Page 32 of Tainted Tempos

MCKENNA

The wind whipsthrough my hair as the open Jeep speeds down a meandering road. I close my eyes, breathe a salty lungful of air, and relax. My shoulders drop, the tension in my neck eases, and a hint of a smile plays along the corners of my mouth.

Mav’s hand, steady, gently squeezes the back of my neck, and I tilt my head and turn my body toward him. He’s unintentionally become my personal lighthouse. The bright spot that guides me out of the darkness and back to stable ground. He’s become more than I ever imagined, more than I’m sure he bargained for, yet he doesn’t seem to mind.

“You okay?” His voice is husky and sends a shiver through me as his breath wraps around the shell of my ear.

I open my eyes. “Better today.”

He grins. Big and broad, and so Mav, I can’t help but smile back. “Good, Mckenna. Today is gonna be good.”

We arrive at our destination a moment later, and Mav thanks the driver. Sliding from the back seat, I give him a curious look. The lush greenery, open blue sky, and natural beauty of the Azores pulse around us.

“What are we doing?”

Mav points to the start of a trail. “Going on a hike.”

“A hike?” Does he think I look like a nature kind of girl?

He points to my sneakers. “That’s why I told you to change.”

I tug on the strap of my neon green bikini top under the black tank top Mav recommended I wear. “And the bathing suits? There is a waterfall, right?”

“You’ll see.”

“You’re so cryptic.”

“You like surprises.”

“I hate surprises.”

“Not with me,” he quips, so damn confident.

I open my mouth, but the words don’t come because...he’s right. With Mav, I don’t hate anything I usually do. Instead, I look forward to his playful plans and boyish charms.

He makes me relax and enjoy the moment. It’s a feeling of peace and contentment. Of being athome.

I shiver again, the thought almost as terrifying as the mental loop I’ve been stuck in since I learned I married the rockstar I love to hate.

Except I don’t hate him. Or surprises. Or this fun day, hike included, that he planned for us.

Mav extends his hand toward the trail with a grand flourish. “After you.”

I roll my eyes, but I’m grinning. How can I not when I’m with him?

I take off in front of him and glance over my shoulder. “You just wanna check out my ass, don’t you?”

“Obviously,” he replies quickly, not bothering to avert his gaze from where it’s trained on my behind.

I snort, relieved he still finds me attractive after...well, everything he now knows.

We begin our hike with a quiet appreciation for the gorgeous scenery. Sloping hills, shimmering sea, and bright sunshine.Mav carries the backpack with our water bottles and snacks, and I stop every now and then to snap a photo.

“Come here,” Mav says as I pull my phone from my pocket. He wraps an arm around my waist and tugs me back against his sweaty chest. He lost his shirt a while ago, and I am definitely not complaining. Instead, I’m checking him out as often as I’m giving him shit for looking at my ass. I’m just more subtle about it.

His heartbeat thuds into my back and steadies me, reminding me we’re together. I’m not going through this alone.

Mav’s hand rests on my hip, anchoring me against him. A little thrill rushes down my spine as I lean into him. A reminder that it’s been a minute since we’ve beentogether. The warmth that rushes through my limbs reminds me that I’m still a woman. That I still have needs and wants and desires. That I’m not broken. It’s a relief to feel those stirrings after existing in a state of uncertainty and dread and a cloud of confusion.

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