Bonding Games (Tropical Temptation) Read online

  Chapter Eleven

  Needing time alone, Holly had ordered room service as the others all bonded over drinks. Now she paced from her bed, to her patio, and back again. Honest to God, feigning disinterest while Anita flirted with Josh was getting harder and harder. But seriously, this was a one-week affair, and she wasn’t supposed to be feeling anything more, right?

  Kicking herself for letting unwanted emotions push inside the closed off spaces in her heart, she shook her head to get it on right. Too bad the head and heart didn’t always work in tandem. But neither she nor Josh were looking for anything more, and when she began this affair it was to break free, have a little fun. Her gaze landed on her scarf, and a delicious idea formed. Josh might have had a misguided youth, but she hadn’t, and it was damn well time she made up for it.

  She opened her patio door and stepped out. The salty night air fell over her, and she breathed it in, glancing at the villa across from hers. Josh’s villa. It was getting late, and she had no idea if he was still out bonding with the others, but how much fun would it be to surprise him in his room? A lot. If only she had a key. She might not be as crafty in using a tactical knife to open a locked door, but she had a butter knife on her room service tray and was willing to give it a try.

  With excitement welling up inside her and her stomach dancing in anticipation, she grabbed another scarf from her suitcase, wrapped it around her wrist, then paused.

  Do you trust him enough for this?

  Heck, they’d had sex without a condom, so she must trust him on some level, and she was only giving him her body, not her heart, right? She opened her door and peeked up and down the hall to make sure no one from work was in the vicinity, so she wouldn’t have to fend off questions about where she was going and what she was doing.

  Taking the steps quickly, she rushed outside and darted across the walkway, the large fountains on either side of her were spraying water through the mouth of a large marbled fish. Pretty, but she didn’t have time to stop and admire because footsteps behind her heralded someone’s approach. She lengthened her strides and ducked into the villa. She started up the stairs, but the footsteps behind her began to close the distance. Feeling a little uneasy running around the resort alone at night, she began to rethink this adventure.

  “Going somewhere?” a deep voice asked, as a big hand slid around her waist and pulled her backward against a rock-hard chest.

  Josh.

  “As a matter of fact, I am,” she whispered, holding the handrail as she relaxed into his touch.

  He put his mouth close to her ear, the sweet tang of beer on his breath. “And where might that be?”

  “If you must know, I’m going to break into a stranger’s room.” She held up the butter knife to prove her point.

  “You were going to break in?”

  “Yeah.”

  “To a stranger’s room?”

  “From my window in the villa across the path, I keep seeing this hot guy walking around his room shirtless. I thought I’d stop in, see the show in person.”

  “So, you like watching, do you?”

  “Maybe.”

  He pushed her hair back from her neck, his hot breath scalding her skin. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s dangerous to go to a strange man’s room alone late at night.”

  “Maybe I like danger.”

  He touched the strap on her dress, running his fingers over the bare flesh of her shoulder. Erotic sensations bombarded her, making it harder and harder to stand.

  “A sweet thing like you? I don’t know about that.”

  “Would a girl afraid of danger bring her own scarves, in case the stranger wants to tie her up and have his way with her?”

  Josh went silent, the arm around her stomach tightening, his cock thickening against her back. She grinned. Got him right where I want him.

  “If you want real danger, you should come to my room instead.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I have ice cream.”

  “What…what does that have to do with anything?”

  “Why don’t you come to my room, let me tie you up, and I’ll show you.”

  A tremble moved through her, and Josh pressed his mouth to her neck. Soft, barely there kisses pulled a moan from her.

  Laughter could be heard from below, and he slapped her ass. “Move.”

  She hurried up the stairs, the dim light casting shadows on the wall as the two of them pretended to be strangers coming together in the night. That wasn’t too far off from the truth. Before this week, they hadn’t really known each other.

  A cup of ice cream in one hand and key card in the other, Josh opened his door and pulled her in. In a move that caught her by surprise, he backed her up and pushed her against the door. His lips found hers for a deep, possessive kiss that left her breathless and wanting so much more.

  He set the cup down, and capturing both her hands in his, he lifted them above her head and pushed his cock against her body. “Stay just like this.” He pulled the scarves from her hands and stepped back to examine her. She writhed against the wall, wanting him so much it scared her.

  He coiled the scarves around his hands, tugging them tight. His eyes darkened, the muscles along his jaw rippling as he looked his fill.

  “Once I get you in these, you’re mine. Anything I want?”

  Air left her lungs in a whoosh. She never gave control over to anyone, guarded it close, but the thoughts of being at Josh’s mercy while he touched, kissed, and had his way with her excited her beyond anything she’d ever known. Why?

  It’s because you trust him.

  “Yes,” she said. “Anything you want.”

  He walked back up to her, dipped under her sundress, and ran his finger between her legs, stroking her sex through her panties. Oh yes!

  He gripped the hem and gave a tug. With a wicked grin on his face, he dragged the scrap of lace down her legs. She lifted her feet one at a time as he removed her panties. Scarves still wrapped around his hand, he gathered the hem of her dress, pulled it over her head, and removed it. She stood before him in nothing but her lacy bra.

  “Take it off,” he commanded in a soft voice.

  She reached behind her back and unhooked the clasp. Her breasts fell free, and Josh groaned as the fabric whooshed to the floor. His hands went around her rib cage, his knuckles brushing her nipples as he pulled her away from the front door, guiding her across the room. A robe hook hung on the bathroom door, and she whimpered, her mind racing with all the things he was going to do to her.

  “Hands over your head.”

  She obliged, and he tied the scarves around her hands and secured her to the hook. A quiver raced through her when his hands touched her shoulders, trailing lower and lower until he reached her sex. He cupped it, and pressed his palm against her clit. She moved against him, telegraphing her need.

  “So, what do you think? Did you come to the right room?”

  “Maybe. I’m not so sure.”

  He grinned and reached for his cup of melting ice cream.

  “No?”

  He dipped his finger in the dessert, scooped out a small amount, and carried it to her nipples. He rolled his finger over her hard pebbles, a slow slide back and forth, toying with her until she was shaking. Air shuddered from her lungs, and she arched into him as his hot mouth closed over her rigid nub. “Ooh…”

  He treated her other nipple to the same brutal punishment, until her entire body was tightening, begging for so much more.

  He gazed at her from beneath heavy lids, his eyes full of want. “Let me know when you are sure, and we’ll get on with this,” he whispered into her ear as he scooped more ice cream out. Her sex pulsed as ice cream rolled down her stomach. Pressure built, and if he didn’t touch her soon, she was going to shatter.

  “I’m sure,” she cried out. “I’m so, so sure.”

  “What are you sure of?”

  “That I came to the right room. That I’m in the right hands.”<
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  He inched her legs open, and she’d never felt so vulnerable, so desired in her entire life. “So,” he began, keeping her name out of this roleplaying game they were engaging in. “What exactly is it you like to watch?”

  Oh God, do I dare say?

  “You,” she whispered.

  “Yeah, but what do you like to watch me doing?”

  Her gaze left his and traveled downward, stopping on the button of his pants. Josh chuckled. “You want to watch me touch myself.”

  She nodded. Good God, what have I become?

  He ripped into his shorts, shoved them from his body, and stood before her, his cock so hard and ready. She whimpered and twisted against the door.

  “Keep your legs open,” he said. “I like you like that. All ready and waiting for me for when I take you.”

  He fisted his thick cock and ran his hand from the crown to base, back and forth. A groan sounded in his throat as he stroked. She’d never watched a man pleasure himself, but Jesus, it had to be the hottest thing ever.

  The muscles on his arms and abdomen rippled, and he grew thicker. “Is this what you like to watch?”

  Her mouth fell open, but since her words were lodged somewhere in her throat, all she could do was nod her head.

  “When you’re alone, do you think about my cock? Think about having it inside you. Fucking you hard?”

  “Yes,” she whimpered, moving her back against the door.

  His hands raced over his length more quickly, rubbing hard, and she wet her mouth, wanting to taste him. “Do you think that stranger would have done this for you?”

  She shook her head, her hair falling over her breasts and tickling her nipples.

  Red-hot desire blurred her vision, and she blinked, not wanting to miss a second of his act. He stroked harder and grunted curses. The vision before her set her body on fire. Her breath caught, her body trembled. She wanted to call out his name, but this was a game they were playing.

  As he thrust into his palm, he stepped close and reached up to release one of Holly’s hands, freeing her in so many ways.

  “Now you.” She reached for his erection, but he stepped back and shook his head. His lips curved. “No, I want you to touch yourself.”

  A slow tremor moved through her. Nervousness? Probably. She’d never done anything like this before. But she wanted to. She wanted to experience everything with Josh while she could.

  Starting at her throat, she ran her hand down her body, stopping to touch her breasts. She should be embarrassed but she wasn’t. Josh’s eyes tracked the movement carefully and made her feel incredibly sexy. Her body came alive beneath her hands, as she trailed them lower and lower until she reached her sex. Josh moaned, his fist moving fast over his shaft.

  “Oh,” she murmured when her fingers connected with her swollen nub. Lightly touching herself, she circled the bundle of nerves, her fingers moving with purpose. She gave a breathy moan, and it seemed to do something to Josh.

  He dropped to his knees in front of her, and pressed his finger over hers, applying more pressure to her clit as his mouth parted her folds. His tongue stroked, lashed, and lavished, then delved inside. Her nipples ached to the point of pain, and she rubbed them.

  Paradise.

  A finger thrust inside her, and he slid it in and out until she could barely stand. She groaned and squeezed her legs, pulsing against his finger. She was close, so close, but he pulled back before she could tumble over.

  “I want to be inside you when you come,” he groaned, and pushed her against the wall. They both slammed against the closed bathroom door, and the urgency only added to her excitement.

  He released her other hand, and she looped her arms around his neck to hold on as he grabbed her thighs and lifted. “Legs around me. Now.”

  Her hips hugged his body as he pushed inside her, one hard thrust that filled her completely.

  “Yes,” she cried out. “That is so good.”

  They moved together, rocking against the door, his hips jerking forward, picking up speed and momentum as he pounded into her.

  “You like to be fucked like this, Holly? Hard against a bathroom door?”

  As he used her name, letting her know they were no longer playing a role, her muscles clamped around him, and he groaned in response. His breath came quicker, harsher, hotter against her neck. She dragged her nails over his back. God, he felt so good between her legs. So right inside her. Arousal peaked, and she soared to the top of the cliff and hovered for a moment. Then she fell over, her sex clenching so hard around him, her entire body trembled from the ecstasy.

  “Holly,” he murmured against her neck.

  “Josh.” As his name lingered on her lips, a strange primal, possessive sound rumbled in his throat. She shifted to allow his mouth to better reach hers, and he pressed his lips to her. His cock pulsed inside her as he let go, the tension easing from his body as he joined her in release. When their bodies stopped spasming, he readjusted her around his hips, and with his cock still inside her, he walked backward then turned, laying her out on the bed and following her down.

  She pushed his hair from his face, and her heart skipped at the warm look in his eyes. “My God, Josh. That felt good.”

  “Yeah, but it also felt like something else,” he whispered into her throat.

  She swallowed. Something else? Like what? Lovemaking? “Oh, yeah? What?”

  He chuckled. “It felt like…more.”

  He went up on his elbows and met her gaze straight on. “Anything and everything I want,” he said, as mischief danced in his eyes.

  “Yes,” she said, hating the stupid disappointment knotting her gut. Seriously, did she really expect him to be feeling more? This was sex, they’d both agreed to it. Besides, she didn’t want more, anyway. Right?

  She opened her body to him and worked to close off her emotions. He might be wanting anything and everything, but she needed to be careful not to give him something that he wasn’t really asking for.

  Chapter Twelve

  Holly looked over her survival gear and the waterproof backpack laying at her feet. She blew out a shaky breath, glanced at the wide river with its gentle, rippling waves, and the two-person bright-yellow kayak waiting for them. Her boss and one of the guides stood near the embankment explaining how the adventure would work, but Holly still wasn’t sure how a trip down the river and camping in the woods would help the team bond, or make them better at their jobs. Then again, kayaking in tandem was about communication, coordination, and synchronizing skills. Josh and she sure had the coordination and synchronizing down—at least between the sheets, in the shower, in the hot springs… Communication, however—well, they left those skills outside the bedroom door.

  Beside her, Josh looked like he was anxious to get started, but she’d spent much of her life sheltered, and she wasn’t so sure about this. She’d never been kayaking or camping, but this week was about letting go and trying new things. Around her, everyone paired up, and those who had no experience with kayaking were partnered with guides.

  “You sure you know what you’re doing?” she asked Josh.

  He grinned. “Have I let you down yet?”

  No. He hadn’t. And that was sort of the problem. Yes, this week with Josh was about sex, but honest to God, sometimes he just seemed too good to be true. Ending this when they returned home just might be harder than she anticipated. She let loose a strangled sigh and, not wanting to drag reality into this fantasy just yet, bent and started loading her gear into her pack, shoving it a little harder than necessary.

  “The kayak is wide, so it’s really stable, and it has backrests so you’ll be comfortable. It will just be a lazy journey down the river to the camp. They wouldn’t send us if it wasn’t safe.”

  “Yeah, I suppose.”

  “You know I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said.

  It was true. Josh continually displayed protectiveness, and unlike her father’s men who were always hovering over
her, she didn’t feel smothered by him. In fact, she felt sort of special.

  Oh boy.

  “Everything okay, Holly?”

  At the sound of her boss’s voice she plastered on a smile and stood. “Everything is great.”

  “You don’t have to do this, you know.” He pointed to Claire, who couldn’t join in for medical reasons, as she sat at the café, sipping coffee. “Not everyone is participating.” Maybe not, but she wasn’t giving Jeff a reason to overlook her for the position. “If it’s too much for you—”

  “Not at all, and I’m with a guy who’s kayaked in class five rapids.” Not that she really knew what that meant. “We’ll be fine.”

  “Is that right?” Jeff asked, his brow arched as he turned to talk to Josh. “Class five rapids. Not that you’ll run into that here.”

  Holly continued to pack as Josh talked about his kayaking abilities. Was there nothing the man couldn’t do? Her body warmed at that thought, and her gaze flashed to her wrists—to the light chafe marks, to be precise. The way he’d tied her up last night, kissed her from head to toe and gave her pleasure unlike anything she’d ever felt before, was the hottest, kinkiest thing she’d ever done. A troubled storm roiled through. Yeah, leaving this all behind at the end of the week, and going back to all work and no play, was more than she’d signed on for.

  She grabbed the satellite phone and shoved it in her bag. At least they could contact those on land, and if they ran into any trouble and didn’t make it to the camp, all they had to do was call home base and someone would come get them. Although she was pretty sure she was in the best hands possible.

  “All set?” Josh asked as everyone climbed into their respective kayaks.

  She pulled on her lifejacket. “Here goes nothing.”

  Josh held the boat as she took a seat. She pressed her feet against the pedals and adjusted them to fit her body while Josh stowed their equipment in the hatch. Once done, he climbed in behind her, and they set off, following everyone down the lazy river. Paddle in hand, she pushed it into the water and glanced at him over her shoulder.