Page 38 of Insta Bride

I should have asked a better question. I could have asked if he’d been romantically involved with a guy, or if he’d ever fallen in love with a man.

I should have phrased the question better, but I’d just blurted it out, wanting him to give me some sort of comfort. I’d only been in one relationship and he’d been in so many one-night relationships. I’d felt out of my depth, out of his league.

I’d asked a stupid question, and now his answer had torn me apart. I didn’t even know why.

Even when my head screamed to slow down and talk about it calmly another time, I’d reacted and kicked him out.

Then, again, maybe I’d asked the question because I’d allowed Kye to sweep me into bed after less than a day of romance from the time he’d noticed my existence at breakfast, to me treating his body like a jungle gym.

I’d needed time out, and Kye gave it to me in spades.

By day ten of our experience, we’d been living in a cold war for three days and I was ready for whatever challenge the producers threw our way.

I didn’t care anymore—yes, I did, but I didn’t want to.

My head spun from conflicting emotions.

I wanted to be better than a needy girlfriend, jealous of all the people—not just women—my boyfriend had slept with before me.

I was certainly better than the trumped-up plastic bitches on the island who spent their free time trying to find the weakest couple and bring them down.

I did miss Ryson and Leesa who were eliminated after never recovering from the honesty game. The elimination ceremony had been brief and brutal. Each person had made their way to the diary tent for an interview and to rank all couples from most loved up to least. The least loved-up couple were then given less than a minute to leave.

Yesterday, it had been Ryson and Leesa. Today, if I had to rank the rest of us from most in love to least, Kye and I would be on the bottom.

Get ready to find love.

The cryptic white card with red hearts and gold writing had been shoved under our door. Each morning, a card indicated what was in store for us. It could be a day of romantic pampering like learning how to give a sensual massage; or a challenge designed to create conflict and great footage. Kye and I had survived the honesty game because he had nothing to hide. Ryson, had forgotten to tell Leesa he’d left his baby mama for her sister. Some things were unforgivable and Leesa had told us to vote them off or she’d swim back to the mainland.

Kye had been up with the birds, gone for his jog, diary entry and had dropped off my morning coffee before joining the other guys in the gym. He’d meet me wherever we were meeting the producers.

I read the card again, trying to decipher the meaning. We were already on the island to find love. We’d already been paired up with our partners.

Maybe, the producers had seen some of us under stress and were about to dial up the romance?

As if trying to recreate our perfect day, I wore my white, crochet bikini, topped with a beautiful bright blue, indigenous print sarong.

Today’s marshalling area was near the pool. The pool lounges had been spaced out, tables and potted palms placed in between. For privacy? I couldn’t even start to guess.

As I got closer, I saw a long wooden table at the far end, near the mock stage.

Sixteen name tags had been placed on the table—in alphabetical order. We hadn’t been placed in couples. This would be an individual challenge.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” Kye said, coming up to give me our fake public kiss and cuddle. I couldn’t resist inhaling the musky sweat as I pressed into his naked chest. In another time and place, this man and water would be all I’d need to survive.

In another time and place, we wouldn’t have pasts to avoid, or other women to distract Kye and turn me into a quivering, jealous mess.

“Morning, Kye. How was your jog?”

“You know, leaving footprints in the sand to get washed away by the next tide.”

“Will you ever tell me what that means?” He’d given me the same answer each morning.

“It’s like me. When you want to understand, you will.”

Kye led me to stand in the semi-circle of other couples, ready for JP to take his place. Without asking, I stood in front of him, letting my head fall back against his chest and its comforting rise and fall. Within seconds, my breathing had matched Kye’s, and all the nerves of another challenge evaporated. His hands were linked lazily around my waist and I kept giggling as he nibbled around my ear and the soft part of my neck.

It would be so easy to pretend this was real. That we had a chance.