The Sapphire Affair (Jewel #1)(58)
“Ah, just like that, and use your hand, too,” he murmured as he threaded his fingers into her hair.
She followed his directions, loving that he gave them, because she wanted this to be as good for him as he’d been to her.
“Harder, Steph. Do it harder,” he said, clasping his hand around her skull and moving her mouth up and down. “Take me deeper,” he said in a throaty rumble, then whispered, all hot and husky, “please.”
Her mouth was divine. She was an angel of mercy, and the friction was heavenly. His fingers curled around her skull, her golden blonde hair spilling over his hand as he guided her. Red-hot flames sparked in his bloodstream, and pleasure crackled through his bones as she sucked him deep. Her lips tightened around his shaft, and her tongue worked miracles, flicking and licking as she took him to the back of her throat.
“Fuck, your lips look so f*cking good on me,” he said on a groan. She raised her eyebrows sexily.
With one hand, he let go of his grip to sweep her hair to the side, giving him the perfect view. The sight of her mouth stretched wide, her cherry-red lips tight around his dick sent heat tearing through his body. Electricity sparked in his bones as he filled her warm mouth. Her hand wrapped tighter, and the tension in him coiled, rising higher and faster.
He could barely take it anymore. The sight of her mouth sucking him like that, her hand fisting the base, and her hair a wild tumble, drove him crazy. With barely a thread of control left, he thrust up into her, f*cking her mouth.
He was going to come any second.
Words failed him. He was reduced to moans uttered in a ragged voice, desperate for release.
His own climax crashed into him, and he gripped her hair and groaned her name as he came hard.
He shuddered from the aftershocks. Seconds later, he pulled her off him and planted a kiss on her lips. “You rock my world,” he said to her, and trust or no trust, it was all too true.
“Like mint chip ice cream?” she asked.
“Better.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
As she treaded azure blue waters, Steph splashed Jake. He stood on the edge of the boat in his swim shorts, the early evening sun glinting off his light-brown hair.
“C’mon. I don’t bite,” she said, then swam closer and pretended to grab his ankles, as if she were going to topple him into the ocean. The idea appealed to her. He seemed the type who might enjoy a good water toppling.
“I don’t mind biting.”
“You’re not afraid of the water, are you?” she asked, egging him on.
“You crack me up, funny girl. Now prepare to be dunked.”
“No way will you catch me,” she said, pushing off the shell of the boat with her feet and skimming along the shallow water. They were early for the boat party. Intentionally. They’d arrived in the hopes of catching Penny before she was swept into the crowd. The boat, which belonged to Devon, was moored at the end of the dock.
Jake jackknifed into the water, stirring up small waves and sand below her. Then he chased her. She darted and weaved as fast as she could, but soon enough he stretched one long arm and hooked her ankle. Underwater, she laughed. She popped her head up, and so did he.
“Say it.”
“Say what?” she said, splashing water at him.
“Say I caught the mermaid,” he said with a smirk that made her grab his waist and attempt to tickle him underwater. He was impervious, though, and instead he clasped his hands over hers and tugged her in close. “Don’t drive me wild in the water,” he said, low and growly, like a command.
“I’ll do my best, but you’re the one who caught the mermaid,” she whispered, loving the way his fingers gripped her waist, and his voice was just for her.
“I did catch her. I want her all to myself,” he said, and she was sure they were talking in more than mere innuendo. That the undercurrent to this conversation echoed back to last night in his car, to the lifeguard stand, to the parking garage, to the kiss at Happy Turtle, and all the way back to the first night at the Pink Pelican. Dangerous though this was, she wanted the man. He’d felt like an opponent, or even a frenemy, most of the time, but something had shifted after last night. That talk on the beach had brought them closer. They’d both let down their guards, which was scary as hell. He was still after Eli, and she should probably swim away from him.
But she didn’t do that. Her heart was bending toward him.
“I like when you have me,” she whispered, the water making her daring, giving her some kind of liquid courage.
They swam for a few more minutes and then climbed back up on the boat. “I can see why you love it here,” he said, handing her a towel. “This place suits you. It’s beautiful, and peaceful, but also adventurous . . . like you.” And her heart raced from the sweet compliment.
OK, she was definitely going to say something. Go out on that limb. Suggest the island tryst, when her name sounded like a trumpet, reverberating through the air.
“Steph!”
She spun around, and excitement whipped through her as she clambered out of the boat and onto the dock. A woman with bright pink hair and tattooed arms rode a mint-green beach cruiser along the wooden dock in her direction. A golden retriever frolicked by her side. The ultimate island girl and her dog had resurfaced.
Steph ran down the dock and Penny stopped pedaling, letting the bike fall to the dock. Penny raced the rest of the way to Steph, then hugged her with every fiber of her being.