3– Mr. Sexy Stranger

“Apply sunscreen all over your body, Miss. Lily, don’t leave a part dry. We’ll be at the beach all afternoon and I do not want. . .”

Lily’s eyes rolled to the back of her head at the nagging voice of her maid.

A little backstory. Axel, Lily’s fiancé and soon to be husband, demanded that she travel with him for a business trip, and she decided not to go on a journey with a man she barely knows without having any company. And since her relationship with her best friend was ruined by her best friend’s betrayal, Lily decided to go along with Kate.

Now, they’re in Miami, about to have all the fun in the world.

Lily definitely finds an absurdity in the situation.

Who goes to Miami for business?

Who books out a two room suite for two girls and leaves them to be by themselves?

Who brings his fiancée out to Miami on business and doesn’t even give her details of said business before leaving her and going radio silent on her for hours?

“Miss. Lily?” Kate calls out to Lily, drawing her mind back from the depth of her thoughts. Lily hums a response. “Why did you bring me with you on this trip?”

“What?” Lily asks, her tone sharp.

“I mean, Miss. Grace is usually your go-to person whenever you’re planning a trip but this time. . .hold on, I didn’t see her at your party, did you guys fight?”

Kate continues to ramble, disregarding the distasteful look on Lily’s face. Her sudden reasoning is reminding Lily of things she desperately wishes to forget.

Kate continues speaking. “But she never misses your birthday even when you both were not in talking terms. What happened? Whatever happened must be so serious that she didn’t attend your twentieth birthday, even more serious that you didn’t invite her to come on this trip. . .”

Tears start to fill Lily’s eyes as memories of what she saw fills her mind. But before the tears could fall, she decides to put a stop to Kate’s ramble.

“Kate?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Do you regret coming with me? Would you like to return home?” Lily asks, her eyes pinning Kate a look that unnerved the girl.

“Not at all, ma’am.” Kate quickly answers.

With a hum, Lily grits, “then shut your whiny mouth and get ready to go to the beach.”

“Yes. . .of course, ma’am.”

“What did I say about calling me ‘ma’am’?”

“I’m sorry, Miss. . .”

“Uh uh. . .”

“I’m sorry, Lily.”

“Now that’s more like it.” Lily taps her hand excitedly, wanting to lighten up the mood in the room. “Shall we go to the beach and have some fun?”

“Yes!” Kate beams.

. . .

Lily lays silent on the blanket, sunbathing herself as she listens to her maid—her new found friend ramble on and on about the beauty of life.

In Lily’s mind, she thinks of Kate as a naive girl for even finding beauty in life. Yes, she’s from money, but even that money has done nothing to shield her from the pain of life.

As Lily opens her mouth to speak, a patched cough erupts in her throat.

“Damn, it’s hot and I am so thirsty.” She says as she gets off her blanket. Kate moves to follow her but she indicates her refusal with a shake or her head. “It’s fine, Kate, I’ll just stroll to the bar and get us some refreshments, yes?”

“Okay, Lily.” Kate answers.

Lily gets to the bar and decides to order a cocktail to refresh herself and get her out of a foul mood before she heads back to Kate. As she sipped her cocktail at the beachside bar, she felt a sudden shiver run down her spine.

It wasn't the chilled glass or the cool ocean air that caused the tremor, but the deep, rich voice that seemed to vibrate through every cell in her body.

"Mind if I join you, beautiful?" The low, smooth tones resonated behind her, like the gentle hum of a powerful engine, sending a thrill through her veins.

Lily's heart skipped a beat as she turned to face the speaker, her eyes locking onto the ruggedly handsome stranger standing behind her.

Oh, he wasn’t just any stranger, he was the stranger whom she was about to get married to, the same man whose ring wraps warmly around her finger.

Axel's voice was like nothing she'd ever heard before—a deep, thick, manly sound that seemed to wrap itself around her, pulling her in with its warmth and authority. It was a voice that commanded attention, exuded confidence, and hinted at secrets and stories yet untold. As Lily met Axel's gaze, she felt the room around her melt away, leaving only the two of them.

Axel begins approaching her, his lips wearing a smug smile. Lily gulps and stumbles back, her back hitting the Island.

“You should go with the flow, little bird,” Axel says, his voice low in his throat as he braces both his palms on the Island trapping Lily.

He seems to be in a playful mood—Lily analyzes. And after a few seconds of staring at Axel silently, she finally breaks the silence.

“You could join me, Mr. Stranger, but it all depends.”

“On what, little bird?”

“On how well you do,” she bites her lip, hooding her eyes as she trails her index finger through a straight line from his chest down to the waistband of his shorts, “if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, I know exactly what you mean. And trust me, I’ll be sure to exceed your expectations.” Axel’s voice seems to be a growl.

Lily tuts. “But a little birdie told me you are an old man, and old men are weak.”

Axel snickers underneath his and leans his face close to hers, fanning her face with the warmth of his breath when he whispers. “Then maybe come with me to my suite and perhaps see for yourself what this old man is capable of.”

“No.” Lily blurts her refusal.

“What?” Axel asks.

“I’m not coming with you. I don’t trust strangers.” She says, rolling her eyes.

“You’re about to be married to one, little bird.” He points out.

“Until then. . .”

Axel cut her off. “I want to make you an offer, one you’ll not be able to refuse.”

“Not interested. We after all have one unattended offer on the table.” Lily brushes off.

“This one will be a little different. I promise, if you allow yourself an opportunity to experience this, that little boyfriend of yours that hindered you from accepting my proposal months before now will soon evade your mind.”

Oh. . .

Lily immediately knew there was no escape from this man by the way her body reacted to his demands and his voice.

She was drenched between her legs, and she was willing to risk it all for Axel.