Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 74143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“I don’t know about this.”
Ashton stood in front of me. “Sweetness, I’d never let anything happen to you.”
“That’s reassuring.” I glanced at Cain. “How do I get down?”
“You unclip your seatbelt and jump.”
“How high up am I going to be?”
“Maybe thirty feet.”
“Okay … that doesn’t sound too bad.”
“It isn’t,” Lively stated, stepping out onto the deck. “I’ve done it probably a hundred times by now. You’re going to love it, Sage.”
“Oh!” Aspyn exclaimed, walking out behind Lively.
She was walking funny, and for a moment I wondered what Sawyer might have done to her.
“I want to go next!”
“You can go first,” I told her.
“Nah, you’re ready to go.”
“I can go—”
“Sage,” Lively interrupted. “Live a little.”
She was right.
What’s the worst that could happen?
I kissed Ashton before I jumped in.
“Swim out a little,” Cain ordered, and I did.
The catamaran started moving and so did I, until the wind caught the parachute and I was lifted into the sky. My nervousness subsided when I realized it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. They were right—the view from up here was incredible. I could see everything: the colors, the waves, the island.
I loved that Ashton was making me try new things. I wanted that in a boyfriend.
Shit… I just called him my boyfriend. Is that what he meant when he referred to himself as my man?
I shook away the questions that seemed like they’d become a part of me now, living in the moment instead. We did a lap around the ocean, and I couldn’t have been happier; this was the best.
“You ready to come down?” Cain hollered.
“Yeah!”
The motor slowed down. “Okay!” he informed. “When you jump, make sure…” The wind picked up, and I couldn’t hear the rest of his sentence. “Okay! Jump now!”
I didn’t hesitate, wanting to listen to the orders of the captain, so I unbuckled my seat belt and propelled my body into the ocean.
“No! Sage, like a pencil!”
“Wha—” My ass was the first thing to hit the water…
Really. Really. Hard.
Making me think I’d torn my asshole.
—Ashton—
Watching Sage up in the air so carefree was a sight I’d take to my grave. She looked beautiful.
Laughing.
Smiling.
Enjoying herself completely.
I wish I could tell you I knew this was going to happen; however I didn’t see it coming. In one swift motion she jumped into the water beneath her, and I was immediately aware this wasn’t going to end well for her.
Or for me.
“Oh fuck,” I expressed, watching Sage’s ass hit the ocean at the speed of light. “She’s going to be feeling that for a minute.”
Cain nodded, looking every bit concerned as I was. “She must have not heard me.”
I punched him in the arm. “Bro, way to fucking ruin my girlfriend.”
He grabbed my arm. “Girlfriend?”
I jerked back, surprised by my own outburst. Before I could give it any more thought, Sage resurfaced. The expression on her face said it all—no one had to ask if she was okay.
She wasn’t.
Aspyn stepped forward.
“I got her.”
Despite wanting to tell me no, she reluctantly nodded, and I dived in after Sage.
“Ashton—”
“I know, baby.” I tugged her toward me and held her in my arms, swimming us back to the deck of the boat.
Cain grabbed her hand, helping her up onto the platform. “I’m so sorry, Sage.”
She shut her eyes, and I knew she was trying to hold back the tears. Picking her up bridal style, I flipped off Cain and led us into one of the private bedrooms.
Once we were in the room and away from prying eyes, I stood her in front of me.
“Babe,” I informed. “Bend over. I need to see your starfish.”
“What?” She jerked back, hissing from the movement. “See what starfish?”
I gave her a stern look.
“Oh, no. What is this? Am I arrested? You need me to cough too?”
I laughed. “I’ve been where you are. I know it hurts like hell right now.”
“Yeah, but I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I just need to ice it or something.”
“I’ll get you ice after I check to make sure you’re alright.”
She adamantly shook her head. “You are not seeing my bottom, Ashton.”
“I’m not interested in your bottom at the moment. I need to see what’s in between your cheeks.”
She gasped. “You are definitely not seeing my asshole.”
“You may not even have a butthole left!”
“It’s there. It’s just tender right now.”
“All the more reason for me to look. I just need to make sure you aren’t bleeding.”
“Bleeding?”
“Sage, either we do this the easy way which is you bending over for me, or we do this the hard way and I hold you down until I can check it for myself.”
“Maybe you can just see it from the outside?”
“I’m not Superman, Sage. I don’t have x-ray vision.”
“Ugh! Go to St. Thomas, they said! It’ll be fun, they said!”
Using her momentum, I picked her up again.