A Kiss Beneath the Stars

by Sterling, S. L.

  Chase dragged me up on the stage and placed me across from Autumn. She looked irritated as hell, and to be honest, I wasn’t that happy with either of them myself.

  “Everyone, can I have your attention on the main stage? It’s body-shot time. Three shots per couple. You guys vote for your favorite couple. Winning couple gets a bottle of rum! The crowed roared, and the music started blaring.

  The entertainment staff walked across the stage, one staff member for every woman. They stood behind them armed with a bottle of liquor. The music started, and I locked eyes with Autumn. I couldn’t read what was going on in that head of hers, but the look of fear and anger that was painted across her face gave me a good idea. Bryce and Alyssa went first, followed by Chase and Julia.

  We were up next. I watched as they put a lime wedge in her mouth, poured the shot of tequila, placing the shot glass between her breasts, and sprinkled salt along the crook of her neck. I walked up to her, placing one arm behind her back and the other on her hip. I leaned into her and whispered, “Don’t be scared. Just relax. But, I can’t promise I won’t bite.” Giving her a wink, I placed my mouth on her neck and slowly licked the salt. Then I buried my face into her chest and took the shot glass between my lips, drinking down the clear liquid. Finally, I leaned into her and took the lime wedge from between her lips. I stood back up and looked down at her. She was biting her lower lip, and her eyes were closed tightly.

  “Next one. Ladies, lean back.” Again, I watched as they sprinkled salt across her upper abs, filled the glass, sitting it on her navel, and placed the lime wedge between her breasts.

  “Men, have at it!” The music started again as the crowd started cheering.

  As soon as my hand went around to cradle her, she tensed at my touch. My eyes met hers. Her pupils were dilating, and she was breathing faster than before. I bent down and alternated between licking and sucking the salt off her, giving her a gentle love bite as I finished. Downing the shot, I took the lime into my mouth, making sure my lips grazed the soft flesh of her breasts. I felt her shudder in my arms.

  “Time for a third and final shot! This one is a little more risqué! Ladies, lean all the way back.”

  I watched once again as they shook salt just below her navel, and repeated the placement of the shot and lime.

  “Men!”

  I stepped forward and took in the light blush on her cheeks.

  “Ready?” I whispered as she bit her lower lip and nodded.

  Gripping her hips, I ran my tongue across her lower abdomen, softly and gently making sure I got all the salt. Then I moved to the shot and again to the lime wedge that sat between her breasts. As I closed my mouth over the lime and my lips grazed her skin, she let out a low, soft moan.

  Keeping my hands firmly planted on her hips I stood up, her heavy-lidded eyes looking at me. “Wasn’t so bad, was it, beautiful?”

  * * *

  Autumn

  Hunter stood firmly planted between my legs as we waited for the other three couples to complete their shots. I couldn’t peel my eyes from his; they were killer. How this man wasn’t married from that reason alone was beyond me. He held my hands in his, interlocking our fingers together, his stare just as intense as mine. I didn’t have an answer for him. Was it that bad? Hell no. I’d kill to see what else he could do with that mouth.

  We had no choice but to sit there until everyone was finished. I hated crowds, and to be honest, this was the most mortifying thing that had ever happened to me. I hadn’t always been shy like this, but Jason had always been so reserved. He would never have done anything like this, and over time, I had grown into that reserved person as well.

  The roar of the crowd became silent. While my eyes were still locked with his, he started to move into me, and just before his lips grazed mine, the crowd erupted in a chant of couple number three. He abruptly backed off as they brought over our bottle of rum.

  Bryce and Chase bolted as soon as we were handed our rum, taking off with their lady friends toward the beach. Hunter helped me off the stage, and with my hand in his, he walked me back over to my seat.

  “Enjoy, Autumn.” He set the bottle of rum down beside me as I relaxed back on the lounge chair. “I’ll see you around.” He turned to walk away. I suddenly didn’t want him to leave. I had decided to take Evelyn’s advice—just have fun—even if only for one day.

  “I take it that was your brothers’ idea?” I murmured.

  He looked over his shoulder at me, turned back around, and walked back over. “Yes, I’m just going to apologize for that now. I told them not to, but they don’t listen. It sometimes amazes me that they’ve come as far in life as they have.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Listen, would you like to join me for dinner tonight?”

  I bit my bottom lip and thought about what he had asked. I really wanted to just say yes. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my vacation all alone, which was completely different from the way I had felt when I left. He seemed nice enough, but I was still hesitant.

  “Just dinner. I promise you, I’m not the asshole you think I am.”

  “I never thought that.”

  “Sure you did. I could read it on your face. I was just having some fun with you the other night; I meant no harm. I wanted to see you smile. You looked so sad.”

  When I saw the look in his eyes, I knew he was being sincere and not just saying what he thought I wanted to hear. “Okay. Dinner.”

  “Great, I have reservations at the Thai Rose tonight. I’ll tell those two fucks to take off for the night. How about I pick you up at six? We can have a drink or two before dinner.”

  “Sounds great. I look forward to it.”

  “Okay, well, I’ll let you get back to your sun and your book and I will see you at six.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Autumn

  I couldn’t keep my mind on anything, no matter how hard I tried. My thoughts jumped from the feel of his hands against my bare skin to the look in his eyes when he finished each shot. Just stop, I murmured to myself as I finished applying the last coat of mascara. Walking to the closet, I pulled out my black V-neck wrap dress and my favorite pair of black heels. I had no idea why I had even agreed to this and wasn’t sure if I had it in me to be carefree. The man had infuriated me only a night ago, but there was a part of me that thought there was no way he could be as bad as he seemed. As soon as I was dressed I checked myself out in the full-length mirror, pulling off a random piece of lint and straightening any flaw I could see in the material. I didn’t know why I cared if I looked good or not; I certainly wasn’t trying to impress him.

  I spritzed a little more body spray over myself and gave myself another once-over. Never had I been so nervous or had fussed over myself so much when I went on a date with Jason. I grabbed my key and clutch from the counter. My stomach was suddenly in knots. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm my nerves. I opened the door and let the fresh night air wash over my face. It was just starting to get dark. The pathways were all gently lit with dim lights, and couples were already walking hand in hand toward the main lobby area. I walked down the front steps, wishing the sick feeling would leave my stomach.

  The minute I rounded the corner and caught a glimpse of his large frame, my stomach instantly felt at ease. He was dressed in all black, which made his skin look much darker than it had earlier today. He must have been checking his email, but as soon as I cleared my throat, he put his phone in his pocket and looked in my direction. I watched as his eyes trailed over my body. At first, I felt a little self-conscious. “Hello there! You look amazing.” I swallowed hard and gave him a smile. I wasn’t used to compliments. The most I would have ever gotten out of Jason was you’re wearing that? I guess it will do.

  “You ready for dinner?” He held his arm out to me, and I placed my arm through his, resting my hand on his forearm, as we headed up to the lobby.

  We chose a table for two off to the side of the
courtyard near the bar. He pulled my chair out and placed his hand on my lower back as he guided me to sit down. “What can I get you to drink?”

  “Gin and tonic, please.”

  “Lemon or lime?”

  “Lime, please.” I watched him as he walked over to the bar and stood there waiting for the bartender to take his order. Once he had placed our order, he turned to watch me, never taking those sexy blue eyes from me while he waited. With drinks in hand, he came back over and sat across from me.

  “Thank you,” I said, taking a sip. I needed something to take the edge off.

  I suddenly felt uneasy sitting there with him. My heart began pounding in my chest. I really didn’t know what to talk about and was thankful when I spotted both of his brothers walking toward us.

  They both stopped at our table wearing shit-eating grins. “Hunter, what time is dinner at?” Bryce questioned, smiling at me. The pair of them were still dressed in their swimming attire.

  “Didn’t you guys get my messages? I called both of your rooms earlier.” Bryce and Chase looked from me to Hunter and smiled.

  “So, you finally asked her out, did you, big guy?” Chase grabbed Hunter’s large shoulders. I watched as his jaw flexed. Even though I didn’t know him, I could tell he was irritated.

  He gave me a tight smile and stood. “Excuse us for a minute.” He led both his brothers away from the table and had a few words. He looked so intense and irritated, but sexy as hell, as they both laughed at whatever he was saying. I smiled inwardly to myself.

  When he was finished, he turned and walked back to join me at the table. “Sorry about that.”

  I looked over at both Bryce and Chase and smiled as they both waved before heading back to their rooms. “That’s okay. I take it they are your younger brothers?”

  “How did you guess?” He smiled.

  “I have an older sister. I know I’ve irritated her like that in the past. We have a way of getting under your skin without even knowing it.”

  “Yes, like earlier today.” He winked.

  I blushed at the memory of his mouth on me.

  “I’m sorry about that, by the way. I hope you can forgive them and me. I don’t want you to be upset. I was trying to calm you down up there. I could tell you were on edge.”

  I took a sip of my drink and smiled. “It’s okay. It was kind of fun.” Again, I could feel that familiar heat crawl up my face.

  A sexy smile lit up his face. Clearing his throat, he glanced at his watch. “We need to get going. Dinner is in fifteen minutes.”

  * * *

  We walked out of the restaurant and into the warm night air, his large hand resting on the small of my back. I couldn’t remember the last time I had laughed so hard, and I had realized he was right—he wasn’t the asshole I’d thought he was.

  “Care to take a walk with me, beautiful?”

  I didn’t want to be bombarded by looks from his brothers, so I nodded. I was enjoying my time with him alone. We walked down the pathway and to the other side of the resort, which edged against the ocean. As we walked, he grabbed my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine. We walked in total silence. About ten minutes into our walk we found a little covered gazebo with couches that went out over the ocean. Hunter nodded in the direction of the little hut. “Would you like to sit for a bit?”

  “Sure,” I answered softly.

  While he took a seat on one of the couches, I walked to the edge of the hut and looked out over the water. The full moon illuminated the ocean, making it look like millions of glittering diamonds. I could see lights from a cruise ship out in the distance. “It’s so beautiful out here.”

  “Yes, it is, in more ways than one.” I turned and smiled at Hunter. He was watching me intently.

  A cool breeze blew, causing a chill to run through me. I rubbed both my arms, trying to warm up. “I wish I’d brought my jacket,” I said, sitting down opposite Hunter.

  “There’s plenty of room over here beside me. I’ll keep you warm.” He gently patted the empty spot beside him.

  A funny feeling rose in the pit of my stomach. It took me a minute before I went and sat down next to him. Three years was a long time to not have leaned my body against a man’s, and judging from the way my body responded to the activities this afternoon, there was no denying I was extremely attracted to him. Removing my shoes, I slid back onto the couch as he wrapped his arm around my small frame, pulling me against his muscular body. As the warmth from him seeped into me, I slowly started to relax.

  “Comfortable?” he whispered.

  “This is nice,” I said softly. It felt good to be held by someone again, even if it was someone I barely knew. Closing my eyes, I laid my head against his shoulder, breathing in his masculine scent.

  “So, what brings you here?” he asked softly.

  I was quiet. I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell him the truth—that I was trying to get over the loss of my baby and a divorce. “I just needed a break from some things going on at home right now. What about you?”

  “Vacation with my brothers. We do this every year. My older brother, Carter, didn’t make it down this time. It’s a good thing, however. That way we didn’t need to close up the firm for a week.”

  “What do you do?” I asked while interlocking my fingers with his.

  “My brothers and I have our own law firm. Carter practices Family Law, Chase is Contract Law, Bryce practices Estate Planning, and I’m in Corporate Law.”

  “Those two are lawyers? I never would have guessed,” I said, laughing.

  “Yeah, I know. They definitely let loose outside of the office. But really, I can assure you that they are all very professional. What about you? What do you do?”

  “I’m kind of in between jobs right now. I had to take some time off of work due to illness, and when my benefits ran out, they told me I had no choice but to return; however, my doctor said I wasn’t able to return yet, so they let me go.” I swallowed hard. I raised my head off his chest and looked into his eyes. He gently brushed the hair away from my face and rested his hand on my cheek.

  “Is everything all right, Autumn? I don’t like the sadness I see in your eyes. Looks like you have the weight of the world on those shoulders.”

  “It will be in time.” I smiled, but I turned my eyes downward and sat up, pulling away from him. He was right; I did hold the weight of the world on my shoulders—my world and the mess it had become.

  As soon as my body was away from him, I longed for his touch. As if he knew, his hand caressed my back. “Hey, don’t hide those beautiful eyes from me.” I met his eyes again. This time, desire radiated through them. He reached out and placed his hand behind my neck, pulling me toward him. Slowly leaning forward, with his eyes moving from mine to my mouth and back, he placed a gentle kiss on my lips. Heat pulsed through me as he sucked my bottom lip into his mouth. In that moment, it was like we were the only two in the world.

  He gently guided me back into the cushions and continued his assault on my mouth. At first, I was paralyzed, not knowing really what to do, but he was gentle and tender, and soon I had wrapped my arms around his neck and welcomed his lips. He coaxed my lips apart with his tongue, sweeping my mouth. I let out a soft moan as he ran his fingers through my hair.

  Suddenly, he pulled back, looking over my shoulder. Off in the distance we heard his name being called. “Fuck, those two drunk asses are on their way. What do you say we head back to our rooms?” I didn’t want the moment to end, but I also didn’t want it interrupted. Placing my shoes back on, I stood, and we walked arm in arm back to our rooms.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Autumn

  The stars twinkled above us. We stood at the end of the walkway to our rooms, Hunter looking deep into my eyes. His hand caressed my cheek, and he leaned in and kissed me like I had never been kissed before, his tongue exploring every part of my mouth. Wrapping me in his arms, he kissed me deeper, the kiss becoming stronger and more forceful. I placed my ha
nd on his chest, stopping him.

  “What is it?” he asked breathlessly as he studied my face.

  “Hunter, please. Go slow.” I didn’t know exactly why I had stopped him, but I could feel the throbbing heat between my legs and was afraid I might erupt right there on the walkway. My panties were completely soaked. It had been so long since I had felt this way, and the intensity was overwhelming me.

  He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against mine, gently kissing me again.

  “Please go slow. It’s been a while for me.” I wanted to take that comment back, but the words had already fallen from my mouth.

  Hunter looked into my eyes and smiled. “Would you like to come in for a nightcap? I promise we’ll go slow.” He held both his hands up in surrender while studying my face.

  Chewing on my bottom lip, I tried to decide, but my head was already nodding in a yes motion. A large part of me was curious to see where the night would go. I wanted to see what it was like to be with another man. Jason had been the only one. The sensible part of my brain was screaming no, you barely know him, and I’d never even considered having a one-night stand in my life until this moment.

  Placing his hand on the small of my back, he guided me to his door and opened it.

  He placed the do-not-disturb sign on the handle and shut the door behind him, turning toward me and taking me in. I stood looking around the room, clutching my little purse in my sweaty hands, afraid to let it go. It felt as if it was my only lifeline, and if I let it go, all hell would break loose. Walking toward me, he took hold of my hands in his. “Relax, sweetheart.” I slowly let go of my clutch, dropping it into his hands. He set it down on top of the bedside table.

  As he looked up at me, I could see the heat in his eyes. It was the same heat he had been looking at me with this afternoon and just a few minutes ago out front. I took a step back and leaned against the cool wall. I was so hot, I needed some sort of relief.