The Monroe Sisters Read online

  “Glad I made the cut.” He moved back to the headboard and brought her with, tucking her close to him. “So, the one who hasn’t landed? Or rather hasn’t called yet?”

  “Baby of the family. And it’s not like her, she’s not the typical baby of the family. She’s a college professor. We’re worried because we haven’t heard anything from her. Our agreement was we send text messages when we landed and again when we made it to the hotel. Then once a day so we know all is fine.”

  “Okay, and we know the plane landed safely?”

  “Tara is checking on that now,” Eva answered as she texted her sister that she still hadn’t reached Shai. “I can’t help but fear the worst. And if that happens, I don’t know what we’re going to tell our parents.”

  “Told them you were all going together to the same place, did you?” He rubbed his foot along her leg.

  “We just said Mexico. Never actually stated we were staying in the same place.” God, she was really worried now. Her fears were racking up as each second passed her by. There had to be a better way to figure this out without freaking herself out.

  “Don’t get worked up. Let’s see what’s going on first. Perhaps there was a delay. Where was she going?”

  “She booked a room in Cancun.”

  Her phone buzzed and she looked down at it.

  Plane landed fine, she was on it. What now?

  She didn’t have a clue. “Her plane landed safely but now we’re not sure what to do.”

  “Did you check your email?”

  She looked at him, face scrunched up. “Why?”

  He gave a slight shrug. “I hate to say it but maybe her phone was stolen. If you’re like my sibling and myself, I don’t have the number memorized, so I couldn’t call either. But I do know email addresses.”

  Shit, she never thought of that.

  Checking email, maybe she had her phone stolen.

  A thumbs-up from Tara came back, and in the next moment, Eva was signing into her email account.

  Sure enough. There was a message from Shai, addressed to them both.

  Hey. So my phone was stolen at the airport by some lowlife motherfucker who I want to track down and beat six ways to Sunday. I’ve got a burner and this is the number, call me when you can. Having a blast otherwise. Love you both.

  She dropped the phone and wrapped her arms around Grant tight. “Thank you so much for that.”

  “I take it there was good news?” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. A knock at the door had him leaving the bed, tugging on his shorts, all prior to going to answer it.

  “Yes.”

  “Hold on, I’ll be right back.”

  Eva pressed the number into the phone and called while watching him stride out of the room. Something more was going on here, a deeper emotion she wasn’t sure she was ready to delve into. One that involved issues and questions she promised herself would be off-limits on this vacation.

  “Hello?”

  Relief swarmed her at the slightly husky voice that poured over the line. “Shai? Thank God, I’ve been so worried.”

  “Sorry, Eva. I don’t know how it happened. But, I’m fine.”

  “Do you need anything? Did they get anything else?”

  “Nope, just my phone,” she replied with a slight edge to her tone.

  “What about your password? Can they crack it?”

  “If so, they deserve to get into my phone.”

  “Christ, you put in some of that insanity stuff you teach, didn’t you?”

  “Well, I don’t use the word fluffy, that’s for sure.”

  Eva laughed, grateful to hear her sister’s voice and know all was okay with her.

  “Now, tell me, did you find a man?”

  “Christ, Shai, I’ve been worried about you and you want to know if I found a man to hook up with?”

  “We each have our own concerns.”

  “You’re such a crazy person. Yes, I did. In fact, he’s getting our breakfast now.”

  “Ohh, already spending the night, you slut.”

  Eva smiled, more than happy to be considered Grant’s slut for the little while she was down here. “Trying to live up to your expectations.”

  Shai laughed. “You surpass it, always. I have another call coming in and I’m going to guess this is Tara. I’ll text you later, now that I have your number. Have fun, sis. Love you.”

  Eva leaned back and exhaled heavily. The amount of relief she felt, she couldn’t begin to express. It would be a lie to think she’d not panicked about what to tell their parents or when she wondered if she’d ever see her sister again. Most of the time yes, she was levelheaded, but when it came to her family, there were times that just wasn’t the case. When that one sister was in a foreign country and she was unable to get ahold of her, yes, it made her less than stable.

  “Breakfast is served,” Grant said, wheeling a cart into the bedroom.

  “Good, I’m starved.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Fine, thank you.” She watched him approach with the cart and couldn’t help but feel mushy over the fact he was bringing her breakfast in bed. Do people get more than just friendship vibes in such a short time? Because I’m sitting here imagining him doing this for the rest of our lives.

  * * * *

  Grant observed Eva as she played volleyball with a group of people on the beach. He sat on a towel and watched them play with a smile on his face.

  His vixen was a tomboy in disguise. Her competitive streak was blatant as she shouted at her fellow teammates to work harder and not to lose to the other team. Today her bikini matched the tips in her hair, a rich sapphire blue. She played bigger than she was. By far the shortest person out there, it didn’t stop her in the least as she set up shots for others or went in for the dig.

  After a raucous game, eventually her side won, and she waved off the offer to play once more, instead trekking across the brilliant sand to where he waited. Plopping down beside him with a grunt, Eva took his drink and guzzled it. “Damn, I’m thirsty,” she announced the obvious when she came up for air.

  “Apparently.” He touched the blue tips of her hair, smoothing the silken strands through his fingers. There wasn’t any way for him to describe how he enjoyed being with her and more than just in a sexual way.

  She shoved the bottle back in his direction and reached for her bag, rooting through it. “That was good, I needed that. Thanks for hanging out while I took in a game.”

  Grant dragged a finger along the back of her neck, pleased with the slight tremble she exhibited. “No problem, it’s not like watching women play beach volleyball is exactly a hardship here.”

  “Suppose not.” She pulled out her phone and checked it.

  He understood what she was doing, checking in with her sisters. That first night, he could taste her fear it had been so thick. Now, he wouldn’t begrudge her anything when it came to making sure they were safe. He would do the same thing if it were his sister.

  When she finished, she leaned back on her elbows.

  He unabashedly ran his gaze over her form. They’d spent all the time here together and he meant together. His room, her room. It didn’t matter. They explored together, swam and slept the same way. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough. He hoped it would continue for the rest of their week.

  She mesmerized him and he hadn’t figured out why. Yet. He was trying. There were times when a connection was formed, but it was more than that. He hadn’t been with her very long and he was already imagining a future with her. Somehow, he knew she was his one. “What’s next?” he asked, reclining beside her.

  “I could use a break. Just chill out in the shade and enjoy a cold drink.”

  “You feeling okay?”

  “Fine, just tired. Someone kept me up late last night.” She shot him a sly glance. “And this morning.”

  He laughed. “So they did. Okay, then, let’s go.”

  He picked up the towels and draped them over hi
s shoulder as she grabbed her bag that held their key cards. As they walked, Grant reached out and captured her hand, smiling when she allowed him to lace their fingers.

  Back in the hotel, they went to her room and shared a shower. After which they took a nap on the bed.

  He woke first and lay there watching her sleep. On her back, one arm over her eyes, the white sheet barely covering the mounds of her breasts. His mouth watered and he wanted to tug it down and give himself another taste, but he didn’t. Instead, he got up and dressed, then went downstairs to order them both a drink.

  As he rode back up on the elevator, he thought about his time with this woman.

  I don’t really know all that much about her. I know what she likes in bed, that she’s a screamer. She loves being on top and taken from behind. But I don’t have a damn clue about the rest of her. Haven’t even seen a picture of her family and I know next to nothing about her life.

  Grant stepped off the elevator and made his way to the room. This not knowing bothered him. Sure, it had only been a short time for the both of them, but he felt something real for her. Something he’d like to continue when they headed back to the States.

  Juggling the drinks, he unlocked the door and pushed into the room.

  “Oh, God…”

  A moan reached him. He paused, allowing the door to close behind him. Cocking his head to the side, he checked to make sure there wasn’t anyone in the room who shouldn’t be there. Nothing… He went to the bed and almost dropped the drinks.

  Eva lay there on top of the bedding, eyes closed, head thrown back, as she fingered herself. Her other hand teased her breasts, tugging on her nipples.

  He stared at her, plunging her digits deep into her wetness as her thumb worked her clit. Putting the drinks down on the stand by the television, he moved to the bed. “I see I missed the party.”

  “Not missed,” she panted, opening her eyes to stare at him, lust overflowing them. “Just late.”

  God, she wasn’t even embarrassed to have been caught masturbating. He loved a woman who owned her sexuality. His dick pressed hard against the material of his shorts, tenting it out. “Let me join in then.”

  Eva removed her fingers and held them out to him. Grant bent at the waist and eagerly sucked them into his mouth while he tugged off his shorts. He loved her flavor, a honeyed spice. Curling his tongue around her two fingers, he got all the cream he could, then nipped the ends.

  Widening her legs more, Grant turned her toward him, sank between them, knees on the floor. Her heady scent floated to his nose and he wanted just to indulge, but he took his time. He spread her lips more and ran his tongue up along the edges, avoiding any contact with her clit.

  “Oh, hell,” she cried out, bucking her hips, rubbing her wetness on him.

  He teased her with rapid laps of his tongue, pushing it deep into her but never touching her clit. Grant wouldn’t let her put her hand back there either when she tried to stimulate the nub.

  “My turn,” he said. “You had your chance to play. Now, it’s mine.”

  “Grant.”

  He smiled briefly at the sexual frustration in her tone but didn’t change what he was doing. He inched them back until he rested on his heels and dragged her legs over his shoulders, so she couldn’t shut them.

  As he blew on her clit, she squirmed in an attempt for more contact. He slid two fingers inside her and began thrusting. Her pussy clamped down around them and his cock jumped, wanting its own attention.

  Her moans grew deeper and louder. Her cream coated his fingers as he worked them in and out of her core. Allowing her to get close, he never let her go over. Not for a while. As the muscles tightened around him, he leaned closer still and sucked hard on her clit.

  Eva bucked hard as she came, his name tearing from her lips.

  He fucked her with his fingers until she stopped coming around him, then he withdrew them and seconds later, after covering himself with a condom, pushed deep inside her velvet heat.

  Their drinks could wait.

  Chapter Three

  “That’s my family.”

  Grant had her phone and currently sat there looking at the pictures of the Monroe family. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but your sisters don’t look like you.”

  She glanced at the image. “Well, Tara loves pink, ergo it’s in her hair, and Shai loves purple. So that’s why she has a streak of that in hers. I’m the fan favorite of blue.”

  Eva did her best to ignore the sharp spike of pain upon the knowledge that she wouldn’t be able to do this with a child of her own. No pictures, no dying hair. Fucking cancer. Motherfucking, life-sucking cancer.

  She would be adopting and that was fine. She loved her sisters more than anything. But she had hoped to be able to have a child of her own, to experience that blessing of carrying a child within her womb. It bothered her that some may not understand this, but it didn’t mean she looked any less upon being able to adopt. She wanted to adopt a child or two, but she’d always longed to give birth to one of her own.

  “Not what I meant but, yes, I do see the color in their hair.”

  She narrowed her eyes, anger not far away at any time, but especially when it came to family. “They’re my sisters.” Her tone was lined with a dangerous warning.

  “I don’t mean any disrespect, Eva. Far from it, I’m just curious about you and how your family got to be how it is now.”

  She took a calming breath. Protecting her family was of the utmost importance to her and she would fight anyone who dared be stupid enough to disrespect them. “Sorry, a bit overprotective.”

  “Figured that.”

  She rested her chin on his shoulder and gazed at the phone he held. “I’m the biological child and they adopted Tara when she was two. Then they brought in Shai at six months.”

  “They’re beautiful women.”

  Eva smiled. “Yes, they are. My sisters are gorgeous.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, babe, you’re not too shabby from where I’m standing.” He shrugged, bringing her out from behind him. “Or rather sitting.”

  Eva glared, her anger and tension melting away.

  He laughed. “You are absolutely stunning.”

  “Thanks.” She skimmed her finger along the screen, bringing up another picture.

  Grant laughed at the image. “What is this one from?”

  “This was the night Tara was promoted to ADA.”

  He gave a low whistle. “She’s an assistant district attorney?”

  “Yes, don’t let her size fool you. She may be shorter than my ass, but she’s kickass in the courtroom.”

  “Hard to tell with the dead piñata on her head.” He pointed to the bright blues, purples, reds, greens and yellows that had made up the monster-shaped piñata.

  “All part of her deception.” She flipped through some others until she found what she sought. “This was taken when Shai got tenure.”

  “Damn, I’m impressed.”

  “You should be. We’re kickass sisters.” She loved them so much and was very proud.

  He pointed at the picture. “I’m also going to guess the sparkly green buggy-eyed alien thing on her head isn’t an everyday look for her.”

  “No, not common, unless she’s partying. Hell, for all I know, she’s wearing that now and nothing else. She’s got a wild streak in her when she’s not in the classroom.”

  He turned his head and kissed her cheek. “I’m seeing that.” He moved another image. “What’s this one?”

  “Those are some of my kids.”

  He pulled back slightly. “Your kids?”

  It helped ease the pain of not having any of her own to have these as hers. She loved them and they loved her. “Yes. I’m a pediatric oncologist. These are some of my kids.”

  Another low whistle left him. “Your parents must be so proud of all of you.”

  “We like to think so. That’s my family. What about you? I mean, I’ve fucked you repeatedly and I don�
��t even know what you do for a living.” She released her phone, leaving it in his hand.

  “I’m a surgeon. An ER surgeon. Right now, I’m in Arizona filling in. I was in the Army for a while and was a surgeon there but after a few tours overseas, I got out. I’m part of Doctors Without Borders and so I do a lot of traveling to other countries, just not in the capacity of being a soldier.”

  Wow. So not like he needs anything else to be damn near perfect. “Any pictures of you on your phone?”

  “I’ve got a few.” He dug for his cell and set hers to the side.

  The first was one of him in Army camouflage with two other men, all with smiles on their faces.

  “That’s a great shot,” she commented.

  “It was a wonderful day.”

  Something in his tone alerted her that this three-man friendship hadn’t all come home. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. Hard for me to convey just how much so.

  “It was war. Not supposed to be glamorous, no matter how much they try to make it seem so in movies and on television. Thanks, though.” He cleared his throat and brought up an image of an older couple. “My parents, Howard and Danielle Harrison.”

  “And what do they do?”

  “Retired and traveling the world. Right now, I believe they’re over in Italy visiting some friends. I don’t know which country they’re in. I’m sure wherever they are at they are having a blast.”

  “Nice.” She hugged him. Loving having the ability to touch his body. “I know you mentioned a sibling, but not ever how many you have. So big family? Small?”

  “One sister who is also a trauma surgeon. Her name is Lucy.”

  “Impressive.” She rolled to the side, keeping him in her sights, even though she wasn’t over his shoulder anymore. “And did you always want to be a surgeon?”

  He pursed his lips. “I think so. It’s all I can remember wanting to do. Except for one year, Halloween, I went as a cop.”

  She tried to picture him in a cop uniform but it was honestly so much easier to envision him in scrubs with a white coat draped over his shoulders. She pointed at her chest. “I always went as a princess.”