Chapter Eight
Olivia woke with a sore, stinging back, and an exceptionally comfortable front. At some point during the night, she'd apparently migrated completely atop Cory and now lay with her cheek on his chest, head tucked under his chin, breasts pressed against his rock-hard abs, their legs tangled together. It could scarcely be a more intimate position.
Cory was still asleep, his broad chest rising and falling slowly. It was a comforting rhythm, and if Olivia hadn't been so sore, she'd probably have been soothed straight back to sleep. As it was, one of his broad hands was splayed across the small of her back and she felt hot and sweaty. Edging carefully off him, she headed for the bathroom.
"What time is it?" Cory mumbled sleepily as she returned.
"Almost six," she replied quietly, checking her watch.
"Ugh, I gotta get up. I'm taking a group on a rainforest hike." He sat up, eying her appreciatively in the early morning light filtering past the blinds. Olivia smirked at him as she sat on the bed, making no effort to cover her bare breasts.
"Getting a good view there?"
"Magnificent," he breathed, eyes riveted as she deliberately took a few deep breaths. Giving himself a shake, he reached to the nightstand. "But I know the back view won't be pretty. Down on your face, angel."
She lay down without a word, extremely keen to get another soothing layer of aloe on her back. The skin felt hot and tight; she hadn't gotten much of a glimpse in the dimly lit bathroom when she peered over her shoulder at herself in the mirror, but enough to know that her back was practically glowing.
"You should really stay here and rest today," Cory said, generously slathering the aloe over her back. "I'll get someone to bring you some breakfast and check in on you through the day. I've got a really busy one scheduled, unfortunately. I'll get some more aloe for you too."
"I don't want to be a bother, and really, I should get up..."
"You should absolutely not. I saw Luke last night when I was fetching dinner and told him you'd got a nasty burn; if he sees you around the resort today, he'll be ordering your ass back to bed, so you may as well stay here."
"I'll go mad with boredom!" Olivia protested mutinously.
"No, you won't, because Suze left you her laptop." Cory gestured to where it sat on the desk. "She'll have it connected to the resort's staff Wi-Fi too, so you can binge on Netflix all you like."
"Netflix and chill?" Olivia gave him a wicked grin as he moved away, heading for the bathroom to wash his hands.
"In the most literal use of the term, yeah." He grinned over his shoulder at her, so she knew he was aware of the colloquial meaning. "But when you're better, I would love to Netflix and chill with you."
Cory dropped a kiss on her cheek and smoothed her hair before departing. "Try and get some more sleep," he said before closing the screen door quietly behind him.
Feeling wide awake, Olivia thought she wouldn't go back to sleep, but she must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew, there was a quiet tapping on the screen door.
"Olivia, you awake?"
"Uh-huh," she managed vaguely. It was a woman's voice, so she didn't worry about pulling a sheet over her, though she wished she had when the door slid open and Jill came in.
"Hey." Jill set a tray down on the desk. "How are you doing... oh wow, that is some burn. Cory wasn't exaggerating."
Her back felt sore again; too much so to hold on to her pride. "Would you put some more aloe on for me?" Olivia begged pathetically.
"Of course. Cory told me to bring more." Jill held up a fresh bottle. Her expression looked genuinely sympathetic, Olivia thought. "I'm sorry."
Did her words have more than one meaning? She sounded contrite rather than just sympathetic. "What for?" Olivia asked as Jill squirted a fresh glob of aloe onto her back.
"I've been a bitch, and you didn't deserve it."
Olivia lay silent for a moment before saying, "I feel like someone's read you the riot act. Was it Cory?"
"Rosie, actually. She said you were really nice and it's none of my business who Cory wants to date. Which is absolutely true." Jill's hands stilled on her back. "He's not really a player, if you hadn't figured it out yet."
"I was pretty sure."
"Yeah, it's pretty obvious." Jill sighed and got up, going to wash her hands. "I'm not really still in love with him," she said, returning and sitting at the desk, reaching to put the tray beside Olivia on the bed. "I was just... jealous that he's finally moving on. He hadn't so much as looked at anyone in ages."
Olivia said nothing, just picked up the sealed cup of orange juice on the tray and opened it. The tray held a covered plate that contained a still-warm croissant and a flaky Danish, a little pat of butter on one side. "I don't suppose your olive branch extends to making me a coffee, does it?" she asked hopefully.
Jill's worried expression eased and she laughed. "Of course it does," she said warmly. "I think I owe you a few, to be frank. How do you like it?"
"Well, my regular barista back on the corner of Madison Avenue and East 32nd Street used to make me an amazing cinnamon-vanilla macchiato," Olivia said and couldn't hold in her laughter at Jill's horrified expression. "Milk and no sugar will be perfect."
Jill giggled too as she went to put the kettle on. "For a moment there I thought I was getting belted in the face with that olive branch!"
Olivia quickly discovered that she liked Jill a lot. The other girl was sharply witty and great fun to be around when her jealousy wasn't eating her alive. Jill shyly asked if Olivia would like some company as she didn't have anywhere to be that morning. Later she mentioned she was working late that day, as she was taking the boat into Airlie Beach to collect a large group that was arriving at the mainland airport in the early evening.
"I want to go." Olivia desperately needed to go clothes shopping, and to replace the electronics that had been drowned in her fall off the boat.
"Cory said you should stay here..."
"Are you serious? Cory is definitely not the boss of me. I'll be fine. I'll cover every inch of skin, I promise... and I'll stick to you like glue so I don't get lost."
Jill snickered. "I suppose I could show you the good shops. Some of them are a bit too touristy and expensive. The boat goes in earlier to deliver the departing tourists to the airport, so we could have a good couple hours before we need to collect the new arrivals."
"Sounds like a plan. What time do we have to leave?"
Jill still took a bit of persuading, but Olivia eventually convinced her that she would go mad if she had to stay in bed all day. She found a button-down denim shirt in the things Rosie had loaned her and put it on without a bra—the straps would have been too painful on her sore skin. Fortunately she wasn't so well-endowed that she'd bounce. A pair of long linen trousers from her own wardrobe, a large sunhat and sunglasses, and Jill pronounced her safe to go outside.
Several hours later, tired but content, Olivia was half drowsing when Jill nudged her.
"Think you might have a small problem."
"Hm?" She jolted out of her doze, looked where Jill was pointing as the boat came in to dock. "Oh dear." Cory's height and blond hair were unmistakable, as was the way he paced up and down the dock. "Do you think he's gonna be a grump because I didn't obey his orders to stay in bed?"
"Not once he sees that you're perfectly fine, no." Jill grinned at her. "I highly recommend grabbing him and sticking your tongue down his throat to cut off any tirade before he gets started, though."
"Good idea, because I'll probably smack his face if he tries to boss me around!" The two girls were fast friends after spending the afternoon together. Jill had kept her word to show Olivia the shops, and helped to carry the bags full of her purchases back to the boat before they headed for the airport, and in turn Olivia had helped Jill corral the arriving guests and get them all organized.
Cory seemed to be struggling with himself as he watched Olivia disembark laden with shopping bags. She walked towards him a little hesitantly, offered up a small smile.
"Shopping? Really?" he said resignedly.
"You did witness all my electronics getting drowned." She waved the bag containing her new laptop, tablet, and mobile phone at him. "Plus, I really need some Sunfish-appropriate clothing. Can't be wearing Rosie's stuff all the time."
He sighed, and to his credit said not one word about her promise to stay in her room. Which technically, she hadn't actually given, Olivia thought virtuously. Instead, he just held out his hands. "Can I carry those for you?"
Olivia beamed at him and unloaded the heavier bags from her haul. "You earn lots of brownie points for that, you realize."
"I was hoping. Is there a reward?" Cory smiled at last.
"There could be." She gave him a coquettish look. "But it'll have to be delivered in private."
Cory walked very quickly, long legs eating up the ground as he headed purposefully back to the staff accommodation area. Laughing her ass off, Olivia followed. By the time she caught up, he was unpacking her electronics purchases on her desk.
"Figured I'd save you some time. Now, about that reward?"
"Well"—she deposited her own bags on the chair—"you get to put your hands all over me again."
"How's that back?" He came over to gently ease her shirt off her shoulders as she unfastened the buttons, hissing softly between his teeth as he saw her back. "Still red as hell, but it does look a bit better, I think."
"I want a shower. Want to come in and wash my back?" She cast him a coquettish look over her shoulder. Catching her waist in his hands, Cory pressed a kiss to her shoulder before seeking her lips.
"Definitely," he said, voice dropping to a low husk. "I'll wash any body part you like. All of them."
"Sounds good to me." Dropping her shorts and panties, she darted ahead of him into the bathroom. Cory didn’t hesitate in giving chase, though he drew the line at hopping under the shower as she stepped straight under it, hissing with pleasure as the cool water rained down on her back.
"You are one hardcore ballsy babe," he said admiringly, stopping to shuck his own clothes.
Olivia peered at him from underneath the spray. "What does that even mean?"
"It means I'm crazy about you, you beautiful, crazy, impulsive woman." His eyes moved to her breasts, where her nipples had peaked hard in the cold water. It was starting to warm up, though, so he stepped in with her and closed the shower screen, sliding his arms around her and bending his head to kiss her as she tilted her face up to smile at him.
Olivia moved into Cory's arms confidently as the water warmed. She'd set the mixer tap only to lukewarm, but it was a hot day and any warmer than that would feel unpleasant on her burned back anyway. His lips were soft on hers at first, then more demanding as she parted them and flicked her tongue against his. Her hands landed on his arms and gripped the thick muscles of his biceps, fingertips exploring the way his skin felt beneath her touch.
His hands avoided the tender skin of her back by going straight down to grasp her ass and pull her flush against his body. His cock was hard, pressing against her belly, and the hair on his chest rubbed against her breasts, stimulating her nipples. She closed her eyes, melting against him; her whole body felt sensitive, every touch magnified. Heat gathered between her thighs, but there was no rush, no hurry. She reached for her shower gel and squirted some into her hand, reaching up to rub it into Cory's chest.
"Let's get you all clean," Olivia said, her voice coming out low and husky.
"Before we get really, really dirty?" Cory said hopefully, taking the bottle from her.
"Works for me." She turned as he tugged on her hip, letting him soap her back gently and remove the residue of sticky aloe there. He nuzzled his cheek against her hair and nibbled lightly on the tip of her ear. Olivia's mouth opened in a soft gasp as she leaned back against him.
Cory's hands moved slow but sure as they glided from her hips over her stomach, slick with soap suds, and curved under her breasts to cup them gently before his thumbs flicked over her nipples.
Olivia hummed with pleasure, rocking her head sideways against Cory's shoulder so she could reach up to kiss him. He had to lean down for their lips to meet, not that she minded in the slightest. They kissed slow and sensual, tongues dancing with each other as Cory caressed her breasts, squeezing and rolling her nipples between fingers and thumbs until she moaned and ground her ass back against the heavy erection he pressed against her.
He lifted his head to look down at her, his blue eyes dark with passion. "Olivia." His voice was deeper, a husky note in it.
"Yes." He hadn't asked a question, but the answer was still inevitable. There was no soap on them now, and she turned the shower off, took his hand, and led him back to the bedroom, both of them still dripping water. She paused only to grab one of her bags from her shopping haul and fish out the large box of condoms.
Cory grinned at the sight. "Good plan."
"Yup, and here's another. Lie down."
"Want to be on top, huh? I can live with that." He eased onto the bed and reclined comfortably, gazing up at her with appreciation as she tore into the plastic wrapper on the condom box. "Probably easier on your back too."
"That had entered into my thinking," she admitted, extracting a single foil packet and tossing the box onto the nightstand.
Cory's cock stood stiff and proud from a nest of dark golden curls. Olivia stroked it a few times, enjoying the way he gasped and shifted at her touch and how his blue eyes darkened before he caught her wrist and pulled her towards him. "Come here," he requested, reaching down and stroking lightly up her thigh. "Come sit on my face."
"Oh... it's okay, I..."
"I want to taste you," Cory admitted, looking up at her. "Come here, Olivia."
A flush rose to her cheeks, but she nodded, climbing onto the bed and moving to straddle his face. He curled his arms around her thighs, shifting down slightly on the pillows, humming with appreciation as he positioned himself just right.
"So pretty," he murmured before his tongue flicked out, lapping gently over her folds, forming into a point to nudge back the hood of her clit.
"Oh my God." The bed had no headboard, so Olivia had to place her hands on the wall to try to steady herself. Cory knew exactly what he was doing with his tongue, and he lost no time in driving her absolutely crazy, to the point where she ended up shoving one of her own hands in her mouth to try to muffle her shrieks of pleasure.
"You're delightfully noisy," Cory murmured, easily shifting her down his body until she straddled his hips, though he was careful to make sure his cock went between them, pressing against her stomach. Olivia could only gasp and shudder before collapsing to lie on his broad chest.
"Okay there?" Cory kept his hands away from her sore back, stroking his fingertips in slow, rhythmic circles on the outsides of her thighs instead as her breathing gradually slowed.
"No," Olivia said.
"No?" There was laughter in his voice as he kissed her hair.
"Too good," she sighed, shifting languorously against him. "That mouth of yours is absolutely wicked."
Pleased with himself, Cory was quite happy to just hold her for a while, though his cock ached to plunge deep into her. At length she stilled her small movements and lifted her head to look at him. Her smile was absolutely glorious, and he gazed at her, spellbound by her beauty. At least until she wriggled back, reaching for the condoms, and tore one of the packets open.
"Aahh, so good." Cords stood out in Cory's neck as he flung his head back, gritting his teeth. Olivia laughed softly as she rolled the condom on, stroking both hands down firmly, pausing to caress over his tightly swollen balls.
"Something you need?"
"Damn right there is!" His hands closed on her hips and he lifted her, shifting to push up against her. She kept one hand wrapped around the base of his cock until she'd guided the head right where she wanted it.
Cory groaned as Olivia sank slowly down onto him, his cock sliding deep into her tight, wet channel. She hummed with pleasure, pushing down hard to take him fully inside and rocking her hips, setting up a rhythm that was going to get him off pretty damn quickly.
"Jeez, Olivia, slow down," he gasped, sliding a hand between them to find her clit and slide a finger over it. She moaned but didn't obey his request, her curls bouncing as she rode him rapidly to a mutual climax as satisfying as either of them could possibly have wanted.
Afterwards, Olivia lay on Cory's chest, listening to the thump of his heartbeat below her ear as it steadied back to a normal rhythm. His hands lay loosely on her upper thighs; even in the throes of orgasm, he hadn't touched her sore back, and her heart swelled with affection for him, for his consideration and his gentleness.
When she'd fled New York with her tail metaphorically between her legs, she'd hoped for merely somewhere safe and quiet to lick her wounds, far from the glare of the spotlight and the tattered remains of her career. She'd never thought for a moment that she might be lucky enough to find friends like Rosie, Suzannah, and Jill; never dared to dream she might find a man like Cory, who was willing to take a chance on a relationship with her even knowing everything about her past.
Lying there listening to Cory's breathing slow as he drifted towards sleep, Olivia knew a contentment she'd never before experienced. Here on the far side of the world, on a tropical island far removed from where she'd ever expected she might end up, she'd finally found home.
Letting her eyes close, Olivia let herself drift off to sleep, held securely in Cory's arms. Whatever the future might hold for the two of them—and she hoped that it held a great deal—she knew that no matter what, she would always have a place with her friends on Sunfish Island.
Now turn the page to read a sample chapter from The Reluctant Billionaire, the next book in the Island Escapes series!