The Beauty Series Bundle (53 page)

She leans her head back and tilts her face to kiss my chin. “I would think it takes two to tango and it’s meant to be.”

I
’m confused
. I’ve always associated dark sand with unattractiveness but this isn’t. It’s … breathtaking. “Black sand.” I hear the surprise in my own voice. “This isn’t at all what I expected to see on a Hawaiian beach.”

Jack Henry laughs at me, apparently entertained by my astonishment. “It’s another reason I love this place so much. It’s different from the beach at my Auckland house. Polar opposites.”

I rake my toes through it. “Had I known it was black, I wouldn’t have expected much so I’m glad you didn’t mention it.”

He prepares my lounger, spreading a towel across the cushion. “The lava of an erupting volcano rushes into the ocean and it cools when it hits the water. The waves force it back onto the beach and that’s why the sand is black.”

I sit on the chair. “My husband, the environmental scientist. Who knew?”

Jack Henry repeats the same process on the second lounger and then joins me. He’s wearing my favorite sunglasses and I can see my reflection when he looks my way. “So this little piece of heaven is your private beach?”

“It’s our private beach, Laurelyn. Everything of mine is now yours. You’re going to need to get used to that.”

I unfasten the back of my bikini top and allow it to drop. “Then it’s okay for me to do this?”

“Damn, L,” he laughs while scanning the property for prying eyes. “It’s ours, and it’s private, but that doesn’t stop the occasional beachgoer from stumbling across here.”

“Well, I guess they’ll think they’ve happened upon a topless beach.” I toss my bright red top over and it lands on Jack Henry’s chest. “Because I’m not putting it back on.”

“Damn rebel.”

“Damn right.”

I lie on the lounger, basking in the sun. I love the outdoors; it’s still the only place where I feel completely free. As a child, going outside was my only escape from her. My mom was always hungover—except when she was high—so the house was forever dark, dreary, and cold. I wasn’t allowed to open the curtains for sunlight. The brightness hurt her eyes and prevented her from sleeping all day so she could party all night. Lifting a window for fresh air was out of the question since it allowed her precious, frigid air conditioning to escape.

Those were bad days. Bad years. I don’t want to think about those times and ruin this perfect moment. The weather is beautiful and I’m soaking in the sunshine. I have my man by my side; therefore, I want for nothing. Everything in the world is right.

“You’re doing some serious thinking over there.”

How can he possibly tell? I turn to look at him. “How do you know?”

He points toward my thigh. “You’re tracing the infinity symbol on your leg with your fingertip. It gives you away every time. ”

I didn’t realize I was doing that, but he did. He always does.

“What’s on your mind, babe?”

Do I brush the thoughts of my childhood away, keeping it to myself so I don’t ruin this perfection? Or do I put it out there so Jack Henry can know a little more about the wretched past that makes me who I am today?

He already dislikes my mom. I’m certain this will only add fuel to his contempt—but he’s straight up asking, so it doesn’t feel right to keep it from him. “When I was a kid, the outdoors was one of my only escapes from my mom when she was high or hungover. I feel my freest when I’m in the sun.” He doesn’t reply and I’m pretty sure it’s because he’s fuming. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’ve ruined this beautiful moment.”

Our loungers are side by side, close enough that my hand is within his reach. “You haven’t ruined anything.” He strokes his thumb across the top of my hand and it finds its way to my wedding ring. “I’m your husband so I want to know everything. The good and the bad.”

Most of the good has happened since I met him but what about the ugly? Is he really ready to hear that stuff?

“I want to ask you a question about the wedding.”

Sounds like he’s preparing me for something bad. He never tells me he’s going to ask a question. “Okay.”

“Why did you let your dad walk you down the aisle? He’s never been a father to you so I don’t understand how you felt like he deserved that honor.” His voice is oozing with contempt for the sperm donor.

I didn’t wimp out, if that’s what Jack Henry thinks. I’m done with flaking. There’s only one reason I allowed Jake to do it. Irony. “Think about it. He claims me as his daughter and his first official act as my father is to give me over to you—a strong, honorable man who will always take care of me. I thought it was quite fitting.”

“Huh,” he says. “I was worried your mother guilted you into doing it but I should’ve known better. That’s not who you are.”

“She thinks she convinced me. I choose to let her believe that but I have the pleasure of knowing otherwise.”

“My wife, the satirist. I’ll know better than to ever cross you.”

“You will if you know what’s good for you.”

“I’m not mistaken about what’s good for me. It’s you, L. Always you.”

Oh, sheez. Hearing him say that almost makes my bikini bottom melt away.

I get up and take his hands. “You think I’m good for you, huh?” I pull so he knows I want him to slide to the foot of the lounger.

“I know so. No doubts.”

I grin as I push my thumbs inside the band of my swimsuit and shimmy out of it. “I know something else that’s good for you.”

I kick out of the red fabric at my ankles and step closer to Jack Henry. He grabs my ass and I squeal as he pulls me closer. He watches my face as he slides his hand between my legs. “And I also know what’s good for you.”

He rubs his hand up and down, back and forth, in an exquisite torture, before gliding his fingers through my slick center. Yet I know what he’s doing when he avoids my most sensitive area, the spot where I crave his touch most. It’s purposeful on his part because he wants to feel me ride his hand. And I give in because I have no choice.

I grab his wrist and guide his hand upward while rocking my hips against it. I’m worse than any petted cat. And I’m pretty sure he loves it. “More,” I plead.

He crooks his thumb and rewards me by stroking my clit. “My girl is greedy.”

He has no idea.

My head is spinning because I want him so much. “I want you inside me when I come,” I tell him while reaching for his swim trunks. He makes no haste in helping me get them down and then I crawl over him. I sink down hard so he’s deep inside me and he returns his hand to its previous task. “Is this what you want?”

He knows it is. “Yes!”

I move up and down, sliding him in and out, gaining unrestrained pleasure as his hand rubs my clit. I arch my back and thrust my breasts forward as I hold his shoulders. “I want to feel you come all around me, L.”

And I do.

I feel those familiar quivers squeezing Jack Henry while he’s inside me. Seconds later, I recognize the telltale rhythmic quivering and know he’s met his undoing before I ever hear him groan my name.

Nothing beats both of us coming at the same time.

He grabs my face and kisses me hard. When he finishes, he presses his forehead against mine. I think he loves doing that. I know I do because it makes me feel so adored. “You and I are going to have an amazing life together. I’m going to make certain of it.”

“I know.” And I do. There’s not a bit of doubt in my mind. “Wanna go skinny-dippin’?”

“With you?” He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and then lets it go. “Absolutely.”

I
lean closer
to the mirror as I apply eyeliner. Jack Henry slinks up behind me to sneak his hand up my sundress and down my panties. I stop lining my eyes and look at his reflection. I’d like to be irritated with him but I can’t be when I see his crooked grin. “You must know this is a good way for your wife to lose an eye.”

“What?”

“Sneaking up to put your hand down my panties while I have a stick near my cornea is never a good idea.”

He palms my bare cheek. “We’ve been here twelve hours and haven’t christened our honeymoon bed yet.”

Good grief, I married a horny bastard. “We consummated our marriage in the sky. We did it up against a pole as soon as we got here. And then got naked at the beach and did it again. We managed all of that in less than twenty-four hours. The bed will have to wait until we get back from dinner.”

“I love the way you say we did it instead of saying we had sex or we fucked.” He slides his hands around to my belly and sucks my earlobe into his mouth. “It makes you sound so sweet and innocent.”

I’m sweet because I’m not going to let him get a raging hard-on when I already know we’re not christening that bed right now. “No.” I swat his hands away. “We have reservations in forty-five minutes and we’re not going to be late because you messed up my hair and makeup wallowing me around in that bed.”

He sighs but knows I’m right. “Okay.” He leans around and watches my face in the mirror as he presses his partial erection against my bottom. “But I’m only backing down because I plan on fucking you like a champion as soon as we get back.”

“All right, McLachlan.” I rub my bottom against him since he wants to play like that. “I look forward to being fucked like a champion.”

He grinds against me. “Mmm … I love hearing you say things like that. Turns me on.”

I could say a lot more but I won’t because it would just end up with us in that bed and I need to finish getting ready. “I love you but you’ve gotta go away so I can finish.”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “I get it. I’m leaving you alone.” He kisses the side of my neck and growls. “But only for now.”

“I’ll hold you to that promise later.”

We arrive at the restaurant and a hostess escorts us down a path lined with lit tiki torches through a garden with waterfalls and tropical foliage. I realize we’ll be seeing a dinner show—a luau—when we’re led to a table with a stage and stunning oceanfront backdrop. I’m not at all surprised to be seated on the first row, obviously the best seats available. My man doesn’t do second rate.

The sun dances just above the water’s surface. We’re seated at the perfect time to watch it set.

I reach under the table for Jack Henry’s hand. “Nothing could be more romantic than this.”

He leans over and kisses the side of my neck just below my ear. “I thought our first night in Maui should be a traditional one.” He gestures toward the empty seats next to us. “Which means we’ll share this table with strangers. It’s the way it’s done, I’m afraid.”

“It’ll be fun.”

“Maybe. But if they know what’s good for them, they won’t put wife swappers at this table.”

“Definitely not.” I remember the way Jack Henry put swinger Chris on his ass when he expressed interest in fucking me. Those were such different times for us. “I don’t need my husband punching anyone in the face tonight.”

“I might not mind an indecent proposal from some swingers.” He moves his hand to my leg and strokes it. “I seem to remember a mighty fine reward for coming to your defense.”

“The compensation is the same if you don’t get into a fight. You’d just be making extra work for yourself.” I grab his hand from my leg and bring it to my mouth for a kiss. “And busted knuckles.”

“Oh. Well, in that case, no sucker punches tonight.”

“Thank you.”

Our tablemates—a husband and very pregnant wife with three young boys and a toddler girl—fill our table to capacity. I have spent much less time around children than Jack Henry but even I know this is going to be entertaining.

His eyes immediately hone in on this picture-perfect family and he slips his arm around me. He gives my arm a slight squeeze and I’m pretty sure I can accurately guess what he’s thinking—that’ll be us one day. And it will be. It’s not a question of if, but when.

“Hello,” the couple says in unison as they assist their children into their seats.

“Hello.” We mimic their greeting.

The wife settles the baby girl into a high chair. “We didn’t realize we’d be seated with anyone but we’ll try to keep the circus to a minimum. Won’t we, boys?”

The boys do a fair job of ignoring their mother so I take that as a bad sign and a likely indicator of the free show to come.

“It’s okay. We’re used to kids.” Jack Henry looks at me and shrugs. It’s a half-truth because he’s very used to children. Me … not so much.

“You must have left yours at home?” the husband asks.

“No. We don’t have children yet. We’re here on our honeymoon.”

“Then congratulations are in order.”

“Thank you.”

We continue the small talk with the couple briefly before the server brings our first round of mai tais. “Wow. That’s beautiful.” It’s a tall, stemmed glass curved in the center, the dark rum collecting in the bottom. Each is garnished with a tiny umbrella, pineapple slices, and cherries with a lovely purple orchid next to a sprig of mint leaf. I can smell the liquor as soon as it’s placed in front of me. I’ll need to show restraint so I don’t get wasted.

“I must admit I don’t feel very masculine with such a pretty drink in my hand.” Jack Henry holds his glass toward mine for a toast. “Here’s to us and a very long and happy life together.”

I touch my glass to his. “Thank you for making me your wife.” I lean over and a place a kiss against his lips.

“Yuck! That’s so gross. I may throw up.” I hear gagging noises from one of the boys across the table, followed by a chastisement and apology from his mother.

I silently pray this isn’t what we have to look forward to during the entire dinner but I soon discover it’s only the beginning. The boys’ antics alternate between booger picking, booger eating, making fart sounds—some, I question the authenticity of—a stunning display of controlled chaos.

Jack Henry squeezes my hand as he leans over to whisper in my ear. “They’re little boys trying to get the attention of my pretty girl. Ignore them or it’ll get worse. Trust me.”

He knows children. I don’t so I take his advice. The night seems to take a turn for the better once I no longer appear preoccupied by the mischievous boys. And the fire-knife show holds their attention, preventing any further performance out of them.