His grin melted my heart and widened into a gorgeous smile that reached his eyes. Tugging me closer, he kissed me with his whole body, and I reciprocated.
“Come back to me, Kathryn.”
I smile at the memory of a simpler time. A time that wasn’t that long ago yet feels so far away. It’s amazing how much people can change in a day, a year, a decade. It’s a hard lot to swallow when you’re promising an eternity.
“Stop overthinking.” Asher’s eyes are on me. He stands up and makes his way around the table and leans down to me, placing soft kisses on my shoulder. “Come. Back. To. Me.”
Even though we’ve been more intimate than some married couples, I still feel nervous around him. I smile and try to ease his curiosity. He wants one day, and I want to give it to him. With Asher, I feel as sexy and alive as I did when I was a teenager. And I want to live in this moment.
“I know you like living in our cocoon up here, but we should get some fresh air,” I suggest, turning to my side and facing a kneeling Asher.
“I don’t trust that you’ll leave this room and not freak out.” He leans back on his heels. “I meant what I said. I need you. What you’ve done to me in the last few weeks has been amazing. I’ve never woken up with a woman and wanted to spend more time with her. Usually, it’s the complete opposite. But you, you make me thirsty for more. And I’m not ready to give that up. If you walk out that door, it’s over between us. I know it.”
He’s right. I haven’t told him about Gabriel’s affair, and when I do, this thing between us will be over. We both know Asher only wants me because he can’t truly have me.
“I’m a grown woman. I know what I’m doing.” I rise from the table and walk back toward the bathroom.
“Where are you going?” He sounds concerned.
“Swimming.”
Asher is relieved to see I didn’t melt at the sight of sun, nor did I run back into the building full of regret. In fact, I welcome the heat. I feel invincible.
Asher calls for an attendant to set up a cabana with two lounge chairs on the beach facing the water. Again, we’re in our little cocoon, but I’m enjoying my time with him and can last for one more day. Besides, what am I rushing home to?
Asher’s skin glistens in the hot sun. It’s an added bonus to be able to pay homage to him in the daylight instead of our love den upstairs. I pull my chair out of the cabana and into the light. I still haven’t looked at a clock, but I assume it’s close to one. Asher has also sworn off cell phones for the two of us, and so far I’ve obliged.
The waves crash nearby, and I dance in the sound of them. There is no greater feeling. I lie back, close my eyes, and daydream about the amazing last few hours. Up against the wall, the bed. The shower… It was hot. Asher was more than I could have imagined. Who knew my body could respond like that.
I fantasize about his beautiful body and gorgeous face touching me, tasting me, doing incredible things to me. Reliving every caress and recounting every thrust. If the sun wasn’t making me hot, the thoughts of last night would.
Sinking deeper into my dream, I lick my lips in satisfaction. Yes, it was that good.
I am lost in my dream until… I’m wet!
I let out a girlish scream.
I’m wet. Literally, not in a “turned on” kinda way.
I look up to see a grinning, devilish Alexander Asher with an empty glass, which the remains of I can only assume are now on me. The ice-cold liquid against my heated body is painful, and I instinctively want to hurt him.
Asher laughs and backs away toward the beach. “You looked like you needed to cool off.” He chides. “You should stop fantasizing about me and enjoy the real thing.”
He grabs my waist and hoists me toward the water, teasing and running away yet dragging me along with him.
Like he always does, he makes me hate him and want him in the same breath. The ocean water is warm in comparison to the cold drink yet freezing compared to the heat of my body. I thrust myself up against Asher in search of body heat to protect me from the cold current. With one hand around my waist, the other locks around my ponytail and pulls my head back until my lips are facing his. He leans down and takes my mouth in his, and I immediately begin to warm up. His body tight against me, I can feel all of him.
When he finally releases me from our kiss, he steps back and splashes me. I splash back, and like teenagers, we’re wrestling and playing in the water, stealing kisses when we can.
Parasailors glide above us and shout obscene things, but I can’t hear exactly what they’re saying. We’re too into each other. I’m amazed how much fun Asher can be. We have handstand contests and show off our best skills. When the waves pick up, Asher challenges me to a body surfing competition. I win by default when my bathing suit falls off. My prize is getting it back after much embarrassment.
Growing hungry, Asher races me back to our chairs, which I legitimately win, and we dry each other off with oversized beach towels. Asher orders oysters, mini sliders, and Coronas.
After enjoying my meal, I lean back into the soft cushion of my chair and take in the beautiful day.
To the right of us, a little girl is playing in the sand. She has black hair and black eyes with a bright white smile. She’s wearing a one-piece suit with bright-pink hibiscus flowers. I watch her diligently shovel sand into her pail and haphazardly dump it out. She is a sweet sight. Almost as sweet as my angel. My sweet boy with his wavy brown hair and navy-blue eyes. My sweet boy who drools all over me and refuses to say my name. My cherub who loves to kick his feet in the bath water and is probably learning how to walk at this very moment. My baby who I’m not with right now.
“Jackson!”
I pop up from the lounge chair and look over at Asher, who is staring at me with a confused expression. I look back at the hotel behind us, the beach in front of us, the cabanas around us, and the little girl to my right.
What am I doing here?
Have I become that woman? The kind who runs off to another state with her boss and… oh my God… has an affair!
Who am I?
I am a mother.
Have I forgotten that? Despite Gabriel, despite Asher, there is a boy whom I love more than anyone in this world, and he isn’t home and he is certainly not with me.
Not too long ago I yearned for a day when I would get out of the house, go back to work and become the successful woman I once set out to be. I wanted my son to be raised by a strong, independent woman. To show him that you can achieve anything in this world if you put your mind to it. I wanted to be his greatest role model.
This is not the life I’d want my son to be proud of.
“I have to go!” I practically jump out of my chair and throw the cover-up over my head and grab my purse before storming off toward the hotel.
“Kathryn!”
I leave a stunned pair of golden eyes in the cabana as I race through the hotel grounds and inside, making it into the elevator just as the doors are about to close.
Seconds before they shut, I see Asher darting through the lobby.
“Kathryn!” he calls, but the doors shut tight and the car rises up to my floor. I need to pack. Pack what? I need to change and get the hell out of here.
I get to my room door and go to open it. My key! I need a key. It’s in my bag.
I’m searching for the key when I hear the elevator ping. I gather the key out of my bag as Asher darts down the hall.
I open the door and enter the room, marching straight to the closet. I need the clothes I came in. Crap, where are they?
Asher is right behind me. “Where are you going?”
“Home.” I grab the suit off the floor where I dropped it last night.
“Shit!” he swears, placing his hand on the back of his neck, rubbing hard. He’s wearing nothing but his trunks. “I knew we should have never left this room.”