Hidden Paradise

by A. M. Guilliams

  He moaned and stilled inside of me. My back met the wall once more as we both held onto each other, catching our breaths.

  His hands gripped my bottom as he moved us away from the wall, and he stepped out of his pants. He walked us further inside of the bungalow, and I laid my head on his shoulder not caring where he took me. I didn’t know if I could walk, let alone function, after what just occurred.

  My body and mind were spent.

  I didn’t care that I’d slept with a man I’d just met.

  I didn’t care that I didn’t even know his real name.

  All I cared about was the sleep that was now consuming me.

  I felt him lay me down on the mattress, and the second my head hit the pillow I was asleep. Off to dreamland with a smile on my face.

  I awoke with a start, sitting up way too fast in the bed.

  There was a warm body pressed against mine.

  His leg was wrapped within mine, and his arm was around my waist.

  Nervously, I looked down at the man sleeping beside me.

  Thorn.

  Flashbacks from the night before hit me like a brick.

  I looked over to the door, and heat crept to my cheeks as I remembered what we’d done mere hours before.

  No one had ever treated me that way.

  Had such passion for me.

  I’d never felt that passion with anyone prior.

  I feared becoming addicted to it. Of wanting what I couldn’t have.

  Ever so slowly, I pulled away from him, hoping he’d remain asleep. My dress was still on from the night before. My panties were destroyed, but I pulled them off and balled them up in my hand.

  I’d never done the walk of shame before, but I held my head high and tip-toed to the door to look for my shoes and purse.

  They were still at the spot they were dropped.

  Hastily, I picked up the items and walked out the door of his bungalow.

  Turning back for one final look, I took in the man that was now spread out on the bed.

  I wouldn’t forget him and would reflect on this night often.

  Quietly, I exited his bungalow and went in search of mine.

  I needed a shower and to power up my laptop to get lost in some work. I needed the distraction it would bring to get my mind off the man I’d just walked away from.

  After a long search, I finally found where my bungalow resided and walked inside, using the same button he had the night before to shut the curtains. Shutting the island away for the day would do me some good.

  I threw my belongings on the bed and went straight to the bathroom to shower the previous night off me. As much as I wanted to keep the smell of him on my skin, I couldn’t go all day with that distinct scent distracting me.

  After a quick shower, I pulled my hair into a top knot and threw on a pair of comfy yoga pants, a sports bra, and an oversized workout shirt. Comfort was the way to go when I got lost in the work for Hidden Paradise.

  I logged into my computer as my stomach grumbled. I’d need food soon, but was too caught up in my need for work to let something like hunger stop me from what I was setting out to do.

  As soon as I connected to the Wi-Fi, I clicked on the server icon located on my desktop screen. I used my login credentials and an error popped up on the screen. I tried numerous times and failed.

  That asshole really did it. He locked me out of the server.

  Picking up the pillow from the bed, I put my head into the softness and screamed while I kicked my legs in frustration. I couldn’t believe he’d gone through with it.

  I found my purse and pulled out my cell phone to give him a piece of my mind.

  Scrolling through my contacts, I pulled up his number and pressed send.

  Ring after ring, I waited for him to take my call.

  Only his voicemail picked up yet again.

  I didn’t wait to leave a response, I just pressed end and tossed the phone onto the bed.

  “I can’t believe that asshole really locked me out of the fucking server. How the hell am I supposed to work now?” I shouted into the empty room.

  “You shouldn’t be working while you’re in paradise,” I heard from behind me, causing me to shriek loudly.

  I turned around to find Thorn leaning against the door. I hadn’t even heard it open.

  “How did you find me?” I asked, annoyed at everything, including the fact that he looked so delicious in his swim trunks and flipflops.

  “The better question is why did I have to find you?”

  He did the one thing I couldn’t stand. Answer a question with a question.

  I crossed my arms over my chest and let out an annoyed sigh as I stared back at him, refusing to answer his question.

  “You’re gonna play it like that, are you? Get ready. We’re going to have some fun,” he demanded with a sly grin, causing my annoyance level to rise to epic proportions.

  “And what makes you think I’m just going to do what you say? Better yet. What makes you think that I want anything to do with you after last night?” I asked in defiance. I hated being told what to do almost as much as I hated people who answered questions with another question.

  He stepped forward with a look of determination in his eyes. In seconds, he stood in front of me, his gaze boring down at me as I looked up into his eyes. He had to be over six foot.

  “The quiver you made while I was between your thighs makes me know that you want more of what occurred last night. That and the words you spoke in your sleep. So again, get ready. We’re going to have fun,” he repeated as he brought his lips down to kiss my cheek.

  “What should I wear?”

  “A swimsuit,” he said in a smart-ass tone as he looked down at his attire.

  “Fine. Give me five minutes,” I huffed as I turned to rummage through my suitcase. I appeared annoyed, but a smile graced my lips as I dug out the sexy bikini that I’d yet to wear. If he wanted to go have fun, he was going to get a show while we were at it.

  I walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me so he didn’t get a view of what he was about to see. I put on the hot pink bikini that paired well with my tanned skin tone. The top was triangles that barely covered my nipples and the bottom hung low on my hips. I tied the cover-up around my hips and slipped on my white flipflops.

  Walking out of the bathroom with a newfound confidence, I stopped at the edge of the bed and stared at him as he took in the sight before him.

  He mumbled something I couldn’t understand and stalked toward me. I almost moved backward, but I stood my ground.

  “Change of plans. We’re staying in,” he demanded as his hand slid around my back pulling me into him.

  His lips met mine with urgency. His tongue demanded entrance, which I gladly gave. The kiss was more heated than the ones from the night before. Something I never thought was possible.

  He started to move us toward the bed, but I pushed him back. Reluctantly.

  “Oh, no you don’t. You said we were going out to have fun and that’s what we’re going to do.” I knew this would torture us both, but it would be the best kind.

  He groaned inwardly as he raked his hands through his dark hair. His look was one of struggle and passion mixed so perfectly I wished I could capture it just to have proof of the memory.

  “That’s it. You’re trying to kill me. Going out in public in that. I’m not going to be able to focus on anything but getting you out of that sexy scrap of fabric you’re calling a swimsuit.”

  “The struggle will be real, but it will be worth the wait,” I replied as I licked my lips, hoping a repeat of last night would be what ended this one.

  “Why’s that, sweetheart?”

  “Because if you’re good and show me a good time, you’ll get a repeat of last night,” I suggested, inwardly hoping he wanted more of what he gave and I received.

  “Oh, I’m getting more than a repeat. So much more,” he suggested as he walked through the door of the bungalow. I grabbe
d my key and phone, along with the beach bag and towel I sat by the door the day before when I arrived, and we set off to have the fun he’d planned.

  We walked down the dock with my arm wrapped around his elbow. Something I feared he’d want to do. There was a boat at the end of the dock. I hated boats. With a passion. I slowed down before we reached what appeared to be our destination, causing him to stop and look down at me with a questioning look in his eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  I needed to get over this silly fear.

  But my head had different plans.

  Just breathe, Lily. You’re with a sexy ass man about to go out on an expensive ass boat. You’ll be fine.

  I tried to scold myself into getting over it, but I couldn’t.

  He looked back at the boat, the back to me, understanding filling his expression.

  “Are you scared of boats?”

  I thought he’d laugh at my silly fear. But he didn’t. He was genuinely concerned.

  I couldn’t deny it.

  My fear was written all over my face.

  “I know it’s stupid, but I can’t explain it. So much can go wrong. And all I can think of when I’m on them is getting stranded out in the water and the sharks eating me,” I said as I talked too fast, wanting to hide within myself the more I spoke. Looking down, I tried to hide my freak out from him the best I could.

  “Hey,” he calmly stated as he put his finger under my chin, lifting my gaze back to his.

  I tried to shy away, but his hold was stronger than my will to move my head away.

  “Your fear is common, and it’s okay if you don’t want to go out on the boat. We can find many other things to do. Just say the word and I’ll tell the captain we’ve changed our minds.”

  He’d planned this before he’d even found me.

  I didn’t know how to feel about that.

  Didn’t want to read into something that wasn’t there.

  But it warmed my heart to know that he’d done this for me. For us. Without even knowing if he’d find me. That had to count for something.

  I weighed my options.

  I could suck it up and have fun with him.

  Or I could let my fear win.

  The thought briefly crossed my mind that he could be getting me out into the middle of the lagoon just to kill me, but I laughed it off. I really needed to stop watching so many crime shows on the flights to all my destinations.

  In the end, I decided to embrace my fear and get on the damn yacht.

  I looked at the boat, taking it all in, before I spoke my decision to him. It was beautiful. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to be alone with him yet again.

  “Let’s do it,” I said as I nodded my confirmation. More for me than him.

  The grin that appeared on his face told me he was glad that I’d chosen the choice I had.

  He held out his hand and linked our fingers together as we walked the rest of the way to board the boat.

  He allowed me to step on first as he assured that I wouldn’t fall. Once we were both standing aboard, my phone pinged in my bag. I needed to shut it off.

  Pulling it out, I saw Owen’s name appear on the screen just as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

  I immediately shut the phone down, not wanting him to ruin the moment.

  “Who’s Owen?” Thorn asked as his chin rested on my shoulder.

  “No one important,” I responded, and a slight pang of guilt passed through me at my response. But I wasn’t letting him ruin this moment for me. If that made me a heartless bitch, oh well. He wanted this break, and I was beginning to think it was for the best.

  Chapter 5

  He gave me a questioning look but said nothing as we walked down the side of the boat to the front. The captain sat behind the wheel, waiting for us to get seated before he set off to the destination unknown.

  We sat on the seat in front of the boat, and I stored my bag down at my feet. I felt the boat push off the dock, and my breath hitched in my throat.

  You’re going to be fine, Lily.

  I repeated the mantra over and over in my head as I shut my eyes and waited for the boat to speed up. That’s when I got the most nervous. When the boat rocked against the waves I felt like I wasn’t in control of myself, and I hated that feeling.

  Just breathe.

  I focused on making sure I breathed in and out when the feel of his hand on mine snapped me out of my concentration.

  “You okay?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “We aren’t going to go too fast. We just have to reach the lagoon and that’s when the tour starts. I can have him turn back around if you want. We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable doing,” he replied as he laced our fingers together.

  I was such a chicken shit.

  I could do this.

  I just had to open my eyes and take in the beautiful view around me and concentrate on that.

  I turned toward him and opened my eyes.

  “I’m doing this. No turning back now. So what all does this tour entail?”

  I could only imagine, and that made me petrified.

  “Snorkeling, feeding the sharks and stingrays, and seeing the coral gardens.”

  Oh, hell to the no.

  I wasn’t getting in the water with stingrays or sharks.

  He’d lost his mind if he thought that.

  I shook my head.

  I couldn’t get in the water with those animals. I’d lose it for sure.

  “They won’t hurt you, and the guide knows what he’s doing. He does this for a living. You’ll be completely safe. And you don’t have to get in. You can watch from the boat if you want.”

  Oh, now he tells me.

  He could’ve led with that to begin with, and I would’ve been fine.

  “As long as I can stay safely on the boat, I’m good to go.”

  We went a little further and the boat slowed down.

  “Have you ever went snorkeling before?”

  I shook my head as I continued to stare out at the vast ocean before me.

  The captain of the boat went over the instructions of how to use the snorkeling equipment as he assisted me in getting everything on properly.

  It sounded fairly easy.

  He had me practice my breathing before we got into the water and made sure the fins fit my feet properly. I felt like I had clown feet with them on, but it would be worth it to get this once in a lifetime experience. In Bora Bora. With a sexy man.

  Once I felt relaxed enough to conquer going into the water, the man led us over to where we would exit the boat. Thorn jumped into the water first and turned to face me, waving me on to enter.

  Here went nothing.

  I let go of the fear and just reacted. Jumping into the water without thinking about the what-ifs.

  Screw them.

  They weren’t wanted here today.

  The water was cool on my heated skin. I moved my legs and arms to wade in the water and pushed myself to move toward the spot in the water where Thorn was.

  “You ready to have some fun?” he asked, winking at me and giving me that sexy smile.

  I nodded my head, too afraid to remove the mouthpiece from my lips to speak.

  I breathed out and went under the water at the same time as Thorn and looked down at the sea floor.

  Beauty was the only word I could use to describe what I saw.

  There were several different colors of fish that swam near the ocean bottom, and the coral beds moved as the fish swam by.

  I’d never seen anything so beautiful in all the years I’d been traveling.

  It was peaceful looking down and seeing all the species of ocean life.

  I swam until my heart was content right alongside Thorn. Every so often he’d point to a certain fish to make sure I didn’t miss seeing something.

  He made this experience even more worthwhile than doing it without him would have been. Because I wouldn’t have done it w
ithout his encouragement. I meant what I said about locking myself away in that bungalow until it was time to leave. I was stubborn to a fault, and being forced here made me want to protest fun more than ever. But Thorn made me want to experience more. His enthusiasm made swimming with the various fish better. More memorable.

  We turned around after about half an hour and swam back toward the boat. My arms felt like they would fall off, but I’d take the pain all over again if it meant I could do this with him.

  He waited for me to get help on the boat before he climbed aboard.

  We both sat on the seats and grabbed towels to dry the water from our bodies.

  “You could’ve come aboard first,” I said, trying to start a conversation.

  “Trust me. I didn’t mind the view at all,” he replied with a smirk that made me weak in the knees and my insides quiver. Damn this man and his charisma.

  My cheeks heated at his insinuation and bluntness of checking me out.

  “Did you enjoy the first part of our excursion?” he asked as the captain of the boat started the engine and told us we were headed to the next spot on our destination.

  My heart pounded in my chest as we inched closer to the spot where we’d be feeding the sharks and stingrays.

  Were people really crazy enough to do this type of thing? I asked myself without realizing I spoke my thoughts aloud.

  Thorn laughed at my question.

  “Yes, we are crazy enough. Remember, you’re doing this with me even if you do stay in the boat. I promise everything is going to be okay,” he stated, trying to reassure me, but he didn’t succeed.

  I nodded and kept the rest of the rambling thoughts in the recesses of my mind, making sure they weren’t spoken out loud.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” Thorn said as he scooted closer to me, so close that our legs were now touching. His touch made me lose all thought as the electricity from his closeness coursed through me.

  “Huh?”

  “Did you enjoy our first excursion?”

  “I did. The seafloor was beautiful and so was the marine life. Everything was indescribable. I honestly have no words that will do that experience justice.”