Her Island Fantasy, an erotic novella (Bridesmaids in Paradise) (9 page)

Finally the wedding party sat, Bailey and Ian on either side of the couple. Now Ian got nervous because he had to give a speech, which was ridiculous because he knew everyone here. But he stood, holding his glass of champagne, and looked down at his big brother.

“I had a speech written,” Ian said, patting the pocket of his slacks. “It was pretty much what you’d expect the brother of the groom to say, complete with snide remarks. But when I watched my brother watch his bride walk down the aisle today, I didn’t feel like being snide about love, not today. Standing up there next to the two of them, I couldn’t help but be drawn into this bubble of joy that surrounded them, and that’s what I want to address today—the joy they found in love, in being together, in being in the moment, in looking forward to their future together. I hope that no matter what comes in the decades ahead, you’re always able to carry that joy that you find in each other with you. To Eric and Haven.”

After the toast, he dropped back to the folding chair, but not before he saw Bailey smile at him.

Then it was her turn, and damn, he should have realized she’d be giving one too, and he should have let her go first, but he’d been too nervous.

“I’m going to stick with my original speech,” Bailey said, drawing a laugh. “But what Ian said is true. There’s a bubble of happiness around these two, and it’s expanding to include all of us, and that’s what I want to say to my best friend.” She turned to look directly at Haven. “The minister said today is the day you and Eric start your family, but that’s not true. No, she’s not pregnant,” she added quickly when Haven’s mother gasped. “We are your family, we the people who you include in your life, who have watched you grow and hurt and fall in love and yes, feel that joy. Even before you married, you made us part of your family, and I couldn’t be more proud than to be part of it, more honored to be included. So today your family shares this spectacular day, these wonderful memories, and we will be around for many more.”

She saluted them with her glass, then sat, wiping her eyes. Ian wished he could touch her, soothe her, but then dinner was served and more champagne was poured. The tent was full of laughter and chatter and all he wanted was to go someplace quiet with Bailey.

Finally the dancing started, Eric and Haven first, graceful only because they had taken a few lessons. Ian had the feeling that Haven wouldn’t have minded Eric stomping all over her toes. Her entire attention was on his brother, the moment so intimate, Ian had to look away.

Then the wedding party was called out, and Bailey held her hand out to him. Since he and Jared were the only groomsmen, and Jared had his wife as a partner, Elizabeth danced with Max and Joslyn danced with her friend Andrew. Finally, Ian would have a moment with Bailey. He drew her against him on the floor, but she eased back, putting a respectable space between them.

“Great speech,” she said, smiling up at him. “I know just what you meant.”

“I thought you might think it was corny.”

“I thought it was romantic. And much nicer than your snarky speech.”

He’d forgotten she’d read it the other night. “Shorter, too.”

“Always a bonus when people are waiting to drink.”

He stroked a stray strand of hair from her neck. “Did I tell you how gorgeous you look?”

“You may have mentioned it.”

“Can we get away, just for a few minutes?”

She looked scandalized. “Not for awhile. There are a few traditions—the cake, the bouquet. Today is Haven and Eric’s day. We can wait.”

Only it was their last day on the island, the last day of…whatever this was between them. While he was happy for his brother and Haven, he didn’t want to waste what was left of his time with Bailey watching her from afar.

Soon enough, she was gone from his arms, almost like she couldn’t wait to put distance between them, almost as if this was already over for her.

She helped serve the cake, and then it was time for the bouquet toss. He was pretty sure the other ladies arranged it so Elizabeth would catch the bouquet. At first she looked flustered, then Max joined her on the floor.

“This works right into my plans,” he said, and took her face in his hands and kissed her. She wound her arms around his neck, draping the bouquet over his shoulder, and kissed him back, to the cheers of the crowd.

Ian slipped up behind Bailey and took her hand. With a small tug, he inclined his head toward the edge of the tent. She hesitated, then followed.

He took her to the edge of the water, just beyond the reach of the waves, turned her to him and kissed her, savoring her softness, her taste, everything about her. She returned the kiss, but she was holding something back. The past few days, she’d held nothing back from him. God, her striptease alone had proven that. He eased back to look at her.

“Something wrong?”

She shook her head, but wouldn’t meet his eyes, even though her hand was still hooked around his neck. He wondered what he had done to upset her.

Though he wanted to kiss her again, he took her hand and walked with her down the beach. “Think Max will propose?”

“I thought for a moment he’d do it right there. I guess he didn’t want to upstage Haven and Eric. Her father will be upset, though, if she moves out here permanently.”

“I can’t imagine one of the four amigas taking off like that.”

“But she’s in love and she’s happy and she loves it here. As long as she’s happy. And I know we’ll stay friends.”

“Speaking of staying friends,” he said, turning to her. He’d been thinking about this. It was ridiculous not to see her after tonight. They both lived in Austin, though it would be hard since he worked second shift and she was a teacher.

But just when he worked up the courage to broach the subject, Andrew hurried toward them in a long-legged lope.

“Joslyn sent me to get you. Haven and Eric are taking off.”

Just like that, Bailey released his hand and headed back to the tent after Andrew.

Bailey grabbed Ian the minute they walked through the hotel room door and pushed him up against the wall, her fingers busy on the buttons of his shirt as she crushed her mouth on his. Confused, a moment passed before he responded. Her kiss was so at odds with the distance she’d kept from him at the wedding and he didn’t quite know how to react.

His body did, though, and he curved his arm around her to hold her close.

“Against the wall,” she breathed. “Please, Ian. Against the wall.”

He was torn. He had a completely different fantasy in mind for tonight, naked in bed, taking his sweet time with her body, memorizing every inch of it, making her come, then come again, all night long.

But this week he’d been happy to make her fantasies come true, and if this is what did it…

He turned her so her back was against the wall, pinned her there with his hips as he pushed up her skirt and peeled her panties down. She bumped her hips against his hand, but he had other ideas. He could fulfill her fantasy as well as his own.

“This dress has been driving me nuts all day,” he murmured, hooking his fingers in the top and folding it down to bare her breasts. He hardened further at the sight of her, so perfect earlier, so disheveled now, and all his. He lifted her breast to her mouth and kissed and sucked the soft flesh. Maybe his earlier plan had been idiotic anyway. He never seemed to have control over himself when he was around her.

She threaded her fingers through his hair, holding him to her breast, groaning when he drew on her nipple. He tightened one hand on her hip, though the scent of her arousal made him want to bury his fingers in her and make her come.

He straightened to kiss her and she rubbed her bare breasts against his chest, desperation in her movements. So odd—she hadn’t seemed the least aroused as they walked into the hotel. What was going on?

She reached for his dick through his pants, folding her fingers around it, touching him just the way he liked—hell, he liked any way she touched him—and then she unfastened his pants and took him in her hands, stroking him.

“Now, Ian, now, please.”

Testing, he slipped her fingers between her legs and found her wet, but not drenched as she usually was. He circled his thumb over her clit and felt her grow wetter, but another tension wound through her, one he couldn’t identify. When she whispered “please” again, he pulled out a condom, covered himself and pushed inside her.

It wasn’t that the sex wasn’t great—sex with her always was, and hell, he had her pinned to the wall and was buried deep inside her. But something was missing. It was like fucking through some kind of invisible shield that he didn’t understand and couldn’t work around. He made her come, wrapped around him like a vine, those pretty jeweled sandal things scraping his ass, and he followed, but the orgasm was tired, hollow, sad.

He pulled out and helped her out of her dress and into bed, and she was asleep in minutes.

So much for the plan of making love all night.

***

Bailey almost wished Ian hadn’t changed his seat on the plane to sit by her. Their week together was over, so let it be over. But no, here he was, crowding her space, all cheerful despite the fact that they’d had to check out at the butt-crack of dawn to get to the hotel, that they’d be losing hours of their lives flying back home, that they were leaving this gorgeous island.

Yes, she was in a foul mood and no, she wasn’t apologizing for it.

Okay, she should be happy. She lived out every woman’s fantasy, seduced the handsome man, made him crazy, took charge of her own desires. She knew she couldn’t have more, so why was she so pissed off when she didn’t get it? Seriously, she knew what she was getting into.

Once they were at cruising altitude, the stewardess started serving drinks and he bought them both cocktails.

“To Haven and Eric,” he said, and touched his plastic cup to hers.

If he was surprised that she emptied it quickly, he didn’t say anything.

“So how long until you go back to school?”

“I have just over a month, though I have some workshops this week.”

He made a sound of envy. “But I wouldn’t do that job for anything.”

“You’d rather deal with criminals than four-year-olds?” She couldn’t help but smile.

“Damn straight.”He shifted in his seat and bent his head closer. “So last night didn’t exactly go as planned.”

Her face heated. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep so early.” She’d been exhausted, but she’d also been terrified of what she had seen in Ian’s face when he looked at her. Or what she was afraid she might have projected there, feeling emotional as she had at the wedding, and knowing it was their last night together. She was afraid of falling for his gentle touches, his gentle words, and had insisted he make love to her against the wall, knowing he hadn’t denied her anything she’d asked for this week.

“I had planned to take all night long,” he murmured. “I wanted to kiss every inch of your body, then start over again until you were begging. I wanted to break the world’s record for orgasms in one night.”

She tried to laugh off his words, though the combination of his voice and the picture he painted made her squirm in her seat. “What do you suppose that is?”

“No idea, but we were going to make a run for it. I’d planned to make you come with my mouth, then make you crazy all over again, then get out the vibrator.”

“Oh,” she said softly. “Oh.”

“I’d start on your nipples, I think, see if you liked that. Then I’d reach between your legs and put it inside you, just a little. If that wasn’t enough.” He bent his head closer and his lips brushed over her jaw. “I’d lick your clit, around and around until it was enough. Then, while you were still coming, I’d come inside you. I love feeling you squeeze me when you come.”

Her face was flaming, but her body throbbed, wanting reality, wanting it now, wishing more than anything they were back in that hotel room, on that bed, Ian naked on top of her, filling her, pressing her into the mattress. Why did this week have to be over?

“Why are you doing this to me?” she whispered.

“Because I want you thinking about me.”

“You’re sitting right next to me.” God, it was hard to play it cool when he had her hormones hopping.

“When you’re alone, and remembering you have this in your purse.” He slipped something in her bag.

The vibrator. God.

“I want to be the one you picture.”

She let her eyes drift shut. No problem there. She couldn’t think of anyone else.

***

Bailey reached for the clicker and turned up the volume of the old sitcom. She popped a couple of kernels of unbuttered, unsalted popcorn and washed it down with Diet Coke. She was going to be in so much trouble when school started. It was almost one in the morning and she wasn’t even tired. Of course, she was adjusting from the time change, though she’d been home two days. She’d had two days of quiet, of laziness, of loneliness.

She hadn’t busted out the vibrator, though.