He took my hand and pulled me in closer. His hands grasped my waist. My body bumped against his, and I rested my hands on his shoulders. Closing my eyes for a moment, I relished his proximity—his warmth, the softness of his skin. Ibrought myself to his eye level, looping my legs around his torso and linking my ankles. Once again, I thanked the universe for the laser treatment. My legs and underarms responded well, but my bikini area not so much. Alas, now my down south didn’t have a landing strip exactly, more a savanna grassland—land at your own risk. And I bet Hunter wouldn’t mind taking a risk.
An electric current shot up my spine when my center smacked against Hunter’s firm stomach. The need for him blinded me. It took all my willpower not to move my hips and grind against him. His gaze swept over my face, and when he paused at my lips, the eagerness for what could come next sent a zing straight through me. I stared at his mouth, waiting, not breathing. We swayed with the push and pull of the ocean.
“Sydney”—his throat bobbed—“if I kiss you, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop.”
“You don’t have to stop.” My fingers played with soft curls on the nape of his neck.
His eyes flickered to mine, water droplets clinging to his long eyelashes. “Sex complicates things.”
Our relationship had an expiration date, and we were both well aware of it. Was he afraid to fall in love? Was I? Of course. I already had a crush on him. But if I kept in mind that this was a short-term affair, I wouldn’t develop anything more than a little crush. As for Hunter, he would move on after we had a good time. Perhaps he worried if we had sex, and it turned out to be awful, we risked cohabiting in awkwardness. Was he insecure? I could boost his confidence and make it easier for him by admitting that Phill was vanilla. An only on Sunday and Thursday kind of guy. And besides my ex I had nobody else to compare to.
“Hunter, it doesn’t have to be anything serious. It can be just a fun time between two consenting adults.”
“I don’t think you are someone I can just have fun with.” Hunter’s fingers moved on my back, pulling me closer, my breasts pressing into his chest. His eyes flitted across my face. “I already like you too much. It’ll hurt when it’s time for us to go our separate ways.”
I understood what he meant. The same fear pushed against my ribs, but I was also out-of-my-mind horny, and that was enough for me to take a risk.
Our breathing was quick and shallow. His pulse throbbed in his neck, the tempo no doubt matching mine. He was nervous. He was scared. And for that, I wanted Hunter even more.
His grip strengthened on my back, and he tilted his head, lips parting. The distance between us was a scant breath. My eyes went over his shoulder, and my heart stopped.
“Shark.” I choked on the word, fear knotting my throat. My right hand shot out to point at a black fin in the water about a hundred yards away from us.
Hunter tensed and twisted around. “Fuck.”
With me in his arms, he lunged us forward toward the dry land. When the water reached his waist, and my feet found the ground, I slipped out of his grasp. He gripped my hand and pulled me with him. My feet sank into the hot sand, but I didn’t stop and bolted to where the jungle encroached on the beach as if the shark would chase me this far.
“Oh my God.” Catching my breath, I hugged the leaning palm tree and pressed my forehead on its bark.
Hunter sunk onto the tree trunk, his chest heaving. “It’s probably the same blacktip reef sharks that have been visiting once in a while. They like to lurk around those rocks.”
“And after all these days, you just now tell me about it?” I peered at him around the tree.
“They are not bad. They’re friendly.”
I scoffed. “I didn’t see you staying in the water.”
“Well,” he chuckled nervously, “I wasn’t exactly keen on finding out if I’m right.”
My stomach hollowed. That Hunter wasn’t sure about the type of shark it was only made my anxiety worse.
“No more swimming for me.” I flung my arm out toward the ocean. “I’m not going back there ever again. Knee-deep, and not an inch deeper.”
Hunter waved his hand dismissively. “Swimming in the ocean is overrated anyway.”
Once my breathing subsided, I slumped next to Hunter, our thighs touching, my eyes on the black dot circling in the water. “No doubt this island has treasure because all kinds of things that want to murder intruders guard it. Snakes. Sea urchins. Sharks. You name it.” I laughed, but Hunter didn’t. I glanced at him and caught him looking at me. His eyes were soft and curious.
“What?” Feeling self-conscious, I smoothed my hair and looped some of it behind my ear. I hadn’t had a chance to check out my new haircut before we spun to the beach. So, for all I knew, I might have looked like Gollum (and Hunter wasmy precious).
“Stop fidgeting with your hair,” Hunter said, wrapping his fingers around my wrist and taking my hand away from my head.
The spot where his thumb touched ignited, and heat threaded its way through my muscles, electrifying my body. Hunter’s eyelashes lowered as his gaze dropped to my lips. When he lifted them back there was an unspoken question in his darkened eyes. My breath stalled.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he said, his voice low, deep, and thick.
“Please.” I managed.
Hunter cradled my face in his hands and bridged the distance between us, pressing his hot mouth over mine. The feel of his soft lips sent my world off its axis. A sigh escaped my throat. God, his mouth. His gorgeous, seductive, incredible mouth.
