Page 102 of Scars Like Wings

“To be frank and honest, when has she had sex with aperson?”

“Ohmigods, Simone!”

“I mean, you are essentially a virgin again at this point.” Maisie gave a one-handed shrug.

“I literally came here to have a good time, and I feel so attacked right now.” I shook my head. “It’s my freaking birthday, you two!”

“Hey now, we just want you to finally live out those dirty fantasies that we know you have before your cooter turns to dust from lack of use.”

“While I definitely don’t think Maisie should ever refer to your vagina ascooterever again,” Simone said, giving Maisie a look. “I do think she is right. Quinn seems great! She really likes you, Byrd. Like, reallyreallylikes you. I think she is going to break the second date curse.”

“Just let your feelings take this one, Bee. Don’t overthink it. Quinn obviously likes you, and you like her. Let that show you the way,” Maisie advised.

I nodded and smiled. I hugged my friends tightly and closely, trying to give them just a small sample of how grateful I was for them and everything they had done for my birthday already. I seriously couldn’t have asked for better friends, even with all their teasing. They were my sisters, and I wouldn’t be here without them.

I put on some anti-chafe cream on my thighs before grabbing my phone and lanyard wallet. The three of us left the bathroom to join the others in the living room before departing for breakfast. As soon as I rounded the corner into the hallway, Quinn’s eyes were on me and mine were on her. Her curls falling around her face and past her shoulders were shiny and damp from a fresh shower. She wore a striped green and silver gray short-sleeved button down with the first buttons undone enough to show her cleavage and her sleeves rolled to show off her tattoos and muscles. She had on khaki joggers and sneakers, too, with a fanny pack draped diagonally across her body. Not gonnalie, she had such a Dad on Vacation vibe, but I couldn’t deny how much I liked it.

She could be my Papi any time.That intrusive thought made my face heat. Maybe the girls were right before. I was so sex-crazed I had developed a new kink.

The breakfast ended up being at the resort, but it was far from a normal hotel buffet or grab-and-go bags. The restaurant serving breakfast was a culinary experience with a multi-course breakfast and themed cocktails. The servers presented our food to us all at the same time in unison like a Michelin Star restaurant. Honestly, after eating everything, I wondered if it was one. We chattered excitedly between courses. No one gave me a singular hint of what we were doing, but everyone hinted that I was going to love it and have a blast. The excitement and anticipation was going to eat me alive, but I think the heat from Quinn’s attention—her hand on my bare skin, her gaze on me, her voice warming my ear as she whispered something to make me giggle—would definitely consume me first.

Gods, I liked this girl.

Soon, Quinn paid for our tab and we headed for the dock. The sun had risen fully now, making the world look like very stereotypical Florida. The sky was a relaxing shade of blue, the sun high without a single cloud. It all colored the water ahead of us into a matching reflection. Parked at the dock was a large-ish boat with a red cover built-in and enough seating for at least fifty people, even if it was hard benches. The front was a Captain’s bay with a wide view of the front of the boat, seating below it, and a platform with the giant silver steering wheel and controls for the boat. A Captain was noticeably absent, though.

Quinn boarded first. Neither the boat nor the dock wobbled as she entered. But I had an irrational fear of falling from a dock or boat as I was getting on it. I was less afraid of ending up like a meme or on one of those fail compilations than I was of myclumsiness making me injure myself where I couldn’t recover. Sensing my anxiety in the way that only Quinn could, she turned around and held her hand out to me. It reminded me of how she held out her hand for me on the cobblestone path of her house. She wanted me to feel safe at all times, and she did what she could to make it so. I put my small hand in her large one, and I realized something as I felt that spark radiate through me and explode like fireworks.

I had never felt safer than when Quinn had me.

I stepped onto the boat without a problem. As everyone was boarding with Cole helping the girls like the gentleman he was and Cody playfully taking his brother’s hand with an eye roll from his brother, Quinn led me to the Captain’s bay. She motioned to the bench next to the wheel for me to sit in, and I followed her direction. Standing behind the huge silver wheel, she took out a key from her pocket and started the boat’s engine.

I raised my eyebrows. “Is thereanythingyou can’t drive?”

She turned to me with a mischievous smirk. “Technically, you don’t drive a boat or a plane. You steer one and pilot the other.”

“The fact that you know that tells me that you truly can drive anything.”

“Well, I can’t seem to drive you crazy. So, I’m inclined to say you are wrong.”

“Oh, you have no idea how mad you drive me,” I said before I could stop myself.

Quinn gave me her full smolder, her eyes bright and dark at once and her slitted eyebrow making her smirk look downright devilish. I could melt under her gaze.

I was a goner for sure.

In the Stars

Just before we docked, I saw it and screamed in pure joy.

The boat ride had been perfectly lovely, offering a great breeze against the Florida humidity. We got to see the luscious Florida plant life and Spanish-influenced mansions. Soon, we came upon massive restaurants like the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, which looked Willy Wonka-inspired, and a ginormous Hard Rock Cafe. Everything was framed with tall palm trees stretching to the blue sky. Then on a spinning tilted globe, I made out the word that gave our destination away.

We were going to Universal motherfucking Studios Amusement Park for my birthday!

“I think someone has realized their birthday surprise,” Cody said with a finger in his ear at my scream.

“Well, she hasn’t figuredallof it out just yet,” Quinn smiled.

She docked the boat, and we all disembarked. I could not even begin to contain my excitement as I bounced on my feet. I was pretty sure that if I wasn’t holding tightly to Quinn’s hand, I would float away from pure happiness.

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