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TASHA

T wo layovers and many, many hours later, we were finally on our way to Whitsunday Island. Everyone was extremely exhausted, but I could feel the excitement building the closer we got to the hotel. Because of where it was, the only way in was on a boat, which only ran at certain times, so once we were on the island, there really wasn’t a way off.

The tour guide on the boat listed off facts about the island, but I tuned him out as I gazed out at the water. I was squeezed between Mila and the side of the boat, the others scattered around with a few other tourists.

“The island has…” The guy was saying, but it went in one ear and out the other. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, relishing in the way the wind whipped at my face as the salty breeze of the ocean filled my nose. The air nipped at my skin, causing goosebumps to pebble along my arms, but the sun brushed them away.

Turning my head to the side, I looked down at the water. The pictures I saw online did not do it an ounce of justice. The closer we got to the hotel, the clearer and bluer it got. So clear that I wanted to dip my hand in.

We weren’t even there yet, but that didn’t stop me from noticing how much clearer my mind was already. After my moment with the flight attendant, things got awkward between Trevor and me. Once I calmed down enough to think rationally, a wave of embarrassment hit me in full force.

My past clouded my judgment and made me overreact. But that lady didn’t need to be so touchy—not with anyone—so I didn’t really feel all that bad about how I reacted. It was more embarrassing for me that Trevor witnessed it all go down. Looking back on it from a different angle, even his, I had totally acted like a jealous girlfriend when I was far from one.

Thankfully, I was spared more humiliation when I was seated next to Lydia for the next flight while Trevor sat with Landon. I knew I had to apologize and tried to make an attempt when we got off the plane, but it got so hectic collecting our baggage and making it to the boat in time for its departure that I wasn’t able to.

Feeling someone’s eyes on me, I looked away from the water and met a pair of stunning green eyes. The only eyes that seemed to make the ocean's color pale in comparison.

Trevor was sitting across the boat from me. His big body squished between Lydia and a random stranger. I had to pinch my lips together to stop myself from laughing at the way his body didn’t fit on the little bench, his long legs cramped and almost pushing up to his chest. His six foot three frame barely fit on the already small boat.

An expression passed over his face, but before I could even process what it was, the feel of the boat slowing underneath me jerked my attention elsewhere.

“Once we dock, we will help you get off. Your luggage will be taken to your rooms separately,” the guide said as he moved around the ferry, giving instructions.

I was itching to get onto land and stretch my legs. According to Australian time, it was only two in the afternoon, even though to us, it felt like eleven at night. We all agreed to try and stay up to beat the jet lag so we could start our actual vacation tomorrow.

I already knew what I was going to do after we checked in. The beach was calling my name, my toes aching to feel the sand and water and the ocean breeze against my skin.

When we docked, I tried to wait patiently to get off, but when this older lady moved like a snail in front of me, I was seconds away from shoving her off myself. I would have done everyone the favor but forced myself to stay back a few steps and let her hobble off.

The moment my feet touched the ground, I let out a sigh. Finally, we made it. Seeing as I was one of the last ones off the boat, I made my way toward my friends, glad we didn’t have to carry our bags to our rooms.

“We’re here!” Josie squealed as we all stood around each other. Bryton let out an unenthusiastic, “Yay,” that had me laughing under my breath. We were happy to be here, but having spent the last day and half traveling we were desperate for some shut-eye.

“How about we all go check in and clean up before meeting to get something to eat? Sound good?” Josie suggested.

There was a chorus of agreements before we all made our way toward what looked like golf carts waiting to take guests up to the hotel. I was tired but the fact that we were now here pushed the exhaustion away.

The ride to the hotel was thankfully short as the carts drove down the paved walkway that led to the hotel. We passed palm trees that extended higher than I could see. Plush green bushes lined the pathway and I swore I saw a chipmunk run in front of us.

In no time, we were all walking through the front doors of the hotel toward the check-in desk. Josie really outdid herself picking a destination for this vacation. The hotel was incredible. Tall ceilings with glass chandeliers. The marble-looking floor was so squeaky clean I swear I could see my reflection in it. A glance out of the huge windows to the side showed the beach. It was literally only a few steps away.

I was so busy staring longingly at the beach that I missed the others walking ahead of me. By the time I made my way over, the front desk lady was handing Lydia our room key. Since Lydia and I were the only two not in a relationship, we were sharing a room. The same went for Trevor and Landon while Josie and Wyatt took their own room and Mila and Bryton got their own as well.

There was no point in spending extra money to get individual rooms when none of us really cared if we shared. Plus, we were all planning on spending the days doing stuff, not hanging out in our rooms.

Somehow, Wyatt managed to get all of our rooms on the same floor, no doubt using his name. From where I stood, I could hear Josie telling him he had to stop doing that. Her not caring if someone was rich or not was one of the reasons I loved her.

Growing up, most of the friends I had were only friends with me because my parents were wealthy or because their parents were friends with mine. They were always in it for something. So when I met Josie freshman year of university, I expected she would be the same.

Which was why I had no problem admitting that I was the biggest bitch to Josie. For the first few weeks, I flat out ignored her, figuring she’d be the same as every other person I met. But Josie, being Josie, proved she was far from one of those people who took advantage of someone’s wealth and status. She never once cared about money with me.

I remember one time the two of us went out to dinner with a few other girls I knew. They all sat around waiting for me to pay. It was the first time I ever saw Josie angry. She snapped at the other girls, demanding that they pay for their own meals and not use me as a piggy bank. It was at that moment I knew she was my ride or die.

“Remind me to kiss Wyatt later for this room,” Lydia said as soon as we stepped into our room moments later. I silently agreed. The room was huge. As soon as you walked, there was a living room that could easily fit all eight of us and then some. A kitchenette sat off to the side. To the left of us was a hallway that must have led to the bedrooms. And here I was thinking we’d be sleeping in a room with two queen beds and maybe a mini fridge.

Without another word, Lydia took off to claim her room as I walked over to the two sprawling windows where the view was breathtaking. The ocean was spread out as far as the eye could see, and I could almost hear the waves from here.

Again, the urge to go down and feel the water and sand washed over me. With plenty of time to meet up with the rest of the group, I quickly made my decision.

“I’ll be back!” I yelled down the hallway to Lydia before swiping up the hotel key. My luggage wasn’t even here yet so it wasn’t like I could change anyway.

Heading out to the lobby, I followed the signs that pointed to the beach. The wooden pathway wrapped around the hotel before veering a little until the beach was in sight. I only passed a few people as I went.

The closer I got to the sandy shore, the more the tension in my shoulders eased. Right before reaching the sand, I slipped my flip-flops off and rolled my leggings up to my knees. The soft sand slid between my toes as I slowly waded through it toward the water.

The smell of salt hitting my nose made me smile. The lightest of breezes lifted strands of my hair off my face as I got closer to the surf.

There was something about the beach that I loved. The salty air, the grainy sand that sometimes was hard to walk in, the way it made you feel like you were insignificant to the rest of the world. My parents had a house that sat near the beach and any time I wanted to get away, I would head there and sit on the beach for hours.

Warm water lapped at my ankles as it rolled up onto the shoreline. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, the sound of the waves crashing filling my ears. Exhaling, I pushed away all the stress of the last few days. The conversation with my mother and the stupid gala I was going to be forced to go to when I got back. I pushed aside the fact that I was on vacation with a man I embarrassed myself in front of—not once but twice. The same man who did things to my stomach that confused the hell out of me.

I was going to enjoy my time away. Nothing was going to ruin it for me. Not my messed up family, my past, or the stupid feelings that appeared whenever I was around Trevor. This vacation was meant to be fun and relaxing, and that was just what I was going to do.

With that in mind, I opened my eyes and stepped further into the water, ready to make this the best vacation ever.

“We are not swimming with sharks.” Josie looked at Wyatt like he lost his mind.

“Babe, it would be so fun.” Wyatt tried again.

Biting into a french fry, I watched Wyatt try to convince Josie to go swimming with one of the most agile predators in the ocean. I could pipe up and tell him it was useless trying to get her to do it, seeing as she was deathly afraid of sharks but watching him practically beg was entertaining.

“It’s completely safe. You’re in a cage, and they can’t get you,” Wyatt continued. Everyone else sat around the table, eating and watching the two go back and forth. Earlier a worker at the hotel recommended a local restaurant a block away. It was a cute, hole in the wall restaurant that claimed to make the best fish and chips. Which they weren’t wrong about.

“Have you never seen the videos on the internet?” Josie asked, almost breathless over Wyatt’s idea. “The sharks can still get their faces in the cage! You could die.”

“Think he knows Josie will ultimately win this one?” Bryton leaned over to whisper in my ear.

“Give it another minute and he will,” I whispered back, shoving another fry in my mouth.

“A shark couldn’t eat me. I’m way too fast.” The entire group laughed at how ridiculous Wyatt sounded. “What, you guys don’t think I could win against a shark?” He glanced at his teammates for backup.

“Well…” Bryton trailed off like he didn’t know how to answer.

“Well, that's fucked up.” Wyatt looked betrayed that no one, not even Landon, his brother, supported him.

“It’s okay, babe, we’ll still do something fun,” Josie said, patting his hand as Wyatt leaned back with a huff. His dreams of getting up close and personal with sharks went up in flames.

Trevor piped in next, his words causing all our eyes to snap to him. “I would have gone with you. ”

“Nice going,” I muttered under my breath as I kicked him under the table. If Josie could kill someone with a glare, Trevor would be six feet under.

“What? It could be fun,” Trevor started to say, only for Mila to quickly interrupt.

“How about we go snorkeling?” When no one answered, Mila elbowed Bryton in the side. A strained groan fell from his mouth before he nodded his head in sudden agreement.

“That sounds like fun.”

“I’d do it,” Lydia added. Thankfully, that helped put an end to Wyatt’s idea. While everyone started talking about snorkeling, a sharp pain blossomed over my shin and caused me to jerk in my seat. I looked up and glared at the only person who would kick me. I met Trevor’s gaze as his eyes sparkled in amusement.

“What was that for?”

“Payback.” He shrugged, taking a huge bite of his hamburger.

“I didn’t even kick you that hard,” I shot back.

He sent me a look that said, “And?.”

“I can kick you somewhere higher if you prefer.” I plastered a fake smile on my face, making my voice honey sweet even though I felt nothing of the sort.

“If you want to touch my dick, all you have to do is ask.” Trevor’s words made me choke on my drink. The idiot, having waited until I took a sip to say something in return.

“Tash, you okay?” Mila asked, softly patting me on the back as I tried to give my lungs air. Everyone looked at me while Trevor had a smug smile on his face.

“Wrong tube,” I choked out, my coughing dying down. When everyone went back to their conversations and food, I sent Trevor a heated glare.

“Better watch your back Hall,” I seethed in a low tone.

At my comment, he just grinned .

“Looking forward to it.” His smirk had me rolling my eyes. I swear he got more annoying every time I saw him.

“Aside from snorkeling, what else do we want to do while we are here?” Josie asked.

“I think there are some good hiking trails we could walk,” Landon commented.

“Hiking?” Lydia scrunched her nose up at his idea.

“Some of us like doing things outdoors.” He sent the small dig back at her. If I thought Wyatt and Josie had a lot of sexual tension, it was nothing compared to these two. Lydia and Landon were clearly into each other but too stubborn to admit it.

They argued like an old married couple. Anyone could see the looks they sent each other when the other wasn’t looking. It was only a matter of time before they both cracked and gave into whatever was going on between them. But Lydia was one of the most stubborn people I knew, so I wasn’t holding my breath anytime soon.

By the time we finished dinner, we had a few ideas on what we could do: snorkeling, hiking, a boat cruise, a relaxing day on the beach, and a club that Mila had found.

I hung back from the group as we all slowly trudged back to the hotel, exhaustion palpable from the long day we had. The sun was beginning to dip, making the air a bit chillier. Wrapping my hands in the sleeves of my sweatshirt, I watched the two couples in front of me holding hands as they walked. The way their bodies seemed to gravitate toward each other was almost effortless.

Jealousy stabbed at my chest. I was happy for all of them, but it didn’t stop the feeling of wanting what they had from consuming me.

“Why are you sulking back here?” a voice cut through my depressing thoughts. I let out an audible sigh as Trevor walked beside me .

“Is it your mission to always annoy me?” I asked.

“It’s just so easy to.” I glanced over to find him smirking at me. Shaking my head, I looked forward. He stayed quiet for another minute before speaking again. “I want to properly thank you for what you did on the plane.”

“I actually want to apologize for that.” I wrapped my arms around my waist. “I didn’t mean to shove my nose in the situation.” It had struck a nerve but just because I had an issue with it didn’t mean Trevor did.

“You don’t need to apologize for anything, Tasha,” Trevor said. “The flight attendant was being too handsy and you were right for calling her out on it.”

“Yeah, but—” A hand on my elbow pulled me to a stop.

“Tasha.” Trevor’s voice begged me to look up at him. Tilting my head back, I met his gaze. “You saw I was uncomfortable and did something about it. Don’t ever be sorry for something like that,” he said seriously. “Thank you.”

The look on his face melted the growing guilt inside of me. Guilt for overstepping in a situation that wasn’t any of my business. But hearing him say that eased my worries.

“She should have kept her hands to herself,” I mumbled, the thought of her making me angry again. A chuckle drew my attention back to Trevor.

“There’s the feisty side.”

“I do not have a feisty side.” Even I knew that was a lie.

“Uh-huh.” The unconvinced look he shot me had me rolling my eyes and shoving him to the side with my shoulder.

“I’d stop while you’re ahead.” I started walking again, the others pretty far ahead of us now.

“You know, I think you like me, Tasha Davis,” Trevor spoke after a moment.

“And where did you get that idea? ”

“I have my ways,” he answered vaguely, making me scrunch my eyebrows together.

“I think you’ve taken too many hits to the head. Are you mentally sound?” I asked in a serious voice, looking over at him.

“I can assure you I am perfectly sane.”

“Hmm,” I hummed.

“But even if you don’t like me,” Trevor’s voice was suddenly right next to my head, his breath against the shell of my ear making me shiver. His voice turned husky, washing over my skin. “I plan on changing that before this vacation is over.” I was still trying to comprehend his words when he pulled away from me, gave me a smirk, and jogged toward the others up ahead. I stared after him, his words sinking in.

I plan on changing that before this vacation is over. What the hell did that mean?

Despite my confusion, I couldn’t deny the fluttery swoop in my stomach as I stared after him.