The girls gaped at me, then at Karson, before dissolving into a fit of giggles as they hurried away.
“Wait, how many kids do we have?” he said as we cracked up. “Thanks, Ivy. You saved me. That was awkward… you Aussies are a determined bunch.” He chuckled and wolfed down his burger.
“Hey! Technically, you’re Aussie too, so careful what you say!” I teased.
I bit into my burger, laughing at myself for being jealous… I’d never felt that way before.
After lunch, we joined the small line at the River Dream.
When our turn came, Karson grabbed the tube in front of us and hurled himself onto it, then I jumped on right beside him.
My thigh pressed up against his rock-hard one, I held my breath as a quiver passed through me. As I checked out his powerful quads, I wondered what he did to get such great muscle tone.
Whatever it is, it’s working.
This guy is a total babe, but he’s so much more. I’ve never met someone so genuinely lovely… it’s so easy with him.
And fun. Why can't he live here?
I leaned closer, savoring the feel of his chest against my arm as we spun down the river through the tropical gardens surrounding us.
One of his hands rested on my thigh while the other was tucked behind his head. He stretched back luxuriously against the soft tube, eyes closed, catching the sun on his face.
Firm jaw. Full lips. Flawless tanned skin.
An elegant nose that fit the proportions of his exquisite face perfectly. Rays of sunshine spilled onto his tousled hair, and a few strands fell down over his forehead.
He smiled lazily. Moving his arm out from behind his head, he shifted closer, tracing his finger slowly up the length of my arm.
A wave of yearning engulfed me. I sighed softly, pressing my palm against his hard, wet chest.
“Ivy, what are you doing to me?” he murmured, tracing my bottom lip with his thumb.
I tilted my head to the side, as his warm lips met mine. Heat surged through me, stealing the breath from my lungs.
As I melted into the kiss, I gripped his chiseled arms. His tongue brushed against mine, sending another rush through me.
We broke apart slowly.
“Ivy, I…” he murmured, frowning as he rubbed his forehead.
The tube twirled down the river as we clung to each other silently. His fingers brushed my cheek and a flicker of sadness crossed his face.
My heart sank. “Karson, I wish you didn’t have to leave. I’m going to miss you.” A lump formed in my throat.
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” he whispered, letting out a small moan. “You know, I’ve never been able to talk to anyone the way I can talk to you.”
The tube bumped up against the river wall, jolting us even closer together.
“We get each other,” he said, the start of a smile playing at his lips. “And I don’t care what you look like.”
“Hey!” I smacked him on the arm lightly. “Watch it, buddy.”
He chuckled and pushed a strand of wet hair off my face. “What I meant was, even if you weren’texquisitely… beautiful,” he said softly, “I’d still feel the exact same way about you. You have this warmth and inner beauty about you that I can’t resist.”
We entered a dark tunnel, and everything went black. I could feel his chest rising and falling beneath my hand.
“Ivy Lawrence,” he whispered into my ear, “you’rethemost incredible woman I’ve ever met. Smart. Funny. Determined… And so hot, I can barely even breathe when I’m around you.” His cheek pressed against mine as we held each other, and came back into the light.
