Page 115 of Reel Love

“Our friends.” He smiles. “I like that.”

He kisses my lips again. “I can’t believe you organized a bonfire.” His lips trail across my jaw in a series of lazy kisses and then down to my shoulder. His eyes meet mine when he lifts his head. “You do know a bonfire will be held outdoors, in public, where someone could possibly see us.”

“Summer said that part of the beach is pretty private. Most people use the pits nearer to the resort. It will be dark out. I just … want this.”

“I want it too. It’s basically everything I want.” He lifts his hand and starts touching his fingertips one by one as he lists out his wants. “You. I want you. Any way I can get you.” He smiles down at me and lets that statement sink in. “And you hanging out with my friends, relaxing. That’s basically my whole list.” He’s holding up two fingers to emphasize his point. “Good surprise, Graves.”

I giggle. “I like when you call me Graves. It makes me feel like a ball player or something. No one calls me Graves.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Stevens shakes his head and chuckles.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

“Ben. I’m thinking about what he’ll say when he sees us together. He’s going to give me so much shade.”

“He’s one of a kind.” That guy makes me laugh every time I see him.

“That’s one way to put it.”

We share a smile and then I look around. I need to make a getaway to wherever we’re going next without being seen.

Stevens must sense the shift in my mood.

“I was going to make you dinner—at my place,” he tells me.

“But? …”

“But, nothing. I still want to. I don’t know if that’s what youwant. Afterward, I was going to take a friend’s glass bottom kayak out into the water, sort of near where we’re going to be hanging withourfriends.”

He emphasizes the wordour, and I love the sound of it.Ourfriends. I want to share everything with him, friends, my life … everything except what’s on the other side of the ocean from here.

“I wanted to experience the bioluminescence with you.” He tugs gently on the mass of untamed curls coming out the back of my ball cap.

“Like the lanterns …” I say to myself.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’d love to see that sometime with you. Are you okay with the change in plans?”

“I want to do whatever makes you happy.” He says it so easily.

I scroll through my brain trying to remember another time anyone who mattered to me has ever said anything like that to me. Brigitte has told me I need to get a life. But she’s never said she’d do anything for me and my happiness. Of course, she does things for me every day. But she’s on payroll. And yes, a part of her would still have my back if we weren’t connected by my career and hers. But she’s not driven to make me happy. She wouldn’t bend to whatever I like just to see me smile. Stevens will. I think he always will.

“I’d love dinner at your place,” I tell him. “And then time withourfriends on the beach.”

Stevens nods and heads toward the side of the boat nearest to the dock. “I’ve got a cart ready. Just walk alongside me like you paid me to take you out sailing. I’m constantly taking people up and down this dock to my boats. No one will pay a lick of attention to us.”

“I hope you’re right. Even on Marbella, if I’m near the resort, it tends to be a crapshoot as to whether someone will recognize me.”

“But you came to Cucina to meet me—where you could have been recognized by anyone.”

“I had to. I wanted to meet you so badly.”

Stevens hops out of the boat with the agility of a man who’s been living on the ocean his whole life. Then he extends me his hand and helps me onto the dock. I do as he said, walking alongside him like he’s just another taxi driver … which, he was, only weeks ago. It feels like years.

We make it to the cart without any major interference. Stevens drives me to his home where he grills us burgers served with a salad and some sliced fruit. I don’t eat everything. I can’t. I’ve got gowns and preselected outfits to fit into over the coming weeks. We eat in his backyard. It’s simple and absolutely perfect.

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