Page 40 of Kissing Flynn

It’s all beautiful, but my mind keeps going back to Barnard and our strange conversation. I need to talk to Flynn. Lifting my head out of the water, I kick my flippers to keep me upright. It only takes a moment for Flynn to realize I’ve stopped, and he quickly spins around to join me.

I peer around him to see the others have moved a good distance away, then meet Flynn’s worried gaze.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say. “I just wanted to talk to you about Barnard. He asked me about you again. He noticed the tension between us when we first arrived, and has also noticed we’ve gotten closer.”

My body bobs in the water, and I reach out to take Flynn’s hand beneath the surface so I won’t drift away from him. He tightens his fingers around mine and nods quickly.

“I told you he said pretty much the same thing to me. That he admitted he knew we had a falling out in college and hadn’t spoken in years even though I’ve remained close to Milo.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird that he’s so interested in our relationship?” I ask.

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing, Max. The fact that he’s so interested means we’re both in the running for the job, right? Otherwise, he wouldn’t bother trying to find out more.”

“I guess you’re right,” I murmur, my mind still spinning.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says, and the change of subject startles me. “All wet and glistening in the sun. I wish I could kiss you right now. Taste the saltwater on your lips.”

His words send a thrill jolting through my core, making me rub my thighs together beneath the water. Flynn bites his lip the way that douche Lars was doing earlier, only on Flynn, the effect is damn near devastating. Releasing his lip, he smiles.

“Later. When we’re alone, I’m going to kiss every inch of your skin before making you come all over my mouth again.”

I inhale sharply, and his grin widens. He releases my hand and puts his mask back on. Once I’ve got my gear in place, we swim after the group, moving quickly through the water to catch up. But I’m not focusing at the bright sea life beneath us. My mind is on Flynn and me.

We missed out on so much because of my brother’s lies. What would our lives look like if that hadn’t happened? Where would we be now? Probably not here, in paradise vying for the same job while snorkeling off the bow of a luxury yacht.

We probably would have dated for a while then broke up, if I’m being honest with myself. We were young and different people back then, weren’t we? But if that’s true, how did we fall back into each other so quickly and easily? It feels like no time has passed, at all, sometimes. We’re the old Max and Flynn again, but with sex.

We may have lost a few years, but I refuse to have regrets. This time with him is too perfect. Fate brought us here, and this is the way things are supposed to be.

The tour comes to an end as we swim back toward the boat, but my mind refuses to stop racing. What happens when this trip is over? If one of us gets the job, we’ll be apart for months, at the very least.

Barnard made it clear that he wants the writer to be here with him until the work is done––a stipulation revealed when we signed on for the opportunity. I’m certain I can handle the separation––I’ve waited for Flynn this long, even if I didn’t realize I was doing it. I never allowed myself to get close to anyone else. Always found fault in the men I dated, coming up with reasons to stop seeing them. I made the dumbest excuses, but the truth was, none of them were Flynn.

I look over at him swimming beside me. Can he handle a separation? Or will the absence dull his feelings?

I decide to put it out of my mind until this competition is over. I have Flynn for now, and I’m going to enjoy him while I can. Whatever happens later will happen. There’s nothing I can do about it, so I refuse to let it ruin the precious time we do have.

Twenty-Four

Flynn

As soon as we got back to the estate, I made good on the promise I made Max in the water. Joining her in her room, I didn’t even let her shower before I tossed her on the bed and kissed and licked every inch of her salty skin. Then I made her come with my mouth––twice.

Back in my room, showered, shaved, and dressed, I hear a light tap on the door before a folded slip of paper slides through the thin gap beneath it. Walking over, I pick it up and read it. It’s a note from Barnard, saying he has to leave for the evening so we’re on our own tonight. We can have dinner here or if we prefer, he has left a fleet of mopeds at our disposal to head into town.

My eyebrows scrunch as I read that last bit. Town? Barnard owns this island, and I was sure he and his staff were its only inhabitants.

At the bottom of the note is a crudely drawn map showing the road that leads away from the mansion and the right fork to take to head into town.

“Huh,” I say just as Max appears in the open doorway between our rooms.

All thoughts of Barnard and this mysterious town flee when I get a look at her. I nearly lose the ability to breathe, as well.

She looks downright ethereal in a long blue dress with thin shoulder straps and white flowers embroidered all over it. Her hair is swept up into a fat bun on top of her head, and her pink cheeks glow as happiness shines in her eyes.

I shake my head with a dazed expression, making Max laugh and twirl around to show me a deep V on the back of the dress that reveals a sinful amount of skin. Damn. Maybe we should just stay in tonight.

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