Page 125 of Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

Jason laughed. “Mia, you’re the most down-to-earth, logical person I’ve met in a long, long time.”

I don’t know why, but that made me happy. Maybe because he said it as if my personality delighted him. Maybe because he believed me about Diana and didn’t dismiss my many theories.

“I try,” I said lightly.

“I like that you’re straightforward and honest. It’s refreshing.”

I was practically beaming. I cleared my throat and said, “Dinner was delicious. Did you make it yourself?”

“Not really.”

“What does that mean?”

“I had the kitchen prepare everything. I just put the salads together.”

“You put the salad togetherverywell.” I smiled.

He took my hands and said, “Are you sure you’re okay being stranded out here tonight? I promise, someone will come for us in the morning.”

“I’m fine,” I said. “I’m not alone, am I?”

I was nervous. Flirting didn’t come easy to me. And while we had kissed—dear Lord, had we kissed—I was still uneasy about my ultimate goal: casual sex with one of the hottest men I’d ever met.

Then he brought my hand to his lips and kissed my palm, and my nerves disappeared. I gasped from the sensation of his tongue as he licked my fingers.

“I want to show you something,” Jason said, and I nearly stopped breathing.

He got up, quickly put the plates on a tray, and led me up to the deck. We went all the way to the top of the cabin, where there was a wide platform. He pressed a button, and all the boat lights turned off.

“Look,” he said, and pointed to the sky.

It was so dark, I couldn’t see the island at all, except for a very faint row of lights at the very top, blinking red likely to warn low-flying planes that there was a mountain.

The sky was awash with light, millions of stars, more than I had ever seen in one place. I was in the middle of the ocean and felt as if Jason and I were completely alone in the world.

“Oh. My. God.” I didn’t know if I’d spoken until Jason kissed my ear.

“It makes you think, doesn’t it?” he whispered.

“I can barely form a thought, and I didn’t even drink that much.”

“Nothing we do changes the stars. I look up and think of all the people who never see outside themselves, never stop moving long enough to take in this ancient sight. The stars we’re seeing are already gone, burned up, burned out, but their light remains. It’s why I think everyone should live their dream, because if you find joy in what you do, when you’re gone, you’ll leave a light in your place that everyone who comes after you will see. Just like the stars.”

I turned around so I could face him. The moon had not yet risen, but the stars gave enough light that I could see his eyes as he stared at me. I kissed him.

Jason wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close, deepening our kiss, champagne mingling with salty air. I couldn’t get enough, didn’t want to get enough. The gentle waves of the ocean undulated beneath us. The boat moved up and down, slowly rocking, seducing both of us.

“Here?” he whispered at the same time he untied the sash on my robe, revealing my naked body.

“Yes.” Because I didn’t want to wait to go downstairs. I wanted to make love now, here, under the stars, in the middle of the ocean without thought of murder, blackmail, or tomorrow.

I especially didn’t want to think about tomorrow.

His hands were on my hips, then on my ass, then up and down my back as if he wanted to touch me everywhere all at once. He wore a T-shirt that hugged his lean muscles; I pulled it up, touched his warm skin, breathed in his scent.

All doubts disappeared when his hands cupped my breasts and we both moaned. We wanted each other, we craved each other, and that made all the difference in the world.

“Off,” I said of his shirt, and he pulled it off. I unsnapped his shorts, and they fell to the ground. He stood there completely naked in the starlight, and if I could hardly breathe before, I was breathless now.