Serendipity (Inevitable) (48 page)

He snagged her free hand and brought it to his lips. “Really? So what do I have to do?”

She turned her cheek into his palm. “Look at me. Say my name. Touch my hand. Basically, just be in the same room with me. That’s all it takes to make me want to jump your bones.”

“Wanton little hussy,” he teased. “But so long as you’re that way only with me you certainly won’t hear me complain.” He brushed her hair behind her ear. “And it’s the same for me, baby. The sound of your voice makes me hard.”

They walked out to sit on their private patio, nibbling on cheese and sipping champagne, and Julia couldn’t help but think of that evening at the Plaza Hotel. It had been almost a full year since they’d met in New York, and so much had changed in her life during that time that it made her head spin to think about it. The journey to this point had certainly been filled with bumps and missteps, but the trip had been worth all the obstacles.

She reached out with her bare foot and tickled his calf. “You know how you were worried about me being too exposed in that new aqua bikini I bought?”

Nathan eyed her warily. “What about it?”

“Well, if we just swim naked in our own private pool you won’t have to worry about it.”

He burst out laughing. “Baby, some of the things that come out of that pretty mouth of yours knock me for a loop. I think I’m having a bad influence on you.”

Julia stood up, only to straddle his lap and loop her arms around his neck. “Was that a complaint I heard?”

He pulled her down for a long, hungry kiss. “Oh, hell, no.”

They ate dinner at the four-star Mediterranean-style restaurant within the hotel. Nathan wore a pale gray Prada suit with an open-necked white shirt and no tie. Julia had chosen a Narciso Rodriguez panel dress in a delicious shade of citron green with a pair of gold metallic sandals. In a restaurant filled with well-kept, well-to-do patrons, they stood out, easily the most attractive couple in the room. But the lovers seemed to ignore everyone else around them, more than content to stare at each other across the table, clearly enraptured with the other. They fed each other bites of food, shared sips of wine from the same glass, and kept their hands entwined during most of the meal.

They took a leisurely walk around the hotel grounds after dinner and dessert, not having had the opportunity to explore until now. From the back terrace, there were stairs down to the beach but Julia looked dubiously at her high feels and shook her head.

“Tomorrow, I think,” she said regretfully.

Then she was squealing in surprise as Nathan swooped her up into his arms and carried her down the stairs to the sand below. She took off her shoes and carried them in one hand as he snagged the other in his.

“Thank you, baby. My knight in shining armor,” she teased.

“My pleasure, my lady. It’s such a beautiful night I couldn’t resist walking along the beach with you.”

They strolled up the hard packed sand for long, leisurely minutes, not speaking, just enjoying the balmy evening and each other’s company. The tide was out so they didn’t have to worry about getting splashed by an errant wave.

“This is an amazing place,” she signed. “I haven’t been to Santa Barbara since I was in high school. Have you been here before?”

He hesitated a moment before nodding. “Once, several years ago.”

She grinned at him. “I’ll bet it was with a woman and you don’t want to talk about it because you think I’ll be jealous.”

Nathan shrugged. “It was a long time ago, and I’d almost forgotten about it. It was pretty casual. I didn’t really have a serious long term relationship until – well-“

“Until Cameron,” she finished for him. “So what you’re trying to tell me was that you were something of a manwhore.”

He laughed. “I am definitely
not
trying to tell you that. I admit I dated a lot during college and in my twenties, but even before I met Cameron I was really toning it down. There haven’t been nearly as many women in my life as you might think.”

Julia rested her head on his shoulder as they walked along. “That’s a relief. And you already know about my previous relationships. Sam, of course, and then that total asshole whose name I refuse to mention again. Two others, very brief relationships, who meant less than nothing to me. And then you.”

He kissed her forehead. “I still don’t know how I lucked out. I’ve seen you completely ignore a room filled with men and somehow you chose me.”

She ran a finger over his lips. “Hmm, must be that dirty mouth of yours. You say such nasty stuff but then do such delicious things to me with it at the same time.”

Nathan chuckled and swatted her playfully on the butt. “Good thing all those other guys don’t know the secret to your heart is a dirty mouth.”

Julia shook her head. “That’s only a small part of it, baby. While the sex is spectacular, and your body is the stuff girly dreams are made of, it’s what’s inside of you that I love the most. When I saw you for the first time in New York, I just – knew. I can’t really explain it properly.”

“You don’t have to, because I get it.” He wrapped his arm about her waist, holding her close. “It’s exactly the same for me. It’s like I was waiting my whole life for you and then one day there you were.”

“Can we go back to our room now?” she whispered. “I’m feeling in need of some dirty talk.”

He slid his hands into her hair and bent her head back for a deep, searing kiss. “Baby, I’ll talk dirty to you all night long if that’s what you crave. Do you want me to start now?”

She closed her eyes. “Yes, please.”

Nathan trailed hot kisses down the side of her neck, cupping her breast in his hand. “I’m going to take you back to our room now, Julia, and you’re going to undress for me. Very slowly. And then when you’re beautifully naked, I’m going to eat out that delicious cunt of yours until you come.”

She groaned as his thumb flicked over her nipple, and his lips continued their descent to the base of her throat. “Then you’re going to return the favor and suck me off in that sexy mouth of yours until I shoot my load down your throat,” he rasped.

Nathan ground his rapidly hardening erection against her cleft as he cupped her ass, holding her still for him. “And then I’m going to lick these pretty nipples and play with these gorgeous tits until I’m hard again.’ He squeezed one round breast. “Then I’m going to fuck you hard. From behind. And you’re going to let me do whatever I want.”

Julia was panting now from excitement, fully aroused just by his words. “Yes, Nathan. Yes, whatever you want. I love you so much.”

They were back near the staircase now, so he picked her up and carried her up to the terrace. Once they reached the top, Julia wiggled in his arms.

“You can put me down now,” she teased.

Nathan smiled, but made no move to set her down as he continued walking. “I know. But I can walk faster than you, which means you’ll be naked that much sooner.”

Nathan lowered his sunglasses and ogled Julia as she sunbathed on their private patio. The aqua bikini did a piss-poor job in covering up her curves, especially those tits that threatened to spill over the low-cut top or expose a nipple. He couldn’t resist snapping a photo of her with his phone, adding it to the considerable album he’d already compiled of her.

She turned her head and gave him a mock glare behind her oversized sunglasses. “That picture had better not wind up on your Facebook page. The last picture you posted of me with some cleavage showing got some rather pervy comments from your buddies.”

He grinned. “Just showing you off a little, baby. And every one of my friends is off the wall jealous of me.”

“Aren’t most of your friends married?”

He snapped another photo, this one a close up of her cleavage. “Yeah, and they’re all eating their hearts out. And relax – there’s no way I’d share a photo of you baring this much of your tits with anyone. These are for my eyes only, baby.”

She took a drink of the ice-cold margarita that had been delivered along with Nathan’s Corona just a few minutes ago. “Lucky for you. I’ve met a few of your friends, don’t forget, and I can’t say for one hundred percent certain that some of them wouldn’t plaster photos like that all over the place.”

“Well, I know my buddies a lot better than you do, and I
can
say with one hundred percent certainty that a few of them are perverted enough to do just that. And since I don’t want my girl to be the next Internet sensation, the photos stay private. I don’t share, Julia, and that includes a photo like this one.”

She patted his hand and took another sip of her drink. “I know you don’t. And I love how protective and possessive you get at times. You make me feel cherished.”

He squeezed her hand in return. “That’s because you are. I adore you, Julia. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”

She smiled at him saucily. “How about skinny dipping in the pool? Would you do that for me?”

He shot to his feet. “Absolutely, except I think that would be more for my benefit than yours.”

Julia allowed him to help her to her feet, and then took a long drink of the margarita before divesting herself of the bikini in two swift motions. Nathan stared at her slack-jawed as she strode to the edge of the pool, proudly nude. She crooked a finger at him.

“What are you waiting for?”

He watched as she slid gracefully into the heated infinity pool, then yanked off his swim trunks and dove in after her. Julia gave a little yelp of alarm as he caught her around the waist, pressing his chest against her back.

“Temptress,” he scolded. “Do you enjoy provoking me?”

She wiggled her bare buttocks against his rapidly hardening erection. “Of course. I mean, after all, you’re so easy to provoke. But only with me, lover. I don’t share either.”

Nathan’s hands slid up the side of her waist to cup her swollen breasts. “Like I’d have anything left to share after you had your way with me, wench. Keeping you satisfied is a lot of work.”

“Mmm, sounds like you’re due some overtime pay.” She gasped as he pinched her nipples. “Could you be persuaded to accept your compensation with sexual favors?”

He groaned as she reached behind her and took hold of his throbbing cock. “Oh, hell yes.”

They swam and played in the warm water for awhile, kissing and fondling each other in between. Julia splashed him and Nathan retaliated by diving beneath the surface to grab her ankle and tug her underwater. She was sputtering indignantly but giggling at the same time when they both surfaced, her arms looped around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist.

“Having fun?’ he asked her, grinning.

She gave him a wet, smacking kiss in reply. “Absolutely. This has been the best weekend of my life so far. And it’s not even half over.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. We both needed this break. And it’s been the most fantastic time of my life, too. I owe Ian big time for this.”

Julia ran her fingers through his wet hair. “Hmm, we should set him up with a nice girl. I can’t believe someone as yummy as he is doesn’t have a steady girlfriend or wife.”

He tweaked her nipple playfully. “Yummy, huh? Just keep that particular observation to yourself, okay? I think if I wasn’t in the picture – and he wasn’t our client – that he’d be all over you, baby. He asked me jokingly if you had a twin sister.”

She stared at him in dismay. “Oh, God, please tell me you did not offer to fix him up with Lauren.”

Nathan gave a mock shudder. “Good Lord, no. Not that Ian wouldn’t be able to hold his own against her, but he might come out with a few scratches. Worse, he might fire us.”

“Trust me, he’s not Lauren’s type. She either likes the dangerous, tattooed bad boys, or the outdoorsy, adventure seeking guys. Somehow I don’t think Ian has a tattoo or a piercing, nor can I picture him rock climbing or ocean kayaking.”

He walked her over to the edge of the pool, with her legs still wrapped around his hips, and lifted her to sit on the patio, her feet dangling in the water. “Well, as it happens, I can vouch for both. No tattoos or piercings, and he prefers golf or tennis or swimming laps to anything more extreme.”

Julia ran her hands over his shoulders. “You’ve seen him naked? Come on, I want details.”