Someone Else's Ocean(79)

“I know.”

“All fixed up then?”

I nodded, my smile disappearing. “My parents came and went.”

He looked me over, his skin darker from days of endless sun. “Not such a good time?”

“Not at all.”

He shrugged. “Things happen the way they are supposed to happen, nothing you can do.”

“Yeah.”

“Something else bothering ya?”

“Nope.”

“So, this friend is nothing more? I think you pretend. I will wait here with a bottle of your banana rum,” he joked as he handed me three fresh bouquets.

A month had passed since Ella left the island and Ian had managed to get back to the States twice. Each time he went I got a taste of missing him. Wanting to believe it was good exercise for my heart, I spent my days alone venturing out of my house, keeping dinner dates with Jasmine. I’d even graced her infamous wine bar again, got drunk off my ass and ended up dancing until the wee hours of the morning. I may have accidentally slipped up that night and borrowed Jasmine’s phone to FaceTime my soon to be ex non-boyfriend.

He appeared on screen with a scowl. It was, after all, two o’clock in the morning.

“What in the hell are you doing, Koti?”

“Just wanted to check in with you, crocky.”

“It’s late.”

“Or early, don’t be such a pessimist.”

He groaned as I tilted the phone down giving him an ample shot of my cleavage. “Try to use your nice words, I might be in the midst of missing you and you’re going to fuck it all up.”

He grinned then as he sat up in bed. “I might be missing you too. A little. But I have to say there are perks of sleeping in my own bed.”

“Yeah, like what?”

“I don’t get slapped in the head every night.”

“That’s active dreaming, totally unintentional.”

“I don’t have a dog trying to lick my balls in the morning.”

“That’s not her fault, they look a lot more fun than they are.”

He lifted a brow. “I’ll grant you that.”

Ziggy Marley sang “Drive” over the radio as I stood and swayed my hips.

“So, I take it Jasmine finally talked you into another night out.”

“Are you proud of me?”

His smile had me melting on the spot I was swaying in. “Very.”

“Well, I didn’t do it so you would be proud of me. Believe it or not, I love to dance.”

“Then we should dance together.”

Stopping my hips, I stood at a nearby stool at the bar. “You dance?”

“God, you act like I’m the Grinch.”

“If the Whoville hat fits.”

He shook his head, giving me that dead stare I’d grown to love.

“I’ll be back in four days. I’m trying to tie some things up here.”

It wasn’t my place to ask what things, so I didn’t. “K. See you then. Night.”

There was a pause on his end as his eyes swept my face, the silence conveying more than we were allowed. “Night, beauty.”





Ian’s bag was left abandoned on the porch as he pressed me against my back door taking turns between nipping and biting at my neck.

“This dress, damn,” he said as I smiled against his kiss.

“You like it?”

“I hope you aren’t wearing this out.”

My deep red backless sundress dipped so low you could see the divot at the top of my ass. My tits were bared on either side by a thin strip of material. Tilting my head back, I gasped as he discovered I wasn’t wearing a thing underneath.

“You better not be wearing this out of the house.”

“Chill out, Dad.”

He turned me then lifted my dress and proceeded to redden my ass with his palm as I laughed. He pulled me into his arms and lifted me so I was cradled to his chest. “You look beautiful.”

Ignoring the sting of tears, I slid my palm down his stubble-covered jaw. “You need a shave.”

Rubbing his chin against my skin, I moaned as he made his intentions known. I would be covered in his beard rash by the time he was finished.

“Such an animal.”

I began to sign.

Fuck me, Ian.

His eyes bulged. “Where did you learn that?”

“Your precious informational channel—YouTube. And don’t get thinking I’m back online. It’s not happening.”

“Damn, you got my hopes up, I was thinking maybe you had plugged back in and joined the land of the living.”

“Never.”

“Who doesn’t have a smartphone in this day and age? It’s baffling.”

“Me.”

“You.” He threw me on my bed and began to undress. The man was in amazing shape and my body started to flutter with anticipation.

“Pull your dress up and spread your legs.”

I didn’t hesitate a second.

“Show me more.”

I reached between my legs and did his bidding.

“Hold it there.”

“Ian… hurry.”

“Not this time,” he said with slow piercing gray eyes.