Page 80 of Lust & Lollipops

We both came hard and fast, and Cam leaned over my body as he caught his breath.

His expression was still intense, though his shoulders were more relaxed. “That was fucking hot, Loll.”

“It was.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and used the grip to pull him closer.

He hugged me tightly to his chest. “Only two more days.”

For the first time on the island, excitement curled in my middle. “Two more days.”

We were so, so close.

And now that there were no secrets, maybe we could even enjoy it.

Cameron burned the mess off our skin before he scooped me up and carried me off to our part of the beach. The sun was still rising, but we’d heard Travis moving around too, so there was no need to be quiet while we washed ourselves off.

He assured me I wouldn’t get a UTI despite our less-than-sanitary sex the night before. Apparently, fae magic was good for that too. I wasn’t sure it would really help me, considering it was his magic, not mine. But, even in the worst case, we were leaving in two days.

Which meant he’d be turning me into a fae in two days.

And any infection I had when I changed would simply vanish, which would be cool.

Cam and I sat on the beach after we washed off, our legs sprawled out in front of us and our sides pressed together. We were on the edge where the water met the sand, and the tide was rising.

“You’ve never told me much about your family,” he said, as a small wave rolled over my calves.

“You haven’t told me much about yours,” I countered.

He chuckled. “I had to keep my life private to qualify to come here.”

“I know. But you haven’t told me since then. And I didn’t tell you, because it seemed silly to try to bond with someone who showed no interest in my past.”

“I wasn’t allowed to show interest, but I am interested. And my family… well, we’re close. It’s just my parents and I, though Rhett sort of joined us recently, which I did mention. They went through many rounds of fertility treatments to have me, and have never shown desire to repeat the process for another child. I can’t say I blame them. Twenty years of trying and failing, of dealing with that heartbreak and the physical pain my mother had to go through, would be too much for many people. I don’t know that I could survive it.”

“But they did.”

“Yes. And I am eternally grateful for that.”

“Are they good parents?”

“The best. They’re more like friends now—I’m too old for the relationship to be the same. But I always knew I was loved, and that we were a team. Even now, I can go to them with my fears and feelings.”

I smiled sadly. “That sounds really nice.”

“It is.”

“What are the odds that they’ll hate me?”

He snorted. “You’ll be saving my life when you become mine, Lolli. They’ll love you.”

“Saving your life doesn’t mean they have to like my personality.”

“It doesn’t, but they will. You’re passionate, you’re fun, you’re sarcastic… you’ll fit right in.”

I hoped so.

“My parents were amazing,” I said, looking out at the ocean. Another wave rolled over us, reaching my knees that time. “They loved each other, and me, fiercely. They would’ve had more kids if the world wasn’t on the verge of ending when they had me, but they chose not to risk it. I lost them in the war, three years before you guys stepped in and saved the world. He was a doctor, and she was a nurse. They both died saving lives.”

Though my eyes were on the ocean, my mind was on the past.

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