by Brooke Page
A delicious tingle traveled down my spine from his warm breath tickling the back of my neck. “It’s only a slight movement. Use your wrists.”
Trying to concentrate on the kite verses Vance’s scent beginning to waft through my senses, I rotated my wrist, then brought it back to the center.
“Good,” he whispered. “Keep doing it until you’re comfortable. Then we are going to move it from twelve to two.”
I took a deep breath, continuing the movements. Vance’s hands stayed put on my stomach, flexing every now and then. His thumb found my navel over top the suit, making gentle circles.
‘Lower!’ my head screamed against my conscience.
“Now you’re getting the hang of it. Want me to let go?”
No. I want both of your hands on me. “Sure.”
Cautiously, he removed both hands, leaning back on them in the sand. I let out a huge breath in the process. I waited for him to move away from me, but his legs were still caging mine.
A gust of wind deterred my dirty thoughts, regaining my focus on what my original intentions of the trip to the beach were.
Twelve to one, one to two, two to one, one to twelve.
I smiled. “This isn’t too bad!”
Vance chuckled behind me. “Try the other side now.”
Twelve to eleven, eleven to ten, ten to eleven.
I giggled in triumph. Maybe I would be able to kite surf, scrawny arms and all. I tilted my head back to glance at Vance. His Ray-bans were masking his emotions, but a ghost of a smile played on his lips. “I’m stronger than you thought.”
His grin widened. “I was hoping that were the case.”
As long as it took for me to gain confidence, Mother Nature decided to test me, a massive gust claimed the kite, forcing my body to lurch forward. Vance squeezed my waist with both arms assuming I’d fly away, but I gained control, my biceps tightening as I reeled the kite back to twelve.
“Nice grab,” Vance murmured, his lips dangerously close to my ear.
My throat grew dry from the sweep of his breath. My lips parted to say thank you, but the words wouldn’t come out. Goose bumps formed on my legs and arms from his grip around my waist.
Leaning into him, I wanted the heat of his breath to brush down to my shoulder and back to my ear. As if he were reading my mind, he ran his nose along my neck, taking a deep breath to scent me.
I was practically panting, hopeful he’d keep his arms snuggly wrapped around me, pulling me into him like he had the evening before. Only this time, I begged with all my might that he’d give in, taking the next step that we danced around before.
Slowly craning my neck, his cheek skimmed across mine, breathing me in again. I’d only need to lift my head an inch to meet his mouth.
Licking my lips to moisten them, I made the move, tilting my head just enough. As I opened my mouth to speak, he pressed his lips to mine.
I turned into butter, the tight grip I had on the bar loosening. His mouth claimed me with a passion I’d never experienced or imagined, his teeth nipping gently on my lower lip. I released a subtle moan, my stomach doing somersaults underneath his hands.
I wanted more, opening my mouth as an invitation for his tongue to explore with mine. He didn’t reject me, but groaned, taking one hand and cupping my jaw, pulling my face deeper into his kiss. The tingles that tickled my skin turned into a throb, my hips beginning to lift from the sand, wanting to turn and straddle him.
Reading my mind again, Vance released the kite, a swoosh followed by a thud notifying us of its departure and nosedive into the sand.
Moving his hand from my jaw to my hips, he swiftly lifted and turned me, taking both my legs and wrapping them around his waist in one quick movement. I inhaled sharply by his smooth transition.
One hand grabbed the nape of my neck, the other holding me to his chest. He was like a lava rock against my heated skin, intensifying the small flame he lit from his kiss into a rapid and out of control fire.
I was surrounded by his scent, my arms wrapping around his neck. He tasted more delicious than I imagined, my mouth aching to explore every inch of him. All my rationality was thrown into the wind, spiraling out of control like the kite just had. My hips moved, rubbing against his lower abdomen. A low growl emerged from his chest by my movements. My skin trembled as his hand slid under the neoprene shirt, pressing down on my lower back, urging me on top of his…
I gasped, my head falling backward. He lifted his hips into me, the friction between my shorts and his swimsuit sending a jolt throughout my entire body, his lips capturing my throat in the process. Grinding my hips with his strong, calloused hands, he guided me and I began to lose myself, forgetting about the beach where anyone could come across us, forgetting about the danger YaYa warned about Vance and his family. I even forgot about my home from hell I’d escaped from. It was only me and him, on this beach, ready to ditch my clothes and give him every single piece of me I had to offer.
His hands reached for the hem of the rash guard, ready to whip it from my head, and I was more than willing to let him, but his lips paused, his breath hot against the crook of my neck. Both his arms wrapped around my waist, holding my hips still, pressed into his erection. He nuzzled my neck, squeezing me as close to him as possible.
“We need to stop,” he murmured through a raspy breath against my shivering skin.
My head dipped low, my nose touching his shoulder. Long, deep breaths came from my chest as I regained my sanity. Did I really just lose all control on a beach with a man I’d only known for a day?
Yep, I did.
Taking another breath, I began to stand from his lap. Vance stopped me though, pulling my forehead to his. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I shouldn’t have lost control like that.”
My brows pinched together as I realized I was nothing but a massive mistake to him.
A throaty breath came from his lips, teasing my senses. I hated how the deep release of breath turned me on in such a desirable way.
“Guess we’re done for the day,” I said, as emotionless as I could. Vance closed his eyes, dropping his hands from my back. I hated how my body longed for him to keep touching me. I should be irate with him for his denial.
He cleared his throat. “I think you’ve got the hang of it.”
I nodded, standing awkwardly from his lap, shuffling my legs from side to side to get the blood moving throughout my entire body, and not just in certain spots, that happened to still be begging for Vance to touch.
Vance stood with me, pausing in front of me for a moment as though he were going to say something, then he proceeded past me, careful not to touch me in the process. I didn’t need to turn around to know he was going after the kite we so irresponsibly dropped in the heat of the moment. Running my hands along my face, I did the best thing I knew how to do.
I ran, and didn’t look back.
Tears threatened with each heavy stride in the sand.
What was I doing? Making my life more complicated by throwing my emotions into a complete stranger? I was supposed to be clearing my head, figuring out how to change my current life for the better. Vance blurred my vision of the future.
And somehow, my heart hurt more after being with him than before I met him.
I was fucked up beyond repair.
Finally, I reached the long grass that separated the beach from the road. The walk back would suck, but I didn’t want to be anywhere near Vance, and from the looks of it, he was perfectly okay with that. He didn’t come running after me.
Which for some god awful reason made my heart ache even more.
I sat on the edge of the grass, burying my head in my hands, curling my body as tightly into a ball as I could. It was the way I coped, making myself as small as possible as if I would disappear. Just as I found my comfort zone, a shadow cast over the light that was warming my shoulders. Taking a deep breath, I lifted my head, assuming to find Vance, but I was greeted with someone else.
“Odd
place for a pretty girl to be sitting.”
Chapter Eleven
Vance
I was an idiot who only thought with his cock.
What’s wrong with me? How could I give in so easily? If I wanted Lauren to have any future, I needed to stay as far away from her as possible. I couldn’t be stroking her soft skin, inhaling her as though I needed her scent to survive. I sure as hell couldn’t be kissing her.
I closed my eyes, rubbing the back of my neck after packing away the kite. I couldn’t look at her. She was so beautiful, so mysterious and exquisite in her own damaged way. My heart pounded faster from the memory of her lips nipping at mine, her naive tongue darting out with no reservation.
Then she straddled me.
Okay, so I might have spun her around, but she didn’t stop me. Her hips moved steadily, urging my hard-on to full mast. The frenzy took over, my hands eager to rip her clothes off and finish what we had started.
But then my conscience kicked in, scolding me for giving in to the estranged feeling she brought out of me. My brain told me to fuck her, drug her, then drag her to the Cage to be prepped, then meet her demise for the smallest of time until I could regain my revenge on Marcus.
Tossing the bag with the practice kite over my shoulder and grabbing the boards and other bag, I knew I needed to get it together and take her home. I needed to turn around and face her, and somehow keep my hands off her. It wasn’t going to be easy, especially now that I’d had a taste. I could drown in her, bask in the incredible feelings she erupted inside of me within those few minutes of kissing.
Finally gaining control, I turned to talk to her, but she was running half way down the beach and back to the truck.
Fuck.
The smart thing to do would be to let her go, avoid her until she and Marcy went back home.
My heart fought with me. The sun is setting, you asshole. You know what type of people hang out on the beach and streets at this time of night.
With a pounding heart, I thought of all the hunters and trollers that grazed the streets. They’d snatch her up in an instant. My feet hit the sand, beginning to move faster after her. She disappeared into the tall grasses while I contemplated what to do, but she couldn’t have gone far.
Reaching my truck, my heart fell out of my chest, and I stopped breathing.
There was Marcus, standing over her and holding a cigarette. She was looking up at him, wide eyed, most likely terrified from his tall and intimidating stature. He was well put together, enough to fool the authorities and any other onlookers that he was a good guy.
My heart raced with each step I took to get to her. I didn’t want Marcus to get the wrong idea, and running and punching him in the face would certainly do that. He couldn’t know I had a soft spot for her. He needed to think I was actually debating using her for his trafficking program.
I nearly lost my shit when he reached his hand out for her to take. She only looked at it skeptically, her body still tightly wound into a ball. I couldn’t help myself from taking her hand before he had the chance to shake it. She popped up next to me from my force, taking a sharp breath in the process. She was surprised to see me, I could tell by the way her brows shot up and her breath hitched from our touch.
“Vancy, what are you doing here?” Marcus greeted, his snake of a smile curling across his lips.
“He was teaching me how to kite surf,” Lauren stammered. Marcus glanced at our hands that were still interlocked. I quickly let go. She stepped back from me when our fingers released.
Shit. The interaction stung her.
“I wasn’t aware you still offered that at the shop. I assume that’s where you met?” he asked curiously, already knowing the answer. He had pinned who Lauren was the moment he saw her this morning.
“No. We met last night. It was coincidence she came into the shop this morning.” My voice was flat. Even though my mouth was in a straight line, Marcus knew I was seething.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?”
Don’t tell him.
“Lauren. Lauren Owens.”
I closed my eyes and ground my teeth. She just handed herself over to him on a silver platter.
His shark of a smile flashed her way. “You here with your family on vacation?”
Lauren offered him a small smile, but wouldn’t meet his eyes. She wrapped her arms around her body as she spoke. “No. I’m here with a friend.”
“Bet that drives your boyfriend wild,” he probed.
A small flush crept up her neck. “No boyfriend for me.”
Marcus nodded, then placed his sunglass back over his eyes. “It was great meeting you, Lauren. Vance, I’m sure I’ll see you around.” He offered me a nod, then like clockwork, his black Mercedes pulled to the side of the road, his driver opening the passenger door for him.
“Who was that?” Lauren asked as I stared down his car.
“No one important.”
She raised an eyebrow. “He sure looked a lot like you.”
My eyes darted away from hers and to the back of the truck. Tossing the bag with the kite and the boards in the back, I muttered. “Yeah, unlucky me.”
She followed, grabbing the other bag and attempted to yank it over the back. I took it from her with ease, tossing it with the other one.
“Are you related to him?”
Leaning against the back of the truck, I crossed my arms and stared out at the ocean. “Yeah.”
She mimicked me, our proximity dangerously close. “You don’t have to tell me,” she murmured. “I’m not proud to introduce the little family I have to anyone either.”
“Your dad a huge asshole, too?” I asked under my breath.
She fidgeted next to me. “I don’t know who he is.” I turned my head to look at her. She didn’t seem upset by her revelation. “Pretty sure I was an added bonus to a drug deal.”
I studied her, a rush of anguish running through me. She really didn’t have anyone.
“I didn’t know,” I whispered.
She shrugged her shoulders. “How would you have known? I don’t talk about him because there’s nothing to say. I’ve never had a dad, so I don’t really know what I’m missing.”
My head dipped. “I think I would have been better off without a dad.”
She nudged my shoulder. “There has to be something good about him.”
That was the horrible truth, there was absolutely nothing good about that man. “He might look put together, but looks are deceiving.”
I gazed at her, her sad blue eyes capturing me. They were hypnotizing against the setting sun. I had to clench my hands into fists so I would refrain from stroking her cheek. What was she doing to me?
She broke our gaze, looking out at the water. “Do you think they know how terrible of parents they are? How messed up they made us?”
“You’re not messed up.” She was beautiful, had an amazingly kind heart, and was a hard worker. She just didn’t see it in herself.
Which is why she’s perfect to help you catch that fucker.
The corners of her mouth rose, but her eyes didn’t match the soft smile. “Looks can be deceiving,” she whispered into the wind, mimicking what I’d said earlier about my father.
“You wouldn’t bust your ass to help a grumpy kite surfer at his shop.”
Her brows lifted slightly as she glanced at me. “You are a bit moody.” My grin caught her attention. “But I think you have good intentions.”
“Why is that?” I must have been a great actor for her to think so highly of me.
Turning, she leaned her hip against the truck, biting her lip and pinching her eyebrows together. “You stopped kissing me. An asshole would have taken advantage of me.”
My heart pulsed as she stared at me. If she only knew I’d been battling between my heart and my brain to use her for my own sick vengeance.
“I’m not sure what happened out there.”
“Did you like it?” she squeaked, shifting her weight from side
to side and rubbing her biceps anxiously.
“I more than liked it,” My voice betrayed me, cracking slightly. “You just deserve better.”
Her eyes found the ground again, that sadness overpowering her. “I think you’ve got that the other way around.”
Shaking my head, I needed to make her understand. “I’m not good for you. Bad things happen to women who show interest in me. You shouldn’t hang out with me, Lauren.”
“I have nothing to lose,” she sighed. “My mother uses me for her drug money. I don’t have any other family. I mean, there’s Marcy and her family, but, they aren’t mine. And…” She paused, her lips pressing together tightly as she squinted her eyes closed. “I’m not ready for Colby.”
I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. She became uneasy the last time she mentioned his name. “Colby?”
“Marcy’s cousin. His mom died when he was ten. He wants…” She glanced out at the ocean, refusing to meet my eyes.
“He wants you.” My stomach hardened at the thought of anyone else touching her.
“Yeah,” she confessed with a sigh. “But, he’s never kissed me like…” Her chest rose as she leaned on her side against the truck again. I was well aware of her increase in breath. She was talking about our kiss, the heat and the insane intensity. She felt it too, there was no denying it.
“Passion can play tricks on your emotions.” My lips were dry, so I licked them in search for moistness, wanting the dampness of her tongue to fill my dry mouth.
Those big eyes stared at me, then became hooded by her long lashes as she gazed at my mouth. Fuck, we couldn’t do this again. I couldn’t keep pulling her into my destructive darkness.
My chin tilted down, fighting every ounce of my reckless heart’s desire. “We shouldn’t do this,” I murmured, keeping my arms crossed.
She stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to the side of my mouth, letting them linger. I felt her lashes tickle my cheek as she closed her eyes. Her presence brought so much comfort, filling my cold, empty heart with hope and affection.
I couldn’t fight the urge to hold her anymore. I slid my arm around her shoulders, pulling her to my chest. She accepted my invitation to hold her instantly, nuzzling her head into my shoulder and wrapping her arms around my waist.
