Summer at the Shore (Seashell Bay Book 2) (20 page)

Morgan sighed, slipping her arms around his neck. The coarse hair on his chest tickled her nipples, and sensation streaked down to her core, spiking arousal and heat. As she’d done on that night when they’d first kissed, she pulled up her leg, bringing her sex into direct contact with his hard thigh. Already she throbbed with a sweet ache and instinctively searched for relief.

But it was so much more than last time. Now they were naked—all hot skin and nothing between them, their bodies doing exactly what they wanted.

He broke the kiss when she pressed even closer, hooking her ankle behind his knee.

“Fuck, babe,” he growled. “That is so hot I could take you standing up, right against the wall.”

Her stomach gave a little flip at the image of her jammed against the wall, Ryan pounding into her.

“In fact,” he said, “I’d have you facing the wall, your hands up high and your legs spread wide. Then I’d take you from behind, so I could touch all of you while I was inside.”

Wow.
Morgan had to admit that he made it sound damn tempting. She clutched at his shoulders, staring up into his face. His features were taut, and his gaze glittered with dark intensity. She had to swallow before she could answer.

“I . . . uh, that sounds awesome, actually,” she stuttered.

He let out a low laugh. “Yeah, it does, but not for our first time. I want to be looking into your gorgeous eyes when I’m inside you.”

Morgan went up on tiptoe—and, oh, did the slide of her breasts across his hard chest feel fantastic—and kissed his mouth.

“I want that too,” she whispered.

He touched his forehead to hers. “I thought you’d never ask.”

He picked her up and plopped her on the bed, high up on the pillows. He started to follow and then froze. “Shit,” he muttered.

She raised herself up on her elbows. “What?”

He stood up straight. Morgan couldn’t help focusing on his impressive erection, now pretty much at her eye level.

“I can’t believe it,” he said in a disgusted voice. “I don’t have a condom on me.”

“Don’t you carry one in your wallet? I thought all guys did that.”

“I left my wallet back at my parents’ house. Didn’t think I’d need it today.” He gave his head a rueful shake. “I’m sorry, babe. We can do other stuff, but—”

“It’s not a problem,” she interrupted. “I’m kind of embarrassed about this, but I bought some condoms the other day. They’re in the top drawer of the dresser.”

He grinned. “Planning a little action, were we? You little devil, you.”

Morgan guessed she was probably blushing from head to toe. It had been an impulse buy at the drugstore the other day, and she’d silently ragged herself all the way home. Now, she was glad she’d done it.

“Hardly, but it’s always a good idea to be prepared for any situation.”

“That’s my motto too, babe,” he said as he stepped over to her dresser. “No wonder we’re so good together.”

Joking or not, his last comment caught her right in the heart. She wanted so much for them to be good together, on every level, even though it probably wouldn’t last beyond the fading of the summer season.

He found the condoms and came back, his gaze focusing on her face. “You still okay there, Merrifield?”

She gave him a smile, pushing aside her silly second thoughts. She’d been waiting for this for a long time and firmly intended to enjoy every minute.

“I’m just wondering what’s taking you so long,” she said. “You don’t want me to get bored, do you?”

His gaze glittered with amusement and something much hotter. “No chance of that happening, babe. Scoot over.”

He joined her, sliding an arm under her shoulders and cradling her. He leaned down and sealed his lips over hers
in a kiss so delicious that Morgan had no choice but to collapse into his powerful embrace. And boy, did he take his time kissing her. He savored her, seducing her with hot glides of his tongue even as his hand started exploring her body. When it drifted down to caress her breast, Morgan moaned against his lips.

Ryan moved back and gently pulled the stiff bead of a nipple, making her gasp. Sensation streaked from her breast right down to her womb. “Does that feel good?”

“Um, better than good,” she managed as he continued to stroke and play.

He flashed her what could only be described as a lascivious grin. “Let’s see if we can get to awesome, shall we?”

Then he bent down and took the same nipple into his mouth, sucking it in. Morgan cried out as her back instinctively pulled into an arch. Awesome didn’t even begin to describe the pleasure pouring through her body as he lavished attention on her breasts. He went from one to the other, kneading and massaging with a pressure that both soothed and drove her wild. His mouth and tongue played over her, teasing and tormenting.

The fact that it was Ryan—
Ryan
—driving her into a sexual frenzy made it all that much hotter. She grabbed his shoulders, hanging on for dear life as she went under in a storm of sensation.

Finally, when she was all but sobbing with need, he pulled back. He gently cupped one breast, his thumb stroking softly back and forth across her nipple.

“So, how was that?” he asked, his voice so deep it rumbled. “Good or awesome?”

Morgan practically had to unroll her eyes from the
back of her head to look at him. His gaze was smoky with desire, but his mouth was curled up in a self-satisfied, all-male smile.

“Not bad, but I’d like to see what else you’ve got.” Of course the fact that she could barely talk made that lie plain as day.

He huffed out a laugh as he let his hand drift down over her stomach, lightly brushing over her curls, and then gently pushing her thighs wide. When he cupped her sex, Morgan lost her breath again.

“Babe, everything about you is just perfect.” His tone was low, serious, and surprisingly emotional.

That was hardly true, but the words brought tears to her eyes anyway.

When he stroked his fingers across her slick folds, it sent an erotic jolt through her body. “Ryan,” she cried, grabbing his arm.

“You’re so ready for me,” he murmured. He was teasing her, driving her crazy.

Driving himself crazy too, from his almost ferocious expression. Morgan clamped her fingers around his wrist. “Ryan, please. I want you now.”

“I’m so down with that,” he rasped out. He shifted, moving between her legs and coming up on his knees. He reached for the box of condoms.

Morgan watched him roll one on, loving the sight of the man looming over her. He was so big and so damn beautiful, and he was Ryan, the man she’d been dreaming about for so long. Feeling a little light-headed, she wondered if she would pass out.

Don’t you dare
.

Ryan came down, bracing himself on his forearms and
brushing an incredibly tender kiss across her lips. “Ready, babe?”

She took his face between her hands, smiling up at him. “So freaking ready.”

“Me too.” He flexed his hips and slowly pushed into her. Morgan felt her eyes go wide, while Ryan’s fluttered shut as he let out a groan.

It felt incredible—tight, but good. Really good. She pulled her legs up around his hips as he went deep inside, filling her all the way.

Her body and her heart.

Ryan breathed out a shuddering sigh when he was fully inside her. “You feel fucking amazing, babe. So incredible.”

It was a total guy thing to say, but it made her throat go tight. It was the tone of his voice that did it—hushed, almost reverent.

His eyes opened, and he stared down at her. His gaze was open, honest, and blazing with raw emotion. He’d finally dropped his barriers, and that simple, earth-shattering fact brought tears to her eyes. She’d held everything in for so many long months since she’d come home—grief, anger, frustration, and fear—and it felt like it had all been washed away in this moment with Ryan.

He brushed another tender kiss across her lips. “Don’t cry, beautiful. Let me make you feel good.”

She smiled through her tears and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Promise?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Right now.”

And then he started to move, and her body came alive in his arms. It took only a few minutes before he sent her flying—over the edge and farther than she’d ever been.

If only they could stay there, forever.

Morgan raised her glass in a toast. “Here’s to you, Ryan. Honestly, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve done for Sabrina and me.”

Ryan touched his glass to hers and took a drink, then reached for the champagne bottle in the wine bucket next to their table in a quiet corner of the restaurant. He topped up their glasses. “Thanks, but you know that folks would have rallied around you anyway, don’t you?”

“But you were the one to take charge.” She cast him what was no doubt a totally sappy look. “Just like you took charge this afternoon. At the beach and . . . after.”

“Well, you weren’t exactly Miss Shrinking Violet, as I recall. Some of those audibles you called, man . . .” He gave her a comic leer.

She pretended to toss her half-eaten roll at him. “I told you I was sex starved.”

“Not anymore?”

“Let’s say not for the moment. If you think I’m through with you, mister . . .”

He gave her what could only be described as a shit-eating grin. “It went pretty well, didn’t it?”

“You know exactly how well it went, dude. I’m surprised my eyes didn’t roll permanently back into my head.”

“In the immortal words of Karen Carpenter, we’ve only just begun, babe.”

She laughed. “Really? Karen Carpenter? That was the song my parents danced to the first time they went out. Which seriously dates you, my friend, at least in terms of your taste in music.”

According to her mother, it had only taken one date
and one dance. Her parents had never gone out with anyone else after that. They’d had a great love and a happy marriage but never got the chance to grow old together, to see their children settled and happy. Possibly to one day see their grandchildren.

The knowledge that she would never share that future with her parents totally sucked.

Ryan reached across and took her hand. “Why don’t I flag down the waiter so we can order?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, wrinkling her nose at him. “It just hits me sometimes all over again, that they’re both gone.”

He nodded. “I get it, and you never have to apologize. Grief has a way of sneaking up on you at weird moments.”

He would know that of course, having lost friends while overseas.

Morgan squeezed his hand back. “I’m okay. Really. And very glad to be here with you.”

At Ryan’s suggestion, they’d crawled out of her thoroughly mussed bed not long before dusk and hurried to catch the ferry into Portland so they could have dinner at a bistro on Exchange Street—to celebrate the B&B’s new beginning, he’d said. She’d agreed, but not before extracting a promise that they’d return to the inn and her bed for another bout of lovemaking before going their separate ways—to Lily’s and his folks’ house.

He’d been more than down with that plan.

“I’m glad too,” he said. “But I can tell you’re still stewing about everything. This is supposed to be a treat for you, remember?”

Morgan nodded. “I know.” Then she let out a soulful sigh. “And I’m truly worried that I might lapse into
a terrible funk if you don’t keep me . . . fully occupied. I know it’s a lot of pressure, but I expect you not to let me down.”

His lips were curved in a smile, but his dark eyes sparked with heat. “Man, how am I going to get all that work done if you keep dragging me off to your bed and making me your sex slave?”

“Prioritize, Butler. Beside, you’ll rise to the occasion, I’m sure.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “That was really bad, Merrifield, even for you. So bad I might just have to spank you when we get back to the island.”

Morgan ran her tongue across her glossy lips. “Oh, good. More treats in store.”

He looked torn between laughter and genuine interest in her mocking comment. “Let’s put a pin in that, shall we? I want to talk about something else first.”

She pouted. “Must we?”

“Nice try, but you won’t distract me with your sultry ways, woman. I have an idea that’s been kicking around in the back of my mind for the past few days.”

“Okay, Soldier Boy, fire away.”

“I’ve been wondering about repositioning Golden Sunset in the tourist market. Reconstruction might be an opportunity to do something like that. To rebuild and reopen with some added focus.”

“Added focus?” Morgan echoed. “Translate to English, please.”

“My guess is that Aiden’s new resort is going to be a game changer for the island. It’s obviously got its area of specialization with the emphasis on environmental tourism. So it makes sense that Golden Sunset should have a
specialty too. I have a hunch you might need to be more than small and homey to attract new clients once the new resort opens.”

Morgan had always worried about that, in spite of her conviction that the kind of people who patronized the B&B were unlikely to prefer an upscale ecoresort. As long as the inn was living on a knife-edge though, that worry would remain. At the very least, Aiden and Lily’s resort would add a whole new element of uncertainty to Golden Sunset’s prospects.

“I don’t disagree,” she said.

He plucked the champagne bottle from its ice bucket and topped up both Morgan’s glass and his own.

“You’re killing me with all this suspense,” Morgan said.

“Sorry. Anyway, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking as I’ve been paddling all over the islands these past few days. And giving Christian those lessons gave me the idea too. This part of the world is beautiful, and it’s really cool to be able to kayak so easily from one island to the other. Morgan, I really think you could position Golden Sunset as a center for people who want to explore the islands in a kayak or canoe.”

Morgan stared across the table at him, dumbfounded.

He took her hand and started playing with her fingers. “Look, you’ve seen for yourself how fantastic it is to explore the bay in a kayak. I’ve never been anywhere more peaceful, and I’ve been just about everywhere in the world.”