I nod, my mind wandering to Tess. I think of the way she is when all her defenses are down—when she’s naked in my arms, or right on the edge of sleep. I think of our natural give and take, the easy flow of our conversations, the comfort of our silences.
“How did you know Tess was the one?” he asks, breaking my concentration.
I go still, heart racing. “Umm…I don’t—I never said—”
“Relax,” he says with a soft chuckle. “She’s not here, Langley. It’s just me.”
“What makes you think I think she’s the one?” I parry, glancing his way.
He glares at me. “Just answer the question.”
He already knows half my secrets, why not know this one too? “It was her laugh,” I admit. “That’s what hooked me at first. And then I saw her face, and I watched the sound come out of her mouth. She was standing in the surf, the ocean a bright blue behind her. She wore those big sunglasses and the red bikini…” I sigh, rubbing my chest. “She laughs with her whole body.”
“I’ve noticed,” Mars replies.
“She doesn’t laugh enough,” I add.
“Then you must give her more reasons to do so,” he replies, his tone solemn.
He makes the last turn onto Harbor Way, stopping outside the drive for unit 1006. His unit. I’m squatting in his house, and I never even asked.
“Hey man, about the house,” I say, unbuckling my seatbelt and turning his way.
“Don’t,” he says, raising a hand.
“But I never asked you—”
“Stay as long as you need,” he replies. “Stay for Tess. Stay for yourself. Go make her laugh.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Why are you so okay with all this? Barely a week ago, you were warning me away from her. Now, you’re telling me I can keep crashing in your pad and chasing after her. Why?”
He jerks the truck into park and glances my way. “Because life is short, Ryan. Life is beautiful and short, and you only get one. Live it on purpose.”
I make my way into the bungalow through the unlocked front door, and I’m instantly greeted by the sound of the blasting sound system. Dua Lipa’s “Pretty Please” is playing, and I can’t contain my smile.
“Hey,” I call out, slipping my shoes off. “Tess?”
At that moment, the blender strikes up, adding to the chaos. I step around the corner and stop, heart swelling tight in my chest. Tess is wearing a pair of cheeky black undies and a baby pink bra, her hair down. Those auburn curls bounce around her shoulders as she dances to the beat, hips swaying. She’s got a wine glass full of crushed ice in one hand, the finger of her other hand pulsing the blender in time with the music.
I lean against the wall, arms crossed as I watch her bounce on her tiptoes, singing off key. Fuck, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Mars’s parting words echo in my mind. Life is beautiful. Life is short. Live it on purpose.
Stepping forward, I cross the kitchen towards her, shucking my shirt as I go. She sees my reflection in the microwave and gasps, spinning around.
“Ry, you scared me—”
I silence her protest with my mouth, wrapping her in my arms as we kiss. She sucks in a breath against my lips, letting out a little squeak that turns into a moan as she sinks against me. The wine glass full of crushed ice brushes against my shoulder and I hiss, flinching away. My body is on fire for her, and the chill of the glass is so cold.
“Oh—sorry,” she says with a bubbly laugh, setting the glass down behind her.
It gives me an idea. With a grin, I fish my fingers inside the glass pulling out a piece of ice. She watches, eyes wide, as I pop it in my mouth.
“Oh, sweet puppy, what are you doing?” she teases, her hands brushing over my bare chest.
The heat in her eyes is fueling my fire. My dick twitches as I suck on the ice, letting it chill my tongue. I grab her face, my fingers firm on her jaw as I tip her head back, my intention clear.
She grips my shoulders as she parts her lips, her eyes lost to lust.
Leaning my face closer to hers, I dribble some of the icy water into her open mouth. She gasps, closing her lips as she swallows, some of the water dripping down her chin. I chase the water with another kiss, burying my tongue in her mouth. Hers is so warm and mine is cooled by the ice. It doesn’t last long before my mouth is just as hot as hers and we’re pawing at each other, desperate for more.
I shove her up against the counter, my fingers digging back inside the top of her glass. “Take your bra off.”