He eyed the overlook with a doubtful expression.
Sliding her sandals off her feet, she hooked the ankle straps with her index finger. “You’re not scared, are you, Mark?”
He peered into the narrow valley. “Should I be?”
“Come on, Mark,” she said as her bare feet hit the dirt. “Just trust me.”
Chapter
Eleven
See? You’re fine,” Ruby said. But it was a ridiculous statement because halfway down he’d picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. Now he placed her on her feet in the sand.
“You would have broken your neck.” He bent down to unlace his boots then tugged them, along with his socks, off his feet.
“No way.” She threw her sandals next to his discarded boots. “I know that path like the back of my hand.”
“That was not a path. That was a cliff,” he said, straightening. In the dark he looked stronger somehow, the moonlight emphasizing his sharp jaw and long, lean limbs.
When he’d picked her up to carry her he’d draped the jasmine vines around her neck and now he pulled them, tugging her toward him so he could lower his mouth to hers.
She could kiss him all night, but she pulled away, running ahead along a small creek, the vines falling away behind her. She had a destination in mind, and she knew Mark would follow her lead.
Tucked away, the little cove was dominated by a huge cypress tree, its limbs grandly sweeping the area like protective arms. And it was fitting because she’d always felt safe here; when she was growing up, it had been her little private spot. And now she was here for the first time in years, with Mark.
The soft breeze of the ocean washed over her in a salty caress that made her skin tingle, and the sound of the sea pounding the shore roared in her ears. The sand felt like a thousand little massages on the soles of her feet.
When she reached the dark shadows of the cove, she turned.
He approached slowly, picking up the vines she’d discarded and tying them together as he walked. His feet were pale in the moonlight.
He closed the distance between them, leaned down and kissed her. Slowly, he leisurely ran his tongue inside her bottom lip, then pushed deeper. Everything faded as she fell into him, into this kiss. Desire crashed into her as the waves crashed against the shore. Her pussy went moist, her breasts felt heavy.
When he pulled back she was panting. “Don’t stop…”
“Take off your dress for me, baby.”
She didn’t even hesitate. They were in public; anyone out for a stroll could see them in this little cove if they really looked. But Ruby didn’t care. She’d used dessert to pleasure herself in the dining room of the Ritz. What was a little public nudity after that?
And she trusted Mark to take care of her. The realization hit her that she was willing to put her own safety in his hands; had she ever trusted anyone so much before? The answer frightened her.
She began unbuttoning her dress. Her fingers shook slightly but she made quick work of it. Soon she had the top half open, and she pulled the dress over her head, tossed it into the sand.
The chilly air hit her skin, bare except for her lacy bra. She shivered.
“Take off your bra, Ruby girl.”
Reaching behind her, she unhooked the clasp. Soon her bra was tossed on top of her dress and she stood there before him, naked. He hadn’t even removed his leather jacket.
“You make me so fucking hot, Ruby.”
She felt her nipples harden into tight little beads as a gentle breeze drifted over her skin. Or was it his words that had her body responding so intimately?
He raked his gaze over her. “Sometimes it’s hard for me to keep control around you.”
“Then don’t,” she said.
As he took a step toward her, she thought she saw a rueful smile on his face. “Not an option.”
“You’re always in control.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.” He took both her hands in his, pressed the insides of her wrists together. He still held the jasmine vines, and as he wrapped one of them around her wrists the tiny white flowers released their pungent scent. The fragrance was exhilarating, and she inhaled deeply.
The vine he used was about five feet long, and she watched, fascinated, as he tied a knot around her wrists. The jasmine reflected the moonlight in an ethereal glow, the leaves soft and dark against her pale skin. Being bound in something so beautiful took her breath away.
He finished his knot, leaving himself about two feet of vine, which he used to lead her toward the tree. Like a prisoner, she followed a step behind him, surprised she could walk at all, her limbs were so shaky. Now that he had her under his control, what would he do?
When they reached the tree, he tied the end of the vine over a low branch and tugged until her hands were stretched above her head. Until she had to use the balls of her feet to keep her balance.