Page 46 of A Mutually Beneficial Proposal

Owen

SeeingElla standing in the lobby when I was with Natalie, still putting on a show for Jack, gutted me. I should have told Ella that morning what was going on and why I might be hanging around another woman, but I chickened out.

Her not freaking out makes me feel worse. Not that I want to hurt her—that’s the last thing I would want—but some anger would have been preferred over her shrugging things off. She didn’t even ask any questions after agreeing to go on a walk to the beach with me.

The situation has me fucking baffled, which doesn’t happen very often. I don’t like the uncertainty of not being sure of where things stand between us. Not one damn bit.

We’ve been on the trails for two hours by the time we finally get to the beach she failed to mention was miles from the resort.

Ella pulls on my hand. “Come on. We have to go this way before we get to the sand.”

I follow her down a path that doesn’t look used much. Probably because the hike back up to the trail is going to be a bitch. Though, the beach does look peaceful below and Ella seems too excited to try to warn her off continuing.

“You’re slow,” she teases before letting go of me and racing ahead.

I laugh and start to jog, so she doesn’t get too far ahead. When we get to the bottom, white sands greet us and there isn’t another soul in sight. The waves crash gently on the shore, and I’m ready to sit my ass down after all the walking we’ve been doing, but Ella has other plans.

She yanks off her cover-up dress and grins. “I want to swim.”

I return the smile and pull my shirt off. “Then, let’s go.”

I’d opted to wear my jogging stuff instead of swim trunks when we were changing since I figured we’d be doing more hiking than swimming. I’m regretting that decision now, but the thin fabric of my shorts will dry quickly enough once we’re out of the water.

By the time I have my shirt, socks, and shoes off, Ella’s halfway to the water in a black bikini I haven’t seen her wear yet. All of my favorite parts of her are covered, but it would take just a firm tug on the strings holding the fabric to her and she’d be on display for me.

When my feet touch the water, it’s warm and comforting, but the relaxing moment is gone when Ella splashes me, soaking my face.

“You were looking a little hot,” she says with a shrug.

She’s been extra playful since we left the hotel. It has me on edge, wondering if maybe Ella’s overcompensating to hide whatever she’s really feeling.

Instead of asking her and ruining our time, I charge forward. “I was about to say the same about you.”

I lift her up into the air and throw her farther into the low waves. She spits and sputters as she surfaces, but when her face clears of water, she’s all smiles.

“Okay, Owen. I see how it’s going to be.” She continues to use “okay,” and this version of Ella that likes to infuriate me is going to be punished.

She disappears under the water, but it’s crystal clear and I give chase when she swims away from me.

Little white fish dart away from us when we disturb them, distracting Ella. I take the opportunity to catch up to her. My hands are around her waist and I’m lifting her out of the water once again, but this time I don’t intend to let her go.

I lift her up, and she yelps. “I want to swim with the fish.”

“That’s not normally something people want to do,” I say with a laugh.

She rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean. Now, you’ve scared them all away.”

“I’m sure they’ll be right back. In the meantime…” I dunk her below the water and quickly lift her back up.

Ella fists are flying when she comes back up, and I narrowly miss getting punched in the eye. “No sexy time for you.”

I palm her pussy. “That also means no dick for you.”

Her eyes heat, and I know she regrets her choice in threat, but she’s stubborn enough that she won’t take the words back.

She opens her mouth, but an unexpected wave rolls through and takes both of our feet out from under us. I try to keep my hold on Ella, but she slips away.

Once the wave passes, we both resurface, and I release my tension when I see she’s laughing. “Where the hell did that come from?”

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