The Adventure of a Lifetime Read online

  When our dive box was empty, we just roamed throughout the reef. Time flew, and soon Luke was motioning toward the surface. We ascended slowly.

  “So what did you think?”

  “Oh my God, it was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. Thank you so much for taking me. It was just . . . I don’t even have words for it.”

  “You’re very welcome.” He chuckled. With a completely different tone he said, “There’s lots of things I want to show you—do with you.”

  “I’d like that, all of that.” Really? That’s my impression of a bad girl? I was an epic fail at this. I’d be lucky to get a peck goodnight on the forehead.

  We stopped by a local watering hole for lunch. We flirted the entire time. I decided to let Luke order something for me, so I could try the local and traditional fare. We ended up with meat pies, beet root, and milk shakes. I enjoyed hanging with the locals, who all seemed quite familiar with Luke.

  “Is she a good American root, Luke, or are you still trying?” I heard someone from behind us say. Luke stood up, casually walked over to him, and socked him across the face. He knocked him right out of his chair. Everyone cheered. The man got up, rubbed his chin, and promptly apologized to Luke. They shook hands, and Luke returned to sit beside me like nothing had happened.

  “What did he say?” I inquired, wanting to know what would cause him to punch a guy out.

  “Nothing a classy sheila like yourself needs to hear. Are you about done? I have another activity for the afternoon.”

  “Sure. I’m ready whenever you are.” I leaned in close to him and whispered in his ear as sensually as I could.

  “Right, then. Let’s not waste that.”

  We jumped into the Jeep and headed back to the villa.

  “Why don’t you go shower off. Meet me down by the beach when you’re done. All you’ll need is a towel.”

  I never showered so fast in my life. I threw on my black bikini from yesterday and grabbed my towel.

  He was waiting for me by the day bed. He had a bottle of wine, a bottle of something else, and was shirtless. My heart rate was quickly rising.

  “Lay down on the bed, on your stomach. It’s time for your afternoon rubbie,” he said as he handed me a glass.

  “Excuse me?” I giggled.

  “Massage. I’m going to give you a massage, right here by the water.”

  I didn’t say anything else, but downed the wine and quickly complied. He laughed and crawled up on the bed beside me. He grabbed the other bottle, which I now knew was massage oil and poured some on my back and his hands.

  “You just let me handle everything from here.”

  I nodded my head. I felt him start at my shoulders, slowly rubbing them with his strong hands. He was being gentle, but I could feel the strength behind them. He made circles down my back and stopped to untie my bikini top. “Okay?”

  “Do whatever you want. Anything you want. Please.”

  I felt him untie the strings, and his hands were on me again, so slow, moving farther and farther down. A soft sigh escaped my lips. I wanted him to keep moving down. He spent a few moments at the small of my back. I could feel all my tension leave. Any inhibitions I may have had were floating out to sea. He reached my bikini bottom.

  “When I said just a towel, I meant just come in a towel. Would you like me to turn around, and you can remove them and cover yourself up?”

  “No. Just take them off me.”

  He growled and slowly pulled them down my legs, his thumbs running against my inner thighs. It was agonizing. I wanted his hands between my legs. I parted them slightly. Then he was no longer on the bed. I felt very naked. I felt very vulnerable. But soon he was back, and he ran his hands up my legs. I could feel his breath as he reached my bottom.

  Luke began to rub my ass, grabbing it softly. Oh, please, move your hands down. As if hearing my thoughts, I felt his fingertips brush across my lips. He was suddenly straddling me. I felt no cloth between us, just skin. I was so wet for him now. Holy God, this was going to happen.

  He was touching everywhere on my body. I could feel all his manliness resting against my ass. All I wanted was for him to slam it inside me. I began to push myself against him, hoping to let him know I wanted him. I wanted him so badly.

  He flipped me onto my back in one quick motion, hovering over me, staring at me with lust-filled eyes. He leaned into me like he was doing a push up, our lips only inches apart. The sexual tension between us was impossible to resist. I ran my hands over his bulging muscles. I felt weak.

  “Cassie, I’ve never wanted a woman so badly. You’ve got me extremely toey.”

  “I . . . .” It was the only word he needed. He crashed his mouth to mine and slid his tongue deeply into me, forcing my lips apart. He tasted so sweet; I could only but surrender myself completely to him.

  Our kisses became frantic, and he removed himself from my mouth. He began to lick his way to my breasts. I arched my back so he had full access. He nibbled on them, kneaded them. I spread my legs for him, and he nestled between them. I heard a low growl rumble in his throat.

  He was rock hard and he began to move himself up and down my slick lips. I ground my hips against him, trying to maneuver him inside me, but he pulled away.

  He continued to lick his way along until he was completely going down under on me. He began to feast. He pulled my lips into his mouth and suckled them. I felt my legs shudder. He pushed them apart and held them there while he made small circles on my clit with his tongue. Then he shot his tongue inside me only to return to his previous motions. I could feel myself quickly inching toward an orgasm. It had been a very long time since a man had shown me any type of affection, let alone this. I moaned and grabbed his hair with my hands so he couldn’t stop.

  “Cassie,” he said against me. The vibration sent waves of pleasure through me. I needed him now.

  “Please, Luke. I want you so badly. Fuck me, please.” Again, it was all he needed. He slowly worked his way back up my body until his mouth was on mine again. He nestled himself between my legs, sliding just the tip between my folds. I ground my hips against him trying to force him to enter me completely, but he moved with me. The teasing was driving me insane. I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed his ass so he couldn’t pull away.

  I rocked back and forth, allowing more and more of him with each movement. Halfway there, he could no longer hold back. He slid himself completely inside. He groaned loudly. I wrapped my legs around his waist so he would go as deeply as possible. He was driving me wild. I ran my fingernails across his back and down to his ass. He grunted and pushed deeper. The feel of him was so intense.

  “Oh, Luke.”

  “You’re so beautiful.”

  He pulled out and faced me toward the ocean, on my knees. I grabbed onto the bed pole to steady myself as he entered me from behind. I felt him bite the back of my neck softly. I sighed loudly; it was driving me insane. I needed him to fuck me more.

  “I want you to see something as beautiful as you are to me,” he whispered.

  He slammed into me furiously from behind, while grasping my breast with one hand and holding my hips with the other. He used it to pull me against him harder. He was ravaging me. I wanted every second of it. Every inch of him. I screamed his name over and over again as I edged closer and closer. I had the amazing view of the ocean and the hottest guy ever driving into me. It took me aback that we were doing this right out in the open. But the whole situation was surreal. There wasn’t anything that could make it better. I was in heaven. Every cell of my body was on fire.

  He pulled out and threw me on my back again. He stared at me for a few moments. I was begging him with my eyes not to stop. He cupped my face and then let his fingers run along my chin. I twisted my fingers into his hair and pulled him closer. I softly licked his bottom lip and then began to kiss him deeply. The passion between us was overwhelming. He slid his hand around my waist and pulled my hips off the bed. He entered me again,
his movements slow and deliberate. He was making love to me now. His gaze never left mine.

  The breeze off the ocean cooled our bodies, but the heat between us rose. I could feel every inch of him inside me. Again, I was edging closer. I couldn’t hold myself back. I felt my orgasm wash over me, just like the waves hitting the sand on the beach beneath us, over and over again. I was in pure ecstasy. My walls tightened around him, and I felt him stiffen even more. He closed his eyes, thrust deep inside me, and his whole body shook as he came. He let out a deep groan and softly slumped on top of me. He held me close until our bodies were both completely relaxed. I ran my fingertips up and down his back lazily. There was no other sound, except the ocean and our breathing as it slowed.

  He rolled to the side of me and began to brush the hair from my face. He continued to play with it as he spoke to me. “You are the most incredible woman. Everything about you. You’re so beautiful. So beautiful. I don’t want today to end.”

  “Luke.” I didn’t know what else to say. I wanted to enjoy every second of what was happening. I didn’t want it to end, either. I watched as he reached down and grabbed the wine and glasses. I held them as he poured us each a full glass. He put his finger up, motioning me to hold that thought, and he pulled out a lightweight blanket. He proceeded to cover us and then snuggled in close to me. I gave him his glass, and we sipped wine and kissed for the next hour or so.

  “Luke, Jen’s going to be back soon. Not that I want to, but do you think we should get dressed?”

  “It’s probably a right good idea. Promise you’ll find time for me later.”

  “She has another shoot tonight, so I’m all yours.”

  “All of you?”

  “Yes, every bit of me. Any way you want me.”

  “I want you every way.”

  “Then I guess it’s a good thing we have the next three weeks, morning, noon and night.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  It’s how we spent the rest of my time in Australia—together. We had spent every day on some exotic adventure, and the rest of the time making love in some erotic way. I had never been with a man like him before, and I was positive I never would again. Saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest things I ever did, too.

  As we sat on the plane returning home, Jen grabbed my arm. “Are you sad?”

  “Nope.”

  “You’re not?”

  “Nope. I had the adventure of a lifetime. I’ll never forget it. Thank you for making me come with you.”

  She side-eyed me. “You deserved it. I had nothing to do with it. It was all you, and all of Luke. A lot. I knew you had it in you to be a bad girl.”

  After we arrived home, life was different for me. A year had gone by, and I still felt truly alive. I was open to anything. Which is why I had to make that phone call. This time, it was Jen who wouldn’t be able to say no.

  “Jen?”

  “Hey, babe, what’s up?”

  “We’re going on a road trip. Well, more like a plane trip.”

  “Oh, yeah? Where are we going?”

  “We’re going to Italy.”

  “We are?”

  “Yep. It’s time for another adventure of a lifetime.”

  Also from Author Christie A.C. Gucker

  The Cliff

  The closer we got to the cliff, the more my stomach tightened. I couldn’t tell if it was excitement or paranoia giving me some six-pack abs. I wonder if I could market that? I felt the car shift from a smooth ride to a rough one as Pierre made the turn onto the gravel road that led up to the cliff top. My heart rate accelerated. I began to gather my things and check my hair and makeup in the window. Like I could see how tired I probably looked. I know I felt it.

  I looked pale in the dim light, but I was light-skinned to begin with. I grabbed my blush and eyeliner out of my purse for a quick touch up. My light green eyes actually did look tired, so I gave them a quick outline in black. I pulled my long, caramel-colored hair out of the bun it was presently in, and let it fall in loose waves over my shoulders. I finished off with some lip gloss and a quick check on my clothes. I stared at my reflection in the window of the car. I was a pretty girl whether I was dressed to kill or in my most comfortable sweats with no makeup at all. I had no shame in saying this, because I looked like my mother and she had been beautiful.

  As the car ambled up the drive, even in the twilight, I could see it. The widow’s walk, it beckoned me. I realized how badly I had missed being home. As we came around the final bend, I said aloud, “I’m home, anyone there?” and then my heart sank. No one was there.

  When one of us was away, the homecoming was quite a production. Everyone would be waiting with hugs and kisses. Since our parents had all moved to warm sunny places and each of us had taken over ownership of our respective childhood homes, it was a smaller reunion. Of course, I can’t forget to add in any “peripherals” that may have attached themselves to my guys … whatever. No one had lasted very long—so far. But my boys weren’t here to greet me, neither of them.

  What the hell? I had texted them both when we pulled away from the airport. I had received a reply from Grant. But he was a no show. Damn. They blew me off. I could feel my eyes welling up with tears and I bit my lower lip to help hold them back. I was an emotional lip nibbler. I couldn’t tell if I was pissed at them or sad. I had been really looking forward to seeing them.

  The car rolled to a stop in front of my cottage. I opened my door too quickly and literally fell out, trying to rush inside. They didn’t come see me, so my intention was not to let them see me. So there! I think I actually stuck my tongue out. Pierre just smiled, helped me up and went to get my luggage.

  I headed to the door and tried to open it, but something on the other side was blocking it. I gave a little push and it gave way. The house was pitch black. I reached for the hall light and felt something that should not have been there.

  The air rushed out of my lungs until there was nothing left to scream with. I heard myself gasping for breath and then something else. Was that a snicker or a growl? I turned to run out the door, but the door closed in front of me. And then I felt it. A hand. I began to flail my arms wildly at nothing, hoping to fight off my invisible assailant, but then I felt a very familiar tingling.

  “Grant? Is that you?” I pleaded the question to the ghost. He began to chuckle.

  “Yes, Lanie, it’s me. You look hysterical boxing nothing. I’ve been waiting here in the dark for half an hour for you, eyes all adjusted,” and he proceeded to flip the light switch.

  There he was, Grant, and he had seemingly spent the past six months getting hotter. I threw myself into his arms and inhaled the sweet scent of him. His arms returned the wrapping and he nestled his head into my hair, then planted a kiss atop of my head.

  “We really have missed you, Lanie, you have no idea. It’s not the same without you,” he said in a soft, smooth voice, right against my ear.

  “We, huh?” I said sarcastically as I reluctantly released him. “And who is we? Because I only see you here.” Did I just make a hmph sound?

  “Well, that is a very interesting story I plan to share with you after you get yourself showered and I make you dinner. How does Bennett’s famous baked mac and cheese with warm garlic twists sound?” He literally drooled out the words, but I could tell he was craving it, and I was more than happy to let him pamper me with comfort food.

  “Sounds perfect. Can you give me about an hour to get myself together?”

  “You look pretty together to me, but of course,” he said. “And I have a special welcome home present for you, too, something to keep you here.”

  My head began to feel a little light, and things started running through it. I felt like a little girl again, all giddy about what it could be. But it was something from Grant, something he wanted to give to me, so the anticipation got the better of me and I pushed him out the door.

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  About the Author

  Christie
A.C. Gucker lives in NJ with her husband, two daughters and a menagerie of pets. Being a mother is one of the greatest joys of her life. She has worked in the advertising industry for over 20 years as a degreed artist, but also works in the fine arts, especially sculpting out of stone or snapping photographs. Christie is also a singer and musician, and can be found singing on a few CDs.

  After the death of her father, Christie searched for something to fill her desire to make a mark in this world. Her love of the arts and creativity allowed her to search for a new medium, which she found with a pen instead of a brush. Being an avid reader her whole life, and with her family cheering her on, she decided to take her shot, and began writing.