“Let’s go,” he said urgently; he jumped up and held out a hand.
“Aren’t you eager!” She smiled and let him assist her from the intimate booth.
“You can’t imagine,” he groaned as he began leading her toward the doors.
“I know you want to get up there immediately, Crew, but I’m so warm right now. Would you mind taking a small stroll outside with me first?”
Haley must secretly hate him and want him to expire from sexual frustration, he decided. Yet unable to deny her request, he slapped down the monster clawing to be freed from inside of him, and led her through the lobby and out the back doors, moving quickly to the beach.
This would be the fastest stroll he’d ever taken — not that he was a man who normally took strolls. He was either running or sleeping; there didn’t seem to be a middle ground with him.
“Amari is a beautiful singer. I could listen to her all night,” Haley said. When they reached the edge of the water, she slipped off her shoes and let the waves splash over her toes. He was forced to retreat a step back or ruin his favorite leather loafers.
“Yes, I was lucky to find her before a record label picks her up. It won’t take long — she’s amazingly talented. I have a contract for eight weeks, though, so this may very well be her last personal gig before she records something and hits it big.”
He didn’t want to speak about his headliner act. He wanted to talk about the two of them, but he could see that Haley was avoiding the topic for some reason. Alarm bells rang in his mind, and in his groin. If he didn’t take her tonight, he would need to take one heck of a long swim in the cool water currently caressing her feet — something he’d rather be doing himself.
“I grew up less than a hundred miles from the ocean, but still I never made it there until a couple of years ago. How sad is that? I wonder how many people have similar stories to tell. There is just so much beauty in this world, and most of us don’t even see one percent of it. Someday, I’ll travel the entire world and look in the most ancient of museums and touch as many of the Wonders of the World — ancient, medieval and modern — as I can. I am feeling a need to roam now, thinking I may just leave school for a while and travel…”
Her dreamy sigh told him she would do that, but he didn’t want her to leave without him. When people’s dreams were big enough and their will strong enough, they could make anything happen. He’d seen it countless times before. It was when people gave up that their life dwindled to nothing. What was the point of existing in this world if you didn’t really live your life to its fullest potential?
To hell with the distance between them. Crew threw off his shoes and socks in seconds and stepped in the water with her. The bottom of his custom slacks were instantly soaked, but he didn’t care.
Maybe a part of her was trying to keep him at a distance, but he didn’t want that and if she was honest, she didn’t want it either. She was just protecting herself, reverting to her old habits. He could feel her withdrawal in the melancholy mood she was in. He didn’t know what had brought it on, but he was determined to find out, and refused to allow her to slip away.
“Nothing is as beautiful as you, and I can guarantee you that anywhere you want to go can happen,” he said, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. Though it might sound a bit cheesy — par for the course that evening — he truly felt those words as he looked into her eyes.
She took his breath away far more than any sunset ever had, than any of the Wonders he’d been lucky enough to visit. She was a vision, and she was his for now.
Crew waited, his fingers rubbing her delicate skin, but he wanted her to choose the kiss, he wanted her to be in control. She needed that, and then he wouldn’t feel the guilt of knowing he’d coerced her into it. He needed her to choose him.
Yes, he could seduce her — easily. But, he wanted more than the night before, more than tonight. He wanted to be with her without thought of an end in sight.
Slowly, she relented; her hands reached into his hair and she pulled his mouth to hers, her tongue demanding entrance. Just having him hold her was enough to lift the unseen burden she was carrying on her shoulders. She knew he was strong enough to carry it for her if only she could bring herself to let him.
He nearly lost his balance in the gently lapping ocean waves as his raw hunger awakened with a vicious groan. Fire licked at his gut, and no matter how she touched him, he hungered for more, his body demanding her total compliance.
Letting her lead him for a few more moments, Crew knew his control wouldn’t last much longer, so he began walking them backward out of the cool water.
“Come to my room.” She was ready — so was he. He didn’t want to start their lovemaking in the sand. He hadn’t cleared it with his staff to leave them alone, and it would kill him to be interrupted once he started. He was too damned hungry for her.
She didn’t speak, but the slight nod of her head was better than love songs to his ears. Grasping her hand, he led her back up the beach and through the French doors, making a beeline for the elevator.
He looked straight ahead, unwilling to risk even eye contact with anyone. This time, he didn’t care if the place caught fire. He wasn’t going to be called away from her side.
Doing something he hadn’t done once in the last two years, Crew pulled out his cell phone as they entered the elevator and pushed the power button. He felt total victory as the small picture on the screen disappeared and his main means of contact with his staff was terminated.
A small lamp was burning in his room, just enough light so they wouldn’t bump into the furniture, but not enough to ruin the moment. Hesitating long enough only to unplug the resort phone, too, he backed her toward his bedroom.
Her body shook as he pushed her gently but firmly, causing her to land with a satisfying bounce on his soft comforter. Tonight was going to be so much more magical than her first time. He now knew how innocent she was, so he would take his time and make her think of no other man but him ever again. He would end any and all thoughts she had of leaving him behind.