It takes me a long time to come back to earth, and when I do, my thighs are burning, and I’m out of breath. I didn’t realize how tense I was, but seeing my cum in the toilet and the dent in the drywall reminds me of how close to the edge I was.

  My cock softens enough for me to put on a new pair of swim trunks, and once I’m dressed, I chug a bottle of water. Just before I’m about to go back out to the beach, I hear my cell phone vibrating. I realize it’s still in my old shorts on the floor and I reach down to grab it.

  Without thinking, I answer it and immediately regret it as soon as the voice on the other end of the phone speaks.

  “Gibson,” the woman coos, and it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “You’re a hard man to get a hold of.”

  “I’m working.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I wish I could take them back. I should just hang up.

  “Hopefully you’re working on what we talked about,” she says, and I pace over to the window.

  “Listen, Sienna. I told you to stop calling me.” From the view of my hotel room, I can see the beach down below, and I can almost make out Lindsey in her yellow bathing suit, lounging by the water.

  “We had an agreement.” Her voice is sharp this time, and I step away from the window.

  “You’re right. We had an agreement. But that’s over now.”

  She laughs, but it’s cold, and I hate the sound of it. “It’s over when I say it’s over. I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain, or—”

  “Or what?” I cut her off, even though I’m not sure I want to know the answer.

  “Or that pretty redhead you’re chasing will end up in the crossfire.”

  There’s a long pause where I can’t think, I can’t breathe, I just stand there in shock.

  “Oh, you didn’t think we’d be keeping an eye on you?” She laughs again, and my stomach drops. “Just get what we want and get the fuck out. Then nobody has to get hurt.”

  I clench my jaw so hard I feel like it might break. For so long I had nothing for her to hold over my head, but she bided her time. The second someone means anything to me, Sienna swoops in and threatens to take it. When I made a bargain with the devil, I thought I could do this without any repercussions, but now that Lindsey is on her radar, everything changes.

  “Enjoy the beach, Gibson. I hear the sun is out today.”

  The click on the other line tells me she’s hung up, and I want to throw my phone through the window and shatter all of it into a million pieces. But instead, I make another phone call and pace the room. I don’t know how to undo what I’ve started, but I have to find a way. Even if that means leaving this island.

  Ten minutes of trying to convince the pilot who brought me here to take me back to the mainland, and he won’t budge. They’ve grounded all flights again with the anticipation that the storm tonight will be worse than the one before. In the back of my mind I wonder if he’s working for Sienna, but even I can see the black clouds in the distance.

  No matter what, I’m stuck here, so I guess I just have to decide…whose side am I on? And after today in the woods with Lindsey, I don’t know what the fuck I’m going to do.

  Chapter 9

  Lindsey

  “Got a second?” Mary asks as she sits on the cabana bed beside me.

  It’s been a good hour since Gibson took off, and it’s shameful how much I’ve glanced back towards the hotel to see if he’s coming. He said he’d be back, but I’m starting to think that’s not happening. His mood swings are beginning to annoy me. I’m not made for this yo-yo of emotions because it’s overwhelming. I can be so good with helping others handle theirs, but I’m shit with my own.

  “Always for you.” I smile over at her, but my stomach turns at what she might be about to say. I don’t think Cora said anything, but as she mentioned, Mary might have already picked up on my attraction to Gibson.

  “Gibson.” She shakes her head, and I guess she doesn't think this is a good idea. “He tried to get a charter off the island.”

  My stomach drops. That’s not what I thought she was going to say. Why does this feel worse than her thinking Gibson and me hooking up isn’t a good idea?

  “Okay, I guess we can’t stop him.” He wants away from me so badly he’s willing to try and get a last-minute charter out of here. Ouch.

  “No, we can’t, but the weather can.” She nods out to the ocean. The sun is still shining down on us, but in the distance I can see another storm rolling in. The water is already looking rougher than it did when we first got down to the beach.

  “Right.” An ache forms in my heart, and I try to ignore its throbbing demand. I haven't felt it since I was a kid and my mom left me standing outside of a fire station. I barely remember her. I’m thankful for that.

  A flash of anger hits me when I realize I’ve given him the power to make me feel like this. Still, it doesn't make me want him any less, and I hate myself for how desperate that makes me feel. I will not be one of those pathetic women that chases after a man. It’s not happening.

  “So how do you want to play this?” I ask, and she shrugs.

  “I was only giving you a heads up because I thought you should know. I trust you to play it any way you like.”

  “You said we need to make sure he stays,” I remind her, and this is her world. I’ll suck up any guidance she’s willing to give me.

  “I would like that, but we can only control so much. I think you’ll make happen what needs to happen.” She stands and smiles at the sunshine. “Enjoy the beach while you can. No one is going anywhere right now.” She winks at me before she heads off, and somehow she doesn't look silly in her wide-leg slacks and silk blouse on the beach.

  I lean back, thinking over what she said. Gibson would have bolted out of here without so much as a word? I should keep my distance because this is evidence he’s only going to break my heart. Too bad it’s easier said than done.

  What if he’s fighting his feelings toward me like I’m doing with him? I should understand that, but really it hurts. I always thought if one day a man knocked me on my ass it was because he would be something special and he’d fight for me in ways no one else ever had.

  “Need some more?” Peter stands beside my cabana, holding up his extra-strength sunscreen.

  “She’s fine,” I hear Gibson answer, and instantly those flutters hit my stomach at the sound of his voice. I don’t glance his way as I stand up.

  “I’m good, Peter, but thanks. I’m going to go for a dip before the storm rolls in,” I tell him, still not acknowledging Gibson. “Maybe catch me after.” Did I really just say that? I’m trying to provoke Gibson, and I know it. I don’t think this is what Mary had in mind when she told me to handle it.

  “I’ll join you,” Gibson tries.

  “I’m okay by myself.” I don’t wait for a response as I head into the water and make my escape. Now I’m the one running.

  After I dip under the water and come back up, I don’t have the willpower to not look for him. Gibson stands at the end of my cabana, his eyes trained on me the whole time. I swear I can feel the heat of his gaze burning me hotter than the sun.

  The water is getting rougher by the second, and when I get out, I go straight to the sun bed and grab my things as I try to ignore him. It’s impossible to avoid him with us all being in a group, but what I can do is make sure I have a buffer between us. Throughout the day’s activities I make sure we’re never alone, and I dive into the work we’re here to do.

  The one positive thing about focusing on Gibson is I forget how much anxiety I was feeling about fitting in. At times I still feel in over my head when people talk about things I don’t understand. The numbers and codes can feel like they're speaking another language, but I can get the surface idea when it’s explained to me.

  I don’t know if Gibson realized that I was struggling at times, but he kept asking people to pitch him their idea or to explain it like they would to a consumer. I knew he understood everything they were saying, but having them break it down for someone that wouldn’t already know the information benefited me.

  If that was his motivation for always clarifying a response, then it’s kinda sweet. How can something be sweet and irritate me at the same time? Gah! This man has me all over the place.

  “You mind if we have a moment alone?” Gibson asks close to my ear as dinner wraps up. He’d taken the seat next to mine before I could ask anyone else to sit down. He’s been glued to my side since I got out of the water.

  “I actually need to make a call.” I give him a tight smile, not wanting to draw attention, and he narrows his eyes at me. For some reason it feels like a warning, and a delicious thrill runs through my body that I can’t explain.

  “We had the outside bar area reserved, but that won’t be happening,” Cora announces as she stands up from her chair. The storm hit about an hour ago, and we’ve been watching it rain from the safety of the restaurant. “They are saving a section in the main bar if anyone wants to keep hanging out.”

  As everyone rises from the table, some people are calling it a night, and others are more than ready to keep the party going.

  “You coming back down after your call?” Peter asks from across the table.

  “Depends.” I shrug. I don’t really have a call, but I could try to reach the twins. They are always good at distracting me and making me laugh.

  “Gibson. Can I snag you for just a second before everyone breaks?” Cora says loudly so he doesn't really have much of a choice. I have no clue what Cora makes, but one of my first orders of business when I get back is giving that woman a raise.

  I don’t linger as I sneak away from the table and up to my suite. At least this time I make it back to my room before we once again lose power. The storm is raging outside, almost as hard as the one raging inside of me.

  Chapter 10

  Gibson

  Thunder sounds outside, and I turn to Cora. “Yeah, what do you need?”

  She peers over my shoulder and then smiles brightly at me. “Nothing really. I just wanted to give her a head start.”

  I grind my back teeth as I narrow my eyes. “What are you playing at?”

  Just then Mary moves close to stand next to Cora and somehow gives me the same bright smile like they’re not up to something.

  “A word of advice?” Mary offers, but I don’t answer, and she doesn’t need a prompt to keep going. “The man who’s lucky enough to catch that one”—she nods in the direction Lindsey went—“will need to make sure he’s strong enough to hang on to her.” When her eyes come back to me, they narrow and then she does an exaggerated head-to-toe scan of my body. Something about her expression makes me think I didn’t measure up.

  “Want to have a drink at the bar?” Cora asks Mary, and she nods without taking her eyes off me.

  The silent warning is enough to have me turning away from the two of them and walking toward the elevators. I don’t know what I’ve done to piss them and Lindsey off, but I need to make it right. She gave me the cold shoulder all night, even though I could practically feel the heat of her body pulling me to her.

  The lights blink on the elevator as I ride it up to the top floor, and I worry that I made a mistake taking it. Thankfully when I get to my floor, the doors open, and I get off. But as I walk down the hall, the lights flicker, so I quicken my pace. I know how much she hated being in the dark last time and I don’t want her to have to go through that again while she’s alone.

  When I get to her door, the power goes out, and I knock. “Hey, Lindsey, it’s me, Can you open the door?”

  There’s no sound from the other side, and I wonder if I got it wrong and she didn’t come back to her room. I stand there thinking of where the hell else she could have gone, but just then the door opens, and I see the outline of her shadow.

  “What do you want?” Her words aren’t exactly cold, but she’s direct and without emotion like she was all damn day.

  “You.” It’s the only answer I have, and it’s the truth. “Now let me inside.”

  I can practically hear her thoughts as she tries to quickly come up with an excuse.

  “Let’s cut to the chase, Lindsey. I’m not leaving, and you’re letting me in.”

  “Oh, you’re so sure?” Her tone is a challenge.

  “You’re playing with fire, princess.”

  “What the hell did you just call me?” She cracks the door.

  The heat in her words fans the flames of my own, and I’m done playing. I push the door so quickly she doesn’t see it coming, and she backs away. I follow her step for step as it snicks closed behind me, encasing us in the darkness. Alone.

  “I called you princess because that’s what you’re acting like.”

  “You know, you have some nerve.” She stops retreating, and the storm outside lights up her silhouette. “I don’t know what the hell that was earlier in the woods, but you’re swinging from hot to cold so fast I’m getting dizzy.” She’s angry, and for some reason I like this side of her. I want all of her passion in whatever way she wants to give it to me. “You disappear and then come strolling back like you’ve got some claim to me, but I’ll tell you this for free, nobody owns me.”

  I move so quickly she’s surprised as I back her up against the wall. “You done?”

  “No,” she barks, and this close to her I can see every emotion. “How dare you think you can walk in here and into my life, like you’ve got the right? I’m nobody’s property, and I sure as hell won’t belong to an arrogant asshole that can’t make up his mind!”

  My hands are planted against the wall on either side of her, and by the time she’s finished, she’s right in front of my face.

  “You think I don’t know what I want?”

  She raises her chin in challenge. “I’m not going to stick around and wait for you to decide.”

  “I don’t need to decide. You’re what I want.”

  “Then why were you trying to leave the island today right after what we did in the woods?” She looks smug like she found out a secret.

  “You mean when I came all over myself at just the sight of you?” Even in pitch black, I can see her cheeks turn pink as she looks away. “Don’t get shy on me now, princess.” That snaps her attention back to mine. “I’m not running, and I’m not unsure of what I want.”

  “Then—”

  “If I act like I’ve got a claim on you, it’s because I do.” I cut her off and take her chin in my hand. “Me trying to get off this island has nothing to do with what I fucking want.”

  “You’re making me crazy.” I don’t know if she’s pissed that I’m making her crazy, or because she can’t make it stop.

  “Ditto, princess,” I growl, and my other hand goes to the front of her shorts and grabs the denim tight. “But I know if I don’t find out what this pussy tastes like right this goddamn second, I’ll jump off the roof of this hotel.”

  “Oh god,” she whispers, and it’s the only sound she makes before I fall to my knees in front of her.

  With one aggressive tug, her shorts are off, and her panties are in shreds nearby. I don’t give her time to catch her breath as I pin her to the wall and throw her legs over my shoulders. Her hands grip my hair, and she cries out as I bury my face in the soft curve of her thighs and pussy. She smells like coconut oil and tastes like sunshine. I moan as my tongue divides her lips and wiggles across her clit. My hands dig into her ass and squeeze the thick flesh as I pull her closer to my face.

  “Gibson, oh shit, I can’t, oh shit, oh shit.”

  In answer, I growl and suck so the sensation is more intense. She responds by opening her legs and rocking her hips closer to my face. I’m smothered in her juices, and I decide I don’t want air in my lungs ever again because I want to die with my face buried in her cunt.

  Her legs shake and just when she’s begging me to keep going, I slip a thumb in her pussy. She cries out and that’s when I taste her sweet release laced with her own secret sunshine.

  With her legs still on my shoulders, I stand up from the floor and carry her to the bedroom.

  “Gibson, what are you doing? Put me down.”

  “As you wish,” I answer before I toss her onto the bed.

  I climb on top of her as she bounces and come over her body. I can still taste her on my lips as I look down into her beautiful eyes. “I need more of that.” I feel her hands at my waist, and she tugs at my shirt. I help her take it off, and then she wiggles out of her top so she’s completely naked under me. Even in the darkness, the outline of her body is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. “You want it again?”

  She bites her bottom lip and nods as I kiss her softly then move down between her legs. This time she opens for me quickly and holds on to her knees so she’s spread wide. I stand up and push off my boxer briefs before I settle down on the bed at her pussy. I wrap my arms around her thighs and pin her down as I slowly, teasingly, trace my tongue over every soft part of her. I take my time savoring each tender fold and her slick entrance that’s keeping me nourished.

  “Such a fucking greedy princess.” Because every time I lick her opening, she clenches, trying to keep my tongue inside her. When I brush my thumb over the tight ring of her entrance, I know exactly what it is. “Is this all mine?” I lick around her hymen and then finger it again.

  “Oh god, don’t stop.”

  “Answer me, Lindsey.” She whines and raises her hips to my mouth. “You want me to take it?”

  “Yes!” she snaps and then grinds down on my mouth as I suck her clit.

  Just as she starts to cum, I plunge three fingers into her at once. She gasps and then moans as her body fights between pleasure and pain. My dick is bigger than those three fingers, but it’s the only way to get her ready.

  I’m gentle as her body adjusts and I slowly draw her orgasm out for as long as possible. By the time it’s over, she’s limp on the bed with a sheen of sweat covering her skin. Lightning cracks outside, and for a second it bathes the whole room in light. Every inch of her is perfection and all I want to do is worship her for the rest of my life.

 

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