Given (Give &Take) (8 page)

W
ith every mile we flew away from France, I was proving what a shitty father I was. Good fathers didn’t leave their daughters across the ocean when they called for help.

Christ, I’d tried. I’d been there for a week, called her, and waited. What more could I do? Rachael’s point was a valid one. Nadia was old enough to get to the airport and come to Turtle Tear if that was truly what she wanted. I’d made it clear in my message that she was welcome, that I’d pay for her flight, that she could stay as long as she wanted.

She didn’t show.

What more could I do?

The flash of reflected light off Rachael’s ring reminded me that I had plans, a fucking amazing life to get back to. A woman who
owned me
to marry. Going home wasn’t turning my back on Nadia, even if it felt like it.

Rachael leaned her head on my shoulder. Her hair smelled like fruit and flowers. “Are you sure you want to get married at the Weston Plantation?” I knew she didn’t. She was doing what was practical.

She looked up at me, beaming. “It’s the most logical place to have it since there are hotels, restaurants, and shops—things to do—for people who have to travel to attend. Turtle Tear can’t hold four hundred people.”

“And you
want
something that big?” Rachael wasn’t the type to put on an extravagant show for the benefit of others. She kept a tight group of friends and family close and they were who were important to her, not a herd of my business associates—most of whom I hadn’t spoken to in years.

She shrugged. “It’s a wedding. You invite everyone. That’s how it’s done.”

“Hmm.” I didn’t want a wedding that was put together to make everyone happy except me and my bride. I had some thinking to do and some calls to make. I wouldn’t sit back and let Rachael compromise. Practicality be damned. This day—her wedding day—would come once in her life and that was it. I’d make it amazing.

We touched down in Miami late at night. I was so used to having Beck meet me at the airport, I almost forgot there would be nobody meeting us tonight. Turtle Tear wouldn’t be the same without him.

The helicopter stood ready in its designated spot. I stowed our luggage and helped Rachael into the passenger seat. She was tired, her eyes glassy. I was too, but alert enough to fly us to Turtle Tear. “Almost home.” I kissed the top of her head and closed the door as she smiled through a yawn.

Both of us were quiet on the flight home, lost in our own thoughts. One of the many things I liked about being with Rachael was that we didn’t need to talk all the time. Just being side by side was enough. Neither one of us needed to fill the silence.

When we touched down on the island, my assistant, Mr. Simcoe, was waiting beside the landing pad in a golf cart. The elderly man got out and limped toward us as the propellers slowed, waving. “I thought I heard a helicopter heading this way,” he called.

“Good ears,” I said, happy to see Mr. Simcoe so spry after his physical altercation with Enzo a few months back. “Thanks for coming down to meet us. I was afraid I’d have to lug these suitcases to the hotel on foot.”

“How has everything been?” Rachael asked, coming around the front of the helicopter and rushing to give Mr. Simcoe a hug. “Is Maddie with MJ at the Weston Plantation?”

“She is. Their place is coming along nicely. Joan and Beck went to help them wrap up the west wing project, then Beck’s off to Nebraska.” Mr. Simcoe eyed me and pressed his lips together in a reassuring manor. “It’ll be good for him to get back to his roots.” He took the large tote bag off Rachael’s shoulder and put it over his own. “We had an inquiry about a private business retreat. I took down the information and let the gentleman know you’d be in touch to go over pricing with him.”

Rachael beamed. “Perfect! We could use another event booking!”

Pride swelled inside me. She never had to book another event on the island for as long as we lived. We didn’t need the money. But she was driven, and a woman like her could never sit back and be idle, lounging on the wealth I could sustain us with. In all honesty, I liked helping her with events. We’d only had one so far, but seeing it come together gave me a sense of accomplishment I hadn’t had since seeing Turtle Tear itself renovated. The wedding we’d hosted for the Nelsons, a couple renewing their vows after fifty years of marriage, was much more rewarding than my own projects had ever been. Knowing we’d provided people with cherished memories to take with them from Turtle Tear was a feeling like nothing I’d ever experienced.

Giving was much more rewarding than receiving.

Rachael had taught me that—brought giving to others into my life. I wished I had a pen and a piece of paper to write my thoughts down so I could incorporate them into my vows. I didn’t want to leave out even one thing that I appreciated about her.

Mosquitoes hummed, the air was thick with humidity, and thunder cracked overhead. “Let’s get to the hotel before we’re poured on,” Mr. Simcoe said, leading the way to the golf cart.

“I don’t like that you’re here alone,” Rachael told Mr. Simcoe after we were in the cart and on our way down the path. “Anything could happen and nobody would be here to help.”

“I’m an old man,” he said, patting her leg. “When it’s
my time, it’s my time. Besides, I rather like being here by myself. It’s peaceful.”

I knew what he meant. I could breathe deeper on Turtle Tear. There was no stress. All the anxiety was gone. Well, at least when I wasn’t faced with family problems, like lately with Nadia.

A sprinkle of rain wet my arm, sending a cool chill up my back. I knew I shouldn’t be worrying about Nadia. I had no control over the situation, and worrying over something you have no control over is a waste. I needed to get my mind off my daughter. Glancing at Rachael’s left hand, I knew exactly what to focus my attention on. “Mr. Simcoe, did you notice anything new about Rachael’s left hand?”

Rachael’s head snapped toward me, a huge grin on her lips.

“Look at that,” Mr. Simcoe said, pulling the golf cart up to the hotel’s patio. He took Rachael’s hand and admired her ring. “A lovely ring for a lovely woman. Congratulations, dear.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then held a hand out to me. “Congratulations. You’ve got quite the life to look forward to, son.”

My eyes traveled over Rachael’s face, the soft curve of her jaw, the delicate line of her cheek, her sweet nose and the mouth that she could drive me insane with. Her eyes were my favorite of her features. Soulful and expressive, dark and passionate. Rachael’s eyes spoke to me without her uttering a single word. “I do have an amazing life ahead of me,” I said, brushing a finger across Rachael’s cheek.

She took my hand and held it. “Please don’t tell Maddie,” she said, putting a pleading hand on Mr. Simcoe’s shoulder. “I want to be the one to tell her.”

“And MJ,” I added. “Hopefully, they’ll be here next weekend.”

“I believe that’s their plan,” Mr. Simcoe said. “And don’t worry. I’d never share your news.”

The sky split with lightning and rain began to fall in buckets. The three of us darted for the shelter of the patio and hurried inside through the door to the lounge.

“I love being home,” Rachael whispered.

We lay in bed, her back to my chest, legs a tangle under the sheets, watching lightning flash and rain sheet across the sky through the window. I held her breast in my hand, her silky warm skin and rhythmic rise and fall of her chest lulling me into an almost-sleep state. But I wouldn’t let myself sleep until she did. Although she’d been exhausted on the way home, she was filled with excitement now.

“Me, too,” I whispered back, nuzzling my nose into her hair.

“I think maybe an outdoor reception at the Weston Plantation under big tents. I want a band, like an old-fashioned band to play instead of a DJ. Or maybe a band and then later at night a DJ. What do you think?”

“It sounds perfect.” I moved her hair aside and kissed the soft spot under her ear.

She turned and looked back at me. “I don’t want you to agree with everything I want just because I want it. It’s your wedding, too.”

I pressed a finger to her beautiful, pouty lips. “My only requirement is that you’re standing at the end of the aisle. If you make that happen, I’m a happy man for life.” I squeezed her lips into fish lips. “As long as you say ‘I do.’ ”

She laughed as I kissed her puckered lips. “I’ll be there. That’s a given.”

“You better be.” I tickled her side and she squirmed, pressing her bottom against me. I grabbed her hips and grinded into her. She turned to catch my eyes, groaned, and licked her lips. “Oh, that’s it,” I said. “You and that luscious ass have done it now.”

She laughed as I rose to my knees between her legs, pushing her short nightie up over her breasts. “There’s something about making love in a storm…” she said, reaching inside my boxers and pulling my cock out. “You give the term
lightning rod
a whole new meaning, Mr. Rocha.”

Her firm, delicate fingers wrapped around me made me weak. She didn’t realize the power she yielded over me with her hands, her mouth, and the holy grail between her legs. She could have me on my knees begging in seconds. She stroked me, setting me on fire, making my balls tighten.

Before I lost all sense—forgot my name—I yanked her panties down and spread her thighs wide apart. She kept herself clean shaven except for a small patch of hair I loved the feel of when I sucked her clit. She was glistening and
ready for me. I ran a finger between her open lips, spreading her slick wetness.

Jesus, she was a goddess lying before me and she didn’t even realize it. Her eyes half closed, the way she moved as I circled my finger between her folds… a fucking goddess.

And she’d agreed to be my wife. How could it possibly be true?

“What is it?” she asked, opening her eyes, propping herself on her elbows and staring at me. “You look lost.”

I shook my head. “No. Not lost. I’m right where I always want to be.”

A cunning smile cut across her face, and she grabbed my cock again and led it to her opening. “This is where I always want you to be.” She wrapped her legs around me and pulled me into her, thrusting her hips up and forward to take me in with a moan and a sigh. “God, I love the feel of you inside me, Merrick.”

Fuck.
“When you say things like that… you don’t even know what it does to me, Rachael.”

I held still and watched her buck her hips underneath me, taking me in and out, pulling and pushing with her hips and thighs. It was the sexiest fucking thing my eyes have ever witnessed.

“In that case,” she said, “I should tell you that when you make me come, sometimes I see God and hear angels sing. You fuck me so good, Merrick.” She let out this whimper-moan and dug her heels into my ass trying to get me to move, but there was no way in hell I was budging a muscle.
She was so amazing riding me from underneath, talking dirty. I’d never been so hard or big in my life. My skin was about to split. If a ring got me this, I could only imagine our wedding night after we said our vows.

I dipped my head and sucked her bottom lip. “What else?” I asked, eager to hear more of her dirty pleasures.

She dug her nails into my ass, making me thrust forward, grinning like the devil. I dove down and bit her nipple, tugging on it until she gasped. “I like it when you’re a little rough,” she whispered. “You’re so big and strong, and when you take me how you want me, it makes me know I’m yours.”

God damn. I gritted my teeth, doing everything I could not to pound my dick into her hard and fast. I wanted to draw this out. I’d never been so turned on in my life. If I gave in to it, it would be over way to soon.

I held myself over her, watching her buck and writhe off the bed to slide up and down my cock. Lightning flashed outside the window; the room went bright. She was dripping wet. Thunder rumbled. She hooked her legs around my hips and pulled herself up, taking me deep into her tight, hot pussy. “I need you so bad.” She licked my neck and groaned in frustration. “Fuck me, Merrick. Please.”

Jesus, how could I resist this? “Tell me one more thing. One more, baby, and I’ll fuck you like I never have before.”

She reached between us and hooked her finger around the base of my cock, using it for leverage to push me inside her. I came unglued. “Fucking tell me, Rach. One more thing.”

“That time,” she said, beginning to pant as she used my dick to pleasure herself, “when we walked in on our friends—after when you had me against the door and you touched me.” She took my hand and led my fingers between her ass cheeks. “Here.” I watched her face shy with her bold words and admission. “I liked it,” she whispered.

I kept my fingers where she put them—where she liked them—and kissed her gently. “Baby, I knew you liked it. The way you reacted told me that. Don’t be embarrassed.”

I grabbed her and flipped her over. “Now you see God and hear angels sing.” I pulled her up on her knees, spreading them apart, and pressed down on her back until her ass was in the air and her chest was on the bed. “Fucking perfect. You better grab that pillow and hold on tight.”