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He leans in and pauses for a second, just long enough for me to know that he's savoring the moment before his lips touch mine.
His kiss is shockingly warm against the rainfall, gentle and strong at the same time. I rest my hand against his chest and melt into his touch, into the arm around me, and the lips that move with determination.
He tips my head back, long fingers curving down toward my neck. It sends a shiver through me that has nothing to do with the storm around us.
I'm the one who deepens the kiss.
My tongue brushes his lower lip, and he groans. It’s a rumble through his chest and into mine, and he pulls me tighter against his body.
Around us, the rain continues its frenzy. The droplets turn into a curtain of water that blocks out the real world. I wrap my hands around Phillip’s neck and press my body against his, drowning in the moment. His fingers burn trails on my skin, along my arms, across my back. Each promises more.
I feel on fire.
He lifts his head an inch. “I should be getting you out of the rain,” he murmurs. His voice sounds hoarse.
I shake my head and draw him back to me. “I'm perfectly fine.”
“Oh?” He kisses my lips gently before tracing the edge of my jaw. “I didn't expect this, Eden. I didn't expect you.”
A shiver runs through me again, and it's not because I'm cold. Pressed against him, our clothes soaked and bodies molded to one another, I've never felt warmer.
“Me either,” I say. “You were a complete surprise.”
He rests his forehead against mine. We're both breathing hard. And there's no one here watching, no one we're performing for.
“What are we doing?” I whisper.
“I have no idea,” he says. “I don't know what I've been doing this entire trip.”
“Vacation self,” I murmur.
He runs his fingers over my wet hair before coming to rest on the bare skin of my neck. “Maybe,” he says quietly. “Or maybe it's just me, and it’s just you.”
I feel unmoored, like holding on to him is the only real thing left. “Kiss me again?”
He smiles crookedly and lowers his head. Our lips meet, and around us, the rain keeps pouring down.
When we finally get back to the resort, I have exactly forty-eight minutes to get ready before I’m meeting Kaelie. My clothes are half-dry and my hair is frizzy from the rain and humidity. I throw myself into the shower to try to put it to right.
The water is warm, just like the rain had been. But there are no lips pressed against mine this time.
Phillip had kissed me until the downpour lessened, until the heavy drops turned into a soft drizzle, and the sun made its triumphant return. I’d tipped my head back and whispered that I could get used to this.
He’d paused, lips at my neck, and a splinter of fear cut through the feelings of pleasure. I hadn’t meant to hint at the future. It didn’t exist, not yet, not here.
But then, he’d continued to kiss me as if I hadn’t spoken, and that had been that.
After the shower, I quickly put on some makeup and slip into a sundress. My hair will have to be damp. At least it’s clean, and it’ll dry fast in the tropical heat.
Kaelie is waiting for me when I arrive at the hotel bar.
Nerves twist in my stomach for the first time today. I hadn’t spent much time thinking about this meeting. About her being here or what she might tell Caleb about me.
It feels like I’m heading into a battle where the weapon of choice is delicately phrased small talk.
“Eden,” she says and gets out of her chair for a hug. “I’m so glad we could do this.”
“Me, too,” I say, but I don’t really mean it. My voice doesn’t betray that, though. It’s polite and upbeat.
