Chapter 17 - Sasha
Chapter seventeen
After our night at Jack and Margot’s house, we went home, threw some more things in our overnight bags, and headed to the private airport. Blanche told us to take as much time as we wanted, but I don’t think I can handle much more than a long weekend away.
I’m already pushing the boundaries as it is.
I don’t take women on trips. This is just one more bad decision where my Sunshine is concerned.
This goes against my better judgment, but the moment she mentioned that she missed it, all I could think about was bringing her here.
I’m getting too close. She’s a threat to the walls I’ve so carefully crafted all my life.
But it seems almost impossible to keep her light from seeping into the cracks of my dark soul.
Each time I regret my decision, all I have to do is look up at her, and it all goes away. Every time I see her smiling at me, I forget every reason that would keep me from making her mine forever.
She’s been mostly quiet the whole way here, which is out of character for Lucy, but I’m hoping once we get settled in, she’ll be back to her bubbly self.
It’s still the early afternoon, so we have a few hours to enjoy the waves before heading out for dinner.
Then we’ll have two full days to enjoy the beach before we have to fly back home on Monday morning.
With both of our bags on one of my shoulders, we walk to the house hand in hand.
She gasps as I open the door, and I can’t help but feel pride as she spins, experiencing the airy interior.
“Wow…This view is incredible,” she says, walking through to the open concept kitchen and living area.
It is a breathtaking view, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean. But not as breathtaking as my Sunshine.
“I know,” I say with my eyes on her as I walk up behind her, pulling her against me. “You certainly are incredible.”
She shivers and spins in my arms, looking up at me. “Sasha, we need to talk. Who are you? How do you have this?”
“Shh,” I say, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. “We can get into that later. Right now, I want to get you into another skimpy bathing suit and watch you splash around in the water.”
I guide her to our room and drop our bags, grabbing swim shorts out of mine and changing while watching her perform her own little striptease, pouring her curves into a black thong bikini.
If I were a better man, I would leave her alone and get the grand reveal when she was finished.
But I’m not a good man. God, I have half a mind to throw her on the bed and rip it off of her right now.
Instead, I grab a bag already packed with all the beach necessities and guide her to the ocean.
I expected her to lie on the sand and read her book while I admired her perfect body.
But she seemed to have a different plan.
From the moment she stuck her toe in the water, I haven’t been able to get her out.
I thought I would be able to watch her from the beach, but that was quickly put to rest when she grabbed my hand and pulled me into the waves with her.
I’ve had such a good time playing with her that I haven’t gotten hard once, and I’m not sure how to feel about that.
What I do know is that after hours of being out in the ocean, I’m starving.
We catch one more wave together, bringing us to the shoreline, before I pick her up and carry her back to our towels.
“Let’s go get cleaned up for dinner,” I say, putting her down to pack up our things.
“What are you in the mood for? There’s a great Italian place down the road.
I know it sounds silly to come to the beach and not eat seafood, but it really is that good.
I can get us a table in an hour if you think you can be ready by then. ”
“Hmm…could we get it delivered? The patio looks so cozy, and with the salty air and the sound of the crashing waves, I’d rather eat there than inside some stuffy restaurant. Ugh, and we can wear comfy clothes. Please, please, please?”
I smile down at her and take her hand in mine. “That sounds amazing. It’ll be here by the time you get out of the shower.”
“Mmm, that smells so good,” Lucy says, walking onto the patio freshly showered and smelling incredible. She flops onto the couch beside me and pulls her knees under her lap on the cushion, looking at the spread laid out on the coffee table in front of us. “Jesus, what did you order?”
“Um…everything,” I say as I finish unboxing the food. “I was hungry!”
“Clearly.”
I turn to her with a smirk. “Well, it was either this or you, Sunshine. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy it. On second thought, maybe I should put this away and spread your pretty legs instead.”
She holds my stare, but I don't miss the effect my words have. She shivers, biting her bottom lip while her pupils grow dark. When I’ve had my fun, I give her a bit of reprieve. “Ladies first…” I say, motioning to the buffet in front of us.
We both fill our plates and begin to eat in silence, something extremely rare with my girl. After I’ve enjoyed my meal, I look up at Lucy, pushing some pasta around on her plate. “Alright, spill. Why are you being so quiet today?”
“I don’t know, Mr. Taranov,” she says, emphasizing my last name. “Why didn’t you tell me you were some fancy-pants important man with jets and a dozen homes?”
I’ve never been one to flaunt my family’s wealth.
Not that it doesn’t make life easier. But when you don’t plan to live to middle age, what’s it for anyway?
I would choose a modest existence—coming home to my beautiful Sunshine after my nine-to-five job—over my life any day.
The life that, up until recently, I spent the majority of tracking and killing for my uncle.
All the money in the world doesn’t make that worth it.
I take a few deep breaths, not sure what to say.
I’ve finally hit a crossroads with her, and I can either let her in or push her away.
I really should tell her it’s none of her business and move on.
I’ve never allowed myself to trust anyone before, and I shouldn’t start now.
But as I look into her eyes, I know I don’t have a choice.
She’s been clawing her way through my tough exterior from the first day we met, and I’m a fool to think I could stop her.
Especially now that she’s made her way so close to my heart.
“Come here,” I say, pulling her onto my lap so that we’re facing each other, my hands naturally falling to the curve of her hips.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t more forthcoming about my family’s wealth, but it's not something I like to brag about. There was a reason for Kat to marry Henry. Unlike my family, the Sinclairs run a clean, legitimate empire. I won’t get into the specifics of things, but I’m not a good man, Sunshine. ”
She pauses for a moment before placing a hand on my thigh.
“You’re the best man I know, Sasha. I know you don’t give your loyalty freely, but I’ve watched you around the people you care about and…
You’re so, so good. You’ve even taken care of me.
From my morning coffee to our scenes with Blanche, you’ve made sure I was okay.
I thought…well, never mind. I was being silly. ”
“What’s silly?”
She tries to hang her head, but I don’t let her.
I lift her chin, forcing her to meet my eyes so I can try to understand what she’s feeling.
It’s hard for her to say what she wants to, but my girl is brave.
“I thought…I thought that maybe I was starting to mean something to you. That I could mean something to you. But really, I’m just a random girl you have to work with.
Who buys off-brand groceries and has to schedule rideshares because I don’t have a car.
I barely even have a job, let alone a career.
I don’t have a family or a legacy. I’m nothing… ”
I squeeze her jaw, stopping her from finishing whatever ridiculous statement she was making.
I’m nothing. The thought makes me furious.
How dare anyone think that of my Sunshine, much less my girl herself.
Resting my forehead against hers, I move my hand around to the back of her neck and fist my fingers in her hair.
“You’re everything,” I say, as I pull back just far enough to look at her. Her eyes tell a story of pure love, and I wonder if she can see how deeply I feel for her in mine. Love. Surely, I’m not there yet.
We sit frozen in time, wrapped in each other’s arms while listening to the waves crash on the shore.
The sun set hours ago, and despite how dimly lit the patio is, she’s glowing.
She’s my very own lighthouse. A beacon, guiding me safely through rough waters.
No, she’s more than that. She’s my strength, granting me the ability to fight through my storms. She’s not only a source of peace but also a source of hope I didn’t realize I was missing.
Fuck, maybe I do love her.
My heart, my trust? I’ve spent years building walls around them, and not once has someone threatened to break them down.
I’ve had my family, and that’s been enough until her.
She started chiseling away at me from the beginning.
I tried to stop it. I kept telling myself that I can’t trust anyone, that she’s an outsider.
But how can she be an outsider when she’s the very essence of my soul?
Even so, this is no life to bring someone into.
I’m a selfish asshole for breathing the same air as her.
Just living together puts her at risk. I should’ve moved out when I found out we would be roommates.
I just…couldn’t. I tried to fight it. God, I tried my best to keep her at arm’s length. But dammit, I’m tired of fighting.
Fisting her hair, I pull her toward me, taking her lips. Trying the only way I know to tell her exactly how I feel. That I need her more than air.
It doesn’t take long for our bodies to react. She wraps her arms around my neck, holding herself against me while I explore. She’s only wearing an oversized T- shirt and some flimsy cotton shorts, making it easy for my hands to roam her body. She’s so soft and perfect.
I’m in control until she fists the back of my hair and pulls, causing me to lose my resolve.
I deepen our kiss while my touches become frantic.
I need more. I need her bare for me. Lucy doesn’t put up any fight as I undress her.
She even helps, lifting her arms so I can pull off her shirt, and lifting from my lap to remove her shorts.
When I finally have her undressed, I pull back to look at her naked body. Our breaths are labored as I take her in. Fuck, she’s beautiful. When I’ve gone as long as I can stand without tasting her, I start a trail of kisses from her shoulder, up her neck, to her ear. “I need you, baby,” I whisper.
I groan as she runs her fingers through my hair, scratching my scalp.
“Take me.” Her words are so soft I barely hear them.
I can see the sincerity in her gaze, but I barely have time to look into those beautiful eyes before she’s kissing me once more.
Turning us over on the patio couch, I gently lay her down beneath me.
I kiss and lick and nibble down her body, from her mouth to her beautiful, glistening pussy.
She writhes in my hands as I lick a strip from her ass to her clit, moaning as I tease her, before moving back down. She’s so fucking delicious.
With my tongue circling her clit, I slowly begin fucking into her cunt with one finger.
Reveling in the way her walls try to pull me deeper.
After I’ve gotten her relaxed, I increase my pace, adding a second finger and more direct pressure to her swollen bud.
It doesn’t take long at all before she’s falling apart with her release.
Her legs shake around my head, her back arches off the cushion, and her moans fill the air.
When she’s come down from her high, I kiss her sensitive pussy, and work my way back up her body to take her lips.
She moans into my mouth as she tastes herself on my tongue, causing my already painfully hard cock to twitch.
“Please, please, Sasha…I need you…”
Making quick work of getting out of my clothes, I line myself up to her soaking wet entrance.
I’m about to bury myself in her perfect little cunt when I realize I don’t want to take her out here in the open this time.
I’ve never had a problem with exhibitionism, but the chance someone could see us or hear her sweet sounds makes me angry.
Every other time we’ve had sex, I’ve had to share her. I want this time to be all mine.
“Let’s go inside, baby.”
“Okay,” she breathes out, smiling softly.
With a kiss on her temple, I stand to pick her up bridal style and carry her into our room. It may be delusional, but nothing sounds better than laying her out on my bed and taking her all night, losing myself in the fantasy that this is my forever.