Chapter Nine - Darla

It’s a beautiful night. There’s a gentle ocean breeze causing the flames from the fire pits dotting the beach to flicker. Strands of lights wrapped around the trunks of palm trees give off a buttery soft glow. Island music plays quietly in the background.

Sitting across the table from me, Gage studies me in silence.

“Should we go check on Lilah?” I nervously twirl the straw in my drink. It’s the first time we’ve been together without her.

“Don’t you trust Emily?” His eyebrow hitches.

“Of course, I do.” I huff. “But technically they’re still on their honeymoon. I don’t think babysitting a nine-year old is what newlyweds traditionally do.”

“Tradition?” Gage throws his head back laughing. “They were engaged in two days, married in three. I don’t think they’re going to do anything traditional. Do you?”

“You have a point.” My lip twitches.

“You can smile, you know. I won’t bite.”

“What are we doing?” I blurt. “Why are we here?”

Gage sits back, folds his hands and steeples his fingers under his chin. “Why do you think we’re here?”

“To discuss how we will share custody of Lilah.” My stomach sinks. “You should know you can see her whenever you want. I will never keep you from her again. You have my word.”

“That’s not why we’re here.” Looking into my eyes, he says, “I’m here for you.”

Butterflies whirl through my chest. “For me?”

“Yes.” He reaches across the table to rest his hand over mine. The physical contact makes it hard to catch my breath. “It’s time for us to get to know each other again.”

“What are you saying?” I blink. “We’re not strangers.”

“No, we’re not.” His thumb sweeps across the back of my hand. “Let me put it to you this way…” he tilts his head, “Despite my best valiant efforts, I have never stopped loving you, babe. Never. Now you’re here. I’m here. And I want to see where this goes.”

Sweat trickles down my back. There’s a high-pitched buzzing in my ears. He’s never stopped loving me? I glance around the beach to see if I’m being punked. “Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, you need to know I’m not laughing.”

“This is not a joke.” Gage drags his chair across the sand parking himself right on top of me. “I’m dead serious, hotshot.” He lifts my chin so that we’re eye to eye. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

Before I can pull away, his mouth is on mine. The pressure is soft, gentle. Our lips moving, melding, tasting. I sigh. My hands stroke along the edge of his jaw pulling him closer. A growl of pleasure rumbles through his chest. The kiss starts to heat turning from sweet and gentle to hungry. I nip at his mouth and slip my tongue inside. Desire ripples through me burning me from the inside out. I want to be skin to skin. I break away, gasping.

“We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“We absolutely should be doing this, babe. You are the only woman for me and it’s now my life’s mission to make sure you know it. And you trust it.” He licks his lips. “You taste good.”

He’s serious. I know that look in his eye. My heart thumps wildly in my chest. “How much time do we have?”

“What?”

“What time are Emily and Jake coming back to the hotel with Lilah?”

His eyes widen. “The movie gets out in an hour.”

I drag my hands up his muscular thighs. “Take me to your room.”

“Are you sure?”

I can’t believe I’m doing this, maybe Emily’s spontaneity is rubbing off of me. I stand up and hold out my hand. “I’ve never be more sure of anything in my life. We’ve wasted ten years, Mr. Harlow. Let’s not waste one more minute.”

Gage bursts to his feet grinning from ear to ear like a kid on Christmas morning. “Only if this is what you want.”

I stand on my tiptoes, slide my hands up his chest and smile. “I want.”

The hotel lobby is a blur as he drags me past the concierge desk and straight to the bank of elevators. He wraps his arm around my waist and tucks me into his side, tapping his foot while we wait with a family of four. I pat him on the chest. “Breathe, baby.”

He looks down at me. “Fifty-eight minutes.”

I burst out laughing. “You’re killing me.”

“Fifty-seven.” The elevator dings, he pulls me inside and places my back to his front. “I need cover.” He whispers in my ear.

I start laughing again, but it slowly dies as he tugs me closer and I feel how hard he is.

When the elevator stops on his floor, we shuffle out like a couple of goofy teenagers. He opens the door to his room and we hurry inside. As soon as the door is latched, I untie the halter of my dress and let it pool at my feet.

“My hips are fuller than the last time we were together.” I blush.

He rips off his shirt and tosses it across the room. “They’re amazing. Come here, baby.” He lifts me up, wrapping my legs around his hips.

“You’re going to hurt yourself picking me up.”

He nibbles at my lips. “You are perfect in every way, baby.”

I tip my head back, close my eyes and lose myself to the sensation of his hot mouth moving down my neck until he finds my breasts. He moans as he teases my hard nipples. The sound has lust burning through my veins. “Gage…” I moan. I slide my hands over his chest to his shoulders. His flesh warm and hard under my palms. “Take me to the bed.”

He carries me to the bed and lays me down on my back. He takes off his shorts, then crawls over me, planting his gorgeous arms on either side of my head.

“Do you want me to stop, baby?”

“No.” I bite down on my lip suddenly filled with anxiety. “I don’t want you to stop…but…uhm…I don’t know if…”

He freezes. “You don’t know what?”

“I haven’t been with anyone since you. I don’t know if I’ll be any good. I might be a huge disappointment.”

He rests his forehead against mine. His washboard abs ripple against my stomach as he silently laughs.

“You are such a sweet thing,” he murmurs in my ear. “You could never disappoint me. Not even on your worst day. You were amazing back in college and I know you’re going to be amazing tonight.” He kisses my neck, nibbling on my earlobe.

“I hope you’re right.” I arch back grinding my pelvis against his, every inch of my body on fire.

“I’m right.” His husky voice makes my heart flutter.

I pull his mouth to mine. “Kiss me.”

I melt as his fingers wind into my hair. My hands stroke along his sides pulling him closer until his big, heavy body is molded against mine. Our tongues tangle in a dance. My hips surge forward as my once dormant sex drive roars to life demanding to be fed. a fierce shiver of pleasure jolts through my body.

“Gage…” I moan into his mouth.

With a single thrust he slides into me. “Home,” he whispers against my skin. “I’m home.”

He pulls his hips back, snaps them forward, thrusting hard and deliciously deep. “You like that, baby?”

“Yes.” I claw at his back. “Give me more.”

Over, and over he thrusts. My eyes slide shut as I completely let go, giving myself over to the sensation. Moans, deep guttural moans, pour out of me. Suddenly, I thrash and buck against him.

Gage growls. “That’s my girl.” His body tightens, he throws his head back and gnashes his teeth. “Not…going…to last…”

I throw my legs around his hips holding on for dear life. “Me…either…oh, god…Gage…” an orgasm races through me.

Gage’s body clenches and I can feel him throbbing inside of me. When he collapses against me, I can’t stop smiling.

“I told you…” He mutters into the mattress. “Amazing.”

I kiss his shoulder and sigh. “Yes.”

“And you worried you’d disappoint me.”

“I know.” I slowly drag my nails down his back. “Now I’m worried about something else.”

“What would that be, baby?” He leans over me brushing hair from my cheek.

God, he’s beautiful. I’ve missed him. Missed us. Missed feeling so alive. I kiss the tip of his nose. “How many minutes do we have left?”

His eyes crinkle at the corners. “Are you saying you’d like to do that again?”

“I’m absolutely saying that.” I brush my thumb along his bottom lip. “Except, I want top this time.”

Gage flips us so fast my head was spinning. His big, blue eyes burn into mine. “Twenty-one minutes, baby. Make them count.”

“Buckle up, honey.” I grab his shaft and give it a little squeeze.

He hisses, rolling his hips. “Baby, that feels so good.”

I slowly drag his sex through my wet core. “How about this? Do you like this?”

“Yes.” He digs his fingers into my bottom. “God, yes.”

“Take a deep breath, baby.” I arch up. “Here comes the best twenty-one minutes of your life.”