by Maya Banks
He helped her up, and she surprised him by wrapping her arms around his stomach and hugging him tight. As she laid her head on his chest, he raised his arms to hug her back. He stroked a hand over her hair and kissed the top of her head.
When she drew away, she looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling with happiness. “Give me a few minutes to get my suit on.”
He walked to the bedroom with her and while she was putting on her bikini, he dug his swim trunks from his suitcase. When he looked back over at her, she was struggling with the strings to her top.
“Let me,” he offered as he moved over to where she was standing.
She relinquished the ties, and he secured them in a quick knot. His gaze wandered downward to the tiny scrap of material charged with covering her ass. He raised a brow as she turned around to face him.
“Not that I’m complaining, but I really doubt that thing you call a suit will keep the sand out of your woo woo.”
She grinned. “I guess I’ll just have to be very, very careful.”
He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her. With reluctance he pulled away and reached for her hand. “Let’s go before I become a complete animal and fuck you senseless again.”
She blushed, but he could see the spark of desire in her eyes before she quickly looked away.
They walked out the French doors and out on the deck. The sun beamed hot on them as they walked down the wooden ramp leading to the beach.
Faith gazed out over the water as her feet hit the sand. Today the water was greener, not as muddy as it had been the first day she’d arrived. There was a sparkle to the water that was inviting.
She glanced down at Gray’s hand entwined with hers and couldn’t help the surge of happiness that filled her. With a mischievous smile, she broke free of his hand and dashed toward the water.
“Last one in is a rotten egg!”
He took off after her, and she ran shrieking into the water. Water splashed in all directions as she charged into the surf. She slowed when the waves reached her knees but continued to wade out into the warm water.
Gray caught up to her and scooped her up in his arms. She let out a yelp as he grinned evilly down at her.
“I may be a rotten egg, but you’re going to be a drowned rat.”
“You wouldn’t,” she dared.
He arched one sexy brow before tossing her into the air. She sailed several feet and landed with a splash in the deeper water. Her head went under, and she came back up, sputtering and coughing.
He was there, wrapping his arms around her. He hauled her up against him and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and returned his kiss. When he pulled away, she launched herself at him, knocking him over into the surf.
She laughed as he dragged her with him and they both fell under the water. She got a mouthful of salty water again, but it was worth it to see the look on his face when he’d fallen.
They laughed and they played. Faith couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt so happy and carefree. And Gray had lost the driven, intense look he’d worn so often since his arrival. She harbored a teeny tiny hope that she was responsible for the relaxed expression he now wore.
After an hour of swimming, they dragged themselves back onto the beach. She was waterlogged, and her tender bits were starting to chafe from the salt and the sand.
Gray wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her temple. “Let’s go shower and wash the sand off, and then I’ll make us dinner.”
She moved closer to him and wrapped her arm around his waist as well, as they headed back up to the beach house. She shivered when they stepped into the air-conditioned interior. Gray rubbed his hand up and down her arm and hurried her toward the bathroom.
While he turned the shower on, she stripped out of her bikini and waited for the water to warm. Then he gestured for her to step in with him.
The steam rose from the heated water, and she sighed in sheer bliss when he pulled her into the spray. He soaped her body with gentle hands, taking care to get all the sand.
She closed her eyes and let the water spill over her face while he soaped himself. A few seconds later, he cupped her cheek, and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her.
“Ready to get out?” he asked.
She smiled and nodded.
He turned the water off and stepped out. He reached his hand back to her and pulled her out beside him. Once again he dried her, taking his time as he rubbed the towel over her body.
When he was done, he pulled her up and kissed her lightly on the lips. “You go get dressed, and I’ll start dinner. We’ll eat out on the deck.”
While Gray cooked, Faith sat in the kitchen and kept him company. They talked about unimportant things. Laughed. Chatted. It was comfortable. No awkward lapses.
He handed her plates and utensils, and she walked out onto the deck to set the small table. The sun had set, and the breeze blowing off the water was cooler now. She arranged the plates and turned back toward the doors. She met Gray, who was carrying a platter of pasta in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.
“The bread’s on the bar if you’ll get it,” he said.
When she returned with the small basket of rolls, he had dished out portions of the food onto their plates and was sitting at the table waiting for her.
She sat down and glanced at the wonderful-smelling pasta. She picked up her fork and took a bite. It melted on her tongue, and she made a sound of appreciation.
“I feel so spoiled,” she admitted.
He raised a brow in question.
“I’ve done nothing since you got here. I haven’t lifted so much as a finger.”
He smiled lazily, his eyes glittering as he stared back at her. “You’re doing exactly what I’ve asked you to do. I couldn’t ask for more, and I couldn’t be more satisfied.”
Warmth surged to her cheeks. She swallowed at the fierce look in his eyes.
“Eat,” he said huskily.
They ate as night fell around them. As the stars popped across the sky and the moon, now full, rose over the water, she sipped at her wine and sat back in her chair.
Her gaze drifted across the table to Gray when he stood and began collecting the dishes. When she started to get up to help, he motioned her back down.
“I’ll be back in just a second. You sit here and relax. It’s a beautiful evening.”
That it was. Waves crashed in the background. The moon cast its pale glow over the beach. The sand crystals winked and glistened as the water chased up and down the shore.
A few minutes later, he returned carrying a blanket. She looked curiously as he settled onto one of the loungers. Then he looked up at her and crooked his finger.
“Come here.”
She rose and walked over to him. He patted his lap and motioned for her to turn around and sit. He spread his legs and pulled her down into the chair with him.
As she settled against his chest, he tossed the blanket over them and pulled it up to her chest. Then he slid his arms underneath and wrapped them around her body, cradling her to him.
He held her tightly and rested his chin on top of her head as they both stared out over the water.
“Gray?” she asked in a low voice.
“Yes, baby?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
She hesitated, not sure how to voice what she wanted to ask.
“Is this…is this just sex between us?”
His arms tightened around her, and she could feel the breath catch in his chest.
“No, Faith. It’s definitely not just sex.”
She wanted to press. Wanted to ask him more, but she contented herself with his answer. She didn’t want to push him away.
So she relaxed against him, content to enjoy the night in his arms.
CHAPTER 34
Gray woke to a buzzing vibration in his pocket. He blinked, disoriented, as his surroundings came into focus. The pale light of pre
dawn lay soft over the ocean. In his arms, Faith sighed and snuggled deeper under the covers.
They’d slept all night on the deck.
The buzzing stopped, and he realized it was his cell phone. Carefully, so he didn’t disturb Faith, he eased his hand into his pocket and dug out his phone.
He flipped it open to see who had called. Micah. He punched the Send button to call him back and shoved the phone to his ear.
“Hey, man,” Micah said. “Hope I didn’t wake you and Faith.”
Gray grunted. “You woke me. Didn’t wake Faith.”
“Ah good. Look, I just got into Galveston, and I’m headed your way. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
Gray frowned. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, just wanted to give you a report and see how you guys were doing.”
Gray looked down at Faith. “That’s fine. There’s something I wanted to run by you anyway. I have a feeling you might be interested.”
“I’m intrigued now. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Gray closed the phone and set it down beside the lounger. He gathered Faith a little closer in his arms and kissed her soft hair. He was curious as to how she’d react to what he had planned. She’d been so open to everything else so far.
With infinite care, he maneuvered out of the lounger then bent to pick Faith up. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. She stirred when he began undressing her, but he murmured soothingly to her, and she never fully woke.
He pulled the covers back so that she was exposed, and then he retrieved the rope he’d tossed aside. He gently eased her arms above her head and bound her wrists together. Then he took the long end of the rope and stretched it to the bedpost, wrapping it around it several times.
Satisfied that she’d be comfortable but wouldn’t be able to move from the bed, he headed for the bathroom to take a shower. Five minutes later, he dressed and peeked into the bedroom one last time. She was still sound asleep.
He walked into the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on. He’d just poured his first cup when a knock sounded at the front door. He ambled over to open it and saw Micah standing on the porch.
“Want coffee?” he asked by way of greeting.
Micah followed him inside. “Yeah, sounds great. I was up way too damn early this morning.”
Gray poured him a cup and slid it along the bar. Micah grasped it in both hands and sipped at the hot brew.
“So what’s going on?” Gray asked in a low voice.
Micah looked up at him and then around. “Faith still asleep?”
“Yeah, she won’t be walking in until I go get her, so you won’t have to worry about her hearing.”
Micah raised one brow.
Gray laughed. “I tied her to the bed.”
A flicker of interest stirred in Micah’s eyes. One that didn’t go unnoticed by Gray.
“Well, so far, the plan to bust Samuels hasn’t gone too well,” Micah said.
“Tell me,” Gray said tersely.
“He made the decoy we put in place. Not sure how. He followed her to the office one morning. I thought he was going to make his move, but then he gave us the slip.”
Gray swore. “Has he made any contact since then?”
Micah shook his head. “For all we know, he’s in Mexico by now.”
“He’d be stupid to hang around,” Gray said. “He has to know we’re on to him now.”
“That’s my thinking. You’re buddy Mick isn’t taking it well.”
Gray sighed. “Mick needs to go the hell back to Dallas and let the locals handle it. He’s lost all perspective. He’s crazy with grief and can’t see beyond his need for revenge.”
Micah nodded. “At any rate, I wanted to let you know what was going on. And I needed to get away from that place for a few hours. The tension is thick. Pop is pissed. Connor is on edge. Nathan and I are just trying to stay the hell out of the way and let them do their thing.”
Gray studied Micah for a long moment. “You might as well stay for a while. I have a proposition for you that you might find interesting.”
Faith yawned and opened her eyes. When she tried to roll over, her arms twisted above her and held fast. She pulled slightly and realized that her hands were tied to the bed. Her second realization was that she was naked.
She smiled. The last thing she remembered was going to sleep on the deck in Gray’s arms. Sometime during the night he must have carried her to bed, stripped her naked and tied her to the bed.
Which could only mean he planned more naughty things.
Arousal hummed low in her groin. Her stomach fluttered, and her nipples tightened in anticipation. Would he spank her again? Fuck her ass?
She moaned low and twisted her legs as she remembered the way he’d taken and mastered her body. Owned it. There wasn’t an inch of her body he hadn’t marked in some way, and it gave her a delicious thrill to remember in exacting detail the way it had made her feel.
A sound at the door made her turn her head in that direction. Her mouth fell open in surprise when she saw Micah standing there. His gaze raked over her body, and a primitive light gleamed in his eyes.
Suddenly she felt way too naked and way too vulnerable.
“Gorgeous,” Micah murmured.
He started forward, walking with slow, measured steps as if he didn’t want to frighten her. She wasn’t frightened. That didn’t aptly describe what she was feeling. Confused. But aroused. Where was Gray?
Her question was answered a few seconds later when Gray walked in. Her gaze went to him in question.
Micah stopped at the foot of the bed while Gray sat down on the bed beside her head and leaned in close to her ear. He reached up to fumble with the rope around her wrists.
“If you don’t want this, all you have to do is say no,” he whispered in her ear. “If you don’t want this to happen, I’ll make him leave, and it’ll be just you and me.”
Excitement curled in her veins and raced through her body. She searched his face for any sign of what he was thinking. Her deepest fear wasn’t of having sex with Micah. If she was honest, the idea turned her on. Her fear was of how Gray would react. Would she lose any chance she had with him if she consented to being with another man?
“You’re okay with this?” she whispered back.
He touched her face, stroked her cheek with his fingers. “If I wasn’t okay with it, Micah wouldn’t be here. We all have kinks. This just happens to be one of mine.”
He bent and sucked her nipple between his teeth and gave it a sharp nip. Then he reached up and tugged the remaining rope from her hands and backed off the bed.
She glanced over at Micah, who was unzipping his pants. Her heart pounded, and her mouth went dry. Her gaze flitted back to Gray, who was watching her with simmering eyes.
“Do as he tells you,” Gray said in husky voice. “For now I’m giving you to him. You’re ours to do with what we want.”
She shivered, and nervous excitement curled in her stomach. She looked back at Micah, who’d pulled his cock from his pants and walked to the edge of the bed.
She stared, unable to drag her gaze away from the dark hair at his groin. Black and silky. His hand wrapped around the base and still, a few inches remained above his hand. He wasn’t as thick as Gray, but he looked longer.
“Come over here, baby doll, and wrap your mouth around my dick,” Micah said, his voice low and husky.
She got to her hands and knees and slowly crawled to the edge where he stood. She was nervous. How much of the initiative should she take? With Gray, she knew she didn’t have to make any awkward decisions, but she wasn’t sure how forceful Micah was.
She didn’t have to wait long to find out.
As soon as she got close enough, he reached out and tangled his hand in her hair. With one hand on his cock, guiding it toward her mouth, he bunched her hair in his other and pulled her with a sharp yank until the head of his cock slid past her lips.
He
removed his hand from his erection and arched his hips, thrusting deep within her mouth. He threaded both hands through her hair now and held her head as he fucked her mouth with forceful thrusts.
He moaned appreciatively as she relaxed her jaw and took him deeper.
“Faith, baby, seeing you naked may have been in my top-ten fantasies, but fucking you definitely topped the list. I have very vivid fantasies of all the ways I’d like to take you.”
She moaned around his cock and closed her eyes.
“You like that?” he murmured as he stroked to the back of her throat.
She nodded her head.
He ran gentle hands through her hair, fingering the strands. And then without warning, a stinging pain rocketed over her ass. She gasped, and Micah sent his cock even deeper into her mouth.
Behind her, Gray brought the crop down again on her ass, and she jumped as the crack filled the air.
“Oh goddamn,” Micah muttered. “You have the sweetest ass, Faith. It looks so pretty with those red welts on it.”
Gray struck again, and she whimpered even as the burn disappeared and the flush of pleasure radiated over her heated skin.
He set a rhythm, one destined to push her to the very edge of her limits. Caught between two men, she was mindless in her pleasure even as she gave them pleasure in return.
She lost count of the blows as they rained down on her behind, each one harder than the last. She was no longer aware of anything but the cock sliding in and out of her mouth and the crop landing on her ass.
Micah’s hands tightened in her hair, and he yanked himself from her mouth. She gasped for breath as the blows subsided.
“Turn around,” Micah ordered.
Gingerly, she rotated, positioning herself on her hands and knees with her aching ass to Micah. She looked up to see Gray standing at the bed, the crop still in his hand. He stared at her with stark approval in his eyes.
She heard the crinkle of a wrapper. Then Micah roughly grabbed her ass in his hands, causing her to moan as jagged pleasure shot to her pussy. He spread her, and thrust inside her. No workup, no teasing. He was balls deep. Urgent. Impatient.