He didn’t speak. Didn’t move. He just sat, gorgeously rigid, his burning gaze never leaving hers. Waiting. Making her take what she wanted.
Because Hunter did show, not tell. He let his actions speak. But suddenly she realized he might need her tell. And that was definitely ‘working harder’ for her.
“I want you, okay?” She told him before kissing him and straddling his lap. “I’ve not thought about anything but you since you walked away.” She positioned herself carefully and slipped down on him, sucking in a breath of delight as she told her secrets. “I can’t sleep at night because I’m so fucking hot for you. I’ve always been hot for you. Since Manhattan.” She slid up and down, slowly teasing them both. “One look, that first night and I wanted you. I still want you. It scares me how much I want and that’s the problem. But I give in, okay? I want to kiss you all over. I want to touch you. I want to feel you underneath me like this. I want your weight holding me down. I want you inside me, fucking me so hard I can’t speak any more.” She gasped as he stood and quickly flipped her so she was flat on the bed. He pinioned her beneath him, locked deep inside her. But she couldn’t stop now—the truth had been unleashed and it was an unstoppable tide. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything and I don’t know when I’m not going to want you anymore.”
Shit. She hadn’t meant to say that last. She looked into his eyes, startled by her own admission.
“Thank you. For finally. Fucking. Admitting it,” he growled. His hips brutally emphasized every word.
He was so deep her eyes watered and she whimpered—because it was so good. So good she wasn’t sure she was going to survive. His hand twisted in her hair, fisting at the side of her forehead. Holding her still so his black eyes burned into hers and she couldn’t turn away. She couldn’t even close her eyes to hide from him.
“Don’t deny me again,” he ordered harshly. “Don’t deny this.”
“No,” she acquiesced on a shaking breath. “Not any more.” She ran her hands down his back, settling on his tight butt. She needed him to understand though. “I needed the time Hunter,” she muttered softly. “This isn’t easy. Not for me.”
He stilled, his muscles straining as he stopped his devastating caresses. “Okay,” he said softly through gritted teeth. “Okay.” But then he clutched her closer, grinding as he whispered back. “It isn’t that easy for me either.”
Something unspoken rose between them, a mute understanding that this was something more.
Except she couldn’t let it become more complicated. There couldn’t be feelings or desires beyond what was happening right now.
“But we can keep it as just this, right?” she gasped.
The corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked smile. “You might want to hang on.”
That wasn’t the answer she needed. But it was what she wanted. Her fingers dug into the taut muscles of his butt as he thrust hard and fast again. There was so much power in his body and right now every ounce of it was driving into her.
“Hunter—”
He silenced her in blistering, fantastic fashion. She never wanted to breathe again, never wanted to break this kiss. His muscles jerked, spasming, as if he couldn’t quite keep them under control—as if they’d been under control for so long, they were rebelling now they were finally freed. So powerful, so forceful. She tore her mouth free and cried out—raking her hands down the strong, muscular breadth of him. He was so big, he claimed every part of her. Every one of her senses was honed to his mastery.
“Oh yes,” she sobbed. “Yes. Yes.”
He came right with her, matching her scream with his roar.
Long moments later he carefully lifted and rolled to his side to face her.
“Let’s do it every way we can think of,” she panted, delightedly, wriggling her toes, practically floating in pleasure.
“In for a penny, in for a pound?” His half-laugh, half-groan was the sexiest sound she’d heard in her life.
Yes. If she was doing this, she was going the whole way—burning him from her system. “Lots and lots and lots, okay?” She didn’t care about aches or lack of sleep. She wanted to overdose, to gorge herself until she simply couldn’t take anymore.
“I should’ve packed vitamins,” he said dryly.
“I think you can handle it,” She turned, hungrily admiring his body. “I know you can.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “So far, so all-or-nothing.”
“Just kiss me, okay? Kiss me and keep kissing me.”
“Because that’s all you want from me,” he said.
Because he did it so damn well. Because she didn’t want to talk anymore and let more foolish truths slip out.
“And it’s all you want from me,” she said. “You said it first. That was your deal-breaker. You didn’t come here to ask questions or find answers. You came here to fuck me. So get on with it.”
“Wow, feisty.”
“Honest. Not holding back.”
“Holding so much back, you’re full of shit.” He flipped her onto her back again.
“Not half as much as you,” she argued. “But it doesn’t matter does it? Neither of us are here for that.”
He ripped the used condom off and snapped a fresh one on. To her astonishment he was hard again, his cock straining to the ceiling. The man wasn’t human. And she liked it.
All those months ago he’d watched her working at the pop-up pizzeria. He’d silently leaned against a post as she’d worked in the late hours and ensured her safety. He’d stayed until she’d closed up and gotten her ride home. He hadn’t once offered to help her. He’d known she’d refuse. But he’d kept watch over her.
And she’d let him. More than that, she’d watched him too—until she’d had to leave the city altogether. Because she’d gotten too tempted. She’d imagined it so many times… imagined walking up, wrapping her arms around him and planting a kiss on his somber lips. She’d burned to know what his reaction would be. But she already knew—because she saw it in his intense eyes. The way his focus followed her. He’d wrap his arms around her in return. And he’d never let her go.
Okay so that last was total wish fulfillment. She was projecting on him, wasn’t she? The fantasy of a strong silent type who’d protect her. Care for her. Keep her safe for ever and ever and ever… It was pure fairytale and it wasn’t about to come true. She didn’t need it. She refused to let herself need it. Because it was impossible.
And that was her trouble. He was the kind of guy who she’d want to keep her close forever and ever. But she couldn’t keep him. She wasn’t the woman for any guy in that way. Not Hunter, not anyone. With her history, it wouldn’t be fair.
And the truth was, Hunter didn’t want her for anything more than the physical release she could give him. He was muscle-for-hire. They were like kindred spirits—people who didn’t settle down. Loners. He was just more honest about it than she.
Nothing in life lasted. This she knew. So she couldn’t stay scared. She couldn’t keep wishing for the impossible.
Hunter had to be harmless and fun—and what better distraction for the next few days? Couldn’t sleeping with him stop her from worrying about something about far more important? That one thing that she never, ever let herself think of? Her trip home, her way overdue appointment at the hospital.
“I finish here in a fortnight,” she said as she ran her hands over his body in the way she’d dreamed of so many times.
He said nothing.
“This is only until either you or I le
ave, right?” She needed him to understand that. “This is a vacation fling. You don’t want anything more than that either.”
“You’re making rules again,” he finally spoke.
“I’m being realistic.”
Her new plan clicked into place. If they didn’t get out of the damn bed. If they didn’t discuss anything other than the heat of the sun… if there was nothing but this—hot, fast sex—then it would burn out quickly. They’d get bored. Or he would at least. And then he’d leave.
CHAPTER NINE
TWO DAYS LATER it was other guests who left. Almost a complete changeover as honeymooners were ferried out and new ones arrived a few hours later.
Hunter, however, appeared to have settled in for the foreseeable future. Relaxed, he’d quietly settled into an easy routine. He swam first thing in the mornings, then worked out on the beach. After breakfast he read. Then swam again. Then watched her work. But it was different—he wasn’t watching for danger. He smiled more and looked less tense around his eyes.
She, on the other hand, couldn’t stand to watch him—she’d catch glimpses of him from the prison of her coffee bar. He’d be stretching out on the sand, the perfect specimen of masculine sensuality… and all she wanted to do was be with him. For the first time ever she resented her work.
“You don’t want to explore the other islands?” she asked him softly in the afternoon when she had her two hours free and he’d made every one of her cells sing in ecstasy.
“I’m happy here,” he sent her an ironic glance. “Never far from the bedroom.”
But it was more than afternoon delight—he was good company. Actually quite chatty, they traded novels and debated the best plots. Because she liked fantasy books too. And then there was the kissing—long, lazy kisses that melted her bones and made her giddy.
In the evenings she returned to work at the bar. He sat at one end of it, enjoying the music and conviviality of the others. But she was conscious that even as he spoke occasionally and inconsequentially with the other guests, he was always watching her. There was something so seductive about the way he was so aware of her needs. And she was just as aware of him, just as intrigued.