If You Fall (Brimstone 1)

Miranda

We walked along the boardwalk that skirted the beach road, and listened to the sound of the surf in the distance. He held my hand and we breathed in deeply the cool salty air. It was a relief after the heat of the day.

We stopped at a narrow walkway that led to the beach and he pulled me towards it.

“Want to go wet our feet?” he asked.

I laughed and kicked off my heels. “Sure,” I said, wanting to have fun for a change. Usually, I’d be afraid to be out in the darkness with a strange man, but I felt safe with Beckett. Besides, the limo was trailing along beside us.

Beckett removed his jacket and tie, then unbuttoned his shirt before rolling up his sleeves. He removed his socks and rolled up his pant legs, and we ran down the beach towards the surf. There was a full moon out and so the foam was white and the lights along the beach road ensured we could see pretty clearly.

I reached the edge of the surf and squealed when the water surrounded my feet and went up to my ankles.

“Holy cow,” I said with a laugh. “That’s cold.”

Beckett ran into the surf, laughing out loud when he was soaked up to his knees. He whooped and ran around, then splashed me when I tried to get away. Finally, we held hands once more and he pulled me against him, his other arm around me. I nestled into his embrace and we stood and watched the ocean. Moonlight glittered on the waves and the surf roared.

Then he kissed me, one hand on my c

heek. When he pulled back, I saw the scar from the corner of my eye and couldn’t help but look at it. At first, it sent a jolt of adrenaline through me but then I looked up into his eyes, so blue and honest. I knew that I wanted him, no matter what. The scar just made him more real to me. Human. Vulnerable.

He could have died in Afghanistan. He was brave.

He was a hero.

“Come back to my hotel,” he said, his voice warm and deep.

I said nothing in reply. Instead, I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed him again. When he kissed me back, I heard his sharp intake of breath, as if he didn’t think I’d agree and was surprised.

He kissed me deeply this time, hungrily, one hand sliding down my back to stroke and then squeeze one buttock through the thin fabric of my dress. It sent a thrill of desire through my body, and my flesh throbbed in response to the thought that soon, there’d be nothing between us. I couldn’t wait to feel his hands on me, his mouth on me, and to taste him.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me up the beach to where we left our things and where the limo waited. The driver opened the door for us and I slid in with Beckett following me. I took my seat and struggled to fasten the seat belt, but he stopped me and did it for me, smiling at me when he noticed my hands shaking just a bit.

He buckled his own seat belt, and put one arm around me on the back of the seat, pulling my face towards him for another blistering kiss. I sank into the kiss, turning off everything else in the world except for his mouth, his tongue, his hand slipping down my cheek to my shoulder and then my breast. He squeezed it, pressing it up, then he broke the kiss and bent down to kiss the top of my breasts before running his tongue up from one curve to my throat and then he nipped at my earlobe.

All of this sent shocks of lust to my core, igniting my desire, which had lain dormant for so many months since Dan died and I was mourning him. But now, Beckett woke all that up once more and I felt alive again.

Fully alive, my senses awake, my body ready for him.

I barely noticed the drive to his hotel, absorbed by his mouth on me, his kisses along the curve of my bare shoulder after he’d pushed down the fabric and slid down my bra strap to reveal one breast, nipple and all. I didn’t care if the driver saw Beckett suck my nipple. I was too focused on the warm wetness of his mouth and tongue as he sucked and ran his teeth softly over the hard bud. He slid one hand up my thigh, under my silky dress, until he found my panties and slipped his fingers underneath the fabric.

I wantonly spread my thighs ever so slightly, because at that moment, I wanted to feel his fingers on me, needed to feel his fingers touch me. He pushed me back and stroked me gently, and when he finally touched my clit, I groaned and that seemed to encourage him.

Of course, it was then that the car came to a stop and I came back to reality, my eyes flying open. Beckett pulled away and helped straighten my clothes, pulling up my bra strap and the shoulder of my dress. He looked in my eyes and smiled knowingly, then adjusted himself. I couldn’t help but glance down and in the light coming in from the brightly lit hotel entrance, I saw his erection straining at his pants.

The knowledge that in only a few moments, I’d have him in my hand, in my mouth, in my body, made my heart race, a thrill of pure excitement in my belly.

As we struggled out of the limo, Beckett helping me, holding my hand, I imagined sitting on him, riding him while he leaned forward and sucked my nipples, one after the other.

Beckett said something to the driver and then pulled me into the hotel, past the concierge and the night desk clerk, who nodded at him.

We made our way down the hallways, the familiar decorations reminding me of the failed attempt to do this last night.

Tonight, I would not balk when he removed his shirt and I saw his scar again. Tonight, I couldn’t wait to get into the room with him and take off his clothes so I could see what was underneath the crisp white shirt and sober grey suit.

We took the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, he wasted no time and leaned against the wall, his hands on my hips, pulling me against him so that I felt his erection. We kissed as the elevator rose, and then separated when it opened to the top floor.

Beckett pulled me down the hallway and opened the door to his suite. He admitted me into the dimly lit interior, and before I could even put my bag down, he closed the door and pressed me against the wall beside it, taking my bag out of my hand and dropping it to the floor.