“What are we doing?” I whisper.
He closes his eyes, his cuff in rotation. “The hell if I know.”
When we go out sightseeing over the next few days, I’m a kid in a candy store. Having been deprived of travel the majority of my life, this is a dream come true. Although Kellan offers suggestions and occasionally likes to surprise me with some of his local favorites, he mostly leaves our daily to-do lists up to me. He presents me with a travel guide of the region, and I spend much time plotting various excursions for us. Oftentimes, these plans formulate in Joey’s old Jeep as we’re driving up and down small roads. And we talk—really talk. About anything and everything, all except the one person who’ll break us faster than twigs in a tornado.
Caleb leaves me alone, which is good because I pretty much told him to butt out. I can feel his disappointment thick and strong at times, though, and I get why he feels that way. And yet, a part of me is relieved that here, in Costa Rica, Kellan and I have given into our Connection. Like this isn’t reality, but a place where no one knows any differently about us. Fighting it has been so exhausting; I guess I hadn’t really realized just how much until this week.
“You should go surfing.”
Kellan rolls his heads towards me and opens his eyes. It’s Thursday, and we’re lying in Adirondack chairs on the porch, connected by our enjoined hands as he’s dozing on and off and I read a tour book. “I was just thinking about surfing.”
“When aren’t you?” I tease, and he smiles wide.
“When I’m thinking of you.”
The familiar fluttering that accompanies sweet words like these from him takes flight in my heart. “These waves.” Reluctant to let go of his hand, I motion with my book to the picturesque vista in front of us. “They’re some of your favorites, right?”
“Not these particular ones.” He yawns. “But some nearby, yeah.”
“Frankly, I’m shocked you’ve lasted this long without going out yet.”
“You did say you wanted to test out how long you could distract me from surfing.” I can’t help but giggle at the feigned look of innocence on his face.
An hour later, we’re on a beach surrounded by monstrous, loud waves. I ogle the white foam, agog that Kellan wants to enter such conditions, but he’s completely zen. I’m beginning to think that surfing is literally in his and his brother’s blood. They can’t go too long without being in the water or they wither within.
While he’s waxing his board, I take off my sundress and settle down on my blanket so I can work on my tan. He stops what he’s doing and stares at me so hard I blush like crazy. I shove on my sunglasses and lean back against the blanket, propping myself up on elbows. “Stop that!”
The sandy, circular wax disc is dropped onto my blanket. “Wow.” He whistles. “That’s . . . wow.”
“You mean this old thing?” I already know he’s referring to my bikini. Callie helped me pick it out last month during what’s becoming one of our weekly shopping sessions. It’s fire engine red and gorgeous, perfect to showcase the golden tan I’ve acquired this week.
His body leans over mine; it’s delicious how much of our bare skin touches with so little clothes on. So far, we haven’t gone any further than feeling each other up and kissing until we don’t see straight, but it’s been tough to put on the breaks. But I have—we have—and it’s been unsaid, but we both know why we haven’t gone any further.
And the reason is the guy who I originally bought this bathing suit to tempt.
“You’d be gorgeous in a paper sack.” He fingers one of the thin straps looping around my neck. “Or in nothing at all. But this thing is so fucking hot on you.” His lips brush mine. “It’s a good thing I’m going out into the Pacific right now.” The proof of his words nudges against my leg, which only serves to totally turn me on, too. Not that it’s hard when he’s around, but still.
I didn’t think it was possible, but my skin now matches my bikini. Kellan’s amused by my reaction. “Why is it you always act surprised when I tell you these things?” The strap he’s been fingering is shoved to the side so he can suck on my neck. He won’t leave a hickey like the one I gave him, now fading—and I know why—but part of me kind of wishes he would.
“You say them,” I gasp as much of me turns soft and warm, “because we’re Connected.”
His mouth leaves my neck and travels to the spot just below my ear, which is pretty much one of the most erogenous places on my body. “I’d say them even if we weren’t.” Teeth gently tug on my earlobe. “That first day I saw you. In history, our senior year. We hadn’t even touched yet and I thought you the most desirable girl I’d ever seen.”