Page 62 of Official

I wrap my arms around her, dip her head back, and cover her mouth with mine.

But it’s not just any kiss. It’s a connection I feel in my damn soul—something I’ve never felt before. I’ve never experienced even a fraction of it.

“You are absolutely fucking beautiful,” I whisper, bringing her to stand upright.

She sways against me, and I keep my arms wrapped around her waist, breathing in her coconut scent. “You don’t look half-bad yourself.” She smooths her palms down my pale blue dress shirt. “I thought the hotel gift shop only had toddler clothes.”

“I couldn’t show up here in a whale shirt, and the only other halfway decent button-up I found, I wore to dinner the other night and got cocktail sauce on.” I chuckle. “So, I went to the mall.”

“You went without me? When?” She twirls the hair at the nape of my neck between her fingers, causing a new wave of tension to roll down my spine, especially with her swollen lips so close.

They’re pouty and adorable, and she’s making me see fucking stars.

“While you were at the gym.” I pull back, but not before I grab her hand and lead her toward one of the tents for a glass of wine. “There’s a lot you can do instead of working out, you know. The time you’d be given…”

“Someof us have to work at our bodies and can’t just roll out of bed with a six-pack,” she throws at me.

I come to a stop at the tent with the best wine I’ve tried so far, grab a couple of glasses, and wait our turn, as the crowd seems to have tripled in size in the last five minutes. “Okay, you’ve worn me down. I’ll tell you my secret.”

“Please do.” Her eyes light up, amusement and curiosity etched in her smile.

I lean in close until her hair tickles my nose. “Sex.”

Her tiny gasp is full of shock.

“We’ve burned so many calories this week, and I think we’re well on our way to competing in bodybuilding.” I chuckle and place a lingering kiss to her temple.

“We could even win.” She peers up at me and bites her lip.

“You want to kiss me again, don’t you?” I quirk my eyebrow in challenge… and hope.

Instead of answering out loud, she cups my cheek and kisses me.

I’d do this all night if we were alone, but the line of eager winos nudges us toward the front for our pours.

Full glasses in hand, we work our way through the crowd back toward the pool, where water shoots from the edges in a curved manner to the other side in rainbow fashion.

“What should we toast to?” I ask, holding my drink up.

“To burning more calories,” she says, narrowing her gaze.

“I’ve never enjoyed fitness more.”

We clink and sip and steal wine-soaked kisses while we stroll through the festival. The sun has completely set by the time we come across two familiar faces—the Italian couple from the beach.

Francesca’s jaw drops. “You’re here!” She taps her husband’s shoulder, then points. “Look who it is.”

“Hi,” Sam says as she gives Francesca a hug. When she pulls back, she slides her hand into mine again like it’s second nature, and I squeeze it back.

Francesca starts to say something but stops when she sees our interlocked fingers. “You two make a beautiful couple—I just knew there was something between you, even though you denied it.”

“Oh… we… well…” Sam and I talk over each other, sputtering like we’ve forgotten how to speak in full sentences.

“We’re enjoying the island and having fun,” I offer hesitantly, suddenly nervous.

My panic climbs a notch when Sam withdraws her hand from mine, and the reality of what I’ve done is slowly starting to peek through the curtains I drew over my brain when Sam showed up.

I need to talk to her.

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