Going for it. Riley certainly understood that.
Still, she tried not to analyze for very long the stark disappointment spinning through her that they weren’t going to have any more time with him. “I wish you didn’t have to go,” she said, quieter. “I mean, I know that sounds silly. I guess I was just hoping…” She took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh. “I guess I was hoping you’d stay. Here, with us.”
He stopped toying with her knee and slid his palm higher up her thigh. “And then what?”
She shrugged gently. “I’m not sure.” Her gaze slipped to Garrett’s. “One step at a time, right?”
He leaned over and kissed the arch of her outstretched foot. “That’s the only way to go.”
Evan closed the to-go box and took the shrimp container from her hands, setting them both on the nightstand beside the bed. Heat poured from his stare as he shifted his big body closer to hers. “Convince me,” he said.
Her stomach tingled at the sensuality dripping from those two little words. “What?”
The corner of his lip lifted, and she knew right then she was a goner.
“I’ve got a little wiggle room in when I leave. Nothing’s written in stone,” Evan said. “Convince me to stay.”
Chapter Five
Garrett Watson knew his wife well. He knew her nuances, her peccadilloes, just as well as she knew his. Her emotions, no matter what they were, never failed to set the tone for his own. If she was happy, so was he. If she was sad or upset, he hurt as if there was a knife shoved handle-deep through the center of his gut. And when she was turned on, well, there was no stopping him or his libido until he gave her everything she needed.
Despite the rigorous activities of the past hour, Riley Watson was turned on now.
He knew by the telltale seductive droop of her eyelids and by the teasing way she bit at her lower lip. He could tell by the way she subtly shifted her hips and from the slight hitch in her shallow breath that, right here, right now, she wanted Evan.
Any other ordinary man might have little green horns of jealousy spearing through his forehead while he seethed and growled out shouts of Mine, mine, mine! if another man looked at his woman the way Evan was staring at Riley now. But Garrett wasn’t your typical guy. He never had been. Seeing Evan want his woman just as much as he did made him burn with a heady mix of pride and love, instead of slogging him down with hatred and suspicion.
And the same went for Riley. Shards of jealousy—or even anger—might tear regular guys to shreds at the way she was giving the heated once-over just as good as she was getting it. But if there was one thing he loved doing above everything else, it was making sure his wife’s life was filled to overflowing with pleasure. It didn’t matter to him in what form that pleasure came, as long as the end result was her being happy and sated.
He wasn’t just feeding her a line of bullshit when he told her she had enough love inside her heart for two, and Garrett knew from firsthand experience that life was way too unpredictable not to grab onto its mysterious little opportunities and hold on tight. He was ready to ride out any and all waves that rushed up to them, to see where each new chance led them. Doing that and having Riley by his side was all that mattered to him. It was all he ever wanted.
He had a choice as to whether he wanted to live his life to the fullest or just be alive. The former held much more appeal, it had for years now.
As Riley moved to straddle Evan’s lap, Garrett let the warm wave of change flow over him. The unknown was exciting as hell and revved him up more than little else ever could. Except for his wife, that was. She got him going no matter what it was she was doing.
He could watch her do something so mundane, something so simple as run a comb through her damp hair after a shower, and want her more than he wanted his next breath.
Or he could watch her run her hands up Evan’s chest like she was now and marvel at how unbelievably sexy, how mesmerizing she truly was.
“Stay. Please,” she whispered to Evan, then she slowly kissed him.
Garrett’s insides flipped as he watched the two of them, but not due to any kind of jealousy on his part. They flipped because he knew exactly how that felt, having her lips softly nibble at his, having her tongue slide inside against his own. It felt like heaven.
It felt like home.
Evan kissed her in return, gripping handfuls of her terry cloth robe to pull her in closer. Riley let out an easy sigh as she crept her hands up further to grab onto the other man’s shoulders.
Goddamn. Watching her like this… In a word, she was gorgeous.
It hadn’t been that long since he’d been balls-deep inside her, but his body didn’t seem to care about the lengths of time or the like. He was hardening all over again. He was hardening for her—because of her.
He was dying to join in so he could touch her, but Lord help him, he wanted to watch too. He wanted to see her like he’d never been able to see her before.
And from his vantage point at the end of the bed, he could see it all—the slide of her lips over Evan’s becoming more heated, more frantic. Their hands seeking, their breaths stuttering. In between one of those fitful breaths, Evan made quick work of the knot on the robe’s sash and when he dipped his hands inside, it was Garrett who growled, simply because he knew precisely what it was like to touch her like that.
But when Riley scooted back along Evan’s legs, when she let her hands drift down to yank on first the button and then the fly of his pants, that was when Evan let loose a growl of his own. The guy had gone commando and his cock was right there, right at her lips. Garrett knew her hot breath was enough to make Evan want to come, but it was her delectable mouth that was actually going to make it happen.
Evan’s eyes drifted shut as her lips closed around his stiff dick. He worked his jaw, blindly reaching for her to wrap her hair around his hand. He set the pace slow, and Garrett knew he wanted to draw this out for as long as possible. There was nothing more amazing than having Riley’s mouth wrapped around you as she worked her magic, that was for damn sure. Garrett could practically feel her on him now—the hot glide of her tongue, the gentle suction of her lips.
Fuck it.
With a flick of his fingers, he unbuttoned his own pants and shoved his hand inside. A quick date with Pamela Handerson and her five sisters was a poor substitute for Riley’s mouth, but it was going to have to do for now. He fisted himself and stroked, keeping time with the lead Evan had on her.
“Jesus,” Evan said, opening his eyes and pinning Garrett with a stare.
“Exactly,” Garrett answered in return.
The other man dug his heels into the mattress when Riley added her hand to the mix. Evan hissed, scrunching his abs and holding her hair more firmly as she pumped him faster and faster.
“Ah God. Ah hell,” Evan bit out.
Yeah, that about summed it up. Being inside Riley’s luscious mouth felt like both heaven and hell. Heaven because, well, it was Riley. Hell because of the pure erotic torture she put you through in those precious moments before you blew apart.
Which, if Garrett wasn’t mistaken, was going to be any second now—for both of them.
All it took for Evan was a bit more concentration on the head of his cock. All it took for Garrett was hearing Riley groan as Evan stiffened and came all over her sweet lips and hand.
Garrett flopped onto his back, working out the last of the tingles shooting through his own dick while still watching them. Evan drew her up his body with his hand still in her hair, and kissed the hell out of her when their mouths met. After a moment, she broke away and glanced back at him. A coy yet happy smile played on her lips, spearing Garrett right in the heart.
“I think that was pretty convincing,” Evan said, catching his breath and letting go of her hair so it fell in loose curls over her shoulders.
“So you’ll stay?” Riley asked. There was no mistaking the hope lacing her quiet voice.
Before Evan had the chance to
answer, Garrett hopped off the bed and headed for the bathroom. He grabbed two towels and made his way back to the bed, tossing one to Evan. He caught it in midair one-handed, settling his stare on Garrett.
“This is what you both want?”
Being that this was the second time Evan had asked the same question—once in the bar and once now—it made Garrett wonder a little as to what kind of tumultuous secrets may lay hidden in his past. His need for reassurance was gallant as shit, but it also spoke of something more.
They had time for that part, though. The getting to know each other, the spending the week in each other’s company part. They had time to see if maybe, just maybe, they might somehow all fit together.
But Garrett could tell that, right now, Evan was looking for some sort of confirmation. Hearing Riley’s plea wasn’t good enough and Garrett had to hand it to the guy. There was nothing wrong with being a hundred percent certain on something as important and potentially life-changing as this.
“I’m in, all the way. She’s never steered me wrong, not once. If this is what she wants, then this is what I’ll do my damnedest to give her.”
Evan’s gaze slid to Riley. He didn’t say anything, not right away. Instead he gently caressed her cheek. The expression he wore was riddled with questions. With emotion. He wanted this too, Garrett could tell. But there was definitely more to that haunted look on his face. There was definitely more to his story than he let on.
“I’ll work it out,” Evan finally said. “I’ll stay.”
Riley laid out a huge smile for both of them, and Garrett’s heart flipped once again. Christ, he loved seeing her so happy. But then he glanced at Evan. Heartbreak—or maybe that was regret—flashed in his eyes. Riley didn’t catch the look, she was too busy smiling at Garrett for her to see it, but he didn’t miss it.
Oh yeah, there was way more to this man’s story, and Garrett had a feeling that by the end of the week he was going to have either one deliriously content woman on his hands—their hands—or he was going to be spending a lot of time picking up the pieces of his wife’s broken heart.
Chapter Six
The eastbound drive down Highway 98 between Destin and Panama City Beach was boring as hell. Pines lined the north and south lanes in acres-deep rows of identical trees, each side speckled here and there with small businesses and the occasional Wal-Mart, Publix or Win-Dixie strip mall. Garrett tuned the radio in their rental car to a mellow XM Radio station while Riley stared out the passenger window, strumming her fingers on her thigh in time to the music.
She’d been quiet this morning, more so since Evan had left to head back to his place to pack up a few things to bring to the beach house. He promised to meet them in Inlet Beach no later than ten a.m. They’d go shopping for groceries after he arrived, then spend the rest of the day settling in and lazing on the perfect white-sand beach.
Garrett steered the rental SUV past the intersection where 98 met 30A and flipped on his turn signal. Inlet Beach didn’t take up a large amount of real estate, and most of the housing along its coast was modest yet comfortable. All except one house situated toward the far end of the beach’s territory. Like many other homes in the panhandle area, the stark-white stucco home was tall and skinny. It was made up of three floors, each measuring in at about fifteen-hundred square feet. There was a lot of opulence running up and down the Emerald Coast, and this home fit in with a few of those on the higher end. He’d heard from several salespeople who’d been lucky enough to spend time here that the amenities inside this particular home were what set it apart from many of the others dotting the nearby beaches.
Garrett turned down the sand driveway and pulled into the open garage of his boss’ home. The place was more of an investment property for the old guy, a treat he could dangle in front of his salesmen’s noses as a prize to be fought over. This year Garrett had come out the winner—and for him, the award lent new meaning to the phrase To the victor go the spoils.
“Open, just like he said it would be.” Garrett shoved the SUV’s gearshift into park. “The keys should be inside.”
“Oh wow. It’s bigger than I thought it’d be. And the water… It’s so close.”
It was. They were right on the fricking beach. They could step out the back door and land ankle-deep in warm sugar sand.
Fuck yeah.
God, he was so ready for this week. For some time off. He’d busted his ass all year and was more than stoked to collect on his reward. But for him to be able to share his prize with Riley, and hell, Evan too? Yeah, it did his heart and mind some good. His body, no doubt, would be appreciative as well.
Time to get the party started.
She hopped out of the rental and made her way inside the house before he even had the chance to open the driver’s side door. He caught up to where she stood quickly enough, stopping dead in his tracks next to her. Black marble floors and countertops filled the luxurious kitchen, along with a hell of a lot of cherry wood cabinets and high-end, stainless steel appliances.
“Damn,” he said.
“It’s gorgeous. Garrett, if the rest of the house is like this…”
He smiled at her as she took off, running through the kitchen to the back sliding door on the other side of the bottom level’s great room. She flung it open and pounced out onto the back deck.
Garrett rushed up to the door, stopping at the edge to simply watch her. She gazed toward the Gulf, taking in the morning waves lapping in and out along their slice of the private beach. Her dark brown eyes were wide and they crinkled a bit at the corners as a heavenly smile formed on her lips.
“It’s perfect.” She sucked in a long, deep breath, held it, and then let it out on a relaxed sigh. “And it’s all ours for the next seven days.”
He stepped outside, slid up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her lightly on the neck and said, “And we won’t let a moment of it go to waste.”
“No,” she said, laying her head back on his shoulder. “We won’t.” She returned his kiss by brushing her lips across his jaw. “Let’s go check out the rest of the place.”
The rest of the place was just as luxurious as the lower level, which was filled to the brim with oversized leather furniture, cherry tables and a marble-faced fireplace he couldn’t wait to put to good use. The second floor housed three guest bedrooms, each lavishly spacious, and all of them decked out in rich, vibrant beach colors. But it was when they reached the top floor that they both started grinning like fools.
The master suite took up the entire upper level. The bedroom itself screamed luxury, complete with a king-sized four-poster bed, coordinating his-and-hers dressers, and a loveseat and settee grouping arranged in front of the outside wall—which was made up entirely of sliding glass doors leading out to the top deck. To the left of the bedroom was an attached private office with an L-shaped mahogany desk/credenza combo. It was a sweet and efficient setup, but working on anything other than his wife this week was sure as hell the furthest thing from Garrett’s mind.
As Riley entered the double-doored bathroom off to the right, Garrett couldn’t help but laugh a little at the way she oohed and ahhed. He’d be hard pressed to call the amenities inside the huge space anything other than off-the-charts-crazy ostentatious. Marble sinks and countertops abutted a lighted mirrored wall. A private area held the toilet and an accompanying bidet. A glass-walled shower—with dual rainfall showerheads—stood in one corner while an oversized, jetted tub took up the other. A sheer pane of glass ran the length of the wall above the tub, separating the bathroom from the bedroom physically, yet connecting them visually. One flick of the switch next to the window and the glass frosted over and became opaque for privacy.
Holy extravagance, Batman.
“Oh my God, that’s so amazing,” Riley mused. “But…where’s the faucet?” she asked, searching around the tub.
He knew what she had in mind just by the sly and sexy tone with which she drew out the question. The t
ub was big enough for three with plenty of splashing room to spare.
Hell yeah, he could see the three of them in there. All wet and slick from the suds Riley’s bath gel and the half-dozen jets would create. If only he could figure out how to fill the damn thing, they’d be set. There were handles labeled hot and cold, but no spigot for the water.
When he cranked on the cold tap, a gurgle from the ceiling snagged his attention. An instant later, a solid stream poured from a hole dead-center above the tub.
“The spigot is in the ceiling?” Riley laughed, looking deliciously awestruck.
“Now that’s impressive,” Garrett added. No doubt about it, his boss had some amazingly good taste.
“Nice place.”
Garrett snapped his head around to find Evan leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed lazily over his chest.
“The door was open,” Evan said. “I took the chance you two would be up here.”
Riley’s smile grew as she grabbed Evan by the hand and drew him farther into the room. “Isn’t it great?”
She came to stand between him and Evan, sliding her hand into Garrett’s to hold onto them both. She laughed again, eyeing the water as it splashed into the tub. But from where they stood, all Garrett could see was the huge bed through the fancy-assed window separating the two rooms.
Christ, he couldn’t wait to get her on there. To lay her back on all those pillows propped against the headboard. To take her, to share her. To—
“It is,” Evan said.
“Did you see the beach? It’s private, just for us.”
She beamed as she spoke, and hell, there went his chest doing that flippy thing again. She was so excited about this vacation, and about Evan. Not that she’d come right out to say so, but Garrett could tell. He could always tell…
Seven Nights Page 5
