DINO

I found Heather next to the pond, sitting on a bench under a massive old oak.  She'd been so quiet today.  I'd know.  I watched her.  I always watch her.  Been doing a lot of that since the old man gave her those fucking pearls.  She knows how I feel about her.  I told her.  She's the kind of woman you can't push though.  Drives me fucking crazy because I'm the kind of man who goes right after what he wants and that just won't work with her.  I know if I push, she'll run.  That I'm willing to change the usual tactics tells me more than I want to know about how I really feel about her. 

My schedule's been busy with work, but I make time to talk to her when I can.  It isn't often and half the time our conversations wind me up - and not in a good way - but I found something with her that day on Tortola, something I hadn't found with a woman in a long time, and I'm just not willing to give that up. 

I might not push, but I don't pander either.  Not my style.  I'm no fucking lapdog.  The last time we talked, I told her I wanted to take her to Venice.  She gave me some half assed answer about our paths 'maybe' crossing there in the future and I called her on it.  I felt like she was playing both ends against the middle (though I believe it stems from indecision not any actual intent to play me) and that if she was going to continue to keep me at arm's length, then she should at least be honest about it.

Riled her up pretty good but I love that I can do that with her, tell it to her straight up, I mean.  She doesn't give me any shit for it, but she doesn't pull any punches with me either.  She put a little sugar on it, but I got the message loud and clear.  She's not ready to ask for me because she thinks it'll fuck up what she's found with Tio.  That's bullshit, man.  He knows as well as I do that the only one he can really warn me off of is Uma, and that's only because she's his woman.  Me and Tio, we go way back and Game or no Game, you just don't fuck your best friend's wife. 

That said, there's nothing I could do that would fuck up what he's found with Heather anyway.  Nobody but the two of them could break that bond.  Maybe she doesn't know him well enough yet to see that, but I sure as fuck do.  Of course, if I did manage a visit with her, Terry sure as hell wouldn't read the diary.  He's not a glutton for punishment the way I am, but it's not something he'd take a swing at me for.  He might if he thought I just wanted a bit of clit, but I want a hell of a lot more than that. 

The subject came up recently while we were out on the town having a beer.  I wanted to feel him out a little.  We've been friends a long time and I wasn't about to risk that over a woman, even if I did want her.  He didn't warn me off or threaten me.  He knows better than that.  I always pick up the gauntlet, man.  Of course, he didn't give me his blessing either, not that I was expecting him to.  I wouldn't say we're cool about it but I'd say we have an accurate assessment of where the other stands.  And for two men trained in negotiation, that's probably as good as it's going to get.        

Heather?  She's an interesting woman and a tough one to read.  That's saying something considering I do it for a living.  Sometimes I think the Sisters forget that.  I think they forget that while the old man sat in Alice's house negotiating for Peter's life, I was doing the same damn thing in Signor Calitri's home, week after week.  With Heather, it just seems that every time I think I've got her figured out, she throws me for another loop.  Sometimes bad.  Sometimes good... but they always pique my interest. 

Take the latest loop.  The Sisters' week at the Temple.  My turf.  Home court advantage, baby.  I'd never force her into doing anything she wasn't ready for, but I'd helped Izzy plan this little event and you can bet your sweet ass I stacked the deck to get some time alone with my island girl before the week was over.  So, there I was, thinking I was sitting pretty, thinking I had it all worked out and a few weeks before we were due at the Temple, along comes this email, a response to a birthday note I sent her. 

Blew me clean out of the water. 

She mentioned the night we'd spent together on the beach in Tortola, told me she thought there might be a good beach or two within driving distance of the Temple and all but dared me to take her there, knowing full well it's against the rules.  No Number Ones (save Max who was overseeing the harvest) were allowed inside the gates.  No Sisters were allowed out.  Her email wasn't explicit, far from it in fact, but there was something in her wording that hinted the night would end differently than the last one we'd shared.  She's also the kind of person who bends rules with finesse, not defies them outright, so I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. 

Was she teasing?  Serious?  Uncertain?  She sounded pretty fucking certain to me, but her flagrant disregard for the rules set off little warning bells for me.  I'm not the kind of man to ignore a gut instinct, so I did what I always do.  Planned for any eventuality and left my options open, ready to handle whatever came down the pipe. 

I didn't know quite what to expect from her this week but I was a little surprised - and disappointed - that she wasn't more flirtatious with me.  We'd been here three days now and she was polite and friendly but when she smiled at me, it wasn't in invitation.  There was something different about her though, something in her eyes and in the way she held herself.  I just couldn't put my finger on it.  And for a man like me?  That's probably the quickest way to get me interested.  Don't get me wrong; blatant sexuality and a strong come on from the right woman fires my blood too, but there's something that happens when my mind is engaged on a different level.  That's how I knew we'd be so fucking good together.   

It's not that Heather's playing hard to get.  That's just it.  She's not playing.  And she is hard to get.  It's not the challenge or the thrill of the chase that keeps my interest, it's the puzzle.  Or rather, the missing piece of the puzzle.  The thing I can't put my finger on.  That's the thing that keeps me up at night.  I can indulge in carnal delights with a woman, playing and teasing and coming until we're both so wrung out even a crane couldn't get me up again....but it's the puzzle my mind returns to before I sleep.  So, bit of a revelation there, huh?  Dino, king of one night stands, dreams about women who come with secrets and strings.  Fucking pathetic, man. 

The lone dart.  

It's from something Heather told me once.  Her theory on the game.  She figures the Sisters are like a dartboard and the Brothers are like darts.  The one in the bull's eye is a Sister's Number One and all the others are scattered around the board, some closer than others and maybe even one or two on the line around the bull's eye, but there's only one in the center.  The lone dart.  Made me wonder if I'll ever be anyone's lone dart.  I doubt it. 

I turned that conversation over in my head for more than a few nights before something she said clicked over.  She never called the one in the center the lone dart.  I just assumed that's the one she was talking about.  I guess it's really not alone.  Sure, it's alone in the bull's eye, but it shares the board with the others. 

She called me the lone dart.

I'm not sure whether I should be flattered because she singled me out of the pack or depressed because of what that meant.  Or maybe she meant I needed to get busy letting fly at a few virgin dartboards.  Hell, maybe she meant I wasn't on hers and she was waiting for me to take a toss.  Fuck.  See?  This is just the kind of thinking I'm talking about. 

At least I wasn't tossing and turning over it.  Yet.  Fuck.  It's Temple Week.  Almost sunset.  There's a good chance if I turn around and go back inside now that I could find a willing partner and give the old dart a toss or two, in a manner of speaking.  I'd surely have a better chance with one of them than I did with the one sitting out there all by herself, staring at the lake. 

I almost left.  Almost.  Something about her body language made me stay however.  She hadn't seen me, so I knew what I was seeing the real her, seeing whatever it was that had been niggling at me since I got her email.  The missing piece of the puzzle.  No way was I walking away from that.  I slipped through the trees and came up beside her.  I opened my mouth to give her a flippant greeting like I always do but the look on her face stopped me.  When she saw me, she hastily wiped at her eyes and turned her gaze back out to the lake.   

I straddled the bench, sat down next to her and was surprised when she closed her eyes and leaned into me, sliding her arms around me and hugging me tight.  I wrapped my arms around her and stroked her hair.  "Christ, honey, you OK?"  She smelled good and felt better.  My cock stirred and I struggled to ignore it.

"Yes and no."  I waited, knowing there'd be more.  Negotiator's trick.  Sometimes you learn more by not asking questions, by just letting the person talk instead of fishing for answers to questions you don't even know to ask.  Her next words were partially mumbled against my chest.  "Do you remember Tortola?"

"Yes."  Unequivocally.  Every last moment.

"It was the gathering of the Brothers and Sisters that drew me there, but do you remember what it was that lit a fire under me to go on vacation in the first place?  The reason I wanted to make some changes in my life?"  I nodded.  Someone she loved very much had just passed away and- "It's her birthday today," she finished quietly.

Jesus.  My heart was breaking for her.  "Aw, honey.  C'mere."  I pulled her closer and rocked her gently, my mind whirling.  "You want me to get Izzy?  If you need Lach, she'd bend the rules for something like this."

She shook her head.  "No.  I don't want any of them to know.  I don't want to spoil anyone's fun," she paused.  "And Lach's birthday is tomorrow.  I want it to be a happy day for him, you know?"  I nodded.  "I'm OK mostly... I just..." she waved her hand at the horizon like she did that night we were on the beach and then she pulled away to meet my eyes.  "The Temple boys are nice and all, but I want to be with someone I know, and someone who knows me."     

It hit me then, all at once.  Her selflessness for not wanting to spoil the good time the others were having.  Her protectiveness of Lachlan's feelings.  The amount of trust she was placing in me.  The revelation she felt closer to me than any man here. 

The reason for her email.

I couldn't take her away that first time.  On the beach in Tortola, my hands were tied; I had no power to show her that new horizon.  I did now.  I couldn't take away her hurt, but I could do my best to make damn sure someone I cared a lot about had the best time I could give her.

I looked at the sun.  It was close to setting.  "You know what the golden hour is?"  It had two meanings really.  The time of day just before the sun set when the waning light cast everything in golden glow, as it was doing now.  And it also referred to the critical window of time just after injury when you have the power to most affect a positive outcome.  In this case, both meanings suited my purpose.  I waited for her answer.

"Yes."  I slowly drew her to her feet and kissed both of her palms tenderly before curling her hands in mine.

"Both meanings?"  Another yes.  I smiled.  I knew what she wanted but I needed to give her one last out.  "You want to break a few rules with me tonight, honey?"  She opened her mouth to say 'yes' and I touched her lips with my finger.  "Think it through first, island girl.  I'm only going to ask you this once, so be sure."  I'd wanted this for too long.  I could still stop things now.  I wasn't too sure about later. 

"I'm sure."  Her words went straight to my cock.  So did a rush of blood that made my groin pulse with a heavy ache.  I swallowed hard.     

A warm wind blew through the valley, bending the grasses around the lake and kicked her hair up wildly.  Gave me one hell of an idea.  "Do you trust me?"

She responded to my teasing like she always did, met the challenge head on.  God I love that.  "Absolutely."  No hesitation.  No waver in her voice.  Hot damn.

I gave her the once over.  Sandals.  Pretty skirt.  Strappy tank top.  No bra.  Jesus.  "Go change, honey.  Jeans.  Boots.  Keep the top.  Bring a jacket.  If you don't have a leather one with you, lift one."  I pulled her close, squeezed her hips in my hands and gave her a little push.  "I'll be in the garage.  Don't keep me waiting too long."

HEATHER

I ran into Max on my way out to the garage.  He took one look at my attire and the jacket I had clenched in my fingers and smiled knowingly.  I felt my cheeks color.

Max looked toward the garage and nodded.  "He's a good choice for you."  I felt an odd sense of warmth at his nod, almost as if he was giving me his blessing.  Perhaps in a way he was.  He was a man of honor, as Terry was.  As well as a brilliant tactician.  This was not a choice I'd made lightly and to have his approval reinforced the feeling that I'd made the correct decision. 

I couldn't help but tease him a little though.  "And just how do you know who I'm meeting, general?"  I smiled as he pulled me close and gave me a soft kiss.  

His eyes twinkled in his stoic face.  "Just because this is not my week to be on the field of honor does not mean I am unaware of the battles being waged around me." 

I raised my eyebrow at him.  "Did I mention I saw Ann this morning?"

He grunted in amusement.  "You see too much."  Well, now.  Isn't that the truth?  He was talking about more than just his morning tryst with Ann and we both knew it. 

"Maybe."  I shrugged.  "Sometimes."

His expression sobered.  "Go get in the wind."  He touched my face gently.  "Sometimes it is best to close your eyes and let it take you where it will, papilio."  He kissed me once more and let me go.  "The others will understand."  I didn't ask him which others and he didn't elaborate, bless him. 

Dino was waiting for me in the garage, just as he'd said.  He was wearing the same jeans and white t-shirt he'd been wearing earlier, but he was now wearing a brown leather jacket over it and he was leaning up against one of the bikes, a black nondescript one I hadn't noticed before.  No fancy paint job.  No shiny chrome.  It was sleek and smooth; the details subtly wrought in the contrast between the matte and gloss of the black paint and in the brushed black metal of the frame.  If a shadow could have been breathed into a bike, that's what it would have looked like. 

I gave a low whistle.  "Whose bike is that?"

His blue eyes glittered as he pulled the keys from his pocket and gave them a jingle.  "Whose do you think, hermanita?"  Figures a bike that smooth would be his.  He handed me a half helmet, the kind that doesn't cover your ears or have a face shield and told me to put it on.  He chuckled as I wrinkled my nose at him.  "For my safety, not yours, honey.  Lach'd have my ass if I took you out of here without one."

Dino's right.  He would.  I noticed he wasn't wearing one even though there were plenty resting on the shelf in the back of the garage.  I didn't lecture him about it.  He's a big boy.  I slipped on the jacket I'd brought with me and pulled my dark glasses from the pocket.  I felt his eyes on me as surely as any touch.  He moved closer, crowding me against the bike, sensing my desire to let go for a night, to walk a little closer to the edge than I usually do.  Sensing that I wanted him to be the one to take me there.  And beyond.  His hands pushed my jacket open and glided up my stomach to cover my breasts.  He thumbed my nipples and brushed his lips over mine. 

A noise rumbled deep in his throat.  "Open for me, honey.  I want to taste you in my mouth all the way to the ocean."  I did and he lowered his mouth to mine, licking at me, tasting me; a deep wet kiss that he broke with a growl a few minutes later.  "Get on the fucking bike."  I smiled at his back as he mounted in front of me.  He sighed as he raked a hand through his hair and then brought it to his groin, chuffing in frustration as he massaged his erection into uneasy submission. 

"Christ."  He tugged once more at the seam of his jeans and then kicked the engine over with a practiced motion, wincing a little as he settled into place in front of me.  With a smug grin, he slid on his shades and shot me a look over his shoulder.  "You ready to break a few rules?"  I wrapped my arms around his middle, keeping well away from his crotch and gave him a squeeze in answer.  "That's what I like to hear." 

He grinned and the bike's engine roared as we left the garage.  It broke the peaceful quiet of the still evening and I cringed a inwardly, knowing there was no possible way we were going to make an exit without everyone and their dog knowing about it.  I was right.  Heads turned.  East appeared at the barn door.  His chest was bare and he had hay in his hair.  Uma turned up at his side, wearing his shirt.  Her hair had hay in it too.  Several people came out of the house and gathered on the porch, shading their eyes from the setting sun to see who was flying the coop.  Shit.  I heard a couple of truly raucous catcalls.  Ann put her fingers to her lips and blew a whistle loud enough to peel the paint from the barn.  Some of the Temple boys cheered, no doubt glad one of their own was breaking the rules for a change.  I felt Dino chuckle as we left the house and its boisterous occupants behind. 

A couple of minutes later, we rolled to a stop at the gate.  The gate.  Crap.  I'd forgotten about that.  It had to be twelve feet high, wrought iron.  Beautiful to look at but unfortunately, sturdy as hell.  Dino chuckled louder.  "Haven't yet made the lock I can't pick, baby."  He punched a code into the box and the gate rolled open, smooth as silk.  I kissed his cheek as the gate closed behind us.

Freedom.

The road that winds around the ridge surrounding the valley was long and curvy.  It had quite a gorgeous view too, but as the scenery sped by, I was aware everyone at the Mother Tree would no doubt hear us coming long before we ever passed the house.  Double crap.  I could see it in the distance.  There were six men on the porch.  Hando and John were easy to pick out.  One was practically bald and the other was the only one sporting a full beard.  Two men stepped off the deck, shading their eyes from the setting sun.  Crew cut on one, longish hair on the other.  Bud and Cort.  On the far side of the deck two men with similar haircuts and similar military bearing were standing close together, one with his arms crossed over his chest and the other with a hand in his pocket.  They were both smoking.  Terry and Lachlan, no doubt. 

God, Lachlan.  I could have told you which one he was blindfolded.  He stiffened as we approached and flicked his butt off the porch, blowing a stream of smoke skyward as he raised a bottle to his mouth and took a long drink.  I took Max's advice and closed my eyes, burying my face in Dino's back as he really opened up the engine and we blew by the flat stretch of road in front of the Mother Tree.  Quite a different reception this time.  No cheering.  No catcalls.  Just a whole lot of staring. 

I wondered exactly what it was that they saw when they looked at us.  No doubt they'd all recognize Dino.  He was the only Brother with hair the color of flames.  Would they know which Sister was with him?  All they could see of me was a figure hugging Dino's back and long dark hair whipping out behind us.  Well, that narrowed the field now didn't it?  Oh well, screw it.  I wasn't embarrassed to be seen with Dino.  I just didn't want to flaunt my assignations in front of the others.  I think any of my Sisters might have felt the same, given the situation.

Nothing to do for it now, but just close my eyes and enjoy the ride as well as the feel of the man in my arms.  All those clichés about motorcycles and sex and power?  They're all true.  Every last one of them.  In the twilight, miles of black road disappeared under the wheels of the bike.  The purple-black of the sky deepened as we made our way towards the coast.  I forgot how fast darkness could fall so near the ocean.  The stars began to come out overhead.  The night surrounded us, promising impunity as only darkness can.  The engine rumbled under us as the city grew more distant and the coast loomed closer.  Even the tall trees flanking us seemed to whisper deep and low of sensuous things long forgotten. 

The warm night breeze rushed by gently, bringing with it a hint of Dino's scent.  I leaned forward, breathing in the mingled scents of leather, tobacco, cologne and something more that was just him.  Something primal and masculine.  God, he smelled good.  My fingers itched to slide under his shirt and explore his warm flesh, to tease the sensitive skin just above his belt buckle.  I shuddered lightly at the thought and felt my legs clench his involuntarily.  He slowed the bike just enough so that I could hear him over the engine.

"Soon."  A warning.  Perhaps a promise.  There had been a wealth of emotion behind that one little word. 

My fingers were on his sides, under his jacket to keep them warm against the bite of the wind.  I caressed him gently, absently, and was surprised when he caught my wrist and moved my hand to the bulge between his legs.  Not rubbing, not stroking, he just held it there, cupping his desire.  The warmth of his groin seeped into my palm.  Arousal fluttered to life in my belly and I felt it move lower, felt that warm pulse between my legs as my body began to ready itself to accept his.    

I could smell the salt in the air now, could see glimpses of water now and again.  We rode the rest of the way in silence, enjoying the beauty of the night, the motion of the bike and the tension building between us.  We were intently aware of each other as only two people anticipating their first intimate encounter can be.  The next time we traveled this road together, I would know what it felt like to touch the stars with his body buried deep in mine. 

We turned off of the main road.  Gravel crunched under the tires.  I saw a few lights flickering high up on the bluffs above, but none between the road and the roar of the ocean.  He parked the bike in a small gravel lot and killed the engine.  The resulting silence was louder than the rumble of the bike had been.  I was very aware my palm still cupped his sex.  His fingers covered mine, gently rubbing the back of my hand.  For as crude as he could be at times, he also knew the other side of the coin.  Subtlety.  How to pace arousal so perfectly it was all but effortless. 

I smiled into the dark, pulled off the helmet and rested my cheek against his back.  "My butt's numb," I admitted with a giggle. 

He chuckled quietly, kicked down the stand and dismounted, helping me off the bike before he turned me so I was half standing, half resting against the seat.  "We'll just stand here a bit then before we go down to the dunes.  Get the blood flowing again."  He grinned that naughty grin he has, reached in and clicked on the bike's radio.  I steadied my hands on his hips, all but trembling at his nearness as the radio crackled to life, catching the tail end of a commercial before it slipped into the perfect song.  What'd I tell you, Diary?  Serendipity. 

Dino touched my face tenderly and then dropped his hands to my jacket, unzipping it unhurriedly, holding my eyes as he parted it and slipped his hands inside.  He left them on my waist, widened his stance to move in closer to me and lowered his head, kissing me slowly, deeply.  His hands were squeezing gently, rhythmically in time to the sweet languor of his mouth.  He kissed me as if he had all the time in the world.  Like I was his and he didn't have to give me up with the sunrise. 

His hands on my breasts.  His mouth on my neck.  My lover.  I wasn't aware I'd even spoken the words aloud until he whispered back, "Yes, your lover."  The song played on.  All I heard was Dino crooning softly in Spanish while he nuzzled my neck, kissing and sucking.  Rough red stubble rasped against my skin and I felt my hands tighten, fisting in his shirt at the exquisite sensation.  It was only when he switched back to English that I returned to the moment, smiling as he murmured the words in my ear. 

He pulled me up and off the bike, hands sliding down over my hips to catch me up, lifting me, grinding against me with a slow roll of his hips before he let me slip down his long, lean body.  His head had fallen back in pleasure as he ground his erection into me but as I regained my feet, his head came back up and his eyes opened.  I felt a shiver of anticipation move through me as he left one hand on my breast and reached behind me with the other to click off the radio, leaving only the sound of the surf and our ragged breathing to fill the quiet.   

I wanted to lie down with him somewhere.  Desperately.  A wildness was rising sharply in me, something more than desire.  Something feral.  This rugged place seemed the perfect setting for it.  There was a wild beauty here that the soft beach on Tortola lacked.  The rhythmic advance and retreat of the waves on the sand.  Water and stone.  Female and male.  I could feel myself beginning to slip into that primal rhythm. 

He held my gaze, watching it rise within me.  I saw an answering flare in him but still, he didn't rush.  It made me feel cherished even as I realized he was testing the limits of the power he had over me this night.  He knew I wanted him to be the aggressor, to take control and he was waiting until he felt me give in to the rhythm he'd chosen for us tonight.  Waiting for me to reach out.  Waiting for me to capitulate.  And the moment I did, his whole demeanor changed.

DINO       

I felt it.  The exact moment she truly surrendered herself to me, her little hands clutching at me.  "Dean, please..."  Only my family ever called me that.  I hadn't heard it in so long and I loved the way it sounded rolling off her lips.  Dean.  My name.  It literally means 'from the dene'.  It's a word that means a sandy tract or dune by the seashore.  Fitting for this night, wouldn't you say?  Her name's fitting too.  Heather, a Scottish flower.  Flowers on the dene.  That's about as perfect as it gets.  The thought both fired by blood and moved my heart.     

I tightened my hold on her.  "Say it again."  It's not often I have to work so hard or wait so long to get a response from a woman I'm attracted to and I wanted to hear those sweet words again and again.  To have her join me in the moment.  To have her acknowledge, both to me and to herself, that she wanted this night.

Little kisses up my throat.  "Dean, please...." She offered them up so sweet.  

I smiled against her mouth and took her hand to lead her down to the dunes.  "Come on, sweetheart."  The walk did me good, let me cool down a little.  The feel of her hand on my cock and her sweet acquiescence had stoked me up pretty good and I wanted to be sure this night was memorable for both of us. 

I took her down to the spot I'd prepared for us.  You know me; man with the plan.  As soon as I got her email, I knew just the spot I wanted to take her.  A buddy of mine owns this stretch of beach and has a summer home on the bluffs above.  He owed me a favor.  I collected.  We won't be disturbed here.  Before the Sisters arrived at the Temple, I stopped in here and set a few things up so I'd be good to go on the off chance Heather hadn't been yanking my chain with that teasing little email. 

The look on her face as she realized I'd cared enough to prepare a special place for us was worth all the trouble I'd gone through to do it... scouted for the perfect place nestled in the dunes.  Made a shallow fire pit, prepped the fire so it was good to go and then collected enough driftwood to keep us warm a good long while.  No disrespect to the Pacific, but it ain't the Caribbean.  If I wanted to see some naked skin - and I sure as hell did - we'd need a bit of light and something to keep us warm after we were done keeping each other warm.   

I'd left a basket too; the usual stuff, matches, lighter fluid...  Couple of blankets.  Couple of bottles of water.  Bottle of scotch (the good stuff).  Bottle of honey.  Yeah, I know.  Honey at the beach?  Fuck off.  We all have our little fantasies.  Tucked a way a little present in there too.  We'll see how it goes.        

I think it stunned her a bit.  She was silent, something she usually isn't with me.  Her eyes got a little wet and she gave me a fierce hug and then rested her cheek against my chest and whispered a quiet thank you.  I held her for a little while and then pulled away to spread out the blankets and get the fire going.  We didn't talk as much as we did that night on Tortola.  Heather was more shy with me than she'd been then and I was less hesitant to touch her in the ways that I really wanted.  Unlike that first night, there was no question about how this one would end. 

I waited until the fire was good and hot, until I was beginning to sweat under my coat before I began to undress us.  My coat first, then hers, tossed down by the basket.  The cool night air on her arms made her nipples draw up tight under that little tank top she had on.  I left them for now, no need to rush.  I had the whole night.  Shoes next, hers and mine.  Socks peeled off slowly and tossed in the basket.  The rest of our clothes soon followed.  Beach Seduction 101, boys and girls.  It's a fantastically romantic place to make love (and one of my personal favorites to tell the truth), but sandy clothes the morning after?  Rookie mistake.

I took the time to make it good for her, stripping us both slowly until we were naked in the firelight.  God she was gorgeous.  I followed her down to the blanket and knelt over her, sliding my hands over the soft swell of her breasts and along her sides to the curve of her hips and back up again.  She'd lost weight.  Not a lot.  Maybe five pounds or so.  It wasn't a huge amount but it showed on a small frame like hers. 

Bet you're wondering how I knew that.  What method of comparison I was using?  She left it out of her diary, but we skinny dipped on Tortola just after sunrise.  Nothing happened.  Well, nothing sexual.  You all know I took a good long look.  She did her fair share of looking too.  No sex though.  Mostly we just played like kids, splashing and dunking each other.  It's actually one of my best memories from that whole trip.  

Beneath me, Heather purred softly in her throat as my hand moved over her skin.  I caught her eye and smiled at her.  "You've lost weight."  Her cheeks got pink and I suddenly realized why.  Her relationship with Curry was very new.  I snorted in amusement.  "Tell Lach he needs to let you let you out of bed long enough to eat something, honey."  Who could blame him though?  I'd be doing the same damn thing if she was my woman.  Her blush crept down her neck and colored her breasts too.

"I have been eating!  Tons!"  She giggled.  "I just can't keep up-" she broke off suddenly and I laughed aloud.  She'd been packing it in and she still looked like this?  Jesus.  How much sex can one man have?  I knew Curry's Boy Scout act was hiding something, but who the fuck knew it was that?  I think most people would have found it strange that I could so comfortably discuss my lover's relationships with other men, but it was sort of par for the course in Perve World.

"I'm happy for you, sweetheart."  I lowered my head and nuzzled the soft skin of her stomach so she wouldn't see the flash of longing in my eyes.  She didn't answer me back, but she touched my cheek so tenderly I could tell she knew it was there anyway.

"Make love to me, Dean."  She reached for me and I moved over her easily, kissing her with all the passion I'd held in check these many months.  The feel of her tongue stroking mine made my heart pound and my blood tickle in my veins.  She touched my face, my chest.  Lingered a bit over my tattoo and then stroked lower, over my stomach to my cock.  With a groan, I pulled out of her fingers.  She was winding me up too fast.  I caught her wrists, kissed her palms and then arranged her arms above her head before I sat back to enjoy the view.

Fuck.  She took my breath away.  Flawless skin glowing an orangey-gold in the firelight.  Dark hair spread out over the blanket.  Eyes soft and hooded with her hunger for me.  She raised her hands to touch me and I stopped her with a word.  "No."  I pushed her hands back down and stretched her arms back out above her head.  "I want to look at you."  Her eyes closed, long dark lashes on dusky cheeks.  I let her hide from me. 

For now.  

I started with her hair.  It looked black in flickering light.  Felt like silk between my fingers.  I gathered it in my hands and let it fall like black rain, fanning it back out over the green blanket.  I touched her eyelids, her cheeks, her mouth.  She sucked my fingertip between her lips and I felt the wet pulls of her mouth all the way to my cock.  Chiding her softly, I stole it back and resumed mapping her skin with my eyes and hands.  Ran my fingertips from her wrists to her elbows and down her arms into the sensitive hollow of her armpits.  A smile turned up the corners of her mouth and I watched gooseflesh rise on her skin.

Her nipples pulled tight.  Fuck, watching that never ceases to amaze me.  God, I love women's bodies.  I covered her breasts with my hands and pinched her nipples, tugging gently.  "Hey, pretty girl."  Her eyes fluttered open.  "Watch me."  No more hiding.  "I want you to watch me touch you."  Her gaze went from my face to my hands.  We both watched as I rolled her nipples, plucking at them softly.  And then not so softly. 

She moaned quietly in her throat but it wasn't until I felt her hips rise under me that I lowered my head and took a nipple in my mouth.  I sucked strongly, sliding my free hand back up her throat to her lips and pushed my finger back inside.  "Suck it, honey," I murmured against her skin, moving to her other breast and raking her nipple lightly with my teeth before laving it with my tongue. 

I felt the scrape of her teeth along my finger and then the warm suction of her mouth, teasing me.  Showing me how she'd suck my cock.  It throbbed even now, trapped between my body and hers, sliding in my own wetness as I rocked my hips against her.  I pulled my finger from her mouth and brought it to my own, tasting her.  I added a second and made sure they were good and wet before I moved them lower.  Moving to rest my weight on my side, I trailed my wet fingers down her body and slid them between her legs. 

Christ.  So wet for me.  So fucking ready.  I held her eyes, watching them dilate as I slipped two fingers inside, pushing deep.  Her hips bucked, forcing me deeper still and she bit her lip to keep from crying out.  I nuzzled her cheek and whispered into her hair, "Let me hear you.  Let me hear how good it feels."  A guttural groan broke from her as I added a third finger and brought my thumb into play.  "That's it, honey.  That's it." 

She panted softly as I worked her.  Her breathing grew heavier and her head thrashed on the blanket as a fine sheen of sweat formed on her skin.  Her hands moved restlessly, clutching at me.  I heard her soft whimper of distress as I pulled my hand away and moved over her, pushing her legs up and out.  I wanted to see all of her.  To taste all of her.  "Beautiful... You're so beautiful here, sweetheart."  I plucked softly at the wet folds of her sex.       

Jesus.  So pouty and pink and pretty.  I had to kiss her there.  She keened when I did, running her fingers through my hair as I suckled, flicking my tongue inside where my fingers had just been.  Where my cock would soon be.  "Mmmm.....You taste so sweet."  I lifted my mouth and blew over her, teasing her with my breath.  I spread her wide and looked my fill.  She writhed under me in frustration.  I smiled against her thigh, making her squirm as I rubbed my stubble against her sensitive skin.  "Just a little longer, honey."  I shot a prayer skyward that I could hold out that long.  "It always feels better if you wait."

She was almost panting now, her voice rough with need.  "Oh God...."  I felt the sting of her nails.  So close now. 

"You want me here?"  I stroked her wet flesh, first with my knuckles and then with my tongue, dying to hear her say the words.  I bit her thigh sharply when she didn't answer me fast enough.  "I want to be here."  Rough push of my fingers to drive my words home.   

Her eyes opened and she reached for me.  I moved over her.  This night was for her... but it was for me too.  I lined us up and pushed.  Shallowly.  Gave her half the tip, just enough so she could feel the stretch.  Not enough for her to feel filled.  The feel of her satiny lips closing around me made me wild.  I all but growled the words at her.  "Tell me you want this."

What I will always remember about that moment was that she did not mindlessly give me an answer.  She caught my face in her tiny hands and smiled.  "I want this, Dean."  She paused and met my eyes.  "I want you."  Her words fed the wildness rising in me and soothed that hidden piece of my heart that thought she might reject me, even now.  I felt the wildness rise in her too, saw it flare in her eyes as she arched up against my restraining hand.  "God, fuck me!  Please... fuck me."

I did.  Hard.  It wasn't pretty or gentle or smooth.  It was wild and raw and primal.  The ocean pounded against the beach.  I pounded against her.  Water and stone.  Female and male.  The fire popped loudly.  Sparks rose unseen into the night.  We sweated and strained and grunted, two wild things mating fiercely under the stars.

"Harder... harder."  My hands tightened on her wrists at her words.  Sweat dripped from me to her.  She was already wincing with each thrust.  Any harder and she'd have marks tomorrow.  Fuck, she probably would already.  My body fought me, wanting to let go.  "Harder... Dean, more..."  She was playing a dangerous game.  She wanted me to take her right to the edge.  To make her lose control but doing so threatened to make me lose mine.  I could hurt her, really hurt her if I did.  That's a fucking lot to ask of a man.  And then it hit me.  How deep her faith in me really ran, how wholly she'd entrusted herself to me. 

I gave her what she wanted.  What we both wanted.  In my secret heart, I'd fantasized about taking her this way.  What man doesn't have those dark fantasies, especially about women that are so fucking hard to get?  Both of us got wilder.  White knuckled grip on her hip.  Leaning into the downstroke now, ignoring the nails in my back.  She bit my shoulder.  I bit her back.  Hard.  The fucking world imploded.  I was vaguely aware of her harsh cry as she came.  I was lost in my own pleasure, cursing and grunting as I pumped into her in hot spurts.  Again and again and again. 

Shaken, I slumped heavily against her.  Her body was slack beneath mine, wrung out from what we'd just shared, trembling a little.  There were tears on her face.  I thought there might be.  I knew I hadn't hurt her, not enough to make her cry, anyway, but I think she needed that release too.  Wanting me to make her feel alive and also feeling guilty that she was.  I didn't ask her if she was OK.  I just held her close and let her cry. 

We made love again afterwards.  This time it was slow and exquisitely tender, me on my back with her astride my hips, taking me deep but riding me real easy.  I watched her against the backdrop of the night sky, dark hair fluttering in the breeze, skin flushed with pleasure and carrying my marks.  She came first and I talked her to another orgasm before I finally let myself go.  She fell asleep almost immediately after.  I stayed awake, watching over her.  Watching her.  Watching... and wishing I could hold back the sunrise. 

HEATHER

Dino woke me a little after midnight.  I protested, too tired to care I was shivering, and burrowed deeper into his warmth.  His voice was husky against my ear.  "Come on, honey.  It's too cold here."  What he meant was that it was too cold for me here.  He was right but I was reluctant to leave.

"I don't want to go back yet."

"I'm not taking you back."  He smiled lopsidedly.  "Not yet, anyway."  He paused to kiss me.  "Trust me.  I know a place we can go."  I was too tired to argue with him, even if he was being cryptic.  My teeth chattered as he threw off the blanket and pulled me to my feet.  I shivered as a trickle of semen ran down my thigh.  He smiled when he saw it and used his wadded up t-shirt to wipe it away.  We redressed quickly but I still paused to watch him.  He was a beautiful man.  The soft light from the fire made his red hair look redder but it was the heavy droop of his genitals that held most of my attention, at least until he tucked them carefully away into his jeans. 

I hurried into my own clothes, smiling when he pulled on his coat over his bare chest and zipped it absently as he fished something from the basket and put it in his pocket.  He shook the sand from the blanket and stuffed it in the basket, kicking sand over the fire while I zipped my coat and pulled my hair from the collar. 

It felt a little sad to leave but we both knew it was time.  He took my hand in his and we walked briskly back to the bike.  Minutes later, we were flying down the highway, leaving the coast behind and climbing higher into the mountains with each mile.  I wondered where he was taking me.  I was exhausted, but it was impossible not to notice the scenery.  Lit by the stars and the bike's headlight, I was taken by the grandeur, by the peace of this place.  Lost in the beauty around me, I didn't notice that we'd turned off the road until he pulled into a long driveway, brought the bike to a stop and killed the engine.

"Where are we?" I whispered to him.  It almost seemed wrong to break the silence of this place.  All I could hear was the wind creaking through the trees.  He didn't answer me; he only took the helmet from my fingers and pulled me off the bike before leading me up the stone path to the house.  He produced a set of keys, opened the door and pulled me in after him.  He closed the door but didn't turn on any lights.  He tossed the keys in a dish on a table as we went by and even with me in tow, he easily navigated his way up a dark flight of stairs and down a long hallway.  I suddenly realized that this was his home.  He knew it too well, was too comfortable moving around without any light for it to belong to anyone else. 

I knew he kept a few apartments; San Francisco, Manhattan, London... but this was his home.  His sanctuary.  I was humbled he'd brought me here and yet somehow, not surprised.  Still in the dark and still without a word, he led me into what had to be the master bath, turned on the shower and undressed himself quickly, efficiently.  He took longer undressing me, savoring the task and then pulled me into the shower with him.  My body was stiff and cold and the languid heat of the water felt so good.  I simply closed my eyes and let him wash me, rinsing away the sand, our sweat and his semen.  I leaned against his back while he washed himself and I think I was almost asleep by the time he finished tending to our needs.      

He dried us both, sucking in a sharp breath as he saw the marks he'd left on me.  I hadn't looked at them yet but I could feel them; a sweet ache when I moved just so.  He swept me up in his arms as if I weighed nothing and carried me into the bedroom.  He put me down by the bed and pulled back the covers.  The white sheets stood out like a beacon in the inky darkness. 

His hand found mine.  "Stay with me here."  So much longing in his voice.  But acceptance too.  And peace. 

"Your bed?" 

"My bed."  

He squeezed my hand and I nodded, sliding in beside him.  With a sigh of utter contentment he pulled me close, drew the covers up over us both and finally closed his eyes. 

Hands, touching me.  Kneading my breast.  A mouth on my neck.  Half asleep, half awake, my first instinct was to mumble an 'I love you' at Lachlan, but the touch was wrong.  Different.  Unfamiliar enough to make me hold my tongue.  Lach sleeps spooned up behind me, not facing me... and it's not my breasts he goes for first.  He also knows he doesn't need to wake me up to initiate lovemaking.  I rather like waking up with him already inside me. 

As I came fully awake, memories from the previous night came rushing back.  The bike.  The beach.  Dino.  A voice, husky with sleep, crooned in Spanish.  Secret words, whispered against my heart.  They made my eyes burn.  I wished he'd chosen another language.  I left him his secrets, waiting until he fell silent before I opened my eyes.  It was still dark outside.  The warm male body beside mine moved closer, his caresses more bold as I stirred.  He moved on top of me, tender in the way he touched me but still making his intention obvious.  He used his knee to part my thighs and settled between them, rubbing his erection between my legs until I was ready for him.

He didn't ask me if he could make love to me.  But he also didn't stop the sensuous rocking of his body against mine.  I knew what he wanted.  It wasn't love he wanted to make so much as it was a memory of us together in his bed.  Me, on my back under him.  Wanting him.  A memory made here so that it would linger after the sun had risen.  I could no more deny him that than I could deny the feelings he stirred in my body. 

Our lovemaking wasn't wild, nor was it particularly tender, but it was intense.  He held my hands and my eyes the whole time, never once breaking either connection.  Not when I arched under him, gasping his name.  Not even when his thrusts became erratic and he shuddered as he spilled himself inside me with a series of soft rhythmic grunts. 

Outside, I heard birds beginning to chirp.  The sunrise wouldn't be far behind.  Already, the sky was growing lighter.  We lay there a little while.  Eyes closed but awake.  I felt him roll away and then return.  A moment later I felt something cold and smooth between my breasts.  My eyes flew open and I squirmed. 

He laughed quietly but his eyes were serious.  "A present for you, island girl."  

He took his hand away, unveiling his gift.  I picked it up and turned it over in my fingers.  A small glass float.  Japanese fishermen use them on their nets.  It's rare for one to float across the Pacific intact but people do find them on the beach from time to time.  This wasn't just a float, however.  He'd taken it somewhere and had a small hole bored in it and a stopper put in.  It was half full of white sand, like the kind we'd played in that morning on Tortola.  I rolled it in my palms and the sand shifted inside the green glass, revealing a single white pearl.  Dino took the float from me and turned it in his fingers.  The pearl disappeared under the sand and then he gave it back to me. 

I got the message.

It was an elegantly simple gift.  Glass and sand.  Water and stone.  I knew I would treasure it always.  I thanked him with words meant for him and him alone.  I will not repeat them here. 

The ride back to the Temple was quiet but not bittersweet.  Dino and I had made our peace.  I held him tightly, enjoying the feel of him in my arms as the sun rose higher in the sky.  It was over too soon.  The Mother Tree appeared on the horizon.  As we got closer, I saw two men on the porch, both sitting in chairs.  One man was slumped in his seat, his long legs stretched out in front of him.  The other had his chair tipped back on two legs, resting against the front of the house.  Only one was smoking this time.  I wondered if they'd been there all night. 

This time I didn't hide my face in Dino's back as we drove past.  

The scenery whipped by but I didn't see it.  My mind was full of other things.  I thought of the way Dino had cared for me so tenderly when I needed it most.  I thought of the memories we'd made.  I thought of the things I'd learned about him.  I saw his bedroom in my mind's eye.  Cloaked in shadow, all I really remember is the bed and the heavy roughhewn mantle over the fireplace; home of his most precious treasures.  His touchstones.

An antique perfume bottle that smelled like Darcy.  A sake cup.  A book of matches from a bar in Tecala City.  A silver toe ring.  A pair of dogtags.  A Celtic brooch with a rich patina.  A small wooden figurine, crudely shaped to resemble a dog.  A little brass plaque that read 'O'Leary & Thorne'.  A string of Buddhist prayer beads made from black bodhi seeds.  A lock of hair in a small gold and crystal box.  A set of captain's bars.  A shell he and I found that morning we skinny dipped on Tortola.                          

It didn't surprise me that I hadn't understood all I'd seen, or that I'd seen them only in shadow.  Secrets and mystery.  These things are important to him.  His work, this Game?  They ask a lot from a man.  I think he fears losing too much of himself if he doesn't keep something back.  Is he an enigma wrapped in a riddle?  No.  He's simply a man.  A Brother.  A lover.  My lover. 

My friend.

What remains the most vivid image impressed upon me?  I think it is the knowledge that he is a man who is more often defined by a comparison to another man than by his own virtues.  He is a Brother but he is not a Crowe Brother.  He knows he will never have a Number One.  He doesn't even have anyone on his list.  To be honest, his name isn't even listed with the others.  He truly is the lone dart.  And yet knowing that, he still loves us all and would lay his life down for any one of us, Brother or Sister.  He cherishes what he finds with each one of us and does not ask more than we are willing to give. 

Back in the garage, he gave me a slow lingering kiss and whispered one last thing in my ear before he let me go.