Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“Tell me what you’re heading back to that makes you not want to leave this place,” he said. “What does your day-to-day life look like?”
I took another long sip of my coffee. “Nothing that brings me joy, to be honest. Lots of school work. An apartment that reminds me of my ex, which in turn reminds me of the fact that I wasn’t enough for someone I thought the world of.”
Tate shook his head. “He did you a favor.”
I raised a brow. “You think?”
“You don’t need to be tied down at your age. You’ll find out eventually that there was a reason it happened. It left room for something bigger and better.”
“Bigger and better is sitting right here, but doesn’t want me, either,” I teased. Well, maybe I was half serious. I couldn’t help but feel a bit self-conscious about Tate’s continued resistance. Despite our age difference, hadn’t I proven myself by now?
There wasn’t even a hint of amusement on Tate’s face after that comment. “It’s not about not wanting you.” His jaw tightened. “I want you very badly.”
“Say that again.”
He looked into my eyes and repeated, “I want you very fucking badly.”
“Even better when you add the expletive.” I smiled, but then it faded.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You’re sending me mixed messages.”
“I know that.” He frowned. “It’s a reflection of the confusion I feel.”
“You’re physically attracted to me. And you think I’m nice, even mature for nineteen-almost-twenty. But you’ve still written me off because of my age.”
He nodded. “There might be some truth to that.”
“I’m not asking for a relationship with you, Tate. I just want to make some memories while we’re here, to experience something I never have. Something thrilling with someone I feel a true connection with. It will give me something to think about when I’m old and gray—you know, the present time for you.”
He broke out into laughter. “You little wiseass.”
I stirred around the ice in my cup. “Okay, but the truth is, even if we never hook up?” I grinned. “I’m still having the time of my life, and I’m grateful to have crossed paths with you.”
“Well, good.” He smiled. “Right back at you, DD.”
I stood suddenly. “What are we doing next?”
“Your choice,” he said.
Yes. I knew just the thing.
Chapter 7
* * *
TATE
As his hands slid down her back, I wondered how much more of this torture I could take.
Doris-Delores had chosen a couples’ massage for our afternoon activity. There were a few problems with this.
One: We weren’t a couple, and this activity made it seem like we were to anyone observing.
Two: She’d specifically requested a male massage therapist; pretty sure that was to fuck with me.
And three: Seeing her splayed out on a table half-naked next to me was not helping the situation below my waist. Pretty sure this was all part of her plan to slowly kill me on this vacation.
Just when I’d thought I couldn’t be any more turned on, she decided to take her top off, displaying a generous amount of side boob pressed against the table. Only her bottom was covered by the white towel as she lay on her stomach. I had the same situation going on, with only a towel covering my ass. I caught her looking at me with that naughty grin on her face. She knew exactly what she was doing when she’d booked this torture disguised as a massage.
The spa area opened up to the ocean, only partially shielded by linen curtains that blew in the breeze. I tried to concentrate on the sounds of the water versus what was happening next to me, because any time my eyes veered to the side, I only got more pissed off.
Needless to say, this massage wasn’t all that relaxing.
“So, are you guys on your honeymoon?” the woman working on me asked.
“No.” I groaned. “We just met, actually.”
“He’s trying to resist me,” Doris-Delores added gleefully. “He’s thrilled that another man is touching me so he doesn’t have to.”
The dude massaging her chuckled, as did the woman working on me.
“I see,” my massage therapist said. “Interesting dynamic.”
With every stroke of the guy’s hands on her skin, I felt more territorial. And even though it sounded fucking obsessive, if I couldn’t touch her, I didn’t want anyone to. Not even like this.
It didn’t help that the guy was tall and pretty good-looking. He was also closer to her age.
Fuck.
She closed her eyes, seeming to really enjoy her massage. That was the point of this, wasn’t it? Except I was too busy monitoring what was happening to the right of me.
She moaned, and I felt it in my dick. She opened her eyes and promptly caught me looking at her. She flashed an impish grin, proving once again how much she enjoyed torturing me.
When he moved to work lower on her back, I gulped. Her skin looked so damn smooth. My hands ached to touch her like that. He applied pressure, circling his thumbs against her spine as I continued to watch like a hawk. I couldn’t help myself. I was just as transfixed as I was on alert.