I groan at the grind of his hips against my ass.
As he straightens I rise with him. His hand moves down the outside of my thigh and he lifts my leg, setting my knee on the back of the couch, spreading me wider, changing the angle so he goes even deeper.
“You know what I thought about the most?” His fingers drift slowly over my hip until they rest above the crest of my pelvis, so close to where I need them.
I shake my head, the word please falls from my lips almost like a plea.
“How much I love the sound of you coming for me.”
His fingers dip low and he rubs slow, soft circles. It’s more than enough, almost too much, and I whimper his name, the sensation electrifying, overwhelming.
He keeps his fingers clamped over my clit as the orgasm starts to wane, and that’s when the real fucking commences. I tighten my grip on the back of his neck as he pounds into me, his hot breath on my shoulder as he says things like, “so fucking good” and “nothing feels better than this” and “so sexy.”
When he comes he bites my shoulder and slaps my clit, causing me to jerk in his arms and come again.
Once we’re both capable of doing more than moaning and breathing, he sets my foot back on the floor and I drop my hand from his neck, bracing myself on the couch as he eases out.
I turn and use the back rest to support my ass, my knees weak from the orgasm. “Well, that’s one way to work up an appetite.”
Lex cups my cheek in his palm and plants a soft kiss on my lips. “You’re my favorite appetizer. I’d have you before every meal if I could.”
While he disposes of the condom, I retrieve my dress from the closet. It has an open back, making a bra impossible. I’m sure that was intentional. Lex helps me step into it. “I think you should forgo panties,” he says as the fabric slides over my hips.
“So you have easier access?”
His grin is devious mischief. “I was going to say to avoid panty lines, but that’s another good reason.”
Putting on a pair of open-toed flats, I grab my purse and follow Lex outside. Instead of heading for one of the resort restaurants, Lex takes me to the beach where a table for two is set up on the sand. Strings of lights flicker, reflecting off the water as the sun falls to touch the horizon; pale blue streaks with light purple, pink, and orange mix into the watercolor palette. It’s gorgeously romantic.
I pull out my phone and snap a few pictures of the view. My smile feels suddenly wooden as I swing around, camera poised to take a picture of Lex. A pang of sadness makes my heart ache for what could’ve been. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t accepted Armstrong’s invitation to dance, if I’d waited for Lex to bring that drink back? Would this be our honeymoon instead?
If Armstrong hadn’t cheated on me, would he have thought to organize a special moonlight dinner on a private beach? Would he schedule a spa day for me, fuck me over the side of the couch? Would he have ever been ravenous for me? Had he ever been? I feel like I already have the answer to that.
Lex’s smile is soft and easy as his fingers circle my wrist. “Just enjoy it for what it is, Amie.”
I don’t want to ruin the moment with sadness over things that can’t be. He turns me around to face the view. Pale blue water darkens along with the setting sun. He wraps his arms around my waist and hugs me from behind, his strong, solid body grounding me in the present. I lift my phone and snap a panorama of shots, hoping to preserve this feeling in the images I collect while I’m with him.
I want to flip it on him and take a selfie, but that would make this too real, so I just appreciate his arms around me and his cheek against mine.
“How were your meetings today?” I ask once we’re settled at the table, glasses of champagne poured and appetizers, of the actual consumable variety, set between us.
“Other than being highly distracted, they were informative.”
I prop my chin on my fist. “Is it okay to ask you to elaborate?”
Lex leans back in his chair. “Of course. It’s not exactly riveting stuff if you’re not involved in the hotel industry, so when you start falling asleep, feel free to throw things at me and I’ll shut up about it.”
“I’m sure it’s far from boring.”
Lex shrugs. “I find it interesting, but it’s my job, so that’s probably part of it. I’m here because we have four resorts and one of them isn’t performing as well as the others. The ratings are down over the past twelve months and it’s my job to find a way to bring them back up.”
“Is it this property?” I can’t see how. This is perfect vacation spot, nothing like real life.
Lex shakes his head. “It’s down the beach a ways, at a slightly more affordable location, well, more affordable for here. I’ll need to stay there for a while later in the month. This is our best performing resort on the island, and it’s my favorite, so I chose to stay here first.”
“What makes this one your favorite?”
“Well, other than the obvious.” His gaze roams over me. “It’s romantic without being overly honeymoon driven. The view is spectacular, the accommodations are grand, but comfortable. Plus the nightlife is accessible and exciting.”
I agree with everything he’s said. “So what’s the other resort missing?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. It’s almost an exact copy of this resort, only more budget friendly. I’m heading there tomorrow to review services and sit down with management so I have comparative data for analysis.”
“That makes sense.” I focus on my champagne flute. “So you’ll be gone all day?” I fight a cringe at how disappointed I sound.
“You could come with me. If you’d like.”
I lift my gaze, uncertain if this is him just being nice, or worse, feeling sorry for me. “I don’t want to interfere with your meetings.”
“It would actually be quite helpful to have a female perspective. I can book you in for a couple of spa treatments, since that seems to be an area that needs work, and you can compare them.”
“Um . . . okay, I could do that.”
“Great.”
God his smile is beautiful.
Halfway through dinner my phone starts buzzing. Anxiety makes my mouth dry. I don’t want it to be Armstrong, ruining a perfect evening, so I ignore it. When it starts again seconds after it stopped, I check to make sure it’s not an emergency.
“Everything okay?” Lex’s concern mirrors my own.
My anxiety dissipates when I see the name on the screen. “It’s Ruby.”
Lex taps on the edge of the table. “When was the last time you talked to her?”
I know what he’s asking without saying it aloud. “I messaged yesterday to tell her I’m fine and I’d switched hotels. I planned to call today, but then I had all these appointments, and this dinner, so . . .” My throat feels tight like the words want to stay inside. This is a necessary conversation. We’re living in this bubble together and this is how it must remain. I motion between us. “I won’t say anything to her about this.”
Lex nods and traces the edge of his cutlery. “Will that be hard for you? To keep this from her?”
Ruby and I tell each other almost everything, but this is different. “I don’t want to put her in a precarious position. Would you tell Bane?”
Lex barks out a laugh. “We don’t share that kind of information.” He reaches across the table and takes my hand. “I don’t want to make this situation more difficult for you. I’m happy to be a distraction for you while you’re here, if that’s what you want me to be.”
“Is that what this is all about?” I gesture to our surroundings.
His smile is warm. “You deserve all the best things, and I can give you a few of them, so that’s what I’m trying to do. If it’s too much just tell me, but I’m willing to give you whatever you want while you’re here with me.”
“What do you want?” I don’t know why I’m asking this. Clearly he wants to get laid, just like I do. This suaven
ess is innate. No wonder women fall all over themselves to go out with him.
Lifting my hand, he kisses my knuckles. “To enjoy this time I have with you.”
I should feel relief, not disappointment, especially considering I’m still technically married. “We’ll just keep it between us,” I whisper as he bites the tip of my pinkie.
“You’ll be my favorite secret.” His eyes burn, but sadness tints his words with the same shadows cast by the waning sun.
Fourteen: Complicated
Lexington
The morning following dinner on the beach Amie and I head to the sister resort via jeep. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun, her face is makeup-free apart from some clear lip gloss that tastes like artificial grapes. I’ve kissed it off three times already.
It isn’t hard to convince myself that bringing her along is smart and will be beneficial for research purposes. She’s the perfect person to compare spa services between hotels. She’s also gorgeous, alluring, and charming. She’ll have the staff eating out of her hand.
While I meet with the hotel manager I send her off for a morning of pampering. We reconvene at lunch to discuss what she liked best between the two resorts with the spa and hotel managers. The ambiance is better at the other hotel, but the services are on par. She’s eloquent and intelligent as she reviews the spa menu and makes suggested tweaks.
If I weren’t sleeping with her I’d poach her for my team. She has an excellent mind for marketing and management. I doubt she’s being used to her full potential over at Moorehead. What makes her stand apart is that she not only sees the flaws in a plan, but she can then find a workable solution. And as predicted, every single person in the room, male and female, has fallen completely in love with her by the time we come up with what seems to be a viable strategy for minor renovations to the hotel spa and revamping the services offered, including makeup prep for evening events.
This gives me an idea for an entirely new spin on how the spa experiences are promoted. We have a significant market for on-site weddings, and we’ve been building on that for the past few years, but this could add another dimension, expanding the luxury beyond the spa and right into the comfort of guest suites.
After the meeting I show Amie around the grounds, and take her on a tour of the accommodations. We make good use of a honeymoon suite before having dinner with the managerial staff.
Being with her like this is dangerous, seeing her in her element, pulling her into my world, learning more about who she is beyond the kink in the bedroom and her smart mouth—but I don’t seem to be able to stop myself. And what’s more, I don’t want to. I get that she’s not in the right headspace for this to be more for the time being, but that doesn’t mean I can’t push for that later, once we’re back in the real world and things have settled down for her.
It’s late by the time we finish. I would suggest staying the night, but I have meetings in the morning and I’ll need a fresh suit, so we head back to the Mills Resort.
I send her off to the bungalow without me so I can pick up a few things from the concierge. I don’t want to wait for room service, and once we’re in her bungalow I intend to avoid disruptions. Except on my way back I receive a text from Amie telling me Armstrong is at the resort.
I should’ve expected this. He had to know I was bringing her to a sister hotel on the island, and eventually he’d make his way to her, because Armstrong doesn’t like to lose.
The dock is silent as I head to my bungalow and drop the bottle of champagne and basket of desserts inside the door, uncertain how to proceed. Amie hasn’t left additional messages, and I assume if she wants my help she’ll ask for it. I don’t want to make this situation any more difficult than it needs to be, but I also don’t want Armstrong filling her head with stories about me, or finding out what’s going on here, should he manipulate her into saying something.
There aren’t a lot of options. I open the sliding door and step outside, moving to the lower platform in case I can see or hear anything going on in her bungalow. From here I can just make out the edge of Amie’s dock. Through the window I see her pacing, arms flailing as Armstrong’s silhouette follows behind her. Their voices become clear when Amie throws open the sliding door.
“Why are we out here?” The waver in Armstrong’s voice is expected, considering how nervous water makes him.
“I need air,” Amie snaps.
“Amalie, you need to be reasonable. You’ve made your point. I’m sorry that you feel the need to degrade yourself like this—”
“Degrade myself?”
“By coming here with my cousin. It’s fine that you needed to get your anger out of your system. I understand your rebellion and I won’t ask questions, just come back to the resort with me.”
“You realize you’re not making any sense at all, right?”
“You can’t tell me that Lexington hasn’t filled your head with lies about me. I warned you about him once, Amalie. I shouldn’t have to do it again.” He waves a hand in the air. “What’s happened is irrelevant, as long as you come back with me. I’m sure you’ve received the messages from my mother. It doesn’t look good for you to be here without me.”
“What do messages from Gwendolyn have to do with anything?”
“She’s convinced my coming here will help make things right. It’ll look better.” Armstrong sighs, as if he’s annoyed.
“You can’t be serious. You’re here because your mother told you to come?”
“I’m here to show you I can be understanding about this. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a passport on such short notice? I had to take a flight with a layover. And I had to sit in coach.”
“Oh poor you! Understanding? You cheated on me, at our fucking wedding, Armstrong. There’s nothing to be understanding about, and there is no together anymore.”
Armstrong makes a tsking sound.
“Don’t you dare make that goddamn fucking sound. I will use whatever fucking language I feel like. You don’t get to come here and shove your disapproval down my throat.”
He raises his hands in supplication. “I’m not here to fight with you, Amalie. You need to think about this, about the impact it’s going to have on you, on us. The media will tear you apart.”
“Me?” She crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m not the one who got caught cheating at my own wedding.”
Armstrong takes a halting step toward her, but backs up again so he’s close to the door. “Darling, can we just go inside and talk about this?”
“Don’t darling me. If the media is going to tear anyone apart it’s you.”
Armstrong laughs, and it’s one I know well. It’s his leverage laugh. As if he has something on her. “Do you even know what the rumors are?”
Amie’s voice goes flat. “I’m sure you’re about to tell me.”
“Have you even checked in with your family since you ran away?” Silence stretches out for a few seconds, followed by Armstrong’s exaggerated sigh.
“Are you just here hiding then? Pretending none of this matters? As if it has no bearing on your family or mine? Were you aware that there’s speculation regarding the unfortunate event at the wedding? That people are saying it was a setup, that it was a recording of me with you.”
Amie’s voice is softer, lower now. “You have to be kidding me.”
“Oh, I’m quite serious. Imagine if it happened to get out that you’ve run off on our honeymoon and that you’re sleeping around on me because of a miscommunication? You think the media is critical of you now, just imagine how much worse it could get.”
“That’s not even logical, and you know it.”
“That’s the funny thing about the media, logic doesn’t necessarily apply, does it? This marriage is good for our families. We’ll both benefit. I’m good for your family’s social standing and you’re good for my bank account.”
“You’re making this about money and social status? Wow, there’s a real sales pitch for rel
ationship longevity.” I can practically hear the grit in her teeth.
“Oh come on, Amalie. You know how this goes. If you want me to treat you less like my wife and more like a mistress I certainly can try. But don’t you think it would be in your best interest to attempt to rise to the social standing my family will bring you, rather than act like a cheap slut? It would be a shame to see all my hard work undone in a span of weeks.”
“Hard work? What are you even talking about?”
“I put so much time and energy into molding you to be the perfect partner to stand by my side. Especially when I run Moorehead Media with my father. It hasn’t even been two weeks and look at you.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the way I look.”
“If you’re more interested in being someone’s mistress, I suppose you’re well on your way there.”
“You really are a vile human being.” Barely contained rage makes her voice gravelly. “How many?”
“How many what?”
“How many women did you cheat on me with? How many were there besides Brittany?”
“That’s irrelevant.”
“Irrelevant? Is that your new favorite word? Do you even know? Can you guess?”
“Based on your views of what constitutes cheating, a few, I guess. Not that many.”
“A few? How can you think this is okay?”
“Stop being so obtuse, Amalie. This is how it is. You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t want to get used to it. I don’t want to be with you, not ever. What is it going to take for you to understand that?”
“This isn’t just about you. You’re leaving a big mess behind in New York. Who do you think is dealing with it?”
“Definitely not you.”
“That’s because I’m here. This running and hiding and acting out is juvenile, Amalie. You’re being a spoiled brat, it’s rather tiring.”
“Get out.” She reaches around him and opens the screen door with a hard slam. “Do not think you can manipulate or blackmail me into reconciling. When you get back to New York the annulment papers will be waiting for you to sign. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, further contact will be through my lawyer, otherwise I’ll file a restraining order. Now leave or I’ll call security.”
The Shacking Up Series Page 47
