Page 1 of Better When Shared (Kristin Lance Anthologies #2)

Connor

I watched Lila's face light up as we pulled into the gravel driveway in a line of houses that were well-kept, but still had the slightly weather-worn look that was common on the Oregon coast. The GPS had led us down a winding coastal road outside of Newport, to what the vacation rental website claimed was an adorable beach getaway.

The reality before us looked suspiciously like someone's converted garage. It was tiny and bright blue, with a fresh coat of paint that couldn't quite disguise its utilitarian origins. It wasn't awful, but I wasn't sure it counted as .

"cozy beachfront cottage."

But the way my wife bounced in her seat, auburn hair catching the late afternoon sun, made me swallow my doubts. Her face was flushed with excitement, her bright green eyes sparkling as she beamed at me. For that smile, I'd sleep in a fucking cardboard box.

"We're here! Ah, I love the coast!"

Lila's voice carried that breathy quality it got when she was genuinely thrilled, the same tone I'd heard last night when I'd buried my face between her thighs and made her come twice before fucking her against our bedroom wall.

I killed the engine and took a proper look at our home for the next week. There was a big glass window where the garage door had once been, and the new paint and bright white trim gave it a cheery, beachy vibe that couldn't quite mask its humble beginnings. It sat awkwardly close to a much larger house—the actual property, I assumed—like a fancy garden shed someone had decided to rent out.

"Babe,"

I started, trying to find the words that wouldn't dampen her enthusiasm.

"It's... smaller than the pictures made it look."

Lila was already out of the car, stretching her lithe body in that unconsciously sensual way that made my cock twitch even after three years of marriage. Her green sundress clung to her curves, riding up her thighs as she reached for the sky.

"It's perfect,"

she insisted, though I caught a flicker of uncertainty cross her delicate features.

"And it was such a good deal. Come on! Maybe it's bigger on the inside."

"I don't think that happens outside of Doctor Who,"

I muttered as I grabbed our bags from the trunk, inhaling the salt-tinged air. At least we could hear the rhythmic crash of waves from here, even if I couldn't quite see the ocean past the main house. The scent of Lila's perfume—something floral and expensive that I'd bought her for her birthday—mingled with the sea air as she punched in the door code from her phone.

"Ta-da!"

she announced, swinging the door open with theatrical flair.

The interior had been renovated more extensively than the exterior suggested. Bright aqua walls and white tile floors were decorated with sisal throw rugs and artwork that brought up visions of summer days and ocean waves, and the big, full-height windows where the door had once been let in lots of light. It was cute, but no amount of beach-chic décor could disguise the fundamental truth: this place was tiny as fuck.

A cramped living area featured a tiny loveseat and armchair along one wall and a galley kitchen along the other, all gleaming white appliances in miniature. The dinin.

"area"

consisted of a small round table with three chairs tucked into a corner next to the kitchen.

"It's... cozy,"

I offered, setting our bags down and wrapping my arms around Lila's waist from behind. I nuzzled into her neck, breathing her in, letting my lips brush against that sensitive spot below her ear that always made her shiver.

She leaned back into me, her ass pressing against my crotch in a way that made blood rush south.

"The listing said it was compact but efficient. I thought that meant... well, not quite this compact."

I turned her around, tilting her chin up with my finger.

"Hey, as long as I'm with you, I don't care if we're in a palace or a shoebox."

The words weren't just placating bullshit—I meant them. Lila had planned this surprise vacation when I'd been pulling sixty-hour weeks at the startup I was working for, stressed to the breaking point. The fact that she'd wanted to give me this gift meant everything, and neither of us could afford luxury. Not yet, at least.

Her smile returned, but faltered as her gaze drifted past my shoulder. "Oh no."

I turned to follow her line of sight and felt my stomach drop. Th.

"bedroom"

wasn't a separate room at all. At the far end of the space, barely fifteen feet away, sat a queen-sized bed against one wall, and, uncomfortably close against the other wall, a twin bed. Between them hung a flimsy curtain that wouldn't muffle a whisper, let alone the sounds Lila made when I fucked her properly.

"I don't understand,"

Lila muttered, pulling out her phone and frantically scrolling through the listing photos.

"In the photos, it looked like there were bedrooms!"

I peered over her shoulder at the cleverly angled shots that made the space appear much larger, with strategic cropping that suggested privacy where there was none. Lila's face crumpled.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Look, it's just us, right? We don't need privacy from ourselves."

I kissed her temple, inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

"And we're right by the beach. I saw a path that went straight to the water, which is amazing. We'll mostly be outside anyway."

Lila bit her lower lip, nodding slowly.

"I'm sorry, Connor. I wanted this to be perfect for you. It’s just that everything was so expensive."

"You planned a vacation for us. That's already perfect."

I kissed her deeply, sliding my tongue against hers, feeling her body melt into mine. Her hands gripped my biceps, nails digging in slightly the way they did when she was getting turned on. I slid my hand down to cup her ass, squeezing hard enough to make her gasp into my mouth.

Just as I was considering whether the loveseat could support our weight for a quick fuck, a sharp knock on the door made Lila jerk back.

A huge smile split her face.

"The surprise is here!"

she exclaimed, breaking from my embrace and practically skipping to the door.

Surprise? My brain scrambled to catch up as she flung the door open.

"Nick!"

she squealed, throwing her arms around the tall figure in the doorway.

My best friend's familiar face broke into a grin over Lila's shoulder, his dark eyes finding mine with amusement.

"Surprise, man."

Something warm bloomed in my chest as I moved toward them. Nicholas Li and I had been inseparable in college, and even though his programming job had taken him to Seattle while Lila and I settled in Portland, we still made time for each other. But between my crazy work schedule and his dating life, it had been months since we'd hung out properly.

"Holy shit,"

I laughed, pulling him into a bear hug after Lila released him. His body was solid against mine, familiar and comforting in a way that spoke of years of friendship, nothing more.

"What are you doing here?"

"Your wife invited me,"

Nick said, clapping me on the back before pulling away to grab his duffel bag from the porch.

I looked at Lila, whose face was practically glowing with pride at having orchestrated this reunion.

"You planned this?"

She nodded, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear.

"You've been working so hard, and I know how much you miss hanging out with Nick. I thought we could all use a beach week."

The thoughtfulness of it hit me like a wave. This woman—this fucking incredible woman—had planned not just a getaway for us, but had thought to include the friend I'd been missing. The surge of love I felt for her in that moment was almost overwhelming.

Nick stepped fully inside, his tall frame making the space feel even smaller, and let out a low whistle as he took in our accommodations.

"Wow, cozy digs."

Lila's face flushed.

"It looked bigger in the photos,"

she admitted.

"I'm so sorry, Nick. If I'd known..."

Nick waved her off with an easy smile.

"Hey, I've crashed in worse places. Remember that absolute shithole apartment Connor and I shared junior year?"

I groaned at the memory.

"The one with the shower that only ran cold and the neighbors who I'm pretty sure were running a meth lab?"

"Exactly. This is the fucking Ritz compared to that place."

Nick's genuine kindness toward Lila's mistake made my chest tighten with appreciation. This was why he was my best friend—he could roll with anything, make anyone feel at ease.

The three of us spent the next hour settling in, an awkward dance of bodies in the limited space. Nick claimed the twin bed with good humor, tossing his duffel onto it and immediately helping Lila organize the tiny kitchen with our groceries. I watched them work together, chatting easily about Seattle's tech scene and Lila's latest projects at the clothing company she worked for.

By the time we'd ordered pizza, the initial awkwardness had faded into comfortable camaraderie. We sprawled across the limited seating—Lila and I squished onto the loveseat, Nick in the single armchair—drinking beers and catching up as if the cramped quarters were an afterthought.

As the night wore on and the beer flowed, I found myself increasingly aware of Lila's body pressed against mine. The way she absentmindedly stroked my thigh while telling a story. The scent of her skin, warm and inviting. The brush of her breast against my arm when she leaned forward to grab another slice of pizza.

By midnight, my body was humming with desire, a familiar ache building in my groin. Usually, this would be when I'd whisper filthy promises in Lila's ear, when we'd excuse ourselves to the bedroom, when I'd peel that sundress from her body and taste every inch of her skin.

The reality hit me like a bucket of ice water as we began preparing for bed. Nick disappeared into the tiny bathroom to brush his teeth, and I pulled Lila close, my hands drifting down to squeeze her ass.

"I want you so fucking bad,"

I murmured against her ear, my cock already half-hard against her stomach. She gazed towards the tiny sleeping area for a moment and huffed out a breath.

"We'll figure something out,"

she whispered, kissing me lightly.

"Maybe when he goes for a run or something."