Between Us: Sex on the Beach

by Jen McLaughlin

I’d be fucking her, plain and simple.

  She swiped her card in the elevator lock, which allowed her access to the penthouse floor, and then we rode the elevator in silence, with her stealing quick glances at me every once in a while. I tried not to fidget. I’d hated small spaces ever since my father started locking me in dark closets when I was bad.

  I was bad a lot, so you’d think I’d be immune to the fear by now, but that wasn’t the case. I hated them, and I wanted out of the elevator. As I stood there, letting her look her fill, I stared right back at her. It couldn’t be any clearer that I wasn’t like her at all.

  The elevator doors finally opened and we stepped out together. She smiled at me, and headed for the room to the left. I stopped her in front of it, my hand lightly gripping her elbow. She looked at me in surprise, her mouth a little bit open. I cupped her cheek, pushing off her hat with the tip of my thumb. It hit the floor behind her.

  I backed her against the door, pressing my body to hers, and then lowered my mouth to hers. I kissed her, keeping it light and easy. She let out a breathy sigh and melted into me, her hands fisting the front of my shirt. My stomach clenched with need, but I didn’t press too close. I needed to keep my distance for now.

  She’d come to me, trusting that I wouldn’t be an asshole. And for some strange reason, I didn’t want to be one to her. I wanted to be here for her. Give her what she wanted. I broke off the kiss and stepped back, immediately missing the soft curves of her body pressing against mine.

  She blinked up at me, her lips slightly moist and swollen, watching as I pulled a piece of paper—a bar receipt—from my pocket and scribbled my name and number on it. “If you wake up and still want to do this? I’ll be at the hotel pool at noon. Here’s my name and my number, in case you forget it. Meet me down there if you want to continue this without any drinks in your system.”

  “I’m not drunk,” she said. She watched me closely, her brow furrowed. “I’m fine.”

  I couldn’t tell what she was thinking about my refusal to follow her inside her hotel room. She should be grateful I wasn’t taking advantage of her drunken state. Lots of other guys would, and then they’d sell the photos they took of her.

  “Good.” I slipped the piece of paper in her hand before brushing my lips across her forehead. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow, won’t I? And if you show up, I’ll make it worth your time. I promise you that.”

  I tucked the hat back onto her head, smiling at her one last time before I turned away. She didn’t answer me. Just wrapped her arms around herself and watched me leave without blinking. I memorized the way her dress hugged her curves and her long, lean legs that seemed to stretch on for miles, and then…I walked away.

  Even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.

  THE NEXT morning I woke up a little on the late side. Not a huge shocker there, considering the fact that I’d spent most of the night reliving every second I’d spent with Austin, up to the moment when I realized he wasn’t going to come inside my room with me. I had to be honest with myself: His refusal had been both a letdown and a turn-on.

  It was honorable that he didn’t want to take advantage of me, but man, I’d wanted to be taken advantage of so freaking bad. I’d been waiting years and years to find the right moment, the right guy. It was really hard to do.

  First, there was the drummer at the club Heaven—it had been decorated in all blues and whites. There had been private rooms in it, and I remember laying in the fluffy, cotton ball-like bed staring up at the ceiling. It had been gorgeously painted, with white clouds and blue sky behind it, and I’d been so nervous and excited to finally get to experience life. And then he’d told his whole group of friends he was about to bang Mackenzie Forbes, and had tried to catch me on camera. The tabloid had read: “America’s Sweetheart Caught Having Sex in Tawdry Club.”

  Then there had been the hottie at a private party who I’d been sure was a winner. He’d sweet-talked me into thinking he didn’t have a clue who I was or what I did for a living. Heck, he acted as if he only liked me for me, and I’d believed him. I’d gone to the bathroom to freshen up, certain I’d finally found the perfect guy, and that’s when he’d called the freaking paparazzi. They’d been waiting for me by the time we left the house, arm in arm. The tabloids that time had read: “America’s Sweetheart At It Again: All the Naughty Details.”

  After that, I’d understandably taken a break from men.

  But now I’d finally found a man who fit the bill, and he’d turned me down. Would he be at the pool at noon, or had he been letting me down nicely last night? Heck, the number he’d scribbled down might not even be his. It could be some random number that I’d call and they’d be all, “You totally got dissed at the bar last night, didn’t you?”

  Maybe that would be all over the tabloids, too. I could see it now: “America’s Sweetheart Gets Dissed: Details Inside!”

  I rolled over and checked my phone. I had texts from Cassie and Quinn. I shot them both a few replies, spending some time getting caught up on their plans for the day. Quinn was spending the day with some rich boy she’d met the other night, and Cassie was sightseeing. A part of me wanted to go with Cassie and say “screw it” to this whole “getting laid” plan.

  But that would be breaking our pact.

  We’d gotten separate rooms and vowed to spend as much time as possible trying to live life to its fullest, while also trying our best to have some spring flings in the process. And that meant not hanging out with my girls for once, no matter how hard that was.

  I jotted off a last text to Cassie. Going to get ready for the day. I’ll let you know how it goes.

  Barely a second passed before Cassie replied. All right! Have fun and be safe.

  I dropped the phone to the side and gazed at the clock. It was time to go find my man. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and trotted over to the mirror to eye my reflection. Green eyes and disheveled brown hair stared back at me. I tugged on a strand of hair and bit my lower lip. The dark brown hair had been a big change for me, but I thought it might help me blend in.

  It seemed to be working. Austin hadn’t recognized me.

  Funny how something as simple as a different hair color could throw off a person’s perspective. Well, that and I wasn’t all made up like I was for videos and awards shows. I looked like a normal woman out to have some fun. It was so refreshing to feel and act normal. To blend into a crowd and have no one notice me.

  That’s something normal people took for granted. Not that I was complaining or anything. Far from it. I loved my life, and I was blessed to have so many wonderful fans. But sometimes… Sometimes I just wanted to be a twenty-one-year-old.

  I turned on my heel, went into the bathroom, and hopped in the shower. After a quick shave and some much-needed moisturizing, I slipped into my tiny bikini, threw on a sarong, and fluffed my wet hair with my fingers. I could blow-dry it, but what was the point? If we ended up actually swimming, it would only get wet anyway.

  I slipped into a pair of wedges and left the room, my heart racing the whole time. Would he be there? I had no idea, but I was about to find out.

  The elevator doors opened, and I stepped on. It stopped on the floor below mine, and for a second I thought maybe Cassie would step on. They’d let me pay for their vacation, but they’d refused to take a penthouse suite, and this was her floor. If she came onto the elevator with me, I’d take it as a sign that I should hang with her today. Stick with the known rather than venturing into the unknown.

  But instead, a small family stepped onto the elevator. Looks like I had to stick with the unknown after all. Austin, here I come. My heart raced at the mere thought.

  Seeking a distraction, I looked down at the young girl at my side and smiled at her, wiggling my fingers in a small wave. She was already watching me, her eyes narrowed. I held my breath, waiting to see if my cover was blown. I never denied a fan an autograph or a photo, and I wasn’t about to start with a girl this young, no m
atter how badly I wanted my privacy. That wasn’t me.

  After a couple of seconds, she shook her head and looked away without a squeal. I let out the breath I’d been holding and leaned against the elevator wall, wishing I could tell her she was right about me, without letting the rest of the world know. The remainder of the ride passed quickly, and as I left the elevator I slammed my hat down on my head and headed for the pool, my legs shaky and my palms sweaty.

  Would he be there? God, I hoped so.

  I walked out in to the sun, scanning the people surrounding the pool. I caught sight of Cassie, but I didn’t head over to her, despite my inclination to do so. I had to see if Austin was here. I’d come this far; I wasn’t backing down now. After a cursory glance across the crowded pool area, I almost started her way since I didn’t see him, but then…

  I did. I saw him.

  He reclined on the opposite side of the pool from Cassie, an empty lounge chair next to him. He’d set his shirt on the chair next to it, presumably saving it for me. Two girls chatted him up, flirting with him. He replied, but he looked almost bored. Definitely uninterested, if nothing else.

  Tattoos covered his chest, and a couple extended to his hard abs, making me stand there motionless, staring like an idiot. I mean, God. He was hot. His brown hair was spiked, but it looked natural as opposed to gelled down, and he wore a pair of black swim trunks. Oh, and he also had a six-pack—or maybe there was more than six, geez.

  In his hand he held a pair of shades, but he’d taken them off to chat with the girls who were obviously trying to gain his attention. His gaze scanned the entrance, and then fell on me. Even from this distance, I saw his bright blue eyes light up. He shifted his weight, straightening his spine, and then turned his attention back to the girls.

  He said a few words, pointed in my direction, and shook his head. The girls turned my way, gave me a dirty look, and huffed away. I took a steadying breath, locked eyes with him, and made my way to his side. The closer I got, the faster my heart beat.

  This was it. This was him. The guy I’d been waiting for all this time.

  It was time to collect.

  “Hey,” I said, trying to sound casual. “You came.”

  He removed his shirt from the chair next to him and cocked a brow at me. “Did you doubt I would?”

  “Maybe a little bit.” I sat down, my gaze dipping to his chest. He had a foreign word across his chest, in Greek lettering, and black tribal tattoos swirled around the word. Flames licked out from the black lines, making the word inside of the design pop. I wondered what that one word meant, but I didn’t ask. “Nice ink.”

  “Thanks.” He reclined and crossed his hands behind his head. “Why did you think I wouldn’t come? I asked you to come here with me, not the other way around.”

  “I didn’t think you wouldn’t show up,” I argued, taking off my sarong and stretching out beside him. I turned my head his way. He was watching me with hooded eyes, and I swore I could feel his gaze on me. How cliché was that? I fisted my hands as my stomach twisted with desire. “I just wasn’t sure you would.”

  He slowly lifted his gaze from my body and met my eyes. “There’s a difference?”

  “Yeah, there’s a difference all right.”

  He sat up and flipped his legs over the side of the chair. Reaching out, he trailed a finger over my stomach, right above the top of my pink bikini bottoms. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. I told you I wanted you last night. I just wanted to make sure you really wanted me, and that it wasn’t the booze talking.”

  I sucked in a shaky breath when his hand crept higher, dangerously close to the undersides of my breasts. He kept it strictly PG, but it felt more R because he drove me crazy with need. “I still want you.”

  “Good.” He skimmed over my ribcage, his knuckles scraping my bare skin. All around us, people laughed and chatted and walked, but they all kind of faded away. “I see the big hat’s back.”

  “Yeah.” I tugged it lower. “What can I say? I’m a girl who likes her privacy, almost as much as she likes you. I couldn’t stop thinking about you last night.”

  Maybe I should tell him who I was, so he would get why I was hiding from the world. Come clean. But what if he wasn’t trustworthy? What if he turned it around on me, and took some pictures to sell to the paparazzi? My agent would throw a freaking fit if that happened again.

  His hand brushed across my ribcage, sending shocks of need and desire through me. “You were on my mind, too. All night long. You know, I’d like to get to know you a little bit better. Ask you a few questions, maybe.”

  I watched his fingers as they crept lower, still remaining perfectly family appropriate…not that there were a whole lot of families here or anything. “Like…?”

  “What’s your favorite color?”

  I laughed lightly. “Easy.” I pointed to my bikini. “Light pink. Yours?”

  “Green.” He cocked his head, his palm splayed across my stomach. It felt…territorial. And I liked it. “Favorite food?”

  “Steak. You?”

  He slid his hand a tiny bit lower. “Pizza. Always pizza.”

  “Favorite sport?” I threw in, beating him to the punch.

  “Football.” He snorted. “Is there any other kind?”

  “Same here. Cowboys all the way.”

  “Blech.” He rolled his eyes. “Redskins fan here.”

  “Washington?” I blinked at him. “Why?”

  He looked away, then looked back at me with hard eyes. I had a feeling he hadn’t meant to admit that. The man liked his secrets almost as much as I did. “I used to live there when I was a baby. It’s where my mom’s from, but we moved down here when I was three.”

  “Oh. Wow. That must have been a big change.”

  “I don’t remember,” he answered dismissively. He leaned in, his hand skimming over my hip and slipping almost underneath my butt. “Let’s make this more interesting. Favorite position?”

  I hesitated, not sure what he was asking me. “You mean in football? I mean, I don’t play, but I guess quarterback.”

  His eyes widened, and then he laughed, throwing his head back. It was the first time I heard him really laugh, and it was as musical as his voice. I could listen to it all day long. “Yeah. Sure. We could pretend that’s what I meant.” He chuckled a little bit more. “I used to play quarterback, you know. In high school.”

  I turned away, my cheeks hot. Only now did I get what he meant—sex. “Actually, to answer your question, I like when the man takes control,” I said, dropping my voice low. “I like to lose myself in his touch. In his lips…” I trailed off, my attention on his mouth. I could lose myself in those particular lips for as long as he let me, thank you very much. “I like to forget who I am for that short time.”

  He let out a small groan. “Is that so?”

  “Yes. So tell me, Austin. Are you the type of man that can make a girl lose herself?” I asked boldly. I reached out and rested my hand over his racing heart. “Can you make me forget everything?”

  He swallowed hard, then lowered his head over mine. But before he could kiss me, he stopped, his lips close, but not close enough. He watched me with so much unspoken promise in his eyes that I didn’t even know where to begin collecting.

  “I can, but not here.” He kissed my knuckles, sending a shiver through my whole body, then pressed my hand against the dimple in his chin. Man, I loved that dimple. “Something tells me that a girl who wants her privacy isn’t going to want me making her scream out in public.”

  He was killing me with those lips…but he was right.

  I sat up, my legs brushing his as I did so. “Ready to go to my room?”

  “Hell yeah, I am.” He stood up and offered me his hand. “Let’s go.”

  I knew, just knew, that after I had him…I would be irrevocably different.

  There was something in the way he made me feel, the way he treated me, that told me he wasn’t like any other man. He would
be the guy I measured every other guy up against in the future, and they’d all be found lacking. If I was smart, I’d pick a safer bet. A guy who didn’t have this effect on me.

  “Mackenzie?” he asked, his brow furrowed. “Are you in, or are you out?”

  I looked up at him, taking in the muscles and the warm look in his eyes. The way he waited for me, hand extended, never wavering as he let me decide. Who was I kidding? He was one of a kind. I couldn’t let him go without spending some time in his arms. That would be foolish.

  I slid my hand into his and stood. “I’m so in.”

  I’D SEEN it back at the pool. Her hesitation. In a way, she would have been smarter to change her mind. To pick some Ivy League kid down for vacation with a squeaky clean record to have a little fun with. One without tattoos or scars. A kid without a dark past or his own secrets to hide. I wouldn’t have blamed her in the slightest.

  It would have been the right choice.

  But then she had gone and placed her hand into mine, and I forgot all about right choices. All I knew was that I was happy she’d picked me. Thrilled she was taking a chance on a guy like me. I knew it couldn’t come easy, the amount of trust she had to place in a man to do this. She had no way of knowing if I’d take advantage of her, or if I was a good enough guy to get naked with.

  I wasn’t. But I wouldn’t be using her. I wouldn’t be taking advantage of her. If anything, I’d let her use me. There was something about her that made me want to do the right thing…whatever the hell that was. She would get what she wanted from me, and then she would move on. She’d go back to her fancy little world of A-list outings and awards shows, and I’d catch glimpses of her here and there on the TV. Maybe I’d even buy her album. But I’d never see her again.

  I knew it. She knew it.

  And we were both okay with that.

  The elevator doors opened and I led her inside the small box, my throat going dry. I almost suggested we take the stairs, but I bit back the suggestion. I stole a glance at her as she swiped her card for the penthouse floor. She was all smooth alabaster skin, and I was ink and scars. She spent her days sunning and singing, and I spent mine dealing with…well, my own shit that I didn’t want to think about right now. But despite our differences, I was hers for the next few hours.