Filthy Beautiful Forever Read online

  Mia shuffles behind, her gaze bouncing around each room to absorb every detail.

  No matter what is going on in my life, or at work, I always looked forward to Sundays. Fresh ocean air and blue skies are good for the soul.

  I guide her back upstairs. The breeze is just beginning to pick up as we motor out of the harbor. The deck is outfitted with various couches and chairs arranged for conversation, there's a hot tub off to one side and then plenty of lounge chairs with fluffy cushions for sunbathing. That's where Tatianna has already stationed herself. As usual she's removed her top—her small pointy nipples are staring straight up at the sun. She sits up when she notices our arrival.

  “Let me know if this makes you uncomfortable,” she says to Mia, gesturing to her naked chest. “I don't like tan lines, but I can cover up if you prefer.”

  Mia stares straight ahead, seemingly unfazed by Tatianna's display. “I'm not uncomfortable.” Mia removes her own tank top from over her head, and I swear I see the whole thing in slow motion to the beat of hypnotic music. I am mesmerized. Mia has nothing to be ashamed of. Her chest is on the large side and is barely contained by the cups of her purple bikini top. If she wanted to follow suit and take off her top, there is no way my erection would go unnoticed. I already feel my cock stirring in my shorts, and I have to distract myself with gathering drinks.

  I look down at my dick and curse at him. “Not today, fucker,” I say under my breath while arranging cups with ice.

  “What was that?” Mia asks, coming over to join me.

  “Nothing,” I bite out. “What would you like to drink?”

  “Do you have lemonade?”

  “Sure do.”

  Breasts are one of the few areas where Tatianna hasn’t been blessed, however, that doesn’t mean I'm free to gawk at Mia's glorious, round tits. But dear God, it's like Christmas. I can't seem to keep my eyes from straying over to her chest. The soft mounds are pushed together thanks to the straining fabric, and her cleavage is plentiful. I want to bury my face between them and treat them to wet kisses. Mia in a bathing suit is holy hell, hot. I'm used to Tatianna's model-thin body with her lack of curves, and visible rib cage. Mia has soft rounded flesh that I want to sink my teeth into. I can't stop staring, and I'm hoping the heated gazes I'm sending her aren't obvious.

  “Collins?” Tatianna asks, pulling my attention away.

  “Yeah?” My voice comes out tense and too rough. I clear my throat and try again.

  “Can I have sparkling mineral water with a slice of cucumber?” she asks.

  “Of course.” I head to the kitchen to retrieve a cucumber, thankful for the moment away from Mia. I have no idea why she's affecting me this way, but I know I need to get my head on straight.

  We settle in for some sunbathing, but after an hour of sitting quietly in the sun, Mia declares herself officially bored and wanders off in search of something to entertain herself.

  There are books and board games in a cabinet inside, and I expect her to return with one of those, but when she makes her way back on deck fifteen minutes later, she's carrying several foam noodles and one of the crew members—James, I think—is attaching a giant inflatable slide I didn't even know I had over the side of the boat.

  “I hope you don't mind, but I asked the captain if we could stop to swim,” Mia says.

  “Swim?” Tatianna and I both ask in unison. Tatianna sits up and watches as the slide is attached.

  “Yeah, unless you're chicken,” Mia taunts, waving one of the noodles at me.

  I rise and remove my sunglasses. “I'm game.” I can only sit in the sun for so long. Typically after an hour or so, I head inside and check my email while Tatianna continues sunning herself to a deep bronzed glow.

  “Are you seriously going to go down that thing?” Tatianna asks, eyeing the slide with disdain.

  “Sure, why not?” I shrug.

  “I'm not getting in that freezing cold water,” Tatianna says, laying down again. “You two have fun.” She lifts the fashion magazine she was reading back in front of her face.

  When I get close, Mia spanks me across the ass with a noodle. An unexpected laugh falls from my lips. There is something so playful and whimsical about her personality. She can still make me forget myself and just let go, despite our years apart. She's always possessed that skill. It was most helpful right after my mom passed away. I needed that levity more than ever, and Mia provided it. And I suppose now is no different. I like that she doesn't act her age.

  “Come on. I'll let you go first down the slide,” she says.

  “Let me, huh?” I lift one eyebrow. I pick her up and set her down on the top of the slide. It doesn’t escape my notice that she's removed the shorts she'd been wearing all afternoon. Her bikini bottoms don't match the top. They're lime green. And the rounded curve of her ass cheeks peeking from the bottom is highly distracting. “Down you go.” I place my hands on her shoulders and give her a playful push while still holding her securely.

  “You wouldn't.” She glares at me while her mouth is curved up into a crooked grin.

  “Maybe I'm not as nice as the guy you remember.”

  “You're perfect,” she says, her face going serious for a moment.

  She can't say things like that. It's confusing as shit. The conversation I had with Colton last night spins in my brain. He was convinced that I've been in love Mia since I was a kid.

  “Collins?” she asks, her face still holding its serious expression.

  “Plug your nose,” I tell her and give her a shove.

  Mia goes barreling down the slide toward the ocean and just before I hear the splash, she lets out a playful squeal.

  We take turns heaving ourselves down the inflatable slide—on our backs, bellies and sides. We hit the water with force and laughter, swimming—or in her case, dog-paddling—over to the ladder to climb back on board and repeat it again and again. It's like I've been transported back to a simpler time. I feel like I'm six years old again without a care in the world. We're both shivering and the salt-water stings our eyes, but our smiles refuse to fade. I've never had so much fun yachting. Tatianna glances up at us occasionally, but when I encourage her to join us, she turns over in her chair, saying she needs to sun her back.

  “Last one in the water's a rotten egg!” Mia calls and hits the slide at a run—flinging herself down on her stomach. I hear a splash at the bottom and then nothing else. She usually comes up laughing. My stomach drops.

  “Mia?” I peer over the side of the boat.

  She's there, treading water, but with a worried expression. Shit. She probably hurt herself going over like that.

  I grab a noodle and go barreling down the slide toward her. I hit the water and swim to the surface, pulling in a breath and immediately swimming hard toward her. She's facing away from me, a few feet away. “Mia? What happened? Are you okay?”

  “Don't come over here,” she warns.

  What the hell? “Mia?”

  “I'm serious, Collins.”

  She's not the strongest swimmer, and when I see her head dip under the water, I wrap her in my arms and pull her up, securing the noodle around her. “Come here. I've got you.”

  “You can't see me like this.”

  I look down, trying to understand what she means. Fuck me. Her top is off. Gone. And dear God, her breasts are every bit as glorious as I imagined. Full and round with pink nipples just begging to be sucked. Hard.

  “My top flew off when I hit the water. I tried looking for it, but I think it sank.”

  Thank you, gravity.

  “I've seen it all before, sweetheart,” I remind her.

  She swallows and blinks at me, little droplets of water clinging to her dark eyelashes. “Yes, but I've grown since then.”

  “Trust me, I noticed.”

  She punches me in the shoulder. “Be serious.”

  “I am one-hundred-fucking-percent serious right now.” She's still pulling away from me, still trying to cover her ch
est with one arm while she paddles with the other. “Stop struggling, Mia. You'll only tire yourself out.”

  She makes a small noise of defeat, then stops fighting long enough for me to pull her close.

  I am wholly unprepared for the heat of her naked skin against mine, the hard peaks of her nipples rubbing against my bare chest. It sends instant awareness to my cock. The troublemaker has been looking for an opportunity to come out and play all day.

  Having a mostly naked woman in my arms is no contest for the chill of the water, and warm tingles shoot through me, heating me quickly.

  “There you go. I've got you.” My voice drops low.

  She wraps her arms around my shoulders and I tread water, easily keeping us afloat with the help of the foam noodle.

  “That's it. Just relax.”

  “I'm sorry.”

  “Shh, it's okay.”

  Her gorgeous green eyes lift to mine and I can feel her heart thumping against my chest. The moment feels heavy with anticipation. I have a half-naked Mia in my arms, and I can't help but remember the last time we were in this position. Part of me regrets it. She was too young; I was too rough with her. God, what I wouldn’t give for a do-over. I’ve never wanted anything as bad. Shit, I don't know where that thought came from.

  I hold her close and swim as best as I can toward the stern of the yacht and the ladder attached to the swim platform.

  When we reach the platform, I grab hold of the ladder, but I'm in no hurry to have her disentangle herself from me, or climb back aboard. I tighten my grip around her waist. Mia remains hanging on to me, watching me curiously, waiting to see what I'll do.

  “Are you okay?” I ask.

  She nods. “You rescued me. You've always rescued me,” she breathes, her mouth just inches from mine.

  She brings her legs around my waist, and her core brushes against my erection, tearing a strangled groan from my throat. Her eyes widen in surprise.

  “Don't move,” I growl.

  Ignoring my request, she tightens her legs around me, her center rubbing against my cock with the most exquisitely frustrating friction I can imagine. A feeling of wild, uncontained desire roars through me. She makes a tiny sound of pleasure in the back of her throat.

  Just as I lean in toward her, Mia's eyes fall closed. Our mouths meet in a rush of hungry kisses. She tastes of salt water and her lips are cold, but her tongue is greedy, taking every stroke I give her and matching it with seductive skill.

  My hands itch to cup her gorgeous breasts, to tug on her sexy nipples and hear her moan, but I hold onto her, unwilling to let go. One hand grips the ladder to keep us afloat and my mouth stays fused to hers.

  She rocks against me, the heat of her pussy owning me beneath the water. She lets out a little cry of pleasure when she feels how hard I am. For her. Only for her.

  “Christ, Mia,” I groan, breaking my mouth away from hers. I feel like I'm going to explode.

  From the moment I saw her, all I’ve thought about it getting my lips on hers. When she meets my eyes, I can tell we're both thinking the same thing. Even after all these years, we can both still feel it. The unexplored sexual tension burns hotly between us. The question is, what am I going to do about it?

  Chapter Six

  Mia

  The kiss feels so right, so perfect. The water might be cold, but our bodies are on fire with heat from the friction as we press together. Collins' warm arms hold me close, and I push my chest and my core against him. My entire body is overheating, and I feel as though we are melting into one being.

  It’s that right.

  When Collins somehow manages to pull away, it’s as if he’s ripping us in two.

  I’m so flustered, and in such a haze that even with the harsh separation, I still gaze at him. His eyes match my lust and my need. I search his face looking for anything, any reason we can’t be together. Because it feels so perfect, him and me. I can see it in his eyes, he feels it too. That zing between us, this temptation, this desire hasn’t gone away over time. My racing heart and his gasping for breath suggest the heat between us, hasn’t faded at all—it’s grown.

  Before, fifteen years ago, we were two curious friends. We cared for each other, sure. But here, today, there’s something more. It’s barely been twenty-four hours since I arrived here, and I feel so drawn to him, that I’m not sure how I can possibly back away.

  Yet I know I have to. His face changes and his eyes dart up to the boat. He’s remembering his girlfriend, who we’ve left on deck. My stomach drops, and I think I might too. If he let me go right now, I might sink to the bottom of the ocean. Not because I wanted to die, but because without him, I wasn’t sure if I had the energy to live.

  “Are you happy with her?” I ask.

  He still holds me, but he maneuvers me to the ladder. “I…” he pauses and looks at me pleadingly. And then I can’t read his face anymore. It’s as if he’s shut me out. “I don’t know.” He says it as if he truly isn’t sure, but he’s also not sure he’s ready to end it with her.

  I sigh and turn away, gripping the ladder. As he backs away, I feel the cold of the water surrounding me, and I shiver. Suddenly, I have an urgent need to get up the ladder and get warm. I pull myself up. My teeth chatter like mad. Even though Tatianna is around the corner and the crew is out of sight, I cover myself as best as I can and rush for the pile of new fluffy towels someone has left out for us.

  Seriously, how many staff are aboard this thing? I wonder.

  “Mia?” Collins has followed me up.

  He heads toward me. Water drips from his tan, muscular torso. A scene I’d been enjoying for the last hour and still know I will never tire of. His body is so firm. His skin is soft yet hot to the touch. I might as well just rip off my bikini bottoms and hand them over to him. It is nearly impossible to turn away. But I do and rush to throw on my tank. I’m humiliated. If he’s really staying with her, he doesn’t get any more free shows. Nope.

  “I’m sorry, Mia,” he says. He places his strong hand gently on my shoulder and guides me around to face him.

  I’m forced to look again into his amazing blue eyes and wait for him to say more.

  He rubs his hand over his wet hair and says. “My life is complicated. It’s not as easy as it was when we were little. We can’t just pinky swear and then live happily ever after.”

  His words hurt so much I flinch. I can’t tell if I believe them, but they must be right. Because I hear them all the time. My parents always tell me I’m a dreamer. Leila says I’m too romantic. I’ve always taken the comments as playful jabs. But hearing it from him, for some reason that hurts. Maybe it’s time I finally accept it. I wipe away a tear and take in a shaky breath, nodding. “Yeah. I know. It’s not a fairytale; it’s real life. You two have been together for a long time.” I step back and wave him off, blotting my eyes with my towel.

  “Lunch,” Tatianna shouts from around the corner.

  Collins eyes lock on mine. “Sorry,” he mouths.

  I want to tell him it’s okay, that I’ll be all right. But I can’t find the words, because it feels like someone just punched me in the stomach.

  So instead, I just nod and follow him around to the bow where a table has been set for our lunch. Thankfully, Collins pulls his shirt back on before he sits down. My ego is hurt, and still I’m going to have a hard enough time keeping my eyes from visually molesting him—even without him being half naked.

  “My agent set up a few shoots for me this week. We don’t have anything going on, right?” Tatianna asks Collins.

  He glances at me before answering her. “Uh, no. We’re clear.”

  “I figured it was fine,” she smiles at me then at Collins. “I mean you two have all your catching up to do or whatever. It’s not like you guys want me around for that. You can spend some time together. You know, show Mia a good time.”

  My face flushes, and I look down at my sandwich. She has no idea how close her words bring me to a nervous laughing fit. S
he also, apparently, has no idea what just happened between Collins and me. Her face shows not a hint of being jealous or worried that I might pose a threat to her relationship with Collins. And now that I look at her, with her perfect hair and beautiful face—not to mention her beyond elegant body—I have no idea why someone who was dating her would want to kiss me, let alone dump her for me.

  Maybe Collins is right. I’m living in a fairytale, and it is time to grow up.

  Besides, Collins and I had been best friends before, there is no reason we can’t continue that now. I’d applied for several jobs last night online. If I can land one, I’ll be able to move out of his house, soon, and we can totally do the friend thing.

  I think.

  Having cleared her schedule with Collins, Tatianna tunes out once more, getting lost in her phone as she nibbles on her plate of lettuce. Leaving Collins and me to silently look at one another. Leaving me to wonder why I’d been so bold as to kiss this woman’s boyfriend. I’m not that type of person. I don’t go after guys who are already taken, but then there is no other guy like Collins Drake. And I’d claimed him years ago.

  Laying guilt on top of the humiliation I already feel, I’m surprised I can eat at all, but when I take a bite of my sandwich, I discover how hungry the morning’s activities have made me. It’s not bad at all for chicken salad. In fact, I manage to inhale it. Something Collins appears to enjoy watching.

  Being ravenous and distracted is a poor combination, and I manage to bite my tongue. “Ouch,” I say.

  Collins bursts out laughing. “Slow down, Mia. We wouldn’t want you to choke on your tongue.”

  I give him a snarky smirk. But I notice that Collins isn’t eating. Darn Tatianna and her chicken fetish.

  He sips his beer, quietly, and I forget about Tatianna.

  I can’t help watching his lips on the beer bottle. It reminds me of how smooth his lips were as they brushed against mine, and how commanding his kiss was. His mouth was so demanding, and I loved the way he held me firmly as he took what he wanted from me. And he had wanted me at that moment, in the water. I felt it, rock hard and even bigger, so much bigger than I remembered. I get wet just thinking of how big he was, pushed up against me. At the moment I realized how hard he was for me, I wanted to slip my hand inside his swimsuit and feel him in my hands. The only thing stopping me was the fear of letting go of my iron grip around him. The only thing that was saving me from falling into the depths of the Pacific.