Perfectly Equipped Read online

  That did make me feel somewhat special.

  “So, are you and Sean going to see each other again?”

  “No, he just helped me with the cream.”

  “The last time I had someone offer to help me with cream, he wanted to spread it on my cha-cha.”

  I laughed. “And you declined? I’m shocked.”

  “Hey, even I have pride. Okay, let’s go to dinner. If we’re lucky, we’ll run into him again.”

  If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to get there on two legs instead of crawling on all fours.

  I locked the door and slowly headed with Millie toward the buffet restaurant. The biggest problem with wearing nothing, or next to nothing, in the evening was the lack of pockets. I wasn’t too big on purses, but now I had no choice but to take my beach bag with me. Before we left our room, I stuffed the bottle of aloe I’d bought at the gift shop inside, hoping I’d be able to sneak into a bathroom to apply some more on my shoulders. If it were up to me, I’d take a bath in this stuff.

  I grabbed a plate and scooped up some steamed vegetables and grilled chicken breast.

  “That’s it?” Millie asked.

  “I’m more thirsty than hungry.”

  “You’re dehydrated. Look, there he is.” She pointed to the dessert table where Sean plated a mound of fruit and whipped cream. He looked even sexier with that tank top on, but those Hawaiian shorts made me giggle. They did not suit him at all.

  “Are you going to talk to him, or have that goofy look on your face all night?” she asked.

  “I can’t talk to him. I don’t even know what to say. Don’t you think it’s weird that someone like him would come to a resort like this?”

  “April, not everyone has an agenda.”

  Was I just trying to get out of a potential friendship, or more, with Sean? At one point in my life I was a confidant woman but somewhere between being a wife and a mother I lost that free spirit.

  She gave me a funny look and if I had to bet, Millie was up to her old tricks of trying to set me up.

  “Don’t even try,” I warned.

  “Try what?”

  As she carried her plate, fluttering her lashes in that innocent way, pretending to listen to my lecture about hooking up with strangers, I didn’t notice when we stopped by Sean’s table. Or maybe I secretly didn’t want to notice.

  “Hi… it’s Sean, right?” she said. “I’m Millie, April’s friend. Do you mind if we join you?”

  I felt my eyes grow wide at her. If I opened my mouth, I was afraid I’d spit venom.

  “Not at all.” He stood up like a gentleman as we pulled the chairs out.

  I sat down as gracefully as a diver in an extra small wetsuit, feeling every inch of my skin stretch and contract on my back and my ass. Ouch!

  As I got comfortable, Millie said. “Actually, I forgot something in my room. Don’t mind me.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “No, you stay.”

  She walked away, and I turned toward Sean with the most apologetic expression I could muster.

  “She did that on purpose, you know.”

  “You mean, left us alone?” He had that smug smile on his face that I was beginning to love. It gave him an edge. Sean was certainly a man who knew what he wanted – and the minute he saw it, he went after it, and wasn’t afraid to do so. Both my cop brothers carried that personality trait, and women loved it. Now that Sean was so close, that hint of gray in his hair, just a streak which matched the sprinkle on his chest, made him look much sexier and enticing. Yes, this guy definitely oozed with unforgiving charm.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  “I don’t mind, April.” He eyed me in a way that made me feel self conscious. I knew he could see my nipples through my sheer dress, but I’d been hoping they’d give me more than a few seconds before they bunched up. It was like Sean was sort of a beacon that called for my breasts to react to his every glance, breath, and move.

  “I didn’t picture you as someone who wouldn’t wear undergarments when she could.”

  “Actually, I can’t. I burnt.” I twisted sideways, showing him a view of my bare back.

  “Ouch. I knew I should have come over quicker with that lotion.”

  “Were you watching me on the beach?” I cut into my chicken and took a bite. It did not taste right, so I set the plate aside and sipped my water. Millie was right. I must have been dehydrated.

  He leaned in closer. The heat of him slammed into my front, balancing with the heat of my sunburned back.

  “All right, I guess it’s confession time. Yes, I saw your gorgeous ass, and I was hoping for an opportunity to talk to you.

  Really?

  “Don’t look so surprised, April. You’re a beautiful woman,”

  “So under the pretense of my burn, you...” Chose to display your prominent crotch in front of my face.

  “Took a chance?”

  “Okay, I’ll give you that. I must say it takes a pair to flaunt your stuff in front of a woman you’ve never met before.”

  “I knew you were checking me out.”

  We both laughed, and the awkwardness I’d felt in the beginning eased.

  “Look, I don’t usually do this kind of thing. In fact, I’ve never been to a nudist resort.”

  “No?” He faked a shocked face, forcing me to smile. The combination of Sean’s gentleman-like ways, mouth watering physique and that look in his eyes which held the promise of everything had me intrigued. He oozed with charm and charisma from his every pore. I wondered what he was doing here. Was he here on his own? I’d assumed so thus far, but he could have easily been here with a significant other.

  “So, you’re here with...”

  “No one. And to answer the question that’s looming in your mind, yes, I’m single.”

  “That’s a bit difficult to believe.” I took a few more sips of my water, shifting on my seat.

  “Likewise.”

  Were we flirting? It definitely felt like it. Although it had been years since I flirted with anyone, so I wouldn’t really remember how to recognize it. But the way he was looking at me, with that flame burning in his clear sky-matching eyes, it was difficult not to be drawn to him. There was something special there, and I had yet to figure out what it was. And while I wouldn’t have allowed myself to get close to a man back home, we weren’t home. Maybe a small adventure wouldn’t hurt?

  The chair was glued to my scorched behind, and I wasn’t sure my ass could take this position much longer.

  “You look uncomfortable, April. Would you like to take a walk?”

  “Actually, I’d love to. I feel like I’m sitting on fire.”

  We stood up, and side by side, we left the restaurant. Was it even safe for me to leave with this man? I mean, I’d just met him. But he seemed trustworthy. Besides, Millie knew who I was with, which made me feel somewhat better. My cop brothers would definitely frown at this, and I was glad that for once I didn’t need to listen to their lectures on safety. After all, I’d seen enough in my life as a forensic analyst. There was nothing more that could scare a person than going over a woman’s body, inch by inch, to determine the cause of death, knowing in your gut it was actually murder.

  “You look nervous,” he said, as we walked along the path to the beach.

  “Well, I’m walking in the darkness with a man I just met and who’s seen me naked much quicker than most.”

  “For what it’s worth, I haven’t really seen you naked.”

  Right. Am I already screwing this up? I didn’t want to. I truly wanted to get to know Sean.

  “Tell me something that would surprise me,” I finally asked.

  He thought for a moment before answering. “This is my first time at a nudist resort.”

  “Really? I pictured you as a regular.”

  We stepped onto the beach. I removed my sandals, and Sean did the same. The sand warmed my feet. Moonlight illuminated the cove with a beautiful sparkle
along the lapping waves.

  “I just blend in well.”

  “What are you, some kind of an undercover cop?”

  He chuckled, but the little spark in his eyes reflected in the night’s glow didn’t escape me. “No, I’m not.”

  “What do you do?” I asked.

  “I go where I’m needed. This is a vacation to get away from the norm.”

  “And you came here alone?”

  “Sort of. Are you a cop? That’s a lot of questions.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I’m just curious about you,” I said, noting the slight vibration in my voice.

  As if picking up on my nerves, he said, “Well, I’m not a serial killer or a rapist.”

  “I bet that’s exactly what a serial killer would say.”

  “You’re not someone who relaxes easily, are you?” he asked.

  “No, it’s one of life’s occupational hazards, I guess.” While I was a bit tense, I did want to tell Sean about my life. I wasn’t sure what it was about him that made me want to open up. Despite my nerves, my instinct told me I could trust him. And I knew that I definitely had a good instinct. “I have a son.”

  He stopped, and for a moment I thought he’d turn around and walk away. Instead, Sean once again surprised me. “And I have a daughter.”

  Chapter 4

  We stood a few feet away from the water, face to face, staring at each other for at least a minute. It was the longest minute of my life. My heart was beating so fast I didn’t know what to do. The kind of connection I felt with this man couldn’t be normal. I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt a spark turn into something much more than a glow so quickly. I had never believed in soul mates, although at one point I thought I’d found one in Simon. Being so close to Sean felt like we were actually sharing a soul. That unbreakable link between us was almost magical. Did he feel it too or have I completely lost my mind?

  “Is your son’s father present in his life?”

  “No, he’s passed.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. It was two years ago. What about you?”

  “I never got a chance to marry Charlie. We had plans to but there were complications at birth.”

  For a moment Sean seemed to have gone to a distant memory. It was much more than grief. Regret washed over his face as if he blamed himself for her death.

  “I’d like to take you snorkeling tomorrow morning, but tonight, how about I ease that burn on your backside?”

  Swift change of topic? Maybe that’s for the better?

  “How would you do that?”

  He tugged at the hem of his tank top and pulled it up over his head. My fingers tingled with the urge to rake them through that mesh over his chest. And before I knew it, off came his Hawaiian shorts. And Sean was not wearing any underwear, either. I snaked my gaze over his perfect tan, from the bottom up, noting that slight twitch between his legs. God, did that body ever look delicious.

  “April, you’re licking your lips again.”

  I am?

  “Come on, the water will ease that heat.”

  Not a thousand days out in the sun could heat me as much as what I felt between my legs at this moment. I hoped a dip would ease much more than the pain on my scorched behind.

  Was I about to go skinny dipping?

  Sean left his clothes on the sand, turned, and ran into the ocean. His taut behind flexed with each leap over the water. And that beautiful tattoo was another item on my “Things to ask Sean” list. He was gorgeous. It could never get old watching him.

  Become one with the environment. I remembered Millie’s advice. Except my surroundings now included a hot-off-the-skillet man I found way too attractive to be swimming naked with.

  I let out a breath and pulled the zipper at the side of my dress. The fabric dropped to the sand, and crossing my arms over my chest I stepped forward. The perfect temperature didn’t shock my skin, but it did ease the pain on my backside as I waded through the water.

  Waist deep, Sean waited for me. He pulled his fingers through his hair, wetting it. Under the moon, his silhouette looked perfect, the wet specks on his body reflecting the light. For the second time that day I wondered what it was that he did for a living. The muscles appeared natural and unforced.

  “You’re beautiful. You shouldn’t hide,” he said as I stepped closer, and I lowered my arms. Thankful for the evening’s shade, I was glad he couldn’t see my entire body flush with heat at his comment. “How does your back side feel?”

  “Better,” I said.

  “Are you a good swimmer?” he asked.

  “I think so.”

  “Come, I want to show you something.”

  I swam beside him toward the cliff, wondering how this man I’d only met that morning had managed to swoon me so quickly. “Don’t step on the bottom, now. It’s not deep, but it’s rocky.”

  “Okay.”

  In even breaststrokes we passed the cliff’s nose. The resort disappeared, and for a moment I thought he was taking me out into the middle of the ocean. Didn’t sharks like to feed at night? Was this even safe? Just as my mind filled up with all the possible ways in which this evening swim could turn into a tragedy, I saw a small beach clearing ahead, which we seemed to be swimming toward.

  Let go of the responsible side of you for once, Millie’s voice rang in my mind.

  When Sean stood up and reached for my hand, I took his, feeling the wave-sculpted sand underneath my feet. He guided me toward the shore where I thought I saw movement. The beach wasn’t wide, but deeper than I anticipated. We stepped onto the shore, and I got a better glimpse of what he wanted to show me.

  “No way.” I covered my mouth with my free hand. Under the moonlight, swiping the sand with their fins to the sides, turtles were preparing nests to lay their eggs in. I crouched as we got closer, not wanting to scare them. Sean sat down in the sand, and with one pull on my hand, I found myself right beside him, leaning against his body, skin to skin.

  “We can wash the sand out later. Enjoy, April. This doesn’t happen often.”

  It was beautiful. Mesmerised by the sea creatures, I forgot I was sitting naked next to a gorgeous man. Right after the birth of my son, I had to admit that this was one of the most wondrous things I’d ever witnessed.

  “How did you know about this?”

  “One of the locals told me. This is one of the few beaches without human access.” He pointed to the cliffs that blocked the beach off from the rest of the land. “With the minimal wildlife, the chances of most of these eggs hatching are much better.”

  “I’m pretty sure this will be the highlight of my vacation,” I sighed.

  “I hope not.” The intensity with which he spoke could have knocked me off my feet. It was a good thing I was sitting. I turned my body to face him, and we were at that same point as we’d been on the beach, staring at each other.

  “What are you thinking?” I broke the spell of his clear eyes with my whisper.

  “Ugly wrinkled women.”

  I laughed. “What?”

  “If I don’t, I won’t be able to hide what I’m feeling for much longer.”

  My gaze followed his to his crotch, where he seemed to have grown.

  Oh!

  “Well, for what it’s worth, I like you too.”

  “Ah, she’s finally honest.” He reached for my face and brushed his thumb over my bottom lip, leaving a salty trail of the ocean on my skin. “Please tell me you want to kiss me as badly as I want to kiss you.”

  I felt my mouth open by a fraction, signaling an invitation. At this point I couldn’t even speak. Sean had sent my mind spinning from the moment I’d seen him – or should I say his crotch – that morning. Not the best way to meet someone, but definitely unforgettable.

  His masculine breath blended with the ocean-seasoned air and flowed around my face. Once those perfect lips covered mine, tasting gently, I was lost, living out a dream I’d never dreamt. I let out what must have sounded like a wh
imper, and at the feel of his tongue, opened wider. He was strong yet cautious, as if he didn’t want to cross a boundary that would scare me, but when I leaned in closer, letting him know that I wasn’t afraid and wanted this as much as he did, he no longer held back.

  The warmth of his swift tongue cruised through my mouth as he claimed me. And once I was his, it softened, overwhelming me, and I mellowed in his arms. Sean was like a fine wine, after tasting a sip, you knew you’d have to finish the bottle. Hopefully it was a bottle with an infinite bottom.

  I felt him gently lift me off the ground, and lay me on top of his body, feeling those hard ridges underneath my palms, noting how the temperature of his skin matched mine, our limbs twined and muscles connected. My thigh between his legs was being bruised by his erection, and his hard muscle between mine gave the perfect resistance to rub against. If someone told me this morning I’d be playing out a scene from “From Here to Eternity,” naked, I’d have laughed.

  Careful not to touch my burnt back, for which I was grateful, his hands traced my curves. That mouth of his did wonders to mine. I hadn’t been kissed with so much need in years – if ever – and I didn’t want him to stop. I wanted to be locked in his hold forever. I wasn’t sure whether it was the atmosphere, or him, or us and the whole idea of meeting a man while naked that had opened me, but I needed this. No, I needed him.

  This was definitely a kiss of the century, one I would never forget. For a moment I thought I felt a tremor underneath us, but maybe it was just me.

  I pulled away and leaned my forehead against his, breathing heavily.

  “Did you feel that?” he asked, and I realized it wasn’t just me.

  “Yes. Earthquake?”

  “Given we’re in Hawaii, it’s possible. We should go back.”

  As he stood up, I hesitated. The girl that had been swept off her feet whined inside me. I didn’t want this night to end. But Sean had a concerned look on his face, and I didn’t want to argue.

  “Yeah, we should.”

  “April, look at me.” He held my face between his palms. “If I didn’t care about your safety, neither the sand in my ass nor an earthquake could stop me from taking you. But we’re not exactly in the safest place if the earthquake was out in the ocean, and I’ll be damned before I let anything happen to you”