Page 15

15

Stellan

We’re lounging by the pool at the resort, and for the first time in what feels like forever, everything is easy. Relaxed. There’s no rush, no pressure. Just me and Fiona, sitting by the pool, letting the warmth of the day sink into our skin.

I glance over at her and catch her looking at me, her lips curled into that smile that makes my chest tighten every time. I’m still not used to how effortlessly beautiful she is—how she just exists in a way that takes my breath away. Her hair’s up in a messy bun, some strands falling out around her face, and she’s wearing sunglasses and a bikini that makes my mind wander a little too much.

We’re supposed to be pretending, right? This is all for show, the media, the cameras snapping pictures of us, capturing our every move. But the more I look at her, the more I realize how much of this feels real. Real in a way I didn’t expect. We’re just together , enjoying each other’s company without the need for anything more than this—sun, laughter, and the occasional photo op.

A flash goes off, and I glance to the side, catching sight of the cameras. There’s a group of paparazzi hovering nearby, snapping shots of us as we relax. I’m used to the attention, but for some reason, it doesn’t bother me today. Fiona’s beside me, her legs stretched out, and I just feel... happy. I don’t care about the cameras, the fake smiles. I care about her .

She catches me looking, and I see her eyes narrow slightly behind her sunglasses. “Are we going to pretend we don’t know they’re here?” she asks, her voice playful.

“Does it matter?” I grin, shrugging. “Let them snap away. We’re having fun, aren’t we?”

Her lips twitch, and she gives me a teasing look. “If you’re trying to convince me this is all for the cameras, it’s not working, Stellan.”

I chuckle, leaning back on my towel, trying to ignore the fact that I’m not pretending anymore. “Alright, alright. Maybe I’m not pretending. Maybe I just like hanging out with you.”

She pulls her sunglasses down, looking at me with a playful smirk. “You’re getting soft, Stephenson.”

I laugh, turning to face her. “Yeah? Well, maybe you bring out the soft side of me.” I wink, and she rolls her eyes, but I can see the faint blush on her cheeks.

Her laugh rings out, clear and bright, and it’s one of those sounds that makes everything around me fade. I wish I could bottle it up. I wish I could hold on to this moment forever—the sound of her laughter, the warmth of the sun, and the way it feels like we’re the only two people in the world.

“You’re insufferable,” she says, leaning back into her chair, a grin playing on her lips. “But I guess I’m okay with it.”

“Oh, you’re more than okay with it,” I tease, nudging her with my elbow. “You love it.”

She shakes her head but doesn’t deny it. “I’ll give you this much—this is the most relaxed I’ve been in ages.”

“That’s because you’re with me,” I say, my voice joking, but there’s something serious underneath. Something I don’t know how to say yet, but I mean it. She’s the reason I feel this way—relaxed, easy. Like maybe I could do this forever.

She raises an eyebrow, and I see her lips curl into another smile. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“Hey, I’m just telling the truth,” I reply, leaning in slightly. “But you’re right about one thing. You are relaxed. It’s nice, isn’t it?”

She shrugs, her eyes twinkling behind her sunglasses. “Yeah, it is. For once, I don’t feel like I have to be anyone but me.”

I nod, my chest tightening a little. “I get that. We don’t have to pretend here. Just us. Enjoying a quiet moment.”

Another flash of light catches our attention, and we both glance toward the paparazzi again. I catch Fiona’s eye, and for a split second, it feels like it’s just us here, surrounded by the noise of the world, but completely in our own little bubble.

“Let them take their pictures,” I say, my voice low as I pull her a little closer. “We’re real, and they can’t take that away.”

She looks at me, her smile softer now. “I think I’m starting to believe you.”

I lean in closer, my lips brushing against her ear. “Good,” I whisper, my voice rougher than I intend. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”

I can feel her shiver under my touch, and when I pull away, she’s looking at me with that same vulnerability I’ve seen before. It’s in her eyes, something unspoken but clear—she’s letting herself trust me. She’s letting this happen.

Without thinking, I kiss her. It’s gentle at first, slow, and then it deepens, and everything around us fades. I forget about the cameras, the people, the noise. It’s just me and her, here and now, in this moment, and it’s perfect.

When we finally pull apart, I see the soft smile on her lips, the warmth in her eyes. “You’re not so bad, Stellan,” she says, teasing.

“I know,” I reply with a grin. “I’m getting better with age.”

She laughs again, and I take her hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. This moment, right here, is everything. I don’t need anything else.

The rest of the world can keep watching, but as long as I have her, I don’t care what happens next.

Later in the evening it’s just the two of us, together in each other’s arms in the resort’s jacuzzi. The hot water feels good against my skin, and I pull Fiona closer, kissing her lips with my own.

“I could get used to this,” I tell her and a smile graces her mouth.

“I could too.” She leans her head back and I take a moment to pepper kisses along her chest. She’s got on a tight little red bikini, and the sight of her in it makes me drool.

She straddles my lap, and my cock grows instantly hard. It’s just the two of us underneath the stars. And I glance around quickly, making sure we’re alone.

“What if I fuck you right here and now?” I ask her, knowing full well I don’t have a condom with me, but needing her more. “I don’t have any protection, but fuck, I need you so badly.”

“You can fuck me, and before you come I can swallow you down.” Her eyes are so innocent as she makes me the naughtiest offer I’ve ever been made.

“You’re so perfect,” I tell her, knowing full well that when we get back to the small town of Alpha Ridge Creek, I’m never letting her go. I push her bikini bottoms to the side as I run my thick cock along her entrance.

She’s so tight as I push into her, deeper as she holds onto my shoulders.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I tell her, loving the way she looks when she’s got my cock deep inside her, filling her up.

She keeps riding me, her taking my cock like the good fucking girl she is.

“Take Daddy’s cock, baby,” I tell her, moaning and groaning as the feeling of her overpowers me. I’d do anything for her.

“I’m so close, Daddy,” she whispers, and the sound of her voice turns me on even more.

I plunge my hand into her hair, fisting the strands as I tug her head back so I can watch her get off. “Come all over me.”

Her eyes gaze into mine as she bites her lower lip. “Oh, Stellan,” she calls out into the cool night air.

Click. Click.

I freeze, my eyes following the sound of the clicking cameras. There’s a man hidden behind some bushes, snapping photo after photo.

“Oh my god,” Fiona says, pushing off me, swimming to the other side of the hot tub.

“Get out of here,” I shout at the man. “Leave.” My body’s gone from inferno temperatures to cold in an instant, and I leap out of the tub. “I’m going to break that fucking camera.” I charge after him, and wrestle the man to the ground, trying to get his camera.

“This shit’s live,” he says, with a laugh as his friend holds up a phone, pointed directly at us.

Fuck.