The lights from the house illuminate a little bit of the ocean beyond, but other than that, I can’t make much out. It’s perfect. I could almost imagine there’s no one else on this island other than us.
“Do you like it?” Sebastian asks, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
“I love it,” I say, twisting my head to look at him. Sebastian takes my lips, dipping his tongue into my mouth. It’s strange to think, nearly a month ago, he was chasing me through the park with a vengeance, and now we’re standing in this beautiful house, on an island away from anyone that could hurt us.
The sun heats my skin as I lie on a lounge chair by the pool. It’s not overly hot, but with the clear skies, it’s a nice change from Sydney’s cold weather. We’ve only been here for half a day, but already I don’t want to go back. It’snicebeing away from everything.
I’m wearing one of the bathing suits Lauren had brought with her yesterday when she came to help me pack. Obviously, she knew more about where we were going than I did. There had been a couple of options, but I’d chosen to wear the white one-piece suit. It’s single-shouldered and simple. It’s also the only suit that wasn’t in two pieces. Even though it was just the two of us, I didn’t feel comfortable wearing anything less than this.
There was somethingelsein my suitcase that I was trying to build up the courage to wear at some point, though.
Shielding my eyes with my hand, I tilt my head up in time to see Sebastian emerging from the water. My mouth goes dry at the sight of him. His shorts stick to his muscular thighs, and his abs flex as he lifts his hands to his face before running them through his hair. It only takes him two steps to reach me from the pool’s edge.
“Grace?”
“Huh?” I snap my eyes away from following the rivulets of water as they run over the dips and ridges of his body.
“I asked if you were hungry,” he says, raising a brow at me.
“Mm-hmm,” I say, though it’s notfoodI’m thinking of.
“Is that so?” Sebastian asks, and before I know it, he’s lifting me off the lounge chair.
“Sebastian, what are you doing?” I squeak. Sebastian doesn’t answer me, but I try to push out of his hold when he moves towards the pool. “Sebastian, don’t you dare!” The last thing I hear before he steps off the edge of the deck is his deep chuckle.
I manage a breath before I’m submerged in water, still restrained in Sebastian’s arms. When we break back through the surface, I push my now wet hair off my face.
“What did you do that for?” I slap him on the chest. There’s not much force behind it as I struggle to keep a serious face. Sebastian grins at me, and my breath nearly whooshes out of me. He smiles at me, sure, but it’s rare that I get one completely uninhibited as this. It makes him look younger, playful even. If I didn’t want to keep staring at it, I’d kiss it right off his face.
“I like you wet,” he says as he leans down before nipping my earlobe. The double entendre doesn’t escape me. My feet barely touch the ground, but the arm he still has around my waist keeps me up.
“I likeyou.” Sebastian brings his face back in front of mine, his eyes flicking between mine. When it seems like he’s about to lean in, I swipe my hand through the water before sending a large splash in his direction. His arm loosens around me enough that I’m able to wiggle out.
“Grace,” he growls as I swim away. I don’t make it very far before his strong arms wrap around me again, and I let out a half squeal, half laugh.
Sebastian spins me in his arms before caging me against the side of the pool. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to outswim him.
My breath comes in hard puffs from the effort as well as anticipation of what’s coming next. I only catch a glimpse of Sebastian’s heated eyes before he slams his mouth to mine.
No, I most definitely don’t want to leave this place.