Meet Me at the Beach (Seashell Bay) (21 page)

She closed her eyes against the sting of tears.

“Hey, Lily-girl, what’s wrong?” Aiden whispered as he tightened his embrace.

“Nothing. I’m… I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed all of a sudden,” she managed to choke out.

“By what I just said?”

Lily nodded, finally opening her eyes and shifting to meet his now-serious gaze. “That and everything else that’s happened this week. I still can’t believe any of it, or that we’re here together.” She let out a tiny laugh. “It’s kind of like a dream. A really good dream.”

Aiden moved to brush his lips across her cheek. “You should believe it, because this is exactly where I want to be at this moment. Right here with you, Lily.”

Without any conscious thought, she turned into his embrace. Their lips slid together in a soft, almost chaste kiss that ended too soon. But then Aiden moved his hand from her shoulder to the back of her head, urging her into a hot, fierce kiss. He surged into her mouth, his fingers tunneling into her hair as he held her, silently urging her closer. The feel of his tongue, boldly sweeping in and
demanding a response, soon had every bit of blood pulsing madly through her veins.

Lily clutched at his broad shoulders, digging her fingers into the smooth fabric of his blazer as she returned his kiss with a rising desire that felt almost desperate. When his other hand moved to her knee, she registered a slight shock at the feel of his callused palm on her skin as he pushed up under her skirt.

Between his hand tracing lazy circles on her thigh and his mouth devouring hers, it didn’t take long for Aiden to reduce Lily to a state that resembled the chocolate lava cake they’d had for dessert, all hot and liquid inside. In her boneless condition, she had to wonder if she’d be able to make it back up the hill without Aiden having to hoist her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.

“Oh, my God,” she gasped, pulling back a bit. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to be in big trouble.”

“I like your kind of trouble,” Aiden murmured. In the soft glow of the lamppost at the end of the dock, he looked utterly wicked and utterly hot.

Then he rose to his feet, pulling her up with him. “Besides, we’re just getting started.”

Lily couldn’t fail to miss the burn in Aiden’s dark gaze or his need to get her back to his hotel room. In fact, he’d towed her along behind him so fast that she’d laughingly implored him to slow down. And when another guest had stopped them in the lobby and asked Aiden for his autograph, Lily had expected the top of his head to blow off. But he’d mustered up a smile and signed the guy’s ball cap before hauling her off to the staircase.

Aiden unlocked the door to his room and shoved it
open, ushering her in. “Jesus, I thought we’d never get back.”

“Well, big-deal celebrities get attention,” Lily teased.

Aiden threw the safety latch on the door. “The only attention I want right now is yours.”

Then he began stalking her across the room, whipping off his jacket and dropping it on the floor. When the backs of her knees hit the mattress, Lily collapsed, leaning back on her elbows. That brought her to perfect eye level with the very impressive bulge in Aiden’s pants.

“Ah, so I see,” she said.

Out on the dock, she’d been wild for him. But now that it was actually going to happen, her emotions were wound so tight she hardly knew what to say, much less how to act.

Aiden had his shirt half off. He paused after glancing at her, then leaned down and braced his hands on either side of her shoulders. “Nervous?”

She scrunched her face at him. “A little. Dumb, isn’t it?”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “You seemed pretty eager out there on the dock, remember?”

She jabbed him in the chest. “That’s not what I meant, you big jerk.”

He let out a soft laugh. “Believe me, I know.” His expression grew serious. “It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it?”

Her throat muscles went tight so she simply nodded.

“If this isn’t what you want, you need to tell me now. I promise I won’t push you.” He gave her a lopsided smile. “As much as it will kill me not to.”

She stared up into his face, taking in the honesty in his expression. That Aiden wanted her as much as she wanted
him wasn’t in doubt. If he also had the strength to step back out of consideration for her unsettled emotions, then she could find the strength to step up and be with him—no matter what happened later.

Lily flattened a hand and pushed against his chest. “What I want is for you to get out of those clothes. Now.”

He shook his head. “You’re a bossy little thing, you know that?”

She rose to unzip her dress. “Well, I
am
the captain, after all.”

“And I’m ready for your orders, Captain.” Aiden spun her around and finished unzipping her. As she shimmied out of the dress, his hands went to her butt, tracing a finger up the back of her panties.

“You have a seriously great ass, babe,” he murmured as he cupped her. Then he reached up and unhooked her bra.

He started to pull her against him, but Lily wriggled loose and climbed onto the bed. On her hands and knees, she glanced back over her shoulder and gave him a taunting smile before she slowly crawled up to the pile of fluffy pillows.

“You’re asking for it,” Aiden growled as he practically ripped his shirt off.

“You bet I am,” she replied, lazily stretching her arms over her head.

She enjoyed teasing him, and from the look in his eyes and the way he was yanking off his clothes, it seemed to be working. But Aiden was used to dating supermodels and actresses, for God’s sake. Lily knew she was slim and strong, but she didn’t have all that much going on in the curves department.

The little voice of doubt in her head disappeared when
Aiden finally shed his pants, leaving him in nothing but a pair of black-knit boxers. The guy was magnificent—well over six feet of brawny, sculpted male, with a nice dusting of dark hair on his chest that narrowed down over his six-pack to the huge bulge in his briefs.

She got an eyeful of just how huge when he shucked off the boxers.

“Wow,” she said, sounding like an idiot. “You’re freaking gorgeous.”

That surprised a laugh out of him. “I think that’s my line.” Then he turned serious, and his eyes narrowed in a smoldering inspection. “In fact, gorgeous doesn’t even begin to cover it. You’re incredibly sexy, Lily.”

She blushed, feeling shy again. When she started to pull the plush duvet down to wriggle under it, he clamped a hand on her ankle.

“No way, babe,” he said. “I want to get a good look at you. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Mine.” Aiden ran his big hand up her leg to settle on her thigh as he climbed onto the bed. Gently, he nudged her wide and tugged on the little pink bow at the top of her lacy panties. “If I’d known you were wearing underwear like that while on the boat, I would have had to do something about it.”

“I’ll remember that for future reference.” Her voice came out on a squeaky note because his hand had slipped under her waistband. When he slipped two fingers inside her and gently scissored her open, Lily fell back on the pillows with a moan.

Then he pulled out. “Let’s get rid of these,” he said, his voice rough and urgent as he drew her panties off.

A moment later, she was completely exposed, and he moved down between her legs, using his broad shoulders to push her wide open. Every muscle in her body went weak as she took in the possessive, hungry expression in his eyes.

“God, you’re so pretty down there, Lily,” he murmured in a husky voice. “And so wet.”

When he rubbed a finger over her, she almost climaxed. She arched her back and clamped her fists into the duvet, trying to hold back the beautiful spasms. It was too soon. When she came, she wanted Aiden to be deep inside her.

He flashed a wicked grin. “I take it that felt good. Want me to do it again?”

She did her best to glare at him. “What do you think?”

His head came down, and he flicked his tongue across her sensitized flesh. If his hands hadn’t been planted on the inside of her thighs, holding her down, Lily would have shot right off the bed.

For the next few minutes, he subjected her to delicious torture, spreading her wide while he licked her, teasing her over and over. She tried to hold something back—retain some semblance of control—but it was too hot, too good, and she finally surrendered to his expert attentions, moaning out her need.

“That’s it, babe,” he murmured, pulling back a bit. “Just let go. Let me take care of you.”

“Then why the hell are you stopping?” she gasped.

“Just a slight adjustment.” He slipped two fingers back inside her. Then he moved down on her again, slowly dragging his tongue over her aching sex, sending her right to the edge.

Lily reached down and clamped her hands on his
shoulders. It felt wonderful—God, it felt like heaven—but she wanted more.

“Aiden.” Her voice caught. “I want you inside me. Please.”

He turned his face, and she felt his smile against her inner thigh. Then he glanced up, his eyes warm with laughter and tenderness. “Whatever you want, Lily.”

He took his time about it, making a slow tour up her body. She shivered at the feel of his mouth on her belly, and his rough palms sliding up her sides. When he reached her breasts he obviously decided to take a little detour.

“So sweet,” he said as he thumbed her nipples to tight points. “I bet they taste good too.”

Lily was tempted to whack him for such a corny line, but then he leaned down and drew one nipple into his mouth with a hard suck. She felt the pull all the way to her core. She squirmed beneath him but he didn’t let up, massaging both her breasts as he moved back and forth between the rigid, aching tips. Growing almost desperate, she arched against him, rubbing herself along his thick erection.

“You’re driving me crazy,” she finally gasped.

“You and me both,” he muttered. He rolled slightly to the side and reached a long arm over to the bedside table. Lily hadn’t noticed before, but there was a box of condoms there, ready and waiting.

“You were obviously confident about the way things would go tonight,” she said.

“Let’s just say I was hopeful.” Aiden shook a condom free and went up on his knees.

Lily stared at him, dumbstruck by how absolutely gorgeous he was and by the fact that they were finally going to make love.

He glanced up as he rolled the condom over his erection. “Ready?” he asked in a gravelly voice she felt through her entire body.

Throttling back on the urge to burst into tears, she held her arms out to him. “You have no idea.”

He let out a husky laugh. The tip of his erection nudged her entrance as he slid an arm under her shoulders. Bracing himself on one forearm, he slowly pushed into her as he held her gaze.

Lily felt her eyes grow wide as he stretched her to an impossibly, beautifully tight fit. She dug her fingers into his biceps as she instinctively pulled her legs up to cradle his lean hips.

Oh. My. God.
Lily was overwhelmed, both emotionally and physically, and the tears that had been threatening now dampened her eyes.

Sucking in a ragged breath, Aiden’s eyelids closed for a few seconds, his features pulled taut with pleasure. Then he opened his eyes, and Lily’s heart jolted at the tenderness she saw in his gaze.

“I know,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss away the tear that had trickled down one cheek. “I feel the same way, Lily-girl.”

She blinked, not entirely sure what he meant. And how could she possibly respond, since she didn’t really know the true state of his emotions?

But then he began to move, sparing her the need to answer. Her body curled up to him, seeking pressure along every point of connection. Aiden took her lips in an openmouthed kiss, tasting her with a sweet urgency that had her trembling in his arms.

He reached a big hand down to her thigh, silently
urging her to wrap her legs around his waist. When she did, it brought her up to the perfect angle. His thick length rubbed against her, building the pleasure and the heat between them.

Then, just as she hovered on the edge of orgasm, Aiden came up on his forearms. Arching his back, he pushed into her with a heavy, fast stroke.

Lily felt the luxurious spasms begin inside her. When he buried himself deep, grinding into her, the release swept over her in a beautiful, welcome tide. She cried out, clutching at his broad shoulders while he stroked into her again and again. When his body finally went rigid, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight as he came. And when he slowly collapsed on top of her, pushing her into the mattress, she eagerly welcomed his weight.

Swamped with emotion, Lily hid her face against his shoulder. Even as every muscle relaxed in the aftermath of the best and most meaningful orgasm she’d ever had, her heart—and what little was left of her brain—acknowledged the enormity of what had just happened.

She was truly, deeply, and stupidly in love with Aiden Flynn.

“That puts an amazing cap on an amazing day,” Aiden said, trying to catch his breath. Actually, amazing didn’t really describe it. Life-changing felt more like it, although he wasn’t close to admitting that to her—or to himself, for that matter.

He gently eased out of her and rolled onto his back, tucking her sweet body under his arm. He craned a bit to look at the bedside clock as he tried to corral his emotions into some semblance of order.

Exactly midnight.

“Happy birthday one last time, Lil.”

She stretched, then draped her right leg over his thigh. “Thank you, but does that mean you’re kicking me out of your room? Because I’m thinking that while the day might be over, there’s a lot of night still to come.”

Aiden stroked the velvet-soft skin of her inner thigh, letting his fingers slide up to tease her sweet, damp curls. “What do you think?”

He had every intention of making love to Lily for most of the night, and for breakfast too, if she was game. Cole Rogers wasn’t picking them up for the return flight until after lunch.

She didn’t answer right away, which was okay with Aiden. After that mind-blowing orgasm, his brain was pretty much mush. He stared vaguely at the ceiling in a halfhearted attempt to focus his eyes.