The Key to Love

by Callie Bardot

  Keys wore board shorts and a colorful, short-sleeved shirt, which he left unbuttoned, hoping Mia liked what she saw. He carried a net bag holding both sets of fins, masks, snorkels, and bottles of water. His gaze kept drifting toward Mia’s breasts and round ass, picturing how it would feel with his hands cupping each cheek while he sucked her sweet nipples.

  A roomy bag had been slung over Mia’s shoulder. Red, orange, and white beach towels poked out the top.

  The sun beat down on Keys’ limbs, making him feel languid in a way he seldom achieved without some sort of mind-altering substance. Gentle waves lapped at his feet, cooling him. Walking with Mia in the Cancun heat felt like the most natural thing in the world. He wanted to hold her hand or put his arm around her but restrained himself.

  “Want to know where I grew up?” Mia said.

  “I want to know everything about you, Mia,” he said, surprised by his admission.

  She flashed him an arched eyebrow expression of skepticism. “My father was a diplomat, so we moved a lot. He met my Caucasian mother in Korea, where she was vacationing. They married in London. Nine months later, I was born in the States. We’ve lived in Tokyo, London, Manhattan, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and even Helsinki.”

  “Sounds like an interesting life,” Keys said.

  “It was what it was. I was mostly home-schooled. Finally, at the age of fifteen, I put my foot down and said I wanted to go to a regular school. I wanted friends, not just a nanny, a cook, and my parents to talk to. So, they enrolled me in a private school in San Francisco. I made a couple of friends there.” Her expression became guarded and dark.

  He studied her, wondering what had made her mood fall.

  “I was way into music. I taught myself guitar until my dad paid for a private tutor. That’s when I got into a band and pursued music.” Her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace as if she were running from some memory or someone. “Anyway…” She waved her hand in the air. “That’s that. Then, Zander hired me, and my life became stable for once. He’s done so much for me. I can never leave him.”

  “We’ll see. Because I sure can leave the band,” Keys said. “I mean…don’t get me wrong.” He side-eyed Mia. “It’s been a blast rocketing to the top with everyone. Dante’s a good guy when he’s not an asshole. He’s got a keen head on his shoulders, which is why Marked Love has done so well. But, I’m tired of it, you know? I need a change. I want to see if I can go it alone. I’ve been writing new songs, and Dante keeps shooting them down.” He frowned. “I’m getting sick of it. My songs are tight, they’re fresh, and they need to be heard, you know?”

  “I’d love to hear them,” Mia said, flashing her oh, so sexy gaze at him.

  Keys smiled. This Mia—the one who seemed to have relaxed—was far preferable to the Mia of yesterday. Maybe she just needed a good night’s sleep? “You’ll get to hear them, Ms. Manager, guaranteed.”

  “I’m not…” she began.

  “You will, you’ll see,” he interrupted.

  When they reached the quiet cove, Keys dropped the gear bag in the sand. He scanned the area, noting a white cabana nearby, complete with lots of pillows and a privacy curtain. That might come in handy. “Okay, let’s do this,” he said, not sure whether he meant the snorkeling or a romp in the cabana.

  Mia spread the towels over a huge rock and then rummaged in her bag. “Not without sunscreen first,” she said, waving a small white tube in the air.

  Keys licked his lips. Getting to spread some creamy goo all over Mia’s body sounded like fun foreplay to him. “I’ll go first.” He grinned at her.

  She rolled her lips between her teeth and looked away as she handed over the sunscreen.

  Keys uncapped it and squirted a generous amount into the palm of his hand. He ran his hands together to get the goo on both hands, then proceeded to spread it down Mia’s arms. Heaven. Pure heaven.

  Mia let out a little moan as he moved behind her, smoothing the cream over her shoulders and back. His length began to harden as he ran his hands down her legs.

  “You’ve got a great touch, Keys,” Mia said.

  “That’s because I play keyboards,” he said. “Supple hands.” Still standing behind her, he applied more sunscreen to his palms, then gripped her waist, longing to fit his shaft into her from behind and start rocking and rolling. Down, boy. His palms glided around to her belly, where he smoothed and stroked. Then, somehow managing to avoid her breasts—a feat that took tremendous willpower—he spread the white cream along her upper chest.

  By the time he had finished, his cock was rigid. Holy hell, how am I going to restrain myself?

  She pivoted, holding her hand out for the sunscreen.

  When he handed it to her, she glanced at his crotch. Her eyes went wide. “Keys, I…that’s not what we’re here for.”

  “I can’t help it, Mia. You’re gorgeous. But I get it. I’ll keep my hands to myself, but there’s nothing I can do about my dick. It has a mind of its own.” His lips spread in a huge grin.

  “I see,” she said. The corners of her mouth quirked up in a restrained smile. “I’ll keep my distance, then.”

  They proceeded to don their water shoes, mask, and snorkel, and Keys carried their fins to the water.

  “Have you ever snorkeled before?” Mia said as she slipped on her fins and tightened the straps around her heel.

  “Not really,” Keys said. “I sorta remember snorkeling in a swimming pool at one of my buddy’s birthday parties. His parents had bought all these fake fish that bobbed in the water. Some of them floated upside down, though, so it looked like we were in a pool of dead fish.” He chuckled at the memory as he donned his fins.

  “We used to go to Hawaii every Christmas, so I’ve snorkeled a lot. I love it,” she said. “Do you know how to breathe through the snorkel?”

  “Show me,” he said.

  “Okay. It’s pretty easy, and you said you used to be on a swim team, right?” she said.

  “No. What I said was, I used to win a lot of races, I wasn’t just on a swim team. Remember the important stuff, girl,” he said, tapping the end of her nose. A cocky grin formed on his face.

  “Excuse me,” she said, with a roll of her eyes. “You used to win, hotshot. So, watch me. If water gets in my snorkel, all I do is blow…hard.”

  “Oh, baby,” he said, picturing her pretty lips around his cock.

  She let out a small laugh. “You’re incorrigible,” she said, slapping his biceps.

  “No argument from me,” he said.

  “Watch me,” she said.

  “Oh, I’m watching, sweetheart,” he said, letting his gaze sweep along her body. “I’m definitely watching.”

  She shook her head, fit the snorkel in her mouth, and lowered into the water. Then, she proceeded to kick her legs with her face submerged. She kept blowing like a whale and shooting droplets of water from her snorkel. Her arms stayed by her side.

  Keys’ eyes were pinned to her every move and not from needing snorkeling instruction. She had to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

  Her head popped up, and she said, “Come on. Try it.”

  Keys lowered himself into the gently surging water and breathed through his snorkel. Easy peasy. He stayed close to Mia, watching the colorful parrotfish, angelfish, snapper, barracuda, and butterflyfish doing their thing beneath the sea. Kinda cool. The whole experience got him into a state of supreme relaxation.

  After about an hour, Mia reached over and squeezed his elbow. She lifted her face from the sea.

  Keys did the same, lifting the snorkel from his face. He twisted it around, so the strap was around his forehead, and the mask was in the back. He studied Mia’s face, all lit up from their little adventure. Stunning. She’s mind-bending gorgeous.

  A smile spread across her face. “You look nice and relaxed. This was fun, huh?”

  “It was…different. And I guess you could call it fun. It’s not what I usually do when I’m not gigging or practicing
with the band,” he said, bobbing in the water.

  “What do you usually do?” she said.

  He shook his head. Unless she lived in a bubble, everyone who knew Keys Johnson knew what he did when he wasn’t practicing. Get high, get drunk, get wasted, and get some pussy with Trevor.

  “Oh,” she said, lowering her gaze to the water as understanding dawned upon her features. “Well…” Her gaze lifted to meet his. “Consider me your guide to expanding your horizons.”

  The sentence slithered into his chest, where it did some crazy things with his heart. “Okay,” he said, not breaking eye contact. His foot touched sand. He lowered his legs and stood, with the water chest high.

  Mia stood, too, the water coming up to her shoulders.

  He kept studying her, his jaw moving side to side as he contemplated his next move. You’re already in too deep. You’re completely smitten with her. Run, before it gets too far.

  Mia removed her snorkel and held it by her side. “Why are you looking at me so intently?” She kept her eyes pinned to his.

  “I’m gauging whether or not you’ll slap me if I do this.” Hooking his hand behind her neck, he lowered his mouth to hers. He kept it soft and light, at first, hoping she didn’t pull away.

  She didn’t.

  He deepened the kiss, letting the tip of his tongue explore a little bit.

  She still didn’t pull away.

  His cock grew thick and rigid, bobbing inside his shorts like a sea creature. Pressing his erection into Mia’s thigh, he pulled her close, so damn intoxicated by one kiss, he felt like a teenage virgin. The sense of losing control niggled at his brain, urging him to stop. He eased away, expecting a stinging slap.

  When it didn’t come, he lifted his eyebrows.

  “Wow,” Mia said.

  “Is that a good wow?” he said, the buzz of insecurity swirling around his head like a blowfly.

  “Not sure,” she said honestly.

  “Let’s head back before you decide it wasn’t,” he said, reaching for her hand.

  They said little as they toweled off and dressed. Keys fit the snorkel gear inside the net bag while Mia stuffed their towels back in her bag.

  He held her hand as they strolled back to the resort. Her silence plagued him. What isn’t she saying? She didn’t slap me or tell me to stop. So, what then? It was a good kiss, I know it was. She had to feel it, too.

  Once they got close to Hidden Shores Oasis, he let her hand go, not wanting any grief from anyone.

  Inside the lobby of the hotel, Gia popped around the corner, her bright yellow hair all wild and messy.

  “There you are,” she said. She frowned, looking between Mia and Keys. Injecting herself between them, she put her arms around his and Mia’s shoulders.

  “What are you so happy about?” Keys said.

  “I’m having a great time,” she said enthusiastically. “And, we’re all going dancing tonight. No exceptions. Everyone’s going.”

  “Don’t tell me, you’re replacing Dante as our Fearless Leader?” Keys said.

  “What? Fuck that, Keys. I’m only telling you what you’re doing tonight,” Gia said.

  “How is that different than what Dante does?” he said, sauntering toward the elevator.

  “Easy,” Gia said, batting her eyelashes at him. “I’m far cuter, and I’m so fun you can’t say no.”

  Keys laughed. “You are that.”

  “What about you, Mia. Are you in?” Gia said.

  “Oh, she gets a choice, and I don’t?” Keys said in mock protest.

  “Of course. Us girls have to stick together, right, Mia?”

  “Absolutely,” Mia said from the other side of Gia. “And I’m in. I love to dance.” She reached out to press the elevator button.

  When the doors opened, Gia released Keys and Mia. “I’ll meet up with you guys at dinner. Brutus, aka Marcos, aka my beefy ex-Marine, bodyguard, and all-around good lover main squeeze, is at the pool waiting for me. I just came to find you two and let you know about tonight.” She narrowed her eyes at Keys. “You’re behaving yourself, right, dude?”

  “Of course,” Keys said, feigning innocence.

  Gia, nearly as tall as him, leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Be good,” she whispered. She turned and kissed Mia’s cheek. Then, she flitted away.

  Keys fit his hand against the open lift door, preventing it from shutting. He waited for Mia to enter.

  She sauntered past him, avoiding contact.

  He followed, pressing his back against the opposite side of the elevator. The snorkel gear bag dangled from his hand.

  “I love Gia,” Mia said, staring at the elevator floor.

  “Me, too,” Keys said. “She’s like my goofy sister. My real sister is a goodie-two-shoes, Harvard grad. She’s the apple of Mom and Dad’s eye.”

  “Is she?” Mia shifted side to side, still staring at the floor. “So, Keys…?”

  “Yes, Mia?” He braced himself for the inevitable. She’s going to tell me to fuck off.

  “That kiss…”

  “What about that kiss?” Keys said. His defensive hackles bristled. She’d better not say it wasn’t fantastic.

  “It was awesome,” she said quietly, finally meeting his gaze.

  “It was,” he agreed. And I want more.

  “But, I don’t want a relationship. I’m not looking to get involved with anyone,” she said.

  “Right, right,” he said, swallowing back his disappointment. “Same here,” he said, well aware he could pile all the sand in the Sahara desert on his desires for more of Mia, and it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. He wanted Mia Song.

  Mia smiled. “So, we’re on the same page then, right?”

  “Absolutely. Why should I change my stripes now?” As his mood soured, he lifted his gaze toward the hotel floor numbers lighting up as the lift ascended.

  “We’re not having sex,” Mia said. “We’re friends.”

  His dick howled inside his shorts, and his heart squeezed to the size of a lemon. “Of course. No sex.”

  The lift stopped, and the doors slid open with a ding.

  “Friends,” Mia repeated, holding out her hand.

  Keys took it and shook. “Friends,” he said, not believing it for a second. He was already in over his head. How would he survive for the next few days?

  Mia

  The ghosts of her past had done it again. They’d wrapped themselves around Mia’s wrists like handcuffs, preventing her from enjoying herself.

  She twirled her empty glass of orange juice at the breakfast table, eying Keys, who sat as far from her as was possible. Her pulverized heart felt like someone had taken a mallet to it in the night.

  From the second she and Keys stepped into their room last night, until breakfast today, an entire snowbank of icy awkwardness seemed to engulf them. Yet, dancing last night had been so fun. She and Keys had flirted so hard she thought her panties would incinerate. And, Keys was an amazing dancer. His moves were smooth and practiced. He could easily compete on one of those television dance competitions.

  But then, when we got back to the room, I reminded him of my ‘rules’ — no sex and no fooling around. Who am I kidding? I’m so horny I could burst into flames. And, Keys is hot, hot, hot.

  He hadn’t so much as glanced at her this morning. Right now, he was engaged in an animated conversation with Dante and Heat about some topics she couldn’t quite catch at her end of the table.

  They laughed a lot, whacked the table with their palms, and generally seemed to be enjoying themselves.

  “Beach party tonight,” Zander, who sat to her right, said.

  “Huh?” Mia said, dragging her gaze away from Keys.

  “There’s a beach party tonight,” Effie, who sat on her left, chuckled.

  “Oh. That sounds fun,” Mia said, glancing at the blue sky, white sand beach, and turquoise ocean through the open window behind Effie. Her attention drifted back to the far end of the table.

 
Keys and Heat stood and slapped each other on the back, laughing and smiling.

  Mia twisted her cloth napkin. I guess those two made up. Now I’m the outsider.

  Keys seemed to give her a side-eye, but she couldn’t quite tell. A gush of heat swirled through her body, however, indicating that maybe, just maybe, they shared a whisper of a connection.

  “Yo, Zander,” Keys called, pointedly avoiding her.

  “Whassup?” Zander said, rising to stand.

  “Me and the boys, here, are going to hit the bars. You want to join us?” Keys said.

  “Yeah, dude,” Marcos said, pushing away from the table. “Bro bonding is on the menu for the day. We’ve got a few Jeeps reserved. We can off-road it later.”

  “Bros and hoes,” Noah said. “That’s where Elijah, me and Sam are headed. Are you in, or what?” He grinned at Zander.

  Zander turned to Effie. “Do you mind? I’ll only partake in the libations, not the ladies.”

  “What?” Effie’s forehead crinkled into concern. “I trust you. Go have fun with your crew. I’d enjoy a ladies’ day.” She proffered her lips for a kiss, which Zander willingly gave her.

  Their kiss curdled Mia’s insides. Envy sliced through her.

  “Bros and hoes,” Heat repeated. “I like that idea.”

  Mia frowned at Keys. Is that what he’s got in mind? Bros and hoes?

  That’s when Keys finally met her gaze. He seemed to convey something like, “You’re not putting out, I may as well get my needs met.”

  Mia jerked her gaze away from him. Fine. I guess I set him up for this. A pair of arms circled her from behind, startling her out of her discontent.

  “Let’s go out for Girl Time,” Gia said. “Who wants to spend time with all those losers?”

  “Hey!” Marcos said. “I’m not a loser.” He turned to face her, tipped her chin up, and planted a juicy kiss on her lips.

  Augh! Everyone’s in love except me. A sense of loneliness surrounded Mia like a brick wall. She considered the waves outside, wondering if she should go it alone for the day and give in to the isolation choking her heart.

  “No, sweet thing, you are definitely not a loser,” Gia said when she and Marcos had untangled. “I just meant the rest of them.” One of her infectious laughs burbled up from her throat. “We’ll catch up with you at the party tonight. We’ll stop in town and get some supplies since you all will be useless to remember what to get once you get your drink on.”