Finding Forever (3 page)

“Hey, watch how you’re talking about my cousin in front of me, man,” I warned with a grimace. Drew and Wes were both good people, and Desiree and Deidra could do a
lot
worse. I was protective of them, but not so much that I didn’t give them room to make their own mistakes. The guys both had good heads on their shoulders, and I was sure I would never have a reason to kick either of their asses.

“Anyway,” I said, turning back to Drew, “About Tori… do you know why Des never introduced us?”

He grimaced, and I knew I wasn’t about to like his answer. “Listen, man… I’m not trying to get involved in
any
mess between you and your sister, alright?”

“What the hell are you talking about, man? What mess?”

Drew pushed out a deep breath as he ran a hand over his tie. “Ok… so, you can’t tell Des
I
told you this, but she didn’t want you around Tori because she knows how you are. That’s her friend, and she doesn’t want you screwing her over— or screwing her,
period
. Sorry man. But come on, Avery, you know how you are. Can you blame her?”

Scowling, I turned away from Drew without answering and headed over to the window to stare out over the beach where the wedding was being set up. Des was always doing this shit with her friends. She had this idea of who I was in her head, and completely accurate or not, she was committed to it. It was true that I ran through women like they were going out of style, but they knew what they were getting into with me. They were adults, making their own choice to engage in commitment-free fun, and I was interested in seeing if my sister’s friend was interested in a little adult entertainment as well. Tori was
gorgeous
, and I wanted her. The fact that Des didn’t want me to have her only made that desire stronger. I prided myself on being a man who got what I wanted, and I didn’t anticipate Tori would be any different.

Just as the sun began to set, there was a knock on the door from one of the resort staff, notifying us that it was time to start. Drew set off alone to meet the officiator and take his place, while Wes and I went to meet Deidra and Tori, who somehow looked even more delicious than she had before. Glowing honey-brown skin, full, luscious lips, alluring hazel eyes, and a mass of curls pinned away from her face.
Damn she looks good
, I thought, even as she turned away to avoid my eyes. I was fine with the view from the back too, and took the opportunity to let my gaze roam from her well-defined waist to the curve of her ass, and when she turned around, the magnificent swell of her full breasts, which I imagined were perfect underneath the soft, gauzy fabric of her dress.

I took my place with Deidra, behind her and Wes as they locked arms, feeling a little jealous that as the best man,
he
got the honor of escorting the maid of honor down the aisle, while I was stuck with my cousin. When everyone was in place, including the bride and groom, I took the chance of taking my attention away from them to watch Tori. I loved my little sister, but wedding vows were boring, and her best friend was a much more interesting subject. In the fading light of the sun, her skin glowed like copper and her eyes shone like gold, lending an otherworldly quality to her beauty. As if she could feel me watching her, she glanced over, but her expression was closed. Her eyes only stayed focused on me for a moment before she turned her attention back to the ceremony, and she didn’t look away again until the happy couple had been pronounced husband and wife. Something had changed.

Tori smiled her way through the pictures, but I could tell something in her mood had shifted, and I felt a thinly veiled melancholy from her. She disappeared after the last shots to help Desiree with her gown, and I hoped like hell she was coming back out to the reception. I had something in mind that could undoubtedly improve her mood, but I needed her around to do that.

“Now what is a handsome man like you doing here without a date?” A sultry voice asked from behind me. Before I could turn around, the owner of the voice had made her way in front of me, and
damn
. Hot caramel skin, long silky hair, breasts, and ass were all in abundance, and from the look in her heavily lashed eyes, she was down to show me everything I couldn’t see in the tight dress she wore. Then, over her head, I saw Tori walk in.

I had to check myself to keep from breathing a little sigh of relief. Why was I so pressed to see
her
? There were at least a dozen other beautiful women I wasn’t related to at the reception, including the one in front of me, not to mention the plethora of other beautiful women around the resort and surrounding islands. I really had no reason to be so caught up in Tori, other than the fact that I’d been told I couldn’t have her. Plus, she turned me down. I don’t
do
turned down.

Anyway, Tori was easily— and effortlessly— badder than any other woman in the room. She walked into the reception with her hair freed from her updo, wearing a soft yellow dress that barely skimmed her body, yet somehow still showed off every curve she had, and her face free of the heavy makeup that was melting off many of the other guests’ faces in the warmth of the summer night. I chose to believe she’d changed into that dress and let her hair down just for me, but I didn’t immediately approach her. I escaped the girl with the lashes and watched Tori for a while as she mingled and drank champagne.

“Avery…” I reluctantly peeled my eyes away from Tori to turn to Des, who had censure written all over her face as she approached me.

Damn, are we going with this on the wedding day, Des?

“What’s up baby girl? Why you looking at me like that?”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “You know why. I see how you’re looking at Tori, and I want you to stop.”

“What? She’s fine as hell; everybody except Drew has been looking at her. I can’t?”

Des pressed her lips together in a disapproving line. “Yeah, you can look, but could you leave it at that? I don’t want you making her uncomfortable. She’s going through a little something with her
man
… right now, and she doesn’t need you flirting and being silly, making things more complicated. Deidra told me how she saw you two in the hall.”

So she thought I cared if Tori had a man? I shrugged, then briefly glanced around the room to find Deidra so I could scowl at her like Des was scowling at me. “Dei needs to mind her damn business, first of all. Tori and I were having a private conversation. Anyway, she’s grown, right? If she wants me to leave her alone, she knows how to say that.”

Des let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m serious, Avery. Drew and I are about to do these last little reception things, and then we’re leaving, and Deidra already snuck off somewhere with Wes. I need you to put on your ‘big brother’ hat and make sure Tori makes it back to her room okay.”

“So you want me babysit her?”

“
No
. Well…. yes. Yes, I want you to think of her like you would me or Dei, and look after her.”

I couldn’t do anything but laugh at that suggestion. “Not gonna happen, sis. I’ve already imagined my hands in too many inappropriate places on her body to
ever
think of her as a sister.”

“Ugh, Avery! Come on, I need you to do this for me.
Please
?”

Shit.

“Okay, Des. Fine, I’ll make sure your friend gets back to her room.”

Des smiled, then gave me peck on the cheek. “Thank you Avery.”

“Whatever Des.”

I watched Des and Drew deliver their toasts, but didn’t bother with the garter toss. Tori apparently had the same idea about the throwing of the bouquet, because while two of Drew’s cousins were fighting over it, I found her tucked into a quiet balcony, looking at the last rays of the sun reflected over the water.

“You know… this view is better from my villa,” I said as I approached, stopping to stand beside her at the railing.

She looked up at me with a smile, even though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re
not
staying in one of those,” she said skeptically, tossing a handful of hair over her shoulder.

I leaned close, speaking right into her ear. “Or am I?”

She laughed, then cocked her head to the side, as if she were contemplating it. “The ones right by the water, in the glades?”

“From the deck to the water, twenty feet. Thirty tops.”

I wasn’t lying— the view from the beachside villa I’d reserved for my stay
was
spectacular— but if I took her there, I was hoping to show her quite a bit more than the view. I didn’t give a damn about her ‘man’, especially if he was stressing her out. That only increased the likelihood I could get a sample of what she held between those supple, honey-colored thighs. Besides, what man with any sense would let a woman who looked like
that
come to the freaking
Maldives
alone?

“Private beach?” she asked, leaning back onto the railing as she turned to face me. I nodded, then watched the ripple of her throat as she took the last sip of champagne from her glass. She had this sultry look in her eyes that was diverting the blood flow from my brain, and sending it to my groin at a rapid pace. Sliding her hand into mine, she gave me an expectant smile that nearly knocked me off my feet. “Show it to me.”

I hadn’t expected her to be nearly this willing, but even with the possibility in mind that this was some sort of setup, I glanced around the reception to make sure both my sister and cousin were gone, then I led her out of the main building of the resort and down the lighted path to the villas, which were set into the glades.

She was quiet as we walked, but every time I glanced down at her, she was looking up at me. Her eyes were glossy, which normally would have made me wonder if she’d had a little too much champagne, but her footsteps were steady along the sandy path. When we entered the room, I was immediately glad I had left the door to the deck open, because the warm breeze sweeping through made the sheer white curtains float, creating a first impression I couldn’t have pulled off any better if I’d planned it. A smile, a
real
, joyful one, spread across Tori’s face, and she immediately released my hand and headed outside, stopping at the deck to kick off her shoes before stepping onto the sand. I followed her lead, trailing behind her as she walked all the way out to the edge of the water, letting it lap over her toes for several long minutes before she spoke.

“I got divorced,” she said, keeping her eyes focused on some distant spot in the water. I remained quiet, but her words surprised me. Desiree hadn’t mentioned that the mysterious Tori was
married
. I knew women well enough to know my input wasn’t wanted or needed now, so I kept quiet, and waited for her to continue. “He was cheating on me, pretty much the entire time. I went to my lawyer’s office and signed the paperwork right before my flight. I only got on that plane for Des. My lawyer called me before the wedding…. I’m officially part of the divorce statistics now.”

When she turned around, there were the tears in her eyes, and I knew there was no way I was moving forward with a plan to seduce her. I was cool with talking a woman into an affair, but I
wasn’t
about to take advantage of anybody. I’d never done it before, and I wasn’t about to start.

“Come on,” I said, grabbing her hand to lead her back up to the deck. I gently pushed her onto the chaise, then sat down beside her, looping an arm around her waist. If I wasn’t going to sleep with her, I could at least do what Des had asked me to do, and look out for her. “Let’s talk about it.”

She raised an eyebrow at me and shook her head, sending her curls bouncing over her shoulders. “Absolutely not.”

“Nah, you brought it up, so you must want to talk about it.”

“I don’t,” she insisted.

“You do.”

“I really, really don’t.”

“Ok, so what
do
you want to talk about?”

“We can talk about how you brought me here thinking you were gonna get some,” she laughed, pushing her hair back from her face.

“So?” I smirked, bumping her shoulder with mine. “We’re both grown… and you’re newly single, so what’s the problem?”

Tori gave a slight nod. “I guess you’ve got a point there. So is this what you do? Is this your
thing
? Impress women with your fancy digs, then seduce them?”

“Is that what you think I’m doing?”

She smiled, tilting her head a little. “Is it not?”

I shifted, feeling slightly uncomfortable as she stared up at me, waiting for an answer. Why did I suddenly feel like such an asshole, even though I’d already decided not to try anything with her? And more importantly, why wasn’t I figuring out how to get her out of my villa, to make room for someone I
could
have a little adult fun with? When she leaned away from me, angling her body back toward the beach, I instantly missed the warmth of her body against mine, but appreciated the sight of the smooth bare skin of her back.

Leave her alone, man.

“You enjoying the islands?” I asked, changing the subject in attempt to quell the urge to push the thin straps of her dress away from her shoulders. It was obvious now she wasn’t wearing a bra, and I was beginning to suspect panties hadn’t found a place in tonight’s wardrobe either. But that wasn’t a place my mind needed to go. I needed to think about
anything
except for what she did or didn’t have on underneath her dress.

“I am.” She glanced over her shoulder at me before turning back to face the beach. “It’s really beautiful out here, and peaceful… it’s cleansing. It’s like the longer I stare out there at the water… I don’t know, I feel… free. And it feels good. Better than I’ve felt in a long time.”

I didn’t respond, but I knew exactly how she felt. I watched her, noticing how she kept on leaning towards the sand, as if it had some type of pull over her. “You want to go back out on the beach, don’t you?”

“I do,” she responded with a smile. “I would love to sit out there by the water, but I don’t want to get sand all over me. How did you know?”

I shrugged, standing from my seat. “I can just tell. Get up for a second, I’ve got a solution for you.”

Tori stood, moving to the side as I picked up the chaise, easily carrying it down to beach where I placed it in reach of the gently lapping water. I sat down first, stretching out and then motioning for Tori to sit in the space between my legs. She only hesitated for a moment before she obliged, settling against me with a soft sigh.