In the Market for Love

by Joy Avery

  “Woman, are you insane? I’m not going out there in the dark.”

  Vivian backed away from him. “Suit yourself. But I’m going in. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

  She smirked, turned and walked toward the crashing waves, stripping away clothing. She would have liked to have attributed her wild behavior to the alcohol she’d consumed, but this was all her. Alonso made her feel wild, wacky and free.

  As she neared the water, just one question lingered: Could Alonso truly resist her? She couldn’t wait to find out.

  Chapter 17

  Alarm filled Alonso. “Vivian, baby—Shit.” He ran a hand over his head. “She’s really going in the water,” he whispered to himself. “That’s probably not a good idea. Baby, haven’t you seen the movie Jaws? There was a scene similar to this. A woman going into the water at night. She was eaten. Down to the bone. The bone, baby, the bone.”

  Vivian laughed. “I’ll take my chances.”

  Did she just—Her silhouette under the moonlight was one of the most beautiful sights he’d ever seen. With her every curve highlighted, it stirred a need in him.

  “Are you afraid of some little old shark?”

  Wasn’t she? Obviously the champagne and sangria she’d consumed earlier had given her false bravado. Damn, if she got eaten, he’d be partially to blame. He couldn’t live with that on his conscience. “Come out of the water, baby. We’ll skinny-dip in the daylight. I promise.”

  “Quit being a chicken, Alonso Wright.”

  Chicken? He rested his hands on his hips and scoffed. He wasn’t a damn chicken. “I’m not a chicken.”

  When Vivian removed her bra and panties, slinging them onto the shore, his dick instantly reacted. In that moment, she had him believing that in a battle with a bull shark, he’d come out the victor.

  Stripping out of his clothes, he attempted to rationalize his impending actions. Sharks don’t even swim at night. His brow furrowed. Right? He was sure he’d heard that on some Shark Week show. He paused. Hadn’t he? Didn’t matter. If he got gobbled up, he’d go a happy man.

  Once he’d joined Vivian waist deep in the water, he pulled her into his arms. “Now, who were you calling a chicken?”

  “I only used it as a persuasion tactic. And it worked.”

  Alonso lifted Vivian into his arms. When her legs wrapped around him, the heat of her core roused him even more. A guttural sound rumbled in his chest. Before he could claim her delicious mouth, she claimed his. She kissed him in an impatient and hungry manner, and damn if he didn’t love it.

  Their tongues sparred, tangled, searched. They lapped, tamed, demanded. He wanted her. Wanted her bad.

  Running a hand up her wet back and along her neck, he intertwined his fingers in her hair. Tearing his mouth away, he held her gaze. Even in moonlight, he could see the desire radiating in her eyes. Did she witness in his the fact she would soon get exactly what she wanted? What they both wanted. What he desperately needed.

  He guided her head back, then dragged his tongue along the column of her neck. The salt water had seasoned her like fine meat, making her even more appetizing. Peppering kisses to her breast, he took one of her hardened nipples into his mouth. His tongue circled. His lips sucked. His teeth nipped.

  “Alonso.”

  He loved hearing his name roll from her lips. “Yes, baby. I’m here.”

  “I need it.”

  “And you’ll get it.”

  “Now.”

  With her demand, coupled with the need to explore her more in-depth, taste her sweet essence, fill her completely, he waded through the water and headed toward shore. With Vivian still in his arms, he lowered their naked bodies onto the blanket. “You are so damn beautiful. Inside and out.”

  “You make me feel beautiful.”

  He pushed a lock of her damp hair from her face. “You’re mine, Vivian Moore. I don’t ever want you to allow another man to touch you in the ways I touch. You’re mine. Every inch of you.” When her eyes turned glossy, he prayed she wouldn’t cry. Her tears were his weakness.

  Vivian rested her hands on either side of his face. “Okay. But I want the same in return. I don’t want to share you, Alonso.”

  “I’m a bull shark, dammit. But you make me feel like a powerless guppy. I don’t like that shit. But at the same time, I do.”

  Fine lines etched Vivian’s forehead. “What on earth does that mean?”

  He searched her eyes. “It means I’m yours. Every inch of me.”

  She pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him with a gentle finesse. This time their connection was unhurried and calm. An intimate seal to their newly defined status.

  The first time he’d seen her, he’d wanted her. The second time, he’d wanted her to be his. There’d never been any doubt in his mind that she’d leave the island as his. But now...now she knew it, too.

  He kissed her chin, her collarbone. He kissed the valley between her breasts, then the breasts themselves. He sucked one of her diamond-hard nipples into his mouth. A soft moan floated past her lips and it let him know she enjoyed his teasing.

  Kissing his way to the opposite breast, he gave it equal attention. Vivian squirmed under him. Yeah, she was ripe for the picking but he kept her on the vine a while longer. Moving lower down her body, he kissed the mound of curly dark hairs.

  Instead of using his hands, he used his tongue to spread her wet folds apart. When he gently sucked her clit between his lips, Vivian cried out. In an unexpected move, she glided her hands between her legs and spread herself further apart.

  Looping his arms around her thighs, Alonso inched up on his knees, bringing the lower half of Vivian’s body with him. Like a wild man, he attempted to consume her whole.

  She moaned.

  She shrieked.

  She bucked.

  Then she came. Hard. So hard he felt her pulsate against his mouth.

  He continued to feast on her, claiming each wave, each ripple, every drop of her essence, until her body had nothing more to offer. Returning her flat onto the blanket, he covered her body with his. “You really know how to unleash the beast in me.”

  He kissed her hard.

  He kissed her rough.

  He tried to taste her soul.

  Then he pulled away. “Have you had enough of me?”

  “No. I want more. So much more.”

  Without thinking, without considering the consequences of his actions, he entered her. The raw feel of her wrapped warm and wet around him sent an almost debilitating surge through his entire body.

  Protection. He needed protection.

  The warning came. The warning went.

  Unable to stop himself, unable to pull out and take the necessary steps to protect them both, he delivered long, unhurried strokes. She felt too damn good to him. And she fit him. Fit him far better than any glove he’d ever worn. Fit him like a second skin. Fit him perfectly.

  “You’re safe,” he whispered against their joined mouths. He had to let her know that he would never put her in any danger.

  “I know,” she said breathlessly. “So are you.”

  Alonso desperately fought the urge to drive himself into her untamed and impatient. But he wouldn’t last beyond ten—five—strokes if he didn’t take his time with her.

  This hadn’t been the first time he’d experienced not having a barrier between himself and his lover, but it was the first time he’d experienced anything like this. His body reacted to Vivian on a cellular level. And it felt as if a part of her was becoming a part of him in way beyond anything he’d even known.

  “I can’t get enough of you,” he said, adjusting her leg to drive himself even deeper into her. There were no apologies made for his greed. He wanted to stay buried inside of Vivian until h
e physically could no longer deny his release.

  Her cries taunted the ferocious hunger inside of him. Primal need kicked in. He delivered powerful strokes that dangled him on the edge of exploding. Not yet.

  “Alonso, I’m coming. It feels so good. Oh... Oh...my—”

  Vivian’s head jerked and her back arched off the blanket. Alonso dragged his tongue along the column of her neck. Her fingers strangled handfuls of sand. If they went into the water now, they’d have nothing to worry about, because the piercing sound she emitted had to have frightened away any sea creature for miles.

  Teeth clenched, Alonso experienced the sensations of an impending release. His strokes—though still powerful and swift in delivering—grew clumsy. Vivian’s sand covered hands explored his back, and her gritty touch did him in.

  A growl rumbled from deep inside of Alonso’s chest as his seed spilled inside of Vivian. He came with the intensity of a geyser. Shattered, he pushed himself inside of her again and again until he couldn’t manage another stroke.

  His lungs burned as he snatched in breath after breath. Vivian’s breathing was just as labored as his as she trembled beneath him. Still joined, she pulsed around him and he continued to twitch inside of her. The sparks of pleasure took a moment to fade.

  Alonso planted a kiss on the tip of Vivian’s nose before pulling out of her. He pulled her into his arms. “You were right. It is a beautiful night.”

  Vivian kissed his chest. “Yeah, it is.”

  Something about her tune troubled him. Alonso lifted slightly, placed a finger under her chin, and tilted her head so that he was looking into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “Perfect.”

  He eyed her intently. “Are you sure?”

  A smile curled her lips. “Yes.” She lowered her head back to his chest.

  Alonso stared up at the stars. The way Vivian made him feel scared him. He’d hid from her, locked his true self away—a simple man who just wanted to be happy. Somehow, she’d found him. And now she had something of his that he’d always fervently guarded. She had his heart.

  * * *

  When Vivian eased out of Alonso’s arms, he rustled a bit but didn’t wake. He definitely had a right to be exhausted. It’d been close to three in the morning when they’d ventured in from the beach. It was barely six now. She, on the other hand, hadn’t slept a wink.

  Inching out of the bed, she slid into her oversize nightshirt, grabbed her phone and headed out the open balcony door. Outside, she followed the stairs down to the beach. The sun hadn’t made it over the horizon, but the faint light from its approach lit the sky in a peachy, yellow, orange hue.

  This island had put her at peace the moment she’d arrived. But even the grandeur of it wasn’t enough to calm the sea of emotions raging inside of her now.

  Tapping in Tressa’s number, she waited for her to answer.

  Tressa’s groggy voice came over the line. “Vi? Is everything okay?”

  “No. I’m in trouble.”

  Tressa’s tone livened. “I’m putting on my shoes right now. Text me the address.”

  Another reason why she loved her best friend. The woman never hesitated to come to her aid. Vivian laughed. “Not that kind of trouble, Tress.”

  “So... I’m not coming to kick anyone’s ass?”

  “No.” Though maybe Vivian needed some sense kicked into hers.

  “Clearly, something’s wrong.”

  Vivian tossed a glance toward the house. “Well, other than the fact I’m about one hundred and fifteen percent sure I’m falling in love with Alonso, nothing.” But wasn’t that plenty?

  Vivian pulled the phone away from her ear when Tressa squealed loud enough to shatter glass. No doubt Tressa thought Vivian’s revelation was a good thing and celebration-worthy. Too bad Vivian didn’t.

  “I knew you two were going to fall in love. I sensed it. I’m never wrong about these things. The aura around the two of you is so powerful.”

  Vivian ambled along the shore, frothy waves lapping at her feet. “This is not a good thing, Tress. It’s...” This had to be the worst thing that could have happened. There was no room in her life for love, for false promises, for disappointment. She sighed heavily. “You’re not supposed to cheer. You’re supposed to tell me how insanely foolish I am for falling in love with a man I barely know.”

  “Why would I tell you something silly like that?”

  Now that Vivian thought about it, maybe a woman who’d gotten engaged four months after meeting her now fiancé was perhaps not the best person to use as a love deterrent. “How did this happen?” she said more to herself than Tressa. “It’s this damn romantic, angelic, magical island.” She kicked wet sand for effect.

  “It doesn’t matter why it happened. It happened. Embrace it. It’s love, Vi. Fall. Fall hard.”

  “It’s not the falling part that scares me. It’s the not being caught.” Yes, Alonso had made her feel like his, made her feel safe, made her feel secure, but her life had been an example of Murphy’s Law. In her mind, something was bound to go wrong.

  Tressa’s tone grew tender. “He’ll catch you. Trust that.”

  “And if he doesn’t?”

  “Quit that, Vi. Trust your heart. The heart knows. It knows how to hurt. It knows how to heal. It knows when it’s ready to love again. And your heart is ready, sis.”

  Vivian dug her big toe into the sand. Well, she was glad someone could see all of this inside of her, because she wasn’t sure she could. The only thing she was sure of was the feelings she had for Alonso. “We spent the night making love on the beach. It was so beautiful that I can’t even put the experience into words.” Recalling their night together caused a warm sensation to flutter through her. “What we shared last night was so powerful it scared me.”

  “Yep. It’s love. And instead of continuing to fight it, embrace it. Now get off this phone and go cuddle with your man.”

  “Thank you for listening.”

  “What are best friends for? I’m so happy for you, Vi. You deserve every ounce of happiness you’re experiencing. Not all us are fortunate enough to find such a connection.”

  “Is everything okay, Tress? With you and Cyrus, I mean.”

  “Yes. Yes, everything is fine. Now go love your man.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I love you.”

  “And you know I love you back.”

  Ending the call, Vivian wrapped herself in her arms and stared out at the miles and miles of water, renewing itself with every fresh wave that crashed along the shoreline. The ocean made things seem so easy.

  “Don’t tell me you’re watching the sunrise without me? I’d be hurt.”

  The sound of Alonso’s voice startled her. Swallowing the myriad of emotions crashing through her, she turned to face him. The sight of him took her breath away. Barefoot, bare chested and wearing a pair of thin white pajama bottoms that hung tantalizingly low, and no underwear. Shaking away the instant arousal, she said, “You were sleeping so peacefully. I didn’t want to wake you.”

  In reach, Alonso cradled her face between his hands. Staring into her eyes, he said, “Good morning, beautiful,” then kissed her as if he’d longed for years to taste her forbidden mouth.

  Once the kiss ended, he guided her away from the water and lowered her onto the sand, directing her between his legs, her back against his chest. Once in place, he wrapped her tightly in his embrace and kissed the side of her neck. It sent shivers up her spine.

  Vivian rested her head against him. “Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?”

  “Yes.” He kissed her shoulder. “When I watched you from the balcony, your hair blowing in the wind.” He kissed her neck again. “The waves lapping at your feet, worshipping you like the goddess you are.”

  “You are quite the po
et.”

  “You are quite the inspiration.”

  “I was talking to Tressa.” She felt the need to tell him that. In case he had any other ideas.

  Alonso didn’t respond. He lifted her hand, flipped it over and kissed the tulip tattoo there. “If your grandmother were here, I’d hug her and say thank you.”

  Vivian’s brow furrowed. “Thank you? For what?”

  “For raising a woman like you.”

  Her heart swelled and wrapped snuggly around the idea of loving Alonso, which suddenly no longer seemed so overwhelming. Looming tears burned her eyes, and her voice cracked as she spoke. “That was a very kind thing to say.”

  Alonso directed her head toward him. “I can’t be your father, Vivian, but I can give you the world. And I will if you allow me, along with all of the butterfly kisses you can handle.”

  Tears rolled down her cheeks. Beautiful things just kept flowing past his lips. She responded with the only answer that made sense. “Okay.” And quietly allowed herself to love the man who wanted to give her the world.

  Chapter 18

  For the first time ever, Alonso hated being in the office. Like really hated being in the office. Ever since he’d returned from Infinity Island two weeks ago, work no longer brought the same fulfillment. What brought him fulfillment now? Spending time with Vivian. He was a different man when he was with her. A patient, less intimidating man. A good and a bad thing, he reasoned.

  He lifted the picture he’d taken of Vivian on the beach before they’d left the island. With his finger, he traced her image. How in the hell had he allowed himself to fall this hard for her? He laughed. He never really stood a chance. One look into those innocent eyes and he’d been a goner right there in Tender Hearts’s hallway. Roth was right. He was in love with her.

  Returning the frame to its resting place on his desk, he scrubbed his hands down his face. Why did loving this woman bring him so much joy, but also bother him so much at the same time? Was it because love made him vulnerable? Because love altered him? Because he’d loved and lost too many times?