Ship Happens Read online

  Max smiled as he took it. Our fingers brushed and some sort of electric shock pulsed between us. His brow furrowed making me think he must have felt it too.

  “This is my brother, Reese, and the guy with the awesome bandage is my buddy, Chase.” Max gestured toward the two men.

  I glanced their way as he introduced them, but my gaze kept drifting back to Max. He looked like a slightly less rough-and-tumble version of Jason Momoa in his role as Aquaman. He even had the same scar slicing through his eyebrow, giving him a slight bad boy aura.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” Chase gave me a shy grin.

  “Is there somewhere I can change into this?” Reese glanced at the robe.

  “Bathroom’s just over there.” I pointed toward the hall. All the two-bedroom bungalows were laid out the same. As temporary manager of the resort, mine had a few extras, like the washer and dryer hidden in the hall closet.

  “If y’all want to change, I can run your clothes through the dryer.”

  “Y’all?” Max asked, his brow hitched.

  I shrugged. “You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the gal.”

  He let out a chuckle. “So how did a Texas gal end up on an island in the Florida Keys?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I’d love to hear it.”

  “Maybe later.” He might want to hear it but I wasn’t in the mood to embarrass myself any further so a change of subject seemed in order. “Can I offer you some coffee or hot tea? Something to warm you up?”

  Maybe me?

  His eyes sparkled sending a zap of heat through my belly. As his mouth ticked up into a grin, the heat migrated lower.

  Max

  Her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink. Reese and Chase had disappeared in the direction of the bathroom so the two of us stood facing each other, her in an oversized sweatshirt and a pair of jeans that hugged her ass, and me in my soaking wet clothes.

  “Do you mind if I change out of this here?” I asked, already peeling my wet shirt over my head.

  She stared, her gaze burning into me as it drifted from my face, down my chest, over my abs, and back up again. I knew I looked good. I’d always taken care of my body, but I’d been putting in extra time at the gym to prepare for our trip. I undid the button on my waistband, and she seemed to snap out of her trance.

  “Was that a yes to coffee?” She rubbed her hands together like she was cold, even though it felt like the temperature in the room had risen at least ten degrees in the last few seconds.

  Sensing she needed an out and not wanting to overwhelm her, I lifted a shoulder. “Sure, coffee would be great.”

  She disappeared into the kitchen. “Is that a Boston accent I hear? Where are you from?”

  I was surprised she’d picked up on that. I’d spent most of my life trying to shed the telltale Boston signs. “Salem. But I grew up outside of Boston.”

  “That explains it. Do you think your friends want coffee, too? I’ll set out extra mugs. Have you eaten yet? I’ve got some leftover pasta in the fridge.”

  She sounded nervous. I supposed I would be too if three guys the size of me, Chase and Reese had shown up out of nowhere. I didn’t want to freak her out, so I carried my wet clothes into the kitchen and figured I’d try to set her at ease.

  “Where should I put these?” I’d balled them up and wrapped them in my towel.

  “The dryer’s in the closet in the hall if you want to throw them in.”

  “Got it.” I made my way toward the closet as Reese came out of the bathroom. He handed over his wet stuff, and I picked up Chase’s as well. It only took a minute to get them going.

  When I returned to the kitchen, the guys had each taken a stool and sat sipping coffee from their mugs. We looked like the three stooges in our matching robes.

  “What now?” Reese asked.

  “We wait until morning and see if we can salvage what’s left of the boat.” I shrugged. “There aren’t any guarantees when it comes to open water sailing, no matter how much you prepare.”

  “The trip might be over, just like that?” Chase asked.

  “I’m not sure yet. We’ll know more in the morning.”

  Nova glanced back and forth between the three of us. “I can fix up the spare room for y’all tonight. It’s got a queen bed. If two of you don’t mind bunking up, one of you can sleep on the couch.”

  “Reese and Chase can share the bed.” I took a sip of coffee. It’s not that I didn’t trust my brother or my best friend, but I’d feel better knowing that I was the one sleeping closest to Nova.

  “Y’all must be tired. I’ll go make up the bed so you can catch some sleep.” She set her mug on the counter and headed down the hall.

  I followed. “Let me give you a hand.”

  She pulled some fresh sheets from the closet and entered the bedroom.

  I stood on the other side of the bed, catching the side of the fitted sheet as she shook it out over the bed, and pulling it tight over the corners.

  “Thanks for your help. I wish there was something more I could do for y’all tonight.” She lifted the flat sheet next, and I smoothed it over, tucking it in on the side.

  “The guys are grateful for a place to crash.”

  “What about you?”

  I’m sure she didn’t mean for her offer to sound suggestive, but my thoughts immediately went to an image of her wrapping those full lips around my cock, taking me deep into her throat and… fuck, I needed to clear my head. Looking at her made it impossible to think about anything but sex.

  I cleared my throat, forcing the X-rated images out of my brain. “I’d love to know why you thought I was a stripper and maybe hear that story about how a gal from Texas ended up on a private island.”

  5

  Nova

  I didn’t know why I’d offered to share my sad, sordid tale with a stranger. He’d be gone by morning and I’d still be here, in the middle of nowhere, alone. Alone except for Trident who’d mysteriously disappeared with the arrival of the strangers.

  But as the two other men offered thanks and disappeared to crash in my guest room, I traded in my mug and offered Max a glass of wine from the bottle I’d opened earlier.

  It had only been a couple of hours, but it already felt like I’d known him for years. Being around him, having him in my space was comfortable. Almost too comfortable. It didn’t help that he only had on a bathrobe. Every time he moved it slipped, revealing a hint of sculpted pecs or a glimpse at what had to be at least a twelve-pack of abs.

  We settled onto the couch, me in one corner and him in the other. I’d purposely left a whole cushion between us in the hopes it might mute my attraction for the tall, dark-haired stranger.

  “How long have you lived on the island?” Max’s Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed a sip of wine, drawing my attention to the scruff covering his chin.

  I was a sucker for a guy with awesome facial hair. Some women went for abs, some for biceps, some for a nice, tight ass. Not me. Give me a well-groomed mustache and beard and I’d be his forever.

  “Not quite a year.” It had been a safe place for me, far away from the trouble I’d left behind.

  “And before that you lived in Texas?”

  “That’s right. This temporary manager job came up and a friend of mine knew someone who knew the wife of the resort owner, so I had an in.”

  “That’s cool. And you didn’t mind leaving Texas?”

  “Mind? No.” Not only did I not mind, I couldn’t wait to leave the Lonestar State. I might have been born and raised there, but not even my love of TexMex was enough to hold me to a place where my ex still lived. But I didn’t say any of that.

  “Must have been an adjustment. I can’t imagine living so far away from the rest of the world. What do you do if you don’t feel like cooking? You can’t just go pick up a sandwich somewhere.”

  “Actually, you can. We have an award-winning restaurant on site that serves thr
ee meals a day. And what do you mean about living so far away from the rest of the world? Aren’t you the one who’s planning to live on a sailboat?”

  “Well, sure. But we’ll put in at ports around the world. We won’t stay on the boat all day every day.”

  That sounded wonderful. I let my guard drop a bit. “I’ve always wanted to travel. Maybe get to Australia someday. How sad is it that I have a passport and have never had a chance to use it?”

  “You should. Watching the sunset over the Great Barrier Reef, now that’s living.” He shifted his gaze from his wine and smiled. “Now tell me, what made you think I was a stripper?”

  The wine must have gone to my head. That was the only reasonable explanation for me saying what I said next. “It’s my birthday and my best friend said she was sending me something special. I thought you were it.”

  6

  Max

  I’d never been sent as a gift before, but the idea intrigued me. I sucked my lower lip into my mouth, biting back a grin. “Does your best friend usually send you men to celebrate special occasions?”

  Her cheeks pinked for the second time in the short time we’d known each other. “No. Sometimes she sends a cake.”

  “Well, I don’t have any cake on me, but I know how to dance.” I got to my feet, thinking I’d pretend to give her a bit of a show. Swirling the belt to the robe around, I gyrated my hips.

  She hid her face behind a throw pillow. “Please stop.”

  I danced my way closer. “Sorry, I can’t. I was voted most likely to take my clothes off in front of a stranger in high school.”

  Her gorgeous green eyes peered at me from over the edge of the pillow. “Really?”

  I leaned down, gripped the pillow and nudged it away, exposing her perfect nose, followed by those luscious, kissable lips. “No.”

  Just a few inches separated us. If I wanted to, I could reach out and pull her mouth toward mine. And damn, I wanted to.

  Her lips parted slightly and her eyes flicked down to my mouth and back up again.

  “What were you voted the most likely to do?” she whispered..

  “Best kisser,” I lied. I’d actually been voted the most likely to become a millionaire by our tenth high school reunion. The joke was on them since it only took me a little over three years to make my first million, the millions I made after that came easy.

  “I think I’d better turn in.” She peeled herself off the couch and picked up our empty glasses of wine. “Do you need anything?”

  Her. I needed her.

  She’d already set out a pillow and a blanket. I’d be more comfortable on her couch than I had been for the past couple of days sharing the catamaran with Reese and Chase. “No, you’ve done more than enough.”

  “Make yourself at home. If you need anything, just holler.”

  The only thing I needed, she’d already declined. I nodded, gave her a smile, and kept my eyes trained on her perfect ass as she headed into her bedroom and shut the door.

  Nova

  I’d tried calling Shenae three times, and it had gone to voicemail. The fourth time, she picked up, breathless.

  “Hey, did you get my gift?” Her voice came through my speaker a little louder than I’d expected so I nudged the volume down.

  “Was it a hot Jason Momoa lookalike?”

  “What? No, it was a vibrator. It said it was out for delivery today. Did the mailboat make it over?”

  “You sent me a vibrator? I thought you said something about letting you know when he arrived.”

  “Well, yeah, his name is Lucky Buck. Supposedly he’s got a one-hundred percent come as you are guarantee.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “What’s that about a Jason Momoa lookalike?”

  “There’s a man sleeping on my sofa.”

  “Did you and Xiao finally give in to your undeniable attraction?”

  I loved the groundskeeper like the grandfather I’d never known, but that was as far as our relationship would ever go. “No, it’s not Xiao. There’s a huge, gorgeous hunk of a man on my couch. One I’d like to do naughty, naughty things with. And two more in the guest room. Their boat washed up on the shore during the storm. What the hell am I supposed to do?”

  “Put an end to that dry spell? Although going from no sex to three on one might be a bit much. You probably ought to pace yourself. Maybe one at a time?”

  I should have known better than to ask Shenae for an opinion. “You’re no help at all. I’m not sleeping with all of them.”

  “Well, pick one then. Which one looks like he’d be the best option to ease you back into the dating game?”

  I pictured Max’s face and the way he’d sucked in his lower lip. He’d wanted to kiss me. I’d wanted him too. But I was being a Texas-sized chicken. Even thinking about his lips on mine had me shifting my hips, squirming as I slid my bum across the sheets. “Max. He’s…”

  “What?” Shenae asked.

  “He looks like he could eat me for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I’d let him.” It had been so long since I’d had that kind of attention from a man.

  “So are you going to spread yourself with frosting and invite him to gobble up your birthday cake?”

  I laughed out loud. “Maybe I should.”

  At that moment, Max ducked his head through the crack in the doorway. “I love cake.”

  7

  Max

  I wished I’d had my phone handy because the look on Nova’s face when she realized I’d been able to hear every word of her conversation was picture-worthy. I’m talking 20x30, want to frame it and hang it over the fireplace mantle.

  “I gotta go.” She didn’t even look at the phone as she slid her finger over the button to end the call. “Please tell me you haven’t been standing there the whole time.”

  “I’d never lie to you, birthday girl.” I’d discarded the robe when I laid down on the couch, but had wrapped my lower half with the light blanket she’d given me when I stood up to eavesdrop. The front tented, my cock hard from listening to her talk about wanting me to eat her up.

  Her eyes closed and a wave of hot pink flushed her chest, her neck, and her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend for you to overhear.”

  I moved into the room, softly shutting the door behind me. “I couldn’t fall asleep. Not with you in here all alone on your birthday.”

  She cracked her eyes as I lowered myself to perch on the edge of the bed. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.”

  “If you were my girl, I’d make sure you never went to bed alone.” I reached out and tucked a loose wave behind her ear. She’d changed into a nightshirt. The front had a cartoon image of a cat and big puffy letters reading “Pussy Lovers Only.”

  She tilted her chin up, those green eyes searching mine.

  “I like your nightshirt.” My gaze flicked down to her chest, noticing the way her nipples perked under my attention. “And I fucking love pussy.”

  The burn on her cheeks faded. “You fucking love pussy or you love fucking pussy?”

  That was the invitation I’d been waiting for. “All the above.”

  I moved closer, dying to touch her. I settled for taking her hand and swirling my thumb over her rapidly beating pulse in her wrist.

  She shook her head from side to side. “This is surreal. Like, it’s a dream, right?”

  “Want me to pinch you?” I offered.

  “I’d rather you kiss me.” Her forehead scrunched like she’d just made the most insane request, like she was afraid I’d turn her down.

  “Took you long enough to ask.” I tugged her onto my lap. My lips sought out hers. I suckled and nipped at her bottom lip, pulling it into my mouth, reveling in the lingering taste of wine. She tasted even sweeter than I’d imagined. My dick bulged, straining against the sheet.

  She adjusted her position, moving her legs to either side of my waist, straddling me. The friction of her sliding over my cock almost made me lose it. But she was the b
irthday girl, so she was going to get her present before I even considered taking my own pleasure.

  My hands dipped under her nightshirt and skimmed up her ribs. Skin as soft as a perfectly ripe peach pebbled under my touch. She moaned as I cupped a full, heavy breast. Everything about her drove me mad. I dragged my tongue along her neck and rimmed the shell of her ear.

  Her fingers gripped my shoulders as her hips ground against me. I needed to see her, all of her, spread out before me. I slid her shirt up, breaking contact with her skin just long enough to get it over her head and toss it aside. She wouldn’t be needing that anytime soon.

  Then I laid her back, bare except for a pair of waist-high panties.

  “What the fuck are these?” I slipped a finger under the waistband.

  “I wasn’t expecting company.” She propped herself up on her elbows and crinkled her nose. “They’re awful, aren’t they?”

  “I love them.” I circled her belly button with my tongue and gripped the edge of her granny panties with my teeth before dragging them down her hips, past her thighs, and tossing them in the same direction as her nightshirt.

  Totally naked, she spread before me. Hot as fuck, sexy as sin. Her hair cascaded over her pillow, her hips slipping over the cool sheets.

  “Come here.” I caught her leg and hitched it over my shoulder. “It’s time for your birthday surprise.”

  8

  Nova

  My hands fisted the sheets as Max lowered his mouth and his beard rubbed against my inner thighs. I’d never done anything this rash, this crazy, but it felt so incredibly right. His tongue flicked out, and with a featherlight touch against my clit, my nerve endings overloaded. Pulses of pleasure rocketed through me. It had been so long. Too, too long since someone had taken care of me. I’d almost forgotten how good it could be, convinced myself that I didn’t need this in my life. But Max had wiped those irrational thoughts away, all with one flick of his talented tongue.