“I have thought it over long and hard, Chica. I’m ready for a change in my life. Besides, I can work from anywhere. As long as I have a space to set up as an operations room and access to Wi-Fi, I’m good to go.” Ava looked around the large great open room of the apartment they’d just walked into on the second floor. She didn’t expect to have an entire apartment to herself. “It’s a beautiful castle and although it’s exciting to be here, I’m not so sure I’d like to live here all the time. Not with all those women around.” She smiled wryly. “Admittedly, I don’t have much of a social life in New York but at least I can roam the shops if I’m in the need of retail therapy or go to a coffee shop for some pastries.” She looked through the wall of windows facing the ocean. “I guess I could get used to it though.”
Peyton laughed. “We’re not that far from the mainland, Ava, and if you want to go shopping, I’m sure Parker will take you … although, I doubt you’ll be living here.”
Ava glanced at her. “Meaning?”
“Parker has his own beach house on South Bimini in the Bahamas. Close to where Ace and Zeke live.” She smiled at Ava’s relieved expression. “All of the cousins own their own homes. This …” she gestured all around, “belongs to Stone. The entire top floor is ours and it’s gorgeous. It’s become home to me and I love the island. I continued working and have done a couple of articles since I’ve been here. Like you, I can work from anywhere and Stone is supporting my desire to continue with my career. As will Parker with yours, I’m sure.”
“The way you’re talking it sounds like you think it’s going to be a permanent relationship. You can forget about that, Chica. I’m far from ready for holy matrimony!”
“I’m sure if you keep saying that often enough, you might come to believe it. Trying to convince Parker on the other hand … that’s an entirely different ball game altogether.”
“Did he say he wanted to marry me?” Ava stared at her dumbfounded.
“No, but I’ve seen this happen four times now. With Stone and me, Hawk and Savannah, Kane, and Rose, and recently Ace and Remy. They all get the same look in their eyes when they meet the woman for them. Parker has it in his when he looks at you. He’s laid claim to you already, Ava, and believe me, like the four of us before you; you don’t stand a chance.”
“Well fuck me sideways, why don’t you,” Ava puffed, desperately attempting to curb the excited flutter in her chest at the prospect of marriage.
Slow down, Ava Harper. You worked damn hard on your spinstership. Rippling muscled physique, piercing blues, and a fuck stud or not, Parker Rothman isn’t gonna change that!
“As I said, I’m on the top floor should you need anything, otherwise, I’ll see you in the morning. Sleep well.”
Ava waved at Peyton as she trotted through the door and closed it behind her. Her gaze floated over the vast space. It had a welcoming and homey feel to it. Decorated in rustic colors with splashes of orange and green for contrast, it embraced the large leather sofas, chairs, and the heavy cherrywood dining room furniture as well as the kitchen cupboards. The gleaming ivory marble tops added a lightening effect to the area, assisted by the flow of natural light through the floor to ceiling windows.
She felt small surrounded by the size of the furniture pieces but it suited the majestic aesthetic of the castle. She wandered down a hallway and found a beautiful nautical decorated bedroom with an en suite bathroom. On the opposite end of the great open room, she came across the main bedroom. It sported similar large cherrywood furniture and was tastefully decorated in white and gray with burgundy throw pillows for contrast on the massive bed and wingback chairs. The bathroom took her breath away.
“Geez, it’s as big as my bedroom!” she exclaimed in awe as she drooled over the large jacuzzi bathtub, the walk-in shower that could easily accommodate four adults, and the mirror frames that hung all over the room, adding to the warmth of the ivory marble tiles.
Ava didn’t hesitate and slipped off her clothes. The trip on the speedboat had felt like it took forever and left her feeling sticky all over. Since Peyton had said the island wasn’t that far from the mainland, she assumed Danton had driven in circles to ensure that even blindfolded, she’d be unable to keep track of distance and direction.
“I suppose that’s how they manage to keep this place hidden from the public,” she mumbled as she stepped into the shower and turned on the water. “Ahh … that feels like heaven,” she sighed as the warm water cascaded over her body.
“I didn’t realize how tired I am. Must be the flight and the tension of coming face to face with him again.” She adjusted the water pressure and moaned as pulses of water beat from all around against her body in steamy rivulets. She closed her eyes.
“I gotta get one of these for my shower,” she lilted as she reveled in the heat soaking into her skin. It awakened a vision of the rugged strength of Master Tiger and how he’d completely twisted and molded her body to his will three weeks ago. Her clitoris throbbed at the memory and a flush of heat filled her loins.
She leaned back against the cool tiles to bring the pheromones rising hotly inside her under control. She’d been desperate to prove Parker wrong, but after four failed efforts with regular partners, she’d given up. How, she had no idea, but somehow, he had an invisible hold over her sexual releases. She had climaxed, hell yes, she had, but all of them had left her feeling empty, unsatisfied, and hungering for … him!
Since then her libido was in overdrive. Just thinking of him since that night caused a flush of wetness to fill her pussy.
“Get a grip, Ava.”
She used the shower gel on the shelf and breathed in the aroma as she lathered her body lightly. It had a clean, ocean breeze bouquet that soothed and calmed her senses. The slide of her hands slowed, turning sensuous as imagery of rippling muscles, a perfect ass, and narrow hips pounding against hers filled her mind. It didn’t take much to envision his hands taking over the task.
One minute she was dreaming of it and the next, he was there, appearing like an apparition from nowhere.
Parker hadn’t walked into the bathroom without conscious thought; he just found himself standing in the doorway, watching her silently. He quickly became mesmerized watching her gently sliding hands as she soaped up her luxurious skin. He recalled the sensation of that gorgeous body under his palms.
He’d had his fair share of women, of which only two had been serious … as in a Dom/sub serious, not love, but none of them had ever sexually charged him like Ava. Not this intensely and not this all-consuming. He didn’t hesitate. He was a man of action after all, and this little firecracker was about to realize she was now in his domain. He undressed in quick, economical movements.
“Oh!” Ava gasped and fought against the hands circling her waist.
Parker ignored her efforts and pressed his warm chest against her back, his hands sliding seductively over her soap slicked skin.
“Wh-at are you doing?” she managed to stammer as soon as she recognized the hard length of the body behind her. She wasn’t surprised that her body reacted instantly to his proximity even as he pushed her against the tiled wall. Her breasts flattened against the water slicked surface. Her heart rate increased as she felt his hard arousal pressing against her soft cheeks.