After the Storm

by Amy Knupp

SS as in Silver Sands?

  Nadia jumped up and went out on the balcony. There weren’t many people on the beach, as the temperature was down in the sixties tonight. She strained her eyes in the darkness trying to find Penn.

  It wasn’t difficult. He was strolling about halfway between the hotel property line and the waterline.

  She texted him again. I see you. Dark shirt?

  She watched him move closer to the hotel and could tell he was scanning the main level for her. She grinned as she typed.

  Look up.

  When he got closer, his gaze rose to maybe the second story.

  Way up.

  She leaned over the balcony and waved her arms. She could tell when he finally spotted her. He raised both arms in question as if to ask what the heck she was doing.

  Nadia laughed again, tired of communicating with a tiny keypad. She patted her rear pocket for the key card that allowed access to the suite. Slipping back inside, she looked around the room for a light object and settled for taking a box of facial tissues from the bathroom. She hurried back out on the balcony, stuffing the key card into the box as she made sure Penn was still there.

  Tossing a present. Watch for it.

  His only response was ???

  She threw the box out as far as possible so it would clear the palms bordering the patio below. It plummeted and she kept her eyes glued to it for as long as she could. She didn’t see it hit the ground, but she could estimate where it must have landed. Nowhere close to Penn.

  He again threw out his arms in question and she tried to point at the box.

  Look twenty feet to the northeast.

  When he read her message, he did as she said. She watched in amusement as he spun around and canvassed the general area.

  What am I looking for?

  White box.

  About five minutes later, he found it. Again, the questioning arms came up followed by another text.

  You threw me tissues???

  Without hesitation, she instructed him. Card inside. Use it in east elevators to sixth floor.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  PENN HAD THE EAST ELEVATOR to himself. Which was handy since it took him a while to figure out the key card was the only way to get the “six” button to light up.

  He had no idea what Nadia was up to and he didn’t care. He just wanted to see her. Hell, he wanted to do more than see her.

  Cooper had taken Penn’s mom to the airport that morning, then driven on to Austin to visit a friend. The condo was so damn quiet Penn thought his head was going to explode. Way too much time to think.

  He’d tried to read a book but all he could think about was Nadia. Nadia being kind to his mother. Bringing him cookies. Wearing the backless shirt. Climbing into his bed…

  He’d done nothing but push her away. Denied himself. Nursed his damn wounds.

  He shook his head as the elevator slowly climbed. His wounds weren’t going away anytime soon. He didn’t know what would happen in the future, and he didn’t care. All he was concerned about was the present.

  Something Faith had said had been nagging at him all day. The bit about focusing on the good elements in her life. For her, the baby on the way and Joe.

  For Penn? Well, it might be Nadia. If she could get past the way he’d treated her too many times…and forget about the future for a while.

  He didn’t know exactly what she was to him, didn’t want to think about it too hard. All he knew for sure was that he liked her. Wanted her.

  The elevator stopped and the doors opened. He stepped out and looked to the left and then to the right. There were four doors in the small landing, two on the wall opposite him. The other two were on either side of the elevator. He checked the key card for a clue as to which door it would open.

  Lucky for him, the hottest woman in the world opened one of the doors opposite him and smiled coyly. Without a word, she eased the door open the rest of the way to let him in.

  Sticking the key card in his back pocket, Penn did a quick scan of the moonlit suite and found that they were alone. He shut the door, closed the gap between them and kissed her.

  She sucked in a gasp of surprise, then promptly clutched a handful of his T-shirt and pulled him closer. One of the things he loved about her—her ability to just go with things, even when they weren’t expected.

  He let the tissue box fall to the floor and wrapped both his arms around her waist. As he deepened the kiss, one hand slid up to cradle the back of her neck to hold her in place.

  Not that she was trying to get away.

  His senses swam in all that was Nadia… The warm, delicate skin at her waist. The taste of minty toothpaste and berry lip gloss. The vanilla and shampoo scent of her silken hair draping over his hand.

  When the kiss ended, Nadia opened her eyes and made a sound of regret. “Wow. Hello to you, too.”

  Penn pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Hi, honey, I’m home. Great place to play house.”

  Nadia laughed, her voice husky. “Welcome to my humble abode for the time being.”

  “Beautiful.” He didn’t take his eyes off of her.

  “You can’t even see.”

  “I don’t even care.”

  Nadia walked away from him and switched on a dim lamp on an end table. She turned around and looked at Penn. “Just wanted to make sure it was really Penn Griffin coming on to me.”

  “Do you let a lot of men into your darkened lair?”

  “Only the ones I recruit off the beach.”

  He looked around him at the luxurious room. Pristine white couches, muted blue ceramic tile on the floor, a full kitchen with granite countertops and a chandelier above the dining table.

  “What are you doing up here?” he asked.

  “Hiding.” She ran her slender hand over the back of the couch as she walked toward the balcony door. “You should see the view.”

  He was watching the view right now and definitely liked what he saw.

  “The waves in the moonlight,” Nadia clarified.

  With a smirk, Penn joined her outside. They stood at the railing staring out at the water.

  “Who are you hiding from?” he asked.

  “Everyone but you, apparently.” She brushed her hair out of her face as she stared at the gulf. Penn took in her profile, the swell of her lips, the long lashes…the shadows under her eyes.

  “I started coming up here years ago,” she said. “If I was upset or lonely or whatever, I’d find out if the presidential suite was vacant and pretend I lived here.”

  “So what is it tonight? Upset, lonely or whatever?”

  She frowned as she considered. “A and C. The company so far is pretty decent.” She flashed a smile at him, then sobered. “My mom told me she might sell this place.”

  “Silver Sands?” He couldn’t hide his surprise.

  “The one and only.”

  She was gripping the railing. Penn caressed the back of her hand as he let that announcement sink in.

  “The hotel has been struggling, money-wise,” she said without looking at him. “All kinds of reasons. Economy, newer competitors…” She broke off. “Too many factors to list.”

  “And your mom wants to get out while the getting’s good?”

  “I don’t know what she wants. I have no idea what she’s thinking. This is our world. It has been since I was seven.” Her voice was filled with emotion. “And while there may come a day when selling it is the thing to do, that’s not now.” She swallowed hard before continuing. “She didn’t even ask my opinion.”

  Without thought, Penn moved behind her and rubbed both of her shoulders. They were hard with tension and he tried to massage the knots out of them. At first, she resisted, seeming to fight to keep her shoulders stiff, but within thirty seconds, she eased her head back and moaned in appreciation. He managed to ignore how erotic the sound was. Mostly.

  “You love this place, don’t you?” he said.

  “It’s all I know. I barely remember life
before we moved here. It’s always been a part of my future. I’ve never once questioned that, and now…” Her voice cracked.

  As the tightness in her shoulders eased bit by bit, his touch lightened, and he traced circles with his fingertips.

  “When I first met you, I thought your work addiction was about money,” he confessed. “The BMW didn’t do anything to persuade me otherwise.”

  “I bought it used five years ago,” she said, straightening.

  “Shh. It doesn’t matter. As I was about to say, now I can see that what drives you is a passion for what you do. A belief in it. Total dedication to making this hotel the best it can be.” He stopped rubbing and wound his arms around her, resting them on top of her upper arms, which she’d placed on the railing.

  “I admire that,” he said into her ear.

  She leaned into him and held on to one of his arms. “Thanks,” she whispered, and he barely heard it over the waves and the wind.

  They stood like that for some time, without talking, just holding on to each other, his body pressing gently against her back. For the first time in ages, he didn’t feel useless. She gave him the sense that she needed him, that he was maybe helping her in some miniscule way.

  Eventually he felt her shiver.

  “Cold?”

  “A little.” She turned around to face him. “I should stop whining to someone whose career has already been taken away. It’s only a possibility for me right now.”

  “Seems more like you’re taking up arms and prepping for battle than whining.” He brushed her hair behind her ear. “Believe me, if I had the option, I’d fight to the death for the career I loved, too.”

  “I’d fight for yours if I could, as well.” She looked earnestly up at him before her eyes dropped to his lips and lingered. “The other times we’ve kissed haven’t turned out too well,” she whispered.

  They were so close, he could feel her breath on his skin when she spoke. “I’m thinking the third time’s going to be a charm.”

  Her lids lowered again, and when her eyes met his, there was no mistaking the heat in her gaze.

  “Hypothetically speaking, if I were to kiss you, would you freak out again afterward?”

  “Don’t plan to.”

  “Because if this continues, there’s a good chance I will get really hacked off if you change your mind again.”

  He could only take so much anticipation, and he’d been craving her touch since last night. Even before then. He brushed his lips over hers. Lightly at first. Their breaths mingled and he kissed her harder, unable and unwilling to take it slow or gentle.

  She wasted no time in responding, sliding her arms up around his neck and holding on. He pressed his body into hers, needing to let her know how she affected him, needing to feel her heat and show her that his body did work, that he wasn’t broken, at least not when it came to this.

  Minutes slipped away—he had no concept of how many. All he knew was that he could spend days here with Nadia and never tire of kissing her.

  “You mentioned you were cold,” he said eventually. “We could go inside if you want to.”

  She ran her fingers over his jaw and met his eyes. “I’m not cold anymore. At all. But we can go inside if you want to.”

  Going inside would lead to more than just staying warm, and they both knew it. It hung between them, disguised in her suggestion.

  What if his body once again didn’t work properly? What if he let both of them down…again?

  The lower half of him knew exactly what it wanted to do, but the part above his neck was getting in the way. To buy himself some time, he leaned forward and ran his tongue over her lip. Nipped it lightly. They fell into another long, exploring kiss.

  The first time after his accident was going to be worrisome whether it was now or in two months. The one thing he was sure of was that he wanted it to be with Nadia.

  He felt her hands inch up under his tee at the waist. They roved upward slowly, lovingly, to his chest. The simple touch made his blood pound harder. The kiss turned urgent, deeper, both of them more demanding.

  Penn eventually managed to pull away and tried to catch his breath. And his thoughts. He leaned his forehead into hers.

  “Nadia.”

  She breathed out with a nervous laugh. “Yeah.”

  He swallowed, tried to figure out what he needed to say to not sound like a complete moron. “I want you. So much.”

  She nodded and inhaled. “Me, too.” She looked at him with a question in her eyes.

  “I haven’t…” Welcome to life’s most awkward conversation ever. “Since my injury…”

  She nodded again, her lips curving upward. “I get it. Are you allowed…?”

  “When I’m comfortable with it,” he said. His doctor had brought the subject up and, at the time, Penn had scowled and figured it was a pointless discussion. He exhaled nervously, wanting this conversation over with. “Let’s just say I’m comfortable if you are.”

  Nadia answered by kissing him, her tongue and lips tracing a slow, seductive path around his mouth. “More than. If you’re sure it will be okay.”

  “I’d say the time you attacked me in my bed taught me my limits.”

  “Attacked?” Her eyes sparkled as they caught the moonlight. “Up until you moved wrong, I’d say you liked being attacked.”

  “Definitely a tolerable offensive. But I think the whole hypothesis should be tested further....”

  “Yeah?” She dipped her hands into the back of his shorts. Her fingers on his ass kicked up the need to get this discussion the hell out of the way. “Science was never my strong point but I’m willing to do my best.”

  “I have a feeling you’ll ace this experiment,” he said.

  The question was, would he?

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  NADIA’S HANDS MOVED around to the front, and before Penn knew what she was doing, she’d unsnapped his shorts. She kissed him as she worked one hand beneath his briefs and grasped him, making him suck in a breath.

  “I can pretty much promise you one thing that won’t work and that’s standing out here on the balcony,” he said in a strained voice.

  “Then we should definitely go inside.”

  He reluctantly pulled her hand from his shorts and entwined their fingers. Led her back through the open doors. “Do we need to shut these?”

  She shook her head and pulled him to the room to their right. The bedroom was bathed in dim light coming in from the living room, not that he took the time to check out the accommodations in detail. Nadia’s hands were under his shirt again, lifting it to his shoulders. He pulled it over his head and threw it aside. The hunger in her eyes as her gaze lingered over his bare upper body made him vow to thank his physical therapist for pushing him to continue to work out regularly.

  Penn drew her close and kissed her. He sought her skin, lifting her shirt enough to slick his hands against her. He felt her taut belly and her ribs, then the bottom edge of her bra.

  Before he could explore further, her hands were at his shorts again, and she shoved them easily to the floor.

  “No fair,” he said into her ear. “You’re getting ahead of me.”

  She laughed wickedly. “Poor thing.” She slid his underwear off and ran her hands over his bare ass as he pulled her lower body into his.

  “Not thinking it’s the worst deal ever.”

  He felt the back of his good leg hit the mattress. He lowered himself to it, then lay down carefully, silently begging his body to cooperate. There was only the slightest twinge in his lower back, so minor he wouldn’t have thought twice about it if he hadn’t been waiting for it. Even if it had been a ten on the pain scale, he would have quickly forgotten about it because at that moment Nadia stood at the edge of the bed easing her shirt upward, exposing her body inch by beautiful inch. She lifted it over her head and threw it behind her, revealing a silver leopard-print bra edged in lace.

  She unfastened her pants and worked them over her
hips as Penn enjoyed the show. When she straightened, he was treated to a tantalizing view of her silver string bikini panties. Holy hell, she was moving too slow for him. Unfortunately, sitting up and dragging her onto the bed would probably wrench his back and put an early end to the night.

  “You’re a tease,” he said, propping his hands behind his neck, as if he was lying there leisurely and relaxed. His body blatantly said otherwise, and he caught her checking that out firsthand.

  “A tease would be someone who doesn’t follow through. You’re just impatient.”

  “I’m at your mercy.” His anticipation ramped up along with the pounding of his blood when she reached behind and unfastened her bra. She dropped the lingerie to the floor.

  Penn growled at the sight of her nearly naked body. Couldn’t wait to taste her, tease her nipples with his tongue. “Get over here.”

  She stopped, tilted her head and raised her brows at him.

  “Please?” he said with a grin.

  “Love a boy with manners.” Nadia crawled onto the bed, leaning over until she could kiss him.

  Penn’s hands were on her the instant she was in his reach. They roved over her everywhere and within seconds he’d discovered the silver panties were a thong. Their lips still locked, he filled his hands with her ass and pulled her more firmly against him.

  He palmed her breasts, loving the heaviness of them in his hands. She raised her body enough to give him better access. He toyed with her pebbled nipples, captured the tips between his fingers and thumbs, eliciting a moan from her.

  “Your body is beautiful,” he whispered.

  “So is yours.” There was so much desire in her eyes as she looked down at him. After all the crap in the past few weeks, he would swear at this moment he was the luckiest man in the universe.

  Hands around her slender torso, he guided her upward so he could taste one of her breasts, suckle it until she was begging him for more.

  “Grab my wallet. Back pocket of my shorts. Please,” he added, but she didn’t seem too concerned about manners anymore.

  The view as she made her way back down the bed was erotic as hell. He didn’t take his eyes off her as she located his pants and took his wallet out. She tossed the whole thing to him and peeled her panties down her legs.