Page 14 of Price of Paradise

Gunner couldn’t get enough of Mae. Jesus, he was becoming obsessed. It wasn’t just her body either. Although her long, shapely legs and the round globes of her ass were a thing of beauty. Not to mention her more-than-a-handful breasts. Damn, he all but clamped his jaw tight against the need to lean down and take a nibble of her creamy flesh—swimsuit and all.

Yeah, her body was fucking work of art, but it was her sweet nature, the warmth he’d witnessed in her eyes when they’d made love. She’d surrendered to him. And he’d enjoyed the hell out of her. Wanted more. A weekend wasn’t going to be enough. He was sure of that much.

Mae’s skin was the gentlest shade of honey with a slight redness at the tops of her shoulders from the little bit of sunexposure. She’d swept her long red hair into a messy pile of curls on top of her head. Little tendrils kept falling down, tempting him to reach out and play with a few of the shiny strands. They were scattered around her nape and sticking to her skin. But that wasn’t what had him as hard as a damn railroad spike. It was the barely there suit she’d chosen to torment him with. It had little ties around the neck, all but daring a man to pull the string and find the treasures beneath. Gunner stopped his survey, wishing like hell he could tamp down his raging boner.

He forced his brain back on task, then squirted some of the thick, white cream into his hands and started on her back. It took only a few seconds before she relaxed and closed her eyes.

Leaning close to her ear, Gunner whispered, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Mae’s eyelids fluttered and her gaze caught his. “We’re in Miami, Gunner. There are numerous tanned, blond beauties all over this hotel.”

“You don’t understand, Mae,” he argued, as he squirted more lotion onto his hands before starting on her shoulders and arms. “There’s more to beauty than a pretty package.”

She closed her eyes once more. “What’s your idea of beauty, then?”

“It’s in the way your warm green eyes fill with mischief whenever you think you’ve managed to get a dig in.”

She laughed. “I don’t do that.”

“Do too.” With her arms coated, Gunner moved to her legs, working from her feet up. “Beauty is when your pretty, ruby lips curve upward whenever I’m lucky enough to get you to smile at me.” He drizzled lotion over her calves and worked it into her skin. “Beauty is that big, tender heart of yours. That’s the part of you I like most, by the way.”

She lifted her head and squinted at him. “My heart? Really?”

He shrugged. “Since the day I hired you I knew you were going to turn my boring world upside down.”

As he massaged her thighs, Mae moaned and dropped her head to the blanket. “Your world wasn’t boring. Just a bit too…black and white.”

“It needed color,” he admitted. “It neededyou. So did my business.” Gunner let his fingers drift between her legs, just barely grazing her pussy through the swimsuit. Mae went rigid. He patted her bottom and stretched out on his own chair. “You want to know what else I find beautiful about you?”

“W-what?”

“The way your body responds to mine,” he growled. “A single touch and you’re ready for me, aren’t you, baby girl?”

“Don’t boast,” she admonished. “Boasting isn’t attractive.”

“True, but you have the same effect on me, you know. All you have to do is look at me and I’m putty in your hands,” Gunner admitted as he glared at a man walking by. The fucker stared at Mae as if he wanted to snack on her. Gunner had the urge to trip him. After the guy was gone, Gunner growled, “I’m not the only one at this hotel that finds you hot as hell.”

Mae’s eyes shot open, and she looked around. Her gaze came back to his and she frowned. “Seems I’m not the only woman who finds you attractive either. Guess that makes us even.”

He kissed her sun-warmed cheek and murmured, “As long as I’m the only one spreading cream on your sexy curves, I’m fine with it.”

“Right back at you,” she said, sitting up and taking hold of the bottle. When she poured some of the lotion into her palm and smoothed it between her hands, Gunner groaned.

By the time Mae finished, they’d both gotten a little too overheated. It’d taken all his strength not to give into his dick’sdemands to take Mae right then and there.

Chapter Six

Gunner had kept his mouth off her. No small feat. Still, he knew that if he had pressed his lips against her pretty flesh, he would’ve dragged her off to the nearest dark corner. No way would he have had the self-control to keep from moving her tiny bathing suit aside and just sliding his cock deep.

Christ, when had he become so greedy? Hell, he never allowed his cock to rule the show. Of course, that was before he’d sampled Mae. Before he’d seen her eyes go dark with passion. Before he’d watched her shout out her pleasure. All other women paled compared to her. He’d always known that if he ever got her out of the office and into bed he’d never be the same again.

He was no fool. Mae was the only woman for him. He’d thought it was her business savvy at first. Later he’d come to rely on her as a friend. But now it was more. Far more. She’d somehow wiggled her way into his heart, and damned if he didn’t like her there.

Gunner watched as Mae swiped her keycard over the lock on the hotel room door and turned the knob. Once they were both inside, he tossed his wallet and phone on the coffee table. Mae turned around, and Gunner watched as she put her beach bag on the floor. They stood in the center of the room, watching each other. She was turned on. He could see the way her breathing increased, the darkening of her green eyes. The knowledge turned him on something fierce. Hell if he could wait until they reached the bed. He moved, pinning her against the nearest wall.

“Fuck,” he growled as he lowered his head and kissed her. Mae lifted up on her tiptoes, then opened her mouth. Gunner took advantage and delved inside. His tongue tangled with hers. She tasted sweet, but he wanted more. He wanted all of her. Hegripped the hem of her cover-up and hiked it up. Soon, their swimsuits were littering the floor and he was pushing his cock inside her tight heat. God, she felt good. Tight and hot, and so fucking slick with her juices. Then he remembered. No condom. He pulled out instantly.

“Christ, I can’t believe I forgot.”

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