Page 108 of Our Broken Pieces
“Ugh, why did we book such an early flight?” Linc pulls his Red Sox cap down to cover his eyes.
I glance over at him. “Why are you in such bad shape this morning? You stayed home last night.”
Linc leans back, closing his eyes. “Mel and I took full advantage of a child-free apartment. Didn’t stop till after midnight.”
His eyes shoot open as Melonie slaps his chest. “Oh my God, Linc.”
I shake my head as Gigi laughs. She points at Melonie. “Get it, Melonie!”
Melonie covers her face. “New subject, please.”
“Coffee’s here.” Jax walks toward us. “Linc, extra shot.”
“Thank goodness,” Linc says as he grabs the cup.
We arrived at Logan International at 6 a.m. Gigi and I were ready to roll, but Jax and Linc had a bit more trouble. Grandparents are keeping the kids, and we’re all on our way to the Bahamas. With a Boston winter already setting in, I figured somewhere tropical sounded nice. I caved and told Gigi where we were going a couple days ago so she could pack the proper attire for a resort. Her room looked like a hurricane had hit it when she was done packing.
Audrey winks at Jax as he hands her a cup. “Marcus, did you tell your father you were getting married before the big ceremony?”
I shake my head. “This is just for us. He doesn’t need to know.”
“I’m so excited. All of us are getting away together for five days.” Gigi woke up at three, ready to go.
“I’m glad you’re excited, princess,” I say with a smile, gently patting her thigh. Despite my feelings for her being an open secret, I still find myself cautious with my actions around the others.
By the time our flight is called, we’ve all finished our coffee, and memories of past trips with Jax and Linc float through my mind. It’s crazy to think about how much life has changed since our first trip to Jamaica years ago. Jax and Linc have always been loyal, reliable friends, but now they are different, softened by love and fatherhood. They have mastered a balance of strength and tenderness that’s so often hard to navigate. Though we aren’t related by blood, I can’t help but feel proud to call them family.
Settling into our seats, I take the window while Gigi sits beside me. She rummages through her bag, handing me my book and pulling out her Kindle. Once her things are stowed, I lean back and take her hand. She glances over, catching me watching her.
“What’s on your mind, prince?” she asks softly.
“Life, our wedding, the future,” I reply, feeling the weight of it all in the best possible way.
“Heavy topics for seven-thirty in the morning.”
“I’m really glad we did this.” I squeeze her hand.
“Me, too. Thank you so much for this, Marcus.”
“You’re welcome. Are you excited for beach time?”
She leans toward my ear. “I am. Plus, now we get to have island sex.”
“Is that different from regular sex?” I whisper in response.
“There was a study done once that proved that sun exposure increases sex drive. Something about ultraviolet light and hormones. It’s science. So stay hydrated.”
I laugh. “Noted.”
Six hours later, we’re checking into our suites at the resort. I booked us all ocean-view suites on different floors. I had already planned on spending as much time as possible buried in between Gigi’s thighs, even before she told me about the ‘science’, so I made sure our rooms weren’t sharing walls.
The sun is bright and warm, so we all agree to meet back down in the lobby in an hour to get in some beach time. Gigi and I walk into our room—it’s smaller than our suite at Disney, but still has two rooms, a large common area and a balcony overlooking the ocean.
“Prince, this is perfect!” She spins to look at me.
“It should be. It’s the honeymoon suite.” I walk to her, wrapping my arms around her.
She slides her hands up my chest, looping her arms around my neck. “I really wish we had time to break in the bed.”
