Me And Mr. I.T. (Kupid's Cove Book 2) (18 page)

With a deep growl, he tore his lips from mine and rested his forehead on my shoulder, his chest heaving from the need flowing between us. “I can’t stop myself from wanting you, Ellie.”

“I try to fight it, but you pull me in and all I want to do is be close to you. To let you hold me, and protect me, from the harshness of the world.”

He moved me back to the sofa and handed me the suit. “Since you’re still fighting the attraction between us, I haven’t done my job well enough. Go change for lunch,” he said, and I noted that his voice held a tinge of sadness to it.

I didn’t know what to say, so I picked up the suit and walked away.

Our hands swung at our sides as we walked down the beach. The earlier rain had cleared away and although the sky was dotted with a few black clouds, the sun had come out to play, along with everyone else from the resort. After a light lunch, he insisted we go relax by the water while they moved our room for the night. The problem with that idea is that relaxing by the water isn’t going to happen for me. It’s going to make me more anxious than relaxed.

“Tell me about your parents,” he said as the wind ruffled his hair. “Will I get to meet them?”

I didn’t answer right away, because I didn’t know how. “I feel terrible that I’m lying to my mom. They live on the base, not fifteen minutes from here. You’ll meet them, but not until after the party is over, and we can take these bands off. I don’t want you behind the eight ball with the Admiral before you even meet.”

“That’s a given, Ellie. I certainly don’t want to be on the Admiral’s list.”

I laughed and the sound took me by surprise. It must have surprised him, too, because he stopped and took my shoulders.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh in a way that wasn’t forced.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” I answered, lost in the pair of eyes behind the shades. He leaned in and kissed me tenderly. I’m sure we looked like two lovers without a care in the world. We weren’t, but for a few moments, it felt like we were.

He started walking again and he motioned toward a small ice cream bar. “Let’s sit for a while and rest.”

He helped me up the stairs to the small deck that held tables and chairs, and a small ice cream bar run by a bored looking teenager. Mr. I.T. ordered two hot fudge sundaes with extra peanuts and carried them back to the table. He dug into his while I answered his question.

“My mom is one of those women who accepts everyone, I mean obviously, right?” I asked and he shook his head.

“Don’t do that. She didn’t become your mother out of pity; she’s your mother and she loves you.”

I nodded once to acknowledge his statement before going on. “She’s one of those women who has a cold glass of tea on hand at all times, and a plate of fresh lemon cookies on the counter. Her lemon cookies are amazing and the one thing everyone asks her to bring to every gathering. She’s understanding, accepting, loving and very, very patient.”

“And the patient part probably has to do with the Admiral, right?”

I took a bite of my sundae and nodded, a smile on my face. “He’s a real character, but not your typical Navy admiral. I’ve never heard him raise his voice, but then he never had to, because the way he carries himself, and his insistence that you follow the rules, keeps you in line. I knew what would happen if I missed curfew.”

“You’d be thrown in the brig?” he asked.

“Absolutely. I had no idea what the brig looked like, and I didn’t care to find out.”

He laughed, picking up my hand and kissing it. “So you’re saying he was able to keep you in line through fear.”

I shook my head no. “No, I don’t fear my father, I fear disappointing him.” I looked down at my sundae, no longer wanting to make eye contact with him.

“Fear, which is present tense, not past,” he pointed out.

“He put a lot of time and money into me. I want him to be proud of me.”

His chair went backward and the sound scared me when the chair flipped and bounced on the deck. He knelt next to me and took my face in his hands. “Listen to me, Ellie. You are not a car, a boat, or a house. He didn’t put time and money into you. He loved you and took care of his daughter. His love isn’t negotiable depending on how well you do in school or at your job. His love is non-negotiable and he’s always there for you when you need him.” I nodded, uncomfortable under the eyes of the other people on the deck.

“You’re right. I know that. I still struggle with my self-esteem sometimes.”

He chuckled lightly and kissed me before letting go of my face. “I never would have guessed that,” he said as he picked up his chair and sat again. He waved his hands in front of him. “Okay, no more seriousness. Tell me one thing about yourself I wouldn’t know, and it has to be funny or positive.”

I took another bite of my ice cream. “You go first,” I said, wanting time to think about it.

“Okay, when I was a kid I used to cheat my dad out of jobs by going down to the big marina and helping the mechanics there. The more engines I helped them fix, the less business my dad got.”

I pushed the sundae away. “That’s sort of…”

“Vindictive?” he asked and I nodded. “I know, but I was an angry fifteen-year-old kid who was tired of being pushed around by his old man. That said, I learned a lot from those guys and that was where I fell in love with computers.”

“Really?” I asked, “I wouldn’t put those two things together.”

“Most of the big boats and yachts run on computers either with some form of GPS or a full computer console for navigation and control. That was how I discovered my skill with computers. It took me another six years to work up the courage to leave my father’s business, but it was something I loved, whereas fixing motors was not.”

“That’s a cool story, Maltrand. I need to think of something else now, because mine sounds lame compared to that.”

He laughed and motioned at me to spit it out. “I said it can be anything. Now tell me.”

I leaned in over the table and looked around at the people on the deck. No one was paying attention, but I still kept my voice low. “I’ve always wanted to go to a nude beach.”

He raised one brow. “Seriously? You? A nude beach?”

I nodded, resting my arms on the table. “Sounds odd I know since I like to be covered head to toe, but something about the idea of a nude beach made it seem easier. Everyone would be in their birthday suits, so it seemed like they would concentrate less on my body. Does that make sense?”

“Because it would be a normal natural thing to see all the little imperfections of the human body. The idea of baring yourself that way wasn’t scary because no one else could hide their imperfections either.”

“Exactly, and I have a thing for cute guys, but probably the only ones at nude beaches are old, and wrinkly.”

He snorted, trying to hold in the laughter, but it spilled out anyway. “I love you,” he said, stroking my face. “If I could find a nude beach I would take you there. I bet there’s one around here someplace.”

"I dare you to ask someone where the nude beach is. In fact, I double dare ya." I motioned to the deck full of people enjoying a cool treat. Waiting to see what he would do, I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest.

He stood, and when he tucked his hands in his pockets and grinned at me for just a moment, I saw the spark of 'dare accepted' in his eyes. 

He approached an older woman who sat alone at a table. She wore a swimsuit, baring more skin than anyone that age should, and a sunhat big enough to shade all of North America. She had a Bomb Pop in her hand and a gleam in her eye as Mr. I.T. approached. 

"Excuse me, ma'am?" he asked and she looked up at him from under the brim of her sunhat. 

She slurped loudly on the frozen ice. "Ma'am? I'm young enough to be your mother, but I'm glad I'm not." Her eyes traveled the length of him and then hovered somewhere near his hard drive. 

Mr. I.T. pointed toward me. "My wife and I are newlyweds and we're looking for the nude beach. Do you happen to have directions?"

Her popsicle fell from her lips, making a smacking sound, as her mouth fell open. "No I don't, hot stuff, but I sure wish I did, I would join you."

I huffed and shifted in my chair. It appeared Mrs. 31 Flavors was hitting on my husband. I pasted my fake marketing director smile on my face and checked my watch. Remember, Ellie, he’s only your 'husband' for the next twenty-two days, six hours, forty-five minutes, and...fourteen seconds. After that, he could go to the nude beach with Mrs. 31 Flavors for all I care.

As he approached me with that naughty grin on his face, his shirt stretched tight across his broad chest, and a gleam in his eye, I tried to keep my heart from reacting to his nearness. He pulled me out of the chair and into him, making it look like he was hugging me. 

"Sorry, there doesn't seem to be a nude beach around these parts of the island. Maybe we should go back to our room and make our own nude beach." He put his arm around my waist, making sure Mrs. 31 Flavors saw him rub my backside as we walked.

"In case you forgot while chatting up grandma, we aren't actually married," I reminded him. The fact that my voice came out miffed and hurt, made me even angrier. I shook my head a little as we walked down the sand. All these flavors and you chose to be salty, I scolded myself. Maybe it's time to stop counting down the minutes to your divorce, and start enjoying your marriage, at least for the next twenty-two days, six hours, forty-three minutes and six seconds....

Chapter Fifteen

The moon had disappeared behind the dark clouds by the time I had finished working with Lei on the profiles. She was a plethora of information and together we had made some real headway into the possible suspects. Not that we had anything to go on yet, but with her gut feelings on several of the lower level management people, and the way she put together a team to keep the hotel running while we sequestered everyone else at the party, made me feel like we had a good chance of smoking the thief out Monday night.

“You’re quiet,” Mr. I.T. said as we sat on the beach letting the sand run through our fingers.

“I’m thinking about all the things Lei told me tonight. It seems like Gideon has a real issue with management here. All of his middle level players are suspects in Lei’s book.”

“Probably the reason why none of them are getting the GM position,” he said, leaning back on his palms.

We were enjoying some time on the beach after a long day. We worked, and we played a little bit, but he still couldn’t convince me to go in the water with him earlier. What can I say? Old habits die hard.

“I’m sure you’re right, but I don’t have to like it. Gideon has a high level of trust in his employees, but when you aren’t doing your job, he has no problem with ending the relationship. At least he and Lei can weed out the ones who aren’t supporting the hotel once she becomes GM.”

He stood and held his hand out. “Come on, let’s go in the water.”

I knew I didn’t have a valid argument now that the beach was empty and the sky was dark. I stood up and untied the sarong around my waist letting it fall to the sand then took his hand. We walked into the surf, the feeling of the waves on my legs foreign after so many years of not being in the surf.

“We can’t go out too far. The beach is deserted and we can’t risk a riptide,” he said, walking into the surf until our lower halves were under the sea. He held my waist and tugged me to him. “You’re so beautiful. I don’t ever want to go back to what life was like a week ago. I don’t want to give you up,” he breathed, his lips tugging on my earlobe as he whispered.

“Mmmmm, me either, but we can’t stay married forever,” I said, not even thinking about how that would sound.

I heard him laugh softly in my ear, but I also heard the hurt in his voice. “I guess you’re right.”

He dropped my waist and I took his hand, walking back toward the shore. “What I mean is, we can’t pretend to be married forever. Eventually we have to quit pretending and decide if we want…” I didn’t finish, just lowered myself to the sand in the surf and leaned back on my elbows.

“We want, what?” he asked, following my lead and copying my posture.

“I guess what we want from each other. What was that you told me a few months ago? Drinking is easy, love is not.”

“I wish I had a crystal ball, but I don’t, Ellie. I can tell you this, right now, if you walked out of my life and told me you loved somebody else, I would find you and I would make you understand the only man you’re meant to be with is me. I wouldn’t be looking for answers in the bottom of a whiskey bottle because I would be too busy slaying the dragons you needed slaying to know I’m the one for you.”

“You’ve done that already in just a few days, but I’m afraid of what will happen when we leave here and aren’t with each other all day every day. When we go back to our old jobs, and our old apartments, and our single status.”

He shook his head as he looked out over the ocean. “I’m not afraid of that because nothing will ever be the same again. It won’t be my old job, because I will have a new love. It won’t be my old apartment, because I’ll get to make new experiences with you in it, and our Facebook status may change from married to single, but my heart won’t be following suit.”

I was about to answer when a rainstorm came out of nowhere, pouring rain down upon us.

He grabbed my hand and helped me up and out of the surf, grabbing my sarong on the way up the beach to the hotel. “We better head back, I don’t want you to get hit by a Frisbee and lightening on my watch.”

I laughed, my hair wet around my ears, and shoulder bumped him, a grin on my face. “Then I really would have to think twice about hanging out with you.”

He put his arm around my shoulders and we went in the back of the hotel. I knew he did it because my leg was on display for everyone to see, and he understood how difficult that was for me. We took the service elevator up to our new room, the honeymoon suite on the floor just below the penthouse. He swiped open the door and we both ran in, stopping in the bathroom to finish dripping off.

“I’m cold,” I said, my teeth chattering.

“I can tell,” he groaned, his eyes not making it all the way to my face.

I looked down and my chest looked rated R. “I think a hot shower is in order.”

He pulled me to him and ran his hand lightly over the tankini, causing me to suck in a breath without a word. “Maybe we should try out the Jacuzzi in the corner.”

“Together?” I squeaked and he nodded, his lips still only inches from mine.

“Yes, together. Will you?” he asked, his voice husky.

“Throw in a bottle of wine and I’m there,” I answered, one brow cocked at him as his hand continued to wander.

“Liquid courage?”

“I don’t need liquid courage with you, Maltrand.”

“Then why the wine?” he asked, letting me go and taking down a towel from the rack, wrapping it around my shoulders.

“Because it helps me unwind, so I can put the events of the workday behind me and concentrate on us.”

He held my chin and kissed me, his lips eager. The sounds that came from within him told me he could probably help me unwind without the wine.

“You get the wine. I’ll run the water,” he said, ending the lip lock.

He disappeared from the bathroom and I heard the water go on in the Jacuzzi that sat in the corner near the king size bed. I took a deep breath and pulled the tankini over my head. “It’s now or never, Ellie,” I whispered. The bikini bottoms went next and I used the towel to wipe off the sand that was still stuck to my legs and butt. Following another deep breath, I left the bathroom and went to the small bar area where I happened to know several bottles of wine were chilling. I bent over and pulled one out, at the same time I heard a sharp intake of breath.

“Good glory, Ellie. Are you trying to kill me with want?” he asked, taking the glasses from me as I approached.

I looked at the Jacuzzi and back to him. “Was I supposed to wear my suit in?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious. “I can put it back on.”

“Like hell,” he growled, taking the wine bottle and setting it on the edge of the tub. His hands went to my waist again and he caressed the skin all the way to the edges of my breasts, before his eyes went closed and his Adam apple bobbed up and down. I noticed his swim trunks were tight and I couldn’t stop myself. My hand reached out and felt the length of him, my touch like an electric current traveling through him.

He reached over and turned the water off. Without the sound of the water, I could hear he had put on some soft jazz music in the background. He held his hand out and I took it, so he could help me into the water. I sank down below the surface, my breasts floating on the water as he started the jets. I couldn’t force my eyes away from his hard drive as he stripped off his board shorts and climbed into the tub. Knowing I caused his desire to grow that quickly sparked a deep need for him to burn in my heart. I stopped and closed my eyes, the idea that the first need I felt for him wasn’t physical meant…

“Ellie?” he asked, moving next to me and touching my thigh under the water. “Why are you crying?”

His wet hand touched my face as he wiped away a tear, a useless gesture in a bathtub, but tender just the same. When I opened my eyes, he held a glass of wine out to me, which I gratefully took, swallowing the whole glass in one tip.

“I don’t want you to cry, honey. I’m not going to make you do anything you aren’t ready to do. I hope you know that.” He lifted the bottle of wine and refilled my glass, which I sipped much slower this time.

“I’m not crying because you want to have sex with me,” I said, laughing a little at the way it sounded.

“Then why? Does your head still hurt?” he asked, concern lacing his features as he sipped his wine in the bubbly water.

“A little bit, but now it’s just an annoyance more than anything.”

He ‘mmmhmmm’d’ and waited for me to explain while he sipped his wine. He was very relaxed and comfortable sitting naked with me, as though it didn’t matter because he could trust me with his little imperfections. I traced the thin, pink, jagged scar that went across his left chest.

“What happened?” I asked, running my finger over it lightly trying to follow the pattern.

He looked down at my hand and then reached up and took it in his, moving it off his chest. “Propeller accident,” he said, and I looked up at him. He was lying. I could see it all in his eyes as he tried to make something complex into something simple.

“I don’t believe you,” I whispered, my eyes glued to his. “Your dad did that, didn’t he?”

The look on his face told me I was right. I laid my hand over it, but it still didn’t cover the gash that I hadn’t even noticed on the dark beach.

“The day I told him I was leaving the shop and going to college he was very angry, which I understood to a degree. That night, he started drinking, which wasn’t unusual,” he explained, his voice lost in a past life. “My mom was concerned because Dad was out in the shop drinking. She asked me to talk to him. I knew it would be a futile attempt, but did it anyway. It was a big mistake. When I got out to the shop, he was already nearly falling down drunk. He saw me, and his eyes filled with rage. Before I knew what was happening I had a boat propeller stuck in my chest. To add insult to injury he was pounding the living crap out of me when my mother heard my screaming. She called the police and they arrested dad for assault. I was an adult, and pressed charges, because I thought it was a good way to keep my mom safe. I was wrong, but at least I tried.”

I looked up at him, his eyes sad, and I knew it was for the loss of his childhood and his mother. “I don’t know what to say, Maltrand.”

He shrugged, his hand coming up over mine which rested on his chest again. “I wish the pain I went through had resulted in keeping my mom safe, but instead all he got was a battery charge and was out in the blink of an eye. That plane crash they died in?” he asked and I nodded my agreement. His eyes went over the top of my head and I felt his breath stutter under my hand. “I lied. They didn’t die in a plane crash. My father killed my mother and then himself in a fit of drunken rage one night.”

I put a hand to my mouth and shook my head a little. “Why did you lie about it?”

“Because there’s still a small part of me that worries someday, when life becomes stressful, I’ll end up like my father. If I deny the truth about what really happened, I can convince myself I can have a normal life. I convince myself I can be a husband and a father, and make a loving home for my family. I worry that I won’t know how to do that, because my own father was so messed up.”

I turned to him, and straddled him, my arms around his neck, and my cheek against his. “You’re not your father. You’re Mr. I.T., a kind, generous, smart, strong, caring man. You’ll never be like your father, because when you live such pain and horribleness, you end up the opposite of what you fear.”

He held me around my back, both arms wrapped so tightly I almost couldn’t breathe, but I knew he needed to feel me close to him. “The reason I left my brother’s house was because after their deaths, he was still defending my father and his actions. In that moment, I’ve never hated another human being more than I hated him. It was poisoning my soul. I knew I had to get out before my father and his actions caused more fatalities.”

“Does it help to know that I love you, regardless of who your parents were? Does it matter that my parents have enough love for both of us and would welcome you with open hearts and open arms?”

He kissed my shoulder, his lips chilled compared to the heat of the water. “You said you love me,” he whispered.

I thought back to what I had said and smiled. “I do love you.”

“I feel like we’re soulmates, Ellie. We both had parents who disappointed us and let us down, but here we are anyway, successful people. Living in the cab, and not having a home to go to at the end of a long day, taught me more than anything a textbook or college professor ever could. I have never felt so alone in my life, Ellie. I vowed to myself if I ever fell in love, she would be my whole reason for being. I thought I would have to work at it, but it turns out, it came naturally because I found my soulmate in this crazy world.”

I kissed his neck and let his words soak in. Was it safe to call him my soulmate? Was it safe to let my heart believe that I could be happy in a way I never have been before?

He loosened his arms and pulled back, taking my face and holding my eyes. “Tell me why you were crying.”

I took a shaky breath, the reasons hitting me square in the chest. I licked my lips and he groaned, his body reacting to mine straddling his. “I was crying because when you stood before me, and I saw your arousal, the first thing I felt was this deep and soul crushing need for you, in my heart. It wasn’t my body reacting to you, but my heart reacting to being with someone who understands me and loves me for the insecure woman I am. It scared me to know in such a short time you had that much power over me.”