Chapter 13
Kel gripped the Vespa’s handlebars, the engine humming beneath her, and tried not to overthink the fact that Madeline Whitley, actual goddess, secret crush, and now sometime-kisser, was pressed tight against her back.
Madeline’s arms were looped around her waist, her cheek occasionally bumping Kel’s shoulder as they wound along the paved trail that cut through the jungle.
Every time Madeline squeezed a little tighter around a curve, Kel had to bite the inside of her cheek simply to keep her brain from short-circuiting.
The morning air was warm, tinged with salt and the perfume of blooming plumeria.
The island felt like it belonged to them alone, the only sound the distant call of a bird and the soft whir of rubber on stone.
Kel almost forgot about the sabotage and the weird tension humming under the surface of paradise.
It was easier, with Madeline laughing behind her, voice bright and free in her ear.
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?
” Madeline called, raising her voice over the wind as they zipped around a bend.
Kel grinned, not taking her eyes off the trail. “I memorized the map,” she answered. “Besides, you said you wanted an adventure.”
“I did not say I wanted to die by scooter,” Madeline replied, but there was laughter in her voice.
She gave Kel’s waist a playful squeeze, and Kel’s heart stuttered. “Trust me,” Kel said, a little breathless. “I’ve got you.”
Madeline’s hands lingered, maybe a second too long to be accidental, before she settled in, her body warm and solid against Kel’s back.
By the time the path opened and the trees parted, Kel’s skin was tingling everywhere Madeline touched her.
She pulled the Vespa to a stop at the edge of the private lagoon, cutting the engine. For a moment, neither of them moved.
The lagoon was everything the staff promised.
Water clear as glass, rimmed by smooth black rocks, a small patch of powder white sand, and a fringe of jungle.
Sunlight danced across the surface, turning the shallows turquoise and the deeper center a rich, mysterious blue.
A gentle breeze ruffled the palm fronds overhead. It was private, quiet, and perfect.
Kel stepped off the scooter and turned to Madeline. “We made it.”
Madeline slid off, her hair already wild from the ride, eyes bright. “You weren’t kidding,” she breathed, taking in the cove. “It’s gorgeous.”
Kel busied herself unstrapping the snorkel gear from the back of the Vespa, trying not to stare as Madeline peeled off her sundress.
But she failed, spectacularly. Madeline’s bikini was a deep red that looked criminal against her sun-kissed skin.
She was all curves and long lines, her smile a little wicked as she caught Kel looking.
“See something you like?” Madeline teased, hands on her hips.
Kel nearly dropped the snorkels. “Uh—yeah. I mean—yeah.” Subtle, Lehman, she thought and Madeline laughed, clearly delighted, and bent to pick up her towel.
“You’re cute when you blush,” she said, sauntering toward the water’s edge.
Kel couldn’t think of a single comeback that wasn’t embarrassing, so she simply kicked off her shorts and shirt, revealing her own black bikini.
It was nothing fancy, but it did the job.
She caught Madeline glancing at her, eyes lingering a little too long on her tight stomach and her muscular thighs.
It was enough to make Kel feel bold. “Race you in?” Kel challenged, tossing her towel aside.
Madeline’s smile was pure trouble. “You’re on.”
They ran with Madeline shrieking, Kel laughing, and splashed into the lagoon.
It was warmer than Kel expected, the kind of perfect where you never want to leave.
Madeline floated on her back, hair fanned out, with the sun gleaming on her skin.
Kel swam closer, close enough to see the droplets on Madeline’s eyelashes and the flush on her cheeks.
“You know,” Madeline said softly. “I can’t remember the last time I did something like this. No cameras. No pressure. Just… fun.”
Kel treaded water, letting herself drift a little nearer. “You deserve it,” she said. “You deserve all the good things.”
Turning upright, Madeline’s eyes met Kel’s, and for a second, the air between them changed with the charge of their chemistry. Kel felt the pull, as real as the tide. She reached to brush a stray curl from Madeline’s forehead. “You’re kind of amazing, you know that?” Kel murmured.
Madeline’s breath caught. “Kel—” The space between them shrank to nothing.
Kel leaned in, heart thundering, and Madeline didn’t move away.
Their faces were so close that Kel felt the warmth of Madeline’s breath, saw the flecks of gold in her brown eyes.
For one suspended moment, the world narrowed to only the two of them.
Then, with a sudden laugh, Madeline ducked under Kel’s arm, spinning away in a splash.
“Come on,” she called, swimming toward the shore.
“I want to try that snorkel gear before you distract me again.”
Kel blinked, half-dazed, the taste of almost kissing still buzzing on her lips.
She watched Madeline wade out, water streaming down her body, hips swaying maybe a little more than necessary.
A tease, plain as day. She’s going to kill me, Kel thought, grinning despite herself, and followed Madeline toward the sand, already plotting her next move.
Madeline adjusted her mask and slid beneath the surface, the world around her blurring into a kaleidoscope of sunlight and ripples.
Instantly, she was surrounded by color. There were schools of neon fish darting between fans of seaweed, flashes of sapphire and yellow and orange.
The water was so clear it felt like flying, weightless, and every worry dissolved in the hush of the lagoon.
For a few blissful minutes, she forgot about sabotage, about the future, about anything except the gentle push and pull of the current and the wild, vibrant life all around her.
But not even rainbow parrotfish distracted her completely from what had almost happened a few minutes ago.
The heat of Kel’s body close to hers, the way Kel’s eyes had darkened, that electricity in the air.
Madeline’s skin still tingled with the memory.
She’d pulled away, partly because she was nervous, partly because she wanted to see if Kel would chase her.
And let’s be honest, she thought. Because I’m not sure how much longer I can tread water in this game before I just…
give in. She wondered if Kel felt it too and was almost certain but almost wasn’t enough.
If she was wrong, if she’d misread things, she would never live it down.
Madeline surfaced, laughing as a bright yellow butterflyfish zipped past her mask at the last second.
She glanced to her left and spotted Kel, floating easily, arms out, watching her with a soft, private smile.
God, she’s beautiful, Madeline thought, heart skipping.
The urge to swim over, to pull Kel close and kiss her senseless, was so strong it made her ache.
And then—pain. A sudden, sharp spasm knotted her left thigh, locking the muscle tight.
Madeline gasped, flailing for the surface.
The pain was blinding, panic rising as she realized she couldn’t touch the bottom.
The water felt suddenly very deep. She tried to call for Kel, but all that came out was a strangled yelp.
In an instant, Kel was there with strong arms wrapping around her from behind, and a voice steady and close in her ear.
“I’ve got you, Madeline. Breathe. I’ve got you.
” Madeline clung to her, letting Kel tow her through the water.
Her leg still cramped, every stroke agony, but Kel’s grip was sure, and her presence was a lifeline.
They reached the shallows, where the sand sloped to meet them.
Kel half-carried, half-dragged Madeline until they collapsed together on the warm, wet shore, water lapping at their hips.
Madeline panted, blinking up at the sky, heart pounding with leftover terror and something else.
Something wild and grateful and very alive.
Before she fully caught her breath, Kel’s face was above hers, eyes full of concern, hands checking her calf. “Are you okay? Where does it hurt?”
“Just… my leg,” Madeline managed, but her voice shook for a different reason now.
Kel’s hands were everywhere, gentle, and concerned, but also lingering a beat too long.
The realization that she was half-naked, sprawled beneath Kel, hit her all at once.
They were skin to skin, Kel’s thigh pressed between hers, and a hand splayed on her hip.
Something snapped. Madeline surged up, fisting a hand in Kel’s hair, and kissed her.
Hard, hungry, with relief, adrenaline, and want all tangled together.
Kel made a sound, half-surprised, half-ecstatic, and then kissed her back.
The world narrowed to mouths and tongues, to the slide of Kel’s hand up her side, cupping her breast through the bikini’s thin fabric.
Madeline arched into the touch, moaning into Kel’s mouth, her own hands roaming Kel’s back, nails scraping lightly.
They were tangled together, rolling in the sand, Madeline’s thigh hooked over Kel’s hip.
Kel’s hand slid down, fingers grazing the bare skin right beneath Madeline’s bikini, and Madeline gasped, heat flooding her entire body.
She wanted more, but the press of gritty sand and the open sky made her pause.
After a beat, she broke the kiss, breathless, lips swollen, and her heart racing.
Kel’s eyes were dark, and her chest heaved. “Madeline—”