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The brooding, dangerous man with the heart of gold. He was my destiny.
My one true love.
CHAPTER 23
Delaney
Vibrant.
Beautiful.
Magical.
That was the only way I could describe Key West in its entirety. I was mesmerized by the sights and sounds, music blaring from every other building, festive lighting keeping the street illuminated, highlighting people in costumes, every single person either laughing, dancing or both. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of people on the street when we left Margaritaville, a restaurant and bar living up to the legendary artist who’d created such an incredible kingdom of music and food.
It was casual, the band crooning out Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney songs as if they were their own. We’d enjoyed shrimp and conch fritters, margaritas and even a shot of tequila as if we were natives. I could imagine living here. Even the weather wasperfect, not a cloud in the sky and the light breeze drifting the scents of various foods and perfumes all around us.
I could almost forget everything we’d been through, the horrors of the fire, the lingering echoes of the horrible man’s voice.
Almost…
“Oops! Sorry!” The man ran into me with such a powerful force that I was pitched backward, startled to the point of squealing. And in turn, I noticed Francois reaching for his weapon. I’d seen it, the outline clear in the light jacket he’d worn. The man was laughing, so drunk that his body was swaying back and forth. He wore a hat shaped like a parrot, the feathers hiding a portion of his face, his garish attire indicating a tourist.
His friends grabbed his arm, trying to right him while I shook my head at Francois, imploring him with my eyes to back down. The colorfully dressed man was no threat, just a guy out with his buddies, enjoying a good time.
“No problem,” I told him.
What did the guy do? Responded by yanking me forward, kissing my cheek. Then he pirouetted away into the crowd while I stood laughing like a kid.
Meanwhile, Francois’s clenched jaw was illuminated by the neon glow of the gay bar in front of us. “Stop. He was just being friendly,” I told him.
“I don’t particularly like anyone being friendly to you.”
“My, possessive, aren’t we?” I turned around, walking backward so I could make faces at him.
“Always and don’t forget it.” He grabbed my arm, yanking me forward against his chest, cupping the back of my head. As we stood still, staring into each other’s eyes, it seemed as if everything else faded around us. There was no one left on the street but the two of us, two broken people who would soon indulge in their unbridled passion.
Or so I hoped.
I slid my hand up his chest, crawling my fingers around his neck, tangling them in his hair. “I don’t plan on it,” I managed to whisper a split second before he captured my mouth, gently opening my lips. He held the stance, not moving whatsoever for a full ten seconds before sliding his tongue inside.
He tasted like remnants of remoulade and tequila, the combination exciting every taste bud in my mouth. As he swept his tongue back and forth, his cock hardened, pressing against my stomach. He had to tease me further, grinding his hips. Perhaps he was giving me a hint of things to come.
As always, he was dominant, his passion knowing no bounds. I was shocked how stimulated I’d become, as if this was our first kiss. Maybe the humid air, the ocean breeze, and the way noise filtered around us added to the level of excitement, but he was the only one who could stimulate all my senses, making me feel as if I was flying from a single kiss.
When he broke our moment of intimacy, he held me close, his breathing ragged. The way he brushed his lips across mine brought another wave of tingles down the back of my legs, his hold so tight I could barely breathe. Perhaps he was fearful of letting me go, certain I’d be taken away from him. If only things could be like this forever.
“What now?” I finally asked.
He didn’t answer right away, fisting and yanking my head, exposing my neck. When he rubbed his teeth across my jaw, I shuddered in his hold, stars flashing in front of my eyes. “Now, I take you somewhere special.”
“Where is that?”
Francois leaned back, giving me a commanding look. “If I told you then it wouldn’t be a surprise. Just promise me that you’ll open up your mind.”
“Hmm… You have me intrigued.”
Backing away, he grabbed my hand. “Good. I always want to keep you that way.”
