BarefootParadise Read Free Page B

it.
    They sat quietly for a moment and Gwen gazed out at the
clear sea-foam-green waters of the ocean.
    “Are you off chaperoning duty now?” she asked him.
    He didn’t answer immediately and she turned back to him. He
was staring at her toes. It was a little strange but he had an intent look on
his face that was far from disgust.
    “Steve?” she said to catch his attention.
    “What? I’m sorry. What did you say?” he said as he tore his
gaze from her feet.
    “Chaperoning. Are you off the hook?” she asked again.
    “Uh. Yeah. Judy got here this morning and took over. She’s
the head coach. I swear I was so happy to see her when she got here that I
almost hugged her.” He chuckled and it flowed over her like warm honey. She
wondered what his laugh would sound like close to her ear, sending those little
shivers down her back that she had been too long without.
    “Are you leaving then?” The thought hadn’t occurred to her
before and now she wondered if he would be flying out this afternoon. It left a
sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
    “No. I actually extended my trip until the end of the week.
When are you leaving?”
    “Not until Friday morning,” she replied. Since it was only
Monday they had plenty of time and she felt an irrational sense of relief that
he wasn’t leaving.
    “I was hoping you would say that,” he said with another one
of his smirks. “What are you doing after breakfast? Do you want to go to the
pool with me?”
    Gwen smiled her best smile at him and he blinked. It was the
first time in a long time that she had really felt beautiful.
    “I’d love to, as long as there won’t be any volleyballs flying
at my head.”
    He laughed, deep and heavy, and she loved it. “I wanted to
apologize for that. Marissa is something else.”
    “Have you ever given her a reason to think you were
interested in her?” she asked.
    “No, actually I have gone out of my way to be sure that she
understands I’m not.”
    “Then don’t be sorry. I can see why she would go for you. I
need to go back to my room to change.”
    He smiled and stood. “Do you mind if I walk you?” He held
his arm out to her in a charmingly old-fashioned way.
    “Not at all.” She stood and linked her arm with his as they
walked to her room. They talked about little things along the way, how gorgeous
the ocean was and the white-colored beaches.
    When they got to her room she invited him in to wait for her
as she changed into her swimsuit.
    She hurried. Once she had closed herself in the bathroom she
couldn’t remember if she had left her bright-purple vibrator out on the bed or
not. She never left home without it. She hustled into her bikini at warp speed
and went back to the bedroom.
    He was sitting on her bed and staring at the vibrator that
lay in the middle, standing out brightly against the white bedspread.
    Steve caught her gaze and shot a knowing grin her way. “Does
this help with your loneliness?” he asked as he picked it up and tossed it back
and forth from hand to hand. It gave her a strange feeling to see his fingers
holding something that was so personal.
    Gwen felt her cheeks heat. “Not particularly but it takes
the edge off.”
    He tossed it back on the bed and stood, stopping when he was
only a breath away from her. She could smell his cologne. It was something dark
and spicy.
    “Think I could help?” he asked as his arm snaked out to go
around her waist and pull her against his chest.
    “I hope so,” she said as she put her hands flat on his chest
and rose up on her toes to reach his mouth.
    He let her kiss him, not taking the lead until she slipped
her tongue out to run it across his lips.
    He groaned low in his chest and she felt the vibrations in
her fingertips.
    Steve locked his arm around her tightly and used the other
to grab a fistful of her long dark hair and tilt her head. His tongue went
deep, so deep she had a hard time kissing him back. But she loved every second
of it.
    The