Chapter 15
While Toby kept a low profile, staying out of sight and not snapping every moment of their honeymoon, Claire didn’t argue when Wade invited him for lunch.
Liberation resembled a floating palace and ran with such smooth operation the crew seemed to disappear into the background and she rarely encountered staff beyond mealtimes.
Apparently, Liberation usually ferried guests to secluded private islands on exclusive charters, but the Stone family had cleared the schedule for their honeymoon.
After lunch, Wade proposed snorkeling along the reef.
She followed him into the crystalline water.
Vibrant fish glided around them, their movements serene.
The world she knew felt miles away as he led her through caverns, him occasionally reaching back to guide her along tight passages.
Even underwater, his brief touch sent awareness through her.
Yet, her mind couldn’t focus on the fish or coral. Memories of their wedding-day kisses crept in, stirring emotions she wasn’t ready to face. Longing flickered beneath the surface, and the effort to push it aside overwhelmed her.
“So…” Wade flicked water from his face when they surfaced. “What adventure do you want to tackle next?”
Treading water, she focused on the ocean, not the way droplets ran down his cheeks and kissed his lips. Yep, she’d do anything right now to keep her mind from straying. Even if it meant stepping outside her comfort zone. “What about cliff diving?”
Wade’s eyes narrowed as though he questioned her sanity.
A thrill skittered through her. She almost second-guessed herself. Just what did it involve, anyway? She tapped her chin. “Is it… like, jumping off cliffs?”
“Exactly.” He nodded to the jagged cliffs rising high above the crystal-clear water. His eyes gleamed with that boyish excitement she adored—and often feared. “You’ll love it.”
Wait. Those were the cliffs? Her heart lurched. Surely, smaller cliffs were hidden near the towering ones? “Wade, we can’t just throw ourselves off cliffs when we have a child to raise.”
She’d seen enough adventure shows to know people survived this kind of insanity. Barely.
Ever calm and unwavering, he met her doubts head-on. “You won’t die.” His hands enveloped hers. “There are other cliffs, less steep, on the other side.”
His unwavering certainty chipped away her fear. She exhaled, and a smile tugged up her lips. “I guess you’ll have to teach me?” He’d always been her guide through the wild, uncharted moments.
A mischievous grin spread out those oh-so-perfect lips. His hands slid to her arms, his touch steadying, reassuring. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Cupcake.”
And as promised, he taught her, breaking the task into steps until it became… manageable. Each leap less daunting. Until they climbed to the top of yet another cliff, steeper than the last two. Her heart pounded louder than the waves crashing below.
She froze, staring at the dizzying drop into endless blue. Her breath hitched, the salty air sharp in her lungs.
Wade caught her eye, his grin encouraging yet daring before he gave a nod. Then he leaped and vanished into the blue with a burst of laughter. She let out a startled squeak, her focus riveted to where he disappeared until he surfaced and gave a fist pump.
Her toes curled over the edge, her instincts screaming at her to step back.
But, before fear could root her in place, she pushed off.
Gravity pulled her down in pure, suspended silence.
The wind whipped past her ears until she hit the water.
Cold and bracing, it enveloped her in a shock to her system.
Breaking the surface, she gasped, every nerve alive, her pulse racing. She was alive—truly alive—and every beat of her heart and drop of water on her skin made her feel it in electrifying clarity.
Strong arms encircled her from behind, and she stilled, savoring his subtle sandalwood and citrus scent mingled with the sea’s crispness. His breath moistened her ear. “See?”
That outbreak of goosebumps had nothing to do with the icy water. Her head tilted on its own, leaning into him as if he were her anchor in the endless blue.
“You’re a natural at this.” His voice was a low velvet caress.
Her lips parted, but no words came. She barely had time to register her silence before he spun her around, bringing them face-to-face.
His gaze, intense and unguarded, locked onto hers.
“Are you having fun?” The whisper was as light as the brush of his fingers tucking her wet hair behind her ear, and her pulse hammered in response.
She could only nod. Her fingers ached to slide through his damp hair. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist where his swim shirt clung to his lean muscled frame.
“I hope this is the kind of honeymoon you dreamed of.” His fleeting wince tugged at her heart, but her mind screamed only one thing—kiss me!
Somehow, she found her voice. “More than I ever dreamed.”
The seagull cries faded into the background as they floated there, locked in a charged stillness.
A magnetic pull hummed in the air, thrilling and undeniable.
His arms stayed firmly around her waist, hers reluctant to let go as if breaking the moment would scatter it like mist. Couldn’t they just stay here, suspended in this closeness, until dusk claimed the sky?
“Cupcake?” His forehead rocked against hers. He repeated the endearment, his voice soft. “Are you okay if we jump again?”
“Uh-huh.” Her shaky laugh betrayed her internal whirlwind. She felt too warm, too alive, her thoughts thrumming in tandem with her pulse. Spending time with him had never been ordinary. It was always this for her—intense, exhilarating, like standing on the edge of a cliff. “Once more, I guess.”
She dove off the cliff more than once, each leap easier than the last, until she wrapped herself in a towel and settled on the shore to watch him. Of course, he was unstoppable, launching himself with effortless grace.
She couldn’t look away, torn between amazement and dread. Every time he hurled into the air with reckless abandon, her fingers clenched, bracing for something to go wrong. But nothing went wrong.
They spent the evening exploring the island, Wade leading her along winding paths and gesturing to his family’s expansive property.
The home and surrounding structures offered modern luxury and natural elegance tucked into a tropical landscape.
Gardens overflowed, the blooms’ colors and scents intoxicating, while the pool and lounging areas felt like a world away from the looming Colorado winter.
“Sometimes we gather here for reunions.” He nodded toward the grand house and its towering glass walls that seemed to drink in the ocean view. “It’s big enough for all of us to have our own rooms if you want a change from Liberation.”
Claire glanced at the yacht anchored beyond the dock. “I haven’t even gotten used to my bed on Liberation yet.”
His hand bumped hers as they strolled along a path lined with red hibiscus flowers. “If we had more time, I’d show you where Nate and Eric have their houses. A few of my siblings are building vacation homes here.”
“Are you considering building here?”
He shrugged, the movement casual as his fingers intertwined with hers.
“I don’t need a permanent spot here. I come for family events, and I use the main house.
” His hand drifted to the small of her back as they neared the dock, beyond which Liberation waited, silhouetted against the setting sun’s fiery hues.
The view was breathtaking, but her attention faltered as a glimmer below caught her eye. It was her hand. She lifted it slightly. The diamonds on her ring shimmered in the fading light. He’d chosen perfectly, the design delicate yet bold.
“I really like my ring.” The words meant for her thoughts alone slipped out.
His steps slowed, and he slanted his gaze her way, intent as though her admission had made the sunset that much brighter.
“I’m glad you do.” His chest rose and fell beneath the white undershirt that clung to him, his unbuttoned shirt fluttering in the breeze. Her stomach flipped for what felt like the thousandth time that day.
They reached the bend where the boardwalk met the dock. Toby strode toward them in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, his camera poised and ready. He must’ve been capturing the island’s beauty.
Reality nudged its way in. They were here for a fake honeymoon. The photos were part of the act, necessary to sell the story.
Wade’s hand found hers again. “Would you rather watch the sunset from the beach or from Liberation?” He brought their entwined hands to his lips, his kiss tender on the back of her hand.
“The beach.”
He led her down a narrow trail, pointing out hidden ocean vistas. They ducked beneath swaying palm fronds until they emerged at a secluded alcove. Before them lay a stretch of white sand framed by rugged rocks and the endless blue sea.
“This is beautiful.” Claire breathed in deeply.
Her feet tingled from the sand, and she slipped off her shoes and socks, letting the sun-warmed sand sift between her toes.
Wade followed suit, his bare feet sinking into the sand as they walked side by side along the shoreline.
The waves’ rhythmic crash rolled in, soothing and steady, as if time itself had slowed.
They found a flat rock near the water’s edge and sat. The stone’s rough surface pressed through her shorts, but the discomfort barely registered.
“This is your second time at the ocean, right?”
“You remembered?” She blinked. “It wasn’t nearly as grand as this.”
“Florida, was it?”
Her brow furrowed. “I don’t remember telling you that.”
“The café in Copper Mountain. When you mapped out your plans after high school.”
“You were wearing a red hoodie.” The memory replayed.
“You remember what I was wearing?”