by Kat Mizera
She laughed. “I use a coconut shampoo.”
He bent his head and buried his nose in her hair. “Oh yeah. God, that’s sexy.”
She paused, running her hands up his massive chest, across his broad shoulders, down those muscular arms and around his waist to rest just behind his hips. “All I ask is that when we’re together like this you give me the real Garrett.”
He covered her hands with his and looked deep into her eyes. “Honey, since the moment you zipped past me in that hallway, you’ve had nothing but the real Garrett. He’s the only one that’s good enough for you.”
“Liar.” She took a few steps towards the bedroom and turned to look over her shoulder. “Coming?”
“Oh yeah.”
Hawk took a moment to compose himself. Not physically—there was only one thing that would solve that problem—but emotionally. She’d done exactly what he hadn’t wanted and wormed her way not just into his heart, but right into his very being. The things she said, the way she looked at him… How the hell would he ever be able to look at another woman after this? How would he be able to look at himself? She was it. He didn’t need months of dating, talking, getting to know each other. He already knew she was the woman for him. If he could, he’d walk her down to the Barefoot Brides wedding planner offices and get one of the ladies that worked there to tell him exactly what they had to do to get married immediately. It was a fleeting, completely unreasonable thought, but it hit him so hard he had to take a deep breath.
“Don’t be an idiot,” he muttered under his breath. “She’d divorce you so fast your head would spin.”
“Are you trying to talk yourself into or out of coming in here?” she called out to him.
“I’m trying to be a gentleman,” he said softly, standing in the doorway and watching as she sprawled on the bed in nothing but black lace panties.
“You already are,” she smiled. “Now come over here and let me lick you.”
He laughed, moving towards her slowly, their eyes locked as he approached. He crawled across the bed in one long, exaggerated movement but she stopped him with a finger to his chest.
“Over there,” she pointed. “Stand next to the bed.”
He backed up and got to his feet again. “Like this?”
“Don’t move unless I tell you to.” She slid to the edge of the bed and sat with her legs hanging over. She nudged down one side of his boxers—right next to the left side of that abdominal V that made her mouth water and her entire body shiver with need—eying the ink she’d seen peeking out. It was the number “90,” set just inside and below his hip bone, and had a lightning bolt through it. She bent her head and let her tongue curl over the characters, her fingers on either side of it. She glanced up, her lips parted expectantly. “That’s one.”
He took a shaky breath, wondering how he was going to survive her doing this 16 more times, but she’d already moved down to the outside of his hip, running that warm, wet tongue along the Chinese characters tattooed there.
“It says Nèi zài de lì liàng,” he said quietly. “It’s a longer, more formal version of—”
“Inner strength,” she whispered, her eyes wide.
“How did you know?” he frowned.
She stood up and gently pushed him back a couple of inches. She turned her back to him and slowly lowered the edge of her panties, revealing the exact same tattoo right along the edge of her tailbone.
“Maddie.” His voice was full of wonder as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his head in the hollow of her shoulder.
“My Garrett,” was all she said, letting one hand drift up and across the side of his face.
“Let me love you,” he whispered.
“Fifteen more tattoos for me to lick, and then you can do anything you want to me.”
He closed his eyes and straightened up again, emptying his mind of everything except his lovely sea nymph. She found all of his tattoos, slowly and with purpose, kissing, licking and sucking each one with almost artistic precision. She went from the left hip up his side to the ones on his shoulders and then moved to the three on his bicep and the one on his forearm. Her next stop was his back, finding the four there and running her lips down the length of his spine to inspect the one on his left butt cheek. From there she worked her way up the right side, blowing lightly on them after she’d used her tongue, raising gooseflesh all over his body.
“Mine,” she whispered as she finished the hawk on his right forearm. “All 17 of them. No matter where we go after we leave here, those 17 tats are mine. You know why?” Her eyes were burning with heat, but they also twinkled with amusement.
He shook his head.
“Because I licked them.”
He chuckled at her impish smile, slowly pushing her onto the bed. “What happens when I lick you all over? Will you be mine?”
“Already am.”
He had no words as he found her beautiful mouth and started a detailed exploration of every crevice. His lips took possession of her skin, from her mouth to the curve of her neck, the sensitive spot behind her ear and the hollow of her shoulder. She was exquisite, as delectable as he’d imagined and sweeter than anything he’d ever tasted. Her skin was golden from so much time in the sun and the faint aroma of coconut wafted over him every time he got anywhere near her hair. He wanted to inhale everything about her, but he focused on each part of her body the way she’d done with his tattoos.
When he slid down to her breasts she arched into him, nipples hardening the moment he got close to them. They were full and round, with dusky, sensitive peaks that came alive as he took one delectable nub between his lips. She cried out, digging her fingers into his hair.
“I was right,” he murmured, his breath hot against her skin. “They fit perfectly in my hands.” He demonstrated, holding one breast in each hand and squeezing lightly.
“All of you fits perfectly with all of me,” she said, wriggling her body so they were aligned for easy access.
“Yes,” he nodded, moving back to her breasts. “But I need to enjoy these first.” He kept at it until she was practically begging, her breath heated as she tried to bring him closer.
“Garrett!” she whimpered as he moved off of her, digging around on the nightstand.
“Just a second, honey—condom.” He sheathed himself quickly and was instantly back with her, skin-to-skin, fingers threaded together. He hesitated, wanting to spend more time bringing her right to the brink, but there was no more waiting for this. They didn’t just want it, they needed it. She edged closer, one shapely thigh sliding up around his waist, leaving herself open and ready, big brown eyes searching his face.
Her lips sought his yet again, sucking him into her sweetness, totally surrendering to him in a way no one ever had before. He thrust his hips forward, pressing against her warmth and gliding into her with one smooth motion. They both sighed, eyes locked together, and for a long moment neither of them moved. Time stood still as she adjusted to the hard, thick intrusion that was already sending shock waves from her belly to that sweet spot between her thighs.
“Mine,” she whispered.
“Very, very yours,” he agreed. Fire was shooting down his spine, the need to move more than he could stand. “Baby, tell me what you want.”
“Just you.” She arched up to meet him. The pressure between her legs was unbearable. She’d never wanted someone inside of her so badly, needed a man’s touch so desperately, or had such an overwhelming sense of completion. Making love had never felt like this before and she kissed him, showing him everything she couldn’t possibly say. She’d already broken all the rules; told him she loved him, told him he was hers, told him she’d give him anything he wanted. Now she wanted only to show him that he could have it, and her, if only he would trust her.
Everything else disappeared as they moved together, bodies and souls linked by some invisible force that had thrown them together at a shady motel outside of Naples. She dug her nails into
his hard, muscular backside, gripping him tighter, pulling him deeper until there was no space between them. Inside and out, they were completely immersed in each other, hearts hammering in unison as they rushed towards a release that would undoubtedly break them.
She never wanted it to end, the way it felt to be so connected to another human being, and she tried desperately to hold off, make it last longer. Her body betrayed her, though, the first ripples of her orgasm rocking her against him so hard she could feel one of his hip bones dig into hers. Her cries filled the room, calling out his name, over and over, until she couldn’t even breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything except ride out waves that seemed to go on forever.
Watching her come undone beneath him, he followed her right over the edge, growling from the force of his release. She was still moving, the silky skin of her calves rubbing across his back. When her breath caught, he tried to memorize every nuance of her face. The way those stupidly long eyelashes fluttered on her cheeks. Those plump red lips, slightly parted as she moaned his name. The deep rosy color her skin turned as she orgasmed against him until she couldn’t move anymore. He would remember it always, remember her always. He’d never experienced anything like Madison Teller and he would never, ever forget this moment.
Her wet mouth fastened greedily onto his shoulder, sucking his skin as the aftershocks kept her shuddering beneath him every few seconds. Her teeth nipped at him and he realized she was marking him. It had been years since he’d had a love bite, a hickey, but Maddie was letting him know whom he belonged to. He was sending her away in two days, but she was leaving a piece of herself right here on his right shoulder. It would only be visible for a short time, but its meaning would remain forever ingrained in his soul. He didn’t move, didn’t stop her, didn’t even flinch when her teeth experimentally dug in. She was on a mission and he wouldn’t dream of interfering; having her mark on him was an honor.
When she was done, he flipped them over so he was on his back and she rested on him, against him, between his legs. There didn’t seem to be anything to say; they’d said it all with their bodies and he was confused as hell. She didn’t seem to have any such issues. As she drifted off to sleep he heard her whisper, “Mine.”
Chapter 7
Maddie woke up first, surprised that neither of them had moved at all during the night. He was still on his back and she was still draped across and against him. She slowly pulled away, tiptoeing into the bathroom to relieve her screaming bladder. Part of her wanted to slink away to her room and relive every moment of their night together in private, where no morning-after awkwardness would ruin her memories. It had been the most mind-blowing lovemaking of her life, and she’d nearly sobbed when they finished, so unwilling to lose the intimacy. So she’d sucked on his shoulder until she’d known a big brown and purple bruise would remain for days, a constant reminder of her, of them.
She came out of the bathroom and paused, unsure whether to rejoin him or go to her own room, when his voice called to her. “Don’t even think about it. Get your sweet behind back in this bed.”
Crawling into his arms, she sighed in relief as he closed them around her and kissed her temple. “Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning.”
“How’d you sleep?”
“Like a rock! I don’t think either of us moved.”
“Ready to run?”
“What?” She stared up at him in confusion.
“It’s morning… Isn’t this when we run? You know, that whole triathlon-training thing?”
She flushed. “Oh, yeah. Do we have to?”
“Yes, we do.” He lightly slapped her bottom. “We can come back and get naked in the shower when we’re done.”
She chuckled. “Can’t we just skip to the naked part?”
“We’re already naked, and no. Time to get up. Come on, princess, this is how athletes do it.”
She arched her brow. “How would you know?”
He shrugged. “I have a trainer, I work out a lot.”
“Fine.” She padded out of his room and into hers, turning on lights as she searched for her clothes. She was tired but in a good way, her body still humming from last night’s activities.
After getting dressed and washing up, she found Garrett in the kitchen making eggs.
“When did we get food?” she asked, moving up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.
“I sent the concierge a message and they took care of it.”
“I wish you’d told me—I was hoping for some yogurt.”
He leaned back to press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’ll have some delivered today. Any particular brand and flavor?”
She told him what she liked as she moved away to get plates out of the cabinets. “This place is amazing—it has everything.”
He nodded. “Yeah. A bit more room than the two of us need, certainly more than if I was by myself, but it was literally the only opening they had.”
“Must be nice to have friends in high places,” she laughed.
“Yeah, it is, but it’s also nice to have the money to afford it. I’m not staying here for free.” A touch of bitterness crept into his voice and Maddie paused, cocking her head.
“What does that mean? I know you’re not angry at me, because you made the arrangements to stay here on your own… What are you upset about? Are your issues related to money?”
He sighed, shaking his head as he put eggs on each plate. “The problem is the future. If I continue to do what I’m doing, the money is phenomenal, but right now I’m unhappy. If I stop, I’ll be a lot happier, but I’ll be broke. Well, okay, not broke, but I wouldn’t be able to vacation in places like this. I’d probably sell my house in L.A., move somewhere more affordable, and come up with a whole new plan for my future.”
“Are you an actor?” She squinted up at him. “No… I’d know this face. Your eyes, the way you smile… I’d remember.”
“Not an actor!” He handed her a plate. “Eat. We have to get going before the beach gets busy and it gets too hot.”
“It’s 6:45,” she muttered. “Who gets up on vacation to go to the beach at 7:00 a.m.?”
“Eat.”
She dug in, grateful he’d made coffee and put a cup in front of her. She wasn’t a picky eater, but black coffee in the morning was a must. The silence gave her time to ponder what he’d just said. Whatever he did now was lucrative, but he wasn’t happy. Her gut told her he wanted to be a mechanic but that it probably didn’t pay very well. She didn’t care about that. If they lived in a little house in Florida and they both worked, they could have a nice life. She wouldn’t work once they had kids but—she froze. He couldn’t hear her thoughts, obviously, but that wasn’t the point. What on earth was she doing, fantasizing about them having a life together? He’d made it clear that wasn’t going to happen and after last night, it kind of ticked her off. Who was he to decide what she could and couldn’t live with? No matter what he’d done, Jamie would help; she knew he would. He cared about money less than anyone she knew. Yes, he had a family now, and another baby on the way, but he was part-owner of a nightclub and his husband still played professional hockey. They wouldn’t bat an eyelash to help her and Garrett fix whatever he’d messed up.
“Can my brother help you?” she blurted out.
“What?” Garrett’s fork paused en route to his mouth. “What are you talking about?”
“Can Jamie help you get out of whatever mess you’re in? Whether it’s with his celebrity as an athlete or money or…”
“Jesus, Maddie.” He put down his fork and stalked out of the room.
She watched him go with a mixture of hurt and frustration. Why was he so stubborn? With a snort of annoyance, she followed him. “Don’t walk away from me! I was trying to help. You could just say no.”
He was standing at the sliding glass doors, staring out at the ocean. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he growled. “Your brother can’t hel
p me. He wouldn’t.”
“You don’t know him.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Why are you so determined to do this alone? Weren’t you the one who told me it was silly not to ask my brother for help with the bike? Why can’t people who care about you help?”
“He’s your brother!” he spat out. “It’s not the same.”
“But if you’re mine and I’m yours, then he’s your brother now too.”
“Maddie, come on.” He wouldn’t look at her. “That romantic nonsense works in the middle of the night but in the light of day, we’ve known each other three days. Your family doesn’t give a damn about me and, frankly, neither should you.”
Her jaw clenched angrily through the tears that sprung to her eyes. “Really. So last night was romantic nonsense? I was already putting out—why the hell did we need to pretend?! I seduced you! I wanted to get laid as much as you did, so why was all of that necessary?!”
“Because women like it!” he shot back, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you. I like you—I adore you—but you want something I can’t give you. This is what I was afraid of. I didn’t want to hurt you, but today and tomorrow are all I have. Take it or leave it.”
She met his gaze defiantly and held out her hand. “I want your keys.”
“What?” Caught off guard, he could only stare at her in confusion.
“Keys. To your rental. Please.” She was still holding out her hand, a thunderous look on her face.
He hesitated but then moved to the counter, picked them up and handed them to her. “The rental agreement with my legal name isn’t in the glove compartment.”
She laughed derisively. “I never even thought about that—my bad. No, I’m going back to Pleasure Pointe. I saw running trails up there and I need to be alone for a while. Can I go, please?”
“By yourself?”
She rolled her eyes. “Can I take the SUV or not?”
He made an impatient gesture. “I already handed you the keys. Just take your phone and answer if I call—after what happened at the motel, I don’t want to worry about you.”
