Chapter Forty-Four

Bianca

I pulled my phone out of my bag and considered whether I actually needed it with me today. The reality was, besides my bestie Layla (who was still traveling in Central and South America with her boyfriend) everyone I talked to was right here, so it felt useless.

I went to set it down on the dresser in our room, but couldn’t help but smile at my screensaver—the selfie Knox had sent me when we were at the show in London. It was funny, but so much had happened since then. It felt like a lifetime ago. At the same time, I remembered it like it was yesterday. Especially that little part where I’d promised I’d send Knox a selfie. That never happened, though.

Looking around our room, I realized I was alone and would be for a little while since Knox had gone with the guys to get booze for tonight. I decided I’d have some fun with this time and deliver on that selfie promise, so I closed the door and tore through my luggage. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but I’d know it when I found it.

Fast-forward several minutes and several articles of clothing strewn around the room later, and I wasn’t sure I liked my options. I looked down at the outfit I had on—a black crop top and skinny jeans with a black G-string thong underneath. Not bad, but not what I was looking for, either. It needed to be sexy—like stop-and-stare sexy. No, I shook my head, more like let-me-get-my-hands-on-you sexy.

Throwing myself down on the bed, I looked around. Think, Bianca, think!

Okay, I had an idea. I remembered seeing Knox pack a baseball cap, that’d do. I unzipped his suitcase—which, by the way, was packed so sloppily that I could hardly believe this man and I were as compatible as we were. He would definitely never even notice that I’d gone through it. I found the cap wedged in a corner of the suitcase and yanked it free.

One day, I’d have to show him how to pack.

I pulled my shirt over my head and examined my breasts. The one that I’d sworn was bigger than the other still bugged my butt, but I knew Knox liked my girls just the way they were, so I chose to ignore it. Moving on, I unzipped my jeans and stepped out of them, leaving them in a heap on the floor. The thong went next.

Knowing I was on borrowed time, I ran to the mirror, fluffed my hair and reapplied my eyeliner, blush, and lip gloss.

I’d thought about all the ways I wanted to do this, but decided to lay on my back on the bed. I grabbed his ball cap and strategically placed it over myself—I was a lady, after all—as I positioned my legs just so. If you needed a visual, let’s just say one was out straight and the other was slightly bent at the knee and angled to the side.

I made sure my hair was out behind me, threw on my best pouty lip, grabbed my phone, and looked up. Quickly deciding to bring my other to my breast, I covered it with my fingers, sure to leave them splayed so my nipple could still be seen. It was go-time. I snapped a picture and studied it.

If this wasn’t a selfie he’d cherish for a lifetime, I wasn’t sure what was. I’d done a damn good job, if you asked me.

Sending it off, I wondered if he’d get it right away or what he’d say. I considered staying there and waiting, but honestly, just thinking about his reaction was getting me turned on, so I got up and made fast work of getting dressed and going downstairs to find my sisters.

But my phone was definitely coming with me.

* * *

Knox

A notification came through on my phone, so I pulled it out of my pocket as Frankie swiped his credit card to pay. Dom and Brady had left us to find cigars—an afterthought if there ever was one since we were already at the register checking out.

Not expecting the text to be anything special, I unlocked my phone and pulled it up and was met with—

Holy shit, that was my girl. My very naked girl.

And my baseball cap. Damn it, I think I’m jealous of an inanimate object.

Bianca: Too bad you’re out with the boys. Guess I’ll have to start without you.

Knox: You little vixen. Don’t you dare. You better be waiting for me when I get back.

These damn guys, they were officially pissing me off with this expedition. Don’t get me wrong, I liked them just fine and could tell we’d be good friends, but this was Bianca we were talking about. I knew no limits where this woman was concerned.

“I’m going to run this out to the car,” Frankie said, interrupting my thoughts. I hefted a bag under my arm, but Frankie reached for it. “Nah, let me take it out. I’ll be right back. Wait for Dom and Brady.”

You don’t have to tell me twice. I turned my attention back to my phone.

Bianca: Maybe.

Maybe?

Knox: What did we talk about? Your orgasms are mine, sweetness. You didn’t please yourself, did you?

I was a firm believer in two things: always let the lady finish first (fake orgasms were a hit to a man’s ego) and give her what she wants so she doesn’t have to turn to a toy to do what your fingers, tongue, and cock are more than capable of doing. And now that we were together, there was no way in hell I was going to let her pleasure herself, at least not without my assistance.

Bianca: Nope. You’ve ruined me even for myself.

An arrogant grin came across my face, and I didn’t really care who saw it. That was the best compliment ever.

Knox: That’s my girl. Do you know what I would do to you if I were there?

My cock twitched in response and I mentally ordered it to simmer the hell down because having a hard-on around a bunch of dudes would be really fucking awkward.

Bianca: Tell me.

I stuck my tongue in my cheek, thinking about what she’d said, how she was so comfortable talking about what she wanted. She liked it when I praised her, and liked it even more when I walked her through it, talking to her the whole time. So I went with it.

Knox: I’d get you on the edge of the bed, drop to my knees and lick your clit slowly. So damn slowly it’d drive you wild.

Maybe this wasn’t the best idea, because it was easy to picture Bianca as I did things to her, could have practically felt her warm, slick pussy on my tongue by memory.

Bianca: Tell me more.

Knox: A s you’re rocking your hips harder to let me know that you want more, to stop teasing you and make you come, I’d ease two fingers inside you and bring my thumb to your clit. And I’d smile like an asshole when your moans become more desperate.

I looked up from my phone and clenched my ass cheeks to try my best to control the tingling at the base of my spine.

Bianca: Are you almost home?

If I had it my way, I’d fly there.

Knox: That excited to see me?

Bianca: You have no idea. Remind me to strangle Frankie next time I see him.

Not if I strangled him first. Again, no beef with the man, but this was taking forever, and I was starting to regret saying I’d come with them. I could have been in a room with Bianca, halfway to heaven by now. Where are Dom and Brady coming from?

Knox: Will do.

Bianca: Meet me on the sand when you’re back.

Just then the two knuckleheads, Dom and Brady, strolled up to the cashier like they had all the time in the world. “How long does it take to find cigars?” I asked, looking between both of them.

Brady laughed, clapping Dom on the back. “This one over here offered to help a sweet old lady find something she was looking for to make mixed drinks for her neighbors. Took up most of our time.”

Dom shrugged. “I would want someone to do the same for my nonna. It’s only right.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered. He’d win the Nicest Man of the Year award. I, on the other hand, was just thankful that my body’s response to Bianca had cooled down before they got back.

As they paid, I went back to my phone, sending her a quick reply.

Knox: I knew you liked it dirty, but come on, sweetness, sand?

Bianca: Sorry, not for sex. My sisters and I are out here waiting for a rousing game of beach volleyball.

This woman was going to be the death of me.

I followed the guys out to the car when they were done, looking down at my phone when another text came in.

Bianca: Oh, and the things you want to do to me? You have to do them tonight in your cap.

Knox: My cap that you had on your pussy?

Bianca: The very one.

Knox: You know I’m never washing that thing. I’m addicted to your smell.

Bianca: It’s all yours.

I raked a hand through my hair, shaking my head. This woman.

Knox: You do know I’m in public with guys I’d like to make a good impression on. I’m thinking me having an erection is probably going to work against me. You need to stop.

Bianca: But it works for me. In fact, I like the idea of you having a hard-on. It makes me wish even more that you were here so I could treat you like my own personal hot dog.

You didn’t need to say it, I already knew that taking her out for hot dogs that day was the worst decision of my life. Because the way she’d wrapped her lips around it and devoured it was something I’d never forget. And trust me when I tell you, she definitely applied the same dedication to—

Bianca: I have to go, but I’ll remind you this: I’m not a gagger.

Ohhh, what was she doing to me?

* * *

Bianca

Hi, yeah, it’s me, the girl who used every reason in the book to skip P.E. in school. You should have seen my male coach’s face when it came time to swim and I’d told him I can’t swim because I have my period . His face had been priceless.

And I’d had every intention of getting out of beach volleyball, too, but then this happened: Maria claimed she wanted a break from cooking so this could be a true vacation for her, so naturally, Allie, Perla, and I played rock paper scissors. Whoever lost was the designated chef for the night. I lost. I would be Chef Bianca for tonight and tonight only. Except I wasn’t happy about it, and I’d tried telling them no one else would be, either, but they’d said fair was fair.

Then I’d had a better idea—we’d sucker the guys in for a bet. We’d win; they’d lose; and they’d have to cook. How’d I figure that, you ask? Team Bianca did not lose. So genius idea, right?

But then Perla had to go and suggest we do it over a game of beach volleyball. Didn’t my sister know me? We were supposed to win. Hello, we’d already established that, so why decide to make a bet over a sport?

Anyway, Allie and Maria ran with the idea, deciding they’d make the usual one-on-one game four-on-four—guys versus girls.

And that was how we got here: me stretching one arm over the other and pulling, cracking my neck as I did. Then I pulled one leg up in the back and then forward, hearing something in it crack, too. I did the other leg next.

“Um, Bianca, what are you doing?” Knox asked, his breath dangerously close to my ear.

I whipped my head at him and gave him a don’t-mess-with-me stare.

Holding his hands up, he backed away slowly, a whistle rolling off his lips.

I didn’t catch what he did next, but heard my family laughing. Laughing! I was incredulous.

Then Knox walked up to me and whispered in my ear, “It’s okay. If you girls lose, I don’t mind cooking dinner for you.”

I arched a brow and stared at him. “Do you think we’re going to lose?”

He grinned. “Well, you’re not the most athletic bunch. Especially you, sweetness.”

Narrowing my eyes to thin slits, I shook my head. “I’m glad you’re okay with cooking because you’ll be doing that when you lose. We are going to win and I’m going to remember this, Knox Rhodes.”

He smiled and laughed, walking away when Maria called out, “Can we start already?”

Allie got up from where she was sitting on the sand and walked over to the lot of us by the net. “I wholeheartedly regret sitting on the sand. My butt is covered in it, isn’t it?” She swiped at it and turned her back to Brady and pushed her butt out. “Sand, no sand? What’s the verdict? Am I all clear?”

I smacked my lips and looked over at Knox, who only cocked a brow. Yeah, we were both thinking the same thing— did she really just do that? To which the answer was a resounding yes.

Brady ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat as he backed up slightly. “Um, yeah, you’ve got a little, but it’s no big deal.”

She frowned, smacking her behind more aggressively to get the little off. “Did that do the trick?”

No, it did not.

“Yeah, it’s all gone,” Brady replied.

Liar.

“Are we going to start playing sometime today or what?” Perla asked from where she was perched on Frankie’s lap on a beach chair. Frankie whispered something in her ear and her face went from cream-white to blush within seconds. “Come on, we don’t have all day,” Perla shouted, walking to our side of the net finally.

Maria tossed the ball at me and I did not catch it. Big surprise! Instead it landed right at my feet. “Perla’s right. This game has to start soon. Isabella’s going to be calling me when she gets home from camp and I don’t want to miss her.”

Dom placed a hand on her arm. “Let me know when she does. She promised to tell me all about John.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Dom Deluca, who is John?” I asked. What, we were all curious, I was sure it wasn’t just me. Admit it, you are, too.

“John who lost his tooth,” he explained and waved me off. “It’s a whole thing. Just tell me when she calls, okay? Please?”

Maria gave him a sweet smile. As if she’d ever deny him anything he asked for.

If we continued watching those two we wouldn’t need anyone to cook because we’d all lose our appetites.

Knox crossed to our side again and came up behind me, wrapping his arms around me and nuzzling my neck. “I have to tell you, your competitiveness is a turn on.”

I shot him an annoyed look over my shoulder, but he continued giving my neck the attention it deserved. “I don’t like to lose, okay? I’m not competitive.”

“Whatever you say,” he said, smiling against my neck, the very ticklish spot on my neck.

I giggled and turned in his arms. But before we could do anything I wanted to do—ahem, kiss—Allie yelled, “On your side, Rhodes!”

I rolled my eyes and Knox walked back around, returning, “Then let’s start the damn game.”

Squaring my shoulders, I went into a squat, bending at my knees and keeping my eye on the ball as Maria served it over the net and Brady volleyed it right back to us. Shit! They were playing. And they weren’t half bad.

Okay, maybe I wouldn’t have to work too hard at this whole volleyball thing. Maybe Maria would carry us to victory. Even Allie was getting in on it, hitting it over the net. Yeah, I definitely wasn’t needed, so I sidestepped to the edge of the play area and just watched.

Yeah, I’m cool like that.