Private Pleasure (Sun Stroked Book 3) (3 page)

* * *

S
omething in Abby’s
gaze changed, darkened when her eyes met his. As Cody took in her lingering glance, he wasn’t prepared for the passion he saw brewing beneath the surface or the way that reached out to him and stirred his emotions. The change in her mood occurred so swiftly that it completely caught him off guard and left him feeling a little shaky.

Abby pulled her gaze away and returned her focus to his scope. He studied her profile as she scanned the cove below. With bright-eyed enthusiasm, she shot him a glance and said, “The view from up here is spectacular.”

Trying for nonchalant, and feeling anything but, he mumbled, “You think?”

“Yeah, it’s gorgeous.” She gave him a strange look. “Haven’t you noticed?”

“Not really.” Truthfully, he hadn’t noticed a lot of things since he’d come back. Things like the sunset, the sunrise or even nature in all its beauty. Nor had he participated in any of his favorite activities, like deep-sea diving, hiking and snorkeling, yeah, even snorkeling—things, as a true outdoorsman, he used to take great pleasure in, despite what he’d told Malik.

But the one thing he was noticing now was Abby’s arousing scent and how it was seeping under his skin. The exotic aroma was awaking his senses and raising his internal temperature.

She moved restlessly against him, leaning into him, crowding him, her silky blond hair brushing against his cheek in the most tantalizing ways. She pointed one slim finger and he followed the direction.

“Look at the palm trees over there,” she said. Her voice was an arousing combination of sweet and sultry.

“I’m looking,” he murmured into her ear, merely seeing a clump of trees fringing the water.

“Look at how they are bent forward, the provocative way the leaves are kissing the water. Dipping in and out, in and out…” Abby handed him the scope. “See for yourself.”

He looked through the scope, but the way her leg pressed against his was highly distracting. It definitely affected his concentration. When he turned back to her, they exchanged a long, lingering look, one that left a peculiar feeling in his gut.

He rolled one shoulder. “I guess I never noticed that before.”

“Look at the water, Cody,” she whispered, her low, husky voice playing havoc with his libido. “Can you see the different colors based on the depth and sandbars below? Look at how the warm blues and greens flow from one to another so sensually. It’s like my decorator’s palette. The colors are merging, blending, becoming one…” The soft tone of her voice caught his attention. He watched, transfixed, as her vibrant blue eyes grew wide, enchanted with the view.

“I guess I never thought of it as sensual before.”

She gave a breathy, intimate laugh and said, “Maybe I see the seductive allure in nature and everything around me because I’m an interior decorator.”

“Maybe,” he responded. “Or maybe we’re just not looking for the same things.”

You can’t find what you’re not looking for.

Pushing the medicine man’s cryptic words aside, he scanned the horizon. “What else do you see, Abby?” He handed the scope back to her. Perhaps it was the sniper in him that found, in some odd way, her enthusiasm and eye for detail interesting.

Or perhaps it was the man…

When her hand touched his, he trembled in reaction. “Look at the cluster of smooth rocks out there and the way they keep breaking through the surf as the tide shifts. They kind of remind me of a turtle poking its head in and out of its shell. Just watch the motion for a minute,” she urged. As they studied the waves, Abby moistened her lips and once again murmured, “In and out, in and out.” Her voice sounded deep and sensual, throwing him completely off balance.

Cody adjusted his pants, his thoughts careening off track. If she was trying to get a rise out of him, she’d succeeded.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Doesn’t it remind you of a turtle, Cody?”

Not even for a minute.

“Yeah, I guess.” As he took in her mischievous look, it occurred to him that not only was Abby deliberately toying with him and she was having one hell of a good time doing it.

She flashed him a grin. “Let’s walk to the other side and look out over the beach,” she said, her voice hinting at something far more intimate. “Maybe something over there will pique our interest.” Her eagerness made it damn near impossible to decline. As sensual awareness arced between them, he couldn’t deny that she’d
piqued
his interest—in more ways than one.

Cody pitched his voice low. “Now look who wants to do the
watching
…”

Undaunted, she pushed to her feet and gave a low throaty chuckle. “Coming?” She made that one word sound deeply suggestive.

Cody grabbed his scope and stood. Instincts kicking in, he stepped in front of Abby, preparing to lead the way. “Follow me. This cliff can be difficult to negotiate.”

When she caught hold of his hand, and her warmth seeped under his skin, his body responded eagerly. Lust and need rose to the surface, and his cock thickened inside his fatigues. He bit back a moan, and it was all he could do to keep himself from bending her over right then and there and driving his cock into her so deep and hard that neither one of them would walk away unscathed.

A shiver ripped through him, and he groaned. “Are you okay?” Abby asked.

“Fine,” he bit out with much more force than necessary. He turned and shot her a glance. The sexy, playful gleam in her eyes evoked a myriad of sinful thoughts.

So she wanted to play with him, did she?

The carnal image of Abby sprawled out before him, completely at his mercy, while he took care of their sexual needs, rushed though his mind.

Then play they would…

A
bby was shadowing Cody
, which put her in perfect position to race her eyes over his body and take pleasure in the graceful, stealthy way he moved. She also enjoyed the way his combat fatigues hugged his tight buns with each forward step. Her thoughts raced to Artie, and she felt a twinge of guilt for flirting with this trained warrior.

But the reasons for her actions were twofold. One she wanted to see what happened when she ventured off the path, and two she needed to prove to herself that passionate men did not exist outside of romance novels.

“Watch your step,” Cody said, his voice interrupting her wanderings.

Abby ducked under the branch Cody was holding up for her. “Thanks.” She studied the path before her, deciding she’d better pay closer attention to her surroundings and less attention to Cody’s hot body before she put an eye out. Although something told her even though he was distant and reserved, Cody had deeply ingrained protective instincts and wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

A short while later they reached the other side of the cliff, coming up on the north side of the mountain.

“Let’s rest here,” Cody suggested.

Abby stepped to the edge, shaded the sun from her eyes and perused the breathtaking mile-long stretch of beach below them. People were sprawled across towels on the pristine white sand, sunbathing under the tropical rays, while others frolicked in the warm water. Secluded at the far side of the beach were tables near the seashore where guests could enjoy a luxurious hot-stone massage.

She gestured to the massage tables with a nod. “I have one of those booked for tomorrow morning. Have you ever tried it?”

He shook his head. “It’s not my thing.”

She angled her body and admired him. “What is your thing, Cody?”

He dipped his head and met her glance. A muscle in his jaw flexed, and his dark, intense gaze nearly knocked her off balance. “Like I said,
watching
…”

A shudder ripped down her spine. With shaky hands she grabbed the scope from him. Part of her couldn’t believe she was playing such a dangerous game with him, but another part of her desperately ached to discover if this was it, or if life had something else to offer.

“Then, let’s watch,” she said.

Abby took a seat near the cliff and positioned the scope the way Cody had shown her. As she scanned the beach and surf, secretly watching others, desire moved into her stomach. It occurred to her that not only was she an exhibitionist, she really was a regular old Peeping Tom, too.

“It feels so naughty watching all these people without them knowing,” she whispered quietly, even though no one else could hear her. “So scandalous.”

“It is naughty and scandalous, Abby. But damn exciting, too. Don’t you think?” Cody shifted beside her, stretched his long legs out in front of him and rested his back against a tree. His nearness made her breathless. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “Now, tell me what you see.”

When he spoke, his soft, sexy tone seeped under her skin, his deep masculine tenor playing some mysterious alchemy with her libido. She redirected her thoughts, focused the scope and surveyed the landscape. A moment later she zeroed in on a couple sunbathing near the shore.

Trying to keep her voice light, she said, “Well, I see a guy and a girl sharing a huge beach towel. They’re both positioned on their sides facing each other. Their bodies are close but not touching. She’s in a cute red bikini, and he’s in a pair of blue, knee-length swim trunks.”

As she watched them, pleasure resonated through her and her body lubricated. The intimacy in their posture made her feel restless and reminded her that she was a woman with many unfulfilled needs.

“What else?” Cody asked.

She turned her attention to the rolling waves and continued her narrative. “I see a girl swimming out to a guy on a blow-up lounge chair. It looks like she’s trying to sneak up on him.” She took a moment to wonder whether they were lovers, and then went back to her observations. “I see guests on the massage table relaxing, and a few people jogging along the surf.”

“On the rocks, Abby. What do you see on the rocks?”

Eyes alive with curiosity, she made a quick brush over the rocky shore, going just beyond the beach area.

“I see…” Her words fell off and she gasped, shivers of pleasure racing down her spine. “Holy. Shit,” she murmured, sucking in a tight breath.

Cody leaned into her, pressing close. “What is it?” he asked, but something in her gut told her that this guy, this trained sniper, already knew the answer to that question. “Tell me what you see,” he commanded in a soft voice that whispered over her nape like a lover’s caress, turning her on in a way she’d never been turned on before. Her pulse leapt in her throat, and the moisture between her thighs hadn’t gone unnoticed.

She tilted her head back to look at him. She tried to give him her full attention, but her thoughts were preoccupied with the sexy show below.

“I…uh…I see a couple,” she whispered with effort, her arousal evident in her dark tone. His eyes glided over her mouth. He had a bemused expression on his face. “A couple, huh? What are they doing?”

She turned back to the scope. Warm and wicked sensations wrapped around her. “I think they’re having sex.”

“You think?”

She swallowed. “Yeah, I think.”

“So you don’t know for certain?”

Flustered, she just shook her head.

Cody’s tone turned raspy before all the humor disappeared from his voice. “Then, why don’t you tell me exactly what they’re doing, Abby, and I’ll give you my best educated guess.”

Equal measures of excitement and nervousness flared inside her when she realized just how much that thrilled her. “Well, right now it looks like he’s kissing her.”

“Are they standing?”

“No, she’s lying on a flat rock, and he’s on top of her.”

“Is he dressed?”

“He’s in a bathing suit, but with his body covering hers, I can’t tell what she’s wearing. But they both look wet.”

He cleared his throat. “I bet they do.”

Abby squirmed. “I mean they look wet, like they’ve been swimming.”

“I know what you mean, Abby,” he whispered, the heat in his tone boiling her blood. Sexual awareness flared through her, and she could feel her skin grow hot, tight, and needy.

“She’s saying something to him, but I can’t make it out.”

“What do you think she’s saying?”

She darted him a quick glance, instantly aware of the voyeur game they were playing. As Cody’s gaze brushed over her face, he tossed her a devilish, challenging grin. Had Cody known she’d been playing with him earlier and was now turning the tables, regaining control over the situation as he tapped into her fetishes and played his own sexy game with her?

“What?” she asked, having forgotten the question, but needing desperately to play along to see where it led them.

Desire flickered across his face as the air around them crackled with sexual tension. His dark eyes narrowed. “What do you think she’s saying, Abby? Do you think she’s talking dirty to him?”

“I’m not sure.”

Giving her no reprieve, he asked, “If it were you, what would you be saying?” Oh. My. God.

Her breast’s grew heavy, achy, needy for a man’s touch. Liquid desire pooled between her thighs. Although she’d never talked dirty to a man before, she had to admit, the idea excited the hell out of her. Since she’d come too far to back down now, she drew a fortifying breath, gathered her courage and said, “I’d probably ask him to remove my wet bathing suit.”

Remove her bathing suit. Kiss every inch of her body. Tease his cock between her legs and fuck her with wild abandon until he reduced her to a quivering mass of contentment. The low groan crawling out of Cody’s throat bombarded her body with lust.

“Then what?” he asked, encouraging her to go on. Jesus, what was it about Cody’s voice that aroused her to the point of distraction and made her feel so brazen?

In a low, seductive tone she continued without censor, “Then I’d guide his mouth to my breast,” she said, hardly able to believe her bold words. She tightened her hand on the scope and fought the natural inclination to rub her nipples. She briefly closed her eyes against the flood of heat.

“Is that what he’s doing?” The sound of Cody’s voice brought her attention back around to the couple. When she didn’t answer right away, Cody instructed her, “Tell me everything, Abby. Otherwise I won’t be able to give you my best educated guess.”

Goddamn, that excited her. Abby moistened her lips. Complying with his instructions, she said, “He’s now removing her bikini top.” She lowered her tone. “Do you want to watch, Cody?”

He angled his head and looked pointedly at her, as though reading her every secret desire. “No, I want you to watch and tell me what he’s doing, Abby. Tell me what
you
see.”

Her pussy muscles clenched. A heated tremor made her quake. “He’s climbing back over her, and she’s parting her legs in invitation.”

“Show me.”

She turned, ready to hand Cody the scope, but when their gazes collided, he stopped her. “No,” he said as his voice dropped an octave and his eyes clouded with desire. “Show me how she’s widening her legs. Only then will I understand if it’s meant to be sexual…”

Her entire body came alive with carnal desire. Abby shimmied backwards, pressed her back against the tree and widened her legs. “Like this,” she said, her heart racing from exhilaration.

“Very sexy,” he murmured. He signaled toward the scope with a nod. His mouth curved. “Now what?”

She turned her attention back to the scope. “He’s running his hands over her legs, widening them even more.” Her low, erotic whimper lingered in the air.

When she felt Cody’s hand on her bare leg, mimicking the action, it was all she could do not to gyrate her hips forward to position his fingers where she really needed them most. As though sensitive to her wants and needs, he ran his hands over her thighs with aroused eagerness. Her chest heaved as his intimate caress went right through her.

“He’s…he’s saying something to her, but I can’t make it out.” As her breathing grew labored, it became more and more apparent just how turned on she was. It took great effort to speak while the sexy show seduced her senses. “What do you think he’s saying, Cody? What would you say?” she asked without masking her enthusiasm, eager to hear him talk dirty to her.

She listened to Cody swallow, secretly thrilled that this voyeur game was turning him on as much as it was her.

“I’d tell her how desirable she is, what her beautiful body does to me, and all the ways I want to pleasure her, using my fingers, my tongue and my cock.”

His response stunned her. Okay, that had to be the sexiest thing she’d ever heard in her entire life. She exhaled a shallow breath and quivered, wishing it was her on those rocks—with Cody. No man had ever talked so deliciously naughtily to her before. And she found it exciting.

A shiver skipped down her spine as heat ambushed her pussy. She turned her attention back to the scope and started tracking the man’s every movement, not wanting to miss a thing. “He’s kissing her stomach and moving lower,” she murmured, fully aware of the way Cody’s earthy scent was curling her toes, making her delirious with pleasure.

Cody leaned forward and inched her top up to expose her skin. Warm lips touched her flesh. His mouth felt so deliciously hot against her stomach. “He’s…he’s removing her bikini bottoms.”

She listened to the hiss of her zipper, then lifted her hips when Cody nudged her. “Like this?” he asked.

Barely able to formulate a response, Abby just nodded. Cody proceeded to ease her shorts from her hips and discard them, leaving her half dressed and fully aroused. Dear God, the heat arcing between them was tremendous. Any minute now she expected the trees behind them to go up in flames.

He ran his fingers over her flesh. Everywhere he touched he left a trail of fire. His blatant masculinity had her juices flowing like a waterfall. Leaning forward, he inhaled her aroused scent and made a slow pass over his bottom lip with his tongue that only fueled her hunger.

“Do you think he’s going to lick her pussy?” he asked.

Oh God, she hoped so!

When she concentrated on the man’s actions, her body convulsed. Her voice wobbled. “Oh, Jesus.”

“What is it, Abby?”

She took a deep, labored breath. With her voice full of want, she said, “He’s parting her with his tongue.”

“Like this?” he asked, dipping his head between her legs, pulling open her pink lips, and invading her with his warm tongue. That first sweet touch had her sex muscles spasming, screaming for release. “Mmm,” he moaned, delving in deeper.

“Yesss,” she moaned. “Just like that.”

When the soft blade of his tongue found her clit for a slow exploration, her hips came off the ground and she dropped the scope, entirely lost in his touch.

“Keep watching,” he whispered, his warm breath scorching her thighs. “I need to know what he’s doing.”

Her shaky hands gripped the scope, refocusing on the couple while Cody pressed his lips hungrily into her sweetness and deepened the kiss. The dual assault turned her inside out, taking her to the edge long before she was ready—long before she wanted this sexy interlude to end.

“I wonder if she tastes like peaches, too.”

“
Cody…”
she murmured, surprised to find her voice functioning. “Oh, God, Cody. He’s putting his fingers inside her.”

A low chuckle rumbled in his throat as he inserted a finger into her slick core and stilled his movements. “Like this,?” She heard the raw ache of lust in his voice.

She sucked in a tight breath. Her nipples tightened with arousal. “Yeah, just like that,” she cried out. She began moving, pressing against him, seeking what her body craved, encouraging him to finger fuck her.

He didn’t.

The sweet torture made her throb. Her heart hammered and a whimper escaped her lips. “Please…” she begged shamelessly.

“You have to tell me what he’s doing.”

Quickly catching on, she swallowed hard and said, “He’s moving his fingers in and out of her. In and out. In and out.”