33. Swells
Chapter 33
Swells
Haley
T he rain has me drenched. In the area by the door, I wring out my hair and shake some of the water off. In a flash of lightning, I see Dante’s asleep already. He doesn’t move. He pretended to be okay all day. I imagine the second his skin hit the bottom of the raft, he passed out.
More quick flashes of lightning, and I take a deep breath. I’ve never liked storms. But at least we’re not on the water.
On the other side of our steamy little home, where I’ve been sleeping, is a nest of life jackets, a cushion, and a towel. The way it’s laid out, we should all be able to use it. Or at least Zane, Easton, and I. The cleanest of the towels is in the middle of the cushion too. And I have to admit that sleeping on it instead of the plastic bottom of the raft is darn appealing. Especially with the way the wind is blowing the top covering of the raft around. It’s not leaking. Not yet, at least. But it’s shaking for sure.
“Ready?” Easton pats the raft next to him, and it echoes. I can’t really see him. I’m nervous about what we’re going to do. Or not do. It’s been building each night. Our snuggling.
I swallow and begin crawling across the raft. It’s hard to be normal, let alone sexy, when you’re on all fours in what is basically a kids’ birthday party bouncy house. I inch to the other side. I don’t want to wake up Dante. I catch my foot, and it tweaks my ankle. My breath hitches, and I have to stop for a second to get the throbbing pain under control.
It’s raining so hard the moon is almost completely blocked. I’ve lived in a lot of porthole-less cabins, and I used to think of them as dark. I had no idea what dark was. With the flap now shut, I can’t see any of the guys. The last thing I want to do is hit Dante in the head with my leg.
I’m shivering. It’s nerves, though. The raft is cooler than outside, with the rain. But not cold, not at all.
Calvin said the other guys heard us this morning. But no one said a word. Not even Dante. And now I’m getting ready to bed down between Easton and Zane, again.
“Can you see us, love?” Zane asks.
“See us? Unless she’s superhuman, I’m guessing the answer is no,” Easton growls.
“I’ve got my hand out.” Zane’s voice drops. “Feel around for it.”
I wave my hands around like I’m blindfolded and playing pin the tail on the donkey. We have a marine-grade flashlight. But we’ve all agreed not to use it unless it’s an emergency, and while I don’t want to bump into Dante, it’s far from an emergency.
I make contact with Zane’s hand, and he guides me over. “Feel for the edge of the cushion, Haley.”
Tonight, lying between them feels a heck of a lot more deliberate. I snuggle down next to Easton, and Zane puts his head next to mine. “Cushion Gate solved. Dante has one, and you can have the other. Do you want it under your head or your ankle?”
“Oh, really, Dante should have both.” I’m worried about him. He acts all tough on the exterior, but he’s like a marshmallow on the inside. No, not a marshmallow—Dante would never be something so common—a Tiramisu custard. And now I’m thinking about chocolate and rum.
Zane brings me back to reality. “He’s already asleep, love. You don’t want to wake him up by giving him another cushion, do you?”
“I suppose not.” I pat down the edge of the cushion and brush along a life vest, but my hand slips from it and slides down Easton’s chest. Oh, that’s not his chest. I pull my hand back. Holy hardness. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” I just felt him up. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. He clearly doesn’t mind. My eyes are open, but it’s like I’m wearing a sleep mask in the inky blackness.
“You’re fine, Haley.” Easton chuckles. “Come on. Lie down. Do you want the cushion for your head or ankle?”
“Head.” I ease into position between the two of them. Easton at my backside pulls me to him, and I wasn’t imagining what my hand was just on. He covers me with an emergency blanket. It’s welcomed. A few long breaths and my shivering subsides.
Easton whispers in my ear, tickling the hairs on my neck. “Comfy?”
“Yes, very.” My heart’s still racing, but I am comfy. It’s remarkable what a one-inch piece of foam under part of your body and a thin emergency blanket can do. But then, maybe it’s the two attentive, attractive men staring at me that have me cozy and my heart racing.
Zane gets into position, and I lift the blanket covering his side. He’s facing me, his knees skimming along mine. And just that small contact from him has zings of need shooting off through my body.
Easton puts his arm around my waist, pulling me to him, and Zane moves along with the two of us. I’m tired—the sun and salt air do it to me anytime I go to the beach and I’m not working. But with the normal red glow of the raft gone—it’s different in the complete black—I’m invigorated and excited. Almost as excited as Easton.
Zane stirs. I make out his features, but just barely. He puts his hand on my hip. The rain thunders down. If I was back at home, I’d have my blanket pulled up over my head. My dog—or rather, my old dog—would have been under the blanket with me. Neither of us like storms.
“Are you doing okay, Little Bird? It’s a storm. It’ll pass soon.” Zane makes little circles on my hip with his thumb. It’s comforting, and it’s turning me on all at once.
And I realize while I’m telling myself I’m cozy that I’m holding myself up with tension. I take a deep breath and try to relax, but that only makes me more on edge. These two. “I know. I just don’t like storms. That’s all.”
A bolt of lightning lights up the top of the raft, illuminating it in a red glow. In a moment, I can make out Zane’s handsome face and see that Dante is still asleep on the other side of the raft.
“Storms and sharks, got it. Anything else we need to protect you from?” Zane’s tone is light. He’s laughing with me, not at me. And it makes the storm a lot less scary. “Come here. I’ll hold you.”
I move a fraction of an inch toward him, but it makes all the difference. I’m sinking into his arms. He’s a well-built man. Not as large as Calvin—more like a runner. And I bury my head in Zane’s chest. My focus is on his heartbeat. The strong thuds cover the crash of another round of thunder. It’s a few beats and then more lightning.
“One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi.” I revert to my youth.
Boom. Something hits close to us.
“Mississippi?” Zane mimics me.
“Half a mile. She’s counting the distance.” Easton’s hand lands on my back. He’s rubbing little circles. The wind howls, and I know I should fall asleep, but I can’t. I’m too unsettled by the boat sailing away from us. And from the storm and not knowing what’s happened to Sam.
“We say, one elephant, two elephant.” There’s another flash. “Oh, I’ve got you, Little Bird. Easton does, too.” Zane’s voice rumbles through his chest to my ear.
Yesterday, back before dinner, when we were taking a break in the waves, Zane really did want to kiss me. At least, I think he did. I panicked and turned my head, but the wave took us down. Then Dante swallowed water. But now it’s me who’s underwater. Drowning between these two gorgeous men.
The storm beats down, and I momentarily remember Calvin outside. I turn my head to the door, but it’s too dark to see anything.
I feel more than see Zane smile. “Cal can come inside anytime he wants.” Zane drops my hand, and his fingers run along the edge of my chin. His thumb rubs over my lip.
My heart quickens. Do I want this? This is absolute madness.
“Can I kiss you?” Zane’s voice is low, but not low enough to hide his intentions from Easton or Dante—even asleep.
It’s an eternity. I stare at him, frozen. He can’t see me. He has no idea I’m panicking. Does he?
I can’t answer.
I can’t do this.
Can I?
Can I kiss one guy while another one holds me? Can I kiss them when I kissed Calvin this morning?
I want to. There are no rules here. It echoes in the back of my head. I squeeze my legs together.
“Haley?” Easton’s voice rumbles in my ear. “It’s up to you, sweetheart.” His fingers on my belly grip me tighter, his cock heavy on my bottom. And then he lifts his hand.
Easton means it. In a flash of a burst of lightning, I see Zane. This is up to me.
And I break. My lips are on Zane’s. Just a brush at first. His lips are full and lush. The nerves in my stomach have turned into a full-out hurricane. I’m soaking wet as Zane controls the kiss. Easton’s fingers run around the nape of my neck. Electric currents zip through me.
I want this. I’m going to do more than let it happen; I’m going to make it happen. I’m in the moment. I can be in the moment. This is the moment.
Zane’s an amazing kisser. Goosebumps pepper my side.
“Haley,” Easton whispers in my ear. “Lift your arm. This wet shirt has to go.”
And just like that, Zane pulls back. Easton undresses me. My shirt’s gone and then my sports bra too. Zane has his hands on my breasts. “Damn, they’re the perfect size.”
Perfect? It’s not a word I’m used to hearing.
“Tilt your head for me, Haley. I want to taste your beautiful neck.” Easton’s got his hands around my waist. We’re kneeling around each other now.
“Beautiful? You can’t even see me.”
“I don’t need to see you to know it’s true, darling.” Easton laps up the side of my neck to the tender spot behind my ear. And I’m gasping for breath. It’s like he’s switched me on.
Zane has his lips around one of my nipples and his hand on my other breast. I’m turning into a noodle. I put my hand on Zane’s shoulder to keep from falling over. He lifts his mouth from me. “That’s it, Haley. We’ve got you.”
A mewing noise tries to come out of me, but I hold it in. I don’t want to wake up Dante. I don’t want Calvin to be upset. I... I... Crap, it’s overwhelming. And they’re not even touching me below my waist. But I’m panting, trying to hold it together. Everything here is overwhelming: weather, food, water, and these men. They’re going to be the death of me, but if I have to die, I suppose it’s not a bad way to go.
My head falls backward; Easton’s kisses have turned my neck to rubber. He chuckles. “Stay with us, Haley. You are going to be the best meal we have out here.”
I can’t take it anymore—I slump to my side, and Easton helps me down. My back to his front. Zane trails his tongue between my breasts, back to the underside of my chin. A flash of lightning turns the raft red for a split second.
“Damn, Haley,” says Zane. “You’re... you leave me speechless. And I’m the Shakespeare of words.”
Now Easton laughs out a breath. “Shakespeare?”
But Zane doesn’t respond. His lips are back on mine. Our bodies are lined up. I’m practically lying on top of Easton.