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  Chloe climbed down from her stool and he could feel her desire, her need. Oddly enough, it was a need that matched his. Slow seductive movement carried her around to his side of the bar, giving him ample time to take in her soft curves and long, shapely legs. As she rounded the corner, her sweet feminine scent reached his nostrils and nearly drove him to his knees in a quivering mass of lust. Fuck, he hadn’t felt raw hunger like this in a long time, if ever. Her scent was an enticing combination of arousal and spiced vanilla. The aroma did the most ridiculous things to his libido.

  Her sweet yet seductive glance went from him, to the blender, back to him again. As they exchanged a long, lingering look, something in his gut clenched and he couldn’t believe how much he wanted her, how desperate he was to taste her. Her body. Her lips. Between her legs.

  Her smile was like an aphrodisiacal elixir, causing his cock to throb to the point of pain. He shook his head and blew a slow breath to center himself. By God he was going to make this so fucking good for her. He returned the smile and gestured with a wave of his hand. “By all means, Chloe,” he said, his voice dripping with promise. “Show me exactly how you like it.”

  2

  And show him she would. Although she suspected a man like Jared needed no instructions. He looked like the kind of guy who knew his way around a woman’s body. Expertly. Skillfully.

  Frequently.

  But still, it’d be fun to tease and play, and to have a man want her again. Really want her. Even if only sexually. Because the last thing she was looking for was anything that resembled a relationship. She just wanted a wild fling with a sexy bartender. Nothing more. Nothing less. Except maybe a few erotic memories to draw on during the coldest of nights back home.

  After lecturing herself on what she needed, and what she didn’t, she shimmied in front of him, making sure to rub her body against his. The warm scent of his skin reached her nostrils and teased all her senses. As his seductive heat reached out to her, his hard muscles felt erotic against her softness. God, she’d never felt such raw strength before, such magnetism. His sheer size and power really brought out the woman in her in ways that made her completely mad with desire.

  Chloe added a dash of lime and a pinch of sugar to the two ounces of rum already in the blender. As her entire body quaked in a way it had never quaked before, she worked to keep her voice steady when speaking. “Now you need to drop in the strawberries one at a time, slowly, carefully, adding just the right amount at just the precise moment until you get the perfect creamy texture.” Her own suggestive words began to heat her up and she could hardly believe how naughty she was acting.

  She glanced over her shoulders and watched Jared’s powerful muscles bunch. His nostrils flared, his throat worked as he swallowed and he seemed like he was in pure agony. Her gaze traveled to his eyes, taking note of the rich amber ring, which seemed to grow, intensify and overshadow the green. He looked so passionate, so feral. Lord, it thrilled her to know that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. It bolstered her confidence and made her feel powerful, sexy…wild.

  “Creamy is good,” he said, his voice deep and raspy. When she turned back around he took one predatory step closer and looked over her shoulder. As he leaned into her, his breath felt hot and seductive on her neck. A shiver prowled through her and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do to stop her body from shaking.

  He burrowed closer. Sensual overload nearly fried her brain and, she suspected, the sexually scented gush of moisture between her legs hadn’t gone unnoticed by him. His hard cock pressed against the small of her back, alerting her to his arousal. Moisture pooled on her tongue, and she itched to take every inch of this luscious man into her mouth. She added one strawberry to the mix and blended the concoction together, noting the way it had already begun to thicken.

  His fingers closed over her hips and burned her flesh. He put his mouth close to her ear and whispered in a low tone, “Is it creamy yet, Chloe?”

  Good Lord, it was creamy all right. Or rather, she was creamy. Hot, wet, creamy and aching for a rock-hard cock. Just like the one pressing into her back. She reached for another berry, but her hands were so damn shaky it slipped from her fingers and rolled onto the sandy floor, ruined.

  She stepped back, her body bumping against Jared’s. She made an attempt to retrieve the berry, but Jared stopped her. “Here, let me get that for you.” In one fluid moment, Jared moved in front of her—a suggestive look in his eyes. With his chest crushed to hers, he slowly sank to his knees, his body never breaking contact with hers. He wet his lips, and Chloe nearly orgasmed then and there.

  His hands trailed urgently over her curves, his thumb pressing into her flesh before he cupped the hem of her dress and cast her a smoldering look. She swallowed, hard, as passionate eyes captured hers.

  Oh, boy!

  He tossed the ruined berry into the trash and grabbed another from the bowl on the counter. After tucking himself beneath the high countertop, out of sight from any patrons should they happen by, he tapped on her thighs. Feeling wild and wicked, she gave in to impulse and widened her legs as she glanced out over the beachside bar. Dear God, what would she do if someone sauntered up to the hut for a drink? They might not be able to see Jared beneath the teak counter, but the color blooming on her cheeks and her rapid breathing would surely raise their suspicions. Despite that, she couldn’t stop if she’d wanted to. Truthfully, she’d never done anything so sinful before—so deliciously, excitingly sinful.

  Without preamble, he pressed the cool berry to her thighs and trailed it upward, coming perilously close to her damp panties. He sensuously brushed the fruit over her flesh, then placed it between his teeth. With one quick thrust, he ripped the lace from her hips. She gasped and gripped the counter, but that gasp turned into a heated moan when Jared leaned forward and swiped the cool strawberry tip against her clit. “Oh. Sweet. Lord,” she cried out in heavenly bliss. Buried between her legs, Jared spent a long moment running the berry over her swollen clit, then pulled it from his mouth and squeezed until the cool, sweet nectar dripped over her pussy.

  “How many strawberries until it gets really creamy?” he asked from deep between her thighs.

  She was holding the counter so tightly, her knuckles began to turn white. “Just one, Jared. Just one,” she managed to get out.

  “Maybe I’d better check.” He inserted one finger. “Mmmm, you’re right. Very creamy indeed.”

  Oh, bloody hell. Someone was coming. As she wrapped her mind around that very important fact, she whispered, “Jared…coming…”

  He chuckled. “That’s the point, sweetheart.”

  Breathing hampered, she rushed out, “No, Jared. Someone coming…counter.” She inched back, dipped her head and spared him a quick glance.

  He moved his finger inside her. “I’m a little buried in something, babe. You’ll have to cover for me,” he murmured and scraped his thumb over her clit.

  She was so turned on, moisture broke out on her body. A small bead ran between her breasts, leaving goose bumps in its wake. Heck, she needed him to ease the ache inside her more than she needed her next breath, but someone was approaching quickly, and she was hovering on the brink of an orgasm, barely able to form a coherent thought. “Jared…” she whimpered, not sure she could actually pull it off.

  Ignoring her protest, he ran the berry over her drenched sex, teasing her engorged clit one last time before plopping the fruit into his mouth. He took a bite, letting the juice drip over his chin. “I must say there’s nothing I like better than strawberries and cream.”

  Oh sweet mother of God. Breathe, Chloe, breathe…

  With exquisite gentleness he leaned into her and brushed his tongue over her pussy. Slow, tender laps that weakened her joints and turned her legs to pudding. Completely at his mercy, Chloe practically wept from pleasure as she tore her focus from him, and turned her attention to the middle-aged woman who’d just sashayed up to the counter.

  Christ, it was mo
st difficult to speak, what with Jared paying homage to her clit and all. “What…what can I get for you?”

  Her customer pointed a long, painted nail. “Mmmm, is that strawberry daiquiri you’re making there?”

  Jared pushed his thick finger all the way up inside her and Chloe sagged against the bar top. “Yes, it’s my specialty. It’s…oh, God, it’s good. Sooo goddamn good,” she murmured, and briefly shut her eyes as she pounded her fist on the counter. Jared’s finger moved in and out, in and out, taking her to the moon and back and derailing her ability to focus on anything but the heat rising in her.

  The woman gave her an odd look. “Well if it’s that good, then I’ll definitely have one.”

  Chest heaving, Chloe forced a smile, threw a handful of berries into the blender, and turned it on, thankful that the loud noise muffled the whimper gurgling in the depths of her throat. God, she had no idea that indulging in something utterly taboo while she served this customer would make her feel so deliciously wicked. Who knew that the risk of getting caught would elevate her passion to never-before-known heights? Part of her couldn’t believe she was doing this, yet the other part—a part deep inside her—seemed to blossom from it. Who knew she was harboring such fetishes? Of course, her ex had never taken the time to discover them. He’d been too concerned about his own needs.

  Thinking about her budding desires and concentrating on every erotic pulse of pleasure between her thighs, Chloe turned the blender off, filled a glass and slid it across the bar.

  The woman took a small sip. “Mmm, delicious.”

  With his tongue dancing over her sex, Jared inserted a second finger. Chloe began to sway, moving urgently against his probing digits. His fingertip brushed over the sweet bundle of nerves that always made her delirious and pushed her over the precipice.

  “Yessss…” Chloe cried out, as an orgasm ripped through her. Her muscles clenched and spasmed, her hot cream dripping into Jared’s waiting mouth.

  “Excuse me?” the woman said.

  Chloe’s mouth went desert dry and she struggled to speak. Flustered, she said, “Yes, it’s delicious. Very, very delicious.”

  The woman narrowed her eyes in concern. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”

  Chloe waved a friendly yet dismissive hand. “Fine, just hot. But I guess that’s to be expected this time of year,” she rambled as she addressed the woman’s worries. Jared continued to stir her heat, taking her to the edge a second time.

  Thankfully, the woman inched back and slowly began to turn around. “Maybe you should have something to drink,” she suggested.

  “Good idea.” Hoping to appease the woman in case she decided to climb over the counter to check on her, Chloe poured the rest of the icy drink into a glass and took a much-needed gulp. “All better now.”

  With that, the woman gave a satisfied nod, and made her way back to the water. Then suddenly, Jared did something to her body, something that had her senses exploding like a round of C-4. Warm, syrupy liquid dripped over her mons and spread to her labia, her clit, her anus and down her thighs, tingling and tickling all the way to her toes. She’d never felt anything quite so sensual, so decadent.

  He began pumping his fingers in and out of her, his thumb rubbing the warm lubricating liquid all over her clit as he coaxed another orgasm. A barrage of sensations overcame her when he pressed his mouth to her heat and feasted on her, lapping up all the sweetness. His soft growls reached her ears as a slow burn worked its way through her body and brought on a shudder. She pulled in a breath and before she knew what was happening, she exploded all over him, again and again. Her sex pulsed and throbbed, and she bucked forward, riding out every orgasmic wave, nurturing each and every pulse in the hopes of prolonging them for an eternity, because Lord knows she’d never had such a powerful earth-shattering orgasm before, and likely never would again.

  When her legs finally gave, she dropped to her knees before him. He circled his hands around her body, supporting her against his chest. He purposely positioned his mouth close to her ear and his warm breath brought on a shiver.

  “I’ve got you, babe.” It was so strange, but something about the tender way he was holding her, and the soft, affectionate way he was whispering in her ear, really got to her. Down deep, where emotions ruled. Maybe it was the vulnerability she heard in his voice, or maybe it was the profound need. Either way, she suddenly found herself traveling to a place she’d had no intention on going.

  Heart thudding, she inched back before she crossed that imaginary line. But as her gaze moved over his face what she saw pulled at her and melted her resolve. “Jared?”

  Their eyes met and locked, and the need in the stormy depths of emerald reached out to her, calling to her in ways that rattled her insides and created warmth and comfort around them, like they’d known each other their entire lives. Weird, but she felt the connection in every fiber of her body.

  “Jared…” She touched his cheek and answered his call. In the span of a moment she found herself going against her own best interests and opening herself to him as everything inside her beckoned him in return.

  “Chloe,” he whispered as his eyes moved to her mouth. He licked his lips and just like that they reached a new level of intimacy, one expressly reserved for long-time lovers. “You’re the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted.”

  She struggled to draw in air, hardly able believe what they’d just done, how amazing he was, how easy it was to be with him and how he had the uncanny ability to draw her in, emotionally—even after lecturing herself on keeping this afternoon affair about sex.

  “What was—?” She glanced down and spotted the bottle of warm syrup lying next to him. She arched a brow. “Very creative…” she murmured. “I—” Before she could complete her thought, his lips crashed down on hers and he kissed her, long, hard and deep. She took in his flavor as their tongues danced. His mouth tasted like her and him and sweet sugar all rolled into one. She drew his tongue deeper into her mouth and savored the honeyed combination.

  She pressed her hand to his pants and gently squeezed his cock through his jeans. Her fingers moved to his buttons but he closed his palm over hers and stopped any further exploration. She pulled back, confused. As her eyes moved over his face, she tried to gauge his feelings. Was it over? Didn’t he want her to touch him? It suddenly occurred to her just how desperately she wanted to. What was it about him that filled her with such need and got to her in a way no other man ever had?

  “I thought—”

  He pressed his fingers to her lips and his soft chuckle reverberated through her blood when he whispered, “We’re only getting started, Chloe.” His voice shook and the want in his eyes completely rattled her emotions. “We’re only getting started.”

  3

  Without his eyes leaving hers, Jared adjusted her sundress and helped her to her feet. This wasn’t the place for what he wanted, no needed, to do to her. As an unexplainable mixture of bizarre and foreign wants overtook him, he stuffed her panties into his pocket and pitched his voice low. “Come on. Let’s get out of here, sweetheart.”

  Chloe’s eyes brimmed with desire and she did a quick scan of the bar. “Aren’t you supposed to be working? You can’t just leave.”

  He angled his head and took in the soft curve of her lips. Jesus he ached for her to acquaint her mouth with his body. Shaken by the way she made him feel, he cleared his throat. “I’ll take the rest of the day off. Stress leave.”

  She gifted him with an amused look. “Stress leave?”

  God, that sexy, playful grin on her mouth did the strangest things to his insides. “Yeah, something like that.” He grabbed her hand and placed it over his cock.

  She shivered and ran her fingers over his growing thickness. “Oh, yes, you do have a lot of stress. We’d better get that taken care of before it leads to problems. I hear blindness can be a big issue.”

  Her teasing words prompted him into action, and Jared quickly called in a replaceme
nt. Twenty minutes later he escorted Chloe through the main doors of the resort, figuring the best place to take her was to her own suite, where she’d have a measure of comfort. Even though they both felt this powerful pull between them, and the connection was strong, stronger than anything he’d felt before, they were still strangers, and he wanted her to feel relaxed with him, relaxed enough to give herself to him. Completely. Thoroughly. Unapologetically. For some inexplicable reason he needed her at his mercy in ways he’d yet to understand.

  The cool air in the hotel was a welcome contrast to the uncomfortable humidity outside. When he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the elevator, he felt her body quiver. She shot him a glance. The heat between them was tremendous and had his pulse pounding. He sucked in a breath and took a moment to steady himself.

  Careful, Jared…don’t lose control.

  “Are you okay?” Chloe stepped into him, her delicious scent curling around him like an aphrodisiac, her breasts pressing into his chest provocatively.

  He clenched his jaw and cushioned her into his arms. “Not even a little bit,” he managed to force out as his cock throbbed against her stomach.

  That brought a smile to her face. “Good.”

  Just then the elevator doors pinged open and he ushered her inside. Sexual energy whipped between them as the lift began its ascent. Less than two minutes later, Chloe stood in front of him. Her fingers shook as she inserted the key card into the lock, letting him know she was as unnerved by this encounter as he was.