Summer vacation had begun weeks ago, and I had entirely too much time on my hands. Daydreaming about Kayden had almost become the only thing I wanted to do anymore.

Suzy, my roommate, and I spent our days at the pool, soaking in the sun while she read and I texted him. I’d moved in with her a few months ago and grown closer than we’d been before.

Kayden: What are you doing?

Me: Swimming with Suzy.

Kayden: Send me a picture. Ask Suzy to take it. I want to see your swimsuit.

No way would I send him a photo. I didn’t even like the few kids in the pool seeing me in my swimsuit, let alone sending a photo that could never be erased to a total stranger.

Me: No way in hell—not going to happen, Kayden.

Kayden: Please.

“What are you shaking your head about?” Suzy asked, setting her book down on the table between our lounge chairs.

“Kayden. He wants me to send him a picture.”

“What are you going to do?”

I shrugged. “Any ideas?”

Suzy looked around and stopped on the glass doors that lined the back of the pool clubhouse. “Oh, I have a fabulous idea. Use the glass doors and take a selfie.”

Kayden: Humor me, please.

“You’re a genius, Suzy.” I jumped up from my lounge chair and headed for the clubhouse.

Kayden: Come on, just do it. For me, please.

Me: Gimme a minute. Stop begging.

I stared into the glass, checking my reflection, and realized Suzy was a fucking genius. The image was muddy and dark, but it would give him what he wanted while not giving him too much. I snapped a couple of them, picking just the right one before hitting send. I had the biggest smile on my face as I walked back to my chair, feeling mighty proud of myself. I could almost hear the curse words from here.

Kayden: Damn. It’s blurry. Can you take another one?

Me: Are you zooming in?

Kayden: Hell yes, but it’s hard to see. You did that on purpose!

Me: You asked for a picture, and I gave it to you.

I smirked, knowing how frustrated I’d just made him. I loved teasing him and the playfulness of our conversations.

Kayden: I’m not going to get another one, am I?

Me: Nope, that’s all you’re going to get.

Kayden: Why?

Me: I don’t want you seeing everything. Pictures aren’t always kind and can’t be erased.

Kayden: Oh, come on, Sophia. You’re perfect.

That statement right there was why I didn’t want to send him one. Me in a swimsuit wasn’t perfect. My body was flawed, and after lying in the sun for the last few hours, I was also verging on hot mess status.

Me: Where’s my picture of you? Fair’s fair.

I wanted to see naked. I almost salivated at the thought. I had a fantasy of him without clothes, moving over my body, in my body.

Kayden: I’m working and can’t take one now. I’m all sweaty too.

Me: I want something, anything.

Kayden: Bossy… One second.

A picture of him in his work uniform, covered in sweat, standing near a lush garden of tropical plants filled my screen.

I was enthralled by his eyes—the green flecks of his irises matched the color of the leaves behind him. He was so freaking hot.

Kayden: Come see me. It’s summer and you’re off. Come here. Have some fun. Live a little!

Could I? I wanted to hop in the car right then and drive straight to New Orleans, but I didn’t want to be another fuck—meaningless and disposable. But I was also done being navy blue.

Me: Feel like adding another notch to your bedpost?

My phone began to ring right after I hit send, and my heart leapt in my chest.

“Hey,” I said, trying to play it cool.

“Sophia, you aren’t a cheap whore. I’ve never thought of you in that way…ever.”

I sighed, still unconvinced. “Kayden, I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“You didn’t make me mad at all, Sophia. I just want you to know how I feel, what I feel for you. For the first time in a long time, I look forward to waking up. I check my phone and message you before I even crawl out of bed.”

My stomach filled with butterflies—a feeling Kayden often gave me. “It’s the same for me, Kayden. I only want to make sure I don’t become just another girl to you. I have to think about it.”

“I don’t want another notch in my bedpost. I want to spend time with you. I want to show you this amazing city. You could use a little fun in your life—wipe away that navy blue.”

Navy blue… I’d stopped seeing Gary weeks ago. I couldn’t pretend to be interested in him anymore. I’d rather be home talking with Kayden more than spending the night with Gary. My fantasies and daydreams of Kayden were far better than anything Gary could deliver.

“I’ll keep my hands to myself. I’ll be a gentleman. Come on, just for a weekend.”

“So, you don’t want to have sex with me?” I covered my mouth, shocked that I actually had the nerve to ask him that.

“Fuck yes, I do,” he said, causing my core to pulse. “I plan on it. You won’t be able to resist me.”

He was so full of himself, but it didn’t mean his words were a lie.

“Well, it’s nice to know your self-esteem is still intact.”

“What’s stopping you?”

What was stopping me? Fear, mostly. For weeks, I’d been trying to live outside my comfort zone but had failed miserably.

“I’m not used to sharing, Kayden. I’ve never slept with anyone who I haven’t been in some sort of a relationship with, and I need to decide if it’s something I can do.”

“I haven’t seen any other women since I started talking with you. I couldn’t do it. You’re all I think about, morning until night. I even dream about you.”

“Oh,” I whispered, realizing he felt the same as me. “I thought when you disappeared, sometimes for an hour, that you were with someone.”

“Baby, I need way more than an hour. What kind of men have you been with?” He chuckled.

Jesus. I loved when he said such naughty shit to me. I wanted to believe him, I wanted to buy in to the fantasy, but I didn’t know if I could. Everything was perfect just as it was, and if I went there and he sucked… If we were a disaster, I wouldn’t even have our phone calls and texts left to look forward to anymore.

“I’ll let you know.”

“If you don’t come here, I’m coming there.”

“Okay. We’ll see if you can find me first,” I teased.

* * *

For a solid week, I thought about nothing else but spending time with Kayden. The positives outweighed the negatives. I couldn’t deny the pull he had over me. I needed to act on my feelings or break off whatever this was because he was becoming a distraction to any possible happy future that might be waiting on me that didn’t involve him.

My heart ached at the thought of him not being in my life. He’d become a fixture, a necessity to me like the air I breathed and consumed my days in such a short time.

Kayden: Well, since you can’t seem to make up your mind, I came to you.

Me: What?

My stomach dropped.

Kayden: I told you last week, if you didn’t come to me, then I’d come to you.

Me: You’re lying. You aren’t here.

I looked out my bedroom window, glancing in both directions, but I saw no one.

Me: I don’t see you.

Kayden: Look out the front door.

Fuck, did he really know where I lived?

My legs shook as I walked toward the front door, gripping my cell phone tightly as I readied myself to come face-to-face with him.

Kayden: I’m kidding. Just thought I’d get your heart pounding.

I froze and didn’t feel relieved, but saddened that he wasn’t really here.

Me: You’re such a dick.

Kayden: I’m not there now, but I do know where you live.

Me: No, you don’t. What’s my address?

My palms grew sweaty against the plastic of my phone as I read my address on the screen. My mouth dropped open.

Me: How?

Kayden: The chat shows where you are when you message me with your phone, kiddo.

Fuck. I never paid attention to the details in the chat window. I knew it said a city but never knew it showed an exact location. I tapped on his message, and I could see exactly where he was at that very moment.

Me: OMG. I never knew that. I always thought I was untraceable. I thought this was safe.

Kayden: Are you saying I’m dangerous, Sophia?

I laughed because I knew he wasn’t dangerous to me physically, but he could break my heart.

Me: Nah. I don’t think you would hurt me, but I think you would turn my world upside down. I’ve always steered clear of men like you.

Kayden: Maybe you’ve been with the wrong men.

Me: Who would be the right type of man? You?

I wanted Kayden to be the right type, but there was a problem. He didn’t want a girlfriend. At least, that was what he said in the past, but that was before…

I shook my head, not letting myself believe we could have more.

Kayden: You need a little trouble in your life…some excitement. You’ve stayed safe too long, and what did it get you?

Me: Navy blue.

Kayden: Exactly. Time to add some other color, baby doll.