Chapter 22
JAXON
Lindsay’s blue eyes shone when they met mine. There was a storm brewing behind them, but I hadn’t spent most of my day setting this up to have our last night dissolve into a whirlwind of emotion and another fight about me pushing her to talk about things she wasn’t ready to.
After my fifty-minute dive early this morning, I’d realized that asking her about her brother had been insensitive. I didn’t want that memory overshadowing the time we’d had on this island, so I called in the cavalry and set this up to hopefully wipe that stupid misstep from her mind.
“I know it’s our last night here together, and I wanted to make it memorable,” I said, taking a step toward her.
“No more talk about anything that makes us sad. No talking about how our time in Fiji has come to an end. Tonight, it’s just about you and me and making one more memory we can take home with us and look back on wistfully while we’re slaving away at work.
We’ll just be in the moment tonight, agreed? ”
She swiped her tongue across her lips, looking like there was something she wanted to say, but then she lifted her hands and gave me a smile. “That sounds amazing. You’re remarkable for putting this all together in a few hours.”
I shrugged. “I had a little help from our new friends. Go put on what I’ve laid out for you in the bedroom, and then we’ll get this party started.”
She laughed softly when she recalled I had said those same words to her in what seemed like an entirely different lifetime on the day we’d met. “If it’s lingerie so we can make good on your threat to the manager, you need to know that I’m not that converted to spontaneity just yet.”
“It’s not that.”
“I’ll be back in a minute then.” Reaching out to brush her hands against mine as she walked past, I saw her chest heave at the same time that I felt the electricity that always seemed to be present when we touched.
I wasn’t a big believer in all that shit, but what I felt with her was undeniable. There was no point trying to rationalize away what I knew to be true.
Lindsay disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door behind her, like she’d done those first couple of nights we hadn’t spent together.
She emerged a few minutes later wearing the red dress I’d picked out for her earlier.
It fit like it’d been tailored for her, plummeting into her cleavage without being indecent, hitting at about mid-thigh, and the richness of the color showing off her sun-kissed skin.
I’d known she was going to look fucking good in it, but what I hadn’t expected was that it wasn’t just my dick showing a definite reaction when she walked out of the room.
My heart practically fell over itself at the sight of her in it, and my very blood seemed to thicken in my veins as it pounded in my ears.
“Wow,” I breathed. “You look incredible.”
“Thanks to you.” She lowered her gaze and peered up at me in a way that made her look both flirty and vulnerable at the same time. It made me want to take her into my arms and protect her from anything that might hurt her, while also fucking her six ways from Sunday.
Confusing as balls.
“You might want to stop looking at me like that if you want to get to the early dinner Big Mac has prepared for us,” I said in a warning tone.
She laughed softly, nodding as she moved toward the table. “I wouldn’t want to pass up the opportunity for his food. You really did all this for me?”
“Well, no, actually. A few of the other fake wives I’ve spent almost every minute of this week with are coming by later. You might want to clear out before they get here.”
Rolling her eyes in that way that had become so familiar it was like I’d been seeing it all my life, she lowered herself into the chair I pulled out for her. “I’ll be sure to leave them some leftovers, but I guess I should just be honored that I’m getting served first.”
“Only the best for my first wife.” I winked as I took my seat, extending my legs to intertwine them with hers. “What did you get up to today? I thought you were going shopping. Didn’t find anything you like?”
“Oh, I, uh, I dropped my packages in the lobby. They said they’d have them sent over.”
“They’re under strict orders not to disturb us tonight, but I’m sure everything will be here first thing in the morning. Get everything you wanted?”
She stared at me for a long time, her head starting to shake before it turned into a nod. “Yeah. Sure. Almost. There’s one last thing here I want, but I don’t know if I’ll get it yet.”
“I’m sure you will.” I grinned at her while uncorking the champagne from the silver bucket next to the table. “If you really want it, that is. The girl I’ve come to know doesn’t let anything stand in her way if she really wants something.”
“Yeah. I guess I have been called tenacious once or twice.” She blinked rapidly, like she was trying to clear something out of her mind, and then smiled. My heart stuttered again, and I wondered if maybe I needed to have it checked out when I got back to Houston.
“So,” she said, leaning forward across the table and taking both my hands in hers, “if we’re being in the moment, what could we possibly talk about?”
“I think we’ve covered just about everything but the basics this week.” I turned my palms up to hers, wagging my brows as I made my suggestion. “What about twenty questions?”
She laughed but nodded her agreement. “Fine, but I go first. What’s your favorite place in the world?”
“Right now? Fiji. Before I came here, my mother’s house,” I said honestly. “Yours?”
“Fiji.” There was no hesitation before she answered. “Favorite color?”
“Black.” Too easy. “Favorite sexual position?”
Her cheeks flushed. “Any of the ones I’ve done with you.”
I hardened behind my zipper as they replayed on a loop in my mind, but that wasn’t what tonight was about. Clearing my throat, I motioned to her. “Your turn.”
“What do you hate the most?”
“Waking up early on vacation.”
“That explains a few things.” She chuckled and took a sip of champagne. “Mine is waking up late on vacation.”
I shook my head at her, pursing my lips like I was terribly disappointed. “I guess we’re just not meant to be.”
It was meant as a joke, but there was a flash of something in her eyes that I was curious to know about. Since I’d made the rule of just being in the moment though, I let it go. For now.
“Would you go back into the service if they asked you right now?” Her voice was a little flat, but she was clearly not eager to discuss whatever had caused it either.
“In a heartbeat.” I tilted my head as I watched her. “What is the quality you admire most in other people?”
“Hmm, interesting. Honesty, I think, but there are many others that seem just as important. If you could be anything, what would you be?”
“That guy who runs the adventure sports counter on the beach outside.” I chuckled and lifted my shoulders when she gave me a disbelieving look. “What could possibly be better than that?”
After thinking about it for a second, she rolled her lips into her mouth and released them slowly.
“I actually don’t know. He gets to be on the beach here every day.
He obviously lives nearby. The people he works with at the resort seem pretty great and I guess he has to have some kind of passion for the activities he offers. He’s always very enthusiastic.”
“My thoughts exactly.” A knock at the door interrupted us, and I knew it had to be our food.
Big Mac had sent us the same seafood platter he’d prepared for us that first night, but he’d added extra delicacies that he’d picked up on us liking over the course of the week.
Lindsay eyes widened when she saw the sheer amount of food being set down on the table between us. “You were joking about all your other wives coming by later, weren’t you? How on earth are we supposed to eat all that?”
“Whatever doesn’t get eaten at the resort gets donated. It’s actually a pretty cool system they’ve got going on. Big Mac explained it to me earlier.”
“I like the idea of getting more involved with charities, but there never seems be enough time,” Lindsay said once the server left. “I think that’s something I need to work on going forward.”
“I volunteer at a couple of places that involve flying. One is an organization that arranges for kids who dream about going on an airplane to take a flight, and the other is one to teach children about how to go about getting into a career in aviation. It’s pretty rewarding.”
I could’ve sworn I saw her jaw loosen, but she caught herself before it dropped. “Is there anything you don’t do? I mean, come on.”
“Mom taught me from an early age about the importance of giving back. Besides, like you pointed out, I’m good with children. I like ‘em.”
“Do you want any?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t have minded, but it just never happened, and I’m not sure it ever will.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
I chuckled. “Right. Do I want any? Yeah. I do. You?”
She narrowed her eyes in thought and blew out a breath through her nose. “I was going to give you a similar answer to the first one you gave me, but then I realized that wouldn’t be fair. My answer is yes.”
We ate our dinner while we continued asking each other questions and just talking. After polishing off more of the food than I would’ve expected over the next few hours, Lindsay pushed her chair back and stood up. “I think we should take a walk. I’m stuffed.”
“A walk, it is.”
We took another moonlit stroll barefoot on the beach and murmured quietly to one another for no good reason other than not wanting to interrupt the peacefulness of the dark night.
Once we got back to the bungalow, I led her straight to the bedroom. “How do you feel about a bath? There are bubbles, more candles, and more rose petals.”
“I can definitely get behind that,” she said as I circled her waist with my arms and drew her to me until we were so close we were sharing air. “Thank you for tonight, Jaxon. I’ll never forget it.”
“It’s not over yet.” I lowered my mouth to hers, claiming it in a soft, slow kiss that rattled loose all kinds of things in my brain.
Warning bells went off, but I didn’t stop kissing her. Nor did I change up the pace or do anything to dispel the intimacy building between us.
We might have an agreement to live in the moment tonight, but it was still our last night together. Our last time together. I wanted to experience all I could with her, even if those blaring alarms told me I might just end up regretting it.