Page 60 of Love Beyond the Illusion
“Yes. All of it. I haven’t lived here for almost ten years. Despite visiting once or twice yearly for the holidays, I haven’t been back,” I tell her, releasing only a fraction of the apprehension I’ve felt for some time.
“I can see that. This is a lot to deal with, especially since it wasn’t something you’ve ever wanted to do.” She looks up at me from her long eyelashes. Piper doesn’t see me as some ungrateful heir to a successful business. She shows a basic understanding of the desire to break free. To her, I’m just Jack.
“That’s the thing. I do want to do this. I feel like I’m finally at a time in my life when I’m more prepared to take it on than ever.” My eyes fall to her tits, which are pushed together. The tiny triangles of her bikini barely contain them. I want to run my finger along their soft skin and let my tongue explore between them.That might make me feel better.
Piper dips her head down, as if she can feel my eyes boring into her. I hope she knows how tempting she is. I’ve wanted nothing more than to taste those soft lips once again as I continue to keep her close like I have been each night. She’s become essential to me in achieving adequate sleep.
“Why did you leave then? If you always knew this was your path, why avoid it?” she challenges.
I exhale deeply. “I never wanted to take over solely because everything was given to me. I wanted it to be my choice. I needed to make my own way first. Maybe proving to myself that I was capable of other things? And now that I’ve done that, naturally, this seems like the next step.”
She nods. “I get it, but I also think it was courageous and respectable of you to want to prove your worth. You should be proud of that.”
I open my mouth to speak but notice her skin breaking out in goosebumps as the top half of her body is exposed to the chilly early morning weather. I want to keep her warm, feeling her body on mine.
“Here, let’s get you out. The air has got to be cold after swimming in that heated water.” I reach over and grab the towel off the chair behind me.
Piper lifts herself out of the water. She walks into the open towel and my waiting arms.
“Thank you.” Her teeth chatter. I hug her tighter, lowering my chin on the top of her head. There’s a drumming between us, and I’m unsure if it’s her heart or mine. Or both. Piper looks up at me through the water droplets that fall from her eyelashes, her long hair hanging loose and soaking down her back. The undeniable tension between us has elevated exponentially, and I don’t know what to do with it.
My dick starts to harden, growing between us. I drop my arms for fear she’ll feel it. “We should go back to bed.”
“Okay.” Her hazel-green eyes stared deep into mine.
I suck in a gulp of air and fight the urge to rip off that stupid bikini. Instead, we go back to our villa. I barely hear Piper’s footfalls behind me, so I must be a few steps away, but I can feel her energy penetrating the back of my neck.
We walk through the door together, Piper aiming right for the bathroom, probably to take a shower. I collapse on the side of the bed with my head in my hands.
Fuck.
I hear the faucet turn on in the shower, and that simple sound causes my blood to pump through my body like a powerful current. I know she’s naked in there. I need to go on a run. I can’t be in this room anymore. I swipe a notepad and pen from the desk in the corner of the room and write her a note explaining that I’m going on a run, and I’ll be back later this morning. I rip it off and slide it under the bathroom door.
The sexual chemistry between us is getting harder to deny. I see what I do to her when we’re close and recognizing that only makes it all impossible to ignore.
I only get halfway down the hill before I turn around and head back. Piper brings out so many different sides of me. Sometimes, all I want to do is cuddle her, keep her, and protect her. Other times I want to defile her—fucking her so hard that she won’t have enough energy ever to get off my dick. I dream about falling asleep intertwined in each other and with me nestled deep inside of her. I bet I’d get the best sleep of my life that way.
I walk up to the small door of our villa only a few minutes later. The dark windows showing no sign of light tell me she’s most likely returned to bed. I intended to stay out longer, but I forgot my cell phone in my frantic rush to get away. I’m sleeping on the couch or the floor until I can get this under control.
Quietly, I slide the key into the door, slowly press down on the silver metal handle, and then push it open. I squeeze myself into the small crack I’ve created and gently close it behind me. The short hallway is dark, with only a tiny slice of moonlight shining in through the shutters. I remove my shoes and then turn the corner into the bedroom.
A low buzzing sound alerts me that Piper is not asleep.Is that what I think it is?A shot of excitement zips through me, shaking my entire body. My senses heighten as I walk right up to the side of the bed, where the dull buzz continues underneath a mound of blankets. My legs lock into place, not sure what to do. I stand back, flipping through all the ways I can handle this situation. I could walk discreetly into the bathroom and make a loud noise so she could hide what she was doing, saving her the embarrassment of knowing that I found out. Or I can pull these blankets off her and participate. My dick stiffens. Piper is my wife and my fake girlfriend, and it’s obvious that I’ve gotten her all worked up from our proximity out in the pool.
Fuck it.
A growl forms in my throat. I’m about to do something that will significantly change the dynamics of our relationship. Nothing with Piper and me has been typical—it’s all been based on gut feelings, living in the moment, and rash decisions.
In one swift motion, I jerk the covers away, letting them fall to the floor.
“Jack!” Piper screams, throwing her pink vibrator off the bed and across the room. She scrambles to cover herself with two pillows. “What the hell are you doing? I thought you went on a run!”
I smile. “I did.”
Her breasts bounce up and down with the rhythm of her breath, and her face and chest are flushed pink. Damn, she’s sexy.
“Did you come yet?” I ask with a stern expression. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right.
“What?”
