by Tara Rose
“We’re unattached because there are too many women on this island who would exploit our wealth and our family names for their own purposes.”
That didn’t actually explain what he’d meant by the subterfuge looking different in the harsh light of day, but she let that go for now. She’d heard rumors about women trying to exploit them, of course, but didn’t think it was necessary to point out details right now. “I’m sorry. Not all of them are like that.”
“We both know that. But our day-to-day lives put us in front of too many who are. After a while, we both became jaded.”
She nodded. “That part I understand. By the way, before I forget to say this, I want you both to know that I am totally over Matt Winters, no matter what anyone is still saying. He’s a pig who lied to me more times than I can count.”
Dallas grinned in a way that made her nipples tingle. “I’m very glad to hear that. And I agree with you about him. Any man who cheats on a girl is an asshole.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear you say that.” Why? This isn’t permanent. Be careful.
“Which brings us back to your question. If we’re such great catches, why are we living in these big homes alone?”
“You explained that. You both have to be careful.”
He nodded. “Mine and Arizona’s fathers are still the CEOs of Phoebe’s Playthings, but one day soon we’ll both take over. Everyone knows that. It makes us vulnerable to gold diggers. No one outside the Durante or Raleigh family has ever held a top position at the company.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders.”
“We don’t mind it. This is our life’s work, and we love what we do.”
“You do it very well. But I can see where some women might take advantage of that.”
“You wouldn’t.”
She shook her head, trying to stop her pulse from racing. “Never. I hope you know that.”
“I do. And so does Arizona.”
“May I ask what you meant about the subterfuge seeming different now?”
He averted his gaze again. “I just meant I don’t want any of us to get hurt.”
“We won’t as long as we keep communicating like this.” She didn’t know what else to say. How could she tell him that she was absolutely certain he and Arizona would break her heart? It wouldn’t be fair. They’d agreed this was temporary. To turn the tables on him now would lead him to believe she’d lied about using them. She had to stay strong and neutral right now.
His easy smile helped push her fears to the back of her mind. “I agree.”
They finished their breakfast and Celina offered to help Dallas clean up, but he declined. “I have a housekeeper. She ignores everything I do and simply does her job in the background. She won’t disturb us.” His gaze drifted lazily over her, and she sighed out loud at the look of desire that swept over his face. “I have an idea, if you’re up for it. I’d love to take a shower with you. What do you think?”
She smiled and put her arms around him, determined not to let anything ruin this week. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter Five
Dallas led her upstairs to his bathroom. She had no time to sneak a peek into his bedroom, because he reached in and turned on the water then undressed her as he gazed into her eyes. Celina shivered each time his fingers brushed her bare skin. No man had ever removed her clothes with so much passion and tenderness.
He undressed and then led her under the water, where he simply held her for a few seconds. Celina let the spray wash away the last of her insecurities. She had an entire week to enjoy them both, and she was going to do just that. Maybe she’d even stay home from work? She had vacation time.
That would really rattle Lucie’s cage, and prevent Celina from having to give too many details until after Dallas and Arizona had won their bet. It was the perfect solution. Why hadn’t she thought of it yesterday?
When Dallas bent his head and kissed her, she forgot about Lucie and the bet. She wrapped her arms around him and pushed her body closer. Her lips were sore from all the kissing early this morning and last evening, but she didn’t care. She could still feel Arizona’s cock inside her ass, but she didn’t mind that either because the sensation brought back such decadent memories.
He released the kiss and nuzzled her neck. “Are you okay with this? Sneaking alone time with me?”
“Ah, true confession time. Arizona was awake last night at the same time I was. We swam in the pool and made love afterward. You were out like a light.”
Instead of becoming angry or indifferent, he surprised the hell out of her by grinning in a way that sent fresh wetness to her pussy. “Oh…I see how it is. In that case, you owe me some of that back-door action as well. And you earned this for not telling me right away.”
He turned her around and delivered five stinging blows to each ass cheek, which had her yelling in surprise. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was supposed to.”
Dallas turned her to face him, and Celina giggled at the wicked delight in his eyes. “I’m only a little jealous. I guess I’ll have to work extra hard to make this shower memorable for you.”
Now she understood why Lucie had been so certain they couldn’t do this. But she pushed aside thoughts of any true jealousy lurking underneath the surface as Dallas kissed her again. By the time he released it, Celina felt like she would run down the drain with the water if he didn’t hold her up.
Dallas took a bottle of shower gel off the shelf and poured some into his palm, and then he washed her entire body, slowly, paying special attention to the underside of her breasts, her ass cheeks, and her inner thighs. He brushed his fingers close to her nipples and pussy lips, but never quite touched them. Each pass brought her closer to an orgasm, and sent her arousal to insane heights.
When he finished, Celina was reduced to a whimpering mass of putty in his hands. Her clit throbbed, her pussy was soaked, and if he didn’t fuck her soon she’d lose her mind. After he rinsed off the gel, she washed him, loving the sighs and moans she elicited when she took extra care with his balls and his dick. No teasing his body like he’d done to hers. She loved touching him too much for that.
She rinsed him off then took a seat on one of the built-in benches. She didn’t even have to speak. He stood in front of her and grasped her head with both hands as she took his cock into her mouth. He fucked her gently, and she was grateful for that because her mouth was as sore as the rest of her body.
He withdrew after a few minutes, smiling down at her. “That feels incredible, but I want to fuck you in the ass. May I do that without a condom since we’re in the shower?”
“Oh yes.” She practically squealed as she stood and turned around, then bent over and rested her arms on the bench. Dallas gave each cheek a few halfhearted smacks, and then he slid a finger into her ass. He played with the inside a few moments, stretching her, and Celina moaned as her impending climax grew closer.
When he finally slid his dick inside, she pushed her hips back against him, aching for him to fill her to the brim. He obliged, and fucked her ass deep and rough. It didn’t hurt. In fact, the harder he fucked her, the more she loved it. When he cupped her pussy and teased her clit with his thumb, she exploded in a dizzying orgasm that left her breathless.
Dallas came inside her ass, and then he pulled out and moved them under the water again. He kissed her, and Celina could only cling to him as the spray washed away their body fluids along with her anxieties. She had no idea what was going to happen the rest of this week, but she knew one thing. It was going to be very difficult to leave these two on Wednesday, even for one day.
* * * *
Dallas led Celina to the room at the back of his house that he called his train room. He’d built several layouts on various levels, and had fake mountains and other scenery for background, as well as buildings that he’d either ordered online or made when he couldn’t find exactly what he wanted.
“This is incredible.” She walked amon
g his layouts, asking questions about the era he’d set each layout in or asking him to explain the various engines. He’d never shown these to a woman who had been so interested or asked so many intelligent questions. Why hadn’t he known she was so charming and easy to be with? How was it possible to have missed this about her, all these years?
“You still have room for more in here. Do you plan on building additional layouts?”
He nodded. “Yes, someday. As the company grows, I find I have less and less spare time for this.”
“Who will take over marketing when you and Arizona are named CEOs one day?”
He shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. We have so many dedicated staff in that department. It’s going to be difficult to choose.”
“How did you become interested in trains when we have none on the island?”
He smiled. “From movies. Like you said, we don’t have train tracks on the island, so I started reading everything about trains that I could get my hands on. I especially love the look of European trains with their interesting angles and sleek bodies.”
“Thank you for showing all this to me.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for being so interested.”
She smiled and took his hand as he led her through the rest of the house. “Tell me more about the symbols you’ve used in your décor. Are they all Taino?”
“Not all of them.” He picked up a container whose top resembled the tip of a penis. “This one is called a potiza. Women brought these to men as declarations of love. They used them to store water and ferment wine.”
She brushed a hand over the top. “I can see why. Nothing says love like a clay penis.”
Dallas laughed. “I hope you prefer the real thing.”
“Oh, most definitely.”
He pointed out a large tapestry on the opposite wall, depicting several birds locked in a struggle. “This is Aztec, and it represents the battle between day and night.”
She stood in front of it for a moment then glanced at him with a wary look. “Day and night…That reminds me of the curse that keeps you here. I’ve heard so many stories over the years, but I don’t think any of them come close to the truth.”
Dallas snorted. “I’m not sure anyone knows the real truth. I can only tell you what my father told me. Whether it’s the same story his father told him, I don’t know. But I do know it’s not written down anywhere, at least no place that any of my family has been able to find. It’s as if no one wanted a record of what really happened.”
They sat on a sofa to talk. “The original inhabitants of this island were escaped criminals from several Caribbean islands. They came here to hide, and they brought with them a blend of religions, including Santería, various forms of voodoo, and black magic. No one knows for certain who conjured what, but the story I heard says a demon was involved.”
He actually saw her shiver as she hugged herself. “You’re not serious.”
“I wish I wasn’t. My great-grandfather William Raleigh bought the land on this island from a group of natives in 1945, along with his brother Robert. They’d made their money mostly by rum-running, I’m sorry to say. When they forced the natives to work for them, the trouble started.”
“Why did the natives sell it in the first place?”
“Lots of infighting had been going on, and my ancestors promised them peace and order. They sold it off in chunks as William and Robert became more powerful. Shortly afterward they brought over Arizona’s great-grandfather Agapito and his cousin Iago to help them run things.”
She nodded, and Dallas watched for any signs of judgment, but there were none. So far, so good. “With the four men here, buying up all the land, a dynasty was built. Agapito and Iago were good friends with Robert and William, but all four were ruthless and greedy. They made this island their private retreat for sex games and debauchery. That’s why they renamed it Sybaris Cove.”
“Do you think one of the natives cursed them?”
“More than likely. Or at least, it was a native who summoned whatever cast the curse. The curse was designed to teach the four the error of their ways. They couldn’t leave the island until they learned to stop exploiting others and lived useful, virtuous lives. That never happened.”
“How did they know they couldn’t leave? I mean, didn’t they try?”
Dallas frowned. It was difficult to tell anyone this story who wasn’t in his or Arizona’s family because it was so tragic and creepy. But he wanted Celina to know the truth. She had a right to know. She was descended from one of the original natives, after all.
“All four of them tried to leave because they didn’t believe in the curse. Agapito drowned when he fell overboard within minutes of leaving the island. Iago was bitten by a shark and returned, but died from his wounds a few days later. William died while trying to sail to the Louisiana coast when a freak storm came up out of nowhere, and Robert died from a jellyfish sting he sustained while trying to swim back to the island. Another freak storm had come up, and he panicked and jumped overboard from the boat he’d left in.”
She blinked a few times before speaking. “Holy shit. Is that why you two never go in the ocean?”
He nodded. “You guessed it. It’s not even worth the chance.”
“So obviously you’d never try to leave.”
“My grandfather Daniel tried, believing all four deaths to be a coincidence. He drowned with the Louisiana coastline in sight. No one else on the boat died. They came back and told the story.”
“That’s crazy.”
“I know.”
“Hasn’t anyone ever tried to lift it?”
Dallas shook his head. “We don’t know what it is, so we don’t know what will actually reverse it or appease whoever placed it on our male descendants.”
“But have you tried?”
“A long time ago, my father and Arizona’s father brought in psychics from all over the world who couldn’t figure it out. Most of them said it was based in evil spirits and wouldn’t even try.”
“So you really are stuck here.”
“Yes. We are.”
Her voice was full of sadness, and when she looked into his eyes, he didn’t dare believe the regret he saw there. He pulled her close and held her because he couldn’t stand to watch her expression. It gave him too much hope. She would have her interview on Wednesday, and because Lucie had set this up for her, she would get the job and leave them. Dallas wanted no regrets during this precious time he had with her. He only wanted to enjoy it. And then he’d have to figure out a way to forget her.
* * * *
“I wondered where you two went.”
Celina jumped at the sound of Arizona’s voice. She glanced up to find him in the doorway. He wasn’t frowning, but he wasn’t exactly smiling, either.
“I wake up to find the bed and the house empty. What did you do? Steal her away in the middle of the night?”
Dallas took his arms from around Celina and stood, stretching lazily. “No. This morning. I made her breakfast and then we had a shower. Oh, and I showed her my trains and told her the tragic story of why we can’t leave this island.”
“You took a shower together? Why didn’t you wake me? I just took one alone, and I made my own breakfast.”
Celina stood. “Hey, you two, you have to fool Lucie as well, remember?”
She glanced from one to the other, wishing the perfect words would pop into her mind. Arizona gave her a look she couldn’t interpret. “So what do you think of our curse?”
“Forget the curse for now. We have to get this out in the open. Look…I’m not the only one here who can get hurt. When this week is over and you two have won your bet, I don’t want you to have any regrets, and I certainly don’t want your friendship tainted. I’ve had my alone time with each of you now. How about we make a pact? For the rest of the week, whatever we do, we do together. Will that help?”
They both looked embarrassed, and then they shook hands. “She’s right,”
said Arizona. “If we end up fighting, Lucie wins.”
“I agree,” said Dallas. He glanced at Celina. “So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day? You have our undivided attention. Do you need us to take you home so you can pick up more clothes or something?”
She shook her head as a shiver ran up and down her spine. “No, but thank you. I brought along everything I’d need all weekend, just in case.”
“That was smart thinking.”
“Since I’ve seen your trains, I was hoping Arizona would play his sax for me.”
Arizona grinned, and a fresh wave of desire coursed through her body. “I did promise you I would, but then you have to give us something in return.”
“Name it.”
His laugh, both sexy and fun, sent a thrill through her. “Be careful there. If Dallas told you about the curse, he also told you we come from a long line of sadistic bastards who take what they want from women.”
She strolled toward him, keeping her gaze locked on his face. “He told me. But I’m yours for the week, remember? So name it, and I shall give it to you.”
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
Chapter Six
Arizona’s dick grew impossibly hard as he watched the lust fill Celina’s pretty face. She was either the answer to every prayer he’d ever had, or the incarnation of the demon who had put the curse on his great-grandfather. How could he and Dallas have grown up with this woman and never known what she was hiding inside that calm, collected exterior? He couldn’t wait to rub this in Lucie’s face.