Temptation Island

by Soltry, C. C.

  She cleared her throat again. Oddly it felt a bit parched. “Um, yes I did.”

  The smile finally reached his eyes, lighting the clear green. “Good. When I came to your room last night you were a little unsettled, so I climbed in next to you and you seemed to calm right down.”

  She had been tossing and turning, her mind too restless for her to fall into a deep sleep. But as soon as his large warm body had settled in next to her and his strong arms wrapped around her, she’d fallen asleep like a baby.

  By the look on Marek’s face he was feeling rather smug about that fact this morning. His smirk stirred the embers of her anger, propelling her to goad him. “Yeah, well, women tend to like to sleep with the men they’re in love with. Tends to put us right out. How’d you sleep last night, Marek?”

  Carm issued the challenge as she walked to the coffee pot and reached for a cup hanging on the sturdy mug tree next to it. She squeezed the oversized mug with palm trees on it and pretended it was his stubborn head. There was some satifisfaction in that, small as it was.

  Marek reached out a hand and brushed it over her tangled hair in a slow caress. His voice was low and soft when he replied, “With you in my arms I slept better than I have in ages, cheri.” He dropped his hand and his voice changed to casual and breezy. “Do you like teaching, Carm? Is it something you would do even if you had money to do otherwise?”

  What an odd question. What is he searching for? Carm glanced up from adding cream and sugar and nodded. “Of course. I love teaching children. Why do you ask?”

  Marek shrugged his shoulder and asked, “What would it take to get certified if you wanted to teach in another country?”

  Ah-ha! I know what game you’re playing at. You can’t fool me, bucko. Just admit you love me and want me to stay here, you stubborn buffoon. Carm pretended to contemplate the question as she took a sip of her coffee. “I’m not sure. I’ve never really given it much thought. I’m sure it wouldn’t be overly difficult.”

  She watched Marek rub a hand over his chin in thought. Holding back a grin Carm added, “But, I’d really like to stay home when I have children. Maybe I’ll pursue something different then and go back to teaching when they reach school age.”

  Oh, she could see the wheels turning in his head at that. Smoke practically billowed out of his ears. Marek’s amazing eyes flashed with some unknown emotion when he asked, “You want children, oui? How many?”

  He didn’t look entirely comfortable with the conversation and Carm bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing. She should say something like eight children and see how he reacts to that. “Oh, I don’t know. Six or so? The more the merrier in my opinion.” She deadpanned.

  When he blanched at her comment she couldn’t hold the laughter inside any more. It burst out of her and filled the room. Marek realized she was joking and glared at her even as his lips twitched.

  Gaining control over her giggles Carm held a hand to her chest and said between gulps of air, “I’m kidding. You should have seen the look on your face, Marek. I thought you were going to be sick.”

  Marek took her coffee cup from her hand and placed it on the counter behind her and stepped in front of her, effectively pinning her in. He settled both his hands on each side of her and leaned forward until they were a few inches apart. “It’s not nice to tease a man about a thing like that, sugar. Could give him a heart attack. You’re supposed to say only one or two. We can handle that.” He placed a soft kiss on her jaw and murmured, “Do you realize if we had children they’d be of mixed heritage, cheri? Have you thought about how you’d feel about that?”

  Memory of last night’s conversation flashed through her mind and the pain in Marek’s expression when he’d talked of his father’s digust because of his mixed race. Outrage and insult tried to grab hold but fell flat before it had a finger-hold. She understood why he asked such an insulting question. He wanted to be reassured they would be loved and accepted, like he never was.

  Because she knew it was a delicate rope she walked Carm kept her tone light but filled with conviction when she responded. “I don’t need to think about that, Marek. They’re my children. I would love them with everything I have in me and nothing less. The rest doesn’t matter. I love you and I would love the children you made every bit as much because they are part of you. And you know, we would make beautiful babies.”

  Marek had stilled his kisses along her jaw when she’d replied and continued to look deep in her eyes, his expression unreadable. Suddenly they softened and his lips relaxed in a half-smile. He leaned forward and placed a warm kiss on her forehead, then on the tip of her nose. “We would make beautiful babies, sugar.” Pushing with his arms Marek stepped back and put some space between them. “Until then I have to go down to the station to report the vandalism to my jeep. There’s also that issue Landon and I need to discuss with the detectives.”

  Carm placed her hands on the counter edge where his had been. Soothed by the warmth she found lingering there Carm took a deep breath and said on the exhale, “Marek, we need to talk about us. What you want. What I want. Kate is going to send me my birth certificate as soon as I call her this morning, then I’ll be free to leave. And I can’t stay here. Kate needs me there when she gives birth.”

  Marek didn’t like the idea of her going anywhere. Just her mention of it brought out the fight in him. It made him want to tear up her birth certificate when it arrived.

  But, her sister needed her. That was fact. He understood how important family was. If she says she has to go, well, she has to go.

  But, she was damned well coming right back.

  Marek knew she was waiting for a response. At the moment he didn’t have on. Merde, he still had so much to work out in his mind and she’s talking about leaving. Cut a guy some slack, sweetheart.

  His attention was drawn toward the doors leading to the pation when Sunny appeared. A snort escaped him after seeing what she held in her mouth. The orange tabby yowled around her treasure and pawed at the glass.

  Marek planned to ignore her and finish the discussion with Carm, but part of him was most definitely relieved at the interruption. It gave him a moment to collect his thoughts.

  Until Carm screamed.

  “What, what’s wrong?” Marek straightened from the doorframe leading to the living room and strode over to her. With his heart in his throat he examined her for any bodily injury, any burns.

  She pushed his probing hands away and covered her mouth with her own. With the other hand she pointed toward the patio, her big blue eyes bright with emotion. From behind her hand she squeaked, “Look! Your cat, Marek. Oh, shit. Look what she has in her mouth.” Carm flinched and avoided her gaze. Staring up at Marek she demanded, “Go get it. Get it and see if it’s still alive. You can’t let her have it.”

  Marek looked from Carm’s highly agitated face to what Sunny held proudly in her teeth. The woman was squeamish and too damned soft for her own good. Damned if it didn’t warm his heart.

  Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder Marek swallowed a grin and said, “Carm, it’s just a little bird. Sunny catches them all time. I’ve been told cats tend to like to do that upon occasion. Something about it being their natural food source and all.”

  Carm slapped his hand away and snapped, “I don’t give a tinker’s damn about any of that. I want you to save the poor thing.” Then she turned those gorgous blue eyes on him and added, “Please.”

  He figured it probably wouldn’t be good to mention that the bird was probably already dead. She might get a tad upset over that, considering she was hopping from foot to foot and wringing her hands together right now. The vulnerable look on her face kept that comment unspoken.

  Hell, if he got to be the hero, why not? Marek quickly strode across the terra cotta tiles and placed his hand on the doorknob. Turning it the door swung silently open and Sunny yowled and tried to bring her prize inside.

  Another squeal sounded behind him and a terse, “Do
n’t you dare let her inside with that! Get it from her Marek before she kills it. Ewww, oh, ewww. That’s so gross.”

  Oui, wouldn’t help the situation to tell her the limp bird was already dead. Blocking the cat’s passageway Marek glanced over his shoulder and grinned at the sight of competent, assured Carmen Hogue dancing around and screeching like a little girl. Now she was shaking her hands at her side while she hopped around on her bare feet. It was quite a sight to see with her messy hair and his big t-shirt riding high on her thighs.

  Sunny growled and tried to wiggle past him into the kitchen. A chuckle escaped him when Carm flinched and closed her eyes. “Look, Carm. She’s trying to bring me a present. She’s letting me know she loves me.”

  “Yeah, well, she can tell you that with a nice thank you card. Get that thing out of here.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

  He figured he’d tormented her enough and kneeled down. Wedging his leg in the door, Marek turned sideways and reached an arm out through the narrow opening. The early morning scent of dew covered flowers wafted up to greet him. This was his favorite time of day, when the sun was barely over the horizon and the freshness of morning still clung on the air.

  A shrill yowl caught his attention and Marek glanced down as Sunny backed away from the door. In the past he’d made the mistake of opening the door fully. The cat had pranced right on in, her catch in her mouth. He’d since learned not too.

  Truth was he didn’t like the sight much more than Carm did, but he sure enjoyed watching her squirm. Set the morning off right. And it showed him that the usually collected Carmen was indeed flappable.

  Locking his eyes on the fat orange tabby Marek muttered, “Give me the damned bird, Sunny. I really don’t want to touch it, but the lady behind me is a tiny bit upset over your display of affection. So, why don’t you put it down like a good kitty?”

  The cat must have understood him because she growled loudly and backed further away. With a sigh Marek stood up and pushed the door open all the way and stepped out onto the patio. Looked like he was going to have to corner her to get the little yellow bird from her. Merde, the lengths a man will go to for the love of a woman, mon. Pathetic.

  As soon as he closed the door behind him on Carm demands to pry the bird from Sunny, the cat turned around and darted off the patio across the grass. He’d figured she’d do something like that. No way was she going to give up her breakfast.

  Marek followed her trail down off the patio onto the damp grass and stopped. Inhaling deep the intense aroma of green grass, salt air and spicy flowers he glanced back at the kitchen and found Carm standing at the glass doors. Her hands still crossed her chest and a combination of disgust and disappointment covered her pretty face.

  He lifted his hands out, turned the palms up and shrugged. No way was he chasing after a cat with a dead bird. He had better things to do with his time. Like get Carm naked. His faded blue shirt skimmed the tops of her curvy thighs, tantalizing him with the sexy view. He wanted her with a need that almost overwhelmed him.

  And after her declaration last night he found that he needed her desperately as well. After he’d dismissed her with the butt pat he’d gone outside and walked down the trail to the ocean. For over an hour he’d sat and watched the moon mirror off the calm water of the cove. The silver moonlight had sparkled across the glassy surface.

  He’d used the time to think about what he really wanted, really needed. And he’d come up with one simple answer: Carmen.

  Fears still remained and knawed at him this morning, however, and whispered in his ear. Marek knew he had to come to terms with them before he could offer Carm what she wanted most. It was becoming increasingly clear to him that he wanted the same thing.

  It was a hell of a situation and one only he had the power to change. He just needed a little more time to come to terms with it all. Merde, so much had happened in such a short amount of time, his head was still spinning. And he thought he was handling it pretty damned well on the whole. It’s not an easy thing for a man comfortable with his life, with no plans to fall in love and marry, to have all of those things happen to him in such a short duration of time.

  It’d drive most men to drink. Or it’d drive them away, period.

  He wanted to hang in there. Whatever issues, whatever hang-ups he had, he wanted to be with Carm. It’s all just a whole lot to swallow for a mere man. And he needed a little breathing room to get up to the task. A man had the right to come up for air, didn’t he?

  Carm’s voice invaded his thoughts, jerking him out of his musings. “Did she run off with it?” Marek gave a quick nod. “Well, hell. That poor baby bird. I don’t suppose there’s any chance of saving it now.”

  Marek shrugged again and apologized, “Sorry, Carm. Looks like she got this one.” He turned and started walking back toward the house, his toes sinking into the dense grass as he glanced at his Rolex. “Landon should be here any minute, sugar. You might want to put some pants on, unless you feel like greeting him in that. I’m fine with that, but Landon might get the wrong idea.” His attempt at humor did the trick. Carm’s eyes went wide as she glanced down at the old shirt.

  “Shit! Why didn’t you say something when I first walked in this morning?”

  Marek reached the doors and looked down, amusement twinkling in his eyes. With a grin he stated, “Because I liked the way it looked, cupcake. I’m a visual kind of guy. And you’ve got fantastic legs. All long and curvy. Makes me want to get naked.”

  Carm slapped a palm against his chest to ward off his advance. “Uh-uh, bucko. There’s no time for hanky-panky—“

  “There’s always time for hanky-panky---“

  “And I need to get dressed.”

  She said no, but he saw the glimmer of interest flash in her bright blue eyes. It did his heart good to know that even though she’d been pissed at him last night she could move past it and still want to be with him. Those were good qualities to have in a wife, because he was bound to piss her off from time to time. Forgiveness was a very, very good thing.

  Hmm, and maybe he should do a little something extra for that forgiveness. Like lick her body from head to toe, stopping for a while right in the middle until she came so hard it brought tears to her eyes. Bloody grand idea.

  Snaking an arm out, Marek grabbed a fistful of t-shirt and reeled Carm in close. She sputtered and tried to form a refusal but it got lost when his mouth came down hot on hers. He groaned deep when she plastered to him instead and rubbed against his instant erection.

  Whirling her until her back was to the wall, Marek trailed a blaze of wet kisses down her neck and nipped her below her ear. Her intake of breath and raspy moan fueled him and spurred him on until his body quaked with the need for release.

  Small, slender hands clawed at this zipper and closed over his hard length as soon as it was freed from his pants. He growled viciously as she squeezed him, gave teasing little strokes.

  The need to fill her consumed him, pushing aside everything until there was only her. The warm scent of her, the satin feel of her skin, the breathy sounds she made when he lifted her shirt and slipped a finger inside her slick folds. She was everywhere, everything.

  Marek placed a raw, needy kiss on her plump lips then sank to his knees before her. “I wanted to do dis last night, but you were too sleepy and I didn’t have da heart to wake you.” His tongue whipped out and glided across the moist entrance. “Now you’re mine. Lift your leg.”

  Carm’s eyes were closed and her head was tilted back against the wall, but Marek saw her tiny nod and felt his blood pressure spike when her long, curvy thigh lifted to rest on his shoulder. He drunk her in, the sight of her, the smell until he could hold back no more and placed a intimate kiss on her very core.

  She tasted so sweet, so hot. His mouth moved over her, sucked on her peak the same way her kissed her mouth. Openly carnal and deeply passionate, until he felt the leg on his shoulder shake with impending release.


  Needing to push her over the edge, hard and intense, Marek slipped two fingers inside her and stroked her, added pressure to her vaginal wall until he felt her sheath begin to pulse around him. Her cry of release echoed off the walls, the hands dug into his hair. She came like a tidal wave, the force of it rocking her against him then away in a swaying motion.

  The bright tropical sun streamed through the open French doors, birds sang to the glorious morning high outside in palm trees as Marek lowered her leg and stood up. He wanted to see her when he exploded inside her, watch the desire on her face in the brilliant sunshine.

  So he lifted her sated body to his, kissed her deep and thorough as he circled them out the door onto the patio. Marek didn’t stop until they reached the steps. Then he lowered them both until he sat on the step with his elbows on the landing behind him and she straddled him.

  Carm laughed and threw back her head, the balmy breeze stirring her tossled hair. His heart clutched hard in his chest at the sight of her in the morning light flushed from his loving, her eyes sparkling with delight. His erection throbbed almost violently with need for release. Marek thought he’d explode if he couldn’t be inside her soon.

  Leveling her blue eyes on him, Carm shifted and came down in one smooth motion on him until he filled her completely. Marek threw back his head exposing his corded throat and groaned with pleasure. The feel of her tight and slick around him almost drove him over the edge right then and there.

  They didn’t speak, had no need for words, and let their bodies do the talking as Carm rode him outside in the salty air under the blaze of the early morning sun. Their eyes stayed locked on each other in silent understanding as they rocked together.

  He climaxed with her eyes on him, a soft smile playing on her lips, the sunshine turning her blonde hair to a golden halo. And thought he’d died and gone to heaven and she was his angel.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Carm watched Marek and Landon drive down the narrow lane still surrounded in warm afterglow. Loving Marek this morning had been different, more tender. A look she’s never seen before glimmered in his eyes as they’d made love on the back steps. The way he’d rocked with her slow and gentle was so different than their normal passion. Usually they wanted each other so desperately it was an almost violent coupling.