Deep Desires

A
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R
yan leaned
across the pool table, positioned the tip of his wooden cue on the ball and took a shot, easily sinking the eight ball in the corner pocket. Fortunately, the bright artificial light overhead enabled him to see the table, even with his dark sunglasses on.

Six months previous, after an early morning surprise explosion had damaged his retinas and marred his skin, the glasses had become a permanent fixture on his face, hiding both his lacerations and his damaged eyesight. Now he wore the shades day and night, not that he went out much during the day, or was the wild social animal he used to be. Since he’d returned home from his overseas tour, he kept a low profile. The fewer people asking about his scars or prying into his personal life, the better.

He stood and glanced at Cody. “So, what do you think is taking Ethan so long? A man could die of thirst waiting for him.”

“My guess is he’s taken your stash of beer and made off with it,” Cody said before grabbing the triangle and centering it on the table.

Ryan scoffed, adjusted his sunglasses and slapped his pool cue against his palm. “You’d think he’d know better,” he said, grinning. “I can still track him down if I want to.” Vision or no vision, Ryan’s exceptional tracking skills and his memorization of the island’s landscape, meant Ethan didn’t stand a chance.

Of course, both Ryan and Cody knew Ethan would never do anything of the kind. During their time together overseas and at the rehabilitation center, the guys had all bonded. The men were more than his friends and confidants. They were his family, his brothers. Men he trusted with his life.

Unlike the family he’d grown up in—an emotionally absent father plus a stepmother and two stepsisters who considered him a burden, and the long time girlfriend who’d tossed him away faster than an armed grenade when he’d returned home injured, calling him damaged goods, these men all looked out for one another. Ryan knew he could count on his fellow comrades in the best and the worst of situations.

Cody’s voice brought his attention back around to the game. “Ethan always was easily distracted,” he said, gathering the balls from the pockets and sending them down the table. He shot Ryan a questioning look. “You think something shiny caught his attention?”

Ryan scoffed and gave a slow side-to-side shake of his head. “Yeah, something shiny, something sexy and something flirtatious.”

One side of Cody’s mouth turned up. “You saw that, too, did you?”

“Hell yeah. My eyesight might be damaged, but I’m not completely blind. Jesus, he was practically salivating over Danielle at dinner.”

Cody positioned the balls, removed the triangle and grabbed his cue. “He needs a woman in his life. Maybe after a few good fucks he’ll stop being such an angry son of a bitch.” He paused and then added, “Hell, maybe that’s what we all need.”

Ryan couldn’t deny that. It had been far too long since he’d held a woman in his arms, inhaled her sweet scent, felt her between his legs or sank into her tight heat. At the mere thought of getting laid, his mind raced to Lauren Sampson, the sweet yet sexy brunette who’d sat next to him at dinner. If he tried hard enough, he could still smell her fantasy-inspiring floral aroma.

The scent was so goddamn erotic and stimulating, it nearly gave him a boner right then and there. Even her sultry voice, had aroused him to the point of distraction.

He wondered what brought her to the exclusive resort. A woman as gorgeous as she was couldn’t be here looking to fulfill a fantasy. She likely had countless men throwing themselves at her feet. The alternative was that she’d come here looking for therapeutic relaxation, an escape from the everyday. Yeah, that had to be it, he concluded. She had to be here looking for a little R & R.

As he leaned against his pool cue and watched Cody break the balls, Ryan took a moment to consider that further. If she was here looking for a fantasy vacation, he’d like to be the guy to give it to her. Sure, he could give her that wild ride, but he couldn’t give her any more than that, because truthfully, he didn’t have any more to give. Then again, what would a girl like her see in a guy like him, a guy who could barely
see
her in return?

Suddenly, the words
damaged goods
echoed in his mind.

Cody gestured toward the table with a nod. “You want to go again?”

“Nah, I think I’ll call it a night. I’ve got an early massage booked.” Not to mention an afternoon appointment with his well-shaded hammock, his usual daytime hangout.

Cody nodded. “I’ll catch up with you later, then,” he said and turned his attention back to the pool table.

Ryan replaced his cue on the rack and made his way outside. As he left the air-conditioning behind, the warmth of the night washed over him and moistened his skin. In no time at all his clothes clung to his body like a second skin. Anxious to peel them off and jump into a cool shower, he carefully negotiated the stairs, but not carefully enough. On his last step his shins connected with the base of something concrete. He tripped and stumbled forward.

“Fuck,” he bit out as he righted himself. He glanced at what appeared to be some sort of spiritual statue. Okay, that was new. Once composed, he made his way to the footpath leading to his cabana. With the tall trees surrounding him, he paused to listen, amazed at how his other four senses had amplified after his injury.

The sounds of the nightlife closed around him, but there were no other footsteps to be heard. Small stones crunched beneath his feet as he followed the narrow path back to his place with ease. With a love of nature, and little else to do with all his spare time on the island, Ryan spent his evenings memorizing every footpath, every cave, and every nook and cranny at the resort.

When he reached his quarters, he tried the door. Shit. It was locked and Ethan had his key card. He knocked, but gut instincts told him Ethan wasn’t inside. “Where the hell did he go?” he murmured to himself.

Ryan turned and made his way to the footpath, having decided to check Ethan’s cabana. Concern had started to gnaw at his insides. It wasn’t like Ethan to just blow them off.

“Out for an evening stroll?”

The voice came from behind him. Ryan stiffened and spun around. When his survival instincts kicked in, his hands automatically fisted. “Jesus. I didn’t hear you come up behind me.”

Malik lowered his voice to a calming level. “Are you out enjoying the warmth of the night, Ryan?”

Ryan tugged on his sticky T-shirt and pushed his hair from his forehead. “I’m locked out of my cabana. Have you seen Ethan? He has my key card.”

“I saw him head up the mountain earlier this evening, toward the mood hut, I believe.”

Ryan kept his face expressionless. “Did he seem…” he paused to find the right word, not wanting Malik to get the impression that something was amiss.

“Yes, he seemed fine, so did Danielle,” Malik said, answering Ryan’s question before he had a chance to ask it.

Ryan grinned, pleased as hell that it
was
something shiny that had distracted his friend. “They seemed rather happy. I believe the elixir just might be working for the two of them.”

The smile fell from Ryan’s face. He didn’t believe in the elixir any more than Ethan did. Ryan’s strongest desire was to see perfectly again, and according to the team of doctors that had endlessly poked and prodded him, that wasn’t about to happen, magic elixir or not.

As though reading his thoughts, Malik pressed his hands together and said, “You can see with more than just your eyes, my child.”

His leg chose that moment to start aching. Ryan scoffed. “Tell that to my shins.” Using the back of his hand, Ryan wiped a bead of moisture from his brow.

“The Pleasure Pool is a great spot to cool down,” Malik said.

He had to admit, the idea of jumping into the refreshing pool of water did sound appealing, but he knew the chances of having it to himself were scarce.

Since Ethan’s cabana wasn’t too far from the Pacific waters, he said, “Maybe I’ll head on over to the ocean for a dip and wait for Ethan to come back.”

“Very well, then,” Malik said with a nod. Before he left he added, “It’s amazing what you can see with your eyes closed, Ryan.”

With those cryptic words bouncing around inside his head, Ryan continued on his path. Strange thing was, he’d somehow gotten turned around in the dark and was now headed up the mountain toward the Pleasure Pool.

How the hell did that happen?

A
fter their tour
of Mr. Malik’s temple, Lauren and Abby stepped out into the sultry night and watched Danielle disappear into the shadows.

Lauren arched a knowing brow. “I wonder where she is off to in such a hurry.”

“Off to find her sea god, no doubt.” Abby shook her head in amusement. “Damn, that girl works fast.”

Thinking about all her own failed relationships, Lauren said, “Lucky girl.”

Abby pulled a face. “More like lucky us. The chemistry between those two was explosive.” She cut her hand through the air, gesturing toward the hillside. “I was worried they were going to blow like Mount Saint Helen’s and take out the entire island.”

Lauren chuckled. “Honestly, it’s been far too long since Danielle has had a good, thorough fuck.”

“Yeah, and Ethan looks like just the guy who could change all that.” Abby slipped her arm inside Lauren’s and squeezed. “I know I’m no sea god, but want to explore the island with me anyway?”

“Sure. Maybe we can take a dip in the Pleasure Pool and cool off.” She wiggled her fingers and widened her eyes with optimism. “Hey, you never know, maybe our own Greek god will rise up out of the lagoon.”

As they made their way to the path, Lauren thought more about Danielle and her fantasy man. Hopefully by now he’d be fulfilling all her secret desires. Out of nowhere, her libido stirred to life, urging her to find a man of her own and do the same.

Heck, since she’d pretty much given up on finding a guy who could look past her body and see her for who she really was, a man who didn’t need to be looking at her nakedness to want and appreciate her, why shouldn’t she indulge in a fantasy or two while on vacation? A smile touched her lips as she thought about the hot, enigmatic guy she’d like to play out a few of her secret desires with.

She took a moment to entertain her wayward thoughts. Dark mussed hair, built like a damn linebacker—she was a Chicago Bears fan. Everyone knew how much she loved linebackers—and as hot as hell, her fantasy man oozed sin and seduction. His rich alluring scent, a heady mixture of spice and masculinity, filled the air like a sultry invitation. He had an aura of mystery about him that she found a little dark, a little dangerous, and a whole lot sexy. He intrigued her, plain and simple. And even though she’d just met him, there was something almost animalistic about him that had captured her attention.

Too bad he seemed less than interested in her, barely sparing her a glance during dinner while he talked to the other men around the table. Then again, it was quite possible he could have been checking her out. It’s not like she could tell where he was looking with those dark sunglasses cloaking his eyes.

She wondered if he was here for a fantasy-inspired vacation, or if he was an injured soldier. The way he’d kept to himself pretty much assured her that she’d never find out.

“I see you’ve both decided to take an evening stroll.”

Startled, Lauren turned around to see Mr. Malik come up behind them. Noting how stealthy he was, she thought the man should wear a cowbell around his neck to announce his presence.

Mimicking his actions, Lauren nodded her head, returning his familiar greeting. “It’s so warm out tonight, we thought we’d cool down in the Pleasure Pool.”

Mr. Malik smiled and looked directly into Lauren’s eyes. “It can be difficult to negotiate the dark jungle at night. You must be careful.”

Lauren turned her head to glance into the mouth of the pitch-black path. There were likely scarier animals on the streets of Chicago than there were in there.

As though reading her mind he said, “My jungle is safe, and security is only a call away, but unless you know the landscape, it can be difficult to see.”

“We’ll make sure we keep our eyes wide open,” Lauren said.

Mr. Malik grew quiet for a moment, then added in a low voice, “Sometimes our eyes must be closed before we can really see, Lauren.” With that he turned and made his way back to the temple. Lauren stood still and watched him go, her mind racing, sorting through his parting words.

Abby’s voice drew her focus. “What do you think he meant by that?” she asked.

They began their ascent up the mountain. “Beats me. I don’t understand half of what he’s saying.”

Abby chuckled. “He’s sort of like some medicine man, isn’t he? With more wisdom than we can even imagine.”

“Then why doesn’t he just speak in plain English? You know I’m not very good at puzzles.”

Amusement danced in Abby’s eyes. “There’s no arguing that.” She shook her head and added, “Maybe some things we’re just supposed to figure out for ourselves.”

As they moved deeper into the woods, the path narrowed and the natural foliage thickened. She glanced around, taking it all in, memorizing the landscape.

“Maybe we should have left a popcorn trail,” Lauren murmured to her friend.

High overhead a canopy of leaves closed in over them, plunging them into darkness. Lauren listened to the strange night sounds, wondering whether venturing out into the wilderness after dark had been such a smart idea after all.

Abby’s voice broke her concentration. “So, what do you make of the elixir? Do you think it really fulfils your deepest desires?”

No longer able to see Abby in the dark jungle, she turned toward her voice and let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know, Abby. My deepest desire is to find a guy who sees me and likes me for who I really am, one who can appreciate me for more than just my body. I’ve never met a man who wanted to have sex with the lights off, or even dimmed to create an erotic ambiance for my pleasure. Honestly, some day I would like for a man to talk into my eyes, not my breasts, and make love to
me
, not just my body.”

Suddenly her ex-boyfriend’s words came back to haunt her and she wondered whether he was right. Maybe she really was boring outside the bedroom, with nothing to offer a man but her body.

Abby squeezed her arm, offering comfort, and then rooted in her beach bag for her trusty pen flashlight. She flicked it on and pointed it forward. The narrow beam provided enough light for them to negotiate the path as they trekked onward, following the sound of rushing water. A short while later they stepped from the dark path into a moonlit clearing. Lauren took in the picturesque waterfall spilling over the smooth rocks. Cool mist reached the embankment and moistened their skin and clothes.

“This is absolutely gorgeous,” Lauren said. She pulled her clothes off, keeping only her bra and panties on. After Abby followed suit, they climbed into the cool, silky water and slipped under the cascading stream.

“Mmm. So nice,” Abby said. She moved backwards to let the ribbons of water pelt against her skin. After a moment of basking in the spray, she said, “Hey, did you know this is a magical lagoon and is supposed to attract love?”

Lauren nodded. “I read that in the brochure, but I’ve given up on love. I think I’ll settle for a wild affair and live out a few of my fantasies instead. This island,” - she paused to look around the jungle - “with its tall trees and thick foliage is the perfect setting, really.”

Abby arched a manicured brow. “Oh, yeah? Perfect setting for what?”

“To play out one of my fantasies.”

“Which is?”

Lauren hesitated and crinkled her nose. “It’s silly. You don’t want to hear it.”

“Come on, tell me,” Abby urged. The gleam in Abby’s eyes turned wicked. Well, well, did Little Miss Abby have a few fantasies of her own?

Lauren glanced around the moonlit clearing and lowered her voice. “Well, since I’ve been in an orgasm drought, I figure I might as well use my feminine wiles and indulge in a little wild, animalistic sex. If men want me for my body, why shouldn’t I just go with it, and take care of my sexual needs?” She pulled in a quick, excited breath as her mind raced. “Lord knows I could use a good fuck, too.”

“And,” Abby prodded, “who did you have in mind?”

She flashed her friend a playful smile. “I figure if I can’t have my own sea god, maybe I could have a jungle lord.”

“Jungle lord?”

“Yeah, someone wild, someone like Tarzan.”

Someone like the man she’d met at dinner.

Heat bombarded her body and left her pussy quivering with yearning. She pressed her thighs together and shivered with need from just thinking about an untamed man of the jungle taking her under his care and giving her a good, thorough fuck after her six-month dry spell.

Abby let out a low whistle. “Wow, that’s some fantasy, Lauren.”

Lauren grinned. “I know. Wouldn’t that be wild?”

* * *

W
ild Indeed
.

Ryan hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, he really hadn’t. When he first heard voices coming from the Pleasure Pool he’d turned, intent on leaving, but the sexy sound of Lauren’s voice stopped him dead in his tracks. And when he heard the excitement, curiosity and lust in her tone, he’d nearly lost his ability to draw in air.

So she wanted to play a few jungle games, did she? With her very own Tarzan. He took a moment to run that scandalous scenario through his mind. Late at night. Shrouded in darkness. Surrounded by foliage. Identity camouflaged. Oh, yeah!

Now, that was a fantasy he could easily fulfill.

He pulled his dark glasses off and squinted, catching the outline of Lauren’s profile in the moonlight. Standing under the falls, she ran her fingers through her long hair. His mouth went dry as lust rose to the surface. His cock throbbed with an excitement he hadn’t felt in a very long time as he envisioned himself lavishing her with his undivided attention.

The thought of stripping her naked and taking her like a carnal beast in the middle of the forest unearthed the primal animal in him.

From what he’d overheard, it appeared that she wasn’t looking for anything that resembled a relationship, which suited him just fine, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a little fun together.

He began crafting a plan—a plan that would allow both of them to get what they wanted. As he plotted and tweaked the details, his heart beat in a mad cadence, eager to put his idea into motion.