20. Galvin

galvin

. . .

A fter dinner and dessert, the four of them left Diego’s. Caroline took Galvin by the arm and led her away from Dune and Sail.

“I’m so happy you came out to dinner tonight. I really haven’t made any friends, other than Ana,” Caroline said. “Working for Pearl and being engaged to Dune has made it hard. Most of the employees won’t really talk to me and the women around here can be standoffish. Especially the ones who know him and he rebuffed.” Caroline rolled her eyes.

“This is where you’re lucky,” she continued. “Sail doesn’t have the rep Dune does.” Caroline looked at Galvin. “Can you believe the nickname he has? Captain Blue Balls,” she said in a mocking tone. “There’s nothing blue about his balls.”

Galvin snickered. “I think that’s very TMI.”

Caroline looked over her shoulder. Galvin did the same. The brothers walked a good distance behind them, but still close enough to get to them if needed.

“Look at them.” Caroline sighed. “They look just like their dad. All rugged and handsome. Wait until you see them in the summer. They get so tan and their blue eyes just pop. Mesmerizing.”

“You’re talking about your future father-in-law.”

Caroline cackled. “You’ve seen him. Don’t even pretend you weren’t like, ‘hey, silver fox.’ Lord knows I was when I first met him.”

Galvin blushed. She’d been so nervous when she met Jack, she never gave his looks a second thought. Now though, she definitely agreed with Caroline. The Carter men were lookers. It was easy to see why most of the female population on the island ogled them.

“Pearl chose well,” Galvin said.

“We all hit the jackpot.”

Galvin nodded. She looked over her shoulder again at Sail. Even though they were at a crosswalk, waiting for the signal to turn, the men gave them space. They had to know Caroline and Galvin were talking about them. Caroline made it very obvious each time she looked over her shoulder.

The signal changed and the ladies walked across the street. Once they got to the other side, Caroline veered to the right, much to Dune’s displeasure.

“Come on, Caroline,” Dune groaned loudly.

“Where are we going?”

“The Sea Shanty,” she said to Galvin with a sly smirk. “Although, it’s not very busy.”

Not very busy was what Galvin would consider an understatement. The closer they came to the bar, the louder the music. The Sea Shanty sat on the corner, facing the main road. There was a bouncer at the door, who smiled brightly as they approached.

“Caroline, where have you been all my life?” he asked as they hugged.

She held up her left hand and flashed her diamond at him. “Oh, you know, just living life as an engaged woman now.”

The man hung his head and moved it back and forth. “I could never compete with Dune.”

“You can say that again.” Dune said as he and Sail approached. The bouncer and Dune shook hands, and then he ushered everyone in.

As soon as they were over the threshold, Sail was by Galvin’s side. He leaned down and whispered, “Stay close, please.”

She nodded and stepped closer to him, leaving no mistake to anyone that they were together. Sail moved in front of her, taking her hand. Dune did the same to Caroline. The men navigated the women through the crowd, until they reached the bar.

“She’ll have a pina colada,” Caroline yelled to the bartender.

“You want one, blondie?”

“No, just need the one,” Caroline yelled back.

They lingered in place until the bartender handed the drink to Galvin. Sail handed him some cash and the led Galvin toward a corner.

“It’s loud in here,” she said to the group.

“Always is,” Dune added, his voice raised over the sounds.

“Is this good for the baby?” Galvin asked and Caroline nodded. With that, Galvin took a sip of the concoction.

And then another.

And then another before handing it to Sail.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

Galvin rose on her tippy toes. “It’s very good and I’m going to guzzle it down. I’ve had enough to drink tonight.”

“Okay,” he said, and then handed it to Dune.

Dune finished it with no hesitation and then buckled over when the cold froze his brain. He screamed in agony, while the rest of them laughed.

“Do you want stay here?”

Galvin shook her head.

Sail leaned toward his brother, who nodded. The men guided them out, the path parting like Dune and Sail were some types of gods. Outside, Caroline whined.

“I wanted to dance.”

“We’ll open the club at Carter’s next weekend,” Dune said.

“Seriously?” she asked, and Dune nodded. “Do you like to dance?” she asked Galvin.

Galvin shrugged. “I can take it or leave it. I’ll dance if that’s what people are doing.”

Caroline smiled. “You’re going to be there next weekend. I’ll make sure Ana is there as well. We’ll have fun.”

Dune groaned. “Come on, let’s go home.” He tugged on Caroline’s hand. They all said their goodbyes and went in opposite directions.

Galvin linked her arm into the crook of Sail’s and leaned into him. “She’s fun.”

“She’s something,” he said, laughing. “My brother is madly in love with her. He said he’d never met anyone like her.”

“That’s good though. We want to be the most unique person in our person’s life.”

Sail looked down and met her gaze. “You’re definitely unlike anyone else I’ve ever met.”

“How so?” She paused walking and faced him.

“Your determination and drive, for one thing. Aside from my family, none of my friends ever push themselves. I watch you work, bust your ass for tips so you can follow your dream of going to law school. Most people would give up or whine about it. You don’t. You just work harder.

“And then with me. You made me want to be better even though nothing had happened between us. Being a better person has made me happier. Being with you, in your presence, has changed me for the better.”

“Do you want to know what I see when I look at you?”

Sail nodded and Galvin smiled. He’d been heartfelt with her; she wanted to do the same.

“I see a man who got into trouble at school for drinking, who came home and owned his mistakes to his parents, and who hasn’t had a drop to drink since he returned. If it took you getting suspended, to become the man I am standing with now, I’m extremely grateful.” The words poured out of her. She was on the verge of telling him she fallen for him a while ago but kept that tidbit to herself. Somethings needed time to germinate before they were revealed, and this was one of them.

Despite her hesitation to get involved with him, she had. Right now, they were the same—two people bidding time—but come January, they’d go their separate ways. If anything, she hoped they’d remain friends because there was no way she’d subject either of them to a long-distance relationship. Especially when she had to study and work all the time.

Sail held her gaze and leaned toward her, pressing his lips to hers. They were out in the open, standing on the busy sidewalk, neither of them caring about the people passing them by. They parted and he kissed the tip of her nose and then rested his forehead against hers.

“I’m so damn happy I kept up my pursuit of you.”

“Me, too,” she said right away. She still had some reservations because of her job, but he’d promised her nothing would happen. Galvin had to trust him.

They walked slowly back to her apartment. They walked to the gate and Sail lifted the latch for her, shutting the gate behind them.

“Do you want ice cream?” Sail asked her.

“Oh, I don’t have any.”

He held up his keys. “We can go in the diner and raid the freezer.”

Galvin glanced at the back door and then scrunched her nose. “Maybe another time.” She then looked at her door before turning her gaze onto Sail. “Do you want to spend the night?”

“Yes.”

She took his hand in hers and led him up the stairs to her apartment. Inside, she didn’t turn any lights on, letting the moonlight guide them to her bed. They’d taken things as far as they could without doing the actual deed. There was no mistaking how they felt about each other and progressing their relationship to this next level.

Galvin turned and faced Sail, thankful she’d ditched the drink earlier, because she didn’t need the liquid courage to be with him. She wanted him.

She ran her fingers along his collarbone, until she reached the buttons of his shirt. One by one, she slipped the round disc through the hole. At the last one, her hands ghosted up his torso, touching the planes of his abs lightly, until she reached his shoulders.

“You’re a very beautiful man,” she said as she pushed his dress shirt off.

“No one has ever called me beautiful before.”

She smiled at this revelation.

“Well, I’m happy to be the first,” she said as she pressed her lips to his neck. Sail swallowed hard and gripped her waist.

Galvin kissed a trail from his neck, over both pecs, and down until his happy trail. She sat on her bed and reached for his belt, only for his hand to stop her.

“You don’t want this?” They looked at each other, the moonlight casting them in the perfect glow.

“I want everything with you, but can I ask, so I know when to stop. How?—”

“All the way.”

“Yeah?” he asked as if he needed reassurance.

Galvin nodded and slipped his belt free.

Sail leaned forward, giving Galvin no choice but to lean back. He set his knee on the edge of her bed as she moved toward the front. Sail crawled toward her, hungry.

Lusting for her.

He captured her with a searing kiss, his tongue plunging deeply into her mouth. She moaned and her hands went back to the button on his pants. Not to be the only one losing clothing in the moment, Sail began rapidly undressing Galvin.

They were both eager and ready.

Galvin wrapped her hand around his erection and pumped, moving her hand up and down along his velvety shaft. Her thumb roved over the head, smearing his precum. Sail hissed and dropped his head to her shoulder, groaning with each thrust of her hand.

“Shit, I want you.”

“You can have me,” she said as her mouth found his.

Against her will, Sail pulled away and reached for his pants. He pulled his wallet out and then a foiled packet. Galvin never took her eyes off him or his actions.

“I only have one so I gotta make it count,” he told her as he opened the packet. He slipped the condom over his erection, adjusted, and then wrapped his hand around Galvin’s ankle. He pulled her forward, and she laughed.

“Yeah, you think this funny?” His thumb found her bud. He teased her, adding a little bit of pressure, and then running it up and down between her folds, coating his thumb with her wetness.

"You’re so freaking wet for me.” Sail lined his cock up to her entrance and looked into her eyes. “I’ve wanted this from the first time I met you.”

Sail didn’t give her time to respond.

Her mouth dropped, her eyes closed and her back arched as he entered her.

Galvin moaned, unable to control the noise rising from within.

“Look at me,” he said in a low, gravelly tone. “I want to see you.”

She opened her eyes, stared into his, and he captured her lips in another searing kiss as he slowly rocked into her. His movements were almost too slow, her need growing frantically as he took his time.

“Are you good?” he asked.

“More,” she replied. Now she’d finally gone there with him, she wanted him to take her, to own her.

Sail rolled them over so Galvin was on top, giving her complete control over the pace. “Take what you want,” he said with an impish grin.

Galvin laughed lightly, and rode him slowly at first, enjoying the friction and buildup this position gave her. She wanted to please him as much as he’d done so for her, but she didn’t think she’d last much longer like this. Sail grabbed her hips as their pace increased, and he groaned loudly.

“Galvin . . .” he said on a breath.

She took the hint, and picked up the pace, unable to drag out the moment a minute longer. As she bounced on his cock, he sat up, wrapping one hand around her ass pulling himself into her deeply, and took one of her nipples in his mouth. Galvin hissed, arched her back, and flooded his cock as she cried out.

“Fuck!” Sail grunted as he thrust into her, coming at the same time.

Galvin rolled off him, trying to catch her breath, while feeling the aftershocks of the best sex she’d ever had.

Quickly, Sail ran to her bathroom and cleaned up, bringing a warm washcloth to Galvin when he returned. Galvin nestled into Sail, his arm wrapped around her, and his chin resting on top of her head.

He gave her a kiss on the top of her head and whispered into her hair, “You are amazing.”