“You all right?” he asks, shifting so he’s leaning over me.
“I’m great. Never better, in fact. I just don’t want you to worry. I meant what I said before. I’m a big girl. I know how this works. I’m not going to drag you down the aisle or something,” I tell him, my heart in my throat.
“I didn’t think you would,” he answers, looking confused. “You sure you’re okay? Because you seem to be freaking out a little.”
“I’m not freaking out,” I answer with a little chuckle to show him how ‘not freaked out’ I am. “But I wanted to check in and make sure you weren’t regretting what just happened. I know your rules on relationships and I’m cool with the way things are. We can have fun while we’re here and when it’s over, it’s over, right?”
My heart squeezes and my stomach flips while I wait for his answer.Please say you want to make this permanent. Please, I beg you.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say he looks almost … hurt. But he gives me a confident smile. “Paige, I don’t regret what we just did. In fact, if anything, it’s made me want you even more, now that I know what it’s like between us.”
“It has?”
“Yeah,” he says, kissing me again. “Which is honestly saying something because pretty much the only thing I’ve been thinking about since I met you is getting you naked.”
My cheeks flame at the idea that this Adonis has been wanting me as much as I wanted him, and I realize I have to tell him the truth about trying to get him into bed a fewdays ago. “Speaking of getting each other naked, you know the other day, when you were gone and that big storm hit...”
“You left my bedding out in the rain on purpose?”
I shut my eyes out of guilt and shame. “Yeah, I did.”
“I know.”
“I thought you may have guessed, but umm … I couldn’t find the right time to tell you without jeopardizing my chances of doing what we just did on account of you being turned off by the fact that I’m a total liar.”
He gives me the world’s sexiest half-grin. “It wouldn’t have jeopardized anything.”
“It wouldn’t have?” I ask, reaching up and running my fingertips over his jaw.
He lifts his hand to mine and plants a few kisses on my knuckles. “Normally lying is a hard no, but if the situation were reversed, I’d have done the same thing.”
I laugh, feeling relieved and turned on at the same time. “You have no idea what a relief that is. It’s been bugging me for days.”
Mac gives me a lingering kiss, then says, “How about this? While we’re here, don’t let anything bug you. Let’s just let ourselves enjoy what we’ve got, and not over-think anything.”
“What a great idea,” I whisper, desperate for us to remain every bit as close as we are right at this moment. “You were right, by the way.”
“I usually am, but what are you referring to?”
“The part about you ruining me for other men.”
Mac grins, his dimples popping. “So I did what I set out to do, then.”
“You’re going to have to do it again—over and over—just to make sure you thoroughly finish the job by the time we get rescued.”
“Gladly.”
And with that, he pulls me on top of him and ruins me once more, only this time in a completely new way.
MEANWHILE…
Text to Paige from Vivian:
Vivian
Hey Paige, Li’l Rhythm made the best video about you to try to get everyone in America to pressure the authorities here to find you. I can’t wait to show it to you. It’s going to make you cry. Your parents are here with me and they’re holding up all right. We’re doing our best to keep each other’s spirits up. All that to say, please hurry up and get found, because this sucks Guy balls.
Email from: [email protected]
