AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The kite sagged, and the guy scuttled backwards to take out the slack. “I dunno. I’d, uh, have to look at the packaging. Some outfit in the Bay Area. Hey, dude. I gotta catch this breeze. Take it easy.”
He darted away, casting nervous glances back over his shoulder.
Sean stared after him, heart pounding. Liv was saying something, but he could only make out the soothing tone. He hugged her fiercely.
“It’s OK, it’s OK,” she was murmuring, over and over.
He shook his head. It wasn’t OK. He was losing it.
“…was that all about?” she was asking him gently.
He took a deep breath, and blurted out the truth. “That kite,” he said, exhausted. “That black and orange design. It’s one of Kev’s. He painted it on the ceiling of our bedroom when we were kids.”
“Ah.” Her arms tightened. She pressed her warm, soft lips against his shoulder. “And did you think that—”
“No,” he broke in savagely. “I didn’t think. Kev’s been dead fifteen years. And I still didn’t think. See? That’s my problem. I never think.”
“No.” Her soft voice was stubborn. “You don’t have a problem. You think just fine. You just think…differently. But you’re brilliant.”
The burst of laughter hurt his throat. “Brilliant. Freaking out over a kite while I’m supposed to be protecting you? Yeah, babe. Genius.”
He stared into those black-fringed gray eyes. Felt sweaty-palmed hunger grip him, revving his engines. Adrenaline, shifting into lust.
She sensed it, and stiffened. “Don’t you give me that look, you sex freak. You’re not going to get lucky with me on a public beach in broad daylight, so get it out of your head.”
He saw a solution. Made for it, towing her behind him.
“And just where do you think you’re taking me?” she asked.
He jerked his chin at the building. “That hotel.”
Liv stumbledinto the hotel room, backing up as Sean advanced on her. She circled the bed, putting it between them. He pulled the drapes closed with a hard yank. They stared at each other in the dimness.
That predatory look in his eyes made her feel like a quivering virgin who could barely guess what was in store for her. Heart hammering, belly tightening, breathless excitement. Her lips, her breasts, her crotch, all tingled and buzzed. Her laughing, teasing, playful Sean who wheedled and coaxed and patiently, skillfully seduced her into sex was nowhere to be seen.
This man would not coax. He would take what he wanted.
He made her stammering and stupid; his big, gorgeous body, the stark beauty of his battered face. Those eyes. He could ignite desperate yearning inside her with just one smoldering look.
And it was all the more potent for the silence, the waiting.
He ripped off the shirt he’d bought that morning. She just couldn’t get used to the lean, sinewy perfection of his body.
“You’re wearing some of that sexy underwear under that dress?” The seductive rasp of his voice dragged over her nerves like silken fur.
She tried to reply, but her breath was too uneven. A stuttering squeak came out. She opted for a nervous nod.
“Strip,” he said softly. “Show me.”
She leaned down, began unbuckling the delicate ankle straps.
“No,” he said. “Leave on the shoes.”
She straightened, running her hands over the curves of her body, modeling the stretchy sheath dress for him. It was sexy, comfy, a blend of rust, orange and brown. The nine hundred dollar price tag that had dangled from the sleeve was a blatant provocation. “Do you like my dress?” she asked shakily. “I hope so, because you paid enough for it.”
“I like it fine,” he growled. “Get it off.”
She took her time, tugging up the clinging skirt, in no hurry to reveal the lingerie she’d put on that morning. The thigh-high brown stockings, trimmed with brown and gilt lace that by some freak of masterful design actually stayed up. The chiffon panties, the sheer, clinging chemise. The transparent demi-bra, which hoisted her boobs up to unheard-of heights while still managing to look delicate.
