Chapter 29
Anika
Oh my God.
This is absolute bliss.
I’m seriously considering selling my business and my house, and moving here.
Of course, I’d probably be bored in no time, and I realize the shine would come off quickly if I had to build an entirely new life here, but a girl can fantasize.
Hog was right, my mother was absolutely beside herself to get a whole week to look after her granddogs. We’ll see how she feels after the week is over, because those two demand a lot of attention, not to mention still having the occasional accident.
Yesterday, I FaceTimed with Landon while he was at the salon. They’d just finished painting the walls Drift of Mist with one accent wall in Cracked Pepper. Hog laughed at the names for the colors Landon picked and I approved. It’s basically a very pale putty gray, and a sooty charcoal color. Hog calls them gray and black, but regardless, the walls are fabulous. It makes the salon look crisp and fresh.
The six brand-new mirrors Landon found, and just sent me pictures of, will look awesome. I left Landon in charge of a modest budget, but he still wants to run everything by me. He clearly has a vision and so far, I’m loving everything he’s done.
Fergie turned out to have a ton of connections in the industry and was able to put me in touch with Maggie Poirier, a thirty-four-year-old single mother he had worked with before. She was looking for something full time again now her small son is enrolled in preschool.
Now all I need is a part-time hairdresser to give us a bit more flexibility, but that’s not as urgent.
I adjust the giant sun hat I bought to cover not only my head but my shoulders as well. I went back for my follow-up on Friday and they removed my stitches, but the doctor did mention to keep the sun off the scar, which is, by the way, pretty gnarly.
“Ma’am, another drink?”
I have to turn my head to see the server standing beside my lounger.
“I’d love one.”
“Another virgin mango daiquiri?”
“Yes, please, and would you mind bringing another cold beer for him?”
I indicate Hog, who is just now coming out of the surf. I barely hear the response, I’m too entranced by the rivulets of water running down that fine man. So handsome, with broad shoulders, wide chest, narrow hips, and those long, muscled legs.
When he reaches me, he immediately leans over, dripping water.
“Hey, you’re getting me all wet.”
He flashes a satisfied grin.
“It’s a hobby of mine, getting you wet.”
I snicker and shake my head at him. We’ve been here three days now, and let’s just say he’s kept me well lubricated in a variety of ways during that time.
He folds back the brim of my sun hat to give me a kiss, before dropping down on his lounge chair next to me.
“I just ordered us fresh drinks.”
“Thanks. What do you feel like doing tonight?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. Why, did you have any ideas?”
“The guy who took us out on the catamaran yesterday mentioned something about a pig roast at a beach barbecue place, with live music and dancing just next door to the resort.”
I shoot him a grin. “Miss your pork?”
We’ve been eating mostly fish since getting here. The food here is amazing, lots of fruits and vegetables, fresh catch of the day.
Hog turns to me, lifting up on one elbow, his gray-blue eyes warming me from the inside out.
“A little, but mostly I want to dance with you in the sand.”
His words are simple but tell me so much. Every day he feeds my soul and lights my heart on fire.
I swing my legs over the edge of the lounger and sit up, right when the very tanned and handsome server approaches with our drinks. But I only have eyes for Hog.
“Let’s take our drinks to the room.”
“Harder.”
My chest is down on the mattress, my ass is up in the air, and Hog is behind me, on his knees, fucking me gently.
“Don’t wanna hurt you,” he grunts.
He’s been holding back, treating me like spun glass, and it’s amazing, but right now I want to feel his need for me.
“Noah, please, you know I won’t break. I want it all.”
“Fuck,” I hear him mutter.
Then he starts moving faster, up to the moment he can’t hold back. His fingers dig into my hips as he powers inside me. I brace and push back, taking him even deeper, until I fly apart into a million tiny fragments.
When I finally open my eyes, his weight securing me to the bed, I catch sight of our neglected drinks on the nightstand, condensation running down the glass creating puddles on the surface.
That’s what I feel like, a puddle.
A big relaxed, happy, wet spot.
“Noah?”
“Hmmm,” he rumbles, and I feel the vibrations in my body.
“Don’t ever stop loving me.”
I feel his lips press against the tender skin behind my ear.
“Not a chance. Never.”
Hog
“Are you ready?”
I’ve been killing time watching a little TV, but I’m getting pretty hungry, and Anika has been in the bathroom for the past forty minutes, doing God knows what.
“Just a minute!”
It’s the same thing she said five minutes ago. At this rate I’ll be ordering room service soon.
But this time she wasn’t lying. When the door opens suddenly, my eyes are immediately drawn there, and the sight of her takes my breath away.
I wear a farmer’s tan, but the rest of my body is still pretty pale. However, Anika, with skin that naturally carries more melanin, has already taken on a beautiful bronze hue. She’s done something to it though, making her skin look like it’s shimmering when she moves.
The dress she’s wearing is a deep red, almost burgundy color, plunging down in a deep V between her generous breasts, bordering on indecency.
Holy shit. I’ll either be staring at her boobs all night, or scanning the beach for any bastard who dares to glance in her direction.
“You know that dress is going to get me into a fight with the first guy who looks at you twice, right?” I inform her.
I flick off the TV as I get up and stalk over to her, but I’m scared to touch her. Afraid if I do, I’ll never let her out of this room, and I have plans for tonight.
“You like?”
I growl in response as I take her hand in mine and pull her to the door. Her soft, melodic laugh follows me down the hall.
“I can’t eat another bite.”
Anika sits back and presses a hand against her stomach.
I’m pretty full myself, that smoked brisket was amazing, and it makes me want to buy a smoker for the back deck.
When the band strikes up another tune, I get to my feet and hold out a hand to Anika.
“Come on, let’s dance it off.”
I am far from a dancer, I’m more of a swayer, and the last time I did that I was in my twenties. I don’t give a rat’s ass how ridiculous I look, as long as I get to have this woman in my arms.
We walked here through the sand, barefoot, and were greeted with a section of beach marked off with large firepots. We had dinner at a simple wooden picnic table, and the food was served in paper-lined baskets. But you can’t buy the ambiance of a star-studded sky above, warm sand under your feet, the sounds of live music, and ocean waves rolling onto shore.
Anika smiles up at me, the hue of her skin almost matching the amber of her eyes, as I take her in my arms. We’re in our own little world, only aware of the space we occupy. Nothing touches us, but I’m holding my whole world in my arms.
“You are so beautiful.”
She must know, but looks almost shy when I tell her.
“The most beautiful person I know,” I continue, as I dance her closer to the water’s edge. “I can’t imagine anyone else by my side as we navigate the inevitable bumps we’ll encounter in our path.”
“Noah…”
I cut her off with a kiss, bending her back over my arms, before setting her back on her feet. When I lift my mouth from hers, she’s smiling.
Gently holding her left hand in mine, I reach inside my pocket with my right hand, and sink down on a knee, ignoring the creaks.
Tears are already running down her face before I even have a chance to ask the question.
“You’ve had my heart a long time. I’m yours, Sweetheart. If you’ll have me.”
I show her the ring I bought last week.
“Anika, will you?—”
“Yes!”
“Marry mumph…”
I never quite manage to finish my question because she’s on her knees, her mouth already plastered to mine. When I finally manage to create enough space between us so I can slide the ring on her finger, it doesn’t last long.
“I. Love. You. So. Damn. Much.”
She peppers my face with kisses, punctuating each word.
“Was that a yes?” I make sure.
“That was a hell yes,” she confirms.
I can’t help the grin that seems engraved on my face when we return to our table, and we’re met with congratulations as Anika flashes her diamond at everyone. One of the servers offers to take our picture, for which Anika climbs on my lap, and makes sure the ring on her finger is featured.
We’re walking back to the hotel with our feet in the surf when she tugs at my hand to stop me.
“You mentioned bumps…” she starts.
“Hmmm.”
“I can’t be a hundred percent, but my period was due last week.”
Fuck me.
All the blood rushes to my head and my ears start ringing. I have to bend over and brace myself with a hand on my knee.
“Noah?”
Anika sounds worried, so I stand up, suck air into my lungs, and wrap her up in my arms.
“Best day of my life. Bar none.”