Cal’s gaze was scalding. Why was he looking at me like that? I wanted to scream that I didn’t mean it. Why didn’t I have a filter? That was super inconvenient right about now.
Say something! Let me know where I stand! Did I fuck this up or not?
Standing, he dropped a kiss on my cheek. “I’m going to shower and get ready for our hike later.”
Then, he walked into the boat, leaving me alone.
What kind of reaction was that? I couldn’t tell if he had gotten my meaning or if he was going to overanalyze it.
I wasn’t like the other girls. I didn’t need the mushy sentiments that came with a relationship. What we had was perfect. We enjoyed spending time together in and out of bed. That was more than enough for me.
Developing feelings for each other would only complicate things.
Closing my eyes, I silently cursed myself.
Me and my big mouth.
When we left for our hike, it was as if nothing had happened this morning. Cal was acting normal.
Maybe I was making too much of my comment. It would have been fine if I’d said it to anyone else. It had been meant in a casual way. But because we were sleeping together, it had the potential to mean more. I needed to get out of my damn head.
Everything seemed fine.
Much to my surprise, Amy and Liam joined us on the trek to the waterfall. Even after sleeping most of the past two days, Amy looked exhausted. Liam was attentive as always, holding her hand and helping her over the rocky terrain. He was wired to be overprotective, and if he were my man, I would have lost my shit by now. It looked stifling, if I was being honest, but Amy took it in stride, always patient with him. Liam would turn into a guard dog on steroids when he found out she was pregnant.
Trudging through the rainforest, we made it to a clearing, and the sight we encountered was breathtaking.
Water cascaded over a cliff from high above, falling into the pool before us. Sweaty from the hike, I didn’t waste a moment shucking my tank top and shorts before wading into the cool water.
Sinking down, I dipped my head underwater and pushed off the ground, gliding further into the natural pool. Breaking the surface, I smoothed the hair back from my face. Strong arms circled my waist, and I leaned my head back onto Cal’s chest.
“Beautiful,” he whispered low in my ear.
“It really is,” I sighed before turning in his arms.
Cupping my cheek, he smiled. “I wasn’t talking about the waterfall.”
The way he was looking at me, I knew he meant it. After this morning, I didn’t know what to think about anything when it came to our relationship. Everything was still too new.
Deflecting, I teased him, “Are you sure I haven’t scared you off this weekend with my big mouth?”
Cal smirked. “Baby, your mouth might be my favorite part of you.” I raised an eyebrow in doubt, and he quickly corrected, “Okay, second favorite. But don’t you worry, if that mouth runs away from you, I know exactly how to silence it.”
Heat pooled between my legs despite the cool water caressing my body. He knew that I knew exactly what that punishment was. His words from the first time we slept together often filtered into my dreams, leaving me panting and needy when I woke.
You’re off limits, and that’s enough to tempt me, but goddamn that mouth of yours. It deserves to be punished for half the shit it says. Maybe my cock shoved down your throat will be enough to shut you up for five minutes.
A shiver racked my body, thinking of them now.
Dropping his hands to my ass, he slid lower to my thighs, urging them gently around his waist. My core lined up with the erection barely contained in his swim trunks.
Why did we bring our friends with us on this hike again?
Reading my mind, Cal nipped my ear, one hand teasing the edge of my bikini bottom. “I want you so bad.”
Running my hand through his thick blond hair, which had become lighter after days spent in the sun, I sighed, shaking my head. “Me too, baby. But we can’t.”
One finger slipped beneath my suit, teasing my heated flesh. “All I have to do is slide this to the side. No one would ever know.”
