6. Chapter 6
Chapter six
Lauren
Since I’m programmed to wake early, I’d snuck into the kitchen before dawn, brewed a cup of coffee in the fancy machine on the counter, and settled in a chair on the deck. The sky over our slice of paradise lit with gorgeous oranges and pinks as the sun rose on the other side of the island.
The sliding glass door opened behind me and I groaned. Rowan was an early riser, but only one other person in the house kept the same insane hours as me.
“Sunset will be incredible,” Aiden said, pulling out the chair beside me. He had his own mug of coffee, which he took with a little bit of cream, no sugar. I knew because he pestered me at Karma at least three times a week. His blue eyes were already alert pre-caffeine, but his dark blonde hair with that fresh-from-bed tussled look made my stomach dip.
Stop it, Lauren. He called you SPAM. I’ll admit, I’m not the saint people believe I am. Far from it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a serial killer or anything. It just takes a lot of effort to be the person everyone likes. Well, almost everyone. Before I came to Peace Falls, I’d lied, stolen, and fought my way through most of my childhood. I’m not proud of the things I did, which was why I worked so hard to be a good person now. But sometimes, I worried my kindness might be more about earning good karma than actually being kind. Aiden’s nickname hit a little too close to the voice in my head that called me fake.
“What would you like to do today?” he asked.
Two sentences without an ounce of snark. Maybe he was really trying to keep the truce, which meant I needed to at least treat him like an annoying customer. “I’ll do whatever Rowan and Cal want. It’s their trip.”
“So, the Reef Bay Trail before lunch.”
“Um, is that what they want to do?”
Everyone in our group, except Cammie and me, enjoyed hiking. I’d already researched all the island’s trails and figured out which ones I could reasonably do without holding everyone back. The Reef Bay Trail was a strenuous five-mile hike across the island, which was about four miles beyond my comfort level, maybe less depending on how outdoorsy people defined “strenuous.” Cammie was supposed to be my lounging companion while the others tackled that trail. We’d planned to lie out by the pool and meet up with everyone else after.
“I think that’s the plan,” Aiden said. He placed his mug on the glass-top table beside us and stretched his muscled arms over his head. His green t-shirt rode up, showing a peek of his abs. My stomach bottomed out and my breath caught. His abs were by far the most defined of any man I’d been with. I remember running my tongue over the crests and valleys that spanned from his ribs to the deep-cut v at his hips. I buried my face in my coffee mug to hide the rush of heat to my cheeks. I’d say he was putting on a show for me, but his eyes remained glued to the view, and he lowered his arms after a brief stretch.
We’d spent our first afternoon on the island feeding Poppy at a harbor-side restaurant and exploring Cruz Bay. Then we’d rented snorkel gear and gone grocery shopping at the local market. We’d missed the sunset entirely, pulling into the villa’s parking area at dusk. I knew we’d have to cram in as much fun as possible before catching the ferry back Sunday afternoon for our evening flight. I just didn’t think we’d start out with the toughest trail on the island.
I sipped my coffee while trying to think of a decent excuse for skipping the hike other than being a liability. “What’s the plan this afternoon?”
“Snorkeling at Trunk Bay.”
That sounded more like it, even if I’d never been snorkeling before. Unlike Cammie, at least I knew how to swim, but the only other vacation I’d ever taken had been a trip to Washington, D.C., to visit Rowan when she lived there.
“Then I guess we’ll come back here so the couples can ditch us again,” he said before taking another sip of his coffee.
I couldn’t help but laugh. The couples had retired ridiculously early. Rather than stare at Aiden all night, I’d curled up in my double-sized bed and attempted to read while he took the world’s longest shower. And sang. I hated to admit it, but his shower singing wasn’t terrible. I’d pressed my ear against the wall when I realized he wasn’t singing in English or to any tune I’d heard before. Goosebumps rose on my arms as his voice wrapped around me.
“What language were you singing last night?”
He glanced at me and his cheeks reddened. “You heard me?”
“Of course I heard you. The shower is right next to my bed.”
“Sorry. I’ll try not to do it again.”
“No need to apologize. It’s not like you sounded bad. I was just curious because I’d never heard the songs before, and it didn’t sound like English.”
“It wasn’t,” he said, pulling on his neck. His biceps tightened and so did my stupid vagina. “My gram taught us a bunch of songs in Gaelic. Honestly, I don’t know what I’m singing. I never picked up the language like my sisters did.”
I tore my eyes from his bulging muscles to his face, which didn’t help cool me down. Those slicing eyes cut straight to my core. “Probably because they practiced more. I bet they used it whenever they didn’t want their baby brother listening in.”
He smiled at me and my stomach flipped. Aiden O’Malley hadn’t flashed that panty-melting grin in my direction in years. The best I’d gotten were cocky smirks that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Probably,” he said. “It’s OK though. All my nieces and nephews are learning Spanish in school. Pretty soon, we’ll be able to have full conversations my sisters won’t understand. I intend to take full advantage.”
The smile slipped from his face, and he cleared his throat as if remembering he was talking to me and not someone he liked.
We went back to admiring the view, but a few minutes later, he spoke again. “I’m sorry about Wyatt. I really needed someone who could communicate with everyone.”
“Same,” I said, glaring.
He shrugged. “Have him write down the menu in Spanish and English. Problem solved.”
Typical Aiden. Karma was more than a coffee shop. Wyatt helped people who came in to use the career center or who needed help filling out school registration forms. Word had gotten around Peace Falls that he was a patient translator and that I didn’t mind when he stepped away from the counter to help someone. Many people relied on their bilingual children to get by, but sometimes they needed help with things their kids were too young to comprehend, like legal documents or medical forms. I opened my mouth to tear into him when Rowan pushed open the sliding door.
“The cinnamon rolls and bacon are in the oven. Breakfast should be ready in twenty minutes.” Aiden got up from his seat facing the view and motioned for her to take it before pulling a chair to the other side of mine and sitting so close I could smell his woodsy cologne.
“How much damage do you think Hell Cat would inflict if I pinched her?” he asked.
“Why would you pinch Poppy?” I asked.
Rowan flinched at the tone of my voice, and I took another gulp of coffee to keep from saying anything else to Aiden.
He shrugged like I hadn’t just screeched at him. “I figure she won’t wear green today.”
“That’s right,” Rowan said. “I forgot it’s St. Patrick’s Day.”
I glanced down at my blue pajama set and shot him a daring look. “You should keep your hands off anyone who doesn’t invite you to touch them.”
Aiden narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth, then seemed to think better of it and nodded.
Damn, he really was sticking with the truce. “What time are we leaving for the trail?” I asked.
Rowan laughed so hard she snorted.
“What?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I love you, Lauren, so don’t take this the wrong way, but I really hope you’ll do something else this morning. Go to a beach or just lie by the pool. We both know you’d hate every minute of the hike.”
“Are you sure? This trip is supposed to be about you and Cal.”
“And you can spend all afternoon snorkeling with us.”
Thank you, universe. “Sounds great,” I said. “Text me when you’re done, and I’ll pack a cooler for the beach.”
“Or me,” Aiden said, rolling his mug in his hands. “I did that hike the first time I was here. I wouldn’t mind taking it easy this morning.”
“You seemed eager enough a few minutes ago,” I said.
He glared at me. “I’d have struggled through it, same as you.”
“I highly doubt that,” I huffed. “Don’t you hike all the time?”
Rowan dug her nails into my arm but kept her eyes on Aiden. “You came to the island with Logan, right?”
He nodded. “I tagged along on his family’s vacation our sophomore year. We liked it so much, we wanted to come back with Theo and Cal.”
Rowan relaxed her fingers, and I silently thanked her for stopping me from putting my foot in my mouth again.
“Well, that makes this trip even more special,” she said with a kind smile.
He nodded.
“We better make sure the cinnamon rolls aren’t burning,” I said, shooting from my chair. Rowan winced as she rose from hers and followed me. I glanced at Aiden as I slid the door closed. He’d left his mug on the table and had walked to the plexiglass wall where he stood staring out at the view, gripping the railing.
“Thanks for saving me out there,” I said once Rowan and I were in the kitchen. “But a little heads-up that this trip was a gigantic grief trigger would have been helpful.”
Rowan peeked into the oven and closed the door softly. “Cal told me last night after we went to bed. I know you and Aiden don’t get along but try to keep in mind that being here might be hard for him.”
“I will.” I watched her straighten with a grimace and frowned. “Are you sure you can handle that hike?”
Rowan gave a little shrug. “Walking isn’t that painful. And other than snorkeling, the Reef Trail was top of my list of things to do.”
“I wouldn’t be sad if you stayed behind and acted as a buffer between me and Aiden.”
Rowan chuckled and shook her head. “I’m sure you can manage half a day together. Just give him a little grace.”
And I did. Aiden and I were polite to each other throughout breakfast. We even worked together to help the couples pack up for the hike. But the moment I stepped onto the pool deck in my bikini, Aiden tested my patience.
I’d hoped he’d walk into town or just wander the vegetation so I could be alone, but of course he’d stretched out on a lounge chair by the pool while I changed into my swimsuit.
“Hope you brought something with more coverage than that,” he said, flicking his eyes over me. “The sun’s brutal here. I’d hate for you to burn your tits or ass.”
Not that it was any of his business, but I had a rash guard to wear when we went snorkeling that would cover my back, shoulders, and arms. My bikini bottoms were cut a little high, but it wasn’t like I was wearing a thong. “Why don’t you let me worry about my own skin and focus on yours. You’re so pale I can see your veins from here.”
“That’s it,” he said, rising from his lounger and stomping upstairs. Good. If I’d had known calling him pale would piss him off that much, I’d have done it sooner. I’d just gotten comfortable in the lounger he left behind when he returned with a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses.
“OK, Princess,” he said, pouring a shot and handing it to me. “I was saving this for later tonight when we could all celebrate St. Patrick’s Day together, but I figure we have a good four or five hours to kill without murdering each other. Every time you or I say something mean, we take a shot.”
“You sure you’re up for alcohol poisoning on this trip?” I threw back the shot. At least it wasn’t crappy whiskey. The liquid rolled down my throat like warm silk. “Cause my tolerance for liquor is a lot higher than my tolerance for you.” I held out my glass for a refill.
He watched me take a second shot and then threw back two of his own. “Bring it, Princess.”
Three more insults and shots later, we decided to cool off in the pool, which really meant splashing each other like a pair of kids.
“Hope you wore waterproof sunscreen, so your pasty shoulders don’t fry,” I said when he was good and soaked. Aiden wrapped his thick arms around my waist and tossed me into the deep end. I came up sputtering and pissed.
He laughed as I lunged toward him. “You have zero chance of knocking me off my feet, Princess.”
“Want to bet?” I said, wading close enough my breasts brushed against his hard chest. The warmth of his skin seeped through my thin bikini top, making my nipples peak and an ache form low in my belly.
His eyes filled with heat and something far more dangerous. “Lauren,” he said, brushing a clump of wet hair from my face. He stared at my lips as his rough fingers traced a line down my face.
I panicked and stepped back.
He turned before I could see his reaction and waded to the edge of the infinity pool. My breath came in rapid bursts. I tried to get my body under control, but once the panic dissipated, I was left so turned on I could barely stand. Aiden wasn’t a random match on a dating app. I couldn’t just sleep with him because I was horny. Could I? The muscles in his shoulders and arms tensed as he gripped the plastic wall. Damn, he looked incredible. I wanted to feel the weight of him above me, which wasn’t something I typically liked during sex.
Maybe we could sleep together again. As long as I was clear it didn’t mean anything, we could have a little fun, and no one would get hurt. I ignored the part of my brain that wanted to unpack why I’d panicked in the first place.
Maybe releasing the sexual tension between us would make it easier to keep the truce for the rest of the trip. I found myself leaving the shallow end and making my way to him.
“I don’t want a boyfriend,” I said swimming up beside him.
He nodded, not taking his eyes from the harbor below.
“But I can have fun, if you can. Just this morning.”
He faced me and smirked. “You want to scratch an itch.”
I rolled my eyes. What the hell was I thinking even suggesting we let off steam together? “That has to be the least sexy way to describe it.”
He gripped my hips, his thumbs making lazy circles near the elastic band of my bikini bottom. “Well,” he said, raising an eyebrow.
I placed a chaste kiss on his lips. He groaned and pulled me against his hard length. “Yes or no, Princess?”
In that moment, nothing felt more important than quieting the ache between my thighs. I wrapped my legs around him and kissed him hard. His rough hand slid into my bottoms and found my throbbing clit. I threw my head back with a gasp. “Not here,” I said, panting. The last thing I wanted was our friends coming back early and finding us banging it out in the pool.
“Lead the way,” he said, taking his hands from me.
The longing I felt when he withdrew his touch was almost enough for me to forget why I’d wanted privacy. I swam as fast as I could to the ladder with Aiden right behind me. As soon as we climbed onto the pool deck, we ran. Without stopping to dry off, we dripped water down the villa’s tiled hallway. I shucked my bikini as soon as we got to my room. Aiden yanked down his swim trunks, freeing his thick cock. The next moment, we were on the bed, moving frantically together.
Sex with him was even better than I remembered. He filled me with each thrust, his hands and mouth finding every spot on my skin that drove me wild. Pleasure coiled tighter and tighter until my orgasm thundered through me. Aiden let out a roar and swelled inside me moments later. We collapsed on the mattress together, our bodies still joined.
The sound of a car door woke me. My head throbbed as I opened my eyes and found Aiden O’Malley in my bed, holding me. Everything that had happened came rushing back, the drinks, the pool—the sex. What the hell had I done? I wished I had time to freak out, but the front door slammed shut and voices filled the main area of the house.
“Wake up,” I hissed, jabbing his toned stomach with my finger. He let out a groan and squeezed my boob. Why did his hands have to feel so good? Warm, with just the right amount of roughness to ignite a longing so deep and strong it took my breath away. I jabbed him again and he pulled me close, so close I could feel his erection against my stomach.
I shoved him again. “Get up.” His eyes opened slowly and for a moment, he looked happy to see me. Then his eyes widened, and I watched him realize where he was and what we’d done
“You need to leave before anyone sees you,” I said, shoving him toward the side of the bed. “Go through the bathroom. Move it.”
“Wow, you’re getting rid of me even faster than last time,” he said, throwing back the covers and standing without an ounce of shame.
“This didn’t happen,” I said, closing my eyes. “Don’t talk about it. Don’t even think about it.”
“Got it, Princess. We scratched an itch. I can be cool about it if you can.”
“Get out before someone sees you,” I said without opening my eyes. As if none of this would be real if I didn’t see him gloriously naked and hard.
He let out a huff and slammed the bathroom door closed. Moments later, the shower turned on, and I fought back tears while he washed himself clean of me.