The Ties That Bind (7 page)

He was good at sales.

After his shower, he dried off and slipped out of the bedroom to head into the other room to grab his clothes. He’d be moving into the master bedroom today. The thought of what they’d shared last night made him harden easily. Lisa was so responsive, like melting butter in his arms. He wanted that every night, not just on this vacation. The key would be to convince Lisa that it could work between them.

By the time he got dressed, Lisa was awake and in the shower. He made a couple of phone calls, planning their day, then went into the bathroom just as she turned the water off. He was waiting, towel in hand, as she stepped out. Her eyes widened before she smiled.

“Not used to finding a man in my bathroom,” she said with a tentative smile as she accepted the towel from him.

He leaned against the counter and admired the pink tinge to her skin as she dried off and combed her hair. She turned away from the mirror to throw him a look. “Are you intending to stare at me?”

“Maybe.”

“Stop it. It’s unnerving.”

He laughed. “Hurry up. I’m starving.”

She shook her head. “Men. You only think with your stomachs and your cocks.”

“That shouldn’t surprise you,” he said, then left her alone and walked out on the balcony to wait.

Perfect day. Sun was up and he could already feel the heat. He couldn’t wait to get outside. This was as much a vacation for him as it was for Lisa. They both needed to unwind after the intensity of Kayla’s graduation and all the prep that had gone into that. Of course, Lisa had done all the planning for the party. And she stressed about every little detail, as always. The key to this week was for both of them to relax. To put everything out of their minds, including their daughter, and focus on just the two of them. That would be a first. They hadn’t done that in…too many years to remember.

“Hey.”

He turned at the sound of Lisa’s voice.

She stood in the living room, wrapped only in the white fluffy hotel towel.

“What should I wear today?” she asked.

It took him a minute to engage his brain, since all the blood had rushed to his dick at the first sight of her. “Uh, shorts, tank top. Whatever’s comfortable. And pack a swimsuit.”

“Okay.” She turned and padded barefoot back into the bedroom.

Rick swallowed and faced the ocean, trying to calm his raging cock. You’d think a woman in a towel would be nothing to write home about. Not sexual at all. Yeah, right. One look at Lisa in the towel and his imagination went haywire. He wanted to drag her onto the balcony and do a hundred different things to her with his hands and mouth, all while she was wearing that towel. He filed those thoughts away for later. His goal was to show her that being together wasn’t going to be all about sex. That would be hard to do if everything he thought and did
was
all about sex. But dammit, he’d spent
a lot of years without her. So sue him if he had a one-track mind. It had been a long drought.

She came out in khaki shorts and a body-hugging tank top, carrying a straw bag overflowing with beach things—swimsuit, towels, sunscreen—everything they’d need for the day, or so she told him. It was typically Lisa to be prepared.

He’d arrived the day before so he’d have a chance to scout out the area, figure out what he wanted to do. He grabbed her hand and took her out the back door and toward the beach.

“Aren’t you hungry? I’d love some coffee and breakfast,” she said as their sandaled feet hit the sand.

“You’ll get both shortly.” He didn’t give her any other clues, just led her down the beach to the dock. There was a floating restaurant at the end of a long pier. It was still early enough that they managed to snag a decent table near the windows overlooking the water.

The bay was smooth as glass this morning. Boats docked alongside the pier, undulating against their moorings, as Rick and Lisa settled into their seats and placed their food orders.

“This is wonderful.” Lisa sipped coffee and stared out the wide windows at the activity on the dock below the restaurant. Shops were beginning to open and people bustled with activity, both tourists and the locals getting ready to start their day. Lisa looked over at him and smiled. “Thanks for finding this place.”

He knew she’d like it better than an air-conditioned restaurant in the hotel. “You’re welcome.”

“So what’s on tap for today?”

“We’re going out on a boat. Do a little snorkeling.”

Her eyes lit up with an unmistakable sparkle. “I love the water.”

“I know.” He hadn’t taken any vacations with her—ever. They’d been too young, broke, and then Kay had come along so there’d been no time, no money. But over the years, Lisa and Kayla had taken a few vacations, and Kay had filled him in on Lisa’s love of the water. How sad was it that his own daughter knew more about Lisa than he did? Oh sure, they’d gone to the lake a few times, and he knew Lisa loved going out on their friends’ boat. But apparently she had a huge
love for boating, for water, and for beaches. Kayla also told him that Lisa had really enjoyed the snorkeling they’d done off the Keys one summer.

He was going to indulge her love of all those things they had never done together but should have. He felt like they’d missed out on so much.

They ate a huge breakfast, then Rick led her out the sliding glass door at the back of the restaurant and down the dock where the rows of touring boats were moored. Seagulls soared around them, diving down near the water, hoping for a chance at their own breakfast.

Rick inhaled, loving the smells here at the dock. He used to go fishing with his dad every weekend when he was a kid. Until his dad got too sick to go.

Lisa slid her hand in his as they walked down the dock. “You’re quiet.”

He glanced over at her and lifted his lips. “I was thinking about my dad. The smell of the water and fish reminds me of going to the lake and fishing with him.”

She squeezed his hand, leaned closer to him. “He died way too young.”

“Cancer has a way of ripping those we love away from us.”

“I know. I see it all too often at the hospital.”

“Makes you want to hold on to the people you care about and never let go. We only get one chance to do this, you know.”

She stared up at him, the sunlight making the subtle red highlights in her brown hair look like they were on fire. “Yes. I know.”

He found the pier he was looking for and dug into his pocket for the tickets.

“This is it?” Lisa asked.

“Yeah. You like it?”

Her jaw dropped. “It’s incredible.”

He’d booked a catamaran with a large flat deck off the back, so there was plenty of open space for just lying around in the sun. And the best part was yet to come. He handed their ticket to the captain, a quiet older man with a worn cap pulled low around his face, who
grinned and hurried to let the ropes loose, saying they’d get right under way. As soon as Lisa situated herself on the deck, her legs slung over the side, she shifted, looking for other people.

“Aren’t we waiting for the others?”

He grabbed a spot on the deck next to her, watching the dock disappear as the captain pulled slowly away. “There isn’t anyone else. I chartered the boat for a private day-long cruise.”

Her brows shot up. “Are you serious?”

“Hey, I’ve spent years sharing you. I want you all to myself for as long as I can.”

She shook her head. “You amaze me. Thank you.”

The ride was like sailing on smooth glass as the captain took them out across the turquoise water. There was a shade awning available to get out of the sun, but once they’d gotten going, Lisa went below to change into her swimsuit. She came out in a strapless bikini, green and pink with palm tree patterns splashed across the fabric. It hugged her curves perfectly.

He went below and changed into his swim trunks. When he came back, Lisa was lathering on sunscreen.

“Let me do you,” she said.

He waggled his brows. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Laughing, she pushed at his back. “I meant sunscreen.”

“So not what I had in mind.” He turned his back to her and she lathered lotion on him. He did the same to her, but took his time smoothing his hands over every inch of her skin, enjoying the feel of her shoulders, her muscles, the way she seemed to relax when he pressed into her.

“This is nice,” she said, leaning against him. She tossed on her floppy hat and stretched her legs out on the deck.

It was very nice. Lisa always had the best legs. With all the running around she did at the hospital, they stayed in great shape, with well-toned calves and slim ankles. Her toenails were painted a bright pink. She looked at him over her shoulders, saw the direction of his gaze.

“Kayla’s idea. She said the pink was tropical.”

He let out a laugh. “Very.” He slid his hands under her thighs and drew her legs up to her chest so he could play with her feet.

“You know my feet are ticklish,” she said, sliding them away from his reach.

“I do seem to vaguely remember that.”

“Ha. Vaguely my butt. You used to torture me by holding me down and tickling me until I had hiccups.”

“I did not.”

“Did, too.”

“I seem to recall it making your nipples hard.”

“Can I help it if it my feet are both ticklish and an erogenous zone?”

“I like things that make your pussy wet.”

The rumble of her purr rolled through her back and against his chest. His dick stood up and took notice, too. He wrapped his arm around her waist, letting his fingers dip to the top of her bikini.

“Rick.”

They were cruising along slow and easy. The captain was in the main cabin, his focus on steering the catamaran. No other boats were in sight, and even if they were, who could see anything but the blur of a boat cruising by? Rick slid his fingers under her waistband.

Now all he heard was the rush of water along the side of the boat and Lisa’s breathing, which grew heavier, her chest rising and falling with deliberate, deep swells. There was a lot of swelling going on between his legs, too, his cock throbbing as it hardened and pressed against Lisa’s butt.

“Rick,” she said again, though he wasn’t sure if it was in warning or invitation. He dipped his hand into her bikini bottom, resting it just above her mound. It was like dipping his fingers into molten lava—hot, steamy, and utter temptation. He couldn’t resist sliding farther, cupping her sex, all that heat surrounding his hand. He felt Lisa shudder against him. He had to admit to doing a bit of shuddering himself. Holding a hot, wet pussy in his hand, and doing it in public, wasn’t something he did every day. Or even every year. It was one hell of a turn-on.

Another factor to consider was that this was Lisa, his ex-wife, someone he cared about. He had to protect her, and he was torn between wanting to do just that and not giving a damn, because he really wanted to rip off that little excuse of a bikini bottom, spread her legs, and bury his mouth against her soft, wet flesh. Especially since she was wriggling against him, lifting against his hand and throwing off every signal in the book that told him she enjoyed what he was doing. And he really liked doing it to her, enjoyed the feel of her soft skin, how wet she got when he slid his finger along the plump folds of her pussy.

“You like that?” he asked, leaning his cheek against hers, whispering in her ear.

“I think you know I do. You can feel what you do to me.”

“Yeah, I can. Wet, quivering. You want me to put my finger inside you, don’t you?”

“God, Rick, this is…”

“What? What is it, Lisa? Don’t tell me it’s wrong, because it isn’t. No one can see us. The captain is driving the boat. Let me drive you.” He skimmed her flesh again, a light touch. She quivered in response, lifting her butt off the deck, pressing her sex against the heel of his palm.

He slid his fingertip inside her and she rewarded him with a pulse of hot cream. Encouraged by her silence, he dipped farther, knuckle deep, keeping his movements slow and rhythmic. In and out, in and out, caressing her clit with the pad of his thumb, his intent to drive her slow and easy and right over the edge.

The lull of the water, everything around them, was quiet except for Lisa’s rasping breath, her fingers digging into his forearm as he moved rhythmically against her, inside her, until she tensed, let out a soft whimper, and jerked against him as she came, driving her head back against his collarbone while she rode out her orgasm with sharp, shuddering motions.

God, he was hard now, and really damned uncomfortable. Making her come like this had been easy. Fucking her in such a public place would be impossible. He withdrew his hand and licked her
sweet, salty cream from his fingers, which only made the torture worse. He was going to have to wait.

Lisa settled against him, tilting her head back to stare up at him. “This hardly seems fair.”

He smiled down at her. “I’ll get my chance.”

She righted herself and wriggled back against him, rubbing her butt against his erection.

“You’re enjoying that, aren’t you?”

The vibration of her laugh echoed against his chest. “Maybe a little,” she said. “But I promise to make it worth the wait.”

He could already imagine it.

In a short while the captain pulled into a private, white sand beach carved into a U-shaped cove. Cool blue water lapped against the shore as they disembarked and the captain helped Rick unload their supplies. Rick made arrangements for him to pick them up before dusk, and the catamaran took off.

“He’s leaving us here?” Lisa asked.

“Yeah,” Rick said, turning to her. “I wanted us to be alone for the day. There’s a reef out there for snorkeling, we have a picnic lunch and some drinks in the cooler over there, we have fins and snorkel gear, beach chairs and towels, and I have a cell phone to contact him in case of an emergency.”

She stood ankle deep at the lapping water’s edge, hands on hips. “You think of everything, don’t you?”

“Not everything. Just some things. So what do you want to do first? Swim or eat?”

“Definitely swim. I caught a glimpse of the reef on the way in and it looks gorgeous.”