Haven

by J D Worth

  “Tahitian vanilla to be exact, and my hair smells like coconut.” My reply is raspy as his lips brush against my throat.

  Dropping his towel, Mace pulls me close. His hardness springs against my belly. “You gonna let me have a taste?”

  “A taste? I thought you—”

  He sweeps me upon the bed and crawls onto top of me, slowly placing his weight on me. “Just a taste.”

  I smile. “Like those Belgian chocolates?”

  He shifts my hips, angling my body towards his while he grins. Nudging his cock close to my sex, heat surges to my center. My eyes flutter as hints of pleasure dance across my skin. “You’re already melting against me like those silky chocolates in my mouth, Princess.”

  Shifting my hips upward, I bite back a moan. “You’re cock sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

  He bucks hard, hitting my swollen nub with the head of his cock. My eyes roll back, desperate for more. He growls low, saying, “I’d say it goes both ways. We’re both hungry.” Rocking against me in a smooth rhythm, he gazes down my body. I grip hard upon his shoulders, holding on for the ride.

  The tension in my belly coils and breaks. I lift my head up and meet his lips. He smiles as his strong lips move against mine. My body warms. Wetness seeps through my thong as we both seek closer contact, moving our hips together. He runs his large rough hand down my body and across the delicate lace lingerie thong. He twists the lace in his hand and rips the material from my body. I suck in a deep gasp, and he chuckles. He swirls his fingers around my dampness. Taking his time, he nudges his shaft against my quivering bundle of nerves like an expert. I whimper at the enticing bare connection.

  Mace flips my hands above my head while drawing his body up and down my slick folds. His masterful movements drive me crazy. My sex pulses. Pleasure spreads. He’s awoken a primal side I’ve never experienced before. I can no longer hold back as desire courses through me. I bear down until he slips in. He reacts by releasing a guttural groan when he fills me. Our bodies reach the closest they’ll ever get. Neither of us moves.

  Mace kisses my lips, saying, “How could I ever think a taste of you would be enough?”

  “Because it’s not. One night of you wouldn’t do me justice either.” Working my inner muscles around his hardness, my eyes hood with longing as I reach a new plateau of pleasure.

  Looking down at our close connection, he presses me harder into the bed. “Damn, I knew you’d feel this good wrapped around me.”

  Creating friction, I swing my hips upward. He groans deep and needy. “Then stop holding back, Mace. You feel just as good. I don’t think I can be clearer when I say … fuck me. And I mean good and hard.” Taking my lead, he dives forward. My body bounces upward as he picks up speed, driving his thrusts harder and deeper.

  My muscles lock up.

  Darkness pools in the corners of my eyes. I’m throw back on the beach, pinned under Chaz.

  I focus on the ceiling, trying to make the flashback stop. Terrifying memories bulldoze me instead.

  Mace senses something is off. He stops moving against me. “Please tell me you’re not a virgin, and I didn’t fuck this up by diving in too fast.” Disappointment laces in his voice as he begs against my lips. “Princess?” A shivering ripple works down my ridged body. “Princess?” He shakes my shoulders.

  Snapping my eyes to his. “What?” Heaviness comes back to my tingling limbs. I try to move but my body is leaden.

  Mace pushes back from me, his face drains of color. “Where the fuck did you go? The last thing I wanna do is hurt you.”

  “You didn’t hurt me.” My voice sounds far away as the room slowly comes back into focus.

  “I’m not exactly gentle.”

  “You didn’t hurt me,” I hear myself saying, my voice flat and mechanical. “Sex is nothing new, yet I’ve never had sex without a condom before. I am on an oral contraceptive.”

  “You’re scaring the fuck out of me right now, Audrey. What’s wrong?” Mace says, raising the alarm in his voice. I try to summon a feeling, to say something that will put him at ease.

  I squint up at him. “I must be tired.” Chaz thrusting like a madman flashes before me again. My body trembles as I shake my head, pushing the vile experience away. “I guess we got carried away?”

  “Fuck.” I clench my eyes at his startling reaction. Dipping his head down, he whispers, “I shouldn’t have taken you. I’m sorry.” I brush my fingers along his hair to let him know I’m all right. He presses a kiss against my thumping chest for a long moment while we collect ourselves. “I guess we did get carried away. I want you to know I’m clean. I always use condoms.” His eyes trail down my body.

  “Thanks for sharing that.”

  Mace lets out a deep sigh of resignation. His intense green eyes burn through me. I can’t meet his gaze, so I focus on his hands. He brings mine to his lips, kissing them. The tender moment threatens to send a waterfall to my eyes. “Look at me, Princess.” I lift my eyes from our entwined fingers. “You were on the beach alone with him for at least five minutes before I showed up. I know he had his filthy hands all over you.” A sharp intake of air fills my chest. I watch Mace kiss every fading bruise on my trembling body. “The next time you look into the mirror, remember my lips touched you last.”

  I refuse to cry. Mace may not share much about himself, but in this moment, I can feel him to the core. I’ll be forever grateful that our paths crossed when they did. He lays more kisses across my chest. Caressing each sore mark with his gentle lips, he works his way back up to my mouth. He tugs me up to a standing position. Placing both of his hands behind my neck, he caresses my face with his thumbs. He held me like this at Corolla. I meet his eyes. Pools of stormy green transfix me.

  I place my hands over his. Mace steadies his forehead against mine and says, “You good?”

  “Yeah,” I whisper, and he gives me a deep, longing kiss. My body trembles once more, and his hands rub up and down my arms.

  “Shower?” he offers, and I agree. A slow smile spreads across his face as he wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me up. He lets out a gruff laugh at my look of surprise, setting me down when we reach the shower.

  Mace checks to see if the running water is still warm. He nods for me to go ahead and surprises me again by stepping in behind me. The move isn’t sexual at all. He smiles, covers me in soap, and takes his time washing the bubbles off. I step out, leaving Mace to his shower.

  Tossing on comfy yoga pants and a cami, I hurry to the living room. “Hey, Audrey.” Violet winks, cuddling into Jax on the wide chair. “Should we gals make a night of drinking ourselves silly and crashing here?”

  “I have yet to drink myself silly. Tonight is perfect to cross that one off the bucket list,” I say, running my hands through my damp hair. If anything, the company will help me forget Chaz.

  Violet sends a text to her parents and waits a beat for their response. She hops up. “Yay! Sleepover. Have you ever had a sleepover before?” I shake my head no, and she wraps me in a sympathetic hug. “Well, it’s about damn time!”

  “I’m going to grab plates for the pizza. Would you and Jax like something to drink?” I hope a drink will calm my nerves. I never planned to take things that far with Mace tonight or show anyone the full extent of my injuries for that matter. I know what happened was not my fault. But still, every time I look at my bruised body...

  “Don’t worry, Audrey, I’m fixin’ to make drinks. Jax, you find us something to watch until they get back.” Violet tags along to the kitchen, grabbing the tequila. She frowns. “I wanted Tequila Sunrises, but we got no grenadine.” She searches my cupboards and my fridge, smirking when she pulls out my favorite pomegranate juice. “I can substitute. You want one?” she offers.

  I pour whiskey into a tall glass. “No thanks. This is more my speed.”

  Violet touches a vase full of white roses tucked into the corner of my kitchen counter. “These roses are be
autiful. Mace must’ve brought them.” A crawling sensation settles over my skin. The flowers were not there when we came in from the rain. An unease builds. I can’t toss them out. I’ll bring more attention to the unsettling situation of a stranger slipping into my cottage while I was with Mace.

  Violet keeps smiling at me, pointedly not asking where Mace is, or why we disappeared for so long. She taps the mysterious postcard of Haven Cove on the side of my fridge. “Oh, this is so pretty.”

  I say, “Sure is. Have you ever seen that postcard before?”

  “Nope, I thought you took that picture.” She finishes mixing her drink and claps my glass with hers. “Cheers, from Jax’s woman to a Jack’s gal.” She giggles.

  Mace strolls into the kitchen, heading straight for me. Violet passes him and winks over her shoulder on her way out. With his eyes locked on mine, he seems not to notice her at all. I place my drink down, ready for his encounter when he reaches out for me. He plants his hands on my ass, sweeping me into his body, and gives me a deep kiss. I fall under his beguiling spell, kissing him just as enthusiastically back.

  I whisper, “All I want now is to feel your lips on my body.”

  “Princess, you melt like chocolate under my touch. If I have my way, you’ll be melting all day, every day.”

  The front door swings open, interrupting us. Payton rushes in from the rain, carrying a bag. Cal is right behind her, holding the pizza boxes tight in his hands. “What we’d miss?” he asks, his tone more demanding than casual.

  Violet reappears, rolling her eyes at Cal. “Nothing. We took showers. Maybe all together. Audrey’s bucket list is so much fun!”

  Cal scowls. “Wrap this ‘fun’ up before the pizza gets cold.” Payton glances between Mace and me, flashing a cautious smile as she tugs Cal by the shirt into the other room. He grumbles as he follows.

  “Woman!” Jax shouts. “Get your pretty little ass in here and gimme some sugar!”

  “Oh goody.” Violet rubs her hands together. “Cal tattled, so now Jax wants to spank me.”

  “Oh, don’t forget the sugar.” I slide over the sugar dispenser from the counter. The kitchen fills with Mace and Violet’s hearty laughter.

  Violet squeezes me into a hug. “Audrey, I love you!” She giggles as I look at her for an explanation. “I’ll let Mace help you with this one.” Violet waltzes out of the room with her two drinks, aiming a teasing smirk towards Mace.

  I step forward, and Mace holds me back. His mouth hovers over mine, saying, “Sugar.” He kisses me, skimming his tongue over my lower lip. A smile spreads across his lips, and I melt like a Popsicle on a hot day. “Boy, you’re something sweet.”

  “I’m something.” I offer a sheepish smile back. “This week I fumbled at Violet’s house when I didn’t know what a casserole was. When I got home—”

  “Home?” Mace prods. I do a slow blink, focusing on the Haven Cove postcard on my fridge again.

  Inhaling an audible breath as if he gave me a hidden key, I admit, “Yes, this is my home.”

  “Good to hear.”

  “When I got home, I searched for cheesy casserole recipes online, and there were five million results!” Mace smirks at my wonderment. “And now I know the word ‘sugar’ also means affection. How do I not know these common, everyday things?”

  “You think I know how to tell a salad fork from a regular one, or how to use a friggin’ bidet? It goes both ways.” I giggle. Mace gives me another dazzling kiss. “I’m gonna make sure you’re not sugar deprived anymore.”

  “Here’s another little thing you can help me with.” I remove the postcard and hand the riddle over to him. “Did you send this a week before I arrived here?”

  He flips the post card over, reading the typewritten message. “What the fuck is this?”

  “You’ve never seen that postcard before?”

  Dumbfounded, he shakes his head as he reads the back again. “No, Princess.” He plops the postcard back on the fridge and slips his hand into mine, leading me away from the postcard as fast as he can.

  Cal tosses a pizza slice on a plate as he cuts his eyes to us. Payton whispers something into his ear, and he calms down.

  Trent swings into the room behind us, aiming his finger at Cal and Payton. “You two are the reason I had to grovel with my momma over the car.” Cal and Payton do look guilty themselves—perhaps they shared their own private moment when Cal took her home.

  “Watch it, bud,” Cal replies. Everyone seems on edge tonight for some reason.

  I ignore the unfolding drama, wondering if pulled pork on a pizza tastes good. I passed several roadside barbecue establishments on my way down. Barbecue seems to be reign supreme in the South.

  Trent grabs a slice and flops down in the middle of the sectional. He chimes in, “Audrey, it’s like you never seen barbecue sauce on a pizza.” All eyes fall on me while I try slinking back to the kitchen unnoticed.

  Payton sets her keen eyes on me. “Wait, this is your first pizza, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” My cheeks flush as I still. “Do we need more plates?”

  “How’s that even possible?” Trent asks, seizing another huge bite.

  Mace pipes in, “Trent, do you know what a bidet is?” I cover my snorting laughter behind a napkin.

  “What the fuck, Mace?” Trent glares at him.

  “That’s what I thought. Let her eat the damn pizza in peace,” Mace replies. Trent looks at me as if I’m crazy. “Pizza is grease and cheese. What’s not to love, Princess?” Mace grabs a slice from each box for me and pats the cushion beside him. I drop beside him.

  Taking a bite of the pepperoni slice, I almost die from taste overload. “This is what I’ve been missing?” I take another large bite, not bothering with any semblance of graceful table manners. Pleasure washes over me.

  “Just a taste.” Mace’s lips brush against my ear. All eyes are on me, watching in amazement as I enjoy my first slice of pizza.

  “Well, shit. If you weren’t eating pizza for school lunch, what were you eating?” Trent asks, finishing off his crust.

  Annoyed, I snap: “Filet mignon, poached chicken, sushi, and salmon. Meals served with salads, steamed vegetables, and fresh baked artisan breads.” I clamp my mouth shut, embarrassed by their sudden silence. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to sound snotty.”

  “Filet mignon. How is that possible? We got French fries or tater tots on a good day.” Trent grabs another slice and dangles the long string of cheese over his mouth before he chomps on a big piece. Trent is about as well-mannered at the dinner table as a pack of feral dogs.

  I ask, “What are tater tots?”

  Trent laughs, wiping his mouth on the shoulder of his shirt, leaving behind a greasy trail. “You’re pulling my leg, right?” He looks around the room, waiting for the joke to play out. Everyone is giving Trent looks that say the same thing: Behave.

  Frowning, I say, “No, I’ve never heard of that dish. I’m positive my school experience has been vastly different from yours. I know this all must sound ridiculous and ostentatious.” They’re speechless. “Parents pay as much for Preston Academy as they do for an Ivy League education. The menu matches the expectations.”

  “Well, slap my head and call me silly.” Trent plops his pizza down, gazing at me with his mouth open. “You’re telling me your daddy was loaded before he married your stepmomma, and I don’t mean just owning the resort?”

  “Yes, in essence, she’s a trophy wife.”

  Trent swirls his finger in the air. “Let me get this straight. The heir to Georgina Peach Schnapps married someone richer than her?” I nod my head. Trent mouths holy fuck, shaking his head in disbelief again.

  “I thought you already knew all of this. You had to sign the confidentiality agreement that protects my family before you worked that evening.”

  “Nope! I needed the money, and I can keep my mouth shut. We always get paid extra if we gotta sign ’em. The ric
h thinks it’s like incentive to stay loyal or some shit.” Trent shares a cocky grin. His cavalier display of disrespecting the non-disclosure puts me on guard.

  “Please keep in mind my family is dead serious about confidentiality agreements.”

  “Gotcha. You had fancy steak for lunch every day?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow at me, feasting on his pizza again.

  “Red meat is not allowed at the apartment, so if I had a craving, then yes.”

  “Yeah, like my family gets a hankerin’ once a month for steak. We go to Coon Creek in Hearth as our special treat. If you have all this money, why do you still live in an apartment?”

  “Our place is on Fifth Avenue,” I reply. He shrugs. “An apartment in that neighborhood is like calling this house a beach shack.”