Sully buttoned the front of his shirt and rolled up the sleeves the way he liked them. Harper had been absolutely amazing today. She’d been so attentive and caring, taking him to the hospital in Fort Myers and hanging out there for three hours while he was treated. She’d watched the doctor’s and nurse’s every move to make sure all was just right. She had picked up his medication and waited on him all afternoon.
It turned out Lacey had pegged it: the injury had been caused by a stingray. He was fortunate that there hadn’t been any barbs lodged in his flesh because that would have meant minor surgery to remove them. The doctor had soaked the injury in hot water, and as soon as his foot had been submerged, the pain had lessened. Evidently, the warm water drew out the poison.
He looked up to find Harper watching him, her brow furrowed. “Are you sure you feel well enough to sing?”
“Yes. I’ll just use a stool tonight. It’ll be fine.” He came to her and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you for all your help today.” He lightly kissed her lips. “You’re the best nurse I’ve ever had.”
“You’ve had many nurses?” she asked.
“No. But—”
She pressed her lips to his—a pleasant interruption—grabbing his face and threading her fingers into his hair. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
He smiled and winked. “Me too.”
As he walked to the door, he had only the slightest of limps. The hot water and pain medicine had worked wonders. Even the long stroll to the Junonia dining room didn’t bother him, and further to a spacious lanai, featuring the Casablanca theme where he’d be part of the live entertainment for the evening. He slipped his arm around Harper’s waist as he spotted Luke McBain, head of Casa Blanca Resort security, speaking to a duo of young women at the bar.
Harper followed his gaze. “Hey, aren’t those two of the girls from your autographing session earlier today.”
“I think you’re right.” He felt her tense, wondering why that seemed to bother her. “Luke McBain from security is chatting with them.”
“Maybe checking their IDs,” she speculated, chuckling.
“They do look kinda young, huh?”
“I think they’re following you,” she whispered.
The redhead glanced over and waved her fingers. Beside him, Harper emitted a barely perceptible groan. Sully suppressed a knowing smile. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d dated a woman who wasn’t keen about the attention he garnered. He abruptly hesitated in his thoughts. Did this count as a date? Well, with the powerful desire he felt toward her, he realized he’d subconsciously put her into a girlfriend category. He tugged her in closer to his side.
He gave Luke a casual salute and guided Harper to a table near the stage. She ordered a glass of merlot tonight. He would have loved to have some, too, but he stuck with a soda because of the pain meds. He didn’t want to mess up his set.
Disquiet rolled through his chest as he studied Harper sipping her wine. How could he let her go tomorrow when her boat was fixed?
He didn’t want to. Not at all. Yet with their busy schedules, not to mention not living in the same place, there didn’t seem to be any hope for him to get to know her better, to explore these new, intense feelings.
“Is something wrong?” she asked. “Is your foot hurting too much?”
“No, I’m fine,” he lied before changing the subject. “What’s the latest on your boat?”
“Oh, right… It will be ready in the morning. Max is coming down to drive the boat back to his place. I told him he didn’t have to, but he insisted.”
Sully nodded and swallowed. “Maybe he could drive it back and you could stay another day… “
“That’s so tempting, believe me. I have to admit, my stay here has been lovely. Better than I imagined.” She gave him a shy smile. “But I have a plane to catch and work to get back to. And so do you.”
Harper, ever the practical one.
An unfamiliar ache settled in his chest. He wasn’t going to beg her, though.
He stood and made his way to center stage where the mic and stool were prepared. Inhaling a deep breath, he signaled to the accompaniment musician to begin. The opening introduction played, and Sully turned to the one thing that had always sustained him, that had always given meaning to his life: his music.
* * *
Good heavens, it had hurt to turn down his offer. How could she have these feelings, these yearnings, in a mere two days? This was not love at first sight. She’d known Sully since they were teens. This was…impossible.
They were as alike as apples and oranges. The infatuation she felt couldn’t be sustainable.
Sully was on his third song when she came out of her thoughts. A couple ambled in, taking a seat at a table that appeared to have been reserved. She recognized the woman as Lacey Walker. The handsome man at her side leaned in to whisper in Lacy’s ear, his honey-colored, shaggy hair fell back exposing the glint of an ear ring. They both smiled before he kissed her cheek and sat back. Lacy’s husband, Clay, she thought. A pang of jealousy wound through her as she realized how much she longed for that sort of long-term relationship, secure, loving, sharing, and happily-ever-after. Her gaze shot to Sully. Famous people rarely had permanent relationships. She sighed, a dull ache inside.
Harper ordered another glass of wine. In between songs, Sully took a moment to chat with Lacey and Clay. The couple left a short time later.
For some reason, she was gripped by the memory of being on the outside of the group looking in, the way she was during those turbulent high school years. She shook her head.
The next thing she realized, Sully had abandoned his stool and had moved closer to her as he performed.
Then she saw only him. Heard only him.
It wasn’t fair. She had no defenses against his alluring voice, his charming smile, his seductive eyes. And no matter what anyone in the room thought, tonight, she knew without a doubt, that he was singing to her.
He broke into Michael Bolton’s “Now That I Found You.” Her pulse raced faster. His mood seemed to change instantly and he was light and playful as he sang Michael Bublé’s “Everything.” He finished with “When A Man Loves A Woman.” If she hadn’t been sitting, her knees would have buckled. It was almost more than her heart could bear.
* * *
They didn’t pass a soul on the way back to his villa, which was surprising because it was only ten o’clock. Harper didn’t say much as they walked, only seemed tense and distant.
He held the door open for her when they arrived, inhaling her floral scent as she crossed in front of him. He grabbed her hand and turned her to face him. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“You did great this evening,” was all she said.
“Thanks.” He smiled and gently dragged her up against him until their bodies met from chest to toes. Her gaze held his, resisting a bit, as his mouth angled toward hers. But he didn’t pause, didn’t stop. As soon as his mouth touched hers, she relinquished whatever inner struggle she was dealing with. Then she was all over him like bees on honey.
He kissed her long and passionately. Their tongues tangled, both straining for a deeper connection. A whimper bubbled up from her throat.
Still just inside the entryway, they groped and clutched each other. Wanting more, much more, he slid an arm beneath her knees, lifted her, and marched into his bedroom. She circled her arms around his neck.
“I want you so much,” he said huskily. “More than I have wanted anything in my life.
“Same here.” She slid her hand into his hair and pulled him back to her for another kiss.
He dropped and rolled onto the bed with her. She squealed with playful surprise.
They kissed in wild abandon, shed their clothes in wild abandon, opened up to each other in wild abandon.
Sully palmed her cheek with one hand, searching her eyes. “I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I want us to have this night together.”
She paused long enough to murmur, “yes,” and kissed him again. Deeply. Hungrily.
He stroked her body, cupping and fondling her breasts, tracing his fingers over her flat belly, and dipping them between her legs to discover her wet and ready for him.
She was so responsive, his cock jerked in anticipation. Her hips rose to meet the long, slow glide of his fingers. Her knees fell apart, opening her to him even more. He played with her, until she moaned and arched in orgasm. She reached over and took his shaft in her hand.
“Mmm, wait,” he growled.
He rose, patted around until he found his pants, then his wallet, and retrieved a condom. As he knelt over her again, he ripped open the foil packet. She watched as he rolled the sheath into place.
“Oh, yeah,” she said. Her tongue swept across her lips. “Forgot about that.”
He positioned himself, found her core, and slowly entered her. She groaned, long and throaty. The sound spurred him into a couple of thrusts, and then he set a deliberate rhythm that he maintained until she bucked her hips and came again, bringing him to the brink until he thrust even deeper inside her with his own orgasm.
He leaned down, bracing his weight on his elbows. They were both breathing hard, their bodies slick with perspiration. He kissed her and nibbled her lips.
“We have our own private pool,” he said. “How about a dip?”
* * *
The water felt cool and refreshing on her overheated skin. She pushed off the side of the pool and glided to the other end and back. Sully was right behind her, shadowing her. When they reached the shallow end again, he grabbed her and pulled her close, running his free hand along her ribs and then cupping and gently squeezing one of her breasts.
Harper was beside herself with overstimulation. She wasn’t exactly a virgin. There had been one passing relationship in college that went nowhere, and she knew her way around a sex toy. But she’d never in her life had such a sensual, attentive experience. She smoothed her hands over Sully’s wet shoulders, enjoying the feel of his skin and composition of his toned muscles.
He tipped her backward and replaced his hand with his mouth, suckling her breast. “Mmm, that feels good,” she whispered, delicious sensations dancing through her.
He moved to the other breast and feathered his tongue up to her neck and jawline. As he kissed her, he slid his hand between her thighs and stroked her, gliding his fingers inside her core. With a few slow passes and expert flick of his finger she came, clutching him to her.
“I like it when you hold on to me,” he said.
“Mmm,” was the only sound she could muster.
He seemed to understand how bone-limp she was as he hugged her and she laid her cheek on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, content, exhausted.
A short time later—probably only a minute or so, she wasn’t sure—he urged her from the water. “Let’s go to bed,” he said, and she felt the mild rumble in his chest as he smiled.
She stepped back and let him help her out of the pool.
So tired.
He collected towels from a nearby chair and placed one around her shoulders, drawing her toward him for a kiss. Then he clearly took pleasure in drying her, followed by quickly rubbing the terry cloth over his own skin.
For once in her life, she didn’t want to overthink things. She moved with him to his room and let him tuck her in bed. He climbed in beside her and began lightly rubbing her back with feather-light strokes.
Mmm, good. So freaking good.