June 5th
HI THERE, lovers,
This just in: your favorite seductress dropped everything and ran off with the best man at her BFF’s wedding. My oath to never drink again broke in the first hour of my lengthy journey. Four movies and two glasses of red wine later, I’ve landed in Brazil.
I’m ready for a vacation filled with flings and creaking bed springs.
If you’re new here, make sure you dive between the pages of my new release, Coastal Fling. Available everywhere in the US. Keep those buzzy devices freshly charged, it’s a scorcher.
Leave a comment down below for your must-sees and must-dos in Rio.
Kisses from me to you, Zoe Mona
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THE MORNING SUN beams through the large windows in my bedroom. Sheer, white curtains ripple in the warm breeze. I stretch my legs out on my king- sized bed, tucking myself beneath the plush sheets.
I haven’t quite wrapped my mind around my decision to board Nico’s flight to Brazil. A tight grip of nerves hinges around my chest.
My mind was frantic yesterday. Finding my way back to New York and figuring out a place to sleep in a city I’ve never been to before, all while hungover, seemed like an impossible task.
In that stressful moment, the easiest thing to do was to click on the plane ticket Nico transferred the night before and board his plane.
Today, however, in the sober light of day, I’m second-guessing my decision.
Can I really take the next month off?
I struggle to push the fear out of my thoughts. It may simply be time to admit that I’m overdue for an adventure. Spending the summer alone in the city while searching for a new job would’ve been dull. Hopefully, lying on the beach for a few weeks will be the perfect reset.
“Do you have a dirty little secret, Lily?” Nico bulldozes into my room.
I spike my laptop shut as though I’m trying to land a point in a volleyball game. I cringe at the loud creaking my computer makes. This thing is so old, I may have broken it for good.
“What’s a woman’s weapon, if not her secrets?” I deflect, rearranging myself on the bed.
Nico invites himself farther into my bedroom, eyeing the closed device.
My nerves throw a full-fledged rebellion. I leave the country for the first time in my life, and I’m carelessly parading my alter ego around.
That won’t do.
He chuckles. “You know, sometimes when you’re talking, you sound like some kind of novelist.”
“Funny.” I titter while my pulse races in my veins. There’s no way Nico saw anything on my computer. Impossible.
Get a fucking grip, Lily.
I refocus on the steaming white mug in his hand. “Whatcha got there?” “Earl Grey, a teaspoon of honey—there’s actually two, but I know
you’d refuse to admit you put more than one in here—and of course, it’s piping hot.”
Okay. Weird. How could he even remember that?
I bite my cheek, suppressing a burgeoning smile. I guess it’s kinda cute that he noticed how I take my morning drink last summer, but there must be an ulterior motive. “Is this an attempt to get another kiss out of me? Did you really think you could waltz in here with a caffeine fix and my legs would fling open for you?”
“You went from kissing to fucking really quick there. Are you trying to tell me something?”
“You’re the worst.” I get off the bed and take the mug from him. Our fingers slip against each other, and goose bumps prickle my arms. “But thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Nico leans against the doorframe, and I settle back on my plush king-sized bed, hanging my legs off the side.
After our platonic agreement on the plane, it seems we’re back to our familiar friendly banter. Any raised heartbeats can be chalked up to exhaustion.
Just friends.
Friends who flirt for fun. Friends who show up with tea in the morning.
Friends who won’t be locking lips beneath the stars ever again.
I’m not fooling myself, am I?
Nico stretches his tattooed arms above his head and surveys my bedroom. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to fight me for the bigger room.”
“I was so tired I didn’t even notice. Plus, this room has a better view.” “True, you’re here.”
I brush off his teasing. The room alone may be worth the trip. It’s equipped with a comfortable bed, a spacious walk-in closet, and an ensuite large marble bathroom with a separate shower and bathtub. I also have a modern work area with a panoramic view of the ocean. A little slice of luxury for me to try to enjoy.
“Shut up.” I sip my tea, the hot liquid warming my hoarse throat. “I bet your travel buddy is kicking themselves for missing out on all of this.”
Nico tilts his head to the side. “Hmm?”
“The person who was meant to sleep in this room,” I remind him, my brow curving with confusion. “You know, the same friend whose ticket you transferred to me.”
“Yep.”
“What was his name, by the way? Or her name? Their name? Was it Renée?” My sweetened tea turns tart in my mouth.
“Renée, my wedding date? No way. Are you regretting your decision to come?”
Fine, I won’t force him to divulge more information about the mysterious travel partner. “Coming is rarely a regrettable decision for me,” I retort.
He releases a laugh that sounds like his entire soul is pouring out of him.
Full and passionate. Is that what Nico would be like in bed?
I need to fucking stop.
Thankfully, I brought my vibrator because if this morning is any indicator of how the next month will play out, I’m in for a torturous vacation.
Now, if only I could find the charger…
“I see you already unpacked.” Nico’s voice brings me back to the present.
“Do you think this place has laundry? All of my wedding clothes could use a wash.” Luckily, I overpacked enough skincare to last a short apocalypse.
“Yeah, I’m sure the front desk can take care of it. You can borrow something of mine for today.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” Nico unfastens himself from the doorway and swaggers toward me. “You keep a diary?” He stands over my nightstand, running his index finger down the cover of my leather-bound notebook.
“It’s more of an emotional-support journal.” Nico shifts his attention back to me. “Huh?”
“It’s like a comfort blanket. I do everything digitally, y’know save the trees and all, but there’s something about carrying around a journal. Just in case.”
“Just in case of what?”
“Anything and everything. Inspiration, a reminder, someone’s phone number. Maybe for the sake of feeling pen glide over paper.”
“What kind of inspiration?”
I tuck my legs underneath me. It seems we’re both weaving around questions. “Was the tea a decoy for a full-fledged interrogation?”
“Yes, Lily Rodin.” He sits on the edge of my bed, facing me. “Please tell me, how do you feel about breakfast?” Nico sounds like a lead detective in a true crime series. I pocket the rush the image gives me for a novella idea.
I contemplate with an exaggerated pause. “I hate it.” Nico mock gasps. “Liar.”
“Where is your evidence, detective?”
“Montauk, last summer. You said verbatim, ‘Breakfast is the foreplay meal of the day.’ If I recall the morning correctly, you claimed you’d never skip such an important event.”
The previous rush of curiosity brims my mind. Has he been keeping notes on me?
“Sounds nothing like me.” I turn my gaze toward the ceiling, but catch him watching me in my peripheral.
“Then it’s safe to assume you wouldn’t be interested in the assortment of breakfast foods stationed out on the balcony right now?”
“Are you serious? Of course I am.” I shoot off the bed and exit my room. “You made me play that entire game when you had food out here? I was moments away from breaking under the cross-examination and claiming neglect.”
“Neglect?”
“Yes, for working me up to hangry status.” “Don’t worry, breakfast isn’t going anywhere.”
The corners of my lips tug upward. “I stand by my words. One should never skip foreplay.”
“It’s the best part of the day.” Nico trails behind me, and I can almost hear his smile.
Our two-bedroom suite has stone floors, bamboo furniture, a large kitchen, and floor-to-ceiling beach-view windows. There’s a massive beige couch in the middle of the living room.
It’s a bungalow-meets-modern vibe.
Warm air nuzzles my skin as I step onto the tiled balcony, which has an outdoor shower surrounded by glass. Even though it’s wintertime here, the temperature is more comfortable than it was in Northern California.
In the distance, the beach is busy, and small sailboats bob across the water. Urban mountains jut up from the ocean’s edge, and miles of white sand meet with the turquoise wash of foamy waves.
On the bamboo table in the middle of the balcony are two large bowls with fruits in every color of the rainbow.
“Is that açaí?” I ask.
“Yep. Apparently, the cafe downstairs has some of the best in the city.” Nico pulls out a chair for me, and I slide onto the cushioned seat. I shovel a spoonful of the whipped purple mixture into my mouth. My taste buds light up at the abundance of rich flavors.
“Yum,” I say as Nico sits opposite me.
My ringtone sings from inside the suite, but I make no effort to fetch my phone. I already know who the call is from.
“Avery again?” Nico asks.
“Yeah.” I sigh. “I texted her when I woke up, assuring her I was fine, but she has a million questions.”
“We can call her and Luca together.”
“Let’s do it tomorrow.” There isn’t an ounce of worry I’d be met with anything other than support for taking time for myself, but I think I need a day to get my story straight. Especially when the conversation will have to cover what happened the night of the wedding. “Did you at least text your brother and let him know you landed okay?”
“Why would I do that?”
More importantly, why do I care what Nico does or doesn’t do?
I’m not here to keep an eye on him. “Never mind. What’s the plan for today?”
He shrugs. “Taking it day by day.” “But I like having a schedule.”
“Maybe in New York, but in Rio, you can be a whole new version of Lily.”
I hold back a self-satisfied scoff. Little does Nico know, there are already enough versions of me to go around.
“You’re on vacation,” he says, “so start living like it.”
“Does vacation mean I get tea delivered each morning and a whole breakfast spread overlooking the ocean?”
“If you’re good.” His soft lips tug into a smirk. “And if I’m bad?”
“Then you’ll be bringing me a cup of coffee when I’m rolling out of your bed.”
“Definitely not.” “I’m kidding.”
I don’t believe him at all. If Nico got the slightest hint of a crack in the door between us, he’d crash right through it. Frankly, I’d probably welcome the collision.
“I have to leave around eight almost every morning,” he says. “Maybe we can have breakfast together sometimes?”
My eyes widen with surprise. “Are you actually scheduling something right now?” I reach for his toned arm to pinch his bare skin.
“Ouch, what are you doing?” Nico pulls his limb away defensively. “Making sure you’re still you in there and not some kind of robot.”
He sends his foot into my shin, and I laugh, picking up the glass of water in front of me. “This may come as a surprise to you, but I did create one of the most downloaded travel apps in the App Store, and I have a successful career. I’m not a mess.”
“Of course you’re not, Nico. I’m teasing.” I do my best to smile reassuringly. “Tell me more about your surf class. When does it start?”
“A few days from now. It’s six days a week from eight to three o’clock.
But I’ll have Sundays free.”
I take a sip of water and set the glass down.
Having so much time to myself fills me with jitters of anxiety and excitement. Maybe I can spend my mornings writing. I haven’t done that in almost ten years.
“Sounds fun. What are you going to do with me then?”
Nico’s cheeks dimple. “There’s a lot of things I can do with you.”
He can turn anything s*xual in a matter of seconds. I’m sure most women would find it immature, maybe repulsive, but I secretly kind of love it.
My throat seizes on the word love, and I choke on a spoonful of açaí.
Like. I like it.
“You good, princesa?”
I reach for the water again and down it, avoiding how his eyes watch me as if he’s peering through a magnifying glass. “I’m fine. So, do we have plans or not?”
“Obviously. Today, I get to show you the best part of traveling.”
“Which is?” I hike my legs up on the chair, pressing my thighs to my chest.
Nico sits back and spreads his knees. His torso glistens beneath the morning sun, and I trace each line of black ink on his body.
The next four weeks are going to be interesting.
“Well, Lily, every new place I’ve ever been to has streets filled with buildings that don’t mean anything at first. The fun part is discovering all the hidden gems in plain sight.”
I smile. “And what are we discovering today?”
“Are you afraid of heights?” “No?”
Nico gives me a smirk I can’t read. “Atta girl.”
