Cade walked out of the kitchen area holding somesilverware and waved at the tray of food on the bed and announced, "Yourbreakfast, though it's technically a little past noon."
"Thank you," she said, taking a sip ofthe milky coffee.
"So, we have the next six days to relax andchill before we go back to New York and face the no doubt human-sized stack ofcases the chief will give us. Any ideas on how you want to spend them?"
Leaning back into the pillows, careful not tospill her coffee, she tilted her face up to the glorious sunlight andconsidered his questions. "I want to do a little bit of everything."
~*~
With each day that passed, Maritzia could feelher guilt ebbing away under the tide of happiness. Sitting on the warm deck,the bright sun was slowly drying the droplets of water still sprinkled on herskin. Having just pulled herself up the metal ladder of their bungalow, hersnorkeling equipment sat next to her on the warm wood as she smiled down at thebig shape moving around under the crystal blue surface. Cade's muscular figureglided beneath the water's surface like a shark barely rippling the surface ashis powerful arms reached forward to propel himself through the water.
Bending one knee, Maritzia rested her cheekagainst it and watched the slow, mesmerizing display. Had she ever been thishappy before? For the past few days her heartfelt so oddly light, she hadnearly had the desire to giggle—an act that was not at all in her skillset. Theurge to laugh, hum, sing and even dance was all around her as she woke up eachday next to Cade.
At first, she felt anxious climbing into bed withhim on their second night. Completely sober this time, she felt hyper-aware ofevery action she took as she pulled back the sheets. It felt as if her heartwas hammering in her chest while her thoughts were twisting and soaring toevery possibility. Was this a betrayal to Victor? Sleeping in the same bedVictor had just vacated days ago with the man he hated. Was she wrong? No, shetold herself firmly as she pulled the crisp white sheets up to her chest.Victor left her! Besides, this was technically Cade's bed now since he was theone paying for it. Steeling herself to look to the left side of the bed, shebit her lip to suppress the groan at the edge of her lips as she watched Cadepull off his t-shirt. Hard flesh thickened by daily rigorous workouts flexed atthe simple action. The firm round rise of his pecs bunched and gathered as hetossed the shirt to the side and reached for the edge of the comforter. Hereyes watched helplessly as the deep grooves along his tight abdominals relaxedand tightened with each movement. It was like a cruel synchronized dance. Shehad forced herself to look away. Staring up at the slow-moving ceiling fan, shetried to purge her riotous mind from the images.
But despite the nightly torture Cade's bodycaused her, Maritzia was truly happy. Their days alternated from loungingpeacefully in their bungalow ordering huge platters of room service, tosnorkeling and exploring the resort's other activities. Yesterday, Cade hadtaken her jet skiing on the far side of the resort away from the crystallinelagoon their bungalows sat in and into the deep blue waters off the coast.Holding onto his lean waist for dear life, she laughed and squealed in delightas he zipped them around in circles. By the time she had gotten off, her legsfelt like jelly and her cheeks were sore from laughing so much.
"Oh, no," Cade had said as she startedto take the pathway back to their section of the resort. Taking her arm, hegently pulled her down the other fork in the concrete path. "We've got waymore things to knock off this list." With a list of activities and theirdaily times he retrieved from the activity center, Cade waved the paper at her.
After a day of jet skiing, zip lining, andwindsurfing, Cade blessedly allowed her a day of rest today. Waking up, he hadserved her breakfast in bed and somehow found a cheesy Lifetime movie on TV.Spending the morning watching a woman nearly get killed by her new good-lookingboyfriend and her ex-husband coming in to save the day, they finally got up andwent snorkeling.
Bracing herself with her outstretched arms,Maritzia leaned back letting her head fall between her shoulder blades, andclosed her eyes. The rays of the sun felt good on her body. Stretched out likethis she could feel her skin begin to grow warm and her blue and white swimsuitdry. Water splashed to her left and she felt the gentle thump of Cade pullhimself up and onto the deck, but she didn't open her eyes. Heavy footstepsvibrated around her until she felt the warm presence settle alongside her.Maritzia didn’t need to open her eyes to know that the warm radiating heatrunning alongside her body belonged to Cade as he stretched out next to her.She would not look at his glistening, Adonis-like body. She would not, sherepeated over and over again. The small seafoam green swim shorts he had put onthis morning had tested the very fabric of their friendship already.
She had emerged from the bathroom with the sameswimsuit she had worn every day prior, a blue and white short and tank set thatshowed off her hard-earned abs. Maritzia had picked up the sporty suit at aNike store, loving the way the bold colors and understated cut made her feelfeminine and sleek. Opening the bathroom door, she stopped in her tracks whileher heart nearly did the same. Standing by the open double doors drinking abottle of water, Cade stood in the blinding sunlight wearing a tight pair ofswim-trunks.
Pointing her finger at them, she gave him astartled look. "What in the world?"
Lowering the bottle from his lips, Cade followedthe line of her finger and glanced down at his shorts before looking back ather with a guilty grin. "Yeah, well…I didn't realize these would be sosmall," he said, plucking at the seafoam green fabric that had light bluesailboats faintly patterned across it.
Small was an understatement. Unlike the blackshorts he had worn the day before, these sat much higher on his legsshowcasing, his muscular thighs perfectly.
"Why not wear your shorts fromyesterday?" she asked, still stunned and forced to look away.
"I hate putting on a wet pair, I don't knowhow you do it."
"Well, I only brought this one suit so Ihave no choice, and secondly, I lay mine on the balcony to dry," sheinformed him as she folded her pajamas and laid them inside her suitcase.Anything to keep her eyes off of him.
"I brought four pairs," Cade saidsmugly.
"And are they all going to be the wrong sizelike those?" she countered, gesturing dismissively towards his shorts.
"Maybe," he drawled. "But as longas my junk has plenty of room there's really no issue."
"I suppose, but they are small as hell. Theymake you look…look like a Magic Mike cast member," she said, flustered forwords. "While mine makes me look just-"
"Gorgeous?" he offered with a smile,his eyes, however, completely serious.
Swallowing, she took an unsteady breath. She wasnot prepared for him to say that. Over the years he had called her beautifuldozens of times, each time she cherished and kept the moments stored deep inher heart, but never did he saygorgeous. Awkwardly she began to reachfor the folded towel she had on the bed, anything to avert her gaze from his.
"Umm…well, I was gonna say toned, but thankyou," she laughed nervously.
Cade made a scoffing noise as he too grabbed histowel off the nearby chair. "You are fit as fuck, but not in the way I'msure your anxious mind is conjuring right now. I for real thought I was goingto have to get, how should I say it mildly—authentic—with the jet ski guyyesterday," he said crisply, his eyes twin pools of danger and amusement.
"What? With David?!” she asked, a littlestartled by the look in his eyes as she recalled the nice attendant at thebeach. “What for? He was so helpful."
"Mmm…almost too helpful," he grumbled."Hell, nearly every guy here who sees you nearly trips over himselfwatching you go." He raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"Okay, now I know you're lying.” She shookher head with a laugh. “It's sweet, but there is no need. Come on, let's gobefore it gets too hot."
