Alex & River (Bishop Family Origin Book 1), page 12
“You were saying?” he asks against my mouth.
“Don’t be a smartass.” I can’t help but smile and chuckle against his lips.
“Just felt like you needed a reminder of last night, ya know, in case you’d forgotten.” He releases his hold on me but slides one hand down the length of my arm and threads my fingers with his.
“Uh, no. I actually have a great memory, so I don’t forget much at all,” I retort, remembering every inch of his hard, sweaty body against mine.
“Good to know. Well, I’ll just come out and say it then. I had a real fucking good time last night, and I’m pretty sure you did, too. In fact, I know you did, several times. I’d hate for us to stop hanging out, because like I said, last night was a fuckin’ good time. So if you plan to spend the rest of the week playing hard to get, I’d just like to know so I can make sure we’re on the same page. Otherwise, we can go ahead and continue where we left off last night.” He winks, brushing his fingers across my bare arms, causing goose bumps to cover my skin.
Swallowing hard, I try to steady my racing heartbeat. I should’ve known a guy like Alex Bishop wasn’t going to let me off easy, especially with the way I kicked him out this morning.
“Trust me when I say I’m not the girl you want.” I’m trying to convince him, or maybe myself, but either way, he doesn’t let me continue. His finger reaches up and softly covers my mouth, stopping me.
“You don’t know what I want, River.” His voice is low and sincere, but his demeanor is serious as he searches my face. “And you’re wrong.”
All the words I wanted to say to him disappear with a single breath, and I’m left speechless. I’m insanely attracted to him, there’s no doubting that, but the last time I allowed myself to get caught up in a guy is the very reason I’m here on this vacation—to escape the drama men seem to bring into my life.
“You can’t deny there’s something between us—a connection. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I felt it the first time I saw you, and if my instincts are right, you did too.”
I nod in agreement but don’t offer him anything else just yet.
“But if I go back to Texas knowing I didn’t try my hardest with one of the prettiest and most stubborn women I’ve ever met, I’ll live to regret it. And I’m sorry, darlin’, but I don’t like to regret anything in my life. So, as I said, we can go about this the hard way or the fun and easy way. I’m even willing to play all the games you want, but we’re runnin’ out of time here. So I’m going out on a limb and cutting to the chase.” He tilts my chin, so our eyes are locked. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that first time we met, so while we’re both here, why don’t we explore this connection we have?”
My heart beats rapidly in my chest, and I feel like I’m dreaming because his words are perfect—a tad too perfect. I’m tempted to pinch myself just to make sure I’m not. Being my typical logical and cynical self, I can’t help but have questions and concerns. But just as I get ready to voice them, I dig deep and ask myself, what do I have to lose?
Nothing.
“Please say something, River,” he demands.
“I’m sorry. It’s just… I need a little bit of time to think about this. I’ve been burned before, and I can’t just jump into your bed because you’re good-looking and say all the right things at the right time with that damn accent. It’s all confusing to me,” I blurt out, needing to catch my breath. “It’s like there needs to be rules or something, but how can there be rules when we only have days left of our vacation? Oh God. Now I’m rambling. I’m making this more difficult than it needs to be, aren’t I? Like always. Spoiler alert?”
Alex cracks up, a sound I could actually get used to hearing.
“I like rules, sweetheart. How about this? I’ll promise to always make sure you come first. When you beg to be fucked harder, I won’t hesitate for a minute. But I’ll also take you out because I’m not a complete asshole. I’d love to go out and explore the city together. No strings attached, just fun.”
“Just fun?” I confirm, my brows rising.
He nods. “And to be fair, you haven’t jumped into my bed…yet. But I can check my schedule for tonight.” The smile on his face grows as the heat hits my cheeks.
Instinctively, I bite my bottom lip while last night replays in my mind. I could do just fun, right? I mean, I’ve never done casual before, but Alex sure makes it sound really good.
“I’m not asking for marriage here. Just a week together. Then we can go our separate ways and continue living our lives with only the memories we made. I can guarantee you’d enjoy making memories with me, darlin’. This sizzling tension between us is electric, and if we don’t get each other out of our systems, we’re both going to explode,” he adds, just as a couple of drunk people stumble close to us on to the beach, invading our privacy.
“This fucking sand is so hard to walk in,” the whiny girl complains as the guy she’s with falls down laughing.
“Babe! Babe! Help me up. Dammit. I think there’s sand in my underwear.” The guy holds out his hand, but she’s not strong enough to lift him and tumbles onto his chest. I hear lips smacking together and clothes rustling, and I turn my head away from them. I’m somewhat thankful for the interruption because my head is in overdrive right now.
“I think that’s our cue to go,” I tell him, stepping farther away from the couple.
“I’ll walk you to your room.” He wraps his arm around my waist, holding me close as we head toward the hotel. Just as we walk into the lobby, I see a brown-haired girl hanging off Dylan’s arm, but he doesn’t look happy about it.
“There you are.” Dylan huffs. “I’ve been texting you because I forgot my keycard,” he says to Alex.
“Sorry. I’ve been busy,” Alex tells him, nodding toward me.
“Hey, River.” Dylan acknowledges me with a smile and a head nod.
The woman looks me up and down, but then she smiles wide when she notices how close Alex and I are standing to each other. “Hi, I’m Jessica.”
“River,” I reply.
Alex hands Dylan the card, and we all ride the elevator together. I have to hold my laughter back when Dylan tells Jessica his head hurts and he’s going to call it an early night. The elevator stops at their floor, and the two of them exit together, but I have a feeling she won’t be staying long.
“Did he really just use the headache line?” I ask, laughing.
“Totally did, but she’s persistent, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she pulls some extra-strength Tylenol out of her purse then tries to ride him like a bull.”
The elevator stops on my floor, and Alex walks me to my door. Before leaving, he places a soft kiss on my lips. “Think about it, okay?”
I smile and nod.
“Have a good night, River. Sweet dreams.” He winks, leaving me breathless.
“Night.” I scan my keycard, and once I’m inside, I lean against the door, my legs feeling like jelly as I slide down.
What the actual hell just happened?
My mind is racing, and I need to talk my thoughts out with someone. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I text Natalie and make sure to give her a dose of her own medicine.
River
Nat. I’m back at my room. Can you meet me here? It’s really important.
Natalie
I’ll be right there. Give me a few minutes.
I change back into my comfy clothes and sit on the edge of the bed. The room service menu is still open from when I ordered dinner earlier, and if I’m going to really think about Alex’s offer, I’m going to need reinforcements. I decide to get the double chocolate cake I passed on before. After calling in my order, I lie flat on the bed and stare up at the ceiling, letting my mind wander to all kinds of places. Twenty minutes pass, and when I hear a knock on the door, I fly off the bed to answer it. However, I’m shocked when I see it’s room service with my dessert instead of Natalie.
Sitting on the couch, I cross my legs, and before I can take a bite of the most heavenly chocolate cake I’ve ever seen, there’s another knock on the door. Dammit, it better be Natalie this time. I open it, and she’s standing there with a giant red drink, and I swear a whole pineapple is stuffed inside.
“What the hell? Did you have to crawl here or something? What took you so long?” I scold her before realizing how tipsy she is already.
“Sorry,” she slurs, stepping inside the room. “Adam distracted me, and then I had to wait forever for my refill.”
Shutting the door behind her, she follows me to the bed.
“I was about to send the search team out for you,” I tease, deciding to let her off the hook.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, knowing damn well what she did to me earlier.
I give her a smile. “I’m fine. But you deserve a mouthful right now after setting me up like that.”
Laughing, she sets down her drink on the nightstand, then grabs my plate and proceeds to eat my chocolate cake.
“A mouthful of what?” She wiggles her eyebrows and smirks.
“Ew, no!”
“What?” She swallows the bite of cake down. “I was talking about this delicious cake.”
“Right.” I roll my eyes.
“Okay, I’m sorry I set you up, but I saw Alex in the lobby earlier and could tell he was looking for you before he went to the cabana. Whatever you two have is so obvious, and I knew if he could get one more opportunity to talk to you, he could help you see it, too.” She flashes a smile that tells me her plan was sincere, albeit manipulative. “Chemistry like that means the sex is bound to be out of this world,” she adds.
“Well…you’re right. I can’t deny there’s something there,” I say honestly. “He laid it all out for me and said we should have fun and basically get each other out of our systems because we enjoyed being with each other,” I explain to her, and the smile on her face grows wider.
“I like where this is going.” She nods her approval.
“That’s crazy though, right?” I ask, knowing I’m asking the wrong damn person right now. She’s totally Team Alex. “I just keep second-guessing it and thinking how wrong it’ll go.”
“Oh, honey. Casual sex is healthy,” she schools me. “In fact, you’re a nurse. You should know that.” She chuckles.
I roll my eyes but smile. “It’s the emotional stuff I’m struggling with, especially after Asshole. How do I just turn that off?”
“You do it like you do everything. You’ve gathered all the facts, and you know the expectations and outcome, which means there’ll be no surprises.” Her words are convincing, even though I don’t really need it. Being with Alex even for the week would be an experience of a lifetime. A very fun experience at that. “Hell, if I were single, and he was offering me no-strings-attached sex, I’d be naked the entire time and order room service between the sex marathon and sleep. In fact, the only time I’d see that beach is when my body was pressed up against that balcony window.”
I burst out laughing, my head falling back as I take in her words. I can’t deny how fucking great that all sounds.
“Let your inhibitions go, River. It’s just sex. That’s it. Fuck him out of your system, then go home and add the memories of it all to your rub club.”
I think about her words and really let them sink in. “See, that’s why I keep you around. You’re blunt with no filter.”
“I know! What would you do without me?” she asks, reaching for her drink and taking a sip.
“Have a full piece of cake left,” I tease.
“You love me! So you know what you’ve got to do, right?”
I nod with a smile. “I think I do.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ALEX
Dylan
We’re going out to find a bar and go dancing. Wanna join?
I shake my head at his dumb ass.
Alex
Guess that headache went away quickly.
Taking the elevator back down to the lobby, I decide to grab a drink from the cabana until they’re out of the room.
Dylan
Fuck you. Beer will solve that.
Alex
Beer Goggles. Good idea, man.
Dylan
Yeah, whatever. You comin’ or not?
Alex
Nah. Gonna grab a drink by the pool. Go have fun with the future Mrs. Hart.
Dylan
That’s not even funny! Damn, I thought you gettin’ laid would soften you up.
I blow out a breath of frustration.
Alex
Text me if you’re not coming back tonight so I don’t worry she’s kidnapped you.
Dylan
Yeah, I will.
Finding a seat at the bar, I order my usual and watch the people around me. Looking out at the water, I think about all the stuff I still want to do on this trip—jet skiing, snorkeling, parasailing. Lord knows I’m not risking Dylan in the water again. I’d love to do them with River, but now I’m overanalyzing everything I said to her and wondering if I pushed too hard.
I’ve never had to convince a girl to be with me, but maybe that’s why I’m so damn intrigued by her. She’s more than just a chase, and I know it would only be for the week, but fuck if she hasn’t consumed my mind since day one. But why wouldn’t she? Beautiful, intelligent, compassionate about her work. She’s the whole damn package.
And as long as I take my own advice and keep to the rules, what could possibly go wrong?
The sun has long set, but I walk down to the beach anyway. Lights from the hotel illuminate the beach just enough so I can see where I’m going. These views are stunning—something I’ll sure miss. Sitting on the white sand, I find it so peaceful out here. Most of the tourists are barhopping by now, but some of the hotel guests are still partying by the pool.
I stare out at the water for almost an hour before finally getting up to head back to my room. Adjusting my cap, I spin around and gasp when I see River standing there.
“Hi,” she says softly, tucking her hair behind her ears. She’s not wearing the sundress she was earlier but seeing her in leggings and the oversized sweater is pretty freaking adorable.
“Hey.” I take a step toward her. “What are you doing here?”
She blinks and lowers her eyes before looking up at me. She’s nervous.
“I was looking for you.”
Smiling wide, I reply, “Well, you found me.”
She swallows before inhaling a deep breath. “I was thinking you could maybe help me out with something.”
Confused, I furrow my brows and nod. “Sure.”
My eyes are drawn to her lips as she licks them. “What you said has me thinking that this trip is really a once-in-a-lifetime vacation for me, mostly because I work a lot and don’t travel much, but it’s made me realize I should take full advantage of it while I can.”
So far, I’m liking where this is going. “Okay?”
“So maybe you could help me accomplish a vacation bucket list?”
I tilt my head, encouraging her to continue.
“I’ve never had a one-night stand with a stranger I met on vacation, so I can mark that off.”
“Glad to have helped.” I chuckle.
“But maybe we could add more. Sex in a public place, skinny-dipping, sex on the beach, a threesome.”
“A threesome?” My eyes widen, shocked.
“Kidding!” She laughs, her smile reaching her eyes. “Well, just about the threesome. Not about the other stuff.”
Taking another step, I close the gap between us and cup her cheeks. “I’d be honored to help you fulfill a vacation bucket list, but on one condition.”
“What’s that?” Her big green eyes look up into mine, making me smile at how beautiful they are.
“I get to take you out. Sex with you is great, no doubt, but let’s make the most of this bucket list. Let’s go on adventures and experience as much as we can with each other. What do you think?”
“I think you have yourself a deal, cowboy.”
Grinning, I pull her lips to mine and devour her mouth. I slip my tongue inside and kiss her the way I’ve wanted to all damn day.
I reach down and grab her hand, leading her off the beach.
“Where are we going?”
“About to mark an item off that list.” I look over my shoulder and wink.
Luckily, there’s a little convenience store near the hotel, and when we step inside, I lead us directly down the aisle where the condoms are stored.
“A twenty-four pack, really?” She chuckles when I grab the largest box.
I press her against my chest and lean my mouth down to her ear. “Darlin’, I plan to fuck you against every possible surface, which means I need to stock up.” I wink, and she blushes. After I pay, I lead her back toward the beach.
Since it’s dark out and the hotel lights only hit certain areas on the sand, I look for a shady spot and walk us down to one of the empty lifeguard huts.
“Turn around,” I order, unbuttoning my jeans. She wraps her hands around a post and looks over her shoulder at me.
Fingering her leggings and panties, I pull them down to her ankles. “From now on, dresses or skirts only.”
She nods, grinning.
I grab a condom from the box and slide it over my erection that’s been hard since the moment she agreed to this arrangement of ours. Aligning our bodies, I grip her hips and pull them toward me. Dipping my head down, I taste her neck and kiss along her jawline.
