I bury my face in his chest. “I don’t want to go home in two weeks,” I whisper, my lips moving over his bare chest. The taste of the summer sun is strong on his tanned skin.
His grip tightens around me. “No more mention of Georgia.” He kisses the top of my head, lingering for a moment. “Let’s be in the here and now.”
He’s right.
Why am I torturing myself when we still have two weeks of unlimited, uninterrupted time together?
I exhale, releasing all my negative thoughts and the tension in my chest. “Let’s try swimming again.”
He shakes his head no.
“Why not?”
“If you really want to learn, we’ll keep working on it. But not today. And not for me. I want you to do it for yourself, not for any other reason.” My heart flutters as Nate cups my cheeks, gently brushing damp strands of hair off my forehead. “This isyourlife, Maddie. You’re the only one who decides what you want. You’re the boss of you. Don’t let anyone, including me, dictate your life.”
I love him.
“You said sailing is your life,” I whisper. “I want to be a part of that.”
He kisses my head again. “I shouldn’t have used that to push you into something you’re not ready for. That’s why life vests exist.” His smirk tilts playfully. “Besides, some people really are just terrible swimmers.”
“Nate!” I playfully shove his chest. “That’snotnice.”
He chuckles and pulls out his favorite cherry lollipop from his backpack. I snatch it and quickly stick it in my mouth.
The tart burst of cherry instantly reminds me of Nate’s kisses.
He tugs the stick, smirking as I slowly let the candy slide from my lips. Deliberately teasing him, I tightened my lips around it before releasing it with a quietpop.
Nate’s nostrils flare. “Fuck, you’re hot.”
He takes the lollipop from my fingers and slides it between his lips, swirling his tongue around the candy with excruciating slowness.
Watching him…his tongue…
Something snaps inside me, and I yank the lollipop from his mouth far less gently than he did and crash my lips to his.
He groans into the kiss, his hands finding my bare waist, gripping me tightly as he pulls me against him. My bikini-clad chest presses into his, my nipples turn to stiff peaks as they rub against him, and my skin ignites with excitement at the contact.
His lips part, his tongue teases against mine; there is no holding back my pleasure-filled moan that vibrates through us. We’re both too consumed and completely lost in the heat of our kiss when a loud, piercing whistle blows three times in succession from the lifeguard.
We jump apart, wide-eyed, chest heaving.
Something I find we’re doing more often than not.
When the lifeguards blow three times, it’s time to head back to the cabins to get ready for dinner.
“Madeline!” I look up, startled, and see Mase running with the other athletes.
I wave excitedly. I don’t often see Mase during the day because his practice facilities are on the opposite side of camp, nowhere near the pottery studio or any of the beach activities I love.
“I’ll meet up with you guys in a second,” Mase calls out.
“Like your fat ass can catch up to us,” Reade, one of the soccer players I recognize, calls out, laughing.
Mase flips him the bird as he jogs over to Nate and me.
He grabs me in a tight embrace, and I almost puke instantly.
