressed in a white dress shirt, black suit pants, and a loose black tie hung around his neck.
Julia felt her pulse quicken, and her mouth became dry. She licked her lips. He’s actually here. “I thought
you –” Julia held the comb close to her chest.
“I blew them off,” Seth said. He moved slowly, deliberately toward her, moving his gaze up and down her body. “I’d rather be here with you.”
“Me, too,” she said. Seth continued to move toward her, one step after another. Julia shook her head slightly, realizing her words didn’t make any sense. Dammit. She nervously adjusted her towel. “I mean, I’d rather you’re here.” Her words began to stammer and she let out a deep sigh. “I meant to say that I would rather have you here with me.”
“From the minute I saw you sitting on the beach,” Seth continued to move closer, “I’ve wanted nothing more than to rip off your clothes and fuck you senseless.”
Julia felt the instant heat and moisture between her legs and shifted her weight. Seth took one last step and they were face to face. His hand moved up to her cheek, his fingertips traced her bottom lip, the outline of her jaw, the shell of her ear. She allowed him to run his hands through her long wet hair; he pushed it off her face. He wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and firmly pulled her toward him. “I want you,” he said, whispering his words into her partially open lips.
Swallowing her hesitation, Julia could no longer resist his advances and gave herself to him. She leaned forward and took his mouth on hers, pushing her tongue between his teeth to signal her compliance. She wanted him to take her, to take her body completely and fuck the image of her ex-husband out of her head. She wanted him to fuck her hard enough to break the memory free and replace it with a better one – one of her and Seth, together.
Seth pulled from her lips and began kissing her neck. She whimpered and drew in deep breath. She felt his hand gently reach down to her breasts and untuck the towel, letting it drop to the floor. This is really happening. Julia’s breathing increased and her pulse quickened. The cool air on her still damp skin sent goosebumps down her arms and legs, and made her nipples erect. Seth bent down, kissed her collarbone and the top of both her breasts. Wrapping his hands around the back of her thighs, he picked her up and carried her to the bed, gently sitting her on the edge of the mattress.
She watched Seth undress, slowly, seductively, teasing her without touching her. He tossed his tie to the side, unbuttoned his shirt, one button at a time, exposing his toned chest and chiseled abs. Julia let out a sigh and licked her lips again. Seth removed a condom from his wallet and tossed it on the bed. Thank god. She had been so wrapped up in wanting to devour his body, a condom had slipped her mind. Seth unfastened his pants and pushed them over his hips, and the weight of the belt took them the rest of the way to the floor.
Holy shit. Julia’s gaze was drawn to his pelvic region. He has the V. That fucking V. She couldn’t help but smile and bite her lower lip with excitement. She looked up and met his eyes. He grinned, putting his thumbs in each side of his boxers and lowering them to the floor, kicking them off to the side. His fully erect penis was exposed and on display, inviting her to partake in all the pleasures it had to offer.
“Seth ...” Julia was at a loss for words. She was a strong woman, but at that moment, with this man, she felt vulnerable.
Seth leaned forward, putting one hand on the mattress beside her naked body, his movements resembling a stalking lion. Julia used her hands and feet and pushed herself further up on the bed. Seth followed, hovering over her. When she could go no further, Seth pressed his lips to hers, teasing the corners of her mouth with his tongue, and gently nipping at her full lower lip. He lowered himself onto the bed next to her, putting his hand on her waist and rolling her to face him.
Julia wrapped her arms around neck and raked her fingers through his thick hair. Seth wrapped his hand in her hair, and pulled her head back, exposing her neck and chest to him. She pushed out her breasts, hoping to feel his mouth on her skin. He fulfilled her desire, wrapping his warm lips around the overly sensitive bundle of nerves. She gasped. The excitement of his actions and the feel of his lips on her skin was a tease that heightened her passion and raised the titillation level to a point she didn’t think was possible. I want you Seth. Take me. Please, please just take me.
Julia responded to his touch with groans of approval. The more pleasure-filled noises she made, the more it seemed to fuel him. She reached down taking his erection in her hand, feeling the girth and firmness in her grip. Wrapping her leg over his, she rubbed against him, desperate for him to be inside her.
Julia’s heart raced as Seth dug his fingertips into the fleshy pads of her ass, rolling her on her back, and lifting her hips slightly off the bed. Julia blew a deep breath through pursed lips watching Seth reach for the condom, and quickly unroll it over his full hardness, and snap it into place. She he
ld her breath as Seth positioned the tip of his erection at her swollen, wet opening.
“You want me?” Seth asked. He reached up and cupped her breast in his free hand.
“Yes,” Julia hissed. She raised her arms over her head and pushed her palms against the headboard.
“Tell me,” he said. She felt the tip of his penis rubbing against her wetness. Julia moaned at Seth’s touch, teasing her, using his thumb to massage her swollen clit.
“I want you, Seth.” Julia concentrated on the electricity shooting up her body, originating from his touch. Fuck me already.
Seth slowly rocked his hips forward, and Julia gasped, feeling his full length. She pushed her head back, and closed her eyes. “Oh, fuck!” She cried out, not caring if anyone heard her words. Seth leaned over Julia and she felt the heat from his arms on each side of her torso. She gripped his biceps as he began to rock back and forth, slowly sliding his long, hard penis in and out.
“You feel so good, Julia,” Seth said. His words caused a chill ran down her spine. “I knew you would.” He increased his speed and thrust harder.
“So do you,” Julia said through bated breath. “Please don’t stop.”
“I won’t,” Seth leaned back, pushed himself up on his knees, and grabbed Julia’s thighs, pulling her to him. Pushing himself inside her once again, he thrust deeper and faster. “I want you to come for me.”
The sounds of their flesh slapping together filled the room. Julia listened to his breathing, faster, harder, and she felt her ecstasy building, moving up her spine, filling her every sense. Her back arched and her muscles tightened as all the urgency she had for him came rushing out between her legs.
Julia met Seth’s gaze and he released her legs. Her mind and heart raced. Seth leaned forward, and Julia met his deep kiss, her tongue dancing with his. She could feel the head of his penis swelling inside her and wrapped her legs around his back. She felt his thrusts intensify, and he grunted with each one. Julia felt another wave of release building, more quickly this time. Seth’s kiss grew harder, deeper. Julia dug her nails into his shoulders. Her body responded with passion, her pelvic rocking with his.
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