Saving Shadows Read online

  “This is beautiful,” Ellery said with awe, but Gavin must have heard the inevitable but coming from her.

  “I’ll sleep on the couch. You can have the bed.”

  Ellery looked at the massive bed and then to the couch. She’d fit perfectly on it, but he might be cramped. But when she looked back at the bed she wasn’t picturing herself alone in it. Especially when Gavin stripped off his shirt and pulled out a pair of swim trunks. “Do you feel like a swim? They also have a hot tub.”

  “I, uh, wasn’t supplied with a bathing suit.”

  “No problem. Maggie’s sure to have one you can borrow.” Gavin moved to the phone and made the call. A couple minutes later there was a knock on the door. Gavin answered it, and a beautiful blonde bombshell let out a squeal and threw herself into Gavin’s arms.

  “It is so good to see you!”

  “You too,” Gavin said as he swung her around then set her on her feet. “Meet Ellery. Ellery, this is Maggie Bell.”

  “Oh my gosh!” Maggie smacked Gavin’s bare stomach. Right on Ellery’s favorite rippled muscle of his six-pack. “You didn’t tell me your girlfriend is so pretty.” And then Ellery was enveloped in a hug. This was the Olympic shooter? She figured someone named after ammunition would be tough looking, but Maggie was all soft curves. Instead of being dressed in camo as Ellery pictured, Maggie had on a cute short jungle green and hot pink paisley dress that highlighted her green eyes and long strawberry blonde hair. She also didn’t appear to be under the weather—the fibber. It only made Ellery like her more.

  “I am so glad I brought the blue bikini for you. It’s going to match your eyes perfectly. Now, you two have fun! Call me if you need anything else.” And with a wink, Maggie was off like a whirlwind, leaving behind a blue bikini dangling from Ellery’s hands. A very tiny blue bikini.

  15

  Gavin tried to play it cool, but it was hard, in more ways than one, when Ellery walked from the bathroom in a tiny bikini the same blue as her eyes. Her breasts were barely contained in the small triangles and her legs were on full display, but it was the soft curve of her hips, the smoothness of her stomach, and the way her butt looked when she bent to pick up a towel that had his mouth going dry.

  Relax. He needed her to relax so she could possibly remember who was after her. This was not a seduction. This was . . . she bent over to rub lotion on her legs, and the eyeful of breasts sent all good intentions out the window. After all, orgasms were relaxing.

  * * *

  They spent the day strolling through the gardens, swimming in the huge pool overlooking the river, and sometimes just lying quietly in the sun together. They laughed, they played, they flirted, and they had fun. Ellery was smart, didn’t back down when she had her own opinion, but she also listened to his thoughts. She teased and made him laugh. He could talk to her about medical things without her eyes glazing over, and similarly, her love for art had made him want to know all about it. With her explaining it, it came to life instead of put him to sleep like it did in school.

  “Maggie sent some chilled champagne,” Timmins said with a wide smile as he set two glasses on the small table between their lounge chairs. “You and your bae are total relationship goals. I gotta bounce. My job never ends,” he said with a huff.

  “What’s a bae?” Gavin asked, watching Timmins’s man bun bounce as he walked back to the house.

  Ellery giggled as she sipped the champagne. “You can’t be that old. Aren’t you still a millennial?”

  “I’m thirty-four. I claim Oregon Trial generation.”

  “What?” Ellery laughed outright. “There is no Oregon Trail generation.”

  “There should be. It’s the greatest generation ever. We grew up playing the Oregon Trail game in grade school when computers first appeared in the schools. You young’uns wouldn’t understand,” Gavin teased.

  Ellery giggled again, then her eyes darkened. He saw them trail over his body and felt like throwing her over his shoulder and running for their bedroom. “Well, you look pretty good for an old man.”

  “Old? I’ll show you old.” Gavin leapt up and scooped Ellery in his arms as she laughed hard. He carried her to the deep end and tossed her in. Ellery splashed down into the water and came up laughing.

  * * *

  Ellery was having fun. She couldn’t remember the last time she laughed so hard. Well, that wasn’t saying much since she wasn’t sure exactly how much she didn’t remember of her life for the past couple of years. She remembered college, graduation, and everything before then. Well, at least she thought she did.

  She blinked the water from her eyes and looked at Gavin who was grinning at her. His body was warmed by the sun. The small smattering of dark chest hair only made him look hotter. Well, the six pack and that V along his hips didn’t hurt either.

  “Pretty good for an old man,” Ellery called out. “Too bad you’re too old to catch me.”

  Ellery took off swimming as she heard Gavin splash into the water. She didn’t try very hard to get away, and in seconds his arms were wrapped around her. His skin slid along hers, and it made her want him even more. Her chest heaved, something she only thought happened in historical romances, but she was breathing so quickly with desire that her chest was actually heaving, and she wanted nothing more than his hands on her.

  Gavin spun her in his arms until they faced each other and pulled her close enough that her nipples brushed against his chest. She might have moaned but was unsure if she’d done it in her head or out loud. Ellery encircled his neck with her arms to bring herself closer to him. All day she’d fallen a little more for Gavin until she was completely head over heels for this man. A man who respected her, listened to her, and laughed with her. And one she was sure would be a loyal and caring boyfriend instead of a selfish one.

  “Well, you caught me. Now what are you going to do with me?” Ellery asked, her voice dropping as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.

  His eyes dropped to her lips as the hands at her waist tightened and pulled her against him. “I’m going to claim my prize.”

  Ellery hoped that meant he was going to kiss her—a real kiss and not CPR this time. Her heartbeat sped up with every inch Gavin’s lips got closer to hers as he bent his head. Ellery tilted her head, offering her lips, and Gavin took what she offered. His warm and wet lips claimed hers, and his hands slid from the side of her waist until he’d wrapped his arms around her. Instinctively, Ellery lifted her legs around his waist as Gavin pulled her closer.

  She felt the tip of his tongue run along her lip and opened her mouth for him. Ellery loved the way Gavin gripped her as he carried her to the edge of the pool. His lips never left hers, and in that moment she could see Gavin as a pirate from the old days, plundering everything she had to give and demanding more. While his touch was gentle, his kiss was anything but. Heat pooled in her belly as he pushed her against the side of the pool, anchoring her to him as he pushed his hips forward and took all she had to give.

  Ellery heated all over from his hardness pressed against her. Desperate to feel more of him, she dropped her hands from his neck and ran them over his pecs and down the ridges of his abs. Her fingers toyed with the waistband of his swim trunks, but suddenly Gavin broke the kiss. He was breathing hard, his eyes glowed, and his lips were slightly swollen. Ellery imagined that’s what she looked like as well.

  “As much as I would love to continue right now, I can’t do so in a pool where people could easily see us. I want you all to myself. And some things are hard to do underwater that I very much want to do to you.”

  Ellery’s heart was pounding as Gavin placed a slow sweet kiss on her lips. “We have all the time in the world,” he whispered to her when she tried to deepen the kiss.

  Ellery didn’t want to remind him they didn’t, in fact, have all the time in the world since someone was trying to kill her.

  * * *

  Gavin took a deep breath as he waited for Ellery to finish getting ready. Timmins had set up dinner on the balcony a moment before. He’d given Gavin a wink, and Gavin had felt like groaning. They had been seen. Thank goodness it was only Timmins.

  Over the sound of Ellery’s hair dryer, Gavin heard a knock on the door. Someone was ignoring the privacy sign. He walked across the suite and opened the door, but it wasn’t Timmins. It was Gage. Gage Bell had graduated from college then went to get his master’s. He spent every summer working for his father and was now back in Shadows Landing for good.

  “Gage, I heard you were back,” Gavin said, shaking Gage’s hand. At twenty-six, Gage stood a little over six feet and took after his father with his light brown hair and his blue-green eyes.

  “I am. I’m going to start full time at the family business,” Gage said with a smile. “But I brought you something.”

  “Me?” Gavin asked with surprise as he looked down at a glossy white bag with the plantation logo on it and stuffed with bright pink tissue paper.

  “Yeah. After your display in the pool I thought you’d like it.”

  Gavin would have blushed if he was that sort of person, but medical school stopped any blushing. He pulled out the pink tissue and reached into the bag. “Condoms,” he said, shaking his head as Gage grinned. “Great, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Gage winked as he turned away. “It’s great seeing you. We’ll catch up soon. Have fun!”

  Gavin shut the door and looked at the condoms. It had been the only thing preventing him from contemplating sex with Ellery, but now . . . Shit, now he had no excuse to not think about it as a real possibility. Especially after their show in the pool. And it wasn’t like he worried about sex with women before, but with Ellery he somehow knew it would be more.

  The sound of the hair dryer turned off, and before Gavin could leap across the bed to stash the gift in the nightstand, the bathroom door opened and Ellery strode out in a pretty sundress. “What’s that?”

  Gavin shoved the condoms behind his back. “Nothing. Gage just stopped by to say hi.”

  “Oh, too bad I wasn’t ready. I’d like to see if he’s as nice as Maggie.” Ellery made her way into the room. Gavin turned as she moved, making sure to keep his front to her as he tried to slide over to the nightstand.

  “He is very nice. I’m glad he’s moving back to Shadows Landing. Why don’t you pour the wine? It’s out on the balcony.”

  Ellery looked at him and he knew she was suspicious, but she didn’t push it. “Okay,” she said slowly with a false smile. As soon as she was out of the room Gavin dove across the bed, yanked open the nightstand drawer, and shoved the condoms inside.

  “Gotcha!” Ellery cried, leaping back inside.

  Gavin slid his hand under the side of his face and pretended to be stretched out along the bed. “Yes?”

  Ellery looked at him posed on the bed. “What are you doing?”

  “Just lying here, why?”

  She shook her head. “Fine. Don’t tell me. Wine is ready and dinner smells delicious.”

  Gavin gave a fake stretch and bounced out of bed. “Then, may I escort you to dinner?” He gave a small bow and offered her his arm. Ellery laughed and all was right once again.

  16

  “That was so delicious,” Ellery said, setting down her fork. “Thank you for this. It’s been the most perfect day.”

  Gavin reached across the small table and placed his hand over hers. “I think so too. Ellery, I—” Ellery leaned forward, cutting him off. She didn’t want talks of tomorrow. She didn’t want reality to set in. She was living a dream and as such, she was going to complete it her way.

  It wasn’t exactly as smooth as she imagined in her head. In her head she leaned forward, Gavin leaned forward, and they kissed over the romantic glow of the candle. Reality was one hand hit the side of her plate, sending food scraps tumbling and almost breaking the plate as the wine glass tipped over, staining the white tablecloth with the deep red Malbec wine. But she wasn’t one to give up. Maybe Gavin wouldn’t notice? So she pressed on, leaned forward, and stared into his eyes. She saw her own desire reflected there.

  “Ellery.”

  “Yes. Oh yes, Gavin. You know what I want. What I need,” she practically begged as her eyes closed, and she tilted her lips. Her body flushed with heat as the spilled wine was forgotten and ideas of climbing over the table and into Gavin’s lap took over.

  “Ellery!” Gavin cried again.

  “I’m so hot for you right now,” Ellery admitted. “Kiss me or I might explode.”

  Ellery puckered her lips as her body burned. That was, until cold water splashed on her. Ice cubes went down the front of her dress as water dripped off her face and down her chest. Her eyes shot open as she sputtered to talk.

  “You were on fire,” Gavin said with a cringe.

  “I told you I was, and you literally gave me a cold shower.” Ellery threw her napkin at him in a huff. Her nose wrinkled and she sniffed again. “What’s that smell?”

  Gavin was fighting not to smile. “Why are you laughing?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her. ”What the hell?” Ellery looked down at where she’d crossed her arms to find the ruffle of her sundress was crispy.

  “As I said, you were on fire. Literally as well as figuratively.”

  Ellery groaned as she covered her face with her hands. “I was trying to be smooth so you’d make love to me. In one of my favorite movies they kiss over the candles on a cake, and it was so romantic. I guess that’s why it’s a movie. No one would be stupid enough to do that in real life. They were probably fake candles in the movie.”

  “I’m not a southern gentleman for nothing,” Gavin said, picking up the table and moving it aside. “It’s bred into me to chivalrously give my lady anything she desires.”

  Ellery’s blush was as red as the wine she’d spilled. She hadn’t meant to admit she wanted nothing more than a night with Gavin to keep this dream going. She’d just been flustered, and it had popped out, but now he had moved the table and before she knew it she was up in his arms.

  “I better get you out of those wet clothes. I wouldn’t want you to get a cold.”

  Ellery wound her arms around his neck as she laughed. “So corny.”

  “Yes, but it sounded considerate, right? Which is more romantic than telling you I’ve been thinking of nothing but slowly stripping that dress from your shoulders to free your breasts for my mouth before pulling it from your body and feasting on you.”

  Ellery was suddenly short of breath as she glanced down to make sure the heat she was feeling wasn’t her back on fire. She gulped as Gavin carried her into the suite. “No,” she said breathlessly, “that sounds better than the corny line.”

  “Really?” Gavin grinned and made her want to rip her clothes off because slowly stripping sounded like a bad idea at the moment. “Then would you like to know how hard I am and how badly I want to slide into you over and over again until you’re screaming my name?”

  Ellery nodded. She was breathing so quickly she didn’t think she’d be able to manage words as he set her on the bed. Ellery reached for the hem of her dress to quickly pull it off, but Gavin stopped her. “I did say slowly, right?”

  Again, Ellery nodded as her heart beat loudly in her ears. Gavin took his time pulling off his shirt before climbing onto the bed and lying next to her. He rested on his side, propping up his head with his hand. Ellery raised her hand to his chest and felt his heart under her palm as he leaned down to kiss her. Every time they kissed it seemed to get better and better. This time Gavin was slow as his lips parted hers and his tongue ventured inside. Ellery melted into the kiss as one of Gavin’s fingers ran from her cheek, down her neck, over her collarbone, and slowly dragged the thin spaghetti strap of her dress off her shoulder.

  Ellery moaned into his mouth and felt the breeze from the open French doors blow across her exposed nipple a second before a strong and sure hand closed around it. Gavin’s thumb played it to a peak as his hand explored her. Her whole body was on fire as Gavin shifted over her. He held himself up on his elbows and as his one hand continued its playing, the other began the light trail down her neck, across her collar bone, and slowly dragged the other strap from her shoulder.

  “You’re so beautiful,” Gavin whispered reverently. Ellery opened her eyes to see him dip his head toward her breast. Her fingers speared his hair as his tongue drew a slow, titillating circle around her nipple before he was slowly pushing her dress down over her stomach. With each inch of skin exposed, Gavin’s mouth made sure to kiss, lick, or nibble it.

  By the time Gavin pulled her dress and panties from her body, Ellery wasn’t sure she’d be able to speak. Her body had never been so relaxed yet so wired at the same time. Her hips moved on their own, her breathing was quick and shallow, and she was burning hotter than when she’d been on fire.

  Gavin stood and stepped out of his pants. Ellery’s eyes traveled across his chest, down the rippled muscles, and . . . Ellery gulped as she looked down to make sure the bed wasn’t on fire. Nope, all good.

  Ellery felt the bed dip as Gavin began to crawl back up her body, making sure to hit every sensitive spot along the way. Ellery was seconds from grabbing him, flipping him, and having her wicked way with him before he finally made it back up to her face for a searing kiss.

  “Do you want this? I can stop if you want me to,” he asked as he looked into her eyes and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

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