Chapter 23

Emma

The warm, humid breeze tickled the hairs on the back of my neck, sending a shiver through my body. Still, I didn’t move an inch. I was completely in the zone, laser focused on the little boat bobbing a couple hundred yards away from shore on waves like rolling sapphires.

I couldn’t see anybody on it, and I liked to imagine that it was abandoned. It seemed more beautiful that way, even though I knew nobody would just leave a perfectly good boat out on the water like that for no reason.

That was what I liked about drawing, though. That boat had a story, one that I might never know, but my drawing would always have a story I was intimately familiar with. Nobody but me decided how the picture would come out, and I could do whatever I wanted with it. In my drawing, the boat was full of mystery and intrigue. It was waiting.

It was probably strange to add such a somber mood to my drawing when I was working in such an idyllic place. The heat blasted me from all sides, sending trickles of sweat down the back of my neck and under my loose, flowy top. It was one of the new ones I’d bought with the money Max gave me for a swim suit—money that I’d considered sneaking under his pillow the next time I was over at his place.

I spent it, in the end, because the idea of having some new clothes and a nice new bikini delivered temptation in excess of my pride. I still intended to distance myself from his money as much as possible, but it was okay to splurge a little sometimes, right?

I guess the reason I felt so guilty about it was because of what Lance had said. Because of what he’d compared me to. I didn’t like taking money from anyone, especially these days, because I enjoyed my independence. I didn’t like taking money from Max, because I didn’t want to feel like a prostitute.

I wondered how the man in question was doing right now. He was in business meetings all afternoon and had been stressed to the nines since he first found out about the properties for sale. He wanted them so badly I worried about what would happen if he didn’t manage to obtain them. Apparently Baldric Hammond was known for playing hard ball, and today’s big meeting with him was by far the most important event on their calendar while they were here.

Maybe I should try to get Max to come out here afterward to relax and decompress. There was no way anybody could be stressed out when they were in an environment like this. The sand was so soft it was almost like powder, shining bright white against the mid afternoon sun. Running all along the sandy bank behind me were palm trees of varying sizes. Their shade was keeping me sane in the impossible heat. Outside of the shade it was boiling hot, but here, with a light breeze whispering over my skin, and the sound of the surf tumbling up the beach, I was perfectly content.

My drawing was turning out to be decent, too. I thought about showing it to Max, but decided against it. I hadn’t shown my drawings to anybody in a long time. I knew it wasn’t Max’s fault that Lance was such an asshole, but I needed a little more time before I started peeling off all the layers of harm Lance had done to me. Max was helping that process along, and for the first time ever I felt like I could even tackle problems in my life that pre-dated Lance.

God, I missed Max. It was rare that we went a full day without seeing each other, since we were always either at work together or around each other on the weekends. The fact that he’d slipped out of bed at seven in the morning and wouldn’t finish for at least another half an hour was giving me withdrawals.

I couldn’t wait for his meetings to finish up so we could start enjoying this business trip properly. I hadn’t had a vacation in a long time and I was excited to use this trip as one, even if we were only here for a few days and fun was not necessarily on the agenda.

Since Max should be finished for the day soon, I decided to head over and meet him.

I stopped at our room first to drop off my stuff, and changed into a flirty floral dress while I was there. I twirled in front of the mirror like an idiot, then fluffed up my hair a bit and rubbed off the makeup that had migrated down my face, pooling under my eyes.

Being with Max had created a change in me. I was happier. I twirled in front of mirrors and took delight in wearing fun dresses, just because I could. It was a nice way to feel, almost like being a child again.

After leaving the room, I headed to the bar and ordered two pina coladas. I couldn’t honestly say I’d ever seen Max drink anything other than champagne, wine, or gin, and I was excited to see how he would react to the sugary treat. I was also excited to taste it on his lips.

Max’s final meeting was in a private conference room just off the lobby, so I waited in the lobby for him to finish. It was an open-air space, with a circular skylight fifty feet above me and open galleries for several floors above, from which spilled tons of beautiful greenery. Vines and leaves and a few delicate white flowers curled languidly toward the floor, waving with each breath of wind.

I couldn’t believe that if all went well, Max would soon own this building. Well, his company would, but still. Lance hadn’t even owned a house or a car, and now I was going out with a guy who commanded enough power to own an entire luxury hotel in the Caribbean.

Correction—several entire luxury hotels in the Caribbean.

It was surreal. And here I was, wearing a floral dress, waiting for him to finish a business meeting with two pina coladas in hand.

I was about a third of the way into my drink when I spotted a familiar head of dark hair emerge from a door near the reception desk. Max. I shot to my feet, a grin on my face from ear to ear.

He was still talking to the man he was with and hadn’t seen me yet. I assumed the guy was Baldric, but it could have just been his assistant. He didn’t look particularly imposing or important. He had a squat, round build and dusty gray hair that poked out at odd angles on his head. He ran his hand through it, which I imagined was the root of the problem, and I noticed his fingers were laden with gold rings.

Max spotted me finally, and I smiled, raising the two glasses in my hand in greeting. He started toward me with loping strides, still talking to his host, who toddled along beside him.

“Emma Valentine, this is Baldric Hammond,” Max said, sweeping a hand between us.

So, this was the hotel’s current owner. Crap. I was embarrassed that he’d seen me waiting for Max out here like this, and I didn’t particularly want to involve him in our already complicated work and life relationship.

“I’m Max’s personal assistant,” I said. “Pleased to meet you. I would shake your hand...”

Max nimbly plucked the fuller glass out of my hand and stared at it like he’d never seen anything more outrageous.

Now my hand was free, and I extended it toward Baldric. His irises were gray and incredibly pale. It was like staring into a snowstorm at night. He squeezed my hand firmly and smiled, exposing two rows of disconcertingly straight white teeth.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Miss Valentine.” He shook my hand, holding it for a little longer than necessary. “I hope I get to see you more during your stay.”

Baldric spoke in a clear English accent that sounded as if it came right from the gutters of London. It was how I would imagine Jack the Ripper to sound.

“Yeah, totally,” I said.

Baldric’s gaze raked over me from tip to tail, and I swallowed hard to manage my discomfort. Maybe I should have introduced myself as Max’s girlfriend. If I had, then maybe he wouldn’t be looking at me like that. I cursed myself inwardly for my awkwardness.

Max cleared his throat. “We should be going,” he said. “Emma and I have some things to discuss.”

“Yes, of course.” Baldric tore his gaze away from me, though it seemed to take some effort on his part. “I’ll have my decision for you in a few days. Until that time, please take advantage of all the amenities. Just don’t start taking down measurements yet, eh?”

He laughed uproariously, like he’d just made the single funniest joke in the history of jokes. Neither Max or I laughed, though I noticed Max cracked a polite smile. With a hand on my waist, he led me over to the elevator.

“We’re going back to the room?” I asked.

Max nodded, tipping his head forward to sniff the drink.

The elevator doors slid open and I followed him inside, chuckling. “It’s just a pina colada,” I said. “It’s not going to kill you.”

“No, of course not.”

The doors closed and Max released a long breath, then took a sip of the drink. I watched his face relax a little, and when he turned back to me there was something bitter in his gaze.

“I didn’t mean to turn my nose up at your thoughtful gift,” he said. “It made my day to see you standing there waiting for me. It’s just...” He raked a hand through his hair, scowling. “The way Baldric looked at you, it drove me fucking crazy to see him look at you like that.”

My heart gave a wet thump in my chest. Max grabbed me around the waist with his free hand and tugged me against his chest. He pressed his lips against my crown, and swayed me back and forth. It was a kind, gentle gesture, one I appreciated more than Max could possibly know. It was moments like these that made me wonder if maybe we did have a future together.

“He’s gone now,” I said. “Did the meeting go well?”

“It’s hard to say,” he murmured into my hair. “I’ll just have to wait for his decision.”

The doors opened and we stepped out, heading down the hall toward our room.

“You seem stressed,” I observed.

Max chuckled and took a sip of the drink. “I’m not.”

“There’s nothing wrong if you are,” I said. “It’s a big deal, and I know how much you want this.”

Max grabbed my arm and stopped me, wheeling me around to face him. There was fire in his eyes.

“I’m not stressed,” he said. “I’m angry because Baldric Hammond just undressed you with his eyes and I didn’t do anything to stop it. I wanted to clock the guy.”

I frowned. “You couldn’t do that. He’s not going to let you buy his properties if you punch him.”

Max lowered his face to mine. The scent of pineapple wafted from his lips.

“You’re right. Which is why I didn’t do it. But it fucking killed me to see that. Which is why we’re heading back to our room instead of to the bar to have a drink and enjoy the afternoon.”

I gave him an incredulous look. “You want to go hide in the room and pout?”

His lip curled, but it was more of a snarl than a smile. It sent waves of heat to my core and I shivered unexpectedly. The things this man could do to me with just a look.

“We’re going to the room because I want fuck you so hard that neither of us even remember who Baldric Hammond is. Understand?”

My mouth went dry, and I nodded dumbly.

Max smirked and continued walking down the hall, one hand clasped tightly around mine. I had to hustle to keep up with his pace, but I would’ve been happy to sprint there if he wanted. My body was already responding to the promise of his words.

We reached the door and he coolly unlocked it and opened it up, gesturing for me to enter. I did, and turned to face him as he let the door close behind him. I reached for his pina colada, but he pulled it out of my reach.

“We’re not done with this yet.”

“We’re not?”

He grinned, “Get naked and lie on the bed.”

I didn’t hesitate a second. I put down my drink on the bedside table and began to strip, watching him through my lashes and seeing the telltale bulge grow in his pants. He was still wearing his normal dress shirt and slacks, though at least he hadn’t worn the suit jacket on top of it. He began to slowly unbutton his shirt as I pulled down my panties and undid my bra. Finally, all my clothes lay in a pile at my feet.

“The bed,” he murmured.

I climbed up unto the large bed and lay on top of it, holding myself up on my elbows to watch him. He came up beside me, shirt unbuttoned, trousers tented, and used his free hand to push me flat on my back.

My heart was running wildly in my chest. Max leaned over me, one hand on the bed for support, and began to pour some of the creamy drink in the dip of my navel.

I flinched. “It’s cold!”

“Don’t move or it’ll get all over the bed,” he warned, lips quirked. “You don’t want to sleep in sticky sheets, do you?”

I zipped my lips and tried to stay as still as possible, even when he retreated from the bed. I turned my head to watch as he put the drink down and finished stripping off his shirt, removing his pants afterward. Slowly. Too slowly.

I was afraid to speak and risk spilling the beverage. I knew we’d only just end up calling for new sheets, but I wanted to please him. I wanted to follow his commands to the letter, even if he was taking far too long to get naked, and I was too wet to speak.

Max returned to the bed, leaning over to kiss my mouth. It was a slow, sensual kiss, one filled with longing. He’d been missing me too. He slowly began to move down my body, kissing my neck, then my breasts, then my ribs. By the time he reached my stomach, I was quivering with need.

Max covered the spot of pina colada on my belly with his mouth and began to lap at it, making me moan and shake with my desire to arch up. His tongue swirled and dipped, soft, wet and so hot. And it was just as he said—I forgot all about Baldric, or even where we were. My existence had narrowed down to a few square feet of space and Max’s mouth on my skin.

He finished licking up the drink and moved to straddle me, his hard cock heavy against my stomach as he leaned over to kiss me. His mouth was cold and sweet, and when he stuck his tongue in my mouth I sucked on it with relish. He groaned with pleasure, and I felt his cock twitch.

I reached for him, taking him in my hand and stroking down his shaft as best as I could, given the angle. It amazed me how one feather-light touch from a girl as small as me could make this hulking beast of a man tremble. He was putty in my hands and I loved knowing that. Feeling that.

Alright.

Here it was.

Time for a little dirty talk, something I’d recently been building myself up to.

“I want your cock in my mouth,” I said huskily.

Max stilled. “Fuck. You’re so hot.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

In one quick movement Max flipped us over so that I was now nestled between his legs, my face hovering over his.

This was my way of making him forget. It wasn’t hard for me to forget because, despite being creeped out by Baldric, his appraisal hadn’t really bothered me that much. Sure, it was creepy, but I was used to dudes checking me out. It was just part of being a girl.

But I could tell that it really bothered Max, and that made my heart soar. I didn’t want him to be irritated, of course, but it didn’t hurt to see him protective over me like that. This was my chance to reward him and calm him down.

And I was going to enjoy every second of it.

I slowly trailed kisses down his chest, feeling the muscles flex under my lips as I went. I barely rubbed against his cock the whole way down, making him moan and twitch.

He had such a beautiful dick. I’d really grown to appreciate it over the past few weeks. It was thick and long, and curved just a little bit upward, which made it perfect for hitting my g-spot. I loved going down on him, even if it was a bit much to put in my mouth all at once. Still, a girl could try.

I gripped his meat in my hand and licked the tip. It was a little salty with pre-cum, a uniquely male taste that was all him. His chest rumbled with a primal growl. I wrapped my lips around the tip and added a little suction, drawing him in further until I was halfway down the shaft. I went back to the tip and repeated this motion while I squeezed at the base, adding just the amount of pressure I knew he liked. My other hand fondled his balls, loving how cool and velvety they felt in my hands.

“Fuck, baby. That feels so good.”

I moaned over his shaft, and the vibration made him groan. I tried to take more of him, relaxing my throat muscles and pushing myself down as far as I could. He filled my throat, stretching it, just like he stretched my pussy.

I began to work him in earnest at a moderate pace, bobbing up and down his shaft and sucking as hard as I could. He moaned and thrust up toward my mouth. I responded by going down further, taking him in almost to the root. My eyes watered with the effort, but my body was on fire. Pleasing him like this was so erotic, so transcendent, that I wondered if I could cum just from having him in my mouth alone. I moved a hand between my legs to try to alleviate some of the raw need, and the next time Max looked down to meet my eyes he swore.

“I’m not going to last much longer baby,” he groaned. “Your mouth is too fucking good.”

I chuckled and redoubled my efforts, both on him and myself. I was ready to explode, and so was he. His hips continued thrusting up toward my mouth, hands tangling in my hair as he sought his climax.

Max grunted and exploded in my mouth. I sucked down the salty liquid until there was nothing left, then licked his shaft clean and kissed his thighs as he came back down to earth. The satisfied smile on his face was the most wonderful thing I’d ever seen. This man would be the end of me. Nobody could make me feel as good as he did, which surely meant that nobody could hurt me as much as he did.

“Baby.” He grabbed my shoulders and hauled me up against his chest, pressing a sweet kiss to my lips. “That was incredible.”

I grinned. “You are incredible.”

He kissed me again, harder, sucking my lower lip between his teeth and clamping down just enough to send a sting of pleasure to my thighs. I was still throbbing with desire.

“What am I going to do with you?” Max rolled me onto my back, wedging a knee between my thighs and making me moan at the sudden but pleasurable friction. “To start, I think I’m going to give you exactly what every good girl deserves.”

“And what’s that?”

He grinned, already sliding down my body. “Everything.”