Chapter 5 #2
Really? I think in my head as he keeps speaking, as if he doesn’t realize he’s playing Monopoly with my heart.
“With you,” he adds, “I can just be myself. Things are easy and fun with you. With her, everything was a fucking battle. Her way or the highway. High maintenance as hell.”
A surprised chuckle slips from my chest.
“Good to know I’m not high-maintenance,” I tease, my tone lighter. “But seriously, I get it. Things have always felt easy with us.”
I don’t think either of us knows what that means, but we can’t deny that it’s true.
A curious look I’ve never seen before flashes across Owen’s features, his eyes assessing every inch of my face. It feels foreign… Intimate.
For a heartbeat, the space between us feels incredibly charged. Our breaths mingle, weaving together in a web of emotions that seem to stray far away from friendship.
Just as quickly as the electric feeling came, it went. Owen rubs the back of his neck, his gaze darting away as if he felt the little spark, too.
After what feels like an eternity of silence, Owen nods toward the sliding glass doors.
“Want to go check out the balcony?” he asks.
“Sure,” I smile and follow him outside.
The balcony opens to a stunning view of pale sand and teal-blue ocean, clear water that fades from bright aqua near the shore to darker blues farther out.
Towering palm trees are scattered throughout the resort, their fronds rustling in the wind and creating the perfect white noise for an afternoon nap.
A luxury, resort-style pool and a pair of steaming hot tubs sit right in the center of the property like a hidden oasis. My gaze shifts to the wooden boardwalk that weaves through tropical foliage, leading out to the beach where a few people lounge near the waves.
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I’m on this trip… for free. I’ve never stayed anywhere this nice, let alone had a view like this.
“How is this place even real?” I whisper.
“Right?” Owen lets out a breath beside me. “It’s insane.”
He leans his elbows on the railing, his emerald eyes taking in the view.
“I can’t remember the last time I went swimming,” he mutters. “Wanna check out the pool tonight?”
My knuckles turn white as I grip the rail, imagining seeing Owen shirtless for the first time—drops of water sliding down his chest, gliding along the muscles I’ve only ever seen glimpses of through office clothes.
Christ.
I’m no better than a man.
My mind traitorously flashes back to the plane, when Owen teased me about the ripped guy on my book cover and said he could “learn a thing or two” from my romance books.
Goosebumps cover my skin at the idea of Owen doing the salacious things to me that I read in my books.
“Sure,” I manage to say, hoping he doesn’t notice the way my breath hitches. “Also, I want to watch the sunset one night. Experiencing a sunset in the Caribbean is a bucket list item for me.”
“Then we’d better make sure you get that sunset,” he replies, giving me a boyish grin.
I really need to train my stomach to stop doing somersaults every time Owen looks at me like that. It’s becoming a real problem for me.
“Wait, should we even make plans?” I ask. “Aren’t we basically here for wedding stuff?
“Nah,” he shrugs. “The best part of being a guest at a destination wedding is that you only have to show up for the ceremony. The rest is just vacation.”
“True,” I agree with a nod. “So what day is the wedding?”
“Saturday night. The night before we head home.”
“Our last night here?”
“Yup,” he replies, popping the p . “I don’t think they really thought that part through.”
“Not at all,” I scoff. “Everyone’s going to be exhausted… but also ready to leave. I guess it kind of makes sense.”
Owen opens his mouth to reply, but movement down at the beach catches our attention.
A tiny girl runs through the sand, squealing as the waves swallow her feet.
A man, whom I assume is her father, chases after her, playing along.
The sheer joy in her giggles, the purity of it, pulls a huge grin out of me.
“Look at that smile.”
My head snaps toward Owen to find him looking at me intently. His eyes are locked on me with a focus that indicates he’s been staring at me for longer than a second.
“What?” I mutter, confused by his comment.
“You’ve been extra smiley today,” he answers, his tone playful. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile this much.”
Dear God, this man.
He has no idea what something as simple as noticing my smile does to me.
I try to play it off, casually brushing my ponytail over my shoulder.
“Well, I guess views like this and free travel tend to have that effect.”
His gaze doesn't falter.
His eyes don’t leave mine.
He doesn't flash me a stupid grin or chuckle as he usually would.
He just stares through my fucking soul.
“Keep doing it.” His voice drops, low and husky.
Keep doing it.
My breath catches in my fucking throat. I might as well have a lump of peanut butter in there.
For a second, I consider brushing off what he just said—tossing out a joke or saying anything other than the actual question on the tip of my tongue.
“Why?” I finally whisper.
He holds my stare for another beat before flipping my world upside down.
“Because it’s beautiful.”
I melt.
I disintegrate into vapor.
“Has anyone ever told you how beautiful your smile is, Meadow?”
Holy fucking shit.
Owen Brooks did not just say that to me.
I’m dying.
I’m succumbing to a slow, sweet death. Waiting for my last breath to pull me under.
I open my mouth, having no idea what’s about to come out, when a sharp knock rattles from the door.
We both inhale a sharp breath, our bodies jolting at the sound.