Page 45 of Promise Not To Fall

Unfazed, he shrugs. “Parents own a bar. Comes with the territory.”

“How often do you go back to the States?” It’s a bit of a subject change, but I remembered I was curious that he goes to the States on occasion. I wonder if he’s ever been to Phoenix. Or plans to….

“Zain and I go quite a bit actually,” he tells me, taking a drink from his own jar of planter’s punch. “His parents live in Miami, and it’s only, like, a four-hour trip on jet skis.”

My mouth drops open. “You seriously take jet ski’s? That’s crazy to me. I mean, what if something were to happen or you ran out of gas?”

“Easy there.” He laughs, sensing my panic. I take a breath, trying to calm my nerves. “It’s not hard to do. Pretty boring, but if you need an afternoon to clear your head, it’s perfect.”

“Okay, so like a long drive. Gotcha. But do you go a lot?”

“Enough.”

Getting Jake to talk isn’t easy. I have a feeling he has some deeper secrets he doesn’t want to admit to anyone, maybe even himself. Or he’s still hiding his secret wife Candy and their baby Chocolate Truffle.

But to be honest, I think I’m wrong about Jake in many ways. From what I can see, something or someone has hurt him pretty bad. It’s in the vulnerability rolling off him in waves when he refuses to talk about his past. To know he isn’t perfect makes me fall a little deeper and appreciate him even more.

After lunch, Jake takes me up the island to a private beach cove that only locals go to. It’s more than I can possibly imagine. Even though it’s similar to everything else on the island, with its white sands, crystal-clear water, and lush vegetation, it’s different in that it is completely private. You don’t see any boats or tourists, nothing. Just white sand, rocks, and shimmering turquoise water flowing from the amazing waterfall you only see in movies.

Beside me, Jake crosses his arms over his chest and pulls his shirt off. Next thing I know, he’s diving into the turquoise waters. After staying underwater for a few seconds, he pops back up near the waterfall. Standing there on my rock, laughing, I’m not sure I have the guts to jump in. But then he nods and motions me forward with a beckoning finger.

Take a risk, Kendall. You can do it.

With a deep breath, I strip out of my dress. Hesitantly, I dip my toes in the warm water.

“Stop stalling. Get in!” Jake yells, slapping at the water.

So I do. I dive in, and the warmth envelopes me. I pop up around the same spot as Jake had and then swim over to him.

His hair is dripping on his nose, his eyes bright as the water. “Not so bad, huh?” He reaches for me under the water, and I wrap my legs around him as he brings me flush against his chest. The water’s chin high on him, so he’s able to keep his balance and still have his hands wrapped around me.

Adjusting his footing in the sand, he watches me, blinking slowly. “You’re beautiful,” he breathes, surveying my lips, nose, and eyes.

Smiling, I lean in and inappropriately tap the end of his nose. “So are you.”

Slowly, between our kisses, Jake moves us closer to the waterfall. Honestly, I want to see what the fuss is about having sex under a waterfall.

“It’s like the movieCocktail,” I say between kisses filled with saltwater.

Jake’s brow scrunches together. He doesn’t look the least bit entertained. “No.” He spits out water, shaking his head against the spray. “It’s nothing like that.”

Jake steps to his left, moving away from the spray, and by his hungry kisses, I have an idea of why he led me here.

Pressing my hips more firmly against him, he spins me around so I’m facing away from the rocks behind me. “I don’t have any condoms with me,” he admits, his voice low.

“I’m on the pill. And clean,” I tell him, wondering what he’ll say next. “Are you?”

“I just got off the pill last week,” he teases, shaking his head as he pushes me up against a rock. “I absolutelycan’tget pregnant.”

“Ass.” Letting my hand slip from his neck, I splash his face with water. “I mean clean. I don’t mind, as long as you don’t have something.”

In a way, that’s my way of seeing what his answer will be. I’m religious about taking my pill. There isn’t a chance of getting pregnant, as far as I’m concerned. But diseases? You can never be too careful these days.

His brow lifts. “Are you asking if I’m clean or if I’ve been around?”

“Maybe both?”

Winking, he captures my lips in a passionate kiss. For a moment, I think maybe he’s not going to answer. Peeling my bikini bottoms off, he tosses them up on the rock behind my head, and his shorts soon follow. Dipping his right hand below the water, he takes his cock in one hand and slides it back and forth over my clit. His eyes catch mine. “I’m clean.”

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