Paradise & Vodka (Saddles & Racks Book 6)

by Kimberly Knight

  I shook her father's hand. "Have a good night, Earl."

  "You too, son."

  Placing my hand on the small of Ashleigh's back, I guided her away from the table, then leaning in, I whispered, "You better keep your panties off while we eat, baby. I'm going to want dessert right after."

  "Oh God," I moaned, my hands above me as I braced myself against the headboard. Nick was between my legs, feasting.

  The night before, we’d ordered burgers from room service, and true to his word, Nick had had me for dessert. And he was having me for breakfast before we had to get up to meet in the lobby for our excursion.

  Nick never came up for breath until I was squeezing his head between my thighs. Then he slipped on a condom, flipped me over, and sank into me from behind.

  "Fuck, baby," he groaned, pounding into me, his balls slapping against my pussy.

  I moaned, not able to utter a word as I enjoyed the ride. The man could really fuck and eat pussy. With each thrust of his hips, he was hitting the spot. The spot that sent electricity racing through my entire body over and over and over with each drive. I was definitely getting my money’s worth.

  He pulled me up almost as though I was sitting in his lap backward and held me still while he pistoned rapidly into me. Before I knew it, I was coming again, my body shaking as Nick held me against his chest.

  "I'm so deep," he groaned, not stopping his movements.

  My body quaked, the aftershocks of pleasure pulsing inside of me. Or I was on the verge of coming again. I wasn't sure other than he was still hitting the spot.

  "You gonna come again for me?"

  "I don't …" I couldn't finish as I held the headboard and enjoyed the ride.

  "Yeah, you are," Nick replied for me. He pinched my nipples, causing me to cry out and my orgasm to build again. "Come on, baby. You can do it."

  With our bodies slick despite the blowing air conditioning, I did come again. I came hard, shaking and writhing and convulsing with my orgasm. Nick stopped moving, groaning as he came too. He kissed my back as we stayed conjoined, catching our breaths.

  My gaze moved to the clock. "We're going to be late."

  "Thank God for the fruit basket."

  Walking hand in hand, Nick and I made it to the lobby where we were meeting everyone. My parents came over to us with huge smiles on their faces, and I finally felt as though they understood how they’d treated me compared to Everleigh. I had been honest with my mother the previous night—maybe that was how I should have been my entire life. I was just happy things seemed to be changing.

  Everleigh looked like shit and was not her chipper self as she stood next to Douglas and his parents. "What's wrong with Evie?" I asked my parents.

  "She's hungover," Mom replied.

  Nick grunted beside me, and I furrowed my brow. "What?"

  "I ran into her on the way back from the bathroom last night, and yeah, she was wasted."

  "Well, her soon-to-be father-in-law was footing the bill. I don't blame her," I stated as Everleigh started to walk toward us. I didn't let the opportunity pass to tell my perfect beauty queen sister how she looked. "You look like death."

  "Gee, thanks."

  I shrugged. "I heard you drank too much last night."

  "I don't remember." She rubbed her forehead.

  "The sun and the ocean breeze will be good for you." Mom rubbed Everleigh's back.

  "Let's hope so because you're getting married tomorrow." I was a little shocked by my statement, but at that moment, I was happy for her. I smiled, and my gaze connected with Nick’s. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple as though he understood how I was feeling.

  A few seconds later, Douglas joined us. I noticed that Everleigh looked away from his gaze. "Everyone ready?"

  We all nodded and then followed him to a van outside. My parents hung back with Nick and me instead of acting as Douglas's entourage. It gave me hope that our conversation really had helped.

  "Are you doing okay?" Nick asked as we sat in the back of the van.

  I nodded and grinned. "I'm great."

  "Good." He squeezed my knee and lowered his voice. "I know how to wake you each morning now."

  I snorted a laugh. "I'm not complaining."

  "Good to know." He kissed the side of my head and brought me closer against his side.

  The van took us to a port, where we boarded a decent-sized boat. Nick and I hadn't had time for breakfast—because of other things—so I pulled two bananas out of my beach bag and handed him one.

  "Thanks for the fruit basket in our room," he said, and I looked up to see that he was talking to Douglas as he peeled open his fruit. "Time got away from us this morning."

  My face flamed. Not because he was telling Douglas the private information but because my parents were sitting next to us.

  "Sure, man," Douglas replied.

  Everleigh came and sat next to us. "So, we're going to be cruising around and then stopping at a sand island where we'll get to snorkel and have lunch."

  "Sounds like fun." I smiled.

  "Also, I hope you're not mad that I didn't ask you to be in the wedding."

  I blinked.

  She continued, "We honestly didn't think you would want to be."

  I felt everyone's gaze on me, waiting for my reply. I knew sisters usually made the other sister their maid of honor or at least a bridesmaid, but Everleigh and I hadn’t been speaking to each other, so I answered truthfully. "You're right."

  "Maybe you two need to go have a little talk?" Mom suggested.

  "Where? We're on a boat," I questioned.

  "Maybe below," Dad proposed.

  "Yeah, there should be another level. I think there’s a bar down there," Everleigh stated.

  "Okay." I sighed and stood. I knew we needed to talk, and if we were going to spend the day together, it was better to get the conversation over with sooner rather than later. "We'll be back."

  There was a set of stairs near the side of the boat where we got on, and we took them down. It was quiet and vacant except for a bartender at the bar as everyone else had remained up top. There was a bar like Everleigh had said there was.

  "Should we get a drink first?" I asked.

  She groaned. "I can't even look over there or I’ll puke. I just suggested the bar to have alone time."

  The night before, I’d had four drinks—one a double—and I didn't get drunk, but I felt good. Either the drinks weren't that strong, or I held my liquor better given my size. "I think I'll need one for this conversation."

  "I understand." Everleigh smiled tightly.

  "Actually, I'll wait and see how this conversation goes." Even though I did want a drink, I thought better of it since it wasn't even ten in the morning yet.

  "Okay." We stepped to the side as the boat pulled away from the dock. "I really hate how it all turned out."

  I snorted. "Come on, Evie. You had to have known that night that things wouldn't be good between us."

  "I was drunk."

  "That doesn't make it right."

  "I know." She blew out a breath. "But we started flirting, and then things got out of hand."

  "And now you're marrying him." I crossed my arms over my chest.

  "I know." She looked out at the water.

  "I mean, not only are you my sister, but neither one of you has apologized to me."

  "I've thought about it every day."

  "Then why didn't you?"

  Her brown eyes met mine. "I thought it was too late."

  "It's never too late to apologize." I rolled my eyes.

  "I know, but since moving to New York, life has just been different."

  "So different that you couldn't pick up the phone and call me?" I challenged.

  "It's not that easy."

  I furrowed my brow. "Of course, it is."

  "There are things you don't know."

  I drew my head back slightly. "What does that mean?"

  Before she could answer, w
e heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I looked over to see Douglas. "There you are," he said. "I thought you fell overboard or something."

  I expected her to tell him to give us some more time to talk, but she didn't. Instead, she grabbed my hand and said, "I really am sorry, and I hope that one day you'll forgive me." I wasn't able to respond because she walked away with Douglas.

  She just walked away.

  What. The. Fuck?

  I decided I needed a drink after all, so I ordered bloody marys for Nick and me. It was like breakfast in a glass as far as I was concerned. Plus, I was on vacation, and it was apparent that the Alexanders were footing the bill for the bar again because I didn't have to pay for the drinks.

  I took the drinks upstairs, and Nick's face beamed when he saw me. I held his glass out to him. "More breakfast."

  He took it. "Damn, baby. You're after my heart."

  I looked at my parents, who were still sitting next to him. "I thought it was already mine?"

  "Touché." He grinned, and to squash any doubts—if there were any—Nick stood and kissed my lips lovingly.

  "How was your talk with Evie?" Mom asked.

  "Well, I'm drinking before 10 a.m., so…"

  "That bad?" Dad questioned.

  I took a sip of my liquid breakfast. "I mean, not horrible, but I still don't know why they did that to me."

  "Did she at least apologize?" Nick inquired.

  I nodded. "Yeah."

  "That's good." Mom smiled.

  "Right." I wasn't going to tell them details, but I was still wondering what Everleigh meant by there were things I didn't know. I thought she was going to give me answers. That was the whole point of why we went off to talk, but then nothing.

  I got nothing.

  The boat stopped a few times for us to take pictures as we made our way to our lunch and snorkel destination. Fiji was breathtaking. It seemed to be endless white sandy beaches lined with coconut trees that swayed in the breeze. The water was turquoise and clear, and below we could see fish swimming all around.

  "I have to say, this is the best job I've ever done," Nick stated as he snapped pictures with his cell phone beside me.

  I looked around to make sure no one had heard him. "Saying that a little loud, don't you think?"

  "Aw, Sugar Tits, I know what I'm doing."

  I snorted. "Going back to sugar tits?"

  He shrugged and snapped another picture, this time of me—or rather, my boobs in my swimsuit. "Your tits are sweet, baby."

  I slapped him playfully. "You're bad."

  He turned and pulled me flush against him. "Your bad boy?"

  "Yeah." I chuckled.

  The boat started to move again until we finally made it to the sand beach.

  Since Ashleigh wasn't in the wedding party, we didn't have to go to the rehearsal. We also decided to not go to the rehearsal dinner, and instead, had dinner at the other restaurant at the hotel—and charged it to the room so fuck nut would pay for it—before taking a walk on the beach.

  "I'm going to miss this," she stated, looking out at the setting sun. The weather wasn't too hot, it wasn't too humid, and it was exactly what I had envisioned paradise to be.

  "Me too." We only had two more days before we headed home.

  "Do you have any … um, dates lined up?"

  "I'm sure I do. I'd have to check the calendar."

  "Oh."

  "Are you jealous, Doll Face?" I grinned.

  "No," she said, dragging out the word.

  I brought her against my side as we continued to walk in the sand barefoot. "Yeah, you are."

  "It's just going to be weird, is all."

  "'Cause you like me?"

  She blushed and didn't answer my question. "I just mean that I'll be back to being alone again, and I'll have to come up with a story about us breaking up."

  "You knew that was going to happen." We stepped apart, but I grabbed her hand and laced our fingers, needing to keep physical contact with her.

  "I know. Honestly, I didn't think that far in advance when I hired you."

  "You can always book me again."

  "Except I'm broke now."

  "Yeah, but don't forget Dougie is paying for the room now."

  "True, but I really just need to keep that money in savings." She looked off at the water, not meeting my stare.

  "Well, my offer still stands to help you find someone."

  "I might take you up on that."

  We were silent as we began walking again. I really meant what I'd said, even though most of my friends were married or escorts. I wanted Ashleigh to be happy, and I would help her. I'd never told a client that before. Usually, they didn't want a relationship, or they were already in one and just needed more.

  "I'll miss the daily sex, though," I finally said, smirking.

  She pushed my arm playfully. "You don't have dates every day?"

  "I think my dick would fall off if I did." We both laughed.

  "We wouldn't want that."

  "No, baby, we wouldn't."

  "Well, I'll be going back to my trusty vibrator."

  I groaned slightly as I envisioned her using a toy between her legs and getting off. "Yeah? Tell me about it."

  "Tell you about it?"

  My grin widened. "Yeah. Give me something to fantasize about while I stroke myself."

  Ashleigh fanned herself even though the evening breeze was blowing her long brown hair. "Is it hot out here?"

  I chuckled. "Yeah, it is. Need to cool off by skinny dipping?"

  She looked out at the water again. "I don't do dark water."

  "Scared of sharks?"

  "Um, yeah." Ashleigh snorted.

  "Well, we wouldn't want you to get eaten—by a shark, that is."

  "I can think of something—or someone—else that I wouldn't mind being eaten by."

  I stopped walking, jerking her arm so she spun into my arms. I swore her libido was as big as mine. "Well, baby, it’s time for my second dessert then."

  I led her back to the room and had the best kind of dessert a man could want.

  We lay post-orgasms with Ashleigh's head on my chest, my fingers running through her long brown hair. I would never tell her, but I was going to miss Fiji, and not because of all the sex and because it was paradise, but because I genuinely liked her. If I had been looking for a relationship, she would be who I would have wanted to have one with. She was smart, sexy, could take a pounding, and was fun to be around. She deserved to be with a guy who would love her like she wanted, and needed to be loved.

  As we laid there, just enjoying our post-sex bliss, I started thinking about who I could set her up with. Some might think it was weird to think about such a thing while we were both naked, but that was where my mind went. I chalked it up to the fact that our time was coming to an end, and I had told her I would help her out. The only guy I could think of who wasn't settled down or in the game was my friend Blake Montgomery, who co-owned the gym, Club 24, that I went to. He was a decent looking guy, seemed to be successful, and a good dude. He would be my first call.

  "I could go for a real dessert now," Ashleigh stated, and looked up at me with her chin on my chest.

  "Yeah? What do you want?" I started to sit up to grab the room service menu.

  "Ice cream or something."

  I slid out of bed to grab the menu, and opened it to the desserts. "They have vanilla."

  She wrinkled her nose. "Vanilla is so boring."

  "I could go to the gift shop and see what they have," I offered.

  Ashleigh started to get out of the bed. "I can't make you do that."

  "It's not a big deal, baby."

  "You'd do that for me?"

  I shrugged and then grabbed my shorts. "Of course. What do you want?"

  "Like a Drumstick or something."

  "Do they have that here?" I asked as I continued to get dressed.

  She wrapped the sheet around her chest as she sat back down. "Not sure. But somethin
g like that."

  "Something that's not only vanilla."

  "Yeah." She grinned.

  "I'll see what I can find." I kissed her quickly before grabbing my wallet and heading out the door.

  I chuckled to myself as I made my way toward the lobby. Going to get my woman dessert late at night was probably a sign that I was falling for Ashleigh, and I was going to owe my friends a grand each. That wasn't the case, of course. I was just being nice.

  When I got to the lobby, the gift shop was closed, and my heart sank. I really wanted to bring Ashleigh back something yummy and then eat mine off of her body before we called it a night. I walked to the front desk. "Hi. Is there anywhere I can get dessert at this hour?"

  "Only room service," the clerk responded.

  "Shit," I muttered under my breath. "Okay, thanks."

  I walked outside and started back toward our bure when I heard yelling.

  "Get back here!"

  "Leave me alone!"

  With just the faint glow of the lights provided for the walking path, I saw Everleigh and Dougie up ahead. I stopped walking, not sure if I should intervene or just watch.

  He grabbed her arm and spun her. "Don't fucking walk away from me."

  She tried to break free, and I was seconds from going to her rescue (more of a reason to punch him in the face), but her words stopped me. "You don't get to tell me what to do until I marry your ass tomorrow."

  "The hell I can't," Dougie roared. His back was toward me, blocking my view of Everleigh. "You signed your life away when you agreed to stay with me."

  Everleigh poked at his chest. "I only stayed to help my parents."

  "Because you're money hungry." He chortled.

  "And you're not? That's the whole reason why we came up with this agreement."

  "It's not like you're getting the short end of the stick, Evie. You live in Manhattan, get a monthly allowance, and building your social life. I get to use my fucking hand every night."

  "I know you're getting laid, Doug. I'm not stupid. I'm also not the one who has to be married before I turn twenty-six to get my inheritance."

  What inheritance?

  "I should have stayed with your sister."

  Everleigh laughed. "She never would have agreed to marry your ass."