Chapter 39 Ocean
OCEAN
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the smell.
Sweet, buttery, and faintly citrusy. My eyes cracked open just enough to see Skye standing at the edge of the bed with a tray.
Steam rose from the French toast, fresh fruit was neatly arranged, and a glass of orange juice glistened in the morning light.
I carefully sat up. “Damn, baby, are you trying to spoil me?”
“Maybe,” she said, eyes sparkling. “Figured you deserved it after…you know… last night.” She gave me a teasing glance, like she knew exactly what she was doing.
I shook my head, grinning. “Shit, I should be the one bringing you breakfast in bed. You went all in not once, not twice, but three times.”
She smirked and placed the tray on my lap. “I may have done a little something.”
“A little something doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
She walked toward the dresser and grabbed her tray before taking her place in the bed next to me.
Leaning back on the pillows, she took a bite of the French toast. “You’re too high maintenance to leave unfed.”
I laughed and just watched her. She was glowing, eyes bright and lips full and soft. Even her hair, slightly tussled from sleep, looked perfect. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but I stayed put, just drinking her in.
“You’re staring,” she said, half accusing, half teasing, brushing crumbs off her robe.
“I can’t help it,” I said. “You look…perfect.”
She laughed, and the sound was soft, effortless, and it made my chest tighten.
“Smooth talker,” she said, taking another bite. “But, you’re right. This place…this is nice. Quiet. Peaceful.”
I nodded, thinking back to last night. Jacuzzi, fire crackling, steam rising around us. Every kiss, every touch… It hadn’t just been sex. It had been a release, an unspoken connection. And now, sitting here, watching her eat, it felt like a grounding moment.
“Last night was…good,” I said finally. “Better than good. Needed.”
She gazed at me. “Yeah. It was.”
I smiled, then shifted, hearing my phone buzz on the nightstand.
I glanced at the screen. It was Melina.
I could’ve just ignored it but given my recent encounter with her bitch ass husband, I figured she probably wanted to get some shit off her chest. If I put a stop to it now, the phone calls would cease and she wouldn’t be able to fuck up my little vacation.
“Give me a sec,” I said, standing. Skye nodded, distracted by the French toast.
I stepped into the hallway, took a deep breath, and answered. “What do you need, Melina?”
“How fucking long have you known my husband’s father?” She shouted.
“Yo, you need to watch who the fuck you’re talking to.”
“I need answers, Ocean. I want to know if—”
“Trust your instincts. Whatever you’re thinking, that’s exactly what it was.”
Her voice went higher, more frantic. “Wow, really Ocean? So, you were using me this whole time?”
“Baby girl, I didn’t do half of what I really wanted to do to you. After the shit y’all pulled, you’re lucky you’re still breathing. Be glad I met Skye. She saved y’all in ways you’ll never begin to understand.”
“I don’t want to hear about that bitch.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” I hung up, purposely cutting her off before she could say another word to piss me off.
“Breakfast was amazing!” Skye called out from the bedroom. “I’m getting in the shower.”
I smiled, my mind overflowing with thoughts of what I was about to do to her.
When I made it into the bathroom, the air was thick with the steam from the shower. I stepped inside, my eyes glued to her as water cascaded down her back.
She was beautiful. Vulnerable. Perfect.
“You okay?” she asked.
I nodded. “Never better.”
She smiled, and I stepped closer, letting the heat of the room and the warmth of the water blend with the heat between us. I reached out, fingers tracing the curve of her shoulder, then leaned in to press a kiss to the back of her neck.
She shivered, and I felt it in my bones.
“You’re all mine, beautiful,” I whispered.
And in that moment, there was only her, only us.
I let the tension from Melina’s phone call slip away, leaving only heat and desire.
Skye looked up at me, eyes half-lidded. “I’m all yours.”