All Because of You (Morgan's Bay Book 1)

by Theresa Paolo

  “I have a great uncle in Portugal, but he’s old, and when I call, he has a hard time remembering who I am.”

  “What about friends?”

  If Shane told her about his friends, then he would have to tell her about his childhood and how he lived in and out of hospitals. It was a time in his life that was very much a part of him. Disregarding that part of his life would be the equivalent to cutting off one of his limbs. But that didn’t mean he liked to talk about it. Given the option, he would keep that part of him to himself.

  He liked the way Olivia looked at him, and he didn’t want her to feel sorry for him. He didn’t want her to know the pain and uncertainty that his childhood illness caused nor those same emotions that followed him into adulthood.

  Luckily, the house came into view. He pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. Instead of answering Olivia, he reached across the console, snaked his hand around her head, and crashed his lips to hers. A surprise moan slipped from her throat and muffled against their lips. He thrust his tongue inside her mouth, going deep, licking and tasting, taking his fill.

  Pressure built in his balls, and his cock throbbed with need. With all the things he wanted to do to her, he needed her inside, away from the prying eyes of the neighborhood. He forced himself to pull back from the sweet taste of her lips and fling his door open. He was around to the passenger side before she even had a chance to react.

  He had every intention of scooping her up, but Olivia didn’t give him a chance. She leapt from her seat and into his arms, driving him backward with a force that triggered the ravenous animal inside him. He gripped Olivia’s ass as her legs wrapped securely around his center. He managed to swat the door shut before carrying her toward the house.

  Her teeth bit into his lip, pain and pleasure battling it out. Her tongue swiped against the tender flesh before dipping into his mouth, searching and exploring. Their tongues met in hot strokes, fueling the growing inferno flaring to life inside him.

  The insecurities from earlier that caused Olivia to reserve her wild nature were gone, and all that was left was this sexual being who was confident and free. This was the Olivia he knew. The Olivia he needed. He’d felt dead for so long, and she gave him life.

  He followed, allowing her to guide him toward the apex of bliss. Her legs tightened around his waist, and she arched against him, rocking her hips in a needy rhythm.

  Inside, the house was dark, except for the faint glow of the streetlight. He didn’t bother flipping on a light; he knew his way, and nothing was going to slow him down until Olivia’s back was on his bed, and he was hovering over her.

  Olivia’s legs unhooked, and she slid down his body. The loss was instant, but when she landed on her knees, fingers fumbling with his zipper, any coherent thoughts fled. The sound of the zipper echoed in the silence. With one hard yank, his cock sprang to attention. She licked her lips before taking him in her mouth.

  His body tensed at the pure pleasure that ricocheted through his groin, spreading out and consuming his entire body. Weakness threatened his knees, but he found the strength to keep standing, keep enjoying every stroke of her mouth down his hard length.

  Her tongue swirled around his tip, a crescendo of desire wracking his body. She sucked gently, her fingers trailing up his thigh and settling around his base. Her mouth and hand moved in sync, creating a storm so intense, so powerful, Shane would be obliterated if he didn’t stop her.

  He rested his hand under her chin, urging her to look at him. Big brown eyes blinked up, and he nearly blew it. “My turn,” he growled.

  She got to her feet, her eyes half-mast and heavy with lust, lips swollen. “Okay.” There was a sexy lilt to her voice that captured his heart and held it hostage. He ripped his shirt off, stepped out of his pants, and grabbed the condoms. He hooked his hand around her, scooping her off her feet, and with determined strides, he had her on his bed.

  A giggle popped from her lips when he placed her down, and he swore it was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. He kissed her then, plundering and devouring and taking everything she’d give him. He wanted her body, heart, and soul which was selfish as hell since his life was so uncertain. But right now, he didn’t care about the future; all he cared about was the here and now.

  His finger looped into the hem of her shirt, and he pulled it over her head, discarding the fabric into a puddle on the floor. His eyes raked over her body, and he swallowed at the red silk bra that covered two small mounds of perfection. He dipped his head, dragging his tongue along the place where skin met silk.

  Olivia moaned, her body arching. Small fingers dug into his shoulders as he reached behind her and unhooked her bra. He removed one cup at a time, revealing pink, pert nipples. He dipped his head, taking the tightened bud in his mouth, licking, sucking, and nipping. Sweet pain nipped at his head as her fingers delved into his hair and yanked. Her body pressed up, head fell back, and a long, sexy as sin moan echoed through the room.

  Wanting to make her cry out, he slid his hand down, dipping under the waistband of her pants. He swiped his finger across her swollen, wet folds, greedy for more of her. He dipped his finger into her wetness, and her body jolted, her nails cutting deep into his shoulder.

  She felt like paradise, and he needed to see her bare and ready. He yanked her pants down, and she helped kick them off. His cock pulsated at the sight of a matching G-string that hugged the curve of her hips.

  “You’re trying to kill me.” A smile curved her swollen lips. Her finger curled into the silk string, and his hand clamped down on hers. “Leave it.”

  They were too damn pretty to be thrown on the floor. He kissed her fast and hard, dragging his mouth down her body to the strip of red. He yanked the silk aside and swiped his tongue along her center. She cried out, body bowing as he added a finger into her slick heat.

  She tasted like a sweet dream, her body yielding to his ministrations. He touched his tongue to the swollen bundle of nerves, and her hands smacked the mattress. He swiped once, twice, then sucked, his finger sliding in deep.

  Her legs quivered, and her ass wiggled, but he didn’t relent. Her fingers curled into the comforter, yanking and tugging until she cried out, body convulsing beneath his mouth. With a smile, he lifted and sheathed himself before plunging deep into her heat.

  She cried out again, and he leaned down, capturing her lips and swallowing her cries. He moved in and out of her, pumping with long, deep strokes. He’d fought so hard to live, but he could die right now and not regret a single thing.

  Olivia’s eyes met his, and he held her gaze as he thrust over and over. Her lips parted, and a moan rumbled up her throat. He dropped his head, taking her nipple in his mouth, nipping and sucking.

  He moved his hand beneath her, and in one fluid move he had her on top of him. He slid to the edge of the bed, holding her close, their slick bodies sliding against each other.

  Their eyes met in heat and lust, and while that’s all Shane wanted to see, he saw much more than that. He saw light and joy, warmth and excitement. He saw a future filled with love and adventure. He saw long walks on the beach, nights in each other’s arms. He saw wedding bells and a picket fence.

  And for the first time in his life, he wanted it.

  He wanted to believe that his life was different and all of that was possible.

  He held her tighter. Her taut nipples dragged along his chest as he pumped into her slick heat. Their mouths found each other in a clash of teeth and tongue, heated desire slamming him in the chest and radiating out from head to toe.

  Olivia rocked her hips, taking back control. He was a prisoner to her, willing to sacrifice it all as long as she kept sliding up and down his erection.

  Her nails dug into his back, cutting sharp and sending him spiraling toward the edge. He pumped harder, slipping his hand beneath their slick bodies and finding her swollen button. Refusing to fall over the edge without her, he ran his thumb over her clit. Her hips rocked faster, harder, tak
ing him deeper. He clung to his tiny thread of strength.

  “Come for me,” he said.

  Her grip tightened, her body lifting and slamming down, hips thrusting with greedy precision. Her arm trembled, legs shook, and her slick walls tightened around his cock. A scream tore from her mouth, her body convulsing against him. He held her hips and shoved inside her. Pleasure gripped his balls, white lights exploded behind his eyes, and with one final thrust, he spilled his release.

  He gathered Olivia in his arms, holding her tight as their jagged breaths became one.

  He’d been through hell, a life of more lows than highs, and he’d do it again if it meant he’d wind up right here. Olivia was the light at the end of his very dark tunnel, and even though he swore he’d never give his heart away, he already had.

  Olivia had taken control, and now she owned him completely.

  He rested his forehead against hers, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. A smile curved her mouth, and she glanced up, looking him straight in the eye. “That was better than I imagined, and I have quite the imagination.”

  “We’ll have to do it again some time,” he joked.

  “How about now?”

  He laid back, taking her with him and tucking her into his side. “I’m going to need a few minutes. You sucked the life out of me.”

  “I guess we can lay here for a while.” She kissed his chest and snuggled into his side.

  Her finger traced the imperfection above his pec. His body tensed as her touch traced over the scarred skin.

  “What’s this from?” she asked.

  His port scar—the only visible reminder of his childhood illness. All the other scars were skin deep, unable to be seen by anyone but him. He didn’t like being vulnerable, didn’t like to admit that at ten years old, he didn’t know if he’d make it to twenty-five. But here he was, alive and with a gorgeous woman in his bed. He didn’t want to walk down memory lane into the dark depths of the road. He wanted to leave all that shit behind him as he’d been doing.

  He didn’t believe in looking back. Looking forward was the only way to go. The minute he looked back he’d be reminded of everything he lost.

  If he told her the truth, he’d be opening the door for their connection to deepen. He couldn’t let that happen. He didn’t want to see the sad look in her eyes when he told her about the shitty hand he’d been dealt. Olivia was light, and he didn’t want to let his darkness dim her.

  He grasped her biceps and flipped her beneath him. That adorable giggle floated out, and he captured her mouth in one fell swoop. All his thoughts silenced, and he let the taste and feel of Olivia take him away.

  Chapter 17

  Olivia sat across from Isla and Harper in a booth at Aunt Greta’s diner. She had a few hours before her shift started and called the girls to grab a late breakfast. It was another added benefit of being home. She could call her best friends for an impromptu get together without the hassle of planning around a train schedule.

  Harper took a sip of her herbal tea. “Heard Daniel showed up at McConnell’s last night.”

  “According to Maria, Shane almost knocked him out,” Isla added.

  Olivia laughed at the misinformation caused by a train of gossip going through the town. It was time she set the record straight. “Shane didn’t almost knock Daniel out, though I kind of wish he did. Shane didn’t even make a fist. He did, however, defend me. I was embarrassed at first by the whole situation, but I don’t know… with Shane it’s different. Like I can be myself without worrying what he might think. Even if the version of myself is a little messy.”

  Isla took a bite of her waffle and lifted her chin to Olivia. “But…?”

  “What do you mean but?” Olivia asked. There wasn’t anything else left to tell.

  “You have that look like you want to say more, but you’re holding back.”

  Olivia touched her cheek. “I don’t have a look.”

  Harper all but snorted. “Yes, you do.”

  Isla’s features softened, her porcelain skin radiant and beautiful without a touch of makeup. “We’re your best friends. You don’t have to worry about what we might think.”

  “What she said,” Harper said around a bite of pancake.

  It was silly really, but it had been nagging at her, and maybe talking it out with her friends would help her get some clarity.

  She took a sip of her coffee and placed down her mug. “I feel like there’s something he’s not telling me. He has this scar on his chest, and when I asked him about it, he kissed me instead of answering. I’ve asked him about his friends, and he always manages to dodge the question. If I could just find out… I don’t know. I just want him to be able to open up to me, you know?”

  He’d talked about his mom so openly, but there was something he wasn’t saying. There were gaps in his story, and it hurt that he didn’t trust her enough to share those pieces of himself. Whatever it was that he was holding back, she didn’t care. She wouldn’t judge him. She just wanted to know so there were no secrets between them.

  Isla shook her head and pointed her fork at Olivia. “Oh no. Absolutely not. I tried to be sneaky once and failed miserably at it.”

  Harper rolled her eyes. “Having a radio station involved isn’t exactly sneaky.”

  Isla flung her fork toward Harper, stabbing the air. “You shush.”

  “The only person you have to blame is yourself there,” Olivia added.

  Isla, for whatever reason, thought it was a good idea to set her ex-boyfriend up by a local radio station to catch him cheating. Except the poor guy was as loyal as they come. The fall out was a disaster, and she and Harper had spent many nights helping Isla wipe up tears over margaritas and nachos.

  It had been three years since that disastrous day, and Isla insisted she was over Nolan, but nobody believed her—especially since Isla hadn’t been on a single date since the breakup.

  “We’re not talking about me,” Isla said. “We’re talking about Olivia and her problems.”

  “You’re right,” Harper said. “We don’t have enough time to talk about your problems. We’d need at least a week.”

  Isla’s head tilted feigning annoyance. “Says the girl who has had more dates in the last month than most people have in a year.”

  Harper held her hands in front of her, a smile tugging at the corner of her glossed lips. “Hey, I’ll be the first to admit that I have a mile-long list of problems, but you’re right. This is about Liv.” Harper turned toward Olivia. “What do you think it is?” she asked. “I mean what could he possibly be hiding?”

  Olivia shrugged.

  “Why don’t you just ask him?” Isla suggested.

  She’d thought about it, but she didn’t want to be pushy. “You don’t think that’s intrusive?”

  “He had his penis inside you,” Harper said. “You can’t get more intrusive than that.”

  Isla’s aquamarine eyes widened. “Are you getting more vulgar with age, or am I just aware of it more now?”

  “Probably a combination of both. Then again, when you haven’t had sex in as long as you have, everything would sound vulgar.”

  Isla let out a loud huff. “I’m sorry, unlike you I can’t spread my legs for anyone who is ready and willing.”

  Harper smirked. By the tone in Isla’s voice, she was clearly joking. “Hey, I don’t spread my legs for just anyone. They have to buy me dinner first.”

  Olivia choked on her drink. She missed this. She missed being with her best friends and listening to them trade jabs in good fun.

  She cleared her throat and tried to steer the conversation back on track. “What do you think I should do?”

  “Talk to him,” Harper said.

  “Let it go,” Isla said at the same time.

  “I should have known you two would be on totally opposite pages.”

  Harper tossed her brown hair over her shoulder and took another bite of her pancakes. “Don’t listen to her. She hasn’t been with a
guy in three years.”

  Isla shot her a look. “And you’ve dated half the county, none of which have turned into long-term relationships.” Isla stuck her tongue out at Harper, and they both laughed.

  “You should talk to him,” Harper reiterated. “Maybe he is holding something back, but he doesn’t know how to approach the subject. Asking him gives him the opening he might be looking for.”

  “Or…” Isla held her hand up. “What if it’s something you don’t want to know, and you can never look at him the same way again?”

  “What could he possibly tell me that I’d never look at him the same way again?” Olivia asked, more curious than anything since Isla was known to have a very colorful imagination.

  “It could be anything. He believes he was abducted by aliens and is now controlled by them. Or he’s a serial killer who killed his way across the country.”

  Isla definitely didn’t disappoint.

  Harper’s fork halted before reaching her mouth. Her light brown eyebrow lifted, and she turned her gaze to Isla. “I would love to go in your head for one day just to see what the hell goes on in there.”

  Isla shrugged. “You’d probably go crazy.”

  Harper laughed. “You’re probably right.”

  Olivia was confident Shane wasn’t abducted by aliens or a serial killer. “Shane is not hiding either of those things from me.”

  Isla took a sip of her tea, eyebrows lifting above the mug. “Or is he?”

  Harper shook her head. “Whatever he tells you can’t be much worse than what she’s thinking, so just ask him.”

  Olivia still wasn’t sure. “I don’t want to push.”

  “Then don’t,” Harper said. “If he’s keeping something from you, he’ll tell you when he’s ready.” Harper glanced at her phone. “Crap, I got to go. Milo and I told Tom we’d bring him to McConnell’s Market to fill out an application.”