Inferno Anthology (28 page)

The beach was quiet and we found two loungers near a straw hut. We positioned our chairs to face the sun and both tilted our chairs down to lie on our backs.

“What happened with you and Jack? I was surprised to find you in our room when I came in this morning.”

“He said he had to get up early for a fishing trip to an outer island this morning.” I wanted to hide the disappointed in my voice, but Sienna knew me too well.

“Oh. I didn’t think that man was going to let you out from underneath him the whole week. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I guess I just assumed it was going to last the whole week too, but I think the fling has flung and we are done.” I tried my best at casual.

Sienna smiled at me. “Well, whatever it was it seemed to work. You didn’t spend the first few days of our honeymoon talking about that asshole Michael at least.”

She was right. I had barely even thought about Michael the last few days, unless I was comparing him to Jack and he was landing on the light side of the scale. I’m sure she had expected me to be sad and reminiscent about my years with Michael on our trip. After all, we were on the honeymoon that I had planned to spend with Michael. The odd thing was that I missed Jack more than Michael.

I smiled. “Who could think of Michael with Jack as a distraction?”

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself with him. If you’re done, can I have him now?” Sienna teased.

A quiet day on the beach was just what I needed. We soaked up the sun, went for a swim, drank pina coladas and read trashy magazines together. It was girl heaven. By early afternoon the sun was scorching and Sienna decided that we needed to go shopping for our show that night. We hopped on the hotel shuttle bus and headed to the downtown shopping district that rivaled most big cities.

As was our tradition since sixth grade and we were allowed to go to the mall ourselves, we spent the first hour of our shopping excursion picking out outfits for the other to try on. I always found frumpy things for her to try on and she always made me try on the sluttiest dresses she could find. We wandered in and out of stores, our arms linked, and smiling, as we got lost in our own little world.

We eventually settled on coordinating outfits. We didn’t match our outfits when we performed together, but we always coordinated something between what we wore. Sometimes it was a similar color, or a similar style. This time we found a coordinating flower and skirt length. I picked out a simple white strapless dress that hugged my curves. It was short, but not too short where I would be giving the front row a private show if the stage were more than a foot off the ground. Sienna picked out a black tank dress, with a dozen chains around the waist that hung as a belt around her hips. We bought two large hot pink flowers to put into our hair and tie our outfits together. The flowers gave us an island look.

We worked up a set list with the band that was half their regular songs and half our picks. The crowd was light at first, but the party started early for a vacation schedule. By ten thirty the crowd was big and we were getting lost in our performance. We took a break and had some water and then our first song back was one of our own originals. It was a ballad where I sang the lead and Sienna joined in on the chorus. We wrote the song in our senior year in high school, when things seemed much simpler.
Missing Half
was about a couple that meets and falls in love, and then realizes that they were each other’s missing halves. I closed my eyes as I sang it and let the emotion of the words wash over me.

When the last note played, I felt drained and opened my eyes to a huge applause from the crowd. I smiled and looked around, spotting Jack leaning against the corner of a doorway staring at me. My heart skipped a beat when our eyes locked. Everyone else seemed to be applauding or smiling, but he was just standing there watching me with a serious look on his face and a drink in his hand. I directed a small smile at him and tilted my head in question toward him. He held up his drink in cheers and I watched as he drank the full glass empty.

Sienna knocked me out of my monetary haze. “Hey, that was incredible, Syd. We should do a cover song now to bring the crowd into the show. Something they know so they can join in.”

I nodded and we picked an upbeat song that was popular with the drunken singalong crowds. Sienna and I took turns singing to each other and harmonized at the chorus to the song. When it was Sienna’s turn to sign I scanned the crowd, looking for Jack, but he was gone. I tried not to let it upset me that he had disappeared as fast as he came, but I couldn’t help but look for him the rest of the night.

We sang our last song some time after midnight and the house band continued to play. Sienna was on a high from the show and, although I’d had a great time, I was still a little disappointed that Jack hadn’t stayed. Sienna ordered our usual post-show shots and a crowd gathered around us to tell us how much they’d enjoyed the show. A couple recognized Sienna from her days with the band and they bought our second round. Two handsome men complimented me on the show and asked if they could buy us our next round. Sienna accepted for both of us and we sat around talking for a while. My heart wasn’t in it, but they were nice and I didn’t want to be rude.

The taller of the two men asked me to dance when a slow song came on, and I politely declined. He grabbed my hand and tugged playfully at me to follow, but I was reluctant and really didn’t want to go.

“Get your fucking hands off of her.” Jack’s voice from behind me sent a shiver up my spine.

“Mind your own business, asshole. We’re just being friendly.” The poor guy must have thought a random man was coming to my rescue, having misread his trying to lead me out onto the dance floor.

Jack turned me on my stool to face him, his green eyes blazing. “You want this guy touching you, babe?” His face was serious and I could see the rage barely beneath the surface.

“No, but—”

His eyes didn’t leave mine but his voice was clearly directed at the guy. “Get. The. Fuck. Away. From. Her.” Through the corner of my eyes I saw the guy take a few steps back, but I didn’t dare look away from Jack.

“You coming with me, or do I have to carry you out of here?”

I searched his face, and I knew he was serious, yet my legs weren’t moving.

He leaned in close to me. “Five, four, three….”

I jumped up and he wrapped his arm tight around my waist, pulling my body flush against his. He leaned down and kissed me. A hard, passionate and demanding kiss. He released my mouth and his arm was still wrapped tight around my waist. His other arm reached down behind my knees, lifting me up into his arms.

“What are you doing? I got up to come with you?”

“You took too long.” Jack started toward the door and I heard Sienna laugh and yell, “Bye guys!”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he carried me all the way to his room. He managed to unlock the door and open it without ever putting me down. “Did you have a good time today on your trip?” I was suddenly nervous and felt the need to talk.

“Yes.” He opened the door to the bedroom and walked toward the big bed.

“How was the fishing?” I had no idea why I was desperate to suddenly make small talk.

“Good.” He gently placed me down on the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt, watching me intently as I watched him.

“What did you catch?” The corners of his mouth turned up and he looked amused.

“Wahoo.” He threw the shirt on the floor and reached for his belt, undoing it at a slow and steady pace.

“Did you go out on a big boat?” I must have sounded like a kid trying to stall for time to figure out what she was going to do.

“Yes.” Almost a full smile.

“What time did you get back?” Not only was I asking ridiculous questions, but I was also speaking way to fast.

“Ten.” He unzipped his pants and stepped out of them.

“Who caught the most fish?”

“Me.” His thumbs hooked into his sexy boxer briefs and he pulled them down, revealing his fully aroused manhood. Fully naked, he took two steps toward me.

“Are you going to answer all my questions with one word?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to talk.”

“Oh.”

He climbed on the bed and began to pull my dress down. I wiggled to help him free it from around my hips.

“Why don’t you want to talk?”

“Because I owe you slow and sweet and I really want to give it to you.”

“Oh.” I had no idea why I was so nervous when I had already been intimate with him, but the way he looked at me was scaring me. I wasn’t afraid of him, I was afraid of what he could make me feel.

He gently covered my body with his and his mouth captured mine in a slow, sensual kiss. His tongue licked along my lips, tasting and nibbling as he slowly paid attention to every inch of my mouth. I felt his thick erection pressed up against me, throbbing on my dampened skin.

He pulled back his face to look at me, and I struggled to keep my emotions from showing. He leaned his forehead into mine and his eyes held me. His hand slowly traveled down the side of my body, caressing every curve. “I missed you today.” His voice was quiet and sincere.

“Me too.” I whispered softly as he looked down at me, his eyes not allowing my waiver.

His hand found my breast and he circled my nipple gently with his forefinger. My nipple puckered in anticipation of his touch. His eyes never left mine as he watched my reaction. My eyes closed on impulse as his firmly pinched my hard nipple between his forefinger and thumb. “Look at me,” he commanded.

I opened my eyes and looked into his as he alternated between gently rolling and pinching my taut nipple. It felt so good, I wanted to shut my eyes and give in to the pleasure, but his eyes held mine in place. He slowly reached his head down and licked a slow, leisurely circle around the edge of my nipple, his eyes still not releasing mine. He sucked in my nipple firmly and bit down, igniting every nerve in my body. My back arched to his touch and he shifted to my other breast, repeating his slow circling and firm suck with a strong bite.

“Oh God,” I moaned, and my hips pushed to find him.

He released my taut nipple and his head came back to hovering over mine. He kissed me again, sucking my tongue and taking control of the kiss. I really thought I could come from just the way he kissed me. Everything about him fueled my need, from the way he took control when he kissed me to the way he demanded I look into his eyes while he pleasured me. The thought that he was turned on by watching my reaction to him made me wild.

I wrapped my arms around his wide shoulders and dug my nails into his back. I needed more. He nibbled his way from my mouth to my shoulder, licking back up to my ear. “You are so beautiful, Syd. I want to watch you come.” I wrapped my legs around his back, desperate for friction. His words brought me so close and I needed him inside me.

“Please,” was the only word that I could get out. At that moment, I would have begged for him if I had to.

He took a long breath in and exhaled deeply. “Not yet.” His hand slid down my torso. My body was damp with desire. “I don’t want to hurt you, you’re so tight.” He slid one finger into me and I writhed beneath him. Two pumps of his hand and he easily slid a second finger into my slickness.