Page 42 of His Secret Gift

So, I say something that I’m sure will catch her attention. “There are a lot of explicit sex scenes.”

At that, her eyebrow lifts. “Is that so?”

“Oh, yeah.”

My room is right by hers, so I quickly duck out—being careful not to run into Jack—and get the second book, which includes the salacious and smutty scene after Issy and Kate get married in secret.

When I return, I ask Callie if she wants to read it. But she’s moved on to applying nail polish, so I offer to read it aloud instead.

After finding the right chapter, I clear my throat, and begin, “Although we married in secret, I know it’s still legitimate in the eyes of God, and that means that we must consummate the vows we just made to each other. Sure, Issy and I haven’t been the best at keeping our hands to ourselves, but we haven’t actually joined our bodies together. Not yet at least.”

“Oooh.”

“Just wait. It only gets better.”

She wriggles.

I keep reading. “So, now is the time. I’ve been dreaming about this moment, but now that it’s here, I’m a bit scared. However, the reflection of the fire’s flames in his light eyes make me feel a little more relaxed. Never taking his eyes off me, he slips his frock off, and his rippled muscles make my heart skip a beat. Then, he walks closer to me, grabs my hand, and places it on his chest. ‘Tell me if it stops,’ Issy says breathlessly. I then stand to my feet, and he helps me out of my clothing, and he just stares at me. I go to cover myself with my arms, but he stops me. ‘Will you please say something?’ I beg. ‘You’re just so beautiful. I canhardly believe you’re mine.’ He sits down on a nearby hay bale and kisses each of my…’ you get the idea.”

I stop there because it only gets more intimate and descriptive from there, and I’m too embarrassed to read the rest. “You can read the rest for yourself. But I’m sure you get what I was talking about.”

After that, I stand back up and bid her goodnight.

“Wait.”

“Yeah?” I turn around to face her.

“Can you… can you leave the book?”

I smile and set it down on her nightstand. “It’s all yours.” I make note to bring her the first one in the morning.

Between the steamykiss and the reminder of that hot scene in Yannis’s book, I’m incredibly turned on. So, after pretending my hands are Jack’s as I shower, I do the same as I pleasure myself in my room.

When I’m finished, however, Callie’s warning to be careful with Jack is at the forefront of my mind.

“He’s finicky.” Those words repeat over and over again.I can’t risk finicky.I wish I hadn’t gotten distracted by the utterance of Yannis’s name because I would’ve appreciated an example of this from Callie.

Of course, Molly’s similar advice also resurfaces. “Nobody wants to be the new employee who is ‘macking on the boss.”

Even when she gave it, I knew she was right. But here I was, stupid enough to let something happen in front of another coworker. Fortunately, Callie seems to have my back, but it could’ve been someone else.

Ugh.After wrapping a pillow around my head to silence the voices, I also pull up the covers and wish I didn’t come on this damn boat in the first place.

Fortunately, my body seems to find the rocking of the boat comforting, and I’m able to fall asleep within a few minutes.

But, of course, even in the slumber of sleep, my brain conjures up images of him.

The sun sets over the crystal-clear waters, casting a warm glow on the secluded beach where Jack and I sit side by side. The sand is soft beneath us, and the gentle sound of the water lapping against the shore creates an idyllic atmosphere.

“Jack, this place… it’s so beautiful.” I say, my eyes wide with admiration after I calm my hair from blowing around with the ocean breeze. “I’ve never been anywhere like this before.”

He looks at me, his piercing blue eyes filled with something I can’t quite put my finger on. He then smiles, tucks some errant strands behind my ear, and then tips my chin towards him. His lips are so close to mine that our breaths mingle together, sending shivers down my spine. “No, Kayla.Youare beautiful.”

I hum in response, feeling the magnetic pull between us growing stronger by the second. Before I know it, Jack’s mouth is on mine. He takes control without hesitation, deepening the kiss as his hands find my lower back and pulls me closer to him.

Moaning against his lips, my body responds instinctively, pressing myself into him in waves as our desire for each other intensifies. As his hands venture down to undo the tie of my aqua blue bikini bottom, I can’t help but feel my core heat up in anticipation. When his fingers brush against my sensitive flesh, a new fire is ignited within me, and it sends pleasure coursing through my veins.

“Jack,” I gasp, after he guides me down and hovers over me, breaking away from his lips just long enough to catch my breath. “This is… I can’t believe this is happening.”

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