Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Maybe because I’ll know she’s there—far too close for comfort—even after she melts back into a sea of over a million people.
Still too close for my mad, simmering desires.
Barely a short car ride away from reconnecting, from haunting my balls until they’re bluer than the sky.
Yes, I’m being fucking ridiculous.
It’s not like we’ll ever have a reason to see each other again.
After tonight, after she posts her review, we go back to our separate worlds.
“Oh, you manage the Lanai resort from Seattle? You live there?” She looks over the top of her glass.
Fuck. I’ve already said too much.
“Technically, no. I’m traveling constantly in this role. I have a beautiful house in Seattle, though,” I admit, ignoring my better judgment.
Her eyes sparkle.
“Wow. You’re living my travel nomad dream. God, I wish I could travel so much I didn’t feel tied to any place. You’ve got the life I’d lead if I could be someone else—if I wouldn’t miss my family way too much.”
Sunshine, you have no idea what you’re asking for.
“Is that the only reason? You underestimate yourself, Miss Renee.” I take a slow sip of wine and capture her eyes. “You’ve got a steady following. Once it’s big enough and you lock down more ways to monetize it, there’s no reason why you won’t be able to jet around to your heart’s content.”
She shakes her head quickly.
“No, it’s just...it’s not that easy. I’m lucky to get away at all.”
I frown at the way her head drops with her eyes closed before she looks at me again.
“Why?”
“I—” She pauses. “I just have obligations back home. Personal things.”
“You’re young and free. You only get that once.” I study her left hand closely, confirming there’s no ring.
It’s a safe assumption she’s not tied down, even if she might have a serious boyfriend.
“Not as free as you think,” she mutters, glancing away.
“What’s tying you down then? Children? School? A man?” I try to keep the jealous edge out of my voice on that last word.
She snorts like I’ve asked her if she’s hiding a pair of unicorn wings.
“No way. Nothing like that, but I do have family issues that keep me in Seattle. But it’s not important.” She sighs and props her chin on her hand. “What was your favorite part of the day, crankyface? Lanai must be kinda boring when you’re here so much.”
I stare at her for a second and decide I’ll humor her.
“Clever dodge, Sunshine. Lanai has a certain familiarity to it, I think, so I value experiences. Anything out of the ordinary.”
“Yeah? You mean you did something with me you haven’t done a thousand times before?”
I pause, dragging her gaze to mine before I answer.
“You really want to know? Okay.” I lean in closer. “Frankly, my favorite part was when you wrapped yourself around me on the ATV. I wish we never got to the ranch.”
Her mouth twists open as she gasps.
“...bad answer, Brock.” She blushes but can’t hide her mutinous smile.
“Sure, but you’re enjoying my mischief, aren’t you?” I cut a piece of my steak and chew slowly.
She makes a disgruntled sound and shakes her head vigorously. That smile she can’t shake gives her away.
Thankfully, I end it there, before anything monumentally stupid happens that undoes all my hard work.
Control yourself. You want to walk out of this with a glowing review, not her panties, bozo.
We focus on the dessert menu. I convince her to try the decadent coconut cake, the best she’ll ever have. Since she can’t eat the whole thing herself, we share a piece.
It’s the kind of magnificent torture a man only experiences a few times in his life.
This fucking mockery of a date that’s not a date.
Trying like hell to convince her to like me for my resort—and not because I want her screaming in my bed.
After dinner, we head back to the resort under a smear of silver stars hanging over the ocean.
She slumps in her seat with a muffled groan.
“Oof. You weren’t kidding about that cake. Too delicious, even if I’m busting at the seams. Thank you.”
“Thank you, Miss Renee, for not murdering me with a lamp the other night.”
“You got lucky. I was a little distracted.”
I wonder if she means my body—my sizable package—and I hate that I can’t ask.
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time my cock left a woman stupefied, but never the unique way Piper Renee experienced.
“Lanai is a good place to be distracted,” I tell her, my eyes flicking over as I drive. “I’m afraid we won’t be shower buddies ever again.”
She giggles, her face heating that damnably alluring ruby red.
“Let’s take the long way up. I’ll show you the rock garden,” I suggest once we park.
We set off on the winding walking path around the resort, veering down a trail flanked by ferns and flowers.
Before I realize I’ve done it, I’ve got her hand in mine.