Ellie didn’t want to get up and move. Not in the slightest. Cracking her eyes open, she stared at the clock, six in the morning. She’d been sleeping for almost two hours. Pushing up, she yawned and stared over her double bed. She was the only one in it. No sign of the hunky ex-SEAL who’d done more than deliver her wildest dreams.
Her body tingled with the memories of what they’d shared. Cracking her neck, she slipped from bed with every intent of heading to the bathroom when she saw that damn vibrator sitting on the corner of the bedside he’d been on. Next to it sat a folded sheet of paper.
Next time.
Those were the only two words on the sheet, and goosebumps exploded along her skin.
Dancing a little jig, she chuckled. “Next time.”
She cleaned up and put the blue beast away before going out to the kitchen to begin breakfast. As it cooked, she swiped her phone and dialed her friend in Kansas.
“Piper’s Pastries.”
“May I speak to Piper please?” She flipped her eggs in a basket.
“One moment.”
The hold music was horrid and she made a mental note to tell her friend to change it stat.
“This is Piper.”
“Hey, stranger.” She smiled at the sound of her best friend’s voice. “Aloha, Pipes. You busy or do you have a minute to give me some advice?”
A sharp squeal. “Ellie, of course I have time for you. What time is it there in Hawaii?”
“A bit after six. I know it’s after eleven there, are you okay to talk or should I call you at home later?”
“Talk. I was just thinking of you. How are you?”
She killed the burner and slipped her food onto a waiting plate. Eggs, toast, bacon. Essentials.
“I’m…” Her body flushed at another reminder of her night with Bennett.
“Oh my God,” she gushed. “You got some.”
“What? How would you even think of saying something like that. I never said that.”
“Didn’t deny it either.” Another squeal. “Tell me all about it. Who is he? How was he? And when are you doing it again?”
She poured herself some juice and took everything to the table. “I never said that. Are you even listening to me?”
“God no. You get off work after two your time and yet here you are up at six. That’s not very much time for sleep which means there’s something on your mind. Ergo, sex.”
It didn’t make any sense and yet it completely did when one knew Piper. They’d been best friends since they met in kindergarten.
“Fine.” Swallowing some juice, she spun her fork on the table. “I slept with a guy from the bar.”
“I know that’s not your way of telling me about it. I want the nitty gritty. The dirty details. All the spine tingling, toe curling orgasmic details.”
And she wanted to relive them.
So she told her, and while Piper howled with laughter about Big Blue Beast, she ate some food, not saying a word because it wouldn’t be helpful. Not for herself or what remained of her dignity.
“Oh… Oh my God. You actually left it out on your bed?” More howling laughter. “Even I know to put mine away.”
“Fall out of your chair and hurt yourself,” she snipped, sucking crumbs off her thumb. “And I’m not mentioning the fact you are saying you have one and use it.”
Piper gasped, and despite herself Ellie couldn’t help smiling. Her friend was such an upbeat human being. It was hard not to smile around her. She effervesced joy.
“I never said I used it, that’s neither here nor there for this discussion. Now, tell me about the hunk.”
Dishes in the sink, she walked to her bedroom. “He’s an ex-Navy SEAL, and honestly I haven’t a clue what he does now. I see him most nights of the week.”
“Is he an alcoholic?”
“Not to my knowledge. He nurses his drinks and doesn’t do a lot of them. Truly, I think it would take a lot for a man his size to get drunk.”
“Ohh, so he’s big. Is that only in frame or does that apply in all areas?”
“All areas,” she admitted. Her nipples strained against her bra and she fought the urge to touch them, to see if she could alleviate the need.
“Damn you. I may have to come for a visit if they are like that down there.”
“You definitely need to come down. There are a lot of military men around here.”
“Not looking for one on a permanent basis but, you know, to knock out the cobwebs would be nice.”
“Yes, I suspect the town hasn’t changed much and you don’t have a lot of variety there.”
“Nope. Not at all. Now, tell me why you’re calling, I know it wasn’t to rub my good Midwestern girl nose in the fact you’re out there having wild crazy monkey sex and I’m not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Better be. So, where is he?”
“I don’t know. He was gone when I woke.”
“Ahh. So, what’s the plan when we see him again?”
“I don’t have a game plan, Piper. He’d been nothing but a fantasy for so long, I don’t know how to behave in real life now that he’s seen everything I have.” Doubt began to creep in.
“Stop it!”
Jerking from the ferocity in Piper’s tone, she blinked. “Stop what?”
“Thinking about Trevor.”
Despite the warmth of the tropical paradise she was in, a cold chill settled over her. The mere mention of her ex-husband had her gut in knots.
“Hard not to. He did a number on me both physically and mentally.”
“Emotionally too, but he’s out of your life. You got away from him and moved on. You’re succeeding, Ellie. Don’t you ever forget that. He was wrong that you wouldn’t amount to anything without him. Be proud of what you’re accomplishing.”
“Some days I wonder if he truly is.”
“I can’t, nor will I, pretend to understand what it was you went through with him or what you’re going through now getting over him. You’ve been there for five years, seven months, and twenty-two days.”
“Wow, you have it down. Keeping track of hours and minutes as well?”
“Give me a minute and I can give that to you. You’re my best friend and left here, of course I’m going to know how long you’ve been gone.”
“Love you too, Pipes.”
“I know you do. And you should because I’m flat out amazing.”
“Won’t ever have an argument from me on that.”
“Go find him, Ellie.”
She stood in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection. Good book hunting clothes. “No. I’m sure I’ll see him tonight in the bar but right now, I’m heading for my walk then I’ll be in bookstores.”
“Have you rented an apartment for your books yet?”
“No,” she quipped. “Not yet. Give me time.”
“Do me a favor, okay?”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t let Trevor’s memory ruin what you could have with this man. Not looking to debate this. Just think about it and have a wonderful day. I have to jet but we’ll catch up soon. Don’t forget to put Big Blue Beast away. Then again, perhaps he’d like to use him with you when he stops by next time. Love you.”
Just like that, Piper was gone.
“I will get you here one day, Pipes. And you’ll see it like I do and not ever want to leave.”
Grabbing her essentials, Ellie left her apartment and went out to begin her day. She loved it here in Hawaii and couldn’t imagine going back to Kansas. Not for anything.
αβ
Bennett ran a hand down his face, wiping off the water that sluiced over his skin as he balanced his arms on his board. There wasn’t anything he loved more than early morning surfing. Okay, not true, but it ranked high up on his list.
What he did last night with Ellie ranked higher still. Pushing himself up onto his board with an easy lift, he straddled it and just sat out there on the water, enjoying the sun. A few others were out but they didn’t bother him, keeping to themselves.
He rocked on the board in time with the waves that rolled beneath him. Eyes closed, he just allowed himself to be in tune with the world around him. This was what he missed when he’d been in the service, the early mornings like this, where it was him and the ocean.
He’d suffered in the desert when he’d been there, it wasn’t his kind of environment. And he’d relished his time off when he was allowed to travel home to this island. His home.
Leaning forward, he paddled slowly, allowing the water to push him along toward the shore. Before his feet hit, he slid off the board and carried it up to where he’d left his towel. Board in the sand, he bent for his towel and got rid of the remaining water from his skin.
The sun warmed the grains beneath his feet and his back. He hefted the board and returned to his truck and stored his things in the back after he rinsed off the saltwater. Bennett hopped behind the wheel and thought again about the woman he left lying there in her bed.
His cock stiffened within his swim trunks and he rubbed the heel of his hand against it before sticking the keys in the ignition. He lowered the window and breathed in more of the sea air.
After a quick trip home to shower and change, he made his way back toward Ellie’s apartment. He bypassed the bar and didn’t slow. There was a good chance it was open, Dogfish lived over it, but he had somewhere else to be.
He paused before her apartment building, hand poised over the door handle. What if she didn’t want to see him?
What the hell is wrong with me?
He hurried up to her fourth-floor place and knocked on her door. Nothing from the other side. He frowned. Bennett knocked once more.
“Ellie?”
A small boy moved by him on an old big wheel and gave him a grin, showing off his missing front three teeth. He gave a smile back along with a nod.
“Ellie’s gone,” he lisped. “She went shopping.”
“Do you know when she’s coming back?”
“She’ll bring me a book when she comes but not for many hours.”
His interest was piqued. Crouching down, he smiled again. “What book is she bringing you.”
“One with dragons, I hope,” he said. His tongue stuck out the hole in his mouth.
“Dragons are always a good thing to read about.”
“What do you like to read?” He pushed up on his toes, trying to become taller.
“A little bit of everything.” Bennett ruffled his hair. “I’ll see if I can find her and check on your book for you.”
“Tell her I wouldn’t mind two books this time.”
He laughed. “I’ll let her know.”
“Yay!” He bounced in place and clapped his hands. “Okay, bye.” He headed off down the hall, pedaling hard.
Bennett strolled outside to his truck and rested against the bedrail. He didn’t have the slightest idea of where to look. But, hey, he wasn’t a SEAL for nothing. Ex-SEAL. He withdrew his phone and pulled up all the bookstores in the area.
Marking them on his map, he figured out a strategy then took his truck to a public parking lot and left it, so he could track her on foot. After he locked up, he jogged off in the direction of his first shop to visit.
Five later, he stopped to get a drink. There was another right across from him he would head into after he got a drink. Even so, he kept an eye on the door, on the off chance she either wandered in or out.
Nothing happened by the time he tossed his cup in the trash and waited on traffic to cross. He stepped into the small shop and did a quick gaze around, instinctive even now that he was no longer on active duty.
The shelves were crammed with books of all sizes and colors. Piled high with titles he wasn’t sure he’d ever have time to read. He smiled as the calm this place presented sunk into him. Meandering through the aisles, he paused when he found her.
She sat cross-legged on the floor before the children’s books. He counted seven books by her right leg, six near her left and one in her hand that she leafed through. And in front of her was a small plastic basket with more books resting within its blue sides.
“So, this is what you do on your time.”
She jumped slightly before half turning around. When they landed on him, her eyes widened as an adorable blush scampered up her cheeks.
“What are you doing here?”
He crouched beside her and pushed a thick tendril of brunette hair with blonde streaks away from her forehead only for it to fall back in place when he finished. She leaned into him before she caught herself.
“Looking for you.”
Skepticism filled those blue-green eyes. “Why? You were gone when I woke up. I just assumed that you had what you wanted.”
“And what did my note say?”
Heat replaced the skepticism. “Next time.” Her words were breathy and she flicked her tongue along her lower lip.
He wanted to follow that same path with his own tongue, taste her flavor once more. Indulge.
“So what part of that indicates I was done?”
His cock swelled in his pants and he struggled to retain control. If possible, she smelled even better this morning.
“You left.”
“Trust me, that’s a mistake I won’t be making again.”
She lowered her gaze to the book she held. He smiled as he read the title, The Velveteen Rabbit. A story he remembered from his own childhood.
This Ellie was completely the opposite of the woman who ran her bar with an iron fist. That woman had a spark in her eyes, challenging any and all who dared dispute her law. This one, subdued and almost withdrawn.
Sitting beside her, he did his best to avoid the tower of books by her knee.
“If it’s any help, he said he wanted one with dragons. Perhaps two.”
“Jason?”
“I wasn’t given his name. Adorable with three missing front teeth, if that helps.”
Her smile returned, full force. “That’s Jason.” She pursed her lips and handed him the book from her hand. “I had something in here about dragons. Let me see.”
He watched her as she went through all the books on either side of her before she triumphally withdrew one with a blue dragon on it.
“See.” She waved it about and passed it off to him.
Holding that one as well, he stared without shame and more than a bit of lust as she got to her feet, her cute ass nearly directly before him.
“What are you doing now?”
“I can’t just take him one. I saw a few more dragon ones up here.”
He put the book in her basket and placed the other beside it before he rose up to stand next to her. She was so tiny next to him and all he wanted to do was protect her and keep her close. Ellie pushed up on her toes seeking something on a higher shelf.
“Need some help?” He cocked an eyebrow at her when she glanced up at him.
“You know it’s not nice to remind me how very short I am.” She bounced a bit more, drawing his attention back to her breasts as they moved behind her white thin cotton shirt.
Fuck. His cock pushed harder against his jeans.
“You’re not so very short. I mean tiny as fuck compared to me, but for some it’s not all that small.”
He saw the book she was going for. There was a dragon on the spine and he reached for it, plucking it with ease from the shelf and holding it just out of her reach.
She bounded up and down on her toes. “Give it.”
Bennett dipped his head and captured her lips when she reached up once more. Her hands settled on his chest as a soft sigh escaped her.
“Oh,” she murmured when he pulled back.
Offering her the book, he kissed her once more. She captured her lower lip in her teeth as she turned the book over and skimmed the back, muttering and mumbling while she did. Turning back to her basket, she stepped over it and gestured with a hand.
He understood and picked it up as well as the other thirteen books. Reshelving them, he found her two rows over, still skimming the shelves. Occasionally she would hand him a book but, for the most part, he was left to his own devices. Which, for him, meant following her and ogling as she took her time finding the books she wanted.
When she was ready to go, he put the basket down at the front counter. The woman waiting there, gave them both a smile.
“Aloha, Ellie. I see you have the handsome man with you today. Is he the one you told me about?” She lifted out two of the romance novels she’d gathered. “Is he the reason you’ve picked out more of these? Not that I blame you, he’s hot and could star in my own fantasies.”
Her flush had him smiling. Slipping his arm around her, he kissed Ellie’s cheek. “I’m definitely benefiting from them.”
She laughed while Ellie elbowed him. He pinched her ass and waited while the books were rung up.
“I figured that would be better said than asking if she had any books on sex and what fun you can have with a vibrator.”
Her gaze snapped to his and he winked. Although her skin was flushed, she never hesitated.
“I already have those books, if you ask nice I’ll show them to you.”
Had he said how fucked he was?