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“Thank you.” She smiled at him, her stomach a constant flutter now.
Oh, those eyes!
“It hasn’t been easy, but I think things are turning around now,” Hope said as another wave broke over her head. “Let’s go back to the beach. I’m getting pummeled out here.”
They turned and headed back to shore, getting tossed around. Hope stood when the water was at waist level, and a large wave toppled her over.
Then Alex’s arms were around her, spinning her toward him as she fell against his chest. “Whoa, there. Take it easy.” He helped her to her feet, still holding her against his body.
He smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.” The smile fell away as they held each other’s gaze. “Unless you want to fall . . .”
Heart pounding now, Hope became very aware of their bodies touching and their arms around each other, his skin warm under her fingers. Those blue eyes drew her in, and the moment froze.
Slowly, Alex lowered his mouth until his lips brushed against hers, barely touching. Hope reached up a hand and pressed the back of his head toward her as she opened her mouth and brushed her tongue lightly across his lower lip.
The effect on Alex was electric. He groaned and crushed her to him. Hope kissed him back, her hands firm across his back, feeling the hard muscle underneath his skin.
He loosened his hold, lips still firm against her. One hand ran down her spine, while the other reached around to cup her breast, gooseflesh rising on her skin in their wake. The warm water swirled around her, competing with his touch. As his hand reached under her swim top, Hope inhaled sharply then pushed against him, feeling the rigidness between them.
Alex pulled away, water beading on his face as he grasped her face in both hands. “I really need to hear you say you want this.”
She whispered in his ear, “I’m done running away. I want you so much.”
He grabbed a handful of her wet hair, pulling her mouth back to his.
Another big wave picked them up and set them back down, unbalancing them both. Alex broke the contact and turned around. He led her back to the beach, drawing her down onto the blanket with him.
As he removed her bikini top, she couldn’t distinguish the sound of the ocean over the blood rushing in her head. His mouth tasted of champagne and salt—she couldn’t get enough of him. After brushing her lips one more time, he continued down her neck then lower, his mouth circling her breasts until she moaned.
Alex lifted up on one elbow. “God, you are so beautiful.”
Hope didn’t trust herself to respond to that, so she pulled him down to kiss him again, running her hands across his chest and pausing to enjoy the contrast of soft skin with firm muscle underneath. Finally, she traced her fingers lower and squeezed softly. His breath caught at that, and she smiled against his lips.
He broke off their kiss and sat up, pulling off her bikini bottoms. He shrugged out of his trunks and lay down again, the full length of their naked bodies touching as she pulled his mouth back to hers, immersed in the feel of it all as he slid his hand over her hip.
Then he stopped.
“Oh, hell! We’re on a deserted island here. Hope, I don’t have any protection . . . what are we—”
She placed a finger against his lips and smiled. “Shhhh, it’s ok. I’ve got an IUD. I’m safe, Alex.”
He relaxed and leaned his forehead against hers. “Me too.” He laughed quietly. “I haven’t done this in a really long time.”
Alex closed his eyes and kissed her before she could respond. He moved his hand over her hip, finally stopping between her legs. Hope heaved a breath, giving herself over to the sensations, her pulse pounding in her ears as his touch sent jagged sparks through her.
Kissing him deeply, she drew her nails down his chest. Hope slowed her hand as it continued down and across his abdomen, softly now, the muscles underneath rippled at her touch. Moving on, she slowly caressed down his side, tracing a light touch against his hot skin.
Then she encountered a massive ridge of scar tissue that completely covered his right hip. Shocked, Hope paused, and Alex tensed all over.
Her heart raced at the sheer violence of the wound.
That is a topic for another time.
Quickly continuing, she lifted her hand to stroke down his thigh, then up the front of his leg, feather-light until she took him in her hand. He moaned softly against her mouth and pressed his hips forward.
A flood of emotion built within her, understanding at last what this meant to him. His wound was only exposed when he was naked, figuratively and literally. What Hope just discovered on his right hip was the key to this man.
But she had more enjoyable things to concentrate on now.
