The Obsidian Collection Read online

  She wiggled her ass against his cock, enticing and inviting him to bury himself deep inside of her.

  He hands left her breasts and she groaned her disappointment.

  “Let me take care of things.”

  She had no idea what he meant until she heard the ripping of the condom packet. Within moments, his hands were back around her belly, trailing lower to delve into her and tease her. She shuddered at his touch, whimpering as he thrust two fingers in her.

  “You, Brandt, I need you.”

  He pulled his fingers out and whispered against her neck. “Your wish is my command.”

  He turned her around and rested her back against the tiles. She curled her legs around his waist as he lifted her, his tip resting against her entrance. He looked deep into her eyes as he sunk into her. He stood still for a moment and she clenched her inner muscles around him. It spurred him into action and he pulled out and thrust back into her again. The steam from the water engulfed them in a fog of erotic promise. She curled her toes as her excitement mounted.

  “Faster, Brandt, faster.”

  He acquiesced and he increased his pace. She let out a low moan that escalated into a loud scream as she came all around him. He thrust once more and threw his head back, letting out a loud shout as he came in bursts inside of her.

  She uncurled her legs from around his waist and tried to stand. He tightened his hold as her legs buckled as they came down from the high of their combined orgasm. Their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss, a meeting of two minds and souls who acknowledged something special developing between them.

  They walked hand in hand along the beach, their feet sinking into the soft sand. The sun sitting low in the sky, Erika didn’t want the day to end. It had been a day of awakening sensations and she knew if Brandt brushed her breasts, she’d be on fire again.

  They had managed to keep their hands off each other after the shared shower to eat.

  Lunch had been a sumptuous feast and she had no idea where the food Brandt had prepared had come from. Conversation between them had been light and Erika was grateful. She didn’t want to have any arguments like they’d had the previous evening. So far, Brandt had fulfilled his promise and taken her on an unbelievable ride so far.

  “When will the helicopter be coming to get us?”

  “Why, do you want to leave?”

  She gave a short laugh. “I’m getting used to you answering a question with a question. Why do you do that?”

  Brandt stopped and pulled her into a loose embrace, letting his cheek rest atop her head. Such a simple action, but it meant so much to Erika. For the first time in such a long time, she felt cherished and important to someone.

  How had this happened? They had only met yesterday.

  “In answer to your question, Brandt, no I don’t want to leave here.”

  He lifted his head and brushed his lips across her ear, goose bumps broke out over her arms.

  “The chopper will come when I call it. Or whenever you want me to call it.”

  He released her from his hold, holding her hand again. He led her up the beach a few more metres before pulling her down on the sand. She laid her head on his shoulder as he slung an arm around her back.

  She was intrigued by his comment, as if she had control over their destiny and not him.

  “So if I said I wanted to go back to the resort now, it could be arranged?”

  “Do you?”

  She rolled her eyes and flung herself over him so that she straddled him.

  “Look at me. Do you really think I want to leave?”

  “Sometimes what one shows and what one means are poles apart. I’ve learnt not to take anything on face value.”

  His words pulled her up short. Clearly someone had burned him. Someone who he’d trusted. Someone who, in all likelihood, had been female.

  “I’m pretty much an open book, Brandt. I say what I think and mean; although, most times I speak without thinking. My friends are always telling me I lack subtlety in my comments.”

  She hoped that was enough to convince him she was genuine and not playing games. She’d had enough of the forwards, backwards dance on their first dinner together, especially considering what they’d shared since they’d arrived at this paradise.

  “And sometimes people say what they think the other person wants to hear.”

  She reared away from him as if she’d been stung. “Is that what you really think, Brandt? That I just said what I said to make you feel better?”

  She got up, wrapped her arms around herself and wandered towards the edge of the soft sand. The water was so still, barely a ripple breaking its surface. She wished she was that calm. Her insides churned as she came to a decision.

  Turning back, she could see that Brandt hadn’t moved an inch. She called out to him.

  “Actually, I think I’d like to leave now. Can you please arrange for the helicopter to come back?”

  With a dignity she didn’t feel, she headed back toward the house, and as she passed Brandt, she refused to look at him.

  Just like last night, she found herself walking away—again. This time, however, she had trouble keeping her emotions in check. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop the tears from flowing. It was pathetic really; she had only known him for a short time; she shouldn’t want to sob her heart out. But she did. Why she thought there was any chance that what she and Brandt had shared could progress to something more than a casual fling astounded her.

  Erika finally reached the house, alone. Again, Brandt hadn’t followed her. After all they shared together, a tiny part of her heart had hoped he would chase after her.

  She went upstairs and retrieved her bikini from the bathroom. She tried hard not to look at the shower, but memories of what they shared there assailed her. From now on, she would have a bath; she wouldn’t be able to have a shower without thinking of Brandt.

  There was nothing else of hers upstairs so she headed back down, stopping halfway when she saw Brandt entering the house.

  He looked up. “The chopper should be here in about half an hour.”

  Her heart plummeted. Hope again had her in its steely grasp, only to release her at the last moment.

  “Great, thanks.”

  She continued the journey downstairs. Five steps left but it may have been fifty. She didn’t want to reach the bottom, because when she stepped of that last stair, it signified what they’d shared was over. Her foot hovered above the last step.

  Steeling herself, she took the last step and walked over to where she had left her bag. Stuffing the damp fabric in, she zipped it up and flung it over her shoulder.

  She let her gaze roam over the house one last time. She definitely wouldn’t be asking Brandt if she could lease it some time. Finally, she let her gaze find its way back to Brandt.

  “Well, I guess this is goodbye. You were right; it was a ride of a lifetime, pity about the crash landing. Bye, Brandt.” Her voice broke as she said his name and she wished the helicopter was waiting for her to board.

  With a little cry, she rushed out the door and headed back to the beach to wait. To wait for her dream to be over.

  Brandt watched her leave and wondered what the fuck he’d done. He’d let his past over take his sensibilities. Erika was a completely different person to Tonia so why the hell had he compared them?

  Because you’ve only known her for one day. How can you trust any word that comes out of her mouth? A cynical voice inside his head said. He’d never listened to that voice before he wasn’t going to start now. Deep inside, he somehow knew Erika was different and there were no lies in her words. She had an inner strength and confidence that Tonia never had.

  He heard the distant thump of the helicopter and knew he only had a matter of seconds before she would leave him. He couldn’t let that happen.

  He recalled how nervous Erika had been when they’d flown up here. He’d promised her she’d never have to travel alone on a helicopter. He may have treated her
terribly, but he would keep his promise. He would keep her safe.

  Erika kept her eyes fixed on the early dusk horizon, willing a black dot to appear. A black dot that would take her away from her little taste of paradise. A black dot that would take her back to her life that would never be the same again.

  Her wishing finally paid off. A distance thump thump broke the silence. Becoming louder with every passing second. The sound was coming from behind her and she turned to see the beast closing in. She’d been looking in the wrong direction. Typical, considering the day she’d experienced.

  As it got closer to landing, the sand whipped around her ankles. Before she had time to move she felt herself being dragged back to the grove of trees they had taken refuge under earlier in the day.

  The helicopter landed and Brandt propelled her towards it, pushing her head down as they approached the rotors.

  She stepped up and sat down, buckling herself in so that Brandt didn’t have to do it for her. She reached up and put the headset on. Remembering how only a few hours ago she had been buzzing with excitement.

  She pulled her sunglasses down and looked out the window. She had deliberately chosen the side of the helicopter where should couldn’t see Brandt.

  The rotors whined as they sped up to the speed required to lift it off the ground. She gripped the armrest and waited.

  She jumped when a warm hand grabbed hers. She looked up, straight into Brandt’s eyes.

  “I told you I’d never let you travel on a helicopter alone.”

  All the emotion she had been holding in check spilled over, her tears tracked silently down her cheeks. A thumb reached out to catch them.

  His voice whispered, “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what? Why are you doing this?” She wanted to turn her head, away from his comforting touch.

  He fiddled with a button on his headphones and started to speak. She waited to hear his voice again but his lips moved and she heard nothing. Next thing she knew, the rotors were slowing down and Brandt was lifting his headset then hers off.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I realised something the moment you left and it was reinforced when I saw your tears.”

  “That I’m a pathetic female?”

  “No. I learned that it cut me deep when I saw you cry and realised I had caused you pain.” He brushed away a stray teardrop. “I never want to hurt you again. Can we please start over again?”

  “For a third time?”

  He chuckled. “Yeah for a third time, I want to start over. What do you think?”

  Erika was silent for a moment. She had to know if he was looking at what they shared as a fling or something more. If he could only see it as a fling, then she would ask him to fly her back to the resort. If he thought they could share something more, she would stay and see how it progressed. Either decision she made could lead to heartbreak. She would never know if she didn’t take the plunge. She already knew what she shared with Rod was nothing in comparison to what she could share with Brandt. Sometimes you just knew when the right person had come along.

  “I’m not sure if the silence is good or bad?” Brandt’s voice startled her out of her musings.

  “I’ll be truthful and say I’m in two minds.”

  Brandt nodded. “I can appreciate that. Can I help sway your decision in my favour?”

  “What exactly are you offering me, Brandt? I need to know before I can make a decision.” She fiddled with the strap on her handbag. “I’m only here on this resort for two weeks, and then I head back to my real life. A life that is, in some ways, similar to yours and in others so far apart it’s ridiculous. There are so many unanswered questions between us. Questions you’ve avoided answering.”

  “You’re right, but there are some questions I don’t particularly enjoy answering.”

  “I’m supposed to accept that, am I? Accept that if ask a question which doesn’t suit you, you’ll avoid answering?”

  “Look, can we take this conversation back to the house? I don’t feel comfortable discussing personal things in front of my staff.” He dipped his head towards the pilot who was still sitting patiently in the cockpit.

  Erika had completely forgotten where they were and acknowledged Brandt had a point, some conversations where better held away from prying eyes and ears. But still she hesitated; she didn’t want to be stranded.

  “Look, I can get the chopper to come back at a moment’s notice if you want.”

  “All right, let’s go back to the house.”

  She undid her seatbelt and stood. Brandt leaned through and spoke to the pilot who agreed with whatever he had said. He opened the door and jumped down. Erika’s skin burned as he reached up and lifted her down, holding her close for a few seconds before lowering her to the ground.

  He kept hold of her hand as they made the journey once again back to the house. There was enough daylight left and the sun lent a golden glow to the sand.

  They reached the house and Brandt held the door open for her. A feeling of warmness enveloped her when she walked into the room. She glanced over and saw that a fire was burning in the fireplace.

  Placing her hands on her hips, she turned to Brandt. “That sure of yourself, were you?”

  “No, not sure, just hopeful.”

  “It was a big risk; the place could have burned down while you were on the chopper with me.”

  “It was a risk I was prepared to take.”

  He was such a contradiction. Refusing to answer questions but making comments like that which suggested he felt something for her.

  Placing her bag once again on the hall table, she walked over to the fireplace, warming her hands and watching the flames as they danced around behind the grill.

  She hadn’t heard him move, but she knew Brandt stood behind her. She could feel his heat radiating along her spine. She couldn’t help it, his magnetism called out to her. She leaned back, totally trusting he would be there to catch her. And she was right, his arms slipped around her, and for a while, they stood there not saying anything.

  When the fire started to lose some of its heat, Brandt left her and walked over to place more wood on it. Erika took the opportunity of not being held anymore to get the desire that had built whilst being held by Brandt under control.

  She walked over to the couch and sat down in the corner. Curling her legs under herself, she watched Brandt’s muscles bunch under his shirt as he stoked the fire back to roaring life. He stood, brushed his hands on his jeans and wandered over to sit next to her.

  She broke the silence that had surrounded them.

  “So, here we are.”

  “Yes, here we are.”

  “Are you going to repeat everything I say or are we going to make progress? If not, then I suggest you tell your pilot to get his ass back here.”

  She had no idea where the anger—that was now coursing through her—had come from.

  “Come on, Brandt. Are we still going to circle each other or are we actually going to have a conversation where I ask a question and you answer, and then you ask a question and I answer?”

  She stood up from the couch and walked over to the wall of windows. The sun had now set and a few stars were twinkling like diamond chips glinting in the sunshine.

  “What do you want to know, Erika? I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

  Needing to see his reaction when she asked her questions, she turned to face him. “Why did you come after me? Why didn’t you just let me get on that helicopter and fly right out of your life?”

  He ran his hands over his face.

  “Don’t avoid my questions, Brandt. You’re the one who wanted this conversation moved back here. So here we are. Start talking.”

  “I don’t really know why I went after you.”

  “Well, that’s comforting to know. But you didn’t rush out the door the moment I left. I was waiting for that damn helicopter for at least half an hour.”

  Brandt leapt abruptly to his fe
et. “Look, that’s not what I meant, Erika, and before you start attacking me again, let me speak.”

  “Okay.”

  “Thank you.” He sat back down on the couch. “When you left here, I didn’t know what I was feeling or what I should do. Which is so out of character for me. I didn’t get to where I am by being indecisive. But I could see I had hurt you. The look in your eyes as you said that last goodbye haunted me then and will haunt me for a long time to come. I knew I had to stop you from leaving. I had to try again.”

  “I’m glad you came and got me because I didn’t really want to leave. But you really didn’t give me with any option, Brandt. We shared an amazing afternoon together. You took me places I’ve never been before and you gave me the ride of a lifetime.” She finished with a smile.

  “Yeah, it was pretty amazing, but, ironically, I sense there is another “but” there.”

  “You’re right, you still couldn’t give me a straight answer when I asked a question, and then you insulted me again by suggesting I was saying things to please you. That I didn’t mean them.”

  Before he could respond, she took hold of his face and turned it to hers. As he looked at her, memorizing her features, he saw the truth blazing in their depths.

  “As I said, I’m always getting in trouble for just blurting stuff out before I think of the consequences of my words. I can’t help it; it’s who I am. I don’t play games. I wouldn’t know how to.”

  Her gaze dropped to his mouth. In response, he licked his lips, itching to taste her again. He knew it wouldn’t stop with one kiss. It would end up with them on the rug in front of the fire, making love.

  As her eyes flicked back to his, he saw an answering desire in them. He leaned forward, ready to fulfil his fantasy of taking her in front of the fire when a hand in his chest halted his progress.

  “As much as I want you, I think it would be a mistake. There is still so much we need to sort out.”

  He sighed but acknowledged she had a point; they did need to sort everything out. He needed to apologise. “I’m sorry if what I said at the beach earlier hurt you. I’m not used to trusting people in both my private life and my business life. I find it har—”