The Billionaire's Bauble (16 page)

Sloane shrugged, “I guess. So the two of you are together now?”

“We’re married, Sloane,” Charlie said.

David felt his rigid posture relax, and he squeezed Sloane. Super. The man was married. No threat here, he hoped.

“Wow, I didn’t even have a clue,” Sloane admitted, and David heard a wistful tone in her voice.

“Not only married. Consuelo is pregnant with our first boy. He’s due in another month.”

The air seemed to leave Sloane’s body as she shrunk against David.

“Wow again,” she said, in a tight, high voice. “Congratulations, Peter. No one deserves happiness more than you.” Even though her tone was even, it was obvious the revelation wasn’t sitting easily with Sloane. Her whole body seemed to wither under Peter’s words.

Peter leaned forward and looking directly into Sloane’s eyes, said, “Are you okay? Really? I didn’t want you to see us tomorrow at the wedding and be surprised.”

“I’m fine, Peter. Really. I’m happy for you. Don’t mistake my surprise for discontent. You’ll just have to give me a minute to digest all this news.”

David suddenly felt quite protective. He stood, and so did Peter and Sloane. David extended his hand again, “Congratulations, man. Sloane and I are happy for you.”

Sloane leaned against David, and he felt every ounce of her like lead. She had been rocked hard by Peter’s presence, by his disclosures. David held Sloane at her waist, and he knew if he let go, she’d stumble.

Damn this man and his good news. He’d hurt Sloane and it inflamed David mightily.

He didn’t know if he felt mad about the interruption of their sex play or if he was mad at Sloane’s strong reaction. Maybe he was just plain old jealous of a man, ten years younger than him with his life set in priceless marble, set in a way David couldn’t even conceive.

“Well, I guess we’ll see each other tomorrow,” Peter offered, and he searched Sloane’s eyes. She set her shoulders and smiled bravely.

“Yes. Sure, Peter,” Sloane answered. “See you . . . and your wife tomorrow.”

Sloane turned to David and said, “Let’s take that walk.” David nodded and took her shaking hand in his, leading her away from the assembled tents toward the pond.

“Sloane, are you all right?” he asked, afraid of what she might say. Maybe she regretted leaving New York now. Maybe Peter’s confession had changed her mind about what she’d done to him. Maybe she wanted him back.

“I am, David. I’m surprised, shocked even, but I’m fine.”

She stopped walking and turned to him. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and her smile shook at the corners. He brought her to his chest in a hug.

“Sloane, you’re so brave, so kind, so much better than anyone I’ve ever known. You handled that situation like a lady, and I’m proud of you.”

Sloane nodded into his chest. Her long, summer-kissed hair covered her face, and he pulled it back with one hand into a makeshift pony tail so he could see her clearly. She looked at him, searching his face, and David wanted to say the right thing, to comfort her, to tell her he cared for her more than he knew he could, but he said nothing, his throat closing around words he didn’t know how to say.

“I want to go for a swim. Will you come with me?” she asked.

“Sure, but I didn’t bring my swim suit. It’s back at the house,” he said sheepishly.

“We don’t need them,” she smiled. “I’ve seen you naked.”

David felt himself harden at her bold words.

“Let’s go,” he said, and they walked to the pond without another word. It shimmered under the moonlight, inviting them to enter its warm depths.

“Let me undress you,” he said, and David heard the gruffness in his voice.

Sloane lifted her arms toward the sky and David lifted the dress from her angelic form. Her bra was a delicate lacy blue and it barely contained her voluptuous breasts. When she turned around so he could unsnap it, he kissed her spine from her shoulder blades to the bottom of her back. Sloane shivered as he pulled the matching panties down to her ankles and cupped her generous bottom before turning her around so he could see her naked, under the stars.

He sucked in a great gulp of air as she stepped out of her panties. Her breasts were even fuller than he remembered, and the perfect triangle that led to her sex made him gasp with longing.

He kissed her mouth, licked her shoulders, and then sucked hungrily at her nipples hard as pearls. Sloane pulled his polo shirt out of his pants and grazed her long fingers across the line of his stomach before unbuttoning his jeans and pulling them down to his ankles. When she reached inside his jockeys and grasped his rigid sex, he almost fell to his knees. But that’s the position she wanted. As, she dropped to her knees and pulled him out of his underwear, he inhaled deeply, savoring each second. He twined his hands in her thick hair as an “Oh,” escaped his open mouth. When she placed her hot mouth on him, the stars in the sky seemed to enter his body.

“Sloane” he groaned, as the whole sky collapsed around him, enveloping him in a white light so piercing, he nearly passed out.

Sloane was the first in the water. She dunked her head and felt the water rush over her nakedness like a baptism. David came into the water splashing like a bear and they took turns diving into the deep center, playing like rowdy children under the evening sky.

“I feel free,” she said, and David smiled at her with a puzzled look on his tanned brow.

“I’ve been carrying around this guilt about Peter for years, and I’m emancipated now. He’s happy, but I’m . . . delirious,” she finished. “Thanks to you,” she added meekly.

David gathered her in his arms and said, “You’re not free. You belong to me now,” and his voice cracked a little, betraying the emotion he felt.

Sloane’s heart turned over in her chest. She did belong to him. She couldn’t think of one thing to say, but that was fine by David as all he wanted was to crush her lips in kiss after breathless kiss.

Clouds began to gather, obscuring the moon, and the air became thick. Sloane knew the weather was turning, and she told David they should head back to the camp site.

They dressed hurriedly. Sloane couldn’t fit into her new bra properly. The weight she’d gained over the last weeks suddenly irritated her, and she regretted that her breasts seemed to have borne the brunt of too many tubs of Ben and Jerry’s. She held the useless garment in her hands, disgruntled by the situation, and David took it from her, shoving the lacy garment into his pocket.

“We’ll have to get you a bigger size. My pleasure, believe me,” he said, laughing at the wry look she gave him.

They practically ran back to their tent, so determined were they to beat the rain that had started to fall gently from the evening sky. Everyone else had retired for the night, and the camp site was hushed; the only sound audible was the increasing rain hitting the tents in thuds and thumps.

Sloane pulled David through the flap and began hungrily kissing his firm mouth. She licked the rain from his neck and nuzzled his wide shoulders.

He stood up and took his shirt and pants off, while Sloane lay beneath him on top of the sleeping bag.

“David, make love to me now,” she said, and he moaned in reply. He took her clothes off again, and they held each other tightly for a moment before his hands began to explore her curves, her valleys, her planes. Each movement brought a tingle of pleasure, until finally Sloane felt her whole body convulse under his adept touch.

As he kissed her mouth, his fingers teased her nipples, and Sloane pulled his mouth from her own and lifted herself to put one breast into his wet, open mouth. When she could stand the suckling on its tender peak not a second longer, she traded for the other nipple. David obliged eagerly as his fingers found her center, hot and moist.

Sloane gasped as the thunder began to roll and David left her breasts to trail his fiery mouth down toward her navel. He nipped at the tiny belly button and she cried out with longing until he parted her legs and put his tongue on her. Sloane raked her hands through his hair and pulled and tugged at his head as he expertly provoked her into an orgasm so intense even the lightening now flashing across the sky couldn’t match her sizzle. She thrashed and cried out, biting at the air in pleasure.

“Now, we’re even,” he whispered as he tenderly kissed her panting mouth into silence.

After a few minutes, Sloane giggled and said, “I’m grateful for the weather or we’d have woken the other campers.”

“Oh, we’re not done yet, sweetheart,” he promised, and Sloane bit her lower lip in anticipation.

Sloane woke to the familiar sounds of cardinals trilling just after dawn. She smelled bacon, and realized she was famished. She rolled over to see David, eyes closed, still sleeping. The hairs on his chest curled in a line leading to his navel. She ran her finger down his chest and he caught it. Without opening his eyes he pulled her into his arms and gave her a slow, thorough kiss.

“Good morning,” he said once their lips parted. He looked at her languidly, taking in her disheveled hair and her large bare breasts. Sloane moved to cover them but David first had to kiss each one reverently. A thrill ran through her body before she pulled away and said, “We’ve got to get ready for a wedding.”

David shrugged and pulled her back into his embrace. “We’ve got time.” He smiled wolfishly as she pried herself out of his steadfast grip.

“Let’s go have some breakfast, and then we need to get to the house and help my mom. Knowing her, she never went to sleep last night.”

David watched intently as she tidied her appearance. Loving the attention he gave her, she grinned and said, “And we’ll need to shower. I still have to steam press our clothes for the ceremony.”

They exited the tent into brilliant sunshine. The rain, having scrubbed the sky clean, enhanced the vibrant green of an Upstate summer. Hand in hand, David and Sloane made their way to the campfire around which several camp stoves held pans of sizzling bacon.

Rob was moving confidently between them, and he greeted his sister with a bear hug and gave David a slap on the back.

“How’re you kids doing? Did you sleep well?” Rob smiled knowingly, and Sloane felt her cheeks color before she said to David, “My brother, the joker. Let me help you with the pancakes, Rob.” David stood beside her, smiling at her brother.

“I never slept better,” David answered, and Sloane believed him. Several times throughout the night, she had woken, and each time, David snored contentedly beside her.

A part of her had wanted to run away. Each moment in David’s arms made her heart swell. The love she bore him had redoubled again and again in the weeks they’d spent apart, but now . . . Now she was head over heels, and she was sure he could feel it. When he told her she belonged to him, he had no idea how true the sentiment had become. Did he sense that she was close to capitulating, to allowing him to hold her as a possession when what she really desired was commitment?

She had to pinch herself. It was hard to believe two days ago her heart felt like a smashed object, and now, it felt full and almost uncomfortably heavy in her chest.

David looked gorgeous in the early morning sunshine, and she pressed his hand to her lips before letting it go. Other relatives and friends trickled towards the picnic tables as the smell of bacon acted as an alarm clock for the hungry campers. After some French pressed black coffee and a plateful of pancakes, Sloane led David to the farm house where people were streaming in and out its many doors.

“Looks like we’ll have competition for the showers,” Sloane said.

“Well, maybe we should shower together to conserve energy and time. I’m willing to sacrifice,” David said, pinching her bottom and making her squeal.

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” she agreed.

The morning disappeared into a cloud of busy activity. Sloane, dressed in a short, bright pink silk dress, shone like the sunshine above as she hurried here and there with platters of food and vases full of flowers. As he watched her, contentment rose in his throat, almost bringing tears to his eyes. What was wrong with him? Sentimentality had never been a strong suit, but what else could he call it?

Their time together had only intensified his growing feelings for her. He felt luckier than he’d ever felt, as if she made all his other successes pale. How had he lived without her for so long? The song of her voice, her passionate kisses, even her wise cracks filled David to the brim with unabashed joy.