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)
“Oh, without a doubt,” Mila says. “With all my extra two months of experience in this world, my innocent little sister, yes. You need to find out the truth. Then you can figure out what to do about it.”
I stand, walking into the bedroom before I have a chance to talk myself out of it.
Picking up the phone, I navigate to Banner’s name, once again amazed at how expensive this event package must’ve been.
Mila stands in the doorway, the ocean behind her, looking at me with support in her eyes. She nods once, firmly, and I think that’s what gives me the courage.
Hey, Banner, I type. I was wondering if we could speak privately later for a few minutes if you’re free?
I swallow a big lump as I click send. Even as a voice hisses within that I’m being melodramatic. Then, tossing the phone onto the bed, I return to the balcony.
“In a way, I hope he doesn’t respond,” I murmur.
“So you don’t have to ruin all those fantasies about him?”
I smile at her, though I feel it trembling, feel how forced it is.
“You’re way too good at reading me.”
The phone chimes from the bed. Mila and I turn to look at it at the same time, staring as though it’s a bomb. As though it’s going to blow this whole weekend up.
As I read his text, I’m caught between screaming in joy and terror.
I think that would be a good idea. On the other side of the island, there’s a rock formation. Can we meet there an hour before the party later?
CHAPTER 4
Banner
I look out over the island, standing at the tallest part of the rock formation. There’s a grove of trees below, a small clearing.
From up here, I can spot the small lake too, or perhaps it’s more of a pond…a pond just like the one we were standing beside when we almost kissed, except this one’s brighter, bluer, and catching the sun which never seems to set.
I was with Gil when I received Brooke’s text, and it took everything I had to keep my face composed. My heart thundered inside of me, pounding against my chest, and then Gil mentioned this place as we were discussing the scenery.
It was about a mile’s walk down the nature path and then a short hike up a small hill.
I climbed up here because I wanted to see her coming.
And, if I’m honest, I wanted to see if anybody else was approaching.
The idea of sneaking around doesn’t appeal to me, but neither does the notion of Gil’s wedding, his chance at a newer, happy life after he lost Patricia, imploding because I can’t control myself.
My primal impulses stir as I watch my woman.
I watch Brooke walk into the clearing. She’s changed out of the dress into practical shorts and a polo shirt, but that only makes me hungrier, my gaze flitting to her thighs as my body stirs, my seed shooting up my shaft.
I’m getting hard already, and my mind’s skipping forward, too, into a future that doesn’t make any sense, a future that should make me hate myself.
And I do. But I also can’t stop.
She pauses below, looking up, her hand shielding her face.
“B-Banner?” she calls, her voice catching, making me want to hold her, kiss her, tell her she never has to be nervous with me. “I’m not sure I can climb up there.”
I nod, scrambling down the rock formation and then climbing the rest of the way. As my feet hit the ground – the bush crunching beneath me – I take a moment to compose myself before I turn around.
I try to compose myself, anyway.
But when I lay my eyes on her again, I realize how insane that idea is. It’s crazy thinking I could control my desire around here. Especially when she steps forward, tossing her hair, it’s now down past her shoulders, making me think of a veil, of kissing her and holding her, being with her forever.
“It’s hot out here,” she says quietly.
“Yeah.”
Silence hangs between us. I wonder if she senses all the unspoken things. Or if there are unspoken things on her side.
They’re not the same ones rioting through my thoughts, if there are.
She looks down, biting her lip.
It’s so difficult not to surge forward, to kiss her.
I remind myself anybody could walk by here. There are around twenty-five guests for the wedding, friends, and family. It’s small, making the island feel more private than it should, considering its size.
But there’s still a chance somebody could catch us.
“I guess you wanted to talk about the party?” I say.
Her gaze snaps to me quickly. A tremor hits her body, causing her curviness to shiver for me, especially her breasts, outlined gorgeously in that shirt. There’s nothing sexual about it, but I still can’t stop, can’t fight it as my cock gets even harder.