Chapter 11
Mal
It felt like something had shifted between us. After her confession last night, I spent some time thinking about all the ways her ex had no doubt hurt her and all the ways I wanted to hurt him because of it. She deserved so much better. I hoped she knew that.
It was now my life mission to make sure she realized her worth.
I couldn’t remember ever having so much fun in bed with a girl before.
Granted, it had been a minute since I’d been with a woman.
But usually it was all about just getting off and moving onto the next.
Something about being with Saylor changed that for me.
It was intoxicating watching her discover what she loved about her body and mine.
And I don’t think I’d ever laughed so much with a woman in bed before.
She was so giving and funny and just…perfect.
As I waited for her to get ready for our private beach picnic, I was practically bouncing on my toes. I couldn’t wait to get her alone on that beach.
“Maybe we should pack something from your friend’s bag for the beach!” I hollered at the closed bathroom door.
Saylor was currently putting on a bikini and apparently needed complete privacy for the moment.
Something about how if we ever wanted to leave, I had to stop taking her clothes off.
I didn’t really follow what she said. I’d been too busy staring at her gorgeous tits.
So plump and just perfect. She should really be topless all the time.
Although I don’t know how I’d ever get anything done.
“Mal?” Saylor called from the suddenly opened door. “You all right?”
I blinked then shook my head. “Sorry. Just got lost in my thoughts, picturing your tits.”
She rolled her eyes and headed for the front door, her sundress hiding all the goods and yet swinging temptingly under her ass like a call to action.
“You’re ridiculous. And for the record, we’re not taking anything from the sex bag to the beach.
Salt water corrodes. But I’ve got sunscreen, my ereader, sunglasses… what am I forgetting?”
“Uh, condoms? And you should leave your ereader here. You’re not going to be reading today. Plus, salt water corrodes,” I repeated teasingly.
“But that’s what I always do at the beach.”
I widened my eyes at her. “Seriously? I plan on doing you at the beach. It’s a private beach. No one around for miles. Totally something to scratch off your sex bucket list. Ditch the ereader. You’re not gonna need it.”
“Fine.” She huffed and reached into her bag and tossed her tablet onto the small sofa. “But we can’t bring condoms. Where will we put them after they’re used? We can’t litter, and I don’t want someone to have to pick that up after us.”
I shrugged. “They’ll probably have a bag for trash. At the very least, they’ll have our sandwiches or whatever wrapped up. We can use that.”
She pulled a face like it was a gross suggestion.
Seriously? Were we really not going to have sex on our private beach picnic because she was squeamish about disposing the used condom later?
Saylor bit her lip for a moment then looked at me with a cautious expression. “I was thinking about that last night…after, you know.”
“After the best sex ever? I think that’s what you called it…”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I’m only twenty-two, so there’s plenty of time for better.”
“Oh hell no.” I tossed my sunglasses down then toed off my sandals. “Challenge accepted. Come on. Take off the sundress. Let’s do this.”
“Mal!” Saylor laughed and feigned like she was going to run when I crossed the room to take her in my arms. Despite her protests, she snuggled deeper into my arms. “No. We don’t have time for more sex.
We’re going to have a once in a lifetime snorkeling session followed by a picnic on a private beach. ”
“Wherein we’re going to have sex on said beach. Right?” I nuzzled the side of her neck. If she wasn’t into it, I wasn’t going to pressure her. But I couldn’t deny that I was bummed. Sex on the beach! I mean, come on. Who cared about a used condom being seen by the staff? They knew we were fucking.
“That’s what I was thinking about. I’m on the pill, and you said it’s been almost a year since you were with someone else. Which means you’re clean, right? Tested and everything?”
My heart stuttered in my chest. “Right…”
She hunched slightly. “I got tested once I found out about all the ways my ex was lying to me. I’m clean too.” She bit her lip and looked at me with this uncertain expression. “So I think we can do away with the condoms. It’s not like we’re going to be sleeping with anyone else here, right?”
“Right. I mean, are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She bit her bottom lip and looked up at me through her eyelashes, her cheeks red.
I groaned and had to kiss her. My lips moved over hers like I was returning from war. I hadn’t gone bareback with a woman since I was a stupid teen who thought he was bullet-proof. This was epic, paradigm changing shit.
Finally Saylor broke the kiss and pushed against my chest. “Again, we don’t have time for this. Samu said we’d leave at 10:30.”
“Samu will leave when we’re ready.” I ducked down again to kiss her.
She let me, for all of a second, before pulling away. “What about my sex bucket list? I think it just merged with yours. Bareback sex on a private beach?” She danced out of my arms and walked backward toward the door. “You coming?”
I groaned and dropped my head back. “Not for at least an hour, apparently.”
Saylor’s laughter had me grinning despite my aching erection as we walked out the door.
Not long after, we were bouncing across the waves on a small boat with Samu grinning as he operated the outboard motor.
“We gotta get you out here fishing!” he hollered over the sound of the engine.
Saylor squealed and burrowed into my arms at the cold spray from the ocean.
I raised my eyebrows at Samu as my answer. Seriously? I had this in my arms. Fishing could wait for when I was too old to get it up anymore.
He tipped his head at me like he got it.
Ten minutes later, the boat bobbed to a stop in the center of a large bay.
The island was shaped like the Greek letter omega, and the bay we were in was the very center of the large loop.
A horseshoe bay they called it. In the distance, a sailboat was anchored, but they couldn’t come close since this was a privately owned island.
And the sandy beach was deserted, ending in jungle growth beyond.
The inhabited section of the island was a good hour hike away.
We’d be completely alone.
I grinned down at Saylor. I couldn’t fucking wait. Literally.
She shimmied out of her sundress and applied sunscreen with some help from me. We listened to the quick safety lecture from Samu.
“And there’s already a picnic blanket and basket on the beach for you. I’ll be back in four hours to get you. Just leave your clothes here, and we’ll keep them safe for you.”
With our fins and masks in place, we sat on the edge of the boat. Saylor went in first and once she was clear of the side, I joined her with a big splash. We swam a safe distance back, and Samu waved as he slowly motored away.
And then we were alone.
We held hands as we swam along the surface of the water. Technicolor fish darted under us, twirling into the coral and seaweed. Saylor pointed out a bright blue starfish on top of the pale coral. I couldn’t see much of her face, but I was pretty sure she was grinning the entire time. I know I was.
It was amazing and magical, and I was exhausted by the time we waded to the shore.
Exhausted but full of anticipation.
Saylor shivered, goosebumps breaking out over her body as the breeze picked up a little. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her small frame. Raising up on her toes, she pressed a quick kiss against my cheek.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
I groaned and dropped my head down onto hers. “Fuck me. And here I thought you’d want to eat first.”
“Who says I don’t?” She blinked innocently up at me, her eyelashes and hair wet from our swim.
I groaned again. “Come on. I need some fuel if I’m ever going to keep up with you.” I swatted her rear, and she squealed. “Let’s see what they’ve put in the ole picnic basket.”
While we munched on sandwiches, we talked about anything and everything.
“What do you need to go all in on your clothing designs?”
Saylor rolled her eyes. “Money. Connections. Experience. All things I don’t have. I mean, I guess I could go back to school and make some connections while I get another degree, but that also requires money I don’t have. I took out a student loan to pay for this trip.”
“I think you’re selling yourself short. You have experience. All the outfits I’ve seen are fucking awesome. You can always work for someone else at first. I bet if you put together a portfolio, you could get a job in no time.”
“But all the best jobs are in New York or LA, which again requires money I don’t have to get there, let alone survive once I’m there.”
“I happen to know someone with money, connections, and a place in LA that you could probably use. He might want some quid pro quo in return though.” I leered comically at her to lessen the huge step I was proposing.
Living together?
Did I seriously just put that out there?
Saylor rolled her eyes like I was teasing her. “What about you? What are you going to do when you get back?”
I paused for a second at the switch in topic then let her have it. I wasn’t exactly ready to examine my feelings about the way she’d just blown off my offer to live with me.