Seven Nights Read online

  “Hurry.” She squirmed to unbutton the fly of his khaki shorts.

  Arching an eyebrow, Sean gazed down at her. Suddenly the reality of what they were about to do hit him with full force. This would be the first time they made love in years. And he had all afternoon to do it right.

  “No.” He caught her hands and pinned them down against the blanket. “No hurrying.”

  Her whimper of protest was lost in his mouth as he kissed her again, deeply. He released her wrists and unzipped her shorts. Leah writhed beneath his hands, glaring at him even as she gasped out approval when his fingers brushed her thigh, the back of her knees.

  “You were not this mean before,” she said, reaching out for him.

  He barely dodged her grasping hands with a laugh. “I was just a boy before. Now hold still and let me do what I’m going to do.”

  Her eyes widened as he positioned himself between her legs and glided her silky underwear down and off.

  “What are you going to-” She broke off with a ragged cry when he pressed his lips against the inside of her upper thigh, tracing the soft flesh there with a probing tongue.

  That cry increased when he gripped her legs with each hand and spread her open, draping each knee over his shoulders. Cupping her rear end, he held her steady as he dropped his head and pressed a soft kiss against her pussy.

  She surged up to meet the next tortuous swipe of his tongue, her hands grasping at the edge of the blanket, gripping handfuls of sand as she let out a long, keening cry. Despite the throbbing of his cock, the need to fill her, Sean continued to torture her. Even though she bucked her hips up in a rough, demanding rhythm, he kept his tongue gentle, teasing as he dipped into her sheath.

  He sucked the aroused nub of her clit, loving the way her body twitched when he nibbled gently.

  “Oh God, Sean,” she panted as she arched up. “I’m so close already.”

  He smiled against her clenching pussy. “Closer,” he breathed into her slit and she screamed out a mixture of pleasure and frustration.

  “You taste so good,” he murmured as he traced a finger along her outer lips between licks. “I can taste how much you need me.”

  “I need you,” she whimpered.

  He spread her wide and dipped a finger inside. One, then two. She gripped at him with her tight sheath and quivered when he lowered his tongue back to her clit.

  Taking his time with his thrusts and licks, he brought her closer and closer to completion. With every cry, his cock swelled harder. With every tremor he readied himself to fuck her.

  But first, he wanted to give her this sweet release.

  He doubled the intensity of his licks as he popped his fingers in and out of her greedy, slick sheath until finally she stiffened. Her legs clenched on his shoulders and she let out a wail of ultimate pleasure. Her pussy wept and tremored around him.

  She bucked with her release, screaming with completion. The scream echoed off the rocks, filling the silent, hot air with a chorus that was more beautiful than the most perfect aria.

  For a long time, Leah only lay limply on the blanket, a soft smile on her face and her eyes shut. Sean stayed where he was, resting his head against her hip and simply enjoying the way she looked when satiated. He ignored his body’s demands to take her. In time, he would let himself have what he so wanted, and it would be all the better for his self-control.

  Finally, Leah’s eyes fluttered open and she looked down at him. “What, do you think you’re finished?” she asked with a seductive wink that made him forget all about self-control. “Come up here.”

  He pulled himself to his knees and crawled his way up the blanket and into her arms. She pulled him down for a kiss as her hands found the waistband of his shorts again. This time, the button slipped free and he heard the rasp of his zipper as she slid it down tooth-by-tooth.

  Just as she freed his iron cock from the prison of his boxer briefs, a sound filled the air that snapped him out of fantasy and into harsh and bitter reality.

  His cell phone rang.

  Chapter Seven

  Leah let out a soft moan and this time it was no sound of pleasure. All she wanted was to feel Sean inside of her. Her climax had been incredible, but she knew that was nothing compared to what she would experience when their bodies were joined.

  “No,” Sean muttered with a shake of his head. “Not now!”

  “Don’t answer it.” She pushed his shorts down his hips and cupped his backside, pulling him so close that she could feel the heat of his erection rubbing against her. With just a slight movement, she’d have what she wanted so much. Him, surging inside of her until she begged. “Just let it ring.”

  Sean sighed and she could tell by the way he pulled away that she wasn’t going to get what she wanted that afternoon. “I can’t. With Will unavailable, I have no choice but to answer. It could be important.”

  Before she could protest, Sean got to his feet and did a half-assed job of pulling his shorts back up. He dug into his pocket as the cell rung a third time and snapped it open with more than a little violence.

  “What?”

  Leah watched his face as he listened to the caller and felt the sting of old rejection and even older fears beginning in her. This was so much like those last awful months she and Sean had lived together. Business had become the driving force in his life, more important than food, more important than sleep… and eventually, more important than her.

  She turned away as he said goodbye so he wouldn’t see the sharp stab of pain on her face. She had no right to feel hurt anymore. She’d made her choice and so had Sean. Whatever they were doing now had nothing to do with a real relationship. She just had to focus on that fact. Then she could enjoy the fantasy and not get hurt.

  Yeah. Right.

  “I’m sorry, Leah,” Sean began.

  She forced a false grin and looked back at him with a shrug of dismissal she certainly didn’t feel. “Hey, it’s business, right?”

  “Yeah, but trust me, I’m not happy about it.” He buttoned his pants as he spoke and stooped down to grab for his t-shirt. As he shook a rain of sand out of it, he continued, “But there’s nothing I can do. It’s a work thing.”

  Leah was suddenly very aware of how naked she was, both physically and emotionally. With a shiver, she grabbed her bra from the blanket and started sliding it over her shoulders.

  “Is there anyone else who can handle it?”

  There was desperate lilt to her voice. Damn, he was going to figure out how much his answer meant to her if she wasn’t careful. That was the last thing she wanted. There was no use rehashing the past, or letting old problems ruin the present.

  He detangled her shorts from a low shrub and tossed them to her. “There’s no one for me to pass the problem to until tomorrow morning.”

  She pursed her lips. Maybe time had changed Sean in more ways than one. There was only one way to find out. Offer her assistance and pray he wouldn’t let her down.

  “Well, uh, what about me? Can I do something to help?”

  He stopped and stared at her. It was obvious by the way he cocked his head that he thought she was crazy for even bringing up such an idea. “No, thanks. It’s so sweet that you want to help so that we can get back to our real business, but this is my resort and I’ve got to handle it.”

  With a sweep, he gathered up the blanket and scattered remains of their lunch. He hardly looked at her as she pulled her shorts back on and dug around the sand for her half buried sandals.

  “Ready?” He slung the bulging blanket over his shoulder and motioned to the path back up to the beach.

  “I guess,” she said as she took one last look at the gorgeous waterfall and soft, sandy beach. Paradise. And paradise lost. “I have a question before we leave.”

  “Anything,” he said. “Ask away.”

  “Is your business going to interfere with the rest of my visit?”

  She searched his face as she asked the question, hoping he’d understa
nd. She wasn’t trying to be bitchy. The island meant the world to him. After all his hard work, she understood that completely. But she wanted to feel like she meant something, too.

  His eyes softened. “Leah, I only have you for five more days. I’m not going to let anything come between us. Tonight is your second fantasy, I hope you haven’t forgotten that.”

  He took her hand as he spoke and a curious sense of peace filled her. No matter what, Sean was sacrificing for her. It might not be perfect, but she couldn’t and wouldn’t spoil it by trying to get more than she could have.

  “I haven’t forgotten,” she said softly as they headed up the pathway. “And I’m looking forward to it. Probably more than you know.”

  ***

  “The spa is down this hallway. The door at the very end.”

  Leah glanced at her watch, then back at the desk clerk who was looking at her with the serene smile that seemed so common in all of Sean’s employees. For a brief moment, she wondered if it was part of their training. “It’s ten at night. Isn’t the spa closed?”

  “Yes, ma’am. But there have been special arrangements made. I’m sure it will all become clear to you when you arrive.” The young man gestured down the hall again.

  Special arrangements? As Leah made her way down the hallway toward the ominous closed door, she wasn’t sure whether to be nervous or excited. So far, Sean’s surprises had been an equal mix of control and pleasure, and after this afternoon… well, she didn’t know what to think.

  Except that maybe things hadn’t changed as much as she’d hoped. Sean had let business interrupt them, even though they’d been so close to making love, which he claimed to want more than anything. Not only that, but he’d shut her out of whatever problem he was having. He wouldn’t even talk to her about it in the jeep on the way back to the resort.

  That stung.

  With a shake of her head, Leah reached for the spa door. None of that mattered. This wasn’t about long-term solutions. It was about tonight. One moment. Sean had promised nothing would interrupt them and Leah had no choice but to hope that was the truth.

  It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dimly lit spa. The front desk was lit only by a candle, though the firelight reflected off an envelope that was propped up there.

  “Spa attire is waiting for you in the changing room. Then go to room four. Sean.”

  Leah shoved the note into her jeans pocket as she entered the dressing room. A long, white robe was the only thing waiting for her there. She smiled as she shrugged out of her clothes. It looked like this fantasy would involve a lot more than dinner.

  Her hands shook as she pulled the robe over her shoulders and checked her appearance in the mirror. Her cheeks were a little flushed, but she didn’t look bad otherwise. Sean wouldn’t guess that her heart was pounding so hard she could hardly think over the rhythm. No, she would be cool, calm and collected, just like he always seemed to be.

  In a few skittish strides, she found herself outside the door to room four. She drew in a deep breath, then shoved it open, ready to strike a sexy pose and maybe even drop her robe.

  Except the person waiting for her by a candlelit massage table wasn’t Sean. It wasn’t even a man at all.

  “Good evening. You must be Miss Prescott.”

  Leah came to a sharp halt and looked at the plump, pleasant-looking woman waiting for her. Before she could stop herself, she glanced around for Sean, but the small room was empty except for this person.

  “Miss Prescott?”

  Leah jumped as the woman repeated her name. “Uh, yes. I’m Leah Prescott. Am I in the right room?”

  The disappointment in her voice was so clear that Leah winced at its starkness, but if the other woman heard it, she didn’t make any indication. She only smiled.

  “You’re in the right place. I’m Cory Handen, the head massage therapist for Escapades. Please lie down and I’ll begin.” She motioned to the table with a small smile.

  “Handen, like Handen Spas in New York?” Leah asked. She shrugged her robe partly down her shoulders and took a position on the comfortable massage table.

  “The very one,” Cory said. “My sister and I own Handen Spas, but Sean made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I work here during the peak season and in New York during the off months.”

  Leah shut her eyes and rested her forehead down into the little open circle at the head of the table. Cory peeled her robe the rest of the way off and replaced it with a soft, cotton sheet.

  “Your spas are very well-known. I guess I’m just surprised you’d give up full-time work in New York to come give massages in a resort.”

  Cory’s smooth, firm hands came down on Leah’s back with the perfect amount of pressure. “Sean can be very persuasive. And he only wants the best, especially for his very special guests.”

  “But-”

  The other woman laughed. “No more talk for tonight. I’m happy to answer any other questions you may have for your article tomorrow. For now, I have my orders to give you a relaxing, pleasant experience.”

  “Thank you,” Leah managed weakly as she opened her eyes to stare at the marble floor below her.

  Relaxing and pleasant hadn’t been on her list when Sean had reminded her that tonight was her second fantasy. Especially after the taste and scent fantasy he’d given her the night before and the encounter they’d shared on the beach. She’d expected something erotic, something that would chip away at her wavering line of remaining control and eventually lead her to surrender to him completely. But he wasn’t even there to surrender to.

  And while the feel of Cory’s hands on her stiff muscles was heavenly, it wasn’t exactly the heaven she’d experienced beneath Sean’s skillful tongue that afternoon.

  Blood heated her cheeks at the memory, a memory her body was sharing as much as her mind. Even with just a thought, her muscles tensed and a deep ache began in her lower belly. One no massage was going to fulfill.

  “You’re so stiff,” Cory said. “Most people relax when they come to paradise. Just try to enjoy the moment.”

  Leah murmured her agreement, but she just couldn’t bring herself to enjoy this moment. No, her rebel mind kept bringing her back to other moments. Like her first night on the island when she had sucked the sweet remnants of fruit from Sean’s warm fingers. Fingers that had later brushed over her skin with the rhythmic gentleness mirrored in the ones stroking over her bare body now.

  Leah’s eyes flew open.

  What had brought that thought on?

  Being given a massage by a middle-aged woman was nothing like Sean gliding his hands over her body. Except that the hands moving over her skin now reminded her so much of his touch. Too much to be totally blamed on memory.

  “Sean?” she whispered.

  The hands hesitated, then stopped moving entirely. Leah let out a soft gasp as she lifted her head away from the table and glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough, Sean was now leaning over her, looking down at her in the dim light with a glitter of promise in his eyes. Cory Handen was nowhere to be seen. Obviously she’d snuck away when Leah had been too caught up in her erotic reverie to notice the change in masseuses.

  Her breath hitched as Sean smiled crookedly, then let his hands move again.

  “How did you know?” he asked as she slowly lowered her head back down.

  “Something about the touch,” she admitted. “It felt like you.”

  His hands froze again for a brief moment, but then continued their firm, warm strokes over her back, her neck, her shoulders. Now that she knew it was him touching her that way, the massage took on an entirely different meaning. One that sent tingles of anticipation shooting through her every nerve and fiber.

  “Have you guessed what sense tonight’s fantasy involves?” Sean asked. His warm breath was close to her ear as he leaned down. She felt the heat of his chest near her back, but then it was gone, along with his mouth.

  “Touch?” Her voice shook.

  Sean
’s deep, low chuckle tingled through her. “Mmm. The lady wins a prize.”

  Before Leah could make a smart comment about prizes and games, there was a light touch across her spine that pushed away all rational thought. It was the gentle brush of a soft feather. The wispy edges played along her spine, then lower as Sean inched the sheet down until it barely covered her backside.

  “A prize or torture?” Leah asked on a choked breath she could hardly manage to exhale. Her blood heated at an alarming rate.

  “Is it torture?” Sean asked softly as he teased the feather up her back in small circles. “Because the way you’re writhing, it doesn’t look like you’re trying to escape. No, I’d say you were trying to get closer, not farther away.”

  Leah let out a soft moan as Sean tickled the back of her neck with slow swishes. “That was always the torture between you and I, Sean. I could never get close enough.”

  “Well, that’s not going to be a problem tonight.” He leaned down and brushed a gentle kiss against the back of her neck. “But I don’t want to talk about that anymore. I want to show you. Roll over.”

  For the brief seconds before Leah complied, she drew in a short breath and tried to calm herself. Her emotions were too raw, too out of control. She didn’t want Sean to see that weakness. Not if she had any chance at keeping a handle on her heart.

  Slowly, she rolled onto her back. She glanced up into Sean’s eyes and realized it was already too late. Her handle on anything emotional was long gone. Her control had fled the instant Sean had first pressed his lips against hers in his office.

  “My God, you are beautiful,” he breathed.

  Leah was startled enough to look down at herself. She was naked from the middle of her hips up and the white sheet that had covered her back was tangled around her legs so that it barely covered her.

  But like on the beach earlier that day, she didn’t feel shame at her nudity, or even self-consciousness. She felt alive. Free. And ready to give Sean what he wanted. When she let herself be honest, she wanted it too. More than ever before.

  “Then give me the fantasy.” She settled back against the massage table. “Touch me.”