Page 10 of Fighting With Light
“So, what would you like to do today?” he asks.
I lean back, studying his handsome face. The sun has done him nothing but favors. Though I can see a darkness in his eyes that I don’t know what to make of. He’s so chill, smiley, and charming, I can’t imagine what would cause it.
“This is more than breakfast? Careful, Liam, a girl might think you want to spend more time with her,” I say jokingly, even though I mostly mean it.
“Well, the girl would be right because I do.”
My fork full of eggs pauses in front of my mouth. I don’t know why his honesty struck me the way it did, but…I like it.
He chuckles and reaches across the small table and wraps his hand around mine, still holding the fork full of eggs, and slowly lifts it into my mouth. I slide my lips against the fork and then he lets go, leaning back.
“Why do you seem so surprised I’d want to spend more time with you?”
My face gets hot because the honest answer to that question may make me look desperate, and I don’t lookdesperatefor anyone. So I play it cool.
“I don’t know because I am pretty great.”
He grins and takes a bite of his banana. “I mean, I think so, seeingas I’m here,” he says.
I smile at that because, well, I can’t help myself. My stomach is full of butterflies and I really want to kiss him.
Screw it.
Standing from my chair, I take the two steps around the table and sit down on his lap. His hands rest on his thighs instead of my body, and I know he’s waiting to see what I do. Leaning into his imperfectly shaped lips, I kiss the small scar above his top one, then nip at his bottom lip. He grunts and I smile against his mouth. His body is tense with restraint and I leisurely drape my arms around his neck and tilt my head, pressing my lips to his. He lets me take what I want as I feel his warm hand slide up my side and then the other grips the back of my neck, controlling the angle.
I gasp, and he thrusts his tongue into my mouth, and I nip at him again. He growls, kissing me harder.Boy, does he kiss me.His tongue beckons at the thrill of feeling his hands on me. It’s electric, heady, almost primitive in the way he owns my mouth, as if I’m already his.
My heart startles in my chest and I pull away. His eyes are still closed and his lips are deliciously puffy with red tingeing his tan face. He opens his beautiful, jungle green eyes and I swear he just took my breath away again. He shifts and I feel something else beneath me and smile to myself.
“Are you finished eating? Because if you do that again, we will never see the rest of Bali.”
I lick my lips and kiss him on the cheek before standing up. “Yeah, I’m done.” He nods and takes a long, deep breath.
“Great, let’s go,” he says and grabs my hand. He doesn’t tell me where we’re going or what we’re doing, but I go anyway. Yet again, I’m following this man I hardly know because I like the way I feel with him. Violet was right. This place really is magical.
6
Liam
This is bad, thisis very bad.Don’t get distracted, Liam.This is why you don’t plan things like Emerson or speak eloquently like Kai.
Keep your head focused on what you need to get from her, like you should have while you were eating, but then she went and kissed you, and you forgot your name or what planet you were on.Good job, bud.
I walk towards the main lobby of the resort and to the front desk. I usually use a Jeep to get around the island when I need to or call a cab. “Hey, can I get a Jeep? Do you have any available?” I ask the guy behind the desk. I don’t recognize him, but I don’t know every single person on this massive resort staff, though I do recognize many. That’s why he sticks out to me.
“Yes, sir, here you go,” he says and hands me the keys. He clearly knows who I am because he doesn’t ask any more questions. With Aelia’s hand still in mine, I lead us to the front and hand the valet the keys so he can go get it. I think she will like the market in town. People sell all kinds of things down there and I know there are women’s clothes, so hopefully that will make her happy. Then maybe she will tell me more.
Last night, I thought about the potential reasons, other than spying on me, for why she’s here. The only other thing I could come up with is she’s scoping something out for her father. But this area isn’t geographically helpful for any form of shipping. It’s out of the way, it’s small, and I’d imagine it costs more to transfer things here than to Italy or somewhere further west. The drug trade isn’t stable, nor are there big producers around, and it would be ridiculous to claim territory here because the customer base is limited.
The mob is a business when it comes down to it. They just sell illegal products and services. From a business perspective, it makes absolutely no sense for the Costas to be anywhere near here, unless she is honestly on vacation. I even considered something involving my father and the government, but nothing has been announced. So there is no logical explanation other than she is here because she wants to be.
The valet pulls up the Jeep and leaves the keys in the ignition. I hand him a tip and open the door for Aelia. She reaches for her side and pauses before getting into the truck. “Oh wait, I don’t have my purse. Let me run and—” she says, taking a step away. I grab her arm gently and smile.
“You don’t need your purse, Aelia, I’ve got it.”
“Okay, thanks, but I just need to go get it. It will take me three minutes.”
I grin and shake my head. “This is still a date, so I still pay,” I tell her. She gives me a look that makes my skin prickle and she hops into the Jeep.
