Page 54 of Hidden Gem
She brushed sand off her tights, stretching each limb. “No, I don’t think so. You?”
“No. I fell on you.” He grinned. “You’re nice and soft.”
He snaked his arm around her, just in time to stop her from getting up. They’d landed on the perfect spot, a secluded stretch of sand shielded from the wind by larger rocks. Sure, the sand was a bit wet, he could feel the moisture seeping into the fabric of his jeans, but that was a small price to pay for this moment. “Please, stay.”
“I’m getting wet.”
He raised a hopeful eyebrow and Marnie elbowed him in the ribs. “Not what I meant.”
“That’s a shame.” He flashed her a wicked smile. “Sit on me. I don’t mind getting wet.”
He wrestled her into his lap. Marnie laughed, her cheeks flushed. After a moment, she stopped fighting and curled up against his chest, shivering like a frightened bird. He could feel her heart beating under the layers of clothing.
“I’m too heavy,” she whispered.
Jason sighed. What would it take to make this woman see what he saw? “I don’t know who’s told you these lies, but you have to stop believing them.”
Marnie twitched in his lap but made a small noise of agreement. “It’s just hard.”
“I don’t think we’re meant to do it alone. We’re all shaped by other people. We need someone to reallyseeus, to point out what’s beautiful. We’re all blind to ourselves.”
“You know you’re beautiful.”
“I know I’m good looking. I’m constantly told that, so I believe it. But I don’t believe it’s important.”
Marnie hung her head. “I shouldn’t care about that. I don’t usually. I try to focus on other things, other people. It’s better to be a good friend than a beautiful one.”
He squeezed her hard. “But you’re both! I know you think I’m full of shit and cheesy lines, but you’re gorgeous. Like, delicious. I could eat you up.” He buried his face into her neck, inhaling the mango scent mixed with something he’d begun to recognise as Marnie, the scent of rest and pleasure.
He kissed her soft skin, unable to stop himself. A wayward moan escaped her, and the primal resonance of it went straight to his core. She had no idea how sexy she was. Jason grabbed her chestnut curls, turning her to face him. The moment their mouths made contact, he was hard. She returned the kiss, hungry in a way that left no room for doubt. Even when her mind floundered, her body responded to him, giving him hope. If only they could stay here, within that bubble of sensation, fire coursing through them as their tongues swirled in a passionate dance that demanded more and more.
As his hand made it under her hoodie, she pulled away, eyes wild. “What if someone sees us?”
“Have you seen one single person out here?” He gestured along the beach out to the vast ocean. “It’s like a desert island.”
“With my luck, someone will show up. Like an angry security guard. Or the penguins.”
“Well, let’s give them a good show!”
He shifted under her to make room for his hard-on. With that round ass moulding against his thighs, he couldn’t think of much else. He wanted to take her right here, but he wanted her to be fully onboard, to let go of all those doubts. There was something hiding inside her, a wild force stirring under the surface, hiding from everyone, even Marnie herself. He was the only one in the world who could see it, and the thought drove him crazy.
