“Why don’t you go on and shower first? I need speak to the concierge about something before we head down to dinner.” Hunter kissed my cheek and grabbed his cell phone and wallet before leaving the room. I had hoped to squeeze in another steamy shower with him, but he quickly extinguished any chance of that happening; not to mention I wasn’t too keen on the idea of him going down to the lobby to see that skanky bitch at the front desk. I could only imagine what lengths she’d go to get in his pants, especially without me there by his side.
I hopped in the shower, shaking off any nefarious thoughts of her, and scrubbed away the salty seawater that still coated my body. The room quickly filled with steam, clouding up the glass door and making me feel as though I was encased in my own personal bubble; one where all of my worries faded away, and all that remained in this tiny make-believe world I had created were Hunter and myself. God, what I wouldn’t give to have him here with me right now, lathering me up and caressing me with his rough hands. I quickly rinsed the suds off and watched them swirl down the drain before I got too carried away with my wicked thoughts. I stuck my hand outside of the shower door, reaching for the towel, but it had somehow disappeared into thin air. Where could it have…
My eyes flew to Hunter, who was sitting on the toilet with the lid down and dangling the towel in front of me.
“Looking for this?” he smirked.
I stepped out of the shower, not caring that I was dripping water all over the marble floor. “You know you could have joined me in there.”
“Yeah, but I was enjoying the view from here.” He stood and wrapped the fluffy, white towel around my body, tucking the corner in between my cleavage with a smile.
“Everything go okay with the concierge?” I knew her name was Alyssa from glancing at her nametag, but just the thought of spewing her name felt like acid burning a hole through my tongue.
“Yup. Everything’s perfect. They saved us a table for around six, so that should leave just enough time for me to shower and get ready.”
“All right, I’ll go get changed and you can have at it in here. I think I managed to save you some hot water.”
Hunter chuckled softly. “Thanks, babe.”
He leaned down to kiss me while shamelessly removing his swim trunks and letting them pool at his feet. The last sight I caught of him just before he slipped behind the glass door of the shower was his firm, pasty white ass, and I couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled in my throat.
I let Hunter finish up in the shower while I picked out something to wear to dinner. The hotel was relatively upscale, so I opted for a raspberry-red, sleeveless wrap dress that I was lucky enough to have packed while rushing out of my apartment. Slipping into the dress, it fit snuggly in all the right places and flared out a bit past my waist. Oh, and look at that, I packed Hunter’s favorite nude stilettos as well! A smile spread across my face, knowing he’d be happy to see those. I closed my eyes and laid back on the bed, visualizing what Hunter had described when I was lying on the hood of his car; me in nothing but my stilettos and him nestling himself between my thighs, worshipping every inch of me and taking me over the edge. I couldn’t wait for that day to come.
“Don’t fall asleep on me, sweetheart.”
Hunter caged me in with his arms on either side of me and kissed my neck. He smelled like fresh soap and cedar, and tiny droplets of water fell from his still damp hair. My eyes slowly fluttered open, and he was grinning down at me lovingly. He had already changed into a crisp white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of tan slacks. He looked good enough to eat, but I’d have to save that appetite for later.
“I see you’re wearing your heels.” He slithered down the bed and pressed his lips to my ankle.
“If you want to make it to dinner on time, you better stop teasing me with your kisses,” I said breathlessly. “Otherwise, we’re never going to leave this bed.”
He chuckled, nibbling on my leg. “Aren’t you hungry, babe?”
“Starving.” For him.
“All right, I better help you up before I continue to devour this luscious body and spoil my dinner.” He helped me off of the bed and took both of my hands, spreading my arms wide and taking in what I was wearing. “You look stunning, Maddie. Do a little spin for me.”
I spun around in place and giggled as my dress floated up at the ends. He pulled me back in and whispered against my lips, “So beautiful”.
I melted into his chest, and he held me there for a few minutes longer before we had to leave. We took the elevator down to the lobby, and Hunter steered me through double doors that opened up to an outdoor lounge and bar. The place had an island feel to it as tropical music filtered softly through the air, and from the looks of it, I never would’ve thought we were still in South Carolina. The hostess led us over to a table that had a perfect view of the Atlantic where we could hear the waves crashing in the background. With Hunter seated across from me, and the glow of the flickering candle reflecting against his handsome face, it was almost too perfect.
We sipped on our drinks and enjoyed some of the most delicious food to ever hit my taste buds. No one had ever taken me to such a nice restaurant before. In fact, no one had ever taken me out on a proper date until I met Hunter. I was still getting used to the fact that I was now in a relationship and this beautiful man across from me was mine. All mine.
“I’ve got one more surprise for you before the night is over.” Hunter took one last sip of his beer before setting it down.
I propped my elbow up on the table and rested my chin in my hand. “Do I get a hint what it might be?”
“Well, as much as I love seeing them on you, you won’t be needing those shoes.” He grinned devilishly, nodding down toward my feet.
I sucked in a sharp breath, hoping and praying that I was correct to assume where he was going with this. He quickly paid the bill and took my hand, interlacing our fingers, but instead of heading back into the hotel, he steered me down toward the beach. He slipped off his shoes and offered to carry mine. Damn, so that’s what he meant by not needing my shoes. I tried not to look disappointed.
“So this was your surprise? A walk on the beach?”
He shook his head and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “Not quite. It’s a little ways down there, where it’s darker. The lights from the hotel will be a bit too bright for this.”
A little darker, huh? Maybe a little more privacy? I liked the sound of that.
We walked up to an area of the beach that was completely pitch black, only the moon and the stars lighting our way, but I could just make out a blanket and pillows laid out in the sand. Oh. My. God. This was actually going to happen!
Next thing I knew, a screen illuminated the beach in front of us, and Disney-themed music began to play. What the…
“What is all of this?” I looked over to Hunter, whose smile was beaming just as brightly as the moon up above.
He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, breathing his words into my ear. “I made a few requests, and the hotel staff was kind enough to set up a movie on the beach for us.”
I looked back, focusing my gaze on the screen, and to my surprise, Lady and the Tramp was the movie he had chosen. Tears began to well up in my eyes, overcome by the thoughtfulness of his gesture. But how could he have known?
“How… how did you know this was my favorite movie growing up?”
Hunter chewed his bottom lip. “I might have made a call to your brother earlier.”
“Shut up! You did not!” I shoved his shoulder while laughing through my tears. “Hunter, this is the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me. What made you think of doing this?”
“Well, I wanted to do something special for you, but since there aren’t any drive-ins nearby, I figured I’d have to improvise, and this was the next best thing. Did I do good job, babe?”
“It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect. Just like you.” I reached up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
He smiled bashfully, and I swear if it weren’t so dark out, I would have seen him blush as well. He was just too adorable. “I don’t know about that, but I’ll take your word for it.”
We settled down on the blanket and propped the pillows up behind us so that we could lie down. Hunter wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and I rested my head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat match the rhythm of the waves crashing in front of us. Being there with him, with the beautiful backdrop of the ocean and lying in his arms beneath the starry heavens as the man in the moon smiled down at us, I felt like I was floating on cloud nine. I honestly believed it couldn’t get any better than that very moment, and I realized then and there that I never wanted to spend another second of my life away from him.
I reached for Hunter’s hand and tangled my fingers with his just as “Bella Notte” began to play during my favorite scene. “Do you think some people are destined to be alone for the rest of their lives? Or do you think that somewhere out there, there’s someone meant for everyone?”
Hunter pulled back a bit and looked as though he were mulling over my words. “You know, I’m not really sure. I like to think that there’s someone for everyone, but maybe they aren’t all lucky enough to cross paths. Maybe if they aren’t in the right place at the right time, they lose out on the opportunity to find their special someone.” He brushed my stray hairs away and kissed the top of my head. “Why do you ask?”
I shook my head. “No reason.”
I snuggled in closer to Hunter, quickly ending the conversation, but unable to focus on the movie any longer. What if he was right? What if we only had one chance, one brief moment in time, to ever find the person that was meant to fill the missing part of our lives? The person who we’d forever share our hearts with and love unconditionally until the day we took our very last breaths? Was it possible that Hunter and I had missed our one chance, or had it already occurred right before our unsuspecting eyes?
I stared up at the sky, getting lost in my thoughts and imagining Hunter and I as two tiny flickers in a sea full of stars. But the question that plagued my mind was which path he would choose along our journey. Was he like one of the constellations, ever present, night after night, and never faulting from the steady path? Or was he just another wandering star, waiting for his chance to shoot across the night sky and fly right out of my life… just like the rest of them?
Only time would tell. I’d always thought that when the right person came along, I would know right off the bat that he was the one, and had I not fought to ignore all of the signs that were clearly laid out before me, I knew I would have. Because there was no questioning it… Hunter Bryant was it for me. But deep in the pit of my stomach, I worried that maybe he didn’t feel the same way.
When the credits began to roll across the screen, I had a crazy idea cross my mind and stood, walking up to the water’s edge. I sunk my toes into the sand and… Ohmigod it was freezing! The frigid water sliced through my skin like a thousand razors, but I sucked it up and continued to trudge through the bubbling waves with determination. It was official; I had clearly lost my mind to even consider going through with this. But as I slid the straps of my dress over my shoulders and let the material shimmy down my body until it floated against the gentle waves, I knew there was no turning back.
I stepped out of my dress and tossed it back onto the beach where Hunter was staring at me with wide eyes. Deciding to go without a bra tonight, I was shielded by nothing more than my purple lace panties and the light of the moon that cascaded over my curves. I smiled in his direction, my teeth chattering as my entire body trembled, and crooked my finger, giving him my best come-hither stare.
He slowly shuffled through the sand, unbuttoning his shirt and letting it fall to the sand. When his feet kissed the waves making their way up the beach, he flicked the button of his pants open and reached for his zipper. They pooled at his feet and he kicked them aside. I was about waist deep in the water when he finally caught up with me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into his warm chest.
“Good God, woman, you must have lost your damn mind, because it is f*cking freezing out here!”
I giggled, leaning further into his embrace, and pressed a kiss to his neck. “True, but I still managed to get you out here, didn’t I?”
“I guess that makes us both crazy then.” He lifted me up, and my legs naturally circled his waist while my arms gripped around his neck. His mouth crashed down on mine, and his tongue teased at my lips, trying to gain access. I opened up willingly, and he continued to consume me with everything he had. My hips moved of their own accord, pulling him in and grinding against his belly. I could feel him growing harder through his boxer briefs, his erection teasing the seam of my panties, and I knew how badly he wanted me. I wanted him just as much, if not more.
The water around us was colder than ice, but Hunter had my insides melting. He pulled back, breaking the connection, and rested his head against mine. “God, Maddie, I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but I just can’t get enough of you. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough.” My hands slid down his chest, and his heart was thumping rapidly beneath my fingers. “Why don’t we take this inside before we both get hypothermia? I don’t want you dying on me before we get to the good stuff.”
“The good stuff, huh?” I lifted a brow, questioningly.
“Sweetheart…” Hunter leaned his head down, drawing one of the rosy peaks of my breasts between his lips, and gently nipped at the sensitive flesh. A wave of pleasure flooded over me, and I knew exactly where he was going with this. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Hunter swept me up and carried me out of the glacial-like water and back onto the dry beach. We quickly threw our clothes on, laughing as they clung to our bodies. Hunter pulled me close to his side, snaking his arm around my waist, while he carried both pairs of shoes with his free hand. When we padded through the hotel lobby, barefoot and trailing water all over the floor, Alyssa looked completely shocked by our appearance. I shot her a smug grin and wiggled my fingers in her direction as we passed by the front desk.
We stepped into the elevator, and once the doors had shut, Hunter leaned over and laughed into hollow of my neck. “Are you trying to start shit with her again, babe?”
“That depends. Would you let me actually follow through with it this time?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. She was trying to put the moves on me when I went down there earlier to make dinner reservations. I tried to stop her but…” He nuzzled further into my neck, but I froze, unable to get the image of that little bitch with her hands all over him out of my head.
“She what?!” I shoved at his chest. He tried to stop her? Did that mean that he… f*ck, how could I have been so stupid!
“Jealous are we?” He chuckled, but I was not finding the humor in it at all. I pulled away from him, putting some distance between us, and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Maddie, do you trust me?”
The elevator dinged when we reached the third floor, and I stormed out as soon as the doors flew open. It didn’t take long for him to catch up with me, and he grabbed my arm, spinning me around and pinning me against our door. He cupped my face in his hands, and the look in Hunter’s eyes was fiercely possessive as he pled with me again. “I asked you a question. Do you trust me?”
I knew I did, but hearing him joke about another woman attempting to get in his pants wasn’t very reassuring. I nodded, too choked up to produce any words.
“I need to hear you say it, Madelyn.”
My heart thumped in my chest at hearing him use my full name. I swallowed back the tears and let out a shaky breath. “Yes.”
He tilted my chin up, brushing his lips over mine as he spoke. “Please, don’t ever run away from me. I promised you I would never hurt you, and I meant that.” He pressed his lips against mine until I was nearly out of breath. “Now let me show you that I’m worthy of your trust. Let me show you just how much you mean to me and will always mean to me… let me love you.”
The tears finally tore through the unbreakable levee, and I was a sobbing mess in his arms. He slipped the keycard into the door and swept me up bridal style, carrying me into the suite. He was about to place me on the bed, but decided against it, since my dress was still soaking wet. Once I was on my feet, he slipped his fingers beneath the straps of my dress, all the while tenderly kissing each and every one of my tears away, but they just kept on coming. I didn’t deserve all of this; the weekend trip, swimming with dolphins, a romantic dinner and then a movie under the stars. It was all too much and so overwhelming, and then hearing him asking… no, telling me to let him love me? I felt like I was drowning in a sea of emotions that I had never experienced before, but thankfully, Hunter was there to keep me afloat.
When my dress fell to floor in a pool at my feet, I looked up at him for guidance. He took my hands and placed them over the buttons of his shirt, urging me to go on. My fingers trembled as I slipped each one through the tiny holes, but before I pushed the shirt over his shoulders and down his arms, I had to place a kiss just over the center of his heart, silently letting him know that it was okay for him to let me love him, too.
Hunter gripped my hips, never once stripping his gaze away from mine, and maneuvered me until the back of my legs hit the bed. I sank down on the edge of the mattress, and one of his warm, rough hands slid up the center of my body, causing goose bumps to spread like wildfire across my skin. When he reached the dip between my breasts, he slowly pushed me down until I was laying flat on my back. I scooted up the bed, letting my head sink into the pillows, and Hunter climbed over me, framing my body with his and making me appear so small and fragile in comparison.
His hands trailed up my sides, performing an exploratory survey of my body, and the second his fingers grazed against the sides of my breasts, I shuddered, letting out a soft moan. He finally broke eye contact when his head dipped down to press soft, open-mouthed kisses along my collarbone, and I could feel him smile against my shoulder. He knew he was getting me worked up, and my body was pleasantly humming beneath him.
“Mmm, more,” I breathed out.
“More? You want more of this?” His tongue slithered up my neck, and he tugged on my earlobe. “Or maybe this is what you’re looking for.” He moved down to my breast and covered my tightly beaded nipple with his warm mouth, swirling his tongue and sucking on it fervently between his lips, making it red and swollen. He pinched the other rosy tip, rolling it between his finger and thumb and driving me wild. “You like that? Tell me what you want, baby.”
“You,” I panted. “I just want you.”
“You already have me, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere. Now tell me what you want. What makes you feel good?”
I propped up on my elbows and looked down to find Hunter’s hungry gaze connecting with mine. If I hadn’t known any better, I would’ve thought he was about ready to swallow me whole, and I gladly would have let him. His chin was resting just below my left breast, and his lips puckered, blowing his hot breath over my now very moist nipple. My body quivered as his delicious breath swept over my pebbled, pink tip, leaving me feeling as though I were spinning out of control and drunk on his essence.
“Oh, God.” I leaned my head back, crashing into the pillow.
Hunter cupped both of my breasts, feeling the weight of them in his hands and kneading them gently. He took his time dragging his soft, plush lips over my breastbone and across my ribs, every so often dipping his tongue out to sneak a taste. The fire inside me quickly ignited, flooding a pool of heat low in my belly, and if this gorgeous man didn’t release the pressure building up south of the border soon, I was going to violently explode.
When he got to the edge of my panties and traced a single finger over my lace-covered slit, my hips bucked against him, encouraging him to touch me where I so desperately needed him.
“Ah, is this where you want me, babe?” he drawled out seductively as he peered up at me through hooded lashes.
My throat was dry from panting so heavily, and all I could do was nod in response.
“I need to hear you say it, sweetheart.” He slid further down my body and brushed his lips against the inside of my thigh teasingly.
“Yes!” I all but shouted, lifting my hips closer to his mouth.
He chuckled softly, grinning up at me, and placed a kiss below my bellybutton. There was something about the way his lips feathered over the delicate skin of my stomach with such reverence, as though it were the most intimate act he could bestow upon me. It was more than just feeling wanted and desired by a man; I had felt that before on many occasions, but never like this… never for all of the right reasons.
Hunter slipped his fingers into the sides of my panties, and I lifted up, giving him permission to slide them down over my legs. Tucking the purple scrap of lace in his pocket, I bit my lip, giving him a knowing smile. He slowly spread my legs apart and licked his lips, pleased to find my glistening pink folds peeking back at him.
“You have no idea how f*cking sexy it is for me to find your p-ssy slick and ready, knowing that I did that to you.”
I sucked in a deep breath, surprised by his brazen choice of words, and almost cried out in sheer pleasure as his mouth finally lowered over my mound. He descended on me ravenously, kissing, licking, and tasting everywhere but where I craved his soft, velvety tongue the most. I bucked my hips, urging him to take what I knew we both wanted so badly. If the juices dripping down sex weren’t any indication of how much I wanted him, I hadn’t the slightest clue how I would have convinced him otherwise.
“Look at me, Madelyn,” he said gruffly, demanding my undivided attention.
My eyes fluttered open, and I drank in his beautiful masculine form. The muscles in his arms flexed as he slid to the edge of the bed and hooked my legs over his shoulders. He grinned up at me unabashedly, and his tongue flattened out as it brushed over my slit, separating my damp folds.
“Don’t take your eyes off of me. Not for a single second. I want you to watch me love you, every inch of you, with my fingers… my lips… my tongue. If you look away, I’ll stop, and baby… I know you don’t want me to stop.”
I watched his finger slip into my warm center, and he grinned as my sex clenched around him in response to the intrusion. He added another, gradually pumping them in and out of me and coating them with my arousal.
“Oh f*ck! Don’t… don’t stop!” I begged.
“Never.” He nibbled gently on my *, sending a shockwave of pleasure straight down to my toes. “Not until I have this pretty pink p-ssy coming all over me.”
My hands grabbed hold of the bed sheets while his tongue darted out, flicking over the sensitive, swollen bud at the apex of my thighs. The mixture of pleasure he was delivering with his dexterous fingers and skillful tongue was out of this world. Holy mother of God, it felt so f*cking good!
I ran my fingers through his silky chestnut hair, holding him in place, and my hips continued to thrust up to meet his beautiful mouth. He removed his fingers from my hot, wet sheath, and his tongue delved inside, tasting my sweet honey. Just as I felt my orgasm begin to build, Hunter returned his fingers and crooked them against my inner walls, hitting my G-spot dead on. It didn’t take long for me to slip into a euphoric state where I was shouting his name to the heavens and coming all over his fingers and mouth.
Hunter slowly removed his fingers with my sex still pulsating around him, and he slipped them into his mouth, licking and sucking them dry. I just about came all over again watching him enjoy the fruits of his labor, and f*ck, did I enjoy giving that to him.
When he was finished, he crawled up the length of my body and languidly brushed his lips over mine, consuming me as I came down from that toe-curling orgasm. I could taste my arousal on his tongue, feeding from the sweetness of his mouth. Never in my life had I shared such a beautiful moment with a man, and I would forever cherish him giving me this gift.
Hunter pulled back and gazed down at me, tucking a loose stand of hair behind my ear and stroking his thumb over my cheek. “Babe, I didn’t think you could possibly be any more beautiful than when I first laid eyes on you, but watching you come completely unraveled in my arms is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
My heart pounded violently in my chest. I was completely taken aback by his words and could feel the tears beginning to prick behind my eyes as my body slowly shook beneath him. When the hell had I become such a blubbering idiot? I wasn’t one to wear my heart on my sleeve like that, but Hunter was bringing out feelings and emotions I normally didn’t express around others. I was so accustomed to keeping everything boxed up inside and, up until now, had done a pretty good job.
Hunter lifted my chin and kissed my cheek, whispering sweet nothings in my ear, and that was all it took for the hot tears to break free and rush down my face.
“Shit, baby, what’s wrong?” He wrapped me up in his arms, brushing his hand over my hair soothingly, and I buried my face in his chest and sobbed. “Do you regret what we just did? I know things are moving faster than we both expected, and f*ck, I know I’ve been fighting this thing between us for the past few months, but I don’t have the will in me to fight it anymore. I lose all self-control the moment you step into the room, and trust me when I say that’s never happened to me before. I’ve always been in control, no matter what the situation, but with you it’s different. Everything just feels right when I’m with you.” He brushed his thumbs over my cheeks, capturing my tears just as quickly as they fell.
“Oh, God no, Hunter, I don’t regret that at all.” I shook my head, choking back my sobs. “It was b-beautiful. Probably the most beautiful moment I’ve ever experienced in my life, but that—” He cut me off before I could question it.
“That was me loving you, and I will always show you just how much I love you, whether it’s through my actions or my words. I never want you to think any less of what we share together. I’m not like those other a*sholes you were with before me. I want more than just your body, Madelyn. I want all of you. Heart, body and soul. And I promise I will always cherish this moment, because you finally trusted me enough to open yourself up to me and let me love you the way you deserve to be loved.”
“Y-you love me?” I croaked.
“Yes, my beautiful girl.” He leaned down and tenderly kissed my tear-stained lips. “Is it really so hard for you to see that, to feel that?”
“I just… I-I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, let alone had anyone return the same feelings. God, Hunter, this is all so new to me, and I have no idea what I’m doing. What if I f*ck everything up?”
“You won’t. I have faith in you.” He reassured me with his warm smile.
I chuckled softly, burying my face in the sheets to soak up the last few remaining tears. “You sure are putting a lot of faith in someone you hardly know.”
“I’d like to think I know all of the best parts about you. You’re smart, sexy, funny, stubborn as all hell—”
“Hey!” I smacked his chest giggling. “I thought you were listing the best parts about me?”
“I am. I love your stubbornness and your need to challenge me every step of the way. You constantly keep me on my toes, babe.” A cheeky grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“I don’t know why, but that just makes me want to kiss the ever-loving shit out of you.”
I let the sheet slip away from my body and crawled into his lap, throwing my arms around his neck as I seared my mouth over his. He tumbled back on the bed, and I let the momentum pull me down with him in a tangle of limbs. We fell asleep just like that, all tangled up as though we were one, no end and no beginning. Well… that is, after Hunter managed to peel me off of him long enough so that he could remove the rest of his clothes.
He slipped back in place, this time with my back to his front, flesh to flesh. He slinked his arm around my waist, pulling me in tighter and making sure there was no gap left between us. I never wanted there to be anything between us again; nothing to hold us back from what we truly wanted. And when I looked back and whispered goodnight against his soft, inviting lips, I saw everything I ever wanted in him. I saw my future.