Page 59 of Revival

I hop off his lap. I only make it two steps before his fingers close on my wrist.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m just sad this week is coming to an end.”

Spencer’s smile is soft. “Me too.”

I fight the inclination to reach out and touch him. Instead, I let myself soak in what I denied when he first took off his shirt.

Smooth, rounded hills of muscle pop out from his chest, covered by a light layer of dark curls that continue over his cut abs. As kids, Spencer always kept in shape. He was muscular but on the skinny side. The torso displayed before me now is all man. I don’t even see the scars. I’m too busy drinking in all the changes since I last saw his naked chest.

The other guests are already suiting up around the guide, listening to a last-minute safety reminder. Spencer puts his shirt back on to keep his skin protected from the overhead sun. We’re given snorkels, goggles, and flippers, and jump into the ocean with the rest of the group.

The clear waters are maybe only eight feet deep. Schools of yellow-and-black-striped fish swim around us. Spencer even swims down toward the sandy bottom to get a closer look at a red starfish. He gestures excitedly, making it hard for me not to laugh under the water.

The radiant smile as he surfaces is probably the most uninhibited expression I’ve seen on this trip. His genuine joy is infectious. I swim closer, slipping my arms around his neck as we float in the glittering waters.

“Having fun?”

“The only reason I’m smiling is so you have a pretty place to sit later.”

I roll my eyes to distract from the clench in my belly. “Liar.”

He gently pushes a wet strand of hair off my cheek. His hands settle on my waist. “Go ahead, Kitten.”

I bite my lip. Leaning closer, I brush my nose against his. “I told you so.”

His lips fasten to my neck, tongue laving the dewy skin.

I moan his name.

“Yes?” he husks in my ear.

“If you didn’t have your rule, we could be making out in the ocean right now.”

He shakes his head and playfully tips me until my hair dunks in the water. Blue eyes roam my face as he hovers above me. “You’re playing a dangerous game, beautiful.”

“I know.”

“You better stop before I find a way to fuck you here.”

We tread water until we’re nothing but two heads bobbing above the surface.

“Spencer.” I gasp over his name as his fingertips brush aside my bikini top to rub my nipple. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“Why not?”

He pinches and pulls, the rhythmic tugging sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my clit.

“Because everyone here is looking beneath the water.”

A rumbling growl sounds from his throat as he hastily pulls my top back into place.

“Forgot about that.”

I laugh and run my fingers through his wet hair. The saturated strands nearly match my bottled black.

The natural feel of our time together strikes me. Somehow, we managed to slip straight back into Cort and Spence. The years we missed out on sit like a big black void, while the future is a blank white slate.

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