Their Festive Island Escape

Maybe she was done with having to do the wise thing, though. Maybe this one time she wanted more. Even if it was just temporary. It might shatter her inside afterward when it all ended and she had to leave, but in her heart she knew it would be worth it.

She just had to know. Without giving herself a chance to think, she blurted out one of the questions that had been on her mind. “I know it’s getting late. Do you have to rush to get back? Is someone waiting for you?”

He turned and lifted an eyebrow in question. “What?”

“You were due to meet someone that day when we got stranded at the flower garden. You appeared upset to have to miss them. Are they waiting for you right now?”

The eyebrow lifted ever so higher. “My spirits supplier?”

She clasped a hand to her mouth. “Oh. You were due to meet your spirits supplier that night?”

He nodded once. “That’s right. Who did you think it might have been?”

Celeste felt heat rush to her cheeks. Well, at least now she knew. And she couldn’t help the sense of relief and giddiness that washed over her at the newfound knowledge. But it had all come at a price. Reid was on to her. He’d be stupid not to have figured out what she was getting at.

They’d reached her building and made their way to her door on the second floor. Celeste turned to face him, not even sure what she was going to say. The only thing she was certain of was that she wasn’t ready to walk through that door just yet.

Her heart hammered in her chest as Reid stepped closer to her. She felt the wooden door up against her back as the warmth of his body seeped into the front of hers.

“Why did you want to know?” he asked on a strained whisper.

Her nerves completely on edge and with Reid standing so close, it was hard to think of an answer. The truth. She would go with the truth. She was done with the pretenses. “I think you know why.”

“Spell it out for me, Celeste. I don’t want to jump to any conclusions here.”

Celeste sucked in a deep breath for courage. She was really doing this. “Go ahead and jump. You’d be correct.”

Heat darkened his eyes and he visibly stiffened.

And then she couldn’t take it anymore. Moving fully up against him, she slid her arms around his neck and brought her face up to his.

It was all the invitation he needed.

He hauled her tight into him and crushed his mouth to hers. He tasted of wine and chocolate and pure, unfiltered male. It was a taste she would never get enough of. The scent of him rushed her senses. His hands moved over her hips and up to her rib cage. All the while, his mouth continued pleasuring her lips, his kiss growing deeper.

“Reid, yes,” she managed to whisper against his mouth.

She’d never been so wanton, so in need. But that was the only way to describe the state she was in. She needed this man. She needed his arms around her, and to have him hold her all night. And there was no reason not to give in to that primal desire.

Not for this one night, anyway.

Morning would come soon enough.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

HE WAS GONE.

Celeste could feel his absence without even having to open her eyes. He must have left her bed in the middle of the night. Tears formed behind her lids and she opened them slowly to glance at the bedside clock. Just past midnight. There was no way she would be getting any sleep. Her body felt languid, the heat of Reid’s touch still lingered on her skin. He’d brought her to a feeling of euphoria she’d never experienced before.

It was highly unlikely she would ever experience it again. Her eyes stung further before she shoved the sorrow aside. She was a big girl; she’d made her decision and would learn to live with it somehow.

A shadow moved outside on her balcony.

Celeste rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. A surge of hope shot through her chest when she looked again. Reid hadn’t left, he was standing on her balcony, arms draped over the railing, staring out at the ocean in the distance. He was still here. But everything about his stance told her that something was off.

Celeste stood and walked to the closet where the terry cloth robe hung on a hanger. Throwing it on, she took a deep breath. If she was smart, she’d go back to bed and feign that she was still asleep. But something about the rigid set to Reid’s back, the way his head hung forward, called to her. She just had to hope he wanted her to go to him right now.