He was right there, provoking me, expecting an answer. "You think we should jump right into this?"

He shrugged. "I told you, Chloe. Don't think. Don't wonder too much. Just let it be."

I inhaled and then exhaled deeply, reaching under the table and holding his hand. His brown irises sparked from the sunset, shimmering as he looked me over. The sun made them appear to be an amber color, as clear as whiskey.

He looked at me as if he wanted to take me right there on that table. But he knew better. He was a wise man with a lot of self-control. That came in handy when it came to my desires.

"Okay," I finally responded. "Fine. I won't think. I won't wonder." I leaned over the table, and he did the same. Our lips touched, but instead of kissing him, I sank my teeth into his bottom lip and sucked.

"f.u.c.k," he groaned, eyes hooded, fixated on my mouth as I pulled away.

"I'll just let it be." My voice was breathy, full of seduction.

"d.a.m.n right," he groaned. He tossed some money on the table and grabbed my hand. Within seconds we were out of the restaurant, me with my heart racing and him with a hard c.o.c.k that he tried so hard to conceal. I couldn't believe I had this effect on him. I mean it was Mr. Black. We knew each other well, but who would have thought we'd be where we were now?

Kissing.

Grinding.

Holding.

Hugging.

Touching.

Caressing like lovers, right before f.u.c.king like wild animals.

G.o.d, this man did so much to me. To my body and mind and even my spirit. But it wasn't bad. It was good. Theo allowed me to forget reality, which was what I needed that summer.

I needed to forget.

To let go.

To get exactly what I'd been dying for all those years.

Him all over again.

Thirteen.

She didn't want to go home yet, which was more than okay with me. She'd complained about her dad causing her stress and said something about a caregiver that she knew would actually look out for him.

Instead of driving back to Primrose, I took her to the beach, hoping it would clear her mind. We walked the sh.o.r.e, her arm linked through mine, a soft smile touching her lips.

"What are you smiling at?" I asked, glancing down at her.

She peered up at me before pointing her gaze to the ocean. The waves clashed with gentle force, the sun causing the blue water to shimmer. "I'm just thinking..."

"About what?"

"Well, tomorrow, on your boat." She looked up at me again, stopping mid-step as her lips twisted. The face she made was cute. Confused and childlike. "Is it an all afternoon thing or...?"

"Ahh." I smiled as she did, knowing exactly what she was getting at. Turning in her direction and placing my hands on her waist, I stepped in closer, my mouth pressing on her forehead. "Do you want it to be an all-day thing?"

"I think at least four hours would work best. Food, music, and drinks included of course. Does the boat have a deck?"

"A pretty big one," I a.s.sured her.

She clapped her hands ecstatically, bouncing on top of the sand. "Good! Maybe I'll bring my bathing suit to tan a little. I haven't been able to all summer."

"You kidding? You don't need a tan." I tugged her slim body into mine again, and she blushed as my nose skimmed her jawline. When my lips found the sh.e.l.l of her ear, I murmured, "You're perfect, baby."

I felt goose b.u.mps crawl along her skin, her lips parting as she slightly gawked.

I couldn't help my laugh. This girl had no clue what I was capable. She was accustomed to young men, boys that were impatient and too eager to bust a quick nut. But for me, I was patient. I wanted my lover to achieve ultimate bliss and satisfaction, and then I'd go for the kill.

Drilling.

Pounding.

s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g.

Grinding.

Even licking.

The p.u.s.s.y would surely be mine. I'd leave her thinking for days, wondering what more I could do to make her mind and body feel truly amazing.

"What are you thinking?" Chloe questioned, brows piqued.

I fought a grin, shaking my head and grabbing her hand, continuing our walk. "Oh, nothing, Little Knight."

We stopped and faced the ocean. Chloe released a long sigh, as if she'd been in need of a relaxing moment like this for a long time. I drew her in tighter, and her hand pressed on my chest as she leaned into me.

"So, no more Trixie?" she asked.

"Nope. No more."

"Was she upset about you breaking it off with her?"

"Not too much. I mean, we weren't exactly dating. I'd set the rules a long time ago."

"Just s.e.x," she whispered, voice defeated as she dropped her head.

I turned, cradling her face in my hands. "That's all it was. Nothing more. I swear." I struggled with what to say next. I didn't know if I wanted to share deeper feelings, but when her hazel eyes connected with mine, I had no choice. She expected answers, expected to know why I'd replaced Trixie with her again. "She... didn't exactly fill the hole I felt inside. It was kind of pointless, to be honest."

Her frown was faint. "Is that how you feel about me?"

I stepped back, folding my arms. "Did you really just ask me that question?"

"Yes, I did." She stepped forward, limiting the gap between us. "I want to know, Theo." Her hand ran down my arm, her finger tracing the outline of the lion tattoo I got when I was thirty-two. "Do you consider me someone like Trixie? A quick fix? Someone you know won't deny you?"

Her hand continued traveling down, meeting at my belt buckle. She tugged on the metal that secured it, vaguely running her tongue across her lips as the buckle clinked. Then her hand dropped, and she softly ran it across the bulge in my pants, the bulge that was now hard as a rock.

My breathing stifled, my hormones getting the best of me. Reeling her in, I listened to the soft gasp that soared with the salty breeze, and when my fingers slid through her shorts and beneath her panties, she panted, but her hand still remained on my c.o.c.k. "You know d.a.m.n well you aren't just a quick fix to me. We have history. Chemistry. You think I had this with Trixie?" I looked between us, my fingers delving deeper. When she didn't respond, I said, "Answer me, Chloe. Talk to me."

"No," she whispered, pressing her forehead against my arm. "No, I'm sure you didn't."

"No is correct. I know you can deny me. You've done it before. I also know I can trust you, which says a lot because I don't trust just anyone." My mouth hovered above hers. She wanted a taste, just a small one if nothing at all, but I held back, listening to her breath hitch and then return to normal, feeling as she tried hard not to make her knees buckle.

Her eyes sealed tight as I circled her c.l.i.t in slow, torturous circles. "Oh, G.o.d. Theo... you have to... stop." Her voice broke each time my finger sank deep, returning to normal when it was shallow. "I'm going to c.u.m if you keep doing that."

I leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "That's the plan, baby. I want you to c.u.m. No one's around. No one will hear you. Just think of me. Just feel me. You don't have to rush it. Trust me, I can do this all f.u.c.king night."

I suppose it was the sound of my voice, how it hummed in her ear, shooting straight to her core. Or maybe I'd just hit the trigger spot. Whatever it was, it came quickly. Her fingernails sank into the flesh on my arm, her mouth parting as she moaned. She hung onto me as if her life depended on it, and I studied every reaction-the flutter of her eyes, the whimper that caught in the middle her throat-my c.o.c.k throbbing as her other hand now gripped my crotch.

"So f.u.c.king beautiful, Chloe," I murmured as her body finally settled. I tipped her chin, my mouth coming down on hers, our tongues colliding. She clung to me, her body unbalanced from the aftermath. "You know that?" She blushed, but she didn't look away. She stared back into my eyes, bashful. Gorgeous. "So, so beautiful."

Her grin was contagious. I picked her up in my arms, placing her back on the soft sand and centering my lower between her legs. As badly as I wanted to take her, and as much as she wanted me to dive deep and f.u.c.k her on that beach, I didn't.

I was eager, but I could wait. I needed to wait because I had big plans for the next evening. I had so much to teach my Little Knight. My young queen. There were things she needed to experience, and I wanted to be the one she shared all those things with.

Now that I had her back, I wasn't letting go. Not until this summer was over. And even when it was over, I was sure I'd still think of her, hoping we could do the same thing the following summer.

So, on Palm Beach, I only kissed her 'til the sun sank. I grinded my hard c.o.c.k between her legs and fingered her mercilessly until her body wracked beneath me, shuddering, shaking, quaking. Trust me, it was hard keeping myself in check, but the bigger picture would happen tomorrow.

On my boat. Just the two of us. No one to watch. No one to hear. No one to interrupt. Just the mere thought of that was more than enough to run with.

This girl was mine. Her p.u.s.s.y? Mine. Her entire body-all for me to explore, indulge, and be greedy with. Everything about her was going to be mine, and I would have been d.a.m.ned if I allowed anything to take her away.

Fourteen.

It'd been a while since I woke up happy.

You know, the feeling you get when your heart beats madly. A stream of morning sunlight beams down on you and you can't help but feel wonderful because sunlight means brightness and happiness, and everyone in this world could use a dose. I wasn't just content, moving forward with my life and taking it one minute at a time. There was depth in my exhilaration.

There was a smile on my face, light in my eyes as I looked into the mirror in my bathroom. With my towel draped around me, I watched as water spilled down my chest from the tips of my wet hair. I had no clue why I had even washed it. It was going to be messed up by tonight. I suppose that didn't matter. I wanted to look great for Theo. Fan-f.u.c.king-tastic.

So, after blow-drying and flat-ironing my messy mane, I hurried out of the bathroom, taking out one of my favorite bathing suits. It was a red one-piece with one shoulder strap, the waist and the back of it cut out in the shape of an oval. Yeah, I admit it showed a lot of skin, but it was perfect for this evening.

I checked the time on my alarm clock in the corner. 12:14. I had an hour and a half to finish getting ready. Just as I reached for my cover-up dress, Margie knocked on the door, calling my name.

"Come in!" I called, sliding the dress over my bathing suit. Margie was inside before I could tug the entire thing down. When she spotted the flash of red, a slight frown etched her face.

"You're leaving already?" she asked.

"Yeah. I have plans with..." I paused. I didn't want to tell her who I was spending my day with. Her eyes were inquisitive, no judgment present. "Theo wants to show me his boat."

"Oh, I see." I expected her to say something about it, but she didn't. "Well, I wanted to tell you that your father and I most likely won't be home until later tonight. He has an appointment at four, and after that I have to go meet my son for his band concert at eight."

I gasped. "What?! Margie, you didn't tell me you had a son!"

Her cheeks turned a soft shade of red. She shrugged in a bashful, adorable way. "I was afraid that if I brought him up, he would be all I talked about. I didn't want to ruin your summer with stories about him."

"Yeah right! That's amazing. How old is he?"

"Only a few years older than you. Twenty-nine." She beamed, clearly proud.

"Wow. That's really great. I bet you're an amazing mother."

She laughed, her cheeks still rosy. "I did my best to raise him. He's a very good boy."

"I bet."

I dropped my gaze. Speaking of moms made me a feel a little ill. I had no clue where my mother was. It was like, after I went off to college, I no longer mattered to her. I guess she figured I'd be okay without her, which happens to be true, but the least she could do was check in, email me during her travels at least.

"Well, have fun on your boat trip." Margie's voice cut through my thoughts. "I hope you and Theo have a blast. You deserve it after the h.e.l.l your father put us through this week."

"Yeah." I blew a breath, tucking my hair behind my ear. "Dad can be a little wild."

Her face was gentle as she stepped back, giving my room a look around before grabbing the door handle. "Just be careful, mi amor," she said softly. "Have fun, but be careful." Margie was out of the room before I could even blink.

When she was long gone, I turned and faced the full-length mirror hanging on my closet door. My expression hinted of confusion. Margie had experienced this before. She probably knew exactly how I felt-ecstatic, ready to see a man of another generation and spend my day with him.

She most likely knew how it felt to wake up happy and feel like all worries were gone. I bet she never wanted it to end, the same feeling I carried with the mere thought of Theo.

Sighing, I walked to my closet and pulled out a small tote bag. After putting a few necessities inside, I went back to my bathroom and applied a light coat of makeup to my face. Then, I examined my reflection, pleased with the finished product. It wasn't too much, but it certainly wasn't basic.

I smiled.

I went back to my tote bag, strapped it over my shoulder, and hurried downstairs. Fortunately, Margie was in my dad's bedroom, helping him get dressed. I spent nearly thirty minutes in the kitchen, pacing back and forth, waiting for time to pa.s.s me by.

When it came to him, I was very impatient.

I waltzed to the living room, peeking through the blinds, spotting Theo's Harley parked in the driveway next to the Charger. I hadn't seen his bike out in a while. I didn't hear it come or leave from Primrose.

Flicking my wrist, I checked my watch once more. I still had fifteen minutes to go before going to his place at the time we had planned. Walking into the kitchen, I placed my bag on the countertop and opened it, giving it one last check.