He kisses my palm, then sits up to discard his shirt. My hands immediately find his chest, gliding down to his flat, muscled stomach.
But it’s always the tattoos that catch my eye.
“I love your ink,” I whisper.
“I know,” he says and covers me again, kissing me as if it’s the last time. He grips my wrists and pins my hands over my head, making my back arch, giving him better access to kiss and taunt my nipples.
My legs are restless, squeezing to find some relief from the pressure building, but Wyatt grins and maneuvers between them, spreading me wide.
“Wyatt.”
“Yes, baby.”
“I’m gonna need you to—” I gasp when he drags two fingers down my torso, over my pubis, and through my slick folds.
“What?”
“I don’t remember.”
He chuckles. “Say it.”
“I need you.” I hear the whimper in my voice but don’t have enough wits about me to care. “Inside me.”
“In here?” he asks, pushing his fingers into me, stretching me deliciously.
“Oh, yeah.”
“Does that feel good, beautiful?” He plucks my nipple with his lips, making a smacking sound as he fucks me with his fingers, still pinning my wrists with his other hand. I feel the tension building.
“Jesus, I’m going to come.”
“I certainly hope so.” He presses his thumb to my clit, and it’s all I need to fall over the edge.
He kisses me deeply, still fondling me lightly, and when my body calms, he reaches for the box of condoms, suits up, and guides himself inside me.
But rather than taking me fast and hard, which I’m expecting, he takes long, slow strokes as if his dick is memorizing every inch of my pussy.
He brushes the pad of his thumb over my lower lip, watching me intently.
I squeeze and watch in satisfaction when his eyes close, and he loses control, coming around me and in me.
He buries his face in my neck, breathing hard, still shivering.
“Incredible,” he whispers before he moves off of me, and shifts to my side, pulling me to him.
I let my eyes close, just intending to rest, but fall into sleep, listening to Wyatt’s heartbeat against my ear.
Someone is doing marvelous things to my back.
I’m coming out of sleep and realize that I’m on my stomach. Naked.
I’m on my stomach naked.
I fling my eyes open and look over my shoulder at Wyatt, who’s braced over me, kissing my shoulders.
And my ass is naked.
With the lights on.
I move to turn over, but he calmly holds me in place and continues his kissing spree.
“I think these shoulders are so damn sexy.” His tongue travels from one side to the other. “Firm, but feminine. And the way the muscles curve in to your spine is hot.”
“I have a bony back,” I reply, still tense. Vinnie used to tell me all the time that for a skinny girl, I sure had the fattest ass out there. I’ve mastered the art of camouflage with clothes. I make sure I have sex on my back, or in the dark.
And now I don’t have any of that armor on me, and I might have the first panic attack of my life.
“Wyatt—”
“Shh. Did you know that you have two perfect little dimples right over your ass?”
Fuck. Yes, and cellulite for days, if the truth be known.
“You’re safe here,” he says quietly, and tears immediately spring to my eyes. He kisses just above my ass crack, then sinks his teeth into the fleshy part of my left cheek. I bite my lip, suddenly incredibly turned on, but still self-conscious.
“Wyatt, I appreciate you wanting to make me feel—”
“Sexy? Desired? Hotter than fuck? Because that’s what you are. I can tell that you have issues with this part of your body.” His hands slowly move up and down over my cheeks, massaging firmly. “I don’t know why, and I probably don’t want to know why. But I can tell you this. I’ve never seen a woman that I want more in all of my life, Amelia. Your ass is heart-shaped, and the perfect size for my hands.”
I grip my pillow when his fingertips move inside my upper thighs, gently brushing over my swollen lips. Dear God, every time he does this, I’m convinced that I’ve never been more turned on in my life.
This is no exception.
But this time, I’m not just turned on, I’m self-conscious and trying really hard to let go of that.
It’s not easy.
“And it leads to the most amazing pussy,” he whispers, pressing a wet kiss to where my ass meets my thigh. He braces his forehead on my butt and sighs deeply. “I want to sink inside you so badly right now, but we used the last condom earlier.”
“Oh, I’ve been on the pill for years,” I assure him, needing to feel him inside me again. “I can’t get pregnant.”
“Amelia.”
I turn to look at him and see so much in his eyes. Affection. Lust. Trust.
It’s the trust that makes my heart stutter because by God, I trust him, too.
“You can trust me,” he says.
“I know.” I bite my lip, take a deep breath, and brace on my knees, pushing my ass in the air.
“Jesus,” he mutters before sliding inside me, making us both sigh in pleasure. “I just . . . fuck, Amelia.”
“So damn good,” I agree with a smile.
~Wyatt~
I didn’t plan to fall in love again. No fucking way. Not that I planned to be celibate for the rest of my life either. That would just suck.
But amicable, physical relationships were all that appealed to me.
Until Amelia.
I’m not saying I’m in love with her. I don’t know that yet. But I do know that I’m taken with her. I want to be with her, and when I’m not, my mind wanders to her. She’s been bad for my productivity at work.
But she’s the best thing that has happened to me in a long, long time.
I’m on my side, my head propped in my hand, watching her sleep. The early morning sunshine is coming through the window, lighting up the room. Her lips are parted slightly as she dreams.
I swear to Jesus, I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman than Amelia in my life. Not just because she’s physically stunning, but because of who she is.
Honest.
Funny as hell.
She loves her family.
And she’s vulnerable while being incredibly strong. I’ve known that she has a hang-up about her ass. Flipping over every time I want to take her from behind isn’t exactly hiding it. I’d like to deck the bastard that ever dared to make her feel less than amazing.
But, she’s mine now. And I intend to make her feel safe every damn day.
She turns toward me and rests her hand on my hip, then buries her face in the pillow and goes back to sleep. I can see her phone behind her on the bedside table. It’s on silent, but it keeps lighting up with notifications. It’s been doing that all damn night.
The woman needs a break from work.
I kiss her forehead and ease out of bed, careful not to wake her. I pull on last night’s clothes, then hurry across the street to my house and change.
Maybe we both need a break from work this weekend. Nothing crazy, but something to get us out of the house and away from our desks. I prop my hands on my waist, look blindly around the room, thinking. Then the sunlight on the Sound catches my eye, and an idea takes root.
I hurry to the closet and pack a bag for a couple of days. Then I hurry down and load it into my car, glancing over at Amelia’s house. No movement yet.
I’d like to be the one to wake her this morning.
So I hurry down the street to a café and order us both coffees and pastries, and then rush into a small grocery store for waters and snacks.
I pull into her driveway and walk into her house, stopping to listen.
No movement.
She’s still in bed when I walk into her bedroom, on her belly now, hugging th
e pillow and snoozing away. I set our coffees on the table next to her and climb onto the bed.
“Amelia,” I whisper into her ear. She wiggles her nose.
“Mm.”
“Amelia,” I repeat and kiss her cheek. “Wake up, sweetheart.”
“No,” she murmurs, making me grin. “Tired.”
“I know, but I need you to wake up.”
I brush her hair off of her neck and press a kiss there. “Come on, baby.”
“No sex,” she says and yawns. “You got enough last night.”
I cock a brow. “No amount of sex is ever enough with you,” I reply. “But no, I’m not trying to have sex with you right now.”
One eye opens to a slit, and she observes me.
“You’re dressed.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Why are you dressed?”
I chuckle and kiss her cheek again, “You just told me that you’re not in the mood for any more sex.”
“So?” She reaches out, and her hand finds my thigh. “You’re in jeans.”
“Nothing gets past you, does it?”
She frowns and boosts herself up onto her elbows, giving me just a peek of her breasts.
“Hey, caveman, I’m up here.”
“You have a crease right here from the sheet.” My finger follows the line across the top of her breasts, and her breath catches.
“Have I mentioned that I sincerely like your hands?” she asks. “They do nice things to me.”
I just shake my head and watch her as the sleep leaves her eyes.
“I smell coffee.”
“Took a minute.”
“Don’t make me hurt you. I just woke up.”
“Violent, aren’t we?”
“If you don’t give me the coffee, you’ll see violence.”
I laugh and reach for our cups and pass her one.
“You went to the café? What time is it?”
“It’s only eight.”
She sits up, tucks the sheet around her, and frowns at me. “You’re awfully perky in the morning. Is this normal? Because if it is, it could be a deal-breaker.”
“Would you rather I was grouchy?”
“I’d rather you were asleep.” She takes a sip and then tips her head back and moans, making my dick twitch. “But this is lovely. And you’re very sweet to me. I’m sorry I’m so grouchy in the morning.”
“I need you to get up and pack a bag,” I inform her before I strip naked and pound her into the mattress until neither of us can feel our legs. “The sooner, the better.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m taking you somewhere, just for the weekend. Nowhere fancy. In fact, think very casual. Just the basics.”
She tips her head, studying me with her hands wrapped around her hot cup. “Casual and basic.” She thinks about it as she takes another sip of her coffee. “Okay. Do you have to go pack?”
“I’m ready to go when you are.” I climb off the bed and smile down at her. “And I’m anxious to get on the road.”
“Where are we going?”
“Don’t worry, you won’t need your passport.”
“You know,” she says two hours later as we sit on the ferry and watch Seattle disappear into the water behind us. “I’ve never been on a ferry.”
“Really?”
“Nope. It’s kind of fun.”
I drape my arm over her shoulders, and she leans into me, resting her head against me. I bury my lips in her hair and take a deep breath, taking in the smell of her.
“How often have you been to the San Juans?” she asks. I had to tell her where we were going once we got to the ferry. Her face lit up with excitement.
“A few times,” I reply. “I’ve never been where we’re staying, though. It has great reviews, and it’s close to the beach as well as other things like hiking if you’re interested.”
“I even brought appropriate shoes,” she says with a chuckle. “And I’m warning you, I brought very little makeup. Mostly just skincare stuff. You said we were taking the weekend off, and for me, that means little makeup.”
“Excellent.” I kiss her head again. “You’re gorgeous with or without the makeup.”
“And you’re charming,” she murmurs. “Can I ask some questions?”
“You can ask all of the questions, anytime you want to.”
She pulls away so she can see my face. “Even if they’re questions about your ex?”
“Sure.” Being honest with her is always my intention, even if it makes me uncomfortable.
“I wouldn’t normally ask, but after seeing her last night, I’m curious.”
“I understand.” I brush a piece of her hair off her cheek. “Go ahead.”
She looks out at the water as if she’s pulling her thoughts together.
“You’ve already told me what led to the divorce, so I don’t have any questions about that. Infidelity is a deal-breaker, every time.”
“Agreed.”
“I guess it’s interesting to me because your brothers do not like her. Did they like her before the divorce?”
“I think they liked her in the beginning.” I also stare out at the water, thinking it over. “They were always kind to her because she was mine.” I feel Amelia tense up next to me and I glance her way. “Are you sure you want to talk about this?”
“Of course.”
“I think she was different back then. She looked horrible last night. She never used to try so damn hard to look young.”
“It only makes her look older,” Amelia’s voice is soft.
“You’re right. She did always have a bit of an attitude, and there were moments that her snarky side would come out, and I’d have to tell her to reel it in.
“But when we were married, and things were good, she never turned the snark on me. Does that make sense?”
She nods, waiting for me to continue.
“I never planned to divorce her. Not until the day I walked in to see her fucking the pool guy on the kitchen counter.”
Amelia gasps and stares up at me in horror.
“Yeah, pretty clichéd, right?” The outrage doesn’t come back like it used to when I think back on it. “Leading up to that day, we’d had a couple of rough years. I wanted kids, and she didn’t.”
“You didn’t talk about that before you got married?”
“Oh, we did.” I nod and then shrug. “But she claimed to change her mind. I felt the distance growing over time.”
“But you were committed to staying.”
“Of course. Marriage is serious to me, Amelia. I married her for better or worse, ’til death parted us. It’s kind of a big deal.”
“I agree, and I’m not saying that it’s not a big deal. It’s the biggest deal. But I think that a lot of people these days assume they’ll get married, and then if it doesn’t work out . . . oh well, we’ll just get a divorce.”
I nod. “You’re right. Some do feel that way. I’m not one of them.”
The ride on the ferry is smooth. The sun is shining, and sailboats glide by. We can see islands in the distance.
“Why do your brothers call her Cruella?” she asks with a smile.
“Because it’s funny.”
“It really is,” she replies and chuckles. “Do you see her often?”
“No.” I pull her back into my arms and hug her close. “I hadn’t seen her since the day the divorce was final. Of course, I would run into her the day I was with you.”
“Is it weird that I hate that she didn’t change her name?” she asks quietly. “I mean, this is just fun between us, and I’m certainly not staking a claim or anything, but it’s weird that she didn’t change her name. I changed mine the second I could.”
We’re going to talk about this claim-staking nonsense later.
“I didn’t ask her why she didn’t change it,” I reply. “Maybe it was for convenience.”
“Maybe.”
“Any more questions?”
“Not tod
ay.” She smiles up at me, and I can’t help but lean down to kiss her lips.
“Well, good, because we’re almost there.” I point off to the distance, where we can see an island coming into view. “And I refuse to talk about unhappy things on our short vacation.”
“Agreed.” She nods once. “And in case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time.”
I stand and tug her into my arms, hugging her and rocking her back and forth, completely at home with her wrapped around me.
“Me, too, sweetheart.”
“So, what you’re saying is, this is something you like to do often.”
She’s panting in front of me, hiking up the trail in the woods not far from our resort. The trees are bright green, and the whole place reminds me of a rainforest. It’s damp; birds sing above.
It’s perfect.
“Hiking is good for the soul.”
“It makes a girl sweat,” she says, but she’s not whining. She’s just matter-of-fact, and it makes me laugh.
“Well, yeah. You didn’t seem to mind sweating last night.”
“That’s different.” She looks back at me and sticks her tongue out, then marches ahead. “I have to admit, though, it’s beautiful here. I live in a concrete jungle most of the time, and I forget that places like this exist.”
“You’re in good shape,” I comment. “It doesn’t seem like this is too hard for you.”
“Of course, it’s not too hard for me,” she replies, shaking her head. She insisted on carrying her own pack full of supplies when I offered to take everything in mine. She hasn’t complained a bit. “I can do it. I just don’t usually choose to hike in the wilderness. I lean toward girly things. Like shopping.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“But I’m not just a girly girl,” she continues loudly. “I’m also a badass.”
“Never said otherwise. But I would like to know why you’re talking so loud.”
She turns and props her hands on her hips, frowning at me. “So the animals can hear us coming and run away without eating us.”
“Exactly what kind of animals are you evading?” I can’t help but smile, delighted with her.
“You know. Bears. Lions. The kind that eats people.”