Page 42 of Burn the Script

“As my plus-one. Duh.”

Graham’s hand glided up my leg toward the hem of my swim trunks. “Think of how sexy you’ll look in a tuxedo.” He bit his lip and moaned. “God, the thought of you in a bow tie turns me on.”

“Everything turns you on.” I peeked at his crotch to confirm he wasn’t sporting a boner on the beach. “You think I could pull off a bow tie?”

“Yes. And the rest of the tux is optional.”

With a grunt, I ignored his fantasy and returned to the more important topic. “Showing up together at a gala isn’t a good idea. Too many journalists.”

He stuck out his bottom lip. “Please? The ballroom lessons I took in high school are a complete waste if I never get to dance with you.”

Dressing in fine clothes and dancing with Graham sounded like a dream, but a spin around a crowded room wasn’t in the cards for us. He failed to consider the gossip we would spark.

Giving him a smile, I said, “I’ll think about going, but I don’t dance. Tate has that part covered.”

Still lying on her back, Tatum twisted her neck to look behind her. “Marcus. Judge. Come sit with us.”

“We’re not being paid to frolic on the beach.” The firm edge in Marcus’s deep voice complemented the starched shorts and tank top he was wearing.

Judge, who was nonspeaking, nodded his agreement.

Graham bumped my shoulder with his and whispered, “I love to frolic.”

As he scrambled to his feet, I knew what was coming. “Don’t you dare get naked. It’s against the law here.”

Grinning like a daredevil, he peeled the speedo down his legs and dropped it in my lap. “I’ll race you!”

He ran toward the waves, whooping and hollering while cupping his junk to keep his dick from flopping. Tatum and Maisy sat up on either side of me with their sunglasses perched on the tips of their noses. They had seen my man’s bare ass many times, but even I could admit the view never got old.

Once Graham dove into the waves, Tatum lay back and groaned. “I really need to start doing yoga.”

Maisy kicked me in the leg and said, “Go with him. Live a little.”

It took half a second to make my decision. In the next second, I was shirtless and racing into the ocean, chasing after the wild, reckless man who’d blown through the center of my carefully structured world.

By midnight, everyone was sunburned, showered, and asleep. I was wide awake. Graham looked peaceful, sprawled on his stomach with one leg sticking out of the sheets, his lips parted, and a hand on my thigh.

Since that afternoon, I’d mulled over the gift Tatum offered us, weighing the risks. I scoped the area and counted the other vacationers farther down the shore. There weren’t many, and with any luck, they were sleeping too.

Closing my book, I placed it on the nightstand and brushed the hair from Graham’s eyes. “Baby, wake up.” When I got no response, I shook his shoulder and tried again. “Graham.”

He whined.

“Wake up. There’s something I want us to do.”

Rolling to his back, he rubbed his eyes. “What time is it?”

“Doesn’t matter. I need you to get dressed.”

Without question, my little sleepyhead dragged himself out of bed. I swapped my pajamas for denim shorts and a T-shirt, adding one of his thin sweaters to my outfit. As he shoved his feet in a pair of flip-flops, his mouth stretched wide on a yawn. He was adorable with mussed hair, grey sweatpants, and my tank top plastered to his torso.

We crept through the house. The front door beeped when I opened it, but we kept moving. If the sound alerted Marcus, he would leave us alone once he realized Tatum was still in her room.

Heliconia plants lined the path from the villa to the beach, and I brushed my fingers over the unique leaves shaped like lobster claws. With vibrant shades of red and orange, the leaves boldly and unapologetically made their presence known. I envied them.

Moonlight danced on the water, and a receding tide expanded the shore like the ocean had also blessed us with new opportunities. As Graham and I stood on the packed sand, the waves sounded distant even while the warm water kissed our toes.

“What did you want to do?” he asked.