Chapter 8: Last Full Night – Everything

Night six wrapped the beach house in a final, heavy hush. Dinner had been our biggest yet—thick steaks seared rare, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus drizzled in brown butter—and Sarah had matched every bite with another pour of cabernet. By the time the plates were cleared her laughter had softened into yawns she couldn’t hide. She kissed my forehead with wine-warm lips, murmured something about packing in the morning, and climbed the stairs. Her door shut. The fan clicked on high, its steady drone drifting down like white noise.

The second her breathing evened out, my phone vibrated against my thigh.

My room. All night. Don’t hold back.

I waited another full minute, listening to the ocean roll outside the open sliders, then slipped from the master bed in nothing but my boxers. The hallway felt shorter tonight, every floorboard a gamble. Kayla’s door stood ajar, a sliver of lamplight spilling across the threshold. I stepped inside and closed it behind me with a soft click.

She was already on the bed, propped on her elbows, wearing nothing but a thin yellow sundress I recognized instantly—Sarah’s favorite, the one with tiny white flowers and spaghetti straps that always slipped off one shoulder. The fabric pooled around her thighs, the neckline low enough to show the inner curves of her breasts. Her eyes met mine, dark and certain.

“All night,” she repeated, voice barely above a whisper. “No sneaking back until the sun’s up.”

I crossed to the bed. The coconut oil from the beach bag sat on the nightstand, still warm from the day’s sun. She rolled onto her stomach without being asked, dress riding up to bare the smooth backs of her thighs. I poured a generous palmful into my hands, the scent blooming rich and sweet as I warmed it between my palms. Starting at her shoulders, I pressed deep, working the oil into every knot left by a week of tension and stolen moments. My thumbs traced the line of her spine, down to the small of her back, then lower, spreading over the firm swell of her ass and the backs of her thighs until her skin gleamed and she melted into the mattress with a low, grateful sigh.