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The lock clicked again, followed by muttered curses. She should get up to help but she wanted desperately to go back to sleep and rekindle the dream that had become...interesting.
Sapphie finally managed to work the key card and crept in, holding her sandals.
“I wasn’t expecting you back until morning.” Issy sat up, leaning on one elbow.
“It is morning.” Sapphie pointed her shoes at the floor-to-ceiling windows where the sun was peaking over the horizon. “And a beautiful one, too.”
“True, but it’s still early. Yesterday and the day before, you got back in time for us to make the last call for breakfast in the restaurant. Is everything okay?”
Her friend flopped onto the bed and yawned. “It’s great, but I must be aging. I need some sleep.” She grinned. “Give hockey players their due—they are the fittest athletes. They have amazing stamina.”
Issy fought the color that rose in her cheeks. She really didn’t need further fuel for her fantasies. She’d seen enough of J.B.’s body to know that he was in prime physical condition. Her palms tingled at the memory of running her hands over the firm muscles in his arms and back. Her nipples tightened, as if they were still pressed to the solid wall of his chest.
“That’s TMI.” Issy hoped her friend would put the husky note in her voice down to her having just woken up.
Sapphie laughed. “That’s exactly the kind of information you need. If you’re going to break your sexual drought, you should do it with the best. J. B. Larocque is perfect. Far better than that other idiot you slept with.”
The problem with best friends was that they knew all your secrets. Like the fact that Issy had only had sex once before, in college, and it had been an unmitigated disaster.
She’d fancied herself in love with the skinny, studious guy who’d sat in front of her in English. He’d been the complete opposite of the hulky, square-jawed jocks who attended reluctantly to fulfill their scholarship criteria. She’d been thrilled when he’d started paying attention to her.
Until the night the jerk had spiked her drink.
Her only consolation was that he’d barely got inside her before he’d come.
Luckily, there hadn’t been an unwanted pregnancy. Still, the whole miserable experience had soured her on men. She’d buried herself in her courses and focused on getting top grades.
“I haven’t made up my mind whether I’m going to—” Issy twirled her finger in the air “—you know.”
Scorching-hot kisses were one thing. Going further was something else altogether. And not just because J.B. had probably slept with hundreds of gorgeous, confident women who were probably wonderful in bed.
“I figured you were dithering when there wasn’t a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.” Sapphie sighed heavily. “This is a great opportunity. You get an amazing night with a superstud like J.B., then you won’t have to see him again. He won’t want more than a fling, either, so it’s a win-win.”
Issy ignored the twinge beneath her breastbone. She didn’t want, nor was she ready for, a relationship right now. Once she got her promotion to head of department, and her future was stable and secure, then she’d think about settling down. Besides, as nice as he was, and as much as he turned her on, J. B. Larocque would not be the right man for her to have a relationship with.
Still, one night was very tempting. “Sounds too good to be true.”
“What could go wrong?” At Issy’s raised eyebrow, Sapphie shook her head. “You’re not Rosabelle. Or our parents. Besides, there’s this wonderful invention called contraception.”
“Funny. I’ve been on the pill since college.”
“Then you’re okay, because J.B. won’t want a child to interfere with his career. Nothing bad will happen because neither of you will let it.”
“I suppose so.” Could she take the risk? Should she?
“You know you want to,” Sapphie said gently. “It’s now or never—we leave tomorrow. I don’t want you to regret a missed opportunity.”
Issy was thirty years old and had never enjoyed anything like that. How many more chances would come her way? Surely, if she was very careful...
“All right.” Issy nodded. “I do want to and I will. Tonight.”
“About time.” Sapphie clapped delightedly.
Anticipation began to fizz through Issy’s veins. “What if he doesn’t want to?”
“Trust me, the man is desperate for you.”
She smiled. “As long as he doesn’t run away from me screaming.”
“Puh-lease. He could’ve spent his vacation with any woman on the island. He’s chosen to be with you.”
“What if I’m not good enough? I’m not exactly experienced and he...is.”
Sapphie’s expression softened. “One of the benefits of his experience is that he’ll understand you’re not and he’ll make sure it’s great for you. He’ll definitely make you forget what happened before.”
“He’d have to be a magician.”
Her friend winked. “From what I’ve heard, he has amazing hands and a...”
“Please don’t mention his magic wand.” Issy rolled her eyes.
They both laughed.
Sapphie yawned again. “Now, I really need some sleep. Especially if I’m going to help you prepare for your big night.”
Issy wished she had her friend’s confidence. “What you mean is you want to make sure you’re ready for one more all-nighter with Taylor.”
“That goes without saying. I plan to enjoy every moment.”
Issy bit her lip. “It doesn’t bother you that it’s only a holiday fling?”
Sapphie shrugged. “It’s what we both want. I’m sure I’ll see him again—probably at a hockey game—but neither of us wants commitment. Would it be nice to hook up again? Of course. Will I be upset if it doesn’t happen? Disappointed, but nothing more.”
“And he feels the same?”
“Sure. We’ve both been up-front about it from the start. As long as these past few days have been as much fun for him as they’ve been for me, then it’s all good.” Sapphie closed her eyes. “See you in a few hours.”
Her friend fell asleep in seconds. Issy, on the other hand, was wide awake. She slipped on the cotton robe the resort had provided and went to sit on the balcony. Pulling her legs up to her chest, she rested her chin on her knees and watched the resort slowly coming to life.
“How do you go about asking a man to sleep with you?” she wondered aloud.
She’d never thought of herself as one of those women who longed to be swept off her feet by a swashbuckling hero, but it would certainly make things less awkward if J.B. could do the honors.
Issy was no closer to figuring out how to even raise the subject with J.B. when Sapphie awoke and they headed to the beach for the day. Taylor and J.B. joined them after lunch and the four decamped to the pool bar, where they frolicked in the water and enjoyed cocktails. Issy was touched that J.B. made a point of ordering her the virgin version of whatever colorful concoction they were drinking.
She watched his behavior closely. Sapphie was right; he didn’t look at anyone but Issy, even though there were several stunning women who tried to get his attention. Not only was J.B. solicitous, but he also touched her a lot. Her arm, her shoulder, tucking a curl behind her ear, playing footsie with her when they were seated on the bar stools. When she lay on the pool float, he rested his arms beside her and occasionally dropped a kiss on her lips.
Each touch, each kiss, heated her blood far more than the blazing temperatures. They also built her confidence so that she found herself impatient for the sun to go down.
* * *
“A TOAST TO the four most fabulous people in Antigua.” Sapphie raised a champagne flute.
“Make that the Caribbean,” J.B. added, clinking his glass against hers.
“You guys are too modest. It’s the world.” Taylor grinned.
“I’ll drink to that.” Issy took J.B.’s glass and sipped from it before returning it to him.
The look he sent her was so hot, her skin practically sizzled. When he made a point of placing his lips exactly where hers had been, Issy’s insides turned liquid. The promise in his dark eyes suggested he might be the mind reader she’d hoped for.
Dessert couldn’t come quickly enough.
Issy’s nerves returned when Sapphie and Taylor left them to go dancing. The moment of truth was getting ever closer.
“How about a walk along the beach?” J.B. took her hand, pressed his mouth to the pulse point at her wrist, then linked fingers with her.
She smiled. “Sounds perfect.”
They took off their shoes, headed down to the water’s edge and strolled through the water until they were away from the main part of the resort. While they walked, they talked—about her job and his, about his family and hers. They carefully avoided mentioning the future, not even what they’d be doing when they got home.
At the end of the property there was a long stretch of empty beach with no buildings or lights, only a few palm trees. The moon turned the sand silver, making the place look magical. J.B. and Issy sat beneath one of the trees—he leaned against the trunk, while she sat between his legs, as she had during that crazy dance on the night they’d met—and watched the twinkling lights of the vessels out at sea.
And kissed.
Long, slow, deep kisses. Hot, hard, urgent kisses.
Soon, it wasn’t enough. J.B. jumped up and helped her to her feet. Arms wrapped tightly around each other, they didn’t stop walking until they were outside her door.
This time, Issy didn’t invite J.B. in for a nightcap. Now that the moment was actually here, she couldn’t say the words. Her throat was too tight. Her mouth too dry. So she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. Then she took the Do Not Disturb notice and hung it on the handle before closing the door.
J.B. stood in front of her, his expression solemn. “Are you sure?”
She closed her eyes briefly. Last chance to back out.
The knowledge that he’d accept her decision, even if it was no, gave her the courage she needed. “Definitely.”
“Thank God,” he murmured before lowering his head and taking her mouth.
CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_9832deae-cf58-535a-9581-ae60b75cb7c3)
J.B. HAD PLANNED to take things slowly. Not that he’d taken anything for granted. He’d hoped, for sure. Tonight was their last chance, with Bella leaving tomorrow, but he’d known the odds of ending up in her bed were as evenly balanced as a shoot-out.
Although this was only a one-time thing, he understood it was a big deal for her, so he needed to make tonight special.
No pressure.
It had taken every ounce of self-control to let her set the pace while they’d kissed. Especially when the tip of her tongue had slipped between his lips and tentatively touched his. The combination of sweet innocence and passionate intent was killer.
Even once they were inside her room, he’d been determined not to rush.
And he didn’t. Not when she eased his shirt out of his pants. Not when she undid his buttons, her knuckles brushing against his chest with each one.
Things got a little dicey when she pressed soft, moist kisses to his bare skin.
When she licked the ridges of his six-pack, his good intentions began to crumble. He closed his eyes and bit back a moan.
J.B. held strong until she reached his belt buckle. Then his intentions were blown to hell.
“My turn.” His hoarse words sounded sharp in the silent room.
Bella’s hands stilled. Her uncertain gaze shot up to meet his.
He stroked a finger along her cheekbone and down to her mouth. “We don’t want this over before you’ve got started.”
She didn’t look reassured, so he traced her full bottom lip. “Trust me. Any more ready and I’ll embarrass myself.” He smiled.
Bella frowned. “But...?”
His finger across her lips silenced her. J.B. replaced his finger with his mouth, letting his hot, deep kiss take over the convincing.
Her resistance melted. He felt the nervous tension ease from her body, to be replaced quickly by desire.
When she tried to wrap her arms around his neck, J.B. caught her wrists and lowered them to her sides. “Uh-uh. Turnabout is fair play.”
She bit her lip but didn’t argue. Curiosity and need replaced the uncertainty in her eyes.
J.B. licked her lip, kissed both corners, before nibbling his way along her jaw. He dipped his tongue into the hollow behind her ear, then tugged her earlobe gently with his teeth. His smile broadened at the tremor that went through her.
Unhurried, he alternately kissed and nipped his way down the side of her neck and along her collarbone to her shoulder, relishing the way she sighed with pleasure. He licked along the edge of her strapless dress, across the swell of one breast, through the valley between and over the other, before returning to the center and the pink, flower-shaped top button of her dress.
He slipped the button out of its hole and pressed an open mouthed kiss to the fragrant skin he’d revealed. Bella’s breath hitched, straining the fabric around the second yellow button.
Undo. Kiss. Hitch. Repeat.
The next button was orange, the one after green. It was like eating a bag of hard candies. Different colors, different flavors; each more mouthwatering than the one before.
Her dress fell partly open as he reached her waist, the fabric catching on the peaked nipples of her breasts. She wasn’t wearing a bra. His erection surged as he freed both sides, laying her bare.
Beautiful. He wanted to taste and touch every delicious inch.
J.B. swept Bella into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down, then sat beside her. He continued unbuttoning until the dress was completely undone, while he explored her with his mouth. As he trailed his tongue along the underside of each creamy breast, then circled each taut, dark cherry nipple, his fingers caressed the tanned skin of her belly. The muscles of her stomach tightened at his touch, but she didn’t stop him.
He went lower still...to the top of her white, silky panties. Then under the lacy trim to the dark curls beneath. He deliberately avoided touching the most sensitive part of her, even though she raised her hips, slightly offering him access. He also didn’t dip his fingers into her damp heat, despite her tiny mewl of frustration and his own need.
Hooking a finger into the elastic, he pulled the panties slowly down her legs before tossing them aside.
Her hands tugged his shirt open and stroked feverishly over the heated skin of his chest. When she tried to push his shirt over his shoulders, he pulled it off, throwing it behind him before returning to her side. “Where was I?”
