“You won’t.”
“What about you? That last comment he made...” Her stomach tightened with dread.
“He said it best. He’s an asshole. I’m used to it.”
“You should have made him pay for dinner after that innuendo.”
“Believe me, that’s the last check I’m picking up for him. But it won’t be the last time we’re all together. And he’s probably going to say something insensitive again. I’m going to leave it to Maggie to shut him up. Instead, I’m going to remember that I get to do this any time I want.” Gray slipped his hand along her cheek and drew her in for a soft kiss.
“Yes. You can do that any time you want.”
His devilish grin said there was a lot more to come. But instead of kissing her again, he took her hand and drew her around the building to a path and stairs that led down to the beach. The wind had died down to a soft breeze, but it was the California coast at night, so it was cold. She slipped off her strappy heels and held them in her hand. Gray pulled off his shoes and socks and rolled up his slacks.
“You have really big feet.”
He wiggled his toes in the sand. “Compared to your dainty ones, yeah.” He stood and took her hand. They walked along the beach away from the restaurant, past an outcropping of rocks that hid them from the other diners. Beyond that, another stretch of secluded beach bordered the coastal road above them.
The crashing waves lulled them as they walked closer to the water. There were a few others out enjoying the evening but they were far enough away that it felt like she and Gray had the beach to themselves.
“I’m sorry.” She didn’t say why, because he’d sat through that awkward dinner, quiet and also trying his best to make it all seem normal.
Gray stopped and she turned to him. “You don’t have to apologize. It was Marc. And I hate that he made you feel like you’d done something wrong.”
“I did. I went home with a stranger and because I didn’t know the kind of man he is, these are the consequences.”
“You thought you’d never see him again.”
“That did not work out so well for me. Or for you and Maggie,” she sulked. “It feels like this is ruining the happiness they should be feeling leading up to their wedding. It feels like it’s coming between us, especially when Marc uses it to taunt you.”
“He’s an asshole.”
“I’m going to get that needlepointed on a pillow and give it to you for Christmas.”
Gray grinned. “There’s the spirit. We’ll be together at Christmas. Something for both of us to look forward to.”
She laughed under her breath. “Any time I get to spend with you is something to look forward to and enjoy.”
“Then let’s stop talking about him.” Gray sat and pulled her in front of him and tugged her hand for her to sit between his legs.
She did and leaned back into him.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her head as they watched the waves roll in and the stars sparkle overhead.
“This is really nice.” She snuggled into him and felt his cock thicken against her back.
He brushed his hands up and down her forearms and kissedher head again, dipping his head low to her ear. “I desperately want to touch you.”
Out here, in the dark, the waves crashing so loud no one could hear them, it felt as if they were completely alone in an intimate bubble all their own.
“I really want you to touch me.” She shifted, rubbing her back against his thick dick.
His hands slipped under her arms and brushed across her belly, then came up and cupped her breasts. She was wearing a thin black cashmere sweater with a lace-trimmed bra beneath. She arched into his hands as he caressed and molded her breasts in his big hands. He squeezed her tight nipples between his thumbs and fingers, plucking at the aching buds.
She moaned and pressed her thighs tight to ease the ache building between them.
One hand left her aching breast so he could pull her hair away from her neck. He kissed her softly and slipped his other hand up under her sweater, rubbed it over both breasts, then freed one from the bra cup and palmed her breast, with her hard nipple trapped between two of his fingers. “God, you feel so good. I want more.”
She turned her head into the deep, penetrating kiss as he tugged her nipple, sending a wave of heat racing through her system.