Page 32 of Delivery After Dark (Gansett Island #28)

“ I have to go home,” Monique said to Linc late in the afternoon after they’d spent the entire day in bed.

“To Boston?”

“No, silly, to Dara’s to get my stuff.”

“Oh, phew. I thought you were quitting me already.”

“Nah, not yet. But a girl has her needs.”

“I thought I’d seen to all her needs.”

She giggled. She actually giggled . “I’m talking about the cosmetic kind.”

“Ah, I see. Want to grab dinner while we’re out?”

“Wouldn’t it be lunch since we never got around to that?”

“If breakfast and lunch is brunch, what’s lunch and dinner?”

“Linner.”

“That’s what we need. Linner.” He gave a mighty stretch. “I’ve never been this lazy in my entire life.”

“Me either, and yet, it’s the best day I’ve had in far too long.”

“Same.” He leaned over to kiss her. “Shall we shower and return to civilization?”

“As long as our return is brief, I’m down for it.”

“We’ll only stay out for as long as it takes to acquire supplies and sustenance, and then we’ll return to our slovenly ways.”

“Perfect.”

He held out a hand to her.

She wrapped her hand around his.

He kissed the back of hers. “‘Perfect’ is the word. Every minute of this has been perfect.”

Nodding, she let him help her out of bed and followed him into the shower.

While they waited for the water to get hot, he put his arms around her and propped his chin on the top of her head.

They stood there like that, lost in a moment, until steam from the shower reminded them of what they’d planned to do.

Linc laughed as he gave her a nudge toward the water. “You make me forget my own name, woman.”

“Same. Don’t get my hair wet. I don’t feel like dealing with that right now.”

“Got it.” Standing behind her, he washed her back and then brought his soapy hands around to caress her breasts.

“Keep that up, and we’ll be right back where we started.”

“Would that be so terrible?”

“I need my stuff, and we both need food. Focus on the mission, Commander.”

“Yes, Captain, my Captain.” He rubbed his erection against her back. “Keep me on task.”

“ That is not on the agenda.”

His hands slid down her back to cup her ass. “We could be so quick.”

Before she knew it, he’d turned and lifted her, pressing her back against the cool tile, perfectly aligning their bodies.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “That was sneaky.”

“Being ready for the sneak attack is a critical part of our training.”

Her face hurt from smiling and laughing. She did a lot of both those things with him. “I must’ve missed that day.”

“What do you say, my Captain? Shall we fire the missile one more time to hold us over until after the mission?”

Monique lost it laughing. “Fire the missile…” She howled.

“You like that, huh?” He nudged at her with his metaphorical missile.

That thought made her laugh even harder.

“My missile is feeling a bit wounded by your laughter.”

“What can I do to make this right?”

He affected a grave expression. “I think you know, Captain.”

“Whatever must be done to advance the cause. I’m on board. Get it? On board? A little Coast Guard reference.”

“Very clever.” He gave her his full length in one deep thrust that made her moan. Then he held still, making sure she was okay before he continued.

She loved the way he took care of her even in the throes of wild desire.

Her gaze met his in utter unity, a moment so charged with potential and emotion and all the things, it rendered her breathless as she tried to process each new realization while he made her come twice in rapid succession before he found his own pleasure.

“You got me all dirty again,” he muttered as he raised his head off her shoulder, withdrew from her and put her down carefully, making sure she was steady on her feet.

“ I got you dirty? I think it was the other way around, sailor.”

“Oh, I’ve been demoted after two orgasms? How is that fair?”

She gave his shoulder a playful smack when he would’ve started the soaping process all over again. “Hands to yourself until we’re dressed. We have a mission to execute.”

“I like when you boss me, my Captain.”

“Don’t get any ideas.”

“I’m full of ideas. I have so many ideas where you’re concerned, I could write a book about them all.”

She’d never had such silly fun with a man before, and found she quite enjoyed it. Hell, she’d enjoyed every second she’d spent with him. It was easy , and dear God, was there something to be said for that.

“I’d give anything to know what you’re thinking right now,” he said as he toweled off.

“I’m thinking about how easy this is.”

“How do you mean?”

“Our groove feels a bit effortless, which is new to me. I’m much more used to watching everything I say.”

“That’s no fun.”

“Not at all, but I thought that was just how it was, you know?”

He was quiet as they got dressed and left his place to head to the lighthouse where her sister and brother-in-law lived for now.

Dara had texted to say they’d gotten the house they’d put the offer on and would be moving in after their year at the lighthouse was finished. Monique was thrilled for them.

When they were on the way, he asked, “Are your parents still living?”

“My mother is. She lives in Florida with two of her sisters. They’re having the time of their lives after being married to difficult, exacting men.”

“Were your parents divorced?”

“No, but it might’ve been better if they had. They stayed together for Dara and me, but they really did us no favors. We grew up watching her tiptoe around his mercurial moods, always trying to please him and falling short every time.”

“Why was he like that?”

“I don’t know. He had a lovely wife, a beautiful home, daughters who loved him, but nothing was ever good enough for him.

While Dara broke the cycle with her wonderful Oliver, I fell right into the same trap as my mother with a difficult, complicated, hard-to-please husband who went and cheated on me.

Everyone we knew said they couldn’t believe it was him and not me who cheated.

They said they wouldn’t have blamed me if I’d done it years ago, which was sort of humiliating. ”

“How so?”

“It made me realize that everyone else saw him for what he really was, while I was still dancing around him, trying to make it work when it was never going to. Like, how did they see it, and I didn’t?”

“You were in the thick of it. You couldn’t see the forest for the trees, or whatever that saying is.”

“I guess, but I like to think I’m a pretty savvy person. He made me realize I’m not so smart.”

“Knock it off with that crap. It wasn’t your fault. I have no doubt you tried your best to make it work, and he was an asshole for treating you that way. He didn’t deserve you.”

“That’s nice of you to say, but how do you know I wasn’t a nasty bitch of a wife?”

He grinned as he gave her a side-eyed look. “Were you?”

“Not until he gave me reason to be.”

“Well, there you have it. His loss. My gain.”

“Is that right?”

“You know it.” He reached over to put his hand on her leg. “I’m sorry you had to go through such a rough thing, but I’m glad you were free of him when we met.”

“I am, too. I would’ve hated to miss out on this because of him.”

He took the turn onto the lighthouse property that her sister had called home for nearly a year.

Monique eyed the lighthouse. “In many ways, this place saved them. They weren’t doing well when they got here. And now… I’ll always be thankful to Gansett and the people here who helped them get back on track.”

“It’s a special community. I’m not looking forward to getting orders that’ll move me away from here.”

“When will that happen?”

“In the next year or so, probably.”

“Oh. Where will you go?”

“I put in for the West Coast this time, but that was before I met someone who made me want to stay on this side of the country.”

“What’s her name, and where do I find her?”

“Haha, her name is Monique, and she’s right here with me where I want her to stay for a long, long time.”

“That’d be nice.”

“Yeah?”

“I think so.”

“How would you feel about spending a few years out west?”

“Would I be able to come home to visit my new niece as often as possible?”

“That could be arranged.”

“Then I’d definitely give it some careful consideration.”

He turned to her, his expression as earnest as she’d ever seen it. “I’m dead serious, Monique. I want to make this work.”

A knock on the window interrupted the intense moment.

Oliver, wearing a goofy grin, waved at her. “You broke curfew.”

“Shut up and go away, Ollie.”

“Dara said you’re grounded.”

“You’re going away now.”

He laughed as he walked around the car and into the lighthouse, probably to tell Dara that her wayward sister had returned home.

“He’s funny,” Linc said.

“No, he isn’t.”

“He is, and it’s obvious he loves you.”

“I love him, too. He’s the brother I never had.” She kept her gaze fixed on the lighthouse, waiting for Dara to come bursting out. “I’d better go face the music.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“It’s fine. They don’t scare me.”

They went inside and up the spiral staircase to the combined living room and kitchen, where Dara and Oliver sat at their little table, eating dinner and pretending they weren’t trying not to act like complete fools.

“Well, look who it is, Ollie.”

“Our little girl decided to come home.”

Dara gave her hair a judgy look. “Because she needs her bonnet, among other things.”

“All right, kids,” Monique said. “That’s enough.”

“But we were just getting started,” Oliver said.

“That’s what I was afraid of.” Monique went to the corner where she’d stashed her things and quickly packed her bag. “I’m running upstairs for a second. Do not interrogate him. You hear me?”

“The details must be really filthy,” Oliver said to Dara, who giggled like a fool.

“Shut your trap.” Monique ran upstairs to the bathroom to grab her toiletries, while hoping they wouldn’t grill Linc while she was gone.

She scooped up her things and tossed them into her cosmetic bag, trying to hear what was being said downstairs.

As she rushed down the spiral stairs, she nearly tripped in her haste to get back to Linc.

“What’re your intentions, young man?” Oliver asked right as she landed on the main floor.

“I’m going to kill you, Oliver, and I’m going to make it hurt.”

He lost it laughing.

Dara, that bitch, laughed, too.

“Well, as nice as this visit has been, we’re outta here,” Monique said.

“Was it something we said?” Dara asked.

She glared at her sister. “Gee, I wonder.”

“Seriously, though,” Dara said. “It’s nice to see you guys. Hope you’re having a nice time together, which you must be since you were gone all night.”

Monique gave Linc a push toward the stairs. “Bye, ya’ll.”

“Don’t forget to call or write,” Dara called after her. “You know how I worry.”

“Sheesh,” Monique said as they reached the entryway on the first floor. “What a couple of ass pains.”

“They’re funny.”

“No, they’re not.”

“Are.”

“Are not.”

“Is this our first fight?”

“If you think they’re funny, it’s gonna be.”

“Good to know,” he said, obviously trying not to laugh as he put her bag in the back seat.

“Let’s get out of here before they think of something else they need to say.”

As Linc drove them through the gate, Monique received a text from Dara.

All kidding aside, we’re thrilled to see you happy with a good man who will treat you right. Everyone around here loves him, which means a lot. Go be happy. You’ve earned it. We love you.

“Well, damn it. Now she’s making me cry.” Monique read Dara’s message to him.

“That’s very sweet, and she’s right. You have earned it.”

“We both have.”

“Is this happening too fast for you?”

“Probably, but it’s nice to feel good after feeling like shit for so long.”

“I hope you never feel like that again.”

“I’d be down with that.”

“I’ll do everything I can to make you happy. I promise.”

“Same.”

“Then let’s go be happy, shall we?”

“Yes, please.”