by Mason, Dana
“Why do you keep all these luscious locks all tied up?”
“Hmmm,” she hums against my chest. “I don’t know, I guess because it’s tidy.”
“Well, stop it.” I drop my hands to her face and tilt it up so I can kiss her. There’s a hint of light shining through from outside, and it’s just enough to highlight one side of her face. Her porcelain skin is warm to the touch, and I can’t stop staring at her. I can’t even stop long enough to take her lips with mine. Our eyes lock, and I so badly want to know what’s going on inside that head of hers––I want to know her.
“What’s your favorite color?” It’s a question but not personal enough to be against the rules.
“Favorite color?” she asks, and her brows draw together. “Blue, but red is a close second. Why?”
“Red?” I pluck at the strap of her beige dress. “I’d never guess.”
“I know… I only have boring business clothes.”
“Okay, moving on. Coffee or tea?”
She chuckles, and I feel it shake her body. “Coffee. Definitely coffee.”
“Cake or ice cream?”
Her head tilts a fraction of an inch. “It’s cruel to ask me to choose between cake and ice cream. They go together, like peanut butter and jelly.”
I beam at her answer, and now I have to kiss her. There’s nothing like peanut butter and jelly to bring two strangers together. When our lips meet, hers are warm and soft, slightly wet, and she tastes like the full-bodied Malbec wine she drank with dinner. I want to devour her. I want to ride her… Hell, I want her to ride me. I back her against the wall and slide my hands down her arms until I link my fingers with hers. I add pressure until she’s flush against the wall.
“Do you trust me?”
Her blue eyes widen, and one side of her mouth lifts up. “If you were going to do something terrible, it would have been last night when I was stinking drunk.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Yes.”
The steady and sure sound of her answer sends a surge right through me. I push against her hands until they’re pinned to the wall as well. My instincts kick in from there.
My dick is rock-hard as I grind against her. She pushes back, and a sharp cry breaks from her lips when I hit the perfect spot between her legs. That sound is sexy as hell and drives me forward, teasing her, and enticing her higher. I can feel the tension in her body as I trail my tongue and lips all the way down her throat.
She tries to break free, so I loosen my grip and release her, but before she can touch me, I spin her around, pressing her front against the wall. Again, I trap her hands as my erection presses against her firm ass.
She pants in surprise and all I can think about is that tight little bun coming loose… just like her tight little body is coming loose right now, in my arms. It’s true, there’s nothing cold about Emily. The way she comes alive when touched is proof of that. She just needs to be touched properly. Treated like the treasure she is. No, she’s not cold… not in the least.
My weight pins her to the wall, my knees are bent, and my dick is rubbing insanely hard against her ass. No matter how hard I press against her, she’s pushing back. She’s on her toes with her ass in the air, begging for more. I lower my hand and wedge it between her and the wall, sliding it down between her legs.
Now that she’s free, Emily reaches down and tugs her skirt up, freeing her legs and granting me access. I slide my hand under her panties and then inside her. She’s soaking wet, and when my finger grazes her clit, she jerks hard.
“You’re so ready, sweetness.”
Her ass lifts against me, and as it does, she hikes her skirt higher, spreading her legs farther for me. I slid my knee between them, and she starts grinding against it.
“Fuck me, I want you, Emily.” I release her other wrist and grip the zipper on the back of her dress, jamming it down as quickly as I can. I push the shoulder straps until they’re falling, and faster than I expect, Emily shimmies her arms out and lets the dress drop to the floor. She’s smoking hot in her white lace bra and thong, and her pale skin looks delicious. I have to taste her.
Without hesitation, my teeth sink into her bare shoulder, and at the same time, Emily’s hand clamps down on my hip. I grab it and lift it high above her head, pressing it against the wall. Then I slowly withdraw my finger from her slick clit. When I do, she protests with a loud moan. I lift her other hand to join the first. “Don’t move.”
“Drew, oh, God.” With these cries, I press my erection against her again.
“Don’t move, sweetness.” When she’s still, I quickly pop the button on my shorts and shed my clothes, somehow never losing contact with her.
I can tell she wants to turn around. She’s itching to touch something, but I’ve got her where I want her. I consider it my duty to make sure she walks away unable to forget my touch. Unable to forget how fucking hot we are together.
With one hand back between her legs, and the other tangled in those long, silky locks of hair, I pull her from the wall and turn her toward the low-back, blue velvet armchair. Then I slowly push her over the back of the chair. She leans forward and grasps the arms, lifting her ass to me.
My cock slides between her legs, rubbing up and down her wetness, and Emily’s moving with the motion. I can tell she’s close already. Her body is taut but completely reactive, and dammit, I want her. But I don’t have a condom on yet.
I drop to my knees and nip at Emily’s hip as I slowly lower her thong down her thighs. At the same time, I pull my wallet out of the pocket of my shorts and remove the condom stashed there.
Thank fucking Christ, because I’m not sure how much more I can take. I free the condom from the packet and slide it on.
“Drew…” Her sultry voice sounds tense, and I know she’s losing her patience.
“No worries, sweetness, we’re done playing.”
I rub my cock between her legs again until she’s grinding against me, and then I slide into her. Gentle at first, moving all the way in. When I’m deep inside her, I hear a sexy little gasp and when I feel the tightness around my dick, I can’t hold back. I grab her hips and lift her slightly before plunging in again and again. It’s not long at all until I feel her tighten around me even more. She’s crying out as she comes, and as her back straightens and lifts toward me, I quickly unsnap the back of her bra and free her breasts. Within seconds, my hands are clamped onto them, holding firmly. They’re amazing and I can feel the sway of their weight as I thrust inside her. As I’m holding on, the motion sends me spiraling.
I fight not to collapse on top of her, but it’s hard to maintain my balance. We’re both panting, and there’s sweat dripping down my face. Jesus.
Once I catch my breath, I lift Emily off her feet. She weighs barely anything, and as I hold her against me, she’s motionless. I lay her on the bed without bothering to turn the blankets down. Even with the rain, it’s warm as hell. Emily curls against me and rests her head on my shoulder. She’s quiet but so am I––it’s as if we want to preserve the moment.
We’re both exhausted from today, but I’m wide awake. Relaxed, even though my mind won’t shut down. When Emily shifts, I realize she’s not sleeping either. She lifts up to look at me. “Are you sleepy?” She’s tousled and absolutely adorable with waves of thick hair draped down around her shoulders.
“No, not at all. How about you?”
“Wide awake. I don’t think I’ve acclimated to the time change yet.” This makes me wonder how off she is from her regular time. If she’s from California, the time difference is three hours, but if she’s from Boston, it’s six hours earlier than she’s used to. She sits up and crosses her legs in front of her… and I like the view. At least until she throws the sheet over her lap.
“Let’s go do something.”
I rest my hands behind my head and lift an eyebrow. “Or we could just stay in bed and do something.”
She grins and even in the dark,
I can see the crimson creep into her cheeks. She looks away and as she focuses on the storm outside, her eyes narrow. I follow her gaze and realize the storm has died down a little. She pats my chest and says, “Let’s go outside, play in the rain.”
“Really?”
She’s up and out of bed before I can say anything else. I sit up and watch as she searches for something to wear. With a shrug, I get out of bed and throw my clothes on.
“Let’s do it.”
We rush out the back entrance to the resort, near the beach and beach path, which runs nearly the entire length of Kaanapali shores. It’s still raining pretty steadily, but the wind is bearable, and it’s pretty warm. The ocean’s calmed slightly too. There are still some swells, but not enough to make the beach unsafe. The crashing sounds are hypnotizing. I could listen to that sound forever and never tire of it.
There are lanterns lighting the path and in the glow I can clearly see Emily’s ear-to-ear grin. We head down the path together and she’s laughing as she lifts her face to the rain. I glance around to see if we’re the only crazy people out here and I’m thrilled to find we are. She skips down the path, looking like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
Now this isn’t the same woman I met yesterday in the business suit, spiked heels, and tight bun. No, this woman is enjoying life. Hair down, mouth open to catch the raindrops, and spinning around like she’s standing under a beam of sunshine. I chuckle as I watch her and when she hears me, she tilts her head in my direction.
Her joy illuminates her entire face and I love it.
“I’m ridiculous, right?”
“Adorable. Not ridiculous.”
She hops over and plants a kiss on my cheek. “Thanks for indulging me.” I grab her before she can get away and hold her against me. I push the wet hair off her face and take her lips with mine. The heat between us is intense and I’m tempted to take her right here, on the path. I lift from the kiss and check for other people.
“Want to go sit on the beach?”
Her body tenses and she shakes her head, her eyes changing from joyful to sad. What did I say? I kiss her again, hoping to take the sadness away. When I pull back this time, I see something else in her eyes. Something I can’t decipher. I sway with her in my arms and dance her around a little, hoping to make her happy again.
It works. She’s beaming as she mutters, “We’re dancing in the rain.”
We stay like this for several minutes and we’re completely soaked, but I don’t care.
“Winter, spring, summer, or fall?”
With her eyes locked on mine, she says, “Spring.”
When we’re done we continue hand in hand for a while. There are small puddles of water on the concrete path and Emily joyfully stomps her feet, splashing water on both of us. Again, I’m reminded of my little Hannah. After another half an hour or so, I see Emily yawn and I turn her back toward our resort and we wander back slowly.
When we’re inside her room, we strip off our wet clothes and crawl into bed, our bodies heavy with exhaustion. Within seconds, Emily’s breathing levels out and she’s asleep.
I listen to her for a long time, enjoying the warmth of her plastered against my body. Within a few minutes, my body reacts to her lying naked next to me. I don’t wake her though, I want her to rest. Besides, letting her sleep gives me time to figure out how I’m going to get her to tell me where she’s from. I want to find out as much as I can about her. I’m sure I could Google her, but Thomas is a very popular name. There could be a million Emily Thomases out there.
Shifting to my side, I wrap an arm around her and nuzzle into her hair with a sigh. It’s nice to fall asleep with someone. It’s been a long time. Sex is one thing, but having someone to laugh with and enjoy my days with is priceless. Could Emily become that? I have until the end of the week to find out…
Eleven
Emily
What is that?
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block it out. Then my eyes pop open, and I hear Drew’s voice say, Good morning, Hannah, and see him buttoning his cargo shorts and slipping outside with his cell phone to his ear.
Damn, he looks good without a shirt on. So tanned and he’s sporting a perfect trail of hair down the center of his abs. He turns toward the ocean and gives me a view of his broad shoulders and narrow hips. It should be illegal for men who look this good to wear shirts. I stay still and watch him as I’m trying to wake up. The noise I heard must have been his ringtone. Then it occurs to me.
Who’s Hannah?
He told me he wasn’t attached.
Do I want to know?
Of course, I want to know!
Son of a bitch. If he’s married, I’ll kill him! I’ll call Hannah myself, whoever she is, and tell her what he’s done. But why would he spend three weeks alone in Maui if he’s married?
I close my eyes again and realize that this is all too much to think about without coffee. I make my way to the bathroom and throw on a robe.
Just as I get the coffee brewing, Drew comes back into the room.
“I’m so sorry if my phone woke you.”
I brush a hand and say, “I should get up anyway.”
“Why? You’re on vacation.”
I stare at him and consider that.
“Honestly, I don’t know.”
He chortles as he approaches and leans in for a kiss. I draw back a little, staring up at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Who’s Hannah?”
His eyes widen, and it looks as if he’s trying to decide whether or not he wants to lie about it.
“Do you really want to know?”
“She’s not a girlfriend, wife… lover?”
“None of those things, I swear.”
I’m not sure I believe him.
“Yes, I want to know who she is.”
He inhales deeply, his eyes blinking rapidly, and I almost feel like he’s trying to come up with a story.
“Hannah is my roommate.”
I withdraw a little more.
“Roommate? Really?”
“Yes, really. I only went outside because I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Roommate?” I ask again. “Do you and your roommate share a bedroom?”
“I don’t share a bedroom with either of my roommates, but I do share my house with them.”
I start to pull away from him.
“You live with two women?”
His faces twitches as if he’s confused.
“No, Emily! I have two roommates, Hannah and Kyle.”
I stare into his eyes, waiting for some proof that he’s lying to me. I don’t know what I’m expecting, but I pray he’s being honest.
“Roommates, huh? Why two?”
“Um… well, I have the space and I don’t like living alone. Why does it matter? The point is, I wasn’t lying when I said I wasn’t attached. I’m not in a romantic relationship with anyone but you.”
My heart leaps when I hear this, but I don’t react because this isn’t a relationship. I have to remember that. I nod and set out two coffee mugs. “Drew, I hope you’re telling the truth. I couldn’t forgive myself if I found out I was sleeping with a married man.”
“I’m not married, and I haven’t been in a relationship in over a year and a half.”
“What happened?” I ask, interested now.
“You want to know? That’s against the rule.”
“I’m just curious. You don’t have to be specific.”
He shrugs. “It was short-lived. We met at a friend’s barbeque, we hung out for a few weeks, we had a lot of fun, and when reality set in, we ended it.”
“Reality?”
“Yeah, you know, everyday life.”
Oh, I know.
“I’m sorry. My attitude is oddly overbearing considering I don’t really know you. I just…”
“I understand. I wouldn’t appreciate being lied to about that either. I’m not interested in wrecking homes.” He steps toward me again,
and this time I let him kiss me. “However, you got to ask a personal question, now I want one too. It’s only fair.”
I swallow and feel heat blush my checks.
“That’s a dirty trick. I didn’t know we were playing quid pro quo. But okay, go ahead.”
“Without specifics, I want to know how long it’s been since your last relationship.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “How am I supposed to answer that without being specific? I already told you it’s been a long time.”
“Days, months, or years?”
Hell. I really don’t want to think about Tucker when I’m with Drew. It’s hard enough to fight the guilt without the reminder. I sigh and pour myself a cup of coffee now that it’s done brewing. Then I lift my mug, walk to the small table, and sit near the open lanai door. Drew pours a cup too and follows me over. Watching me. Waiting for an answer.
He looks at me pointedly.
Staring into my mug, I say, “Years.”
Drew doesn’t say anything. When I glance up at him, he’s looking into his own cup now too, with a frown on his face, but then he meets my eyes.
“Why did it end?”
“That’s two questions, and I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You don’t have to be specific, just tell me how.”
“That’s ridiculous.” I huff in aggravation, but Drew doesn’t care how uncomfortable I am. He’s waiting for an answer. I swallow the lump in my throat. It’s been nearly four years since Tuck died, but that doesn’t keep me from tearing up when I think about his death. Not to mention all the feelings I’m dealing with about being with another man. “Badly,” I mumble, turning my face away from him. “It ended badly.”
“I’m sorry, Emily.”
I’m still trying to fight my emotions, so I don’t speak. I inhale then let out a slow breath before sipping my coffee, savoring how strong it is. I don’t know if Drew can tell I’m upset, but I don’t want to look at him.
