His Paradise

“He’s watching,” she says and winks at me.

I suddenly feel self-conscious about what he sees when he looks at me. I move my body to the beat of the music and try not to feel shy. I’m not skinny like a lot of girls that run around on the island in their bikinis. I have curves, but they are toned from all the swimming I do. The ocean calls to me every morning, and I spend over an hour in it each day. Some people need coffee, I just need the waves.

I lick my lips, still feeling his mouth on mine. It’s been too long since I’ve been kissed. I didn’t realize how lonely I was until he touched me. I wish he would have pulled me against him. I wanted the heat of him all over me. I wonder if I’d need the calm of the ocean if I woke in the mornings with him in my bed. My breath hitches as an image of his naked, muscled body on mine flashes through my mind.

“You can’t be that flushed from dancing already,” Sammy says as she tosses her head back and laughs at her own joke.

I look over my shoulder to see if he’s still watching. He is, but now the resident hussy Vicky has slid up beside him. My eyes narrow. She’s the welcome wagon on the island. Every new man who comes here gets a warm welcome from her. Not that I blame them. She’s beautiful. I also can’t blame her for locking her sights on Liam. He’s unmissable in a sea of people. But I already feel like I’ve laid claim to him, and suddenly I feel like she’s trying to step on my territory.

Vicky is talking to Liam, but I’m not sure he’s listening to her. He’s got his eyes on me until she touches his arm to get his attention. I watch as he jerks back and looks down at her and his eyebrows scrunch together. He presses his full lips together in a straight line like he’s trying to stop himself from saying something.

“Fuck her,” Sammy growls. I look at her and she’s giving Vicky a deadly stare.

“What’s your beef with Vicky?” I ask.

I’m the one who should be pissed. He kissed me just moments ago. I don’t even want to turn and look back to see if Vicky has got his attention. It never takes her long. I wish I had some of her confidence with men. Then maybe I wouldn’t spill my drinks on them.

“Nothing,” Sammy says, but I can hear the bitterness in her voice. “Forget them all. We’re here to have fun.” She starts dancing again and I decide to join her.

I’ve never let a man stop me from having a good time and I’m not going to let it happen tonight. We get lost in the music for so long that we don’t even realize how much time has passed. Soon the dance floor is packed and two guys I’ve never seen before come sliding up to us.

I turn around to face away from them, but when I do I run right into Liam. He’s looming over me, but he’s not looking at me. Instead he’s got his eyes on the guys behind me.

“Fuck off,” Liam orders the guys and then dismisses them as he looks down at me.

The music is loud, but I can feel the possession rolling off of him. Somehow it’s not suffocating. Instead it’s pulling me closer to him. He puts his hand around my waist and pulls me closer to him. He leans down and I can feel his warm breath in my ear.

“I want to finish the drink you owe me.”

“Oh, you’re not busy with someone else? I thought…” I trail off when I realize I’m shouting.

The music has been switched off and I look towards the jukebox to see the sheriff standing there. He’s got the cord in his hand and he’s glaring in our direction.

“Fire hazard. Too many people on the dance floor.”

He drops the cord and glares at the guy standing next to Sammy. She crosses her arms over her chest and huffs.

“You’ll never get re-elected at this rate!” Sammy shouts at him, and I hear a few chuckles from the locals around the bar.

“Here they go,” someone in the crowd says.

The two of them fighting is a normal scene around here. Well, I’m not sure if it’s fighting. Sammy is the only one who yells. Cyrus just hands orders and stands there not one bit scared of her bark. Normally when she gets worked up everyone runs. Sammy is sweet as apple pie when she likes you, but get on the other side of that and you’ll curse the day you crossed her.

That’s when you end up with your car wrapped in saran wrap or wake up to your white fence painted Barbie pink. I still can’t believe he hasn’t painted it white again. It’s been seven months.