Colby grunts, lips twitching in barely restrained amusement. “Obviously. Are you always like this?”
I flush and look away from him. “No.”
“Just for your husband?”
God, Colby is going to kill me. I nod, unable to form words. Colby crosses the distance between us again to wrap me in his arms. He kisses me, soft and sweet, and tastes like blueberries. I don’t mind the flavor so much when it’s on his tongue.
My body relaxes against him as his large hands splay against my shoulder blades, pulling me closer against his warm body. Kisses have never been my favorite thing but kissing Colby Smith is slowly becoming addicting. The way he licks into my mouth, owning me with his lips, settles something in my perpetually impatient soul.
I’m dazed and starry-eyed when he finally pulls away. Colby pushes some of my wayward curls away from my forehead witha tender smile. I love the way his eyes crinkle at the corner when he smiles—so soft, so startlingly sweet.
“Be good today and I’ll give you anything you want tonight. Think you can do that?” I nod eagerly and he grins at me. “Such a good boy.”
I suck in an inhale because suddenly I’m dizzy. I’ve had a lot of encounters over the years, paid for and just for my pleasure. But no one has found my praise kink as quickly as Colby. Most times people seem more into degradation than anything, which is not remotely one of my kinks. Sure, I’ll perform, but it does nothing for me.
Being told I’m a good boy? Well, that lights up all the happy little nerve endings throughout my entire body. Colby just chuckles at my dazed expression and tugs me towards the bedroom by the hand.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” Colby tells me once we’re finished getting dressed. He’s wearing board shorts, an old faded T-shirt, and a black ball cap. Although he had a slight beard when I arrived, he’s not shaved since, so it’s messy and wiry, and I like it. The man always looks effortlessly good.
“Oh yeah?”
I follow him out of the house and into the Jeep. He loads a cooler into the Jeep along with a canvas bag of supplies. Colby puts a hand on my knee as we pull out of the driveway and set off for the surprise destination. I remind myself to not get used to this treatment. This is an act, we’re playing husbands, no one else will likely ever treat me this way.
Not because I’m not deserving of it but because it’s doubtful I’ll find someone so willing to spoil me like this ever again. It’s easy to allow myself to be spoiled under the pretend husband pretense. Something about Colby has made me open up in a way that previous experiences haven’t.
The Jeep speeds along the coastal highway for just long enough for me to get my fix of watching Colby drive. Colby pulls into a small but crowded marina. He uses a swipe card to admit us through the gate, navigating the Jeep towards a private parking lot that hugs the water.
I wait for him to hop out and open my door because I’m learning that Colby likes that. He takes pleasure in doting on me even if it’s hard for me to accept, to allow. He helps me to the ground. A gentle kiss is placed on my lips as a reward for waiting.
He holds his hand out, wiggling his fingers in a clear sign for me to take his hand. So I do. The marina is full of expensive boats, ranging from medium to massive. No clouds dot the sky today, so it’s a perfect day to be out on the water. Colby comes to a stop at a medium-sized speed boat with the nameSweet Darlin’along the side.
The boat rocks gently in the water as we move about. Supple tan leather covers the seating at the end of the boat. I take a seat as Colby bustles around the boat. He rests the cooler by my feet, and dips down to give me a lingering kiss.
“There’s an island thirty minutes out that we can explore. I thought you might like that,” Colby says as a flush fills out his cheeks.
I smile sweetly, warmed by his gesture. “I love that.”
I tug him down to me to kiss him once more. His smile presses into my mouth, tasting like pure sunshine. That’s what Colby tastes like, sunshine, joy, and humid summer days.
Wind whips against my face as we work our way out of the marina. Colby looks back at me every now and then, so I smile at him in reassurance. This man is so sweet and caring towards me, the escort he’s hired, that I’m a little thrown by it still. I’d expected a week of debauchery, not a week of tender dates and fond kisses.
I attempt to carefully rebuild the wall around my heart as we speed through the turquoise waves. Salt air rushes over me, healing me in ways I hadn’t known I needed to be healed. An island appears on the horizon, small but full of palm trees with rocks stemming out from the edges. Colby pulls up to a small wooden dock that’s definitely seen better days and ties us to it.
I grab the canvas bag before Colby can argue, following along behind him towards the island. A small hut sits at the edge of the trees and Colby eagerly heads towards it. Placing the cooler on the small wooden table, he gently takes the canvas bag from me.
“I’ve brought lunch, drinks, snorkeling masks, and sunscreen. Anything we could need for a day at the island.”
I cock my head at him. “Is thisyourisland?”
He only chuckles at me as he yanks his T-shirt off. I try to not get distracted by the sudden appearance of so much glorious tanned skin. “It belongs to the state park a little ways up the coast, but you need a permit to come out here. It’s a weekday, so it should be just us.”
“This is lovely, thank you, Colby.”
He flushes again before slathering sunscreen on himself, then onto me. I don’t have the heart to tell him that I never burn, I’ll just tan, because he seems to take such pleasure in the simple act of caring for me. I kiss his stubbled cheek in gratitude once he’s done. I walk down to the shore, with him plodding along behind me, and sigh as the water laps at my feet.
“It’s the perfect temperature.”
“It usually is this time of year.”
