Page 44 of Official

SAMANTHA

Xander’s been quiet all morning.

The only thing he’s said since we left the room was that we’d be going to Maluaka Beach, aka Turtle Town, to snuba dive and search for sea turtles. I didn’t know what he meant by snuba diving when he first mentioned it, but he explained it’s the best of both worlds of snorkeling and scuba diving.

And I’m excited to try it for the first time.

We’ve let the windows of our rental car down, and the wind blows across our cheeks. The salt from the ocean below tangles in my hair too. Although I imagine the waves crash hard in bursts against the rocky shoreline in the winter months, the sea is calm this morning. The deep green vegetation pops in the daylight like a painting.

The scenery is idyllic. Breathtaking. Almost too beautiful to be real.

But I can’t enjoy any of it because Xander’s silence is bugging me.

Is he upset about what I said before we left? He can’t possibly be offended that I joked about him leaving me here.

Right?

I didn’t actually believe he would, but to be honest, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had. He compared us to the three-second rule; the man is capable of anything.

Teddy once told me Xander climbed out of a second-story window after he found out he’d been the woman’s first. He was gone before she came out of the bathroom, and he never returned any of her calls.

Of all the douchey things Xander’s done when it comes to women, that might be at the top, in my opinion.

In any case, a second-story window is much different than escaping an island, and I’m his best friend’s sister. It makes sense that he’d have more decency with me, but again, he talked about what happened between us like we were discussing a new haircut.

That should be reason enough to put him out of my mind. I just wish I could forget the way it felt to be so intimate with him.

It was… unreal. Everything about yesterday afternoon was—right down to the interruption.

And I can’t stop thinking about it. All night, I tossed and turned and fought my urge to run across our new suite to break down his door in order to convince him to join me in my bed.

When we come to a stop in an empty parking spot, my heart rate picks up with anticipation of this adventure. I turn to express as much to Xander, but he hops out without a word.

“Okay, then,” I mutter sarcastically to myself as I open the door. Immediately, I’m enveloped by the warm day in a comforting hug like Maui knows I need it.

I follow Xander to the shop, where we’re greeted by a chipper young woman with more energy than a baby dolphin. She hands us our gear and gives instructions on how the tour will work. At the end of her spiel, she checks the time on her smart watch and smiles. “You can board Island Bliss in just a few minutes. The sea awaits.”

We both thank her, then make our way to the beach, where we undress down to our swimsuits, and I try not to stare.

Myfriend’smuscled back tapers and disappears into his bright blue swim trunks, which hang low and show off the dimples just above his round backside. My freaking mouth waters.

What a magnificent body he has.

And to think—I had my legs wrapped around it less than twenty-four hours ago.

He still doesn’t speak as I stuff our clothes into my tote bag, and we’re joined by a few others, who talk in hushed tones.

“For someone who was excited to come out here today, you have a sad way of showing it.” I stare pointedly at Xander.

“I’m just ready to get out there. Supposedly, this is the best time to catch a bunch of turtles. We might even come across some manta rays.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and although it’s not his usual upbeat tone, it puts me at ease.

Progress.

As we join the rest of the group and walk toward a white and blue excursion boat bobbing over the water with ease. The name Island Bliss scrolled along the side, and a rail stands across the front, at the end of which is an opening to board.

As the captain addresses the group, Xander stands so close to me that his breath cascades over my shoulder, cool against my taut skin.

My eyelids flutter, and I almost miss the opening lines. “Aloha, and welcome to Island Bliss,” the captain bellows out. “And I don’t just mean the boat, but beautiful Maui itself.”

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