One afternoon, Amy's message came through loud and clear, the no-nonsense tone practically radiating from the screen as Celeste read it.
We're going to the beach this weekend. You two are coming. No excuses.
Lucas had gone all out, renting a private beachfront villa without sparing any expense, and Amy was eager to enjoy it. Celeste barely had time to process the message before a low chuckle filled the room.
Jase, completely at ease, lounged on her bed, one arm propped behind his head as he read over her shoulder. He smirked, the amusement in his golden eyes almost dangerous as he glanced up at her.
"Beach, huh?" His voice was lazy, teasing, like he was already imagining all the ways he could make her flustered.
Celeste barely looked up from her book, not taking the bait. "Mm-hmm."
Silence stretched for all of two seconds before his slow grin widened, something undeniably mischievous flickering across his face.
"You ready to show off for me, sweetheart?"
Celeste's head snapped up so fast she nearly dropped the book. Heat exploded across her face, creeping down her neck like wildfire.
"Jase!" she sputtered, scandalized.
He chuckled, thoroughly entertained by her reaction, his smirk deepening as he watched her squirm. "What? Just stating facts."
Celeste opened her mouth to scold him, but the look on his face made her huff instead. She dropped her gaze back to the pages in her hands, hoping it would hide the warmth creeping into her cheeks.
Jase, predictably, didn't miss a thing.
Tilting his head, he studied her for a moment, golden eyes sharp with amusement. "You are excited, aren't you?"
She buried her face back in her book with a muffled groan. "Shut up."
His laugh was warm, teasing, like he had all the time in the world to pull her apart piece by piece. Then, before she could react, he reached over and effortlessly tugged the book from her hands, snatching away her only defense.
"Hey!" she protested, reaching for it, but he simply held it out of reach, smirk still firmly in place.
"If you're that shy, I can help you practice, you know." His voice was playful, mocking, but there was an underlying warmth to it, something that sent a traitorous shiver down her spine.
Celeste refused to dignify that with a response.
Instead, she whirled away, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at his face.
Jase caught it effortlessly, still grinning.
She was already regretting agreeing to this trip.
*****
The moment Celeste stepped into the villa, she barely had time to breathe before Amy pounced. Before she could even drop her bags, her best friend shoved a shopping bag into her hands, the triumphant smirk on her face immediately setting off alarms in Celeste's brain.
"I picked this out for you," Amy announced, looking far too pleased with herself, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Celeste blinked down at the bag, then back up at Amy, suspicion creeping up her spine like a warning bell. "…Why do I feel like this is a trap?"
Amy's grin widened. "Oh, it definitely is."
That should have been her cue to run. But against her better judgment, Celeste peeked inside the bag and she froze.
Nestled inside was a bikini. But not just any bikini, this one was tiny, delicate, and far more revealing than anything she had ever dared to wear before. The moment her brain fully processed what she was looking at, her soul nearly left her body.
"Amy—" Celeste gawked, her voice caught somewhere between horror and betrayal.
Amy, the menace that she was, only smirked harder. "No arguments. Trust me, Jase will love it."
Heat exploded across Celeste's face, so intense it could rival the sun. "I can't wear this!" she sputtered, clutching the bag as if it contained a live bomb.
Amy folded her arms, looking completely unimpressed. "Why not? You have a great body. Own it."
Celeste wanted to perish on the spot. She glanced around the room desperately, hoping for an escape route but Amy was faster, moving smoothly to block her path like a predator cornering its prey.
"You've got two options," Amy said, her voice completely serious despite the devilish glint in her eyes. "Wear this and make Jase lose his mind… or let me go tell him that you're too scared."
Celeste gasped, scandalized. "You wouldn't."
Amy's smirk widened.
Oh, she absolutely would.
Celeste groaned, defeated, pressing the bag to her chest as if it were some kind of lifeline.
She was going to die.
*****
The sun hung high in the sky, its golden light reflecting off the waves as they lapped gently against the shore. The salty breeze tousled Celeste's hair, teasing strands across her face as she stood at the water's edge, toes sinking into the warm sand. Everything about the day was perfect—the endless stretch of blue, the rhythmic crash of the waves, the distant laughter of friends as they set up a volleyball game further down the beach.
And yet, Celeste was struggling.
Because Jase had already ditched his shirt.
And it was impossible not to stare.
His sun-kissed skin gleamed under the sunlight, taut over sculpted muscles that moved with an effortless, almost unfair level of confidence. Every shift, every motion sent a ripple down his broad shoulders, across his defined abs, lower and nope, Celeste needed to stop looking. She could practically feel the heat radiating off him, could hear the deep, carefree laughter that only made him more maddeningly attractive. And the worst part?
He knew it.
"Enjoying the view, sweetheart?"
Celeste's head snapped away so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash. Heat exploded across her face, crawling down her neck, burning hotter than the sun overhead.
Amy, standing beside her, absolutely living for this moment, snickered. "Oh, you are so screwed."
Celeste refused to acknowledge that.
Instead, she forcefully focused on anything else—the ocean, the sky, the tiny grains of sand at her feet—because looking at Jase any longer was going to kill her.
Meanwhile, the guys were already getting into their volleyball game, their laughter echoing across the shore. Amy, however, had other plans.
"Come on." She suddenly grabbed Celeste's wrist, practically vibrating with excitement. "Let's go try jet skiing!"
Celeste nodded absentmindedly, still half-recovering from Jase's teasing, until realization hit her like a rogue wave.
She had to take off her oversized T-shirt.
Her stomach dropped.
Oh, no.
Her fingers curled around the hem, suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that underneath, she was wearing Amy's ridiculous bikini, the one she had been forced into wearing, the one that left way too much skin exposed, the one that was about to be seen by Jase.
Her heart pounded, her mind scrambling for an escape. Maybe she could just… run straight into the ocean? Maybe fake an injury? Maybe—
Amy, the absolute menace she was, had zero patience for hesitation.
Before Celeste could react, her best friend huffed dramatically, and in one swift, merciless motion, she yanked the T-shirt clean off.
Celeste froze.
Horrified.
Exposed.
"Ah—Amy!" Celeste yelped, her voice strangled with horror, but it was too late.
The oversized T-shirt was gone, ripped from her grasp in a single merciless motion, and she was left completely exposed to the golden sunlight. The warm breeze kissed her bare skin, cool and unforgiving as it skimmed over the soft curves Amy had forced her to reveal. She froze, every muscle locking up as reality crashed over her.
And then Jase stopped mid-sentence.
One second, he had been casually talking to Lucas, his stance relaxed, his tone easy. The next? Every thought in his brain ceased to exist. His entire body went rigid, the air in his lungs stuttering as his golden eyes snapped to her.
And for the first time in his life, Jase forgot how to breathe.
Celeste was breathtaking.
The bikini Amy had bullied her into wearing was small, delicate, sinful—a soft pastel that clung to every dip, every curve, accentuating the graceful lines of her waist, the gentle swell of her hips. Sunlight danced across her skin, making it glow with an ethereal warmth, as if the very light itself was drawn to her.
Jase's jaw ticked, his fingers flexing at his sides. His golden eyes darkened instantly, something raw, heated, and territorial unfurling inside him like wildfire. Mine.
Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one looking.
A group of guys nearby had turned, their conversation pausing, their gazes lingering far too long. A murmur rippled between them, and something sharp and dangerous coiled in Jase's chest. The possessiveness was instant, hot and overwhelming, igniting deep in his bones.
He moved before he even registered it.
Three strides, and he was behind her, his jacket already in his hands.
Before Celeste could even react, warm, strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against his chest as he draped the jacket over her shoulders.
The sudden heat of him was everywhere, the contrast between his bare skin and the crisp ocean air making her head spin.
Celeste gasped, the breath catching in her throat.
"Jase—?"
His lips brushed her ear, his voice low, heated, and utterly possessive.
"Only I get to see you in this, sweetheart."
Celeste stopped breathing.
Her entire body burned.
Her heart pounded so hard she was sure he could feel it, hammering against her ribs like a frantic drum. The warmth of his bare chest pressed against her back, solid and unyielding, his fingers lingering too long at her waist, gripping just a little too tightly.
Jase knew exactly what he was doing.
And he didn't care.
Celeste felt lightheaded, her knees weak, her body completely betraying her as tingles erupted over her skin. She tried to gather her thoughts, tried to reclaim some sense of control, but how could she?
Jase's lips were still too close, his breath teasing the shell of her ear, his presence all-consuming.
And then Amy's voice.
"Oh, wow," she teased, arms crossed as she smirked at the scene unfolding before her. "That was fast."
Celeste made a strangled sound, her entire face going scarlet, mortified beyond belief.
Jase? He didn't even flinch.
His grip on her stayed firm, his body completely unbothered by the audience. Instead, he smirked, his voice dropping so low that only she could hear it.
"Hey, can you blame me?" His lips ghosted near her ear, sending another traitorous shiver down her spine.
Then, soft, deliberate, smug as hell—
"She's mine."
Celeste's knees nearly buckled.
*****
After a long day at the beach, exhaustion weighed on their limbs, but the warmth of the sun and the scent of salt still clung to their skin as they finally retreated to the villa. The house was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight spilling through the open balcony doors, where the night breeze stirred the sheer curtains, making them dance like whispers against the frame. The rhythmic crash of waves filled the silence, steady, lulling, a constant reminder of the ocean just beyond.
Celeste stepped into their shared room, still wrapped in Jase's jacket, the fabric too big, too warm, too him. She had meant to take it off earlier, but somehow, she hadn't. Somehow, it felt right—his scent lingering in the material, surrounding her like an unspoken claim.
The air shifted.
Thickened.
Jase followed her inside, the soft click of the door sealing them in, wrapping them in something intimate, unspoken. For a moment, he said nothing. He simply watched her.
His golden eyes, usually playful, teasing, had darkened into something else—something heavier. His gaze traced the way his oversized jacket swallowed her frame, the sleeves hanging far past her wrists, dwarfing her. But beneath the hem, her bare legs peeked out, still warm from the sun, still soft and inviting in the dim light.
His jacket. His girl.
Jase exhaled slowly, deeply, and then, with a quiet, deliberate slowness, he stepped forward.
Celeste felt it before she even realized what was happening, the weight of his attention, the quiet intensity that made every nerve in her body hum. Her breath faltered, her fingers curling into the fabric of the jacket as if she could somehow steady herself.
He was looking at her differently now.
Without a word, Jase reached for the collar of his jacket, his fingertips barely grazing the delicate curve of her collarbone. The touch was light, fleeting, yet it sent a ripple through her, a silent shiver that traveled straight to her core. Celeste sucked in a sharp breath, her pulse skipping, stuttering, the anticipation tightening around her like an unseen force.
"Jase…?" Her voice was quiet, uncertain, but he didn't answer.
Instead, his hands moved, slow and deliberate, sliding the jacket off her shoulders, letting it slip down the length of her arms before it whispered to the floor in a soft, forgotten heap.
The air changed at once, heavier and charged. Jase looked at her with quiet focus, as if taking her in under the soft light. His attention lingered, unguarded and intense, and it made her keenly aware of how close they were.
Celeste's breath hitched, heat flooding her face, her entire body hypersensitive to the space between them, to the absence of fabric, to the sheer presence of him.
Then, his fingers traced the curve of her waist, barely a touch, but enough to ignite something sharp and overwhelming inside her. His hand moved painfully slow, his fingertips skimming along the line of her body, shaping her with every deliberate motion.
"You drive me insane, you know that?" he murmured, his voice husky, low with restraint.
Celeste's fingers curled at her sides, clutching at nothing, her whole body reacting to the heat in his touch, the way his hand settled with silent possession against her hip.
"Jase—"
She barely had time to finish before he leaned in, his lips grazing her bare shoulder.
A soft, slow kiss.
Celeste shivered, her head tilting instinctively, a sharp gasp slipping from her lips at the featherlight contact. But he didn't stop. His mouth lingered, pressing another kiss—this one deeper, hotter, lingering just a second too long.
Her hands found their way to his arms, gripping onto his biceps, because—God, her knees felt weak. Every muscle beneath her touch was coiled, tense, hard with restraint, yet his lips moved unhurriedly, as if he was drinking her in, savoring the feel of her beneath his mouth.
Jase's hands slid lower, his grip firm yet careful, like he was testing himself. His fingers pressed into the soft curve of her hips, his thumbs drawing slow, lazy circles that sent warmth curling deep in her stomach.
"You have no idea how hard it is for me to control myself around you."
Celeste turned scarlet, her breath coming shorter, shakier, her heart hammering so violently she swore it echoed in the space between them. She knew what he meant.
She could feel it in the taut tension of his muscles, in the way his breathing had turned uneven, in the way his grip tightened just slightly, like he was on the edge of something he couldn't quite contain.
Celeste swallowed, tilting her head just enough to meet his gaze, golden eyes dark with need, burning with something deeper, something unshakable.
"Then… don't."
Jase stilled.
A sharp inhale. A beat of silence so thick it felt endless.
Then, slowly, a smirk curved his lips but his golden eyes burned not just with hunger, but with something deeper, something consuming.
Love.
Need.
Devotion.
"Careful what you ask for, sweetheart." His voice was gravelly, thick with restraint, but his grip on her tightened just slightly, testing, teasing, daring her to push back.
Celeste didn't move.
Didn't back away.
Instead, she reached up, pressing her palm against his bare chest, feeling the steady, heavy thrum of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips. Fast. Hard. Completely in sync with hers.
"I trust you," she whispered.
Jase exhaled sharply, his head dipping forward until his forehead rested against hers, his breath warm, unsteady, completely wrecked. His hands slid up her waist, grazing along her ribs, then higher, until his arms wrapped fully around her, pulling her flush against him, body to body, heat against heat.
"Celeste…"
Her name on his lips was pure reverence.
And then he kissed her deeply and Celeste melted.
Her fingers tangled into his hair, nails grazing lightly against the nape of his neck, and the reaction was instant—a quiet, gravelly groan slipping from Jase's lips, reverberating through her. His hands tightened at her waist, pulling her closer, closer, as if the space between them had never been meant to exist in the first place. His head tilted, the kiss deepening, possessive, consuming, yet still painfully careful, like he was holding something fragile, precious, irreplaceable in his hands.
Her chest pressed against his, bodies molding together in a way that felt inevitable, like they had always been meant to fit this way. The heat between them grew, burning hotter, more urgent, every soft brush of lips, every shift of hands against skin unraveling her piece by piece. Jase's fingers slid down, gripping her hips just right, anchoring her against him, molding her even closer, as if he needed her there, as if letting go wasn't an option.
Celeste felt lightheaded, the world around them blurring into nothing, her body weightless yet tethered to him all at once. Dizzy. Breathless. Completely lost in him.
And then, suddenly, cruelly, he pulled back—just barely, just enough for the air between them to turn thick and heavy, his breath warm, teasing against her swollen lips.
His golden eyes flickered, dark and smoldering, filled with something raw, something unspoken, something entirely hers.
"Say it again," he murmured, voice low, rough, undone.
Celeste blinked, still dazed, still trying to catch up to the storm he had pulled her into. "What?"
Jase's nose brushed against hers, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his lips, but his voice came out hoarse, desperate.
"That you trust me."
Her heart clenched.
She swallowed, letting her fingers slide down his shoulders, pressing a soft, lingering kiss just above his collarbone. She felt the way his entire body tensed, the way his grip tightened, barely restrained.
"I trust you," she whispered, the words slow, deliberate, because she meant them.
Jase exhaled shakily, the breath ragged, uneven, his grip on her tightening, like he never wanted to let go. And then, with aching gentleness, he kissed her again, softer this time, reverent, careful, as if sealing the words between them forever.