“Are you crazy?” I spit through clenched teeth.
The corner of his lips pull up into that lopsided smile I’m starting to like more than I should. “Would it scare you if I was?”
I look deep into his eyes, unsure of how to answer his question. His crazy scares me, there’s no denying that. But it also makes me feel more alive than I ever have. “A little.”
He rewards me with a slow soft kiss and just as I tilt my head to get more he pulls away and leaves me pouting. “Lose the towel.”
“You first.”
He steps back and drops the terrycloth. Every ridge of his muscles catches the moonlight, making it look as if he’s cut from stone.
“Your turn.”
His voice brings me away from his impressive thighs and I shake my head. “I can’t . . . I don’t know . . . Shit!”
“What is it?” This time there’s no teasing in his voice, just pure concern.
“I’m not a great swimmer and I’ve seen one too many shark movies to feel comfortable in the ocean at all, let alone at night.”
He pulls me to his chest, tilts my chin up so he can look me in the eye. “You think I’d ever let anything happen to you?”
“I don’t think you have any power over whether or not something hurts me.”
He flinches as if my words delivered a physical blow. “Ouch.”
“Ya know how most people think things would never happen to them? I’m the other girl.” I’m rambling, my nerves making my lips move faster than my brain can keep up with. “I’m the kind of girl these things always happen to. If there’s danger out there it’ll find me, trust that.”
“This coming from the same girl who ran with bulls and pet a damn lion like it was a kitten.”
Oh shit.
A wave of heat washes over me from the top of my skull to the backs of my legs with the realization of what I’ve done. I forgot. “I . . .” I close my mouth, my emotions scrambling to come up with a justifiable excuse.
“You’ll be fine, now dig deep for that adventurous girl I know lives inside you.” He winks and pries my hands off the towel to get it loose from my body and tosses it aside. In an attempt to hide from any and every one, I hug myself to him, pressing into his muscles and hoping to disappear. He wraps me in his arms and for a moment we stand there holding on to each other.
“See, isn’t this nice. Wouldn’t you rather just stay here like this?”
He nuzzles my ear. “Nice try.”
Grabbing my hand, he leads me down the beach to the water’s edge. The cool waves hit our feet and send me stepping back as far as I can while still holding his hand. He looks at me as if to gauge my fear, but remembering who I am, who I’m supposed to be, I just smile back.
“It’s cold.” My voice trembles with anxiety, but I can’t deny the butterflies of anticipation that swarm in my chest at the thought of taking a risk, trying something new, and coming out on the other side alive. It would be a huge victory against the fear that shackles me. I allow him to lead me out into the breaking waves until we’re about thigh level.
“You good?”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” The last word ends on a high-pitched squeal that surprises even me.
He chuckles and leads me farther out into the waves. Something brushes against my leg and I jump and cling to him. He holds me close and hums in his throat as his hands cup my backside. “Scared?”
I look up at him and get lost in the warmth of his gaze. “No. I feel safe with you.”
“Yeah?” His lips part and his breath dances across my lips. “So I’m not a stranger anymore.”
“No.” I run my hands up the back of his neck into his hair and slide against his hard body. “You make me feel like I can do anything.”
His eyebrows drop low and his jaw ticks. “And you make me forget.”
“Forget what—”
His lips devour mine and all my concerns melt away until all that’s left is Aden.
TWELVE
ADEN
It was the best night’s rest I’d had in a while. Usually I can’t sleep with the memories that haunt me. Maybe it was the exhausting swim with Celia, or the sand-covered heavy make-out session that followed, or maybe it was having her warm back pressed to my front, my arm slung over her and resting between her breasts, whatever it was had sleep pulling me under quicker than it typically does.
I didn’t dream much because I was so afraid of having a night terror and scaring Celia I kept waking myself up. But even with those interruptions, I still slept better than I had in a long time.
The sun shines through her tie-dyed curtains and lights the small bedroom, making it look like an acid trip. I contemplate waking Celia up with my hands and mouth between her legs, but judging by the not so feminine way she’s snoring I think she could use a little more sleep. After staring at the back of her head and breathing in the saltwater scent left on her hair my stomach rumbles and it forces me up to hunt down breakfast.
I slip on my jeans from last night and sneak into the kitchen, making sure I don’t wake Celia. I swing open the fridge and prop an arm on top to lean in and peruse my options.
There’s a jug full of green juice that looks like swamp water, a loaf of sprouted bread, whatever the fuck that means, and—I pull out a package and glare at it. “Tofu egg substitute.” There’s nothing edible in here.
There’s a thump from the bedroom seconds before Celia comes racing out into the kitchen in a blur of bedsheet and blond hair. She slides on the hardwood, nearly falling over, and stares at me with wide puffy eyes and swollen lips.
I smile with pride knowing I’m responsible for her sexed-up disheveled look. “Mornin’.”
Her eyes land on me and she blows a wavy strand of hair from her face. “You’re still here.”
I shut the fridge door and cross to her, completely aware of her eyes as they hungrily take in my naked torso. “I am. I was going to make us breakfast but there’s no way I’m eating tofu or any other tree-huggin’ food you got in there.”
She licks her lips and a flash of irritation bubbles up in my chest at how easily she can distract me by doing something so simple. “You were going to make me breakfast?”
“I was, but . . .” I tilt my head and study her knuckles as they hold her sheet in a death grip. “If you’d rather I take off I can do that too.”
Hurt crosses her features. “You want to leave?”
I stop and take a deep breath. I’m not good at this shit, this morning-after crap, but I really don’t want to mess things up with Celia. She’s more sensitive than most girls I’d use as a distraction, and it’s clear she’s also more than a distraction to me now. If she were, I’d have whispered pretty words into her ear and left her sated and sleeping shortly after her last orgasm. No, she’s more, and I need to choose my next words wisely.
As much as I want to reach out and pull her to my chest, I don’t. I tuck my hands under my arms and hold her eyes. “I want more time with you.”