Learning to Trust: Sweet Temptation (13 page)

Today
he was going to have the chance. There was no way he was going to let another day
go by without showing Lucie exactly how much she meant to him.

The
gentle knock on the condo door had both Haley and Lucie turning abruptly to
look at him. He smiled and moved over to the door. A quick glance through the
security hole told him it was, in fact, his mother.

After
a quick hello, Susanna Steele moved into the living area, followed by a little
girl squeal as Haley recognized who had come to see her.

“Grammy!”
Haley yelled as she ran across the room, right into his mother’s open arms.

“There’s
my little ray of sunshine!” Susanna greeted Haley before standing up and facing
Lucie. “Hi, honey. You look like you’ve gotten some sun. You’re radiant.”

Kane
watched the blush creep across Lucie’s sun kissed cheeks, and he smiled.
Although Susanna and Lucie had only met one other time, he knew his mother
didn’t hold anything against her for what she did. Susanna wasn’t like that.
Maybe that’s because she had experienced so much pain in her life already, she
was constantly reminding him to keep a positive outlook. He wished it had
always been that uncomplicated for him.

Kane
met Lucie’s gaze, and he smiled. Yes, his mother’s arrival was obviously a
surprise to her, but he had wanted it to be. Seriously, they were in Hawaii of
all places, and there was no way he would forgo a relaxing, romantic day with
her if he was given the chance. Considering his mother had offered, insisting
she wanted to come to Hawaii for a few days anyway – a lie he knew – he had
been unable to refuse her.

“Can
we go to the beach, Grammy?” Haley asked, making all of the adults turn to look
at her.

“Of
course we can,” Susanna smiled.

“Will
Mommy and Daddy go with us?” Haley asked, and Kane noticed the way his mother’s
back stiffened. He beamed with pride once more.

Susanna
turned and grinned, making him feel even more elated by his daughter’s acceptance.
When she crouched low, getting right at eye level with Haley, Kane waited to
see what she was going to say next.

“Don’t
tell anyone,” Susanna said in a mock whisper, “but I think your daddy is going
to take your mommy on a date.”

Kane
met Lucie’s gaze again, and he saw the smile tip the corners of her perfect
heart shaped lips. He was happy to know she was onboard with the plan.

An
hour later, Kane was assisting Lucie off of the small speed boat that had
transported them from Maui to a small, quaint island that the natives boasted
about. According to what he had heard, there was a tiny resort that had beach
front rooms and lucky for him, they had had a vacancy when he called. Considering
they were flying back home the following afternoon, he had reserved it for
their last night there with the understanding that Susanna would be staying
with Haley overnight.

Lucie
hadn’t complained, but nor had she said anything else since they left the
condo. He’d tried for small talk, but the most he could get out of her were brief
yes or no answers.

After
a short trek from the beach up to the small cluster of individual cottage style
structures, Kane found the number of the room they had been assigned to.
Carrying  one bag they had packed containing both of their things for one
night, they moved along the walkway until they reached the semi-private condo.

Looking
around, he admired the view of the beach and the numerous palm trees that waved
back and forth in the gentle breeze. This was perfect for what he had in mind.

Opening
the door with the key he had been given earlier on the main island, he entered
the small bungalow and stepped back so that Lucie could join him. Once inside,
he admired the cozy, elegant surroundings before dropping the bag at his feet.

“You
really didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” Lucie stated, standing in the
middle of the room, her arms crossed over her midsection like she was keeping
herself warm. Kane knew that wasn’t the case because without so much as a
breeze, the room was stifling.

Moving
around to the windows, he pushed them open, allowing the warm breeze to circulate
through, stirring the sheer curtains. Once that was done, he crossed over to
where she stood, pulling her up against him. Ever since the night Lucie told
him that she loved him, Kane knew he’d been a little standoffish.

He’d
even resorted to sleeping on the couch after they made love because she had
insisted she was going to do so. After their bodies had come together,
something neither of them could resist no matter how awkward things had become
between them, they had both fallen fast asleep until Haley had woken them each
morning ready to go back to the beach.

Now,
they had their own beach, and it was high time Kane gave Lucie some of the
attention she deserved. “Do you want to go for a swim? Or for a walk?” he asked
when she didn’t move to get closer to him.

“It
doesn’t matter.”

“Ok,
then. Get changed,” he instructed before letting her go and grabbing their bag.
After retrieving their bathing suits, he set hers on the bed and then quickly
disrobed, pulling on his board shorts, forgoing a t-shirt. The way her eyes
slid over his skin as he did made Kane’s cock twitch, eager and ready for her
attention.

It
was clear that was the last thing on her mind, so he simply turned and walked
out onto the deck that overlooked the ocean while he waited for her.

~~*~~

Lucie
had no idea what was going on, and her mind was still a whirlwind of activity.
It had been ever since Susanna Steele walked into their condo, a huge smile on
her face and open arms for her granddaughter.

Now,
here she was on a secluded island with Kane for at least the next twenty four
hours and she wasn’t sure what he expected from her. Since the first night they
were there, things hadn’t been the same. Ever since she had made the compelling
mistake of telling him that she loved him.

Although
she fully intended to wait until she got back home to Texas to break down into
a sob fest the likes of which she had never known before, Lucie was having a difficult
time remembering that. Each night, as she lay in bed alone, she’d cried herself
to sleep, albeit silently.

And
now here she was on the last day of their vacation without the distraction of
Haley to keep her preoccupied. Instead, she was alone with Kane and her own
thoughts.

Grabbing
her bikini, Lucie ventured toward what she suspected was the bathroom to
change. A few minutes later, she emerged, her face washed, hopefully her eyes
weren’t too red after the sudden and unfortunate breakdown she had while
changing. She hadn’t been able to stop the tears once they started and now she
felt like an idiot yet again.

Moving
through the cozy room, she found Kane standing on the deck overlooking the ocean.
The same place he had been when she had disappeared into the bathroom. His back
was to her, and she took a moment to admire the view. The man was breathtaking
with all of that gloriously tanned skin, those sleek muscles on his upper back,
his lean, slim waist and his perfect ass. Lucie was pretty sure they had never
made another man as perfect as Kane Steele.

She
took a deep breath and moved forward reciting the pep talk she’d given herself
in the bathroom. At least for the next twenty four hours, she was going to enjoy
her time with him. Even if this were all just a fairy tale, Lucie knew she’d
never have the same opportunity again. For once in her life, she didn’t want to
let a moment slip away because, if nothing else, she could file the memory so
that she could refer to it on those dark, lonely nights.

When
she stepped out onto the deck, Kane turned to face her, taking her hand in his
and then headed down the short steps that led to the most beautiful beach she
had ever seen. The one at their condo was lovely, but this one boasted white
sand and deep, cobalt blue waters that made her wish they had more time to
enjoy it.

They
made it to the water’s edge, and Kane turned to face her, tilting her head up
so that she had to meet his eyes. Luckily, she had donned her sunglasses,
hoping to hide her bloodshot eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was to ruin
his vacation. After all, he’d gone through a lot of trouble to make sure she
and Haley had an incredible time.

To
her surprise, Kane didn’t say a word. Instead, he turned back to the brilliant,
blue sky and led her farther in until they were both waist deep. At that point,
he turned and grabbed her, pulling her close and surprising the breath right
out of her. When he pulled her down on top of him, Lucie was unable to remain
on her feet, so she stumbled into the ocean. Somehow Kane managed to keep her
head above the water and wrap her legs around his waist at the same time.

“Are
you ok?” he asked, pulling her sunglasses from her face.

Lucie
immediately turned away, looking farther out into the ocean and wishing for a
minute that the water would just swallow her up. She was going to ruin this trip
for him, and the last thing she wanted to do was to disappoint him one more
time. Before he had a chance to get a good look at her eyes, Lucie crushed her mouth
to his, wrapping her arms around his neck and lacing her fingers in his soft,
wet hair.

Kane
groaned into the kiss, his tongue dueling with hers as though he knew as well
as she did just how short lived their romance was going to be. Once they were
back in the real world, they were going to have to come to an agreement on how
they would co-parent Haley because it was clear that he didn’t have the same
feelings for her that she did for him.

Not
that she blamed him.

There
was a sharp bite of pain in her scalp when Kane pulled her head back by her
hair, nipping her neck, before pinning her with those steel gray eyes.

“I
need to be inside of you, Lucie.”

The
urgency in his tone was unmistakable, making her body tremble despite the
warmth of the sun beating down on her skin and the heat of the man pressed
against her.

“God,
yes,” she groaned, crushing her mouth to his in order to ensure she didn’t do
something stupid. Like break down in tears again.

Kane
let go of her hair, reaching beneath the water and pushing down his shorts
before pulling her bikini bottoms to the side. Without warning, the tip of his
cock breached her swollen, aching entrance, and in one thrust he was buried to
the hilt inside of her.

Lucie
was panting already, on the verge of begging him to fuck her because she needed
something to distract her from her thoughts. Being filled by him was one of the
most serene feelings she had ever known and it didn’t matter whether he was
taking her sweetly or they were fucking like rabbits. No matter how he took
her, when Kane was inside of her, Lucie knew she would never belong to another
man again.

“God,
you’re so tight,” Kane growled in her ear, holding her as tight as she was holding
him. He continued to move farther out into the ocean until he could stand at
his full height and they were submerged up to their necks in the water.

The
buoyancy of the water didn’t allow him to thrust as hard as she wanted him to,
but their bodies found a rhythm that matched the pounding of her heart. Lucie
felt her impending orgasm as the tingling began deep and slow, but before she
could push herself over, Kane stilled.

“Please
fuck me,” she begged, trying to bury her face in his neck so he didn’t see the
tears that she was unable to control.

“Let
me love you, Lucie,” he whispered and a sob wracked her entire body.

Those
were the words she had longed to hear from him, but she knew he didn’t mean
them in the same context her heart wanted him to.

Lucie
began rocking against him, trying to force him deeper until Kane took over,
thrusting into her until her orgasm was in reach once more.

“Come
for me, Lucie,” Kane whispered as he nipped her earlobe, one hand snaking
between their bodies until his thumb was pressing against her clit, rubbing
circles until she exploded. His mouth found hers as her body shook, his release
not far behind.

*** ~~ *** ~~ *** ~~ ***

Being
back at the club after seven days in paradise with the two girls he loved more
than life itself proved harder on Kane than he expected. They arrived back in
Dallas late on Sunday evening, and after dropping Lucie and Haley off at her
apartment, he found it difficult to go home to an empty house. Having spent
every day with them, he found the quiet lonelier than ever before.

But
that wasn’t the case at the club. The place was jumping, the crowd bigger than
he expected on a Monday night, but apparently that was to be expected when Luke
McCoy, owner of Club Destiny chooses to close the doors on the mysterious swinger’s
club. He hadn’t closed the door on the nightclub that allowed the general
public admission, and that was evident.

People
were coming from all over just to see what all the fuss was about. Kane knew
before he disappeared on vacation that there was something going down, mainly
because of the arrival of McKenna Thorne, the reporter for one of Dallas’
esteemed swinger’s magazines. She had been given provisional entry into the
member’s only club that even Kane wasn’t privy to.