Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
FYNN
I NEARLY DROP the bottle of suncream when she rolls over, managing to keep my grip on it through nothing but chance and luck.
The longer I spend with Valerie, the more convinced I am she’s a gift from the heavens. My reward for all the suffering I’ve weathered the past six months.
The fair skin of her beautiful face is flushed, and I'm not sure if it's from the heat, the sun, or the words that just came out of her mouth. All I know is I'm having a bit of blood relocation of my own at the moment.
“That came out wrong.” She gives me a shy smile, eyes avoiding mine. "I just meant I’m sweaty."
Taking a steadying breath, I brace myself for the feel of her skin under my palms again. "All the more reason for us to get in the water." I work the suncream over her legs with quick, clinical motions, hoping to avoid making a complete knob of myself by walking down the beach with a jutting prick in my trunks .
I chose this particular spot because the demographic is one mostly unaffected by the lies Jessica spread about me, but even the oldest residents of Sweet Side are prone to gossip, and the last thing I need is another rumor about me making its rounds.
Especially since this one would be true.
When my eyes lift to the smooth curve of her stomach, I’m smart enough to recognize my limits, and pass the bottle off, averting my gaze. "I'll let you do the rest."
Valerie blinks at me, eyes a little glassy. "Oh." She takes the suncream with a tilting smile. "Okay."
I turn to face the water but still watch from the corner of my eye as her hands slide across the pale skin of her belly and down her arms. By the time she’s smoothing the lotion over the swell of her tits, I’m forcing in long draws of humid air, concerned it won't take much for one of the glorious mounds to burst free of the confines of her top. And I'm not sure if the possibility thrills or enrages me.
I’m desperate to know if her nipples are the same soft pink as her mouth, but thinking one of the geriatrics around me might discover the same has my fists clenching at my sides.
For all that Valerie is sexy and seductive, there's also a sweetness to her. An innocence that teases me even more than flicks of her hair and bats of her eyes.
She's a temptress who doesn't seem to fully understand how fucking irresistible she is.
"I think I’m good." Valerie drops the bottle to the towel and pushes to her knees. "Can you tell if I missed anything?"
I take a steeling breath before turning to fully face her, but the sight of her in that bikini sends the air rushing right back out of my lungs. My gaze roams all the creamy, soft skin presented to me, as I make a valiant attempt to do as she asked.
But fuck me if my eyes don't first level right on the curving line of her ample tits. The things really are bloody majestic, and any hope I had of looking away is gone when her nipples begin to press against the thin fabric of her top, hardening under my gaze.
We need to get in the water, and we need to get there now.
"Looks great." I grab her hand, hauling her up from the towel, scooping her off the ground before her feet can hit the sand. Valerie's not as used to the heat as I am, so I carry her to the water's edge, setting her down only when I’m ankle-deep in the rushing waves.
But I don't stop moving. Between those pert fucking nipples and the feel of her skin pressed to mine, I've got half a chubby that's rapidly working its way to full mast.
"Slow down, Fynn." Valerie is struggling. The strength of the waves knocks her small frame back with each hit, so I scoop her up again, carrying her against me as I splash deeper.
Val clings to me, her skin already slippery from the spray. "I didn't expect it to be this rough."
The height of the water tickles my balls, and I relax a little, giving her a grin now that we’re getting away from the crowd and their prying eyes. "You don't like it rough?"
Again Valerie gets a flustered look on her face. One that firms up my developing theory that she's not quite the vixen I first believed, and I can't deny how much I love that flare of embarrassment. The hint of sweetness it implies. God knows I'm ready for a little sweetness in my life.
I continue carrying her away from the shore, slowing down once we get to the deeper water where the current isn't quite as strong, before letting her go. Val sinks a little before bouncing up, her arms working as she treads water. "How freaking deep are we? I can't touch."
My feet are firmly planted in the sandy bottom, and the water isn't even up to my chin, but Valerie's quite a bit shorter than I am. "We can go back closer, but the current will be stronger.” I flash her a grin. “And you said you didn't like it rough."
Val’s eyes widen as she continues bobbing in the water. "That's not what I said."
The deepening flush of her fair cheeks makes me want to continue goading her. Dig deeper into the complicated woman in front of me. "So then you do like it rough."
Valerie sputters as a large wave catches on her chin, sending splashes into her mouth. "I don't know if I like it rough." The pink on her cheeks deepens even more. "This is my first time in the ocean."
I catch her by the arm, keeping her head well above water as I bring her body closer to mine. I want to tease her over the first time comment, but I don’t like seeing her distressed over the rolling waves. "We can head back to the beach if you'd rather relax there."
Part of the reason I wanted her in the water was so I didn't have to share her with our nosy neighbors. The aging crowd filling this part of the beach tends to be talkative, and Val is so sweet and charming they’ll absolutely eat her up.
I can't blame them. I'd like to eat her up myself.
Val suddenly yelps, flailing around a little as she spins in the water, her frantic movements swinging her around until her back is plastered to my front. "Something touched my foot."
I grab her as she continues flailing, doing my best to calm her down. "It was probably just seaweed."
Her honey-colored eyes scan the water around us as she grips the arm I have at her waist, clinging to me. "What if it's a shark?"
"If it was a shark you'd know it." I glance around us just in case. "He probably would've already taken a bite. You do look rather delectable."
Val shoots me a glare over one shoulder. "That's not funny."
I smile. "It's a little funny."
Val’s body jerks in my arms as she starts wiggling. "I felt it again."
The saltwater and suncream has left her skin slippery, and my hold on her starts to slide, leaving me struggling to get a better grip. I shift my arms, bouncing her up so she's higher in the water, thinking it will make her feel better, while also hoping it keeps the tickle of seaweed from scaring her any more than it already has.
She suddenly goes still, the small hands clinging to my arms gripping tighter as a whimpery sort of sound rushes from her lips.
That's when I notice—in my attempt to get a more solid grip on her—one hand has ended up planted directly between her parted thighs. I couldn't initially tell because every part of her is slick and moving, but now that I know, all the blood in my body rushes south. My still half-hard cock surges to life, the solid length of it prodding at her backside.
I won’t deny wanting to get my hands on Valerie, just not like this, so I start to pull away. But then she whimpers again, hips rolling in an effort to chase down my retreating hand.
I let out a little groan when she grips my arm tighter, pinning it in place as she rubs against my fingers. I lean to nip at the shell of her ear, and she gasps, the breathy sound making my cock twitch.
I curve my hand, fully pressing it against her mound, and I'm rewarded with another of those sweet, soft whimpers.
"I thought you didn't like when something touched you in the water, Val." I drag my teeth over the lobe of her ear, flicking it with my tongue.
"I changed my mind." Her eyes come my way. "As long as you promise not to take a bite out of me."
I nip at the spot just below her ear, and her hips work against me again. "I don't know, Darling. You seem to like it when I sink my teeth into you." I keep one arm banded at her waist and the hand between her thighs still, offering nothing but pressure while I wait for clarification. "What do you want, Val?" She tries to work herself against me again, but the movement of the ocean makes it difficult for her to get any sort of real friction going, and she makes a frustrated little grunt that has me smiling against her salty skin. "I need your words. I can't give you what you want if you don't ask for it."
Val whimpers again, her body writhing against mine. "Don't make me say it."
It's an interesting and unexpected response. And makes me wonder why someone who looks like Val is hesitant to ask for the things she wants. "What if I guess and you tell me if I'm right?" I don't wait for her agreement, I'm just as desperate for this as she is, the only difference is I’m not afraid to say what I want. "Do you want my hand in your bikini bottoms, stroking your clit until you come?"
All the air rushes from her in a loud exhale. "Yes, please."
I hum against her skin, pleased as fuck because I'm more than ready for more of this woman. More than ready to give her as many reasons to keep me around as I can. "Such a sweet girl." I work my hand into the front of her bathing suit, sliding over her smooth skin. "So fucking polite." My fingers slick between the plush lips of her pussy, gliding against the slippery wetness protected from the water by the layer of spandex. "You're so wet, Val. Is this all for me? "
Her whole body clenches as I slide over the hard nub of her clit and her quiet whimpers change to something louder and much more obvious.
"You've got to be quiet, Val, otherwise everyone's going to know what I'm doing." I scan the people splashing in the water a handful of meters away, making sure none are paying attention. "Can you do that for me?"
Her head rocks against my shoulder as she nods, continuing to cling to me.
"I knew you could." I stroke along her heated flesh, blood pounding in my ears, heady from the first real contact I've had with a woman in months.
But I can’t pretend it’s only my dry spell that has me nearly ready to spill into the sea. Never has a woman been so eager for and responsive to my touch. Valerie is proving to be as irresistible today as she was last night, and I’m growing addicted to her. Greedy for as much of her as I can get.
I tease her with a light touch, fully intending to drag this out for my own benefit, but before I realize what's happening, Val is shuddering against me, coming undone in my arms, her slippery, soft body jerking against my hand.
"Fucking hell, Val." I can't stop myself from sliding away from her clit to sink two fingers into her body, groaning when she clenches around them. "I think you might be the death of me."
She sags back against me, head lolling against my shoulder, expression relaxed. I don't think I've ever seen anything more perfect and it makes me hungry to do it again.
My new goal is to stretch this day out as long as possible. To take as much of her as I can get. I know I told her I was a gentleman, but I think my right to claim that has come and gone considering I'm two fingers deep in her tight cunt on a public beach. Val lets out a contented little sigh as I work my hand free of her body and the confines of her bathing suit bottoms. "How do you feel about the ocean now, Darling?"
Her full lips curve into a little smile as she wiggles around until she's facing me. "I guess it's not so bad."
I lift my brows in mock offense. "Not so bad?" The next wave is a little bigger and pushes my body into hers, pressing those glorious tits against my chest. "I was hoping for something more than not so bad ."
She loops both arms around my neck and links her legs at my waist, bringing her body flush against mine. Her relaxed expression tightens as she studies my face. “I didn’t mean—”
I don’t like how worried she got over my teasing. “I was giving you a hard time.”
“Oh.” The word is soft and sweet. “I just don’t want you to think—”
I press a finger to her lips, sealing off the apology trying to come out. “All I think is that we might have to come to the beach again.”
Her mouth presses into a thin line behind my finger before slowly softening into another little smile. “Even though it’s not as big as I expected? ”
A loud laugh jumps out of me, tipping my head back as I slowly start making my way back to shore. “Even though.”
Her odd reaction to my gentle tease quelled the desire coursing through my veins, so my earlier fears about sporting wood are no longer relevant. Now my worry lies somewhere else.
Why in the fuck did she not know I wasn’t being serious? We’ve joked before without issue, and her sudden concern she’d offended me has my hackles up. Because it makes me think someone’s tried to make this sweet woman feel responsible for their happiness. Made her feel like she carries the weight of not only her emotions, but everyone else’s too.
And that won’t fucking do.
Maybe I’m only feeling protective of her because she’s the first woman to look at me without disdain in months, but I can’t believe that’s the reason I want to hunt down whoever made her feel this way and ring their fecking necks.
Val makes it through the shallows a little easier with the waves at her back and in short order we reach our towels. She topples to the ground, keeping her feet in the sand. “It’s not as hot when you’re wet.”
I rake one hand through my dripping hair. “I disagree.”
She gives me a sheepish smile and goes to work dusting the sand from her delicate ankles, ignoring my innuendo. “Do you come to the beach a lot?”
“Some.” I settle onto the towel beside her, relaxing back onto my elbows. “London doesn’t have anything like this, so I try to enjoy it when I can.”
Her lips twist to one side. “I’ve always wanted to go to London.”
“Why haven’t you?”
Val’s expression hardened. “I couldn’t really do much traveling before.”
“That’s unfortunate.” I look over the water, relaxing for the first time in forever. “The world is an amazing place.” I turn to look at the woman next to me, much preferring the change in view. “Is that what made you choose to come to Sweet Side? It is a good place to begin your travels.”
“No.” One hand swipes at the bits of hair that have fallen from the knot wrapped at the top of her head. “I actually came here bec—”
I’m hit by a sudden shower of sand. It coats my chest and gets in my mouth and eyes. I sputter, sitting up, only to be hit with another wave of grit.
“Filthy fucking liar.” A familiar face spits the insult at me as she kicks more sand in my direction. “You think you can just act like nothing happened?”
I put my hands up, managing to block the worst of the next sandy surge. “Stop, Marissa.”
Jessica’s best friend narrows her eyes at me and I brace for the worst. But the worst isn’t directed at me. Marissa’s accusing gaze levels on Valerie, lips curling as she looks sweet, soft Valerie over with a level of judgment she doesn’t deserve. “And you’re a fucking whore. ”
Val’s mouth drops open as she shrinks back, arms going around her middle.
I want to protect her from this. From accusations she doesn’t deserve.
But I can’t because I’m the reason for them.
“ Shit .” The loud explicative is the only warning we have before the tent next door comes loose, the beach breeze carrying it straight into Marissa. The two older women Val made friends with earlier hurry after it, managing to grab the thing just as it knocks Marissa to the ground.
I take full advantage of the chaos, knowing Val has a set of champions looking out for her. And they’ll do a hell of a lot better at it than I can. All I can do is bring my own bullshit to her door and she’s too fucking sweet to be tainted by it.
I grab my clothes, gut clenching at what I have to do.
Val’s eyes lock on me. “Fynn?”
“I’m sorry, Val. I shouldn’t have done this.” I finish collecting my things. “You don’t need me fucking your life up.” I give her one, last look, the tears edging her eyes cutting into my hide.
Then I turn and run to the boardwalk like the coward I am.