“Want to take a swim?” he asked.
Sable turned to look at him, still squatting down and collecting shells in her shirt. “Swim? Here? How?”
“There’s no one around for miles,” he said. “Take off all your clothes and take the plunge.”
“Is it safe?”
“Sable, take a chance. Have some fun. You’re going to start living from now on, not just existing.”
She stood and looked out at the ocean, then back at him. He motioned for her to lose the clothes. After doing another visual sweep of the area, she slipped out of her clothes until she was in just her bra and panties.
“Lose those too. You don’t want them wet for the ride home.”
She took a deep breath then stripped naked. Dog settled on the sand, leaning back on an elbow to enjoy the view. The sun was starting to set now, the bright blues and greens becoming muted. He took a deep breath of salty air, listening to the carefree squeals coming from Sable. He was in heaven.
****
The water was cooler than she expected, and she yelped when the waves washed over her stomach. She lowered herself into the ocean, never feeling so free and wild. Dog was onshore, watching her as he played with a stick in the sand. She could stay here forever, forget the world, her family, and still be happy.
Back at the club, Forge had everyone on high alert. She was the target for revenge, a huge bullseye on her head. It wasn’t a position she enjoyed being in. Especially when her mother and sister were worse than before she went on the mission. Everything in her life felt fucked, but right now, there was only here. Only now.
She looked off at the horizon, the sun sinking lower by the minute. The sky began to morph into a work of art, a gorgeous mix of oranges, pinks, and reds. She felt tiny here, her worries insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Sable swam around for so long her fingers felt pruney. When she felt something brush against her body, she screamed.
“I’ve got you, baby.”
Dog’s arms came around her from behind, his naked body pressed to hers. She twisted in his arms, the buoyancy of the water making her feel lighter than air. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he floated in the water with her.
He brushed the wet hair on her face back, then cupped her face. “You’re beautiful, Sable.”
She shook her head. It felt foreign accepting compliments. She’d been invisible for so long.
“Don’t tell me I’m wrong because I’m not. Of all the women in the world, I have the very best one.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“And I have the VP.”
“You do,” he said.
The water caressed their bodies. She combed her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. He was strong and warm, and made her feel so safe and wan
ted. “You’re not so scary,” she said.
“Am I supposed to be?”
“Everyone’s scared of you, Dog.”
“Not you?”
She smiled, giving him a kiss. “I’ve always loved you, even before I knew what love was.”
They kissed softly, deeply. The passion was pure and flooded her body with heat.
“I’m going to love you how you deserve. From now on, it’s you and me, okay?”
“I like that,” she said.
She was so used being on survival mode, pretending to be something she wasn’t at the club, and not having anyone in the world to put her first. It would take time to get used to this. She was already becoming addicted to the feeling of being wanted.