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  “We don’t have to…I mean if you don’t want to…I have an IUD,” she stammers.

  I grin. “You mean no condom?”

  She nods. “Yeah, I mean if you’re OK with that,” she says.

  “Are you?”

  “I feel…safe with you, Nick,” she admits, her eyes bravely staying on mine through her admission.

  “I’m glad you do, beautiful, but are you alright with no condom?”

  “I trust you. I…this is a little embarrassing, but I haven’t had sex in a few years before you I mean,” she says finally looking down between us.

  I lift her chin back up, and she meets my gaze once more. “I’m clean. I’ve been pretty busy at work the past few months, so I haven’t had time for any relationships,” I tell her. And that’s true. Although, I did just have my physical three weeks ago before I switched insurance companies.

  “I don’t normally go without them except when I’ve had a long-term relationship,” she says quietly.

  “Me either,” I tell her, and I’m being truthful. The only other time I went without them was with a long-term girlfriend in college who was on the pill and whom I trusted.

  “Beautiful?” I say, drawing her back from her thoughts.

  “Yes, Nick?” she answers.

  “This,” I say motioning between us, “isn’t a fling for me.”

  “Really?” she asks, her voice so innocent and hopeful that I want to crush her against me, but I stay still.

  “Yes, really.”

  She sucks in a deep breath. “Good, because I don’t want it to be just a fling.” Her eyes stare up at me, wide and a little innocent. She’s baring her soul to me a bit, and I like that. I keep my gaze on hers as I slowly sink into her. Her eyes widen further, but she doesn’t speak as I begin to move. She feels exquisite.

  “You feel so good, beautiful,” I murmur. Our eyes stay locked on one another as I move in and out, her hips rising to meet me thrust for thrust, but that is the only friction between us. I feel one with her at this moment, my body and soul is so fucking entwined with her that I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it scares the living piss out of me.

  I’m so transfixed by her beauty that my impending orgasm takes me by surprise. I try to slow down, but then I feel her muscles clenching, and I know we are about to simultaneously fall apart. Our breathing becomes ragged as I lose my control. I feel myself shooting into her, my seed coating her from the inside and something inside me, something primal, fucking loves this feeling. I’m marking her as mine, and I know it’s a bit brutish, and I feel like a caveman for even thinking it, but I do.

  I slowly stop moving, her rippling muscles still pulse around me causing goose bumps on my skin. I can feel my dick twitch inside of her and the feeling must be similar for her because her skin is covered in goose bumps as well. I pull out slowly and roll us over so she’s lying on me. I can feel my seed running out of her and onto my thigh, but she feels so good in my arms that I don’t want to move yet.

  She places her hands on my heart and props her head on them, looking up at my face. “What are we going to do?” she asks.

  I’m confused by her question for a minute. My caveman mind thinking, well, we’ll clean you up and then go to bed. Then I realize she’s in woman-mode and means what are we going to do about us.

  “We are going to figure this out,” I reassure her. “But first, we are going to get you cleaned up.” I sit up and go into the bathroom. I realize there are no washcloths here, it’s Europe they don’t do washcloths. I find a hand towel and run it under warm water. Then turn to find that she’s standing in the doorway watching me. She walks over and puts toothpaste on her toothbrush and begins brushing her teeth. She does the same with mine and hands it to me. And we brush our teeth. She turns on the shower and takes my hand. We take our time washing each other’s bodies and then drying them off before we crawl back into the bed.

  I pull her against me and kiss her forehead. “We will figure this out, beautiful,” I repeat before we both fall fast asleep.

  Chapter 9

  Nick’s Playlist: “Under the Tide” by CHVRCHES

  It is a great day for sailing. The water is calm, there’s a decent breeze and the temperature is perfect. Everyone is dressed casually, and we are happily chatting away as Marco pulls the boat out of the marina, and we head toward Pico.

  All six of us make ourselves useful as it turns out we all have sailboat experience. We chat about the weather and the day’s agenda. I can’t help the nagging feeling I have about why I’m here, to begin with, and I note that Pierce, who has remained very low-key the past few days, is on a smaller boat following us across the water. A small part of me thinks his presence is ridiculous since we are clearly not in harm’s way out here, and another part of me, the alpha male, caveman part is glad we have security backup and wishes he was on board the boat with us.

  My thoughts on our security detail wane as we near the mega-yacht that’s anchored out in between the islands. I read its name, Anastasia. I snap a photo and send it to Lily with some snide comment about what I need for my birthday.

  As we pass by, I see a figure up on the top deck, a man, and he looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t place him. Then he’s gone. I decide it must be a celebrity. I return to my seat next to Melissa. A forlorn feeling passes over me, and I can’t explain why. I shake my head and hold her tightly against me as Marco continues steering us toward Pico.

  Marco’s friend João greets us at the dock and loads us into his van. He owns a small guesthouse and his family runs a vineyard. His brother, Tomás, gives tours on the island and apparently helps Marco out from time to time. He takes us up Mount Pico for some hiking. It’s fairly steep, and I enjoy the view of Mel’s fine-toned ass while climbing up behind her. We make it to the summit and the views are amazing.

  “You can see so many of the islands today.” Marco points them out, even a few in the far-off distance. João points out some things on Pico and then over on Horta. Melissa smiles at me as they speak.

  “This is amazing up here,” she whispers.

  “You haven’t been before?” I ask her. She shakes her head.

  “I’ve wanted to, but just hadn’t gotten around to it, at least not all the way up here,” she explains.

  “Well, I like to go all the way.” I smirk.

  She rolls her eyes. “That’s what she said.”

  I laugh. I hadn’t pegged her for such a “that’s what she said” type of girl, considering our discussion yesterday about the size of the yacht. It surprises me, and that makes me realize that there’s a lot I don’t know about Mel, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. João passes out some snacks and drinks before we start back down.

  We make it back down the mountain in record time. João takes us over to the vineyard. The vineyard is, well, a vineyard. Although João tells us it’s been in his family for generations. The viticulture on the island is quite historic. I knew that before I came here, but to hear him speak about it makes me realize just how old this place is. The rock walls around the island have been here for centuries and something about that is oddly reassuring. The fact that life goes on despite volcanic eruptions has my mind contemplating the universe more than it should.

  João has had a picnic set up on old benches at the bottom of the vineyard. “Pico stew,” he says as he ladles us bowls of the local cuisine that I had tried a few weeks earlier. There are fresh bread and cheeses and of course wine.

  We spend the next few hours talking and eating. João gives us a tour of the vineyard. We try different wines and learn about grafting vines and the different grapes they grow on the island. João mentions a friend who does sculptures, and we go visit his studio a few miles away. Then before we know it, we’re heading back to the restaurant by the dock for dinner.

  We all decide on seafood and invite João to join us. He’s a gracious host and agrees. I look around and everyone seems relaxed, including me. It is nice to be here.
I look past Zoe and see Pierce sitting at a table by himself. I decide it’s silly to have him eat alone.

  I give him a look that says, “come on over.” He shakes his head. I want to protest, but something in his eyes tells me it’s better that he remains incognito, so I merely nod. He mouths a “thank you though” at me, and I nod again before I launch into a discussion on wine with Marco. We spend the better part of the next hour discussing the best locations for growing vines and which wines are the best.

  The day has been a welcome distraction from our current predicament. Marco sails us back across the water as the final light blue of the dying embers of the sun’s rays fade into a deep navy blue in the sky. A full moon is high overhead in the cloudless sky, and I lean back on a plush leather seat and stare up at the stars as Mel curls up in my lap and promptly falls asleep.

  She is so exhausted, she doesn’t even stir as Marco ties us up at the marina in Horta. I lift her tiny frame in my arms and carry her back to the hotel after saying my goodnights to Marco, Michelle, and a very sleepy Zoe, who’s leaning on Cody’s shoulder as they stumble back to their room.

  I lay Melissa on the bed, removing her shoes. I strip her of her shorts and t-shirt. She garbles something in her sleep but doesn’t wake as I crawl into bed with her and pass out from total exhaustion and wine.

  My phone’s ringing is what wakes me the next morning.

  “Hello?” I ask rather than answer.

  “Sorry, I guess it is rather early there,” Jack says.

  “Oh, hey,” I say as I slide off the bed and walk out to the balcony. “What’s up? Any news?”

  “Actually yes, that’s why I’m calling,” he says. “We have obtained video surveillance of Ben from Russia a few days ago. We are reasonably sure he’s still there, so I’m calling everyone back. We’ll keep security tabs on Izzy, but otherwise, I want everyone else back here.”

  “Define back here,” I mutter as I lean against the railing and look out at the mega-yacht. It appears a coral-pink color in the early morning light.

  “Well, about that,” he starts. “I’d like all of us to go to Jesse and Vanessa’s home. There’s plenty of room and it’s got state-of-the-art security. We are essentially off the grid there, and it will be easier to protect everyone.”

  “Seriously, Jack?” I say, nearly laughing with sarcasm. “Why don’t you just draw a big bull’s-eye for Ben.”

  “I know, you’d think that, but Bryce and all his men will be there as well. Ben isn’t prepared to face an armed militia of sorts. Plus, it’s tactically easier for Bryce if all his assets are in one location.”

  “Well,” I say, rolling my eyes. “If it’s easier for Bryce.”

  Jack sighs. “Listen, Nick, please trust me on this. I’ve been handling situations like this one for over half my life now. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Well, it doesn’t make it any easier to believe. No offense, Jack, but I don’t want to feel like a sitting duck,” I huff.

  “I understand that, but just know that it really is best,” he says.

  “And your family?” I ask him.

  “Oliver, Mal, and Rose will remain at their new home. I called in a favor, and they will be very well protected. Rose is on holiday from school soon anyhow, so it works out,” he says.

  “Fine, when are we heading back?” I ask him, turning to look at Mel who is still fast asleep.

  “Tomorrow morning,” he says.

  “Just for the record, Jack, I’m not a fan of this idea,” I state.

  “Noted,” he says with irritation in his voice. I’m challenging him on this, and I know he doesn’t like it, but something in my gut says this is a bad idea.

  I hang up and open the sliding door. Mel rolls over, and I see her exposed back. I stand, leaning against the doorframe for a long moment, taking her in while she is so peaceful. Leaving her tomorrow is going to plain suck. Perhaps it’s better that she doesn’t come with me. I mull this over in my mind, but her voice brings me out of my inner monologue.

  “You coming back to bed?” she asks. She rolls over and her sleepy eyes meet mine.

  I saunter over to her and sit on the bed, leaning back against the headboard and looking down at her. She’s resting her head on her hand, her elbow bent. Her hair is a wonderful mess, but she still looks beautiful.

  “I’m leaving tomorrow morning,” I say, not wanting to beat around the bush.

  I see her playful expression drop, although she quickly changes it to a look of understanding but not before I see a flash of panic and sadness. We remain staring at one another for a few minutes, neither one of us speaking, yet a million words are exchanged in these few quiet moments.

  I finally break the silence. “Do you have to work today?”

  “No,” she says.

  “What shall we do then?” I ask her, attempting to lighten our moods.

  She frowns and is deep in contemplation when there’s a knock at my door. I startle and turn to her.

  “Stay here,” I say as I walk over and look through the peephole. I groan at the sight of my cousin and open the door.

  “Well, good morning to you too, sunshine,” she quips as she puts a hand on her hip. “Jack called you, huh?” Zoe is great at reading people, so I know lying about my current mood is pointless.

  “Yep,” I answer.

  “What’s our game plan for today?” Zoe asks.

  I shrug. “Where’s Cody?” I ask her.

  “He went for a swim,” she says.

  I suddenly feel Mel’s arms around my waist. “Good morning, Zoe,” she chimes in from beneath the crook of my arm.

  “Hey, any ideas for our last day here?”

  Mel contemplates this for a few seconds and then suggests we go see more of the island. We agree and meet up an hour later to go for a drive. It’s midday when Zoe realizes that she hasn’t seen dolphins yet. Mel quickly arranges for us to go out on the afternoon tour with Marco and Peter.

  Cody and I agree as we had so much fun last time.

  We are again close by the giant mega-yacht as we head out to find a pod of dolphins that Marco saw with the morning tour. I realize Lily hasn’t texted me back yet. I look at my texts and realize it didn’t go through to her. I try to send it again, but the signal is too weak. Instead, I sit back and enjoy the ride, as Mel’s long braid whips around in the wind. Zoe is practically beaming and jumping up and down with excitement. Her enthusiasm is contagious and pretty soon everyone is excited. Mel brought along some of her gear, but not much.

  “Today is just about enjoying it,” she says with a warm smile.

  We find the dolphins after about thirty minutes of looking. Marco points out that this is a local pod of bottlenose dolphins, the same ones we saw on our last trip. The dolphins immediately come up to the boat, and I can hear them talking.

  “I think they recognize you,” she says as she nudges my arm.

  We quickly put on our snorkel gear and Zoe and Cody jump in first. Zoe is practically screaming with glee at each and every dolphin encounter. Mel and I let her take her time in the water. After a while, she realizes she’s hogging the fun, she climbs up and tells us to get in there.

  I laugh at her command as Mel and I jump into the water. Immediately, a dolphin comes up to me, very close, only a few feet away, and I hear it making sounds under the water.

  “She remembers you,” Mel says.

  I roll my eyes. “How do you know? Do you speak dolphin?” I ask, giving her leg a squeeze under the water.

  “Why I’ll have you know that I speak ‘dolphin’ very well,” she scoffs at me, and then giggles as I pull her against me in the water and dunk us underneath, taking a selfie with my GoPro.

  Several other dolphins come up to me, and after a while, it does feel like they know me. I recognize a younger dolphin that has a weird mark on its back that Mel says was likely a close encounter with a shark.

  We spend the next several hours taking turns with Zoe and Cody and even Marco a
nd Peter pop in once or twice to say hi to their finned friends. We find a pod of spinner dolphins after the bottlenose dolphins bore with us and head off toward Pico. We follow them for a while, but they are on a feeding mission and don’t stick around to interact like the other pod did. As it did the first time, the experience goes by much too quickly and before we know it we are heading back to shore.

  “That was so cool!” Zoe yells over the sound of the rushing air as Marco maneuvers the vessel through the water.

  I see Cody look at his phone as we approach the dock. I give him a look, and he puts up a finger as he reads something on his phone.

  We say our goodbyes to Marco and Michelle, promising to visit again as soon as possible and offering them places in the States to come stay if they want to escape from their island paradise. They laugh and agree to consider it. They ask us to meet up with the whole group for drinks after dinner.

  “So?” I ask Cody as the four of us walk back to the hotel.

  “The surveyor actually got out there today. He’ll have us new specs in the morning,” he says.

  “Seriously?” I say, shocked that anyone here would work on a Sunday.

  “Time is money, and everyone has their price,” he answers with a grin.

  “Well, what time do we leave in the morning?” I ask him.

  “I just pushed our flight back till noon. That’ll give us time to go over the specs and then do one last site visit before we leave,” he says.

  “Sounds good,” I murmur as I watch Zoe and Mel in front of us. They are speaking excitedly, clearly reliving our day. Mel’s talking with her hands, and she looks adorably thrilled to have made another dolphin lover out of someone.

  “You have it bad,” Cody says quietly. I look over at him and nod.

  “I hope you two can make it work,” he says as we near the hotel’s entrance.

  “Me too,” I agree. And that last statement weighs on me as we go to change for dinner. Mel hops in the shower first. I walk in and see her through the clear glass shower door. She’s singing along to a song playing on her cell phone, “Here With Me” by Dido. Her voice is low and sultry, a little Janis Joplin-like. I listen to the words of the song, and it breaks my heart. I open the shower door and step inside. She jumps and turns to face me.