Page 42 of Naughty November

Not that he would actually fill any silence with anything. He’d just leave.

“What’re you thinkin’ about?” he asked drowsily. His voice was almost drowned out by the sound of the engine and the water.

I smirked a little, feeling way more relaxed now too. “You and your mindfucky ways.”

He chuckled and took another swig of his beer. “You should’ve stopped at the first word.”

Yeah, maybe.

I dropped my gaze to his legs, and I ran my fingers down an old scar below his knee.

Touching him like this was probably more dangerous than fighting him during a kink party. Kink could be dismissed as a fun activity that scratched an itch when we were both single. The kissing, sharing a bed, the casual little touches—they spoke of something else.

Could I handle that?

Reid belonged in a box in my head. I’d never opened it fully, because I’d always known he posed a threat. I’d acknowledged attraction and my borderline unhealthy need to be near him—as a friend. Or whatever. But soon, that wouldn’t be enough.

I mean, I loved the motherfucker. He was family. My best friend. I couldn’t imagine going a week without seeing him. Hell, I couldn’t go a day without talking to him in some way, whether we met up for lunch, talked on the phone, or sent a few texts.

“I’m not looking for a sub.”

I reached for my beer and chugged half of it.

We anchored some 150 feet off the island that was surrounded by perfectly turquoise waters. Sugar-white sand hugged the shore and framed a jungle shaped by the elements. Bent palm trees, mangroves, ferns—nothing grew too high out here because of hurricanes.

I estimated it would take maybe ten, fifteen minutes to walk around the whole island, and it certainly looked like a good place for a takedown. We were far away from the mainland, so we wouldn’t have to worry too much about wildlife. At least in comparison to Homestead.

The boys gushed over how gorgeous everything was, and it didn’t take long before our plans changed. Cas went all, “Just putting it out there…” and suggested a day of catching some sun and enjoying the water, and that way, we could have our takedown around sunset.

“In that case, we’re definitely spending the night.” Sam was pleased as punch.

I didn’t have a preference, as long as I got to act out my wildest fantasies with Reid. And soak up this moment of us acting like we belonged together.

Goddamn, I was so screwed.

But it wasn’t my fucking fault. He’d upped the stakes. He’d changed. We’d never beenthisclose before, even on vacation.

It could only lead to trouble, no matter how many times he told me he wasn’t looking for a sub. Which he probably meant for this trip. Back home…okay, even then, he wasn’t drawn exclusively to subs, though certainly to men on that side of the spectrum.

I scratched my forehead, sick of my own overthinking.

Everyone was in a great mood as we swam ashore—with too few supplies for my comfort. When I went hiking, I had some necessities I didn’t wanna be without, such as a tent, a mattress, and a barrier between the mosquitos and me.

We had none of that. We had two of our coolers with food and drinks and some blankets stuffed inside drybags.

Aftercare kits too. Could I find an air-conditioned tent in there? Fuck me, it was hot today.

I stayed in the water as most of the others headed up the beach with the coolers to make sure no water had gotten inside.

The ocean was far from shallow here. Some twenty feet out, the water reached my chest.

I peered down at the pale bottom, then glanced at my fingers below the surface, and I did my best to let the temperature cool me off and hopefully reset my brain?—

“You comin’, darlin’?”

Please stop before I beg you to never stop.

I glanced up at the beach and saw Reid watching me. His body glistened with water and sun, and I couldn’t fucking speak. Because what was I supposed to say? He’d told me, or half joked, that I wouldn’t be aware if he fucked with my head, but I’d never been so aware in my life. So…he wasn’t even trying to mess with me, and still, he did a superb job.