Page 86 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“And what happened?” He sets his eyes on mine, humor siftingout of his expression, leaving an intensity that winnows steam through myblood. “You literally fell into my arms at that fashion show. I didn’t know howit would happen for us…but I think I knew it would.”

I wrap my legs around his waist and link my arms behind hisneck, leaning in to capture his lips between mine. He opens instantly, andthat’s how it’s always been with us. Him, a man notoriously private andreserved and content with himself, opened up for me,craving me. He breaks the kiss, and I draw in his breath and the scent oflemons as he presses our foreheads together.

“I’m going to that retirement ceremony,” he says, waitingfor me to catch his eyes in the moonlight. “I assume Cliff will be there, too.And this thing with him will be resolved.”

Chapter Eighteen

Naz

“What are you wearing to the party?” I ask Takirawhen she steps out of our en suite bathroom in thevilla.

It’s the night of Kenan’s birthday. They’ve rented out abeach club, and his friends from all over the world have been invited. Thegroup will still be relatively modest in size, but definitelymore than the small party that’s been sailing with us. It will be astar-studded event.

Takira and I spent a leisurely last day here at thevilla—swimming, eating light salads and rich desserts, drinking the limoncellomade from the lemons in the grove, and making love with the laughter of ourfriends floating in on a Mediterranean breeze through our open terrace door.

Takira’s fluffy white robe gapes open as she walks into thebedroom after finishing her makeup. Vibrant color splashes across her eyes,cheeks, and lips, complementing the regal upsweep of her braids. The necklacewith the diamond T charm she wore to the after-party hangs around her sleekthroat, and the set of square diamond earrings I found in Capri adorn her ears.

I open the robe more, touching the elegant line of hershoulders and collarbone, the ripe fullness of her breasts, kissing the smallerright and the slightly bigger left. She giggles, running her hand over myfreshly cut hair. Hair she cut out on the terrace this morning when we woke. Islip my finger between the firm, rounded cheeks of her ass.

“I’m gonna fuck you here.” When Icaress the puckered entrance, a shudder racks her curvy body. “One day soon.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

“Oh, you were?” I go down on my knees, pull her leg over myshoulder, and kiss her pussy with my open mouth, sucking her clit.Biting.

“Naz.” She grips my other shoulder. “Do that shit again.”

I chuckle against the soft lips,kissing her there, licking into her. “You’re so pretty righthere. And I love the way you taste. I’m the only one who gets to see and tasteyou anymore, right?”

I look up, checking her face for compliance or any sign thatshe doesn’t agree. I don’t have vows or a ring or even a damndeclared relationship. She’s still deciding if she’ll choose me over theloyalty she has to her brother, but the thought of her with someone else sendsa ripple of rage through every fiber of my being. I’ve never been possessive,but this woman was made for me, and if I get my way, from now on, she’ll onlybe mine and I’ll only be hers. I wonder if it was supposed to be that way allalong, and the thing that took me to fame, to fortune, also took me away fromthe woman who could have made me happy all these years.

“Just you,” she whispers, affirms. “Unless you get the urgeto watch some girl eat me out.”

I pause, the image stirring something low in my chest thatmoves down to my dick. My eyes flash up to meet hers, filled with wickedenjoyment. She bends until her lips brush my ear.

“I know you, Naz.” She bites myearlobe. “Whenever you want it, baby.”

I’m hard and ready at the image, at her offer. She lowersher leg from my shoulder and walks to the closet, grinning, all mischief. “Justsomething to think about.”

Minx. My minx.

She pulls out a dress of unrelieved white, lays it on thebed, and steps into her thong, the rounded cheeks of her ass exposed in thetiny underwear.

“What are you wearing?” She lobs my question back to me.“Everyone has to wear white, remember.”

“I’ve got something,” I say, my voice still rough. “But letme dress you.”

“Go right ahead.”

She holds her arms out to the side, standing before menearly naked, long legs stretching forever and breasts ripe and proud. Her skingleams a deeper brown from all the sun of the last two weeks, beautiful andburnished.

I’m unable to take my eyes off her. I push her gently to thebed, grab the body cream she always uses from the bedside table, and scoop agenerous amount into my hands. I work it into her heels and the arches of herfeet, smiling when her toes twitch. I smooth it over the satiny skin of hercalves and knees and thighs. I use a little more for her arms, back, andshoulders, tangling our gazes when I take time to work it into the soft moundsof her breasts. Her breath hitches and her stomach muscles contract as I rub itinto her nipples. I pull her to her feet and slip the dress over her head. Itclings to her shape, the cut-outs leaving her sides completely bare, from herhips to just below her breasts.

She inspects herself in the mirror for a second, turning tocheck the cut-outs. “We got some side boob.”

“I noticed,” I say approvingly. “I’ll be lucky to make itthrough the night without ripping this dress off you.”

“Don’t try too hard,” she says with a wink.