Asher and Felix set up beach chairs and get a fire pit started. A beer is put in my hand and music booms out of the speakers set up nearby. The familiar rituals sink in, and I lay towels down and laugh as Danger charges one person then another, hoping for scratches.
More and more people come down. Faces I recognise, so many saying hello, asking how I am. It’s overwhelming, but the warm feeling grows, turning solid. Mack stays at my side, quietly watching as I fall back into my old life.
“Have fun.”
“What?” I only just get the word out before I’m lifted over someone’s shoulder, but it only takes a second before I know it’s Devon.
He’s wearing board shorts, and all of that hot, naked, muscular back is under my fingertips. I get five seconds to try to get my thirsty self under control before he dumps me in the ocean.
I bounce up, shrieking.
He laughs and flops in, swimming around me like a damn otter.
“Devon! This dress was my favourite.”
He pauses, with the water hiding his nose. His eyes watch me, slowly tracking down my body and back up.
He stands up, and as he does, I feel the dress gather in his hands, rising up my thighs.
“You look amazing with or without the dress.”
Say what?
Devon Hart is staring at me in a way that I have fantasized over for years, telling me I look amazing.
“What’s wrong?” he asks as he moves closer.
“I think I crashed my car on the way to Sunshine and never made it. This is clearly a dream.” And if it’s a dream, I don’t have to face reality. I don’t have to worry about being less.
“It’s not a dream.” He surges towards me, lifting me up. I wrap my arms and legs around him, holding on as he throws himself backwards, gliding us both under the waves. I open my eyes, watching him through the water. He’s so beautiful. Even muted underwater, the sheer depth of his alpha calls to me, and I want to give up everything to him.
He is my weakness.
He looks at me and then grips my head and seals our lips together.
My body turns to fire. It’s only fitting that this fantasy kiss would happen underwater. He drags us up, and I gasp for air, but before I can pull away, he’s there kissing me harder, his tongue in my mouth, his hand clenching my dress and dragging it higher so he can run his hand over my thigh.
My body heats, and I grind myself against him, desperately lost in him.
He falls back again until just our heads are above the water and kicks off. We float on the water; the kiss turning languid as he lets go of me and uses his powerful arms to keep us upright.
This is a dream.
There’s no way this is real.
“Devon!” A voice calls, and I stiffen as I register Sebastian’s angry demand.
“Ignore him,” Devon whispers and touches his lips to mine, chasing me as I turn away.
“We can’t.”
It is so tempting. I want more than anything to just throw it all away and fall into this intoxicating fantasy that’s somehow come to life.
“Devon!”
I pull back. “I don’t want to fight with him.”
Devon sighs. “Come with me tomorrow.”
