by Anne Marsh
He caught her legs and yanked her shorts off. Sent them flying. She’d have a bitch of a time finding them later. She made another one of those teakettle noises he was getting to know so well, because apparently he wasn’t subtle enough or maybe he was moving too fast, but hallelujah, his panty guess had been dead-on right. They matched. Bright blue with teeny-tiny white stripes, the fabric was some kind of silky stuff with a peekaboo mesh panel in the center guiding him right to his target. He definitely liked Ashley’s taste in underwear.
“Are you still saying yes?”
“Yes,” she sighed.
He caught her legs and dragged them over his shoulders. Her butt slipped down the towel, hitting the sand with a little bump that left her off balance. Not for long, though, because she popped right up on her elbows, still talking, talking, talking. Since gagging her wasn’t an option, he needed to find some other way to shut her up. He licked her through her panties, a nice, long stroke from her bottom to the top.
She shrieked, and then slapped a hand over her mouth. See? Problem solved right there.
“This is not part of our deal, sailor.” She tugged at his shoulders but, thing was, she wasn’t pushing him away. She was pulling him toward her, and he could take a hint.
“I like your panties, Dixie.” And that wasn’t all he liked.
He licked her again, and she wriggled and gasped. The panties were kind of in the way, but they were also damned cute. Too cute to ruin since he’d really like to see them again. And they matched. Hard to find matching stuff when you only had half a set. He flicked them to one side. Her slit was pretty, kind of like getting a close-up of heaven, a dark landing strip framing wet, pink folds. Her clit was getting nice and hard for him.
“I can’t believe you,” she groaned, digging her heels into his back. That right there was why he hadn’t backed off, because she was holding on tight to him.
“You want me to stop, you tell me.” Couldn’t be clearer than that. He lifted his head just in time to catch her nod. Permission granted.
He opened her up with his thumbs and she fell back, giving him control. He took it, too, because she was fucking gorgeous and he was a lucky man. He licked and kissed up her folds to the hard nub at the top, enjoying every second she gave him. Could have done that all night. The first minute or so she tried to hold still. She had a thing about not losing, and maybe letting him know how much she enjoyed what he was doing fell in the losing column in her book. He didn’t know. Didn’t care. But her body did plenty of the talking and conceding for her, coming to life beneath his mouth. She cried out, then muffled the sound. She was biting her hand, he realized when he looked up.
“Whole beach is gonna hear you,” he whispered roughly, because he sure wanted to hear her. Didn’t want her holding back, and definitely wanted all those moans she wasn’t willing to share. She glared at him as if it was all his fault—which it kind of was, if he was being honest—but he slid a finger inside her and her eyes fluttered close as she gave up another moan. So darn pretty.
He added a second finger, searching for the right spot. Got it too, because she arched up with a greedy cry, and he covered her clit with his mouth, sucking and teasing. Her thighs trembled like there was an earthquake rocking her body, and her heels dug hard into his shoulder blades. He’d stormed hundreds of beaches, but nothing beat the adrenaline rush or the thrill of feeling her come apart in his arms. She moaned something that sounded like his name—hard to be sure since she still wouldn’t let loose and scream—and then collapsed back on the sand, panting. From the blissful look painting her face, he’d done his job right.
He leaned up over her, her feet sliding down his back to rest on his ass. There were possibilities there that he needed to explore. “I need to tell you something.”
“I’m not sure my brain’s working yet. You might want to give it a minute or six.” She stared up at him, the deliciously glazed expression in her eyes not fading, and he felt stupidly proud. He’d done that to her, made her come undone and lose all self-control. He wanted to do it again—preferably in the next hour.
“You win. I lose.”
“Excuse me?” Her tongue made a slow sweep of her full bottom lip, and it was his turn to stop thinking. He didn’t think she understood what he was trying to say, however. Granted he’d done most of his talking with his tongue in her sweet pussy, so more words were important. He needed to make her understand.
“We’re gonna head back to our room, and we’re...” Fuck. He didn’t know what word to plug in there. Have sex? Make sweet, hot love all night long? He sounded like he was quoting bad song lyrics. So he settled for, “I want you. I’m done playing games.”
Reaching between them, he grabbed her hand and guided it to his dick. Her fingers curled around him and squeezed. “You’re a very persuasive man, Mr. Brandon.”
And she just happened to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
“Mrs. Brandon.” He laid a quick kiss on her. “I’m conceding the bet.”
Her fingers tightened and he almost came on the spot. “No more vow of celibacy?”
“Not a chance in hell.” Only thing he wanted now was to be inside of her.
Ashley being Ashley, she’d likely make him wait for it. She liked torturing him even more than she liked winning.
A smile stretched her face. “Yes.”
No victory dance, no gloating, no hesitation.
“I think you like me, sweetheart.”
9
NOPE. SHE DIDN’T like Levi. Not one little bit.
But that other four-letter L word? Lust. Yeah, she was all over that—and him.
“You want to have sex with me? Right now?”
He smiled. Slowly. But did the bastard give her the words? Not a chance. He was going to make her do all the asking.
Fine.
She shoved to her feet, brushing the sand off her legs. Sex on the beach was every bit as uncomfortable as she’d expected—and not just because sand truly did get everywhere. She’d let Levi touch her. More than let—she’d encouraged him, flat-out made demands, and possibly begged. Once.
Or twice.
So she was done with the groveling portion of tonight’s events. If he wanted sex, he could come to her and he could do the asking. It was just a matter of giving him the right incentive.
“I’m taking that as a yes,” she told him, staring pointedly at the erection his pants did nothing to conceal. She had him there, and they both knew it. He wanted her. After all, she might have been the one enjoying the orgasm, but he’d been the person doing the kissing and the licking.
God. The licking. The man had a talented tongue. She’d give him that. It was going to be hard to look him in the face the next time they worked together and not remember precisely what he’d seen and done. And since she’d already violated every basic rule of workplace conduct, she might as well get what she really wanted.
Levi Brandon naked and in her bed.
She thought about that while she located her clothes and dragged them back on. She could make it back to their villa in three minutes flat. Two, if she was properly motivated.
“Where are you going?” he demanded when she started toward the palm trees bordering the beach. He actually sounded surprised, which was kind of thrilling. Maybe she was the first woman to walk away from him. Maybe he’d read more into their dare than she had. But she had sand in places sand had no business being, and a perfectly fine shower that could hold an entire SEAL team if they were willing to get cozy.
She laughed.
“I want a shower,” she said. “If you ask nicely, I’ll let you join me.”
There was dead silence behind her, but she knew better than to turn around. With a man like Levi, you didn’t give him an inch. He was a sexy beast, and he knew it. Owned it. The import
ant thing was that he didn’t own her. She’d use him—and enjoy every minute of it. But when it was over she’d walk away. He’d blackmailed her into being on the island, but she’d control the rest of their relationship.
“And we need to be clear about something,” she said, fisting the hem of her tank top. Navy blue cotton wasn’t precisely sexpot material, but she’d work with what she had—and what she had right now was a whole lot of anger. Levi had made her forget all of her rules. Unbelievable. The man had dared her to masturbate on a public beach, and then he’d delivered one of the most mind-blowing orgasms she’d ever had. Gratis. He’d done so with a smile, and he’d thoroughly enjoyed himself in the process. She had no doubt of that. The Levi Brandons of this world didn’t mean to leave a trail of broken hearts behind them—they just didn’t realize how badly a woman could misinterpret the loving and the kissing. The touching and the sweet, sweet concern. Levi genuinely wanted her happy.
Damn him.
“We’re going to have sex. It’s going to be great. And then in the morning, we walk away from each other.”
She felt him come up behind her. Good. He was getting with the program. Two more steps and she was off the beach and striding down the path toward their villa. Just in case he still wasn’t on board with her plans for the remainder of their night, she yanked the tank top over her head in one smooth pull and let it sail behind her.
A big hand snapped up and snagged the fabric. Gotcha.
“Feeling bold?” he asked, his voice a low, sexy rumble.
Bold was one way to put it.
“You started this,” she reminded him. “The beach, the champagne, the public sex—that was all your idea. But, yeah, I’m not feeling shy.”
His thank God sounded heartfelt, so he deserved a reward.
Her bra was Victoria’s Secret’s finest, all soft, padded curves. The satin was almost the blue of the lagoon, a bold, sexy gleam in the near dark. Black lace edge the cups, her invitation for him to draw his tongue over the soft skin. To taste her. Better yet, the bra had one of those front clasps, and she undid it with a quick flick of her wrist and shrugged it off.
Her SEAL didn’t disappoint. He caught his breath, and then he caught her bra. See? It was win-win for him, and his curse sounded properly appreciative.
“I wouldn’t want you to get bored on our walk.”
“No chance of that,” he muttered.
The villa was right where they’d left it—imagine that—and ten more seconds of sexual-tension-fraught walking and they were on the porch. As far as she knew, no one had spotted her striptease. And she was strangely okay with the possibility that someone else on the island had watched her walk half naked through the dark. Her body wasn’t perfect, but she liked it. It had been good to her, and she planned on letting Levi reward her even more.
“Key.” She motioned toward the door. He could make himself useful in more ways than one. He shook his head, but shoved her clothes under his arm and fished out the key card. It was kind of hot, the way he sort of, almost took orders from her. Made her wonder how far she could push him, how far he’d be willing to go.
Probably not too far, she guessed. For all his laidback charm, Levi liked to be in charge.
He opened the door and motioned for her to go first.
“Being a gentleman?”
“Not for long.” There was no missing the warning in his voice. Once they got inside, all bets were off. Good. She was done waiting for Levi. Done holding back. Time to strip him down, learn that hard body of his inch by inch, and find out once and for all if he was every bit as good as she’d fantasized.
“Don’t disappoint me.”
He flicked her a two-fingered salute and slammed the door shut. The lock shot home, and that was all the warning she got. He scooped her off her feet, pinning her against his side as he strode for the bed. Housekeeping had come by while they were out and turned down the bed. They’d added rose petals and some kind of sweet scent filled the air, which was romantic but completely unnecessary.
She didn’t want romance.
She wanted sex with Levi Brandon.
“Put me down.” She could walk to the bed just fine on her own, and there was nothing dignified about her current position. On the other hand, it only went to show how strong he was. She wasn’t a tiny woman, and he hefted her effortlessly.
“In a minute. Consider it foreplay.”
She kicked, trying to hook a leg behind his knee and bring him down. Her own special version of foreplay. Plus then she could be the one on top. He grunted and bounced her on the bed, his hands going for the waistband of her shorts. The button popped off and disappeared into the shadows.
“Did we invite your inner caveman to come out and play?” Her voice was more breathless than she cared to admit.
“Do you mind?” He yanked, and her shorts and panties flew across the room to join the abandoned button. She was good and naked.
“Strip,” she demanded, scooting up to the top of the bed. No way she missed this show.
He shook his head but he gave her what she wanted. He sat on the edge of the bed and unlaced his boots. He had to be the only man she knew who wore shitkickers on a beach, but the sand was his problem. He grabbed his T-shirt and drew it over his head, sending it sailing to join her clothes. Perfect. Then he stood up and shoved his shorts and boxers down his legs.
Good lord, she was a lucky woman.
Naked Levi was spectacular.
Even his dick looked better naked. Not all men had a pretty penis, but Levi had been blessed in that department. His cock smacked against his flat stomach, ready to give her what she wanted. He grinned, but they both knew she liked what she saw.
“Come over here.” She pointed to the spot next to her, just in case he was having any problems thinking clearly. She was, but that was Levi’s fault and he could live with the consequences.
“Your wish,” he said, and she just had to finish his sentence for him.
“Is my command?”
“Up to a point.” He dropped down onto the bed. “I’m not into the bondage scene, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Nice to know the man had limits.
He moved swiftly, with the reflexes of the trained SEAL he was, rolling her beneath him in a smooth move. She made a sort of strangled noise that probably was more surprised than sexy, but then he had her hands pinned over her head as he looked down at her.
“Are you about the bondage thing?” he asked, and her brain stuttered to a halt. This close she could see his eyes. God hadn’t stinted when he’d made Levi. Nope. He had gorgeous dark eyes and his eyelashes were long and thick. He was a pretty, pretty man and right now he was all hers.
She tugged at her wrists, but he didn’t let go. Instead he got a devilish gleam in his eye that definitely spelled trouble.
“Let’s find out,” he suggested, and then he covered her mouth with his.
She met his kiss with her own, more than met him, opening up and coaxing him in deep. Their kiss was raw and messy, the loud kind of kiss where no one could get close enough, but all the fun was in the trying. His lips tasted hers, his teeth nipping and biting, the erotic sting shooting through her body like fireworks on the Fourth of July.
She could have kissed him for hours, her tongue dueling with his, all tangled up with him. He tasted like their champagne, and like something more. Something wild and wicked but all Levi. He set her on fire that easily, and part of her resented it. When he settled himself between her legs, she rocked up against him, tormenting him right back. She wasn’t going to be the only one burning tonight. He was going to burn right along with her.
He pulled back, and for once she appeared to have kissed the smile right off of his face. Good for her—better for him. His face was flushed, his eyes blazing with excitement, and the
hard, lean planes of his handsome face were tight with need. He was right there with her.
“You’re beautiful,” she told him, partly to enjoy the surprised look on his face and partly because, God help her, it was true.
“You’re stealing all the good lines, Dixon,” he said gruffly. “But I’m glad you enjoy the view.”
“You could show me something else,” she suggested, and that put the smile back on his face.
“I could,” he agreed, “but I might be in more of a sightseeing mood myself.”
“I’m not a tour guide.” She curled her fingers into the big hands holding hers prisoner. “Plus you’ve got me at a disadvantage. How am I supposed to point out the good parts if you don’t let me use my hands?”
“We’re gonna have to work something out,” he agreed. “Or I could just go exploring.”
He slid the fingers of his free hand down her body. “And you can tell me when I’m getting warmer.”
She was definitely getting warmer.
* * *
IF HE GOT any warmer, he’d spontaneously combust. Dixon spread out on the bed was an awe-inspiring sight. Eyes glazed, hair all messed up, she all but screamed I’ve just had the orgasm of a lifetime. Case in point? She’d done plenty of hollering down on the beach, and since she’d made it clear that she believed their hooking up was a one-shot deal, he planned on making every moment count. Do it right, and maybe he could change her mind.
Once wouldn’t be enough, although he didn’t want to examine that too closely. Not now, when he finally had her naked and all bets were off.
Easing his hand down over her stomach, he savored the soft curve and the way the muscles jumped and fluttered where he touched her. She talked a tough game, but she wasn’t as casual about sex as she pretended to be, and he liked that.
Hooyah, did he like that.
He brushed his fingertips over the faint mark from the button on her shorts before moving lower. She’d told him to find the good parts, after all, and he had ideas of his own. Her hips arched upward in sweet welcome, and he slipped a finger inside her.