We focused on the passing scenery for the remaining short drive, relieved when the driver pulled up to the beautiful building that housed our room. Declan slipped him some bills as I watched and checked us in as the pretty women behind the counter took him in. Declan was gorgeous and confident, oozing alpha male out of his pores as I felt my heart tug in my chest. I didn't want to let him go when we left here. Based on the way that the girls were looking at him regardless of my presence or not, he'd be snatched up in a moment.
We took the elevator to our room, and I walked right to the windows to look over the blue ocean. It was stunning, and Declan wrapped his arms around my waist as he asked if I'd like to shower with him before taking a walk down there. It was time for dinner soon, and we decided just to keep it easy tonight, eating in the room and getting some sleep in a real bed. I smiled and walked through the spacious living area, down a hall where there were two rooms off to the left with an ocean view. Declan picked the last one, and I gasped as I walked inside, clutching his hand. The bed was a King and faced a wall of windows, displaying the same view as the living room. There was a door leading to a balcony that had table and chairs and even a grill. An ornate fireplace was against the left wall with a large television hanging on the wall just beside it. It was gorgeous, and I noted the door just to the right of the bed as I licked my lips and felt tears in my eyes. "Declan, it's amazing. It's too much," I whimpered as I turned into his arms.
"Nothing is too much for you, Rayna. When will you see that?" He asked me as I fought the crying jag that was coming on. He sensed it and led me carefully into the bathroom and sitting me on the counter as he turned on the shower. I looked around, seeing that the bathroom was fantastic as well. The shower was massive with water coming down from several places, and it included a huge tub as well. There was even a small fireplace in here. I looked up as he approached me again, slipping down to help him remove my clothes before he took his own off. I stepped under the water, feeling the heat ease into my skin and into my sore bones as I closed my eyes. "This is the best thing after a long flight. It'll ease all the aches and pains for you, and we can even nap before we eat. You're a whole world away from LA."
"Yes," I murmured as I felt his hand slide up to cup a breast. I hardened against him immediately, and he pinched me gently. I wanted him in here, and he pressed against me as I moaned. "Declan, I … I need you." I turned to face him, kissing him hard as he tugged me against him. We made love against the tiled wall, my back hurting with the force of it as I cried out his name. I imagined a life where we could do this freely anywhere we wanted, openly loving each other and creating a new life. I came with him as I wished for the birth control to fail for one moment, knowing that it would further James' anger and could never happen. He held my ass as he stilled, grunting my name breathlessly before telling me how much he loved me.
I opened my mouth to speak, the words on the tip of my tongue. I loved Declan madly, but I didn't want him to know that since it would break his heart more when I left. We finished the shower, smiling before we dried off and I walked over to the windows. The sea was just outside, and I could see a hint of the private beach the resort offered as I looked down to the right. I cracked open one of the windows to let in some of the fresh air, breathing in deeply. "Is this real?" I asked softly, trying to figure how I ended up here.
"It's very real," Declan replied as he walked over to look out. "I stayed here for a work thing years ago, and I've been crazy about it ever since then. I knew that it was where I would be bringing you the moment you mentioned a vacation." He rubbed my bare shoulders and smiled as I glanced at him. "Feel like you want a nap? It's not always easy sleeping on a plane."
"Particularly when someone is manhandling you during said flights," I teased as he kissed my damp hair. "I guess it might be a good idea. We can have some dinner and just stay in tonight."
"That's the plan," Declan said as he took my hand and led me to the bed. We both dropped down, naked but for our towels, as he looked me over slowly. "You are so damn beautiful, Rayna."
He held me as I fell asleep, my body pressing against him without thought. There was so much peace and love in this room, and I woke up smiling, my legs tangled with his. I rose first, looking outside before I went to use the bathroom and fix my messy hair into a loose ponytail. I went to my suitcase in the living room and pulled it back to the bedroom before I got his, smiling as he blinked when I came back into the bedroom.
CHAPTER 22
Declan
I woke up slowly, seeing her bringing one of the suitcases into the bedroom. Rayna was wearing one of the robes from the bathroom, and her hair was pulled up, but she looked happy. "Morning," I joked as she smiled at me and lifted her suitcase to the top of the big dresser. "Did you get both bags?" She nodded, and I whistled. "That's my bad ass."
"Mine is probably heavier than yours," she joked as she pulled out some denim cut off shorts that made my mouth water. Rayna found a red shirt that she held up, nodding to herself as she set it on top of the shorts. I sat up to stretch, feeling her gaze move to me as I moved. I loved that she always watched me. I pushed the sheets back and stood naked as I walked over to my own luggage and tossed it easily on the bed.
"Walk on the beach, dinner, and another walk?" I asked as she nodded, figuring with one look out of the window that we had a few hours until sundown. I wanted to see the sun go down every chance that we got because it was always beautiful and just a hint different each time. I pulled out some board shorts and a t-shirt before slipping into them and found the shoes I'd worn for the flight.
She looked incredible in the shorts that weren't so short that I'd have to watch every man around us, but enough to be sexy. Under her shirt, she wore a thin lace bra, and she grabbed something from her bag and slipped it into her pocket as I cocked a brow at her. "Old phone. It's going into the ocean," she told me as I smiled broadly. "Old life."
I grabbed the key to the room and slipped it into my pocket before taking her hand and leading her to the door. We went down in the elevator and left the lobby to take the steps towards the beach. It was long and gorgeous with soft sand, and clear blue water and Rayna gasped as she stepped onto it. We made our way to the soft waves lapping against the shore, slipping off our shoes to kick them up where they could wait for us. There was another couple at the other end that had a little girl running around them, making us both smile. We went the other way, clasping hands and strolling together to some rocks as I watched her stare at the water. The temperature was perfect, and a light breeze blew around us, ruffling the purple ends of her hair as she laughed.
Rayna walked onto the smooth rocks that hung over a part of the beach where the water gathered around it in harsher waves. She pulled out the old phone and looked out over the Mediterranean Sea before throwing it forcefully into the deeper water. She looked so focused, and I watched her as she mouthed some words and sadness crossed her face for a moment. It had to be hard letting go of a life that you know no matter how awful it was. I couldn't understand why her parents wouldn't support her but that was their choice, and I'd do everything in my power to let her know that I did. She leaned her head back and took a deep breath before jumping down from the rock and running into my arms. "Hi," I said, embracing her tightly. "You okay?"
"That felt good," she murmured as she pressed her face into my chest and linked her arms around my back. We stood there like this for a few moments before turning to continue down the beach, turning around when we both started feeling hungry. I knew there was a casual cafe in the resort unless she wanted to eat on our balcony, and we held hands as we walked and she looked around.
"Where do you want to eat?" I asked her once we were closer to the hotel, keeping my voice gentle. I knew that she was going through a lot emotionally and didn't want to antagonize her, thinking how any of my friends would tell me that I was insane for getting myself in this situation in the first place.
Maybe I was, but I loved her. I knew that I had the means to help her, willing to in any way. "Something easy at the cafe? I just want a burger or something."