Page 67 of Bound to You

“I hope you know that it’s not just Caio that you can rely on, we are all here for you, whenever you need us.” She grabs my hand from across the bench, squeezing as she smiles up at me.

How can I even respond to that?

But she obviously see’s the moisture gathering in my eyes. She clinks her glass against mine that’s sitting on the bench before she walks back to the couch, laying her head on Leo’s shoulder as she joins back into the conversation at hand.

But I can’t move from my spot in the kitchen.

I smile as I focus on the bubbles rising to the surface in my glass. If you told me a couple of months ago that this is where I’d be, I would’ve laughed out loud.

A couple of months ago I didn’t have a group of people who lift me up at every turn. It was just May and I, our very own little support crew. It feels good to have that crew expand. To include the people that have become so important to me in such a short period of time. That have become like a family. That bicker and argue over stupid shit, but who show up for each other withoutfail. That’s special, and I can’t explain how lucky I feel to have somehow been dragged into it.

“Watcha thinking bout?” Arms wrap around my waist.

I melt into Caio’s touch, my head leaning against his chest. “Thank you,” I say.

“For what?”

“For them,” I nod to our friends.

I know he catches my meaning when he presses a kiss to my bare shoulder, squeezing me just a bit tighter.

“Caio!” Rafael yells.

“Yeah?”

“We need to set up a game of poker, May here thinks she could ‘school me’ in a game.“ He adds the air quotations.

“He’s got no idea what’s coming for him, does he?” Caio whispers, his lips just above my ear, his breath sending tingles down my spine.

I shake my head. “Not a clue.”

chapter twenty-eight

CAIO

I’m nearlyasleep on the couch. It’s Wednesday afternoon, I should be in a budgeting meeting right about now, but I’m currently lying here with Isla laying in between my legs with her head on my chest, and there’s nowhere I’d rather be.

My hand has been stroking her hair for the last hour, she let out a satisfied groan when my hands first started their soft movement and she soon fell asleep to the steady rhythm.

I like living in this little bubble with her, everything feels so perfect. Her soft breath on my bare chest, her hair splayed out over my body, her arms wrapped around me, it all feels so perfect.

I fight with my mind every day knowing that it might not last, but pretending like it will. I like living this little lie that we’ve been living over the last couple of weeks.

As I lay here, I take notice of how content I feel. How full I feel with Isla by my side. That gap that I always felt, that void, it’s gone. It’s gone and it scares the shit out of me.

I found out through the gossip mill that May has spoken to Isla about staying here, permanently. But with each passing day my hope dwindles. She hasn’t even mentioned it to me.

I know she loves it here—I see the way her eyes sparkle when she looks out the window—but that doesn’t mean she’ll stay. A pretty town isn’t enough to make most people leave their life behind.

I want to know what she’s thinking, want her to talk it out with me. I want to convince her to stay, but at the same time I know I shouldn’t.

She had pressure from all angles in her last relationship, I don’t want her to feel even a hint of pressure from me. No matter how selfishly I want to try to convince her that this place is worth it, that I’m worth it.

A small groan comes from her as she stirs in my arms. The sun is sinking in the sky, casting a golden glow through my apartment, settling on Isla’s sun-kissed skin. She’s spent so much time in the sun while here that she’s ten shades darker than that first day I saw her, and it suits her perfectly.

“Good afternoon, sweetheart.” I push her messy hair out of her face. I fucking love when she looks like this, all messed up from sleep. Looking up at me with her sexy, tired eyes. I could easily fool myself into thinking I see love in them.

“Good, morning,” she smiles, popping a sweet kiss on my nose before resting her chin on her folded arms.

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