Beyond Me(29)
Author: Jennifer Probst

I moved in short spurts, adjusting to his length. Fire shot through my veins and heated me up everywhere. Frantic for more, I moved faster, working my hips, relaxing my muscles, and taking him completely. He controlled my movements for a while, but as I neared climax, I ripped his hands off me and rode him hard and fast and wild, not allowing him any control. He shouted my name and I felt myself coming, the pleasure squeezing me so tight I didn’t think I could take a moment more, but I kept coming more and then he followed me, my thighs gripping desperately for balance as every muscle collapsed in ecstasy.

I slumped over, breathing hard, and his hands settled on my ass. It took a while before we calmed down and I felt as if I could finally move. I managed to support myself on my hands and sit back up. He was still inside me.

“I love you,” he said.

I should’ve been shocked. I should’ve gasped, pulled away, and tried to decipher what had happened in four days. It was impossible to fall in love with someone so fast, right? I knew that. Yes, I had pushed him, but this confession was way more than I expected. We needed to talk and rationalize what we were doing, and figure out a plan. But nothing mattered anymore. Just the truth.

“I love you too.”

I lowered my head and kissed him. Sweet. Tender. My heart swelled in my chest, and I never felt more right about anything in my life. I loved James Hunt.

“Are you ready to eat?”

He’d said the words, but wasn’t ready for a long conversation and analysis of our options. Neither was I. I wanted to hold tight to the magic words, be with him, and not think of the future. So, I climbed off him and put out my hand.

James wrapped his fingers in mine and took me downstairs. Things would never be the same between us. And I was glad.

Chapter Seventeen

Thursday

YEAH. IT was official.

I was whipped.

I watched Quinn chatter on the phone with her friend Cassie, going over their arrangements for their flight in case they didn’t hook up before. Since I confessed I loved her, we hadn’t left the house. We spent hours in bed, trying to top my record of how many orgasms I could wring out of her, and ordered in food so we didn’t have to break our rhythm. We swam, napped, and took long walks around the villa, but never ventured out to the bars or beaches or even the boat.

I didn’t want to lose any time.

I fixed her a Sex on the Beach and realized our week was almost up. She flew out Saturday afternoon, and neither of us wanted to try to figure out what we were gonna do. She had a year of school left. I was still a walking mess, with no future opportunity or job in sight. Did I really want to follow her off to Chicago like a puppy dog when I had nothing to offer? Would a long-distance relationship work? My mind buzzed with endless thoughts and worries, giving me a headache. I didn’t want to ruin a minute of her company, but we needed to have a serious talk. It was the third night in a row I had the same dream about her. We stood by the water, and Quinn reached her hands toward me. A small smile rested on her lips, and sparks of sunlight shot and reflected off the water, blinding me. I wanted to take her hands, but I was never able to lift my arms, and then she disappeared. I called out over and over, but it was too late. She was gone.

I hoped to God it wasn’t an omen.

Rich had called me a few times, giving me shit about canceling the parties, and begging me to meet them at the bar tonight. I never answered. I’d be happy staying home with Quinn and trying to make sense of how I could make this work. The idea of losing her made me sick, but I needed to know if she was ready to commit, even if we were apart for a while.

She came out of the kitchen, phone in hand, and smiled at me. Her casual white cotton skirt paired with a hot pink striped tank top gave her a beachy casual look I loved. Especially when I ripped off her clothes and she became anything but. She was a hellcat in bed, giving me everything she had. I’d never known sex could be so intimate and raw and real. It was like I was waking up after years of sleep walking through life. “Cassie and Mac may hit Captain’s Cove for a quick drink tonight. Wanna stop in?”

Hmm, the same bar Rich and Adam were going to tonight. “Sure, if you want. What time?”

“We left it loose. I’ll check in with them later. Is that for me?”

“Yep.” I handed her the drink and she sighed with pleasure. Her skin glowed with sun and hopefully from all the orgasms I’d given her. Quinn melted the moment I touched her. That type of power invigorated me, made me feel like a God, and I couldn’t keep my hands off her. I stroked her arm as she sipped her cocktail. “What do you want to do today?”

She turned her head and cupped my cheek. Her inky dark eyes gleamed with emotion. “I’d love to go out on the boat one last time,” she said with a husky hitch to her voice. “Go to the bar for an hour. Then come home. Here.”

Home. The word sounded so sweet from her lips, yet so lonely when I thought of her getting on the plane. I pressed a kiss to her knuckles and smiled. “You got it. Finish your drink and we’ll go.”

We sailed for a few hours while I taught her some basics of boating 101. Her hair whipped around her face and she laughed when she almost got whacked by the sail in an attempt to show off her beginner skills. I kicked her back to the bench so she didn’t get hurt, and turned on some music. Her horrible rendition of Lady Gaga was a nightmare, but that was just another thing I adored. A woman who couldn’t carry a tune was on my list of go-to traits. She’d never dump me in her quest for American Idol.

A brand-new patch of red on her arms made me call out her name. “You’re burning again. I have some extra lotion in the closet there.” She nodded and poked around in large compartment. “Toward the back,” I directed.

She dropped to a squatting position, so I figured the bottle had fallen off the shelf and rolled toward the back. Stretching out, her ass lifted in the air as her hand reached. And then I spotted the perfect lines of a lacy white thong against her skirt.

Oh. Fuck.

I hardened instantly. Jesus, I hadn’t seen her in a thong yet. Didn’t think she was the type to wear one. Quinn straightened up with the lotion in her hand, no idea that my lust factor had just hit the top of the charts. The cheerful-striped tank only made me feel dirtier knowing what lay beneath the innocent outfit. Quinn in a thong. Kill me now.

I decided to have fun and see if she followed my lead. So far, she liked a few sexy games between us, and I was dying to see if I could push. I marched over to her as she settled on the bench and opened the top of the bottle. She peered up from behind her bangs and frowned. “What’s wrong?”