“Maybe we could hunt for shells tomorrow morning. The storm surely blew up some nice ones.”
He took her hand and they walked in silence, picking their way around the litter of palm leaves strewn on the beach.
“You think this place will be open with the power outage?”
Maggie heard the muted sounds of the old jukebox in the distance. “Oh, yeah. They’ll just light the tiki torches and keep serving drinks. They don’t let a little thing like storms slow them down.”
The slight pressure of Josh’s hand on her back might be an insignificant gesture to some women, but her senses were heightened, as though her body was attuned to his every move. Maybe it was that she wanted to etch this time in her memory.
As they approached the restaurant, the owner, having recognized her from the times she’d come there for lunch, gave her a friendly wave and ushered them to a quiet table near the door to the patio. They were inside from the elements but still had a breathtaking view of the moon on the water. The grill was back up and they munched on conch fritters with Key lime mustard sauce and washed it down with a couple of beers. Josh sat back and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “That was fabulous.”
She nodded, swallowing the last of her beer. “I love it here. They are so laid back and friendly.” She sighed and licked her lips. “You ready for dessert?”
He leaned forward, his gaze narrowing wickedly on her. “Whenever you are.”
“Because the Key lime pie here is to die for.” She raised her hand and summoned their waiter. He hustled to the table and began to clear away the dishes.
“Dessert?” he asked, eyeing Maggie with a smile.
She smiled back. “You know what I like, Joe.”
He chuckled and glanced at Josh. “You want two?”
“Just bring two forks.”
“Tres romantic.” He joked and waggled his brows. “Could turn into a battle. Be right back.”
The music playing that had provided a quiet background to dinner gave way to a heart-pounding Latino beat as the owner turned up the volume at a guest’s request. Several patrons moved to the dance floor, and Maggie, who’d had just enough to drink, felt like moving. “Come on, let’s dance.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the small crowd gyrating on the postage-stamp dance floor. He pressed close, his hands resting comfortably on her waist as they moved together to Santana’s ‘Black Magic Woman.’ Her skin glowed from the tropical heat. Tendrils of her hair clung to her neck, and she lifted it atop her head to find some relief. Josh pulled her close, nuzzling the exposed slope of her neck. The wicked guitar and the persistent drums took over and she was lost to the music and the moment. Josh’s hands snaked around her waist, bunching her cotton dress. She felt the evidence of his arousal through the layers of clothing between them.
“Jesus, Mags. Are you wearing panties?” he whispered as his hands smoothed over her hips. Maggie glanced over to see the waiting leaving the pie at their table.
“Dessert’s ready.”
“Get it to go,” Josh whispered, sending an erotic chill up her spine. Her breasts tingled at the memory of his teasing with teeth and tongue.
The music had stopped. “Maybe you’re right,” she said, meeting his gaze.
He took her hand and led her to the table to retrieve the dessert and her sweater. With a quick nod, he got the waiter’s attention, a to-go box and dumped the pie inside, in haste. Without a word, he dragged her out the back door. Trudging down the winding path to the shoreline, they were quickly plunged into darkness. She tried to keep up with his long strides, and finally had to break free of his grip to stop long enough to remove her shoes. “Josh, please, would you slow down?” she called out, then realizing the late hour, lowered her voice. “You’re practically in a dead run.”
He turned around, stomping through the sand to where she’d stopped on the edge of the beach to lean against a large tree. He scooped up her shoes and she could see his eyes glittering by the soft light of the moon. “What’s the matter with you?” she said nearly out of breath. “It’s not like we’re that far.”
He opened his mouth to respond, walked away and turned quickly on his heel, pointing his finger at her as he strode toward her. “You’re not playing fair,” he said, pausing a moment before he grabbed her face and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. She surrendered to his tongue demanding more, taking what he offered, and forgetting her own advice to slow things down. This was going to end badly, but she couldn’t stop it. She wanted him too much. “Just so you know, I haven’t worn underwear since I’ve been here. Mostly because I’ve lived in swimsuits or swam without clothes.”
He groaned low and lifted her, pressing her against the tree trunk, her thighs wrapped around him. His palm slid between her thighs, his flesh cool against the warmth where he coaxed, caressed, leaving a throbbing ache deep inside her. She was lost in the taste of him, the furious need of his mouth on hers, erasing all reason from her brain. He leaned back, his strong arms bracing her thighs as she clumsily unfastened his shirt. She needed to touch him, feel his skin touching hers. He pulled her close into another fiery kiss; her breasts pancaked against the solid wall of his chest. “You…make me…crazy,” he whispered between hot kisses. His pleasuring was relentless driving her to the brink. With a quiet sigh, she tightened her arms around his neck and looked to the star sprinkled sky as her climax ripped through her
He looked at her, kissed her softly and searched her eyes. “It’s insane how much I want you again. Tell me what you want, Mags.” He said lowering her to the ground.
She wanted him. She reasoned that it was just one more time would be enough. Every word he’d said, every heartfelt confession, swirled in her. Maybe a part of her hoped for her happily ever after. Being here with him, spending time talking and teasing each other had rekindled the love she’d carried all these years. He drew in a sharp hiss as she unfastened his shorts and tugged them around his thighs, freeing him Beyond discussion of right or wrong, protection or none, she drew him into a kiss and he picked her up, nudging the warmth between her thighs. Braced against the tree, he pushed deep. Alone on the empty stretch of beach, this was their private paradise. She touched his face, felt the sweat on his brow, and heard the determination of his sighs as he took her body heavenward. They crashed together, amid the pounding surf, her soft cry lost on the night breeze.
He held her a moment as they both caught their breath. She sensed that he was as surprised at the intensity of their lovemaking, the risk they’d taken in being discovered. Josh lowered her slowly to her feet, jerked up his shorts and waited as she brushed her dress back into place. He pressed his hands to the top of his head and walked to the water, wading out up to his ankles before coming back to where she waited on the sand. Her mind still reeling in the aftershock of what had just happened was catching up to euphoria her body has just experienced. She was losing her heart to him, to this idea of a happily ever after and it sacred her to death.
“God Maggie, I’ve never done anything like that before.” He chuckled as he drew her into his embrace. “Don’t worry. I don’t expect that every time with you will feel this exotic, but I haven’t felt this alive in a very long time.”
***
They walked hand-in-hand along the water’s edge, letting the tide lap at their feet. This woman was amazing. Josh knew it was impractical to think they could stay in this tropical bubble forever, but it didn’t diffuse his fantasy. In a couple of days, they’d have to make a decision that might change lives other than their own. But for now, he wanted to cherish every moment he had with her. She hadn’t said a word since their impromptu tropical tryst. The mere thought of it caused him to harden.
“You okay?” he asked, studying her profile in the moonlight. She had no idea how beautiful she was. She’d been a surprise to him when they were younger, but she’d turned out to be more so in the past few hours. Adventurous. Funny. Loving. Compassionate.
“Yeah,” she answered in t
he midst of his thoughts. It was a remarkably shy response, considering the fact that shyness was the one attribute he hadn’t seen much of since his arrival. He stopped, and pulled her into his arms. There was hesitancy, and he hoped she wasn’t having second thoughts about this little experiment of theirs. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was beginning to see more of a future with Maggie than with Justine. “You’re awfully quiet.”
She stepped from his arms and without a word walked to one of the hammocks stretched between two palm trees. She held out her hand to him. Curiosity niggled at the back of his brain, but he walked over and together they sat side-by-side, gently rocking back and forth. They gazed silently at the shimmer of the moon on the water, noting the occasional fish that leapt up from its depths.
He stretched his arms across the edge of the hammock and tapped her shoulder. “Hey, are you going to tell me what you’re thinking?”
Her gaze remained fixed on the sea. “This is all so surreal, Josh. It’s hard not to want it to last forever. I mean, who wouldn’t want to live like this? But the truth is, it has to end eventually, and then what?”
He swallowed hard, realizing that she expressed the very concern that weighed on his shoulders. He wanted to tell her that he’d already discovered so many holes in his relationship with Justine. She was refined, country club and dinner parties. For a time he thought that’s what he wanted, but he was beginning to think his parents had influenced his decision more than he cared to admit. They’d orchestrated their meeting at a club dinner between the two families, encouraged it’s growth. Justine was from good stock in their minds and yet he couldn’t think of a single time when he felt totally relaxed around her. Their relationship was based on schedules—meetings, social obligations, even their lovemaking. Maggie was different. He enjoyed being with her, liked who he was when he was with her. He guessed that this sudden distancing of herself meant she was trying to keep things on a non-committal level. On the other hand, he was completely reading things wrong and what had happened between them hadn’t affected her as powerfully as it had him.
He didn’t want to rush her feelings, but he was concerned that she might also be having doubts. “I guess that’s what we’ll have to decide, Maggie.” He took a deep breath and helped her out of the hammock. He’d never forget that moment when he saw her lying there asleep. “Come on, let’s go home.” The words rolled off his tongue as natural as you please. At that given moment, he knew that if Maggie would have him, he was hers for the rest of his days. Right or wrong, his fiancée’ had been right. All the instances of bringing Maggie’s name into the conversation were an unconscious attempt to include her, keep her close. He wasn’t what Justine needed. He couldn’t be. He was a pair-of-flip-flops kind of guy who wanted to sail at sunset with a woman who didn’t mind getting the sand between her toes.
Later that night, they made love again. Slow, sweet, giving and taking with little talk. Afterward, Josh lay awake a long time staring at the ceiling with Maggie snuggled close to his side. Two more days. How could he convince her in that time that he was what she needed? He was convinced, unlike when he proposed to Justine. They’d dated for three months before she’d pushed him for a commitment. So had his parents, because Justine was a good girl who came from good genes, his father had told him. He’d listened to them then. Now he needed to listen to his heart. He looked down at Maggie, thought of the last few hours, and how his life had changed. He realized that this was what love was supposed to feel like. He closed his eyes, covered her hand with his on his chest, and drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
A brilliant light skimmed across his eyelids. The sound of seabirds filtered into his brain. He squinted open one eye and glanced at his watch on the bedside table. It was already half-past noon. “Gotta love island time,” he muttered, drawing on his shorts. The scent of fresh-brewed coffee drew him to the main room. He couldn’t wait to join Maggie on the porch and talk about their plans for the day. He was going to suggest they pack a picnic and sail to the less-populated island across the bay. “Hey Mags, I was thinking we could check out the sailboat rentals—“His words came to an abrupt halt when he looked up and found Justine pouring a cup of coffee. His eyes scanned the room. Maggie was nowhere in sight.
Justine came around the edge of the counter, leaning against it. “She called me last night. It was quite late, but I must admit she made a convincing, if not tempting, suggestion that I come down here and we have some alone time to sort things out. She said that we both must be under a lot of stress with the plans. Wasn’t that nice?”
Josh couldn’t stop staring out the picture window to the view of the brilliant blue ocean on a cloudless day. His gaze drifted to the kitchen table where he and Maggie had sat and shared nachos and beer, laughing until their sides ached. His gut wrenched as he realized what she’d done.
“Josh, honey. Aren’t you even going to say hello?”
He looked at her then, this remarkably talented and gorgeous woman standing amid the bohemian décor in her Gucci suit and high-heeled shoes. Maggie was right. She looked like she’d walked right off the Victoria’s Secret runway and no one on earth could have been more out to place. He blinked as though seeing a stranger before him. For all he knew about Justine, there was far more he didn’t, and after living together, he thought they’d be closer, feel that spark when he kissed her. “Let’s just get this out of the way first.” He walked over, set her the cup down, and kissed her fully on the mouth…waiting for something…the zing, to happen. He stepped back and her lids fluttered in surprise. “How would you feel about making love on the beach?”
Her eyes widened. “You mean now? In broad daylight?” She swallowed visibly and then smiled, stepping forward to place her hand on his bare chest. “There are so many strange bugs down here, I’ve heard. Why don’t we just stay indoors?”
Something snapped inside him. “I need a beer.”
“At this hour?” She followed him as he walked to the refrigerator and took out two bottles. He held one up to her. “Darling, you know I prefer champagne. Do you have—“ She stopped and studied him.
“Do you even like beer?” he asked, putting both bottles on the counter and meeting her startled gaze. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you raise a bottle to your lips.”
She frowned, but in her crystal blue eyes, he saw the realization beginning to form.
“This isn’t about my preference of drink,” she said, eyeing him sharply. “What’s this about? Maggie made it sound like the two of you hadn’t got on well and that you missed me.”
“Did you get my text?” She’d not answered him in the last twenty-four hours.
She blinked and pulled her cell phone from her pants pocket to check. “I was at the club all day having lunch with my parents and then an old friend of mine stopped in and I guess I forgot to check.”
“An old friend? Do I know her?”
“Him, actually. Just someone I dated in college. I hadn’t seen him in a long time and we had drinks. You know, to catch up.”
Josh couldn’t fault her for that.
“Maggie said we needed to have some time together. Are you going to tell me what that’s all about?”
Josh smiled. “I think you know, Justine, or you’d have at least tried to call or text. Unless you were too preoccupied.”
“I was right?”
Josh nodded. “At first, I didn’t want you to be. Then I found myself trying to find a way to tell you that you were.”
She eyed him, smiled, and sighed. “I think you just did.”
Chapter Four
She hadn’t heard from Josh directly since she’d left him there in the Keys in the middle of the night two months ago, so she had been surprised to receive a revised wedding invitation from him. It was a destination wedding in the Keys. Her idea of sending Justine down to spend the last few days of the vacation with Josh must have worked better than expected.
That would make him happy, and she
told herself that she’d be happy for him. Even the invitation appeared less stuffy than the first. It had two little bottles of beer tapping together. Her heart twisted. Sure, she was happy, wasn’t she? Her plan had worked. She tucked the invitation along with the directions into her purse along with the ticket that had been sent to her with a note that simply said, “Thanks.”
Grabbing her carry-on, she was glad she’d shipped their present on to her hotel. She caught her reflection in the hallway mirror; her skin still showed evidence of her time spent in the sun. “You can do this,” she spoke to the woman looking back at her. She’d promised that, come what may, they’d go on with their lives. Part of that included celebrating her bestie’s happy day.
***
She arrived at the hotel, deciding to take advantage of what had quickly become her favorite private cottage. She breathed deeply, inhaling the warm, ocean air. The sky above was a cloudless blue, just beginning to turn shades of the sunset—pinks, oranges, and purples mingled together on the horizon. She wanted to hurry the driver of the valet cart service in hopes of seeing the spectacular fireball sunset. The cart had barely stopped when she darted up the path. She bounded up the steps and hurried around the corner to the west view the porch offered of the Atlantic. Holding her hands on the railing, she leaned out and saw the sun resting on the edge of the world.
“Such a lovely view.”
Startled, she looked down beyond the plants and tropical vegetation to find the owner of the familiar voice. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready?”
He smiled, looking better than a body has a right to in a white shirt and white pants. He strolled leisurely up the path, his hands tucked in his pockets as he climbed the steps. He walked up to her, his dark eyes soft as he stood there taking her breath away, as he always had.
“Don’t tell me you lost your wallet.”
He dropped to one knee in front of her. “What? Oh that.” He smiled. “The police found it and mailed it to me. As to your previous question, I’m ready, Maggie. Are you?” He pulled out a ring.
Wish You Were Here Page 4
