My arms instinctively tighten around her, pulling her closer to my chest. “Yeah?”
She nods, her cheek brushing my shirt. For a long moment, she stays quiet, simply existing here with me. Then, almost shyly, she whispers, “I don’t want this to end.”
The words settle deep in my chest, soft and heavy all at once.
I tilt my head down and press a slow kiss to her temple. “It doesn’t have to,” I murmur. “Not if you don’t want it to.”
Sienna pulls back just enough to look up at me, her eyes bright and searching. “You mean that?”
“I mean it.” I rest my forehead against hers, our noses brushing.
She blinks up at me, a dozen emotions flickering across her face too quickly to name. Then a soft, shaky laugh escapes her—the kind that teeters between crying and smiling.
“Oh my God, I just thought of another dumb one,” she says, already launching into the story. “This one time when we were sixteen, Aria and I?—”
I listen, content, unable to keep the smile off my face as she dives into the memory. As I watch her, I feel something I haven’t felt in longer than I can remember.
Excitement for whatever comes next.
Chapter Thirty-One
Sienna
When we get backto the villa, I make a beeline for the deck. I kick off my sandals and walk to the edge, staring at the dark water sparkling under a sky thick with stars.
My skin is still warm from the wine and Milo’s touch, but the cool night breeze sends goosebumps up my arms. I glance back at Milo. He’s watching me with that steady, intense look that always makes my stomach flip.
“Skinny dip with me?” I ask, a playful grin tugging at my lips.
Milo raises one dark brow, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Right now… in the ocean?”
I don’t wait for a proper answer. I reach for the hem of my sundress, pull it over my head, and let it drift to the floor. The cool night air kisses my skin as I unhook my bra and slide my thong down my legs.
Naked under the stars, I feel wild, free, and a little reckless.
“Sorry, that wasn’t a question. It was more of a ‘you’re doing this with me whether you like it or not,’” I grin, already stepping back toward the stairs that lead down to the beach. “Come on. Don’t tell me the big, steady Milo Reyes is scared of a little dark water after everything we’ve survived this week.”
He watches me for a beat, his eyes darkening with heat and something softer. Then, with a low chuckle, he starts undressing—shirt, shorts, boxer briefs. The sight of him makes my mouth go dry.
“You’re going to be the death of me, Sienna,” he mutters, but he’s smiling as he takes my hand.
We run down the steps together, laughing like idiots. The first wave hits my ankles, and I squeal at the chill.
“Oh my God, it’s colder than I expected!” I yelp, but I keep going, tugging him deeper. “Why did I think this was a good idea?”
“Because you’re insane,” Milo replies, his laughter warm. He stays right behind me, his hands on my waist to steady me as the water rises to my thighs, then to my waist. “And I’m apparently just as insane for following you.”
When the water reaches my chest, I turn in his arms and wrap my legs around his hips. He carries me effortlessly as the water laps around us, carrying us deeper. His skin is warm against mine, a perfect contrast to the cool ocean.
We’re far enough from shore now that the world feels like it belongs only to us. The stars overhead are impossibly bright, their light dancing on the gentle ripples. The only sounds are the soft lap of waves and our breathing.
I cup Milo’s face with both hands, my thumbs brushing his jaw. For a long moment, I just look at him—really look. The way starlight catches in his eyes. The faint stubble on his jaw. The quiet strength in the way he holds me like I’m something precious.
My heart does a dizzying flip.
I never expected any of this.
I came to this island for my sister’s wedding. That was supposed to be it. I definitely didn’t expect to meet a tall, grumpy stranger on the flight here, drench his crotch with water, getdouble-booked into the same villa with him, and then start… falling?
