Smoldering Desire Page 3

  “I want you so bad,” Devin said. He brushed his lips over hers. “Please say yes.”

  CHAPTER 6

  The next day Devin and Shepherd joined a couple dozen passengers on an excursion to Water Island's Honeymoon Beach, where they spent hours snorkeling, swimming and enjoying the sun. The crew had even cooked the crowd a Caribbean BBQ lunch.

  “Let’s get away from the crowd,” Devin said. They had spent the last four hours surrounded by families and he wanted to enjoy the tropical paradise with Shepherd away from it all.

  “Sure.” Shepherd stepped up and dusted the sand off her body.

  “You got a little here.” Devin brushed some sand off her bikini clad bottom, his hand lingered on her butt.

  Shepherd winked at him. “I think you got it,” she drawled before sauntering away. Devin stood still, hypnotized by her perfect globes. A beach ball hit him, knocking him out of his trance; and he raced after Shepherd. They strolled until they found a table nestled under some trees set away from the crowd.

  “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Shepherd watched him race away, he was in better shape than he was in college. After their snorkeling trip, he had kept off his shirt and his ginger hued muscles gleamed in the sun. Every opportunity she got, she brushed a breast, her thigh or her hand against him.

  She watched him until he disappeared, then she sat back in her chair and enjoyed the scene in front of her. Families were playing on the beach and in the turquoise colored water, couples were sunbathing, and some sightseers were strolling around taking pictures of the tropical paradise.

  Devin returned a few minutes later carrying a bottle of champagne and two plastic flutes.

  “Hey, where did you get that?”

  “The captain was cool he kept it in the refrigerator for me. Once I told him our story he was happy to help.”

  Devin popped open the bottle then poured the sparkling liquid into their flutes. He lifted his glass. “This is to our future.” They sipped. “You look so beautiful,” Devin said. All day, he had enjoyed seeing her scantily clad body.

  “Thank you.”

  “I wish there weren’t so many people around, I’d make love to you on the beach,” he whispered and Shepherd flushed, she took a sip of her champagne. “Cat got your tongue?”

  “Not at all. I was picturing us on the beach. Remember we did it on the beach once, during spring break, in Cancun.”

  “Yeah, I remember. We did it so fast because we were afraid of getting caught.”

  Shepherd giggled. “That quickie went down in the record books…it was so good.”

  Devin leaned in. “So um, do you want to break a record?”

  “I would love to, but not today.” She motioned toward the tour guides. “I think it’s time to go, they’re beginning to pack stuff up.”

  “I bet if we hurry we can do it. All I have to do is slip that bikini bottom to the side…and it’s on.”

  “Are you serious?” Shepherd asked breathlessly. “You really want to do it now?”

  “Yeah, we can do it in the water or we can take a chair into that wooded area. You can sit on my lap. All I have to do is cover your lap up with a blanket.”

  “Okay, let’s do it,” Shepherd agreed, her heart thudding.

  They gulped down their champagne; and Devin pointed to an area right over her shoulder. Shepherd peeked behind her and studied the area; she immediately decided that it was perfect. Devin caressed her arm. “Ready?”

  “Yes,” Shepherd whispered.

  Devin re-corked the champagne and threw away the plastic flutes. He grabbed a chair and flung a blanket over his shoulder. “Come on.”

  They casually strolled across the sand, careful not to draw attention. Devin set the chair down. “Ready?” Shepherd nodded.

  Devin sat down and pulled Shepherd to him, she settled on his lap and she immediately felt his hard cock. She rubbed her bottom against it. Devin wrapped his arms around her, he nuzzled her neck. “You feel good.”

  Suddenly a horn blared, signaling that it was time to board the schooner and be taken back to the cruise ship.

  Devin groaned. “Really? Now? Come on, time to go.”

  “As beautiful as this beach is, I don’t want to be left behind.” They walked hand-in-hand to the schooner.

  By the time they got back to the ship, Devin didn’t want to let her go. He stroked her cheek. “Come on to my room,” he said softly. Shepherd only hesitated for a second before she nodded. Devin grabbed her hand and they hurried to his cabin.

  “Where’s your roommate?” Shepherd asked as soon as they stepped in the room.

  “Don’t have one.”

  “All this is yours?” she asked, shocked by the size of the room and the sumptuousness of it. The room was huge, she didn’t know that suites this size existed on a cruise ship. He had a queen size bed, a sofa for him to relax on, two wing backed chairs with a small table between them, a flat screen TV and dressers.

  “Yep. I was never a roommate type dude; it nearly killed me in college when I had them in our freshman and sophomore years.”

  “I agree it’s not for everybody. I have some horror stories.” She looked uncertainly around the room.

  “Come on, let’s sit down.” He guided her toward the sofa. They sat down and he draped an arm over her shoulder; a jolt of heat shot through Shepherd. “Did you have a good time today?”

  “I did.”

  He leaned closer and began nibbling on her ear. “What did you like about it?”

  “Um—the—water,” she stuttered.

  Devin gently outlined her ear with his tongue, and Shepherd gasped. “What else?”

  “Snorkeling.”

  “Me too.” He softly inserted his tongue in her ear; Shepherd groaned.

  “Oh my God!” she murmured.

  “What else?”

  “Seeing your body,” Shepherd admitted. Devin removed his arm from her shoulders then cradled her face with his hands. He gazed in her eyes and heat engulfed Shepherd at seeing the desire burning in his.

  “I loved seeing yours too.” He pressed his mouth against hers and Shepherd’s lips melted. He traced her lips with his tongue.

  “Your tongue is lethal,” she muttered, and felt Devin’s smile.

  “Oh, you just don’t know…but you will.”

  “I remember, there were times when you had my knees shaking.”

  Devin pulled back just enough to look in her eyes. “Just for the record, you had mine shaking too.” He stood up and held out his hand. “Let’s go to bed.”

  Shepherd pulled her cover up over her head and reached for her bikini top at the same time she glanced at Devin. Her hand froze when his trunks dropped and pooled around his feet; his cock sprang out thick and ready. Her knees nearly buckled. “Were you always that big?”

  Devin feigned indignation. “You forgot?”

  Shepherd didn’t respond, she didn’t want to tell him that for years after they had broken up, she had compared every lover she had to him and none of them measured up.

  “Not at all,” she said and Devin chuckled.

  “Don’t worry about it.” He reached behind her back for the clasp of her bikini top. “Let me get this for you.” They locked gazes while he unfastened it and it fell to the floor; her breasts spilled out. Devin licked his lips, before cupping them. “I certainly didn’t forget these.” He had always loved her breasts; while Shepherd was petite her breasts were anything but. Her oversize globes spilled over his hands. Shepherd moaned when Devin squeezed them, he brought them to his mouth, where he swiped his tongue over her pebble size nipples.

  Devin kissed his way down her stomach, tasting sweat, some sand and her. He stopped long enough to pull off her bikini bottom, she kicked it away. He knelt in front of her and nestled his face between her legs. Devin’s tongue grazed her clit and Shepherd inhaled sharply then dropped onto the bed. She splayed her legs open, exposing her wetness. Devin took one look at her glistening folds and he crawl
ed over to her, grabbed her thighs and placed his mouth between her legs.

  Shepherd placed her hands on his head, silently begging him not to move, he didn’t. He gingerly moved his tongue in her moist creases; Shepherd moaned and moved her hips to keep up with his leisurely strokes. It had been a long time since someone had kissed her there and his tongue electrified her body. She whimpered when his tongue expertly flicked over her clit.

  “Stay right there,” she pleaded and his tongue whispered over her bud, creating havoc to her senses. Devin paused for a minute and before Shepherd could protest, she felt one finger sliding into her then two and his tongue skittered through her folds, sending her over the top. Shepherd let out a strangled cry and waves of pleasure washed over her. Satiated, she grinned at Devin.

  He stood up, his cock thick and hard, pointed straight out. “That’s a good look for you,” he said. With her glowing skin, swollen lips and heavy lidded eyes, Devin thought she was the sexiest lady on earth.

  “Thanks,” Shepherd murmured.

  “Hold on.” Devin hurried over to his suitcase. Shepherd caught her breath while Devin rummaged through his clothing for protection. “I’m sorry I didn’t have these handy. I didn’t know this was going to happen.” After a few more shuffles of clothes, he triumphantly held up the box of condoms. “Here we go!” He ripped open the foil package and Shepherd hungrily watched as he slid it on.

  “Oh my!” His cock looked even bigger sheathed with the rubber. Devin stood over her. “How do you want me?”

  “Get on your back and spread ‘em. I don’t want anything fancy. We’ll have plenty of time for that.”

  Shepherd eagerly got into position. Devin slid between her legs and Shepherd shivered with anticipation. He bracketed his arms around her, and she stroked his rippling muscles. She cried out when he entered her, her tightness almost strangled his cock. Devin eased in, pausing every few inches. They both let out a sigh when he was finally in. Devin looked down at her with lust-filled eyes while he slowly thrust in her. He leaned down and passionately kissed her. Shepherd wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, his chest pressed against her breasts and she groaned at the skin-on-skin contact.

  Devin gradually increased his speed, while he continued to savor Shepherd. She moved her hips to match his pace. Shepherd felt the change coming and she was ready for it. Devin stopped, flipped them both over so that he was on his back and she was on top of him. He gripped her waist and began moving her up and down.

  “What happened to taking it nice and slow?” she asked between gasps.

  “I lied,” Devin drawled as he repeatedly thrust into her causing Shepherd to cry out. In the back of her mind she thought of the people in the stateroom next to them, but as soon as Devin plunged into her any thought of the neighbors evaporated.

  Shepherd could feel her second orgasm coming and she threw her head back in ecstasy while passion radiated through her. Devin felt her ripples caressing his cock and that gave him permission to let go. He focused on his own pleasure, through half closed eyes he looked up at her breasts bouncing enticingly in front of him; and he reached up and grabbed one. “Man I love these,” he said, then thrust into her and exploded. He shuddered then stilled. Shepherd glanced down at him and he returned her gaze, something flickered in his eyes, her stomach roiled and she immediately looked away.

  Shepherd snuggled against Devin; he kissed her shoulder then the top of her head.

  “I guess, I better get going, I don’t want Mack to worry about me.”

  “She’s not worried. She knows you’re with me.”

  “But she still might be worried.” Shepherd jumped out of bed and began picking up her clothes. “I got to go.” She quickly put on her bikini.

  “You running out of here like you’re on your way to work,” Devin joked.

  “Ha ha. No, I don’t want my friend worrying about me.” She slipped on her cover up.

  “At least let me walk you back to your room.”

  “That’s okay, see you.” And before Devin could pull on a pair of pants, Shepherd bolted out of the room.

  CHAPTER 7

  Shepherd buried her face in her pillow, ignoring Devin’s knocks. She held her breath as though he could hear her breathing through the thin door.

  “I know you’re in there, I saw Mack, she told me you were in the room,” Devin called from the corridor.

  Shepherd silently cursed her friend, but still didn’t answer.

  “I’m going to sit out here until you open the door,” he threatened. Shepherd didn’t budge from the bed. “Okay, I’m sitting down.” She heard a soft thump against her door. “I’m making myself comfortable.”

  Shepherd closed her eyes, fortunately they didn’t have any ports of call today, they had two days at sea until they return to Fort Lauderdale. She knew that she could avoid him until the ship docked. If she used room service she wouldn’t have to leave the room. Shepherd stared longingly at the door. “I want to talk to him but I’m not ready,” she muttered to herself. After five minutes of silence, Shepherd tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear to it. As soon as she heard a muffled cough, she scampered back to the bed where she debated whether to open the door. In the middle of her solo dispute, she drifted off to sleep only to be shaken away by Mackenzie a few hours later.

  “How did you get past my guard dog?” Shepherd asked her voice groggy.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Wasn’t Devin by the door?”

  “Nope.”

  “Well damn, he gave up pretty fast. He said that he was going to sit outside my door until I opened it.”

  “Oh yeah? How long ago was that?”

  Shepherd glanced at the clock. “About three hours.”

  “So why are you hiding from him?”

  Shepherd pushed a handful of her curly hair out of her face. “Because I don’t want anything serious with him,” she answered and Mackenzie cocked her head to the side. Shepherd pushed away all the lies and excuses and told the truth. “Because I don’t want to get hurt again,” she admitted softly.

  “Why do you think he’d hurt you again?”

  “Because he did it before and I caught him kissing that lady.”

  “I believe what he told you Shepherd. Some women are thirsty like that; they fuck first and ask questions later. And you said it yourself that he was trying to fight her off.”

  “I don’t know if I can trust him again. I’ve forgiven but I haven’t forgotten.”

  “I can’t tell you what to do, but if it was me, I’d give him a second chance. And if it doesn’t work this time, at least you can say you gave him a fair chance. You don’t want to spend your life wondering ‘what if’.”

  “That’s true.” She pushed herself off the bed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I usually don’t run away from things. I’m feeling better. Wanna go play some ping pong?”

  “Cool.”

  A half hour later Shepherd and Mackenzie were enjoying a game of ping pong. Although they played for over an hour, went to eat, then enjoyed a show, Shepherd didn’t run into Devin.

  CHAPTER 8

  Devin was sitting on the Lido Deck enjoying his breakfast when Shepherd stopped at his table. He hadn’t seen her since they had made love. She was avoiding him like she did ten years ago and he didn’t like it.

  “Come with me,” she demanded.

  Devin swallowed a piece of his bagel. “Would you give me a minute?” He wasn’t about to drop everything just because she finally decided to make an appearance.

  “Nope. Come on. The food will be here when we get back.”

  “You’re not going to let me eat in peace are you?”

  “Nope. You might as well come.”

  Devin tossed down his napkin, and dumped his uneaten food in the garbage. “I hate being so wasteful,” he mumbled.

  “I know I’m sorry, but this will be worth it.” She led him across the deck to the elevator.

  “S
o where are we going?”

  “I’m gonna kick your ass.”

  The elevator arrived and Devin hesitated, after hearing what Shepherd had said, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to follow her. But a group of people stepped behind them, giving him no choice but to get into the elevator.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I want to make you pay for breaking my heart ten years ago. It took me a while to come up with this, that’s why I’ve been MIA.”

  “And what exactly is it.”

  They stepped off the elevator and Devin let Shepherd lead the way. They stopped at the gym. “Here we are,” she announced.

  “The gym?”

  “Yep.”

  “I’m not dressed.” Devin gestured to his outfit: a polo shirt, shorts and a pair of athletic shoes.

  “You’re fine. They have my equipment in the office.”

  They stopped by the egg carton size room where Shepherd picked up one head guard and one pair of boxing gloves.

  “We’re gonna box?”

  “Nope, I am, you’re gonna be my punching bag.”

  “But that’s why they have punching bags!” Devin protested. “That’s what you should be hitting.” They strolled to a quiet corner.

  “That’s a good point, but a better point is that a punching bag didn’t cheat on me, you did. Scumbag. Sorry I couldn’t resist,” she added at seeing his look of astonishment. She slipped on her gloves then thrust her hands out for him to tie. “Thanks,” she said after he tied them.

  “Where’s mine?” Devin asked and Shepherd put her hands on her hips, which was hard to do, since they kept slipping off but she still managed to look stern.

  “Seriously? You’d hit a girl?”

  “I just want to protect myself.”

  “I’m leaving you unprotected like I left my heart years ago.” She slipped on her head guard. Shepherd began shuffling around, and began air boxing to warm-up.

  “Sorry.”

  “I know you are, but this will help me a lot.”

  “You’re looking pretty good, like you’ve boxed before.”