He released her and stepped back a pace. “How about we go to the beach today and hunt for some shells? Maybe we could cheer you up a little.”
She dropped her gaze to the floor and nodded. “Sure. That would be … nice.”
~~~
You can’t turn on the waterworks every time something reminds you of your mom, she chastised herself. Nobody wants to hang around a sad sack. Especially a hot guy who could have a willing cutie in his arms with just a smile and a wave.
Kelly changed into her bathing suit, slathered on maximum protection sunscreen and slipped a sheer gauze cover-up over her white bikini. For a moment in the kitchen, she thought she’d felt Mike kissing her neck as she’d leaned back into his warm embrace. It must have been wishful thinking, though, because when she’d turned to face him, he’d backed off in a hurry. Right back into friendship mode.
You need to give up this fantasy, girl. For real. Sky may tell you Mike’s attracted—and maybe he is, a little. But he obviously isn’t going to let that change our relationship. She picked up her tote, sunglasses and a big-brimmed floppy hat. With skin like hers, there was no such thing as a tan. Burn and peel had been her standard operating procedure growing up. She loved the beach and the Florida weather, but now she was aware of the damage that strong sunshine could do. I could end up looking like Charity Grambling down at the Super Min, with skin the color and texture of badly tanned leather.
She came down the stairs to find Mike wearing sunglasses, swim trunks and a smile. Damn it! Did he have to be so sexy? No doubt as the owner of the gym, he made sure the equipment worked. All of it. She grabbed her keys off the hall table and ushered him out the door.
She offered to let Mike drive, knowing how some guys felt about women drivers and riding shotgun with one. He declined with a wave of his hand, secure enough in his maleness that he didn’t give a damn about how he looked. So, Kelly turned right toward the north end of Mimosa Key, past the baseball stadium, and past Barefoot Mountain—which wasn’t one—to the arc of sand kissed by the Gulf of Mexico that collected shells by the hundreds thanks to the currents along the west coast of Florida. She pulled off the road by a trail that led over the dunes. She put the top up so they wouldn’t have second-degree burns on their butts when they got back in, and grabbing her tote, she followed the trail onto the sugar sand beach. Mike followed, whistling off-key as they approached the flattened sand where the waves lapped gently on the shore.
The tide was out, exposing glistening sand and mounds of partially buried shells gleaming in the sun. They sauntered along, Kelly walking the tide line and Mike about five feet closer to the water and a bit behind her to maximize their coverage.
She was sure he didn’t care all that much about finding perfect shells but was willing to do whatever it took to lighten her mood. That was one of the traits that made him such a great guy—his concern for his friends—and family. She’d teased him about his screening of Sky’s boyfriends, but he was unabashedly protective of his younger sister, often to Sky’s dismay. Kelly envied Sky’s large family, and with her own sister gone, her roomie had become the sister of her heart. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have such a close-knit group of people to love, and be loved by. She sighed. Life handed you a mixed bag, and you had to make the best of it. So cheer up, silly girl, be grateful you have such a good friend in Mike Ziegfeld, and quit wishing for more than he’s willing to give.
Kelly gathered a few augers, ladder horns and one shark’s eye moon from amid the wrack. As usual, the search for shells helped clear her mind and restore her good humor.
After about an hour, Mike caught up to her and dumped his collection into her tote. Less adept at spotting the rarer shells, he’d picked up a few Calico scallops and a bright orange bittersweet clam. “Okay, I’m going for a swim. You coming in?”
Sunscreen or no, the heat of midday had rivulets of sweat trailing between her breasts and down her spine. “You bet. Let me stash our stuff where it won’t get wet.”
She walked up the sand far enough to avoid the most enthusiastic wave and dropped her tote, slipped out of her topper and kicked off the flip-flops she’d worn to walk through the beds of shells. She covered the pile with her wide-brimmed hat.
Mike dropped his sunglasses next to the pile. “Last one in gets dunked!” he challenged.
They both sprinted for the water, Kelly’s feet splashing in a second before Mike’s. She kept going until the water was up to her neck, then turned to leap onto Mike’s shoulders and push his head below the surface.
He came up grinning and grabbed her around her waist, lifting her up and tossing her a few feet deeper. She surfaced, treading water, and cupped her hand to splash him, but he was too quick for her, diving deep and grasping her ankle to pull her down. Kelly sucked in a quick breath as she went under, then clamped her legs around his waist and pushed against his shoulders to bring her head above the water, laughing at their horseplay.
“There’s the Kelly I remember,” he said, his whiskey-brown eyes crinkled at the corners with his smile.
In spite of her resolve, her heart did a little dip and turn. “Sorry about this morning. I hate women who cry at the drop of a hat.”
“Don’t apologize. You care about your mom, and things are tough right now. I just want you to know I’ll always be here to help you get through the rough patches.”
This man is beyond wonderful. If only he would stop treating me like his best friend, or little sister. If I ever meet the woman who messed with your head and broke your generous heart, I will have to hurt her. How stupid could the woman have been to give up Mike for someone else?
“Well, you’re doing a terrific job today. Guess what I’d like next?” His arms still wrapped around her waist, and, wait, was his hand actually squeezing her butt? No. Must be a figment of her imagination. But his beautifully carved lips and dancing eyes were mere inches from hers. If she just leaned forward a tiny bit …
Chapter Three
“A mint chocolate chip cone from Miss Icey’s?” Mike watched the laughter in her eyes dim a fraction. But what the hell? All the water in the gulf wasn’t enough to cool him off. Not with his arms full of the most gorgeous woman on Mimosa Key.
The halter top of her white bikini did little to protect her ample breasts from the sun, and the high-cut bottoms, tied at the hips with what appeared to be shoelaces, left a generous amount of her derriere available for squeezing. An opportunity he hadn’t been able to resist. After all, what was a guy supposed to do with a handful of firm, smooth, round ass?
He’d stared at her mile-long legs the whole time they spent shelling, and when she bent down to pick up one, he had to adjust his trunks to hide his reaction. This close, her eyes seemed a deeper blue with her lashes spiked from the water. The sun had put a faint tinge of pink on her cheeks, and her lips? Goddamn, they were so plump and perfect. Denying himself the pleasure of tasting them was actually painful.
Yeah. So, he’d better get a damned grip. No way could he walk out of the water like this without her knowing where his mind had been. Thankfully, his ice cream offer had caused her to unwrap her legs from around his waist, so maybe she hadn’t already gotten that clue.
“Sure. You know my weakness for Miss Icey’s.”
“Let me swim a couple of laps since I missed my morning workout and we’ll go, okay?”
Kelly nodded and moved toward the beach, pausing in the shallows to search for a few more shells for her collection.
By the time he felt presentable enough to come out of the water, Kelly had put that gauze thing back on so her most irresistible charms were slightly camouflaged. He stuck his feet back into his flip-flops and settled his sunglasses on his nose. He followed her back to the car, enjoying the view. His trunks were still dripping, and he didn’t want to damage the leather seats on Kelly’s Benz. “I should drip dry a bit before we get in the car.”
“No worries. I have towels in the trunk.” Kelly opened it and
unzipped a bag with several brightly colored beach towels stuffed inside. She grinned at him. “When you live here, you always have a beach bag ready to go.”
“A well-organized woman. I hope you’re teaching Sky to be as self-sufficient.” He dried off and folded the towel to sit on in the car.
“Sky’s got her head on straight already. She tells me it comes from living with five brothers.” She gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “You drive this time. I want to be able to give my ice cream cone my full attention.”
Mike ordered a single scoop of chocolate, which he devoured in about four bites. Kelly, who’d gotten a double scoop of mint chocolate chip, savored hers, her tongue lapping delicately at the sides so that no drip escaped. He glanced sideways several times to observe her technique, and when they stopped at the four-way intersection, he watched as she put her lips around the remaining ice cream and pulled the cone slowly from her mouth. His erection returned with a vengeance.
Kelly tipped her sunglasses down and looked over the rims at him. “Is there a problem? The sign says ‘stop,’ not ‘park.’ ” Her lips curved up in a smirk.
He hit the gas. The woman was taunting him, and if she kept it up, he wouldn’t be responsible for the outcome. When he parked at the condo, he tossed her the keys. “I’ll get the shells and stuff. You go on in.”
“Okay.” She sauntered to the front door, and he swore there was more sway in her hips than he’d ever noticed before.
Inside, he found that Kelly had removed her flimsy topper, and even the chilly air-conditioning on his still damp trunks couldn’t tame his hard-on. It did produce lovely bumps on Kelly’s halter top, though. He closed his eyes and prayed for self-control. When he opened them, Kelly stood right in front of him, arms at her sides, a seductive smile on her lips. So much for prayer.
“Thanks for today, Mike. I’m much cheerier, now.”
He swallowed a groan. “Good. Glad to hear it.”
“I’m going to take a shower and wash the salt off—”
The frayed leash on his emotions snapped. He grasped Kelly’s arms and hauled her against him, watching her smile turn to an oh of surprise. Her gaze flickered to his mouth and back to his eyes as he bent to cover her lips with his own. The sweet taste of mint flooded his mouth as hers opened beneath him. He released her arms and cupped her face, tilting it to the perfect angle as he kissed her again. She moaned and slid her hands up his chest as he trailed kisses across the smooth curve of her cheek and down her throat. She hummed with pleasure and let her head fall back to give him better access. He backed her against a wall. One hand released the clasp behind her neck, the other brushed across her breast and felt her nipple tighten as the fabric fell away.
Her breasts were round and firm, their pink crests tilted up, begging for his mouth. He divided his attention between them, lapping and nipping at one while he thumbed the opposite nipple. The sweet sounds Kelly made as he suckled her turned his already rigid shaft to iron. He fumbled with the ties at her hips, the damp strands resisting his efforts to untie them. He growled in frustration.
Kelly hooked one leg around his thigh and tangled her fingers in his hair as she rubbed against his erection. One tie finally came loose, and his fingers slid across her soft skin toward the heat until he found her center. Already slick, the entrance to her core welcomed his touch as she arched her leg higher to open for him. He kissed her again, licking into her mouth as he slid a finger into her opening.
She gasped and shuddered against him, her hands gripping his shoulders as her body turned pliant. “Ahh. There, Mike. Yes. More.”
He filled her with another finger and felt her begin to clench around them. “You’re almost there, baby.” He thumbed the sweet nub and drove his fingers in a relentless rhythm until she convulsed around him, sighing his name and drenching his fingers.
When her eyes fluttered open, their deep blue hazy with satisfaction, he kissed her tenderly and gathered her up, turning toward his bedroom.
She shook her head. “Upstairs.”
“You mentioned a shower,” he said, still heading toward the guest bedroom.
“Mine’s bigger,” she offered.
“Mine’s closer,” he insisted.
She gave a little shrug, conceding.
“And mine has one other essential thing,” he concluded, nuzzling the soft spot behind her ear. “My wallet.”
Kelly frowned. “Your wallet?” Then, as the light dawned, she grinned. “Oh, yes. I see your point.” She giggled. “And feel it, too.”
~~~
Mike carried her into his bathroom and turned on the shower before he stood her back on her feet. He disappeared into the bedroom and returned with a foil packet. Her knees were still a bit wobbly from the mind-blowing orgasm he’d given her. She’d dreamed of making love to him all summer and so far, the reality far exceeded her expectations. She couldn’t wait to have him inside her
Mike’s workouts had sculpted his body into a work of art. His broad, muscular shoulders and pecs tapered to a well-defined six pack, narrow hips and a firm butt. He dropped his trunks, freeing an impressive erection. She couldn’t resist stroking its length while he finished removing her bikini.
While not a virgin, Kelly had never been with a man so well-endowed. She wanted her mouth around his shaft in the worst way, and drew him into the shower as she cupped him.
This shower was not as large as the one in her bath, but there was ample room for two people. A frosted window let in plenty of light, and Mike stashed the packet on the sill. He picked up a bar of soap, another product made from goat’s milk she’d bought at Eucalyptus. This one was named Mimosa Mornings, and the tangy fragrance of oranges blended with the sweet scent of mimosas and saturated the steamy air. He worked up some foam and began at her fingertips, spreading the scented bubbles up her arms and across her breasts. Her nipples, now sensitized from her first climax, tightened again, almost to the point of pain. His big hands drifted down her torso to the tuft of curls covering her womanhood. The muscles of her belly quivered at his touch, and her knees weakened when he cupped his hand over her mons. Pulses of intense sensation rippled through her, spreading from her center as his fingers slipped between her legs and fondled her.
“Turn around,” he ordered gently.
Mindless with the pleasure of his touch, she obeyed, bracing her arms against the tiles to help support her shaking legs. He soaped her back, kneading her ass and spreading her legs apart. She felt the tip of his erection at the small of her back and raised up on her toes to let it slide between her legs and caress the bud at their apex. She shivered and moaned, panting now, and rocked against him.
Mike reached around her, one hand teasing her nipple, the other circling her clit as he whispered in her ear, “Come for me, babe. Come for me again.”
And another exquisite orgasm rocketed through her.
If he hadn’t had his arms around her, Kelly would have slid to the floor in a boneless heap. She waited until the aftershocks stopped and her breathing returned to near-normal, then she picked up the soap and faced him. “My turn.”
His lips quirked up, and his hands came to rest on her shoulders. “Have your way with me, babe. I’m all yours.” His eyes gleamed dark gold in the muted light as she spread the creamy lather across his chest and down his abs.
Her fingers traced every dip and curve, following the thin trail of hair that arrowed to his massive erection. She stroked him and gently squeezed his balls, gratified to see his eyes darken until the golden-brown irises were thin rings around his blown pupils. She feathered her fingers over the tip and smiled as it bobbed in response, then tightened her fist and pumped him again, slowly. And again.
His hands tightened their hold on her shoulders. His head fell back to rest against the tiles.
Stroking him faster now, she guided the head to rub against her clit.
“Sweet mother of…” he growled, his voice cracking as she swirled the tip closer to where she want
ed it. Where it belonged.
His fingers dug into her shoulders hard enough to bruise her. “Babe, wait, or this will be over too soon.” He reached for the packet and tore it open.
“Here, let me,” she whispered, pushing them both under the spray to rinse the soap off. She rolled the condom on and stroked him several times.
He took control and lifted her off her feet, sucking the peak of one breast into his mouth while he guided his cock between her legs and buried himself in her hot, tight sheath. She wrapped her legs around his hips and rocked into his thrusts, her back slapping against the wet tiles, her hands fisted in his hair, as electricity showered along every nerve and her vision blurred. “Oh, God, don’t stop. You feel so good.”
Her third orgasm exploded through her, and Mike pumped into her twice more before he followed her, his wordless shout echoing in the confines of their steamy cocoon.
~~~
Now what the fuck am I going to do?
After the most mind-blowing sex he’d had in—well, ever, he and Kelly were suddenly shy with each other. They’d dried off in silence, and Kelly, wrapped in a towel that barely covered her ass, went upstairs to find some clothes.
He’d pulled on a pair of shorts and a muscle T-shirt and went in search of something cold to drink.
And the part of his mind that he’d lost.
No point in acting all bashful, now, buddy. Kelly was more than happy to participate. It’s not like we just tripped and accidentally fell into each other’s arms, me with a hard-on the size of the panhandle and Kelly unable to pull her knees together.
He’d known, from the first time he’d met her, that she’d be trouble. If he had a “type,” she was most definitely it. The fact that her height, weight and coloring were a match for Sarah’s only made things worse. He’d struggled manfully to keep their relationship firmly in the “friend” column. Up until he got off that plane this morning, he thought he’d done well in that respect.
Barefoot Bay_A Family for the Holidays Page 3
