Dime

15.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted!" I groaned, flopping on the bed of our villa in Sicily. Jordan laughed, placing our complimentary champagne glasses on the nightstand next to the bed. He flopped next to me, pulling me into him so I could lay my head on his chest. I nestled my head into the warmth of his body, the 11-hour flight finally taking its toll on me now that I had a chance to sit down. I felt like I'd been running around like a mouse on a wheel the last few days. Walking around D.C. and NOVA to find the perfect venue for Ari's party then hopping on an international flight after one too many margaritas and half a joint was doing me in. I took a deep, clearing breath and exhaled, my body slowly relaxing with each breath. Jordan ran his hand up and down my arm, "It's been a long weekend, that's for sure," he smiled. "But we're finally here! You've got a whole week to relax."
"You could say that. I'll still be getting emails."
"You promised me you wouldn't check or answer them until we got back on the plane," he reminded me with a playful smile. "I pinky promised you I wouldn't. I take those promises very seriously," I said. He kissed the top of my head and said, "Good. I'm sure there's some sort of bad luck that comes with you breaking that promise." I rolled my eyes and sat up, "It sounds like you don't have faith in my ability not to work." He shook his head, "I have faith in you, but I'm just giving you a little reminder." The warm sun had set, casting a golden hue over the villa and its surroundings. The gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the sounds of distant waves crashing against the shore. Inside, the air was filled with a sense of carefree relaxation, mixed with a hint of desire. "Believe me, I am just as eager to unwind as you are. Besides..." I positioned myself on his lap, feeling the weight of his body beneath me. A sly smile played on my lips as I leaned in close to him. "Why would I bother with emails when I have you and this entire villa all to myself?" He ran his tongue over his lips and grinned, resting his hands coyly behind his head.  "Easy now, Mel. I'm not that tired."  I raised an eyebrow playfully and toyed with the soft fabric of his flannel shirt, "Your yawns could've fooled me." He took my hand and pulled me into him, kissing my lips softly while he intertwined his fingers with mine. My other hand glided sensually along the contour of his jawline, feeling the playful resistance in his kiss that only made me want him more. His palm landed firmly on the small of my back, exerting a strong pressure as he gripped my hip. The heat from his touch radiated through my body, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. I could feel every muscle in his hand flex and hold me in place, anchoring me to him. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the intensity of his touch. What was it about being thousands of miles away from everyone you know that could make a person act out of their body? He pushed the hem of my tube top up, running his fingers down my spine. I broke the kiss and let my neck crane at his touch. He held my face in his hand and pulled me back into him. Kissing me deeper this time. "I don't know if I'll survive a whole week with you all to myself," he huffed against my lips. I smiled and kissed him, savoring the sensation of his lips on mine, "You might not, but that's part of the fun." I cradled my head into his neck while he held me. Just outside of our balcony, the sun and ocean slowly met, an orange and pink cascade of light washing over us. "I'm glad we did this," I said. He nodded, looking outside while he caressed my back. "I think we both needed to get away."
"It's like the closer everything gets to ending, the more stressed out I've felt," I said. "You've just got to get used to not having so much on your plate anymore."
"I look forward to the day." I propped myself up in my elbow and looked at him. He turned his head to me and smiled, "What's up, beautiful?"
"How do you feel after meeting my brother?" I asked. We hadn't had a chance to debrief about his meeting with Cy since we had a flight to catch early the next morning. We chatted a bit on the plane but most of our time was spent watching movies and sleeping. Sometimes I could get bad motion sickness on planes so I wasn't in the best shape to ask him how he felt about my larger-than-life brother. He chuckled and sighed, "He's definitely not what I was expecting at all but I like him. More importantly, I think he likes me."
"Oh, he definitely likes you. Well, as much as Cy can like someone I'm dating."
"So that's your aunt, your dad, your friends, and your brother," he counted on his fingers, "All I need is your mom's approval and then I'm locked in," he said proudly. "Why do you think that my mom doesn't approve of you?" He shrugged, "It's not that. I just haven't had a chance to talk to her like I have the other people in your life. At Aria's engagement party, she was busy talking to...other people." He said carefully but I knew he meant Tre. My mom did like Jordan, but she loved Tre. Why? I never could quite figure out why she worshipped the ground he walked on but Tre could do no wrong in her eyes. Even when he was dead wrong she always had an excuse for him. I figured I couldn't blame her too much, she only knew the side of Tre that he worked diligently to perfect for the public. She didn't know the side of him that manipulated situations to his benefit and she never heard the way he talked to me when he and I argued. He was perfect to her and, in her opinion, perfect for me. "She likes you," I assured him. "What's not to like about you?"
"I guess I just want the chance to sit with her like I have everyone else in your family."
"You're not missing out on anything." He studied my face, the sun's fading light making his tanned skin glow. "Can I ask you something?" I swallowed my spit, tensing a bit at the thought of what he might have to say. "Anything," I barely answered. His eyes kept searching my face, his soft lips quivering slightly as he tried to word his question. "What happened with you and your ex?" Ugh. Fuck. I was hoping this wasn't where he was going but I guess I didn't hope hard enough. I sat up on the edge of the plush white bed. "You said anything," he reminded me, grabbing my hand and holding it against his chest. "We just got here and you want to talk about exes?" He nodded. "What your brother said-"
"Ignore him," I spoke over him. He blinked at me. "I can't ignore him, Mel. I know you've been with people before me but your ex seems to have a pretty firm place in your life. I want to understand why. Especially if being with you means I may have to be around him too."
"He doesn't have a place in my life anymore, he just acts like he does because he's an asshole."
"Alright," he said plainly. "Why does he do that?"
"I don't know, Jordan. Maybe because he's bonkers? He's obsessive and narcissistic? He's a spoiled little brat who wants everything to go his way? Only God knows why Tre is the way he is." I felt my chest pump and fiery breaths heave out of my body. There was nothing in this world that I looked forward to much more than the day that the mention of Tre wouldn't trigger me. "I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just curious." Jordan said gently. I ran my hand down my face. "I'm not upset...I'd just prefer not to talk about him anymore. Somehow he always manages to get more attention than he deserves." He rubbed my hand with his thumb. His touch soothed me for a moment, allowing me to think instead of acting off of my feelings that were, admittedly, confused. Cy wasn't wrong about Tre trying to get me back. It's how we were and how we'd always been. Breakups were just suggestions for him and an opportunity for him to make me fall in love with him again just so he could have the joy of being in control of my heart. I wished that Cy had a little more tact, though. Now I was sitting in this beautiful villa with this beautiful man yet ugly memories of my past were filling my head. Some distant...others not so much. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't shake the image of Tre's lips against my skin just weeks ago, igniting a battle within me between guilt and desire. I turned to Jordan, his gaze still fixed on me. The moonlight cast a soft glow over us, accentuating his handsome features. He wanted answers, but I couldn't bring myself to reveal everything. Not without sounding like a scorned lover. With a heavy sigh, I finally spoke up. "I'll tell you what happened...just not tonight." He nodded and pulled me back into his arms. "Whenever you're ready, beautiful. It's no rush." It was for me, though. At least I felt like there was. I climbed back on top of him, shoving any thoughts of Tre to the deepest parts of my mind. Jordan's hands rested comfortably on my back, pinning me against him again. "This room is beautiful, but have you seen the bathroom?" I murmured as he trailed kisses down my neck. "Mhm," he replied between kisses, "We can discuss its design later." I gazed down at him with a mischievous grin. "Booo," I teased, "I was just about to ask you to come check out the jacuzzi tub with me." I hopped off of him, barely escaping his grasp, and stood against the doorframe of the bathroom. He sat up on his arms, gazing at me with anticipation in his eyes. "It's definitely big enough for two," I enticed, extending my hand toward him. He grabbed my hand and stood over me, scooping me up and into his arms with one swift motion. "You're such a tease," he said in my ear. His hands traveled down my back and gripped tightly on the cuff of my cheeks. He squeezed a quiet squeal out of me and smiled knowingly, clearly proud of himself. "I know you're tired, Mel. We can take it easy tonight," he continued, his facial hair tickling my skin. We made it to the jacuzzi tub and Jordan set me down gently on the marble edge. I slipped off my tube top and leggings, a sense of relief washing over me. Sometimes activewear felt more constricting than jeans. The water flowed into the tub, steam, and bubbles emerging and filling the room, making it hotter. He stood in front of me, admiring the view. "You look incredible," he said, his voice thick with desire. My heart fluttered at his words and I couldn't help but smile back at him. He leaned down and kissed me, his hands sliding up my waist and cupping my breasts. I moaned softly into his mouth then pulled away from him, panting slightly. "As much as I want to stay here all night with you, I really need a hot bath," I said, gesturing towards the bubbling water in front of us. He nodded understandingly and helped me into the tub before joining me. The warm water felt amazing against my skin and I let out a sigh of contentment as Jordan started massaging my shoulders. "God, this feels incredible," I murmured, leaning back against his chest. "I'm glad you're enjoying it," he replied, pressing soft kisses along my neck. I closed my eyes and let myself relax completely in his arms. The waves of the ocean scored our moment, singing a lullaby that would've put me to sleep if my mind wasn't racing more than usual. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, kissing my cheek, then resting his arms along the side of the tub. He propped his head up with one hand while the other absentmindedly caressed my thigh. The tension from earlier seemed to melt away as we sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Jordan?" I spoke up after a while. "Hmm?"

"I'm sorry for not telling you about Tre earlier." He didn't respond for a moment and when he did speak, there was an uncharacteristic hesitation in his voice. "It's okay, Mel. You don't have to apologize."

"I know but...I want you to know everything about me if we're going to be together," I said quietly. "You don't have to tell me everything now," he said softly. "I want to know everything about you too, but only when you're ready to tell me." He lifted my hand from out of the water, bubbles sliding down our arms while he brought my hand to his lips. I stared at our hands locked with one another. "You make it so hard to think..."

"You think too much," he whispered against my hand. "Tell me how I can ease your mind."

"You're off to a great start," I muttered, sinking into the feeling of his body behind mine. He nodded and softly kissed my shoulder to my neck, his arms holding me close against him. "Close your eyes and relax for me," he instructed me, the warmth in his voice covering my body with goosebumps despite how hot the bath was. "Trust me. I got you." He promised me. I took a deep breath and listened to him, shutting my eyes and easing the tension in my muscles that no massage therapist could seem to relieve. Yet Jordan was doing what none of them were able to. The scent of lavender and vanilla filled the air, a soothing aroma that relaxed my mind and body even more. The tension of the day slowly dissipated as the gentle waves of Jordan's touch flowed over my body, soothing and calming me like the calming rhythm of the ocean at sunset. His voice, warm and reassuring, wrapped me in a cocoon of safety and trust, allowing me to fully let go and relax in his arms. I could feel the tension in my muscles melting away, like hot wax under the warmth of his touch. In that moment, all that mattered was the feeling of his body against mine and the sound of his voice promising to keep me safe and at peace. I let myself fully surrender to the moment, relishing in the sensation of Jordan's touch and the calming atmosphere that surrounded us. His hands moved with a deft precision over my skin, each stroke erasing a layer of tension I had been carrying for far too long. The warmth of the bath, coupled with his comforting presence, created a sanctuary I desperately needed but could never figure out how to ask for. But I didn't have to ask Jordan for it, he just knew. As Jordan's fingers worked their magic, kneading away the knots in my shoulders and tracing patterns of relaxation down my body, I couldn't help but feel a sense of vulnerability washing over me. It wasn't just physical; it was emotional too. The sound of his steady breathing intertwined with the soft lapping of the water against the sides of the tub created a soothing melody that wrapped around us. I felt...safe. God, when was the last time I felt safe? "I love you," I said under my breath, melting more and more into him as the three words escaped my mind. I wasn't sure if he heard me and a part of me hoped that he didn't. Before I could figure out if he did, I felt myself drift off into sleep. "I love you too, beautiful," he cooed into my ear as my last seconds of consciousness went away.