Against All Odds

Chapter 43

STELLA

For as long as I live, the image of Killian Beckett climbing up an eight-foot ladder one-handed, buck-naked and cupping his balls while a bright spotlight was deliberately angled on him, will forever be imprinted into the vaults of my memory.

I grin now thinking about it, stretching my arms under the deliciously soft pillow I'm lying on. Bright, morning sunlight is streaming directly onto my bed. Normally, I'd be grumpy as all hell waking up so early, but memories from the evening before and the glorious watery setting surrounding me only elevated my mood.

"Not funny, Stels," Killian had grumbled, awkwardly manoeuvring his way up the ladder while the security guard glared daggers at us from above.

"It's fucking hilarious," I told him after a hearty chuckle. My view consisted of his strong thighs and cute, well-formed ass as he one-handedly ascended the ladder. "Just let go of your dick. I've seen it a hundred times before!"

It had earned me a very put-out look from the man above. "Allow me the last shreds that remain of my dignity, woman." He paused, grappling with the next slippery handhold. "And let me remind you that you'll need to climb up here next."

I grinned up at him, even though he had already turned away to resume his efforts up the ladder and couldn't see the determined humour on my face. "Not a problem for me. Look all you want."

He had faltered at that, but only just, and moved faster than before. When it was my turn to climb up that ladder to our shared patio, the powerful beam of the spotlight wasn't on me, but I felt Killian's eyes the entire time.

We received a sternly worded warning from the hotel security about public displays of nudity and the dangers of swimming unsupervised in the middle of the night, but I had hardly listened to a word of it as I fought back the giggles.

I continued to giggle- loudly - from the confines of my room once Killian and I sheepishly parted ways wrapped in fluffy white towels- giggles that he obviously heard through the shockingly thin walls of the bungalow because he thumped his fist against it a couple of times before uttering, his voice muffled and muted from his side, "Get control of yourself, Huxley! Or is there something about my anatomy that has you entirely overwhelmed?"

Teasingly, I hollered back, "Just thinking about booking you in for a wax! It was like staring up at Bigfoot's ass."

He muttered a curse, and then silence.

I adored his surly grumpiness, so I didn't take it to heart.

Presently, my amused ruminations were interrupted by the trill of the room phone placed beside the bed. I rolled onto my side, stretching an arm far out for it, mind awash with good feelings and Killian.

I didn't want to dwell right then on what that could mean. All I knew was that I was feeling good, and I hadn't felt so content in a handful of days- so much so that I forgot what it was to feel unbothered. I decided to relish in the feeling, to allow it to float me away- if only for a little time, because I knew that sooner or later I'd be swallowed by grief and heartache once more.

I dragged the receiver to my ear, still grinning. "If this isn't about coffee or breakfast tequila, I'm not interested," I say teasingly around a yawn.

"It's 9am. A bit early for tequila."

His rumbly, early morning voice shot straight down my spine and sent a hot pulse directly to my clit. I snap upright, smothering a sound of surprise. Heart ricocheting behind my sternum, I splay a hand against it as if I could physically compel it to settle down.

I had been expecting perhaps the hotel's concierge, in all likelihood calling to further reprimand me about my naked antics last night. Killian's sinfully delicious voice on the other end of the line, however, I had not anticipated. "Not when you're on holiday it isn't."