Chapter Six

Andrea made a beautiful bride and Jeff a handsome groom, if a bit of a mess waiting for her at the altar. The ceremony was lovely, even if Alys had to suffer through her father beaming like he was responsible for it all. And her mother preening in an outfit better suited for someone half her age. At least they carried out their parental responsibilities without taking away from the occasion too much.

People kept sneaking a glance at her left hand where the most exquisite ring, a pink opal, surrounded by bezel-set diamonds, resided. Simon had wonderful taste and an even better memory.

As Simon predicted, her brother and Andrea were smug, as were Ryan and Paul. Maybe a few others weren’t surprised, but a gratifying number was and she enjoyed their excitement and well wishes too. If there were a few—mostly blondes—who weren’t thrilled, she didn’t much care.

The initial dancing was over and she was waltzing in the love of her life’s arms, held close, breathing in his familiar scent. Being that it was a destination wedding, they had their own room, a suite, overlooking the ocean. Alys already loved the island life and looked forward to the next few weeks, her first vacation in a long time.

Jeff and Simon insisted the firm could do without them both and while she had no intention of horning in on the honeymoon, they’d all decided to get together when the urge struck. She suspected she wouldn’t see much of her brother and new sister-in-law for the next few days, in any event.

“Are you tired? It’s been a big day.”

She suppressed a smile. “A little.”

“I’m tired.”

“They’ll be cutting the cake soon. We have to stay for that.”

“Traditions,” he grumbled, though he’d been a superb best man, shoring Jeff up through a bout of nerves, keeping the rings safe and ironing out the little glitches. She hardly had anything to do aside from help Andrea get dressed, all those tiny little buttons the only fussy adornment on the beachy gown.

She could feel the heat emanating from him as he stood close, watching with her while the happy couple sliced the cake and handed it around after feeding one another a small piece.

“Thanks for being here,” Andrea whispered in her ear, giving her a one-armed hug. “See you tomorrow. Or maybe the next day.”

Jeff smiled hugely, his stare never leaving his bride. “See you tomorrow.”

They gave the couple a few minutes to gain their suite, down a few rooms from them, before taking the elevator up. Simon whisked her down the hall and into their room, securing the door. “Finally.”

She pressed against him, his short-sleeved shirt parting before her nimble fingers. He’d long discarded the jacket. His broad chest, covered in dark hair, came into view and she traced a path down the center to find his corded abs. Nothing much sexier than that, unless she considered the sexy V he sported. Or maybe the way he hissed with pleasure at her most casual touch.

“You’re getting good at undressing me,” he said, laughter running through his voice as she tugged open his pants. He jerked when she fit her hand around him.

“Make love to me.”

He stilled and she tipped her head back—not too far—the high-heeled sandals a pain in the sand but perfect on the dance floor. His features were strained, his eyes dilated.

“Are you sure, baby? Because I respect your decision. We aren’t married yet.”

She suspected it would kill him to stop, or at best leave him in exquisite pain, and loved him for the offer, for putting her first. It might kill her, too, though if he did stop. She wanted this.

“It’s a wedding,” she teased. “And you’re it for me. I’m not hung up on only having sex after marriage. I just want to be sure who I want to have sex with, before I do it.”

He swept her up and carried her to the couch in the sitting area, his gait a bit stilted to accommodate his loosened pants—or maybe his erection. He sat with her on his lap and hugged her close. She thought he growled against her breasts, his heated breath dampening the fabric of the gorgeous bridesmaid dress. “You’d better be sure of me. And only me.”

A giggle escaped her, despite her burgeoning need. Her breasts were aching and she was so wet, so ready. “Only you, Simon. And we’ve been racking up the experience, wouldn’t you say?”

He looked down into her eyes. “The color of my balls being a perpetual shade of blue, I’d say so.”

She slipped a hand back between them, unerringly finding his thick, full shaft. “That’s patently untrue. I’ve unleashed my very best oral skills on this bad boy.”

“Alys, you’re killing me.” He closed his eyes and pressed into her touch. He’d taught her those oral skills, so he should know.

“You’ve got some mad talents of your own.”

His lids cracked open and he stared for a moment. She took pity on him. “Teasing, darling. I find I don’t mind reaping the benefits.”

“Too many clothes,” he muttered, divesting her of the dress he’d helped her into that afternoon. The light, shimmering fabric draped over his tanned flesh and he more or less tossed it onto a chair. “This underwear is pretty much like I remembered. All freaking day.”

She’d helped the bride choose her wedding lingerie and might have purchased some pretty things for herself. The memory of Simon’s face when she wandered out of the bathroom after doing her hair and makeup, wearing nothing but the skimpy, froths of peach fabric made the purchase worth every, single penny. She’d been intensely aware herself, all freaking day. Well, afternoon and evening.

He looked at her until she nearly squirmed under his stare, her skin heating as if touched by it. She’d come a very long way from Little Miss Untouched and couldn’t regret one step of the journey because it had been with Simon.

At last, he stripped the underwear from her, losing his pants along the way. He carried her to the bedroom, the balcony doors thrown wide to let the sea breeze flow in and she knew she’d never forget the scent of the sea.

He lowered her to the bed, the sheets pulled back, and stretched out beside her. His kiss never failed to make her melt and anticipate, starting out sweet and ending up demanding. When he’d taken his fill, muddling her senses, he paid homage to her breasts. His fascination with that part of her anatomy suited her just fine, their sensitive tips tightening with his questing fingers and suckling mouth.

It made her needy and she tugged at his hair when he kissed his way lower. “I want you now.”

“Not until you’re ready.” He nuzzled her mound, trimmed and clipped, the lips of her pussy waxed, both because of the infinitesimal bikini he’d insisted on buying—and then didn’t want her to wear in public—and because she craved his touch, skin on skin.

An open-mouthed kiss against her there and her thighs parted wider. His tongue flirted and danced over her folds, making her writhe with pleasure and urge him to find that particular spot that throbbed with need. “Please, Simon.”

He obliged, not making her wait, and she suspected he was at the tipping point himself. With a little extra pressure and a clever touch, her building orgasm broke over her, and she surfed the wave.

Simon climbed between her legs, lifting her knees to rest at his sides. His smiling gaze reflected such love and devotion, tears pricked at the back of her eyes. He dropped a kiss on her nose. “You still sure?”

“I’m sure.”

The nudge of his erection against her opening made her draw a deep breath, but they’d played over the weeks and she wasn’t a stranger to penetration any longer. Just not penile penetration. The thought made her want to giggle, her nerves getting the better of her until he pressed deeper.

He suddenly pushed hard and she gasped as he filled her, stretching her wide. Instantly, he wrapped her up and mashed her against him, his heart thundering in his chest. “Okay?”

His voice sounded strangled and she made herself focus on what was actually happening. “Yes.”

She moved her hips a little and he made a strange sound. “Relax a little, sweetheart.”

Aware she’d tensed, she breathed again and let herself go loose. It didn’t make him any smaller, but the discomfort was lessening as she adjusted and she decided she liked the absolute closeness. The intimacy was indescribable.

Simon began to thrust, retreating a bit and pressing back inside. She soon understood the cadence and tried to match it, her body falling into a rhythm she instinctively recognized. The sound of their increasingly labored breathing resonated in her head, and the texture of their melding skin registered on another level.

He moved more freely and something deep within her channel responded, adding another layer of pleasure to their joining. It was more of a comforting sensation that rapidly built into something different and Simon worked above her, his features tight with exquisite suffering.

She reached for it, abruptly shattering and bearing down mindlessly around his shaft. He shouted her name and shuddered, and she held tight, prolonging the connection.

He eased away, carefully withdrawing, clearly watching her for any signs of discomfort. She didn’t feel any, unable to describe herself as anything other than satisfied and complete, as she lay, splayed and boneless.

One big hand resting possessively on her abdomen, he murmured, “I’m the luckiest guy in the world, the way things turned out.”

“Love changes everything,” she whispered back.

The End

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