No Take Backs (4 page)

Your arm drapes over the back of my chair
and you stroke my shoulder with your thumb. “After I sign these
last few papers, it’s over. This closes the sale on the last
property. It’s in Luxembourg. One of my favorites.”

I hate the wistful, longing in your voice,
and the tortured expression you try to hide from me by turning
away.

Damn your father for taking everything you
love away from you.

Everything but Turtle Tear.

And me.

That man will never get either.

Your phone buzzes and vibrates with another
urgent text from Max. “I’ll go try to find Riley,” I say.

“You stay and enjoy the party. I’ll go find
him.” You don’t look away from your phone while you say this, and
your thumbs move like lightning over the letters onscreen.

I scoop up a bite of the Pavlova and touch
the spoon to your lips. “I’ll be back.” You open your mouth, take a
bite, and I slip the spoon out. “Save me some of that…and I don’t
mean the dessert.”

I kiss the top of your head and slip away
from the table. Several people have finished dessert and are up
from their tables milling around. Joan and Beck step out from the
lounge onto the patio, and I make a beeline for them, weaving
between guests with polite smiles and quick comments.

Beck smiles as I approach and slips his arm
around Joan’s waist. “Have you guys seen Riley?”

“Not for a while,” he says. “Have you?” he
asks Joan.

“I wasn’t exactly watching for him.” She
refuses to look at me.

“Sorry,” Beck says. I’m not sure if he means
for not knowing where to find Riley, or for Joan’s snub.

“That’s okay, I’ll find him.” I hurry
inside, checking the ground floor, the lounge, restrooms, kitchen,
entryway. No Riley. No Shannon.

A sinking feeling comes over me. I wish I
knew which room was hers. If I can find that Jesse guy who carried
the guests’ bags to their rooms, he can tell me. But, everyone
seems to have disappeared.

I lift the bottom of my dress and run up the
stairs. I can’t count the number of times Shannon’s woke me by
having loud sex in the bedroom next to mine when we lived together.
If something’s going on, I’ll hear her.

Tip-toeing down the hall, I pause at each
door and lean in close to listen.

I hear nothing in any of the rooms until I’m
up on the third floor with my ear pressed against the door of the
room on the end.

“Fuck, yes!” Shannon cries. “Just like
that!”

I step back like the door’s on fire and
stare at it. Should I knock? I don’t really want to interrupt her,
but I don’t want her corrupting virginal, blushing Riley
either.

I wring my hands. Shit. He’s a big boy. He
doesn’t need me to run in there rescuing him.

Hell, it doesn’t sound like he needs
rescued. If it’s even him in there moaning along with her.

“Ah, God, you guys!”

You
guys
? What the… I pound on the door.
“Shannon?”

“No, don’t stop,” she says. “Go away!”

“I will
not
go away!”

She cries out in ecstasy.

I try the door and can’t believe the knob
turns. “Stop what you’re doing and cover up,” I warn, “because I’m
coming in.” I wait a minute before entering. “You didn’t even lock
̶ ”

Instantly, I regret opening the door. Riley
and Jesse lay head-to foot on the bed, or more accurately,
balls-to-balls, with Jesse’s legs scissored on top of Riley’s.
Shannon is on top of them facing Riley with each of them inside
her, one in front, the other in back. She’s riding them like a
cowgirl on crack.

I want to run, but can’t tear my eyes away.
None of them even noticed me come in. Shannon’s head’s thrown back
while Riley plucks her stuff nipples, and Jess squeezes her hips
while ramming himself into her.

“Fuck, Jess,” Riley pants, “I can feel your
cock sliding against mine. “It’s making me want to come.”

“No!” Shannon cries, slamming her hands down
on Riley’s chest. “Me first! I’m so close!”

“I’ve got you, baby,” Jess says, reaching
around to rub her clit.

I should look away, leave. Why can’t
I? God, I’m so fucking turned on. I have to find you and get you
naked and inside me
now
.

“Oh my God,” Shannon whimpers, leaning back
and bracing herself on Jessie’s strong stomach. “Oh, oh,” she grabs
his wrist making him rub harder as both men thrust into her faster.
“Too fucking much.” She sounds on the verge of tears, but drives
herself into them like she can’t get enough. She needs this. “I
want it so bad. God, right there, Jess. Fucking rub it.”

Riley sits up and takes a nipple into his
mouth, he pulls back and releases it with a scrape of his teeth on
her flesh, and she spirals out of control.

“Oh God, I’m coming. Shit, it’s so hard.”
She groans and cries with her head tossed back, writhing and
bucking on their cocks.

“Jesus, you’re tight,” Riley says through
clenched teeth, then he lets go with one last thrust.

Jesse still isn’t satisfied. He pulls
Shannon off of Riley and bends her over on all fours.

A soft cough from the hallway sends me
spinning around on my heels. “I thought you only liked watching me
get off,” you say, smirking.

“I…um…” I drop my gaze to the floor. “I’m
sorry.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for, my sex
kitten.” You step toward me and lift my chin. “It’s hot. I was
watching them too.” You take my hand and press my palm against your
erection. “I want inside you, Rachael.”

My knees go weak. “Bedroom. Quick.”

We dart down the hall to our room. You throw
open the door and slam it behind us. Before I know what’s
happening, you have me lifted with my back against the wall. Your
arms hook under my knees, spreading me wide. My dress bunches
around my waist.

I reach between us, pop the button on your
pants and jerk your zipper down, releasing your hard length from
your boxers. You groan and nip my neck. “I’m dripping wet. Ttake me
hard, Merrick.” I grip your girth and use your crown to push my
panties aside. The sensation of your silky head against my lips
makes me gasp. “Don’t be gentle with me. I need it rough.”

You pin me to the wall, grasp the side of my
panties and tear them off. “I can do rough.” You nip my neck again,
harder this time and drive yourself inside me to the root.

“Uh! Yes, just like that.” I lick the side
of your neck and nibble your ear while I shove your pants down past
your hips.

You pull out and ram into me again, your
balls smacking me in the ass. You do it over and over and I want to
cry it feels so good.

I pull the top of my dress down and roll my
nipples between my fingers and thumbs.

“That’s so,” you thrust hard, “fucking,”
another thrust, “sexy.”

You bend your head and lick my nipples as I
play with them. “I want to come harder than I ever have,” I whisper
in your ear. “Make me come that hard.”

“I’ll make you come hard, baby. I’m going to
try something. If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

My head bangs against the wall as you pound
me. “Do whatever you want to me.”

Your hands cup my ass cheeks. I feel you run
a finger between us, spreading my wetness. Then your finger circles
my puckered hole, and I clamp down on you. “Oh. I…”

You keep thrusting into me hard, licking and
sucking my nipples. “Stop?”

“No. I’ll tell you.”

“Relax for me.” You run your finger between
my holes, getting me slick everywhere, then circle your fingertip
in my remaining virgin territory again before easing it inside a
little. You leave it there as you fuck me, letting me get used to
the sensation.

I’m surprised by how good it feels.

“Okay?” you ask.

“Very okay.” I suck your bottom lip in my
mouth and moan. You take that as your green light to keep going and
push your finger in farther, wiggling it as you thrust long and
deep inside me.

I stop thinking about what you’re doing and
just let go, feeling each delicious push and pull that sends a zing
of electric heat down my inner thighs. I strain to get them open
farther, thrust and buck my hips to get even more of you inside me.
There can’t be enough of you inside me.

We’re panting and grunting, fucking primal,
animalistic, raw. Pain stings as I tug my nipples. The slap of my
ass against the wall burns. “I want to come,” I beg. “Make me
come.”

You growl and change positions, propping my
ankles on your shoulders. You suck your thumb to wet it before
popping it in my ass and thrusting into me faster and deeper than
you’ve ever been. “Give it to me, baby. I fucking want your come
running down my cock.”

This angle has you rubbing against areas
inside me that make me want to scream and push you away and at the
same time explode into a million pieces around you. “Right there.
Oh my God, Merrick, I can feel you in my stomach you’re so
deep.”

You thrust and grind your hips, rubbing my
clit with your pelvis. “Yes,” I hiss. You do it again and again,
and I slam my hands flat against the wall, climbing higher and
higher, every nerve ending poised on the edge of release. You
thrust and grind again, turning your thumb at the same time,
pushing me over the edge.

My body jerks and convulses against yours,
my insides clenching you in spasms of endless pleasure. You
continue to thrust through it, desperate for your own release.

Still riding the high, I reach around you
and slip my finger down your ass crack. I hold your balls and
squeeze them gently. Your breath hitches, you fuck me faster with
shallow thrusts then plunge deep inside me, grinding my ass into
the wall as you come, shaking and groaning against my neck. “You’re
a fucking goddess. Jesus.”

You reach beside me, and I hear the door
lock click. “I don’t think we’re making it out of this room again
tonight,” you say, setting me down on my feet. “I hope you don’t
mind.”

“Mind sleeping against your naked body in
our bed? I don’t think so.” I place my hands on the sides of your
face and kiss you as we catch our breath. “Thank you for that.”

You chuckle. “You’re thanking me? I can’t
feel my legs, and you’re thanking me.” You pull my dress over my
head and toss it aside. “You have no idea what it does to me when
you touch yourself.”

I unbutton your shirt and slide it off your
shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. You kick your pants the
rest of the way off and pull me against you. “Your heart’s going to
beat right out of your chest,” you whisper.

“So is yours.” I press my palm against your
chest over your heart.

You lift my chin. Your dark-eyed gaze
penetrates deep into my eyes. “I love you.”

The words glide across my skin, making me
tingle and raising goose bumps all over. You love me. But why is
hearing it such a surprise? I already feel it with every action and
every word.

Still, a tear trickles from my eye down my
cheek. “I love you, too.”

The next morning, it’s hard to look at
Shannon as she finds her way, bleary-eyed, to the patio for
breakfast. I watched her in the most intimate of acts—without her
knowing.

I have to admit it to her. I can’t be in the
same room with her without picturing last night in my mind. There’s
no way I won’t act strange and awkward around her now and she’ll
wonder why.

She plops down beside me, grabs the water
goblet at her place setting, and drains it. “You’re welcome,” she
says.

Heat rushes up my back. “For?”

“The eye-full last night. Got you and
Merrick so riled up it sounded like he was going to plow you
straight through the wall.” She leans back and stretches her arms
above her head as my mortification seeps in. “Hey.” She tugs my
hair. “It’s okay. Everyone on this island could’ve watched, and I
wouldn’t have stopped. I’ve never felt anything like that before.”
Her eyes shine and flash thinking about it. “I want to stuff them
both in my suitcase, take them home with me and tie them to the
bed.” She taps her fingernail against her lips. “Actually, I wonder
if they’d tie me up.”

I gulp the sip of coffee I just took instead
of spitting it out. Shannon never ceases to shock me. Other guests
begin to wander out looking hung over, squinting at the bright
sunlight, grabbing water and coffee from servers. “What time is
it?”

Shannon shrugs and snatches a bagel off a
passing tray. “I think it was around ten when I stumbled out of
bed.”

“My mom and Aunt Jan should be here any
second.” I uncross my legs, a twinge of soreness reminds me of last
night, and tap my foot on the ground.

“No big deal,” Shannon says, tearing a piece
of bagel. “Who cares what she thinks. She needs to cut the apron
strings already.”

There’s never been any love between Shannon
and my mom. “I’m here aren’t I? Apron strings cut.”

“Then why are you so nervous?”

The past few months have been a whirlwind.
There are secrets I can’t tell, and even though nobody will ever
find out, having my family and friends here riddles me with
anxiety. “I’m not nervous.”

Shannon turns her body to face me and tosses
her hair behind her shoulder. “What aren’t you telling me?”

I laugh. It sounds incredibly fake.
“Nothing. I just hope she likes it. You know how critical she is of
everything, all the time.”

“I don’t need to point out that you’re
lying. We both know there’s something you’re not telling me and
that something has been nagging at you since you met Merrick.”

I push her shoulder playfully. “Whatever.
Quit being dramatic. You know I tell you everything.”

Sadness passes over her face. “You used
to.”

Some things can’t be told.

It’s not even keeping a secret from Shannon
that bothers me. It’s having her find out somehow and not
understand how I could be here, how I could be anywhere near you.
Nobody would understand.