Page 75 of Reckless Hearts

“Yesterday. She thought she caught a vibe between us. And she reminded me you were a no-go zone.”

My eyebrows fly up. I have to work hard to keep my voice nonchalant. “Haven’t we always adopted the ‘What Saskia doesn’t know, won’t hurt her’ philosophy?”

“Yeah, I guess we have. But I don’t like lying to her.”

“I’d say it’s more an omission of truth than a lie.”

He huffs out a laugh. “I thought I was the one with an almost completed law degree.”

“Look, Saskia’s now officially on her honeymoon. The last thing she wants is drama involving her brother and best friend distracting her from newlywed bliss.”

Marcus arches an eyebrow. “So, it’s altruistic of us to withhold this information from her, is it?”

“That’s my argument, and I’m sticking to it.” I glance at him, trying not to show how my heart is racing. “We’re here on the island another three days. I say we make the most of the time we’ve got,” I continue.

Marcus trails a hand down my chest. “You want to keep doing this?”

His touch makes me shiver. “I think I could possibly be persuaded,” I murmur.

Our lips meet, and it’s like striking a match, the tenderness quickly blazing into something more intense.

Suddenly, Marcus is on top of me, pinning me down as he kisses my neck.

“I guess I better work on my persuasion skills,” he rasps.

18

Marcus

I’m back in a familiar pattern— hooking up with my best friend’s brother behind my best friend’s back.

But I can’t stop. Nothing could make me stop this.

Because I’ve forgotten the massive difference between hookup sex and sex with someone I actually like.

Seb and I used to have amazing sex when we were university students. Now, it’s even better. Maybe it’s because we know our time together is finite, so we’ve got to make the most of every second. Every time I touch him, I try to etch the sensation into my memory.

Unfortunately, Saskia has scheduled lots of group activities like snorkeling, paddleboarding, and hiking, which means I’m forced to spend time with Seb without touching him. It’s like navigating a minefield of temptation.

We hike into a waterfall, and I try not to ogle Seb’s ass in his cargo shorts as he walks in front of me.

Unlike so many of Saskia’s friends, Seb is in his element outdoors. His usual awkwardness melts away, replaced by a quiet confidence as he navigates the trail with ease.

While we’re at the lookout, Seb crouches to examine something on the side of the track.

I step closer to see a small green frog, almost invisible in the leaf litter.

Seb leans in, completely absorbed, a soft smile on his face. There’s something about his expression that pulls me closer.

I manage to get near enough to murmur in his ear, “If you kiss it, do you think it’ll turn into a handsome prince?”

He throws a small grin at me. “I’m actually quite discerning about the things I kiss.”

I huff out a laugh. Saskia snaps her head up from where she’s bent over to retrieve a water bottle from her pack.

“What’s so funny?” she asks.

“Seb’s found a frog, and he’s just telling me some interesting facts about Fijian amphibians,” I lie smoothly.