Love After Dark (17 page)

She squirmed under him, and he had to bite his lip to keep from moaning. “Paul…”

“We’re going to the mainland on Tuesday. We’ll have a day or two alone together. Between now and then, think about whether this is what you really want. And if you’re in, you have to be all-in. Okay?”

“All or nothing?”

“We can’t do this halfway, Hope. It wouldn’t be fair to any of us, particularly Ethan.”

“You’re right. I know you are, but if we’re going all-in, you need to talk to Alex about it.”

“I will.” Though it was literally painful to tear himself away from her, he pushed up and withdrew. He offered her a hand and helped her sit up, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Are you okay?”

“I’m better. Thank you for listening.”

“I’m sorry for everything you went through, but that has nothing at all to do with us. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said tentatively, letting him know it would take a while before she truly believed him.
 

That was fine. He had nothing but time that he was willing to give her until she realized he was nothing like the man who’d hurt her so badly. Paul kissed her one more time. “I’ll go to the funeral with you in the morning. I don’t want you to go through that alone”

“That’s really nice of you. Thanks.”

“You’re going to figure out that you can count on me, Hope. I’ll see you in the morning.” He kissed her forehead and got up, forcing himself to walk away, to give her the time to decide if this was what she really wanted. And if she decided it wasn’t? What then? Well, he’d have to accept it and move on, but at least he’d know why.

He took the steps to the back porch and went in through the screen door, stopping short at the sight of Alex, nude, standing in front of the open refrigerator, guzzling a bottle of seltzer water.
 

“What the hell?” Paul muttered, averting his gaze from his brother’s naked rear end.

Alex closed the fridge, killing the light. “Sorry. Where you been?” When the light over the stove came on, Alex was, thankfully, leaning against the counter.

“Outside.”

“In your underwear?”

“At least I’m wearing underwear.”

“I thought you were asleep.”

“It was a little too noisy around here to sleep.”

“Oh, um…” Alex flashed a big dopey grin. “Sorry again?”

“Hate to say I’m getting used to it, but…”

“We’re moving out next week.”

“Thank God,” Paul muttered.

“So you’re just walking around the backyard in your underwear?”

Paul debated for a second before he said, “Not exactly. I was over at Hope’s.”

“Again I say in your underwear?”

“We… She and I…”

“Oh my God, Paul.
Seriously?
Since when?”

“I don’t know yet if it’s serious. It’s new.”

“You have to know I’d never begrudge you the chance to be happy, but if she quits, we’ll be screwed.”

“Why would she quit?”

“If it goes bad between you guys? Hello?”

“I’ve already told her that whatever happens between us will never affect her job.”

“Paul… Dad would flip out.”

“Dad’s not here! You said that yourself just the other day. Or is the gospel according to Dad selectively applied?”

“I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. I’m just surprised by this news. I hadn’t noticed…”

“You’ve been a little preoccupied lately.”

“I don’t want you to think I don’t approve, because that’s not the case. I like Hope and Ethan. They’re great, and she’s incredible with Mom. I’m only concerned about somehow messing that up when we need her so badly.”

“I’m not going to mess it up. I won’t let that happen.” As he said the words, he hoped they were true.

“Good enough, then.”

“That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?”

“If you were thinking I was going to be a dick about it, you’ll be disappointed. You know what you’re doing, and you know what’s at stake for everyone. What else do you want me to say?”

“Nothing, I guess.”

“I hope it works out. You deserve to be happy, Paul. I’d never stand in the way of that.”

“You’re right about one thing. Dad would flip out.”

“Like you said, Dad’s not here, and I can’t believe he’d feel any differently than I do, especially after all you’ve sacrificed for this family over the last few years.”

Alex’s kind words left a lump in Paul’s throat. “Thanks,” he said gruffly. “I’m going to take a couple of hours in the morning to go to Lisa’s funeral with Hope. Daisy is off tomorrow and coming to stay with Mom while Hope is gone.”

“And you guys are still heading for the mainland on Tuesday?”

“That’s the plan, but don’t worry, I’ll be back in plenty of time for the festivities on Saturday.”

“
Great
,” Alex said with a laugh. “Just remember—what goes around comes around, little brother. Someday it’ll be your turn, and revenge is a bitch.”

“I’ll take my chances. I’m covering my eyes to give you a chance to get out of here without leaving me with images that can’t be unseen.”

“I’m gone. See you in the morning.”

Paul kept his eyes covered until he heard Alex’s bedroom door close. Then he dropped his hands, shut off the light and headed for bed, hoping the progress he’d made with Hope tonight wouldn’t disappear in the morning.

Chapter 11

Still reeling from what he’d learned in the kitchen, Alex got back into bed with Jenny.

She slid into his arms. “What took so long?”

“Paul came in from the yard wearing only underwear. I had to get the scoop.”

“Is there scoop?”

“Oh yeah. He was at Hope’s.”

“Wearing only underwear?”

“Yep.”
 

“So does that mean…
Paul and Hope
?”

“Apparently.”

“Wow, how did we miss that?”

Alex squeezed her sexy ass. “We’ve been a little busy.”

She crawled on top of him and used his chest as a pillow.

Alex loved the way she fit so perfectly in his arms, as if she’d been made just for him.
 

“How do you feel about that? With her being an employee and all?”

“You’re an employee,” he said with a chuckle.

“I was your girlfriend before I was an employee.”

“My dad had a thing about us dating employees.”

“I remember you saying that before.”

“I made the mistake of reminding Paul of that just now. I shouldn’t have done that. I could tell he’s already been wrestling with it himself.”

“Your dad would be so proud of both of you. I feel like I’ve gotten to know him through you and Paul and your mom, so I can say that fairly confidently.”

“God, I hope so. We loved him so much. We were scared of him, too, which I now know was part of his master plan to raise decent men.”

“He did a great job at that.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“
Everyone
thinks so. What you guys have done for your mom while keeping the business afloat is nothing short of heroic.”

“I don’t know about that. We did what anyone would do for their mother.”

“That’s not true, Alex. Lots of people would’ve put her in a home on the mainland and gone on with their lives. That would’ve been the easy thing to do.”

“We never considered that.”

“Which makes you two extraordinary, especially with a booming business to run, too.”

“I’ve never felt it was extraordinary. It’s what family does for family.”

Jenny sighed and kissed his chest. “I can’t wait to officially join the Martinez family.”

“Are you starting to believe it’s actually going to happen?”

“I’m getting there.”

“I want you to relax and enjoy the next couple of weeks. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Intellectually, I know that. Emotionally, however…”

“I know, baby. I can’t wait to see you coming toward me on the arm of your dad so I can say, ‘Told ya so. It’s all good.’”

“I can’t wait for you to say that.”

“I want you to talk to me whenever you’re worried or upset about anything. I never want you to struggle with something by yourself. You’re not alone anymore. You’ll never be alone again.”

Jenny pushed herself up so she could reach his lips and kissed him. “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said.”

He scowled at her. “I am
not
sweet.”

“Yes, you are.”

“You’re turning me into a regular pussy.”

She slapped his chest. “Don’t say that word! I hate it.”

“What word? Regular?”

“You know what word.”

He knew exactly what word and said it and others she hated regularly because she was so damned cute when she got pissed with him. “You’re going to have to tell me, because I’m not sure which word you’re talking about.”

“Knock it off. Quit trying to get me to say things I never say.”

“You can do it. Come on… Just say it.”

“I won’t.”

“I can make you.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

He shuddered dramatically. “I get so hot when you go all Southern belle on me.”

Rolling her eyes, she said, “Whatever. As far as I can tell, you’re hot all the time.”

“I’m hot for
you
all the time.”

“Even now?” she asked, moving on top of him with deliberate purpose.

“Mmm, especially now.” His hands moved from her hips to her breasts. After so many months together, he knew just what it took to turn her on, and he loved knowing her secrets.
 

She had a few tricks of her own, however, and when she took him inside her, he forgot all about his tricks to focus on hers. And hers were something to behold as her hips swiveled and her breasts bounced. He freaking loved the way she looked on top of him, uninhibited, focused on her pleasure, which always led to his, too. At times like this, when he had her all to himself, he wondered how he’d managed to get so lucky. Alex sat up and drew her nipple into his mouth, making her gasp as her back arched in response to him.

At the same time, he reached between them, pressing his fingers to her clit and then immediately removing them, which made her moan. “Say the word I want to hear, and I’ll make you come.”

“I’m not saying it.”

He continued to tease her with light touches of his fingers over her clit, backing off each time.

“That’s so mean.”

“Talk dirty to me, baby. You can do it. Tell me what word you hate.”

She put her lips against his ear and in a husky whisper, she said, “Pussy.”

“Ahh, fuck, that’s so hot.” He returned his fingers to her clit, bit down on her nipple and felt her detonate, which finished him off, too. “Jenny, God…”

She mumbled something, and if he heard her correctly, she’d said he was the devil. He liked that.

Keeping his arms around her, he reclined against the pillows, still embedded deep within her as she pulsed with aftershocks. This, right here, was the closest thing to heaven he’d ever experienced, and he couldn’t wait to be married to her.

“Love you so much, Alex, even when you’re making me say terrible words I’ve never said in my life. I wish you knew how much I love you.”

“I do know, and I love you just as much, especially when you talk dirty to me. I bet I love you more than you love me.”

“No way.”

“Mmm, yes way.” He smiled in the darkness, content and looking forward to everything they had ahead of them. Every time they made love, he hoped she would conceive. Fatherhood was another thing he couldn’t wait for. When he’d been forced by circumstances to come home to Gansett Island, he’d never expected to find the love of his life here. Now that he had her, warm and soft in his arms, he planned to spend every day of the rest of his life making sure she knew how much she meant to him.