by Tia Siren
“How do you feel about living on an island?”
“I’d love it, Skipper,” she said with a grin.
He took her hand. “Well, do we run for it or just stroll away casually so they don’t suspect what we’re up to?”
“I’ve got a better idea.” Riley stepped into the street and held up a hand.
A cab screeched to a stop.
She glanced over at the doorman of her building and gave him a wave to indicate that she no longer required his assistance. “Let’s start by getting your stuff out of that hostel and booking a hotel. Then we can order room service, grab a map, and find the place where we want to be in this world.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said, “but there’s a problem.”
“What?”
“I kinda owe you Chinese.”
She laughed. “This is New York City, Gray. I’m sure we can have them deliver whatever we want.”
“All right,” he said, then paused again. “There’s another problem, though.”
“What?”
“I’m broke. I mean, literally, completely broke. I used most my money to fly here. I have to find a job.”
“I have money. We can use that for now.”
“I can’t take your money. You need to know that.”
“I know. You were rather, uh…emphatic about that in fact. Now c’mon,” she said, moving toward the cab. “Let me take care of you. New York is my resort.”
Two hours later the two of them were standing in front of a map of the world, which they’d picked up at a local tourist hut and pinned to the wall of the hotel room.
“Who knew there were so many sunny places to go?” Riley said with a laugh. “Look. There’s actually a place in Bulgaria called Sunny Beach. I don’t remember them teaching us that in geography.”
“I don’t speak, uh…Bulgarian,” Gray said, taking her hand. “Where do you want to go?”
“Let’s let fate decide, shall we?”
“How?”
“You ever played Pin the Tail on the Donkey?”
“Yeah, of course. I personally have a lot of experience with jackasses…and being one, as of late,” he joked.
After a chuckle, she said, “Good. Let’s just close our eyes, spin around a couple times, and pick a spot.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“You’ve got your passport, right?”
“Never leave home without it,” he said, grinning.
“Good.” Her eyes went back to the map. “I’m so excited.”
She was actually far more excited than she could even put into words. This was not just rebellion; it was outright taking control of her own life. Something had changed in Gray yet again, and that only made it easier to run off with him. The anger that always lurked in his eyes was gone. He’d completely turned his back on his family and, in doing so, had freed himself from the hurt and rage they had always conjured up in him. Both of them were ready to take life by the horns, and it was exhilarating to think they were going to do it together.
She let out a long breath. “What will we do when we get there?”
He dropped a kiss on her temple. “Well, I’ll get a job, and you can do whatever makes you happy.”
“Well, doing you makes me happy,” she said, blushing a bit.
“Likewise, but that wasn’t quite what I meant,” he said, “though I’m sure we’ll do plenty of it.”
Her breath trembled in and out of her throat. “You do know we’re crazy as hell for doing things this way, right?”
“I do…and I love it.” He winked at her. “I also think it’s the best way for us to really just get away. Who knows? Maybe we can find a little place to turn into a bed-and-breakfast, and you can decorate the rooms with those silly teacups and quilts and junk old people and newlyweds get all gushy over, or maybe I’ll get a boat and take people out on charter tours.”
“I’m not sure about that, Captain. You might need a refresher course in anchor-dropping,” she taunted.
“Very funny. We could start a bar or open a shop or…do anything at all really, whatever we want.”
“You’re right,” she finally said, beaming. “Okay, no peeking now. Close your eyes real tight.”
They both closed their eyes and held hands, then just stood there, facing the map and breathing deeply, knowing the point of their fingers was about to determine their future. Riley felt Gray lift his hand, and she raised her free hand as well. It was the most insane way to start a life, but for them, it seemed like the only way to do it right.
Simultaneously, their fingers met the map. When they opened their eyes, they were surprised to see just how close together their fingertips were.
Riley peered closely at the map, and a whoop of laughter burst from her lips. “I guess Fate has spoken then.”
Gray looked at the map, then into her face, and laughter rumbled up from his chest. “It did, and who are we to mess with that?”
He caught her up in his arms as they stared at their fateful choice, neither speaking since no further words were necessary. Fate had spoken, in more ways than one, and Riley felt that same giddy sense of freedom she’d felt floating along in the ocean with him beside her. Among all the gray concrete and brick and pavement of New York, the Gray who held her in his arms suddenly brought color back to her life.
Chapter 27
The plane landed with a hard thump.
“Honey, we’re home,” Gray said with a smile and a stretch.
Riley strained to look past him and out the tiny window of the plane. They’d agreed to use whatever money they had on them. A bit embarrassed to admit just how little cash she carried, considering her privileged station in life, she’d hurried to the closest ATM and grabbed a wad of dead presidents, because a voice inside her head told her it was probably necessary. Ultimately, she was glad she did, because while the airfare was rather affordable, it was still money out of their pockets.
Finances aside, telling her parents was the hardest part of all of it. No surprise they were furious, but she was a grown woman and felt entitled to do whatever she wanted, with or without Mommy’s and Daddy’s permission. She really didn’t care how they felt about it. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.
Still, it did all seem quite insane, certainly different. She had never been so spontaneous or free-willed before. When she went on her short resort vacation with Lorna and Megan, her two friends who promptly deserted her to go hang out on a rapper’s yacht in Miami, she had no idea that she’d soon meet a bartender who would change her life, become the love of her life. Now, just a few short weeks later, she was running away with him. It’s like something out of a cheesy romance novel, she silently joked with herself as they prepared to depart the plane. Ironic that she hadn’t like Gray at first, because he seemed like the consummate jerk, but she came to realize there was a great, wonderful guy under all that arrogant, boy-toy swagger of his. Sure, he was a little wild, but he was also giving, caring, and very protective, the kind of guy who could steal a kiss and her heart all at once. He’d certainly stolen hers. Not only that, but he’d rescued her, given her the courage and a reason to flee her robotic life of doing nothing but what was expected of her. Gray had turned her into a real rebel, and she loved that as much as she loved him.
The passengers surged toward the door, and the young lovers waited till the crowd thinned out before they disembarked. They were traveling light, with only a small bag of clothing Riley had bought to tide her over for a while, as well as a suitcase Gray had packed when he flew to New York, when he thought he might have to stay there to be close to her.
The airport was tiny, dank, and smelly, but they couldn’t help but smile and laugh as they made their way out into the hot sun.
“Where to?” Riley asked, squinting in the bright light.
“To a hotel…for now,” Gray said, wiping his sweaty brow, and his hungry eyes beneath it told her everything else she needed to know.
They walke
d through the crowded streets. Everything appeared so exotic, stunning, and lovely. Riley was as thrilled and excited as she was scared. Happy to be reunited with Gray, she let the fear melt away in the midst of that joy. Her nerves were on edge from starting a new journey in an uncertain destination, but she wouldn’t have traded that chance for the world.
They found a ratty hotel near the beach and reserved a room for the night. As they climbed the stairs, Gray said, “First thing tomorrow, we need to find a place to live.”
“Deal.”
The room smelled dank and on the cheap side, with furnishings that looked like they came from a half-off sale at Goodwill, but Riley really didn’t care. All she cared about was Gray.
She dropped her bag and turned to face him, he slammed the thin door, locked it, and headed toward her with an expression of unmasked, naked desire all over his face. Their mouths met, and his tongue parted her lips and found hers. His hands went to her hair, and he ran his fingers through the thick, silken strands, loosening it from the careless knot Riley had fumbled it into when they first boarded the flight out of La Guardia.
Riley pressed against him and felt his erection grow as he thrusted his hips urgently against hers. Their kiss grew more passionate with each passing second, and Riley lost her breath as his hands slid below her shirt, riding along her heated skin. She broke the kiss long enough to say with a gasp, “I-I can’t believe we did it!”
Gray’s eyes were lit with a wicked gleam that sent her heart racing. He captured her mouth again and thrusted his tongue deep in her mouth. “We did!”
Her fingers found his skin and explored it. She reveled in him, in the smell and taste and heat of him against her body.
Gray’s hands slid around her body, his fingers squeezing hard and loosening again as he cupped her buttocks and pulled her even closer. His hardness pressed against her lower belly, nearly rendering her insane with desire.
Her fingers were clumsy, but his remained sure as the two hurriedly undressed each other, too hot and needy to do anything more than strip down so they could touch each other in places their clothes would not allow them to find.
They fell onto bed, his hands still madly exploring her body. His fingers skimmed across her waist and breasts, then over her belly and up again, to her nipples. He moved lower, his tongue and teeth and lips sending delicious shivers all the way through her body.
Too excited to wait, Riley took control and rolled him over, so she could pepper a trail of kisses down his hard, muscular physique. Her tongue found his cock and rolled around it as his masculine scent wafted to her nostrils. Gray hissed out a breath as she took him down her throat, pulling and sucking hard. Her tongue wandered over his flesh, and she bobbed her head, moving her hand around his shaft to keep him from impaling her on that thick ridge of hot meat.
“Shit…” Gray’s single exclamation was followed by his hands tangling in her hair and lifting her toward him.
Riley crawled upward, and he moved her onto her back, then pinned her to the thin, musty mattress. He drove deep, and her legs wrapped around him. His hips banged into hers, and her body arched toward him in a frenzied attempt. She couldn’t get enough of him. She didn’t she ever would.
Gray slid in and out of her, his pace fast and rough. Riley felt the build, like a wave inside of her, trying to reach the shore. Her nails raked his back, and her teeth met his shoulder as she let a cry for more escape. Sensation spiraled through her till it morphed into a blossoming heat that seemed to melt into liquid as she came.
He came just as hard. He dug his fingers deep into the pillows behind her, and his face buried into the space between her shoulder and chin. Her name repeated off his lips again and again.
They lay there, tangled together. The sweat on their bodies cooled and dried, and he rolled away from her. He lay on his back, gasping for breath as it eventually slowed and he regained his senses.
Riley turned to him. “Gray, we’re crazy, aren’t we? I mean, we’ve totally lost our minds. I mean, what’re we doing here?”
“Each other, apparently,” he said with a laugh that reverberated around the room. “But yeah, we’re as crazy as hell, in the best way possible. Whatever happens from here on out, it’s gonna be amazing, Riley. I just know it.”
“It’ll be like our own endless summer.”
As she stroked his chest, he took each finger and kissed it gently. “Yes,” he said softly, “our perfect, endless summer.”
Chapter 28
The sea heaved at the shore, and wind blew over the tops of the swaying fronds of the palm trees. Hammocks swayed lazily as people reclined in long chairs shaded by umbrellas and stands of tall trees. More people splashed in the crystalline waters that, every so often, darkened into indigo with light jade hues, from the return of the ever-rushing tides.
Gray spotted Riley weaving her way around a cluster of tables near the pool. He couldn’t help but admire her figure in a pair of denim shorts cut high on her flat, tan thighs, but a small frown marred his forehead. He didn’t like to see her working so hard, but they’d agreed that they wouldn’t live off of her trust money. Even though the place where they’d landed, the Dominican Republic, was cheap enough, it certainly had its own cost of living, like everyplace else. Nothing’s ever free, Gray thought as he stared at her.
They’d settled into a small apartment right on the beach, and woke every morning to stunning vistas of sand, sun, and water. Every day, Grant’s first thought was a hard wave of love for her and great gratitude for that spectacular view in their private little corner of the world. Unfortunately, they’d been fighting a lot lately. Apparently as the tourist season dimmed, so did the money in their pockets. They both had to work harder and longer to pay the rent, and the stress was starting to take its toll.
For Riley’s part, Grant knew she was rapidly tiring from the hard labor of waitressing at a resort. The only reason they’d both landed jobs so quickly was because they both spoke both Spanish and English. That made them godsends at the resort, but as guests dwindled, so did their tips and the goodwill of the formerly jovial owner. He began to retreat to a position of entitlement and had the gall to ask them to work more hours for the same pay.
Grant knew it was time to simply move on, but the tension seemed to set them at odds with each other. He wanted to head to the South Pacific, perhaps Australia or somewhere equally sandy and warm, but Riley was becoming weary of the constant summer climate and said she wanted something different.
Gray sighed as he gathered glasses from the emptying bar and washed them quickly before hanging them to dry. What’s so great about snow and ice anyway? he wondered as he recalled Riley’s mention of a few winter-themed resorts. What had she tried to convince him? ‘We should enjoy the change in seasons, get away from the ocean for a while.’ He simply didn’t agree and arguing with her about it wasn’t getting them anywhere either.
He knew he had to make a decision soon, but he felt paralyzed from so many fronts. For one thing, he’d always wanted to run his own place, but didn’t have the money. Riley didn’t think it was a bad idea to buy a place they could own and run, except they couldn’t agree on where they wanted to end up. Pin-the-target-on-the-map was no longer an option, and, worse, the arguments about her using some of her vast fortunes were now never ending. Which was only exacerbated by the fact that she had to take care of all that money, too, so she had daily sight of it. Gray snorted. Apparently being aware of all that cash when she felt she couldn’t touch it weighed heavily on her mind as she slopped out plates of food to cheap tourists and surly natives.
Endless, perfect summer, my ass. It’s just a matter of time before the whole thing comes crashing down, Gray was sure of it. The charm was wearing off of Riley. That thought terrified him, knowing that she would eventually go and leave him. Why wouldn’t she? She’d be a damn fool not to, he reasoned. They certainly couldn’t seem to agree lately, even on the simplest things. They only thing they did agree on was that t
hey still loved each other, but in spite of what all those stupid chick flicks and romance novels said, it just wasn’t enough. They couldn’t seem to stop the bleeding. Their lives were not just hard. The bills, the rent, and the increasing workload with no benefits, all of it was going to come crashing down. And he’d be left alone, trying to pick up what was left of his heart.
“Yeah, we definitely have to haul ass for better climes, and I don’t mean any snow-riddled mountains,” Gray mumbled as he shoved another glass in its slot. The whole idea of all that coldness literally made him shiver and cringe. He hated arctic temperatures, anywhere that required a coat. Riley, on the other hand, was acting like some kind of Aspen snow bunny, going on and on about how she wanted to relax in a luxury suite. She had the money to do it, to go anywhere and do anything she wanted, but Gray constantly reminded her that they had agreed not to live off her wealth. Deep down, he had the unshakeable feeling that as soon as he said yes to her cutting into her funds, he would end up as nothing more than a cumbersome weight, an unnecessary guy who was not able to give her anything she deserved. Even worse, he would feel like some kind of mooch, and he didn’t want that.
They had to make it on their own.
He gave the glasses a sour look, then cast his gaze to Riley again. As if I’m giving her anything she deserves now, he thought with a groan. She damn sure deserves better than to be working fourteen hours a day under this sun that bakes us into the dirt. He checked his watch. They’d both be finished shift in a few minutes.
The relief bartender strolled up from the sand, his swarthy skin gleaming as he climbed behind the bar. “You can go now, Gray,” he said and grinned. “I need a drink before I settle in for my shift. Care to join me?”
“Gladly.” Gray took his tiny collection of tips and raised the beer glass in a toast. Downing it quickly, he tossed the glass at the new barman and strolled out gratefully.
Riley met him at the front ten minutes later. There was a tight smile on her face and a deep vertical slash between her eyebrows as they set off walking toward their apartment.
