CHAPTER TEN
Rod
The perplexed expression on her face was adorable. But that’s the only part of ending our impromptu make-out session I remotely enjoyed. Taking her to the nightclub to dance the night away, instead of back to my room to explore every single inch of her naked body, was one of the hardest things I’ve done. It’s definitely the most chivalrous I’ve ever been toward a woman who’s only supposed to be a pleasurable pastime for the short term.
But my damn conscience kept nagging at me, cautioning me against pushing her further than she was ready to go. She may have thought she was ready to punch her wild card, but she got caught up in the moment. For some reason, it bothers me to think she’d wake up tomorrow and regret her decision to give herself to me tonight. When she’s ready, and not just momentarily worked into a frenzy, we’ll both know the time is right. For now, I’m trying to be the decent guy and save her from herself, and from me.
But no good deed goes unpunished, as I’m finding out firsthand. She’d never admit it outright, but she’s grinding against my crotch over the entirety of every single song just to punish and torture me.
Fast song? Grind on me.
Slow song? Slow grind on me.
At this point, I’m looking for a piña colada to pour down my own pants. A simple cold shower won’t be able to touch this raging hard-on. I need an hour-long soak in nothing but ice cubes.
“Time for a drink, Miss Daisy. Are you thirsty?”
“I’m definitely parched. It’s hot in here with so many people. There are more guests tonight than the other night.” I wrap my arm around her to keep her close to my side as we wind through people to reach the bar.
“You came up here before tonight?”
“Of course. I was here for the first costume party. Weren’t you?”
Thankfully, we reach the bar just in time that I don’t have to answer, and I don’t have to lie. The bartender jerks his chin up toward me, his nonverbal way of asking for our order.
“Another cosmo for you?” I look down at Daisy and wait for her confirmation before relaying the order. “Have you tried anything else? You know, besides frozen coconut concoctions and girlie drinks.”
“I have, but since my drink has more alcohol content than most others, it takes fewer drinks to get that feel-good buzz. But don’t worry, I never drink enough to get sloppy drunk or anything like that. I just like the taste of it better than anything else.”
“Fair enough.” The bartender passes our drinks across the bar and we find a deserted table in the corner to sit until we’ve finished them. “So, I know you like swimming, slides, and hiking. What else do you like to do?”
A pensive expression crosses her features before she quickly pulls the mask back over her face. “As boring as this sounds, I don’t do much else besides work. I love my job, but one thing I’ve realized over the past couple of days is I need to find more hobbies when I get home.”
“What is your job? What do you love so much?”
“I’m a teacher, early childhood education. I love working with kids, so that takes most of my time and energy, but I don’t mind. The benefits far outweigh any drawbacks.”
“That’s great. I can tell how dedicated you are from the change in your tone. There’s nothing wrong with loving your job and being good at it.” A teacher, huh? She can teach me anything she wants, anytime she pleases. “Do you take summers off?”
“I do. One perk of the job. I have one passion outside of my job, a charity organization I run every summer.”
“I’m not trying to pry, but it’s October. Don’t you have a class to teach now?”
“That’s not prying. There were cuts in my district and they combined classes. I moved to a different school system a few days before this trip. My job there doesn’t start for a couple more weeks, though. I’m replacing a teacher who’s going out on maternity leave soon. She doesn’t plan to return after the baby’s born. What about your job? You mentioned once about developing software. Do you like it?”
“It’s not as interesting as molding and shaping young minds all day, but I enjoy creating new toys for others to play with. It pays the bills.” I realize I’m playing down the significance of my company, but my financial situation isn’t something I share with many people. One mention of the name of the company I own will give it all away.
“I’m impressed. It’s fascinating to me. Most users never get to see how programs run behind the scenes, and you’re the one who codes them to make them work.” She takes the last sip from her glass.
“Want another one?”
“No, thank you. That’s my limit for tonight. I’m looking forward to our trek in the mountains tomorrow. But you should know that Tracy will watch for my return. She’s a force to be reckoned with, so don’t think you’ll get away with dumping my body in a ravine and leaving me there.”
“I’ve already told you once, if you fall, I fall with you. I believe I proved that to you during our outing at the cabana.” I reach over and cover her hand with mine, giving her more reassurance. Her comments don’t offend me. I’d expect my sister to be just as careful in her interactions with a strange man on an island, or next door.
“About that, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything you did. Renting the cabana was a wonderful idea. The slide was so much fun, and I went down it fifty times in a row because of you.” She turns her hand and laces our fingers together. “Thank you.”
“Believe me, it was all my pleasure. I think I had more fun than you did.”
“That’s not possible.”
We chuckle lightly together, but our eyes linger a little too long. Her skin is so soft, her small hand fits perfectly in mine, and the memory of how soft her lips are is a little too tempting. My superpower to remain a respectful guy is waning under the alluring way she’s looking at me. If she pushes the issue, I won’t take the high road again. I’ll take her to places she’s only read about.
“Speaking of our lengthy walk in the dark, secluded woods, where no one can hear you scream for help or come to rescue you from me, I should get you back to your room. No excuses of being too tired to keep up with me tomorrow.”
“You think I can’t keep up just because my legs are shorter than yours, don’t you? Just wait. I’ll show you, Hot Rod.”
“I’ll never admit to saying this, but I like it when you call me that. I consider it as a compliment, like a tribute to my sexiness.”
“That’s absolutely what it is. What else could it mean? It’s definitely not that you think you’re more charming that you actually are.” The teasing gleam in her eye reveals an additional aspect of her personality. She’s growing more comfortable with me and more confident in herself.
“Come on, wiseass. It’s past your bedtime.”
When we reach the door to her room, she stops and turns to me. The question is on the tip of her tongue.
Do I want to come in?
Yes. Fuck yes, I do.
“Thanks for walking me back to my room. Your alibi is solid now since you’re on camera, showing what a thoughtful date you are.” She smiles and her eyes dance with humor.
“There are cameras on us right now? That just makes me want to give them something worth watching.”
She gasps and I take full advantage of the situation. Before she can reply, my lips are on hers, my tongue dives deep into her mouth, and my fingers wind around her hair. I hold her head in the exact position I want her—the one that gives me the best access to deepen the kiss even further. Her hands flatten against my chest and slide up my body, then she changes her mind and changes direction.
When her fingers graze the outline of my swollen cock through my pants, she freezes, unsure of what to do next. My hips involuntarily push it harder into her hand, seeking the attention my erection so desperately craves. The momentum drives her back against the door, and I lean into her front, never breaking the kiss that’s consuming us both.
“Rod.” My
name escapes from her throat in a desperate plea.
We’re both on the edge of a precipice, waiting for the ground to give way under our feet so we have an excuse for falling.
After slowing our pace and ending the feverish kiss, I lean my forehead against hers and focus on breathing until my racing heart slows to a manageable speed. “Sorry. I’m obviously having an extremely difficult time controlling myself around you. You’re a terrible influence on me.”
My tone is teasing, and she knows I mean no harm to her in the least. She releases a sarcastic snicker. “That’s funny, because I was just thinking the same thing.”
“That you’re a bad influence on me?”
“Yes, exactly that part.” She rolls her eyes at me. “No, Hot Rod, that I can’t control myself around you.”
“Is it terrible that I’m relieved I’m not alone in this?”
“You’re not alone at all. We’re both suffering and driving each other crazy at the same time.”
“Then we both know we have something explosive and mind-altering to look forward to... as soon as humanly possible. Let’s go with that for now.” I grasp her face in my hands and place a long, lingering kiss on her scrumptious lips. “Good night. I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”
Before either of us change our mind, I take her key card, open the door, and gently push her inside. “Make sure no one else is in your room while I wait right here.”
“All clear,” she says after a minute. “Good night, Rod. Sweet dreams.” She doesn’t mean that at all. There’s zero conviction in her voice.
“They will be. They’ll be of you, all night long.” I close the door and make sure it latches before heading back to my room. Alone. Again.
This fucking trip feels like we’ve already been on it for weeks.
When I walk into our room, Kevin is kicked back on his bed, watching TV with an overtly satisfied expression on his face. He gawks at me as I unbutton my shirt.
“Where’s your jacket?”
“Well, shit. Daisy is still wearing it. She got chilled out on the beach, so I covered her with it. She wore it in the nightclub too. I just forgot to get it back from her.”
“Holy shit.” He sits up and turns to put his feet on the floor. “You still haven’t fucked her, have you?”
“Fuck off, man.”
“And you won’t even tell me. You like her. Admit it.”
“Kevin, you are my best friend, but I will only say this once. I don’t talk to you about anything remotely related to feelings, dating, girls, or advice of any kind, really. We’ve had this discussion before.”
“You don’t talk about feelings because you deny having any. But you’ve spent four days and nights with this girl, and you haven’t sealed the deal. Either something is wrong with you, which is okay because it happens to every man now and then. We’ll get you in to see a doctor. Or, you like her more than you’ll say, and you don’t want to use your evil powers against her. So, which is it? Do you need a doctor or an exorcism?”
I don’t know how long I stand here, staring at Kevin with no expression on my face. I’m trying to decide if I should call the doctor for him and wondering if it’s safe for me to close my eyes with him in the same room. “I refuse to dignify that question with a response, other than this one.” I give him the middle finger salute before climbing into my bed.
“Tracy talks about Daisy a lot. They’ve been best friends for years. From what Tracy’s told me, what you see is exactly what you get. She’s not the type to use people or care about status. She wouldn’t tell me what happened, but someone screwed her over horribly a while back. That’s why she’s so reserved.”
I think back over my interactions with her, from the costume party the other night all the way through the moment I left her door just minutes ago. She was reserved at first, but she’s letting me inside her closed bubble little by little. That should worry me, along with the realization that I care whether she lets me all the way in. I care what she thinks about me. I care what the end of the trip will do to her.
I shouldn’t care.
Kevin is still blabbering on beside me, but my mind has latched on to Daisy and won’t let go. Then his voice cuts in again.
“You know, Rod, you may find you have a lot more in common with her if you’d let her get to know the real you.”
“What are you talking about? This is the real me.”
“Ask Juliana and Isabelle if this man is the Rod they know. They wouldn’t recognize who you are away from them. I know Juliana wants you to be happy. She’s told me before how much she worries about you and your commitment to remaining a career bachelor. She doesn’t want you to end up alone and miserable.”
“It’s past time to drop this, Kevin. I have my reasons for wanting to stay single. I’m not the least bit worried about my future. I’m perfectly happy with the way my life is going.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
I won’t say this out loud. Just two nights ago, Daisy was in the arms of a masked man, not knowing it was me. Tonight, she kissed me with a need and urgency that matched my own. Is she truly interested in me or ready to fall for the first guy who gives her attention?
Time will tell.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Daisy
Rod and I take a taxi from the hotel to the national park so we can explore the area on our own. Rod’s backpack is loaded with bottled water, snacks, and everything we could need for getting lost in a jungle ten times the size of the island we’re on. I mean, if we walk straight in any direction, we’ll find our way back to the shore. It’s not as if there’s enough land mass here for us to get lost for too long. But I appreciate the effort he went through to make sure we have extra rations, so I don’t point out any of the obvious.
Plus, there’s no telling how much he spent in the resort’s stores to accumulate all these supplies, complete with an emergency blanket in case we get cold in the sweltering heat of the Caribbean. The driver pulls into the park and drops us off at the visitor center. Rod pays the driver and arranges a time for the same guy to pick us up later.
We stroll through the park toward the mountainous area hand in hand, taking in the beauty of the land, sea, and sky along our way. When we reach the edge of the forest, we stop at the trailhead entrance and examine the park map. I take a picture with my phone, just in case the trails aren’t well-marked in the deeper parts of the woods.
“This one leads to a huge waterfall. Let’s do that one first.” I point to the trail and follow the lines to the water.
“Sounds good to me. My lady wants a waterfall, I’ll give her a waterfall. It’ll be the best damn waterfall on the island, too.” He cuts his eyes over to me and winks. That sexy smile of his gets me every time.
We begin our trek down a well-worn path. The lush green foliage of the forest surrounding us makes it hard to look away. The trees, ferns, and moss-covered rocks are each slightly different hues, but when the streams of light filter through the canopy above, they’re almost iridescent. I can’t take enough pictures to capture the beauty of the real McCoy. They each turn out flat and lifeless compared to the genuine thing. This place is teeming with thriving life and vibrant colors.
“This was a brilliant idea, Rod. I’m officially in love with an island and I never want to leave.”
After a short trek up the side of the first mountain, we come to an opening before the trail winds around to the right. The cliff on our left is nearly straight down, disappearing into the aqua blue water below. The white-capped waves lap at the protected cove beneath us, instantly making me wish I had wings so I could soar off this mountainside and enjoy all the views from above.
“You look more relaxed here, even after climbing that hill, than you have any other time I’ve seen you. You really have fallen in love with this place.”
“I feel at peace here. The trees, the breeze, the sound of the ocean, and the songs from the birds in the trees are all so soothing. It’s heav
en on earth.”
After snapping a million and one pictures of the amazing vistas, we continue our hike under the shade of the tree limbs hanging over the trail. After a few minutes of walking, Rod stops and tilts his head, listening to the sounds coming from the thick trees on the mountainside.
“Do you hear that? It sounds like running water. A small stream, maybe? Let’s hike down the side of the mountain off the trail and see if we can find it.”
The thought of leaving the trail makes me apprehensive, even if we are on a small island. I’m not concerned about getting lost, but there could be deep holes or other hazards that would make it hard or impossible to get back out. But I’m determined to be more adventurous and less scared of my shadow.
“Okay, let’s go.” Maybe I’ll just hang back a couple of steps behind him. No sense in both of us disappearing into a hidden cave, never to be seen again. At least this way I will still be able to go get help.
We hike down the hill, talking and laughing as we wind around large rocks and wide trees. The scenery is beautiful, and the undergrowth is rich. We haven’t found any hidden crevices or dangerous precipices, so I dial my anxiety back a couple hundred levels. After about an hour, I notice there are no trails. Anywhere. We’ve alternated walking up, down, and sideways so much that we couldn’t find our path back to the trail if we tried.
I’m not convinced we haven’t doubled back over our own tracks once or twice by now.
“Rod, we’ve been walking for a while and haven’t come across any water yet. Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?”
“Nope.”
“That’s reassuring.” My deadpan response makes him laugh out loud.
“I’m not worried about it and you shouldn’t be either. We’re having fun, aren’t we? Exploring uncharted forests. Making our own path through the jungle. Getting to know each other without any prying eyes. Where in the world are we? We don’t know. But I do know I get you all to myself, so there’s no way our little adventure can be wrong.”
All I Want: Rod & Daisy (All Of Me Duet Book 1) Page 9