Free Snake Eyes (The Masks Series Book 3) by Melissa Pearl

for me.
    It was a relief to see her. I’d tried calling a couple of times that morning, but her phone was off. I was glad she got my message.
    I slipped from my board and dove into the water. Yanking on the leash around my ankle, I pulled the board towards me and slid on top of it, paddling for shore. The waves carried me in and I jumped up, snatching the board beneath my arm and running up the beach.
    Caity’s sundress fluttered in the breeze, flashing her turquoise string bikini. She looked so damn hot in that thing, I could barely stand it. Her long legs were sun-kissed, the rich tan giving her an edible quality. I grinned as I dug the board into the sand beside us then gathered her into my arms.
    Her breath tickled my skin as she laughed into my shoulder.
    I squeezed her against me and kissed her face, then worked my way to her lips. They were a hot contrast to my cold, salty ones, but she didn’t seem to mind. Her fingers gripped a handful of my wet hair and she dove into the kiss with a fervor I wasn’t expecting.
    Finally, I pulled back for some air. I kept her firmly against me, though; otherwise, the entire beach would be able to see the effect she had on me. I blushed just thinking about it.
    She felt me against her and gave me a wicked grin. The little minx.
    I cleared my throat. “So, how was your morning?”
    “Good.” She shrugged, her nose wrinkling. “Just went for a drive to clear my head.”
    “Did it work?”
    “Sort of.” She nibbled at her lip. “How was Nicole?”
    “Fine.” I tucked a lock of hair behind Caity’s ear. “The move went smoothly and when I left the house, she was pinning up posters in that third room...just in case you change your mind. As far as I can tell, no one else is going to be invited to live with us.”
    “That doesn’t make you feel like a third wheel, does it?”
    I grinned, hoping to ease her worries. “It’s okay, babe. We don’t have to talk about this again.”
    She sighed, looking a little glum.
    “Are you sure you’ve made the right decision? You seem really sad about it.”
    She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against my shoulder.
    “It’s what I need to do for now,” she mumbled.
    Placing my fingers against her chin, I gently forced her to look at me. Her dark look fled and she replaced it with a smile. “It won’t be forever and knowing there’s a place waiting for me feels good.”
    I couldn’t help a niggle. Was she telling me the truth? She seemed so torn.
    Caity’s blue eyes narrowed at the corners, went large for a second, and then suddenly brightened. She stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against mine before letting out a cheerful laugh.
    “I need to stop worrying so much about letting you guys down. I think that’s what’s making me feel so unsettled.”
    “You do worry too much about that.”
    She drew in a breath. “I’ve made the right decision and I need to stick with it for a little while. If I change my mind next week or three months down the track, that’s still cool, right?”
    “Right.”
    She grinned. “So I just need to let go and not be so afraid of hurting everyone’s feelings. This is right for me.”
    “And you’re happy?”
    “Yeah.” She nodded. “Well, more peaceful, if that makes sense.”
    I nodded.
    Her smile seemed strained but then she chuckled again, erasing my concerns.
    “And Nicole will forgive me.”
    “She’ll probably make you sweat a little first.” I winked.
    “And you’re not mad with me?”
    My head tipped to the side. “Of course I’m not mad with you.” I squeezed her waist. “It’s more important to me that you’re happy. I just hope you get a decent roommate.”
    I nearly said, Or maybe I don’t, because then you’ll want to move in sooner , but I bit my tongue. She didn’t need that kind of pressure.
    Caity’s chuckle faltered. It had a nervous quality that I wanted to understand. Although she said she felt peaceful about her decision, she wasn’t