by Candace Shaw
“Unfortunately, I can’t. I have meetings all day on Friday and an event on Saturday evening. I was going to ask if you wanted to come with me, but you do need a vacation.”
She was disappointed. Now she didn’t want to go away, but this was her only chance, and she could use some relaxation. “Yes, I do. The next two weeks are going to be hectic with orders for Thanksgiving parties.”
“You know, I own a vacation house on Tybee Island. You’re more than welcome to use it. It’s only a four-hour drive from here and it’s free.”
Her ears perked up when she heard the word free. “Really? I haven’t been there since I was a teenager.”
“It’s yours for the weekend. Just let me know so I can have the rental management company make sure everything is ready for you. Would you like a personal chef?”
She waved her hands in front of her. “Slow down, Broderick. I don’t need all that.”
“Or I have a place in the Florida Keys. You can lie out on the beach all day.”
“I can’t drive to the keys. Tybee is fine, even though the Keys sounds wonderful.”
“I have a private jet. It can take you down there and then a helicopter can take you to the island.”
“The island?”
“It’s a private one. I own it. Very secluded. Only my house is it on it.”
She laughed nervously. “Broderick, that’s too much for the weekend. I’ll just go to the one on Tybee.”
“Nonsense. You deserve it. It’s on me.” He jumped off the bar stool. “I need to run, but I’ll have everything set up for you on Thursday evening. I’ll have Leslie call you with the details.”
“I didn’t agree to the Keys.”
He closed the lid of her laptop. “It’s a done deal.” He pointed his finger on the glass display. “Let me have one of those Snickers brownies and we’re even.”
“I don’t think a three-dollar Snickers brownie will make up for a jet and a private island for the weekend.”
“Fine. Throw in a picture of you lying out on the beach in your bikini.”
Laughing, she placed two brownies in a box and handed it to him. “Fine, and since it’s a secluded island I can take it off afterward and sunbath naked. Yep, this vacation is going to be awesome. No tan lines.”
Wearing a sinfully delicious smile he tilted his head to the side and his eyes darkened. “Naked? I may have to cancel my plans and come with you.”
“I wish you could.”
He leaned over the counter and kissed her deeply as her eyes fluttered shut at its impact. A loud gasp escaped her, but he meshed his mouth on hers even more, which muffled her passionate moans. Circling his tongue uncontrollably with hers, he held her face firmly in his hands while she tried not to stumble over the counter.
“I’m about to fall.”
“Me, too,” he whispered on her lips. “Fall forever.”
Jerking her eyes open, she pulled back. She was grateful the counter was between them and that the bakery was open because she wanted him at that very moment. Even though she’d meant literally fall on the floor, the way he said it turned her skin ablaze and her heart had skipped a few beats.
His stare was hazy as he raked his eyes over her before swiping the box from the counter. “Well, I need to get going. I’m hopping on the jet in an hour to look at some lakefront property in North Carolina that I’m considering investing in. In fact, Megan and her design team are already down there.”
“Oh, Devin Montgomery’s new subdivision. Megan told me about it briefly at the painting party before you arrived.” She was glad they’d skipped to another topic before she closed the bakery, gave Mindy the day off and dragged him to her office to finish their kiss. No, finish their escapade from the night of his party. She still experienced ardent tremors from that night.
“You know Devin?”
“Not really. His fiancée, Sasha Monroe, is Bryce and Steven’s cousin, and I’ve seen them a few times this year. She’s asked me to do their wedding cakes.”
He nodded as if he’d barely heard a word she’d said. “You know, I keep replaying the first time I laid eyes on you and how you glided so eloquently down the aisle. Goodness you were beautiful and sexy as hell. Graceful. I stared at you the entire time. I don’t remember the wedding...just you. I thought you were the epitome of what I’ve been searching for in a woman. I was think...”
The bell ringing on the door jolted both their heads to turn to in its direction as a couple of women with baby strollers and two toddlers entered.
“Welcome to Sweet Treats,” Tiffani greeted in a voice that had gone up an entire octave.
Broderick’s assessment of her had sent her pulse speeding and tiny beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. She didn’t have time to process it all as the customers placed their order and she began setting their treats in boxes while trying to keep her hand steady. However, his last sentence continued to play in her head louder than one of the toddlers who had begun to cry because his mother said he could only pick one cupcake. Tiffani glanced up while ringing the ticket and looked right into Broderick’s smoldering stare as he stood near the door. He took out his cell phone, typed something and walked out of the door. Seconds later, her cell phone vibrated in her apron pocket. She knew it was from him and she was itching to read it as her heart pounded. Once her customers settled in the front booth by the window, she skated to the kitchen, where Mindy was icing cupcakes for an order that evening.
“Mindy, I need to make a really important phone call. Can you go out front for about twenty minutes? You can take the tray of cupcakes with you.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
“Thanks.”
Tiffani rushed back to her office, closed the door and leaned on it. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her phone from her apron and pressed the home screen button. His text was a continuation of what he was saying before the customers entered.
I was thinking the man who ends up with her will be a lucky son of a gun. For a moment, I actually got a little jealous because I wanted it to be me and I still do.
Sighing, she headed to her desk and tossed the phone on it. She’d been afraid something like this would happen, but deep down she wanted the same Broderick did. She knew in heart and soul she was falling for him. And now that she had, she wasn’t going to stop.
Chapter 8
Tiffani stared out the window of the Lincoln Town Car taking her to the private airfield so she could fly to Broderick’s private island. Every time she thought about where she was going and how she was traveling, she had to pinch herself. His secretary had emailed the itinerary the day before and Tiffani couldn’t stop glancing at it. Not because she couldn’t remember the details but because she was in disbelief. She’d read romance novels similar to what was happening in her current life, but they were filled with super, über-fantasy events that just didn’t happen in real life. Well, unless one was a famous, rich celebrity or dating a millionaire like she was. Once the plane arrived at Florida Keys Marathon Airport, a helicopter would take her to Broderick’s private island. Because she’d refused the personal chef and housekeeper, the management company that rents the island out had had someone stock the refrigerator with all of Tiffani’s favorite foods and drinks as well as make sure there were enough DVDs to keep her entertained. However, a personal valet was on call and was only a boat ride away should she need anything or want to go to the main island to sightsee or shop.
After spiraling down a road she didn’t know existed, the car drove into an airplane hangar and her eyes widened as she saw Broderick’s private jet. Painted on the side in bold purple was BJH, his initials. Once out of the car, she was greeted by the captain and a flight attendant, who escorted her up the flight of stairs and informed her they would take off soon for the hour-and-a-half flight.
Tiffan
i gazed around the exquisite aircraft and wasn’t surprised at all by its ambience. It screamed success, wealth and Broderick. The oversized beige seats had his initials engraved in each one. The same cherrywood paneling in the study in his mansion lined the main cabin of the plane. There was a wet bar, a sitting area with a couch and a flat-screen television. She noticed one of the seats was slightly bigger than the rest, and she decided to settle there. Tiffani had a feeling it was Broderick’s because on the wall next to the chair was a panel with an intercom. She tossed her bag in the seat facing it and slid her feet underneath her.
“Ms. Lake, can I get you anything? Some champagne or wine? Caviar?” The flight attendant, Carol, asked.
“Champagne would be nice.”
“There’s a small table that comes out from the wall where you’re sitting if you need to do any work. That’s usually where Mr. Hollingsworth sits to do his.”
Work was the furthest thing from her mind. “No need. I intend to sleep the entire flight,” she said, trying to muffle a yawn.
Moments later, Carol returned with a glass of champagne and informed Tiffani they’d take off in about ten minutes. Carol then instructed that if she needed anything once they were in flight, all she had to do was press the button on the wall.
Yawning, Tiffani sipped her champagne and placed it in the cup holder in the seat. Grabbing her purse, she retrieved her cell phone and sent Broderick a thank-you text message and a couple of cute pictures of her in his seat. She wanted to call him, but he’d told her earlier he’d be in a meeting during her flight.
Leaning her head back, she closed her heavy eyelids and dozed off. Some moments later the speed of the airplane taking off jarred her from her short nap, and she opened her eyes to a mirage. Wrinkling her forehead and wiping the blurry sleep out of her eyes, Tiffani’s mouth dropped when she saw Broderick sitting across from her, gazing at her with an exceptionally seductive smile.
“Am I dreaming?” she asked, hoping she was truly awake.
A sexy smirk crossed his chiseled face. “No, beautiful. You’re in my seat.”
Laughing, she took off her seat belt, jumped in his lap and placed kisses all over his face. “What a wonderful surprise. You’re actually here. What about your meetings?”
“When you’re the boss you can make your own schedule. Besides, my business manager can handle all that. I wanted to spend some time with you.”
“Perfect. I would’ve been bored out my mind on that island by myself the entire weekend.” Resting her palms on his cheeks, she kissed his lips tenderly as he returned the kiss in a slow, unhurried pace.
“I want you, Tiffani. Right now,” he said, sliding his tongue inside of her mouth.
“Me, too, but the flight attendant is just beyond the door.”
He chuckled, reminding her he was in control of their present surroundings. “Trust me, she’s not coming in unless I call for her.”
Tiffani wasn’t convinced as she pulled away from him. “Things may get loud and she could hear me.”
“Oh, you will get loud, trust me on that. I intend to ravish you like crazy all over this plane and then at the beach house.”
An electric shot jolted through her at the thought, and she lowered her lips to his once more. “Okay, I’ll try to be quiet.”
He threw his head back in a loud roar of laughter. “Good luck with that. Now enough talk. The flight is only an hour and a few minutes.”
Broderick’s lips swiftly and seductively captured hers. Drawing her against his hard chest, he gripped his arms around her. She welcomed the taste of his searching tongue on her lips as he dove in even more, causing wave after wave of pure ecstasy to rocket through her veins, awakening a passion she’d never experienced before meeting Broderick. Her heart and soul were wrapped up in their kiss and she thought for sure she would sink into a comatose abyss from the force. He clutched one hand in her thick tresses, enticing her farther into him. Her mouth eagerly parted more to permit the both of them better access. When he lifted them up from the seat, her legs wrapped around his trim waist as he carried them to the couch. He sat down with her still straddling him. Breaking their kiss, he lowered his dark gaze to her shirt and slowly unfastened the buttons.
“Can’t you go faster?” she teased.
“I can go very fast, but I don’t want to scare you so early on.” He winked and proceeded to place light kisses between her breasts. “Front hook. Easy access.”
He undid the clasp on her bra as her breasts popped out and he immediately took one into his mouth as she tried to muffle her moan. But there was no use as he used his tongue to explore both breasts, sucking and taunting her nipples, driving her immensely insane.
“I’ve wanted to taste these since I saw your hard nipples trying to bust out of that pink tank you wore the day I ordered the cupcakes. Were they aching for me? Is that what you wanted that morning? For me to take you in the back and kiss and tug on them like I’m doing now?”
Had he read her mind? That’s exactly what she’d wanted. “Don’t stop,” she moaned out as her head fell backward and almost rested on his knees. He reached his free hand under her hair and caressed the back of her neck. Tiffani couldn’t explain the emotions flowing through her thanks to him. He made her feel alive and sexual. Exquisite. Treasured. Beautiful.
At first Tiffani had wanted to take things slow with Broderick, but the aching she had for him she couldn’t suppress any longer, and she had no control over her body when it came to him. His skilled tongue on her skin as he teased and kissed her breasts sent treacherous sensations from the tiny hair follicles on her head all the way down to her toes.
“You’re so damn perfect, beautiful,” he said in a gruff tone that caused an electric current to ascend through her every cell in her body.
The plane dipped for a second, reminding her they weren’t on the ground, and she held on to him tightly just in case it happened again. She hated turbulence on planes.
He claimed her mouth once more in a furious, powerful kiss, sucking the breath of out her lungs and making her forget the turbulence, as they created their own. Needing to feel his chest on hers, she broke off their kiss and lifted his polo shirt over his head and tossed it behind them. Her mouth watered at the gorgeous sight of his muscular, bare chest and she pressed her breasts against his as hard as possible.
Broderick grabbed her by the butt, and flipped her over on the couch and pulled her maxi skirt and panties off simultaneously. “I got to have you now.”
“Please hurry up,” she screeched out, no longer caring who could hear them. She needed this man more than she needed the breath in her body. She reached up to him and unfastened his belt buckle and zipper as fast as possible.
“Aren’t you a feisty little thing?” He stood and yanked his pants and boxers down to his ankles and stepped out of them along with his shoes.
Tiffani closed her eyes and reopened them with a gulp. She had no idea how she was going to handle all of what was in front of her, but she wasn’t going to tell him that.
“You’ll be fine,” he said, removing a packet from his wallet and slipping its contents on his very erect rod.
“What are you talking about?” she smiled, trying to laugh off her nervousness mixed with anticipation.
“I saw your eyes widen like saucers. But I’m convinced you’re the only woman meant for me, and so far all of our connections have been astounding.”
His heated stare raked over her body. Her frame quivered just from that simple gesture as he positioned his body over hers and lowered his lips to hers unhurried. He buried one of his hands into her hair and used the other to gently guide himself inside of her inch by inch. He still kissed her tenderly and kept his eyes on hers the entire time. She sucked in her breath and panted a few times as she tensed up so he’d stop moving.
“Are you o
kay?” he whispered on her lips.
“I’m fine. Go ahead.” She wrapped her legs around him tighter and held on to his face while keeping her eyes steady with his as he continued to sink deeper.
Tiffani twisted her hips as he slid the rest of the way in. Broderick began to move at a slow rhythm. Her muscles clutched around him with every thrust, and the deeper he stroked, the more she clinched. The magnitude of him in her was uncanny and the suppression of her emotions and moans flew out the window. She shuddered and cried out as loud as she needed as he delved into her over and over, rocking her in an untamed passion. She felt suspended in air, not because she was on an airplane, but because she was in his arms. For the moment, she felt caught up in a world only belonging to them. After her first orgasm tore through her wildly, the second one caught her off guard as his thrusts began to become feral and unpredictable. She loved every minute of it until he reached his climax and grabbed her close to him so fast that she gasped out a long wail that matched his.
After a few minutes of lying intertwined with each other, Broderick lifted his head as he continued to calm his breathing. His sweat dripped on to her face and mingled with hers. “I think we’re descending.”
“What?” She was so out of it she didn’t comprehend what he was saying.
“The plane, I believe, will be descending soon. Apparently you didn’t hear the captain’s announcement over the intercom.”
“Oh my goodness.” She wrestled out of his embrace and sat all the way up on the couch. “I didn’t hear a single word. Too busy trying to breathe again.” Her eyes searched the cabin for her clothes. “Do you know where you threw my panties?”
“I got them.” He stood and retrieved their clothes. They hurriedly got dressed and returned to their seats. This time he sat in his seat with her legs outstretched across his lap.
“Girl, you just wore a brother out and you said you couldn’t handle it.”
“I never said that. You just thought that. So does that mean you’re done for the night?” she questioned slyly.
