Chapter 38
38
STELLA
As I continued riding Max, I struggled to catch my breath. I couldn’t believe I was here, outside on the daybed in our villa’s patio.
I didn’t know if it was the thrill of having sex under the stars, with the sound of the waves crashing against the sand, the crisp sea air tickling my skin, the feel of Max’s hard muscular body beneath me, or a combination of everything, but tonight, something was different.
Max and I always had a strong sexual attraction. But as I rocked on top of him, this didn’t feel like it was just sex. The connection felt deeper.
When we got busy on the massage bed, that was just fucking. We were like a couple of horny wild animals. But tonight wasn’t crazed and frenzied screwing. It was slow and sensual.
The way Max was looking at me with awe-struck eyes, the way he caressed my breasts as they bounced above his chest, the way he went down on me earlier, devouring me like his only purpose in life was to give me pleasure, didn’t feel like I was just a holiday fling .
This felt like something .
Something more .
‘Stell.’ Max’s eyes rolled back into his head as he moved his hands down to grip my arse. ‘I don’t know how much longer I can last. You’re just too…’ He squeezed his eyes shut.
‘Same,’ I panted. The wave had been building, but I was doing everything I could to hold it back. I didn’t want these sensations to end.
When Max swiped his thumb against my clit, I knew I was fighting a losing battle. His touch was so powerful it made me powerless. There was nothing I could do but surrender.
I threw my head back, succumbing to the inevitable. As I rode Max faster, my orgasm ripped through me like wildfire.
Max thrust once, then twice before groaning loudly. His body stiffened beneath mine.
I collapsed onto him, our damp chests sticking together and our hearts racing.
Max wrapped his hands around me, stroking my hair then kissing the top of my head.
I didn’t know how long we stayed like that, but it wasn’t long enough.
‘Stell,’ Max whispered in my ear. ‘Sweetheart, I need to take off the condom.’ I reluctantly rolled myself off Max and onto the daybed. ‘Back in a sec,’ he said.
As I took in the sight of his gorgeous naked body as he strode through the patio doors, I pinched myself. Even in my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have imagined this would be possible. I was so happy.
Max returned with the tray which had the bottle of champagne, strawberries and a flannel in a bowl of water. Underneath he had a blanket and fresh towels.
After putting the tray down, he climbed back on the daybed .
‘Thanks for the flannel.’ I’d wanted to clean myself up when we finished, but those two orgasms had used all my energy. The bathroom seemed like a million miles away. I reached for the bowl.
‘Let me.’ Max parted my legs and ran the damp flannel between them, slowly wiping me. God. This man. Normally the post-sex clean-up was the least enjoyable part, but somehow Max made it sexy. ‘There.’ He put the flannel in the bowl which was now on the ground. ‘All done.’
‘Thanks,’ I said.
‘My pleasure.’
After handing me a towel, he picked up the blanket and covered us.
Max stretched out his arm, inviting me to come closer. As I snuggled up into his chest, I exhaled. Here I was, outside, under a sky full of stars, wrapped up in the arms of the most amazing man.
This was perfection.
I couldn’t think of a single thing that would make this moment more magical.
I wanted it to last forever.
I knew it couldn’t, though. In less than forty-eight hours, I’d be back in London. Back to normal life and Max would just be a memory.
Which was why it was more important than ever to enjoy every precious second of this bliss whilst it lasted.
When I woke up, I was in bed, the sheets wrapped tightly around me. I turned over and saw Max, sitting up beside me.
‘Morning!’ he smiled and my stomach flipped .
‘Morning,’ I croaked. ‘Did you carry me to bed? Last thing I remember was making love under the stars, but even that feels like it was too good to be true.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Yeah. It was… incredible. Out of this world.’ I pictured Max’s head between my legs, then relived the sensations that pulsed through me when I rode him.
I also remembered Max cleaning me up, which was sweet.
Although Max didn’t comment on what I said, his wide smile told me he’d enjoyed it just as much as I had.
‘It’s late, so I thought we could have a brunch picnic on the beach, seeing as it’s our last day here?’
My stomach sank. We were going home in the morning and this amazing experience would be over. I wished that every minute for the next twenty-four hours could last an hour. But even then, it wouldn’t be long enough. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Max.
‘Sounds lovely,’ I said.
‘Oh, and Jasmine messaged to say we have to submit our final playlists and photos by two. So we can go through yesterday’s photos and send them the ones we took in the hot tub.’
‘Good plan. And we could do our playlists on the beach if we bring our headphones.’
‘Okay. I’m gonna shower now. Feel free to join me.’
‘I might take you up on that. Give me five and I’ll be there.’
‘Cool.’ Max climbed out of bed and walked towards the door. ‘And Stell?’
‘Yeah?’
‘I did carry you to bed after we made love under the stars. And you were right: it really was out of this world.’
As he left the bedroom, butterflies erupted in my stomach.
He’d felt it too .
He’d said we’d made love .
Before we’d agreed that this wouldn’t be anything serious.
I’d promised myself I wouldn’t catch feelings and swore I’d be happy with a holiday fling.
But now things were different.
Now I’d changed my mind.
Shit.