Page 86 of The Villain

His green eyes sparked with challenge. “Then take me inside.”

“I said I was going to give you a break.”

“It’s been over twelve hours.” He rolled his hips again, and our cotton-covered cocks rubbed against each other. “That’s enough of a break. Fuck me, Cian.”

So I hauled him into my arms, carried him into the room, and slid home inside his body.

Afterward, we showered together, and I pulled on a pair of jeans while he sat naked on the bed.

“What’re you getting dressed for?”

I tugged a shirt over my head. “We’re going to the beach.”

He frowned. “In jeans?”

“I’m running to the store to get us stuff.” I shoved a pack of cigarettes in my back pockets and grabbed my phone and wallet. “Don’t get into trouble in the twenty minutes I’m gone.”

Devlin laughed. “Oh. I can get intosomuch trouble in twenty minutes.”

I rolled my eyes, dropped a loud kiss on top of his head, and left. I’d noticed a beachwear store across the street from the hotel, and I made my way over. Inside, it was a kitschy tourist trap, the kind filled with random racks of cheap shit: name keychains, shot glasses, snow globes, stuffed animals. I found the clothing in the back of the shop and I grabbed a pair of swim shorts for each of us, along with two pairs of cheap slides. I wasn’t stomping onto the beach in boots.

On my way to the register, I snagged sunglasses, a few snacks, and enough sunscreen to cover an elephant. On a whim, I tossed two stuffed animals into my basket—a shark and anorca. I was horrified by what I’d turned into thanks to that fucking devil. Buying stuffed animals. I hadn’t done that since Jace was ten.

I pulled out a cigarette and slipped it between my lips while waiting in line to pay. When it was my turn, I dropped the basket on the counter and stared at the cashier. He couldn’t have been older than sixteen. It was a fucking Thursday. Shouldn’t this kid be in school or something?

His fingers twitched against the counter, and his gaze dropped to my lips before he swallowed heavily. “You can’t smoke in here.”

I spoke around the cigarette. “Does it look lit to you?”

He blinked. “No.”

I stared at him. He stared back. With a nervous throat clear, he started ringing up my items. I realized at the last minute that I needed something to carry all this shit in. This was Jersey, and most stores charged for plastic bags. Which was fine, because I cared about the environment like a decent fucking human being.

I snatched a woven straw beach bag off the nearest rack and tossed it onto the counter with everything else. “Put that shit in there.”

“Okay, sir,” he mumbled.

I left the store with my purchases in the new bag. It wasn’t until I got outside that I realized the damn thing had bright purple and yellow flowers stitched all over it. I pulled the straps over my shoulder and lit the cigarette between my lips before crossing the street. I was already itching to see Devlin.

When I opened the door to the hotel room, I found him sitting naked and cross-legged in the middle of the bed. Sports highlights played on the TV at a low volume. He rose onto his knees before pausing at the sight of my bag.

“What the hell is that?”

“A bag.”

He reached for it, then tilted his head as he read aloud, “Girls just wanna have sun.”

I looked down. “Didn’t see that when I bought it.”

“It’s cute. Really suits your vibe.”

“Shut up,” I pulled out the swim shorts I’d gotten him and tossed them at his head. “Put these on.”

He pulled the shorts off his face and held them up in one hand. They were covered in little cartoon frogs printed over a bright blue background. Devlin stared at them for what felt like way too fucking long, and warmth crept up my neck that absolutely wasnota blush. I’d just been out in the sun. That was all.

He dropped his hands into his lap, clutching the shorts in one fist. “I like them.”

All I could do was grunt.