Forbidden Lust

“Wakey-wakey.” Grace’s voice rang in my ear, bringing me back to the sound of the crashing waves and the searing sun.

I groaned and pushed the sun hat off my face. “How long have I been asleep?” Too long. My neck and stomach burned. I sat upright and glanced down at my torso. Red and sunburned. My string bikini offered zero protection from the hot afternoon sun.

“Oh, shit.” Grace regarded me.

“You think? I look like the main course at the Lobster Inn.”

“You, of all people, need sunscreen with your white skin.”

“Yes, thank you, Grace. But I’m afraid I’m two hours too late for that!”

“There you are!” Pepper approached us.

“Lourde, oh my God, what did you do?”

I groaned. Her eyes trailed from my face to my stomach. “If you want a tan, you should know with your skin color, you only get two choices… albino or devil red. Bronze isn’t an option.”

“Hilarious. Do you think I was trying to go for this?”

I stood up. Ouch. Just folding to stand, and my skin hurt. I had to get some aloe vera from the pharmacy, stat.

“Wait. What happened last night with Barrett?”

“I’ve been asking her all morning,” Grace said.

“Well, I thought I’d wait till you both here, but now I’m seriously burned. I’ll have to make it quick.”

“Finally!” Grace sighed in frustration.

“Okay, so I may have seduced him.”

“Oh, hell yes,” Pepper said, flopping on my sun chair. “And?”

“And…” I thought about how he’d manhandled me—his fingers inside both holes. The way his lips roughly left their bruising mark on my neck. Mind-blowing orgasms…

“Lourde Diamond, are you blushing?” Grace asked.

“Holy hell. I think he’s ruined sex for me for all eternity.”

Pepper let out a yelp before adding, “Well, you’ve only had a handful of boyfriends.”

“Trust me. If I’d slept with a thousand men, it wouldn’t matter. Him and me together, I don’t know, it’s just…” I fanned myself with my free hand. “I’m all hot just thinking about it.”

Grace and Pepper exchanged glances. “Anyway, I don’t need to tell you this, girls, but we lock this down. No one, and I mean, no one, is to find out, especially Dane and Jake. I’m sure it’s only a one-off anyway… okay twice.” I slid my hair behind my ear and split into a grin. He was quick to turn me down but just as quick to want me and fuck me. Maybe we could continue doing whatever it was we were doing.

“Uh-huh,” Pepper said.

“Once or twice? Hell no, Lourde. Why stop?” Grace asked.

“Yeah, why stop?” Pepper asked in agreement.

“We’ll see. Anyway, he might just reject me again. He likes to do that. I would. He’d be fucking a lobster, and I don’t know about you two, but I wouldn’t fuck me looking like this.” I dragged my hand down my sunburned body.

They both laughed.

“I don’t know. I saw how he looked at you last night at the party when he thought no one was watching. I spotted the lust in his eyes,” Pepper added. A tingle of warmth slashed across my chest, knowing he was watching me from afar. But what else did I want from him?

“Lourde, I know what you're thinking, and don’t go there. Barrett isn’t the relationship type.” Pepper crossed her arms over her chest.

“Oh no, I know that.” I picked up my beach bag, losing the ridiculous thought that Barrett could ever want more from me.

“Not to mention the Connor factor,” Grace added.

“Ah yes, there’s that too.” I’d hate to think what my brother would do if he found out. But there was no way he would. I wasn’t telling him, and neither was Barrett. And I trusted my girls. They wouldn’t tell a soul. “I need to rectify this situation,” I said, peering down my inflamed body.

“Yes, you do,” Grace agreed, and Pepper knowingly nodded.

“If this miraculously improves, I’ll text you later.”

“Get some lotion and sit out of the sun for a few days.”

“It’s Friday!” I groaned.

“There’ll be more parties,” Grace stated. Plus, I think Dane wanted a movie night, which was code for sex session.

“You know I never had that. With any of my exes, I mean. Sex was just average. But I didn’t know any different. I have a new benchmark now, and I love it. I’m screwed, though, because no one will ever be as good as Barrett between the sheets.”

“Well, Jake can’t get me off as well as my vibrator. And Mr. Vee expects nothing in return. If I could marry him, I would.” Pepper deadpanned.

I laughed. “Ow, that hurt my stomach muscles.”

“Go!” Pepper said.

“Okay, I’m going. Love you, girls,” I said, waving goodbye and trudging off through the hot sand.

I felt my phone vibrate in my striped beach bag. Pulling it out, the word ‘Mother’ flashed on the screen. Damn. I hadn’t called her back after she left a few messages since arriving in the Hamptons.

“Hi, Momma.”