I looked over at Kylie on the plane and she smiled at me. Every once in a while, I’d catch her knee-deep in the book she was reading. I took a peek at the cover to see what kept her so entranced, and I smiled when I saw it. I should’ve known Kylie would’ve been reading a memoir or nonfiction of some sort.

Man into Woman, written by Lili Elbe and published posthumously in 1933.

I was excited to get away with her and spend some time outside Portland at her side. All the stressors from back home were getting to us, especially when we kept running into my son. I gazed out the window with my leg crossed over my knee, trying to give Kylie some privacy while reading. Taking in a book and getting lost in it was an intimate thing, something not every person was privy to. In some respects, it was the most vulnerable thing someone could do around another person besides sleeping.

I peeked back over at Kylie and grinned at the sight.

Her leg was curled up to her chest and she gnawed on her nail bed. Whatever she was reading, it must’ve been a good part. Her eyes darted along the pages erratically, reading and rereading, like she couldn’t believe what she was taking in.

“Oh my gosh,” she said in a whisper. “No.”

I wanted to interject, to ask a question and pick her brain. But it was the most vulnerable and the most emotional I’d seen her in days. I studied her. I took her in. I committed the scene to memory. I’d had a delicate conversation with her as we had boarded the plane. I had wanted to let her know I wasn’t bribing her in any way to choose me or to commit to me. I simply wanted what was best for the both of us. She had told me she understood. She had told me she really wanted to go on this trip with me. So, I had settled in for the flight ahead of us with a soothed soul and a light heart.

But I was lying if I told myself I wasn’t hopeful something would happen.

Watching her take in that book made me wanton for her all the more. A woman who was thirsty for knowledge was the best kind of woman to have at one’s side. She flipped the pages effortlessly, as if the action was ingrained into her muscle memory. I cocked my body toward her, shifted to get comfortable.

And the action pulled her from her trance.

“What?” she asked with a giggle.

“Whatever you’re reading must be good,” I said.

“It’s an incredible book. Have you read it?” she asked.

“I haven’t.”

“It’s about the first ever medically documented transgender female.”

“Hell of a beach book to be reading,” I said.

“It’s an incredible story. Her journey is…”

Kylie shook her head as tears rose to her eyes.

“I can’t imagine what she went through,” I said.

“Me either.”

“Maybe I could read it once you’re done?”

“I’ll put it on your desk,” she said with a kind smile.

“You know I’m not trying to pressure you, right?” I asked.

She sighed and shook her head before she dabbed at her tears.

“We’ve already had this conversation, Ryan. Yes, I know you’re not trying to pressure me or influence my decision in any way.”

“I only want to be sure you know it.”

“I understand. I want to be on this trip. I want to spend this time with you. Getting away sounds like a dream right now, and it’s a very welcomed distraction from everything back home.”

“I feel the same way,” I said.

“So, what’s the plan when we land?” she asked as she closed her book.

“Don’t let me keep you from your reading.”

“I’ve gotten to a good place to stop. I have to take an emotional break from it anyway. The subject matter and the personal emotions get heavy at times.”

I nodded my head as she shifted her curled-up body to face mine.

“Well, once we land we’re going to go check into the hotel. Then I figured we could spend the day out on the beach.”

“Oh, sounds nice. Good thing I packed sunscreen,” she said.

“Then I have dinner reservations for us.”

“Oh, a fancy dinner. I didn’t pack anything fancy to wear,” Kylie said.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve got something for you that’ll work just fine.”

“You bought me an outfit.”

“I did. I figured you wouldn't pack one.”

“And you’re really not trying to sway my mind?” she asked.

“No. Not your mind.”

I bit down on the edge of my tongue to keep from digging myself into any more holes. But the grin that trickled across her cheeks made me curious. Had she enjoyed that comment? Would she be upset if I made another one like it?

“Okay, so hotel, then beach day, then hotel to change, then fancy dinner. What’s next?” she asked.

“We’ll settle in for the night and relax.”

“Uh-huh. And what does this relaxing consist of?”

Was she toying with me? Or was she serious?

“The private balcony has a Jacuzzi hot tub. We could always get into that, have a drink. Or we could order a movie and have a snack. Whatever you want really. The weekend is ours to use however we see fit.”

She playfully rolled her eyes before unfurling herself from the seat.

“I think I know exactly what I want to do to relax,” she said.

But she didn’t go any further than that.

My groin pulsed at the idea of having her again. Was she being playful for a reason? I had told her there were no requirements, no sex necessary. But that little lilt in her voice. That playful grin of hers. It suggested something much more sinister in all the best ways. She went back to reading her book, and I attempted to distract myself, but even in the reflection of the plane window, I took in the beautiful length of her legs.

We landed and checked into the hotel. Then we got changed into our bathing suits. The second she walked into her room, she gasped, and it forced a smile across my cheeks. I couldn’t wait to see her in that outfit tonight. I couldn’t wait to see the pearls strung around her neck and the black heels with the red bottoms flex her legs. I shivered at the thought as I stripped down and pulled my bathing suit on.

And when Kylie came out in her little string bikini, I almost exploded against the fabric of them.

It was bright yellow and barely hung on by the bows tied around her body. She slipped on a sheer piece of fabric that was peddled as a sorry excuse for a dress. Her flip-flops sounded against the marbled flooring of the penthouse suite, and her wide-brimmed hat covered the massive sunglasses on her face. She was the most beautiful thing in the world to me, and her smile made her all the cuter.

“Ready to go?” Kylie asked.

“Whenever you are,” I said.

“And just to let you know, you’re going to have to put sunscreen on my back. I can’t reach.”

Holy fuck, this woman was going to kill me.

We spent the day on the beach, lounging around and getting some sun. I had to reapply sunscreen on her back twice, and it took all the energy I had not to take advantage of the opportunity. At one point in time, she even fell asleep, right there underneath the sun as it glistened on her skin and tanned her body. I saw men glancing at her every chance they got, and it caused a protective instinct within my bones. I situated myself closer to her, then rested my foot against hers.

They all needed to know who she was with and what their place was when it came to Kylie.

“Mmm, I think I fell asleep.”

“You’ve been asleep for about thirty minutes,” I said.

“Then I guess I have to turn over.”

“Or we could go take a dip in the ocean.”

“Mmmm, I don’t want to expend the energy before dinner. I feel so relaxed. I don’t want to have to get up,” she said.

“Then I could walk on over to the beachside cabana and get us a couple drinks. It’ll have a straw and you won’t even have to move.”

“No, no, no. You've spent enough money.”

“What?” I asked with a chuckle.

“Don’t spend any more money on me. I saw that outfit. I took in that hotel suite. You’ve spent enough money on this weekend. I can’t imagine what dinner will cost, so no more spending money. Just relax with me, Ryan. Come on, lie back down.”

“I’d like to relax with a drink in my hand,” I said.

“Okay. But then you’ll come back and sit with me?”

I smiled down at her as I reached over and smoothed her hair from her face.

“I won’t be long,” I said.

I stood up and headed on over to the bar. I loved that she simply went with the flow. She didn’t attempt to force anything. Nor did she gun for my money. That was a foreign concept to me—a woman who didn’t want me for my money. She felt relaxed enough with me to have me put sunscreen on her. Then she felt comfortable enough falling asleep beside me, knowing damn well and good I’d protect her from anything that came by to harm her.

Every second that passed with her at my side sank me deeper into her trench.

After spending hours on the beach and finally convincing her to have a glass of rum punch, we made our way back to the hotel. It was time to get ready for the dinner I had planned for us. It was at a beachside restaurant with seating out over the ocean. It had the best seafood in the area and the view was supposed to be spectacular. I took a shower and cleaned myself up, then slipped into an all-black suit I’d brought for the occasion.

The second Kylie stepped into the living room, my jaw hit the floor.

I mean, I knew how to buy dresses, but nothing could have prepared me for the way she looked. Her beautiful hair was piled high on her head. The heels flexed her long legs all the way up to her ass. The black dress clung softly to her curves with the fabric falling down her shoulders. It even looked as if the underwear I’d purchased for her fit just right. The push-up bra underneath the dress made her cleavage shine, and the pearls that lined her neck made me want to strip her down and pin her to the fucking wall.

I watched the way her eyes explored me as well, and I basked in the glow of her wandering eyes.

“Ready for dinner?” I asked as I offered her my arm.

Her eyes snapped up to mine before she walked over to me and placed her hand in the crook of my arm.

“Starving,” she said with a grin.

Then the two of us set out to have a romantic dinner over the ocean with glasses of wine to toast our weekend.