River Jewel Resort Box Set Books 1-4 BOOK BUNDLE
Page 21
“Aren’t you angry?”
“Why would I be? I’ve already wasted too much time on meaningless emotions. I have a daughter. We have a daughter, I’m alive and I think it’s time for us to let go of all the bullshit and move on with our lives. Together if possible.”
“What? You’re serious?” Scarlet rushed to his side and grabbed his hand. “After all of this, everything I’ve put you through, you want me in your life? You don’t hate me?”
“Hell yeah, I want you in my life. Nothing will ever change that. C’mere.” Pulling her close to him, he cupped her face. “We belong together. We always have. And as soon as I’m out of this hospital, I plan on making up for lost time. But for now, consider yourself claimed, Scarlet. You’re mine. Like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”
He brought his lips to hers. Gentle at first. The spark that hit them could’ve lit up Wrigley Field. That energy, that hunger, that love was everything he’d remembered and more. Their passion was soul-shatteringly strong and too many years apart had only fueled the flames that’d been smoldering inside both of them. His hands slid into her hair, kneading and caressing the blonde, silken strands. Scarlet’s palms pressed to his chest, red finger nails lightly scraped his skin.
Scarlet broke their kiss. Her cheeks were flushed and she touched a fingertip to her swollen lips, before she whispered, “No. I won’t be responsible for hurting you again. The doctor said no strenuous activity for a few days.” He gave her a pointed look. “I’ll be here waiting for you. I promise I won’t go anywhere. But, you need to rest.”
“There’ll be plenty of time for that later.” He shot her what he hoped was a mischievous grin. “Obviously a three-ton vehicle couldn’t stop me. I think I’ll be fine if we kiss some more.”
“Kevin,” she laughed and then her voice, low and husky. “I believe it’s been well-established that you’re a tough guy. But when you’re up and out of here, you’re going to need every ounce of strength you’ve got and then some. It’s been a long time and I plan on making you forget we were ever apart.”
That was all it took to make his cock spring to life again. If memory served him right, Scarlet had been insatiable. “Well, then.”
Trailing a slender finger across his pronounced pajama covered shaft, she licked her lips. “Exactly. Be ready, Mr. Sunman. Be very ready.” Scarlet kissed him softly before rising to leave.
“I look forward to it.”
“I’ll give you a few moments to gather yourself. Your daughter is waiting to see you.”
Kevin watched her ass as she left the room. The way she moved with such grace and pure sensuality, was almost painful to watch. Even in a bloodstained dress, the woman was a hotter than a kettle of sin waiting to boil over!
****
“How’d it go?” Maria wrapped her arms around Scarlet as she approached her in the waiting room.
“Very well. He was awake when you came in earlier. He knows who you are and he can’t wait to spend some time with you. Just give him a few moments. Okay, sweetie?”
“Really? Was he mad?”
“No. Not at all. We’ve apologized to each other and we’re moving on.”
“Moving on? Is he leaving?” Maria flinched, pulling back slightly.
“No, he’ll be staying.”
“Really?” Scarlet watched as her daughter’s eyes lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning.
“Really. I told him you’d be in in a few minutes to see him.”
“Oh! What do I say? I mean, I’ve already met him, but he must think I’m a dipshit after the way I behaved earlier.”
“Sweetheart, it’ll be fine. I suggest you go in there and let things proceed at their own pace. You’ll know what to do once you’re in there.” Hugging her daughter close, Scarlet kissed the top of Maria’s head. “There’s nothing to worry about. Everything will be fine now.”
“Thank you, Mama. Thank you for freeing yourself. You need him just as much as he needs you.”
She smiled and nodded, blinking back another round of tears. The two of them had made her cry so often in twenty-four hours and she felt like a blubbering mess. “I love you both so very much, dear. Now, go on in there. I’m going to call Mark. I’ll have Javier man the front desk for a while. Mark should be here.”
****
“I got here as fast as I could.” Mark threw his arms around Scarlet. “I’m so glad he’ll be okay. Have you seen him?”
“Yes, a few times. Maria’s with him now.” She told him the details about Kevin and her daughter.
“I can’t say I’m surprised he’s taking the news so well. He seems like a rather level-headed guy.”
“He is.”
“So, not to be rude. I’m happy to see you and to know Kevin’s all right, but why am I here? You could’ve told me all of this over the phone. Javier’s a great guy and all, but he really can’t run the resort for very long. One pretty woman walks by and he melts.” Scarlet’s face grew serious and Mark tried to lighten things up.
“Javier will be fine. I’ll head over there in a few to check on him.”
“You? Shouldn’t you stay here? I’ll be back. I just want to grab a shower, change clothes and bring some new things for Kevin.”
“Sorry. I forgot the fact that you’re still covered in blood. Is that Kevin’s?”
“No, Mark.”
“Well, it obviously isn’t yours.”
“No, it isn’t. It belongs to the other person involved in the accident.”
“I see. Are they all right?” A knot formed in his stomach in anticipation of the worst.
“She’s fine. A small cut on her forehead and she needs to stay for observation, but she’ll be as good as new soon. Of course, she’ll need your help. I’m sure she’ll be upset about today’s events for a while. She’s going to need a strong man to hold her when flashbacks of the accident happen. Someone who will love her enough to make her forget and someone who will bring her happiness for the rest of her life.”
She couldn’t be serious? Was she ever going to stop trying to hook him up with women? Scarlet knew his heart belonged to another woman. “Why would you bring me down here for this? You know how much I love Sydney. And even though, I’ve had a rough time lately, that doesn’t mean I want to forget about her.”
“I know, Mark.”
“Hasn’t this,” he flicked at her bloody clothing, “taught you anything?”
“Mark.”
“No. Just stop meddling. I’m going back to work.”
“Mark. It’s Sydney. She’s in that room resting.” His eyes followed to where she pointed.
“What? Why would you let me act like an asshole?”
“Because I wanted to see your face when you found out she’s here. I didn’t think you’d ever believe I’d try to sway your heart away from Sydney.” She laughed, grabbing him by the arms. “She came back for you. Go to her, Mark.”
At that moment, he did something he’d never imagined he’d do. Wrapping his arms around Scarlet, he picked her up, spinning them both in dizzying circles. Once he’d stood back on her feet, “Thank you. Thank you so much for not giving up on me.”
“You’re welcome. Now, get in there and show your woman some love.”
Chapter Eleven
“I never thought we’d be here.” He slipped a single, velvety rosebud behind her ear.
“Honestly, neither did I. Part of me still can’t believe it.”
Sparkling blue eyes, full of love and alive with happiness stared into his own. He knew there’d never come a day when he’d grow tired of gazing upon her. Everything about his woman fulfilled him and his heart swelled to the point of bursting with the mere thought of her.
“Believe it. I’m never letting you go again.” He smoothed a wisp of golden-blonde hair away from her cheek, his fingertips lingering. Touching her was pure ecstasy and he couldn’t get enough. Feeling her, kissing her, pressing his chest against hers meant she was real. They were real.
/> “I need you to believe you’ll never have to worry about that again. Nothing will ever come between us again. I love you. I’ve always loved you and I plan on making you the happiest man on the planet.”
Her ruby-red lips crushed against his, eager and simultaneously yielding to the energy between them. Pleasure radiated throughout their bodies. Visible heat waves, intensifying with every breath they took. Their bodies, though fully clothed, seemed to move as one. A slow burning flame, ever constant these past few months, raged and ebbed depending on how far apart from each other they were at any given time. Magnetic. She was his south and he her north, compasses guiding their destinies. Without each other, they were lost. Over and over again, time had proven that to be true.
Cupping her face and pressing his forehead to hers, “I don’t think you’ll have to do much to make that happen, my dear. Just being near you is all I’ll ever need.”
Tilting her head, looking up at him, she batted her eyes. “Are you sure that’s all it’ll take? I seem to remember a certain man begging for more just a few hours ago.” Sliding the back of her hand across his swimming trunks, taunting his stiff cock with promises of pleasure.
“Well, I’m sure that’ll help.” Leaning down, he buried his face in her neck as she erupted into a fit of laughter.
“Stop! Stop, you goof.”
“Never.”
“Please? Please, please, please?” He caught her as her knees buckled. He loved the way she could change from sultry vamp to innocent and carefree with one touch from him. Everything about her was magical.
“Okay, I’ll stop. On one condition.”
“I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t tickle me again.” He knew she loved it. It was all part of her charm.
“Marry me, Scarlet. We’ve lost so much time already. I know I’ll never love anyone else and I know you feel the same way. Let’s get married.”
****
Scarlet could barely wait for him to finish speaking. “Yes! Oh, goddess yes!” He scooped her up into his arms, holding her tight to his chest. Kevin spun in circles, kissing her while tears of joy rolled silently down both of their cheeks.
“Why are we crying?” His laughter, deep and husky as he lowered to the warm sand.
“I don’t know. Because we’re happy, I guess. Aren’t we supposed to be crying?”
They both erupted into another fit of giggles as he grabbed her hand, turned towards the ocean, pulling her to the edge of the water. “Ya’ know this our first time back at the beach since I got out of the hospital?”
“Mm hm.”
“And do you know how much I’ve been thinking about making love to you on this beach since I got out of the hospital?”
“Well, we’ve made love on just about every available inch of space at the resort. We could’ve come here anytime you wished.” Scarlet pulled him with her into the crystal clear, aquamarine water until they were standing waist deep in the ocean.
“I wanted our first time back here to be amazing. Not that it hasn’t been amazing…everywhere. But this beach is where I needed to propose. We both needed to make happy memories here.”
“Oh, we will, Mr. Sunman. Starting right now.”
Scarlet untied her bikini top, dangling the small, hot pink scrap of fabric in the air before tossing it far away from them both. The last dwindling bits of late afternoon sunlight sent beams dancing across the water, reflecting all around them as she slipped her bottoms off beneath the waves. Scarlet pulled him into her arms, as they slid under the water together as one, washing the sand from their bodies.
Freeing his large cock of his imprisoning shorts, Scarlet wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles low behind his ass as Kevin gripped hers with strong hands. Reaching down between them, she guided him to her slickened folds. The head of his cock massaging every primed inch of her pussy as she lowered herself slowly, taking the length of him inside.
“Deeper. More.” If they were together for a hundred years, she’d never get enough of this man. Her man. She needed to feel, touch and taste every inch of his skin. Needed to feel his heartbeat against hers forever.
Her palms rested on Kevin’s shoulders, giving her leverage to raise herself up, allowing him to suck her nipples. He buried his face between her breasts, nibbling, biting his way from one to the other. Gooseflesh broke out on her skin, shivers of delight coursing through her body. He was in her, on her, part of her. She wished she could keep the trails he left on her skin forever. Never had she felt such immense pleasure. Clenching onto his rippling biceps, her fingernails dug into his arms as she arched her back, riding him, rolling her hips over his shaft as ecstasy rolled through their bodies, each of them high off of the other’s energy.
Being twin flames, more deeply connected than soulmates could ever be, Scarlet knew they’d never be satiated. Nor would they ever stray to another now that they’d found each other again. No other person, man or woman could ever make them happy in any way. They were fused on a level that many would never understand. Their bodies, minds and souls communicated without the need of words in a language meant to be felt not heard.
Soul mates could be best friends, lovers and might feel as though they were meant to be. However, they had more of a likelihood of drifting apart, being better friends than life partners. Though heart ache would occur, it was nothing like the intolerable pain that would consume twin flames were they to separate. It might take years, decades even, but they’d never heal unless they reconnected. Instead, they’d slowly die, smothering from their own pain and heartache.
Years ago, Scarlet had no idea Kevin was her twin flame. She’d blindly assumed him to be her soul mate, someone she get over in time if she had to. Now, she knew the man who filled her in every possible way was much, much more. They were each other’s lifelines. Skin of each other’s skin and passion reborn with every breath they took.
Kevin’s fingertips dug deeper into her ass as he pumped her up and down, his cock ramming her core with ferocity. The rhythm of their lovemaking intoxicating, more powerful than any drug. With stroke after stroke, Kevin and she floated closer to heavenly climax.
Kevin’s moans of pleasure echoed her own. “Yes! Harder.” She slipped a hand between their wet bodies, pinching her clit. Orgasm rocketed through her and Scarlet bucked her hips against him, riding the tide of pleasure, while the cooling water lapped at their bodies. His body grew rigid and Kevin pressed his mouth to hers as he filled her with every ounce of himself.
Brilliant blasts of light appeared overhead, sending colorful sparks showering down around them. They watched as reds, blues, greens and golds rocketed across the sky.
“What the hell?”
Scarlet laughed as Kevin stood her in the water. “Don’t you like it?”
“You did this? But, why? How?”
“I did it for you. If I had come back that night, we’d have celebrated just like this. Remember? It was the end of the summer and we’d made plans to meet at the beach after the festival.”
“But it isn’t the end of summer now.” He chuckled.
“It’s whatever time of the year we want it to be. It’s our time. I figured we should celebrate our return to the beach and our engagement with a bang.”
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
“Nah. I’m just me. If I’m anything, it’s because I have you and our beautiful daughter.”
After another long round of kissing, Scarlet snatched up their swimwear as it floated within reach, quickly tying her top around her neck. Walking up the beach hand in hand, they stopped at the edge of the sandy shore to slip their bottoms on.
The moon, full and bright, hung above them and Kevin took her into his strong, tanned arms.
“Thank you, Kevin.”
“For what, sweetheart?”
“For everything. For loving me and never giving up your search. I know you said you did, but you didn’t. You wouldn’t have ended up here if you had. I don’t think I could’ve
gone on much longer without you in my life. And thank you for forgiving me after everything I put you through. I love you so very much, Kevin.”
“Babe.” He stared into her eyes, love and kindness radiated from him brighter than the moon above. “You don’t have to thank me for anything. This is our destiny. I would’ve searched for you for the rest of my life if I’d had to. You’re everything to me. Maria is everything to me.”
“Yeah, we have that effect on people.” Swatting playfully at his ass, she turned and asked, “What do you think about getting married right here?”
“At the River Jewel? Sure. It’s beautiful.”
“No. I mean right here. On the beach. We could turn it into an amazing oasis. We could fly all of your friends in and I already have enough staff to assure we won’t need to lift a finger. They’ll take care of everything.”
“I think that’d be amazing. What do you think Maria will say?”
“It’s about time. That’s what she’ll say. Now, we need to set a date. The sooner the better.”
“Labor Day. Let’s make that day the happiest ever.”
“That’s a mighty tall order. I plan on making all of your days happy, Mr. Sunman.”
“As long as you’re here, that’s all I’ll ever need, soon-to-be-Mrs. Sunman. Do you think Mark and Sydney will be back by then? I really enjoyed spending so much time with them before they took off on their getaway and I know how long Mark has wanted to see you happy.”
“I’m sure they will be. We can call them once we’re inside. I hope they’re enjoying their time together.”
“If they’re doing what we’ve been doing, I’m sure they are.” Slipping his hand into hers, entwining their fingers, “Let’s go tell our daughter the great news. We’re going to be a family.”
“My love, I can’t think of a more perfect ending to our day.” Trailing a finger across his skin, she made lazy circles on his broad chest, “But, what do you say we spend some time at that cabin over there first? I’ve heard the bed inside is really comfortable. And sturdy.”