Chapter 15
LUKE
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Dom cooks burgers for dinner. I sit on a stool in the kitchen and watch.
“Cin said something about having a girl’s night tonight.” Nick cuts some veggies for a salad.
“That’s fine with me.” Dom puts a burger on the plate. “We can have a guy’s night and play poker.”
“While I’m here, I want to take her out on a date,” Mav says.
My mind spins with possibilities. “We should all go on dates.”
Dom turns around. “Why don’t we each take a day?”
“Can I talk to you three outside for a minute?” I point to the deck. “Just give us a minute,” I say to Nick and Sam.
“No problem.” Nick takes over manning the stove.
When we’re outside, Dom crosses his arms and leans against the railing. “What do you need to talk to us about?”
I meet each of their gazes. “This thing with Roger made me realize I don’t want anyone else. Shelby’s it for me, and you feel the same.”
Dom gives a quick nod.
“She’s my queen,” Mav says.
“I agree. What do you have planned?” Cam runs his hand over his chin.
“We each could give her a ring that stacks up into one. Something like this.” I pull out my phone and show them a picture of a ring. “This isn’t going to be an engagement ring, but more of a commitment ring.”
I thought a lot about this ring while she was with Cam and found a set that fits us perfectly. I hope they agree because I’ve already bought it.
They pass my phone around to look at the picture.
“Ooooh, I like it.” Mav beams.
“Buy them.” Dom passes my phone back. “And you should be the first to give it to her.”
I laugh with relief. “Glad you approve, because I have them upstairs.”
After dinner, the girls put away the dishes and scamper off into Shelby’s room. At the same time, we set up poker on a table outside on the deck.
“I was worried about how full the beach was today, but Shelby handled it.” I shuffle the cards.
“I was nervous when those guys asked to play volleyball with us.” Nick rolls a poker chip between his fingers. “The beach should be fuller tomorrow. Most of the spring breakers have come in during the day today.”
In the distance, a party rages on. It’s going to get worse before it’s over. Shelby’s managing better than we all expected, and the dates should help distract her.
The bad cards aren’t enough to bring down my mood. Shelby comes out of the bedroom and grabs a Dr. Pepper.
“Who’s winning?” she asks.
“Sam, but I think he’s cheating,” I say.
“I’m not!” Sam exclaims. “You’re just a sore loser.”
“Come here, Shelby, and give me some luck,” Mav says.
She puts her can down on the counter and comes over, standing behind Mav and leaning down to review his cards. “Eww, no luck can help you.”
“Thanks a lot, love,” he says.
“You’re welcome.” She kisses his cheek and turns to leave.
I grab her hand, and she flinches.
Regret shoots through me, and I instantly release her. “Sorry, baby.”
“It’s all right.” She rests her hand on my shoulder. “What do you need?”
“We were talking, and while we’re here, we would like to take you out on dates.” I chew the inside of my cheek.
The smile she gives us is genuine. “Sure. When will you want to do this?”
“We don’t have any plans tomorrow. If that’s all right with you?” I ask.
“I’m excited,” she says.
“Me, too.” I kiss her on the cheek and return to our poker game, where I lose some more.
As I sit on the beach, waiting for Shelby to return from her run, I wipe my sweaty hands on my shorts.
At first, I was unsure where to go with her because the others had some incredible ideas. But, after some research, I think my date will beat theirs.
Hand blocking the sun from my eyes, I peer down at the beach in the direction she went and spot her jogging toward me.
I stand and dust the sand off me. “Did you have a good run?”
She falls into step beside me, hands on her hips as she takes deep breaths. “Yeah, I came back a bit early. Something gave me the heebie-jeebies, like I was being watched, but I couldn’t see anyone in particular who was acting like a creeper. So, I figured I would be safe and come back.”
I stare in the direction she came from. “Have you felt this before?”
“A few times when I first arrived here, but I assumed it was me being paranoid and jumpy. Please don’t tell the others,” she says, breathless.
“Oh, no, we can’t have that,” I say. “That would ruin my plans.”
“What are your plans?” she asks.
I glance at her before smirking. “You’re going to have to wait to find out.”
“Fine.” She laughs. “At least tell me what I should wear?”
“Nothing fancy, but you’ll need your bathing suit. Wear it under your clothes.” As I look up and down her gorgeous body, her eyes narrow, like she’s trying to read my mind. “Get going. We have to be there by noon.”
“Yes, sir.” She winks, skipping out of reach when I grab for her.
She jogs up the rest of the way to the house while I hang back, watching her ass.
When I get inside, Shelby has already made it to her room, and I hear her shower running. Cam and Mav sit on the couch. In the kitchen, Nick, Cin, Sam, and Paige go through a Hawaii guidebook.
“Will you two be back for dinner?” Mav asks.
“Yeah,” I confirm. “But we’ll have a late lunch, so I’m not sure how hungry we’ll be.”
Cam glances at the others. “Want to play Cards Against Humanity tonight?”
“I’ve never played that game,” Paige says.
“Oh, it’s easy and fun,” Cam assures her.
“It can get a bit crazy, though.” Mav laughs.
I like that idea. “We should do that.”
Shelby comes out. “What should we do?”
“There are games we can play,” I tell her. “We’ll decide when we get back.”
Shelby smiles happily. “Sounds fun.”
“We need to go, so we’ll see you later,” I say to the others and wrap my arms around Shelby. “Do you have the camera you bought?”
“Oh!”
I wait as she rushes back into her room to grab the camera, then we head out to where the cars are parked.
“What car are we taking today?” she asks.
“How about we take a ride on Serenity?”
“Really? You’d ride bitch?” A hint of disbelief flickers across her features.
I roll my eyes. “Yes, I’ll ride bitch. Why do some people make such a big deal about it?”
I plug the directions into her phone before starting the navigation feature and making sure her phone connects to her helmet.
She climbs on before turning back and smiling at me.
Shaking my head, I climb behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.
She kicks off and pulls out of the driveway, turning onto the coastal road. I expect her to take off when the road opens up, but she keeps the motorcycle to speed, allowing us to take in the scenery on the way to the marina.
When we arrive, she parks and shuts off the engine before we climb off.
“Being able to ride Serenity every day is one reason I would stay here. It’s so pretty.”
I link our hands, swinging them lightly as we walk. “We can come back during the summer.”
She smiles back at me. “I’d like that. So, what are we doing?”
“Have you ever heard of parasailing?” I ask as we approach the building housing the business’s office.
Her eyes widen. “I have. After Cam arrived, I wanted to do that, but he wouldn’t go for it.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, he has issues with heights. Let’s harness up.”
After a brief safety lesson, we head out to the boat, where they put us into harnesses and life jackets before the boat heads out into open water. The guide has us stand on a platform at the back of the boat, where he hooks us to the parasail.
“Okay, hold on to the sidebars, but not too tight, okay?” the guide says.
Shelby and I nod, then the boat picks up speed. With a sudden whopping noise, the parachute catches the wind from the speeding boat, and we soar up into the air.
“Holy shit!” Shelby laughs, and I whoop with joy.
The sail carries us up about five hundred feet before the winch line pulls tight. You can see everything from up here. The boat turns, and for as far as the eye can see, it’s nothing but blue ocean. The sky doesn’t have a cloud in it. It’s a gorgeous day.
Shelby points to a pod of dolphins. “Look!”
She takes picture after picture. “It’s so beautiful up here.”
With the backdrop of the extinct volcanic craters surrounded by lush greenery and the ocean sparkling beneath us, it’s quite the sight.
When I turn to tell Shelby, I see the most carefree smile on her. It isn’t the landscape that has my attention anymore.
Since I booked a private session, we stay up in the air for about thirty minutes. Shelby’s arms are out to the side, and her head is tilted back, letting the wind rush over her. Too soon, the line tugs as the winch pulls us in. We descend toward the boat.
Once we are back in the boat and seated, Shelby turns to me, kissing me gently. “That was so awesome, thanks.”
“We’re not done yet.”
Back at the marina, we thank our guides for the trip and head toward Serenity.
“Where to now?” Shelby asks.
Once again, I plug the directions into her phone without telling her, and she narrows her eyes at me. I climb on the bike and wait for her.
She cranks the engine and takes off.
At the private airport, she parks the bike in the parking lot. “What are we going to do here?”
“We’re going on a helicopter tour,” I say.
Her face lights up, and she claps her hands. “Cool.”
The plan with the company is for them to drop us off in a field near the base of one of the smaller mountains. We’ll have a short, easy hike up, and at the top, we’ll eat lunch.
She grabs my arm and buries her face against my chest when we first take off.
The pilot takes us around the island. We spot a couple of picturesque waterfalls. We circle the Diamond Head Caldera and the one at Koko Head, the pilot pointing out the military bunker at the latter.
The whole time, Shelby takes pictures to remember our adventure.
When the helicopter descends, she scrunches up when she sees we aren’t back at the airport.
Once the helicopter is on the ground, I unbuckle her belt and take her hand, helping her onto the grassy hill. I nod my thanks to the pilot, and we head away, ducking low as I take us out from under the rotors and toward the base of the mountain.
Once clear, I turn and wave, and we watch it take off.
She looks around. “What are we doing?”
“Hiking.”
“Okaaaay.” She keeps her hand in mine and follows along.
I love how much she trusts me.
The path up the mountain is clear.
She stops a couple of times to take more pictures. “I can’t wait to print some of these. I’m going to have some amazing photos of our time here.”
I squeeze her hand. “I’m glad you invited us down for Cam’s birthday.”
“I was scared at first, but I’m glad, too,” she says.
“Have you heard from Hannah?” I ask, knowing this might be a sore subject.
Shelby nods. “She sent me a picture the other day of her milking a cow. I couldn’t stop laughing.” She pulls out her phone and shows me. “Her face says it all.”
I take her phone and laugh when I see Hannah sitting on a stool beside a cow, face scrunched up as she reaches her hand toward its udder.
“She hasn’t tried to call or text me, which I’m relieved by.” I kick a rock. “After how she treated you, her plans for me, and part she played in helping Roger hypnotize us, I’m still not sure I can forgive her.”
“I think she’s trying to distance herself from you.” Shelby frowns. “I never told her to stop being friends with you.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t do that. That’s not the kind of person you are. But at that time, I don’t think Hannah knew how to be friends with me.” I squeeze her hand again so she knows I mean what I say.
“You know…” Shelby begins. “You can call her, if you want. Because of what she did, she might be hesitant to call you.”
“I’m fine with not talking to her. I’m still working through what she almost cost me.”
We walk, holding hands, letting the silence and nature surround us.
“We’re almost there.” My voice breaks as the top of the hill comes into sight.
We crest the top and find a picnic basket and a blanket.
Shelby turns to me in surprise. “Is that for us?”
“Yes.” I rub my hand along the back of my neck, hoping this lives up to her expectations.
“Wow.” Awe shines in her eyes, and she throws her arms around me, hugging me tight.
We head over to the blanket and picnic basket.
“This is amazing, Luke.” She beams.
From our spot, we have a view of the valley, the ocean below, and the backdrop of Diamond Head in the distance behind us. I take out the items in the picnic basket: different types of finger sandwiches, loaded macaroni salad, and fresh fruit. For dessert, they packed us a chocolate cake.
I’m having a hard time eating because Shelby moans every time she puts food in her mouth. She has no idea what she’s doing to me.
I sit and watch her as she takes a bite of cake, closing her eyes and humming before she looks around. A breeze ruffles her hair out around her.
This is the perfect time. When her head turns away, I wipe my sweaty palms on my shorts and reach into the basket. Pulling out the ring box, I keep it hidden in my hand. I hope she likes this.
I take a deep breath and let it out, which catches her attention.
Her eyes narrow in concern at whatever she sees cross my face.
“I can’t tell you how gorgeous you are right now because words don’t do you justice. And I wish we could stay here forever and never let the outside world in, but that isn’t impossible. And even though things could get rough for us again, I want you to understand that I will fight to stay with you, no matter what. Even under Roger’s hypnosis, I was still drawn to you. I didn’t understand why, but I was.”
I shift to one knee. I’ve never been so nervous in my life.
She gasps.
“We are nowhere near ready to be married, but you’re it for me, Shelby. Nobody else will be able to make me feel the way you do. I love you with all my heart and commit myself to you. Will you marry me someday?” I raise my hand and open the box to her.
Tears run down her face as she stares at me before her eyes drop to the ring inside. The ring is a band with a tiny heart. The longer she stares at it, the more nervous I become.
She takes her time to say, “I love it, Luke.”
The air whooshes out of my lungs, causing her to let out a watery giggle. “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you.”
I pull the ring out of the box as she holds out her left hand to me. Sliding the ring on her ring finger, I take a second to let it sink in that my ring is on her finger. Bending forward, I kiss her finger just below where the ring sits before looking up at her with the biggest smile.
As she jumps on me, I let out an oomph, and she knocks me on my ass. Straddling me, she gazes at me. “Is anyone around us?”
“No.” I shake my head, my hands landing on her hips before sliding around and down to cup her ass.
“Good!”
She rips off my shirt and pushes me down onto my back before taking off her shirt and unties her bikini top. Rising off me, she pushes down her shorts and bikini bottoms to stand before me naked.
If I wasn’t turned on before, I sure as hell am now.
She kneels next to me, taking off my board shorts and revealing that I’m sans underwear. Her leg slides over my waist to straddle me, and she rubs her wet pussy over my hard dick, eliciting a groan from me.
My heart skips a beat as she leans down, pressing her breasts against my chest as her lips take mine in a sizzling kiss. Her arousal and the smell of sweet flowers around us combine into an intoxicating scent that drives me nuts.
She breaks the kiss to gaze into my eyes. “I love you. And while I can’t commit to you alone, I can say that you and the guys are it for me. We still have a lot of growing to do, but there is no one else I would rather spend my life with than you four.”
I cup her face with my hands. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I meet her lips halfway and when they touch, our passion explodes. Our tongues battle it out, our teeth clacking together. When I nip her lip, just shy of drawing blood, she breaks the kiss.
“I need you.” She gasps before she rises, then slides down my hard dick.
“Aww, Christ, you feel amazing.” I moan as I grip her hips, thrusting up into her hard.
She doesn’t go easy, riding up and down on my dick, and the thrill that someone could walk up the trail and catch us drives me crazy.
My hands stroke up the length of her back, pressing her down to me for a soul-searing kiss.
She sits back up and moans, her back arching as the position takes me even deeper. Her breath comes in jagged gasps now. Beneath her, I buck harder and deeper into her a few times. If we keep this up, I won’t be able to hold off from coming.
Not ready to end this yet, I pull her off me. She groans out as I roll her over before I slam back into her, causing her to moan in pleasure. I lean down to capture one of those beautiful breasts into my mouth as I slow my movements, gliding out and back in.
She cries out as I slowly tongue her swollen nipple. I release her breast in one long pull.
“Who loves you?” I place the tip of my dick barely inside her entrance.
She raises an eyebrow at me.
I thrust in hard before pulling out to the tip again.
Quirking my eyebrow, I hold her hips in place with one hand so she can’t move. “Tell me, or I won’t move again.”
She tries to squirm beneath me and smirks. “Mav.”
I thrust in hard and slowly pull out. “And?”
“Dom.”
I thrust in again. “And?” I glide out.
“Cam.” Her breasts bounce with the next hard thrust.
I don’t stop thrusting after she says my name. I can’t because this is what I live for.
“And?” I pant as I thrust.
“You,” she gasps.
“Who?” I demand.
“You,” she says again.
“Say my name, Shelby,” I grit through my teeth, holding back by a thread.
“Oooh, God. I’m going to come… I love you, Luke Mason!” she screams out as she tips over the edge into climax, her pussy convulsing around me, setting me off as I thrust deep one last time.
I growl her name as I pour my seed inside her.
Arms giving out, I tip to the side, my hips pressed flush to hers. Shelby’s legs slide to the ground from where they were wrapped around my hips. I roll off her and onto my back, looking up at the blue sky as I lie panting for a second.
Holy shit, I wasn’t expecting that.
Turning to face her, I find her eyes closed and a serene smile on her face, making the caveman in me smug.
I wrap her up in my arms, our naked, sweaty bodies pressed against each other as we lie in the early afternoon Hawaiian breeze.
After a while, we separate, and she grabs her clothes.
“Umm, how are we going to get out of here?” She bends over to put her bikini bottoms over her feet.
“Huh?”
She glances over her shoulder at me and wiggles her butt at me.
Not embarrassed in the least to have been caught staring at her voluptuous ass, I shake my head and reach for my board shorts, pulling them up over the semi I sport. “Oh, the guys drove a car here for us. I’ll take you to your bike.”
“Sounds good.” Once dressed, she walks over to me and grabs my right hand. I steer her toward a path to the left, which leads to a parking lot about a five-minute walk from the top of the hill. “Wait, so anyone could have come up and caught us at any time?”
I nod. “Yep.”
Her mouth falls open. “You told me no one was here.”
“There wasn’t.” I smile. “At the time.”
She punches me in the arm.
“Ouch.” I laugh.
Her cheeks burn crimson. “That’s not what I meant.”
“No one came up. Plus, it made it more exciting, didn’t it?” I waggle my eyebrows.
She shakes her head and climbs in the car. As we drive down the mountain, I hold her hand. I can’t help but love the solid press of her engagement ring against my hand. I spin the ring back and forth, and she squeezes my hand back in acknowledgment.
It’s late afternoon before we make it back to the house. When we walk through the doors, no one is in the house, and no one answers when I call out that we are home.
I walk to the deck with Shelby’s hand still in mine and gaze down at the beach.
The guys sit around a small bonfire. Cam says something that causes Dom’s head to tip back, and we can hear his laughter all the way up at the house.
“Do you not want to go join them?” I ask.
“Let’s.”
Hand in hand, we walk down to the bonfire.