Broken Ex-Bully: Vacation Fling Romance Page 2
I’d planned to use my money for college, but after that day in the cafeteria, nothing else mattered except not being fat anymore. I used my savings for fat camp and nursing school. It was only a two-year degree, and the classes were less expensive than at a state school.
I said, “I flew to Arizona the day after graduation and spent the summer in fat camp, as it was thousands of dollars cheaper there than in California. Then I lived at home, finishing my associate’s at a community college, and started working.”
He put his hands in his back pockets as we passed an older couple who looked like they were comfortable with each other. “You’re quite a woman, Chloe.”
“I’m a hard worker. That doesn’t leave much time for fun.” I wished he would touch me again, so I held out my hand to hold as an offering. He took it, and for a second, all I heard was the waves splashing on the shore. “I almost didn’t come to Hawaii because I knew you’d be here.”
His face tightened, but he nodded. “I’m not the same person now that I moved out of my parents’ house and started doing my own things.”
I let him go and hugged my waist. It was time to thrash this out. My heart pounded. “You grew a heart, then?”
He massaged the back of his head. “No, but I realized their opinions were wrong. We can be with whoever we want, and a woman’s not supposed to just be arm candy.”
He’d gotten terrible advice, but it was typical of many of the kids at our school. I lowered my arms. “Your father told you that?”
He gently bumped into me. “My mother.”
I took his hand again, though I wanted more from him. “That’s horrible.”
He let out a breath. “I knew she wouldn’t approve of you, and I let that guide me. But that’s not an excuse for tossing a cheeseburger at you. And I don’t want to be like them.”
My eyes widened, and as I glanced at him, I wondered again what kissing him might be like. My cheeks heated at the thought. “That was my first memory of you.”
We headed into the palm tree area of the resort path, and he said, “I wanted to sit with you and eat. I was only thirteen, and I don’t remember a woman turning me on before you.”
In half my classes, he would turn and stare from two or three seats in front of me. He’d been a D student, so he sat closer to the teacher, but I had a hard time believing he’d been aching for me. However, I didn’t know much about men.
I swallowed and said, “Shut the fuck up.”
He held his hand up like he was swearing in court. “It’s true. I wanted you.”
I shook my head. “You said I was ugly.”
He spun me to a stop and held my sides. “I was lying to both of us.”
My fingers were close to his chest, and I pressed. He was all muscle. Damn. My skin quivered, and my lips tingled to kiss him as I traced his hard abs. “Well, that’s nice to hear.”
I let out a long breath and curled my fingers around his short dark hair. This might be my only shot, and if I kissed the man I’d loathed and now wanted, he would change me. I’d never been kissed by anyone. I closed my eyes and went to my tiptoes.
It was time. His lips met mine, and it was like I had heavenly melted chocolate in my mouth. The world disappeared around us. My only thought was that he was mine. I never wanted to let go.
As the kiss ended, I blinked and met his gaze. He held me tight, and I knew his pants blocked his ready dick. I was a jumbled mess and scooted away.
For a second, neither of us talked. Then he asked, “Why did you do that?”
We were getting closer to the hotel. Inside my stomach was all butterflies. “I wanted to know if you were worthy of forgiveness.”
He touched my back. “Did I pass?”
Perfect score. I laughed, and my body buzzed. I felt weak near him. As we returned to the fountain, I said, “Yeah, though we both know we’ll never be together.”
He winced like I’d slapped him. Then we stepped into the air-conditioned lobby, and my skin immediately cooled. When the door closed behind us, he said, “Let’s get back inside where you can dance with me.”
We walked together. I was full of confusion, and my head and heart seemed to be out of sync. The music had stopped. I paused outside the door and pointed behind me to a mostly empty room and no bartender. “I think the party’s over and we should turn in.”
His eyebrows bounced. “Is that an invite?”
Right. We weren’t in love or anything. And wanting a kiss was different from wanting to be his entirely, even though I knew that he wanted me too. Making up my mind, I shook my head. “No. I’ll see you tomorrow at the wedding.”
He walked me to the elevator bank but then waited next to me. “Looking forward to a full day with you.”
The doors opened, and he didn’t move. Sex couldn’t happen between us, even though I wanted to rip off his clothes. I waved. “Good night.”
I ran into the elevator, and once the doors closed, I held onto the bannister. I’d never been so tempted in my life, but there was no way I would just forgive and forget his behavior when he was younger. I would be better off if I avoided him and stuck to my original plan.
4
Renzo
Sunshine shone in my suite, so I knew it was morning. During the night, I’d kept replaying Chloe’s kiss. She tasted better than any other woman I’d ever tasted, and I wanted more.
I sneezed once as my mind sorted through the thoughts and told me exactly what it was I wanted. Chloe. She’d been the one I couldn’t have. That kiss had only been a taste test for her, but I needed to devour every inch of her.
I jumped up and got dressed for breakfast downstairs. It was my brother’s wedding day.
In high school, Chloe had been one of the first to get to homeroom or run fast in the halls between classes, while I strolled in at the last second. If she was still the same early bird, I’d get a chance to see her again at breakfast.
Five minutes later, I went down the elevator alone and headed to the buffet. If I was too early, I planned to stay and wait for her. However, the second I strolled inside, I spotted her near the window. I made myself a plate and headed straight toward her.
As I neared her, my skin grew alive. I stood above her. “Good morning.”
She put her coffee cup down and smiled at me. “I didn’t think I’d see you till the wedding.”
I held my tray up. “I was hungry. Can I sit?”
“Of course,” she said, and I took the seat opposite her. In the morning sun, her skin had a glow to it. Being near her made my entire body hard and ready. I sat and sliced into my eggs.
She buttered her bread. “Did you do anything after I went to bed?”
I winked at her. “Nope, just think and dream of you.”
We ate a few bites in silence. Breakfast was a start, but I needed to figure out how to get her to come to my hotel room.
When she finished her Hawaiian bread, she ate a piece of pineapple. “To be honest, I dreamed of you too.”
I finished my bite and put my silverware down. “So why didn’t we—”
“I’m a virgin.” She gazed at her plate, blushing. I swallowed, unsure how to respond. Then she took a deep breath and said, “I hadn’t kissed anyone till yesterday, and I want… to wait… till I’m in love.”
Fuck. In high school and in college, I’d been active, though no one special came to mind. I picked up my coffee and sipped. Once the bitter taste was in my mouth, I asked, “Seriously?”
She bounced to her feet and brushed my hand. “Yeah. Look it’s time to dress for the wedding. See you there?”
Her being a virgin who wanted to wait made her different. I smiled. “Of course.”
But as she walked away, I had the urge to rip her shorts off and slide inside her. I didn’t care who saw us. Once she left, I finished my coffee and wondered if I could stay away from her. I had nothing to offer her but a good time, which wasn’t what she wanted, so I returned to my room and decided not to pursue her. She would be too dangerous.
I showered, cleaned up, and put on my black tuxedo. A noon wedding with an all-day open bar and Hawaiian luau in the evening meant a long day spent near Chloe. I would stay near my family to keep my lust in check.
I headed into the ballroom, which had a balcony that had been transitioned to a chapel overlooking the ocean, with a wedding gazebo decorated with pink silk. Seats adorned with orchids formed an aisle for the bride and groom to walk down.
At the back, on the bride’s side, sat Chloe. Her blue dress clung to her. Instead of heading to the front, I scooted to her row and took a seat next to her.
The air around me was tinged with desire. I said, “You look amazing.”
She shrugged and smiled. The pink gloss on her lips made her even more beautiful. “I’m excited to see my best friend and the man she loves say their vows.” More guests came in and found seats. She pointed to the other side. “Don’t you need to sit up front with family?”
I put my hand behind her chair and inched closer to her. She was magnetic. “The Dawes family is all fucked-up anyhow, and I want to be with you.”
She sucked on her bottom lip, and some of the gloss lessened. Then she sighed. “Sounds hard. I’m glad I know more about you now, as it makes high school easier to forgive.”
My heart raced. I wanted to taste her coconut-vanilla lotion on my tongue. “Yeah. You’ve driven me completely wild. All I want is to have a do-over of every class and interaction we had together for those four years.”
Her face turned bright red.
Damn, she drives me fucking crazy. Maybe we were a bad idea. I’d convinced myself she was the one I’d risk anything to possess, including my heart, but my resolve was shrinking.
She swallowed and moved closer. “We can’t. Can I ask you a question?”
I needed to taste her again. My stomach fluttered. “Sure.”
Her knees pressed into mine. “How come you and your brothers all have very Italian names but your last name is Dawes?”
Our dark hair and long noses didn’t match the last name either. I winked at her. “My mother’s Italian. It was her way of keeping us connected to her family, and her father showed my father how to run a business.”
She stared up at me. I was hard and needed her. She only said, “Interesting.”
I leaned closer, and her eyelashes fluttered closed. Then our lips met, and I didn’t care if that gloss stayed on me all day. She was mine.
As the kiss ended, I guessed there were more guests coming in to get a seat. We had time to be alone for a few minutes. I whispered in Chloe’s ear, “Come.”
We stood up and headed out the door. She said, “The wedding is going to start soon.”
“We’ll come right back.” I needed to be inside her. I’d never wanted anyone like her, and it was time to find out why.
5
Chloe
I held Renzo’s hand and forgot myself. In the chapel, people had seen us kissing, and my mouth still quivered. In a few minutes, the couple would arrive, and the wedding would start. But I was all nerves and quivering with needs I didn’t understand.
Renzo found a door and checked inside. We didn’t have much time. “In here.”
A closet would have been fine as a place to make out in for a few minutes, but as I stepped in, I saw counters and chairs and guessed that this was the bride’s or the groom’s pre-wedding chamber.
Tension ratcheted up my spine, and I shook my head. “I’m sure this is for someone in the wedding.”
He flipped the lights off and locked the door. My heart hammered. He said, “I just want a moment alone, without prying eyes.”
I nodded and held my breath, and tingles rushed through me as those sexy lips of his came closer. Then I pressed my hand to my heart. “Me too.”
He wrapped his arms around me and claimed another life-altering kiss. He tasted like heaven. I forgot everything else except his hands on my hips.
Between kisses, he said, “Sit here.”
I let out a sigh and sat down on a chair. “I planned to avoid you, but now I can’t get enough.”
“Likewise.” His lips melded with mine.
I sighed as his skin on mine woke up every cell. “Don’t stop.”
His hands inched up my dress. I kept my legs around him and held his head. I didn’t care. I was his. I wanted him. Always.
He reached behind me and unzipped my dress. I touched his powerful chest and gazed at him. He said, “Should we wait till after…?”
“Don’t tease.” I swallowed a protest that might ruin the moment and curled my hands in his short hair. “I want you.”
He unzipped my dress and only stopped making out with me when his lips went lower. My neck trembled. He sucked on my nipple, and I moaned.
His lips curved into a smile. “You like that?”
This was magic. I was his. “Damn.”
“I thought so,” he said and continued sucking on my nipple.
I arched to let him. He was the only man I’d ever wanted like this. An urge inside me grew.
His fingers tugged off my panties, and my heart raced. This was it.
He teased my core. “What about this?”
He'd found my on button. I could hardly see. I was trembling and aching to be his. I breathed fast. Then he unzipped his pants. I gazed down. His cock was bigger than I’d imagined.
As a nurse, I’d seen flaccid, nonthreatening dicks, but now I understood what a hard one looked like.
Damn. He slid into me, and I was ready. I closed my eyes and let the wave of pleasure settle. “Oh my…”
I’d read that the first time there might be pain, but that wasn’t me. I lost my ability to think. It was like I’d died but my body continued thrusting and aching with desire.
My mind was far away, in a dream, but I held on as an orgasm started.
A knock on the door caught us both off guard, and he stopped as a voice asked, “Is someone in there?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but he squeezed my hand and said, “Shh.”
True. He was still inside me, and I didn't want anyone coming in. Renzo continued pushing inside me, and I lost myself. My climax came as his did, and I was a bundle of nerves that quivered with happiness.
It was short-lived as we heard the door jiggle. We jumped up, and I fixed my dress. He pushed my panties into his tuxedo pocket. As the doors opened, I saw that my lipstick was all smeared on his cheek.
I hid behind his shoulder as he said, “Thank you for opening the door. We got locked in.”
A man’s voice said, “Right.”
Renzo put his arms around me, but I kept my head down. He led me out, saying, “We’ll head back to our seats now.”
I wiped his cheek and hoped my lips and eyeliner hadn’t been destroyed. We passed a mirror in the hall, and I dabbed and cleaned my face. He stood behind me and ensured that no one saw me. I squeezed his arm, and we took our seats. But nothing we did changed the fact that I smelled like him.
As the music started, and everyone’s eyes went to the door, I whispered, “We shouldn’t have.”
He kissed my hand. “Yes, we should have.”
I saw the groom’s family standing and patted his chest. “No. Look, let’s just be friends. Go sit with your family.”
He shrugged. “I want to stay with you.”
One of his brothers waved for him. I refused to destroy their family. “We’ll see each other at the reception. Go sit with your brothers for now.”
He didn’t blink. “Chloe—”
“Go.” We never should have done this. I took his hands to my chest and said, “I’ll be okay. I’ll be right here.”
He kissed my cheek. “I’ll find you in an hour.”
“Goodbye,” I said and knew this was the last time we’d ever be together. Our lives were too different and always would be.
6
Chloe
The wedding brought tears to my eyes. Mirabelle gazed at her husband. When they took hands, they acted like they were all alone.
The minister spoke about love, and for one moment, I wished Renzo and I were the ones getting married. It was a crazy thought. Until the previous day, I would have sworn I hated him. My core still quivered, and it wasn’t because I hated him.
But there was no way we’d be more than a fling. And it was impossible that he’d ever want more than that with me. Hate didn’t just become love. And besides, Renzo wasn’t a guy I should even have feelings for.
I cleaned myself better in the bathroom of my hotel room and put on a fresh set of panties and my cream-and-orange dress. The shower hadn’t quite removed his scent from my skin, but in a way, I’d cherish the remaining memory. I was going to relive those moments for a lifetime.
I headed downstairs to the reception before my friend noticed I was missing. The wedding guest had already found seats in the ballroom at round tables. I found my name and headed to table twenty-two.
However, halfway to my seat, a familiar warm arm caught me, and I didn’t even try to leave his muscular frame as he said, “There you are.”
We were dangerous together. I glanced up at him and remembered how his lips had made me forget myself. “As promised. The wedding was beautiful.”
He led me to the bar. “It might have been if I’d stayed with you.”
I trembled as he let me go. Once I’d ordered my pinot grigio and we were alone again, I said, “I’d like for us to be friends.”
The bartender gave us our drinks and left. Then Renzo placed his hand on my hip and said, “I hoped we could be more.”
I sighed as memories of how I’d lost all my senses in his arms replayed in vivid color in my mind. But I picked up my drink and shook my head. “We… can’t. I’m sorry.”
The music started, and I assumed the bridal party was about to make an entrance. Renzo asked, “Can friends dance?”
I narrowed my eyes. He didn’t look like he’d gone to his room at all. I put my hand on my hip and asked, “If I get my panties back.”