by Eden Fortae
He saw them walking to the beach on his way to his room, and his steps faltered. The hot pink bikini and sun beaming off of Eden’s skin made his irritation let up enough to remember his last words to Karrina. Seeing how her ass nearly swallowed the bottom of her bathing suit and Kya showing even more skin, that irritation was sky-high.
Quickly and carefully, Donny followed. Once they settled on a couple of loungers, he hung back, handed his card to the first server he encountered, and watched from a distance as the woman approached Kya and Eden.
For all intents and purposes, Kya was his client. She was also family, which made her safety even more important. However, he couldn’t stop his eyes from consuming her friend. The kiss that never was still weighed heavily on his mind. Her claims and warnings were loud and clear, and yet, he couldn’t seem to give a single fuck. The desire for her was too great—the chemistry, too intense to ignore.
So he wouldn’t. Not anymore.
Donny waited until the girls had their drinks and were seemingly comfortable before he revealed himself. He hadn’t said a single word before Eden’s eyes landed on him. She wasn’t pleased with him for crashing their trip and didn’t hold back when expressing her own irritation with the way he came down on Kya for not mentioning the trip. In fact, the fiery beauty hadn’t so much as smiled until he confessed to opening a tab for them and covering all charges. Kya wasn’t as accepting of his form of an apology after informing her of Antonio’s presence on the island. But Eden had, much to Kya’s dismay.
“I told you free is my favorite, and I already read the fine print on this one.”
Donny eyed her with a smirk, his mind taking a sexual turn. “Too easy,” as he stood with intentions of watching them from a distance.
“Yeah? That’s exactly what I said when I made your eyes roll back.”
So her mind had gone there too?
Leaning down and close enough to taste the sweetness of her drink with each breath, he licked his lips to gauge her reaction. “Too easy was how I had you screaming, damn, Papi. If you’re having a hard time remembering that, I’m in suite one-oh-nine. I’ll gladly refresh your memory.”
She blinked and, with a straight face, closed even more distance between them. “Refresh my memory or satisfy your craving for me?”
Donny smirked, licking his lips again, hoping to lick her in the process. “Satisfy our cravings. All of it.” Standing his full height, he took in the slight tint to her cheeks, then glanced at Kya. She was fighting a smile, and so was he. Without knowing it, the sassy beauty beside her had just given him one of the three signs he needed to move forward. “I won’t walk in your shadow, but I will be close. Order what you want, but please don’t make me kill anyone.” He said to Kya but was speaking to them both. As he walked away, he felt her eyes on him and couldn’t help but grin.
EIGHT
Of all places to go, Trouble and Headache chose a crowded bar teeming with more drunk motherfuckers than Donny cared to deal with him. All evening they’d chosen more relaxed locations to eat and enjoy themselves. By sunset and as time drew closer to Kya’s birthday, they’d trade the peace for tight as fuck dresses and the party scene.
To maintain a good view of them without hanging over their shoulders proved to be a challenge until they made themselves comfortable at the bar closest to the front of the building. There, they’d taken shots, danced together, and talked animatedly. On several occasions, he caught Eden looking at him. He smirked each time, and she looked away quickly.
The second sign in one day.
Antonio finally surfaced toward the end of the night. Gone was the frown he’d been wearing. In its place, the calm that he, too, managed to attain.
“You came to relieve me, I presume?”
Antonio half-smiled, raising a single brow. “What did they do that you need a break already?”
“Besides painting on their dresses and flirting with every dick they walk by?”
Upon glancing at them, he caught Eden looking his way once again, biting her bottom lip seductively. Her eyes fell to her drink, then back to Kya and the two engaged in yet another animated conversation. She was fighting it. Trying and losing just like he was.
“Are you just going to stare like a creepy virgin, or are you going to make a move?”
Successfully, Antonio gained Donny’s attention. “You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve, considering you’ve probably been watching her from a fucking window since we got here. I told them I would keep my distance. So no, imbécil. As long as they’re together, I’m not going to make a move, and you won’t either.”
Antonio laughed and looked up, his laughter dying as he gazed at his ex longingly. Donny followed his cousin’s gaze. Watching the girls as they talked, Eden suddenly walked away. It was the first time they’d separated all night.
“Well, primo, it looks like it’s time for you to make a move.”
He didn’t have to look at Antonio to see his smile. Internally, he smiled, too. That was the third sign, wasn’t it? For sure, it was a swift end to his inhibitions.
“I don’t want to kill you, Tonito, but I will if you fuck up.” He looked down for a split second, his eyes sweeping the crowd to find Eden.
“Shut the fuck up and go get her.”
That was the last thing he heard other than Antonio’s laughter just over the music. Colorful lights flashed above. The song changed to a faster tempo, the crowd parted enough to let him through. Behind them, he entered the hall seeing the only place she could have gone.
His shoulder had barely pushed at the polished wood when he heard the toilet flush. Donny took a step back and leaned against the wall beside the door. When Eden crossed the threshold moments later, Donny took her by the hand and pulled her close. The corner wasn’t as dark as other parts of the club, thanks to the lights built into the floor. Even without it, the electric currents passing between them were enough to identify each other.
Back to the wall, his body caging her in. Eden held her breath as Donny took hold of her hips and grazed her skin, bringing his lips to her ear.
“How much longer are we fighting this?”
“I’m—fighting what?”
His grip on her hips tightened. He pushed the lower half of his body into hers. Her breathing hitched, the need to kiss her burning hotter.
“¡Mierda! I could fuck the stubbornness out of you. I want that more than you want to avoid me.”
Eden’s eyes fluttered shut. Her chest rose and fell with each breath used to calm herself, “Donovan...” the rest of her plea died on her lips as he brought his closer.
“How drunk are you?”
She answered him by raising her leg to his hip and grinding against him. Donny groaned, pushing into her. Slipping his hand up to her neck to hold her steady, he dragged his lips to hers. She tensed slightly but relaxed as he looked into her eyes.
Without warning, he lowered his head, only brushing her lips at first. The tension, the want, and fire raged inside of him. Still, he pecked her lips tenderly and licked the seam of them. They parted immediately, allowing him to deepen the kiss. The way she moaned initiated his own. His tongue touched her bottom lip like a sweet caress. Surprising him, she mimicked him. The taste of alcohol on her tongue brought him to his senses, and still, it took all the strength he had to pull away.
“I left Kya.” Eden looked everywhere but him and tried to push him away.
“Tonito is with her.”
“That’s the problem.”
Donny eased back slightly. His hand on her neck was the last connection between them. Eden finally looked up at him again, biting her bottom lip. She wasn’t too drunk to not know what she was doing. Yet, she wasn’t sober enough for him to proceed. Still, he smiled, releasing his hold.
Like a shy teenager, Eden ducked her head and moved toward the bar. Her hurried steps to get back to Kya sparked questions of if he’d pushed her too far or taken advantage of her. Just before she reached Kya, Eden gifted him w
ith a shy smile quickly bitten away.
That was sign number three, and there was no doubt about it.
NINE
He kissed her. And she let him.
Eden’s sober mind couldn’t reconcile with the fact, and she couldn’t stop kicking herself for the lack of control. His simple act of kindness by treating her hangover with a special request from the bar and expensive pain pills was met with a blown kiss. She’d taunted him while trying on clothes at the boutique, for no reason other than she could. By asking him to help with the zipper she could access herself, she’d given him a glimpse of her lower back and ass. The kiss on the nape of her neck and warning as declared game on should have shaken her. It didn’t. Instead, it reminded her of the kiss they shared in the dark hall. His tongue brushing against her lips was the breaking point. It was so sexy and unfamiliar that she couldn’t help but fold. The passion, otherworldly. Something she thought was wrong felt so right. He felt right. For as long as he teased her with his tongue and his teeth, she felt no pain. Eden felt no pressure and no past to escape from. All that existed was him and now. Both, she could become addicted to if she didn’t get a hold of herself.
The day progressed with an apology on repeat. Every time Donny looked her way, she returned his gaze. When he smiled and winked, she rolled her eyes. His compliments produced the same reaction making her blush at the same time. His touch, although PG-13, set her skin ablaze. No matter how hard she tried to regain her sense of self and erect the walls that’d kept him at bay thus far, nothing was working.
In the shower, her mind and the hand holding a soapy loofah joined forces. The soft fabric acted as Donny’s lips dropping kisses along her neck. She imagined his kisses moving toward her breasts and pushed her hands there. Over her stomach, she envisioned his fingers grazing her flesh on its way between her legs. Slowly at first, she rubbed with the loofah, thinking of him. That night so long ago, he surprised her with the way he took over. No man had ever done that. No man had given her memories like he did.
As Eden remembered how good he felt, the sound of his moans and his whispers to slow down made her hand move faster. As she thought about the way he flipped her over and took control, the loofah slipped from her hand. Her back pressed into the cold tiles as her hand moved faster and faster. She felt his tongue lick at her lips to initiate a kiss, and pleasure surged through her limbs. Once the fog cleared, Eden managed to open her eyes. That was the first time in a while that she’d masturbated for pure enjoyment rather than need. The realization left her standing under the now warm water, worried but satisfied.
“Uh, Edy,” Kya ducked into the bedroom, gnawing on her bottom lip nervously. “The guys think we should try to get a table before the restaurant is too crowded. Donny’s offering to wait here with you.”
Eden smiled at Kya’s expression. If Kya wasn’t anything, she was loyal. After the bathroom incident, she made it a point to stick together, and Eden appreciated her for it. As much as she wanted to cling to the buddy system, it was Kya’s birthday. She shouldn’t have to spend it waiting.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll meet you down there.”
“You sure?”
With an orgasm under her belt, the walls were back in place. In her mind, she reduced the kiss to a mistake.
“Yes,” her smile widened. “Now go make Antonio buy you the most expensive alcohol they have. I’ll be down in no time.”
Although reluctant, Kya left. Minutes later, Eden heard the front door close and continued to get dressed. The lace catsuit Kya convinced her to wear stretched, eliminating the need to have someone zip her up. She laughed at that, slipping into her pumps, then moved to the mirror to fluff her curls one last time.
The knock on the door came much later than she anticipated. His refusal to enter the room until invited was something else she appreciated and instantly regretted.
His cologne greeted her first. Eden closed her eyes like a smitten cartoon character, inhaling slowly as she turned to face him. His casual attire of black jeans and a fresh white v-neck tee with all black Vans showcased his body’s tone and exposed the tattoos on both muscular arms. The Rolex on his left wrist picked up every bit of light in the room. The thin white gold chain around his neck and single diamond in his right ear gleamed against his naturally tanned skin. The confidence in his eyes and each step stride into the room tied the look together.
He looked her over ever so slowly. In doing so, Eden felt naked.
“Mierda...” He mumbled, admiring her a second time.
“What did you say?”
He cracked a smile, her heart fluttered. “I said, mierda.”
“What does that mean?”
He smiled again, shoving his hands into his pockets. “For you, it’s an honest reaction to how stunning you are.”
She should’ve ended it there, finish her hair, and rush to the restaurant. Instead, Eden gave in to the spark, leaned back against the dresser, and led with impulse.
“Do it again.”
Donny tilted his head slightly. A smile in his eyes only. “You want me to tell you how sexy you look?” He took a step closer.
“I want you to look at me like you did. Like I’m rare and beautiful.”
He took another step between every few words, “You are rare and so fucking beautiful. You don’t realize your power. You’re a dream testing my strength in reality.” Toe to toe with Eden still leaning back on her palms, he took hold of her waist, pulling her to him. The spark started a fire. It spread from her belly, sped up her heart, and burned her logic.
“You planned this.”
He shook his head, the smile replaced with hunger. “I didn’t come to seduce you.”
“Then let me go,” she retorted, her tone betraying her.
“After one final kiss.”
She swallowed, desperate to control her breathing. “I don’t kiss or do gentle shit. I fuck hard and go.” Watching his pulse kick up, an ounce of her resolve returned. Then he slid his hands from her waist and gripped her ass aggressively to bring them closer.
“I do gentle shit. I’ll fuck you slowly and make you come back.”
The tiny scrap of lace she called a thong grew wetter. His erection rubbing against her stomach made it worse. Eden blinked long and hard, “You’re going to break me, Donovan.”
Softly, he kissed the bridge of her nose, then her jaw, and the corner of her lips, “But I’ll put you back together.”
With his teeth, he raked her bottom lip. It was so sensual it set off all the silent alarms in her brain. But when he bit down on it hard, the warnings were muted as was everything but the fire.
Eden’s arms went around his neck, one of her legs hooked on his hip. He took advantage of their position, dropping one hand between them to rub her through her clothes while the other hand moved to her neck. He kissed her softly. Then he kissed her like he was starving by deepening the kiss and taking as much as he wanted.
All too soon, he pulled his lips back. Forcing Eden to open her eyes, he held her captive while still teasing her clit and tightening his hold on her neck.
“Are you giving me permission?”
She couldn’t speak. Not with him touching her. Not with his light brown eyes searing her soul.
“Eden,” he whispered against her lips.
“Don’t,” she groaned as he removed the hand between her legs.
“Don’t, what?”
She tried to catch her breath and right herself but failed. The need, too strong—the want, even greater.
“Don’t stop.”
The corners of his lips tipped slowly, but his free hand didn’t return to the ache between her thighs. Instead, he used it to loop his finger beneath the lacy strap on her shoulder.
“This is sexy on you,” he whispered against her lips again. “Now, take it off, or I’ll rip it.”
As if he knew she’d follow his demand, he took two steps back. The thought of provoking him with defiance crossed her mind. Like e
verything else, he stole that too. As she pulled the straps from her shoulders, she watched him like he watched her.
Smoothly and seductively, Donny pulled his shirt over his head. She’d forgotten about the dragon. The mythical creature in black ink extended from his collarbone to his hip, the detail making it as fierce as his expression while he worked at his belt.
The fabric falling from her breasts stilled him. His stare brought about chills and a foreign urge to cover herself. Before she could, she pushed the rest over the lace over her hips. Slipping out of her pumps, she used her feet to free herself and stood before him in her soaked thong, watching and waiting for him to make his next move.
In one last effort to hold up her shield, she spoke as clearly and confidently as possible. “I don’t do gentle.”
Belt and pants undone, Donny closed the gap between them once again, sliding his hand up her back until it rested at the nape of her neck. He’d defied her with his touch. Caressed her so gently then roughly brought her lips to his, “You’re going to take it every way I give it.”
That did it. So aroused by his roughness and the authority in his tone, Eden rushed him with a kiss. It wasn’t sweet, nowhere near it. She returned the favor raking his lips with her teeth, biting him the way he’d bitten her. By doing so, she sent them into a frenzy. Her butt hit the dresser. He’d knocked something off of it. Without warning, he lifted her onto it, spreading her legs to stand between them. When he grabbed a handful of her hair and used it to part their lips, she whined, pressing her core against him as best she could.
He was toying with her. For every rejection, he pushed her to the brink and left her to squirm.
Eden lowered her hands to the top of his briefs. He let her pull them down just enough for her to grip the top of his dick. The size of it and the way he bit his lip caused her walls to clench. Scooting closer, she tried to dry hump him needing the friction and any kind of contact to end her suffering.
