Down for the Count (Dare Me 1) Read online

  Hadn’t it? He was still mulling that over when the ladies emerged from the bathroom. Nikki was chuckling, and Lacey looked happy and relaxed. He marveled that, in such a short time, she was already so much more at ease than he’d ever seen her. He had to admit, it looked good on her. Their day at the beach gave her skin a warm glow, and he resisted the urge to trace the delicate line of her shoulder.

  “Ready?” she asked with a smile.

  The four of them filed out of the restaurant and headed by tacit agreement toward the beach. The sun had plummeted off the horizon when the palm trees started to sing. Co-kee, co-kee.

  “What is that?” Lacey whispered.

  “Coquí frogs,” Nikki said. “Isn’t it lovely?”

  “So neat. Do they do it every night?”

  “Every night we’ve been here.”

  They fell into a companionable silence as they strolled along the shore. With the waves lapping against the sand and the coquí singing their song, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to take Lacey’s hand. She stiffened and looked his way, but a second later, her fingers curled around his. It felt nice. More than nice. It felt…strangely right. The thought unsettled him. The last thing he needed was to get too emotionally attached. If things weren’t so complicated for her, it would be one thing, but falling in love with a neurotic woman who just got jilted at the altar and only wanted a rebound guy? That was a recipe for pain. Not going to happen. When she was ready, he would be happy to offer his body for her as-yet-untapped bad girl to practice on, but he was going to keep both hands up and protect his heart.

  Cyrus and Nikki pulled ahead a bit, but Lacey seemed content to stroll, so he didn’t increase his pace. Their actions certainly weren’t doing anything to dissuade their new friends from thinking the two of them were a couple, but that didn’t bother him in the least. In fact, maybe now was a good time to see if that bad girl was ready to come out and play. He tugged her to a stop and bent low to pick up a flat stone.

  “The water’s pretty calm. Know how to skip?”

  She laughed. “Well, duh. Your sister is my best friend. You think the undisputed champion of Pawtucket Lake would allow me to go through life without learning how to skip a rock?” She dropped his hand and began searching the sand for a suitable stone. “A-ha!” She squatted down and came up with two perfect specimens. “Ready? I’ll bet I can get more hops than you.”

  He snorted. “First off, ‘undisputed’ is entirely inaccurate. I dispute the shit out of Cat’s claim. Second, you’re on. I’ll even make it easy for you. My one to your two.”

  They made their way to the water’s edge. “I know your stance on the whole ‘ladies first’ thing, so why don’t you go ahead.”

  He chuckled and stepped up. “Watch and learn.” Waiting a beat until the gentle incoming wave crashed, he flicked his wrist and sent his stone skimming across the surface. One, two, three, four skips.

  Lacey let out a low whistle. “Not bad. Now me.” She took a deep breath and blew it out before snapping her arm out to send the rock skittering across the water. One, two, three, four, five…shit.

  “Seven! Woo-hoo! I am the champion!” she crowed, pumping her fist.

  He laughed and shook his head. “One win doesn’t make you the champ, squirt.”

  She stuck a hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side. “Why not? You beat Mickey Lewis one time and became champ. In fact, I think I deserve a belt.”

  “I’ll give you a belt all right,” he said with a grin. But when her words sank in, he stepped closer. “Speaking of that, I’m happy to hear that you watch my fights, Lacey.”

  He stepped closer, brushing a lock of hair from her cheek, and her breath caught. When her body swayed toward his, he leaned in. “Picturing you, in front of your TV, rooting me on? It makes me feel real good, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. But I know that I like it.”

  The air seemed thin suddenly, and their harsh breathing eclipsed the sound of the waves. They stood, frozen for a long moment, until she tipped her head up, almost imperceptibly. He swallowed hard and bent low, his lips just touching the softness of hers, and her arms slipped around his hips—

  “You guys coming or what?”

  Cyrus’s voice calling from ahead dragged him back to reality with a jolt and he reluctantly pulled away. Lacey’s lashes fluttered and she shook her head.

  “W-we shouldn’t do that anyway.” She sucked in a ragged breath. “Or anything else. Probably.”

  He pursed his lips together to keep from smiling. “Okay. Then you might want to get your hand off my ass.”

  She snatched it away like he was on fire and took a leaping step back. “Right. Sorry. I want to…kiss you. But I’m married.”

  Hearing those words come out of her mouth sent an irrational spurt of jealousy coursing through his veins. “Semantics,” he said. “You won’t be soon, and considering the circumstances, surely you don’t feel like you’re bound to those promises.”

  “I don’t know how I feel.” She bit her lip and slowly shook her head. “Yesterday morning I was a newlywed. Today I’m a separated, soon-to-be divorcée, and I’m not really sure how to be that.”

  “You need to learn to live for you and do what you want to do.” He brushed the hair from her face. “We’re here together now. In thirteen days, it’s back to life. I, for one, would love to spend those thirteen days with you. Touching you. Kissing you. Showing you all the things Marty couldn’t.”

  Her face crumpled, and he swore under his breath. He’d pushed too hard. Just because it was obvious to him that she didn’t owe Marty a damned thing didn’t mean it was obvious to her. If and when she realized that, and recognized that she wasn’t suffering from a broken heart, but from a bruised ego, he’d be there, ready to blow her mind. The thought of teaching her about the pleasure her body was capable of made him ache. He pulled away. “You’re right. Let’s take a step back here. I want you to know that I’m here. For whatever you need.”

  “Thanks,” she said softly.

  “Hello-o-o?” Nikki yelled.

  He took her hand and they jogged toward the other couple. “Sorry, we’re right behind you,” he called.

  A little ways farther down the beach, Cyrus stopped in front of a sprawling villa made of white sandstone.

  “This is you?” Lacey asked with a nod to the house.

  “This is us.” Nikki grinned. “Pretty nice, right? Cyrus’s boss owns it and offered it up for the whole month after Cyrus closed a huge deal for them.”

  “Nice,” Lacey agreed.

  Cyrus unlocked a whitewashed wooden gate and they stepped into what looked like a miniature rain forest. Calling this setup a patio was the understatement of the millennium. It was an oasis. A slice straight out of The Blue Lagoon. The pool, which was illuminated from within by ethereal lights, was the irregular shape of a natural spring, encased in ochre-colored stone. A waterfall flanked by towering palms flowed over a shelf of heather gray boulders.

  “Wow.” Lacey gasped. “Our villa has a little pool, but nothing like this. It’s breathtaking.”

  “I know, right?” Nikki chuckled. “It’ll be hard going back home after this. You guys can get in or hang while Cy and I make some drinks.”

  The couple went into the house, leaving him alone with Lacey.

  She shook her head in amazement. “This place is ridiculous. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Let’s go in then,” he said.

  “I don’t have a suit on under this, and I don’t want to borrow one from Nikki. I already shared lip gloss with her,” she confided. “It was in a little pot and I used my finger, though. You think that’s okay?” she whispered, shooting a glance to the patio doors to make sure their hosts didn’t hear.

  “What do you mean, okay?” he whispered back, trying not to grin.

  “I mean, I’m not going to get mono or something, am I? All this spontaneity is a little scary, if you ask me.”

 
“I’m thinking you’re probably okay on the mono thing. As for a swimsuit, a bra and underwear is no more revealing than a bikini,” Galen reasoned. “And we’ve already established that you’ve gone skinny-dipping, not to mention you flashing half of San Juan this morning. This should be a cinch.”

  She groaned and covered her cheeks with her hands. “What are the odds of my living that down anytime soon?”

  “Very slim. Now come on. We’ll hop in before they come out and they won’t see. I’ll even turn my back.” He did so and waited. A long, silent moment passed. “Well?”

  “I’m scared,” she mumbled.

  “We’re never going to be in this spot again. I don’t want to leave and for you to have regrets about the things you didn’t do while we were here. Besides, there’s nothing to be afraid of. I would never let anything happen to you. If I did, Cat would kill me,” he added hastily in case she confused his declaration of loyalty with something more.

  She blew out a sigh. “You’re right.” The determination in her voice gave him hope and he waited. His patience was rewarded as the sound of rustling clothes came from behind him. He unbuttoned his own shirt and tossed it onto a lounge chair.

  “Ready?”

  “I’m getting in first, so don’t turn around yet.”

  A light splash of water, a sharp hiss of breath. The instinct to turn around was so strong he fisted his hands at his sides and silently counted in Spanish. It took concentration, since his Spanish was only slightly better than his needlepoint, and he’d only gotten to seis when she called to him.

  “Okay, ready.”

  When he turned, Lacey waded toward him in the lagoon-like pool, long wet hair spread around her bare shoulders, looking like a water nymph from a fairy tale.

  “Come on, it’s nice and warm.”

  Oh, man, he bet it was. She dove to the side, breaking through the water with a splash. If an iridescent scaled tail had trailed behind her, it wouldn’t have seemed out of place.

  “She’s a stone cold fox,” Cyrus said as he stepped onto the porch with a tray of drinks in hand.

  “You’re not kidding.” Nikki stopped short behind her fiancé and added a low whistle for good measure.

  “Thanks,” he said, not really sure how else to respond. It was a weird spot to be in because she wasn’t his girlfriend, but they didn’t know that. And, judging by the way they were both looking at her, it seemed prudent to keep it that way.

  Cyrus handed him a drink. “You can take it in. There’s a bar in the center of the water about halfway down, past the waterfall, where you can set it before the water gets too deep to stand. You go ahead. Nikki and I are going to get some towels and put on some music.”

  “Thanks.” He took a sip of the tart drink and padded to the water’s edge. It didn’t drop off like a regular backyard swimming pool. Rather, it sloped downward like a beach. He walked down the gentle incline until he was up to his waist.

  “Are you in yet?” Lacey called. “You have to see this!”

  Her voice seemed to echo from an outcropping of rocks she had disappeared around. Maybe nymph was the wrong mythical creature. Siren was more like it. He made his way toward the sound of her delighted voice, his pulse gunning like an outboard motor.

  The waterfall’s applause must have drowned out his arrival because she startled when he came around the corner. Then she saw him, and her face stretched into a smile.

  “Look.”

  She led him toward what looked like a tiny pond inside the pool, set apart by a tidy row of stones. In the incandescent light, boldly colored fish swam around in lazy circles, gold, orange, and red. When he moved closer, a few darted away, taking cover under the creamy water lilies that dotted the surface.

  When he turned to Lacey, he recognized her expression. She wanted to gauge his reaction. He knew the need to be the person who introduced someone else to something amazing. The phenomenon was one reserved for people whose opinions really mattered. The idea that Lacey wanted to impress him gave him a bone-deep satisfaction, because he sure as shit wanted to impress her. Show her new things. Blow her mind.

  His cock twitched, and he struggled to keep his eyes on the fish. No way he wanted to backslide again like they had on the beach, not when they were just gaining ground.

  “Cool, right?” Lacey pressed.

  “Very. I’ve always wanted a koi pond, but this is over the top.”

  “It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. I don’t care what I have to do, but some day I’m getting one of these.”

  She looked so happy, so fucking hopeful at that moment, he wished he had a camera. Something about a happy, hopeful Lacey made him feel damned good inside.

  He handed her the drink. “Want some?”

  “Yeah.” She turned full around to face him. Her nude bra was plastered to her like a second skin, but it had stayed fairly opaque. He must have made a sound, some indication of his disappointment, because she frowned.

  “You okay?”

  “Yep. Fine,” he lied.

  She took the drink and sipped delicately. “Oh, yum. I could so get used to this place.”

  “Are you glad we came?”

  “To Puerto Rico or to Cyrus and Nikki’s?”

  “Both. Either.”

  She tipped her head to the side and regarded him for a long moment before nodding. “Yeah, I am. When I get back home, I’m going to try to do things differently. You were right about regrets. I think I’m sick of missing out.”

  “Are you?” He hadn’t meant the words to sound loaded, but there they were. Dripping with challenge, ripe with questions.

  “Yes. From now on, I’m taking every opportunity to try new th—” She paused and her eyes went wide. “Wait, th-that’s not the same thing,” she said, but her voice was so low, he wasn’t sure whether she was trying to convince him or herself, so he stayed silent. “I want to. You have no idea how much I want to,” she added with a short laugh. “But there’d be something hanging over it. Something ugly. And after all the times I’ve thought of—” She took a gulp of mojito, then turned her bourbon-colored eyes on him. “How about a compromise? One kiss, here under the waterfall, so I can remember this exact place and moment of freedom with you. No regrets.”

  His mind was racing faster than Usain Bolt at the Olympics. He was so caught up with the After all the times I’ve thought of part, he almost missed the invitation. Almost.

  He plucked the drink from her fingers and set it on a flat rock, then took her hand. He didn’t speak as they made their way toward the waterfall, afraid to break the spell. When they reached the shelf of rocks beneath the rushing water, he turned and put his hands on her waist. “Ready?”

  She nodded, her eyes wide, and he stepped under the spray, pulling her in with him. For a second, they were pummeled with a hard blast, but then it was gone, and they were behind the wall of water, tucked into the hidden space behind the waterfall.

  In spite of her obvious nerves, she stepped closer, bridging the gap between them until they touched. “This is for watching my fights and rooting for me,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “And this is for being brave and accepting my dare.” He pressed a second kiss on the tip of her nose. “And this is for dumping that dickhead Marty.” The next kiss landed on the corner of her mouth, and she parted her lips on a sigh. His heart hammered so loudly, he wondered if she heard it.

  “And this one? This one is because I want you so bad, it’s making me question my sanity.” He tipped his head low as blood rushed to his ears, the grind of need demanding that he slant his mouth over hers and take and take and take. But when his lips touched hers, he was consumed by an even stronger desire to sip and nip and taste. He traced her plump bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, then sank his teeth softly into the tender flesh.

  “Oh, my,” she whispered.

  He breathed in her gasp and smiled against her mouth. “Oh your what?”

  “That’s nice.” She shimm
ied closer to him, wedging herself between the V of his thighs, smashing her soft breasts against his chest. “Again,” she demanded.

  He groaned and dove in for more. She wrapped her slim arms around his waist and clung to him, sliding her tongue against his, whimpering low in her throat. She sucked at his bottom lip, each pull of her mouth sending a pulse of pleasure through him. Her mouth was liquid fire, sweet and tart from the drink, and it took all of his will not to consume her. Take complete control of the kiss and more. So much more…

  Only a kiss.

  She nipped him then, sweeping her tongue over the sensitive flesh on the inside of his bottom lip. Her boldness sent blood rushing to his cock and he tipped his hips closer, trying to ease the ache. She responded with a moan of approval, grinding her pelvic bone against him in the most erotic of dances. Her breasts heaved against his chest, the softness beckoning him. He trailed his fingers from the soft curve of hip over the dip of her waist and traced her rib cage. The pulsing of her hips against him grew faster, harder as his thumb traced patterns right where her bra met skin.

  “Please,” she murmured against his mouth.

  Goddammit, this was only supposed to be a kiss, his conscience bellowed. But as he pulled back and saw the naked hunger on her face, he could no more deny her at that moment than he could sprout wings and fly away.

  He held her gaze as he slipped his index finger beneath her bra strap and slid it slowly down her shoulder. The upper swell of her breast came into view, inch by glorious inch, until the wet fabric caught on her tight little nipple. His cock bucked against his boxers, and he groaned.

  “One taste,” he promised, not sure whether he was trying to convince her or himself.