I tilt my head. “Why?”
“A lot of reasons.”
I study him for a second—the way his tank clings to his chest from sweat, the way his eyes linger on mine a fraction too long. A lump forms in my throat, and I struggle to swallow. I clear my throat and look up at the darkening sky.
“Care to elaborate on those reasons?” I ask.
He unlocks the villa door, then turns to look at me. “Maybe later. I’m going to shower and head to dinner.”
He disappears into his room, and the soft click of the door echoes in the suddenly too-quiet space. I stand there for a long moment, fingers tracing the glittery heart still on my wrist, the ocean roaring beyond the deck. It feels like the room holds its breath after him.
The silence feels heavier than it should, like it’s waiting for something I can’t name.
Chapter Twelve
Milo
It’sa little after 1 a.m. when I finally reach the villa. The walk back from dinner felt endless. I’d dragged it out on purpose because I knew the second I was alone with Sienna again, I’d be tempted to cross the line I’d been trying so damn hard to respect.
It’s quiet inside. The ceiling fan spins lazy circles overhead, doing nothing to cut the humid restlessness buzzing under my skin. I stand in the entryway for a second, listening. The only sounds are the distant hum of waves and the faint bubbling of the hot tub.
Dragging a hand through my hair, I mutter a curse word or two under my breath. Sleep isn’t happening. Not with her less than twenty feet away, probably curled up in that oversized shirt she wears to bed every night.
The hot tub is what I need. Hot water to loosen the knots in my shoulders, steam to clear my head, and bubbles to drown out the thoughts that have been looping through my mind all evening.
I head into my room, strip down, and pull on my board shorts before padding barefoot through the living area. The deck doors are already half open. I slide them wider and step outside.
The deck is bathed in moonlight, the ocean a dark, shimmering expanse below. And the hot tub is already occupied by the woman who’s been dominating my mind all damn night.
Sienna has her head resting against the edge with her eyes closed, one arm draped lazily along the side, while the other holds a hollowed-out pineapple cocktail above the bubbling water.
She’s beautiful in a way that hits me like a punch to the gut every single time. The way the water clings to her collarbone, the way her lashes cast soft shadows on her cheeks, the way her lips part slightly like she’s sharing secrets only the stars know.
“Took you long enough,” she murmurs, not opening her eyes. “Was starting to think you’d burn a hole into the side of my head if you stared any longer.”
I freeze in the doorway. “How’d you know it was me?”
She smiles without looking. “Your footsteps. It’s like you’re always thinking about exactly where you’re going.”
I step closer, stopping at the edge of the hot tub. My bare chest suddenly feels cold against the warm, steamy air. “That’s… oddly observant.”
She shrugs and finally opens her eyes. They’re dark and sparkling in the moonlight. She tilts her head toward the other side of the hot tub. “Come on, get in,” she says. “The water isperfect.”
“Not the only thing that’s perfect.” I mutter under my breath.
She sips her cocktail, the little umbrella brushing her lip. “You flirting with me, Milo?”
I don’t answer her. Instead, I step into the hot tub. The water is almost scalding against my skin as I sink opposite her, bubbles churning around my legs. Our knees brush beneath the surface, but neither of us pulls away. The simple contact sends a sharp bolt of electricity up my thigh and into my groin.
She watches me settle, her gaze tracing my shoulders, my chest, the way the water laps at my waist. She doesn’t hide it, and I love that about her.
“You look good when you’re wet.” She muses, head tilted.
I swallow hard. “You look good always.”
She smiles. “Youareflirting with me.”
I don’t deny it.
