Page 27 of Six Nights in Paradise

“You have nothing to be ashamed of. You didn’t make him cheat on his wife. He did that all on his own.”

I rose up and brushed my lips against his, seeking out more of his strong, steadfast comfort.

We laid there for a little while longer, letting the shock of my confession wither away. His words made me feel human again, not like the evil seductress I’d made myself out to be in my own mind. He was right. I hadn’t known the gravity of our mistake, or how negatively our affair would affect others, but Jason did. And he still pursued me. What a piece of work.

When it was time to get ready for dinner, we took turns using the shower, washing the sand and saltwater from our bodies. When I emerged from the bathroom, Dalton had changed the sheets and was making the bed.

“There was sand everywhere,” he explained, tucking the last loose edge into place. The corner of his mouth turned up in a suggestive, crooked grin and I yearned to kiss it off his face.

There was a huge beach party happening tonight after the sun went down, and Dalton and I planned to celebrate our final night on the island. First, we had dinner reservations at the most popular restaurant within the resort. We splurged on filet mignon, lobster tails, and sangria. Our bellies were full and our hearts light when we headed toward the beach. His hand found mine and he laced our fingers together. I snuggled closer into his side, wrapping my free hand around his elbow.

The party was in full swing when we got there. Everybody had drinks in their hands and were enjoying the live entertainment. Dalton and I went to the bar and I ordered more sangria. We danced and laughed, partying with strangers and new friends. The night was magical. The breeze off the ocean kept us cool as the alcohol warmed our veins. Dalton only drank a couple beers, but he made sure my glass never ran dry.

As midnight neared, we decided to call it a night. We wanted to get up early enough to enjoy the ocean with its gentle waves and crystal blue waters one last time before leaving tomorrow afternoon.

Walking back to the villa barefoot along the beach, letting the waves wash over our feet, I thought back on our week, grasping onto every memory we’d made and holding tightly to each of them. I wasn’t sure what would happen when we got home, and I didn’t want to assume this would continue outside of this beautiful bubble enclosed within the resort. I hoped it would, but if all I had were these memories, I would hold onto them and cherish them forever.

Dalton

We walked inside the villa just as the clock rolled over into a new day. I couldn’t wait another minute to have Taylor in my arms and her mouth on mine. Her lips parted on a gasp when I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her body flush against me. I leaned in, fusing my lips over hers and our tongues met, tangling in a slow dance of seduction.

She tasted like sangria, and suddenly Blake Shelton’s voice echoed in my mind as we stumbled toward the bedroom, tugging at each other’s clothes. She was tipsy and I was buzzed. We were clumsy but still alert enough to have some fun.

“Let’s go down to the beach,” she spoke against my mouth as she rid me of my belt.

I pulled back, catching the mischievous glint in her eye. “Seriously?” I asked, intrigued and a little scared of what she’d be able to talk me into.

“Yeah, come on,” she urged, pulling me by the hand. “Where’s your sense of adventure?” she taunted.

Never one to back down from a challenge, I pulled my shirt off over my head and followed her out. She ran for the water, giggling as she stripped away her clothes, leaving a trail in the sand. I threw caution to the wind and stepped out of my shorts and boxer briefs, tossing them onto the lounger.

She was completely naked, the pale moonlight reflecting off her skin. This was crazy.Wewere crazy. I knew it was late, but shit, I didn’t want anybody to see us. Did security patrol this area at night? What the hell would we do if somebody came walking up the beach?

“What are you waiting for?” she yelled over the waves and I winced, hoping nobody heard her. I jogged down into the water, meeting her where the ocean lapped at our thighs. She attacked my mouth with fervor, sliding her hands around my neck and pressing her naked body to mine. I groaned and pulled her against me. We moved farther into the ocean, the water covering more of our exposed bodies. Her nipples grazed my chest and she shivered. I wanted them in my mouth. I wanted to taste the salt on her skin one last time.

When my head dipped to her chest, she threaded her hands in my hair, clutching me to her. My name fell from her lips on a whisper. I released her nipple and picked her up, carrying her deeper until the water concealed her chest. My cock slid against her hot, wet center and I instinctively flexed my hips. She lifted up, meeting my thrust as the head rubbed against her clit. A few more times and our rhythm became out of sync, and suddenly I thrusted inside her. She gasped and we both stilled. I was buried deep, Taylor’s body clenching tightly around me.

“Taylor,” I bit out, a little breathless. She felt fucking amazing. It took every ounce of strength in my body not to start pumping into her.

“Dalton!” she cried and rocked her hips.

I needed to stop this, but instead I gripped her hips and guided her up and down my length. “Fuck,” I hissed, holding back my impending release. She kissed me hard, her arms braced on my shoulders. “We have to stop,” I warned her. “I’m not wearing a condom.”

“Shit,” she breathed. “We have to get one.” The moment I eased her off my cock was the saddest moment of my life. She unwound her legs from behind my hips and I placed her back on her feet. The water was nearly over her head, so I scooped her up and carried her back, leaving our clothes discarded on the sand. Rinsing my feet and lower legs as best as I could, I walked to the bed, laying her on top of the covers. The look in her eyes gave me pause for a moment. They shined with affection and something else I was afraid of.Love.

Taylor had been crushing on me for years, but this trip changed everything. This went beyond teenage infatuation and physical attraction. She cared for me. She may have even been in love with me. And that was the scariest thing on earth. Could I handle the responsibility of being the man she loved? She deserved so much. A man who would dote on her and make her his top priority. A man who loved her with the same ferocity with which she loved. A man who wasn’t hiding out in a foreign country after being stood up by the person he thought he’d spend the rest of his life with. She deserved more than I could give her right now, but damn if I didn’t want to try.

I pushed those thoughts aside as she drank me in, her hazel eyes darkening with desire. I almost sank back into her embrace and her tight warmth, but then I remembered why we came inside in the first place. Condoms.

Retrieving a packet from the box hidden inside the nightstand, I returned to the bed. When I tore open the foil, Taylor held her hands up, stopping me from rolling it on. I tilted my head, watching curiously to see what she would do next. She scooted to the edge of the bed and wrapped her dainty fingers around my length. When she licked her lips, I nearly fainted with anticipation. My head fell back as her wet lips slid over my crown and down my shaft.

“Mmm,” she moaned, and the vibration sent a jolt of pleasure down my length, landing squarely in my balls. She made soft little noises like she enjoyed the taste and each one nearly undid me. When she finally let go of me with a loud pop, I was so close to coming, I had to take a moment to calm myself down.

I finally put the condom on and hovered above her. She placed her soft hands on my chest and slowly slid them down my torso, gripping me and guiding me to her entrance when she reached my arousal. My eyes closed and my head fell to her shoulder when I slid inside. She felt like heaven to a dying man.

I rocked into her, reaching between us to find her clit, knowing she’d go off like a rocket within seconds. She shattered apart quickly, crying out my name. I wrapped my hand around the nape of her neck and lifted until she was straddling me as I sat up. Her knees bracketed my hips, leaving her throat exposed and even with my mouth. My lips found her pulse, trailing kisses across her jaw and up her chin until they landed on hers. She found her second release, and mine followed shortly behind.

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