Page 5 of Etched In Stone (The Stone Saga #3.5)

Chapter Five

Alexander

The sun’s golden rays caressed Krystina’s bronzed skin as we lay on the pristine private beach off Montego Bay, the third day of what was proving to be the most perfect honeymoon I could have imagined.

The stretch of sand and palm trees belonged exclusively to our villa—a crescent of powdered coral that curved between two rocky outcroppings like nature’s own private amphitheater.

The days had been lazy in the best possible way, a deliberate contrast to the relentless pace of our lives back in New York.

Here, time moved differently, measured not by the ticking of clocks or the buzz of smartphones, but by the rhythm of waves against shore and the arc of the sun across an impossibly blue sky.

Our nights had been pure fire, passion unleashed without inhibition, but these quiet moments were equally precious.

I found myself studying my wife with the same intensity I brought to analyzing market trends, but with infinitely more pleasure.

Krystina lay beside me on the oversized beach lounger we’d dragged into the perfect spot where the shade met the sun, her body barely contained by that tiny red bikini I’d chosen specifically for this moment.

The vibrant color was striking against her sun-kissed skin, and I felt a surge of masculine satisfaction knowing I’d been right about how perfectly it would complement her curves and natural beauty.

My fingers traced lazy patterns across her coconut oil-slicked skin, unable to resist the magnetic pull of touching her.

Marriage hadn’t dimmed my need for physical contact with her—if anything, it had intensified it.

The knowledge that she was mine, wholly and legally, had awakened something primitive in me that demanded constant confirmation of our connection.

God, she’s breathtaking.

Even relaxed and drowsy from the heat, there was an elegance to her that never failed to stop me in my tracks. I’d been with beautiful women before, but none had ever affected me the way Krystina did. She was more than beautiful—she was luminous, radiant in a way that seemed to come from within.

“For the past three days, I don’t think more than five minutes have passed without you touching me,” Krystina observed, her voice lazy with contentment but tinged with amusement.

She turned her head to look at me, those chocolate brown eyes sparkling with mischief that always made my pulse quicken.

“You just can’t keep your hands to yourself, can you? ”

I smirked, continuing my sensual exploration of the curve where her waist met her hip. I allowed my finger to dip under her bikini line, teasing.

“I have three weeks to make up for all the days before the wedding when we couldn’t touch because of propriety and schedules. Besides, you really can’t blame me. You’re beautiful. I can’t help but want to touch you.”

“Flatterer.” She laughed, the sound like music carried on the ocean breeze. It was one of my favorite sounds in the world—pure, unguarded joy that seemed to bubble up from her very soul.

When Krystina moved to swat my hand away playfully, I was quicker. I pulled her flush against me, reveling in the feel of her soft skin against mine, warm from the sun and slick with the coconut oil I’d spent a considerable amount of time applying earlier.

“You love it,” I murmured against her ear, my voice dropping to that register that I knew affected her. The scent of her hair—coconut and something uniquely Krystina—filled my senses.

I felt a delicious shiver run through her body, and I smiled with satisfaction. Even after months together, I could still affect her with just my voice, just my touch. It was a power I would never take for granted.

“Maybe,” she conceded with a grin that was part innocent, part seductive, and completely irresistible.

The ocean stretched endlessly before us.

Waves rolled in with hypnotic regularity, each one carrying foam that sparkled like scattered diamonds before dissolving into the sand.

The sound was nature’s own meditation, a constant whisper that seemed to wash away the stress and tension I’d carried for years without even realizing it.

“I never imagined retirement could feel like this,” I mused, my fingers tangling in her salt-dampened curls.

Krystina propped herself up on one elbow, studying my face with those perceptive eyes.

“Retirement?”

“Temporary retirement for a few weeks—away from the chaos, the constant demands, the feeling that every moment has to be productive or profitable,” I clarified.

Even as I said it, I found myself questioning whether I wanted it to be temporary at all.

I had enough money. We could retire now and never lack for anything.

I gestured toward the pristine beach and the complete absence of anything resembling the corporate world.

“When was the last time you saw me go more than an hour without checking my phone?”

“I can’t remember,” she admitted, her expression thoughtful. “You haven’t mentioned Stone Enterprise since we left New York.”

The realization was startling. Back home, my company was everything—the first thing I thought about when I woke up and the last thing on my mind before sleep.

I’d built it from the ground up, transforming a relatively small real-estate investment into a global empire.

It was my identity, my purpose, and my legacy.

Until I met Krystina—my angel.

With her warm and pliant in my arms, and the Caribbean sun warming my skin, I found I could barely summon the energy to care about quarterly reports or property acquisitions.

“Maybe that’s what love does,” I said, surprised by the philosophical turn of my own thoughts. “Makes you realize there’s more to life than profit margins and market dominance.”

“Look at you, getting all deep and introspective,” Krystina teased, but there was tenderness in her voice. “I like this side of you. Relaxed Alexander is very appealing.”

“Just appealing?” I asked, raising an eyebrow in mock offense.

“Devastatingly handsome,” she corrected with a laugh. “Irresistibly charming. Dangerously attractive.”

“Better,” I said with satisfaction, pulling her closer.

I trailed kisses along her jaw, tasting salt and sunscreen.

My mind wandered to last night in the villa, when I’d been buried deep inside her velvet heat under starlit skies.

I wanted her again, right here on this secluded beach.

I found myself thinking about our next destination.

The private island I’d arranged for the second part of our honeymoon was even more secluded than this slice of paradise, a place where we truly would be the only souls for miles.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Mr. Stone?” Krystina’s teasing voice broke through my fiery thoughts. “You have that look you get when you’re planning something.”

I met her gaze, seeing my desire reflected.

“Thinking about last night.” My hand skimmed her thigh, inching higher. “And imagining all the ways I plan to worship your body later.”

Her breath hitched. “Is that a promise?”

“Oh yes,” I growled softly. “One I fully intend to keep.”

A surge of possessiveness washed over me as I looked into Krystina’s eyes. My gaze darkened with desire, and I felt a primal urge stirring deep within. With its raw beauty and isolation, this island seemed to awaken something wild and untamed inside me.

“You’re mine,” I whispered, my voice low and husky.

Krystina’s eyes widened slightly, her pupils dilating.

“Alexander...” she breathed, her voice heavy with arousal.

I struggled internally with the intensity of her gaze.

We were on a private beach, but a stranger walking the shoreline occasionally passed by.

Part of me wanted to claim her, to mark her as my own, even if it meant being seen by anyone who might pass by.

But I had to be careful. Paparazzi could be anywhere, and her body deserved reverence in the privacy of our bedroom—not splashed all over the front page of a tabloid.

I leaned in, my lips finding that sensitive spot on Krystina’s neck that always made her quake with need. My hands roamed her body, cupping her breasts through the thin fabric of her bikini top. I teased her nipples with my thumbs, feeling them harden beneath my touch.

“Oh...” she sighed softly. The sound made my already stiff cock impossibly harder.

“Holy hell, angel,” I groaned. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

She arched into my touch, her breath coming faster.

“Show me,” she challenged, her voice thick with longing.

“Oh, I intend to. Again and again.”

I captured her mouth in a searing kiss, deliberately domineering. I pushed my tongue past her parted lips, tasting her with gentle flicks. Our tongues danced, all-consuming, as one hand moved possessively up and down her back while the other continued to work her nipple.

Pulling back, I glanced around. Confident that we were completely alone, I pulled a towel over her and shoved down the fabric of her bikini. When I captured a taut peak between my teeth, Krystina gasped.

“Alex! Wait. Someone might see us.”

“Nobody is around, and if they are, I have you covered,” I growled, sucking her nipple in long pulls.

Suddenly, she propped herself up on one elbow, her brown eyes sparkling with mischief as she pushed me away. “Do you know what we should do?”

“Fuck right here on the beach?” I suggested, even though I would never do any such thing. At least not here. It was too risky.

“Be serious, Alex.”

“I am.”

She pressed her lips together, adjusted her bikini back into place, and then pointed toward the ocean.

“We should go for a swim.” She jumped to her feet, stretching muscles that had grown pleasantly lazy in the heat before reaching down to tug at my hand. “Come on, Mr. CEO. It’s time for you to let loose a little more.”

She tried to pull me upright despite the obvious disparity in our strength. I couldn’t help but laugh at her determination.

“I thought I was doing just fine a moment ago.”

“Oh, you were getting there,” she said with mock seriousness. “But I think you could use a little more work. When was the last time you did something spontaneous? Something completely unplanned and maybe a little reckless?”

The question gave me pause. In my world, spontaneity was a luxury I couldn’t afford. Every decision was calculated, every move strategic. The idea of acting without careful consideration went against every instinct I’d developed as a businessman.

But looking at Krystina, flushed with sun and happiness and completely at ease in her beauty, I felt something shift inside me. Maybe it was time I learned to act on impulse rather than analysis.

Taking advantage of my superior strength, I pulled her back against my chest, enjoying the way she fit perfectly against me despite her efforts to escape.

“Is this spontaneous enough for you?”

She struggled against me, laughing as she tried to break free from my hold. “Getting warmer, but I think you can do better.”

“Oh, can I?” I asked, my voice dropping to a dangerous register. “And what exactly did you have in mind?”

“Chase me,” she said. “I’ll give you a head start to catch me in the water.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

She continued to pull my hand until I was standing. She turned to head toward the shoreline, but I stopped her again by pulling her to my chest. Leaning in, I began to kiss her once more. However, she was so slick with oil that she wiggled out of my grasp before I had a chance to deepen the kiss.

“Come on, Alex.” She grinned, backing toward the shoreline. “Afraid of getting wet?”

“No. I’d just rather make you wet.”

“You’re insatiable.”

“And you’re a terrible sub asking for a spanking.”

Krystina’s laughter rang out, pure and joyous.

“Promises, promises,” she teased, wiggling her hips enticingly as she retreated toward the water’s edge.

I took a step forward, a predatory gleam in my eye. “You’d better start running, angel. Because when I catch you...”

She squealed in mock terror, turning to dash toward the inviting waters. I gave her a head start, admiring how her curves moved as she ran. Then, with a grin, I sprinted after her, ready to show her exactly what would happen when she challenged me.