An Unexpected Paradise

by Chelsea Curto

“What if… what if we spend the rest of our trip seeing how things go? Doing what feels right? If you want… if you want to touch me, you can.” His voice drops an octave, and shivers run up my back. “If I want to kiss you, I can.” His eyes drop to my mouth. “Would you let me kiss you, Josephine?” “Yes,” I whisper. “I’d let you do anything.” “Anything?” “Anything,” I repeat.

He kisses me right on my pulse point, and I wonder if he can feel how fast my heart is racing.

Need builds in my belly. I want to grab him by the shirt and crash his lips against mine. I want to climb into his lap and feel how hard he is under me.

“Don’t leave. Miserable and lonely people are welcome here,” I say. “Jack is frequently miserable. He once told me he was mad at the sun because it existed.”

“It’s cute you think I’d have manners when it comes to Greg,” Josephine says. She laughs. “If I want to leave, we’re just going to leave.” “Damn right we are,” I say.

I want to peel that dress off her and push her against the wall. Kiss her once and for all and find out how good she tastes. Run my hands through her hair and ask her what she likes. I want to hold her in the night and wake up with her in my arms. An awareness spreads through me. The understanding of how this isn’t a crush. This isn’t something I’ll get over in a day or two. It’s real, and it’s scary, and it’s the first time I’ve let myself feel in two and a half years. It’s almost overwhelming how much I want her. Terrifying, too, because how do I find out if she wants me?

“Could I touch you?” My hand shakes as I rest it on his pant leg. His muscles shift under my fingers, and he blows out a breath. “Is that okay?” “Yes,” he says. “It’s more than okay.”

I’m tugged toward him by an invisible string, the word more repeating in my head.

Blondie reference 👀

And can I add an extra side of mashed potatoes, please? A big, heaping portion, if you can.” “Sure thing,” she says. “Those are for you,” he whispers, and my heart leaps to my throat.

“What’s wrong?” I ask. “Nothing. I was waiting for you. Ready to eat, sweetheart?” he asks. I almost burst into tears at his kindness.

“Her brain is my favorite part about her. Josephine is smart. Fucking brilliant. When she starts talking about something that’s important to her, she lights up like a Christmas tree. I’ve never seen something so gorgeous in my life.”

“God, no,” Jack says. “The opposite, actually. I think you’re admirable for knowing what you want and not compromising on it.”

“My ex might be shit, but I’m still a catch, thank you very much.” Jack takes my hand in his. His thumb runs over my knuckles. “Yes, Josephine. You are.”

“Maybe it is. Come on, Jack. It’ll be fun. Please? Don’t make me beg.” “Maybe I’d like that.” My mouth pops open. Heat inundates my skin, and time stops. “W-what?”

“Sorry. I’m still processing the part where you said you’d enjoy me begging.” Jack stands up and brushes the sand from his pants. He smirks, and I hate how attractive he is when he’s trying to be funny. “I seem to recall you enjoying discussions about my sex life, Josephine. I’ll let you decide for yourself.”

“I like when you talk about me. Makes me feel like I’m on top of the world,” he says.

“Good. I hate that you think you’re not allowed to be happy.”

Your girl. I like the sound of that.

“Will you come sing with me? I’ll beg if you want.” Fuck. This woman is going to kill me.

I’m out of my mind when she’s around. I want to kiss her here, in the middle of a crowded room, so everyone knows she’s mine. I want to be the one to get on my knees and ask what she wants. What she needs, then give it to her, no questions asked. I want to learn about her hopes and her dreams. Her fears and the nightmares that plague her when I’m not around. Then I want to be there for all the ones she’s yet to have, a sword in hand to help slay any dragons she can’t manage on her own.

I want to sprint after her. Press her against the metal of the elevator and hit the emergency stop so I have her to myself. I could take my time and savor her.

It’s too much stimulation, too much being on, when all I want is to rest my head for a minute.

“When I finally get you in my bed, I’m going to make sure you don’t have enough energy to say anything other than Jack. Otherwise, I’m doing things all wrong.”

“Opposites attract, I guess. He’s different around you. I can see his façade trying to crack. I wish he would let it.”

“But it looks like we’ll have to share a chair.” “I’m not sure we’ll both fit on one. My ass is too big,” I say. “I’ll stand.” “I like your ass,” he says softly. He puts his free hand in the back pocket of my shorts and squeezes. “I like your hips and your waist, too.” “What else do you like?” “Do you want the nice guy version? Or the version that’s going to make me sound like a sleazeball?”

“I like your ass because I think about how much it would bounce when you took me from behind,” he almost growls. “You’d be a good girl, right? You’d take every inch of me and say thank you, wouldn’t you, sweet Josephine?”

And when it’s for the girl of my dreams, well.” He laughs and shakes his head. “You never stood a chance.”

“Predictable?” I ask. “Always, but that’s what I love about romance novels. You know there’s going to be a happily ever after from the moment you start reading, so you get to spend time falling in love with the characters while they fall in love with each other.”

“Classic romance novel plot. I know how this ends.” “Really? Do tell.” “You’re going to fall in love with me.” I think I already am.

“Good girl,” I say, and she nearly trips.

I don’t care if there are a million people around or if we’re in a room by ourselves. You are what I’m most interested in.”

“Pretty,” he murmurs when I return to Earth. He presses a kiss to my collarbone and works the straps of my bathing suit back up my arms. “So pretty when you come.”

“I did, but it was nice to just sit in the quiet, too. I’m tired from all the socialization these past few days. I’m an introvert, and it was a lot. I’m pretty sure I spent thirty minutes on the couch just staring at the ceiling this afternoon, and I was perfectly content.”

“I want you to disturb me, Josephine, if it means you’ll sleep through the night.”

“Sleep is part of your well-being, Bowen. Remember what I said at the diner.” How could I ever forget?

to the ground. I want to give him all the time in the world. “I’d like that,” I whisper. “As long as you’re patient with me.” “You’re safe with me, Josephine.” He reaches out, and his pinky loops around mine.

answer. I turn the knob and push it open, and find her exactly where I left her. I can’t help but smile when I see her, something hot and heavy flaring in my chest. She’s so fucking beautiful even when she’s sleeping. I have this desire to climb in bed with her and kiss her cheek, her forehead, the tip of her nose and ask how I can make her day better. What I can do to put a smile on her face and tell her how much I care.

shoulder, and color invades her cheeks. “I lose my mind when I’m around you,” I say. I hook my fingers around her chin and tilt her head back. “And knowing you finger fucked yourself while I had to sit out here and not watch makes me want to say fuck going slow, and take you on this kitchen counter, right here, right now.”

“You make my head spin,” I say. “It scares me how easy this feels.”

“You like when someone shows you how badly they want you. You’re a prize, baby, who deserves to be won.”

“I like watching you let go.” He pulls me to my feet and dusts the sand off my arms. “You’re so beautiful when you let someone take care of you. And I’m so glad it gets to be me.”

“I’m five seconds away from dropping to my knees and worshiping you,” he admits. I knew it.

“None of them stand a chance, Jack. My heart…” I take a deep breath. “My heart has started to belong to you.” His face softens. He rests his forehead against mine and pulls me close. “I think my heart has belonged to you from the first day I saw you,” he says, and I hand over another piece of myself to him.

You’re pretty all the time, but you’re even prettier when you’re happy,

“Keep them on,” he says roughly, and a fresh wave of heat overtakes my body. “I’ve always loved when you’re taller than me.”

“You are mine, Josephine,” he says. “You’ve always been mine. But if you keep saying my name like that, I’m going to take you for the first time in front of the entire fucking world.”

“People can watch all they want, but the sounds you make are just for me.”