Hidden Paradise

by A. M. Guilliams

What was he doing to me? The old Lily wouldn’t even dare to consider such a thing.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered as a wave hit me in the back. He picked me up when the next one hit us to keep me from tumbling down. My legs went around his waist instead of touching the sandy ocean floor.

  “You’re playing with fire. I’m only holding on by a thread. Seeing you in this scrap of fabric all day has been too damn tempting.”

  His hardness between my thighs was what was too damn tempting. I ground my hips against him to give him a hint as to where my thoughts were headed.

  “Fucking hell, woman,” he groaned before he pulled my head toward his, crashing his lips against mine.

  His hands roamed down my back, gripping my ass and grinding me into him even more.

  Our mouths explored each other’s as the sun began to set. His mouth moved down my neck, sucking and nibbling his way down my throat. He reached the spot that turned me on like no other. He took the delicate flesh where my neck met my shoulder between his teeth and slowly pulled back, causing tingles to run down my spine and my core to tighten with the possibilities to come. My hands gripped the back of his head, and I tugged on the hair at the nape of his neck eliciting a groan from him.

  “I can’t take anymore. The hotel is too damn far away,” he whispered before his hands went between our bodies. With expert precision, he removed his thickness from his swim trunks and pushed the material of my swimsuit aside.

  He entered me in one swift move. My body wasn’t used to this kind of intrusion, but I quickly adjusted as he began to move. His thrusts matched the waves coming into the shore. Our bodies moved in sync as he brought me closer and closer to new heights. I’d never been this bold. Done anything this spontaneous. And I loved it. The thought of getting caught entered my mind. Instead of fearing the outcome, the possibility turned me on even more.

  My orgasm hit me without warning. No build up, just a blast of pleasure that consumed me from the tips of my toes to the flush in my cheeks. I pulled away from him, screaming out into the ocean air.

  “I can’t stop. You feel too fucking good. Fuck,” he moaned before bringing his head down and sucking the skin between my breasts. I felt the moment his orgasm hit. He swelled inside of me, and he squeezed my ass cheeks harder than he had before.

  “Never in my life,” he said as he came down from the high of pleasure.

  This trip was going better than I thought it ever would. All thanks to this Greek God.

  Chapter 7

  The past seven days had flown by. I never expected to have fun on this trip. What I wanted to do was wallow in self-pity because I’d been forced to come here. Only, Thorn changed all of that. He’d made me step outside the box and do things I normally wouldn’t have done on a good day, let alone on this trip. Thinking back, I was a selfish brat when it came to the generosity of my boss. Who could say that they had an all-expense paid trip to an exotic island by their employer? Not many.

  As I sat on the bed with the sheet around my body, I stared over at a peaceful, sleeping Thorn. He looked so handsome laying there with his hand over his rippled stomach. I had to capture this moment. Leaning over, I grabbed my phone and snapped a few pictures to remember him by. His body was now even more tanned than the day I first met him from all our time spent outdoors. He made sure I never had time to think about work or even attempt to check an email. He forbid it, and for some reason, I complied. He had that type of essence that poured off him and commanded that you listened. I didn’t know how else to word it, but I didn’t mind giving up the ranks for the time being. He’d made unwinding so much more fun than I would’ve accomplished alone on this trip. On several occasions, I asked if he wanted me to let him be so he could enjoy the trip he’d set out to have, but he brushed that notion off like I hadn’t even spoken a word and kept on making more and more plans for us to explore. And boy did we explore. I was still sore in places I didn’t know could be sore as I sat here and continued to stare at him.

  I let the memories flow through my mind of all that we’d done together. The night at the bar when we met. Feeding the stingrays and sharks. Snorkeling. Walking around the small town and exploring. Laying out on the beach and the random touches that followed. The karaoke night where he shocked me by knowing all the dance moves and lyrics to Uptown Funk. The many nights where he worshiped me and my body. All of these memories flashed through my mind in quick succession. But that’s all they could be. Memories.

  I would cherish our time together. Memories that I would never forget were experienced here. He made me see how special life was and how important it was to take time and enjoy the world around me. Only, I couldn’t give him his last request. He wanted me to take a later flight out today since we were both headed in the same direction. Only I thought it was best to cut ties and go our separate ways. After all, this was just supposed to be fun while we were here. I didn’t expect anything past these seven days, and I didn’t want him to either.

  Last night was a night I would never forget. The way he cherished me. Worshiped my body with so much conviction I never wanted our time together to end. Repeatedly, he gave us both pleasure until we were spent and gasping for air. We collapsed onto the bed and sought each other out, letting sleep claim us mere moments after we covered ourselves with the blanket.

  My cheeks flushed at the memory of everything he’d done to my body. The positions he had me in. The moans he elicited from me. Everything was so out of the norm for me last night, that I didn’t even know how that could’ve been me in the room, but that was Thorn. He made it feel effortless to do things outside of my comfort zone. Things I’m sure I’d never do again.

  Getting up, I let the sheet fall from my body and quietly walked to the other side of the room to get dressed. The boat would be at the dock in an hour, and I couldn’t miss my opportunity to get back to the mainland and catch my flight.

  After I pulled on my flight attire, I picked up my bags and carried them to the door. Taking one extra moment, I turned back toward the bed where Thorn continued to sleep unaware. I had so much to thank him for. But those thanks would have to remain hidden. He brought me to life and for that alone, I’d never forget him. I was going back to California a new woman. With new priorities. Ones I planned to implement as soon as I landed and returned to my apartment. I was also going back completely in love with a man that I’d never be able to have.

  “Goodbye, Thorn,” I whispered before I slid open the door just enough so I could slip through undetected and made my way down the wooden planked dock. I never even got his real name. Another regret I’d go home with. But it was better that way. I couldn’t Google him and find him later. I was better off only knowing him as Thorn. Just as he was better off only knowing me as Lily. We didn’t share personal details like where we lived or worked, only information that was irrelevant. But part of me wondered what everyone else called him in the professional world and how that name would sound coming off my lips. I guess I’d never know.

  Chapter 8

  I spent the entire flight home thinking of my life. What I wanted. How I lived. The mistakes that I’d made. How I wanted to live from here on out. All because of the time I’d spent with a stranger.

  Owen. My dear, sweet Owen. He’d called and texted many times while I was gone, but I didn’t have the courage to respond. I loved him. Truly, I did. But I wasn’t in love with him. This trip had taught me that. He was comfortable. My best friend. A person I valued in this life.

  And now I had to find a way to tell him what I’d learned on this trip. He was right to want the things he did from me. We should’ve been at that point in our relationship. But until things could change with my job, and they would, I couldn’t give him what he wanted. What he needed from me. It was better to let him go now than lead him on. After the time I’d spent with Thorn, I couldn’t commit to him the way he expected me to. It wasn’t fair to him or me.

  Finally, I arrived at my apartment. Worn out and exhauste
d, but I was here. Unlocking the door, I stumbled through the entryway and sat my bags down beside the door, kicking it shut behind me.

  “Hey, Lil,” I heard Owen speak, causing me to jump and scream out.

  Clutching my chest, I breathed hard and attempted to catch my breath.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he reassured me.

  Meaning to or not, he scared the life out of me. Now that I had calmed my racing heart, I moved further into the apartment and took in the sight of a disheveled Owen. His hair was all over the place like he’d been running his fingers through it. He wore basketball shorts and a t-shirt, not at all like the Owen I’d seen here recently in his plaid shirts and jeans.

  “How was your trip?”

  “It was good considering how much I didn’t want to go.” How was I going to tell him? He had a right to know sooner rather than later, but dammit I thought I’d have time to get my thoughts together before I saw him. I should just rip the band-aid off and handle the consequences. We’d been together three years. And now I was about to throw it all away.

  “You not wanting to travel. I thought I’d never see the day.” He tried to play it off as a joke, but I knew he was serious. With the amount of travel that I did, it was a good observation for him to come to that conclusion.

  “Yeah, well, I could’ve been doing a thousand other things, but instead I was shut out of the server and forced to have fun instead of work. I’m not looking forward to the mounds of work I will have when I go back to work tomorrow.”

  This wasn’t like us. We weren’t talking about the elephant in the room. We were skating around it. And me being me, I feared that we were both going to be in a head-on collision before all was said and done.

  Stepping forward, I walked toward him on unsteady legs. I was nervous to have this conversation. I didn’t want to lose Owen. But it was selfish of me to ask him to just be friends just so I still had him in my life. He deserved all the happiness he could stomach. I just wasn’t the person who would be able to give it to him. I needed to be happy in my life before I could make someone else happy.

  “Owen,” I started. It was now or never.

  Looking up at him, I saw the worry etched in his features. The crinkle of his brow. The lines in his forehead as he took me in. The tenseness in his stance. He was just as scared of hearing my news as I was to give it. I could sense that he knew what was coming, but whether he knew it or not wasn’t the issue. It had to be said out loud for it to become a reality.

  I was about to speak and let it all slip out when he spoke first.

  “Wait, Lil. Let me go first.”

  I nodded and took a deep breath, awaiting his unspoken words.

  “I know what you’re about to say. I sensed it the second you walked into the door. I knew it the moment you didn’t answer all my calls and texts. I know I asked for a break, and I’m glad we took this time apart. It allowed me to see the truth in our relationship.”

  Truth? What was he talking about? I was about to ask when he continued.

  “We’re friends, Lil. Plain and simple. I looked back at our relationship, and that’s what we’ve turned into. Friends who happen to have sex every now and then. I love you, Lil. I wanted a life with you. I envisioned my future so many times and saw you in it. And you still will be if you’ll have me, but as my friend. We both deserve to find that someone who we’re meant to be with. I want that for you, and I want that for myself as well.”

  Well, damn. He took the words right out of my mouth.

  Tears glistened in my eyes at the relief that I felt that I wouldn’t be losing my best friend. But he still needed to know everything. I owned him that much.

  Walking to him, he held out his arms which I gladly entered. I wrapped my arms around his waist and dug my head into his shoulder like I always did and let the tears fall. They weren’t tears of sadness, but happy ones. We were going to remain the best of friends. And this time I wasn’t going to take him for granted.

  Pulling back, I looked into his eyes and he reached up, wiping my tears away.

  “I want that too, Owen. I didn’t want to lose you from my life. I’m sorry I was such a horrible girlfriend, but I want to continue to be friends. There’s something you should know, though,” I hinted at what was to come.

  “I met someone when I was in Bora Bora. Things happened. I just didn’t want there to be any secrets between us. I’m sorry, Owen. For everything. You deserve so much better than me.”

  A hint of hurt flashed in his eyes before he masked his emotions. But he remained silent. Staring at me without uttering a word. He had every right to be furious with me. A break didn’t mean sleep with someone else. It meant time apart. But I couldn’t regret what happened. Even if that made me a selfish bitch, Thorn opened my eyes to a new way to live. And I planned on executing my new plan tomorrow when I went back into the office. First thing in the morning, I was taking Trevor up on his offer to not travel as much. It was the start to my new beginning.

  “It’s okay, Lil. I kinda already knew. You didn’t respond to me half of the time and when you did it was cryptic.” He should hate me. Hell, I kinda hate me.

  This wasn’t the way I’d thought this would go. Why couldn’t he be mad? Hell, if he screamed, yelled, or threw something, I’d prefer it. Not this acceptance.

  “No, it’s not okay. You should be mad, Owen. I deserve it.”

  “You don’t. We weren’t together. We were on a break. You did nothing wrong. Now, let’s get some takeout and tell me about your trip,” he insisted. And just like that, he went back to being Owen. My best friend. The man I didn’t want to lose. The person who would help me get my life back on track and help me get over Thorn—the man I couldn’t have.

  The rest of the night passed in a blur. I did all my laundry and washed the travel off my body. Owen and I went right back into the way we were just without the kissing and sex. We talked. Really talked. I told him my plan and for a moment I wished I could’ve realized this when we were together, but I knew the outcome would always end up the same. Owen and I would become friends somewhere down the line. It was better that it happened sooner rather than later. He discussed with me his plans on the next big ad campaign that he was working on. I loved seeing his creative side. The way his brain worked when he saw a vision that he couldn’t get out of his head. Thinking back, that’s how he and I had first clicked—our passion to see a vision come to life. Mine was about places. His was about the way he would make products sellable to clientele.

  He asked questions about Bora Bora, and I hated that all my experiences included another man. I tried and failed to keep Thorn out of the conversation, but Owen told me he wanted me to tell him everything. I just wouldn’t divulge the private moments between Thorn and I. That was for Thorn and myself to know. I told him how beautiful it was and how romantic the setting was. He was even shocked that I fed the sharks.

  We ended the night shortly after I finished telling him stories. One thing was now crossed off the long list of things I had to get done to steer my future in a different direction. Now to tackle the rest. Starting with my job. The one I loved more than anything.

  Chapter 9

  One Year Later

  The past twelve months had been a whirlwind. I’d been able to scratch everything off my list but one item. The last line would probably never be completed, but I’d been trying. Trevor readily agreed to cut back my travel and the good news was, it never affected the blog or the business. It got better somehow. The next item was to have a better relationship with my family. We now had weekly dinners at my parents where laughter and good food occurred. My apartment had taken a little while, but every square inch had been completely transformed. The stark white walls were now different colors for each room. New furniture was purchased throughout, including a new wardrobe for me, that didn’t only include yoga pants and travel items. I was a completely different looking person. I even cut my long hair into a sleek layered look that helped to thi
n out the thick locks and give my hair a little more volume.

  Most of all, I was happy. Explicitly so. I loved the new me. I loved the new outlook I had on life. I wasn’t as stressed. My job didn’t totally consume me. Owen and I still got together regularly to chat and hang out. He was even dating someone new who accepted our past and friendship. Everything was looking up.

  It was almost five and quitting time. Yes, you read that right. I even quit at a decent hour and rarely took work home with me. Eight to five were the working hours and weekends were now my own as well, aside from the occasional travel that brought me home on Saturdays. I set boundaries and this was the first one that I wouldn’t budge on. I needed to live more and that meant outside of work. Even though it took some getting used to, I gave up the travel first. Who knew seven days would totally change my outlook on life? My boss, that’s who. He wasn’t even the first bit surprised when I returned and told him my plans. He accepted them without blinking an eye and helped me transition into the new role I had.

  I put the files on my desk away when Trevor’s voice came across the speaker on my phone.

  “Lily, can you come into conference room two before you leave? I’d like you to meet my silent partner.”

  Silent partner? Weren’t they supposed to remain hidden?

  “Sure thing, boss. I’ll be right there.”

  Grabbing my bag, I shut down my computer and walked toward the room he told me to meet him in.

  My heels clanked on the marble flooring as I walked down the deserted hallway. Everyone had filed out right at five on the dot. My phone chirped in my bag. I stopped walking and dug it out from the bottom of my purse.

  Owen’s name appeared across the screen. Instead of typing out a response to him letting me know he was here, I called him. He answered on the second ring.

  “Hey, you. I’ve got to go meet someone in the conference room. It should only take me five minutes and I’ll be right down.”