Pure Temptation, page 11
This kiss on an empty beach, with the ocean breeze blowing over her skin, this one was all new. The hunger and the desire were there, the undercurrent to everything they did together. It would probably always be that way, even if they kept doing this for hundreds of years. But she felt something else, something like the ache of loneliness, exposed. His? Hers? Maybe both of theirs. He took the kiss deeper, following her lead, unleashing more of that hunger he had been holding back all day. He growled as her tongue swept against his, her heart thumping harder. Then he pulled back, resting his forehead on hers.
“This is supposed to be the best beach for skinny-dipping on the island. Just in case you’re interested.”
Kendall smiled. “Is this best day mine or yours?”
“The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”
She pulled back a little, studying him, and raised an eyebrow. “I think you’re making up the skinny-dipping thing.”
“Okay, maybe it’s not known as that officially,” he conceded, his eyes alive with mischief. “But I certainly think it makes the best beach to get naked.”
She gave him a little shove, and he tumbled to the side. Lazily, she turned and stretched out her legs in front of her, staring out at the ocean, trying hard not to stare at Daxon. He pulled off his shirt, and his sculpted muscles flexed underneath sun-kissed skin. Okay, maybe just a little glance. Oh, Lord, he was incredible. And probably showing off again.
He scooted back onto the blanket and reached for the cooler bag he had pulled from the trunk of the car.
“I had the resort pack up a few things for us. All healthy, of course,” he said, his gray-green eyes crinkling at the corners. His smile for her right now was so different from the one she had watched too many times in his videos. It was relaxed. Intimate. After taking out little dishes of nuts and fruits and a couple canteens of drinks, he unwrapped a baguette sandwich and handed it to her, then unwrapped one for himself.
“Where do you live?” he asked, taking a bite of his sandwich. “You just appear at my place every morning, so either you’re getting up at the crack of dawn to drive in, or you’re not that far.”
“The Kalani has cabins for staff, visiting or long-term. It’s one of the perks, since it’s so expensive to move to the island.”
“By the beach?”
“Yep.” She glanced over at him. “You probably passed the area when you went for your illicit run.”
“Which I promised I won’t do again.” Daxon chuckled. “I’ve followed every single one of your directions. I’ll do whatever you ask.”
He gave her a sexy, mock-serious look. On anyone else, it would have come off as ridiculous, but Daxon managed it with exactly the right amount of confidence and humor.
“Whatever I ask?” She mimicked his sexy overtones in his question.
“Oh, yeah.” His smile was so lazy and sensual.
What if she asked him not to free climb Moonlight Buttress? The question popped into her mind before she could quash it. Kendall wasn’t even tempted to voice this unwanted jolt of reality, so far out of bounds of this playful discussion. The thought was another cliff, but when she crashed into the bottom of this one, Daxon wouldn’t be waiting.
Plus, she had no right to bring this up, to push him. He was free to make his own choices, just like everyone else. The warm wind blew strands of hair in her face, despite the tight ponytail she had fastened. She closed her eyes and pushed her worries out of her mind. Instead, she found a different question, one she had been thinking about ever since the Costa Rica trip.
“I read about how you started the Pure Adrenaline videos,” she said. “About wanting to experience life in the moment. I think you even quoted Sartre.”
Daxon groaned. “I’ll never live that interview down. God, what a pompous ass I come off as.”
She gave him a skeptical glance. “You did call your stunts existentially enlightening.”
He laughed. “Aaah, you memorized my words.”
“You would see it that way.” She took another bite of her sandwich.
“Absolutely.” Daxon’s smile faded. “Seriously, that guy was out to make me look like a fool, but it’s my fault I took the bait. He kept pushing me about why anyone in their right mind—his words—would want to do high-risk stunts.”
“So you’re not after existential enlightenment?”
“I detect some judgment in that question,” he said, humor dancing in his voice. “Go ahead, judge away. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the person who’s supposed to help me recover from my injuries.”
Kendall frowned. Was she judging him? The truth was that she actually admired him. He had pushed himself to take risks, and even after years of raising the stakes in each Pure Adrenaline episode, he still hadn’t yet reached his breaking point.
“I’m not being judgmental, really,” she said. “I want to understand. Why do you take these risks, over and over again?”
“I do love the thrill of it, of course,” he said. “That existential awakening thing isn’t complete bullshit, even if it sounds like it.”
For a moment, Daxon’s smile faltered. “But I didn’t need the Pure Adrenaline show to do all that. I would’ve been happy rock climbing and sky diving and living out of my truck for years, with no one watching.”
He took a bite out of the baguette and stared down at the sand. He had put his sunglasses back on, and she wished that he would take them off so she could look in his eyes when he said this. But he didn’t.
“What changed?” she asked.
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “My mother got sick.”
Oh.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. Kendall wasn’t sure what she had been expecting him to say, but this definitely wasn’t it.
Daxon gave a little nod, but he didn’t say anything. She had basically cyber stalked this guy, read all the articles she could find on him, but she had never seen even a hint of this part of his story. In fact, it occurred to her that she knew nothing about his family. Did he have siblings? Where did his father fit in? She had been so caught up in the excitement of sex and fun that she hadn’t thought to ask.
She wasn’t sure if they were done with this topic, but after a while, Daxon continued.
“It took me a while to notice she was sick. I had dropped out of college, and I was just driving around to different locations, hanging out with other people doing the same thing. I’d come by her house from time to time, do my laundry, hang out with her for a few days and then leave again. I was getting some sponsorships, making enough money to eat and buy gas, but not much more.” Daxon sighed. “Even she didn’t know what was wrong for a while, either. She was just tired in the beginning. I guess no one really thinks of Parkinson’s at that age.”
Oh. Kendall had worked with some Parkinson’s patients back in school, so she had an idea of what that could mean. And just how hard it could be on families.
“How’s she doing these days?” she asked.
“Surprisingly well, though some days are better than others. It’s hard to tell how fast the illness will progress. And the medications seem to work well for her, which isn’t always the case.”
Kendall was trying to digest this story. She tried to picture a younger Daxon, living out of his truck and looking for the next big thrill. His mother’s illness could have made him reconsider high-risk stunts, but apparently he didn’t. Instead, he started filming them.
Daxon looked at her, his expression serious. “We had to face the fact that there would be a time when she would no longer be able to work, maybe soon. And then what? Disability doesn’t get you far. With my dad long out of the picture, well, I needed to figure something out. I’m a college dropout with a shaky work history, and I really don’t like to follow orders. I liked to push myself, test the limits. Not many people’s ideal job candidate.”
“Depends on what kind of job you’re looking for.” Kendall gave him a salacious wink. “I think Las Vegas is always looking for hot, fit men pushing limits with their endless endurance.”
Daxon chuckled. “I never considered that angle.”
She smiled. “And so you got creative.”
“And so Calvin got creative,” he said wryly. “He came up with the idea, he filmed it and got everyone in the community to boost it. I owe him a lot, though he has certainly made out well in all of this, too.”
“And now you have money,” said Kendall. “And the world is graced with videos of Daxon Miles doing half-naked stunts.”
He leaned over her and tickled her side. “Which you watched.”
She shrieked and scooted away. “I sure did.”
He scooped her up by her waist and put her down on her back, underneath him. He rested on his elbows, his bare torso pressed against her. His muscles flexed under his weight, seductively. Was he distracting her now, steering them away from the more serious territory they had treaded into?
Daxon leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers. “Pure Adrenaline has been a wild ride, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. Calvin has a great plan for making it more sustainable, long term...”
He pulled off his sunglasses and set them aside, then stared down at her. His eyes were so serious now. What kind of future was he planning? One with fewer risks, with lower consequences?
“We’re going to use my free solo of Moonlight Buttress to make the El Capitan climb bigger, far beyond YouTube.”
The words shattered that crystal of hope into shards, tearing at her in new places inside. Of course he wasn’t going to stop doing high-consequence stunts. No matter what happened between them this week, she knew how this worked long term. Her parents had fought about her father’s job for years, but he didn’t stop until his arm was crushed...and he was lucky that he got out of it alive. She had known all this when she said yes to this whole slippery slope of intimacy with Daxon.
Stop worrying and just enjoy the goddamn day.
Daxon looked lost in his own thoughts, too, but then he lowered his head for a warm kiss. “Fuck. I really like this position.”
She untangled her hands from his hair. “It’s hot. I think we need a swim to cool off.”
His eyes widened, hazy with lust, as she wriggled out from under him and stood up, brushing off the sand. They had a few more days for sex, but this was probably her only chance to skinny-dip with him. Kendall tugged off her tank top and shimmied out of her shorts, dropping them on the blanket next to Daxon. Next, she slipped the straps of her swimsuit off, and her breasts bounced out. She didn’t have to look to know he was watching her as she pulled it down her thighs. She bent over, giving Daxon a show, then headed for the water.
“You coming?” she called over her shoulder.
After a moment, his voice came, rough and full of humor. “Hell, yes.”
So she took off, her feet digging into the sand. The water was clear, the bottom sandy, so she ran in, splashing everywhere. It got deep quickly, so she dived under the cool water, closing her eyes. Hawaii was amazing. After living her life next to the foggy, frigid Northern California beaches, the warmth was a pleasure she couldn’t get enough of.
Kendall took another long stroke underwater and then came up for air. She found the bottom with her feet and turned around. Daxon was heading straight for her. He was a powerful swimmer, because of course he was. Mastering some stunt had probably required him to hone his skills from good to impressive. Was there anything this man wasn’t good at?
He caught up to her and stood, his body against hers. His hands came to her waist, and he pulled her against him, trapping his cock between them.
“I thought it would take a lot more convincing before you skinny-dipped,” he said, his mouth next to her ear. His lips closed around her earlobe.
Kendall laughed. “I’m not the famous YouTube phenomenon. No one cares if I’m caught naked on camera. You should be worrying about yourself.”
“Calvin would have a heart attack if he knew I was doing this.” He pressed his lips against her neck. “But right now, I don’t care.”
Her heart stuttered in her chest as his words sank in. The water was shoulder-deep, and she wrapped her legs around him, the waves lapping between them.
She brushed her lips against his. “You taste good.”
Her body slid against his, and his hands moved down, one on her back and the other on her ass, holding her against him. The water was warm, but his body was warmer. Every time the water slipped between them, she pressed herself against him again, trying to get closer. Their kisses were slow and deep as the thrill of the jump and the pull of their nearness turned into something more intense. Her breaths and his groans all mingled with the sounds of the water. It was incredible just to touch, just to feel every part of him. It was just the two of them, so light, so free, unattached to anything that existed on land.
A larger wave hit them from the side, splashing everywhere, and she pulled away, laughing, but he guided her back against him. He took his cock in his hand and lined it up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Slowly, he pushed in. Oh, Lord, the feeling of him inside her was like nothing else. She couldn’t get close enough to him, the water winding between their bodies, keeping her away from that sweet friction of his skin against hers.
His hands were on her hips, and his cock was filling her in slow thrusts, the water setting the pace. He smiled at her, his gray-green eyes sparkling like the ocean around them, full of warmth and wonder. The sun beat its languid heat down on her shoulders as he slid in and out of her. This was heaven. It was a whole new kind of sex, not goal-oriented. Each thrust, each tightening of her legs around his hips, wasn’t just one step toward an orgasm. It was simply an exquisitely pleasurable moment. And another. And another. Floating in the warm water with Daxon’s body pressed against hers, his cock slowly moving inside her, turning her insides into liquid the way only he seemed to be able to do: each of these moments was worth the risk of whatever came in the future.
The intensity in his eyes was growing, and he opened his mouth, like he was about to say something, something serious and beautiful. Something she wasn’t sure she could keep in perspective right now, with her heart so full and free. So she pulled him close and whispered in his ear, “I think I’m done swimming now.”
He nodded against her but didn’t let her go. Kissing the top of her head, he turned and started toward the shore. The water got shallower, revealing her ass. She was left clinging to him, naked and still with his cock inside her, so she unwrapped her legs. He gave her a playful smack on her rear before easing her back into the water. Laughing, she turned around, and he placed his hands on her hips, keeping her close as they start walking toward shore.
“I can’t believe we’re still alone on this beach,” she said over her shoulder. “How long do you think that will last?”
He grinned. “We’re about to find out. What are your feelings about getting caught?”
Kendall’s heart kicked up another notch. She had never considered herself an exhibitionist, but today was all about risk, wasn’t it?
“I don’t know,” she said, biting her lip. “I guess I’m willing to see where this takes us.”
Daxon laughed. “I’m pretty sure I know where this will take us, with or without spectators.”
His body brushed against her as she came out of the water and walked across the beach, to the sliver of shade underneath the rocks. The soft blanket lay, waiting. Was this whole scenario going exactly as planned, the way that he seemed to plan so carefully for everything else? Or were there parts of today that were just as much a wonder to him as they were to her?
He came to a stop in front of the blanket, and she pressed her body against his for a slow, deep kiss. His skin was wet and salty from the ocean, and her fingers glided over his muscles, warm and hard and so satisfying.
She kissed his jaw, then his lips, opening for more. His tongue swept over hers, and he rocked his hips with the same thrust. If the water was about languid pleasure, this was about hunger and satisfaction. His cock was hard against her belly, and his groans were deep, resonating inside her. She dug her fingers into the muscles of his arms, testing the resistance, and he let out a deep growl as he thrust his hips hard.
“We’ve got to lie down, sweets,” he grumbled. “I’m losing my mind here. I need to lick your pussy.” She shuddered at the erotic image of watching him pleasure her.
Kendall looked up into his eyes and smiled. “I love being what you desire, hearing all the things you want to do to me.”
His eyes narrowed, sparkling with mischief, and he tickled her sides, sending her into a fit of laughter. “Good. Because it’s about to get a hell of a lot dirtier.”
They tumbled onto the blanket, a tangle of legs and arms, clumsy and yet unbearably sexy. She lay back as he propped himself over her, his hard muscles straining. He bent down and brushed his lips over hers, kissing her neck.
“I want to lick and suck and devour your body,” he rasped, moving lower. “I want you to come so long and hard and good that you never forget what it’s like when we’re together.”
She gasped in a shaky breath as his words hit her. He didn’t want her to forget him. Ever. But before that thought could gain momentum, his mouth descended on her breast, just as his fingers brushed between her legs and all rational thought left her.
“Oh God, Dax,” she cried as his teeth raked over her nipple.
He shifted lower, kissing a trail down her belly. “You can say that as much as you want.”
He rested his hands on her thighs and looked up and down her body with that intense stare he had. “I want to get you all worked up and make you feel good. But I’m not gonna let you come. I’m going to make you wait until my cock is deep inside you.” His words were like a tuning fork vibrating in her body, pitch-perfect, resonating deep inside. “Tell me now if you want the condom.”
