Adrian took his time. He adjusted his cock, squeezing it as he anticipated the scent and the taste of her. Imagined kissing her. Licking her.
He stood up. His erection was in his hand as he walked across the lanai, onto the uncovered portion of their private deck. Her gaze was on the pool, glittering with the echoes of the setting sun, but when he came closer, she feigned surprise. She looked down to his cock, her eyes wide. It pulsed in his hand, jutting out against the material of his shorts.
He said nothing. Instead, he lifted one of her legs and placed it gently on the ground. He took the other and set it on the other side of the lounge chair, so she was spread for him, exposed, with just the scrap of her red panties covering the place he wanted to be more than anywhere else on earth right now. He knelt down on the wood of the deck, in front of the lounge chair, positioned between her legs. The distance was just about right if he bent forward, so he did. With his hand, he traced a slow line up one thigh then the other, feeling the softness of her skin under his fingertips. Then he used his mouth, tracing that same line up one leg, tasting her skin. This was heaven.
“Closer, sweetheart, closer,” he whispered, slipping his hands under her ass and urging her forward. “Let me show you.”
He kissed a trail up her other thigh, listening to her sighs, noting each time she quivered. She liked when he used his tongue, so he did it again, teasing, moving higher. She gasped, and his cock throbbed in his pants. Slowly, he lifted his hand and traced the lines of her panties, one side, then the other. He slipped his fingers under the fabric, brushing over her soft folds, and moved the material aside. Finally, right in front of him was the place he had been dreaming about for far too long.
He took a moment to simply look. Then he leaned forward and kissed, soft and reverent. That was just for him. But her gasp told him to do it again, so he did. He worked his way up to her clitoris, kissed it first just with his lips, then with his tongue. How did he resist so long? All that time, he could have been tasting her, listening to her moans.
She was trembling, and then she was begging, please, please, and it took all his willpower not to give in, unzip his pants and give her his cock, too. The sounds, the soft breeze from the ocean, her voice, it was all too much. Her trembles turned to shakes, and her moans turned to cries until she came. He eased her through it, milking each shudder of pleasure until her cries turned to breathless sighs.
He had given this to her.
His cock was painfully hard, and seeing her like this was too much to resist. Mine. Years of pent-up want for this woman pulsed through him. Before he could think through what he was doing, Adrian rose and set one knee on the lounge chair and one foot on the ground. His fingers grasped for the zipper of his shorts, but a reminder rang out from the back of his mind.
Her pleasure. The transgression wasn’t as bad if it was about her pleasure. If he followed the cardinal rule of keeping his pants zipped.
He forced his hands away from his zipper. The darkening sky and the want throbbing through him blocked out everything except the woman in front of him.
Slowly, Ruby rose, propping herself up on one elbow, then the other. She looked so sexy with her cheeks flushed and her hair messed, and it took everything in him to resist. She blinked up at him. “We’re stopping here?”
“I’m dying to fuck you.” He swallowed, summoning the last of his reason. “But I can’t.”
“What?” She gestured to the erection straining against his shorts. “But... I know you want to.”
“This isn’t the first hard-on I’ve had for you, Ruby,” he said. Then he couldn’t resist adding, “I’m an adult. I can handle it.”
Her eyes widened, and for one heart-stopping moment, Adrian was sure she was mad. But then she tipped her head back and laughed.
“I’ll remember that,” she said, shaking her head.
He’d probably regret those words later, but seeing her laugh was worth it.
Ruby pushed herself up to sitting. Her breasts moved, taunting him, reminding him of how much he still wanted her. The lacy red panties were his own private bullfighter’s cape, taunting him. But he wasn’t an animal. He could resist.
She leaned closer, tracing the edge of his shirt collar with her fingers. “It makes me hot all over again to see that you’re still dressed.”
With a little smile playing at her lips, she stood up and headed for the pool. She slid her panties down her legs, bending over, giving him a breathtaking view. His cock gave another jolt, this one of regret.
Adrian forced himself to squeeze his eyes shut and keep them that way until the splash of the water told him he was safe.
CHAPTER SEVEN
WHEN HER ALARM went off the next morning, Ruby was already awake. Was Adrian awake, too? No sounds from the living room yet. She lay under the soft, warm covers, last night playing through her head. The teasing, the waiting, the touching, the pleasure...and Adrian’s restraint.
She wasn’t sure if she was frustrated at him for holding back or if she felt sorry for him. Afterward, he had sat on the lounge chair, watching her swim, like he was her grumpy lifeguard, until she climbed out. Then he walked off to take a shower, presumably to take care of business, so she didn’t feel that bad.
But oh, Lord, was last night hot...and totally against the rules. Far, far sexier than anything she’d done with Jimmy, who had been too concerned with his own image as a college football star to pay too much attention to her experience, in bed or out.
After the Mardi Gras photos debacle, Ruby had been tempted to take up the larger how-not-to-treat-women discussion, but it was easier just to break up...much to her mother’s delight. Her mother had warned her that settling down at a young age was exactly the kind of trap that led to twenty-five years of resentment. And her mother would know. Still, before Mardi Gras, Ruby had been tempted.
Those photos still haunted her, and it wasn’t just because of the threat that they’d resurface one day. Jimmy had betrayed her trust when he’d shared those photos with his friends. This was the person she’d lived with her senior year, instead of her friends? What kind of judgement did that show on her part? The kind that suggested she had a lot more growing up to do before she made any serious decisions about her life. Was fooling around with Adrian another impulsive mistake she’d ultimately regret?
Yet she wasn’t supposed to be spending her twenties second-guessing herself. Plus, the pictures had their upside. They had been the push Ruby needed to try out her mother’s advice and do the most exciting, most intimidating thing she could imagine—pack up her belongings and move to New York.
Ruby decided she wasn’t going to worry about last night with Adrian. If it was a mistake, there was nothing she could do about it at this point. Besides, there were more immediate things to consider, like the fact that they were going to spend the day pretending to be Cristina and James, happily in love...or at least not conspicuously avoiding each other. Even if avoiding each other was a completely believable portrait of many marriages...like her parents’, for example.
Ruby frowned. What made couples happy together? The ones she’d met seemed to have a mix of lucky circumstances, great sex and a little magic.
She stretched and rolled out of bed, heading for the bathroom as she contemplated the idea. Her only experience in a real relationship was with Jimmy, which was fun and comfortable but nothing close to magic. Still, they’d discussed marriage at the end of college, when the future stretched out like a hazy abyss in front of her and everyone around her was pairing off. Of course, he’d said he’d support her photography, but that support wavered as soon as it involved her “unrealistic” idea of moving to New York City. Yes, her mother’s advice had definitely been spot-on.
Ruby splashed some water on her face and brushed her hair, studying her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her loose white tank top made for a passable nightshirt, though it was
more than a little see-through and barely long enough to cover her ass.
Maybe she should go out and make some coffee in the kitchen, dressed just like this, just to tease Adrian a little. How would he react the morning after if she was only half dressed? If Adrian’s power lay in his silences, hers was in her ability to throw him off, to shake that control he wielded over everything. And here in Hawaii, it was so much fun to let that take a sexual turn.
Ruby yawned. Yes, half-naked coffee was definitely in order.
She searched her toiletries kit for a hair tie. Then, twisting her hair high over her head, she wound it around into a bun. As she secured it, she caught a flash of movement in the mirror. Adrian stood in the doorway, frozen midstep. His mouth was parted, and he licked his lips as his gaze traveled over her rear, barely covered in skimpy underwear, and down her legs. A fresh streak of heat shot through her.
Ruby looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. “Good morning.”
He stiffened, and the open lust disappeared from his face. “Shower,” he muttered and walked away.
Oh. They were back to caveman grunt mode.
She walked out of the bathroom, and Adrian disappeared into it without a glance in her direction.
Ruby changed into her bikini and a gauzy, white cover-up with long sleeves that would hopefully keep the sun off her while they were on the boat today. She headed into the kitchen and found the coffeepot full, with an empty cup next to it. A pang of guilt ran through her as she surveyed the tray of fresh croissants and fruit on the counter, decorated with flowers and with more than enough food for the two of them. Her mind was on teasing Adrian because he’d resisted the night before, while he had thought to order breakfast for the two of them. Maybe she should ease up on him a little?
To be decided. Ruby poured herself some coffee and filled a small plate with an almond croissant and a few slices of some kind of orange fruit. She sat down on one of the bar stools at the counter, checking her phone for messages. There were missed calls from earlier that morning.
Her mother had left a message saying the house was very quiet and that she’d call back on Christmas, if Ruby had the time to talk—quick and guilt-laden, as usual. Dena’s message was longer, filled with guesses about where Ruby was. A silent meditation retreat? A nudist colony? Dena’s message ended with a plea to call her and give her more hints, which Ruby took as a reminder not to talk to her friend—she’d definitely start spilling more details.
It was probably better to just block out all the things she missed and focus on what this Christmas had going for it: an ultra-luxury resort and hot, frustrating but amusing Adrian Wentworth.
Adrian appeared in the doorway not long afterward, looking freshly showered and sexy in shorts and a T-shirt. He was making it hard to focus on the practical details.
“So...we’re spending the day in public,” she said, brushing the crumbs from her hands. “Are we ready to act like a married couple?”
He lifted his eyebrows in that same way he always did, like he was assessing whether or not he should respond. “You mean calling each other sweetheart and looking lovingly into each other’s eyes?” he asked, deadpan. “Always ready.”
She snorted. In a million years she couldn’t imagine Adrian doing either of those things. “Today I’m hoping to take a lot of photos I can use for the scheduled posts over the next few days. Ideally we can get all of the photos done soon.”
His eyes widened. “And then you’re just...done? Days before we leave?”
She shrugged. “Great photo opportunities don’t come on schedule, three times per day. But I’ll spend some time responding to comments, so I won’t be done.”
“You’ll respond from Cristina’s account? You’re ruining the last of my illusions about social media.”
Ruby grinned. “Yeah, right. I’m sure you’re devastated by the news that people’s posts are collaborations...and rarely spontaneous.”
Adrian’s mouth twitched up into a smile.
“Seriously, I’d like to get some great photos today on all the themes.” She winked at him. “Including intimacy.”
Adrian’s eyes went dark, like they had when she caught him looking at her in the mirror earlier. He was definitely thinking about intimacy right now...in detail.
And now she was, too. She flashed to the kiss under the mistletoe yesterday. His big, hard body against hers. The groans of pleasure he made when he came back for more, more.
Adrian swiped a hand over his face, and the look was gone. “You ready? Let’s get this over with.”
Ruby took the last swig of her coffee and stood up. “You are in a tropical paradise, you know. Not many people just want to get a day on the ocean ‘over with.’”
This got the first real smile from him all morning. “I am not many people, Ruby.”
She gave him her best skeptical look as she passed by him on her way out of the kitchen. In the bedroom, she gathered a few essentials in a bag, brushed her teeth, let down her hair and plopped the enormous, red sun hat onto her head. Adrian was waiting for her by the front door, sunglasses in hand. She adjusted her hat in the mirror.
“Do I look like a passable version of Cristina?” she asked over her shoulder.
“You look lovely, Ruby.”
For once, he sounded completely sincere.
Slowly, she turned around. Her breath stuttered when she met his gaze, full of want. Memories from the night before came back—the way his fingers flexed against her skin, the way his tongue moved between her legs, and the look of dark lust when she came. What had happened between them last night wasn’t even close to over.
She glanced up at the mistletoe, hanging halfway between them, then back at Adrian. How could one little twig hold so much temptation? He swallowed visibly.
“Should we practice kissing like married couples do?” she tried.
He shook his head, but he was walking toward her. He stopped right in front of her, almost touching. “You know exactly where that will lead.”
* * *
Adrian turned around and walked out the door before he did anything stupid. Like kiss her, just one more time. But after last night, he was pretty sure they’d wind up on the floor, with his mouth between her legs all over again. Or worse. He’d managed to keep his pants zipped last night, but he wasn’t sure he had the will power to do it again.
He headed up the path from their cabin and stopped to wait for Ruby at the main trail. She didn’t appear. He sighed. Tapped his foot. Checked his watch. They had ten minutes to get to the docks before they were running late. Which drove him crazy, even on a vacation.
Finally, she appeared, moments later. Her cover-up was more see-through than he had noticed earlier, and for the first time, it occurred to him that they were spending the day with other people...who would also be free to look at her in a bikini.
Nope. Not thinking about that.
“We need to walk fast to get there on time,” he said and started toward the docks.
They walked through the resort, passing a series of tiered pools connected by waterfalls and an open-air restaurant across the resort’s small peninsula. They passed another couple, well-dressed, both a little older than Adrian. The man’s gaze slid from Ruby to Adrian and back to Ruby in a way that had him itching to step up to the guy and tell him to keep his eyes off her. The man was probably twenty years older than her, and he was looking at her like he wanted her.
Mine. The word rang through him, and his whole body came alive with echoes of last night by the pool. Her soft skin, her moans of pleasure, the scent of her everywhere.
Adrian gritted his teeth. He’d do anything to make this lust for her go away. Last night had left him restless, on edge. Even though he’d gotten himself off in the shower, both last night and this morning, the ache for her hadn’t eased. Both times, he’d tried to keep his fantasies in line,
forcing himself to imagine making love to an age-appropriate wife as they tried to get pregnant. That was what he wanted, not a young, carefree coworker who was supposed to be off-limits. Unfortunately, the off-limits part still had the opposite effect it was supposed to. Still, he persisted, focusing on what he really wanted. Contentment.
The fantasy worked for the first few strokes, but the images of Ruby crept in. Of her spread out on the lounge chair. Of unzipping, giving himself a few hard strokes, and then sinking into her.
Both times, as soon as his mind went there, his whole body seized up, and he came with a force that left him slumped against the shower wall, shaking. But as soon as his breaths slowed, the ache for her came back, nagging incessantly at him.
It didn’t even make sense. This was the opposite of the kind of ease and contentment he wanted. Sex was a red herring in relationships, irrelevant, and a distraction from all the things that mattered to him, like companionship and a readiness to start a family. This was why he’d made a dating rule about no sex until after six dates: to make sure he was thinking clearly about his compatibility with a woman, not just whether he wanted to have sex with her again. Unfortunately, he never made it to six dates these days, and the lack of sex certainly hadn’t left him thinking very clearly, considering last night’s events.
“What are you frowning about now?”
He shook his head.
“Come on,” she said, slipping her arm through his. “I’m your wife, remember?”
He suppressed a groan. The word wife together with the bolt of electric want that raced through him when Ruby touched him was jarring. Adrian swallowed, trying to focus.
“None of your business, wife,” he grumbled.
Pure Satisfaction--A Hot Holiday Romance Page 6
