Given (Give &Take) (14 page)

I held my breath waiting for her reply and hoped I hadn’t pounced to fast.

“Oh, Rachael, you and I both know I kept the secret that MJ and I were my dad’s kids for Enzo. I didn’t want to stay with my grandfather and make it seem like I was picking him over my dad.”

She was good. She kept up her story. I wanted so badly to push her, but it was too soon. I needed more bonding time. Maybe just questioning for clarification would be enough to open her up more. “I’ve been wondering… why did you tell Merrick about you and MJ being his kids and Gina being alive? You came to the island a few months ago to protect that secret, right? So why did you end up telling him everything?”

Nadia stiffened, bristled. My direct approach had struck a chord. “I was pissed,” she said. “I still am. Enzo promised
me something that I found out he couldn’t deliver on, so if he wasn’t going to keep up his end of the bargain, then I wasn’t either.”

“Oh.” Now it was clear. She did it to strike back at Enzo for screwing her over. This was more in character for the Nadia I knew. But what did she want that she didn’t get? Should I come right out and ask?

The door opened and the message therapists came back in, ending my dilemma. I’d keep that information tucked into the back of my mind and try to figure out what it was that Nadia wanted that made her turn on her grandfather. Whatever it was, it would be good for Merrick to know about.

Our session ended on Marcello’s balcony, where we ate sparse salads with spiky lettuce dressed in lemon juice. As I was a woman who liked to really eat when I ate, this wasn’t going to cut it for me. The view of the ocean with waves crashing in on the beach was amazing, though, and the massage had done wonders relaxing me.

“Thanks for suggesting this,” I said, “and getting us in. I really enjoyed it.”

“You’re welcome. I figured if you were trying to be nice to me, I’d do the same for my dad’s sake. I don’t want him to think I’m not doing my part to play nice.”

The fact that her compliments came wrapped in barbed wire did little to endear her to me. I stabbed a forkful of bitter lettuce and swallowed it down. It was already six in
the evening and I was ready to get home. “I’m in the mood to watch a romantic comedy tonight. What do you think?” I frowned down at my wilted lettuce. “I’m taking a pizza back with us, too.”

She stretched and yawned. “Sure. I might not make it through a movie, but why not?”

Her yawn was contagious. We both fell asleep in the back of the car on the way to the dock to meet Mr. Simcoe. The boat ride reinvigorated us, though, with the cool night air blowing against our faces. By the time we got back to Turtle Tear, the pizza was cold, but neither of us cared and each scarfed down a piece in the golf cart on the way to the hotel.

Once we’d gone upstairs and changed, I popped the DVD in and we settled onto one of the leather couches in the lounge to eat and watch the movie. It was an odd feeling being with Nadia and not just because I didn’t trust her. She wasn’t much younger than me, but because I was engaged to her father, it was different than hanging out with a friend. We weren’t friends, and with the dynamics of our relationship, we never would be.

After a while, I gathered the courage to confront her with a question I already thought I had the answer to. “Nadia, why don’t you want your dad to marry me?”

She gave me the sweetest smile. “Rachael, I guess I’m still like a little girl in that respect. I never stopped wanting my dad and mom to get together.”

My pizza turned to cement in my stomach. That was what this was about? Her master plan was to get Gina and Merrick together?

Nadia wasn’t a sentimental little sap. If she wanted them together, there was a reason. “Well, it’s not going to come as a surprise that we want different outcomes. I’m planning on marrying your father and nothing will change that.” Not even her tactics to make me into the evil stepmom.

She only smiled sweetly again, but I saw that sharp edge gleaming in her eyes.

I suffered through the rest of the movie, then stood up to get the hell out of there. “I’m exhausted, going up to bed. See you in the morning.”

“Sweet dreams,” she said, almost like a taunt. “I’ll let my dad know what a great time we had when he gets home.”

Was I supposed to be worried that she was waiting up for him? Should I be? I couldn’t keep up with my head spinning with questions. I held up my hand and waved good night as I left the lounge.

Upstairs, I sorted through all the puzzle pieces of Nadia. What fit together and what was missing? What I knew: She was sucking up to Merrick, she wanted Merrick to rebuild his company, she had interest in what MJ was doing with the Weston Plantation, she wanted her mom and Merrick together, and she wanted something from Enzo that he didn’t give her.

The easy fit was having her mom and dad married when
he rebuilt Rocha Enterprises. She would reap the benefits of inheriting the company someday. If I was in the picture as his wife, I would get it, and if I didn’t like her, she wouldn’t see a dime.

But there was something else. This nagging feeling that I was missing a major part of the picture wouldn’t leave me. How did Enzo fit into this? His hand was always the one moving the pieces around the board. What would he get out of Gina and Merrick being together? Or would he be screwed over somehow? Was Nadia still trying to retaliate against him?

My brain was still churning when Merrick came in with Harley-Davidson bags. “Hey,” I said, sitting up, “have a good time?”

“Yeah, we had a great time.” He set the bags on the end of the bed and grabbed me, pulling me to him and kissing me like he hadn’t seen me in a week. “I missed you.”

“I guess you did.” My lips tingled and the warm tickle of pleasure was spreading between my legs.

“I’m glad you’re still awake.” He playfully nipped my bottom lip and tugged.

“I think I’m about to be very happy I’m still awake.”

He pulled the covers back and grabbed my sleeping shorts by the waistband. “Yes, you are.” The shorts were disposed of and he was rattling around in one of the bags. “Put these on.”

He handed me a pile of folded black leather. “What is this?” My eyes widened as I unfolded the item.

“Ass-less leather chaps. I told you I was going to get you a pair.”

“Holy hell.” They were black and laced up the thighs. “You actually did, too.”

He chuckled. “How ’bout that?”

“Yeah, how about that?”

Merrick pulled me to my feet and slapped my ass. “Put them on!”

“Okay.” I was all for dressing sexy for my man, but ass-less leather chaps were out of my realm. What the hell? He was all into his biker thing now, so I’d play along.

I took my new chaps into the adjoining bathroom and closed the door. If he wanted biker chick, well, I’d give him my version of biker chick. I lost my panties and figured out which laces and zippers went where. They were tight and felt like I’d shoved my legs into leather gloves, but they were soft and not uncomfortable.

Luckily, I’d hung a lacy red bra on the back of the bathroom door a while ago and forgot about it. I shed my T-shirt and put it on. “Time to look a little trashy,” I said, picking up a comb and teasing my hair. I sprayed it, making it puffy, then put on thick black eyeliner, mascara, and red lipstick.

Standing back admiring myself in the mirror, I had to admit I was hot. Merrick was going to go crazy.

I cracked the bathroom door. “Close your eyes.”

“They’re closed.”

“How do I know they’re closed?” I laughed. “Okay, keep them that way. I’m coming out.”

He stood beside the bed in just his jeans. They were unbuttoned and his feet were bare. His eyes were closed tight and I had an idea. “Don’t move,” I said.

Digging through the Harley-Davidson bags, I found exactly what I figured I’d find. A black Harley bandanna with an eagle and the logo on it. I stood on the bed, rolled it, and secured it around his head over his eyes.

“What are you doing?” he asked, reaching up to grasp it as I tied it tight.

“Playing. Are you afraid?”

“No, I’m not afraid,” he said in a teasing voice. “But I wanted to see you in these.” He grabbed my butt and squeezed.

“You will. When it’s time.” I hopped down to the floor and stood back, taking him in. I still couldn’t understand how this man had fallen in love with me. I mean, I was attractive and smart, but he could have models, anyone really. His body was beautiful, cut and strong. He was talented and a brilliant businessman, and his heart… his heart was kind and generous. He loved with everything he had, sometimes to a fault.

“Did you leave?” he asked, reaching out for me.

I took his hand and kissed his fingertips. “No. Just admiring you. Nobody else can ever have you.”

He cupped my neck and pulled me in. “Of course nobody else can have me. Hate to break it to you, but you’re stuck with me until the day I die.”

I broke off his laugh by sucking on his bottom lip. He
kneaded my bare ass cheeks as I kissed down his chest and left red lipstick prints. I unzipped him and pushed his jeans down. He stepped out of them and kicked them aside. I’d never left a lipstick ring around a man’s penis before, and was anxious to do it to Merrick.

I dropped to my knees and he held my head in his hands. I’d never wanted to pleasure a man with my mouth as much as I did him. In the past, with other guys I’d gone out with, I’d done it when I felt like I had to, like repaying them for going down on me. With Merrick, I loved it. I loved how much
he
loved it. Turning him on turned me on.

I stroked him lightly, kissing the inside of his thigh. His knees bent a little in anticipation. I turned him so he backed up against the bed. “Sit and lie back,” I said, pushing him down.

On my knees, I positioned myself between his long legs. His balls were full and heavy, his cock erect and standing away from his stomach. I ran my nose up and down its length, letting my hands slide up over his abdomen. He felt so good under my hands, so solid and…
mine
. Having him like this grounded me. When there was nothing but questions all day long, there was this at night. Us. Together. No questions, just instinct.

He groaned. I could tell he was going crazy waiting for me to take him into my mouth. I touched the base of him with the tip of my tongue and slowly licked upward to his tip. He breathed deep and bunched the quilt in his hands. “Is it different when you can’t see anything?” I asked.

“It’s amazing, but it’s always amazing.”

I ran my tongue under the ridge around his head, then put it in my mouth and wrapped my lips around him. I didn’t move, just massaged him with my tongue. His hands came up; his fingers threaded in my hair. I knew he wanted to push me down farther, but he didn’t. I wanted to make him wild, and it was working.

“You’re being a tease,” he said. “First you don’t let me see you wearing my present; now this.” He sat up and pushed the bandanna up onto his forehead. “I’m not going to lie here and take it, Ms. DeSalvo. This ass is mine.” He grabbed my butt and pulled me onto his lap, straddling him. “And I want to see it.”

He rubbed a thumb over my bottom lip. “Look at you. Mmm.” His fingers crawled deeper and lower between my legs from behind. Finding me wet and swollen, Merrick moaned and lay back on the bed. He cocked his finger, beckoning me to crawl higher. “On my face. You’re dressed for a ride and I’m going to take you on one.”

He grabbed my hips and positioned me so I was spread over his mouth. I braced my palms against the wall in front of me and felt him slide his finger inside. His tongue explored my slick folds, flicking and laving, making me dig my nails into the drywall. It was payback time and he was avoiding the one sweet spot I needed him to suck. “Who’s the tease now?”

As soon as the words were out, he latched on with his lips and sucked me relentlessly, plunging a second finger
in with the first and working them back and forth, bending his fingers. The tender, prickling heat grew in intensity, the flames licking higher, ready to burn me to ash. I ground against his mouth and urged it to come faster. My muscles clenched. I gritted my teeth and silently chanted, yes, yes, yes! It hit with a ferociousness that pulled me down against the wall, whimpering in surrender.

Merrick released me and cradled me in his arms. “Who likes ass-less chaps now?” he chuckled and kissed me, leaving salty traces of me on my lips.

“I love ass-less chaps,” I said, breathless.

“The ride’s not over yet, you know.”

I grabbed his rock-hard cock and nodded. “I know. This is the
big
race, too.” I climbed on top of him and pushed his shoulders back onto the bed. “You better put the key in the ignition.”

He grabbed himself and slid his head up and down through my folds, between my ass cheeks and back again before nestling himself at my opening. “I’m ready to fire the starting pistol.”

I giggled. “Okay, enough with that.” Lowering down onto him, the overwhelming sensation of oneness and belonging took me over. So full. So complete. So perfect. “I love this so much,” I said, beginning to ride him. I took him deep and rose until he was almost out of me before pushing back down again. I went slow, grinding forward and back, then faster, up and down, circling my hips, pressing my hands against his chest. I wanted to come again, but this time was all about him.

I watched his face, listened for his breath hitching and quickening, felt for the grasp of his hands, digging into my hips, guiding me, urging me on, faster and harder. “I can’t—God—Rachael!” He grunted and bit his lip, his eyes squeezed tight and his dick thickened. His excitement and the pressure building more friction inside me brought me to the edge again. I wanted it so badly and I wanted to come with him. I reached between my legs and rubbed my fingers in fast circles, both of us bucking and thrusting. I closed my eyes against the blur of orgasm and felt him throbbing and pulsing into me as my own contractions squeezed around him.

Spent and panting heavily, I lay on Merrick’s chest as he scratched my back in lazy circles. “I love you,” I said. “Best gift ever.”