Rules of Entanglement (Fighting for Love, #2)

The atmosphere at Duke’s was a lot like Vanessa’s beloved Fritz’s back home. Hard-working locals who had probably lived in the area most, if not all, of their lives, kicking back with good friends and great beer.

The only real differences were the addition of tourists mixing it up with the locals and the aesthetics. Fritz’s was dark with wood-paneled walls, black vinyl benches and stools, and little lighting to speak of, whereas Duke’s Waikiki had walnut-colored wood furniture and surroundings, Tiki-style overhangs and table umbrellas, and open walls that looked out onto Waikiki beach and the vast Pacific beyond.

Jax had gone up to get them some beers from the bar while she grabbed a small table, ironically next to the only dartboard in the place. A piece of paper with scrawled marker was taped next to it informing patrons that the electronic aspect of the game no longer worked. But the darts were still in it, so it was usable. It’d just be a play-at-your-own-mathematical-peril kind of game.

Vanessa looked out through the open walls of the bar. Waikiki beach was absolutely stunning. She’d spent the afternoon on the back of a Jet Ski, her arms around Jackson, touring the different coves and having a blast as the wind whipped through her hair and stole the laughter right out of her mouth.

At one point a family of dolphins swam alongside them, jumping out of the water every few seconds. She’d been to SeaWorld before, but seeing them like that in the wild had been beyond magnificent. With their speed and grace, they were truly awe-inspiring, and she was disappointed when they eventually went their separate way.

However, her mood had brightened considerably when Jax claimed he needed a few minutes to rest his throttle hand and she realized they were floating in a very secluded bay, surrounded on three sides by high cliffs with a narrow mouth for an entrance. Somehow she managed to swing herself around so she sat in front, facing him.

“Mmm,” he’d said as he wrapped his strong arms around her and gave her a kiss. “As much as I like this seating arrangement, babe, I’m not sure it’s the safest idea to drive with you on my lap.”

“Oh, I’m not planning on staying like this. I just thought maybe I could help you relax more than just your hand.” When she palmed his cock over his shorts she felt him already halfway hard.

He sucked in a sharp breath. “If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, relaxing will be the last thing on my to-do list.”

“Ah,” she said before capturing his lower lip with her teeth and pulling until released. “It might be last on the list, but if we take care of everything else, it’s guaranteed to get checked off, too. Yes?”

His hands dropped to cup and squeeze her ass. “Very yes,” he said, his voice gruff and low.

The memory making Vanessa smile, she waited for Jax to return with their drinks. She probably looked like an idiot, but she couldn’t help it. They’d done some pretty inventive things on that Jet Ski. She’d only planned on fooling around with him, giving him a little taste of things to come and a little release. But after only a minute of having her mouth on him, he’d dragged her body up and her bikini top down.

He’d devoured first one nipple and then the other, then asked if she was on the pill. Since she wasn’t a moron, she was able to answer him in the affirmative, to which he croaked out, “V, I want you right-fucking-now, but I’m obviously not prepared. So you can say no and I swear I’ll respect it, but I want you to know that it’s mandatory I get full-scale physicals on a regular basis and I’m totally clean. I would never do anything to put you at risk.” His hands slid into her hair, his thumbs framing her cheeks. With his forehead touching hers and their short breaths mingling between them, he whispered, “Please say yes.”

She replied equally as soft, unwilling to shatter the perfection of the moment. “Very yes.”

In an instant he descended like a starved tiger let loose on its prey, consuming her completely—and carefully—on a Jet Ski in a small Hawaiian cove.

“What are you thinking about?”

Vanessa startled at Jackson’s deep voice next to her ear. She gave him a dirty look as he laughed and sat down across the table from her. “Thank you for taking a year off my life.”

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