Page 71 of Natural Temptation

"Couldn't let you two have all the fun," Tucker winks at me over Ryan's shoulder. "Now, who's hungry? I hear this place does a mean breakfast spread."

As we make our way to the dining hall, I can't stop smiling. Watching Ryan and Tucker banter feels like witnessing a piece of my husband's past come to life. It's a side of him I haven't fully seen before, and it's utterly captivating.

"So, Meredith," Tucker says as we find seats at a table, "has this grump been treating you right?"

I laugh, reaching for Ryan's hand under the table. "Oh, he's nowhere near as grumpy as he once was. I loosened him up a bit."

Ryan rolls his eyes, but I can see the happiness radiating from him. As Tucker launches into a story about their college days, I find myself imagining a future filled with moments like this—laughter, love, and endless possibilities.

"You okay?" Ryan whispers, noticing my distraction.

"Never better." And I mean that with every fiber of my being.

He slips his fingers between mine. "This seems like the right time to tell you both what I've realized recently."

Tucker moves closer to us, waiting to hear more—just like I am.

Ryan shoves his hands into his jeans pockets. "I haven't had a nightmare since the day I proposed to you. And I've stopped worrying about whether I'll ever suffer another bad night." He kisses my cheek. "But if I ever do, I know you'll be there to talk me through it. My burden has been lifted, after all these years. That's due in large part to you, Mer."

That might just be the best compliment I've ever received. Our life together will be full of joy, humor, and hot sex from this moment on.

Epilogue

Ryan

The moon hangs low over Heirani Motu, casting a silvery glow across the gentle waves lapping at the shore. My fingers intertwine with Meredith's as we stroll along the beach, our bare feet sinking into the sand with every step. A breeze rustles the palm fronds in a hypnotic rhythm that fills the comfortable silence between us. I glance at my wife. Her profile seems angelic in this light, as she's become a heavenly spirit. Even after all this time, her beauty takes my breath away.

She catches me staring. "What are you thinking about, sweetie?"

"Just how lucky I am to be here with you."

Meredith leans her head on my shoulder as we walk. "I'm the lucky one."

My mind drifts back to when we first met, how guarded and closed-off I was. If someone had told me then that I'd be here now, happily in love and at peace, I would have scoffed. But Meredith's unwavering warmth and patience slowly chipped away at the walls I'd built around my heart.

"Remember how grumpy I was when you first arrived at the resort?" I ask, shaking my head at the memory.

Meredith laughs. "Oh yes, Mr. Stern and Serious. I thought you might be allergic to smiling."

"Hey now," I protest with a grin. "I smile plenty these days, thanks to you."

She reaches up to trace my lips with her finger. "And what a gorgeous smile it is."

I capture her hand and press a kiss to her palm, marveling at how natural such affectionate gestures have become. For so long, I shied away from any hint of vulnerability or intimacy. The guilt and pain from my past seemed an insurmountable barrier. But Meredith's love has been a balm to my battered soul, helping me rediscover joy and learn to trust again.

We come to a large rock on the beach, and I boost her up onto it. I'll take any excuse to lay my hands on Meredith. We sit side by side on the boulder, letting our gazes roam over the endless ocean before us.

I slide an arm around her waist to hold her close. "Do you regret that we gave up our big tour of the new Au Naturel properties? I did promise you we'd do that."

"How could I be disappointed? I'm with you. And we'll make that trip later on." She snuggles closer, and the feel of her breast rubbing against me is making me horny. "Besides, there was an emergency at home."

I try to stifle a laugh, but it mutates into a snort. "Emergency? You're stretching the truth a bit, Mer. The resort ran out of condoms and sunscreen. It's not like a great white shark was eating the guests. And Rene flew to Suva to get more supplies."

"Okay, maybe I used the condom 'emergency' as an excuse." She moves her hand down to my groin, cupping my dick. "I missed our island, Ryan. I'm sure Holly and James will send us lots of pictures of those new resorts."

I peel her fingers away from my dick. "The only thing I want to talk about is all the ways I want to fuck you right here on this boulder."

"Speaking of us," she says, leaning to coil her tongue around my earlobe, "have you thought more about James's proposal to expand the resort?"

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