Page 10 of Midnight (Chasing the Sun #3)

Harper

"I swear this vacation was meant to be, everything lined itself up from the moment that I was given the time off," Nate says with a huge smile on his face.

He surprised me by coming home early yesterday. He had booked us a cottage back in his hometown on Hummingbird Island. When he showed me the cottages, I got really excited.

They're the same ones that Kade Markson, the movie star, owns with his now wife. The cottages are right on the beach and look absolutely gorgeous.

"Taking you to my parents place wasn’t an option because I wanted this trip to be special. If I'm being honest, I'm hoping you'll fall in love with Hummingbird Island and will be happy living there with me," he says.

This is the first time that he's talked about any type of future with us in any detail, anyway. I like the idea of living near the water and if the island is anything like the pictures on the Sunrise Inn website, I know I'll fall in love with it.

As we cross the bridge that will take us to the island, the views take my breath away.

"A couple of years ago, this bridge was washed out in a storm and we were all trapped on the island. That also happened to be when Kate Markson was visiting." Nate chuckles.

He told me a bit about the story of how Kade Markson came to call Hummingbird Island home, between being stuck on the island, falling for the inn owner, and then later with the help of Nate and a few other locals was able to put a corrupt mayor behind bars.

I swear the entire story was like something straight out of a movie.

When we pull up to the ocean-side cottages, Nate fires off a text as I get out, enjoying the salt air and the sun on my face. Who knew getting out of town was what I needed? Well, Nate knew, of course, he did.

A minute later, Kade himself is walking towards us, with the cutest blonde woman.

"You must be Harper. I'm Lin, Kade’s' wife. Nate here has been telling us so much about you I couldn't wait to meet you," the blonde says with so much genuine excitement.

She then leans in and gives me a huge hug, which makes both of the guys chuckle.

"Come on, let's show you to your villa," Kade says and starts walking to the adorable buildings along the beach that are across from the Sunrise Inn and the Sunset Inn next door to each other.

Each of these what Kade calls villas. They have their own little private seating area side with a fence offering privacy from your neighbor.

Also each has a beautiful ocean view out the front of the building too.

But when we stepped inside, my jaw could have hit the floor.

I've only seen places like this in magazines.

Never in my wildest dreams, did I think I'd be able to experience it myself.

This Villa looks like something out of a travel magazine advertising a tropical vacation. The bed has an ocean view, and wrapped around the four posters of the bed are twinkling lights. There's a seating area with a TV, and a bathroom that has a tub with an ocean view.

"We really get to stay here?" I ask in complete disbelief.

"Yes, only the best for you, my love," Nate says.

It's the first time he's used that endearment, and my eyes shoot to him. He looks a little stunned that it's slipped out of his mouth, but I just smile because I absolutely love it.

"How about I unpack the car and then we'll have plenty of time to go and see the island before dinner?" Nate says.

"It sounds perfect." I agree, wandering around the villa as he brings in our bags.

We spend the next hour driving all over the island. Nate shows me his parents' house and tells me about them. I'm kind of bummed that they're visiting his aunt so I won't get to meet them.

When he shows me the downtown, it’s like something off of a postcard with all the beautiful shops right along the waterfront. Continuing his tour, he shows me where his apartment was and the police station where he's stationed.

He takes me to the north side of the island and shows me the state park there. Then on to some spots only the locals know and he shares some of his favorite memories from them growing up.

Finally, we stop at the small grocery store and pick up some things to make for dinner on the grill that's on our little patio area.

As we're getting out of the car, the couple staying in the villa next to ours notices and comes over.

She's blonde with a beautiful, friendly smile and just a little bit taller than Lin. The man with her, who I assume is her husband, is scarred on the side of his face, but that doesn't seem to hinder his confidence at all as he follows the blonde over to us.

"Hi, I'm Lexi and this is my husband, Noah. We are friends with Kade and he invited us out for our anniversary. He told us you are also a friend of his and we should say hi."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Nate. Normally I live here on the Island, but I’m currently working a job out of town. This is my girlfriend, Harper," Nate says using the word girlfriend for the first time.

Looking up at him, I smile because I really do like the term. He wraps an arm around my waist, giving it a little squeeze and smiles at me. Then he turns his attention back to the couple in front of us.

"We were just getting ready for dinner. If you'd like to join us, we'd love the company," Noah says. His words are steady in his deep voice.. It’s as if he really thought out what he was going to say before he said it.

Nate looks down at me, his eyes searching my face. I can tell that he's leaving the decision up to me, so I smile and nod up at him.

"That sounds good. We just brought some stuff to cook on the grill ourselves." He holds up the bag and we follow Noah and Lexi to their patio.

Lexi and I seem to bond instantly. She has such a sweet easygoing personality. It turns out they own Oakside Military Rehab Home, located just north of Savannah, Georgia.

They tell us the story of how they met, how he saved her brother's life but in return got the nasty scars. They met in the hospital and when he was ready to be released, he didn't have anywhere to go so they were just going to keep him in the hospital.

"Well,” Lexi says, “I owned a beautiful historical plantation home that needed to be filled with love, so I turned it into a rehabilitation home for him that had everything that he needed.

That's how the idea came about, and we ran with it.

Now it's a place that men and women injured in the line of duty can come after they’re released from the hospital and rehab in a bed-and-breakfast like setting.

They can see doctors and get help with their physical therapy appointments.

Their therapists come in to talk to them, we have nurses on staff to help with anything they need, and most importantly we help them transition from the military life to the civilian life by getting them set up with everything from school to a job and housing," Lexi says.

Her face is beaming, and you can tell how proud she is of what they have accomplished and that she absolutely loves what she does.

Even though I’m trying to concentrate on what she's saying, the problem is while I'm talking to Lexi, Nate has his attention focused on talking to Noah, all while his hands are playing with me under the table.

It’s difficult not to let on what is happening while trying to stay engaged in the conversation. Every now and then, Nate looks over at me and smiles. There's a bit of evil to his smile because he knows exactly what he's doing. He's driving me absolutely crazy and there's nothing I can do about it.

Like now as his hand travels up the inside of my thigh and ever so innocently just rests at the hem of my shorts before he gently starts rubbing the skin there.

He does it for a moment and just as I'm able to start concentrating on Lexi telling me about her brother and his wife, who happens to be her best friend, Nate sneaks his fingers under the material of my shorts and starts rubbing my pussy over my cotton underwear.

He circles my clit and the jolt of pleasure causes me to moan, which I try to hide with a cough. Only it sounds like I'm choking. I take a sip of water as Nate removes his hands from my shorts.

"I hate to cut this short, but we did just get in today and I am looking forward to getting a good night's sleep. But while we're here, I'd love to get together again," Nate says.

We say our goodbyes and walk hand in hand to our villa. Neither one of us says anything until we're inside.

"That wasn't very nice I was actually interested in what Lexi had to say." But since I’m not really mad, I smile and wrap my arms around his neck standing on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss.

"I'm sorry that I can't keep my hands off of you." He says in a playful tone that’s more of a question than a statement.

"Don't be sorry. You have me all worked up and now what are we going to do about it?" I ask to match his playful tone.

"You aren't the only one who got worked up," he says, grabbing my ass and pulling me so close I can feel his hard length.

Our kiss turns passionate so fast that I don't think I could handle it if he stops this time.

All I want is him inside of me. I want him in a way I've never wanted anyone.

"Nate, please," I whisper, begging.

"I had planned on waiting, but I didn't realize teasing you would turn me on so damn much," he says, groaning.

Gripping my ass hard, he picks me up. I keep my balance by wrapping my legs around his waist and holding on tight as he carries me over to the bed. This is actually happening and the butterflies in my stomach kick in full force.

My back hits the bed, and he climbs on top of me, his hands running up my side and pushing my arms up over my head. Holding my hands above my head, he has me pinned to the bed for a moment as he kisses me, and then moves one of his hands, bringing it to my waist and sliding it under my shirt.

With his hand on me and the skin on skin contact, it's like there is a direct surge from his hand to my core because it starts to ache with need.

He reaches up, cupping my breast and squeezes.

Between him touching my breasts and grinding of his cock against my pussy, it feels so delicious/intense the sensations are overwhelming.

When he moves away, I worry that he's changed his mind. I don't think I can handle it if he has because I'm so damn turned on I can't think straight.

Instead, he stands and removes his shirt and pants so he's only in his boxers.

I don't even try to hide that I'm checking him out.

Those muscles that grace his body I know he keeps up for his job.

But holy hell, his abs looks better and more impressive than many models in magazines.

My eyes travel down to the impressive bulge in his boxers before snapping back up to him.

Gently, he reaches out to me, slowly pulling up my shirt. Lifting my arms, I let him remove it. Then he unbuttons my pants and slowly removes them as well. The heat in his eyes gives me the courage to reach behind me and remove my bra, adding it to the pile of clothes on the floor.

Nate is breathing hard as he reaches forward and pulls my panties off, dropping them to floor before he climbs back into bed. He spreads my legs wide. Never having been on display like this before, I try to close my legs, but he stops me.

"I don't want to hurt you. I'm not a small man, so let me get you ready to take me, okay sweetheart?" he says hoarsely.

Nodding, I try to settle back into my pillow and not think about the fact that he's moving his head down there until his tongue makes contact with my clit. Bolting straight up, I’m completely unprepared for the erotic feeling.

Gently, he pushes me back down holding me down with his hand between my breasts. Without pausing he continues to use his tongue on me in ways I've only ever read about in the dirty books I'd get from the library. Not even they could prepare me for this.

I'm already so turned on that every little movement he makes is magnified until I'm gasping for air. Then he changes things up and slowly thrusts a finger into me. I grab the pillow next to me and pull it over my head as I start to moan.

Once his finger is nice and wet, he adds a second one, and I feel so full.

There is no way he's much larger than this, right?

With a few strokes, he touches this spot inside of me and adds a bit of pressure.

Pleasure like I've never felt before rolls through my body and I think I black out for a moment.

The next thing I know Nate is removing the pillow I was holding over my face and climbing on top of me, completely naked.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a screamer," he says with a huge smile on his face.

"I'm sorry." Completely embarrassed, I cover my face with my hands.

He pulls my hands down from my face and kisses the tip of my nose.

"Don't be. It’s sexy as fuck to know I can please you like that. But the pillow was probably a good idea," he says.

Then, kissing the side of my neck, he says, "This is going to hurt and I hate that for you." He’s still kissing me along my collar bone.

Since I expected some pain thanks to the books I read, I just nod. As he's kissing me, he slowly nudges my entrance with his cock. Continuing to move slowly, the tip of his cock enters me and then he gently pushes inside.

But he is much bigger than his fingers, so much so the pressure of him filling me is almost too much.

"Nate,” I gasp not sure what I'm trying to say.

"I know, baby, tell me what you want. Nice and slow or just rip the Band-Aid off?" He moans like it's taking great restraint to hold still right now.

"Not slow," I pant. I've always been more of a rip the Band-Aid off type of girl.

Before I can think too long on it, he thrusts forward with more force this time. He bottoms out in me and the pinch of pain is almost too much. Clawing at his skin, I’m trying to get him out of me, anything to ease the pain.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. But it won't hurt like this again. After tonight, I promise you will be able to take me anytime you want." He grips my hair and forces my head back so he can look into my eyes.

"I love you and that isn't just sex talk. That is, absolutely, you own me heart and soul talk," he says. Then he’s kissing me again and slowly moving inside of me.

As he moves the better it starts to feel, and the pain is gone before too long.

"There we go much better," he whispers, still kissing every bit of skin he can while keeping a steady pace of driving me crazy.

"Next time I promise to last longer. You are so tight and feel so damn good that I'm not going to last much longer," he groans, changing the angle of his thrusts hitting my clit.

He seals his mouth of mine just as my orgasm rushes through me, even more powerful than the last one. When he comes I can feel a rush of warmth in me as he collapses on top of me.

A moment later, he’s turning over and pulling me into him to cuddle. Never at any time have I been feeling so safe or comfortable.