by Holly Jaymes
“Mrs. Sinclair, this is a lovely dinner you set up,” Josh said, surprising me with his sudden appearance. He slipped his arm around me.
“Thank you, Mr. Dalton.”
He looked at me in surprise. I probably forgot to warn him how formal my parents were.
“We were just talking about your family,” my mother said to him. “I was telling Allison that Mr. Trenton has a place out in Eden Lake but doesn’t seem to know your family.”
“Well, he wouldn’t,” Josh said easily. “My family isn’t there.”
“I see.”
“And Mr. Trenton’s place is actually one valley over from Eden Lake,” Josh said.
“Oh, so you know of the Trentons?”
“Yes, of course.” Josh gave his disarming smile.
Liza’s mother called over to my mom. “I’m sorry I must go help.”
“Of course.” Josh bowed his head slightly.
“We’re not in a Jane Austen novel,” I whispered to him as she left.
“It’s a sign of respect.”
I turned to him. “How do you know Casper Trenton?”
“He had a house fire last year. He had an illegal fire pit that got out of hand.”
“Firepits are illegal?”
“No, but there are rules about them. Rich people often think rules don’t apply to them.”
I nodded. “True.” I looked up at him, wanting to ask him about that kiss before, but afraid he’d tell me it was to help sell the charade. It was at that moment that I realized I was in big trouble. Not so much from my parents finding out that Josh and I weren’t really engaged, but that I was falling for him.
Becoming Real
Josh
I didn’t really need to go to the restroom when Allie’s sister came to get her. I needed to deal with the hard-on I got from kissing her. Jesus, she tasted divine. The minute my lips touched hers, every neuron in my body flared to life. Then she opened her mouth and let me in. She was soft, sweet, and I was half-drunk on the taste of her.
I also didn’t want to be alone with Victoria. I was uncomfortable with the way she looked at me, which was odd considering that come-hither expression was one I knew well back in Eden Lake. But I didn’t want to end up in a compromising position. Not that I’d take Victoria up on what she seemed to be offering, but I didn’t want to be in a situation that looked like I would.
I made it through the rehearsal dinner, mostly because Allie kept me away from her family. She was a ball of nerves, and I wished there was a way I could help her relax.
That night I lay in the guest room bed, listening to the ocean outside wishing she was here with me. Sure, I’d love to have her naked and writhing under me. But, more than that, I liked being around her. I wanted to help her relax and enjoy life more. I wanted to look at her lovely face and kiss her divine lips.
I was well and truly fucked, I realized. I wasn’t just attracted to Allie; I was falling for her. I had to remind myself that while the kiss I gave her tonight was genuine, to her, it was part of playing a role. She’d been very clear from the beginning that I wasn’t the type of man for her. And while I’d grown on her and we were now friends, that didn’t mean she thought I was relationship material.
The next day, I woke early and went out to the beach, deciding to take a swim to work off tension built up from a night of dreaming about Allie.
When I came out of the water, Victoria was on the beach in her barely-there bikini. “My mother will think you have a problem with the pool.”
Her gaze scraped over my body, and I had an urge to cover up.
“I prefer nature. Besides, the current adds more resistance.”
“There are current settings in the pool.”
“Yes, well…” I picked up the towel and wrapped it around my hips. I wished I brought a robe to cover up my chest.
She cocked her head. “You’re not Allison’s normal type. She usually thinks men like you lack substance.”
I smiled affably. “She thought that about me. It took me time to show her otherwise.”
“Do you respect her?”
“Yes, of course.” I started toward the house, Victoria falling in step with me.
“Allison isn’t like us. She’s torn between wanting to fit in with her family and being her true self.”
“I can see that.” It was fucking annoying to watch in reality.
“With you, is she her true self? Because that’s what I want for her.”
I stopped and looked at Victoria, wondering if I misread her. “Yes, absolutely.”
“Good. And what about you? Are you willing to stay with her when my parents decide you’re not worthy of marrying a Sinclair?”
I frowned. Did she know the truth about me? “That’s not for them to decide, is it? As long as Allie wants me, I’ll fight for her.”
She smiled. “I’ll look forward to watching that.” Then she sauntered into the house. I really didn’t understand rich people. I thought Victoria had been trying to hit on me, but now it seemed like she was looking out for Allie.
Late that afternoon, I put on the suit that cost more than my rent. I studied myself in the mirror. I did look good but considering I’d never been in a suit before, I suspected a cheaper suit would have looked just as good. My wardrobe before this charade consisted of jeans, shorts, one pair of chinos, t-shirts, and my firefighter uniform.
There was a knock on my door. I opened it, and my mouth went dry. Allie wore an off the shoulder peach dress that made her skin look like cream and her hair like honey. It was fitted and sexy without being over-the-top.
When my gaze finally reached her face, she stared back at me with desire in her eyes. Maybe the expensive suit was worth it if it made her look at me like she wanted to rip it off me. I reached out, putting my arm around her waist and pulling her to me, intending to kiss the life out of her. I might even drag her to the bed and remove that lovely dress.
“None of that,” Victoria’s voice said behind Allie.
Allie looked down and blushed. God, it was so beautiful.
“You look amazing,” I finally managed.
Her hand brushed over my chest. “So do you. Hoity-toity wear looked good on you.”
I laughed at her use of the words I’d said when she’d made me buy the duds. If hoity-toity wear were what it took to have her look at me like that, I’d blow all my salary on it.
Similar to the rehearsal dinner, at the wedding and reception, Allie spent most of her time keeping me away from her family. I wondered if I should tell her about the conversation I had with Victoria but decided to shelve it for another time.
“Do posh people dance?” I asked her. I knew they did as several couples were on the dance floor. But maybe Allie was too stressed out to dance.
“Yes.”
“Dance with me, Allie.” I already imagined her in my arms. I was desperate to have her there. “It will help settle your nerves.”
She nodded. I took her hand, bringing it to my lips for a kiss as we walked to the dance floor like I’d done last night, hoping she’d see it as a sign that I was there for her.
I settled my hand on her waist and pulled her close, inhaling her lovely scent. Unable to help myself, I pressed a kiss to her neck, loving how her breath hitched as my lips brushed over her skin.
Then I let the music guide us. It was an old song of some sort, perfect for holding the woman I was falling for. She was grace and beauty as I moved with her.
“Where’d you learn to dance?” she asked me.
“Camp Grandma.”
She tilted her head back to look at me. “What’s that?”
“Both my parents worked, so during the summers when school was out, Wyatt and I went to my grandparents during the day. They always had projects for us, like camp. We learned basics like swimming, but also gardening, kite making, cooking, small engine repair, woodworking—”
“And dancing?”
I smiled. “My grandma said the ladies woul
d love it someday. At the time, I was ten and thought girls had cooties.”
Allie laughed. It was the first time I’d seen her relax and be herself since we got in the car to come here.
“And was she right?” she asked.
“I don’t know. You seem to appreciate it.”
She blushed again, and I was a total goner. I wanted to tell her that I was into her and that I wanted this relationship to continue when we went home. Not as a fake thing, but real. “Allie—”
The abrupt end of the song and the MC announcing the cutting of the cake prevented me from stating my case to keep this thing between us going. For the rest of the evening, we didn’t have a moment when someone wasn’t hovering, so I tabled that conversation.
When we got back to the house, the family was all there, and Allie excused herself to go to bed. Not wanting to be stuck with her family and potentially blow my cover, I headed up as well. But lying in bed, I couldn’t sleep with thoughts of her and wanting to be with her rattling around. I got up and went to the balcony looking over the ocean. I always felt like Eden Lake was perfectly named. The area was a slice of paradise. But I couldn’t deny the ocean was another slice.
The sliding door opened next to me, and Allie emerged from her room on the balcony. She wore a short slip of a nightgown that had my blood heating to boiling. Her long golden-brown waves hung free, blowing softly in the breeze. She was like a fucking goddess.
“Can’t sleep?” I asked.
She looked over at me like she didn’t realize I was there. “Oh, Josh. Ah…yes. It’s taking a little time for me to settle down.” She moved closer to me.
“I wish you weren’t so tense.”
“Yes, well.”
We stood for a moment in silence. “The ocean is beautiful.” It felt like a stupid thing to say, but it was already out there.
“Yes. I find it soothing.”
“I went swimming in it this morning.”
She looked up at me. “You did?”
I nodded. “Your sister thought I was nuts.”
Allie looked away. “I’m sure she joined you, though.”
“Actually, she told me that I better be good to you. She said that I should let you be you instead of playing a part like the rest of your family does.”
“Really?” She looked at me again in surprise. “I thought she was hitting on you.”
“I did too. Maybe it was a test. She said I’m not your usual type of guy. I’m trying not to think of you with other guys.”
Her lips twitched up slightly.
Taking a chance, I pressed my palm to her cheek. “Because the idea of another man touching you makes me crazy.”
Her gaze lifted to mine, and I had no choice but to kiss her again. I lowered my head slowly, giving her a chance to turn away. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. Yes!
My lips captured hers, my tongue immediately seeking entry into her mouth. I groaned deep in my chest as her taste flooded my mouth. I pulled her closer, needing contact with her body. Her nipples pressed into my bare chest. My dick fit perfectly against her clit. I held her there, kissing her long, slow, and deeply. I could stay there forever with the moon shining down on us, and the sound of the waves lapping the shore. I was in a fucking romance novel, and I loved it.
When it was time to breathe, I trailed my lips along her jaw down to her neck. My hands slid down along her thighs and up under her nightgown. They worked up over her hips, along her waist, and to the swells of her tits. As my hands slowly moved up, I wondered if or when she’d stop me, but she didn’t.
I brushed my thumbs over the tips of her rock-hard nipples.
“Josh.” My name came out in a gasp.
“Yes.” I drew my tongue along her collar bone as her body shuddered against mine. When she didn’t say more, I mustered all my willpower to stop. I removed my hands from under her nightgown and brought them to cradle her face. “I want you, Allie. So bad.”
I’d never asked a woman if I could touch her. But if I touched a woman and she touched back, the natural progression of things took over. But for some reason, I didn’t want Allie to succumb. I wanted her to want me too.
“Do you want me?” I asked.
“Yes.”
Halle-fucking-lujah. I scooped her up into my arms. She let out a surprised yelp and wrapped her arms around my shoulders as I walked her back into my room.
Giving In to Desire
Allie
I silenced the voice in the back of my brain that said having sex with Josh was a bad idea. Right now, it was a perfect idea. Josh was sexy in his lounge pants and bare chest, and the hard length of his dick pressed against me told me he wanted me.
I’d always thought Josh was handsome and sexy, but when he opened his door to me earlier that evening wearing a suit, I nearly had a spontaneous orgasm. He put James Bond to shame, and Josh wasn’t even in a tux.
He was charming, and while I knew my parents were skeptical of him, everyone else seemed fine with him. The women could care less of his pedigree because he was the epitome of male perfection, and he could dance. I hadn’t seen that coming. It was glorious to be held by him as he led me around the dance floor. He did not just sway side to side like most men, but he actually moved around the room with grace.
Perhaps I should have suspected he had a talent for dancing because Josh was smooth and graceful in my yoga class. I supposed I missed it because he was also strong, and I was often distracted by his muscles.
While letting him touch me might be a bad idea, I needed a moment to let go, and to just feel good. My muscles were so tight from all the tension I was carrying. It was a wonder my jaw wasn’t locked in place from all the clenching. But right now, I felt loose and light, and I didn’t want it to end.
When he lifted me into his arms, it was like I was in a fairytale being swept up by prince charming. He carried me into his room, setting me down by the bed. The room was dark, the only light streaming in from the moon. It felt like magic as if we were in a time and place separate from reality.
I pressed my hands over his chest, loving the heat of his pecs against my palms. “I admire these in yoga.”
“Just mine or everyone’s?” His hands pressed over mine.
“Yours. The others are nice too, but…” I looked up at him, worried about giving too much away. After all, this was Josh Dalton, the playboy of Eden Lake.
“I like watching you do yoga. It often makes me hard. Have you noticed?” He gave me a sheepish grin.
“No.” I laughed. “I’ll look closer next time.”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s one thing to have a hard-on now, quite another in yoga class.”
“I guess so. Is that true? That you get hard in class?” I had to believe that part of Josh’s ability with the women came from saying the right things, true or not.
“Yes. You often do moves, and I imagine being over or under you, or behind you. Did you know that the Kama Sutra has positions that are similar to yoga?”
“Why am I not surprised you’ve read the Kama Sutra? Or did you just look at the pictures?”
He quirked a brow. “You’ve read it too then, otherwise how would you know it had more than pictures.”
I blushed and looked down.
“It talks about setting a mood. Like moonlight and ocean waves.” He took my hand, kissing the inside of my wrist. “About kissing.”
“You have read it.”
“Intimacy.” His lips trailed along my neck.
My insides were on fire.
“Intercourse.” His hand slid down over my backside and pulled me against his hard length.
“You seem to be an expert.”
“Until you, much of what it said didn’t make sense.” He whispered in my ear.
I didn’t know what he meant, but I didn’t care as his lips found mine and he was kissing me again. He was so good at it. It was all-consuming. His hands slid down to my thighs and up, lifting my nightgown as he had on the bal
cony. This time though, he pulled it up and off until I stood only in my little white undies.
His gaze went to my breasts, his eyes filled with heat and desire. My nipples puckered even more as his hands cupped them.
“You have perfect tits.” His thumbs brushed over the tips.
I gasped and closed my eyes so I could fully savor the sensation of him touching me. “They’re smaller than Vict—”
“They’re perfect.” His lips wrapped around one nipple, and I gripped his head as the shock of it tilted my world on its axis. He sucked, drawing it in his mouth. I felt it straight to my pussy.
“Oh, God.”
His fingers slipped between my thighs. “You’re wet. So responsive. I love that.” He tugged my panties down and stood back to look at me. I’d never felt particularly sexy. I had the urge to cover myself, but I watched his eyes, and I knew he liked what he saw.
Not wanting to be the only one naked, I reached for his waistband, pushing his lounge pants down. His dick popped out, and he let out a hiss of breath. It was magnificent. Straight. Thick. I wanted to drop to my knees and worship it.
“You keep looking at him like that, and he’s likely to finish before we get started.” He took my arms and lowered me to the bed. He took a strip of condoms out from the side drawer and set them on the table.
“Were you a boy scout too? Always prepared.”
“I was hopeful that you’d show up in my room wanting to ravish me.” He pressed his body over mine and kissed me again. I wrapped my arms around him, loving feeling the weight and heat of his body, pressing me into the mattress. It was the most grounded I’d felt in a long time.
“Tell me what you like, Allie. I want to make you happy.”
“Just touch me everywhere.” I’d never really thought about what I liked in bed, and I’d certainly never had a man ask. Did he do that with all his women?
His hands roamed my body, caressing and kneading as he kissed me, my lips, my neck, my breasts. His mouth moved lower, over my belly to my hip and then my inner thigh. My hips were moving on their own accord to a rhythm he was setting.