Page 68 of Pull
Wiping my eyes, I peek at him. “Yea?”
He nods. “About Thailand. And how incredible it was…”
It’s funny how as soon as he mentions it, a slideshow of images flick through my mind. All the sun, skin bronzed and glistening, cool water, fresh air, tropical wildlife. The delicious food and even more delicious sex, all over the damn place.
There’s no other way to put it. It was heaven on earth.
“We said we’d go back for our anniversary…” Ryan says while washing his hair. I smack his hands away so I can do it, to which he grins.
“Yea. But it wasn’t really in the cards last year. We’ve been so busy…”
“I know. And I’m not complaining,” he says as he rinses his hair. “Anniversary one was purely awesome. But I’m just saying… I think we should make more time for trips. Don’t you?”
Pressing my lips together so I don’t reveal my excitement at the fact that he’sliterallyreflecting back my exact thoughts from the last few weeks.
I’m dying to plan another vacation. And honestly, I think I already found the perfect spot. That’s what I was actually doing last night in my office. Not working.
Oops.
“Should we take it to the Queen?” I ask him with an eager smirk on my lips.
“Take what to the Queen?” Jessica staggers into the bathroom, tying her blonde locks up in a bun on top of her head.
I give Ryan a look that says,you go. She never says no to you.
“We were thinking about planning a vacation…” He mumbles hesitantly, watching Jess through the glass of the shower stall while she brushes her teeth. “I know it’ll be hard to leave Ethan at this point, but we’ve been working so hard lately, don’t you think? We deserve some kid-free fun. Plus, there’s no shortage of people in our lives eager to watch him for a few days.” His eyes flit to mine. “Or maybe a week or… so.”
Jessica eyes us in the mirror while she spits out her toothpaste.
“What do you think, love?” I ask her. “You think you could sign off on say… Valentine’s Day? Somewhere tropical?”
She turns to face us, popping her hip out and crossing her arms over her chest.
For a second, I’m afraid she’s going to shoot this plan right out of the sky like a fighter jet.
But then she blinks and says, “Excuse me… Are you really asking if I’d like to spend Valentine’s Day away from my beautiful son whom I love so very much, in a tropical place eating amazing food and banging my gorgeous husbands nonstop?”
Ryan and I share a look while Jess whips the shirt over her head and opens the shower.
He chuckles, “Well, the Queen’s in.” Then he turns his hungry eyes on me. “Where did you have in mind?”
* * *
Two days later, we’re hosting game night at our place.
Everyone is due over any minute, and I’m sipping scotch and sending good vibes to my husband and wife while they do everything.
Jess is arranging trays of snacks on the dining room table when the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it!” I shout with a mouthful of a particularly scrumptious coconut shrimp.
“Damn right you will,” Ryan chuckles.
Sauntering to the door, I open it with a smile. “Hey! There they are.”
All of our friends and family—Greg and Marie, Bill and Rachel, Jacob and Laura, the usual crew—greet me with smiles and a bunch of noise as I welcome them inside.
“Place smells great, Lockwood,” Greg pats me on the shoulder.
