Page 36

Nineteen

A fter zip-lining, Alex and Bo went back to work and Julia and Carson split up to take their parents on errands.

One of which, for Julia— ugh —included the lingerie boutique.

Then another group dinner which lasted an hour longer than Julia planned but involved three hundred percent more under-the-table action with Carson.

He was very good at inching his hand up her thigh and accompanied her to the valet as everyone else finished their after-dinner desserts and drinks.

After she’d handed the valet her ticket, Carson had tugged her into the ferns near the entrance. Shrouded in dark green cover, she’d sealed herself to him and he’d snuck his hands up her dress. His lips had almost made her forget herself. Almost.

“We can’t tonight,” she’d breathed. “It’s too complicated.”

He’d reluctantly agreed, and she’d driven their parents back to the resort, where she’d showered and was about to check in on the wedding TBDs.

She tightened the belt on the resort’s robe.

Under it, she wore a skimpy pajama romper.

Perfect for warm nights, but awkward around her mother and almost-stepfather.

“Today was such fun, Julia.” Mom covered her mouth as she yawned. “Thank you for organizing it. Jim fell asleep as soon as his head touched his pillow.”

Julia braced herself for but we also should’ve and I would’ve preferred and I didn’t care for comments. But for once, none came.

“You’re welcome.” Julia scrolled through her task list.

For every two items she crossed off, she added something new. Still, progress had been made. The list had pleasantly thinned.

“Tomorrow’s schedule is light,” she said. “I’m stuffing welcome bags in the morning. Carson’s running loops to the airport to pick up guests. Then we’ve got the rehearsal dinner.”

“Jim’s got a few calls he can’t miss, so he and I can’t play tourist. I’ll be at loose ends.”

“There’s always the beach.” When they were kids, her mother basked in the salty waves. “But wear sunblock. We don’t want a lobster-red bride.”

“Actually, I’d like to go to Alex’s. You and I were together for the holidays, but it’s been two years since I’ve spent any meaningful time with her.”

A knot in Julia’s heart loosened. “Good idea, Mom.”

Life would be so much easier if the people she loved most in the world had a solid relationship.

Sometimes keeping everyone glued together, serving as the connective tissue of her family of origin made her feel good.

But other times they tugged so hard she felt like she’d snap.

She loved them, but they drained her energy. Many people did.

But not Carson.

No, he filled her well. She snorted. Literally and figuratively. He made her feel like the sexiest, most interesting woman in any room. She really, really liked him. Maybe even…

She widened her eyes.

“Something wrong, sweetheart?” Mom asked.

“Nope. Everything’s fine.”

If fine meant I had a shocking epiphany , then yeah. She was fine.

Mom tapped her on the knee. “I’ll head to bed, too. Love you.”

“’Night.” She offered her mother a small wave. “Love you, too.”

Julia chewed her lip. The moments after everyone went to bed were her most cherished part of the day. She could switch off the people-pleaser part of her brain. With no one around, there was no one to please but herself.

Speaking of pleasing herself…what was Carson up to?

She withdrew her phone from the deep pocket of her robe and texted, Hi.

A return text popped up. Hi back. I like your smile.

That made her smile wider, enough to strain her cheeks.

And that’s a nice robe.

Wait, what? She scrunched her forehead.

Look up , he texted.

Her heart skipped a beat. Standing in the patio door’s frame was Carson, with his hooded gaze and smirky smile and damned Dodgers T-shirt. She dropped her tablet on the couch and hurried to the door.

Her nervous fingers fumbled the lock, but she got it eventually.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“I missed you,” he said.

Those words made her dizzy. I missed you conveyed longing, craving, yearning. It showed he thought about her when she wasn’t there, and that was delicious.

“We were together all day.” She joined him on the shadowed patio.

“With other people around.” He slid the door shut, then tugged her to a hidden corner. “So I couldn’t do this.”

He caught her against him, his lips an electric homecoming. She slipped her arms around his neck, desperate to pull him into her. He kinked his knees, curving and melting with her.

Desire, thick and hot, blossomed between her hips.

No. Not happening here on the patio. Too risky.

But it was happening.

She grabbed his hand. “I have an idea.”

“You always do.”

Julia led him through the courtyard and past the pool. They snuck past the thatched-roof bar with a dozen café tables where laughing strangers drank big fruity cocktails. Thank God the wedding guests hadn’t arrived yet. None of these people knew who they were.

“This way,” she said.

As they hit the sand, the ocean’s crash and boom matched her heart.

“You said no sex on the beach.” Carson squeezed her hand.

“I stand by that.” She scanned the numbers on the cabanas dotting the beach. “One of the perks of a honeymoon suite is a beach cabana. Ah, there. Number four.”

She tugged him inside. “You get the shutters, I’ll get the curtains.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Carson slapped them shut.

She shook out a few enormous beach towels on the double lounger, then tackled the curtains.

As she tied the sash tight, Carson hugged her from behind.

Encased in his strong arms, she felt like a treasure.

She wanted to give into it, to trust it, but good things in her life had been snatched from her before.

If she expected this to fall apart, she might save herself a broken heart.

On the other hand, she could try Carson’s optimism.

His lips brushing her throat was an excellent argument for optimism.

“You smell so good,” he murmured against the nape of her neck.

“The resort has excellent taste in toiletries.”

The tips of her ears burned. Why did she say that? She couldn’t take a compliment to save her life. Always deflecting attention to someone, something, anything else.

“Nope.” He licked the spot behind her ear. “It’s all you.”

She loved that he refused to be put off by her awkwardness. He might’ve been the only person in the world whose attention she craved.

The thick terry-cloth robe pooled at her feet.

“Being so close today but not able to touch you…” He dragged his fingertips up her arms. “It was torture. I couldn’t stay away tonight.”

The carefree part of her bubbled to the surface. Over the years, she’d constrained herself, buckled down, presented as flawless a veneer as possible. Stress had broken through her mask, though, and Carson saw, touched, tasted her whole self and still came back for more.

“I’m glad you’re here.” She nudged him onto the double chaise longue, then straddled his lap. “Because I couldn’t look at your fingers without wishing they were inside me.”

Yep, that actually came out of her mouth.

Based on his groan and the rigid length of his dick prodding her, he liked what he heard.

“Always tell me what you want. Understand?” In the dim light, his eyes were dark pools, like the caves they’d explored yesterday. Endless, ancient, but where those caves were cold, his eyes were full of heat.

For her.

The power she felt was delicious. Animal. With him between her legs, hot and hard and desperate, she could make him do or promise anything.

“Yes, I’ll always tell you what I want,” she said.

“Good.” He slid a hand up her romper to caress her ass. “Because tonight we’re both going to learn new things about you.”

She rolled against him. “Sure you’re up for it? After all, I was a straight-A student, whereas you…”

He clutched her hips. “Mastered a thing or two I can teach you.”

* * *

The heat from yesterday was back in Julia’s eyes, but it didn’t overwhelm the sparkle. He loved that about her. While she was here, everything was suffused with this irrepressible joy.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” he asked.

Carson hadn’t come to the resort for this.

He’d wanted to talk to her about his dad and figure out what their plans C, D, and E should be if Dad went full cold feet.

Then Julia smiled like he was the exact person she wanted to see most in the world, they kissed, and anything to do with their parents became a distant memory.

“No, I don’t.” She planed her hands on his chest. “So say more.”

A lifetime listing delightful things about her wouldn’t make up for the confidence he’d stolen from her in high school, but he could try.

“The way you carry yourself through the world—efficient, elegant, like a dancer.”

“Like when I stubbed my toe against the bed frame?” Her lips tipped into a smile.

He pressed a finger to her smile. “Don’t interrupt. You look like you’re always this close to bursting into laughter. Your hair curls stubbornly, even when it’s wet from the shower. Then there’s this unexpected glimmer of jewelry.”

He touched her ear, just below the double sapphire stud.

She caught his hand and kissed his palm. “Thank you.”

“Not done yet.” He twisted her forearm toward him, then kissed her soft skin. “These tattoos, and the way you rub your thumb over them when you’re feeling anxious.”

“Do I?” she asked.

“All the time.” He ran his finger down her wrinkled nose. “I love the way you scrunch this when you’re confused, like right now.”

“Okay, you’ve said more.” She smiled, but doubt lingered in her eyes. “Mission accomplished.”

He’d change it up. Show her how beautiful she was, too.

“I beg to differ.” Carson slid her pajama straps from her shoulders. “You have perfect breasts. I came in my sleep dreaming about them. Haven’t done that since I was a kid.”