by Jenika Snow
Towering rocks stood to their left, like a mountain growing before them. The ocean was to their right, the waves picking up as the time passed. The sound was calming, a gentle whooshing noise that could have lulled her to sleep.
“It’s right over here.” He veered off to the left, toward a small cave that was nearly invisible as two large, protruding outcroppings concealed it.
Is he going in there? She dug her feet in the sand, her pulse racing at the thought of being in such a tight, confined space. When he felt her resistance he stopped and looked at her. Nothing was said and she knew her fear was showing. There were a lot of frightening memories associated with dark places. His face took on a hard mask and he cursed under his breath.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you, Brea. We don’t have to do this.” Wrapping his arm around her shoulder he led them the other way. It didn’t take a genius to know that Adrian put two and two together.
“No.” The strength in that one word surprised her, but she saw that same emotion in Adrian’s face when he stopped and looked at her. “I trust you.” After a heartbeat he smiled down at her, brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. He led them back toward the cave, but his steps were slow, almost uncertain. Licking her too-dry lips, she followed him into the coffin-like space. Her breathing was extreme as it left her. The sound of dripping water echoed around them, but the deeper he led them into the cave the closer and clearer the noise of the water became. The scent of wet earth filled her senses and she scrunched up her nose at the pungent smell.
Adrian’s big body blocked her view, but his large frame was silhouetted by the light that was becoming brighter the closer they got to the dripping water. The walls around them were close enough that she could place her hands out beside her and lay her palms flat on the rough surface. Before she could totally freak out, the walls opened up and the smell of fresh seawater filled her. When he stepped to the side, a beautiful pool of water and trickling waterfall were revealed. Her breath caught and she found her hand going to her mouth, blocking the gasp that would have spilled.
* * * *
The look on her face had made bringing her here better than he could have imagined. That gasp of pleasant surprise she made as she saw the pool-sized pond and intimate waterfall had his chest swelling with pride. He had found this treasure trove when he first got to the city over a year ago. His thoughts had been dark and turbulent, and all he wanted to do was escape. He had driven until he saw the coast, then started walking down the beach without a destination in mind. The alcove had been small, but he just wanted to disappear into the darkness. It seemed fitting for where his thoughts had been during that day.
“The sea water comes in through right there,” he said as he pointed to the opening above them. An opening at the top allowed the sun to filter through, casting the pond in a morning glow. “I came here to clear my head, think about where my life was heading. I find myself coming here a lot, just sitting on that rock.” He pointed to the rock. “I try to imagine what my life will be like as the years pass. If I’ll be happy, if I’ll ever be able to make someone else happy.” Her full attention was on him and he took a deep breath. “I thought maybe if I brought you here, it would help you clear your mind, think about what you want out of life.”
“Thank you.” She lifted her hand and placed it on his chest. “Let’s go swimming.” The giddiness in her voice had him raising a brow at her. The statement surprised him, but what surprised him more was the fact that she started slipping off her pants. Bent over, she stopped mid-strip and looked over at him, one brow raised. “What?”
“Uh, we…I don’t have any trunks.” He felt his cheeks heat and couldn’t remember the last time he felt embarrassed over anything.
“Why, Mr. Holden, do I see a bit of pink on those cheeks?” The laugh that came out of him unexpectedly echoed through the small interior. “There isn’t any need to be shy, not after what we did last night, twice.”
“Jesus, Brea. Do you realize what you do to me?” She shucked her pants and the sight of her in those plain white panties had his cock standing straight at attention. She kept her shirt on, but after their talk last night he would have been surprised if she went nude. He wanted to tell her that she was beautiful to him no matter how she perceived herself, but she was much too fragile to bring that up again. This trip was meant to put a smile on her face, and he intended to make her smile even bigger before they left this cave.
Chapter Seventeen
Adrian pressed his wet, hard body against hers and made a slow sweep of his tongue up her throat. His arms were wrapped around her, cushioning her back as she leaned against the rock edge of the pool. The soothing sound of droplets falling from the waterfall further eased her mind and body. Her arousal pounded through her like a stampede of horses, causing her breaths to puff in rapid succession. Her shirt was saturated, her white cotton bra plastered to her flesh. There was no doubt that Adrian could see her nipples as they stabbed through the material, chilled from the ocean water, and hard enough to slice through glass. As if he read her mind he dragged his lips down her neck, over her collarbones, and sucked her achingly taut nipple into his mouth. Head lolling back, she closed her eyes, moaned deeply, and speared her hands into his hair. The short strands felt spiky and wet under her touch, and she used her grip to pull him closer to her. Her mouth fell open when she felt his mouth open wider, sucking more of her breast into his eager, hot mouth.
“Oh, God,” she said, wrapping her legs around his waist, feeling the stiff outline of his cock pressing against her pussy. “I am so wet for you.” Never in her life had she spoken so openly about her sexuality, but with Adrian she felt like she could, like it wouldn’t be held against her.
His groan vibrated against her nipple, causing a spike of electricity to travel right to her clit. The small bundle of nerves swelled even further and she pressed her pussy against his shaft, needing to feel more of him.
“I want to be inside of you so bad right now, baby.”
“God, I want that, too.”
He groaned loudly. “Will you let me make love to you, Brea? Right here?”
“Yes.” Her response was a breathy moan.
“Wrap your arms around me, pretty girl.” When she did, he removed his arms from around her and with deft fingers pulled her panties off and set them on the ground beside her head. Adrian ran his finger down the center of her sex, parting her folds and then pushing the digit inside of her.
“You’re so slick with your need for me.”
“Please,” she whispered.
“Shhh, don’t worry, baby. I’m going to take care of you.”
“I need you inside, Adrian.” His groan of need filled her with longing. Her inner walls squeezed his finger that was gently thrusting in and out of her, as if solidifying her need. When he added a second finger, filling her, causing a stab of discomfort to grow inside of her until it morphed into pleasure, she was forced to bite her lip to stop her groan from spilling.
“Don’t hold it in.” Words so deep and rough they sounded ominous, Adrian’s voice whispered over her flesh. He continued to suck at her nipple, alternating breasts until the flesh felt tender and heated. He gripped her ass, holding her to him as he pressed his cock against her, mimicking the act of fucking and making her wish they were doing the real thing. The pool was shallow enough for Adrian to stand, the water just touching his shoulders and giving him enough leverage that he could swivel his hips, press them up and into her so she grew closer and closer to coming.
She wanted to reach down and pull his boxer briefs down, grip his cock and shove it deep inside of her, but if she let go of him she’d sink right down to the bottom. She wasn’t as tall as Adrian so the water would be above her head once her feet touched the bottom. Of course he knew what she was thinking because he used the free hand that was gripping her ass to reach between their bodies and pull his shaft free. Pulling his fingers from her clenching pussy, he started rubbing the tip
of his dick along her folds, parting the lips and driving her insane with desire. It was hard not to twist her hips, trying to lodge the tip of his erection at the opening of her body. He eluded her every time.
“God, baby, you’re driving me fucking crazy.” The crest of him teased her clit, causing the tiny bud to engorge even further. Faster and faster he rubbed himself along her folds, skittering along her pussy hole, yet moving away so quickly she wasn’t able to impale herself.
“Baby, as much as I want to drive right into you without anything in our way, I didn’t bring any condoms.” Hot breath tickled her ear and she could hear the carnal need in his voice. He wanted her, just like she wanted him, but they were at an impasse. She didn’t say anything, just closed her eyes and absorbed the feel of him. She was so close to coming that the very thought of telling him to stop was abhorrent.
“You’re close, aren’t you, pretty girl.” His mouth was back on her throat, licking and sucking. “I’m going to make you come so fucking hard.” He added a little more pressure to her clit with his shaft and she exploded. Maybe she would be mortified later, but right now she rubbed herself on him, riding the high of pleasure. When she came back to reality she opened her eyes and saw Adrian watching her with a hungry gaze. She wanted to feel his cock inside of her, but there were so many risks of not using protection, and although she trusted him, the idea of bringing a child into her life right now was not something she was ready for.
“Maybe we can pick this back up in the room?”
“God, I hope so.” He chuckled and kissed her. When they had a little more control of their bodies, he helped her out of the pool of water. She stood there, her shirt transparent, the bottom half of her body exposed. Picking up her pants, she debated putting on her wet panties, but decided against it. When her pants were zipped and buttoned, she picked at her wet shirt, a frown forming. It was going to be one hell of an uncomfortable and embarrassing walk back to the truck.
“As much as I like what you’re wearing, seeing those tight little nipples poking through your shirt, I don’t want to kick some prick’s ass for checking you out.” Carnal lust reflected in his expression, but there was also a hint of aggression. He walked over to her, ran his finger up her outer thigh, and leaned in to kiss her. “Here, sweetheart.”
His shirt hung from his fingers and she gratefully took it. Keeping her front toward him, she peeled off her top and bra and lifted her eyes to his. He stood there watching her, water sloughing off of him in tiny droplets. There was a moment where she stood there, enjoying the view of him half-naked. A drop of water slid down the hard planes of his abdomen and soaked into his boxer briefs.
“If you keep looking at me like that I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself.”
A shiver coursed through her at his deep words. When she had her pants on and his shirt, she watched in feminine appreciation as he removed his underwear and slipped on his pants. When he caught her looking at him, her cheeks heated and she glanced down, picking at the hem of the tee. It went well past her thighs, but she didn’t care. It smelled like Adrian and she felt a sense of safety knowing something of his was wrapped around her. He took her hand and they made the claustrophobic trek back through the cave and onto the beach.
He was right. They did get quite a few looks as they walked back to his vehicle, but they were all from the women who couldn’t help but gawk at his bare chest. Jealousy was an ugly trait, but it rose up and bit her in the ass. She found herself moving closer to him, pressing her side to his which resulted in a rich chuckle from him. Cutting a narrow-eyed glance up at him, she knew damn well her envy had been transparent.
“Something on your mind, pretty girl?”
A little huff left her. “You know damn well you’re causing whiplash to the female population on this beach.” He outright laughed at her. She couldn’t help it. She laughed, too.
“I like you being possessive of me.”
They made their way back to the truck and he helped her into the passenger’s seat, letting his hands linger on her hips. The height made her eye level with him, and being so close to him had her body heating with remembered pleasure. Still her arousal churned inside of her, on a slow simmer but not fully extinguished.
“We need to leave now, because I’m barely restraining myself from taking you right here in the cab of this truck.”
Chapter Eighteen
Brea leaned back in the bed, sweat causing her hair to stick to her forehead. Every possible inch of her body was deliciously sore. Adrian’s passion for her was insatiable. After they had gotten back to their room, he had attacked her, tearing the clothes from her body, kissing and touching her like he couldn’t get enough. They had just made love for the third time, and both of them were exhausted, yet the euphoria that thrummed through her made it impossible to stop from grinning.
“When you are well loved you have this glow to you. It’s quite irresistible.” Adrian lay on his belly, his face toward hers, his eyes partially open. Sweat also glistened off of his body, and she was happy to announce he, too, wore a stupid grin. The sliding door was slightly open and the breeze from the ocean blew into the room, shifting the sheer curtains so they danced seductively.
“I wish we could just stay here and not worry about life,” she said as she shifted to lie on her side and look at him. “We could just lie in bed all day naked.”
His groan was satisfying. “Sweetheart, you’ll be the death of me.” He tackled her, covering her body with his and kissing her. “I thought you had worn me out, but…” The hard length of his erection prodded her belly and a cry of need left her. “Like I said. You’ll most definitely be the death of me.” He curved his pelvis into her. “But what a way to die.”
* * * *
Adrian had just dropped her off at her house and she tossed her overnight bag on the bench by the door. She took a minute to just take a deep breath and savor the foreign feelings running inside of her. Happiness wasn’t a common emotion that she was familiar with, but she was finding that the more time she spent with Adrian the more her happiness grew.
The steady beep of the alarm system informed her that she needed to quit daydreaming and reset the alarm. She couldn’t let her routine falter. Not now. She checked the bag under the bench, and when she was satisfied with its contents, she went into the bathroom to get cleaned up for her shift tonight.
The water heated quickly and she stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the hot spray. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the water sliding over her body. It felt so good, but not as good as Adrian’s hands on her. Just picturing what they had done in the hotel room, then in the cave, and then again in their room, several times, had her pussy throbbing in remembrance. He was big and thick, and when he moved inside of her with sure, steady strokes, he brought her to incredible heights.
The tile was cool against her forehead when she leaned against it, trying to quell the rising of her arousal. She knew it would only rise when she got to work, seeing as Adrian was fighting tonight. His body, thick with muscles and power, would be sweaty and glistening under the florescent lights of the cage.
“God, how am I ever going to leave him?”
* * * *
A fist connected with the side of his jaw and pain exploded in his head. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, and Adrian turned his head to the side, spitting it out and then grinning when the white mat became crimson. It had been a while since a fighter had landed a blow to him, but this asshole was holding his own.
“I’ve been waiting for this fight for a very long time.”
His opponent had a Brooklyn accent. He was a bulky motherfucker, with barely a neck on his shoulders, and a nose that looked like it had been broken one too many times. This guy was a street fighter, one that knew his way around a good alley scrap with brass knuckles and head butts.
“Hope I’m not disappointing.” Adrian dodged another hit and kicked his leg out, causing the guy to fall backward, his head
slamming into the mat. A dazed expression passed across his face before he shook his head and stood again. He charged Adrian, using all of his brute strength to slam him against the fencing that surrounded the octagon. They grappled for supremacy, and his opponent went for a chokehold. A meaty forearm pressed against his throat, momentarily cutting off his airway. Adrian head-butted him, hearing bone slam against bone, and then hearing the gruff roar of his opponent right before he stumbled back and gripped his head. Adrian didn’t waste any time. Using the distraction, he sucked in air and charged forward. The two fighters fell to the ground, arms and legs a tangle of muscle until Adrian had the upper hand. He hauled the guy up to his feet, reared his arm back, and punched him in the jaw once, twice, and on the third time the fighter’s eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the ground.
He took a step back, breathing heavy, the taste of blood filling his mouth. The crowd roared and Adrian searched the throng of spectators, searching for the only person that mattered to him anymore. When he saw her leaned against the table, he felt the hardening of his shaft. She was bent down, her skirt low enough that he couldn’t see the tempting curve of her ass, but high enough that he saw her creamy thighs. It didn’t matter if he could see under her skirt or not, his imagination filled in the blanks. Now wasn’t the time to get a hard-on, but all he could think about was her sweet little body beneath his, her pussy swallowing his dick in an iron grip. They didn’t have plans tonight, and he did just get back from spending the night with her, but damn if he didn’t want to do it again, and again, and again. Yeah, he was way over his head when it came to her, but it was a sweet feeling.