Page 6 of Beards and Bikinis
“Oh my gosh, it is! Look it says gold, jewels and fortune all around. It’s a freakin’ treasure map, Milo!” I exclaim, grabbing his arms in excitement, bouncing up and down. “We have to follow the clues.”
“No.” He shakes his head, looking down at me. Damn, he’s so much bigger than me. I don’t often cuss, but I don’t think we’ve ever been this close. Even his beard smells good. Like sandalwood and bravery. That’s what I think of, anyway.
“You’re saying no to me?” I shamelessly ask, feeling that bravery in myself and batting my eyes up at him, in hopes this crush is more than a one-way attraction.
If not, this will be my most embarrassing moment of all time. After a short pause, he growls.
My heart hiccupped in that short span of time.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go traipsing across the island on what could be a wild goose chase,” he says so calmly I almost feel as if he’s begging me not to go.
“But we have to go. Adventure calls, Milo! Come with me, and then you’ll know I’m safe.”
I swallow, unsure how much more obvious I can be without jumping up for a kiss. I would have to jump high, too.
The bearded giant above me reddens, seemingly bashful for a moment. It’s so adorable I swoon on the spot. He steps back and runs his hand down that lush bush.
In deep thought, he looks down at the treasure map.
“Under the Everglades is what you seek, within the tangles of the tallest, oldest peak.That could be referring to Lovers’ Cove,” he says, and his eyes slowly rise to meet mine. Tension pulls between us, like a fish freshly caught on the line. Since the moment we met, I’ve felt this, but I feared it was just me. Then he coughs, breaking the moment. Instead of coming closer, he takes another step back, looking back down at the map when he talks instead of at me.
“I don’t know. This could have been made up over margaritas and thrown in for shits, Meno. We have no idea what kind of trouble we’re getting ourselves into.”
“That’s valid,” I say, hating the sound of my real name, now that he’s called me Cherub. “But if we don’t try, we’ll never know.”
I’m talking about more than this treasure hunt, but I’m keeping my crush to myself for the time being. If he doesn’t like me back, it won’t be the end of the world, and who knows? Maybe, we’ll find a real treasure and become millionaires and I’ll just take off for a new adventure.
The thought of leaving Candy Cane Key sours my stomach. I’ve only been here a couple of days, but it feels as if the whole island welcomed me. From the kind people to the gorgeous sunsets and friendly waving palm trees, this slice of heaven is paradise. I can’t imagine leaving.
After what seems like a very long pause, where I assume Milo tried to come up with a way to stop me, he speaks and says the very last thing I expected.
“Okay. You’re right. Let’s live a little.”
“Really? You’ll come with me?”
“Let’s be clear here. You should never, under any circumstances, follow an old piece of paper just because it promises you riches.” He points a finger as if warning me of the dangers, even though he’s agreed to exactly that.
I nod but can’t help biting my lip. The action draws his eyes, and my body sways with the attention.
“Yes, sir,” I say and swear I see his pupils dilate. It’s hard to see in the setting sun. “Can we still go tonight?”
“Tonight?” he exclaims with worry in his eyes.
“Please.”
I give him my best smile as I beg and bat my lashes, shamelessly putting my falsies to work.
He growls but relents. “We need to go now then. We’re losing light.
3
Milo
She is too fucking beautiful. I’m going to do something I shouldn’t.
Rowing out to Lovers’ Cove is romantic enough as is, but we’re doing it at sunset in the Florida Keys. It’s beyond breathtaking. Bright pastels paint the sky in an orchestra of art while the critters around the water all sing the sun goodnight.
And that sight is the backdrop for the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.