Her husband.
She met her eyes in the reflection and smiled. Finally a little color filled her cheeks and she held a palm against the warmth before tucking the ends of her dark bob behind her ears.
She loved Dan more than life itself. But was his love for her deep enough to withstand her secret longings? Or would the truth make him regret the vows he’d promised her so freely just yesterday?
Regardless of the repercussions, she needed to tell him. Or maybe show him. If she didn’t, she’d go crazy with not knowing.
She and Dan were married now. If she couldn’t trust him with every last part of her, who could she trust?
Two
“Fabuloso, Madelyn! You sure you haven’t been on a board before, bella?”
Standing back to catch his breath, Dan watched with silent amusement as Armando, their tall and tanned Puerto Rican surf instructor, did everything in his power to flirt Maddie’s wet suit right off her sexy, curvaceous body.
Hell, if he hadn’t already put a ring on her finger, Dan would probably be doing the same thing. Maddie had never looked hotter than she did today, riding a board and glistening beneath the Pacific sun. Then again, it was possible he was biased, given he’d had her naked and riding him that very morning.
Slicking her ocean-drenched hair back from her face, Maddie’s smile stretched as wide and white as the beach they stood on. The four other students—two couples—waited patiently for their next challenge while Armando continued to shower Maddie with unwarranted compliments. She’d wiped out on the last five runs, but apparently the man hadn’t seen past her tits to notice.
“You gonna just stand there and let that shit happen?” the older of the other men asked.
Dan shrugged. “It’s harmless.” He and Maddie were newlyweds and he was confident enough in his own masculinity, as well as their relationship, to know this flirtation wouldn’t go anywhere.
“I don’t know, man.” The guy shook his head. “I’d kick that dude’s ass if he was all over my woman like that.”
Nah, that wasn’t his style. If it made Maddie feel good to be hit on by some Ken doll wannabe, he’d let it happen all day long. Because at the end of that day, all he wanted was for her to be happy. And right now, she looked a lot happier than she did over brunch.
“It’s all good. We’re done here anyway.” He picked up Maddie’s towel and casually strolled over to where Armando was showing her how to properly bend her knees and clench her ass cheeks...for the twentieth time.
“Yeah, bella, just like that. Drop a little lower. All the way down to my hand.”
Aggravation emerging, Dan watched his wife sink her pert little ass into the instructor’s too-eager palm. Of course, it was only fitting she’d lose her balance in the awkward pose and fall right into Armando’s willing arms. The instructor’s suave hands wrapped comfortably around her hips as they both fell into gag-worthy laughter.
Dan cleared his throat and drew their attention. “Looking good, babe. A few more hours and you’ll be good enough to compete with the big dogs.”
She rolled her eyes and shoved at his shoulder as she came over and let him drape the towel over her shoulders. “I doubt it, but thanks.”
Armando’s eyes narrowed on Dan for a split second before they swept back to Maddie. “Too bad you don’t live near the ocean, Madelyn. You’ve got talent. With regular practice, you could be a superstar.”
Was this guy for real? Did he really think Maddie was that na?ve? That she’d fall all over his praise and end up on her knees, blowing his knob?
“I don’t see that happening,” Maddie laughed. “But I’ll definitely try it again. If I can talk Dan into coming back.”
“Maybe for our anniversary.” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms and kissed the top of her head. She smelled like salty sea water and coconut lotion. Remembering the similarly fragrant scent on their sheets, his cock pulsed in the snug, wet confines of his board shorts. He had to force himself to step away and think about the mountain of legal files on his desk back home in order to ward off an untimely erection.
“You’re a lucky man.” Armando stuck out his hand and, though the temptation to kick the guy in the nuts was intense, Dan accepted it. The instructor gave a smarmy grin. “Thanks for sharing your wife with me this afternoon.”
Yeah. Not gonna happen. Ever. He didn’t share and he never would.
“Maybe we’ll run into each other before our vacation is over?” Maddie stepped between them. Smart woman.
One corner of the surfer’s mouth turned up cleverly. “Maybe, bella.”
Behind them, the younger of the men cleared his throat. “We’re not paying you to flirt, man. Either wrap it up or give us our money back.”
Armando chuckled, his dark eyes never leaving Maddie. “Guess I’ll see you around.”
Not if I have anything to do with it.