In Too Deep / Matched

CHAPTER SIX

OUTSIDE THE RESTAURANT there were a few people lingering at the entrance as they chatted or smoked a cigarette. Nicola still couldn’t believe she’d been as forward as she had been two minutes ago, but any possible regrets she might have paled in comparison to the urgency she felt to be alone with this man. To put her mouth on that spot right under his jaw she’d been watching all night, to take those fingers she’d finally gotten the nerve to touch and put them on the part of her that was already aching for him.

And he hadn’t even touched her yet.

“Over here,” Nicola said, taking Alex’s hand and pulling him around the side of the building toward the beach. He happily obeyed, falling in step beside her as they hurried along the wooden walkway until their feet hit sand. Once on the beach she tugged him up the shore a ways until they were concealed from view of the restaurant by a stand of palm trees. By that time they were both breathing hard, and it was only partly because of their brisk walk.

Alex turned to face her. It was almost dark out, but still light enough for Nicola to see her own eyes mirrored back to her. He reached out and brushed his hand against her cheek. Just a simple touch, but to Nicola it felt electric.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since the moment I saw you on the road,” Alex said softly. “And so much more.”

His hand slid to the back of her head, tangling into her hair. Nicola’s pulse raced with the anticipation of the unknown. Would his kiss alight her as much as his touch had?

Alex tipped her face upward and brought his mouth down on hers.

Oh, yes.

A helpless little moan escaped Nicola’s throat as she felt his tongue find hers. Slowly, their kiss deepened until it wasn’t enough anymore. Nicola wrapped her arms around Alex’s hips and pressed into them, feeling his cock stiffen. The rush of wetness she felt made her own feelings obvious. She wanted nothing more than to back up into a tree, have Alex lift her up and fuck her against it right then and there, but was she really doing this?

Quickly, before her brain got so addled by lust that she reached the point of no return, she ticked through all the reasons this was a bad idea.

He was a visitor to the island, which ruled out any possibility of a relationship.

But she didn’t necessarily want one. In fact, given her current situation, that was probably a bonus.

She’d never been a one-nighter kind of girl, and she’d certainly never slept with a guy within an hour of their first date.

But she’d never been overcome by such an intense craving for a man before.

She didn’t have a condom.

Okay, so that one was ironclad. But maybe he did.

Her hands were inside his shorts—on top of his boxers, grabbing his beautiful ass. Meanwhile, one of his hands had found its way inside the top of her dress. She arched her back as he held her tightly by the waist with one arm and scooped her breast from its bra cup with his other hand.

“Fucking beautiful,” he whispered hoarsely before taking her nipple into his mouth. Nicola moaned, desire pumping through every cell of her body.

But then Alex released her breast and kissed her again, still passionately but with more control. When he pulled away, Nicola could just make out his face in the moonlight.

“You’re in charge,” Alex said to her. “I won’t make you cross any lines you’re not comfortable with. No guilt, no regrets, okay? Just me. If you want me.”

Nicola tightened her grip on him. “I do—oh, God, I do. Not…not everything right now, but soon. Right now I just want to feel your tongue on me. All over me.”

“Your wish is my command.” Alex smiled, making Nicola’s insides melt.

Quite simply, this was a fantasy come true. The sound of the waves lapping gently on the shore reminded her that she was on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. And this gorgeous man was looking at her like he wanted to devour her, like nothing else in the world existed except the two of them. And it didn’t, even though Nicola knew they could be discovered at any second. She hardly cared—all she cared about was the intoxicating smell of Alex’s skin, his hands in her hair, his body pressed to hers…

Alex ran his hands down her sides, and when he got to the bottom of her dress he ran them back up again, this time sliding them against her skin.

“Back,” he whispered, and she obeyed, bending her knees until she was sitting on the sand. He pushed her gently until she was lying down, then he slowly moved the straps of her dress down her shoulders and pulled her bra down. His mouth was on her, teasing and flicking her nipples until she wanted to scream.

“That feels…so good,” she said between breaths. “But I need more.”

“All in time, I promise. First, I want to discover every inch of you.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?” He took her hand and pressed it to his still-clothed cock, which felt about twice as big—if that was possible—as it had the last time she’d felt it. “I’m doing just great. Right now I want to feel you come.”

Hearing those words from his mouth caused a new wave of heat to sweep through her body. “Please,” she moaned, moving his hand to her pussy. “Lick me here.”

His hand slid inside her panties, maddeningly close but not quite touching her clit. “I wish I could see them. What color are they?” he whispered.

“Blue.”

“Blue like your eyes?” he asked, cupping his hand around her pussy. She moaned and pushed her hips into his hand.

“My eyes are green,” she gasped.

“Aqua, actually. Exactly like mine, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“I guess I was too busy noticing your incredible body. Now shut up and make me come.”

She didn’t have to ask twice. Before she could take another breath, his fingers had hooked around the sides of her panties and yanked them down. She moaned as his finger lightly traced her clit and then slid inside her.

He groaned. “You are so. Fucking. Wet.”

“All your fault. Now, please make me come, or I’ll make you fuck me right here.”

He nuzzled his face into her neck. “Much too tempting,” he said softly into her ear.

And then he was working his way down her body again, trailing kisses down her chest and tummy, then finally—finally—pressing his mouth to her most secret spot. She moaned as his tongue took its first sweep across her, and then he was latched on to her, licking and sucking while the heat in her groin built and built…she was already so close…

But then he stopped, transferring his mouth to the inside of her thigh while he pushed it up toward her chest. Nicola made a frustrated sound in her throat. Alex gave a low chuckle, and then slid two fingers inside her. “You’re so warm and sweet. My cock is aching for you. But don’t worry—plenty of time for that later.”

Keeping his fingers inside her, he slid his other hand under her to cup her ass. Nicola felt like she was going to combust. She wrapped her hands around the back of Alex’s head and pulled it down toward her again, and that was it—a few more sweeps of his tongue across her clit was all it took. Her entire body tensed as she finally fell over the edge with a frantic moan. Her orgasm exploded out of her so fast and hard it took her breath away, leaving her writhing helplessly on her back while he held her in his mouth.

At last, the final delicious pulse escaped her body and she collapsed onto the sand.

Nicola could only say this: “Oh, my God. Did that really just happen?”

Alex’s cock was so hard it hurt. Having Nicola come under his tongue, with his fingers inside her to feel every sweet contraction, had been almost too much for him to take. He moved up and buried his face in her neck.

“We need a bed,” Nicola said, reaching out to stroke him through his shorts. “I really, really want to take care of this for you.”

“Thank fuck. There’s just one problem.” He felt her tense beside him, so he pulled away from her so she could see his face in the dark. “I’m staying with my brother. Not exactly the place I feel like bringing you right now.”

“Ohhh…” She relaxed again. “Then we really do have a problem, because tonight is my roommate’s night off. Nine out of ten says she’s at home on the sofa, and my place isn’t exactly super private.”

Alex groaned, then got to his feet and extended a hand down to her. Nicola took it and stood up beside him. “The hotel,” he said, snapping his fingers.

“Sure, if they have a room available. They only have twenty-four of them, though, so the place is usually full.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Grabbing her hand, Alex started pulling her back toward the entrance of the restaurant, but Nicola stayed rooted to the spot. “Are you—?”

Her mouth cut him off, closing over his, and then she gave his lower lip a quick nip. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t have you walking around like this,” she said, slipping her hand into the back of his shorts and then working it forward. She cupped his tight balls through his boxers, and then ran her fingers up the length of his aching cock. Oh, God, yes… “There are other women on this island, in case you hadn’t noticed—”

“I hadn’t—”

“And what would they think if they saw this? They’d think it was for them, and I haven’t even had a proper look at it yet.” She pushed him firmly backward until his ass hit the trunk of a palm tree.

“Then please be my guest,” he managed to get out, and then she was unzipping his shorts and dropping them to his ankles. His boxers came next, her hands sliding into them at his hips and slowly pulling them down. He felt his cock spring free. He was dying for her to wrap her hand around it, but he was also so turned on that he was afraid a few strokes would be all it took—

Be cool.

No chance. Nicola was dropping to her knees now, palming his head in a smooth, agonizing circle. A groan escaped his chest as he leaned his head back against the tree, focusing on control.

“Very, very nice,” she said softly. He could feel her breath on him now, and then her tongue flicked out and gave the underside of his shaft a quick lick.

“Oh, God…” Alex wanted to drive himself between her lips, feel her sweet mouth suck him until he exploded, but he stopped himself. No. He was under her control, and he had no doubt she would take him to a place he may have never been before.

But then she moved away from him and gave his boxer shorts an upward tug. “And now that I’ve seen it…”

“No!” He gave a tortured groan as he pushed his hands into her hair.

“Just kidding,” she said, and then his boxers were yanked down again and he was inside her mouth as she sucked him down. He gasped, keeping his head thrown back. He didn’t dare look down at her—even though it was dark, he knew the dim sight of her beautiful lips wrapped around him would be the end of him. Instead, he tightened his grip on her hair, but then she released him from her mouth and flicked her tongue up and down the underside of his shaft.

It felt so good, he could hardly take it anymore. His balls pulled in even tighter, ready to explode—

She had him in her mouth again. He felt his head sliding along her tongue, then his shaft, and then her hand was on his balls as he hit the back of her throat. But then her throat opened and he was sliding in even farther…sweet Jesus—

Sensing the exact moment he was ready, as if they’d done this a hundred times instead of just one, Nicola released him into her hand and gripped him firmly. Alex came with a groan, his entire body trembling as wave after wave of heat pulsed from his center to the ends of his toes and his fingertips. He couldn’t think, except to know in some deep place that he was experiencing the most intense orgasm he’d ever had in his life. Nicola held him in her hand until he was finished and his legs sagged beneath him, and then she gave his cock one final kiss.

“Now let’s go find a room,” she said.

The Palms Inn had no doubt seen more than its share of lust-filled encounters during its sixty-four years in business, but Nicola was quite certain that no two people had come close to matching the urgent desire she and Alex were feeling right now. Their time on the beach had only served to fuel their consuming need for each other, made evident by the generous hard-on she felt growing in Alex’s pants just minutes after she’d finished him off.

Taking a steadying breath, Nicola passed through the front doors with Alex behind her. The lobby featured dark wood walls and large overstuffed canvas sofas, and she found herself praying they’d have a room available as they stepped toward the reception desk.

“Good evening,” the man at the counter greeted them, and Nicola was faintly embarrassed to realize she recognized him. Not that it was surprising—on an island this small, the few staff members who worked in the town center saw each other often.

“Hi, Everly,” she said with a smile. Alex’s arm snaked around her back and dropped down to her ass, where he gave it a gentle squeeze out of eyeshot. She managed to keep a straight face. “My friend was hoping for a room for the night. Any chance you have any openings?”

Everly gave her a nod that oozed of discreet professionalism. “Would that be a king bed or two queens?”

“Preferably a king,” Alex chimed in. “But I’ll take whatever you have.”

“Let me see if we can accommodate you.”

As Everly tapped away on his computer, Alex looked down at Nicola and gave her a wink. Her belly fluttered. God, what was happening to her? Within one hour she’d suddenly become a wanton woman. But she couldn’t help it—that chiseled face, those eyes…she just wanted to lose herself in them. In him.

“It appears that we have only one room left. It is the honeymoon suite, so perhaps too spacious for your needs?” He was good—there wasn’t a trace of irony on his face.

“That will do just fine,” Alex replied, plucking his wallet from his back pocket and producing a credit card.

“As you wish.” Everly hit a button on the computer, and a sheet of paper spit out of the printer. He slid it across the counter toward Alex along with a pen. “Just sign here, please.”

Nicola blinked at the price tag printed at the bottom of the page. For one night, the room cost about as much as she made in a month. But Alex barely seemed to notice. “Thank you,” he said, scooping up the folder that contained their key card.

“Enjoy your stay,” Everly called after them.

“I most certainly will,” Alex replied, and then he had Nicola around the corner and heading up the stairs with his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. They located their room on the top floor—the only one there—and Alex tapped the key on the lock.

Though they were undeniably here with one purpose in mind, Nicola couldn’t help but take a moment to stare when Alex opened the door. It was the most gorgeous space she’d ever set foot in. The floor was polished mahogany, which matched the single beam running along the vaulted ceiling—the only dark contrast to the whitewashed walls and ceiling. Soft faux-fur rugs flanked either side of the bed, and a zebra-print one lay at the foot of the floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace. With a fireplace being wholly impractical in this climate, a giant vase of pink-and-white tropical flowers had been placed where the logs would go. Through a door on Nicola’s right, she could see a sitting room arranged with soft pink-and-white armchairs, and to her left a black-and-white-tiled bathroom that was bigger than her kitchen featured a claw-foot tub at center stage.

And directly in front of her was the bed. Four iron posts that were taller than her tapered to points, where they supported a gauzy white canopy that swept down into two graceful curtains. The bed was made up with white linens, on which rested a wooden tray holding a champagne bottle, two glasses and a vase of pink roses. And behind it all, like a picture postcard blown up to life-size, was a flawless, expansive view of the beach and ocean.

“I feel like I’m dreaming,” Nicola said, bringing her hand to her chest. “Is this for real?”

“I’ll tell you in a minute,” Alex replied, leaving her side to cross the room. Walking to the bedside table, he opened its drawer and pulled something out. Pressing it to his chest with an exaggerated sigh of relief, he slowly held it out to her. “It’s actually a dream come true,” he said with a sinful smile, holding out a box of condoms.

Nicola smiled back at him, but the physical distance between them had given her just enough time to escape the fantasy for a moment. Because that was what this was—pure fantasy, something that didn’t happen to ex-schoolteachers who’d lost their job because the world had accused her of wrecking the home of the world’s third-highest-paid actor. It didn’t happen to women whose best childhood memories were of a fourth-grade teacher who saw an underfed, grungy little girl and decided to take her under her wing for one precious, life-changing year.

Who it might happen to was someone who’d grown up being told by her father that all she was good for was attracting a man, who had believed him and then gone out and done something to prove just that—something that the press had dug up to haunt her.

What if Alex found out? What if he already recognized her but was just keeping it mum so he could have a little fun with her?

Alex was in front of her again, pushing a strand of hair off her face as he stroked her cheek. “You okay?”

Nicola gave herself a shake. “Yeah, just… I don’t know.” She shook her head. “This is crazy. I don’t do this sort of thing.”

Alex placed a finger under her chin. “Neither do I,” he replied.

“Really?”

“Really.” Nicola was relieved when, as if sensing exactly what she needed, Alex ran a hand lightly down her back instead of kissing her. “Talk to me,” he said softly.

Nicola took a deep breath and locked her hands around his waist. “I’m having an amazing time. But…do you know me?”

He blinked at her. “Not nearly well enough. But I sure like what I know of you so far.”

“So you don’t…” recognize me?