I slipped out of my sandals and stepped into the edge of the water. The waves brushed against my ankles as it washed over my skin like liquid peace. Closing my eyes, I clutched onto the scalloped hem of the coverup and began easing the fabric up my body.
All six foot three inches of him had his gaze glued to me. It was impossible to see his eyes through the dark aviators, but I felt the blaze. The heat illuminating from him had searing temperatures, hotter than any ray shining from the sun.
It. Was. That. Hot.
He lifted his chin and I playfully kicked at the water as if I were clueless. A pretty shell rolled around in the water and I quickly bent over to pick it up with a giggle kept at bay.
“Fuck!” he hissed.
Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at him with a forced confused gaze. “What is it?”
Chad sat up and leaned forward, his legs straddling the seat of the lounger. “What in the hell are you wearing?”
“Isn’t it pretty? I love the cheetah print halter top, but the cheeky cut out in the back shows a little too much of my butt.” I held my hands out to the side and twirled in front of him. His expression only fueled the fire of confidence.
He swallowed hard. “When... did you get that?”
I made a scrunched-up face. “I thought you had ordered it. It was with all the rest of the outfits in the bag.”
“Remind me to thank Brooke.” He ran his tongue over the seam of his lips and patted the surface between his legs. “Come here. Come sit with me.”
I sauntered my way to him and his hungry eyes dropped down to my chest, trailing to my belly and down to the tiny piece of animal print fabric covering my sex.
“I take it you approve.”
“More than approve but I want your body to be for my eyes only.”
“Jealous Mr. Mitchell?”
“Green with jealousy.”
“There isn’t anyone around to see.” I laughed and leaned against him. Quickly the giggle died on my lips and my throat became parched. His hardness pressed into my backside and a rush of moisture dampened the teeny bikini bottoms.
“You feel that?” He snaked his arms around me and dipped his lips to the curvature of my neck. “You feel what you do to me?”
I wound my arms behind his neck and tilted my head farther over to give him complete access. His lips made magic, feeding on my skin. He dragged his tongue over my flesh and grazed his teeth on the sizzling trail, like I was his favorite dessert.
“Yes.” His shaft throbbed on my back. “Do you want to go back to the house?”
“No.” His hand snaked lower and lower, teasing caresses at the top of the bikini as if waiting for a signal from me.
“Touch me, Chad.”
His fingers dove inside and swept into my crevice, rubbing back and forth. Pushing in two fingers he began fucking me under the blue sky. I arched into him and rocked in motion of his thrusts.
“My girl likes when I finger fuck her outdoors.” He made a sweep over my sweet G spot taking me back to when we were at the helm of his sailboat. “Clench down hard on my fingers and rock. Come for me, Leah.”
Damn… oh fucking damn.
Stars twinkled behind my eyelids and the whole damn sky lit up in a soaring explosion. The bliss lasted and lasted and lasted until I finally came down from the trip into paradise.
“I’ll wear this bikini every chance I get, if that is what’s going to happen.”
“You could have a turtleneck on, and I’d be rock hard. Make no doubt this thing looks hot as fuck, but it wouldn’t matter.” He playfully bit at my earlobe and adjusted the bottoms to make sure I was covered.
In the distance a never-ending jingle of the ice-cream truck grew louder. Glancing over my shoulder I smiled like a little girl.
“Mmmmm, ice-cream sounds delicious.”
He stood up and tossed the cover-up to me. “Put this on, so I don’t have to punch the driver in the face for copping a look.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed at his possessiveness as I slipped the black lace fabric over my head.
As he drew money out of his pocket, his phone rang. When he looked at the screen, he frowned. Handing me the money, he whispered, “I need to take this.”
“Harrell? What’s going on? Kill the fucking deal… Make sure when they get the message and it tastes like poison… do what you do best, I trust you.”
The truck came to a stop and I couldn’t concentrate on the menu because of the urgency of Chad’s call.
“What can we get you?” The woman behind the window flashed a smile.
“Two ice-cream cones, please.”
After the exchanged money for the frozen treats, I headed over to Chad. He was off the phone, but lines creased his forehead and his jaw ticked.
“We can go back to Dallas, Chad. I’m ready.”
“No.”
“I want to go home. If not tonight, first thing in the morning.”
“No. I’m still getting to know you.”
“You have an obligation to be at your work. If you want to get to know more about me, you still can. Maybe… even spend a few nights at my place.”
He pulled me down onto his lap. “The ice-cream is starting to melt. Nothing is more important than eating every bite.”
I rolled my eyes and tore the paper back and handed him his waffle cone before ripping the package off of my own.
“I’m not joking, you know. It’s time to leave.”
“Not happening. Not just yet.”
“Is it because you don’t want to be seen in public with me?”
“I’m a selfish man. I want you for myself.”
Chapter 31
I sat at the kitchen island dipping the tip of a small flat paintbrush into bright yellow paint sitting in a glass palette. Chad’s gaze burned into my flesh every time he peered over the top of his open laptop as I worked on my crafty project. I felt his eyes before I looked up. He was my drug, my beautiful addiction, and there wasn’t anything to stop the gravitational pull toward him.
Did he feel the magnitude of the pull? Was I his favorite drug? I wondered when he drank me in if I were his favorite flavor.
Placing the oyster shells on the parchment paper to dry, I met his gaze.
“You’re supposed to be working,” I said with a sassy purr.
“I’d rather watch you.” He looked me up and down and a passionate fire ignited in the deepest part of my soul. My gaze drifted to his lips and I shuddered at all the times his mouth made me utterly senseless.
Feeling flirty, I drew my tongue to lick the seam of my lips.
“You like watching my hand stroke… up and down.”
“I’m rock-fucking-hard.” He rose from the chair, never taking his hungry eyes off of me.
Before he’d taken two steps, a soft tapping on the French door made him stop dead in his tracks.
“Uncle Chad!” A dimpled angelic little girl wearing an ear to ear smile bounced up and down on the deck.
“Savannah.” He let out a deep uncomfortable groan. His pants were tight across his zipper because he was so fucking ready to dirty me up.
“I’ll get the door.” I left out a soft laugh and made my way across the room.
“We’re far from finishing this. As soon as we’re alone, you’re mine.”
“If I slip upstairs, you can let your imagination run wild at what I’m doing to myself.”
Before he had a chance to reply, I threw the door open.
“You must be Savannah.”
“Are you the girlfriend?” She beamed.
“Vanna-Banana!” Chad called out. “Meet my friend, Leah.”
“I was gonna come over the other day, but dad said we had to go back home.” She ran to where Chad uncomfortably sat and threw herself in his arms.
The connection between them was adorable and you would have to have your head buried in the sand to not see him wrapped around her pink
ie.
“He did, did he? I’m going to have to speak to him.”
“I told him you were going to be mad.” She hugged him again. When they broke free, she looked back my way. “Your girlfriend is pretty.”
“I’m not…” I started to object.
“Are you painting?” Her eyes lit up and she skipped over to the kitchen island where the yellow painted oyster shells lay drying on top of parchment paper.
“Only a few shells.” I loved the gleam in her expression.
“What are you making?”
“Here, let me show you.” I clicked onto the Pinterest board and scrolled to a pin of yellow painted oyster shells in the shape of sunflowers glued down onto a canvas. “Just a little project.”
“I love it!” she shrieked. “Can I help?”
“Of course, you can.”
“Squirt, there’s root beer in the fridge, but keep it a secret. I know your mom doesn’t like you to have soda.”
“Chad.” I shook my head, rolling my eyes, and Savannah burst into a fit of giggles.
“It’s okay. He’s telling me not to tell because he knows I’m going to. Mama gives him the lecture of how juice is better for me.”
I couldn’t help but fall for him a little more. My heart squeezed at how much love flickered in his eyes when he looked at her.
Another soft rap sounded at the door. Stone twisted the handle and made his way inside.
“Savannah, you were supposed to make it quick, grab your dolls, and come right back.”
Dolls. There are dolls in Chad Mitchell’s house.
“Yes Daddy, but Uncle Chad’s girlfriend asked me to paint! We’re making sunflowers!” She beamed in the most precious way.
“Sunflowers?” He scrunched up his face and looked lost.
“Come see her phone.” She pointed at the dark screen.
“I’m sure Leah doesn’t need any help.”
“No. I insist. I would love some girl time to get to know my new favorite friend.”
Stone looked as if I grew two heads and turned toward Chad with questions firing in his expression.
“Can I paint mine pink?”
“Sure, you can. I’m sure your Uncle Chad has several shades to choose from.”
A few feet away, there was still a silent conversation going on between the brothers. Both wore grins with flashing teeth.
“Where’s Avery?” he finally asked Stone.
“She’s taking a shower.” He cocked his eyebrow up and tilted his head to the side. “I better go check on her.”
Chad quietly chuckled. “Yeah, you probably should go and make sure she doesn’t need some help.”
“I think we need your collection of paint.” I smiled into the rim of the glass of water.
He scowled and narrowed his eyebrows for a second, then retrieved a large tan colored tub filled with a vast collection of tubes in all different shades of paint, a shiny white palette, and every imaginable sized brush.
“I need to go to the bathroom.” Savannah jumped down off the barstool and took off.
“What’s the scowl for?” I whispered.
“My lucky bastard brother is getting laid while I’m sitting here with the bluest balls known to man.”
“Lucky Avery,” I teased and rubbed my backside into his hardness. “She’s getting laid while I’m standing here without panties waiting for my own personal fireworks show.”
“Leah!” He growled and sighed at the same time.
But before I could push his limits farther, the bouncing adorable girl returned.
“Did you wash your hands?” he asked.
She wrinkled her entire face. “Ewwww. I’m not gross, Uncle Chad.”
We both laughed and Chad handed her a brush and three different shades of pink. The three of us had fun together painting enough oyster shells for two yellow sunflowers and one bright pink to sit in the middle.
And it was going to be perfect.
“Can we make our flowers today?”
“No, sugar. They’ll have to dry good. How about we plan to work on them in the morning?” He ruffled her hair with his hand.
Stone and Avery tapped on the door and came on inside without an invitation. They held hands and her cheeks were flushed in the look I knew all too well.
“Can I stay the night then?” Her eyes twinkled in hope.
“No, no, and no, baby girl. You can’t stay the night with Uncle Chad and his friend.” Stone called out.
“Brooke knew what she was doing when she schemed the auction. I have to say, I wasn’t so sure about the whole thing, but I was wrong. Dead wrong,” Avery said.
“It took me a few days to feel the same way,” I chided. “But yeah, I’m glad she knew what she was doing too.”
Avery’s brows rose in surprise and then her glossed lips spread into a full grin. It was at that moment I knew she and I were going to be great friends.
“But I want to finish our flowers,” Savannah pleaded with a turned down lip in the most adorable pout.
“I’m not going to work on them without you. As soon as you wake up, come on over and we’ll get started,” I promised.
“Don’t tell her that. She’ll be over at seven in the morning,” Stone grimaced. “There’s no sleeping in... ever.”
Chad lifted her off the counter and gave her a twirl. “That’s why I keep pancakes in the freezer. Isn’t that right? Breakfast on the deck at seven and then you and Leah can finish up your masterpiece.”
“Garrett and Brooke will be here in a while. Do we want to plan for steaks?”
Chad looked over at me with a smirk. “If we say no, they’ll come over anyway.”
I let out a giggle. “Then say yes.”
“What time?”
“It’s a little after three now. Garrett said they should arrive around five. Does six-thirty work?”
“Sounds like a plan.” Chad turned his attention to me. “My family can be a little much at times. Gammy still comes from time to time and she will get all in your business. Ask Avery about her concocting a plan to get them back together. They were stuck in the house because a tropical storm came in. The ferry closed and the only way out of here was flooded.”
“Is he kidding?” I asked Avery.
“No. She gave me the key to her beach house for me to finally take time out for myself. When I arrived, Stone was here, because he owned the freaking house. Gammy connived our getting back together. We had a… pretty horrific break-up several years prior. That’s a story in itself.”
“Daddy didn’t know about me,” Savannah chimed in.
“But fell in love with her the moment I saw her.” Stone playfully and gently tugged on her ponytail.
“He fell in love with Avery as soon as he saw her again too.” Chad said rolling his eyes.
“Just you wait. One of these days, I’m going to get to tell you I told you so.” Avery declared and then turned her attention toward me. “It’s nice to finally get to spend a little time with you Leah. We’ll leave you two alone and catch back up later for dinner.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“They guys usually do everything on steak night. I’ll throw together a dessert and next time you can be in charge of something sweet.”
“We’ll see you later, princess.” Chad picked up Savannah and kissed her cheek.
Seeing him with his family but most of all with his adorable little niece melted my heart into an even bigger puddle of love. Underneath the tycoon suits, he was nothing more than a big old teddy bear.
And when he slapped me playfully on the ass before picking me up and draping me over his shoulder, I knew he was straight up beast who was about to show me his wicked ways.
Chapter 32
“You brought her to the beach, man.” Stone flipped the steaks over the grill.
“Wow, Stone. You’re a genius. Yes, I brought Leah to the beach.” Chad said
in a matter of fact tone. “And don’t burn the damn steaks. You know I like mine medium rare.”
Their voices filtered inside the open French doors and Brooke muttered, “Do you think they’ll ever grow up?”
“I doubt it. They’ve been like this their whole lives.” Avery added while filling a tray with cupcakes.
“Don’t change the subject, brother. Fill us in on your girl.”
“I brought Leah to the place that makes me happy, so fucking what. It’s not—”
“You have to ignore them. They forget how to act sometimes.” Avery led the way onto the deck carrying the tray with me and Brooke following.
“My favorite.” Chad reached for a chocolate over vanilla and took a huge bite.
I cracked a smile and placed the pitcher of tea onto the patio table. Brooke set plates and silverware while Savannah followed with napkins.
During dinner, we all laughed and talked. The steaks were cooked to perfection and the loaded baked potatoes and garden salads were amazing. Savannah entertained us with singing a few songs and after finishing her meal, she ran inside to watch a princess cartoon.
“Everything was so good. Thanks for inviting us over,” I said dabbing the corners of my mouth.
“Hang around a little while and you could get sick and tired of us. We always have cook-outs when we’re all together.”
“I think it’s fantastic. What I wouldn’t have done to have a brother or sister to hang out with.”
“So you’re an only child?” Avery asked.
“Yes.”
“So am I.” Brooke declared. “Sometimes I wished I had a sibling, especially when my mom was sick.”
“Is your mom doing okay now?”
“Yes. She had a heart transplant a couple of years ago, but she’s doing amazing.”
“Oh, that’s good. I’m glad. My dad had a heart attack and is in cardiac rehab. He’s doing good now too.”
Underneath the outdoor string lights, we chatted and soon changed our paper cups to long stemmed wine glasses filled with sweet red. Night had fallen and a full moon in the sky cast an alluring blue illuminating effect on the ocean. The entire horizon was breathtaking with an almost neon effect of white waves topping the dark navy water.
Keeping Wicked (The Mitchell Brothers Book 3) Page 22
