I lay awake in the dark staring at the ceiling. I may have played it off like I was fine, but I wasn’t. My mind was running a million miles a minute, and my body wasn’t making things easier on me. Discovering Jade was as attracted to me as I was to her made it nearly impossible to stay on my side of the bed. And did she have to wear such a skimpy set of PJs? A girl with legs like those had to know what those shorts would do to a guy. Or maybe that was the point. She was wearing them to get my attention.

“Kyle?” she spoke my name softly.

“Yeah?”

“I was checking to see if you were still up.”

“I’m still up.”

“I can tell. You’re talking.”

I rolled over so I was facing her. The room was too dark to see anything, but somehow I needed to look in that direction. “Very perceptive.”

“This feels like a sleep-over.”

“Like with your girlfriends?”

“Yes, but obviously you’re not a girl.”

“Glad you noticed that.”

“Yeah, it’s kind of obvious.”

“Sorry I didn’t think ahead and pack romantic comedies or nail polish.”

A pillow made contact with my face. “What’s that for?”

“We can still have a pillow fight.”

I laughed. “You’re kidding, right? It’s pitch black in here.”

“Yes, I’m kidding, but I can’t sleep.”

“We can talk.”

“Aren’t we doing that already?”

“True.”

“How do you think we’ve done so far?” She shifted, pulling the sheet off me in the process.

“We’ve done well.”

“I don’t like lying.”

“Yeah, me either.”

“Then why did you ask me to come?” She shifted again and moved closer.

“Haven’t we been over this already?”

“Yes. Plenty of times.” She brushed her arm against mine, and I didn’t know if it was intentional. “Can I make a weird suggestion?”

“Weirder than any of the ones I’ve made lately?”

“No. Not that weird.”

“Then ask away.”

“Want to go out and take a walk?”

“Now?” I leaned up on an elbow so I could see the clock. “It’s after eleven.”

“That’s still pretty early.”

“I’m up for it if you are.” It’s not like we were going to get any sleep anyway.

“Ok, turn on the lamp. It’s going to take me a minute to let my eyes adjust.”

I shifted over and turned on the lamp. I blinked a few times to get used to the light.

Jade sat up. “That’s bright.”

I laughed. “You can’t blame me. This is all your idea.”

“I know, but it sounds fun, right?” She hopped out of bed before pulling on a zip up sweatshirt. She walked into the bathroom with a pair of jeans.

“It does sound fun.” I jumped into a pair of jeans. Maybe some fresh air would clear my head.

The resort was silent as we wove our way around down toward the lake. I had my phone ready to use as a flashlight, but the moon was bright enough to light our way.

“There’s nothing like a night walk.” She spoke softly as though she was worried about someone else hearing. “I used to try to sneak out when I was a kid to do it.”

“But you always got caught?”

“Always.” She laughed. “One time I thought I’d made it, but it turned out my mom had followed me to see where I was going.”

“Where were you going?”

“Into the backyard. I couldn’t sleep and needed to get outside.”

“Do you still do that?”

“Get up to walk in the middle of the night?” she turned to me.

“Or wake up a lot at night?”

“Almost every night. I’m not the best sleeper.”

“Me either. If you ever feel the urge to walk outside in the middle of the night, just call me.” I wanted her safe, but I also wanted her with me. Whatever I felt about Jade before had intensified, and I already knew there was no turning back.

“Is that before or after I call you for sex?”

“Before, after, in any order you want.” I laughed. As embarrassing as my offer was, I didn’t mind her bringing it up this time. I definitely had no problem with her talking about having sex with me.

“Why don’t you sleep?” She looked out at the water.

“Lots of reasons.”

“Like?”

“You already know I’m screwed up. That secret got out of the bag when I invited you here.” There was something freeing about that. I didn’t have to pretend to be put together for her anymore. Like it or hate it, she now had a hint at how messed up my life was.

“Not any more screwed up than me.” She smiled slightly.

“I guess we’re a lot alike then.”

“I guess so.” She gazed out at a spot somewhere in the distance.

“What are you looking at?”

“Nothing. Just looking.” A tear slid down her face.

Without thinking I wiped away the tear.

She turned to me with her wide brown eyes, and I didn’t think. I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers.

Her lips were soft and welcoming, and a single touch wasn’t enough. I started to move my lips against hers, and she responded, giving me all the encouragement I needed to deepen the kiss. She eagerly welcomed me into her mouth, letting me explore every corner as her hands twisted in my hair. I wrapped my arms around her, needing her closer than she could ever be.

I couldn’t get enough of her taste, half sweet and half a minty flavor lingering from her toothpaste. Her body felt so warm pressed against mine.

Finally we broke the kiss.

She stumbled back out of my arms. “Wow.”

“My thoughts exactly.” I was probably grinning like an idiot.

“I can’t believe we did that.”

“I can. I’ve wanted to for a long time.” It was even better than I expected. She was so responsive, and there was none of the usual first kiss awkwardness that could sometimes ruin the moment.

“So have I.”

“There’s only one problem though.” I looked right into her eyes.

“And what problem is that?” She raked her teeth over her bottom lip.

“I want to do it again.”

“Then do it.” She started into my eyes intently.

“Ok then.” I leaned in. She didn’t need to tell me twice.

My lips connected with hers again, and the second kiss was even hotter than the first. I was barely able to pull myself away from her. How the hell was I going to sleep in the same bed with her now?

She smiled, and I took her hand in mine. We started a slow walk back to our room. “The good news is it might be easier to answer questions and pull off everything this week.”

“That is good news.” I could have cared less about what my parents thought. All I could think about was how to make sure I got to kiss her again.

“What are our plans for tomorrow?”

“Anything you want to do,” I answered quickly. I was still tongue tied, no pun intended. I would have agreed to anything.

“Ok, I’ll have to come up with something good then.” She didn’t pull her hand back, which I took as a good sign. Maybe, just maybe, she was as affected as me.

I inserted the key to the room and held open the door. She slipped under my arm and inside. I followed, locking the door behind me.

I took off my jeans as I watched Jade unzip her sweatshirt. She was still wearing her pajama tank top underneath, but she might as well have been topless for how sensual the action seemed. I quickly jumped into bed, not wanting her to see how badly I wanted her. Once again she walked into the bathroom. She came out a few minutes later back in those short shorts. Without another word, she slipped back into bed beside me.

I didn’t rush to turn the light off. I wasn’t sure if either of us were ready to go back to darkness again. If she was feeling even remotely like me, then sleep was the last thing on her mind.

If a kiss could make me feel that way, the sex was going to be incredible. That thought ran through my head on repeat as I tried to keep my eyes anywhere but on her. Eventually my willpower gave out, and I turned to look at her lying under the sheets next to me with a soft smile on her lips. I wanted to taste those lips again so bad I could barely take it.

She read my mind. “You officially have permission to kiss me anytime.”

“That’s great permission to have.” I rolled over on to my side next to her. I wasn’t giving up any opening she was willing to give.

“Do I have it too?”

“On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.” I ran my hand down her bare arm.

“But today is Sunday.”

“I guess I can make an exception.” I grinned, loving how she’d moved us back to the teasing that came so naturally.

“Can you?” She sat up and looked down at me.

Something snapped. I needed her, and it wasn’t going to wait. I pulled her on top of me.

She giggled. “Wow, and I didn’t even say please.”

“I guess you didn’t.” I rolled her off me, and instead hovered above her.

She looked up at me through her unbelievably long eyelashes. “Would you please make an exception?”

“You have full permission to kiss me.”

She reached up and pulled my head down to hers. Her lips crashed into mine aggressively, and that only made me want her more. I didn’t wait for her to open up this time, I pushed my way into her mouth, determined to get every taste of her I could.

She slipped her hand underneath my t-shirt, and I needed more of her touch. I broke the kiss long enough to pull off my t-shirt.

“If we’re playing fair tonight, you can take mine off too.” Her words sent a thrill through me, but also an alarm. Taking off her shirt was entering new territory. Much more dangerous territory.

“You sure you want me to?” I ran my fingers over the strip of skin exposed by her tank top riding up.

“Yes. Positive.” She sat up and pulled off the tank top herself.

My eyes greedily took in the sight of her gorgeous breasts before I cupped a breast with one hand while my mouth descended on the other.

She let out a moan, letting me know she approved.

She ran her hands up and down my chest and stomach, each time stopping right at the waist of my boxers. She teased me that way until finally she slipped her hand underneath and took me in her hand.

I groaned. No woman’s hand had ever felt so good. I needed to make her feel just as good. Despite how hard as it was to concentrate as she stroked me, I pulled her shorts down her long legs and slipped one finger inside her panties.

She opened her eyes and watched as I slowly pushed her panties out of the way. I locked eyes with her as I slipped my fingers inside her, needing to know that she wanted each and every thing we were doing.

She wriggled as I continued with my fingers, and I pushed her panties all the way off.

She let go of me as she opened her legs, and although I missed the touch, I didn’t mind. It was time for me to take care of her.

Listening to her moans nearly undid me. “Kyle.” She made my name sound so much better than it had ever sounded before.

“Are you going to be mad at me for bringing condoms with me just in case?”

“Right now I’d be mad at you if you didn’t.”

“Good.” I reluctantly left the bed to pull a condom from the box in my bag. I’d thought that bringing them guaranteed I wouldn’t need them, but luck was on my side.

I returned to the bed to once again take in the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. Jade lay there completely naked and ready—for me. I saw it in her eyes, and I felt it in her heartbeat as I lay down next to her. “You’re so beautiful.”

She wrapped an arm over her chest as if to cover up.

“Hey. I just told you were beautiful. That was not code for ‘hide from me’.”

“You’re making me self-conscious.”

“I’m letting you know how gorgeous you are in case you forgot.”

She raked her teeth over her bottom lip, and I needed more of her. I tasted her other breast this time, gently biting down on her nipple as I ran my tongue and teeth over her. At the same time I moved my hand between her legs to make sure she was really ready.

“Kyle.” She said my name again, and I knew I couldn’t wait any longer.

I unwrapped the condom, put it on, and moved above her. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”

“Me too.”

That was all I needed to hear. I thrust into her, needing to feel her wrapped around me. She gasped, and I knew ready or not, I had to be gentle. I made careful movements as I slowly eased more of myself inside. She moaned as I started to speed up the movements.

I was in heaven as she wrapped her legs around me, encouraging me to continue. I needed to hold on as long as possible—to make this perfect for her, but she felt so good it wasn’t going to be easy. I cupped her ass with my hand, needing her closer, needing all of her.

She called out my name, and I shuddered before releasing.

I couldn’t move for a moment. I was in a state of shock. Sex had never felt so good. I looked down at her, at the sweat trailing down her chest and her messy hair—messy from being with me. She was so beautiful.

She reached up and cupped my face with her hand. “That was really good.”

I rolled off her. “I’d go with amazing.”

“I mean really good.”

“Trust me I know. I was part of it.”

“Can that happen again? Can it happen a lot?”

“It can happen as often as you want.” I would have offered Jade the moon at the moment, but a promise of more sex? Like I could have said no to that?

“Not just on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?” She smiled, reminding me that this was still Jade. Everything had changed, yet nothing had.

“No this is a twenty-four hours/ seven days a week kind of promise.”

“You better be careful. I might keep you busy.”

I ran my hands through her tangled hair. “You better keep me busy.” My heart rate was just starting to return to normal.

“Well, we don’t have to lie anymore. I know what you’re like in bed.”

“I wasn’t particularly inventive tonight.”

“Nor was I adventurous, but it was awesome.”

“We can work toward the inventive and adventurous stuff. You are going to be keeping me busy after all,” I teased.

“Definitely. Ok, see, that didn’t ruin our friendship, right?” She leaned up on one elbow.

“No. It enhanced it.”

“I’m not so worried about sleeping next to you tonight.”

“You’re not?” I moved my hand to her inner thigh.

“Should I be?”

“That depends.”

“On?”

“Whether you have any plans to sleep.”

“You think I’m giving you an all-nighter?”

“Didn’t that whole twenty-four hours a day thing apply to me too?”

“Yes.” she put her hand on top of mine and coaxed me in between her legs.

“Ready already?”

“It’s getting late. I don’t want to run out of time.”

I smiled. “You’re perfect, Jade.”

“Not perfect.”

“Well, you’re as perfect as you need to be.”

She didn’t need to guide my hand, I was more than happy to take over from there.

---

The sun streaming in through a space in the curtains woke me up the next morning. We’d barely slept, so I was careful not to wake Jade where she lay in my arms. The night before had been unreal. I’d gone from thinking I’d made a mistake bringing her with me, to having the most unbelievable experience of my life. How was it even real?

A knock on the door ruined the perfect morning.

Jade stirred. “What time is it?”

The knocking continued.

“Who is it?” I called.

“It’s me. I need to talk to you.” Dylan with his usual impeccable timing.

“You can keep sleeping.” I kissed Jade on the forehead before throwing on some clothes.

“You sure?” she asked sleepily.

“Positive. I’ll be back soon.” I opened the door, pushing Dylan out of the way before he could look in.

“Took you a while.” He smirked.

I double checked that the door had locked behind me. “What do you want?”

“It’s after nine already. Late night?”

“Yes, it was.” I smiled despite my annoyance at Dylan. “It was a very late night.”

“She’s easy on the eyes. I’ll give you that.”

“Stay away from her, Dylan.”

“Worried she’s going to leave you for me?”

“She’s friends with Juliet. I wouldn’t worry about it.” I didn’t like to play dirty, but I also didn’t like him talking about Jade. She was off limits, and he needed to remember that.

“That doesn’t change the way she was flirting with me last night.”

“She wasn’t flirting with you.” My body tensed. “Stop.”

“I will. Just warning you, the girl isn’t going to stick around if she’s already checking out your brother.”

“I’m not worried about that. Tell me what you want so I can get back inside.”

“Take a walk with me.”

“Why?”

“Because we need to talk.”

“We can do it later.” We had all week.

“When? Did you forget we have a ten o’clock tee time with Dad?”

Damn. I had forgotten. Leaving Jade to fend for herself that morning wasn’t on my to-do-list after our incredible night together.

“How about this? I’ll make you a deal.”

I shook my head. “No deal. Your deals always get me in trouble.”

“Hear me out. You give me fifteen minutes to talk, and I’ll get you out of golf.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“Do you doubt me?” He arched an eyebrow.

“No.” If Dylan was anything he was convincing.

“Fine. Fifteen minutes.” Fifteen minutes was better than five hours while we played a round of golf. I glanced back at the closed door longingly before following Dylan down the hall.

We headed down and outside. I followed Dylan as he wrapped around the back side of the hotel. Evidently he wanted to make sure we didn’t run into any family.

“What is it? Just tell me.”

“I need to borrow some cash.”

“Why? You have plenty.”

“I fucked up. I already told you that.”

“Yes… but why does that mean I should lend you money?”

“I already borrowed some and that’s why I’m in trouble.”

“Who’d you borrow money from?” I sincerely hoped Dylan hadn’t been stupid enough to borrow from the wrong people.

“The company.”

“What the hell, Dylan? That’s illegal.”

“You think I don’t know that? But I had no choice.”

“You always have a choice.”

“I’ve been playing with Russo.”

With the mention of the name I knew Dylan was in over his head. “You stole from Dad’s company because you ran up gambling debts? This keeps getting better and better.”

“Can you help me? I’ll pay you back.”

“How much are we talking?”

“How much do you have?”

“Dylan. Don’t.”

“Fine. I need to replace at least fifty or Dad’s going to find out.”

“Fifty grand?” My mouth fell open. “That’s insane even for you.”

“Do you have it or not?”

“I don’t have fifty. I can’t get access to most of my money yet, but I have some.” The trust fund my grandfather had set up for me didn’t kick in until I was twenty-one.

“How much?” He ran a hand over his sweaty forehead. It wasn’t that hot out.

“I can get you twenty, but I want it back.”

“Of course. With interest if you want.”

“I’ll transfer it at the end of the week on a few conditions.”

“What conditions? I owe you, man.”

“Stay the hell away from Jade. Do not mess with her, bother her, or even talk to her any more than is socially necessary. Do we have an understanding?”

“Crystal clear.”

“No more gambling. This is a one-time deal. This happens again and you’re on your own. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, and you’re still covering me for the golf.” I turned and headed back toward the hotel.

“Thank you. I owe you.”

“Just do what I asked.” I knew I was never going to see the money again, but I also didn’t want to deal with the fall out when Dad discovered it missing. Somehow I’d end up blamed. That’s how it always worked.

I pushed off those thoughts as I walked up the stairs and down the hallway. When I opened the door to the room I heard the shower running. Maybe my morning wasn’t ruined after all. I slipped the do not disturb sign on the door before locking it and walking into the bathroom.