MATCHMAKER (A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance) (8 page)

He kissed her neck, lingering on her clavicle, nipping at the string of her bathing suit. He reached up and untied the knot behind her neck. The soaked fabric fell away. He loved the way her skin felt against his. So soft, so supple. She ground herself against him, and his cock stiffened in his shorts.

She pulled away and swam across the pool to a wide, flat rock baking in the morning sun. She drew herself out of the water, letting it stream off her lithe body. With one finger, she beckoned to him, drawing him to her. She untied the remaining knot on her bikini and set it aside. The sunlight made her skin glow. He’d never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

He climbed out of the water, and she drew him to her, undoing his shorts and pulling them down so his hardness sprang free. She took him in her hand, and his focus narrowed at the amazing sensation of her grip. He braced himself against a nearby rock. If he didn’t, he might fall.

CHERISE

Cherise dipped her head forward and consumed Sterling’s manhood. He tasted like soap and the clean water of the pool. He moaned, arching his hips into her, pushing himself deep into her welcoming mouth.

What if someone came across them here? Someone like Eric, who seemed interested in her. Or what if Jenna showed up? The idea of being caught thrilled her and made her heart pound faster.

She took him in as deep into her mouth as she could. He buried a hand in her hair and held her, sliding his hips forward and back. She hungrily accommodated him, working the head of his stiff cock with her tongue, tasting salty beads of slippery precum. His thrusts escalated, and his breath came in sharp gasps. He tightened his grip in her hair. She loved the way he used her for what he wanted, tilting her face to make the angle better. With a sharp, hissing breath, he came in her mouth.

“Yes, yes,” he muttered, clinging to the rocks with one hand and her hair with the other. He took a few deep breaths to recover. “Your turn.”

He swept her up in his arms and kissed her, something she didn’t expect after the completed act. His hand snaked into the bottom of her bikini, and questing fingers located her clit. He teased and rubbed it, drawing it into a hard nub.

She moaned and melted into him, grinding her hips against his hand. One finger found its way deep inside her, but it wasn’t enough. “More,” she whispered. He added a second, then a third.

“You’re so wet,” he whispered into her ear.

“Because I want you so bad.”

“You’ll have me.”

She rode his hand, those three fingers buried inside her, the pad of his thumb working at her clit.

Cherise reveled in the warmth of the sun beating down and the steady roar of the waterfall. The air smelled fresh and clean, like nature and growth all filled with tropical sweetness. It wasn’t anything at all like the cold city they’d left behind. She couldn’t remember ever being so exposed like this—naked, vulnerable, and moaning—where anyone could stumble past and see her. The idea kindled the flames inside her, making her hotter for him, wetter. She needed him to fill her—his hand, his tongue, his cock… Whatever he could offer.

Untying her bikini bottom and pulling it free, Sterling hauled her on top of him, planting her squarely on top of his anxiously awaiting cock. The velvety hardness of him pressed into her hungry wetness. She eased her hips back and forth and worked him into her. He let out a little sigh and wrapped his arms around her.

They kissed, tongues flitting together as they crushed their bodies together. Sitting like this, he reached deep inside her, filled her. His touch electrified every nerve in her body. She wanted to consume him and be consumed by him.

He pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “Harder,” she panted, and he twisted, thrilling her with the twin sensations of pleasure and pain. She pushed and thrust with her hips, delighting at the feeling of his thickness. The head of his cock nuzzled against her G-spot, and before she knew it, an orgasm blossomed from deep within her. She let out a little squeak.

Not breaking his rhythm, he spoke into her hair. “Let it all out. I’ve got you.”

So she did, giving voice to her climax, panting and crying out. She fell on him in a quivering mass.

“I’m not done with you.” His hot breath in her ear sent shivers down her back.

He pulled himself free of her and pushed her down on her hands and knees, spreading her legs. He moved around behind her and ran his fingers across her sopping cleft. She moaned, wanting him. He teased her a bit, light, feathery touches driving her wild. She was on display for him, and the soft caresses made her heart pound. He blew cool breath on her pussy. With a gentle finger, he brought some of her wetness up to her ass and teased her. She’d never done anything with her butt before, and it scared and excited her. She didn’t tell him to stop. Distracted, he took her by surprise when she felt his cock again, pushing into her willing wetness.

He held her hips and pounded her, fucking her like she’d never been fucked, making her knees weak, but his grip on her kept her right where he wanted her. She could hear him panting behind her as he thrust into her.

Oh God, she was so close again. His strokes grew faster, tighter, until finally, he clasped her to him and she felt him come inside her. It triggered her own orgasm, and she melted beneath him.

He pulled out and flopped down beside her. She couldn’t think to speak. Everything was the sun-warmed rock, the sound of the waterfall, and the heavenly sensations emanating between her legs.

Sterling checked his watch. “Shit. We’re supposed to head to the beach in five minutes.”

Reality crashed back to Cherise. She was supposed to go with Sterling and Jenna to the beach. “I think I’ll sit this one out.”

He frowned at her. “Don’t be like that. She’ll think something is up if you don’t come.”

“Something is up.”

“What?”

She couldn’t tell if he was being intentionally obtuse or if he was clueless. “This!”

“This? This is nothing. We feel good together. It’s nice to connect like this, nice to get our rocks off. It’s nothing, and it’s not weird.”

Of course he was right. It was nothing… Except it didn’t feel like nothing. It felt like a whole lot of something, and hearing him say it wasn’t hollowed out a place inside her. She felt like an idiot. What other outcome could there possibly be?

“Tell her I’m not feeling well, and I’ll see you guys for dinner.”

“Cher, come on. Don’t be like this. I need you there.”

“Why?” How could he tell her she was nothing in one breath and tell her he needed her in the next?

“I like talking to you. I like it when you’re around. You keep my feet anchored to the ground.”

“Obviously not,” she muttered. She groped for her bikini top and pulled it on, tying the knots behind her back. Sterling didn’t even pretend he wasn’t looking at her breasts.

“Come on. Don’t make this weird. We’re both adults, we both have needs. We’re good together. I like working with you, and I like hanging out with you.”

So this was hanging out? “You’re in a serious relationship with someone. We can’t keep doing this.”

“She refuses to have sex until we’re married.”

“Lucky you. You want to be married by spring.”

“Fine. I’ll say you ate something that didn’t agree with you, and we’ll catch you later.” He tied the waist of his shorts. “Enjoy your day.”

Sterling was off, jogging up the hill like his run had never been interrupted in the first place. Cherise watched him go. Of course this meant nothing to him. Chewing on her lip and frowning, she reminded herself it didn’t mean anything to her, either.

She needed to quit this job. She needed to get away from him and go back to school. The longer this continued, the worse she was going to feel. The idea of the money pulled at her, though. God, how had she gotten herself into this mess?

STERLING

“You’re taking a shower before we go to the beach?” Jenna, arms crossed over her ample chest, frowned at him.

“Just went for a run. I’m super sweaty.”

“You’re just going to get sweaty again at the beach. You can rinse off in the ocean. We said we were going a half hour ago.”

“I forgot which trail I took and wound up doing the long loop instead of the shorter one. Besides, I have to run so I stay handsome for you. It’ll be three seconds, I promise.”

Jenna sighed and flopped down in front of the massive TV in the den. Sterling jogged down the tiled hallway to his suite. Inside, Ambrosia lay in a patch of sunlight, sprawled out like a cat. He gave her a few quick pats, she thumped her tail, and he ran for the shower. He wanted to wash Cherise off his skin. Wanted to get her out of his head. She was right; he couldn’t keep doing this.

He wanted her so badly, though. Wanted to feel the softness of her rich, dark skin under his hands, pressed against him, all over him. The thought made him scrub himself harder and turn the temperature up on the water.

No more. And if he felt like he couldn’t keep his hands off her, he’d have to let her go. The idea depressed him.

Sterling turned the water as cold as it would go and stood under the stinging needles of ice. He shivered as he stepped out into the warm bathroom and briskly toweled himself dry. He put on board shorts and a white t-shirt, kicked into some flip flops, and called Ambrosia. She limped after him.

“Are you ready?” Jenna asked.

“Good to go. Let’s head out.”

“Is Cherise coming?”

“She said she wasn’t feeling up to it. She’s going to take a few hours to relax. She’ll meet up with us later.”

Jenna looked disappointed. Good, at least she wasn’t suspicious. He caught her casting something of a dirty look to Ambrosia, but he chose to ignore it. He lifted the ninety-pound dog into the back seat of the Jeep and slid behind the wheel.

A short trip later, they were at Ben’s private beach. It wasn’t deserted—there were several people who Ben allowed to use the four-mile stretch of coast—but the people there were spread out, and it wasn’t crowded at all. Jenna spread her blanket on the sand and pulled off her colorful sarong, revealing a pink-and-purple flowered bikini, a little more conservative than Cherise’s in the cut.

Jenna wasn’t as fit as Cherise, especially since she’d been living in the guest apartment with access to his gym on the thirty-second floor. She still looked damn fine, Sterling thought, as she shyly asked him to rub sunscreen on her back. He wished he could touch her more. He suspected it would strengthen their relationship. But alas, it was not to be.

He lay on his towel and pulled out a novel to read. He half paid attention to the book and half watched as Jenna played in the surf. After a while, she came back to him.

“I want you to know what a good time I’m having with you.”

The cynic in Sterling wondered if she meant him or meant his money. He tamped that down deep and said, “I’ve been having a great time with you, too.” He didn’t want to scare her away, but he wanted her to know where he was headed. “Look, Jenna. I really like you. And Ben really likes you, which means the world to me. He’s like the father I never had, and he’s not doing so well. His biggest dream has been to see me find a woman and get married. I think that woman is you.”

He let it hang there a moment and watched her face as what he’d said registered. “Are you proposing to me?” She couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice. Bingo.

“No,” he said. Her face fell. Good. “Not exactly. I mean, it’s really fast. I don’t have a ring and I don’t have anything planned out. I guess I just wanted to test the waters. It’s certainly where I see myself in five years, but with Ben’s health… I just don’t know. I guess I just wanted to throw it out there and see if you ran screaming.”

“I would never run screaming from you.”

Or my money
, Sterling thought, but didn’t say it.

He put on a smile carefully curated to look genuine. “I just really like you, like spending time with you. I’m really excited to see where this goes.” He wanted to reach for her hand, but knew it would make her uncomfortable.

“There was a time when I never thought I’d get married again. Never thought I’d love again. But then I met you. I’ve fallen for you hard, Sterling.”

Sterling hated lying, but sometimes it was a necessity. He could never tell this woman about his relationship—or lack thereof—with love. “I’ve fallen for you, too. I’m so happy this is working out.” Sterling had never and would never fall for anyone. Why, as he thought that to himself, did an image of Cherise pop into his head? He shoved it away.

“Thank you so much for bringing me to this beautiful place. I love it here.”

“I love it here, too.” This wasn’t a lie. He could love places, could love things, could love animals with every fiber of his being. “Ben’s going to be so happy for us.”

“Cherise, too!”

Hearing her name on Jenna’s lips was like fingernails on a chalkboard. His guilty conscience wondered if she was throwing it out there to trap him. A glance at her face suggested she was just being sweet.

“I can really tell she cares for you and wants the best for you. Most people can’t find a personal assistant as good as she is. Keep her close.”