I had a hunch it had everything to do with the woman with whom I was on this vacation.
I’d never thought of myself as an adrenaline junkie. I had no interest in skydiving or bungee jumping, but I did thrive under the pressure of a clock counting down and a rabid fan base screaming from the sidelines. But all of that seemed to soften and fade away when I was in Eva’s proximity. We still brought out each other’s competitive side, but we’d found new things to one-up each other on.
Orgasms, for example.
My memory didn’t have to stretch back too far to recall the official start of our vacation. Jet-lagged and slightly sticky from the flight, Eva had still looked impossibly good in high-waisted shorts and a ribbed tank top knotted at her waist. All I could think about was getting her alone.
We hadn’t made it an hour into the trip before I had her pressed up against the cool tile wall of our room, kissing her like I’d been parched for weeks and she was the only thing that could satisfy me. She’d laughed into my mouth, told me we had all week, but I couldn’t help it. The plane had landed, but I hadn’t.
We hadn’t even unpacked. Just dropped the bags, drew the curtains, and tumbled into bed like the heat between us couldn’t be postponed.
I stirred the ice in my drink again, then brought the salted rim to my lips, hiding a private smile. We’d only emerged for food and water that first day, and even that had taken effort. Every time I’d tried to put distance between us—get dressed, check the resort’s amenities list, rinse the sweat off—she’d found some way to pull me back in. Her mouth behind my ear. Her fingers slipping beneath the hem of whatever I was wearing. Her quiet command:Come back to bed.
So I did.
It wasn’t just sex. It was joy. It was playful and greedy and worshipful. I’d never been touched like that before, or wanted to give so much in return. She made me feel powerful and undone at the same time.
“Another, Miss?”
I blinked again, pulled back into the present by the bartender.
“Oh. Sorry.” I set my glass down. “No, gracias.”
The bartender smiled and said something polite, but I hardly registered it, still thinking about the way Eva had looked straddling my lap on the edge of the hotel bed, her braids slipping loose from their bun, her mouth curved in a lazy, satisfied smile that saidwe’re not done yet.
I turned away from the bar and watched the entrance for Eva’s arrival. Couples and families with young children streamed through the entryway. Each one lookedindistinguishable from the next, a long assembly line of resort wear and bad sunburns.
My attention had nearly glazed over when a tall, striking woman stepped up to the hostess stand. She looked effortlessly elegant in a long, flowing linen dress. A knitted shawl, more fashionable than practical, hung loosely from her arms. The dress’s halter top fastened behind her neck, drawing the eye to her strong shoulders and the graceful curve of her collarbone. The fabric skimmed past her knees almost to her ankles, but a high slit revealed toned calves that led into delicate, strappy sandals. Despite frequent sunscreen reapplications, she looked sunkissed. Glowing. Or maybe I was only in love.
Eva’s features remained neutral as she scanned the interior of the restaurant in search of me. She looked unbothered and unworried. Her beautiful face lit up, however, when her gaze fell on me.
She’d already seen what I was wearing back in the room, but the look she gave me suggested she was seeing it for the first time. Or seeing it differently. I felt good. Relaxed. And, honestly, I thought Ilookedgood, too. My fitted button-up hugged my biceps just right. The linen pants I’d chosen were sharply pressed, elongating my already long legs.
I stood a little taller as she approached, her long strides making easy work of the distance between us. She stopped in front of me, her gaze cataloging the view. Then, with a quiet sort of familiarity, she reached out and smoothed an invisible wrinkle on my shirt.
“Is this new?” she asked.
I glanced down from her light honey eyes to where her fingers had moved to the pendant on my necklace.
It wasn’t new. It wasn’t even particularly stylish. I was pretty sure she just wanted a reason to touch me.
“No.”
She hummed softly, considering. “I like it. It suits you.”
The fingers that had investigated my necklace slipped down to meet my hands. Her fingers intertwined with mine. It was an intimate and familiar gesture, one that had been forbidden until only a short while ago. Since our viral kiss on the basketball court, Eva had noticeably softened and become more demonstrative, both physically and verbally. She hadn’t settled on a pet name for me yet, but I trusted we’d get there.
The hostess appeared and gestured for us to follow. We weaved through crowded tables and wide archways that let in the ocean breeze. When we reached our table, I stepped ahead to pull out Eva’s chair.
“Thisis new,” she murmured as she sat, the faintest smile tugging at her mouth.
I shrugged as I pushed in her chair. “It felt right.”
Eva’s eyes flicked to mine. “It’s sweet, Lex.”
I’d never done that for anyone before. Not because I hadn’t cared, but because I hadn’t thought to do it. But with Eva, it came without thinking—a reflexive urge to make her feel safe. Cared for.Cherished. The word felt too delicate, too tender, but it was the one that stuck.
The moment broke as another uniformed staff member—our waiter, I assumed—stopped by our table.
