20. Maya
Maya
“I’ve never been to the beach,” I said. “I didn’t expect it to be so cold.”
“It isn’t always.” Anani grinned. “Peanut, you should visit the Bahamas or Fiji. You would love that.”
Ledger nodded and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I agree. I like you in the sunshine—you look like you’re glowing. Maybe we need to move down here.”
“I like both,” I pointed out because it was true. Living in the damp, foggy weather made me appreciate this more, and vice versa.
I turned in the sand to look back at the huge columned house on the beach to look for my other mates.
Sai sat on a log by the bonfire, and I walked over to him, ignoring the twins asking where I was going.
In lieu of greeting, I dropped down right into Sai’s lap.
He grunted and then laughed, his arms tightening around me.
“Hey, kitten,” he said, his voice smooth and deep.
I stretched and looked at the bonfire, my chest warming. “I like this.”
“I like you.” He nibbled on my throat, making my skin break out into shivers. At the same time, that low, simmering boil under my skin was pushing me to move closer to him, to rub against him more. I also really wanted to see it again.
“That’s a dangerous look,” he growled, pulling me so I was straddling him, leaning back in the sand so that my hair created a veil over us. We seemed to end up like this a lot, with me on top of him.
“What look?” I blinked, because I really had no idea what he meant by that.
“It’s a look that makes me want to devour those sweet lips,” he drawled lazily.
“Well, maybe I want you to do that.” My cheeks flamed, but I felt less nervous than before.
Sai let out a low hum and grasped my jaw, gently pulling me down. I shivered as his lips pressed to mine?—
Right before I was taken from his arms. Henry shook his head, carrying me towards the balcony.
“Henry!” Sai chuckled in legitimate surprise.
“Photos, Sai. I don’t want photos in the media,” he shouted back. I was already distracted, my hands gripping Henry’s button-down. I could undo those buttons. I just wanted more access to his skin.
“Behave,” he whispered, walking up the stairs to the porch.
“I am.” I flashed a smile, and his eyes glinted behind his glasses.
“If this is behaving, it sounds like you may need a lesson in it,” he murmured.
“Yeah?” I nibbled my lip, knowing this was flirting and hoping I was sort of good at it. “And would you teach me that?”
Henry let out a low noise and narrowed his eyes. “I could teach you a whole lot, Maya, but be careful what you ask for.”
Before I could ask what that meant, he’d placed me down, and I turned to face Marco and Atlas.
The latter was smoking a cigar and had that freakin’ laptop in front of him.
Marco had sunglasses on and a cigar in his mouth, jacket thrown over his chair.
I nibbled my lip and approached him. I wasn’t positive what it was about how he looked right now, but it made my center tighten like last night.
He took off his glasses, his eyes lighting up as he patted one of his knees.
“Are you hungry?” he asked as I sat, his eyes searching my face.
“Always am,” I noted, because that was accurate.
His smile was authentic as he nodded, and Henry, who’d been watching me still, ducked into the house. I leaned against Marco’s chest and watched the twins toss a ball back and forth, Sai chatting aimlessly with them. A sigh of contentment left me.
This was something special.
Not long after, food was set on the table in front of me, and I raised my brows. That was a lot of freakin’ food.
“I don’t know where to start,” I said as Marco reached over and created a small plate, putting it in front of us.
I reached for one of the cheese cubes, but he just grabbed my hand and kissed the top of it.
Then in a move that had me shivering, he pressed a thumb to my lips, making them pop open.
He placed a cheese cube in my mouth, and I hummed in pleasure as flavor exploded on my tongue.
I savored the taste, because I was finding that when you ate PB the only memorable part was of my mother holding me down. I shook my head and curled back into Henry, feeling overwhelmed. Instead of answering, I fell asleep.