Aloha, page 22
Nick shook his head. “Maggie never gets upset when things don’t go according to plan.” He reached a hand out and cupped her cheek. “I think you’re the one upset. What’s wrong?”
“I had a whole romantic night planned and we slept through it all. It’s no different than being home.” A swell of disappointment filled her at the thought of one night in paradise wasted.
Nick sighed. “We’re parents, we work, it makes sense that we’re exhausted. But we have all day today and tomorrow alone together and that’s because of you. So don’t be upset and let’s enjoy these couple of days. Deal?”
She pulled herself to her knees, leaned over and kissed him full on the lips. “Deal.”
An hour later, they’d showered together, making the most of the coconut scented bodywash regularly stocked in each bathroom. Breakfast was on the veranda outside, fresh fruit, homemade pastries, and delicious omelets, and mimosas. Nick was usually a harder whiskey guy but first thing in the morning, champagne and orange juice would do.
He lay beside his wife on a double recliner with a plush cushion, sand beneath the lounge chair and the pristine ocean in the background and blue sky above. The best part was how relaxed Aurora now seemed to be. He hated seeing her so stressed.
“This place could be a resort,” she said with a happy sigh, as if reading his mind.
“It could but luckily it’s in our family and we can escape any time someone decides to plan a surprise.” Reaching beside him, he squeezed her hand. “Look at me.” He rolled to the side and she did the same.
He let his gaze slide over her, taking her in from head to pink painted toes. She wore a high cut bikini that covered her belly, one he knew she was sensitive about after having his kids, but he found her sexy no matter what.
“I’m really glad you arranged this for us. I know how busy our lives have been and I always want us to make time for each other. But more than that, I need you to know, that I love you. I love our kids and most of all I love our lives together. Don’t think that because we miss out on one night of romance or sex means I want you any less.”
She lifted her sun glasses and he caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. “Nobody said juggling life would be this hard.”
He pulled her onto his side of the lounge. “Well, the one thing you never have to worry about is me and how I feel about you.”
Her smile was brighter than the sun. He rolled on top of her, letting his cock settle against her sex. “What are the chances I can make love to you right here?”
“Oh, I’d say about one hundred percent,” she said and wriggled beneath him until she moaned, obviously finding the perfect spot to give her the friction she needed.
He raised his hips and between them both, they got rid of her bathing suit bottom. He followed by standing and shucking his. Then he climbed over her and braced his cock at her entrance.
Without him asking, her gaze locked with his and he pushed inside her, sliding in slowly, feeling every soft, tight inch. She was wet for him and he bottomed out quickly, his entire body lighting up with need.
“Nick.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.” He made love to his wife, slowly, without the worry of being interrupted by their kids or rushing due to time constraints.
She bent her knees and thrust deep. She immediately arched up, rubbing her pussy against his pubic bone, in total sync with his thrusts.
His balls drew tight and he was on the edge. “You’re everything to me,” he said in a gruff voice, his entire body on the precipice. He tunneled in and out, his gaze never leaving hers.
“Yes, Nick. Right there.” He shifted his hips and gave her what she needed, sliding his hand between them and rubbing her clit.
He saw the moment she tipped over, her cheeks flushed, her eyes unfocused. “Oh God. Harder.”
He drove into her over and over until her shaking subsided and he let himself go, falling into everything that was Aurora.
They cleaned up and redressed.
Hand and hand, they went into the ocean, ending up back on the lounge where they both fell asleep side by side, her hand tightly in his.
Aurora woke up and glanced at her phone. To her surprise, the entire day had passed. It was four p.m. From the way her body felt, napping the day away under the Caribbean sun without reapplying sunscreen hadn’t been a smart move.
She glanced at Nick who still dozed beside her and smiled. He was right. It didn’t matter what they were doing or where. They were connected and always would be. But she was glad she’d arranged this short trip away. As parents, they needed time alone.
“Nick.” She woke him, pressing her lips to his.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, his gorgeous eyes focused on hers.
She nodded. “It’s time to call Melly and check on Leah.”
With a grin, he sat up in the seat and she pushed herself up too. “I hope she’s been good.”
“If that means running her grandma ragged, I’m sure she has.”
She hit the FaceTime button on her phone and instead of Melly, her daughter’s sweet face came into view. A reminder of how far she’d come from the lost, lonely girl she’d been. She had Nick, her daughters, and a life most could only dream of. She would always be grateful to be both a Kingston and a Dare.
If you enjoyed the sneak peek into the lives of Aurora and Nick Dare’s Happily Ever After, read more Kingston ~ Dare standalone stories by Carly Phillips in Just One Dare.
Sweet Stud
Cary Hart
Chapter 1
Mia
“Maddie, get your ass up.” I fling open the curtains.
“Go away.” Maddie yawns. “And take the sun with you.”
“No can do, little sis.”
“Please—” she whines. “I’ve had a rough day.”
Maddie is a masseuse at one of the most luxurious hotels in NYC. Some days she only has a couple of clients and other days it’s filled with some of the bitchiest high maintenance women who run her ragged. Luckily for her, their husbands cover the bill—tip included.
“But I have a surprise for you.” I make my way over to the closet.
“What kind of surprise?” Maddie rolls over on her back, eyes still closed.
“Open your eyes to find out?”
“So dramatic…” She mumbles.
“Hey!” I clap. “Time to wake up.”
“Jesus, Mia! I’m awake… just resting them one at a time.” Maddie peers out of one eye before she switches to the other. “See? They’re taking shifts.”
“You don’t have time to be tired.” I unzip the bags. “We have a party to go to.”
“Did you say party?” Maddie’s eyes pop wide open. “What’s this madness you’re talking about.”
“You heard me.” I take out the black puff-sleeve belted mini dress with a plunging V neckline. This dress screams Maddie. It fits in all the right places, and with its asymmetrical hem, her legs are sure to be a showstopper.
“Holy hell, sis.” Maddie rolls out of bed, snags the dress, and holds it up to her tiny frame. “Please tell me I get to keep this one.”
“That’s a negative.”
“Seriously, what good is being a blogger if you don’t get to keep everything they send you?” Maddie holds out the little black number. “Just take it. I’m kind of tired anyway.”
“But I need you to take pictures tonight.”
“Ohhh…” she sighs, “it’s a work gig. Definitely not going then.”
“Maddie,” I plead.
“I’m going to take a long hot bath.”
“For the party, right?”
Maddie pads her way to the bathroom. “If by party you mean me sitting in bed eating takeout and binge-watching Netflix, then yeah.”
Okay, this isn’t going as planned. I reach inside another bag and pull out my secret weapon. “Could these convince you?”
“Mia, give it up already.” Maddie spins around, looking annoyed—until she sees the recognizable brown box. “Oh! My! God!” She darts over to stand in front of me. “Are those what I think they are?”
I nod.
Her eyes tear up. “Please don’t tease me.”
“I’m not.” I flip open the lid, exposing the cherry red dust bag.
Maddie gasps.
I win!
“Are these mine?” She carefully extracts one of the bags and slides out the matte black heel with the signature red bottom.
“All yours.”
“Ahhh!” Maddie lets out the breath she was holding. “Thank you, Jesus.”
“There’s only one catch.”
“I knew it!” She holds the heels to her chest. “There’s always a fine print.”
I chuckle. “You just have to let me take some shots of you strutting around at the fundraiser event the Klayton-Ellis Foundation is putting on tonight.”
Maddie freezes. “Are you serious?” Her emerald eyes shine with excitement. “The party you want me to go to is the Krown Kandie’s Sweet Stud Auction?”
“Um…yeah.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” She glances at the alarm clock. “Shit! Mia, you’re wasting time. We only have three hours to get ready.”
“I take it that’s a yes?” My lips curve into a smile.
“It isn’t just a yes—it’s a hell to the yes!” Maddie strips down and steps into the shower, peeking her head back out. “Weird. All of a sudden, I’m craving something sweet.” She winks.
Oh lord, what am I getting myself into?
Chapter 2
Mia
“We’re almost there,” Maddie practically bounces out of her seat.
“I’m nervous.”
Maddie swings her head around, her face twisting in confusion. “Why? You do these things all the time.”
“I know, but this is different.”
She’s not wrong. My calendar is full of celebrity events and club openings, but this is the first time I’m attending a fundraiser where almost everyone is here because they have deep pockets. And it’s the first time that I’m actually asking my followers for something in return… money. It’s a little intimidating when you think about it.
“How?” Maddie narrows her emerald eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”
There’s no use. I can’t keep this a secret any longer and once she follows the hashtags I’m sure she’s bound to find out one way or another.
“I don’t know how to say this without getting your hopes up.” I try to drag out the inevitable.
“Spill it.”
“Fine.” I drag in a deep breath and spill the beans. “All the bloggers are in a contest. The influencer who raises the most money for the charity, wins a trip for two to Hawaii.”
“Ex-excuse me?” Maddie holds a hand up to her ear. “I don’t think I heard you correctly. Did you say Hawaii?”
“Yeah…” I lean back into the seat and rest my head against the leather.
“Hawaii… as in beautiful, picturesque islands, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, lush tropical rainforest, active volcanos, cascading waterfalls, luaus, and getting laid the moment you arrive? One of the most beautiful places on earth… that Hawaii?”
“That’s the one.”
“And you’re just now telling me this?” She throws her hands up in the air. “You should have led with that. Now what do we have to do to get that trip? Because you are going to win it and I’m going to be your plus one.”
“See…” I wag my finger in her direction. “This is why I didn’t tell you.”
“Because… I make things happen?” Maddie winks. “I want this trip and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”
It’s not so much about the trip, like don’t get me wrong, I would love to win, but what if I can’t pull in the money like some of the other blogs?
“Oh hell no.” Maddie leans forward and taps the side of my head. “Get those intrusive thoughts out of there.”
I sigh. “I can’t help it.” I glance down at my phone. My nine-hundred and fifty-nine-thousand Instagram followers stare back at me. “Sure, I have a lot of followers, but some of the bloggers coming tonight have millions of them.”
“And?” Maddie doesn’t seem to be following.
“We are given an affiliate link and those links report live on the event page. Everyone will see the funds I’m pulling in. What if I fail? What if me coming here was a mistake? What if I took a spot of someone who could have raised way more money? What if everyone thinks I’m a fraud?”
Maddie rolls her eyes. “Okay, so let me just clear this up so we can get our party on. You are not a fraud. And you don’t need them to donate big money. You just need them all to donate a little money. And if they all do that then it will not only benefit the charity, but it will win us a trip to Hawaii.”
“I don’t care about the trip.”
“Seriously?” Maddie arches her perfectly sculpted brow.
A smile tugs at the corner of my lips. “Okay—so maybe an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Okay… now that’s what I’m sayin’.” Maddie takes the bottle of champagne out of the bucket of ice. “This will take the edge off.”
I hold up my hand. “I’m not sure. I’ve already had one. And if we are going to do this I need to be totally sober.”
“Oh, come on.” Maddie forces the crystal glass engraved with the Krown Kandie logo into my hand. “If they didn’t want you to drink it, they wouldn’t have sent us a car with a fully stocked bar.”
“I guess.” I tilt the glass to my lips. The bubbles tickling my nose.
“Here.” Maddie takes my phone. “Do that again.” She leans back to get a fully body shot, snaps a picture, then flips the phone around to show me. “This is why you’re here.”
I set the glass down and take the phone, examining the picture. My blonde waves are braided back into a low-hanging, loose chignon bun, showcasing my baby blues. I went with more of a natural look of nudes and pinks, highlighting my cheekbones with a rose gold shimmer, and tinted my lips with gloss.
My dress…it’s fun and flirty. Perfect for an event like this. It’s the prettiest shade of cotton candy pink. Not the darker shade when it’s packed down or wet, but the light and airy pink when it’s first spun. My sleeveless tulle bustier tea-length dress has a sweetheart neckline and a full pleated skirt. The corset boning on a sheer bodice plays peek-a-boo with my faded summer tan. I absolutely love it.
Maddie’s right. I’m here because I shared the hair products I used on my hair. I’m here because of the one-hour makeup tutorial I gave while getting ready. I’m here to showcase a dress for Ava Livingston, a rising NYC fashion designer. I’m here because somewhere down the road, people give a damn what I have to say. They trust my brand… they trust me.
“Holy shit. We’re here.” Maddie reaches over and grabs my leg. “They live in a freakin’ castle!”
“I know.” I don’t bother looking up. “Their house was featured in one of those design magazines a couple months ago.”
“Mia—I can’t even.”
“It’s not a big deal. If you’ve seen one big house, you’ve seen them all.” I add the affiliate link to my post and a cute caption.
“Hurry! Get ready.”
“Stop it!” I smack her hand away. “Red carpets aren’t my—holy shit.”
I add the picture to my story and tag Krown Kandies. “We have to go live.”
Maddie scoots closer to the window. “Right? I think we’ve been transported to a different universe. How do I look?”
Maddie is gorgeous, favoring our mother with her green eyes and light brown hair. She may only be five-five, but she’s all legs.
“Absolutely sinful.” I hand her the phone. “How about me?”
“Totally yummy.” Maddie winks.
“Let’s take a selfie.” I angle me face toward hers. “Make cute kissy lips.”
Maddie reaches her arm out, snaps the picture, and posts it right before our car comes to a stop.
“Crap. We need to switch places so I can get your reaction as you get out.” Maddie climbs over me.
“Good thinking.”
“Ms. Matthews.” The driver comes over the intercom, startling us both. “We’re next. As soon as the door opens, please exit the vehicle promptly.”
“It’s showtime.” Maddie whispers.
“You ready?”
“Sure am.” Maddie holds up the camera and signals when it’s live.
“Hey, guys! Mia Matthews here. If you’ve been following my stories, then you know exactly where I am. That’s right. We are about to walk the red carpet of one of the most talked about events of the year.” I glance out the window, eyes big, mouth hanging open for more of a dramatic feel. “Scratch that. This is hands down the event of the decade!”
The door opens.
“Ms. Matthews.” The doorman offers me his hand. I look over my shoulder at camera and waggle my brows.
“Why thank you, kind sir.” I step out of the vehicle and quickly turn around to make sure Maddie’s able to get out of the car without flashing her goods.
She runs a hand down the back of her dress as she steps toward me, still filming. “Holy gumballs! This is epic.”
I spin around. The crowd clears.
Unbelievable.
Maddie nods for me to go on. “Guys, do you see this?” I step onto the red carpet that isn’t red at all. “The Klayton-Ellis estate has morphed into Candyland.” I wave toward the carpet, which is a replica of the board game. “Red, purple, yellow, blue…” I step on each block. “I feel like Princess Frostine making her way to the Candy Castle—or, in this case, the Krown Kandie Castle.” I wink at the camera. “Do you guys see this? Valet ropes of licorice, gumball theater lights, and lollipop signs guiding us where to go.”
“This is…” I twirl in a circle, holding my arms out wide, “ah-mazing! All this is put on by the incredibly tasty Krown Kandies and the Klayton-Ellis Foundation, which is raising money for the local children’s hospital. One of the events will include a bachelor auction of some of New York’s Sweetest Studs.”
