Page 34 of Brighter than the Boss
"Sweetheart..." Dean looked exasperated.
"What? She's gettin' freaky with the boss!" Sage exclaimed, an excited smile on her face.
"Oh my gosh, I am not!"
All eyes were back on me.
"Wait, you've been eyeing each other forweeksnow and Cain hasn't talked you into his bed yet?" Kai could barely control his laughter to get out his question.
"No! Not that that is any of your business." I couldn't believe we were talking about this.
"I'm sorry, Sunny. You're right, it's none of my business, but Cain has always had a bit of a reputation."
"Total manwhore." Jax was nodding and I couldn't tell if he was joking or not.
I mean, I'd heard the stories. I could clearly see him and the fact that he was gorgeous, practically every woman's dreamy bad boy in the flesh. Didn't mean I liked to hear that he'd been with all the women I saw on the beach every day.
"Enough, guys. Can't you see your teasing is hurting Sunny?" Cain jumped in, ready to protect me yet again. But the damage had been done. I was starting to doubt my importance to him. Was I just imagining our connection? I didn't know him well enough to say for sure.
"Hey, stop whatever you're thinking. We'll talk once we get out of here and have some fucking privacy, okay?" Cain whispered in my ear, his voice still causing a shiver to run down my body. Even with doubts swirling, I couldn't deny my attraction to him. I hoped they were all wrong about him. I hoped he felt it too: the squeeze between the ribs when we looked at each other, the breath that couldn't be caught when we touched.
Esa changed the subject and everyone went along with it, probably feeling badly that they'd put us on the spot. We spent the next few hours talking, gossiping, speculating on when the waters would recede, and going over the details of Esa and Ivan's wedding later in the year. When even all of that was talked out, we broke off in small groups, finding our own spots somewhere on the second floor to wait out the flood.
Cain led me away from everyone to a quiet corner with a blanket. We sat beside each other, our backs against the wall, the blanket over us as we snuggled. The sun was dipping lower in the sky, but the flood waters were still high enough to keep us stuck indoors. When I felt Cain slide his rough fingers between mine and grip me tight, I honestly didn't mind spending this moment out of time with him. It was like we were getting a snow day back at home, where we could play hooky while nature did its thing outside.
He nudged my shoulder. "I'm sorry for what they said to you back there. I don't have the best reputation, I know, but that has nothing to do with how I feel about you."
I nodded, willing to accept him at face value. "Okay."
"Okay? You just believe me that easy?"
I gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, Cain, that easy. You haven't given me any reason to distrust you. If you say you feel differently about me, then I believe you. That's how most people operate."
He shook his head at me slowly, his gaze never leaving my face. "I guess that just hasn't been my experience."
"Then you've been hanging out with the wrong people."
"I would agree with that." He nodded quickly and then changed the subject, a sly smile growing on his face. "Which is why I want to hang out with you now. Well, that and your spectacular boobs."
"Cain!" I blushed, laughing at his boldness, but loving it all the same.
"Ssshh...don't bring attention to us. I like our privacy right now." He looked over my head to assess whether anyone was looking at us. "Gotta save that for later...you screaming my name." His grin grew, as did the redness on my cheeks.
"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"
He leaned in closer, brushing his nose against mine, but not giving me his lips like I wanted. "When I know what I want, I go after it. And I want you, Sunshine. Badly."
His hand let go of mine to rest high on my thigh. Then he dragged it upward, his fingers sliding under my shorts and flickering lightly over my swimsuit. I sucked in a breath, his touch reminding me of how good it felt when his hand was there last time. He kept up his rhythm, his fingers adding more pressure, and I'd never wished for privacy so badly. I was practically panting in his face and I couldn't hold back. I needed his kiss.
With my hands free, I grabbed his hair and pulled him into me, crushing my lips to his, my tongue darting out to taste him. He responded, his tongue flicking in time with his fingers, driving me crazy. We made out like teenagers there in the corner, the blanket hiding our laps. Every time I got close to that elusive paradise, he pulled back, his fingers retreating, his lips nipping at my mouth, my jaw, my neck.
When I moaned my protest the third time he did this, he pulled completely back, his dark hair disheveled from my hands, his chest rapidly rising and falling. "Not here, Sunshine. I want to take my time with you, see you, taste you. I want hours to devour you, not some quickie in the corner while our friends are across the room. You're not just some girl, remember?"
It was frustrating as much as it was sweet. But he had a point. I'd rather save this for a time when I could see him naked. I had a feeling the view would be spectacular.
The main phone across the room rang loudly on the desk, everyone stopping what they were doing. Ivan jumped up and ran over, picking it up and speaking to the person on the other end. I looked back at Cain, wondering why he wasn't over there too. He'd led the group all day. It wasn't like him to sit back and let Ivan take charge.
He shrugged and glanced down. "I can't exactly stand up right now, Sunshine."
