Chapter 21
All that’s left of the sun is a radiant semi-circle on the horizon casting its wide orange glow over the rippling water in front of us.
The sky has turned into a watercolour scene of reds and oranges as birds flying out toward the mainland are carried along by the summer breeze.
Just a few flaps of their wings are all it takes to keep them soaring through the air.
While Elias’s boat softly bobs and sways, waves roll onto the beach with a gentle rush.
Elias is so close to me that I can feel warmth emanating from his body and seeping into mine. I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort as I let the stunning view sear itself into my mind.
This never gets old, does it? he whispers with a nod at the setting sun.
Never, I quietly agree.
While the huge orange sphere in the sky continues to disappear below the horizon, Elias opens up the bag he brought along to reveal a baguette, tapenade, olives, and a few more small bites. Every single mouthwatering item sends my taste buds into immediate overdrive.
My eyes go wide in surprise when I pop one of the olives in my mouth.
Don’t tell me your grandparents own an olive grove, too.
Elias laughs, spreading tapenade onto a piece of baguette.
Nope, these ones just came from the supermarket, he replies with a chuckle before opening a small container of tapas.
There’s Spanish fuet sausage, Manchego, slices of frittata, and little peppers filled with creamy cheese. It’s all incredible.
By the time we’ve finished our picnic, the sun has completely set, turning the sky a deep pink and purple hue that’s becoming darker and darker. The sand beneath my feet has cooled down a little, but it still feels comfortable.
Ready for dessert? Elias asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
I’m not sure how to respond, until I see him whip out a little container of fruit. I let out a chuckle that turns into a laugh when he also produces a can of whipped cream from the depths of the bag.
Wow, you’re really trying to make an impression here, aren’t you? I can’t believe you brought whipped cream. A warm feeling expands in my chest as I watch him create little white swirls on top of the fruit.
Elias turns to look at me with sparkling eyes.
Of course. I didn’t want to run the risk of ruining things again.
His lips curl into a sexy smile as he raises the spray can higher.
It’s also the perfect payback opportunity for that painted mess you left all over my face.
I had to use turpentine to get it all off!
What do you mean? I give him a puzzled look, but his intentions quickly become clear when he launches at me, spraying my face with a big blob of whipped cream.
My jaw slowly drops and sweet cream drips down onto my lips.
Mmmmm, delicious whipped cream. I lick up more of the whipped cream as I glare at Elias through narrowed eyes.
He has a mischievous expression on his face.
I’m gonna make you pay for that... I say with a devilish grin, launching myself at him.
Elias’s eyes go wide in panic, but he explodes in a laughing fit when I land on top of him, swipe the spray can from his hand, and nearly empty it all over him.
With a few fingers, he wipes the whipped cream from his face before licking them clean.
I’m briefly distracted by what he’s doing, so Elias takes full advantage of the opportunity to roll me onto my back, lie on top of me, and grab for the can that I’m desperately trying to keep out of his reach.
Hand it over! he shouts, laughing.
Never! When I toss the can from one hand to the other, Elias effortlessly snatches it mid-throw. Damn it. Eyes wide, I stare at the nozzle inching closer and closer to my face.
No! I cry out in surrender when I notice his index finger move in slow motion toward the nozzle. Have mercy!
Elias tilts up a corner of his mouth, the whipped cream can still at the ready as his gaze locks onto mine.
His face shifts into a serious expression as his laughter slowly evaporates.
The way he’s looking at me turns my breath rapid, inhaling and exhaling shallow breath after shallow breath. He swallows hard.
How do we always wind up covered in something in these situations?
he wonders out loud as he lowers his face toward mine.
The closer he gets, the clearer I can see the miniature scar camouflaged by his stubble.
His long, black lashes nearly touch his cheekbones when he shifts his gaze to my mouth.
At the sight of the expression on his face, my heart begins to beat wildly in my chest.
What situa... Before I can finish, Elias answers my question by pressing his mouth to mine.
His lips move softly at first, playing tenderly with mine. Teasing his fingers into my dark brown locks, he nips at my bottom lip.
The briny sea scent blends with Elias’s musky aftershave before the aroma reaches my nose. Moaning quietly, I wrap my arms tighter around him. I need him closer.
As his kisses grow more passionate, the cotton fabric of the beach towel feels slightly rough against my back. I taste the sweet flavour of whipped cream and the strawberries that he popped into his mouth while he was prepping our dessert.
His hands, still tangled in my hair, tug lightly at my tresses when he squeezes his fingers into fists.
Freeing one hand from my hair, he glides it down my neck toward the top button of my dress.
He slowly unbuttons each one without ever letting his mouth stray from mine.
Once he’s undone the buttons from my neckline to my waist, he traces a finger along the sides of my breasts, sending a shiver through my body.
I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him closer. A faint moan escapes from his lips as he grinds his hips into me in just the right way.
When his lips finally do leave my mouth, they kiss their way down my neck and along my collarbone as he removes every last trace of whipped cream with his tongue.
Reaching the swell of my breasts, he uses a finger to pull my bikini top aside before dropping his mouth to my breast. His kiss starts off tender, but quickly becomes hungry, leaving not a single inch untouched.
Elias. I whisper his name, pressing my shoulders into the sand, arching my back to get closer to him. The rich colours along the horizon have faded, making way for the first few sparkling stars high up in the sky. With the warm evening breeze caressing my naked skin, I close my eyes, chest heaving.
I’m almost certain one of the final few buttons goes flying into the sand when he rips open the bottom half of my dress, but I couldn’t care less.
Every single cell in my body is aware of his touch, noticing how it slides lower and lower down.
He looks deep into my eyes as he slowly pulls at the strings keeping my bikini bottoms in place.
His lips are parted and he’s breathing quickly.
His pupils are so wide now that his dark brown irises are barely visible.
When I feel the fabric of my bottoms brush along my thighs, my breath catches in my throat.
Then, suddenly, there’s no more taking things slowly. Amid deep, hungry kisses, Elias pulls my bikini top off over my head in one swift movement.
My hands glide over his shoulders, down along the dips and ridges of his hard back and his hips, before crushing him as close to me as possible. I let one hand shift to the waistband of his swim trunks, frantically trying to pull them down. I want to feel him. Everywhere.
I cry out triumphantly when I manage to free his ass from its prison. Elias laughs against my lips at my sudden display of enthusiasm, but his gaze quickly turns serious again.
The moon, lighting up the dark sky, casts a silver glow on Elias’s face as he stares at me in awe.
Being with you feels incredible, he whispers, brushing a few stray strands of hair from my face. I don’t need to... pretend with you.
His eyes are honest and vulnerable, and it’s at this very moment that reality hits me.
My feelings for Elias are a lot stronger than I realized—or a lot stronger than I’d hoped.
This isn’t some distraction. Not some summer fling.
This is real. I toss my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply, passionately, squeezing my legs tightly around his waist. I never want to let him go.
We both gasp for breath when he drives deep into me. Stroking my hands along the stubble on his cheeks, I guide his face closer to mine as he begins to move and find his rhythm.
When I spread my arms wide, my fingers touch the cool, loose sand. Elias kisses my cheek, my neck, and I gaze up at the star-studded sky as it reveals more and more twinkling lights.
To background music of rushing waves, I hear Elias’s breath quicken in my ear as I steadily approach my climax. The sound of the sea becomes wilder, more intense.
When Elias thrusts his hips into me one last time, we both gasp for air and I’m flooded by a tingling sensation that spreads from my belly to my toes. And then, there’s nothing but pure contentment.
I have no sense of how long we stay like this, tangled together and oblivious to the passage of time.
But when Elias rolls off, the moon is at its brightest and there are so many more stars than I had noticed before.
It’s astonishing how much more detail the sky can reveal when it’s unpolluted by city lights.
Elias pulls me close to him as he kisses the side of my face.
Wow, I mumble, caressing his tattooed arm as a brief silence falls between us.
You could say that again, he eventually replies, his voice filled with marvel.
I’m woken by a loud commotion that sounds suspiciously like a band of construction workers paying more attention to the wind-swept skirt of a passer-by than to the brick wall they’re building.
With sun rays jabbing at my face, I squeeze my eyes shut against the bright light. I hear a wolf whistle, followed by a honking sound.
I blink my eyes open and the first thing I see are steep red rocks and white sand. Shit. We fell asleep. And I’m supposed to work today. Elias’s warm arm is draped over my naked waist. He slept pressed up so close to me all night that I didn’t need a blanket to stay warm.
He’s still close to me now, but he seems to be waking up too, disturbed by the sounds I still haven’t been able to pinpoint. Woohoo! is what I hear now.
Dazed, I lift myself up and the cheering and whistling increases. Looking out at the sea, I draw in a sharp breath and my eyes go wide in panic.
Elias! Wake up! I hiss, poking his side.
‘Sup? he asks, sounding sleep drunk, but he jolts upright at the next honk coming from a boat that has Seas The Day—let us show you Ibiza’s secret places written along its side.
The deck is packed with tourists—from retirees enjoying their travels, to party-goers who seemingly bar-hopped their way all the way onto the first boat tour of the day.
A few of those partiers are waving and whistling at us like it’s their job.
One guy gives us two thumbs up and a few others decide to add to this deeply embarrassing scene by making heart shapes with their hands as they cackle with laughter.
I feel my cheeks go red. Crimson red. Redder than the reddest red they’ve ever been before, which is saying something since I pretty regularly look like I’m fighting off a deadly case of scarlet fever.
Acting quickly, Elias pushes me to the ground before pulling the beach towel over us, completely shielding us from the howling teenagers and the pensioners wielding disposable cameras.
I can’t help but wonder what the tour guide said when she spotted us lying out here like this.
And to your left, you’ll see what happens when you renovate your grandparents’ beach restaurant, then call the lender who issued a loan to said restaurant a real estate asshole and then fall head over heels in love with him. Don’t try this at home, kids.
Once the racket coming from the boat has finally dimmed, we take a careful peek over the edge of the towel. We once again have a clear, undisturbed view of the bright blue sky reflected by the clear sea water.
I blink a few times, then look over at Elias, who’s desperately trying not to laugh. I bite my lip before we both lose it completely.