Hard To Regret: Scarlet Bay Book 1

by Kris Pearson

Anna ran her tongue over her lips and swallowed, tasting his musk from that one long lick. “Not cold,” she said. “More like hot and bothered.”

  “Perfect.” His hands moved to her hair, stroking slowly, winding and twisting through the long strands.

  She watched his eyes. “What are you thinking?”

  He breathed a gusty sigh. “How much is it worth for me to tell you?”

  “That good is it?” she teased. “I can see enough of your face in the lamplight to know your brain is whirring.”

  “Don’t go digging too deep, Frosty. You mightn’t like what you find.”

  “Or I might like it very much. I wouldn’t be here with you if I didn’t like what I’d already found.”

  He shrugged. “Music. Birds. Houses. Photographic exhibitions. Your fabulous tits. How long we can make this last…”

  “This night or this fling?” she shot back.

  “Let’s start with this night. The world’s against us for anything long-term.” He reached for the centre clasp of her bra. “Yeah, especially your fabulous tits,” he murmured as he pushed the cups aside and his gaze swept from one breast to the other.

  Against us for anything long-term.

  The words ricocheted around in her mind even as his eyes and hands started taking advantage of her hot and bothered condition. Soon she writhed and gasped below him as he entered her and took her higher and higher, building the intensity until she climaxed in voluptuous waves. Then, too soon, he reared up, cursing and groaning, eyes screwed tightly shut as he lost control too.

  They lay in a dazed tangle for minutes afterwards, sharing kiss for kiss, caress for caress, until finally Jason mumbled his displeasure at having to move out of her embrace to dispose of the condom.

  Anna turned her head to watch as he walked to the bathroom. Broad shoulders, long, strong back and legs. The big black python around one thigh. Such a man, but only a short-term partner. He’d said it so clearly with his comment of ‘against us for anything long-term’.

  She pressed her lips together as though that would hold her disappointment in. Everything sensible pointed to a few days only, but deep inside she now knew she hoped for more.

  *

  His cell-phone alarm sounded at five next morning but Anna had already woken with the birds. She lay on her side in the early light with Jason’s chest pressed against her back and his possessive arm wrapped around her waist. Through the open window, the dawn chorus of cheeps and trills and whistles had steadily built.

  He growled at the alarm and reached out to silence it, then rolled back more closely against her. There was no doubt what he’d woken ready for.

  “You’re insatiable,” she murmured, pushing back against him and wriggling her hips against his hopeful erection.

  “And you’re addictive.” His hand stroked up to cup her breast. “Can’t stay away from you. Don’t even want to try.”

  They lay together quietly as the waves of birdsong ebbed and swelled. “Magic time of day,” he added. “I always go for a run on the beach if the tide allows.”

  “I guess we do that before we shower.”

  “And I guess after we shower, we do this,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck and sliding his hand down between her thighs. “Are you up for it again?”

  “I can feel you are.”

  He laughed at that. “Always. Tea or coffee first?”

  Anna stretched yawned and stretched. “Don’t want too much liquid slopping around inside me if we’re running. Half a glass of water? And coffee when we come back?”

  He groaned and kissed her shoulder before he levered himself out of bed. “I’m going to check out the shower downstairs. I’m sure it’s bigger than this one. Grab your stuff and bring it down there.”

  She watched as he ambled from the room, preceded by the biggest hard-on she’d ever seen. No wonder her original condom hadn’t gone near him.

  It was good to have some privacy. She made use of the nearby bathroom, dressed quickly, and bundled up her hair into a ponytail before walking down to the lower floor. Sounds of scraping and banging issued from an open doorway in the far corner. She poked her head in and grinned. A naked Jason heaved lengths of timber aside from the en suite to join the impressive assortment of building materials and power tools sitting incongruously in the pale blue former bedroom.

  A large window leaned against one side, neatly flanked by a pair of wall lamps with frosted glass shades. The motorised roll-up garage door he’d mentioned filled the window’s former space. The room smelled of sawdust and linseed oil.

  “Want a hand?” she asked, smile growing wider. At least he’d shoved his feet into a pair of white trainers, but the rest of him looked dangerously vulnerable.

  “Just about done. You brought the soap and towels? Great.”

  Anna peered into the bathroom and set them down on the counter. “Definitely a bigger shower space - but might not be as much fun.”

  “It’s a bit dusty.”

  She waved a dismissive hand. “That’ll wash down the drain easily enough. Are you sure it still works though?”

  Jason reached in and twisted the mixer handle. Water gushed from the shower head.

  “All systems go.” She took a couple of steps backward to the bedroom and began her warm-up exercises while he located some shorts and hauled them on.

  “It’s a nice room,” she said, imagining it furnished. And trying not to imagine him here with anyone else.

  He squatted to re-tie his shoelaces more securely. “Coat of paint and some better lamps. But yeah, it’ll be fine. Some French doors or a big slider there,” he added, angling his chin at the garage door.

  Anna’s designer brain went into overdrive, adding more storage, beautiful bed linens, maybe another group of Jason’s birds. And outside the French doors, a patio with big square pavers and pots of white cosmos and black Mondo grass. Maybe some lavender for fragrance?

  She could easily picture him there, standing in the early sunlight, stretching his long arms sideways, making the muscles of his back and shoulders pop. With a faithful dog gazing up adoringly. Didn’t every builder have a dog? She mentally gave him a black and white border collie to match the cosmos and mondo grass.

  Then he disrupted her daydream by saying, “Shame the old window’s too big for your bathroom, or we could have used it.”

  She sent him a faint smile and started on calf-stretches. “We’d all be a bit public with something that size.”

  “Give the neighbours a thrill though.” He lifted an eyebrow.

  “Old George? He’d have a heart attack! Essie would rustle up a spare curtain from somewhere and insist we hang it.”

  *

  Jason locked the house and they jogged through the path to the beach, stopping for a moment by Eddie’s seat. The tide had left a strip of firm sand exposed, and there was enough light to confirm the day would be fine and clear. A few wispy clouds had golden lower edges far out by the horizon, and the navy blue sky glowed lighter there, signalling sunrise wasn’t far away. The scents of salt and seaweed swirled around them in the faint breeze.

  “It’s different down this end of the bay,” Anna said, looking along toward the lighthouse on the headland as it sent its slow regular flashes over the water. “I wonder why it’s not built on.”

  Jason ran a finger down her exposed neck. “Maori land. They choose to keep it like this.” He pointed behind them. “There are a few houses over there, pretty well hidden by the same sorts of trees I have. Probably another remnant of the original vegetation.”

  She peered into the dimly lit landscape. “They’d get a lot of money for these front plots.”

  “They value the beach in its natural state far more.”

  She bent and touched her toes. “So you’ll never get neighbours?”

  “Not in the foreseeable future.”

  “Nice,” she said. “Race you to where that bank of sand sticks out.” She bolted off.

  “Hey,” he yelled, leapi
ng into action a few steps behind her.

  Anna ran fast on the firm surface with its slight springiness. Even with her sneaky start he easily drew level, and then ran beside her without trying to overtake. He flashed her a broad grin. “Do you run much at home?”

  “Not as often as I should,” she panted. “Sometimes with friends.”

  He reached for her flailing hand and pulled her to a halt. “Wasn’t aiming to wear you out,” he said, tugging her in against his chest for a quick hug. “Go a bit slower or you’ll have no energy left.”

  “For you?” Anna asked, slitting her eyes at him.

  He raised an eyebrow. “That bigger shower downstairs has definite possibilities.”

  “Sex on the brain,” she murmured, kissing his shoulder to show she was far from displeased.

  *

  They ran on a little further at a much gentler pace, then turned together and started the return trip to the house. Even in those few minutes the sun had already brightened the horizon and lit the undersides of the fast-dispersing clouds a brighter gold.

  As soon as they were back, Jason toed off his shoes and ripped his shorts down, kicking them into a corner of the bathroom as Anna undressed more slowly. While the water came up to temperature he lifted the shower head out of its bracket and gave the enclosure a good rinse down, keeping one eye on her luscious body. Dusty streams cascaded down the glass and tile into the drain.

  Damn, but he wished he had his camera - not that he expected she’d be the least bit willing to be photographed undressing. But the beautiful curve of her shoulder, the soft swing of her breasts as she bent, the shadows in the curtain of her hair as she gathered it off her neck and refastened her ponytail into a high topknot… he’d give a lot to capture them. Knew he’d have to be content with filing the pictures in his imagination because she’d be gone too soon. How many more days like this would they get? Three or four at best.

  He pushed the shower head back into the holder and stepped under the torrent, blinded for the first few moments and groping for the soap by touch, rubbing it hard over his flesh as though he could scour her out of his skin. Not a hope. He’d simply have to hope they could burn so brightly that their attraction sputtered out in a burst of ever-decreasing sparks.

  Fat chance.

  The magnetic door-strip released with a sucking sound. “Like some help in there?”

  He swivelled his head out of the stream of water to find her easing the heavy glass door open so she could join him. “Any time you like.”

  Anna closed it behind her and reached for the soap. “Definitely more room here,” she said, leaning away to keep her hair dry. She smoothed her hands over his chest and up over his shoulders. He stretched his arms out as far as he could in the enclosed space.

  She smiled as she stood close and covered him in suds. “Lucky we have this bigger option. You certainly take up a lot of room.”

  He shrugged at that. “Trev’s pretty tall. And I guess he fed me well enough.”

  His gaze snared hers, then moved down to where her hands slid and teased. He watched her gorgeous breasts rise as she took a deep breath.

  “You should try and find your mother,” she said, her eyes flicking up to his again. “Families are important.”

  “You say that as the daughter of a functioning family. Maybe in my case I don’t consider she’s worth finding.”

  She sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth and released it with a pop that he heard even over the rushing water. “Forgive her if you can. Her situation with Trev must have been pretty bad if she could bear to go without you.”

  He broke eye contact. “Leave it, eh? Not going to happen.” With his eyes averted he still saw her shrug and shake her head.

  She wasn’t done though. “I bet a lot more people said, ‘Oh, poor Trev, his wife’s left him,’ than, ‘Oh, poor wife, he must have made her life hell.’”

  Jason tilted his head back, determined not to look at her accusing eyes. Yes, Trev had ensured that Cheryl got the bad press and he got all the sympathy for coping with his sulky son with no woman’s help. “You’re spoiling our shower,” he growled, reaching for the body wash she’d set on the shelf. “Can I spread some of this over you?”

  She gave him a faint sad smile. “Changing the subject - bad sign. I can’t believe there’s a mother anywhere who doesn’t want the absolute best for her children. I always wonder…” She squeezed her eyes closed, leaving Jason curious about what she’d decided not to say next.

  “You always wonder what?” he asked after he’d poured some of the fragrant gel into his palm.

  “My turn to say ‘leave it’,” she snapped. “Sorry - shouldn’t have started this conversation.”

  He watched as she forced a smile. Something was definitely bugging her. Maybe he should have kept her in bed instead of going for his customary run, but sharing the beach in the early morning light with her had been magic, and he’d been looking forward to making up for last evening’s hasty shower. Wanted the excuse to touch her all over, explore her nooks and crannies, set her nerves humming ready for a long lazy session in his big bed on the floor above.

  “Turn around, Frosty.”

  Anna obediently shuffled until her back was against his front and his hardening cock found a happy home against her butt cheeks.

  He stroked his slippery hands over her shoulders, down her back, and then cupped her breasts. “Can’t get enough of these,” he murmured, bending to bury his face in her neck and rubbing his thumbs to and fro over her velvet-soft nipples, smiling to himself as he felt them start to stiffen, even with the hot water pouring down. She moved, arching against him. He played with them until they were beaded hard, pinching gently, and then not so gently as her sounds of pleasure urged him on.

  Now he was hard as well, not able to keep himself still. The skin of his cock rode up and down with every deliberate thrust against her, driving his desire to new heights.

  “Finish washing me,” she begged. “Do you have a condom handy? Can we do it against the wall?”

  He stifled a laugh, jubilant she wanted him as much as he craved her. “Frosty, I have a better place in mind. I’m not doing you against these hard tiles. Although…” And he slid one hand lower, into her folds, searching for her clit, rubbing and circling when he found the firm little nub.

  “I wouldn’t mind the tiles,” she gasped, easing her thighs apart.

  He closed his eyes, the better to feel; the better to gauge her reactions. “Can you turn around again?”

  She squeezed sideways and swivelled. Jason retrieved his hand and used it to steady himself until he kneeled in front of her. Then he placed his lips where his fingers had been, sucking and licking until Anna groaned and rose up on her toes. He wrapped his arms around her hips to hold her in place. “Stay,” he mumbled against her. “One for now, and more later. Let yourself go.”

  The water rained down on them both. Anna’s hair was now no doubt drenched, but she wasn’t objecting.

  Her moans and sighs spurred him on. He licked deep, drawing his tongue back to stroke it long and slow over her clit, then dived in again, loving the way she protested and still pulled him closer. Soon the fine tremors of her approaching orgasm sent a thrill of satisfaction through him, and he slid two fingers inside her to feel the exact moment she started to clench and shudder out of control.

  A huge indrawn breath, her fist tugging at his hair, a wail of ecstasy… and then she pulsed around him, gasping and groaning, and Jason’s balls drew up tight as her pleasure became his too. Like Anna, his breathing became erratic, and he kept her coming and coming until she began to protest it was too much, too much…

  He laid his face against her belly and gritted his teeth, determined to hold himself back for later, but fuck he was close just with the scent and taste of her, and knowing he’d made her feel so good.

  Finally she relaxed against him, laughing and panting, running her sea-green fingernails through his hair, over and over.
“I ended up against the tiles anyway,” she said. “Get up. Your knees must be killing you.”

  He’d had no sensation of the brutally hard floor until then, but now the pain started to ebb in. “A bit,” he admitted, “but worth it to hear you yelling like that.”

  “I was not!”

  He grinned at her as he rose to his feet. “Noisy as,” he said. “I loved it.”

  CHAPTER 14 – HOOLIE’S BRICK

  Jason glanced at his watch as he slammed the front door and checked it was locked. Later than he’d planned, but what the hell. He drew a deep breath of the salty air, slung an arm around Anna, and started walking her to the van.

  A run on the beach, a most enjoyable shower, a momentous session in bed where they’d both come twice, followed by breakfast in the sun. If that hadn’t set him up for a day’s work, nothing would.

  He knew there was probably a stupid grin on his face, but Anna was looking pretty pleased with life too. On impulse he pulled her close for another long kiss, only releasing her when he heard a throat being cleared, a suggestive chuckle, and “Whatcha think you’re up to, young fella?”

  “What’s it look like?” he threw back, glancing across to where Uncle Eddie stood, fishing rod and woven flax kete in hand.

  “Like more fun than I’ve had in a while,” the old man said. “Okay if I put this in the fridge?” He raised a bright red lunchbox from the bag.

  Jason reached out for it. “I’ll do it, Eddie. This is Anna. And don’t let on to Hoolie.”

  “The boss’s daughter, is she?” Eddie’s dark brown eyes twinkled.

  “How did you know that?” Anna exclaimed.

  The old fellow threw back his head and gave another of his distinctive chuckles. “Lucky guess, maybe! Kia ora, Anna.”

  “Kia ora, Uncle Eddie,” she said, biting her lip and shaking his proffered hand as Jason took the lunchbox inside. “Lovely day.”

  “Nice day for anything when it’s like this. You two going to the surf carnival?”

  Anna shook her head. “No - going to find a new window at the demo yard apparently.”

  Eddie’s gaze sharpened. “You’re the Wynn girl. Where the shed hit the house?”