Page 28 of Forbidden Desires

"Clearly." I laugh, shaking my head.

Pete then takes a smooth, calculated step forward, selecting a flat stone from the shoreline. With an easy flick of his wrist, the rock skips three times across the water.

"Ha!" I crow. "Good thing you weren't in on the bet then!"

Both men turn to me, their expressions filled with mirth.

Then Dexter lifts an eyebrow in question. "Your turn, isn't it, sunshine?"

With confidence, I step forward and flick my pebble across the smooth surface. It hops... once, twice... three... four times before it plunks into the water.

"Victory!" I cry out in joy.

"And? What do you wish as your boon, fair lady?" Dexter asks with a fond smile on his face.

"Oh, a kiss, of course. And a foot massage. Or two. I feel like my feet will need it after today."

Both men eagerly agree to my terms.

With the soft morning light and the sound of crashing waves as background, I step, first, into Dexter's arms and claim a soft, chaste kiss. After taking a careful step back, and giving my heart rate time to calm down, I turn and grab hold of Pete's hand before stepping into his embrace. He takes his time with his kiss, and by the time we're done, I'm breathless.

The rest of the day passes in a blur of laughter, photos and more walking than I thought my legs could handle. Pete and Dexter drag me from one Tacoma landmark to another. After our walk in the park, we head to Point Defiance Zoo, Ruston Way, and an amazing botanical garden. And somehow, we manage to stop at every quirky little cafe we pass. My cheeks ache from smiling, and my feet are begging for mercy, but I can't bring myself to care.

It's perfect.

By the time the sun dips low over Commencement Bay, painting the water in soft golds and pinks, I feel like exactly whatI am. A tourist. Dexter insists on one last stop, at the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, and I can't help but admire the way the colorful glass sculptures glow against the twilight sky. It's everything I've ever wanted for myself. To have my work displayed for the world to see like that. Pete catches me staring and snaps a candid photo.

"This way we have a before photo, and one day, when you're world famous and have all your stuff displayed for everyone to see, we can come back here and take an after photo," he says with a small smile, tucking his phone away.

Dexter wraps an arm around my shoulders, tugging me into his side. "Alright, sunshine. Time to head home before you collapse on us. We've had a busy day."

I mumble a half-hearted protest, but exhaustion is already weighing me down.

Back at the car, Pete pulls the door open for me, and I slide into the passenger seat with a sigh of relief. The second my head rests against the cool glass of the window, sleep starts to pull me under.

The hum of the car engine lulls me into a doze, and before I know it, I'm being gently jostled awake.

“We're home, baby,” Pete whispers, his voice soft in the dark.

I make a feeble attempt to sit up, but my limbs are heavy and uncooperative. Dexter chuckles from the driver's seat.

"You stay there, sunshine. We've got you."

I barely feel it as Pete scoops me up in his arms, cradling me close to his chest. His scent wraps around me like a blanket, and I nuzzle closer without thinking.

The building is quiet as they carry me up. Pete's careful with every step, and with the way he holds me, and cuddles me close, I feel like something precious. Dexter follows behind us, making sure the door clicks shut softly.

Pete settles me onto my mattress, and the soft warmth of my blankets envelops me. I sigh, the comfort sinking deep into my bones. He places a soft kiss on my forehead before getting up and moving away.

But then, panic stirs in my chest, dragging me back from the edge of sleep. I twist, clutching at Pete's hand as he pulls away.

"Wait." My voice is soft and desperate as I plead with him. "Don't leave. Please."

There's a beat of silence, and I can feel their hesitation.

"Stay with me," I whisper, my words tumbling out in a sleepy confession. "Just... stay here. I don't want this day to be over yet. I don't want you to go."

Dexter crouches down beside the bed, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. "Are you sure, sunshine?"

---