CHAPTER NINE
TRAGEDY
“As you wish.” Not wanting her to change her mind, Oliver immediately stood up and offered his assistance. She grasped his fingers, and when he detected a slight tremble, he scooped her up in his arms.
“Why are you carrying me again? My ankle is basically fine.”
“Because I like it,” he said next to her ear. “Put your arms around my neck, queenie.”
“This is silly,” Belinda grumbled, but held him tight while he carried her inside the pool house. He made a beeline for the bedroom and let her slide down his body until her feet touched the floor.
“I think you need to get out of this wet swimsuit,” Oliver suggested, kissing her neck.
“I’ll do it in the bathroom.”
Oliver wanted the honors, but he nodded reluctantly. “Okay, toss me a towel please and don’t be too long.” She brought him a towel, then disappeared behind the door. After shedding his board shorts he dried off, pulled back the covers, and slid beneath the cool sheets. His cock reacted to her scent clinging to them. Wait . . . condoms. Oliver groaned, not wanting to put on his wet shorts or go streaking across the backyard to the main house. But then he remembered he’d given some to a buddy who had visited with his girlfriend a few months ago. Leaning over, he looked in the nightstand drawer and saw there were three. Yes! When he spotted the pile of bikinis tossed in the corner, he smiled, thinking he wanted to see her in each one of them, but he wanted to see her naked more than anything else.
Lacing his fingers behind his head, he watched the door and waited.
And waited.
What the hell was she doing? He looked down at his dick as if issuing an apology.
Oliver scrubbed a hand down his face, thinking she must be having second thoughts. But there wasn’t a window in there or anything to escape through, so she’d have to reenter the room at some point. Should he check on her? Call out her name?
Maybe she was creating anticipation again. Making him wait. He propped a couple of pillows behind his back and scooted up, trying to pose in a sexy position. He let the sheet slide to his waist and kept his gaze locked on the door. And then he heard the shower running. A shower would be fine if he was sharing it with her.
Minutes and then what seemed like hours ticked by, and just when he started to give up hope, the door opened and Belinda took one step into the room. Clad in a pink terry-cloth robe cinched at the waist, she looked adorable. Her cheeks were flushed, and the slight rise and fall of her chest told him she was nervous. “Come on over here,” he said.
If she had walked any slower she would have been moving backward. “Sorry I took so long. I felt like I needed a quick shower.” She gave him a shy smile. “I am super squeaky clean now.”
“Then come on up here and get dirty,” Oliver said, and laughed. “That was the cheesiest thing I’ve ever said.”
Belinda laughed too, and some of the tension left the room.
“Sorry, I’m kinda nervous.”
“Me too.” She took a step closer. “Maybe we should have done this when we were all hot and bothered.”
“I’m getting that way looking at you, Belinda.”
She toyed with the ends of the belt.
“Come up here and join me and let me get you hot and bothered all over again.” Oliver held out a hand. “And, hey, I like it better this way. Slow and easy. A decision made soberly instead of in the heat of the moment.”
Belinda nodded and then took his hand. Her fingers felt cool and he brought the tips to his mouth and kissed each one. Odd, because he wasn’t usually one for gestures like that, but Belinda was bringing out a side of him he didn’t know existed.
“Come up here with me,” he said gently, and as soon as she was on the bed, he put his hands on her waist and guided her to straddle him. She sucked in a breath when he reached for the belt of her robe and deftly untied it. Then, slowly, he parted the soft terry cloth, revealing her breasts. His heart thudded at the sight. God, they were full and perky, with dusky pink nipples that seemed to be begging for his touch, his mouth. “Spectacular.” He looked into her eyes and she raised her eyebrows.
“Really?” she asked breathlessly, and he nodded. “That might be an overstatement.”
“Ah . . . no. An understatement. What do you want me to do?”
“Touch me.” She squared her shoulders, giving him full access.
“Gladly.” Oliver cupped the full globes, squeezing slightly. He rubbed his thumbs in slow circles over her nipples until her breath hitched. “Now what?”
“L-lick me . . . my . . . nipples.” When she leaned closer the movement caused friction between her and his dick, which was trying to poke through the sheet.
Dipping his head, Oliver took a pebbled nipple into his mouth, licked, and then nipped lightly before turning his attention to her other breast while tweaking her wet nipple with his fingers. He could feel her moist heat soaking through the soft cotton as she straddled him. When she rocked back and forth it was nearly his undoing and he groaned.
Oliver used the stubble on his chin to rub back and forth, hoping the abrasion on her sensitive nipples would drive her wild.
And it did.
“God, Oliver.” She leaned her head to the side and let go of a throaty groan that felt like velvet over his skin. He pushed the robe from her shoulders and then pulled his head back to look at her beauty. Creamy skin offset the deep rose of her nipples, wet, tight, begging for more attention. “Now I want . . .” His voice was nearly hoarse and he was so damned turned on that he could barely see straight. He reached out and rubbed the pads of his thumbs over the very tips of her nipples.
She arched her back and swallowed hard. “I—I want you buried deep inside me.”
“Right where I want to be.”
“Now.” She rolled to the side and onto her back. “Please.”
Oliver reached for the condom and had it on in record speed. Pushing back the sheet, he rolled over and came up to his knees. Easing her thighs apart, he leaned down and explored her body with his fingers, watching the play of emotion on her face. He wanted her nearly there because he wasn’t going to last long. She was slick, hot, and ready, but God, he needed just a taste. He spread her thighs wider, pausing to look at her, thinking she was simply gorgeous. Dipping his head, he parted her folds, stretching, exposing where she was most sensitive.
“Oliver?” she asked, pleaded, arching her hips, offering herself to him.
He licked her, stroked her with just the tip of his tongue and oh so lightly, keeping her from coming while driving her to the brink. She shuddered and pushed at his head. “No, I want—”
“This?” Raising his head, he slid his hands beneath her ass, tilted her upward, and thrust his dick deep into her sweet heat.
“Yes!” She gasped, fisted her hands in the sheets. Gritting his teeth, Oliver nearly exploded, but he pulled nearly out and then thrust again, and again. He watched the jiggle of her breasts and reveled in the sight of his dick entering her sweet body. She arched her back, tilted her head while he gave her everything, root to tip nearly out and then all the way in. When Oliver felt her walls tighten, tug, quiver, he thrust faster, and when she cried out his name, an orgasm that began at his toes ripped through him—a hot, intense, powerful wave of pleasure.
Blood pounded in his ears. He held her ass and stayed inside her while her body clutched, tugged, and squeezed more pleasure from him.
Wow . . .
Breathing hard, still dazed, Oliver looked down at her. Her eyes were closed, face and chest flushed. He couldn’t stop staring. She bit her bottom lip, the picture of erotic beauty. He looked at where their bodies remained intimately connected and felt an emotion he didn’t recognize. Could he love her this soon? No . . . not possible. Was it? And yet he felt a connection that went beyond mind-blowing sex.
Finally, when his arms protested, he slid his hands from her ass and rolled to the side, taking her with him. Holding her close, he kissed her and then kissed her some more, deeply, intimately, saying with his mouth what he couldn’t verbalize. Reluctantly, he pulled his lips from hers but remained silent because he had no words. He eased his dick from heaven, drawing a long sigh from her. “Babe, I’ll be right back,” he said, and headed to the bathroom to clean up.
Inhaling a quick breath, Oliver peered at his reflection in the mirror, trying to make sense of where his head was. “A mind-bending torrid fling, she said,” he uttered softly. “So we don’t get hurt.”
Well, too fucking late for that.
He shoved his fingers through his hair, splashed water on his face, and tried to get his shit together. After a couple of deep-breathing moments, he headed back into the bedroom.
“Come here, you sexy beast,” Belinda said in a sleepy tone.
Oliver joined her in bed and shifted until they were spooning. He didn’t want to say something cliché or stupid. Something lame like “That was amazing” couldn’t begin to describe what he’d just felt.
“I can’t even,” Belinda said in a near whisper.
“Me neither.” He pushed her braid to the side and kissed her shoulder.
“I mean, honestly.”
“I know.” He cupped her breast, and when he barely grazed her nipple with his thumb she whimpered.
“It’s like I’ve discovered new nerve endings. Everything is all tingly.”
Oliver chuckled low in his throat and then moved his fingers down her torso, leaving a shiver everywhere he touched. And when he just barely dipped his finger into her folds, she bucked her hips. “No . . . you can’t . . . I’m too . . .” she pleaded, but he touched her lightly again, spreading her wider. She sucked in a short breath, but he gave her no mercy, rubbing over her swollen clit. She twitched, pressed her back into his chest when he slid one finger inside for some sweet, slick honey. He rubbed a little bit harder until she panted. “God, I’m . . .” she began, but then she came with a husky cry, shuddering. Belinda’s entire body went limp in his arms.
“Babe, what was that like?” he said near her ear.
“Like . . . like, so intense that it was just a notch below painful, but, like, in a good way. I’m still tingling, throbbing.”
“Mmm,” he said, and wanted to ask if it had ever been that good for her, but couldn’t. Wouldn’t. And yet he longed to know.
“I could not begin to move even if you had a hot fudge sundae within arm’s reach,” she said slowly.
“You talk about hot fudge sundaes a lot.”
“My fave.”
“I’ll take you into town for one.”
“You’re the best—”
“Pretend boyfriend ever?” he finished for her.
“Yeee-ah. Ev-er.”
“What do you want now, queenie?”
“A nap. A long, delicious nap so we can do this again. And again.”
“So I wore you out?”
“Mmm, no. You shattered me into a gazillion pieces.” She yawned. “Sweep them up and dump them on the bed. I’ll need them later. But if you find any cellulite, leave it there.”
With a silent chuckle, Oliver kissed her shoulder. He held her close until he felt her breathing even out. His heart finally calmed to a slow thud and he yawned, but holding her naked body next to his was worth staying awake for. Closing his eyes, he thought about her plan, which contained one giant flaw. He knew damned well he was going to continue to fall for her. There was no getting her out of his system. She was in there for good, that much he knew for sure. How this would all play out? He had no fucking clue.
And yeah, this might have been mind-blowing sex, but their connection already ran deeper than a purely physical relationship. Oliver felt a cold stab of fear. Losing his parents had left a gaping hole in his life. Loving with all your heart meant risking the horrific pain of loss. Grady had been the first of the Heart brothers to power through that fear when Arabella came back into his life. But Oliver didn’t know if he had that kind of courage. Was the risk worth it?
Belinda stirred, mumbled something, and then sighed. He smiled, thinking she must be dreaming. What would it feel like to wake up every morning with her in his arms? Of course, that brought up the next problem. They were trying to jump-start their careers, which meant constant travel. So beginning something only to have it ripped apart by distance wasn’t smart either. Maybe he was way ahead of himself. Overthinking, as usual. He wished he could learn to live in the moment.
Feeling restless, Oliver slowly eased his way from the bed, tugged on his board shorts, and let himself out. Blinking in the bright sunshine, he didn’t really want to go for a run in the heat of the late afternoon, but he did want some exercise. He grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge and chugged it, trying to decide. He looked at the shimmering swimming pool and then opted to head to the beach for a swim in the ocean instead.
Oliver walked on the weathered boardwalk, smiling at the squawk of seagulls, their flapping wings so white against the deep blue of the sky. The briny scent of the ocean beckoned him and he sighed when he reached the sand. Stopping, he looked out over the water, marveling at the beauty. He knew that most people got used to living near the ocean, the forest, or the mountains, taking their surroundings for granted. Not Oliver. No, the waves crashing on the shore would never lose their lure or appeal. He loved it here.
Reaching up to the sky, he stretched and then made his way to the edge of the ocean. He stood there, watching his feet sink into the soft sand, warmed by the sunshine. Cool, frothy water lapped over his toes, receded, and then returned. A crab scurried past him and he laughed, remembering how he and his brothers would have crab-catching contests and sand-dollar hunts. He’d usually won sand-castle building contests because his brothers would finish and move on to other things while Oliver would fret over every detail. He’d had so many fun times at the beach with his family. No matter where he traveled, Sea Breeze would forever be his home.
Did he really want to do this solo career thing? The question slammed into his brain and stayed there. Grady could use more help with their mother’s foundation. He had plenty of options. With a growl, Oliver picked up a stone and threw it into the water. He hated indecision. He just wished for once he would immediately know what he wanted, without a moment of hesitation.
Well, he sure as hell knew he wanted Belinda Beal in his bed. And he wasn’t like that, having sex so fast. Yet it didn’t feel that way. He picked up another rock and tossed it. This so-called torrid fling she’d come up with made sense to a degree. And the beauty of it was that this was her idea, so he didn’t have any guy guilt that he had lured her into bed, gotten what he wanted, and then tossed her aside. The mere thought of treating her that callously caused him to frown.
Oliver sighed. If he got hurt in the end, he’d lick his wounds and go on his merry way, as she called it. But the notion of Belinda being in any kind of pain, emotional or physical, already bothered him.
“What in the hell am I supposed to do?” he shouted into the wind.
“Uh, answer your damned phone, for one thing.”
Oliver whipped around to see Grady standing there in the sand. “Where the hell did you come from?”
Grady jammed a thumb over his head. “My house. I needed a run, and since you refuse to pick up my calls, I thought I’d jog here and see what’s up. So . . . what are you so upset about?” Grady swiped sweat from his face with the edge of his T-shirt.
Oliver shrugged. “Belinda Beal is here.”
“Where?”
“Staying in the pool house.”
“Since when?”
“Since yesterday. Devin suggested another fake romance thing.”
“Wow.” Grady nodded without enthusiasm. “So, did you know she was coming?”
“No, Dev didn’t give me a heads up. ”
“That’s weird. And not like him. Did you ask him? I know surprises aren’t your thing.”
“I guess I shouldn’t stay pissed at Devin.” Oliver didn’t want to get into the details. “She’s here now, so that’s all that matters. I mean, we might as well get this whole thing started.”
Grady folded his arms over his chest. “Fill in the blanks, Oliver.”
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he said hotly.
“Last time we talked about this kind of thing, you weren’t one hundred percent sure you even wanted to do this publicity stunt.”
Oliver shrugged. “Well, Belinda decided for me.”
“And that didn’t piss you off?”
Oliver squished his feet into the sand. “Maybe for a minute.” He glanced up toward the house, wondering if Belinda was still sleeping.
“Whoa, wait.” Grady pushed his Oakleys up and looked closely at Oliver. “No . . .”
Oliver tried to keep his features impassive. Grady had this damned big-brother sixth sense when it came to reading Oliver.
“Come clean.”
“About fucking what?”
“Belinda Beal. You always did have a thing for her.”
“That was a long time ago. I was barely sixteen.” He patted his chest.
“Did you already do the deed with her?”
“Dude.”
“It’s written all over your face.”
“Oh, shut the hell up. And don’t say do the deed. That’s . . . demeaning. I’m not a man-whore,” he said, but was really thinking about not hurting Belinda. Plus, he didn’t brag about whom he slept with.
Grady raised his palms in the air. “Back it down. You’re not usually this sensitive. Or . . . ah,” Grady said slowly with a nod. “I get it.”
“Do you? Because I sure as hell don’t,” Oliver said, and plopped down in the sand, where Grady joined him.
“Talk to me, bro. And I don’t have to say that this goes nowhere. I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“Don’t judge me.”
“Of course not. You damned well know better.”
“I won’t share details, but fuck man, she’s like in my head. I feel as if I’m falling for her, and she just got here. And you know how guarded I am when it comes to relationships. We all are, and for good reason. I mean, I was just remembering all the family times at the beach and I nearly lost it.”
“Yeah.” Grady tugged off his running shoes and socks before putting his feet into the sand. “There wasn’t much that could really have prepared us for tragedy. But we did learn one thing from our parents.” Grady turned his head and looked at Oliver. “Man, when you find something wonderful, grab on to it and don’t let it go. I nearly lost Arabella. Twice! And I know this sounds weird, but heartache also makes you appreciate the good stuff, the small stuff.”
“Grady, you know how I am. My face should be next to the word indecision in the dictionary. Why can’t I ever make up my damned mind?”
“So you’re rethinking the solo career?”
“Kinda.” Oliver shrugged. “But now I have Belinda involved so I can’t just back away.”
“You can still have the stupid fake romance without launching your career. But hey, it’s up to you.”
“That’s the damned problem.”
“Look, Oliver, you don’t have to make any decision right now. One of your problems is that you think you gotta decide things right away, so it only makes it harder and gives you anxiety. Like right now. You’re having these immediate strong feelings for Belinda. You don’t have to decide if it’s love right now. Just go with the flow for a while.”
“I’m trying, but I don’t know how. Damn, I sound like such a girl.”
Grady laughed. “Give this time.”
“But—”
“No.” Grady raised one hand, cutting him off. “No buts, because I’ll tell you this much: you don’t get to choose who you fall in love with. That shit just . . . happens.” He snapped his fingers.
“How do you know when it happens? Or is that an insane question?”
Grady looked out over the water. “I think the realization came to me after losing Arabella the first time around. I should have gone after her, but pride got in the way. When it comes to loving someone, toss pride out the window. Just kiss it goodbye. I learned that the hard way.”
“So . . . you just knew you couldn’t live without her?”
“Oh, I could live without her, but I wouldn’t be happy.”
“Arabella makes you happy?”
“Well, I’ve learned that happiness comes from within.” Grady tapped his chest. “You gotta be at peace with yourself. You know that I was lost for a few years. Screwing around doing nothing of any real value.”
“And then you started Mom’s foundation.”
“Yep.” Grady nodded. “I made myself happy, and Arabella just enhances my life. I’d never be this happy, this content, without her,” he said gruffly.
Oliver picked up a conch shell that had rolled in with the tide. “I get it now, Grady. There’s just something missing in my life and I thought it was the music, the rush of performing. But without you guys . . .” He shrugged. “What the hell am I gonna do? I’m so damned torn . . . confused. And it’s just getting more complicated by the day.”
“You’ve got the chops. You’ve got the look. I honestly think you’ll make it work. If that’s what you really want to do.”
“I dunno.” Oliver nodded, watching a pelican dive for a fish. “The whole famous thing can be kinda a pain in the ass.”
Grady chuckled. “True that. Hey, since you’re asking for my pearls of wisdom . . .”
“Did I ask? Oh yeah, I did. What was I thinking?”
Grady gave him a shove. “Falling in love doesn’t have, like, a time frame. You seem to be feeling foolish to think that you already have a huge thing for Belinda, may be falling in love with her. But you know, even though you were just kids when you did the first pretend thing—which I should have stopped, by the way—it was evident that you two had something even back then. You didn’t fool the public without truly having some serious chemistry. I think that’s why you felt something right away now. Those feelings might have just been hidden, waiting to get out.”
Oliver nodded. “We’d kinda figured that out.”
“We?”
“Yeah, thank God the attraction isn’t one-sided.” He grinned. “So now what?”
“Hey, that’s up to you, baby brother.”
“I need more pearls, dammit.”
“That’s all I got.” He shook his head. “No, wait.”
Oliver gave him his undivided attention. “If in this whole process you really do fall completely in love with her?”
“Yeah?”
Grady pushed to his feet and offered Oliver a hand. “Don’t let her get away or you’ll regret it forever.” He reached for his shoes. “Okay, I’ve gotta get back. Pick up my calls from now on.” He gave Oliver’s shoulder a shove. “Unless you’re doing something where you don’t want to get interrupted. Then you’re forgiven.” Grady pulled Oliver in for a hug and a slap on the back. “And if you ever need to talk, let me know.”
“Will do. Tell Arabella I said hi.”
“She was the one who insisted I check up on you. But I won’t tell her anything about our discussion, other than that Belinda is already here. But she might put two and two together.” He tapped his index finger to his temple.
Oliver nodded, and after Grady left, he decided it was time to head back to shower and then start dinner prep. He firmly told himself not to think about anything past tonight.
With that thought in mind, he went back to the house, tugged on cargo shorts and a polo shirt, sprayed on a little aftershave, and put some pomade in his hair. Singing along with Pandora radio, he wondered if he should shave, but then he remembered how Belinda had loved the stubble against her nipples and put the razor down. His dick, oh so glad to be back in action, instantly reacted to the memory.
Oliver sent Belinda a text that he would be serving cocktails on the deck by the pool while he prepared dinner. And then he literally stared at his phone while he waited for her response.
Ping. Oliver read her text: Sounds lovely.
Oliver tried not to read too much into the text message, but he hoped she was ready for round two.