Mr. and Mrs. Blackstone have a “date” on their honeymoon.
~***~
“What are we doing on the beach?” I asked, as he led me along the cool sand under my bare feet.
“Having our date. Trust me, baby. This is something I have all planned out for us.”
“I bet you do. I am well aware that when you say date you really mean sex—”
My words were lost as we rounded a turn in the beach path and came out onto the shore. The waves lapped at the sand with the soothing sounds of water moving against earth. A sliver of moon glowed up over the water, but the real beauty was the many glass jars lit up with tea lights set out on the soft sand of the beach. What seemed like hundreds of them flickering away around a pallet of blankets and pillows. Off to one side, sat a bucket of iced drinks and what appeared to be little dessert cakes on a tray with some fresh fruit.
“It’s beautiful, Ethan.” I could hardly speak as I realized what he’d done. “How did you do…all of this?”
He led us onto the blankets and drew me down to sit beside him. “It was my idea,” he began, “but I needed some help to pull it off. Franco got it organized while we were at the party.”
I looked around behind us, imaging if the caretaker for our villa was lurking in the dark hoping for a glimpse.
“I know what you’re thinking, but you don’t have to worry, baby, Franco is not in the bushes watching, trust me.”
I laughed nervously. “Well, if Franco is in the bushes somewhere, I am predicting he’s gonna get one hell of a show.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear. My girl accepting the idea of a hot beach shag,” he whispered teasingly against my ear, his tongue flicking out for a lick along the shell. “You like my surprise.”
My body came instantly alive, needing him so badly. Ethan could get me hot with just the simplest look or touch. He reached up and worked on the messy knot holding up my hair and unpinned it. He was getting good at figuring out my hair. It made me smile to watch him as he found the pins and pulled them, knowing how he’d be fisting my hair in handfuls and using it to dominate when we were deep into the sex.
“You’re smiling,” he murmured as he worked over my hair.
“I just love to watch you doing simple things.”
My hair fell free. “This is not a simple thing to me,” he whispered, fingering through the tangled length with both hands. His gaze grew smoky as he focused on my lips. “It’s everything.”
~***~
Today is a very special day. A day that one year ago put into motion the events that have led to many changes in my life. One year ago, on August 25, 2012, I self-published Naked, The Blackstone Affair Part 1. I didn’t have any grand expectations about my little novella– I was far too busy at my teaching job with the start of a new school year. I think I sold 44 copies on the very first day and the majority of those sales were friends who LOVE me, so they don’t really count. I know for sure I sold 11 copies on the 2nd day. And you know what? I was totally happy and satisfied with that number. That’s over 300 books in a month and was the biggest success I’d had up to that point. I’d happily take it and count my blessings. But something very unexpected happened over the next few days and into the 2nd week. I also clearly remember coming down the stairs and saying to my husband in bewilderment, “Something weird is happening on Amazon. I think I’m going to sell over 100 books today.”
