Welcome to Paradise

by Elle Kennedy

  “My daughter is your biggest fan,” Tara confessed as she held out the napkin. “She said she’d kill me if I didn’t ask for an autograph.”

  Clenching her teeth, Charlotte kept up the smile. “What’s her name?”

  “Winnie.”

  Taking the pen, Charlotte scrawled a quick note and signed her name with a flourish then handed the napkin back to her former tormentor.

  “Thank you. She’s going to love it.” Tara smiled again, but the cloud of guilt in her eyes was unmistakable.

  She remembered, just as Charlotte did, the locker room incident. With a tiny nod, Tara dashed off.

  “That was nice of you,” Nate remarked.

  She shrugged. “Part of the job.”

  “Yeah, but you could have refused.” There was a knowing glimmer in his gorgeous gray eyes. “She’s the one who stole your clothes.”

  Her heart did another flip. “You remember that?”

  “I remember everything about you, Charlie.”

  Their gazes locked, and, despite herself, Charlotte found herself reacting to his nearness, to the gentle expression on his handsome face. Her thighs squeezed together, her breasts suddenly felt achy and her pulse kicked up another notch.

  She swallowed hard and attempted a flirty tone. “I’m not the same girl you knew in high school. I’m all grown up now.”

  His eyes raked up and down her body, heating her skin.

  Gathering up some much-needed courage, she set down her champagne flute on the counter behind them and placed her hand on his forearm. “What do you say we get out of here?”

  Nate blinked. “Are you serious?”

  She nodded.

  “Don’t you want to stay and catch up with everyone?”

  Her lips twisted in a self-deprecating smile. “What do you think?”

  Nate laughed softly. “Sorry, stupid question.”

  “Besides,” she said, lowering her voice to a sexy pitch, “there’s only one person I want to catch up with. And I think it’ll be way more fun if we did the catching up in private.”

  A beat of silence. Nate’s strong, corded throat bobbed as he swallowed.

  For a second, Charlotte feared he might turn her down, but to her relief, he gave a brisk nod, cleared his throat and said, “Let’s go.”

  Lexie was fuming as she watched Nate leave the party with Charlotte. Their body language practically screamed We’re going to screw ourselves silly. Her fingers tightened over the stem of her wineglass. She forced herself to loosen her grip before the damn glass shattered, but it was hard to stay calm when you were watching someone you cared about going off to make the biggest mistake of his life.

  Yet it wasn’t jealousy that coursed through her blood. Only concern. Aside from that one awkward kiss she and Nate had shared, there was nothing romantic between them, and never would be. Nate Bishop was the big brother she’d never had. With two younger sisters, Lexie had always been the protector, the one who made sure the people she cared about didn’t get hurt. And then she’d started spending time with Nate and she finally knew what it felt like to be the one being protected. Several years ago, the two of them had shared a booth at Betty’s when the diner had been packed to the gills. Rather than turn away business or make her customers wait, Betty had the habit of seating random people together, often strangers.

  Lexie and Nate weren’t strangers, of course, but they hadn’t been friends either. That morning, they’d been forced to eat together, and to Lexie’s surprise, Nate Bishop turned out to be nothing like she’d previously thought. He was actually sweet. Attentive. Intelligent as hell. She’d enjoyed being with him, and to her shock, he’d enjoyed her company too, apparently enough to start having breakfast with her every morning that followed.

  Nate Bishop, the boy she’d once considered rude and full of himself, had ended up becoming one of her best friends. Scratch that—her only friend.

  And she wasn’t about to stand by and watch him get hurt.

  Charlotte Hill was up to something. Lexie had always been able to read people, and she’d read Charlotte like a neon billboard right now. What the hell was the woman up to? Maybe Ms. Rich and Famous had simply taken one look at a grown-up, sexy Nate and decided she wanted a trip down memory lane, yet somehow Lexie doubted it. She’d watched them on the dance floor, and for one brief moment, she’d witnessed a flash of pure anger in Charlotte’s eyes. The seductive dance and teasing smiles had been a show. Lexie felt it deep in her gut.

  But what game was Charlotte playing, and how did it involve Nate?

  Unable to keep a smile on her face any longer, Lexie handed her half-full glass to a passing waiter and made her way through the crowd toward the sidewalk. Forget this reunion. She didn’t feel like making small talk with people whose lives she had zero interest in.

  She passed a long line of cars until she reached her silver BMW then hit the electronic remote and slid into the driver’s seat. She wanted to call Nate and plead with him not to do anything foolish, but she knew it would only annoy him. He hated when she meddled in his life, even though ninety-nine percent of the time she was usually right. Case in point—Evelyn.

  Still, she resisted the urge, picked up her cell phone from the cup holder she’d left it in and dialed a number that wasn’t Nate’s.

  When the rough male voice answered, a shiver danced up her spine. “Yeah?”

  He never said hello. No, that would be far too polite for someone so rude and indifferent.

  “It’s me.” As usual, her heart began to pound. It always did when he was involved. “I’m having a crappy night. Can I come over?”

  A deep laugh tickled her eardrum. “Feel like slumming it tonight, huh?”

  She tightened her lips. “Can I come over or not?”

  “Sure you can, princess.” Another laugh, this one taunting. “And just so you’re forewarned, I have a hard-on and no interest in conversation. Sound good?”

  Her heart did a naughty little flip. “Sounds perfect.”

  Chapter Four

  There was something different about her. Nate couldn’t exactly put his finger on it, but something about Charlotte and the way she was looking at him brought on a spark of unease. She hadn’t said much since they’d gotten into his beat-up black pickup truck, and as they neared the B&B, Nate was rethinking his decision to be alone with Charlotte.

  He wanted her so badly he could taste her. Her perfume, an intriguing combination of roses and honey, sent his senses into overdrive. He breathed her in each time he inhaled, his cock growing harder by the second.

  Yet this didn’t feel entirely right. She’d claimed that she was over everything, that their past didn’t matter, but her sudden aloofness didn’t sit well with him.

  “You okay?” he asked, pulling up to the curb and killing the engine.

  Charlotte blinked, as if coming out of trance. “I’m fine,” she said lightly, already reaching for the door handle. “Let’s go inside. I’m a little cold.”

  Nate got out of the truck and followed her toward the porch, unable to stop himself from admiring her perfect ass. She was all grown up, all right.

  His apprehension continued to climb as they headed upstairs. Though it was only nine-thirty, the house was bathed in darkness. The Andersons lived in a small suite on the main floor, and they must have turned in already. Nate’s pulse sped up when Charlotte opened the door to her room and gestured for him to come inside.

  He hesitated in the doorway. “What are we doing, Charlie?”

  Her mouth quirked. “Catching up.”

  A little alarm went off in his head. “Why don’t you want to talk about what happened between us?”

  “Because it’s in the past. I told you, Nate, I got over it a long time ago.” Her green eyes twinkled. “Are you just going to lurk there in the doorway?”

  He took a step forward then halted again. “Are you trying to seduce me?” Both anticipation and dread accompanied the question.

  “Would it bo
ther you if I was?”

  The teasing look on her beautiful face made his cock twitch. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?” The tease became a taunt. “Come on, Nate, you were never one to mince words. Tell me, do you want to be seduced?”

  His entire mouth went as dry as sawdust. Who was this woman and where had his Charlotte gone? As a teenager, she’d never been this forward. He’d made every move in their relationship, including that final one that resulted in the two of them lying naked on a blanket by the lake.

  “Here’s the thing,” the new Charlotte said in the old Charlotte’s familiar throaty voice. “Like I said before, my life is hectic. I don’t have a lot of time for, you know, fun stuff. And chances are that won’t change in the near future since I’m going on tour early next week. So I figured as long as I’m here…”

  “You want to do some fun stuff,” he finished. “With me.”

  “With you,” she confirmed.

  He gulped.

  Charlotte took a few steps toward him. “Come on, Nate, you know you want to say yes. And I can assure you, I’m much more experienced than I was with you.”

  A hot blade of guilt sliced into him, which she must have picked up on because she waved a careless hand.

  “In the past,” she reiterated.

  Before he could respond, she moved even closer. Her hands dropped to his waistband, and he sucked in a breath then released a ragged burst of air when she unsnapped the button of his trousers and tugged on the zipper.

  And Nate did what any healthy red-blooded male would do when a beautiful woman was trying to take off his pants.

  He let her.

  There was no mistaking his arousal as his pants hit the floor. His erection, long and thick, rose in full salute, pushing eagerly against his boxer-briefs.

  “Say yes,” she murmured once again.

  His throat was so tight he couldn’t say anything.

  Taking his silence as a cue to continue, Charlotte slowly sank down to her dainty knees, gripped the elastic of his briefs and yanked. The second his cock was exposed, Charlotte’s mouth devoured it.

  Nate groaned at the moist heat surrounding him. Holy fuck. Only back for a couple of hours, and she already had her lips clamped around his dick. The most incredible sensations rippled through his body, the pleasure so intense, he found himself thrusting deeper. Moaning, Charlotte took him as far as he could go, lapping at his shaft with her tongue, her head bobbing up and down as she worked on him.

  She sucked his tip, kissed it then brought a hand down to caress his balls. Every muscle in his body went taut with arousal. He was dangerously close to losing it here, and her husky moans and soft, slurping sounds only brought him closer to the edge.

  “You taste so good,” she whispered, her breath fanning over his engorged head.

  Nate shuddered and dropped his hands to her head to keep her still. When she tried to take him back into her mouth, he fisted her red hair and groaned again. “Don’t. I’m three seconds away from coming, baby.”

  Her soft laughter danced over his tip. “So?”

  “So I don’t want this to be over yet.”

  Charlotte’s fingers slid down to cup his sac. “You’re still young, baby. I’m sure you can muster up the energy for a second round.”

  And with that, she sucked him so deep his legs almost gave out. Climax barreled down his spine, seized his balls and exploded in his groin. He came fast, hard, then faster and harder as Charlotte swallowed every last drop of his release.

  Fucking hell.

  Wheezing for air, Nate tangled his fingers in her silky hair and let her milk him dry. The only other time he’d experienced a climax this intense had been fifteen years ago. With Charlotte.

  It would always be Charlotte, wouldn’t it?

  He nearly wept as she released him, his dick suddenly aching from the loss of her hot mouth. He was still rock-hard, though, and, just as she’d mocked, ready to go again. Ready to bury himself inside that tight pussy he’d been dreaming about for years.

  Charlotte stood up, wiping her mouth with a graceful hand, the motion innocent and downright sexy at the same time. With a growl, Nate yanked her into his arms and kissed the living hell out of her. Without invitation, he thrust his tongue between her lips. She whimpered then tangled her tongue with his, her arms reaching up to wind around his neck. Nate ran his hands over every curve of her petite body, squeezing her breasts over her dress, sliding under the hem to cup her perfect ass.

  Nothing had changed. The heat sizzling through his veins, the throbbing erection and pounding heart. It had always been this way with Charlotte. From the second she’d sat next to him in that sophomore English class he’d been a goner. He’d appreciated her beauty before they’d officially met, but the uncontrollable desire had come later. When he heard that throaty voice say his name for the first time, when their lips met for the first time on the porch of her old house.

  “I want you, Nate.” Her urgent whisper was punctuated by her sudden need to get naked. Her dress went over her head, lacy underwear he barely had time to admire was ripped off, and then she stood naked before him.

  He nearly passed out. Fuck, that body. Curvier than the teenage figure he remembered, soft and womanly and ridiculously beautiful.

  Removing his shirt and blazer, Nate threw them aside and practically pounced on the gorgeous, naked woman in front of him. They fell onto the bed, their mouths desperately latching in a hot, open-mouthed kiss that had him seeing stars. He touched the incredible body beneath his, stroking, fondling and squeezing until finally he slipped one hand between her legs and found that she was soaking wet.

  “Fuck,” he ground out.

  Charlotte kissed his neck. “Something wrong?” she teased.

  “Yes, something is very wrong. My tongue needs to be—” he touched her clit with his thumb, “—here.”

  Before she could object, he slid down the bed, parted her legs and pressed his lips to her core. Charlotte squeaked in delight.

  “I never got to go down on you back then,” he muttered against her damp folds. “I wanted to so badly.”

  She choked out a laugh. “I wouldn’t have let you. I thought it was gross.” She spread her legs even wider, exposing herself fully to him. “I’ve reconsidered since then.”

  It was all the invitation he needed. While his pulse pounded in his ears, he lowered his head and feasted on her. He explored, sucking gently on her clit then flattening his tongue and scraping it over her slit until she cried out in agony. She was murmuring unintelligible things, moaning softly, and when he lifted his head to meet her eyes, he saw they were glazed with arousal. She tasted like fucking heaven. He couldn’t get enough so he just took more and more, licking and kissing and then fingering her hard, deep. It took him a second to register that her hands were on his head, trying to tug him up, but he didn’t want to stop. Couldn’t stop, until he heard her moan out the words, “Fuck me, Nate. Please.”

  Feeling like he was in a daze, he moved up her body and grabbed the condom that had magically appeared, the one she was dangling out at him. He tore open the wrapper, sheathed himself then pushed into her tight channel as they both groaned loudly.

  “You’re so tight,” he mumbled.

  Their eyes locked and he saw hazy amusement in her gaze. “And you’re as enormous as ever.”

  He chuckled, slowly lifting his hips then plunging right back in. “That’s a nice thing to say.”

  “It’s true. Your dick is still huge.” She wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her heels into his buttocks, and said, “So now fuck me with it.”

  The brazen command took him by surprise. The old Charlotte would never have said something like that. He wasn’t sure he liked it.

  Scratch that, he amended, as his cock swelled and grew even harder, he loved it.

  Grabbing hold of her wrists, he locked them with one hand and shoved them over her head, keeping her immobile as he drove into her sweet
paradise in a frenzied rhythm. She must have liked the illusion of bondage because a gush of moisture covered his cock and she bucked her hips wildly to meet his hurried thrusts.

  Nate’s lungs burned as he slammed into her, over and over again. Pleasure gathered in his groin then shot off in all directions as another release crashed over him. He felt, heard, saw Charlotte coming, her red hair fanned across the stark white pillow, her inner muscles pulsating, her swollen clit rubbing against the base of his cock at each stroke.

  They were both gasping for air by the time their respective orgasms ebbed and faded. When Nate regained his senses, he noticed that Charlotte was laughing softly, the sound vibrating against his damp chest.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked hoarsely.

  “I was just thinking that as far as reunions go—” she laughed again, more of a wheeze this time, “—this one tops them all.”

  “So how did it go?”

  Georgia sounded far more chipper than Charlotte felt this morning, and she suddenly wished she hadn’t picked up her cell phone. Nate had just left ten minutes ago, after spending the entire night devouring her body and bringing her pleasure she hadn’t even known existed. She’d wanted to hold on to those delicious sensations a little while longer, but Georgia’s phone call swiftly reminded her that last night hadn’t been just about pleasure.

  How did it go?

  So many answers to that one simple question. As far as seductions went, this one had been irrefutably successful. As far as sex, hands down, best of her life. Yet from the second she’d opened her eyes this morning, Charlotte’s stomach had been in knots. Nate had been sound asleep beside her, his rugged features softened in slumber, and all she’d wanted to do was wake him up with a kiss, climb on top of that spectacular body and ride him until they both forgot their names.

  It was unfair. She’d wanted to leave him wanting more, but instead, she was the one suffering that fate. She wanted him again. And again. And then some more.

  She’d fallen right back under Nate Bishop’s spell, and she hadn’t been in town twenty-four hours yet.