"Jesus, Isla," his voice is strained. "I need to move, baby, is that okay?"
I nod.
"Good girl. I’m never going to be same again."
Huh? What does he mean by that?
Before I can ask, he’s plunging in and out of me. Each time he bottoms out inside me, my entire body shudders. Sweat slides down the valley between my breasts. I bury my fingers in the blankets and hold on as he fucks me. The trembling tightens into a ball at the base of my spine that curves in on itself. The next time he buries himself in me, I cry out. The climax slices through me, taking me by surprise. The orgasm carries me high, higher than I’ve ever been. I’m dimly aware of his low shout, then he comes inside me.
He lowers his weight to mine, pinning me to the bed. For a few seconds, we stay that way. His heart jackhammers in his ribcage, mirroring the frantic fluttering of mine. I turn my head and nuzzle his shoulder, drawing that dark, spicy scent of him inside my lungs. My insides quiver, and my core clenches again. It’s crazy how just smelling him turns me on so much.
"Me, too," he murmurs against my hair as if he heard me. It’s uncanny how he seems to sense my thoughts even before I do myself.
He slides to the side and pulls me on top. Against my hip, I feel the length of his cock throb again. When I place my chin on his chest and glance up at him, he chuckles. "Seems when it comes to you, I’m insatiable."
"Me, too," I echo his earlier words.
His gaze softens. He frames my face, then pulls me in for a kiss. "We need a shower."
My heart stutters. I shake my head. "Not yet." I pretend to yawn. "I need my rest first." I pillow my cheek on his chest and close my eyes.
He hesitates, then closes his arms about me. In a few minutes, his breathing deepens. I stay still until his body twitches, indicating he’s slipped into deeper sleep. Then another half an hour or so, until his heartbeat has slowed down and his muscles have relaxed one by one. I slide out of his embrace, then off the bed. I glance around and realize my clothes are scattered in and around the swimming pool. I walk into his bathroom, pull on a bathrobe, then head toward my room. Once there, I pick up my phone and dial Zara’s number.
She answers on the second ring. "Everything okay?"
"I need your help."
21
Liam
When I wake up the next morning, she’s gone. I throw my arm behind my head and lay in bed for a few minutes. Somehow, I’m not surprised. The sex last night had been a surprise. True to my word, I took her out to dinner, not with the intention of bedding her, but because I wanted to surprise her, to make her feel cherished. An emotion I don’t normally associate with women. I’ve slept with them in the past, but never allowed them to get close. I’ve always drawn the line when it comes to my personal life.
Although, I was conscious of the contents of my father’s will and knew, at some point, I’d have to choose a life-partner and deliver on the clauses, it always seemed like something in the distant future. I kept putting it off, never allowing myself to emotionally engage with any of them, and one day, I woke up, close to forty, and realized I didn’t have anyone to call my own. To be fair, I’d yet to meet anyone I wanted to get intimate with, someone with whom I could lower my barriers and allow them to get to know me better. I’d never wanted to find out more about any of them, either.
I’d reconciled myself to a possible marriage where I’d have a safe relationship. One in which the boundaries would be known and never overstepped. One in which both partners knew what was expected of them. A safe connection which went only as far as was needed to deliver on the demands posed by my father’s will. And no further.
Then she came along and turned my world upside down. It’s no wonder I reacted so strongly to her from the beginning. What I thought was hate was a form of self-preservation. A deep attraction that my body had sensed, an attachment my subconscious had instantly recognized but my mind had not been able to fathom. No wonder I’d expended so much energy in pushing her away. My instinct had known that if she slipped under my skin, it would be very difficult to resist her. I should have known fighting the draw was going to be futile.
As a business man, I know when I no longer have the winning hand. Know when to retreat. Know when to join forces, rather than initiate a hostile takeover. And now, it's time to apply these lessons to my personal life. It’s time to embrace what I’ve been unwilling to accept all along. That she came into my life at the right time, and a part of me immediately recognized her. It’s time to accept her. To accept that she’s the right partner for me. The chemistry between us is earth shattering, the sex is soul destroying, and the banter we share stimulates my intelligence like no one ever has. It makes a strong case for a very promising partnership.
As for the question of a child? We can enjoy ourselves while we deliver on that stipulation. Why deprive ourselves of a pleasurable experience when we can make a baby the normal way? And after the child is born… We can still go our own ways. We’ll co-parent, of course, maybe even stay in the marriage and take advantage of our physical compatibility.
Naturally, she can use my contacts and connections to continue to grow her own business. It will benefit the both of us. I’m sure she’ll see the wisdom in that.
Mind made up, I spring out of bed, then rush through my shower and get dressed. I walk down into the kitchen and come to a halt.
Clustered around the kitchen island are Zara Chopra, Summer West, and a woman I don’t recognize, but who looks vaguely familiar.
Apparently, I was sleeping so soundly, I didn’t hear the engines of the plane that brought them in. How strange. I never sleep that deeply. Not since—the aftermath of the incident. Evidently, there’s nothing like sex with her to lull me into complacency. Something I need to be careful about in the future.
With her back to me, Isla stands in front of the cooking surface. She places another pancake onto an already heaped stack. "I think you guys are going to love these strawberry pancakes.”
She turns, spots me, and her gaze narrows. Without acknowledging my presence, she walks over to the table and slides the pancakes into the center. Then she grabs the bottle of maple syrup, along with the non-dairy butter, and places them near the pancakes. She walks around to take her seat next to Zara.
The women look at me, then back at Isla. For a second, no one speaks.
Then Zara raises her hand. "Hey, Liam, hope you don’t mind us gals coming a few days early. We wanted to help Isla with the wedding preparations."