I just figured this was…” Her voice trailed off as she felt his tongue trace the line of her shoulder.
“This was what?” Dev murmured in her ear. His hand slid over to one of her breasts, brushing the fragile skin and squeezing the nipple.
“A one-night stand,” she managed. “A fling.”
He bit her earlobe lightly. “A fling, certainly. But I never recall any discussion of a time limit.” His other hand slid down between her thighs to find where she was already slippery. “We’ve got the whole rest of the week. I was hoping to talk you into something a little more leisurely. I’ve definitely got no interest in letting you walk away this morning.”
She could feel him hardening against her bottom. “I just don’t…” His fingers moved against her, forcing a moan from her.
“You don’t think you could walk out of here this morning without coming at least once? Smart girl,” he said approvingly.
Clever and slick, his fingers slid against her clit. The bolts of sensation had her moving her hips helplessly. Reaching back, Taylor pulled his face toward hers. His mouth. She wanted his mouth, then his cock, as deep as he could go. “I need you in me,” she whispered against his lips.
“Always happy to oblige a lady,” he returned, shifting so that she was beneath him.
“CAN YOU JUST CARRY ME to the beach?” Dev groaned.
“You were the one who had the big idea about round two,” Taylor said, rolling over to prop her arms on his chest.
“I’ve always been the kind of guy who sticks with what works.”
Taylor fought to keep a straight face. “And in this case?”
“Well, round one worked, and round two worked. I think we ought to stretch it out a little more.” He stroked her back and she purred like a cat.
“What did you have in mind?” she asked, pressing little kisses on his jaw.
“We’re both here the rest of the week.” He held up her left hand and inspected it. “No tan lines. Good. You appear to be footloose and fancy free and God knows I am. I got blood tests for the wedding, so I’m healthy and clean. How about you?”
“I give blood monthly.”
“So we’re set there. What do you say?”
“About?”
“About making a week of it.”
“Sleeping together, you mean?”
He nodded. “Unless you were faking it and really didn’t have a good time. It’s perfect. No ties, no commitments, just whatever we want, whenever we want.”
“And nothing when we get home.” She didn’t phrase it as a question.
He shook his head. “Nothing when we get home. You can do anything and everything your heart desires and know you’ll never have to face me again.”
“If you agree to it, you’ve got to mean it,” Taylor warned. “No looking me up after we get home.”
He leaned in and bit her shoulder. “Not that you aren’t completely delectable, but after what I went through a couple of weeks ago, darlin’, I’m not exactly leaping out of my skin to get involved in another relationship.”
Taylor looked at him consideringly. “How’s your stamina? I’ve gone without for quite a while. Whenever I want might be pretty often. I’d hate to choose you over some of the other guys around here and find out that I’ve worn you out.”
He silenced her with his mouth. “Well, you can stop your search right here. I’m all the man you’re going to need.”
“Oh, yeah?”
He curved his hand over her breast. “I’m up to the task.”
“Oh, yeah?” she asked, her hand straying down to find that he was, indeed, up. “Oh,” she said softly, “yeah.”
“I take my vitamins,” he murmured.
“Good thing,” she whispered against his mouth. “You’re going to need them.”
4
“I LIKE YOUR ROOM BETTER than mine,” Dev said, lying back watching Taylor change out of her clothes from the night before. The ceiling fan turned slowly, the woven bamboo paddles lazily stirring the air.
“It’s no different than yours.”
“Oh, yes, it is. You’re standing in it. That makes all the difference.” He rolled up onto one elbow and watched with interest as she worked her way into her bikini. “Let me know if you want some help with that,” he added.
She shot him a look. “Oh, no, we’re not going down that path again. I came down here to lie on the beach, not to stay in a room all day.”
Dev rolled off the bed and onto his feet. “I don’t know, it’s a nice room,” he said, looking around at the golden stucco walls dotted with mock Mayan artifacts. The coverlet and the couch held the vivid primary colors of a serape; the terrazzo floor was cool under his feet. “Besides, I can make it worth your while.” He stepped up behind her and began un-hooking her bikini top.
“Stop that,” she laughed, swatting at him.
“What’s this?” he asked, picking up a disposable camera sitting on the counter.
“What does it look like?” Taylor gave him an amused glance, then slipped on a tank top.
“You’ve only been here a day and you’ve already filled up a 36 exposure roll?”
She zipped up her shorts. “I’ve been taking photos of the resorts. I put them in a book back at the agency to show to customers when they ask.”
“You’ve got one more shot on here, you know.”
“Yeah.” She headed to the bathroom to get more sunblock. “Toss it into my beach bag,” she called. “I’ll finish it up when we get down to the beach.”
He watched her come back out into the room, slim and luscious, already with a faint golden glow to her skin. Desire tugged at him but he pushed it down. He wanted to see her out among other people. He wanted to see her smile at another and be able to look at her and know that she was his for the taking.
They left the room, threading their way along the winding walkway out to the lush jungle path that headed toward the beach. Dev caught at Taylor’s elbow to stop her. “Up ahead,” he said softly. Near the flagstone path stood a trio of exotic black birds with rolls of glossy black feathers that furled back from the tops of their heads. “They look like they got into a packet of Jheri Curl.”
“Do you think we scared them?” she whispered, admiring their long sweeps of ebony tail feathers.
“Who knows? Maybe they get paid to stand around and
