Wilder

I grabbed my floppy sun hat, oversize glasses, and travel wallet before leaving the safety of my room. “As I recall, this whole ship is your place, so really, I already did.”

His eyes swept my frame, the usual heat sparking there, and when they caught my shorts, he looked up, blazing with pride. “You look amazing.”

“Let’s go. I’m not holding up our trip so that you can make out, and the last time someone left you two to your own devices, you ended up off the ship for five days.” Penna pointed to the door.

“It was a good five days,” I argued as Paxton’s arm wrapped around my waist.

“Worth every second, and all that fucking make-up work,” Paxton swore with a kiss on the top of my head.

“Yeah, well, you still took the hit in Physics,” I said as we walked into the hallway.

“A ninety-two is hardly a hit. I’ve got two other solid Bs, so I think we’re okay.”

“We’ll see what happens when your Lit paper’s graded,” I fired back, leaning into him as we entered the elevator.

“I’d have gotten an A if you would have written it for me,” he muttered.

I elbowed him. “Not happening.”

“I was joking.” He laughed, wrapping me in his arms.

“I wasn’t aware that we’d gone from ESPN to Lifetime,” Zoe spat when she got on, rolling her eyes.

“Sheathe your claws before it becomes Jerry Springer,” Penna snapped.

“We made it!” Brooke yelled as she pulled Landon in behind her.

I did a few calculations on the weight allowance when Little John squeezed in the elevator next, but sighed in relief when he told the rest of the crew they’d have to catch the next one.

I took the ramp off the ship without breaking a sweat, and we met up with the others at the bus. And by bus…well, at one point it had been a bus, I just wasn’t sure that’s what it qualified as now. The top had been sheared off so it looked more like a giant flatbed with benches.

“Mr. Wilder!” the guide driver called out, his accent thick and beautiful.

“Mr. Mantoui?” Paxton shook the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“I am a big fan! It’s my pleasure to take you to Paradise Valley. It is one of the most beautiful places in our country.” He motioned for us to board the contraption.

“We’re all excited,” Paxton promised, then posed for a picture with Landon and Penna before we climbed on.

The twenty or so seats were all taken by camera crew and Renegades, and I walked down the aisle behind Paxton to find a seat.

“Hey, what happened to your legs?” Zoe asked, stopping me with her arm and openly staring.

I met her stare unflinchingly. “Car accident,” I answered. It was the CliffsNotes version of the truth, but it was all she deserved. Hell, I mostly said it for myself, anyway.

“Nice,” Landon answered across the aisle, lifting his board shorts and knocking Zoe’s arm out of the way as he bared his thigh and the jagged scar that ran from knee to the hemline. “This was the summer I was obsessed with BMX.”

Penna stood behind her and lifted her shirt over her stomach. “This was my first attempt at a backflip,” she said, pointing to the hand-length scar that ran down her left side.

“And you’ve already seen every single one of mine,” Paxton said, turning around. He didn’t shoot Zoe a death glare or even look at her, simply bent, grabbing my upper thighs and lifting me up against him. “But I’ll be happy to give you another show,” he whispered into my ear as he backed us into our seat a few rows away.

He sat in the middle and nudged my legs to straddle him, which I did happily. I love you. It was on the tip of my tongue, screaming from my heart, but I couldn’t form the words. It was still too soon, too raw.

“All of us have scars. You fit right in,” he promised. “But I will tell you that these shorts are going to distract me all damn day.”

I kissed him, uncaring that we were on display. He tasted like the mint of his toothpaste, all tangy and fresh, and I couldn’t help but press deeper. His grip was tight on my thighs, his hands warming my skin as his tongue set a fire inside me.

He groaned, pulling away and resting his forehead against mine. “If we keep that up, I’m hauling you back inside.”

“Not this time,” Bobby interjected, taking the seat behind us, his nose covered in a thick layer of zinc. “Your sexcapades are not ruining this. It’s going to be epic. This is one of the primo places to cliff dive in the world.”

“Hey, Bobby,” Paxton called over his shoulder. “Who do you work for?”

“What?” He let that sink in a second and then rolled his eyes. “You.”

“Just checking,” Paxton finished, and I laughed as I slid off his lap, taking the seat next to him.

“Welcome Renegades,” Mr. Mantoui called into the microphone as we pulled out of the port. The breeze nearly stole my hat, and I took it off, turning my face up to the sunshine as the group gave a cheer. “I cannot wait to show you more of my country. Tell me, are you ready for an adventure?” he asked, and Paxton snorted at the use of his line.

Looking up at the strong lines of Pax’s face, feeling my hand safely encased in his, I honestly was.

…

“Okay, maybe the hike was worth it,” Brooke said as we sat on the edge of one of the pools of Paradise Valley.