Maybe We Will (Silver Harbor) Read online

  Long cold showers were becoming Aiden’s nightly activity.

  He and Abby had spoken on the phone after Cait had turned in for the night. But once again, what had started as whispers of looking forward to seeing each other again had turned into reliving moments when they’d snuck kisses in the office of the Bistro. He had no idea why he couldn’t control himself around Abby, but he’d ended up telling her the truth—that he’d like to take her to his suite, strip her naked, and touch, taste, cherish, and enjoy every inch of her body until he knew it by heart. They’d both ended up hot and bothered, and if Cait had not been at the house, Aiden would have been at Abby’s door seven minutes later.

  Instead, he’d dragged his horny ass into another cold shower to relieve the storm of sexual tension Abby always left behind.

  They’d planned on meeting at ten this morning, after Cait caught the nine forty-five ferry, for their day of playing hooky. Waiting had been hell. He parked in front of Abby’s quaint bungalow at ten on the dot.

  As an investor, he owned commercial and residential properties all over the world, and usually his first thoughts at any new location revolved around quantifying the value of it. But as he climbed out of his rental car, that was the last thing on his mind, just as it had been Friday night when he’d arrived for dinner. He imagined Abby as a young girl running around the yard with her sister and singing on the porch with her mother while she gazed adoringly at her father as he painted. He spotted a fenced-off area that must have once contained the gardens she’d raved about toiling in with her mother. Grasses and weeds grew knee-high, tangled around the broken fence. He pictured Abby with a thick braid hanging down her back, rebellious strands of her beautiful hair sticking out all over, as she clomped around in shorts and rubber boots, carrying a basket bigger than she was.

  A gust of wind swept up the hill, stinging his eyes and snapping him from his reverie. He tried to shake off the feeling of something burrowing deep in his chest as he climbed the front steps. The door flew open, and Abby’s bright smile pierced the space between them, driving that burrowing sensation even deeper. Her peach sweater hung sexily off one shoulder, revealing a thin strap of lace and the swell of her breast and awakening his carnal desires. Her skinny jeans clung to her curves, with a fashionable tear in the upper thigh and another above one knee. He wanted to lick those smooth patches of skin. Her feet were bare, her toenails painted to match her sweater.

  “Damn, babes,” he said, dragging his eyes up the length of her as he stepped forward.

  Her tongue swept across her bottom lip, leaving it slick and alluring, but it was the hunger in her eyes that had him reaching for her as she reached for him. Their mouths collided with the force of a hurricane. Their tongues tangled as they stumbled into the house, bodies grinding as he backed her up against the wall, untethering days of pent-up passion. She was right there with him, feasting on him as he devoured her. He imagined her hot, willing mouth traveling down his body. His hips rocked at the thought, and he groaned into their kisses. He pushed his hands into her hair, fisting them tight. She gasped, and he drew back, worried he’d hurt her, but desire raged in her eyes, not pain. She grabbed his head with both hands, pulling his mouth back to hers. Fuck yes. He kissed her fiercely, drawing back enough to nip at her lips and graze his teeth along her jaw.

  When he sank his teeth into her neck, she said, “Yesss,” breathy and needful.

  She grabbed his ass, holding him even tighter. He angled his hips lower, pressing his hard length against her center, and recaptured her mouth in a punishingly intense kiss. Lust coiled tight and hot inside him.

  “I thought about you all night,” he said between urgent kisses. “In my arms. In my bed.”

  “Me too,” she confessed.

  Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes at half-mast. She was stunning. “I need more of you, baby.”

  Her eyes flamed. “Yes, yes, yesss.”

  He covered her mouth with his, kissing her slow and deep. But slow didn’t last, and soon they were eating at each other’s mouths, pawing at their bodies. He palmed her breast, brushing his thumb over the taut peak. Her head fell back with a sensual sound, and he kissed his way down her neck, lingering over the throbbing pulse at the base. Her hips rocked against him with every slick of his tongue. He trailed kisses lower, tracing the swell of her breast, and pulled the cup of her bra down, sealing his mouth over the peak.

  “Ah . . . Aiden,” she pleaded.

  “Tell me to stop and I will.” Please don’t tell me to stop. He righted her bra, anticipating a red light.

  “Don’t stop,” she said softly.

  His gaze shot up to hers, and the desire in her eyes nearly sent him to his knees as she panted out, “Don’t you dare stop.”

  He crushed his mouth to hers, tugging up her sweater as she fumbled with the button on his pants. He tore his mouth away long enough to strip off her sweater and grabbed his wallet from his back pocket, throwing it in the direction of the couch. The next few seconds were a blur of clothes flying, desperate kisses, and urgent pleas as they stumbled toward the couch. She grabbed his shoulders, standing on one foot as they kissed, using her other foot to try to get free of her jeans and panties, which were stuck on one ankle. He bent to help and couldn’t resist nipping at her ass cheek.

  She let out a surprised squeak, giggling as she said, “Aiden!”

  “When I’m not half out of my mind needing to be inside you”—he tugged off the offending denim and sexy silk—“I’m going to enjoy tasting every inch of your gorgeous body.”

  “Ditto,” she said sassily.

  He hauled her gloriously naked body into his arms and said, “I’m counting on it.”

  They tumbled to the couch, flesh grinding, hands groping, mouths consuming. The head of his cock throbbed against her wet center. She clawed at his arms, arching beneath him, her knees widening as he drew his hips back—and stopped cold. “Fuck. Condom,” he gritted out. He never lost control, had never been blinded by need like this before. It was as thrilling as it was terrifying. He reached for his wallet, trying not to think about what that lapse in control meant.

  “Hurry!” she pleaded.

  Her hands explored his hips and thighs as he tore open the package with his teeth and sheathed his length. He came down over her, their mouths connecting as he buried himself to the hilt with one hard thrust. Sparks of pleasure exploded inside him, spreading like wildfire through his chest and down his limbs. “Jesus . . .” he said against her lips. She was so tight, the pleasure was almost too intense. He needed to move, and reclaimed her mouth as they found their rhythm, but it wasn’t enough. He thrust faster, kissed harder, and still he was ravenous for her. Being inside her hadn’t taken the edge off; it had amped up every sensation, every emotion. She felt unbelievably good, as if their bodies had been made solely for each other’s pleasure. He had no idea where that thought came from, but it lodged in his head, as inescapable as his desire to help her, to just be in her world with her. He pushed his hands beneath her, cradling her ass, penetrating deeper, deftly searching for the perfect angle to make her wild.

  “Aiden,” she panted against his mouth.

  He guided her legs around his waist, earning a long, surrendering moan. “I’ve got you, babe.”

  He moved quicker, rougher, homing in on the spot that had her inhaling tiny gasps. Her fingernails carved into his skin, heightening the pleasure engulfing him as she cried out his name, giving in to her climax. Her sex pulsed, her hips bucked, and greedy pleas streamed from her lips. His new favorite sound. When she came down from the peak, he kissed her softer, slower, whispering, “So beautiful, baby. You feel so good.”

  “Again,” she whispered.

  Their bodies moved in perfect sync as he gave her what she needed, winding her up, up, up, until she soared free and loud and so damn sexy, he was going to lose his mind. She came down from her high, panting and greedy.

  “More,” she pleaded.

  Desire ro
ared through him like a runaway train. He couldn’t get enough of her, and he drove harder and faster, trying to outrun the unfamiliar emotions consuming him. But there was no escape. Their bodies became slick with their efforts, her softness giving way to his hard frame. He felt fully alive for the first time in his life, and he never wanted it to end. He sealed his mouth over hers, swallowing her sounds, wanting to treasure them, for them to become part of him. Her thighs tightened around him, her body trembling, rising to meet his every thrust, her tight heat unraveling him second by second. He broke their kiss without slowing his efforts, needing to see if she felt it too. He gazed into the gorgeous green eyes of the only woman to have ever shattered his control, and the emotions in them swamped him.

  “Abs,” came out at the same time she said, “Aiden,” full of lust and something much bigger.

  “Come with me,” he said rougher than he meant to, but he was on the verge of losing his mind.

  He lowered his mouth to hers, and heat seared down his spine. He slowed his efforts, desperately trying to stave off his climax, but she clawed at his back, moaning and writhing as her orgasm slammed into her. “Aiden!” She buried her face in his neck. Her sex clenched and pulsed, dragging him under, stealing the air from his lungs, and shredding the last of his control as he surrendered to his own powerful release, her name flying from his lips like a prayer. “Abby, Abby, Abby.”

  They lay tangled together, their hearts hammering out the private beat that bound them as one. He lifted his face, and she blinked up at him, a small, disbelieving smile curving her lips. Sex had always been separate from the rest of his life, free from emotions. It was a release, a good time. But like everything else with Abby, this was different. Special. He wasn’t ready to let her go, and he couldn’t hold her on the narrow couch the way he wanted to. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her forehead, and surprised himself by admitting, “I need to hold you.”

  He cradled her against him, lifting her within his embrace without breaking their connection as he sat up, her legs still straddling his waist. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder, as if she belonged there. He reveled in the rightness seeping into his pores, wondering how he’d ever be the same again.

  Abby was totally and utterly blissed out. She didn’t know how long they embraced, but it felt endless and wonderful. When Aiden kissed her cheek and patted her butt, whispering, “I need to take care of the condom,” she slid off his lap, instantly missing their connection. She watched him strut naked and beautiful across the room and disappear down the hall, surprised at how comfortable and safe she felt with him. She wasn’t even embarrassed sitting on the couch naked as a jaybird. She rested her head back and closed her eyes, reliving the feel of him inside her, the weight of his body pressing down on hers, the masculine, passionate noises he’d made. He was so intense. His desire made her feel wanted and feminine like never before. And those kisses. Lordy. The man kissed like he’d been waiting his whole life just to kiss her. Goose bumps chased over her skin with the delicious memories.

  She sensed his presence before she felt his fingers caress her cheek. She opened her eyes, finding him standing before her, his thick and very talented cock still half-erect, sending her body into an anticipatory celebration. Down, girl.

  “Eyes up here, gorgeous.” He flashed a grin and reached for her hand.

  She smiled as he brought her to her feet and said, “You’re the one dangling your goodies in front of me.” She remembered the bite on her ass, and heat skated through her. She’d never had fun while being intimate with a guy, and now that she knew what she’d been missing, she wondered why that was.

  He nipped at her neck and said, “You like my goodies, huh?”

  “I’m not answering that for fear it’ll bolster your ego too much.” She giggled, and he swatted her ass. “Hey!”

  He pressed his body to hers and said, “Well, I like your goodies a whole hell of a lot. How about we rinse off in the shower before we head out, and if you’re lucky, I’ll let you show me how much you like mine.”

  God, this man was going to do her in.

  And do her in he did.

  After their sexy shower, there was no shortage of kisses and gropes as they dressed and finally headed out for the day, all of which felt surprisingly natural.

  “Grab a sweater, Abs. We might be out late.”

  She’d been independent for so long, she was surprised at how much she liked his thoughtful, caring nature. As she descended the porch steps, she said, “A sleek black BMW? Fancy wheels, Finance Guy.”

  “It’s a rental, and it looks sleeker than it rides. Rental companies never have comfortable cars, so I thought asking for a luxury car would do the trick, but . . .” He shrugged.

  “Well, it does the trick for me,” she said, and noticed his trunk was open. “Hey, there’s a bike in your trunk.”

  “Yeah. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to ride bikes or take the car, so I picked one up on the way over.”

  How thoughtful. “Are you always this prepared?”

  “I try.” He lifted the bike out of the trunk, without a care about dirtying his tan pants or white linen shirt. “I thought we could start at the lighthouse and check out those stairs that went on forever.”

  She was touched that he’d chosen to start at the lighthouse, and not at all surprised that he’d remembered what she’d said. She’d already learned that he had the memory of an elephant. “After that phenomenal couch workout, I’m not sure I can ride the bike that far. Would you mind if we took the car?”

  He set the bike next to hers at the side of the house and kissed her softly. “I think that sounds perfect.”

  As they settled into the car, she said, “So, we’re starting at the lighthouse. What else do you want to tackle?”

  He flashed that wolfish grin.

  “You’re a dirty-minded man, Aiden . . . ? Hey, Aid, I don’t know your last name.”

  “Aldridge.” He gave her leg a gentle squeeze as they drove away from the house and said, “You haven’t known me long enough to realize this, but I want you to know that I’m only overtly sexual with you, Abs. You bring out parts of me I wasn’t even sure I possessed anymore and sides of me I never knew existed.”

  “I feel the same way.” The words came without thought, and that made her nervous, but it was true. “I’ve never felt this comfortable with anyone, not even the last guy I went out with, who was a friend first.”

  He took her hand, lacing their fingers together, and said, “How long did you two go out?”

  “Almost a year, and his kisses never made me feel like I do when we kiss.” She lifted their joined hands and said, “Even this feels vastly different.”

  “For me, too,” he said, honesty shining in his eyes. “Why did you break up after all that time?”

  “When my mom passed away, I took a long, hard look at my life and realized I had left the island searching for something that I never found. I wasn’t happy with my job, my relationship, or quite honestly, myself. I allowed all of my dreams to fall away in order to earn a living, and I accepted less than I deserved in my relationship just because I wanted some sort of human connection. That probably sounds awful, but I was working more than sixty hours a week, and I guess I was lonely, so I turned to a friend. Paul and I had worked together a few years ago. He managed another restaurant, and we both had crazy schedules. We’d meet for drinks sometimes, and there had always been chemistry, so one night we took it further, and eventually we became a couple. Sort of. It was coupledom by convenience, and since we cared about each other more as friends than anything else, I never expected more from him, which meant I wasn’t risking getting hurt. He’s a nice guy, and he’s someone’s other half. But I knew he wasn’t mine from the moment we got together. He’s perfectly happy working for someone else, and whenever I brought up wanting to own my own restaurant, he said I should be thankful for the job I had and to stop asking for headaches. I couldn’t have invested
my heart in a man who didn’t give value to my dreams. And I was thankful for the job I had, but thankful and happy are two different things. Does that make sense?”

  “Yes, perfect sense,” he said as they drove toward Fortune’s Landing, which he must have already looked up, because he didn’t ask for directions. His expression turned serious, and he said, “I usually don’t share the details of mine or Remi’s life with people outside of a small group of friends we think of as family, but I really like you, Abby, and I feel like we might be something special.”

  “Me too,” she said, surprising herself with the confession.

  “I have to ask that you keep what I tell you about Remi between us.”

  “Of course. You sound like she’s in the witness protection program or something.”

  He smiled, but it was a troubled smile. “Before she took a hiatus from acting, it felt that way. In addition to my regular job, I managed her acting career.”

  “Remi was an actress?” As the pieces fell into place, she couldn’t hide her surprise. “Wait! Your sister isn’t Remi Divine, is she?”

  “The one and only.”

  “Oh my gosh, I love her! You can’t spring that on a girl.” She sank back in the seat, grinning from ear to ear. “She’s one of my favorite actresses. You don’t mind if I sit here and fangirl for a second, do you?”

  “Not at all. She’s worth fangirling over.”

  “She’s flat-out gorgeous, and everything she does on-screen is believable. I loved every one of her movies. And her name? Remi Divine. It’s so glamorous. How did she come up with it?”

  “Her real name is Remington Aldridge, but for safety reasons I didn’t want her using her real last name. Our parents loved old movies with actresses like Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth, and our mother used to talk about how divine they were. Remi chose her name to honor our parents.”