Boyfriend for Hire(48)

Nic glances at his watch as I take another sip of my margarita. It’s delicious.

“I’ve got a surprise for you in an hour,” he says, grinning at me. “So drink up.”

“What is it?” I prop myself onto my elbows. I was ready for a long day of lying on the beach doing nothing, but I’m intrigued by the idea of a surprise.

He raises an eyebrow. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you. But, trust me, you’re going to like it.”

Nic lies down on the sand and puts an arm around me. I scoot closer to him and press my lips to his cheek.

Even after the wedding and everything we’ve been through, I still get butterflies every time I’m close to him. Something about him has always felt like home to me. Warm and familiar and safe. Even when I hardly knew him, the only thing I wanted was more of him. And yes, it’s true that when I finally got the full story about his background, it freaked me out a little, but he really is so lovable that I couldn’t stay mad at him forever. Plus, it feels a little silly to complain when your husband is one of the most talented lovers in the tri-state area.

After we finish our drinks, we walk to our overwater bungalow to change and head toward Nic’s surprise. I watch the beautiful scenery from the window of the car we rented for the week, and he slides his hand into mine.

“So, is Bali everything you imagined?” he asks. We’d gone back and forth about honeymoon destinations, but after seeing some of the pictures online, we knew Bali was the right choice.

“I guess it’s okay, if you like perfect weather and beautiful beaches.” I grin. “But, seriously, this is like a fairy tale.”

He chuckles and places one hand on my bare knee.

“How does it feel being on your first international trip?” I squeeze his hand.

“It’s pretty damn amazing. Or maybe it’s just being here with you.”

“I am pretty amazing, aren’t I?” I say, smirking at him.

Nic snorts as he slows the car, finally parking in front of a small hut on the side of the road. I can’t tell exactly where we are, but there aren’t any signs of life, just a lot of trees and a huge field. I climb out of the car, trying to figure out what we could possibly be doing here. The silence gives me the creeps, and I give Nic a doubtful look.

“Wait here while I check on something,” he says, keeping his poker face in place.

I can tell he’s loving keeping me on my toes with this surprise, which makes me want to figure it out even more.

“Is the surprise that you’re going to have me killed?” I shout after him, raising an eyebrow.

Nic laughs before stepping inside the hut.

I look up at the sky, which is clear and blue. Whatever we’re doing, we couldn’t have gotten better weather for it. Between the past few days of snorkeling, hiking through gorgeous scenery, and seeing all kinds of exotic animals, I don’t think there’s any surprise that could top what we’ve already been doing.

“They should be here any minute,” Nic says, stepping back out of the hut.

“Who?” I ask. I know I should just wait to find out, but I can’t help it.

Before Nic can answer, I hear something loud approaching above us. I look into the sky as a helicopter appears and touches down in the field.

I turn to him, gaping.

“This is our ride.” He grins.

“Seriously?” I laugh, raising an eyebrow. “We could have just taken the car.”

“Not where we’re going,” he says, taking my hand and pulling me forward.

I’ve never been in a helicopter, or even on a small plane, and I can’t believe Nic booked this for us.

We climb into the helicopter and get settled in our seats. My stomach is filled with nerves as Nic straps me into the five-point harness. I scream as we take off, but I’m more excited than I am nervous.

Once we’re in the air, the scenery is so beautiful that I forget all about my fears. After a few short minutes, we’re high enough that we can see the entire landscape laid out before us like an exquisite map.

“This is amazing,” I say to Nic through the headsets the pilot gave us.

“Look.” Nic points down at the water. There’s a group of dolphins leaping through the water below us.

I grab his hand as we watch the dolphins, and I can’t help but smile. It’s one of the most majestic things I’ve ever seen, and I’m so glad I’m experiencing this with Nic.

After we’ve been in the air for about fifteen minutes, the pilot points out a small island, telling us that it’s supposed to have the most beautiful beaches in the world. Then the helicopter starts to descend toward the island. I turn to Nic, wondering if this is supposed to happen, but he just winks at me.

I look around in awe as we touch down on the beach. Only once we’re on land again does my stomach finally settle. Nic unbuckles his own seat belt and then helps me with mine. When the door swings open, he steps out and takes my hand to help me climb out onto the warm sand.

“Welcome to your private island for the day,” the pilot says, and my jaw drops.

It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. It’s drenched in sunlight, and the palm trees sway in the slight breeze. The sand is soft under our feet, and the water is shockingly blue.

I turn to Nic, still not sure how he put all this together without me knowing.