Darker The Forbidden Berry

Chapter 5

Aja and Finn both came to the conclusion that what they were doing was just for a bit of fun. Neither of them wanted to jump into anything serious. Aja had left behind a string of failed relationships and Finn just wanted something that his parents did not have a vice grip on. Their s*x life was amazing and that’s all that Aja was really concerned about for now.

She lifted her brush and peaked around the canvas at Finn who was sprawled out in the bed of the cottage. His long limbs nearly hung off the side of it. She regretted that she was not painting his perfect form. A few weeks had passed since their first dalliance and she’d become less shy about stealing glances at him. His shirt was pulled up just enough to reveal a thin sliver of his perfectly sculpted belly.

Her eyes followed the line of perfect flesh and she licked her lips without even realizing it.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Finn commented, opening one eye and watching her with a smirk.

“I’m focused. Something you wouldn’t know anything about.”

He hissed playfully but sat up on his elbows, his gaze following her movements. Finn was incredibly attentive in everything he did. She loved the way his eyes washed over her, taking in every little bit of her. He had the power to make a person feel special and Aja was starting to wonder if that was all she’d ever really wanted.

“We should get out of here for a few days.”

“Yeah?” Aja asked, dipping her brush into the water. “What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know…The s*x is amazing, but I just kind of think I want to have s*x…somewhere else.”

“We aren’t even dating and you’re already bored!” She said with a laugh.

He rolled his eyes, though the smile playing on his lips told her he was not really upset.

“Seriously, though. I have a friend who has a private island just off the coast in Lake Michigan. He’s throwing a party out there this weekend. We should go.”

She set her brush down and leaned back a little on the stool she’d propped herself on. She glanced at him and sighed a little, putting the brush aside.

“I don’t know…” She could not help but think about the last party they’d gone to together. “I kind of embarrassed myself at the last one. I’m not sure I want to put myself in that position again. Besides, I don’t feel like I belong at fancy parties.”

Finn swung his feet over the edge of the bed and walked over to her, draping his body over hers and wrapping his strong, lean arms around her shoulders. He took a moment to kiss her neck and smiled softly.

“What are you afraid of, darling?”

Aja dropped her head just a little so that her nose rested on his arm, taking in his sweet scent.

“I don’t want to embarrass myself.”

“You aren’t going to embarrass yourself. Listen, Ryan isn’t a fancy guy, okay? He’s a redneck at heart. His family just happens to be millionaires. I think you’ll have more fun than you think.”

She looked up at him, her gaze still unsure, but finally she sighed and nodded. “Okay.”

“Great! Let’s go get packed up!”

*****

The Monte Carlo was humming along the coastline, a few small duffle bags thrown into the back. They’d decided to pack light since they were only going for a few days. Aja leaned back, her window down and her arm stuck out of it, moving with the wind. She’d grown up in Michigan, but the beauty of the lakes never lost their luster. Especially Lake Michigan.

The small, grassy sand dunes eventually turned into tiny coastal cities with ferries and diners. They parked the car in a secured garage on the ferry lot and bought their tickets. The woman who filled out their pink tickets kept smiling at Finn in a way that made Aja’s blood go hot. Who did this lady think she was? She was easily in her fifties and too old for Finn. Then again, Finn was working his usual magic. His easy smile and musical voice must have transfixed the older woman. Aja was all too familiar with that feeling.

They thanked the woman before boarding the ancient ferry, leaning against the thick, white rails.

“I’m surprised you don’t have your own private ferry.”

Finn looked around and chuckled. “I do. I just like using the regular one.”

Aja cocked a brow and shook her head, a smile playing on her lips.

“You’re weird.”

“How am I weird?” He asked, shocked by her assertion.

“Because! You’re the only billionaire I know of who would choose public transportation over a private yacht.”

“I’m the only billionaire you know. So it’s normal.”

She rolled her eyes playfully and smacked his arm. “You know what I mean!”

“I just like being around people,” he said, his eyes fixed on a small strip of land in the distance. “I don’t like being alone and sometimes being wealthy is lonely. There’s so much isolation if you take the normal route. Everything I do is supposed to be bigger and better than what normal people can afford so that usually means being alone or standing around with a bunch of rich white dudes who don’t care about the same things I care about.”

“What do you care about?”

“Being kind to people and treating them with respect.”

The answer came so quick that it honestly caught her off guard. Finn had been so resolute in the statement.

“That’s…. A bit surprising. Usually, people with money could care less about others. But…It’s refreshing to see someone who isn’t caught up in that world,” she said, smiling and moving closer, wrapping both of her arms around his.

Finn did not say anything else. He just leaned down and kissed the top of her head. The simple sign of affection made her heart flutter in her chest. They stayed silent as the boat rocked, approaching the shoreline. Now that they were closer, she could see a massive bonfire with people sitting around it. Just behind the fire and hidden by the tree line was a massive Polynesian inspired mansion. It was on stilts and sat about six feet off the ground, its dark curved roof and wooden exterior giving it a dramatic look.