Page 33 of Paradise

“I could probably find someone to come with us and drive the yacht!” Hayden yells from where he’s bent down in his suitcase, digging around for something.

“Yeah,” Levi says, standing up too. “Do that. I want to get drunk.”

I slap Logan’s ass when she’s standing in front of me to get her moving, then I look at Hayden. “We’ll be back before four.”

Following Logan through the room and back out into the hall, I drop my arms over her shoulders and press my chest to her back. Dragging my nose through her hair, I find her ear and bite along the lobe. “Ever had sex on a boat?”

Her hands slide up my forearms. “No, you?”

“Nope,” I say, kissing her jaw.

A moan leaves her lips before she responds. “You’ll have a different answer after today.”

I flex my hips as she slides the key into our door, letting her feel how hard my cock is under my zipper. I squeeze her waist, whispering, “I want you.”

She opens the door, pushing in and dragging me behind her. When the door has slammed shut, she spins around and kisses me, her tongue slipping into my mouth. Sliding my hands up her sides, I thread them into her hair so I can control her head as I walk her backwards across the room.

When the backs of her legs have hit the bed, she pulls her mouth from mine. “We need to get ready.”

I groan, shaking my head. “Let’s just have a quickie.”

She pats me on the chest. “You know it’ll be so much better if you wait.”

My cock screams at me from the confines of my pants, and I pout at her, but before I can say anything, she laughs at me. “You know I’m right.”

I press forward again, squeezing my hands around her neck and using my mouth to trace a line along her jaw. “I am going to fuck you until you can’t walk later.”

She moans, her hands going around my back. “Promise?”

Nodding, I lick her skin. “Oh, I promise, baby.”

* * *

The sun is hanging low in the sky as we walk down the massive wooden boardwalk that houses the boat rentals. Hayden and Levi are both carrying their bags, with what inside them, I have no idea, and I have a small tote hanging off my shoulder with some clothes and alcohol in it.

“Hi, reservation for Monroe.” Hayden greets the man at the makeshift counter on one side of the dock. “I spoke to someone about getting a captain to come out with us.”

“Yes, Mr. Monroe.” The guy writes something down in a notebook in front of him. “I have Captain Kalani waiting on board for your arrival.”

The man rounds the counter. “Please, follow me.”

It’s always amazed me the respect Hayden gets. At first glance, you wouldn’t expect him to. A skinny guy with dark hair and eyes, who’s covered in tattoos, isn’t someone who would generally garner respect from adults, but Hayden carries himself with such authority that no one is ever rude to him. It might have something to do with his credit card, but it’s also the energy he emanates as well. He radiates power and control. Even with Levi’s goofy ass standing next to him, he’s seen as someone who warrants obedience.

The guy leads us to the end of the boardwalk, where there’s a massive white boat sitting. It’s probably 100 feet long and has three stories that make the rest of the idling boats look tiny.

“Jesus Christ, Hayden,” Logan breathes, “Really?”

Hayden chuckles, following the guy leading us onto the deck of the boat.

Logan still has trouble with the benefits of Hayden’s credit cards. I get it, she grew up poor as shit, so she sees his endless and unnecessary spending and imagines that money going to needy people in her old neighborhood. It’s admirable, and every time she talks about Franklin and how we can help, I love her a little bit more.

But it’s useless when it comes to Hayden—he’ll never stop spending. Every time he swipes his card, it’s afuck youto his father, and that’s something I understand as well.

It’s a balancing act between them. Hayden does something expensive, and then Logan makes him donate food to the homeless shelter in Franklin. I can only imagine what we’re going to have to do when we get home afterthis.

Logan and I follow our friends onto the boat, and I run my hand along the metal railing at the edge as the rental guy introduces us to the captain.

“I’ll stay out of your way and just drive. Let me know if you need anything,” he says to Hayden, shaking his hand in greeting.

---