by Desiree Holt
If only I could stop worrying that it would all fall apart.
Okay, enough of that. Time to head for Beau’s and his adorable son.
The gated community he lived in was about half an hour from the Sharks headquarters, and fortunately against the wave of traffic. She gave her name to the guard on duty who waved her through the gates. At the house she punched in the gate code Beau had given her, waited while the ironwork gates slid smoothly open and drove on up the curving drive and parked at the steps to the front door. She climbed out of the car and took her first good look at Beau Perini’s residence.
The architecture was slightly Mediterranean, as were a lot of the buildings in Florida. Exquisite landscaping surrounded the two-story home that soared up to a red barrel tile roof. The elaborately carved front door opened and Beau jogged out to meet her. She stopped a moment, the sight of him taking her breath away. He was dressed in khakis and a shirt almost the exact shade of chocolate as his eyes and the sun caught the highlights in his blond hair. He could have stepped off the cover of a magazine about sexy hot athletes. She felt the same thrill of excitement wiggle through her she got every time she saw him.
“First things first,” he said when he reached her, and pulled her into his arms. The kiss he planted on her was light but no less satisfactory because of it. Then he took her hand and tugged her toward the house “Come on. Toby is beside himself waiting to meet you.”
“What exactly did you tell him?’ She’d meant to ask him before this. “I mean, I don’t want him to get the wrong idea about us.”
Beau came to a stop so sudden she bumped into him. He turned her to face him, placing his hands on her shoulders.
“I’m very careful abut who I introduce my son to,” His voice and face were serious. “I hope the idea he gets is the right one because I certainly have. Maybe it’s only been a week, Sarah, but I feel as if I’m in this neck deep.” He stroked her cheek. “And very glad about it.”
Her heart raced unsteadily, “You don’t think we’re rushing things?” Lordy, she did not want to make another mistake, especially with him. “I knew the minute I laid eyes on you again that we had something very special.”
“You did?” She stared up at him. “That fast?”
“I’ve had six years to brood about it, honey. So yeah, that fast.” He ran the tip of one finger along the line of her jaw. “If this past week was any indication, you did, too.”
She nodded. “Yes. I just want us to be sure.”
“I wouldn’t be inviting you to meet my son if I felt otherwise. Now come on. He’s probably expired from excitement.”
Sarah had a scant moment to admire the two story foyer with its vaulted ceiling and the high arched windows that lit up the area with dazzling sunlight. Then Beau was hurrying her along through a large living room through sliding doors to a patio where a tiny cherub was clinging to someone’s hand and hopping up and down.
“Is it her, Daddy?” he asked in his little-boy voice.
“Sure is, buddy.” He scooped his son up in his arms. Say hello to Sarah.”
She was sure he had to be the cutest child she’d ever seen. He had his Daddy’s blond hair and espresso eyes, something Sarah was sure Beau was probably very grateful for. He was grinning broadly, causing the dimples in his chubby little cheeks to flash.
“Hi, Sarah.” He reached out a hand, opening and closing his fist as his way of saying hello.
“Well, hello, Toby.” She squeezed his little hand. “It’s so very nice to meet you.”
“He’s been beside himself waiting for you,” the woman who had been watching him said.
“I’ll bet.” Beau chuckled. “Sarah, meet the incomparable Babs. She runs everything around here including me. We’d be lost without her.” He poked his son’s chest. “Right, kiddo?”
He bobbed his head up and down. “Lost.”
“They exaggerate just a little.” She held out her hand to Sarah. “Babs Littlefield. I’m so pleased to meet you.”
“Thank you.” Sarah liked the woman on sight. She guessed her age to be somewhere around fifty, but definitely a young fifty. Tall and athletically lean, her affection for Beau and his son was very obvious. “I’m—“
“Oh, we definitely know who you are,” Babs chuckled. “You’re all Beau’s talked about for a week.”
Sarah felt her cheeks heat. “Um, we’re just—“
“We certainly are,” Beau broke in. “How about a cold drink?”
“Yes, that would be nice.” Her mouth was suddenly so dry she could hardly get the words out. Seeing Beau in his home environment gave her an entirely different view of this complex man. Here he wasn’t Beau Perini the football star or even Beau Perini the ladies man. He was just Daddy and from the look on his face right now that was his most important role. Watching him she got a fluttery feelings in her stomach and unbidden an image of her, Beau and Toby flashed in her brain.
“Iced tea or lemonade?” Beau asked, interrupting her thoughts. “I seldom drink hard liquor at home and only the occasional beer,” he ruffled Toby’s hair. “But no alcohol when I’m hanging out with my best bud.”
The entire scene was so unexpected to her. She had never been able to imagine Beau as a family man, even though she knew he’d been married very briefly.
“This is the first time he’s ever invited a woman to the house,” Babs told her quietly when they were gathering things in the kitchen. “That’s how I knew you were special.”
“You’re kidding!” Sarah was shocked.
Babs shook her head. “Not at all. He’s very protective of Toby and determined he have a life that’s as normal in every respect as he can make it. The last thing he wants is for the child to see hot and cold running females here.”
Sarah chewed on her lip for a moment before she asked, “What about Toby’s mother? Does she come here often?”
The other woman’s face turned into a hard mask, just as Beau’s did when the subject came up.
“She’s not permitted here at all. And Beau has sole custody of Toby. Period.”
One of these times Sarah was going to get the full story of that marriage, but not tonight, tonight was about relaxing with Toby and Beau, a situation that just over a week ago she’d never dreamed she’d find herself in.
They barbecued on the patio, hot dogs in deference to Toby.
“We mostly stick with kid fare for meals around here,” Beau explained.
“As a matter of fact I happen to love hot dogs.” She crouched down to Toby who, suddenly shy, was clinging to Babs. “Do you know they are one of my favorite foods?”
He giggled, hugging Babs’ leg. “Mine, too.”
“Then maybe we can enjoy them together.”
Toby stuffed his fist into his mouth and stared at her for a moment, then reached his hand out for her to take. No way was Sarah going to refuse that token of trust because it was covered with spittle. She closed her fingers around the tiny fingers and gently squeezed them.
“Okay,” Toby said, then looked at Beau. “Okay, Daddy?”
“I think that’s a fine idea, squirt.”
Dinner was relaxed and pleasant. Sarah enjoyed watching the interaction between Beau and his son, and was pleased when they included her in their byplay. Every so often she caught Beau watching her with Toby as if assessing the situation. She was a little unnerved herself, not just at being here but at how much she was enjoying herself in this family situation. It hardly seemed possible that all this was happening after just one short week. She could not believe how quickly the time passed, or how much she enjoyed herself.
“I think our little man’s about ready for bed,” Beau said, noticing how Toby was rubbing his eyes.
“I’ll take him upstairs for his bath and get him in bed,” Babs said, picking up the little boy.
“Say goodnight to Sawah,” the little boy insisted, reaching out his arms.
Beau grinned. “I think you’ve made a conquest.”
&nbs
p; “He can have my heart any time.“ She gave the child a tight hug and a smooch. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
Then Beau bestowed more hugs and kisses before Babs carted Toby off upstairs.
“Night, Daddy,” he called. “Night, Sawah.”
“That’s some kid,” she told Beau when they were gone. “Nice job, Daddy.”
“Thanks. He’s been the bright spot in my life.” He cupped her cheeks and tilted her face up to him. “Until you came back into my life, that is.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Will you ever forgive me for being such an ass and walking out on you the way I did?”
“Hmm. Let me see. I might need some convincing in that department.”
“How about I follow you home and get busy in that department?”
She drew in a shaky breath and let it out slowly. “What are we dong, Beau? Where are we going with this?”
“I know where I’m going,” he said. “And I want it to be with you and Toby.”
“You don’t think we’re moving too fast?”
He shook his head. “When something is right and you want it, there’s no sense waiting.” He gave her a piercing look. “I’m not the same guy who walked out on you, Sarah. I’m older and way wiser than I was. And finally realizing what we might have had all this time if I hadn’t been such a stupid ass.”
“That you were,” she agreed with a shaky laugh.
“I want you to trust me,” he insisted. “I promise you I would not have invited you here to spend time with Toby if I didn’t want this to go somewhere. I’m sure Babs told you I never bring women home. I don’t want to send the little guy mixed signals.” He brushed his knuckles lightly against her cheekbone. “Give me a chance, Sarah. Give us a chance. I promise you won’t be sorry.”
Despite the fact that her track record had left her with built-in trust issues, she had come to realize that this Beau was light years away from the one she’d met six years ago. She also realized how deep her feelings for him ran. Maybe they’d been there all along.
She smiled up at him. “Then I guess you’d better follow me home and convince me you mean every word of this.”
Glancing around to make sure Babs and Toby were out of the room, he brought his mouth down to hers, gently at first then a little harder, the tip of his tongue drawing a line along the seam of her lips. Sarah clutched his biceps, loving the feel of the hard muscles and the press of his body against hers. She wanted to protest when he broke the kiss.
“Shall we take this someplace more private?” Heat blazed in his eyes and his voice was just a touch unsteady.
“I’d say that’s a good idea.”
“Let me just tell Babs I’m leaving and we’ll get the hell out of here. I can’t wait to get you naked in my arms.”
*****
Beau did his best to keep himself under control but as soon as they were inside Sarah’s condo he pulled her into his arms and kissed her as if he was a starving man and her mouth the only thing that would ease him. There was nothing gentle about this kiss. His mouth came down hard on hers and his tongue pressed insistently for entrance. Sarah stood on tiptoe and tunneled her fingers through his hair as she let her own tongue answer his need and duel with his.
Jesus, she tasted good. Beau wasn’t sure which part of her he liked to lick the best, her warm wonderful mouth or her very sweet pussy or maybe all that satin-smooth skin in between. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him, pressing his very aroused cock against her mound. He knew not even two layers of clothing could disguise how hard and swollen he was.
Pulling his mouth from hers with great reluctance he trailed his lips across her cheek and down the slender column of her neck. He couldn’t resist taking a little nip at the tendon where her neck and shoulder joined or sucking lightly on the hollow at her throat. He grew harder, if that was possible, when her pulse beat hard against his tongue. God, it seemed he barely touched her and his need to bury himself in her was in high gear. He wanted them naked, right now.
Lips still pressed to her neck, he swept her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to her bedroom. Thank god he’d been here before so he knew exactly where it was. Standing her beside the bed, he yanked the bedclothes back so he didn’t have to worry about them later. He very slowly peeled off her tee shirt and tossed it to a nearby chair. The sight of her luscious breasts contained in hot pink satin and lace, the tempting nipples dark against the fabric, made his mouth water. He lowered his head and closed his mouth around one of them and sucked it deeply into his mouth, fabric and all. When he closed his teeth gently around it, biting it as if it was a rich piece of candy, Sarah gave a little moan and swayed against him. So he did it again, to the other one.
Using his tongue he drew a line across the upper swell of her breasts, savoring the taste of her soft skin before tracing the outline of her collarbone. She shivered at the contact and grabbed his arms for support. Beau flicked open the clasp on her bra and drew it down her arms, following the path of one of the straps with his lips, punctuating the trail with a kiss on the inside of her wrist. Then he gave the other arm the same treatment.
Sarah’s hands tugged at his shirt, pulling the tails from his khakis. He was sorry now he’d worn something with buttons. He was tempted to just rip the shirt open in his haste, buttons be damned. But somehow Sarah managed and shoved the garment from his shoulders. Impatiently he broke the contact with her so he could shrug the garment off and toss it away.
She closed the tiny space between them so her breasts, their nipples still damp from his ministrations, impressed themselves against his chest. The sensation sent little shards of electric sensation through his body and made his balls ache with response. When she scraped her fingernails lightly over his hard nipples sensations cascaded through his body and jerked his pheromones awake. Hands at his waist as if to steady herself she blew lightly across the soft curls of hair on his chest, sending shivers cascading down his spine. He had to fight his inner beast to keep from just throwing her on the bed and thrusting into her.
She deserves to be worshipped and properly loved he kept telling himself. But holy fuck, it was sure damn hard.
Beau caressed her naked back, letting his fingers walk up and down her spine then slipping them into the waistband of her jeans to cup her ass.
“Off,” he ordered. “Right now.”
He could barely keep it together as he watched her slip out of her sandals, then gracefully step out of her slacks and the thin scrap of nothing that was her panties. Unable to help himself he knelt before her, nudged her legs apart and inhaled the incredible fragrance of her musk. He was sure it beat anything else he’d ever smelled in his life.
Opening the lips of her sex with his thumbs he took careful swipes with his tongue up one side and down the other. God, her inner flesh was so slick and hot.
He did it again, as if he’d never get enough, and maybe he wouldn’t. She was the most delicious feast he’d ever tasted. He was shaking with need and so was she.
Banding his arms just beneath her incredible ass he rose, lifting her, and placed her gently on the bed. He shifted her so her head was on the pillow, bent her legs at the knees and planted her feet on either side of him. When he looked up at her face he saw her watching him intently, her eyes darkened to a rich hunter green that reminded him of the plant life in the bayous. He thought he could easily lose himself in those eyes.
She ran her tongue over her bottom lip then did something that surprised him. She brought one fingertip to her mouth, licked it and ran it around one nipple. Now the pebbled bud was even darker in color and so tempting. He touched his tongue to it and her fingertip, licking them both. When he looked up he saw light flare in her eyes so he did it again. She gave him a slow, teasing smile and did the same to the other nipple. More lapping.
He peppered a string of wet kisses down from her collarbone to just above her mound. He paused in his journey over her body to admire her gorgeous cunt, so beautifully w
axed with just two tiny strips of curls. The first time he saw it, six years ago it had driven him nuts, such gorgeous pink flesh with those two tiny rows of carefully groomed auburn hair. He tugged at them lightly with his teeth, eliciting a tiny groan from her.
If she was groaning she should try putting herself in his place, he thought. He didn’t know just how much longer he could keep it together. He stroked his tongue the path of her slit, tasting her, pressing the flat of his tongue against her heated intimate flesh. Touching her was like putting his hand to a lit match. Instant conflagration. Instantaneous combination. No woman had ever done this to him before. No wonder he couldn’t get enough of her.
More of her cream gathered on his tongue so he slid first one then two fingers inside her. The walls of her pussy instantly clenched down on him, tightening when he began a steady in-and-out pattern. He was going to give her a really great orgasm, maybe two, because when he took his pants off he had a feeling he’d turn into the sixty second wonder.
Maintaining a steady movement with his fingers he locked his lips around the heated bud of her clitoris. When he pulled on it she arched herself up to him, a sound of pleasure exploding from her throat. Fuck, she was responsive. How had he managed to get so lucky as to have her in his life? And he’d damn well better not do anything to screw it up.
He worked her steadily, applying his mouth and his tongue as he drove in and out of her with two fingers. When he added the third and bit down lightly on her clit she nearly lifted off the bed. A wild cry burst from her mouth and she pushed hard into the mattress with her feet and forced herself hard down onto his fingers. That was all it took. Her body exploded with the force of her orgasm, her inner walls gripping his fingers like a vise. He pressed his hand on top of her mound steadying her in place while she rode it out.
“Oh, oh, oh.” The exclamations burst from her mouth, punctuating each spasm that rocked her.
