They walked the trail in silence, no small talk. Or heavy talk.
But his thoughts were racing. Body still on edge with need.
When they reached her small porch, he followed her to the door. Just say goodnight and go.
Sydney opened her door, then turned around, keeping the door propped open with her back. “So.”
“So.” He smiled and pocketed his hands, worried he’d reach for her, and he had no excuse to touch her again. No music. No Valentina pushing them to check if they were in sync.
“Tonight was unexpected.” Her soft, sweet tone did nothing to stamp out the burning lust coursing through his veins.
“I’d say today, overall, has been . . . well, it’s been unique.”
She angled her head, eyes journeying over his chest. “You’re hot.”
He chuckled. “Am I?” But he knew she was referring to his linen shirt clinging to his frame from sweat. “I need another shower before I sleep, but I’m worried about Cha Cha.”
“Cha Cha?” Her beautiful smile had his heartbeat pounding harder and harder.
He removed a hand from his pocket to point to the trees. “He’s the little spider monkey I named earlier, and he was creeping on me through the window.”
“And you named him Cha Cha?”
“That’s the sound he makes with his teeth.” He shrugged. “Anyways, there’s no roof over the shower, so I get the feeling Cha Cha will be watching me. Not a fan of that idea.”
Sydney laughed and folded her arms as if she were chilly, which wasn’t possible, but . . . “There goes my shower.” She captured her lower lip between her teeth for a second, and realizing what she’d done, quickly freed it. “Goodnight, then.”
She expelled a deep, heavy breath and started to turn. Before thinking twice, he withdrew his hand from his pocket and circled her wrist, drawing her back around.
Her gaze fell to where he held her just before he gently pulled her against him, and her door clicked closed.
“I’m going to kiss you now.” His tone was harsher than he’d meant, his body driven by insane need.
“Telling me so I don’t kick you in the balls?”
“Mmhmm.” He released her wrist, captured her cheeks between his palms, and slowly drew himself closer to her.
“Okay, then.” And at that, he guided his mouth to hers.
They shared a breath as her lips parted and she offered her tongue, and fuck, he took it.
Her hands went to his chest before sliding around to the back of his neck, and he deepened the kiss even more.
Every part of him was on fire, their tongues dancing as erotically as their bodies had moved out in that courtyard.
He broke free from their kiss to trail his lips to the shell of her ear, sliding a hand down to cup her breast at the same time. She gasped as he gently rolled her beaded nipple between his fingers, and fuck if that sound didn’t go straight to his dick.
“More,” she pleaded, grinding against his painfully hard erection.
“Not yet,” he admonished, nipping at her earlobe, unable to hold back the drops of precum as she moaned in pleasure.
He silenced her with his mouth, kissing her fervently again, and she walked backward, hitting the door.
Breathing hard, he let go of her breast and set both palms on the doorframe, resting his forehead against hers.
“Sydney,” he whispered. “We should—”
“I know,” she cried in return. “We shouldn’t,” she added in a defeated voice. “I know.”
That was not where he was going to go with his sentence. But he channeled his control and gathered his strength so he could pull away from her. If she wanted to stop, then so be it.
He tenderly kissed her mouth one more time before pushing away from the doorframe.
She was panting a little, and so was he.
He needed to corral the animal inside him. Walk away. Go. “Goodnight, Sydney,” he said in a gravelly voice.
“I wish . . .” She shut her eyes.
He tipped his head, waiting for her to finish.
When she remained quiet, he forced himself to leave, knowing he had a date with his dick in that outdoor shower.
Damn, did he wish things were different.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“What is that man doing to me?” Sydney murmured as she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her heart still racing from their kiss.
No man had ever made her feel so sexy. So desired. So enough.
She combed her fingers through her blonde hair, then lifted it off the back of her neck with one hand and fanned her skin with the other. Between the humid jungle air and the steamy dances with Beckett, she was “glistening,” Mya’s word for sweating.
Glancing over at the shower to her left, images of a naked Beckett standing beneath the spray, eyes closed in pleasure while stroking his cock, played through her mind.
She’d need to get herself off tonight, or she’d never get to sleep. She dragged a palm down her face because who was she kidding? No amount of touching herself would alleviate the unbearable ache between her thighs. Not while the man she wanted to handle that job was right next door.
She smoothed her palm along her collarbone, remembering the feel of his hands on her body when they’d danced. The way that man moved was sinful. But the way their bodies moved together was something altogether inexplicable. Valentina had been right about them being in sync. She and Beckett danced as though they’d done it thousands of times, like their bodies were made for one another, which was crazy.
Insane or not, she couldn’t deny it. Then why am I fighting it? I deserve even a piece of happiness, don’t I? And after the call from Seth and his news . . .
Every molecule in her body demanded she run to Beckett and surrender herself to him completely, something she’d never done with another man. But no one had ever made her feel like this before. Seth had never made her heart race like Beckett had done with just one sensual look.
Can we have one night? Can I be that wild, reckless girl I once was? She shook her head at her thoughts. Being with Beckett didn’t feel reckless though. It felt right.
Before she knew it, Sydney was standing outside his bungalow and knocking on the door. The only answer was the sound of running water in the outdoor shower. She assumed he’d locked the door to the shower, but she told herself if he’d left the front door unlocked, it was fate, or whatever Mya wanted to call it, and she’d go inside.
She closed her eyes and set her hand on the knob, hoping for fate to be on her side as she slowly turned the handle.
Fate. She heard Mya’s voice in her head as the door swung open. She removed her sandals and stepped inside, locking the door behind her before padding across the room toward the outdoor shower. A privacy wall separated it from the bedroom, so she couldn’t see him yet, but the sound of running water let her know he was still out there.
She removed the sash and unzipped her dress, allowing it to fall to the floor. The breeze from the overhead fan sent tiny chills across her exposed flesh.
Beckett’s already seen me topless. Twice, she reminded herself, hoping to calm her nerves. This was the least dangerous thing she’d done that day, so why did it feel like the most? Because you’re putting your heart on your sleeve, and that’s not something you’ve ever done.