Mouth to Mouth (Beach Kingdom 1)

A smile curved her lips as she opened her eyes and stared at their reflection in her hanging mirror across the room. Their size difference and…just plain differences were on full display. He was tall, hard-bodied and covered in ink, dark hair in a messy wreath around his head. Olive was small, paler, fair, not a tattoo to be found. Rory had a possessive arm slung over her middle, his softly breathing mouth lost somewhere in her hair. The hair on his thighs tickled the backs of her legs, and somehow that was a wild turn-on.

What would they do when he woke up? Would he roll her over onto her stomach and just pressssss inside of her hot and slow? She recalled his gruff morning voice from the last time they’d spent the night together and wanted to hear it again, abrasive and urgent in her ear.

Olive closed her eyes and focused on keeping her breathing even, lest she wake up her boyfriend with horny face in full effect. Although, Rory definitely wouldn’t mind. As if his body sensed hers was awake, his erection swelled against her bottom, pressing into the split of her cheeks. Olive mouthed oh my God at her reflection in the mirror, her eyelids fluttering at the new sensations. Not only was she waking up in a man’s arms, she was waking up beside a sexy, caring, sensitive, magnetic man who she also happened to be in love with.

So in love she wondered if he could hear the rapid acceleration of her heart. The way it rebounded off her ribs like a ping pong ball in a dryer.

I should tell him.

At the very notion, her stomach turned over and the beating of her heart took on a different quality. A nervous one. Before she’d fallen asleep last night, she’d dropped from the highest high, down to an unstable precipice. She was falling deeper and deeper in love with Rory, but the fall only seemed to be making her more scared. More apprehensive over how long he’d remain in her life.

Sure, the way Rory felt about her was in every touch, every kiss and word. But he had his insecurities and the past to overcome. Her heart believed he would come back to her every night. Her head was a different story, though. He’d walked away once. He’d walked away. And if he did it again, after her feelings for him had gone past the point of return, would she survive it?

Needing some air, Olive eased out from beneath Rory’s heavy arm, one corner of her mouth edging up as he rolled onto his back, arms and chest flexing as he stretched and went still again. She could have sat there memorizing every inch of him, but she rose instead and threw on an old T-shirt, wanting to get her head on straight before Rory woke up.

Quietly as possible, Olive brushed her teeth, then padded down the short hallway into the kitchen. Upon entering the apartment last night, she’d been so distracted by Rory’s presence, she hadn’t even removed her phone from her purse. If that didn’t prove her infatuation, nothing would, since Olive hadn’t slept without her cell charging on her nightstand since she’d bought it in high school.

She found her purse where she’d dropped it on the dining room table and slid out the device, swallowing hard when she saw a text message on the screen from her mother. They hadn’t spoken in a week and only in a cursory how-are-you-settling-in type of way. Their conversations hadn’t been anything but forced in a long time, and every once in a while, Olive sensed her mother wanting to dig deeper. Maybe even apologize for how the family had been divided with everyone on one side and Olive on the other. But it never actually happened. Because of that, every time they hung up from a phone call, Olive only felt worse. Less connected to the people she used to spend every waking moment with.

After a moment of hesitation, Olive slid her thumb across the screen, unlocked the phone and went to her messages.

Hey sweetie! Just wanted to give you a heads-up, in case you watch the new episode. We needed a new toy unboxing space for the channel and your room was our only option. We’ll make sure you’ve got somewhere to sleep when you come to visit, so no worries! Maybe we’ll even have a resort adventure next time you make it down here! Just didn’t want you to be caught off guard. The new episode is so fun. Gadget Mania! Love you, Mom

The numbness started at the top of Olive’s head and spread down, into her belly, through her fingers and toes. She stared at the screen so long, the words started to blur together. Acid crept up the walls of her throat and into her dry mouth, eradicating the minty goodness her toothpaste had left behind. Most of all, there was pure sadness. Emptiness. Exactly how she’d felt the afternoon she’d walked into the house and found them making a video without her. Betrayed. Dumped.