38. Libby
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
libby
By the time the sun went down tonight, my cheeks were pink and my heart was full.
After early morning play practice, Maggie, Sutton, and I met Kennedy and Lindsey at a tiny beach carved out between rocks.
We spent hours lying on the craggy shoreline, and now I’m paying for it.
And not only because of the slight sunburn, but because the little pebbles left tiny bruises all over my ass.
Fisher will have a fun time laughing at me, I’m sure. He spent the day helping Wilder and Blue work on something at the inn. I can’t remember what, since I tuned out when he took off his shirt.
No matter how many times that man undresses in front of me, I’m taken by him.
The hard edges that soften when he catches me.
The light that reaches his eyes. The cocky smirk that plays on his lips.
He’s smiling more and more lately, but that smirk undoes me every time.
Who am I kidding ? He undoes me. No matter what expression he wears.
I take my time applying lotion to my body, knowing he’ll be the benefactor of my smooth skin shortly, then slip into my robe.
I came home to pick up more clothes and figured I’d shower while I was here.
After our day at the beach, we met Fisher at the inn for dinner, so when we returned, I was more than ready to rinse the sand from my body.
Fisher planned to get Sutton cleaned up and in bed.
Then he had to get some hacker work done, so I’ll take my Kindle over and sit on the futon in his office.
It’s become our routine. While he works, I curl up and read until I fall asleep.
Then he carries me into bed. It’s silly, since the futon isn’t the most comfortable spot by a long shot, but I feel most at ease when he’s close.
The hair on the back of my neck tingles, and I spin and peer out the window.
Is he watching me? Someone definitely is.
I step closer and pull up the pane, breathing in the fresh summer air.
Sea salt and a distant fire. Probably a bonfire on one of the beaches.
There’s a group of bachelors here this week.
Wilder is taking them out on his charter boat in a couple of days.
When he teasingly asked Maggie and me to come out with them and be their entertainment, I thought Fisher was going to knock him sideways.
I chuckle to myself as I survey his house.
The light in his office is out, so it must be the cameras I felt watching me.
With a shake of my head, I shut the window.
In my bedroom, I disconnect my Kindle from its charger and slip it into the bag I’ve filled with more clothes. I’ve made a habit of doing my laundry here, and I don’t ever keep too much at Fisher’s place. I don’t want him to think I’m trying to move in or anything. Though if he asked, I’d say yes.
I hate every minute I spend away from the two of them. His house feels far more like home than any place I’ve ever occupied. Even if it simultaneously feels like the three of us are living in someone else’s space.
Nothing in that house fits Fisher’s personality. Now that I’ve seen his apartment in Boston, it’s obvious that he’s living within the confines of his brother’s memory. His job, his decor, his life.
Even so, within those walls are the two people I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with, so I’ll stay anywhere they are if that’s what they need.
Though the more time I spend with them, the clearer it is to me that neither of them actually do need it. In fact, it’s keeping them from moving on. Sutton especially. But my role in their lives is new, so I’m careful not to step on any toes and point out what I think she really needs.
Giving Fisher a little more time to get Sutton settled, I sit at the edge of the bed and pull out my phone. I’ve got several emails from my agent, but one in particular sticks out. The one with the word URGENT in the title.
Hi Libby,
I hope you are enjoying your summer. And I hope you’re well rested because I just heard from the Boston Theater Company and YOU GOT THE PART!
They’ll overnight the script so you can start preparing.
We’ll need to get you in with a voice coach.
I have the contact information for a few in Boston that come highly recommended.
How soon can you be in town to meet with them?
Rehearsals begin the first week of September, so the sooner the better.
In other news, thought you’d find this interesting.
I click on the link at the bottom of the email and am redirected to the web browser and an article about Grady Party of Two .
According to the report, they’ve paused filming in the wake of the release of Brad’s texts and emails.
Little by little, an unknown source has dropped bombs.
The most damning are the threats he sent me and an email to his agent about the lovely million-dollar donation to the charity where he’s adamant that he wasn’t behind it.
All the good press that garnered is gone, as is his money.
Now the public at large is wondering why he was promising to destroy me.
Can’t say I’m not happy that he’s being exposed for the slimy snake he is.
I also have a feeling I know who’s responsible for all of this, but I’ve yet to confirm it.
I close out of the email and will my heart not to pound at the idea of having to leave the island. The Grease performance is this weekend. I guess I’ll have to head to Boston once that’s over.
Though the thought fills me with trepidation, there’s pride there too. Because I did it. I got the part. Another new beginning. Another chance to discover who I am now that I’m no longer the Hollywood starlet who arrived on that trash boat almost three months ago.
Light on my toes, I collect my things and rush out the door, determined to enjoy every minute I have left with my two favorite people.
When I walk into the house, Bing doesn’t run to the door, which means Sutton is asleep and he’s curled up in bed with her. Fisher must have his headphones on too, because he doesn’t peek out to greet me. I take my time putting my bag in his room and then head for his office with my Kindle in hand.
I peek into Sutton’s room, and when Bing catches sight of me, he lifts his head, on guard.
Though an instant later, when my identity registers, he settles at the foot of her bed.
Like I thought, she’s fast asleep, the rainbow moon lamp beside her bed bathing her innocent face in a soft glow.
I stare at her for a few seconds, a smile on my lips.
I love this little girl something fierce.
When I push the door to Fisher’s office open, he turns, his lips hooking into a smile. He pulls the headphones down around his neck and motions for me to come closer. “You have a nice shower?”
I drop my Kindle onto the couch and climb into his lap. “So good.” I snuggle into his chest, inhaling him. He’s wearing one of his old Boston Revs shirts that’s so soft because of how worn in it is.
He runs his hands up and down my back, inadvertently hitting the tender skin caused by my time in the sun and causing me to wince.
Hands coming to a stop, he studies me, and when I smile, his expression relaxes.
“I’ve got a little more work to do, but then I want you in my bed so I can inspect your sunburn. ”
“Oh, you want me naked?” I say, all tease and innocence.
Fisher shakes his head. “You aren’t getting rewarded for not taking care of yourself.”
“Oh, are you going to punish me, Hacker?” I tease.
He chuckles, the sound deep and dark, vibrating through me. “Wouldn’t you like that?”
“Actually.” With my lip caught between my teeth, I slide off his lap and onto the floor. The hardwood bites into my knees, but I relish the pain as I press my palms against his thighs. “What I’d like more is this.”
I tug at the waistband of his sweats, but he grasps my wrists, stopping me.
“What are you doing?” Even as he asks, his dark eyes go molten and he spreads his thighs a bit.
“Playing.” I tug out of his grip and pull on the drawstring at his waist.
The sweatpants come off easily, partially due to the way he lifts his hips to allow me to take control.
His cock grows under my gaze, and by the time I’ve pulled his slippers off and he’s naked from the waist down, thighs spread wide, bracketing my shoulders, he’s completely hard.
I grin up at him. “Go back to work. I can keep myself entertained.” I lean in and press my lips to his crown, kissing gently.
He hisses out a “fuck” and shifts, causing the chair to roll backward and bump into the desk.
“Shh,” I tease him. “If you’re going to be noisy, I’ll have to find another way to keep you quiet.”
I suck him into my mouth and hollow my cheeks, suctioning with force, and I don’t release him until he’s groaning loudly.
“I think I’d like that,” he grumbles.
I pull back and wiggle out of my pink panties, then ball them up and shove the damp fabric into his mouth. When his eyes widen in surprise, a thrill races down my spine.
With a final grin at him, I get back to work, sucking and jacking him.
All the while, I can’t decide what I want to focus on more: his gorgeous wet cock or his heated gaze.
He looks unbelievably hot with my panties stuffed into his mouth, his brown eyes eclipsed by blown-out pupils and a hazy desire.
I’m sucking hard again, one hand cupping his balls, when he spits my panties out. “Fuck this.” He yanks open the drawer beside him and pulls out a set of metal handcuffs.
I gasp, and heat pools low in my belly. He promised weeks ago that he’d use them on me, and now he’s finally following through.
I’m still giddy at the prospect, lost in a haze of lust, when he lifts me and lumbers toward the futon.