Chapter 7
7
Cortney
“Are you sure you’re having a good time?” my eldest brother, Lee, booms in my ear.
I adjust my woven sun hat and bury my feet in the warm sand. “I told you I’m fine.”
“Not going to lie, you have us worried.”
“Lee—”
“I know we couldn’t stop you from going.” He cuts me off. “It’s just you’re alone and so far away.”
“Women travel solo all the time.” I bite my lip with the lie. My mind flashes to Spencer. Specifically, how good he looked today in that fitted long-sleeved athletic shirt and shorts. I haven’t told my family he’s here, and I don’t intend to. There are old wounds there that have only festered over the years.
Healing my own wounds is enough. I don’t need to navigate theirs too. Not when nothing is even happening here.
I conjure an image of what Spencer is doing, and I can’t help the warmth spreading south of my bikini bottoms.
When he announced he was going to shower, I hightailed it out of the room. After today, I’m rethinking this little arrangement between us. Just the memory of our flirting sends a shiver down my spine. The kind that speaks to secret flings and mutual orgasms.
“You’ve never been this far before.”
“Time to cut the cord, I guess,” I mutter. “Put your wife on the line. You’re being a buzzkill.”
Voices murmur in the background before Juniper chirps, “Hey, girl. How’s the beach?”
“It’s glorious.”
Turquoise waters lap calmly at the sandy shore. The sun beats down from high overhead, bringing heat to my skin and deepening my new tan.
“I’m so jealous. We’ve had nothing but rain since you left. I think you jinxed us.”
“I can’t even tell you how glad I am not to be there.”
“What did you do today?”
“Right now, I’m sitting in a lounger, watching the ocean and breathing in the salty air.”
“Oh my god, stop.”
“And I spent the morning zip-lining.”
“Don’t tell Lee that. This mother hen can’t stop checking his phone. He’s not kidding when he says he’s worried. He’s had a Dominican news station running in the background on his computer all day.”
I sigh and lean back into the cushion behind my head. “All the more reason for me to be on this trip. I need some breathing room.”
“I don’t blame you. Tell me about zip-lining.”
I relay as much as I can without revealing anything. Spencer continues to remain my little secret.
“Then they took us to visit the squirrel monkeys. I even got to hold them!”
“You’re kidding. Oh my gosh please tell me you got a picture.”
“I did. I’ll send you one. They climb all over you. You should have seen Spen— them. ” My loose lips nearly expose the one thing I’m keeping close to my chest.
Juniper just laughs. “Slurring already? That all-inclusive resort must be keeping you well supplied.”
“They really are.”
A shadow crosses my lounger. I don’t even need to turn my head to know who it is.
“Thought I’d find you out here.” Spencer’s deep voice sends my stomach into a freefall.
“Who’s that?” Juniper asks.
Panic slices through me. I whip my gaze to Spencer, finding his eyes blocked by dark sunglasses. “It’s the server. He’s delivering me another drink.”
A sensuous smirk tilts his lips.
“Ugh. I should let you go before my jealousy monster gets any bigger. Have the best time, okay? I’ll spread the word that you’re alive and well so you don’t get bombarded with any more calls.”
“I’ll check in tomorrow!” Lee announces from the background.
I laugh at his antics. “Love you guys. Love to everyone else. Talk to you later.”
“Be safe! Bye!”
As I hang up my cell, I’m acutely aware of Spencer’s eyes on my body. Even hidden behind sunglasses, I can feel his stare like a physical caress.
A welcome caress.
“How’s the family?” The gruff quality of his question reveals he isn’t unaffected by my bikini.
“Good. Nosy as usual.”
“Did you tell them about me?”
I shake my head and reach for my margarita. “Nope.”
“Good.”
“I assume you told yours?”
It didn’t even cross my mind that he might have told his brothers. Sutton wouldn’t wait one second before calling up Lee to share the news.
“Nope.”
“God, look at us.” I giggle as I put down my drink on the small table beside my chair. “It’s like we’re teenagers again.”
Spencer and I used to sneak away from our brothers all the time. First, we were friends, and then, the more time I spent alone with him, the more I fell in love with the stoic grump. For a while, it was very one-sided and cliché, crushing on my brother’s best friend. I never understood why he preferred to sneak out of the house with me rather than hang out with Lee and Sutton. I assumed the need for quiet sometimes drove him away. Not a bone in my smitten body would question it. Not when I got to spend so much time alone with him.
During our senior year, a spark flared to life. Somewhere between pushing him to exchange Christmas gifts and forcing him to senior prom, it became clear he had feelings for me too.
Which made his betrayal all the more painful.
It’s been more than twenty years, and besides some drunken reminiscing over the past ten of those, I have kept Spencer Stone far from my mind.
But maybe this is a chance to revisit all of that and settle the score.
I’m single and on a beach in another country. Isn’t that where some of the best decisions are usually made?
What happens on the fake honeymoon, stays on the fake honeymoon…
“Where’d you go?”
“Hmm?”
“You’re staring at the beach. Did a hot guy in a Speedo thong walk by or something?” Spencer scans the beach behind him.
If only he knew he was more than enough of a hot guy to look at. Even keeping most of his skin covered, the delineation of his cut physique is visible beneath his shirts. The small amounts of muscle I’m able to see are enough to make me drool.
“Would you be jealous if one did?”
Spencer gives a nonchalant shrug. “You’re a free agent. As long as you don’t go back to that dickhead, I don’t care what you do.”
Same old Spencer. He always plays his cards close to his chest. In this case, I expect he’s playing them even closer.
“Maybe I was just thinking.”
“Care to share?”
“Maybe later. When’s our reservation?”
“In about ten minutes. We’re having Italian.”
I sit and brush the sand from my feet before slipping them back into my shoes. “I know I should handle the reservations since this is my honeymoon and all, but can I admit I like the surprise?”
“Consider them covered for the week.”
“Thank you,” I say, slipping my wrap dress over my head to cover my bikini. As my head pokes through the hole, Spencer averts his gaze.
Naughty boy.
“That was easy. I’m ready to eat.”
“You don’t need to run back to the room?”
“Why, do I look bad or something?”
This time, Spencer blatantly scans me from head to toe. “You look perfect.”
The compliment warms my face with a blush. Seems I’m not the only one fighting this reawakened attraction. I cool down with a drink of my margarita. “Take me to dinner, Spence.”
* * *
Spending time with Spencer is like dreaming about the same mysterious man over and over again. He feels like a total stranger, but I could pick him out of a lineup. He tells stories I’ve never heard even though I knew him for the latter of my teen years. I’ve looked into his eyes more times than I can count, but the way he’s looking at me now is new.
His ocean-blue eyes shine in the candlelight, desire swirling deep in their depths.
Maybe it’s the unlimited wine refills as I devoured my pasta, but I’m starting to think Spencer forcing his way on this trip might have been his best decision ever.
The attraction pulsing between us is so undeniably present that my bikini bottoms have been wet all day. I had to take a dip in the ocean earlier just to alleviate the sensation between my thighs. The cooling swim also prevented me from joining him in that expansive shower and begging him to do something about this ache he inspired.
The more time I spend with him, the more I question why I even deny myself.
Spencer is hot. And I don’t just mean his chiseled body.
He has a face made for Hollywood. Those blue eyes and dark hair that’s long enough to tangle in a fist as he goes down on me. A broody stare that manages to be both mysterious and inviting. Lips that I used to love kissing.
I run my tongue along my lipstick.
“Did you hear my question?”
“Hmm?”
Spencer stares at me over empty plates and a melting candle. “I asked if you were thinking of going dancing again tonight?”
“Do you want to?” The question slips out before I can think it through.
He leans back, resting his elbow on the back of his chair. The long fingers on his other hand fiddle with his silverware. “Am I invited?”
“I’m sure someone else would be willing to dance with me if you’re too tired—”
“No.”
“No, you’re not coming?”
He leans forward. Those blue eyes darken. “No, you’re not dancing with anyone else.”
Spencer’s jealousy sets off a spark that pivots my evening plans. The ache between my thighs requires immediate attention. Preferably, not all on my own. This is more of a tag-team situation.
Picking up my crisp white cloth napkin, I dab my mouth. “Would you like to take a walk with me first?”
His gaze roams my face, and a crease forms between his brows. “Change of plans?”
I toss back my wine for courage. “I might have something else in mind.”
Spencer remains in his seat until I rise. Deciding I’m serious, he hops to his feet and follows me out.
Thank god for all-inclusive resorts and not having to wait for the bill.
My heart patters in my chest as we walk across the sand. I can’t tell if this is really stupid or fucking brilliant, and I’ve drunk just enough alcohol not to think about it any further. I’m acting on instinct here.
My instinct says it isn’t some random guy at a resort who I want to spend time with.
Not when I have Spencer all to myself.
We walk for a while, weaving in and out of the soft waves. The sun starts to set, casting the beach in a shocking shade of tangerine and gold.
I’m too busy staring at the beautiful scene that I don’t notice the hole someone dug in the ground until my foot is in it. I trip, shrieking as the sand rushes up to meet me.
An arm twines around my midsection. Spencer’s attempt to stop my fall only results in the two of us careening onto the beach, but before I touch the sand, he rolls us to cushion my fall.
“Sorry,” I say breathlessly.
He rolls us once more so that I’m beneath him. A lock of thick brown hair hangs over his forehead, enticing me to reach up and push it away.
“Are you okay?” He scans my face. Once he reaches my lips, he flicks his gaze to my eyes before zeroing back in on my mouth.
“I’m okay.”
More than okay.
My body is primed and pinned to the surface of the earth by Spencer Stone. I don’t know what dimension I fell asleep in last night, but the one I woke up in isn’t one I’m interested in leaving any time soon.
“I’m crushing you.” Spencer does a push-up to relieve his weight.
In a moment of panic, I curl my fingers around the back of his neck and drag his mouth closer to mine.
He grunts and curses, a sharply delivered, “Fuck,” directly in my ear.
He dodges my seeking lips, fastening his onto the hollow space beneath my ear. His teeth scrape against the delicate spot, tongue lashing against the sensitive skin after.
I’m so lost in the touch of him I hardly care that he avoided my kiss.
The vibrations of his unadulterated lust send a jolting pulse between my thighs. I split my legs farther apart, letting his hips sink flush with mine. The thick ridge beneath his zipper presses tightly against my needy clit. I gasp at the growing ache.
“Spencer,” I beg, not even sure what it is I’m asking for.
“What do you want?” he husks, nibbling on my collarbone.
“You. Just you,” I pant, hips seeking the friction I need him to provide.
His hips thrust against mine, dragging that delicious bulge against me.
“After what I did—”
“I don’t care.” My fingers dive through his hair. “I don’t fucking care, Spence. It was so long ago.”
“I know, but—”
“No. You’re here, and I’m here, and I’m really in need of an orgasm, so if you don’t want to help me with that...”
“Damn you,” he growls into my skin, kissing the tops of my breasts eloping from my bikini. “Goddamn you, Cortney Elizabeth Powell.”
“Does that mean you’re going to lend me a hand? Or you know, an appendage? Your mouth will do too.”
His growl vibrates against my skin.
“You’re going to come so many times tonight you’re going to forget your own name.”
“Is that a promise?”
“You bet your ass it’s a promise.”
With a final kiss to my sternum, Spencer pushes to his knees and reaches out his hand. His chest rises and falls heavily with labored breaths. The wild look in his eyes reveals I’m not alone in feeling this... Whatever this is.
“What are you doing?” I fix my breasts and slip my fingers into his palm.
“If I’m going to make you scream my name all night, I’m not doing it on the beach where we’ll wind up with an ass full of sand.”
All the muscles south of my belly button clench.
“What? Sex on the beach doesn’t sound fun to you?”
“Keep it in your movies, Kitten. If this is all I get, I have better ideas.”