Page 99 of What Happens in Paradise

34

ALEJANDRO

I kissed Jasmine softly on the top of her head. She was currently resting on my shoulder, our arms wrapped around each other.

This felt like a dream.

That was…

I had no words. Well, that was not true. I had many words, but none came close to describing the enormity of emotions I felt when I was inside Jasmine.

Some of the sensations were familiar to me. The desire. The passion. The need. But the closeness? The connection? They were all new.

For two years, I had wandered through life with half a heart, half a body. But when Jasmine and I made love, it was like our bodies connected and I became whole.

Madre mía.

Listen to me.

My sister was a romantic, but evenshewould vomit if she knew the sentimental thoughts racing through my head right now.

It sounded corny, but it was how I felt.

And I almost told Jasmine.

When she straddled me, I nearly lost my mind and said out loud that I loved her. Luckily, I stopped myself just in time.

I did not want to scare her away. I knew she did not feel the same. And I knew that she would say it was too soon. But the truth was, these emotions did not start in Jamaica. My feelings for Jasmine had been growing for months. Being together at the weekend and again this morning just solidified what I always knew: that I was in love with her.

‘What’s the time?’ Jasmine said lazily, her eyes still squeezed shut.

‘Almost eight.’

‘Already?’ She groaned. ‘I don’t want to go to work! I just want to lie on this rock all day and let you make love to me over and over again.’

She felt it too.

Earlier, she said she wanted me to fuck her. I had offered to do the same. But now, she had saidmake love.

My heart swelled. Maybe there was hope.

‘I meant, we could fuck… Not make love!’ She bolted off my shoulder and laughed like the idea was ridiculous. ‘Slip of the tongue. Stupid orgasm brain! We should get cleaned up and dressed. Just in case.’

Oh.

So she did not feel the same connection as I did.

For her, it really was just sex.

She scooped her bikini off the rock, then went and stood under the waterfall.

The sight of her beautiful body as the water trickled down her skin and she rinsed herself off was incredible. I was hypnotised by her beauty. It was only when she strode back over to the other side of the waterfall that I broke out of my trance.

After rolling off the condom and washing off, I joined Jasmine on the other rock with the food and put on my shorts just as she finished fastening her bikini top.

As we ate breakfast, my thoughts turned back to what she had just said.

It was clear. This was not serious for her.

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