This sense of happiness held a danger though. I was falling for him — falling for him hard. He was wonderful, sexy, and could make me laugh. He was my perfect man,... and I was going to have to leave him forever in three days. I wanted more of him and I had a sinking feeling that I always would. This love was like our marriage—a happy illusion.
A gull flew overhead, squawking loudly about a lost supper as he searched for more. The ocean was almost green today with clouds blocking the brightness of the sun. The sky threatened rain in the evening, but for now, the world was hot and sticky. It made everything more dreamlike. I closed my eyes and listened to ocean, feeling the warm breeze glide across my skin and ruffle my sundress.
The front door creaked and I kept my eyes shut, lost in my happy moment. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you too, sleepy head,” I said with a grin. I opened my eyes and wanted to gasp. Jack stood admiring the view, and I couldn’t help but admire mine. He stood wearing only a pair of blue swim trunks, bare-chested and hair still rumpled from sleep. He stretched and my eyes followed the play of muscles down his chest and abs, feeling my insides go mushy.
“I haven’t slept like that in years.” Jack ran a hand through his perfect bedhead hair. I wanted to put my fingers in it again, to pull his face close to mine and kiss him thoroughly. “What did you do to me?”
“Just my wifely duties,” I said, stretching my legs out from under me. Jack’s eyes followed my legs with obvious interest. His hand dropped from his sandy hair and he grinned as his eyes met mine. I stood up slowly, feeling stiff. I was sore all over, but in a good way. My body had never seen this much sex, let alone this much good sex. Muscles I didn’t even know I had were letting me know I was using them. It was great.
“I thought I would go for a morning swim before breakfast. You interested?” The glimmer in his eye made me hope there was more than swimming. Those muscles needed more exercise.
“Breakfast was a couple of hours ago, Sleepy Head, but I’ll join you for one before lunch,” I quipped. I stood and rose to my toes, giving him a quick peck before turning to change into my swim suit
“Hold it right there, Beautiful,” Jack growled catching my arm and pulling me back to him. He leaned down and pressed his soft lips against mine, flooding my brain with sensation and desire. When he finally released me from his kiss, I staggered to the door gasping for breath.
“How do you kiss so good?” I asked as I opened the door. He grinned cockily at me. I hurried in and found a dry suit, a bright pink bikini that I never thought I would actually wear. I had bought it because I loved the color, but today I felt like I could wear it. Jack would love it.
Jack whistled as I stepped out. He was off the steps in the sand, looking up as I came out on the porch. The bikini felt tiny and exposing, but the way it made Jack’s eyes light up took away any self-consciousness that I had. Jack liked it and that was all that mattered.
Jack’s hand felt warm in mine, his fingers grasping mine tightly as we headed towards the green waves. Jack walked into the water as though it wasn’t there. He sloshed effortlessly through the waves, pulling me along behind him. The water was cool, but it felt good after the tropical heat.
Jack dived under the water, releasing my hand. I stood still, letting the waves bump against me in the waist high water as I waited patiently for him to surface. A moment passed, and then another, and he didn’t surface. A thread of worry began to creep into my chest as I turned in the water, searching for him.
Something grabbed my ankle and pulled me under. I yelped and felt salt water pour into my open mouth as my head dipped beneath the surface. I scrambled to the surface, spitting out the salty water. Jack rose laughing, water sluicing off his muscles and catching the light as I wiped the water out of my eyes.
“Gotcha.”
I turned in an instant and tackled him, my arms wrapping around his solid middle and throwing all my weight into his hips. This time I was the one prepared to go under and he wasn’t. Jack came up spluttering and laughing as he pulled me close to him. He held me effortlessly against him, our faces just above the surface and almost touching as he knelt in the water.
“You trying to drown me?” His voice had a thrilling gruffness to it.
“You started it,” I whispered. His fingers splayed against my back, pushing my chest into his. He felt so solid and warm in the water. I wrapped my legs around him, feeling his excitement growing.
His mouth covered mine, his lips soft and wet with the ocean. The salt water flavored his kisses, giving him a new taste that I could never hope to get enough of. I licked my lips, tasting his salt water kisses. This is what heaven was like.
He pulled me closer, our skin pressing together so that not even a single drop of water could fit between us. He was so warm and strong, my insides melting with fresh want. I would have taken him right there. I would have let him fill me and let my body sing his praise, but an old married couple was walking down the beach.
I bit my lip as I watched them walk slowly past us, and Jack made a deep masculine noise of appreciation before kissing the offended lip. “I think we should head back in and rinse off before lunch, what do you think?”
I arched my hips into his, feeling a growing hardness that made my body ache with desire. I nodded and grinned as I unhooked my legs and stood. He stood behind me, using me as his shield against the eyes of the beach walking couple once we reached shallow water.
We scurried across the sand back to our little cottage. As we got close to the front steps, he lunged ahead, grabbing my hand and pulling in. He didn’t stop at the front door, or at the bedroom, but kept pulling me in until reaching the shower. Jack turned on the water, grinning as he turned to face me.
The room quickly filled with mist from the hot water, swirling around us and fogging the mirror. Jack stepped closer, reaching up to untie the string of my top. His fingers were so gentle, so light, that all I could feel was the string give way and the wet swim suit sag. His pupils dilated and then focused as I reached behind myself and undid the bottom string, the top falling off my body.
Jack licked his lips in an unconscious gesture of desire, before sliding one finger along my collar bone. It was so gentle, it felt more like a soft breeze, but my nipples beaded and begged to be touched. A low growl of want escaped Jack, and he slowly glided his finger down the swell of my breast. I gasped as he pinched the nipple softly, sending just enough pain but far more pleasure through my system.
Jack dipped his head down, sliding his lips along my temple and down to my throat. His hands explored my exposed skin, sending shivers of delight as he caressed. His strong hands cupped my breasts, playing with their weight as he kissed the curve of my neck. His pecs were strong and warm beneath my hands, his skin smooth as I felt his chest.
Jack’s hands slid down to my hips, his fingers picking up the wet fabric of my bikini bottoms before sliding them down my legs. He went to his knees as he pulled the fabric off, kissing my bellybutton as he ran his hands up and down my legs.
He sat back on his knees, admiring the view. I felt a blush creep over my cheeks and I covered my breasts with my arm. Jack grabbed my hand, exposing me to him.
“God, you are beautiful.”
He leaned forward and kissed my belly, his hands warm on my hips. His kisses were soft and gentle, like heavenly butterfly wings against my skin. A hand left my hip, tracing the line where my leg met my body until he came to the front. Jack looked up, his eyes bright and shining with desire as he dragged his finger along the line down my middle.
A deep noise of male appreciation escaped from him as he found I was ready for him. He grinned up at me, watching my reaction as he slowly traced a finger over me, teasing me with what he could do.
“Please,” I gasped, every nerve on fire with want. He kissed my stomach again and slid between my folds, searching for my center. I moaned as he entered, gliding a second finger with the first and finding a sensual rhythm. His thumb
moved to my pleasure center, rubbing slow circles as he rocked his hand in and out.
My body tightened as excitement thrummed through my veins. I could feel my temperature rising, the need for release building with every thrust of his fingers. I looked down to see only Jack’s eyes. They shone with a desire to please, a love that had not yet been spoken. My body came, releasing the tension in a wave of pleasure that made me cry out. My vision blurred and for a moment I couldn’t tell which direction was up or down.
I was still shuddering, lost in bliss as I heard the condom wrapper open. In the space of a breath he was before me, hard and thick between my legs. I spread my legs and he pushed inside, joining the two of us into one.
My back arched and I felt a second wave of pleasure course through me, my body tightening down on his. When the aching joy finally slowed enough to allow me to open my eyes, all I could see was the warm brown of Jack’s. They were dark and fierce and filled with a need I wanted to satisfy.
He moved within me, pushing me back against the marble sink. It was a welcome cold compared to the steam filling the bathroom. I wrapped my legs around him, drawing him further into me as he grabbed the sink for leverage. Echoes of gasps and groans reverberated off the tile walls as his speed increased.
My spine felt like fire, our body heat combining with the steam to make everything slick. Jack’s strokes were strong and sure, sending me into a happy oblivion. His breath was ragged in my ear, his need about to consume him. I felt him suddenly shudder, his body tightening and relaxing at the same time as he found release. My hips rocked hard into him, both of us gasping for breath before crumpling to the floor.
Our legs tangled together, arms wrapped in circles around one another. Jack drew back, still panting with exertion as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. His smile lit up my world, his body trembling and strong against mine.
I wanted to tell him I loved him. I wanted to tell him that he made my heart flutter and my body sing, but I couldn’t find the courage. It wasn’t fair to tell him, knowing that we could never be together. Big city and middle of nowhere don’t go together for long.
“I think the water is ready,” he murmured, his voice husky. The steam from the shower was nearly opaque at this point, but I didn’t want to let him go yet. He made no move to untangle himself, our bodies still entwined on the cool tile floor. After a wonderful moment of eternity, we both loosened our limbs around the other.
Jack offered his hand, pulling me up easily from the floor. He didn’t release it though, as he turned to the shower and stepped inside. I followed him into the spray of hot water and smiled. He hummed softly as he rinsed his hair, never releasing my hand. I stepped under the hot spray, letting it rinse the salt and sweat. The hot water coursed down the two of us as he leaned down and kissed me. His kiss still had a soft saltwater tang, and I smiled and leaned into him for more.
Saltwater Kisses: Chapter 8
“Have you seen my black swimsuit?”
“You already packed it. It’s in the front pouch of your suitcase.”
“Thanks,” I said with a flustered grin as I put the now dry pink suit in with the black one. Jack sat on the bed, watching me bounce around the bedroom picking things up and putting them in my suitcase. “When does your flight leave again?”
Jack sighed and shifted his weight on the foot of the bed. “It technically leaves whenever I am ready, but, I have to be back in New York by the close of business, so I need to leave in about fifteen minutes.”
“I wish you didn’t have to go until evening,” I said quietly as I put the last couple of items in my main suitcase. What I really meant was, I wish you didn’t have to leave me at all.
“Me too, but planes can only fly so fast,” Jack answered. He shifted his weight again.
“Anxious to be off?” I asked, nodding at his tapping toes. He couldn’t seem to sit still. He looked down at his feet and saw his toes tapping against his sandals.
“It’s a good thing I wear covered toe shoes at work,” he murmured glaring at the offending foot. The toes stopped tapping. “I need to tell you something.”
I played with the zipper on my suitcase for a moment before standing. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. We had been far too happy, this vacation too perfect for it to not have some hidden secret. I had been watching him all morning and knew he was fighting with a decision. I could tell from the way his jaw clenched tight or the fact he ordered plain black coffee that he was nervous about something. We had only been together for less than a week, but I could read his subtle tells like I had known him my whole life.
“The secretary you came with... she’s actually your wife, right?” I said straightening up to face him. I had been running scenarios of what he was going to say all morning. That was the most plausible one I could come up with. There were others, but asking him if he was a spy for the American government seemed a bit much.
Jack barked a short laugh. “No, not by a long-shot.” His face darkened, and he stood up and took my hands in his. “I haven’t been completely honest with you about what I do. I’m the new CEO of DS Oil and Gas.”
I snorted. That was not one of the many scenarios I had concocted. “I knew you had money, Jack, but a billionaire? Be serious.”
“I am serious. My father is the founder and owner of DS Oil and Gas. This is my last vacation before going back to take over the company. When my father steps down, I’ll be in charge of the company.” His eyes were dark and pleading. I could feel my brow furrowing as I shook my head and took my hands out of his.
“DS Oil and Gas? What are you talking about Jack?”
“I love that you don’t know that. Here,” he said pulling out his phone and pulling up a video. He placed it in my hands as the screen loaded. It was a commercial I had seen a thousand times, played on all the TV shows my parent’s watched. The jingle was one of those stupid songs that had the instant ability to stay stuck in my head for days. DS Oil and Gas... It’s a blast! On the last frame an attractive teenage boy came and stood by a distinguished older gentleman looking at an oil well. It was very obviously the teenage version of Jack with a man who could only be his father.
Jack gingerly took the phone from my shaking fingers when the video ended. “The video is a little old, but it’s the one everyone knows. DS stands for Daniel Saunders, my father.”
I looked up at him, confused. He reached out and gently pushed my chin closed; I hadn’t realized it was hanging open. “I don’t know what to say. I had no idea that was you.”
“I think that's why I like you so much. You never saw me as a meal ticket or anything other than another human being. You didn’t see a billionaire playboy, you saw a normal person. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
My hand went to my throat, feeling the cool silver dolphin charm. “That’s why you didn’t hesitate to buy this, and why you didn’t want any pictures at the wedding. If you’re a billionaire, then you’re famous too, right?”
“I never meant to lie to you Emma. I loved the way you looked at me. I loved your honesty and how genuinely wonderful you were without knowing who I was. I’m surrounded by fake people who only want my money every moment of every day, but you, you were different. I wanted to tell you, but I was terrified you would look at me like they do.”
“So you’re a billionaire who spent his last vacation with a dirt-poor girl in a free hotel room,” I said slowly. I moved away from him and sat down on the foot of the bed. My thoughts were racing, and every time I thought I caught one, it would slip through my fingers and speed off before I had time to process it.
“This was more than I could ever ask for,” he said quietly. Jack knelt before me on the floor, his hands resting on my knees. His dark eyebrows bunched together, his face full of worry and regret.
“So what happens now?”
Jack took a deep breath. “Nothing has changed. We both knew we were going to go our separate ways. We both said we would never
tell anyone about this. It’s our secret, something that no one can ever take away from us. I didn’t want you to pick up a magazine and find out who I was that way.”
I nodded and bit my lip. I could feel tears forming and I struggled to make them stay behind my eyes. I wanted to ask him if I was merely a good time for him, or if he ached for me the way I ached for him. I was afraid it was a fling. That’s all it could ever be. “I still don’t want you to go, money or no money. I think I would have preferred the 'secretary is your wife' scenario. At least that way I would have known I could never have you again.”
Jack smiled softly and brushed my lips with his. “I want to do something for you. If there is ever anything I can do for you, I want you to let me know. A new car perhaps?” He held a finger against my lips as I started to shake my head. “It will cost me almost nothing, but it will help you enormously. I want to see you happy Emma, and if I can help, I want to.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Please do. It would make me very happy to see you succeed,” Jack said softly. He placed a card in my hand with a number scrawled in black ink on the back. I stuffed it into my pocket and tried to blink tears out of my eyes. I wanted to pull him into me, to make this moment not our last. I was far more attached to him than I had hoped to be.
A loud knock came at the door and Jack closed his eyes for a moment before standing. He turned silently as a second knock rapped louder. The tears escaped my eyes and trickled down my face as I stood up to follow him, grabbing his hand as he headed towards the door.
Outside a man in a black tuxedo stood waiting on the porch. Jack opened the door and nodded to him before turning back to me. His eyes were wet as his thumbs smeared the tears off my cheek. He then traced his thumb across my lower lip before taking my chin in his hand and pulling me into a kiss. I could taste the salt of my tears—salty like the ocean—as I kissed him one last time.
Kisses From Jack: The Other Side of a Billionaire Love Story (Saltwater Kisses Book 2) Page 12