Page 29 of Knot Your Sunshine (Snugverse Romcom #2)

Chapter twenty-seven

Mia

I see Noa waiting on the dock beside a sleek boat with a dark blue hull. He extends his hand to help me aboard, and the linen shirt stretches across his shoulders, revealing strong muscles underneath.

"Captain," I say, placing my hand in his. My teeth catch my lower lip without thinking.

"Ms. Everly." His mouth curves in that slow smile that makes my stomach flip.

The boat rocks gently as I step aboard, my hand still in his for balance. Polished teak decks gleam in the sun, white cushions looking inviting against the console.

"Nice ride," I say, running my hand along the smooth rail.

"She'll do." He winks, then shifts into an exaggerated British accent. "Ready for adventure, m'lady?"

"Always ready, good sir." My attempt at matching his accent is terrible, and we both burst out laughing.

The engine purrs to life and we glide away from the dock, the boat cutting through turquoise water. Small islands dot the horizon, each one a mystery waiting ahead as Noa steers us steadily toward them.

"So," I settle into the seat beside him, tucking windblown hair behind my ear. "Where are we taking this beauty?"

"That would ruin the surprise." His eyes crinkle with mischief.

"Give me a hint?"

"Hmm." He taps the steering wheel, pretending to consider. "It involves getting wet... well, somewhat wet."

My hand drifts to the bag where I packed spare clothes on a whim. Thank God for overthinking. "The ocean? Swimming? A secret beach?"

"Getting warmer."

I spot the ukulele tucked beside his seat. "Are you planning to serenade me on some romantic beach?"

"The instrument might make an appearance," he grins. "But that's not the main event."

"Snorkeling?"

"Nope."

"Cliff jumping?"

"God no. I want you in one piece."

"A waterfall?"

His eyes flick to me, impressed. "Very warm."

"Swimming under a waterfall?"

"So close." He just smiles, attention returning to the water ahead.

"Noa! Tell me!"

"Where's the fun in that?" He reaches over, his fingers brushing mine on the console. "Trust me, you'll love it."

The casual touch sends warmth racing up my arm. I leave my hand there, our pinkies barely touching, the connection both innocent and charged.

The wind whips my hair into a frenzy as we round a rocky point. Suddenly we're approaching what looks like virgin coastline. A small crescent of beach appears, tucked between towering rock formations.

"Here we are." He cuts the engine and drops anchor in the shallows.

"But where's here?" I lean forward, squinting at the beach, trying to spot what makes it special. "Come on, one more hint?"

"Patience, Ms. Everly." His voice warms with barely contained amusement. "Adventure awaits."

He slips his ukulele into a backpack, and together we wade toward shore, the water deliciously warm around our ankles. The beach is maybe fifty feet of pristine white sand, completely hidden from any angle except the water.

Noa leads me along the sand, his hand finding mine again. At the tree line, he pauses, pushing aside a curtain of hanging vines.

"Ready?" His smile holds secrets.

I take his hand and he pulls me gently into the green shade. Our bodies brush for a moment, chest to chest, and I swear I can catch a hint of his scent despite the blockers. Something earthy and warm that makes my pulse skip.

A narrow trail winds through dense foliage, and soon, the trees part like theater curtains, revealing a waterfall that steals my breath. It must be thirty feet high, white water cascading over black volcanic rock into a deep, clear pool.

"It's gorgeous," I breathe, but Noa's already moving toward the waterfall itself, picking his way along wet rocks.

"But are you ready for the real surprise?" He stands right at the edge where water meets rock, spray misting his skin.

"We're taking a natural shower?"

"Better." Without warning, he steps directly through the waterfall and vanishes.

"Noa!" I stare at the curtain of water, my mouth hanging open. "You've got to be kidding me."

His hand appears through the fall, fingers beckoning.

What the hell?

I hesitate, heart hammering, then suck in a deep breath and plunge through. The waterfall slams into me like a cold slap, my sundress clinging instantly to my skin. I surface with a gasp, sputtering, shoving wet hair from my face.

When my vision clears, I realize we’re standing in the mouth of a cave. Behind me, sunlight streams through the cascade, scattering patterns of shifting light across the walls.

"You could have told me to bring my bikini!" I'm laughing despite myself, wringing water from my dress.

"I did mention getting wet." His grin is wicked, water droplets clinging to his eyelashes as he hands me a towel from his bag. "Besides, you look beautiful all... drenched."

The cool water has me shivering, but the heat in his gaze warms me right back up, spreading from my chest outward.

"Come on." He pulls two small flashlights, handing me one. "It gets better."

The beam cuts through darkness as we move deeper, our wet footsteps echoing in the wide passage, heavy with the scent of damp earth and minerals.

"How do you even know about this place?" I trail my fingers along the smooth wall, amazed by how the rock has been worn to silk by water.

"My grandfather brought me here when I was eight. His grandfather showed him. It's been a family secret for generations."

"And you're sharing it with me?"

He glances back, something vulnerable flickering across his features. "You're the first person outside my family and pack I've ever brought here."

I blush at the privilege of being here, and we keep walking, the passage widening until it opens into a vast chamber. Our flashlights sweep across the space, revealing a cavern that soars forty feet overhead, stalactites hanging like nature's chandeliers.

"This is incredible." My whisper seems too loud in the vast space.

"There's something special about this place." Noa sets his flashlight on a flat rock, angling the beam upward to illuminate the ceiling. "There's a legend. Two lovers from warring families discovered this cave. They would meet here in secret, away from everyone trying to keep them apart."

"Like Romeo and Juliet?"

"Except with a better ending." He retrieves the ukulele from his bag, fingers finding the strings.

"Among those who know about this place, there's a song about them.

And the acoustics here..." He plays a single note that rings through the chamber, pure and dreamy, seeming to hang in the air forever.

"Oh my God." I close my eyes, letting the sound wash over me. "You could record an album in here. The natural reverb is insane."

He chuckles at my observation, but his fingers are already moving into a proper melody.

The tune starts simple, almost hesitant, then builds into something that makes my chest ache with its beauty.

Each note layers upon the last, the cave transforming them into something otherworldly.

The song seems to speak of longing… of stolen moments… of love that defies all obstacles.

Without thinking, I drift closer, drawn by the music and his presence. When the last note finally dissolves into silence, I realize I'm standing close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his body.

"That was beautiful," I whisper.

He carefully stows the ukulele away, then turns to face me fully. "Want to see the other magic of this place?"

"There's more?"

"Turn off your flashlight."

"What?" I take a step back. "No way. It'll be pitch black."

"That's the point." His voice drops to something playful and coaxing. "Trust me, Mia."

I bite my lip, finger hovering over the switch. Every logical part of my brain screams this is a bad idea. But the way he's looking at me...

"Fine. But if something eats me in the dark, I'm haunting you."

"Deal." His smile flashes white before he clicks his light off.

I take a breath, then follow suit.

Black. Complete, absolute black. My heart pounds so loud I'm sure he can hear it. Water drips somewhere in the distance. Plop, plop, plop.

"I can't see anything." My voice comes out smaller than intended.

"Wait for it." His hand finds mine in the darkness, fingers intertwining. "Give your eyes a minute."

We stand there, connected only by our hands, his thumb tracing small circles on my wrist. My other senses heighten in the darkness, the sound of his breathing, the warmth of his palm, the faint yet growing scent of him despite the blockers.

Then something impossible happens.

A faint glow emerges from the rocks themselves, blue-green and ethereal. It starts as barely a suggestion of light, then grows stronger as my eyes adjust. Soon the entire chamber glows with soft phosphorescence. Thousands of tiny points create constellations on every surface.

"Oh my God." I squeeze his hand hard. "What is this?"

"Physics and chemistry. Josh explained the science once." His thumb continues its maddening circles on my wrist. "But the lovers in the legend called it their blessing. A light in the darkness, just for them."

"It's magic," I breathe, turning in a slow circle to take it all in.

The glow makes everything feel suspended, dreamlike. Like we're floating among stars. I reach up to touch his face, needing to make sure I'm not dreaming, that something is real in all this impossible beauty.

"Mia," he whisper, just my name, but the way he says it…

We drift together like celestial bodies pulled by gravity. In this cosmic cave, it feels inevitable. He leans down as I rise on my toes, and our lips meet.

His lips are soft, patient, tasting faintly of salt water and something uniquely him. A small sound escapes me and his arms come around me, pulling me flush against him. The kiss deepens, and when he groans, the sound echoes through the chamber, surrounding us with the evidence of his desire.

My fingers tangle in his hair, still damp from the waterfall, pulling him closer.

"God, Mia," he breathes against my mouth when we break for air.

In the phosphorescent light, his eyes are dark with flecks of blue, intense and wanting.

"You're so beautiful," he says, voice rough. Then he's kissing me again, deeper this time, his hands sliding up my back over the damp fabric of my dress.

The heat between us builds quickly. Too quickly. He pulls back slightly, breathing hard.

"Mia, we can take things slow. We don't have to—"

Instead of letting him finish, I take his hand and guide it to my breast. His pupils blow wide, a growl rumbling from deep in his chest. His thumb finds my nipple through the fabric, and I arch into his touch, gasping.

"Still want to go slow?" My voice comes out breathless, teasing.

"Fuck," he mutters, then lowers his head to my breast, his mouth hot through the thin material.

I gasp, my hands finding the front of his shorts, feeling him hard and ready. He makes a strangled sound and shifts his attention to my neck, kissing and nipping a path to my ear.

"You're driving me crazy," he murmurs against my skin.

"Good." Though I'm barely holding it together myself, every nerve ending alive and singing.

He pulls back to look at me, something wild in his expression, then crashes his mouth to mine. This kiss is pure hunger, all pretense of patience gone. His hands explore my body while mine trace the muscles of his chest through his damp shirt.

Suddenly he lifts me, one strong arm supporting me while the other hand tangles in my hair. His mouth moves to my neck, my shoulder, finding every sensitive spot with devastating accuracy.

"You're incredible," he says against my skin. "Especially here, in this place. Like you're made of stars."

My foot fumbles for his groin. "I need you."

"Fuck," he gasps. "Are you—"

"Here. Now."

Something snaps in him at my plea. He kisses me deeply while his free hand slides under my dress. When his fingers find my pussy, already slick and ready, I gasp into his mouth.

"God, you're so wet already," he says, sounding awed and incredibly turned on.

"That's your work… you've been teasing me since the boat ride," I laugh breathlessly.

He works me with skilled fingers, moving in patterns that make my entire body tremble against him. The sounds I make echo back from every surface, multiplying until the cave itself seems to sing with my pleasure.

"Please," I beg when I can't take anymore. "I need you inside me."

With one hand, he pushes his shorts down. Even in the dim glow, I can see his knot already beginning to swell at the base. He shifts his grip on me, and I lock my legs around his waist. He teases first, circling my entrance with his manhood, making me whimper and clutch at his shoulders.

"Noa—"

I don't have time to finish my plea before he pushes his erection inside me in a slow, delicious stretch, making us both groan. The sound bounces off the walls, multiplying.

"Fuck," he breathes against my neck. "You're so tight."

We find our rhythm gradually, savoring each measured thrust. His hands grip my hips, guiding our movement. The phosphorescent glow paints his face as he watches me, and I've never felt more seen.

"Don't you dare," he says when my eyes flutter closed. "I want to look you in the eyes the moment you shatter."

I meet his gaze as he shifts angle, hitting deeper. His knot begins to swell further, stretching me in the most delicious way. Stars explode behind my eyes.

"Oh God, right there," I gasp.

He maintains that perfect angle while his knot stretches me, ravaging me. The cave amplifies everything, our ragged breathing, the wet slap of his thrusts, my cries getting louder as I climb higher and higher.

"I'm—Noa, I'm going to—"

"Let go, baby. I've got you."

The orgasm crashes through me like a tidal wave. I cry out his name and hear it echoing back like a symphony while my pussy grips around his knot in desperate spasms.

"Fuck, Mia—" He follows my climax, his knot locking us together as he spills inside me, his groans echoing off the walls in answer.

We stay pressed close, gasping, the phosphorescent glow pulsing around us like the cave itself is breathing with us.