“Why is the rum always gone?”

Cute. She was quoting Captain Jack Sparrow. Autumn giggled at her own joke, and Balen couldn’t help but chuckle. He had to admit, she was pretty adorable when she was shit-faced, not nearly as waspish as the first time he’d met her. They’d been sitting here having after-dinner drinks and visiting for the last couple of hours. He was surprised by how fast the time had passed. Dinner had been fantastic, the company even better. He liked Autumn. And not just because she was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. She was different from the others. To her, he was just some guy, no big deal. She wasn’t star-struck or hung up trying to impress him. She was just Autumn, and it was…refreshing. What you saw was what you got. And Balen liked what he saw—very much. That dress was smokin’ hot. There was no way she could be wearing a bra with the freedom her breasts moved behind that halter top. He’d never prayed more for a nip-slip in his entire life. Autumn had cleavage a man dreamt of burying his face in. His erect cock bucked at the thought, volunteering as tribute. Yeah, he wouldn’t mind burying that in there too…

“It’s gone because you drank it all,” he teased her. If Balen had any complaints, it would be that both times he’d seen her, she’d been intoxicated. He wasn’t sure what that was all about because she didn’t strike him as a heavy drinker. And if she was, he’d expect she’d be able to hold her liquor better than this.

“You know, you kind of look like him...” She tilted her head to the side and squinted her eyes.

“Who’s that?” He had no idea what she was talking about.

“Johnny Depp.”

Ah…Captain Jack Sparrow. “Now I know you’re drunk,” he laughed. “I do not look like Johnny Depp.”

“You kinda do.” Still squinting her eyes, she tipped her head to the other side for a different angle. “Just a bigger, hotter version of him.”

“All right, I think it’s time to get you home.” Balen stood and went around the table to help Autumn up. He’d already given Rushma his credit card, so the tab was covered. It’d surprised him when Autumn had tried to pay. She’d actually put up a bit of a fuss about it. Did she have regrets over her lobster stunt? Because he’d found it pretty funny, and very much deserved after ditching her and leaving her with Rushma. Maybe she was used to guys sticking her with the tab. Who knows?

He offered Autumn his hand to help her up. She took it and glanced at him with eyes that reminded him of the bluest ocean. It was like fireworks detonating inside him. A rush of heat traveled up his arm and Balen’s heart kicked inside his chest. Holy hell, something about this woman totally did it for him.

A gentle tug pulled her to her feet and Autumn stumbled forward. “Oops…” she laughed, crashing into him.

Balen’s arms came around her waist to steady her, giving Autumn a chance to catch her footing. Her breasts crushed against his chest. Damn, she felt good, her pebbled nipples making his already hard cock ache. His body’s response to her was swift and immediate. Testosterone-fueled lust rocketed through his veins until all he could think about was how amazing it would be to spend the night buried inside her.

“You’re always saving me from falling on my ass.” She smiled up at him and it was pure torture resisting the urge to kiss her. But he wouldn’t take advantage of her. Not when she’d been drinking—no matter how much he wanted to touch her, to taste her, to hear his name a broken cry on her lips...

It didn’t matter that she was looking up at him like the same thoughts were going through her head.

“Balen…” Autumn’s voice was soft and husky, from arousal or alcohol, he couldn’t tell. Why did she drink so damn much? If he didn’t know better, he’d swear it had been intentional. Was she just celebrating her birthday and overindulged a little too heavily, or was she that upset about turning thirty? This woman was so beautiful, she had nothing to be worried about.

Despite their conversation, he still didn’t know anything more about her than he’d learned from her declaration papers. Not that he’d been any more forthcoming about his own details. So, although the evening was relaxing and enjoyable, their topics of conversation and the mood had stayed light—until now. Standing here with Autumn in his arms, the heat blazing between them was so intense, he could hardly breathe. She made no effort to regain her balance and Balen swore to God he almost nutted when she leaned in closer and took a slow, deep breath.

The woman was actually smelling him. How hot was that?

A tortured groan rumbled in his throat as the ache in his balls ratcheted higher. Oblivious to his torture, Autumn lifted her head, a soft smile playing on that lush mouth he was dying to taste. Balen searched her eyes for clarity—for something, anything, to cleanse his conscience of responsibility so he could kiss her.

“You never asked me what I wanted for my birthday.”

Oh, fuck me. The coy playfulness in her tone told him he was absolutely going to regret the next words that came out of his mouth, because he was not going to be able to do a goddamn thing about it.

“What do you want for your birthday, Autumn?” He hardly recognized his own voice it was so raw with need. Balen couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted someone as much as he wanted this woman.

There was a momentary flicker of sobriety in her eyes as she slipped her arms around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered against his lips, “You.”

* * *

Autumn expected Balen to kiss her. She was all but throwing herself at the guy. She’d just given him a free pass to fuck her and she knew he wanted to. She could see the lust in his eyes sparkling like flecks of gold dust, feel his erection pressing against her hip, and hear it in the strain of his sexy voice. What she did not expect was for him to reach up and untangle her arms from his neck and take a measured step back.

“You’re drunk, Autumn.”

And there was so much regret and disappointment in his voice, she almost felt guilty. But Autumn was not a quitter. She needed to do this, and it had to be tonight, because she might not get the courage to go through with it again. She had no doubt in her mind that she wanted Balen to be her One and Done. He was off the charts sexy, and he made her feel things she’d never experienced before—not even with Alex. If she could get him out of here, she knew she could persuade him to change his mind.

“Can we walk down to the beach? I think the fresh air will help me clear my head a little.” It wasn’t going to help, but he didn’t need to know that. Autumn may be drunk, but she wasn’t so wasted she didn’t know what she was doing, nor was she sober enough to care.

“Sure.”

Balen slipped his arm around her back. His fingertips were just shy of brushing the outer swell of her breast. Her nipples tightened in anticipation of his touch, the sizzle of awareness rushing through her was strong enough to banish any guilt she may have over her plan to deceive him about her sobriety. He slowly guided her out of the restaurant and Autumn had to focus hard on putting one foot in front of the other without swaying. She was grateful for his assistance, and managed to walk rather well, especially once she got outside and slipped her sandals off.

“I had a nice night,” she told him as they headed down to the beach. “Thank you for dinner.”

“You’re welcome. And so did I.”

The sea was calm. The sound of the waves gently lapping the shore filled the silence stretching between them, but nothing could touch the sexual tension igniting the air. The full moon reflected on the water, lighting the beach just enough that she could see Balen’s profile as they walked together. When they reached a stretch of vacant beach, Autumn rallied her nerve, said a Hail Mary, and took Balen’s hand, tugging him to a stop. “Can we wait a minute?”

Balen turned toward her and Autumn was tempted to close the distance. That brief kiss in the restaurant flirted with her memory. If something that fleeting could be so electrifying, what would it feel like if he really kissed her? She wanted to know. She wanted to feel alive again...

“Autumn, are you all right?”

No, no she wasn’t. She hadn’t been all right in a long time. But Balen could change that. He could give her back the part of herself she’d lost. But how could she explain that without sounding desperate or pathetic? The last thing she wanted was to be a pity fuck. She doubted someone like Balen would understand what it was like to be broken and then put back together with pieces missing.

The desire she’d seen in his eyes was replaced by concern as he studied her in the moonlight. “I’m fine,” she assured him, hoping the alcohol made her a better liar than when she was sober. “We’re almost back to my villa. I guess I’m not ready for the night to end yet.” That was true.

Autumn dropped her shoes in the sand and took a step closer, unfastening the top button on Balen’s shirt. He tensed, but didn’t make a move to stop her. How far would he let her go? She’d felt the hardness of his body when she was pressed up against him, now she wanted to see it. The top button slipped free, revealing smooth, sun-bronzed skin stretched tight over the upper rise of his pecs.

Autumn glanced up to gauge his reaction and noticed the little muscle in his jaw flex as he ground his molars. The look in his eyes was like golden fire as he stood there, statue-still, seemingly waging a war with himself. She wondered which would win, his honor or his desire.

She unfastened two more buttons and Autumn’s money was on desire. His breaths quickened. She slipped her hands inside his shirt and could feel his heart hammering against her palm. The chaotic tempo emboldened her to take another step closer and reclaim her sexuality. She made quick work of the last few buttons, sliding her hands over his shoulders and down his muscular arms to remove his shirt. Her breath caught with an appreciative little gasp. She’d never seen a man this beautifully sculpted before—only on the cover of her romance novels, or maybe in magazines, but never in the flesh. It was like his body was carved from granite.

Balen still did not move, but the effort was evident when she glanced down and saw his hands clenched into fists. He was going to break. She could feel it in the hum of electricity crackling in the air, see it in the flagging restraint of his eyes as they devoured her. She couldn’t help herself. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to that little divot of muscle between his pecs. She wanted to touch him. The moment her lips made contact with his flesh, a harsh curse ripped from his throat.

“Ah, fuck me,” he growled. “I’m going to hell for this.”

Before she realized what was happening, because her brain was processing on a five-second delay, Balen framed her face with his hands and his mouth came crashing down on hers.

It wasn’t sweet or tender. Not at all like the one he’d given her in the restaurant. This was…this was hot, hard, and demanding. His tongue thrust into her mouth as his hand slipped into her hair, fisting tight and angling her head in the position he wanted her. Autumn’s breath caught her lungs in a surprised gasp at the sharp tug. A rush of adrenaline flooded her veins and she was helpless to do anything more than keep up with his insanely wicked mouth. How had she lived thirty years and never been kissed like this?

Autumn’s knees went weak and before she knew it, they were in the sand. Balen was on top of her, his weight pressing against every achy place, fueling the fire he quickly stoked inside her. She wiggled beneath him, trying to get closer, trying to relieve the gnawing need that had been denied so long it felt like phantom pains echoing in her core.

“Fuck,” he groaned, breaking their kiss. His hand dropped to her hip, fingertips biting into her ass as he held her still, pressing her into the sand. “Stop moving, Autumn.”

But she didn’t think she could, especially not when his mouth dipped to her neck and he began to suck that sensitive spot below her ear, sending goosebumps erupting over every inch of her flesh. Her head was spinning. Autumn wasn’t sure if it was from the alcohol, or if she was just drunk on Balen. She couldn’t think. All she could do was feel. Everywhere he touched her was like a hot brand. His mouth made a trail down her throat as he captured her breast. His grip was firm, bordering on painful, but riding that thin line of pleasure. When he trapped her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, it was like an electrical current shot straight between her legs. A startled gasp tore from her throat and she arched into him. “Don’t stop,” she begged as his mouth dipped lower, his hand sliding behind her neck.

He unfastened the clasp of her dress and the sides of her halter fell away. The night air kissed her bare breasts, or maybe it was the hiss of breath rushing from Balen’s lungs. Autumn opened her eyes to find him staring at her, and the look in his eyes was a mixture of adoration and ravenous hunger. She’d never felt more beautiful, more desired, than this very moment.

“I have spent the whole night imagining what you looked like beneath this dress.” He cupped her breasts, testing their weight in his hands and gently teasing his thumbs over her pebbled nipples. A whimper of need escaped her throat, dragging his gold-flecked gaze up to hers. Autumn held his stare, her breath stalling in her lungs. “You’re more beautiful than I even imagined.”

His eyes stayed locked on her as he dipped his head and took her nipple into his mouth. He pulled deep and her lids drifted closed as a wave of dizzying pleasure crashed into her. Suddenly, she wished she wasn’t drunk because she wanted to remember every single second of this erotic moment. Her head was spinning and she just wanted it all to slow down so she could focus on the decadent things Balen’s mouth was doing to her.

His teeth abraded her nipple, sending little darts of pleasure into her core. Her exhale turned into a moan when his hand slipped to her knee and then slowly glided up the outside of her thigh. His mouth was on her other breast—nipping, sucking, worshiping her. He was leaving his mark on her pale skin, making her his. Even if it was just for the night, she belonged to him—to this moment—and she loved how it made her feel.

For the first time she could remember, Autumn felt alive. Her head was swimming, she was adrift in a sea of pleasure—pleasure that detonated when Balen slipped his fingers beneath her panties and pressed two fingers deep inside her. She gasped at the invasion, reveling in the fullness of his touch.

“Autumn… You’re so tight,” he rasped against her breast, then kissed his way back to her neck. “You have no idea how badly I want inside you right now.”

His confession…his honest, dirty words, nearly undid her, especially when his fingers began to move. There was purpose in his touch, as if he were searching for—oh, that’s it!

“Balen,” she pleaded, her core clenching. Tension built inside her, swift and turbulent, ratcheting her higher until she feared she’d shatter. His mouth covered hers, his kiss devouring. She needed to touch him.

Fighting the urge to let go and surrender to the pleasure he was giving her, Autumn slid her hand down Balen’s stomach, letting her fingers linger over the delicious roadmap of muscles she wanted to explore with her tongue. She unfastened his pants and slid them down his narrow hips. Taking his erection in her hand, she gave him a slow, root to tip stroke, teasing her thumb over the moisture beading his crown.

He was larger than she’d expected, not that she had a vast frame of reference to draw from, but Autumn was not so drunk that a flicker of apprehension didn’t cross her mind. She’d only been with three men in her life, two in college and then Alex. And none of them were even close to the wow-factor this guy was rocking.

Another shudder ran through her, her muscles tightening against his fingers as the tension coiling inside her turned to blissful torture. “I’m going to come,” she warned him, because he needed to stop touching her or she’d never last. “In my purse. There’s a condom in my purse.”

“Just let go, Autumn,” he whispered against her mouth. “I’ve got you.”

His sweet promise sent her over the edge and she shattered. Spasms wracked her body as her orgasm took hold of her, sending wave after wave of dizzying pleasure crashing over her, pulling her under into blissful oblivion.