Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 67510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I resisted the urge to giggle.
He kissed the tip of my nose, dropped to his knees, and gazed up at me with a look of lust as he skimmed my panties down my thighs. Once I was sitting there naked in front of him, he informed, “Now I’m going to further add to my apology by burying my face between your legs.”
“Aires…”
“Say it, Bay,” he ordered. “We both know you want to. I can see it all over your pretty face, especially now. You’re mine. Only mine. Always been mine, always will be mine. Say it. Tell me what I need to hear.”
He was done with the bullshit and laying down the law. His intense, conflicting stare never left mine. We both fought our own internal battles, but he already proved he’d risk everything for me. When he gripped my thighs and dragged me closer to the edge of the table, I slightly gasped.
He rasped, “Just trust me.”
I exhaled a deep breath, confirming, “I’m yours.”
I was completely unaware of what the future held for us but excited nonetheless.
chapter eighteen
Aires
B. Night yelled, “ACTION!”
Bailey Playing Quinn Take 3
Samuel raised his eyebrows with a challenging yet amused expression. “Once we get to the side of the mountain, you grab and step where I do, understood?”
I nodded, eager to get this journey on the road. I’d never been hiking before, at least not like this.
“Umm… I may have a huge problem with this.”
“Quinn, it’s the only choice we have.”
“Not necessarily.”
“You want to be stuck on this island more than we already have?”
“What if we give it another day?”
“No, come on.”
By the time we started climbing down the side of the mountain, my legs began to shake. “Don’t go so fast.”
“I’m going as slow as I can.”
“I know, but shit! Your stride is much longer than mine.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Says the man who hikes all the time. Why do you do this again?”
“To get away from all the crazy women.”
“Me included?”
“You were the first one on my roster.”
I giggled. “Sam, don’t make me laugh, or I’ll fall.”
“Just make sure to keep grabbing and stepping where I am, and you won’t fall.”
“How reassuring of you.”
“I’d never let you fall.”
“If I do fall.” I smiled. “I’ll make sure to fall on you.”
He peered up at me from the rigged spot where he was standing. “Why do you think I’m in front of you?”
My mouth dropped open.
“I’m kidding.”
“Well, now I’m questioning your motives. How much farther?”
“Not much.”
“You keep saying that.”
“You keep asking.”
“Are we close?”
“We’re getting closer.”
He glided down with precision as if he remembered every step he needed to take by memory, and it wasn’t the first time he did this. Where to grab and what to hold was effortless for him. I knew he loved hiking, but seeing him do it was an entirely different experience.
Especially after all these years.
“And we have to climb again?”
“Yes, that’s the way it works.”
“What if I don’t make it? My legs already feel like they’re going to give out on me.”
“We’ll take a long break when we get down there.”
“How are you carrying that heavy-ass backpack and still not breaking a sweat?”
We were lucky that we found some luggage of ours and others. Samuel had built us a makeshift tent the past few nights, and so far, we were relatively safe.
You know, except for the part where we almost died in a plane crash.
“I’m used to it,” he replied.
“Are you even tired?”
“Compared to all my hikes, this one isn’t that bad.”
“Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?”
“Yes. You. How many steps do you think we’ve taken?”
“Thousands.”
“How do you know?”
“I needed the distraction from your constant badgering.”
“Samuel!” The pitch in my tone had me losing my footing. “Shit!” I stepped in the wrong patch and started sliding down the mountain. “Sam!”
He grabbed my hand at the last second. “I got you.”
I frantically glanced up at him, and he was hanging onto what appeared to be a tree branch.
“Oh god…”
“You’re okay.”
“Sam…”
“You’re okay, Quinn.”
My heart was beating a mile a minute. “I guess you’re the one with the catlike reflexes.”
“Love…” he warned in a kind tone.
It was what he used to call me, making my heart hurt for a whole different reason.
“Yes…”
“I’m going to need you to stop talking now.”
I nodded, watching with a terrified expression as he pulled me to him like I weighed nothing. After what felt like an eternity later, we finally made it to the bottom of the mountain, and I was once again blown away by how gorgeous this island truly was.
Aires Playing Samuel Take 3
Watching the way Quinn’s eyes widened as she took in the beauty of this place was a sight I’d never forget. The view of the waterfall cascading down the rocks into a lagoon made this place seem a little less than hell. Her enticing dark brown eyes looked back at me over her shoulder, and I couldn’t gather a thought. The sunlight heightened her features, emphasizing the freckles across her button nose and sculpted cheeks.