by Sierra Rose
He arched a brow. “What’s this?”
I smiled. “I want you to have it. I bought it in Australia, at the Green Island Resort. I actually bought it for you, but I was too mad to give it to you.”
He swiped his hand over the white, smooth surface and the jagged, serrated edge. “This is the coolest gift ever. I’ll treasure it forever.” He fastened the clasp around his neck.
“It looks good on you,” I said, grinning.
He smiled and kissed my lips. “Thanks, Ashly. I love it.”
* * *
Before long, we were off to our next excursion, riding horses along the ocean, something else I’d been dying to do. Jake lifted me up onto the back of a gorgeous white mare, and I ran my fingers before the horse’s soft, flowing mane, then gripped the reins. Jake steered his horse by me, and I took a picture off him grinning from ear to ear.
The tour guide lined us up, and we took off. We weaved in and out of twisting trees as hooves pounded across a bubbling stream, spraying a tumult of water up on our feet and legs. The sweet scent of wildflowers grew stronger. My body felt every bump, and I started to slide to the side, fearing that I might fall off of the amazing animal. I readjusted myself, leaned forward, relaxed, and moved with the rhythm of the horse.
“This is just…exhilarating!” I yelled over the roar of the wind. Racing into an open meadow, I screamed with delight. I spread out my arms, and the wind whipped through her hair, making me smile. “I feel as free as an eagle! I can’t ever remember having this much fun!”
Jake glanced over his shoulder. “This is only the beginning!”
The mare burst through more vegetation and trotted across the sugar-white sand, along lapping waves in the ocean. Birds circled overhead, and the smell of salt filled the air. I admired the breathtaking beauty all around me. Coconut palms dotted the sand, and the sweet scent of flowers wafted in the breeze. It was a tropical paradise more beautiful than any I’d ever seen on a postcard or some commercial for suntan lotion, a Caribbean Eden.
Our tour guide offered to take my camera while we rode in the water, and he promised to get lots of shots. I thanked her as I handed her my Nikon. Steering my reins toward the ocean, I led Betsy, my horse, into the water. Water splashed up high in the air, falling down like rain all around me. I went in high as my waist, and it was a blast. Jake pulled next to me and splashed me. I splashed him right back with a huge smile on my face. The sun glittered on the turquoise water, and I’d never seen anything so beautiful.
The tour guides came over and took our horses, then told us we could have an hour on the secluded beach. I knew my lawyer must have paid them extra for this because I didn’t see it on the brochure. Jake and I walked around the bend, hand in hand, looking for privacy.
“This is such a pretty place,” I said.
“Breathtaking,” Jake said, walking into the crystal-clear water.
I grabbed Jake’s arm, and he pulled me close. He kissed me on the lips as the cold ocean waves splashed around us, sending electricity throughout my body. I closed my eyes, let out a moan, and enjoyed the hot, hungry kiss.
He broke off the kiss, his blue eyes burning as he gazed into my very core, right into my soul. “I love you.”
I stared at his chiseled face, his perfect lips, and his wet hair. I could so easily lose myself with such a handsome hunk, over and over again. My heart pounded in my throat. “I love you too.”
His lips lowered on mine, and I savored the moment.
* * *
Jake and I stayed up all night talking and cuddling. I think we fell asleep around four a.m. When we finally both woke up, it was about ten a.m. We ate muffins, and then went for a wonderful walk on the beach. When we came back, it was almost lunch time. Jake glanced down at the menu for room service. I went to the bathroom and noticed Jake’s stuff was everywhere. I laughed. I wasn’t going to sweat the small stuff. Without one complaint, I started cleaning up his stuff while he ordered us lunch.
I watched Jake’s muscles stretch as he started to slip off his shirt.
“What are you doing?” I asked, smiling.
“Need some help,” I asked, unbuttoning his pants.
He winked. “Get your camera.”
“Excuse me?”
“I want to redo that sensual photo.”
I was intrigued as I stared into his eyes. With my heart nearly beating out of my ribcage, I reached for my camera and began to set up the scene. He finished stripping, and my gaze shot straight to his well-endowed manhood. I could feel the heat in my cheeks rising as I stared helplessly at the pure masculine beauty at its finest.
When I met his gaze, he smiled again. I moistened my lips. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his broad shoulders, beefy pecs, chiseled biceps, and hard-as-steel abs. His chiseled body reminded me of a Greek statue that had come to life. I was staring at a fine piece of art, a Greek god. Jake was gorgeous, and I couldn’t believe he was all mine.
“What about the black background?” he asked.
“I can fix that on my computer back home. I have sophisticated software.” I adjusted my camera to the right settings. “Okay, look down.”
He glanced down, but the angle wasn’t right.
I reached up and gently put him in the exact position.
“Are my hands right?” he asked, covering his private parts.
I adjusted them to the same pose as the picture I knew so well, then stepped back, and my gazed roved over the perfect sculpture of art standing before my eyes. “There,” I said. I reached for my camera and started taking the shots. Flashes of light flooded the room, but Jake kept his position. When I was done, I glanced down at the digital view screen and showed him.
My jaw dropped. “It’s perfect.”
“It’s identical. As soon as you fade the lighting and put in the black background, it’ll match perfectly.”
“But you’re 100 times more buff,” I whispered. “This would definitely win first place in any contest I entered.” I couldn’t stop staring at him when he gazed up at me with those bedroom eyes. I inched closer, my fingers trailing over every hard muscle in his chest.
Suddenly, a knock at the door startled me. “Room service!” a woman said.
“Quick! Get under the covers,” I said, laughing.
He jumped under the covers and I rushed to the door to get our lunch. I knew Jake had ordered everything, and it smelled delicious.
I turned to meet his gaze. “Strawberries, champagne, and whipped cream?”
“For dessert.”
I winked. “I can think of some creative ways to use it.”
He smiled wider. “How about we skip lunch?”
“Waiting will keep up the suspense. I like to keep you on your toes. Besides, you’re gonna need the energy. Let’s eat while the food’s still hot.”
“You’re such a tease.”
“Meh, I wouldn’t want you to get bored,” I said in a sexy tone. “Besides, you promised me a walk along the white sand.”
“We’ll eat and go on the walk, and then I get to pick what to do when we get back.” He smiled.
“Fair enough.”
* * *
We hiked to the secluded, deserted beach. I looked up as I heard the rumble of thunder, followed by a brilliant flash of light. I held out my hands to catch the falling droplets. “Let’s go back,” I said, releasing a nervous laugh.
“I hoped we’d make it back before the rain came,” Jake said.
“Guess not.”
He gripped my hand and squeezed. “How about we hurry back to the hotel and make our own electrical storm?”
“How about something more daring?” I said, looking up at him seductively. “Let’s make our own electrical storm right here, right now.” He cocked a brow and smiled. “There’s no one around, and it’s always been one of my biggest fantasies,” I said.
“I’m so turned on right now.”
I grinned, completely mesmerized by his beaming smile.
The steady beat of
the rain echoed all around us. As more drops fell, my rain-soaked dress clung tighter to my body. I glanced up at Jake as the cold rain splattered across his face. His drenched shirt was molded to every muscle in his broad chest, and his dark hair, dripping wet, hung like a plush drapery over his gorgeous eyes; he was so damn sexy, so irresistible in that moment that I could hardly contain myself. I stared hungrily at his strong cheekbones and sharp, angled jaw.
Thunder exploded shortly after lightning zigzagged across the sky.
Jake’s blue eyes burned with desire, glistening like ocean waves with each illuminating strike. Our gazes locked, and in that moment, I knew he could feel what I did. I felt him more deeply than I ever felt had any of my lovers. Heat and electricity simmered between us, and I knew he wanted me as much as I wanted him. I shot him a flirty glance. A slow, sexy smile spread across his lips, and I was sure he’d read my naughty thoughts. That was all it took to ignite a fire that no power on Earth—or in any time or space—could stop.
Passion hit me like a hurricane as my hunger for him magnified. Pulling him closer, I felt the electric jolt of contact when our tongues met and danced with each other in perfect unison. His taste was intoxicating, and I couldn’t get enough.
Deepening the kiss, he pulled me close and scooped me up in his arms. He ran his hands through my tangle of wet hair as the rain trickled over my skin. He assaulted my mouth and my very soul long and hard, devouring me just as I longed to devour him. Intense need surged through me. I want him…now! Like a helpless prisoner to some primal urge, I tore his shirt off, exposing his perfectly sculpted chest. My fingers traced the ripples of his washboard abs and the hard muscles on his chest. His thumb circled my hard, excited nipple through the soft, damp fabric of my flimsy dress, and I let out a soft moan.
Through the flashing lightning and booming thunder, Jake had every nerve within me on high alert, and I could feel the caress of every raindrop falling on my body. I had always found something so enticing about rain, the way the water kissed my skin here and there and the sound of the drops echoing all around me. For me, the best part was finding myself pressed up against a wet, slick body that I adored.
An electrical storm brewed above us, but I was ready to create a monsoon of our own. As if I was caught in some young girl’s fantasy of her first love, Jake laid me gently on the soft grass and helped me slip out of my soaked garments. My tongue slipped into his mouth, and a flash of heat twisted my stomach. I ran my hands up his hard abs, then his chest, dancing my fingertips across every one of his muscles; he was so perfect that not even the world’s greatest sculptors could have created such an enticing male physique, more delicious than any piece of art.
He expertly and patiently trailed his tongue down my neck, sending shivers through me. My pulse skyrocketed as his sweet little kisses fluttered down my chest and belly, then up to my neck again. I felt the heat of his breath and moaned as his strong hands roamed over every inch of me, tingles of pleasure and warmth flooding through me with every touch. I loved the way his rough, callused hands touched me; the fiery but gentle contact was phenomenal. As our bodies moved against each other in a perfect rhythm, as if we were made for one another, I let out another soft moan, inviting him to continue. I closed my eyes in pure ecstasy as his mouth crashed hungrily into mine, a passionate collision if there ever was one.
It felt like I was inside of him. I could feel his heart racing wildly, and I sensed every emotion he felt, from passion to desire to the deepest love. I’d fallen in love before, but I had never experienced anything like what I had with Jake. He had shown me the meaning of true love, one that went beyond words and fairytales. The emotions absolutely consumed me. We had an amazing connection, one I couldn’t have explained if I’d tried. I could feel his heartbeat, his excitement, his arousal. We looked into each other’s eyes, both of us in complete awe. There was a fire burning between us, and I knew that flame would never die.
Suddenly, Jake’s lips began to caress my heated skin, moving down my body, slowly nibbling and sucking my neck and circling my nipples, joined by his teasing tongue. He thrust his hips forward, and I felt the undeniable bulge of his eager manhood against my thighs. My pulse hammered beneath my ribs, and an aching heat pulsed between my legs. I wanted so badly to feel his body inside of mine, to echo the feeling of our merged souls. I let out a long moan as I kissed him long and hard while his body pressed between my thighs, demanding an invitation. The scorching kiss consumed me, and my nails dug gently into his shoulder blades that were slick with rain. His shoulders felt so strong and powerful beneath my fingers, and in that glorious, unforgettable moment, I was seized by a rush of emotion—a sensation so intense that I couldn’t possibly contain it.
“I want you, Jake. I need you. I need you now!” I whispered.
And, like the good man he was, he gave me exactly what I needed. Right then and there, in the rain, Jake made the most passionate love to me. He was the unexpected love of my life. I wasn’t sure if we’d be together forever or not, but I was absolutely certain that Jake loved me as much as I loved him.
Long, mind-blowing moments later, the rain stopped, and the scent of wet leaves, sweet herbs, and damp, freshly laundered earth hung heavy in the air. The sun peeked out and shimmered across the muscles that were bulging from his chest and arms. He cupped my face and grinned; I loved his white, dazzling smile. No words were necessary. We simply stared lovingly at each other, and our eyes said it all. I was sure Jake had stolen my heart, and I didn’t think I’d get it back anytime soon.
“I love you so much,” I said.
“I love you too.” He brushed wet strands of hair from my face.
When he said those special words, I felt like the world stopped for a minute. My heart pitter-pattered like a little girl’s on Christmas morning. I’d learned a lot from Jake, but the most valuable lesson he’d taught me was that love wasn’t about trying to find a perfect match. Instead, it was all about finding someone I couldn’t live without. I’d seen Jake at his best and at his worst. He had flaws, and in spite of his looks, he wasn’t always perfect. Nevertheless, he would always be my hero. I couldn’t judge him, for I was far from perfect myself. I could be bullheaded, stubborn, emotionally insecure, and defensive. The important thing was that we accepted each other as we were, faults, flaws, and shortcomings included.
“I don’t wanna ever let you go. I just want to hold you here forever. It’s like a dream, so happily-ever-after, and I-I’m scared to death of losing you.”
He kissed my lips. “I’m not going anywhere.”
We went back to our hotel room and took a shower together. My gaze drifted to the water droplets cascading down his chiseled chest. I ran a hand through Jake’s soaked hair. He shot me a half-smile and kissed my neck. The spark in his kiss jolted me, assuring me of our amazing chemistry. I’d known it from the very start, from the very second I’d laid eyes on him in the biology lab in high school.
I grinned, completely mesmerized by his beaming smile. “I’m loving every single minute of this.” My arms hooked around his neck, and my legs wrapped around his waist. We kissed some more, and all the while, I stared into his eyes. “I’ve been thinking.”
His interest was piqued; then again, he always seemed to take an interest in everything I had to say. “What?” he asked immediately.
“I want more,” I purred, staring at him seductively.
His warm breath against my ear was intoxicating. He absolutely oozed sex appeal. I smoothed my hands against the thick muscles in his arms and chest. A wet lock of hair fell across his eyes, and I gently brushed it back. He pressed his mouth on my lips and swirled his tongue around mine. It was slow and sweet, and he knew I loved it. My heart raced as he pulled me closer. His touch was amazing, and it electrified me. My body was growing hotter by the second.
And we went for Round Two.
After our glorious escapade in the shower, I dried off, slipped into a nightgown, then climbed into bed. Jake slep
t naked, per usual. I was the luckiest woman in the world to have such a hot and confident man staring at me like I was his most treasured possession. I snuggled close as Jake held me close in his strong arms.
And for the first time in a long time, life was beautiful.
* * *
The next morning, I woke up feeling happier than I’d ever felt before. After I took a shower, I heard Jake calling me back to bed, so I hurried over to him. I kissed his lips. “We have to pack.”
“You just wanna get back home to watch all those Project Runways you recorded.”
I laughed. “We still have two more stops before I can get home and check my digital recorder. Now come on, get up and let’s pack.”
“I see you need some convincing,” he purred.
I buried my hands in his soft, tousled hair. “Hmm. Yeah, I guess I could use some.”
His lips and tongue gently played against my throat, leaving a trail of kisses up and down my skin. I wrapped my arms around him and let out a soft moan. He slipped my nightgown off, and I pulled him down hard in another passionate kiss. Electric chills swept through me as he cupped my breasts in his large, warm hands. My body shivered from the feel of his tongue sucking my erect nipples with a gentle force. I trembled under his touch. It felt so good, and I loved every second of it.
“I’m so hot for you, Jake,” I moaned, digging my fingernails into his back, letting my tongue dance sensuously with his.
His kiss grew bolder and hotter as his mouth devoured mine. Burning with desire, I practically ripped his shirt off and traced the firm muscles and ridges of his powerful chest. His hands roved my body and skimmed the curves of my hips and bottom. I kissed his chest, a solid wall of muscle.
We shared a fiery, insane chemistry. I tangled my fingers through his thick, soft hair as the kiss deepened into a passionate lip-lock—long, fast, and intense. He poured out all his body, soul, and emotion into the mind-blowing moment, then kissed me again—this time slow, tender, and passionate, so perfect, so right, and so romantic. Sparks flew as I opened and closed my mouth to the rhythm, wanting to devour him.