Appearing beside Stacey, Xander pulls her into his arms and kisses her temple. She smiles as his lips touch her, but she still keeps a firm hold of Felicity's hand. I feel Max's deep sigh against my back. He leans down towards my ear and kisses me quickly on the cheek.
Releasing me, he approaches Stacey. After ducking his head to find her gaze, he grips her shoulder. "You know I'm a jerk. You've known me a long time... But you also knowyou’re my family. You know that's how I feel, right?" Her eyes are instantly glassy. "Don't do that." He coaxes her from Xander and cuddles her against him, kissing her forehead. She returns his hug briefly, then steps back and punches his arm. I beam at them.
Keeping his grip on Stacey, he puts his other hand on Flick's shoulder. He shifts his gaze between them. "Felicity, thank you for telling me about Salvatore. I need you two to do that for me. If you so much as hear Cassidy's name, I want to know about it. Can you do that?" Stacey instantly nods.
I'm surprised when Flick agrees as well. "Sure thing, Max."
"Good girls." He pulls them both in for a quick, firm hug before walking back over to me.
"What a pussy," Xander laughs.
Max chuckles as he slips his arms around me. "Watch the fireworks, dickhead."
You're not a bad person
When our motorbikestops outside of a different villa, I'm both wary and excited. Max leans forward and twists the front tyre into position as I jump off. He effortlessly swings his leg over the sleek black motorbike and looks at me as if he's ready to eat me.
His tongue lathers his lower lip while his gaze caresses my naked thighs. "What was it you said about that straitjacket?"
I take a step back, feeling my pulse quicken. "Where are we?"
"I want you to be able to scream."
My breathing becomes deep and laborious. "Okay."
Before I can take another step backwards, he's sweeping me into his arms and carrying me inside.
Our last night in Bali is spent having wild, profound, and mind-blowing sex in our very own villa.
We are both athletic and yet, by the end of it, we are flayed out on the mattress, chests heaving, legs entwined, bodies slick with moisture, mouths red and raw. I spread mythighs, humming at the feel of the breeze from the overhead fan licking my swollen parts. God, this feels good.
"Are you sore?" he asks, facing me.
I roll onto my shoulder and peer up at his beautiful face. "A little." Shuffling me about, he places my head on his thick bicep as a pillow, holding me close. He brushes a rogue strand of hair from my face and grins.
"I'll lick you all better tomorrow."
My palm meets his chest and I can feel his heart beating on the other side. Slow and relaxed. "Last time you said that, you disappeared for two weeks."
"I won't be doing that again."
"What's going to happen when we get back to the District?"
He gazes down at me through his lashes. "What do you mean?"
"With us?"
His brows tighten. "Nothing."
The ambiguity in that response causes my breath to catch. "Oh."
He reaches for my face, his thumb running along my jaw. "No, Little One. What I mean is, we'll stay the same. You'll go back to dancing. I'll go back to studying and working. We'll see each other most nights."
I exhale and press my lips together to stop from beaming at him. "Most nights? Really?" My voice gives away my excitement, pitching higher.
I wish I was cooler.
He chuckles softly. "Sure. If you want."
