Passion Never Dies (13 page)

She hummed a happy tune as she walked out of the cabin and onto the deck. The sun was beginning to set and she breathed in the warm, salty air. Catalina Island wasn’t too far off in the distance and she watched a group of kayakers paddle near other sailboats and yachts anchored nearby. She had only been to Catalina once before on a high school camping trip and she had always wanted to return. Hugging her arms about her, she couldn’t believe that not only was she back here, but that she was with Jake, the man who was slowly becoming a very vital part of her life.

“Hey, I woke up and you were gone,” grumbled a disgruntled Jake as he walked toward her. He had put on his shorts, but had not bothered to put on his T-shirt. His bare chest and tousled hair made her want to jump back into bed with him again.

“Hi, sleepy head,” she teased. “I figured you needed to regain your energy.”

Jake chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. She rested her back against his strong chest and sighed. They both looked out at the horizon and the setting sun with its brilliant yellow and orange colors.

“It’s beautiful here,” Diana said as she savored being held tightly in his arms.

“You’re beautiful,” said Jake and kissed the top of her silky head.

Wrapped in his arms, she couldn’t think of a more perfect moment. Suddenly, Jake laughed as he heard the rumble in her stomach and she cringed in embarrassment.

“I think it’s time for us to get some sustenance, don’t you think?” Jake asked in amusement before turning her around to face him.

Diana placed her arms around his neck, reached up and kissed him soundly.

“Afterwards, we can have
dessert
, if you know what I mean,” she mumbled against his lips.

Jake’s eyes widened at her remark, “You’re insatiable.”

Diana giggled as he spanked her bottom playfully.

“But you love it,” she said and then paused as she watched his expression turn serious. He looked down at her intensely and she grew tense as he continued to stare into her eyes with an unreadable expression.

“What?” she asked, concerned.

Suddenly, Jake’s eyes cleared and he smiled down at her.

“Nothing. Let’s go to Avalon and have dinner, sweetheart.”

Still a little worried over his change of mood a moment ago, Diana smiled tentatively and allowed him to lead her back into his cabin.

~

Avalon, Catalina Island’s one and only town, was bustling with tourists and activity. Summer increased the town’s small, year-round population by the thousands and Diana, walking hand in hand with Jake, enjoyed watching families and happy tourists strolling down the busy boardwalk. It was still warm even though the sun had gone down and she opted to wear a light yellow dress with a sweetheart neckline, cap sleeves, fitted waist and an above-the-knee hemline. Jake chose to wear grey shorts and a light blue T-shirt, which emphasized his broad shoulders.

Jake led her to an upscale seafood restaurant where they were seated on the outdoor deck overlooking the harbor.

“They serve the best seafood here,” Jake said as he opened his menu. “But if you don’t like seafood, they also have great steak and chicken.”

“I love lobster,” Diana said as she looked out over at the bay where dozens of small boats and yachts were anchored.

Jake smiled and closed his menu.

“Then lobster it is,” he said before reaching over to hold her hand across the table. His knees touched hers underneath the table and she smiled, relieved to see no sign of his earlier strange mood. She knew that her sensitivity toward him had increased by a hundred-fold ever since they had made love and she wasn’t sure how to handle it. Looking at Jake across their candlelit table, she wasn’t even sure how he felt about her. Her emotions were in a jumble, but she was determined to enjoy this weekend with him and not to delve too deeply on what the future with him may bring - or not bring.

~

Jake studied how Diana’s wavy hair caressed her bare, tanned shoulders, and the way her deep brown eyes sparkled at him as she ate her meal with enjoyment. He knew with certainty that he was now well and truly ensnared by her. Her innocent beauty, her sweet and caring nature, and her uninhibited responses to him in bed made her a temptation he couldn’t resist. But he was accustomed to his freedom as a single, carefree bachelor and in the past, he had always shied away from the thought of commitment.

A few hours ago, he had realized that he was starting to care about Diana too much. The revelation had shook him and made his mind go blank for a few seconds as he had stared down into her eyes.

Now as he held her soft hand across the table, gently stroking her knuckles with his thumb, he wondered what she felt about him. Suddenly, he began to feel insecure, an emotion he so rarely encountered that he almost didn’t recognize it. He had never felt vulnerable in any of his relationships, so he firmly subdued the unfamiliar feeling. Diana had come to him with open arms and had taken her pleasure with him enthusiastically. Obviously, she cared about him; anything less was unacceptable in his mind.

~

“Mmm, this lobster is delicious,” said Diana appreciatively, as she dipped lobster meat into a small tray of melted butter. “It’s so fresh and succulent. You were right. This restaurant serves great seafood.”

Jake watched her take the lobster meat into her mouth. He nearly groaned out loud as he watched her lick her lips, lapping at the butter drippings with her tongue. It had been torture watching her savoring her lobster meal all evening. His imagination had run rampant wondering what it would be like to drip butter on her naked, writhing body as he licked her all over.

“You haven’t really touched your lobster,” she said, curiously. “Don’t you like it?”

“I’ve been too busy watching you enjoy yours,” he answered and was glad that his erection was well hidden by the tablecloth.

Diana grinned before taking a sip of her red wine.

“Getting good lobster is difficult in Vegas. By the time seafood is trucked into the desert, it tastes kind of stale.”

Jake chuckled. “I noticed.”

“What would you like to do after dinner?” Jake asked, hoping she would say that they could go back to his yacht, so he could immediately make love to her again.

Diana paused as she licked her fingers slowly, the provocative act nearly making him groan out loud.

“I wouldn’t mind going back to the yacht,” she said, looking at him from underneath her eyelashes.

Jake’s blood pressure shot up as he caught her flirtatious smile. She had read his mind accurately and he was more than pleased with her eagerness to be alone with him again.

He held his hand up to signal to the waiter.

“Check, please.”

~

Diana sighed in pleasure as she stretched languorously in Jake’s bed. His dark brown, silky sheets and pillows were strewn haphazardly all over the cabin floor. Holding a sheet close to her chest, she listened to the water gushing from the shower Jake was taking. It had been a wild night and they had made love with great abandon. Jake had proven himself to be a generous and tireless lover, who had made her reach her peak more times than she could remember.

Looking toward the window, she could see streams of light through the blinds and sat up in bed. She put on one of his T-shirts for modesty’s sake and walked toward the bathroom. The shower had shut off and she needed to use the toilet, so she knocked on the door.

“Jake, can I come in?”

Jake opened the door, a white towel wrapped around his waist.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he greeted her before dipping his head to kiss her lightly. “Did I wake you?”

“I just need to use the bathroom,” she replied shyly.

Jake grinned and walked out and she shut the door behind him. After using the toilet and washing her hands, she heard a knock. She opened the door and Jake stood there naked with a big grin on his face.

“Have you taken a shower yet?” he asked mischievously.

Tearing her eyes away from his muscular six-pack, Diana shook her head and looked up into his teasing, green eyes. She immediately recognized the hunger there as he swept away the beige shower curtain and stepped inside the stall.

“I thought you already took a shower,” she said, pulling off the T-shirt and stepping inside the stall. Jake turned on the water. Then he backed her up against the tiled wall. She moaned as their wet bodies fused together and she could feel his erection between her legs.

“But you haven’t and I’d like to soap you down,” Jake said huskily.

He held a bar of soap in one hand and started to gently stroke it down her body. Bending his head, he captured one pink nipple and sucked. Diana groaned and clutched his shoulders as he slipped his other hand between her legs and began to stroke her.

The warm water rained upon them as Diana writhed in his arms. Jake’s tongue wandered over to her other breast to lick her other nipple before swallowing her breast whole. His other hand then cupped her bottom and lifted her up.

“Spread your legs, sweetheart,” he instructed hoarsely. Diana immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. He groaned and then thrust into her as she moaned in ecstasy.

“You feel so good,” he murmured as he thrust into her, now with both hands at her bottom. Diana gyrated against him, reveling in the feel of his large member pounding into her.

Jake groaned and kissed her voraciously, their tongues dueling wildly. Diana moaned loudly as she felt herself come. Suddenly he lifted his head away and thrust one more time, his orgasm taking him like a tidal wave. They were both breathing heavily as she put her shaky legs down.

Jake put his forehead against hers and smiled into her dazed eyes.

“Now that’s what I call a good morning,” he said before kissing her and turning off the water.

~

A few hours later, Diana found herself on the beach watching Jake come out of the ocean, dripping with water. They had eaten a leisurely breakfast on his yacht’s deck before heading out to shore. She wore a bright pink bikini, which accented her pert breasts and highlighted her tan. More than once on their way to the beach, Jake had caught her to him and groped her, causing her to lightly scold him.

“It’s your fault for wearing that bikini,” he grumbled. “You look too sexy in it.”

Diana inwardly preened at his compliment.

“Try to behave. We’re in public,” she admonished.

“I don’t care who’s watching. You’re my girlfriend and if I want to touch you, I will,” Jake said, looking deeply into her eyes.

Warmed by him calling her his girlfriend and thrilled by the possessive tone in his voice, Diana’s uncertainty was temporarily assuaged. After this morning’s lovemaking, she was now in danger of falling deeply in love with him. It was going to be difficult to hide her feelings from him until she knew how he felt about her.

Jake smiled down at her as she lay on the beach blanket.

“I need to get some water. Want some?” he asked.

“No, thanks.”

“I’ll be right back then.”

Diana watched him walk away toward the stores stationed not too far from the beach. She turned on her stomach and placed her head on her folded arms and closed her eyes, enjoying the sun on her back and listening to the waves. The sound of female voices conversing interrupted her peace and she opened her eyes reluctantly to see a trio of pretty bikini-clad women sauntering toward her.

“It’s so hot today,” complained a woman in a white bikini. She unfolded her beach blanket and placed it on the sand not too far away from Diana. The beach wasn’t very large and there was limited space due to the many tourists.

“Tell me about it,” another woman in a blue bikini said as she lay down next to her friends.

“I’d rather go shopping,” complained another woman in a green bikini.

Diana rolled her eyes at their complaints. She tried to shut out their conversation, but one of their comments drew her attention.

“Yummy, look at that hot guy coming toward us,” said blue bikini.

“Wow, that is fine eye candy,” giggled white bikini.

Diana looked up to see Jake walking toward her holding a water bottle. Suddenly, a beautiful woman in a black string bikini intercepted him and he stopped. Diana narrowed her eyes as she watched the woman clutch her bikini top and present her back to Jake.

“Cassidy is using her ‘my top is about to fall off, can you tie it for me pretty please’ trick again,” giggled green bikini causing Diana to sit up and stare at the scene taking place a few yards away from her.

Jake tied the woman’s strings expertly and then started walking away again, but the woman stopped him with a hand to his hard chest. Diana could feel her temper boiling as the woman unashamedly stroked his chest. Jake shrugged with a frown and abruptly turned away. The woman scowled and stared at his retreating back.

“Oops, Cassidy doesn’t take rejection well,” said the blue bikini.

Jake grinned at Diana and settled himself next to her on the beach blanket. Diana glanced at the women who had been chatting about Jake. Their eyes widened as they comprehended that Jake was with her.
That’s right, ladies. He’s mine
, she thought possessively.

“Hey, beautiful,” Jake said capturing her attention. “Did you miss me?”

“I couldn’t help but notice that woman practically accost you over there,” said Diana wryly.

Jake let out a laugh. “She was shameless. Sorry you had to witness that.” He took her hand and kissed it. “She didn’t know that I only have eyes for one woman. You.”

His statement melted her heart and she reached over to kiss him softly. He met her lips eagerly, placing a hand behind her head and bringing her close to his body.

“I think we need to cool down. Why don’t you join me in the water?” Jake asked.

Diana nodded and stood up as Jake held her hand and led her into the ocean. She glanced one more time at the bikini clad women and caught them all staring at her with envy. She grinned as she followed Jake into the water and he brought her to him once they were shoulder high in the ocean.

“Kiss me,” he ordered and she smiled, placing her arms around his neck willingly. She kissed him and he angled his head, so he could open her mouth wider.