“Sam…” she says on a soft exhale, then nothing but a dreamy look crosses her face. She leans closer.
I lean in, too, shot glass in hand. Although I’m pretty sure how this will play out, I can’t calm my bouncing foot or my racing heart. Here goes everything. “Never have I ever…fallen in love with a guy in New Zealand.”
Her hand wavers, vodka spilling over her fingers and onto my leg. The smile that follows has me wishing we could spend the rest of the day in bed. She slams her shot back and scrunches her nose, coughing while she fans her face.
Fucking A.
She touches the smooth bone secured around my neck. “Never have I ever…fallen in love with a girl in New Zealand.”
I don’t hesitate. I do what I should’ve done the night before I took off, exactly what my heart desires. I give her all of me, no holds barred. She’s had me for weeks, anyway. My head goes back, heat burns my throat. Then I kiss her for every minute I wasted. “No regrets, Nina. I’m all yours,” I say, our lips still touching. Pulling back, I study her, wanting to memorize every detail. The casual ponytail, that beauty mark. After hours of crying, her green eyes look more emerald, her skin flushed. She’s fucking perfect, and she’s willing to wait for me. I lean down for another kiss, every touch more important than the last. Every brush catalogued for the days when I need to remember the feel of her. Reluctantly, I release her. “I’m all yours,” I say again.
Her gaze flicks down to the bulge one kiss from her inspires, and a breathy moan passes her lips. If we had time, I’d push her back and go down on her until she’s cursing and chanting my name.
If we had the time.
I’ve done this before, no sex or girls for what feels like forever. Still, now that I’ve had Nina and know how she works me up like no one else, it feels a lot harder. I’ll have to get her talking dirty on the phone. The thought sends more blood pumping south. “Come on, let’s finish up. Leigh’s probably waiting for you.” I give her a chaste kiss. Anything more and we’d miss our flights.
* * *
The rest is a blur. If my trip with Nina felt like seven years in travel time, these last hours are a heartbeat. I keep freezing midsentence to stare at her, hoping I can slow the minutes. They press on. Too fast.
Back at the hostel we say our good-byes to Callum, Bruno, and Brianne, the three of them heading south to the dramatic cliffs of Milford Sound. Leigh’s farewell takes longer. Paige took off to give her and Nina some privacy. I step back, too, which sucks. My goal today is to have my hands on Nina for every last second we’re together, but Leigh’s death glare sends me a few feet away. I cross my arms and bounce my leg, my arms itching to get around my girl. I can’t hear what they’re whispering about, but they hug for like ten minutes.
Leigh struts toward me and plants her hands on her hips. “Sam.”
“Leigh.”
“It’s been real. Fun, actually. You’re not the douche I thought you were. But if you hurt Nina again, if you fuck around on her, I will fly to Florida and perform an unassisted spinal tap. Through your ear.”
The Dragon Lady lives on. “If I fuck around on her, I’ll do the procedure myself. And yeah, meeting you has been…interesting. Look me up if you’re ever in Florida on a non–mutilate-Sam visit. And take care of the car. I’ve grown fond of her.” I toss her the keys and she scowls at me.
I sold her my rusted travel car, but instead of money, I traded it for something more valuable. Aside from touching Nina at all times, my other goal today has been to keep her tears at bay. When I saw the karaoke machine at the hostel, I knew the best way to do just that. I made Leigh sing “Age of Aquarius.” There’s nothing like watching a furious chick spit out lyrics while doing an uncoordinated version of Nina’s routine. Paige laughed her ass off, but it was Nina’s giggling that made Leigh’s humiliation even better.
Leigh pockets the keys, her dark eyes turning black. “There will be revenge.” She goes to hang with Nina as we wait for our cab.