It was already starting to hurt, a crack in my sternum, knowing that our “goodbye, it was fun while it lasted/what happens on island, stays on island” moment lurked around the corner. Common sense said detach now. But every other part of me told me to savor every second with this woman. I’d never wanted to protect someone as much as I wanted to protect Bane, to make her feel good and safe and loved.

Bane stirred beside me. “What time is it?”

“Late morning.”

She groaned, her back to the light prying through the edge of the curtains. The room was still mostly dim and cool. “Are you watching me sleep? Creeper.”

“The creepiest.” I grazed her cheek with the back of a finger.

I kissed her temple, hating that I had to leave, but Sam and April would kill me if I was late to all the pre-wedding stuff they had planned. “I have to shower and get ready for this wedding thing.”

“Nothing cock-blocks like a wedding,” she said, then proceeded to laugh at her own joke.

The joke itself wasn’t funny, but her reaction was the cutest. I kissed her softly.

“You’re going to be late, Mr. Groomsman,” she mumbled against my lips.

“They don’t need me,” I said against her mouth.

“They’re going to be so upset if you miss this.”

“I couldn’t care less right now.”

“Sunny,” she moaned.

“Fuck, Bane. You can’t say my name like that.”

“Like what?” she teased.

“Like you want me inside you.”

She made a little mewing sound, and god damn, she was going to break me.

Her leg rose over mine so that my knee automatically slipped in between her legs. I hooked a hand behind her knee as she slowly moved her leg higher. She was going to end me. I could barely stay in control, but that was why I had kept my shorts on. We weren’t about to mess around without protection.

Bane’s knee was against my side now, and I leaned down to kiss it.

“You should get ready,” she said, even as she tempted me to stay in bed all day and forget the reason for this entire trip.

“I don’t have to actually be there until two. We have plenty of time.”

“For what?” she baited innocently.

Moving down, I kissed the inside of her thigh. “I have a few ideas…”

I pushed Bane onto her back, triggering a delicate moan from her lips, and took my time. I wanted to adore her like she deserved, like she was meant for me and I for her.

I loved the smell of her, the taste of her, the feel of her. The way she grabbed my hair to show me her need. The way she writhed and gripped the bed above her when she was close to the edge. And the way she screamed my name on that very last wave, bucking wildly into me.

Bane crashed back against the pillows heaving, her entire body glistening with sweat. And while I was so very tempted to lick every bead off, I had to get to the bathroom.

“I thought you had a couple of hours?” she protested, pushing back her untamed hair but leaving her fully naked body to my ever-appreciative gaze.

Grinning, I replied, “I have to take care of something first. But don’t worry, I’ll be right back.”

I turned into the bathroom with a heave, tempted to finish myself off in the opulent, large-enough-for-three shower.

“Hey,” Bane said, hugging me from behind.

In the mirror I watched her press against me, still naked. She smiled and tucked her face against my back as I placed a hand on her thigh.

“What are you taking care of in here?” she asked.

“You want me to spell it out for you?”

The next thing I knew, Bane was shoving me against the cold shower tiles, water on, and a bar of soap in her hands.

“What are you doing?” I rasped, pushing my wet hair back and wiping water from my face.

“If you need to take care of something on account of me, I should probably help.”

“We shouldn’t be in a shower together—” I began but choked on the rest of my words.

Bane’s soapy palm was down my shorts and around my length, stroking. Her full, round breasts against my chest, her mouth against mine, and damn if I didn’t just lose it right then and there.

Well, shit.

If we only had today left, then we were going to make it count.

Twenty-seven Bhanu

I wasn’t expecting to be this delectably sore trying to put clothes on while Sunny finished getting ready, yet here I was. Practically wobbling.

I put away dishes from our lunch of leftovers, dreamily reminiscing of last night. And this morning. Several times over.

Whew! I guzzled ice water to cool down but nearly spat it back out when Sunny walked out of the bedroom wearing the heck out of black slacks and a white button-down shirt. Even though it was hot out. Surely the venue would be indoors with AC cranking and save the entire section of groomsmen from suffering pit stains.

Pit stains or not, Sunny looked pretty good dressed up. His slacks weren’t too baggy or tight, like they were tailored, which meant they showed off a nice butt when he turned to grab his jacket. Ugh. A jacket in Waikoloa was like having to walk into a hellishly hot death.

His shirt was equally tailored so that the threads were just the right amount of loose at his sides but a little snug at his arms so that the outline of his biceps showed while holding his jacket.

A tie hung around his neck.

“I can’t believe they’re making you wear a suit here,” I said as if I didn’t have water dribbling down my chin.

“Fuck me, it’s already hot.” Then he winked at me and said, “Language. Sorry.”

I clucked my tongue. He wasn’t sorry at all. “Not going to fix your tie?”