Arranged (Dare to Dream Book 2) Read online

  Chapter Twelve

  WELCOME TO ANTIGUA MR. AND MRS. ANDREWS

  “Antigua?” I gaped at Sam.

  “You said you loved the beach.”

  “I do. This is amazing, Sam! Thank you.”

  “No need to thank me. It’s my pleasure. Ready to go?”

  “Yes,” I exclaimed. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, making every fiber of my being vibrate with exhilaration. I hopped from one foot to another, unable to contain my excitement.

  Next thing I knew, we were whisked from the airport and dropped off at a dock where a boat was waiting for us.

  “Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews. We’re so happy you are joining us. We’ll have you over to the island in about fifteen minutes. Please, come aboard.”

  The breathtaking sight before me left me speechless. I stared at the crystal clear, aqua-blue water, having to pinch myself because I felt like I was in a dream. Sam wrapped his arms around me from behind.

  “I never thought I’d see you at a loss for words, Mrs. Andrews.” He chuckled.

  Still silent, I turned toward Sam, hugging him fiercely. He responded, not saying a word either. After a moment, I lifted my head off of his chest, wanting to look him in the eye as I said what I needed to say.

  “You have no idea how much this means to me, Sam. Thank you for spoiling me. Thank you for making me feel special. No one has ever made me feel as special as you.” I leaned up to kiss him tenderly on his mouth.

  “You should always be made to feel special, Sydney. Don’t ever settle for anything less.”

  We arrived at Jumby Bay Island and were promptly brought to our private residence.

  “Wow! Is this really where we’re staying for two weeks?”

  “For one week. We’ll be heading to another destination for week two.”

  “I don’t know how you’ll ever get me to leave here.”

  The home was situated on over an acre of land, where an L-shaped infinity pool looked like it was part of the crystal-clear sea. We had our own private beach, enough rooms to have brought our families with us, and privacy for what felt like miles. The master bedroom was upstairs, overlooking the sea, with a private gazebo that would be perfect for watching the sunset. Our bags were brought in and all of them placed in the master suite, which I, of course, did not mind. If I was going to play the role of Sam’s wife, I would make this the act of my life. I’d win an Oscar by the time I was through.

  “Mr. Andrews, the chef will arrive at six thirty to prepare your dinner. Is there anything else you need?”

  “No, I think we’re all set. Thank you.”

  “Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything. There are two golf-carts in the garage, for you to utilize while you are here. They’re a fun way to get around and explore the island.”

  “That sounds wonderful. Thank you again.”

  Turning toward me, Sam asked, “What would you like to do first, Mrs. Andrews?”

  “I’d like to get in my bathing suit and head to the beach,” I replied excitedly.

  “Then let’s get ready for the beach.”

  Up in the master bedroom, our belongings were being unpacked by one of the staff. She graciously disappeared so I could get ready for the beach. I found my bikini in the top drawer of the dresser, along with my cover up and hat. I grabbed them and walked into the master bathroom. Holy cow, this place was like something out of a movie. A white freestanding tub stood at the back of the bathroom, open to a water feature and the outdoors. I could definitely see myself soaking in there later today.

  When I arrived back downstairs, Sam was already there, standing by the pool and looking out at the sea. He looked like a Greek God with the light sea breeze blowing softly through his blonde hair.

  “There you are. I was beginning to think you had gotten lost.”

  “I almost gave up the beach for that amazing tub.”

  “Ah, yes, it’s a pretty amazing tub. You’ll have time for that later. Ready?”

  Hand in hand, we strolled down to the beach. Two chairs, towels, an umbrella, and an iced bottle of champagne were waiting for us.

  “Welcome to your honeymoon, Mrs. Andrews.”

  I smiled up at him.

  “Up for dip?”

  “Absolutely.”

  We walked into the water. It was surprisingly refreshing, the cool temperature a wonderful contrast to the humidity. Sam splashed me playfully before totally submerging me under the water.

  “Sam.” I giggled as I came up for air “You’re supposed to let people get used to the water before you try to drown them.”

  Splashing him back, I started a water war. Ten minutes later, both of us soaked and exhausted, I surrendered.

  “I’m holding up my white flag. I can’t take any more,” I proclaimed.

  “Giving in so easily? I thought you had more umph than that, Mrs. Andrews.” He threw his head back, laughing.

  Before he knew what hit him, I lunged at him, taking him completely off guard and submerging his head under the water. He was quick to recover, grabbing my wrists and pulling me down under with him.

  “Truce! Truce!” I gasped around the words, laughter spilling between us.

  “Ah, I see—you can dish it out, but you can’t take it, Mrs. Andrews.” The close proximity of our bodies turned our playfulness into something more seductive. I felt my nipples harden in an instinctual response. Sam still had a hold on my wrists. Pulling me closer to his chest, he dipped his head, taking my mouth with his.

  “Tell me to stop and I’ll stop,” he whispered.

  “I don’t want you to stop.” I moaned, the sudden rush of desire swamping any momentary thoughts of caution.

  He groaned as he recaptured my mouth with his. Need swept through me as I melted into his mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he pressed his body closer to mine. His lips slid from my mouth down to my neck. I threw my head back to give him further access, desperately wanting him to continue his descent down my body. He fondled my breast. I groaned. Tearing the small triangle of fabric away from my body, he exposed my breast, and dipping his head, he drew my nipple into his mouth. His tongue swirled effortlessly around the throbbing peak. I moaned as he sucked vigorously. Moving the other piece of fabric, he uncovered my other breast, teasing the heated bud between his fingers.

  “Sam.” I panted my desire, not caring that anyone might be watching, or even that it was broad daylight and we’d both started this journey with good intentions to keep it all strictly platonic. Nothing mattered except the sensory overload that demanded everything he had to offer me.

  He continued his dominion over my breasts, and my body quivered with need. He slid his hand into my bikini bottom, fingering the bare flesh between my legs. Soaked with want, I was on the edge of the abyss.

  “Sam, please…” I groaned, reaching for the release I knew was waiting just out of reach.

  “Please what, Mrs. Andrews?” He breathed into my ear.

  “I can’t hold on any longer.”

  Sam’s fingers plunged deeper inside me. His mouth came down on my nipple. I arched back, wanting more of what he had to give. His teeth clamped down on my nipple, pulling with expert torment as I slid over the edge into the abyss.

  He adjusted my bikini top, kissed me on the lips, then pulled me into his arms.

  “You are an absolute treasure, Sydney.”

  I hugged him tight, trying not to let my emotions get the best of me. I reminded myself once again not to look further, that the here and now was all that mattered.

  “I could say the same about you, Mr. Andrews,” I admitted shakily, relieved that the physical reaction to his caresses would easily explain the breathlessness that was equally the result of my emotional tangle.

  We stood wrapped in each other’s arms for a long time. I didn’t know what Sam was thinking, but for me, I knew in that moment that I had fallen in love with Sam Andrews. Knowing that truth, I realized it was a clear confirmation that my heart
would be broken at the end of this arrangement. I would not come out of this unscathed. In fact, I’d be worse off emotionally than I had been for the last two years. I admonished myself, having to remind myself that I had opened this door when I decided to live in the moment. Pushing any thoughts of the future aside, I released myself from Sam’s hold. Taking his hand in mine, I pulled him toward the beach, where our chilled champagne was waiting for us. We spent the next few hours lying under an umbrella, sipping champagne, talking about everything and nothing.

  The chef arrived promptly at six-thirty with two others, who I assumed were there to assist. Sam and I sat out back by the pool.

  “Tomorrow night, we’ll go out. I figured we’d be tired from traveling today so I had the chef come in.”

  “You were absolutely right. I’m happy to eat here and not have to fuss.”

  “Tomorrow, we’re snorkeling. I’ve chartered a boat to take us out. How does that sound?”

  “That sounds amazing. I can’t believe we’re here right now. From my pj’s, to being married, to Antigua. This is the kind of stuff you only find in fairy tales.” I grinned.

  Sam laughed his deep, sexy, throaty laugh that I’d come to adore.

  “I wouldn’t call me Prince Charming.”

  “I disagree with that. You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re smart, kind, consistent, and treat those you love amazingly well. You have all the qualities of Prince Charming.”

  “Except the happily ever after.”

  “Let’s just settle with happy for now.”

  Sam’s eyes filled with concern. “I’m afraid I’m going to let you down, Sydney. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

  I fidgeted with the hem of my dress, unable to continue looking at him. “I know. I came into this arrangement willingly, Sam. I knew there could be a chance we’d be intimate. I mean, I don’t know if you feel it like I do, but the chemistry between us is thick. You can cut it with a knife.”

  My eyes found his, wanting to see his expression when he responded to my words.

  “I’d be an idiot if I said I didn’t feel it.” His expression was serious, as if he struggled with wanting to say more but decided to hold back.

  “I’ve decided to be in the moment for once in my life. For the longest time, I’ve lived in fear and regret. I’m not doing that anymore. For a year, I get to be your wife, enjoy your company, and your body”—I winked playfully at him—“and at the end of the year, we’ll go back to our lives. No strings attached. I want to enjoy this time. I’ll pick up the pieces of my life after we divorce.”

  Still looking concerned, he reached across the table for my hand, rubbing the top of it with his thumb. “You really are amazing, Sydney.”

  “Well, you make it kinda easy for me.”

  “Mr. Andrews? Mrs. Andrews? Dinner is ready. I’ve set the table in the gazebo balcony upstairs off your room.”

  Sam stood, took my hand in his, and pulled me to my feet. He guided me to the master bedroom and stepped through the French doors, out to the balcony. The gazebo was filled with candles, their indulgent light dancing in the soft breeze.

  “This is stunning,” I murmured.

  “As are you.”

  He guided me to my chair, kissing the top of my head before taking his seat.

  We both soaked in the warmth of the weather and the magnificent view of the sea.

  “Have you been here before, Sam?”

  “No. I actually haven’t. Remember Melinda? You met her the night we flew to Miami Beach. She told me about it. She and her fiancée have been here. They were definitely right about this place. It’s majestic and romantic.”

  “Does any other part of the world actually exist?” Leaning forward, I chuckled. “You could totally forget about the rest of the world when you’re here. This is paradise.”

  “I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

  Our food arrived, which was delicious. The chef did not disappoint. He’d produced filet, lobster tail, and a medley of vegetables, all succulent and served appealingly on white dinnerware. We talked easily over the meal, laughing the majority of the time, and I wondered again at how easily we seemed to fit together. When dessert arrived, we are full of not only our dinner, but also the wine.

  “I don’t think I can eat another bite,” I exclaimed. But, when dessert was set in front of me, I had no problem digging in. No surprises there.

  “I thought you couldn’t eat another bite.” Sam raised an eyebrow, questioning me.

  “I don’t want to be rude and give the chef a complex by not eating it.” I grinned then popped another bite into my mouth.

  “Is that it?”

  “Yes, that’s it. Not to mention that this happens to be the best chocolate soufflé I’ve ever had. Want a bite?” I lifted the fork to an inch from his lips, and he smiled mischievously before opening his mouth.

  “Mmmmmm,” he said seductively, slowly opening his full, sexy mouth. I fed him the bite from my fork, his eyes glazed with need as they focused on mine. My lips parted instinctively, and I ran my tongue over my bottom lip. I felt the vibe in the air around us change.

  Chills ran up my spine as the air ignited between us. Sam took the fork from my hand, and gathering another bit of soufflé, he brought the mouthful to my lips.

  “Open, Mrs. Andrews.”

  I did as he asked.

  It felt wickedly tantalizing to have Sam feed me. I grinned, and he leaned forward, his sensuous mouth inches from mine.

  “Mrs. Andrews, it appears you have some chocolate on your lip. Let me help you get it off,” he said seductively before his mouth captured mine. Groans of delight escaped me. When he claimed my bottom lip between his teeth, my eyes flew open, and he stared greedily at me.

  “Perhaps you’re open to some of my…proclivities, Mrs. Andrews?”

  Pinpricks trickled down the base of my neck. “That depends on what they are.”

  “We’ll go slow,” he whispered as his mouth kissed my jawline. “If you say stop, I’ll stop immediately.”

  “Okay.” I breathed heavily, partly from a sudden rush of nervousness but also from an inexplicable surge of excitement. I was way out of my depth, but it seemed even that knowledge had a certain appeal, a kind of once-in-a-lifetime attraction that demanded complicity.

  Sam’s mouth was back on mine, kissing me hungrily. I responded with equal abandon, moisture building between my legs. He stood, breaking the kiss, and held out his hand for me to take. I did, completely lost in the sexy masculinity that was this man. His emerald-green eyes flashed with desire, triggering a wild response somewhere in the pit of my belly.

  “Get undressed,” he commanded quietly.

  Looking at him through hooded eyes, I peeled the spaghetti straps of my sundress slowly off my shoulders and let it fall in a pool around my feet. I stood before him in my wedge sandals and crotchless black panties, unashamed.

  “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Sam breathed heavily as he circled me. Like a predator stalking his prey. The thought released a shiver that traced up my spine.

  Taking my hand, he helped me step out of my dress. He turned my back to his chest as his hands grabbed both my breasts, his fingers pinching my nipples. I cried out in pleasure.

  “You like that, Mrs. Andrews?” he whispered huskily in my ear.

  “Yes,” I admitted, a small tremor confirming the truth of it.

  Sam squeezed my nipples harder as he pressed his hard manhood into my bottom.

  “Ahhhh,” I cried out.

  He slid his hands down the front of me and over my mound to the opening in my panties.

  “You’re drenched,” he murmured in my ear. “I love how wet you get for me, Sydney.”

  All I could do was moan as his fingers found their way between my folds. Sliding my legs further apart with his foot, he continued his wicked torture.

  “Bend over the chair, Sydney.”

  I did as he asked, exc
ited and nervous for what he had in store for me. With my legs spread wide, I leant over the front of the chair, shameless in my exposure to him. I felt his hands on my ass, softly cupping each cheek.

  “Exquisite.” His breath had slowed to almost panting, evidence of his arousal. “Now climb up on the chair.”

  Again, without hesitation, I did as he commanded. My knees were spread apart on the cushion of the chair, my arms braced on the back of it, and I knew I was slick with need. I heard Sam inhale swiftly.

  “You’re stunning, Sydney.”

  I couldn’t see what he was doing, since my back was to him, but I didn’t have to wait long to figure it out. He slid his tongue slowly between my folds. I groaned. My crotchless panties gave him ultimate access.

  “So delicious, Mrs. Andrews.”

  Ablaze with desire, my nerve endings were firing on all cylinders. He tortured me slowly with his tongue, licking and sucking, driving me to the edge but not letting me go over. When he slid his tongue slowly up my ass, I shivered.

  “We’re not going there just yet, but one day soon, I’ll have you there.”

  He licked and kissed leisurely up my back, then his hands suddenly wound in my hair, twisting it slowly. He tugged gently at my hair. He came around the back of the chair, his eyes full of desire and his hand still in my hair. Pulling back on it, he brought his mouth crashing down on mine. I so desperately wanted him inside me, but I knew he’d go slowly tonight, would dominate me every step of the way. I didn’t mind. As long as he was touching me, I’d willingly submit to him. Releasing my hair, he slid his arms around my back, and my arms went instinctively around his neck. He removed them, smiling wickedly at me.

  “No touching,” he admonished me. “Hands to yourself, Mrs. Andrews.”

  His mouth descended on mine again, our tongues swirling around one another’s, my lips swollen from his touch. I felt him remove my arms from around his neck again. I groaned.

  “Mrs. Andrews, you’re not listening.”

  “Sam, please. I want to touch you.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yes.” I gasped, desperate to feed the tingling in my fingers that begged to feel him.

  “Not yet. Hands down by your sides. Don’t move them again.”