He yawned, then kissed the top of her head.“Is your family awake?Should we go and meet them for breakfast or something?”
“I don’t know.I’ll text them in a minute.I’d like to lie here a little longer.”
“Me too.”
She lost track of how much time had passed as they dozed.In this bed, this room, time had a funny way of standing still.
“Aren’t you going to Hermosa Key today?’
“Yeah.I’m not sure when.My dad has his boat.”
They lay in cozy silence.Her mind lazily retraced last night’s activities and her entire body tingled.
“Hey, El?”
“Yeah?”
“I saw this tattoo shop down along the main drag.I thought I might go, if we have some time.”
She sat up and looked into his face.He was adorable, all sleepy and rumpled and sexy.“You want to get a tattoo?”
He ran a fingertip over her bare collarbone, and when he spoke, his words were halted, almost trembling.“I—you—” He sighed.“Last night meant a lot to me, and I want to commemorate it.I want to commemorate everything with you.”
“Oh.”She kissed him, long and lingering, enjoying the feeling of him beside her.She climbed over him and straddled his hips.“Maybe I should get a matching one.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s weird.”He ran his hands up and down her sides, like he was memorizing her with his touch.Heat coiled between her legs.She hadn’t had sex in ages, and after last night, she wasn’t sure it would ever be the same.All those years of friendship and dancing around their feelings had made for one mind-blowing connection.
“Why is it weird?People get matching tattoos all the time.”
“Yeah, people who break up and then need to pay for laser removal.”
She laughed, stretching her arms out to the sides.“Break up?You’re talking about that right now?”
“Well, I—” He ran both hands through his hair, as if exasperated.“I just—I don’t know why I’m bringing it up right now.”
Reality struck her then, like an icy fist.Her excitement cooled, and she lay down on the bed beside him.Where was this going to go?It couldn’t go far.Not with that no-fraternization clause that should have come with a giant neon warning sign.Maybe she would have her dad look at it this weekend and see if there were something she could renegotiate.She hadn’t wanted to take his help initially, but it meant more now.
Because, if she were being honest, she wanted this.She wanted Dante.She had barricaded that desire in a deep part of her psyche so she could play music, but now she had tasted him and he was all she craved.One night with him and she felt filled with poetry, with song, with inspiration.What would more do to her?
And yet there was Logan.Standing there in his Italian leather with his contracts and legal team, holding the future of their band, of her, in the palm of his manicured hand.
“I don’t want to think or talk about any of that.We have another few days here.Let’s enjoy them.”
“Anything you want,” he replied, kissing her head as she drifted back to sleep.
* * *
Three Years Ago—Dante
Dante had never consideredhimself much of a beach-loving person.He generally preferred situations where he could stay fully clothed, but here, no one seemed to care that he stayed in a rash guard and board shorts.
But with Ellery and her family, everything felt easy.It should have been awkward and confusing, inserting himself into their private lives.They were so open, though.
From the minute he walked downstairs to breakfast the morning after, her hand linked with his, her family seemed to understand.Ellery’s mom wrapped them both in giant hugs.
