The Key to Paradise (16 page)

My heart skipped a beat as my mind flashed back to that day on the beach but instead of moving away he started planting soft kisses down my neck. He moved with ease tracing his tongue across every sensitive inch of my skin as he made his way lower and lower until his mouth found the soft heat of my center.

He teased and toyed with me as I gasped and bucked beneath his practiced touch. There was no room for doubt or self-consciousness with his mouth on me. Every nerve ending in my body was firing at once and I was lost in the sensation.

Just as I felt the first coiling of pressure in my belly he pulled away moving back up the length of my body until he was staring down into my eyes.

“I need you now, Olivia Jane Campbell. I need to be inside of you,” he moaned against my neck sending lines of goose bumps marching down my skin.

“Then take me, Landon whatever-your-middle-name-is Fitzpatrick. Because I’m all yours.”

He moved against me every muscle in his body pulled tight as he struggled for control. My fingers bit into the skin of his shoulders. My legs wrapped around his hips as I guided him into me. Our cries drowned out the sounds of the storm as he entered me and all the pressure, heat and need were finally joined in a moment of pure ecstasy. It was almost more than I could take. Everything felt so right—so complete—with Landon in my arms.

It started off slow and sensual but there was no holding back the tidal wave for long. We began to move together faster and harder with an animalistic need. Each time he moved into me a cry escaped my lips. It was raw and primal, months of frustrated desire culminating in burst of passion. We had waited so long that the urgency overtook us and my nails ground down against his skin as his teeth bared against my shoulder. Our minds had disappeared and our bodies had taken control moving in rhythm as if we had been together our entire lives.

I wanted this moment to last forever. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Landon’s eyes locked onto mine, with our bodies moving in perfect sync but there was no way I could last forever on the edge of such need and pleasure. I fought for as long as I could for control. I wanted to tease out every last second but he touched me in a way I had never felt before. Every brush of his fingers against my skin, the rhythm of him moving inside of me pushed me beyond control. I came in his arms shaking and trembling. The force of it brought on the wave of his own climax and we clung to each other while the sensations washed us away.

It took about five minutes before I was able to breathe again let alone think.

“Wow.”

“Wow yourself,” Landon agreed leaning over and kissing me deeply.

“I think I felt the earth move for a minute there.”

“I’d like to take credit but I’m pretty sure that was some of the windows blowing out.”

I jumped to my feet with my heart racing. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“My mind and mouth were otherwise occupied.” Landon stood up and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Liv, there’s going to be damage. There’s nothing you can do about it now. Come lay down and I’ll make the earth move for you again.”

I tilted my head back to stare up into his eyes and wonder. A year ago I could never have imagined my life would take this turn. That I’d be standing in the lobby of my own hotel while a wild storm raged outside but I felt safe and protected in the arms of a man I had once loathed. That he would be looking back at me with my surprise and joy mirrored in his eyes.

Epilogue

Olivia

It was the worst storm Tamarind Key had seen in a hundred years. When my eyes finally peeled open the next morning it was to dazzlingly bright sun stabbing through the joints in the boarded up windows. Unfortunately, once my eyes adjusted to the light the view beyond it was much worse.

It was destruction like I had never seen before in my life. Everywhere I turned there were puddles of sea water collecting on the limestone floor. Chairs had been blown over and papers were strewn about as if they had been hit by a tornado. Shattered glass from the windows twinkled down the hallways.

Outside the scene was even worse. Palm trees were fallen across the parking lot and roofing tiles lay shattered on the concrete.

It took us months to repair all the damage. Landon had never made it home that night to barricade up his own house so he moved in with me to my small set of rooms in The Sea Watch.

It was strange for us at first navigating our new relationship. We bristled and fought from time to time but every night I found my arms reaching out for the comforting touch of his skin against mine. Eventually all of our hard, jagged edges smoothed away and we truly began to hear one another instead of hearing our own insecurities.

It’s been a year since that night and he’s been trying to convince me to move into his newly renovated grandfather’s house with him. I’m trying to get him to see what a blessing on-call room service is. Whoever wins I’m happy to know this won’t be a battle I’ll look back on with regret.

The Sea Watch is almost back to her former glory. We had to close all the first floor rooms for over a month while we cleaned and renovated.
Again.
Now she’s back up and running to full potential and I have a comfortable little nest egg set aside. Landon and I have talked about buying and preserving some of the land around the resort. My home has never felt more secure and just…well…home-y. All the anguish and tears had brought me to the other side and I couldn’t help but whisper a little thank you every night before bed to the powers that be for giving me this life while the soft soothing purr of the surf sounds outside my window.

Now if the Bingo Ladies would stop sexually harassing my lifeguards and hosting karaoke nights at the hotel bar, life would be perfect.

About the Author:

Kay writes funny, sweet contemporary romance. She lives in Fort Lauderdale with her family.
The Key to Paradise
is her debut novel but it received high acclaim from her friends, family and dog.

The cat had critiques.

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