Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Sonya places her hand on his arm. “Gil, he’s just doing his job.”
And dad’s just doing his job, I think but don’t say. He’s defending his friend.
“It’s fine,” the guide cuts in. “We’re almost there. Then we can rest up and have some breakfast.”
We sit on a small rocky beach, not long at all, with the rocks rising all around us. The sun is high enough so we can claim a patch of light.
As I bring the sandwich to my mouth, I can’t stop myself from looking over at Banner.
He sits with Uncle Clive and Aunt Cynthia, munching slowly on his sandwich as though he’s as disinterested in the food as I am.
All I want is to be close to him again.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Dad asks, looking at me closely.
It’s the way he would often look at me after mom’s passing as if he was worried I would become ill too.
It took a couple of years for him to let that go, but it’s never gone completely.
I can’t blame him, but considering what his best man and I did yesterday, dad’s concern hurts. It’s like I want to scream the truth at him to make it stop, just to make it less painful.
“She’s been through a lot,” Sonya says.
Mila gives me a look, one that doesn’t need words. I can tell what she’s trying to say. She’s telling me she understands the full significance of what happened, the fact of who saved me, my man coming to my rescue as I always dreamed.
“It’s honestly not a big deal,” I murmur.
“Yeah,” Gil says. “Because Banner acted so fast. I was going to, but then it was already over.”
“Dad.” Reaching over, I place my hand on his, squeezing tightly. “Can we please just forget about it and enjoy the day instead? This is your wedding. Let’s have some fun and enjoy this beautiful place we’re in.”
“See,” Sonya beams. “She’s not such a kid after all, huh? I think that’s very mature, Brooke.”
I take the compliment, nodding, though my main concern is focusing on the sandwich…
And trying not to look over at Banner, sitting with his shirt now dry against his skin, though the crinkled material sits closer to his muscles. I adore his tight arms, broad shoulders, and the enthralling curve of his smirking lips as he talks with Clive.
I want to walk over and thank him, but I’m worried about standing so close, the memory of what we did yesterday being so recent.
Mila gives me a subtle nudge with her foot.
When I turn to her, she tilts her head. And I get it. She’s telling me I’m staring. Maybe I’m drooling, too, without even realizing it.
I take a big bite of my sandwich, mostly so I don’t have to speak and dad doesn’t keep worrying about me.
I’ll have to focus on the way back….
Except, some deranged part of me whispers, if I were to fall in again, my man would save me.
He’ll always save me.
It’s like my hand has a mind of its own, trying to get me to reach for the cell, so I can shoot Banner a sneaky text.
I don’t want to do a sneaky anything.
I don’t want to be the sort of woman who has to skulk around with her lover, her husband-to-be, the future father of her children.
But I’m stuck.
Or I could just stop caring.
I could let it all go. I could stop obsessing about him.
Yeah, right.
Dad stands, clapping his hands together. “Right then, I don’t see why Brooke should have all the fun. Who wants to go for a swim?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “I think I’ve had enough water for one day.”
Dad nods, looking over at Uncle Clive. “What do you think, Clive?”
Clive smiles, standing. “How could I say no to the groom, eh?”
My belly shivers when Banner agrees to go for a swim, rising languidly to his feet. He moves like a lion, lazily ready for anything, not at all shaken by what’s just happened.
“I could do with blowing off some energy,” he says in his husky voice.
When he looks over at me, I get the point. He’s as obsessed with what happened as I am, if only because it brought us close together. It let us touch each other and be near, despite the fact we promised we’d do anything but that.
My body starts heating up when Banner pulls his shirt over his head. I stare at his body, the broadness of his back, the tight muscles.
The sunlight shimmers against his ripped form. I want to drag my fingernails down his chest, feel how unbelievably firm he is, how solid my man is.
As they swim, I try not to stare at him, but my heart is pounding.
My body is a battlefield of desire, each one connected to the future, each one telling me to dive into the water and take him right there, to ride him until his seed erupts inside of me….