“Nique... baby,” he groaned, his voice thick and wrecked as he finally let go. I felt the heat of his release warm inside me, anchoring me back to reality even as my own body continued to thrum with the aftershocks.
I clung to him, my head resting on his shoulder as the world slowly came back into focus. My heart was hammering againstmy ribs, and my legs felt like they were made of water, but I didn’t want to move. I didn't ever want to leave that spot.
Dex held me tight, his arms wrapped around me like I was the most precious thing he’d ever found. He didn't pull away. He just stood there, letting the water wash over us, his breath gradually slowing against my neck. He kissed the side of my head, his voice deep and raw with an emotion that had nothing to do with sex.
“I love you, Dominique,” he whispered. “I never stopped. Not for a single day.”
Chapter twenty-four
Uncharted
I woke up to the sound of a sharp thud. The villa was thick with the scent of mango and the lingering heat of what we had done earlier. I opened my eyes to see Nique bent over, picking a makeup brush up off the floor. The light from the vanity was the only thing cutting through the dim room, hitting the curves of her body through the thin silk of her robe.
"Sorry," she whispered, catching my gaze in the mirror. "I’ve been trying to be quiet."
I sat up, the sheets pooling at my waist. I noticed her hair was already slicked back, her face halfway through a full beat.My eyes drifted to the side where a rhinestone mini dress was hanging up, the light catching every individual stone.
"Where you going?" I asked, my voice gravelly from sleep.
"Nel texted me. He wants to go get dinner at some restaurant he saw on TikTok," she said, her focus back on blending her concealer.
I rubbed a hand over my face and leaned back against the headboard. "You could have woke me up so I could start getting ready."
Nique paused, her eyes meeting mine through the glass. "It’s just a me and him thing, Dex. He wants to talk about Stella."
"You’re wearing a rhinestone mini dress just to go talk about Stella with your brother?" I wasn't buying it for a second.
"We’re on vacation, Dex. I just want to look good."
"So you were just gonna sneak out and not say shit to me?"
Nique huffed my name, dropping her brush on the vanity. "Dex, it’s not like that."
"Then what’s up? Talk to me. Shit has to change with us, Nique. It’s like we go on these vacations, we fuck, and then you throw a wall up."
She turned around to face me. "Well, the first two times, I had a reason to."
"There won't be a third," I said, my voice dropping an octave.
"I’m not trying to move funny, Dex. I promise. You were sleeping so peacefully, and I didn't want to disturb you. Judging from the other night and the sleeping pill incident, I know you still struggle with insomnia."
"Yeah, I do," I admitted, watching her. "But sleep comes easy when I’m next to you."
The tension in the room shifted instantly. I reached out, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her between my legs. The kiss was hungry, tasting like the minty freshness of her toothpaste and the desperation I was still carrying. My handsfound the opening of her robe, my fingers tracing the soft skin of her thighs until she was straddling me, both of us getting worked up all over again.
Nique broke the moment, her breath hitching as she tried to pull back. "Dex, stop. I really need to be getting ready."
"Just come ride it real quick," I murmured, my hands caressing the curve of her ass, pulling her closer until the heat of her was pressing right against me.
"Dex," she moaned, a sound that was half-whine and half-invitation.
She gave in, the robe falling off her shoulders as she guided me inside her. A sharp breath left her the moment we connected and I felt her trying to find her rhythm, her hands pressing into my chest for balance.
“Look at me,” I said.
Her eyes opened and found mine.
“There you go,” I said quietly. “Just like that.”