Page 10

CHAPTER 10

MONROE

The ocean water is a cool relief from the sun as Paxton and I jump from the guided boat, snorkels on and ready.

I adjust myself quickly, anticipation soaring through me as I dip my head into the water, Paxton sticking close and mimicking the move.

I can’t help but smile as I glance around, a barrage of colors hitting me all at once—the crystal-clear water tinted blue, the dark greens and vibrant oranges from the reef on the sandy floor below.

We move leisurely through the water, our flippered feet helping propel us. It’s a little awkward at first, but I quickly adjust to the movements. Other snorkelers are exploring the area too, but there’s plenty of space so we’re not running into each other.

I pop above the surface for a second, wanting to adjust my mask.

“What do you think?” Paxton asks, following me above the water.

“It’s beautiful!” I gasp, unable to hold back my smile. “Do you think we’ll see a sea turtle?”

Paxton shrugs, eyes hopeful. “The guide said chances are high,” he answers. “He said this is one of the best months for activity.”

I squeal, fixing my mask. “Okay, ready,” I say, giving him a thumbs up before dipping back into the water.

We glide easily over the reef below, watching colorful fish flutter in and out of the sea vegetation. There’s so much to drink in, and I can’t help but be consumed by all of it—the sights, the feel of the water against my skin, the hushing calm of the ocean in my ears. I let the sensation sink into my bones, my body feeling light.

I glance over at Pax as we swim, a thrill rushing through me. Last night…

Last night had been the best night of my life.

I never knew intimacy could be like that—a crackling sort of chemistry that came from trust and submission. Pax took care of me in every way I never knew I needed and then this morning? The way he’d planned the day and told me exactly what he wanted to do to me later?

There’s no denying how much he excites me, but there’s also a ton of relief right alongside that feeling. Relief that things weren’t awkward this morning, like I worried about. Relief that he didn’t immediately ask for definitions and rules and everything else regarding what we were doing.

He simply was .

Like me and him together was the most natural thing in the world.

And it felt like that too. Felt so damn… right .

A flutter of fear tumbles in my chest at the notion. Sure, I’m still scared of what crossing these lines means for our friendship, but I’m even more terrified of my real, deep feelings for my best friend. Because I don’t do serious relationships. I promised myself a long time ago I would take my time before settling down.

My mom and dad have the kind of relationship that love stories are based off, but they met when they were sixteen and got married at eighteen. And despite them being totally in love and still together, they’d both told me plenty of times it’s an exception, not a rule. They had their fair share of growing and learning together in those early years too, and they always cautioned me on the work it takes if you decide to make that leap so young.

Not that I was eighteen, far from it, but I still felt…young.

Too young to get married.

Not that Pax is proposing.

An image of him in a suit, Nash and Lawson and Baylor and Clay at his side as I walk down the aisle toward him flashes in my mind. I try to stop it. Try to smother the thoughts. But they’re there. The picture of us smiling as we take our vows as crystal clear as the water we swim through.

I clench my eyes shut for a moment, forcing myself to stop the fantasy playing out in my mind.

Too soon, too much.

But I’ve loved Pax all my life, so really, it doesn’t feel too much. Just…too something .

Paxton gently tugs on my hand, drawing my attention to the present. I glance at him, then follow where he’s excitedly pointing?—

A sea turtle lazily swims not two feet in front of us, its shell a beautiful mixture of reddish brown, its flippers sporting that fantastic sectioned design. Its neck is long, and he has almost a hawk-like bill. When I catch sight of its eyes? I swear I can see the ancient wisdom radiating from the dark depths, and it takes my breath away.

I squeeze Paxton’s hand as we continue to watch the sea turtle swim by.

If I was capable of jumping up and down right now, I would.

I’ve always loved sea turtles, ever since we spotted one in the Bahamas when we were eleven. That family vacation Paxton and I had gotten matching sea turtle bracelets.

My heart warms in my chest, knowing Paxton set this excursion up for me today. Because he knew how much fun I’d have.

He’s always done that…gone out of his way to make sure I’m taken care of.

How could I have possibly denied my feelings for him for so damn long? It’s hard to even fathom it in this moment, when I feel so much love for him I’m not exactly sure what to do with it.

We surface after the turtle swims out of sight, slipping off our masks as we bob in the water.

I grin at him, wrapping my arms around his neck, kissing him hard and quick. “Thank you!” I say, seriously downright giddy at the sighting.

His hands glide around my hips, holding me to him as we tread. “I’m so glad we came at the right time,” he says, glancing across the water to where the guide boat waits.

“You’re the best,” I say, emotions catching up with me. “Do you know that?”

He smiles, a humble grin that is so Paxton. “You make it easy to be the best.”

I swallow hard, the compliment doing things to my heart. And I don’t have the right words to tell him what this—what he —means to me in that moment, so I kiss him again.

The simple act of brushing my lips over his is an unleashing all on its own. Years of pent-up need releases through the ability to kiss him whenever I want, and I relish the way he meets me there, holding me close, kissing me back with the same intensity.

It’s hard to think about anything outside his kiss. Outside the way he makes me feel—seen and safe and on fire at the same time.

A whistle blows, and we break apart, laughing softly as we’re drawn back to the present at the guide’s warning.

“That means we have ten minutes left,” Paxton says, still holding me.

“Let’s take one last look.” I slip my mask over my face, but don’t let go of his hand as we dip into the water one more time.

“I don’t remember the last time I’ve danced that much,” I say, slightly breathless as we make it back to our room. I immediately kick off my shoes, sighing at the relief from their absence.

Paxton closes and locks the door behind us, laughing. “That place was too much fun,” he says, sweat dotting his brow just like mine.

We really danced the night away. The little spot he’d found had been so much fun—a local hotspot with live music and incredible food.

“I didn’t want to leave,” I say. “But I’m not sure my legs could hold out much more.”

Pax comes up behind me, hands on my hips, lips on my neck. “Want to cool off in the pool?”

That quickly, I want him, as I remember his words from this morning. I’ve been able to think of little else, despite the fun distractions. And it’s all too easy to slip into this new role—whatever it may be. I like whoever this version of me is with Paxton. I love it, actually. So, I don’t hesitate to spin around and loop my arms around his neck.

“Yes, please,” I say, kissing him softly, slowly.

He groans against my mouth, his hands flexing on my hips.

“I’m never going to get tired of that,” he says as I pull away.

“What?” I tease, backing away while I untie my halter dress, letting it drop to the floor. “Dancing? Swimming?”

His eyes flare wide as I strip off the rest of my clothes right there in the living room, not a hint of hesitation or worry in my mind. I trust Paxton with everything, especially my body, and with the way he’s looking at me? I wonder why we didn’t try this sooner.

“I forgot what we were talking about,” he says, his voice rough as he starts peeling off his clothes, following me through the bungalow.

I step onto the patio, knowing we have total privacy, and once again feel so damn grateful that Paxton included me on this luxury vacation. I slowly descend the stairs into the infinity pool that stretches over the ocean, the water softly illuminated by low blue lights. The ocean beyond looks almost black with the clear night sky above us.

I spin around in the water, grinning as I see Paxton following me into the pool. We’re so secluded out here, we could be the only two people on the island, and I’m quite certain I never want to leave.

The reality of that thought brings me up a little short, leading straight into the question of what will happen when we leave.

Luckily Paxton reaches me at that exact moment of panic, hands on my hips and propelling me out of the water, perching me on the edge of the pool and stepping between my thighs.

I gasp, every other thought emptying from my head as he captures my mouth with his.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he says, kissing his way down my neck and over my breasts. “This view has nothing on you,” he continues. “But you in front of it?” He pulls back, eyes trailing me where I sit before him then the ocean and starry sky just beyond. “You look like a goddess.”

A flush races down my skin, and I bite down on my smile. “Pax,” I sigh his name as he goes back to kissing my breasts. “You’re too good to me.”

“No such thing,” he mumbles against my breasts. He lightly trails his teeth over my nipple, and I arch into the sensation.

And then he’s moving lower, parting my thighs wider as he dips his head between them.

I gasp at the first feel of his mouth on my sensitive flesh, trembling when he growls.

“Taste so fucking good,” he says against me, looping an arm around my back to hold me steady as he licks me. “Love you all splayed out for me to take.”

His words are like liquid fire in my veins, but I can’t form a coherent response when he’s circling my achy clit with his tongue.

“Paxton, omigod,” I gasp, fingers tangling in his hair as he ups his pace, licking and sucking and plunging his tongue into me in a rhythm that has me winding up faster than a coiled spring.

He mumbles something against my flesh, the vibrations only adding to the pleasure cresting beneath my skin.

Another plunge of his expert tongue, and I’m soaring, spiraling in glittering pleasure as my orgasm wrenches through me. My thighs tremble as he licks me through the throes of it, only slowing and pulling back after I’ve caught my breath.

He grins at me, his eyes churning with pure male pride and need.

“Don’t move,” he commands, shifting away from me.

“Where are you going?” I almost whimper.

“Condom.”

“I’m on the pill,” I blurt, even though he already knows as much.

He stills in the water, tilting his head at me.

“Yesterday happened so quickly, we didn’t have time to talk about it,” I continue. “I know you have a clean bill of health, Paxton,” I say, suddenly grateful we share everything. “And you know I do too.”

He cocks a brow at me, hands sliding over my thighs as he steps between them again. “Are you sure?”

I nod, spanning the distance between our mouths. I moan at the taste of me on his tongue as I wrap my arms around his neck, drawing him flush against me.

“Fuck, Monroe,” he groans against my mouth when I wrap my legs around him. He tugs me off the ledge, dipping us into the warm water.

“I need you,” I say between our kiss, shifting against him until I can feel his hard length tease my sensitive center.

“Tell me again,” he says, drawing back only enough to catch my gaze.

“I need you, Pax,” I say without hesitation. I don’t care how needy that makes me sound, it’s the truth. I might combust if he doesn’t?—

He glides into me, bottoming out in one smooth thrust.

“Paxton!” I cry out his name at the sensation, and his hands fly to my ass, palming me there, lifting me slightly only to draw me back down atop him.

I shiver at the move, my thighs tightening around his hips.

He groans, capturing my mouth again as he pumps into me, the water sloshing all around us. “You feel amazing.”

I try and catch my breath, try and catch a singular thought outside of the way he feels inside me—hard and smooth and stretching me from his size. He’s everything and everywhere at once, kissing me, holding me, thrusting into me.

“You…” I whimper as he thrusts home again. “Are…” My heart is racing, warmth rushing over my body with every stroke he delivers. “Perfect,” I gasp, clenching around him as he pounds into me.

“Fuck,” he groans, upping his pace as my nails dig into his back. “Love the way you feel,” he continues. “Love…the way you feel wrapped around me like this.”

“Yes,” I agree, breathless, my body on absolute fire.

Every stroke, every time he drags his cock out of me and slams back in again, has me seeing stars. And not the ones that are glittering in the sky behind him. I’m spinning, soaring, flying with every touch, every kiss, every time we connect.

It’s beautiful.

It’s electric.

It’s… everything .

My pleasure builds like a storm, tightening my muscles and stealing my breath.

“Paxton,” I gasp his name. “I’m…I’m…”

“Yes,” he growls, increasing his pace, fucking me so hard the water splashes around us.

I moan as pleasure rips through me, a cascade of sparks and heat that spill over my entire body.

Pax’s release follows my own, only drawing out the sensation as he spills himself inside me. He keeps pumping into me, slowing until we’re still in the water, clinging to each other as we catch our breath.

I kiss him, slow and languid, just because I can.

And after we’re out of the pool, dried off and cozy under the covers of the bed, I settle against his chest and fall asleep knowing I never want to wake up from the dream we’ve fallen into.