PARADISE PARADOX (#1 PARADISE ISLAND duology)

-- nine --

When at last their lips unglued, Kera opened her eyes and immediately squinted from the brightness surrounding her. Once her vision adjusted—and the butterflies in her stomach stopped lashing against her insides—she could have sworn the day had fully risen; the sun's glow crept up the horizon, further warming the water, and basking all the half-naked bodies in heavenly glows.

A few jeers came from Jessa and Vick, who'd apparently been avid spectators of Kera and Miles' steamy make-out session. Not that they were trying to hide—they were out in the open, hip-height in the water, with nothing to conceal their activities. But Kera would have preferred some privacy for such an immensely intimate discovery. For her first—and hopefully not last—kiss from Miles.

Miles Kline. The Miles Kline that she'd admired from afar—and sometimes closer-up than he likely imagined—and had had day-dreams and nightly fantasies about on a regular basis for the past two to three years. Miles Kline had kissed her. And she'd kissed him back, with a roaring passion she didn't think she had contained within her. An explosive desire that tingled her extremities and woke nerves she didn't know existed.

Kera could have sworn Jessa's tone choked with jealousy when she mocked them. Was she harboring a pinch of envy, because Kera scored the hottest guy—in her opinion—in the group? Her gaze was unkind as usual as she swam nearby, but there was something else in it; a sort of hunger, an envy at watching Kera and Miles as they continued to peck at each other, letting their hands wander, embracing under the sun's heat.

Fed up with their pleasure, or bored, Jessa straightened up and clapped to gather everyone's attention at once. "Guys, listen up."

Vick had been laying on the sand, letting the water roll over him as he peered up at the sky. Others were splashing about, diving under the surface, or floating in enjoyment of the calm waters. They all fixed their gazes on Jessa; even Miles, who'd been absorbed with Kera's mouth, accorded her a glance, almost as if she'd summoned him into looking at her.

"Did you guys see that cool cave on the other side?" Jessa stood up, and the waves crashed under her barely-covered breasts.

A few gazes followed where she was pointing. Kera nodded; she'd noticed the cavern-like area seconds upon arriving on the beach. She wouldn't call it cool, but it did have a mysterious air that might bring some to want to explore it.

Kera didn't want to, no matter how intriguing and private the place was. Jessa and the others would visualize it as the perfectly secluded area for all sorts of sordid sexual encounters; but that notion made Kera cringe. And besides, they'd gone too far already by trespassing. What if the cave was yet another spot that came with its own set of perilous rules?

She thought these things, and was eager to say them out loud, but they didn't escape her mouth. Nothing escaped her mouth but a few breaths and whimpers of mirth as she smelled the ocean scent on Miles' skin and craved to lick it. Whatever she was thinking deep down, it was erased and squashed beneath her mounting desire for Miles.

What the fuck?

She'd never felt her libido so active, so hard to control. Whatever this place was, it had an erotic effect on her that her body had no means to fight. Her brain was actively protesting, telling her to get out of the water, put her clothes back on, and leave—they'd made their point, right? They didn't need to stick around any longer.

But her feet wouldn't turn towards the beach. They remained lathered in the luxurious sand, and her legs continued to drink in the warm water. Her limbs wanted nothing but to rub against Miles' and never let him go.

"We should check it out," said Vick, twisting his head to look at the cave in question. He sat up and stretched, and cupped some water in his hand to throw it over his shoulder, clearing the sand from his back. His dark mane had turned to a shade of peanut from the sun, and for a second, his eyes were bright, almost kind; not slitted with malice.