The driver coughs loudly and Twila smiles, lowering her chin. Whispering, “Sorry,” my way.
A few minutes later, we’re getting out of the cab, and the music from the night club is pumping out on Main Street.
“So did you like what you saw?” she asks as we walk along the sidewalk. I reach for her hand, and when she laces her fingers with mine, I stop walking, turning to face her. I swear, being by her side is giving me the most intense feeling of my life. I feel strong, powerful. Like I could fucking fight off demons, slay dragons, take on anything to protect her honor.
She inhales, dipping her chin, but I lift it with the crook of my finger. “I loved what I saw,” I tell her. Meaning it. God, her photos were stunning. A bikini-clad beauty on the beach. My cock twitched at each image as I quickly scrolled through. “But it wasn’t the pictures that had me at hello.”
“No?” Her pink tongue darts from her mouth, licking her lips. Looking so damn sweet.
I shake my head. “No. It was the captions.”
Your worth has nothing to do with your weight.
Life’s too short to be unkind to yourself.
Your body, your rules.
“Yeah?” she asks. “Some guys get intimidated by my choices.”
“I’m not some guys.” I run a hand over her back, and she steps in. Close enough to kiss.
“No, you’re not, are you?”
“I had this friend, Adeline, back in college. She was so funny and smart, and beautiful.” I shake my head. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”
“It’s okay, I want to hear it.”
“She was so lovely. The kind of person that always remembered to call her mom and would help you study for midterms. Anyways, she was all those things, yet she hated herself. Her skin. She couldn’t see what everyone else saw. And so when I looked at your pictures, it made me wish Addie could have seen them. Maybe they would have meant something to her.”
“Could have?”
“She took her life our senior year.” I run a hand through my hair. “Fuck, this got heavy. But I have a feeling you don’t shy away from the dark.”
“Oh God, Tanner. I’m so sorry.” Twila wraps her arms around me, and I pull her in tight.
“It was five years ago,” I say. “I’ve grieved the loss, you know, but sometimes…”
“Sometimes you remember.” Twila looks up at me with a sweet smile, and eyes that are so blue, so beautiful, that I swear I can see straight through them. Straight to her heart. It’s good. And pure. And sweet.
“It’s nice to remember,” I say.
Twila bites her bottom lip as we step from the embrace. “Do you really like dancing? Like, love it?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Truthfully, I’m a terrible dancer.”
“Me too.” She laughs. “Xander doesn’t understand why he has a best friend who can’t keep rhythm, but if you don’t mind… maybe we could go to my favorite place on the island instead of a noisy, sweaty dance club. It’s my secret spot.”
“You’re asking if I’d rather go somewhere alone with you instead of sharing you with a hundred sweaty strangers?”
She takes my hand. “Yeah, you in?”
“I’m in,” I say. “But first…”
I lean down, my mouth on hers, and hell, it feels surreal. To be standing on an island paradise with a woman like Twila in my arms. Her lips are soft, sweet, and she smells like coconuts and salty air. Like a deep-sea dive and damn, I wanna get lost in her waters.
When she steps back, her clear blue eyes are darker. “Tanner,” she whispers, pressing her fingers to her lips. “That was my first kiss.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “Oh, God, I had no idea.”
She smiles up at me though, a flicker of want on her face. “I think it’s time we get to that private spot I was talking about.”
Taking my hand, she runs laughing down the cobblestone street, pulling me into the night.
4
Twila
It’s a bit of a walk, but with Tanner’s hand in mine, I don’t mind being out in the dark at night.
“I have to stop here first,” I say in front of my house. “I live here with my mom.”
It’s a small beach bungalow, and it has been in our family for several generations. It could use some repairs, but it’s cozy. Painted teal blue and white, it matches the ocean.
“Stay here,” I tell him. “Give me a second.”
My mom has a late shift tonight at the hotel, and I leave her a note on the table.
Out for my birthday. Be home tomorrow. Don’t wait up. XO Twila
Then I grab a bag and toss in a few blankets, a bottle of white wine, and some plastic glasses. Then I look in the mirror, running a hand over my hair, considering the bra and panties I have on.
After that kiss, I know I want more. Everything. I’ve waited so damn long for this part of my life to start — one look at Tanner and I knew he was something different. Someone special. When he looked in my eyes, I knew he saw me. The real me. And he liked what he saw. Maybe even loved it. A man who doesn’t shy away from the hard things is what I’ve always wanted. I want a man who understands pain, loss — who looks to find beauty in even the hardest to understand spaces.
It doesn’t matter what panties I have on, what bra — if Tanner wants to be with me, he won’t care either.
So I lock the door and leave the house, not exactly sure where the night will go, but opening my heart to any and all possibilities.
“So what’s in the bag?” he asks, taking my hand in his.
“Blankets and booze.” I lift my eyebrows. “Ready?”
He chuckles. “Absolutely.”
I lead him behind the house down
