The Best Friend Bargain (Kisses in the Sand) Read online

  Liv hadn’t said being pregnant.

  She’d picked him.

  He found her hand under the table, laced their fingers, and squeezed. In thanks. In gratitude. No matter what, he’d hold her hand until the end of time. It’s the one thing he could do without fail.

  …

  “What’s this?” Liv asked, climbing back into bed Friday morning and lifting the envelope sitting on her pillow.

  “Open it and find out,” Danny said, distracting her with his muscled chest and ridged abs, his skin yummy and smooth as honey. She knew this because she’d kissed every inch of it last night. “Ahem.” He nodded toward the envelope.

  She jerked her attention back to the paper in her hand. Right. Envelope. Ignore the naked man whose bed you’ve been occupying every night for the past couple of weeks. She slipped the plain white card stock out of the envelope and read the neatly written message.

  Three Days of Whatever You Want

  Pampering Included

  Happy Half Birthday, Maybug

  “You remembered.” It was silly, she knew, to put so much weight on a half birthday, but she hadn’t had the happiest of birthdays growing up so she preferred to think more favorably of her half birthday. When Danny found out, he’d vowed to make those days special and celebrate with her.

  “I promised you I always would.”

  She met his warm, true-to-his-word eyes. “I know, but with everything going on and Thanksgiving yesterday, I thought this year might be different.”

  “This year is different. You’ve got three days with this.” He gave her a cocky grin and gestured toward his body.

  Liv splayed her palm across his chest. “What about work? You’ve got a piece due next week, don’t you?”

  “I’ll get it done. This holiday weekend is about you.” He watched her walk her fingers down toward his lap and the edge of the sheet.

  “And anything I want.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Awfully generous of you.”

  “I’m a”—he groaned as she rubbed over the sheet and his growing erection—“giver.”

  “I know you are.” She tossed the notecard over her shoulder and crawled on top of him, straddling his hips with her thighs. “Know what I want right now?”

  “My rocket?”

  She cracked up. God, he was adorable. He framed her face in his hands, quieting her with an open-mouthed kiss that made her wet and warm and wanting. She broke their connection to pull his UCLA shirt up and over her head.

  Danny’s hands were all over then, kneading her breasts, cupping her bottom, roaming up her sides and across her back. She rocked against him, cupped his cheeks and brought his mouth back to hers. He took possession of the kiss, tangling their tongues, taking her bottom lip between his teeth. “Ride me, Liv.”

  She lifted the sheet away from his waist and kicked the soft material down the bed. Hands on his shoulders, eyes locked on one another, she wiggled her hips and lowered herself onto him. His fingers curled around her sides to help guide her until she hit that delicious half way mark where he filled her enough to move his hands to her inner thighs. His thumb grazed her swollen, wet flesh, causing her to arch her back, her breath to catch. She sank all the way down on him and went still. To relish the pleasure that bordered on pain, the fullness between her legs, the heated look in Danny’s gaze.

  He broke the perfect stillness first, surging upward with a sexy, raspy growl of impatience. She loved when he lost control. Loved that she was responsible. She took over, riding him in slow, insistent circles until he leaned forward and took her nipple into his mouth. The second he started to suck, she started to buck.

  “I love how sensitive you are here,” he whispered against her breast, his warm breath almost as potent as his sucking. “Have you always been?”

  “No.” It’s you, she wanted to add, but held her tongue. Better for him to believe it was only the pregnancy making her so responsive to his touch.

  His ministrations moved to her other breast. Her hands gripped the back of his head. She was about to tumble over the edge and wanted him there with her. “I’m going to come,” she moaned, her voice barely recognizable.

  Danny released her breast and sat back, watched her. He liked to watch when she came. He thrust up, she pressed down, the give and take of their hips in total harmony.

  The blinding, pulsing moment of release moments later had her shouting his name. He shuddered and spilled inside her, his ragged breath mingling with her cries. She touched her forehead to his as their bodies calmed.

  Smiling. They were both smiling.

  Liv eased off him gently. She rolled onto her back and enjoyed the shivers climbing up her spine at the gorgeous sight of Danny post-orgasm. He dropped down beside her and tucked her into his side.

  “How was it?” he asked.

  She frowned at him. Like he needed to ask.

  “The ride into orbit,” he said so seriously that it took her a second to realize he was referring to his “rocket.”

  She burst into a fit of laughter. Again. His arm tightened around her, a quiet way of saying thanks for finding him funny.

  There wasn’t anything she didn’t like about her best friend. And with every day that passed, she found it harder and harder to ignore feelings she was trying to keep under lock and key, never to be opened. She wouldn’t ruin what they had by sharing feelings that might send Danny running.

  “You hungry?” he asked, interrupting her dangerous thoughts.

  “When am I not?”

  “True. You up for some chicken and waffles?”

  “Sounds good,” she said, pushing up. “You know what tastes good on chicken and waffles, don’t you?”

  He kissed her cheek and slid out of bed. “Let’s go, Pooh Bear.”

  After breakfast, the rest of the day was bliss. They watched movies by firelight. Danny massaged her feet. He drew them a bubble bath in his giant tub, and she read steamy passages from her romance novel to him. He took her to bed.

  Early in the evening the next day they were sitting on the couch, finishing up some take-out and watching 10 Things I Hate About You, when Liv said, “Is there anything you didn’t get to do when you were younger that you wished you had?” She’d been thinking about her childhood more lately. Adolescence was never easy, but she intended on making her child’s better than her own.

  Danny shifted next to her. “I don’t think so. Why?”

  “Just wondering.”

  “What is it you want to do?” he gave her leg a little push. “Now’s your chance, you know.”

  She did know. That’s why she’d brought it up. “I want to build a fort. With blankets.”

  “Totally doable,” he said, not the least bit put off by her childish request. “Want to make it here or somewhere else?”

  “I was thinking over your bed?”

  The sexy turn of his lips set off fluttery impulses from her neck down. “Let’s do it.” He stood and put his hand out to help her up. Halfway up the stairs, he stopped. “There’s something I need to grab, but you can start gathering blankets and sheets from the linen closet and extra bedrooms.”

  “Okay.”

  Danny chuckled when he entered the bedroom a few minutes later and took in the pile in the middle of the floor. “Did you grab everything?”

  “Pretty much. What do you have?” He held a bin she recognized from the garage. On top of the bin were several clamps. Danny was so the right person to build a fort with.

  “You’ll see.” He put the container down and did a quick survey of the bed. A brief flash of displeasure crossed his face. The unmade covers drove him crazy.

  Liv put her hand on his chest. “Want me to make it first?” She’d coaxed him out of it this morning without a glance back so the least she could do was make it comfortable for him now.

  “If you insist.”

  “I do.” She turned, and with a little extra wiggle in her hips walked to the bed. Glancing over her
shoulder she caught him staring.

  He shook his head and got busy searching through the linens. Once the bed was made, Danny stood in the center of it and asked her to hand him the sheets he’d selected from the pile. The ceiling fan above the foot of the bed served as the top of the fort and Liv helped Danny spread out the sheets until the entire king-size was shrouded. He took her suggestion on where to leave the small opening for them to crawl through, then he pulled strings of lights out of the bin. Her heart rate sped up.

  They draped the lights inside and outside the fort. Danny used extension cords that he had somehow hid from view. When finished, he told Liv to lie down.

  “Ready?” he asked from somewhere in the room.

  “Ready.”

  Tiny white lights flickered on. With her head on the pillow, Liv looked up in awe. It was magical. Romantic. Perfect. She blinked back happy tears.

  Danny crawled onto the bed and laid down beside her. “Nice work, Miss Lincoln.”

  “I was about to say the same to you, Mr. Ellis.”

  “We make a good team.”

  “We do.”

  He rolled over onto his side, his head propped on his hand. Liv kept her gaze on the lights, afraid of what her eyes might reveal is she looked at him right now. “This far exceeded my expectations,” she said. “Thank you.”

  Rather than respond, he traced a finger around her cheek, across her lips. The feather light touch caused her eyes to flutter shut, tingles to swarm her body.

  She felt his lips on hers next, soft at first, like she was something fragile, then firmer, more demanding, like she was something he wanted to possess. “Danny,” she whispered.

  They undressed each other slowly. Hands roaming, mouths feasting, skin buzzing in anticipation. Liv had never felt so cherished, so in touch with her body. This man’s attention made time stand still. There was nothing but the two of them wrapped in each other’s arms and legs, bringing indescribable pleasure with every touch.

  Danny eased himself just barely insider her. Pulled back. Did it again. She could only take the delicious torture for so long before she wrapped her legs around his hips, encouraging him to stop teasing. He got the message. He flashed a dimpled smile and with one deep, driving thrust he had her screaming, “Yes!”

  She raked her nails down his back, loving the tension in his muscles. Lifting one arm off the bed, his fingers found her curls. He caressed the tight nub there, back and forth with exquisite pressure. His thrusts grew more insistent. Perspiration dotted his forehead.

  “Liv, I can’t hold on much…”

  “It’s okay. I’m right there with—oh God, Danny…” She pressed her hands into the bed as her body tightened and shuddered. With each contraction she took everything she could, wanting to prolong the waves of pleasure.

  Danny’s release followed right behind, his eyes glazed and content when he opened them to look down at her.

  “I don’t want to ever leave this bed,” she murmured.

  He kissed her before collapsing onto his back. “Okay,” he said, his voice low, gravelly, his energy clearly depleted.

  She rolled over and kissed his eyelids, his cheeks, his lips, and his chin. She lavished tender kisses on his neck, shoulders, chest, and abs. Resting her head over his heart, she listened to the steady beat as he drifted into sleep.

  “I love you,” she barely whispered, wrapping her arm around him. She hadn’t meant to fall so hard and fast for him, but it had happened anyway. He owned her heart. Her soul. Consummating their friendship with a physical intimacy she’d never felt before had changed everything for her. She wondered if it had changed him, too, but only for a minute because it didn’t matter. She couldn’t change what her heart felt or wanted and she’d take whatever Danny could give her. “I love you,” she mouthed and trailed him into dreamland.

  The next morning the sound of the doorbell woke her. “Danny,” she said after a yawn, “there’s someone at the door.”

  “I know. I’m hoping they go away.” He had her trapped in his arms with his palm on her belly, her back against his front. She had zero objection to them staying exactly like that.

  The bell rang again.

  If it rings one more time, I’ll get up and answer it.

  The bell chimed a third time.

  Liv let out a deep breath. “It could be important.” She slipped out of bed, covered herself with a robe, and padded downstairs in her bare feet.

  Sunlight streamed in through the oval window at the top of the custom front door. She turned the handle and opened the door.

  And her heart stopped.

  A shiver racked her body.

  Will stood three feet away, a bouquet of roses in his hand. “Hello, Olivia.”

  “Who is it, Liv?” Danny said, his voice still that rough, sexy, sleepy sound she loved to hear every morning. He put a hand on her waist, looked over her shoulder.

  Will looked from her to Danny, then back to her, waiting for an introduction, she guessed.

  Kind of hard to do when her vocal chords had seized up and speaking seemed impossible.

  Danny’s hand tightened around her. He knew. Somehow he knew.

  “Danny,” she said, clearing her throat. “This is Will Stapleton.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “What are you doing here?” Liv asked, overcome with feelings of hurt all over again. Will’s smile, though, sparked a tiny flicker of affection that she quickly pushed away.

  “I was hoping we could talk.”

  Talk? Liv stared dumbfounded at the man she’d once thought she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Whatever he wanted to talk about had to be important. He’d flown across an ocean to see her.

  “Hello,” Will said, extending his arm toward Danny. “You must be the new man in Olivia’s life.”

  “Danny Ellis.” He ignored Will’s offered hand.

  Will’s eyes darted to her as he dropped his arm. “The Danny?”

  “Yes.” Liv swallowed, nerves and stunned curiosity robbing her of further comment. She couldn’t believe Will stood there holding flowers. That he still smelled the same. Looked the same. He wore the blue shirt she’d always loved on him. Had he done that on purpose?

  “You’ve heard about me.” Danny puffed out his chest.

  “A time or two,” Will answered with irritation, his jaw tight. It had been much more than that, so many of the stories she’d shared with Will wrapped up with her best friend.

  “Unfortunately, I’ve heard about you, too.” Danny stepped around Liv so he filled the doorway beside her. He put his arm around her waist.

  Liv leaned against him, grateful for the support.

  “May I come in?” Will asked, ignoring Danny’s remark.

  “Oh, um, sure. Sorry. Of course you can come inside.” She stepped back, forcing Danny to drop his arm and make room for Will to enter. The break in contact left her exposed. She didn’t like it, but felt she had no choice at the moment.

  Will handed her the bouquet. “These are for you.”

  How had Will found where she lived? She hadn’t mentioned what town she’d moved to. She had, however, given her address to Sienna. Liv made a mental note to call her British friend and rag on her for not texting a head’s up.

  “Thank you. Can I get you something to drink?” Liv asked, not sure what else to say. She tightened her robe as she walked toward the kitchen, Will behind her, Danny behind him. The robe hid most of her abdomen, but if Will were looking he’d see the small rounding of her stomach.

  He hadn’t looked.

  “Water would be great.”

  Will took a seat in one of the barstools while Danny…Danny wore a scowl on his face and paced.

  “I hope everything is okay,” Liv said, still not over the shock of being in the same room with Will again. No matter what had happened between them, she didn’t wish him any ill will. He was the father of her child.

  “Things are good, but I’m hoping to make them better.”

/>   Liv’s step faltered and the water spilled onto her hand. She slid the glass across the counter to Will. Their eyes met, and in his she saw something she’d never seen before. Desperation. Her head swam at that. Had he flown all this way because he wanted her back?

  “I’ll let you two talk,” Danny said, jolting her attention away from Will. Something entirely different shimmered in his eyes. Anger. Without another word, he headed toward the garage.

  “Danny,” she said, but he either didn’t hear her or didn’t feel like turning around. Selfishly, she hated that he’d decided to leave her alone with Will.

  “You look good, Olivia. How are you feeling?” Will’s gaze moved down her body.

  “Great. I’m due the end of April.”

  “April,” he repeated. “That’s good.”

  “It is?”

  Somewhere in his dark brown eyes she noticed a hint of indifference. It made her wonder if she could trust anything that came out of his mouth.

  He reached across the countertop and took her hand. She looked down at where they touched, remembering how she used to love holding his hand as he excitedly led her around the city and showed her so many new things. “I’ve missed you.”

  She opened her mouth to automatically respond that she’d missed him, too, but she stopped herself. If he’d come a week—even three weeks—after he’d rejected her, she would have offered the same sentiment. But she didn’t miss him anymore. She’d moved on.

  At her silence, he took a breath, not in misery, but almost like he needed to regroup. Change his tactic. Again, she wasn’t sure what to make of him.

  “Let me back up,” he said.

  Liv pulled her hand away, nodded.

  “I was wrong. Wrong to push you away like I did, and I’m sorry. Not a day has passed that I haven’t regretted what I said to you. It was immature and unkind. I was so taken by surprise, I didn’t know how to react.” He paused, but Liv had no intention of interjecting any words of acceptance. “If I could go back to the day you told me about the baby, I would, and I’d do things entirely differently.”