I held her tightly as she trembled in my arms, not wanting to let her go. How would I when all of this was over and she went home? Would we write it off as an unexpected fling between exes? The thought was too disturbing, so I put it aside to focus on now.
23
AVA
By the time the sun started to set, I was worn out, and the real party hadn’t even started yet. We’d had one day of tranquility with just us and Lincoln’s friends on his island, then other people on the guest list started trickling in. They had been arriving for a couple of days now. Soon, the main villa was full, as well as the others lining the beach.
Every square inch of Cay d’Ava had been taken over by celebrities, influencers, athletes, models… designer clothes, expensive colognes, and fake air kisses galore. How did Lincoln survive in Hollywood? It was beyond exhausting!
Then again, years in the limelight made him an expert on how to maneuver. Lincoln never left my side for too long. He had this way of swooping in right when I needed a buffer. He could make anyone laugh, turn any awkward introduction into something comfortable. And when his hand settled on the small of my back, I didn’t flinch anymore.
I liked it. Too much.
Plus, Lincoln wasn’t really the typical celebrity. While he lived in LA, he mostly kept a low profile and only hung out withhis close friends. This party was more for me than it was for him. For the hundredth time, my heart melted thinking about it.
I stood at the door between our adjoining rooms. After our heart-to-heart at the pool, we’d ignored the boundary and slept together each night… Or should I say we fell asleep in the same bed after rounds of wild sex. While things weren’t back to how they were between us, they were definitely heating up.
Taking a deep breath, I gave the door a light tap. Why was I so nervous about giving Lincoln his gift? I looked down at the small velvet box I held. Inside were silver cufflinks. The cufflinks were beautiful, sleek, understated, and engraved with two simple letters: MM. Mountain Man. My nickname for him back in the day.
They’d cost me a pretty penny. But now, handing Lincoln cufflinks felt ridiculous. He wore watches that cost more than my car. He owned an island, for goodness’ sake. And here I stood with cufflinks and a nickname.
Another glance at the tiny box, and I chickened out. However, just as I turned to scurry away with my simple gift, the door opened. I froze. Lincoln appeared wearing a towel hanging low on his hips. Water still clung to the defined ridges of his torso. A single drop rolled from his collarbone, trailed down his chest, and disappeared beneath the towel. I was riveted by the path the droplet took.
Lincoln wasfit. A work of art. The hottest giant—as I used to tease him about—on the planet. He was a mountain of chiselled muscle with a Hollywood face. Mountain Man indeed. Suddenly, I wanted to climb him.
He smiled. “I thought I heard knocking. Why didn’t you just come in?”
Clearing my throat and shoving aside my lascivious thoughts, I shrug. “I didn’t want to invade your privacy like that.”
Lincoln’s gaze dropped from my eyes to my mouth, then leisurely swept down the length of my body. The heat in his eyes was unmistakable. “Baby,” he said, voice low and rough, “you are the one person I don’t mind invading my privacy. Iprayfor you to invade my privacy daily.” Then his eyes flicked to the hem of my dress, and his mouth curved into a wicked grin. “It’s too bad you’re already dressed,” he murmured. “Or I’d invadeyourprivacy right now.”
I giggled, but it came out breathy and uneven. When was the last time I giggled and blushed like this? “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you’re beautiful.” His eyes roamed again, slowly, as if memorizing every inch of me.
The gown I wore was one of the expensive creations he’d bought me. It was deep sapphire blue, strapless, backless, and clinging to my waist before flaring slightly at the hips. It skimmed the floor, but a dangerous slit up one thigh revealed plenty of skin.
I’d pinned my hair up in a soft, romantic style and wore diamond drop earrings that matched the gown. The lunches and dinners leading up to this had been all casual, tropical affairs with sundresses, slacks, and floral prints. Tonight, the main event was old-Hollywood themed.
“You look amazing, Ava,” he said, eyes locking with mine again.
If it were possible, I would have blushed harder, but I doubted I could get any redder. “Thank you. I, um… bought you something. A birthday gift.”
His eyes lit up, and he stepped aside to let me in. “You got me something else? I thought this morning was my gift.”
Oh, my God.The wicked smirk on his face made me roll my eyes. I’d sauntered into his room at twelve a.m., wanting to be the first to wish him happy birthday. I’d then proceeded to make it happy indeed… on my knees.
“Seriously?” I scoffed.
He sucked in a breath as if reliving the moment. “It was awonderfulsurprise,” he purred.
My face burned, but I was pleased that I’d pleased him. “Blowjobs aren’t considered birthday gifts, Lincoln.”
“Could have fooled me.” His silly grin faded. “Seriously, you didn’t have to buy me anything.”
“Well, it’s nothing big.” I almost didn’t want to give it to him. What if he hated it? He probably owned tons of cufflinks that cost more than I made in a week.
He chuckled. “Are you planning to ever let me see my gift?”
